The Catholic Graduates Club of Greater Hartford. Inc., will award three scholarships of $2,000 each for one year—2020/2021 
To be eligible: The candidate must be any Catholic student who is a Hartford County resident now attending an accredited secondary school, and who wishes to attend a four year college beginning in 2020. Students are chosen based on: financial need, scholarship, character, leadership and achievement. Application deadline is March 16, 2020. For more info:See your principal or counselor or go to http://www.catholicgraduatesct.org/

Did you know that on Wednesday we began one of the holiest seasons of the liturgical year?  Lent. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, where traditionally the palms from last year are burned and used to mark the us with the sign of the cross.  This sign reminds us of our reliance on God and the fact that we even though God loves us, we are sinners in need of repentance of forgiveness.  Lent, which lasts for forty days, is a season of reflection, with three main parts. For Lent, we can focus on these parts to help us engage with God on the forty-day journey.

OUR LENTEN JOURNEY

Walk with Our Lord for forty days and
nights on a Lenten pilgrimage during this
season of spiritual renewal.
Let our Lending Library assist you with its
selections of Scripture, Inspirational,
Jesus and Catholic Faith.

SPEND TIME WITH OUR LORD IN EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

at St. John Fisher Church, Sundays 4:00-4:45

Join our faith community, and more than 14,000 Catholic communities across the United States in a life changing Lenten journey with CRS Rice Bowl.  Pick up your family's CRS Rice Bowl at the entrances to the church.

April 3-5, 2020

Holy Family Retreat Team

We spend our time and energy on the necessities of everyday life, which hold so many things that are beyond our control. But what is it that we are longing for in the deepest way? What is our passion in life? This year at Holy Family, we will explore that deep longing planted in our hearts by God - a longing for peace, for wholeness, and for relationships that give us joy and lift us up. Come away and rest awhile to find and pursue your deepest longing, and by doing so, may you experience how God is longing so deeply for you, too.

Special thanks to our Confirmation class volunteers for spreading kindness and love during the month of February, congenital heart defect month. They united to pack bags of comfort for families staying at Boston Children's Hospital cardiac intensive care unit. These children truly exemplify the meaning of "Do everything with love."

Birthright is a crisis pregnancy service offering free pregnancy tests, friendship counseling, and practical support.   Our guiding principle: It is the RIGHT of every pregnant woman to give BIRTH and the RIGHT of every child to be BORN.  Birthright has served in Connecticut since 1972 and helped thousands of mothers and babies.  There are nine locations in our state.  Please call 1-800-550-4900 for the Birthright nearest you.  Training is provided. Spanish speaking  volunteers are especially needed.  Thank you.

BIRTHRIGHT NEEDS gently worn  MATERNITY and BABY CLOTHING. 

Holy Days of Obligation are special days that we, as Catholics come to Mass to celebrate special events of our faith.  These are opportunities for us to pause, reflect and celebrate the liturgy as a means of thanking God for his goodness.  These days are some of the  most important days of year for us as Catholics as they honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary and the saints, which is why we are called to celebrate by attending Mass. 

The bishops in each country have the ability to determine which days bind Catholics to attend Mass.   Bishops, in the United States, have determined that these six days are important enough to call all Catholics in the United States to worship at Mass as described in the Code of Cannon Law (church law) 1246.

The following is a list of Holy days:

A Story Time, Prayer and Play Group for children from birth to 6 and their caregivers. Please join us for stories, crafts, music, prayer, light refreshments and fun.

Group will meet from 10 -11 a.m. in the hall at St John Fisher  (however the actual story telling will take place in the church so the children will become increasingly familiar with the church and comfortable with sitting in the pews!)

Monday, Feb 24  ~  Monday, March 9  ~  Saturday, March 28

Group will meet twice a month on Saturday and Monday mornings.  It is Co-hosted by Amy Serrano and Theresa Brysgel, DRE. Full schedule will follow. For details, please join the Pray and Play Facebook Site or email Theresa Brysgel at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Every week we are invited to joyously come break bread at the Lord's table.  That's right, Mass is a joyful celebratory meal shared with your faith community here at St. John Fisher and around the world.  Isn't it incredible that people round the world are worshiping our Lord by celebrating the Eucharist just as we are in Marlborough, Connecticut!!   

As in the time of Jesus, this does not happen alone, but in community.  Together we learn, we share then we break bread.  Mass allows us to slow down and be in the presence of our loving Father.  We are both spiritually and physically fed in a powerful way that brings us closer to God.  We repeat the Last Supper every time we celebrate Mass.  Jesus "took his place at the table with the apostles ...  Then he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you. Do this in memory of me" (Luke 22:14,19).  When we go to Mass we are honoring Jesus' request to "do this in memory of me," and we are reminded not only of his sacrifice, but of his great love for us as well.  Simply stated, Mass is an opportunity to worship our heavenly Father. At the Lord's table, we worship, give thanks, listen to sacred scripture, celebrate the Eucharist and offer up prayers to a loving Father as a spirit-filled community.   Come find your place at the table! 

How awesome is it that every time we go to Mass we encounter the true Christ through the Eucharist?  One of the greatest mysteries of our faith, fills us spiritually and physically with the true presence of our Lord. 

What are some of your favorite mealtime rituals/memories?

How do you celebrate special meals?

How is this similar to how we celebrate special Masses at church?  Can you come up with 5 similarities?

When did Jesus share a sacred meal with his apostles that provides the foundation for our Mass?

What words did Jesus use then that we hear during the Eucharistic prayer at Mass today?

Additional resources:

Be sure to check out our parish library!

https://www.smp.org/resourcecenter/category/Mass/4/?per_page=all – a collection of videos and activities about the Mass.

https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/scripture-and-tradition/mass-and-liturgy/an-overview-of-the-mass

http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/index.cfm

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE COPY

According to the tax laws, parishioners are not able to deduct contributions to the parish unless they maintain a bank record or obtain a written contribution statement from the parish.   If you wish to ensure deductibility of your contributions to St. John Fisher Church, please use a check or parish envelopes.  The parish will track contributions made using parish envelopes only, and will, upon request, produce a written statement of contributions made. Your own canceled checks and other bank records are also sufficient documentation for the IRS.  The parish is unable to track cash contributions not placed in parish envelopes.    Please feel free to e-mail, call, or stop by the parish office with your request for your contribution report for 2019.  If you would like to receive weekly contribution envelopes, please notify the parish office.

Please help us support the families of Boston Children's Hospital Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.  February is Congenital Heart Defect Month. One in 100 children are born with a congenital heart  defect, and many of those children will require lifesaving surgery in their first years of life.  We will be collecting comfort items to include in packages that will be given to parents staying in family suites while their children are receiving treatments in the intensive care unit.   Items include: toiletry sized shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, mints, gum, toothbrushes, etc.  There will be a collection box at the church until February 9th.

Thank you for supporting our mission to help others!

Sincerely, Grace, Sydney and Jude, The 9th Grade Faith Formation Class and their Families

Week one – Welcome to the family. It is important for us to remember that God loves and cares for us. We are welcomed into God’s family as His adopted sons and daughters through baptism. This sacrament gives us the superpowers of the Holy Spirit, washes away the stain of original sin and most importantly invites to share in the salvation of our loving Father. Usually parents and godparents stand up and say yes we want this faith for this little person. They in turn commit publicly to help us to grow in discipleship and relationship with God. In return, God blesses us with many gifts and his unconditional love. That does not mean that we don’t need to ask for forgiveness when we stray, but it does mean that God’s love for us remains constant. GO to the parish website and see if you can answer a few questions about your baptism. Be sure to answer the fun questions on the website and bring proof that you did to mass the following week so you can enter into our parish drawing for prizes.