The Church of the Incarnation

The Church of the Incarnation 544 Prospect Street Wethersfield, CT 06109 Rev. James M. Moran Pastor Mrs. Noranne Wamester Pastoral Associate Mrs. Audrey Saharek Pastoral Assistant Mrs. Maggie Seaver Coordinator of Middle School Faith Formation Youth Minister Mrs. Teri Aiudi Rectory Office Assistant Faith Formation Secretary Mrs. Theodora Niver Director of Music Vanessa Crowley Lorissa Heath Rosanne Sweeney Gowdy Andrew Russo Heather Picard Gianna Bielenda Cantors Marguerite Heinimann Rectory Assistant Toni Munoz Sacristan Rectory (860) 529-2533 Fax (860) 721-6595 Church E-Mail cincarnation@sbcglobal.net Mass Schedule Confessions on Saturdays from 3:45-4:30p.m. Vigil Mass: Saturday at 5:00p.m. Sunday Masses: 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass: (Mon. - Fri.) 9:00 a.m. Recitation of the Rosary before 9:00 a.m. daily Mass Sacrament of Baptism By previous appointment Sundays at 12:30 p.m. in the Baptistry of the Chapel. Weddings Please contact a priest 6-10 months prior. New Parishioners and Faith Formation Registration The Church of the Incarnation welcomes new parishioners. All forms are available at the main entrance of the church. Please mail or place in the collection basket. You may also visit our website for printable forms at: www.thechurchoftheincarnation.com Rectory Hours 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Faith Formation (860) 529-6765 gotellit@aol.com Website address: www.thechurchoftheincarnation.com

Page Two Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH 5:00pm Frank Cusano SUNDAY FEBRUARY 26TH 8:30am Pasquale D Appollonio 10:30am Anna, Jacob and Helen Kutyla and Edward, Richard and David Kutyla MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH 9:00am Christine Munoz TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH 9:00am Sarah Ann Marie Privitera & Myles Connolly Sr. ASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1ST 9:00am For all our parishioners 5:30pm Carola Susanin THURSDAY, MARCH 2ND 9:00am Generosa Marinelli FRIDAY, MARCH 3RD 9:00am Antonio & Rosa Chiulli, Virginia Berardino and Raffaele Truilli and Donato DeCesare SATURDAY, MARCH 4TH 9:00 am Gildo Alberto Colasacco 5:00pm Santa & James Cobisi, Tina & Frank Tummillo SUNDAY, MARCH 5TH 8:30am Deceased members of the Valdesi & Chiaramida Families 10:30am Stephen Romaine The Sanctuary Candle will burn from 2/27/2017 3/5/2017 in memory of the Living & Deceased members of the James P. Shea Family. The Blessed Virgin Mary Candle will burn from 2/27/17-3/5/2017 in memory of Mr. John Sugrue. Prayer Shawl Ministry: No February meeting. Call the rectory if you know of someone who could benefit from a prayer shawl. Ash Wednesday is March 1st. Ashes will be distributed at the 9am Mass and the 5:30pm Mass. Ashes will also be given out at a Scripture Service from 3:30-4pm. Friday is the 1st Friday in March. Mass will be held at 9am with Vocations Holy Hour to follow in the Chapel. Please note that the 9am Mass is celebrated on Saturdays during Lent with the exception of Holy Saturday. LENTEN CONFESSIONS What a gift the gift of divine forgiveness! This Lenten season, the Archdiocese of Hartford is continuing an Archdiocesan-wide effort to inspire Catholics to experience God s love and mercy offered in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Every church in the Archdiocese will be open on Mondays from 6-7pm during Lent for Confessions. Incarnation Women s Club Update The Incarnation Women's Club will be resuming its General Meetings in the spring, with programs scheduled for March 23 & April 20. Meetings are in Fr. Crawford Hall at 7PM. The March 23 meeting is an evening of reflection & prayer with Kathy Irr, an enthusiastic, reflective spiritual director and retreat leader who appeared at a Women's Club meeting years ago. Since the meeting occurs during the season of Lent, we invite all parish members to attend. Take home a March Bi Lines. Project Baby Love collection next wkd. Disposable diapers & wipes are requested.

Page Three Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 Children s Liturgy of the Word: Sun., Feb., 26th, 10:30am mass. Presiders: Maggie Seaver and Karen Susi. Catechists: Kelly Pellegrino & David Parker. Refreshments in Fr. Crawford Hall after Mass. Thanks to the Paruta Family for hosting! Youth Ministry: Sun., Feb., 26th, 6:30-8pm. All High School students are encouraged to attend. Parent Gathering for parents preparing their child for First Reconciliation, Mon., Feb., 27th, 6:30-7:30pm in Father Crawford Hall Gr. 8: Faith Formation will be held on Tues., February 28th & Gr. 7: will be held on Wed., March 1st 6:30-8pm, Fr. Crawford Hall. Parish Family Home communities will meet at designated times. Emerson-Williams Faith Formation Grades K-6 will meet Sat., March 4th. First Penance: Saturday, March 4th at 9:45am. Please meet in Fr. Crawford Hall. Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference: July 14 th 16 th at UMASS, Lowell, MA. Members of our Youth Ministry are very excited to once again be attending this weekend of prayer, music, motivational talks from nationally recognized Catholic speakers, mass, adoration, and reflection. Our reserved spots are filling very quickly! For more information please contact Maggie Seaver at seaver711@aol.com. We received a thank you note from Sisters Maureen & Theresa from House of Bread thanking us for the 900 cupcakes for Kids Café! Thanks for your kindness! Church of the Incarnation awards two scholarships annually for parishioners entering area Catholic High Schools. Deadline 4/1. Call Noranne (860) 529-6765. Catholic Relief Services Lenten Program: Operation Rice Bowl. They are at exits. NEW DAY will be postponed until Springtime. Lenten Regulations: Catholics ages 14 and older are to abstain from meat on all Fridays during Lent. The rule does not apply when health or ability to work would be seriously impacted. Catholics who have celebrated their 18 th birthday, but have not yet marked their 59 th are to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On days of fast, one full meal is allowed. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to individual needs but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and juices, are allowed. ARCHBISHOP S ST. PATRICK S DAY BREAKFAST.Friday, March 17th - 7:30am-9am CT. Convention Center - 100 Columbus Blvd. Htfd. Great food and Irish-themed entertainment. Guest speaker is Mark K. Shriver author of the new book: Pilgrimage-My Search to find the real Pope Francis Sponsored by the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools (FACS) For tickets, call: 860-761-7499. JOIN US AT THIS IMPORTANT FUNDRAISER. Proceeds benefit the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic schools which provides scholarships to students attending Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford.

Page Four Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 A Weekly Bible Study 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time Matthew 6:24-34 The human being is the pinnacle of God s creation: wise, loving, independent, creative, called to participate in divine life. Traits such as these, well developed and well lived, offer praise to God. If we are so intelligent, why don t we get it? Why does it take the lessons of the lesser creatures the birds of the air and flowers of the fields to show us the way? Let us look deeply within today s Gospel, a passage from the Sermon on the Mount, as we ponder some important questions: What is our view of God s providence? Do we believe that we really are important to Him, that we matter to God? Do we welcome God as living and active in our daily lives, providing for our true needs, giving us our daily bread, just what is sufficient for each day s need? What is our attitude toward materiality? Have our possessions become the focus of our lives? Does our mammon (wealth) enhance God s kingdom or is it simply selfserving? Does the further accumulation of our wealth only give us more to worry about? What does trust in God look like? Do we strive to put God in charge of our lives, placing ourselves in His loving hands each day? Or are we more inclined to cultivate an attitude of useless anxiety, worrying about things that never come to pass? Do we seek first the kingdom of God, believing that all things will be given to us? All of these questions lead us to a single reality: the greatness of our creature hood does not make us any less dependent upon God. Let us not be anxious about our earthly realities for in the end, none of them will really matter. Let us strive to surrender these realities into the hands of our loving Father who provides for us in ways great and small, visible and invisible, daily and for all eternity. The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford in collaboration with the Office for Small Christian Communities will host a day of shared Lenten reflection, silence, and conversation as we ponder the Pope s call to action in Laudato Sí. Encounter Creation: A Day of Reflection on Pope Francis call to Care for our Common Home will be held on Saturday, March 18 at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. Released on June 18, 2015, Laudato Sí is Pope Francis second encyclical. It ties lack of concern for others to environmental degradation and poverty. Guest speaker will be Kevin Johnson, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Sacred Heart University and the President of The Inner Room, a Roman Catholic Lay Association and Non-Profit Organization in Connecticut Kevin has a Master of Arts in Theology from Yale Divinity School. To register for the event call (860) 242-5573 ext. 2688. Online registration available at http://www.catholicsocialjustice.org/ Registration is $25, which includes workshop materials, lunch and refreshments

Page Five Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 No one can serve two masters. How is God calling you to serve Him? Pray for the men and women in our parish who are being called to priesthood or religious life. If you feel called please contact Fr. Jeffrey Gubbiotti, Director of Vocations, Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary, Tel. (860) 242-5573, or via email: vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at www.vocationshartford.org. Vocations Holy Hour at Incarnation Church the First Friday of the month at 9:30am, Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Prayer For Peace: at Incarnation Church 30 minutes prior to 9am Daily Mass, Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Join us! Church of the Incarnation, St. Patrick's Dinner: Mon., March 13th, doors open at 6pm., Fr. Crawford Hall in honor of Michele Kalousdian, who started this tradition 25 years ago this year. You will enjoy corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, home-made Irish soda bread, coffee & dessert. Seating is limited & sells out quickly so make reservations early. $15.00 p.p. Checks payable to: The Church of the Incarnation & mailed to: Victoria Kalousdian, 154 Griswold Road, Weth., CT 06109. Reservation deadline 2/28th. Reservations must be paid in advance. Call Vicky (860) 563-0860 with? Join The Wethersfield Knights of Columbus for Dinner at Bertucci's restaurant in Newington. Flyer/coupon at church exits to enjoy a family meal & help raise money for the Knights charities. On going event last Tues. of each month. Church of the Incarnation MEN S RETREAT: Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford: February 24, 25, & 26, 2017. Join Holy Family s retreat team for a weekend of peace & reflection in an exploration of simplicity. In an age of stress, distraction, and technology, we ll explore the simple and transformative message at the heart of Jesus teaching. Discover how simplicity can shine a light on what is really essential and important in our lives. Call John at 860-563- 3887 or Bill at 860-604-6793 or visit their web site at: www.holyfamilyretreat.org. Men s Association: Annual membership drive is underway. Renewal letters have been mailed to all current members. Applications at entrances. All men are invited to join! Dues $10 per year. Call Mike (860)-667-2099. YANKEE STADIUM TRIP New York Yankees vs Houston Astros Saturday, May 13, 2017 Sponsored by the Incarnation Men's Association Package includes: Deluxe motor coach transportation, beverages on the bus - beer, wine, soda, bottled water & chips. Game tickets are in the Main Level Seating Section 233B / Rows 11-17. Parking at Incarnation Church - Bus leaves at 9:00AM. Price is only $85.00. All are welcome: men, women and children. Please contact Jim Pettit at (860)402-3074, or at his office Email james.pettit@raveis.com to reserve your seats. Checks payable to "The Church of Incarnation" & mail to Jim Pettit, 94 Griswold Road, Weth., CT 06109.

Page Six Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 DON T BE ANXIOUS People have, it seems, a natural penchant for misplaced emphasis on unimportant things. They can easily get caught up with what they re having for dinner or what they will wear. Often it is a tragedy that helps people to refocus on what is really important. What I shall wear is an irrelevant question when I am facing surgery or chemotherapy. What s for dinner is immaterial to those living through grief or unemployment. In today s Gospel, Jesus tells us not to worry. He doesn t say, Don t eat. Don t cook. Don t buy clothes. He says, Don t worry. Jesus asks us not to relinquish our responsibilities but to let go of our anxiety. Anxiety betrays a lack of trust and Jesus reminds us that Your heavenly Father knows all that you need (Matthew 6:32). TODAY S READINGS First Reading God will never forget you (Isaiah 49:14-15) Psalm Rest in God alone, my soul (Psalm 62). Second Reading Make no judgments; the Lord will judge (1 Corinthians 4:1-5). Gospel God feeds the bird and clothes the flowers. Do not be anxious; God knows all your needs (Matthew 6:24-34). READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Sir 17:20-24; Ps 32:1-2, 5-7; Mk 10:17-27 Tuesday: Sir 35:1-12; Ps 50:5-8, 14, 23; Mk 10:28-31 Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18; Ps 51:3-6ab, 12-14, 17; 2 Cor 5:20 6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday: Dt 30:15-20; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 9:22-25 Friday: Is 58:1-9a; Ps 51:3-6ab, 18-19; Mt 9:14-15 Saturday: Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86:1-6; Lk 5:27-32 Sunday: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps 51:3-6, 12-13, 17; Rom 5:12-19 [12, 17-19]; Mt 4:1-11 TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION By the early 1950s some scholars were calling for the restoration of Communion of the faithful on Good Friday, since by then only a priest received, consuming the host from the Holy Thursday repository. In 1955 the new Good Friday liturgy was timed to begin at three o clock everywhere, and included the option of Holy Communion, but without the Precious Blood that had originally been part of the liturgy. Today, there is increasing debate among theologians. Some feel that it would be better to fast from the Eucharist on Good Friday, focusing on the mystery of the cross and highlighting the Easter Communion. Others say that this Communion infuses the sadness of the day with awareness of Christ s victory. It is not a day of mourning, of course, and the Passion according to John grounds the liturgy in a sense of Christ s victory over death and the triumph of the cross. The tradition is rich and varied, and we are still in the early stages of recovering an ancient way of doing things. Why do we call the day good? The English and Dutch languages share this name, and its origin stems from the name God s Friday. The traditional name for the day in Latin is Feria VI in Parasceve, which translates as The Sixth Day of the Week of Preparation. Other languages make do with Holy Friday. In another part of England, as in Denmark, the people used to call it Long Friday, a good description for a quiet day without work and no chance for play or a good meal! Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 26, 2017 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. Isaiah 49:15 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Wednesday: Ash Wednesday; Fast and Abstinence Friday: St. Katharine Drexel; Abstinence; First Friday; World Day of Prayer Saturday: St. Casimir; First Saturday 2017 Archbishop s Annual Appeal Kick Off Weekend is next weekend. A personalized homily DVD by Archbishop Blair will be shown. Theme is Moved by Mercy.

Page Seven Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time.February 26, 2017 In response to our Confirmation Candidates 2017 Mission to Haiti, The Church of the Incarnation presents MUSIC AND WITNESS to benefit Haiti on Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 4:00pm in Father Crawford Hall. Sean Forrest will be performing along with other vocalists. All are welcome. Admission is free. For further information about this great cause please go to: www.haiti180 to see the great work that Sean and his team are accomplishing for the poorest of the poor.

COVER SHEET CHURCH NAME: CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION BULLETIN NUMBER 356900 DATE OF PUBLICATION: SUNDAY, February 26, 2017 NUMBER OF PAGES TRANSMITTED: 8 PAGES SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE READ THIS NEW INFORMATION!!!! CALL AUDREY SAHAREK (860) 529-2534...Please note: WE WILL TRANSMIT VIA UPLOAD. JUST AS A REMINDER WE WORK IN PUBLISHER 2013 AND WE HAVE ADOBE ACROBAT 9 STANDARD. Dear Production: Per Rick Monarque, we are now using our two additional pages which will be permanent. Thanks Audrey Saharek