March 9th, 2014
Interviews for children who wish to receive their First Communion are now being scheduled.
Those children attending the Children’s Faith Program, private schools or others are asked to choose one of the following dates: March 31st, April 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 28th, 29th, 30, May 1st, or May 2nd.
Children from St. Gabriel’s School are asked to choose one of the following dates: May 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, or 16th.
Please call the Parish Office to book your appointment with Fr. Brando as soon as possible.
Saturday, March 29th at St. Gabriel’s Church at 2:00 P.M.
First Reconciliation for children attending St. Gabriel’s School, and those in the Children’s Faith Program and children attending Private Schools will be held at St. Gabriel’s Church on Saturday, March 29th at 2:00 P.M.
March 10th to March 15th, 2014
MONDAY – HEALING OF THE SICK & CONVERSION OF SINNERS – Requested by the Chiu Family TUESDAY – JESSIE CHEER – Requested by Wai Chin & Paul Hwang & Family WEDNESDAY – PAULINE FUNG CHIU & CELINE CHIU KO – Requested by the Chiu Family THURSDAY – THE WELL BEING & THANKSGIVING OF THE CHIU & FUNG FAMILIES – Requested by the Chiu Family FRIDAY – ALICE MICHAEL – Requested by Charmaine Michael SATURDAY – PHILIP LEAH – Requested by Kathi Leah
During Lent there are two days of Fast and Abstinence, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Abstinence means to abstain from eating meat. This applies to all Catholics 14 years of age and older. Fasting means that your two smaller meals combined should not be larger than your main meal. There is no eating between meals. This applies to healthy people between the ages of 18 and 60.
Stations of the Cross will take place each Friday evening during Lent at 7:30 PM.
We also encourage your attendance at our daily Mass throughout Lent.
Together we are continuing to work wonders…
“Help one another. This is what Jesus teaches. This is what I do. And I do it with my heart…I love doing it because this is what the Lord has taught me. But you too must help us and help each other always. And thus in helping each other we will do good for each other.” —Pope Francis
Our Holy Father reminds us of the importance of caring for each other. Through ShareLife agencies, we reach out to some of the most vulnerable, marginalized and needy people in our community, helping our neighbours, friends and fellow parishioners as they work through difficult times. This demonstrates our commitment to Catholic charity in a meaningful way. Please consider supporting ShareLife, the annual appeal of our Archdiocese, during this Lenten season. —Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
First ShareLife Sunday – March 30, 2014 Please give generously. You can work wonders
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: $4.00 incl. Taxes Hot Chocolate and Cocoa: $4.75 Teas: $4.25
Since our last report, we have collected another $97 in Canadian Tire money in support of Matercare International. This association of Catholic Obstetricians and Gynecologists working in developing countries, is dedicated to improving the lives and health of mothers and their children, both unborn and born. Thank you for your continuing support of this worthwhile campaign.
A bin has been placed in the gathering space for the collection of milk bags (outer bag only) which can be woven into quick-dry, bug-resistant bed mats for flood-ravaged areas of the third world, like Haiti. Please remember to rinse out and dry bags before depositing them. Thank you.
Blessed Trinity Church Tuesday, March 18th from 9:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.
The Catholic Women’s League at Blessed Trinity Parish will be holding a Day of Recollection on Tuesday, March 18th from 9:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. The retreat will be led by Fr. Fred Mazzarella, under the theme “Walking with Jesus.” Holy Mass, confessions and Holy Rosary will be held as well. Refreshments and a warm luncheon will be served. Tickets are $20.00 each and may be requested from Louise Tonelli at 416-733-3946 or Anne Chang at 416-497-7739.
St. Gabriel’s Church 670 Sheppard Ave. East 1st and 3rd Fridays beginning March 21st, 7:30 to 9:30 P.M.
Coordinated by the New Beginnings Program at Catholic Family Services of Toronto, this support group welcomes widows and widowers to a gathering which is full of hope and faithful sharing of ideas. The group is facilitated by Mary Muir. Please register with Deacon James Shaughnessy at 416-921-1163, ext. 2227 or by email at jshaughn@cfstoronto.com.
Holy Cross Cemetery 8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill Saturday, March 22nd at 9:00 A.M.
Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share:
– How to protect your loved ones with a proper Will – How to ensure your wishes are legally protected – About Powers of Attorney – The cost savings of making an estate plan – Finding lawyers and estate planning advisors – Our Catholic traditions around wills, burials and funerals
An estate planning kit and DVD will be provided at no cost. Refreshments will be provided.
RSVP: Frank Jannetta, Catholic Cemeteries 416.733-8544 ext. 237 or fjannetta@ccat.on.ca
All Catholic students entering or continuing post-secondary education are invited to consider becoming part of the Student Campus Ministry team at the Newman Centre. You will live in community with other students, witness to your faith through Catholic chaplaincy outreach, participate in the liturgical life at Newman and be provided with a platform to grow in holiness and develop solid Catholic leadership skills. Your partially subsidized residence fees include a private room and a shared or private bath, food and utilities.
Interested in learning more about becoming part of our team? Email Erin Kinsella at chaplaincy@newmantoronto.com today. Deadlines to apply are March 31st for the summer term (May to August) and May 15th for the Fall/Winter term (September to April).
St. Joseph’s Chapel, Regis College, 100 Wellesley St. W. Saturday, March 22nd from 10:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Vigil Mass for Peace at 4:30 P.M.
Regis College celebrates World Water Day with a theological workshop exploring the scientific, religious and spiritual significance of water. Journalist and author Alanna Mitchell, eco-theologian Prof. Dennis O’Hara, and Jesuit ecologist Fr. John McCarthy will present water as fundamental to our Catholic faith. For information and registration go to: https://www.z2systems.com/np /clients/regis/event.jsp?event=271
Faith and Civil Engagement Duke of York Pub, 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto Monday, March 24 from 7:00 P.M. to 9 P.M.
All young adults (19-39) are invited to join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation on theological topics! Special guest: Toronto City Councillor Joe Mihevc. Munchies provided, cash bar available — come and bring a friend! For more information, visit our Toronto Theology on Tap web page, or contact Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt by e-mail at faithconnections@csj-to.ca, or phone 416-467-2645.
Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre April 11th to 13th
Refresh and rekindle your love for each other by treating yourselves to a marriage enrichment weekend at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, or give a weekend as a gift to family or friends. The Centre offers comfort, excellent cuisine and an inspiring program. The next weekend is April 11th to 13th, 2014. For information telephone: 905-278-5229.
International Plaza Hotel 655 Dixon Road, Toronto Saturday, April 12th from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Come. Get inspired. Refresh your spirit. Meet new people. Renew your mind. Learn about new saints. The keynote speaker will be Lisa Hendley, from Fresno California, author of the Handbook for Catholic Moms. Other speakers include Fr. Terry McKenna, Michael Coren, Anita Healy, Dorothy Pilarski and Tammie Cancelli.
For more information and to register visit: www.dynamicwomenfaith.com
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for last weekend:
Envelopes 385 $8,290 Loose Change $2,190 Weekly Portion of PAG 177 $3,307 (Pre-Authorized Giving) Total $13,787
| Posted in Bulletin |
Today’s scriptures tell of humanity’s fall from grace at some unknown time through a conscious act of disobedience to God as God was known then. Adam and Eve had almost everything. Their only drawback was the fact that they were creatures of limit. They were good, but they were not God. They could have the fruit of every tree except the tree of limits, the tree of creatureliness. It was their creature hood that made them susceptible to the lie that by eating of the forbidden fruit they would be like God.
That rift between God and humanity was healed and mutual friendship was restored when Jesus who did not consider equality with God as something to be clung to, emptied himself of divinity and took to himself our humanity, our creatureliness. Becoming as we all are he was obedient to God unto death even death on the cross. As St. Paul teaches in our second reading, ‘ just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all so one man’s act of righteousness – obedience unto death, ever death on the cross – leads to justification and life for all people.’
When John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan God the Father declared Jesus to be his beloved son in whom he was well pleased. Jesus knew he had a special relationship with God and a special mission to carry out in God’s name. He was to tell over and over again by the words he spoke, by the deeds he did and how he treated the men and women who came into his life that all of us are loved by God.
The forty days Jesus spent alone in the desert were spent pondering his life’s purpose and praying for strength to carry it out. Weakened and weary by these forty days his was confronted by the Tempter, the same one who lured Adam and Eve away from their friendship with God with the promise that they could become like God, knowing good and evil. Whereas Adam and Eve failed the test of their loyalty to God Jesus did not. He would not diminish or deny his status of the ‘beloved’ of God and his mission to do the will of his Father.
Because of our baptism each one of us has a life purpose. We are sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ. Each of us has a mission in life. As St. Paul tells us we are to put on Christ, we are to grow to full maturity in Christ so that the Father can see and love in us what he sees and loves in Christ. Our life’s purpose can only be achieved when we accept our dependency on God and God’s grace. Our life’s purpose can only be achieved when we open our lives to what God would have us be and what God would have us do.
Our life experience tells us the Tempter is still alive and well and is active in our lives. We are constantly lured from our relationship with God and Christ by empty promises of happiness, fulfillment and love in relationships that only bring emptiness and disappointment. We are lured into compromising our own integrity with promises of power and popularity. We are lured into believing that freed from a confining stupid belief in God we will be free to find fulfillment by doing things ‘our way.’ All these promises liberate us from gospel demands of putting other people’s needs before our self-interests and promise us the freedom to do our own thing, do what’s best for us.
Temptation is as much a part of our lives as the air we breathe. We pray every day, ‘lead us not into temptation’ because we know we are weak, fragile men and women who can be lured into believing we can find love, happiness and fulfillment by ignoring the teaching and example of Jesus to love, share and forgive. Our life time project is to be as Christ-like as we can possibly be as by God’s grace we grow to full maturity in Christ.
As we continue to celebrate this Mass we can pray that we all will faithful to God’s call and will be as faithful as Christ was when he rejected the temptation to be unfaithful to his Father’s will.
| Posted in Homily |
March 2nd, 2014
The words of today’s gospel telling us not to worry about what we are to eat or what we are to wear or anything else are easy for me to preach about. I’m assured of a roof over my head, a bed and three meals a day. But what about the man or woman on welfare, what about the single mother or the family who depend of food banks, what about the person who can’t find work, what about the man or woman who worry about job security, what about the elderly who worry whether or not their pension plan will support them in their old age?
Today’s gospel speaks to a truth far beyond our present life situations, whether we are well off, comfortable or as is the case of most of the people in the world, struggling to survive.
Jesus is telling us something we need to know but a truth we often find hard to trust.
In the eyes of God we are loved, we are precious and we are important. We are more than a statistic, more than a commodity, more than a consumer or client. As the old chant called us to remember, ‘I am somebody.’ We are all a loved son or daughter of God and we are all a brother or a sister of Jesus Christ, who loved us and died he painful, humiliating death on the cross to bring us back to God. This is the basic truth of our lives, we all are somebody.
At times our life situation, poverty, unemployment, addiction, divorce, chronic illness, the death of someone we dearly loved can and does make us doubt this truth.
Listen again to the words of Isaiah; “Can a woman forget her nursing child or show no compassion to the child of her womb”? Yes she can and yes she does. We are shocked when we hear of read about a child who dies of beatings and neglect or an infant who dies of malnourishment. These crimes do happen even if rarely, but they are incomprehensible. How could a mother treat her infant in such a way?
The men and women who listened to these words of Jesus were people who lived just above what we call today, the poverty line. They lived from day to day, from hand to mouth. A crop failure or a disease among their sheep or goats could leave them with little or nothing to live on. They were totally absorbed in the challenge of living from moment to moment. They needed to hear these encouraging words of Jesus telling them of their own worth and dignity, telling them they are precious to God
Like the men and women of old we too need to hear that we more than a number or statistic. We need to hear that God know each one of us as a loved, a treasured son or daughter. We need to hear that Jesus loves each of us as a brother or sister.
Food and drink, employment, health and housing these are important realities in all lives but far more important is our relationship with God and how our lives are open to God. What does it profit us if we have everything we could ever wish for at the cost of losing our friendship with God?
As we continue to celebrate this Mass we pray for ourselves and for each other that we always remember the truth, I am somebody, I am a son or daughter of God who chose me before the world began. I am a brother or sister of Christ, who loved me and died on the cross for me.
I am somebody.
Daylight Savings Time begins next weekend. Please remember to set your clocks forward 1 hour on Saturday evening.
Children from St. Gabriel’s School are asked to choose one of the following dates: May 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th.
March 5th, 2014
March 5th is Ash Wednesday. Special Masses will be celebrated at 12:00 Noon and 7:30 PM with the distribution of ashes. There will be no 9:00 AM Mass that day. During Lent, we encourage your attendance at our daily weekday Masses at 9:00 AM.
March 3rd to March 8th, 2014
MONDAY – ANNE IHNAT – Requested by Rachel Lim TUESDAY – ST. ANTHONY & ALL THE SAINTS – Requested by Mrs. Olga D’Souza WEDNESDAY 12:00 NOON – NIKOLA PETRANOVIC – Requested by the Family THURSDAY – ALEC CHAN – Requested by Mary Chan FRIDAY – MARIETTA CAPPA – Requested by Maurus Cappa SATURDAY – GORDON OATWAY – Requested by the Family
Thank you so much to the volunteers who prepared 64 casseroles for February. For March, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of March 29th/30th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
More volunteers are encouraged to become active in helping to feed our less fortunate sisters and brothers. There are now 3 different recipes available in the Parish Office or online at the Church website. If you require more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791.
Since our last report, we have collected another $95 in Canadian Tire money in support of Matercare International. This association of Catholic Obstetricians and Gynecologists working in developing countries, is dedicated to improving the lives and health of mothers and their children, both unborn and born, through initiatives of service, training, research and advocacy. Thank you for your continuing support of this worthwhile campaign.
Tuesday, March 4th from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Catholic Pastoral Centre: 1155 Yonge St. 4th Floor (Parking available)
On Tuesday, March 4th, New Beginnings will present an inspirational talk with Michael Stoeber, Professor of Religion and Spirituality at Regis College, The Jesuit School of Theology at the University of Toronto. Pre registration is NOT required. For enquiries please contact Deacon James Shaughnessy MSW., RSW., Psyn.D. at Catholic Family Services of Toronto 416-921-1163 ext 2227 or by email jshaughn@cfstoronto.com).
Friday, March 7th at 1:30 PM Forest Grove United Church, 43 Forest Grove Drive
World Day of Prayer is an annual worldwide ecumenical service which began in 1922 in Canada and the United States. It is now observed in 170 countries around the world. Each participating country takes its turn selecting the theme and writing the service.
Forest Grove United Church invites us to join them at this year’s service, written by the Christian women of Egypt, entitled “Stream in the Desert”. All are welcome to attend.
St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power Street, Toronto Thursday evenings, March 11th to April 1st 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
This series is an opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of Catholicism and to live their faith more eagerly as disciples of Jesus Christ, based upon the four major sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1. Profession of Faith 2. The Celebration of the Christian Mystery 3. Life in Christ 4. Christian Prayer
Sessions will include presentations, multimedia, reading, discussion, prayer and reflection. To register, call the Office of Formation for Discipleship at 416-934-3400 ext. 523 On-Line Form: www.archtoronto.org/discipleship Fax: 416-934-3431 Email: formation@archtoronto.org
Catholic Pastoral Centre, 1155 Yonge Street (Located beside Summerhill subway station.)
Tuesday evenings, March 11th to April 1st 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Come and learn the basics about the Bible, according to the Catholic teaching and traditions in four faith formation sessions. The sessions will include multimedia presentations, reflection, prayer and discussion, and will answer the basic questions: What is the Bible? What is in it? What do I do with it? How do Catholics pray with Scripture?
To register, call the Office of Formation for Discipleship at 416-934-3400 ext. 523 On-Line Form: www.archtoronto.org/discipleship Fax: 416-934-3431 Email: formation@archtoronto.org
Our Perspective on: Reproductive Issues Paulist Ministry Centre, 830 Bathurst across from the Bathurst Subway station. Tuesdays, March 4th to March 25th at 7:00 P.M.
These presentations will include the following topics: Stem Cell Research: End of Life Issues; Prolonging Life, Terminal Sedation; Health-care Directives; Palliative Care; Physician-assisted Suicide; Sacrament of the Sick; Spiritual Needs.
It will be given by Dr. Moira McQueen, Executive Director of Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute-on consecutive Tuesdays, March 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th at 7:00 P.M. For more information call 416-534-2326.
Saturday, March 22nd from 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Loretto College, 70 St. Mary Street
This workshop will be presented by a team of men and women religious. It is a day to reflect on making choices in life. It will be given at Loretto College, 70 St. Mary Street, Toronto (south of Bay/Bloor Subway).
The suggested donation is $25 (lunch included). For further information, please contact Sister Rosemary Fry, CSJ at 416-285-4166 or by email at rfry@csj-to.ca.
Holy Cross Cemetery 8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill Saturday, March 22nd, at 9:00 A.M.
Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share: – How to protect your loved ones with a proper Will – How to ensure your wishes are legally protected – About Powers of Attorney – The cost savings of making an estate plan – Finding lawyers and estate planning advisors – Our Catholic traditions around wills, burial and funerals
Envelopes 406 $8,883 Loose Change $1,005 Weekly Portion of PAG 177 $3,307 (Pre-Authorized Giving) Total $13,195
February 23rd, 2014
The Christian community in Corinth was a very fractious community. This fractiousness was the reason Paul wrote his two letters to the community he founded. Some people claimed they were of Paul, other of Apollos, others of Peter whereas Paul reminded them they were all of Christ, the Christ who died for them on the cross. It was a community blessed with the many gifts of the Holy Spirit but Paul had to remind the people that these gifts were not for personal ownership they were meant for the building up, not the breaking up of the community. Paul complained about how they celebrated the Lord’s Supper; some had more than enough to eat and drink and some went hungry. Paul was shocked at the immorality in the community and the fact that they were taking one another to the civil courts to settle their disputes instead of working these issues out among themselves.
In today’s second reading we have Paul reminding the Christians of Corinth a very important fact. ‘Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you’? If anyone destroys God’s temple God will destroy that person. God’s temple is holy and you are that temple.’ The church, the community is the place where the Spirit of God is present and active. The church doesn’t consist of bricks and mortar but of people. Corinth had no building identified as a church; the Corinthians were the church, the temple of God.
Paul tells them that those men and women who would break up the community into factions are destroying the temple of God, destroying the church and they would pay for it.
As it was then so it is now in the life of the church. We are meant to deepen the sense of community in the parish. It is to be the home of all who come here no matter what their background or origin, no matter we be rich or poor, no matter what our life style, no matter, no matter. For all our faults and failings, no matter how often we fall short of our goals, we accept each other for whom and what we are and struggle to love and support each other as Christ love and supported us.
Later on Paul will apply the same figure of the temple to the individual Christian. Each one of us is the temple of God for the Spirit of God dwells in us personally. God’s Spirit has been poured into our hearts giving us all the ability to call God Father. Paul tells us that it is personal immorality that defiles the individual Christian as God’s temple but that it is disunity and factions that defiles the whole congregation.
As we continue to celebrate this Mass may each one of us be blessed to appreciate the awesomeness and the responsibility of Paul’s teaching; ‘Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you’? We can think of this wonder as it applies to us as individuals and as it applies to us as a community of believers.
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