Bulletin – December 19

A Holy and Blessed Christmas.

May the Christ whose Birth and Life we celebrate strengthen us all and bless us with the peace and joy of this Holy Season.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

December 20th – December 23rd 2010

MONDAY – DEJA MILNE & FAMILY Requested by Marie & Michael Gennaro
TUESDAY – UMBERTO INTINI Requested by the Family
WEDNESDAY – KITT JONES & FAMILY Requested by Pam & Pat Burrell
THURSDAY – PATROCINIA CARBONELL-MORALES Requested by Cherry Pallasa

ADVENT/WINTER SOLSTICE EVENING OF REFLECTION

“Moments of Grace from Dark Days”
Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30 PM

The annual Advent/Winter Solstice Evening of Reflection will be held on Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.  Because the feast of Christmas was deliberately timed to coincide with the darkness of the winter’s solstice, there is a link between theological meaning and cosmological setting.  Join us for a guided exploration of the relevance of these theological and cosmological connections to today’s ecological challenges.  Please contact Dennis O’Hara at dennis.ohara@utoronto.ca or 416-926-1300, ext. 3408 to register or for more information.

Christmas Schedule 2010

CHRISTMAS EVE
Friday, December 24th

No 9:00 AM Mass

  • 7:00 PM Family Mass – Carol Singing
  • 9:00 PM Adult Choir – Carol Singing
  • 12:00 AM Midnight Mass – Contemporary Group

CHRISTMAS DAY
Saturday, December 25th

  • 10:30 AM
  • 12:30 PM

No 4:30 PM Mass Office Closed

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY, BOXING DAY
Sunday, December 26th

  • 8:30 AM
  • 10:30 PM
  • 12:30 PM

MONDAY, DECEMBER 27th
No Mass, Office Closed

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28th
No Mass, Office Closed

NEW YEAR’S EVE
Friday, December 31st

  • 9:00 AM

No Evening Mass, Office Closed

NEW YEAR’S DAY
Saturday, January 1st

  • 10:30 AM
  • 12:30 PM

No 4:30 PM Mass, Office Closed

Parking

While parking at ground level is limited to 51 spaces, there is plenty of space in the underground parking lot. Please follow the instructions of the attendants.

Do not park in front of the Church since this is a fire route and must be kept clear.

Additional parking is available at Elkhorn Public School. Again, please follow the instructions of the attendant. The school requests that we do not park on the grass.

Many thanks to Paul Farrel, the Principal of Elkhorn Public School, for allowing us the use of the school property.

ST. GABRIEL’S YOUTH GROUP CONCERT

This Sunday, December 19th @ 7:00 PM

The Youth Group, together with Fr. Brando, will hold a concert this Sunday, December 19th at 7:00 PM here at St. Gabriel’s Church in order to continue to raise funds for a water system for the indigenous people in the Philippines. Free will donations will be accepted.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT DRESS REHEARSAL

This Weekend Sunday, December 19th,
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

S.K. to Grade 5 children are invited to participate in the pageant. Please call Anne Murphy at 416-512-0340.

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

Rehearsal: Sunday, December 19th 2:00 PM 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 for this Mass. One rehearsal, which is mandatory, will be held this Sunday, December 19th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Please call Marilyn Calderone at 416-618-2041 for more information

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES FOR 2011

Your offertory envelopes are now available in the Gathering Space. Please pick yours up as soon as possible. If the address on your box is incorrect, 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.

WEEKLY COLLECTION

Our operating expenses average $14,000 per week.
Last week’s collection:
Loose Change – $2,149
Envelopes (430) – $9,828
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving (134) – $2,738
Total – $14,715

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul tries to bring help to our neighbours who are in urgent need of assistance. Anyone looking for help should call 416-740-6006 and leave their name and phone number. They will then be contacted in order to determine their needs and to arrange a meeting.

CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY “HOPE FOR THE CHILDREN FOUNDATION”

The Catholic Children’s Aid Society is inviting families to assist them in providing some little extras, such as new clothing, new toys, food vouchers and /or gift certificates to bring the joy of the season to one of their families. If you are willing to provide a donation or adopt-a-family, please call 416-395-1634 or email info@hopeforthechildren.ca.

REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE

Concert – Thursday, January 13th, 2011 at 7:30 PM

The Refugee Sponsorship Committee is having a Fundraising concert on Thursday January 13th, 2011 for the Iraqi family being sponsored by the Parish. The concert will be held at 7:30pm at St. Gabriel’s and will feature musicians and singers from the Parish, as well as special guest DALA (www.dalagirls.com). DALA has toured Canada and the US many times, opening for artists such as Jann Arden, Tom Cochrane, Matthew Good, Stuart McLean of the CBC’s Vinyl Café and Chantal Kreviazuk. Tickets are on sale in the Gathering Space after all Masses this weekend, December 18th and 19th. Adult tickets: $20, and $10 for children under 12.

Tickets can also be purchased from Marilyn Calderone (416-221-8866 ext 225) and Chris Carabine (416-512-9666).

GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE CASSEROLES

Your prepared chicken (or turkey) rice casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of January 1st/2nd, 2011 for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. Please note that this is a week later than normal because of Christmas; also note there is no 8:30 AM Mass on January 1st . More volunteers are encouraged to get 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.

FOOD DRIVE DECEMBER 18th TO JANUARY 3rd

Please help feed the hungry and homeless this Christmas. Make a difference in the lives of those most in need within our community by participating in the Good Shepherd Centre’s annual Christmas Food Drive

LAST WEEKEND FOR CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE

This is the last weekend for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society Christmas Toy Drive. Unwrapped new toys for children 0 to 12 years old may be dropped off in the containers set up at the doors of the Church until Sunday, December 19th.

THE GREEN CORNER

Revelation makes known God’s plan for the cosmos, yet it also leads us to denounce that mistaken attitude which refuses to view all created realities as a reflection of their Creator, but instead as mere raw material, to be exploited without scruple. Man thus lacks that essential humility which would enable him to see creation as a gift from God, to be received and used in accordance with his plan. Instead, the arrogance of human beings who live “as if God did not exist” leads them to exploit and disfigure nature, failing to see it as the handiwork of the creative word.

Verbum Domini, Benedict XVI, Nov. 2010