Second Sunday of Easter. April 8, 2018 ~ Second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy. BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS: Please contact the parish office

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1 Holy Trinity Catholic Church 15 Route 37 Center Sherman, CT PARISH MISSION STATEMENT We are Holy Trinity Catholic community of faith. We are a diverse and welcoming community of believers in Jesus Christ. We are energized and empowered by Christ s love, forgiveness and healing. We strive to experience and make Him known to others through joyful worship, heartfelt prayer, formative education, life giving service and supportive fellowship. April 8, 2018 ~ Second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy Second Sunday of Easter Pastor Rev. Richard J. Gemza frgemza@htrccsherman.org Director of Faith Formation Michele Curnan mcurnan@htrccsherman.org Director of Music Rob Brereton rbrereton@htrccsherman.org Parish office parishoffice@htrccsherman.org Web Site Office phone Faith Formation phone WEEKEND MASSES: Sat. vigil 5:00pm, Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am WEEKDAY MASS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:00am BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS: Please contact the parish office SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Saturday 4:15pm or by appointment OFFICE HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 10am-2pm

2 Holy Trinity Church Sherman, Connecticut Saturday, April 7 5:00pm Mary Burke r/b Sue & Jerry Moga Sunday, April 8 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER 8:30am Andrew & Martha Burke r/b John & Andrea O'Connor 11:00am For Holy Trinity Parishioners Monday, April 9 8:00am Mary Ellen Rizza Tuesday, April 10 8:00am Helen & Frank Byrnes and The Cleary Family Wednesday, April 11 No Mass Thursday, April 12 8:00am Kateri Isabel Ibana r/b Ella & Charlie Bocompani Friday, April 13 8:00am All Souls Saturday, April 14 5:00pm Diane Alfama r/b Bob & Rosemary Bradshaw Sunday, April 15 Third Sunday of Easter 8:30am Pat Turro r/b Gail Turro 11:00am For Holy Trinity Parishioners Readings for the week of April 8, 2018 Sunday: Acts 4:32-35/Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, [1]/1 Jn 5:1-6/Jn 20:19-31 Monday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10/Ps 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11 [8a, 9a]/Heb 10:4-10/Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37/Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5 [1a]/Jn 3:7b-15 Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26/Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [7a]/Jn 3:16-21 Thursday: Acts 5:27-33/Ps 34:2 and 9, 17-18, [7a]/Jn 3:31-36 Friday: Acts 5:34-42/Ps 27:1, 4, [cf. 4abc]/Jn 6:1-15 Saturday: Acts 6:1-7/Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, [22]/Jn 6:16-21 Next Sunday: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19/Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 [7a]/1 Jn 2:1-5a/Lk 24:35-48 HOLY TRINITY OFFERTORY Good Friday-Holy Land March 30, 2018.$ Easter March 31-April 1, 2018.$8, Monthly....$2, Thank you for your continued support.

3 Second Sunday of Easter April 8, 2018 REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS Amos Munch, Caitlin Pallas, Jack Lago, Theresa Pepe, Nancy Grenier, Michael Norel, Jane Smith, Patricia Boyle, Patricia Repko, Joyce & Bob Kenney, Glenn Hawley, Stephen & Joan Roll, Paula DeSimone, Matthew Hatcher, Alison Thomas, Katie McLaughlin, Tim Cornelis, Kim D Esposito, Sylvia Bunyon, Rich Scampoli,Dominic Fazzone, Irene Sakal and for all of their caregivers. Also, pray for the men and women in the Armed Forces, their families and loved ones, and all who protect us. May they be shielded from danger. Please pray for Jonathan Seeger, Matthew Frizzell, Rachel Berger, Corey Celik, Megan Meenan, Mark Francis Erhardt, Katie Hogan and Brendan McGrath RETREAT DAY OF PRAYER The demands of our world pull at us from every side. This retreat is an opportunity to go deeper into our hearts to encounter the Divine One in a sacred place of healing and transformation. You are invited to this retreat presented by Fr. Bill Sheehan, OMI who will lead us in a day about Centering Prayer at Caritas Christi Center in Hamden, CT on April 21 st from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $35. Bring your own lunch, beverages and desserts will be provided. Register online for Finding the Place of the Heart as the Path to Transformation at co-ct.org/caritaschristievent.html or call Sr. Jeanne Marie Vonder Haar ( ). Call Ray or Polly Kelley ( ) for car pooling information or any questions. All are welcome Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear. As we celebrate Palm Sunday, let us keep our ears open to the love from our spouses and God by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. The next Weekends are Jul 6-8, 2018 in MANCHESTER, CT and Nov 2-4, 2018 in MANCHESTER, CT. For more information, call Pat & Mary-Jo McLaughlin at or visit them at wwmectw.org/. April 2018 Schedule Grades 1-3 Sunday 9:45-10:45am 4/8, 4/29 Monday 3:15-4:30 4/9, 4/23, 4/30 Retreat for 1st Eucharist Sat. 4/ st Eucharist Saturday May 5, at 10am Grades 4 Sunday 9:45-10:45am 4/8 Closing Mass for program May 7 at 630pm Open registration after Mass, early bird prices Meetings for students and parents in 6 and 7 grades after Mass CENTERING PRAYER Our Holy Trinity Centering Prayer group will gather at the home of Ray and Polly Kelley at 11 Orchard Rest Rd. in Sherman on Wednesday evening, April 11th from 7:30-8:45. Centering Prayer is a form of silent meditation taught by Trappist monks to sharpen our awareness of the Divine Presence within. Fr. Thomas Merton brought this powerful prayer to laypeople and Fr. Thomas Keating keeps this contemplative tradition alive and well today. We are taking seriously the words of St. Paul when he said, Surely you know that you are God s temple and that God s Spirit lives in you. (1 Cor 3:16) Come to see if this type of quiet prayer with roots in the early mystical tradition of the Catholic Church will help you grow as you travel your personal journey of faith. Those new to Centering Prayer are most welcome. For questions and/or directions, please call Polly or Ray Kelley at ( ).

4 Holy Trinity Church Sherman, Connecticut PRAYING THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET Begin with the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed. Using regular rosary beads, work your way around the five decades with the prayers below. On the standalone beads, pray: "Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood, soul, and divinity of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." On the decade beads, pray: "For the sake of his sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." At the end, pray the following three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." It is typical to conclude the Divine Mercy Chaplet with the words: "Jesus, I trust in you." Over the years many corporations in the Diocese have participated in the Matching Gift Program. When making your pledge to the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal, please consult with your employer to determine if they match gifts. If your company does participate the Diocese of Bridgeport or its designated agencies such as Catholic Charities or the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport may quality for these additional funds. The company match will increase the dollar amount received at no extra cost to you. A list of Matching Gift Companies has been posted to our website, For further information please contact the Development Office at (203) or us at 2018ACA@diopt.org

5 Second Sunday of Easter April 8, 2018 GOSPEL MEDITATION - ENCOURAGE DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE April 8, nd Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday Should we be a little easier on Thomas? The last few days have been a whirlwind. On Thursday, a Passover celebration went horribly awry as Jesus was betrayed and taken into custody for unstated crimes. Less than 24 hours later, the simple arrest has turned into a death sentence to be carried out that very afternoon. Most of the disciples fled, including Thomas. He would have heard of the events of Good Friday secondhand, in shock over the death of his Lord and Master. Then Sunday morning arrives with joy from a few disciples-jesus is risen! But there is no persistent sight of him, only Mary Magdalene's quick moment in the garden and an empty tomb. Another day passes. The Apostles are gathered that Monday night, but Thomas is absent. He returns to a jubilant report of the risen Lord. Again, Thomas has seen nothing. The experience must have been surreal. Did Jesus really appear raised from the dead? Did he really suffer and die? Has all of this been some strange hoax? Desperate for an answer, Thomas insists, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." After his resurrection, Jesus' body--mangled and bloody from the crucifixion--is restored. Did it need the scars? A perfected body would have taught us one lesson: everything is renewed as it once was, the past erased. Jesus chooses another lesson, however. He retains his scars that we might know him. In the whirlwind of our lives, we make our own mistakes, our own betrayals and compromises. In the resurrected Jesus, we see a God who does not forget his own sorrow. We are invited to meet him--wound for wound--and place our hand on his own nail-scarred palm, the eternal sign of his everlasting mercy.

6 Holy Trinity Church Sherman, Connecticut Sharing the Gospel In today's Gospel, Thomas had a hard time believing his friends. Jesus was alive! They saw Jesus! Well, Thomas could not believe it. He needed proof. Thomas wanted to see Jesus for himself. Thomas wanted to touch Jesus' scars on his hands and his side. Once Thomas did that, then he would believe. You may have doubting friends like Thomas. Be patient with them. Do not get angry with them. Love them instead, and gently tell the truth about Jesus. Ask Jesus to open their hearts, so they can believe in him, too. Prayer.. God, help me to be patient with my doubting friends. Show them that Jesus is their savior, too. Mission for the Week. Talk to God about a friend who does not believe in Jesus. Ask God to give you the right words to say about Jesus. Then ask God to help you be patient.

7 Second Sunday of Easter April 8, 2018