June 14th, 2020
For the past three months we’ve all been keeping, not by choice, a Eucharist fast. For our own safety we’ve been deprived of the bread of life. Today as church, as family, we celebrate the awesome feast of Corpus Christi – the Body and Blood of Christ. Baptism is the most important of all our sacraments but the Eucharist is the greatest. When we celebrate the Eucharist the memory of Christ’s passion is recalled, Christ is received and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
In today’s gospel Jesus makes startling this claim; I am the living bread come down from heaven..Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you cannot have life within you… whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in them.
These words of Jesus shocked the people who heard them. ’How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ This is a hard saying and who can take it and many of his disciples walked with him no more.
We believe that at this Mass, at every Mass, bread is no longer bread and wine is no longer wine, they are the body and blood of Christ. Christ, the Bread of life is our nourishment which supports and sustains us on our life’s journey.
The food that we eat every day, and the liquids we drink, becomes part of our bodies, sustaining us and allowing us to grow, function, and heal.
The food that is the body and blood of Christ does something far greater; it makes us one with Christ. “The one who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” We know bread is made from many grains of wheat, wine from many grapes. The many become one.
This is why the body and blood of Christ signify unity and peace: there is one Christ, and all who eat and drink the body and blood of Christ become one with Christ and with one another. As we sing in a favorite hymn, ‘we though many, through the earth we are one body in this one bread.’ The Eucharist is the sign of the unity of our Church. As a parish family our Sunday Mass is our family meal.
For weeks now we’ve had to observe social distancing. It’s been so difficult for so many. We can’t be with those we love; we can’t visit aging parents or visit sick relatives and friends. We can’t socialize. We’ve been deprived of our Sunday Mass. It has been hard on all of us.
Thankfully that is about to change. Next Sunday we can all be together for our Sunday Mass and be nourished by the Bread of life. We will be united with all the parishes in our Archdiocese, united with all the churches of the world, for we though many throughout the earth, we are one body in this one bread.
It will be great to be together again and be nourished by the body and blood of Christ.
| Posted in Homily |
June 15th to June 21st, 2020
MONDAY – LEONARD MARCHIE – Requested by Teresa Marchie & Family TUESDAY – WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY – JOHN MATTICE – Requested by The Family FRIDAY – SATURDAY – FRANCIS PEREIRA – Requested by Sophie & Candida Pereira SUNDAY – 10:30 AM – SUNDAY – 12:30 PM –
O God, We gather together separated by life-saving distancing, but united more than ever in spirit; For all in direct patient care; give them strength for their service and strength to ask for help when they are in need. God, protect them. For all the sick; bring them to full health and restore them to those who love them. God, protect them. For all those isolated in their homes; sustain them in joy and peace. God, protect them. For all those who have died and those who grieve their loss in isolation; comfort them in their sorrow. God, protect them. For decision-makers at all levels; send them your wisdom and good counsel to serve their communities. God, protect them. We pray that a cure and vaccine will soon be available, And that we all – family, friends, all Canadians, the entire world may be healed in body and spirit.
Amen.
The Church will be open for private prayer by appointment only on Sunday June 14, Monday June 15, and Tuesday June 16. Please phone the parish office to make the appointment.
Weekday Mass will resume at 9.00 in the morning on Wednesday, June 17.
Weekend Mass will resume on Saturday, June 20 at 4.30 PM. Sunday Masses on June 21 will be at 8.30 AM, 10.30 AM and 12.30 PM.
In accordance with the guidelines established by the Province of Ontario and the Archdiocese of Toronto, attendance at Mass is limited to 30% capacity of the church, while at the same time, ensuring a 2m (6ft) physical distance requirement. In light of this limitation, a reservation system will be implemented for attending Masses. This reservation system will be available on our website. If you do not have access to a computer or encounter any problems reserving your seat, please call the parish office.
For the health and safety of all, before you come to Mass.
Please check temperature of all family members who are coming to Mass. If any member has a fever, please remain at home.
If you have any of the following symptoms, Cough, fatigue, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, muscle aches, loss of taste or smell, headache, runny nose, sore throat, chills and shakes, please stay home;
If you have travelled abroad, has been in contact with someone who may have COVID-19, or show signs or symptoms of COVID-19 within the last 14 days, please stay home.
It is highly recommended for you to wear a face mask when you come to Mass, for the health and safety of our worshipping community. More information will be provided when you return to the Church
As we are reopening of the Church June 20/21 weekend Masses, disinfecting the pews and high touch areas is one of the many measures to keep our Church safe for everyone. Any parishioner who wants to volunteer their time in disinfecting the pews after each weekend Mass can sign up by sending an email with your name and contact details, indicating which Mass you would be available for, to stgabrielsparish@bellnet.ca
For the latest update from the Archdiocese of Toronto, please visit: www.archtoronto.org/covid19
Living the Gospel by helping vulnerable youth
Incarcerated at a youth detention centre, 18-year-old Rodrigo didn’t know what his future held. Upon his release, he was referred to Covenant House, which partnered him with a Youth in Transition worker. Together they developed a plan that included regular counselling sessions and enrolling in an alternative school program. Now living back at home, Rodrigo’s future is open to so many possibilities.
Due to Covid 19, the ShareLife collections have been postponed. Please make a sacrificial gift to ShareLife through your parish or sharelife.org
Your gift to ShareLife is helping!
Did you know that while parishes remain closed, ShareLife agencies are as busy as ever? That’s because those who are poor and marginalized are disproportionately affected during a crisis. Your support of ShareLife ensures Catholic agencies can continue their work on the front lines, helping the many people who are suffering. Please give securely online at sharelife.org/donate.
Each month food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall and the Good Shepherd Centre. Until we receive an update on food collection, we cannot accept any food donations at this time.
While we wait for updates from these outreach ministries, let us always be mindful of what they do.
Rosalie Hall assists young parents and their children to realize their potential through the provision of a wide range of child development, community, residential and educational services.
Good Shepherd provides hot meals and shelter for the homeless in our city as well as a chance to start again through the Resettlement or DARE Programs.
Bereavement/Separation/Loss Support Group
Dealing with a breakup or the loss of someone close to you is difficult in the best of times – trying to do so in the midst of a pandemic makes everything that much tougher.
Fortunately, Catholic Family Services of Toronto have a ministry dedicated to assisting those who have suffered a loss through separation, divorce, or the death of a loved one.
Our New Beginnings program is offering bi-monthly support sessions. This closed support group allows us to work together to explore our grief, experience healing, and renew our faith.
For more information or to get yourself registered, please reach out to Arcangelo Limanni at alimanni@cfstoronto.com or call (416) 921-1163, ext. 2225.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, Catholic Family Services have moved their counselling and psychotherapy services online in an effort to continue to help their clients who are struggling with their mental well-being in this difficult time.
If you are suffering from mild to moderate mental health issues or are experiencing difficulty in your relationships, we encourage you to reach out to them and take a step towards a happier and healthier life. Catholic Family Services offer a variety of services, so whether you are an individual, couple, or family, their counsellors will explore your concerns with you and help you work towards your goals.
Sessions are conducted through the OnCall Health platform, which provides you and your counsellor with a secure and private video connection, since your privacy and confidentiality is of the utmost importance to them. To learn more about these counselling services or to find out how you can get started, please visit the Catholic Family Services of Toronto website at: https://www.cfstoronto.com/client/cfs/cfs_lp4w_lnd_webstation.nsf/page/Counselling+Program!OpenDocument
While our cemetery gates remain closed during our regular operating hours, the gates will be opened for family visits on the cemetery grounds only. Our hours of operation for families visiting will be as follows: Monday – Saturday: 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM Sundays and Statutory Holidays: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Our mausolea remain closed until further notice. Entry to the cemetery and mausolea during regular operating hours will only be provided to those attending a funeral or burial, those with a scheduled appointment and for essential deliveries.
Physical distancing requirements and attendee number restrictions are in place at all times in keeping with provincial Guidelines.
Our Church will resume weekend Masses on June 20/21 weekend. You may drop your offertory envelope in the collection baskets when you enter the Church, or at the parish office during parish office hours.
You may donate by credit card through Donate Now. A link on our website will show you how to do this.
You may also consider changing your offertory giving to monthly Pre-Authorized Giving. Forms are available at the Parish office or on-line at the Parish website in the “Weekly Giving” section under the Finances tab.
| Posted in Bulletin |
June 11th, 2020
Welcome back to St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish!
The church will be open for private prayer by appointment only starting on Sunday, June 14 and continuing on Monday and Tuesday, June 15 and 16. Please telephone the parish office at 416-221-8866 to reserve an appropriate time for you to visit.
As well, weekday masses at 9:00 am will restart on Wednesday, June 17.
Weekend masses will restart on Saturday, June 20 at 4:30 pm with Sunday masses at 8:30 am, 10:30 am and 12:30 pm.
In accordance with guidelines established by the Province of Ontario and the Archdiocese of Toronto, attendance at masses will be limited to 30% capacity of the church, while at the same time respecting the physically distance rules of 6 feet which will actually reduce the capacity even more. We will have more detailed instructions available for weekend mass attendance available on June 17.
Please be aware that wearing a mask is strongly recommended. You should not be attending at church if you are not feeling well or have any signs of sickness!
Unfortunately, the parish office is not currently open to the public.
| Posted in Events |
June 7th, 2020
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. This is a mystery basic to our faith as Christians – this is the mystery that separates us from the great faiths of Judaism and Islam. They too believe in the one God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But we believe that the “ God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob loved the world, loved us, so much He sent His Son to the world in order that the world might be saved thru Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. We believe that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sent the Holy Spirit to us at Pentecost to complete the work of Christ on earth and bring us to the fullness of God’s love.
What this feast celebrates and teaches us is that the inner life of God is a life of relationships. The Father speaks the Word and the Holy Spirit binds Father and Son together in a relationship of creative love.
A mystery is not something of which we can know nothing; a mystery is something of which we cannot know everything. Even when we see God face to face and know God as God is, we will still be dealing with mystery. Our limited intelligence cannot comprehend the immensity of God.
There are times when we are a mystery to ourselves; why did I do that, why did I say that? Why do I feel this way? We can’t figure it out.
Our lives began out of the love relationship of our parents and you are in relationships with your children. Our present social distancing helps to appreciate how important our relationships mean to us. We miss being with one another. Fr. Brando and I miss you good people at our Sunday celebration of Mass.
The validity of our lives as Christians is determined by the quality of our relationships with the people who come into our lives. Matthew’s description of our final judgement is all about our relationships. ‘I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink, naked and you clothed me, sick or in prison and you came to me.’ Christ is saying, you were there for me, now I am here for you.
This past week the most heard words in the world’s media are the plea of George Floyd, “I can’t breathe.” That plea might ask us to question, is there anyone with whom I am in a relationship who may be saying to me, I can’t breathe? I can’t breathe because you smother me, you control me, and you manipulate my life.
It’s an uncomfortable question, but it might be worth asking. Or do we encourage family and friends to breathe the fresh air of growth and becoming and affirmation?
The movie ‘As Good As It Gets’ tells of the stressful relationship between Jack Nicholson, a compulsive, self-centered author and Helen Hunt, a waitress, a single mother with a sick child. At one point she is so frustrated with his odd behaviour, she asks him why he wants to be her to be his friend. He answers, ‘because you make me want to be a better person.’ You make me want to be a better person.
In our relationship with Jesus he is constantly nudging us, challenging us to be a better person. Love one another as I have loved you. Accept one another as I have accepted you. Forgive one another as I have forgiven you.’Our relationships with family and friends are at its best when it is based on that desire; to make each other a better person.
As we continue to celebrate this feast of the Blessed Trinity, this feast of relationships we pray for the ability to always live in holy, life giving, life sustaining, life – healing relationships with all those who come into our lives.
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
