The Church of the Incarnation 544 Prospect Street Wethersfield, CT 06109 Rev. James M. Moran Pastor Mrs. Noranne Wamester Pastoral Associate Director of Faith Formation Mrs. Audrey Saharek Pastoral Assistant Toni Munoz Sacristan Mrs. Filomena Marinelli Coordinator of Elementary Faith Formation Gr. K-6 Mrs. Maggie Seaver Coordinator of Middle School Faith Formation Gr. 7-12 Youth Minister Mrs. Theodora Niver Director of Music Sacrament of Baptism By previous appointment by calling the rectory. Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Celebrated in the Baptistry of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Weddings Please contact a priest 6-10 months prior. Mrs. Marguerite Devitt Rectory Office Assistant 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 Marguerite Heinimann Rectory Assistant Rectory Hours 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Vanessa Crowley..Lorissa Heath Rosanne Sweeney Gowdy.....Andrew Russo Heather Picard...Gianna Bielenda Cantors Rectory (860) 529-2533 Mass Schedule Confessions on Saturdays from 3:30-4:15p.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 Fax (860) 721-6595 Church E-Mail cincarnation@sbcglobal.net Faith Formation Office (860) 529-6765 gotellit15@gmail.com Website address: www.thechurchoftheincarnation.com
Page Three Third Sunday of Lent...March 24, 2019 SATURDAY, MARCH 23RD 9:00am-Joe Fuschi 5:00pm William & Esther Kirsche SUNDAY, MARCH 24TH 8:30am Jack & Irene Cahill 10:30am Anthony W. Melillo MONDAY, MARCH 25TH 9:00am Faith O Keefe TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH 9:00am Deceased members of the Bartone & Carbone Families WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH 9:00am For all our parishioners THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH 9:00am Delfino & Maria Moco FRIDAY, MARCH 29TH 9:00am Ruth Vaughn SATURDAY, MARCH 30TH 9:00am Rose Mirabello 5:00pm Pasquale Piccolo SUNDAY, MARCH 31ST 8:30am Angelo Manocchio & Family 10:30am Deceased members of the John Mele Sr. Family and Maurice Bottum The Sanctuary Candle will burn from 3/25/2019 3/31/2019 in memory of Edward Riconda. The Blessed Virgin Mary Candle will burn from 3/25/19 3/31/2019 in memory of Anthony W. Melillo. SHARING THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL FOR GENERATIONS: The Archbishop s Annual Appeal helps provide the critical funding needed to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, counsel those in despair, offer muchneeded assistance to the unemployed & make medical care available to those without health insurance. Your gift to the 2019 Appeal will help continue these & other vital ministries, services, and programs that reach out to so many in need. No Appeal funds are ever used for legal fees/settlements. House of Bread collection this weekend. Coffee & sugar are requested. Thank you! Incarnation Parish Soup Supper: Sat., March 23RD: Following the 5pm Mass this weekend!! Gather with parishioners after Mass to break bread together, share a simple meal, and bring awareness to the issue of hunger in our town and throughout the world. The delicious soups will be donated from local restaurants and stores. There is no admission fee, but cash donations as well as food donations will be accepted to support our Weth., Food Bank & House of Bread in Hartford. Drop in anytime from 5:45-7:30pm. Thanks to our Confirmation candidates/families for hosting this supper. The Second Collection next weekend will support the Catholic Relief Services Collection. Rice Bowls available at the entrances. This is Catholic Relief Services Lenten faith-in-action program for families & faith communities. Your support helps Haiti, Iraq, & other needy countries. Garden Ministry: We are in search of volunteers to help maintain & beautify the gardens of our lovely church & rectory. Please call Bob Quinn at (860) 840-3023 to get more information. Thank you! Incarnation Church awards two scholarships annually for parishioners entering area Catholic High Schools. Deadline to submit applications is 4/1. Call Noranne at (860) 529-6765.
Page Four Third Sunday of Lent..March 24, 2019 FAITH FORMATION (GRADES 1-6) Classes are held in Fr. Crawford Hall according to me/grade level. SACRAMENT OF FIRST RECONCILIATION: All Grade 2 Students will receive their First Reconcilia on on Sat., March 23. Please remember these beau ful children in your prayers. Grade 1: Sunday, March 24 from 9:30-10:15 a.m. followed by Children s Liturgy of the Word at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Families are encouraged to a end. Children are invited to carry the banner and join in the Entrance Procession. Grade 3: Saturday, March 30th, 8:30-9:45 a.m. Grade 2: Sunday, March 31st, 9:30-10:15 a.m. Grade 6: Tuesday, April 2nd from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Grade 4: Wednesday, April 3rd, 5-6:15 p.m. Grade 5: Wednesday, April 3rd, 6:30-8:00 p.m. The Sacrament of Reconcilia on will be offered for all children in Grades 4, 5, and 6 during their scheduled classes over the next several weeks. CHILDREN S LITURGY OF THE WORD: Sunday, March 24th, 10:30am Mass. Presiders: Maggie Seaver & Sarah Sisson along with Confirma on Candidates Daniela Generis & Fiona Sisson. FAITH FORMATION CONCLUSION: Elementary Faith Forma on Classes will conclude on April 3 for the 2018-2019 year due to consecu- ve weeks for Spring Vaca on followed by Holy Week and Easter. Our end of year Family Picnic will take place Sunday, May 19th - 12-2:00 p.m. FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: The Sacrament of First Holy Communion at The Church of the Incarna on will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 and Saturday, May 4. Community Service Project to Benefit CT. Children s Medical Center The 1st & 2nd Grade Faith Formation classes are collecting New or Homemade blankets and Beanie style hats to be given to the patients at C.C.M.C. The patients love the fleece tie blankets! **Blankets & Hats can be dropped off Fri, March 29th, 5-8pm-Fr. Crawford Hall. Bianca is a 9 year old 3rd grade Faith Formation student from Weth., who has been a patient at C.C.M.C. since she was 3 weeks old. She wants to give back to the hospital that has helped to keep her flying. She has been collecting hats & blankets for the patients to help keep them warm & brighten their hospital stay.? s Camie Mollica: camie.mollica@gmail.com 7th and 8th Grade Faith Formation: The next gathering for Middle School Faith Formation will be a Retreat held this Sunday, March 24th, in Fr. Crawford Hall. The girls from both 7th & 8th grade will meet from 12:30-3:00pm, and the boys from both grades will meet from 3:30-6:00pm. Confirmation: Our next gathering for our Confirmation Candidates is next Sunday, March 31st. Mercy High School Peer Ministry will lead a retreat for the girls from 12:30-2:45pm, and Xavier High School Peer Ministry will lead a retreat for the boys from 3:30-5:45pm. These retreats will be held in Father Crawford Hall. Youth Ministry: All high school students are welcome to join us on Sunday, March 31st from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in Father Crawford Hall as we make Kindness Rocks to be given to Nursing Home residents this Easter/Spring season.
Page Five Third Sunday of Lent..March 24, 2019 PRAYER CORNER A Lenten Prayer Let us lift our Lenten petitions to God who is merciful and forgiving: That we continue to manifest God s mercy and forgiveness to others by our acts of love, we pray to the Lord: Create in us clean hearts, O God. That by our fasting and self-denial, we share in the suffering of those who experience poverty, hardships and sickness, we pray to the Lord: Create in us clean hearts, O God. That our actions and words foster peace and reconciliation within our families, workplaces and communities, we pray to the Lord: Create in us clean hearts, O Lord. God, loving and just, may the holy observance of our Lenten discipline dispose the hearts of your faithful to celebrate fervently the Paschal mystery of your Son. We ask this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 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 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. Mondays during Lent will be Confession Day in the Archdiocese of Hartford! Incarnation will offer confessions on all Lenten Mondays from 6:30-7:30pm. Our regular confession schedule continues on Saturdays from 3:30-4:15pm. Lenten Mass Schedule: During Lent daily mass will be celebrated at The Church of the Incarnation at 9am Monday- Saturday excluding Holy Thursday, Good Friday & Holy Saturday. Easter Communion Regulation: Catholics are obliged to receive Communion at least once between the First Sunday of Lent & Trinity Sunday. For your information, Christ the King Parish will celebrate daily mass during Lent at 7:30am and 5:30pm at Corpus Christi Church. Stations of the Cross will take place on all Fridays during Lent at 7:00pm at Corpus Christi Church. You may return your Easter Flower envelope anytime from now until Easter.
Page Six Third Sunday of Lent..March 24, 2019 The Lord is kind and merciful, and calls us to proclaim his name. He watches over us like the gardener in the parable of the fig tree. He knows that it takes several years for a tree to bear fruit. If you are being called to bear fruit as a priest, religious or deacon call Fr. Michael Casey, Director of Vocations, Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, at (860) 761-7457, or e-mail vocations@aohct.org or visit the web at www.hartfordpriest.com. Pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate & religious. Vocations Holy Hour: Vocations Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be at Incarnation every Tuesday from 9:30-10:30am in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. All are welcome as we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, diaconate & religious life. Prayer For Peace: Incarnation Church 30 minutes prior to 9am Daily Mass. Come, O Holy Spirit, and Renew the Face of the Earth! Legion of Mary mtg. every Monday at 9:45am in Fr. Crawford Hall at Incarnation Church. The object of the Legion of Mary is the Glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer & active co-operation in Mary s and the Church s work. Lenten Reflection: The Cure at the Pool of Bethesda Thursday, March 28.7pm Fr. Crawford Hall Incarnation Women s Club welcomes you to an evening of prayer, reflection and presentation with Kathy Irr. Kathy, a certified spiritual director, retreat leader, author and artist, has presented excellent Lenten programs for our parish in the past. There are places in our lives that need God s healing. In this presentation Kathy will use the backdrop of a familiar scripture story, The Lame Man at the Pool of Bethesda, to focus on Jesus mercy and love. With humor, storytelling & scripture, Kathy will help us reflect on how this story has meaning for our own personal spiritual journey toward a deeper relationship with Christ. Come be inspired by Kathy during this prayerful journey through Lent. Parishioners/friends welcome. See the Bi-Lines. Incarnation Men's Club bus trips to Yankee & Mets Stadiums: Yankee Stadium bus trip - May 18th - only has 30 tickets left! Mets Stadium bus trip - June 29th - only has 19 tickets left! Only $ 90,00 per ticket - Email/or call Jim Pettit today for details/reservations.- Email: spencer3600@yahoo.com. Cell phone/ text: (860) 402-3074 The Incarnation Men s Club membership Drive is now taking place. Interested in joining? Call Mike White at (860) 667-2099. Join The Wethersfield Knights of Columbus for Dinner at Bertucci's restaurant in Newington. Flyer/coupon at church exits. Enjoy a family meal & help raise money for the Knights charities. The Knights of Columbus Pasta Dinner: SAVE THE DATE!!! SATURDAY, APRIL 6th.. Church of the Incarnation after 5PM Mass in Fr. Crawford Hall. Menu includes: Ziti, Meat Balls, Sausage, Salad, Dessert, Coffee, Water/ Soda. After dinner musical entertainment will be provided to add to your evening. $10.00 per Adult, $25.00 per family (children 12& under). Call John Ewaski (860) 563-3887 to reserve. Checks payable to the Knights of Columbus Council # 4193, and mailed to 161 Brimfield Road, Weth., CT 06109-3309. Last year this event was sold out! Groups with tables of 10 will be seated together. Proceeds go to churches in our council and other local charities. A huge thank you for the overwhelming response to our Handbell donations. BAPTISM PARKER JAMES PRICE
Page Seven Third Sunday of Lent..March 24, 2019 MID-LENT CHECK-IN God says to Moses, This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you... The L, the God of your [ancestors], the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:14, 15). As Jesus would later say, God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, and so we believe that the dead will one day rise. At this midpoint of Lent, we pause to consider how our repentance is leading us to the Resurrection, to our reunion with the great I AM. Part of our repentance involves working to secure justice for all and helping our neighbor to live in God s ways. We encourage each other and nurture each other, like the compassionate gardener of today s Gospel, who tells the owner of the orchard that he will nurture the tree, fertilize it, and perhaps it will bear fruit. TODAY S READINGS First Reading I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have come to rescue them (Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15) or Exodus 17:3-7. Psalm The Lord is kind and merciful (Psalm 103) or Psalm 95. Second Reading Those who think they are standing secure should take care not to fall (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12) or Romans 5:1-2, 5-8. Gospel I shall cultivate the ground around the fig tree and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future (Luke 13: 1-9) or John 4:5-42 [5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42]. READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 7:10-14, 8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday:Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6-7bc, 8-9; Mt 18:21-35 Wednesday: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Mt 5:17-19 Thursday: Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Lk 11:14-23 Friday:Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11ab, 14, 17; Mk 12:28-34 Saturday: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4, 18-21ab; Lk 18:9-14 Sunday: Jos 5:9a, 10-12; Ps 34:2-7; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Monday: Friday: Third Sunday of Lent; First Scrutiny Annunciation of the Lord Abstinence BEST LENT EVER! DON T GIVE UP CHOCOLATE FOR LENT!! Instead, discover simple ways for you to transform your life in forty days. Join our parish for BEST LENT EVER, a free email program designed to help you have a life-changing Lent. Each day, you ll receive a short inspirational video that will help you to...find areas for growth, build better habits and spark lasting change!! The Best Lent Ever: What a beautiful way to experience the Lenten season! Sign -up for The Best Lent Ever. Each day, we experience a variety of reflections to deepen our relationship with the Lord, with one another & to fully live the gift of the Lenten season. Log into Dynamiccatholic.com, join together to become the best-version-of -ourselves, experience The Best Lent Ever. Again, I have a few Champions of Faith to assist in giving out faith filled resources monthly. Please call Noranne Wamester, Pastoral Associate at (860) 529-6765 to gather details about becoming a parish Champion. A gathering on a Sunday afternoon to bring forth a new and dynamic event for our parish is being planned early 2020. The New Day Program continues Monday March 25th, at 1pm in Fr. Crawford Hall. This 8 week program meets weekly for approx. 90 minutes. This gathering embraces all who have lost a loved one through death. Usually after 6 months the reality of the loss of a loved one sets in. The support of the New Day Journal & coming together truly helps one to learn coping skills and most of all to realize that one is not alone on this journey. Registration required. Call Noranne Wamester, Pastoral Associate at 860-529-6765.
Page Eight Third Sunday of Lent..March 24, 2019 TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Hollywood has given us an image of Moses slipping off his shoes before a burning bush. God has just called Moses by name, and so that Moses doesn t miss the meaning of this breakthrough in human history, God requires that all barriers to the experience be eliminated. If you ve ever tried to maneuver barefoot across hot sand, or pick your way along a rocky beach, you know how sensitive feet can be. Within the Church, there are religious orders with a custom of going barefoot, not merely to show poverty, but to be an outward sign of a desire for connection with creation, a desire to go through life alert to what God is doing. In early days, when reconciliation was a once in a lifetime possibility, penitents often went barefoot for a long period of time as a sign of their conversion. Even today, people follow an ancient practice of slipping off their shoes to walk in the procession to the cross on Good Friday. It is striking that the first use of our newly scrubbed feet from Holy Thursday night is to walk resolutely in the footsteps of Christ to the cross. Thank you to all who donated to the Bunnies For Hunnies donation campaign. Please see the bulletin boards for two lovely letters that Fr. Moran recently received thanking our parish for such generosity! The Superintendent of Catholic Schools extended gratitude for the $2,996.00 we donated to the 2019 High School Collection for the Archdiocese of Hartford! Also, the Chaplain of Hartford Hospital sent us a lovely note thanking us for the beautiful prayer shawls that are given to patients in the hospital. It is wonderful to see the holy works of our parish being spread throughout our archdiocese. Xavier High School will offer a prospective students Information Session on March 28th at 6pm at the school. Visit www.xavierhighschool.org for more information. The Northwest Catholic High School Dramateurs proudly present Godspell! Prepare ye for this timeless tale of friendship, loyalty, and love based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew. March 28, 29 & 30 at 7:30pm, March 31 at 2pm For tickets visit www.northwestcatholic.org/godspell. Thank you for your support of Catholic education. Are you considering making a change in regards to your child s education? Would your child benefit from: ~ smaller class size to facilitate personalized instruction? ~ a supportive and nurturing community of families and educators? ~ advanced technology assimilated into the curriculum? If so, join us for an Open House on Tuesday, April 2 nd - 6 7:30 P.M, at Corpus Christi School, 581 Silas Deane Highway in Weth., Prospective students and their families can tour our award winning Blue Ribbon School and faculty, students, and parents will be on hand to answer questions. Our School offers an outstanding curriculum supplemented with recent STEM initiatives and a focus on environmental sustainability. The Corpus Christi Cherubs Pre School is an innovative program for three & four year-old students. Come and witness firsthand the Corpus Christi School difference!! The school encompasses PreK3 through 8 th grade. For info., visit website https://corpuschristischoolct.org or call the school at (860) 529-5487. CURSILLO ULTREYA As additional encouragement on your Lenten Journey, the Cursillo community joyfully invites you to attend our monthly Ultreya. It is scheduled for: Wednesday, April, 3rd at Sacred Heart Church Hall, 66 Cottage St Kensington, CT We begin at 7:00pm with light refreshments. Opening prayer is at 7:30. For more information please go to our website hartfordcursillo.org Tenebrae Service A Tenebrae Service will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 280 Brook St., on April 12 at 7PM. Experience an ancient form of prayer. Candles are lit at the beginning of the service. A candle is extinguished after each of the seven scripture readings from Christ's passion, and an accompanying piece of music. Join the St. Josephine Bakhita Parish Choir and Readers as we move toward Holy Week in a meaningful and moving way.