Dear Friends in Christ:
This coming week you will all receive a letter from me in the mail regarding the 2019 Annual Family Commitment…in years past I have taken a weekend to address the Commitment during the homily but I really feel that the homily needs to be a homily
and relate the Scriptures to our daily lives. The homily should give us food for thought in our spiritual lives and so I have decided not to do what we have done just because that is the way it was always done.
This coming week every family in the parish should receive a letter from me announcing the 2019 Annual Family Commitment. If you do not receive a letter from me please contact the rectory.
As I prepared for the 2019 Annual Family Commitment together with the Parish Finance Council and our Trustees, I could not help but think how this past year has been such a year of blessings for our parish. In a time of decreasing numbers of priests in the Church we were blessed with the news that the newly ordained Father Federico was named our new Parochial Vicar. We also welcomed almost 100 families into our parish
since January 1, 2019. We are seeing so many young families in Mass each week. We are connecting with hundreds of people through our use of social media and the Parish App. We have expanded our weekly bulletin as we continue to use it as a means of communicating our faith as well as serving as a place to go for parish events and news. And NOW we are searching for a Youth Minister for our parish family to help us meet the spiritual needs of our youth and, due to the amount of programs, events, and activities taking place in our parish each day, we are in the process of hiring a Parish Facility Coordinator. I am excited for the future of our parish!
As we contemplate these blessings we are aware that keeping up with the properties and facilities is not always possible in our regular yearly budget. This Annual Family Commitment is the avenue through which we, as a family, are able to address special capital projects before it is too late.
Last year your generosity to the 2018 Annual Family Commitment enabled us to address the needs we set out to handle. We replaced the carpeting in both church buildings, as well as in the education wing at Saint Thomas Becket Church. We painted the exterior of Saint Thomas Becket Church and addressed some carpentry issues as well. We are also addressing, as of this writing, the leak issue at Saint Bridget Church which was determined to be an issue with the masonry work on the façade. We are working to do the needed repairs to the Church gutters as well. All of this has been made possible thanks to your profound generosity and steadfast support.
And it is NOW time for me to humbly ask, as your Pastor, for your help once again! This year I am asking you to help address replacing the roof at Saint Bridget Church and the roof on the Education Wing of Saint Thomas Becket Church. These projects are substantial and we could never accomplish them without your generosity to this 2019 Annual Family Commitment. We have some funds left over from last year’s Annual Family Commitment which will be earmarked to these projects and will help us meet these substantial costs. I imagine some are wondering why we need to ask for your help when we received the funds from the sale of the Church of the Epiphany and I outline the use of those funds in the letter that you will receive in the mail this week.
It is my hope, and that of our Parish Finance Council and our Trustees, that every family will prayerfully consider making this once-a-year commitment to our family of faith to assist us in addressing these necessary repairs. We are asking every family to make a gift according to their means as a sign of your commitment to our parish family. Your gift, no matter its size, makes a difference for our parish. Please be as generous as you are able. Thank you for all that you do to make our parish such a vibrant community of faith.
Oktoberfest is HERE Friday, October 18th! Don’t forget to get your tickets! Invite your friends to join you! Tickets will be on sale this weekend after all Masses and also at the School or Rectory during the week. Hurry and purchase your ticket to this year’s Oktoberfest so you don’t miss out on the fun!!!
Please join us for this ADULTS ONLY event on Friday, October 18th, as we gather for our Annual Oktoberfest. Tickets are only $30 per person and include a meal of traditional German fare, a variety of seasonal beers, and live entertainment. This is another great opportunity for us to come together and get to know one another in a social setting. What a great way to gather with old friends and meet new ones as we seek to build up our family of faith. Hope to see you there!
Happiest Congratulations…go to Danielle Chamberlain, age 12, from our parish family whose artwork has been chosen as this year’s parish Christmas card. It is well done! Expect to see one in your mailbox this coming Christmas! Congratulations Danielle! A
special word of gratitude to you and the many others from our school and parish families who contributed artwork for consideration. We are blessed with so many young artists!
Speaking of young artists, we are hosting another art contest…we are asking all school age children to begin to think of this year’s Advent theme which is LONGING FOR LIGHT? FOLLOW THE STAR! After spending time with that theme we ask all school-aged children to think about an image that can capture the theme and to draw it.
Submissions can be made to the rectory or school office prior to November 1, 2018. The winning artwork will be displayed on the banners which will be up in front of both of our church campuses.
Fill the Truck Event…We are hosting another Fill the Truck event to benefit Saint Vincent DePaul Mission NEXT WEEKEND…come and help us Fill the Truck! On Saturday, October 12th from 8AM until 12Noon and from 3PM until 5PM, and on Sunday, October 13st, from 7AM until 1PM, and from 3PM until 5PM. As you are cleaning out your closets and cupboards please remember to check the article in this bulletin for items that are needed. NO FURNITURE will be accepted. The truck will be parked in the lot behind Saint Bridget Rectory. Thank you for your great generosity to assist those most in need!
Beginning THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING the remainder of the 2020 Mass book will open…if you have been waiting to book a Mass from July to December then Wednesday is your day! Office opens at 8:30AM. You can call the office between 8:30AM and 4:30PM, or stop by the rectory office to reserve your Mass intentions. PLEASE DO NOT CALL BEFORE 8:30AM.
No Turkey Thanksgiving Parish Dinner…the past few years we have had an Annual NO Turkey Thanksgiving Parish Dinner around Thanksgiving time and this year it will be held on Saturday, November 23rd! At this time we are looking for someone, or a couple of friends, to step forward to organize this event. It is great family event and I always love seeing everyone gathered together for an Italian meal, the adults enjoying the music entertainment, and the kids enjoying some fun time in the school gym. Those who have planned it in the past couple of years are willing to offer assistance. If you are interested in helping to coordinate this effort please contact the Parish Office.
It is not too late to send us your intentions while we are on Pilgrimage. This coming Monday evening through Thursday morning we will be in ROME.
Do you have a friend who is ill and needs prayers? Do you have a stress in your life you want relief from? Do you simply have someone you are keeping in your prayers? We want to bring your prayer intentions with us as we visit these historic, sacred, and moving sites. To facilitate this we have a link on our parish website at www.stbridgetcheshire.org for you to submit your prayer intentions for us to pray on your behalf throughout our pilgrimage. Your submissions will be forwarded to my email and I will share them each day with our pilgrims. The power of prayer at work! And as we pray for you and your intentions we, of course, ask for your prayers for us and a safe journey!
Flu Clinic will be offered NEXT WEEKEND…The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Home Care and Hospice Care will offer Flu Vaccinations following the Vigil Masses at both Saint Bridget and Saint Thomas Becket on Saturday, October 12th, and the morning Masses on Sunday, October 13th. Vaccinations will be administered in the Parish Center and in Father Frisbie Hall. These vaccinations are covered by most insurance carriers and Medicare, please bring your proper documentation.
As always, 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, our Patroness, and united in the Eucharist, we will reflect the presence of Jesus to the world.
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