May 28, 2024

May 28, 2024 Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish, This great Feast Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) invites me to consider the rich history of the Eucharist. The first Christians called the Eucharist “food for pilgrims” and “medicine for sick people.” And in my mind, those are poignant descriptions of the Eucharist for our modern age as well. Help for all struggling people like us, who need that nourishing spiritual food and medicine for our souls. Jesus gave us the Eucharist, not as a reward for being good, but as a help for getting better. As Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Sick people do.” So, take Jesus to your heart. Let Him walk with you as only a best friend can do. He will pick you up when you fall, pull you back when you wander and challenge you to make good choices. He will stick with you through every step of your journey, and he will be at your side when at last you hear God’s wonderful words of invitation: “Welcome home my child." This Sunday June 2, 2024, on the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, four of our dedicated parishioners will be receiving Awards for their years of service as catechists in our faith formation program. They are: Lori Gosselin for 25 years, Leslie Esoian for 10 years, Beth Monaco for 10 years and Elizabeth Cook-Asal for 10 years. These generous folks are duly being awarded for their sharing of faith and helping to bring our young ones that nourishment and medicine that come from Jesus alone. We are all grateful for their commitment and love of our young ones. Peace, Fr. George Couturier Join Us For The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ June 2, 2024 4:00 PM Vigil at St. James 9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton and livestreamed 11:00 AM at St. James *** Stay for Coffee and Conversation after the Sunday Morning Masses! *** Sunday, June 2, 2024 12:00 – 1:00 PM St. James Church In union with the worldwide Eucharistic Revival, Saint Josephine Bakhita parish will host a Holy Hour in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament this coming Sunday. All are welcome to gather at St. James Church immediately following the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass for an hour of quiet prayer. Our communal prayer intentions will be for ministerial vocations, the people of Haiti and world peace. Enjoy this beautiful gallery of pictures from our First Eucharist Weekend when 49 of our young members received the Body of Christ for the first time. Thank you to Bill Betterini for taking and editing all these wonderful images! View the Gallery Other Fun Tidbits "Buckets of Summer Fun" Project a HUGE Success! It was “buckets of fun” as parishioner and Wethersfield High School senior Sofia Marinelli, along with senior Will McKenna, were able to complete their National Honor Society community service project for the House of Bread Kids’ Café with the help of Saint Josephine Bakhita’s Confirmation Coordinator Carol Rizzo and her first-year Confirmation students and their families.   On May 13, Sofia and Will were able to deliver 145 beach buckets, filled by the Confirmation candidates, with summer fun items like chalk, bubbles, water balloons, beach, and paddle balls for the children who attend Kids’ Café in Hartford. The buckets will be presented to the children on the last day of school as a “summer” treat! Also included in the bucket is a “Be-the-Sunshine” t-shirt designed by Will and screen-printed for free by parishioners Roberto and Paula Giansiracusa and owners of GimaSport in Hartford. Sofia was able to raise funds to pay for the t-shirts (also donated at cost by GimaSport) from relatives and friends of the family. The idea of a summer-themed fun bucket came after initial discussions between Sofia and House of Bread co-founder Sister Theresa Fonti, who suggested the children would enjoy a summer t-shirt along with some bubbles and water balloons. When deciding which outreach to choose for the project, Sofia knew it had to be Kids’ Café since it was an organization she worked with throughout her catechetical years and still felt a strong connection and commitment to servicing them. It was a huge collaborative effort with an incredible outcome. From the onset, working together with the House of Bread staff, Carol Rizzo and the our Confirmation students and families; coordinating the monetary and bucket donations; to designing and printing t-shirts, it was a wonderful way for the community to come together to bring smiles to the faces of the children at Kids’ Café this summer. “A small gesture goes a long way for these children,” said Sister Theresa. “They are so appreciative,” she added.   Kids’ Café, an outreach of the House of Bread, provides more than 250 after-school hot meals and snacks daily for Hartford area underserved students (K-12) during the school year. The House of Bread, established in 1980, offers food, housing, shelter, and education with compassion, dignity, and respect and has touched the lives of tens of thousands of men, women, and children in its 44 years. Today, it serves nearly 2,000 people daily. Archbishop's Annual Appeal Next weekend is Commitment Weekend! All parishioners will have the opportunity to make a pledge to the 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal during Mass. Please visit the Appeal website to learn more or make your gift today. It is fundamental that when you give to any charitable organization, you are confident the funds are used wisely. Be assured that your gift to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal supports the catholic ministries and programs as outlined in the Appeal literature, which can be found here. No Appeal funds are ever used for legal fees or settlements. Read the Parish Bulletin Visit our Website Our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are available to bring Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners and those recuperating from surgery or illness. Please contact the parish office to request a visit: 860-529-8655. Stay Connected Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish l The Catholic Community of Rocky Hill

Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish | 767 Elm Street | Rocky Hill, CT 06067 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice