2110 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06615 Office 203-375-5887 Fax 203-378-1562 www.stjamesstratford.com Office & Chapel Hours Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Pastor: Rev. Arthur C. Mollenhauer 203-522-7696 - pastor@stjameschurch.net

Associate Pastor: Rev. Rogerio Perri rperri.stjamesparish@gmail.com

Deacon Joe Koletar Deacon John Piatak

Finance Council Chair: Dan Caron -dan.caron@yahoo.com -

March 3, 2019—8th of Ordinary Time

PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING:

SEVEN DAY VIGIL CANDLES: 3/2-3/8

Church Tabernacle : Madeleine Mollenhauer

Chapel Tabernacle : Unconditional forgiveness

CHAPEL INTERCESSORY CANDLES:

Candles will burn for the following

intentions:

Candle # 1 All men and women in the military

Candle # 2: For the prayer intentions submitted

through on-line giving

Monday, March 4 , 2019

8:00 a.m. +Louise Robichaud

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 5:30 p.m. +Rosario Quiche

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

ASH WEDNESDAY

8:00 a.m. Parishioners of St. James

12:10 p.m. Parishioners of St. James

6:00 p.m.. Melissa Alicea

Thursday, March 7, 2019

5:30 p.m. Jorge Gonzales

Friday, March 8 , 2019 8:00 a.m. +Robert Proctor

Saturday, March 9, 2019

8:00 a.m. Eileen & Malcolm Goodyear

4:30 p.m. Parishioners of St. James

Sunday, March 10 , 2019

7:30 a.m. Edward Ribas

9:15 a.m. +Tim and Norma Ramik

11:15 .a.m. Michael Pellegrino

6:00 p.m. +Francesca Mavuli

Dear Parishioners,

Lent is upon us! This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. Our Church

begins its solemn preparation for the upcoming Feasts of Holy Week

and Easter. This is a time to reflect on the salvation that Jesus won

for us with his sacrifice on the Cross, his Death and Resurrection.

The next forty days are a time of intensified prayer, penance and

almsgiving. How does the Church ask us to live this time? The forty

days are an imitation of Jesus' fast in the desert before His public

ministry.

The importance of Lent is not the focus “on the outside,” but “on the

inside.” It is not a time only for external practices but for internal

change of heart. Jesus' call to conversion and penance does not aim

first at outward works, "sackcloth and ashes," fasting and mortifica-

tion, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without

this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior con-

version urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of pen-

ance.

Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a re-

turn, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning

away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have

committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to

change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of

his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain

and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of

spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).

Through intensified prayer, penance and almsgiving during Lent we

prepare our hearts to celebrate the most Holy Mysteries of our salva-

tion.

A most blessed Lent to all of you!

Rev. Arthur Mollenhauer, PhL, STB, JCL, MCL

Pastor

2019 Ladies of Virtue Conference ~Free Event~

Webster Bank Arena March 23, 2019

8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Ladies only 13 or older

Join women from many parts of the country and walks of life to experience award-winning Gospel music and featured

speakers to inspire, enlighten, encourage, and bring to our homes the meaning of unity and blessings galore! Tickets

available at the Parish Center

MEMORIAL MASS FOR

FATHER ART’S MOTHER

Fr. Art will be celebrating a Memorial Mass for the repose of

the soul of his mother, Madeleine F. Mollenhauer. The

Mass will be offered on Saturday, March 9, at 7:00pm at St. James Church.

All are welcome to attend.

Weekly Offertory Week 35 (2/24/2019)

2/24/2019 2/25/2018 In Church Collections......................$6,870.25 $7367.00

EFT..................................................$1,930.82 $2,624.00

Online Giving...................................$2,126.92 $1,843.00

=========== ======

Weekly Total...............................$10,927.99 $11,834.00

Online Giving is a way to

continue to support St. James

even though you are on

vacation. Having these funds

allows St. James to plan our expenditures and to continue

to provide services to our local community (even during

vacation season.) Please consider using Online Giving!

FAITH FORMATION Betsy Redgate

. Lenten Prayer Aids available at back of church and in Parish

Center.

“Your Spiritual Garden”- Tending to the Presence of God.

A six week daily retreat for Lent beginning Wednesday, March

6, 11-12 a.m. and Thursday, March 7, 7-8 p.m. Cost of $20 in-

cludes book. Register at the Parish Center.

“Art, Sacrament and Poetry”- Monday, March 4, 4:30 p.m.,

Fairfield University Dolan School of Business. Presenter is An-

thony Domestico, Purchase College< SUNY.

Poets, Poems and Prayer- March 7-April 11, 10-11:30, Fair-

field University. Six lectures on Ignatian spirituality. Contact

ehastings@fairfield.edu to register.

Interested in becoming a parishioner of St. James?

Please complete the following and deposit in the offertory basket

Name ______________________________________

Address ____________________________________

City ________________________________________

State __________ Phone _____________________

Email________________________________________ Comments ___________________________________

We look forward to hearing from you!

Saturday, March 2—8:00 a.m.—Breaking Bread for Women Tuesday, March 5—12:15 p.m. - Christian Yoga Wednesday, March 6—7:15 p.m.—Centering Prayer Wednesday, March 6—7:15 p.m.—Christian Yoga Thursday, March 7—7:30 p.m.—Beloved Sons Our next Lord’s Kitchen is Wednesday, March 13th

Family Bible Challenge

Bishop Caggiano has announced the Family Bible Challenge and is looking for 1,000 families to join him in engaging with Scripture this Lent. Sign up or learn more at www.formationreimaged.org.

SAVE THE DATE:

Saturday, March 23

6:00 p.m. –school cafeteria Watch the bulletin for more details in the

coming weeks!

Prayer—Walk the Stations of the Cross, on Friday nights or on your own. Take a moment to follow Christ on this journey.

Fast from- Being Critical

Almsgiving— Participate in the weekly Loaves and Fishes collection for our Diocese.

mailto:ehastings@fairfield.edu

MINISTRY WITH SICK AND SHUT-IN Pat Stockdale - Please have a family member or

care-giver contact the Parish Center if you have a

loved one who is in the hospital, nursing home , or

homebound and they would like a visit from

a member of our ministry or would like the Sacra-

ments from one of our Priests.. Please contact the

parish center if they would like to receive a bulle-

tin

Mike Perille, Hank

McLaughlin , Bill Carmona, Andrew Donovan, Val Jones, Lucas McHale, Izabel Perri, Michael Birch, Lori Hayes-Obrien, David Gaffney, Andrew Soltis, Thai Nguyen, Yvonne DeAngelis, Victor, Cindi Pistey, Rob Hughes, Joan Dunphey, Zara Blay, Mary Ellen Bolton, Jenna Strickland, Santina DeVito, Nick Smeriglio, Peter Gentile, Louis Gentile, Michael Conner , Sofia Perry, Kathy Farinaryz, Kelly Lankton John Soares, Rose Perante, John Bencze, Eleanor Hart, Beth Eble, Donna Vavrinec, Jack Tucciarone, Paul Sheehan, Tracy Paul, Julia Stewart, Peter Soares, Rose Perante, Melissa Alicea, Kyle Fernandez, Bryan Barry, Msgr. Ryan, Edmund Ramos, Kathy Pompa

Faithfully Departed: Robert Pinckney, Robert

Carriero, John Hughes, Gabriel Williams

Jim Travers, Bob Carriero,

Tom Gilbertie, Jeff Noccioli, Mike Curran

Beloved Sons - In like a lion…out like a lamb.Can you think of

a better way to roar into Lent than by joining other men, just

like you, at the next Beloved Sons gathering? We meet this

Thursday March 7 (7:30-8:30 PM) at the parish center. As we

do twice a month (every first Thursday/third Saturday) we get

together to break open the gospel story for that upcoming week-

end. That night we will be sharing the gospel for the 1st Sunday

of Lent (Luke 4:1-13). We’ll be walking along with Jesus in the

desert. Don’t forget your sandals.

Communion Breakfast - A big thanks to parishioner Chad

Betz, whose witness talk at last week’s annual communion

breakfast captivated over 120 men. Chad’s journey update, as he

described his own Catholic roots along with the peaks and val-

leys along the way, demonstrated that all of us, if we have the

right map and companions, can indeed “Find the Way Home”.

Opportunities abound at St. James to share fellowship and the

good news…last Sunday was just one of them.

Save The Date - Men’s ½ day Lent Retreat - Deacons John

and Joe will be leading a ½ day “Lenten Reflection” on Satur-

day, March 23. We encourage you to circle that date on your

calendar as men will join together for 8:00 mass and then a

morning gathering reflecting on each of our own Lenten jour-

neys.

Our next meeting will be Thursday March 7@ 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The meetings are comprised of prayer, reflection, conver-sation and prayer shawls. We welcome you to join us

to knit/crochet and bond in prayer, friendship and compassion to help others. The blessed shawls are available to anyone seek-ing God's embracing love during times of sickness, healing and transition. They are available at no cost through the Parish Cen-ter. Any inquires, contact Mary Perille @ 203-377-1265. Dona-tions of yarn always gratefully accepted.

CHARITY, JUSTICE, AND PEACEMAKING

Janine Walsh

Items needed for The Bridge:

razors and men’s and women’s deodorant. .

Stations of the Cross Fridays during Lent

7:00 p.m.

March 8, 15, 22, , 29 April 5, 12*, April 19

*(St. James School Living Stations )

We welcome into our Community of

Faith :

Natalia Sofia Flores recently baptized

tel:203-377-1265

Readings for Sunday, March 10

1st Reading: DT 26:4-10

Second Reading: ROM 10:8-13

Gospel: LK 4:1-13

After the Diagnosis… A Guide for Living by Rr. Tom Lynch and Barbara Mariconda Books are available at

the Parish Center. PARISH NURSES: If you would like to meet with a Parish Nurse, please call Margie Balint at 203- 378-3081

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: 8:00 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday: 5:30 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:30 p.m. Sunday Masses: 7:30 a..m. 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 6:00.p.m

PARISH CENTER CHAPEL Eucharistic Adoration: Monday—Friday—9:00 a.m. –5:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet: Friday– 3:00 p.m. Wheelchair accessible

PARISH CENTER HOURS Monday—Friday—9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK Mondays at the 8:00 a.m. Eucharist. Prior notice is not necessary. All those who are dealing with a serious illness and/or will be undergoing surgery during that week are invited to receive this sacrament.

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Please call the Parish Center

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Church Saturdays: 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. , Thursday before First Friday: 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. or by appointment

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Trustees: Dan Caron, Natalia Zamachaj

Pastoral Council: Tom Kelly—tommyk8@aol.com

Finance Council: Dan Caron—dan.caron@yahoo.com

Pastoral Planning Team: Richard Zboray—richard.zboray@snet.net

Parish Manager: Marcy Kelly—mkelly.stjamesparish@gmail.com

OUR MINISTRIES Adult Pastoral Ministry

Ministry with Men: Jim Travers, Bob Carriero, Tom Gilbertie, Jeff Noccioli, Mike Curran

Ministry with Women: Angie deMello & Mary Tesla

Communal Prayer Worship

Organist: John Masi, Jr.

Liturgical Environment: Michele Hoekenga Pastoral Services

Lifelong Formation: Betsy Redgate—bredgate.stjamesparish@gmail.com

Principal St. James School: Jack Lynch

Ministry with Teens: Bob Nagy and Karen Smith

Ministry with Sick & Shut-Ins: Pat Stockdale

Charity, Justice, and Peacemaking: Janine Walsh—jwalsh.stjamesparish@gmail.com

PATH: Debby Carroll—path.stjamesparish@gmail.com

St. James Prison Ministry: Denis Granado

Prayer Shawl Ministry: Mary Perille and Mercy Ingersoll

Gratitude Ministry: Suzanne Smith, \Terry Van Dam, Ligia Masilamani, Jane Vigliotti Young Adult Network: Ruwani Williams—rp1811@hotmail.com

Support Services

Pastoral Stewardship: David Zamachaj

Business Manager: Natalia Zamachaj

Business Office: Dolores Lathlean

Assistant for Religious Education/Admin Assistant:

Digital Ministry: Tonya Overby

Parish Personnel Manager: Paul Fasold

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Deuteronomy/26:4http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Romans/10:8http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/luke/4:1mailto:dan.caron@yahoo.com