October 7th, 2007
God has given us the earth to be our homeland. Along with this gift, we are asked to show our thankfulness by caring for the earth and by sharing our own gifts with one another.
The Brothers of the Good Shepherd are asking for our assistance during the Thanksgiving Season. You may participate by bringing non-perishable food items to the Church from now until October 14th. The following is a list of urgently needed items: canned vegetables and meats, rice, canned soups and stews, cold breakfast cereals, cookies, tea, ketchup, instant and ground coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, powdered milk, powdered fruit juice, powdered soup bases (chicken & beef), paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Kindly drop off your donations at the front doors of the Church and place them in the designated containers. Your donations will allow their kitchen staff and volunteers to prepare and serve an average of 750 meals and snacks daily. You have always supported this appeal so generously. Please keep up the good work.
Total: $8,390
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For families registered in this parish. If your child does not go to St. Gabriel’s School but wishes to receive the sacrament of Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, or Confirmation, please pick up a REGISTRATION FORM in the Parish office. These forms should be returned to the Parish Office with a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate (for First Communion and Confirmation) as soon as possible.
Parents please bring completed registration forms to the parish office (Gabriel room) on any of the following evenings between 7:30 – 9:00 PM: Thursday, October 11th; Wednesday, October 17th; or Tuesday, October 23rd. A photocopy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate needs to accompany the registration for First Communion and Confirmation.
The parish is looking to establish a new ministry to serve elderly parishioners and others with special needs who might require transportation to and from Church on Saturdays/Sundays, and to medical appointments. First we would like to ascertain the need of the community in this regard. At the same time, we are seeking volunteerswho would like to participate in this ministry. Any parishioners who would like to avail themselves of such a service OR who can volunteer to help, please contact Fatima Lee at 416 221-8866.
If you are in Grade 5 or higher and are interested in becoming an altar server, you may contact Thomas Li at 416 756-4995. The orientation and training for the new members will be held on Saturday, October 13th from 2:30 to 4:15 PM in the Church.
For children 4 – 10 years old on Sundays at the 10:30 AM Mass. We are in need of volunteers to help us interpret the readings through discussion and activities. If you are interested call Tim Lychy at 416-953-0555 or email: tim@dibrinasure.com
OCTOBER 24TH 7:30 – 9:00 PM This meeting, which will take place in the Church, is for the parents of children receiving their Confirmation this year.
For the past few years, Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings have been devoted to religious topics decided on by those who wish to participate. We have studied and discussed parts of the Bible, Church history, viewed videos, listened to tapes and read short but substantial books about Christ and the Church. On Tuesday evening, October 16th at 7:30 PM or if you prefer Wednesday morning, October 17th at 10:30 AM we will discuss what we wish to study through the fall. If you are interested, please come with your questions, your “puzzlements”, your concerns and your interests about the faith (and sometimes doubts) we share. For further information call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866 ext. 224.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 38 casseroles for the Good Shepherd Centre for September. For October, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of October 27/28 for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. 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 a copy of the recipe and a casserole pan, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2007 AT 8:00PM This inaugural recital celebrating our new Rodgers Trillium Masterpiece Opus 680 organ will feature the internationally acclaimed organist Hector Olivera live in concert at St. Gabriel’s Church in our worship space. Admission is $10.00 at the door (students and seniors $5.00).
WILL BE AT 3:00 PM ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007. The Sacrament of the anointing of the sick is one of the Seven Sacraments. This Sacrament is celebrated with those who are seriously ill, those who are preparing for surgery, and the elderly. The preferred place for celebrating this Sacrament is in the Church with family and the members of the parish community present. All are more than welcome to attend.
| Posted in Bulletin |
September 30th, 2007
The gospel story of Lazarus and the poor man is powerful. The rich man had it made. He had not a worry in the world. He was well dressed and well fed. His life style was a lot like that of the people Amos went after in our first reading. Stretched out on beds of ivory, eating the best of food, enjoying their own music while completely oblivious to the social ills that surrounded them.
This rich man was probably not an evil man. He may have worked hard for his money. Luke says, ‘he loved it.’ When we really love something or someone it can become the centre of our lives. Obviously his money meant more to him than the suffering beggar at his door. But he never drove Lazarus away from his gate, he never set the dogs on him, he may have thrown him some of the leftovers from his table. He was convinced he was entitled to his life style, he was probably convinced that this is the way things are meant to be, there are the ‘haves’ and the ‘have knots.’ He saw no need to change things. He could have been sure that this is the way God meant things to be.
In death he knew things differently. The good things he enjoyed in life were of no good to him in his torments. Lazarus, who in life had little, in death had everything.
The rich man’s appeal to Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers to shape up went nowhere. As Abraham said, “if they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, if they are deaf to their long Jewish tradition of caring for the poor and needy, they will be deaf to someone who comes back from the dead.”
What does this gospel say to us? Compared to other people in other lands we are really well off. Our life style is at the expense of countless people in other lands. We are living high on the hog. But forget about global issues – what about the social conditions here in our own city. How conscious are we, how concerned are we about the homeless men, women and children in our city of Toronto? What do we care about the families who depend on food banks or the children who go to school hungry? Are we aware of the Lazarus’ in our own community?
There was a great letter to the editor of the Star last Tuesday – it echoes the concerns of the prophet Amos: “I am amazed and horrified that the people of Ontario have allowed the major political parties to sabotage the true election issues by focusing on the faith-based school funding. Hungry children can’t learn. Families living in unsafe and substandard housing can’t provide a secure environment to foster learning. People earning the minimum wage or less can’t provide the necessities of life for their families. The poor who live on the streets without basic health care suffer from myriad health problems. Without clean air and water, Ontario’s environment will be unsustainable. Without a supply of knowledgeable workers our economy is in jeopardy. Poverty, the economy and the environment are the main election issues. Parties need to address them and share their policies with the electorate so that we can make informed choices on Oct. 10.”
I love this letter. It goes to the heart of the matter. Is it because we are indifferent to the needs of the poor, the homeless, those trying to survive on the minimum wage; is it because we take clean air and water for granted; and is it because these issues make us uncomfortable that we allowed ourselves to be distracted by this issue of faith-based school funding? For sure such funding is a matter of justice but the issues named in this letter are far more pressing. What a difference it might make if the media spent as much time covering these issues as it did covering the matter of funding faith-based schools.
Amos was expressing a holy discontent with the social indifference that let people ignore the poor and needy of his day. Jesus’ parable was doing the same. His story challenges all those who are content with the way things are, who see it to be quite normal that there be the ‘haves’ and the ‘have knots’ especially when they are among the haves.
As we continue the celebrate our Eucharist and are nourished by the bread of life, we can pray for ourselves and for each other that we be blessed with a holy discontent with the social ills and injustices of our city and province and find a way to question those who seek our votes as to whether or not they share in our discontent and judge them accordingly.
| Posted in Homily |
I want to thank all those responsible for organizing the birthday reception held last Sunday after the 12:30 PM Mass. It was wonderful! It was good to spend time with all those present. I was thrilled to hear “Happy Birthday” sung in six languages: English, French, Italian, Chinese, Indonesian and Filipino. Thanks to those who said a few kind words about me and to the Children’s Choir for their ‘special song’. Thank you for your generosity and may God bless you all. FR. PAUL
Total: $9,661
Parents please bring completed registration forms to the parish office (Gabriel room) on any of the following evenings between 7:30 – 9:00 PM: Thursday, October 11th; Wednesday, October 17th; or Tuesay, October 23rd. A photocopy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate needs to accompany the registration for First Communion and Confirmation.
on Mondays at 7:30 PM. THESE EVENINGS ARE FOR PERSONS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH. Because the Parish Community itself is considered the official teacher and guide for potential new members, it is important that some parishioners participate by being present and by sharing their Faith in various ways. Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation are welcome. For information call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866 ext 224.
For the past few years, Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings have been devoted to religious topics decided on by those who wish to participate. We have studied and discussed parts of the Bible, Church history, viewed videos, listened to tapes and read short but substantial books about Christ and the Church. On Tuesday evening, October 2nd at 7:30 PM or if you prefer Wednesday morning, October 3rd at 10:30 AM we will discuss what we wish to study through the fall. If you are interested, please come with your questions, your “puzzlements”, your concerns and your interests about the faith (and sometimes doubts) we share. For further information call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866 ext. 224.
We are in need of more ladies to help wash & iron the altar linens. If you can spare one turn a month or every six weeks to help in this ministry please call Marie at 416-221-8866.
to help assist them with supervision during the lunch hour only (12:00 – 1:00 PM). If you are interested, please contact Mr. F. Clotildes, Principal at 416-393-5256.
Friday, October 5th at 9:30 AM – 12 NOON Please see the time schedule on the table inside the Church.
Saturday, October 6th at 3:15 PM in the Library. We welcome all who wish to share this time with us. For information please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
Sunday, October 7th at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel room. For information contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
Sunday, October 7 at 11:30 AM in the Gabriel Room. On the first Sunday of each month, the Passionist Centre for Ecology and Spirituality facilitates a 30 minute reflection and discussion prompted by the readings for that Sunday’s liturgy. The guided reflection brings an ecological perspective to the readings. All are welcome.
The Brothers of the Good Shepherd are asking for our assistance during the Thanksgiving Season. You can participate by bringing non-perishable food items this week and on the Thanksgiving weekend. The following is a list of urgently needed items: canned vegetables and meats, rice, canned soups and stews, cold breakfast cereals, cookies, tea, ketchup, instant and ground coffee, hot chocolate, sugar, powdered milk, powdered fruit juice, powdered soup bases (chicken & beef), paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Kindly drop off your donations at the front doors of the Church and place them in the designated containers. Your donations will allow their kitchen staff and volunteers to prepare and serve an average of 750 meals and snacks daily. You have always supported this appeal so generously. Please keep up the good work.
The choirs, made up of 120 students from Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts present: “FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH”, which is a contemporary celebration of God’s creation, with the sounds of wolf, whale and loon. Music is by Paul Winter, Paul Halley, and John Rutter. This is a great opportunity to support the young people at Cardinal Carter School. Admission is $10.00
September 23rd, 2007
This is a difficult gospel. Jesus commends the thieving manager’s shrewdness and I have no idea what dishonest wealth means. I read another translation of this as, ‘make for yourself friends by means of your material possession even if they have been unjustly acquired.’
In the parable we know the manager is in trouble. He had been caught stealing, mismanaging his master’s money. We can tell from the story he is a survivor. He knows his lifestyle is about to change. He is going to have to ‘downsize’. He makes a deal with those who owe his master. We can see it as his willingness to take a cut in his own commission. He hopes these people will return the favor and come to his help when he is turfed out.
Without laying a good old Catholic guilt trip, because we are all in this together, I’d like to suggest that we read this gospel as it could apply to us in our time.
We pray in one of the prayers of the Mass, ‘you chose to create us in Your own image setting us over the whole world in all its wonder; you gave us the care of creation to praise you day by day for the marvels of your wisdom and power.’
Without sounding like the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” we all know by now that things are changing on planet Earth. Because of a combination of human ignorance, greed and indifference we’ve ended up in the global situation we know as ‘global warming’. In recent weeks we’ve seen pictures of ice breakers easily working their way through the Northwest Passage. Both the north and south pole are experiencing great climate changes. Plants and animals are losing their natural habitats. We hear of droughts in some areas and rampaging floods in others. Scientists claim that unless we do something about the warming of the earth that deaths from its effects will double in 25 years. They claim that sea levels could rise more than 20 feet and that more than a million species could be driven to extinction by 2050. I think we can be tempted to block out all this information, it’s too much with which to cope. I read somewhere that the underlying cause of global warming is the cooling of the human heart. The cooling of the human heart, what can that mean?
We can go back to: you gave us the care of all creation. What have we done with this task of stewardship, of caring? What have we done with the Master’s goods entrusted to us? Can we admit we have misused, embezzled our Master’s goods? Not just the goods of nature but the wellbeing of our fellow human beings. The scientists who are bringing us all this bad news tell us that this is a moral issue more so than an economic issue. We have an obligation to all other life forms that share Earth with us. As I said many times, “we did not weave the web of life; we are a strand in the web and what we do to the web we do to ourselves.” As we diminish the earth we diminish ourselves.
We can take the words of Jesus, “whatever you do to one of these the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me” and apply them to all of God’s good creation.
Can we recognize the truth that not only do we exploit the resources of Earth, we exploit one another. We are blessed in our country. Even the poorest among us live like kings compared to men, women and children in other lands. Yet our lifestyle is at the expense of peoples of other lands. We can look at the labels of the clothes we wear, the tools we use, the toys we play with and know that the men and women who made these products are paid a pittance of what we pay for them. The same can be said for the food we eat.
This is heavy stuff. We live comfortable lives and we don’t take kindly to words like downsize, economize, scale back. But if we are to survive and overcome the crisis we’ve brought on ourselves and our children’s children, we are going to have to cut a deal, we need the shrewdness of the manager in the gospel – we have to use wisely our dishonest wealth.
I read this little reflection of today’s gospel: “as just stewards of this earth’s goods, those who have must address the needs of those who have not; justice demands of us a stewardship that cares and shares. Though dishonesty cost the manager his job, he is praised by Jesus for taking the initiative to save himself and secure his future. Similarly imaginative and even risky measures are required of Jesus’ disciples today. We are stewards of the earth and our brothers and sisters keepers.”
In this Eucharist Christ shares His life with us. From his generosity toward us may we find the strength we need to break out of our own little worlds to see ourselves in the bigger picture and do whatever we can to bring about the healing of the earth and the justice to which our times call us. We need to pray for ourselves and for each other because we’re all in this together.
Total: $8,328
Meetings will begin on Monday, SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 at 7:30 PM. THESE EVENINGS ARE FOR PERSONS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH. Because the Parish Community itself is considered the official teacher and guide for potential new members, it is important that some parishioners participate by being present and by sharing their Faith in various ways. Adult Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation are welcome. For information call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866 ext 224.
For the past few years, Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings have been devoted to religious topics decided on by those who wish to participate. We have studied and discussed parts of the Bible, Church history, viewed videos, listened to tapes and read short but substantial books about Christ and the Church. On Wednesday morning, September 26 at 10:00 AM and Tuesday evening, October 2nd at 7:30 PM, each group will discuss what we wish to study through the fall. If you are interested, please come with your questions, your “puzzlements”, your concerns and interests about the faith (and sometimes doubts) we share. For further information call Mary Landry at 416-221-8866 ext. 224.
We are in need of more ladies to help wash & iron the altar linens. This is a very worthwhile spiritual work of mercy and an honour to prepare the linens for Holy Mass. If you can spare one turn a month or every six weeks to help in this ministry please call Marie at 416-221-8866.
Your prepared chicken rice casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses next weekend for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre. More volunteers are encouraged to get a copy of the casserole recipe and a pan and give it a try. For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
Each year the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is asked to speak out, give leadership, or provide guidelines for the faithful on a wide variety of topics. In order for our bishops to be able to make proper judgments on modern topics, they must have the benefit of research and expert advice. Research and gathering information require staff, time, and money. Finding ways to provide channels to the Bishops from the people of God and ways of disseminating the thinking of the Bishops to the people of God also requires resources. Through the yearly Bishops’ collection for the needs of the Church in Canada, an appeal is made to all Catholics to be generous in supporting the work of their Bishops. In addition to contributions, we are also asked to pray for the work of the Bishops and to participate in and cooperate with the various projects of the CCCB. I
TORREN SMYTH ROCK ABIGAIL KATHERINE SEYMOUR AUDREY ANN SEYMOUR
is looking for a lunchtime supervisor to help assist them with supervision during the lunch hour only (12:00 – 1:00 PM). If your are interested, please contact Mr. F. Clotildes, Principal at 416-393-5256.
A provincial election will be held in Ontario on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. All those who are eligible to vote are encouraged to exercise their democratic right to do so. In the coming days, Catholics are asked to take an active role in learning more about the candidates seeking election in their riding, the views of political parties and how they will impact our community. A number of resources have been prepared to help Catholics reflect on the important role we play in choosing those who will lead our province. You may access these resources by visiting the Archdiocese of Toronto website at: www.archtoronto.org
The ShareLife office will be accepting donations to support humanitarian relief efforts, assisting those displaced by the recent floods. As in the past, funds will be channeled through Caritas International partners, who provide emergency supplies including food, clean water and clothing in several countries. Those wishing to help may do so in one of the following ways: www.sharelife.org, or by phone through the ShareLife office – 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411, or through the parish, making cheques payable to: ShareLife – Name of Parish – Asia flood Relief
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