SAINT JOSEPH CHURCH POQUONOCK Saint Joseph Parish 1747 Poquonock Avenue P. O. Box 253 Poquonock, CT 06064-0253 (860) 688-9566 Fax (860) 683-2225 Administrator: Reverend John P. Melnick Parochial Vicar: Reverend Tuan Anh Dinh Mai Deacons: Mr. Ronald M. Biamonte Mr. R. Carl Lickwar Please remember those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially +Angelina Lim. Please remember the members, loved ones, and friends of our Parish Family who are ill, aged, troubled, or grieving. Pray for their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Please pray especially for Jack Fowler, Joel Rivera, Ken Sinkwitz and Mary J. Brooks. SATURDAY March 25 (The Vigil of the Fourth Sunday of Lent) 5:00 PM +MARY GUZIOR by John & Elaine Samsell SUNDAY March 26 (The Fourth Sunday of Lent) 8:00 AM +HARRY HURST req. by His Wife and Family 10:00 AM +GILBERT I. ANDERSEN (25 th Anniversary Remembrance) req. by Edith Andersen & Family Daily 7:30 AM Masses for Monday, March 27 th, through Friday, March 31 st, will be celebrated at Saint Gabriel Church. Parishioners wishing to participate are invited and encouraged to attend. Due to an early bulletin deadline, the collection figures for March 19 th will be reported in the next bulletin. Thank you for your generosity to and support of Saint Joseph Parish The Second Collection next weekend is the Monthly Collection. The Sanctuary Lamp will burn the week of March 26 th, for the greater glory of God and for +Christopher Cyr Requested by His Wife, Rita, and Family Lenten Monday Evening Confessions Saint Gabriel and es will host evening confessions from 6 to 7 p.m. on the following Mondays: March 27 th, April 3 rd, and 10 th. Lenten Regulations Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics fourteen years of age and older on all the Fridays of Lent and on Good Friday. Fasting is to be observed on Good Friday by all Catholics who are between the ages of 18 & 59. This means to refrain from eating food between meals and to eat only one full meal. The other two meals should be lighter meals. Liquids are permitted between meals. MONDAY March 27 6:00 PM LENTEN CONFESSIONS FRIDAY March 31 7:00 PM LENTEN STATIONS OF THE CROSS SATURDAY April 1 (The Vigil of the Fifth Sunday of Lent) 5:00 PM +LUCY TRAMONTE (Anniversary Remembrance) by The Kurtz Family SUNDAY April 2 (The Fifth Sunday of Lent) 8:00 AM +NICHOLAS PALLADINO req. by Joseph Palladino 10:00 AM +PHYLLIS RICE & +LARRY RICE req. by Adam Rice & Family April 1, 2017 April 8, 2017 April 22, 2017 Lenten Stations of the Cross On Friday March 31 st, at 7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross will be prayed and on every Friday in Lent at, as well as at Saint Gabriel Church. Confession Schedule 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Saint Gabriel Church 3:15 p.m.
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT 2017 Archbishop s Annual Appeal In just a few short weeks, our parish has raised $18,577 for the 2017 Archbishop s Annual Appeal. The Archbishop s Annual Appeal supports many important ministries and programs. Gifts are allocated towards religious education programs, youth ministries, local charities, the education of our seminarians, our retired clergy, our Catholic schools, and the many ministries provided by the Archdiocese. If you have not made a gift, please prayerfully consider making a pledge or one-time gift. Join us, your parish community, and be Moved by Mercy, to share your blessings. April 25 th, Mass of Remembrance You are invited to the Mass of Remembrance, which will take place on Tuesday, April 25 th, at 5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church (382 Hope Hill Road) in Yalesville. The Mass, sponsored by the Pro-Life Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford, is an opportunity to remember children who have died as the result of miscarriage, abortion, accident or illness and is an important step in healing, remembering and recognizing the precious gift of life. Please join us on April 25 th. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall after the celebration of the Mass. Father Robert Landback, Administrator of Our Lady of Fatima, has graciously offered to host this event. Feast of Saint Joseph Thank You On Saturday, March 18 th, our parish celebrated the Feast of Saint Joseph, our patron saint, with a delicious meal in Father Doherty Hall. Every detail from the food to the decorations made for a perfect celebration! The Faith Formation Team was instrumental in planning the event - a number of volunteers came forward to setup, assist during the function, and afterwards with the clean up. We are so grateful to all those who came and enjoyed the dinner, as well as, for all who helped! Clear the mud from your eyes and see! The one who heals also calls us to follow. Live your life as a witness to God s healing, saving touch. If you feel called to priesthood or religious life, contact Father Jeffrey Gubbiotti, the Director of Vocations, Archdiocesan Center at Saint Thomas Seminary, via phone 860-242-5573, email at vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at www.vocationshartford.org. On next weekend, April 1 st and 2 nd, the Little Sisters of the Poor will be visiting our Parish. The collection taken for them will be exclusively for the care of the elderly poor who reside with them at Saint Joseph s residence in Enfield. The Little Sisters of the Poor have been serving the needs of the elderly poor in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts for over 100 years. They are most grateful for your generosity. The Saint Joseph Parish Celebrate Life Ministry is sponsoring a speaker series covering a Catholic guide to End of Life Decisions. Session 2 will he held on Monday March 27 th, at 7:00 p.m. John Carmon will discuss Funeral Planning and Marty Auclair will discuss the Saint Joseph and Saint Gabriel Funeral Mass Ministry. This sessions will be held in Father Doherty Hall (Saint Joseph Church, 1747 Poquonock Ave., Poquonock, CT). Light refreshments will be served. On Sunday, March 19 th, we welcomed into our Parish Family of Faith through the saving waters of Baptism: Royce Daniel Marcelino (Son of Frank Gaetani and Jatina Marcelino) A Family Perspective Failure to forgive blinds us to another s goodness. Lent provides an opportunity to wash away our blind spots in the pool of forgiveness. Listen to Jesus in today s gospel: Go wash and see. ~Bud Ozar Social Action Corner Monthly Food Collection Bags will be available next weekend for the monthly food collection. The Food Bank has requested baking items, canned fruit, tuna, canned pasta meals, and juice for the April collection. Easter Basket Items Collection Social Action is sponsoring a collection of Easter basket items to benefit Covent to Care. Small toys, books, crayons, and candy are needed. Please consider purchasing an item or two for this worthy project! The collection will take place next weekend. Next Meeting The next Social Action Meeting is Monday, May 8 th, at 6 p.m. in Father Doherty Hall. For more information on how you can participate in Social Action For more information, please contact Lisa Andersen at 860-688-3474 or Landers403@comcast.net or Sue Claughsey at 860-298-0550 or rnsue51@yahoo.com.
MARCH 26, 2017 Religious Education News March 26 First Communion Parent & Child Day 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Saint Gabriel Church 28 Religious Education Classes for grades K - 8 at Saint Gabriel School April 4 Last Religious Education Classes for the 2016/2017 School Year 18 Practice for First Communion at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 25 Practice for First Communion at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at May 2 Practice for First Communion at 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. at 6 Sacrament of First Holy Communion 10:00 a.m. 7 May Crowning at 10:00 a.m. Mass The First Communion Parent & Child Gathering will be held today from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Church Hall at Saint Gabriel Church. All 2 nd Grade children in the Saint Gabriel and Saint Joseph Religious Education Programs and at Saint Gabriel School who will receive First Eucharist in May are asked to attend the gathering with at least one parent or guardian. Practice for First Communion will be held on April 18 th & 25 th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and May 2 nd from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. in the Church. All children receiving First Eucharist at Saint Joseph Church on Saturday, May 6 th, are requested to attend all practices. All students and one parent/guardian must attend the practice on May 2 nd. Registration for 2017/2018 Religious Education Classes will begin next month. Registration forms will be mailed to all families whose children were enrolled in the 2016/2017 Religious Education Program. Registration forms must be returned by Thursday, June 15 th. If your child was not enrolled in the Religious Education Program this year, please contact the Religious Education Office for forms and information. Confirmation Program for Students in Grades 9 & 10 - Students entering 9 th or 10 th Grade in September, in public or Catholic schools, and wishing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation within our Parish are required to register for Confirmation Preparation Classes. Registration forms will be mailed to families whose children were enrolled in the 2016/2017 Religious Education Program; the same registration form is used to register students in grades K through 10. Completed forms must be returned by Thursday, June 15, 2017. If your child was not enrolled in the Religious Education Program this year, please contact the Religious Education Office.
MARCH 26, 2017 Ministry Message Helping Hands Ministry will meet on Tuesday, March 28 th, at 9 AM in Father Doherty Hall. Saint Joseph Parish Bible Study Series will meet again on Tuesday, March 28 th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Father Doherty Hall. Do You Believe Lenten Series The Do You Believe series will meet on Wednesday March 29 th and will meet next Wednesday, April 5 th, in Father Doherty Hall at from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. From USCCB: Contact your U.S. Senators The Pro-Life Office received this notice from Greg Schleppenbach, Associate Director of Pro-Life Activities for USCCB, encouraging us to support efforts to help defund Planned Parenthood. To: Diocesan Pro-Life Directors, State Catholic Conference Directors From: Greg Schleppenbach, Associate Director Date: March 13, 2017 Re: Action Alert for S.J. Res. 13 Earlier today Human Life Action (HLA) re-issued a call to action asking you to urge your senators to co-sponsor and work for a vote on S.J. Res. 13. This resolution would nullify a rule change by former President Obama that prevented states from excluding providers such as Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds through the Title X family planning program. The HLA alert with more background information can be seen here: (https://www.humanlifeaction.org/actionalert/urge-your-senators-disapprove-planned-parenthood-title-x -funding-rule ). Please activate your networks and ask them to respond to the Human Life Action alert as soon as possible. Please connect with Human Life Action on Facebook and Twitter @HumanLifeAction for up-to-the-minute updates and to promote the alert. While everyone's voice will help us be heard, there are six states where grassroots action is critical: Alaska, Indiana, Maine, Pennsylvania, Nevada and West Virginia. Please make a special effort to contact your senator as their vote may be critical to passage of S.J. Res 13. We encourage you to respond to the alert both by email and Twitter through the Human Life Action Center. Please also consider calling or visiting your senator's district office. Thanks so much for your quick action in response to this alert! In Christ, Greg Schleppenbach Associate Director