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Dear Friends in Christ:

A blessed First Sunday in Lent…did you come to Mass on Ash Wednesday and think you heard something missing? Did you notice the opening prayer was missing one word? It was! You are not just thinking it, you are correct!

It seems that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments at the Vatican pointed out that the current translation of the opening prayers in our current Missal which reads “Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever” is incorrect. There is no mention of “one” in the Latin, and “Deus” refers to Christ. Therefore the correct translation, which is already reflected in the Missal in other languages is simply: “Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.” This is more faithful to the Latin text and helps to reminds us all that Jesus is God!

LENT! Well the Holy Season of Lent has begun this past Wednesday with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. First, and foremost, my gratitude to all the volunteers who helped throughout the day to ensure we provided a safe and sanitized environment for our parishioners to celebrate and mark the beginning of this holy season. It was amazing to see so many people coming to the church once again! It really worked out well between the Masses and the open hours for ashes! Thank you to our amazing volunteers who do so much to help throughout this pandemic.

As I continue to pray with our theme for Lent this year, want more? #madeformore #turntochrist, it dawned on me how much this theme really is speaking to me. Yes we, the Pastoral Staff, prayed about and discerned a theme for the parish and this is our normal process for Advent and Lent but this question, want more?, just really speaks to my heart this year!

Yes I want more! I have wanted more for eleven months! And truth be told I have wanted more even longer than that.

What more do I want? I want the hope of Lent. Yes you heard me right. There is hope in Lent. The greatest hope of Lent is the discovery that it’s not only about penance, deprivation, spiritual struggles, and rooting out sin in our lives, as these are often just the things or the actions we do during Lent. But the hope of Lent, that I really want more of in my life, lies in what God does in us, for us, and through us. Lent is that time for us to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, to be surprised by the mercy of God at work in our lives bringing about the changes we need within ourselves to truly be faithful disciples. That is the true hope of Lent: that Lent will prepare us to truly heed His call and turn to Christ!

One of the Prefaces we use at the altar in Lent, the prayer before the Eucharistic Prayer, reminds us so clearly, “for you have given your children a sacred time for the renewing and purifying of their hearts, that, freed from disordered affections, they may so deal with the things of this passing world so to hold rather to the things that eternally endure.”

Lent, then, is a time for us to get back on the right path. A time for us to abstain from those things that pull us away from God and His peace and mercy, and to practice those which bring us to experience His presence in our lives. That is why we focus so much in these six weeks of Lent on the practices of increased prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These three practices, or Lenten disciplines, call us to renew our relationship with Christ.

Lent, ultimately, is all about fasting and feasting, disciplining ourselves so that we can experience life in its fullness.

If you haven’t chosen something to fast from, here is a list of practical every day things to fast from and corresponding things to feast on which I have shared in the past but think still good to consider:

Fast from complaining and feast on appreciation. Fast from judging others and feast on Christ within others. Fast from idle gossip and feast on purposeful silence. Fast from anger and feast on forgiveness. Fast from discouragement and feast on hope. Fast from worry and feast on trusting God. Fast from unrelenting pressures and feast on unceasing prayer. Fast from emphasizing the differences and feast on the unity of life. Fast from thoughts of illness and feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from a sour face and feast on smiles. Fast from bitterness and feast on laughing. Fast from depression and feast on joy!

This list strikes a nerve with all of us because when we read it we realize there is more we can do to become the people God is calling us to be. We realize quickly that we are indeed works in progress. We were made for more! But we also realize that we waste so much energy on complaining, judging, gossip, anger, and all these other things listed above that would be better spent on becoming people of appreciation, forgiveness, hope, and joy! I am going to pick one from above and work on it this week in my own life, will you?

Let us all see Lent as a journey of conversion, prayer, and sharing. If we do then, as a community of believers and as individuals, we will be renewed in faith, hope, and love. If we truly enter into the spirit of the season seeking to be renewed, seeking to fill those longings in our hearts, then we will turn to Christ and recognize that the more we want is found in and through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Then Lent will have been a journey and not just a season we went through. Let’s make this journey together!

We want you to share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter how this pandemic has helped you realize that the longing in your heart was what made you realize you want more! What have you longed for these past months? Share it with us using the hashtags on the banner above or email your thoughts to us, and we can post them for you (with your name or anonymous, whichever you choose.) Your posts may help someone else realize that they are made for more too!

JOIN US THIS LENT:

JOIN US TODAY, Sunday, February 21st, for another opportunity for Drive-Thru Communion! We are pleased to be offering another opportunity for our virtual parishioners!

It is as safe as we can possibly make it. You don’t even need to leave the car! Enter the Church Campus from the Main Street entrance and follow the signs around the Church. These signs will guide you through some preparation prayers, then to a station where Father Federico and I will be, one on each side of the car. Roll down the windows and receive the Holy Eucharist. Please be sure to consume Holy Communion before pulling away from us…then pull forward to do your prayer of thanksgiving and be on your way!

JOIN US EVERY Tuesday of Lent from 5-6PM for Drive-Up Confessions! As we do every Saturday from 3PM until heard, Father Federico and I will be present in front of the school building for you to drive-up and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation! What a great way to experience God’s mercy during this holy season!

JOIN US THIS Tuesday, February 23rd at 6PM, for a Lenten Evening of Reflection. Kelly Henderschedt, Archdiocesan Director of Catechesis, will be with us to reflect on The Valley of the Dry Bones: what to do when your spirituality has gone dry! Kelly has been a presenter here before for some of our Parenting Circle Ministry evenings and she is a dynamic and inspiring speaker. Don’t miss out!

JOIN US ON FRIDAYS DURING LENT FOR STATIONS OF THE CROSS! Signup through our website to join us each Friday of Lent for Stations of the Cross at 7PM. The Stations of the Cross are a beautiful way to reflect on the Passion and Death of our Savior Jesus Christ and to come to appreciate the great suffering He endured for our salvation!

JOIN US on our Social Media on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent as your pastoral staff and fellow parishioners share with us their own little “desert experience.” During the Lenten journey as we reflect on how we WANT MORE in life, and we come to recognize our need to TURN TO CHRIST, finding that place in our lives where we can have a desert experience in prayer is so crucial. I am sure we will all grow as we learn from the experience of others!

JOIN US in the Corporal Works of Mercy! This is always such a powerful way for us as a family of faith to reach out to others with the mercy and love of God and to fulfill the call of Pope Francis to be instruments of mercy in the lives of others. NEXT WEEKEND we will Give drink to the thirsty by bringing beverage donations for the clients, our neighbors, at the Cheshire Community Food Pantry. Thank you for caring for our neighbors in need!

As always, please remember to pray for our parish family and ask God’s blessings as we build His kingdom here. Please know that I am praying for you, and I ask for your prayers for me, that together through the intercession of Saint Bridget of Sweden, our Patroness, and Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney, and united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.

Made For More

Is it just me, or does it feel like Lent has been going on for about a year now? It feels like just yesterday I was writing a post about how Lent 2020 snuck up on us. How little we knew back then. Who could have imagined what 2020 would bring us?

In many ways, we have been in an "extended Lent" since last March. As we come up on a year of this pandemic in the United States (with hope on the horizon in the form of vaccines and steadily declining cases), we reflect on what it's been like. We can't deny that pandemic life and Lenten life are pretty similar!

Lent is a time of sacrifice. A time of solitude. A time for introspection. A time for self-denial. Sounds pretty similar to what we've all been dealing with during Covid, right? We have all had to sacrifice, to be alone, and to look inward. It feels like Lent never ended! What are we supposed to do now that it's starting back up again?

Last year, our Lenten theme was #pickonething. In pre-Covid Lent, it was easy to become overwhelmed with devotionals, good intentions, things to "give up," and spiritual goals. We encouraged you to choose one positive change to focus on in your spiritual life and stick to it. How did that go for you?

None of us could have possibly imagined the corporal context of last year's Lent, but hopefully you were still able to grow closer to the Lord through it all. This year, our theme is a bit different. We can't help but feel like something's missing from our lives right now. That's because it's true. In fact, many things are missing. That begs the question: Want More?

Boom! There it is! It's like when they say the title of the movie in the movie. "Roll credits!" For real, though. Do you want more? Do you feel like there are things missing from your life during this time? Do you feel like things aren't quite right? Good! They're not.

This pandemic has brought us many things; some positive, most negative. One of the most worrisome of these has been the "normalization" of this way of life. "We may just wear these masks forever." Yikes! "I don't mind watching Mass on Facebook, it's so much easier than dressing up and going to church." No, no, no! "Things may never get back to 'normal.'" Guess what? We're made for more than that.

This is legitimately worrisome! We are not merely made to adapt to pandemic life and never come back. We are not merely made to prefer livestreamed Mass over the real thing. We are not merely made to be like everyone else and bicker about the politics of Covid. We are made for so much more than this!

If you glance at the cover image for this blog post, you'll see that it's the same as our Lenten banners in front of the church. You'll also notice that there are not one, but two hashtags in the image. The first is #madeformore, because we are. The second is the answer to the question, "want more?" The solution, if you will. The solution to wanting more is to #turntochrist.

Lent is THE perfect time to seek out the Lord, and there are countless ways to do it. Where might we find Him? In the desert, for one! Jesus went and spent 40 days and 40 nights in the desert to reflect and grow closer to His Father. While I wouldn't recommend roughing it in an actual desert for over a month, we have another way to center ourselves.

We all have "deserts" in our lives. Your desert is that place you go when you want to be alone. A place for rejuvenation, quiet reflection, and spiritual renewal. The best part is, it can be anywhere. Your car, your bedroom, that little corner of your house where you play your video games (guilty), anywhere! Where's your desert?

Members of our parish family will be sharing about their deserts on our Facebook page each Wednesday and Friday during Lent. Make sure to check them out; you might even find some ideas for your own desert! I'd highly recommend that you be intentional about spending time in your desert during this Lenten season.

Another thing I'd recommend if you "want more" out of life and Lent is to find concrete ways to remind yourself of your Purpose. Not your job or your hobbies. Your Purpose. The reason you've been put on this earth. I can't tell you exactly what yours is, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that you have one.

If you're feeling adrift, especially now, there is no better course of action than to ask God to show you the path He has in mind for you. If you're looking for a good first step, I'd recommend watching The Search by the Augustine Institute. It's a 7-episode miniseries specifically geared towards finding your Purpose, especially for young adults. Trust me, it's worth it!

Lent is different this year. It feels a bit more real. A bit more painful. Trust me, I get it. But don't let that curl you into a ball of despair. Lean into that feeling, embrace it. Remember that you are #madeformore! Remember that you have a Purpose. Seek it in your desert and in the Lord. You won't be disappointed with what you find.

May God bless you this Lent,

Regis

want more?

Dear Friends in Christ:

This past week, the State of Connecticut announced some more changes to the COVID restrictions. One of those changes involves us! The Governor announced that he is easing up on the number of people that can be gathered in a House of Worship. His plan allows for 50% capacity provided the proper social distancing can be maintained.

With that said, and after consultation with the leaders of our Parish Pastoral Council, I have decided that we will open up our Masses to 200 people right now. I know this is not 50% capacity, but in reality we cannot permit that number of people and still ensure proper social distancing. What we will do is as follows. We will open all Masses to 200 people beginning THIS WEEKEND and see how that works out for a couple of weeks. Then we will meet again and discuss whether it is possible to increase that number and still provide a safe environment for all who come to worship with our family of faith. I want more people to be together but we have to do this strategically and prudently maintaining the safety of our parishioners.

This is exciting news! And as I have said all the time since the beginning of this pandemic, IT IS COVID. And we know, with COVID-19 things are constantly changing, and we will continue to adjust based on the guidelines issued from the State and from the Archdiocese.

Therefore, we will reconfigure the pews to accommodate this change! In the beginning of reopening we permitted extra space between the rows, certainly more than the required amount, as a means of being overly cautious and safe. Now with this change, we are going to open every other pew, which still permits proper social distancing.

I am SO grateful to Lynn Krieg and Jim Mitchell, Co-Chairs of our Parish Pastoral Council, for all that they have been doing and continue to do to assist us in this process of reopening! As you can imagine with everything constantly in flux, having two people there to assist in making the necessary decisions really has been a true blessing. Their input and counsel have been a source of great inspiration to me! I know I speak for us all in saying thank you to them for their daily efforts to ensure a safe environment for all. Daily they are monitoring the sign-ups for Mass, removing duplicates, emailing or printing lists, coordinating volunteers, as well as dealing with all my text, emails, and calls. They are truly remarkable and patient! Thank you both!

We ask all who attend Mass here at Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish either weekday or weekend to continue to make a reservation online! BUT THERE IS ONE CHANGE! We are moving away from using SignUp Genius and moving to a new software that is more user friendly and designed for churches! We are beginning to use software from Parish Solutions. It will still be found on our website at www.stbridgetcheshire.org. You will still visit the website to sign up or call the parish office to have one of our staff members assist you in signing up in advance. Parish Solutions describes their software as follows:

Now you can allow parishioners to make reservations for limited seating events. Built specifically for Catholic Churches handling reduced capacity events for social distancing purposes, our Mass Reservation System is the solution for which you have been looking. Mobile friendly, email confirmations, printable lists, and super simple interface make our Reservation System the perfect solution.

Our staff has looked into other software and sign up solutions but it seems this is the best one! There is no commitment, so if we find after some time that it is not as user-friendly as they claim, then we will look into other options again. Stay tuned…IT IS COVID.

Please remember we are still only using the front door or south door entrances only, someone will continue to greet you and check you in, and while in church PLEASE REMEMBER masks must be worn!

We continue to ask that there be no congregational singing. Also when approaching for communion keep masks on, approach single file via the center aisle, remain six feet distant in the communion line from those not in your household as marked by tape in the aisle, and receive communion in the hand. Step to the side to lower one’s mask to consume the host, then reposition the mask and return to one’s seat via the side aisle.

Also, just by way of reminder when receiving the host in the hand, please place one hand on top of the other, keeping the palm fully open, and waiting for the priest or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to place the host in your hand before moving. Please do not cup your hand, try to take the host between your fingers from the minister, or move quickly. We have to do our part to avoid contact with the communion minister. Following these procedures ensures the safety of all involved.

Donations for the collections may be put in the corresponding offering baskets on the communion rail (they are covered with a red cloth) or by using our online giving portal, available on the parish website at www.stbridgetcheshire.org.

Again, I personally thank you all for your flexibility and patience as we navigate these uncharted waters of the pandemic. Let us continue to pray for all those affected by COVID, and those working diligently for treatments, vaccines, and other remedies-physical, financial and emotional-that one day soon we can return to our regular worship practices and daily routines. Finally, if you or someone you know is in need of any assistance during this time, please contact me to let me know so that we may reach out to them with whatever help we may be able to provide. May God continue to bless us all!

LENT 2021:

The Pastoral Staff really felt like there is a longing in all of our hearts as we deal with this pandemic that is a call for more! But we also recognize that we are made for more! We are made for more than isolation. We are made for more than being fearful to go out in public. We are made for more than sitting in our lazy boy chair watching Mass on some device. We are made for relationship! And in Lent we are called to turn to Christ. We are called to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as a means to a deepening awareness of our need for Christ in our lives. More to come but for now I invite you to start thinking about this question in your time of prayer. want more? I do! Do you?

ASH WEDNESDAY will be a little different this year! We will begin Lent with Ash Wednesday (February 17th) and we will have Masses with the Distribution of Ashes at 7AM, 9AM, and 5:30PM.

We will also have the distribution of ashes from 11AM until 1PM, and 4PM until 5:15PM in Saint Bridget Church. Last year we offered this opportunity and it was very well received! You are invited to come during these hours, say a few prayers in quiet, then approach to have ashes administered to you.

Please note that we will be distributing ashes using Q-tips cotton swabs in order to avoid any contact and make this as safe as possible during this time of pandemic. A new Q-tips swab will be used for each person, discarded, and buried in sacred ground in the following days.

Don’t forget that this year, during Lent, we will, once again. As a parish family focus on the Corporal Works of Mercy in a special way. It will be an opportunity for us as a family of faith to reach out to others with the mercy and love of God and to fulfill the call of Pope Francis to be instruments of mercy in the lives of others. IT’s COVID so things will be a little different. It is our hope that each weekend our parishioners will bring the items and leave them at the entrances to make it easier for our volunteers to collect them after all the Masses. We will not bring them to the altar this year.

Weekend of February 20 & 21—Feed the Hungry

· non-perishable food items for the Cheshire Community Food Pantry

Weekend of February 27 & 28—Give drink to the Thirsty

· beverages (water, juice, coffee, etc.) for the Cheshire Community Food Pantry

Weekend of March 6 & 7—Clothe the naked

· new (WHITE) socks for the Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter in Waterbury

· or onesies for use at Carolyn’s Place

Weekend of March 13 & 14—Shelter the Homeless

· a monetary collection for the Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter in Waterbury

Weekend of March 20 & 21—Visit the Sick

· make Easter cards to be given to those in skilled nursing facilities or our homebound parishioners

Weekend of March 27 & 28—Palm Sunday—Visit the imprisoned

· Father Villa who works with the prisoners in the Cheshire Prison asked for us to purchase a book by Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan called The Road of Hope. He was a Cardinal in the Church who was imprisoned in Vietnam for thirteen years and instead of giving in to despair and self-pity, he found God in the darkness and that his life had purpose. It is a story of hope for those Father Villa serves. The book is $24 so we will have a special basket to collect funds in order to purchase some of these books for his ministry.

Weekend of April 3 & 4—Easter Sunday—Bury the Dead

· as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, we remember our loved ones who have gone before us in faith. May they share in His Resurrection!

More to come on Lent…but ask yourself: want more?

As always, please remember to pray for our parish family and ask God’s blessings as we build His kingdom here. Please know that I am praying for you, and I ask for your prayers for me, that together through the intercession of Saint Bridget of Sweden, our Patroness, and Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney, and united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world. Have a blessed week and stay safe!!!

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