Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Recently my brother, who is a PhD candidate in theology, texted me a deep question I had to really ponder: how does prayer work?

That is an excellent question! Scientists have tried to do studies on how prayer works – there have been numerous clinical trials involving thousands of people. The control group would be a number of sick people who would not receive prayer, while the experimental group would receive prayer. However, some studies showed that prayer was efficacious and the sick people recovered faster with fewer complications; while other studies showed no effect between the two groups. So it’s been inconclusive.

But these studies, run by scientists who may or may not be believers, lack a few important nuances. Not all prayer has a powerful effect. For example, the Scientific Therapeutic Effects of Prayer (STEP) experiment, conducted under the auspices of the Harvard Medical School, is a well-known study that seemed to say just that. It was a ten-year clinical trial of the effects of prayer on 1,802 cardiac bypass patients at six hospitals—costing a whopping $2.4 million! This famous trial found no difference among those receiving prayer and those not.

But who prayed? It was members of a Protestant sect known as the Unity School of Christianity from Missouri, who denied the divinity of Jesus, denied the possibility of miracles, denied the reality of sin and salvation, and basically every other Christian doctrine. So of course, with such a (lack of) faith, it’s no wonder prayers were ineffective!

In other trials, the praying people were given a pre-written prayer to recite every day. But that assumes that prayer is just a magical incantation which somehow makes magical results. Rather, they should have been given the freedom to pray from the heart any prayer they wished, for as long as they wished, to Jesus Christ. That is the essence of real prayer, but it’s also notoriously hard to manage in a large-scale study!

So does prayer “work”? Well, it certainly works for the person praying. Science has confirmed that people who pray experience less stress, better blood pressure, boosted immune system, and greater mental clarity. And many of us have experienced “minor miracles” – things that may not be truly scientifically impossible, but are joyful coincidences such as a surprise recovery or an unexpected job offer or something of that nature.

But theologically, intercession (praying for others) works because we are all members of the Body of Christ. If a part of our body is injured, blood will often rush to the scene of the injury, causing swelling or clotting to begin the healing process. Likewise, prayer “sends” the grace to the injured or suffering person, so that through our connection in and through Jesus Christ our Head, we can ask Him to send extra grace. Prayer is an act of love, and every act of love in the world changes the world to some degree.

To be clear – prayer does not change God. We don’t, and can’t, change His mind. He is pure Love, and all that He does is love, even when He allows one of His children to fall into sickness or distress. But He also wants us to participate in that Love, which is why He invites us to pray for others. Could He heal a sick person without our prayers? Yes, of course. But God is glorified most when He uses what Aquinas would call “secondary causes”.

Take, for example, a person who is healed through medicine. Who healed them – God or the doctor? The answer: both! God is the primary cause of all that exists, but the doctor and the medicine are secondary causes. God is glorified most when He uses many, many secondary causes to accomplish His plan, because this allows creatures to participate in the Divine action. What a noble calling, to pray for others so as to be a conduit of grace in the world! God, as it were, puts His plan at the mercy of our freedom – He will not force us to cooperate with His plan, and we can do real harm to His plan if we refuse His will.

But wait! Last week I said that prayers weren’t magic. Well, what I mean is that prayers are notmere recitation of words, as if they were an incantation. No, to pray is to lift your mind and heart to God. We don’t have to recite pre-written prayers (these are not bad, but we must be sure that our mind and heart prays them along with our lips). We can simply pray and intercede with our own words or thoughts, speaking from our heart to the Lord.

Prayer, however, must come from an attitude of humble supplication, and not ordering God around. Some people pray with an ultimatum: “God, if you don’t give me what I want, I will leave the Church and never speak with You again!” This isn’t faith, because it treats God as a vending machine and not as a loving Father. True prayer says, “Lord, this is what I want, but ultimately I want Your Will, whatever it is. I trust in You.” As St. Theresa of Avila said, “There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered ones!” – because frequently we pray for things that would be ultimately harmful to us or others, and thus God does not allow us to harm ourselves by getting what we want! Perhaps the person would be restored to good health only to sin more; maybe that new job we hoped for would really make us miserable and we don’t know it; maybe God will bring that grandchild back to the church, but only in His own time. Prayer must always be done in a spirit of trust.



So, this is an attempt to answer that difficult question of how prayer works. At its core, it is quite a mystery, and I don’t pretend to understand it fully. All I know is that I have seen prayer change hearts (especially my own), and that Our Lord commanded us to pray. So I will keep praying, honored that Our Lord would choose me – and you! – to participate in His work in the world.

Fourth Sunday High Mass - This Sunday!

Join us March 22 for our Fourth Sunday Evening High Mass at 5:30pm - Mass celebrated with greater solemnity with chant, hushed reverence, and ad-orientam (facing towards the East). All are welcome!

Confessions - Holy Week

We will have many extra opportunities for Confessions as we approach the holy Feast of Easter:

March 28/29 - Confession Weekend - Confessions Before and After All Masses

March 30 - Diocesan-Wide Confession Monday - 3-9pm at St. Lawrence in Shelton and 3-9pm at St Catherine of Siena

March 30 - 8-9pm at St. Jude

April 3 - Good Friday - 1-2:30pm at St. Jude

April 4 - Holy Saturday - 3:30-4:30pm at St. Jude

Holy Week Schedule

Please join us for the most sacred days of our Church Year!

Palm Sunday (March 28/29)

Regular Mass Schedule

Confessions available before and after all Masses

Tenebrae (April 1)

A prayer service of psalms and candles that commemorates Christ's betrayal.

Service begins at 7:30pm

Holy Thursday (April 2)

Mass of the Lord's Supper is at 7:30pm

Altar of Repose stays open until 11pm in the Social Hall

There is no daily Mass on April 2nd.

Good Friday (April 3)

10am - Outdoor Stations of the Cross (on the driveway leading to Abbey Road)

1pm-2:30pm - Confessions

3pm - Service of the Lord's Passion

7:30pm - Living Stations (in the Church)

There is no daily Mass on April 3rd.

Holy Saturday (April 4)

10am - Blessing of Easter Food (Social Hall)

3:30-4:30pm - Confessions Available

8pm - The Great Vigil of Easter

There is no 4:30pm Mass on April 4.

Easter Sunday (April 5)

Regular Mass Schedule

New Additional Weekly Confession Time!

We have had such a beautiful renaissance of God's mercy as more and more souls take advantage of the Sacrament of Confession that we have added an additional weekly time for the Sacrament!

Confessions will now be on Saturdays from 3:30-4:30pm and on Monday nights from 8:00-9:00pm. Please come and have your sins forgiven - now available on Mondays too!

Tonight!

Lenten Supper and Stations:

6:00 PM ~ DINNER

7:00 PM ~ STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Friday, March 20 - Quesadillas

Friday, March 27 - Pierogies

Heart to Heart Adoration this Saturday 3/21

If you have never attended a Heart to Heart Adoration, we highly encourage you to attend this Saturday evening! Even if you can't make it right at 7 pm, please join us when you can.

It will be a powerful night of Adoration, music, confessions, healing prayer, preaching and revival. Take advantage of this time to rest in the Lord this Lent and experience an encounter with Jesus like none other. Free childcare will be available in the social hall. 

GIFTS , TALENTS, and TREASURES SURVEY

We’re creating a Saint Jude parish database of parishioners who have specific gifts and talents that could be useful for the parish. Please check out the survey below!

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” – 1 Peter 4:10 



For those of you who were unable to attend the parish Lenten Mission this past week, led by Fr. Justin Cinnante, O.Carm, they were recorded and are available at 

https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses   

All three evenings were Spirit filled, moving, educational, emotional, funny, and a powerful testament of the power of God and our Blessed Mother in our lives.  

St. Stephen Bereavement Support Group

Have you suffered the loss of a special person in your life? St. Stephen Bereavement Ministry can offer you hope in coping with your grief. It is open to anyone you may know who needs help. The 10-week course, with a guidded workbook provided, will begin on Wednesday March 11 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Registration is required.

Please call the Parish Office at 203-268-6217. A call will be returned to you with more information.

Men’s Cursillo Weekend

16-19 April 2026

Sisters of the Atonement Retreat Center, Garrison, NY

The Cursillo movement focuses on proclaiming ­­­­­the good news that Christ loves us and offers a mechanism to spread this message through the best means possible, which is friendship.

To fully explain Cursillo to someone who has not experienced it is, at best, difficult. It’s not because Cursillo is a secret, but because it is a living experience that one must experience firsthand. No one can fully explain how God touches a person. Christ, through the Cursillo and through His grace, touches the person who is open to a personal relationship with Him in a special way. Cursillo offers a deeper understanding of what it means to be fully Catholic and provides friendship groups to help us grow closer to Christ as we go about our day-to-day lives. 



We are currently accepting applications for a limited number of men to join us in our upcoming Cursillo weekend. For more information, please text Wayne Haack at 203 516 7108.

Family News and Events

March Rooted Magazine

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

It is full inspiration for the feasts of March, the month of the Saint Joseph, and Lent.

Printed copies will be available at the family ministry table.

Saint Jude Moms Group

Next Meeting Date:

Thursday, 3/26 is CHANGED to Friday, 3/27 to do Supper and Stations together for Lent.

Email saintjudemomsgroup@gmail.com for more information!

Knights of Columbus News

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.

Food Pantry update

Items in greatest need currently are peanut butter, canned soup, canned tuna and mac and cheese. Thank you for your continued support and generosity.

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a continued need for disposable diapers, etc. They are currently low on sizes Newborn,1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7,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 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.

Their biggest need right now is girls’ winter clothing 0-3, 3-6, 9-12 and 12-18.

 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, 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

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention..

Our Petition for March is: Lenten Sacrifice 

As Lent continues and our own sacrifices 

seem hard, may we hold a Cross and

reflect on Christ's Crucifixion...

    We Pray To The Lord

 Mass Intentions for March 21 – March 29

Sat      Mar 21           4:30pm           Homer Deneen

Sun     Mar 22           7:30am            Albert P. Forno

Sun     Mar 22           9:30am            Mia Morse

Sun     Mar 22          11:30am           St Jude Parishioners

                                                           Elaine Duschang

                                                           Florence Moshier

Sun     Mar 22           5:30pm            Matthew Pissani

Mon    Mar 23           9:00am           Francis and Margaret Chiappetta

and Nicholas and Josephine Tomasello

Tue     Mar 24            9:00am           Francis Bilan

Wed    Mar 25            9:00am           Doug Stevens

Thu     Mar 26           9:00am           The Yasah and Pekar families

Fri       Mar 27           9:00am           Renee Freer and Stephen Misencik

Sat      Mar 28           4:30pm           Theresa Dyer

Sun     Mar 29           7:30am           St Jude Parishioners

Sun     Mar 29           9:30am           The Palladino Family

Sun     Mar 29           11:30am          Maureen O’Keefe

                                                           Holly Flynn

                                                           Mary Jane Spede

Tabernacle Candle: In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph B. Piazza

Wine and Hosts: In memory of Elaine Duschang

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

There will be a once/month Sunday evening Solemn High Mass on the Fourth Sunday of every month, starting February 22, at 5:30pm. It is scheduled from February to May.

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

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.