News from the Chancery is published each week to share information and upcoming events with the people of the Diocese of Victoria. We have 6 items to share with you this week:
1) Bishop Gary Gordon's message for Christmas 2023 may be viewed online at https://www.rcdvictoria.org/news/bishop-gary-gordons-message-for-christmas-2023.
2) There are less than two weeks left to donate to the Bishop’s Appeal, Tapestry of Faith. Please give generously to the Appeal this Christmas season and support faith-based relationships, our parishes and parishioners, and church leaders. Only a few parishes have reached their goal, but there is still time to make your donation count and receive a tax receipt for 2023. You can donate by mail, at your parish, and online at: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/donate-tapestry-of-faith-2023
3) For those who participate in the Diocesan livestream Masses, please note the following holiday schedule:
- Sunday, December 24: Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent at 10 am
- Sunday, December 24: Christmas Eve Mass at 6 pm
- Sunday, December 31: Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family at 9 am
- Sunday, December 31: Anticipation Mass for the Solemnity of Mary at 5 pm
These Masses will be livestreamed on the Diocesan YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RCDVictoriaLiveOne.
4) As a reminder, the Pastoral Centre will be closed for the Christmas holidays on:
- Monday, December 25th ~ Christmas Day
- Tuesday, December 26th~ Boxing Day
- Wednesday, December 27th - 29th ~ Although some staff may be working on these dates, the Pastoral Centre building will be closed to the public
- Monday, January 1st ~ New Year’s Day
During the Christmas season, and especially on the days between Christmas and the New Year, we will have limited staff available in office and/or remotely, as many will take this opportunity to spend holiday time with family and friends.
5) On January 5 & 6 2024, the Diocesan liturgical conference “The Epiphany of the Liturgy: Welcoming the Closeness of God” will be held at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Victoria. This free conference is an opportunity to enter into a richer experience of the Trinity in our Eucharistic Celebrations, and will be valuable both for those who serve in liturgical ministries and those who participate in the assembly. The presenters will be Dr. Glenn Byer and Dr. David Pitt, liturgical and musical educators at Catholic colleges in the U.S. The workshop will run Friday, January 5 from 7 - 9:30 pm and Saturday, January 6 from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. For more information and to register please visit https://EpiphanyLiturgyConference.eventbrite.com; for assistance in registering, please email mgwyn@rcdvictoria.orgor call 250-479-1331 ext 227.
6) The Diocese of Victoria Health Care Committee is offering its next series of online Pastoral Care Outreach Training sessions in the new year. These free sessions will be held via Zoom on Saturday mornings from 9:30 – noon, starting on January 20 and running until March 23, 2024, and will allow participants to learn more about deep listening and visiting the lonely, sick, injured, elderly, and dying – in hospitals, seniors’ residences, extended health care facilities, and at their homes. This training is also offered for those who wish to learn how to accompany and care for their loved ones, friends, and neighbours, or as a personal undertaking. Please register through your parish by January 12, 2024.
“News from the Chancery” will return in 2024. Have a blessed Christmas!
