April 9, 2024

Easter Season Happenings at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

April 9, 2024

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

Happy Easter!! May the blessings of this Holy Season be with one and all!

I just read an awesome reflection and prayer from a former student and is now a Franciscan priest. Let me share his simple but powerful words for your edification and inspiration:

“Christ is risen! May our celebration of Easter rekindle faith, hope and love within our hearts. May it empower us to follow Christ where He is found—always present among us as the one who serves—in charity and justice for all, in our homes and workplaces, our parishes and schools, and especially at the front lines of the struggles for a more equitable, non-violent world. We dare to believe, against so many countersigns, that Christ has conquered death, that His Way of Truth, Life, Beauty and Love will ultimately have the last word; and God will be “All in All.”

-Jacek Orzechowski, OFM

A special thank you to Lisa Orchen, our Director of Communications, for our standing and inspiring messages daily and weekly during the Lenten Season and Holy Week and Easter. Truly her faith and hope were revealed so beautifully.

Another word of sincere gratitude to the entire staff and volunteers that made this past Lent and Holy Week a memorable one for me and the entire parish. We are truly blessed with a talented and faith filled team. Their zeal to make this holy season meaningful has succeeded beyond all imaginings. Thank you!!

Thank you to the many people who shared photos from the Sacred Pascal Triduum, especially to our own professional photographer, parishioner Bill Betterini, who captured the Solemn Easter Vigil with beautiful images. Click the link below to enjoy the growing gallery of pictures.

Finally, a sincere 75th birthday wish and prayer to Archbishop Leonard Blair on April 12, 2024. He will be concluding his time with our Archdiocese as our shepherd and guide, this month. May he have many more years of health and joy in retirement. Archbishop Christopher Coyne, who has been waiting in the wings for several months, will now take on the spiritual leadership of our Archdiocese this month….pray for him!!!

Peace,

Father George Courturier

Pastor

Click Here to enjoy a beautiful gallery of pictures from our Easter Celebrations!

Join Us For The Third Sunday of Easter

April 14, 2024

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:00 AM at St. James

Photo courtesy of Saint John's University, Collegeville, MN. 2014.

Click Here to Register for Bakhita Bible Camp

Adult Faith Formation Opportunities

Introduction to Bible Study

Tuesday Evenings at 7:00 PM

Saint James Parish Center

May 14, 21, 28

June 4, 11, 18

Deacon Michael will be offering an easy and fun 7-week series introducing the Bible. It will build your confidence and knowledge about the Bible…what it is, how to navigate it and how we read and use it as Christians.

No prior knowledge or experience…. no problem…that’s the point!!

The series will be offered starting on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM starting Tuesday May 14, 2024 at the Saint James Parish Center. Session should be about 75 minutes long. It will be possible to join these sessions online as well, via Google Meet. Please indicate interest at registration to help us plan.

Preregistration is required by May 5, 2024 to help with ordering materials. Friends and family are welcome. There is a $10 fee for the text. Low-cost bibles will be available for those who need or wish to purchase one (please indicate interest in purchase at the time of registration).

Learn More Here

Introduction to The Mass

Wednesdays

10:00 AM & 7:00 PM

May 15, 22, 29

June 5, 12, 19

We gather to pray together at Mass each week. Worship of God in the Mass is the most distinctive activity of the Church. It is a thing that we all do together.

Understanding the roots of the Mass in scripture can help us experience this prayer more deeply together.

Starting in May, Deacon Micheal Ward will be offering a 6-part series exploring the Scriptural foundations of the Mass. Exploring these foundations of each part of the Mass will help us to see just how the saving truths of Scripture are made present to us and for us in the liturgy that we share so often.

Please come along as we journey into this encounter with what is so familiar, which we hope to see in a new and deeper way.

The series begins on Wednesday May 15, 2024. Two identical sessions are offered each week at 10:00 AM at Saint James Parish Center and then again at 7:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. It will be possible to join the 7:00 PM evening session online as well, via Google Meet (please indicate interest at registration to help us plan).

All are welcome. Familiarity with Scripture is helpful but not necessary. There is a $10 book fee. Registration required by May 5, 2024 to help us plan. Please register as soon as possible by email at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com or by phone leaving a message at 860-563-5151.

Learn More Here

Parish Works of Mercy

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 return your collections now. If you wish to convert your change to check, please make them payable to St. Josephine Bakhita Parish. Kindly return your rice bowls to church before/after this weekend's masses 4/6-4/7. There will be greeters to accept your rice bowl donations. Thank you!

Keep St. Ann’s in Saintard, Haiti in Your Prayers

Father George has kept us up to date about conditions at St Ann’s in Saintard, Haiti. We have prayed for this community at every Sunday Mass for many years and have donated financial support for St. Ann’s through our contributions. In the past, small teams of parishioners visited our sister parish in Saintard before it became too dangerous.

St. Ann’s has shared handmade art with our parish, found at the Saint Elizabeth Seton campus. There is a Haiti wall in the worship space near the Reconciliation Room, a world globe in the foyer, a large metal art piece of Noah’s animals on a wall in classroom D as well as a large nativity set that we place in the foyer at Christmas. All are reminders of our connection and commitment to our sister community of St. Ann’s. Now more than ever, the parish community we have pledged to support needs our prayers.

Out of the depths we cry to You, O God for our Haitian sisters and brothers. We thank you for upholding them in their suffering. Give them continuing strength and comfort. Amen.

Archbishop's Annual Appeal

In just a few short weeks, our parish has made great progress toward our goal for the 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal supports many important ministries and programs. Gifts are allocated towards religious education programs, youth ministries, local charities, the education of our seminarians, 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 Do This in Memory of Me, 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.

Other Fun Tidbits

Inviting Altar Servers

Girls and Boys who are in, or above, grade 4, and have received their first Eucharist are invited to become an altar server. In addition to children, we invite teens and adults to join our ministry. Those who serve at Mass learn about the liturgy firsthand and assist in the action during the Mass. Being an altar server teaches children from a young age to love, revere and praise God. Please contact Joy at Joy@sjbrh.org for more information or to sign up at either or both campuses.

Bereavement Support Group

A new Bereavement Support Group will begin in April under the leadership of Bill Pilkington. Bill recently retired from Hartford Healthcare where he served in Spiritual and Bereavement Services for over 30 years. The group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at the St. James Rectory.

Contact Fr. George at frgeorge@sjbrh.org to learn more and to sign up to attend.