Happy Mother’s Day
To all the Mothers, Single Mothers, Grandmothers and Stepmothers, we wish you a very happy Mother’s day. May you be blessed with the graces you need, with courage, compassion, patience and peace.
CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Sunday, May 15th for students in Grades 7, 9, 10 and 11 and on Sunday June 5th for students in Grade 8 at 7:30 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church. In preparation for this Sacrament, a Confirmation Retreat will be held on Saturday, May 14th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church. All candidates must attend. Candidates are reminded to bring a signed letter from the service coordinator or a parent stating the completion or anticipated date of completion of volunteer service hours.
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 public or private schools. Classes are held at St. Gabriel’s School every second Sunday beginning September 11th, 2016.
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 2016/17 year.
ANNOUNCED MASSES
May 9th to May 14th, 2016
MONDAY – VICTOR ATHAIDE – Requested by Sylvia & Family
TUESDAY – BERNARD LUK – Requested by Marie & Michael Gennaro
WEDNESDAY – RICHARD CHUCHRA – Requested by Wanda & Jack
THURSDAY – PAULINE LAM – Requested by Charlotte Yeung
FRIDAY – JOHN C.K. YEUNG – Requested by Agnes Wong
SATURDAY – EDNA & GERRY HATCH – Requested by their Family
PLANNING TO BE A CATHOLIC TEACHER?
It is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic School Board in Ontario, as part of your application for employment, there must be a letter of reference from your pastor. If you are planning to apply to teach in a Catholic School, a contact with the pastor is highly recommended. Please plan to have a conversation with your Pastor early in the process, well before applications are to be submitted.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL BUNDLE-UP COLLECTION
This Weekend, May 7th/8th
The Society for St. Vincent de Paul is holding their annual Bundle Up Collection this weekend, May 7th/8th. Bring your gently used clothing, household linens, shoes and small household goods to share with others. Appliances, furniture and books cannot be accepted.
A St. Vincent de Paul truck will be in the Church parking lot to receive donations. The truck will be open in the parking lot on Saturday, May 7th from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, May 8th until 1:00 PM
Volunteers will assist with the loading before and after each Mass. The Society will donate, exchange for vouchers or sell these donations to support their outreach efforts. Thank you for your continued support.
MILK BAG WORKSHOP
Tuesday May 17th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM
Gabriel Room
Hello fellow parishioners, I have booked the St. Gabriel’s Room for Tues. May 17th for our next weaving event. We will try to weave from 1:00 to 3:00 or 4ish as long as our energy and supplies last….
Thank you to those that took bags home to cut…. I have already received some back!! Hope to see you next month and feel free to bring a friend.
Sharon Gusz
FOOD FOR ROSALIE HALL & GOOD SHEPHERD CENTRE
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall or the Good Shepherd Centre. 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 ongoing support.
SHARELIFE
Working wonders for boys with a unique camping experience…
Having completed his teaching degree, Francis is still involved at Camp Ozanam, where he is presently the Director of Counselors. “I still love working here – most of my best friends have come from this community and it’s great to introduce my students to Ozanam and see them falling in love with it the way I did. As a former camper and staff member, I feel like I have a complete picture of the camp, and try to make sure today’s campers and staff enjoy the same formative experiences that I went through.” Last year, ShareLife-supported Camp Ozanam provided a unique camping experience for 600 boys from underprivileged homes in the GTA.
ShareLife to date: $106,712
Next ShareLife Sunday is May 29th.
Please give generously.
You can work wonders!
DISASTER RELIEF FORT MCMURRAY, ALBERTA
An urgent appeal for help has been launched by the Canadian Red Cross following the devastating fire in Fort McMurray, Alberta this week. Over 88,000 people have been evacuated from Fort McMurray and surrounding areas. Thousands have lost their homes and belongings as the fire continues to rage.
Donations can be made through:
o The Parish making cheques payable to
St. Gabriel’s Parish – Fort McMurray
o The Canadian Red Cross directly at www.redcross.ca
or by calling 1-800-418-1111.
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF ECUADOR
The Archdiocese of Toronto is accepting financial contributions for humanitarian relief following the disastrous effects of a serious earthquake on April 16th.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks have devastated huge areas of Ecuador, with nearly 600 people reported dead, another 5,700 injured and 24,000 families left homeless.
Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:
o Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website:
www.archtoronto.org
o By phone through the Development Office – 416-934-3411
o Through the parish, making cheques payable to:
St. Gabriel’s Parish – Ecuador Earthquake – Humanitarian Relief
FINANCE CORNER
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for May 1st, 2016:
Envelopes 381 $ 8,235
Loose Change 1,132
Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 166 3,022
Total 547 $ 12,389
Papal Charities: $3,378
Please inform the Parish Office if you have changed your address or are moving out of the Parish so that we may update our records.
If you have prior year’s offertory envelopes, please do not use them! Each year we go through the unused envelopes for which no donations have been received and may reassign that number to another parishioner.
WOMEN’S ACTS RETREAT WEEKEND
May 12th to 15th
Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre
A Women’s ACTS Retreat Weekend will be held on the weekend of May 12th to 15th at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga. This is a powerful new retreat experience based on adoration, community, theology, service with women ministering to women.
To register or for more information please call Queen of Apostles at 905-278-5229.
FROM ABRAHAM THREE FAITHS
May 16th at 7:30 PM
St. Luke’s Church, 39 Green Lane, Thornhill
Mosaic Interfaith invites you to attend the next presentation in their series “From Abraham Three Faiths” to take place at St. Luke’s Catholic Parish, 39 Green Lane, Thornhill on Monday May 16th at 7.30 PM.
The subject is “Everyone Wants to go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die” exploring the meaning of death and the kind of faith which disarms death from Jewish, Christian and Muslim perspectives.
Panellists are Rev. Canon John Hill, Rabbi Michael Stroh and Dr. Liyakat Takim from Christianity, Judaism and Islam respectively.
Please see the flyer on the bulletin boards. For more information or to RSVP call Nora at 416-218 0680.
FREE ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR
Wednesday, May 18th at 7:00 PM
Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home & Cemetery, Thornhill
Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share information about:
How to protect your loved ones with a proper will
How to ensure your wishes are legally protected
Powers of Attorney
The advantage of pre-arranging funeral, burial and
cremation
The cost savings of making an estate plan
Finding lawyers and estate planning advisor
Our Catholic traditions around wills, burials and funerals.
An estate planning kit will be provided at no cost. Refreshments will be provided.
RSVP to Frank Jannetta, Catholic Cemeteries at 416.733-8544 ext. 2023 or fjannetta@cc-fs.ca.
THEOLOGY ON TAP
Monday, May 16th at 7:00 PM
Boston Pizza, 400 Progress Avenue, Scarborough
The OCY and Faith Connections, along with representatives from your local parishes invite all young adults (ages 19 +) to join them for Theology on Tap on May 16th at 7:00 PM at Boston Pizza in Scarborough. The topic is My Unique Personal Vocation.
So much anxiety!
Am I getting the right education? Will I be able to get a decent job? Is he/she the right person for me in marriage? Religious life? Singlehood? What is my baptismal call???
Join Patricia Murphy, Professor of Moral Theology at St. Augustine’s Seminary, as she discusses the discernment of our own unique, personal vocations.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE
St. Gabriel’s Parish
Weekend of September 23rd to 25th, 2016
A Marriage Preparation course will be offered here at St. Gabriel’s the weekend of September 23rd to 25th, 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.
Note that this course usually fills up quickly and spaces are limited.
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.
