Mary: Model of Hope and Healing in the Midst of Darkness Saturday, December 8th from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM St. Gabriel’s Parish
Please join us for our Parish Advent Retreat on Saturday, December 8th at 12:30 PM.
The theme is Mary: Model of Hope and Healing in the Midst of Darkness. The speaker will be Fr. Thomas Rosica. Fr.Rosica, C.S.B. is a Canadian Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Congregation of St Basil. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation, English language media attaché of the Holy See Press Office, author, speaker, and commentator. For further information, please contact the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
This Weekend, November 18th/19th
As members of our Catholic community, we regularly benefit from the tireless service of our priests. Called by God and ordained to care for His people, our priests serve our families, in churches, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, missions and on the streets.
This weekend the second collection is for The Shepherds’ Trust. The mission of The Shepherds’ Trust is to help ensure that elderly and disabled priests are provided with sufficient financial resources to lead a dignified life after many years of ministry.
Your generous gift will help our priests to maintain a modest but active and independent lifestyle in their retirement years. For priests who are ill or otherwise infirm, the Trust ensures they have access to nursing home facilities and medical care. Thank you for your support of this important work
Sunday November 25th at 6:00 PM
St. Gabriel’s Church
The St. Gabriel’s Youth Group would like to invite you, your friends and your families to their Youth Talent Night, taking place in Sunday, November 25th. Join them for a lovely evening as they showcase the talent of the youth in our parish.
Admission is by donation. All proceeds will support 9 of our young adults and their trip to Panama this January for World Youth Day. Thank you for all your continuous support of the Youth Group. Hope to see you there!
November is “Make a Will’ month! Have you considered remembering your parish in your will? The Church is where we experience many important moments in our lives. A bequest is a beautiful way to express your faith and gratitude for a lifetime of blessings – a lasting legacy of love that will help the Church continue with its many ministries. When making your will, please consider a bequest to St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish. For more information, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866 or the Development Office of the Archdiocese at 416-934-3411, Ext. 519 or visit www.archtoronto.org/development.
Available the Weekend of December 1st/2nd
On the weekend of December 1st/ 2nd our Parish’s Development and Peace Group will be selling 2019 calendars. This is a beautiful and unique calendar showcasing sceneries from the Arctic north. The pictures are taken by Bishop Jon Hansen of the MacKenzie-Fort Smith Diocese on his missionary trips to the arctic communities.
Through the sale of these calendars, funds will be raised for the missions in the Arctic. Our Lady of Victory Church in Inuvik (the famous igloo church) and three of its missions: Tuktoyaktuk on the Beaufort Sea,Tsiigehtchic and Paulatuk. These remote communities are striving for self-sufficiency, but it is not easy. During the harsh winter months, the heating of the churches would cost over $4000 a month.
Perhaps in the comfort of our well heated homes, we can think of these communities in the Arctic and try to support them in ways we can – the calendars at $20 each will be great for personal use; they will also make wonderful gifts, since they are unique and not easily available.
November 19th to November 24th
MONDAY – MIKIE PALAZZO & CHRISTOPHER DI LALLO – Requested by Val Palazzo TUESDAY – MARLENE O’BRIEN – Requested by Vernon & Marie Swant WEDNESDAY – FERNANDO MARTINS – Requested by Maria Martins THURSDAY – ABANDONED SOULS – Requested by the Nguyen Family FRIDAY – IN THANKSGIVING – Requested by Jomini & Peter Lam SATURDAY – GORDON OATWAY – Requested by Pat Oatway & Family
Wednesday, November 28th at 7:30 PM
St. Gabriel’s Church, Gabriel Room
On Wednesday, November 28th at 7:30 PM there will be a meeting in the Gabriel Room for parents of children who will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.
Sunday, December 2nd at the 12:30 PM Mass
The Confirmation Enrollment Ceremony for all Confirmation candidates will be held on Sunday, December 2nd at the 12:30 PM Mass. All Confirmation candidates must attend.
Candidates are reminded to submit their letters requesting Confirmation to Fr. Brando through the Parish Office by Sunday, November 25th.
Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) began last Saturday. These meetings are for persons interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community; or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church. Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions.
As well, these meetings may be an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith. Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.
If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like to have more information about it, please contact the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
Share the Journey Campaign
This year, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada is joining forces with Pope Francis and Caritas Internationalis by inviting Canadians to share the journey with those living the tragedy of forced migration. Launched in Rome in September 2017, the Share the Journey campaign aims to create a “culture of encounter” by educating the public to the realities of those forced to flee their homes and creating opportunities for encounters between them and local communities.
Actions Cards requiring your signature will be available at all Masses next week to send a clear message to the Canadian government that it must do more to tackle the root causes of forced migration.
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. Your food donations are very much appreciated.
With everyone struggling at this time, your food donations are more important than ever. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired.
November 18th
To commemorate the World Day of the Poor on November 18th, Catholic media throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto have partnered to prepare an online page summarizing their activities in drawing greater attention to this important date in the life of the church. To learn more about the programs and other initiatives leading up to November 18th visit www.archtoronto.org/dayofpoor for more information. Please join us in prayer and outreach as the global church lifts its collective voice to support the poor among us.
Saturday, December 1st to Sunday, December 16th
During Advent, the Society of St Vincent de Paul will have a Giving Tree in the Gathering Space.
The tree will be decorated with gift tags. Each tag will have the gender and age of a child. We invite you to take a tag, buy a gift or a gift card of about $25.00 for that child and return the unwrapped gift, with the tag attached, to the box provided in the Gathering Space. If you choose an older child, please buy a gift card. Return it with the tag to the Parish Office. If you are a knitter, there will be mitten tags. Please take one and return mitts to the box in the Gathering Space.
At this time of the year, we are also thinking of the young mothers and babies of Rosalie Hall. If you wish to help, you may choose a “Christmas Stocking” from the tree to purchase pyjamas or undershirts for babies ages 6 months to 4 years.
Unwrapped Items with the original stocking tag attached can be left in the box provided near the “mitten” tree no later than Sunday, December 16th. Toys or books for these little ones would also be appreciated.
For the Moms, we are suggesting gift cards from Tim Horton’s, Walmart or MacDonald’s. These can be placed in the envelopes provided and brought to the Office. Thank you for your generosity.
I am very grateful that so many of you came to meet me after Mass on November 3rd/4th 2018. Your community and Fr. Brando made me feel so very welcomed and appreciated. Many of you expressed kind and sincere words of gratitude and praise; your kindness to our cause is very humbling. I appreciate that many of you purchased the olive wood religious articles. Thank you.
Many Christian Palestinians will soon be hard at work to replenish what you have purchased. This in turn creates a virtuous cycle of simple commerce, all because you chose to participate. One of the major problems we face as Christian Palestinians is lack of awareness about us. I pray that I’ve left a positive impression on you regarding our community. Remember you are in our prayers and we need your prayers for peace and a political solution. Peace, Laith (Leo) Qumsieh
With the 2018 growing season at an end, I want to give all of you who weeded, pruned and planted, donated perennials, planted spring bulbs, attended workshops, informed parishioners, participated in meetings and cheered from the sidelines, a huge and heartfelt thank you! God bless you! We are now planning for an exciting 2019 season. Heather
For more information on the Garden Ministry, please contact Heather Bennett at heathermjb@gmail.com.
This Bulletin entry was posted on Saturday, November 17th, 2018.
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.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Listen to the audio
Watch Fr. Paul Cusack’s Funeral Mass (video)
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk