March 8, 2022
Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,
Greetings and blessings!
A parishioner admitted last week that Lent had really snuck up on him. The comment caused me to chuckle because I, along with our parish staff, have been thinking about Lent since the first week of January.
Aware of the incredible stress that we all feel these days, our staff felt called to offer an antidote to the sense of frenetic anxiety through our approach to Lent. We focused our planning around helping ourselves, and all members of our community, young and old, to lean into the Lenten practice of prayer. To find ways to be still, and draw close to God.
To that end we are offering a variety of invitations to pray together, in a variety of forms as well as formation programs focused on the life of prayer all through Lent and the Easter Season.
Perhaps you will renew your focus on a prayer form you love or maybe you will commit to trying a new form of prayer this Lent. We present these prayer ideas like little seeds. We invite you to select a seed or two, plant them, nurture them, and discover the growth they bring to your own faith journey.
Read about the opportunities for deepening your prayer life below in this newsletter, on our new website, on our social media platforms, in our bulletin and the Lent takeaways we have set out for you in the foyers of our Churches.
Additionally, I am so very happy and proud to announce that this year’s recipients of the Saint Joseph Medal for outstanding service and ministry in a parish will be Kathy and Jim Alexander. They are long time Rocky Hill residents and parishioners. Over the years they have given of their time and talent in a variety of ways serving the needs of the parish from Eucharistic Minister, Food Pantry Coordinator, liturgy committee member, parish council member, Trustee, etc. to name just a few things. We have all been blessed by their generosity, commitment, and faith. Thank you!!!
Archbishop Blair will be conferring this medal of honor to Kathy and Jim at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph on Sunday March 20th at 3:00 p.m.
Peace and Blessings in the Holy Season of Lent,
Fr. George Couturier
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The Second Sunday of Lent |
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March 13, 2022
The Transfiguration of the Lord
"Deep and Real Prayer"
In Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, we hear these words: “Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.” The sole focus of the climb of the mountain was prayer.
What a stunning and revelatory moment it was for Peter, John, and James to experience Jesus praying deeply, changing in appearance, and even his clothes turning dazzling white. Seeing Jesus in his fullness, the apostles witnessed their friend’s divinity. They were speechless when they heard God say, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
As we begin the second week of Lent, consider how Jesus prioritized prayer and the place it holds in your life. Do you set aside time for prayer? Do you allow space to be silent before God? Examine your schedule to determine a time for prayer.
St. Paul tells us in the second reading that “our citizenship is in heaven.” There, Christ will change our bodies to “conform with his glorified body.” But he tells them first that they need to imitate the holy life that he has set before them, changing their focus from earthly things. Help yourself focus this week on heavenly things by praying the psalm from today and contemplating the refrain, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
© 2022 Liturgy Training Publications. 800-933-1800. Text by Catherine Johnson and Mary Kay Kelley, ssj. Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, revised edition. Permission to publish granted by the Archdiocese of Chicago
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Sunday
March 13, 2022
4 PM Vigil - St. James
*Masks are strongly encouraged in our worship spaces!*
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Sunday, March 13
7:00 PM
Saint James Church
*** and livestreamed ***
Imagine the scene. Silence. Church lights dim. In the sanctuary, dozens of candles flicker near icons. In pews, worshipers hold their own candles, long and slim, then light each others’ one by one until the church is alive with even more candlelight. They chant together, slowly repeating a single line over and over as they rise and carry candles toward the altar, adding their own flames to the ones already burning.
Returning to pews, worshipers then sit in silence just beholding this magical scene: small flames around the altar like a sunburst in shadowy darkness. There is no other light. There is no sound save the occasional cough. And nothing moves, save the flames, which dance.
This is a Taizé prayer service. Join us at Saint James Church on Sunday, March 13 to experience this moving form of prayer as part of our journey through Lent.
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Lent Evening of Reflection |
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Tuesday, March 22, 2022
7:00 PM
Saint Elizabeth Seton Church
*** and livestreamed ***
How a Pot of Soup Brought Me Closer to Jesus:
Practical Strategies for Everyday People to Encounter our Lord
Speaker: Kelly Henderschedt, Archdiocesan Director of Faith Formation
Life can be a constant state of motion. Schedules, obligations, stressors and expectations. Can we ever truly find inner peace when our minds, bodies and spirits are being pulled in so many directions? Yes! It is truly possible and this Lent is the perfect time to learn how to claim the promise of peace that Jesus offers each one of us. Special attention will be given to the practice of centering prayer as an effective way to experience this peace our souls crave. No registration required! Just come and enjoy! For more information, Click Here.
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Pray The Stations of the Cross |
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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 Stations of the Cross
Fridays at 5:30pm at St. James
Fridays at 7:00pm at St. Elizabeth Seton
Pray The Stations of the Cross with Fr. George Virtually
Pray the Stations of the Cross for
Children, Families & Everyone Virtually
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Touchdown!
The Football Super Bowl Game was exciting, but it was nothing compared to the excitement in the Parish Center where Saint Josephine Bakhita Confirmation Candidates went head-to-head in The Souper Bowl of Caring competition.
Year 1 candidates edged out a win to claim this year’s Souper Bowl of Caring trophy. The Candidates tried to out score their opponents by bringing in the most items on our requested donations list.
It was truly an overwhelming successful intergenerational event. We witnessed the parishioners, our Faith Formation Confirmation Candidates and their teachers contribute their time, talent, and generosity. Neither snow nor COVID could deter anyone from showing up to get in the game and just look at what we accomplished:
- $2,236 collected in soup pots after Mass
- 161 boxes of cereal
- 294 boxes of pasta
- 54 bags of candy
- 136 cans of cat food/litter
- 383 cans of chili, ravioli and Spaghetti Os’s
Everything has been distributed and delivered to those in need. Thank you to all for making everyone a winner on Super Bowl Sunday. GO TEAM BAKHITA!
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March Faith Activity
All members of the Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish community are invited to join in the faith activity for the month of March: Fill your Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl. Rice Bowls are available in both church foyers and contain information on this project. Fill them with your Lenten monetary donations and return them at Easter time. Our faith formation students in 4th-8th grade along with our Confirmation students will be involved in a fun competition to see which class can raise the most money for this wonderful cause. All our collected donations will be sent to Catholic Relief services which includes relief to our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine. To learn more, visit www.crsricebowl.org.
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The Lenten Practice of Fasting & Abstinence
The Lenten practice of fasting is modeled on Jesus' forty days of fasting in the desert, the Gospel story always proclaimed on the First Sunday of Lent. Like Jesus, we fast during Lent as a reminder of our dependence on God. Through fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we also align ourselves more closely with the needs of the hungry throughout our world. The tradition of abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays allows us to walk in the shoes of the poor who can seldom afford meat for meals. As a gesture of solidarity, plan very simple, home cooked meals and set aside the money normally spent for food and drink on Fridays to give as alms. For creative suggestions for Lenten fasting, Click here.
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Our parish collection for the season of Lent will benefit My Sister’s Place, a local agency committed to ending homelessness by empowering women, families and others in Greater Hartford to achieve independence and stability in their community by providing housing and supportive services. Those served by My Sister’s Place are in great need of the following items:
Toilet paper, Baby wipes, Pull-Ups (size 4T & 5T)
Bars of soap, Body wash, Shampoo & Conditioner
Deodorant, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste
Mouthwash, Feminine products
Our parish Outreach Ministry has offered to coordinate our parish donations on their behalf. Donations 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.
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Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl
Each Lent, Catholic households across the country unite to put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through the CRS Rice Bowl Program, we learn about how our sisters and brothers across the globe overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition, and how through Lenten alms, we have the power to make the world a better place for all. Rice Bowls are available in both Church foyers. Fill them with your Lenten alms and return them at Easter time. Our parish will send all our collected donations to Catholic Relief Services. Learn more about the Rice Bowl Program, discover meatless recipes from around the world and watch weekly stories of hope at www.crsricebowl.org.
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Lifting Up Intercessory Prayer in Our Churches |
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Light a Candle
Along the back wall in St. James Church and in the Reservation Chapel at St. Elizabeth Church there are votive candle stations which represent our “Sacrifice of Praise.” The word “votive” comes from the Latin word "votum," which originally meant “expressing a desire.” So the next time you are in the chapel, feel free to light a votive candle as a sacrificial offering, expressing your desires and petitions to God.
Prayer Intention Books
Along the back wall of St. James and in the foyer of St. Elizabeth Seton, you can also find prayer intention books. These intentions are then prayed for during the celebration of Mass, and the rosary offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays following daily mass.
Prayer Walls
Additionally, during Lent, our parish Faith Formation Program has placed “Prayer Walls” in both of our churches. You are welcome to tie a ribbon on the wire “wall” to pray for family, friends, peace, or the church community. Ribbons are in the cups surrounding the “wall.”
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Palm Crosses for Sale
The Knights of Columbus will be taking orders for palm crosses after every mass at the St. James and St. Elizabeth campuses for the following dates: March 12-13, 19-20, 26-27. Palm crosses will be available for pick up after every mass on Palm Sunday. The cost of the palm crosses is $12. Please contact David Mikol at (860) 726-3585 with any questions.
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Lenten Rosary
Prayer time: 20 minutes.
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Adoration
Join our community for Adoration this Lent every Thursday at St. James Church from 8:30 - 9:30 AM immediately following the daily mass.
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Lent Daily Prayer
Fr. George and our parish Directors of Music Ministry will lead Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer online through Lent.
Morning Prayer: Streamed on Facebook at 5:00 AM and available after
Evening Prayer: Streamed on Facebook at 5:00 PM and available after
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Daily Mass Schedule
Monday: 8:30am-St. Elizabeth Seton
Tuesday: 8:00am-St. James
Thursday: 8:00am-St. James
Friday: 8:30am-St. Elizabeth Seton
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Reconciliation
Fr. George welcomes all to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton.
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The 2022 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is now underway in our parish. Our goal is to engage our entire parish family in this year’s Appeal and to pray for the success of the Appeal, both here in our parish and across the three counties of the Archdiocese.
We hope you can help us meet our parish goal. If you would like to make a gift, please mail in your pledge card. You may also visit the Archdiocesan website or call the Appeal Office at (800) 781-2550. Keep in mind that an early pledge will allow you to best use the monthly payment plan.
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.
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Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
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