Bulletin – December 4, 2016

“LEANING INTO THE LIGHT” ADVENT RETREAT

Saturday, December 10th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Preacher: Fr. Bob Joerger CP
St. Gabriel’s Church

Recently, we have begun the season of Advent, a time to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christmas. In Advent, we are called to stay awake as we keep vigil, with our eyes set on the light, and not let ourselves be too carried away by the unnecessary care and concerns of the Christmas Season. Please consider joining us for a few hours of quietude in prayer and reflection.

The preacher for our Advent Retreat this year will be Father Robert Joerger, CP. Father Bob is the Provincial of the Passionists of the St. Paul of the Cross Province. Many of you have met him when he last visited St. Gabriel’s. He has touched many hearts with his preaching.

The topic of our Advent Retreat is “Leaning into the Light”. It will be held on Saturday, December 10th from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Parish. Come and be prepared to be inspired and be challenged to a deeper relationship with God.

All are welcome. There is no cost to attend. However, donations will be gratefully accepted. For more information, please call the parish office at 416-221-8866, or email fatimalee@bellnet.ca. The retreat will begin at 1:00 PM sharp.

Please plan on arriving a little earlier.

“A CONVERSATION WITH FATHER BOB ON THE PASSIONIST CHARISM”

Saturday, December 10th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

Gabriel Room

We as a parish have been blessed with the ministry of the Passionists priests for over six decades. Have you ever wondered what the Passionists are about? Do you want to find out more about their spirituality and their work? Is there any way we as lay persons can share in their spirituality and mission?

If you are interested, please join us for a conversation with Father Bob, the Provincial of the St. Paul of the Cross Province of the Passionists. (The Province covers Canada, Eastern USA, Jamaica, W.I. and Haiti.) The meeting will be held on Saturday, December 10th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, in the Gabriel Room. This is an opportunity not to be missed. Please mark your calendars. If you plan to attend, please email fatimalee@bellnet.ca or call 416-221-8866.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

December 5th to December 10th 2016

MONDAY – EVA GULBINOWICZ – Requested by Kathleen Olden Powell
TUESDAY – MARIA DI DIODATO – Requested by Dina Oakie
WEDNESDAY – POONA JOSEPH – Requested by Margaret & Family
THURSDAY – NICOLA VUKOVIC – Requested by the Family
FRIDAY – ELAINE SHEPHERD HAWKE – Requested by Kathi Leah
SATURDAY – MIKE PALAZZO & CHRISTOPHER DI LALLO – Requested by Val Palazzo

Christmas Schedule 2016

INDIVIDUAL ADVENT CONFESSIONS

Wednesday, December 7th:
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

MASSES

CHRISTMAS EVE – Saturday, December 24th

4:30 PM Vigil Mass – Carol Singing
7:00 PM Family Mass – Carol Singing
9:00 PM Adult Choir – Carol Singing
12:00 AM Midnight Mass – Contemporary Group
Office Open 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM

CHRISTMAS DAY – Sunday, December 25th
8:30 AM
10:30 AM
12:30 PM
Office Open 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

BOXING DAY – Monday, December 26th
Office Closed
No 9:00 AM Mass

Tuesday, December 27th
Office Closed
No 9:00 AM Mass

NEW YEAR’S EVE – Saturday, December 31st
4:30 PM Mass
Vigil for Feast of Mary the Mother of God
Office Open 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM

NEW YEAR’S DAY – Sunday, January 1st
Feast of Mary the Mother of God
8:30 AM
10:30 AM
12:30 PM
Office Open 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Monday, January 2nd
Office Closed
No 9:00 AM Mass

CHILDREN’S CHOIR FAMILY MASS – CHRISTMAS EVE AT 7:00 PM

Rehearsal: Sunday, December 18th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM

Each year, young people, Grade 3 and up, form a special choir for the Family Mass on Christmas Eve. Children must be at the Church by 6:00 PM. One rehearsal, which is mandatory, will be held on Sunday, December 18th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.

For more information call Marilyn Calderone at 416-618-2041.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT DRESS REHEARSAL

Sunday, December 18th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM

Each year a Nativity pageant takes place at the 7:00 PM Family Mass. S.K. to Grade 5 children are invited to participate in the pageant. The rehearsal will be held on Sunday, December 18th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the Church.

HOPE FOR THE CHILDREN TOY DRIVE

Saturday, November 26th to Sunday, December 11th

We are having a Christmas Toy Drive again this year for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society. You can help by dropping off an unwrapped new toy for a child newborn to 12 years old. Containers will be set up at the doors of the Church until Sunday, December 11th.

THE GIVING TREE

During Advent, the Society of St Vincent de Paul has a Giving Tree in the Gathering Space.

The tree is decorated with gift tags. Each tag has the gender and age of a child. We invite you to take a tag, buy a gift or a gift card of about $25.00 for that child and return the unwrapped gift, with the tag attached, to the box provided in the Gathering Space. If you are a knitter, there will be mitten tags. Please take one and return mitts to the box in the Gathering Space.

At this time of the year, we are also thinking of the young mothers and babies of Rosalie Hall. If you wish to help, you may choose a “Christmas Stocking” from the tree to purchase pyjamas or undershirts for babies ages 6 months to 4 toddler.

Unwrapped Items with the original stocking tag attached can be left in the box provided near the “mitten” tree no later than December 11th. Toys for these little ones would also be appreciated.

For the Moms, we are suggesting gift cards from Tim Hortons, Walmart or MacDonald’s. These can be placed in the envelopes provided and brought to the Parish Office. Thank you for your generous support.

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE “AT THE HEART OF ACTION” CAMPAIGN

This Weekend, December 3rd/4th

Following a very successful “Create a Climate of Change” Campaign last year in which many of you participated, this year Development and Peace is calling us to support small family farmers around the world and sustainable agriculture.

In the Global South, 85% of farmers live on small family farms. They produce 60% of the food consumed worldwide, while only occupying 20 to 30% of arable land. Farming provides the main source of income for the family. If the family cannot farm, they cannot eat. Yet small family farms are suffering the most serious consequences of climate change. The farmers have very little resources at their disposal to face such impacts, though they are the ones who feed the world.

Action cards in support of small family farmers will be available in the Gathering Space from D&P members before and after each of the Masses this weekend. These cards will be mailed to the Prime Minister to ask our government to put small family farmers at the heart of its policies to help the poorest countries. Please stop by and take a couple of minutes to sign these cards and support small family farmers.

CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 42 casseroles for November. Your prepared frozen casseroles will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of December 17th/18th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. Please note that this is early because the following two weeks are holiday weekends. Please remember to mark the label on the pan lid with the name of the casserole. For more information, you may contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791.

FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Don’t forget our food donations to the Good Shepherd Centre and Rosalie Hall,

VOCATION DISCERNMENT RETREAT

December 9th to 11th

Manresa Spiritual Renewal Centre, Pickering.

The Office of Vocations invites single Catholic men, 17 years and older to attend a Vocations Discernment Retreat from December 9th to 11th at Manresa Spiritual Renewal Centre, Pickering. The retreat starts on Friday at 7:00 PM. This is a good retreat for men who are at crossroads in discerning God’s desired Vocation for them. The retreat offers Guided reflections, Holy Mass, Adoration, confession and the assistance of a vocations team. The suggested donation of $150 will help cover costs. For more information, please contact Fr. Brando or call 416-968-0997 or email vocations@archtoronto.org.

SERAPHIM AND CHERUBIM CHORUS CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Friday, December 9th at 7:30 PM

St. Bonaventure Parish, 1300 Leslie Street

Christmas, Christmas time is near! Come join the Seraphim and Cherubim Chorus’ singing the Christmas songs you love as part of their That’s Christmas to Me! concert series. A mix of old favourites and twists on classics!
Please join them at St. Bonaventure Parish on Friday, December 9th at 7:30 PM. Advanced tickets are available online at www.seraphimandcherubim.ca. Proceeds will go to the support of Camp Winston – camp for children with complex neurological disorders.

FINANCE CORNER

Weekly Offertory

Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.

Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 382 $ 7,918
Loose Change 866
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 163 3,025
Total 545 $ 11,809

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES FOR 2017

The 2017 Offertory Boxed Envelopes are available in the Gathering Space. Please pick yours up as soon as possible.

If you are contributing cash to the Offertory Collection without any identification, you will not receive credit for your contribution. You must provide your full name and address

If you are new in the community please print your name and address on your envelope for the first few times so that your donation may be properly accredited to you.

Please do not use envelopes from previous years since that envelope number may have been reassigned to another parishioner.

If you are moving out of the Parish or have changed your address, please contact the Parish Office at 416-221-8866

so that we can update our records. Thank you.