Dear Friends in Christ:
Every year millions of people flock to Italy to experience the food, wine, culture and beautiful coastal resorts. Why can’t that be you? IT CAN! Join us on our upcoming pilgrimage to Italy to enjoy all of that and more! Join us as we explore the great religious history of Italy, enjoy some exquisite cuisine, and visit the Vatican—the center of Roman Catholicism and home of Pope Francis. Many have said “I always wanted to go but I am not sure about a pilgrimage.” Well, this is not a pilgrimage in the strict sense. Yes, we visit the holy sites; yes, we have Mass each day; and yes, we are traveling with fellow parishioners. There is also plenty of time worked into this schedule for exploring, especially when in Rome. So, come along and explore this great country with us!
THERE IS STILL ROOM BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT---SIGN-UP TODAY! 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, daily breakfast, 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!
As we continue to grow and as we continue to discern what God is asking of us as we build up our parish family IT IS LONG OVERDUE that we announce we are seeking a YOUTH MINISTER. Saint Bridget of Sweden is a dynamic, growing parish of over 3,000 families, and WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO REACH OUT TO MORE OF OUR YOUTH! I am most grateful to our Youth Ministry volunteers Marie Jinks, Christine Rapillo, Tina Poet, and Diane Amarante for all that they have done these past couple of years as we began this ministry. It is NOW TIME to hire someone whose responsibility it will be to work with these volunteers and others to meet our young people where they are, help them to know Jesus Christ, and assist them as they strive to become faithful members of the Church.
Therefore, with GREAT EXCITEMENT I announce that we are seeking a part-time youth minister to accompany our teens as they grow in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Youth Minister should be someone who is joyful, enthusiastic, proud of his or her Catholic faith and eager to help young people fall in love with the Lord.
Responsibilities will include the following:
Aware of the opportunities and challenges of growing up in our culture, our Youth Minister will meet our kids where they are at in life
Building relationships with the teenagers so as to lovingly and firmly insist that the Gospel has the answers to all their questions about life and is the solution to all their heart’s desires
Integrate youth ministry as an essential component of vibrant parish culture
Ongoing recruitment, training, supervision and collaboration with volunteers
Plan, implement and evaluate events in accord with norms established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Archdiocese of Hartford and the objectives of the Saint Bridget of Sweden Pastoral Council
Assist in the preparation of the Youth Mass
Incorporate social media, the parish website and parish bulletin as a means of publicizing the fun and growth of the Youth Ministry experience
Work with the Saint Bridget Parish School and Religious Education Program to help 8th grade students transition into high school ministry
Promote servant leadership and community investment through mission trips and service projects chosen and funded by the teenagers
Work with the Director of Religious Education on programming for middle school and high school parishioners
The Youth Minister will need to possess a strong knowledge and love of the Catholic faith, have a desire to promote all that the Roman Catholic Church teaches and professes, complete the necessary Virtus training and background check, and be willing to work collaboratively with the Pastor, the Pastoral Staff, and the Pastoral Council of our Parish.
Interested individuals can send their resume to rectory@stbridgetcheshire.org. I ask all parishioners to join me in praying that the Holy Spirit will send us someone filled with the love and the joy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ to inspire our young people.
Join the Knights of Columbus Council 2978 as the Silver Rose makes a historic visit to our parish family. Each year, from March through the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12th, Silver Roses are distributed and stewarded by Knights of Columbus councils along the way from Canada to Mexico. Every stop, at every parish, is an opportunity for Knights, parishioners, and community members to gather in prayer with the Holy Rosary and to pray for a greater respect for human life, for the spiritual renewal of our nation, and for the advancement of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of America.
Our Lady of Guadalupe did so much for her people in Mexico that, in 1960, the Columbian Squires, a youth organization of the Knights of Columbus, wanted to give something back to her. The group of young men in Knights of Columbus Council 2312 in Monterrey, Mexico, came up with the idea of running a rose to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey, Mexico. The rose was chosen to commemorate Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses, an important part of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
From the story of Juan Diego we know that the Blessed Mother appeared to him and told him to take the roses from the top of the hill in Tepeyac to the Bishop as the sign the Bishop had requested to know that Our Lady had visited young Juan Diego. When he arrived in front of the Bishop he emptied his cloak, the roses fell to the floor, and a remarkable portrait of Our Lady appeared imprinted on the course fabric of his cloak.
The first rose was a natural rose and was blessed by Bishop John C. Cody of London. It was then flown to New York where it was received by Grand Knight Joseph Thomasen, who in turn, took it to Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart. Mr. Hart then shepherded the rose to Dallas, Texas. There, Texas State Deputy Jack Collerin received the rose and took it to Laredo, Texas, where it was finally given to the Squires from Monterrey, Mexico, at the International Bridge in Laredo. They ran the rose from the International Bridge through Sabinas Hidalgo N.L., Mexico, to Cienega de Flores and on to the Basilica in Monterrey, Mexico, on December 12, 1960. This was such a success and a powerful moment in the life of these young men that they decided to do it again. This time with bronze then eventually they used silver as it is a precious metal of Mexico.
“Through [the Silver Rose Program] we honor not only Our Lady of Guadalupe and express the unity of the [the Knights of Columbus], but we also reaffirm [our] dedication to the sanctity of human life. It is to the Blessed Mother that we turn in prayer as we work to end the Culture of Death that grips our society. As we think in terms of ‘One Life, One Rose,’ it is most appropriate that we turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe who made known her will through Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses.”–Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson
The Silver Rose, of course, is a program from the Knights of Columbus used as a vehicle through which we share the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe and promote respect for life by participating in this meaningful pilgrimage. All the members of our parish family are strongly encouraged to join us this coming Sunday, August 25th, from 2-3PM in Saint Bridget Church for a Prayer Service as we mark this historic visit of the Silver Rose to our parish family. I am very pleased this program will be visiting our parish and hope you will join us in prayer next Sunday from 2-3PM in Saint Bridget Church.
Don’t forget we want to HEAR FROM YOU! Recently, the Pastoral Staff discussed the desire to hear from you about your story of faith! We would like you to write out your story and share it with us. Please tell us how you became Catholic and why you stayed Catholic. Describe what the Catholic faith means to you. How has the faith helped you in the tough and dark times of life? Tell us about any incredible and uplifting supernatural experiences that have happened to you. Why is Saint Bridget of Sweden your parish? We are planning to incorporate your story of faith into an outreach program for those friends and family members who have left the Catholic faith. The testimony and faith stories from people just like them will have a much bigger impact than if it came only from their priests. Your submission will not be shared without your permission. Please send your story to my attention through the collection or via email to rectory@stbridgetcheshire.org. Thank you!
As always, remember to pray and ask God’s blessings upon our family of faith 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.
