CORPUS CHRISTI PARISH: CHILDREN'S SHOES FOR SUITCASES FOR AFRICA This Christmas we are launching a campaign to provide shoes for children who are suffering from painful soil-dwelling parasites called jiggers.  They infect the feet making walking difficult and can lead to gangrene, even death if untreated.  After treatment of the condition, a donated pair of shoes will help prevent re-infestation.  Our goal is 300 shoes!  To learn more about this project visit our website at www.suitcasesforafrica.com.  For more info contact Darlene at [email protected] or the office at 514-457-3896 or [email protected]ca. Thank you for caring!     JESUS LIGHT OF THE WORLD PARISH: ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE Our annual food drive is a special time of the year for everyone to get together in order to help the less fortunate families of our region. We need drivers and helpers! Roxboro East Sector: Saturday, December 7 with the Optimist Club Roxboro with their volunteers will collect door-to-door (am) and delivery (pm). For info contact Diane Poirier at [email protected] West Side sector (Pierrefonds): Organized by the parish, in collaboration with the Maronite community. Saturday, December 7: delivery of information sheets Saturday, December 14: door-to-door collection The gathering will take place at 9:45 a.m. at St. David Church (12450 Gascon, Pierrefonds, H8Z 1S2) both days. For info contact Karmen Chan at guignoleesaintdavidfooddriv[email protected] Welcome to everyone who wants to help!   ST. BRENDAN AND ST. ALOYSIUS PARISHES: ADOPT-A-CHILD AND CHRISTMAS BASKET CAMPAIGN St. Brendan and St. Aloysius parishes have launched their annual food and gift drive to help up to 200 families including 400 children in need throughout East end Montreal this Christmas season. Non-perishable food items will be collected in the coming weeks following weekend Masses at both St. Brendan Parish (3542 Rosemont Blvd., Montreal) and St. Aloysius Parish (7901 Ste-Claire St., Montreal). Items may be dropped off at St. Brendan: Saturdays, 5 p.m. Mass and Sundays, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Masses; or at St. Aloysius: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Mass. In addition, if you are interested in spreading Christmas cheer and would like to volunteer your time contact Barbara to sign up.  See schedule and contact info below:   Until December 7/8 •    Adopt-a-Child Gift Drive: Please consider registering to adopt a child or children by purchasing a gift of $25 value per child and wrapping it in a festive and caring way.    Thursday, December 19  •    8 a.m. - Pickup of Food donations from local schools Departure from St. Brendan parking lot (3542 Rosemont Blvd., Montreal, H1X 1K8) •    3 p.m. - Checking of expiry dates, St. Brendan parish hall             (5740 15th Ave., Montreal, H1X 2V2, corner Rosemont) •    7 p.m. - Sorting of food, St. Brendan parish hall  Friday, December 20 •    9 a.m. – Packing of food baskets, St. Brendan parish hall     Saturday, December 21 •    9 a.m. – Packing of perishables, St. Brendan parish hall  •    Noon (12 p.m.) – Delivery of baskets, St. Brendan parish hall  Please contact Barbara at [email protected] or the office at 514-376-4537 with your availability or for more information.   ST. EDMUND OF CANTERBURY PARISH: CHRISTMAS FOOD COLLECTION Christmas is in the air! Our annual Christmas Food Collection for needy parishes in Montreal will take place after all weekend masses on December 7-8, i.e. Saturday, 5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. (105 Beaconsfield Blvd. Beaconsfield, H9W 3Z8). Donations of staple food items, as well as traditional Christmas treats, are welcome to help seniors and low income families share in our blessings. Medium-sized boxes for packing and delivery are also welcome. We are looking for volunteers to receive, sort and deliver our Christmas goods to the local receiving parishes. For more info, contact the office at (514) 695-7100 or [email protected]saintedmundofcanterbury.com.   ST. JOHN BRÉBEUF PARISH: H.O.P.E. CHRISTMAS TREE GIFTS Our annual H.O.P.E. Christmas tree project has begun. Our Christmas tree is now up, donning numerous gift tags. You are invited to pick a tag, purchase the gift indicated on it, and wrap the gift together with the tag secured to the outside of the gift package. Please bring the gift back to the tree by December 8. These gifts will benefit the children of needy families receiving a Christmas basket this year, as well as residents of local men's and women's shelters. Drivers and helpers are also needed to deliver Christmas baskets on Saturday, December 14, 1 p.m. (855 Bishop Power, LaSalle, H8P 1C8). Thank you for your generosity through donations and time. For more info contact the office at (514) 366-0131 or [email protected].   ST. LUKE PARISH: CHRISTMAS PARCEL DRIVE FOR SEAFARERS With the support of the Catholic Women’s League of Montreal, Fr. Andrew T. Thuraisingam, National Director of the Apostleship of the Sea and Montreal Port Chaplain, is seeking help with this year's Christmas Parcel Drive, to help care for the many seafarers who often spend difficult, lengthy periods of time at sea, away from loved ones. The project aims to give each seafarer who visits the Port of Montreal during the month of December a care package, small gift as a token of the love of God, and a means of celebrating with them God's great gift, Jesus Christ. St. Luke’s Catholic Women’s League is seeking your help to assist in this great project. The parcel will include one or more of the following new items for men: scarf, tuque, gloves, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste, calendar, packaged candy, aftershave lotion, face cloth, playing cards, soap, nail clipper, picture frame (no glass), a small souvenir of Canada, etc. NOTE: We sometimes receive parcels that contain used items. Please, give of your best, not of what you no longer want or need. If you would like to contribute to this project, please bring your items to St. Luke Parish (106A Anselme-Lavigne St. Dollard-des-Ormeaux, H9A 1N8) no later than Sunday, December 8. For more info contact (514) 684-6488 or [email protected].   ST. LUKE PARISH: CHRISTMAS BASKETS Once again this year, St. Luke Parish will be providing Christmas baskets to families in need in collaboration with the West Island Assistance Fund. This year, we have created an online list of items necessary for each basket. This will help us to not only reduce paper, but also keep better track of missing items. If you would like to contribute, please use this link to select items to donate: volunteersignup.org/8KWJH. There will be a box in the hall in which you can drop off these items before or after any mass. Deadline to drop off donations is Friday, December 20. Fresh produce can be dropped off the week of December 15. Please place turkeys in one of the two freezers at the parish (106A Anselme-Lavigne St. Dollard-des-Ormeaux, H9A 1N8). The Christmas baskets will be prepared on Saturday, December 21. The following day, we will be delivering the baskets. Thank you once again for your generous support! For more info contact (514) 684-6488 or [email protected].   ST. PATRICK'S BASILICA: CHRISTMAS BASKETS  Each year the parish helps an average of 25 adults (usually patrons of our soup kitchen) living in the area surrounding the Basilica. We are collecting new, good quality, men’s and women’s socks, men’s t-shirts (large and extra-large), toiletries, Christmas candy/chocolates, and monetary donations. All funds coming from the Poor Box in December will go towards the baskets. If you wish to contribute, please deliver your contribution to the parish office by Monday, December 9 (454 René-Lévesque Blvd. West, Montreal, H2Z 1A7) or call 514-866-7379.   ST. RICHARD PARISH: FOOD AND GIFT DRIVE Our Annual Warmth and Gift Giving Tree’s Be it Your Wish invites you to put a smile on a child's face this Christmas. You may donate any or all of the following items: toys, scarves, mittens/gloves and hats, which will be delivered to a needy organization. Place your gifts on and under the Christmas tree at the parish (7070 Guelph Rd., Côte-St-Luc, H4W 1G9). Our Annual Food Drive will continue until the third Sunday of Advent, December 15. With each passing day, the food banks need more and more food for the needy. As in the past years, our parish community hopes to hand over a big basket of non-perishable food items to our sister parish St. Monica’s Food Bank for the needy at Christmas. Financial donations are also welcome and greatly appreciated. This is a great way for our community to  "Reach out, to Share and Care" for those less fortunate. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Contact the office at 514-488-0778 and [email protected].