Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Our Church is a good mother, and a good mother cares for her sick children. But often, medicine can be bitter, even if it restores them to health. Perhaps the strongest, and most bitter, medicine that the Church offers is the medicine of excommunication. This difficult medicine of expelling someone from the Catholic Church is a strong and shocking medicine to motivate someone to repent and be reconciled to the Church. Only the Vatican can forgive these excommunicable offenses (with one exception – see below).

There are six actions which are automatically excommunicable. They are:

- Physically harming the Holy Father

- Intentional desecration of the Holy Eucharist

- A priest who breaks the Seal of Confession and reveals what they heard in Confession

- If a bishop ordains another bishop without a papal mandate

- If a priest absolves an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment (in other words, if a priest asks a woman to sleep with him, promising that he will forgive the sin in Confession)

- Anyone who has an abortion, or assists someone in obtaining an abortion (this can be forgiven by any priest)

Why do I bring this up? You may have read in the news that the Pope recently was forced to excommunicate a group called the SSPX (Society of St. Pius X) who ordained several bishops without the permission of the Pope. Sadly, this action wounded the unity of the Church and put the SSPX in official schism.

“Schism” is the technical term for those who separate themselves from the authority of the Pope. Although the SSPX believes (mostly) the same things that regular Catholics believe, they refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Holy Father as the head of the Church. Thus, in schism, their sacraments are invalid.

There is one SSPX chapel in our diocese (Christ the King in Ridgefield) and in our own town of Monroe, we also have a schismatic “Catholic” Church (Our Lady of the Rosary in Stepney) which does not have valid Sacraments and is, unfortunately, a counterfeit Catholic Church.



St. Ambrose once said, “Where Peter is, there is the Church.” In other words, if you want to find the true Church founded by Jesus Christ, look always for union with St. Peter and his successors, the Popes. We cannot find Christ except through His Church; and we cannot find the Church except through union with the Holy Father. Let’s pray that the schismatic wounds that our Church is enduring will be healed through repentance and forgiveness!

2027 PARISH MASS INTENTION BOOK

The 2027 mass intention book will open on MONDAY, JULY 6

Helpful information to guide you when you are requesting a Mass:

Announced Masses: Offered for a particular intention on a particular date. It can be in honor/memory of someone or for a special intention.

We offer weekday masses (Monday-Friday); weekend masses, and our monthly first Saturday Padre Pio Mass.

         We have instituted a collective intention Mass (11:30am Sunday) where we will pray up to three intentions.

TABERNACLE CANDLE (month)

ADORATION CANDLES (during any adoration times during month)

WINE AND HOSTS (month)

Requests can be made by e-mail, by phone, or by visiting the parish office



STIPEND: Mass: $15.00

              Tabernacle Candle: $75.00

              Adoration Candles: $40.00

             Wine and Hosts: $25.00

Payment by cash or check at time of request (No Credit Cards)

LIMITATIONS :Weekend mass request :Up to four (4) per family        

                   Weekday mass request : No limit

Family News and Events

End-of-the-Year Youth Appeal

​Dear families,

It has been an amazing year in Youth Encounters! From our first-ever overnight retreats to our dynamic Youth Encounter nights to our St Jude Youth TikTok channel going viral (one video with over 5 million views!), we're excited at what God is doing in our youth here in Monroe.

We have always made Youth Encounters free, no-cost, and no-sign-up. The Gospel should never come at a cost! At the same time, it does cost money to run Youth Encounters: supplies and food are getting more expensive (and the kids are getting hungrier!), and many of our trips and activities are heavily subsidized. We offer significant Camp Veritas scholarships, too, which drain our resources.

We are asking families to contribute to an End-of-the-Year Youth Encounter Appeal in the hopes of raising $1,000 for our youth programs here at St. Jude's. This will allow us to continue our strong youth program without taking money away from the other vital ministries at our parish.

Would you consider donating? If so, you can find the link here: https://www.osvhub.com/st-jude-church-monroe/giving/funds/youth-encounter-kid-s-club-appeal  or the QR code to donate is here below:

July Rooted Magazine



Here is the link for June's Rooted Magazine with a link to past issues here.

It is full inspiration for the the month of The Most Precious Blood.

Printed copies will be available at the family ministry table.

Knights of Columbus News

All men in the parish 18 and over are invited to learn more about the Knights of Columbus. Learn more about our core principles of Charity,Unity,Fraternity and Faith.



Please contact Paul Sideleau at p1aulsr@aol.com for further questions or information.

The next blood drive sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes will be held on Saturday, July 18 at the IBEW offices at 721 Main St, Rte 25. The hours are 8 AM until 1 PM. If you are interested in donating, access www.redcrossblood.org and search for this drive.

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a continued need for disposable diapers, etc. They are currently low on sizes Newborn,3, 5, & 6, wipes and jars of baby food as well as gently used Baby clothes (boys and girls, up to 18 months), Baby blankets, crib sheets, Onesies, socks, strollers, bottles and pacifiers, strollers, baby toys and baby monitors. They have also requested baby formula such as “Similac 360 Total Care”. Should you wish to help you can leave the diapers, etc. in the outer vestibule of the church. Monetary donations, with checks made out to the Hopeline Pregnancy Center, as well as gift cards from Amazon, Target and grocery stores are most welcome. They may be mailed to: Hopeline Pregnancy Center, PO Box 110658, Trumbull, CT 06611.

 As always, your continued support is greatly appreciated by Hopeline and our Knights of Columbus Council.

Please contact Bob Lux at mjrob08@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

Please remember in your daily prayers:

David Nicolett, Vincent Daniello, Joe Pinto, Zoey Frigo, Daniel Louis Bianco, Max, Hung Vu , Darryl Patterson, Dr. John Kezel, Francisca Testa & Family, Catherine Belanger, Tom Pleva, James Buturla, Patti F, Anne DeVita, Anna Harper, Frank Kerekes, Antonia Tedeschi, Mary McDonald, Douglas Stanley, Jenn Katz, Susan W, Barbara Tranchese, Mary Lopresti, Lor C, Janet C, Larry Pisani, Becky M, Vincent Pisani, Greg, Kaiti and Cameron Kessler, Mildred Blasko, Michael Merola & Family, Father Krzysztof, Baby Henry Taylor, Garren Kiett, Viola Cleo Bradshaw, Alice Gumpert, Michael, Donna, Chrystal Archuletta, Lucy Hanson, Jesse Hurst & Family, Maryann Lapinski, Andrea Paddock, Nadine Alusik, Margarida Andrade, John, Jimmy Forno, Matthew Van der Wielen, George N., Milenka Gospic, Benjamin Gray, Chris McCarthy, Leo B., Edward Isales, MaryAnn Voytek, Sal Guerrera, Anne Gulia, Raymond Gosselin, Nancy Czupkowski, Jea, Virginia LaQuesse, Ed Marencik, Dan Mongillo, Lawrence Cofone, Mary Witkowsky, John Rizzitelli, Marissa S. , Dan Hermansson, Allison H.

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.

Our Petition for July is for:

  The 250th Anniversary of America

As we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our Country on July 4th, may we give thanks for all the blessings God has bestowed upon our great Nation.  We invoke His Mercy to heal all that divides us, so that we may remain "One Nation Under God"...

   We pray "GOD BLESS AMERICA"

Mass Intentions for July 18 – July 26

Sat      July 18            4:30pm            The Lluch family

    Sun     July 19            7:30am            Lucy and Tony Casola

Sun     July 19            9:30am            Elaine Duschang

Sun     July 19            11:30am          St Jude Parishioners

                                                           Joseph, Millie and Patricia Bonitatibus

                                                           Blessings for Lawrence Cofone

Mon    July 20            9:00am            Victoria Conde

Tue     July 21            9:00am            John Bath 

Wed    July 22            9:00am            Lola Stephanic

Thu     July 23            9:00 am          Richard Lawrence Zacharese

Fri       July 24            9:00am            Nicholas and Maria DeLeo

Sat      July 25            4:30pm            Luis and Elvira Ferreira and Jennifer Cannon

    Sun     July 26            7:30am            Ernest Vitti

Sun     July 26            9:30am            Maria Emilia Monteiro and Artur Fernandes Monteiro

Sun     July 26            11:30am          St Jude Parishioners

                                                           Judy Anne Rowinski

                                                           Robert and Barbara Ciotti

Weekday Masses (Monday thru Friday) will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed.

The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. Only the Saturday Mass at 4:30 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am and 9:30 Masses are live streamed and may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses

Saturday Rosary Sign up.

We have a wonderful way to prepare for Saturday Mass and that is to say the Rosary before Mass starts. We start 30 minutes before Mass so we start at 4:00 every Saturday.

Please join us as we pray. Also, please prayerfully consider joining this ministry.

If you would like to join you can sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aa8ad2fa6fccf8-saturday#/

We look forward to you joining us as we pray the Rosary together.

First Friday

Eucharistic Adoration

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28-30



The time that we spend with Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time we will spend on earth. Please join us on the first Friday of every month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.

Flame of Love Rosary

Thursday mornings after 9 am Mass * on break for summer will resume in September *

"Spread the effect of grace of thy Flame of Love over all of humanity"

flameoflove.us



Divine Mercy Chaplet

Wednesdays at 3 pm in the Church

"Jesus we Trust in You"

thedivinemercy.org

St. Jude Religious Gift Shop

St. Jude Religious Gift Shop is located downstairs in the Msgr. Sabia Social Hall. Fr. Joseph's Books and CD's are available in the Gift Shop. Also new items: Communion Gifts and cards, statues, rosaries and more.

Come in and browse. Call Fran Cambra 203-261-2573 or Parish Office 203-261-6404.

Confession Hours

We are adding an additional Confession time starting February 1, through Easter (at least - if it is popular we will keep it). Monday nights from 8-9pm (the last hour of Adoration). 

Confessions will now be on Saturdays from 3:30-4:30pm and on Monday nights from 8-9pm. 

Confessions are also by appointment, please call 203-261-6404, to set up an appointment or email the office.  

Parish Office Hours

THE OFFICE HOURS ARE:

MONDAY - THURSDAY 9:00 – 3:00

Please call (203-261-6404) or e-mail (ParishOffice@stjuderc.org) before coming to the office. Much can be accomplished through a phone call or email, such as requesting masses/mass cards; sacramental records; registering for Baptism; etc.