March 8, 2020 - 2nd Sunday of Lent

Dear Friends in Christ:

Well the concern is growing. There isn’t a day that goes by that the Coronavirus is not a topic of conversation! Just this past week I received two emails and one phone call from parishioners asking if we, as a parish, are going to do anything as a precaution during this time at our Masses. On Tuesday the Pastoral Staff and I were emailing back and forth about things we could implement here at Saint Bridget of Sweden as precautionary measures and then later in the day we received an email from the Archbishop regarding precautionary measures he is implementing throughout the Archdiocese.

So beginning this weekend we will be implementing these measures as directed by the Archbishop:

1. The sign of peace should be exchanged without physical contact like hand-shaking; or else the call to exchange a sign of peace should simply be omitted.

2. The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful via the chalice should be suspended; concelebrants and assisting deacons should receive only by intinction. (We have already implemented this due to the Flu being widespread.)

3. Communion on the tongue should be strongly discouraged. (PLEASE NOTE—choice of option remains with person receiving but reception in the hand is strongly encouraged at this time.)

4. There should be minimal handling of collection baskets, by ushers only.

5. Holy Water fonts should be emptied. (PLEASE NOTE—you can bring in your own holy water bottle (we have given them out at Easter each year) and fill it from the large holy water container and use it for yourself.)

6. Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are urged to practice good hygiene, washing their hands before Mass begins or even using an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion.

7. The faithful should be told that if they are sick or are experiencing symptoms of sickness they are not obliged to attend Mass, and that out of charity they ought not to attend.

I want to urge everyone in the course of daily life to do what you can to implement precautionary measures for yourself and your family. This is NOT to be a time of fear but a call to increased awareness and a call to do our part in not spreading this virus.

We also need to pray for an end to this illness throughout the world, and for those who are afflicted with it. You will hear some specific intentions at weekend Masses praying for an end to infectious diseases and to this particular health threat. Please add this to your daily prayers as well.

We will continue to monitor all available information and guidance about COVID-19 (the 2019 Novel Coronavirus) to determine how it impacts the many activities conducted within and by Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish. In seeking how to respond properly and as quickly as possible, we will focus at all times on the health, safety, and well-being of our parishioners.

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT…Last Sunday we saw Jesus as a man immersed in the Scriptures who countered Satan's temptations. Imitating Jesus we desire immersion in the God's Word. The Word of God is critical to our lives as Catholics and, in particular, to our celebration of Mass. At our Masses we read from every section of the Scriptures. Not only that, almost every word of the Mass comes from Bible or is based on the Bible.

Still, it's not enough that words simply enter our ears. We want God's Word to live in our hearts. Today's Gospel shows how that can happen.

The opening verse states: "Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves." Jesus wants us to take time apart with him. In your home do you have some place for prayer? Maybe a corner with a candle, crucifix, or sacred image of Jesus or the Blessed Mother or your Patron Saint. I know some people use cell phone apps to pray and that is great if it works for you! Most of us need to turn off the cell phone, and disconnect, so we can give time completely to Jesus. He desires to lead us to our mountain top experience. Take a passage from the Bible and read it slowly, stopping where it speaks to you. It may speak hope, repentance, trust. What that voice says, listen.

On the mountain top we can hear the Father's voice: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." I've found the daily Mass readings almost always have a word I need to hear.

Join us on this journey of Lent reflecting on the daily readings in your prayer. Visit our Facebook Page or our Parish Website to see a reflection offered each day on the readings and then spend time listening to the Father’s voice in prayer. Join us for Theology on Tap at Vespucci’s this Thursday at 8pm with Bishop Betancourt on the topic of the importance of sacred scripture in the lives of everyday Catholics.

Parish Corporal Works of Mercy update…last weekend the generous people of our parish family donated 1,462 pounds of food to the Cheshire Community Food Pantry to give food to the hungry! Thank you!

This weekend we are collecting beverages to give drink to the thirsty and next weekend we will be collecting white socks for men, women, and children to help the clients at Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter in Waterbury, and/or onesies for babies at Carolyn’s Place to help clothe the naked. Thank you for all you do to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate and for recognizing that in serving them we are serving the Lord.

Lenten Suppers…we had an amazing group gathered together for the first Lenten Supper. We had over 170 people! It was just wonderful to see the adults getting to know each other, the young people enjoying time in the gym, and our family of faith being nourished together by food and fellowship. It was awesome!

Please join us as we come together for our Friday Lenten Supper, great conversation, and some fun activities for the kids. Supper is served from 5-7 PM, cost is only $10 per adult, $5 per child and senior citizen, and a $25 max per family. The menu includes pasta with sauce, salad, bread, a variety of soups each week, beverages, and a weekly special.

MONDAY CONFESSIONS…

Please consider availing yourself of the opportunity to go to Confession during this Season of Lent. In addition to Saturdays from 3PM until heard we are also available on Monday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30AM!

When is the last time you went to Confession? Do you not want to receive the mercy of God? Do you not want a fresh start? Do you not want to be freed from that sin and burden? Is your #pickonething something that needs to be confessed so that the grace of the Sacrament can help you to turn that vice into a virtue? Are you letting nerves stop you from experiencing the mercy of God? If you're worried because you're "new at this," or because “it has been so long,” that's okay! It's okay to be nervous, it's okay to be afraid, but don’t let that fear hold you back.

I realize many do not consider Confession as important to their spiritual life these days. This is truly concerning to me! Who wouldn’t want to be freed from their sin and begin a fresh start at trying to follow Jesus better?

Sacramental confession allows God’s loving mercy and his grace-filled absolution to be confirmed to us through the ministry of the priest. Christ, through the priest, invites us to let go of anything that gets in the way of our relationship with Him. Christ, through the priest, encourages us to open ourselves to the peace and grace which can only be found through God’s forgiveness.

Through the sacramental ministry of the Church and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our sins are forgiven and we are given the grace to be more like Christ; to experience and embody the saving ministry and healing grace of Jesus Christ.

I urge us all to be open to God’s love and grace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent. Encourage family members and friends to do the same. Don’t wait to experience God’s mercy!

As always, 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 united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.

Cactus Leather, Return of the King, and Stewardship

I saw an article on Facebook the other day that caught my eye immediately. It spoke about two men in Mexico who have created "vegan leather" out of cactus leaves. Whaaaaaaaat?! I thought it sounded strange, but I read the article and was really impressed. It reminded me of stewardship, the biblical concept that the Earth is a gift from God (and not ours to do with what we'd like). This cactus leather is a great example of stewardship!

Personally, I think leather is pretty awesome. Wallets, car seats, couches, recliners, jackets, you name it! From the feeling to the scent, we can all agree that leather is a great material. However, it comes with a cost. Getting genuine leather requires the killing of many animals and the use of harsh, environmentally damaging chemicals to treat their hides. Cool product, to be sure, but with cost requirements that are morally gray at best.

This "vegan leather" that requires neither the killing of animals nor the use of harsh chemicals is a great step towards environmental protection. I hope that we will start to see it used more and more. But why? Why should we care? Because, like I mentioned earlier, the Earth is not our property. The Earth is a gift from God, as much as the bodies we live in and the talents we show off. Here's the thing, though: it's not a gift that we can do whatever we want with. It has been entrusted to us to care for until the Return of the King.

You thought I would only make that one Lord of the Rings reference a couple of weeks ago and be done with it? Oof. You're probably gonna be disappointed going forward. Anyways, here we are. As you no doubt have guessed, there's a Lord of the Rings example that fits incredibly well here. For those of you who haven't watched or read (first of all, hop on that), a brief backstory: there's a country called Gondor that was ruled by a line of kings for a long, long time. One king produced no heir, and the throne was taken by a Steward. The line of Stewards reigned for 25 generations.

The Stewards' job was to watch over the kingdom until the next true king, an heir of the original King of Gondor, could come and claim the throne. They performed many of the duties of a king, but had neither the power nor the honor of a true ruler. The point is, they were simply caring for the kingdom until the true King came to claim it. The last Steward, named Denethor, is the one we see in the movies. He's kind of the worst, and he tries to claim ownership of the throne for himself. Gandalf has this great line where he says, "Authority is not given to you to deny the Return of the King, Steward."

Definitely an insult, but a great point! The Steward was not there to take ownership of the kingdom, but simply to preserve and care for it until the Return of the King. Sound familiar? It should! This is exactly the same situation we're in. We are the stewards of the Earth, not its rulers. Our "duty and our salvation," as we say in Mass, is to care for this planet we've been given until the Return of the True King, Jesus.

It's hard to take care of the environment! From cars driving everywhere to oil heating and power to large swaths of the manufacturing industry, things that damage the environment have become ingrained in our society from top to bottom. Does this mean that we need to immediately stop driving, eating meat, and turning on the lights at night? Absolutely not, and to say that we should can be dangerous. What we are called to do as Catholics, however, is examine our own lives and make changes to our habits for the good of the environment.

I, for one, can make more of an effort to use a reusable water bottle instead of plastic ones. I can also eat less meat and takeout and take shorter showers. See? We all have small steps we can take! Imagine what would happen if we all made 3 small changes like these. I bet the environment would see significant health increases. Think about this during Lent! Maybe make it part of your sacrifice or your #pickonething commitment. Everyone has something they can do.

Remember, this isn't just something nice to do because it's trendy to be environmentally conscious. This is a solemn duty that we all have as stewards of this Earth! We are not the kings and queens of this world. There is only one true king, and He's a lot more powerful and good than we can ever be. Instead of trying to assert our own rule over our planet, let's just focus on taking care of it until the Jesus, the King, returns.

God Bless you all,

Regis

March 1, 2020 - 1st Sunday of Lent

Dear Friends in Christ:

And so it began. The forty days of Lent began this past Wednesday! How is it going? Every year on Ash Wednesday I hear the same old statements from family and friends telling me their goals for Lent. Sadly, these statements are often not about real change.

As the ashes were placed on our foreheads we were told “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Repent comes from the Greek word metanoia which means “a change of mind.” Lent is a time to make that deliberate decision to turn our lives around and go in the opposite direction, specifically, to turn back toward God. As one of the Prefaces of Lent says “through bodily fasting you restrain our faults, raise up our minds, and bestow both virtue and its rewards, through Christ our Lord.” That is what Lent is really meant to be about.

As I said, family and friends are often eager to share with me what they are “giving up” for Lent, but these are often using Lent as a kick-starter for some diet or new regimen. More often than not, their sacrifice is misguided. So this year I challenged them to take on our parish theme as the guide they use in Lent. Some accepted the challenge, others did not. Remember, even Jesus faced this in His life: “as a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”(John 6:66)

#pickonething This is a challenge! This will not be easy! But Lent should be about more than simply giving stuff up, like chocolates and pizza, and more about DOING something that will bring that real change in our lives. It should be about metanoia and turning back toward God. It should be about becoming more like Christ. So what is that one thing you need to change in your life? What is that one thing you need to work on to bring it from vice to virtue?

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT THIS LENT, in addition to regularly scheduled Masses and activities, AT SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN PARISH to help us as we strive to bring about real change in our lives:

1. Weekly Confessions in Saint Bridget Church on Mondays between the two morning Masses (7:30-8:30AM). Please note this is in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Hartford and the Monday Confessions Program that calls for every Parish in the Archdiocese to have a priest available for Confessions at some time on the Mondays of Lent. To find other opportunities please visit the designated website www.confessionmondays.com.

2. Stations of the Cross…every Friday at Saint Thomas Becket Church at 3:30PM and at Saint Bridget Church at 7PM.

3. Lenten Suppers…Every Friday evening of Lent from 5-7p.m., a Lenten meal is prepared at Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish Center. Menu always includes Pasta with sauce, salad, bread, a variety of soups each week, beverages and so much more. Cost is $10 per adult, $5 children and seniors, and $25 max per family.

4. Our Weekly Corporal Works of Mercy…each weekend of Lent we will focus as a family of faith on a particular Corporal Work of Mercy. Please see separate listing of these on page 7.

5. Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish Lenten Daily Reflection Videos…the video series for Advent was so well received that we have decided to do another series for Lent. Each day, representatives of the Pastoral Staff, the Pastoral Council, the Faculty of St. Bridget School, and members of the Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society of our Parish School will lead us in a reflection on the readings of the day to assist us on this spiritual journey! You can find it on our Parish Facebook Page and our Parish Website.

Please mark your calendars and join us for these important moments in our Lenten journey as a family of faith. We hope to see you there!

May our communal and personal prayer, our fasting, and our almsgiving truly prepare us for the celebration of Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday! A blessed Lent to you all!

A Lenten Challenge and Invitation… This Lent share with someone what we are doing in our parish. Share with them your experience of the activities and events both spiritual and social that make you proud to be part of our parish family. Invite someone to join us! Bring a family member or friend to our Lenten Suppers or Adoration or Stations of the Cross. Bring someone who may have stopped practicing their faith to Mass with you. You are the means through which others come to know the Lord and His love, why wait to bring them to the table where He nourishes us in Word and Sacrament? Can we all invite one person back to the Church, back to the practice of their faith? I think we can! The Challenge Is ON!!!

ASH WEDNESDAY thoughts and observations…As you know we offered a new experience for receiving ashes this year, and I want to share with you some comments about this new offering. First, I express my profound gratitude to the 40 volunteers who served the parish from 10AM until 2PM as both greeters and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Every half-hour we had someone at the three entrances greeting people and providing them a prayer card and then we had two Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in the sanctuary ready to distribute the ashes when people came forward. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. One Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion shared with me that during her half-hour she counted over 60 people! Here are some more comments that came to us by text, email, and on our Facebook page:

1. “I just wanted to pass on the feedback I received while greeting from 1:30-2pm at the side entrance by the parking lot. There was a steady stream of people, and everyone praised this new opportunity to receive ashes and expressed their thanks. Several people also commented on the beautiful music that was playing, which added to their experience.”

2. “Beautiful opportunity to start off Lent…giving out ashes during that time was very moving…so many people took advantage of this opportunity.”

3. “Drove all the way from downtown Waterbury at lunch today for ashes during your “open house.” Not only was it convenient but I found it peaceful, comforting, and allowed me to spend my time on my terms in God’s house. The prayer card was a great touch. Thank you!”

I am so pleased that this new offering met the need for so many with their busy and hectic schedules. We estimate, based on the prayer cards, that we welcomed over 700 people during these four hours! I pray that each of them felt welcomed and motivated to make this Lent a time for true conversion!

This weekend we also are kicking off the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal in our parish. If you haven’t already, you will soon receive a letter from Archbishop Blair seeking your support. As Catholics in the Archdiocese of Hartford we have a profound impact on our local communities not only in the spiritual realm, but intimately connected to it, the realm of social services and visibly through the many charities and outreach services performed by, or with help from, our Church. For the fourth year in a row, in 2019, the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal Vicariate Outreach Program provided over $1,000,000 to over 225 local organizations in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties. Organizations such as the Cheshire Community Food Pantry right here in our own town received funding from the Appeal’s Vicariate Outreach Program that makes a difference in serving our neighbors. All funds contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal are used exclusively for the purposes outlined in the Appeal literature, which can be found at: https://archdioceseofhartford.org/appeal/. Please respond generously.

As always, 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 united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.