In this week’s bulletin, the Mass for Consecrated Life and the Eco-sabbath; TDCSB consultation meetings, and Becoming Neighbours – a collection drive for immigrants and refugees.
January 31st – February 5th, 2011
MONDAY TUESDAY – THANKSGIVING Requested by John Chan & Family WEDNESDAY – BERTHA RICKETTS Requested by the Family THURSDAY – SPECIAL INTENTION Requested by John Chan & Family FRIDAY – GUS CALDERONE Requested by Marie Calderone SATURDAY – VIOLET PREVIDSA Requested by Steve Previdsa
Sunday, January 30th t, 2011 at 3:00 PM St. Paul’s Basilica,
On Wednesday, February 3rd, the Church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. In the Archdiocese of Toronto, we are blessed to have living and serving among us more than 1,100 religious men and women of over 100 different religious congregations.
This World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life is a wonderful opportunity for us to thank God for the gifts of these religious sisters, brothers and priests and to pray for God’s blessing upon them in their efforts to faithfully live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.
All are welcome to come to a special Mass this Sunday, January 30th at 3:00 PM at St. Paul’s Basilica to celebrate with and pray for these special men and women religious who are such a vital and important part of the life and ministry of the Church in our Diocese.
Sunday, February 6th at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room
On the first Sunday of each month, the Passionist Centre for Ecology and Spirituality facilitates a 30 minute reflection and discussion prompted by the readings for that Sunday’s liturgy. All are welcome.
Friday, February 4th from 9:30 AM – 12 Noon
Sunday, February 6th at the 12:30 PM Mass.
English: Saturday, February 5th at 3:15 PM in the Library Chinese: Sunday, February 6th at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.
The Story of the Mass Tuesday February 8th at 7:30 PM Wednesday, February 9th at 10:30 AM
Tuesday, February 8th 7:00 p.m.-9:00 PM. Catholic Education Centre (80 Sheppard Avenue East, North York)
The Toronto Catholic District School invites all Catholic stakeholders to participate in consultation sessions regarding the proposed Long Term Program Plan. The Long Term Program Plan attempts to answer the question: What would it look like if the best happened with TCDSB programs? The goal is to provide innovative and relevant program foci for each secondary school within the Board, which would ensure a wide range of program options for students throughout the City of Toronto. Parents, staff, students, clergy and parishioners, and all stakeholders in Catholic education are invited to the following session in 2011 to provide input into the system program plan:
Tuesday, February 8th 7:00 p.m.-9:00 PM. Catholic Education Centre, 80 Sheppard Avenue East, North York
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.
Tax receipts for donations made in 2010 will be mailed to you by the end of February. If you have changed your address or if you are moving out of the Parish, please notify the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
January 22nd/23rd Our operating expenses average $14,000 per week.
Loose Change – $971 Envelopes (387) – $7,022 Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving (136) – $2,758 Total – $10,751
From the desk of Fr. Paul:
Thank you, good people, for your exceptionally generous response to the needs of our refugee family. Thank you to all who attended the concert, the parish volunteers and the talented artists who made this evening such a success. $7001.65 was raised from ticket sales, refreshments and donations that will be used to support the family: a mother, three adult children and a child. The family, originally from Iraq, fled to Syria in the face of perceived threats to their safety.
A big thank you to all those who contributed to the winter clothing drive for Becoming Neighbours this year! Over seventy bags of clothing were collected. Thanks too to the volunteers who helped bring what we collected to Scarboro Missions, where Becoming Neighbours is housed.
As you may recall, “Becoming Neighbours” is a joint ministry of twenty religious congregations of men and women in Toronto (the Passionists included) to serve as companions to new immigrants and refugees during the latter’s initial settlement in Canada, so as to ease their adaptation to life in Toronto.
Sister Annette, XMCJ, who co-ordinates the collection and distribution of the items, told us a story when we were there. Last year, St Gabriel’s also participated in their collection drive. A young refugee woman from Nigeria, who happened to have found her first job, but with no money to buy the clothes needed for work, came in and found for herself a whole wardrobe. What you donated became a perfect gift to her. Such stories are heartening, because they put a human face on whatever efforts we pitched in to help. Thank you again for your generosity!!
Tuesday, February 1st 8:00 PM St. Bonaventure’s Church
Come and join us for an informative evening with Stephanie Ozorio, Stephanie has been with the New Beginnings Ministry for many years and has a lot to offer. Her topic is Matters of the Heart. It will take place Tuesday February 1, 2011 at 8:00 PM. The location is Saint Bonaventure’s Church, 1300 Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario: (on the west side of Leslie, south of Lawrence) Preregistration is not required. Enquiries: Deacon James Shaughnessy MSW., RSW., Psyn. D. at 416-921-1163 ext. 2227.
Lunar New Year for a few East Asian cultures (e.g. Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese) falls on February 3rd this year. This is when they traditionally celebrate their new year. For many years, the Asian community in our parish has gifted our parish community with a big New Year Party. This year our Lunar New Year Party will take place on February 13th after the 12:30 PM Mass in the Gathering Space. Please mark your calendar! Volunteers and donations are welcome. Please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
This New Year will be the Year of the Rabbit. During the party, there will be balloons twisted to the shape of rabbits. At the request of the two young people who are responsible for this activity, there will be a free-will donation for the balloons, and the proceeds will go to the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Last Opportunity for Photos February 4th and 5th
No admission fee. Voluntary offering to help defray costs is always appreciated. For more information, please call: 416-261-7135 ext 244/296 Email: lthorson@scarboromissions.ca or www.scarboromissions.ca
What words can describe the myriad beauties of land and sea and sky? Just think of the illimitable abundance and the marvelous loveliness of light, or of the beauty of the sun and moon and stars, of shadowy glades in the woods and of the colors and perfume of flowers, of the songs and plumage of so many varieties of birds, of the innumerable animals of every species that amaze us most when they are smallest in size.
Augustine, City of God 22.24 as quoted in G. Miller, The Wisdom of the Earth
This Bulletin entry was posted on Sunday, January 30th, 2011.
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.
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Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk