Dear Parishioners and Friends,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” We hear these words of the Lord, spoken through the prophet Isaiah, in today’s first reading. They have been repeated many times down through the centuries. The concept of a house of prayer for all peoples has been applied to all kinds of houses of worship – from grand cathedrals to simple parish churches. Certainly, in great cathedrals such as those in Rome, Paris, London, Cologne, Vienna, even Washington, DC, a typical Sunday congregation will be composed of worshipers from all over the world. Often, the common language of worship is Latin, the Church’s universal tongue. I remember sitting in the great Cathedral of San Marco in Venice, waiting for Mass to start. Ushers were busy passing out “song sheets” containing the chants of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin. I took one and passed the sheets to a lady sitting next to me. “I don’t need that,” she told me – because she knew it all by heart.
Now, if we look around at our fellow parishioners at St. Patrick-St. Anthony, we might begin to realize that we, too, are a house of prayer for all peoples. We might not be quite as universal as a great European cathedral, but we do embody a wide range of ethnicities and mother tongues. Happily, we use the experience of common prayer to become one people, joining hearts and voices in a song of praise and thanksgiving, “loving the name of the Lord, and becoming his servants,” as we hear the prophet proclaim today.
I am happy to report that the current amount pledged to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal has risen to $99,063.23 from 252 gifts. My suggestion last week that we try to reach $100,000 is a real possibility. One thing to remember is that our sandwich and hot meal ministries receive funding from the Appeal. So, in a sense, we are really helping ourselves when we contribute to the Appeal. Please consider making a gift or pledge at https:// archdioceseofhartford.org/appeal/.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
It is important that when you give to any charitable organization, you are confident that the funds received are being used wisely. Be assured that your gift to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal sup-ports the ministries and programs indicated in the 2026 Appeal literature! Organizations such as St. Anthony’s Bread for the Poor right here in our own parish received funding from the Appeal’s Vicariate Outreach Program that makes a difference in the lives of our local neighbors.
Join us, your parish community, and We Are One, by sharing your blessings with the less fortunate.
Please take a moment to watch the launch video here:
We hope you can help us meet our parish goal of $115,000. If you would like to make a gift, please mail in your pledge card. You may also visit the Archdiocesan website at www.archdioceseofhartford.org or call the Appeal Office at (800) 781-2550. Keep in mind that an early pledge will allow you to best use the monthly payment plan.
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.