February 3rd, 2018
Saturday, March 3rd from 12:30 to 4:00 PM
This year’s Parish Lenten Retreat will take place on Saturday March 3rd from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM. The preacher will be Father Jim O’Shea, Passionist priest from New York, who has been ministering to low-income families and youth for the past two decades. Father Jim is inspiring, but at the same time, very down-to-earth. More details about the Retreat to come.
This is an opportunity not to be missed. Please mark your calendar!
Sunday, February 25th after 12:30 PM Mass
Friday, February 16th marks the beginning of Lunar New Year. This year is the Year of the Dog. For many years, the Asian community in our parish has gifted our parish community with a wonderful Lunar New Year Party.
Our Lunar New Year Celebration will take place on Sunday, February 25th after the 12:30 PM Mass in the Gathering Space. All are welcome.
February 5th – February 10th, 2018
MONDAY – HARRY MURPHY TUESDAY – FRIENDS & RELATIVES OF THE CHIU FAMILY – Requested by the Chui Family WEDNESDAY – MARIAN & PAT GALLIGAN – Requested by Jacqui Doran THURSDAY – PAUL SAI BUN CHAN – Requested by Helen Chan FRIDAY – RODOLFO ROSALES SR. – Requested by the Family SATURDAY – ANTHONY & AGATHA PAUL – Requested by Sophie & Candida Pereira
Thursday, February 15th from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Gabriel Room
On Thursday, February 15th at 7:30 PM. there will be Faith Renewal meeting for all parents of those children receiving the sacrament of First Reconciliation this year.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 61 casseroles for January. For February, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of February 24th/25th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
More volunteers are encouraged 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. You may pick up casserole pans at the Parish Office. If you require more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
Catholic Family Services of Toronto offers walk-In counseling services aimed at helping individuals, couples, or family clients address their concerns. No appointment is required. Counseling is available at Central office, 1155 Yonge St. Suite 100, Toronto every Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. To contact, phone 416 921-1163. Counseling is also available at North office, 5799 Yonge Street, Suite 300, North York every Thursday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Contact 416 222-0048 or email: info@cfstoronto.com for more information.
Thank you for your generous support of Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. Your food donations are very much appreciated.
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
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.
February 4th, February 18th Gabriel Room
Our Organic Horticulturalist, Robert Cordy, will continue to hold workshops in the series entitled Organic Garden Design 1, 2 and 3, on the following dates: Sunday, February.4th and Sunday, February. 18th. All parishioners are welcome. Workshops will be held in the Gabriel Room after the 12:30 Mass.
Tuesdays – until April 24th 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
St. Bonaventure’s Parish – Francis Room St. Bonaventure’s Ministry with Maturing Adults is offering several programs on Tuesday Mornings from 9:30 to 11:30.
February 20th – Advanced Care Planning February 27th – Understanding Islam – Being in Dialogue with your Neighbors March 13th – Homeless in Toronto March 20th -The Wisdom of Teresa of Avila April 24th – Special Event with Luncheon
There is no cost for this program. For more information, please go to Maureen@st-bonaventure.ca or call her at 416 447 5571 Ext. 550 or check the flyer on the bulletin board.
Mary Ward Centre, 70 St. Mary’s Street Wednesday, February 7th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Professor Heather Eaton, professor at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, will hold a public lecture on Wednesday, February 7th from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Mary Ward Centre. She will speak on “Flourishing of Life for All: How are we called to be a prophetic voice for action on climate change?” All are welcome.
Sunday, February 11th at 3:00 PM Blessed Trinity Church, 3220 Bayview Avenue
The Office of Formation for Discipleship at the Archdiocese of Toronto is happy to announce the Celebration of Marriage Mass at Blessed Trinity Church on Sunday, February 11th at 3:00 PM. Cardinal Thomas Collins will preside over this special Mass where couples celebrating their milestone 25th, 40th, 50th and 60+ wedding anniversary will be honoured.
February 13th to April 3rd from 4:30 to 6:30 Central Office, 1155 Yonge Street
Catholic Family Services of Toronto is offering a psycho-educational program for those dealing with the stress of the ending of a relationship.
The sessions facilitated by a clinical social worker will be held February 13th to April 3rd, 2018 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. at 1155 Yonge St. There is a $30 fee per session.
Please contact Alpana Das at 416-921-1163 x2232 or email adas@cfstoronto.com for more information.
Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga Friday February 16th to Sunday February 18th
A Women’s Lenten Retreat will be held at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre on the weekend of February 16th to 18th. The retreat will be preached by the Centre team – Oblate Father Pawel Ratajczak and Mrs. Anne Hales. This is a beautiful way to begin the season of Lent.
For information or registration please call 905-278-5229.
Be Informed & Reach Out to Your MP
The federal government has introduced new requirements for employers applying for the Canada Summer Jobs grant. To be eligible for funding, employers must attest that both the job and the organization’s core mandate respect certain “values” as determined by the federal government including the government’s position on abortion, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Organizations unable or unwilling to make this attestation in whole or in part will be deemed ineligible for the grant. This requirement is clearly unjust.
Many Catholic organizations throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto and many other faiths involved in charitable activity at soup kitchens, shelters, refugee welcome centres or summer camps are impacted by this decision. Please take a moment to visit www.archtoronto.org/summerjobs for more information and to find a template letter to send to your MP and the Minister responsible for this portfolio.
Tax receipts for 2017 have been mailed out this past week.
Tax receipts for the Family of Faith Campaign or for any donations made by credit card through the Archdiocese will be receipted by the Archdiocese.
| Posted in Bulletin |
January 27th, 2018
January 29th – February 3rd, 2018
MONDAY – TUESDAY – MOI BENG KOON – Requested by Wai Chin, Paul & Family WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY – FRIDAY – BERTHA RICKETTS – Requested by her Family SATURDAY – GUS CALDERONE – Requested by Marie Calderone
Sunday, January 28th at 3:00 P.M.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen Street
An ecumenical prayer service will be held at Metropolitan United Church this Sunday, January 28th at 3:00 PM with His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Anglican Archbishop Colin Johnson, and Coptic Orthodox Bishop Anba Mina, accompanied by other city-wide religious leaders. The homilist will be His Eminence Cardinal Thomas Collins. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall. Parking is available. For further information, please contact the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs at 416-934-3400, Ext. 344 or Ext. 527 or email vkwok@archtoronto.org.
Sunday, January 28th, at 3:00 PM.
St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power St., Toronto
On Friday, February 2nd, the Church celebrates the World Day for Consecrated Life. In the Archdiocese of Toronto we are blessed to have living and serving among us more than 900 religious men and women of 100 different religious congregations. This World Day for Consecrated Life is a wonderful opportunity for us to thank God for the gifts of these religious sisters, brothers and priests and to pray for God’s blessing upon them in their efforts to faithfully live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Bishop Wayne Kirkpatrick will preside at a special Mass on Sunday, January 28th, at 3:00 PM. at St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power St., Toronto in celebration of the vocation and witness of these special men and women religious who are such a vital and important part of the life and ministry of the Church in our Archdiocese. All are welcome to attend.
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome Nia Carmen Forbes and Aiden Alexander Padua Limon.
These children received the Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, January 21st. Congratulations!
Sunday, February 4th 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.
English: Saturday, Feb 3rd at 3:15 PM in the Gabriel Room. Chinese: Sunday, Feb. 4th at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
Each month food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre.
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.
This Sunday, January 28th is World Leprosy Day. When leprosy is diagnosed and treated early, the healing time is much faster and permanent disabilities are prevented. The average person can be diagnosed and cured for just $99.
Please bring us your used postage stamps. These are passed on to Effect Hope helping them work towards the day when leprosy is eradicated. They are happy to accept any and all trimmed stamps, leaving no less than ¼ inch and no more than ½ inch paper border. Stamps may be deposited in the basket on the cabinet just outside the Parish Office. For more information please see posters on the bulletin board or go to www.worldleprosyday.ca.
February 4th, February 18th
Gabriel Room
Our Organic Horticulturalist, Robert Cordy, will be holding a series of workshops entitled Organic Garden Design 1, 2 and 3, on the following dates: Sunday, February.4th and Sunday, February. 18th. All parishioners are welcome. Workshops will be held in the Gabriel Room after the 12:30 Mass.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is now welcoming families with kindergarten-aged children to register for the September 2018 school year. Your local Catholic school will offer one evening of extended registration hours during the month of January. Please contact your local school for this date. Parents may also complete an application at http://soar.tcdsb.org. The TCDSB is proud to provide a wide range of programs and services to students in 201 publicly-funded Catholic schools from kindergarten to Grade 12. For registration information, please call 416-222-8282, ext. 5314.
Monday, January 29th, 2018 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Duke of York Pub, 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto
Faith Connections invites young adults (19-39) to join them for an evening of thought-provoking theological discussion in a comfortable and relaxed setting, with special guest: Joseph Marquez, CFP, Member, Board of Directors, VIDES International. Munchies will be provided and there is a cash bar. Come and bring a friend! For more information visit www.faithconnections.ca or call Kataryna Ryba at 416-467-2645- a ministry of Fontbonne Ministries, Sisters of St. Joseph, Toronto.
Tuesdays – January 30th to April 24th
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
St. Bonaventure’s Parish – Francis Room
St. Bonaventure’s Ministry with Maturing Adults is offering several programs on Tuesday Mornings from 9:30 to 11:30.
January 30th – Creating Circles of Care February 20th – Advanced Care Planning February 27th – Understanding Islam – Being in Dialogue with your Neighbors March 13th – Homeless in Toronto March 20th – The Wisdom of Teresa of Avila April 24th – Special Event with Luncheon
Sunday, February 11th at 3:00 PM
Blessed Trinity Church, 3220 Bayview Avenue
February 13th to April 3rd from 4:30 to 6:30
Central Office, 1155 Yonge Street
A Women’s Lenten Retreat will be held at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre on the weekend of February 16th to 18th. The retreat will be preached by the Centre team – Oblate Father Pawel Ratajczak and Mrs. Anne Hales. This is a beautiful way to begin the season of Lent. For information or registration please call 905-278-5229.
June, 2018
Are you interested in joining the group of parishioners from St Gabriel’s who are travelling to Kenya and Tanzania in June to witness the work of the Passionist Communities? There are two spots available! Please contact Steve Carey for more details at 416-278-9346 by January 30th!
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.
Tax receipts for 2017 are being mailed out this week. Tax receipts for the Family of Faith Campaign or for any donations made by credit card through the Archdiocese will be receipted by the Archdiocese.
January 21st, 2018
In today’s gospel we hear of Jesus calling other people to join him in his work of proclaiming the good news of God’s love for all of us. He calls these men, Peter and Andrew, James and John while they were in the midst of their daily work, Peter and Andrew were casting out nets while James and John were mending their nets – they were all fishermen. Jesus offers them a greater challenge – from now on they would be fishers of people, they would be catching people for God. Jesus began the work of networking, organizing others to help him in his work of proclaiming the good news.
Jesus networked with each one of us when we were baptised. In baptism we became members of the body of Christ, the church. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul compares the union of the human body to the unity of the church. Each member of the body has its own role to play in the life of the body and no one part can do without the other. Each member of the body of the community of the church, of the community of this parish, has his or hers own gifts that are to be used for the good of the whole body, the church, this parish.
I’m sure you heard the words, ‘I have no hands but yours’. These words are meant for every member of the body of Christ, the church. And they are spoken to each of us as we go about the daily tasks of our lives just as they were spoken in a different way to Peter and Andrew, James and John in the midst of casting nets and mending lives.
Christ says to you and to me, as we go about our daily living our ordinary lives, I have no hands but yours, I have no voice but yours, I have no eyes but yours, I have no ears but yours, I have no heart but yours, no feet but yours to continue my work on earth. These words challenge each of us to live no longer for ourselves but for Christ, to complete his work on earth and bring us to the fullness of grace.
Pope Francis say we share our faith by the way we live our lives and you’ve heard that saying of St. Francis ‘ preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.
So when we speak we say only the good things people need to hear, word that will really help them. So in our conversations, at home or at work, we speak words of encourage and support and avoid gossip and criticism.
We listen to other people’s problems, knowing they don’t expect us to solve their problems; they just want to be heard. We look at others and see in them their dignity and worth as human beings and as brothers and sisters in Christ. We reach out to others and help them in and through the different ways the parish outreach programs offer us.
Jesus called Peter and Andrew, James and John as they went about their daily work. He calls each of us to be attentive, aware of the possibilities offered in our daily contact with others, at work, at the supermarket, on the street – whenever and where ever we are in contact with other people – there is our chance to be the hands and the ears and eyes of Jesus. This is our opportunity to bring the life and love and healing of Jesus to others.
As baptized Christian Catholics we have to know that Christ’s work of bringing the people to the Father must truly be our own.
| Posted in Homily |
January 20th, 2018
We are looking for several individuals who may consider acting as Ministers of Hospitality at the Saturday and Sunday Masses. Duties would include greeting parishioners before Mass starts, taking the collections, taking our gifts to the priest at the altar and distributing our bulletin at the end of Mass. If interested, please leave your name and phone number with staff in the parish office. One of the hospitality ministers will contact you.
January 22nd – January 27th, 2018
MONDAY – RODOLFO ROSALES SR. – Requested by Teresa Marchie TUESDAY – SPECIAL INTENTION – Requested by the Burke Family WEDNESDAY – ETHEL & MARLENE MAGEE – Requested by Janet Candido THURSDAY – FILOMENA DA SILVA – Requested by Maria DaSilva FRIDAY – BOB MACINTOSH – Requested by Mary Anne Barnes SATURDAY – MARIA JULIA DACOSTA MARTINS – Requested by Helen, Mercedes & Nancy
An ecumenical prayer service will be held at Metropolitan United Church on Sunday, January 28th at 3:00 PM with His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Anglican Archbishop Colin Johnson, and Coptic Orthodox Bishop Anba Mina, accompanied by other city-wide religious leaders. The homilist will be His Eminence Cardinal Thomas Collins. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall. Parking is available. For further information, please contact the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs at 416-934-3400, Ext. 344 or Ext. 527 or email vkwok@archtoronto.org.
On Friday, February 2nd, the Church celebrates the World Day for Consecrated Life.
In the Archdiocese of Toronto we are blessed to have living and serving among us more than 900 religious men and women of 100 different religious congregations. This World Day for Consecrated Life is a wonderful opportunity for us to thank God for the gifts of these religious sisters, brothers and priests and to pray for God’s blessing upon them in their efforts to faithfully live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.
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.
The ShareLife Office has released a Report to Donors sharing the results of the 2017 campaign and demonstrating how our support has made a difference. Copies of the report are available at the parish, or can be downloaded from the ShareLife website at www.sharelife.org.
Sunday, January 28th is World Leprosy Day. When leprosy is diagnosed and treated early, the healing time is much faster and permanent disabilities are prevented. The average person can be diagnosed and cured for just $99.
Catholic Family Services of Toronto offers walk-In counseling services at two locations. The single-session consultation is aimed at helping individuals, couples, or family clients address their concerns. No appointment is required. Counseling is available at Central office, 1155 Yonge St. Suite 100, Toronto every Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. To contact, phone 416 921-1163. Counseling is also available at North office, 5799 Yonge Street, Suite 300, North York every Thursday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Contact 416 222-0048 or email: info@cfstoronto.com for more information.
On behalf of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, thank you so much for the generosity and support that you provided to our Hope For Children Christmas Program. . We’re overcome by the kindness of your church community to come together to support our clients the way you have, many of whom would not have had a gift to open without your generous support. Please know how much your efforts are appreciated. Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and happy 2018.
Kara Spedding, Manager, Hope for Children
January 21st, February 4th, February 18th
Our Organic Horticulturalist, Robert Cordy, will be holding a series of workshops entitled Organic Garden Design 1, 2 and 3, on the following dates: this Sunday, January 21st, Sunday, February.4th and Sunday, February. 18th.
All parishioners are welcome. Workshops will be held in the Gabriel Room after the 12:30 Mass.
Tuesdays – January 23rd & 30th, February 20th & 27th
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM St. Bonaventure’s Parish – Francis Room
January 23rd – Dementia & Alzheimer’s January 30th – Creating Circles of Care February 20th – Advanced Care Planning February 27th – Understanding Islam – Being in Dialogue with your Neighbors
Wednesday, February 7th at 7:00 PM
Charbonnel Lounge, Elmsley Hall, St. Michael’s College, Can one write as a Catholic today? Does it matter? As part of its Seeing More… lecture series, Mary, Mother of God School, in collaboration with St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, has invited: Prof. Randy Boyagoda, Prof. Janine Langan, Alexandra Newman, and Prof. Stephen Tardif to explore these questions. Please join the discussion! Donations welcome. Wednesday, February 7th at 7:00 PM, Charbonnel Lounge, Elmsley Hall, St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, 81 St. Mary’s Street. Call 416-531-7897 for more information.
The 2018 Offertory Boxed Envelopes are available in the hallway near the Gabriel Room. Please pick yours up as soon as possible.
Please do not use envelopes from previous years since the number may have been reassigned to another parishioner. If you do not have envelopes but wish to have them, please contact the Parish Office.
January 14th, 2018
Imagine you are a Christian living in Syria or Iraq or Iran or Lebanon or Egypt or in any country that is caught up in civil or religious strife. Because you are in a minority you are subjected to suspicion and hostility. You can’t find work; you can’t feed your family. You live in an overcrowded, unhealthy refugee camp. You are trapped, wrapped around with the red tape of bureaucrats as you seek refuge in a new country.
Your paper work keeps getting lost. You are unaware of the fact that in the country you seek to enter there are many people who don’t want you. You are seen as a tax burden or a stealer of jobs. They want you to stay where you are.
You are an educated person, an engineer, a dentist, a doctor. You want to bring our skills to a new land. But you are made to feel like a beggar sitting on a street with your hand out grateful to any pittance thrown your way.
Around the world there are millions of migrant and refugee families who live in hopeless situations such as we’ve just imagined.
Today the Catholic Church around the world focuses it thoughts and prayers on these refugee and migrant people. These good and desperate people are our brothers and sisters. Pope Francis wrote a letter to us Catholics on the occasion of this day, it is titled, ‘Child Migrants, the Vulnerable and the Voiceless.’
Francis calls the nations of the world to be open and welcoming to the refugees and migrants who are desperate for a new beginning in a new land. In no way dismissing the challenge the nations of the world face in trying to be open to the millions of refugees and migrants Pope Francis exposes the hypocrisy of national leaders who for political reasons, foment fear of migrants instead of building peace. Such national leaders sow violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia among their people in the name of national security. We had example of such rhetoric this past week from south of the border.
Francis quotes Pope John Paul who wrote; if the dream of a peaceful world is shared by all, if the refugees and migrants’ contributions to the countries that make them welcome are properly evaluated, then humanity can become more and more a universal family and the earth a common home. Throughout history many have believed in this dream, it must be ours too.’
Child migrants, the vulnerable and the voiceless.
We’ve ended our Christmas season and celebrations. But who was at the center of our celebrations. Wasn’t Jesus the reason for the season? I’m quoting from an article I read recently;
“The real Christ is forever seeking a home in a world within which there’s no room for him.
So who best fits that description today? I suggest the following: Millions of refugee children. The Christ-Child can be seen most clearly today in the countless refugee children who, with their families, are being driven from their homes by violence, war, starvation, ethnic cleansing, poverty, tribalism, racism, and religious persecution. They, and their families, best fit the picture of Joseph and Mary, searching for a room, outsiders, powerless, uninvited, no home, no one to take them in, on the periphery, strangers, labeled as “aliens.” But they are the present-day Holy Family and their children are the Christ-Child for us and our world.
Where is the crib of Bethlehem today? Where might we find the infant Christ to worship? In many places, but “preferentially” in refugee camps; in boats making perilous journeys across the Mediterranean; in migrants trekking endless miles in hunger, thirst, and dangerous conditions; in people waiting in endless lines to be processed in hope of being accepted somewhere, in persons arriving at various borders after a long journey only to be sent back; in mothers in detention centers, holding their young and hoping; and most especially, preferentially, in the faces of countless refugee children.
What can we do about all this? We have no power, no influence, but we can keep these children and their families in our prayers. Samuel says in our first reading, ‘speak Lord you servant is listening.” Does the Lord speak to us in and through these voiceless children? We know he does. Will we answer by our mindfulness and our prayers for these migrant children, the vulnerable and the voiceless?
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
