K-10 begin on Sunday, September 16th at Henry James Memorial School,9:30-10:30 am. Confirmation I & II Classes at HJMS begin at 9:15 am and end at 10:30 am. The evening classes meet at the church, Confirmation I (Grade 9) from 6 pm-7:15 pm and Confirmation II (Grade 10) from 7:15 pm-8:30 pm. Class lists will be posted on our website the first week of September.

A Holy Hour is the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. A plenary indulgence is granted for this practice. I believe that spending time in the presence of the Lord (the Blessed Sacrament) helps develop our love for Him, thus drawing us ever closer into His life. This past week I met with a gentlemen who told me that when life gets tough, he can always find peace in the silence and presence of the Lord—in all Catholic churches. That is a Catholic Blessing for sure!

Our Catechists (religious education teachers and assistants) spend untold hours in preparation and teaching time each weekend in order to pass on the Catholic faith to a new generation of believers—your children—and I know that I join all of our parents in offering our collective appreciation.

Many people don’t feel they need to go to Confession or at least don’t think they need to go to another person—a priest—to hear their confession. And this isn’t just a “modern” thing or something of our current culture. Oh to be sure, our culture has tried hard—and pretty successfully—to eliminate “guilt” from our human psyche. Guilt is consider at best as old fashioned and at worst—one of those Catholic Institutional things that hold us in our place—a sort of tether on our Free Will, if you will

On Sunday, December 4 at the 11 a.m. Mass our parish will experience the Roman Bishop’s Ceremonial Ritual of the consecration of our new altar, which was designed and built specifically for St. Catherine of Siena Parish. And you are invited to watch this unusual and most beautiful ritual happen.

The Roman Catholic Church has seven (7) Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ Himself, no council or synod nor committee of the Vatican created these Sacraments. Christ created them in Divine Wisdom because He and God the Father determined that we need them in our flawed human condition. The Sacraments provide us with God's grace so that we may journey toward salvation.

Learn more about Our Jubilee Year of Mercy Feeding The Hungry Project, Pantry Partners and St. Elizabeth House, Youth Ministry Mission Trip and the Lenten Mercy Project

In today’s modern culture the title godparent has become an “honorarium”—recognizing someone special in our lives: a favorite aunt, a best bud from college, or an employer or colleague. But the Church’s definition has not changed, nor has the true, Christ-given role and expectations. First there are criteria for someone to be a godparent, and they are (Canon 874):

Today we celebrate the Magi, who coming from Persia, wanted to kneel before the One, True Son of God. In the City of Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity—the most visited Christian shrine—the current church building believed to be built over the site of the birthplace of Jesus,

During the Christmas season we hear on the radio or carolers singing “the Twelve Days of Christmas,” and in Church we hear the phrase “the Octave of Christmas” and perhaps wonder “what’s the difference?” We all know the Twelve Days of Christmas: everything from “A Partridge in a Pear Tree” to “Ten Lords a Leaping” and beyond. Personally, the Twelve Days of Christmas offers an excuse for mailing out my Christmas cards late!

Just a reminder that our Advent Giving Tree program is under-way until the end of the month. We are collecting donations for the Neighbors In Need program that supports assistance to local Simsbury-area families and individuals who are in the midst of struggles. Your support can help buy fuel for the home, food, offer assistance with repairs for automobiles so that people can get to work and continue to care for their families

In this most Merciful year—from 8 December 2015 through 22 November 2016—Pope Francis wants the Catholic Church to highlight the essence of our lived-out Catholic faith, which is mercy and forgiveness combined with compassion and hope, to show the world what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. This “showing” of our Christ-like way is meant not only in a theological or abstract way, but also in a very practical way—a day-in, day-out sort of way—that will change a person’s life or daily existence in a meaningful way, so that they feel the presence and power of Christ in and through others.

Last Sunday night former Hollywood actor Frank Runyeon played the Apostle Matthew preaching Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teaching. He was theatrically powerful, gave a wonderful message and the crowd found the evening very enlightening and enjoyable. The message he provided was powerful and timely. It centered on Christ’s teaching on what brings true happiness in life as well as highlighting how powerfully God loves us—and what He hopes for our lives

Pope Francis’ recent visit was a media-love-affair. It seemed like everyone reporting it was "Catholic" and the Holy Father’s message of love and peace was well received. Some commentators focused on this first-ever pontifical speech to a Joint Session of Congress, others attempted to analyze his United Nations address, still more highlighted the pope’s break-a-way-from-security-forces to kiss a child or bless an elderly person that put fear into the hearts of the Secret Service, but the real message was one of Evangelization.

I would like you to consider becoming a Eucharistic Minister, lector, altar server or usher. If you are interested there will be sign-up sheets in the atrium and vestibule or speak to me directly.....Summertime presents many ministerial problems, not the least of which is the lack of folks at Masses which stems from summer vacations and travel, all understandable. However, the Mass continues every day and each weekend—with or without a full contingent of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, altar servers and ushers...CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS

Holy Week is the celebration of our Christian faith acknowledging our belief and hope in the suffering, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ who in this great offering of Himself on the Cross gives us the gift of everlasting and glorious life. This is accomplished to remake us—transform us—into the Divine Presence of God by way of sharing in Christ’s suffering and pas-sion in this world so that we may share also in His Resurrection...CLICK TO READ MORE..

It might surprise you to know that I was asked to teach a Confirmation two class (the second year of our two-year Confirmation program this year). It meets during the religious education year on Sunday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. My class comprises 15 teenagers who will be confirmed this April by Hartford Auxiliary Bishop Christie Macaluso. CLICK TO LEARN MORE...

Read about upcoming events for Religious Education by ckicking the title of this news article!

The date for Confirmation will be Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 11am, here at St. Catherine of Siena Church. The new Archbishop, The Most Reverend Leonard Blair will be the celebrant. The mandatory rehearsal for all the Confirmation candidates is Thursday, May 8th from 4:15 - 6 pm in the church. PLEASE CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION...