May 3rd, 2009
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| Posted in Bulletin |
April 26th, 2009
View the 2008 parish financial statement. (Please note: this is a PDF document)
Total: $9,436
Number of Envelopes Used: 504
Friday, May 1st from 9:30 AM 12 Noon Please see the time schedule on the table inside the Church.
English Rosary: Saturday, May 2nd at 3:15 in the Library Chinese Rosary: Sunday, May 3rd at 3:30 PM in the Library. For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029
Sunday, May 3rd at 11:30 AM in the Library
Sunday, May 3rd at the 12:30 PM Mass.
Tuesday, April 28th at 7:30 PM Topic: How the Bible Was Written
Wednesday, May 6th at 10:30 AM Topic: The Eucharist
In case of inclement weather, please call Mary Landry at 416-293-3760.
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome: Colin Thomas Flood Ethan Cy Lee Zakary Kai St. Jean Kai Thomas Wu Luke Aidan Wu
These children received the Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, April 19th. Congratulations!
CHILDREN’S FAITH PROGRAM FAMILY MASS
The Children’s Faith Program Family Mass will be celebrated on Sunday May 3rd at the 8:30 AM Mass. All families are invited.
Bring your gently used clothing and household linens to share with others on May 9th and 10th. A St. Vincent de Paul truck will be in the Church parking lot so please share what you can with those less fortunate.
The truck will be open Saturday from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM and all day Sunday until 4:00 PM. Volunteers will assist with the loading before and after each Mass. Thank you for your continued support.
Weekend of May 2nd/3rd
Following Maggie O’Rourke’s presentation about ShareLife agency, Rosalie Hall, we would like to help with the everyday needs of this wonderful organization.
Items that are most needed include: Pampers, – all sizes including toddlers, diaper cream (Penaten and Zincofax), powdered baby formula (preferably Regular Nestle Good Start), sleepers, undershirts, new and gently used clothing- 6 months to 3 years), socks, sippy cups, plastic dishes and glasses for toddlers, baby soap, receiving blankets, bibs (ages 1 to 3 years), baby safety devices (plugs for electrical sockets, locks for cupboard doors), pasta, tomato sauce, beans, macaroni and cheese.
Items can be dropped off in the playpens and boxes provided in the Gathering Space.
“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” Fr. Peyton
Join the prayer network of Rosalie Hall and pray for a young Mom and her child. For more information, contact Maggie O’Rourke at 416-438-6880, Ext. 235.
Tuesday, April 28 at 2:00 PM Blessed Trinity Church Hall
Prospective members are cordially invited. The Guest Speaker will be Mercedes Hughes, a member of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto.
April 19th, 2009
Imagine the scene in today’s gospel. It’s the evening of the first day of the week. The disciples were hiding out behind locked doors fearing for their lives. They couldn’t believe their eyes when Jesus stands among them. These are the men who betrayed, denied and abandoned Him when He most needed them. If it were us we probably would have torn a strip off them. But what does Jesus say, “Peace be with you.” All is forgiven. I understand you were afraid, you didn’t know what was happening, you were intimidated by the crowd, you buckled under. I understand. Peace be with you.
The main character in today’s gospel is Thomas the Doubter. He just would not believe Jesus was alive. He had been so shaken by the death of Jesus, so disillusioned by it all, Thomas was not about to be taken in by some story of Jesus being alive. So we have his famous demand, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
I think Thomas’ real problem was that he tried to cope with the humiliating death of Jesus alone. He didn’t stay with the others, he wanted to be alone. That decision robbed him of the support of his friends. He had no one to talk to, no one to listen to his hurt, his disappointment, and his fear of the future. He was alone. Thomas was with the community for the second visit of the risen Christ. Christ offers His wounds as a witness to the reality He was alive, not an illusion. We hear Thomas’ statement of faith, “My Lord and My God” And all is well.
There is a saying that, as humans, there are two things we can’t do alone; get married and be a Christian. I would add to that we can’t grieve alone. We need the presence and support of others in both the joys and sorrows of life.
It is within a community we find the example and the strength we need to be faithful to the faith. That’s why Sunday Mass is so important. We are here with others who share our faith; we are here with good people who share with us the struggles of life, with good people who share the joys of life. We see in those around us examples of years of marital love, we see in those around us examples of young love and new life, we see in those around us those burdened with the weakness of old age, chronic illness, we see in those around us the hopes, possibilities and vibrancy of youth, we see in those around us loneliness of those who mourn. In this Mass, at every Mass we are surrounded by all the possibilities of our human condition.
And it is from this community of good people, who at the same time are as we are, mistake making beings; we grow in our own Christian faith. As community we praise and thank God, as community we hear the word of God, as community we share the Bread of Life at the table of the Lord and it is from this community we go out to live this Mass beyond these walls. I want to share these quotes from two different Rabbis; their words apply to us Christians as much as they apply to the Jewish congregations to which they were addressed.
“The synagogue is where Jews are made, where the individual soul and the community are joined. It is the place where modernity and eternity cross-fertilize, where the seed of Jewish identity are sown. All other institutions in Jewish life are created by Jews. Only the synagogue creates Jews, child by child, family by family.”
“In congregational worship, regularly scheduled services on Saturday of Sunday, I have come to believe that the congregating is more important than the words we speak. Something miraculous happens when people come together seeking the presence of God. The miracle is that we so often find it. Somehow the whole becomes more important than the sum of its parts. A spirit is created in our midst which none of us has brought there. In fact each of us came looking for it because we did not have it when we were alone. But in coming together, we create the mood and the moment in which God is present.”
“We don’t go to church or synagogue at a stipulated time because God keeps office hours. We go because that is when we know there will be other people there, seeking the same kind of encounter we are seeking.”
After his experience of the Risen Christ, I think Thomas the Doubter would say to us, “Stick together, you need one another.”
As we continue to celebrate this Eucharist we pray for ourselves and for each other that we not be like the Thomas who tried to cope with his grief and disappointment in isolation, but that we be the Thomas who finds his strength to live on surrounded by others who share with him their faith in the Christ who lives, love, heals and forgives in the community He has made His own.
| Posted in Homily |
Thank you one and all who made our Holy week and Easter such a beautiful and uplifting time; those in the Music Ministry, our Lectors and Altar servers, Our Ministers of the Eucharist, our Ministers of Hospitality, those responsible for decorating the Church and the members of our Pastoral Team. To you, the good people of the parish, your attendance and participation in the ceremonies helped to make this a truly Holy Week and Easter. Fr. Paul
Total: $23,629
Number of Envelopes Used: 823
On Good Friday, $5,819.83 was collected for the needs of the Church in the Holy Land. Your contributions will help with the formation of future priests and the upkeep of Religious Sites. Thank you for your generosity.
At the Easter Vigil, Judy Choi, Nadine Clarke, Callie Han, Lindy Lee, Stella Lee and Philip Leung received the sacrament of Baptism. Susan McIntosh was received into the Catholic Church. With Brian Lee, Linette Norman, and Connie Rodriguez, all received the sacrament of Confirmation. The parish family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome and congratulate them!
Wednesday, April 29th at 10:30 AM Topic: The Eucharist
There will be a meeting of the St. Gabriel’s Youth Group this weekend in the Gabriel Room after the 12:30 PM Mass. New members are most welcome.
Your prepared chicken rice casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at all the Masses next weekend, April 25th/26th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to pick up a copy of the casserole recipe and a pan. Why not give it a try? For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
Father Paul will be away this week on retreat at his favourite shrine …. Our Lady of the Links.
Registration forms for the Children’s Faith Program for next year are now available in the Parish Office. Please note that all registrations must be returned by June 30th.
Volunteers from the Parish to teach or to assist the teachers are always welcome. If interested, please contact Cheryl Teixeira at checheboo@yahoo.com
Items that are most needed include: Pampers, – all sizes including toddlers Diaper cream (Penaten and Zincofax) powdered baby formula (preferably Regular Nestle Good Start), sleepers, undershirts, new and gently used clothing- 6 months to 3 years), socks, sippy cups, plastic dishes and glasses for toddlers, baby soap, receiving blankets, bibs (ages 1 to 3 years), baby safety devices (plugs for electrical sockets, locks for cupboard doors) pasta, tomato sauce, beans, macaroni and cheese
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Spring is here; time to garden! 4′ pots – red, pink, salmon, fuchsia, white $2.75 or $30/doz Hanging baskets – red, lavender, fuchsia, pink – $16 Please place your orders before April 30th by calling Louise at 416-733-3946 or Velma at 416-226-0590.
Plants are to be picked up in Blessed Trinity Parish Hall on Saturday, May 9th, 2009 just in time for Mothers’ Day!
The Children’s faith program Family Mass will be celebrated on Sunday May 3rd at the 8:30 AM Mass. Children from different grades will prepare the readings and usher. All families are invited.
An earthquake in central Italy on April 6th has left hundreds dead, thousands injured and many, many more homeless. As rescue efforts continue and emergency response teams work with the victims of the natural disaster, relief efforts are underway around the world.
The ShareLife office is accepting donations to support disaster relief efforts in Italy, assisting in the provision of food, shelter, clean water and medical assistance. Working through the Catholic Church’s official relief body, funds will be channeled through our partners to Caritas Italiana.
Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways: *Online through ShareLife’s website: www.sharelife.org *By phone through the ShareLife Office 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411 *Through parishes, making your cheques payable to: ShareLife – Italian Earthquake Relief
We offer our prayers for the thousands of families affected by this natural disaster. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to serve those in need, both at home and around the world. Be assured that ShareLife does not apply any administrative fees to humanitarian relief contributions, ensuring as much money as possible is directed toward assistance of those in crisis.
It’s a wonder people with special needs can find independence…
“Before coming to Mary centre, I was with my dad, my brothers and sister. This is the first time I have been on my own and I am 41 years old. I am learning to live on my own by following the rules and learning how to write cheques to pay for my telephone and cable TV as well as how to cook different dishes. I get help from my personal support worker. It is a nice building to live in and I will probably stay here for a long time.” Rick, resident at Mary Centre in Toronto
2nd ShareLife Collection – May 3rd, 2009. You can work WONDERS!
April 12th, 2009
In the earliest years of the Church this was the night when all baptisms took place. In those days baptisms were by immersion. They took place at a river or lake. The new converts were taken into the water and immersed. Just as Christ was entombed in the earth those being baptized were entombed in water. Just as Christ came out of the tomb to new life so the newly baptized came out of the life-giving water to walk in newness of life. Christ’s resurrection is the pledge and promise of our resurrection. “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be with him in a resurrection like his.”
Good people with the help of others, you have been involved in a long process of study and soul searching concerning your own relationship with God and with the Catholic Church. The celebration of your baptism, confirmation, your profession of faith and your first communion is not the end of the journey. These Sacraments are your beginning of a life-long process in the development of your own relationship with Christ and with the church.
Our parish motto is ‘belonging, believing, becoming’. Tonight’s celebration is all about your becoming, it is about your growing to a full maturity in Christ.
Tomorrow millions of children will be involved in the hunt for Easter eggs. It’s an Easter ritual. Notice their joy in the hunting, their excitement in the finding and their eagerness to search for more. The Easter Egg Hunt is a lesson for all of us. There is always more to discover and each discovery brings it own joy and motivates us to look for more.
Our lives should be a constant search for Easter eggs, finding new discoverers about the Risen Christ and our personal relationships with Him. Searching for new ways of deepening our relationship with Him and His gifts of the Eucharist and the Sacraments through which we deepen our relationship with Him. He has given us all a share in His glory.
This night we all celebrate the wonder Christ is Risen. The tragedy of Good Friday is transformed into victory, life conquers death and love destroys hatred. As we say in one of our prayers, ‘the Father has raised the Lord Jesus and we too have been raised in Him to live a new life for God.’
As we continue this ritual of Baptism, Confirmation and Reception with these good people and later when all of us renew our own Baptismal promises, pray for ourselves and for each other that each of us will be blessed to be a hunter, a searcher, always seeking a deeper understanding and a fuller living of the faith with which we have all been blessed. May we always live in the wonder – Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again.
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
