Thursday, February 27th is the feast of St. Gabriel.
St. Gabriel, a member of the Passionist Community, was born Francis Possenti on March 1st, 1838 in Assisi. In September, 1856, he entered the Passionist novitiate but before his ordination, he contracted tuberculosis. He died February 27th, 1862 at the age of 24. Francis had a special devotion to Mary and chose as his religious name Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin.
He is remembered for his enthusiasm in life and his extraordinary generosity. Pope John XXIII proclaimed him as a special Patron of Youth. Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 AM.
Our parish is considering offering communion with celiac safe gluten-free hosts in the near future to parishioners requiring these. If this is your case, in order to help us assess the need, please let yourself be known, by visiting, calling or emailing the office. We do not require any specific information about yourself, other than what mass you usually attend.
Please stay tuned for further details about how and when communion with gluten-free hosts will be able to be received at St. Gabriel’s.
This Sunday, February 23rd after the 12:30 PM Mass
There will be a gathering for youth (Grades 5-12) and young adults (18 and older) on Sunday February 23rd after the 12:30 Mass. Join us for an afternoon of food, games, and activities tailored to our different age groups. All are welcome!
February 24th – March 2nd, 2025
MONDAY – SHEILA EMBLEM ✞ – Requested by Anne Marie Bielska TUESDAY – JOSEPH & KATHLEEN McCARTHY ✞ – Requested by Agnes Gaughan & Family WEDNESDAY – ANA SANTOS & FAMILY – Requested by Warren & Judy Webb THURSDAY – BRENDAN KERR ✞ – Requested by Nora Kerr FRIDAY – BORIS CELIS ✞ – Requested by the Macaraeg Family SATURDAY – PETER & BRIDGET PEREIRA ✞ – Requested by Sophie & Candida Pereira SUNDAY – 8:30 AM – FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – LYDIA McGRANN – Requested by Ron & Anne Ackber SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – ANDREW HUI ✞ – Requested by Howa Hui
Pope Francis is suffering from an “infection of the respiratory tract,” test results revealed Feb. 17th, “which required a further modification of his therapy,” a Vatican medical bulletin said. Please pray for his speedy recovery.
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 23rd, 2025
Psalm 103
Were we to pick favourites, this psalm would surely be the favourite of many.
We are invited to bless the Lord, to call out God’s holiness, and never to forget all of God’s benefits.
God forgives all, heals all, and redeems your life.
This psalm concludes as it began, with these words to hold in our heart: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”
All Parishioners are invited to celebrate the Opening Jubilee Year Mass in the Central Region of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
The mass will be held at: St. Edward the Confessor Church (75 Churchill Ave) on Tuesday Feb 25th, celebrated by Cardinal Francis Leo
Mass begins at 7:00 PM Confession time from 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM No need to register. Just come!
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.
Rosalie Hall is an accredited children’s mental health facility focusing on the needs of pregnant and parenting youth ages 12-25, their children, and their families. Here the needs of young families are met, offering prenatal and parenting classes as well as staff to aid in the transition to parenthood. A school program enables clients to finish high school. The food we donate from our parish often replenishes their empty food bank.
Good Shepherd provides hot meals, clean clothes and shelter for the homeless in our city They help find housing and provide follow up support. They support the homeless who are working to overcome addictions and provide a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.
Your food donations are so important as numbers of people in need continue to increase. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired.
Your participation in the 2024 ShareLife Parish Campaign has been truly extraordinary, achieving a record-breaking $14.4 million raised. Your compassion is making a meaningful difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community.
In acknowledgement of your kind generosity, Archbishop Francis Leo extends his heartfelt gratitude to all. His letter expressing thanks for the positive impact you have made is posted on our bulletin boards.
If you are planning to be a teacher, it is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic school board in Ontario, there must be a reference form from your pastor as part of your application.
The form explaining that you belong to and participate in the community cannot be written if your pastor does not know you. It is recommended that you have a conversation with him early in the process well before the applications are to be submitted.
As Ontarians prepare for a provincial election on February 27th, 2025, Catholics are encouraged to both learn more about the candidates and parties seeking our support and to vote as part of the democratic process.
To assist with this process, two resources may be helpful as Catholics prayerfully discern their vote in the coming days:
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto has prepared a 2025 Ontario Election Guide.
Catholic Conscience has prepared “Voting Like A Catholic”, a 2025 Provincial Election Resource.
Both resources are available on the Archdiocese website, archtoronto.org.
We pray for all those who serve in elected office and for those who will form the next provincial government. May they lead prudently and thoughtfully, discerning how to best strengthen our communities and province for years to come.
Saint Thomas More, patron saint of politicians, pray for us.
Sunday, February 23, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
St. Luke’s Catholic Church, 39 Green Ln., Thornhill
AN IN-PERSON EVENT SPONSORED & RECOMMENDED BY THE OFFICE FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, this special event brings together faith leaders from diverse traditions. Speakers include representatives from Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Sikhism. Musical accompaniment by Greg Benoit, Music Director at St. Luke’s Catholic Church.
Registration is required: https://bit.ly/40wc9lM
Come together in an open and neighbourly spirit, sharing our common hopes for understanding and peace.
February 5 to April 15, 2025
Theme: Faith as a Pathway from Division to Unity
High school students (aged 13 to 19 years) in the Catholic School Boards within the Archdiocese of Toronto are invited to participate in this annual celebration of the United Nations International Human Fraternity Day on February 4 each year.
Students are encouraged to create a three-minute video that captures this year’s theme. Please adhere to the guidelines provided on our website and submit your entries via the submission form at https://bit.ly/DFVCSubmission
For further information, please contact us at interreligious@archtoronto.org or call 416-934-3400 ext. 527.
March 14th to March 16th, 2025
St. Augustine’s Seminary
The Office of Vocations will be hosting a Come & See Weekend Discernment Retreat for men 18 years and older, at St. Augustine’s Seminary on Friday, March 14th at 6;30 PM until Sunday, March 16th at 2:00 PM. This Retreat offers a way for men to discern a possible call to priesthood at our seminary.
Registration must be done online at www.vocationstoronto.ca/comesee.
Manresa Jesuit Renewal Centre 2325 Liverpool Rd., Pickering, (at top of Liverpool Rd., N. of Finch)
Friday, March 14th to Sunday, March 16th , 2024
Theme: The Wisdom of Henri Nouwen: Guidance for the Lenten Journey
One of Henri Nouwen’s greatest gifts was his ability to help people connect with their vulnerabilities in order to grow in trust and intimacy. This Lenten retreat will consider this and other common themes in Nouwen’s writing, such as being the beloved of God, giving and receiving forgiveness, growing in hope, and accepting one’s limitations.
The focus will be on providing concrete ways to incorporate these ideas into our prayer lives. The retreat will take place from Friday, March 14th to Sunday, March 16th. The facilitator will be Fr. Kevin Kelly, S.J. For more information contact Manresa: 905-839-2864 To register go to https://manresa-canada.ca/events/
July 23rd to August 5th, 2025
Calling all young adults (ages 19 – 39), join Fr. Paul Magyar and the OCY team for a pilgrimage of a life time! We will be embarking on a pilgrimage to Venice, Padua, Florence, Assisi and Rome from July 23rd to August 5th, 2025.
Please contact youth@archtoronto.org to receive the pilgrim information package and detailed itinerary.
Please consider giving your offertory by picking up Envelopes, enrolling in Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG), or Donate Now (through the Archdiocese of Toronto website).
Offertory envelopes for 2025 are still available in the Gabriel Room. Boxes are usually not assigned to parishioners who are donating via Pre-Authorized Giving or Donate Now through the Archdiocese.
To ensure the proper recording for tax receipt purposes, please do not use any envelopes from 2024 or any prior year for any 2025 donations.
Please contact the parish office at 416-221-8866 with any questions
What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary?
A thesaurus
This Bulletin entry was posted on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025.
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 »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk