July 14, 2019

Here in the summer months, life seems to slow down, at least for some of us. But not here in your parish. This past Sunday we welcomed new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to our cohort of ministers who serve us all so well. In addition to serving at Masses, they will bring communion to the homebound and the sick in hospitals and nursing homes. Please congratulate the following who are new to us: Jeanne Campagna, William Localzo, Emily Nolan, Leigh Plantamura, Louis Santiago, Joan Shumaker, and Barbara Skoppe. Simplicia Bartolome is returning to the ministry after a leave to care for a family member.

If you are interested in volunteering to be a lector, especially at Saint Agnes, please let Deacon John know. We have several families with students interested in being altar servers. There will be training later this summer to begin serving in the Fall. We are looking for boys or girls who have made their First Communion, and have an interest. Again, please let Deacon John know.

We are in need of several new teachers for the Fall for our Sunday and Monday religious education classes. Classes meet ten weeks in the Fall and ten weeks in the Spring. Contact Tori Saxer, Coordinator of Religious Education, if you are interested. Her contact information is in the directory section of the bulletin, or on the website under Religious Education.

If you come across a new family moving in to your neighborhood, and they would like to join our parish, let them know they can register online through our website. We continue to grow as a parish, with five or six new families each week, it seems. Nearly 200 families have registered in the past two years; we should all be glad to be part of such a vibrant and growing parish.

Final thoughts for this week: One life changed the world forever, be His presence today with one kind word, one hand out to help, one smile for a friend, one touch that shows you care. Be His hands and His heart today, this is the invitation He offers to us all.

June 30, 2019

We are now officially in the summer season, and we hope many of you find time to be refreshed and renewed with some well-deserved time off. Here at Precious Blood Parish, we uniquely welcome back summer residents to our midst, and we thank them for choosing to worship with us. If you are traveling, may you have safe and restful travels.

This upcoming week is marked by celebrations of our country’s independence. May we all celebrate with pride the freedoms we enjoy, and remember in our prayers those who are not blessed to live in a land where freedom is our right. In recognition of this holiday, the parish offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5. Please plan accordingly. Daily Mass on Thursday, July 4, is at 9:00 AM at Saint Mary and Saint Agnes churches.

We thank all those who have contributed to the recent baby bottle drive that supports Helping Hands and Hurting Hearts, our parish pro-life ministry. We will publish a final total when all has been accounted. This past weekend your generosity showed again in support of the Deacon John Rigely Food Pantry collection. It is most fitting that so many are fed from our celebration of Eucharist, following the example of Jesus. When confronted with thousands who were hungry, Jesus fed them. We are truly doing His work when we feed those who are hungry right here in our midst.

In the ensuing summer months may God provide the wind for your sails for all your travels, the warmth of the sun for your peace of mind, and may we all know God’s continuing gentle presence every minute of every day. God bless you all.

June 2, 2019

If you were not here on this past holiday weekend, I share once again our news that Father Deny Varghese is being called by his bishop for advanced studies in Sacramental Theology in Rome. While a great opportunity for him, it is a great loss for us at Precious Blood Parish. As a way to allow so many of you who wish to express your appreciation to Father Deny, there will be a farewell reception on June 16, 2019, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, in Father Callahan Hall at Saint Agnes Church. We hope those who are able will be able to stop by that day, or wish him well when you see him. When we have a new address for Father Deny, and he is settled there, we will share the address in the bulletin.

We want to congratulate all those who have recently graduated from college, and wish them well in their future endeavors. Please join in praying for all of them, some who are staying locally with us, and those who may be beginning new adventures in distant places. May they all know that wherever their journey takes them, that our loving God goes with them. Finally this week, a heartfelt thank you to all who support us in our parish, in prayer and financially. Prayer is most important, but your financial support for all we do is generous, significant, gratifying, and a gift that allows your parish to support so many, and to be a beacon in the community of hope. As we approach the end of this Easter season, thank you all for making His presence so alive here in Milford.

May 26, 2019

Good news and sad news, all at once. Father Deny Varghese, our parochial vicar, has been asked by his bishop in Kerala, India, to undertake advanced studies in Rome. This is a great honor for Father Deny, but also means a great loss for us here at Precious Blood Parish. He will be leaving us in mid-June, and so to afford him and us proper goodbyes, there will be a reception for him on Sunday, June 16, 2019, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Father Callahan Hall at Saint Agnes Church. We know Father Deny will do great things from here, but that does not diminish the impact he has had on so many in our parish.

Once Father Deny is settled in his new residence, we will provide his address for those who wish to keep in touch. We will all certainly continue to support him with our prayers. Please join us June 16 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM if you are able, and see this as an opportunity to express your appreciation for all Father Deny has meant to us, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

The rededication of Mary’s Garden, scheduled for June 16 at Saint Mary Church campus, will be postponed to a later date.

A practical item for your consideration: Our hymnals in both churches are showing wear. Some is understandable, some is due to individuals who use pages torn from the hymnal as bookmarks. Please try to refrain from this practice, as the hymnals are expensive.

May 5, 2019

We are now in Easter Season in the church year, and it was most gratifying to see so many join us in worship at the Easter services. Over 4,000 were here with us on Easter weekend, drawn together to celebrate that, “He is Risen!”

We are now in First Communion season, and we have almost 100 children who will receive their First Communion this year. Congratulations to all of them and their families.

Confirmation will be celebrated this Fall, and Sunday, May 19, is the final meeting this academic year for those tenth graders who will be confirmed in the Fall. If you are in tenth grade, and attend Catholic School, we want to make sure you are on the list to be confirmed. If you are not receiving regular emails from the Religious Education Office of the parish, please contact Tori Saxer at religiouseducation@preciousbloodparishmilford.org. or call 203 877-5874. It is most important for all candidates for Confirmation who are now in tenth grade to attend the Sunday, May 19 class, as packets with Confirmation details will be distributed. Class begins with 4:30 Mass, and meets right in Saint Mary Church.

April 14, 2019

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week, with the entrance of Jesus welcomed as the king into Jerusalem. We encourage all parishioners, if possible, to mark the week with attendance at one or more of the significant feasts and celebrations.

Wednesday evening at 7:30PM we celebrate Tenebrae at Saint Agnes Church. This evening of scripture, song, and prayers marks the end of Lent. Thursday, we celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:30PM, also at Saint Agnes. Friday, we celebrate the Lord’s Passion at 3:00PM at Saint Mary Church, and Stations of the Cross at 7:30 at Saint Agnes. Saturday there is blessing of the Easter Food at 12:00noon at Saint Mary, and the Vigil of Easter at 8:00PM at Saint Mary as well. For those who are early morning people, there is morning prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings at 7:30AM at Saint Mary.

Confession this week is on Monday at Saint Mary from 6:00 to 7:00PM, and Saturday morning from 10:00AM to 12:00noon at Saint Agnes.

We hope this Holy Week is a fitting end to your observance of Lent, and leads you to a true and lasting celebration of the Joy of the Risen Lord at Easter. Come and join the thousands of Catholics who worship together here at Precious Blood Parish. God bless you all.

March 31, 2019

Our country can well use Isidore’s spirit of combining learning and holiness. Loving, understanding knowledge can heal and bring a broken people back together, We are not barbarians like the invaders of Isidore’s Spain. But people swamped by riches and overwhelmed by scientific and technological advances can lose much of their understanding love for one another. So vast was his knowledge that some moderns have proposed him as the patron of Internet users.

Because we are fed, we must feed others. Next weekend, April 6 and 7, is the collection weekend for the Deacon John Rigely Food Pantry. Please refer to the insert in this bulletin for how you can participate.

Each week, in fact daily, we celebrate Eucharist here in our parish. As we are nourished by the body of the Risen Lord, so are we called to feed others. Our Food Pantry feeds 60+ families each month, every month, and we offer shelter to those in crisis situations. As Christ feeds us at each Mass, we must answer the call to be His hands and His heart, and work to feed others as well.

Your monetary gift will allow us to purchase fresh food for these families. We are some of these families’ only source of bread, eggs, milk, meats, and fresh vegetables. Help us to keep these families healthy and fed by your Lenten generosity. If you would like to do more, please email or call Deacon John and someone from the Good Pantry will contact you.

May your Lenten alms giving include helping to feed those among us here in Milford who are hungry. This is the more we are called to do. Because we are fed, we must feed others. God bless you all.

February 24, 2019

he past weekend’s gospel from Luke says “Woe to those who are rich.” While we may not consider ourselves rich, we do have the problems of the wealthy. Might I suggest a remedy that may be helpful to some of us?

If you are of a qualifying age, that is age 70 and a half, and you have an IRA, you know you must take minimum distributions each year. You can mitigate your tax liability if you directly contribute from the IRA to a charitable organization. For further information, try this link, https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/irs/ articles/2017-12-04/how-to-donate-your-required-minimum-distribution-to-charity, or ask your financial professional for advice. Why not make your generosity easier and habitual? Ask me if you need a copy of the article. If you need this past year’s tax information, please call so we can prepare a statement for you to pick up.

During Lent, there is an added Mass at 12:05PM each weekday, Monday through Friday, at St. Mary Church. Many of these Masses, as well as some 7:00AM and 9:00AM Masses are available during Lent, if you wish to remember a loved one. Just call the rectory, or stop by Monday through Thursday from 9:00AM to 7:00PM, or Friday from 9:00AM until 2:00PM. A comprehensive schedule for Lent and Holy Week is being mailed to all registered parishioners, and should arrive before Lent begins. Watch for it. If you do not receive one by March 6, please let us know so we can correct our mailing list to include you.

If you are a married couple who was married outside the Church, (by a Justice of the Peace, etc.), and you would like to inquire about having your marriage convalidated, that is recognized as sacramental by the Church, please contact Deacon John for further information. Couples each year find this a good way to keep their marriage and their family grounded in the faith.

There will be Stations of the Cross each Friday evening in Lent at 7:30PM at St. Agnes Church. This will be included in the mailer mentioned above. Lent is the best time to consider an opportunity for the sacrament of Reconciliation, maybe this is the year your old habit becomes new again. Just a thought. God Bless.

February 10, 2019

Winter thoughts from Deacon John

Here in southern New England, we move quickly from worrying if the pipes are going to freeze to feeling like it is shirt sleeve weather. We are mindful of navigating the flu season, my hands are showing the signs of being washed so often.

Here are some observations of what is happening in our parish: we have had to order more copies of the bulletin to be delivered each week, as we are running out, especially at the Saint Agnes campus. This is only good news, as it means more and more of our neighbors are coming to Church. I hope you will all continue to be as warm and welcoming as you are so that any new member will feel welcome right from the start.

If you are new, you can register on our parish website as new parishioners. On the parish website, found on the cover of the bulletin, go to the parish life icon, and at the bottom, click on “Register as a New Parishioner”. Fill out the form, and email to the emails given on the website. You can sign up for envelopes this way as well.

Many of you use our on-line giving option, and it is available to anyone who wishes to sign up. Find the “Giving” icon in the upper right-hand corner of the website, click and then click on “Online Giving”. Follow the instructions to sign up. Thanks to all who constantly demonstrate their generosity to our parish.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which this year is March 6. Watch for the Lenten schedule which will be published in various media over the next several weeks. You may want to start thinking now of what Lenten practice you may choose this year. A positive practice of piety or service, such as adding daily Mass, more time for prayer, more generous giving to the poor are some of the ways you might consider. If you are thinking of what you might “give up” for Lent, and you’re not sure, ask someone who knows you well, they will not lack for good suggestions. God bless you all, and may God’s blessing increase in our parish.

January 6, 2019

Epiphany Message for 2019

The Wise Men from the East could not remain comfortable with their surroundings and still see the star that pointed the way to the Messiah. The new born king is only found by those who can look beyond themselves, and know that there is truth to be discovered in taking a risk. We marvel at the great lengths that God will travel to make himself known to us, to show himself to us again and again.

We could see clearly that the light of the star still draws us to Him, as so many joined us for one of the Christmas services. More than double the usual number attended Mass, and it was gratifying to see. It is good to know that so many are drawn to His presence, and make worshipping together part and parcel of their Christmas celebration. Know that all our prayers will continue that our parish will reflect His presence with us, and will be a beacon of light inviting any who are searching to come and find Him with us.

This weekend is the first with the new Mass schedule. If you see new faces at Mass with you, make sure to greet them and make them feel welcomed. Change is never easy, and a smile and a warm heart can make change so much easier. New schedules for lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion have been sent. If you have not received yours, you can pick up a copy in the sacristy.

Wishing all of you His peace in this New Year. May all God’s blessings be evident in your family and friends, and may your heart be filled with His love.

December 23, 2018

On this weekend before Christmas, we wish all our parishioners a happy, holy, and blessed Christmas and all God’s blessings for the new year. We hope if you are traveling that your travels are safe, and that all who are traveling to you are safe as well.

As the new year begins, the weekend of January 5 and 6 begins the revised weekend Mass schedule. Registered parishioners should have received a magnet with the new schedule in the mail. If you have not received one, there are some available. We will get one to you if you call and request it. Or stop after Mass and ask for one at the sacristy, some are available there.

Religious Education is on break until January 27 and 28. We will email reminders of when classes begin again. We are pleased that so many of you have enrolled your children in our classes, we have more than one hundred additional students compared to last year. Including our school, we are educating almost twelve-hundred students in our programs. This is a hope filled sign of a vibrant parish.

We have received many responses from our parish survey. You have until January 7, 2019 to return your survey and have it included in our results. We will publish the results of the survey in the early spring, and schedule an evening to discuss the results with any interested parishioners. Thanks to the many who have already responded. If you have not yet responded, you can drop yours in the collection basket, or mail it to the parish.

Thanks once again to all who are supportive of our parish of Precious Blood. We appreciate your prayers and kindnesses throughout the year. Your generosity as parishioners is gratifying, and allows us to do all we can to better serve your needs. May God bless you all in this Christmas.

December 9, 2018

Reflections for Advent 2018

By now, all registered parishioners have received by mail the Advent/Christmas schedule for Masses, Confessions, and events. It includes a magnet with the schedule of Masses that begins in January 2019 (as they are changing), and a survey concerning the life of the parish. If you have not received this mailer, either you are not a registered parishioner, or the present address we have for you is incorrect. To correct this, please call the rectory, 203-878-3571, or email at secretary@preciousbloodparishmilford.org. If you would like to register, you may do so through the parish website. Under the listing Parish Life, scroll down to “Register as a New Parishioner”. Fill out the form, and attach it to an email, and send to the above address.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Lesson and Carols, next Sunday, December 16, at 2:00 PM at Saint Agnes Church. Plan to take time for yourself, and reflect on the coming of the Christ child we anticipate all during Advent. Join us for scripture, song, and prayer.

Thanks to all who have contributed to the Annual Fund this year, your generosity is appreciated. A special thanks to all who volunteer and support the many holiday activities associated with our parish, especially the activities that reach out to the poor among us. As we are graced with the presence of the Incarnate God each day, and are nourished by Him in the Eucharist, may each one of us strive to make His presence known by our actions, our prayers, and our worship together. Be assured that if you have not
  à       of all in our parish.

My prayer for each of you is that the hectic nature of the season will not diminish the joy that His presence among us can and does bring. May you find His peace in your heart, and know you are graced in your journey by His companionship.

November 11, 2018

November is the month of remembrance of those who have died. You will see envelopes on each of the church altars for all those who have asked to have loved ones remembered. All are reminded that if you wish, Masses are available to specifically remember someone, and to pray especially for the salvation of their soul. Call the rectory during regular hours to accomplish this.

Last request for anyone seeking to become a lector for our parish, please contact Deacon John for training opportunities and to be placed on the schedule for the new year. All Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are reminded to return their forms to Deacon John this week.

Reminding all parishioners that the new Mass schedule goes into effect the first weekend of January, 2019. We will include this new schedule in the Christmas mailer so all who are registered will have a copy to refer to.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 7:00 PM, we will be hosting the Milford Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Saint Mary Church. Come and join us for an evening of prayer, song, and thanksgiving for all our gifts. The goodwill collection taken that evening will benefit Milford Food 2 Kids, whose mission is to feed local school children who have little or no food resources during the weekend away from school. Several of our parishioners are volunteers with this organization, helping in their good work.

Thanks to all who have contributed so far in the annual fund collection for our parish. If you still wish to contribute, just drop in the collection basket on the weekend, or mail your offering to the rectory. All of your generosity is appreciated, and allows us to continue to provide for the needs of our aging physical plants on both campuses.

This Sunday evening, November 11, at Saint Anne Church on Naugatuck Avenue, our ninth and tenth grade religious education students are attending the Father Rob Galea concert for the Catholic youth of the area. Bring your permission slip with you if you have not handed it in already, and see Deacon John at the door for your ticket. Looking forward to seeing you there!

October 28, 2018

First of all, congratulations to the nearly 70 young men and women who were confirmed by Bishop Peter Rosazza this past Saturday morning. Their presence as newly confirmed Catholics of Precious Blood Parish should serve to inspire us all. Our prayers are that the Holy Spirit continue to guide them, to strengthen them, and lead them to be confident Catholics, who witness to their faith in all they do.

This coming Thursday, November 1, is the Feast of All Saints. Note there is no vigil Mass at either Church. Please check this bulletin for the Mass schedule for the Holy Day. November 2 is the feast of All Souls, and there are envelopes at the doors of the Church if you would like to have a loved one remembered. Simply fill out the envelope and returnit; the envelopes will be on the altar in each Churchfor the month of November.

Recently, the sixth, seventh, and eight graders of our school had two retreat days with Deacon John and Coach Mobilio (our physical education teacher). The days focused on being physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy as we grow. Around 100 young people spent time in reflection and prayer, and all of you are supporting activities like this. Thanks to our parishioners for their continued support.

We are planning an offering for adults concentrating on “end of life” issues. We plan to have speakers on elder care, proper palliative care, how to make plans for funerals, and how to manage family dynamics in various stages of grief. Watch for details to follow soon. If you would like to be part of any presentation on this adult information event, please contact Deacon John. My contact information is on the front of the bulletin.

Beginning in January, we will be in need of some new lectors. If being a reader at Mass is of interest to you, and you might consider being part of this important ministry, please contact Deacon John for information.

September 30, 2018

As we move into October, here are some thoughts that may apply to some of you, or to someone you know. If you are married, but not married in the Catholic Church, and would like to explore the possibility of having your marriage validated as sacramental (blessed), please contact Father Donahue or Deacon John for information. Marriage in God’s plan has Christ as the center of the marriage. We may be able to help you formalize this for your marriage. Just call or email.

If you know of someone who is not baptized, or baptized in another faith and would like to become Catholic, they would be a candidate for RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. We will begin the RCIA process soon, and you should contact Deacon John with a call or email to explore if you are a candidate.

This weekend, we are beginning to recite the Prayer to Saint Michael before the dismissal at Mass. This is a small recognition that we know evil exists, and we need God’s help to stay safe from all evil. This is a practice that will continue each time we celebrate Eucharist. On Fridays following the 9:00 AM Mass at Saint Agnes Church, we will have an hour of Eucharistic Adoration. This will include recitation of the rosary. Please plan to join us when you can for an hour of prayer and quiet adoration, where you can bring to God all your needs, and join us in prayer for the needs of the Church.

Many thanks to all who helped with this year’s carnival which supports our school. It was great to see so many of our parishioners there, and we were blessed with great weather. Our nearly 400 children in our school and their families are grateful for this continued parish support.

The Precious Blood Ladies Guild kicked off their new year with Mass and a pot luck supper. Thanks to all the ladies who worked so hard to make this coming together as a new guild happen.

August 26, 2018

Next weekend our parish will have a missionary preacher at Saint Mary Church, and he will return later this fall to preach at Saint Agnes. He is Father Augustine Mangalathu, from the Archdiocese of Trivandrum in Kerala, India. This is the mother diocese of Father Sam and Father Deny, and they have helped arrange for him to be here with us.

Presently in Kerala, there is great devastation from this year’s unusual monsoon season, which has caused extensive flooding and loss of life. As of this writing, almost 400 have lost their lives, and nearly one million have been displaced from their homes. Father Deny’s home church has become a refuge for many in his family’s area. The immediate and long- term needs are staggering, and our hope is that our parishioners will be generous in next week’s second collection at Saint Mary Church, and the one to come at Saint Agnes in the future.

The needs in Kerala are in the Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities. Our response will go through the Catholic diocese there and will be used to help all, regardless of their faith. We do this not because they are all Catholic, but because we are. Please plan to be as generous as you can.

In our local parish, we want you all to know we are vigilant in making our parish a safe environment, especially for our young people. All who work with children and vulnerable adults are background- checked and VIRTUS trained. Our young people are our treasures, and will always be safeguarded. You may have seen responses from Pope Francis and others, and you received a letter from Archbishop Blair last week. You all have our commitment that Precious Blood Parish will be a place of spiritual growth for our youth, in an atmosphere of safety and security for all. If you wish to read Pope Francis’ letter, it can be found at: w2.vatican.va and is titled: Letter of His Holiness to the People of God.

May we all, strengthened by the Bread of Life, go forth doing all the good we can. God bless.

August 19, 2018

Locally, the Oyster Festival in town this weekend tells us that summer is quickly coming to a close. School begins in earnest in less than two weeks. As we begin a new year at Saint Mary School, your parish school, we begin with the largest enrollment in seven years, and many new additions to our staff. None of this would be possible without the continued support of so many of you in our parish. We thank you for your continued support, and ask for your continued prayers for our school and all who benefit from our school’s ministry.

We are still looking for a few teachers to assist with Religious Education. If you have previously taught, or would like to begin, we will provide you with materials and training before the school year for Religious Education begins in October. If you check the parish website, you can find the Religious Education section, and all the class times and schedules are there. You can contact Tori Saxer or Deacon John to sign up to teach.

Those being confirmed in October are scheduled for their retreat on September 16, beginning with 4:30 Mass. The retreat will conclude with the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during a Penance Service. If you are entering grade 11, this is your year to be confirmed.

If you are an adult who is Baptized and made First Communion, but never have been confirmed, classes to prepare for Confirmation begin on September 10. Several have already signed up and there is room for more. This is a four-week program, meeting on four consecutive Monday evenings, that will prepare you to be confirmed at our parish Confirmation on October 27. Call and ask to speak with Deacon John, or email him to sign up.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the parish picnic on September 9, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on the grounds of Saint Agnes. This is a great way to get together with fellow parishioners, enjoy good food and each other’s company. Hope to see many of you there.

May you be blessed with a great end to summer, and all good things to come.

July 29, 2018

As the summer continues:

We have received a date for Confirmation this Fall. We are pleased that Confirmation will be held on October 27, 2018, at 10:30 AM, at Saint Mary Church with the Most Reverend Peter A. Rosazza presiding.

If you are in your junior year of high school, this is your year to be Confirmed. If you have not heard from us via email about this year’s date for Confirmation, we may not have a correct email address. Please email: religiouseducation@preciousbloodparishmilford.org so we can be sure you are included.

There will be a retreat for those being Confirmed on September 16, 2018, beginning with 4:30 Mass at Saint Mary Church, and concluding around 8:30 PM. The retreat will include the opportunity for the sacrament of Reconciliation. All those being Confirmed should attend. There will be a rehearsal for Confirmation on October 21, 2018, following the 4:30 Mass. Rehearsal will last less than an hour, and again, all should plan to attend.

Religious Education begins again September 30, 2018, and the class schedule is available on the parish website. We always welcome volunteers that wish to teach our students. Volunteers need to be VIRTUS trained and background checked prior to classes beginning. There will be VIRTUS training here in our parish in September at a date to be determined. If you think you would like to volunteer, or if you have volunteered in the past and would like to continue, please contact Tori Saxer at the email address on the bulletin cover.

Members of the Saint Agnes and Saint Mary Ladies Guilds are in the process of combining into one. They are to be commended for their efforts to reflect that we are one parish now. We are sure this new Precious Blood Ladies Guild will continue service to the parish as the two former Ladies Guilds always have.

May you each have a peaceful and restful remaining time of summer, and may God bring you blessings in all you do.

July 15, 2018

We are now in the height of the summer season and are enjoying the beauty of living in this seaside community of Milford. It is easy to offer thanks to God when God’s goodness is so evident. We hope all can enjoy the refreshment that summer brings. Precious Blood Parish is growing, and this is good. Our parish school is expecting an increase in enrollment for the seventh year in a row, remarkable when we are aware of Catholic schools struggling or closing, especially nearby. We should all be proud of our school and continue to pray for its success. We continue to build a foundation for the future of the Catholic Church here in Milford.

The sacramental life of the parish is strong. We will Baptize well over 100 children this year and have celebrated over 100 First Communions. We have inquiries for Adult Confirmation and RCIA, and our priests regularly anoint the sick and dying. This year we will certainly exceed 100 funerals, and minister to those families in grief. The priests and deacons are very busy.

We are looking to expand our offerings in the area of Adult Education and Spiritual Enrichment. If you have ideas for topics and areas of interest, please let us know so we can consider these ideas in what we offer. We may look to offer daytime as well as evening programs, so let us know what your preference may be.

A note for those planning weddings: beginning in January of 2019, due to a change in the confession schedule, weddings at Saint Mary Church can start as late as 2:30 PM, and weddings at Saint Agnes Church will be at 2:00PM. We hope this is helpful for those planning their Church wedding.

July 1, 2018

Do you know someone who was Baptized, made their First Communion, but was never Confirmed? Some of you in our parish may be in this situation. When asked to be a sponsor for Baptism or Confirmation you are presented with the dilemma that you must decline. Precious Blood Parish is offering a course for just this circumstance. Adults who have been Baptized and wish to be Confirmed should sign up with Deacon John at dcn.hoffman@aohct.org, or by calling 203-878-3571. Classes are scheduled for Monday evenings, September 10, 17, 24, and October 1 at 7:00 PM in the rectory. Father Donahue and Deacon John will teach the classes. Confirmation in the Fall would follow.

As soon as we know the date for Confirmation in the Fall, we will inform all those registered with us via email. If your son or daughter will be in Eleventh Grade this Fall, that is the time for their Confirmation. You can check with Tori Saxer, at religiouseducation@preciousbloodparishmilford.org to see if they are registered.

The parish wide picnic is being planned for September 9 on the campus of Saint Agnes Church. This affords us using the Saint Agnes Hall as well, in the event of inclement weather, or if some parishioners need indoor seating to accommodate their needs. The next meeting of the picnic committee will be Wednesday, July 18, at 7:00 PM in the rectory basement at Saint Mary Church. Mark your calendar early and join us from 1-4 PM on September 9.

Remember to watch for the Archdiocesan Synod listening session which will be held later in the summer. All parishioners will be invited to give their input on what the Archdiocese is doing well, and what areas could be improved. More specific information will come over the next several weeks.