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.