April 27th, 2008
The Acts of the Apostles records the life and struggles of the early Christian communities. The execution of Stephen in Jerusalem caused a scattering of the disciples. My father used to say, “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.” It was through this scattering of the Christian community in Jerusalem that the faith was brought to other communities, Jewish and Gentile. In the Acts we read of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in the first years of the church. We read of deeds and wonders that are not part of our experiences. When Peter and John laid hands over those Samaritans who had been baptized by Philip, they were blessed with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
We all received the Holy Spirit when we were baptized. St. Paul teaches that when we were baptized the Holy Spirit was poured into our very being and empowered by that Spirit we are bold enough to call God, Father. In one of the prayers for the feast of Pentecost we pray, “And that we might live no longer for ourselves but for Him, He sent the Holy Spirit from you Father to complete His work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace.”
I tell the student preparing for Confirmation that Baptism makes us the receiver of gifts but Confirmation makes us the doer of deeds. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit in us that helps us break out of and overcome our innate selfishness and go out to those in need. It is the Holy Spirit who nudges us, coaches us to do things for others. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives as the Spirit offers us passing suggestions to make a phone call, make a visit, send a note, offer a word or admiration or congratulations to someone, offer an apology or graciously accept an apology.
We are in the midst of the very important yearly appeal of ShareLife. As you know, the money raised by this appeal helps countless men, women, and children in our Archdiocese. The motto of this year’s appeal is stated in the simple words, “Because You Give.” Because you give much good can be done. Because you give young people are helped and healed in places like Covenant House or Mary’s Place. Because you give the poor, hungry and homeless are helped by St. Vincent de Paul and Good Shepherd Centre. Because you give the agencies of Catholic Charities can keep their doors open and do their good work. The good people who cook the casseroles for the Good Shepherd Centre had a pot luck supper a while back and one of the workers from the Centre spoke about all the good that is done at the Centre, especially with the help of volunteers and the assistance of ShareLife.
As I mentioned in my letter to you on ShareLife, last year we mailed out some 1800 Share Life appeals. Only 505 families responded. In other words only 23% of the parish contributed to this important appeal. When you stop to think about it, this is not very impressive, in fact it’s embarrassing.
In any appeal that comes our way we always ask that you be as generous as your own means allow. You know your own financial obligations and you have to take these into consideration. I suggested in my letter that every family in the parish give $50.00 to ShareLife. I suggest this again.
There was a song that was popular during the Depression in the 1930s, Buddy Can You Spare a Dime? I’m asking you, in the name of the men, women and children who will be helped, because you give, can you spare $50.00? If you still have your Share Life envelope at home or if you need one they are available on the tables in the church. Please use them.
As we continue this Mass we can pray for each other that the Holy Spirit, given to us so that we may live no longer for ourselves but for others nudge us, prod us to be part of this important life giving, life changing appeal of ShareLife. Because you give good things happen and good people are helped.
| Posted in Homily |
2007 ShareLife Total: $164,652.60 2008 ShareLife to Date: $ 99,475.00
The Children’s Faith Program Family Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, May 4th at the 8:30 AM Mass. Children from different grades will prepare the readings and usher. All families are invited.
Tuesday evening, May 6 at 7:30 PM Topic: Catholics in Nazi Germany Wednesday morning, May 7 at 10:30 AM Topic: St. Paul – Pastor and Theologian
Fred Speed, a long-time parishioner, is offering to teach English to small groups of new immigrant women. The groups will be between four and six persons. It is anticipated that classes, with an initial focus on conversational English, will be offered one afternoon a week here at the parish. They will be targeted to immigrants with a beginner level of English. Details about the classes may be found on the bulletin boards. Those interested, please contact Fatima Lee at (416) 221 – 8866, Ext. 228 for further information and/or to register.
April 20, 2008 – $ 8,166.93
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Sunday, May 4th at 3:00 PM in St. Gabriel’s Church. The celebrant will be Father Paul.
Each year, in the province of Ontario, we celebrate Catholic Education Week to recognize the importance of our Catholic schools. This year’s theme is “we are called…” and comes from the well known quote of the prophet Isaiah, “I have called you by your name, you are mine.” (Isaiah, 43:1)
Each person is called by God, and Catholic schools are based on the commitment to recognize that personal dignity, so that those who are educated there will be helped to discover the purpose of their lives as children of God. Catholic education is meant to reveal not only the “what” and “how” of life, but also, and more importantly, the “why”.
In Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Toronto, teachers and support staff invite our children to walk with one another as they grow in faith together. This is a responsibility that we all share – in home, parish community and school. In that sense, we are all teachers and we all continue to learn.
As the Archbishop of Toronto, I encourage you to renew your commitment to Catholic education. It is a beacon of hope in a troubled world. With your active engagement, it can provide a powerful vehicle through which God can call us to become what he intends us to be. Our Catholic schools seek to graduate men and women who know and practice justice, service, love and humility in the imitation of Jesus Christ. It invites those who experience it to weave the thread of faith through all that they do, and so discover the path to the fullness of life. Catholic education is meant to lead not only to knowledge, but also to that holy wisdom that is made evident in the way that we treat one another. To the many fine teachers, administrators, support staff and trustees, I express my gratitude for your ongoing efforts. In celebrating Catholic Education Week, may we all – parents, students, clergy and educators – reflect deeply on the purpose and value of Catholic education and devote our prayers, thoughts and actions to its continued enhancement.
Yours sincerely in the Lord, Thomas C. Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
View the 2007 parish financial statement. (Please note: this is a PDF document)
| Posted in Bulletin |
April 20th, 2008
Have you ever had a family gathering and more people showed up than you expected and you find yourself trying to make more room at the table. People have to move over, make room for Uncle Harry or Aunt Gen. As for having enough to eat, just put more water in the soup or another potato in the pot. We’ll make due.
Today’s gospel is part of the long conversation Jesus had with his disciples the night before He was to die. He had so many things to tell them, He has so many things to give them, especially His body and Blood in the bread and wine of their meal.
One of the things Jesus shares with His disciples is the beautiful image of His Father’s house – a house of many rooms, a house with rooms for all. We’ve all heard the different jokes about heaven and different people of different faiths and denominations thinking they are the only ones there. They were quite convinced there would be no room for those who believed differently than themselves.
This image Jesus uses of the house with many rooms is an image of God’s boundless love, an all embracing love for all. We all know our personal ability to love is quite limited and we can be quite selective, even stingy. We have just so much room in our hearts for others. We often find it difficult to make room in our lives for those who have hurt or disappointed us. This is so often the case in families, we let slights and misunderstandings linger for years and we close people out of our lives, even slam the door on them. We often have no room in our lives for people of different faiths or cultures. What Jesus is telling us in today’s gospel is God’s love for this world is “room” and larger than anything we can imagine. Jesus is telling His quite limited followers – which we all are – that despite the fact that our hearts are so narrow; God’s “house” has dwelling places which will be open to all.
As a nation we are into another time of questioning of our immigration policies, who should be let in, who should be kept out. When we look at our own family histories we have to acknowledge that, thank God this country had room for us. Let’s not get into that mentality of saying, ‘close the doors, we have no more room.’
Making room in our lives for each other will be a continuing sign of what God’s love means. God’s love is an all embracing love, a limitless love and an unconditional love.
As we continue this Mass we can pray for ourselves and for each other that will always be willing to make room in our lives and love for anyone and everyone who comes into our lives. May we be blessed with a bigness of heart which images the boundless love of God for each of us and be willing to make room for others.
Father Paul will be away this week leading a retreat at the shrine of Our Lady of the Links.
Santa Maria house was established in 1961, through the vision and dedication of volunteers. Although it is a Roman Catholic Agency, it serves young women of any belief. The basic philosophy centres on growth and celebration of life. Santa Maria House offers a supportive live-in environment for seven young women, ages 16 to 19, who have been victims of abuse. Emphasis is placed upon life skills, independence, preparation for the future, learning to live cooperatively in a group, the development of a sense of self worth, and personal responsibility. The ultimate goal is to help young women develop into healthy, contributing members of society.
2007 ShareLife Total: $164,652.60 2008 ShareLife to Date: $102,340.00
Total: $8,062.24
–>
Tuesday evening, April 22nd at 7:30 PM Topic: Catholics in Nazi Germany
Wednesday morning, April 23rd at 10:30 AM Topic: St. Paul – Pastor and Theologian
Your prepared chicken casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at all the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to get involved. Pick up a copy of the casserole recipe, a foil pan and give it a try. For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto and the Redemptorists invite young adults (ages 18 – 39) to join our house party and partake in food, laughter and a chance to ask questions. All young adults are welcome (married, single, student, working etc.) Thursday, April 24 7:00 – 9:00 PM Redeemer House 151 McCaul Street, Toronto Free parking available across the road.
Bibiana L’Abbé, conductor
The Laudamus Chorus presents an unforgettable night of uplifting sacred choral music featuring The Mass of St. Cecilia by C.Gounod. Let your hearts and minds be enchanted by this soaring spiritual music.
Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 7:30PM St. Luke’s Parish, 39 Green Lane, Thornhill Tickets: $20 (in advance) $25 (at the door) Call: 905-771-0230 or e-mail: laudamus.chorus@gmail.com Proceeds go to St. Luke’s Parish capital campaign.
Single women, ages 18-40, are invited to a retreat weekend, May 9-11 or May 30-June 1, 2008, given by a team of Sisters of St. Joseph. For information call Sister Dorothy at 416 – 927 – 0720. Also, see the flyer on the bulletin board.
Catholic Family Services of Toronto is offering another series for “Families and Individuals Experiencing Separation or Divorce”.
The program will be offered from 6:30 to 8:30 at two locations beginning: May 6 North Office, 5799 Yonge Street (Finch Subway Station) May 8 Central Office, 1155 Yonge Street (Summerhill Subway Station)
For further information call Ian Singer at the Central Office, 416-921-1163 or Mario Esposito at our North office at 416-222-0048
Get involved and celebrate Mother’s Day in a special way. Help make the world a better place for children! 5 km Fundraising Walk in support of Paediatric Brain Tumour Research. Sunday, May 11, 2008 9:00 AM – 12 Noon from Ontario Place to the Hospital for Sick Children All proceeds to benefit the Meagan Bebenek Endowment Fund at SickKids and b.r.a.i.n.child. Register, Pledge, Donate Online At www.meaganswalk.com
Pauline Hwang, daughter of Paul and Wai Chin Hwang, will be bicycling from Toronto to Montreal in July, for a total distance of 610 km, to raise funds for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. Donations are tax deductible (minimum $20 for tax receipt) and help pay for food programs, treatment programs, health promotion, income support and other needed services. Pauline is training very hard for this venture and welcomes any support from you for this important charity.
For more information about the bike rally, please see www.bikerally.org. Online pledges are accepted (just click “Pledge a 2008 Participant” and search for Pauline Hwang) and an electronic tax receipt will be emailed immediately. You may also phone her at 416-890-7770 to arrange to donate via cheque, credit card, bank withdrawal, monthly donations or cash. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
April 13th, 2008
Have you ever found yourself in the waiting area of an airport and you are on stand-by? You keep waiting for your name to be called – you hear other names called, why not yours? It’s important you make this flight. Weren’t you relieved when your name was called?
Remember how pleasantly surprised you were when someone remembered your name and how embarrassed you were when you couldn’t remember someone else’s name.
We don’t know what the situation was in the Christian community to which St. John wrote his gospel many years after the death and resurrection of Jesus that prompted him to use this example of shepherd and sheep. As in other Christian communities of the time there probably were tensions. Different people had different understandings of whom and what Jesus was all about. St. Paul ran into such a situation in the Christian community of Corinth. He complains about the jealousy and wrangling in the community. Paul rejected the slogans, “I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas.” His response to these slogans was, “we are all of Christ.”
Probably facing similar dissensions we have St. John showing us Jesus as the Good Shepherd, a shepherd who knows his sheep and calls them by name.
History tells us that the many shepherds brought their small herds down to Jerusalem for the festivals and these various flocks were kept together in one big sheepfold. How, you might ask, does each shepherd retrieve the sheep that belong to him since there were no brands, no markings of any kind?
The first way is that the shepherd can call each of his sheep by name. He has been with them on the hillsides night and day, leading them to good grass and safe water. They are no strangers to him. The shepherd has a name for each sheep because they each have a personality that is special to them, just like human beings. When they hear their names called they head toward the shepherd.
And second, the sheep recognize the actual voice of the shepherd; after all they hear it day after day.
Jesus would teach us from this imagery of shepherd and sheep the wonderful truth that the God of the universe calls each of us by name. In Jesus God knows each and every one of us better than we know ourselves. What God said to one of the prophets He says to each of us, “before you were conceived in the womb I knew you and called you by name.” St. Paul claims that “before the world began God chose us in Christ to be His adopted sons and daughters.” To stress this intimacy God has with us, Jesus tells us that the very hairs of our heads are numbered. God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.
So today our responsorial psalm is the famous “The Lord is my shepherd.” He journeys with us throughout our lives. Our shepherd, who calls us by name, brings us to green pastures and still waters to restore us when we are convinced we just can’t go on. Our shepherd, who calls us by name, protects us as we walk through the dark valleys of illness or bereavement, of lost or betrayed love, those dark valleys when we feel so inadequate, a failure. Our shepherd, who calls us by name, helps us overcome the setbacks and disappointments of life and gives us the grace of joy and satisfaction of knowing we have overcome, we’ve prevailed. Our shepherd, who calls us by name, will bless our joys and sorrows with goodness and mercy all our days until we come to dwell in God’s house forever.
This is vocation Sunday, a day of special prayers that young men and women will answer a call to a life of service with the church. It’s Called by Name Sunday. Remembering we are all called by name we pray that some of our young men and women will their name called to a life of service in the church.
As we continue to celebrate this Eucharist we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we grasp this wonderful truth, that every day of life each one of us is called by name by our Good Shepherd who laid down his life for us, His sheep. Every day of life He calls us by name, to his life, his love, his healing. Every day of our lives we are called by name to live our shepherd’s great commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
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
