Community Events

St. Michael's Choir School Presents...
A Christmas Overture

Friday, December 12, 2008 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 3:00 p.m.
Massey Hall, Shuter and Victoria Streets, Toronto.

Come celebrate Christmas with Toronto's renowned boys choir as they make their overture into the season. The concert features sacred choral masterpieces from Christmas past and present, arranged by composers from Canada and beyond. Join St. Michael's Choir School and special guest True North Brass for a spirited celebration of seasonal music.

To order tickets call 416-872-4255, online, www.masseyhall.com or in person at the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office. $36.50 - $22.50.

Mass in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe

We cordially invite you to attend a Mass honouring “The Patroness of the Americas,” Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008 - 5:00 p.m.
Our Lady of Victory Church, 117 Guestville Ave., Toronto.

Mass will be conducted in English (but with a “latin flair”) and we will sing the traditional “Mañanitas” in honour of “La Morenita”. Music will be provided by Mitch Chavez and the St. Anthony of Padua folk choir.

For more information, please call our office at 416-769-1171 or email us at ourladyofvictory@rogers.com.

The Memory Project and
Passages to Canada Program

The Dominion Institute is a non-profit organization working to increase Canadians' awareness of their history through greater appreciation of the Canadian story.

The Memory Project is a speakers' bureau for veterans and currently serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. It includes 1300 volunteers across Canada who visit classrooms and community groups to share their stories with others. The speakers represent a wide range of conflicts, including WWII, the Korean War, Peacekeeping Operations, Cold War, Vietnam, Afghanistan and the Homefront.

Passages to Canada Program is a national storytelling initiative that provides Canadians with a greater understanding and appreciation of the contribution immigrants and refugees make to Canada. Our Speakers' Bureau is made up of a diverse group of over 600 immigrants and refugees who volunteer to share their stories of coming to Canada with youth and new Canadians.

For more information on these programs, please visit www.dominion.ca.

Lectio Divina – A Year With St. Paul

All are welcome to join Archbishop Thomas Collins for Lectio Divina.

Sunday, December 14, 2008
St. Michael's Cathedral, 65 Bond Street, Toronto.

Vespers are at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Lectio Divina from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

This month's scripture passage: Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. Please join us for this personal encounter with God through Scripture.

This Sacred reading provides an opportunity to read aloud the Word of God taking time to pause, reflect and pray together. In the coming year, we will encounter Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, summarizing the foundation of Christian life.

Mp3 audio podcast and video posted on YouTube of Archbishop Collins' previous Lectio Divina are available at www.archtoronto.org. The Lectio Divina is also broadcast on Salt + Light Television. Visit www.saltandlighttv.org for more information.

FOUNDER OF COURAGE COMING TO TORONTO January 16 – 20, 2009

Father John F.Harvey, O.S.F.S., the founder of COURAGE, has provided leadership and guidance to hundreds of men and women who seek fellowship and who wish to live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic's teachings on same-sex attraction. He is the author of three books on the subject of Homosexuality and his most recent is Homosexuality and the Catholic Church, Clear answers to Difficult Questions.

“Why we need 'Courage'”
The members of the local chapter of COURAGE, with their chaplain, Rev. Wm. Comerford C.Ss.R., would like to invite all who are interested to hear him speak to attend a meeting on Friday, January 16, 2009 - 7:00 p.m. at Precious Blood Parish 1737 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto.

”Positive aspects of Chastity”
Father Harvey will also speak at an open meeting for the YOUTH on Saturday, January 17, 2009 – 2:00 p.m. at the same location sponsored by the youth group of Precious Blood Parish.

For more information please contact Father Comerford at 416-598-3269. www.CourageRC.org couragetoronto@yahoo.ca.

St. Gabriel's Youth Christmas Concert
A concert like no other!

Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 7:30 p.m.
St. Gabriel the Sorrowful Virgin Parish, 670 Sheppard Avenue, Toronto.

A group of talented youth from St. Margaret Mary Church in Woodbridge and Cardinal Carter will come together to celebrate the Christmas season with a fabulous MULTILINGUAL Christmas Concert. The evening will feature traditional and non-traditional festive songs that encompass different genres of music such as classical, pop, soul, jazz that will be sung in English, Italian and Latin! Instruments include the violin, bass, guitar, drums and piano.

This is a holiday community concert that you do not want to miss out on! The concert is $5.00 at the door, with proceeds going to support the Passionist Missions.

Assisi-Rome: Discovering the Spirit of
St. Francis & St. Clare

October 2, 2009 - October 15, 2009

Facilitator: Bro. Alan R. Gaebel, ofm, cap.

Single Occupancy $3,100.00, Double Occupancy $2,810.00, Triple Occupancy $2,760.00.

For Pilgrimage Brochure and/or Application information, please contact Bro. Alan R. Gaebel, ofm, cap. “Rome-Assisi 2009” at St. Philip Neri Parish, 2100 Jane Street, Toronto, Ontario. M3M 1A1 www.capuchins.ca (click on Pilgrimages) bro.alan@capuchinscanada.com.

Saying “YES” To Life

Tuesday January 6, 2009 - 8:00 p.m.
St. Bonaventure's Church, 1300 Leslie Street, Toronto.

NEW BEGINNINGS, a ministry for separated, divorced and widowed persons. Guest Speaker: John Dubeau.

For more information please contact New Beginnings at 416-921-1163 ext. 2246.

Theology of the Body Study Group

Every 2nd Wednesday of the month
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Daughters of St. Paul / Pauline Books & Media. Streamed online: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/theology-of-the-body

Facilitator: Fr. Thomas Loya is pastor of Annunciation Byzantine Catholic parish in Homer Glen, IL, USA (as well as its iconographer) www.byzantinecatholic.com. He heard the Theology of the Body addresses LIVE in St Peter's Square, and has been helping others discover TOB ever since. Father can be heard on www.catholicradiointernational.com (program: “A Body of Truth”). Father is available for retreats, conferences, etc.: www.taborlife.org

Learn the basic principles and concepts of John Paul II's revolutionary and life-changing Theology of the Body. We will be using JPII's revised text: “Man and Woman He Created Them.”

Letters of St. Paul Reading Group
(For the Year of St. Paul)

Every 2nd Friday of the Month, 7:15 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Newman Centre Chapel (U of T campus).

Please join us as we read and pray the letters of St. Paul together (in response to Pope Benedict XVI's proclamation of the year of St. Paul - June 28/08- June 29/09).

We will look at the context, the content and the applicable message of the letters to our lives. Like St. Paul, our aim is to combine study and prayer so as to live out in our daily lives - "Christ Crucified".

Join us every month or as often as you can.

All are welcome anytime!

For further information please contact Maria at agovinomaria@hotmail.com or John at jspano@yorku.ca.

Journey of Faith: Offering Classes in Scripture, Dogma, Ethics and More

St. Leo's Parish in Brooklin will begin a new session of its theology program in early January. Courses being offered include:

Judas in the Bible (Mon 7:30-9:00 p.m., starting January 5, 2009)
Heaven, Hell and Everything in Between (Wednesday 7:30-9:00 p.m., starting January 7, 2009)
John Paul II's 'Love and Responsibility' (Sat 12:00 -1:30 p.m., starting January 10, 2009)

Each course runs 6 weeks and costs $30.00.

Please call St. Leo's Parish (905-655-3286) for more information and check out the website www.catholicministry.ca.

Employment Opportunity
Youth Minister (full-time)

The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure, a diverse, medium sized parish located in the Don Mills community of Toronto, is currently seeking an individual (lay or religious) to join the pastoral team as Pastoral Associate for Youth Faith Formation.

For more details on this position please see www.archtoronto.org.

Applications, including covering letter and curriculum vitae, using WORD should be emailed to Friar Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv., Pastor, at
friar.rick@st-bonaventure.ca (with “youth minister” as the subject, the documents attached and no message in the body of the email) no later than December 21, 2008. Questions regarding this position may be directed to Friar Rick.

Mass for the Unborn

On the Feast of the Holy Family.

December 28, 2008 - 5:00 p.m.
St. Michael’s Cathedral, 65 Bond Street, Toronto.

All are welcome. Archbishop Collins extends his gratitude to all those who continue to foster a culture of life.

Journey of Faith: Offering Classes in Scripture, Dogma, Ethics and More

St. Leo's Parish in Brooklin will begin a new session of its theology program in early January. Courses being offered include:

Judas in the Bible (Mon 7:30-9:00 p.m., starting January 5, 2009)
Heaven, Hell and Everything in Between (Wednesday 7:30-9:00 p.m., starting January 7, 2009)
John Paul II's 'Love and Responsibility' (Sat 12:00 -1:30 p.m., starting January 10, 2009)

Each course runs 6 weeks and costs $30.00.

Please call St. Leo's Parish (905-655-3286) for more information and check out the website www.catholicministry.ca.