May 6, 2025

The Season of Easter at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish

May 6, 2025

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,

Greetings and Happy Easter to one and all!

We are reminded this Easter Season that in giving us Jesus God showed us God’s face, which says, “There is a special place in my heart for you, and all I ask is that you make room in your hearts and lives for your neighbors.” Somehow society struggles to remember the second half of that statement. We all delight in being loved, but society instead of expanding our circle of love, we let it shrink. Not just on the global scene but in our nation, communities, families and neighborhoods. Even the best of us can act as if we are the only ones who count.

The only remedy for this narcissism is to turn back to our Good Shepherd, looking into His face, hearing His voice, and turning our hearts. God’s truth cuts to the very heart of things. God seems to be saying to us and every generation, “You will never know peace until you understand that life has to be shared, not hoarded. We will never be happy or holy until we make the circle of our love big enough to hold whoever comes into our lives. It is really just not negotiable. It is just the truth!

Blessings!!

Fr. George Couturier

Enjoy a Gallery of Easter Celebration Pictures Here

Join Us For The Fourth Sunday of Easter

May 11, 2025

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:00 AM at St. James

Faith Formation classes have come to a close for this year. All the classes from Early Childhood through Confirmation had a wonderful year learning about our faith and preparing for the sacraments. The second grade students received the sacrament of Reconciliation on March 29, 2025. The third grade students celebrated First Eucharist on May 3, 2025. The second year Confirmation students will celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation at Saint Joseph Cathedral on May 10, 2025. We pray that God will bless them in a special way through these sacraments.

We were especially busy during Lent with service projects for Catholic Relief Services and cleaning projects. The fourth through seventh grade students collected $940 for CRS with $330 coming from one class! They did extra chores at home to earn money and also donated from their own allowance.

The eighth grade students participated in three big service projects this year in our parish including the Christmas pageant event, the Mardi Gras event, and most recently cleaning all the tables and chairs in Fr Shea Hall, classrooms at St. James, and the cry room in St. James church. In this way they participated in events and projects that were happening in their parish and were a real part of parish life!

We thank all the children and families for their participation in our program this year. We hope to see you at Mass and various events at our church this summer!

The Faith Formation Team

Other Fun Tidbits

Pilgrimate to Fatima, Lourdes & Spain

April 28 - May 8, 2026

Deacon Michael and Krystyna Ward are pleased to announce that they will be leading a pilgrimage to Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes in France and notable sites in Spain along the way from April 28-May 8, 2026.

Arriving in Lisbon from New York and after a brief stop in Lisbon we will be moving on to our first major spiritual pilgrimage site visit at Fatima. From there we will stop in the Spanish cities of Salamanca, Valladolid and Burgos on our way to our second major pilgrimage site at Lourdes in southern France. At Lourdes we will visit the apparition site and related points of interest. Leaving Lourdes we will return to Spain visiting the mountaintop monastery at Montserrat before concluding our pilgrimage in Barcelona, visiting the famous Gaudi-designed Holy Family Church and other points, with some free time for exploring this beautiful city, before heading home!

If you are at all thinking of going, or are just curious, please contact Deacon Michael at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com or call him at 860-836-8218.

Learn More Here

Saint Josephine Bakhita Faith Sharing Group

All are welcome to join the Saint Josephine Bahkita Faith Sharing Group. We meet on the 4th Tuesday of the Month in the month of April, May and June. We meet from 10:00-11:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church. This group grew out of our parish Awakening retreat in November 2024. At our meetings we start with a presentation of a gift of the Holy Spirit and then we break into small groups to share how the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. A main focus is how we keep the Holy Spirit as an active component of our everyday life. For additional information, please contact Michael Lonergan at 860-638-7080 at Mikelonergan53108@sbcglobal.net.

Support Walk MS

Knight of Columbus, Will Shivell, will be participating in the MS Walk on Saturday, May 17. Will and others will be walking to raise money to help people with Multiple sclerosis and to fund research for a cure. Please consider supporting Will by donating to this very worthy cause. Thank you!

Donate Here

Give Blood

The American Red Cross has launched a Severe Blood Shortage Appeal. All eligible donors are encouraged to schedule appointments now. The next drive hosted at our Parish Center at St. James Church is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 1PM-6PM. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to www.redcrossblood.org to register to give.

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal provides help to those in need! Together, we can and do make a profound difference in the lives of many individuals and families, in a way that exceeds anything we could hope to achieve on our own. Please consider supporting this important initiative. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference. Organizations in our local community receive funding from the Appeal’s Vicariate Outreach Program which serves our local neighbors. All funds contributed to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal are used exclusively for the purposes outlined in the Appeal literature, which can be found here. No Appeal funds are ever used for legal fees or settlements.

Retirement Celebration for Fr. George Couturier

The Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish Pastoral Council invites you to join us for a retirement celebration in honor of Father George Couturier on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM. The celebration of his decades of service will take place in the Saint James Parish Center after the 11:00 AM Mass. All are welcome for food, drinks, music and more as we wish Father George well in his retirement. In lieu of gifts, Father George has requested donations be made to the newly-established Fernand & Yvette Couturier Scholarship Fund.

We welcome contributions of refreshments for this special event such as pastries, cookies, mini muffins, small croissants or other snacks that can be served as individual servings, finger foods. Both store bought and homemade items are welcome. Food donations must be dropped off at the Parish Center on Saturday, May 31 between noon and 6:00 PM. All questions related to the celebration can be directed to parishcouncil@sjbrh.org.

Click Here to SignUp to Donate Refreshments

Retirement Gifts for Fr. George Couturier

Many have asked about the protocol of, and Father George’s needs, tastes and wishes regarding gifts for him on the occasion of his retirement.

With characteristic foresight, humility and generosity, Father George has not left us in the dark on this matter. With emphatic clarity he has indicated that he does not wish to receive personal gifts on the occasion of his retirement.

Rather, he has asked that in lieu of personal gifts that people make a donation to a parish scholarship fund established in the memory of his dear parents, Fernand and Yvette Couturier. This fund, now being established at St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, would provide financial assistance to young people, from parish families, that are furthering their education after high school.

Those wishing to honor Father George in his retirement may do so by making a contribution to the:

Fernand & Yvette Couturier Scholarship Fund

℅ St. Josephine Bakhita Parish

767 Elm Street

Rocky Hill CT 06067

Checks should be made payable to “St. Josephine Bakhita Parish” with “Couturier Scholarship Fund” on the memo line. Donations in envelopes so addressed may be mailed, delivered to the parish office at that address, placed in the Sunday collection, or placed in designated receptacles at the parish reception for Fr. Couturier on Sunday June 1, 2025 following the 11:00 AM Mass at the St. Josephine Bakhita Parish Center.

Please help us celebrate Fr. George, and keep the memory of his dear parents, by honoring this generous request!