This weekend is often considered the “unofficial start of summer” and I hope we celebrate with barbecues, parades, and great times outdoors! I think we all love summer, and are enjoying the warmer weather and the down-time with family and friends.

Whether we are at the beach, the poolside, or the backyard, summertime offers us many opportunities to enjoy the hot weather. But as the weather heats up, the clothes tend to come off – what does the Church teach about the dignity of clothing our bodies?

We believe that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. St. Paul goes on to say that “we have been purchased at a price – therefore, glorify God in your body!” Our bodies are not extraneous to ourselves – we are not just “souls trapped in a body” as if a body were a tool, or worse, a prison. Rather, John Paul II says that “the body reflects the person.” Our bodies are how our personhood is expressed in the world.

Think about how our bodies incarnate our personhoods. When I am happy, it shows on my body – a smile, a spring in the step. If I am sad, my “body language” demonstrates it to the world. It is through my body that I do acts of kindness or act selfishly; my body participates in virtue and vice.

It is in and through our body that we encounter Christ – all of the Sacraments have a bodily dimension. I hear the words of Absolution in Confession; I place the Eucharistic host on my tongue; I feel the water poured over my head in baptism. Christ took on flesh to redeem our flesh, which is now a conduit of God’s grace.

For this reason, we must treat our bodies as a holy and dignified gift from God. This certainly means taking care of it – eating right, exercising, getting enough rest, making healthy life-choices. We are ultimately stewards, not owners – and we will have to give an account of how we have used our bodies to glorify the Lord, Who is the true Owner of our bodies.

Part of the dignity of respecting our own bodies is practicing the virtue of modesty. Modesty means respecting our bodies by treating it with sacredness that it deserves. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about modesty: Modesty protects the intimate center of the person.  It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. Certain parts of our bodies should remain hidden, not because they are dirty or unpresentable, but because they are meant to be given away as a self-gift to our spouse.

In the Old Testament, there was a part of the Temple called the Holy of Holies. It was considered the dwelling place of God almighty, and it was so sacred that only one person (the High Priest) once a year (on the Feast of Yom Kippur) could enter into it. This place, which was reserved for the intimate meeting-place of God and humanity, was separated from the rest of the Temple by the thick veil, which “clothed” and covered the sacred space.

In the same way, our bodies are sacred meeting-places. Our bodies belong to God, and we allow our spouse to “unveil” us. Apart from those two most intimate encounters, we ought to keep our sacred flesh well-veiled, so that the holiness of our bodies may remain mysterious to the outside world.

This is ultimately the basis for the virtue of modesty. Modesty isn’t the same as “being prudish” or seeing the body as bad. Rather, modesty prevents the sacred from becoming profaned. As John Paul II says, “Modesty prevents us from being seen and treated like an object” – as if we were just a tool for another person’s pleasure. (As an aside, I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “My body isn’t a Temple, it’s an amusement park!” What a tragic – but so common – attitude!).

So what is the standard of modesty and how we should dress? St. Augustine said, “In all your movements and clothing, let nothing be evident that would offend the eyes of another.” We must consider – what are we trying to communicate? Do I dress as if I was a person who respected my dignity and the dignity of others? Will others see me as a person, or just admire (or lust after) my physique?

As the weather heats up and we all head to the beach, let us not forget about the dignity and mystery of our human bodies. Rather, we ought to practice the virtue of modesty – covering ourselves appropriately, so that we keep our bodies from the eyes of others so that it can be saved for God and for our spouse. Our bodies belong to Him – let us glorify Him in our flesh!

Reaching out to Veterans

The Healing Shawl Ministry has recently donated Healing Shawls and Prayer Squares to be given to patients at the Veterans Hospital in New Haven. Continuing our ministry of reaching out to those in need with shawls that are prayerfully made and blessed we are partnering with Diane and Ray Ganser's niece who is a nurse at the VA. 

Healing Shawls are available free of charge to parishioners,family members, or neighbors who need comfort during a physical, emotional or spiritual loss or other challenging situations. All requests are confidential. Contact Angela Baril for more information 203-452-0432 anbar123@aol.com.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

The St. Jude Knights of Columbus will again be marching in the Memorial Day parade on May 29^th 2022. We would love to be joined by any other groups from St. Jude for this fun afternoon showing our pride in both St. Jude and the Monroe Community. If you or your group have interest in joining us, please contact Jim Bifulco at 203-581-3071. May God Bless!

NOTE: The Knights of Columbus will be hosting a cook out in front of the social hall after the Memorial Day parade. All parishioners who march or attend are invited. We ask that you bring a salad, side dish or dessert to be shared.

The Knights of Columbus Council 5986 is sponsoring a blood donation drive at St. Jude's on Saturday, July 23. Any parishioner wishing to donate at that time can do so by following the instructions below:

Here is how you can make an appointment. Go to the ARC blood donation web site, https://www.redcrossblood.org/. In the upper right hand corner place '06468' in the zip code box. At the top of the left hand column, click “refine search” and then find and click “Choose my dates”. When the calendar comes up, click on July 23, 2022 then click on 'refine results'. Our drive should appear. From there, you can schedule your own appointment.

Fran Cambra reached 21 gallons of blood donated at a recent Knights of Columbus blood drive. Here’s a photo.

L to R: John Tartaro, Frank Flynn, Fran, Jeff Romeo and Hav Tweedy

St. Jude Columbiettes Spring Trunk Sale – Flea Market

This event scheduled for Saturday June 4th has been cancelled.  

 VOCATIONS

 A Celebration of Diaconate Vocations

Please join us as we take this opportunity to congratulate Deacon David Flynn and Deacon John Tuccio on the seventh Anniversary of their Diaconate Ordination.

We are so grateful for their dedication and Ministry to our Parish. 

We welcome our Seminarian, Pablo, who will be with us this summer, and assure him of our prayers as he continues his preparation for the Priesthood.

Save the Dates! 

Wednesday, June 22, 5 pm Family Hike around Great Hollow Lake

Tuesday, July 26  Family Bingo Night - more details coming soon!

Friday, August 12 Family Movie Night - more details coming soon!

Mom's Group Announcements!

St. Jude's Mom's Group Kickoff Meeting Recap is available on the parish website. Contact Jessica Iannotta for more information and click here to register for the group contact list.

Next meeting Wednesday 6/29 at 7 pm in the social hall to kick off our summer book club on Living Joy by Chris Stefanick.  To join our monthly mother's Zoom rosary e-mail Jessica Iannotta

Please remember in your daily prayers:

Marge Tranzillo, Judy-Beth Raine, Maria Bertone, Deacon Ronnie Bicknell, Marie Micholovich, Vincent Daniello, Dyana vander Wielen, Joe Pinto, Ray Schwartz, Zoey Frigo, Daniel Louis Bianco, Max, Hung Vu, Alfred Zawadski, Michael Serke, Kristen Kelly, Leroy Moye, Richard Carrano, Judy Thomas, Dr. John Kezel, Joseph Sheridan, Francisca Testa & family, Catherine Belanger, Stephen Henn, Robert Orol, Manny Cambra, Bennett Gulyas, and Tom Pleva

All healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers and the men and women 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.

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention. 

Our Petition for May is:

As we remember all our beloved Military men and women who died to preserve our freedom, may we invoke MARY, our QUEEN OF PEACE to end the wars against evil we now face in our Country and in our World,

We pray to the Lord

Upcoming Mass Intentions

Sat   May 28     5:00pm               Ida and Julius Servadio

Sun  May 29      7:30am               Denis and Michael Gallagher

Sun May 29       9:30am               Ivan Gospic

Sun  May 29     11:30am             St. Jude Parishioners

Mon May 30      9:00am               Luis and Elvira Ferreira and

                                                         Jennifer Cannon

Tue  May 31      9:00am               Robert Coty

Wed June 1       9:00am               Elizabeth Cirillo

Thu  June 2       9:00am               Michael J. Pisani        

Sat   June 4       8:30am               Roberta DiCicco

Sat   June 4       5:00pm               Isabel Dantas-Teixeira and

                                                        Lucinda Dantas

Sun  June 5       7:30am               St Jude Parishioners

Sun June 5       9:30am               Paul Sideleau, Sr

Sun  June 5       11:30am             Andrew and Helen Oros

The Tabernacle Candle will burn in memory of the deceased members of the Bonitatibus and Tranzillo families during the month of June

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.

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 5:00 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. Only the Saturday Mass at 4:00 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am Mass are live streamed.

Reminder, after 5/1, the Saturday evening Mass is at 5:00 pm instead of 4:00 pm.

(Live-streamed Masses may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html )

St. Jude Religious Gift Shop is located downstairs in the Msgr. Sabia Social Hall. Fr. Joseph's Books and CD's are available in the Gift Shop. Also new items: Gifts and cards for Father's Day, Graduation, Teacher's Gifts, statues, rosaries and more. Come in and browse. Call Fran Cambra 203-261-2573 or Parish Office 203-261-6404.