September 30, 2025

Fall News from Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish!

September 30, 2025

Daly Notes

Dear Friends,

We are into October and as a parish we are still rejoicing in all the good that God is doing in our midst. Right before today’s Gospel begins, Jesus told his followers about the millstone that awaited the necks of those who cause scandal to the young, about the need to correct our brothers and sisters who sin, and about the need to forgive them each they sin against us, repent and ask for reconciliation. All three of these are challenging to live and in response to them, the apostles say to Jesus, “Increase our faith!”

They knew they needed a deeper trust in God to rise up to the challenges of setting good example, loving others, and forgiving those who repeatedly offend us. Jesus in response to their request describes the power of faith, using typical rabbinical exaggeration to say that if we had even a tiny amount of faith, we could move mountains. Jesus was saying we should be grateful for the gift of faith we have and act on it, while at the same time always seeking to make our faith stronger by exercising it. Faith is an extraordinary gift.

Ultimately Jesus wants to say about us what he said to a Canaanite woman in the Gospel who approached Jesus begging persistently for a miracle for her sick daughter “Woman, great is your faith."

This Sunday the whole Church is meant to focus on the gift of faith, to be grateful for the mustard seed or mountain of faith we have, and to consider how God wants to help our faith increase.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Shawn

Golf Tournament 2025
The Knights of Columbus Council #10651 thanks all the golfers, sponsors and volunteers for helping make our 7th Annual Golf Tournament a huge success!

Enjoy a Gallery of Golf Tournament Pictures Here

Join Us For 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 4, 2025

4:00 PM Vigil at St. James

October 5, 2025

9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton

and livestreamed

11:00 AM at St. James

***Stay for coffee and conversation after the Sunday morning masses!!!!***

Bakhita Bible Study:

Acts of the Apostles: The Church of the Holy Spirit

Many have observed that these days it often seems that we are in times akin to those of our first ancestors in the faith, believers in Christ at a time when few did. The New Testament Acts of the Apostles is a thrilling and adventurous account of that time of the earliest Church, when Christianity was being lived for the first time. It takes us to some of the great cities of the ancient world. It introduces us to all kinds of people: apostles, prophets, martyrs, philosophers, governors, kings, merchants, jailers, and sailors. It tells of dramatic spiritual experiences, missionary journeys, trials and imprisonments, powerful speeches and dramatic responses, sea voyages and shipwrecks, and the clash of ancient cultures. It invites us to see the adventure continuing in our own lives.

This October Deacon Michael will lead a six-part series on the Acts of the Apostles using Stephen Binz’s “Church of the Holy Spirits,” with readings taken from the first half of the Acts of the Apostles.

The series will be held on October 8,15, 22, 29 and November 5 and 12 at 10:00 AM at the Saint James Church Parish Center 767 Elm Street repeated at 7:00 PM at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 280 Brook Street. The evening session will be available for online attendance through Google Meet. There is a $10 book fee. Please register via email at saintjmdeacon@gmail.com (BEST) or call and leave a message at 860-836-8218 if you don’t have email. (Unless specifically waived by the registrant, all registrants will be ordered a book for purchase.)

Learn More Here

Other Fun Tidbits

Seeking musical, dance, comedic acts for the Second Annual

St. Josephine Bakhita Parish

Variety Show

Friday, October 17, 2025

7:00PM

Parish Center at St. James

For more info or to sign up email: Joy@sjbrh.org or call 860-529-8655 x17.

Participants must sign up by September 30, 2025.

Saturday, November 22, 2025

2026 Mass Intention Scheduling

It is time to schedule your Mass Intentions! This year will be just like 2025 with two additional ways to remember your loved ones. 1.) Lighting of a special 5-day Vigil candle and 2.) Ringing of our beautiful carillon bells at St. James with an option of a song (list provided), toll (in memory of) or peal (in honor of).

Due to Mass Intentions being so popular we need to limit each household to 2 Mass intentions for the year so that everyone in our parish community has an opportunity to reserve a mass.

MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S DAY MASS INTENTIONS:

Due to the popularity of these dates we will no longer schedule individual names but together as a parish will celebrate All of our Mothers and Fathers together as one.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Call the office anytime NOW between 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (860-529-8655) and we will make a phone/office appointment for you on one of the following dates:

OCTOBER 7, OCTOBER 8, OCTOBER 9,

OCTOBER 14, OCTOBER 15, OR OCTOBER 16

SCHEDULED TIMES WILL BE BETWEEN

10:00 AM & 2:00 PM

On your scheduled day and time you may call the office or stop by the Rectory Office at Saint James and we will put your request in the calendar book. Limit 2 per family.

Thank you,

Carrie & Pam

Parish Administrative Assistants