St Anthony Church Newsletter
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Our ways are very often not God’s ways.
This Lent, our entire world has learned a similar lesson at a much larger scale. Many of us planned to spend our days preparing for the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection in a very specific way. However, this year we have seen in God’s providential care that he has allowed a new way to be carved out for many Catholics this year. A way that God may see fit to call even more hearts to conversion as the world navigates the immense challenges of a pandemic. We’ve been called to give up far more than most had planned. At the same time we’ve been called to renew our hope and trust in the God who sees beyond any earthly suffering, not as a passive spectator but as the one who took on flesh in order to feel deeply the pangs of human suffering, in order to redeem it. At the end of Lent many of us are realizing God’s plans were not our plans, and His plans will bear so much more fruit even if we don’t see it yet.
Let us welcome Palm Sunday and our Lord’s Passion this year with new hearts that have been formed by God’s will, even if it didn’t come as we had planned, leaning into the love of Christ and his wounded heart
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Reverend Joseph Ralph DeCarolis died on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. We extend our deepest sympathy to his brother Rev. Vito DeCarolis and to all of his family and friends at this time of sorrow, offering them our prayers and our support.
A small, private burial service will be held at the convenience of the family. A Mass celebrated for the repose of his soul will be held at a later date.
May he rest in eternal peace.
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April 5th, 2020:
- We will NOT be distributing palm on Palm Sunday. We will do it at a later date when the restrictions are lifted.
- The 11:15 am Mass at St Anthony Church will be broadcast on Facebook LIVE.
- The video of the Mass will be available on this page of our website after the Mass is complete.
- The Music for the Live Mass is as follows:
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Celebrating Holy Week at Home
How to get the most out of Mass online:
- Set up a space in your home for prayer/worship. Consider covering a table with a
tablecloth or another nice cloth. Place a Bible, a candle and a cross or crucifix on the table.
- Straighten the space and arrange enough furniture for all.Have everyone come prepared to attend to the Mass.
- Turn off and remove all devices that can distract from the space.
- Remind everyone that we do not kneel and perform the ritual gestures of Mass while we are watching it, since this does not take the place of attending Mass. But everyone should attend to it prayerfully and make a spiritual communion.
- Before the Mass begins, light the candle.
Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
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Let's celebrate some Good News!
Meet Tony Ingala's grandson Oscar!
Just one of many miracles around us.
God bless him and his family.
Email us your good news, photos, drawings, etc. to brighten these dark days!
Let us give thanks to God.
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Latest Covid-19 Update:
- The Archdiocese of Hartford has now cancelled all weekend and weekday Masses in the Archdiocese through April 30, 2020.
- Saint Anthony Church will not have any Masses or events.
- Confessions confessions are not taking place until further notice
From the Archbishop:
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, confessions have continued to be heard in the
Archdiocese, and anyone who felt secure in approaching the sacrament has been able to do so. However, the time has now come to suspend publicly scheduled confessions until further notice in light of the growing spread of the virus in Connecticut, which is anticipated to peak in the coming weeks. This is necessary for the protection of both penitents and priests. I repeat once again what is clearly the teaching of the Church as set forth recently by the Apostolic Penitentiary in Rome, as follows: “Where the individual faithful find themselves in the painful impossibility of receiving sacramental absolution, it should be remembered that perfect contrition, coming from the love of God, beloved above all things, expressed by a sincere request for forgiveness (that which the penitent is at present able to express) and accompanied by votum confessionis, that is, by the firm resolution to have recourse, as soon as possible, to sacramental confession, obtains forgiveness of sins, even mortal ones (cf. CCC, no. 1452)
- Every Mass intention will be celebrated by Father Gregory in a private Mass. Please be assured that every Mass intention is being celebrated by Father in a private Mass.
- Father Gregory wants us all to know that we are in his prayers. Please pray for him and that we have a quick return to celebrating our Masses together.
- Church will be open for your private prayer, Monday - Sunday, 1pm - 4 pm, Only the angel doors will be unlocked. People are asked to distance themselves to at least 6 feet apart.
- Pope Francis's Homily on Pandemic
Schedule of Televised and Streaming Masses
- ORTV - The television Mass is broadcast seven days a week at 10:00 AM on WCCT-TV (WB20) and WCTX-TV (MyTV9). It can also be seen Saturday and Sunday at 5:00 AM on WCCT-TV. The Mass can also be found streaming live at these times by Clicking Here
- EWTN- The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) is available from many local cable providers. The daily Mass is televised at 12:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 7:00 PM. Various prayers and devotions are offered at different hours of the day.
- Watch Daily Mass at 10 am on the Divine Mercy website or their Facebook page.
- CatholicTV - Streams Pope Francis Daily Mass
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Please continue to support Saint Anthony Church through
your donations with these options:
1. Mail in your offerings to 4 Union City Road, Prospect CT
2. Sign up for
online giving here. You can also donate without creating an account by selecting "Quick Give".
3. Set up donations through your bank's online bill pay.
We appreciate your continued financial support.
Thank you and may God continue to bless you.
All donations are welcome in any way that is convenient to you. Electronic donations are the quickest and safest way for us to get funds into our operating account, as nothing is handled.
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for up to date cancellations and changes during this time!
The Parish App has wealth of Lenten resources as well as prayers, the Rosary, sermons and much more!
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Father Gregory prayed the Stations of the Cross on Facebook LIVE on Friday, March 27th..
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Some Holy Week Activities:
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Fun Easter Quarantine Projects:
- Use painters tape to make a cross in the middle of you glass door. then created a "stained glass" design as depicted. Use washable paint to fill in the sections. When dry remove the tape to show a beautiful Easter Door!
- a simpler version using tissue paper, not paint: stained glass easter craft
- Here is a recipe for Resurrection Cookies to make on Holy Saturday.
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PLEASE SHARE YOUR PHOTOS
Thank you to the families below who shared photos while watching the LIVE STREAM MASS last Sunday.
Keep them coming as well as any other Holy Week activities your family is doing during quarantine.
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Father Gregory has asked that you pray the
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
It is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.
Instructions are pictured here or you can follow on this
website
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If you would like to add a special prayer request to the Prayer Basket in church, fill out
this anonymous form
on our website
and it will be printed and put in the basket.
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Please consider supporting our local restaurants and businesses during this difficult time by ordering take out or buying a gift card.
They are always quick to generously donate to our fundraisers!
Lets share the love!
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Bingo is cancelled until further notice.
thank you for all who have supported us in the past and we look forward to when we can have a HUGE Jackpot again!
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When shopping Amazon, you can choose to use Amazon Smile* and a percentage of your order will be donated to St. Anthony Church, specifically for the refurbishing of the Church hall.
Click on the photo to get started!
*
We encourage supporting local businesses, direct trade and fair trade partners as well as environment considerations when making purchases. If you do choose to use Amazon Smile and you don’t need your item immediately, please don’t choose overnight/rush delivery because this often forces people to work on Sunday.
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LaBonne’s Ca$h for Charitie$
Rebate Program
- Please save your Labonne's cash register receipts. (Keep an envelope in you car to easily save them)
- Every couple of months submit them to St. Anthony Church, via the mail, by dropping them off at the parish center or putting them in an envelope in the collection basket.
- They will be totaled and St Anthony Parish will receive a donation for 1/2% of the total receipts!
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Please consider using online giving for your financial support.
The consistency from online giving is very helpful over vacation periods. You may still use your envelopes and mark “I gave online”.
Thank you and God bless you for all you do for St. Anthony Church!
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St. Anthony Church
4 Union City Road – Prospect, CT 06712
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