September 8th, 2013
Welcome back! We hope you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. For those young people who are off to university, we wish you every success as you begin a new stage of your life. For those students and teachers in our community returning to elementary and secondary school, we wish you a very positive and rewarding year.
September 9th to September 14th, 2013
MONDAY – SPECIAL INTENTION Requested by Fr. Brando TUESDAY – HARRY LEUNG Requested by John Chan WEDNESDAY –VINCENT HA Requested by Laura, Sylvia & Valerie Ha THURSDAY – ELIO RANCATI Requested by the Family FRIDAY – HARRY LEUNG Requested by Mary Leung SATURDAY – MARTIN SMEE Requested by the Smee Family
School Age Children Parish Office September 25th, September 26th, October 2nd, October 3rd
Registration for children who wish to receive the Sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation will be held at the Parish Office from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM on the following evenings:
Please Note: A copy of the child’s Baptismal Certificate is required if registering for First Communion or Confirmation.
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome:
All received the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of July and August. Congratulations!
“Those who sing pray twice.” Our senior choir practices on Tuesday evenings, 7:30–9:00 PM and leads community song at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass. Our junior choir practices on Thursday evenings from 6:30–8:00 PM and leads the music at the 12:30 PM Mass. We always welcome new voices and hope you will consider joining us! For more information, please contact the choir director after any of the Masses.
If you have, or know of, school age children (ages 7 to 14) who wish to prepare for Baptism, please contact the Parish Office, or Fatima Lee directly, at (416) 221-8866. Classes for them will begin in early October.
The Children’s Faith Program for children attending private or public schools will begin next Sunday, September 15th at 10:00 AM. Classes are held at St. Gabriel’s School.
Meetings in preparation for the R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) will begin soon. These meetings are for persons interested in learning about the Catholic Faith. The exploration may lead the candidate to seek baptism, and become a member of the Catholic Christian community — or for Christians already baptized into another Christian denomination, the reception into the Catholic Church.
Adult Catholics who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation but who wish to do so are also encouraged to attend these sessions. As well these meetings may an opportunity for “Born Catholics” to deepen their understanding of our faith.
Very often, especially for those of us who received our religious instruction at an early age, we tend to grow physically, mentally, psychologically etc., but the understanding of our faith does not grow correspondingly. The RCIA may serve as a good opportunity for us to ask questions and to develop a more adult understanding of our faith.
If you are interested in joining the RCIA meetings or if you would like to have more information about it, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866. You can also contact Fatima Lee directly at ext. 228.
Adult Education:
We continue our study of the Hebrew Bible on Tuesday evening, September 24th at 7:30 PM, and Thursday morning, September 26th at 10:30 AM. For information please call Mary at 416-293-3760.
Congratulations to the good people of St. Gabriel’s. Our final total for ShareLife 2013 was $193,409.26. Thank you for your very generous support.
Have you been cleaning out drawers and cupboards? Perhaps you have come across old eye glasses which are of no use to you. You can help others by donating your old eyeglasses. Glasses will be sent to the Lions Club for distribution to the needy in developing countries. Donated glasses may be left in the box provided just outside the Parish Office.
This weekend, September 7th/8th is Bundle-Up Weekend. Bring your gently used clothing and household items to share with others. A St. Vincent de Paul truck will be in the Church parking lot to receive donations. We will donate or sell these donations to support our outreach efforts. Thank you for your continued support. The truck will be open on Saturday, September 7th from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM and all day Sunday, September 8th until 4:00 PM. Volunteers will assist with the loading before and after each Mass.
The Leprosy Mission of Canada would like to thank the Parishioners of St. Gabriel’s for their outstanding participation in the stamp collection project. Through medical treatments, education and rehabilitation, your recent gift helps restore dignity and courage to those who have suffered much too long.
Stamps should be trimmed leaving no less than ¼ inch and no more than ½ inch border. Postcards or envelopes dated prior to 1950 should be sent without removing the stamp. All foreign as well as Canadian and American commemorative stamps are welcome. Please continue to help the Leprosy Mission of Canada to continue their work towards the day when leprosy is eradicated.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared casseroles during the summer, 33 for June, 42 for July and 24 for August. For September, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekends of September 28th/29th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
More volunteers are urgently needed. Please get a copy of a casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. Three recipes are available on St. Gabriel’s web site. Printed copies of the recipes are also available. 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.
Saturday, September 14, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share:
An estate planning kit and DVD will be provided at no cost.
Location: Holy Cross Cemetery, 8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill. Refreshments will be provided.
RSVP: Frank Jannetta, Catholic Cemeteries 416.733-8544 ext. 237 or fjannetta@ccat.on.ca
From Gangland to Promised Land Monday, September 30th at 7:00 PM Duke of York Pub (upstairs), 39 Prince Arthur Ave, Toronto
Young adults (19-39) are invited join us for an evening of thought-provoking theological discussion in a comfortable and relaxed setting, with special guest from Ireland: John Pridmore, author and speaker. He will speak about how he went from a life of darkness as a violent London gangster to working with people like Mother Teresa and speaking at World Youth Day. Munchies provided, cash bar, come and bring a friend!
Catholic Family Services of Toronto is offering a 10 week group program for adult men and women coping with the many struggles involved in the process of separation and divorce. Group Participants will receive support and guidance as they move through this difficult period of transition. The group will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 PM beginning on September 24th at the Central Office, 1155 Yonge Street. For further information, please contact Ian Singer at 416-921-1163.
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week. Collection for September 1st, 2013
Envelopes (388) – $8,308 Loose Change – $1,025 Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving (182) – $3,805 Total $13,138
Please remember to print your full name on your Offertory envelope and then seal it.
| Posted in Bulletin |
September 1st, 2013
Jesus was a keen observer of what was going on around him, as the saying goes, ‘he never missed a trick’ The gospel tells us the Scribes and Pharisees were watching him but he was watching them too. They pushed their way to the best places at table feeling these places belonged to them because of their status or power. But we’ve all learned from experience, pushy people get their come up pence. Eventually, embarrassed and shamed they are sent to sit in the lowest place.
Recently we’ve had our fill of celebrities and political leaders falling by the wayside, brought down by sexual involvements or stealing from the public burse. They imagined that because of fame or fortune there were entitled to sit in the first place in the banquet of life; they were entitled to feed from the public trough and betray public trust.
Remember the famous words of Mary in her Magnificat,’ He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.’ Each one of us can honestly say those words. We are all blessed, graced in one way or another. We can all say that we are blessed with life, with faith, with intellectual gifts, with artistic talents, athletic skills. We all have God given gifts that enhance our lives. The important thing is to recognize these talents for what they are – gifts, gifts for which we should be grateful, gifts that we are meant to share with others.
That’s what Jesus had in mind when he told his fellow guests that when they throw a party they should invite as guests men and women who couldn’t possibly pay them back
At the time of Jesus reciprocity was the normal way of doing things. I do you a favor, you do me a favor. I invite you to my home for a meal so I expect you will do the same for me. A lot of times people would decline and invitation to a meal because they knew they couldn’t afford to respond in kind.
Jesus suggests another which shook them all up. When you have a party don’t invite friends and relatives, people you know will invite you to their homes in return. Invite the poor, the cripple, the lame and the blind. These are people who couldn’t possibly repay you now but who will repay you when all turns to dust and you hear those wonderful words,’ as often as you did these things to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did them to me. Take for your possession the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
We are a blessed and gifted people. May we always remember it is in giving that we receive.
| Posted in Homily |
August 18th, 2013
Can we imagine the conflict and turmoil that upset the families of those men and women who accepted Jesus of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter, as the Messiah? Can’t we just hear family and friends saying, “Are you out of your mind?” Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Who ever heard of such nonsense? Call the Rabbi and get him to talk some sense into this person. The Scribes or Pharisees wouldn’t have anything to do with this Nazarene. They were the ones who had him executed and put an end to his nonsense. The disillusioned follower of Christ could be the father, the wife, a son or a daughter or any member of the extended family. Whoever they were they were turning their backs, deserting the faith that went back generations in favour of a wandering preacher and do-gooder. It was same reaction today as if your son or daughter told you they joined Scientology.
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August 4th, 2013
The lessons of today’s scripture are so evident. We know we can’t take anything with us when we die. We know we’ve never seen a Brink’s truck following a hearse. Yet we are surrounded by voices telling us to shop, shop, and shop. The message is accumulate. Our success, our worth is measured by what we possess whether it is big full barns, bank accounts or successful investment portfolios.
I had a funeral a number of years ago. It was for a C and E Catholic – Christmas and Easter. A nephew gave a eulogy at the Mass. He told of his uncle’s career in the construction business and all the projects in which he was involved and all the properties he owned. He’d built up his own little empire. He was so proud of his uncle’s accomplishments. When we arrived at the grave site I thought, ‘the only real estate he owns now is this 6x6x4 hole in the ground.’ I made the judgment his life wasn’t about storing up treasurers in heaven.
Today’s parable was the result of the request of someone in the crowd asking Jesus “tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” You know, there is nothing like a will to divide a family and bring out the worst in people.
We’re all familiar with today’s gospel. It brings us up short. We know that our worth does not consist in an abundance of possessions. Our worth depends on our own sense of integrity before God and others. We all know that but do we know that?
We’ve all heard the questions: do you own the car or does the car own you? Do you own the cottage or does it own you? Do you own the business or does the business own you?
We are rich, maybe someday we will have money.
The rich fool is a man who lived his life without reference to God and was caught in the toils of futility and meaninglessness. He lived his life as if God didn’t exist. He was the centre of his whole world. God blessed him with this great harvest. What was he to do? Being a good business man he looked ahead. He’d build bigger barns and play the options. If he was lucky maybe next year’s crop would fail and he could make a big profit off his bunker crop. He lived his life without reference to God or his neighbours. His life was all about himself. When he asked himself the question ‘what shall I do with this windfall’ it never enters his mind to say “I will feed the hungry, I will open my barns and call in all the poor. I will imitate Joseph in proclaiming my good will toward everyone. I will issue the generous invitation: ‘Let anyone who lacks bread come to me. You shall share, each according to need, in the good things God has given me.’”
Someone wrote these very wise words to help us as we reflect on today’s parable; ‘first, it is good to avoid a number of things: To begin with, we must never idealize poverty and see wealth as a bad thing in itself. God is rich, not poor, and heaven will not be a place of poverty. Poverty is something to be overcome, eradicated. The poor don’t enjoy being poor.’
I heard this story a long time ago, it is a bit corny but its message is for real. A newly married couple were out for a walk one evening and friends of theirs drove by in a classy new car. They waved to each other. The young husband, who could barely make ends meet, said to his wife, “just you wait, one day we’ll be rich too.” She replied, “honey we are rich maybe someday we will have money.”
Think of this, good people: we are rich with or without money.
Look at our spouse, look at our children, look at a trusted friend – we are rich. Think of our own health, our ability to walk, go to work, see, talk, remember – we are rich. Think of the faith we share knowing we are loved unconditionally for all our faults and failings. We are rich. These are the realities that are the sources of our wealth. Maybe someday we will have money.
Whatever shape or form our riches take may we always remember that they are meant to be shared with those who have less. We are to open the doors of our own full barns and share our blessings with others. In that way we will be rich before God.
July 28th, 2013
Teach us to pray as John teaches his disciples. Prayer was always important in the life of Jesus. We read in the gospels how he would take the apostles away to the mountain to be in a place of solitude and spend time in the presence of his Father.
| Posted in Uncategorized |
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St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk