St. Francis Xavier Parish 26 CHESTNUT LAND ROAD NEW MILFORD, CT 06776 860-354-2202 Web Site: www.sfxnewmilford.org Email: [email protected]Office Hours: 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Mon. - Thurs. (Closed on Friday) PASTORAL TEAM Rev. Gerald Dziedzic, Pastor [email protected]Rectory Phone: 860-799-7449 Rev. Chacko Kumplam Parochial Vicar Deacon Alfred “Al” Gambone [email protected]SUPPORT STAFF Chris Grenier, Administrative Assistant Parish Office & Faith Formation [email protected]860-354-2202 Jocelyne Verrastro St. Francis Cemetery/Finance Office [email protected]860-350-6753 FAITH FORMATION 860-354-5372 Mary Elizabeth Barta, Coordinator Gr. K - 5 [email protected]Sue Pullen, Coordinator Gr. 6 - 10 TRIBE (Jr. Youth Group) (Gr. 6 - 8), ACTS 29 (Teen Group) (Gr. 9-12) & Confirmation [email protected]HOLY INFANT NURSERY [email protected]860-354-7284 Mailing Address & Office Location 1 Elm Street New Milford, CT 06776 Fax # 860-355-9485 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m. Sunday at 7:30 & 10:00 a.m. and *5:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday at 6:30 pm & Wednesday & Friday at 8:00 am (*no 5:00 p.m. Mass during June, July and August) SACRAMENTS CONFESSIONS Saturdays 4:00 - 4:45 p.m. *Additional Confessions on the First Saturday of the month 12 -1 pm BAPTISMS Call Parish Office - 860-354-2202. MARRIAGES Contact the priest 1 year in advance. MINISTRY TO THE SICK The parish clergy and Ministers of Holy Communion visit New Milford Hospital, Candlewood Valley Health & Rehab, Village Crest Center for Health & Rehab and some homebound regularly. For other specific visits, please contact the Parish Office. WELCOME We are glad you are here. If you would like to join the parish, please call the parish office. PRAYER LINE For the phone please call 860-354-2202 For email please send to: [email protected]
Sunday at 7:30 & 10:00 a.m. and *5:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday at 6:30 pm & Wednesday & Friday at 8:00 am
(*no 5:00 p.m. Mass during June, July and August)
SACRAMENTS CONFESSIONS
Saturdays 4:00 - 4:45 p.m. *Additional Confessions on the First Saturday of the month 12 -1 pm
BAPTISMS
Call Parish Office - 860-354-2202. MARRIAGES
Contact the priest 1 year in advance.
MINISTRY TO THE SICK The parish clergy and Ministers of Holy Communion visit New Milford Hospital, Candlewood Valley Health & Rehab, Village Crest Center for
Health & Rehab and some homebound regularly. For other specific visits, please contact the Parish Office.
WELCOME
We are glad you are here. If you would like to join the parish, please call the parish office.
PRAYER LINE
For the phone please call 860-354-2202 For email please send to: [email protected]
Page Two April 26, 2020
St. Mark, Evangelist SATURDAY VIGIL - April 25 5:00 P.M. + Anthony R. Squillante Requested by Robert & Blanche Stuart Third Sunday of Easter SUNDAY - April 26 10:00 A.M. + Sarah “Sally” Cuddy Requested by the Reynolds family MONDAY - No scheduled Mass Saint Peter Chanel, Priest & Martyr; Saint Louis Grignion deMontfort, Priest TUESDAY - April 28 6:30 P.M. For the living & deceased members of St. Francis Xavier Church Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin & Doctor of the Church WEDNESDAY - April 29 8:00 A.M. + Mary Farrell Requested by Jacqueline Farrell Saint Pius V, Pope THURSDAY - April 30 6:30 P.M. For the living & deceased citizens of New Milford, Connecticut Saint Joseph the Worker FRIDAY - May 1 8:00 A.M. + Scott Rossell Requested by his family & friends Saint Athanasius, Bishop & Doctor of the Church SATURDAY VIGIL - May 2 5:00 P.M. + Carol Ann Madden Requested by the Maguire family Fourth Sunday of Easter The World Day of Prayer for Vocations SUNDAY - May 3 7:30 A.M. + Bob Driscoll Requested by his wife & family 10:00 A.M. + Antonio Dispensa Requested by Rosa & Theresa & family
St. Francis sends a final farewell to our dearly departed:
Carmen Carbo
Robert “Pappy” Papp Joseph Paul Keegan
Sandra Paisley Noteware Dr. Wallace Sife
Bernie Rubin Terry Mead
Roby Saddler Brian Dennehy
Michael Montemarano Janice Fay Newman
Confessions are still being heard at St. Francis Xavier in the confessional behind the screen every Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
POSTPONED & RESCHEDULED: SEE NEW DATE!!
You are invited to: Come, Holy Spirit! Celebrate the Archdiocese Synod on Sunday,
AUGUST 16TH With Archbishop Leonard Blair at the Oakdale Theater
There is a bus departing St. Francis Xavier at 1 pm. The cost for the bus is $5 per person
Please consider joining us on this special day. Please RSVP to the office 860-354-2202 to be sure you seat
is saved on the bus. Return 6 pm approx. / bring you own snacks
The sooner we fill the bus; the closer we are to the stage!!
Given the constantly changing landscape, and the decisions of civil authorities in this regard, the cancellation of public Masses and liturgies in the Archdiocese of Hartford will remain in effect until further notice. We have made the provision for our Church to be open from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. everyday so that individuals can still come and pray. Please join Archbishop Blair in praying for the intercession of Mary, our Mother, in protecting ALL people from the scourge of the coronavirus.
Page Three April 26, 2020
BEQUESTS
We appreciate the thoughtfulness of parishioners who have made a bequest to St. Francis Xavier Parish. These charitable gifts build our parish endowment to help pass on our Catholic faith to future generations.
SOCIETIES/MINISTRIES/ORGANIZATIONS
Parish Pastoral Council President - Donna Marie Cooper-O’Boyle [email protected] Liturgical Ministries: Altar Servers - Peter Tagley 860-868-7821 Children’s Liturgy - Julie Pokrinchak 860-354-2202 Eucharistic Ministers - Deacon Al Gambone 860-946-9776 Greeters - Noreen Fanella - [email protected] 860-355-2625 Lectors - Barbara Mullen 860-354-6436 Music Ministers - Tina Oviatt 7:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, *Christian Martirano 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass Michael Fitch & Matt Williams 5:00 p.m. Sat. & Sun. Masses Ushers - Herman Izzard 860-354-0430 Prayer/Catechetical/Service Ministries: Confraternity of the Rosary - First Monday - Noon, Church Hall Knit for Life - please contact the office for further information Knights of Columbus - Frank Greco 860-799-5148 Lay Missionaries of Charity - Joan Kick 860-354-1323 Maintenance Ministry - Tom and Cathy Valedes 914-912-1432 or 860-488-3126 Our Lady Queen of Peace Prayer Group - Thurs., 2:00 p.m. Church Hall Parish Prayer Line - phone 860-354-2202 OR Email: [email protected] Prayer Shawl Ministry - Jo DeCosa 860-355-0342 Pro-Life Ministry - R.C.I.A. - Robert & Barbara Mullen 860-354-6436 Women’s Guild - Second Tuesday of Month - 7 p.m., Church Hall Youth Ministry - Sue Pullen 860-354-5372 ACTS - TEEN (High School Youth) (Gr. 9-12) TRIBE (Jr. Youth Group) (Gr. 6 - 8) Outreach Ministries: Beautification Committee - Joe Caruso 860-355-0670 Community Garden Ministry - Steve Pullen 860-354-2202 Mass Taxi - need a free ride to Mass? Mark Speede 860-210-0289 Martha & Mary Community Care - Chris Grenier 860-354-2202 Meals Ministry - Chris Grenier 860-354-2202 Affiliated Groups: Recovery Anonymous - 7 pm, Thursday, 3rd Floor Parish Center Boy Scout Troop 66 - Cub Scout Pack 66 - Chairman - Robert Oram 203-942-1254 Cub Master - Kevin Ford - 860-350-2193
Please note that you may sign up for *Online Giving or save your donations to give once we open up full time or we have available in front of our Blessed Mother statue in the Church a slotted collection table for those who wish to go in and pray individually during limited daily open hours (7:00 am - 3:00 pm). Or you may also mail in your envelopes to the office: St. Francis Xavier 1 Elm St. New Milford, CT 06776 Attn: collection. Or you may drop your envelopes in the office mailbox on the stoop outside our back door. Please feel free to call the office (860-354-2202) should you have any questions. Thank you and God bless you!! *How Do I Get Started? 1. Visit our parish website. 2. Click on the Online Giving link. 3. Click on the Create New Account link. It’s that simple!
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal
Thank you to the parish families who have made a gift or pledge commitment o the 2020 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. If you have not yet had the opportunity, please consider prayerfully supporting the many “Good Works” of the Archdiocese. Every gift will be gratefully received and sincerely appreciated. All funds contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal are used exclusively for the purposed outlined in the Appeal l i t e ra tu re , wh ich can be found a t h t tps : / /archdioceseofhartford.org/appeal/ No appeal funds are ever used for legal fees or settlements.
DONATION TAX STATEMENTS:
If you use the parish envelope system and would like a printout of your parish yearly donations for 2019, please call Chris in the Parish Office at 860-354-2202 or email her at [email protected]. Please include you name, address, phone number and envelope number. Thank you.
Page Four April 26, 2020
The Celebration of the Eucharist: The daily Mass is broadcast live Monday through Friday and
on tape delay on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 am on WCCT-TV &
WCTX-TV (My TV9). It can also be viewed Saturday & Sunday at 5 am on
WCCT-TV. The Mass from ORTV can also be found
streaming live at these times on http://www.ortv.org/streaming/streaming.htm.
Please go to our webpage www.sfxnewmilford.org for ideas and suggestions for ALL. Don’t forget to check the St. Francis Xavier Facebook page and also our new page St. Francis Xavier Daily Seeds of Faith. Text App to 88202 to download our parish app: 1) Download myParish App 2) Select our Parish after opening Sue has been working hard to keep a spiritual line of communication open for all ages to turn to, please go to the sites and see the variety offered. The Archdiocese of Hartford has a Facebook page too; as well as their website.
REGISTRATION AND OPEN HOUSE for Holy Infant Nursery School
for the 2020-2021 school year was held. We still have openings in our three and four
year old programs. Please call 860-354-7284 and leave a message on the answering machine and they’ll get back
to you asap. Our classrooms are located in the St. Francis
School building at the top of the green.
FOOD DRIVE - sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council #40
By donating one can of food per day, we can raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds of food to help support the needs of our New Milford brothers and sisters. Although the emphasis is on canned goods; any and all types of food are welcome. Monetary donations are also welcomed since they allow for the purchase of necessary items that may be in short supply. A collection table is located on the right side of our altar. The Church will be open 7:00 am - 3:00 pm daily so that individuals can still come and pray as they drop off their items. If you are able to donate you may do so during that time, PLEASE BE GENEROUS. Items collected will be donated to Loaves & Fishes and also the Social Services Food Bank to help our many families affected by these trying times. We thank you for your generosity to our families, friends and neighbors. May God continue to bless us all.
Vocation Reflection As the disciples journeyed with Jesus, their hearts were burning within them as He explained the scriptures. They were overjoyed when they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. They returned to Jerusalem and told all the Good News. If you feel the call to share the Good News with others, contact Fr. Michael Casey, Director of Vocations, Pastoral Center, phone 860-761-7456, e-mail [email protected]. or visit the web at www.hartfordpriest.com.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Let your heart burn for Jesus and your spouse by attending a Worldwide Marriage En-counter Weekend. The next weekends are July 10-12 in East Windsor, CT and November 6-8 in East Windsor, CT. For more information, call Pat & Mary Jo McLaughlin at 860-315-2127 or visit them at https://wwmectw.org.
We have an additional FACEBOOK page called… “St. Francis Xavier Daily Seeds of Faith”
The goal of this page is to be an additional outreach to our parish family and anyone looking for Spiritual resources especially
during this time of social distance. It will be updated daily and there will be faith sharing and opportunities for reflection,
meditation, thoughtful videos to nurture our Faith and more. We welcome engagement and sharing of the content.
A huge thank you to Luisa Amaral of Ruth Chase Flowers for her very generous donation of Easter flowers for our Church. We all truly enjoyed a Happy Easter for He has risen and though not together as a whole, we are together in spirit. Again thank you for making our Church brighter and welcoming. All are invited to come in and pray individually as the Church is open daily from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm.
CRS Rice Bowl Thank you to all who participated in CRS Rice Bowl this Lent. We are still collecting, so please drop off your bowls at the office Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm or leave in the Church by the Blessed Mother. Thanks again for your support of Catholic Relief Services.
PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN!!
To find a location near you & for an appointment, visit: redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
Page Five April 26, 2020
Our Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16; 1st Letter of St. Peter 1:17-21; John 24:13-35 I first want to refer to last weeks’ gospel: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be with you.” I’m thinking about the times, as a young boy, there were hurricanes, major snow storms and tornadoes. We lost power, maybe no heat for at least two weeks. I had very little worry then, after all my parents made sure I was fed, laundry was done and I was safe. But the question is how about my parents? Where did they find their security? Where do we find our security today, locked in our homes? So let’s see, the disciples were in fear of the Jews, that is the Jews that did not follow Jesus. Yes, their neighbors might turn them in, they certainly did not want to be persecuted. What enabled these frightened disciples to boldly go out in the square and proclaim that Jesus is risen from the dead. We read in today’s gospel, and they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread and the scriptures. My dear parishioners, although we are not able to gather together, the Mass on the television is our worship of the Lord. And in our locked homes our Lord does break in our presence and offers us “Peace be with you”. When we do gather together again in our places of worship, hopefully we as adults will recognize that our strength and confidence lies in the worship the Lord in the Eucharist. As adults it is so important to be humble enough to worship the Lord, the Rock of our Salvation. Let us boldly proclaim to the world Fr. Gerry Just a little update: I am listening to Franze Shubert. Awesome music
FIRST COMMUNION 2020
Due to circumstances that have required closure of the Church we must postpone our May 2nd First Communion. We will set a new date for this sacramental celebration once we are open and can all gather and pray together. “Given the constantly changing landscape, and the decisions of civil authorities in this regard, the cancellation of public Masses and liturgies in the Archdiocese of Hartford will remain in effect until further notice.” Thank you for understanding. We continue to keep each of you in our prayers for health and safety. Any questions or concerns please feel free to call Chris at 860-354-2202. I am in the office Monday -Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. THE FIRST COMMUNION CROSS CEREMONY WILL BE RESCHEDULED DUE TO THE CANCELLATION OF ALL PARISH EVENTS. As will practices and everything associated with First Communion.
POSTPONED: The Sacrament of Confirmation will be POSTPONED,
but they haven’t given out new dates at this time. We will let you know as soon as we hear anything.
Thank you!
We have added a page to our website (www.sfxnewmilford.org): Parents Resources To get to these pages you have to enter them in the search bar, click, scroll down and click again on the subject. We have also added some groups and content on the myParish app Also follow postings on our Facebook page Any questions call us. Take care, stay safe and healthy!!
REGISTRATION 2020-2021 WILL TAKE PLACE AT A DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. GOD BLESS!!
