Bulletin – February 8, 2026

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT – AVAILABLE NOW

Thank you to the people who have responded to date! We have a couple of new volunteers planning to engage in ministry, but there is plenty of room for more! Please pray about your response and return your Time and Talent and Treasurer sheets now.

MASS WITH BLESSING FOR THE SICK

Thursday, February 12th, 2026 at 11:00 AM

A mass will be celebrated on Thursday, February 12th at 11:00 AM with blessing for anyone who has the need. All are welcome to attend and pray for the sick of our parish. Let us gather as a community to pray for God’s healing grace.

To find Pope Leo XIV’s message on the theme “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”, please visit the website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops – cccb.ca

ANNOUNCED MASSES

February 9th – February 15th, 2026

MONDAY − FR. ARPAD HORVATH SJ and FATHER ADELMO SJ − Requested by Leonor Dytoc
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY − OVI COLAVINCENZO − Requested by the Gaughan family
THURSDAY − DIANE ARDILA − Requested by Her Parents
FRIDAY − TONINO DIDIODATO ✞ − Requested by His Family
SATURDAY – LORENZO HAZA and DEVEA BENAVIDES ✞ − Requested by the Family
SUNDAY − 8:30 AM − FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY − 10:30 AM − NIKOLA VUKOVIC ✞ − Requested by His Family
SUNDAY − 12:30 − MEI YUNG FONG ✞ − Requested by Denny Fong

ASH WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, February 18th, 2026

February 18th is Ash Wednesday. Masses will be celebrated at 12:00 Noon and 7:30 PM. Ashes will be distributed at both Masses.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Stations of the Cross will take place each Friday evening during Lent (starting February 20th) at 7:30 PM. You are also encouraged to attend our daily Mass as often as possible throughout Lent.

A PRAYER FOR SHARING

Gracious God, thank you for showing me that true joy comes from giving. In a world focused on gaining more, help me to see the beauty in sharing what I have, whether my time, talents or a simple act of kindness.

Let my heart be generous and open. Amen

Fr Paul

PSALM MEDITATION

Psalm 112

To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom.

Psalm 112’s ten verses deal with familiar themes such as the fear of God, kindness, and compassion to all others. And in particular, this psalm presents the righteous as steadfast, trusting in God and having nothing to fear.

It’s with this psalm, that we respond in prayer to Isaiah 58:
“It is well with the person who deals generously and lends,
who conducts their affairs with justice ….
their heart is firm, secure in the Lord.”

We do well to ask God in prayer to show us what fear of the Lord really means.

LENTEN RETREAT

The Church on the Street: Ministry of Presence
Saturday, February 28th, 2026 2:00 to 4:00 PM
At the church
Preacher: Deacon Robert Kinghorn

Our Lenten Retreat this year will be preached by Deacon Robert Kinghorn, a deacon of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Since 2005, Deacon Robert has ministered in a downtown Toronto neighbourhood known for drugs, prostitution, violence and homelessness. He sees the Church present not only in our beautiful church buildings, but also on these streets, and he felt called to minister there.

His encounters with the downtrodden on the darkest corners of these streets reveal not only the despair and disorder there but also compassion and even hope.

Deacon Robert’s experience will give us a living example of how he, in the footsteps of Jesus, also reaches out to those in the margins and brings the love of God to them.

We hope you can join us!

BEACONS OF HOPE

Please note that we are only accepting personal care items including women’s slippers, pyjamas and robes. No other items of clothing are needed. Please check the list posted by our collection boxes. Many thanks for your kind attention and continued support.

SHARELIFE

“Thank you for your generous hearts, for your witness, and for your continued participation in the ShareLife Parish Campaign. Through you, the Church continues to be present where it is most needed and a beacon of hope and magnanimity. May God’s blessings be abundant and powerful in your lives and your loved ones.”

Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Frank Cardinal Leo

Our final total for 2025 was $183,307.29, surpassing our goal of $169,000. Once again, the parishioners of St. Gabriel’s have been very generous, sharing with those who are needy. Congratulations!

CARING FOR THE HOMELESS IN OUR CITY

Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. They are very appreciative.

Your food donations are extremely important since the numbers of people in need continue to increase. Please check the expiry dates before donating. We cannot pass on food that has expired.

34th WORLD DAY OF THE SICK

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 34th World Day of the Sick, which will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 11th 2026, offers a reflection on the theme “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”.

In his Message, Pope Leo invites us to reflect on the figure of the Good Samaritan. The Holy Father outlines three key points: the gift of encounter, the shared mission of caring for the sick and the primacy of being driven by love for God in encountering ourselves and others.

Visit the website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops: cccb.ca for Pope Leo’s complete message and reflection.

THE CALL TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: What History Teaches about the Role of Terror in Authoritarian Regimes

Wednesday, February 11Tth, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

An online Webinar recommended by the Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations

Participants in this webinar will learn how fear and terror are used by totalitarian regimes to silence opposition by using force and intimidation. The Nazi’s used these tactics against the Jewish people in Germany, and then in countries across Europe. This is a relevant and timely case study for us today as it speaks of the call to be alert to protect and promote religious freedom in society.

This event is geared towards educators and students; however, everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information and to register: bit.ly/4qoEV2l

CATHOLIC CHARITIES SCHOLARSHIPS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

Catholic Charities is inviting applications for this year’s Scholarships and nominations for the Michael Fullan Community Service Awards. These opportunities support students pursuing a variety of studies and celebrate those whose service reflects the Gospel call to love our neighbours. If you know a young person discerning their path, or someone in our community whose generosity and compassion shine through their daily actions, consider encouraging them to apply or nominating them for an award.

Full details, including eligibility criteria, link to reference forms, and link to nominations forms, are available at www.ccat.ca/scholarships.

You can also follow Catholic Charities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to hear inspiring stories from past recipients.

Deadline for all applications and nominations: April 30th, 2026
Contact: info@ccat.ca

THE GARDEN SHED: PLANT SEEDS OF FAITH!

What: Indoor Seed Planting
Date: Sunday, Feb 22, 2026, 10:30 AM mass
Partner: Children’s Liturgy Ministry
Activity: Planting lettuce seeds indoors to get a head start on Spring.

FINANCE CORNER

Offertory envelopes for 2026 are still available in the Gathering Space. Please pick yours up if you have not done so.

To ensure the proper recording for tax receipt purposes, please do not use any envelopes from 2025 or any prior year for any 2026 donations.

TRIVIA

I had a really good cheese joke to share with you guys…
But now I Camembert it.