Dear Parishioners and Friends,
On this first Sunday of Lent, the whole Church enters into a period of preparation or the celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. This is a sacred time, an opportunity to look more deeply into ourselves and discover once again the reality of who we are as God’s sons and daughters – beloved yet frail.
I think we often enter into Lent with a mix of emotions: anxiety, dread, reluctance, but rarely eagerness or excitement. In much the same way that children dread the first day of school after summer vacation, we tend to look on Ash Wednesday as the moment when all the fun ends and we have to give up our favorite foods and creaturely comforts.
I have often said that, during Lent, we shouldn’t think so much about giving up things, but giving in to what God may be calling forth from us. Perhaps God is calling us to be a little kinder or more patient. The choice or decision is always up to you, but don’t put more pressure on yourself than necessary. Just try to grow closer to the Lord in your day-to-day life.
As you may have heard, Pope Leo XIV has declared a Jubilee Year of St. Francis that began January 10, 2026, and continues to January 10, 2027. The Holy Father is bringing the world’s attention to the Saint of Assisi to coincide with the 800th anniversary of his death.
We have cards available for you with a special prayer composed by Pope Leo for the Jubilee Year. Please take one (or several to give to your family and friends), and pray the prayer on the back of the card every day during Lent and throughout the coming year.
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
The 2026 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal has begun in our parish. If you haven’t already, you will soon receive a letter from Archbishop Coyne seeking your support. As Catholics in the Archdiocese of Hartford, we can have a profound impact on our local communities not only spiritually, but intimately con-nected to it, the realm of social services and many charities and outreach services performed by, or with help from, our Church.
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.archdioceseof-hartford.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 Ap-peal 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.