From the Desk of Father John ….We are nearing the end of Advent and quickly approachingChristmas. On the 1st Sunday of Advent, at the Saturday5pm Mass, we were honoured to have Archbishop Anthony Mancini as our main celebrant. His presence signalled the launch of the Year of Faith in the Archdioceseof Halifax-Yarmouth. To go hand-in-hand with the Year ofFaith is the challenge placed before us by Pope Benedict XVIto embrace a New Evangelization. Areas of our world that in former dayswere considered “Christian lands” can no longer take that description forgranted. Even in our own land, in our own community, parish, and families,just because the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist)have taken place, the result can no longer be assumed that this person orthat person has been “evangelized” or even interested.

As you may or may not know, the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth is divided into 5 regions (6 regions prior to December 12th). At this end of theArchdiocese, Clare and Argyle form one francophone region. Yarmouth isconnected to the Annapolis Valley (ie. Weymouth to Windsor) and also to theSouth Shore (as far as, and including, Bridgewater/Lunenburg) forming theAnnapolis Valley – Yarmouth – South Shore Region. In each region, therehas been formed a Regional Council for New Evangelization. Each parish is represented on this council. It is hoped that each

IN THIS ISSUE

Father John .......................1

Administration ..................2

Fall Mission.......................3

Archdiocses Year of Faith.3

Pope Benedict ...................5

Year of Faith Events .........5

CWL ...................................6

Coffee & Creed. .................7

The Quilters.......................7

Youth Acitivites .................8

Alyson LeBlanc..................9

D. & P. ................................10

Faith & Sharing.................10

The Boston Marathon.......11

Newsletter deadline ..........10

Catholic Ministries............11

A Day Of Reflection ..........12

Catholic Bible Study .........12

Life and Light for the world that in Jesus “was life, and the life

was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness”

(John 1:4-5)

S T . A M B R O S E

Yarmouth NS Christmas 2012

Continued on page 2

parish will also form its own committee for New Evangelization. This committee would be connected toits parish’s Pastoral Council and, as well, to the RegionalCouncil for New Evangelization.

There are a number of very good initiatives already taking place in the Annapolis Valley-Yarmouth – SouthShore Region … just as there have been some greatthings happening here. By meeting as a region, we hopeto exchange ideas and to support and encourage one another.

Of course, the New Evangelization is not just the responsibility of any of these councils or committees. Allof us (you included) are invited to embrace this task:How is the Lord personally calling me at this time in mylife?

Merry Christmas!Fr. John MacPherson

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Administration Committee Report :Since June the Administration Committee has met on three occasions.Our meetings during the past year have been held at the residence of Vic-tor Comeau, a valued committee member.You will have noticed that quite a few projects have taken place during thepast six months. We have had a major section of our roof at St. Ambrosereplaced at a cost of $36,000 plus or minus. While we had the contractorson site we also had the garage roof replaced. We have had our stainedglass windows on the east side of the church removed and repaired. Thiswork was done by Satlers from the South Shore at a cost of $10,000.Wade Newell was kept busy installing protective glass over our stainedglass windows. It should be mentioned that the work on our windowswill allow us to have better ventilation during the warm summer months. During the month of October, a protec-tive plexi-glass was placed over the sacristy windows and three basement windows which were in poor conditionwere replaced.You will have noticed that quite a bit of work has taken place in our church parking lot. This was necessitated byour efforts to sell the St. Ambrose ball field. The planning authorities of the Town of Yarmouth have forced us tohave thirty-one defined parking spaces by the church in order to subdivide our lot around the former rectory. Thediocese has agreed to pay for these renovations to our parking lot adjacent to the church. When the paving com-pany paves our extended church parking lot, the parish will be paying for repairing the parking lot at the parishcenter and a piece of the road behind the church.Quite a bit of work has taken place in Our Lady of Calvary cemetery. The parish purchased a home on ForestStreet for $42,000. We hired Hurlburt Excavation to demolish this residence at a cost of $6325. This newly acquiredland will allow us to expand our cemetery by more than three acres, which as far as we are concerned is planning

Taize PrayerIn 1940 Brother Roger Schutz founded the ecumenical community of Taize in France. Forover 65 years people of all Christian denominationshave gathered together to pray and worship thereand throughout the world using the Taize format.The character of Taize prayer is simplicity – a reading or two, short prayers, simple songs and anextended period of silence. As Brother RogerSchutz has said, “often God’s voice comes in awhisper, in a breath of silence … open to the Spiritis already prayer.”Beginning in January 2013 we will have TaizePrayer in the Jubilee Room on the second Mondayof the month at 7 PM. Come and experience thisbeautiful way of praying together on Monday, January 14. Invite your friends to come with you!Let us enter more deeply into the silence and stillness of January and pray together.For further information contact Marilyn Moore at742-0039, Donna Newell at 663-2236, or RaymondDoucet at 742-2822.

for the future. We have also replaced the windows inour cemetery chapel. These windows were in bad needof repair. If you visit our cemetery, you will notice thatthe cemetery chapel has new (cement) siding placed onit…covering the original brick which was of porous va-riety…which lead to moisture issues in the brick andmortar. We have found someone in the parish who hasoffered to build and donate new cemetery gates for thecemetery entrance. We are blessed at Saint Ambrose tohave generous people as members of our parish. Thesegates will be installed when we have determined whattype of post is required to support these new gates.The administration committee has also decided to grantCharlotte Wheeler a permanent contract after a suc-cessful six months probation period. The contract forsnow removal was once again awarded to Kenny Maillet.The administration committee organized a Halloweensocial with staff on October 31.

Respectfully submitted,Norbert LeBlanc

Chairman Administration Committee

Fall MissionFather John Collins, a Paulist priest from New York

City, conducted St. Ambrose’s fall mission entitled, “ Is itTime to Give God a Second Thought?” In morning andevening sessions Fr. Collins sought to help parishionerscome to a fuller experience of God in their lives. Every-day human experience reveals God’s presence to us. Wecan be transformed by simple moments in our lives inwhich God speaks to each of us. Fr. Collins asked parish-ioners to re-organize their lives so God’s kingdom is theirpriority. God has planted a desire for Himself in ourhearts. We need to let go of everything in our lives thatdoes not flow from the life of Jesus. Not wanting thecross is the biggest obstacle; we are called to becomeother-centred instead of self-centred. All the Biblical fig-ures such as Moses and Peter resisted a deeper experi-ence of God in their lives. Jesus tells us not to be afraidbut come deeper into relationship with Him, to followHim. Dying and resurrection is to be the pattern of ourlives.Fr. Collins urged parishioners to use a Daily Examenbased on practices of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The methodis simple. Pray for light then review your day in thanks-giving. Recall your feelings, select a feeling, then prayabout it. Pray spontaneously as you attend to the sourceof the feeling. Look at tomorrow’s upcoming plans andturn it into prayer. Conclude with the “Our Father.”

Many benefits flow from this kind of prayer includingmoments of grati-tude, respecting ourfeelings and beingliberated fromthem, and innerhealing.Prayer does not al-ways give us the an-swers we want saidFr. Collins. Peoplesometimes becomeangry when they donot feel God is lis-tening to them; they experience living in a desert. AllBiblical figures lost God in their lives at some point.Sometimes we have to break down so God can lead us toa rebirth of prayer in our life. We are to ask God to breakus out of the desert; we die and rise again with a deeper,fuller relationship with God. Anger is the most common emotion people in the Biblehave toward God. Anger can be a bridge back into thesacred said Fr. Collins. Paul had a thorn in the fleshwhich God did not remove. Paul accepted this thorn andit became a bridge back into intimacy with God. In ourweakness, God ‘s strength supports us. God is inside ourexperiences, with us. God supports us when we are hurt-ing. God promises that He will be with us, not that everyday will be rosy. If we are looking for God, He will findus.Fr. Collins said the litmus test of Christian living is love.Love is a willful, deliberate decision to do good to othersand do no harm. We are called to live by the will not ourfeelings.People absorb the biases of their culture. Society thinkssome groups of people are unlovable. We must remem-ber that God prefers the poor people because no one elsedoes. Christians need to look at their lives to see howthey treat other people, especially those whom societydismisses. We are called to love one another and feed thehungry, not judge people. Nowhere in the New Testa-ment does it say that the object of your charity must beworthy. As St. Francis of Asissi did, we care called to saya “Hail Mary” when we see coming towards us a personwe find difficult. While we may not manage to have won-derful relationships with everyone, Christians are calledto say a prayer and move along. Everyone is included inthe kingdom of God.God’s love is free, unconditional. All we are asked to dois to say “YES” to God’s love as we experience it in oureveryday lives. God loves us. God looks on us with love.We need to listen to the story of Jesus and appropriate

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it as our own. “Our lives must become more Biblical sothe Bible can become more autobiographical,” says Fr.Collins. Jesus is to be the centre of our lives. Fr. Collinsrepeated these words many times as he sought to helpparishioners experience God in their daily lives.

Halifax-Yarmouth

Archdiocese Proposals

For the Year of FaithArchbishop Mancini in consultation with priests andlaity has laid out proposals for the Year of Faith for theHalifax-Yarmouth Archdiocese. Basing his proposals onthe Great Commission in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18,Archbishop Mancini urgently calls parishioners to takeup the challenge to respond to Pope Benedict XVI’s callto proclaim the Gospel anew. This is a new beginning, aNew Evangelization. Bishop Mancini defines the NewEvangelization as a chance to pass on what we have re-ceived.Priorities have been identified: we need to recover andreplenish the deposit of our faith and to become crediblewitnesses. The Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth’s goalin the Year of Faith is to encourage and promote a life-long process of discipleship that finds its source andsummit in the Eucharist. Beginning with our encounterwith Christ in the sacraments, we commit ourselves toauthentic discipleship becoming as persons and an as-sembly of believers “the credible witness of people en-lightened in mind and heart by the word of the Lord.”(Porta Fides, 15)To be credible witnesses to the world we must commitourselves to the core values evidenced in the Scriptures,the teachings of the Church, and the experiences of ourfaith communities which God has graced with thecharisms needed for this mission. The building blocksare Christ centered formation resulting in discipleship.A strong sense of our own personal testimony will en-able us all to be witnesses to Christ in the world. We area community of faith. We must personally encounterChrist in the Liturgical and Sacramental life. By our jus-tice and charity we show we are credible.“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than toteachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is becausethey are witnesses,” says Pope Paul VI.(Evangelizationin the Modern World, #41) We must move from teachingabout Christ to instead giving credible witness aboutChrist in our words and deeds. This necessary change isto form and develop witnesses at all ages and stages oflife so the Gospel can be communicated everywhere.

Discipleship, witness, community, personal encountersin the Liturgy and Sacraments, and credibility from liv-ing out the Christian life with justice and charity are thebuilding blocks for the New Evangelization.Pastoral priorities have been identified and these are theprimary action call for us during the Year of Faith. Thereis to be a new evangelization of adults with more for-mation in their faith. The ministry of catechesis is bothan opportunity and a challenge for our parishes. A re-newed emphasis on Christian marriage and the familyis needed.The Archdiocese wants to help parishioners become life-long disciples of mature adult faith. Hopefully these dis-ciples will accept the mission to be the Church and thelight of the world; in a world of secular culture we mustshow the reality of God and the truth and person ofJesus Christ. WE are the people called by the Holy Fa-ther to take up the challenge of the New Evangelizationand be Christ’s witnesses. To help adult faith formation there are many options in-cluding expanding various small groups we alreadyhave; RCIA teams, Alpha programs, and Cursillo are ex-amples. Existing Church organizations can incorporatefaith sharing into their meetings. Higher levels of learn-ing will equip people. People will be needed to pray forand organize regional and archdiocesan events.The Church needs to develop a ministry of catechesis.Parishes need Religious Education Directors who havetraining. Three initiatives will address this. Catecheticalleaders need formation to become agents of evangeliza-tion . We will move from a school-based model of learn-ing to one based on experience in our communities. Anew catechetical program is scheduled to be introducedin September.Formations programs and sessions will be set up.A new model of catechesis, The Way of the Catechume-nate, will focus on the experiences we have on our jour-ney as we grow in our commitment to Jesus Christ. There will be new catechetical and pastoral activities foradolescents and youth. Building on the experiences ofthe Steubenville Atlantic weekends, retreats and ralliesas well as discipleship groups in parishes will provideopportunities for young people.A focus on marriage and family life is key to the NewEvangelization. The aim is to strengthen the faith offamilies by providing opportunities and creating condi-tions for growth. Marriage is under attack and theChurch needs to show the world what marriage is inhuman language, in the natural order of things. Peoplewho have had difficulties in marriages need to knowthey are loved by God and us.The New Evangelization is a call to action for the faith-ful. We are all called.

Pope Benedict XVI

On the Year of Faith Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated theYear of Faith on October 11, 2012.This is the twentieth anniversary ofthe Catechism of the CatholicChurch and the fiftieth anniversaryof the opening of the Second Vati-can Council. The Year of Faith willconclude on Nov. 24, 2013.The logo for the Year shows a shipwhich symbolizes the Church. The mast of the ship is across with full sails to form the monogram of Christ(HIS). The sun in the background represents the Eucharist. The website www.annusfidei.va contains informationabout the year.Pope Benedict XVI says the “Year of Faith will have tosee a concerted effort to rediscover and study the fundamental content of the faith that receives its systematic and organic synthesis in the Catechism of theCatholic Church. Here, in fact, we see the wealth ofteaching that the Church has received, safeguarded andproposed in her two thousand years of history. From Sacred Scripture to the Fathers of the Church, from theological masters to the saints across the centuries, theCatechism provides a permanent record of the manyways in which the Church has meditated on the faithand made progress in doctrine so as to offer certitude tobelievers in their lives of faith.”Pope Benedict says of faith: “Confessing with the lips indicates in turn that faith implies public testimony andcommitment. A Christian may never think of belief as aprivate act. Faith is choosing to stand with the Lord soas to live with him. This “standing with him” points toward an understanding of the reasons for believing.Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes. The Churchon the day of Pentecost demonstrates with utter claritythis public dimension of believing and proclaiming one’sfaith fearlessly to every person. It is the gift of the HolySpirit that makes us fit for mission and strengthens ourwitness, making it frank and courageous.”The documents of the Second Vatican Council and theCatechism of the Catholic Church are the tools we areto use to enter more deeply into the Year of Faith. PopeBenedict says it is time to read, study, reflect, and grow.At the parish level we are to seek to grow in appreciation of the Eucharist and the doctrinal richnessof the Catechism so we can rediscover the gift of ourBaptismal faith and live a life of Christian witness.What do you feel called to do for the Year of Faith?

Events for the

Year of FaithThis is a list of the events for the Year of Faith known atthe time of publishing. Watch the parish bulletin for additional and new events.

December 1, 2012 Launch of Year of Faith inHalifax- Yarmouth ArchdioceseLaunch of Prayer Cards

December 31 Family Prayer Booklet

January 13, 2013 Video Presentation

February Steubenville Launch Party

March 3 Live Lenten Mission withArchbishop Mancini

March 8-10 Lenten High School Retreat

March 23 Palm Sunday and WorldYouth Day

March and April NET teams in parishes

April 8 Feast of the Annunciation

May 10-19 Feast of Pentecost and Novenato the Holy Spirit

May 12-19 Week of Life and Family andLiturgy for Families

May 31 and June 1 Feast of Corpus Christi; Assembly of the People of Godat the World Trade and Convention Centre

June 2 Feast of Corpus Christi andProcession of Prayer

August 2-4 Steubenville Atlantic

August 15 Feast of the Assumption and Diocesan Feast Day

October 20 Video Presentation

November Conference follow-up events

November 24 Feast of Christ the King andend of the Year of Faith

A Plenary Indulgence is associated with the Year ofFaith. Activities which will enable people to receive thisPlenary Indulgence will be forthcoming.

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Suggestions for

Living the

Year of Faith1. Pick five people who do not attend Mass andpray for them daily all this year.

2. Really participate in the Mass . A personal encounter with Jesus occurs every time you receive him in the Eucharist. Focus on Jesus;listen to him.

3. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliationregularly several times during this year. It provides strength as well as forgiveness forsins.

4. Learn about two saints about whom you knowvery little. Saints give good examples of howto live the Christian life.

5. Read the Bible daily. Scripture is first-hand access to the Word of God. Reading one chapter a day is a start.

6. The documents of Vatican II are available inbook form and online. Learn what the Counciltaught about the role of the laity, how Mass iscelebrated, and how the Church understandsitself and its relationship to other Christiansand non-Christians.

7. Study the Catechism. Learn about the beliefs,moral teachings, prayer and sacraments of theCatholic Church.

8. Volunteer in the parish. Everyone has gifts that help build up the Church. There are manyroles in parish life and there is one for eachone of us.

9. Help people in need. Donate to charity and also help out with an organization or activity.

10 .Invite a friend or relative to Mass. Someonemay need your personal invitation to start attending Mass or return to the Church. Being

invited by someone can make all the difference.

11. Live the Beatitudes daily. We can learn to become more humble, patient, just, transparent,loving, forgiving, and free from learning the wisdom in these words found in Matthew 5:3-12.

The Catholic Women’s League is “a national organization rooted in gospel values calling itsmembers to holiness through service to the peopleof God.” There are 1300 parish councils in Canada.Each council of the CWL is organized into standingcommittees, which are designed to serve membersand the community in a different way.

The Spiritual Development committee promotes individual/collective spiritual development and theteachings of theCatholic Church.Each councilmeeting includesa spiritual pro-gram and thereare specialmasses cele-brated throughthe year. This October our spiritual advisor Sister Marie-PauleCouturier led a reflection on the Beatitudes.

Christian Family Life works to protect sanctity anddignity of human life of people everywhere. We support the Tri County Pregnancy Centre and heldan Hour of Prayer for Life in October. The WhiteRibbon Campaign is held each year to remind ourfederal government of our continued commitmentto end sexual exploitation.

Community Life contributes to the understandingand growth of religious freedom, social

justice, peace a n d h a r m o n y .Each year them e m b e r s of our coun-cil supportDevelopment

Catholic

Women’s

League

and Peace by donating 1% of their disposable in-come. We also volunteer at the Ten Thousand Vil-lages Fair and participate in the HospitalHullabaloo, selling tickets on a barrel of groceries.To support the local community, a party is held eachmonth at Harbourside Lodge, The Meadows or TheVilla St. Joseph.

Education and Health serves to defend Christian education and values in the modern world. CWLsupports the Coady Institute located at St. FrancisXavier University. Coady educates people fromaround the world as leadership professionals. Eachcouncil contributes to a national fund, which collectively raised $32,204 for scholarships thisyear. With the support of the pennies donated bythe parish, our council also supports the educationof children in Africa.

Resolutions are presented at Provincial and National Conventions each year. These resolutionsare researched and written by parish councilsthroughout the country. When these resolutions arepassed, parish councils are called to action throughletter writing and sharing views with government.Recent resolutions were Criminalization of the Purchasing ofSexual Servicesand Employ-m e n t Insurance Ben-efits for Adop-tive Mothers.Throughout theyear our coun-cil members are active in other activities. Quiltingtakes place on two afternoons a week, 350 pies weremade for the annual pie sale, and we participatedin the Parade of Lights for the tenth time this year.CWL meets on the first Monday of each month at7pm in the Jubilee Room. New members are al-ways welcome!

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Coffee and CreedLast Spring, with the support and Biblicalknowledge of Helen Murphy, those inter-ested read and discussed the Gospel of Mark.Our coffee and creed group was fortunate tobe able to meet throughout the summermonths, thanks to Helen and Dr. Jim Chan-dler, for those who wished to continue withthe gospel of Mark. When weather permit-ted, the group met out in the parish Centergarden to enjoy the beautiful weather as thediscussions and reflections continued.This fall and winter we have been talking

about the Sacraments, how they came aboutand their importance to us and the church,why we celebrate them and how they havechanged, or not, since the beginning of thechurch- the time of Jesus. If you wish to join us, we meet every Sun-

day during Sunday school classes (10:15-11:00) in the Parish Center Hall. Thank youto Helen for leading our group, to Dr. JimChandler for helping out last summer and tothose who help set up and bring snacks to goalong with our coffee! Please join us- welook forward to seeing old faces and new!

God Bless,Coffee and Creed Group

The QuiltersThe quilters are a fun-loving group . They comefrom every walk of life but they all have a wonderful time as they quilt. They try to help eachother whenever they can: talking, listening, learning. They sometimes share the differenttimes in their lives. They have a very happy timelaughing, joking, as they quilt. Sometimes crazyjokes make the afternoon scurry by. A lot of workgets done during all the fun. The quilters careabout each other and enjoy life.All ladies are invited to come visit, quilt, or jointhe group at their quilts Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:30 PM downstairs atthe Parish Centre.

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Youth Activities 2012/2013There have been many activities for the youth over the past six months. A youth fun day happens on

the first Sunday of each month at the Parish Centre from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.1. October 6th – Pilgrimage walk Ellenwood Park 10:00 to 1:002. October 15th, 22nd and 29th – Children of the Light 3. October 11th,18th and 25th – Floor Hockey4. October 26th – in-service day activities5. November 5th, 12th, 19thand 26th Children of the Light6. November 4th,11th,18th and 26th –Floor Hockey7. November 9th – Children’s sleepover8. November24th- Bagging Groceries Service Project9. November 27th – Community Lunch Service10. November 29th- Shopped for groceries for the food bank11. December 10th and 17th Children of the Light12. December 28th Amazing Race13. December 28th - Church Skate

This is a list of youth activities which are planned for the coming year. Check the bulletin for moreinformation and for any change in dates.

1. January 7th,14th,21st and 28th- Children of the Light2. January 6rd, 13th, 20th, 27th - Floor Hockey3. Steubenville Atlantic Launch Party (not sure of the date yet)4. February 4th, 11th,18th and 25th- Children Of the Light5. February 3 rd, 10th,171st and 24th- Floor Hockey6. February 9th- Ski Martock Trip7. February 12th- Pan Cake Supper8. February 17th Leaders Pizza Delight9. February 19th, 26th Fish Chowder Fund Raiser10. February 26th – Youth Lock in11. February 28th- Alter Servers and youth Bowling and Pizza12. March 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd Fish Chowder Fund Raiser13. March 4th, 18th and 25th Children of the Light14. March 3rd, 10st and 24th Floor Hockey15. March Break –Youth event of some sort16. March 23rd Net Retreat17. March 29th Good Friday Seafood Chowder18. March 31st Easter Egg Hunt19. April 8th,15th,22nd and 29th Children of the Light20. April 7th,14th,21st and 28th Floor Hockey21. May 5th Last Day of Floor Hockey22. May 6th 13th Children of the Light23. May 27th yearend of children of the Light24. June 2nd Steubenville Atlantic formation meeting25. June 7th Year end Celebration.Other events will also be scheduled so check the parish and youth bulletins

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Alyson LeBlanc goes on NET

Alyson LeBlanc , who started serving St. Ambrose as an altar server when shewas ten years old, will be serving with NET ministries in Australia starting thiscoming January. She has participated in most youth activities at St. Ambroseincluding World Youth Day 2011 and she has been a leader in Vacation BibleSchool, Confirmation Class, Catholic Summer Camp, youth groups, and musicministry. She has also been a catechist for Sunday School. Although Alyson is busy fundraising the money she needs to serve on NET inAustralia she took the time to answer some questions about her faith life.

When did you become a Christian?“Well, I have 2 different ways of answering that; I grew up in a Catholic house-hold, and was always surrounded by people of faith. Its always been a part ofmy life. My faith journey has been a very long one, but I can say l've never feltstronger in my beliefs than when I started leading youth during retreats, youthgroups, and other church activities, where I knew they looked up to me as anexample of a Catholic believer. lt challenged me to keep growing in faith to notonly better myself, but as well to be a better example for them.”What part has St. Ambrose played in this?“I originally was a part of Notre Dame Parish, attending their Sunday school and Masses, but as I grewup I became a part of the youth choir at St. Ambrose, after being invited by some member. l've also always been apart of the youth groups we have established here. My best friends are almost all people l've met through churchand church events; it's been an amazing blessing to have such a huge supportive group of friends and family whowant to help build you up in you r faith. I know being surrounded by people where you can openly practise andtalk about your faith has had a huge impact in my life.”Why do you want to be a part of NET?“NET has always been something l've wanted to be a part of. I remember attending their retreats back when I wasin Junior High, I loved what they did, how they presented ways to live out your faith as well as the energy andpeace they exuded. I watched several young people from our parish, year after year, head off to serve with NET,and I knew that someday l wanted to be a part of it. NET Australia, however, was never really in my plans; I always thought I would do NET Canada, even maybe NET lreland... I guess the Lord works in mysterious ways!I couldn't be more excited and honoured to be chosen for this incredible evangelization mission!”What do you expect from this experience?“I expect this year to be very trying indeed! l'll be given the tools and practise I need to teach the youth I encounterabout how to really live as a modern day disciple. I hope to grow abundantly in my own faith, as well as formlifelong fellowships with my teammates. This year will also give me the opportunity to really figure out who I am,and what God is calling me to do with my life. l'm looking forward to being removed from so many of the thingsthat distract us from finding peace and quiet in our lives (TV, excessive computer, cell phones, etc), and instead,depend on the too often forgotten practices of just spending quality time with friends, face to face. I will reallybe forced to rely fully on God, as well as learning the true value of living happily with the necessities of life.”What do you want to do after NET?“l'm hoping this year will give me some real insight on what l'd like to do. I most likely plan on going to univer-sity, but am indecisive on what I really want to pursue as a career. l'm putting everything into God's hands trust-ing that He'll lead me on the right path in life!

I would just like to thank everyone who's given me so much support through all the years as well as these crucialpast few weeks. NET would never have even crossed my mind if t wasn't for the love and fellowship from every-one l've encountered over my years in this parish community. l'll keep all of you in my prayers, and hope that Iwill be in yours as I commence my journey to lands unknown, preaching the Gospel in words, but more impor-tantly, actions!‘Thank you and God bless!”Alyson will keep St. Ambrose updated on what she is doing throughout her year in Australia. We wish her all thebest.

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International Development – Do It Justice

Why is international solidarity more important today than ever before?It is true that, today, one-fifth of the world’s population lives on less than $1.25 per day and that one billion people go hungry; in Africa 40% of the population has no access to clean drinking water. Worldwide, over 45million people have been forcibly displaced. The list of injustices and crises of our time seems end-less. However, beyond the numbers and statistics, what do we see and what do we hear?

What is Canada’s role in changing this?Since 1968 working in partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)since the agency’s inception, Development and Peace has played an important role in helping Canadameet its commitment to the Global south. This collaboration has always been part of an approach tointernational cooperation that called for a financial commitment based on partnership. It acknowl-edges that only long-term support will succeed in bringing about the profound and lasting changesthat are necessary for eradicating poverty.In 1969 Lester B. Pearson, recommended that donor countries contribute 0.7% of their Gross Na-tional income (GNI) to foreign aid. The United Nations has adopted this policy for donor countries.According to figures from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),Canada devoted 0.33% of its GNI to foreign aid in 2010, below the average of all donors, which was0.49%. This only puts Canada in 14th place among the 23 donors’ countries, whereas in 1995 it wasin 6th place. Canada’s latest budget plans on further cuts to its foreign aid of more than 7% by 2014-2015. One can anticipate that these measures will have serious consequences on Canada’s commit-ment to the poorest countries.

Development and Peace does not believe that these cuts reflect the priorities and values of the major-ity of the Canadian population, which has always had a significant commitment to solidarity with themost disadvantaged that are fighting for peace and the respect of their basic rights.

Which principles should guide Canadian International Aid?Respect human rights and consider the point of view of the poor.What action can you take, individually or collectively, to expressyour international solidarity in today’s context? Become betterinformed? Share your concerns? Get involved in Developmentand Peace?

“It’s not possible to love one’s neighbor as oneself and to perse-vere in this conduct without the firm and constant determinationto work for the good of all people and of each person, because weare all really responsible for everyone.” (CF. Pope John Paul II, quoted in The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of theChurch, no. 43)Development and Peace is the official international developmentorganization of the Catholic Church in Canada.

Joline BelliveauDevelopment and Peace Representative

Faith and SharingNews

This year the Faith and SharingGroup is meeting the First

Wednesday of each month at 1:30in the Chapel at Villa St. Joseph.During our time together, we sing,pray, read Scripture, and have asharing time. Everyone is

welcome – come join us! We willsoon begin planning for our annual retreat in August 2012.

11

Communion to the Sick and Shut-ins

Communion to the Sick and Shut-ins hashad another successful year with fifteenlaypeople bringing Communion to forty-two shut-ins. This enables many parish-ioners to live out their faith at home, if theyare unable to attend Church for any reason.We visit those who are sick and shut-in dueto age, illness, or surgery for as long as isneeded.We understand some people have home careor nurses’ visits and we can work with eachindividual to meet their needs. After receiv-ing a call we set up a time and a day thatworks for that person. Communion can bebrought any day of the week.There is no greater gift than to bring theBody of Christ to anyone who wishes to re-ceive. If you would like to receive Holy Commun-ion in your home or nursing home, or knowsomeone who does, please call ElaineLeFave, coordinator, at 649-2831 or theparish office at 742-7151. We are waiting foryour call. Merry Christmas and God bless.

The Boston MarathonNicole Gushue will be running

in the Boston Marathon on April

15,2013, in memory of her

cousin’s son, Nicholas Defe-

lice, who lost his battle with

childhood cancer in June 2012

at the age of 9. She will be a

member of the Mass General

Hospital Marathon Team, the

hospital at which Nicholas was treated.

Having run in the first Yarmouth marathon in August

2011, Nicole will be starting her training in December.

She will be running for three days and cross-training for

two days weekly for sixteen weeks. Raising funds is part

of Nicole’s commitment to the team and she will appreci-

ate any donations people can give for her charity run for

Nick. The link for donating to Nicole’s charity run for

Nick is http://www.crowdrise.com/TeamMassGeneral-

Hospital/fundraiser/nicolegushue.

You can follow Nicole’s progress with training and

fundraising on a Facebook group called “Nic for Nick.”

The link is

http://www.facebook.com/groups/382325801846883

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries:

The Catholicism Project

Would you like to learn more about the Catholicfaith and the message of Jesus to the world today?Join us for “A Journey to the Heart of The Faith,”a series of videos by the Fr. Robert Barron begin-ning January 2013. No fee or registration.

You can watch the promotional video at:http://www.catholicismseries.com/home-page-videos/watch-the-promotional-video

St. Ambrose Cathedral Jubilee Room – in the basement of the Church

Wednesday evenings beginning at 7:15.For more information contact the office at 742-7151.

Newsletter Deadline

May 31, 2013, is the deadline for submissions

for the June parish newsletter.

Email is the preferred

method for items;

they can be emailed to

greg.brown@ns.sympatico.ca

or the parish office at

ycc@ns.aliantzinc.ca. They

can also be left in the mailbox

at 15 Hood Crescent or at the

office in the Parish Centre.

St. Ambrose

For a son has been born for us, a son has been given to us, and dominion has been laid

on his shoulders; and this is the name he has been given,

'Wonder Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace'Isaiah 9:5

A Day of Reflection: Catechists and Parents as Agents

of the New Evangelization.January 19, 2013 at St. Ambrose Cathedral ParishCentre. Who can come?Parents, catechists, youth ministry associates,RCIA team members, adult faith formation associ-ates, sacramental preparation team members andanyone interested in learning how to live in adeeper relationship with God is invited. When and where:Registration begins at 8. Day ends with 5:00 Cele-bration of the Eucharist. Lunch provided. No fee,but pre-registration is required. Additional infor-mation provided in brochures available at thechurch or office.To register contact Coleen Murphy 742-4924 orcoleen.murphy@ns.sympatico.ca.

Our main presenters:Fr. Thomas Murphy, LC. The Legionaries ofChrist is a religious congregation of priests who as-pire to make Jesus Christ the model of their livesand to extend his Kingdom by striving for holinessand by means of apostolic activity. Fr. Thomas wasordained in Rome in 2009 and is presently servingthe people of God in the Diocese of Hamilton On-tario.

Kathleen Murphy. Kathleen is serving the peopleof God as a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi.Regnum Christi is an apostolic movement at theservice of humankind and the Church. It sharesthe charism of the Legionaries of Christ and fostersa deep ecclesial and missionary spirit in its mem-bers. Since her consecration 19 years ago, Kath-leen has served in many locations and is presentlyin the Dioceses of Cincinnati, Ohio.These two Yarmouth natives have generously of-fered their time, talent, and treasures back to thecommunity which initially fostered their faith.

The Great Adventure is a Catholic Bible learningsystem that makes the complex simple by teach-ing the story (the narrative) of the Bible. Everyday, more and more people are encounteringGod's Word through the methods taught in TheGreat Adventure. Jeff Cavins developed The Great Adventure in1984 when he realized that most people, despitetheir strong faith, did not grasp the big picture ofthe Bible. Though they knew selected stories, theywere not able to connect them into a full narra-tive. His answer was to identify the books of theBible that tell the story from beginning to end. Byreading just these 14 narrative books, a chrono-logical story emerges.From this idea grew the immensely popular BibleTimeline program, which teaches the story in away that is easy to remember and helps people tocontinue reading Scripture on their own. Hun-dreds of thousands of Catholics have learned toread the Bible through this system, which pro-vides a solid foundation for all other reading andstudy.Since the creation of The Bible Timeline, TheGreat Adventure has grown into a remarkablesystem designed to give the average Catholic asolid foundation for a lifetime of Bible reading.Parishes around the world are finding renewedfaith and increased involvement among parish-ioners whose lives have been changed by this ex-citing study series.We began the first 8 weeks of this 24 week jour-ney in the fall. Our next session of 8 weeks beginsin February 2013. If you would like to join us,we will have a “catch-up” session prior to our next8 week segment of the journey.Cost: $20 for materials. Registration required assoon as possible so materials can be obtained.Wednesday evenings 7:15-8:30Contact the office at 742-7151.

The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study

73 Books. One Story. Your Story.