Bulletin – May 14, 2017

Happy Mother’s Day

To all the Mothers, Grandmothers and Stepmothers, we wish you a very happy Mother’s Day. May you be blessed with the graces you need, with courage, compassion, patience and peace to tend to all those in your care.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to the following children from our parish attending the Children’s Faith Program, Private and other Catholic Schools who received their First Communion as a group on Sunday, May 7th, 2017.

Daniel Albornoz
Jude Black
Avery Chang
Alicia Jooyoung Chung
Darren Coelho
Anthony Cormier
JinGyu Ella Lee
Gavin Manabat
Lucas Tuzi

It was a beautiful celebration. Let us promise to support these young people with our prayers as they continue on their journey of faith.

YOUTH GROUP FLOWER SALE

Saturday, May 13th & Sunday, May 14th

This weekend, May 13th and 14th, the St. Gabriel’s Youth Group will be selling flowers and rosaries for Mother’s Day. These can be given as gifts to mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and sisters. The money raised will go towards the youth’s funds for attending the Steubenville Conference. Please help and support our youth!

GARDEN MINISTRY

The Building Maintenance Committee is currently working with a landscape designer on a new vision for our gardens. If you are interested in participating in the planting and maintenance of the new gardens as well as learning about the plants and their care, please call or email Heather Bennett at 647-774-9742 or heathermjb@gmail.com.

DOORS OPEN TORONTO

Saturday, May 27th
Sunday, May 28th

St. Gabriel’s Church has been selected and will participate in this year’s DOORS OPEN TORONTO 2017. The event, produced by City of Toronto in partnership with the broader community, will celebrate “15 Decades of Canadian Architecture”. This will take place Saturday, May 27th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday, May 28th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

We will require volunteers, working in shifts, to welcome visitors to our Church. If you would like to be a part of this wonderful event, please leave your name with the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

May 15th – May 20th 2017

MONDAY – LOUISE MUSCAT – Requested by Lina Abela-Pulis
TUESDAY – LEWIS ROYES – Requested by Helene Royes
WEDNESDAY – ALL SOULS IN PURGATORY – Requested by The Tsang Family
THURSDAY – ANA NASCIMENTO – Requested by the Nascimento Family
FRIDAY – GERRY & EDNA HATCH – Requested by their Family
SATURDAY – STEPHEN HOU YU TSAO – Requested by the Au Family

CONFIRMATION

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Sunday, June 4th at 3:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church. In preparation for this Sacrament, a Confirmation Retreat will be held on Saturday, June 3rd from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church. All candidates must attend. Candidates are reminded to bring a signed letter from the service coordinator or a parent stating the completion or anticipated date of completion of volunteer service hours.

Living the Gospel by welcoming refugee families to Canada…

Julie and her younger sister arrived in Canada through the help of the Office for Refugees to meet a resettlement group that welcomed them with a home and open arms. As orphans from a Refugee Camp in Ghana, they now have a safe place to call home in a country where their lives are not threatened. Julie is interested in studying and becoming a nurse in the maternity ward. She feels it is a passion she wants to pursue after watching her mother become ill and pass away after her sister’s birth. They now have hope for a better future and are no longer alone because of the work done through ShareLife-supported Office for Refugees. Last year, the ShareLife-supported Office for Refugees assisted 6,000 people with their resettlement needs.

Next ShareLife Sunday is June 14th 2017
Please give generously.

FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.

Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.

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.

Your food donations are more important than ever as the numbers of needy people continue to increase. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your generous support.

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE – 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Did you know that Development and Peace (D&P) responded to the call of Pope Francis in his encyclical ’Laudato Si: On the Care For Our Common Home’ by launching a campaign on climate change and its impact on the poor? As a result the Canadian Government signed the 2015 Paris agreement, and thousands of Canadians pledged to reduce their Carbon footprint.

To find out more about the work of D&P or to become a member or donor, visit the website at http://www.devp.org/en/get-involved.

COLLECTING EYEGLASSES

We are continuing to collect eyeglasses for the Lions Club. Throughout the year, the Lion’s Club volunteers collect used eyeglasses and deliver them to regional Lions Recycling Centres. There volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact. Please place them in the baskets provided outside the office.

EFFECT HOPE

Leprosy Mission of Canada Stamp Collection Program

Make a difference with your mail! You can get involved by collecting, trimming and sending your used postage stamps to Effect Hope, the Leprosy Mission of Canada.

Please place stamps in the basket provided outside the Parish Office.

Your kindness and compassion are felt by the friends and staff of Effect Hope and by the many people they serve. They look forward to your continued partnership with this mission of healing and hope.

PLANNING TO BE A CATHOLIC TEACHER?

It is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic School Board in Ontario, as part of your application for employment, there must be a letter of reference from your pastor. If you are planning to apply to teach in a Catholic School, a contact with the pastor is highly recommended. Please plan to have a conversation with your Pastor early in the process, well before applications are to be submitted.

NEW BEGINNINGS TALK: “On Marriage and Annulments”

Monday, May 15th at 7:00 PM.

Catholic Pastoral Centre, 4th Floor 1155 Yonge St., Toronto.

New Beginnings is presenting a talk entitled “On Marriage and Annulments”, at the Catholic Pastoral Centre on May 15th at 7:00 PM.

Fr. Alexander Laschuk from the Catholic Marriage Tribunal in the Archdiocese of Toronto will discuss the Church’s teaching on the Sacrament of Marriage and why in some cases a declaration of nullity (annulment) is granted.

SECULAR FRANCISCAN “COME AND SEE”

May 24th at 7:00 PM

St. Bonaventure Church, 1300 Leslie Street

If you are intrigued by St. Francis of Assisi; his love of humanity, nature and peace, which has inspired thousands through the ages even to today, you are invited to the “Bonaventure Room” in the Parish Hall at St. Bonaventure Church. Join them and discover his way of life can be lived as a Secular Franciscan even today.

THEOLOGY ON TAP: Serving with Absolute Respect… Unconditional Love

Monday, May 29, 2017 — 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Duke of York Pub, 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto

Faith Connections invites young adults, ages 19-39, to join them for an evening of thought-provoking theological discussion in a comfortable and relaxed setting, with special guests: Bruce Rivers, Executive Director of Covenant House.

Munchies will be provided. There is a cash bar. Come and bring a friend! For more information call Kataryna Kuzar at 416-467-2645 or visit www.faithconnections.ca — a ministry of Fontbonne Ministries, Sisters of St. Joseph, Toronto.

SEEING WITH HEART –DAY OF REFLECTION

Catholic Parents of Lesbian Daughters and Gay Sons
Saturday, June 3rd from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre, Pickering, Ontario
A day of Reflection will be held on Saturday, June 3rd, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering. Sr. Mary Rowell, who teaches theology at Regis and St. Michael’s Colleges will facilitate. Jesuit Fr. Robert Foliot will assist.

The cost is $40.00 which includes lunch.

For questions and information call John Montague at 416-523-6449.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE

Weekend of September 22nd, 23rd and 24th 2017

St. Gabriel’s Parish

A Marriage Preparation course will be offered here at St.Gabriel’s the weekend of September 22nd to 24th
The course will be held Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. For a registration package please email Marie Deans at deansm@sympatico.ca.