SAINT GABRIEL PARISH

Sacramental Information SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: All couples who plan to have their baby baptized at St. Gabriel should notify the rectory for appropriate preparation. Sponsors must be Confirmed and at least 16 years of age. They are required to bring a letter from their parish stating that they are practicing Catholics. Baptisms are usually held once a month on a Sunday at the 10:00 am Mass. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confession): Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:30 pm SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY: The Archdiocese requires that couples planning to marry must contact the parish at least six months before the intended date. All couples are required to attend pre-marital instructions in preparation for marriage. ANOINTING OF THE SICK: In case of serious illness or advanced age, please call the rectory. Priests and Eucharistic ministers distribute communion to those who are sick and elderly, as well as to those unable to attend Mass. Sick calls should not be deferred until the person is unconscious or in imminent danger of death. PARISH REGISTRATION: New parishioners are most welcome. Please call the rectory to make an appointment with the pastor. Please notify the rectory if you move. If you never receive a mailing from the parish you are not in our registry; contact us to give us your current information. BECOMING CATHOLIC: We would be most happy to assist those interested in becoming Catholic. Please contact the pastor for information. GETTING INVOLVED: Call the pastor to discuss ways to become active in one or more of our parish ministries.

Rev. Domenic A. Rossi, O. Praem. Pastor..............................................................215-463-4060

Sr. Rose Marie Adams, IHM Pastoral Assistant and Director of Rel. Education......................215-334-2620

Sr. Noreen James, IHM Principal.........................................................215-468-7230

All SACRAMENTAL RECORDS of the former Saint Aloysious and King of Peace Parishes are located at Saint Gabriel Parish. Sacramental records may be obtained by calling Saint Gabriel Parish during business hours from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday through Thursday; 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Friday. The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER May 1, 2016

The Saint Gabriel Catholic Community aspires to bring the healing light of Christ to Grays Ferry, to give hope in the midst of human struggles, so that we may all

celebrate our faith joyously as we affirm our communion in God's welcoming love.

Schedule of Masses Saturday Vigil Mass ...................................4:30 pm Sunday Morning Mass..........................10:00 am Daily Mass ......................................................6:45 am Daily Mass Summer Schedule .............8:00 am Holy Day Schedule Vigil...............6:00 pm; Morning Mass 9:00 am

Saint Gabriel Food Cupboard

Our parish provides food assistance to help our neighbors. It operates out of the lower level of the school hall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9:00 - 10:30 am. During the summer it is open on Tuesdays & Fridays. Our parishioners are asked to bring non-perishable food items with them to Mass on the first Sunday of the month.

Rectory: 2917 Dickinson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146-3511

Phone: 215-463-4060

Fax: 215-755-2680

Web: www.stgabrielrcparish.org

Email: myangel1134@aol.com

Convent: 215-334-2620

School: 215-468-7230

MAY 01, 2016

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

THEME: Peace and peace of mind come to the fore at our celebration today. Our loving God invites us to work together to spread the Good News, so we must learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and unite ourselves in the mission that God has given us. Let us pray today for a spirit of unity and peace throughout all the Catholic Church.

HIS WORD TODAY by Rev. William J. Reilly “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.’ And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.” Following the resurrection, Jesus spent time preparing His disciples for His taking leave of them. They were to be pleased that He would go, and then would receive a special gift, the Advocate, the Paraclete. The Spirit would come to teach and remind. Jesus’ leaving would not be an absence, but lead to a greater presence. His disciples, and we as missionary disciples, would become dwelling places of God’s Spirit. His gift is ours, provided we love Him. May the departure of Jesus, the ascension, prepare us for the special moment and allow us to be truly dwelling places for the Lord. He comes to reside with me. He is present in me and in others. I ask the gift of discernment to discover His abiding presence with me today.

Sunday, May 01 10:00 Jim & Peg Kelly Monday, May 02 06:45 Sister Marie Joanne McCarty, IHM Tuesday, May 03 06:45 Sister Felice Marie Long, IHM Wednesday, May 04 06:45 Intention of the Priest 06:00pm Vigil – Intention of the Priest Thursday, May 05 The Ascension of the Lord 09:00am Maria Cinquina Friday, May 06 06:45 Intention of the Priest Saturday, May 07 04:30 Michael Longo

COLLECTION: The collection for the weekend of April 16/17 amounted to $2,045.00. We thank you for your generosity.

First Reading: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 Some men informed the Gentiles that they must be circumcised if they wished to be saved, because of the Old Laws. Disciples then went forth to tell the Gentiles to honor only those rules which were strictly necessary, such as abstaining from eating meat sacrificed to idols and illicit sexual union. Second Reading: Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 John depicts Jerusalem coming out of heaven, sparkling with the radiance of precious jewels. Angels were stationed at each of its twelve gates, and each gate bore the name of one tribe of Israel. The city had no temple, because God was its temple. The glory and light of God and the Lamb also replaced their need for the sun. Gospel: John 14:23-29 Jesus tells his disciples, "Anyone who loves me will be true to my word." For those who do honor his word, both Jesus and God will love them and stay with them always. He also tells them that God will send the Holy Spirit in his place to give them the instructions they will need. Jesus then tells them that peace is his farewell gift to them.

2016 STATE OF THE PARISH REPORT This weekend, MAY 1, 2016 -- At the end of the 10 AM Sunday Mass in the church.

We will only take 15 minutes to give a report on how our parish is currently doing in the light of the goals that we outlined last year: Goal 1. Cultivate a vibrant and growing faith community. Goal 2. Eliminate the parish operating deficit within 2 years.

If this parish is important to you, please stay for the brief presentation – we have some positive news to share (I’ll keep the homily short).

Is Acts 1:8 My Commission to Evangelize? Author: Jim Elliff

The disciples waited for the coming of the Spirit. It was only a few weeks following the resurrection when Christ told His apostles that "repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem," (Lk 24:47). But how? Jesus laid the burden of this ministry squarely on the apostles. Imagine how they must have felt considering the scope of it all. But Jesus wasn't actually trusting them alone to do the job. Not at all. Here's what He said: "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Lk 24:49) That's what they waited for ...the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, who would be the engine of worldwide evangelism. After this announcement, Jesus ascended to heaven, the place from which He had come years ago. The apostles waited, with several others, in Jerusalem for the power that would make it all possible. The writer, Luke, retells the outline of this period in the book of Acts. Here he includes these famous words, a sentence which has inspired thousands to share the gospel. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) They did wait for a week, praying, in Jerusalem. Then, on the day called Pentecost, the Spirit came ...in a very dramatic way. The rest is history. The gospel was preached throughout the known world in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and beyond—just as Jesus had predicted. Acts 1:8 was for those who were the witnesses of the resurrection of Christ and commissioned by Him. God calls the apostles "witnesses" all throughout Acts. These words were for the very people they were spoken to—His band of disciples. Acts 1:8 is about a special experience—the coming of the Spirit. This was a unique moment in history when the Spirit came not for Jews alone, but to the entire world of people who trust Him. Because of Pentecost the Spirit now resides in each believer. But at that time, this was also about new power for the inauguration of the advance of the gospel to all kinds of people. It was a spiritual explosion. But what about you? You come in when Peter preached the message leading to the conversion of the 3,000 on that day of Pentecost, for the Spirit didn't just come on the apostles, but on others who prayed in the upper room also. He also came

on the 3,000 converts, and since then on every new believer. That means YOU. In the quoted Joel prophecy, Peter said that God's Spirit will come on "men servants and maid servants" of all "mankind," who will consequently speak out for Him (Acts 2:17-18). So, yes, it may be that the great Acts 1:8 verse isn't specifically about you because you are not actually witnesses as Luke used the term (i.e. eyewitnesses to the resurrection). However, because of the Joel prophecy that Peter quotes, you also will speak out about Jesus Christ. The Spirit is empowering you to speak up. And that can happen right where you live.

15WEEK-CLUB WINNERS

DATE NO. WINNER SELLER 4/12 005 no winner 4/13 602 B. Sumner G. Sumner 4/14 119 no winner 4/15 700 no winner 4/16 048 no winner G. Sumner 4/17 816 B. Bergen K. Diering 4/18 238 no winner Thank you for your help with the lottery this year. We need your support! This is the only fundraiser the parish has each year.

MEMORIALS: Our parish has received donations in memory of: Catherine McLaughlin: Joe & Eileen Moran, Shawn & Christine Klenk, Roy & Maria Canzanese, Pat & Fran Rafferty Flossie McCann: Pat & Fran Rafferty, Bill & Grace Shea, Linda & Lynn Bockius Pete Pecoraio: Pat & Fran Rafferty, Susan & Thomas Weeks Debbie Cesare: Ann & William Stinger Robert McDevitt: Patrick Bradley, Diana Bradley, Janet Bradley We thank the families for requesting donations be made to the Saint Gabriel Memorial Fund.

Are you on Facebook? Go to the new Saint Gabriel’s Parish Facebook page and “LIKE” us.

It will help us to stay connected. ST. GABRIEL'S PARISH GARDEN TEAM

We welcome all parishioners to help take care of the Garden. There are several types of jobs for all skill levels. No experience necessary - we will provide training. Leave your name and phone number at the parish office and someone will contact you and let you know our next “garden party.”

Beautiful people help to make our parish beautiful.

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