A third reason why the resurrection was so important for the early church can be stated in this way: The resurrection of Jesus resulted in a profound experience of the Spirit within the early church. Thus, even though the vast majority of early Christians had never known the earthly Jesus or encountered the risen Lord, they experienced the power of God’s Spirit, which Jesus’ resurrection unleashed upon those who believed in him.

The first week will be devoted to 'Feed the Hungry' and the agency benefiting from our collection is Gifts of Love. As most of you know, Gifts of Love is a local agency based in Avon that believes that the best way to help families is to have other families help them. They assist families experiencing a financial crisis in the Greater Hartford area. They are in need of cereal, canned vegetables and fruit, spaghetti sauce, soups and beans. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS...

The first reason that the resurrection was so important to the early church can be stated in this way: By raising Jesus from the dead, God vindicated Jesus’ life and ministry. To understand this, imagine how Jesus’ first followers would have responded if they did not believe that God raised him from the dead? They would have lost their faith in the one who proclaimed that the kingdom of God was making its appearance in his life and ministry. They would no longer have found his teaching convincing and enduring. Jesus’ ministry and teaching were so intimately related to his understanding and trust in God that it is difficult to comprehend why his disciples would have remained faithful to him if God had not raised him from the dead. Click the title to read more.

Attention High School Seniors. If you are planning to attend college in the fall please consider applying for the Father Cunningham Scholarship. Applications can be found in the church vestibule as well as in the St. Mary parish office. Deadline for applications is May 17, 2013.

The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal changes lives through service to the Lord. In addition to assisting the underserved of our communities, your gift helps those cultivating a vocation to the priesthood. Your gift to the Appeal is an investment in the future of the Church and our faith. Thanks to you the parish families who have made a gift or a pledge to the 2013 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. If you have not yet made a gift or pledge, please prayerfully consider doing so. Although we need a number of extraordinary commitments to meet our goal, please know that each and every dollar of your gift will have a major impact.

Today we celebrate the central mystery of our faith—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This day stands at the center of our faith for several reasons. If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, our faith is in vain. If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, Jesus’ proclamation about the kingdom of God was false. If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, death has conquered Jesus and we have no hope of eternal life. If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, there is no reason for the church; there is no reason for the sacraments; there is no reason to celebrate this Easter Day. Click the title to read more.