Dear Friends in Christ:
A special word of gratitude to all who attended the Oktoberfest last Friday evening…The weather was a bit chilly but it didn’t stop everyone from having a great time. In the words of one of our “more seasoned” parishioners “the evening was exceptional: the food, the people and the energy in the parish.” It was a fantastic evening to enjoy traditional German fare, a variety of beers and wine, and entertainment. What a great opportunity for our parish family to come together and get to know one another in a social setting while We Grow Together in Faith. It was so great to see so many interacting and enjoying the evening whether inside dancing to the music, outside chatting by the fire, or simply in between enjoying the fine selection of food and beverages. Thank you also to Alison and Matt O’Leary, and Aimee and Rich Uluski for coordinating a phenomenal event, to those who helped them, and to Becka Berkowitz and Jeff Strange for all they did in the kitchen. The evening was amazing! Thank you!
Halloween Trick or Treat at the Rectory…Father Federico and I will be answering the door at the rectory at Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish on Thursday evening, Halloween, October 31st to hand out candy to you and your children. Please come by the rectory door facing the Church building (sidewalk nearest the back of the rectory) and share in the excitement of the evening. We look forward to seeing all the costumes and welcoming you to our door. Please note due to the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints we will begin distributing candy at 5:45PM. We hope you will stop by!
All Saints Day and All Souls’ Day…On All Saints Day, which is a Holy Day of Obligation, we will celebrate Masses at the following times and places:
Thursday, October 31—Saint Bridget Church—5PM
Friday, November 1st—Saint Bridget Church—7AM, 9AM
Friday, November 1st—Saint Thomas Becket Church—7PM
On All Souls’ Day we will have the normal daily Mass at 9AM at Saint Bridget Church and a Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated at the regularly scheduled 4PM Mass on Sunday, November 3, 2019 in Saint Bridget Church for all those from our parish family who died during the past year. All are welcome to attend!
A reminder…as we did last year, we as a parish family will be placing the All Souls’ Day envelopes (included in your offertory envelope package or additional ones available at the doors of the Churches) on the altar for the whole month of November at all the Masses. These envelopes allow you to list your loved ones names on the back so that their names will be remembered in a special way at all the Masses in this month.
This weekend the Archdiocesan Synod Grow and Go is taking place. As I have said before this is the culmination of almost two years of work for myself and many others who have worked on the Synod. After months of prayer, study, and formation for the delegate representatives from throughout the Archdiocese we are just days away from this historic event. Please join us in prayer as the delegates are meeting this weekend and discerning the Holy Spirit and praying that a new energy and zeal will be bestowed upon our local Church in the Archdiocese of Hartford.
SYNOD PRAYER…Lord Jesus Christ, in the Gospel we hear the voice of the Father telling us to listen to you. It is your voice that we heed. It is your way that we follow. It is your Spirit who leads us into all the truth. Look kindly upon your Church in the Archdiocese of Hartford and upon the work of our Archdiocesan Synod. We pray that through the Synod our souls may be stirred and our hearts set on fire in order to bring new energy and zeal to the mission of our local Church. May the Synod inspire us to missionary discipleship, so that filled with the faith and boldness of the Apostles and first Christians, we may draw others to you and to your body and bride, the Church. At Pentecost Mary your Mother joined the Apostles in imploring the gift of the Holy Spirit. By her prayers, and those of her spouse, Saint Joseph, our Patron, may the same Holy Spirit inspire and direct us and the work of our Synod. Through you, Lord Jesus, we give glory to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Annual Family Commitment 2019…A quick update…as of, Wednesday, October 23, 2019, we have received pledges in the amount of $56,535.00 from 209 of our families representing participation from only 6.7% of our families.
Thank you to those families who have made a commitment to our parish family. Facing these major capital projects we need the help of every family! Your gift, no matter its size, makes a difference, and 100% of all funds collected will be used here in Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish. We need your help! If you have not given yet please prayerfully consider doing so. Thank you for what you do to make Saint Bridget of Sweden Parish such a phenomenal and vibrant family of faith.
Update on Father O’Neill…many have asked over the past few months why Father O’Neill’s name has not appeared in our Military Prayer List and I have had to explain that he went for basic training but since has come back to the Archdiocese and has been working at the Cathedral in Hartford for the past few weeks. He has finally received his official orders from the military and we will add his name to the Military Prayer List on November 4th as he heads to Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska to begin his service in the military as Chaplain. Keep him in your prayers and remember to pray for all those who are serving for the good of peace in our military.
Finally, as always, please remember to pray for our parish family and ask God’s blessings as we build His kingdom here. Please know that I am praying for you, and I ask for your prayers for me, that together through the intercession of Saint Bridget of Sweden, and united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.
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