February 11, 2025

Winter News from Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

February 11, 2025

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

Ignoring the truth is something of a specialty for us all. And nowhere is it more visible than at the very ground level of our lives, where certain facts demand our attention: we are born, we work hard, then we die and leave it all behind. All we can take with us is our heart and whatever is wrapped inside it. Those are the hard facts: we are truly poor.

But looking at those facts is no tea party, so we tend to look away. We insulate ourselves from the truth with lots of stuff and lots of activities.

Maybe it sounds a bit goofy and fatalistic, but that is what we do: we hide from the obvious facts and deny that we are poor. And that usually leads us to trouble: it cuts us off from the only one that could make us rich, the only one that could give us hearts that are big enough to carry into eternity everything that is worth having. Denying we are poor cuts us off from God because it says we already have everything we need, and we do not need him!

In the best translation of the first of the eight beatitudes (Luke 16:17-26), Jesus says, “Blessed are you who know you are poor; the kingdom of God is yours.” If we know we are poor (I’m not just talking about money), if we see how much our hearts need God’s healing, reshaping, and growing, then we will know what to do about it, and that is open our hearts all the way to the Lord who is been waiting to come in since the day we were born.

God wants to make us rich and to fill us full of the things that last. God wants to grow our hearts large.

Peace and blessings!

Fr. George Couturier

The Sixth Sunday

in Ordinary Time

February 16, 2025

4:00 PM Vigil at Saint James

9 AM at Saint Elizabeth Seton

& livestreamed

11:00 AM at Saint James

Mardi Gras Celebration

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

6:00 - 8:00 PM

St. James Parish Center

Join us for games, music, dancing and a potluck dinner to celebrate Mardi Gras! We will provide the traditional pancakes, you bring a potluck dish to share!

Call Joy at 860-529-8655 for more info or to volunteer to help!

There are signup sheets and suggested recipes in both church foyers and on SignUpGenuis.

Click Here To Sign Up To Attend

This Lent, Deacon Michael will lead an Adult Bible Study called: People of the Passion

During our Lenten bible study we will look at the passion through the characters who participated in some dramatic way in the suffering and death of the Lord. Well-known characters include Peter, Pilate, and Mary Magdalen; lesser-known include Simon of Cyrene, the daughters of Jerusalem, and the woman who anointed Jesus.

The series begins on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. 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). Register to attend by emailing Deacon Michael at: saintjmdeacon@gmail.com.

Learn More Here

Saint Josephine Bakhita Faith Sharing Group

All are welcome to join the Saint Josephine Bahkita Faith Sharing Group. Our next meeting will be Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 10:00-11:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. This group grew out of our parish Awakening retreat in November 2024. At our meetings we start with a presentation of a gift of the Holy Spirit and then we break into small groups to share how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. A main focus is how we keep the Holy Spirit as an active component of our everyday life. For additional information, please contact Michael Lonergan at 860-638-7080 at Mikelonergan53108@sbcglobal.net.

Ongoing Food Collection

Support our ongoing food and cereal collections for our monthly delivery to the Rocky Hill and Amazing Grace food pantries. Non-perishable food items and cereal boxes can be dropped off at either church location: St. James Church: Father Shea Hall, Mon - Fri (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM) or before the masses at 4:00 or 11:00. St. Elizabeth Seton Church: Bins located near the kitchen, Mon - Fri (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM) or before the Sunday mass at 9:00.