Find out what's happening in the Parish this Fall.
In this issue
Pastor Message
Parish Life
What's Happening
Outside World
Dear friends,
HAPPY FEAST DAY!.
The Solemnity of All Saints is a great day to be grateful for belonging to both the Catholic Church and All Saints Parish. The Church and the parish give us so much. How could we live without them!
The Church teaches us how to love deeply, surrender ourselves for the good of others and live not for superficial things but for those which endure. She teaches us how to pray and guides us into what is true and good. The Church affirms our personal dignity and helps us to live well in a challenging world.
In the Parish, we find friends who share our values, people who pray for us and have our best interest at heart. Here we grow in the Christian life through worship, formation programs and service of others. Here we belong, a rare gift in our restless society.
Excessive individualism has led to serious social problems in the West: loneliness, selfishness, unhealthy competitiveness. The Church stands as a constant reminder of the importance of community in human life. The Genesis text “It is not good that a man should be alone” announces a life-giving truth: we become ourselves through social relationships and community belonging.
The Church is the great guardian of this truth. It calls us to look beyond “my enjoyment and happiness” and recognize in others “people who need me and whom I need.” Within the believing community, we learn to work together for the common good and to sacrifice ourselves for others. This elevates us and grants us a privileged share in “things that really matter.”
How easy it is to see the failings of the Church and its all-too-human members. If we are being honest, however, we must also acknowledge its greatness and the inestimable benefit it brings to humankind.
On All Saints Day let’s be grateful that we have been invited into this mysterious life-giving family of God and commit ourselves to work together in the parish, for our own good and the good of the world. Jesus calls his followers to be light in the darkness and to create a safe harbour for the many floundering in dangerous waters. What a noble calling! What a precious invitation!
The world needs All Saints Parish to be a strong hope-filled community. Let us say “Thank you, Jesus, for calling me into your wonderful Church!”
Love always
Father Don
Pictures from Francesca & Peters Farewell
Alpha Updated
Praise the Lord! With God's grace, we are halfway done. We have had steady attendance each week, delicious meals are being donated, and the Holy Spirit is working behind the scenes to change hearts and minds all in God's time. See a glory story from one of our participants a couple of weeks ago.
"I believe that the evidence for Christianity presented in today's video and all talks so far is true. I have been practicing forgiveness every day, as the video has taught me"
Our hosts and helpers at each table are praying for their individual participants daily, and we ask you to also pray for all the participants and the Alpha team. Thank you!
Invitation Workshop Glory Stories
Recently we had our Invitation Workshop! We taught parishioners why and how to invite friends and family to parish events. At the end of the workshop, we invited people to make a phone call and invite someone to our upcoming adoration night!
Here's a story about Caro Valbuena reaching our to her friend.
"I was nervous to invite my friend because although she is Catholic she hasn’t been in church since she moved to Canada a couple of years ago. After praying to the Holy Spirit I decided to call her and invite her. To my surprise and delight, she excitedly responded, “oh Yes! I’ll definitely go and thank you very much for inviting me".
Inviting Friends and family into parish life is one of the key ways we can evenglize!
Adoration Night
Evening Mass on November 5 will be at 6:30 on November 5.
This is because we will be hosting an Adoration night from 7:30-10 pm that Friday! This adoration night is for all parishioners. If you've never been to adoration night before, we'd love to have you! There will be Praise and Worship, Confession and a social after!
The theme for our Adoration is Chosen! If you've been feeling the busyness of day-to-life, or you've felt disconnected because of Covid, Join us on November 5
To prepare for our Adoration night, check out this playlist of songs we will be singing!
Project Advance
Matthew 9:37
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."
The work of evangelization and parish renewal is plentiful! We'll never be able to renew our Parish if only Father Don is a full-time worker. That is why over the past year, we have hired new workers Like Lorraine Joseph and Janet Pearson. We've even given new roles to current staff like Ivy Barcelon and Mathew Joseph!
To continue to hire new staff and pay our current staff, we need your financial help! Thank you for your continued and constant support
You can make a donation to project advance using the button below!
Saint Vincent De Paul's 175th Anniversary
November 14
On November 14,, celebrate with us the 175th Anniversary of St. Vincent de Paul which also falls on the World Day of the Poor. We will be speaking at all the Masses, which will be followed by light refreshments and cake after the 9 & 11 A.M. Masses. Members will be there to answer any questions.
Our Conference has been active at All Saints for 36 years serving Christ in the poor. Many of our activities have been restricted due to the COVID virus, but we continued to serve with our food hamper delivery and assisted others in many different ways.
Now St. Vincent de Paul needs new members to get ready for future requests. Volunteer opportunities such as sandwich making, delivering emergency food hampers, home visits to those in need and seniors, prison ministry, and volunteering at our Thrift stores are available.
Our Helpline Phone number is 604-518-7200. No work of charity is foreign to the Society.
Charitable Outreach in 2 Community Schools
In partnership with CityReach Care Society, the All Saints Charitable Outreach is distributing food hampers to needy families attending Seaview Community School and Miller Park Community School.
Volunteers pick up the hampers from CityReach in Vancouver and deliver them to designated distribution areas in the schools where clients come to pick up their food items at the same time that they pick up their children.
The clients, who remain anonymous and are simply greeted with smiles and welcoming words from our volunteers, are most appreciative of the help, especially during these challenging times. Additional volunteers are welcome.
Contact the parish office for more details.
Advent Wreath Making
November 25th, 6:15-7:45 pm
We will have our traditional ADVENT-WREATH-MAKING at the school gym on Nov., 25th.
All are welcome to join us and start the preparation for Christmas!
The cost is $15.00 per wreath (including the prayer cards, materials, snacks and fun! ). There will be enough space for social distancing. Please wear masks.
We ordered limited supplies, and so it is on a first-come-first-served basis. Please drop off payment at the parish office in cash or cheque.
For more information, email Ivy Barcelon – sf.allsaints@shaw.ca or call 778 316 9967 or 604 939 1741
Gardens of Gethsemani Hallowtide Events
Nov.,1st & 2nd
All Saints' Day Mass with Archbishop Miller
Join us for All Saints’ Day Mass with Archbishop Miller at the Evangelist Chapel at the Gardens of Gethsemani. Monday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m.
All Souls' Day Mass
Join us for All Souls’ Day Mass at the Evangelist Chapel at the Gardens of Gethsemani. Tuesday, November 2 at 11:00 a.m.
To learn more about these events,
World Youth Day
August 1-6, 2023
It's official! Now it's time to start planning for World Youth Day 2023!
Tour Design Canada is a Canadian-owned and operated tour operator with extensive experience in World Youth Day pilgrimages. Since 1997, we have been helping Dioceses, Parishes and Schools in creating memorable journeys of faith; our mission is to help you ensure a safe and successful World Youth Day experience in Lisbon 2023!
We've already secured pilgrim accommodation in hotels, hostels and guesthouses within the Lisbon city center.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this unique spiritual journey to Lisbon, Portugal. Connect with our expert travel planners and start organizing your group journey today!
Email alaw@glpworldwide.com for more information!
Go to Saint Joseph
Turning to St. Joseph in Life and Death
Zoom | November 12 at 7:00 PM
We don’t know much about the last hours of St. Joseph from Scripture, but tradition and early-century sacred art portray him as dying peacefully in the arms of Jesus and Mary. This is why St. Joseph is known as the patron of a grace-filled and happy death.
Join us for a webinar with Fr. Pio Vottola, O.Praem, Sr. Catherine Mary Clarke, FSE, and Michele Smillie, who will share stories and answer questions about what it means to have a grace-filled passing, how having the end in mind can help us embrace life more fully, and how we can conquer our own fears of dying through the example and intercession of St. Joseph.
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Tenth Annual Archbishop's Dinner
Nov., 10th @6:00pm
We are excited to announce that due to the increase in capacity restrictions, we are able to re-open registration for the Tenth Annual Archbishop’s Dinner.
If you would like to purchase a table, please email development@rcav.org or call 604-683-0281 ext 50324.
Mass Wedding Information Session
Nov., 20th @12:15
Come to an Information and Processing Session and see how you can be part of the Mass Wedding to be officiated by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB on June 11, 2022 at St. Paul’s Church, Richmond. All civilly married couples are welcome.
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Mass for Deceased Bishops, Clergy, and Consecrated Men and Women
Nov., 3rd @12:00pm
The annual Mass for deceased bishops, clergy, and consecrated men and women will be held at Holy Rosary Cathedral on Wednesday, November 3, at 12:00 p.m. All are most welcome to attend this special Liturgy concelebrated by the priests of the Archdiocese. Remember kindly in your prayers during the month of November those who have laboured for the Church in Vancouver and pray that the Lord will send more dedicated men and women to continue their ministry.
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