For the Week of December 29, 2007 to January 6, 2008
SATURDAY EVENING DECEMBER 29 (Sunday Vigil)
4:00H Michael, Mary, and Marion Votto (Michael and Ann Votto)
SUNDAY DECEMBER 30 (Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)
7:30H John and Claire Pikor (Daughter and son-in-law, Sharon & Bob Cassello)
9:00H Marion Semrau (Family)
10:30H Angelo and Josephine Marino (Children)
12:00H John DiPasquale (Family)
1:30H Mass in Spanish
MONDAY DECEMBER 31 (Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas)
8:30M Irene Kozak (Rachel Bonito)
5:00H Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Holy Day of Obligation)
Ethel Wasilewski (Family)
-A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION -
TUESDAY JANUARY 1 (Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God)(World Day of Prayer for Peace)
9:30M John Soares (John and Mary Gonsalves)
11:00M The Mayock and Pestey Families (Ellen Pestey and family)
12:15M Holy Day Mass in Spanish
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2 (St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors)
8:30M Sal Greco, Sr. (The Biesak Family)
THURSDAY JANUARY 3 (The Holy Name of Jesus)
8:30M Manuel Lage (John Oliveira)
FRIDAY JANUARY 4 ( St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious)
8:30M Joseph Zepecki (Son)
8:00 PM FIRST FRIDAY HOLY HOUR/
ADORATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST
SATURDAY JANUARY 5 ( St. John Neumann, bishop)
8:30M Mary L. Hager (Sister Columbiettes)
SATURDAY EVENING (Sunday Vigil)
4:00H Mary, Michael, and Marion Votto (Mike and Ann Votto)
SUNDAY JANUARY 6 (The Epiphany of the Lord)
7:30H Michael, Emilia, Louis, Evelyn & Eugene Audisio (Mr. Mrs. Jerry Farrell, Jr.)
9:00H Elizabeth and Francis Gallagher (Family)
10:30H Salvatore and Mario Verde (The Buno and Verde Families)
12:00H Otello Massoni (Wife and family)
1:30H Mass in Spanish
FOR THE GREATER HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD
The SANCTUARY LAMP burned the week of December 23 to 30
in prayerful memory of Anne Posluszny at the request of James and Judy Tessmer.
“NEW DAY” / OUR PARISH BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP meets in January on Wednesday, January 2, 16, and 30. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM at the Parish Center . If you are experiencing the loss of a loved one, who has passed away recently, or even years ago, please join us in prayer and consolation. Call Eva Colon 294-9398, Chick Kelman, 265-4546 or Lise Clavette, 238-7288 for more information about the group.
FOR THE GREATER HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD
The SANCTUARY LAMP burns this week
in prayerful memory of Mansfield, Dighello, Civale, and Guthrie Families at the request of Loretta Mansfield
- FAITHFULLY DEPARTED –
OUR SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES OF
Sylvia Cooper, Frank Madar, and Sister Rita Mileti, OP
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; Let Your perpetual light shine upon them forever.
PRE-BAPTISM CLASSES – Baptism classes help prepare first time parents (and others) for bringing their child up in the faith, selecting godparents, and introducing or reviewing with them the special sacrament they are requesting for their child from the church. Baptism Day is truly a blessed, exciting, and joyful day for parents, child, families, and the church. Classes are held on the last Tuesday of each month, with few exceptions. The next class is scheduled for Tuesday, January 29 at 7:00 PM in the Church Hall. Parents or soon-to-be-parents MUST BE REGISTERED MEMBERS OF HOLY TRINITY PARISH. Those wishing to attend a Tuesday class must call the rectory to register, 269-8791.
A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Dear Parishioners and Friends: Amid the quiet of a wintry night, came peace to dwell on earth for all to find. He brought a peace that’s meant to make things right. He chose to be with us, the hope of all mankind. Let this Christmas Season then dispel the darkness round us and brighten once again our faith anew. For Jesus is the light that overcomes all darkness. The celebration of the birth of Christ is a special time to recognize the love and goodness of God. He comes among us; He shares our human condition; He gives himself to us without reserve. This Christmas let us sing of a savior who has come to save our world. On behalf of the entire staff of Most Holy Trinity Parish, I extend to you and your families, our sincere best wishes for a Blessed Christmas Season. I also take this time to thank each of you for all the kindness, support, encouragement and generosity that you have shown during the year. May the newborn Christ bless you, your families and your homes. Merry Christmas! Father Gary Simeone, Pastor Father Jeffrey Gubbiotti, Parochial Vicar
LAST OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER FOR MOUNT 2000 RETREAT FOR YOUTH: “SEEK THE FACE OF CHRIST” FEBRUARY 8-10, 2008 Mount 2008 is a Eucharist-centered annual retreat hosted by Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, designed for high school and college-age Catholics. With the theme “Seek the Face of Christ, Mount 2008 will encourage participants to come to know Jesus as a friend, and to encounter His love and mercy in prayer, the Word of God, and the Holy Sacraments of the Catholic Church. The speakers for this year’s retreat include Father Peter Mitchell and Todd Lemieux. The cost is $99 (checks payable to Most Holy Trinity Church ), and the deadline to register is ASAP (we are past the due date, so get your registration in this week!). Registration and permission forms are available at the rectory office during office hours, Monday through Friday, 9AM to 4 PM. For more information on the retreat, please contact Father Jeff at 269-8791.
THE RECTORY OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED on Monday, December 31 and Tuesday, January 1, in observance of the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and in celebration of the New Year. The office will re-open for regular hours 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 2. Have a safe holiday, and a healthy and happy New Year 2008!
THE ABC’S OF ANNULMENTS, an informational program designed to answer questions about the process of Annulments, will be held on Friday, January 25 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 109 Goodwill Avenue , Meriden . Brother Larry Lussier, CSC, Pastoral Associate at St. Gabriel Church, Milford , will be the presenter. There will be a question and answer period following the presentation. The event is open to all seeking an annulment in the Catholic Church. Attending this session is required to attend the six follow Annulment Writing Sessions. For further information, please call Brother Lussier at 203-937-7040 or Deacon Eyles at 203-467-3538 or Deacon Macaluso at 203-488-0195.
ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE IN WASHINGTON , DC TAKES PLACE ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 22. A bus is scheduled to leave from St. Mark the Evangelist Church , West Hartford at 11 PM on Monday, January 21 and will proceed to St. Mary Church, Milford for a Midnight departure. After a brief breakfast stop in Maryland the bus will arrive at the Washington Plaza Hotel for an 8:00 AM Mass with Archbishop Henry Mansell. Following visits at the offices of Connecticut Senators and Representatives, the group will take up the March at Noon. The bus will leave Washington at 3 PM and bring you home by 11 PM. The cost is $35 and reservations can be made by contacting St. Mary Church, Milford at 203-878-3571.
Another bus will offer a slightly longer itinerary. On Monday, January 21 it will leave the Franciscan Life Center , Meriden at 7 AM. Upon arrival and registration at the Washington Plaza Hotel, the bus will bring pilgrims to the 7 PM Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. After the January 22, 8AM Mass with Archbishop Mansell, a breakfast will have, as a speaker, Deidre McQuade of the Pro-Life Secretariat of the USCCB. Cost is $89 for the bus and breakfast. Please call the Pro-Life Ministry at the Franciscan Life Center for assistance in making hotel reservations 203-639-0833 or 203-238-1441. Anyone traveling on the bus leaving at 11 PM from West Hartford and at Midnight from Milford is welcome to attend the breakfast-please make reservations by calling the Franciscan Life Center at the numbers above.
School resumes on Wednesday, January 2nd.
The Holy Trinity Christmas Concert has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 3rd.
LETTER TO THE PASTOR…..
Dear Father Simeone,
Please extend our thanks to the parishioners of Most Holy Trinity Parish for their generosity during this holiday time through their donations of gifts for the St. Agnes teen moms and babies.
These donations help us to continue to provide high quality residential care and support services for the young ladies and their babies.
Again, thank you for your donations which further help to support our mission, and have a Wonderful Holiday Season!
Sincerely,
Lorna Little, Executive Director
St. Agnes Home , West Hartford
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION:
#1. ENJOY LIFE WITH AN EVENING OUT WITH A SPECIAL SOMEONE
by making reservations for the…
…MHT SOCIAL “LUCKY SHAMROCK” DINNER DANCE
(formerly the Mardi Gras Dinner Dance)
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2008
Tickets: $84 per person or (12 monthly payments of $7.00 per month)
Reminder: If paying monthly, having your payment in each month helps keep our records accurate, and keeps you eligible to be the monthly “Lucky-1” ! ! !
“Lucky-1” for Week #44 Abby Beale Captain: Lyvia Miranda-Killen
“NEW LIFE” is a ten-week program designed for persons in the early stages of separation or divorce. In this program, we offer a “safe place” for people to gain a perspective on their loss. It is designed to help people cope with the stresses and strains associated with separation and divorce. It helps people understand some of their emotional responses and find ways of coping the will lead to growth and the eventual restructuring of their lives. A group will be held at St. Margaret, Madison beginning January 15 from 7:15-8:45 PM Please call 203-245-1732 (day) or 203-245-1987 (evening) to register or obtain further information.
MEET THE DONUT MAN….Rob Evans - The Donut Man - is known for his fun Bible story-songs presented via video tapes, audio tapes and live concerts. Each centers on knowing and praising a different aspect of God's Character. Each presentation adds a story-line to the songs, to help your kids make everyday applications of these valuable Bible lessons. Come and meet the Donut Man…. IN PERSON! SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2008 1:00-4:30 PM KIDS FOR CHRIST: AN EASTER RESURRECTION CELEBRATION St. Thomas School , Southington The “Donut Man” will be on hand to entertain you, along with other jugglers and special guests, and plenty of fun for kids.
PREPARING FOR YOUR WEDDING? CATHOLIC ENGAGED ENCOUNTER (A Wedding is a day… A Marriage is a Lifetime) is a special weekend retreat designed to give couples planning marriage an opportunity to dialogue about their prospective lives together. Through a series of talks couples discuss their desires, ambitions, goals, and attitudes about money, children, family, as well as their role in the Church and society. The Norwich Diocese will sponsor the next weekend on February 15-17, 2008. Call 860-536-8665 to register. An Engaged Encounter weekend fulfills the instructional requirements of Catholic marriage Preparation. Please call Tom or Donna Finn at 860-621-7858 with any questions or visit http://hartfordcee.org.
A FAMILY PERSPECTIVE
By Bud Ozar
It is good Joseph was tuned into God for directions. He was “warned” to flee to
Egypt , than to return to Israel and later to move to Galilee . Open your heart
to God’s direction in your Life. What new place is God leading you in 2008??
Listen and let the Lord lead!
IN A MONTH OF FIRSTS… PUT GOD FIRST BY JOINING US ON FIRST FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 FOR THE FIRST HOLY HOUR OF 2008, at 8:00 PM in the church. Come to listen and pray for a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year of life and blessings! Resolve to open your ears and heart to the Lord!
WINTER WARNING!!! We cannot stress enough the fact that during the winter months the north side (parking lot) entrance to the church can become extremely dangerous. This is due to the fact that the sun does not shine on that side of the church. FOR EVERYONE’S SAFETY we encourage you to enter through the front three entrances… and those of you who have difficulty walking … PLEASE USE THE ELEVATOR. We do our best to keep the stairs, walks and parking lots as safe as possible. But PLEASE understand that sometimes (depending on the time and severity of the storm) it is impossible to keep up with all of the stairways. Please do not assume or expect your “usual” or “favorite” entrance will be passable. We try to concentrate on the center door and elevator entrances and the walkways leading to them. Please head for these entrances when the weather is inclement. We ask that you not only be CAUTIOUS but PATIENT as well! Thank you
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE? CONSIDER THE MERCY VOLUNTEER CORPS! In partnership with the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, lay women and men of the Mercy Volunteer Corps offer direct compassionate service to economically poor or marginalized persons for one or two years at sites in the United States or in Guyana. Volunteers live together in community characterized by spirituality and a simple life style. Volunteers receive a small stipend, housing, medical insurance and an inspiration that lasts for a lifetime. Some AmeriCorps education awards are possible. Please visit the MVC website www.mercyvolunteers.org or phone the Sisters of Mercy at 1-860-594-8619 for more information.
CREDO CATHOLIC SINGLES looks forward to see you on Sunday, January 6th. Join them at the 10:30 AM Mass at St. Christopher Church, East Hartford and/or in the church hall afterwards to help plan events for the April to September 2008 newsletter. All are welcome. Snow date is January 13th. Deadline for event submission is January 2008.
RETROUVAILLE – If your marriage has become unloving and uncaring or if your relationship has grown cold and distant, I there is little meaningful communication or you feel disappointment or even despair, then we believe that Retrouvaille can help your marriage. The next weekend is scheduled for January 18-20, 2008. For information regarding this program, please call 1-800-470-2230 (all calls are confidential) or visit their website at www.retrouvaille.org.
FRANCISCAN HOME CARE AND HOSPICE CARE, a Catholic home health care agency, is seeking a full-time Nursing Supervisor with a BSN, degree to work in its care of the sick program. Responsibilities include supervising RN and LPN nursing staff. Minimum two years experience in home care required and supervisory experience preferred. Competitive salary and benefits. Please call Mary Dormandy, RN at 238-1441 or mdormandy@franciscanhc.org. RNs are also needed to work full and part time in Care of the Sick Program or Hospice care.
WORDS ON PEACE…
“Glory to God in the highest…. And on Earth, peace to men of good will”
- Angels at the birth of Christ
“Peace be with you. My peace I give unto you.”
- The Risen Christ at the upper room
“Men must always speak of Peace. The world must be educated to love Peace, to build it up and defend it.”
- Pope Paul VI, 1968
“If you want Peace, work, for Justice.”
- Pope Paul VI, 1972
“Life is the crown of Peace. If we base the logic of our activity on the sacredness of Life, war is virtually disqualified as a normal and habitual means of asserting rights and so of ensuring Peace.”
- Pope Paul VI, 1977
“Paul VI”S phrase – ‘Development is the new name for peace’ – specifies one of the keys in our search for peace. Can true peace exist when men, women and children cannot live in full human dignity?”
- Pope John Paul II, 1987
“To say ‘peace’ is really to speak of much more than the simple absence of war. It is to postulate a condition of authentic respect for the dignity and rights of every human being, a condition enabling him to achieve fulfillment. The exploitation of the weak and the existence of distressing pockets of poverty and social inequality constitute so many delays and obstacles to the establishment of stable conditions for an authentic peace.”
- Pope John Paul II, 1993
“Experience shows that disregard for the environment always harms human coexistence, and vice versa. It becomes more and more evident that there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among men.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, 2007
HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION MASSES
FOR THE FEAST OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
NEW YEAR’S EVE MASS
5:00 PM Vigil Mass on Monday, December 31
NEW YEAR’S DAY MASSES
9:30 AM and 11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 1
January 1: World Day of Peace 2008
In 1968, Pope Paul VI called on all people of the world to together celebrate the “Day of Peace” on January 1. Since 1968, each year that day has been celebrated by Catholics and non-Catholics alike and is marked by a special annual peace message from the Holy Father. According to Church teaching, peace is built on a commitment to love and justice and flourishes when all realize their responsibility for promoting it. True peace can only be attained when the dignity of each human being is respected. The Church is called to be a sacrament and instrument of peace in the world and must work, along with its members, to promote peace and its foundations: love, justice, development, and reconciliation.
A PRAYER FOR PEACE
To the Queen of Peace, The Mother of Jesus Christ “ our peace,” I entrust my urgent prayer for all humanity at the beginning of the year… to which we look with hearts full of hope, notwithstanding the dangers and difficulties that surround us. May Mary show us, in her Son, the Way of peace, and enlighten our vision, so that we can recognize Christ’s face in the face of every human person, the heart of peace!
- Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message 2007