A Message from Father Henry |
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Fellow St Jude Parishioners:
Earlier this week we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation, as we do every year during the first week of February. The Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple and presented him to God the Father.
This event is of such significance that we have an entire mystery of the rosary dedicated to it. So we find ourselves meditating on the presentation of the Lord in the temple twice a week (or 100 times a year) as we pray the joyful mysteries of the rosary.
And what are some of the things that might come to mind while we are meditating on that that particular mystery?
Shortly after the birth of Jesus, his parents take him to the temple and present him (or give him back) to God his Father. They are acknowledging that, although Jesus is theirs, he also belongs to God the Father.
How might this apply to our lives? A father and mother come together to create a child. But let us not forget that it is God himself who gives life. Without taking away the fact that your children are your children, I would ask you parents to focus on this cooperative role that you have with God: receiving your child from God and raising the child up as a child of God.
For those of us — such as myself — who do not have our own children, we can identify with the baby Jesus. We can see ourselves as created by God and on this day see ourselves as being presented back to God. This act of our being given back to God gives us meaning. We are God’s! And because we are God’s, we understand why we are called to lead a holy and self-sacrificing life. It gives meaning to all of the challenges that we will experience. It gives us hope. It gives us the courage and determination to do the right thing and to endure what we need to endure. All of this because we are created by God and given back to God.
These are my insights that I wanted to share with you. I’m sure that as you pray your ten Hail Marys of the particular decade of the rosary and reflect on the theme of the presentation of Jesus as a baby in the temple by the Blessed Virgin Mary in St. Joseph, you will have your own insights.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr Henry
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Honoring our grandparents and elders |
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I think back to my own grandparents who had a very influential part during my childhood, but were then called home to the Lord. I ask that you honor your grandparents on July 25, whether they are still with you or whether they have already gone home to the Lord. Sincerely, Fr Henry
In these times of the Covid Pandemic, so many of our elderly population has been isolated and apart from their families. Pope Francis has recognized the value of our elderly population and has established an annual date to honor grandparents and other elders, lamenting that they are often forgotten despite the wisdom they have to offer society.
Many of us can remember spending time with our Grandparents and we know that our children benefit greatly from the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. Pope Francis said, “Grandparents transmit ‘life and faith’ experiences to the young. They remind us that old age is a gift, and that grandparents are the ring linking generations, to transmit to young people the experience of life and faith.”
This year, Pope Francis will celebrate a special Mass in honor of them on the evening of July 25, pandemic restrictions permitting. Making a connection to the fact that on our church’s calendar, each year, on July 26, the church honors Saints Anne and Joachim, the maternal grandparents of Jesus.
In our busy and secular society, we sometimes neglect the gifts that the elderly have to give, acquired by their years of experience and knowledge. Let’s mark our calendars for this July and every July going forward as a time to honor our elderly population.
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Mourning Your Relatives and Friends
Who Have Passed During The Pandemic
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My heart goes out to all of you who have lost a relative or friend to the Coronavirus, and with this in mind, I include a brief series of prayers that you can say in remembrance of them. Sincerely, Fr Henry |
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10 Minutes of Prayer a Day |
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Fr. Henry’s weekly question: What was I doing at 15 years old?
Visit our online Bulletin Board (padlet) to find out. Password is Jude.
Feel free to add your own thoughts and prayer requests to our Board.
Matthew Kelly, in his book, “I Heard God Laugh,” talks about getting into a habit of daily prayer. He invites us to never skip a day.
Weekly Reflection Questions:
· What time of day works best for 10 minutes of prayer?
· What can I change in my daily schedule to allow me to have prayer time each day?
Kelly’s quote for the week: “Teach us to pray is the spoken and unspoken desire of every person, in every place and time.”
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World Day for Consecrated Life |
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World Day for Consecrated Life (February 6th and 7th) - In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life (e.g., brothers, sisters, monks and nuns). This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed, symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. Because Candlemas Day falls on Tuesday, February 2nd this year, the Church will also be celebrating it the weekend of February 6th and 7th.
This year, World Day for Consecrated Life will be celebrated in parishes on February 6th and 7th.
Let us all pray for those women and men who have dedicated their lives to Christ that they may live in the light of God’s love.
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A Tribute to the Consecrated Life
The attached article briefly describes the Gertken family of 12 children, 11 of which, four sons and seven daughters, became Benedictine priests and sisters. The article highlights their active lives serving their monastic communities and their parishes as teachers and musicians. What the author does not share is what inspired eleven children to consecrate their lives to Christ? It must have been the family. An indication of the family life that formed them and its bonds that held them close even after they left home, is that the four sons joined St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN and the eleven daughters joined St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN, which are only five miles apart from each other.
What the article doesn’t convey about their formation, it does explain the fruits of the full and exciting lives these men and women led, enriching the lives of the religious communities to which they belonged and even more so the lives of the students and parishioners they influenced with their gifts of music. Their stories demonstrate that monastic life – consecrated – exciting and fulfilling.
The reason it is as Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations recent commented about consecrated life. He said, “The faithful witness of religious and other consecrated men and women living out their vocation is powerful. By their prayers and apostolates, those in consecrated life provide for us an example of Christ’s merciful love, and especially during these uncertain and difficult times, they point us to the reality that Christ is our ultimate goal.”
Let’s pray for families that will form children who are attracted to the fulfilling life of a vocation to the consecrated life.
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St. Jude 2021 Lenten Information |
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Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, February 17, is going to be different this year. The clergy and Eucharistic ministers will be placing ashes on your foreheads using q-tips.
You can come to the church for 9am Mass, or Prayer Services at 12noon or 7pm and receive ashes.
Those who watch the 9am livestream can come to the school parking lot immediately afterward for ashes.
We will also be distributing ashes in the church from 4-6pm, for two hours in the late afternoon without a service.
And spread the word to the homebound. Anybody at High Meadows, please contact me to schedule an appointment for ashes. I will be at High Meadows from 1-3pm.
Anyone else who would like me to drive to your home and give you ashes, please contact me to schedule.
I ask that everybody be patient as Coronavirus restrictions and making Ash Wednesday complicated. But we shall overcome.
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Lenten Confessions
In an effort to work out a way to hear everyone’s Lenten confession, and in compiling your more than one hundred responses to the confession time/date survey, we see overwhelmingly that you would prefer to make your lenten confession between 2 and 3pm on Saturday afternoons during Lent.
Priority will be given to those who contact Fr Henry in advance, with a date and time for Saturdays during Lent. You will get to come to the front of the line if you preregistered for a time and date. Hint, hint, hint!!!
So Fr Henry will be in the confessional for St Jude parishioners, Saturdays February 20 and 27 and March 6, 13, 20, 27, from 2pm to 3pm. (He will not be hearing confessions on Holy Saturday April 3.) Please come during that first hour. This will be our personal St Jude Parishioners’ time. Fr Henry will also be in the confessional on those same Saturdays from 3-3:30pm as usual, but please note that we get a lot of people from other parishes during that time.
For those few who asked for other dates and times during the week (Sunday evenings at 7:30pm, Tuesday March 30 at 7:30pm, Wednesday, March 31 at 6pm), and those others who would like Fr Henry to come to your homes to hear your confessions, please contact him directly to schedule a private day and time, either in the day chapel of the church or at your home.
All in an effort to see that everybody has an opportunity to make their Lenten confession.
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FORMED Lenten Reflections
Join us for a 40-day journey of welcoming his tender love, beginning with these short, daily videos from Scripture scholar Dr. Tim Gray. Live in Christ's love and let him transform your life as you watch these awakening reflections during Lent 2020.
Read more
formed.org
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The Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality of Fairfield University has announced that it will continue its virtual retreat series beginning Tuesday, February 9th, 1:00-2:00pm and concluding on June 8th. There will be 18 one-hour presentations every week beginning at 1:00 pm provided by the Jesuit fathers, followed by a prayer experience. Marcy Haley will facilitate each presentation, opening and closing with a prayer and offering a companion prayer reflection. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone who might be interested. All are welcome!
The Center is using one registration for all of the retreats. Please use the registration below to participate in the retreats. So, register now and participate if you can. If you can’t attend a session that is okay. There is no obligation.
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You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Feb 9, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Best Lent Ever | Dynamic Catholic
Nothing will transform your life so completely, absolutely, and forever like really learning how to pray. That's why this year's BEST LENT EVER journeys through Matthew Kelly's latest book, I Heard God Laugh : A Practical Guide to Life's...
Read more
www.dynamiccatholic.com
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Mary Beth Rauser will be facilitating a weekly Zoom Discussion Group based on Matthew Kelly’s Best Lent Ever Video Series and Journal.
We will meet Friday mornings from 9:30am to 11am beginning 2/19 and ending 3/26.
As part of the Parish Champion Program through Dynamic Catholic, we have received 40 copies of this year’s Best Lent Ever Journal to use to follow along with the Best Lent Ever video series with Matthew Kelly. If anyone is interested, please contact Mary Beth Rauser at 203-516-1821 or mbrauser@hotmail.com. First priority will go to those participating in the Best Lent Ever Zoom Study Group.
This is a great opportunity to come together and share our faith and discuss with others how God is speaking to us this Lent. Those who register will receive a Best Lent Ever Journal that has a daily question, reflection and space to journal/take notes based on Matthew’s daily videos.
If there is enough interest, Mary Beth is also willing to offer an evening session for those who can’t meet during the morning. Day and time to be determined.
Please contact Mary Beth to register at 203-516-1821 or mbrauser@hotmail.com
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Please remember in your daily prayers:
Mike Piatt, Marge Tranzillo, Judy-Beth Raine, Maria Bertone, Deacon Ronnie Bicknell, Marie Micholovich, Patty Eng, Joseph Bisignano, Sr.
Also remember all healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers and the men and women of the parish who are in the military.
If you have anyone that you would like to add to the list, please call the office or email with the name to be added.
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Please join us as we pray our Monthly Parish Petition.
Our Intention for February is:
We pray for the repose of the souls of Priests, Religious and all people being murdered because of their Christian faith,
We pray to the Lord
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Upcoming Mass Intentions
Sat Feb 6 4:00pm Luis Ferreira
Sun Feb 7 7:30am St. Jude Parishioners
Sun Feb 7 9:30am Raymond Schwartz, Sr.
Sun Feb 7 11:30am Sue Feller
Mon Feb 8 9:00am Mary Socci
Tue Feb 9 9:00am Julia DeSousa
Wed Feb 10 9:00am Nury Miriam Salazar
Thu Feb 11 9:00am James Rooney
Sat Feb 13 4:00pm Brett Southard
Sun Feb 14 7:30am Julia DeSousa
Sun Feb 14 9:30am St. Jude Parishioners.
Sun Feb14 11:30am William DiStasio
If the 9:00 am Weekday mass is not listed, an intention has not been requested. Also, there are no public Masses on Friday mornings.
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Mass Schedule and Registration |
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Monday through Thursday Weekday Masses will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed.
The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. The Saturday Mass at 4:00 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am Mass are live streamed.
Pre-registration is required for all weekend
For those of you who do not feel comfortable attending mass inside the church, please watch the Sunday 7:30 am live-streamed Mass. (This Mass may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html ) on your phone or computer and then come to the School parking lot to receive outdoor communion at 8:45am. Fr Henry will be distributing Communion every Sunday, rain of shine, from 8:30 AM to 8:45 AM in the School parking lot.
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Children's Rosary First Sundays
We meet at 11 am before the 11:30 Mass by the Blessed Mother statue and follow proper covid protocols. No experience necessary.
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Confession Hours
Confessions on Saturday afternoon will be in the day chapel at 3:00 pm on Saturdays. Confessions are also by appointment, please call 203-261-6404, to set up and appointment or emailing.
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First Friday Adoration 7- 8 PM |
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St. Jude Religious Gift Shop
St. Jude Religious Gift Shop is located downstairs in the Msgr. Sabia Social Hall. Many new items for all occasions. Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Rosaries, Bibles, Statues, Medals & more. Variety of cards: Valentine's Day, Birthday, Weddings, Get Well, Sympathy, etc. Come down & browse and find the perfect gift. For more info call: Parish Office - 203-261-6404 or call Fran Cambra - 203-261-2573.
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Parish Office Hours
THE OFFICE HOURS ARE:
MONDAY - THURSDAY 9:00 – 3:00
Please call (203-261-6404) or e-mail (parish.office@stjuderc.com) before coming to the office. Much can be accomplished through a phone call or email, such as requesting masses/mass cards; sacramental records; registering for Baptism; etc.
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St Jude Parish
707 Monroe Tpke
Monroe, CT 06468
203-261-6404
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