We have a number of opportunities for our SJF Parish Family to practice our faith through service to others. Which service opportunities are calling your name?

• Monthly Food Drive for the Food Bank of Marlborough
• Monthly Sandwich Collection for St. Vincent DePaul Place
• Various Sandwich Making Opportunities
• Birthday Bags for the Children of our local food bank
• Various Clothes & Coat Drives
• Various Collections of Care Items for Shelters
• Creating care bags for the homeless
• “Baby Shower” Supporting Birth Right
• Sunday Dinners for St. Vincent dePaul Place
• Other Shelter Dinner Opportunities
• “Cooking with Care” – preparing meals for our parishioners/families
• School Supplies & Backpack Drive for our elementary school & RHAM
• Drive-Thru Café (Sunday dinner) for patrons of our local food bank
• Programs Supporting Catholic Relief Services
• Autumn Luncheon for Marlborough Senior Citizens
• Outreach/Christmas Cards for those incarcerated
• Fair Trade Gift Events
• Holiday Giving Programs – Thanksgiving and Christmas

Want to know more? Watch for scheduled opportunities in our monthly parish calendar, our bulletin, our website (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and on Facebook!

Registered users, Login and click here to access ministry contact information.

It’s time to dust off your vocal chords and lift your voice in praise and in song. We have a very exciting year of music ahead of us. 

Please feel free to join at any time.  ~   Open rehearsals will be on Monday evenings from 6:00-7:30pm.

See me before or after Mass and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have! I hope you will consider sharing your gifts and talents through music!

~ Kathleen Filosa, Choir Director

A huge thank you to our catechists who have graciously volunteered to give their time and energy to educate our children and bring them even closer to God and our church:
Holly Bangham, Colleen Napolitano, Melissa Jordan, Kristen McLaughlin, Tracy Corey, Silvia Orama, Anne Amodeo, Amy Boutilier, Ellie Packer, Rosie Henderschedt, Meg Tracey, Jeffrey Tracey, Karen Sawyer, Monica Wallace, Jackie Spencer, Anne Hooker and Claudine Polachanin Also, a big thank you to Caroline Meyer and Shannon Visco for volunteering to watch our catechists’ children while they teach!

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time B18

Scholars often say the passage we read from Mark’s Gospel today represents a turning point in Mark’s narrative. Up to this point the disciples have heard Jesus preach and teach, witnessed his healing and other miracles, and gotten excited thinking he’s someone special and we have been chosen by him.

Now he asks them a question: Who do people say that I am? After giving him the answers which include John the Baptist come from the dead, Ezekiel who was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot and would come back to announce the coming of the Messiah, and any one of the prophets, he then asks: But you, who do you say that I am? A pivotal question that requires them to pierce through the opinion of others and declare what they have learned up to now.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, B18

The author of The Letter of James has as one main themes is “faith without works is dead”. He sets before his readers an example: “For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Sit here, please,’ while you say to the poor one, ‘Stand there,’ or ‘Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves …?”¹ Whom would you like to associate? With someone who is dressed in the latest fashion, has clean hands and combed hair; or, someone like Pigpen from the Peanuts (Charlie Brown) comic strip who radiates a very earthy look and accompanying aroma?

Faith Formation Registration is being wrapped-up. Except for one class, all volunteer catechist positions are filled. We need a volunteer catechist to teach 6th grade. This class had 2 wonderful teen volunteers for many years, however these girls have graduated and are now at UCONN. Unfortunately, we've had no luck in finding replacements for them so far. Please let me know if any of you are interested in teaching OR if you have a teenager interested in teaching OR if you know someone who may want to teach.

This year we have been blessed to have most teachers return. Also we are lucky to have a new parent to teach first grade. We recruited 2 former parents, who no longer have students in MES, to return as volunteer catechists to teach 1st and 3rd so there is a lot to be thankful for!

Please contact Theresa Brysgel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the Parish Office at 860295-0001 if you can help.

Many thanks for another successful back-to-school drive to help prepare our Marlborough Elementary and RHAM Middle and High School students for a successful year of learning and growing. These students and their families are grateful for your generosity and the opportunities you have afforded them. We have a glorious and caring St. John Fisher family!

Help support retreat leader, Tony Belizzi’s “Performing Life Project” which sells bracelets made in Bolivia by youths living in poverty. The bracelets sell for $2.00-$5.00, and make it possible for young people to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families. They will be on sale after the 4:00pm Mass on Saturday, September 15th. This is a great help for the Bolivian youth since there is no market for their work where they live.

The 10th grade Confirmation class will be on retreat on Saturday, September 15, in the church hall.

We are once again looking for donations for their taco dinner. Sign-up sheets are located at the back entrance of the church.
All donations MUST be dropped off at the church prior to 2:00pm so as not to disturb the retreat.

Any questions, please contact Jen O’Neill at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We also ask that you keep these young men and women in your prayers as they continue on their journey towards the completion of their Catholic initiation and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time B18 

Elijah had just shown God’s power over the prophets of Baal. And then he killed them, all 450! This didn’t sit well with Jezebel, the Queen of Israel, since she worshipped Baal. So she threatened to do the same to Elijah, i.e., kill him. Elijah had had it with this prophesying stuff. He was doing all the right things for God and felt that God was hanging him out to dry. He ran away to the desert and prayed for death. God heard his prayer and answered differently. Instead God offered him nourishment, called him to walk further to Horeb, a.k.a. Mount Sinai, where God would appear to him; and, after choosing Elisha to be his successor taking him up to heaven in a fiery chariot. “According to the story, the one thing God did not do for Elijah was allow him to die.”

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, B18

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks who went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered she walked right in. At the table there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the 1st bowl and exclaimed “This porridge is too hot!” She next tasted the porridge from the 2nd bowl and said “This is too cold.” She finally tasted the porridge from the 3rd bowl and happily said “This is just right.” After eating she felt tired. So she walked into the living room where she saw 3 chairs. She sat in the 1st and exclaimed “This chair is too big.” She went to the 2nd, sat down and said “This is too big too.” Finally she sat in the smallest chair and sighed “This is just right.” But as soon as sat down, it broke!!! She was feeling very tired by this time, so she went upstairs to the bedroom. She lay down in this 1st bed but it was too hard. She tried the 2nd and it was too soft. Then she lay down in the 3rd bed and it was just right. If you want to read the end of the story, go to the library.