Holy Trinity Catholic Church 15 Route 37 Center Sherman, CT 06784 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. November 11, 2018 ~ The Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 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 email parishoffice@htrccsherman.org Web Site www.htrccsherman.org Office phone 860-354-1414 Faith Formation phone 860-355-1483 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 AUGUST OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday, & Thursday 10am-2pm
Holy Trinity Church Dear Parishioners: Sherman, Connecticut Pastor s Corner Saturday, November 10 5:00pm Christopher Winkler Sunday, November 11 8:30am For Holy Trinity parishioners Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 11:00am Christopher Gabriel r/b Jacob & Gabriel families Monday, November 12 9:00am For all parish veterans Tuesday, November 13 8:00am Helen & Frank Byrne and the Cleary Family Wednesday, November 14 No Mass Thursday, November 15 8:00am For Sarah Tommoney r/b John McGrath Friday, November 16 8:00am All souls Saturday, November 17 5:00pm Emma & Ted Winkler Sunday, November 18 8:30am For Holy Trinity parishioners Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 11:00am Esther Makowski r/b Czarnick Family Our Gospel this weekend gives us an opportunity to reflect on the Christian value of generosity. There are many ways in which we might evaluate the generosity behind a gift or donation. For example, was it something needed by the recipient? Was it useful to the recipient? Was it something that the donor had too many of? Was it something that the donor no longer had use for? How much of a tax write off will the donor get? Or, we might look at a gift/donation in terms of its value... how much did it cost the donor and how much is the donation or gift worth? But, Our Lord tells us today that His standard is rather different. He tells us that the true value of a donation or gift is to be found in the degree of sacrifice that it took for the donor to give it. No doubt, there are times when each of us wishes that we could do more or give more. We may even feel at times that our charitable giving is not what we really want it to be. Our Lord tells us that while the world may look first at the value of the gift, He looks first at the degree of sacrifice the gift represents. Thus, our gifts are especially pleasing to God when they are given sacrificially. God bless you, Fr. Gemza Readings for the week of November 11, 2018 Sunday: 1 Kgs 17:10-16/Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 [1b]/ Heb 9:24-28/Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44 Monday: Ti 1:1-9/Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 [cf. 6]/Lk 17:1-6 Tuesday: Ti 2:1-8, 11-14/Ps 37:3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29 [39a]/ Lk 17:7-10 Wednesday: Ti 3:1-7/Ps 23:1b-3a, 3bc-4, 5, 6 [1]/Lk 17:11-19 Thursday: Phlm 7-20/Ps 146:7, 8-9a, 9bc-10 [5a]/Lk 17:20-25 Friday: 2 Jn 4-9/Ps 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18 [1b]/Lk 17:26-37 Saturday: 3 Jn 5-8/Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6/Lk 18:1-8 Next Sunday: Dn 12:1-3/Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11 [1]/Heb 10:11-14, 18/Mk 13:24-32 Monday November 12th VETERANS DAY Mass at 9am and Parish Office Closed SAVE THE DATE Come to a talk on the Sacrament of Reconciliation Tuesday November 20th at 7pm at Holy Trinity Church. For more information please see inside the bulletin
The Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time November 11, 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, Stephen & Joan Roll, Paula DeSimone, Matthew Hatcher, Alison Thomas, Katie McLaughlin, Tim Cornelis, Kim D Esposito, Sylvia Bunyon, Rich Scampoli, Dominic Fazzone, Irene Sakal, William Jayne, Carol Gershkowitz, Paul Hart and all of their caregivers. The men and women in the Armed Forces, their families and loved ones, and all who protect us. May they be shielded from danger. Jonathan Seeger, Matthew Frizzell, Rachel Berger, Corey Celik, Megan Meenan, Mark Francis Erhardt, Katie Hogan, Brendan McGrath and Jayden Hicks. HOLY TRINITY RELIGIOUS FORMATION Please watch the bulletin for schedule as well as for special Masses with the children. CONFIRMATION SUNDAYS November 11,18.12:15-1:45 Grades 1-4 SUNDAYS November 11...9:45-10:45 Grades 5,6,& 7 TUESDAYS November 13, B....5:15-7:30 Tuesday November 20, at 7pm HOLY TRINITY OFFERTORY Weekend 11/3-11/4 $3,511.00 All Saints $342.00 All Souls $ 80.00 Thank you for your continued support. Talk on Reconciliation Fr. Robert Wolfe All are welcome to attend Please keep the children and their catechist in prayer CENTERING PRAYER Our Holy Trinity Centering Prayer group will gather in the chapel at the church on Wednesday evening, November 14th from 7:30-8:45. After a short presentation about this Prayer of the Heart, we will sit in silent meditation for 20 minutes to shift our focus from our busy brains so that we can ponder the God s awesome Divine Love deep in our hearts. We use a sacred word (ie. Jesus, Lord) as a personal mantra or our breath to help keep our focus on the Indwelling Holy Spirit at the spiritual center of our being. If 20 minutes of silence seems too long for you at first, you can hold the pondering silence for a while, then switch to a silent rosary to keep your spiritual focus and still your busy mind. Those new to Centering Prayer are most welcome. Come and experience the peace of this beautiful Christian meditation.
Holy Trinity Church Sherman, Connecticut Is this the least thought about Sacrament? You are invited to a talk on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Father Robert Wolfe from St. Mary in Bethel will give an informational talk on a possibly misunderstood sacrament. Come and learn more about the powerful grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Tuesday November 20 at 7pm. Coffee and fellowship to follow
The Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time November 11, 2018 GOSPEL MEDITATION - ENCOURAGE DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE November 11, 2018 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time In 1 Samuel, God advises the prophet Samuel not to observe as men see but as God sees. He tells him to "look to the heart." This is the movement of this Sunday's Gospel reading. "Beware the scribes," Jesus advises. He points out their public greetings and "seats of honor," which stands in sharp contrast to their private greed. For the Jewish people of Jesus' day, honor resides at the top. Power and prestige created a high profile back then as it still does today. After his warning, Jesus turns his disciples' attention elsewhere: a poor widow. "She, from her poverty, has contributed all she had." While the scribes donated large sums to the temple, they did so "from their surplus wealth." This woman -- in her faith and devotion -- offers "her whole livelihood." Jesus invited his disciples to see with God's eyes, to recognize a holy life in people the world overlooks. Here -- in the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalized -- God waits hidden. Today's Gospel begs a few questions. What do we see? Whom do we value? Are we impressed by the pomp and circumstance of modern day Pharisees? Do we ignore their self-righteousness because it looks impressive, even seems somewhat helpful? The point isn't to judge the scribes, of course. God can see their hearts as well, and those assessments are firmly his responsibility. The point is to turn our eyes from the typically honored to the rarely respected. Are we disinterested in the poverty of the modern day widows? Do we ignore their faith because we forget to look for it? This Sunday, consider the widows in your own life. Who can you see with God's eyes? Everyday Stewardship What does sacrifice look like? I think of those who serve in the Armed Forces. They have sacrificed much for my freedom and to work towards real peace in our world. I think of those in service to our Church: priests, deacons, and religious. Their lives are dedicated to prayer and good works so that the Good News might not only be preached but be seen in the love they display toward God and their fellow brothers and sisters. I think of parents who stay up long nights with sick children and then one day find themselves staying up even longer as they wait for them to return home. I think of teachers who work hard to educate the next generation of citizens with low salaries and little respect. I can see sacrifice all around me. I think you can see it, too, if you look. However, I also see too many seeking to get ahead at the expense of others. I see those who have so much and only crave for more. I see those caught up in themselves to the point where families fall apart, friendships disappear, and people literally die from a lack of compassion. I see many who have forgotten where all their gifts in this world came from, if they even knew in the first place. I think of all those who sacrifice and see all those who do the opposite. May our eyes see more of those who are generous. May we never focus on those who have forsaken others more than those who have given freely to others. May the witness of true sacrifice show us the way to the Father and to a world full of His love. --Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS
Holy Trinity Church Sherman, Connecticut
The Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time November 11, 2018 Sharing the Gospel God wants us to be humble, and he wants us to share our blessings. So many people Jesus met were proud, and they thought they deserved special treatment. Other people were rich, but they took what they wanted first and gave God what was left. The poor widow in today's Gospel got it right. She quietly gave to God all she had. Prayer Dear God, help me to quietly give you the best of all that you have given me. Mission for the Week If you have a piggy bank, take money out and give it to God next Sunday. Shhhh! Remember to give it to God quietly.