This week our Church celebrates Catholic School’s Week. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the great treasure that Catholic School education is for us, historically, and now in this present time. As a beneficiary of Catholic Schools myself from the 5th grade on, I am well aware personally of the value of Catholic Schools. The challenging and stimulating academic expectations and the religious and spiritual formation I received was foundational to my current success in life, and I’m sure was instrumental in my discovering my vocation, my call to priesthood. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that had I not attended Catholic School, someone else would be writing this column to you right now! Click the title to read more.

This week our Church celebrates Catholic School’s Week. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the great treasure that Catholic School education is for us, historically, and now in this present time. As a beneficiary of Catholic Schools myself from the 5th grade on, I am well aware personally of the value of Catholic Schools. The challenging and stimulating academic expectations and the religious and spiritual formation I received was foundational to my current success in life, and I’m sure was instrumental in my discovering my vocation, my call to priesthood. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that had I not attended Catholic School, someone else would be writing this column to you right now! Click the title to read more.

Pope Francis has declared that this Sunday, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, be observed as “Sunday of the Word of God” to highlight the importance of the Bible in our prayer and worship as Catholics. It is so appropriate to focus on the importance of Sacred Scripture on this Sunday which comes on the heels of the celebration of the Birth of Jesus who is, as St. John the Evangelist reminds us, “the Word [who] became flesh and dwelt among us,” (Jn. 1:14). With the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, inclusion of Sacred Scripture in our celebration of Mass was greatly expanded. Click the title to read more.

Confirmation for St. Mary’s has been scheduled for May 15th, at 2:00 PM at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford. Our second year students should complete the confirmation application, saint, and sponsor forms found on the website. Please contact Steve DiMotta with any questions.

Thank you for your continuous support during these challenging and difficult times. Without your generous support of St. Mary’s, we would not be able to carry out our many ministries. Through E-giving and envelope usage, our parish continues to meet the many needs that face our parish. For those who are with us at home, thank you for staying connected each week. For the parishioners who attend daily and weekly mass, we are blessed to have you in person. We pray God continues to bless the people of St. Mary’s.

We will be kicking off a 7-week book club on February 1st; Walk in Her Sandals: Experiencing Christ's Passion through the Eyes of Women by Kelly M. Walquist. We will offer Tuesdays at 7:00 pm via Zoom and Wednesdays at 8:45 am in person. Please email us if you're interested: stmarywomensguild@gmail.com

It's was our privilege to start the new year by hosting one of our Archdiocesan seminarians, Mr. Martin Chouinard, over his winter break. Although his time with us was quite brief, we thank you so much for sharing time with us and, more importantly, for answering the call of the Lord. We promise you our continued prayers and support as you continue your discernment and studies, and look forward to that day God-willing you will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Hartford. We also pledge our prayers for all who may be discerning a vocation to service in the Church and for an increase in vocations to priesthood, religious life, diaconate, marriage, and lay ministry in the Church.

In the event that schools are closed due to inclement weather, there will be NO 8:00 AM Mass and our office will be closed. Sunday Mass will continue as scheduled but please use your best judgement when venturing out.

Merry Christmas everyone! Christmas certainly is a beautiful time to be together with family and friends, for the exchange of gifts and “decking the halls” with festive decorations. Christmas music fills the air in stores and offices, along the sidewalks of outdoor “malls” and across the airwaves. Click the title to read more.

If you would like to schedule a Mass for 2022, please reach out to the Parish Office. The recommended offering is $10 for a weekday Mass and $25 for a weekend Mass

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, our attention turns now to preparing for the celebration of the birth of our Lord. During the early part of Advent we focused on the Second Coming of Christ in his glory. Now in these final days of Advent we remember the account of how Jesus came into the world. The scene in this week’s Gospel follows upon Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel, who announces to her the astounding news that she will become the mother of the Son of God. Click the title to read more.

This weekend we celebrate the third Sunday of Advent, known as “Gaudete Sunday”, from the Latin word for “Rejoice!” St. Paul in today’s second reading tells us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! Indeed the Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:4-5). John the Baptist reminds us in today’s gospel that the Lord is coming, the one “mightier than I” who will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). This theme of rejoicing is picked up again in our first reading from the Prophet Zephaniah: “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” (Zeph. 3:14). We light the rose colored candle of our Advent wreath as a sign of our joy. Click the title to read more.

We are in need of new servers to join this wonderful ministry at St. Mary's. All youth in 4th Grade or above are welcome to participate in our annual training program, which will be a three-session class (please plan to attend all three sessions) on Jan 2, 9 and 16 from noon-1 pm. We invite you to join us at the 11 am Mass, with training classes taking place following Mass. Please register (click this link) or via email: ServerLeader@StMarySimsbury.org

The Second Sunday of Advent always focuses our attention on John the Baptist. Who is this figure, and why is he important? John is the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary’s “relative” or “cousin.” The story of John’s miraculous conception and birth is told in the opening pages of Luke’s Gospel (1:5-27). Zechariah and Elizabeth are childless, until one day, when Zechariah is ministering at the altar of incense in the Temple, he has a vision of the angel Gabriel, announcing that he and Elizabeth will finally have a son, who is to be named John. Click the title to read more.

While Thanksgiving is really a secular holiday, for us as people of faith it can be the occasion to be mindful of all that God has blessed us with, and to take time in prayer and worship where possible to thank Jesus. The Thanksgiving Day Mass readings include the Gospel account of the ten lepers who were cured by Jesus, and that only one – a Samaritan – returns to thank Jesus. The Gospel story tells us that when he realized that he was healed, he returned glorifying God. There are so many blessings that we receive from the Lord each day. So often, myself included, we may not even realize they have occurred, like the other nine lepers who never return to thank Jesus. We may also take those blessings for granted. Sometimes we may even feel entitled to those blessings, thinking, “I deserve this! I worked hard for this!” Click the title to read more.

At St. Mary’s we remember in prayer those who are ill in various ways. We have our Parish Prayer Line, the members of which continuously pray for those who have requested prayer. We also have our Prayer Shawl Ministry, whose participants pray for those who will receive the shawls they knit or crochet as they are making them. We remember the sick too in the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass and in the Parish Bulletin. Click the title to read more about how we remember the sick.

Given the pandemic, it was difficult for us to say a proper goodbye to our students who graduated high school over the past couple of years. We are doing a little outreach from St. Mary's to students who are away at school -- to let them know we are thinking of them (and to encourage them in their faith!). If you would like your student to receive a little care package in the mail, please click the title and fill out the Google form

Parishioners are invited to join our Faith Formation Program’s (K-6) participation in Cross Catholic Outreach - Box of Joy program by providing 100 boxes for children around the world. The kick-Off is on Sunday, October 17. We will hand out boxes to participating families: Faith Formation families, a sign-up genius was sent to request boxes; for our parishioners, email Kathy Piggott to request the number of boxes you would like. Click the title to watch a video with more information.

Buy delicious Lyman Orchard Pies and yummy Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies for the upcoming holidays and support St Mary’s School. Easy ordering online or order forms are available in the school office or Magowan Center. Order by October 20, pick up on November 15 in the Parish Center. You can also donate pies to Eno Hall in Simsbury to benefit their Senior Center. Click the title for the online link.

If your ministry/group is planning to utilize parish space to meet in person this fall and winter, please contact the Parish Office as soon as possible via email with your room request.