Pastor’s Desk

On April 12, 1889 Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini established in Italy the St. Raphael Society with the purpose of creating an international network of social and juridical assistance to migrants, thus safeguarding their human rights.

Similar groups had been operating in other European countries especially in the ports of departure and arrival as a result of the massive flow of migrants, leaving the European continent during the second half of the 1800s.

Scalabrini’s beatification in 1997 provided the needed momentum for a return to the Founder’s intuition. It was an incentive for a renewed appreciation of his person and the study of his writings and initiatives, and to become acquainted with his providential vision of human events. It also provided the occasion to deepen the knowledge of the events that marked his life and be inspired by his all embracing missionary fervor, to be nourished by his gospel-rooted spirituality and to attracted by his thirst for holiness.
It was under these auspices that the Lay Scalabrinians Movement was conceived. It began as a cooperative effort under the one and only Scalabrinian Missionary Charism.

Since 2001 Lay Scalabrinians have successfully held national, and international gatherings which proved to be decisive in giving further impetus to Scalabrini’s insight. They felt a calling to renew and update Scalabrini’s Charism and provide an adequate response to the needs of migrant families and communities.

Lay Scalabrinians have been organizing themselves as a movement comprised of Christian men and women, who, following a period of specific Scalabrinian missionary formation, form small groups who are engaged in the work of evangelization and social action within the local church and society. They work together with the Scalabrinian missionaries (priests brothers and sisters), and are enlightened by the same prophetic Charism and dedication to migrants and refugees, regardless of religious and cultural background. (taken from http://www.scalabrini.org/en/the-mission/scalabrinian-lay )

Taking his inspiration from Jacob (Gn 28: 12), Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini chose, as the motto of his episcopal coat-of-arms, the verse, “Video Dominum innixum scalae” (I see the Lord at the top of the stairway).
This was a metaphor of a man of God who wanted to be on the frontier of dialogue between Heaven and Earth, between God and his People, between the Church and the World, between Faith and Country. Hope as the journey, faith as the stairway, and love as vision.

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

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.