2019 - Parish Family Photo Directory

The purpose of this new project is to help develop the community spirit among us and to help us get to know our fellow parishioners by name. Remember, it’s free and we need you to participate!  Thanks in advance for your support and participation in the program. This directory will embrace young and old, families, couples and single members.  You are all members of our church family, our directory is not complete without you. And we have a few spots remaining for:

Tuesday Nov 26 – 11 am to 5 pm

Thursday Nov 28 - 11 am to 5 pm

You can also sign up on-line at:

https://booknow.securedata-trans.com/b2xyj39s/

You will be able to view and select from available appointment times.  Please contact the Ministry Centre for more information, 416.447-5571.

Parish Retreat – Saturday, November 30

A new year with the Lord – Liturgical Year – will begin on December 1st. Throughout the coming year we will read our way through the Gospel according to Matthew at our weekend Liturgies. Let’s get ready to listen to Jesus’ story as told by Matthew; let’s get ready to make connections between His story and our stories. Friar Dennis will offer a Parish Retreat on Saturday, November 30 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Parish Centre. The CWL will provide a light breakfast. We hope you can come to experience an overview of Matthew’s Gospel. We’ll highlight what to listen for as God continues to speak to us through the Words of the Gospel according to Matthew. Together we’ll pray a little and enjoy one another’s’ company.

Among its many treasures, Matthew’s Gospel contains several “baby” stories about Jesus, it emphasizes the virtues of the Beatitudes, and it dramatically tells the Tale of Jesus’ betrayal, death and rising. And so, we’ve entitled the Parish Retreat: “Babies, Beatitudes and Betrayal: A Prayerful Exploration of the Gospel According to Matthew.

We hope to see you on November 30. And we hope that our time together will help to make the Good News of Matthew’s Gospel new in our lives. Bring your Bible.

Requests for Baptism/Confirmation Records

 To request a copy of your child’s baptism or confirmation record, contact the Ministry Centre by phone or email nimfa@st-bonaventure.ca. Provide your child’s full name, date of birth and approximate date of Baptism. You will also need to provide photo identification such as a copy of your driver’s license or passport. 

Requests need to be made 5 days in advance of the time that the record is needed. In keeping with the policies of the Archdiocese of Toronto, we follow civil legislation pertaining to privacy and access to information.

Embracing Love

A Vocation Prayer

Loving and Generous God, it is You who call us by name and ask us to follow You. Help us to grow in the Love and Service of our Church as we experience it today.Give us the energy and courage of Your Spirit as we make all things new.Grant us faith-filled ministers who will embrace Christ’s Mission of love and justice.Bless our faith community by raising up dedicated, generous disciples who will serve Your people as Sisters, Friars, Priests, Deacons and Lay Ministers.Open our hearts to hear Your call and inspire us to know You better.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen                       

†Friar Canice Connors, OFM Conv.

Born on December 3, 1934 in Hazelton, PA, Fr. Canice entered the Franciscan Friars Conventual in 1954 and made his vows as a friar on August 15, 1955. Fr. Canice was ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1961. After receiving an MA in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, he pursued an MA in psychology from the University of Ottawa. Fr. Canice dedicated many years to the education and formation of young people as headmaster of Canevin High School in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1971 he was awarded a PhD in psychology.

Fr. Canice continued to serve God’s People as a member of the Archdiocesan Chancery of Baltimore, MD. Blending remarkable expertise with deep compassion, he served as Director of Southdown Institute in Holland Landing, Ontario and St. Luke’s Institute in Silver Spring, MD. Fr. Canice shared his years of experience as a friar-priest with seminarians when he was Rector of St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, NY.

In 1997 Fr. Canice received the President’s Award of the National Federation of Priests Councils in acknowledgement of his service to the Gospel of Jesus. He served his brothers in the Franciscan order as Minister Provincial of The Immaculate Conception Province, leading the friars in lives of community and ministry. He served other fellow religious as a member of the Board of Directors, Vice-President and President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.                As pastor, Fr. Canice led the Parish of Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem, NC. He also was the Rector and Pastor of the Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse, NY.

            In 2008, our friend, Fr. Canice, came to us as a member of St. Bonaventure Friary, Toronto. We remember him as a man of great spiritual stature, preaching the Word of God with depth and wisdom. His “Theology and Tea” sessions sparked wonderful discussions as he led us in exploring our call to practical holiness and generous service. Fr. Canice was father, brother and friend to us.

            When his health declined, Fr. Canice moved to Mercy Nursing Facility, Lackawanna, NY, where he continued to minister the Sacraments to his fellow residents until Sister Death called him home on March 17, 2019. He was laid to rest in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Buffalo, NY.

                               MAY HEAVEN BE HIS AND MAY PEACE BE OURS.

† Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv.

Friar David G. Suckling, OFM Conv., was born in Toronto on May 3, 1932 and away on March 31, 2019. He was the son of the late Geoffrey and Margaret (nee Kirk) Suckling. Friar David was a beloved brother his Franciscan Family and father to his children: Chris (Hermie), Sara Cornfield (Alan), Donald MacDonald (Zoe), Molly Srebot (Mike), Michelle Newman (Bruce) and †Vivienne Brown. He is remembered by his grandchildren Stephanie (David), Nadia (Sam), Danielle (Adam), David, Kyle (Steph), Miles, Piers, Rowan, Berit, Connor, Tamsin, Tallis, Jason (Sharon), Tammy, Jamie, Katie, Emily, Rebecca, Tiffany (George) and Miranda (Jeff). Fr. David will be greatly missed by his grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Friar David served in the Army Reserved from 1960-61. He and his wife †Margaret Mary Suckling, who died in 1990, raised their family on their farm. Having lived as a Secular Franciscan, the notion of a further call into the Franciscan way of life filled his heart. On August 13, 1995, Friar David made his Profession of Temporary Vows. And on September 20, 1998 he made his Profession of Solemn Vows as a Franciscan Friar. Friar David lived in the Friaries of St. Anthony and St. Bonaventure in Toronto. We remember him as a gentle minister in our parish of St. Bonaventure and beloved fatherly presence in the Catholic School of St. Bonaventure. He served as a Member of the Boards of the Messenger of St. Anthony, the Tobias House: Caring in the Spirit of St. Francis, Retired Religious of the Archdiocese of Toronto at the Houses of providence and The Friends of St. Francis: St. Clare Inn. We thank God for the gift of knowing Friar David. We will miss his warm smile and Franciscan spirit. May the Angels lead him into Paradise.