MESSAGE FROM FATHER MELNICK:

I am pleased to report that our first weekend back to Mass went very well. Everyone came prepared with their masks. Seating was predetermined to ensure social distancing and, most of all; everyone was patient with the process. The church is sanitized between Masses. I thank our cleaning crew for taking on this very thorough task. I thank our ushers and greeters for keeping everything in good order.

I know not that all of you are not ready to come back to our weekend Masses but I have to say that it felt very good to have people back inside the church. We all have our personal prayer life with God, as we should, but there is also the communal dimension of praying together.

I remind everyone that, for the time being, you must sign up weekly to attend Mass. You can do this here on our parish website from Monday to Wednesday or you may call the parish office on Tuesday to secure your reservation.

We continue to pray for an end to the pandemic and for the safety and well-being of all our parishioners.

***********************************************************************

MESSAGE FROM FATHER MELNICK:

Dear Parishioner:

I am writing to extend my prayerful support during these precarious times.

Saint Joseph Church is open daily for private prayer from 9am to 6pm until the bans are lifted.

Outside of our parish, daily Mass is broadcast on WCCT-TV (Comcast CH. 11) and WCTX-TV (Comcast CH. 9) daily at 10am. Daily Mass can also be heard on WJMJ 88.9FM at 8pm. Mass from ORTV is also available streaming on the ORTV website (www.ortv.org) and on the Archdiocese of Hartford Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ArchdioceseofHartford). EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) also provides daily Mass, rosary, chaplet of divine mercy and other inspirational programs throughout the day.

I wish to thank all of you who have faithfully sent in your contributions via the postal service or online. Just like you, the parish has its day-to-day expenses that do not go away. We pray that our economy may rebound quickly after this pandemic has passed. In the meantime, we strive to keep our second home in good running order.

Saint Gabriel School has done a tremendous job transitioning to online learning. It is a credit to our talented teachers, our eager-to-learn students and our supportive parents. I am very proud of their continued accomplishments as they continually turn a negative into a positive.

It is of utmost importance that we continue to foster our prayer life during these times of isolation and despair. It is God who carries us through these difficult periods of life. We will certainly appreciate the Mass and our parish community all the more when we are finally able to gather again.

I continue to celebrate daily Mass not only remembering the scheduled intention of the day, but also for each and every parishioner’s safety and health. We continue to fervently pray for an end to this devastating scourge. May God give us the grace and perseverance to forge ahead.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. John P. Melnick

Pastor

***********************************************************************

HOW TO MAKE A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION:

One example:
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things and I desire You in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
As though You were already there,
I embrace You and unite myself to You;
permit not that I should ever be separated from You. Amen.”

This should be made with the intent to return to the sacrament of Holy Communion as soon as possible.

***********************************************************************

For additional information, go to: https://archdioceseofhartford.org/coronavirus