Happy Summer!
This is the last bulletin until the Labour Day Weekend in September. We wish you all a happy and safe summer! Saturday, July 1st is Canada Day. There will be a 4:30 PM Mass.
The office will be closed on Monday, July 3rd for the holiday. There will be no 9:00 AM Mass on July 3rd.
PARISH PICNIC
Sunday, July 9th after the 12:30 Mass
The Parish BBQ Picnic will be held on Sunday, July 9th after the 12:30 Mass in the parking lot. There will be hot dogs, games, face painting, lucky draws, music and more…
Tickets are $2 each.
Please bring your families, friends and neighbours to enjoy a summer afternoon with your parishioners. We need volunteers to help and make this event happen. Please sign up by putting your name and phone number on the sheets at the back of church. For more information, you may call Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
GARDEN MINISTRY
The Building Maintenance Committee is currently working with a landscape designer on a new vision for our gardens. If you are interested in participating in the planting and maintenance of the new gardens as well as learning about the plants and their care, please call the Parish office at 416-221-8866.
MEMBERS NEEDED FOR VOLUNTEER SCREENING COMMITTEE
St. Gabriel’s Volunteer Screening Committee is seeking two committee members. The Screening Committee interviews and screens parish volunteers. If interested, please visit the parish office and ask for a copy of the position description. To speak with a committee member, leave your name and phone number with the office staff. A committee member will call you. The Screening Committee has also been tasked to plan and deliver St. Gabriel’s 2018 Volunteer Recognition. To achieve committee gender balance, male applicants are encouraged.
MILK BAGS
Thank you to all parishioners who are recycling their clean milk bags at the church. Please remember to flatten them before putting them into the box. This would be a great help to the weavers,
The Milk Bag Workshops, led by Sharon Gusz this year were very successful. The week of March Break was especially productive due to the enthusiastic participation of the Youth Group. Thank you to Sharon and all the milk bag weavers for their excellent work.
Workshops will begin again in the fall. For further information about this program please visit www.milkbagsunlimited.ca or contact Sharon Gusz at sharongusz@gmail.com.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
June 26th – July 1st, 2017
MONDAY – KENG OWYONG – Requested by Helen Owyong
TUESDAY – SUFFERING SOULS – Requested by Agnes Wong
WEDNESDAY – FR. DON SANVIDO – Requested by Jeanne Robinson
THURSDAY – CARM WHITE – Requested by Margaret Anne Leckie
FRIDAY – JOHN WOODCOCK – Requested by Kathi Leah, Molly McCormick & Judy Flynn
SATURDAY – THE PEOPLE OF CANADA
BAPTISM
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:
Hailey Ray Dalogdog
Journey Liwanag
Leah Catherine Matthews
Logan Rhys Bangi Ramiro
Olivia Ann Tuzi
These children received the Sacrament of Baptism on June 18h. Congratulations
CHILDREN’S FAITH PROGRAM
Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program are now available in the parish office. This program is for children of the Parish who attend other Catholic schools, public or private schools. Classes are held at St. Gabriel’s School every second Sunday beginning September 10th, 2017.
Please note that a separate Sacramental registration form is required if your child will receive the sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation or Confirmation during the 2017/18 year. These forms are also available in the Parish Office.
CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Thank you to all who prepared casseroles for the Good Shepherd Centre for the month of June. Your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of July 29th/30th and August 26th/27th.
More volunteers are needed, especially during the summer months, to help feed the hungry in our city. We encourage you to pick up a copy of a casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. Three recipes are available on St. Gabriel’s web site. Printed copies of the recipes are also available in the Parish Office. Please remember to mark the label on the pan lid with the name of the casserole. For more information, you may contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
COLLECTING EYEGLASSES
We are continuing to collect eyeglasses for the Lions Club. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact. Please place them in the baskets provided outside the office
SHARELIFE
Living the Gospel by helping youth to rebuild their lives…
Seventeen-year-old Emily arrived at Sancta Maria earlier this year having previously spent time at Whitby Shores. Her biggest surprise is the warmth and calm acceptance she feels here at her new “home”. Having grown up in a home with no father, Emily spent a great deal of time in conflict with her mom, which caused a great deal of anxiety. She eventually ended up in a Toronto clinic at sixteen, and soon discovered that the lack of acceptance did nothing to build up her self-esteem. At Sancta Maria House, Emily has gained her independence and improved her confidence in cooking skills. As well, she has developed her job search skills, having applied for several positions with hopes to start a job soon. ShareLife-supported Sancta Maria House has provided life-transforming services for young women in need for over 40 years in the Greater Toronto Area.
As you may know, the 2017 ShareLife campaign year ends on July 31. Our parish goal for this year’s campaign is $194,200.
As of June 20th, the parish’s ShareLife donations of $135,659 received directly at the parish, together with donations sent directly to the ShareLife office, total $188,366. Any contributions you can make to help us reach our goal would be welcome.
AFRICAN FAMINE RELIEF: PRAY, GIVE, SPEAK OUT
The Archdiocese of Toronto joins the CCCB and faith communities across Canada in launching a joint appeal, entitled Pray-Give-Speak Out, in response to the desperate food crisis in South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia.
The United Nations has confirmed that South Sudan has 100,000 people living in famine conditions. Reports suggest a total of 20 million people are on the brink of starvation in the region. A declaration of famine has not been made by UN agencies since July 2011 when some 260,000 people died in Somalia – half of them children under the age of five. The world must not let those horrors be repeated.
The joint appeal aims to engage the faithful in three ways:
Pray: Keeping the people of South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen in our prayers.
Give: Making a financial contribution to support those affected by the crisis.
Speak Out: Becoming better informed and to speak about the crisis with family, friends and neighbours. Contacting their local Members of Parliament about their concerns.
The CCCB has identified three Canadian Catholic agencies – Aid to the Church in Need, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, and the Canadian Jesuits International – as recipients of donations from the Catholic faithful.
The Government of Canada has created a “Famine Relief Fund.” The federal government will match every donation made between March 17th and June 30th, 2017, by individuals to registered Canadian charities participating in this campaign.
Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:
Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website: https://community.archtoronto.org
By phone through the Development Office at 416-934-3411
Through the parish, making cheques payable to: St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish – African Famine – Humanitarian Relief
FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. We encourage you to continue bringing non perishable foods during the summer months. During July and August, food donations tend to drop off. Your donations of canned foods, cereal rice and other non perishables are more important than ever as families struggle to make ends meet.
Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your generous support.
ANNUAL MASS FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
Wednesday, August 16th, 2017 at 7:00 PM
Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Services, Archdiocese of Toronto wishes to invite all families within the Archdiocese of Toronto to participate in the Annual Mass for the Faithful Departed on Wednesday, August 16th, at 7:00 PM.
Mass at Mount Hope Cemetery will be celebrated by Rev. Monseigneur Robert Nusca. In the event of rain, Mass will be celebrated at St. Monica’s Church, 44 Broadway Avenue.
Mass will be celebrated by His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Collins at Holy Cross Cemetery in Thornhill. In the event of rain, Mass will be celebrated in the Mausoleum.
51st ANNUAL FESTA OF ST. GABRIEL
September 17th from 2:00 PM
Veneto Centre
7465 Kipling Avenue, Woodbridge, ON L4L 1Y5
The 51st annual celebration in honour of St. Gabriel, under the direction of the Passionist Community will be held on Sunday, September 17th from 2:00 PM at the Veneto Centre in Woodbridge. All are welcome! Bring your own folding chair.
PILGRIMAGE – BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA, Lewiston New York
Saturday August 12th, 2017
The pilgrimage leaves from Blessed Trinity Church at 7:00 AM with pick up at St. Gabriel’s Church
The Chaplain will be Fr. John Muthengi CP
For more information call Mary at 416-497-7059.
CHURCH BULLETIN ADVERTISING
Liturgical Publications will be setting up the advertisements for our church bulletin. The advertising will begin in September 2017 and supports the bulletin service. Please support the bulletin and advertise your product or service. Call Liturgical Publications at 905-624-4422.
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.
