Saint Thomas Church 99 Bristol Street, Southington, CT 06489-4599 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).” February 21, 2021 First Sunday of Lent Rectory Office Phone: 860-628-4713 Fax: 860-628-7341 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Sites: www.stthomassouthington.org www.facebook.com/groups/104009621923 St. Thomas Convent Address: 20 Eden Place Southington, CT Phone: 860-621-1904 Office of Religious Education Phone: 860-628-9679 E-mail: [email protected] Southington Catholic School Address: 133 Bristol Street Southington, CT Phone: 860-628-2485 Fax: 860-628-4942 Web Site: www.southingtoncathlolicschool.org Weekend Mass Schedule Our Parish Mission Statement Saturday Vigil: 4:00PM / Sunday: 7:30AM & 10:00AM We, the Roman Catholic faithful of St. Thomas Town’s Weekday Mass Schedule parish, nourished by God’s Word and by the Masses are at Immaculate Conception Church Sacraments, welcome and serve the Family of God. 130 Summer Street Through evangelization, education, and spiritual Monday—Friday: 7:30 AM and Noon development, we demonstrate the true meaning of Saturday Morning: 7:30 AM God’s love by living in the image of Christ. Rectory Office Hours Monday—Friday 8AM-4PM SATURDAY, February 20—Saturday after Ash Wednesday 7:30 AM (IC) Madeline Bailey Requested by Wally & Bette Ann Bailey 4:00PM Deceased Members of the Mercaldi family Requested by Angela Zacchia SUNDAY, February 21—First Sunday of Lent 7:30AM Giovanni Ragozzino Requested by Vincenzo Ragozzino 10:00AM Annette Brown Requested by her parents MONDAY, February 22—The Chair of St. Peter, Apostle 7:30 AM (IC) Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn, Diocese of Albany 12:00 PM (IC) Michael Thomas —50th Birthday Requested by family TUESDAY, February 23—St. Polycarp, Bishop & Martyr 7:30 AM (IC) Special Intentions of Kimberly Pisani Requested by friends 12:00 PM (IC) Pro Populo WEDNESDAY, February 24—Lenten Weekday 7:30 AM (IC) Pro Populo 12:00 PM (IC) Pro Populo THURSDAY, February 25—Lenten Weekday 7:30 AM (IC) Reverend Msgr. William Graham, Diocese of Camden 12:00 PM (IC) Pro Populo FRIDAY, February 26—Lenten Weekday 7:30 AM (IC) Pro Populo 12:00 PM (IC) Pro Populo SATURDAY, February 27—Saturday after Ash Wednesday 7:30 AM (IC) Reverend J. Thomas Connery, Diocese of Albany 4:00PM Deceased Members of DiChello, Vecchio, & Tranquillo Families Requested by Pasquale & Maria DiChello SUNDAY, February 28—Second Sunday of Lent 7:30AM Giovanni Parillo Requested by Maria & Pasquale DiChello 10:00AM David Montano Requested by his family Sanctuary Candles Andrea Kowalczyk - Requested by Kowalczyk family Father Joe’s Notes My dear friends, We seek the same thing in our relationship with God. It’s not My parents just celebrated their 63rd always easy, as sacrifices need wedding anniversary. They have long to be made. Sometimes we exceeded the marriages of their parents, would rather go our own way. and are set to top the record of Mom’s We get fed up with maternal grandparents who were commandments and teachings married 63 ½ years. During their and just want to leave it behind, marriage, Mom and Dad have moved but where would we go? If we seven times in five states. They’ve love God and God loves us, raised eight children and welcomed twelve grandchildren. what other choice is there? We need to pause and think. We Careers have come and gone, and the readjustments were pray for patience. It takes compromise and compassion. made for retirement. They have chauffeured children to Lent is a time to focus upon that relationship. How well do music lessons, scout meetings, and sports practices. They’ve we love, respect, and unite ourselves with Christ? This is a paid for orthodontists, cars, and college tuitions. It has been time to repair any breaks. This is a time of renewal and a long, meandering journey, and they are still together. reflection; a chance to deepen the bonds we have. Lent is our When asked the secret of their long marriage, they often time to appreciate the love our God has for us and the love joke saying, “We had an agreement. Whoever filed for we have for God. It is not always easy or perfect, but it’s divorce got custody of the children!” They would be the first real. Make the most of this season to make that bond tighter. people to tell you a long marriage is not easy. They have Joyfully yours in Christ, Fr. Joe had their disagreements and fights. There have been times they were angry and did not like each other very much. They can push each other’s buttons in all the wrong ways. Despite Ask Father all this, they still love one another. They choose every day to care for and respect the other. They choose to put the Question: Father, why is the church so bare for Lent? interests of the couple ahead of their own as individuals. They have learned to make compromises and adapt to Answer: Well, that’s our tradition. During Lent, we remove changes. They always knew they had to be united, whether the flowers and extraneous ornamentations to create a space making a choice about a move, how to spend and invest that is a bit simpler. (We don’t go so far as to take down all money, or how to handle problems with the children. If in the statues, cover the paintings, or remove all things of doubt, they would pause, talk together, and then go back the beauty.) By removing banners, or flowers, or extra problems at hand. Love, respect, and unity are the core of decorations, we signal that something has changed. Lent is that relationship. While not always easy, it has made them about self-examination and repentance. We work on who and what they are. rebuilding our relationship with God by seeking where God is missing from our lives. We use the time to get rid of things LENTEN SCHEDULE that eat up our time and attention, and so the extra details of liturgical ornamentation matches that reality. During Lent, Stations of the Cross we see the liturgical objects that are necessary more clearly, like the altar, ambo, presider’s chair, and tabernacle. There is Friday evenings in church at 7:00 PM nothing to distract from what we need and what is extra to —also streamed live on Facebook enhance. So too, Lent rids our lives of extra items to focus upon our necessities from God. The space reflects that. Confessions during Lent Mondays: at St. Aloysius Church Readings for the week of February 21, 2021 4:00 PM—5:00 PM (English & Polish) Sunday: Gn 9:8-15/Ps 25:4-9/1 Pt 3:18-22/Mk 1:12-15 Tuesdays: at St. Dominic Church Monday: 1 Pt 5:1-4/Ps 23:1-3a,4-6/Mt 16:13-19 1:00 PM—2:00 PM Tuesday: Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-7,16-19/Mt 6:7-15 Wednesdays: at Mary Our Queen Church Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4,12-13,18-19/Lk 11:29-32 9:30AM—10:30 AM Thursday: Est C:12,14-16,23-25/Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8/Mt 7:7-12 Thursdays: at St. Thomas Church Friday: Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-8/Mt 5:20-26 6:00 PM—7:00 PM Saturday: Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2,4-5,7-8/Mt 5:43-48 Saturdays: at St. Thomas Church Next Sunday: Gn 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18/Ps 116:10,15,16-17, 2:30 PM—3:30 PM 18-19/Rom 8:31b-34/ Mk 9:2-10 Parish Information Devotions / Groups Sacraments 0'1&2 Priests Italian Rosary Group Baptism Rev. Joseph R. Cronin—Pastor CURRENTLY ON HOLD Parents, contact the rectory to [email protected] schedule a baptism. There’s a Rev. John E. Cockayne—(Senior Status) Lap Blanket Ministry preparation meeting for parents Parishioners make blankets for having their first child baptized. Deacons patients in local health care facilities . Angelo J. Coppola—(Senior Status) Anyone who crochets is invited to RCIA—Adult Vincent J. Raby—Pastoral Associate join us in the church basement. One [email protected] Sacraments Wednesday Evening a month 7:00- Music Ministry 8:15PM. Canceled until further Anyone interested in becoming Emil Kopcha—Director notice. Catholic, give us a call! Kathy Kopcha—Assistant Ladies Guild Office Manager Reconciliation The Ladies Guild meets the first Confessions are Saturdays 3:00 PM Heidi Malley Monday of each month, and hosts until 3:30 PM in the reconciliation Business Manager hospitality the first Sunday of each room in the church (you must wear a Marc Ingriselli month. Canceled until further mask when coming), notice. Trustees Susan Howard Bible Study Group Marriage Paul Miano We’ll meet Thursday, February 25th. We need a minimum of six months We will study Judges, 19:1-20:7— for preparation. Couples should Plant Manager contact Father Joe to set up a meeting. Casey Potthoff The Gibeah Outrage. Please, join us Thursdays at 1:30PM in the church Custodial Staff or streamed on our Facebook . Sacrament of the Sick Bonnie Guimond –Part Time ________________________________________________________ Should you, or someone you know, Ron Lemire –Part Time Cemetery need an anointing, please call Father Marty Lopatosky Joe at the rectory to schedule a visit. If you or your family are looking to Harry Masterbone purchase a plot or niche in the Director of Religious Ed.