Dear Parishioners and Friends,
This past week our newly-formed Parish Vocations Committee met for the first time. In addition to myself, the committee members are Pat Curtis, Carole Fay, and Ron and Joan Osella. We had a very energetic conversation and spoke about our call as baptized Christians as described in one of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, “Lumen Gentium.” This important document is also known as the “The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” because it spells out the nature of the Church as the People of God, united to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter Five of Lumen Gentium is titled “The Universal Call to Holiness” through our baptism, in which we become a member of the body of Christ. Here is brief excerpt from paragraph 40: “Thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ.”
All of us, then, are called to live more and more like Jesus and to strive throughout our lives to become holy people by our faith, our hope, and our love for God and our neighbor. In a sense, this is our common vocation. How we choose to live out our baptismal covenant is for each of us to decide.
The St. Patrick-St. Anthony Vocations Committee during a workshop held at Northwest Catholic High School on February 17: Ron Osella, Fr. Tim, Joan Osella, Pat Curtis and Carole Fay.
There are many ways in which we live out our call to holiness: the ordained ministry of a priest or deacon; the consecrated or vowed religious life of Brothers and Sisters; the Sacrament of Matrimony; lay apostolates such as the Secular Franciscan Order or Mercy Associates which allow single or married people to exercise the charism of a particular religious order or community.
Our Vocations Committee is eager to help us explore all the ways in which we live our Christian baptismal calling in the months ahead.
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. Our goal is to engage our entire parish family in this year’s Appeal and to pray for the success of the Appeal, both here in our parish and across the three counties of the Archdiocese.
To view some of the wonderful things accomplished through your generosity, the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is continuing the web-series called, The Annual Appeal at Work. The season premiere will be airing on Thursday, March 7th on all Archdiocesan Social Media sites as well as the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal webpage. New episodes will air the first week of each month, for the rest of 2024. Each episode will highlight some of the wonderful ministries supported by the 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, Do This in Memory of Me. Go to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal Website, https://archdioceseofhartford.org/appeal/ and you will find a link for each episode. Please tune in Thursday, March 7th for the season premiere.
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.