Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Last week, we saw how the saints so often saw God in nature. But there are so many saintly stories of nature that I have to bring up a few more!

Many of the saints particularly loved the mountains. For example, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati was a big mountain climber. He wrote in one of his letters, “Every day that passes, I fall more desperately in love with the mountains... I am ever more determined to climb the mountains, to scale the mighty peaks, to feel that pure joy which can only be felt in the mountains.”

Another great mountaineer was St. John Paul II, who escaped the Vatican incognito on over 100 occasions to ski and hike in the mountains surrounding Rome. In fact, he said once, 

"Here the silence of the mountain and the whiteness of the snow speak to us of God, and they show us the way of contemplation, not only as a way to experience the Mystery, but also as a condition for humanizing life and mutual relations.

Today there is a greatly felt need to slow down the sometimes hectic pace of our days. Contact with nature, with its beauty and its peace, gives us new strength and restores us. Yet, while the eyes take in the wonder of the cosmos, it is necessary to look into ourselves, into the depths of our heart, into the center of our being where we are face to face with our conscience. There God speaks to us and the dialogue with Him gives meaning to our lives.

So, dear friends, …you are, as it were, molded by the mountain, by its beauty and its severity, by its mysteries and its attractions. The mountain opens its secrets only to those who have the courage to challenge it. It demands sacrifice and training. It requires you to leave the security of the valleys but offers spectacular views from the summit to those who have the courage to climb it. Therefore it is a reality which strongly suggests the journey of the spirit, called to lift itself up from the earth to heaven, to meet God.”

But not all saints loved the mountains – some were more at home on the seas! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, our first American-born saint. As a young girl, she would sit meditatively by the sea, next to her New York home, praying. She is actually the patron of sailors, because two of her sons joined the Navy.

Some saints embarked on long sea voyages, enjoying the delights of the ocean. St. Brendan the Navigator was a 6th-Century Irish monk who took to the seas to explore new lands. According to a contemporary document “Life of St. Brendan”, he crafted a leather boat and sailed across the Atlantic, stopping in Iceland, Greenland, and making it all the way to Newfoundland in Canada. Many thought this was only a fanciful story, but in 1977 an explorer named Tim Severin crafted a boat exactly like Brendan’s and successfully sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach Canada – making it entirely probable that St. Brendan’s story is not a legend but a true historical fact!

Perhaps more fanciful is the life of St. Adjutor, who is the patron saint of swimmers. According to his legend, he was captured during the First Crusade by the Muslims in the Holy Land – and managed to escape by swimming from Israel to France!

There is a charming story of St. Therese of Lisieux, who went on one significant vacation in her life, when she and her father traveled to Rome to visit the holy sites. As the train was passing through the Alps, she wrote, 

“On our way into Italy we passed through Switzerland, with its high mountains, their snowy peaks lost in the clouds, its rushing torrents, and its deep valleys filled with giant ferns and purple heather. Great good was wrought in my soul by these beauties of nature so abundantly scattered abroad. They lifted it to Him Who had been pleased to lavish such masterpieces upon this transient earth.



Sometimes we were high up the mountain side, while at our feet an unfathomable abyss seemed ready to engulf us. A little later we were passing through a charming village with its cottages and graceful belfry, above which light fleecy clouds floated lazily. Farther on a great lake with its blue waters, so calm and clear, would blend with the glowing splendor of the setting sun. I cannot tell you how deeply I was impressed with this scenery so full of poetry and grandeur. It was a foretaste of the wonders of Heaven.”

Speaking of travel, there are several saints who are considered the Patron Saints of travelers. St. Christopher, for example, was a ferryman whose gigantic build helped him take people across a river. According to the legend, one day he was taking a small child across the river, when the child seemed to grow impossibly more heavy with each step. He finally asked the identity of the child, who revealed, “I am He who created the entire world” – and then disappeared. He had been carrying the Child Jesus in disguise! Or, we can consider St. Bona of Pisa, a woman who was so transformed by her own pilgrimage to see the bones of St. James in Spain that she remained there for the rest of her life, taking care of the needs of pilgrims, and leading tours. She is now the patron saint of tour guides!

This summer as we enjoy the beauty that God has created in nature, allow it to transform your heart and soul to recognize the good God Who created it!

Thank you for the generous donations to the Co-operative Mission Sunday Appeal

Each year, the Mission Office of our diocese invites a missionary group to every parish to share about their mission work. Last weekend, we welcomed the Foundation for Children in Need (FCN), a lay Catholic organization based in Arlington Heights, IL. FCN serves the poor in the villages of southern India. Thanks to your generosity, we collected over $5,000 for FCN.

Dr. Geetha Yeruva, the founder and president of FCN, explained how it supports among other endeavors the education of children and provides corrective surgeries for children with cleft lips and palettes.  To learn more about FCN, please visit: www.fcn-usa.org.

Annual Parish Softball Game

THIS weekend - Sunday, July 27

(rain date 8/3)

2 pm

Wolfe Park Field #3 (by senior center)

All are welcome, even if you prefer to be a spectator to cheer us on!

Email Jessica if you would like to play with us!

COMING UP ON MONDAY!

Summer Backyard Adorations

Monday, July 28: 6:30 pm - hosted by the Albohn Family

Monday, August 25: 6:30 pm - hosted by the Goss Family

All are welcome! Email to RSVP and for more information!

Family News and Events

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

Blood Donation Drive Update and Save the Date



Brothers or Fellow parishioners: The blood drive held on July 19 at IBEW, co-sponsored by them and the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes, yielded 37 good pints of blood with only 4 referrals. While the number is low for the hoped-for turnout, the percent success was very good. It seems a lot people were on vacation. Our thanks to all who donated and to those who helped out at this drive.

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

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.

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.

Our Petition forJuly is for: PEACE

As we pray for peace in the World,

may we remember the words of the beautiful hymn,

Let There Be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me! 

We pray for peace in our own

hearts, our own homes, and our own Country...

         We pray to the Lord

Mass Intentions for July 26 – August 3

Sat      July 26           4:30pm         John Koch

Sun     July 27           7:30am        St Jude Parishioners

Sun     July 27           9:30am       Maria Emilia Monteiro and Artur Fernandes Monteiro

Sun     July 27          11:30am       Rose Marie Vigilio, Barbara Ciotti, Guerrera Family

Mon    July 28           9:00am        Patrick Ryan

Tue     July 29           9:00am        Emanuel Cambra

Wed   July 30           9:00am         Michael and Erica Gulyas

Thu     July 31           9:00am        Laura Donovan

Fri       Aug 1            9:00am        Emanuel Cambra

Sat      Aug 2             9:00am       Madeline Morency Jantz

Sat Aug 2            4:30pm       Antonio R. Silva

Sun     Aug 3            7:30am        St Jude Parishioners

Sun     Aug 3            9:30am       Stephanie Rossi

Sun     Aug 3           11:30am        Victoria Conde, Anna Marticek, and Helen Tuccio

        Tabernacle Candle: In memory of Emanuel Cambra

Adoration Candles: In memory of Isabel Dantas-Teixiera

Hosts and Wine: In memory of Isabel Dantas-Teixeira

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.