Saint Josephine
Bakhita Parish
Fall 2021
|
|
October 26, 2021
Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,
Greetings and blessings!
This weekend’s Gospel reading (Mark 12:28-34) reminds me of the amazing work that our former President Jimmy Carter (97 y.o.) and the First Lady Rosalyn Carter (94 y.o.) did for some years for Habitat for Humanity.
Until recently, they have been building houses for Habitat for well over 35 years. These projects have taken them to over 14 countries and 21 states. Even though they struggled at times with aching bones and stooped backs, they endured in these projects with overwhelming commitment and endurance. As President Carter explains, “This gives us a chance to put our religious beliefs into practical projects. That’s a very difficult thing for wealthy people to do, like we are---to cross the great barrier between us and people who never had a place to live.”
For the Carters the talk in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is not some theoretical, future existence. It is now. It is created one house at a time. It embraces every family of every race and creed and culture. God’s Kingdom, Jesus says, “is not far”—it is as close as our homes, it is lived in our love for our families and friends.
God’s Kingdom is realized in every act of compassionate charity and selfless sacrifice, when our humanity resembles God; it is built of the respect and honor we afford to all God’s sons and daughters, for in our love and care for them, we most sincerely praise God.
In the two-fold “great commandment,” we discover a purpose to our lives much greater and larger than ourselves and our own needs, interests, prejudices, and biases; in the loving embrace of God and our loving embrace of one another, we create, here and now, the Kingdom of God. Starting in our hearts, then our homes, then our church community and beyond.
Peace and Blessings,
Fr. George Couturier
Pastor
|
|
Thirty-First Sunday
in Ordinary Time
October 30-31, 2021
4 PM Vigil, 9 AM, 11 AM
*Masks strongly encouraged!*
Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish will livestream the 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM Sunday Mass using Facebook Live. The livestream of the Mass can also be viewed on the front page of our website. The recordings remain available on the Parish Facebook page.
|
|
Memorial Mass
We Remember
Our Deceased Loved Ones
at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish
Tuesday, November 2
7:00 PM
Saint James Church
and Livestreamed on Saint Josephine Bakhita Facebook Page
We will be celebrating our annual Memorial Mass for those who have had funerals at Saint Josephine Bakhita since November 2020. 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. In-person attendance is reserved for those who have received an invitation. 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.
|
|
All members of the Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish community are invited to join in the faith activity for the months of October & November called The Thankful Pumpkin. To learn more, Click Here. Email pictures of your Thankful Pumpkin to the Faith Formation Office at reo@sjbrh.org.
|
|
|
Trick or Treat
Sweet Feet Repeat
Last year our Confirmation classes collected candy and new socks as part of their Sweet Feet Project. They filled men, women and children’s socks with candy and delivered them to numerous agencies as a special gift for Christmas. The project was huge success, and we would like to “repeat” it again this year but need lots of candy and socks and could use your help.
Halloween is the perfect time to donate one of those 'buy one get one free' bags of chocolate to our Candidates who will stuff those socks. Or shop the day AFTER Halloween and grab those ½ price bags or have your little goblins go trick or treating and then donate some of their candy to share with others.
We will be collecting candy and new socks from now till the beginning of December. Boxes labeled Sweet Feet Project will be located in the foyers of both churches. Thank you for making Christmas a little “sweeter” for others.
|
|
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 invites all to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Monday evenings at 6:00pm
St. Elizabeth Seton Church
|
|
Save The Date!
Saint Josephine Bakhita
Holiday Fair
Saturday, November 20
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saint James Parish Center
Silent Auction & Teacup Auction
Crafts & Homemade Ornaments
Cookie Walk & Bake Sale
Fun Foods to Buy & Enjoy
We need bakers! We are halfway to our donations from previous years. Please give some thought to signing up to help with this delicious fund raiser for our parish. Safe handling as always with gloves provided and masks required for all at the Cookie Walk.
Contact: MaryAnne DiPasquale 860-529-2304 or Lynda Regina 860-563-9550
Sign up in either church foyer
or email what you will bake to
|
|
Silent Auction Preview
The Silent Auction Committee has assembled an amazing assortment of items for bidding. Here is just a partial list:
Gift Certificates: DeNovellis Restaurant, West Side Market, Amazon, Sam's Club, Rudy's Little Italy, Ocean State Job Lot, Bob's Discount Furniture, Little Theater of Manchester, Big Y, Panizzo, Stew Leonards, Saybrook Fish House, Gilbert Farm, Chuck's Steakhouse, Mark Twain House, Essex Steam Train, Hartford Yard Goats, New Britain Museum of American Art, Wadsworth Atheneum, Tennis and Fitness Center of Rocky Hill, Boston Red Sox, Connecticut Sun, Mt. Southington, and more!
Grand Prize: One week stay at the Narragansett vacation home of parishioners Joe and Pat Klinger (valued at $3000). Well maintained, updated, 3-story, 3000 sq. ft., 5 bedroom, sleeps 12, within minutes of Roger Wheeler and Scarborough State Beaches. Bidding for vacation home will start at $1300. Questions, call Joy at 860-529-8655.
|
|
Homemade Crafts Preview
Knit, Crochet and Sew Good Works will again have Irish Knit sweaters, quilts, baby items, home décor items and more at the Holiday Fair. Enjoy a preview of these beautiful, handmade items: Click Here.
|
|
To pre-order, preview, pricing, or to customize a fall/holiday table runner, contact Vivian Orsini at vorsini24@aol.com or text 860-906-7433.
|
|
It's Not Too Early To Start Thinking About Advent |
|
Advent Bible Study
Prepare For Christmas With Mary
Few people have impacted the world of Christian spirituality theology and history as Mary, the Mother of the Lord. Join us for three sessions online on December Monday evenings 12/6,12/13 and 12/20 as we wait with her for the birth of Christ by considering the key events in her life that helped set the course of salvation history. No experience with Scripture necessary…newcomers, family and friends most welcome.
|
|
Contemplative Dialogue Advent Series
Come and join fellow parishioners for this 5-week series that will be held on Mondays from 7:15-8:30PM beginning on November 29th. First time participants are asked to arrive 15 minutes early (7:00) for a brief orientation.
We will be reading Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton. Each week, there are selected passages that participants read and reflect on in silence. There is then a sharing period when members may choose to share how certain parts of the readings were meaningful and relevant in their lives. Everyone is asked to listen to each other’s sharing respectfully. To listen deeply is to cultivate inner silence.
These sessions will be hybrid - both in person in Classroom G at Saint Elizabeth Seton and on Zoom. If you would like to participate, please sign up on the sheets located in the foyers of S.t Elizabeth Seton or St. James by November 7th to allow sufficient time to order and receive books before our initial session. Please contact Maryann Lonergan (at 860-635-7726 or mca0711@sbcglobal.net) with any questions or for more information.
|
|
Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
