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Bulletin – October 2, 2016

Saturday, October 1st, 2016

FR. BRANDO ON HOLIDAY

September 13th to October 13th

As previously announced Fr. Brando is away on holiday until October 13th.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

October 3rd to October 8th, 2016

MONDAY – FRANCIS CHEUNG – Requested by the Cheung Family
TUESDAY – JOHN ROGERS – Requested by his Family
WEDNESDAY – TOM VUKOVIK – Requested by Manda Vukovik
THURSDAY – ELLEN JANE ROSE – Requested by Cheryl Rancati
FRIDAY – JOHN EGSGARD – Requested by Gerry, Molly, Helen & Kathi
SATURDAY – GUS CALDERONE – Requested by Marie Calderone

ST. GABRIEL’S MUSIC MINISTRY

Those who sing well pray twice.”

Our senior choir practices on Tuesday evenings, 7:30 to 9:00 P.M. and leads community song at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass.

Our junior choir practices on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and leads the music at the 12:30 PM Mass.

We always welcome new voices and hope you will consider joining us! For more information, please contact the choir director after any of the Masses.

ALTAR SERVERS

The Altar Service is now recruiting new members.

If you are in Grade 4 or higher and are interested in becoming an altar server, please contact Colin Meharchand at cmeharchand@bell.net or leave your name and phone number with the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Friday, October 7th from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon

ECO-SABBATH

This Sunday, October 2nd at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room

St Gabriel’s has a long tradition of hosting the Eco-Sabbath every first Sunday of the month. This year, the tradition will continue. The first meeting of this year after the summer break will be held this weekend, October 2nd, at 11:30 AM. All are invited.

ROSARY GROUPS

English: Saturday, October 1st at 3:15 PM in the Library

Chinese: Sunday, October 2nd at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.

For further information, please contact Linda Law at 416 -918-8029.

PARENTS CONFIRMATION INFORMATION MEETING

Thursday, October 13th at 7:30 PM.

St. Gabriel’s Church

There will be a meeting here at the Church on Thursday, October 13th at 7:30 PM. for parents of children who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.

R.C.I.A. AND ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT

Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) will begin soon. These meetings are for persons interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community; or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church.

Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions.

As well, these meetings may be an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith. Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.

If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like more information about it, please call Fatima Lee at the Parish Office, 416-221-8866, Ext. 228.

SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN PREPARING FOR BAPTISM

If you have, or know of, school age children (ages 7 to 14) who wish to prepare for Baptism, please contact the Parish Office, or Fatima Lee directly, at (416) 221-8866, ext. 228. Classes for them will begin after Thanksgiving.

FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL

Each month some of the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall.

Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.

With everyone struggling at this time, these donations are more important than ever. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your outstanding support.

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

You can make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless this Thanksgiving by participating in the annual Good Shepherd Ministries Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.

Urgently needed items include:
rice, pasta and pasta sauces,
peanut butter, jam
oatmeal pancake mix
teabags ground or instant coffee,
sugar cookies and crackers,
canned tuna, soups, stews, meats, fruits and vegetables.

Please no fresh or frozen foods.

We thank you for your generous support!

LECTIO DIVINA 2016-2017

Beginning October 2nd at 7:00 PM

ST. MICHAEL’S CATHEDRAL

One Sunday evening each month, all are welcome to join Cardinal Collins for Lectio Divina at St. Michael’s Cathedral. We begin with Vespers (Evening Prayer) at 7:00 PM followed by Lectio Divina from 7:30 to 8:15 PM. The theme for this season is “The Freedom of the Kingdom of God.” This year, we will meditate upon nine passages of Scripture that illuminate the slavery we experience in our struggle with sin and show the way to freedom. The first evening will take place Sunday, October 2nd at 7:00 PM at St. Michael’s Cathedral. For a full list of dates and Scripture passages, visit www.archtoronto.org/lectio. Each gathering is archived at this website. Episodes also air on Salt + Light TV (www.saltandlighttv.org).

SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE

Six Tuesday Mornings Beginning October 4th

St. Bonaventure’s Parish Centre, 1300 Leslie Street

Maureen McDonnell, D.Mim. will be presenting an exciting and informative programme on the topic of Spiritual Growth in the Second Half of Life.

The programme, hosted by St. Bonaventure’s Church will take place on six Tuesday Mornings at 10:00 AM between October 4th and December 13th.

For more information or to register, please call 416-491-2360. or email adamscote@rogers.com.

PROJECT RACHEL

Weekend of October 28th/30th

Are you longing for mercy from the One who brings peace and healing? Project Rachel can help. A weekend retreat for women whose hearts have been broken by abortion will be held on the weekend of October 28th to -30th.

Please e-mail ProjectRachel@StMarysRefuge.org or call 416-629-8264. Project Rachel is private and confidential.

FREE CATHOLIC ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR

Wednesday, Oct. 5th at 7:00 PM

Holy Cross Funeral Home, Thornhill

Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share:
– How to protect your loved ones with a proper Will
– How to ensure your wishes are legally protected
– About Powers of Attorney
– Estate Trustee selection
– Finding lawyers and estate planning advisors
– Our Catholic traditions around wills, burial and funerals

An estate planning kit will be provided at no cost.

The session will be held at the Holy Cross Funeral Home (located at 211 Langstaff Rd. East, Thornhill)
Refreshments will be provided.
RSVP: Frank Jannetta, Catholic Cemeteries
416.733-8544 ext. 2023 or fjannetta@cc-fs.ca.

WELCOME RECEPTION FOR NEWCOMERS TO CANADA

Friday, October 21st, 2016

Catholic Education Centre, 80Sheppard Avenue East

The Toronto Catholic District School Board is hosting a Welcome Reception for Newcomers to Canada on Friday, October 21st from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Catholic Education Centre.

This is a multilingual event: interpreters and print materials will be available in a variety of languages. A light lunch will be provided. Please RSVP by October 7th to your local school principal.

CELEBRATE YOUR MARRIAGE WITH A WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND!

October 21st to October 23rd

Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre

Celebrate your love and take a fresh look at your marriage! Spend a very special weekend together. A Weekend of discovery…a lifetime of love!

Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a weekend getaway that helps married couples rediscover themselves as individuals and as a couple. The Weekend format helps couples communicate openly and honestly without group sharing, therapy or marriage counseling.

The next weekend: will be October 21st/23rd at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga

For more information and application, please go to www.wwme.org or contact:Gerard & Marge McCauley at gerard.marge@rogers.com or (905) 792-1925.

FINANCE CORNER

Weekly Offertory
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 366 $ 7,087
Loose Change 878
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 165 3,018
Total 531 $ 10,983
Needs of the Canadian Church $ 2,598

Posted in Bulletin | Comments Off on Bulletin – October 2, 2016

Homily – September 25, 2016

Sunday, September 25th, 2016

In one of his letters to the church Pope Francis challenged all of us to own up to what he called the globalization of indifference. He wrote “Usually, when we are healthy and comfortable, we forget about others, we are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure… Our heart grows cold,”

“As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off. Today, this selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference. It is a problem which we, as Christians, need to confront.”

The rich man in today’s gospel was not a bad or evil man. You’ll notice he didn’t set the dogs on Lazarus, didn’t tell him to get off his property. He didn’t kick him as he stepped over him as he went to enjoy his sumptuous meal. This man was just indifferent to Lazarus and his needs.

In the time of Jesus if you were rich and well off you were considered to have been blessed by God. If were not well off, if you were destitute, well that was your lot in life. The Law and the Prophets taught that people who were well off had an obligation to those who were poor. As we know from our first reading from the prophet Amos this didn’t always happen. The people who well off were too caught up in their own selfish lifestyles to have a care for those in need.

They were just indifferent to the needs of the poor, those not so well blessed. Their indifference caused them to lose sight of the Golden Rule, ‘do unto others and you would have others do unto you,’ Pope Francis sees today’s indifference in the fact that the rich are upset when the stock market drops three points but have no concern for an unemployed street person dies of hunger or the cold. Such a person is not on their radar.

In Christ’s parable both men die as we all will. The man blessed with good things during his lifetime ends up in hell. Lazarus, who had nothing but grief during his life time ends up in the company of Abraham. A great chasm separates them. The chasm is of their own making. Notice that the rich man is talking to Abraham, not to the poor man; and he is asking Abraham to command the poor man to go fetch him water to ease his thirst. He just doesn’t get. He brought all this pain on himself. The wealthy of the world, trapped in global indifference, refuse to listen to the revelations of God, the teaching of Jesus, the social teachings of the church are creating their own chasm. Wealth and privilege have a way of creating this unbridgeable gap. They just do not need God. They certainly do not need the poor. They are self-sufficient.

And we, living in this Judeo-Christian nation, who have read Moses’ law, who have heard the prophets, and received the good news of Jesus—what might this parable say to us? Have we created an abyss between ourselves and the Lazarus’s of our day? Are we plagued by this globalization of indifference? Are we weary of hearing about the millions of refugees, weary of seeing TV coverage of children who are the innocent victims of war?

Do we not close our minds to anything that challenges our way of life?

Maybe some of us do. Maybe some of us are caught up in global indifference, recently Pope Francis called this indifference a modern illness. But on the whole you are a good and generous people. All through the years you’ve have been more than generous when you’ve been asked to help people less blessed than yourselves. You’ve always supported Share Life, our Christmas and Thanksgiving food drives, and think of the families you’ve given new hope and new lives as you’ve supported our refugee appeals.

There is the Psalm that sings, ‘The lord hears the cry of the poor’. You good people have a long history of hearing the cry of the poor. May God bless our parish family for our long history of hearing and answering the cry of the poor.

Posted in Homily | Comments Off on Homily – September 25, 2016

Bulletin – September 25, 2016

Saturday, September 24th, 2016

FR. BRANDO ON HOLIDAY

September 13th to October 13th

As previously announced Fr. Brando is away on holiday until October 13th.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

September 26th to October 1st, 2016

MONDAY – CATHY & BILL MILLAR – Requested by their Family
TUESDAY – ARMANDO & WALTER DINARDO – Requested by Pasqua Dinardo & Family
WEDNESDAY – SR. DORYNE KIRBY IBVM – Requested by Margaret Anne Leckie
THURSDAY – MICHAEL O’CONNELL – Requested by Fergus & Mary Ann O’Connell
FRIDAY – ROSIE JOSEPH – Requested by Margaret & Yasmin Joseph
SATURDAY – PASQUALE GATTI – Requested by Linda Gatti & Family

ST. GABRIEL’S MUSIC MINISTRY

“Those who sing well pray twice.”

Our senior choir practices on Tuesday evenings, from 7:30 to 9:00 P.M. and leads community song at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass.

Our junior choir practices on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and leads the music at the 12:30 PM Mass.

We always welcome new voices and hope you will consider joining us! For more information, please contact the choir director after any of the Masses.

ALTAR SERVERS

The Altar Service is now recruiting new members.

If you are in Grade 4 or higher and are interested in becoming an altar server, please contact Colin Meharchand at cmeharchand@bell.net or leave your name and phone number with the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

WELCOME! BAPTISM

The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:

Samuel Francisco Castillo
Kiera Aurora Francisco
Cristiano Sean Antonio Sealy Johnson
Alexandra Helini Paloubas
Margaret Sofia Romero
Naya Grace Rudd
Violet Mey Wiradharma

These children received the Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, September 18th, 2016. Congratulations!

REGISTRATION FOR SACRAMENTS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

St. Gabriel’s Church

Thursday, September 22nd, Tuesday, September 27th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

Registration for children who wish to receive the Sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation will be held at St. Gabriel’s Church from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM on the following evenings:
Thursday, September 22nd
Tuesday, September 27th

Please Note: A copy of the child’s Baptismal Certificate is required if registering for First Communion or Confirmation. A fee of $20 is required for Confirmation.

PARENTS CONFIRMATION INFORMATION MEETING

Thursday, October 13th at 7:30 PM.

St. Gabriel’s Church

There will be a meeting here at the Church on Thursday, October 13th at 7:30 PM. for parents of children who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Friday, October 7th from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon

ECO-SABBATH

Sunday, October 2nd at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room

St. Gabriel’s has a long tradition of hosting the Eco-Sabbath every first Sunday of the month. This year, the tradition will continue. The first meeting of this year after the summer break will be held on October 2nd, at 11:30 AM. All are invited.

ROSARY GROUPS

English: Saturday, October 1st at 3:15 PM in the Library
Chinese: Sunday, October 2nd at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.

For further information, please contact Linda Law at 416 -918-8029.

SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN PREPARING FOR BAPTISM

If you have, or know of, school age children (ages 7 to 14) who wish to prepare for Baptism, please contact the Parish Office, or Fatima Lee directly, at (416) 221-8866, ext. 228. Classes for them will begin after Thanksgiving.

R.C.I.A. AND ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT

Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) will begin soon. These meetings are for persons interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community; or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church.

Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions.

As well, these meetings may be an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith. Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.

If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like more information about it, please call Fatima Lee at the Parish Office, 416-221-8866, Ext. 228.

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

You can make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless this Thanksgiving by participating in the annual Good Shepherd Ministries Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.

Urgently needed items include:
rice,
pasta and pasta sauces,
peanut butter,
jam
oatmeal
pancake mix
teabags
ground or instant coffee,
sugar
cookies and crackers,
canned tuna, soups, stews,
meats, fruits and vegetables.

Please no fresh or frozen foods.

We thank you for your generous support!

FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL

Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall. Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.

With everyone struggling at this time, these donations are more important than ever. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your outstanding support.

LECTIO DIVINA 2016-2017

Beginning October 2nd at 7:00 PM

ST. MICHAEL’S CATHEDRAL

One Sunday evening each month, all are welcome to join Cardinal Collins for Lectio Divina at St. Michael’s Cathedral. We begin with Vespers (Evening Prayer) at 7:00 PM followed by Lectio Divina from 7:30 to 8:15 PM. The theme for this season is “The Freedom of the Kingdom of God.” This year, we will meditate upon nine passages of Scripture that illuminate the slavery we experience in our struggle with sin and show the way to freedom. The first evening will take place Sunday, October 2nd at 7:00 PM at St. Michael’s Cathedral. For a full list of dates and Scripture passages, visit www.archtoronto.org/lectio. Each gathering is archived at this website. Episodes also air on Salt + Light TV (www.saltandlighttv.org).

SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE

Six Tuesday Mornings Beginning October 4th

St. Bonaventure’s Parish Centre, 1300 Leslie Street

Maureen McDonnell, D.Min. will be presenting an exciting and informative programme on the topic of Spiritual Growth in the Second Half of Life.

The programme, hosted by St. Bonaventure’s Church will take place on six Tuesday mornings at 10:00 AM between October 4th and December 13th.

For more information or to register, please call 416-491-2360. or email adamscote@rogers.com.

CELEBRATE YOUR MARRIAGE WITH A WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND!

October 21st to October 23rd

Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre

Celebrate your love and take a fresh look at your marriage! Spend a very special weekend together. A Weekend of discovery…a lifetime of love!

Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a weekend getaway that helps married couples rediscover themselves as individuals and as a couple. The Weekend format helps couples communicate openly and honestly without group sharing, therapy or marriage counseling.

Upcoming Weekend: October 21-23, 2016 (Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, Mississauga)

For more information and application, please go to www.wwme.org or contact: Gerard & Marge McCauley at gerard.marge@rogers.com or (905) 792-1925.

FINANCE CORNER

Weekly Offertory

Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.

Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 371 $ 6,582
Loose Change 771
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 165 3,018
Total 536 $ 10,371

Posted in Bulletin | Comments Off on Bulletin – September 25, 2016

Homily – September 18, 2016

Sunday, September 18th, 2016

Our gospel parable is about a shrewd, manipulating and devious manager who was fixing his boss’s books. Obviously this rich man had a whistle blower on his staff that let his boss know that the manager of his affairs was robbing him blind. The manager is called into the boss’s office and fired. Before he leaves he makes a few more deals, does a few more favors for his master’s debtors hoping they will take care of him when he’s out on the street. He fixes the books in their favor.

We see this in our day when we hear of moneyed people having accounts off shore to avoid paying taxes or investment brokers or wealth managers who lure their clients into deals that promise great returns only to find out they’ve been scammed. How many people have been caught in Ponzi schemes only to left high and dry when the too good to be true deal falls through? It all comes down to greed.

In our first reading we hear Amos, the prophet of social justice, denouncing the rich who just cannot wait for the new moon festival or the Sabbath day to be over so that they can get back to their devious business and make their profits by cheating and exploiting the poor and sometimes the greedy rich with their shady ways of doing business. Again, it’s greed, our innate desire for more and more.

In the parable the master could have had his manager charged with theft but instead he admires his manager’s craftiness. Jesus makes the observation, if only his followers showed that same shrewdness in the way they lived their lives as did this crooked manager they would be better off. Jesus wants the children of this age – in other translations they are called the children of light, those enlightened by his teachings and example, men and women such as ourselves to be as shrewd.We too are to be clever opportunists, using whatever wealth we have, be it great or little, in the ways that Jesus always tells us, sharing with those who have less, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, helping refugees come to Canada and live new lives and all the while asking nothing in return. In the mind of Jesus money is for persons and the only proper use of it is in sharing – sharing with those who have less.

We’ve heard the teaching of Jesus so many times, ‘you cannot serve two masters, and you cannot serve God and money. We’ve heard this question before,’ do you own your possessions or do they own you’? Do you manage them or do you manage them?

Common sense tells us there is nothing wrong with being successful and well off. We know too there is nothing right about being hard up, living on the edge, surviving from pay check to pay check. The question is, are we tight fisted, grasping what possesses us or are we willing to share our good fortune with those not so blessed? Our lives will be judge on how we shared whatever we had be it much or little? If much, – did we write a generous check. If little, did we put a little more water in the soup? Did we share?

In this Eucharist Jesus shares himself with us, this is my body take and eat, this is my blood, take and drink. May his generosity with us inspire us to be generous with others.

Posted in Homily | Comments Off on Homily – September 18, 2016

Bulletin – September 18, 2016

Saturday, September 17th, 2016

FR. BRANDO ON HOLIDAY

September 13th to October 13th

Fr. Brando will be taking a well deserved holiday from September 13th to October 13th. We wish him a healthy, happy, restful and safe holiday.

LUNCHTIME SUPERVISOR NEEDED

St. Gabriel Catholic School is looking for a Lunchtime Supervisor Monday to Friday from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM. The hourly rate is $13.00. If interested, please pick up a package from the school office or email Ms. Crispo at caterina.crispo@tcdsb.org.

ANNOUNCED MASSES

September 19th to September 24th, 2016

MONDAY – FIORENTINO GIANNOTTA – Requested by Lina Giannotta
TUESDAY – LEWIS ROYES – Requested by Helene Royes
WEDNESDAY – JUDITH MATYASFALVI – Requested by the Family
THURSDAY – DARKO SEIFERT – Requested by Mirjana Seifert
FRIDAY – GERRY HATCH – Requested by his Family
SATURDAY – RENATO BELLISARI – Requested by Chiara & Tina Intini

ST. GABRIEL’S MUSIC MINISTRY

Those who sing pray twice.”

Our senior choir practices on Tuesday evenings, 7:30–9:00 P.M. and leads community song at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass.

Our junior choir practices on Thursday evenings from 6:30–8:00 PM and leads the music at the 12:30 PM Mass.

We always welcome new voices and hope you will consider joining us! For more information, please contact the choir director after any of the Masses.

ALTAR SERVERS

The Altar Service is now recruiting new members.

If you are in Grade 4 or higher and are interested in becoming an altar server, please contact Colin Meharchand at cmeharchand@bell.net or leave your name and phone number with the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.

ECO-SABBATH

Sunday, October 2nd at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room

St Gabriel’s has a long tradition of hosting the Eco-Sabbath every first Sunday of the month. This year, the tradition will continue. The first meeting of this year after the summer break will be held on October 2nd, at 11:30 AM. All are invited.

SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN PREPARING FOR BAPTISM

If you have, or know of, school age children (ages 7 to 14) who wish to prepare for Baptism, please contact the Parish Office, or Fatima Lee directly, at (416) 221-8866, ext. 228. Classes for them will begin after Thanksgiving.

REGISTRATION FOR SACRAMENTS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

St. Gabriel’s Church

Thursday, September 22nd, Tuesday, September 27th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

Registration for children who wish to receive the Sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation will be held at St. Gabriel’s Church from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM on the following evenings:

Thursday, September 22nd
Tuesday, September 27th

Please Note:
A copy of the child’s Baptismal Certificate is required if registering for First Communion or Confirmation.

A fee of $20 is required for Confirmation.

R.C.I.A. AND ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT

Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) will begin soon. These meetings are for persons interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community; or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church.

Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions.

As well, these meetings may be an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith. Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.

If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like more information about it, please call Fatima Lee at the Parish Office, 416-221-8866, Ext. 228.

SHARELIFE

Congratulations to the good people of St. Gabriel’s. Our final total for the 2016 ShareLife Campaign, ending on July 31st, was $190,334. Thank you for your very generous support.

CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE

Your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.

More volunteers are needed to help feed the hungry in our city. Please get 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.

DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

Wednesday, September 21st at 7:30 PM

Gabriel Room
St. Gabriel’s Development and Peace Committee is holding its first meeting after the summer break on Wednesday, September 21, at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room. The mission of Development and Peace is to support partners in various developing countries in the causes of social justice and to educate Canadians about the roots of global poverty. If you are interested or want to know more about the work we do, please join us.

AT THE HEART OF THE ACTION, DEVELOPMENT & PEACE

Saturday, September 24th from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Corpus Christi Parish, 1810 Queen St. East
(Queen & Woodbine)

Catholics are mobilizing with Development and Peace (devp.org) to support communities around the world affected by Climate Change. Join us! Inspired by Laudato Si last year, parishes and schools in our Archdiocese sent over 25,000 postcards to Ottawa asking for support to those most affected by Climate Change – the poor! Ahead of the Paris Climate Talks, the government promised funding of 2.65 billion by 2020! This fall we present our vision for how those funds can best be used to benefit the poor and our planet.

To learn more and join The Heart of Action with Development and Peace as we celebrate 50 years of solidarity, join us on Saturday, September 24th from 9:30 AM to12:30 PM at Corpus Christi Parish.

RSVP to: Keith Gauntlett at 416-481-1930 or keithgca@yahoo.com.

FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL

Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall. Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.

With everyone struggling at this time, these donations are more important than ever. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your continuing support of Rosalie Hall.

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

You can make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless this Thanksgiving by participating in the annual Good Shepherd Ministries Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.

Urgently needed items include:
rice,
pasta and pasta sauces,
peanut butter,
jam
oatmeal
pancake mix
teabags
ground or instant coffee,
sugar
cookies and crackers,
canned tuna,
soups, stews, meats,
fruits and vegetables.
Please no fresh or frozen foods.

We thank you for reaching out to those in need.

ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

The Archdiocese of Toronto is accepting financial contributions for humanitarian relief following the catastrophic effects of a serious earthquake in Italy on August 24. The 6.2 magnitude earthquake is responsible for nearly 300 deaths in central Italy. As well, an estimated 3,500 people have lost their homes in the natural disaster. The Vatican relief agency in the country (Caritas Italy), along with local churches, is working to provide aid to support the survivors of the disaster.

Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:
• Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website: www.archtoronto.org
• By phone through the Development Office – at 416-934-3411
• Through the parish, making cheques payable to:
St. Gabriel’s Parish, Italian Earthquake, Humanitarian Relief

We offer our prayers for the victims of this natural disaster and those who have been displaced. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to help those in crisis in Italy.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF ST. JOSEPH

Tuesday, September 20th at 7:00 PM

Blessed Trinity Church Hall, 3220 Bayview Avenue
The Association for Hebrew Catholics is presenting

Fr. Fred Chung, Assistant Professor of Biblical Theology at St. Augustine’s Seminary and Director of Serra House on Tuesday, September 20th at 7:00 PM in Blessed Trinity Church parish hall.

Fr. Fred will present an interactive talk on “Messiah in the Psalms. All are welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

FINANCE CORNER

Weekly Offertory
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 370 $ 6,812
Loose Change 1,093
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 165 3,018
Total 535 $ 10,923

Posted in Bulletin | Comments Off on Bulletin – September 18, 2016

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