A Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford Twelh Sunday in Ordinary Time 25 June 2017 Sacrament of Reconciliaon: Saturday from 4:00 p.m. unl 4:30 p.m. Monday from 6:00 p.m. unl 7:00 p.m. Bapsms and Bapsmal Preparaon: Choir Pracces: Bullen Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. 265 Straon Brook Road, Box 184, West Simsbury, Conneccut 06092 WELCOME! The St. Catherine Parish Legacy Fund is commied to Please consider a gi in lieu of flowers upon a Administrave Assistant Director of Religious Educaon Facilies Manager Mr. Mike Counho Mr. Sco Muryasz Mr. Steven Morea, 860 658 9630
WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS ; ; requested by his family; ; ; ; Rev. James C. Rush; ; ; Offertory Collection Weekly Collection: $8,202.66 Loose Cash/Checks $1,306.00 Envelopes $6,896.66 Cathedraticum* -$ 451.15 School Tax* -$ 451.15 *Parish taxes (5.5%) paid to the Archdiocese for services to the parish. Repair & Refurbishment $156.00(additional) Annual Bake Sale; Religious Education News YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS Sanctuary Lamp Memorial You might have noticed a new matching sanctuary lamp, purchased by a parishioner, next to the Tabernacle altar. The red-globe lamp burns as a sign of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist reposed in the Tabernacle. As in most Catholic Churches, this Sanctuary Lamp may be lit in memory of deceased loved ones for 8 days and listed in the parish bulletin. You may call Lisa Cerchia in the parish office, 658 1642, for details. This weeks the candle burns in memory of Tommy Tanski, anniversary remembrance, requested by his family.
Candles and Masses and Prayers O Why? You may have noticed a recent announcement in the parish bulletin regarding the new, red-globed Sanctuary lamp next to the Tabernacle, which remains lighted to signify the presence of Christ in the form of Holy Communion in the Tabernacle; and the candle may be lit to burn in memory of a loved one. Perhaps you have wondered why we announce, at the conclusion of the Gloria at the beginning of Mass, that this Mass is being celebrated in memory of the noble soul of, or you might have wondered why so many folks are lighting candles at the Mary Statue before or after Mass or even just during the whole of the day or why we offer a prayer intention book for your personal prayer needs? These things, and many others, are what the Catholic Church calls traditions with a small t in our faith. They are devotions which the Church offers so that the faithful you and I might carry on the Spiritual Works of Mercy, which asks us to pray for the souls of those who have died and for us to offer prayers for the various needs of others, the world and the Church. But why? Our Church teaches that those who have died still need our prayers. Even the most wonderfully Catholic person, who never missed a Mass, never said a disparaging word, who never sinned, might still need our prayers. Who knows, maybe there was a broken relationship or a sinful thought, or a weakness that lived secretly within them. And as we recall the Church s teaching on Purgatory yes the Church does believe in Purgatory where one s soul needs to be purified and made right with God prior to their entrance into heaven, we are called to pray for them. We, the living, have an obligation and a duty to pray for the souls in Purgatory and for all people who have died, for their eternal life with God. For thousands of years Catholics have been praying the rosary, lighting candles, celebrating Masses and doing other spiritual works as well as corporal works of mercy not only for the building up of the Common Good or justice but also that souls might enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I certainly hope that after I have died, someone will still hold to the tradition of praying for my unworthy soul. Prayer is powerful. I have experienced the amazing effects of others praying for me. Prayer works! Let us build upon the Church s tradition of praying for others those we love and miss and those we have never known, and so not only assist their souls with God but in this we will also learn to pray and dialogue with God and so come to know His will in our own lives. Light up! Pray Up! And Mass Up! It does a body and a soul good! Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time This Sunday the Gospel of Matthew speaks to us about the following: (a) how much God loves us, (b) everything that we say, do and think and even what we choose not to say, do or think our Father already knows we can keep nothing from God, not even our intent; and finally, (c) that if we acknowledge Christ before others family, friends, business associates, everyone then Christ will acknowledge us before God in heaven. So the question to ask ourselves is: What are we going to do with this information? We simple need to live our lives from family relationships, in our marriages, to the ways we treat, raise and form our children in faith, to the choices and ethics we employ at work, in our friendships, to the love which God commands us to have with others love your enemy by extending our comfort levels of love to those beyond our family and friends. I guess the easiest way to say this is that we have to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. We need to be bold about proclaiming our God. Putting the reality of faith into our daily activities of life is much more difficult than it sounds. You might feel that as I proclaim today s Gospel that it is easy to read it, hard to live it. We are all equally called by the Father to be active, bold and fully participating disciples in our lives if we hope to be acknowledge by Christ before the Heavenly Father. God has asked us to use the gifts and talents the blessings He has bestowed upon us boldly, to the fullest extent of our individual circumstances. Whether we are abundant in resources or find ourselves more like the lady in the parable of the Widow s Mite. God has given us much rich or poor, male or female, white or of color, high and mighty or lowly and simple to be His servants, brothers and sisters to all. In Eucharistic Prayer Two we hear these powerful words: Thank You for counting us worthy to be in Your Presence and minister to You. For it is truly in ministering to others that we minister to God. In that simple one line of the Eucharistic Prayer we should recognize the boldness or joyfulness that we should use to proclaim our faith. We need not worry about what others might think of us, for the only concern with which we should worry about is that our loving Lord will gladly recognize each of us before the Father. Heaven awaits us. Joy and perfection is in store for us. Love and unending glory is the home in which our Eternity shall be built, if only we proclaim His goodness and blessings, His hope and Joy now. Why is joy a positive form of boldness for it motivates us, the key word in today s gospel? If God knows every secret or quiet intention of our lives today and that they will be revealed later, then we must consider our intent much like the intent or motivating action behind our actions. This is the essence of putting our faith into action, what motivates us to do this or that, for example, why do I go to Confession, is my confession based on a fear of spending eternity in hell or am I seeking to do what is righteous or please to the Father because that is the perfect thing to be? The word perfect does not mean without fault but rather that it is aligned to righteousness or doing something because it is what God wishes us to do. As a young student in Catholic school, today s gospel message always was scary. When I would hear that God knows everything and will reveal every secret many nights I would wonder about things and worry that a big spot light would shine on all the wrong things I did. But the fear of childhood faith must mature and come to be a faith that inspires and directs us to the righteous choices, not one made out of fear but one filled with eternal hope and desire, so that we act as Godly as humanly possible. Praise God in His Goodness and thankfully there is repentance and forgiveness.
Upcoming Meetings/Events JUNE JULY Cave Quest June 26th-30th, 9:15a.m.-12 Noon. The Count down has begun and WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you would like to be involved in this wonderful program for St. Catherine's youth, please contact Colleen Tighe, (860) 951-2679. Social Outreach. Immunizaons will be administered by the Farmington Valley Vising Nurses. Addional informaon will be coming in the fall. $22 pp; $17 seniors, Roundtrip bus Holy Hour for Peace in our World Saint Catherine of Siena Parish will celebrate a Holy Hour for Peace in our World on Tuesday, July 18th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Come join us as we pray for peace in all human hearts, across all lands. We will pray for peace to end terrorism, war, political unrest and for peace in our families. Our Holy Hour will comprise communal prayer and private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
Breakfast All Day, Every Day Signature Sandwiches and Catering 136 Simsbury Rd., Riverdale Farms, Avon (860) 676-2866 www.avoncountrydeli.com Simsbury 860-658-7613 Canton 860-693-0251 The Vincent Family Serving Your Family Since 1902 Providing the comfort of the only on-site crematory in the Farmington Valley www.vincentfuneralhome.com Your Full Service Landscape Company Commercial & Residential License #B2328 Insured 860-693-4355 dvalley@valleyslandscape.com www.valleyslandscape.com Connecticut Eye Center, P.C. Patrick F. Albergo, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist Duane F. Austin, M.D. Board Certified Ophthalmologist 639 Park Rd., W. Hartford, CT 06107 860.521.9230 Fax 860.521.1709 35 Waterville Rd., Avon, CT 06001 860.409.7764 Fax 860.409.7766 16 Railroad St., Simsbury, CT 860-651-5646 www.valleyhomeandgarden.com Feed Hardware Lawn & Garden Power Equipment Sales & Service Greg & Karen Piekarski - Owners BEST PAINT... BEST ADVICE Maher s Paint & Wallpaper LLC 369 West Main St. Avon, CT 06001 (860) 678-1200 www.maherspaint.comww.maherspaint.co w.maherspaint. A Modern Barbershop with Traditional Values 860-658-4499 www.reds-barbershop.com 244 Farm Village Road West Simsbury Mon - Fri 6am - 4pm Sat - Sun 7am - 4pm Contact Gail Stone to place an ad today! GStone@4LPi.com or (800) 477-4574 x6376 MELANSON & SPARAGNA, LLC Attorneys at Law Andrea M. Melanson Marialta Z. Sparagna 714 Hopmeadow Street, Suite One Simsbury, Connecticut (860) 651-7481 Residential & Commercial Real Estate Transactions Refinances Estate Planning Probate & Wills Family Law Mediation Special Needs Trusts Elder Law Medicaid Planning Ad info. 1-800-477-4574 Publication Support 1-800-888-4574 www.4lpi.com St. Catherine, W. Simsbury, CT 04-0523
KEVORKIAN & ASSOCIATES, LLC Attorneys At Law Estates / Trusts / Elder Law / Probate Real Estate and Commercial Transactions Gary R. Kevorkian, Esq. 18 Hartford Avenue Kathleen M. Congero, Esq. Granby, CT 06035 Eileen C. Moskey, of Counsel 860-653-5521 Website: www.kevorkianlawfirm.com More than a grocery store An active member of the community for over 50 years 710 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, Connecticut Open 7 days a week, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM PAT S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, LLC Elderly Advocate, Notary, Probate Administrator/Conservator A caring, helping hand. By appt. only Pat Sotis, President 1-860-306-9364 cell P.O. Box 446 West Simsbury, CT 06092-0446 Compliments of Mary Randall DMD & Larry Neureither DDS 573 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury 860-658-0010 BRISTOL S TREE SERVICE LLC Steven Bristol 860 693 0143 P.O. Box 77, Canton Center, CT www.bristolstreeservice.com Year Round Work - Winter Discounts Available in the Farmington Valley CT. Arborist License #62677 Apple Rehab Avon Live Well. Be Well. Short Term Rehabilitation & Long Term Living Avon 220 Scoville Rd., Avon 860.673.3265 www.apple-rehab.com Your Neighborhood Painters 860-678-7701 www.franklinpainting.com EXCAVATING & GRADING INC. Site Work and Paving Drainage - Sewers - Septic Systems - Topsoil Demolition - Snow Plowing - Fill Materials - Patch & Driveway Paving - Small Commercial Parking Lots 72 Floydville Road, East Granby, CT 06062 Ph. 860-653-6090 Fax. 860-658-7751 THIS SPACE IS The Premier Studio for Irish Dance A family business serving all levels starting at ages 3-4 offering: Competitive Classes Ceili Classes Show Classes Private Classes Local Studio: The Simsbury Grange #197, West Simsbury 860-233-1824 Other Studios in Plainville and West Hartford 560-508-5355 www.shamrockdancestudio.com BECAUSE SERVICE MATTERS Office@painesinc.com w w w. p a i n e s i n c. c om (860) 844-3000 KEARNS & KEARNS ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Probate, and Medicaid Planning 860-233-1281 West Hartford, CT www.kearnsandkearns.com Do you know...... that this publication is produced at no cost to your church? The cost of assembling, printing and delivery is carried by the advertisers which appear on these pages. By paying for advertising space, these businesses help your church communicate with its members. When you patronize these businesses, it proves that advertising in your publication is a good investment which brings a return. Please mention that you saw the company s ad in this publication solid evidence which encourages advertisers to continue their support! Ad info. 1-800-477-4574 Publication Support 1-800-888-4574 www.4lpi.com St. Catherine, W. Simsbury, CT 04-0523