Bulletin – 22 November

Bible study with Fr. Bernard, Awakening the Dreamer symposium, and grade eight students from St. Gabriel’s School bring a Me to We Christmas Candle sale. Also, thanks to a generous parishioner St. Gabriel’s has a new piano!

AWAKENING THE DREAMER SYMPOSIUM

December 12th from 8:45 AM until 1:00 PM
Gabriel Room
Cost: free.

Do you have dreams of a world that is environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just?

Join us for the Awakening The Dreamer symposium. It will draw from the experience and wisdom of some of the world’s most respected thinkers, including Tom Berry, Brian Swimme, Desmond Tutu, and Thich Nhat Hanh. Together we’ll explore how we can, both individually and collectively, move the world in a new direction. For more information about the symposium, visit www.AwakeningTheDreamer.org
The symposium will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2009 from 8:45 AM to 1:00 PM in the Gabriel Room.

For more information, please contact Fatima Lee at 416-221-8866, Ext.228.

AN INVITATION TO LEARN!

Next Meetings:
Topic: The History of Angels, Etc.
Tuesday, December 1st at 7:30 PM.
Topic: The History of Angels, Etc.
Wednesday, December 2nd at 10:30 AM.
For further information, please call Mary Landry at 416-293-3760.

BIBLE STUDY WITH FR. BERNARD

Monday, November 23rd at 7:30 PM

Grow in your faith by studying the Bible regularly. Fr. Bernard leads a Bible study group on Monday evenings at 7:30 PM. The focus of the study is the Gospel of John. All are welcome. Bring a friend and your Bible.

IN MEMORIAL GIVING

Our parish is where we celebrate the special moments in our lives. It is where we come to be married, see our children and grandchildren baptized, come to be reconciled with God and to be nourished by the Holy Eucharist. Our parish is where we will come to take our final journey out of this world and into the next.

One way you can show others that the Church is important to you is to request that in lieu of flowers donations made in your memory be directed toward your parish or favourite Archdiocesan charity. To ensure that your wishes are fulfilled, let your family know of your intention. Then sign and date a handwritten letter that states your wishes and keep it with your will. The Archdiocese will ensure that In Memoriam cards are delivered to the funeral home for the visitation.

ST. GABRIEL’S SCHOOL CANDLE SALE

The Grade Eight students from St. Gabriel’s School along with the ME TO WE Committee will be selling sets of candles for Christmas after all the Masses next weekend. The cost for each set of 4 is $5.00. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

SPONSORING A REFUGEE FAMILY?

Day after day, we hear of people in other parts of the world whose lives are threatened because of war, political beliefs, or ethnic conflicts. Canada prides itself on accepting tens of thousands of refugees each year, and tries to provide for them a space to rebuild their lives. Thirty years ago, St. Gabriel’s sponsored its first refugee family – one from Vietnam. We have helped other families since.
At this time, the parish is exploring again the feasibility of sponsoring another refugee family. If you are interested, and wish to be part of this effort, please contact Fatima Lee at (416) 221-8866 Ext 228.

ST. VINCENT de PAUL NEEDS YOUR HELP!

We often meet neighbours in need who require professional help but have no resources. We are asking any of our parishioners who are lawyers, chiropractors, optometrists, dentists, or physiotherapists, who would be willing to donate their time, on the rare occasion when there is a need, to contact the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Gabriel’s. Please call Fran Murphy at 416-223-0936. Thank you for remembering the poor this Christmas.

CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Your prepared chicken rice casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at all the Masses next weekend, November 28th /29th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to pick up a copy of the casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.

NOVEMBER IS THE MONTH OF ALL SOULS: BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE

There is a Book of Remembrance placed on the altar for the month of November. You are invited to write the names of your deceased relatives and friends in the book. They will be remembered at all the Masses celebrated this month.

THANK YOU!

Thanks to the generosity of one of our parishioners, we have a brand new piano. This gift will really enhance the liturgy, especially at the 12:30 Mass. Thanks, also, to D’Arcy Atkins for the use of his piano over the past years.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

November 23rd to November 28th, 2009

MONDAY – PETER TABAK Requested by Moira McCarthy
TUESDAY – ROBERT HEARNEY Requested by Paul and Wai Chin & Family
WEDNESDAY – VITO STEFANO VIRGILIO Requested by the Virgilio Family
THURSDAY – HELEN NAGLE Requested by Mary Alice O’Mahony
FRIDAY – ANITA MARKLE & MARJORIE SKAZIN Requested by the Family
SATURDAY – MICHAEL PALAZZO & CHRISTOPHER DI LALLO Requested by the Family

WELCOME! BAPTISM

The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:

  • Darren Callistus Coelho
  • Anthony Laurence Real Cormier
  • Ryleigh Alexis Maxwell
  • Matthew Palermo

These children received the Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, November 15th. Congratulations!

ADVENT DAY OF REFLECTION

When Mary Said “Yes, When We Say “Yes”

Mary plays a major role in our Christmas stories and in other Biblical events. Can her life shed light on what we are experiencing now as we celebrate Christmas in 2009?

Join us as we take time to reflect on her journey of life and how it meshes with our own.

Day: Thursday, December 10th
Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Place: Parish Library
Cost: $10 for lunch

For information or to register please call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866, Ext. 224.

SUNDAY COLLECTION

November 15th, 2009: $8,896

4:30 8:30 10:30 12:30
Total $1,937 $1,577 $2,641 $2,741
Envelopes 98 93 134 100

Number of Envelopes Used: 425

PRE-AUTHORIZED GIVING

Month Total Participants
October $7,662.71 83

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES FOR 2010

The offertory envelopes for 2010 are now available in the Gathering Space. If you have changed your address or phone number, please inform the Parish Office so that we can update our records.

If you do not receive offertory envelopes and would like to do so, please call the office at 416-221-8866 and we will prepare a box for you.

FOR THE LOVE OF SINGING

Saturday, November 28th at 7:30 PM
St. Gabriel’s Church
$12 in advance, %15 at the door; $30 for a family

We are hosting a night of sacred and secular music featuring the East York Barbershop Chorus and our own St. Gabriel’s Musicians and Singers. Tickets are on sale this weekend after all the Masses. $12 in advance, $15 at the door and $30 for a family

NORTH YORK RETIRED MEN’S CLUB

Tuesday, November 24th at 2:00 PM
Blessed Trinity Parish Hall

The North York Retired Men’s Club will hold their next meeting on November 24th at 2:00 PM in Blessed Trinity Parish Hall. Allen Curie will speak on “Scientific Ideas That Have Changed the World”. Prospective members are welcomed.

THE GREEN CORNER

The Great Work, now as we move into a new millennium, is to carry out the transition from a period of human devastation of the earth to a period when humans would be present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner.

Thomas Berry, The Great Work