Merry Christmas From Father Paul

From our house to yours...

Merry Christmas from Father Paul & Kismet

Keeping Christ in Christmas

St. Ann's joined with Knights of Columbus Council's across the world in proclaiming their annual message of "Keeping Christ in Christmas."

Jill Diakow, Sir Knight Richard Kozar, Monica Kozar

With the help of a couple of parishioners, Sir Knight Richard Kozar erected the parish banner at St. Ann's Church, in Flin Flon, MB.

Mother nature shined on us in giving us a day that was only mildly cold at -12.

I appreciate our local council's initiative in keeping this annual tradition alive. The banner is visible from a major highway in town and is a visible reminder of our shared need to remember that this holiday time is centred around our Lord, Messiah and Teacher: Jesus Christ.

Thank you to Sir Knight Richard Kozar, Monica Kozar and Jill Diakow who assisted in this effort.

Many thanks from all of us at St. Ann's.

Homily - Advent & John the Baptist: Are We Willing to Reveal Jesus to Others?

This Sunday finds us celebrating the Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday. It simply means to "Rejoice" at the presence of the Lord.

We hear about John the Baptist this weekend; a pivotal person in the life of the Messiah.

John's message was clear: "Prepare the way for the Lord!"

We have taken much time over these last weeks in contemplating the coming of Christmas; the Birth of Christ - not only in history, but the coming of Christ at the end of time. How do we hear John's message in this Sunday's Gospel? Is there something there that we can encourage ourselves with today?

Are we willing, like St. John, to announce the coming of Christ in our lives as christians? Do we make His presence known?

I have found the emergence of the popular greeting, "Happy Holidays" to be worrisome. Are we as christians settling for a watered down version of the Christmas Message in order to not make waves in the culture in which we live? It is "Christ"mas, afterall.

I ask myself if I am willing to stand for my belief? An acknowledgment that God's Son came into the world that I might have life and a life to the full. I owe my life, such as it is, to God. God's grace alone keeps me, at least, serene and sober. Can I not have the freedom to acknowledge God's greatest and most lasting gift to the world when afterall it is His birthday I celebrate?

Pray for the grace to stand like those who have gone before us to pass on our faith. Pray for the grace to acknowledge the source and summit of this "holiday" and be grateful to say, "Merry Christmas."

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