Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord—April 14, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

Holy Week has arrived. Our Lenten season draws to a close and reaches its climax in the liturgies that we will be celebrating in these holy days. The spotlight falls fully on the passion, death, and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. No matter how good, bad or indifferent our Lent has been; no matter if we have kept our Lenten fast; no matter if we have utilized these weeks to truly draw ourselves closer to the Lord through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; we NOW ponder more deeply the infinite Love of God as we anticipate, celebrate, and contemplate the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord.

We now come to the holiest of weeks in our liturgical calendar ready to contemplate the gift of the Eucharist and the call to service (Holy Thursday—Mass of the Lord’s Supper); ready to contemplate all that the Lord endured so that we may be free from our sins (Good Friday—The Passion of the Lord); and, finally, we gather ready to contemplate the gift of everlasting life (Holy Saturday Night and Easter Sunday—Sunday of the Resurrection). In all of these liturgies we contemplate how it is that God has revealed His great love for us as we journey with Jesus through His Passion, His Death, and His Resurrection.

Celebrating Holy Week is not an obligation, but it is an opportunity! It is a chance to walk with the Church as she walks with the Lord, her Bridegroom, through the most important week in the history of the world. It is a chance to focus our minds on, and seek to intensify our affection for, the most important and timeless of realities.

Without any arm-twisting or conscience-pressing, I encourage you to consider how YOU might make the most of this week. These are some of the darkest and brightest days in the history of the world, rich with soul-sustaining food and life-clarifying vision. Holy Week is an opportunity for us to pause and ponder, to carefully mark each day and not let this greatest of all weeks fly by us like every other.

During these holy days, in particular Holy Saturday night, we also celebrate the Easter Sacraments for those who have been preparing, as adults, to enter into the Catholic faith. Each year I stand and watch this miracle unfold and every year I am moved and inspired by the love and commitment of those who have chosen to become a part of our faith. Their becoming Catholic, whether through the waters of Baptism or by a Profession of Faith connects beautifully to the message of Easter: that you will not find the Lord among the dead, nor will you find Him in an empty tomb. No He is living, He is raised from the dead, He is among you! He is everywhere His people are, you will find Him where hope fights despair, where love battles injustice, where compassion dries the tears of the suffering. He is in our parish family, He is among our catechumens, our candidates, and each of our parishioners who desire to spread His light in the darkness of our world, who desire to be instruments of His love and mercy in the lives of those around them, and in those who desire to share in the glory of the Resurrection!

We move today into the most solemn week, Holy Week, and prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. We begin this week’s long journey with Christ, aware that each of us was in His mind and heart as He endured His suffering to be the sacrifice that takes away our sins. Through His wounds we are healed. Through His resurrection each of us has the hope and promise of sharing in that new life of the resurrection. The renewal of our Baptismal Promises on Easter Sunday will remind us of our hope of forgiveness and our hope in the resurrection!

Come and join us as we journey with the Lord. Please take time this week to join us for the special liturgies that will take place, a list of which can be found on page 8 of this bulletin.

Final Penance Opportunities before Easter…we will offer two additional options for the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Easter. This Tuesday from 6-7PM in the classrooms of Saint Thomas Becket Church we will have Father O’Neill, myself, and a few other priests present for the opportunity for individual confession while Julia will be in the Church playing prayerful music. Come spend time with the Lord in prayer and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Also, we will hear confessions beginning at 9:30AM on Saturday morning in St. Bridget Church.

Our Parish Corporal Works of Mercy Update…thank you for your donations last weekend to Shelter the Homeless. We collected $5,402.00, which will be sent to Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter this week! Thank you for your great generosity to helping the homeless. This weekend we are working to Visit the Imprisoned by donating Good News Bibles and/or Pocket Dictionaries. Thank you for all you have done this Lent through these Corporal Works of Mercy to make a difference in the lives of so many.

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.

Fifth Sunday of Lent—April 7, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

This weekend we are reflecting on the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. As I think about that sacrament I am immediately drawn to thoughts of health institutions calling at the last moments of a person’s life asking for a priest for “Last Rites.” But this Sacrament is so much more than simply last rights. The teaching on this Sacrament used to be that one could only receive this Anointing once, hence the terminology that became popular was “Last Rites.” Now the Church teaches that the sacrament can be received more than once. Let’s look at this sacrament in a bit more detail.

If you have ever been sick, then you know what it is like to want to recover and feel better. If you have ever been so sick that recovery might not be possible, then you know what it is like to want to be at peace. Every moment in the span between both of these situations and conditions is taken into consideration as the Roman Catholic Church offers the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to those who are ill or suffering.

Sickness is a fact of human life and experience. Like death itself, it makes no distinction among persons confronted by its grasp. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Lord Jesus Christ reached out to those who were sick in his day and offered them courage, healing, strength and peace. We read many such occasions in the pages of the Gospels. He likewise invited and directed his Apostles to do the same; a practice that continues in the Roman Catholic Church to the present day through the successors of the Apostles, that is, our bishops, and through our priests who minister to us in the name of our bishops.

The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles to the sick and suffering is the foundation and origin of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick finds its most specific foundation in the Letter of James which is read during the Rite itself when the priest says, “My dear friends, we are gathered here in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who is present among us. As the gospels relate, the sick came to him for healing; moreover, he loves us so much that he died for our sake. Through the apostle James, he has commanded us: ‘Are there any who are sick among you? Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick persons, and the Lord will raise them up; and if they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them.’ Let us therefore commend our sick brother/sister N. to the grace and power of Christ, that he may save him/her and raise him/her up.”

Families are often confused about how and when to request the Sacrament of the Sick when a loved one falls ill. We encourage people to schedule an Anointing of the Sick when family and friends can be present for the sacrament. If you are scheduled for surgery and would like to be anointed, please call to schedule so we might anoint before you are in the hospital. Please do not wait until the last possible moment for the anointing of the sick because a priest may be unable to be present in time.

How can we decide if we should ask to be anointed? A good or reasonably sure judgment, without an uneasy feeling about the rightness of what one is doing or going to do, is sufficient for deciding on the seriousness of an illness. For example: A sick person may be anointed before surgery, whether or not a serious illness is the reason for the surgery.

Elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present. Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this Sacrament. And, if you are still unsure, ask Father!

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is administered by a bishop or priest to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness. This sacrament, unlike some of our other sacraments, can be administered more than once, especially if a person has a chronic illness.

"The special grace of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for their own good and that of the whole Church the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age, the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the Sacrament of Penance, the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of their soul, the preparation for passing over to eternal life" (CCC 1532).

Our Parish Corporal Works of Mercy Update…thank you for your donations last weekend to Visit the Sick. It is so encouraging to see so many cards that can be handed out to our homebound parishioners as well as those in nursing care facilities. This weekend we are working to Shelter the Homeless. All the donations to our second collection will be sent to Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter. Next weekend we will focus on the corporal work to Visit the Imprisoned by donating Good News Bibles and/or Pocket Dictionaries. These items can be purchased at any retailer or on Amazon. Please place them in front of the altar in the baskets before Mass or during the Offertory.

Next Sunday is PALM SUNDAY! Amazing to think how quickly these weeks of Lent have gone! Have we really taken advantage of Lent and its practices of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving so as to Encounter Christ in a deeper and more profound way? If the answer is yes, then praise the Lord. If the answer is no, then I say it is NOT TOO LATE. We still have this week and Holy Week to make sure we Encounter Christ! Don’t wait!

Join us for the services and liturgies of the Holiest of Weeks.

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, April 13th and April 14th,

we will have our regular Mass schedule Saturday and Sunday! Join us!

Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, April 18th, 7 P.M., in Saint Bridget Church

Followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish Center until 10 P.M.

Good Friday, Service of the Lord’s Passion, April 19th, 3 P.M.

in both Saint Bridget Church and Saint Thomas Becket Church

Stations of the Cross, 7 P.M., in Saint Bridget Church

Holy Saturday, April 20th

Blessing of the Food, 11 A.M. in Saint Bridget Church

The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night, 8 P.M. in Saint Bridget Church

Please note there is no 9 A.M., 4 P.M. or 5 P.M. Mass on Holy Saturday!

Easter Sunday, April 21st

Masses at 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 A.M. in Saint Bridget Church

and 8:00 and 10:00 A.M. in Saint Thomas Becket Church

Please note there is NO 4 P.M. Mass on Easter Sunday!

Happiest Congratulations to Sandi Thomas…This past Sunday at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford Sandi was awarded the Saint Joseph Medal of Appreciation in recognition for all that she has done and continues to do to support the many ministries of Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish. We could not possibly accomplish so much in our mission without the countless volunteers, such as Sandi, who make so much possible with the generosity of their time, talent, and treasure. So, as we recognize Sandi for her efforts please know we also thank God for the many in our parish family who volunteer day in and day out to make our parish such a vibrant community of faith. Thank you!

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.

Fourth Sunday of Lent—March 31, 2019

Dear Friends in Christ:

It is Lent: Answer the call to Encounter Christ…how are we doing with our Lenten practices? Are we seeking ways to draw ourselves closer to Jesus? Are we truly practicing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as a means to answer the call to Encounter Christ, to in fact become a better reflection of His light and love in and through our own words and actions?

We continue our Lenten journey mindful that there is still time to draw ourselves closer to the Lord. In particular, our readings this weekend call us to contemplate the need for reconciliation in our lives, or rather, the need to experience God’s mercy. (I wrote about the Sacrament of Reconciliation last weekend. So if you missed it visit our website and read it.) Saint Paul writes in our second reading this weekend, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” I encourage you to consider this invitation and to avail yourselves of the opportunity to experience God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Remember, you can stop by on Saturdays at 3PM or between 7:30AM and 8:30AM on Monday mornings to experience God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Remember, it doesn’t matter how long it has been since your last confession nor whether you even remember how to go to confession. The priests are there to help you! You will not be judged, you will not be yelled at, and you will not be embarrassed.

Rather, you will be welcomed, loved, and forgiven by the mercy of God. SO WHY WAIT?!

A Lenten challenge from your Pastor! Will you accept? I challenge you to share with someone what we are doing in our parish. Share with them your experiences with the spiritual and social events and activities of our parish and, ultimately, invite them to join you! 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!

UPDATE…our Lenten Parish Corporal Works of Mercy…this past weekend the generous people of our parish donated 2,177 pairs of socks and 305 onesies as we Clothe the naked! Truly amazing! Your constant generosity to help those in need is so inspiring for me. It is evidence of your love for Jesus and your understanding that in helping those in need we are helping Jesus Himself. This weekend we are collected those Thinking of You, Praying for You, and Happy Easter cards to be delivered to our homebound parishioners as well as those in the nursing care facilities here in town as we Visit the sick. NEXT weekend we will be having a second collection to help Saint Vincent DePaul Shelter in Waterbury as we seek to Shelter the homeless.

It is NOT TOO LATE to come to one of our Lenten Suppers…I hope you and your family will join us for one of the remaining Lenten Suppers.

It is great to see so many from our parish family coming together, young and old, for a delicious Friday Supper, great conversation, and some fun activities for the kids. Supper is served from 5-7 PM. Come have a Lenten Supper then join us in the Church for Stations of the Cross at 7PM!

Thank you to Charlotte Alix, daughter of James and Heather, for providing us such a great advertisement! She thoroughly enjoyed her meal. Come and see why! I hope to see you there soon!

Saint Bridget School NEWS…A couple of Fridays ago we announced that our Principal Mrs. Jennifer Furlong has decided to resign as Principal of Saint Bridget School. In her letter to the school families Mrs. Furlong wrote, “The Saint Bridget School community has given me four wonderful years of professional and spiritual growth, new relationships, and wonderful memories. After much contemplation and discussion, I have made the difficult decision to resign as Principal effective June 30, 2019. This decision did not come lightly. Ultimately thinking of my family’s needs and the idea of my gifts being better suited in a smaller school, closer to home, is what led me to make this decision.”

I am sure I speak on behalf of all of us, school families, faculty and staff, and parishioners, when I express gratitude to Mrs. Furlong for her dedication to Catholic education, her leadership in the classroom, and for the past 4 years of leadership at our school as Principal. We wish Mrs. Furlong success in her future endeavors and promise her our prayers as we move forward.

In light of her resignation, I announce that I am forming a Search Committee to assist me in selecting the next principal for Saint Bridget Parish School. I am working with School Board Chair, Dr. Margaret Palmeri, in choosing those individuals who will assist us in this most crucial and important process.

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.