Christmas Schedule 2019
ADVENT INDIVIDUAL CONFESSION
Friday, December 20th from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
REGULAR SUNDAY MASSES
Saturday, December 21st
Vigil Mass – 4:30 PM
Office Open – 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Sunday, December 22nd
8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM
Office Open – 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM
CHRISTMAS EVE – Tuesday, December 24th
No 9:00 AM Mass
5:00 PM Family Mass – Carol Singing
8:00 PM Adult Choir – Carol Singing
12:00 AM Midnight Mass – Contemporary Group
Office Open – 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
CHRISTMAS DAY – Wednesday, December 25th
10:30 AM and 12:30 PM
Office Open – 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
BOXING DAY – Thursday, December 26th
Office Closed
No 9:00 AM Mass
REGULAR SUNDAY MASSES
Saturday December 28th
Vigil Mass – 4:30 PM
Sunday, December 29th,
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus
8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM
Office Open – 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM
NEW YEAR’S EVE – Tuesday, December 31st
No 9:00 AM Mass
Vigil for Feast of Mary the Holy Mother of God
5:00 PM Mass
Office Open – 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
NEW YEAR’S DAY – Wednesday, January 1st
Feast of Mary the Holy Mother of God
Mass at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM
Office Open – 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
DAY OF CONFESSION Friday, December 20th
On Friday, December 20th, we will all have the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessions will be heard from, 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL-Come & Celebrate Together!
Come and celebrate together at our special Christmas Concert at St. Gabriel’s Church, Saturday, December 14th at 7:30 PM. The Seraphim and Cherubim Men’s & Women’s Choruses, led by our own Richard Foty will lift our spirits with their All You Need is Love concert. This is a wonderful Advent opportunity.
Ticket prices: Adults $20, Children $5.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR FAMILY MASS – CHRISTMAS EVE AT 5:00 PM
Rehearsal: Sunday, December 22nd from 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Each year, young people, Grade 3 and up, form a special choir for the Family Mass on Christmas Eve. Children must be at the Church by 4:00 PM. One rehearsal, which is mandatory, will be held on Sunday, December 22nd from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
For more information call Marilyn Calderone at 416-618-2041.
Pageant Rehearsal
Sunday, December 22nd from 4:00 to 6:00 PM
A Nativity pageant also takes place at the 5:00 PM Family Mass. Children from S.K. to Grade 5 are invited to participate in the pageant. The rehearsal will be held on Sunday, December 22nd from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Church.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
December 9th to December 15th
MONDAY – FOR THE INTENTIONS OF FRANCIS NG – Requested by the Parish Staff
TUESDAY – FOR THE INTENTIONS OF USON JOHN KIM – Requested by Bona Oh
WEDNESDAY – FOR THE INTENTIONS OF USON JOHN KIM – Requested by Bona Oh
THURSDAY – FOR THE INTENTIONS OF USON JOHN KIM – Requested by Bona Oh
FRIDAY – HARRY LEUNG – Requested by Mary Leung
SATURDAY – EVA GULBINOWICZ – Requested by Kathleen Olden-Powell
SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – ANTONIO ISONZO & DONATELLA LAGUARDIA – Requested by the Family
SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – DELFIN LAZARO – Requested by the Lazaro Family
Beautiful 2020 calendar from the Canadian North
Available this weekend
As many of you know, Fatima Lee, who was formerly a member of our pastoral team, has served as a missionary in the Diocese of Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories for over a year now. The Diocese is home to many isolated indigenous communities.
This weekend, volunteers will be selling beautiful 2020 calendars from the Diocese of Mackenzie at the parish. The beautiful and unique calendar showcases photos of lovely landscape captured by Bishop Jon Hansen on his many missionary trips in the Diocese.
It is hoped that through the sale of these calendars, funds will be raised to support the travel of priests and pastoral workers of the diocese to the remote communities. Since this Diocese of 1.5 million sq. km has only seven priests serving, many of the isolated communities will have Mass only three or four times a year. Except in the deep of winter, each time the priests or pastoral workers would have to fly in and out of these communities. It is notoriously expensive to fly in the north.
Please consider supporting the Diocese of Mackenzie. The calendars, at $20 each, are great for personal use; they will also make wonderful gifts, since they are unique and not easily available elsewhere.
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION
The members of the Social Justice and Integrity of Creation (SJIC) Committee would like to thank all of our parishioners – from the very young and to the young at heart – who signed the Solidarity Letters addressed to two threatened Amazonian communities in Brazil and advocating for Canada and Brazil to protect the rain forest and its people. It is heartwarming to see your faith in action! A heartfelt thank you to one and all.
CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
Up to Sunday December 15th
We will be having a Christmas Toy Drive again this year for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society. You can help by dropping off an unwrapped new toy for a child, age newborn to 12 years old. Containers, which are set up in the Gathering Space and will remain there until Sunday, December 15th.
THE GIVING TREE
Up to Sunday, December 15th
During Advent, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Gabriel Conference 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 for that child and return the unwrapped gift, with the tag attached, to the box provided in the Gathering Space. If you choose an older child, please buy a gift card. Return it with the tag to the Parish Office. 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, age 6 months to 4 years. Unwrapped Items with the original stocking tag attached can be left in the box provided near the “mitten” tree no later than Sunday, December 15th. Toys or books for these little ones would also be appreciated.
For the Moms, we are suggesting gift cards from Tim Horton’s, Walmart or MacDonald’s. These can be placed in the envelopes provided and brought to the Office. Thank you for your generosity.
FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.
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.
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.
Your food donations are more important than ever as the winter begins and numbers of needy people continue to increase. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your generous support.
MILK BAG PROJECT
Wednesday, December 18th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Gabriel Room
Volunteer milk bag weavers will be meeting Wednesday afternoon, December 18th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Gabriel Room to continue their great work, making sleep mats for third world countries All are welcome!
For further information about this project please visit www.milkbagsunlimited.ca or contact Sharon Gusz at sharongusz@gmail.com.
EFFECT HOPE – LEPROSY MISSION OF CANADA
Collecting Stamps
This is a wonderful time of year to collect stamps from your Christmas cards and letters to give to Effect Hope, the Leprosy Mission of Canada. If you wish to help, your stamps may be left in the basket on the counter outside of the office.
Please visit effecthope.org for more information.
JUST COFFEE
Weekend of December 14th /15th
Fair trade organic coffees will be on sale after all the Masses next weekend.
Regular ground coffee: $5.50
Decaffeinated: $6.00
Whole Beans: $5.50
Chocolate Bars: $4.50
Hot Chocolate and Cocoa: $6.00
Teas: $4.25
ADVENT-SOLSTICE GATHERING
Saturday, December 21st at 7:30 PM
St. Gabriel’s Church
The winter solstice marks a transition toward brighter times. Together, the Advent-Solstice reminds us of our profound connection with all of God’s creation and wakens us to the opportunity for a new beginning in that relationship. We will explore the surprising gifts that result when we make choices that foster such relationships.
YOUTH GROUP
Thank you to all who supported our youth group’s fundraiser this past weekend. More than $800 was raised in support of our attendance at the 2020 Steubenville Conference. All Christmas ornaments were sold and the highest bids for the Statue and Nativity Figurine were $45 and $300, respectively. A special thank you to Edwin Li for generously donating the religious articles. We are so grateful for the support of our parish community!
We welcome new members of our Parish who joined and registered for the month of October.
Elias Corro & Otiana Monagreda & family; Michael Laureola & family; Klodiana & Alban Kasa & family; Sheila Marie Corpuz & Dexter Galano; Brian & Roana Canasa & family; Saoirse Kelleher & family; Sabreena Florez & family; Simeon Charles; Alma & Mauro Quizon
We encourage you to participate in any of the various ministries of our parish community.
THE FINANCE CORNER
Your offertory envelopes are now available in the Gathering Space. Please pick yours up as soon as possible.
Under the Canadian Income Tax laws, a donor is entitled to an income tax credit against income taxes payable based on a tax receipt from a registered Canadian charity like St. Gabriel’s parish. You should consider using envelopes for your offertory giving, no matter the amount of your weekly donation. Envelopes are available at the Parish Office if you need one.
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.
