Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,
As you may well know October is the month, as a Church, we pause and remember in a special way the plight of the unborn. Some 30 years ago Roe v. Wade was passed into law. And 25 years ago, the famous document by Saint Pope John Paul "The Gospel of Life" was written. Presently, the US Church is in the midst of a time of deep reflection and call to action called "The Forty Days of Life." During this election cycle, the issue of abortion, the right to life and the protection of the innocent takes center stage for all of us who call ourselves Catholic.
This past weekend the Catholic Bishops of the four Catholic Dioceses in Connecticut presented in a very public fashion a clear and concise call to action and profound invitation for Catholics and all citizens to integrate the moral values we hold so dear: the protection of all human life, especially the unborn. We present the link to the letter which was published in Connecticut major newspapers this past Sunday. I encourage that you read the letter several times, bring the truths expressed so clearly to your heart, mind, and soul. May it be nourishing food for thought as you approach the ballot box in the next few weeks along with all the awesome teachings of our church about life issues presented in the USCCB's document "Faithful Citizenship." May you all have peace in your hearts and good health in mind and body.
Fr. George Couturier
To view the letter from the Catholic Bishops of Connecticut, Click Here.
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Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 25, 2020
Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish will livestream the 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM Sunday Mass using Facebook Live. The livestream of the Mass can also be viewed on the front page of our website. The recordings remain available afterward on the Parish Facebook page. Join us for Sunday Mass online!
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Sunday Mass Schedule
Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at St. James capacity of 80 people
Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Seton capacity of 50 people
Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at St. James capacity 80 people
Reservations are required!
We have a limited seating capacity & we need a written record
of attendees for contact tracing.
There are two options for making your reservations:
Online
Sign up online at www.saintjosephinebakhita.org for the upcoming weekend starting Tuesday morning. Reservations will close by Thursday evening or before if we reach capacity. We need to close the reservations by Thursday evening so that we can prepare for the weekend Masses. When you make your reservation, enter the # (quantity) of people attending from each household. We will set up the reservation system one week at a time.
By Phone
If you have no access to internet, call 860-529-8655 and our office staff will assist you with reservations. Please call only on Tuesday or Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. You will need to call each week for the upcoming weekend. Do not leave a voicemail, there will be no guarantee to reserve a seat by voicemail.
Read the Guidelines for attending Sunday Mass - Click Here.
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Week 6: Rights and Responsibilities
Human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, have basic rights which protect our dignity and ensure all can live a full human life. Because these rights are universal, we have the responsibility to help maintain and protect these rights, not just for ourselves, but for all. The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities met. Therefore every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities – to one another, to our families, and to the larger society. Explore deeper, Click Here.
Offer this prayer for civility in these final days leading up to the election. Click here.
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We Remember
Our Deceased Loved Ones of
St. Josephine Bakhita Parish
Livestream Memorial Mass
Monday, November 2 at 7:00 PM
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On the Feast of All Souls we will be celebrating a Mass for those who have had funerals at St. Josephine Bakhita since November 2019. All are welcome to pray and support those who are mourning, or be strengthened in the face of their own mourning by watching our livestream Mass. Unfortunately, there will be no attendees at the Mass besides the ministers. During the candlelit service, we will only be announcing the names of those who had funerals at St. Josephine Bakhita. However, Facebook offers the ability to comment in real time and add your own loved one’s name and picture in the comment section during the candlelight service.
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2021 Mass Intention Scheduling
It is time to schedule your Mass intentions but due to Covid-19 we will be doing it differently this year.
Here’s what you need to do:
1) Call the office anytime NOW between 10:00 am - 2:00 pm and we will make a phone appointment for you on Oct. 29
between 10:00 am & 2:00 pm
2) On that day and time YOU will call the office and we will put your requests in the book. Limit of 3.
3) Payment will be due within 2 weeks of your appointment to hold your dates. You can mail a check to the office or leave your payment in an envelope by using the slot in the Rectory office door.
Beginning November 2, you may call the Office Monday - Friday
between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
and schedule your mass intentions. Limit of 2.
Office Phone: 860-529-8655
Thanks!
Carrie & Pam
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Shelter Dinner Ministry
Out of Sight But Not Out of Mind
With the virus taking so much away from our day to day lives, it has also caused a halt to our monthly shelter dinners. Even though the serving groups do not get to see all those who would be preparing and dropping off their food items, we continue to think of you, pray for you and look forward to getting back to our monthly dinner servings as soon as it can be safely done. In the meantime we wanted to share with you a note that was going to be published in our bulletin back in March, however once the shutdown occurred this got lost in the ensuing madness:
Dear Saint Jospehine Bakhita parishioners,
We want you to know that your generous and robust contributions to the Shelter Dinners are deeply appreciated by the men who partake of the meals, as well as those of us who are blessed to be able to bring it to them. When the hefty pans of pasta are removed from the oven at the shelter where they are warmed up and the foil is peeled away in preparation of filling the plates, it is a pleasure to see (and smell) the plump pasta, melted cheeses and abundant meat (plus extra sauce) that you put in your offerings. The fresh greens and the diverse salad ingredients provided as well as the multiple dressings make the giant salad we are able to create an appetizing and nourishing side dish. Nor are we overlooking the large assortments of mostly homemade cookies, brownies, bars and all sorts of treats. All of this skillfully home-created (and purchased) food is deeply appreciated by those of us who bring it and by the men who get to enjoy it. Although we don’t currently have direct contact with the men in the shelter (as we serve through a window), many of them do what they can to express their sincere gratitude and appreciation. Thanks to you, SJB Parish is able to provide a meal that reflects the caring and respect that the men in the shelter sorely need to feel! Job Well Done!!!
Gratefully yours,
The SJB Shelter Dinner Ministry
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St. Josephine Bakhita Parish
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
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