Highlights:

See below for Christmas Schedule

Would you like to help decorate Holy Family Church for Christmas? We need lots of help to bring items up from the basement, to decorate the trees, hang wreaths and banners, and bring in the nativity stable. If you can help, please be at the Church at Sun. Dec. 21st at 1:30 pm Thank you.

Fire Drill for St. Anne’s Church Chesley will take place on Sat. Dec. 20 following the 4 pm Mass.

Altar Serving Training Coming Up
Register now if you are interested. Current altar servers are welcome to come and show the newcomers the ropes!
The dates for training are:
Tuesday, January 20
Tuesday, January 27
Tuesday, February 3
All from after school to 5:00pm.
Students can come over from Holy Family with their parents’ permission right after school (PLEASE NOTIFY THE SCHOOL). Pickup in the church at 5:00pm.
An alternate training day is available by request for those who can’t get there after school, on Saturday Feb. 7th from 12-3pm. Form to sign up:  https://forms.gle/ePULTNBZfbdvmZ5Z9

Something to note, altar serving is open to boys and girls who:

• Are in grade 3 or above (teens welcome)
• Have been baptized Catholic or who were baptized at an other church and are now Catholic
• Have made their first Communion
• Are capable of fulfilling certain duties, remaining attentive during an entire Mass, and behaving in a respectful and quiet manner.

Save the Date: January Spaghetti Supper
Friday Jan. 16th, Holy Family Lenhard Room
Organized by the Knights of Columbus. Meatless and Gluten Free options available. More details will follow.

Seeking Gently Used Upper Kitchen Cabinets St. Francis Xavier is seeking gently used upper kitchen cabinets to replace shelves. If you have some to donation, please contact the Holy Family Parish Office. Thank you

Quilt Tying Starts in January The Carlsruhe ladies will begin tying quilts on Monday, January 5, 2026, at the hall of the Carlsruhe Church. We start at 1:00 to 4:00 on Monday afternoons. These quilts are sent to Dr. Simone in Toronto and is forwarded to third world countries. Everyone is welcome and no experience is required. 
If you need more information please phone Anne Schwan 367-5466, Joan Stroeder 881-0978 and Cathy Weber 881-1448.

Year End Donations: Please note that donations must be received by Dec. 31st in order to be included on your 2025 Tax Receipt. Thank you

CFFC item donations – The Canadian Food for Children Team just packed and shipped this week. Due to limited space, they would appreciate if you have clothing/ item donations to wait until after Christmas to bring them in, as their next packing day will be in January. Thanks!

Card Party will resume on Tues. Jan. 6th

Formosa’s Children’s Choir presents Christmas Concert & Live Nativity
Sun. Dec. 21st, 2 pm Immaculate Conception Church, Formosa
Admission: Free will Offering

Adoration Chapel Christmas Schedule: The chapel will close on Wed. Dec. 24th at 12 noon and re-open on Monday, January 5th.

Bad Weather – Is an Event Cancelled?
Parish events that are cancelled due to the weather will be added to the answering machine Cancellation Line. If you want to check to see if an event has been cancelled, call 519-364-1973 and press 6

Reflection on Today’s Gospel Matthew 1: 18-24 Discussion Questions:

What is most striking to you in this story of Jesus’ conception?  
How have you experienced Jesus as Emmanuel (God is with us) in your life lately?
What do you learn about faith from Joseph? How can you apply that to your everyday living this week?

SUNDAY LITURGIES (Dec 20/21st)
Fourth Sunday of Advent

Saturday Vigil Masses
4:00 pm Location: St. Anne, Chesley Eternal Happiness of Carol Schefter Ottewell – BG Catholic D. School Board
6:00 pm  Eternal Happiness of Donald Kroetsch – Donna
Sunday,  
9 am Mass For all the people of the Parish & Parish Missions
11 am Mass – Location: St. Francis Xavier, Carlsruhe Eternal Happiness of Wilma Patzer – BG Catholic D. School Board

Tuesday:  7 pm Mass
David & Geraldine Grubb – The Family
Holy Souls – Jean Trafford

Wednesday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve
Note: Office Closed
6 pm Mass For the Seniors and Shut-Ins – Holy Family Catholic Women’s League
8 pm Mass For the Intentions of the Christmas Flowers Donors

Thursday, Dec. 25 – Christmas Day
9 am Mass For all the people of the parish and parish missions
11 am Mass Location: St. Francis Xavier, Carlsruhe Georgina Reinhardt – BG Catholic D. Schoolboard

No Mass on Dec. 26th

SUNDAY LITURGIES (Dec. 27/28)
Feast of the Holy Family

Saturday Vigil Masses
6:00 pm  
For protection of life from conception to natural death and for the living & deceased members of the Adoration Chapel
Sunday,  
9 am Mass For all the people of the Parish & Parish Missions
11 am Mass – Location: St. Francis Xavier, Carlsruhe
Eternal Happiness of Brenda Patterson – BG Catholic D. Schoolboard