So what preparation might we undertake in the next four weeks to be in the best spiritual shape to joyfully celebrate the great feast of Christmas? Might I suggest that we focus on four things this Advent:

1) Repenting of and confessing our sins (The Sacrament of Reconciliation, see Christmas schedule below)

2) Renewing our lives through prayer (Set aside time for daily Prayer)

3) Sharing our blessings with others (Acts of Charity; ie., Amor Dei, see below)

4) Investing a few minutes each in developing a greater understanding of our faith (ie., Advent Virtual Retreat, see below)

Let's use this Advent as a time of personal renewal and let's make this Christmas our best ever, a season filled with joy and love!

Please check out the Worship section below for Mass times and public health requirements as we continue to be attentive to our neighbour’s safety.  Also take note that the Christmas Mass times and sign-ups are now available.

God bless you folks, Father Gerard

Don't have the time to go a little deeper into the Christmas story this year? How about a "busy person's retreat"? You are Invited to participate in a virtual retreat where we will reflect on the beauty and patience of the Advent season. Click below and for 8 consecutive days starting Dec 10th you will receive a short inspirational email and video on elements of the Christmas story that will open your heart to the coming of the baby Jesus.

While the world likes to rush to Christmas, we Catholics are invited to take an entire season, called Advent, to slow down and prepare ourselves for the great mystery before us.  The message of Advent for us is simple: “Wake up!”

Advent is a time to be reawakened to the great mystery of the Incarnation: God became man, in time and space and in documented history over 2,000 years ago.  If this is indeed true, then Jesus Christ has changed everything.  

The people of Israel often grew tired in their exile and in their seemingly endless wait on the Lord. But in his time, not ours, God showed up.  And he still does today.  For our sake, God indeed became man.

What is our response?  How will this season be different?  What can I do differently? How can I put Christ at the center of my life again, or perhaps for the very first time?Let's wake up this Advent season!  

"He was born so that we might be reborn!" St. Augustine

Questions for Additional Reflection: 

Friday, Dec 24th: 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 10:00 pm
Saturday, Dec 25th: 10:00 am

Please note: There will be no Saturday 4:30 pm Mass on Dec 25th

New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan 1st: 10:00 am

Regular Mass Times

Please note that physical distancing and masking remain in place for all Weekend Masses. We would ask that you continue to pre-register for all weekend Masses so that we may retain adequate crowd control. 

Kindly register here for this weekend: (stleonardsparishca.flo...) or through the St. Leonard website on an ongoing basis. Registration for the following weekend's Masses will be open starting Monday.  You can make reservations by visiting stleonardsparish.ca/... or, If you do not have a computer, please contact Susan in the Parish office at (613) 692-4254 before noon on Fridays and she will gladly help you out. 

Please note that no pre-registration is required for Weekday Masses. 

Regular Confession times

Saturday 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm

With Advent just around the corner, Amor Dei would like to ask for your help with the Christmas Hamper program. As we continue to live with Covid in our community, we are proceeding this year as we did last year. We would like to call on the support and involvement of our Parish Family, in volunteering to “adopt” one or more families this Christmas Season. 

How does that work? We are simply asking for volunteers to organize the Christmas Hamper themselves, at home. Volunteers would be asked to purchase the non-perishable food items for their adopted family, add a few gifts for the adults only (Maximum of $25.00 each) and to deliver the hampers to the church at a designated time on Wednesday December 15. Amor Dei will look after the rest. 

If interested in “adopting” a family this year or to learn more about this project please contact Roxy McCarthy at (613) 692-3678 or email roxymccarthy@gmail.com. If you would rather support an Amor Dei family through a monetary or gift card donation, it would also be gratefully appreciated. If donating by cheque, please make payable to St. Leonard Parish. If donating by etransfer, the answer to your security question would be Amor Dei. Thanks in advance for your kindness.

Please remember your local parish during these extraordinary circumstances. If you are able to provide financial support to St. Leonard's, please consider making a donation online or by Interac e-transfer. You can also mail your envelope to the Church at the following address: Stt. Leonard Parish, 5332 Long Island Road, Manotick, ON, K4M 1E8.