Bulletin: 1st Sunday of Advent
You are invited to a special 2-night Advent Retreat to prepare your hearts for the coming of our Lord.
Fr. Chrysostom Mijinke, O.P.
Parochial Vicar at Stanford University
Fr. Chrysostom Mijinke, O.P. is from Langley, British Columbia, near Vancouver. After a powerful encounter with God as a teenager, he began a lifelong journey of faith and a desire to help others experience the same. Following his undergraduate studies, he spent five years travelling through Europe and Canada, working in restaurants and on on-shore oil rigs before beginning theological studies in Ottawa. There, he met the Dominicans and entered the Western Dominican Province in 2013.
Ordained in 2021, Fr. Chrysostom most recently served as campus minister at the University of Washington and as director of young adult ministry.
He completed the Encounter School of Ministry program and is passionate about evangelization, healing, and discipleship. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, and long-distance running.
Our parish relies on your generosity. Your donations each year directly impact our ability to minister to those in need, to provide special programs such as Alpha and CGS, to offer small group faith studies, to maintain our buildings, and to grow our parish school.
Empowering our Parish Vision
Your Project Advance tax-deductible donation funds works such as Youth and young adults ministry, new Catholic schools, programs supporting families, feeding homeless and vulnerable, pastoral ministry and support for the hospitalized.
Once the parish goal is met, all additional funds are directed back to parish projects identified by our Pastor and Parish Leadership Team. Thank you so much for your generosity.
Mass Intentions
The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. During this month we pray for the souls of the faithful departed, especially those whom we have known and loved. The season of Holy Souls reveals our reflection of our own mortality, celebrating and mourning those who have gone before us, and gently gathering the past into God’s loving embrace.
We commemorate all the faithful departed by remembering, praying, and giving thanks.
Monday, December 1
Aurea Palma (+)
Tuesday, December 2
Holy Souls (+)
Wednesday, December 3
All Souls in Purgatory (+)
Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
Thursday, December 4
Hipolito Felomena Tajo (+)
Saint John Damascene, priest, Doctor
Friday, December 5
Andrews Pulikkottil (+)
Saturday, December 6
Henryka Krajweska (+)
Saint Nicholas, Bishop
St. Pat’s Highlights
Ministry Updates & Upcoming Events
Please join us in celebration and joyous praise for the Baptisms of Leo, Ry and Lila, and for the marriage blessing of Darren and Carly.
May God grant you and your family a lifetime of health and happiness, with God’s grace present in your lives each day.
The first week of Advent : Lighting the first purple candle
Lighting the Advent wreath isn’t just a time-honoured tradition, it’s also an amazing opportunity to create meaningful connections and discussions with your loved ones! Deepen your experience with these beautiful Advent wreath prayers that will help you reflect on the season in a profound way.
Bless your Advent Wreath:
Dear Jesus, as we light the candle(s) on this Advent wreath, may the light of your presence bring joy to our hearts. Bless our family and our friends, and be with all those who are in need this holiday season. Amen.
Read from Scripture: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
Pray the Advent Wreath Prayer for Week 1: “Dear Jesus, you are the hope in our messy world. This Advent, help us slow down, listen to your voice, and focus on what’s really important. We place our hope in you as we prepare our hearts to celebrate your birth on Christmas. Amen.”
Reflect: Are you ready to discover the hope Jesus is inviting you to experience this Christmas?
Mark your calendars for our upcoming Candlelight Masses and Breakfast, offered this Advent season on Monday, Dec 8 at 7am(Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and Monday, Dec 22 at 7am.
These special events are quiet, beautiful, reflective Masses that help us focus our intentions and fill our hearts with the warmth that comes with the wondrous knowing our Lord is near and He knows each of us by name.
Please. Join us.
Please also RSVP so our organizers can prepare for a lovely breakfast for all who come.
Our annual ‘Giving Tree’ initiative helps those in need in our community. We invite parishioners to donate gift cards (groceries, general retailers) that will be distributed before Christmas.
Please bring donated gift cards to the Parish Office on or before December 14th during regular office hours.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming Candlelight Masses and Breakfast, offered this Advent season on Monday, Dec 8 at 7am(Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and Monday, Dec 22 at 7am.
These special events are quiet, beautiful, reflective Masses that help us focus our intentions and fill our hearts with the warmth that comes with the wondrous knowing our Lord is near and He knows each of us by name.
Please. Join us.
Please also RSVP so our organizers can prepare for a lovely breakfast for all who come.
Please stop by our parish office during open hours to purchase Christmas Cards to share with your loved ones in preparation for the coming of our Lord.
Thank you to all who helped make this year’s Advent Wreath Night a great success! Thank you to the organizers, thank you to those who brought in greens and decorative touches, thank you to those who made cider and hot chocolate, thank you to those who came to setup and helped clean up afterwards. See you next year!
The St. Patrick’s CWL is collecting baking at all Masses this weekend to take to the Seminarians up to the Abbey. Please bring something to share.
There will be a box and a representative from the CWL in the foyer of the church at each Mass to collect your lovely baked contributions.
The parish office is full of items that have been left behind after Mass and in Holy Grounds. Items include: jackets, sunglasses, jewellery, hats and other accessories. Please visit the office to collect items you have accidentally left behind.
Items not collected by Christmas will be donated.
Resources for Reflection
Movies, Online learning, Meditations, Seasonal Resources, and more
Formed is a resource paid for and provided to our community by St. Patrick’s Parish.
To access the resources available, please visit https://formed.org/signup and select St. Patrick’s Maple Ridge from the list of available parishes and complete their registration form.
News and Information
Resources and events from outside of our Parish
Rosary for Peace
Archbishop Richard Smith invites all Catholics in the Archdiocese to come together in prayer each month for peace in our world, particularly in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and other areas affected by violence and conflict. Learn more and see the complete schedule at rcav.org/events.
Trust: Advent Mini-Retreat for Men
Looking for a meaningful way to begin Advent and close the Jubilee of Hope? Trust is a men’s mini retreat featuring Deacon Tim Kostamo, with food, fellowship, inspiring presentations on trust, an outdoor Rosary with Alan Grohovac, a Testimonies of Trust panel, prayer ministry, confession, and Mass, followed by a pilgrimage to Holy Rosary Cathedral.
On Saturday, December 6, 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Register by Dec. 5 at beholdvancouver.org/events.
Advent Retreat 2025: Beauty in Between
If you serve in a parish, ministry, or movement, you know how easy it is to give endlessly without stopping to receive. This Advent, come away for a time of rest, prayer, and renewal in Christ’s presence.
On Saturday, December 6, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at Sts. Joachim and Ann Parish in Aldergrove. Cost is $35, including lunch. Learn more and register at beholdvancouver.org/events.
Archbishop’s Mass for Life
The Archbishop’s Annual Mass for Life is a once-a-year pro-life event for all Catholics and those involved in the pro-life movement to pray for respect for human life, from conception to its natural end. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Richard Smith followed by a light reception in the hall with live music. At Holy Rosary Cathedral on Saturday, December 13 at 11:30 am. Learn more and register at beholdvancouver.org/events.
