December 13th, 2020
Subject to Reopening
No 9:00 AM Mass 5:00 PM Mass 7:00 PM Mass 9:00 PM Mass 10:30 PM Mass 12:00 AM Midnight Mass Office Open – 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
10:30 AM, 12:30 PM Mass Office Open – 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
No 4:30 PM Mass Office Closed
Sunday, December 27th, Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM Office Open – 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM
No 9:00 AM Mass Office Closed
No 9:00 AM Mass Vigil Mass for Feast of Mary the Holy Mother of God – 5:00 PM Office Open – 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Feast of Mary the Holy Mother of God 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM Office Open – 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
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.
Each Sunday during Advent, Fr. Brando and Fr. Paul will celebrate Mass. This will be carried on line at www.stgabrielsparish.ca. Please join us and pass the word to friends in the parish who may not know. This is a beautiful way of being together during this temporary closing of the church.
Thank you to everyone who registered participated or sent in comments regarding the future development of 680 and 688 Sheppard Avenue East. Please continue to check Toronto’s website, http://app.toronto.ca and St. Gabriel’s website for further updates.
Your parish has been there for you and your family during the most important moments of your lives. Help you’re your Catholic community active and alive for years to come.
November is “Make a Will’ month! Please consider your parish in your will or through a planned gift. A bequest is a beautiful way to express your faith and gratitude for a lifetime of blessings – a lasting legacy of love that will help the Church continue with its many ministries.
For more details, please call the Parish Office at 416-221-8866 or contact Peter Okonski, Manager of Planned Giving and Personal Gifts at 416 934 3400 Ext. 519 or by email at development@archtoronto.org.
All calls are confidential.
December 14th to December 20th
MONDAY – HARRY LEUNG – Requested by Mary Leung TUESDAY – ALFONSO YAO – Requested by Grant & Erwina Yao WEDNESDAY – VINCENZO DE BARTOLO – Requested by Anna de Bartolo THURSDAY – ALAN RUTHERFORD – Requested by the Persaud & Goldenberg Families FRIDAY – MURRAY BRASSEUR – Requested by Maria Mondejar SATURDAY – FRANCO INTINI – Requested by Chiara SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – Requested by SUNDAY – 12:30 PM –JOHN McDONOUGH – Requested by Vivian Mulhall McDonough
The Parish Family of St. Gabriel’s would like to welcome the following children who were baptized during the month of November: Timothy William Marcotte Andrea Sarah Vaz Sebastian Alfredo Da Silva Nolan Gregory Kilayko Sleep Joanna Marie Bodzeta-Ramos
Congratulations to the children and their families!
Stay tuned….
We are excited to announce several programs that parish Ministry with Maturing Adults Committee will be starting in the next two months. All sessions will be offered virtually. Please watch this space for further information.
Due to the pandemic and the limitations of our regular partners that support the St. Gabriel Conference our focus is limited to receipts of gift cards for the children instead of toys. Donations of gift cards between $25 and $50 dollars from Walmart, The Bay, Winners, Marshalls etc. will be much appreciated. Please drop off gift cards for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to the parish office by December 14, 2020. Thank you very much and God Bless.
This year Rosalie Hall is caring for about 80 children and their Moms. Due to Covid 19, our giving tree campaign this year will look a little different.
Since there will be no public Masses, please consider dropping off your gift at the Parish Office as soon as possible.
Needed are: pajamas for children age newborn to 4 years old Gift cards for the Moms at Rosalie Hall
Please call the Parish Office before you come to ensure that someone will be there to accept your gifts. Thank you so much for your generosity.
Thank you to those parishioners who prepared 21 casseroles for November. For December, your prepared frozen casseroles may be dropped off at the Parish Office by December 27th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
Let’s see if we can increase that number!
The need is very great especially right now with Covid19.
The casseroles are easy to make and we have the recipes and casserole pans right here in the Parish Office. The recipes are also available on the Parish website. If you require more information please contact Irene Albrecht at 416-221-2791.
Around this time every year, the Seraphim & Cherubim Chorus host our annual Christmas concert. This is actually the 10th anniversary of our choir and so this Christmas is very special to us. While 2020 has been a challenging year, we’re determined to put even more effort into celebrating the joy of Christmas!
To mark our anniversary year we’re releasing our first album: Christmas on Record. The album and new choir merchandise make wonderful Christmas gifts and are available on our website http://www.seraphimandcherubim.ca/shop
Like most independent artists, our revenues rarely cover our costs. If your means allow, please consider donating the money you might have spent on our concert tickets to our go-fund me campaign to help our choir continue to connect and move people through music.
Thank you all so very much for your constant and unwavering support over these last 10 years. Projects like this would not be possible without your help. We hope you’ll celebrate Christmas with us again this year, but this time On Record and from the comfort of your homes. Have the Merriest Christmas and we’ll see you soon!
Offertory envelopes for 2021 are available at the parish Office. If you would like to pick yours up, please call before coming so that we will have them ready for you.
| Posted in Bulletin |
December 6th, 2020
| Posted in Events |
November December 7th to December 13th
MONDAY – LISA CALLAHAN – Requested by Patti & Pat Callahan TUESDAY – DELFIN REYES SR. – Requested by the Reyes Family WEDNESDAY – SUNGIM KANG ANGELA – Requested by Veronica Do THURSDAY – VERA LUCIA MEIRA FURTADO – Requested by Humberto Holanda FRIDAY – JUNG SUNG SUK – Requested by Veronica Do SATURDAY – EVA GULBINOWICZ – Requested by Kathleen Olden Powell SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – REYNALDO SAZON – Requested by Linda Majanta & Family SUNDAY – 12:30 PM – THANKSGIVING – Requested by Nora Lagula & Family
From December 8th to December 11th
Fr. Brando will hear confessions from December 8th to December 11th by Appointment Only. Please call Fr. Brando to set up an appointment at 416 221 8866.
Examine your conscience by reflecting on your sins.
Tips for making a good confession: Don’t be too general (like, “I haven’t been a good person”), but a lot of detail isn’t necessary either (you don’t need to tell the whole story of how a sin came about).
If you’re not sure if something is a sin, just ask the priest.
This isn’t counseling, so unless you ask, the priest likely won’t give you advice.
Begin: “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been [length of time] since my last confession. These are my sins…”
When you finish: The priest will suggest something for you to do or pray (penance) as a response to God’s mercy. Remember what it is, because you’ll have to do it after the confession is over.
The priest will then ask you to pray the Act of Contrition out loud, demonstrating your sorrow for your sins:
“My God My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.”
When you finish, the priest will extend his hands in your direction and pray the Prayer of Absolution. You respond “Amen.”
The priest will then likely say “God has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.” You can respond “Thanks be to God.”
Don’t forget to do your penance. If it’s saying certain prayers, it’s best to do it right away in the church before you forget.
Saturday November 28th to Tuesday, December 8th
We will be having a Christmas Toy Drive again this year for the Catholic Children’s Aid Foundation. You can help by dropping off an unwrapped new toy for a child, age newborn to 12 years old. Containers will be set up in the gathering space until Tuesday, December 8th.
December 5th, 2020
Isaiah was active in his role of prophet about 550 years before the birth of Christ. The 70 years of exile of the Jews to Babylon were coming to a close. The Persian Empire was on the rise.
The Jewish people were struggling to re-establish themselves in their own land. Isaiah pleads with God, comfort oh comfort your people oh Lord, speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
We’re in the midst of our second lockdown and have no idea when it will end. There are neither Masses nor funerals. We have no idea if Christmas will be like Holy Week – no celebrations allowed. The needy families we’ve helped through the years with our food drive and toy drive will go without this Christmas.
As a parish family we join Isaiah as he pleads, comfort oh comfort your people o Lord, and speak tenderly to them.
How many people do we know who need to hear words of comfort, words of support and words on encouragement, but especially comfort? The first people who come to my mind are the nurses and doctors and hospital staff who are worn out caring for the victims of Covid 19 and see irresponsible people partying and refusing to wear face masks. Can you imagine their frustration?
Comfort oh comforts your people O Lord, especially those patients in hospitals, who are not allowed visitors, good people whose days and nights are long and lonely.
Comfort oh comfort your people Lord, especially the men and women in retirement homes who are deprived of any social life and family visits. Comfort O comfort your people O lord, especially men and women who through no fault of their own are laid off because the places where they work are closed down,
Comfort O comfort your people O Lord especially those who own a small business and are forced to shut down and face financial loss.
Imagine if you were in any of these circumstances. Maybe some of you are. Wouldn’t your spirits be lifted up and brightened if you got a call from a friend and heard encouraging and understanding words, letting you know you they are thinking and praying for you, you are not alone.
Comfort O comfort your people O lord, especially those struggling with discouragement or depression. Lift their spirits.
Comfort O comfort your people O Lord through each one of us as we write that e mail or make that phone call or write that note or set up that zoom and speak words of comfort in your name.
| Posted in Homily |
November 28th, 2020
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