In My Love, Abide ~ Men's Retreat ~ April 4-6

Men's Retreat
April 4-6, 2025
Holy Family Retreat Team

Jesus calls us to remain in love as the branches remain with the vine for life and sustenance. We know that Jesus prayed often and taught his disciples to do the same. Pope Francis has named this year a "Year of Prayer." He described it as “a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world.” Since prayer is a means of holding that connection between humanity and God, we invite you to come and explore the depths of a life of prayer and learn ways to maintain the sacred connection to God through Christ, the true vine. Conferences and workshops will be offered along with the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Celebration of the Eucharist.  

The retreat begins with a buffet dinner from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening and concludes Sunday with the celebration of Mass at 10:45 a.m., followed by a hot brunch at noon. Families of retreatants are most welcome to attend the Sunday Mass and brunch at no extra charge. 

Offering: $350; more if you can, less if you can’t.

Read more: In My Love, Abide ~ Men's Retreat ~ April 4-6

🚘 Thank You From The Drive Thru Café

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Drive Thru Café for January, especially the cooks, bakers, and servers. Due to our amazing generosity all the recipients were provided with a delicious meal. The extra food was brought to Florence Lord Senior Housing, as well as, Marlborough residents who have been battling illness. Further, our bakers provided enough cookies that extra cookies were frozen to be used at a benefit event at the Congregational Church with whom we partner on this Outreach initiative.

Sunday, March 30 is our next meal which will consist of meatloaf.

Knights of Columbus Scholarship for Catholic High School Seniors

The Knights of Columbus is a world-wide Catholic fraternal organization founded on the principles of charity, unity fraternity and patriotism. This year St. John Fisher Knights of Columbus Council 15734 of Marlborough, CT will honor two worthy graduating seniors with a scholarship in recognition of their exemplary commitment of service to our community and exemplary practice of their Catholic faith in daily life.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:

Therefore, Council 15734 has stipulated that the eligibility criteria for a qualified applicant are the following;

Read more: Knights of Columbus Scholarship for Catholic High School Seniors

Thank You From Archbishop Coyne

I am writing to congratulate you and your parishioners of St. John Fisher Parish for your generous support of the 2024 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. The parish has responded to the call to be part of Do This In Memory of Me in a very gratifying way and has exceeded the parish goal. Please communicate my heartfelt gratitude to your parishioners for their generous response, and be assured of my prayers and best wishes for you and for everyone at St. John Fisher Parish. God grant you a blessed 2025.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne
Archbishop of Hartford

Prayer Line

If you have a loved one for whom you would like to have the St. John Fisher Community raise up in prayer, please consider contacting our prayer line by calling one of the prayer line members mentioned each week in the bulletin. You may also email the office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or write your intention and place it in the prayer bowl. While these prayers are kept private, Father includes the prayer intentions each week in the Prayers of the Faithful during weekend Masses. Allow the power of communal prayer to include your prayer intention: “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20

Special Thanks From the 9th Grade Confirmation Class

Special thanks from the 9th grade Confirmation class for all the breakfast item donations to benefit the neighborhood children of the Catholic Worker House in Hartford. The teens were able to assemble almost 400 snack bags! Due to the large quantity, we were able to donate a portion of these snack bags to the Kids’ Café of the House of Bread. Thank you all so much for making this service event such a huge success!

Special Thank You

Many thanks to Pete, Carol, George, Annie, Barbara, Jim, Jean, Todd and the Knights of Columbus for updates to our chapel so it is available for prayerful reflection, a place for temporary respite during the mass for parents and young children and for small group use for meetings. Without your generous donations of time, materials, and talents, this would not have been possible. We have to thank the Knights of Columbus again, for their financial support that covered the costs of the acoustic wall boards and lighting.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations

A big thanks to Jim for leading, coordinating and planning this project.  And much thanks to the team of seasoned lighting installers Tony, Kurt, and Mike to get the lights tested and installed.  Carlos played a big role in solving some power related issues that we ran into.  The foundation for all this work was the new power circuit, for which Pedro and his company graciously donated their time and material in order to complete this job. 

With Thanks for Such Joyful Generosity

Abundant thanks to all who made our Christmas Giving Program such a wonderful success; the Christian Outreach group for the coordination and set up: and a huge and embracing thanks to everyone who thoughtfully purchased gifts supporting - Journey Home, St. Vincent dePaul, Marlborough Healthcare, By the River, Sacred Sweats, Protectors of Animals and Caring Families. You touched hearts and lives with your generosity in Jesus’ name at Christmas!

Christmas Decorations - Outside

Merry Christmas

Pilgrims of Hope for the 2025 Jubilee Year

Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Pilgrims of Hope” for the 2025 Jubilee Year and is calling all Catholics to renewal in the hope of Christ, using  St. Paul as a guide for this special year. “Everyone knows what is to hope,” said Pope Francis. “For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God’s word helps us find reasons for that hope. Taking it as our guide, let us return to the message that the Apostle Paul wished to communicate to the Christians of Rome.” Apostle Paul preached that salvation for all people is achieved only through faith in Christ, which guarantees a share in His life. And we are invited to share in the divine nature of Jesus through God’s gift of grace, not through our own merit. God’s grace is for all people, regardless of ethnicity or social status, who believe in Him.

Community Service Project Catholic Worker House January 5th 

The 9th Grade Confirmation Class will be working on a community service project to benefit the Catholic Worker House. The Catholic Worker House, located in the north end of Hartford, prayerfully works toward an end to violence and poverty. The teens will be putting together snack bags for children who attend the after-school program and Saturday Art and Sport program. We are asking for the following pre-packaged donations:

Please put the donations in the blue bin located in the foyer of the church