St. Mary’s Church

Parish Office: 944 Hopmeadow Street (860) 658-7627 www.stmarysimsbury.org

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 8:30 - 3:00 PM Friday: 8:30 - 12:00 PM

Masses: Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM Saturday Vigil Mass 5:00 PM Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 AM

Confessions: Saturday 3:00 - 4:00 PM

Visitors: Thank you for worshipping with us. To register with St. Mary’s Parish please call (860) 658-7627 or email us at parishoffice@stmarysimsbury.org

Rev. Frank Matera: Ext. 301

Deacon Arthur Miller: Ext.113

Parish Office: Ext. 306 Heather Benedetti & Kathy Hughes parishoffice@stmarysimsbury.org

Finance Manager: Joanne Dunn Ext. 307 financemanager@stmarysimsbury.org

Religious Education Grades 1-6:

Kathy Piggott Ext. 304

reled1-6@stmarysimsbury.org

Religious Education Grades 7-8:

Lori Ryan Ext. 309

reled7-8@stmarysimsbury.org

Youth Ministry Grades 9-10: Steve DiMotta Ext. 302 youthministry@stmarysimsbury.org

Stephen Ministry: Linda Duff Ext. 114

stephenministry@stmarysimsbury.org

Music Ministry: Patricia Lepak & Cynthia Bos

St. Mary’s School: Principal Margaret Williamson (860) 658-9412

Directory

Saturday March 14 5:00 PM Frank Manafort Jr. By: Louis Pepe

Sunday March 15 8:00 AM Richard F. Piotrowski Sr. By: Louis Pepe 9:30 AM Patricia Parente Petteruti By: Kathryn Smyth 11:00 AM People of St. Mary’s Parish

Monday March 16 8:00 AM Mark Pilon By: The Blume Family 6:00-7:00 PM Eucharistic Adoration

Tuesday March 17 8:00 AM Frank & Mary Lou Fogarty By: Their Family

Wednesday March 18 8:00 AM Bertha Matera Thursday March 19 8:00 AM Theresa Voroscak By: Her Family

Saturday March 21 5:00 PM Helen Pastoressa By: Zihal & Jozef Families

Sunday March 22 8:00 AM Bob Williams By: The Hazelwood Family 9:30 AM People of St. Mary’s Parish 11:00 AM George J. DeVarennes Sr. By: His Family

Abstinence: The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from eating meat for all Catholics who are 14 years old or older.

Confessions during Lent: Confessions are heard every Monday of Lent from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, in nearly every parish of the Archdiocese. Bishop Rosazza will be with us during the remaining weeks of Lent.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: During the Sea-son of Lent, the Blessed Sacrament will be placed on the altar for Adoration on Mondays, 6:00 to 7:00 PM, while confessions are being heard.

Stations of the Cross: Stations of the Cross are held every Friday of Lent at 7:00 PM.

Lenten Evening Prayer: Please join us Tuesday, March 24, in the church at 7:00 pm, for 45 minutes of scripture, prayer, song and reflection on God’s love.

Father Matera's Lenten Series: This week we discuss Paul's first Letter to the Corinthians, in which Paul speaks to us about the danger of divisions within our community life. Join us this Thursday at 7:00 PM in the Forcucci Faith Formation Center.

Coronavirus Precautions: We have received the fol- lowing instructions from the Archdiocese in light of the coronavirus. (1) The Sign of Peace should be exchang- ed without physical contact. (2) The distribution of Holy Communion through the Chalice should be sus-pended. (3) Communion on the tongue should be dis-couraged. (4) There should be minimal handling of collection baskets by ushers only. (5) Ministers of Holy Communion are to practice good hygiene. (6) Those who are sick or experiencing symptoms of sickness are not obliged to attend Mass.

Weekly Offertory: Last week’s offertory was $14,866. Of this amount, $4,201 came from 111 E-Givers, and $10,665 came from envelopes and cash. Please consider E-Giving. Thank you for your generous support of St. Mary’s Parish without which we would not be able to carry out our many ministries.

Second Collection: Next weekend there will be a second collection for Catholic Relief Services. Funds from this collection provide food to the hungry, support displaced refugees, and bring Christ’s love and mercy to all people here and abroad. Please give generously to this collection and help Jesus in disguise. Learn more about the collection at www.usccb.org/catholic-relief.

AAA: The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal helps provide the critical funding needed to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, counsel those in despair, offer much-needed assistance to the unemployed, and make medi-cal care available to those without health insurance. Your gift to the 2020 Appeal will help to continue these and other vital ministries, services, and programs that reach out to so many in need. All funds contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal are used exclusively for the purposes outlined in the Appeal literature, which can be found at https://archdioceseofhartford.org/appeal/. No appeal funds are ever used for legal fees or settlements.

Adult Enrichment and Spiritual Development Committee presents THE MASS narrated by Bishop Robert Barron. The final section will be shown after the 9:30 AM Mass in the Magowan Center Reading Room this Sunday, March 15 (Part 6). It will be shown again next Tuesday, March 24, in the Forcucci Faith Forma-tion Center 6:45-8:00 PM.

2020 Altar Server Training for New Servers: Classes will be held 4:00-5:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17, 24, and 31. All boys and girls in the 4th grade or above are welcome. Please contact Sheila Garilli, ServerLeader-@StMarySimsbury.org to sign up for the class.

Vacation Bible Camp: June 29-July 2. Contact Kathy Piggott at reled1-6@stmarysimsbury.org to volunteer.

Mass Intentions Parish Announcements

The Third Sunday of Lent Christ the Source of Lifegiving Water In today’s first reading the people whom God had so recently freed from slavery in Egypt grumble against Moses: “Why did you make us leave the land of Egypt to come to this place where we are dying of thirst?” Although God had freed them from slavery, the people complained because they had no water. Satisfying their thirst was more important than their freedom, and so they were ready to exchange that freedom for a cup of water. But when God commands Moses to strike the rock with his staff, water comes from the rock to sustain the people on their journey.

Jesus meets a woman at Jacob’s well. When he asks her to give him something to drink, the woman responds with distain: “Why are you asking me to give you something to drink? You are a Jewish man, and I am a Samaritan Woman.” Jesus tells the woman that if she knew who was asking her for something to drink, she would have asked him for living water that will quench her thirst forever. Jesus is about to offer her this water, the gift of God’s life-giving Spirit.

We can be like the woman of today’s gospel. There are times we do not recognize God’s presence in our midst. The risen Christ comes with an offer of grace in the scriptures and sacraments, and we fail to recognize him. The risen Christ stands in the midst of the Church with an offer of new life, and we fail to recognize him. Instead of asking him for lifegiving water, we return to our old wells, thinking that their waters will satisfy us. But they cannot.

There are times we can be like God’s People in the wilderness. God has freed us from our sin and death through the death and resurrection of his Son. God has made us his sons and daughters in Christ, but when the time of testing comes, we turn back. When things do not go our way, we drift away from the community of faith. We fall away from the sacraments. We stop praying and meditating on God’s life-giving Word. We retreat to the darkness of sin from which Christ freed us. We no longer live in the light.

In today’s second reading Saint Paul reminds us of what God has done for us in Christ. First, God has reconciled us to himself so that we are at peace with God. Second, God has poured his love into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Third, God has proven his love for us because Christ died for us.

Where are you in your Lenten journey? Are you wandering in the wilderness of sin, dis-couraged and tempted to turn back? Are you like the Samaritan woman, unable to recognize the presence of Christ who is standing before you with an offer of grace, mercy, and forgive-ness? If this is where you are, it is time to renew your faith so that you can resume the jour-ney. For, it is only when we drink from the lifegiving water of the Holy Spirit that we will complete the journey that brings us to God.

Father Matera

Alive in Christ: A Parish Day of Prayer and Reflection Join us for a Parish Day of Prayer and Reflection on Saturday, March 28, 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM in the Parish Center. Register on the Parish Website or use one of the registra-tion forms at the exits of the Church.

March 15, 2020

Bible Study with Deacon Art: Please join us for Bi-ble Study in the Parish Center this Wednesday, March 18, and on the following Wednesdays: April 1 & 15, May 6 & 20, June 3 & 17. Community prayer will begin at 6:45 PM with class following 7:00-8:00 PM. Lectio Divina will begin at 6:10 PM, please let Dea-con Art know if you plan to attend.

Father Matera’s Lenten Series: The Season of Lent is a time for us to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. This Lent we will examine four of Saint Paul’s letters (Galatians, 1 Corinthians, Romans, and Philippians) and ask: Why did Paul write these letters? What do they mean for us today? All sessions will be held in the Forcucci Faith Formation Center on Thursdays, March 19 and 26 at 7:00 PM.

Granny’s Attic & Boutique: Donations needed!Consider donating household items, furniture or gently used clothing. Drop off dates are April 2-5 & 13-14; for specific times and acceptable items check out our Granny's Attic webpage https://stmarysimsbury.org/grannys-attic. Volunteers needed to receive and or-ganize donations, create pricing, cashier, and assist with clean up. Available jobs and times are on the website sign-up genius or contact: Peg Mancarella our3pumkins@gmail.com, (860)593-1512; Stephanie McIntyre, smcintyre@gmail.com, (860)651-3862, Ann O’Donnell, annno@snet.net, (860)658-2120.

Jr. High Youth Group - You are invited! Come join the fun Mondays 6:30-8:00 PM in the Forcucci Faith Formation Center. Please RSVP to Youth Ministry. March 30 - Walk the Walk: Walking with Jesus April 27 - Potato Night!

Ignite Nights: Open to all High School students, 6:30-8:30 PM, Forcucci Faith Formation Center. Please RSVP to Youth Ministry. March 29 - Interfaith Potluck at St. Catherine of Si-

enna Church April 26 - Show Your Support! Team building activ-

ities May 3 - 10:30 AM Walk the Talk, Hike to Heublein

Tower

Steubenville East Conference Registration Now Open: Steubenville is a yearly conference for high school students, including those entering high school in the 2020 school year. The conference is Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 12. Cost is $300.00. Do not let a financial burden keep you from attending as scholar-ships and fundraising will be available if needed. Reg-ister at stmarysimsbury.org. Contact Sean Hughes at smma95@gmail.com with any questions.

Registration: Gr. K-6, Gr. 7 & 8 and Confirmation Yr. 1 (9th) & Yr. 2 (10th) will be opening registration for their 2020/2021 Religious Education Programs on Sun-day, March 22. Registration will be online. PLEASE NOTE: We are excited to announce that Kindergar-ten will now be offered during each session on Sun-day mornings along with our Grades 1-6!

Religious Education Children's Masses: Grades 1-3 Children's Mass will be this Sunday, March 15, at the 9:30 AM Mass. Grades 4-6 Children's Mass will be next Sunday, March 22, at the 9:30 AM Mass.

Service Ministry: Our Gr. 1 classes will be putting to-gether a Birthday Party in a Bag for our local food pan-tries on Sunday, March 15. Our Gr. 6 classes will be making no-sew welcome blankets for the children at the Albert J Solnit Children's Center on Sunday, March 22.

Grades 7-8: Our next class will be this Sunday, March 15. Class objective - Unit 16: Jesus As Priest To study the priestly office of Jesus. To study the Old Testament priesthood, which prefig-

ures the New Testament priesthood. To understand the reasons for Jesus’ sacrifice on the

Cross. To review the institution of the sacraments of the Holy

Eucharist and Holy Orders at the Last Supper. To study in detail the events of Jesus’ Passion, Death,

Resurrection, Ascension.

St. Mary's School Open House - Tuesday, March 31, 6:00 PM. Enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year, PreK 3 & 4 thru 8th Grade. Meet faculty and staff, ask ques-tions, learn more about the advantages of a Catholic school education! www.stmarysschoolsimsbury.org

Full day PreKindergarten for 4's and young 5's is now enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year. Take a tour to-day!! Limited seats available www.stmarysschool- simsbury.org / (860)658-9412.

Calling All Alumni!! We would love to reconnect and hear what you are up to! Have an email you would like to share so we can let you know about events and reun-ions? Contact Toni Chagnon: tchagnon@stmarysims-bury.eduk12.net.

Be a Superhero, Save the Date! Sunday, May 3, 2:00-5:00 PM for our 2nd Annual St. Mary's School Superhe-ro Challenge & Corn Hole Tournament. Details soon!

Substitutes Needed at St. Mary’s School: Virtus train-ing required. Call (860)658-9412.

Save The Date

St. Mary’s School

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