October 25, 2022

Never doubt the depth of God’s hopes for you...

October 25, 2022

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

Greetings and blessings!

The scripture readings for this 31st Sunday of Ordinary time prompt me to ask this question. Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you or regrets having made you? It is obviously a troubling question, but our own life experience suggests an answer. When a baby is born, its parents know what lies ahead: dirty diapers, sleepless nights, measles, mumps, oceans of tears, adolescence, driver’s license, etc. Yet those parents welcome their baby because, even before it is born they have their hearts in it, we hope.

And so, it is with God and God’s children. But sometimes the humiliating record of our sins and mistakes can weigh so heavily upon us that we imagine God being as disgusted with us as we are with ourselves. When we do that, we are not seeing reality, the whole story. We are projecting our own smallness onto God. But God is not small, and God does not think small. The ultimate proof of that is the risen Jesus, God with us, God for us, always.

Look into the face of Jesus on the cross, the understanding face of love without limits. Let your heart rejoice. And never doubt the depth of God’s hopes for you, the loving hopes of our very dear Father, who will never turn away.

I wish you and yours continued Blessings!!

Fr. George

The 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 30, 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

Faith Formation Updates

Fall Faith Activity

The Thankful Pumpkin

Try a faith tradition that focuses on thankfulness. Every night leading up to Thanksgiving, gather as a household and add a message, passage, name, or prayer on your Thankful Pumpkin! It can be a real pumpkin, a personal hand-crafted pumpkin, or non-perishable store bought pumpkin.

You can do this as a household of one or with everyone (mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandparents, cousins, god-parents and grown-ups)! Be creative and have fun!

You will have a beautiful, thoughtful Thanksgiving decoration!

Please send pictures of your Thankful Pumpkin to the Faith Formation Office so that we can share them. Our Office is located on the Saint James Campus, 767 Elm Street, Rocky Hill or email them directly to reo@sjbrh.org.

Enjoy pictures of parish pumpkins from prior years here.

All Saints Day Mass

*** Holy Day of Obligation ***

Tuesday, November 1

7 AM - St. James

Noon - St. James & livestreamed

7 PM - St. Elizabeth Seton

All Souls Day Memorial Mass

We Remember

Our Deceased Loved Ones

at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

Wednesday, November 2

7 PM - St. James & livestreamed

We will be celebrating our annual Memorial Mass for those who have had funerals at Saint Josephine Bakhita since November 2021. All are welcome to pray and support those who are mourning, or be strengthened in the face of their own mourning by watching Mass online. During the candlelit service, we will be announcing the names of those who had funerals at Saint Josephine Bakhita in the past year. However, Facebook offers the ability to comment in real time and add your own loved one’s name and picture in the comment section during the Mass.

Music Ministry Opportunities

Youth Choir Opportunities

At the Saint Elizabeth Seton Campus, Director of Music Elizabeth Husmer is ready to recruit boys and girls in grades 2 through 5 to sing at the 4 PM Christmas Eve Mass on December 24^th. Children learn to sing the traditional, cherished songs about the birth of Christ, experience their church in a new way as ministers of music and learn teamwork through singing together.

Rehearsals are held on Thursdays after school for one hour – from 4:30 – 5:30 PM. Singers should be good readers. Weekly rehearsals run Thursday, October 27 thru December 22, except on Thanksgiving Day. See Elizabeth Husmer for more information or email: Elizabeth@sjbrh.org

At the Saint James Campus,Director of Music Joy O'Sullivan has already begun choir rehearsals. The St. James Children’s Choir sings on the first Sunday of the month and on holidays. This is an ongoing choir where children continue to build singing skills and participate in the sacred rituals of the church as choir and cantor. Rehearsals are after the 11 AM Mass in the small chapel at St. James. See Joy O’Sullivan for more information or email: Joy@sjbrh.org

Adult Spirituality Opportunities

Charismatic Prayer Group

Our Charismatic Prayer Group gives praise, honor, thanks and love to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Our gatherings include Christian music, charismatic prayer, discussion of biblical readings and sharing prayer petitions. We meet on first Tuesday of the month at St. Elizabeth Seton from 7:00-8:30 PM, both in person and online. Contact Kristie Witherspoon to learn more: kblicharz@gmail.com.

Centering Prayer Workshop

Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish welcomes all ages to join in an Introductory Centering Prayer Workshop on Zoom to be held on two consecutive Wednesdays: November 30 and December 7. The Workshops will run from 6:30-8:30 PM led by presenters Fran Mastro and Mike Smoolca (the Contemplative Outreach Coordinator at the Holy Family Retreat Center). Centering Prayer is a way of opening to the presence of God in prayer. We will practice this prayer of letting go and emptying to create a readiness for a new kind of fullness with God. Please sign up in either church by November 21. For more information, please contact Fran Masto at fmed6@icloud.com.

Outreach Opportunities

Food & Cereal

For Our Local Pantries

Households who struggle with hunger need our help even more in the summer time. We continue to seek food and cereal donations 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. Learn more here.

ABC Women’s Center

“Baby Bottle Drive”

October 15~30

ABC Women’s Center, located in both Middletown and New Britain, is a faith-based pregnancy resource center. The “Baby Bottle Drive” is an annual fund-raising event and 100% of the donations go directly to ensure the availability and growth of programs and services offered to all their clients free of charge. Since they do not receive any state or government assistance and are solely funded by private donations from individuals, businesses and churches, this event is vital to their ongoing ministry. They offer a variety of life-affirming pregnancy, parenting, and post-abortive support for both women and men. On the weekend of October 15 & 16, we will have baby bottles available for parishioners to take home to fill with their donations (checks are made payable to “ABC Women’s Center). Return the bottle no later than the weekend of October 29 & 30. Our Parish is supporting this event as one more way to participate in the “40 Days of Life” Campaign of the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Winter Clothing Collection

The Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Winter Clothing Collection begins November 7th. We accept Winter 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.

Questions? Contact Sandy Rokosz at sandyrokosz7@hotmail.com

Thanksgiving Food Baskets &

Grocery Store Gift Certificates

Create a Thanksgiving Food Basket for a household of 4-6 people to donate to Rocky Hill Human Services and deliver to either church the weekend of November 19-20.

Donate gift certificates to local grocery stores to compliment the Food Baskets and enable families to buy turkeys and perishable foods.

Please indicate your intention to donate a basket by signing up in either Church Foyer. Learn all about where to donate and how to build your basket, Click Here.

Holiday Fair

Saint Josephine Bakhita

Holiday Fair

Saturday, November 19

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Saint James Parish Center

Silent Auction & Teacup Auction

Crafts & Homemade Ornaments

Cookie Walk & Bake Sale

Fun Foods to Buy & Enjoy

Learn about donating to our Bake Sale & Cookie Walk

We want this year’s Silent Auction to be the best ever. How can you help? Ask a business you frequent to donate something. Or donate something yourself. Here are some ideas:

New higher-end merchandise: Designer Pocketbooks, TV’s, Electronics
Services: landscaping, leaf raking, meal preparation, accounting, legal
Tradesman: carpentry, plumbing, electrical
Unused Gift Cards: Please specify the $ amount — place them in an envelope marked “Holiday Fair” and drop in our offertory boxes at either church
Travel packages: Donate time at a vacation home you own
Signed sports memorabilia or tickets to a great sporting event
Tickets to concerts, theater, Broadway shows

Your donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Your donation will not only help our community of St. Josephine Bakhita, it will help you!

Questions or want to donate, contact: Susan at sfmarcantonio@yahoo.com

Seeking Tea Cup Raffle

& Ornament Donations

We are seeking new or gently used items for our Teacup Raffle as well as Christmas Ornaments. Bins will be placed at the entrances of both Churches. Any questions, feel free to call Kathy Alexander at 860-563-5859.

Other Fun Tidbits

Hospitality Sunday is Back!

First Sunday of the Month

November 6, 2022

Coffee, treats, visiting with friends - old and new - has returned to the first Sunday of the month. Parishioners who have volunteered to make this possible will serve treats after the 9:00 AM Mass at St. Elizabeth Seton and after the 11:00 AM Mass at St. James. Consider joining this ministry to keep this great social time going. A few teams of parishioners or families taking turns would keep this commitment feasible going forward. Contact Elizabeth@sjbrh.org or Joy@sjbrh.org to find out how you can help.