Bulletin – June 17

In this week’s bulletin: Children’s Faith Program and Adult Faith Development registration, and calling green thumbs for help with our garden!

FROM THE DESK OF FR. PAUL

Calling all green thumbs!

As you may have noticed, our garden isn’t quite like what we hoped it would be. Weeds, weeds, weeds! I wish to form a garden care committee of volunteers to come in one day a week to care for the garden. They would be under the direction of one person who has the “smarts” as regards to plants. If you are interested, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866 and leave your name and phone number. Thanks.

Fr. Paul

ANNOUNCED MASSES

June 18th to June 23rd, 2012

MONDAY – BARRY BRADBURY Requested by Peggy Pusaka
TUESDAY – WAHIBA BALADI Requested by Mary Zakher
WEDNESDAY – JUANITO MEGINO Requested by Trina Pifanio
THURSDAY – BRAMIMIR PETRANOVIC Requested by the Family
FRIDAY – AUGUSTO SERAFINI Requested by Rita, Pasqua & Sandra Serafini
SATURDAY – AMPARO VILLAFRANCA Requested by the Family

STATEMENT FROM THE ASSEMBLY OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF ONTARIO

On June 5th, the Ontario Legislature has passed Bill 13. The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario has expressed serious concerns regarding certain aspects of this legislation, as have numerous other individual citizens and groups. Recognizing that the Accepting Schools Act is now the law, Catholic partners will seek, as we have always done, in a way that is in accord with our faith, to foster safe and welcoming school communities. Bullying, in any form, is unacceptable. At the core of our Catholic Christian beliefs is the command to welcome every person with love and respect.

Thomas Cardinal Collins
Archbishop of Toronto
President, Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario

CHILDREN’S FAITH PROGRAM REGISTRATION

Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program for next year are now available in the Parish Office. Please note that all registrations must be returned by June 30th, 2012.

ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT

Our journey of life and journey of faith are meant to converge at an early age. For many of us, however, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but remain at a childish level of understanding our faith. The following information is for those who wish to keep growing, to be able to enjoy the Good news of God’s love for us as members of God’s Church.

R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) meetings begin

In the fall. These evenings are for persons interested in learning about the Catholic Faith. Because the Parish Community itself is considered the official teacher and guide for potential new members, it is important that some parishioners participate by being present and by sharing their Faith in various ways. It is also an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of the faith. Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist and/or Confirmation are welcome. For more information, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

PLANNING TO BE A CATHOLIC TEACHER?

It is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic School Board in Ontario, as part of your application for employment, there must be a letter of reference from your pastor. If you (or if your adult child) is planning to apply to teach in a Catholic School, a contact with the pastor before Thanksgiving is highly recommended. Please plan to have a conversation with your Pastor early in the process, well before applications are to be submitted.

AN UPDATE ON OUR REFUGEE FAMILY

Great news:  it seems that our refugee family may be able to obtain their visas soon.  If everything works smoothly, they should arrive in the next couple of weeks.  We’ll keep you posted on new developments.  Please continue to keep them and all who are affected by violence and persecution in your prayers.


ST. VINCENT DE PAUL – MARYGROVE CAMP

The Marygrove Camp collection will be taken up this weekend June 16th/17th. Marygrove Camp is a residential camp situated on 39 acres of beautifully treed grounds and a quarter mile of Georgian Bay waterfront, near Penetang, Ontario. This summer, 1,100 girls from less fortunate families will be attending camp. Please support this important work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Each and every child’s camping experience is fully subsidized through this collection. Thank you for your support! Envelopes are on the tables at the entrance to the Church.

CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to get a copy of a casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. Three recipes are available on St. Gabriel’s web site. Printed copies of the recipes are also available in the Parish Office. Remember to mark the label on the pan lid with the name of the casserole. Please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791 for more information.

Please note that the collection days for the summer months are July 28th/29th and August 25th /26th.

FOOD COLLECTION

As we come into the warmer months, food donations tend to drop off. In response to the very great need for food in our community, we are asking that you continue to fill the baskets in the Gathering Space. Thank you for your wonderful generosity!

SHARELIFE

ShareLife Collection 2011: $184,642
ShareLife Collection To Date: $136,040

DONATE YOUR OLD EYE GLASSES

Have you been cleaning out drawers and cupboards? Perhaps you have come across old eye glasses which are of no use to you.
According to The World Health Organization, 153 million people have uncorrected refractive errors (near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism). Most of these vision impairments are quickly diagnosed and easy to treat with corrective lenses. You can help by donating your old eyeglasses. Glasses will be sent to the Lions Club for distribution to the needy in developing countries. Donated glasses may be left in the box provided in the Parish Office.

FINANCE CORNER

Our operating expenses average $13,750 per week.
Collection for June 10th, 2012

Loose Change – $1,302
Envelopes (372) – $6,666
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving (180) – $3,369
Total – $11,337

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

Liturgical Publications will be setting up the advertisements for our Church bulletin beginning July 1st, 2012. The advertisements make our bulletin possible. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Call Liturgical Publications at 905-624-4422.

PARISH BARBEQUE SOCIAL

Sunday, July 8th after the 12:30 Mass

Mark your calendars for this special event with family and friends. Please bring your lawn chairs. We need volunteers. If you are able to help organize this great event or help on the day itself, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029 after 6:00 PM. There are also sign-up sheets on the tables at the back of the church.

The north parking lot will be closed on Sunday to allow the volunteers to set up.

THE INNER GARDEN PRESENTS ACTIVE HOPE WITH JOANNA MACY

Thursday, June 21st at 7:30 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM)
OISE Auditorium, University of Toronto,
252 Bloor Street West

Join them for a transformative evening with special guest Joanna Macy, who will draw from her recent book, Active Hope. Active Hope is about finding and offering our best response to the crisis of sustainability unfolding in our world. It offers tools that help us face the mess we’re in, as well as find and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.

Eco-philosopher Joanna Macy PhD is a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory and deep ecology. A respected voice in the movements for peace, justice and ecology, she interweaves her scholarship with five decades of activism. Her work helps people transform despair and apathy, in the face of overwhelming social and ecological crises, into constructive collaborative action. It brings a new way of seeing the world, as our large living body, freeing us from the assumptions and attitudes that now threaten the community of life on Earth.

Tickets $20 advance /$25 at the Door
Students under 21 years old. Free
For more information or to purchase tickets in advance go to http://www.theinnergarden.ca/active-hope

QUEEN OF APOSTLES RETREAT CENTRE

Exciting new Retreat Weekend
MEN`S ACTS (Adoration, Community, Theology, Service)
June 21st to June 24th

This retreat is a powerful, experiential retreat for personal renewal. For further information or to register please call 905-278-5229.

CLASS OF ’76 REUNION BLESSED TRINITY SCHOOL

Safari Bar and Grill at 1749 Avenue Road
Friday, July 6th at 5:00 PM

Did you graduate from Blessed Trinity School in 1976? If so, join Tom Sheedy and some of your Grade 8 classmates for a 36th year reunion to celebrate our “mid-century” mark. For more information and to RSVP please contact: speedclaire@gmail.com or nancy.pitts@sympatico.ca.