May 10, 2022

May 10, 2022 Easter Greetings from the Faith Formation Team! This week we will continue to share the highlights of our Faith Formation Program by focusing on our 4th-8th grade students as well as those candidates in our Confirmation Preparation Program. Our 4th-6th grade students were very busy this year finally being able to meet in person! They participated in a program called” Venture” through Pflaum Publishing. At each class they were presented with the Gospel story for the upcoming weekend which included discussion and other activities that related to the Gospel for that week. Our faith formation website, bakhitafaithct.org, also provided them with other resources that included activities and videos that they could watch with their families that connected with the church season. They also participated in monthly activities designed for family participation. Some of our favorites were the Thankful Pumpkin, Homemade Nativity sets, Family Cross, Home Prayer Space, and individual service projects that they created on their own. Our 7th-8th grade students studied the foundations of our Catholic faith this year through a program entitled “Called to Be Catholic” by Loyola Press. This study covered the essential beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith with connections to live out this faith in their everyday lives. This gave them a solid foundation as they look forward to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our two year Confirmation Program, led by Carol Rizzo and an amazing team of catechists, prepared our students to journey with Jesus and come to know Him in a personal way through prayer and study. Included in the highlights of this year was the opportunity to host two guest speakers who focused on prayer and living out the gospel in their daily lives. All of the candidates also participated in a one day retreat. Service is a big component of Confirmation preparation and a great way for the students to recognize and use their gifts. The Souper Bowl of Caring in February as well as the CRS Rice Bowl competition with our younger students are just two examples of great outreach efforts. The year culminated with a beautiful Good Friday Stations of the Cross presented to the parish. The Year 2 candidates also look forward on May 15th to a meaningful prayer path experience with their sponsors. As you can see, we had a very busy and spirit-filled year together with our students, families, catechists and of course all of you! We will be busy this summer with Bakhita Bible Camp in August as well as preparing for the fall by focusing on more opportunities for parent and family involvement and continued intergenerational and parish community events. We ask for your prayerful and active support as we continue to find new ways to share the Good News of Jesus with our beloved youth. Peace, The Faith Formation Team, Monica Piombino, Carol Rizzo, Linda Sidote, Lori Gosselin, Beth Mulvey “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  -Matthew 19: 14 Click Here to Explore the Faith Formation Website Fifth Sunday of Easter May 15, 2022 4 PM Vigil - St. James 9 AM - St. Elizabeth Seton & livestreamed 11 AM - St. James & livestreamed *Masks are strongly encouraged in our worship spaces!* Watch on Facebook Watch on Our Website Lectio Divina ~ Visio Divina A Two-Part Series on Praying With the Word & Praying with Images May 10 & 17 Saint James Parish Center 7:00 P.M. This May, Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish will be offering a two-part series on praying with the the Word and Images. For ages and ages the spoken and written word and images have been effective means of bringing us closer to God. This brief series will help us to see and use the word of God and visual art as a means of enabling a deeper prayer encounter with God, in a way that can prove useful to us in our own spiritual and prayer lives. The first session will explore Lectio Divina (prayer with Scripture) and the second session will explore Visio Divina (prayer with sacred images). The sessions are free and open to all members of the parish community and friends. Please email Deacon Michael at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com if you plan to attend to allow for an accurate count for materials and room set up. Giving Garden Plant Sale The Giving Garden Committee (our parish community garden) is sponsoring a Plant Sale of Vegetable Starters pm Saturday, May 21 from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Seton. The proceeds will assist the team in upkeep of the garden. The vegetables of the garden support local soup kitchens and shelters. Each plant is $1. Thank You For Supporting Our Parish Lent Giving Project Our Lenten Giving Project of adopting My Sister’s Place / Mercy Housing and Shelter was a huge success. Our parishioners once again stepped up their wonderful generosity as we were able to provide nearly $2,000 worth of assorted hygiene products to the women, children and families cared for by My Sister’s Place. A heart felt THANK YOU to all! The American Red Cross has launched a Severe Blood Shortage Appeal. All eligible donors are encouraged to schedule appointments now. The next drive hosted at our Parish Center at St. James Church is scheduled for Thursday, May 12 from 1PM-6PM. Go to www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to register to give. Pray Every Evening with Fr. George Fr. George leads Evening Prayer on Monday-Friday at 5:00 PM on both our Facebook Page and Parish website. The recordings remain available afterward on the Parish Facebook page. All are welcome! Pastoral Council The Parish Pastoral Council welcomes your feedback, questions and concerns and will respond as appropriate. Please contact the Council via email by sending a message to parishcouncil@sjbrh.org. Learn more here. 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 Reconciliation Fr. George welcomes all to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton. Seeking Help For the 2022 Holiday Fair The Holiday Fair Committee needs volunteers to contact potential donors for items for the Silent Auction. Now is the time to begin contacting the businesses, individuals and sports teams who have generously donated items in the past for the Fair in November. We have all the materials needed to make these contacts but need someone to manage the task. If you have been wondering how you can help with the Fair or help the Parish in general, here is your opportunity! Contact Jo-Ellen Vendetti at jtvendet@yahoo.com or 860-878-0432 if you are interested or if you would like more information. The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal provides help to those in need! Together, we can and do make a profound difference in the lives of many individuals and families, in a way that exceeds anything we could hope to achieve on our own. Please consider supporting this important initiative. Every gift makes a difference. Organizations right here in our own community receive funding from the Appeal’s Outreach Program. All donations 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. Donate to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal 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 ‌ ‌ ‌