Religious Freedom Week 2020: For the Good of All

Join us, June 22 - June 29, as we pray, reflect, and take action on religious liberty, both here in this country and abroad.

This is a link to a prayer to St. Thomas More.

http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/upload/St-Thomas-More-English.pdf

As we return to Ordinary Time in our liturgical calendar, these days still remain anything but "ordinary." We face continued uncertainty with the coronavirus pandemic, while at the same time coming to terms with a world deeply wounded by racial violence and inequality. The realities of our world are frightening, but we cannot ignore them. In this Sunday's gospel, Jesus calls for courage: "What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops" (Matthew 10:27). 

We are called to bear witness to and proclaim the transforming power of God's love to the world. We are called to speak out against injustice and advocate for those in need. Through the Gospel, we receive God's truth. In the words of St. Ignatius Loyola, "God’s love calls us to move beyond fear. We ask God for the courage to abandon ourselves unreservedly, so that we might be molded by God’s grace, even as we cannot see where that path may lead us."

Join Kurt Filosa and Jen O'Neill as they lead the Rosary,
for a community prayer experience

Sign-up at by clicking this link or on the bible above

You will be send the link for the gathering prior to the 29th.

Download "How to recite the Holy Rosary" by clicking here.

Easy, onscreen instructions on how to join for those unfamiliar with online meetings.
You can join voice only, without video ability.

Father Sas will be offering online Mass, Sunday, June 7, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Thank you to Gil Thompson and Nancy Aniolek for recording, Cathy Castellani for reading, and Kathleen Filosa, Carolyn Henderson, and Janice Reska for providing music. The Mass will be available on our parish website on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

St. John Fisher is offering Daily Mass every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Appropriate social distancing, disinfecting and use of masks will be in place. The pews are marked as to social distancing, with a maximum attendance of 44 parishioners available. We are looking for volunteers to serve as greeters and readers. Greeters will be asked to count the attendees and help ensure parishioners are wearing masks. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sunday Adoration continues from 4:00-4:45 p.m. Social distancing, use of masks and proper disinfecting will all occur.  

To follow up on Fr. Sas's words from last Saturday, you are encouraged to view these additional statements and articles on racism and our Catholic faith. We will continue to share resources each week as it is critical for our community to examine these difficult issues as we pray for and work towards a more just society.

• U.S. unrest: Pope condemns 'sin of racism'
• Archbishop Blair's Statement Regarding the Killing of George Floyd
• Open Wide Our Hearts: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism
• To fight racism, Catholics must hunger for justice like we do for the Eucharist

The garden is now up and growing for it’s sixth season. Our small but mighty team of volunteers has been working hard to keep our safe distances while working . The garden was given a donation of new planters from the DeSanto family and so we have increased our growing power. Mike and Cathy each year have also secured a generous donation of hearty tomato and pepper plants from the Horton farm of South Glastonbury. Big thanks to them for their continued support of our community garden. Many of our other seedling starters come from donations through the Colchester Giving Garden,Provider Farm in Salem and a high school student volunteer in Colchester who has started many seedlings .

Next Tuesday, June 16th, is RHAM High School Graduation. Congratulations to RHAM Class of 2020 graduates and to all the other high school graduates in our community. What a glorious accomplishment and we look forward to seeing your wonderful mark on this world and where your new paths take you! 

We are beginning a book club this summer with the first book being chosen by Father Sas: The Passion and the Cross, by Ronald Rolheiser. For those interested, we will meet on Tuesday, June 30  from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Father asks that we read the introduction and Chapter 1 prior to our first meeting. We will meet outside at church; please bring your book and an outdoor chair. 

The annual Catholic Social Justice conference is being offered free of charge, but virtually this year. The theme of Rooted In Faith, Opening Wide our Hearts is especially meaningful as our nation deals with issues of racism and inequality. This virtual conference references and learns from the U.S. Bishops Letter Against Racism. The next session is offered on July 8 at 7:00 p.m. with Chris Doucot, the founder of the Hartford Catholic Worker Community.  The conference features monthly speakers through April 2021. Please access this link to see the entire speaker line up and to register for the July offering. Registration is required to access the online presentation. 

Before you were even formed, God knew you.
While in your mother’s womb, God named you.
At your birth, God’s breath filled you with life.
Today we celebrate what you have become
at this moment in time.

Father Sas will be offering online Mass, Sunday, June 7, The Most Holy Trinity. Thank you to Gil Thompson and Nancy Aniolek for recording, David Lenihan for reading, and Kathleen Filosa, Carolyn Henderson, and Janice Reska for providing music. The Mass will be available on this website on Sunday morning.

NEW! Beginning Tuesday, June 9, St. John Fisher will be offering Daily Mass every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Appropriate social distancing, disinfecting and use of masks will be in place. The pews are marked for social distancing, with a maximum attendance of 44 parishioners available. We are looking for volunteers to serve as greeters and readers. Greeters will be asked to count the attendees and help ensure parishioners are wearing masks. To volunteer, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The Marlborough Girl Scouts have asked St. John Fisher to join them in decorating "kindness rocks" and placing them along the stone wall in the Marlborough Town Center Green. Lets spread some much needed faith and love during these difficult times. Thanks to Stella Boutilier and the Marlborough Girls Scouts for this great idea! 

Every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God.  Therefore we must no longer pass judgment on one another.  Instead you should resolve to put no stumbling block or hindrance in you brother’s way.  The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking but of justice, peace and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit.  Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and wins the esteem of men.  Let us, then, make it our aim to work for peace and to strengthen one another.