Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 20, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

It is good to be home! The pilgrimage to Italy was amazing and a great spiritual experience but it is always good to be home. We were blessed with wonderful weather for the most part apart from a couple of moments of rain, but it never lasted long. Here is a group photo from the day we visited the Amalfi Coast. What a spectacular view!

At all of our Masses and stops to the holy sites throughout our pilgrimage we remembered the special intentions that were offered to us both personally and through our on-line submission form. We placed these special intentions on the altar each day and asked God to hear our prayers for you! I thank all those who submitted prayers and I thank you all for praying for our safe travels. It is good to be home!

Well a busy week is beginning and I ask for your prayers!

This Sunday we welcome the Visiting Committee from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges who are coming as part of the re-accreditation process of St. Bridget School. The faculty and administration have been preparing for this visit for the past two years. The process has included surveys, assessments, and strategic planning. This process has really helped us to see clearly what our strengths are and where there is room for some improvement. I am so grateful to all who have been involved with the process of our self-study and pray that the Visiting Committee will see what makes St. Bridget School such a special place of learning and discipleship. I am confident they will see that we are faithful to our mission, dedicated to forming the whole child, and committed to academic excellence. Your prayers these next few days are much appreciated.

This week also sees the reality of the Archdiocesan Synod Grow and Go. This coming Thursday through Sunday I will be away from the parish organizing and coordinating the Synod Meeting of Delegates. After months of prayer, study, and formation for the delegate representatives from throughout the Archdiocese we are just days away from this historic event.

This is also the culmination of almost two years of preparation for this event. Since my appointment as Secretary of the Synod in the Fall of 2017, I have been working with various staff members in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center to coordinate a variety of efforts all pointing to this meeting. We held parish listening sessions in every parish throughout the Archdiocese. We met with priests and religious for listening sessions. We met on a deanery level with representatives of the parishes to give them an opportunity to share their thoughts with Archbishop Blair. All of that material was then prayed with and filtered down by the Archdiocesan Synod Preparatory Commission to form the four themes they felt we were being called to discern for our Archdiocesan Family of Faith. These four themes are:

1. Encountering Christ, personal conversion, with a real focus on the Liturgy and devotional life as well.

2. Becoming Missionary Disciples, formation as disciples, with a focus on vocations, and faith formation of clergy and laity.

3. Sent on Mission, evangelization, with focus on the proclamation of the Gospel, using the tools of today for effectively communicating the Gospel, and outreach ministry.

4. Collaborating in the local Church, understanding of what it means to be members of the Church, with a focus on moving beyond parochialism, coordinating and collaborating ministries, and finding communion in our diversity.

Working documents along with specific propositions were then written based on these themes in preparation for the delegate meeting. It is incumbent upon the Synod delegates to prayerfully read and study these working documents prior to arriving at the Synod meeting, where they will listen to inspiring speakers, and ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom and insight to develop more specific propositions and discern how we might move forward as individuals, as families, as parishes, and as an Archdiocesan family of faith. Join us in praying for the success of this Synod. Come, Holy Spirit.

Also, I was recently asked why is the Synod called Synod 2020 when you are meeting in the Fall of 2019. It appears the Synod is always noted by its targeted end date, and our Synod will conclude with a Mass at the Oakdale Theatre in Yalesville on Pentecost Sunday of 2020, May 31st. At that Mass we will thank the Holy Spirit for the guidance and support of our work and Archbishop Blair will then officially promulgate a document known as a Pastoral Letter with the fruits of the Synod meeting. Great question!

Halloween Trick or Treat at the Rectory…Father Federico and I will be answering the door at the rectory at Saint Bridget on Thursday evening, Halloween, October 31st, to hand out candy to you and your children. Please come by the rectory door facing the Church building (sidewalk nearest the back of the rectory) and share in the excitement of the evening. We look forward to seeing all the costumes and welcoming you to our door. Be safe!

I imagine most have seen the large lift in front of Saint Bridget Church this past week…Work has begun on the façade of Saint Bridget Church. The leak issues we have had in the choir loft the last couple of years were determined to be masonry related. There is new flashing being put in behind layers of brick along with new mortar to ensure the structural integrity of the building façade and parapet. They are also removing the caulk at the coping stones and at the glass windows around the cross and replacing with new Urethane sealant. A new tapered EPDM roof with new edge metal at the front canopy is also being put in place to pitch the water to the sides of the canopy roof towards existing downspouts rather than letting it sit and collect thus causing ice issues below on the entryway. Thank you to all who donated to the 2018 Annual Family Commitment which is making this work possible.

YOUNG ARTISTS don’t forget we are hosting another art contest…we are asking all school age children to begin to think of this year’s Advent theme which is LONGING FOR LIGHT? FOLLOW THE STAR! After spending time with that theme we ask all school-aged children to think about an image that can capture the theme and to draw it. Submissions can be made to the rectory or school office prior to November 1, 2019. The winning artwork will be displayed on the banners which will be up in front of both of our church campuses.

All Souls’ Day…This year we celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day) on Saturday, November 2nd. This feast follows All Saints Day on November 1st. PLEASE NOTE---All Saints Day on Friday, November 1, is a Holy Day of Obligation and our Mass schedule is found on page 11 of this bulletin!

These two important feasts help us as a Catholic people to celebrate the “Communion of Saints” which we mention each and every time we recite the Creed at Mass. The Communion of Saints is the Church’s teaching that tells us that the Church consists not only of the living members who are still on this earth fighting the good fight, but also those who are triumphant in heaven (All Saints) and those in Purgatory (All Souls) who still need purification in order to enter heaven.

Each year when we celebrate these two feasts, we are provided the opportunity to teach our younger Catholics how special it is that we are united with all those who have gone before us in faith. Explain to children how in this month of November we unite in a special way, through the Communion of Saints, with our deceased family members and friends as we pray for them and they pray for us. This can be especially helpful to those who are younger and are experiencing a death of a loved one for the first time.

As we did last year, we as a parish family will be placing the All Souls’ Day envelopes (included in your offertory envelope package or available at the doors of both Churches) on the altar for the whole month of November at all the Masses. These envelopes allow you to list your loved ones names on the back so that their names will be remembered in a special way at all the Masses in this month.

We also invite you to attend a special Mass of Remembrance which will be held on Sunday, November 3rd at the 4PM Mass in Saint Bridget Church. At this Mass we remember all our parishioners who have died since the last Mass of Remembrance. Each family will be given a special candle with their loved ones name on it as a reminder of our prayers for them during this time of loss, and as a reminder of our need to pray for our deceased loved ones. ALL parishioners are welcome to join us in prayer for our parishioners who died this past year and for their families who mourn their loss. A reception will follow in the Parish Center. Please join us.

Finally, 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, and united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.

Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 13, 2019

Fill the Truck Event…We are hosting another Fill the Truck event to benefit Saint Vincent DePaul Mission TODAY…it is NOT TOO LATE TO HELP. Come and help us Fill the Truck! The truck will be open this weekend on Saturday, October 12th from 8AM until 12Noon and from 3PM until 5PM, and on Sunday, October 13th, from 7AM until 1PM, and from 3PM until 5PM. Remember that NO FURNITURE will be accepted. The truck will be parked in the lot behind Saint Bridget Rectory. Thank you for your great generosity to assist those most in need!

Today is also the Annual Flu Clinic…The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Home Care and Hospice Care will offer Flu Vaccinations during the Monthly Coffee And following the Vigil Masses at both Saint Bridget and Saint Thomas Becket on Saturday, October 12th, and the morning Masses on Sunday, October 13th. Vaccinations will be administered in the Parish Center and in Father Frisbie Hall. These vaccinations are covered by most insurance carriers and Medicare, please bring your proper documentation.

Next Sunday is World Mission Sunday…a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church's missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice. Remember the call of Jesus, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Pope Francis consistently reminds us that we are all called to be missionary disciples, therefore this World Mission Sunday is an opportunity to pray for the grace to have the courage and strength to witness to the Gospel in each of our lives.

We also remember that there are many throughout the world who have not heard the Gospel message. This World Mission Sunday collection, which will be taken next weekend, helps those missionaries in foreign lands have the resources they need to bring the Gospel to those who long to hear the Word of God and long to know the mercy and love of God.

Thank you for your generous consideration of this important work of the Church. Let us also remember to pray for the missionaries and the success of their efforts.

This coming Friday is Oktoberfest!!! Tickets are still on sale NOW. Hurry and don’t miss out on this awesome event for our parish. Please join us for this ADULTS ONLY event THIS COMING FRIDAY, October 18th, as we gather for our Oktoberfest. Tickets are only $30 per person and include a meal of traditional German fare, a variety of beers, and entertainment. This is another opportunity for our parish family to come together in a casual setting and get to know one another. Tickets are on sale AT ALL MASSES THIS WEEKEND and in the Parish Office or School Office UNTIL TUESDAY!!! Don’t miss out.

As we continue into the weeks of Fall please don’t miss the many spiritual and social opportunities we have as a parish family to grow together in faith. Please take advantage of these many spiritual and social happenings that will be occurring in the coming weeks. A full list of activities and events can be found on our parish calendar on our website www.stbridgetcheshire.org, and on the calendar on our Parish App. Have you downloaded the myParish App yet?

DOWNLOAD THE APP TODAY! myParish App is being used already to communicate with our parishioners and NOW the various groups and ministries will begin utilizing the app as well. It is a great way of communicating information to our parishioners and also a place to access daily Mass readings, confession and prayer reminders. It is certain to become your “go-to” app for Catholic parish life. You can download the app by texting APP to phone number 88202. You will receive a link, click on it, open it in the store, download, search, and enter St. Bridget of Sweden and then click get started!

One of my personal favorite quotes from a Saint comes from Saint Teresa of Avila.

“Christ has no body now on earth, but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the earth, yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.”

This quote above any other, I think, summarizes so clearly why people of faith get involved in the life of their parish. We recognize that it is in and through our words and actions, through our lives, that Christ works in the lives of others. We do not simply help serve a meal at the Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter or Soup Kitchen just to do so, no, we do it because we want to share with them the love of God that is within us. We do not simply volunteer at a parish function because we should, no, we do so because we want to build up our parish family and we know that by our involvement we can help others to know we care and they are loved.

We are blessed by so many dedicated and faithful parishioners who volunteer in a variety of ways. To us their volunteer time is invaluable. Through the gifts of time and talent that our parishioners so generously share we are able to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ here in Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish. Many thanks to all those faithful and generous stewards who volunteer in our parish! If you do not volunteer at this time, I humbly ask you to consider getting involved!

We have a great variety of ministries and organizations which you can participate in to help build up our family of faith, and to be the instrument through which others come to experience the presence of Jesus. Visit the parish website to learn more about the various ministries and opportunities to get involved!

We are always in need of new Lectors to proclaim the Word of God at Mass. This ministry is available to any high school aged or adult parishioner who wishes to assist our parish at Sunday Masses by proclaiming the Word of God. Training will be provided.

We are also always in need of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to assist in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass and, most especially, to bring Holy Communion to the homes of those who can no longer come to Mass.

To serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, persons must:

a. a be practicing Catholic, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals;

b. be at least 19 years old;

c. have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist;

d. demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the Holy Eucharist;

e. be an active registered member of a parish in the Archdiocese;

f. if married, the marriage must be a valid Catholic marriage.

If you are interested in serving your parish family in either of these ways please contact me, Father Federico, or Sister Patricia at the Parish Office.

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

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time—October 6, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

This coming week you will all receive a letter from me in the mail regarding the 2019 Annual Family Commitment…in years past I have taken a weekend to address the Commitment during the homily but I really feel that the homily needs to be a homily

and relate the Scriptures to our daily lives. The homily should give us food for thought in our spiritual lives and so I have decided not to do what we have done just because that is the way it was always done.

This coming week every family in the parish should receive a letter from me announcing the 2019 Annual Family Commitment. If you do not receive a letter from me please contact the rectory.

As I prepared for the 2019 Annual Family Commitment together with the Parish Finance Council and our Trustees, I could not help but think how this past year has been such a year of blessings for our parish. In a time of decreasing numbers of priests in the Church we were blessed with the news that the newly ordained Father Federico was named our new Parochial Vicar. We also welcomed almost 100 families into our parish

since January 1, 2019. We are seeing so many young families in Mass each week. We are connecting with hundreds of people through our use of social media and the Parish App. We have expanded our weekly bulletin as we continue to use it as a means of communicating our faith as well as serving as a place to go for parish events and news. And NOW we are searching for a Youth Minister for our parish family to help us meet the spiritual needs of our youth and, due to the amount of programs, events, and activities taking place in our parish each day, we are in the process of hiring a Parish Facility Coordinator. I am excited for the future of our parish!

As we contemplate these blessings we are aware that keeping up with the properties and facilities is not always possible in our regular yearly budget. This Annual Family Commitment is the avenue through which we, as a family, are able to address special capital projects before it is too late.

Last year your generosity to the 2018 Annual Family Commitment enabled us to address the needs we set out to handle. We replaced the carpeting in both church buildings, as well as in the education wing at Saint Thomas Becket Church. We painted the exterior of Saint Thomas Becket Church and addressed some carpentry issues as well. We are also addressing, as of this writing, the leak issue at Saint Bridget Church which was determined to be an issue with the masonry work on the façade. We are working to do the needed repairs to the Church gutters as well. All of this has been made possible thanks to your profound generosity and steadfast support.

And it is NOW time for me to humbly ask, as your Pastor, for your help once again! This year I am asking you to help address replacing the roof at Saint Bridget Church and the roof on the Education Wing of Saint Thomas Becket Church. These projects are substantial and we could never accomplish them without your generosity to this 2019 Annual Family Commitment. We have some funds left over from last year’s Annual Family Commitment which will be earmarked to these projects and will help us meet these substantial costs. I imagine some are wondering why we need to ask for your help when we received the funds from the sale of the Church of the Epiphany and I outline the use of those funds in the letter that you will receive in the mail this week.

It is my hope, and that of our Parish Finance Council and our Trustees, that every family will prayerfully consider making this once-a-year commitment to our family of faith to assist us in addressing these necessary repairs. We are asking every family to make a gift according to their means as a sign of your commitment to our parish family. Your gift, no matter its size, makes a difference for our parish. Please be as generous as you are able. Thank you for all that you do to make our parish such a vibrant community of faith.

Oktoberfest is HERE Friday, October 18th! Don’t forget to get your tickets! Invite your friends to join you! Tickets will be on sale this weekend after all Masses and also at the School or Rectory during the week. Hurry and purchase your ticket to this year’s Oktoberfest so you don’t miss out on the fun!!!

Please join us for this ADULTS ONLY event on Friday, October 18th, as we gather for our Annual Oktoberfest. Tickets are only $30 per person and include a meal of traditional German fare, a variety of seasonal beers, and live entertainment. This is another great opportunity for us to come together and get to know one another in a social setting. What a great way to gather with old friends and meet new ones as we seek to build up our family of faith. Hope to see you there!

Happiest Congratulations…go to Danielle Chamberlain, age 12, from our parish family whose artwork has been chosen as this year’s parish Christmas card. It is well done! Expect to see one in your mailbox this coming Christmas! Congratulations Danielle! A

special word of gratitude to you and the many others from our school and parish families who contributed artwork for consideration. We are blessed with so many young artists!

Speaking of young artists, we are hosting another art contest…we are asking all school age children to begin to think of this year’s Advent theme which is LONGING FOR LIGHT? FOLLOW THE STAR! After spending time with that theme we ask all school-aged children to think about an image that can capture the theme and to draw it.

Submissions can be made to the rectory or school office prior to November 1, 2018. The winning artwork will be displayed on the banners which will be up in front of both of our church campuses.

Fill the Truck Event…We are hosting another Fill the Truck event to benefit Saint Vincent DePaul Mission NEXT WEEKEND…come and help us Fill the Truck! On Saturday, October 12th from 8AM until 12Noon and from 3PM until 5PM, and on Sunday, October 13st, from 7AM until 1PM, and from 3PM until 5PM. As you are cleaning out your closets and cupboards please remember to check the article in this bulletin for items that are needed. NO FURNITURE will be accepted. The truck will be parked in the lot behind Saint Bridget Rectory. Thank you for your great generosity to assist those most in need!

Beginning THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING the remainder of the 2020 Mass book will open…if you have been waiting to book a Mass from July to December then Wednesday is your day! Office opens at 8:30AM. You can call the office between 8:30AM and 4:30PM, or stop by the rectory office to reserve your Mass intentions. PLEASE DO NOT CALL BEFORE 8:30AM.

No Turkey Thanksgiving Parish Dinner…the past few years we have had an Annual NO Turkey Thanksgiving Parish Dinner around Thanksgiving time and this year it will be held on Saturday, November 23rd! At this time we are looking for someone, or a couple of friends, to step forward to organize this event. It is great family event and I always love seeing everyone gathered together for an Italian meal, the adults enjoying the music entertainment, and the kids enjoying some fun time in the school gym. Those who have planned it in the past couple of years are willing to offer assistance. If you are interested in helping to coordinate this effort please contact the Parish Office.

It is not too late to send us your intentions while we are on Pilgrimage. This coming Monday evening through Thursday morning we will be in ROME.

Do you have a friend who is ill and needs prayers? Do you have a stress in your life you want relief from? Do you simply have someone you are keeping in your prayers? We want to bring your prayer intentions with us as we visit these historic, sacred, and moving sites. To facilitate this we have a link on our parish website at www.stbridgetcheshire.org for you to submit your prayer intentions for us to pray on your behalf throughout our pilgrimage. Your submissions will be forwarded to my email and I will share them each day with our pilgrims. The power of prayer at work! And as we pray for you and your intentions we, of course, ask for your prayers for us and a safe journey!

Flu Clinic will be offered NEXT WEEKEND…The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Home Care and Hospice Care will offer Flu Vaccinations following the Vigil Masses at both Saint Bridget and Saint Thomas Becket on Saturday, October 12th, and the morning Masses on Sunday, October 13th. Vaccinations will be administered in the Parish Center and in Father Frisbie Hall. These vaccinations are covered by most insurance carriers and Medicare, please bring your proper documentation.

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.