Bulletin – September 8, 2019

SAYING GOODBYE TO FR. JOHN

Sunday September 8th after the 12:30 PM Mass

Fr. John Muthengi has been appointed to the United Nations as the representative of the Passionist Congregation. He will be leaving the Parish on September 10th and will be stationed at the Passionist Monastery in Jamaica, New York. We wish Fr. John all the best in his new appointment.

There will be a reception for Fr. John this Sunday September 8th after the 12:30 PM Mass. All are welcome.

ST. GABRIEL’S PICTORIAL DIRECTORY 2019/2020

Before and after all over the next three weekends, all members of St. Gabriel’s community (whether a single person, two spouses, or a family) are encouraged to sign up for a specific sitting time to have their portrait taken by a professional photographer to be included in the 2020 St. Gabriel’s Pictorial Directory which is expected to be completed and distributed in early 2020. Each family or person photographed will receive a FREE Directory and a FREE 8’ x 10” colour portrait.

The initial portrait sitting days will commence during the week of October 7th to 12th (Monday to Saturday). Sitting times from Monday to Friday will be on the quarter hour starting at 2:30 PM until 8:45 PM and on Saturday from 10:00 AM until 3:15 PM.

If you are attending St. Gabriel’s on a regular basis, but have not actually completed a registration form at the Parish office, it is encouraged that you do so as soon as possible.

CREATING A VISION FOR MINISTRY WITH MATURING ADULTS

Wednesday September 11th, 18th, and 25th
9:45 AM to 12:00 Noon

We are excited to announce that our St. Gabriel Parish Community will be introducing two new ministries this fall. The first one we will usher in is the Ministry with Maturing Adults. This ministry will support the “lifelong faith development of women and men throughout all phases of the pre-retirement and retirement years.” Through this ministry, our parish will attempt to address the needs that arise as life changes and hopefully allow our parishioners who are in the second half of life (50+) to recognize that their “everyday life and experiences go hand-in-hand with our spiritual life.”

We will train a core group of parishioners who will constitute the Ministry with Maturing Adult Leadership Team (MMALT). The role and the goal of this ministry will initially be developed by the core leaders of this ministry. Sr. Mary Rose Marrin, CSJ who started the Ministry with Maturing Adults (MMA) in the Archdiocese of Toronto will conduct a visioning workshop for the MMALT so that they can articulate and identify the vision of our ministry at St. Gabriel. The visioning workshop series entitled “Creating a Vision for Ministry with Maturing Adults” will be held from 9:45 AM to 12:00 Noon for three successive Wednesdays: September 11th, 18th, and 25th, 2019.

Anyone who is interested to become part of the core group to start this ministry can join six of our parishioners who had agreed to be on the initial leadership team of the Ministry with Maturing Adults at St. Gabriel’s. Please contact Sr. Maria Lucia at our Parish Office no later than September 10th if you are interested to join the Leadership Team of this new ministry.

ALTAR SERVERS

Sunday September 15th after the 12:30 Mass

On Sunday, September 15th there will be an altar server welcome back and retraining session after the 12:30 Mass. Every altar server is invited. Interested boys and girls, ages 9 and older, who are willing to train to be an altar server are very much welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

September 9th to September 15th

MONDAY – JOHN CHAN – Requested by Wanda Wrobel
TUESDAY – VINCENT HA – Requested by Laura, Sylvia & Valerie Ha
WEDNESDAY – HARRY LEUNG – Requested by Mary Leung
THURSDAY – ELIO RANCATI – Requested by his Family
FRIDAY – HARRY LEUNG – Requested by John Chan
SATURDAY – HEUNG-WAH LAM – Requested by the Fung, Lam & Monero Families
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – SUSANA, MAXIMIANO & MUCIO VILLORIA – Requested by the Villoria, Hale & Kipp Families.
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – LEE & REENA (for their upcoming marriage) – Requested by Maria Isabel

REGISTRATION FOR SACRAMENTS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

St. Gabriel’s Church
September 19th, 24th 25th and 26th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Registration for children who wish to receive the Sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation will be held at St. Gabriel’s Church on the following dates:

Thursday, September 19th from 7:30 to 9:00 PM
Tuesday, September 24th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Wednesday, September 25th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Thursday, September 26th from 7.30 PM to 9:00 PM

Please Note: A copy of the child’s Baptismal Certificate is required if registering for First Communion or Confirmation. A fee of $30 is required at registration for Confirmation to defray related costs.

LECTOR WORKSHOP

Gabriel Room
Saturday, September 28th at 2:00 PM

“Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Romans: 10:17

Are you a good story teller? Would you like to share with others? On Saturday, September 28th at 2:00 PM join the Lectors to learn more about the ministry at a workshop in the Gabriel room. The workshop will provide time for lectors to share their experience and learn some of the best kept secrets of proclaiming the Word. Those who would like to join this ministry are asked to RSVP to the Parish office by September 23rd, 2019.

CHILDREN’S FAITH PROGRAM

Sunday, September 8th at 10:00 AM
St Gabriel’s School

Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program are available in the parish office. This program is for children of the Parish who attend public or private schools. Classes are held at St. Gabriel’s School every second Sunday beginning Sunday, September 8th at 10:00 AM.

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 2019/20 year. These forms are also available in the parish office.

BUNDLE UP WEEKEND COMING UP!

Weekend of September 14th/15th

Spring Cleaning Year Round!

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is collecting gently used clothing, shoes, linens and household goods to support our neighbors in need or to be sold to help support their special works in the community on the weekend of September 14th/15th They cannot accept books, dishes, furniture, appliances, mattresses, construction materials or videos and cassettes. Please bring your donations and help others in your community.

The truck will be open Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Volunteers will be there to assist with loading before and after each Mass.

MILK BAG WORKSHOP

Wednesday, September 18th at 1:00 PM

The Milk Bag Workshops will begin again on Wednesday, September 18th. Please make sure the bags you bring are clean and flat in the box. This will be of great help to the weavers. For further information about this program please visit www.milkbagsunlimited.ca or contact Sharon Gusz at sharongusz@gmail.com

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

You can make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless this Thanksgiving by participating in the annual Good Shepherd Ministries Thanksgiving Food Drive. Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.

Urgently needed items include:
rice, pasta and pasta sauces,
peanut butter, jam cooking spices
hot chocolate powdered milk
black/Orange Pekoe tea ground or instant coffee,
sugar cookies and crackers,
vegetable oil jams
canned tuna, soups, stews, meats, fruits and vegetables.

Please no fresh or frozen foods.
We thank you for your generous support

JUST COFFEE

Weekend of September 21st/22nd

Fair trade organic coffees will be on sale after all the Masses on the weekend of September 21st and 22nd.

Regular ground coffee: $5.50
Decaffeinated: $6.00
Whole Beans: $5.50
Chocolate Bars: $4.50 incl. Taxes
Hot Chocolate and Cocoa: $6.00
Teas: $4.25

THE GARDEN SHED

Sunday, September, 15th: Blueberry Pie Raffle.
The Garden Ministry will be raffling a pie made with St. Gabriel’s own blueberries. Proceeds will go towards the purchase of tools and supplies for the Good Shepherd community garden. Tickets will be on sale after all masses on the weekend of September 14th/15th .

Sunday, September 22nd, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM , Gabriel Room:
Guided Tour of the Stations of Our Cosmic Earth.
In solidarity with the Season of Creation and Global Climate Strike Week, September 20th to 27th, Steve Dunn, of our local Passionist Community, will offer a virtual tour of the Stations which are located in the south garden. The Cosmic Stations situate the Cross amid the major transformation moments in the evolution of Earth. The stained glass originals of the Stations will be on display.

Sunday, September 29th, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Gabriel Room: Seed-Saving Workshop.
Cameron Couchman, a familiar face from previous workshops and on site in the gardens, will lead the workshop. Topics covered will be identifying plants that have set seed and are ready for harvest, collecting and storing seeds as well as cold stratification and mimicking natural processes to promote germination.

For more information on the Garden Ministry, visit our website at https://stgabrielsparish.ca/ministries/garden-ministry/ or email Heather Bennett at heathermjb@gmail.com.