Resumption of Public Worship

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord,

It gives us great joy to resume the celebration of the Eucharist inside our beautiful church beginning the weekend of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (June 13th and 14th). Bishop Caggiano has posted a list of extensive guidelines regarding Phase 2 on our diocesan website at: www. Bridgeportdiocese.org. Please take a moment to read the guidelines as we enter into this new phase.

Since a hundred parishioners are allowed to attend any given mass, we have come up with a plan. 50 people can be in the church, another 40 people in McKeon Hall and 10 people in the Jubilee Memorial lobby. Every mass will be live-streamed and simulcast in the hall and the lobby. Those who attend the mass in the hall or lobby, please bring your own chairs and observe the guidelines for social distancing and wearing mask. The restrooms will not be available. While entering and exiting the church 6-foot physical distancing must be maintained with anyone outside of a person’s immediate household. Socializing INSIDE the church is prohibited. After the mass, volunteers are needed to disinfect the pews.

Since printed worship aids (song sheets) are not allowed, congregational singing by the people is suspended until further notice. Because singing expels significantly more aerosolized particles of virus than speaking, it creates a much greater risk of spreading the virus.

Procedure for receiving communion will be explained at all the masses.

In the event that the parish is notified that someone who attended Mass has been diagnosed as COVID-19 positive, we will notify all attendees of that particular mass and take appropriate measures mandated by the state and the diocese.

I ask for your cooperation and patience while we go through these precautionary and safety protocols. As Bishop Caggiano said in his letter, “Let us remember that our common sacrifice has had one prime motive: to follow the mandate of the Lord of life to protect, defend, and keep safe every human life.”

Please be safe and stay healthy. God bless you all.

Fr. Joseph A. Prince

Mass Schedule/Intentions this Week

Please note: Masses require a reservation.

If you are unable to join us in person you may connect to the livestream Mass via our Facebook page or our website. You can view the recording anytime.

Saturday, June 6-Space still available. Reserve your spot.

5:00pm - Outdoor Mass - Livestreamed

+Katherine and Patrick Ryan

Sunday, June 7 - Sunday masses are fully reserved.

10:00am - Outdoor Mass - Livestreamed

12:00pm - Outdoor Mass

For Our Parishioners

+Eugene Healy

+Vincent Maiolo

+Bobby McCarthy

Monday, June 8

11:00am - Livestream

+Deceased members of the Desjardins Family

Tuesday, June 9

11:00am - Livestream

+Ron Cococcia

Wednesday, June 10

11:00am - Livestream

+John O'Hara

Thursday, June 11

11:00am - Livestream

+Ann Hastings

Friday, June 12

11:00am - Livestream

+Betty Lambert

Saturday, June 13

All Masses resume indoors and will be livestreamed. Reservation to attend is required. Links for this weekend's Masses will be sent out on Monday morning.

5:00pm

+Amy Edwards

Sunday, June 14

8:00am

Rev. Michael Cambi - Healing

10:00am

+Mary Brown

12:00pm

+William O'Connor

OUTDOOR PUBLIC WORSHIP PROTOCOL:

This weekend the Holy Masses will be held at 5pm on Saturday and at 10am and 12pm on Sunday. We are planning to livestream both the 5pm and 10:00am Masses. As always the Mass can be found on the website and on our Facebook page. If we have difficulty with the Wifi, the mass will be recorded and posted to website following the mass.
Current State and Diocesan guidelines clearly state that only 50 people can gather for any public service.
Bring your own lawn chair, or a blanket, (umbrella if needed). People can put their chairs either in the driveway, or on the grassy knoll.
Outdoor masses will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.
Social distancing will be strictly enforced, and all must wear facial masks.
Church and bathrooms are to be locked and closed off while the outside mass is going on.
People observe social distancing, and wearing mask guidelines when lining up for communion.
People are strongly encouraged to receive communion in their hand, not on their tongue for obvious reasons. But if one wishes to receive communion on the tongue, he/she will be asked to come at the end of the line so that the clergy will have the extra time to prepare and comply with the sanitizing guidelines.
The method for the distribution of communion in our church: While retaining a face mask, each communicant will be asked to stop SIX FEET in front of the priest before coming forward to receive the Eucharist. The priest will say, “Body of Christ,” and the communicant will respond “Amen.” The communicant will come forward, receive the Eucharist SILENTLY, and after stepping aside, remove his/her facemask and consume the consecrated host.
There will be a collection basket as you come in to mass. Please drop your envelope or your contribution in the collection basket.
Unfortunately worship aids, like sheets with the readings and songs for the mass, are not permitted. You may download the Readings and Responsorial Psalm to your smart phone or electronic device and bring it to Mass with you if you would like to follow along. You can find the daily readings on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Website. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings
Please always follow the SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES whether you enter or exit the worship space.
The obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended. If you are immuno-surpressed or high risk for any reason you are encouraged to stay home and participate through the live stream.
If you are unable to sign up via the link, you may call the parish office to make your reservation. (203) 438-7292. Press "1" to hear the Mass Schedule and Press "1" again to make your reservation.
If you find you are unable to attend after making your reservation. Please be sure to cancel the reservation to allow space for someone else to attend.

Father Prince's Gospel Reflection

Reflections for Trinity Sunday

Richard O’Dea, a professor from California was delivering a series of lectures at Washington University. One day, because fog had closed down the Spokane airport, he had to complete his trip to the University by taking a bus. The bus almost certainly filled, stopped along the way to pick up a drunk, one of the worst O’Dea had ever seen. The grisly fellow looked as if he had fallen through a plate glass window; his body was covered with bloody bandages. Amid the grumbles of those near him, he fell asleep, snoring and drooling, sliding half way down from his seat into the aisle. Those around him became noticeably upset.

At the next stop, a beautiful young woman boarded the bus. She was dressed elegantly in a long camel hair coat. Every eye turned toward her as she took her seat. As they neared the Cascade Mountains, the bus became quite cold. Suddenly, the young woman, walked to the inebriated man, folded his arms over his chest and helped him back into his seat. Then she took off her camel hair coat, covered him with it, and returned to her seat. There was complete silence in the bus, for as O’Dea put it, “There was a beauty in her gesture that made us seem ugly, as we knew it.”

The three feasts we celebrate in a row – Pentecost, the Holy Trinity, and the Corpus Christi – provide strong reason for us to consider who we are as a church. One of the most consistent ways the Vatican II and St. John Paul II describe us as a church is as a “Communion and a Mission.” The outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost is the unifying act that makes us a communion with a mission; one people who, with all the marvelous diversity that enriches our church, are yet one in our commitment to evangelize this world in Christ.

On the feast of the Holy Trinity, we find more reason to understand ourselves as a “Communion with a Mission.” Our greatest example of a communion with a mission is the Holy Trinity – three distinct, loving persons who exist in perfect communion, but not just for themselves. Their communion is for a ‘mission,’ a mission of caring love for all that they have created and hold in existence; for all nature and for every person. Why do we need to come back again and again to the root mystery of who we are – the Holy Trinity in whose image we are created? Because we are all Richard O’Dea on a bus, on a journey, sometimes unable to recognize our mission, even though it is right in front of our eyes. We forget we are all passengers on the bus of life, responsible for those who need us, called beyond our own needs for the moment, asked to share our coat with one who needs it far more than we.

“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16)

Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Church Hours

The Church is open daily 6:30am-10:30am and 12:30-4:30pm for private prayer. The parish office remains closed until further notice. Email and phone messages are checked regularly.

Thank You!

We wish to thank all of our parishioners who have been mailing in or dropping off their donations, and those who have signed up for Online Giving. We appreciate your generosity and desire to continue to support the parish.

Please note that we have upgraded our Online Giving Platform. It is very user friendly. If you shop or do your banking on-line please consider this format for your donations. You have the option to make a one time gift or set up a recuring cycle that suits your timing and budget You can visit the site by clicking the button below.

Online Giving

Second Collection

This weekend's second collection is for the Parish Emergency Fund.

Help is Available

Help is available to parishioners in need in the form of Grocery Cards, nonperishable food and monetary help from the Family Assistance Program. If you or someone you know is in need, please reach out to:

Grocery Cards: Deacon Frank Foyt

Nonperishable food: Mia Belanger of the Outreach Committee

Monetary help: Father Prince Family Assistance Program 203-438-7292

Mass Intentions

If you would like to schedule a Mass intention for a loved one. Please send an email to the office. stsetonparish@comcast.net.

If you have a prayer request, please send an email to the St. Elizabeth Seton prayer tree. SESPrayertree@gmail.com

Saint Elizabeth Seton, Ridgefield raised 176 gifts worth $67,987 from 147 donors bringing the parish to 71.94% of its $94,500 goal. Thank you for your generosity. If you have not yet returned your pledge, please do so as soon as you are able. Your gift is a lifeline to the poor and most vulnerable in our diocese.

ACA Renew Video