St. Damien of Molokai Parish

St. Damien of Molokai Parish Reverend John P. Melnick Pastor Reverend Tuan Anh Dinh Mai Parochial Vicar Deacon R. Carl Lickwar Deacon Ronald Biamonte Saint Gabriel Church 379 Broad Street Windsor, CT 06095 SCHEDULE OF MASSES Monday - Friday Daily Mass: 7:30am St. Gabriel & St. Joseph Churches alternate weeks Saturday Vigil: 4:00pm (St. Gabriel), 5:00pm (St. Joseph) Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30am (St. Gabriel) 8:00 & 10:00am (St. Joseph) Saint Joseph Church 1747 Poquonock Avenue Poquonock, CT 06064 RECTORY OFFICE Mrs. Martha Erickson Ms. Lori Possum Parish Secretary Bookkeeper E-mail: office@windsorcatholic.org E-mail: finance@windsorcatholic.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-3:00pm Telephone: 860-688-4905/ 860-688-9566 FAX: 860-688-2638 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OFFICE Mrs. Cynthia Glick Coordinator of Faith Formation Ms. Dolores McGuinness Assistant Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 3:00pm Telephone: 860-683-0366 FAX: 860-688-2638 E-mail: reled@windsorcatholic.org CEMETERY SEXTON Ms. Lori Possum Telephone: 860-285-0696 MUSIC MINISTRY Mr. Michael Rheault St. Gabriel Mr. Scott P. Rioux St. Joseph Directors of Music CHURCH SEXTON Mr. Edward Kozloski ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL Mrs. Patricia Martin Principal 77 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor, CT Tel: 860-688-6401 Website: www.stgabrielschool.org FAX: 860-298-8668 SACRAMENTS Baptism: The 3rd Sunday of the Month at 11:00am (St. Joseph) & 11:30am (St. Gabriel) Please call the Parish Rectory Office to schedule a date Reconciliation: The 1st and 2nd Saturdays at 4:30pm (St. Joseph) 3rd and 4th Saturdays at 3:15pm (St. Gabriel) Marriage: Arrangements should be made by calling the Rectory at least six months in advance Anointing of the Sick: Please contact the Rectory Accessible by side entrance

THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 2, 2017 The Following Weekend Mass Intentions Saturday July 1 - The Vigil of the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 4:00 PM Birthday Remembrance - Merwin Brown (SGC) req. by Carol Brown 5:00 PM Birthday Remembrance - Carl Ouellette (SJC) req. by His Sister, Lee-Ann Pelletier Sunday July 2 - The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM Robert Carroll req. by The Paulekas (SGC) Family 8:00 AM Birthday Blessings for a Dear Friend req. by (SJC) Lori Possum 10:00 AM Anniversary Mass - Gary Kurtz & (SJC) Anniversary Mass - Henrietta Bernais req. by Kurtz Family 10:30 AM 1st Ann. - Dolores Sopelak req. by Janice (SGC) & Raymond Turek Saturday July 8 - The Vigil of the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 4:00 PM Aime & Virginia Roy req. by Family (SGC) 5:00 PM George Whitty req. by Gayle & Mark (SJC) Brick Sunday July 9 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM Robert Carroll req. by Angela & George (SGC) Morganthaler 8:00 AM Anniversary Mass - Michael Palladino (SJC) req. by His Son, Joseph 10:00 AM Deceased Members of the Setzer Family (SJC) req. by Theresa Habermeier 10:30 AM 3rd Ann. - Sally Pikul & (SGC) Birthday Remembrance - Bernard Pikul req. by Family Daily 7:30 AM Masses Monday through Friday at St. Gabriel Church Monday July 3 - St. Thomas 7:30 AM Frank Cerutti req. by Family Tuesday July 4 - Independence Day 7:30 AM Robert Browne req. by His Sister, Alicia Wednesday July 5 - St. Anthony Zaccaria 7:30 AM Ruth Regan req. by Family Thursday July 6 - St. Maria Goretti 7:30 AM 26th Ann. - Joseph Sponzo req. by Family Friday July 7 7:30 AM 1st Ann. - Peter Alhstrin req. by Family St. Gabriel Weekly Collection, June 24, 25: $5,648 St. Joseph Weekly Collection, June 24, 25: $3,873 Maintenance & Repairs: $1,526 Missionary Collection: $1,905 This Weekend s Second Collection My Monthly Offering. Next Weekend, St. Gabriel Church has a Second Collection for Heating & Cooling. We are grateful for you constant, generous support to St. Damien of Molokai Parish. Please remember those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially, David J. Hickey. Also, remember the sick of the parish at home, in hospitals and in convalescent homes, especially, Ken Sinkwitz, John Dowd, Mariette Gorski, Barbara Kimbrough Miller, Lynn Marie Long, Helen Van Gasbeck and Antoinette Coiro. The Rectory Parish Office will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day. Please remember all our service men and women in prayer for their service to our country. This Weekend, St. Gabriel Church welcomes Fr. Robin S. Seelan from the Kumbakonam diocese. Every year, an average of 50 young men and women go out of this diocese to other missions throughout India and other parts of the world to serve God and His people as missionaries. The mission and spiritual prospects of Kumbakonam diocese are bright, but its needs are pressing. 60% of its Catholics are depressingly poor. Therefore, your fervent prayers and generous help are earnestly requested for building the KINGDOM of GOD, in and through the diocese of Kumbakonam, India.

JULY 2, 2017 I have requested and recently received approval from Archbishop Leonard Blair to take a leave of absence from my diaconal ministry for up to 6 months effective July 1, 2017. Thank you to all the members of St. Gabriel and St. Joseph Churches for the friendship, understanding and support you have given me over the last 24 years of my diaconal ministry. Thank you to Fr. John Melnick, Pastor of St. Damien of Molokai Parish, for the support he has shown me in the last 9 months and in my making this difficult decision. My leave occurs at a time when the members of the two churches are preparing to merge into one parish, St. Damien of Molokai. Knowing the depth of the faith that you all profess and live, I have no doubt that you will fully support the Pastoral Planning Process. As a result of this process, you, the parishioners of St. Damien will become known for spreading the message of Jesus Christ not just to those who visit its churches, but throughout Windsor and its surrounding communities. God bless you all, Deacon Ron I wish to express my esteem and gratitude to Deacon Ronald Biamonte for his years of dedicated diaconal service. I am personally indebted to him for the vast institutional knowledge he has shared with me since my arrival last October. One cannot begin to fathom the number of lives he has touched during his ministry here. Deacon Ron has ministered in so many ways. We think of the countless holy hours, pre-baptismal classes, RCIA, youth and adult education programs, altar server trainings, wakes, homilies, baptisms, engaged couples conferences, marriages, nursing home visits and communion services, parish council meetings, liturgy meetings, and the list goes on. Needless to say, the fruits of his labors will live on for all the years ahead. Receptions will be held at both churches so that we may thank him in a more personal way. There will be a reception in St. Joseph - Fr. Doherty hall, after the Sunday Masses on July 23rd. A reception will be held at St. Gabriel church hall after the Sunday Masses on July 16th. May God continue to shower his blessings on His faithful servant, Deacon Ronald Biamonte. Sincerely Yours in Christ, Fr. John P. Melnick WE WELCOME INTO OUR PARISH FAMILY THROUGH THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Nathan Charles Bienia son of Charles and Allyson Bienia Mckenzie Nicole Mayo daughter of Justin and Bridget Mayo May the grace of God they received at their rebirth remain with them always and may they grow in the love and friendship of our loving Father. The Arsenault & Roode Families have graciously donated altar flowers in loving memory of Peter Arsenault and A. J. Roode. Please share in remembering their loved ones and offer a prayer in thanksgiving for these individuals and the many lives they may have graced with their kindness, guidance and love. Readings for the Week of July 2, 2017 Sunday: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a/Ps 89:2-3, 16-19/ Rom 6:3-4, 8-11/Mt 10:37-42 Monday: Eph 2:19-22/Ps 117:1bc-2/Jn 20:24-29 Tuesday: Gn 19:15-29/Ps 26:2-3, 9-12/Mt 8:23-27 Wednesday: Gn 21:5, 8-20a/Ps 34:7-8, 10-13/Mt 8:28-34 Thursday: Gn 22:1b-19/Ps 115:1-6, 8-9/Mt 9:1-8 Friday: Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67/Ps 106:1b-5/Mt 9:9-13 Saturday: Gn 27:1-5, 15-29/Ps 135:1b-6/Mt 9:14-17 Next Sunday: Zec 9:9-10/Ps 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14/Rom 8:9, 11-13/Mt 11:25-30 This past Monday night, a very full Saint Gabriel church hall hosted its first Town Hall meeting. As part of the merging process, a transition team has been formed working very diligently to begin charting the course of our new parish. Monday s meeting was an opportunity to present the work of the team and to receive feedback from the parishioners; the founding parishioners of Saint Damien of Molokai Parish. It proved to be a fruitful evening. I am indebted to the team for their continued hard work. I also was edified by the large numbers of truly committed and interested individuals who wish to make our parish a vibrant presence in Windsor. The feedback and suggestions were most helpful as we move forward. A reminder that the Saint Joseph Rectory will be closing for regular church business as of this weekend. Lori Possum, our bookkeeper and cemetery sexton, will be relocating to Saint Gabriel Rectory as of this coming week. All business connected to our new parish of Saint Damien will be serviced out of Saint Gabriel Rectory. We will be looking into ways for groups and individuals to easily access Saint Joseph Church for meetings, prayer, etc. This is one of the many helpful suggestions that came from Monday s meeting. Lastly, I thank Michelle Harris, who despite taking on another position, has carried the Saint Joseph Rectory office through this challenging transition. Thank you, Michelle! Sincerely in Christ, Fr. John P. Melnick First Friday Holy Hour "Exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be held at St. Joseph Church on Friday, July 7th, (please note corrected date) between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

A Message from Social Action Monthly Food Collection Bags are available this weekend at the entrances to the churches for the monthly food drive. For July, the Windsor Food Bank requested paper goods, personal care items, pasta sauce, crackers, cookies, and juice. South Park Inn Social Action is sponsoring a collection for South Park Inn, a homeless shelter in Hartford. The shelter is in great need of men s size X-large and XX-large T- shirts and flip flops in any size (men s, women s, and children s). The flip flops are needed for access to the shower facilities. They can also use toiletries, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. The collection is scheduled for the weekend of July 8 & 9. The next Social Action Meeting is Monday, September 18, at 6PM, in Father Doherty Hall. All are welcome. For more information on how you can participate in Social Action contact Lisa Andersen at 860-688-3474 or Landers403@comcast.net or Sue Claughsey at 860-298-0550 or rnsue51@yahoo.com. We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love. Mother Teresa St. Margaret Mary & St. Francis Assisi Men s Parish Retreat, South Windsor An ACTS weekend retreat, under the guidance of clergy, is open to the men of the parish to attend. (ACTS: Adoration, Community, Theology & Service). You ll hear from men about: Adoration; how they encounter and respond to God s call in their day to day life. Community; how men carry out God s commandment to love and care for one another. Theology; how they seek understanding by studying God in Scripture and Faith. Service; the ways men serve God and His people. The retreat begins Thursday evening, August 17 th, and concludes Sunday morning, August 20 th. The retreat is held at the Immaculata Retreat House, Willimantic, CT. Cost for room and meals is $240. A limited amount of financial assistance is available. Open to all faiths. Additional information contact: Stan Kulas: 860-573-2411, skulas0919@aol.com; or Joe Chilicki: 860-794-0255, jchilicki@cox.net. NEW EMAIL CONTACT INFORMATION This weekend, we offer you a new bulletin cover with our new parish name, St. Damien of Molokai, as well as new email addresses for your use to contact the religious education director, bookkeeper/cemetery sexton and parish secretary. We will do our best to monitor old and new addresses to respond to you as needed. Do not hesitate to call if you need further assistance. JULY 2, 2017 Stump the Seminarian Part 5 By Christopher Kelley Returning this week, I will be answering a set of liturgical questions. If you should have any questions that you would like to ask, as always, please feel free to email them to me and I will do my best to answer you personally as well as in the bulletin. My email is 83KELLEY@CUA.EDU. Q: Could you please explain why we use incense at Mass, especially at funerals and the significance of the sign of peace? Within our Christian tradition, incense has come to provide a variety of different meanings depending on the context it is used and was a widespread practice amongst the religions of the ancient/classical world. In its purest sense, incense can be seen as giving a visible sign of our prayers rising up to God, which helps provide us not only with assurance that they are heard but also gives us something concrete to observe as a visual people. Incense can also show to us an increased sense of reverence and solemnity for a particular moment by drawing us deeper into the mystical events taking place. As these events unfold, the incense helps to show that we can never fully see or understand the ways of God even when we are looking right at it. There will always be some mystery with the way He acts in our lives whether that is through Scripture, the Consecration, or at some other time. On a final note, incense also has the notion of cleansing and purifying, which is why it is frequently used when the gifts are brought forward or during Eucharistic processions, so that the way forward for the Eucharist is cleansed and made pure. As to the sign of peace, which is done at all Masses, it is a tradition from the earliest Masses because it reflects Christ s words to us: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you John 14:27. We offer the sign to one another, not as a moment to say hello and update ourselves on the latest and greatest, rather, it is a moment to make peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ (Mt.5:24) so that we can bring ourselves to the altar and receive the only true and certain peace, the lasting peace that Christ offers each of us by worthy faith and reception of Him. These two simple acts contain within themselves a multitude of meanings and reasons as to why we do them, and yet often go by completely unnoticed. Registration is still being accepted for the 2017/2018 academic school year. Just to reintroduce, St. Gabriel School invites any parent to consider placing their 3 or 4 year old child in their Pre-School Program. The Program offers full and half day sessions where children interact with each other to develop social skills as well as the ever important ability to learn in a pleasant, nurturing environment. School starts Tuesday, August 29 th, for K-8 and August 30 th, for our Pre-K 3 & 4. Call the school, or visit our website for more information 860-688-6401; www.stgabrielschool.org.

JULY 2, 2017 St. Gabriel School Summer Camp is running the following weeks: July 10 - July 14 July 17 - July 21 July 24 - July 28 July 31 - August 4 The hours for Summer Camp are 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Each week is $200 and runs from 9am-4pm, with before and after care available for an additional charge. Any questions, please call St. Gabriel School at 860-688-6401 or email spranaitis@stgabrielschool.org. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION The Religious Education Office is closed for the summer and will re-open August 31 st. Over the summer, email and voicemail messages will be checked on a periodic basis and responded to as promptly as possible. Registration for 2017 / 2018 classes If you have not yet registered your child/children entering Kindergarten through 10 th grade for Religious Education classes that will begin in September, please do so as soon as possible. The Religious Education Office is closed for the summer, but Registrations can still be submitted and students will be placed in classes in which there are openings. If you are new to the Religious Education Program, please contact the Religious Education Office. Registered families will receive class information in August. Archdiocesan Women s Conference The Office of Education, Evangelization and Catechesis is pleased to announce the inaugural Archdiocesan Women s Conference to be held on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown in Hartford from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year s theme, Be Strong and Courageous! is taken from Joshua 1:9, and provides the foundation for highlighting the ways that women of faith inspire each other and strengthen our Church and world. The event will be a full day of inspiration, empowerment, and sisterhood. Included in the cost of registration: validated parking, a deli lunch buffet, captivating keynote & breakout speakers, swag bag full of freebies, women-centric vendor hall, opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration and the sacrament of Confession, Vigil Mass with Archbishop Blair. Registration opens in August.