Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day! I’m sure that there are many people in Hartford who are thankful for the meals provided by the House of Bread as well as our own Sandwich Ministry, which provides a gift bag of delicious food and treats for those who come to our door. Thanks to everyone who donated a turkey or other meal items, those who helped collect and transport the items, and those who prepared the food for everyone to eat. Well done, good and faithful servants!
Ever since the surprise invasion of Hamas from Gaza into Israel on October 7th, all of us have experienced a mix of emotions: anger, sorrow, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, etc. We have been praying for an end to the conflict, but it just seems to get worse with each passing day. Parishioners have inquired as to whether we might be able to come together not only in prayer for the people of the Middle East, but also for Ukraine, Haiti and other parts of the world torn by strife and conflict.
I took all of your requests and suggestions seriously, and I truly wanted to create an opportunity for all of us to gather as a community to pray and reflect. Finding an appropriate time to do so, with a full schedule of programs already in place, was difficult. However, it was decided to reserve Thursday evening, December 7th at 7:15 PM, for an Advent Evening of Prayer for Peace, two months from the start of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
We are inviting members of the Jewish and Muslim communities to join us to offer readings and prayers. Three of the world’s major religions – the monotheist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – were all born in the Middle East and are all inextricably linked to one another. Christianity was born from within the Jewish tradition, and Islam developed from both Christianity and Judaism.
I hope you will be able to join us for this moment during a time in which we Christians are especially attuned to the prophetic promises of peace and justice that embody the spirit of the Advent season.
On Wednesday of the coming week, November 29th, I will be meeting with our Coadjutor Archbishop, Christopher Coyne, for a private one-on-one conversation. Archbishop Coyne has asked to meet with each of the pastors in the Archdiocese in order to get to know us better personally, but also to learn more about the parishes that make up our local church.
I am looking forward to this meeting because it will offer me an opportunity to help Archbishop Coyne to know more about the many wonderful aspects that make up this unique parish: its colorful history, as well as the many ways in which we serve the people of Hartford and the surrounding areas. I will be sure to greet him in the name of all of you and to assure him of our prayers and support as he prepares to assume the office of Archbishop next year.
As I mentioned in last week’s letter, we have some interesting programs lined up for the season of Advent. We will begin on Sunday, December 3rd, the First Sunday of Advent, with our annual Advent Wreath workshop and Pancake Breakfast. On Tuesday, December 5th, I will present an Advent Daytime Retreat: The Art of the Jesse Tree, following the 12:05 Mass. On the remaining Tuesdays in Advent (December 12 and 19), we invite you to participate in “Incarnational Inspiration” with Pat Curtis and LouAnn Warren after the 12:05 Mass, using the stained glass windows in our church. You can find more information about these programs in this bulletin.
Continue sending your photos for our Christmas Tree. Email a digital file to [email protected], or you can bring a photo to the parish office which we will scan.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor
