Suggestions for Celebrating Advent 2023

Advent is a season of joyful preparation for the coming of Christ, with true joy in the knowledge that our loving God will clear away all the obstacles we ourselves have made to his coming into our lives in full.  We begin therefore in a spirit of repentance as we “await with joyful hope the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.  In that spirit, I offer the following as suggestions for celebrating Advent 2023:

           † PRAY daily using the Sunday or Weekday Advent Mass Readings.             

           † ATTEND WEEKDAY MASS during this season - the powerful symbolism of the readings and prayers will be a peaceful reprieve from this busy

              season.   

           † INVITE a friend, loved one or neighbour to join you for Sunday mass in Advent.

           † SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED through your support of the Annual and Christmas collections through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

              (see details below). 

           † VISIT the lonely, the sick, those who mourn - perhaps inviting one of them to join your family for Christmas mass or dinner this year.

           † BE RECONCILED to God and one another through the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) before Christmas.  Advent has been called a

              “smaller Lent,” and is as important a season as the one leading up to the Resurrection. This Sacrament is available as follows:

            ܀Every Saturday between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., or anytime by appointment

            ܀Archdiocesan Week of Confessions (see www.archtoronto.org/confession/  for times

              of confessions at other Mississauga parishes

           ܀Here at St. Ignatius Loyola:

             Thursday December 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. AND Tuesday December 19 from 7:00 p.m. to

             8:30 p.m. AND Saturday December 23 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.