A Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford The St. Catherine Parish Legacy Fund is commied to ensuring the long-term stability of our parish and its ministries. Please consider a giſt in lieu of flowers upon a loved one's passing as a way to ensure our community will thrive well into the future. Fiſth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5 February 2017 Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. Pastor The Reverend Michael Whyte, 860 658 1642 PARISH STAFF Administrave Assistant-Parish Office Mrs. Lisa Cerchia 860 658 1642 or [email protected]Director of Religious Educaon Mrs. Kathi Bonner 860 658 4737 or [email protected]Director of Youth Ministry Mrs. Judy Pluta 860 408 9888 or [email protected]Director of Music Ministry Mrs. Susan Zybert 860 404 5514 or [email protected]Facilies Manager Mr. Michael Grappone, 860 658 1642 Parish Council President Mr. Jim Peters 860 651 3143 or [email protected]Finance Council Chairman Mr. Sco Muryasz 860 693 4164 Parish Legacy Fund Chairman Mr. Peter Pabich, 860 408 1254 Parish Lay Trustees Mrs. Melissa Horbal, 860 651 7844 Mr. Joseph Capozzoli, 860 352 2390 Thanks for worshiping with us. If you would like to join our parish family, fill out a yellow membership form found in the vestibule or atrium and mail it to us, drop it in the collection basket or call us at 658 1642. We Welcome You to Our Family of Faith! Mass/Liturgy Schedule: Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, NO 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass) Daily Mass at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Wednesday, and Friday. (Yearly) Sacrament of Reconciliaon: Saturday from 4:00 p.m. unl 4:30 p.m. Monday from 6:00 p.m. unl 7:00 p.m. Bapsms and Bapsmal Preparaon: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 Sacrament of Holy Matrimony: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 at least 6 months in advance Choir Pracces: Adult—Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Youth—Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Music Group—Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Bullen Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Website News: email to: [email protected]265 Straon Brook Road, Box 184, West Simsbury, Conneccut 06092 Tel: 860 658 1642 /Fax: 888 297 3134 Email: [email protected]; Website: www.stcatherine.info: Facebook Page: St.Catherine of Siena Parish-West Simsbury CT WELCOME! We welcome all visitors who are celebrating with us today. As is our custom at St. Catherine of Siena, please remain in your pew for the singing of the first and last verses of the recessional hymn.
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A Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The St. Catherine Parish Legacy Fund is committed to ensuring the long-term stability of our parish and its ministries. Please consider a gift in lieu of flowers upon a loved one's passing as a way to ensure our community will thrive well into the future.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5 February 2017
Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m.
Pastor The Reverend Michael Whyte, 860 658 1642
PARISH STAFF Administrative Assistant-Parish Office Mrs. Lisa Cerchia 860 658 1642 or [email protected]
Director of Religious Education Mrs. Kathi Bonner 860 658 4737 or [email protected]
Director of Youth Ministry Mrs. Judy Pluta 860 408 9888 or [email protected]
Director of Music Ministry Mrs. Susan Zybert 860 404 5514 or [email protected]
Facilities Manager Mr. Michael Grappone, 860 658 1642
Parish Council President Mr. Jim Peters 860 651 3143 or [email protected]
Finance Council Chairman Mr. Scott Muryasz 860 693 4164
Parish Legacy Fund Chairman Mr. Peter Pabich, 860 408 1254
Parish Lay Trustees Mrs. Melissa Horbal, 860 651 7844 Mr. Joseph Capozzoli, 860 352 2390
Thanks for worshiping with us. If you would like to join our parish
family, fill out a yellow membership form found in the vestibule or atrium and mail it to us, drop
it in the collection basket or call us at 658 1642.
We Welcome You to Our Family of Faith!
Mass/Liturgy Schedule: Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, NO 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass) Daily Mass at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Wednesday, and Friday. (Yearly)
Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Baptisms and Baptismal Preparation: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 Sacrament of Holy Matrimony: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 at least 6 months in advance Choir Practices: Adult—Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Youth—Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Music Group—Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
Bulletin Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Website News: email to: [email protected] 265 Stratton Brook Road, Box 184, West Simsbury, Connecticut 06092 Tel: 860 658 1642 /Fax: 888 297 3134 Email: [email protected]; Website: www.stcatherine.info: Facebook Page: St.Catherine of Siena Parish-West Simsbury CT
WELCOME! We welcome all visitors who are celebrating with us today. As is our custom at St. Catherine of Siena, please remain in your pew for the singing of the first and last verses of the recessional hymn.
Religious Education News SOUPER-BOWL Sunday is Feb. 5th! All Religious Ed children and catechists should come dressed in their favorite NFL attire! Cost of admission is a canned soup for the food pantry. Your team doesn't have to be playing~just bring your team spirit and soup. Any parent who can bring some empty boxes and help load their car with the canned soup would be greatly appreciated. We will bring the soup to the church at the end of classes at Henry James. ALL Parish and Religious Education Parents ~ you are invited to Dr. Joan Kelly's presentation, "Catholicism 101: The ABC's of Catholicism" at Henry James Memorial School, Sunday, Feb.12th at 9:30 am. This 1 hour presentation addresses the questions you have asked, in a dynamic and engaging way. Join us!! Coffee and donuts will be served! Contact Kathi Bonner @ [email protected] to reserve your spot. Confirmation I & II meet on Sunday, Feb. 12th. MUSIC TEACHER needed for 4 weeks in March to prepare a small group of 8th Graders singers for the Living Stations of the Cross program! We have the sheet music, you have the talent! We meet on Sunday mornings at Henry James Memorial School for one hour, 9:30 am-10:30 am. Please contact Kathi Bonner, DRE at 685.4737 or by email: [email protected].
Saturday, February 4th @ 5:00 pm Mass for Anthony Daniels, requested by Tom & Rosemary Clarke;
Sunday, February 5th @ 8:00 am Mass for Rae Bremmer, requested by Kathy Cochener;
Sunday, February 5th @ 11:00 am Mass for P. Richard Bilodeau, requested by Fr. Whyte;
Sunday, February 5th @ 5:00 p.m. Mass for Eileen Adams, 1st anniversary, requested by her family;
Monday, February 6th @ 8:30 a.m. Mass for Rev. Daniel E. Johnson;
Tuesday, February 7th @ 8:30 am Mass Anthony Allie, requested by Greg & Barbara Troy;
Wednesday, February 8th @ 8:30 a.m. Mass for Special Intention;
Friday, February 10th @ 8:30 a.m. Mass for Mickey Barlow, requested by the Brucker Family;
Saturday, February 11th @ 5:00 pm Mass for Lucia Brancato, requested by her family;
Sunday, February 12th @ 8:00 am Mass for James Salerno, 1st anniversary, requested by his family;
Sunday, February 12th @ 11:00 am Mass for Ann Horgan, requested by her family;
Sunday, February 12th @ 5:00 p.m. Mass for Grade 5 Students.
WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Offertory Collection Weekly Collection: $13,452.60 Loose Cash/Checks $ 1,483.00 Envelopes $11,989.60 Cathedraticum* -$ 739.89 School Tax* -$ 739.89 *Parish taxes (5.5%) paid to the Archdiocese for services to the parish.
Repair & Refurbishment……….$20.00 (additional)
This weekend’s second collection is for our Youth Mission Trip.
YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS —Saturday, February 4 and Sunday February 5
DELAWARE MISSION TRIP SILENT AUCTION AND BAKE SALE after every Mass. Can't go on the trip year but love to bake? Please contact Mrs. Pluta if you would like to support the trip by baking for us. —Friday, February 17 to Saturday, February 18 24 HOUR FAMINE. Famine tee shirt pick up and breakfast in Russell Hall begins at 6:00 a.m. Friday morning until you have to leave for school. Teens return to Russell Hall beginning at 6:00 p.m. to continue the famine together. Registration and information is available from Mrs. Pluta at [email protected]. —Sunday, February 26th, 6:00 pm, Russell Hall—Save the date!! A highlight of the winter! Sr. High welcomes special guests from Looking-In Theater project, who will present a series of scenes from the lives of everyday teens and open the floor to discussion and problem solving. This interactive
evening is one that you simply will not want to miss. Bring a friend.
Junior High Youth Ministry —Monday, February 27th, 6:45 p.m., Russell Hall. Youth group meets tonight for Movie Night on the big screen. Pizza will be served. Bring a bag of munchies or crunchies (veggies) to share. Can we meet 15 minutes earlier so that we can end on time?
Virtus Training will be held here at St. Catherine of Siena on Tuesday, February 21st at
6:30 p.m. Please register online at http://archdioceseofhartford.org/protection-of-youth/
Coming this Lent! “YOUTH STATIONS OF THE CROSS” led by our high school parishioners, Friday March 3rd, 7 pm. All high school student/confirmation candidates are invited to a one hour planning meeting for a Stations of the Cross for the Youth Ministry on Wednesday February 22 from 7 pm-8 pm in the Church Library. (We will follow an existing outline which we can revise to our liking. Please come with some ideas!) Practice is Friday, March 3rd at 5:45 pm prior to the Stations of the Cross at 7 pm (approximately 25 minutes). Please join us and tell your friends! Email Mrs. Slattery at [email protected] or call 860-658-1250 with any questions. Confirmation Candidates can receive service hours for this Devotion.)
Please Pray for our Recently Deceased Parishioner:
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time This Sunday’s readings asks us to consider once again the idea of living out our Catholic Christian faith, but from a different vantage point asking a deeper question, not one that focuses on whether or not we are living out our faith but rather asking: in-and-through our words and deeds, how do we proclaim the Truths of Christ? St. Paul states, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24) There are at least two thoughts we should consider:
1. Last Sunday we looked at the practical terms of “running the race” and considered:
Do we feed the hungry—either by actually serving at a shelter or by making a meal for delivery or by donating to a
charity that provides food? Do we care for the sick—perhaps I bring Holy Communion to a nursing home, hospital or homebound parishioner; do I stop by a lonely neighbors for a visit? Do I support our youth ministry—or any other ministry within the church—by helping them out or encouraging another to get involved? Could I make a donation of yarn to the Prayer Shawl ministry? Could I get involved with the Children’s Liturgy of the Word or join in when the Men’s Club Ministry does a community project? Might I support more generously the Advent Giving Tree Program or help the Neighbors in Need fund—or any other of the numerous ministries in this parish or the greater Church, the Archdiocese of Hartford? Am I one who actually “runs the race” or do I sit on the bleachers or stand along the roadway and just give “directions” on how to do it better? St. Paul believed that how he actually ran the race had an impact not only on the outcome of the race but on the outcome of his earthly life. 2. Honestly, the harder question to answer is the question of formation—from which sources do we form our consciousness of faith?
As Catholic Christians are called to believe in the Truths of Christ, which He Himself revealed and handed over to the
Apostles and their successors for the transmission of the faith to future generations of believers of Christ. We are called to do this with a “free ascent of the will.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that: (note: Man’s Response to God): c. 142: By his Revelation, “the Invisible God, from the fullness of His love, addresses men and his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into His own company. The adequate response to this invitation is faith.” In section c. 143 we hear, By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, "the obedience of faith".3
In the ascent of our will to the Father’s, we are called to hear and listen to His Words and allow them to transform and conform our wills to His. In this act of believing-in-faith, we become the light of Christ to others and so become a living testimony to the gospel message of Christ, or as St. Paul would say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) As we walk our journeys toward God and as we recognize that God invites us in prayer to learn His Will for us, we must then take concrete actions to bring that desired Will of God about in-and-through our own lives. We must come to know what God expects—and has invited us—to become, through the fulfillment of our calling and by His Truths which
are given to us by God in Christ. Christ them calls us to use the intellect God gave us in creation as well as the abundant graces with which He shall flood us so that we might choose to “kept the faith” in our race toward Him, so as not to give into convenience, untruths and the ever-chaining cultural winds—even when they seem to be popular and accepted by all. To paraphrase Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, what was true in 30 AD does not become untrue in 2017. He who was, is and shall ever be, remains immutable. As we ponder our readings this weekend and listen intently to the words of Saint Paul, let us pray that our Lord will give us the courage to seek righteously the teachings of Christ, to have the grace to accept them into our lives, and the courage to live them out in our homes, parishes, communities and nation. Our God’s Words are timely, since they do not change and are Truth itself. So in our world today when facts and opinions have been confused and conflated with Truth, let us ask God for the grace to see clearly with eyes of faith, so that with open hearts He will lead all peoples to the ultimate healing.
Thank You for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion For all our McLean Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (and those who bring Christ to St. Francis or the homebound), I received a lovely hand-written note from a West Hartford resident who spent a number of weeks in recuperation at McLean after a long hospitalization, and wrote to offer her deep appreciation for faithfully bringing Holy Communion to her and all at McLean. Barbara also wanted to thank you for your kindnesses during those visits and for our parishioner’s prayers during our Christmas Masses when we included all at McLean in our prayers of the faithful. While no one who serves God does so in order to be publically praised, it is nice to know how much the Lord and our faith means to others, especially those in need. Praise God, and that’s certainly worth “the race”!
Save the Dates! Altar Server training will take place on February 14th & 15th
from 4:00-5:00 p.m. All children who might be considering joining our great troupe of altar servers—Welcome! I hope you will step up to this leadership role in our parish. God is hoping you will come to His table and serve! Sign-up sheets are in the vestibule and atrium.
Our Lenten Mission led by Dr. Joan Kelly will take place on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights, March 5th, 6th, and 7th at 7 p.m. in the Church. Dr. Kelly is a professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield County and has been awarded the Papal Cross by Pope St. John Paul II. I invite all to attend and hear Dr. Kelly speak on Catholic Identity—Renewing Our Appreciation. Dr. Kelly will employ a deep depth of knowledge, great wit and wonderful communications skills
to bring us all closer to the things that make us Catholic! Don’t miss it!
MANY THANKS to our Senior High Youth Ministry who baked and delivered 75 apple pies to area soup kitchens for their Thanksgiving meals. Thank you to the parent helpers who gave their time and energy on PIE NIGHT: Rosanne O' Hara, Amy Dillon, Susan Hoffman, Jeanne Carpenter, Debbie Hamil, Kathy Duford, Manuela Hanshaw and Mike Laiuppa.
May She Rest in Peace! Susan Caldwell
God’s image and likeness, wife, mother, daughter, sibling, friend, and catechist.
Eternal Rest Grant to Her O Lord!
Upcoming Meetings/Events
FEBRUARY -Sat, 4th/Sun, 5th—Mission Trip Auction/Atrium
-Mon, 6th—Mass at McLean Home, 11 a.m.
-Mon, 6th—Confession, Church, 6 p.m.
-Mon, 6th—Rosary, Church, 7 p.m.
-Tues, 7th—Children’s Choir, MR, 6:30 p.m.
-Tues, 7th—PC Exec., Library, 7 p.m.
-Tues, 7th—Adult Choir, MR, 7:30 p.m.
-Wed, 8th—Men’s Club meeting, RH, 6:30 p.m.
-Thurs, 9th—Girl Scouts, RH, 7 p.m.
-Sun, 12th—Coffee & Donuts, 9 a.m. & noon, RH
-Sun, 12th—Children’s Liturgy of the Word, RH, 11 a.m.
-Sun, 26th—St. Elizabeth House, parking lot, 3:45 p.m.
Social Outreach
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Pantry Partners—The February distribution date for SCPP is February 18th. Individual orders are due by February 11. Orders can be placed using the envelopes in the vestibule and atrium. Be sure to include your name and phone number and indicate that it is for your family. You will be contacted one week prior to distribution as a reminder to come to St. Catherine on that Saturday morning to pick up your
WOMEN’S CLUB Upcoming Events: 1. Thursday, February 9 Valentine-themed Wine Tasting at Super Cellar Warehouse Liquors, Rte 44 (332 West Main St), Avon. “Treat Yourself or Bring Your Favorite Valentine”. From 6 pm to 7:30 pm, please join us as Tony & our own Donna Hammond lead a complimentary tasting/sampling of six wines which will be available for purchase. Look for our e-mail invitation and please register on-line for planning purposes. Benefit: FREE WILL OFFERING for Little Sisters of the Poor Saint Joseph's Residence, Enfield, CT (envelopes will be provided; cash or checks payable to St Catherine of Siena). Thanks! 2. March 1st – Ash Wednesday Lenten Soup & Bread after evening Mass & Ashes in Russell Hall (7 p.m.) Look for sign-ups in the Atrium in February. 3. Thursday, March 23rd-Speaker Program, 7pm, RH Simsbury native Sheila Horan, Retired FBI and Deputy Director of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Division of Child & Youth Protection.
Next Men’s Club Meeting Wednesday, February 8th.
Meeting at 6:30 pm, Russell Hall, pizza and refreshments will be served. All men of the parish are invited!
Save the date: Holy Family Retreat Mar. 17-19.
Save the date: St Catherine’s Golf Outing May 26.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS for The Lenten Mission! Dr. Joan Kelly will present a 3 night
Lenten retreat on CATHOLIC IDENTITY: Renewing Our Appreciation!
Sunday, March 5-Tuesday, March 7th, 7 p.m. All are welcome & encouraged to attend.
Youth Ministry Silent Auction/ Bake Sale to benefit this years Mission trip to
Dover, Delaware will take place this weekend,
February 4th and 5th after every Mass. The
auction will remain open until Thursday
morning, February 9th.
Thank you for your support.
St. Elizabeth House—next service date is February 26th. Food needs to be ready to serve (casseroles hot, salad pre-cut) and at the church by 3:45 p.m. Please sign up in the atrium. Questions, please contact Leila Bruno at (860) 392-8585. Thank you!
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Church: St. Catherine of Siena City: West Simsbury, Connecticut Account # 04-0523 Run # Routing Code: O Phone: 860.658.1642 Fax: 888.297.3134 Contact: Lisa Cerchia
