Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This weekend marks the beginning of the 2025 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, and I would like to encourage everyone in our parish to se- riously consider participating in it. In the last several years we have achieved very good results even though we haven’t reached our goal of $115,000. In 2024, St. Patrick-St. Anthony gave $92,600.17. This is a remarkable achievement, and we can be very proud of that result, considering the fact that the number of donors, 270, represented just 21.62% of our parish membership.
When our Archbishop Coyne became our spiritual leader last May, a new chapter began for Catholics in Hartford. He has brought a new outlook on the Church and its governance, as well as a new openness to sensitive and divisive issues. If you have been hesitant in the past to donate to the Archdiocese, especially the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, I hope you will reconsider.
I know I have said it before, but it bears repeating: as Catholics we shouldn’t think of ourselves in isolation from the wider Church. Yes, I know that some folks may have differences with the “official” Church, but we are all one body in Christ, and we have a responsi- bility to build up that body and support it by our stewardship of our time, talent and treasure.
I strongly encourage you to watch the video that has been prepared for this year’s appeal which shows how the funds are used throughout the archdiocese. Even our own sandwich ministry benefits from the appeal. Archbishop Coyne has expressed his admiration and support for the ministries of our parish, particularly our outreach to the LGBTQ+ community and our ministries to the people of Hartford who experience food insecurity. You can view the video on our website here; or this link will take you directly to it.
I invite you to join us this Sunday afternoon, March 2nd, for an Artist Talk and Reception with Brother Mickey McGrath, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Franciscan Center’s Clare Gallery. Brother Mickey O’Neill McGrath, Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is a writer, painter, and storyteller.
Come and celebrate his work and listen to his stories about process and spiritual reflection. This talk coincides with his exhibition Colorful Silence, which runs until March 9, 2025.
This exhibition features quotes from modern “mystics” such as Richard Rohr, Dorothy Day, St. Therese, as well as others, and is connected to the Gallery’s 2025 conceptual framework of “Mystery, Mystical, and Meaning.”
Next week will be Gabe Löfvall’s final weekend with us before he becomes Director of Music at St. Joseph Cathedral. Please join us at the 10:00 Mass for an official farewell.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor