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Optional Memorial of St. Angela Merici, virgin  

  January 27

 

St. Angela was born in northern Italy. In 1516, she founded the Order of Ursulines, the first teaching order for women approved by the Church. According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. John Chrysostom. St. Angela Merici's feast is celebrated on June 1, except in the convents of her order where it is also celebrated today.

 

St. Angela Merici

The saint was born in 1474 in the diocese of Verona. Early in life she dedicated herself to Christ as His bride. After the death of her parents, she desired to live solely for God in quiet and solitude, but her uncle insisted that she manage his household. She renounced her patrimony in order to observe most perfectly the rule for Franciscan Tertiaries.

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Church News

  • St John's Kids

    • Parish News & Service

    •  

    Our Daily Bread

    • Pastor

    Rev. Father Michael Phillippino

     

    Deacon

    Rev. Mr. John R. Hancock

     

    Principal

    Mr. Bob Fritz

    blairgrsec@yahoo.com

     

    Director of Religious Education

    Kathryn Connolly


    Parish Administrative Secretary
    Mrs. Megan Burke
    StJohnSecretary@comcast.net
       

    Parish Bookeeper

    Ms. Patty Holmes

    StJohnBook@comcast.net

     

    Sexton

    Michael Keleher

    StJohnSexton@comcast.net

     

    Choir Director

    Bryan Cosham

     

    Parish Office Hours
    Monday through Friday

    8AM to 3PM

    Closed weekends, holidays & holy days

     

    Parish Council
    Meets every 3rd Thursday of the month at 7 PM in the Rectory; all parishioners are welcome to attend

     

      

    "The Mother Church of The Norwich Diocese"

    Mass Schedule

    Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM

    Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM

    Weekday Masses: 8:00 AM Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat

    No 8AM Mass on Wed

    Eucharistic Adoration begins in the chapel at 9AM after morning Mass

    on the 1st Friday of each month and ends at 6PM, in observance of the 6:30 Stations of the Cross, with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and a Benediction.

    Monday Night: Miraculous Medal Novena in the Chapel

    Thursday Night: 7PM Prayer Group in the Chapel

    First Fridays: 8AM Mass and Devotions to the Sacred Heart

    First Saturdays: 8AM Mass and Holy Rosary

    Confession: Heard Saturdays, 3:00-3:30PM

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Sample Texts

     

     

    BISHOP COTE’S PRO-LIFE PASTORAL

    January 22, 2012 

     

    My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

     

    We begin the New Year with the 39th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision of the United States Supreme Court, I write you to commend your efforts to build a culture of life in our country. This year’s respect life theme from the USCCB is “I came so that all might have life and have it to the full.”(JN 10:10)

     

    This country is based upon freedom. It is one of the foundational principles of our constitution, but as Pope John Paul II reminded all of us in a mass at Camden Yards on October 8, 1995 in Baltimore, MD: “Freedom consists not in doing what we want but what we ought.” If we are to live the “glorious freedom of the Children of God”(Rom 8:21) we must respect and defend the right to life of the most innocent among us, unborn children.

     

    The “Roe v Wade” Supreme Court decision in 1973 declined to state whether or not an unborn child is a “person”. Recent developments in prenatal screening and nic-unit technology have made it possible for children to live much earlier than before. This is a positive sign. However, much work needs to be done.

     

    To build a culture that affirms life we need to address the full spectrum of life issues. In his encyclical Evangelium Vitae Pope John Paul II stated that “abortion and contraception are fruits of the same tree.” (EV 1:13) In the same letter Pope John Paul II also states that “the pro-abortion culture is especially strong when the Church’s teaching on contraception is rejected.”

     

    To truly be a culture that affirms all life we need to apply the same principles in every moral case that is presented in society. This applies to embryonic stem cell research which the church has

    consistently opposed, opposition to reproductive technologies that dehumanize the act of procreation, and opposition to new movements to promote “euthanasia” and the “death penalty” as solutions to society’s problems. We also must apply the same principle in our outreach to those born with disabilities and special needs and our care for the poorest in our midst. In each and every case it is the inviolable dignity of the human person created in the image of the Triune God that should guide all of our actions.

     

    Together let us work together to build a culture that affirms life from conception to natural death.

     

    Asking the Lord of life to bless you and your loved ones, I remain

     

    Sincerely yours in Christ,

    Bishop of Norwich

    Discover Mercy

    “Discover Mercy” is a Saturday morning program offered on March 31, 2012 for fifth, sixth and seventh grade girls and their parents to get their first look at Mercy by enjoying activities, student performances and informal conversations with Mercy students, parents, administrators and faculty. For more information visit www.mercyhigh.com

     

    Holy Family Retreat Center

    303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT 06107-3119

    Valentine’s Day Buffet Dinner and Wine Tasting-Per Person: $65.00 Join us for the celebration of Mass followed by a delicious buffet and wine tasting prepared by Holy Family’s chef Joe Ethier. Tue, Feb 14, 2012, 6:00 PM-For reservations, call 860-521-0440 or register online at www.holyfamilyretreat.org/store/events/special-events/

     

    May 18th: “Nightwatch” & 911 Memorial

    In conjunction with the First Congregational

    Church in Portland, St. Mary's of Portland's

    youth ministry will be attending the

    “Nightwatch” program at St. John Divine

    Cathedral in NYC on May 18/19, 2012. This

    event is for high school students only. There

    will also be a tour of the 911 Memorial. The

    cost is $48 with a $24 deposit due by November

    1st, with the balance due by April 1st. for more

    information call St. Mary's office: 860-342-2328.

    Xavier High School’s 20th Auction

    February 11, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m.

    The theme for this year's auction is a "Mardi Gras Celebration" featuring "A Taste of Xavier" where several area restaurants will present items from their menus to delight the attendees. The event will feature a Silent and Live Auction. Tickets: $40 advance sales or $50 at the door. Advance sales at www.xavierhighschool.org/auction2012  For more info, email webmaster@xavierhighschool.org.

     

    St. John Church Trip to Italy: April 2012

    St. John Church will be sponsoring a trip to Italy, April 14-22, 2012. For more information, contact Debra Liistro (Sanditz Travel) at 860-346-5511.

     

    St. John Church 

    of Cromwell

    Save the Date- Monday, Feb. 27 and Tuesday Feb. 28, 2012, 7:00pm-8:00pm. Ralph Martin of Renewal Ministries will lead their 2012 Lenten Mission. Ralph Martin is Director of Graduate Theology Programs in Evangelization and an assistant professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Angelicum University in Rome. The topics of his talks are “Called to Holiness” and “Called to Mission”. There will be refreshments each evening and Ralph will be available to greet the audience. Admission is free. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Vatican Website

               St. John          Norwich Diocese 

    St. John Church Nativity
    Window Ornament click here
     

    Saint John School

    Bob Fritz - Principal

    Grades K - 8

    5 St. John Sq.

    Middletown, CT 06457

    860-347-3202

    blairgrsec@yahoo.com

    stjohnschoolmiddletown.org

     

    Click here to see our gifts featuring the antique sacred art stained glass windows in our historic church

     

     

      

     

       

     

    Domenico Ghirlandaio 

    The Calling of Peter and Andrew (Detail)

    1481-1482

    fresco (349 × 570 cm)

    Sistene Chapel, Vatican City

     

    The month of January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, which is celebrated on January 3. The first nine days of January fall during the liturgical season known as Christmas which is represented by the liturgical color white. The remaining days of January are the beginning of Ordinary Time. The liturgical color changes to green — a symbol of the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection.

    Preparing for the Mass - January 29, 2012

    Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

     

    Reading I: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
    Responsorial Psalm: 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
    Reading II: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
    Gospel: Mark 1:21-28


    Sunday Bible Reflections by Dr. Scott Hahn

    For adults: The website, The Center for Liturgy, will help you prepare for Mass. For children: the website, Sadler, will help our kids get ready for Sunday readings.

    Detachment from the World

    Peter and Andrew were businessmen.  So were their neighbors, James and John.  They tried to wring a living out of the Sea of Galilee, and it probably took nearly all of the time and energy that they had.

     

    So it would have been easy to pass on the chance to hear some new prophet proclaim that the Kingdom of God had finally arrived.  And then, having heard this message, they could have rolled their eyes and chuckled about how they hoped that this Kingdom would put more fish in the lake.  Or they could have made
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    3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Faith Has Consequences, Wonderful Consequences    

    A while back I came upon a book that seems to be intended for young people but in reality contains wonderful meditations for all of us.  Actually, we are all still young in our faith no matter what our age.  Just as the Church is ever ancient ever new, so for me and for all of us, our faith is ever ancient and ever new.  The book I’m referring to is George Weigel’s Letters to a Young Catholic.  I bought a number of these books, about a dozen, and gave them to people I hoped would read each chapter and meditate on it, whether they were young adults, in the process of raising young adults, or full of the youth of our faith.

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    I ‘Go to Church Every Day’: Actor Mark Wahlberg Credits Faith for Turning His Life Around

    Actor Mark Wahlberg likely surprised viewers when he appeared on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” last Friday to discuss a variety of issues — his faith, the importance of family, his work in the community and more.

     

    Wahlberg, who spent time in jail as a teenager, has overcome many barriers — poverty and crime, among others. In fact, he calls his time behind bars after assaulting two individuals a wake-up call that led him to take positive steps to improve his life.

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    'To Be Born' Touches Hearts and Saves Lives

    Nearly everyone involved in pro-life ministry will say that one thing they want to do is give a “voice” to the unborn.

     

    A new film, titled To Be Born, produced by Spirit Juice Studios, does just that.

     

    In the powerful short film, a young woman faced with an unplanned pregnancy seeks to have an abortion. In the midst of the procedure, she hears her unborn daughter speaking to her.

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    Quick Answers on Soul Sleep

    The idea of soul sleep has appeared in a number of different forms in Church history. For a pretty good discussion of some of the terms and variants, see this Wikipedia entry.

     

    It is also true that there are a number of passages in Scripture that can appear to support this view, which is one reason it periodically crops up.

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    Why Should I Listen To You?  

    I want to improve my life.  I want to be more open to the will of God, more ready to hear His voice.  Like the child Samuel in the temple, I’m not expecting to hear God speaking to me directly—so I try to be alert to other voices which have some authority, and to answer when they call.

     

    Easier said than done.  There are many worthy voices out there saying many worthy things, but here’s the catch:  not all of them are talking to me.  When I hear a good idea, a criticism, a suggestion, a plan, a description of a lifestyle, I often think, “Oooh, that’s absolutely right!  I ought to be doing, thinking, or being

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    Presence of Catholics online is essential, says Vatican official

    Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, emphasized that the presence of Catholics on the internet is essential.

     

    He noted that in 2009, roughly 440 million Catholics went online. 
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    Spiritual but not Religious?

    What's all this "spiritual but not religious" claptrap? Saying you're spiritual but not religious is like saying you love food, but hate cooking. Let's take it further. You love food but hate cooking? That means you can't be bothered to learn to cook. You can't be bothered to study food and a meal and how it all fits togethers. You can't be bothered to read cookbooks and learn how to make a recipe. You're not willing to give it a try and burn something and be embarrassed. You're not willing to burn your fingers, make a mess and have to clean it up. You're not willing to invite friends, plan a dinner party, take a risk, spend some money and cook for them.
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    Slicing Salvation In Half

    Fr. Barron does a bang-up job explaining why this video has gone viral. The video, he notes, is the result of the American emphasis on 'freedom'. Properly understood, freedom is a great thing. Freedom from oppression, indignity, bondage, and sin are all noble pursuits. But in today's lingo, 'freedom' usually boils down to 'liberation from rules, obedience, commands, structures, and--most importantly--anything that rankles my comfort.' Since religion can be challenging, and since it doesn't always console and affirm, it's often thrown under the bus by proponents of this pseudo-freedom.

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    What is Moral Conscience?

    Refuting four mistaken ideas about conscience in light of the natural law tradition.

     

    My experience as a teacher, counselor and confessor has repeatedly confirmed that there is a tremendous amount of confusion, especially among Catholics, about the nature of moral conscience.  That experience has also taught me just how sensitive this topic is. Want to make a group of people immediately uncomfortable? Start talking about conscience—and worse, suggest that the ideas they have about  

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    Religion With Dogma 

    One of the tragedies of Catholic thought for the last 50 years or so has been the attempt to develop a religion without dogma. In this, many Catholic theologians belatedly followed a tendency inherent in Protestantism for several centuries, in which theology was not important and being nice was. One of the principal places where this tendency has been evident is in regard to Christ.

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    God Matters: Ethical Theory and Divine Law 

    “We do not offend God unless we act contrary to our own nature.” This remark, which Thomas Aquinas makes in his book Summa Contra Gentiles, is a pithy summary of his view of morality. It encapsulates morality’s twofold source in human nature and God’s law. God commands us to act in accordance with the human nature that he created, so actions are specifically good or bad depending upon whether or not they perfect human nature, and therefore are reasonable for us to choose or avoid, respectively. Thus, in choosing well, we please God by our obedience, and in choosing badly, we offend him by our disobedience.
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    Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

    Perhaps the greatest stumbling block for Christians and non-Christians alike is the issue of suffering.  If God is a good God, how is it that bad things happen at all, much less, to good people?  While it is essential that a person understands that God does not create or commit evil, it still exists as a natural consequence (or possibility) of our free will.  The question at hand is asked in the aftermath of catastrophic events; the news shows ask every available priest, rabbi, imam and minister for an answer.  It is a natural response for a person to seek an explanation

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    Raising Independent Catholic Kids in an Age of Conformity

    Sexting, drugs, alcohol, cyber-bullying, teen suicide, rampant materialism, technology addiction, and me-first mindsets – the list of challenges to young people today can seem overwhelming.  As parents of two boys under the age of 15, I feel like my wife and I are on the front lines of a never-ending war for the very souls of our children.   I would love to tell you that we have the upper hand in this ongoing struggle, but some days I am not so sure.

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    Appreciating God’s Gifts and Overcoming Obstacles 

    Looking back at my childhood, I am thankful for the many gifts the good God sent my way in the form of people who knew and loved Him and chose to share that knowledge and love with me. There are so many examples from the good Catholic sisters and priests who taught me to my Presbyterian friend, James, who announced that he was going to save me from the “chains of my Catholicism”! He was wrong about the Catholic faith, but there was no doubt concerning his zeal for the Lord. And his zeal most certainly helped me grow in my Catholic faith.

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    Does Morality Inhibit Freedom? 

    St. Thomas Aquinas gave primacy to the natural reason as formative in our free choices—the use of reason ordered to truth, and the will ordered to the good, uniting to make a choice.

     

    “Jesus didn’t come to give us a bunch of rules.” Perhaps you have heard this kind of complaint. Some people seem to think that expressing a clearly defined morality is locking them up in some kind of invisible prison that is constricting their freedom. They may equate moral standards with self-righteous hypocrisy. They don’t want to be “moral machines” following a “hard cold legalism.”

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    17 Big Companies That Are Intensely Religious 

    Many big brands are intensely religious, even though consumers may not realize it. Most of the time, it comes from a devout founder passing his or her values on down the line.

     

    Some companies put their religion right out in the open, and are proud of their identities. Chick-fil-A is infamous for closing on Sundays, and In-N-Out puts Bible verses on its packaging. Interstate Batteries' mission statement states up front that it exists "to glorify God" while selling its products. 
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    Does the Bible Condemn Repetitive Prayer?

    One of the common arguments raised against Catholic devotions like the Rosary is that Catholics are praying the same few form prayers over and over again, and Scripture condemns repetitive prayer. After all, in Matthew 6:7, Christ says, “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words,” or to use the KJV, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

     

     The answer to this is simple: Christ condemns vain repetitions, or heaping up empty phrases.  Repetitive prayer, including the use of form prayer, is embraced by Scripture, and practiced by the early Church.  Let's look at repetitive prayer first, and then form prayer.

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    How to Pray Like Jesus

    During a recent talk, Fr. Thomas Richter explained that praying like Jesus requires one thing: to desire for God to have his way in your life.

    As the vocation director for the Bismarck diocese, it would seem that Fr. Tom knows about answered prayers. Bismarck is in the top twenty per capita for vocations in the country. But Fr. Tom would say it’s not a matter of God answering his prayers as it is for him to be answering God's will in his life. They key to prayer, according to him, is to get out of the way.
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     The Fruit of Evil in a Loveless Heart; A Year Later...

    A year ago today, two Miami-Dade police officers, Roger Castillo, a 41-year-old husband and father of three sons, and Amanda Haworth, a 44-year-old single mother of a teenage boy, were out serving an arrest warrant on a bright sunny morning.

     

    It was a day like any other day in their illustrious twenty plus year careers.  They went out with a specialized team of officers to arrest a wanted fugitive.  They both loved their jobs.
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