Dear Parishioners and Friends,
It was a pleasure to take part in the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral of St. Joseph last Saturday, May 2nd, in which 36 young members of our parish were anointed with Sacred Chrism by the Most Rev. Pedro Bismarck Chau, Auxiliary Bishop of Newark, NJ. Although Archbishop Coyne was the main celebrant of the liturgy, Bishop Chau was present because he had a relative whom he confirmed at the same ceremony. Bishop Chau, a native of Managua, Nicaragua, was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Newark in 2008. He was ordained a bishop on September 8, 2025. I wish to congratulate our newly confirmed parishioners, and pray that they will continue to grow in their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.
I was present at our cathedral two days earlier for the Mass of Christian Burial of former Archbishop Henry Mansell, who died on April 21st. I had known Archbishop Mansell from his years in New York as well as when he was bishop of my home diocese of Buffalo. He was renowned for his ability to remember names which always made a deep impression on the people he met, including my own parents! Whenever there was an event at the cathedral at which Archbishop Mansell was present, I often made a point to greet him and have a brief chat. The funeral liturgy was beautifully celebrated, and the music under the direction of Gabriel Löfvall was outstanding. Naturally, a number of our own choir members took part in the liturgy and added their voices to the magnificent music.
This weekend we rejoice that 24 of our youngest parishioners will receive the Eucharist for the first time along with their families at the 4:00 PM Mass on Saturday and the 10:00 AM Mass on Sunday. I remember when I was a child never approaching the altar rail until the day I made my first Communion. Today, children routinely come in the procession and receive a blessing from the Eucharistic Minister. This weekend, however, and for the rest of their lives, they will receive the Body of Christ as full members of the worshiping community. May they always come with trust and love for the Lord who gave himself for the life and nourishment of the world!
The season of Easter is often a very active time in parishes when many sacraments take place. Such is the case here for these two weekends in May: Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist, even a wedding and the Sacrament of Reconciliation as usual. While many parishes in our country are struggling to hang on, we can be grateful that our parish of St. Patrick-St. Anthony is flourishing. I send welcome letters to new parishioners on a regular basis, and I chat with folks who are looking for a faith community they can call home. I hope they will always find a welcome here.
One last thing: if you haven’t purchased your ticket for Community Day at Dunkin’ Park to watch the Hartford Yard Goats take on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 14th, please do so as soon as possible. Tickets are available in the Franciscan Center after Mass on Sunday, May 17 or you can email Pat Curtis at [email protected].
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.
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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.