Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Tomorrow, our parish will be welcoming six new people into full communion with the Catholic Faith! Two, Elizabeth and Max, will receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Two, George and Olivia, are converting from a Protestant denomination to become Catholic. And two have chosen, as adults, to embrace the fullness of their Faith by receiving their First Communions and Confirmations as adults (Nick and Anthony).

Our news is often filled with doom-and-gloom stories of how the Church is shrinking or passe. How amazing it is to see such signs of hope, then! These adults have responded to the grace of God to come follow Jesus Christ, at times amidst great personal cost. In hearing their stories, I am struck at how many of them say that they felt “something missing” in their lives without God, or that they felt drawn to a Church that preached a solid, unchanging truth in the midst of a very confused world. It is evidence that God is real and that the Church still has something to say to postmodern men and women.

The witness of these heroic men and women entering the Church this Easter calls to mind what Pope St. John Paul II said at World Youth Day:

It is Jesus you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.

The early Christians referred to the baptismal font as the “womb” of the Church. Just as the womb of Mary bore fruit in Christ, so the womb of the Church bears fruit in Christians. In both cases, the fruit is borne through the “overshadowing of the Holy Spirit” – which has stirred the hearts of these six candidates and catechumens to seek full admission to the Church. We are excited to welcome them into our fold tomorrow evening – please pray for Elizabeth, Max, George, Nick, Olivia, and Anthony as they take this important step of receiving the Sacraments to become full Catholics!

Holy Week at St. Jude's

Good Friday - Friday, April 7

10am - Outdoor Stations of the Cross

1-2:45pm - Confessions Available

3pm - Service of the Lord's Passion (with Holy Communion)

7:30pm - Living Stations, presented by our parish youth

Holy Saturday - April 8

10am - Blessing of Food in the Social Hall

3-4pm - Confessions Available

8pm - The Great Vigil of Easter

(Please note: there is NO 4pm Mass on Holy Saturday) 

Easter Sunday

Sunday, April 9 - 7:30am, 9:30am, and 11:30am Masses

Living Stations of the Cross

After a hiatus, our Living Stations returns! Please join us at St. Jude's for a profound and beautiful meditation on the death of Our Lord, presented by our young parishioners. All are invited: 7:30pm on Good Friday.

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 3:30 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.

It is with great joy that we invite you to participate in the many celebrations and activities planned throughout this coming year to celebrate our Parish 50th Anniversary. Please see the Schedule of planned events on our website. https://www.stjuderc.org/50-years.html

Be on the lookout for a 50th Anniversary Apparel Fundraiser launching after Easter!

One In Christ – The 2023 Bishop’s Appeal

Your gifts at work

Future priests of the Diocese of Bridgeport receive comprehensive formation in theology, pastoral ministry, personal growth, and, most importantly, the spiritual life at seminaries chosen by the Bishop to best suit the needs of the seminarian and of the diocese. Preparation for the Priesthood takes anywhere from six to eight years, depending on the age and educational background of the man when he enters. All of our seminarians receive graduate degrees in theology prior to their ordination.  Through your generous gift to the Bishop's Appeal, the Diocese will be better able to support men who are discerning priesthood and may respond generously and courageously to that call. 

Thank you for your gift.

To make a gift, or for more information, please visit us at 2023BishopsAppeal.org, call (203) 416-1470 or scan with your phone.

Annual Bishop's Appeal Brochure and Home QR

Parish News

Notes From the Music Ministry

Music Ministry Sunday Afternoon Pizza & A Movie

The Music Ministry is hosting a Sunday afternoon Pizza & a Movie in the Church Hall on Sunday, April 23 at 3:00 P.M. We will be showing the acclaimed film "I Can Only Imagine" based upon the life and times of the man who wrote the amazing and moving song that has sold millions of copies worldwide. This is the story of how that song came to be: "Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song "I Can Only Imagine" as singer of the Christian band MercyMe." It was through music that Bart found his own redemption and was able to make peace with his troubled past. When the film was released in 2018, one reviewer wrote: " I saw it for the first time tonight, although I've been loving the song for years. It was cathartic. I didn't bawl, but I teared up quite a bit at several points. The amazing grace and love of God and the life changing power of forgiveness through Christ were on full display. Amazing how God works through our worst circumstances to bring about our best outcomes!" During this season of Easter, come and watch a real-life account of God's power of forgiveness and redemption. The film is riveting and moving at the same time. It will be a fun time had by all ages. The film is rate PG due to some strong themes. Bring the entire family and make it a great afternoon! Again, pizza will be provided along with popcorn and soda.

Please RSVP to the parish office so me may have an accurate count for planning by Friday, April 21 and/or email our Director of Music, Lou Vollono at lvollono@stjuderc.com

The Knights of Columbus will once again sponsor the Domingo Arribas Memorial Needs Drive on Saturday April 29, 2023 from 8:00am to 10:30am. Your donated items of Food, Clothing, Diapers, & Wipes can be brought to the front of Monsignor Sabia Social Hall. They will be distributed to the St Jude pantry, Blessed Sacrament parish, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, & Hopeline. 



Although the coronavirus has lessened, we still have certain limitations on items being collected so please refer to the attached flyer (click on image on the right). To minimize contact & ease of distribution, we ask that you label the contents of your donated items in bags & boxes brought in your vehicles. WE ARE NOT COLLECTING FURNITURE ITEMS for this drive!!! Any questions, please contact Rocky Scali at 203-767-6053 or Frank Flynn at 203-556-5016.

Food Pantry Update

Our Easter distribution was successfully completed. Thank you to all who responded to our requests. As a result, we were able to provide an Easter meal and additional groceries to fourteen families. 

We now need to restock for our regular weekly requirements. Items in greatest need at this time are tuna, pasta, canned fruit, oatmeal and boxed children's cereal. As always, your generosity is appreciated. Please also see the note regarding the Knights of Columbus Needs Drive on April 29th for additional items to be shared with Blessed Sacrament. 

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a need for disposable diapers. They are currently low on sizes 4, 5 & 6 and baby wipes. Should you wish to help you can leave the diapers 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. As always, your continued support is greatly appreciated.

The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, our Sr Megan Mary Thibodeau’s religious order is asking for our help. During Lent they are asking for prayers and for donations to help them build a Mother House in Corpus Christi Texas, where Sr Megan is the General Superior of the order. +

To quote their request:

It’s Lent and we are excited! ON Ash Wednesday we kicked off our 40 Days + 40 Dollars + 40 Friends campaign to raise funds for our new Motherhouse. We humbly ask you to consider donating 40 dollars during these 40 days of Lent and sharing our need with 40 friends or 10 friends to share with 4 of their friends. Please also keep an eye out for our Behind the Habit posts on Facebook which are short glimpses of the lives of our sisters who may one day live in this new Motherhouse.

Since Sr Megan was formed here at St Jude and we are her home parish it would be great to support this effort. If you feel the Lord move you to help, please send donations to: SOLT Sisters, PO Box 4116, Corpus Christi’s TX 78469.

Bring home Saint Jude's traveling statue of the Holy Family. Materials will be included to do a 7-day preparation for Consecration to the Holy Family. To learn more, visit: https://afc.org/family-consecration/ May God bless you and your family through the intercession of the Holy Family!

We need families for the weeks of 5/28 and 6/4

Seeking Prayer Intentions to bring to

the Holy Land!

We have a group of parishioners who will be visiting the Holy Land next month. They have offered to take our Parish's prayer requests with them. Please add your prayer requests by today.



Did you know that Easter is an eight-day feast? Next weekend we celebrate the reason the Lord came to earth, suffered, died, and resurrected – to redeem our souls. On this day, the "greatest day of the feast," all sin and punishment can be wiped away by those who worthily receive the Eucharist, trust in the Lord's mercy, and are merciful to others. What could be a more extraordinary gift? The Lord also generously answers many prayers. Every family needs God's mercy. Every family should take full advantage of what the Lord is offering the whole world at this time. Visit MercySundayMomentum.org to discover

the gift of Divine Mercy Sunday!

The Divine Mercy Novena Starts Today! Click here for our parish Novena and Divine Mercy Sunday schedule!

Watch Divine Mercy and the Second Greatest Story Ever Told on Formed.org

Renowned speaker and author Fr. Michael Gaitley tells the dramatic history of God's love and mercy as interwoven through the transformative message of St. Faustina, the miraculous appearance of Mary at Fatima, the witness of Maximilian Kolbe, and the world-changing papacy of Pope St. John Paul II.

Email if you're interested in watching on your own during Easter week and discussing as a group on Zoom

“Reclaiming Friendships”

Walking with Purpose Bible Study

 “Reclaiming Friendship” is a six-session Bible study from Walking with Purpose. It integrates Scripture with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to answer the core question, “What is God’s vision for friendship, and how can I experience it?”

Wednesdays, April 26 – May 31, 6-7:30 PM

Fridays, April 28 – June 2, 9:30-11 AM

Register at: https://www.osvhub.com/st-jude-church-monroe/forms/wwp2023-1 Questions?

Contact Annette Bonomo at Abonomo200@earthlink.net or MaryBeth Rauser at mbrauser@hotmail.com

Cost for book - $20

The April Family Newsletter is now available - click below!

Join us and meet other young couples and learn 7 Steps to a Superabundant Marriage - a series of talks to enhance your marriage and your spirituality. There is no cost.

First meeting will be Sunday, April 30, 5:30-7:00 PM in the St Jude Social Hall. Pizza and wine will be served.

RSVP: Mike Bonomo phone/text 203-257-3224. Email: mbonomo200@earthlink.net

Please indicate if childcare needed at the event.

2023

CAMP ADORE

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Summer with the Sacred Heart

June 26-30, 2023 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

for children entering Grades 1-6.

This year's theme is "Summer with the Sacred Heart"

To register click here. Space is filling quickly - sign up early to secure a spot!

Email Jessica Iannotta if you are an adult or teen interested in volunteering or helping with preparation or donations.

Mom's Group Announcements

Next meeting Thursday 4/27 at 7:30 pm

Our next monthly mother's Zoom rosary is Wednesday 5/3 at 9 pm and will continue on the first Wednesday of every month e-mail Jessica Iannotta for more information.

If you would like to join our next book study, 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley starting at the end of April, email Jessica Iannotta

Youth Encounter and Kid's Club Reminders

Next Encounter 4/14 & Kid's Club 5/7

Red Cross Blood Donation drive

The Knights of Columbus Council 5987 will again sponsor a Red Cross Blood Donation drive on Saturday, May 13 in the Monsignor Sabia Social Hall.. The drive runs from 9 AM until 2 PM. All parishioners age 18 and above are welcome to donate. Also, tell a friend. The earlier you sign up, the more slots are available.

Here is how you can make an appointment. Go to the ARC blood donation web site,https://www.redcrossblood.org/. Click “donate blood”, insert the zip code 06468 and then click “find a drive”. In the filter area, select and click “refine search” and then click “Choose my dates”. When the calendar comes up, click on May 13, 2023 and our drive should appear. From there, you can schedule your own appointment.

You can also email Frank Flynn at bynumrun@hotmail.com. Let him know a preferred time and he will insert your name.



Hope to see you there.

The Columbiettes is an organization of Catholic women dedicated to our Patronesses, Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Theresa the Little Flower and St. Joan of Arc. This national organization is comprised of auxiliaries that are affiliated with the Knights of Columbus Councils.

Our local Columbiettes auxiliary will be holding our spring new member initiation at the Tuesday, April 11 meeting. The meeting starts at 7pm. We meet monthly on the 2^nd Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Monthly meeting attendance is preferred but not mandatory if you're tied up on Tuesday. You can still participate in the various charitable, social and religious activities throughout the year.  

Any ladies interested in more information about Columbiettes should write to us at Columbiettes@stjude.org or call Helen at 203-767-6486. 

We meet at the St Jude social hall, but membership is not limited to St Jude parishioners.

Please remember in your daily prayers:

Marge Tranzillo, David Nicolett, Maria Bertone, Marie Micholovich, Vincent Daniello, Dyana vander Wielen, Joe Pinto, Zoey Frigo, Daniel Louis Bianco, Max, Hung Vu, Alfred Zawadski, Dr. John Kezel, Joseph Sheridan, Francisca Testa & family, Catherine Belanger, Stephen Henn, Manny Cambra, Bennett Gulyas, Tom Pleva, James Buturla, Violeta Shala, Vito Melfi, Paul Verespej, Patti F. , Anne DeVita, Anna Harper, Jack Lane, Robert Freeman, Frank Kerekes, Marian Nanchy, Rose C., Joseph T., Rosario Pacheco, Antonia Tedeschi, Charles Metoyer, Liz Guaglianone, Tip B.

All healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers and the men and women in the military.

If you have anyone that you would like to add to the list, please call the office or email with the name to be added.

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.

Our Petition for April is:



We pray for an end to violence in our World, especially in our schools, and for improved mental health care in our Country....

    We pray to the Lord 

Upcoming Mass Intentions

Sat    Apr8          8:00pm                FlorenceOlivia                                                                                                                         

Sun   Apr 9         7:30am                 Angela Oakley

Sun   Apr 9          9:30am                 Marie Goss

Sun   Apr 9          11:30am               Maria Emilia Monteiro

Mon  Apr 10        9:00am                 Sofia Cardona

Tue   Apr 11       9:00am                 Charles Fulton

Wed  Apr 12        9:00am                Susan Deer

Thu   Apr 13        9:00am                 Linda Collin

Fri    Apr 14        9:00am                 Eileen and Richard Sekerak

Sat   Apr 15        4:00pm                Jennifer Cannon

Sun   Apr 16       7:30am                 Andrew and Angela Vill

Sun   Apr 16        9:30am                 St Jude Parishioners

Sun   Apr 16        11:30am               James McGrath

The Tabernacle Candle will burn in memory of Andrew Henn during the month of April

Weekday Masses will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed.

The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. Only the Saturday Mass at 4:00 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am and 9:30 Masses are live streamed.

(Live-streamed Masses may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses.html )

Holy Trinity Catholic Academy

503 Shelton Avenue

Shelton, CT

For more information, go to:

www.holytrinitycatholicacademy.org

or call: 203-929-4422

Pre-K 3 through 8^th Grade

Men’s Bible Study

All men are invited to join for a discussion-based Bible Study on Saturday mornings at 8am in the School Meeting Room beginning September 17, as we study the Sunday readings. For more information, contact Bob Lux at mjrob08@gmail.com.

Mary's Messengers Prayer Group . Since RE is finished for the year, a new time will be announced soon.

We learn to say the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and other special prayers for the intentions of our families and Parish.

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

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 3:00 pm on Saturdays.  We are now offering Confession Weekend every first weekend of the month! Come take advantage of God's great mercy by coming to the Sacrament of Confession, offered before AND after every Mass.

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