Would you be interested in calling newly-registered parishioners to welcome them to the St. John Fisher Family? It takes just a minute to reach out and say hello. If you would like to join others in this ministry, please contact Gale Busemeyer at 860.295.0001.

CRS Rice Bowls will be collected starting this week through April 7th. You may bring your donation to church any time during office hours, or put it in the weekly Mass collection in an envelope labeled Operation Rice Bowl. All checks should be made payable to St. John Fisher Church. Through your generosity, Catholic Relief Services will continue to provide service and advocate for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are strengthened as a family, and as a parish community when our children hear the Word of God and worship together. Our1st grade Faith Formation class will be participating in the Celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday, April 8th at the 10:30am Mass. The Faith Fair, with coffee and treats provided by our first grade class, will follow Mass.

April 13-15 ~ Holy Family Passionist Retreat & Conference Center

Join Holy Family’s retreat team for a weekend of peaceand reflection on the power of God's grace in our lives. In an age of division, tension and change, Grace Enough will explore the many ways God's presence empowers us and supports us through every step of life's journey. Discover anew how God’s grace is our greatest source of strength and courage to meet the ever-present challenges in our lives. Together we’ll reflect on how living in God's grace guides us to make wise choices, leading to true happiness and peace. The retreat begins with a buffet dinner from 6:00-7:30pm on Friday evening and concludes with the celebration of Sunday Eucharist at 10:45am, followed by a hot brunch atnoon. Families of retreatants are most welcome to attend the Sunday Mass and brunch at no extra charge. Offering: $320; more if you can, less if you can’t. Register online—www.holyfamilyretreat.org  860.760.9705

The Garden Committee will be having a planning meeting for the new 2018 growing season on Tuesday, April 3rd at 7pm in the St. Thomas More Hall.Anyone interested is welcome to attend and participate in the plans for the new season.All ages and abilities are welcome....you do not need to be a gardener. Hope to see you there!

Palm Sunday-Mark

When reading the Passion Account, we might ask or feel: “When will it ever end?” I sometimes wonder if Jesus felt the same way.

If the dramatic, communal sharing of Mark’s Passion brings to mind the many murders that affront us each day in the news, especially school shootings; the crimes that hurt the poor and desperate among us; the crushing despair of millions around the world who caught below the safety nets of economic and medical survival; then we are accompanying Jesus in his walk toward Calvary today.

5th Sunday of Lent, B18

Why would some Greeks approach Philip to ask to see Jesus? And what are they doing, worshipping at the Jewish feast of Passover?

Philip and Andrew are Greek names, not Jewish. Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee, a town with a Jewish name but just over the border in Gentile territory. Those Greeks may have been proselytes, people who have totally converted to Judaism or “God-fearers”, a step below. The question I have is: Did they ever get to meet Jesus? The text gives no indication that they did. Philip goes on a mission to consult with Andrew and together they go to tell Jesus about the visitors who, it seems, were standing there and waiting to hear whether Jesus would meet with them. Instead Jesus answers Philip and Andrew by saying what we just heard read in today’s Gospel. Nothing more is said about those Greeks. They are forgotten.

4th Sunday of Lent - Year B

During these first three weeks of Lent, various aspects of our covenant relationship with God have been presented along with the privileges and responsibilities that flow from that relationship. Today we focus our attention on the other party to the covenant: God. What we encounter is astounding, far beyond our imagining, and much greater than we would have any right to expect or even to hope for.

Don’t forget to visit the

St. John Fisher Art Gallery

in the St. Thomas More Hall.

Get your spring cleaning done and help support STJFGet your spring cleaning done and help support STJF
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
PARISH TAG SALE
MAY 19TH, 9AM-2PM
(Rain date: May 26th)

We have two options for this sale: Rent a space from us and sell your goods. ($20 per space) OR Donate your goods to us! No items too big! Call us and we’ll even pick them up!!

Please note: Limited volunteers are available to help sell your appreciated items; so, please take the time to choose your donations carefully. All proceeds will go toThe STJF Capital Development Fund.

Reserve your spot now: Jean @ 860.295.0840

“Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear.”  As we celebrate Palm Sunday, let us keep our ears open to the love from our spouses and God by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend.

The next Weekends are July 6-8 and Nov. 2-4, 2018, both in MANCHESTER, CT. For more information, call Pat & Mary-Jo McLaughlin at 860-315-2127 or visit them at https://wwmectw.org/