E-Newsletter - November 8, 2023
From The Desk of Fr. Tim…
Archdiocesan Consultation Underway…Share Your Ideas to assist with future planning!
Archbishop Francis Leo is inviting the Catholic community to share thoughts and ideas regarding future pastoral planning in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Feedback will help inform a renewed Pastoral Plan to be used in the years ahead. To learn more about the process, read the letter of invitation from the archbishop and complete the short survey by December 15, 2023, please visit: www.archtoronto.org/consultation.
Please take a few minutes to share your insights and ideas. Thank you for your collaboration in this archdiocesan initiative.
Eternal Rest Grand unto Them O Lord…
Throughout the month of November, the Church’s tradition of praying for our deceased relatives and friends will be observed at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish by the offering of all Saturday evening and Sunday Masses for our beloved relatives and friends. Please place your memorial envelopes in the basket on display in the altar area.
The Shepherd’s Trust Annual Collection: November 18/19
The Shepherds’ Trust supports our retired Archdiocesan priests (including our own Msgr. Joe Shiels) to help ensure that elderly and disabled priests are provided with sufficient financial resources to lead a dignified life after many years of ministry. Your generous gift through the collection next weekend, November 18/19 will help our priests to maintain a modest but active and independent lifestyle in their retirement years. For priests who are ill or otherwise infirm, the Trust also ensures they have access to nursing home facilities and medical care.
The Shepherd’s Trust would welcome your gift via the special collection envelope in the offertory basket or at https://www.shepherdstrust.org/ . We thank you for your continued support of The Shepherds Trust- envelopes are available at the doors of the church this weekend.
Sunday Missals 2024
The 2023/2024 Missals for both adults and children (suitable for children from Grades 1-6) are available in the main foyer of the church at a cost of $5 each.
2024 Offertory Envelopes/Pre-Authorized Giving
Thank you for your continued support of our parish, especially through your use of offertory envelopes and/or Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG) or through our “Donate Now” online donation feature.
Offertory envelopes for 2024 are now available in the parish hall and have been pre-assigned and sorted alphabetically by last name. Please do not use your new 2024 envelopes until next year. 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…either in person or sent electronically through our parish website.
I thank those who are currently using the option of Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG) and remind them to pick up a set of 2024 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 visit the parish website, https://stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org/ and look under the Community tab.
Finally, for those interested in making donations by credit card, you may either visit the parish office in person, or by using the “Donate Now” button on our parish website you may make a single or monthly donation to our parish: https://stignatiusloyolami.archtoronto.org/en/contact-us/donations/
Sacrament of Confirmation 2024
This week 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 2024. 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 or who missed Confirmation in Grade 7).
Confirmation Registration (for candidate and one parent only) will take place on either
Tuesday December 5 or Wednesday December 6 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 2024 are asked to contact Fr. Alex as soon as possible.
Sacrament of First Reconciliation Registration 2023
An email update has been sent to the students and their families who have previously registered for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation to take place at the church on either
Saturday December 2 or Saturday December 9.
Parents may register their child through Ticketleap: https://stignatiusloyolamiarchtorontoorg.ticketleap.com/ .
Please enter your child’s name on the ticket and choose a date and time that works for your family calendar. We will have 3 priests available for your child’s First Reconciliation and only one parent and the child need to attend.
For questions/concerns, please contact Caroline Borcsok, cborcsok@archtoronto.org .
ShareLife update: Your gift will be matched!
Haven’t yet made your annual contribution to our parish’s ShareLife campaign? Wait no longer! From November 1 until year end, your gift will be matched by an anonymous donor up to $500,000. That means your compassionate generosity helps even more families in need, including those nourished through ShareLife’s recently announced food programs. Our parish has currently raised $233,000 now exceeding our suggested goal of $230,000 thanks to your generosity! Double the impact of your kindness by giving at the parish with a ShareLife envelope or anytime at sharelife.org/donate.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul:
Christmas Gifts and Annual Collection for Neighbours in Need
Once again, our parish Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) will be providing Christmas assistance to families-in-need within our community. Awareness of maintaining each person’s dignity is always our priority. Food insecurities and the increases in food costs continue to be foremost in the minds of many of our families.
It is our aim this Christmas season to offer a gift of assistance once again with a food voucher that will allow families to provide a special Christmas meal for their loved ones. Please consider assisting our neighbouring families-in-need through a financial donation to our Christmas Campaign.
Hunger never sleeps and so we also welcome your generous financial donations to the Annual Collection. Your continued support of this SSVP drive provides financial assistance for the entire upcoming year to our neighbours-in-need.
Donations to both the Christmas and Annual campaigns can be made by cash, cheque (payable to Society of St. Vincent de Paul) or via the on-line portal accessible through our SSVP link on the parish website under Outreach Ministries, or at https://Canadahelps.org/en/dn/53987.
We will have a Vincentian in the foyer to gratefully accept your donations before and after masses on the weekends of November 18/19 and November 25/26. Please ensure that envelopes (which will be provided) are clearly noted as “Christmas Gifts Collection to Families” or “Annual SSVP Collection” along with your name and address.
Our goal this Christmas season is to be able to assist over 125 families in our community. Donations outside of this window can always be dropped off at the church office during their hours of operation. Please note that tax receipts will be issued for donations to SSVP greater than $20 if you have provided your name and address.
God’s blessings to each of you for your ongoing generosity and support during this challenging year through your poor-box donations and most especially during this Christmas season.
The Knights of Columbus Christmas Poinsettia Pre-Order Sale
The Knights will be in the foyer after all masses on November 18/19 and 25/26 to accept your orders for Christmas poinsettias.
These vibrant blooms will add warmth and beauty to your home during the festive season so reserve yours now and be part of a cherished tradition!
This fundraiser helps to support the Knights of Columbus ongoing volunteer work which supports our community through the Y.E.S. (Young families, Elderly, Students) Program.
Young Families: Vita Centre, Birthright Brampton, St. Vincent de Paul Societies, Our Place Peel, Eden Food Bank, the Elderly at Heart House Hospice and Students through the Breakfast Club at Loyola High School, Parish Youth Groups, and Entrance Scholarships for Catholic students pursuing post-secondary education.
Payment may be made by cash, credit card or cheque or by scanning the QR code on the poster on the bulletin board.
Catholic Women’s League of Canada News & General Meeting
The next CWL General Meeting is Tuesday November 21. You are invited to gather in the church at 6:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary, and the meeting will follow at 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall. This month, there will be a Discernment Workshop facilitated by the executive team. This workshop is in preparation for our Elections in January. There will be refreshments – please remember to bring your mug!
The CWL will have tables at the upcoming Advent Fair/Cider Sunday on November 25/26 and will be selling Fruitcakes in support of Campaign Life. There will be two sizes available:
the 150g cakes for $8.00 each and the 600g cakes for $25.00 each or 2 for $45.00.
We will also be selling our CWL Culinary Wonders of the League Cookbooks. They make great gifts for Christmas! The sale price is now $10.00 each. CWL Annual Membership dues may also be paid that weekend. The dues are still $35.00.
If you are new to the parish or thinking of joining the CWL, please contact Debbie Bates @ debbie1993.cwl@gmail.com for more information. All are welcome!
Office of Catholic Youth Spiritus West presents…Sacrament of Healing
Young adults, Jesus is calling! "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst." We can never fall too deeply in love with Confession -- it's the Sacrament that brings us back to the Living Water. Come for a talk by newly ordained Fr. Branden Gordon S.D.B. that'll help you do just that; followed by Adoration, Confession, and, as always, the time to socialize and meet other young men and women in the faith.
The FREE event will take place at St. Benedict's Parish (2194 Kipling Ave. Etobicoke) on Wednesday November 15 at 6:45 p.m. Come join our Spiritus West young adult community!
Looking Ahead…Advent Fair/Cider Sunday on the Weekend of November 25/26
Please join us in the parish hall after each mass to enjoy Hot Apple Cider and Cookies plus…
- Purchase a set of Advent Candles ($15 per set) and 2024 Sunday Missals ($5 each)
- Pre- Order your Christmas Poinsettias from the Knights of Columbus
- Drop off your Annual and Christmas Collection Envelopes to members of the parish Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
- Purchase your Campaign Life Christmas Cakes, CWL Cookbook or renew your CWL Annual membership
- Purchase Msgr. Joseph Shiels creative Christmas Cards
- Shop for Advent, Christmas books and other items from Pauline Books and Media
We look forward to seeing you on November 25/26!
