September 27, 2020

In this beautiful Fall season, I first call your attention to an upcoming event. The annual blessing of animals will be held October 3, 2020 at 12:30 PM near the statue of Saint Francis at Saint Mary Church. Those of us who are pet owners know the blessing that our pets already are to us, and why not celebrate God’s gift by having your pet blessed? Dogs must be on a leash, and cats in carriers so we can have all “get along” as best as we can.

If you wish someone’s name to be announced to be prayed for at Mass if they are sick, please call and request this. We try and limit the announced status for anyone to three weeks, and the name will be removed unless the family has contacted us again.

Our Jewish brothers and sisters have recently celebrated their New Year and will observe Yom Kippur soon. I hope we can offer prayers for them as they also struggle to worship in􏰀person, as we all do. Persons of all faiths should join in prayer for an end to this pandemic. On Yom Kippur, our Jewish brothers and sisters ask for forgiveness, and ask to change their ways and do good. Good thoughts for us as well.

All Souls Day is November 2, 2020, and you will find envelopes at the doors of church should you wish to have family members especially remembered at all the Masses in November. You can put your envelope in the collection basket by the doors of church, or drop at the rectory, or mail your envelope in. All the envelopes and names will be on the altars in the two churches beginning on All Souls Day.

September 2, 2020

On this Labor Day weekend, we are grateful for all those who work, especially for those who work to keep us safe, to heal our hurts, to teach our children, and provide us with food. The dignity of all who work is to be honored, and we all should offer a prayer of thanksgiving for all who work to our benefit. Happy Labor Day.

This Labor Day morning Mass will be at 9:00 AM at both Saint Mary and Saint Agnes churches. There will be no confessions Monday evening at Saint Mary to observe the holiday.

We continue to appreciate those who join us for Mass, funerals, baptisms, and weddings. We thank you for helping us to do all these safely, and your cooperation by wearing masks, sitting socially distant, and not congregating inside make this possible. We will keep you informed concerning when other activities may be returning.

Groups that wish to meet should contact Deacon John at the rectory to discuss how this can be done. In a nutshell, indoor meetings are limited to 25 persons, all must be masked and socially distant. No food and drink are allowed at meetings, which we know is disappointing to some, but necessary to maintain the safety of all. School cleaning protocols do not allow for any outside group to use the school or preschool buildings currently.

A reminder about Anointing of the Sick: we can arrange for a family member to be anointed at the hospital or nursing home, but the request must come from the family to the hospital or nursing home, then the hospital or nursing home contact us to arrange for a visit by a priest. The priest cannot call the hospital or just “show up” to anoint someone. Do not hesitate to advocate for a family member to be anointed, knowing that your request will be honored if timely and possible.

We again thank those who have contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, and those who may choose to support the mission appeal this weekend at Saint Mary Church, and September 19 and 20 at Saint Agnes Church. Our mission appeal homilist is Father Sam, and the proceeds of the appeal will benefit his diocese in Kerala. The generosity of you, our parishioners, is commendable and we are grateful each and every day.

God bless you all.

August 23, 2020

As we approach the end of August, we are preparing for the opening of Saint Mary School here in our parish. Founded in 1961, our parish school will be led by Deacon Dominic Corraro in his first year as principal of Saint Mary. Much has been done since March to get our school ready to open, and while it will look different with students and staff in masks, all rooms socially distanced, the core of our school, living the message of Jesus, is not diminished. Our students will continue to be formed to be the Catholic, Christian leaders of the future, and we hope we can count on all your continued prayers for a smooth opening and another successful
school year.

Under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, for whom our school is named, we will continue to foster the strong Catholic education that has been the hallmark of our school for so many years. We thank everyone in our parish for your continued support, and especially your prayers.

As all schools are in the process of preparing to reopen, we are faced with the decision of what to do with our parish religious education. In this time of stress
and focus on online learning, we did not want to add to parents and families stress levels. Students staying in cohorts that are small and regular is key to safely navigating the school environment, and so we are pausing our inperson religious education for now. Later in the fall, we will reevaluate, looking to see if after the first of the year, inperson classes for religious education make more sense. We have scheduled First Communions for October, replacing ones postponed from the spring. We have also scheduled Confirmations, but now having several instead of one. All these are onetime events and will be appropriate in size and socially distanced so they can be held safely. The sacramental life of our church goes on, and we will do all we can to ensure that all sacramental preparation will be safe and stressfree.

We are cognizant that so many parish organizations have had to adjust, many not being able to meet in person. We appreciate the efforts at virtual meetings that have taken place and look forward to when regular
use of our facilities can return. May we all continue to make those small humble gestures; wearing our facemasks, being socially distant, washing our hands, so that together we can soon return to the vibrant community
life we all miss so much.

God bless you all!

August 9, 2020

First, I would like to share a report from the Haiti Mission Board:

We now have a member of our board who is Haitian and speaks both French and Creole. She has been able to get in touch with Father Chery, the pastor of Saint Therese parish, by phone. There has been a terrible drought in Haiti and the people of Marbial have lost most of their crops. Many families are going hungry.

Through the Parish Twinning Committee of the Americas we were able to get in touch with a charity that has an excellent record in Haiti: Food For The Poor. They deliver packages of food to various parishes in Haiti. One package of food will feed a family of five for one month. The package includes: 55 pounds of rice, 27.5 pounds of cornmeal, 20 pounds of beans, 122 cans of sardines and one gallon of vegetable oil.

We sent $1240.00 (which will be doubled) to Food For The Poor so they can deliver 40 food packages to Marbial.
Food For The Poor will have to drop their packages off in Jacmel, (the nearest “city” to Marbial) as it is very difficult to get into Marbial itself because of the lack of decent roads. Father Chery said he would pick up the food but the church van is broken. He sent us an invoice for the repair of the van (which he badly needs). We sent $900.00 so Father can have the van fixed. We are also sending $500.00 per month to Father so he can buy food locally for his people.

We have this money because of the great generosity of our parishioners. It doesn’t look as if we will be able to get a medical mission down there anytime in the near future, so we are spending the money on food. We are also investigating how we can help Father with his school.
The addition of a native speaker to our board has been a huge help. It now looks as if we will be able to help the poor suffering people of Marbial in several ways. THANK YOU EVERYONE who has contributed to our Mission to Haiti fundraisers! We may investigate helping Father Chery with funding some of the costs of teachers for his school, the only school available in the area.

The Haiti Mission Board

Our parish is so generous, not only to Haiti, but to the Deacon John Rigley Food Pantry, and to our parish itself. Your continued generosity allows us to continue to do so much good work. In this past week’s gospel, Jesus told His disciples, “Give them some food yourselves”. Your generosity allows us to do just that. Thank you all.

July 26, 2020

I have received questions lately about access to sacraments during this time of pandemic. Here are some reminders: Baptisms are still being offered. We schedule one family at a time and clean the church before and after. But Baptisms are most certainly being done.

Confirmations are being scheduled for the fall. These will be done in small groups so that at least some limited family can attend. Those scheduled to be confirmed have received emails this past week. First Communions are also being scheduled; you should have received notification this past week as well.

Mass is being offered daily, and at all scheduled service times on the weekends. Some of you are coming to daily Mass, some to weekend Mass, and some are making choices to pause their attendance for now. Whatever decision you are making, it is yours to make, and we respect it. We have paused our homebound visits, in deference to the health of those we visit, and those who are visiting. If you know of someone who needs communion at home, please call and we will arrange a visit by our clergy.

Confessions (Sacrament of Reconciliation) are regularly offered on Saturday, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at Saint Agnes Church, and on Monday, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at Saint Mary Church.

For those in need of the Sacrament of the Sick (anointing) we ask that you call the rectory to arrange for someone who is at home. If someone is in the hospital or nursing home, please have the hospital or nursing home call the rectory, as they need to know we are coming, and arrange for our visit. We cannot just arrive at the hospital or nursing home at this time and expect admittance. And yes, we are doing weddings!

All that we are doing requires thought, and preparation, and sensitivity so that all are safe, and helped to be at ease with all we are doing, and how we are doing it. Be assured no place is cleaner than our two churches, but we may be wearing the finish off the pews from the constant cleaning.

One final note, you may begin to hear about the upcoming merger of Christ the Redeemer Parish into Precious Blood Parish. Scheduled to happen in April of 2021, a committee from Precious Blood Parish and from Christ the Redeemer Parish will begin meeting soon to plan details of how this will be accomplished.

June 7, 2020

On Monday, June 8, we are beginning public Masses again here at Precious Blood Parish. Following the guidelines from the Archbishop and his advisors, there will be daily Mass only to begin, and each Mass will be limited to 50 or fewer persons. This is a safe and prudent way to begin, and is new for all of us, so we ask your patience. Some reminders and points of emphasis may be helpful.

Places in each church are clearly marked off, so no one will be seated too close to another. If you come from the same household, you are welcome to sit together. Items that are handled, like hymnals and missals, will not be in the pews. If you wish to bring your own missal, or follow Mass electronically on your phone, that is fine. The church will be cleaned before you arrive, and after you leave. We ask that gloves are not worn to receive communion, but masks must be worn at all times. If you are going to communion you will remove the mask immediately before you receive, and then put the mask back on immediately after.

On any given weekend, before the Covid 19 pandemic, we have 2,000 or so parishioners who worship with us, so doing 50 at a time will be a challenge. We recognize you are all adults, and capable of making good choices. The guidelines from the Archdiocese say the following: “Who Shoudn’t Come - the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, those who are fearful or anxious, and those who are taking care of a sick or home-bound person.”

Each of you have to make your own decision as to whether or not you should be present at Mass. We will insist on no more than 50, and all wearing masks, but cannot make your personal decision for you. As seating is limited for each Mass, we encourage those who may have been regular daily Mass attendees to consider just one or two days a week, not every day. If you see the attendance is too much, please be the one who chooses to leave and come another day and relieve us of the burden to be the door monitors.

Adult Catholics should be the ones marked by their selfless behavior, and we beg for your understanding. None are more concerned about your access to the Eucharist than your clergy here at Precious Blood Parish. Your cooperation with this gradual return to worship as we know it will hasten the process along. Please pray with all of us for a resolution to this crisis, please pray with all of us for continued patience. We thank all who have been praying with us, and thank all who have continued to support us, especially financially.

Be assured you are all in the prayers of the clergy of Precious Blood Parish each and every day.

May 24, 2020

We hear in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles, along with the women, and the mother of Jesus were gathered together, and devoted themselves with one accord to prayer. They were single minded, and prayed together that what they were going to do would be what God wants them to do. The Letter from Saint Peter alludes to the struggles of the early Christians, that they were and would be insulted because of their faith. Peter tells them, and tells us, that whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed, but glorify God because of the name. We can never be wrong, doing what we do as Christians, but others, even most others, may think us to be wrong.

In the gospel from John, we are privileged to overhear Jesus praying to his Father. It is clear that Jesus’ mission has always been to reveal the Father, and to do the Father’s will. And we can know the Father through His Son, and we can know the Father’s will through the Son’s teachings. We can do the Father’s will, and live out the Son’s teachings, if we are not afraid of the world’s reaction. If we can persevere in spite of ridicule, if we can continue in spite of criticism, then we can truly be doing God’s will here in this world.

We meet Jesus Christ, risen from the dead in the celebration of Eucharist. It is the surest sign to us that Jesus is with us still, it is His greatest gift to us, the sign that His presence with us is everlasting. We cannot gather here and celebrate because we are maintaining our distance. Everything else we do (lows from this celebration, and without it what are we to do?

First, we recognize the Risen Lord in each other, just as we recognize Him in the breaking of the bread, and so we have to treat each other as brothers and sisters. This is a great responsibility, and not always easy to do. We greet one another, we say hello, and we ask “how are you”? We need to stand ready to listen to the answer to “how are you”, even if it means the other is sharing their pains, their frustrations, their disappointments. Patient listening is what we do, it is what God does for us, and what we do for each other, BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.
If there are those among us who are hungry, who lack what they need, we provide for them. We do this even when we cannot gather to worship together. We collect food and resources for our food pantry, for those in our sister parish in Haiti, and we share with those in need. We do this BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.

If there are those among us who are suffering, who are nearing the end of this life, we minister to them. We provide them what comfort we can, we companion them on their journey, and we assure them of God’s presence in their most difficult time. We pray with them, we bring them Eucharist, we show them that even in this most difficult time, God is indeed with them. We do this BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.

There is the comfort of Eucharist, our assurance that Jesus remains with us still. There is the nourishment of Eucharist, our assurance that Jesus will provide for us all that we need to do His work. Even not worshiping together, there is also the challenge of Eucharist, put so eloquently by Saint Augustine, hundreds of years ago. Augustine said that we “must become what we receive, we must become what we celebrate”. We are continually challenged to do the “more” of what it means to be Catholic.

These are the challenges we have for homework this week; for homework this season of anticipating the beginning of our Church again at Pentecost next week. Anticipating the time soon when we can worship together. If we are Catholic, if we are Church, accept one or more of these challenges in your life.

First: Act like what we have is special, precious, and worthwhile. Invite someone else to learn our faith. Many of your neighbors, come on, many of your family members, used to be Catholic. Invite them to come back to the faith they know. Tell them what we do, show them what we do. If they need assistance coming back, call me. Call any one of the deacons, or priests, we are here to help. Do it BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.

Second: If your neighbor, your coworker, is not Catholic, never has been, invite them in. Show them by your example what it means to be Catholic. Tell them how you help the poor, how you companion the suffering, how you pray for all. Be joyful, do it with a smile, as Pope Francis says, who want to join a bunch of sourpusses? Do it BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.

Third: Try to pray everyday, it makes a difference. Let God help you. This is hard for any of us who think we can do it all ourselves. The best can happen when we let God do the work. In God’s time, when God wants. Allow for this BECAUSE WE ARE CATHOLIC.

Let us pray together today for the courage to reach out to those who need us, for the strength to help those who need us, and to be an example of a community that makes it obvious that Jesus Christ is Risen, that He lives among us still. The world was changed when Jesus came and lived among us, the world was redeemed when He died and rose from the dead. Go today and help the change continue, live like the redeemed people that we are. Let the Easter joy in our hearts show on our faces, it is who we are called to be.

May 10, 2020

In the gospel from John today, we move from last week’s image of the Good Shepherd, to the image of Jesus Christ as the entrance to His Father’s house. Jesus makes it clear that He is the way and the truth and the life, and in His Father’s house there is a place prepared especially for each of us. In this time, how we prepare ourselves is key, and how we prepare the gifts God has given us is also key. A story to illustrate this point:

An Emperor of a great land in the East had arrived at old age childless. He wanted to be sure to select just the right member of his kingdom to succeed him, so he invited all the children to the palace. He told them there would be a year long test to select the next emperor, and it would begin today. They would each be given a seed, one special seed. The following year they would bring back what they had grown, and the Emperor would judge them and choose the next emperor.

A young boy named Ling took his seed, and with the help of his mother planted it in a pot, watered it, and began to care for it each day. Every day he watered it, and waited for the seed to grow. After about three weeks, the other children were already talking about their seeds and plants beginning to grow. Ling kept on checking his, but nothing grew at all. Others were now talking about their plants, how different each one was, how some were appearing to be trees, or other beautiful plants. Ling felt like a failure.

Six months went by, still nothing in Ling’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees, flowers, and other magnificent plants, but he had nothing. Ling said nothing to his friends; he just kept waiting for his seed to grow. After a year all the children of the kingdom brought their plants to the Emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother he was not going to bring an empty pot. His mother asked him to go and be honest about what had happened. Feeling sick to his stomach, but knowing his mother was right, Ling took his empty pot to the palace.

When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by all the children. They were beautiful, in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Ling put his empty pot on the floor, and many laughed at him, others said, “too bad”, and some felt sorry for him. When the emperor arrived, Ling tried to hide in the back, as the Emperor announced, “What beautiful plants and trees you all have, today one of you will be the next Emperor!”

The Emperor spotted Ling’s plant at the back, at least his empty pot, and ordered him brought to the front with his pot. Ling was terrified, and thought he would be punished. When he got to the front, the Emperor asked him his name. “My name is Ling.”
The emperor quieted down the crowd and their laughter, and announced to them all, “Here is your next Emperor, and his name is Ling!” Ling could not believe it; he hadn’t even grown a seed.

The Emperor said, “One year ago I gave each of you a seed, told you to plant it, and return with it today. I gave each of you a boiled seed, one that could never grow. Each of you, when you found your seed would not grow, substituted another in its place. Ling was the only one with the honesty and courage to bring back what I had given him. He must be the new Emperor!”
We must all grow in the faith of the true vine, and plant ourselves in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Then we will be destined to have a place in the Father’s House. Our deeds and truth must show who we are as Christians, not just what we speak of. It is a good time of year to plant; try planting these seeds this week:

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

.

If you plant perseverance, you will reap
rewards.

If you plant consideration, you will reap
harmony.

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap
reconciliation.

If you plant faith, you will reap miracles
.

Be careful what you plant. It will grow tomorrow. What we plant will make it better or worse for those who come after. Rooted in the true vine, Jesus Christ, we will bear much good fruit. Jesus begins in the gospel today: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. Let the truth of God’s gift help us each to grow, and we can look forward to that place prepared especially for us.

April 26, 2020

So, how are we all doing in these extraordinary times? How do we cope when bombarded with stories of grief and disease and despair all around us? The gospel for this weekend may offer a clue and a direction.

After Jesus has been crucified, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, and they were conversing and debating. Jesus asks them what they are discussing, and they are downcast. They talked of how they hoped that Jesus the Nazarene was the Messiah and would have been the one to restore Israel to greatness. They talked of dashed expectations when Jesus was crucified instead. Jesus goes on to explain the scripture to them, and how all was necessary so that the prophecies about the Messiah might be fulfilled.

He stayed with them, and they eventually recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. When he vanished from their sight, they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scripture to us? With all of us feeling cut off from our parish and its sacramental life, how do we recognize Him still?

We can recognize Him when we are reconnecting with family, maybe many family members we don’t always talk with as often as we should. We can recognize Him when reaffirming friendships, some from long past. We can recognize Him with time with our families, a time we may come to cherish as it is so out of the ordinary, but perhaps should be more ordinary.

In our prolife Church, we should also recognize Him in the nurse and doctor who return to work each day, bringing lifegiving care at the risk of their own. We should recognize Him in those essential workers in our grocery stores, our mail and package delivery service workers, our first responders, who all selflessly work so we can manage our lives. We should recognize Him in our teachers, still connecting with our students and educating them in every way that they can.

Most of all, in these difficult times, we need to recognize Him in each other. Our care needs to be His care, our compassion needs to be His compassion. May we all pray as one that we can exclaim as did the early disciples, “The Lord has truly been raised!” His resurrection is made manifest when we all act as one, and love one another, as He has loved us. Remember what Jesus said when He appeared to his disciples, “Do not be afraid.”

May we all live without fear; may we all live with patience. May we all live as members of His body, redeemed by His life, death, and resurrection.

March 1, 2020

As we are now in the Lenten season, a short reflection on sacrifice seems appropriate. Those of us of a certain age know sacrifice better than others, as there have been times in our history when communal sacrifice was virtually mandated, if not by law, then by circumstances. Those who have lived through times of war and depression have a keen sense of sacrifice. This shared sacrifice always had the opportunity to open us up to the sacred, because our faith is based in the ultimate sacrifice of the one for all.

Lent offers the opportunity for personal and communal sacrifice, and time for us to reflect on how we follow the example of Christ in our own lives. We see this in the way our parish feeds the poor, reaches out to the mentally ill and those who suffer addiction, and especially those whose lives are touched by grief. We are grateful to be part of a community that appreciates the need to sacrifice for others.

This weekend, we will have heard from Archbishop Blair in the homily and have heard his request that we consider contributing to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal is a concrete way that our sacrifice can impact others across our diocese in a positive way. We hope our reflection on all that the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal does helps to move us to continued generosity.

Here at Precious Blood Parish, we will begin to hear soon about another avenue where we will be asked to consider a sacrificial offering. The Hartford Bishops Foundation is a separate effort to insure the financial viability of the Archdiocese for years into the future. There will be a onetime effort to raise funds to be held as an endowment for future generations of Catholics. The churches we worship in today are the legacy of the Catholics of the past, and we will be asked to ensure that legacy continues by contributing a onetime gift to this foundation. Watch for more to come on this in the coming year.

May God bless us all and may we all continue to live lives that mirror the example of our Risen Lord Jesus. His sacrifice has graced us all now and forever.

February 16, 2020

As we approach the Lenten season, the gospel continues each week from the Sermon on the Mount. Last week we heard that we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This message encourages, indeed, commands that we be outward looking, putting others’ needs before our own. Our constant challenge is to again and again commit ourselves to engaging in this outward push.

There is a myriad of ways to do this, but here are some suggestions for what you may want to consider:

First, when you pray, pray for the needs of others first, and place your own needs last. If blessings come to others, is that not a blessing for us?

Second, when you are giving to a worthwhile cause, occasionally make your gift sacrificial, not merely convenient. Yes, this is asking a lot. True sacrifice is the model we are called to follow.

Third, make a list of all the bad habits you can give up this year for Lent. If you are not sure what to include, ask your spouse, or child, or parent what it is you should be giving up, they will be more than happy to let you know.

Fourth, pick one of the bad habits from number three, and actually give it up for Lent.

Finally, be salt yourself, and add flavor and taste to life around you. Be light yourself and illumine the dark corners and brighten the lives of those you are with. Jesus does not say we should try to be salt and light, he says we are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. Put yourself into the stew of this world and make a difference. Be the light that can lead others to the one true light, Jesus Christ. The way we live, the way we love, is the best and surest way that we can be the path for others to find Christ. May all of us at Precious Blood be the salt and light for each other, and all who live in our community of Milford.

February 9, 2020

There is a saying that goes: We stand on the shoulders of the great ones that have gone before us. Our priest and our friend, Father Francis X. Callahan, is certainly such a man. In a priesthood that spanned 70 years, he was most concerned with bringing people to Christ. His inviting smile, his winning personality, and his having a song for every occasion marked this warm and welcoming man, this good and genuine priest. So many of us are better for our interactions with him, and countless people have benefitted from his wisdom and his heartfelt prayers.

As we go forward as a parish, we will always cherish his memory. May we keep his sister Nancy and all his extended family in our prayers. We may look for him and not see him. We may long for him and be disappointed, but the mark he has left on so many hearts helps to keep him ever present with us. As he served at the table of the Lord for so long for so many, may he now serve at the heavenly table of the Lord. We all have a new intercessor with the Lord, as he enjoys the company of the Communion of Saints.

May the Angels welcome him to paradise, may the martyrs come to welcome him on his way. From this day forward, may God hold him close to His heart, in the palm of His hand.

December 29, 2019

There are seemingly endless books written about what makes a happy family. Some themes emerge when you spend some time looking through them. Among the most popular are these:

1. Spend time as a family at a meal, and do so at a regular time, whether weekly, monthly, or daily. Spend the time without electronic communication.

2. Make family rituals important, even if they only happen once a year. Make sure everyone knows the importance of the ritual by telling the story often.

3. Accept each family member as they are, and don’t expect them to live up to your lofty expectations. Make everyone feel welcome.

4. Look for ways for your family to help those most in need, especially ones you may know. Encourage each other to pray for those in need.

5. Recognize that your family is best when it is together and try to be together more often than apart. Family bonds are forever.

You can accomplish everything on the list above by regularly worshiping together with us here in Precious Blood Parish. Each time we celebrate Eucharist all five things listed above take place. Try and join us more, maybe even invite a friend.

God bless you all, may your New Year be filled with peace.

December 22, 2019

As we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear from the prophet Isaiah, writing 700 years before Christ, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Emmanuel. Emmanuel, God with us, is the essence of the promise of a Messiah. In Matthew’s gospel today, the author clearly connects this prophesy to the birth of the Christ child, who is named Jesus because He will save us all from sin.

May our rejoicing be complete, may our joy be full; that the hope of Advent is fulfilled and the promise of the savior among us is renewed. Whether you find Him in the smile of a child, the warmth of a family gathered for a meal, or the present given out of love; make sure you find Him here in the celebration of Eucharist, the ongoing sign and symbol that He is with us, and will continue to be with us always.

Be sure to check the bulletin or take a schedule of Christmas Masses from one of the tables near the door. Join us and so many of your neighbors to truly celebrate the greatest gift of the season, that Christ came to live among us, and lives among us still. Merry Christmas.

December 8, 2019

This year December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, falls on a Sunday in Advent. The Second Sunday of Advent takes precedence over the Feast Day, and so the Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated on Monday, December 9. The obligation to attend Mass is not transferred, so there is no obligation to attend Mass on Monday, December 9.

Lesson and Carols will be on Sunday, December 15, at 2:30 PM at Saint Agnes Church. Saint Agnes Church is the perfect acoustical setting for our parish choir to present Lessons from Scripture and Carols in song. There is no better way to enhance your experience of Advent than to reserve this time in your schedule and join in this time of prayerful reflection expressed in Scripture and song. We hope many of you can join us next Sunday, at 2:30 PM, at Saint Agnes Church.

A reminder as we enter the snowy months of winter. If Saint Mary School (Milford Public Schools) is canceled due to bad weather, there will be no morning Masses at either church that day. This does not happen very often but be sure to note so you can plan accordingly.

As our celebrations of Eucharist remind us, the one we wait for in Advent is here among us already. May each of us strive to make Christ present in how we treat each other, and how we open our hearts to all we meet.

October 27, 2019

This coming week is marked by All Saints Day on Friday, November 1. Masses for the Holy Day are at 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM at Saint Agnes, and 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 12:00 noon at Saint Mary. There is no vigil Mass on Thursday, October31. All Souls envelopes are at the doors of both churches for those who wish. Names submitted will be remembered throughout the month of November.

The annual appeal letter for Precious Blood Parish has gone out. If you did not receive one, please contact the rectory to make sure you are a registered parishioner. All registered parishioners were mailed a letter and a response card for the parish annual appeal.

Many thanks to all who serve our parish in so many ways. We are truly blessed with volunteers who serve as ushers, greeters, Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, and singers at our liturgies. We are additionally blessed with those who serve as funeral planners, guides for those preparing for Baptism, and teachers of religious education. Our Deacon John Rigley Food Pantry, our Helping Hands Hurting Hearts Ministry for young mothers and newborns, and so many others serve those truly in need. You and so many others contribute to the life of our parish, and we cannot thank you all enough.

As we approach the month of November, we keep in mind our belief in the “Communion of Saints”. We are part of the Communion of Saints, because we are joined through Christ to God’s holy things and God’s holy people. (Catechism of the Catholic Church) We are never closer to those who have gone before us than when we gather to celebrate Eucharist together. Join us in worship each week, as you join with your loved ones in the Communion of Saints. God Bless.

October 20, 2019

Father Aidan, our pastor, and the Saint Mary School Board, are beginning a search for the new principal for Saint Mary School, to be in place for July of 2020. Plans are underway to gather input from the various stakeholders; parents, teachers, staff, and alumni. Father Aidan and the search committee would welcome input from parishioners concerning the qualities and attributes that should be the strengths of our new principal. I have been tasked by Father Aidan and the search committee to compile this input and share it with them, all to help guide their search. If you have strong ideas about the principal who should lead our school, please forward them via email to dcn.hoffman@aohct.org, or send them in writing to the rectory.

If you are aware of a potential candidate for the position, you may have them contact Deacon John as well. There is a link both on the school website and on the parish website to the application directions, and a brief job description detailing qualifications required.

The change of seasons often gives us a reason to take stock and reflect on how we are doing. I always like falling back with the time change, and getting an “extra” hour, usually of sleep. Perhaps we can all think of something to do with our extra hour that will benefit those around us, especially those who need our help the most. Here’s hoping we can all find an extra hour to be the presence someone else may need. May the beauty of the changing leaves lead each of us to consider turning over a new leaf (pun intended) and change our hearts for the better. God bless you all.

September 29, 2019

This past week, at the annual Hopes Dinner, spon- sored by the Office of Education and Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Hartford, volunteers from all the Catholic elementary schools of the Archdiocese were honored. Honored from Saint Mary School of Precious Blood Parish were Diane Piechota and Mike Delaney. Each of them have been long time volun- teers for our school, and represent the best of volun- teering that helps to make our school so successful. Congratulations to both of them, and our thanks for all the years they have given so much.

Congratulations are also in order for the over 100 young people confirmed this weekend. Monsignor Joseph Donnelly conferred the Sacrament of Confir- mation in two ceremonies on Saturday, September 28. It is a sign of the vibrancy and health of our parish that so many young people, from so many families, have come forward to commit to their faith as adults in the Catholic Church. We ask God’s continued blessing on all these young people, including over ten young adults who came to our adult Confirmation classes and were confirmed as well.

Religious Education classes begin in earnest this coming week. Grades two through six are on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, and Monday after- noons from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. Grade 7 meets the first Tuesday in October, October 1, at Saint Agnes, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Grade 8 meets the second Tuesday, October 8, at Saint Agnes, also from 4:30 to 6:00 PM.

Grade 9 meets Sunday, October 6, beginning with 4:30 Mass, and class following until 6:30 PM. Grade 10 meets October 13, beginning with 4:30 Mass until 6:30 PM, both at Saint Mary Church.

If you are interested in volunteering to teach in any of our programs, please contact Deacon John to talk about the possibilities and options available. God bless you all.

September 15, 2019

This past weekend we enjoyed our parish picnic, complete with good food, good friends, good music and the fellowship of each other. I’m not sure if this marks the end of the summer season, or the beginning of fall, but it was an occasion that showed the best of our parish family.

Much planning went into the event, and many thanks to all on the picnic committee, and all who contributed in the planning. Setting up on Saturday, there were Boy Scouts from Troop 12, Confirmation students, students from Saint Mary School, and a few of us “old folks” as well. More volunteer students arrived Sunday morning, and with committee mem- bers, the set-up was complete. Music began, food was enjoyed, raffles were won. Young and old alike enjoyed the bubble wands, and more than a few bounced in the bounce house. With “Hit the Road Jack” blasting out as a final song, most took their leave. Additional volunteers from scouts, and Saint Mary School, and Confirmation students worked to- gether to put all the chairs, tables, and equipment away; all in time for the next group to begin their meeting in Father Callahan Hall at 5:30 PM. Again, many thanks to so many who did so much to make the day great! We so appreciate the many positive comments from those who attended the picnic, so glad so many enjoyed the day.

One final thought on the picnic: what a great location for such an event. Room to be outside for those who enjoy that, room inside for those who prefer. No barriers to anyone who wished to attend. A great cel- ebration of the wonderful parish that we are.

Our parish continues to grow, and this is due to the welcoming attitude of so many of you. We are truly living out the truth of Eucharist, that Christ is present when we gather in His name. May we all continue to be His hands and His heart for all in our community, especially those who need His love the most. As we gather around His table each week, may we all look to invite more to join us, and have more and more come to know the marvelous parish family that we are. God bless you all.

September 8, 2019

We are all back to school:

This year’s Confirmation retreat is September 15, from 4:30 PM (beginning with Mass) and concluding at 8:30 PM. There will be an opportunity for confession before the retreat is over. All who are being confirmed on September 28 are required to attend.

It is not too late to register for this Fall’s classes in religious education. The parish website has a link where you can sign up, and pay on line if you prefer. Classes begin for grades 1 through 10 in October, the schedule is on the website as well.

This is a good time for all of us to reflect on how we educate ourselves in our faith. Listening to God’s Word in the scriptures, and worshiping together at our celebration of Eucharist is the best way to enhance and develop our faith. Why not make an effort beginning this Fall to be a more regular presence each week with us, as we worship together?

So many of you already join us each week at one of our eight weekend liturgies, and we are so grateful for your presence and your support. Consider joining so many of your neighbors as we worship together, and continue to be a tangible sign of Christ’s presence for our entire community. If you want your faith to be sustained, if you want your faith to grow, we hope you will find yourself here with us each week.

God bless us all in this new Fall season.