A Message from Father Henry
Fellow St Parishioners: 

Our Mass reading for Sunday, January 17, comes from the very first chapter of the Gospel of St John. It shows the first encounter between Jesus and Peter. I invite you to take a moment or two to reflect back to when you first heard Jesus calling you. And I invite you to see it in the context of another interaction between Jesus and Peter. 

In Luke 5, Jesus asks Peter to push out into the deep water and let down his nets. Peter explains that it would be futile, as they had been fishing all night with no success. There just were not any fish to be caught then and there. But Peter nonetheless does what Jesus has asked of him. And when he did, his nets were so filled that they almost ripped from the amount of fish. I would imagine that Peter, a fisherman by trade, would have thought, the catch of a lifetime! Let me get these fish to market so that I can live off the proceeds! 

But at Jesus’ invitation — from now on you will be a fisher of men — as soon as Peter gets the great catch to shore, he abandons the fish and the nets and his boat. He simply left everything and followed Jesus.

Same with Matthew the tax collector. We know that tax collectors in that day taxed more than what was required and pocketed the excess. Matthew as a tax collector had an occupation that would keep him living a very comfortable life for years to come. But, at Jesus’ invitation, he walked away from his collection booth and followed Jesus. And there are so many other stories of the lives of those who leave everything behind to follow Jesus. 

What was it about Jesus? What is it about Jesus who still continues to invite us to follow Him?

I think of my own story. Having been raised by a very Italian mother for whom family is everything, and having been influenced by my very Italian aunts on my mother’s side, who were always trying to fix me up with a very nice Italian girl, before I was old enough to think for myself, it was already a given that I would get married and have a family of my own. But at the call of Jesus, here I am as a priest, instead! 

In his book, I Heard Jesus Laughing, Matthew Kelly describes how he heard Jesus calling and that led him to a completely different direction in his life, which resulted in his developing a ten minute a day prayer process which I will be speaking about in my homilies at all masses on the weekends of January 24 and 31 and February 14. The goal of the process is for us to grow in our love for God, as well as come to a greater understanding of how much God loves us. 

St. Augustine summed it all up so very well: “To seek God is the greatest adventure; to come to know him is the greatest possible human achievement; to fall in love with him is the greatest of all journeys.”

In these times of unrest — as we look for healing for the divisions which separate us as a people, as we look for an end to the Coronavirus — let us invite God into our lives, our families and our entire world. Join me in the following prayer to the Holy Spirit (that same Holy Spirit that in this past Sunday’s Gospel reading descended from above and came to rest upon Jesus as he came up out of the Jordan river, after being baptized by John):

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

Yours in Christ,
Fr Henry 
Fr. Henry's reflection on 10 Minutes of Prayer a Day

A New Year's Resolution
10 Minutes of Prayer a Day
Did you get your Matthew Kelly Prayer Card? We have them in the office.

Matthew Kelly talks about six “Seismic Shifts” which are key moments in your journey when you commit to daily prayer. They are: Begin the conversation, Ask God what He wants, Give yourself to prayer, Transform Everything into prayer, Make yourself available, and Just keep showing up. These are described in more detail beginning on page 65

Reflection questions for this week:

  What obstacles do I have in my life that prevent me from daily prayer?
  What changes can I make in 2021 so that I can commit to 10 minutes a day?

Kelly’s quote for the week: “As you go off into the busy happenings of your day, God is saying, “Take me with you! Let me come along and keep you company.” By recognizing Him at our side in each moment, we include Him in everything we do.”
 
 
Visit our January Padlet for more about Prayer and to add your thoughts, comments and answers to the above questions. Read what others are posting. Post your own prayer requests and pray for those that others have written.

Password is Jude

Let's talk about prayer...
If you are interested in delving deeper into "I Heard God Laugh", via a book discussion on Zoom, please contact Cathy Ritch cathy.ritch.ct@gmail.com or Bonnie Thibodeau bonthib@gmail.com
Let us know which day of the week and whether daytime or evening is of most interest to you. We look forward to hearing from you!!
Fr Henry Is In Good Company!
Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict, the current and former Holy Fathers and Fr Henry "our own local holy father" all received their Covid-19 vaccinations earlier this week. 

We need to persevere until the tide turns - Diocese of...

As I begin my seventh day of quarantine, I am grateful to the Lord that I have not developed any symptoms associated with the coronavirus. Unfortunately, a number of dear friends have recently contacted me by text or email and told me that they...

Read more
www.bridgeportdiocese.org
Sister Helen Kieran, OP, is leaving

A wonderful model of the Consecrated Religious life, Sr. Helen has enriched the lives of so many of us. She has opened her home and her heart as she shared her faith and God's love with us through her many Women's Days of Reflection. Her dedication has greatly enhanced our spiritual lives.

The joy of her Vocation is also evidenced by her delightful sense of humor. We cannot forget her many New York idioms, especially "Whatever" often pronounced "Watt ev va" for effect!

Our love, prayers and gratitude to God for her presence here go with her. As we bid "Farewell" but not "Goodbye" to Sr. Helen, we are confident of her continuing prayers for her St. Jude Parish Family.

As Sister always said to us when leaving morning Mass, "Be good to yourself today", we now say to her,  "Be good to yourself today".

We will miss you!   
 
Karin Tierney

Sister's mailing address will be:
         Sr. Helen Kieran
       St. Vincent Ferrer Convent
          152 E. 66th Street
         New York, N. Y. 10065
Sr Helen's comments on January 14th * Godspeed, Sr Helen!!
PRO-LIFE MINISTRY
National Prayer Vigil for Life will be virtual this year ...

WASHINGTON-Each year on the night before the annual March for Life, at least 10,000 people have filled the Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington for the National Prayer Vigil for Life.

Read more
www.bridgeportdiocese.org
Statement on Violence in Washington, DC - Diocese of...

There are few words that can describe the shock I feel to see our Capitol Building occupied by violent and unlawful rioters earlier today. As Americans, we should be deeply disturbed to see such an important symbol of freedom and liberty in our...

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www.bridgeportdiocese.org
   

40-DAYS FOR LIFE DEVOTION

Please pray for our 30 Pro-life Ministers participating in a 40-Days-for Life Prayer Mission for an end to abortion and a commitment to establish a Culture for Life from conception to natural death in our Nation.

Marking the Anniversary of Roe vs Wade on January 22, prayer has never been more important as we beg Our Lord and Blessed Mother to convert the hearts of those involved in abortion.

Please join us on Jan. 21st, beginning with the 9:00 A.M. Mass and for private prayer from 9:30-12:00 in the Day Chapel, as we also pray for the safety of all participating in our National March for Life in Wash., D.C. on January 29th.

For additional information contact:
Karin Tierney,  kjt1046@att.net 

Join us every Sunday night at 7:30 pm to pray the Rosary together. All are welcome and families of all shapes and sizes are encouraged to take turns leading us in prayer. The Rosary will also be live-streamed on YouTube each week. The link for the first year is the same, so bookmark it (see below) and join us each week.

Holy Trinity Catholic Academy
Holy Trinity Catholic Academy applications for new families for the 2021-2022 School Year is now open. Please call the Development Director, Mr Carmine Rita, at 203-929-4422 on how to apply. No applications will be accepted until you first speak to him. Visit www.holytrinitycatholicacademy.org and discover HTCA!  
Martin Luther King, Jr, Day
Monday, January 18, 2021 

Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following words to mark the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

As our nation prepares to commemorate the life and witness of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are grateful for his courageous to stand in solidarity with all who suffer injustice and his witness of love and nonviolence in the struggle for social change. But we are also painfully aware that we are still far off from his dream for America, the ‘beloved community’ for which he gave his life. We have come a long way in our country, but we have not come nearly far enough. Too many injustices in our society are still rooted in racism and discrimination. Such bigotry is not worthy of a great nation. As Catholics and as Americans, we must reject every form of racism. Racism is a sin that denies the truth about God and his creation. Let us honor the memory of Rev. King by returning to what he called ‘the best in the American dream and the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage.’ Let us commit ourselves once more to building his ‘beloved community,’ an America where all men and women are treated as children of God, made in his image and endowed with dignity, equality, and rights that can never be denied, no matter the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the place they were born.
Petition for this weekend’s masses:
In the words of the United States Catholic Bishops, and in union with Catholics throughout the nation, on the eve of the day remembering Martin Luther King Jr, we pray at all masses this weekend to root out and confront racism in all of its variety of forms with the conviction and resolve to completely eradicate racism. 
Coronavirus Restrictions for Ash Wednesday 

Easter is such a monumental day on our Church’s calendar that it cannot be contained in a single day or a single week or a single month. Preparation for Easter expands several weeks in advance — all the way back to Ash Wednesday — and also expands several weeks afterward all the way to Pentecost. 

As we were called to adapt to the Coronavirus restrictions in order to safely celebrate Christmas last month, so I will ask you to adapt to another set of restrictions so that we can safely celebrate Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, the Triduum and Easter Sunday as well. 

The Bishops of Connecticut, working with the Governor of Connecticut, have come up with the following regulations in order to have Ash Wednesday be as safe an experience as possible for everyone involved. 

A month from now (February 17), we will have services in the church at various times throughout the day on Ash Wednesday. (Times still to be determined.). I quote verbatim: “All those who attend Mass or a Liturgy of the Word on Ash Wednesday must register beforehand.” Beginning a week before Ash Wednesday, you may consult the newsletter, the website, or call the parish office to register for one of the services in the church on February 17. 

Parishioners may also receive ashes without attending Mass or a Liturgy of the Word. I quote: “In order to accommodate as many as possible in a safe and reverent manner, pastors are to offer an open period during which the lay faithful can come to the church to receives ashes outside of Mass or the Liturgy of the Word.” This open period or open periods will be determined soon. For example, there may be a one or two hour window in which you would simply come to the church, receive ashes, say a prayer of Thanksgiving and depart. 

I am not allowed to distribute ashes to anybody who remains in their car. The Bishops have specifically singled out that there be no ashes given to people while they remain in their car. However, I will be distributing ashes in the school parking lot after the first scheduled service on Ash Wednesday, but everybody must exit their car in order to receive ashes. In the event of rain, I will be under the overhang at the entrance to the school. 

Anyone who does not feel comfortable coming inside the church building to receive ashes, and will not be able to come to the school building in the morning and exit their car because of physical challenges, please contact the parish office by email or telephone, about a week before Ash Wednesday, so that we can schedule a time on Ash Wednesday for Fr Henry to come to your house and give you ashes. 

The church is allowing two options for the actual distribution of ashes within the church. Either the priest, deacon or Eucharist minister would toss ashes up in the air in such a way that they descend down over the crown of your head… or the priest, deacon or Eucharistic minister applies the ashes to your forehead using a q-tip or cotton swab (a new and fresh q-tip or cotton swap must be used for each person). I have chosen to use only the second option. I fear that tossing ashes up in the air so that they descend down over the crown of your head will turn into a messy and irreverent situation. I fear that some of the Holy Ashes will wind up landing on the floor and be walked on. Regarding who can distribute ashes. If you can do the greater, you can do the greater. If a Eucharistic Minister can do the greater (distribute communion), which they can, then a Eucharistic Minister can also do the lesser (give ashes). 

Regarding the actual procedure in the church, I quote verbatim: “When coming forward for the ashes, each recipient should stop six feet before the minister, who then says ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel,’ or ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.’ At that point, the recipient comes forward, receives the ashes and returns to his or her pew.” 

We are committed to receiving Ashes as our beginning of the Lenten season. In order to do so, we must abide by the regulations determined by the Bishops and the Governor of Connecticut.  
Please remember in your daily prayers:

Mike Piatt, Marge Tranzillo, Judy-Beth Raine, Maria Bertone, Deacon Ronnie Bicknell, Marie Micholovich, Patty Eng

Also remember all healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers and the men and women of the parish who are 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.
Monthly Parish Petition
Please join us as we pray our Monthly Parish Petition.  

Our intention for January, 2021:

As we begin our New Year, may we pray:

       "JESUS I TRUST IN YOU"

We pray to the Lord
Upcoming Mass Intentions

Sat   Jan 16      4:00pm               Ellen White

Sun  Jan 17      7:30am               Deceased members of Willett and Izzo
                                                         Families

Sun Jan 17      9:30am               Harriet Kilpatrick

Sun  Jan 17      11:30am             Maria Emilia Monteiro

Mon Jan 18       9:00am               Lauren Pelletier

Tue  Jan 19       9:00am               Marie Maich

Wed Jan 20       9:00am               Jean Rajcula

Thu  Jan 21       9:00am               Thomas McDonald

Sat   Jan 23       4:00pm               Patrick and Antonette O’Malley

Sun  Jan 24       7:30am               Adeline Ozycz

Sun Jan 24       9:30am               The Pinto and DeAndrade families

Sun  Jan 24       11:30am             Joe Buturla

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.
Mass Schedule and Registration
Monday through Thursday Weekday Masses will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed. (This Mass may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html )
The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. The Saturday Mass and the 7:30 am Sunday Mass are live streamed. (This Mass may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html )

Pre-registration is required for all weekend

For those of you who do not feel comfortable attending mass inside the church, please watch the Sunday 7:30 am live-streamed Mass. (This Mass may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html ) on your phone or computer and then come to the School parking lot to receive outdoor communion at 8:45am. Fr Henry will be distributing Communion every Sunday, rain of shine, at 8:45am in the School parking lot.

--Fr. Henry
Confession Hours
Confessions on Saturday afternoon will be in the day chapel at 3:00 pm on Saturdays.  Confessions are also by appointment, please call 203-261-6404, to set up and appointment or emailing.  

First Friday Adoration 7- 8 PM

Children's Rosary First Sundays
We meet at 11 am before the 11:30 Mass by the Blessed Mother statue and follow proper covid protocols. No experience necessary.  

Office Hours

THE OFFICE HOURS ARE:
MONDAY - THURSDAY 9:00 – 3:00

During the holiday closure, Fr Henry will be checking voicemails regularly and will respond promptly.

Please call (203-261-6404) or e-mail (parish.office@stjuderc.com) before coming to the office. Much can be accomplished through a phone call or email, such as requesting masses/mass cards; sacramental records; registering for Baptism; etc. 
St Jude Parish
707 Monroe Tpke
Monroe, CT 06468
203-261-6404