Bulletin – June 18, 2017

Happy Father’s Day

To all the Fathers, Grandfathers, Stepfathers, Single Fathers and Great Grandfathers we wish you a very happy Father’s Day.

May you be blessed with the graces you need, with courage, compassion, patience and peace.

PARISH PICNIC

Sunday, July 9th after the 12:30 Mass

The Parish BBQ Picnic will be held on Sunday, July 9th after the 12:30 Mass in the parking lot. There will be hot dogs, games, face painting, lucky draws, music and more…..

Tickets are $2 each.

Please bring your families, friends and neighbours to enjoy a summer afternoon with your parishioners.

We need volunteers to help and make this event happen. Please sign up by putting your name and phone number on the sheets at the back of church. For more information, you may call Linda Law at 416-918-8029.

GARDEN MINISTRY

The Building Maintenance Committee is currently working with a landscape designer on a new vision for our gardens.
If you are interested in participating in the planting and maintenance of the new gardens as well as learning about the plants and their care, please call the Parish office at 416-221-8866.

MEMBERS NEEDED FOR VOLUNTEER SCREENING COMMITTEE

St. Gabriel’s Volunteer Screening Committee is seeking two committee members. The Screening Committee interviews and screens parish volunteers. If interested, please visit the parish office and ask for a copy of the position description. To speak with a committee member, leave your name and phone number with the office staff. A committee member will call you. The Screening Committee has also been tasked to plan and deliver St. Gabriel’s 2018 Volunteer Recognition. To achieve committee gender balance, male applicants are encouraged.

MILK BAGS

Thank you to all parishioners who are recycling their clean milk bags at the church. Please remember to flatten them before putting them into the box. This would be a great help to the weavers,

The Milk Bag Workshops, led by Sharon Gusz this year were very successful. The week of March Break was especially productive due to the enthusiastic participation of the Youth Group. Thank you to Sharon and all the milk bag weavers for their excellent work.

Workshops will begin again in the fall. For further information about this program please visit www.milkbagsunlimited.ca or contact Sharon Gusz at sharongusz@gmail.com.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

June 19th – June 24th, 2017

MONDAY – JOAN PEREIRA – Requested by her Family
TUESDAY – BASIL GABRIEL MARKIDES – Requested by Jeanne Robinson
WEDNESDAY – BR. ISADORE WASYLENCHUK FSC – Requested by Margaret Anne Leckie
THURSDAY – SPECIAL INTENTION – Requested by the Ng Family
FRIDAY – GERARD McGURK – Requested by Nora Kerr
SATURDAY – AMPERO VILLAFRANCA – Requested by his Family

CHILDREN’S FAITH PROGRAM

Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program are now available in the parish office. This program is for children of the Parish who attend other Catholic schools, public or private schools. Classes are held at St. Gabriel’s School every second Sunday beginning September 10th, 2017.

Please note that a separate Sacramental registration form is required if your child will receive the sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation or Confirmation during the 2017/18 year. These forms are also available in the Parish Office.

SHARELIFE

Living the Gospel by helping women in crisis…

Early in life, Tanya was unfortunately sexually abused by her extended family in her native country, who regarded her as a worthless, dangerous person who should be chained up. She became suicidal and was admitted into the hospital. Tanya then fled to Canada as a refugee searching for safety and happiness. She first came to Street Haven three years ago through their Learning Centre, enrolling in the literacy and numeracy classes. The staff connected her to their Emergency Shelter, where she stayed and had access to legal aid and other vital supports to assist her through the refugee process. “I now have hope since I came to ShareLife supported Street Haven and know that I have the tools to move forward with my life.” shares Tanya. Street Haven helped Tanya move forward with her life and she now lives in a safe home where she can start again.

Please make a sacrificial gift to ShareLife through your parish or at www.sharelife.org

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL – MARYGROVE CAMP

This Weekend

The second collection this weekend is for Marygrove Camp for Girls. 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 in the pews.

AFRICAN FAMINE RELIEF: PRAY, GIVE, SPEAK OUT

The Archdiocese of Toronto joins the CCCB and faith communities across Canada in launching a joint appeal, entitled Pray-Give-Speak Out, in response to the desperate food crisis in South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia.

The United Nations has confirmed that South Sudan has 100,000 people living in famine conditions. Reports suggest a total of 20 million people are on the brink of starvation in the region. A declaration of famine has not been made by UN agencies since July 2011 when some 260,000 people died in Somalia – half of them children under the age of five. The world must not let those horrors be repeated.

The joint appeal aims to engage the faithful in three ways:

Pray: Keeping the people of South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen in our prayers.
Give: Making a financial contribution to support those affected by the crisis.
Speak Out: Becoming better informed and to speak about the crisis with family, friends and neighbours. Contacting their local Members of Parliament about their concerns.

The CCCB has identified three Canadian Catholic agencies – Aid to the Church in Need, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, and the Canadian Jesuits International – as recipients of donations from the Catholic faithful.

The Government of Canada has created a “Famine Relief Fund.” The federal government will match every donation made between March 17th and June 30th, 2017, by individuals to registered Canadian charities participating in this campaign.

Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:
Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website:
https://community.archtoronto.org
By phone through the Development Office at 416-934-3411
Through the parish, making cheques payable to: St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish – African Famine – Humanitarian Relief

CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses next weekend. Each month, the casseroles are picked up early on Monday morning for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.

More volunteers are needed to help feed the hungry in our city. We encourage you to pick up 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. 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

Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre

We encourage you to continue bringing non perishable foods during the summer months. During July and August, food donations tend to drop off.

Your donations of canned foods, cereal rice and other non perishables are more important than ever as families
struggle to make ends meet.

Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your generous support.

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE – 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Did you know that when Typhoon Haiyan devastated the central Philippines, Development and Peace (D&P) raised $12 million and is helping affected communities become more resilient and participate directly in the reconstruction process. Drawing on the expertise of its existing partners, D&P is addressing the poverty, socio-economic inequality and state of powerlessness that makes poor and marginalized communities so vulnerable to natural disasters. To find out more about the work of D&P or to become a member or donor, visit the website at http://www.devp.org/en/get-involved.

COLLECTING EYEGLASSES

We are continuing to collect eyeglasses for the Lions Club. Throughout the year, the Lion’s Club volunteers collect used eyeglasses and deliver them to regional Lions Recycling Centres. There volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact. Please place them in the baskets provided outside the office.

ANNUAL MASS FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 7:00 PM

Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Services, Archdiocese of Toronto wishes to invite all families within the Archdiocese of Toronto to participate in the Annual Mass for the Faithful Departed on Wednesday, August 16th, at 7:00 PM.

Mass at Mount Hope Cemetery will be celebrated by Rev. Monseigneur Robert Nusca. In the event of rain, Mass will be celebrated at St. Monica’s Church, 44 Broadway Avenue.

Mass will be celebrated by His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Collins at Holy Cross Cemetery in Thornhill. In the event of rain, Mass will be celebrated in the Mausoleum.

CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING

Liturgical Publications will be setting up the advertisements for our church bulletin. The advertising will begin in September 2017 and supports the bulletin service. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Call Liturgical Publications at 905-624-4422.

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