Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Many of us have family members or friends who aren’t Catholic. At times, they may invite us to their church, or we might invite them to St. Jude’s. But when it comes time for Communion, things can get confusing – what are we to do?

First, let’s make an important distinction. Orthodox Christians (Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Byzantine Orthodox, etc.) believe the same things we do about the Eucharist. They believe it is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, as we do. They also have validly ordained priests, which means that their Eucharist actually does become Jesus. From a Catholic perspective, you are allowed to receive Communion in an Orthodox church, and vice versa. However, usually the Orthodox do not want Catholics to receive Communion in their Churches, so check with their priest or deacon before the Divine Liturgy (their word for the Mass), before receiving Communion. But from a Catholic perspective, we see no problem with intercommunion between Catholics and Orthodox.

With other non-Catholic Christians (aka Protestants), however, it’s a very different story. Our belief about the Eucharist is significantly different. Protestants generally believe that Communion is merely a symbol of the presence of Christ, but not actually the Body of Christ. Even Protestants who claim that Jesus is present will usually mean something different. They may mean that Jesus is “spiritually” present or “symbolically” present – but we as Catholics believe that Jesus is actually present in His entirety.

For example, Lutherans believe something called consubstantiation – that Jesus is present inside the bread (by contrast, Catholics believe that there is no longer bread – although it has the appearances of bread, the actual substance is Christ alone). Lutherans also believe that once their service is concluded, the presence of Jesus departs so that it becomes just ordinary bread again (which is why they don’t have tabernacles in their Lutheran churches – they just put the Communion bread back on a shelf, since it’s just bread again). Most other churches, such as Congregational churches, believe that Communion doesn’t actually do anything, but that we do it to show our obedience to Christ who told us, “Do this in memory of Me.”

The Episcopal Church does believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist – but sadly, they do not have a valid priesthood. When King Henry XIII split from the Church, he changed the words that ordained priests, which means that the priests who were ordained Anglicans (which is what Episcopalians are called in England) do not have valid Holy Orders. Hence, no valid Eucharist. They receive only bread every Sunday, not Jesus.

In addition to the differing beliefs about the Eucharist, another important consideration of Communion is just what the word means: we must be in communion with one another. Receiving the Eucharist together is a visible sign of our unity in belief and practice. It’s not just some vague bonhomie – rather, as Catholics we share the same Baptism, we follow the same Pope, we believe the same teachings. The Eucharist is, then, the “sacrament of unity” which makes visible and tangible the unity that we all share.

As such, we cannot receive Communion in other non-Catholic Protestant churches, and neither can Protestants (or Jews, or Muslims, etc.) receive Communion in ours. We cannot pretend to have true spiritual Communion with another if they believe something different, or if they follow a different authority. It would be hypocritical to act as if we were truly united when sadly we still suffer the consequences of division.

It is okay for a Catholic to merely attend a Protestant/Christian service under these circumstances:

- We are not in danger of losing our Catholic faith

- We do not receive Communion there

- We also attend a Sunday Mass (Protestant/Christian services do not substitute for the Mass. A Protestant worship service is significantly different than a Catholic Mass – they believe their worship is a gathering of songs and preaching, while we believe that the Mass makes present, in an unbloody way, the Sacrifice of Calvary. A worship service is our attempts to please God, while the Mass is the work of God Himself, as Christ is interceding on our behalf. Hence, we Catholic cannot substitute a worship service for attending the Sacrifice of Christ to the Father)



- There is no danger of scandal (we don’t give bad example to our kids or friends, who may wonder if we are thinking of leaving the Church)

We pray for the day on which these sad divisions will cease, when our Protestant – and Orthodox – brethren will be reunited with the Church that Christ founded (the Catholic Church)!

Tota Pulchra Marian Conference – Diocese of Bridgeport

An Evening with the All Beautiful Join us as we delve into the beauty and grace of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Be inspired by Dr. John-Mark Miravalle as he illustrates why Mary is the tota pulchra, the wholly fair woman, the all-beautiful; and by Fr. Justin Cinnante, O. Carm., who will share insights into Mary as Mother of the Eucharist, Mother of Beauty.

The conference will be held at St. Matthew Parish in Norwalk on September 13th. Two well respected Marian speakers are leading the program, Dr. John-Mark Miravalle and Fr. Justin Cinnante, O. Carm. It is followed by Mass celebrated by Bishop Caggiano, then, dinner, and adoration. We are very blessed that this conference is being sponsored by our diocese. Thank you.

For more information and registration, please click on

Tota Pulchra Marian Conference – Diocese of Bridgeport

Confession Weekend!



Come experience God's mercy

THIS WEEKEND Sept 6/7 - Confessions available before and after all Masses!

LECTORS NEEDED!

We are in need of more good men and women to proclaim the Word of God at Mass! What a privilege it is to use your voice to proclaim God's saving works to His Church. Everyone is welcome - adults and high school teens. If interested, please contact the Parish Office at 203-261-6404 or ParishOffice@stjuderc.org to schedule your training with Deacon John and Bernice.

MONDAY ADORATION RESUMES!

Our regular Monday Eucharistic Adoration resumes on September 8th! Every Monday from Labor Day to Memorial Day, our parish hosts Eucharistic Adoration, that we may draw near to our Eucharistic Lord. We need:

• Guardians who can commit to one consistent hour each week, making sure Our Lord is never left alone
• Substitutes who can fill-in, in case someone is sick or absent.
• 
  

You can sign up in the back of church, or at this Sign-Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A45ABA62FA0F49-monday

And even if you are unable to commit, please just come and visit Our Eucharistic Lord!

As St. Josemaria Escriva said: "When you approach the Eucharist, remember that He has been waiting two thousand years for you."

Scenes from Last Weekend's

Outdoor Christian Music Festival

Italian Festival - Thank You!

Notes of Thanks to our volunteers and sponsors!

The St Jude-St Stephen Seniors will resume their meetings on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

The September meeting will be on Thursday, September 11th at 1:00 PM in the St Jude Social Hall.

All are welcome. No need to register.



Contact Ellen Stevens with questions

ellenstevens@charter.net

Family News and Events

Kids Club starts back up this Sunday September 7!

Join us to celebrate the canonizations of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati!

We plan to offer a parent bible study again during

Sunday's religious education session

at 10:30 am. Email Jessica if interested!

Knights of Columbus News

Tootsie Roll Drive

The Knights of Columbus are excited to announce that its annual campaign to raise funds to help adults, teens, and children with intellectual disabilities, known as the Tootsie Roll Drive, will be conducted over two weekends on September 13^th and 14^th and October 4^th and 5^th.

Knights of Columbus volunteers will be collecting donations in front of local businesses during the campaign. You can spot them wearing bright yellow aprons and handing out Knights of Columbus branded Tootsie Rolls in front of Stop & Shop, Capital Spirits and Dunkin Donuts in Monroe and Stop & Shop in Newtown.

The campaign is an important fundraising event and a community outreach opportunity for our parish. 100% of the donations collected will go toward Knights of Columbus programs helping people with intellectual disabilities. Last year the campaign was able to raise over $5,000 for Knights of Columbus programs including at the Southbury Training School, a local home for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Volunteers are still needed to make this year’s campaign a success. The Knights of Columbus should check their email for the link to sign up.

Men’s Bible Study will resume on Saturday September 27th. All men are invited to join for a discussion-based Bible Study on Saturday mornings at 8am in the Monsignor Sabia Social Hall, as we study the week’s Sunday readings.

For more information, contact Bob Lux at mjrob08@gmail.com.

Blood Donation Drive Save the Date

Our next drive is Saturday, September 20 here at St. Judes. To donate, please visit www.redcrossblood.org and search for our drive.

GIFTOBERFEST! 

The Saint John XXIII Columbiettes of St. Jude Church in Monroe will be hosting their GIFTOBERFEST! fundraiser taking place throughout the month of October.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to various causes that the Columbiettes sponsor - such as special needs camperships, Hopeline, Christmas baskets for the disadvantaged and other local charitable organizations. 

GIFTOBERFEST! Is a raffle that consists of a daily drawing from October 1-31, 2025. Each day a gift card in various denominations will be awarded to a lucky winner. Participants can win multiple times. Raffle tickets will be $10.00 each and are good for the entire month.

The Columbiettes will be selling tickets after Saturday and Sunday masses at St. Jude’s Church at 707 Monroe Turnpike throughout September or if you would like to purchase a ticket and cannot attend mass, please contact Elizabeth Edgerton at 203-258-3354 or Jan DeMayo at 203-520-9796 or you can email eaedgerton24@gmail.com.

For additional information, please call (203) 258-3354 or e-mail eaedgerton24@gmail.com.

Food Pantry update

Our gratitude for your continued generosity. At this time the items in greatest need are: Mac and Cheese, canned tuna, and canned soup. 

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a continued need for disposable diapers, etc.

They are currently low on sizes 3, 4 & 5, wipes and jars of baby food as well as Baby clothes (boys and girls, up to 18 months), Baby blankets, crib sheets, Onesies, socks, strollers, bottles and pacifiers 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, Jack Lane, 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, Chloe Capra, Lucy Hanson, Debbie Dragonetti, Jesse Hurst & Family, Maryann Lapinski, Joseph Laveneziana, Andrea Paddock, Nadine Alusik, Margarida Andrade, John, Jimmy Forno, Matthew Van der Wielen, George N., Milenka Gospic, Benjamin Gray, Joe F., Chris McCarthy

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention..

Our Petition for September is:

  for Catechists and Students

We pray for all students as a new school year begins. 

We celebrate and honor the Ministry of Catechists who teach and form others in our Catholic faith. Our Religious Education classes begin September 21st,

Catechetical Sunday, dedicated this year to "Christ Our Hope".  

We ask Christ to bless all those attending Faith Formation Programs...

     We pray to the Lord

Mass Intentions for September 6 – September 14

Sat      Sept 6             9:00am       Maximino Monteiro

Sat      Sept 6            4:30pm          Stephen Henn

Sun     Sept 7            7:30am          St Jude Parishioners

Sun     Sept 7            9:30am       Maria Cabral

Sun     Sept 7           11:30am         Nick Piciw,Sr

                                    Ada Costantini

                                     Maria Emilia Monteiro and

Artur Fernandes Monteiro

Mon    Sept 8            9:00am         Ben Seamons

Tue     Sept 9            9:00am         Richard Noble

Wed   Sept 10           9:00am          Brian O’Rourk

Thu     Sept 11           9:00am          Anna Mancuso

Fri       Sept 12           9:00am        Patricia Schutte

Sat      Sept 13           4:30pm         The Lluch Family

Sun     Sept 14           7:30am          St Jude Parishioners

Sun     Sept 14           9:30am        Marica Jovic and Gojko Jovic

Sun     Sept 14           11:30am        Rita Venables

                                     Graciela DePelaez

                                     Helen Tuccio

Tabernacle Candle: In memory of Andrew Henn

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

"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



Confessions on Saturday afternoon will be in the day chapel at 3:30 to 4:15 pm on Saturdays. Come take advantage of God's great mercy by coming to the Sacrament of Confession.



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