Rectory Office

Phone: 860-628-4713 Fax: 860-628-7341 E-Mail: stthomassouthington@gmail.com Web Sites: www.stthomassouthington.org www.facebook.com/groups/104009621923

St. Thomas Convent

Address: 20 Eden Place Southington, CT Phone: 860-621-1904

Office of Religious Education

Phone: 860-628-9679 E-mail: stchurchre@gmail.com

Southington Catholic School

Address: 133 Bristol Street Southington, CT Phone: 860-628-2485 Fax: 860-628-4942 Web Site: www.southingtoncathlolicschool.org

February 23, 2020

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Saint Thomas Church 99 Bristol Street, Southington, CT 06489-4599

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).”

Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil: 4:00PM (Church)

Sunday: 7:30AM & 10:00AM (Church)

Weekday Mass Schedule Monday & Tuesday: 7:30AM (Chapel)

Thursday & Friday: 12:10PM (Church for Lent) Saturday: 8:00AM (Chapel)

Our Parish Mission Statement

We, the Roman Catholic faithful of St. Thomas parish, nourished by God’s Word and by the

Sacraments, welcome and serve the Family of God. Through evangelization, education, and spiritual

development, we demonstrate the true meaning of God’s love by living in the image of Christ.

Parish Staff

Priests Rev. Joseph R. Cronin—Pastor fr.cronin@aohct.org Rev. John E. Cockayne—(Senior Status)

Deacons Angelo J. Coppola—(Senior Status) Vincent J. Raby

Music Ministry Emil Kopcha—Director Kathy Kopcha—Assistant

Office Manager Heidi Malley

Business Manager Marc Ingriselli

Trustees Susan Howard Paul Miano

Plant Manager Casey Potthoff

Custodial Staff Daniel Conant Bonnie Guimond Marty Lopatosky Harry Masterbone

Director of Religious Ed. Sr. Marie Roccapriore, MPF

Southington Catholic School

Principal Eileen Sampiere

Office Manager Loretta Putala

Advancement Director Mary Alexander

Sanctuary Candles

Church: For Repentance

Chapel: Andrea Kowalczyk

Requested by family

Rectory Office Hours Monday—Friday 8AM-4PM

SATURDAY, February 22—The Chair of St. Peter

8:00AM Angela Suzick & Joseph Connolly, & Deceased

family members of Piazza & Connolly families Requested by Sr. Gina Piazza

4:00PM The 100th Birthday of Katherine Torelli Requested by family

SUNDAY, February 23—7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

7:30AM David Ravasio & Kenneth Ravasio Requested by family

10:00AM Lois Grimaldi Requested by Bill & Kathleen King & family

MONDAY, February 24—Weekday

7:30AM The Parishioners of Saint Thomas Church

TUESDAY, February 25—Weekday

NO MASS ON TUESDAY THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY, February 26—Ash Wednesday

7:30AM Vito & Anna Aversa Requested by Joanna &

Silvio Aversa

12:10PM Peter & Gerard Roccapriore Requested by family

7:30PM Bud Desmond Requested by a friend

THURSDAY, February 27—Thursday after Ash Wednesday

12:10PM The Parishioners of Saint Thomas Church

FRIDAY, February 28—Friday after Ash Wednesday

12:10PM Thomas Donnelly Requested by Ken & Kathleen Baldwin

SATURDAY, February 29—Saturday after Ash Wednesday

8:00AM The Parishioners of Saint Thomas Church

4:00PM Eric Limmer—Four Month Anniversary

Remembrance Requested by UCONN ICU

SUNDAY, March 1—First Sunday of Lent

7:30AM Deceased Members of DiBenedetto family Requested by Michele DiBenedetto & family

10:00AM Annette Brown Requested by parents Joe & Cathy Miceli

Father Joe’s Notes My dear friends,

This week we will begin our Lenten Journey. This is a

time for prayer and penance. We take time to prepare

ourselves for the glorious celebration of Easter. When

we give up food or sweets, it’s to remind us that we

should hunger and thirst for God in our lives. When we

do something extra, we do it to remind ourselves of all

God does for us. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and

abstinence for those reasons.

Here are the guideline on fasting and abstinence. All

Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to

fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting

would mean eating one full meal and two other light

meals that do not equal the size of the full meal. There

is not eating between meals. Should someone suffer

health problems, such as diabetes or hypoglycemia,

you’re not obliged to fast. All Catholics of the age 14

and older are obliged to not eat meat on Ash Wednesday

and all the Fridays throughout Lent and Holy Week.

(Before you ask, yes – chicken is meat. Corned beef is

always meat, even in March near St. Patrick’s Day!)

Vegetarians and Vegans, find another penance!

The penitential practices of Lent are not here to make

us miserable, nor are they to be some magical Catholic

diet. They’re to help form our minds and souls to seek

God more than anything else. As we gather this Ash

Wednesday and all during Lent, take the time to make

the most of what we have been given. Let’s make it a

time of joyous exploration rather than being a miserable

time of deprivation. Our attitudes count. Let’s try to

conform ourselves to the mind of Christ this Lent.

That’s what it’s all about.

Joyfully yours in Christ, Fr. Joe

Question: Father, why do we dismiss the people

converting during Mass?

Answer: Those who have been accepted as

catechumens (preparing for baptism) and candidates

(baptized Christians completing initiation in the

Catholic Church) are dismissed at the end of the Liturgy

of the Word. Some people think that this is rude.

Maybe you question if it would be better to let these

people preparing to become Catholic see the Liturgy of

the Eucharist to appreciate what’s coming. What’s

actually happening is that they join with us for the

public proclamation of faith found in our Scriptures and

breaking open the Word in the homily. They are

dismissed before we recite the Creed, because they are

not fully part of the faith community. The Creed is our

statement of belief. They will recite it at the Easter

Vigil when they fully accept the faith. When we dismiss

them, we don’t just send them home. They gather with

their catechist to continue to reflect upon what our faith

teaches and what they have heard in the Biblical texts at

Mass. There is also a dimension of public witness

happening. One thing the Rite of Dismissal does is

make the rest of the congregation take note. When

something different happens, people stop and pay

attention. They start to ask why this is being done. Not

only is teaching happening for those joining the Church,

but also for those who are already members. We are all

challenged then to pay a bit more attention to the liturgy

of the Word and appreciate the great gift of the Liturgy

of the Eucharist. When we dismiss the catechumens and

candidates, we all have something to learn.

Ask Father

Readings for the week of February 23, 2020

Sunday: Lv 19:1-2,17-18/ 1 Cor 3:16-23/ Mt 5:38-48

Monday: Jas 3:13-18/ Mk 9:14-29

Tuesday: Jas 4:1-10/ Mk 9:30-37

Wednesday: Jl 2:12-18/ 2 Cor 5:20-6:2/ Mt 6:1-6,16-18

Thursday: Dt 30:15-20/ Lk 9:22-25

Friday: Is 58:1-9a/ Mt 9:14-15

Saturday: Is 58:9b-14/ Lk 5:27-32

Next Sunday: Gn 2:7-9,3:1-7/ Rom 5:12-19/ Mt 4:1-11

We will be taking a special collection on Sunday,

March 1st. to help Puerto Rico with earthquake

relief. It will go through Catholic Relief. THANK

YOU for your assistance!

Please note—Thursday & Friday

weekday Masses during Lent will

be in the church. THANK YOU!

Parish Information Devotions & Groups

Holy Hours In the chapel—rectory basement

Tuesdays: 11:00AM—Noon (for vocations)

Thursdays: 11:00AM—Noon (with Benediction)

Eucharistic Adoration In the chapel—rectory basement

Thursdays 9:00AM—11:00AM

Miraculous Medal Novena In the chapel—rectory basement

Saturdays after the 8:00 a.m. Mass

Italian Rosary Group First Tuesday of each month—7:30PM (Parish Center)

Lap Blanket Ministry Parishioners make blankets for patients in local health

care facilities . Anyone who crochets is invited to join

us in the church basement. One Wednesday Evening a

month 7:00-8:15PM. Next Meeting—March 25th

Ladies Guild The Ladies Guild meets the first Monday

of each month, and hosts hospitality in

the church meeting room each first

Sunday after both 7:30 & 10:00 mass.

Bible Study Group This week, February 27th, we will

be reading Deuteronomy 32-34 –

The Farewell of Moses and His

Death. All are welcome to join us!

Thursdays at 1:30PM or 7:00PM

in the Chapel (Rectory basement)

(The classes cover the same material—you need only attend one)

Sacraments

Baptism Parents, contact the rectory to schedule a

baptism. There’s a preparation meeting for

parents having their first child baptized.

RCIA—Adult Sacraments Anyone interested in becoming Catholic, give us a call!

Reconciliation Lenten Confessions are Saturdays 2:30 until 3:30 PM

and Mondays from 6 until 7PM in the reconciliation

room in the church, or call to make an appointment.

Marriage We need six months for marriage preparation. Couples

should contact Father Joe to schedule a meeting.

Sacrament of the Sick Should you, or someone you know, need an anointing,

please call Father Joe at the rectory to schedule a visit.

Homebound / Hospital Please, contact the rectory if you or a

family member is homebound or in the

hospital. We can arrange for a

Eucharistic Minister to bring you the

Blessed Sacrament at home.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

St. Thomas Cemetery

If you or your family are looking to purchase a plot or

niche in the columbarium, give us a call in the rectory

office. We’ll have our Plant Manager, Casey Potthoff,

meet with you and explain the options for graves and

markers. Please, call the rectory to schedule a meeting.

Sponsor Certificates

They’re available in the sacristy or in the rectory office.

You must be an active parishioner, registered with our

parish for at least 6 months. The use of the envelopes helps

verify that you’re an active parishioners. You must also

have completed your Sacraments of Initiation and be in a

valid marriage. If you have questions, call us.

New Parishioners

Welcome to St. Thomas! We’re delighted to have you join

us. Introduce yourself to Father or the Deacons after Mass.

Parish registration forms are available in the sacristy and

the rectory office. Take one for the family, and a separate

form for each member. Once completed, mail them to us

or drop them in the collection basket.

Collections for February 16th

Weekly—$6072 / Maintenance—$2428 /Online—$1774

† Southington Catholic School †

St. Thomas Religious Ed. †

Confirmation Retreats

Reminder!

Grade 10: THIS SUNDAY at

1:45pm, and ends after 7:00pm Mass

at Holy Family Monastery, West

Hartford.

Grade 9: Sunday, March 15th. Starts

at 3:30pm and will end at

approximately 7:30pm. It will be

held at Mary Our Queen Church in

Plantsville.

Southington Catholic

School Annual Raffle

Tickets go on sale March 6th for our annual raffle.

Prizes are paid with a check to the winner.

The prizes are:

1st Prize—$2,000

2nd

Prize—$1,000

3rd

Prize—$500

4th

Prize—$500

5th

Prize—$250

Tickets are $3 each, and they are available individually

or in books of ten tickets. The winning drawing will be

on Friday, April 24nd in the school cafeteria. Tickets

will be available at the school office.

Southington Catholic School

has what you want!

We have small class sizes.

Our middle school students

test, on average, two grade

levels ahead of their peers.

Our students learn to read

and write in cursive, and how

to compose paragraphs and

essays.

Our pre-K is an academic

program that prepares students to be

kindergarten ready.

We have a welcoming atmosphere and our

students are kind to each other and to adults.

We are enrolling now for the

2020—2021 academic year. Give us a call! Feel free to ask us questions

about the school or to take a tour. Arrange to

have your child shadow a class for a day.

MEATLESS FRIDAY MEALS!

Southington Catholic School invites you to enjoy a

meatless meal on Friday evenings during Lent.

Beginning on Friday, February 28, Pasta Fagioli, salad,

bread and dessert will be served in our school cafeteria

for $ 7.00 per adult. The option of macaroni and cheese

will be offered as well. In upcoming weeks, the menu

will change when pierogis will be offered as the

meatless meal. For more information, please call 860-

628-2485. We hope to see you on Fridays, when dinner

will be served from 5PM to 7PM. Volunteers are invited

to join the planning committee. All are welcome!

Stewardship

Stewardship Thought:

In today’s first reading, the

Israelites are urged to love their

neighbors as themselves. In the

Gospel, Jesus spells out how we

are to do that — to give

generously to those who ask of us

and not turn our backs on those

who seek to borrow.

Our Sunday Visitor, Stewardship by the Book: Bulletin Bits Based

on the Sunday Readings, by Sharon Hueckel, Second Edition 2004

Pastoral Council Meeting

The Pastoral Council will meet

THIS MONDAY at 7:30pm in

the parish center. Should any

parishioner have a question or

concern about our parish they

would like to see discussed at the

meeting, they are encouraged to call one of the Pastoral

Council representatives. You may also email the

members of the Pastoral Council by going to the parish

Web page. The members of the Pastoral Council

include: Dan Vendetti, Joe DellaPorta, Diane Snow,

Kathleen Baldwin, Michael Casey, Larry Ryan, Walter

Kustra, Sonya Jelks, Sara Nadeau. The ex-officio

members are Fr. Joe Cronin ,Sr. Marie, D.R.E., Eileen

Sampiere, Deacon Angelo Coppola, Deacon Vinny

Raby, Paul Miano and Susan Howard Parish Trustees

Bereavement Workshops

St Thomas Parish offers two

bereavement workshops for anyone

grieving the death of a loved one.

One is called New Day and it serves

the needs of those who are in the

earlier stages of grief. It consists of

nine facilitated workshops, and the

spring 2020 group is being formed. The first meeting

will begin Wednesday, March 11 at 6:30 PM. To enroll,

or for more information, call Deacon Vinny Raby 860-

628-9425. The other option is called Solace & Peace

and it serves the needs of those who are in the later

stages of grief. It is an open, facilitated group that meets

monthly to discuss various topics related to grief and

mourning. The next meeting will be March 10 at 6:30

PM. To enroll, or for more information, call Sandra

Sequenzia (860) 877-2290.

Baby Bottle Boomerang

Pick Up Your Baby

Bottles TODAY!

Our parish Respect Life

Ministry will be handing out

baby bottles to all families this

weekend. Please use the bottles to collect spare change

over the next three weeks. At anytime you can deposit

the bottles in the collection bins located at each of the

indoor entrances to the Church. All proceeds will go to

Carolyn’s Place, the Catholic pregnancy resource

center serving the greater Waterbury area. If you

need more information about Carolyn’s Place, please

contact Wes Wensek at 203-266-4282 or at

wwensek@att.net. Thank you very much.

Eucharistic Ministers Needed

We are looking for new Eucharistic

Ministers. Only 1 hour of training

needed. Responsibilities will be

tailored to each individual person,

usually 1-2 times per month. Very

rewarding! Contact Debbie

Montano, 860-621-3528

Ladies Guild Scholarship

The St. Thomas Ladies Guild Scholarship is

available to High School Seniors who are a

member of St. Thomas parish and will be

enrolled in college in the 2020-2021

year. Applications are available in the

rectory office and are due by March 15th.

Knights of Columbus

Scholarship

The K of C Isabella Council #15

is accepting applications from high school seniors who

are registered members of a Catholic Parish in

Southington. Applicants must be seeking to further his/

her education in a recognized institute of higher learning

during the upcoming academic year. Applications are

available in the Rectory office. Due by March 30th.

Su

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ort our A

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Tha

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Al Joy Tire Service 860-628-2728

Youssef B. Khawaja, MD Internal Medicine & Endocrinology

860-621-9353

Plantsville Funeral Home 860-621-4656

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Giovanni’s Pizzeria 860-621-2299

Dow Gutters 860-726-0045

Landscapes Unlimited Residential and Commercial 860-621-7820

Pest Control 2000,LLC 860-628-8783

Ragozzino’s Deli & Catering 860-621-6979

Serfafino Pharmacy, INC 860-628-7979

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Religious Teachers Filippini 860-621-1904 www.filippiniusa.org

Waste Material Trucking Company, INC Residential & Commercial 860-747-6816

Showcase Realty Inc. 176 North Main Street—Southington 860-276-2000

Landino Landscaping Residential and Commercial

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PN Auto Body & Repair 860-793-1999

V.Nanfito Remodeling & Repairs 860-621-6898

CV Tool Company 860-621-0494

Volpe & Sons Automotive 860-628-0067

Della Porta EyeCare, LLC 860-582-0702 www.bristoleyes.com

Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care 203-238-1441 www.FranciscanHC.org

Paul Gregory’s—Bistro & Catering 860-621-9999

Plantsville Family Dental 860-621-2700 www.plantsvillefamily dental.com

Connecticut Casualty Company 1-800-922-2886 www.ctcasualty.com

Catholic Cemeteries Association of the

Archdiocese of Hartford, Inc.

LENTEN SERVICES

ASH WEDNESDAY, All Masses are in the church

7:30AM; 12:10PM; 7:30PM

LENTEN CONFESSIONS Mondays from 6:00PM through 7:00PM

Saturdays from 2:30PM through 3:30 PM (There are no confessions on Holy Saturday)

STATIONS OF THE CROSS Fridays at 7:00PM in church

TEACHING MASS Sunday, March 29th at 4:00PM

PASSION PLAY (HOLY WEEK) Saturday, April 4th at 7:30PM

Sunday, April 5th at 3:00PM

Mon., April 6th—Wed., April 8th at 7:30PM

No performance o n Holy Thursday

Friday, April 10th at 7:30PM

TRIDUUM & EASTER

Holy Thursday—April 9th Mass of the Lord’s Supper—7PM in church

Repose of the Blessed Sacrament—After

service until Midnight in the chapel

(Rectory basement)

Night Prayer—10PM in Chapel

Good Friday—April 10th Service of the Lord’s Passion—3PM

Holy Saturday—April 11th Easter Vigil—8PM

Easter Sunday—April 12th Masses at 7:30AM and 10:00AM

FOR LENT AND EASTER