Our Parish Journey Through Advent:
A Season of Hope
December 8, 2020

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

It is said that Advent is a spiritual season that immerses us in the truth about waiting and patience. Waiting is one of our least favorite pastimes, but there is no escaping it. The little waits: for the gas tank to fill, the water to boil the stop light to change. We cannot do much about them.
 
The longer waits: for second grade to be over, our cold to run its course, the repair person to finish a project or our tax refund to come. We cannot do much about them either. And the still longer waits: for the first child to graduate, for the last day of work, for a pandemic to end. The most we can say is it will happen when it happens.
 
It seems to me, that we often say that much of life, if not all of life, is beyond our control. But that perspective can easily blind us to what we can control and change by God’s grace. In Advent we are surrounded by amazing promises especially from scripture—a new shoot growing from a dead stump, a lamb having lunch with a lion, etc.—our first reaction is hoping that it will all happen as promised, but it is beyond us.
 
But I think that reaction is dead wrong, for in giving us Jesus, God planted the seeds of the just and peaceful world we long for. Repeatedly, God puts in our hands the time and the talent to make those seeds grow. They will grow, the kingdom will come, as the Lord’s Prayer says, if we let Jesus guide us.
 
The place to start is within, where the lions and tigers and bears live. For there can be no peace or justice among us if there is no peace within us. If wants and desires, fears and dreads, angers and envies rule over our hearts, God’s kingdom can never come to this place within. If hand-wringing helplessness defines our relation to the world, God’s kingdom will permanently, evade our grasp.
 
And so, this Advent time, take hold of your gifts planted within. Take to heart everything Jesus has shown you about what a good life is and what it is not. Begin to make peace within your own soul and then with the world. It is slow work that requires patience and waiting. But, by God’s grace it will bear fruit during your Advent waiting. Yes, some things can change. Peace!

Peace, 
Fr. George Couturier

Please note: Due to the precautions about the COVID-19 virus, the Archbishop has suspended the obligation for all Sunday and Holy Day Masses until Ash Wednesday. This includes The Immaculate Conception, Christmas and New Year’s Day: Mary, the Mother of God. Our parish will continue to livestream Masses on all these days to both the Parish Facebook Page and the Parish Website. Plan to join our community in prayer and worship virtually during these sacred days.
Join us Virtually for the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8 at 8:00 a.m.
Join us for the Solemnity of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary with our livestream Mass at 8:00 a.m. Participate through Facebook or the Parish website at 8:00 a.m. and throughout the rest of the day.



For the Music, Click Here.

For the Readings, Click Here.
Third Sunday of Advent
Gaudete Sunday
Sunday, December 13, 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 for the First Sunday of Advent Mass online!



For the Sunday Music, Click Here.

For the Sunday Readings, Click Here.
Pray Every Day Virtually With Fr. George
Fr. George will livestream Evening Prayer on Monday-Friday at 5:00 PM using Facebook Live and the Parish website. You do not need a Facebook account to watch. The recordings remain available afterward on the Parish Facebook page.

On Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. during Advent, Fr. George will lead us virtually through livestream in the Joyous Mysteries of the Rosary.

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
A beautiful form of prayer during Advent is the rosary. By meditating on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, we accompany Mary and Joseph as they learn that Mary will bring the Son of God into the world, and we journey with them through Christ’s birth and into his childhood. 

The Joyful Mysteries:
  1. The Annunciation: Mary learns that she has been chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
  2. The Visitation: Mary visits Elizabeth, who tells her that she will always be remembered.
  3. The Nativity: Jesus is born in a stable in Bethlehem.
  4. The Presentation: Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus to God in the Temple.
  5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple: Jesus is found discussing his faith with the teachers.

On Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. during Advent, Fr. George will lead us virtually through livestream in the Joyous Mysteries of the Rosary.
Virtual Journey Together in Faith
December Activity: The Christmas Manger
All members of the Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish community are invited to join in the faith activity for the month of December called The Christmas Manger. To learn more, Click Here. Email pictures of your Christmas Manger to the Faith Formation Office at reo@sjbrh.org.
Be Still
Enjoy this beautiful sung piece by members of our music ministry as a form of prayer and meditation during the Season of Advent.

To watch and listen, Click Here.
Advent Giving Opportunities
Help Our Annual Advent Giving Project
Our annual Advent Giving Project will look different this year due to COVID restrictions. We will forego gift tags and wrapping but the following items are greatly needed:

Men's socks, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, gloves and toiletries (shampoo, soap, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream, lip balm, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, etc.)

Items can be dropped off at either church location:
St James Church; Father Shea Hall, Mon-Fri (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. or before the masses at 4:00 or 11:00.
St Elizabeth Seton Church: Bins located in church entry, Mon - Fri (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.), or before the Sunday mass at 9:00.
Support Our Candy / Sock Collection
Sweet Feet Project for the Homeless
For Christmas this year our Confirmation Candidates are collecting socks & candy for our Sweet Feet project. The candidates will fill new warm socks with candy to be given out at Christmas to those in need. 
 
We hope to fill at least 500 pairs of socks and need your help. Contributions of any kind of candy and socks for men, women, or children may be put in the plastic bin outside the front of St. James Church or placed in the boxes in the front & back entrance of St. James, open daily until 1:00 p.m. 
 
Thank you for helping make this Christmas a little “sweeter” for others!
Fill Our Local
Food Pantries
We continue to seek food and cereal donations for our monthly delivery to the Rocky Hill and Amazing Grace food pantries. Non-perishable food items and cereal boxes can be dropped off at either church location:
St James Church; Father Shea Hall, Mon-Fri (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) or before the masses at 4:00 or 11:00.
St Elizabeth Seton Church: Bins located in church entry, Mon - Fri (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) or before the Sunday mass at 9:00. Contact Sandy Ambrose amb321@cox.net or Carl Bach abcb1922@yahoo.com 
with any questions. As always, thank you for kindness and generosity!
Here We Go a Caroling….
Socially Distant Caroling (that is)
Join us on Friday, December 11 at 6:00 p.m. at St. James Church parking lot to spread some Christmas cheer through our beloved holiday carols. Groups of 5-6 socially distant, masked, people will be sent out to sing 3-4 carols for the homebound of our parish. Family groups are encouraged! This a great community service opportunity & memory-making event for the carolers and for homebound. Email Joy@sjbrh.org to sign up. If you know someone who would appreciate a visit from our merry band of carolers, please email Joy. There is a limited number of people we can visit based upon the number of carolers we have, so get your requests in early. Snow date is December 18.
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St. Josephine Bakhita Parish
767 Elm Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067