AN ADVENT EVENING OF REFLECTION
“Truth and Reconciliation: An Opportunity for All Canada”
November 25, 2015 (Wednesday), 7:30 pm, at St Gabriel’s
Bishop Mark MacDonald, the first National Indigenous Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, will be the speaker for the evening. As we prepare for Christmas, the season of Advent asks us to focus on how Jesus, the God who dwelled among us, brings light and hope in darkness and suffering. Last May, the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada brought to light the suffering and pain of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in Canada, and suggested paths for moving forward towards reconciliation. Advent seems to be the right season to reflect on how we can move towards reconciliation in our own lives, as well as on how we, as a country, can work towards reconciliation, especially with our First Nations peoples.
Educated in both Canada and the U.S., Bishop MacDonald has had a long and varied ministry in different dioceses in both countries. He has published widely in areas of faith and environment, and inter-cultural ministry, including ministries to Native American youth. He is also a Third Order Franciscan.
We are most privileged to have Bishop MacDonald coming to our parish to speak about the suffering and pain that the indigenous peoples have experienced, and to shed light on a path of reconciliation on which all Canadians can embrace together in solidarity, equality, and mutual respect. It is an opportunity not to be missed, please mark your calendar and join us for the evening.
To facilitate our planning, please let us know if you plan to attend. You can call the Parish Office (416) 221-8866 or email Fatima Lee at fatimalee@bellnet.ca.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
November 23rd to November 28th, 2015
MONDAY – GERALD HARQUAIL – Requested by Ginette Harquail
TUESDAY – MONICA HUGHES – Requested by Nora Kerr
WEDNESDAY – AUDREY SMITH – Requested by Margaret Anne Leckie & Mary Alice O’Mahony
THURSDAY – MARK DES ROCHES – Requested by Mark Des Roches
FRIDAY – JULIA CASTILLO – Requested by The Moreno Family
SATURDAY – MIKE PALAZZO & CHRISTOPHER DI LALLO – Requested by Valentina Palazzo
NOVEMBER IS THE MONTH OF ALL SOULS
BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
There will be a Book of Remembrance placed on the altar for the month of November. You are invited to write the names of your deceased relatives and friends in the book. They will be remembered at all the Masses celebrated in November.
CONFIRMATION ENROLLMENT CEREMONY
Sunday, November 22nd at the 12:30 PM Mass
The Confirmation Enrollment Ceremony for all Confirmation candidates will be held this Sunday, November 22nd at the 12:30 PM Mass. All Confirmation candidates must attend.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MEETING
Wednesday, December 2nd at 7:30 PM
There will be a meeting for parents of children who will be receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time on Wednesday, December 2nd at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room.
WELCOME! BAPTISM
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:
Eden Bianca Flor
Wesley Emmanuel Flor
Emma Rose I. Macaraeg
These children received the Sacrament of Baptism last Sunday. Congratulations!
THE GIVING TREE
During Advent, the Society of St Vincent de Paul will have a Giving Tree in the Gathering Space.
The tree will be decorated with gift tags. Each tag will have the gender and age of a child. We invite you to take a tag, buy a gift or a gift card of about $25.00 for that child and return the unwrapped gift, with the tag attached, to the box provided in the Gathering Space.
If you are a knitter, there will be mitten tags. Please take one and return mitts to the box in the Gathering Space.
At this time of the year, we are also thinking of the young mothers and babies of Rosalie Hall. If you wish to help, you may choose a “Christmas Stocking” from the tree to purchase pyjamas or undershirts, for babies ages 6 to 18 months.
Unwrapped Items with the original stocking tag attached can be left in the box provided near the “mitten” tree no later thanDecember 14th. Toys for these little ones would also be appreciated.
For the Moms, we are suggesting gift cards from Tim Hortons, Walmart or MacDonald’s. These can be placed in the envelopes provided and brought to the Parish Office. Thank you for your generous support.
CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
We are having a Christmas Toy Drive for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society.
Can you help by dropping off an unwrapped new toy for a child 0 to12 years old? Containers will be set up at the doors of the Church from Saturday, November 28th until Sunday, December 13th.
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.
FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Each month food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.
Rosalie Hall assists young parents in need and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of community, residential, educational and child development services.
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
With everyone struggling at this time, your food 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 generous support
THEOLOGY ON TAP
Being Faithful in a Secular Society
Duke of York Pub, 39 Prince Arthur Ave
Monday, November 23rd, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
All young adults (19-39) are invited to join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation on theological topics!
Special guest, Justice Peter Lauwers, Court of Appeal for Ontario, will speak as a Catholic, who happens to be a judge, about: the challenges we face, the modern disease that saps us, its origin in secularization, its transmission through education, the leap of faith we are yet called to make, how this relates to the work of judges, and, finally the importance of cultivating not only the virtues but also the disposition needed to be authentic witnesses to our faith.
Munchies will be provided and a cash bar is available — come and bring a friend!
For more information contact Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt by e-mail at faithconnections@csj-to.ca, or phone 416-467-2645.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE
St. Gabriel’s Parish
Weekend of February 12th to 14th, 2016
A Marriage Preparation course will be offered here at St. Gabriel’s the weekend of February 12th to 14th, 2016.
The course will be held Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. For a registration package please email Marie Deans at deansm@sympatico.ca.
NORTH YORK RETIREES CLUB
Blessed Trinity Parish Hall
Tuesday, November 24th at 2:00 PM
The next meeting of the North York Retiree’s on Tuesday November 24th will be feature guest speaker Nars Borodczak.
He will speak about “The Golden Horseshoe Challenges Facing the Niagara Escarpment”.
All retirees are cordially invited to attend.
MOSAIC INTERFAITH PEACE MEAL
Temple Har Zion, 7360 Bayview Ave
November 29th from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Mosaic Interfaith (of which St. Gabriel’s is a member) invites you to attend the annual Peace Meal on Sunday November 29th from 2:00 PM to-5:00 PM at Temple Har Zion. Following the recent Truth and Reconciliation Committee report the programme theme is “Walking in our Moccasins –Understanding First Nations Way of Knowing.” The keynote speaker is Kim Wheatley, an Anishinabe band member of Shawanaga First Nation. An inter-faith panel will be part of the programme. Attendees are asked to bring a dish for the vegan supper – with no meat, poultry, eggs, fish, dairy products or alcohol or nuts. Please RSVP to Nora at 416-218-0680 by November 25th. For more information see the poster on the bulletin board.
FINANCE CORNER
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Offertory Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 426 $ 8,145
Loose Change 1,091
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 162 3,077
Total 589 $ 12,313
Shepherd’s Trust collection $ 13,365
Refugee Sponsorship collection to date: $ 57,135
PRE-AUTHORIZED GIVING OPTION
The “Pre-Authorized Giving” Plan (PAG), authorized and supported by the Archdiocese of Toronto, is a direct debit program. It allows parishioners to make their regular offertory donations by automatic monthly bank withdrawal on or about the 20th of each month. Participation in the PAG provides a regular dependable cash flow of contributions to the parish and enables us to better manage the Parish finances. PAG brochures and sign-up forms are available in the Parish Office and on the tables at the back of the Church.
If you have not changed your PAG monthly contribution since you first enrolled, consider whether you would like to increase it.
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES FOR 2016
The 2016 Offertory Boxed Envelopes will be available in the Gathering Space at the end of November. Please inform the Parish Office if you are new to the Parish so that we may update our records and label your box correctly. You may contact the Parish Office if you do not have envelopes but would like a box for 2016.
If you are on the Pre- Authorized Giving Plan, you will not receive offertory envelopes.
If you are moving out of the Parish or have a change of address, please contact the Parish Office at 416 221 8866 so that we can update our records. Thank you.
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.
