The Easter season is a time when we are reminded, more than ever, how much God has done for us. In this spirit of gratitude, I thank all those parishioners who helped make the Easter and Triduum celebrations shining examples of God’s Glory: the Worship and Genesis choirs, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Greeters, and the Decorating Committee. Thank you, also, to our office volunteers who worked behind the scenes to ensure that our Holy Week liturgies ran smoothly. A final note of thanks to all those who contributed gifts for our Easter flowers.

Our parish truly benefitted from the time, talent, and treasure of our generous volunteers. I am grateful and humbled that you answered God’s call to serve your parish family in such a special way.

I would also like to commend the parishioners for their hospitality on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

Many thanks,

Father Sas

Imagine you’re outside at night. Further imagine you see a bright light moving at a speed faster than anything you’ve ever seen. It zigzags across the sky, coming closer and then farther away. Suddenly it stops still right in front of you. And then in a flash, it’s gone. You run to tell the people in the house. What is their reaction?

Now imagine you are one of those huddled in the upper room. Suddenly Jesus appears. Thomas isn’t there to behold this marvelous sight and the peace and forgiveness He brought. But when Thomas returns, you excitedly tell him. What is his reaction?

It has been a kidney stone of a year.

The media have certainly featured enough bad news to last a lifetime. It’s not really their fault. There has been a great deal of bad news.

Internationally, there has been the rise of terrorism around the world but especially in Paris and Brussels.

Nationally, unemployment is a reality for many and a fear for many more as companies and corporations downsize, though management calls it “right sizing”. The 1% are getting richer at the expense of the poor and the shrinking middle class. The news more often resembles a police blotter report than anything else. Not to mention the insults, attacks, innuendo, and sometimes outright lies (misspoken of course) that now characterize our politics.

Confirmation Candidates at the Soup for a Cause event.  $1420 was raised at this dinner which will benefit House of Bread's Kids Cafe in Hartford.

All high school students are welcome to meet at the church on April 2 at 11:30 am to head off to Talcott Mountain to hike to the Heublein Tower. There, we’ll enjoy lunch and a beautiful view! We’ll be returning back to the church to celebrate 4:00 Mass together followed by pizza in the hall.

Click here: COME SPEND THE DAY HIKING FLYER

Click here: Download Permission Form

5th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 16

Things are not always as simple as they at first appear to be. Today’s Gospel is a perfect example of a passage that has layers of meaning and application.

On the surface, this is apparently just another confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes with an adulterous woman caught in the crossfire. But, she is only a pawn. The Pharisees and scribes are not really concerned about her or her sin but about Jesus’ answer to their challenge. If he agrees with the Mosaic Law, he is in conflict with the Romans who forbade the Jews to pass or carry out a death sentence, and revealing that his mercy and compassion are limited. If he lets her go unpunished for this capital offense against the Mosaic Law, he will be seen as “soft on crime” and in conflict with his Jewish heritage. It seems to be a “no win” situation. But Jesus turned the tables by making the interpreters and keepers of the Law face their own sinfulness before passing judgment on someone else.

4th Sunday of Lent, C, 2016

When you feel wronged, what’s your reaction? I think for most of us it is righteous indignation.

We can identify with the elder son in today’s Gospel. We don’t understand why the father is throwing a banquet for his wayward son, especially when we’ve been good. We feel cheated, angry, resentful, and are prone to pouting or else figuratively or literally stamping our feet.

Sometimes we question God by saying, “I’ve been good. How come that person who is so much worse than I gets a free pass? What’s in it for me?” We often wonder about God’s justice. ---- Until we need God’s mercy.

3rd Sunday of Lent, C, 2016

How would you describe yourself? Think for a moment (pause about 15 seconds).

How many of us would describe ourselves as did Pope Francis when asked the same question: “I am a sinner.”

Well, of course, we know we’ve all made mistakes, hurt others, and ignored people’s legitimate needs. In other words, in these or in other ways, we all sinned. But to admit it freely and humbly, to say that defines who we are, that’s another thing completely.

Photographs of the Rite of Election at St. Joseph's Cathederal are now available for viewing in our photo gallery. To view the pictures, you must be signed in. Once you have signed in, you can click here to go directly to the gallery.  Click any photograph to view the slideshow.

Tuesday Evening, March 15th at 7:00pm. Filling Easter Eggs will take place upstairs. There is a Christian Outreach meeting being held in the St. Thomas More hall.

Help Us Help Others has been changed to Sunday, April 10 from 1:00 - 3:30pm also due to a date conflict. More details to follow.