PARISH LENTEN RETREAT
“Public Faith in a Time of Crisis”
Saturday, April 5th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Fr. Jim O’Shea CP will lead a Parish Lenten Retreat at St. Gabriel’s next Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the theme of Public Faith in a time of crisis.
All are encouraged to attend.
Please call or email the office if you plan to attend.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
March 31st – April 6th, 2025
MONDAY –
TUESDAY – ALLAN PERSAUD ✞ – Requested by the Persaud & Goldenberg Families
WEDNESDAY – LIGIA DE ORTIZ ✞ – Requested by Lucia Ardila
THURSDAY ̶
FRIDAY – ZOSIMA AGUILA ✞ – Requested by Jennie, Eric & Keith
SATURDAY – VLADO PETRANOVIC ✞ – Requested by Mira Petranovic
SUNDAY – 8:30 AM – FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – EILEEN RODRIGUES ✞ – Requested by her Daughters
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – VICTOR D’SOUZA ✞ – Requested by his Family
REFLECTION FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Psalm 34
In the thick of Lent, Psalm 34 brings us God’s infinitely consoling message. Again and again, the psalm repeats the message: God delivers us. God saves us. Always. At all times. Everywhere.
We have here the first three sections of the psalm which introduces the theme that God’s gifts to us are universal and without limit.
Our praise of God can look like this:
“I will bless the Lord at all times;
Hi praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
DAY OF CONFESSIONS FOR LENT
Wednesday, April 2nd from 3:30 to 5:30 PM
Our parish day of confession will be held on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM for those who wish to make their individual confessions.
RECONCILIATION SERVICE
Thursday, April 3rd at 7:30 PM
Our parish Lenten Reconciliation Service will be held Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 at 7:30 PM
LENTEN AND EASTER SCHEDULE
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross will take place each Friday evening during Lent at 7:30 PM.
You are also encouraged to attend our daily Mass as often as possible throughout Lent.
Individual Confessions
Wednesday, April 2nd from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Reconciliation Service
Thursday, April 3rd at 7:30 PM
Palm Sunday
April 13th, 2025
Masses – Sat. 4:30 PM, Sun. 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM
Holy Thursday
April 17th, 2025
No 9:00 AM Mass
7:30 PM – Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Followed by Adoration until 10:00 PM
Good Friday
April 18th, 2025
No 9:00 AM Mass
3:00 PM – Solemn Passion of Our Lord
7:30 PM – Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday
April 19th, 2025
No 4:30 PM Mass
8:00 PM – Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday
April 20th, 2025
No 8:30 AM Mass
Masses – 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM
EXTRA PARKING AT ELKHORN PUBLIC SCHOOL
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross will take place each Friday evening during Lent at 7:30 PM. You are also encouraged to attend our daily Mass as often as possible throughout Lent.
ROSARY GROUPS
April 6th and 12th
The Chinese Rosary Group meeting is the first Sunday of every month at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.
The English Rosary Group normally meets on the first Saturday of each month. However, for this April, the meeting will take place on Saturday, April 12th at 3:00 PM in the Gabriel Room.
All are welcome.
PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS
Although Pope Francis has been released from hospital, he is still very weak. Let us pray that the Lord grant him strength and peace, restore his health and guide him to a full recovery so that he may continue to lead the holy People of God, with wisdom and love.
SHARELIFE
This weekend is ShareLife Sunday
ShareLife Sunday marks the first collection for our parish’s annual campaign. But ShareLife is more than a parish collection. It is how we, as Catholics in the Archdiocese of Toronto, bring the hands of Christ to those in need. From children to seniors, and everyone in between, more than 40 ShareLife agencies are there each step of the way.
As a family of faith, we lift each other up from our lowest moments. Nick’s life had an easy start – he came from a good home, where he was raised with a strong work ethic, and he welcomed a son. But living with a mental illness, he struggled more than some. Deep inside, he felt like something was missing, and he devastatingly fell into addiction. With your helping hand, he rose up through the DARE Program at Good Shepherd.
“By the grace of God, I am still alive,”
CARING FOR THE HOMELESS IN OUR CITY
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.
Good Shepherd provides hot meals, clean clothes and shelter for the homeless in our city. They help find housing and provide follow up support.
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.
JOURNEY THROUGH LENT VIDEO SERIES
The series titled “Journey through Lent” is now available on the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishop’s website:
in English: https://www.cccb.ca/lent/
in French: https://www.cecc.ca/careme/
It includes reflections on the readings for Ash Wednesday, and each Sunday in Lent including Palm Sunday.
CHING MING CHINESE REMEMBRANCE MASS
Saturday, April 5th at 2:00 PM
Holy Family Mausoleum at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
The 2025 Ching Ming Remembrance Mass will be held in the Holy Family Mausoleum at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Thornhill on Saturday, April 5th at 2:00 PM. The Mass is organized by Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Services, Archdiocese of Toronto and held in Cantonese and Mandarin, with support of the Chinese Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese of Toronto. For further details, please see the poster in the gathering Space.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE
Mondays, April 7th to May 12th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
John the Evangelist Parish,
903 Giffard Street, Whitby
St. John the Evangelist Parish in Whitby is holding a Marriage preparation course on Monday nights starting April 7, 2025 until May 12, 2025 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Call 905-668-3676 to register. Cost is $300 per couple.
CELEBRATE JUBILEE OF YOUTH WITH THE SALESIAN SISTERS
Saturday, April 5th, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
St. Joseph, Protector of Hope
The silent Saint, St. Joseph, is speaking to us!
St. Joseph faithfully protected Jesus from danger, guiding Him through childhood with love, strength, and unwavering devotion to God.
Join us for a retreat dedicated to deepening our faith and finding strength in God. St. Joseph protected and guided Jesus from the very beginning. In this year of Jubilee, as we continue our journey as Pilgrims of Hope, let us learn from St. Joseph, who protected HOPE with faith and love.
This retreat is guided by Fr. Edmund Lo, SJ and Sr. Hae-Jin Lim, FMA and is geared to young adults aged 19-39.
It will take place on Saturday, April 5th from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Don Bosco Center, 178 Steeles Ave East.
A Vigil Mass will be celebrated.
Contact Sr. Hae-Jin via email: srhaejin@gmail.com
Register here: https://forms.gle/fSBAiLPuD3pRubys6
THE GARDEN SHED
The Garden Ministry will again be working with the Children’s Liturgy Ministry for indoor seeds planting on Sunday, April 27th 2025 at the 10:30 am Mass.
We are eagerly looking forward to this annual indoor event with the children of our Parish.
FINANCE CORNER
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 by the Gabriel Room. Boxes are usually not assigned to parishioners who are donating via Pre-Authorized Giving or Donate Now through the Archdiocese.
Please contact the parish office at 416-221-8866 with any questions.
TRIVIA
This last week, what feast day did we celebrate that points us to the birth of Christ.
Hint: It was an announcement from Gabriel, not of our parish, but an angel.