E-NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 17, 2021

From the Desk of Fr. Tim…

The Shepherds’ Trust 25th Anniversary

For the last 25 years the mission of The Shepherds’ Trust has been to ensure retired priests are provided with sufficient financial resources to lead a dignified life after many years of ministry. As the founding chairman of The Shepherds’ Trust from 1996-2001, I was happy to be interviewed as part of a 25th Anniversary video which can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqq9ePdYVyA

Thank you for your support of this important work both this year through the annual collection, and for the past 25 years as we “Care for those who always cared for us.”

St. Vincent de Paul Society: Christmas Gift Cards/Annual Collection

Once again, our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society will be providing Christmas gift cards to families-in-need within our community. Awareness of maintaining each person’s dignity is always our priority and providing gift cards has allowed families to have more flexibility in what they offer as a Christmas meal, or what gift may be most suitable for their loved ones.

Please consider assisting our neighbouring families-in-need this year by purchasing gift cards from Walmart exclusively, or by issuing a cheque payable to: Society of Saint Vincent de Paul noting that it is for a Christmas gift.

We also welcome your donations to the Annual Collection, which helps our neighbours-in-need for the entire upcoming year.

Envelopes for both collections are available in the foyer of the church…or you can now also make both donations on-line through our SSVP link on the parish website under Outreach Ministries or at https://Canadahelps.org/en/dn/53987. Please provide name and address when donating more than $20 for purposes of tax receipting.

Parish Secretary/Receptionist Needed

As announced earlier this month Carol Dewar will be retiring after seven years of service to the parish. We are looking for a new full-time parish secretary/receptionist to provide a welcoming environment for those who visit or contact our parish community, as well as being responsible for all administrative and confidential functions relating to the parish office. The job posting can be found here and the deadline for application is Monday November 22.

Sunday Missals 2022

Both the adult version and children’s version (suitable for children from Grades 1-6) are both available in the main foyer of the church at a cost of $5 each.

Sacrament of Confirmation 2022

Earlier this month we circulated to the Grade 7 students of St. Clare, St. Mark and All Saints Schools registration materials and information regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation 2022. If you have a Grade 7 student in your family who did not receive this package (perhaps attending another school) please visit our parish website home page under the Sacramental Preparation tab for the registration materials as well as information about our afterschool RCIC program (for students not in our parish schools).

Confirmation Registration (for the candidate and one parent only) will take place on either Wednesday December 8 or Thursday December 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the church foyer with Registration Meeting to follow in the church.

Any older youth or adults wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in May 2022 are asked to contact Fr. John as soon as possible, 905-820-1444.

2022 Offertory Envelopes/Pre-Authorized Giving

Thank you for your continued support of our parish during these challenging times, especially through your use of offertory envelopes and/or Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG).

Offertory envelopes for 2022 are now available in the parish hall and have been pre-assigned and sorted alphabetically by last name. Please observe social distancing in picking up your envelopes before or after mass. Thank you for picking up your offertory envelopes as soon as possible!

If you are not currently registered in the parish and wish to use Offertory envelopes, please fill out the parish registration form on the table in the foyer and return it to the parish office and we will notify you when your new 2022 offertory envelopes are ready for pick up.

I thank those who are currently using the option of Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG) here at the parish and remind them to pick up a set of 2022 envelopes for the special collection envelopes are not part of PAG. To register for PAG please complete the forms located in each foyer of the church or the electronic version found here.

Catholic Women’s League Cookbook Sale/Membership Renewal

Our parish CWL is celebrating their 5th Anniversary! To acknowledge this milestone, the members have compiled a cookbook - Culinary Wonders of the League. The funds raised from the sale of the cookbook will go towards funding the various charities they support. The cookbooks will be on sale after all Masses the weekends of November 27/28 and December 4/5. It would make a great Christmas gift for family members and friends and the cost is $15.00 each. If you are not able to attend Mass and would like to place a cookbook order, please contact Debbie at 905-820-1239.

With year- end just around the corner, the CWL will also be collecting 2022 membership dues after all Masses on November 27/28 and December 4/5. The 2022 membership dues are $30.00 and can be paid in cash or via cheque. Members not able to attend Mass or the General Meeting, may drop off their membership dues at the church office in a sealed envelope. Please include your full name on the envelope and clearly indicate “2022 CWL Dues”. If paying by cheque, please make it payable to The Catholic Women’s League of Canada.

New members are always welcome… and membership is open to women 16 years and up. For information contact Loy at loy.cauilan@yahoo.ca

Catholic Christian Pakistani Refugee Family Arriving Soon!

Younas Gill, his wife Saleema, adult sons Adeeb and Shan, daughter Sunena and her husband have been living in a refugee camp in Thailand since 2015 following death threats in Pakistan for standing up for the rights of Pakistani Christians. Our parish has agreed to sponsor them, and I am delighted that they are in the final stages of medical and security clearances before arriving in Canada within the next few months. At present we need parishioners to join our Refugee Committee to assist with the planning and welcoming of this family, and their orientation and adjustment to life in Canada. If you can assist, please contact the office.

Relic of St. Andre Besette to Visit St. Francis of Assisi Parish, November 20/21

As a special way of bringing the Year of St. Joseph to a close, Fr. Jomon Kalladanthiyil, a priest of the Congregation of the Holy Cross assigned to St. Joseph’s Oratory, will bring a relic of
St. Andre Besette to St. Francis of Assisi. To welcome the relic, the Mass of St. Andre will be celebrated on Saturday morning. There will be Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, public veneration of St. Andre’s relic, blessing with the Oil of St. Joseph and opportunities for the Sacrament for Reconciliation. Everyone is welcome!

French Immersion Info Meeting, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, Year 2

Kindergarten parents/guardians who wish to learn more about French Immersion or enroll their child in a Grade 1 French Immersion class for September 2022 are invited to attend a virtual Information Meeting.

The meeting for All Saints, Divine Mercy, St. Elizabeth Seton, and St. Gregory schools will take place on Thursday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Microsoft Teams* Online Meeting link can be found on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Website (www.dpcdsb.org) and click on REGIONAL PROGRAMS -> French Immersion.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Board's French as a Second Language Consultant, Matthias Ramirez at 905-301-9348 and/or Bilingual Program Secretary, Diane Dumoulin at 905-890-0708 ext. 24332.

Livestream of Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass

For those not comfortable or able to return to mass quite yet we continue to encourage you to view the livestream of our Sunday 9 a.m. Mass via our new parish website: https://stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org

Your Financial Support is Appreciated
Thank you once again for your generosity and support of our parish community and ShareLife as we return to church, especially by placing your envelope in the offertory basket before mass or mailing in your donations, or donating via Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG forms available through parish website) or by credit card, or single or monthly donations through the “Donate now” button at www.archtoronto.org or through our parish website: www.stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org.