The Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles – Scalabrinians – is an international community of religious serving migrants and refugees of different cultures, religions and ethnicities in 32 countries and on five continents. The Congregation was founded on November 28, 1887, by Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini (1839-1905), bishop of Piacenza (Italy). It was the period of massive emigration from Italy and Europe toward the Americas. It was a far-reaching phenomenon whose importance Bishop Scalabrini was able to grasp in both its social and religious dimensions.

Our province is located in five countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala). The provincial office is in Oak Park, Illinois located just outside Chicago. Our membership comes from 13 countries.

Our missionary focus for the last twenty-five years has been to be migrants with the migrants and to be in mission with people on the move along with a special priority for the poorest migrants. What has become very obvious is that as we have taken more missionary risks and made an effort to clarify our Charism we have been blessed with more and more vocations. The blessing is doubled by the fact that we are currently receiving the vocations that match our present need.

For Scalabrini Vocation information in the Vancouver Archdiocese contact:

Our Lady of Fatima, Vancouver-Fr. Antonio Tapparello 604-879-0729
Our Lady of Sorrows, Vancouver-Fr. Richard Zano 604-254-0691

St. Ann’s, Abbotsford-Fr. Eduardo Quintero

604-852-5602

vocations4migrants@yahoo.com
www.vocations4migrants.org
www.scalabrinians.org

Dear Parishioners:

The beginning of a New Year impels us to implement new resolutions, to be positive and start on the right foot. Let me give you some tips from Holy Scripture.

For example, Phil. 4:4-5 motivates us to rejoice in the Lord always as well as to let everyone experience one’s gentle and understanding heart. As we keep on reading, the Holy Author calls us to avoid anxiety, to resort to prayer and thanksgiving, to bring our requests to God and to focus on Jesus Christ, our Lord (Phil 4:6- 7).

Another great suggestion in that short section is to fill our minds with whatever is truthful, holy, just, pure, lovely and noble (v. 8). A human being’s inner desire is to fight against falsehood and to dwell in truth. It is a great resolution to be implemented, especially nowadays when we are bombarded mercilessly.

In the Letter to the Colossians important tips are found. The Apostle calls us to be rooted in Christ by accepting him, by letting faith be our principle, and by overflowing in generosity (Col 2:6-7). The Apostle expects from us to put to death what is earthly in my life (Col 3:5). The believers’ eyes and hearts should be focused on Jesus Christ and his eternal promises.

As God’s chosen people, we are called to clothe ourselves in Christ. Yes, to wear the garment of compassion, kindness, humility and meekness to bear with one another patiently (Col 3:12- 13). On verse 16 we read: Let the word of God dwell in you in all its richness. That is a statement we have not clearly understood yet. Followers of Christ must always imitate the Lord and let his wisdom shine. Feeling responsible for the wellbeing (that is salvation) of my brother or sister is crucial to our Christian faith (v. 17). A heart of solidarity is so much needed today!

Deal wisely with those who do not belong to the Church (Col 4:5-6). On many occasions religion and Church were and have been used as a weapon. No longer so: let us preserve unity and harmony within the Christian Family. No more wars or division in the name of the Lord!

Dear Friends in Christ, I pray you find all these tips helpful. As we journey together in life, let us encourage and build up each other (1 Thes 5:11). The support of family, friends and community will be the proof that we are surrounded by the love of God. May God’s blessings rest on you all!

Fr. Eduardo

The FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY is dedicated to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, commemorating their life together in Nazareth and calling us to focus on Catholic family life. 

The Church presents the Holy Family to us as a model for our own family life. Joseph was the head of the Holy Family and provided for Mary and Jesus with the work of his hands. He was obedient to the angel who told him to take Mary as his wife, what to name the new child and again when told to flee with them to Egypt. He taught Jesus the carpentry trade and what it was to be a man in the society in which they lived. 

Mary took care of her family in the home. It was she who would have taught Jesus the Scriptures and prayers of their people when he was very young. It was through her example of managing the home that Jesus would formulate many of the examples he would later use in his teaching. Jesus saw work sanctified through the example of his earthly parents, who did all things well in the ordinary circumstances of daily life. 

By putting Christ at the center of all individual and family life, working and praying together, reading the Scriptures and worshiping as a unit, family members can find their sanctification. 

Today the Church celebrates the Fourth Sunday of Advent. We light the last candle on our Advent wreath and our preparation for Christmas is almost finished. We also reach the culmination of the O Antiphons. In previous antiphons our cry was directed to the Messiah as He manifested Himself to the Chosen People, to the
Gentiles, and in nature; now He is addressed in person and asked to remain with us as Emmanuel. We ask Christ to forgive us for our sins and, through His grace, to
create us anew when He comes. This week is also a time to recollect, to reflect on our Advent journey. If we have let the hustle and bustle of the season get in the way of our spiritual preparations for Christmas, we have one last chance to refocus— and the light of the candles on the Advent wreath can be a symbol of our focus, as well as a symbol of the light of Christ.

4TH WEEK PRAYER: (Light all candles)
Bestir, O Lord, Thy might, we beseech Thee, and come; and with great power come to our aid, that, by the help of Thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness. Who lives and reigns, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

As we begin the Third Week of Advent, we anticipate Christmas, and so we ask Christ to grant us His grace that we might be prepared for welcoming His Birth. Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, marks a traditional turning point in this period of preparation, and we see it visually in the Advent wreath. Not only do we light more candles than we leave unlit for the first time in Advent—thus providing more light, symbolizing the light of Christ—but if our Advent wreath has a rose or pink candle, that’s the one that we light this week. The purple candles of the first two weeks (and of the fourth week) are symbols of penance, but the rose candle is a symbol of our coming joy. 

3RD WEEK PRAYER3RD PRAYER: : (Light 2 purple candles and 1 pink) 

Incline Thine ear to our prayers, O Lord, we beseech Thee; and make bright the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Who lives and reigns, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy 

If the First Week of Advent serves as a call to repentance, to “cease doing evil, and to learn to do good,” then the Second
Week of Advent reminds us that living an upright life alone is not enough. We must submit ourselves in humility to the will of God.

The Lord calls His children — the inhabitants of Jerusalem — to return to him. Freed from sin, they must nevertheless mourn their past sins, but because of their spiritual pride (one of the seven deadly sins), they refuse. Instead, while they should be preparing their souls for the coming of their Savior, they celebrate, and God vows to humble them.

2ND WEEK PRAYER: (Light 2 purple candles)
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine only-begotten Son, that through His coming we may be worthy to serve Thee with purified minds. Who lives and reigns, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

***

ADVENT PENITENTIAL SCHEDULE:
St. Joseph’s, Langley Thursday, Dec. 13th 7:00 pm
St. Ann’s, Abbotsford Monday, Dec. 17th 7:00 pm
St. Nicholas, Langley Tuesday, Dec. 18th 7:00 pm
St. James, Abbotsford Tuesday, Dec. 18th 8:00 pm
St. Joseph’s, Mission Wed., Dec. 19th 7:00 pm
Sts. Joachim & Ann, Aldergrove Wed., Dec. 19th 7:00 pm
St. Mary’s, Chilliwack Thursday, Dec. 20th 7:00 pm
Our Lady of Good Hope Sat., Dec. 22nd 9:30 am
St. Anthony’s , Agassiz Sun., Dec. 23rd 7:00 pm

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE:
Monday, Dec. 24th, Christmas Eve: 5:00pm, 7:00pm, 9:00pm (Español), Midnight
Tuesday, Dec. 25th: 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm (Español)
Wednesday, Dec. 26th, St. Stephen: 9:00 am

Time flies! 131 years have passed since the Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini founded our Congregation to respond to the appeal of thousands of migrants. He saw the need to accompany them and support them in their quest for a dignified life. Last month we celebrated the XV General Chapter in Italy – Rome in renewing our vocation and mission to promote, to encounter, to dialogue and to proclaim among the migrants. 

In his address to the Holy Father on the occasion of the general chapter, our Superior General has recalled that our charism is “to journey with all migrants, refugees and seafarers and at the same time to journey with the local Churches, called to welcome, promote, protect and integrate them”. 

Our founder used to say that the society is flying, we cannot stay static, and we have to be dynamic. The Scalabrinian’s local community of Vancouver saw the need to move on in the Archdiocese to be closer to the neediest migrants of the local Church. Indeed, the idea became reality! It was in conformity with the XIV (CG XIV) General Chapter, focusing on the criteria of significance, exemplarity and specificity to make this move. And, the purpose in taking St. Ann’s Parish was to be closer to the Seasonal Farm workers whom we have been ministering to in the Archdiocese for many years now and of course to serve the local Parish. 

So, this XV General chapter seems to challenge us more and more when the Holy Father, Pope Francis in his written document handed to the Capitulars says: “The chapter represents a privileged moment of grace for your religious Family, called to adopt this dual approach of the Divine Teacher toward those who are entrusted to your pastoral care: to announce the word and to walk with them. It is necessary to constantly find new ways of evangelization and proximity, in view of implementing with dynamic fidelity your charism of service to the migrants.” 

Looking in a concrete way, our parish community is trying their best to journey with the Farm workers close by in so many different ways; in welcoming Refugee Families through the Refugee Sponsorship Program and welcoming many family migrants from different places on the world. Mindful of these advices from these two last General Chapters and the Holy Father, Pope Francis’ words; as a Scalabrinian parish community we feel responsible to announce the word to the migrants and walk with them. They come here looking for a better life. In other words, they come here to work. Indeed, they are working hard. Our mission is to continue walking with them, and learning together with them.

Fr. Rosemond