CONFESSIONS (Saint Christopher Campus) Saturdays: 3:00 pm WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONS (Saint Christopher Campus) 6:30 pm Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration Scriptural Rosary Perpetual Novena in Honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Benediction THURSDAY PRAYER GROUP (Our Lady of Peace Campus) Prayer, Song, Scripture, Friendship Will resume in the Spring of 2018 FUNERALS Once arrangements are made with a funeral home, we will help you plan the Mass of Christian Burial. BAPTISM Saint Edmund Campion Parish By appointment; please call the parish office to schedule. The merged parishes of Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Peace and Saint Christopher MARRIAGE Our Lady of Peace Campus Saint Christopher Campus 370 May Road East Hartford, CT 06118 538 Brewer Street East Hartford, CT 06118 Mass Schedule: Sunday: 9:00 am Friday & Saturday: 9:00 am Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil: 4:00 pm Sunday: 7:30 am & 10:30 am Monday - Thursday: 8:00 am Rev. John P. Gwozdz, Pastor 860-568-5240 fr.gwozdz@aohct.org Rev. Joseph Moonnanappallil, Parochial Vicar 860-918-4022 fr.moonnanappallil@gmail.com Please contact the parish office at least six months in advance of your intended wedding date. PARISH OFFICE 860-568-5240 stchris-eh@sbcglobal.net Bonnie Szalay, Office Manager ST. CHRISTOPHER SCHOOL Mrs. Kathleen Welch, Principal Audrey Cesana, Secretary www.saintchristopherschool.org 860-568-4100 Mr. William Bartlett, Deacon deaconbill@yahoo.com Mr. Philip Gosselin, Deacon imgoose@comcast.net RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Maria Sousa 860-895-8692 stchrisre@gmail.com
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ January 14, 2018 Page 1 PARISH SUPPORT What We Collected (January 7): $ 7,747* Saturday, January 13 4:00 p.m. (SC) Maureen Gilbert (Jeanne Edmonds & Linda Morissette) Sunday, January 14 7:30 a.m. (SC) Elek Szalay - 5th Anniversary (Family) Sunday, January 14 9:00 a.m. (OLOP) Leonide Gagne (Wife & Family) Sunday, January 14 10:30 a.m. (SC) Mary Blondin (Chickie Amberg) Monday, January 15 8:00 a.m. (SC) Philippe Ferris (Mr. & Mrs. Gilles Hebert) Tuesday, January 16 8:00 a.m. (SC) Debbie Tardiff Fallacaro (Family) Wednesday, January 17 8:00 a.m. (SC) Madeline Madge Kamarowski (Marge Leonard) Thursday, January 18 8:00 a.m. (SC) John & Louise Olinatz (Children) Friday, January 19 9:00 a.m. (OLOP) Antonio Leonardo (Wife & Family) Saturday, January 20 9:00 a.m. (OLOP) Deacon Arthur J. Dickman Saturday, January 20 4:00 p.m. (SC) Bud Dooley George, Mary and Joseph Heldman (Joan Dooley & Family) Sunday, January 21 7:30 a.m. (SC) Carmelo & Margaret Gallo (Mike & Maria Gallo) Sunday, January 21 9:00 a.m. (OLOP) Howard Thiery (Howard & Barb Wilmes) Sunday, January 21 10:30 a.m. (SC) Roger Gilbert (Jeanne Edmonds) (OLOP) = Mass celebrated at Our Lady of Peace campus (SC) = Mass celebrated at Saint Christopher campus *Includes $603 received through our Online Giving program and $546 from mail-in offerings. Thank you for your support of our parish! TAX STATEMENTS We are happy to provide tax statements to our parishioners who request one. If you regularly use your envelopes to make your offerings to our parish and wish to receive a tax statement, please contact the parish office by phone (860-568-5240) or by e-mail (stchris-eh@sbcglobal.net). HERE I AM! As Christian stewards, do we follow Samuel s example in answering the Lord s call for us to serve Him? In today s first reading, we hear Samuel respond eagerly, Here I am! each time the Lord calls him. May we, too, be listening for the call of God in our lives and be ready to say like the psalmist, Hear am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Our Church is growing! We welcome into our Christian community through the holy waters of baptism: Liam Jack LeBlanc SANCTUARY LAMP The lamps beside our church s tabernacles remind us of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The candle at the Our Lady of Peace campus burns this week That People of All Races Live Together In Sweetness and Harmony The candle at the Saint Christopher campus burns this week In Loving Memory of John St. Onge 7th Anniversary (Wife Simone & Family) Please call the parish office at 860-568-5240 to schedule a sanctuary lamp dedication. Suggested donation is $15.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ January 14, 2018 Page 2 VACATION TIME FOR FATHER JOHN Father John will be away January 17-24 visiting his niece and her family in Florida. Father Joseph will celebrate all Masses and Funerals in Father John s absence. We pray that Father John has a restful vacation and safe travels. SAINT EDMUND CAMPION ADULT SOCIAL CLUB MEMBERS-ONLY MEMORIAL MASS AND COMMUNION BREAKFAST Monday ~ January 15 ~ 9:30 a.m. Saint Christopher Campus In place of our regular meeting, we will be celebrating a Memorial Mass in memory of all the members and their families of the previous Blessed Sacrament Ladies Guild, Our Lady of Peace Retirees Club, and Saint Christopher Social Club who have gone before us. Please arrive at 9:30 a.m. so that you may pay your 2018 dues of $15 and get your ID badges. Mass will start at 10:00 a.m., followed by breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, and breakfast pastries in the church hall. Please call Edie Gieras at 860-216-3024 if you are planning to attend. What a wonderful way for us to start the New Year. We look forward to an enjoyable year with interesting activities and wonderful entertainment. If you have any questions regarding the social club, please feel free to contact Joan or Frank Perrone at 860-568-6229. ADULT BIBLE ADVENTURE We will meet again in the chapel at the Saint Christopher campus this Wednesday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m. and we will finish up chapter five of the Book of Revelation. This group meets every other Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Join us when you can and bring your Bible! If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Phil at 860-568-5001 or by e-mail at imgoose@comcast.net or Steve Cadwallader at 860-568-5477. JOB POSTING East Catholic has an opening for a part-time staff accountant. 20-25 hours per week with flexible hours. A minimum of an Associates Degree is required. For more information, please visit: https://www.echs.com/employment SAINT CHRISTOPHER SCHOOL NEWS Open House Saint Christopher School will host an Open House on Tuesday, January 30, from 6:00-7:30 pm. Come and see what Catholic education looks like in East Hartford! Tour the school, speak with current students and families, take a look at the Science Fair, browse through the Book Fair...you can even order grinders from our Grab n Go Grinder Supper! It s an evening packed with fun things to do. E-mail Mrs. Welch at welchk@saintchristopherschool.org for more information. Day of Giving Saint Christopher School will hold a Day of Giving on January 30-31, from 9am-9am, in conjunction with the National Catholic Educator s Association. This event is being held during Catholic Schools Week, a national celebration of Catholic education. Watch for more information about this opportunity in coming weeks. ORDINARY TIME Because the term ordinary in English most often means something that s not special or distinctive, many people think that Ordinary Time refers to parts of the calendar of the Catholic Church that are unimportant. Even though the season of Ordinary Time makes up most of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church, the fact that Ordinary Time refers to those periods that fall outside of the major liturgical seasons reinforces this impression. Yet Ordinary Time is far from unimportant or uninteresting. Ordinary Time is called ordinary not because it is common but simply because the weeks of Ordinary Time are numbered. The Latin word ordinalis, which refers to numbers in a series, stems from the Latin word ordo, from which we get the English word order. Thus, the numbered weeks of Ordinary Time, in fact, represent the ordered life of the Church the period in which we live our lives neither in feasting (as in the Christmas and Easter seasons) or in more severe penance (as in Advent and Lent), but in watchfulness and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ. Thus for Catholics, Ordinary Time is the part of the year in which Christ, the Lamb of God, walks among us and transforms our lives. There s nothing ordinary about that! Scott P. Richert www.thoughtco.com/ordinary-time-in-the-catholic-church-542442
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ January 14, 2018 Page 3 HELP NEEDED - COUNTER MINISTRY Volunteers are needed to help our team leaders process our weekly collections. In an effort to get the job done in a quick and efficient manner, we have streamlined the process. The commitment to this ministry is approximately a two-hour window of time, six to eight times a year. If you are willing to serve your parish in this way, please contact Bonnie at the parish office (stchris-eh@sbcglobal.net or 860-568-5240) as soon as possible so we can get you on the schedule and provide you with further details. IN MEMORIUM Please pray for these parishioners who have gone to eternal life during the month of December. Lucille Bouchard Argelio Marrero L. Philip Cormier J. Thomas Morrison Susan DeLusso Matthew Mulcahy Guy Dubay Michael Nicoletti, Sr. Raymond Lavoie If Christ is my life, then death is my gain. Philippians 1:21 SACRAMENT OF THE SICK Please, if at all possible, do not wait until a person is near death before requesting the Sacrament of the Sick, as this Sacrament cannot be administered to someone who has already died. All Sacraments are for the living. While the Sacrament of the Sick may include prayers for the Last Rites when such prayers are called for, the Sacrament may be given to a person at any stage of illness including those who are not terminal. It may also be given to someone who is elderly or about to enter surgery. COATS FOR KIDS - THANK YOU! I am so grateful for the overwhelming response from the people of Saint Edmund Campion parish for the need right here in our town for coats to help keep kids warm. The bitterly cold weather we experienced recently really drove home the great importance of having adequate clothing. You made a difference for a number of children! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donations to this worthy cause. Peace and blessings, Deacon Phil St. Christopher Church Hall Friday ~ February 9, 2018 1:30 6:30 p.m. Appointments: 1-800-Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS The Knights of Columbus applauds the government decision that churches, and other houses of worship, are now eligible to receive federal disaster relief funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The decision, which overturned a longstanding rule barring such religious institutions from receiving FEMA aid, allows those houses of worship damaged by Hurricane Harvey and subsequent natural disasters to now receive money for rebuilding. The Knights of Columbus has given $1.4 million to repair or help rebuild churches that were destroyed or badly damaged in the late summer hurricanes that assaulted Texas, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Knights has also earmarked a significant amount of money for upcoming church repair efforts in Puerto Rico. The Knights earlier donated $100,000 to the Archdiocese of San Juan and provided generators, food, water and other necessities to aid relief efforts. St. Christopher Council #4 membership and their families will hold their Family Pot-luck Dinner Tuesday, January 16 at 6:00 PM in the Saint Christopher campus church hall. The entrée will be pork roast with members bringing side dishes and desserts. RSVP to Bob Falkevitz so sufficient roast is available. Members and perspective members: want an all expensed paid trip to Ireland? Supreme will be sending ten couples to attend the World Meeting of Families at Dublin, Ireland in August 2018, with all expenses paid. Each member you recruit will get you one entry to the drawing between now and June 30, 2018. New members who join and sponsor another new member will be eligible for the drawing as well. Practicing Catholic men, age 18 and over, who join before June 30 th will have their initiation and annual dues waived for the coming year. What have you got to lose? Come try us out. Please contact Grand Knight Bob Falkevitz at 860-568-5452 for more information. Parishioners - Mark Your Calendars! Fish Dinner: 2-16-18 Corned Beef Dinner: 3-17-18
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ January 14, 2018 Page 4 STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION Speak, for your servant is listening. With those few words Samuel humbles himself and declares his loyalty and obedience to God. There are perhaps for many of us challenges in those words. Initially Samuel responds Here I am, but thinks it was Eli who called him. The idea of being a servant and the willingness to serve are what may be trials for us in terms of how we live. Samuel does not recognize the voice of the Lord. That, too, may be a problem for us. First we need to be listening. Are we, or are we merely going through the motions? Responding to God with Here I am is a magnificent way to react to God. It is not that God does not know where we are, but saying that can serve as a reminder to us that we are stewards, servants to Him, and it implies we are prepared to hear what He wants us to do. Here I am is said numerous times by those in the Old Testament including Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, and by Ananias in the New Testament. When Jesus says, Come follow me, as He does to us, do we hear Him, and even more important do we respond and do we follow? In order to do that properly we have to be prepared to serve Him and others. Thus, like Samuel, we need to listen, and then we need to serve. At a recent papal audience, Pope Francis said, Love and charity are service, helping others, serving others. When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love! catholicsteward.com/blog LECTIO DIVINA & DAILY READINGS Sunday Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Samuel 3: 3b-10, 19 1 Samuel 15: 16-23 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 1 Samuel 17: 32-33, 37, 40-51 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 1 Samuel 24: 3-21 2 Samuel 1: 1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-10 Psalm 50: 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23 Psalm 89: 20-22, 27-28 Psalm 144: 1b, 2, 9-10 Psalm 56: 2-3, 9-13 Psalm 57: 2-4, 6, 11 Psalm 80: 2-3, 5-7 Psalm 25: 4-9 1 Corinthians 6: 13c-15a, 17-20 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31 John 1: 35-42 Mark 2: 18-22 Mark 2: 23-28 1-6 7-12 13-19 20-21 Mark 1: 14-20 What is Lectio Divina? While reading sacred scripture, read the words with a love and sense of discovery until something seems to strike home. Sit with the passage as one would with a good friend-not just thinking or analyzing, but instead remaining in a quiet, listening spirit, so the word can nurture and challenge you. Call to Prayer: Let us take a moment in the midst of all our activity to prepare ourselves for prayer. Excerpts from SNOW FALLING ON SNOW Copyright 2001 by Robert J. Wicks Used with permission of Paulist Press The Word of God: Choose one of next Sunday s readings. One person reads the scripture aloud as others are attentive to a word, phrase, or theme that is meaningful to them. Allow for a minute of silent reflection. Have another person read the same scripture a second time. Faith Sharing: Begin with an open ended question such as What strikes you from this reading? and/ or you can use the Reflection Question found below. Allow time for reflection & sharing. Closing Prayer: At the end of the faith sharing, invite participants to pray aloud for any particular petitions or praises they may have. Feel free to close with: The Lord s Prayer or spontaneous prayers or a faith-based song. Reflection for Next Sunday, January 21 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time There is a certain urgency in this Gospel as Jesus calls His first disciples Andrew and Simon, James and John. Each one follows Jesus immediately, unhesitatingly abandoning nets and boats and father and fellow-workers. To what is Jesus calling me at this moment, in these circumstances? What do I need to abandon in order to follow Him?