Reminders and Blessings!

Dear Friends in Christ:

A REMINDER, first and foremost…as we continue to welcome our parishioners back to the celebration of “in-person” Mass, I think we need a little reminder of what the Bishops of Connecticut have asked for now…the past few days I have been hearing concerns that some of our children, who are not vaccinated yet, are not wearing masks in Church. PLEASE remember, on June 9th, Archbishop Blair issued a Statement saying, “effective, June 9, 2021, for those who are vaccinated, wearing masks will be optional while at Mass, at other liturgies, and at any indoor or outdoor events held at our churches. Those who remain unvaccinated should continue to wear masks, with particular attention being given to the safety of young, unvaccinated children.” I encourage EVERYONE who is unvaccinated, regardless of age, to see this call from our Archbishop as crucial to the safety and well-being of those around you. Please also note we have reserved the transept nearest the baptismal font as a MASKS REQUIRED section, not only for those with small children, but for all who are still uncomfortable being near others who are not wearing a mask at this time. As we continue to deal with the pandemic and the variants that arise, please be sure to adhere to these regulations for the well-being of all those in our family of faith.

IT IS SUMMER…as we begin the summer weeks and are in the midst of this heat wave this week I am reminded that the weeks of summer really provide a lighter schedule in many ways. Especially around here in the parish the weeks of summer provide an opportunity to clean off our desks, truth be told to clean out that junk drawer (you know you have one too!), catch up on projects that have been put to the side, and plan for the future!

I, for one, am grateful for this heat wave which causes me to want to stay in and not go play golf because it is enabling me to catch up on clearing my desk and getting organized for the weeks ahead! I hope you have all found a way to stay cool and maybe even have gotten caught up in your own paperwork and projects.

It is also a great time for someone to begin a new job…and how fitting it is that this week we officially welcome SISTER MARY ROSE as our new Pastoral Associate. Sister Mary Rose began with us on Tuesday and has been busy looking through the materials left behind for her by Sister Patricia. As you can see, Sister Mary Rose comes to us with such a joy for life. We are very excited that she is with us and look forward to seeing her ministry bear fruit for building up our parish family, and helping us all to grow in knowledge and love of Jesus.

Sister Mary Rose will be reaching out in the coming days to many of you who worked in a variety of ministries here in the parish to learn more about your ministry and how she might be able to assist you in what you do. Welcome Sister Mary Rose, we are excited to have you as part of our Pastoral Team.

We also received word in the last few weeks that one of our own St. Bridget School Robotics teams has been chosen for one of the 18 spots to have a rocket launched as part of the United Launch Alliance. We are so proud!

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is an American spacecraft launch service provider that launches spacecrafts for the US government, NASA, the Department of Defense, and other organizations. ULA holds an annual student rocket launch contest in which children from across the U.S. compete for 18 spots on a ULA sport rocket. To receive a spot, children must submit a detailed proposal describing a payload (devices, objects, experiments, instruments, etc.) that they designed to fit within ULA’s parameters.

The St. Bridget School Rocket Club submitted a payload proposal and was one of 18 teams accepted for integration into a ULA sport rocket. The rocket will launch on Saturday, July 17th 2021 in Pueblo, Colorado.

Two St. Bridget students and their parents will be travelling to Colorado to finalize preparation of the payload for launch and to observe the launch.

To view St. Bridget School’s recorded payload proposal video that was submitted to ULA:

https://youtu.be/zNpbGwQs4wE

For more information about the contest from United Launch Alliance (ULA)

https://www.ulalaunch.com/docs/default-source/student-rocket-launch/studentrocketlaunch_2021.pdf?sfvrsn=87c4433f_2

St. Bridget School continues to serve its students with the mission to nourish the mind, body and spirit. To learn more about St. Bridget School and its academic programs, please visit our website at www.stbridgetschool.org.

CALLING ALL PARENTS! You can join the St. Bridget School Family! These weeks of summer may provide some respite and relaxation but for those with children it also brings the need to plan for the future. I hope and pray ALL PARISHIONERS consider our own SAINT BRIDGET SCHOOL for your child or children. It is a vibrant thriving parish school, which offers the very best in all aspects of educating our future generations. We build upon the legacy of our school each and every day as we seek to shape future citizens and future disciples. The greatest blessing is that we are a family who all do what we can with the gifts God has blessed us with to help one another grow academically, intellectually, physically, and above all spiritually. That is what makes our parish school the success that it is today!

If your child is preparing for school, from Pre-K to grade 8, please make an appointment so you may visit our school and see for yourself all that St. Bridget School has to offer, and see why Saint Bridget School should be your school of choice for your child or children. We still have room at all grade levels for the upcoming school year 2021-2022, (I heard there may be a waiting list for PreK3 so don’t wait to call) and I hope you will consider Saint Bridget School for your child or children, grandchild or grandchildren. Come for a tour and learn more.

A question often posed is: “Why should I consider a Catholic school when the public schools offer a great education?” I always begin with the long standing tradition the Catholic Church has in educating our young people to a higher degree of success. St. Bridget School is one of the highest scoring schools within the Archdiocese of Hartford in standardized tests. Catholic schools, and it is true for our parish school, establish a spirit of faith, family, and community in their students. The education our students receive at Saint Bridget School stays with them their entire lives and can be the basis from which they orient themselves with the world. It also encourages them to remain grounded in the Catholic faith while they reach to fulfill their dreams. Our students enter our school to learn and leave to serve as disciples of Jesus.

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

Please consider Saint Bridget School for your child. Call today at 203-272-5860. Be sure to visit our school website www.stbridgetschool.org as well to take a Virtual Tour to learn more!

Don’t forget to SAVE THE DATE for the upcoming PARISH PICNIC!!! I am so excited that we are able to hold our Annual Picnic this year! I missed seeing the parish family come together in such numbers and enjoy a day on our property of food, fellowship, and fun!

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR PARISH PICNIC! Our ANNUAL Parish Picnic will be on Sunday, September 19, 2021, beginning with the 10:30AM Mass that morning being celebrated on the field behind Saint Bridget School!

OUR PARISH PICNIC IS FREE TO ALL PARISHIONERS and will include games on the field, bounce houses, musical entertainment, tasty food, one or two surprises, and the opportunity to meet new friends and build up our parish family!!!

Plans are already underway!

As always remember to pray for our parish families 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.

Baba Yetu

Music is a beautiful part of Catholicism. We are blessed to have thousands upon thousands of beautiful hymns, psalms, and songs of worship to elevate our hearts and minds to the Lord. One of the greatest blessings of the past few months has been the reintroduction of communal singing at Mass! What a privilege it is to be able to fully participate in the Eucharistic celebration again.

Here's a little-known fact about Catholic music: did you know that the Our Father has won a Grammy award? It's true! In 2011, the song Baba Yetu won the Grammy award for "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists." This track was written for the video game Civilization IV, a popular PC strategy game. But there's more to this song than meets the eye.

Baba Yetu was composed by Christopher Tin and performed by the Soweto Gospel Choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It's a beautiful track that we've linked below; do yourself a favor and give it a listen! The lyrics, as you might be able to tell, are in Swahili. That means that we might not discern their meaning on first listen, but it's worth a quick Google translate!

Spoiler alert: it's the Our Father. Yes, a musical rendition of the Our Father in Swahili was the first video game song to win a Grammy award! Now that's what I call a fun fact. Keep those singing voices warmed up for Mass, and check out Baba Yetu below!

Song: https://bit.ly/3xt2sDQ

Absolution Resulotion

Fair warning, this doesn't really qualify as a "fun fact." As a matter of fact, it's a pretty disheartening one. According to a 2014 study from a Georgetown nonprofit organization, only 2% of Catholics regularly go to Confession. Additionally, 75% go less than once per year or not at all. Yikes! Not good!

Let's start with an admission: Confession can be uncomfortable. It's painful to admit when we're wrong, right? It's a vulnerable place to be. It's also daunting because Confession asks us to change; we're called not only to be sorry for our sins, but to resolve to try to root them out of our lives when we say "I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin."

Another fear people sometimes have is that the priest will view or treat them differently after hearing their sins. This is an understandable human fear! Especially when attending Confession with priests that we know, that doubt can creep into our minds. We need to remember a few things when these thoughts come knocking.

Firstly, Confession is much more about God's mercy than about our sins. As Jesus said in John 20:21-23, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you...whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained." It is Jesus who forgives our sins, not the priest. When the priest gives us Absolution, he speaks in persona Christi, just like during the Consecration when he declares "This is my Body...This is my Blood."

Secondly, our priests are there to heal us, not to judge us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1467 says, "He (the priest) can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives." That means that we are protected by an unbreakable seal, the Sacramental Seal of God's mercy and discretion through the priest. It is a beautiful thing!

There is a Flannery O'Connor quote that fits perfectly here when describing why so many are afraid or worried about Confession: "All human nature vigorously resists grace, because grace changes us, and change is painful."

While this week's fact is disheartening, it is more than reversible. We are blessed to have Confession offered at our parish every Saturday at 3:00pm until all have been heard. It's even drive-thru, so no Covid worries! Trust our priests and trust Christ's boundless mercy.

Help bump that 2% number up, and avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It doesn't matter if it's been a week or 30 years since your last time; Christ, through our priests, is waiting for you with open arms. Come accept His loving embrace!