Important Announcement from
Fr. Joseph and Fr. Henry
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Dear parishioners of St. Stephen's and St. Jude's Parishes,
Greetings in Christ!
As the world begins to emerge from Covid, this is a unique time and a unique opportunity in the history of the Church to reevaluate, discern, and plan. More people feel comfortable returning to Church, while many other brothers and sisters are awaiting an invitation to return. Some people have been seeking meaning and hope, while others are suffering and need to know the Lord's love. The Gospel needs to be preached to these souls who are searching!
As a Church, we have a unique opportunity to ask ourselves - what can we do differently, better, and more effectively? To reach out to the lost, to bring souls into a living relationship with Jesus Christ, to help form saints - we are seeking a new ardor and a new expression to the unchanging mission of the Church.
Bishop Caggiano is envisioning a new ministry model in this diocese - one which will maximize our strengths and make up for our shortcomings. We are looking toward collaborative ministry between parishes: combining pastoral ministries and administrative operations between multiple parishes, we can accomplish more together than we can do alone.
St. Stephen's and St. Jude's are embarking, together, on a partnership which will help to collaborate in mission together. The parishes are remaining separate and distinct; no parish will be "merged" and each will continue to have its own pastor and its own church building. But there are many ministries that we could do better together: catechesis for our youth, evangelization, adult faith formation, care for our sick and homebound, ministry to the marginalized. In addition, there are ways in which we can share personnel and building-space, which will alleviate the financial burden on both parishes by making the best use of our resources.
This partnership, led by both pastors and lay leaders from both parishes, will begin shortly to discuss and discern how the Lord is leading us to collaborate together. Expect to see new initiatives, joint events, and combined ministries in the coming months. We are excited for this process - it shows that the Church is alive, and it is growing! While remaining distinct parishes, we can unite with each other in our common bond of our faith in Jesus Christ. Eventually, all of the parishes in the diocese will be collaborating with one another in doing the work of the Lord.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have in this process. Please pray that the Spirit of God may be our guide!
Sincerely,
Fr. Joseph Gill
Fr. Henry Hoffman
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St. Jude Parish Lenten Services and Programs |
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Dear St. Jude's family,
Although the snow and the frost lay deep outside, spring is right around the corner, and with Spring comes the great season of Lent! Every year the Church gives us 40 days to fast, pray, and grow closer to Jesus Christ as we walk with Him to His Cross, and experience the joy of His Resurrection.
Here at St. Jude’s, we have a lot of great things planned for Lent 2022! I would like to invite you to nourish your spiritual life by joining us for any or all of these following events:
Ash Wednesday:
Services with Distribution of Ashes: 7am, 5:30pm, 8:30pm
Masses with Distribution of Ashes: 9am, 7pm
Lenten Mission: March 19-22
We are blessed to have with us Sr. Megan Thibodeau, SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity), who is the daughter of longtime parishioner Bonnie Thibodeau, for our Lenten Mission! She will be giving dynamic talks, we will offer Confessions
Weekend of March 19-20 – Sr. Megan will speak at all the Masses
Sunday, March 20 – Sr. Megan will give her first talk, with a Rosary, at 7pm
Monday, March 21 – 9:30am, Sr. Megan will give her second talk
Monday, March 21 – 7pm, Sr. Megan will give her second talk with Confessions available
Tuesday, March 22 – 9:30am, Sr. Megan will give her third talk
Tuesday, March 22 – 7pm, Sr. Megan will give her third talk with Adoration
Confessions Available:
Every Saturday from 3-4pm
Monday, March 21 at 7pm (in conjunction with our Lenten Mission) – Guest Priests will be available
Sat/Sun, March 26-27 – Confession Weekend (Confessions available before & after all Masses)
Monday, April 11 – Holy Week Confessions from 3-9pm (at various parishes in the Diocese - consult www.diobpt.org for details)
Stations of the Cross & Adoration
Every Friday: Stations of the Cross at 7pm, Adoration from 7:30-8:30pm.
Holy Week Liturgies
Holy Thursday (April 14) – 7:30pm, Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday (April 15) – 9am, Morning Prayer
Good Friday (April 15) – 3pm, Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion
Good Friday (April 15) – 7pm, Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday (April 16) – 9am, Morning Prayer
The Great Vigil of Easter (April 16) – 8pm
Easter Sunday Masses – 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am
Martyrs Relics Presentation
Did you know that there were more people killed for their faith in Christ in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined? About ten years ago, Carol Pinard, a parishioner at Holy Spirit parish in Stamford, felt called by God to study and investigate the 20th Century martyrs to learn more about their lives. Over the course of several years, she has collected hundreds of different relics and stories of martyrs from across the globe – from little-known saints like Bl. Stanley Rother to well-known heroes like St. Oscar Romero. She even has one of only a dozen relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe, the Polish priest who gave up his life for his fellow man in Auschwitz. Carol is coming to St. Jude’s to give us a presentation on these relics on the weekend of April 2 & 3 after all the Masses – please come and join us in the Social Hall after Mass to see and venerate these relics, and hear the amazing stories of those who gave it all for Christ!
For Youth
Youth Encounters for kids in grades 6-12 during Lent are March 11th and April 1st – 7-9pm in the Social Hall. All are invited! All youth are also invited to watch “The Passion of the Christ” movie on Sunday, March 27 at 5:30pm. Pizza will be provided!
Sincerely,
Fr. Joseph Gill
Parochial Administrator, St. Jude’s Parish
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St. Jude Lenten Program - Exodus 40
Dear parishioners,
Lent is right around the corner! Still trying to decide what to sacrifice? As a parish, we are offering an opportunity to journey to the Cross together as a community - called Exodus 40! Based off the popular Exodus 90 program (www.exodus90.com), this is a way in which parishioners and families can make commitments with one another in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Here's how it works:
- See the attached sheet and select which level of Lenten disciplines you would like to resolve to do.
- Sign up with your cell phone number and email to receive daily saint & Scripture quotes
- Join us for our weekly Zoom Rosary and check-in (to encourage each other, and keep each other accountable) on Thursday nights during Lent at 9pm
If you would like to lead a decade or more of the weekly Zoom Rosary, sign up here
You can sign up for this after Mass in coming weeks, or you can sign up by emailing Fr. Joseph at frgill@diobpt.org. This is great for all ages - families, teens, adults!
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St. Jude's Family Ministry Survey Now Open!
We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete our family ministry survey so that we can gauge your needs and interests in order to plan great faith filled family activities for our Parish. You are also welcome to email Jessica Iannotta with any questions or additional suggestions at jessica.iannotta@stjuderc.com. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey! It will be open until the end of February.
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The Chosen – Season 2
Interactive Bible Study
Blessed Are the Chosen is an eight-lesson interactive Bible study for individuals or small groups based on season 2 of the groundbreaking television show, The Chosen. This study brings both the Old and New Testaments to life in an approachable and conversational way.
Join us Friday mornings from 9:30am to 11am beginning February 25th in the Social Hall
You will watch The Chosen Season 2 episodes at home and we will gather to discuss the episode and questions in the Blessed Are the Chosen Interactive Bible Study workbook which can be purchased on Amazon at the link below:
Please register with Mary Beth Rauser at 203-516-1821 or mbrauser@hotmail.com
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Food Pantry
Our mission continues…at this time the need is for canned chili, mac & cheese, jarred pasta sauce. Our most pressing requirement is for tea and boxed children’s cereal. Your continued support is greatly appreciated!
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THE BLESSED MOTHER’S ‘FLAME OF LOVE’ COMES TO ST. JUDE PARISH
WHEN: First Thursdays, each month, after 9 a.m. Mass.
WHAT: A very powerful form of the Rosary our Heavenly Mother requested from a humble Hungarian mystic between 1961-1982.
WHY: Our Lord, Jesus stated to Elizabeth Kindelmann, “The RENEWAL OF THE EARTH Will Take Place through the Power and Imploring Force of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” (Since every Lent is about renewal, perhaps this is the time to consider beginning yours in conjunction with our Holy Mother!)
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ABUNDANT GRACES are to be obtained in the practice of this devotion through the generosity of the Our Lord and His Mother! So many that the Blessed Mother told Elizabeth on August 2, 1962, “Since the Word became Flesh, I have never given such a great movement as the Flame of Love that comes to you now. Until now, there has been nothing that so BLINDS SATAN”.
If YOU would like to blind Satan and begin to receive the innumerable Graces promised by Our Lady, let us begin together to light this Flame of Love in St. Jude parish this coming week, Thursday, March 3 after the 9 a.m. Mass.
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Sr Megan Mary Thibodeau, General Sister Servant (General Superior) of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity will present our Lenten Mission this year. Sister will be speaking at all of the masses the weekend of March 19-20. She will give talks Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m and a short talk after morning masses on Monday and Tuesday . The rosary will be prayed Sunday evening, Confession will be available on Monday evening and Adoration on Tuesday evening.
The theme for the Mission is Living Faith, Hope, and Love. Sr Megan grew up in Monroe and attended St Jude School, Lauralton Hall and Franciscan University of Steubenville. Her mother, Bonnie Thibodeau and her sister, Tara Valle and family, are parishioners in the parish
SOLT is a missionary order serving the poor throughout the United States, Central America and Asia. Sr Megan currently lives in Corpus Christi, TX at their headquarters.
Sister is the first religious sister vocation from St Jude. Please come support her, our parish and enrich your Lenten experience!
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As we prepare as a parish family for our upcoming Lenten Mission, please begin to pray that it will bring much fruit to St. Jude! Please feel free to use the following prayer. Copies will be also be available in the church beginning this weekend.
Prayer for St. Jude Parish Lenten Mission
March 20 – 22, 2022
We praise you, Almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We give you thanks for all the blessings and graces you have given us. We especially thank you for the gift of our parish, St. Jude. We ask you to watch over us and draw us closer to you. We pray that we continue to grow as a community of faith in love and always place you as the center of our lives.
We humbly ask your blessings upon our upcoming Parish Lenten Mission. May it be a time of renewal and refreshment for our entire parish; may it be a time of prayer and reflection; and may it be a time to come together in Your Holy name.
We pray protection over Sr. Megan Mary, who will lead us in our Mission and we ask you to bless all the good works of her Community, the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity. May we be inspired by Sr. Megan Mary’s words of faith, hope and love!
We ask our Blessed Mother to cover our parish with her mantle of love and protection and to always lead us to her Son.
We thank you in expectation that our Parish Lenten Mission will bear much fruit and bring honor and glory to you.
We ask all these things in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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LENTEN MISSION GREETERS NEEDED
Our Lenten Mission will be held March 20-22. In advance, we are hoping to have greeters at each of the masses beginning the weekend of March 5-6, and the 12th-13th to hand our reminder cards regarding the Mission as well as greet incoming visitors and parishioners. There will also be a need for Mission greeters the weekend of March 19-20th before and after masses as well as the evening of the 20th, and on the 21st and 22nd of March in the morning at at the evening sessions.
Please consider giving just ten minutes of your time to help greet your fellow parishioners and visitors by signing up at the Sign Up Genius link below. If you have questions, please contact Diane Ganser at dlganser@yahoo.com
Thank you so much, The Lenten Mission Committee
To volunteer,
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Off The Streets would like to thank everyone for their donations to help the homeless. As a result of your generosity, Off The Streets is currently placing a mother and child and another single woman into housing
“OFF THE STREETS” is a non-profit organization helping homeless men, women and children move into an apartment by providing security deposits to landlords. Eligible individuals can afford the monthly rent but not the additional security deposit. If there is no room at a shelter, they will be out in the cold. Donations Needed: Go to www.OTSBridgeport.com or make your check out to Off The Streets and mail your donation to Off The Streets, 6948 Main Street, Trumbull, 06611. For more information, call 203-590-1501
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Ladies, do you desire to live in greater freedom? Are you longing for an authentic encounter with your true feminine identity? Join us for the Undone Women’s Conference where you will experience a weekend of truth, beauty and transformation, as the knots of Eve’s disobedience are “undone” through Mary’s model of radical receptivity.
Bring yourself, your mother, your sister, your adult daughters, and friends. This is a weekend you won’t want to miss!
Undone: Freedom for the Feminine Heart will be held at St. Pius X Parish in Fairfield, CT March 31 – April 2, 2022. This event is being offered in person OR virtually via livestream! Register online for either experience at www.jpiihealingcenter.org. Scholarships, student, and missionary discounts available.
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Parish Center available!
We are still marketing our parish center (former school building) with the hope of offsetting operation costs. Please contact the parish office for more information.
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Please remember in your daily prayers:
Marge Tranzillo, Judy-Beth Raine, Maria Bertone, Deacon Ronnie Bicknell, Marie Micholovich, Joseph Bisignano, Sr., Vincent Daniello, Dyana vander Wielen, Martha Zenobia, Joe Pinto, Ray Schwartz, Daniel Louis Bianco, Zoey Frigo, Koswenda Family, Max, Hung Vu, Jamie Addesa, Alfred Zawadski, Michael Serke, Kristen Kelly, Leroy Moye, Judy Thomas, Dr. John Kezel, and Rich Carrano
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.
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Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.
Our Petition for March is:
Lord, send forth Your Spirit and renew the
face of this troubled, fallen world...
We pray to the Lord
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Upcoming Mass Intentions
Sat Feb 26 4:00pm James Tierney, Sr.
Sun Feb 27 7:30am St. Jude Parishioners
Sun Feb 27 9:30am Frances Koch
Sun Feb 27 11:30am Jody O’Donnell Underwood
Mon Feb 28 9:00am Patty Eng
Tue Mar 1 9:00am Deceased members of the Yash and
Pekar families
Wed Mar 2 9:00am Antonio Volpe
7:00pm Jennifer Cannon
Thu Mar 3 9:00am Thomas McMullen
Sat Mar 5 4:00pm Luis and Elvira Ferreira
Sun Mar 6 7:30am St. Jude Parishioners
Sun Mar 6 9:30am Marie Goss
Sun Mar 6 11:30am Rita Benoit
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.
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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 4:00 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.
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First Saturday Rosary and Mass
Join us Saturday, March 5, 2022
The First Saturday Devotion began when
Mary explained the devotion to Lucia at Fatima, in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The devotion includes:
· Confession (shortly before or after the First Saturday)
· Holy Communion received on the First Saturday of each month
· The Holy Rosary, five decades recited sometime during the day; and
· Meditating for 15 minutes on the Mysteries of the Rosary (one or more)
We will gather in the church for recitation of the rosary at 8am with mass following at 8:30am. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available following mass for those that wish to partake.
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First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28-30
The time that we spend with Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time we will spend on earth. Please join us on the first Friday of every month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.
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St. Jude Religious Gift Shop |
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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: St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's Cards, Communion, Confirmation, statues and more. Come in and browse.
For more info call: Parish Office - 203-261-6404 or call Fran Cambra - 203-261-2573.
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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.
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Parish Office Hours
THE OFFICE HOURS ARE:
MONDAY - THURSDAY 9:00 – 3:00
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.
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St Jude Parish
707 Monroe Tpke
Monroe, CT 06468
203-261-6404
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