ST. JEROME CHURCH 23 Half Mile Road Norwalk, CT 06851 ~ 203-847-5349
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARTY TIME FEBRUARY 19, 2017 MISSION STATEMENT We the people of St. Jerome Parish, a Roman Catholic community, proclaim our belief in the message and mission of Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus we are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to work for its values in the local community and beyond. We are committed to: worship, religious education, shared faith and service. We welcome all people with respect, acceptance and support. SABBATH MASSES Saturday 4:00 PM E.S.T. & 4:30 PM D.S.T. Sunday 8:00 AM 9:15 AM Young Children's Mass 11:00 AM 6:00 PM Teen Mass DAYS OF OBLIGATION Vigil 7:00 PM Holy Day 9:00 AM, 7:00 PM WEEKDAY MASSES Mon-Sat 9:00 AM HOW TO FIND US Parish Website: www.stjeromenorwalk.org Parish Email: norwalkstjerome@cs.com REACH email: reachstjerome@optonline.net Parish Facebook: St. Jerome Norwalk REACH & TOTAL Facebook: REACH St.Jerome Parish Twitter: @StJeromeNorwalk REACH & TOTAL Twitter: @REACHstjerome Instagram: reach.total.stjerome Parish Staff PASTORAL STAFF 203-847-5349 Rev. David Blanchfield, Pastor Rev. Rojin Zacharias K.M., Parochial Vicar Rev. Michael Hoag, S.J., Weekend Assistant Deacon Dean Finch 203-847-6397 deacon.dean.finch@gmail.com PARISH OFFICE 203-847-5349 Mrs. Pat Florio, Secretary Office Hours, Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (REACH) 203-846-2111 Mrs. Kathy Coyne, DRE Mrs. Natalie Raduazzo Mrs. Kathy Rohr YOUTH MINISTRY (TOTAL) Joe and Daniela OʼCallaghan 203-847-0321 jocallaghan@optonline.net danielaoc@optonline.net MUSIC MINISTRY 203-847-5349 Mr. Donald Nelson Mrs. Joan McFarland PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON Robert Yap 203-246-7447 FINANCE COUNCIL Jerry Holdridge 203-966-3658 ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL 203-847-3881 Pre K Grade 8 139 West Rocks Road Norwalk, CT 06851 Mrs. Linda Dunn, Principal FAITH DIRECT ONLINE GIVING 866-507-8757 www.faithdirect.net Sign up using our church code: CT46, or by mailing a paper enrollment form available in the parish office. Also available on our website at www.stjeromenorwalk.org/faith-directenrollment.pdf
2/18 9:00 am for our First Responders VIGIL FOR SUNDAY 4:00 pm Anthony Trombetta (Abruscato & Trombetta families) SEVENTH SUNDAY ON ORDINARY TIME 2/19 8:00 am Paul Sweeney (Wagner family) 9:15 am Seavelia & Cesar Selema (daughter & family) 11:00 am Dominick & Lorenzo Santoro (Granata family) 6:00 pm Sean Sullivan (Katie Marchese & Nancy Flaherty) 2/20 9:00 am Bill Tucci (81st Birthday) (Wife, Esty Tucci) 2/21 9:00 am Rose Marie Lepore 2/22 9:00 am for the People 2/23 9:00 am Dr. & Mrs. Antonio Pesce (DiCostanzo family)) 2/24 9:00 am Josephine LaBua (Janet & Bob Tomeo) 2/25 9:00 am Matthew Chiappetta (Alicia Brenn) VIGIL FOR SUNDAY 4:00 pm Lois Rohr (Rohr family) EIGHTH SUNDAY ON ORDINARY TIME 2/26 8:00 am Ethel Cauty (Ray & Suzie Hilson) 9:15 am Ileane Glica Janice Glica Chuba (Chuba family) 11:00 am Vincenzo Iannone, Jr. (family) 6:00 pm Paul Sweeney (Florence & Dan Loch) Altar Flowers Altar Flowers may be memorialized for a donation of $50. Please call the Parish Office several months prior to your desired date. Adoration & Silent Prayer Every day between 4:00PM and 5:00PM. Contemplative Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM. Come spend some quiet time with the Lord. Widows Support Group Meets at 9:30AM on the second Thursday of the month in the Kevin Eidt Youth Room. Perpetual Novena Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal takes place each Monday following morning Mass Rosary & Divine Mercy Prayers Monday through Saturday after daily Mass Baptisms Please call the parish office to schedule. Required Pre-Baptism Please contact Deacon Dean Finch at 203-847-6397 to arrange. Class is required for the first child baptized at St. Jerome. Reconciliation One hour before vigil on Saturday. Also anytime by appointment. Marriages Please contact the Rectory at least six months in advance. Anointing of the Sick takes place on the first Wednesday of each month, immediately following the 9:00 AM Mass, in the sanctuary. Anyone with an ongoing medical condition or who is seriously ill, anticipating a medical procedure or operation, is welcome to come. Gluten Free Hosts are available at all Masses. If you require a gluten-free host, please see the officiating priest before Mass.
Beyond Our Comfort Whether Jesus was teaching about true generosity, a more profound meaning of justice, or truth of his own identity or mission, he nearly always made someone uncomfortable. He asked questions that caused discomfort, such as What were you arguing about? or But who do you say that I am? He asks those questions still and we should imagine his gaze going straight to our hearts. We can be thankful for this grace of discomfort because it means that Jesus considers us true followers, and he asks a lot of us. He asks that we search our motives, that we learn from wisdom and example, and that we change our default attitudes from standard human reactions to kingdom-of-god responses. - "February 19 - February 25." Sacred Space The Prayer Book 2017. Comp. Irish Jesuits. Chicago: Loyola, 2016. 91. Print. During Lent, we will have copies of the book Sacred Space for Lent available for you to take home. This will help make your Lenten experience more prayerful and deepen your relationship with the Lord. Sacred Space Prayer Bless all who worship you, almighty God, from the rising of the sun to its setting: from your goodness enrich us, by your love inspire us, by your Spirit guide us, by your power protect us, in your mercy receive us, now and always. THIS WEEK AT ST. JEROME. Sunday Monday 2/19 REACH no classes TOTAL no meeting 2/20 Women s Scripture Group 9:30 AM Tuesday 2/21 RCIA 7PM Resource Room Wednesday 2/22 Contemplative Prayer 7:00 PM Women s Scripture Group 7:30 PM Thursday 2/23 Friday 2/24 Saturday 2/25 Men s Ministry 7:00 AM
WEEKLY OFFERTORY SUMMARY February 12, 2017 $1,774 February total to date $7,308 February offertory budget $37,000 Faith Direct contributions will be reported next week. As always, thank you for your generous support of our parish. Pray for those who bravely serve our country in the military and those deployed in dangerous locations. Thank God for those who have returned home safely. Our service people include: Spec. Jason Kulik, United States Army Pvt. First Class Andrew Chimento, United States Army If you or a family member are on active duty and would like to be prayed for, please let the office know (203-847-5349 or reachstjerome@optonline.net) SAFE ENVIRONMENTS ******IMPORTANT ****** All volunteers 18 years and over must be in compliance with the diocesan mandate. P l e a s e s e e t h e V I R T U S w e b s i t e (www.virtusonline.org) click first time registration, click view a list of sessions, search Bridgeport, CT (Diocese). Some upcoming training dates: Catholic Center (Bridgeport) 2/28 at 5:30 PM St. Aloysius (New Canaan) 3/1 at 7:00PM TWEETS OF THE WEEK @Pontifex Let us never place conditions on God! Entrusting ourselves to the Lord means entering into his plans without demanding anything. @BishopCaggiano While we may not be able to cure a person s physical disease, our time, attention and care will let a sick person know they re not alone. @JameMartinSJ Gospel: Why do you still seek God s Presence? Look around you. That sense of wonder is one way God is speaking, deep within you. LITURGICAL ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE Volunteers are needed to help plan and design the liturgical space each week. Two members of the Liturgy Committee will work with this group to guide what is needed for each liturgical season of the year. Volunteers only need to have an interest in and talent for flowers and design. It may be possible to plan for several weeks or an entire liturgical season (Advent, Lent for example) in one meeting with other volunteers to set up each week. Please contact Fr David or Suzanne Calnon (203-847-6826) if you are able to help. Respect Life Ministry strives to build a culture of life by upholding and promoting the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. The Diocese works to implement the guidelines of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, in which we are called upon as church with our resources, our people, our services and institutions to pursue the cause of life with renewed energy and commitment. Through prayer, education, pastoral care, and public policy advocacy, the Gospel of Life is proclaimed in our midst throughout all ages and stages of life. By working together diligently, prayerfully, and courageously in the Lord s service, we hope to transform the culture of death that is present in society today. Ash Wednesday is March 1st this year. It is a day of Fast & Abstinence. Here is the schedule for the day: 9:00 AM Mass 12:10 PM Mass 4:30 PM Liturgy of the Word for Children 7:00 PM Mass LENTEN REGULATIONS Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Fasting means one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted. Abstinence from meat is to be observed by everyone 14 years or older on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and on all Fridays of Lent.
February 19 no classes February 26 - Grades 1-6 meet at the 9:15 Mass followed by class. Grades 7 & 8 meet in the evening There is no TOTAL this Sunday due to the winter break. TOTAL will meet again on March 5th. Next weekend is the last weekend to drop off donations for the Open Door Shelter. Please drop off winter gear, shoes, boots, or monetary donations for the shelter in the marked bins in the hallway. The 30 Hour Famine will be held at St. Philip's next weekend, February 25 and 26. 19 teens from St. Jerome will be participating. TOTAL is collecting donations in the BIG RED BOXES in the back of the church and in the hallway for Worldvision, Manna House, and St. Philip (for the meal packing service project). No donation is too small. Once again, the walk before the Famine will start at St. Jerome and end at St. Philip in honor of Claire Budnik, a long time member of the TOTAL team who participated in the Famine for many years. All are welcome to join in the walk to St. Philip church to honor Claire and to support our teens as they begin their 30 hour fast on Saturday morning. We will gather at 9:00am. ****IMPORTANT NOTICE**** New Weekday Severe Weather Policy We have developed a policy that safe-guards our parishioners and will allow time for our parish contractors to clear the property during storms. When the Norwalk Public Schools are closed Daily Mass will be cancelled for the day. When the Norwalk Public Schools are delayed we will have Daily Mass but ask that you please use your judgment and extreme caution. Notre Dame High School Fairfield, the oldest high school in the Diocese of Bridgeport, will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary with a gala celebration on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Sacred Heart University. For information regarding tickets and sponsorships, please contact the Notre D a m e A d v a n c e m e n t O f f i c e at tmarzik@notredame.org or 203-372-6521. FOOD DRIVE NEXT WEEKEND FEBRUARY 25/26 As we face the challenges of our winter weather, please lend your support to our Norwalk neighbors facing the everyday challenge of having enough food for their families. The MOST NEEDED ITEMS this month are jar pasta sauce, hearty soups, canned pears, pineapple, or fruit cocktail, cereal, and dried beans. Volunteers will be in the hallway after Masses selling a variety of these items for a $5.00 donation. All cash collected will be spent on food for P2P, The Open Door, and Mid-Fairfield AIDS Project. Any donation you can give will help provide nourishment for Norwalk families. Stamford Lenten Adult Bible Study - The Scriptural Roots of the Sacraments will be a sixweek Bible Study held at Trinity High School every Thursday in Lent, starting March 2nd, from 7-8:30pm. The study, led by Fr. Joseph Gill, will examine how the Sacraments of our Catholic Faith, such as the Mass and Confession, are grounded in the Word of God, both prefigured in the Old Testament and then coming in fullness in the New. Cost is free. All adults who want to grow in their faith are invited to join us! For more information, please contact Fr. Joseph at frjosephgill@gmail.com. KEEP JESUS WARM with your DONATIONS St. Jerome will be collecting winter scarves, hats, gloves, jackets, new underwear and new socks in the marked bins in the hallway through February. TOTAL will make sure they get to the Open Door Shelter