ST. JEROME CHURCH 23 Half Mile Road Norwalk, CT 06851 ~ 203-847-5349
TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JUNE 25, 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 Dan Loch 203-846-3980 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
6/24 9:00 am for the Notre Dame High School Appalachia Mission trip VIGIL FOR SUNDAY 4:30 pm Bill Tucci (17th Ann.) (Wife, Esty Tucci) TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 6/25 8:00 am Angelo Bergamasco (Faccenda family) 9:15 am Jerry Butler, Sr. (wife, Rosa) 11:00 am Palmina Granata (Donna & Cris Granata) 6:00 pm Christopher Shamansky (Rohr family) 6/26 9:00 am Sam & Sue Testa (family) 6/27 9:00 am for the People 6/28 9:00 am for Travelers 6/29 9:00 am for the sick of our Parish and their caregivers 6/30 9:00 am for our Confirmation candidates that just went on their retreats 7/1 9:00 am for the safe return of the Notre Dame High School Appalachia Mission trip VIGIL FOR SUNDAY 4:30 pm Thomas Martin Smith (son, Thomas Smith) THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 7/2 8:00 am Claude & Sally Shea (Aunt Phyllis & Uncle Steve) 9:15 am James Pellegrino (family) 11:00 am Gaetano & Elsa Santini (DiCostanzo family) 6:00 pm Jeannette Burrough (Stefanatos family) 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. Bringing up the Gifts at Mass If the Mass intention has been requested by you or for your loved ones, and you would like to bring up the Gifts at the Offertory, please let the ushers know that you are present and would like to bring up the gifts. The Banns of Marriage are announced for the third time between Frank Balestriere and Kaitlin Kowalsky
I am happy to announce that the Pastoral Council has elected new officers for next year. Dan Loch will be the Chairperson, Jennifer Romano the Vice Chair and Carol Oustafine the secretary. We are in good hands for the upcoming year. I am filled with good news this week. The bricks are in, and tomorrow I will sign the contract for the project which will begin on August 7 th. Although the bricks are here, we have weddings in July and early August. The contractor was worried about starting the project and not having it finished on a wedding day. Beginning August 7 th gives us the rest of the month to finish. Another factor was landscaping. The work will involve taking out the mish-mash we have at present and replacing it with a coordinated look. If we had started n July, heat would have been a problem. By the middle of August, days will be shorter and Fall will be in the air. I think you will be impressed with the new look. If you did not have a chance to purchase a brick in the first round, there will be a second round to be announced, since the Honor Way will be designed to add memorial bricks as needed. I am pleased to tell you I delivered the large card many of you signed for Fr. Joe s 90 th birthday. He looks great and wanted to make sure I told you of his gratitude and prayers for your intentions. Finally, Fr Rojin will be away in July and I will take some time in August. While I am away I will devote columns to my new favorite writer, Brian Doyle. My favorite novelists are Richard Russo and Jon Hassler. Now I can add Brian Doyle to their number. He is an essayist and novelist and his work reminds me of both Russo and Hassler. His first novel was CHICAGO and his best essays are GRACE NOTES. More to follow, meanwhile happy summer! THIS WEEK AT ST. JEROME. Sunday 6/25 Monday 6/26 Confirmation Retreat #2 Women s Scripture Group 9:30 AM Tuesday 6/27 Wednesday 6/28 Contemplative Prayer 7:00 PM Women s Scripture Group 7:30 PM Thursday 6/29 Friday 6/30 Saturday 7/1 Men s Ministry 7:00 AM
WEEKLY OFFERTORY SUMMARY June 18, 2017 $3,446 Faith Direct for June $17,083 June total to date $29,687 June offertory budget $37,000 As always, thank you for your generous support of our parish! THE FACE OF PRAYER.Are you the face of prayer? Are you willing to pray with Bishop Caggiano every day? Join the movement. Text a selfie, your prayer intention, or simply the word pray to 55778 and join in the journey as we learn more about the power of prayer. Calling all entering College Freshman Before you head off to college, consider one more stop along the way out your parent s door. Join other freshmen at St. Pius X parish for Make It or Break It, a retreat designed especially for rising freshmen Saturday, August 5th from 9 am to 9 pm. There is no cost to attend. For more information, visit http://go2l.ink/retreat. Registration ends July 15 th. SUMMER COLLECTION Our rising REACH 4th Grade Class will be taking up a collection of hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen to donate to the Open Door Shelter. Please drop NEW or GENTLY USED items off to the bins in the rear of the church or the hallway. TWEETS OF THE WEEK @Pontifex None of us is an island, autonomous and independent from others. We can only build the future by standing together, including everyone.. @BishopCaggiano In a world of so much hurt, fear, and division, may our words and actions speak loudly of the love of Christ for every human person. @JameMartinSJ Gospel: Love your enemies. Pray for your persecutors. Hard sayings from Jesus that must be grappled with. Christians cannot ignore them. We 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 PFC Andrew Chimento, United States Army PFC Devon Barker, United States Army LCpl. Jack H. Whitney, USMC M i d n i g h t R u n D o n a t i o n s The Midnight Run program provides various donated items to homeless individuals in NYC on a monthly basis. St Phillips coordinates the program in our area. We can help by donating clean clothing items in good condition. (Please no ripped or dirty items.) GREATEST NEED - Men s clothing such as; socks, t-shirts in medium to extra large, baseball hats, shoes sizes 9-12, sneakers or work boots, sweatshirts, jeans sizes 32-40 waist, and button down shirts. Other items needed are toiletries, deodorant, soaps, wash cloths, toothbrushes, t o o t h p a s t e a n d s h a m p o o. These items can be dropped off at St. Phillips anytime under the car port located by the Office entrance on the far side of the building. Please be sure to mark the bag or box with the name M I D N I G H T R U N I T E M S. Thank you for considering helping those individuals in need. NEWBORN & TODDLER CLOTHING COLLECTION The Social Concerns Committee is collecting NEW or GENTLY USED newborn or toddler clothing. Please bring your donation to the marked donation boxes in Church Hallway. These items will be given to families in need & Malta House. Also needed would be bassinet or small crib for newborn infant. Thank you for any items you can donate.
The Annual Catholic Appeal closes this weekend. If you have not yet made a gift, please pray about your decision and make a pledge or one-time gift. Donations to the 2017 Appeal helps sustain many who are unable to provide for their families or themselves. From counseling sessions, food and shelter programs, to our clergy and religious, your support is vital in continuing to meet the needs of our community and parishes. Please complete a pledge card today or go directly to www.2017acabridgeport.com. Together, we are Christ s guiding light for the lives of thousands in our diocesan communities. We had the first of our Confirmation retreats on Friday, June 23rd. Eighteen of our soon to be 10th graders spent the day at The Convent of St. Birgitta on Long Island sound. It was a beautiful day and the kids were terrific! The teens who attended are: Julia Allee, Caylie Balducci, Samantha Capocci, Ceci Clyne, Julia Cunningham, Mateo Davalos, Antonia Gasparro, Kaitlyn Giglio, Jordan Hogan, Jimmy Howe, Elizabeth Kelly, Jonathan Liao, Isabella Orlando, Joanne Pistulli, Sara Roach, Matt Rohr, Sara Smeriglio, Bianca Velez Please keep these teens in your prayers as they prepare for Confirmation on December 10, 2017. Also, a huge THANK YOU to Pat Olson for helping out all day at the retreat. REACH & TOTAL TUITION Balances overdue! All outstanding tuition balances for the REACH/ TOTAL 2016-2017 school year are now past due. Please submit your payment to the REACH office ASAP to settle your accounts. Contact Kathy Coyne or Daniela O Callaghan if there are any financial concerns at this point. Tuition is part of our operating budget and your payments help keep our parish sound. Please submit your tuition payment today. FOOD DRIVE THIS WEEKEND Our monthly food drive is taking place this weekend. As we plan our summer getaways and activities, let's not overlook the most basic need for food for our less fortunate neighbors. Person-2-Person's Pantry shelves are in need of restocking the following items: Tuna, Rice, 18-oz. jars of jelly (preferably not grape jelly), Pasta sauce, & Soups Volunteers will accept cash donations after each Mass to do the shopping for these items and add them to the collection. Donations may be left in the church hallway anytime during the week. Thank you for helping to feed families who rely on the pantry for food. SUMMER COFFEES Please join us for Summer Coffee this morning following the 9:15 Mass!! Sunday, June 25 All are invited to our reception that will be welcoming all of the families that have had children baptized at St. Jerome this past year. Please note these upcoming Summer coffee s on your calendars: Sunday, July 9 Sunday, August 6 These coffee s will be generously hosted by Tom & Lorraine Larkin with the help of the Welcoming Committee. EVERYONE is invited to experience our wonderful parish community gatherings!!! Life Line Screening offers finger-stick blood tests with results in 10 minutes. Protect your health by finding out your risk of diabetes and vascular disease by participating in the Life Line Screening that will be at St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church on Monday, July 17, 2017. V i s i t w w w. l i f e l i n e s c r e e n i n g. c o m / advantagemembers or call 1-888-653-6441 or to schedule your appointment. Taking control of your health doesn t have to be hard.