Happy Thanksgiving Day!
A Prayer for Thanksgiving
O, heavenly Father:
We thank thee for food and
remember the hungry.
We thank thee for health and
remember the sick.
We thank thee for friends and
remember the friendless.
We thank thee for freedom and
remember the enslaved.
May these remembrances stir us to service,
that thy gifts to us may be used for others.
Amen.
Monday, October 12th is Thanksgiving Day. There will be no 9:00 AM Mass and the Parish Office will be closed.
WHO ARE THE PASSIONISTS?
Saturday, October 17th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, Gabriel Room
Over the years, many parishioners have told us they want to know more about the Passionists. To celebrate this year’s feast day of St Paul of the Cross, the Founder of the Passionists, St. Gabriel’s will host a PASSIONIST SHOW AND TELL. You will hear more about the Passionists and a panel of five people in the parish whose lives have been impacted by the Passionists (Fr. Paul, Fr. Bill, Mike Nasello, Nikki Malunas, and Fatima Lee) will share their own lived experiences of the Passionist charism.
If, like many other parishioners, you may have wondered who the Passionists are, or feel that you want to learn more about them, please join us for this sharing on Saturday, October 17th, 2026 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, in the Gabriel Room.
We look forward to seeing you there!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CARRY THE GIFTS IN THE OFFERTORY PROCESSION?
The parish would like to invite families to bring up the gifts of bread and wine at the offertory procession during the 4:30 PM, 8:30 AM, and 12:30 PM masses. Families who are interested in taking part, please leave your name and contact information with the parish office (416) 221-8866, or email office@stgabrielsparish.ca
ALTAR SERVERS NEEDED
Serving at the Lord’s table is a great honour and responsibility. The Altar Server Ministry Team would like to invite children who are 10 years or older (boys and girls), who are interested in committing and dedicating time and effort to serve Mass. Any adults who think they may desire to serve are encouraged to volunteer as well. All that is required is a desire to serve at the Altar of Our Lord. If you are interested, email: altarserversstgabe@gmail.com or contact the parish office.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE COUNTED!
The annual weekend Mass attendance count is being conducted at St. Gabriel’s Parish this weekend, October 18th/19th and next weekend, October 25th/ 26th.
The purpose of this important count is to have a more accurate assessment of the number of people attending Mass on a weekend.
When you come in for Mass, you may notice a few volunteers with tally counters at the doors of the church. The counters will be doing their jobs as discreetly and non-intrusively as possible.
PARENT MEETING FOR CONFIRMATION
Thursday, October 22nd at 7:30 PM
Gabriel Room
A meeting for parents of all Confirmation Candidates will be held on Thursday, October 22nd at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room. At this time, Confirmation preparation books will be sold at a cost of $60 (cash or cheque).
ANNOUNCED MASSES
October 12th to October 18th, 2026
MONDAY − THANKSGIVING DAY − No 9:00 Mass
TUESDAY − FR. JENO RIGO ✞ − Requested by Patricia Lim
WEDNESDAY − CARMINE PROVVISIONATO ✞ − Requested by Mary Anne Barnes
THURSDAY − DELPHINE OAKIE ✞ − Requested by her Family
FRIDAY − PASQUALE GATTI ✞ − Requested by Sandra & David Gatti
SATURDAY − KWAI FUN KO ✞ − Requested by Lucille Yeung
SUNDAY − 8:30 AM – FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – ANTHONY PAUL ✞ − Requested by Sophie & Candida Pereira
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – HENRY SHI HIM CHIU ✞ − Requested by the Chiu Family
PSALM MEDITATION
Psalm 23
Today’s well-known psalm sings of trust and the familiar image of the Lord as our shepherd.
When we follow this shepherd, we never want, we stay on the right path, we have all that we need, our lives are filled with goodness and mercy. Best of all? We will dwell in the Lord’s house forever.
God’s blessings include peace, refreshment, comfort and guidance. God cares intimately and with abundant gifts for each one of us.
Small wonder that this psalm is beloved.
It responds to Isaiah’s statement that God will feed us and destroy death forever. Then, Saint Paul speaks of God satisfying our every need. And the Gospel reading presents us with the banquet of a king to which all are invited.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
Surely, the Lord is our shepherd.
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
For the Good Shepherd Centre and Rosalie Hall
Our Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive is on.
Thanks to community partners like you, individuals facing hunger are welcomed and served daily at Good Shepherd. Upward of 1,100 meals are served each day.
Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential. The food we donate from our parish often replenishes their empty food bank.
Urgently needed items include:
Tuna & Canned Meats
Coffee & Tea Bags
Soups & Stews
Beans & Chickpeas
Canned Tomatoes, Corn & Vegetables
Pasta Sauce
Salad Dressing
Cooking Oil
Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Spices
Bagged Rice
Mini sized Juice Boxes
Pancake Mix
Granola Bars, Dried Meals
Peanut Butter, Jams
Condiments: soy sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard
Please check the expiry date as we cannot pass on expired foods. We thank you for your generous support!
SHARELIFE
Your Faith in Action: 2026 Food Security Grants
For the fourth consecutive year, ShareLife and Catholic Charities are committing funds through the Food Security Grants program. Made possible through the faithful generosity of ShareLife donors, this year, $850,000 in Food Security Grants will strengthen local food banks, meal programs and other community-based initiatives serving individuals and families in need. Your compassionate support of our parish’s ShareLife Campaign helps make this work possible. Please support the fight against hunger by giving at the parish using a ShareLife envelope or at sharelife.org/donate. Thank you for living the Gospel!
THE GARDEN SHED
ANNUAL HARVEST BLESSINGS EVENT
Weekend of October 17th /18th
The Garden Ministry is celebrating harvest season at all masses on the weekend of October 17th and 18th. This season we will be showcasing our red currant crop at our Annual Harvest Blessings Event with a RED CURRANT CRISP GIVEAWAY.
Visit our Garden Ministry table in the Gathering Space before mass and make a free will offering to be entered in the GIVEAWAY. A draw will be held at the end of each mass to announce the winner. The homemade red currant crisp may be picked up at the Garden Ministry table in the Gathering Space after mass.
We will also have lavender sachets available for a free will offering. Let’s give thanks to our Garden Ministry volunteers who nurtured and nourished our gardens. We have been blessed with a bountiful harvest!
The Fall 2026 Garden Newsletter is available on the website. A copy is also on each of the bulletin boards.
CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF ST PAUL OF THE CROSS WEBMINAR
Holy Cross Passionist Province
October 19th, 2026 at 7:30PM on Zoom
In case you have to miss our parish’s Passionist Show and Tell, there will be another opportunity to learn more about the Passionists – a webinar that will highlight the wisdom of St Paul of the Cross and the spirituality he shared with the world, organized by the Holy Cross Province of the Passionists (they are in the Western USA.)
The webinar will be held on October 19th, 2026, at 7:30 PM (EST) on zoom. To register, please go to https://passionist.org/event/the-cross-and-the-hope-we-carry/“
“OHN” – Going to the Margins
Conversations on Creating a Circle of Compassion
October 28th, 2026, 7:00 PM
Gabriel Room
Please join us for our evening of discussion and reflection on meeting our brothers and sisters at the “margins” on Wednesday, October 28th, 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Gabriel Room. Be moved by an uplifting video of Fr. Greg Boyle and how he chose to stand “in awe at what the poor have to carry, rather than in judgment of the way in how they carry it”.
Fr Greg Boyle’s work with those on the margins is amazing. We hope that this gathering and others that follow may be baby steps in moving our parish community to respond more readily to Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbours, especially those on the margins.
Did you know?
One reason for Canadian Thanksgiving being earlier than American Thanksgiving is that Canada is geographically further north than the US, making its harvest season arrive earlier than the American season.
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
