ST. GABRIEL’S SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Come and be part of a committee that meets our marginalized brothers and sisters where they are at and helps them attain human rights, access, participation and equity. Our mandate will also be to help Mother Earth regain her dignity and bountifulness.
Please email stgabrieljpic@gmail.com if you would like to bring forth ideas and understanding on how best to help our brothers and sisters locally and globally as well as our crucified earth.
We will try to follow Christ’s example as well as live our Passionist motto “With You”.
ST. GABRIEL’S NEW EVENTS COMMITTEE
If you are interested in being part of a new group helping with special events at the parish, please take a look at the poster on either of the bulletin boards, in the gathering space or downstairs by the elevator, for more information.
Please send us an email at office@stgabrielsparish.ca. We look forward to hearing from you and meeting with you.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
January 20th – January 26th, 2025
MONDAY – ELIZABETH AQUINO ✞ – Requested by Rochelle Aquino & Family
TUESDAY – PATRICIA NOE – Requested by The Gaughan Family
WEDNESDAY – MICHAEL CROGHAN ✞ – Requested by Luvi Croghan & Family
THURSDAY – FR. KEN O’BRIEN ✞ – Requested by Vernon & Marie Swant
FRIDAY – SR. TERESA FUNG – Requested by Carmel Yeung
SATURDAY – THE DECEASED MOTHERS OF JACK & WANDA WROBEL ✞ – Requested by Wanda Wrobel
SUNDAY – 8:30 AM – FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – FREDDIE FACCA ✞ – Requested by Janet Candido
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – HELEN NG ✞ – Requested by her Classmates at Sacred Heart Canossian College
PSALM MEDITATION
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Psalm 96
As Isaiah, chapter 62, proclaims God’s rejoicing over creation, and specifically Zion (symbolizing all of God’s peoples), today’s Psalm advises us to worship God in the beauty of God’s holiness.
Don’t be timid.
Shout a new song, bless his name, declare his glory, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, worship the Lord in holy splendour!
Sing to the Lord! Bless his name! Tell of his salvation!
CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE SUNDAY
Sunday, February 9th at 2:30 PM
St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, 65 Bond St. Toronto
As part of Marriage Sunday 2025 celebrations, Bishop Ivan Camilleri will preside at a special Mass to honour married couples, with special recognition for those celebrating 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th and 60+ wedding anniversaries in 2025. This occasion highlights the importance of the institution of marriage rooted in faith, affirms couples who strengthen our faith community through their witness, and complements World Marriage Sunday celebrations that take place across North America.
The Mass will take place at 2:30 PM on Sunday, February 9th, 2025 at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica All married couples will have an opportunity to renew their marriage commitment. All are welcome to attend. Couples celebrating a 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 60+ anniversary in 2025 may register for reserved seating. All other seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
For those unable to attend in person, the Mass will be streamed live on the St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica website: https://www.stmichaelscathedral.com/live/ for those wishing to tune in. The broadcast will begin at 2:15 PM.
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 each 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
TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Begins Wednesday, January 22nd at 10:00 AM
The Toronto Catholic District School Board welcomes families with junior kindergarten-aged children (born in 2021) to register for the September 2025/2026 school year.
The Elementary Student Online Registration 2025/26 is now available. Please complete an application at http://soar.tcdsb.org.
The following original documents for your child are required upon registration:
- Birth certificate
- Proof of Catholicity (one of the following documents): Your child’s Catholic baptismal certificate. The parent’s Catholic baptismal certificate (note: the Catholic parent must provide proof of residency in the City of Toronto). A letter of enrolment to the R.C.I.A./R.C.I.C. program.
- Passport / immigration documents (if child was not born in Canada).
- Two proof of address documents
For more registration information, please email: admissions.registration@tcdsb.org or phone 416-222-8282 ext. 5320
CASSEROLES FOR THE GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Next Weekend, January 26th/27th
Your prepared frozen casseroles will be collected at all the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. Many more volunteers are needed to help feed the hungry in our city.
Three recipes are available on St. Gabriel’s web site. Printed copies of the recipes are also available in the Parish Office. Pans can also be picked up here in the 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
CARING FOR THE HOMELESS IN OUR CITY
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.
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. A school program enables clients to finish high school. The food we donate from our parish often replenishes their empty food bank.
Good Shepherd provides hot meals, clean clothes and shelter for the homeless in our city They help find housing and provide follow up support. They support the homeless who are working to overcome addictions and provide a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.
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.
ANNUAL WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY PRAYER SERVICE 2025
Sunday, January 19th, 2025 at 4:00 PM
North City Church (Toronto District Christian High School, Highway 7/Kipling Ave.), 377 Woodbridge Ave., Woodbridge
Theme: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)
Join Bishop John A. Boissonneau (Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto) and a wide representation of Christian leaders to pray for the restoration of full visible unity willed by Jesus Christ for His Church. This event is jointly organized by the Office for Promoting Christian Unity and the Greater Toronto Area Council of Christian Churches and celebrates the 1,700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea
THE SOURCE – HOLY HOUR – JANUARY 2025
Thursday, January 23, 2025 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
St. Peter’s Church, 840 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Join the Sisters of Life and the Office of Catholic Youth for an evening of prayer. Spend some time with Our Lord amidst your busy schedule with the source and summit of our faith – Jesus in the Eucharist. There will be some time for fellowship and refreshments after the Holy Hour. This event is open to all parishioners and visitors!
Holy hour with music: 7:00 PM
Social: 8:00 to 9:00 PM
Confessions available
CHRISTIAN JEWISH DIALOGUE OF TORONTO COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
Monday, January 27th, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
East End United, 310 Danforth Ave., Toronto
An in-person event sponsored and recommended by the Office for Promoting Christian unity and Religious Relations with Judaism
The Archdiocese of Toronto, a member of the Christian Jewish Dialogue of Toronto, invites you to join them as they honour the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and recommit to a culture of encounter, “living in an open and neighbourly spirit, sharing our joys and sorrows, our human problems and preoccupations” (Dialogue and Proclamation, #42). This city-wide event is part of The Dialogue of Life “In Our Time,” a commemoration marking the 60th anniversary of the Vatican Declaration on Interreligious Dialogue, Nostra Aetate.
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 in the Gathering Space. Boxes are usually not assigned to parishioners who are donating via Pre-Authorized Giving or Donate Now through the Archdiocese.
To ensure the proper recording for tax receipt purposes, please do not use any envelopes from 2024 or any prior year for any 2025 donations.
Please contact the parish office if you have any questions at 416 221 8866.
TRIVIA
What is a New Year’s resolution?
Something that goes in one year and out the other.
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.
