Parish Week 19 July 2020

Saturday, 18 July

8.00 am Mass: † Hans & Rose Kwa (Angela Tam)

5.00 pm Mass: Int. Marjorie Joseph (Mom, Agnes)

SUNDAY, 19 JULY – 16 A

■ Homilist: Deacon Ramon Villardo

9.00 am Mass: † Crescenzo Tisi (Grande family)

10.30 am Mass: † Celine Donald (Valentino Rego & family)

12.00 pm Mass: Int. Thanksgiving Birthday Mely

(Deacon Ramon & family)

7.00 pm Mass: Pro Populo

Monday, 20 July / St. Apollinaris, bishop& martyr

8.00 am Mass: † Luigi Deccico (Emma)

7.00 pm Mass: Int. Tessie Mendonca (friends)

Tuesday, 21 July / St. Lawrence of Brindisi, priest & doctor

8.00 am Mass: † Vicente Encendecia (Cora Eseo)

Wednesday, 22 July / St. Mary Magdalene

8.00 am Mass: † Remedian D’Souza (Lucas Gonsalves)

Thursday, 23 July / St. Bridget, religious

8.00 am Mass: † Joseph & Maria Gonsalves (Lucas)

7.00 pm Memorial Mass CWL Deceased Members & Family

Friday, 24 July / St. Charbel Makhlouf, priest

8.00 am Mass: † All dying this month with their

Guardian Angels (Christa Hahn)

Saturday, 25 July / St. James, apostle

8.00 am Mass: † Gabriel, Francis & Christy Andreas

(Christy & Pushpa)

5.00 pm Mass: † Phillip & Mary Fernando (Manuel)

SUNDAY, 26 JULY – 17 A

■ Homilist: Fr. Edwin Galea

■ 2nd Collection: Maintenance

9.00 am Mass: † Jaime Ulibas (family)

10.30 am Mass: † Rosario & Rolando Diaz (family)

12.00 pm Mass: † Erlinda DeLeon (family)

7.00 pm Mass: Pro Populo

Mother of Perpetual Help

Let Mary bring peace into your life. Pray for

your special intentions at the Monday Novena

Mass to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Rosary

at 6.40 pm, Mass at 7 pm.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who

have recourse to thee.

Focus on the Word

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Wisdom 12.13-19; Romans 8.26-27; Matthew 13.24-43

Show favour, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the

gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,

they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Amen.

Pray for the Deceased

Carmel Elizabeth Keenan, Manuel Dizon Tanglao,

Ester Cancio

The 119 victims of the July flooding in Hunan, China

Overcome Anger by Love

He who holds back rising anger like a

rolling chariot, him I call a real driver;

other people are holding the reins.

Let a man overcome anger by love;

let him overcome evil by good;

let him overcome greed by generosity;

let him overcome the liar by truth.

The Dhammapada - Buddhism

1st Communion and Confirmation

The celebrations of 1st HOLY COMMUNION and CONFIRMATION,

which were to take place after Holy Week, will be rescheduled

later in the Fall. Updates will be provided regularly, and dates

publicized as soon as possible, to give families a chance to prepare

properly to celebrate these vital, affirming and life-giving events

Donation Needed: Small shelf set

The Re-opening Committee could use a small set of shelves to

store the supplies required to clean the Church, under the new

guidelines. We could purchase something from a local hardware

store; but in our parish, it is likely that there are families who have

redundant shelves sitting unused in a basement or garage, or just

storing rubbish. If someone would consider donating a set of

shelves (without the rubbish), it would be most appreciated. We

would need at least 4 shelves, so the unit should be 1 ½ - 2 meters

high. Please advise Fr. Edwin by sending a quick email to the

Parish Office: stmariagoretti@rogers.com.

COMING UP 7016o20

5 Aug. Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major;

- Fr. Elias Chachati, Anniversary of birth (1955)

6 Aug. Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord:

15 Aug. Feast of the Assumption of Mary

20 Sept. Stewardship Sunday

Website stmariagoretti.archtoronto.org For the Prayer to St. Michael, and details of other events in our

Parish, see pages 3 and following in the website bulletin.

Resuming Masses

at our Church on Wednesday, 17 June 2020

This is a synopsis of the Letter first published on 15 June 2020.

For the full text, see the bulletin for 21 June 2020.

Dear members of St. Maria Goretti Parish,

Things look a little different as we return to Church. As we

re-open, we must do so in phases. Our capacity is limited

due to directives from the Province of Ontario.

One key point we need to highlight is that the Archdiocese

recommends that all (over the age of 3) who come to Church

wear a face mask to mitigate the spread of the virus.

We warmly invite you to consider how you might share your

time and talents as a Volunteer. The many tasks required for

re-opening are significant and we need more Volunteers than

ever to help. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Gavin

Moniz at: gavinmo@hotmail.com.

Our joy of re-opening our Church is balanced with these

required restrictions. However, returning to Sacramental life

and gathering as a community is sustenance essential for our

faith community. We look forward to welcoming you back.

Be assured that you remain in our prayers each day.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Edwin Galea, Fr. Elias Chachati, Deacon Ramon Villardo

Face Masks Mandatory

New Law: 7 July 2020

I want to thank all of you for your co-operation and kindness

as we have returned to Church over these past weeks. It has

been so great to see parishioners once again and I thank

everyone who has been so helpful in this re-opening stage,

especially our wonderful volunteers. Thank you!

As you may have heard in recent days, a new by-law has

been passed that makes the use of masks or face coverings

inside all public places mandatory. This includes Churches

and our own parish. I would ask that all those coming to

Church bring a mask or face covering and wear it upon

entering. I recognize that this may be an inconvenience yet I

know that we are all committed to caring for our neighbor.

While a number of restrictions have been lifted in recent

days, we are still in the middle of a pandemic and need to

take the appropriate steps to minimize any potential spread

of Covid-19. So while the Archdiocese of Toronto had

highly recommended wearing a mask while in Church and I

know that most of you have been doing so, it is now a by-

law that we must follow.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation as we do all that

we can to take care of one another and keep our community

safe and healthy.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Edwin

Capacity for Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals

Ontario Eases Restrictions, 12 June 2020

Ceremonies Attendees Will Still be Required to Practice

Physical Distancing

The Ontario government is providing more flexibility on the

number of attendees permitted at indoor and outdoor

wedding and funeral ceremonies, in recognition of the

importance of being with loved ones during the moments

that matter most. Based on positive public health trends the

government is extending the number of people allowed to

attend an indoor wedding or funeral ceremony to a

maximum of 30 per cent capacity of the ceremony venue.

Wedding and funeral ceremonies taking place outdoors will

be limited to 50 attendees.

For all ceremonies, those attending must follow proper

health and safety advice, including practising physical

distancing from people who are not from the same

household or their established 10-person social circle.

“With recent progress to reduce the spread of Covid -19, we

are able to ease restrictions on these special ceremonies,”

said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of

Health. “We have taken deliberate steps to increase testing

and increase our ability to track and contain this virus. As

we loosen these measures, I strongly urge everyone to

remain careful and cautious as we are all still at risk.”

The changes came into effect on Friday, 12 June 12 at 12:01

am. The maximum number of people allowed at indoor or

outdoor wedding and funeral receptions stays at 10 people.

As the Covid -19 outbreak evolves in Ontario, further

direction will be provided on capacity restrictions for

Weddings and Funerals going forward.

Visit Ontario’s Covid-19 website to learn more about how

the province protects Ontarians from the virus.

David Jensen, Communications Branch

media.moh@ontario.ca 416-314-6197

Re-opening Committee

Many thanks to Gavin Moniz, and the members of the

Parish Re-opening Committee, for their dedication to

our faith community, and for their help in making sure

that everything is in order to allow us to reassemble, in

accordance with the guidelines issued by the Provincial

government and the Archdiocese of Toronto.

As it becomes available, pertinent information will be

posted directly on our website home page.

Thanks to everyone for your patience, collaboration

and prayer. – Fr. Edwin Galea

In 1976, Archbishop Philip Pocock (photo above) founded the SHARELIFE campaign in the Toronto Archdiocese to support the work of Catholic agencies that serve the greater community.

Remember our SHARELIFE Agencies at this critical time

Community / Family Services Catholic Community Services of York Region,

Catholic Cross-cultural Services, Catholic Family

Services of Durham, Catholic Family Services Peel-

Dufferin, Catholic Family Services of Simcoe Country,

Catholic Family Services of Toronto, FertilityCare

Toronto, Natural Family Planning Association

People with Special Needs Mary Centre, Our Place Community of Hope,

Saint Elizabeth Health Care, St. Bernadette’s Family

Resources Centre, St. Michael`s Homes / Matt Talbot

Houses, Silent Voice Canada (ministry to the deaf)

Children and Youth Catholic Children`s Aid Society of Toronto, Catholic

Settlement House Day Nursery, Covenant House,

Sancta Maria House / Young Parents: Rosalie Hall, Rose of Durham, Rose of Sharon,

Vita Centre / Seniors: Les Centres d’Accueil Heritage, Loyola Arrupe Centre,

Providence Healthcare, Society of Sharing

Affiliated Organizations Camp Ozanam (Society of St. Vincent de Paul),

Good Shepherd Ministries, Birthright International

ShareLife 2020 Living the Gospel !

ShareLife is the official annual charitable appeal of

the Archdiocese of Toronto, raising funds to support

over 40 Catholic agencies and grant recipients.

Today, we reflect on Living the Gospel by Supporting victims of domestic violence.

When a woman endures domestic violence, she may

require a number of services all at once: counselling,

legal aid, Children's Aid services, and childminding.

The SAFE CENTRE OF PEEL brings these services and

others together in one secure location, helping hundreds

of individuals every year. ShareLife funds CATHOLIC

FAMILY SERVICES of Peel-Dufferin, one of 10 onsite

agencies, to help ensure adults and children receive

compassionate care in their time of need.

The ShareLife parish campaign ends on 31 July.

Thanks to all for your support of our parish 2020

ShareLife Campaign. This is a real blessing, a tribute to

the generosity of every donor, at a time of great need.

Please make a sacrificial gift to ShareLife through our

parish campaign.

Your generosity will help bring compassion and hope

to others.

If you have not yet had a chance to participate in our

parish Appeal, there is still time to help us reach our

goal! There are still late donations coming in; this

year’s Campaign officially closes at the end of July.

Focus on the Word

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Scriptural look at today’s readings, from the

viewpoint of The Catholic Steward.

Wisdom 12.13, 16-19

Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Romans 8:26-27

Matthew 13:24-43

Today’s readings are filled with lessons both cautionary

and consoling for the Christian steward.

Our first reading, from the book of Wisdom, reminds us

that our God is just and also kind, all-powerful and also

merciful: “For you show your might when your power

is dis-believed… But though you are master of might,

you judge with clemency.” God is indeed kind and

loving, but He is also a just judge, and the day will

come when we will have to give an account for what

we have done with the gifts of time, talent and treasure

that He entrusted to us during our life-time. We will be

judged by God for the part we played — or did not play

— in the building of His kingdom.

We are never alone in this work, as we are reminded in

our 2nd reading from the Letter to the Romans. “The

Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness… the Spirit

himself intercedes with inexpressible groaning.” We

must turn to the Holy Spirit continuously to guide us in

our daily lives as Christian stewards. The Holy Spirit is

the source of all wisdom. He will reveal to each of us

the unique mission the Father has given us, as

individuals and as a parish family, in the building of the

kingdom of heaven. And He will give us the strength

we need to remain faithful to our mission.

Jesus uses several parables to describe this Kingdom in

our Gospel passage from Matthew. First, He compares

it to a man who sows wheat in his field, but in the

darkness of night an enemy comes and sows weeds in

the same field. Both weeds and wheat are permitted to

grow and only at the harvest time are they separated, or

“judged” — the wheat gathered into the sower’s barn

and the weeds finally destroyed. So it will be for each

of us at the end of our time on earth. It is a sobering

reminder of the justice of God.

But Jesus also gives us comfort and hope in this

passage. He says the kingdom of heaven is like the

small portion of yeast mixed in with flour to make

bread. The yeast makes up an insignificant fraction of

the ingredients, yet it is vital to the outcome; without

that tiny bit of yeast, the bread just will not rise.

Similarly, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a

mustard seed, “the smallest of all the seeds.” But when

it is full-grown it becomes the largest of all the plants, a

sturdy bush where “birds of the sky come and make

nests in its branches.”

It is those latter two descriptions that are especially

encouraging to the Christian steward. So often, the

prayers that we pray, the service we offer, the gifts we

give — in comparison to the immense needs around us

— can seem laughably small. But, as Jesus makes clear

through the images of yeast and the mustard seed, that

is not the truth!

Far from it.

God sees and treasures and “grows” our offerings of

time, talent and treasure in ways we cannot begin to

imagine. If we are but faithful stewards of the gifts

entrusted to us, the day will come when we “will shine

like the sun in the kingdom of [the] Father.”

In justice, in gratitude, in love, then, let us remain

faithful to the mission entrusted to our care for the

building of the kingdom of heaven.

Catholic Stewardship Consultants

St. Charbel Maklouf

Feast day of Lebanese Monk: 24 July

Youssef Antoun Makhlouf was born on 8 May 1828, in

Bekaa Kafra, North Lebanon. He had a

true Christian upbringing, which gave him a passion for

prayer. He followed his two hermit uncles in the

hermitage of the St. Antonious Kozhaya monastery and

joined the monastic and hermetical life.

In 1851, he left his family village and headed for Our

Lady of Maifouk monastery to spend his first monastic

year, then went to the St. Maron monastery in Annaya,

taking the name Charbel, the name of one of

the Antioch Church Martyrs of the 2nd century. On 1

November 1853, he professed his vows, and then

completed theological studies in Kfifan, Batroun.

He was ordained a Priest in Bkerky, the Maronite

Patriarchate, on 23 July 1859. He lived 16 years in St.

Maron monastery, Annaya. On 15 February 1875, he

entered Ss. Peter & Paul hermitage, which belongs to

the monastery. He was a typical hermit, who spent his

time praying and worshipping. He rarely left the

hermitage, where he followed the way of the saintly

hermits in prayer, life and practice.

St Charbel lived in the hermitage for 23 years. On 16

December 1898 he was struck with an illness while

celebrating the Holy Mass. He died on Christmas Eve,

24 December 1898, and was buried in the St Maron

monastery cemetery in Annaya.

The Miraculous Light

Like many a holy monk before him he would soon have

been forgotten were it not for a very strange happening.

For the next forty-five nights his tomb was surrounded

by a dazzlingly bright light. This was witnessed by an

increasingly large number of people, none of whom

could provide an explanation. Permission was sought

from the ecclesiastical authorities for the monk’s body

to be exhumed.

On the night he died the monks from the monastery

nearby had rushed to the hermitage to kiss his hands

and to be blessed by touching his body. Many spent the

whole night kneeling in prayer beside him. The snow

was falling heavily and it was extremely cold, which

was not surprising since the hermitage was fourteen

hundred metres above sea level. Those keeping vigil

asked each other: ‘If we’re suffering so much for only

one night, how was Father Charbel able to live here for

twenty-three years?’

They realized that

he had endured

fatigue, hunger,

poverty and cold

with the courage of

a martyr. The local

villagers, many of

whom had taken

communion over the

years at his hands,

recalled his holiness,

his constant prayer

and hard work, his

meekness and his prudent silence.

Remains Incorrupt

Four months after Charbel’s death, his body was

exhumed. It was perfectly preserved, in spite of the fact

that the grave had been flooded by heavy rains, leaving

the body in mud. Charbel was lifted out, given fresh

clothing and placed in a wooden coffin in the

monastery’s private chapel. It was necessary to change

his clothing twice a week because of a liquid exuding

continually from the pores of the body. A mixture of

perspiration and blood, it just kept coming. Cloth

pieces soaked in this fluid were used as relics and

credited with effecting cures.

His Incorrupt Remains Examined By Physicians

In 1927, Charbel’s incorrupt body was examined by

two physicians of the French Medical Institute at

Beirut, then transferred to another coffin lined with

zinc, and placed in a new tomb inside an oratory. In the

Holy Year 1950, pilgrims to his shrine reported seeing

liquid oozing from a corner of the tomb. When the

tomb was opened up it was dry, except for a liquid

which was seen seeping through a crack at its base. The

coffin seal was broken and the body was examined.

Once again it was found to be free of any corruption

and the odd fluid continued to issue from its pores.

Parents credit St. Charbel for saving

the life of their baby

Charbel Fadel is, in most ways, like any other two-year

old boy. He can’t sit still. He likes soccer. He gives

high-fives to anyone who asks.

That he can do all this, however, is a miracle, according

to his parents Said and Dolly. Their son was not

expected to survive a traumatic birth. They attribute his

survival to the intervention of his namesake, St.

Charbel Makhlouf, the 19th-century Lebanese monk

famous for miracles.

“We were hoping for a miracle from God.” Mr. Fadel

said in an interview. “Since he’s been born, we’ve had

to tell the story of St. Charbel. Through that story now,

we have our son.”

The Fadels are Lebanese and worship at Our Lady of

Good Help, the Maronite Catholic parish in Edmonton.

Charbel Fadel was born 22 October 2015. It was a

difficult birth. Without oxygen for the first nine

minutes of life, the baby was given only a four percent

chance of survival. He was put on life support. Dolly

recalled, “They said, ‘There’s nothing we can do.’ ”

Dr. Anan Hanna, a family friend who teaches at the

University of Alberta medical school, was asked to

review Charbel’s medical records. She said, “From the

start he came with no reflexes, almost dead.”

As an act of faith, the parents hung a picture of St.

Charbel by their son’s incubator and a rosary on the

light next to him. After three-and-a- half weeks, young

Charbel started to breathe on his own; within a month,

he was well enough to go home.

The doctors warned the Fadels that Charbel might have

seizures or developmental disabilities. He didn’t cry

for three weeks, and initially was fed from a tube.

“There was no acknowledgment from him”, Said

recalled. “His body wasn’t functioning properly. His

brother would bring drums and play, but he wouldn’t

hear anything”.

Dolly said: “He didn’t cry except if he was hungry, I

was like, “God you brought him into this world. Please

don’t let him have a hard life.”

Late one night during the 2015 Christmas holidays,

alone in his basement, Said prayed for a miracle.

“I was praying and telling God, “Give me the pain. My

son is a baby. He doesn’t deserve to be in that state.”

It’s like I heard a voice come to me and he told me,

“Grab my picture and put it on the top of your son’s

head.” Said went into his own father’s room, grabbed a

picture of St. Charbel, and placed it above the crib.

I prayed a little bit on top of his head and then I went to

our bedroom and told my wife, “You know what?

Every-thing is going to be OK. Someone came to me

and told me to place the picture above his head and I

did it.” The next morning Dolly was amazed to see her

baby looking at the picture.

“He was, all the time, looking to the picture. You

could see his face smiling and he didn’t move his head

from the picture. And every time you moved him his

eyes were on the picture.”

St. Charbel, pray for us!

Charbel’s condition improved rapidly. The Fadels took

him for medical tests, and all his vital signs indicated

that he was a normal, healthy baby. Since then,

Charbel’s checkups indicate that his walking, talking

and medical and neurological development are

progressing normally.

“Hanna said the intercession of St. Charbel occurred

twice: once when Charbel began to breathe on his own

and the second when his memory, hearing and reflexes

appeared to be normal. Asked if he believes, as a

medical professional, that a miracle occurred, Hanna is

unequivocal.

“Definitely. In two stages. Nine minutes without

enough oxygen? No way he would have survived.

Something unbelievable happened.”

The pastor of the Fadel family, Fr. Joseph Salame, said,

“In Lebanon, St. Charbel is known as an intercessor for

the sick.” He believes that’s what happened in this case.

“Every Lebanese Christian goes to visit the shrine

because they have a strong belief in St. Charbel,”

Salame said. “But the strong belief is that God is our

healer through His saints”.

Charbel’s medical records and other documentation

will be sent to Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith, to

the Fadels’ own Maronite Bishop, and to St. Charbel

Church and Shrine near Beirut, where all miracles

attributed to the Saint are recorded.

Some may question what caused baby Charbel’s

recovery, but the Fadels know in their hearts that a

miracle occurred. “We believe in St. Charbel,” Dolly

said.

Let us remember all our departed friends.

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Celine Donald Rest in Peace

LUCIENNE CELINE

DONALD died on Thursday, 18 July 2019. She was the loving sister of Claudette, Mike & his wife Merle, Francisca

& her husband Kenneth Clifford, Joseph & his wife Petra, Josephine, Simone, Simon & his wife Sophie, Mar-cella, Leona & her husband Junior Joseph and Arthur. She will be sadly missed by her many nieces and nephews. After the funeral, Celine was interred at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

Mina Kapadia Rest in Peace

MINA KAPADIA died on Sunday, 28 July 2019, at the age of 82. Beloved wife of Mukesh and predeceased by her first husband B.A. Prakash. Loving mother of Nandika and her husband David D’Souza and the late Sunil Prakash. Adored grandmother of Alicia D’Souza and Jason

D’Souza. Dear sister of Freda and her husband Peter Joseph and predeceased by her three brothers and three sisters. Mina will also be missed by her sister-in-law Doris and her many nieces, nephews and friends.

Prayer to St. Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou,

O Prince of the Heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

St. Maria Goretti

In St. Maria Goretti Parish, we

continue to seek the intercession

of our dear Patroness throughout

the year, and in a special way in

the month of July. Families are

encouraged to include the Prayer

to St. Maria Goretti in their daily

spiritual exercises, and to ask for

her powerful aid in our common

struggle against the forces of evil.

Prayer to St. Maria Goretti

O Saint Maria Goretti, who, strengthened by God’s Grace, did not hesitate, even at the age of twelve, to shed your blood and sacrifice life to defend your virginal purity, deign to look graciously on the unhappy human race, which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation.

Teach us all, and especially modern youth, with what courage and haste we should flee anything that could offend Jesus and defile our souls with sin. Obtain for us from God great horror of sin so that, keeping our souls undefiled, we may live holy lives on earth and win eternal glory in heaven. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known that anyone who fled

to your protection, implored your help,

or sought your intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly to you,

O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;

to you do I come; before you I stand,

sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word

Incarnate, despise not my petitions,

but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Above: Dawson Christian and Mom Christine in the

Blessed Virgin Shrine area.

Below: Volunteers and Altar Servers prepare to leave

Church, wearing their face masks.

Let the Earth Breathe

Nature flourishes by God’s grace, providing a sense of serenity.