The Parish Family would like to congratulate the following:
Andrea Kalaj and Jin Fei Diao
were baptized and received First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Jin Fei Diao also received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Ian Cheong, Andrew Chibeau and Kelly James Takanashi affirmed their faith in the Roman Catholic Church and received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Elia Shane Valenzuela received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
We welcome them into our community and pray for God’s blessings for them as they begin their new life in Christ.
VOLUNTEERS MAKE WAVES
“Rivers of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38)
This year’s Volunteer Appreciation Week focuses on the invaluable contributions of our volunteers and the profound impact they make through their dedication, time, and service.
Your collective efforts are amplified and resonate throughout our parish community, creating ripples and sparking waves of positive change. Thank you to all our parish volunteers!
SEEKING NEW MINISTERS OF CARE
Anyone who is interested in becoming a Minister of Care to the Hospital or to the Homebound, please contact Sr. Maria Lucia at stgabrielem@gmail.com
ANNOUNCED MASSES
May 5th – May 11th, 2025
MONDAY – PETER LEUNG ✞ – Requested by his Family
TUESDAY – TAK CHUN LIU MARY ✞ – Requested by Agnes Wong
WEDNESDAY – LAU KOON TING ✞ – Requested by Linda Law
THURSDAY
FRIDAY – TOM & MARGARET GAUGHAN – Requested by Agnes Gaughan
SATURDAY – DAVID CRADDOCK ✞ – Requested by Ruth Jones
SUNDAY – 8:30 AM – FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – ANGELO DIFLUMERI & FAMILY – Requested by the Family
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – EMILIO MANARIN ✞ – Requested by Andreina Manarin & Family
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in our parish on Sunday May 25th, 2025 at 3:00 PM. In preparation for this Sacrament, a Confirmation retreat will be held here on Saturday, May 24th, 2024 (time to be announced).
Candidates are reminded to bring a signed letter from their service Ministry Coordinator or a parent stating the completion or anticipated completion of volunteer service hours.
ROSARY GROUPS
Our Rosary Groups meet each month.
The English Rosary Group meeting is the first Saturday of every month at 3:00 PM in the Gabriel Room.
The Chinese Rosary Group meeting is first Sunday of every month at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.
All are welcome.
SHARELIFE
Living the Gospel by providing for those in need
On the second ShareLife Sunday, we call upon your compassionate hearts to support your vulnerable brothers and sisters in need. More people than ever are turning to our agencies for help. The kindheartedness of ShareLife supporters like you enables access to essential programs and services, such as the treatment program and transitional housing at St. Michael’s Homes. For Jack, your support was transformative. After moving to start a physically demanding job, he suffered a knee injury which ultimately left him unemployed and addicted to pain medication. Thanks to your empathy, Jack had a safe space to overcome his addiction and gained the power to build himself back up.
Please give at the parish using a ShareLife envelope, online through our parish website, or at sharelife.org/donate.
GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE CASSEROLES
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 50 casseroles in April.
Please think about volunteering to help feed our less fortunate sisters and brothers. Three different recipes are available in the Parish Office or online at the Parish website. Casserole pans are also available in the Parish Office.
Your support is a tremendous help and is appreciated in the fight to end hunger and chronic homelessness. For more information, you may contact the Parish Office at 416 221 8866.
ROSALIE HALL
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall.
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.
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.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
MAY 4-9, 2025 – “Pilgrims of Hope”
During Catholic Education Week (May 4 – 9, 2025), we give thanks for the gift of publicly funded Catholic Education in our province. Catholic schools foster supportive communities where children can experience the joy of God’s love and understand the Christian mission in the world.
As we celebrate this Year of Jubilee, as pilgrims of hope, let us journey with our parishes, educators and families to sow and nurture the seeds of faith with the next generation of Catholics, encouraging them to live lives of holiness and Christian witness as one body in Christ.
To indicate your support of Catholic education and sign-up for email updates, visit: www.togetherinfaith.ca
PLANNING TO BE A CATHOLIC TEACHER?
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 letter of reference from your pastor as part of your application. The letter 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.
DAY OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER FOR THE BEREAVED
Saturday, May 10th, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 5:00PM
Manresa Jesuit Renewal Centre 2325 Liverpool Rd., Pickering
“Where is God in my pain? How is God working in my grief?” Grieving a loved one can shake or give a new shape to our faith. At this gathering, you will have the opportunity to share your grief story in a community of faith and to reflect in a prayerful way on your experience, to draw renewed strength and hope to continue the journey.
This retreat is facilitated by: Sr. Claire Marchal and Mary Hyland.
The suggested offering is $65 per person (includes lunch). To register please contact: Mary Hyland at 905-441-0957.
LIFE-GIVING WOUNDS: A HEALING RETREAT FOR ADULT CHILDREN OF DIVORCED OR SEPARATED PARENTS
Friday, May 16th at 6:00 PM to Sunday, May 18th at 3:30 PM
St. Augustine’s Seminary, 2661 Kingston Rd, Scarborough
The Life-Giving Wounds retreat invites participants to move through the broken image of love that appeared to them in their parents’ relationship to their deepest origin and identity as God’s beloved, capable of great love.
Must be 18 or older to attend. Cost: $340 per person ($200 for students), which includes meals, lodging and retreat material. Limited subsidies are available if cost is a concern. Please contact lgwtoronto@proton.me.
For university/college students, contact your campus minister for more information. Space is limited.
To register, visit: https://bit.ly/LGW-TO-Retreat-Register2025
A DAY WITH MARY
Saturday, May 31st, 2025 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Villanova College, King City
On Saturday, May 31st, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a new archdiocesan event called “A Day with Mary” will be taking place at Villanova College in King City.
During this Jubilee Holy Year, spend a day with our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Hope, and deepen your devotion to her through a keynote address by Dr. Josephine Lombardi, a number of inspiring witnessings and Holy Mass presided over by His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo. This family-friendly event will have music, food, fellowship, children’s catechesis and activities – something for everyone.
Online registration is now open. For more information and to register, visit archtoronto.org/mary.
GARDEN SHED
OPENING: SUMMER GARDENING POSITION FOR YOUTH
St. Gabriel’s Parish has received a Canada Summer Jobs grant from the federal government for a Youth Gardening Helper, to assist with gardening tasks 30 hours per week for 9 weeks, beginning at the end of May. Work can include, but is not be limited to, watering, weeding, planting, transplanting, soil preparation, pruning, harvesting, mulching, cleaning up debris and care of garden tools.
Applications will be accepted until May 20, 2025.
To apply, please send your resume to apply@stgabrielsparish.ca
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
Can you think of why the Gospel of John this Sunday mentions the apostles catching 153 fish?
No one really knows for sure, but some scholars speculate this could symbolize the diverse people
the church is to serve.
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.
