St Mary Church Bible study will resume this coming Monday the 13th @ 8:45 am. It will meet in the library next to the office. Coffee "and" will be available. Contact the office for more information. (Heads up, masks are required in the School Building.)

St. Thomas Aquinas on the University of Connecticut Campus invites young adults ages 18 – 40 to join them monthly for the Metanoia lecture series. Each month a speaker will share their faith journey and how it has opened them up to embracing their true, authentic self. Conversation will be geared to how we can share our gifts and live our God-given mission. The first talk will take place on September 23rd at 6:30pm with Gloria Purvis. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Liza Roach at lroach@norwichdiocese.net

Grow in your relationship with God through our weekly Hope and Faith Video Series which take place weekly throughout the year. The Office of Faith Events creates videos that are less 3 minutes long which delve into monthly topics like love, church knowledge, Saints, and spiritually. We encourage you to dedicate just a few minutes weekly to enliven your faith. To enroll; send a text – (Phone Number) TO: 81010 (Text) Message: @hopenfaith (one word) It will then ask you to reply with your name. Those who are not text savvy do not need to feel left out, you can receive them by email by contacting Marianne Nicolas at manicholas@norwichdiocese.net Already enrolled, you do not need to enroll again!

The Office of Faith Events invites people of all ages to participate in Virtual Bingo! Bingo will take place on Sunday, September 19th and June 13th from 3:30 – 5pm. You will receive your cards online, mark them and even remark them for the next game or you can print them and play. Through video conferencing, we will call the numbers and play different BINGO games from regular bingo, double bingo, picture frame, and finally black out! It will be great fun with lots of gift certificates for prizes! We are only selling 200 cards, so act fast! The cost is $6 per card for the whole Bingo event! To register for your Bingo card, go to: https://bit.ly/2Laol7Y or call Marianne at 860-848-2237 ex. 304.

Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change.

The monthly Diocesan Pro-Life Mass will take place at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich on Saturday, August 7 at 8:30 A.M. Please join our celebrant Rev. Brian Maxwell at Mass as we pray to end abortion and for healing for those who have had an abortion. Following the Mass, the Rosary will be prayed both at the Cathedral and Planned Parenthood.

Congratulations to Eric and Rachel Ludwig on the baptism of their daughter Emma Catherine.

Dear Parish Family, Saturday morning was a very special time as we celebrated the Memorial Mass for Sister Ida. A beautiful Mass was celebrated by Fr. John, assisted by Deacon Dana, with Toni Cubeta and Mary Shea as Readers. Jeanne, accompanied by Choir members gave us music to smile and celebrate Sr. Ida's life and the Knights of Columbus color guard’s presence leant a special sense of formality. A special guest, Sr. Laura Marie came to enjoy the Mass and remember her long time friend and Sister in Religious Life. Our parish benefited greatly by the presence of these two wonderful Sisters who were always there to advise, assist or guide us through life. Thank you to all Women’s Guild members who helped to make today so special by providing a very special very berry desert- to those who brought berries and pastries or some whipped cream to top off our dessert, to those helping hands that set up, served and cleaned up afterward. It couldn't have been done without you! As a special thank you to Sr. Ida and Sr. Laura Marie, the Guild purchased two new candle holders that are now on either side of the ambo to bring our attention to the Liturgy of the Word. Please take a moment to see them and the beautiful engraving of both Sisters names generously provided by Crouch and Lagana Memorials. They are the Guild's gift to honor both Sisters.

Bishop Cote asks the clergy to REMIND our Catholic Men that the 14th year of the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference is Saturday, September 25, 2021, at New Britain Veterans Memorial Park at Willow Brook Park, New Britain. Purchase tickets online at www.ctcatholicmen.org or at the door and arrive by 8:00 am to register. Posters have been mailed to every parish and all of us encourage you to attend this spiritual conference that concludes with the Vigil Mass. Priests are admitted at no charge and are asked to serve at confession. The ticket price is $45 and includes lunch. All day Adoration and Confession are available. Keynote Speakers are Dr. Ralph Martin and Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC. Speaking also are Dr. Blythe Kaufman, Mr. Gary Zimak, and Reverend Elias Mary Mills, FI.

"In the United States, we celebrate a long history of religious freedom, protected under the First Amendment, passed by Congress September 25, 1789, and ratified on December 15, 1791.....In 2021 this freedom continues to be challenged. A major area of concern is freedom for Catholic institutions, such as schools, hospitals, and child welfare service providers, to carry out their missions with integrity...." [click to read more]

Diocese of Norwich announces new clergy appointments- Click to follow this link to the Diocesan website [https://www.norwichdiocese.org/Stay-Informed/All-Diocesan-Articles/ID/5746/Clergy-Appointments]

Congratulations to Daniel and Karen Harding on the baptism of their son Connor John.

The Office of Faith Events is looking at the possibility of starting a chapter of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) in the Diocese of Norwich. We are seeking dedicated young adult Catholics from our diocese who would have a vested interest in starting a local YCP. YCP mission is to challenge, train, and inspire young adults working in various professions to work in witness for Christ. YCP brings together young adults and seasoned business professionals in a variety of programs to foster Catholic identity, encourage community and inspire action. If you are interested, please contact Liza Roach at lroach@norwichdiocese.net or call (860)848-2237 ex. 305.

Congratulations to the Roche family

Thank you to Mark Creighton our Knights of Columbus Grand Knight, brother Knights and Art Johnson who who along with Fr. John helped to install the new statues of Jesus and Mary.

TO: All Clergy FROM: Father Peter Langevin RE: Update to Liturgical Guidelines DATE: 26 May, 2021 In view of the updated guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Executive Order number 12 issued by Governor Lamont effective 18 May, 2021, the use of facemasks indoors, including in the parishes and of the Diocese, is no longer required for those who have been fully vaccinated. Those who have not been fully vaccinated must still wear a cloth facemask covering their nose and mouth. Therefore, the liturgical guidelines distributed prior to the revised recommendations on 7 May and which went into effect on 19 May are to be amended in order to reflect this update. Accordingly, nos. 4, 11, 14, 15, 16, 20, 25, 29, & 35 in particular are to be amended such that masks in each scenario are required for those who are not vaccinated but are optional for those who have been fully vaccinated. As in other sectors, there is no requirement for individuals to prove that they have been vaccinated. Instead, decisions in this regard are left to the individual conscience of each person. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Many from our First Holy Communion class gathered under the guidance of our DRE’s Susan Ferriolo and Jamie Foreman to crown our Blessed Mother and present her with flowers for Mother’s Day and the month of May.

Fr. John had his arms full at Sunday’s baptism of twin sisters

join us for Mass or watch the livestream, Thursday, May 13th- 7:00pm mass-

Come and Join us for a virtual evening of reflection put together just for our special dads! The Fathers’ Evening of Reflection will take place on June 24th at 7-8pm. You are invited to take time for your own personal growth and wellness by joining us for an online retreat created just for dads. Come deepen your relationship with Christ through personal prayer, reflection, and spiritual enrichment. Reflection given by seasoned retreat provider, Don Gould. To register, please email Liza at lroach@norwichdiocese.net or call (860)848-2237 ex. 305.