April 11, 2023

We Have 50 Days to Celebrate!
April 11, 2023

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,
 
Easter greetings and blessings to one and all!!! We now bask in the afterglow of the Great Feast with its hope, joy, renewal, light, and peace. During our Holy Week/Easter celebrations we walked the journey to Calvary, the tomb and the Resurrection.
 
This past weekend we were able to celebrate the liturgies of the Holy Triduum with full churches. Our entire staff felt deeply blessed by your presence in person and online through these high holy days. We thank the countless volunteers who contributed in a myriad of ways to bringing our celebrations to life. In a special way we thank our music ministry and our parish music directors, Elizabeth Husmer and Joy O'Sullivan, for their faithful leadership.
 
The heart of the Great Feast of Easter is the amazing grace of God’s Mercy. A mercy that wants to set us free from fear, doubt, worry and sorrow. A mercy that wants to reign in our hearts, minds, and spirits. A mercy that wants to enlarge our hearts, so we too become mercy to one another.

During the Jubilee Year of 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina Kowalska and declared that the universal Church would henceforth observe the Sunday after Easter as the Sunday of Divine Mercy. We are invited to contemplate the mystery of the resurrection in the light of God’s infinite mercy. The richness of God’s mercy radiates through the Sunday Scriptures and especially in Jesus’ compassionate response toward Thomas’ unbelief. The gift of mercy is explicitly given when Jesus commissions his disciples as ministers of divine mercy: “He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:22–23). Through entrusting the first disciples with the gift of forgiving sins, Jesus initiated a waterfall of mercy for all of humanity.
 
Sr. Faustina repeatedly heard a call to proclaim God’s mercy to the world. She promoted the chaplet of divine mercy to raise spiritual awareness of God’s mercy. On Divine Mercy Sunday many Catholics will visit shrines devoted to divine mercy and pray the chaplet of divine mercy. Our Church announces to the world that God is merciful and that we are invited to rest in his loving embrace. May our hearts grow more aware of the mercy of God in our lives. In turn, may we actively show mercy to those who need it most.
Divine Mercy Sunday
April 16, 2023

4 PM Vigil - St. James
9 AM - St. Elizabeth Seton & livestreamed
11 AM - St. James & livestreamed
God of Mercy,
You rain down compassion
upon a world in great need of healing
and shower humanity
with unconditional love.
Pour your Holy Spirit into our hearts today.
Help each of us to receive your gift of mercy
and allow it to transform our lives.
As we celebrate in Easter joy
make us instruments of peace and mercy
in our families, communities and Church.
We ask this through Christ our Risen Lord.
Amen.
CRS Rice Bowl Collections
Many thanks to all the Faith Formation students and families who recently participated in collecting donations for Catholic Relief Services through the Rice Bowl Collection. All households who have filled their Rice Bowls during Lent are asked to convert your change into cash or a check made out to Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish. Drop your envelope labeled "CRS Rice Bowl" into our collection boxes in the entrance ways of our church buildings. Thank you!
Thank you to all who gave so generously to our Easter Food Basket Collection. We delivered over 40 beautiful baskets and over $4,000.00 in grocery store gift cards to Rocky Hill Human Services to support local families with their holiday meals!
Eldercare Healthcare Informational Panel
On Tuesday, April 18 from 6:00-7:30 PM, St. Josephine Bakhita will host an Eldercare/Healthcare Panel to share information on a variety of resources available to caregivers and older adults. Industry professionals, which will include Father George and members of our parish, will speak on home care & hospice, private duty in-home assistance, skilled nursing, Estate Planning, Medicare wellness benefits, dementia resources and spiritual counseling. Following the speaker panel, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers. The event will be held at St. James Parish Hall located at 767 Elm Street. Complimentary pizza will be provided. Please sign up in advance so we have a head count. Call our parish office at 860-529-8655 or email frgeorge@sjbrh.org.
Centering Prayer Workshop
Join us for a Centering Prayer Workshop on May 1 & May 2 from 6:30-8:30 PM on Zoom. Mike Smoolca, Coordinator of Contemplative Outreach at Holy Family Monastery and Fran Mastro will present this two-part workshop. We will discuss the basics of Centering Prayer and practice it as a group, deepening our relationship with God. Sign up in the foyer at St. Elizabeth Seton or St. James Church. Any question call Fran at (860)810-2403 or Email at fmed6@icloud.com.
Evening of Reflection for Couples
Join us for an evening of reflection for couples led by Lil and Rick Baruffi on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00PM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. The focus of the evening will be on navigating communication and conflict in our relationships. Learn more and sign up HERE.
Pray Every Evening
with Fr. George
Fr. George leads Evening Prayer on Monday-Friday at 5:00 PM on both our Facebook Page and Parish website. The recordings remain available afterward on the Parish Facebook page. All are welcome!
Daily Mass Schedule
Monday: 8:30am-St. Elizabeth Seton
Tuesday: 8:00am-St. James
Thursday: 8:00am-St. James
Friday: 8:30am-St. Elizabeth Seton
Reconciliation
Fr. George welcomes all to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton.
The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal changes lives through service. In addition to assisting the under served of our communities, your gift helps those discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Your gift to the Appeal is an investment in the future of our Church and our faith.

Thank you to the parish families who have made a gift or pledge to the 2023 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. If you have not yet participated, please prayerfully consider a gift today. Please know that every dollar of your gift will have a positive impact in someone’s life.

All donations 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.
Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Lisa Orchen