January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022 Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,   We were pleased to have Archbishop Leonard Blair visit our parish (along with his secretary Fr. John Gancarz) and preside at two of our parish Masses this past weekend: 4:00PM Vigil and 9:00AM He seemed pleased by our large numbers (despite the COVID precautions), our spirit and warm welcome. His words of encouragement and challenge were welcome during these challenging times.   This week we had the sad news of the passing of our Parish Pastoral Council Chair, Michael Camilleri. His battle with cancer took a very serious turn and we are shocked by his passing. Over his 49 years, he was a witness to his sincere and profound faith, integrity and commitment to life, church, family and his multi-faceted career. We pray for his family and those who know him so well. May he rest in the loving embrace of our God. Mike I/we will miss you until we meet again.   Due to the sharp rise in COVID cases in the State of Connecticut and Rocky Hill we have been advised, by the Archbishop and the CDC, that every precaution must be taken in the next several weeks. Therefore, masks and social distancing are once again required. We do this all, even though we are tired, so that we protect everyone especially the very young and the vulnerable. We do this so that we will not have to close the church like we did almost two years ago.   This weekend’s Gospel reading (Luke 4:16-21) we hear that Jesus ventures back into his hometown and enters the familiar synagogue of his youth and begins to read and preach from the Hebrew Scriptures. At first the folks were probably excited to see one of their own speak with faith. Then they were amazed, or better yet shocked, by his bold proclamation of his role and his agenda…somewhat like an inauguration speech as he begins his mission and ministry.   It makes me wonder how we in this 21st Century bring our faith and vision of church to our own families and communities. It can be awkward at times or even rejected. Do we have the assurance of Christ to proclaim our identity as Christians, or are we overcome by fear and embarrassment? Certainly, it is a challenge to humbly, simply and confidently (without self-righteousness) witness to our faith in a world that often laughs at us or refuses to see the value and wisdom of our Christian message for life.   Let us pray for a quick and orderly end to this pandemic and its consequences: physical, mental, and spiritual. The Catholic Church Universal asks that all our members be vaccinated and be the lamplighters to a way back into the light after this long darkness. This is a moral responsibility not only to our own personal well-being…but for the well-being of our families, neighbors and the entire community we live in. Peace and blessings, Fr. George Couturier Introducing Our New Parish Logo As we transition to Ordinary Time we introduce our new parish logo. The view behind the altars in both our churches inspired the logo. Take some time to contemplate and note how features from both of our beautiful churches blend to create our new image. Third Sunday in Ordinary Time January 23, 2022 4 PM Vigil - St. James 9 AM - St. Elizabeth Seton & livestreamed 11 AM - St. James & livestreamed *Masks are required in our worship spaces!* Archbishop Blair Visits Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Our parish community was blessed with a pastoral visit from Archbishop Blair this weekend. The Archbishop celebrated our 4PM Vigil Mass at St. James and the 9:00AM Sunday mass at St. Elizabeth Seton. He offered heartfelt condolences on the loss of our Pastoral Council Chair this past week, gratitude for the excellent pastoral leadership of Fr. George and Deacon Michael, spiritual encouragement for our family of faith & blessings for the New Year. We are so grateful for the time he spent praying and visiting with us. Thank you Archbishop Blair! All members of the Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish community are invited to join in the faith activity for the month of January. Engage in a service project to help people in our local community. By engaging in service, children and adults alike live out the teachings of Jesus to love and serve one another, especially those most in need of our help. To learn more, Click Here. Please share a description and/or pictures of your service activity to the Faith Formation Office at reo@sjbrh.org. “We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love, be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.”      -Pope Francis Candlemas Evening Prayer for Candlemas Wednesday, February 2 7 PM - St. James & livestreamed Join us in person or online for Evening Prayer on the Feast of Candlemas. Through music, prayer, candlelight and ritual we will gather and mark this special day also known as the Presentation of the Lord. Giving Opportunities Food & Cereal For Our Local Pantries We continue to seek food and cereal donations 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. Questions? Contact Sandy Ambrose amb321@cox.net or Carl Bach abcb1922@yahoo.com Winter Clothing Collection The Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Winter Clothing Collection continues through the coming weeks. We accept Winter Clothing in clean, good to excellent condition. Place donations in the collection bin in the front foyer of St. James Church (behind the divider). Unfortunately we are no longer able to accept household goods. St. James Church: Father Shea Hall, Mon - Fri (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM) or before the masses at 4:00 or 11:00. Questions? Contact Sandy Rokosz at sandyrokosz7@hotmail.com Our parish gave so generously to all of our Advent and Christmas Giving Collections. Thank you to everyone who participated in small and large ways. Enjoy this two minute digital story of what we were able to accomplish through teamwork: The Catholic High School Collection, occurring the weekend of January 22-23, supports the outstanding education offered at our Catholic secondary schools by providing funds for tuition assistance, technology enhancements, curricular improvements, marketing and much more. Please consider investing in the exceptional academics, faith formation, and spirit of service at our high schools by making a donation to this year’s Catholic High School Collection. Thank you for your support. Pray Every Day Virtually with Fr. George Fr. George leads Evening Prayer Monday-Friday at 5:00 PM through our Parish Facebook Page. The recordings remain available afterward. Join him in prayer! To order your own copy of the prayer book Fr. George uses, Click Here. 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 ‌ ‌ ‌