June 9, 2026

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Summer News from Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

June 9, 2026

Awakening Retreat Update

It is difficult to capture in words what occurred at the Awakening Retreat on Saturday, June 6, at Saint Elizabeth Seton Church. The spirit that filled that day — so freely received and so boldly given — must be experienced to be fully understood. And yet, perhaps these words will offer a small taste:

“Shed our EGOs — Easing God Out — to invite the Holy Spirit in.”
“It is easier to contain all the water in the Gulf of Mexico in a cup than to contain all of God’s love for each and every one of us.”

None of this would have been possible without so many generous souls. Thank you to the four courageous speakers, the six small group discussion leaders, and the devoted members of the planning committee. Our deepest gratitude goes to the 61 retreat participants whose open hearts made the room come alive, and to the family members who gathered with us for Mass.

A special and spirited thank you to Fr. George for celebrating Mass, Elizabeth Husmer for her music ministry, Deborah Ramirez for cantoring, Linda Haddad for her beautiful sacred movement, and the entire Saint Josephine Bakhita staff for their steadfast support.

Together, we all make a difference. Together, we keep the Holy Spirit moving forward.

Michael Lonergan

Image created by Oli Pinusky – Daughter-in-Law to Retreat Committee Member

Join Us For The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 14, 2026

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:30 AM at St. James

Saint Josephine Bakhita Faith Sharing Group

All are welcome to join the Saint Josephine Bakhita Faith Sharing Group. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, June 16, 2026 from 10:00-11:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. We will be discussing one of the Beatitude’s regarding: Blessed are the Peace Makers for they will be called children of God. We conclude with various types of prayer petitions. We meet on the third Tuesdays of the month from now to June 16. All our welcomed to join. For additional information or to RSVP, please contact Michael Lonergan at 860-638-7080 at Mikelonergan53108@sbcglobal.net.

We also have a charismatic prayer group that is led by Kristie Bilcharz. This group meets on zoom on the first Tuesday’s of the month.

For additional information about both groups, please contact Michael Lonergan at Mikelonergan53108@sbcglobal.net. I will forward your information to Kristie regarding the charismatic prayer group.

Other Fun Tidbits

Do You Have a Passion for Photography?

Behind every beautiful photo on our parish website and social media pages is a talented volunteer with a camera and a heart for community. Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish is blessed to have two gifted professional photographers — longtime parishioners — who generously volunteer their time and talent to capture the sacred and celebratory moments of our parish life: the Easter Vigil, First Holy Communion, the Parish Picnic, and so much more.

We are looking for one more photographer to join this small but mighty team and share in the rotation of parish events and liturgies. If you are a photographer who loves your faith community and would love to see your work displayed in our parish website galleries and across our social media platforms, we would love to hear from you.

This is a wonderful opportunity to share your gifts in a meaningful and lasting way — because the photos you take become part of the story of this community, preserving memories for families and parishioners for years to come.

Interested? Contact Communications Coordinator Lisa Orchen at communications@sjbrh.org.

Eighth Annual Knights of Columbus

Golf Outing

Friday, September 25, 2026

Timberlin Golf Club, Berlin CT

Lunch/Registration at 11:00AM

Scramble Format ~ Shotgun Start at 12:00 PM ~ Buffet Dinner to follow

$175 per golfer includes 18 holes of golf w/cart, lunch and buffet dinner, cash prizes, raffle prizes.

$35 dinner only

For more information, contact Mike DiBattisto (860-713-9070) or Mike Lombardo (860-869-2231).

Learn More Here

The Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Picnic Committee Needs You!

We’re building our Parish Picnic Planning Committee and looking for a few good people to help make this beloved community tradition a success! We’re currently seeking volunteers for three key roles:

Set-Up Coordinator – Help develop the set-up plan and direct set up of tables and chairs on picnic day.
Children & Family Activities Team Lead – Plan the fun for our youngest parishioners and their families!

Committee members attend monthly meetings beginning in May and play a hands-on role directing volunteers on the day of the picnic — Sunday, September 13, 2026. Interested? Reach out to Danielle Hollister at danie7@cox.net or Jennifer Hussey at thehusseys95@att.net for more details. We’d love to have you on the team!

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.