Over the Sacred Triduum and Easter season so far our Mass attendance and services on Good Friday were well attended and I wanted to thank everyone who participated. As you can well imagine, Easter along with Christmastime and Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Ash Wednesday are the biggest gatherings the Church sees over the course of the liturgical year. This is important for many reasons not the least of which is that people remain connected to their faith to and their God as they express it by the public practice of their faith

The past year has been a very challenging time for all and crowds-for good reasons, have limited our opportunities to celebrate the Mass together in person and to receive the vital Sacrament of the Eucharist. As we begin to return to some normalcy in everyday life through the efforts to vaccinate our population and with better understanding of the transmission of the virus and the severity of its side effects, it is hoped that our desire as Catholics to receive Christ’s Sacred Body and Blood will also return,

HOLY THURSDAY—At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us the words and rituals of the Eucharist, saying, “Do this in memory of me.” The Eucharist is center stage during the Holy Thursday liturgy, situated between the rituals of washing of one another’s feet and adoring the Blessed Sacrament. As Catholics we attend Holy Thursday liturgy not only because Jesus asked us to remember Him in the Eucharist, but because Communion means “we do not come to Christ alone but with and through one another.” PLEASE CLICK TO READ MORE!!

What is the Triduum? Definition: The Easter Triduum (sometimes also referred to as the Paschal Triduum) is the proper name for the liturgical season that concludes Lent and introduces us to the joy of the Easter season. Starting with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday, continuing through the Good Friday service and Holy Saturday, and concluding with vespers (evening prayer) on Easter Sunday, the Easter Triduum marks the most significant events of Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday (also known as Passiontide).

This past week we celebrated two great saints in our Church, on 17 March we celebrated Ireland’s Saint Patrick and then on 19 March we celebrated the Universal Saint Joseph, who is also the patron saint of the Archdiocese of Hartford and for whom our Cathedral is named. Saints Patrick and Joseph are two men in the Church who were obedient to the Will of God and in their obedience they created much more than simply a reputation for themselves....

Politicians in Hartford are again considering assisted suicide legislation. The Connecticut General Assembly is considering legalizing a form of suicide in our state commonly referred to as "aid-in-dying" or "physician-assisted suicide". The legislation is House Bill 6425 "An Act Concerning Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients".

Today we are told that Jesus faced temptations. That He was tempted by Satan. I highlight this verbiage because far too often we Roman Catholics have a very stringent definition of being “holy.” For us, holiness is a perfected state where no sin exists, no crack in the “armor” of Faith is present, and therefore, no chance of falling to temptation. For in actuality, holiness, at least in this earthly realm, is not a perfected state but rather it is defined as being “set apart” from the world: no better, but different; seeking a new way of life

This last Gospel in Ordinary Time before Lent begins illustrates the healing power and compassion of Christ—and it’s a good message for us today in the midst of our own pandemic’s isolation. Christ crosses the boundary of illnesses and heals a man suffering with leprosy, man who would be required to isolate from his community and even rip his clothes and announce his presence to anyone coming near. Think how isolating and debilitating that would be....

Ash Wednesday, 17 February 2021, begins the Lenten season. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation. “By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.” (attribution: About Catholics) Lent is a season of prayer, almsgiving and preparation for our spiritual journey into the Great Easter Resurrection and understanding the gift from Christ of everlasting life.

In the Gospel of Mark for this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus enters the house of “Simon and Andrew with two other apostles and found Simon’s mother-in-law sick with a fever. He approached her, grasped her hand, and helped her up. We are told that then “the fever left her and she waited on them.” After sunset, they brought more people to Jesus who were either possessed by demons or were ill, He cured many and drove the demons out. And each day, after His work of preaching and healing, Jesus refreshed Himself in prayer.

In the Gospel of Mark (1:21-28) this weekend we hear the people of Capernaum who have gathered in the Synagogue to hear Jesus teach say to one another: “What is this? A new teaching with authority.” This is in response to Jesus’ words, which call for hope, compassion and joyful living—a caring for one another amid truth.

The celebration of the Sacred Mass is a dialogue between God and His people, with the Priest as the mediator of that dialogue. Note that in the Mass the priest makes certain statements to and asks question of the laity—and the laity respond—as the priest as presider or President of the celebration acts as mediator.

I want to take this time to let our parish know that Deacon Joe MacNeill has completed his assignment here at St. Catherine of Siena Parish and will be moving on to a different assignment and parish soon. I know you join me in prayer and good wishes for the next venture in his Ordination to Priesthood,

One of our primary outreach efforts is being formed now and is focused on the “NONES,” those younger Catholics in their 20s and 30s who have little or no connection, practically speaking, to the Catholic faith. Most of us know plenty of them and have them right in our own families. No matter how well and how hard we did to educate our children and keep them in the practice of the faith—by attending Mass regularly, participation in our Faith Formation (formerly religious education classes) programs and Youth Ministry programs. They went off to college and the culture grabbed them.

2020 initiated many new unusual things in our lives: of course, the Coronavirus itself, and then everything we do day-in and day-out has been impacted by this virus. Nothing is the same. Faith calls us to a higher good, to remain connected beyond the physical realm and to be one with others spiritually. In 2020 Saint Catherine of Siena parishioners connected to others by stepping up to the plate...

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a liturgical celebration of Invitation and Response, which builds to love and right relationship in Heaven. In one or two baptisms which I have performed over the years, especially if the child is a little older than an infant, I have heard a devout, usually older, family member say at the moment of Baptism: “Now God loves this child.” Wow! That’s bad, really bad theology.

“Epiphany” means manifestation, and the Epiphany of the Lord is “Jesus’ manifestation not only to those three Magi from the East, but it’s also a symbolic but real manifestation of the Christ to the whole world. The Magi, travelling from a foreign and non-Jewish nation, reveal that Jesus came for all people and all are called to adore Him.” History and Tradition tells us that these “Wise Men” who studied the stars were aware of the Jewish belief that a Messiah was coming.

The Christmas account of the Nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem is a fact. The meaning of the Christmas message, whether one believes in Jesus or not, does not change His message. The Love of God the Father and the action of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, is not dependent on our belief but is Eternal Truth. It is a message of Love, Hope and Charity and this message is meant for one and all.

With the pandemic’s isolation, we have been hit with a “perfect storm”: (1) fewer people able to attend Mass, thus hear about the AGT and collect their envelopes to donate to these two great causes, and (2) increased needs for healthcare assistance (MHC) and more help for food and assistance due to lost jobs and reduced hours. People are struggling even more due to this pandemic.

Those who have registered for indoor Mass, please arrive no sooner than 15 mins before Mass through the atrium doors. Ushers will have lists for those signed up for the Church proper & Russell Hall. Please see the Usher. All who have signed up for indoor Mass, please park in the back parking lot (unless using handicapped spaces). Those who plan to listen to the Mass in their car, (101.1 FM) please park in the front lot. For those listening to Mass in their car and who wish to receive Communion, please exit your car and line up for Holy Communion at the Atrium doors where you see the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.