Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time—July 28, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

Last weekend it was a joy to introduce to everyone at Mass our new St. Bridget School Principal, Mrs. Catherine Szerszen. We are filled with excitement as we prepare for the upcoming school year. I do hope that you will consider St. Bridget School for your children and/or grandchildren. With Mrs. Szerszen leading our extraordinary faculty and staff I am confident we will continue the great legacy that belongs rightly to our school.

Our parish school is ready and willing to assist ALL parishioners in educating your child or children. Since opening in 1994, Saint Bridget School offers students a faith-based, challenging curriculum designed to promote academic excellence in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 8. Committed educators guide our students through the day with lessons in faith development, math, language arts, social studies, geography, science, Spanish, music, art, and physical education. Our curriculum includes the use of state-of-the-art computer and science labs as well as an extensive library. We are thrilled with the presence of three religious sisters in our day-to-day operations with two Sisters from the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist on faculty and of course Sister Patricia Cigrand, ASCJ, our Pastoral Associate from the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose office is located in the school. In addition, Father Federico and I are looking forward to frequent visits with the classes as well as our privileged opportunity to celebrate Mass with the entire school community on Fridays at 9a.m.

Over the past few years there has been a lot of discussion regarding the Common Core State Standards, and we have had many parents come to our doors with questions and concerns regarding these Common Core State Standards. In fact just the other day I was asked about this very topic at the grocery store! I want to assure those with questions that Saint Bridget School, in keeping with the position of the Archdiocese of Hartford, does not adopt or follow those standards. The Common Core was designed to address many of the failing public schools in this country. It is simply a resource of minimum or “core” standards. Our work does not stop at minimum expectations for our students.

We are charged with exceeding national standards and so continue to implement curriculum that provides a challenging course, grounded in basic skills necessary for students to develop foundational skills that lead to higher, more complex thinking skills, rooted in Gospel values, and integrating Catholic social teaching across all disciplines, ensuring the development of the whole child. Students graduating from Saint Bridget School exceed state and national benchmarks, evidenced by our exemplary standardized test scores and high performance on high school placement exams. Most importantly, we truly educate the whole child: academically, socially, and spiritually.

What will you find in Saint Bridget School for your child or children?

· Faith Based Learning with a Real World Approach

· Spanish Language from PreK3 to Grade 8

· Advanced Studies and Curriculum Resources

· 1 to 1 iPads in the Middle School and technology in all other grades

· Athletic Fields and a Gymnasium

· Sports Program including Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Cross-Country, Cheerleading, and Soccer

· Air-Conditioning throughout our facility

· Extra-curricular activities such as Robotics Club, LEGO Club, Chess Club, French Club & more

· A Diverse Student Body

· Small Class Sizes with Differentiated Learning at ALL Grade Levels

· Enrichment Programs and Family Events

· Tuition Assistance

· Weekly Mass as a school family and Adoration

Do you know what tuition is for Saint Bridget School? I have heard from a few people out and about town that they could never afford tuition for our parish school. That may be the case but we do have some scholarship monies available as well that may make it more affordable for your family situation. I want to dispel the MYTH that is out there that tuition is around $10,000 a year. HERE ARE THE REAL NUMBERS…Tuition for one child in grades 1 through 8 at Saint Bridget School is $5,163; for Kindergarten it is $5,345; and our Pre-K program for five full days is $6,191, for five half days is $4,693, for three full days is $5,390, and for three half days is $4,089. Those families who are registered and active in our parish receive an immediate $500 deduction.

As I said above we are blessed to have some scholarship monies available to help families to be able to afford a Catholic school education for their child or children. Thanks to our devoted parishioners who contribute to our scholarship fund! This fund enables us to help families keep their children in a Catholic school even when family issues may arise that prohibit them from being able to afford the whole tuition rate. I cannot tell you how thankful these families are that this fund exists to help them in their time of need. If anyone from our parish family would like to assist us in maintaining this fund, please feel free to contact me at any time.

We still have room at all grade levels for the upcoming school year 2019-2020, and I hope you will consider Saint Bridget School for your child or children. I would love for all families to consider coming in for a tour. Please contact our Admissions Director, Mrs. Christina Cummings, or our Principal, Mrs. Szerszen, at the school office at 203.272.5860.

The weather did not hold us back from gathering to enjoy a Mid-Summer Movie Night. The excessive heat caused us to move our event indoors but it was refreshing to be in the air-conditioned gym in our parish school. A wonderful evening was had by all who attended our Annual Mid-Summer Movie Night. I am most grateful to Mary Beth Chamberlain and Cathy Niglio who coordinated the event and to the Confirmation students and the other volunteers who helped make this event a wonderful family experience. I am so grateful for their adaptation from being outside to inside without much notice. The kids that attended seemed to enjoy using the basketball hoop and just sitting together catching up on their summer activities. I was blessed to have my parents, my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces and nephew here for the event as was Father Federico to have his parents, sister and niece. It was a great family event!

I was so happy to see so many from our parish family and many of the new families who are part of our parish school community come together for an evening of food, fun, and community building. Some brought their own picnic set-ups, others enjoyed the pizza from Vespucci; and others came just for the movie. We had to use the Bingo grill to make the s’mores but that didn’t stop people from making more than one. It was clear throughout the evening that all who came were enjoying a nice evening with friends, new and old.

I love these moments when we can come together in a social setting and build up our family of faith! If you have an idea for a new event that will bring us together please send it to me at rectory@stbridgetcheshire.org. I would love to see more events.

Some things you may notice this weekend as you come to Church. Back in the Fall we received notice that every campus at every parish must have signage posted with the new parish name. I am thankful to Karl Krieg who took this directive and investigated many options. In the end, the Parish Finance Council decided to contract with Connecticut Signcraft to design the signs for each of our campuses. They were installed this week and I hope you will agree they came out great. I am particularly grateful that we will have a sign roadside at the South Campus. Since the church is setback from the road, visitors often go past the Church and have to turn around. Hopefully this will eliminate that from happening so often. I am also excited that the new sign at the North Campus will include the line Home of St. Bridget School since there is no visibility of the school as people pass by on Main Street. Let’s hope this will help with our enrollment in the years to come!

You may have also noticed a new addition to our North Entrance at the North Campus. During our annual insurance inspection from Catholic Mutual, our insurance agency, it was pointed out that a section of our sidewalk was in dire need of being replaced as it was deteriorating and becoming a tripping hazard. Instead of replacing it with more concrete I decided to go with brick pavers and put the cross in the center. I think it looks awesome and is a nice way to focus ourselves as we are entering the presence of God. Thank you to Larry Richard for completing this project!

As always, remember to pray for vocations, pray for our young people, pray for our parish families and ask God’s blessings as we strive to 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.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time—July 21, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

Happy Feast Day! TUESDAY is the Feast Day of our Patroness Saint Bridget of Sweden! Saint Bridget of Sweden, also written Saint Birgitta, was a mystic and saint. She was the foundress of the Bridgettines nuns and monks. According to Saint John Paul II, Saint Bridget of Sweden “was a master in accepting the Cross as a central experience of the faith, she was an exemplary disciple of the Church, professing complete Catholicism; she was a model of the contemplative and active life and a tireless apostle in the search for unity among Christians!” As we celebrate the feast day of our Patroness, let us implore her intercession as we continue to grow as disciples of the Lord as a family of faith under her patronage. Saint Bridget of Sweden pray for us! Happy Feast Day!

I ask you to think about coming to Daily Mass or Adoration during the quiet time of Summer…as Catholics our lives are centered on the Eucharist, the real and true presence of Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. In these quiet days, or somewhat more calm days of summer, I am asking every parishioner to consider coming to daily Mass (Daily Mass is normally 20-25 minutes in length). Perhaps you can come one day a week during the summer as a family, or maybe you can come more often on your own, or perhaps you can come on Friday afternoons and spend some time in quiet prayer before the Eucharistic Lord during Adoration (every Friday 1PM-4PM in Saint Bridget Church).

Each of these will be an opportunity for you to teach your children the importance of the Eucharist in our lives as Catholics and the importance of gathering as a family of faith around the table of the Lord to give Him thanks for His countless blessings. If you are a daily Mass participant, thank you for recognizing the importance of the Eucharist in your lives; if you are not, please consider coming even one day a week to be nourished by the Savior, and to give glory to God.

Updates on what is happening around our campuses…

Last Fall I asked all families in our parish to make a commitment to our parish family through the Annual Family Commitment to help us address some projects that needed to be addressed sooner rather than later. I am MOST grateful to the 825 families who made a commitment which totaled $275,903.52. That is extraordinary!

This generous response made it possible for us to address the projects as outlined in that letter.

New carpeting at both campuses! These past couple of weeks saw the carpet installers putting new carpet in Saint Bridget Church. I am so pleased with the carpet we chose as it goes very well with the terrazzo floor. I hope you like it too!

This past week saw the carpet replaced in the Education Wing at the Saint Thomas Becket Church Campus. Thanks to your generosity, we planned to address this issue quickly. During our annual insurance inspection it was noted as a high priority to replace this carpet because it had tears in various spots which posed a tripping hazard. You can see one example of this in the photo on the left, taken from the hallway in the education wing.

The carpet in the Church at our Saint Thomas Becket Campus will be replaced the week of July 29 through August 2. I cannot wait to see the new carpeting projects completed.

Prior to addressing the need for a fresh coat of paint at Saint Thomas Becket Church and the need for some repairs to the wood exterior of that building, we had to address the underground oil tank. As you may remember, the State of Connecticut has been performing surprise visits to properties that have an underground tank in an effort to get them all removed. This happened to a number of town properties last year, if I remember correctly. Well, we had an underground oil tank at the Saint Thomas Becket Campus, and it happened to be located in the back of the Church building right along the sidewalk. In this picture you can see that the ground is readied for new grass where the tank has been removed. You can also see that we are brightening up the exterior of our Church building with a lighter color on the trim. We have staff down there daily getting the trim work done and noting where repairs are needed to the wood exterior. This will be a longer process, but it will look very nice when done. I am so grateful to our Facilities and Grounds Staff and the Facilities and Grounds Committee for all that they are doing to address these projects.

We also mentioned in the Annual Family Commitment letter in 2018 that we have some gutter issues on Saint Bridget Church building which need to be repaired before the ice comes. During the time we began to address the gutter issues, it was brought to my attention that we also have an issue with some leaking in the closets in the choir loft. Not completely understanding what was being described to me, I ventured up on the roof with some of our staff and a contractor. Yes I was on the roof, not something I enjoyed, by the way, but it was necessary to understand what was happening. I had to see it with my own eyes. Here is a picture I took that shows what the issue is with that part of our Church building. There are literally pieces of the brick simply able to be pulled off with your bare hand. We need to repoint the bricks on the center section of the front of the Church. The rest of the Church building is fine, with regard to the mortar, but this section is not. It had been patched but not with the right material and so the matter has been made all the more serious. It is clear that this project and the gutter issues must be addressed before too long. We are currently in the process of securing three bids from masonry companies to correct this issue. Once that is decided upon, we will begin to solicit the necessary bids to address the gutter issues to ensure it is completed before winter.

All of these projects are made possible thanks to YOU and your great generosity to our parish family. Thank you!

In addition to these projects…some have noticed that we are having some work done in the rectory. In fact the first few days it looked like a slide was being installed on the side of the rectory, and I joked that it was going to be the way Father Federico could get in and out of the house. In fact, it is a remodeling of my bathroom which for a number of years has been in desperate need of repair. After months and months of consultation, it was determined by the Parish Finance Council to address this bathroom before it got worse. There were days in the past year as I was shaving in the morning, be it half awake, some of the tiles would fall off the wall around the medicine cabinet and crash into the sink or on my vanity, and yes one even hit me in the head as I was looking down into the sink. Time had come to address this issue, and I am grateful to the Parish Finance Council for putting this cost into our annual budget for 2019. The work is slated to be completed by the end of July. I am looking forward to that date as is Fenway (who is so confused each day now that we are living in the guestroom during the construction phase). Again, my gratitude to you for your understanding of the necessity of this project. It was not a cosmetic thing that could have waited; it had become a necessary item to address as soon as possible as you can see in the photo. Here is a picture of my vanity to show you where the tiles had fallen off around the medicine cabinet and to the left of the vanity along the top of the tiled section.

DON’T FORGET that the THIRD Annual Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish Family Picnic will be held on September 15, 2019, beginning with an outdoor Mass at 11 a.m. on the field behind Saint Bridget School. Thank you to our co-chairs Tracey and Vito Catalanotto, Rebecca and Barry Berkowitz, and Patty and Larry Richard who are working non-stop in preparation for this event. More details will be coming in the very near future, but I do hope you will SAVE THE DATE and plan to be with us for this annual parish family event. I am so grateful to the many parishioners who have stepped up to chair one of the sub-committees and to the countless people who have offered to help on the day of the event.

Please note that this picnic will NOT COST attendees anything. As we do each year, we are in the process of soliciting donations of items, and financial support from local businesses and business leaders to help defray the cost to our parish. If you or someone you know might be willing to assist us with a donation, please contact me at the rectory. Thank you for all that you do to make our parish a vibrant family of faith.

As always, remember to pray for vocations, pray for our young people, pray for our parish families and ask God’s blessings as we strive to 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.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time—July 14, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

On Saturday, June 22, 2019, Father Federico was ordained a priest by Archbishop Blair. Having been friends with Father Federico through his years of formation I was honored to be an invited guest at his reception that evening. It was quite a celebration of exuberant joy! His family even arranged for the Jersey Boys singers to be there and perform. BUT THAT WAS NOT THE HIGHLIGHT FOR ME!

The speech Father Federico’s dad gave was the highlight for me and a talking point for days after among those priests that were there. It was honest and moving. With Mr. Federico’s permission I share it with you.

His dad’s speech: “Hello everyone and good evening. It is an honor and a blessing to be a part of this extraordinary event. For those of you who don’t know, I am Anthony Joseph Federico, the Anthony Joseph Federico who was NOT ordained a priest today. People say that the apple does not fall from the tree; I stand here as living proof that sometimes it does. I thank God that my wife Debra was and is, a branch on that tree.

I would like to thank you all for being here today. Many have travelled from far to be with us. A special thanks to those who have guided Anthony spiritually and emotionally every step of this journey. There have been so many good friends and mentors, especially among all the priests gathered here, but I want to acknowledge a few in particular. Although he is a Red Sox fan in Yankee land, Father Shawn Daly has been an incredible mentor to Anthony and a guide to our family. Father Tom Sievel has been helping Anthony since he was seven years old and it was Father Sievel who took Anthony to Haiti not once, but twice. Father Jeff Gubbiotti was Anthony’s Vocations Director for several years and has become a close friend. Father Jeff was Anthony’s choice to vest him in the priestly garments you saw today. I would also like to recognize Father Jeff Romans who will be Anthony’s pastor at Saint Bridget of Sweden parish in Cheshire, his new assignment. Father Jeff has been inviting Anthony over to his rectory for five years and as fate would have it, now Anthony will be moving in there to begin his priestly journey. Father Rhett Williams and Deacon Tim Deely who have been such close friends to Anthony these last six years. Father Rhett just celebrated one year as a priest and Deacon Tim will be ordained a priest one week from today. Father Daly, Father Sievel, Father Gubbiotti, Father Romans, Father Williams and soon-to-be Father Deely – can you please stand?

And far and away the most influential person in Anthony’s life has been my beautiful wife, his mom, Debra. We are blessed to have Debra here today after a recent illness threatened the heart and soul of our family. Thank you for your prayers for her recovery. Deb – please take a bow.

Several years ago, when my son told me he was entering the seminary, many questions came to mind. My wife and I had different emotions: I thought I was losing a son, but she thought she hit the lotto. Here was a well-educated writer with a girlfriend and a high-paying job. I always knew he was destined for success so I asked myself “why would he give all that up?” I discovered the answer to that question when I visited him for the first time in the seminary in Washington, DC. Then I realized how naive I was. I thought a seminary was a dark, quiet place. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The seminary is a place of joy and laughter. We met so many young men who have had tremendous success in all walks of life – gifted, talented, sought-after men who could have done anything they want to. Yet they all chose to follow the calling to be a priest. So many of them are here today. What I observed was a group of guys who were completely at peace and fulfilled with their lives. Can all the seminarians and alumni of Theological College please stand?

On one trip to DC for his birthday, Anthony asked if we would take a few friends out to dinner. We said sure no problem. When we got off the elevator into the lobby that night, we saw 27 guys waiting to head out with us. Anthony can’t say no to anyone. We changed from a sit-down dinner to pizza and beers and we all had a blast.

Ladies and gentlemen, look around you, at all the young priests and future priests here tonight. The future of our parishes are sitting among you and I can tell you from first-hand experience, our future is in good hands. For them, this venture was not about fame and fortune – it was about a special calling to lay down your life in the service of others.

So, when I met these guys, I thought that my wife and I did have a part to play in that special plan which God had for our family. No, I was not losing a son, I was merely sharing my first-born with the world.

Yet, I still had many questions. Some of them were kind of funny. Like, what do I call him? I can’t call him Father, I’m his father. What do his brothers and sisters call him? They can’t call him father, he is the brother. Do I get him a gift on Father’s Day? Well, I asked some of these questions to Father Mike Ruminski one day while we were having lunch on our deck. His answer was simply “no to the gift and just call him Anthony.”

The Bible story of Zebedee and his sons shows us that it’s hard to leave everything behind to follow the Lord’s call. Right after Anthony entered the seminary, it hit me: I was at Mass and the Gospel was about this fisherman named Zebedee, who had a fishing business with his sons. His sons left him to follow Jesus. I felt like Zebedee. And that’s why my children gave me that sign that you see at the table up front. It has taught me that our children are not our own – they are on loan and we must raise them to let them go.

As you know, the life of a priest is not easy. As Anthony’s ordination card states to be a priest means “to live in the midst of the world without seeking its pleasures, to be a member of each family yet belonging to none, to share all sufferings and hardships, to heal all wounds, to bring pardon and hope to all and to bring everyone closer to Christ.” These are their everyday tasks. I recently asked a priest what a good gift is to get for him and he said “pray for me and all the clergy.” Well, to all the priests in the room. Thank you. You have our prayers as well as our gratitude.

My wife and I are extremely proud of all of our children: Michael, Christina, Andrew, Julie, LJ and our granddaughter Rosalia. Anthony, your mother and I are so excited for you to begin your journey as a priest. Some say your best attribute is public speaking but I believe your best attribute is your ability to listen. I am so glad you are assigned to a church close by in Cheshire because God knows your mother would have driven anywhere to see you celebrate Mass. My son, please think of us every time you raise your new chalice and think of the words inscribed on the bottom “He has chosen you, love mom and dad.”

Thank you all for being here and thank God for bringing us all together.”

What a beautiful reflection on the call of a priest. Mr. Federico says so clearly what many priest’s parents have thought through the years. I hope this story will help our young families to see that a vocation to the priesthood and religious life is not a waste of a life, or a way one loses their son or daughter, but it is a God-given calling, a life filled with peace and joy. Of course no life is without crosses, but Jesus gives us all the grace we need each day to pick up our cross and follow Him. Let’s encourage our young men and women to consider God’s call in their lives and let’s support them with our prayers as they discern His will.

THERE IS STILL ROOM BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT---SIGN-UP TODAY! Want to join us on our pilgrimage to ITALY? There are TWO SEATS LEFT!!! We are going October 1-10, 2019 to visit the Almalfi Coast and Rome! We will be seeing a lot during these days! We will visit the Floral Gardens of Caesar Augustus in Capri, the Saint Andrew Cathedral along the Amalfi Coast, the excavations in Pompeii, the sites of the life of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). We will also visit Lanciano, a town most noted for the Eucharistic Miracle which became the foundation for the Feast of Corpus Christi. Finally, we will spend a couple of days in Rome, the Eternal City, where we will see the Vatican Museums, Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Catacombs, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and more including plans for the weekly Papal Audience on Wednesday in Saint Peter’s Square.

This pilgrimage includes round-trip air from JFK, four-star hotels in Sorrento, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Rome, 6 dinners, breakfast daily, English-speaking licensed tour escort throughout, private motorcoach transportation, Daily Mass, and more. Cost per person in double occupancy is $3,779.00. Space is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Initial deposit of $500 is due at time of registration. To register, please call Candy at Elite Travel at 203-271-0623 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I hope you will join us!

DON’T FORGET TO SIGN-UP FOR OUR MID-SUMMER MOVIE NIGHT…thank you to Mary Beth Chamberlain and Cathy Niglio who are organizing a Mid-Summer Movie Night on Saturday, July 20th beginning at 6PM on the grounds behind Saint Bridget School. Please join us for an evening of food, fun, and a movie on the field. There will be plenty of time for socializing, and for games for our younger parishioners such as kickball or whiffle ball out on the ball field, and more prior to the movie time.

The movie we are planning to show is Ralph Breaks the Internet and we will begin the movie as close to 8:15p.m. that evening as possible depending on the darkness of the sky. I really hope you will plan to come and join us for a great evening! Cost is only $10 per family including the movie, popcorn, and s’mores. You can bring your own food, as many do, or sign-up for pizza on the registration form. Please see flyers at all the doors to register or visit our website at www.stbridgetcheshire.org, or simply email Mary Beth Chamberlain at MChamberlain@stbridgetcheshire.org for further information. I hope you will join us!

As always, remember to pray for vocations, pray for our young people, pray for our parish families and ask God’s blessings as we strive to 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.