Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I realize that this might sound a bit anticlimactic, but Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Because the feast of our patron saint falls on a Sunday this year, we decided to include it as part of the St. Patrick’s Parade Mass which Archbishop Coyne celebrated on Friday, March 8th.
Archbishop Coyne’s visits to us on Friday, March 8th, and Sunday, March 10th, were joyous opportunities for both us and him to start getting to know one another. At Sunday’s 10 AM Mass, he got to see (and hear) how beautiful our weekly celebration of the Eucharist is, and how much our community loves to interact during our social hours. I hope that everyone who had a chance to speak with him enjoyed his low-key and relaxed style.
Thank you to everyone for making Archbishop Coyne feel welcome and at home here at St. Patrick-St. Anthony. Here are two photos taken by Carolyn Abramo during the 10 AM Mass.
As I mentioned in my letter last week, after every Mass this weekend we are asking you to sign a petition to encourage the U.S. Senate to pass a bill that would sanction those who are funding the gangs who have been terrorizing the people of Haiti, especially in the area of its capital, Port-au-Prince, which includes Zorange, where our Sister Parish of Ste.-Geneviève is located. We don’t hold any illusions that the current crisis in Haiti will be quickly and easily settled. But we can bring some measure of hope and accountability to a people who have suffered for many years under the influence of corruption, manipulation, and natural disasters.
With just one more week before Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week, I pray that our parish will once again come together to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of the Lord: his passion, death, and resurrection. The beauty and drama of the sacred days that lie ahead are powerful moments in the life of our parish.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M., Pastor
The 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal
The 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is now underway in our parish. Your support of this year’s Appeal ensures that essential charitable, educational, and pastoral ministries of the Archdio-
cese of Hartford will be carried forward.
Since 1997, Archbishop’s Annual Appeal Vicariate Outreach Program has been able to provide over $21 million in funding to community-based local charities throughout Hartford, New Haven and Litchfield Counties to assist them in their important work of serving the needs of God’s people. In 2023, we were able to provide nearly $900,000 to over 150 various organizations, nominated by pastors, across the Archdiocese.
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. Please respond as generously as your means allow.