May 7, 2024

Easter Season Happenings at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

May 7, 2024

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

During Lent Bakhita Bible Study met to read through the Rule of St. Benedict, the framework for many monastics, to consider what lessons their monastic lives could offer for our lives here and now. Here is a list of some “takeaways” from our time together that we wanted to share with our parish community. Maybe you will find some benefit here as well!

Wisdom for Everyday Living

Listening: there are many voices in our lives; we need to listen for and hear the voice of the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ which can come to us in several ways; this can take effort.

Silence: is a critical component for our prayer and communion with God; some time of silence must to be part of our routine.

Prayer: both in community and individually is critical to hearing and encountering the Lord; Scripture and especially the Psalms are essential, some memorization useful; Eucharist foundational; can be offered throughout the day.

Obey: we all obey, conform, to something or someone, we need to conform to the life the Master calls us to.

Conversion: we are all called to a life of conforming our lives to Christ’s; this is a life-ling process which we need to commit to, “following him.”

Stability: we need to conform our lives to our commitments on this “following” journey and not be constantly restless, seeking “greener pastures” as a means of avoiding them.

Life as learning: we need to “go to school” all our lives to learn to serve God and one another; our lives can teach others.

Our learning needs to be “based”: grounded in the Word of God, Greatest Commandments, 10 Commandments, Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount; conforming to the words, deeds and example of Christ as his disciple, following him.

Discipline: it is not punishment but learning; following Him takes focus and discipline of body, mind and spirit so asceticism, prayer, study and work are all important.

Speech: should be spare, careful and offered in love; no place for vulgarity and gossip.

Routine: this disciple requires that we manage our time for a balance between work, study, prayer and rest through a regular routine that we adhere to.

Work: is necessary to sustain ourselves, build up the community and our world; should done willingly; it is a central arena of “the Lord’s service”.

Humility: starts with an honest appraisal of ourselves; we should not exalt ourselves but seek the lower places at the service of others whose needs we are mindful of, offering ourselves as He did.

Hospitality: all guests and strangers are to be greeted and treated as though Christ himself.

Things: use rather than ownership is central; does it serve an essential necessary purpose of a complicating distraction; live simply this way.

Service: we serve God through serving each other in community, family, world; great care should be taken with the poor and ill; love is essential, reflecting the love God has for us and the mercy shown to us.

Living and Dying: we are called to share in the dying and rising of Christ, by dying to self and rising to new life with Him now and in eternity; offering ourselves in serving God and others now is on this journey.

Peace,

Deacon Michael Ward

Join Us For The Ascension of the Lord

Thursday

May 9, 2024

8:00 AM at St. James

and livestreamed

Noon at St. James

7:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton

Join Us For The Seventh Sunday of Easter

May 12, 2024

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:00 AM at St. James

Welcome Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne

Last week, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Archbishop Leonard P. Blair upon reaching the retirement age of 75. At the same time, the Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne immediately assumed office as the sixth Archbishop and 14th Bishop of Hartford. Learn more about the transition by visiting www.archdioceseofhartford.org.

Bring Your Worries & Concerns Prayer Service

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 7:00 PM

Saint Elizabeth Seton Church

Are you feeling overwhelmed with what’s going on in the world, with your health or that of loved ones? Are you struggling with anger, forgiving others or yourself? Do you feel burdened by concerns you hold deep in your heart? All are invited to bring their struggles, burdens and worries to a special prayer service planned for Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 7:00 PM. There are no solutions being offered in this prayer service but an opportunity to reflect, pray, accept, let go, and, hopefully, experience Christ’s peace and support within a community that has deep concerns as well.

If you have found prayers, reflections, poetry or writings that have helped you with your concerns, consider sharing them with us. Email or deliver copies of these by Pentecost (May 19, 2024) to Elizabeth Husmer, Joy O’Sullivan, Father George or Lisa Orchen and they will be compiled to share that evening.

This past weekend,May 4-5, 2024, the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation were received by 49 of our first communicants and 49 of our Confirmation candidates. We congratulate them all and ask God’s blessings upon them and their families as they continue on their faith journeys as an important part of our parish community.

Other Fun Tidbits

Our SJB Shop is open through May 24, 2024 to give everyone the opportunity to purchase warm weather swag. The summer sale will offer short and long sleeved t-shirts, polos and aprons, all boasting our beautiful parish logo!

Click Here to Order Today

Inviting Greeters

Can you smile? Can you greet people? Can you pass out church bulletins? Now is your chance to play a bigger part in our church community. We are looking for more greeters for the 4:00 PM and 11:00 AM masses at St. James Church. It could be as little or as often as you want and requires no skills other than a friendly face.

Please email Margie Ruschau at ruschau@aol.com to learn more and volunteer.

Bereavement Group

A new Bereavement Support Group will begin in April under the leadership of Bill Pilkington. Bill recently retired from Hartford Healthcare where he served in Spiritual and Bereavement Services for over 30 years. The group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month.

Contact Fr. George at frgeorge@sjbrh.org to learn more and to sign up to attend.

Support Walk MS

Knight of Columbus, Will Shivell, will be participating in the MS Walk on Saturday, May 18. Will and others will be walking to raise money to help people with Multiple Sclerosis and to fund research for a cure. Please consider supporting Will by donating to this very worthy cause. Thank you!

Click Here to Donate

Summer Clothing Collection

Our Parish Summer Clothing Collection continues through the coming weeks. We accept warm weather 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 is open Mon - Fri (9:00 AM - 1:00 PM) or before the masses at 4:00 or 11:00.

Archbishop's Annual Appeal

Thank you to the parish families who have made a gift or pledge commitment to the 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. If you have not yet had the opportunity, please consider prayerfully supporting the many “Good Works” of the Archdiocese. Every gift will be gratefully received and sincerely appreciated. 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.