September 29, 2026

Home / e-Newsletter / September ...

Fall News from Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

September 29, 2026

Daly Fall Notes

Dear Friends,

I love a good book or play. There is nothing we love more than a good story. A good story captivates us. We are drawn in by the conflicts and challenges that the characters face. As the story unfolds, we find ourselves identifying with the joys and pains of the people in the book or movie. Whether it’s a play as sublime as Hamlet or a children’s movie like the latest Toy Story, we see ourselves in the characters and our lives in the story.

Why is that? It is because our life is a story. We are caught up in a great drama. The struggle between good and evil is playing itself out in our lives.

God has a plan for each of us. Like any good story, there will be twists and turns. There will be times when we’re not sure what is waiting for us around the corner. But one thing is true. God can write a much better story with our lives than we can.

Your story is powerful. You have faced challenges and overcome struggles that many people might not have had the strength to handle. God has worked in your life in dramatic ways. You may have thought your life was going to turn out one way, but God intervened and turned things around for you. God brought possibilities into your story that you could not have imagined.

Share your story. There is someone out there who needs to hear it. A story is more convincing than a sermon. So don’t be afraid to share what God has done for you. If God has done something great in your life, it is meant to be shared with others, so that they can discover God in their story. Then they too can be part of this great story of salvation whose final act is eternal life in Heaven.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Shawn

Exciting News from Music Ministry

New baby announcement! At St. James, we are blessed to have a new (to us) Ritmuller baby grand piano. Fr. Shawn allowed me to start shopping for a piano a few weeks ago, as pianos online are often priced well below their value. I met 10 different pianos across the state, then fell in love with one in Glastonbury. Chatting with the owners, I discovered they are Catholic and that we have mutual connections. I told them about our upcoming Haiti benefit concert and their next words were that wanted to donate the piano to our parish! Many thanks to Dr. Carol Stabile and her family for the generous donation. Another musical miracle came when one of our choir members donated the moving fees and future care and tuning of our new piano. We are sincerely grateful!

Rochelle Bard
Director of Music Ministry

Join Us For The
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 4, 2026

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:30 AM at St. James

Join Us For The
Blessing of Our Parish Animals

Saturday
October 3, 2026

9:00 AM

On the Plaza at
St. Elizabeth Seton

Fall Bakhita Bible Study
”Go In Peace…”

In our times, as in the times of Jesus, violence and conflict seem a stubborn “fact of life”. Then and now, wars, rumors of wars, civil strife and conflicts, social and cultural discord, violent crimes and domestic violence were and are everyday realities.

Disciples of Jesus Christ, reaching back to the Old Testament prophets and strengthened by the Lord’s own teaching words and example, are called to turn away from violence toward peace in our lives and relationships in a reconciling way that speaks to the world around us.

Bakhita Bible Study will be considering these realities and challenges starting on Wednesday October 14 through November 18 at 10:00 AM at the St. James Parish Center and at 7:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. The 7:00 PM evening sessions will be live streamed online for remote participation. There is a $10 book charge. Please preregister by Sunday October 4 by emailing Deacon Michael at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com (best) or by calling 860-836-8218 and leaving a message.

Other Fun Tidbits

Faith Sharing Group

All are welcome to join the Saint Josephine Bakhita Faith Sharing Group. Our meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month from 1:00-2:30 PM and the fourth Tuesday from 6:30-8:00 PM. Both meetings will be in person at Saint Elizabeth Seton Church in room B. We focus on prayer, a brief scripture review on the workings of the Holy Spirit, with a continued discernment in open discussion and personal prayer intentions.

We also have a charismatic prayer group that is led by Kristie Bilcharz. This group meets on Zoom on the first Tuesday of the month. For additional information about any of these groups, please contact Michael Lonergan at 860-638-7080 or at Mikelonergan53108@sbcglobal.net. I will forward your information to Kristie regarding the charismatic prayer group.

You are welcome to attend any of these faith sharing groups and feel free to invite friends or family members from our parish or not.

Camino de Santiago:
In the Footsteps of a Pilgrim

In 2011, the movie “The Way” with Martin Sheen introduced many to Camino de Santiago – The Way of St. James, a trek dating back to the Middle Ages, that stretches 800 km (500 miles) across Spain. Each year, a half million “pilgrims” venture out along one of seven routes, each of which ends at the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

But what is this “pilgrimage” – a spiritual journey, a physical journey, or an ordinary walk with strangers?

For some answers, please join recent “pilgrims” Sr. Patty Moriarty RSM and Deacon Michael & Krystyna Ward for an evening of reflection and storytelling rooted in their “Camino walks” in France, Spain and Portugal.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

DATE: Thursday, October 15, 2026

TIME: 7:00 – 8:30 PM

PLACE: Saint James Parish Center, 767 Elm Street

Sr. Patty Moriarty, RSM, a lifelong member of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish, has been a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas since 1988. Deacon Michael and Krystyna have been members of the parish community for over 40 years and have organized parish pilgrimages to the Holy land, Poland, Italy, Fatima and Lourdes.

HAITI CONCERT:
’From Broadway to the Met!’
Sunday, November 1, 2026

Good Day & Bon Jour friends of Haiti,

We know the news from Haiti is discouraging, but now more than ever, we need to support them in every way. Start with prayer. Then rejoice that our generous and talented Music Director, Rochelle Bard, is planning a choral program, From Broadway to the Met, on Sunday, November 1, 2026. The benefit concert will begin at 3:00PM at St James Church. The afternoon will feature our own adult and children’s choirs plus notable professional voices.

So how can you help? We are looking for a few people to plan a simple, post-show reception. Lots of publicity is important, so help us spread the word. Plan to attend and bring a friend! In addition to free-will donations from attendees, we would love to have sponsors.

Our Haitian Promise co-chairs, Barbara Wysocki and Marianne Hogan, are eager to get plans going. You can reach Barbara at 860-563-9015, wysockb@aol.com. Get in touch with Marianne at 860-748-7291, mandbhogan@gmail.com. Every Sunday we remember our Haitian sisters and brothers. Here’s your chance to help them.

Barbara and Marianne

Our Haitian Promise Ministry Co-Chairs

Save The Date for The Holiday Fair

Holiday Fair Committee Members Needed

The 2026 Holiday Fair Committee is looking for volunteers to organize, coordinate, and plan this year’s Holiday Fair! The Committee is looking for committee members to help with the Tea Cup Raffle, Volunteer Coordination, and Publicity. Each committee member attends monthly meetings leading up to the Holiday Fair. Contact Erica McKenzie (mckenzie.ec@gmail.com) and Kathy Alexander (alexandjk@aol.com) for more details.

2027 Mass Intention Scheduling

It is time to schedule your Mass Intentions! This year will be just like 2026.

Due to Mass Intentions being so popular we need to limit each household to 2 Mass intentions for the year so that everyone in our parish community has an opportunity to reserve a mass.

MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S DAY MASS INTENTIONS:

Due to the popularity of these dates we will no longer schedule individual names but together as a parish will celebrate All of our Mothers and Fathers together as one.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Call the office anytime between 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (860-529-8655) and we will make a phone/office appointment for you on one of the following dates:

November 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6

SCHEDULED TIMES WILL BE BETWEEN

10:00 AM & 2:00 PM

On your scheduled day and time you may call the office or stop by the Rectory Office at Saint James and we will put your request in the calendar book.

Call the Parish Office with any questions at 860-529-8655.

Carrie & Pam

Parish Administrative Assistants

The Knights of Columbus will be assisting with our first Baby Bottle Drive for Saint Gerard’s Center for Life on October 3 & 4, 2026. Baby Bottles will be distributed after Mass, and collected on October 24 & 25, 2026. We are sponsoring the Baby Bottle Drive for Saint Gerard’s; the only pregnancy help center located in Hartford, serving the greater-Hartford area and beyond. Please fill your baby bottle with coins, cash, and checks (made out to St. Gerard’s Center for Life) for this annual much -needed fundraiser. All the funds support the moms and dads who have made the decision to save their babies from abortion. Thank you for your support!