Quite a few updates today. I’m almost afraid to hit the “send” button for fear that I missed something. Messages are coming in from Fathers, eMail, phone, etc.!
Here we go!
URGENT NEED: Deacon Paul is in dire need of food gift cards from either Stop & Shop or ShopRite to provide to families in need. If you can spare a few dollars to donate a gift card, it would be truly appreciated. You can place the cards in an envelope marked “Deacon Paul” and drop it in the collection basket at any Mass during the weekend or drop them off at the rectory office.
MASS FOR POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI: We will celebrate a Mass in honor of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI this Sunday, March 26, at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome.
WEEKLY BULLETIN: For any ministry needing an announcement put into the bulletin for the early part of the month of April, please send your notice to me via eMail (pmollica@stmarkstfd.org) by this coming Monday, March 27. I need to go to press very early the two weeks leading up to Palm and Easter Sundays due to shortened work weeks for LPI.
ONE COLLECTION: There is one collection this weekend: Stewardship (For the month of March, you can submit your Easter Flowers envelope at any Mass.)
LAST CALL: We are still accepting reservations for our Lenten Fish dinner, which is coming up next Friday evening, March 31, at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. Cut off is Wednesday, March 29. The venue is open seating; however, for new parishioners or those who are a little shy and feel they don’t know anyone, come on down! St. Mark parishioners are the most welcoming people ever! Fun-loving and caring to the core. Please join us! We will make your night joyful.
AND SPEAKING OF FRIDAY MARCH 31…Friday Lenten Mass at 6:00 p.m. and Stations of the Cross at 6:30 p.m. will still be celebrated by Father Birendra. Father Russ will be at the Parish Center to welcome guests and give the blessing at the start of the Lenten Dinner. Father Birendra will come over immediately after Stations to join us.
PALMS AND PANCAKES: The Knights of Columbus will be hosting their annual Palms and Pancakes breakfast on Palm Sunday, April 2, in the Parish Hall, after all four Masses. Admission is free; donations are always welcome!
ST. MARK SCHOOL FATHER’S CLUB “PASTA NIGHT:” This just in! Save the date for Saturday, May 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The St. Mark School Father’s Club is hosting a “pasta night” and all the dads are cooking (with the help of Patty Nettleton of course….we don’t want our pasta to be too al dente or too mushy!). Further details will be forthcoming.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BLOOD DRIVE/RED CROSS: The blood drive is fast approaching…..next Saturday, April 1, in the Parish Center from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Potential donors can sign up for an appointment at www.redcross.org. Our blood drive last year was a great success, and we hope this year will be a success too!
CONGRATULATIONS TO PARISHIONER VITO MONTELLI: Hopefully many of you saw the “sports” section of the Connecticut Post today. A wonderful article written for Vito Montelli, a St. Mark parishioner, who is receiving the Tom Konchalski Lifetime Achievement Award. Please see the article in Section B of today’s paper. Beautiful story about a man who is described by everyone as “committed, dedicated, and devoted.”
KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE STRATFORD CATHOLIC COMMUNITY: As all of us know, Bishop Caggiano has been working tirelessly with the parishes in the Diocese to work on strengthening our Catholic community of faith. In this regard, the five churches of Stratford (Our Lady of Peace, Our Lady of Grace, Holy Name of Jesus, St. James, and St. Mark) are working together on ways to share resources, come up with ideas for inter-parish Masses and social events, etc. Last evening was the first meeting of “the five churches” at Our Lady of Peace. Adoration was followed by a buffet dinner and attendees broke out into groups to discuss issues facing our faith and coming up with ideas on how to fix some problems. A great evening and a great start to wonderful things to come! Please see two pictures from the evening. One with the five pastors and one which included the pastors and deacons.
RECONCILIATION MONDAY: Reconciliation Monday will be held during Holy Week on Monday, April 3, 2023. In our Deanery (Mystical Rose), St. James, St. Mark, and St. Lawrence will be open for confession from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
ADORATION CHAPEL: The Adoration Chapel will be closed during the Easter Triduum, from 10 p.m., Wednesday, April 5th, 2023, and reopen on Monday, April 10th, 2023,
at 9:00 a.m.
MASS SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR SAINT MARK PARISH:
In the last few years there has been a steady decline in Mass attendance across America and more so after COVID-19. As a result, following the recommendation of Bishop Caggiano, many pastors have reduced the number of weekend Masses in their parishes across the Bridgeport Diocese, including our own town. After deep prayer and reflection, and after consulting the clergy members and lay leaders of the parish, I have decided that it is time for us also to reduce the number of Masses in our parish.
Beginning January 1, 2024, the new weekend Mass schedule will be as follows:
Saturday – Vigil: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday – 7:30 a.m, 9:30 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.
(The 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays will be live-streamed.)
Baptisms – 12:30 p.m.
The weekday and Holy Day Mass schedules remain as they are.
LADIES GUILD: The St. Mark Ladies Guild will meet on Tuesday, April 11 at 1:00 p.m. in the Upper Room. Our guest speaker will be Karolina Nemchek, Director of Community Relations for Spring Village (formerly Atria). Her topic will be “Choosing the Right Senior Living Community and What it Means to Seniors”. All women of the parish and their guests are welcome. Refreshments will be served.
MARK SCHULTZ BENEFIT CONCERT: A concert to benefit Malta House and the Ministries of St. Francis of Assisi will take place on May 5, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., at the Quick Center for the Arts, Fairfield University. Cost and sign-up information are noted in the bulletin.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Knights of Columbus Connecticut District will be holding its Patriotic 4th Degree exemplification at St. Mary’s Church, 5 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT on Sunday, April 23, following the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Any Brother Knight who has not attained the rank of Sir Knight (4th Degree) can contact their Grand Knight or contact Sir Knight Joseph Sean Aparicio at administrativeaide@assembly2459.org or Sir Knight Frank Quadrino at scribe@assembly2459.org.
BOTTLE/CAN DRIVE: The next bottle/can drive in front of the Parish Center is scheduled for Saturday, April 1, from 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.
BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER: A St. Mark Parish Family Cookbook! Team Social envisions a collection of recipes and photos from St. Mark gatherings, along with the bios of people, allowing us an opportunity to get to know each other more! The team is working on a form for use in submitting recipes and photos. More info to come!
HIPPIES….Peace, Hope, and Love: Grab your love beads and flowers in your hair to experience the music that defined a generation. Video history….DJ….Live Performances. Date: April 29, 6:00 p.m. till 9:30 p.m., Parish Center. BYOB and snacks. Serving brownies, dessert, coffee. Cost $25 per person. An RSVP schedule TBD.
AOK, looked all around the desk. Can't see that I missed anything to tell you. Hitting "send."
Best,
Paula (and Joan too)
P.S. Last weekend with the “dog” was AOK. Poor little thing has such separation anxiety. Takes him at least 15 minutes to calm down when he gets to the house, but then he’s not so bad. However, if you leave the room, he howls like a wolf because he feels as if he’s abandoned. And after a while the howling gets on your nerves (at least mine).
Have a great weekend planned! Friends coming for pizza tonight (no meat pizza - plain and veggie). Tomorrow night out to dinner with friends to a great Italian restaurant in town. Sunday it’s off to the cemetery to put the Palm Crosses at the graves. Then meeting friends in Norwalk for lunch! I guess I’m not cooking this weekend. Yippee.
Our daffodils are all in bloom around the yard. So pretty. And the forsythia bush has all its buds just weeks away from blooming. But my favorite thing is watching the teensy little heads of the lily-of-the-valley bulbs coming up around the yard. Michael and I are blessed to have a yard whose flower beds are loaded with lily-of-the-valley as a ground cover. When May hits, all my neighbors make sure to walk their dogs up at our house in the cul-de-sac because the smell is intoxicating.
Oooh, all of you know I love to read. Someone suggested a book called The Plot. Said it was out of this world. Well, this reader is having a hard time getting “into” it. Very slow going, considering the “plot” of the book is that a writer is trying to come up with a “plot” for a new book. I’m pushing through but so far I’m not putting it on the Paula Mollica Book Club List for 2023. I can’t believe this guy’s editor let the book go to print in its current format. So much of the text is in parentheses it makes you dizzy. (Listen to me critiquing…when’s the last time I had a novel on the New York Times bestseller list.) When I finish the book this weekend I will give you an update next week. Anyone who has read it….send me a note on what you thought!
Best for now!
