May 12th, 2018
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.
The St. Gabriel’s Parish Youth Group will be selling flowers and rosaries for Mother’s Day this weekend, May 12th and 13th, after all the Masses. All proceeds will support the youth group attending the Steubenville Conference and World Youth Day.
Fr. Bernard is looking for a bookkeeper at the Passionist Mission Office. If interested, please contact Fr. Bernard at the Mission Office at 416-743-3500. Join the team and work for the missions in Haiti, Jamaica and Honduras!
Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, recently issued a call to action in advance of the June 7th provincial election to promote palliative care, conscience rights and the protection of faith-based facilities. His Eminence has asked Catholics to visit canadiansforconscience.ca/ontario to send a letter directly to all candidates in their riding for the June 7th election. A pre-written letter is provided which people can amend as they choose. If you did not receive Cardinal Collins’ emailed letter and you would like to receive them in the future, please visit bit.ly/archtosignup Thank you for advocating on these important issues!
May 14th – May 19th, 2018
MONDAY – JULIA MARTINS – Requested by Maria Martins TUESDAY – PHILIP TONG – Requested by Mary & Alec Chan
FRIDAY – ANA SOFIA NASCIMENTO & ALL DECEASED FAMILY MEMBERS – Requested by the Nascimento Family SATURDAY – GERRY & EDNA HATCH – Requested by their Family
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated next Sunday, May 20th, at 3:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church.
In preparation for this Sacrament, a Confirmation Retreat will be held on Saturday, May 19th from 9:00 AM to 3:30 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.
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.
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. Your food donations are very much appreciated.
Rosalie Hall provides a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services for young parents and their children.
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.
Living the Gospel by supporting mental health wellness
In 2016, over 2,000 people accessed individual, couple and family counseling at Catholic Family Services of Peel-Dufferin, a ShareLife-funded agency. Often, clients sought help to address depression. Given that depression has replaced back injury as the number one reason for absenteeism at work, these services are helping clients maintain employment and stay out of poverty. By supporting ShareLife agencies like CFS Peel-Dufferin, you’re helping people find health and happiness.
Total Collected to May 9th, 2018 – $87,031 May 27 is the next ShareLife Sunday. Please give generously.
Weekend of May 19th/20th 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 incl. Taxes Hot Chocolate and Cocoa: $6.00 Teas: $4.25
St. Gabriel’s Parish Weekend of September 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2018
A Marriage Preparation course will be offered here at St. Gabriel’s the weekend of September 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 2018. 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.
Wednesday May 16th at 7:00 PM
Blessed Trinity Parish, 3220 Bayview Ave.
Blessed Trinity Parish invites all St. Gabriel’s parishioners to come and join them as they commemorate the past and honor the present members of Police Services, Fire Services, Paramedic Services and the Canadian Armed Forces. The Mass will take place on Wednesday May 16th at 7:00 PM at Blessed Trinity Parish A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. All are welcome.
Meet the Candidates Thursday, May 17, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM St. Bonaventure’s Parish Hall
St. Bonaventure’s Church is hosting candidates from all parties seeking election to provincial office representing Don Valley East, West, and North Join them in the St. Bonaventure parish hall, 1300 Leslie Street, (just south of Lawrence on the west side of Leslie) on Thursday, May 17th, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Candidates will be invited to share their views on a variety of topics of interest for Catholic voters. Following the question and answer session, an opportunity will be provided to meet the candidates and ask questions individually.
We are hosting the meeting in conjunction with Catholic Conscience, a local non-profit, non-partisan organization seeking to improve the quality of our elected leaders. Questions may be directed to Catholic Conscience, by e-mail at info@CatholicConscience.org, or through their website, www.CatholicConscience.org.
For those wanting to explore the responsibilities of Catholics in elections, an information and discussion session will be held on Tuesday, May 22nd, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the parish hall of St Peter’s Church, 130 Bathurst Street in Toronto (across from the TTC Bathurst subway stop).
See you there!
Thursday, May 17th at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room
We would like to extend an invitation to the parish to come to a presentation by Fr. Walter Fernandes, a Jesuit priest based in Guwahati, Assam, India. He has studied tribal, gender and livelihood issues for over four decades of his professional life as founder and director of the North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC). He is also a well-known scholar on issues concerning development-induced displacement and challenges posed to human dignity. Some of his current work focuses on social justice in the context of tribal reconciliation (within north-east India), as well as migration from neighboring Myanmar.
Fr. Fernandes is visiting Canada at the invitation of St Mary’s University, Halifax to share his knowledge of Indigenous issues in North-East India and Myanmar.”
Join us in this unique opportunity to learn more about Indigenous issues and challenges.
Catholic Parents of Lesbian Daughters and Gay Sons Saturday, June 2nd from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre, Pickering, Ontario
The sixteenth Canadian Seeing with the Heart Day of Reflection will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering.
Fr. Roger Brennan of the Scarboro Foreign Mission will facilitate. John Montague from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish will assist.
The Cost is $40.00 which includes lunch.
For questions and information call John Montague at 416-523-6449.
Robert Cordy, our Organic Horticulturalist, or members of his team, will be providing two workshops this month. To learn about Hugelkultur, the method of gardening being used in the north garden, meet us on Sunday, May 20th, in the north garden after the 12:30 Mass.
If you are interested in vegetable gardening, join us on Saturday, May 26th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. All are welcome.
If you would like to get involved in the care of our beautiful gardens, please leave your email address and phone number with the parish office, or email Heather Bennett at heathermjb@gmail.com.
| Posted in Bulletin |
May 6th, 2018
There is a psalm that sings; ‘this is the day the Lord has made let us be glad and rejoice.’ The church sings, this is the season the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad.’ Most people think of Easter as lasting a day but the church sees Easter as lasting a season, it is not a one day event, Easter lasts for 50 days, we’ve two other weeks to go before we celebrate the feast of Pentecost which closes our Easter season. We need Easter’s long day because it takes time to grasp and integrate what the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus was all about. What does it mean when Paul tells us; God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself? The frustrated Jesus complained to his disciples, ‘how long have I been with you and still you do not understand.”? He complained to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, ‘O how foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets declared . Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and so enter into his glory.’
There is an exercise called ‘theological reflection’ in which we ponder a truth of faith over and over to discover its deeper meaning. We can compare it to a kaleidoscope, it is made up of a set number of colored glasses and with each twist of the tunnel of the kaleidoscope we get a whole new pattern of color. In reflecting on a truth of our faith we might come to another and deeper meaning of that truth than we had before. Reflecting on the sufferings of Jesus we might come to see, in a way we never did before, that in his passion Jesus is telling us, ‘I can’t stop loving you. You may neglect or ignore of doubt my love for you, you may fail to return my love, but I can’t stop loving you.
In our first reading from Acts we hear of St. Peter, the first Pope coming to a deeper understanding of the saving power of Christ’s passion. As a Jewish person he believed his people, the Jewish people were God’s own. Everyone else was excluded. But his faith was challenged when in a dream he saw all kinds of food offered to him to eat. Most of the food was forbidden by Jewish dietary law so Peter refused to eat it only to be told. ‘ What God has made clean you must not call profane.’
Then Peter meets the Gentile centurion named Cornelius. He told Cornelius, ‘You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with of visit Gentiles but God has shown me that I should call any person profane or unclean.’ Then we have the shocking words of Peter and he is blessed with a eureka insight, ‘ I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God. Then we have Peter’s bold break with his ancient Jewish beliefs,’ can anyone withhold water for baptising these people who have received to Holy Spirit just as we have?
For all of that it took the Jewish members of the early Christian community a number of years to welcome non-Jews into their midst.
We are still in long day of Easter. May we be moved to pray for a deeper understanding of our faith and be open to the embracing love of our crucified Christ for all people and embrace the simple message of our shrine for the victims on Yonge Street – Love for all, hatred for none.
| Posted in Homily |
May 5th, 2018
Sunday May 6th to Thursday, May 10th
This week Fr. Brando, Fr. John, Fr. Paul, Fr. Steve, Fr. Bernard and Fatima Lee will join other Passionists and Lay Associates to attend the St. Paul of the Cross Provincial Chapter in New York. They will be choosing new leaders for the province. Please keep them in your prayers. Fr. Bill Burns will celebrate the weekday Masses while they are away.
The St. Gabriel’s Parish Youth Group will be selling flowers and rosaries on Mother’s Day weekend, May 12th and 13th, after all the Masses. All proceeds will support the youth group attending the Steubenville Conference and World Youth Day.
May 7th – May 12th, 2018
MONDAY – MAURICE MICHAEL – Requested by Charmaine Michael TUESDAY – LAU KOON TING – Requested by Linda Law & Family WEDNESDAY – JOHN YEUNG CHUN KUN – Requested by Agnes Wong THURSDAY – JOSEPH THIENG NGUYEN – Requested by the Nguyen Family? FRIDAY – RICHARD CHUCHRA – Requested by Wanda & Jack SATURDAY – MARY ANNE OLDEN – Requested by Kathleen Olden Powell
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Sunday, May 20th at 3:00 PM at St. Gabriel’s Church. In preparation for this Sacrament, a Confirmation Retreat will be held on Saturday, May 19th from 9:00 AM to 3:30 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.
Sunday, May 6th at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room
On the first Sunday of each month, the Passionist Centre for Ecology and Spirituality facilitates a 30 minute reflection and discussion prompted by the readings for that Sunday’s liturgy.
All are welcome to attend.
May 6th to 11th, 2018
We invite all parishioners to join in celebrating Catholic Education Week 2018, which runs from May 6th to May 11th. For more than 165 years, Ontario’s publicly funded schools have been integrating our faith into all aspects of school life, nurturing the gifts and talents of every student. We celebrate the distinctive contribution that Catholic schools provide, giving thanks and offering our prayers for all those who faithfully journey with our young people each day. To affirm your support of Catholic Education and sign up for email updates visit www.togetherinfaith.ca.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 41 casseroles for April. For May, your prepared frozen casseroles will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of May 26th/27th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
More volunteers are needed to become active in helping to feed our less fortunate sisters and brothers. Three different recipes are available in the Parish Office or online at the Church website. Casserole pans are also available in the Parish Office. If you require more information please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
Living the Gospel by caring for the elderly
Ever since Erika had a stroke, her diminished mobility kept her from enjoying many activities. When LA Centre for Active Living planned a trip to the Garlic Festival, Erika worried her disabilities would get in the way. To Erika’s delight, the ShareLife-funded agency ensured the trip was fully accessible for her. Having the most fun she’s had in years, she felt like her disabilities disappeared. Last year, ShareLife-supported agencies provided care to over 6,300 seniors.
Total Collected to April 30th, 2018 – $77,846 May 27th is the next ShareLife Sunday. Please give generously.
Friday May 11th from 7:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Brebeuf College will be holding its annual Alumni Pub Night reunion at the school on Friday, May 11th from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM. More details can be found at www.brebeufalumni.org. All are welcome.
5km Fundraising Walk and Hug Saturday, May, 12th 2018 Registration from 8:30 to 9:30 AM at Fort York 9:30 AM Registration Closes 10:00 AM Walk to SickKids
The seventeenth annual Meagan’s Walk: – Creating a Circle of Hope will take place on Saturday, May 12th. You may register online at meaganswalk.com. Registration also opens at 8:30 AM at Fort York, followed by family activities and entertainment. Registration closes at 9:30 AM. The Walk begins at 10:00 AM. and concludes at SickKids with the “Hug”.
Over the last 17 years, proceeds of 5 million dollars from this event have been directed toward paediatric brain tumour research, faster diagnoses, personalized treatments and improved outcomes for young people faced with brain tumours and treatment of paediatric brain tumours at SickKids.
May 17th at 7:30 PM in the Gabriel Room
We would like to extend an invitation to the parish to come to a presentation by Fr. Walter Fernandes, a Jesuit priest based in Guwahati, Assam, India. He has studied tribal, gender and livelihood issues for over four decades of his professional life as founder and director of the North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC).
He is also a well-known scholar on issues concerning development-induced displacement and challenges posed to human dignity. Some of his current work focuses on social justice in the context of tribal reconciliation (within north-east India), as well as migration from neighboring Myanmar.
Join us in this unique opportunity to learn more about indigenous issues and challenges.
St. Bonaventure’s Church is hosting candidates from all parties seeking election to provincial office representing Don Valley East, West, and North. Join them in the St. Bonaventure parish hall, 1300 Leslie Street, (just south of Lawrence on the west side of Leslie) on Thursday, May 17th, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Candidates will be invited to share their views on a variety of topics of interest for Catholic voters. Following the question and answer session, an opportunity will be provided to meet the candidates and ask questions individually.
For those wanting to explore the responsibilities of Catholics in elections, an information and discussion session will be held on Tuesday, May 22nd, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the parish hall of St Peter’s Church, 130 Bathurst Street in Toronto (across from the TTC Bathurst subway stop). See you there!
The sixteenth Canadian Seeing With the Heart Day of Reflection will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering.
The Cost is $40.00 which includes lunch. For questions and information call John Montague at 416-523-6449.
Robert Cordy, Organic Horticulturalist, will give a presentation and tour of the gardens after all the Masses on the weekend of May 12th/13th.
Robert or members of his team will also be giving two workshops this month: Sunday, May 20th in the north garden, after the 12:30 Mass and Saturday, May 26th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Details and more workshops to follow. All are welcome.
If you are interested in helping to care for our beautiful gardens, please leave your email address and phone number with the office, or email Heather Bennett at heathermjb@gmail.com.
April 29th, 2018
There is a principle that says; things joined to the same thing are joined to one another. In the gospel Jesus tells us he is the vine and we are the branches. We draw our nourishment from the life giving vine. If we are cut off from the vine we die. Joined to the vine we are one with all the other branches.
Last Monday’s tragic events on Yonge Street, not that far from here, brought this reality of oneness to the forefront. Around noon the lives of innocent men and woman going about the daily business were forever changed when a young man took it upon himself, for whatever reason, to rent a truck and drive it down the side walk on the west side of Yonge St. barreling through men, women and children, killing twelve and seriously injuring fifteen others.
We thought these things happened elsewhere, Paris, London, New York, Boston, but not in Toronto, not in North York, not down the street. I venture to guess that in one way or another we all felt we were hit by that truck. Toronto, North York, Willowdale: we are all members of these communities. We are all effected when our community is attacked.
The scenes of people of different races and faiths coming to place flowers, light candles and pray at the makeshift memorial wall gives witness to our oneness. St. Paul reminds us that the life and death of each one of us has it influence on others. We can’t go through life untouched or un touching. We can’t help but to have touched, shocked, threatened and saddened by last Monday’s mass killing and maiming of innocent people.
How do we cope with this tragedy as it affects each of us in one way of another? First of all we can thank God we weren’t strolling on Yonge Street at noon of Monday. Next we can appreciate more deeply how precious and precarious is the gift of life and the people who are part of our lives.
We never know what a day will bring our way. Last Monday causes us to appreciate the gift of life more deeply and appreciate the gift of family and friends.
Thank God we didn’t get caught up in the possible hysteria of seeing this tragic act as the work of a Moslem or Isis terrorist. Monday’s tragedy was the act of a disturbed and obviously angry young man with an axe to grind against women; women were his prime targets and sped down the sidewalk running over good people.
All this man’s hatred and anger were answered the by the courageous and generous response of peoples of different faith, racial and social backgrounds that make up that local community as they helped and comforted the injured as best they could.
It may take a long while for the injured and those who witnessed this whole thing to get over this awful experience.
What can you and I do. We can keep in our thoughts and prayers the good people who died that day. We can keep in our thoughts and prayed those were injured that day. We can keep in our thoughts and prayers the families of those killed and those injured. We can keep in our thoughts and prayer all those men and women, first responders and ordinary people who did what they could to be of help. We can keep in our thoughts and prayers Alex Minassian and his family upon whom he’s brought such shame.
We can pray for ourselves that we never lose faith in the goodness of ordinary men and women and children like ourselves, a goodness and a love that gives us the strength to get on with the ordinary living of our ordinary lives.
April 28th, 2018
In light of the violent attack which occurred on Yonge Street yesterday, we as a parish community wish to express our deepest sympathy to those families whose loved ones were injured or killed as well as those who witnessed the attack.
Lord we pray for those who have been devastated by the tragedy on Yonge Street. We remember those who lost their lives so suddenly. We pray for the families forever changed by grief and loss. Bring them consolation, comfort and peace. Give those who were traumatized by the devastation they witnessed the strength to heal and surround them with your love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The second phase of the garden revitalization project is underway led by Robert Cordy, Organic Horticulturalist. The focus of this season’s activity is the north garden and Robert will present the plan for its revitalization and provide a tour of the garden after all masses on the weekend of May 12th/13th. Stay tuned for information on upcoming workshops.
The Garden Ministry is a group of volunteers who participate in the care of our beautiful garden spaces and who are interested in learning more about organic gardening through workshops and working with Robert and his team. To learn more about our activities please leave your email address and phone number with the office staff or email heathermjb@gmail.com.
Fr. Bernard is looking for a bookkeeper at the Passionist Mission Office. If interested, please contact Fr. Bernard at the Mission Office at 416-743-3500.
Join the team and work for the missions in Haiti, Jamaica and Honduras!
April 30th – May 5th, 2018
MONDAY – MARY LIU TAK TUEN – Requested by Agnes Wong TUESDAY – TSUN YAN-HO – Requested by Anna Ha’s Friends WEDNESDAY – ALLAN PERSAUD – Requested by Persaud & Goldenberg Families THURSDAY – THE McCANN FAMILY LIVING & DECEASED – Requested by Carolyn & Bill Markle FRIDAY – ISABEL WRIGHT & MYRTLE ROMAIN – Requested by The Raymore Family SATURDAY – GUS CALDERONE – Requested by Marie Calderone
Several families have not yet booked their First Communion interview. The Interview dates still available are April 30th, May 1st, May 2nd, May 3rd and May 4th. They are scheduled every 15 minutes from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If you have not done so, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866-to book your appointment with Fr. Brando or Fr. John as soon as possible.
Friday, June 2nd from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon
English: Rosary – Saturday, May 5th at 3:15 PM in the Gabriel Room. Chinese Rosary – Sunday May 6th in the Gabriel Room
For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall
Your food donations are more important than ever as the 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.
Living the Gospel by helping newcomers to Canada
Angie moved to Canada to marry a man she met online. He was not who he seemed; she endured emotional and physical abuse. While he was at work, she started attending language classes at Catholic Crosscultural Services. Staff at CCS connected her with a settlement worker in the women’s program. Angie received the support she needed to exit her violent relationship and live independently, free from abuse. Angie is one of over 3,000 clients helped annually by CCS programs funded by ShareLife.
Total Collected to April 16th, 2018 – $73,956 May 27 is the next ShareLife Sunday. Please give generously.
Your prepared frozen casseroles 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. 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.
We are continuing to collect eyeglasses for the Lions Club. Throughout the year, the Lion’s Club volunteers collect used eyeglasses and deliver them to regional Lions Recycling Centres. There volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact. Please place them in the baskets provided outside the office.
Leprosy Mission of Canada Stamp Collection Program
Make a difference with your mail! You can get involved by collecting, trimming and sending your used postage stamps to Effect Hope, the Leprosy Mission of Canada.
Please place stamps in the basket provided outside the Parish Office
Next Weekend, May 5th and 6th It’s Spring Cleaning Time!
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is collecting gently used clothing, shoes, linens and household goods to support our neighbors in need or to be sold to help support their special works in the community.
They cannot accept books, dishes, furniture, appliances, mattresses, construction materials or videos and cassettes.
Please bring your donations and help others in your community.
The truck is open Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Volunteers will be there to assist with loading before and after each Mass.
A Marriage Preparation course will be offered here at St. Gabriel’s the weekend of September 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 2018. The course will be held Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 please email Marie Deans at deansm@sympatico.ca. PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. For a registration package
The sixteenth Canadian Day of Reflection will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering.
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.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk
