October 25, 2020 P a G E 2 OCTOBER 25, 2020

THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME P A G E 1

1050 Flanders Road, Southington, CT 06489 860.628.0349 www.saintdominicchurch.com October 25, 2020 P A G E 2 OCTOBER 25, 2020

MISSION STATEMENT : We, the community of Saint Dominic Parish, gather in faith as disciples to love God and serve others.

Vision Statement : We envision a parish that calls each member to use their personal, material and spiritual resources to build up the Kingdom of God in our Southington Community.

PARISH STAFF Rectory Hours Pastor : Rev. Ronald P. May M-T: 8am-3pm Weekend Assistant: Rev. Roland M. LaPlante Fridays 8am-12 noon Deacon : Paul Kulas Liturgy Lay Minster: Mary Anne Plourde 860.628.0349 Music Director: Bryan Niedermayer Business Manager: Sharon Ayotte Religious Education Director: Theresa Kamradt Confirmation Coordinator: Michelle Batista Information Technology, PICC Manager Leeanne Frisina Development Coordinator: Teresa Soltys Child Care Center Director: Ashley Maddalena Administrative Assistant for Religious Education and Child Care Center: Cheryl Kelley Sextons : John Lehnow, Joe Alfano

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Our Partners in Faith program provides a faith-based education for children and families. Please see Religious education pages on our parish website: www.saintdominicchurch.com [email protected] 860.628.5159

ST. DOMINIC CHILD CARE CENTER We proudly provide child care fifty-one weeks of the year for infants to age five. For more Information or to arrange a tour call 860.628.4678

SOUTHINGTON CATHOLIC SCHOOL Located at 133 Bristol Street. SCS is a joint effort of St. Dominic Church and St. Thomas Church. We strive to foster students to have creative minds and compassionate hearts as future leaders in church and society. Educating children from pre-school to 8 th grade. Call for more information or a tour. 860.628.4713 www.southingtoncatholicschool.org Principal: Eileen Sampiere Office Manager: Loretta Putala Advancement Director: Mary Alexander FRONT COVER IMAGES

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS Halloween Activity 2020 Daily Mass : Monday-Wednesday, Friday, 9:00am Weekend Masses : Saturday , 5:00pm, Sunday, 10:00am Rosary : suspended Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament : suspended Reconciliation : by appointment

GENERAL INFORMATION Rectory: 860.628.0349 Baptism, Marriages, Anointing of the sick, hospital or home visits: please call the rectory for more information or assistance Bulletin and bulletin board submission: Friday 10:00 am, eight days prior to the bulletin publication date. *A week with a holiday: 16 days ahead [email protected] Scheduling or booking events : [email protected]

Online Giving : www.saintdominicchurch.com THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME P A G E 3 mass intentions from the pastor’s desk Congratulations THIS WEEKEND It is a distinct honor that the Respect Life Ministry of the Archdiocese of Saturday, October 24, 2020 Hartford has honored Sammi Bray, a

5:00 Rose Rotella member of our parish with the St. Requested by her Family Gianna Beretta Molla award. Sammi Bray, a lector, at our parish, has been

Sunday, October 25, 2020 recognized for her work at St. Paul’s Catholic High School to raise aware- 10:00 Wilfred Beloin ness of Respect Life concerns. She Requested by Marge and Bill Wisk mobilized student involvement in the screening of the movie, “Unplanned”; participated in the 2020 Marcello & Helen Tiano March for Life in Washington and gave interviews on local TV Edwin & Carol Prendergast Requested by Donna & Ed stations to share her experiences. She also participated in our parish workshop on human trafficking. The award was presented to her and several others by Archbishop Henry Blair at a ceremony at St. Bridget of Sweden Parish in Cheshire on Sunday, October THIS WEEK 18 th . St. Gianna Beretta Molla is the patron saint of mothers, physicians and the unborn. She gave her life to preserve the life of Monday, October 26, 2020 her unborn child.

9:00 Josef Rasten On behalf of all the parishioners of St. Dominic I offer my Requested by the Family congratulations to a young, talented and dedicated individual who

Tuesday, October 27, 2020 is a great model of discipleship for our youth. May the Lord bless her and guide her in the future. 9:00 The People of Saint Dominic Daily Masses 2021 Wednesday , October 28, 2020 Beginning in January daily masses for Southington will be

9:00 Rosa Redler celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church. Please call Requested by the Familly 860-628-2181 or stop by their rectory from 9:30am-2:30pm on

weekdays to intention a Mass. There are restrictions as to the Friday, October 30, 2020 number of masses you may intention at one time. Masses will be Monday thru Friday at 7:30am & 12 noon and Saturday at 7:30am. 9:00 John Riera Requested by the Lindquists Halloween Drive By Stop by to see Pere LeCrepe and his friends who will hand out candy on October 30 th from 5-7pm.

NEXT WEEKEND Confirmations We have scheduled the first of 4 Confirmation celebrations this Saturday, October 31, 2020 coming Monday and Tuesday at 7pm. Please keep these young adults in your prayers. 5:00 The People of Saint Dominic Sunday Night Fireside Chats

Sunday, November 1, 2020 I will be offering these “chats” each Sunday at 7pm. Just connect to our website…saintdominicchurch.com and go to our Facebook 10:00 Dean Damiano, page to be connected. You do not need a Facebook account to Birthday Remembrance view our page. Requested by his parents, Stephen & Josephine Damiano Last weekend we held a second collection for the Deceased members of the Ferreri Propagation of the Faith, World Mission. $608 was collected. Family Requested by Mario Ferreri Thank you! P A G E 4 OCTOBER 25, 2020 health ministry liturgy corner How are you coping with All Saints November 1, 2020 the pandemic ? It is

Paul Turner important to take care of our emotional health during In designating one day on our calendar for all the saints, times of stress, so that we the church chooses a time to honor our heroes—the men can think more clearly for and women whose example we admire. Coming near the ourselves and our loved end of the church year, the solemnity of All Saints ones. Here are some tips to invites us into the mystery of death and the promise of help cope: eternal life. Take Care of Your Body : Try to eat healthy, An early tradition placed the festival on May 13. exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid According to one story, Pope Boniface IV (himself a alcohol and other drugs. saint) began the celebration in Rome. On that date in 609 he dedicated a very old building as a new church. The Connect : Share your feelings with a friend or Pantheon had been built to honor all the pagan gods, but family member. Maintain relationships and rely Boniface rededicated the building as a Christian church on your support system. in the seventh century. He brought the relics of the martyrs from the catacombs to this famous public place Take Breaks : Make time to unwind. Try to of worship. The parade of relics changed the Pantheon return to activities that you enjoy as safety from a place for worship of all the pagan gods to a place permits, or try something new. that honored Mary and all the Christian saints—and in turn the one Christian God. Eventually the idea of a feast Stay Informed : Watch for news updates from of all saints was transferred to Nov. 1, near the end of reliable officials. the church year. Avoid : Avoid excessive exposure to media The church honors many saints with a day of their own coverage of the pandemic. on the general liturgical calendar, but there are many more saints than those. Since Vatican II, the number of Ask for Help : Talk to a counselor, doctor, or men and women canonized as saints has increased trusted friend to get help. considerably. Although we do not celebrate all their names on specific dates in all our churches throughout For people dealing with depression, anxiety, the year, we do gather them as one on this day. addiction, and other emotional suffering before COVID, the added social isolation and stresses The Mass for All Saints Day always replaces the one for can cause a crisis, needing professional help. ordinary time, even when it falls on a Sunday. If you are concerned about emotional health for yourself or a loved one, or need resources to address the causes of your stress, call the United Way CT Infoline at 2-1-1 for crisis counseling,

information, and referrals for resources.

Also consider the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) national helpline 1-800- 662-HELP (4357), and

the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255

Source: www.samsa.org

Religious Ed Office e-mail: [email protected] religious education Please visit the Religious Education pages on our website at www.saintdominicchurch.com 860-628-5159 Office Hours - We are currently not in the office for regular office hours, as the hours that the church is open have changed. If you need to contact us, please send an email to [email protected] and we can set up a time to meet.

Partners in Faith ( Are you getting excited? We are super excited to see all of you again—it’s been too long! If you have registered, please make sure you replied to the monthly invitation to join our PIF drive-thru program so that we know to expect you. The drive-thru is November 1, 2 or 3 between 5-6:00 each night— are you in? Don’t forget to bring your kids with you. (If you haven’t registered yet, download the form from the website, fill it out and we’ll let you know if November or December will be your first month.) It’s a new look this year, but the same feel—faith, family and fun.

As overwhelming as this may all feel to your family, church isn’t the place to cut. Continue to encourage your children to explore their faith, to feel hope for the future and to develop their relationship with their Creator and Savior. Give us a call with any questions and we look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Confirmation News Confirmation has been rescheduled for Oct. 26, 27, Nov. 9 and Nov. 13 . We were very disappointed to have to postpone our two scheduled Confirmation days. We considered several options, but in the end decided that the safest choice was to reschedule for later dates. You should have received an email inviting you to choose one of our new dates.

Remember, Confirmation is an ancient and sacred Sacrament and should be celebrated in the most respectful way possible; we are proud to partner with you in safeguarding the sanctity of this sacrament. Looking forward to celebrating with all of our families soon!

Current grade 9 students who were with us in grade 8 (or who have contacted us in recent weeks) have received an invitation to join our Confirmation preparation program. We are very excited to be able to do this during this difficult time because the grace afforded by the Sacrament—and by learning about the Sacra- ment—is so critical to our young people. Please honor the deadline of November 1 so that we can start right up as soon as possible. Can’t wait!

Communication As has been the case, we are most readily available through email. Please do not leave a message at the office number, as we are not in the office as we used to be. If you’d like to speak with someone about PIF, Confirmation or other programs, send us an email with a phone number and we will give you a call.

Halloween Did you see the notice about a family-centered Halloween event printed in this bulletin? Check it out and join us!

southington catholic

Congratulations! Southington Catholic School is proud to announce that Mrs. Patricia Whalen has been awarded the Light of Christ Award by the Archdiocese of Hartford. A highly respected member of the school faculty, Mrs. Whalen was acknowledged for her dedication to Catholic education. A Catholic school alumnus, Mrs. Whalen was described as modeling the ideals of Catholic education in her fifth grade classroom and her family life. P A G E 6 OCTOBER 25, 2020

Friday, November 6, 2020, 7:00 p.m.

In this time of Covid 19, we are limited to the number of people allowed to worship together in our community at each liturgy. Therefore, we have planned to have an in-person service that will also be available virtually (streamed to our website).

If you would like to remember a loved one at this mass, we ask that you contact us 860 628-0349, [email protected].

We ask those who wish to join us in person, to please limit the number of guests to three additional people.

Also, all in person attendees are required to use hand sanitizer upon entering and to wear masks through the entire liturgy.

Each year, we prepare a video presentation which includes photos of your loved ones during the service. If you would like your loved one to be remembered during this liturgy in that way, please email an image identified with the deceased’s name and your relationship to the deceased to [email protected] .

Or you may mail a photo to the rectory. Please include the deceased’s name, your name, address, phone number and relationship to the deceased and we will return your photo.

Mail to: Mary Anne Plourde, Saint Dominic Church, 1050 Flanders Road, Southington, CT 06489

We will recognize all of our loved ones whether you attend in-person or attend virtually. Please have all photos in by October 26, 2020, so we can prepare the video presentation.

May God continue to watch over you and grant you peace.

Please R.S.V.P. by October 26, 2020 between 8am-12noon, M-F (860) 628-0349 or [email protected]

(This RSVP is for in-person and virtual attendees) THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME P A G E 7 ministry events altar calling all men! adornment Men of St. Dominic, if you have a desire to grow All donations in your walk with Christ, will be listed in you are invited to join a the bulletin for Bible study with other the date of like-minded men. request if received in time, This group has been though, formed out of a Holy Spirit driven desire to learn more about our depending on the liturgical Christian faith through the study of scripture. As the 4th century season/date, flowers may not be bible scholar St. Jerome once said, "Ignorance of scripture is present on the altar. ignorance of Christ."

Please pick up a donation No experience is necessary! envelope at an usher’s position in the back of the church. Fill it out and This informal and open format setting promotes sharing and the drop it in the collection basket with application of scripture to everyday life. The Gospel of Mark is your donation of $25.00 or more, or currently being studied using the USCCB approved New mail it to the rectory. Thank you. American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) translation.

Doors are open (virtually speaking) whenever you can make it. annual appeal update The Saint Dominic Annual The study group meets every other Saturday from 8:00-9:30 AM using Zoom for virtual meetings. All are welcome! Are you in? Appeal is underway. Without the financial support of our parishioners, Please contact Joe Premus at: we would not be able to continue as [email protected] to automatically receive Zoom meeting such a vibrant parish. As Father invites . May stated, we are all working together to be good stewards of your contributions. Please consider supporting Saint Dominic Parish. Any amount you would be able to saint dominic donate would be so greatly appreciated. child care center

Donations can be St. Dominic Child Care Center made electronically accepts children from 6 weeks through our website through age 5. online giving or by sending a donation marked to the St. There are currently a few Dominic Annual openings for daycare children. Appeal to the rectory.

Our goal this year is For more information or a tour, please call our Child $100,000. To date Care Director, Ashley at 860-628-4678 or by email: we have 381 families [email protected] participating so far and have raised $70,956 to date. P A G E 8 OCTOBER 25, 2020

saint dominic ministry news nourishes item of the month: Fruit Cups Chicken/Beef/Veg Stock social justice ongoing food drive items of need: Canned tomato Tomato paste Cooking oils Tuna Canned chicken Canned vegetables Canned beans Snack Nuts /Seeds Napkins Crackers/ Popcorn Fiber One Cereal Flour/Sugar Cereal/Breakfast bars Packaged fruit Pancake mix, syrup Taco/fajita kits We’ve gone virtual! Oatmeal Ketchup/Mustard/Relish The Social Justice ministry is proud to again bring you the annual Toilet bowl cleaner Household cleaners “Tree of Thanks.” Sponges Facial tissue The ministry is collecting monetary donations toward the Freezer bags purchase of food, and necessities for those in need within our own Foil and cling wrap community and beyond throughout the year. Kitchen garbage bags Chicken broth/stock Beef broth/stock For each $10 donation, the donor will have their name listed on our Vegetable broth/stock website and in our bulletin at the end of the drive. This drive will run Peanut butter & jelly from October 11, 2020– October 31, 2020. Boxed or bagged rice Boxed/bagged potato Coffee/tea Last year, we collected enough funds to support the needs of Juice parishioners through our Helping Hand Program, and we made food, Pasta and sauce Soups gift certificate and cash donations to Southington Social Services Pet foods & accessories and Bread for Life! This year the need is greater than ever. are sent to Meriden Humane Please go to our website and click the Online Giving Logo and Society, a non-kill shelter. Select our Tree of Thanks to make a gift of any size or you may Canned/Dry Pet food make a donation through the collection by ensuring you mark an Pet toys envelope for “The Tree of Thanks.” Food donations benefit parishioners in Checks payable to Saint Dominic Church. need, & Southington Community Services . THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME P A G E 9 P A G E 1 0 OCTOBER 25, 2020 “Respect Life Month” 2020 and the 25th Anniversary of The Gospel of Life

One year ago, even before the unthinkable effects of the pandemic and the social unrest and division that we are now witnessing, a piece in the New York Times stated: “The world we live in now is one in which no place is safe, no lives really matter, when it comes to violence” (9/2/19). This statement was prompted by the tragedy of repeated mass shootings in our country. To this we must now add the outbreaks of random violence and the deaths that have prompted outrage and have called into question the level of force employed by law enforcement in some cases, especially with regard to people of color. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Evangelium vitae ( The Gospel of Life), written by Pope St. John Paul. He urged the world to uphold the sacred value and in violability of human life rather than giving way to a culture of manipulation and choice in life matters, as evidenced in abortion, euthanasia, biological engineering, ecological destruction and unnecessary recourse to the death penalty. Violating the right to life, the Pope stated, only results in the destruction of values that are fundamental not only for the preservation of the lives of individuals and families, but of society as well. This message has been strongly echoed by Popes Benedict and Francis. Amid all the ominous polarization, acrimony and even violence that are increasing in our country, we would do well to ponder Pope St. John Paul’s teaching. He said that respect for innocent human life from conception until natural death is a “transcendent truth” that surpasses any one religion, philosophy, law code or system of government. Religion can and should serve that truth, but it does not create it. If there is no God-given higher truth about the human person than the one we feel free to create, then everything degenerates into competing views of personhood and life itself; the “force of power” prevails, and the inalienable God-given meaning of the human person, and his or her dignity and right to life, are trampled.

Until recent times the religious beliefs of the vast majority of Americans did acknowledge the transcendent truth that all innocent human life is to be respected as inviolable. Indeed, the first thing that struck the French observer Alexis de Tocqueville about the United States in 1831 was its “religious atmosphere.” He wrote: “... while the law allows the American people to do everything, there are things which religion prevents them from imagining and forbids them to dare.” Religion taught virtuous behavior, which is essential if liberty is to be ordered to the common good. By bringing a moral dimension to issues, religion also helped ensure that majority rule not deteriorate in to an immoral tyranny. Religion in America also created an allegiance and devotion among its adherents that counteracted the tendency of government to swallow up all aspects of life.

Today the withering away of respect for the transcendent truth about the right to life, and for traditional religious teaching about the sin and crime of taking innocent human life, has created what Pope St. John Paul called a “culture of death.” It is reflected in the words we cited from the New York Times that “the world we live in now is one in which no place is safe, no lives really matter, when it comes to violence.” In his new encyclical Fratelli tutti Pope Francis speaks of a “throwaway” world in which “persons are no longer seen as a paramount value to be cared for and respected” (n. 18). Hopefully the 25th anniversary of Evangelium vitae will be an inspiration for all people of goodwill to work for a “culture of life” that cherishes, serves, defends, and protects human life from conception until natural death.

Local pro-life leaders across the world are currently conducting an annual 40 Days for Life campaign that runs through November 1.Walking with Moms in Need is a year of service where Catholic parishes and communities "walk in the shoes" of local pregnant and parenting women in need. And then there is Project Rachel, a network of caregivers, including clergy, mental health professionals and others who provide one-on-one care to those struggling after involvement in an abortion. The church continues to advocate strongly for hospice care for the dying, not death imposed by others or by suicide, and for an end to the death penalty because it is no longer needed to protect society.

For well over half a century the U.S. Bishops have spoken out nationally as a body about the evil of racism, most recently in 2018, calling yet again for Catholics and all Americans to take to heart in particular the lived experience— past and present—of African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. Without equal respect and opportunity for the life and dignity of each and all we cannot hope to have a nation at peace with itself.

Likewise, Pope Francis has dramatically and urgently spoken of the plight of refugees, immigrants and all those who are vulnerable and at risk across the world. Our Church strives to uphold the life and dignity of every person by providing education, health care and works of charity on a large scale, and by advocating for economic justice, immigration reform, and the alleviation of the desperate plight of so many of the world’s migrants, near and far. These are just some of the ways the Catholic Church is working to promote a gospel of life. We invite you to join us, so that, in the words of Pope St. John Paul, “together we may offer this world of ours new signs of hope, and work to ensure that justice and solidarity will increase and that a new culture of human life will be affirmed, for the building of an authentic civilization of truth and love.” Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, Archbishop of Hartford, Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport, Most Reverend P. Paul Chomnycky, Eparch of Stamford Most Reverend Juan Miguel Betancourt, SEMV Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford Letter from the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference