Saint Francis of Assisi

Date  to   Remember
“Pan” Franek & Zosia and their family will be here from Muskegon, MI on Sunday, JULY 29, 2007 at 10:30 to celebrate a Polka Folk Mass. This will be a wonderful celebration and all are encouraged to attend.

Crusade of Prayer for Vocations: Pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life every day.

Outside the Parish
“ORATORIUM” a Polish Classical Church Choir from Radom, Poland will visit St. Joseph Church, Norwich, CT this weekend, Saturday, July 14th and Sunday, July 15th. The world traveled Choir under the direction of Fr. Lech Gralak, will sing at the Saturday, 5:00 p.m. Mass and the Sunday, 7:00,  8:45 (POLISH) and 10:30 A.M. Masses.  A Concert will be held in the Church after the 10:30 A.M. Mass.  
Hospice Southeastern Connecticut offers grief-support groups open to anyone in the public grieving the loss of a loved one.  All groups are FREE of charge, but pre-registration is required.  Please call 848-5699 to register.
Grieving the Loss of a Spouse/Partner
Tuesdays, 6 to 7:30 pm  July 17, 24, 31, August 7 & 14 at Hospice Southeastern Connecticut, Uncasville, CT
Seniors (60+) Grieving the Loss of a Loved One.  Thursdays, 10:30 to Noon – July 19, 26, August 2, 9, 16 & 23 at East Lyme Senior Center, East Lyme, CT
Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child
1st Tuesday of each month, 6 to 7:30 pm –  August 7, September 4 at Hospice Southeastern Connecticut, Uncasville, CT
Adults Grieving the Loss of a Parent
Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7 pm  July 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15 & 22 at 481 Gold Star Highway, Groton, CT
A Get-Away Weekend!!!  Do you need a vacation?  Give yourself and your spouse time away from the pressures of work and everyday responsibilities.  Enjoy a chance to talk and listen to that special someone who loves you!  Enrich your relationship by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend.  Upcoming weekends will be July 27-29, 2007, September 21-23, 2007 and November 9-11, 2007.  For more information about Worldwide Marriage Encounter or to register for an upcoming weekend, please contact John & Bev Maley at 203-364-0836 or bjkmaley@aol.com or visit www.wwme.org.

THIS IS THE 6TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON SEPTEMNER 11, 2001.  WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR IN OLPH.  EVERYONE IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.  THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION YEAR.  ADULT ED BEGINS THE FOLLOWING WEEK.  ACTIVITIES GET UNDERWAY. MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!

Question:  Why is Sunday Mass so important?
It seems our people have decided not to attend Mass on weekends. Why is the Church so insistent on  Catholics attending Sunday Mass.
This is a very interesting question.  First of all it is not the Church that is so insistent on Sunday Mass, it comes from God.   If you go back to the 10 Commandments, there you will read the THIRD commandment, and will see the words, “REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH!”   We all know that in the Old Testament, the Sabbath was Saturday, the 7th Day, the day God rested from the work of the creation of the world. That became the sacred Day in Jewish religious practice.  
Once the Lord came to earth, suffered and died, and rose on Sunday, SUNDAY BECAME THE SUCCESSOR TO THE SABBATH.  Therein is the first answer.  Each Sunday in the year is a little easter.  Each Sunday recalls the Day of the Lord’s Resurrection.  This is the day that the full redemption of the world and of each one of us became effective.   The graces the Lord merited on the Cross, the graces that each one of us receives in baptism become real for us on the first Easter. This is when the Lord rose from the dead, when the Father in Heaven accepted the cross, suffering and death of his son and through these, brought redemption to the world and we became saved from sin and heaven was opened to us. The fact that the Lord rose from the Dead is a sign to us that His Heavenly father accepted his death in atonement for our sins.  Thus, this is the day when Christians gather to worship the Lord, to unite with the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to unite with each other, and offer with him his sacrifice to the Father in Heaven   in worship, in praise, in thanksgiving, in union with the Lord and our Brothers and Sisters! It is not the Church, it is the Lord, it is common Faith ‘sense’ that demands we gather in peace and thank the Lord for his multiple gifts to each of us.

Announced Masses

Monday, July 16th       Our Lady of Mt. Carmel             
7:30 A.M. Intention of Celebrant
Tuesday, July 17th  weekday of  15th week of Ordinary Time    
7:30 A.M.  Philip B. & Frances E. Pasquale   (Estate)
Wednesday, July 18th    weekday of  15th week of Ordinary Time    
7:30 A.M.  JoAnn Gevas       ( Ed & Sally Krajewski)
Thursday, July 19th  weekday of  15th  week of Ordinary Time        
7:30 A.M.  Parishioners of OLPH
Friday, July 20th    weekday of  15th  week of Ordinary Time              
7:30 A.M.  Dennis Monahan, Jr. (Msgr. Bride)