Christmas Message

Dear Parishioners, 

Greetings and best wishes to all at the beginning of 2020! It is written: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”(Num 6:24-26). 

In Holy Scripture and under the subtitle The Blessing, these verses tell us how Yahweh wanted God’s people to be blessed. As we start this new civil year, let us reflect on this beautiful blessing taught by God Himself. 

Be an instrument of Blessing: As Priestly People, we are called to invoke the Lord’s blessings on others. Wishing goodness and desiring wellbeing for others is an antidote and a bridge to fraternity. Humanity, society is in need of kindness, warmth and heavenly graces. Let us start this journey together by offering our best, so hopefully seeds of blessings are planted. 

Be a reflection of God: Another important task is to bring God wherever we go and in what we do. Discipleship is rightly shown when we let our actions translate our faith. Pick any good deed and share it with others. Take God to situations and people where his presence no longer exits. Let His Wisdom and Holy Spirit be a light! 

Be an instrument of Peace: For us believers, peace is much more than absence of war or violence. Ex-president Reagan said: Peace is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. Let us spread tolerance and respect to enjoy harmony, acceptance and justice. 

Peace is a gift from God. Jesus Himself said “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you”. Peace is then also a way of life, a road to brotherhood. We recently took two important decisions to work on peace. One obviously is to grab Mother Mary’s hand. When invited into our hearts, she will certainly lead us to Jesus, her Son, and will always protect us under her mantle. We also prayed for Peace. May our prayer be accompanied by concrete deeds of mercy, understanding and love toward nature, God, and others. 

May God grant us heavenly blessings and transform our hearts. 

Peace, Fr. Eduardo 

Welcome and Merry Christmas!

Our church family is happy to welcome our friends & visitors, those who have been with us regularly and those who haven’t been to church for years. Our church is full and perhaps a bit noisier than usual, but it is a joyful noise like a big family gathering! We are glad you are here!

In 2019, St. Ann’s Parish celebrated 90 years of faith and service in the community of Abbotsford. We are proud to offer activities and gatherings for all ages and stages, from infants to seniors. In 2020, we will be opening Abbotsford’s newest daycare for toddlers (ages 18 – 36 months) in our parish centre. For children, we have a vibrant preschool and parish religious education program.We are blessed to be a part of a growing Catholic elementary school and high school in West Abbotsford. We have people who serve in community outreach for those who are homebound or in seniors’ residences, provide meals for new moms, deliver food to those who are struggling, as well as those who visit the prisons, hospital, and outreach to migrant farm workers.

For anyone who hasn’t been to church in awhile, I want to extend an invitation for you to join us through the year for Sunday Mass. The beauty and promises of Christmas, are meant to bring light and warmth all year long. If you are curious about God but not sure where to start, we invite you to join us for Alpha on Thursdays beginning January 23, 2020. You can enjoy dinner and conversation with a small group. Alpha is free and it runs until April. It is a wonderful way to meet others and grow in your curiosity about God’s plan.

Let the moment of grace that begins with Christmas continue into 2020. On behalf of Fr. Rosemond, myself, and the entire staff of St. Ann’s Parish, I wish you a blessed Christmas! If you need to talk, feel free to contact me, Fr. Rosemond, or our staff through the Parish Office. We all have struggles and questions. We want you to know that you aren’t alone.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!