Geesh, what a chilly, damp morning! I think we should all still be home in our PJs with a warm cup of tea or coffee! On a bright note, Rory (the dog who lives in the house next door to the rectory) is out on his front lawn running around like crazy, enjoying the wet grass! He’s adorable.
Here’s what’s happening around the parish as we celebrate the third Sunday of Easter:
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER: There are two collections this weekend: Stewardship and Extraordinary Expenses.
GET YOUR PARTY ON !!!!
TEAM SOCIAL CABIBBEAN NIGHT: Come and get your party on with us on Friday evening, April 19, in the Parish Center, and enjoy “Caribbean Night,” featuring the award-winning Silver Steel Band, which features 12 musicians, mostly playing steel drums and singing, featuring “our own” Brian Ente, who graces our Christmas and Easter masses with his percussion talent on timpani. This is a great family-fun-filled evening! See the attached flyer and the bulletin for all details! Members of Team Social will be available for sign-up after all the Masses this weekend. A bargain at only $15 per person! Please join in on the fun! Maybe we can get Fathers to LIMBO with us!
2024 BISHOP’S APPEAL IN-PEW COLLECTION WEEKEND APRIL 20 AND 21:
On April 20/21 our parish will hold In-Pew Weekend for the 2024 Annual Bishop’s Appeal. To date we have reached 80% of our total goal of $110,000. I, as your pastor, thank all those who have already made their commitment to the 2024 Annual Bishop's Appeal. However, this amount comes from only 146 donors. Last year, 2023 Bishop’s Appeal Saint Mark reached 99.38% of our total goal of $110,000. This amount came from only 288 donors. I thank you for your continued support of our parish and our diocese. I request all parishioners who have yet to make their gift, to prayerfully consider making your sacrificial gift or pledge to the 2024 Appeal to reach our goal. We are about 1400 households in our parish. I, as your pastor, request that a greater number of our parishioners prayerfully consider participating, even in a smaller amount to support our bishop in his 30+ projects across Fairfield County. Thank you.
BIJOU THEATER PRESENTS ‘TOUCH AND LIVE’: This musical about the life of Christ was composed by our very own Don Brelsford, Director of Music. This DVD presentation is approximately two (2) hours long and depicts scenes from the bible from Creation, the life and ministry of Jesus, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and up to Pentecost. Admission is FREE. Please join us at the Bijou Theater, 275 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
PENTECOST SUNDAY: It is never too early to reach out to our parishioners asking if anyone who speaks a foreign language would like to participate in reading during Pentecost Sunday masses. Please let the rectory office know! Contact Paula at 203-377-0444 or pmollica@stmarkstfd.org.
ST. MARK LADIES GUILD CROWNING OF THE MAY QUEEN: The St. Mark Ladies Guild, in combination with the Knights of Columbus, will present the Crowning of the May Queen in church on Monday, May 13, at 7:00 p.m., followed by recitation of the rosary. All are welcome.
OUR LADY OF GRACE CROWNING OF THE MAY QUEEN: The Women’s Ministry of Our Lady of Grace is holding a May Crowning and Candlelight Rosary on May 1st and all women of the Catholic Community of Stratford are invited to attend. Flyer attached.
Additionally, OLG will be holding their annual plant sale the weekend of May 3rd – 5th. A large variety of flowers, vegetables, and herbs will be available to choose from and this is a very popular plant sale here in Stratford! Flyer attached.
NEWS FROM THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS:
1. The St. John Paul II Knights of Columbus Council #8 will host a prayer devotion that includes a traveling Icon of St. Joseph (image attached). The devotion will be held at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. All are welcome.
2. In addition, the Knights will begin their month-long Rosary and Litany devotion to the Blessed Mother beginning Wednesday, May 1 through Friday May 31, 2024, at 7:00 pm weeknights, at 6:00 pm Saturday nights (after the 5:00 pm Mass) and at 12:30 pm on Sunday afternoons (after the 11:30 am Mass) (all in the Church, with the exception of Baptism Sundays, when you will pray in the Upper Room).
CATHOLIC HOME MISSION APPEAL AND BLACK AND INDIAN MISSIONS: Weekend of April 27 and 28 is our special collection to support the Catholic Home Missions Appeal and Black and Indian Collection. Nearly 40% of dioceses in the United States and its territories are unable to fund the essential pastoral work their communities need. This appeal assists our brothers and sisters, both here in the United States and elsewhere, who do not have access to basic pastoral services like Mass, the sacraments, and religious education. Through your support, help is available for mission dioceses to form vibrant faith communities, which strengthens the Church at home and also Black and Indian missions through grants to African American, Native America, and Alaska Native Catholic communities. Thank you for your generosity.
40 HOURS OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: On the occasion of this Eucharistic renewal year, the Catholic Community of Stratford is hosting 40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration! St. Mark will open its church doors for adoration on Friday, May 24, from 11:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. During this time the St. Mark Adoration Chapel will be closed. See the attached flyer for the days/hours when each Stratford Catholic Church will host adoration.
EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE EXHIBIT: What an exciting opportunity the Town of Stratford has been given by the Diocese! From Thursday, May 23 through Sunday, May 26, St. Mark will host the Eucharistic Miracle Exhibit, featuring over 160 posters, prayer cards, a short video, and much more. This event is free of charge and will be held in our Parish Center. More details are to come!
PARISH NURSES The Parish Nurses will be taking blood pressure readings the weekend of April 20/21.
LONG HILL GARDEN CLUB: Long Hill Garden Club is having its' yearly Plant and Tag Sale on Saturday May 4, at the Trumbull Library grounds from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Many home-grown sun and shade plants from members’ gardens are available, along with herbs, tomato plants, and new this year, trays of flowers for purchase. The Tag Sale portion will feature an assortment of garden tools, vases, baskets, and ornaments for sale. There is a children’s table with crafts and spider babies to be adopted. This is the Clubs major fund raiser so join us for a gardening extravaganza!
RELIGIOUS ARTICLES RECEIVED: We received the following thank-you note from the Mission group in Texas who receives religious articles from St. Mark: “Your incredible box reached us safely. What a glorious array of sacramentals, printed materials, and spiritual treasures of every kind! We are most grateful. Not a day goes by that we fail to remember you in our prayers. The suffering endured in the Missions and prisons is not possible for us to imagine. Many countries are at war, there is famine, disease, and a hopelessness that pierces the heart and soul. Your prayers, gifts and love are a heavenly balm for multitudes. Thank you for making the Living Rosary an intimate part of Our Lady's mission in the world, that Christ may reign as King! We pray you have a Blessed Holy Week and Glorious Easter Sunday.”
CHILDREN’S MASS: Please enjoy two photos from our recent Children’s Mass.
THE BISHOP’S LECTURE SERIES 2024: The most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano is to deliver the second Bishop’s Lecture on Wednesday, May 15, 204, at 7:00 p.m., at Greenwich Catholic School. The topic is “Come Let Us Worship.” All are welcome.
DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT SAINT LUKE GUILD:The Diocese of Bridgeport is promoting a new initiative, The Saint Luke Guild.
“All healthcare workers are invited to attend a gathering of The Saint Luke Guild, an initiative of the Diocese of Bridgeport, whose mission is to help healthcare workers grow in Christian discipleship by accompanying them in prayer and fellowship. Please join us on Monday, April 22nd, at Saint James Church in Stratford. We will gather at 7:00 p.m. for an evening of prayer, reflection, fellowship, and light refreshments. We encourage you to email your RSVP to SaintLukeGuild@diobpt.org if you plan to attend. To learn more about the Guild, please visit our website www.bridgeportdiocese.org/stlukeguild. We look forward to seeing you then!”
85th ANNUAL ANNA FUSCO MEMORIAL PILGRIMAGE HOLY SHRINES OF CANADA: Father Peter Adamksi is the Spiritual Director for the 85th Anna Fusco Memorial Pilgrimage to Canada July 12-15th. It is a 3-night, 4-day, all-inclusive roundtrip motorcoach from St. James Parish. The cost is $650.00 per person/ based on double occupancy. We do not have any single rooms available so you will need a buddy/ roommate for the trip due to the limited rooms at the Inn. This trip is a labor of love for Our Lord and St. Anne and the Fusco family does not make a profit from this pilgrimage. The trip is 50% full currently and there is still room for others to join us. Anyone interested may contact Michelle Rowe at St. James. See attached fliers.
EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL WITH BOBBY ANGEL! St. Pius X Catholic Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield, CT, invites us all to attend Eucharistic Revival with Bobby Angel for a two-night revival on “The Power of Jesus,” April 25-26, or, for Catechetical leaders such as Youth Ministers, DREs, and Catechists, the morning of April 27. Contact Paola Peña at ppena@st-pius.org. Flyer attached.
GYMNASTIC SLOVAK SOKOL, INC., Assembly No. 2 of Slovak Gymnastic Sokols: Lodge #2 of the Sokol USA District of GBU Financial Life will award up to two $1,000 scholarships each year to high school seniors accepted for admission to an accredited college/university who are of Slovak or Carpatho-Russian descent and residents of Bridgeport, Stratford, Trumbull, Milford, or Shelton, Connecticut. Founded in 1895, Sokol USA was established to promote physical culture, education, patriotism, and support and aid to its members. Applicants must complete the official Application for Scholarship Award and submit it with requested documentation to the Lodge’s Secretary by April 30. The Award must be applied to tuition or the purchase of textbooks in the pursuit of higher education. Applications are at the rectory office.
Criteria to be used in judging: overall merits of applicant, cumulative grade average, community activities, college acceptance, financial need, and essay content.
WELLSPRINGS: Wellsprings, a self-care retreat for women, will be held Saturday, April 27 from 8:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Peace Church Hall. Women are encouraged to set aside this time to care for themselves. Presenters are Betsy Redgate, Janine Kyburz and Maria Aguirre. Fee is $30, which includes lunch. Visit www.virtuehealthLLC.com/wellsprings for information and registration.
DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT VIRTUS SAFE ENVIRONMENT: The Diocese of Bridgeport is committed to the safety and welfare of our children! As all volunteers are aware, an updated background check and five-year renewal training session is imperative to keeping our children and community safe. For your information, you may visit the St. Mark website, click on “links,” click on “Diocese of Bridgeport” tab, click on “Safe Environment,” and read and review the most current data regarding safety for our children, and elderly, in the community. For those who are volunteers, please make sure you are updated in VIRTUS by visiting your existing account at www.VIRTUSonline.org. Or you may phone the Office of Safe Environment at 203-416-1407.
APARTMENT NEEDED: A healthy, hard-working male, senior citizen, seeks apartment or room in private home (possibly an “in-law” setup) for rent in the St. Mark area of Stratford. References are available, including Father Birendra and Father Russ. Please call Ed at 203-375-2719.
Best,
Paula (and Joan too)
P.S. Michael is as happy as can be! He was able to get his first lawn fertilizer application and weed control on the lawn in time for all the rain. Hopefully everything is soaked in and doing its job!
Nothing exciting is going on at the Mollica house this weekend. I might ask Michael to take me up to the Clinton outlet stores tomorrow (I’m in desperate need of Lindt marzipan dipped in dark chocolate), with a stop at Bishop’s Farm on the way home. And then we can always take a detour to Sugar Bakery for some cupcakes. Have you guys been there yet? The cupcakes are fantastic. My favorite is the “cherry bonnet.” It tastes just like a Carvel cherry dip ice cream cone! Once you have one cupcake, you are hooked.
That’s it for now. Everyone have a fantastic weekend and we’ll see you at Mass.
