April 1, 2025

Lent at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

April 1, 2025

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

On Sunday April 27, 2025 the first Millennial Saint, Carlo Acutis, will be canonized in Rome. That same day, a movie about his life will be in theaters nationwide entitled Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality. The plan for distribution of this movie is to have it shown in 945 theaters April 27-29. It will be an awesome way to learn more about this fascinating young man and his impact on the youth of today.

Carlos was British-born Italian website designer who documented Eucharistic miracles, Marion apparitions and catalogued both on a website he designed before his death from leukemia at the age of 15 in Monza, Italy.

Since his death, there have been two miracles attributed to Carlos making him the first Millennial saint.

He is considered the patron saint of youth, computer programmers and influencers of the internet.

It is said that Carlos’ last spoken words were to his mother, “Mom, don’t be afraid. Since Jesus became a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don’t need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in the eternal life.”

With the upcoming Sacrament of Confirmation, in May, for our 10^th grade students at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph…may the inspiration and relevance of Saint Carlos Acute be a model for our young men and women of the parish and throughout the world!!

Wishing you a blessed Lent!

Fr. George Couturier

Click Here to See All We Have Planned for Lent

April 6, 2025

4:00 PM at Saint James

9:00 AM at Saint Elizabeth Seton

& livestreamed

11:00 AM at Saint James

Lent Prayer & Devotions

Pray the Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross invite us to use all our senses as we reflect prayerfully and walk intentionally with Jesus through his suffering, death on the cross and resurrection.

Attend the Stations of the Cross

Friday Evenings

5:30PM at St. James

7:00pm at St. Elizabeth Seton

Daily Mass

Mon-8:30AM @ Seton

Tues-8:00AM @ St. James

Thur-8:00AM @ St. James

Fri-8:30AM @ Seton

Evening Prayer

Fr. George leads evening prayer Monday - Friday at 5:00 PM on our parish Facebook Page. All are welcome!

Reconciliation

Fr. George welcomes all to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton.

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday

April 17, 2025

Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

7:00 PM ~ St James

Adoration until 10:00PM

Good Friday

April 18, 2025

Celebration of Our Lord’s Passion

3:00 PM ~ St. James

Tenebrae & Veneration

7:00PM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton

Holy Saturday

April 19, 2025

Blessing of Easter Foods

Noon ~ St. James

Easter Vigil

8:00 PM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton

Easter Sunday

April 20, 2025

9:00 AM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton (livestreamed)

9:00 AM ~ St. James

11:00 AM ~ St. James

Click Here To See All We Have Planned For Holy Week at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish!

Lent Almsgiving

Please bring back your rice bowl when churches are open for weekend masses. Kindly return them no later than the weekend after Easter (April 26 & 27). There will be greeters to accept your rice bowl donations.

Thank you for changing lives this Lent!

Easter Food Baskets

Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish will be collecting Easter food “baskets” for families within our community on the weekend of April 12-13 so that they can be delivered before Easter. Rocky Hill Human Services is asking for "generic" baskets for families of four to six people. If your family or group would like to donate a basket, please sign up on the sheet located in the Foyer of either church so we know how many to plan for. If we get enough, some will also be donated to Catholic Worker in Hartford.

Please bring your basket (any container is acceptable as long as it looks nice) to the Rectory garage at Saint Elizabeth Seton or Father Shea Hall at Saint James on Saturday afternoon, April 12 or Sunday morning, April 13. A list of suggested items is available here. Please do not include perishable foods. People will be given gift certificates to use for their fresh foods.

During this weekend we will also be collecting grocery store gift certificates which Rocky Hill Human Services will add to the baskets when they are distributed. Please bring the gift certificates to Mass April 12-13 and give them directly to Fr. George.

Bakhita Bible Camp is Back!

Mark your calendars now for Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Vacation Bible Camp to be held Monday, June 23, 2025 - Friday, June 27, 2025 from 9:00 AM - Noon.

Bakhita Bible Camp welcomes campers entering Kindergarten through Grade 6.

Registration forthcoming for Teen Volunteers entering Grades 7-12 and Adult Volunteers of all ages.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about volunteering opportunities, please contact Lisa Torneo at biblecamp@sjbrh.org.

Scan the QR Code to Learn More and Register Campers for Bakhita Bible Camp

Click Here To Register Campers for Bakhita Bible Camp

Other Fun Tidbits

Give Blood

The American Red Cross has launched a Severe Blood Shortage Appeal. All eligible donors are encouraged to schedule appointments now. The next drive hosted at our Parish Center at St. James Church is scheduled for Thursday, April 6, 2025 from 1PM-6PM. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to www.redcrossblood.org to register to give.

Giving Garden

The Giving Garden of St. Josephine Bakhita has supplied the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen in Middletown with 460 to more than 900 pounds of fresh vegetables a year since 2017. The garden is on Brook Street, east of the rectory.

Our 14 volunteers manage the 20- x 30-foot plot as an organic, non-synthetic chemical garden.

This ministry is not hard work or a chore but a pleasure, where you work with and meet some very kind folks. But gardeners could use your help, either a one-time effort; once a week for an hour or so, or whatever you’re able to do. We’re looking for volunteers from high school age through seniors.

Some needs this year include:

One time efforts in April/May to improve the fencing and borders or shovel some mulch & wood chips.
Weekly plant & weed maintenance, limited to an hour per week, June - early October
One more picker/team of pickers for once every two weeks (once harvesting time arrives.)

If you have an interest in helping, please contact Bob Manzi at manzirj@sbcglobal.net or at 860 502-5097. You can even visit us anytime usually at 5 p.m. Mondays, starting in June.

In just a few short weeks, our parish has raised $27,169.00 for the 2025 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal supports many important ministries and programs in the Archdiocese.

Gifts are allocated towards religious education programs, youth ministries, local charities, the education of

our seminarians, support for our retired clergy, our Catholic schools, and the many ministries provided daily

by the Archdiocese. If you have not made a gift, please prayerfully consider making a pledge or one-time gift. Join us, your parish community, and Trust in the Lord, by sharing your blessings with the less fortunate.

All funds contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal are used exclusively for the purposes outlined in the Appeal literature, which can be found here. No Appeal funds are ever used for legal fees or settlements.