January 5th, 2014
Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. We use this word epiphany to describe a moment when we have a sudden insight, a moment of enlightenment that gives us a deeper appreciation of something that was very ordinary in our lives. A husband or wife might come to a deeper appreciation of what they mean to one another because of the way he or she handles a crisis in their lives or how he or she was there for the other when test results let them know there will rough times ahead. Parents have an epiphany when they suddenly see how hard it is for a son or daughter to cope with the frustration of not being able to find work no matter what degrees they have, no matter how many years they’ve spent in school or when they appreciate in a deeper way the courage and determination of a son or daughter struggling with their addictions. A person may have an epiphany when realise how much comfort and strength they receive from attendance at Mass or following their favorite devotions.
People often have an epiphany when they are caught up in the beauty of a sun rise or the delicate beauty of an ordinary flower or watch in amazement as a spider spins its web. These and many more events that intrude into our ordinary lives give us a glimpse at the deeper wonder of all creation or the wonder of the goodness of those who are part and parcel of our daily lives are epiphanies – moments of wonder and awe. They may be surprises or they may come to us after years of prayer and searching.
Today’s gospel teaches us of the epiphany of the early church when it took to its heart the words of St. Peter after his encounter with the Roman Centurion, Cornelius – the truth I have come to understand is this, that any person of any nationality who does what is right is acceptable to God’
Peter and Paul both shared this epiphany that God’s love and the saving power of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection are open to people of all times who seek to do what is right according to their own lights. Peter and Paul confronted and opposed Jewish Christians who demanded the any Gentile who became a follower of Jesus must observe the laws and customs of Judaism.
So we have this beautiful gospel of wise men, non-Jews, coming from far away, searching for the truth, a truth they find in an infant lying in a manger. We hear they went home by a way they did not come, their lives transformed by the wonder they had experienced.
I believe we are experiencing a new epiphany in our time – if we are open to it. This epiphany is in the words and actions of Pope Francis. He stands before us all with open and welcoming arms. Not for him the pointing finger of condemnation and scolding. He welcomes all to come together – those of our faith, those with faiths different from our own, those with no faith at all to work together to undo the grave social and economic injustices of our time. Pope Francis call us of faith, calls those of different faith, calls those of no faith to work together to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give a roof to the homeless, provide clean drinking water to those who have no such luxury, give a homeland to the migrants, give hope to the hopeless of our own neighbourhood, our own country.
Listen to what Francis said at St. Peter’s on New Year’s Day;
We are all children of one heavenly father, we belong to the same human family and we share a common destiny,” “This brings a responsibility for each to work so that the world becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other in one’s diversity, and takes care of one another,”
The Holy Father invites us into this Epiphany – seeing in a deeper way, a more challenging way the truth that we are brothers and sisters to one another and we are our sisters and brothers keeper. May we be graced to hear and live these words of Jesus – love one another as I have loved you – as often as you do these things to others you do them to me.
| Posted in Homily |
January 6th – January 11th, 2014
MONDAY – JOVITA & FRANCISCO PINO – Requested by Josie Pino TUESDAY – WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY – FRIDAY – FRANK HAYWARD – Requested by Phyllis Hayward SATURDAY – ELISEO BUMAGAT – Requested by Reyna & Family
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Thank you, good people, for your overwhelming generosity this Christmas season. Thanks to you, St. Gabriel’s was able to provide toys, food and gifts to Rosalie Hall, the Catholic Children’s Aid, the Good Shepherd Centre and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. A special thank you to our neighbours the St. Gabriel’s Village Condos for their generous support of our food and toy drives. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
At this time of year, many have received Christmas cards. Please remember to bring us your used postage stamps. These are passed on to the Leprosy Mission of Canada 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.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 34 casseroles for December. For January, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of January 25th/26th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. There are 3 different recipes available in the Parish Office or online at the Church website.
More volunteers are encouraged to become active in helping to feed our less fortunate sisters and brothers. If you require more information or would like to get copies of the recipes and a casserole pan, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791.
A big Thank You to the students of St. Gabriel’s for their food drive and their help in sorting and packing. YOU made a difference.The generous support from parishioners was outstanding…The Giving Tree toys and mittens and donations were so appreciated. We thank Father Brando and all the staff for their continuing help and support.We are blessed with good people here at St. Gabriel’s. 32 families had a brighter Christmas, in spite of the ice storm! Thank you all. May God bless you and yours in 2014.
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for December 15th, 2013: $13,852 Collection for December 22nd, 2013: $10,118 Christmas Collection To Date: $11,437 Collection for December 29th, 2013: $14,326
Please pick up your 2014 Offertory Boxed Envelopes as soon as possible. If you are on the Pre- Authorized Giving Plan, you will still receive a smaller green box of envelopes since these include Initial, New Year’s, Christmas, Easter and Maintenance envelopes. You may contact the Parish Office if you do not have envelopes but would like a box for 2014
We would like to remind you not to use envelopes from previous years as this number may have been reassigned to another family.
You can now use your credit card to make your recurring or one-time Offertory donations to St. Gabriel’s. Your donations may earn you valuable points, travel miles or cash back! A classic case of giving and receiving!Simply log on to the Archdiocese of Toronto website (www.archtoronto.org) select “Donate Now”, “Our Parish”, “Toronto East”, then pick “St. Gabriel Catholic Parish” under Parish in the Donation Information section. Complete all required information.
Remember that your tax receipt for a recurring offertory donation will be issued to you by the Archdiocese at the end of the year. For a one-time gift, your tax receipt is emailed to you immediately.
Tuesday, January 7th from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. Pastoral Centre, 1155 Yonge Street, 4th Floor
“Gratitude: A Powerful Attitude for Healing When We Have Suffered a Loss”
An Inspirational Presentation with Fr. Fred Scinto, C.R.at the Archdiocese of Toronto Pastoral Centre, 1155 Yonge St. 4th Floor on Tuesday, January 7th from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. For more information, please call Deacon James Shaughnessy at 416-921-1163 ext. 2227 or email jshaughn@cfstoronto.com
Sunday, January 19th – 3:00 P.M. St. Paul’s Basilica 83 Power Street, Toronto
Did you know that 160 parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto are involved in sponsoring refugees to resettle in Canada? Join us for a Mass to celebrate the many individuals and families who have escaped turmoil to resettle in Canada and to pray for those still seeking to leave areas of war and strife. Bishop McGrattan will preside. Mass is hosted by the Mission of the Vietnamese Martyrs. A special invitation is extended to those who have been involved in refugee sponsorship across the archdiocese. For more information, visit www.archtoronto.org. All are welcome.
A Date to Remember: Catholic Speed Dating Saturday, January 25th — 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Newman Centre, 89 St George St, Toronto
Faith Connections and the Newman Young Adult Ministry invite single young adults (18-39) to a Catholic Speed Dating evening, followed by a dance social! Tickets: $30 (if a concern, contact us). Registrants will be divided into age groups. Registration is required by January 17th. Please contact Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt by phone at 416-467-2645 or e-mail faithconnections@csj-to.ca
Saturday, January 25th , — 9:00 P.M. Newman Centre, 89 St George St, Toronto
Faith Connections and the Newman Young Adult Ministry invite young adults (18-39) to a New Year’s Dance Social and charity fundraiser! Tickets: $10. Snacks and refreshments provided. For more information, e-mail nyamtoronto@gmail.com or call Vanessa Nicholas-Schmidt at 416-467-2645.
January 26 – 3:00 P.M. St. Paul’s Basilica 83 Power St., Toronto
An Ecumenical prayer service with His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Anglican Archbishop Colin Johnson, Slovak Catholic Bishop John Pazak, Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald and other local religious leaders will be held on Sunday, January 26th at 3:00 P.M. This service is the final event of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which will take place January 18th -25th. For more information, contact the Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs at 416-934-3400, ext. 344.
| Posted in Bulletin |
December 29th, 2013
Father help us to live as the Holy Family, united in respect and love.
The greatest blessing you bring to your family is the presence of God in your life. The fragrance of His presence sweetens the atmosphere of your home. The beauty of His presence warms the relationships within its walls. The joy of His presence lightens every heart. The glory of His presence fills all its chambers with rare and precious treasures.
“From God’s Heart to Yours” by Roy Leesin
Let us pray for one another. May God bless you and yours throughout this Christmas Season. We wish you a happy and peaceful New Year and always try to remember “Holiness is in the ordinary.”
A big thank you to all those who decorated our church beautifully. Thank you also to all the musicians who provided us with lively music, to all the altar servers who are always available when needed, to all our ushers with a ready smile and to all our generous parishioners who always make me grateful for the goodness of the Lord. May my gratitude to all of you create a vision for tomorrow. Have a great and wonderful New Year!
Fr. Brando
Fr. Brando has asked Fr. Paul to keep sending his homilies to the parish website. Fr. Paul has promised to do so.
NEW YEAR’S EVE Tuesday, December 31st No 9:00 A.M. Mass Mass at 5:00 P.M. for the Feast of Mary the Mother of God Office Open 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. only
NEW YEAR’S DAY Wednesday, January 1st, 2014 FEAST OF MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD 10:30 A.M. 12:30 P.M. Office Closed
While parking at ground level is limited to 51 spaces, there is plenty of space in the underground parking lot. Please follow the instructions of the attendants. Do not park in front of the Church since this is a fire route and must be kept clear.
Additional parking is available on the east side of Elkhorn Public School and in the bus loop. Again, please follow the instructions of the attendant. The school requests that we do not park on the grass. Many thanks to Holly Richards, the Principal of Elkhorn Public School, for allowing us the use of the school property.
December 30th, 2013 to January 4th, 2014
MONDAY – FRANCISCO & MAROSARIO CALIMBAS – Requested by Estrella, Cherrie, Stella & Isabel TUESDAY – JOHN HONG – Requested by the Family WEDNESDAY – NEW YEARS DAY THURSDAY – SPECIAL INTENTION – Requested by Fr. Brando FRIDAY – THANKSGIVING – Requested by Marie & Michael Gennaro SATURDAY – WONG FOU NGO – Requested by her Children
We are in need of 2 people to help with the altar linens. If you are interested, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866.
You can now use your credit card to make your recurring or one-time Offertory donations to St. Gabriel’s. Your donations may earn you valuable points, travel miles or cash back! A classic case of giving and receiving!
Simply log on to the Archdiocese of Toronto website (www.archtoronto.org) select “Donate Now”, “Our Parish”, “Toronto East”, then pick “St. Gabriel Catholic Parish” under Parish in the Donation Information section. Complete all required information.
Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund – $32,464 Moving Forward Together Collection – $16,460.60
Thank you for your incredible generosity!
Please note: All donations for 2013 must be received in the Parish Office by Monday, December 30th 2013 or they will not be included in your 2013 Tax Receipt.
Recently there have been scenes on news channels about the plight of Syrian families in temporary camps in Lebanon. Families, often separated from one another, suffering the lack of food and shelter. The recent winter storms have made life unbearable for these good people. Those of you who lived without power, light and heat this past week were given a glimpse of what these refugee families are going through. We knew that power would soon, maybe not soon enough, but knew it would soon be back on. These good people have no such hopes.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and Jesus. As we heard from the gospel homelessness and dislocation were the realities faced by the young Mary and Joseph and their infant child. No room in the inn, take the child and flee. Homelessness and exile are the reality of hundreds of thousands of people today, good people victimized by powerful and greedy leaders of movements or governments. These are the people who should be in our thoughts and prayers every day.
As we all know the word family doesn’t have the same meaning as the one with which we were raised. Recently I watch the TV program, ‘Modern Family’. What a hodge podge of relationships and yet this is a true picture of family life lived today in all its varied forms.
In our first reading the important words are honor and respect. These words are two way streets; if we look to honored and respected then we are to honor and respect all those who come into our lives. When honor and respect are missing in any of our relationships then there will be trouble.
As one author put it,” It is first and foremost in our relationships, our families, our friends, that God is encountered, that faith is given flesh, justice is tested and our prayer is made real.”
Our most profound sufferings, our greatest heroics, our most significant encounters with God are here with these people we know and love, in their goodness, in their weakness. Where else do we most intimately encounter what Paul calls the “requirements” of love, compassion, kindness, humility, patience and the willingness to forgive.
Some of today’s family relationships are certainly not traditional and we may find them confusing and even unacceptable but if they are sources of love, life, growth and healing to those involved – to quote Pope Francis, ‘ who are we to judge.?’
Today on this feast of the Holy Family we pray for all those living in the reality of the modern family. May they know peace and love.
December 24th, 2013
St. Gabriel’s Parish has no power and no heat.
For safety reasons, all Christmas Eve Masses are cancelled. (7pm, 9pm, and Midnight)
Christmas Day masses are still scheduled for 10:30am and 12:30pm. There is no 8:30am Mass.
| Posted in Notice |
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.
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Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk