"Heavenly Trinity" joined to the "Earthly Trinity" through the Incarnation of the Son, by Murillo, c. 1677

Transcription

1 "Heavenly Trinity" joined to the "Earthly Trinity" through the Incarnation of the Son, by Murillo, c. 1677

2 Saint John Paul the Great Parish Saturday Vigil, December 30th :00pm St. Peter Carolyn Gluz - One Year Anniversary by Tom and family 5:30pm St. Francis Joseph Fodor by family Sunday, December 31st :30am St. Francis Intentions of all parishioners. 8:30am St. Peter Louis Renzullo by Arlene and Mark Renzullo 10:00am St. Francis Stanislaw and Stefania Sulewski & son Adam by Diulio family 11:15am St. Peter Mario, Maria and Edoardo Catramdone by Francesco and Giovaniana Nania 12:30pm St. Francis Mass in Spanish Fr. Jorge Ramirez by Fr. Carlos Zapata 5:00pm St. Peter Intentions of all parishioners. Saturday Vigil, January 6th :00pm St. Peter Katherine McCue by Legion of Mary 5:30pm St. Francis Than Pham & Se Pham by Hue Pham Sunday, January 7th :30am St. Francis Pearl Smith by the Sullivan family 8:30am St. Peter Michael Walsh by Mother 10:00am St. Francis John & Otti Cook and John H. & Mary A Zaharek by children 11:15am St. Peter Rose Silano - 8th Anniversary by family 12:30pm St. Francis Mass in Spanish Intentions of all parishioners. 5:00pm St. Peter Robert Tirloni & Frank Hayes by the Social Ministry Committee Weekday Masses Monday 1/1 8:00am St. Francis Intentions of all parishioners. Tuesday 1/2 7:00am St. Peter Frank Hayes by Joanne Nania & Jeannie Gracey Wednesday 1/3 8:00am St. Francis Richard Bedell by wife Patricia Thursday 1/4 7:00am St. Peter Michael Walsh - 3rd Anniversary by Mother Friday 1/5 8:00am St. Francis Bill Schaller by John Saturday 1/6 8:00am St. Peter Christopher Pepler by John, Ryan & Peggy Hotchkiss Parish Office will be closed Monday, January 1st If you would like a ride to Mass, Northwestern CT Transit offers a Dial-A-Ride service. Please call for more info. December 31, The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Sanctuary Candle is being burned at St. Francis in memory of Carolyn Gluz Our Worship Sites St. Francis of Assisi Main St. St. Peter East Main St. Sacred Heart Grove St. St. Mary - 85 Pulaski St. Offices Pope Saint John Paul II Pastoral Center 160 Main Street Torrington, CT Office Hours Monday thru Friday 9am - 4pm Phone: Fax: SaintJohnPaulTheGreatParish@gmail.com Bulletin Requests: SaintJohnPaulTheGreatBulletin@gmail.com JohnPaulGreatParish.com

3 My Dear Friends, We have reached the last day of And what a year 2017 was. The Catholic Church in the Hartford Archdiocese began 2017 vastly different than it has ended. 26 parishes closed, other parishes merged and formed one new parish with a new name and other parishes remained the same. There were many reasons for doing this; a shortage of priests, lack of money for maintaining buildings that weren t necessary anymore, and a dwindling number of parishioners attending Sunday Mass and a lack of interest in the sacramental life of the Church, including fewer baptisms and fewer weddings. Here in Torrington, there was much pain and sorrow for many parishioners from Sacred Heart and St. Mary s. Yet, as we have come together as one parish, under the patronage of St. John Paul the Great, I am amazed at how we have come together here in Torrington to make the best out of a sad situation. The attendance at Mass on Sunday and the weekly collection suffered a bit in July, but we have stabilized and we have been near the same number as we were in 2016 before any of these changes occurred. I am proud of the parishioners who have understood that even in the midst of darkness, the light of the Eucharist has continued to be a priority for you and your family. There is strength when we come together as a Catholic community, and I feel that we are positioning ourselves to be a community of faith that will find a newfound vitality for the church and for your families. It is my hope and my prayer for you that this year of 2018 that we become what Pope Francis calls us to be; missionary disciples. For our church in Hartford to not have to go through this restructuring plan again in the next ten years, we must be able to come together to preach the faith, to share the faith and to live the faith. That means that we must pray for vocations to the priesthood, especially priests from our own families. Please encourage your sons and grandsons to consider a vocation to the priesthood, to be open the call from God. He still calls men to the priesthood, but many times we sit back and wait for other peoples sons and grandsons to answer the call from God. We also must pray for an increase in mass attendance. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass must once again be the center of our lives, especially the center of our Sunday, if we are ever able to grow. It is two sides from the same coin. The lack of people attending Mass is closely associated with the lack of vocations to the priesthood. Where the faith is lived and shared, vocations grow. Let one of our goals in 2018 be that one young man from Torrington, from our parish of St. John Paul the Great, considers entering the seminary. I invite you to also pray for the grandson of our parishioner, Josephine Bruni, who responded to his call to the priesthood in April Fr. Joseph Keefe will be celebrating the 11:15am Mass at St Peter Church this Sunday, December 31st. On behalf of Fr. Carlos, have a blessed and Happy New Year. God bless. Fr. John Nursing Home Mass Schedule - 2pm * Mass is for the Intentions of All Parishioners * View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com 3 Saint John Paul the Great Parish Mondays: 5-7pm at St. Peter Tuesdays: 5-8pm at St. Francis Wednesdays: 5-8pm at St. Francis Thursdays: 5-8pm at St. Francis Fridays: 5-8pm at St. Francis (except 1 st Friday of the month) First Friday January 5th 24 hour Adoration 8:00am on Friday until 8:00am Saturday Sacred Heart The doors will be locked in the evenings for safety. Please ring bell at side door.

4 St. Peter/St. Francis Cafe St. John Paul the Great Parish WELCOMES Deacon Ernest Scrivani, Director of the Office of Pastoral Planning as he presents Living as Missionary Disciples As the Director of the Office of Pastoral Planning, Deacon Ernie Scrivani is responsible for guiding the process of strategic pastoral planning at the Archdiocesan, Vicariate, Deanery and Parish levels. His presentation will provide a road map to "new paths for the Church's journey". It will offer principles that dioceses and parishes can apply to their efforts as missionary disciples. Rev. Joseph Frederick Keefe grandson of parishioner Josephine Bruni, was ordained to the priesthood in Rome on April 29, Father Joseph On this Feast of the Holy Family, share an expression of gratitude for the gift of your family today. Pray for wholeness and holiness for all members of the family of God. If a member of your family is considering becoming a priest, deacon, brother, or sister have them Call Fr. Jeffrey Gubbiotti, Director of Vocations Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary, or vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at 4 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 31, 2017 will celebrate the 11:15am Mass at St Peter Church this Sunday, December 31st Please give him a warm welcome as he begins his priestly ministry in the United States. You are invited to join Fr. John Mondays from 12-1pm Sacred Heart for a holy hour Praying for priests. Adoration Scriptural rosary Silence Litany to Christ the High Priest followed by Benediction

5 Contributions to our parish for the week of December 17, 2017 $16, Staff Pastor: Rev. John C. Granato Parochial Vicar: Rev. Carlos Zapata Deacons: Roy Dungan Peter Hyde Richard Hamel Religious Education The greatest gift that you can give to your child is the gift of faith given at Baptism Sunday, January, 14th we will remember all those baptized throughout the year. We invite all newly baptized children, their godparents and their families to the 11:15am Mass at St. Peter Church Followed by a reception in the Hall. El mejor Regalo que le podemos dar a un niño, Es el Regalo de la fe en el Bautismo. Ven con nuestra Familia de la Parroquia a celebrar a aquellos Que Fueron Bautizados el año pasado Domingo, Enero 14 Grades K Jen Owens Cell: Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatReligousEd@gmail.com Office of Youth Ministry Middle School EDGE/Youth Group Marlene Carrier: Cell Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatYouth@gmail.com High School Confirmation Program Donna Puzacke: Cell Call/TEXT JohnPaulGreatConfirmation@gmail.com Pastoral Minister: Peg O Meara Music Director: Francine Gryniuk Organist: Bill Mackstutis Office Staff: Anita Ressel Toni Tavano, Rose McMahon Trustees: John Janco Monica Diulio St. Peter / St. Francis School Principal Jo-Anne Gauger Esta invitacion es para todos los Nuevos Bautisados, sus padrinos y familiars. Tendremos una recepcion en el Hall siguido de la misa. Please pray for Marion Beecher Grove Roys III Delfina Sawoska Angela Carbone Smith Weronika Kalwara Zenobia Zebielski recently deceased members of our parish family. 5 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com Sacraments Sacrament of Marriage: Arrangements for Marriage are made by calling the Parish Office to schedule an appointment with one of the priests at least six months in advance of desired wedding date. Sacrament of the Sick: Anyone who is seriously ill, advanced in age or preparing for surgery may receive. Please call the Parish Office to arrange. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: For adults who wish to become Catholic or for Catholic Adults who have not yet received the Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation. Contact the Parish Office for more details. Sacrament of Baptism: Please call the Parish Office to arrange. Preparation class is held on the first Tuesday of the month, at 6:30 pm at the Pope Saint John Paul II Pastoral Center. Homebound or Hospitalized? If you, or someone you know is homebound and would like to receive Holy Communion, or hospitalized and would like a In Need of Prayers? Please call... Cheryl at to be added to our Prayer Line.

6 Defending Our Religious Liberty Religious freedom is a precious right. It is also a necessary right necessary for all people and all societies if they are to flourish. Scholars have shown that when religious freedom for all is protected in law and valued in culture, it brings with it political stability, equality for women, economic growth, and social harmony. Let us pray that when the federal health care mandate is changed, religious freedom is safeguarded for all people. Scripture Discussion Group Please join this fun-filled and inspiring group as we enrich our understanding of the readings from last weekend s Holy Mass. Scripture Discussion Group meets on Mondays from 6 7:30pm in the John Paul II Pastoral Center. Please enter through the kitchen door. Solidarity Council #55 to learn about a new program and how you can help the will attend MASS in a Body at St. Francis Church at 10am on January 7th Members will meet at 9:30 in the Pastoral Center. Following MASS ALL Parishioners are invited for coffee and pastries in the Pastoral Center. We would like to wish all parishioners a Merry Christmas and Holy New Year from St. John Paul the Great Holy Name Society Torrington Council of Catholic Women is planning a trip to the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven to view the exhibit We will leave Torrington from the Sacred Heart parking lot at 9am on Tuesday, January 9th Following the exhibit, we will enjoy lunch at Abate Restaurant in New Haven. The bus will cost $10 and lunch will be on your own. RSVP to Joann at if you plan to attend Holy Rosary Society of St. John Paul the Great Parish There will be no monthly meeting in January and February. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, March 6th St. John Paul the Great pray for us. 6 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 31, 2017 This program allows you to participate in meetings and events at your pace. However, if you still have questions about this program or the Knights, call or for more information. A heartfelt thanks to all the bakers who made our bake sale a success by donating your time and talent! Another heartfelt thank you goes to all who purchased cookies, the proceeds of which have been donated to St. John Paul the Great Parish. See you next year!! THE COOKIE SALE COMMITTEE Carol Anderson Emily Barbero Cynthia Battistoni Marisa Battistoni Corrine Beecher Mary Bierfeldt Carole Bielik Louise Binelli Janice Boulli Linda Brochu Josie Bruni Donna Bruno Elisa Calabrese Philomena Calabrese Betty Cantu Irene Cavanagh Celestina Centi Joan Colangelo Louise Colangelo Annemarie Corrolo Lisa Crowley Mary Deanzeris Stacey Deloy Marie DiPippo Carolyn Dombeck Betty Dowd Pat Fairchild Audrey Feurenstein Carol Finn Nicole Fragione Marlene Frigo Ann Galgano Donna Georgescu Dolores Gerardi Marie Gervasini Mrs. Joan Granato Claire Hanisco Mary Kehough Bernadette Krayeski Susanne LaMothe Della Lenart Gina Leto Ruth Ann Loder Anita Martin Anna Mae Marola Joanne & Olivia Matarese Mary Jane Mazzarelli Stephanie Mazzarelli Chris McCarthy Mary Melaragno Becky Mogob Marisa Mogob Jordan Mogob Mooney Dan Moran Peggy O'Meara Sandy Onderdonk Brenda Paniati Marie Paganini Carol Pappalardo Vicky Parente Fran Pescatore Colleen Platt Kerry Platt Kyla Platt Jenna & Tracie Reichen Anita Ressel MaryAnn Ring Chris Ritter Christine Rosa Lise Rushlow Sandy Santamaria Pauline Sartori Vittoria Savocchia Maryann Seiser Crissy Shanahan Janina Szymanski Toni Tavano John Teti Carmy Tromba Joe Villareale Maurette Wall Melissa Martin Wallace Carol Grynuik Weinstein Penny Zucco

7 St. John Paul the Great Parish will host The ABC s of ANNULMENT th Thursday, January pm at Sacred Heart Church basement 116 Grove Street Members of the Annulment Team Br. Larry Lussier CSC, Deacon Robert Macaluso, Deacon George Fredrick and Jim Tottenham will review the changes in the annulment process initiated by Pope Francis as well as those made in the Archdiocese of Hartford. They will help participants in writing their application in the follow-up workshops on Thursday, January 18th Thursday, January 25th & Thursday, February 1st from 7-9pm also in the church hall. The ABC s of Annulment event is open to all. A donation is requested to defray the cost of printed materials. NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. For further information call, Brother larlus300sbcglobal.net Give the Gift of a Memory Brick in Mary s Memorial Garden Just $75 for a personalized brick paver. Name_ Address City State Zip Phone_ Worldwide Marriage Encounter The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me. Let your spirits be augmented by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. For more information, call Dennis & Jane Lamondy at or visit them at Tickets SACRED HEART CANDLES Saint Ann: Agnes Nar dine Lipinski Saint Theresa: Lestinsky and Dudley Families WE THANK YOU for your continued support of our youth activities through the donation of your Redeemable BOTTLES/CANS Which may be dropped off in front of the St. Francis Garage 24/7. 7 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com as of June the new price will be Please note: NOW for pizza only All previously sold $10 Dinner/Pizza tickets will gladly be honored at $ 12 Available at the Pastoral Center or call St. Peter/St. Francis School ANGEL FUND Our Angel Fund is a used for tuition assistance for our students. Any size gift would go far to help a family afford Catholic education. Checks may be made out to St. John Paul the Great Parish Please note that it is for the Angel Fund. Drop any Boxtops for Education into canisters found at the entrances of St. Peter and St. Francis Churches to benefit St. Peter/St. Francis School

8 Comunidad Hispana EUCARISTIA DOMINICAL SERVICIOS: POSIBILIDAD DE CONFESIONES, DIRECCION ESPIRITUAL, INSCRIPCION DE INTENCIONES PARA LA EUCARISTIA DOMINICAL, INFORMACION SOBRE LOS SACRAMENTOS DE BAUTISMO, PRIMERA COMUNION, CONFIRMACION, MATRIMONIO, QUINCEAÑERAS Y CATEQUESIS PARA ADULTOS. _ We gather Sunday evenings beginning with the Life Teen 5pm Lifeteen/EDGE immediately following 6-7:30pm Christmas Break December 18 January 6th Calendars can be found at JohnPaulGreatParish.com come to the Upper Room Saturday, January 6th 1st Saturday s Middle School Volleyball/Basketball/Dodgeball Wii Just Dance/Air Hockey/Foosball Peter Hall the Upper Room Saturday, January 13th 2nd Saturday s High School Volleyball/Basketball/Dodgeball Wii Just Dance/Air Hockey/Foosball Peter Hall the Upper Room MUST RSVP by noon on day of event Marlene Carrier Cell call/text $5 Donation Pizza/Soda/Ice cream January We invite you to join with hundreds of thousands (many of which are teens) who respectfully march for the right to life, praying for an end to abortion. Marching from the National Mall up Capitol Hill to the steps of the Supreme Court as we recall the 45th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Office of Youth Ministry Marlene Carrier Donna Puzacke Cell The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 31, 2017 Todos los Martes 5:30 6:30PM Centro de Pastoral Juan Pablo II _ CHARLAS PREBAUTISMALES Requisitos: Asistir a la clase padr es y padr inos. Traer el acta de nacimiento del niño (a). Si los padrinos son pareja, deben estar casados por la Iglesia. Llegar puntuales a la conferencia. Llenar el formato para la inscripción bautismal. Dar una donación voluntaria a la Parroquia por el Sacramento. Traer fija la fecha y la hora de la ceremonia del Bautismo. (Por favor llamar a la oficina para registrarse o al Lourdes - Charla Pre-Bautismal: 3er Viernes de cada mes. Centro de Pastoral Juan Pablo II 6:00 7:00PM Ceremonia De Bautismo: 4to domingo de cada mes a la 12:30pm Grupos Apostolicos Y Coordinadores Pastoral Hispana Servidores del Altar / Monaguillos: Elvia Orellana Legion de Maria: Jose Guambana Evangelizacion: Orlando Orellana Liturgia/Sacristia: Roberto Castillo RICA/Ministerios Musicales/Catequesis: Lourdes Rodriguez Pastoral Social: Doris Ramirez Ministros Extraordinarios de la Comunion: Carmen Fernandez Monitores y Lectores: Sonia Sanchez Ujieres/Ministros de Acogida: Honorato Nunez Pastoral Familiar: Yuneris Owens Movimiento Juan XXIII: Maria Colon Movimiento Juan XXIII 7 PM Martes. En las instalaciones de Sacred Heart Church (ubicada detrás del templo de Sacred Heart) El Movimiento Juan XXIII busca trabajar por aquellos alejados de la Iglesia y marginados de la sociedad, anunciándoles el Evangelio, mediante una espiritualidad de auténtico servicio, enmarcada en el Amor, la Entrega y el Sacrificio y expresada en esta opción de vida: Con Cristo Todo, Sin Cristo Nada.

9 WELCOME WEDNESDAYS 9-11am Come tour our school and see our students in action! January is also Catholic Schools Month! In addition to Welcome Wednesdays there is an OPEN HOUSE on Tuesday January 16th from 6pm to 7:30pm and Sunday January 28th from 11am to 1pm Visit our science and technology labs! Watch our students in physical education class! Visit each classroom from Pre-K to Junior High Meet our teachers! Learn about our afterschool program and extracurricular activities! Tuition assistance available ST. PETER/ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL 360 Prospect Street - Torrington Check out our Facebook page! spsfschool.net Pro-Life Ministry Meeting Monday, January 8th JPII Pastoral Center We will be collecting DIAPERS for TWO HEARTS on January 22nd in connection with our Witness to Life. The Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center offers free assistance and support to young women, men and couples who are pregnant, as well as new parents. As a Catholic organization our mission is to assist those in need and foster a respect for life, born and unborn, as a reflection of Christ s love for everyone. We are not here to preach to our clients, but to meet and aid them wherever they are in their lives. Once your baby is born, Two Hearts continues to support you and your baby. We offer parenting classes, baby clothes, and other goods and resources to help ensure that both you and baby get off to a safe, happy, healthy start. Two Hearts is the pro-life message of the Catholic Church in action. We are here to help. Call our 24 Hour Phone Line at for free, confidential support This does not require a huge time commitment. It can be as little or as much as you can offer. Please prayerfully consider if you are called to be a part of this very important ministry. On the Agenda... January March for Life January 22 Adoration/Candlelight Procession/Mass Anyone wishing to SPONSOR A TEEN TO THE MARC H FOR LIFE please contact us. Thank you. 9 Saint John Paul the Great Parish View our bulletin online: JohnPaulGreatParish.com Office of Youth Ministry or