April 12, 2022

April 12, 2022 Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,   Greetings and blessings! HAPPY EASTER! CHRIST IS RISEN!! We confidently and loudly proclaim this truth even though we hear of a world that is confronting war, violence, hate and scandal. We proclaim that light has conquered darkness, hope has overcome brokenness and despair, life has busted out of the tomb of death.   Considering this Easter truth, I share with you a story from the book, THE LIBERATORS, by Michael Hirsch. The book generally tells the stories, shares the impressions and reactions of American soldiers who liberated the Nazi concentration camps as they chased the remnants of the Nazi army at the end of WWII.   Hirsch includes the recollection of one of those liberated. Conrad Rood was a 24-year-old Dutch Jew who was arrested in 1942 and spent three years imprisoned. In 1945 he lay dying in a covered ditch in a camp when the 14th Armored Division liberated the camp.   Rood remembers that he heard his friend speaking English and saying to someone, “Go in there, my friend is dying. He should know that he is free before he dies.” Then he recalls that the trapdoor over the ditch opened and there an American soldier who said to him: “Come friend, you are free now."   Rood recalls that he was crawling on the ground trying to get to the trap door and crying. Then the soldier picked him up by the collar and grabbed hold of him and pulled him out. All Rood could think of was how strong the soldier was. Then the soldier repeated: “You are free now. You understand? It is over.”   Rood says, “As dirty and sick as I was, that American soldier kissed me and took me outside into the light and said, ‘See, you really are free now.’” And the soldier cried too.   The words of the American soldier were, “YOU ARE FREE; IT IS OVER.” The words of the angel at the tomb were: “WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?” Ultimately, the message is the same.   Easter is God’s never-ending invitation to freedom, his raising us up from the tombs of selfishness and fear and anger and hatred. In the many manifestations of his compassion and mercy around us, God picks us up and carries us out of our prisons and ditches.   And then, we in turn become liberators ourselves, picking up others from among the dead, leaving behind our own fears and angers, restoring others to life and hope. That is the thing about resurrection and new life. It cannot end with you.   Considering Easter’s empty tomb, every moment of forgiveness and every triumph of justice proclaims that Jesus is risen. Every rejection of vengeance and every instance of goodness (especially in the face of the evils of our day), proclaims that we are all free. Every act of compassion and mercy proclaims the good news that all are called to new life.   And with Christ Risen, we are indeed free! Fr. George Couturier Click Here to See All We Have Planned for Holy Week Holy Week Schedule 2022 Holy Thursday April 14, 2022  Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7PM ~ St James (livestreamed) Adoration until 10:00PM Worship Aid: Click Here   Good Friday April 15, 2022  Celebration of Our Lord’s Passion 3PM ~ St. James (livestreamed) 3PM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton Worship Aid: Click Here   Stations of the Cross & Veneration 7PM ~ St. James 7PM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton   Holy Saturday April 16, 2022   Blessing of Easter Foods Noon ~ St. James Easter Vigil 8PM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton (livestreamed) Worship Aid: Click Here   Easter Sunday April 17, 2022 9AM ~ St. Elizabeth Seton (livestreamed) Worship Aid: Click Here 9AM ~ St. James 11AM ~ St. James (livestreamed) Worship Aid: Click Here More details can be found here. Bring Your Bells To Ring Rejoice! The Gloria is sung again on Holy Thursday, Easter Vigil & Easter morning. Bring your bells from home to ring during the singing of this joyful hymn! Blessing of Easter Foods Bring your Easter Foods to be blessed on Holy Saturday, April 16, at Noon at St. James Church! Holy Week 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. Here are some of the ways available:   Attend The Stations of the Cross Good Friday, April 15 7:00PM at St. Elizabeth Seton & 7:0pm at St. James led by our Confirmation Program and livestreamed Pray The Stations of the Cross with Fr. George Virtually Available anytime on YouTube   Pray the Stations of the Cross for Children, Families & Everyone Virtually Available anytime on YouTube Bring Your Rice Bowl Collections Back to Church 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! Good Friday Reflection Film When our Prayers Don’t Seem to Work All are invited to gather and watch a 35 minute video reflection on finding God in times of loss and pain called "When Our Prayers Don't Seem To Work," featuring Noelle Garcia McHugh. Friday, April 15 at2:00PM Saint Elizabeth Seton, Room E Questions: call Ellen & Steve Lowrance at 860-759-0614. Easter Season Bible Study All Are Welcome! Jesus: A Man of Prayer This Easter Season, Deacon Michael will be leading a Bible Study on “Jesus: A Man of Prayer.” This six-session series will be held in-person and online. Jesus and prayer—two topics that are of immense interest to Christians and that are inextricably linked together.   On Wednesdays starting April 27th Saint Josephine Bakhita Adult Bible Study will be offering a 6-part read and reflect series on praying with Jesus Christ. In this convening of Jesus: Man of Prayer, we will consider prayer by studying the way Jesus prayed as offered in Scripture. We will gain greater understanding of Jesus—and prayer—as we work our way through this helpful and practical Bible study. The series begins on Wednesday April 27th. Two identical sessions are offered each week, one at 10:00 AM at 7:00 PM at St. James Church Parish Center, and one at 7:00 PM ONLINE via Google Meet. Registration and participation details can be found here. All are welcome. No special knowledge of Scripture is required. Preregistration is requested by Tuesday April 12th. $8 fee for materials. Please register by signing up via email at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com or by calling and leaving a message at 860-529-3222 Ext. 14. Lenten Rosary Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary with Fr. George anytime on YouTube. Prayer time: 20 minutes. Adoration Join our community for Adoration on Holy Thursday at St. James following the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper until 10:00 PM. Holy Week Daily Prayer Fr. George and our parish Directors of Music Ministry will lead Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer online. Morning Prayer: Streamed on Facebook at 5:00 AM and available after Evening Prayer: Streamed on Facebook at 5:00 PM and available after Holy Week Daily Mass Schedule Monday: 8:30am-St. Elizabeth Seton Tuesday: 8:00am-St. James Reconciliation Tuesday, April 12 6:00pm - St. Elizabeth Seton In just a few short weeks, our parish has progressed toward our goal for the 2022 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. In these trying times, the need of our surrounding community grows and the assistance provided by the Appeal becomes all the more crucial. If you have not yet made your gift to this year’s Appeal, please consider doing so in the days ahead. Your gift to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal will help continue the vital services, ministries and programs that help so many throughout our Archdiocese. 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. Donate to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal Read the Parish Bulletin Sign Up for Online Giving Receive This E-newsletter Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish 767 Elm Street Rocky Hill, CT 06067 www.saintjosephinebakhita.org Follow Us ‌ ‌ ‌