If you receive an email proported to be from "Fr. Thomas J. Sas", be very vigilant. Hover your cursor over the name in the email. You should be able to see the origin email address. If that email address is "Fr. Thomas J. Sas" at a GMail account it is a scammer. Delete the email. DO NOT respond. I've reported the email address to Google as a phishing scam.

Anytime you receive an email from someone who does not normally communicate with you, always approach the email mail with caution. Read the content and ask yourself; Is this something this person and I would normally talk about? Am I being asked to do something this person would normally ask me to do? Does the use of the language, syntax, spelling and manner of speaking sound like the person I know? Ask! DO NOT click reply. Instead, create a NEW email (or message) to an address you know is valid and ask. Or try a phone call.

Read the email conversation ...

Mass ~ 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Download: An Act of Spiritual Communion

18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Year A

You’ve seen it; perhaps even done it yourself: in a supermarket people examining labels, checking them for fat content, carbs, sugar, and the all important dietary fiber.  

But, approximately 850 million people in the world according to Bread for the World Institute don’t have that luxury. They are literally starving, unable to meet their most basic need for nourishment. We have all seen the pictures of people fighting one another to get even a cupful of rice. Our hearts go out to them – for a while. And then we go back to the supermarket to choose what we going to have for supper or to a restaurant where we again get to select what somebody else is going to prepare for us, maybe eating only a portion, with the rest becoming garbage to be thrown out.

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time A20

I was preaching at a 3^rd grade children’s Mass many years ago. I asked a simple question to which I expected an equally simple reply: If you were granted one wish, what would it be? After getting those expected simple replies such as a new bike, good grades, longer recesses, or pizza, one young girl raised her hand and said, “A Maserati!” Did she even know what a Maserati was? The congregation had a good laugh when I repeated her answer. Her parents slid down in their pew and covered their faces, wishing they could hide.

Our parish Book Club with Father Sas continues on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in our downstairs hall. The book, The Passion and the Cross by Ronald Rolheiser, is proving to be an interesting and compelling read, and our conversations on each chapter have been very inspiring and thought provoking. For this week, we are on Chapter 5. All are welcome even if you have yet to attend. Use of masks and social distancing are required.

Please help our local food bank and church community by donating any of your extra produce from your home gardens. Just leave them at the garden behind the church on Monday afternoons. Any questions, please call Peg at 860.841.9137

Are you an “in-ie” or an “out-ie”? No, I am not talking about your belly button

Do you remember the scene in Mark’s Gospel where Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived as Jesus was seated in a circle, surrounded by his disciples? When he was made aware that they were outside, he remarked, ”Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle [inside the house] he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”1

Once again I ask, “Are you an ‘in-ie’ or an ‘out-ie’?”

Rev. William L. Traxl, died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday morning,July 12, 2020. Many of us rememebr Father Traxl from when he served as administrator here at St. John Fisher.

Click here to view his obituary

Our teens are collecting individually portioned snack and drink donations for the House of Bread. Donations will be used to make bagged lunches for their clients. Our Confirmation students are also collecting gently used elementary and middle school aged books for the students at South Park Shelter All items can be left in the vestibule.

We are eagerly looking forward to the day when we could meet in person. For now, we can meet virtually! Check out the St John Fisher Facebook page which is full of books, coloring pages and craft ideas for pre-school aged children. This months theme is Noah’s Ark. Feel free to pick up a fun activity bag in the lobby of the church for your child. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your child’s name and age and Amy will be sure to leave a bag for them in the church foyer. Thank you Amy!

We are excited to announce, after much anticipation, a date for our second graders First Holy Communion! Thirteen St. John Fisher children will receive the Eucharist for the first time on Saturday, September 19. Please keep these children and their families in your prayers as they prepare for this big day!

Our parish Book Club with Father Sas continues on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30p.m. in our downstairs hall. The book, The Passion and the Cross
by Ronald Rolheiser is proving to be an interesting and compelling read, and our conversations on each chapter have been very inspiring and thought provoking. For this week, we are on Chapter 4 and all are welcome even if you have yet to attend. Use of masks and social distancing are required.

15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year A

“Talk is cheap.” “Actions speak louder than words.”

As indicated by those sayings our appreciation of words has lessened. Perhaps it’s because we hear so many of them. There seems to be no escape, especially now with the ubiquitous cell phone. Very often words become just noise to be blocked out or, through radio and TV, are used to fill the silence as we drive our cars, do our work or relax at home.

As we celebrate the 5^th anniversary of Laudato Si, Pope, Francis’ encyclical on caring for our common home, take a moment and offer up the prayer given to us by the Holy Father during recent address:

Loving God,
Creator of Heaven, Earth, and all therein contained.
Open our minds and touch our hearts,
so that we can be part of Creation, your gift.

The church bulletin will once again be available. We will not distribute it as a paper copy but rather via a link on this website. Please click here to access the bulletin. We encourage you to remember the businesses that support St. John Fisher through their bulletin advertisements. Both St. John Fisher and the advertisers thank you for your patronage of these businesses.