Sunday, November 28th is the First Sunday of Advent.

We invite you to join us throughout the season for daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and much more!

Click here for a printable flyer with holiday event information and the liturgical schedule for the Christmas season.

During this time of preparation, we direct our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth on Christmas,

Wishing you Peace and All Good.

-Fr. Joe, Fr. Michael, Fr. Peter, Fr. Raymond, Deacon Don and the entire St. Paul Parish staff

Looking for something to help you on your journey of faith this Advent?

Here are 6 ideas to help you to make the most of this Season of Hope!

1. Read the daily devotion in the Advent booklets that the parish has made available for you. (Pick one up in church this weekend.) This is an easy yet powerful way to start or to close each day. Read the devotion together with your family at the dinner table.

2. Create or find an Advent playlist (here's a nice one that we found) and feed your soul with beautiful Christmas music throughout the season.

3. Join us for Eucharistic Adoration & quiet prayer:

4. Place an Advent wreath and/or an Advent Calendar in a central place in your home. Click here for a printable Advent Calendar that will help you prepare for Christmas.

5. Read a Christmas book and/or read good Christmas books to your children. (Tomie dePaola has some great ones for kids!)

6. Go to Confession. If it has been a while, this Guide to Confession is a great place to start. Feel free to print it up and bring it with you.

Here are some other little Advent gifts that you may want to open:

Abiding Together Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Michelle Benzinger, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, & Heather Khym..

Their "Four Women Doctor's Advent Series" about St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Heldegard of Bingen, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Theresa of Avila begins on November 29th!

Best Advent Ever from Dynamic Catholic can help you 'Move Toward the Light'. So much of the world wants to draw you into the darkness of worry, fear, procrastination... This Advent, discover and choose the things that draw you to the light! Sign up and get inspiring daily video reflections sent straight to your inbox throughout the season.

Bishop Robert Barron's daily "Word on Fire Advent Reflections" are available on our website. Visit our home page or Bishop Barron's site each morning and spend a few minutes listening to his inspired thoughts for the day (or sign up for daily emails here.)

A Living Nativity will take place in the Grotto at the Shrine of Lourdes in Litchfield (50 Montfort Rd., Rte. 118) on Sunday, December 12^th at 2:00 pm. Visit the Shrine website for details including Gift Shop hours.

Thank you once again to all who shared in our celebration of Fr. Raymond's 60th Anniversary of the Priesthood. If you missed it, click on the links below:

As you may be aware, the St. Paul Church Hall was damaged several weeks ago as water came in to the building after a storm in October. We are happy to report that the carpeting has been replaced and the room is now usable and looking great!

Visit the Family Faith page on our Religious Ed website to see all of the great activities for Advent!

One our Confirmation catechists, Suzy Gujda, and her daughter Julia shared this video about how they made their own Advent wreath. So creative and easy!

Join us on the Parish Green on Saturday, December 4th immediately following the 4pm Mass!

Cookies and hot chocolate, a luminary display, music and of course, the Lighting of the Green! Click here for details, including information about purchasing Luminaries. (Deadline is Dec. 2nd)

Our annual Christmas Concert and Greccio will take place on Sunday, December 19th at 5:00 pm in St. Paul Church. Come and enjoy!

Featuring our beautiful St. Paul Choir and a LIVE Greccio Performance, a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus.

Just a reminder for those who ordered items from our Christmas Greenery Sale:

Items may be picked up on Friday, December 3rd from

2pm-6pm on the Parish Green.

Thank you for supporting this fundraiser for the youth of our parish and school!

Our Social Action Ministry is once again organizing the Angel Tree project.

Click here for details and/or to take an Angel from our Online Angel Tree.

Last Call! Our parish Quilters are hosting a Quilt Raffle for beautiful homemade quilts! Tickets are $1 each and can be purchased online through Sunday, November 28th.

The drawing will be held on December 1.

Visit our Quilters page for more details or to purchase tickets online.

The feast of the Immaculate Conception is Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

The Mass Schedule at St. Paul Church for this holy day of obligation is as follows:

Vigil Mass on Tuesday, December 7 at 4pm

Holy Day Masses on Wednesday, December 8 at 7am, 8:45am*, 12 noon and 7pm

*School Mass - All Are Welcome

Saint Paul School is accepting applications for new students for the 2022-2023 school year in Preschool and Grades K-8. Please click here to download an application. Contact Kelly Esposito to schedule a tour at 860-828-4343 x103 or admissions@stpaulkensington.org.  Families can also learn more about Saint Paul School on our website.

*If you are interested in a free piano (baby grand) or a free fish tank, please email us at ourschool@stpaulkensington.org. The fish tank has a built-in cabinet, pump and filtration system. The dimensions of the fish tank are approximately 4’Wx4’Hx2’D. First come first serve! 

LAST CALL! Our Social Media Survey will close on 11/30.

There have been many changes in the social media landscape recently, and there are many platforms available for organizations to use to communicate with current and potential customers (parishioners).

Currently, St. Paul Parish is on both Facebook and Instagram.

Please click here to take our quick Social Media Survey!

If you are considering Catholic high school for your son or daughter, click on the links below to learn more. Be sure to ask Admissions staff about financial assistance. Catholic high school might be more affordable than you think!

Women of the parish are invited to join our new Women of Faith group! Gather with other Catholic women to share stories and strengthen your Spiritual life journey. Join us for Faith, Friendship and Fellowship.

The next gathering will be on on Thursday, January 13th from 7-8pm in the Church Hall. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

To learn more, please contact womenoffaith@stpaulkensington.org 

Our parish Helping Hands Ministry helps the elderly in our community who may be need assistance or simply a visit or a phone call to let them know we care about them. If you are interested in volunteering with this ministry, please contact Mark Duplin at 860-666-0162 or mfduplin@outlook.com. 

Thank you for reading our newsletter! If you have a few more minutes, these links and videos will be worth your time!

Fr. Mike Schmidt's Bible In A Year podcast is something we shared with you last year, but it is worth sharing again! It will guide you through the Bible in 365 days with daily 20-25 minute episodes.

In this video, which contains historic and nostalgic footage, Christ Stefanick reflects on the life of the great St. Pope John Paul II.

One last thing... There is still time to contribute to the 2021 Archbishop's Annual Appeal. Click here for information. Organizations such as Birthright of Greater Hartford, Carolyn’s Place in Waterbury, Franciscan Home and Hospice Care in Meriden, Friendship Center in New Britain, Grace Academy in Hartford, Klingberg Family Centers in New Britain, and many more right here in our area receive funding from the Appeal’s Vicariate Outreach Program that makes a difference in the lives of our local neighbors.