Responding to the pastoral need, Most Rev. Claude Hamelin, Bishop of St. Jean – Longueuil, assigned Fr. Michael Nguyen Dinh VINH, CSSp, a Vietnamese and religious priest of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) as full time pastor of our parish.

His appointment is effective Oct 1, 2023 and will remain until July 31, 2029.

Message from Fr. Vinh Michael Nguyen

December 8, 2024

Prepare the way for the Lord

Every year when Advent comes, the image of John the Baptist appears in the liturgy to announce the coming of the Savior. With a simple, humble and courageous life, he called on everyone to prepare their hearts and repent to welcome the Savior. Thanks to his faithfulness and courage in his mission, crowds of people came to him to be immersed in the Jordan River to receive forgiveness of sins, and to come to Jesus and receive his teachings. 

The images of ‘filling deep valleys’, ‘leveling low mountains’, ‘straightening crooked paths’ are used by John to call on everyone, including us, not only to make our hearts ready to celebrate the Birthday of the Savior, but also to prepare for our journey of faith. Every believer has the desire to seek God, to seek the Savior and to meet him, however, this journey of searching is very long and requires each person to be patient and courageous to overcome obstacles. It is like a war in which each believer must fight and sacrifice before the spirit of evil, must be courageous, faithful and steadfast in filling the deep pits of sin, correcting the dishonest soul of oneself, and to be ready for the Savior to come to us at any time. 

The call that echoed in the desert of old, by John the Baptist, is also the call of Advent to help us look back at ourselves, and to remind us to always recognize the presence of the Savior in our lives, to strive to perfect ourselves and practice charity.  

May each of us always strive to clean and renew the spiritual path of our souls to welcome Christmas and the Savior to come to us in our lives. Amen. 

THE POPE'S MONTHLY INTENTIONS

December prayer intention 2024 - For pilgrims of hope 
Let us pray that this Jubilee strengthen us in our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope.