Welcome to the Inaugural
St. Jude's Family Newsletter!
Welcome to our inaugural issue of the St Jude's Family Newsletter! Our goal in this monthly family newsletter is to provide helpful content and resources for families to use to grow in faith and community. You will find important announcements on activities and events, inspiring Saints of the Month, useful content on Formed.org, and more! Since this is a new initiative please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any suggestions or input!
This first newsletter is a special one because it was designed to provide you with a wealth of resources for a holy and fruitful Lent.

"As Lent is the time for great love, listen to Jesus' thirst ... He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you."
~Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Important Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday, March 2: Ash Wednesday
Services with distribution of Ashes: 7 am, 5:30 pm, 8:30 pm
Masses with distribution of Ashes: 9 am, 7 pm

Sunday, March 6: Religious Education
8:30 am and 10:30 am. Children will participate in the Stations of the Cross

Sunday, March 6: Children's Rosary
After 11:30 am Mass

Friday, March 11: Youth Encounter
All children in grades 6-12 are invited! 7-9pm in the Social Hall.

Sunday, March 13: Lenten Craft for Children,Teens & Families
After 9:30 and 11:30 am Mass in the Social Hall. Hospitality will be available. See below for details. REMINDER: NO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

March 20-22: Lenten Mission
Sr. Megan Thibodeau, SOLT will be giving a series of dynamic talks about "Living Faith Hope and Love." For more information visit the weekly bulletin.

Sunday, March 20: Lenten Confessions for Religious Education Students
During 8:30 and 10:30 am classes. To prepare your child for confession, see this helpful guide.

Tuesday, March 22: First Communion and Confirmation Retreats
Communion retreat: 4:00-5:00 or 6:00-7:00 in the Social Hall
Confirmation retreat: 4:00-5:00 or 6:00-7:00 in the Parish Center Gym
 
Stations of the Cross & Adoration (Fridays during Lent)  
Stations of the Cross at 7pm, Adoration from 7:30-8:30pm.
For a Stations of the Cross to watch with your children, visit here.

Sunday, March 27: Religious Education
8:30 am and and 10:30 am

Sunday, March 27: Youth Movie Night “The Passion of the Christ”
5:30 pm in the Social Hall. Pizza will be provided.

*For the complete Lent schedule that was mailed home to parishioners, see here
Offer Lenten Sacrifices
Adults can join Fr. Joseph's Exodus 40 Lenten campaign of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Children and teens can participate in the following ways:

  • Make your own set of Sacrifice beads. Join us on Sunday, March 13 after the 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses.

  • Contribute to our Sacrifice Jar in the vestibule of the Church. Children can place a paper with a sacrifice that you are offering to Jesus for Lent in the jar.


Come Enjoy a Lenten Craft with Hospitality
Families with children and teens are invited to join us on Sunday, March 13 in the Social Hall after the 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses to make sacrifice chaplet beads for Lent.
St. Jude's Family Ministry Survey Now Open!

We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete our family ministry survey so that we can gauge your needs and interests to plan great faith filled family activities for our Parish. You are also welcome to e-mail Jessica Iannotta with any questions or additional suggestions. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey! It will be open until March 6.  
Formed Resources

Learn and pray with Brother Francis this Lent. With several different seasons available to watch, Brother Francis will help children and families learn more about what Lent is and why it is so important. Here are the links to each program:


Follow this link for more great Formed.org resources for the season of Lent.

Are you new to Formed? It can be downloaded on your phone or streamed on all devices.

  1. Visit http://signup.formed.org/
  2. Enter our parish’s zip code or name
  3. Enter your name and e-mail  
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Have you ever wanted to live more liturgically but not known how?

The Augustine Institute wants to help all families by providing discussions on liturgical living during Lent to be a resource for the Domestic Church—the home. View the 4-Part Series Living Lent as a Family

We pray that these discussions bless you and your family.
Vacation Bible School is coming back to St Jude's on July 11-15!

More details will be announced soon!

For more information or to add your name to the list of those interested in attending or volunteering, e-mail Jessica Iannotta
Volunteer Opportunities
The food pantry needs youth volunteers to check dates of expiration. For more information, e-mail Jeff Romeo.

The Rosary making group meets most Wednesdays at 3:30 pm in the Social Hall. For more information, contact Karen Talloni.

If your teen is interested in volunteering for Vacation Bible School, email Jessica Iannotta.
Saints of the Month
Feast of St. Patrick on March 17
and Feast of St. Joseph on March 19
Children are welcome to take prayer bookmarks and handouts which will be available in the vestibule in the Church before or after Masses on March 12 and 13.  

Additional St. Patrick and St. Joseph's Day's Resources for Families:
Prayer Opportunities
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Coming Soon...

  • April Easter issue of the Family Newsletter
  • Divine Mercy Art Contest for Children and Teens
  • Vacation Bible School Registration
  • Announcements on plans for St Jude's Moms Group
  • Announcements on Parish Family Pilgrimage
  • Announcements on Parish Movie or Game nights

Save the Dates:

April 2 - 3: Martyr's Relic Presentation in Social Hall
April 5: Confirmation and Communion Class
April 10: Sunday Evening of Catholic Fellowship
April 11: Confession Monday across the Diocese
April 12: Confirmation and Communion Class
April 15-23: Divine Mercy Novena
April 17: Easter Sunday
April 24: Divine Mercy Sunday (Additional Prayer Service at 3 pm)
April 26: Communion Rehearsal
April 30: First Confession
May 1: First Communion
May 24: Confirmation Rehearsal
May 31: Confirmation
June 12: Parish Picnic with St Stephen's
July 11-15: Vacation Bible School
St Jude Parish
707 Monroe Tpke
Monroe, CT 06468
203-261-6404