Mass Reservations are available every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
Please Click Here to Register
If you go to that page earlier you may see a message (Uh oh! this is somewhat embarrassing!). Don’t worry the page will be available at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Pastor's Message
Dear Friends,Thank you for your participation in the Parish Survey! The survey results suggest to our leadership that we will continue to communicate with you by callingpost 94% responded that they were receiving our callingpost messages! 93.1% responded positively about reading the parish bulletin. 60% responded positively about watching Mass on YouTube, while 45% are watching Mass on TV. We will continue to work on strengthening our communication with you!
In our parish, one of the best ways to communicate with our parishioners is still by phone. Callingpost enables us to prepare a recorded message and send it to you within minutes. We are happy to hear so many are receiving our calls. Some of you may have blocked the parish messages. Callingpost will continue to call until the message is received. Please help us to provide you with good information and watch for our Callingpost messages! if you are not receiving them please call Stacey at 203-377-0928 ext. 13 or email her – StaceyBreyan@olgstratford.com.
The Hope for the Future campaign has been of great assistance to the parish during these past months. The campaign envelope is dated September 27th. We hope that you will join us in financially supporting the parish and build this hope for the future of Our Lady of Grace parish. Thank you for your generosity.
Peace, Msgr. Ryan
- Dear Friends,
The next step for our parish re-opening will be the beginning of a redefined Faith Formation program. The first concern for us was to keep our children and families safe! Our program will offer a in-person learning component, and on-line learning component, and parent-child component. We hope to begin the year on October 3.
Registration will be taking place this week. Those already participating in the program will be contacted by email to begin the registration process. If you are new to our Faith Formation program, contact Denise Bartelson at (203) 375-6133, or email her at denisebartleson@olgstratford.com.
Faith Formation will start with a social distance gathering in cars on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Please watch the bulletin, website and FaceBook for further information
This weekend we continued some of our traditions, by having the blessing of Grandparents at all the masses, honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11 and having a candle burning at all masses September 11-13. The candle of remembrance is a reminder to all of us to work for peace!
Also on this weekend we had a special prayer for “our First Responders.” Our prayer will ask God to watch over and protect them in their service to our communities!
Peace,
Msgr. Ryan
Mass Times & Reconciliation
SABBATH MASSES
Saturday – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday – 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m.
Masks are required
Reservations are required. The registration forms are available at 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday on the Mass Reservation page.
The Sunday mass will be videoed. It will be available by 4:00 p.m on Saturday on our website, Facebook and YouTube.
Returning to Weekend Mass in the Church
We want to give you some directions so we can help you assist us in meeting the challenges ahead! At this time, we are encouraging those with mobility issues to watch at home. Please park in the parking lot in the normal way! Please do not park on the street. Place your face mask on before leaving the car. Only enter and exit the church by way of the sacristy door. All other doors will be locked. You will be greeted by volunteers and asked for your reservation and you may make your donation at that time! There will not be an offertory collection during Mass. As you enter the church please use the hand washing station. An usher will direct you to your seat, families may sit together. There will be no seating in the alcoves aside the Sanctuary.
Weekday Mass Schedule
Beginning on Monday, July 20 the morning mass will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9:00 am. The church will open at 8:45. Seating will be limited to the front half of the church. There will be no mass on Wednesday morning. For those who will attend morning mass you will be expected to wear a face mask and practice social distancing! You will need to sign a register with your name and phone number to record your attendance. You will also be expected to use the spray and wipes that will be provided to clean the area you used for morning mass. The cleaning of the church is im- portant to the rest of the parish so that the church will be prepared for prayer time and the scheduling of funerals. Thank you for your cooperation.
The Church will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Monday – Friday for private prayer.
Please note: You may find that we will have to interrupt our daily prayer between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. This schedule will be interrupted when we have a funeral Mass being celebrated in the parish. Please watch the signboard at the door for changes in the schedule.The church will be open during Saturday Confession time. In order to make this prayer time available. We will need your assistance in cleaning your prayer space. We will provide spray and wipes for your use in cleaning the space you used during your prayer time! Thank you for your cooperation.
Confessions during the pandemic – Parish confessions are being held Saturdays from 1:15 until 2:15 PM in the parking lot of the parish church please look for Monsignor Ryan who will be in the area to greet you and to lead you through the sacrament of penance. Thank you to all those who have taking advantage of the sacramental moment. We look forward to assisting you! If it should be a rainy day the confessions will take place closer to the parish garage behind the rectory You can also call for an appointment.
HOLY DAY MASS SCHEDULE
Holy Day mass will be videoed and available on our website, Facebook and YouTube.
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
Are you or do you know someone who is looking for personal growth in their Catholic Faith?
If you are an adult who has never been baptized
If you are an adult who has been baptized in a non-Catholic community
If you are an adult who has been baptized in the Catholic Church but never received Eucharist or Confirmation
If you are an adult interested in finding out more about the Catholic Faith, RCIA may be for you. For further information or questions you may call Linda Skowronski at 203-375-8992 or email Denise at denisebartelson@olgstratford.com
Bishop Caggiano's Corner
Welcome!
Parish Happenings
Music Ministry Update – 
As we enter the Fall season, we will be introducing some new music for our masses. Additionally, we want to make you aware that refrains to songs will not always be as prevalent as we are used to, due to the non-singing safety measures in place. We hope you enjoy the new selections!
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Just a reminder if you weren’t able to get to church or forgot to pick up a bulletin it is posted every week (usually on Saturday) on the website. Just click on the Bulletin link on the top right of the website to go to the page where it is posted. Previous bulletins are also posted there.
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The Fairfield County Catholic is now online! Click here to read the September 2020 edition.*******************************
Lord’s Kitchen
The volunteers from Our Lady of Grace Parish will be serving the meal at the Lord’s Kitchen on Monday, September 28th. Our volunteers thank you for your generous donations of toothpaste, toothbrushes and toilet tissue. Your generosity assists us in giving a personal gift to the visitors to the Lord’s Kitchen. The collection buckets will be available outside the rectory garage.
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There is an alternative on the radio, Veritas Catholic Radio 1350 AM. Are you tired of divisive political blickering and mindless rock music; you can now tune in to edifying & entertaining Catholic conversations? Veritas Catholic Radio features EWTN’s national shows PLUS local shows, like “Let Me Be Frank,” featuring Bishop Caggiano. Please join us at, Veritas Catholic Radio 1350 AM on the dial.
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On Sunday October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, we will celebrate the Blessing of Animals at 1:30 pm. The Blessing will take place in the parish parking lot. We will ask you to park with a separation of one parking space. The blessing prayers will be prayed, and a blessing will be given in a drive-by fashion. Animals will be blessed while in your cars. Please let us know of your intention to attend by calling (203) 377-0928 x14.
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Faith Formation registrations will be sent out this week. Please check your emails. Faith Formation will start with a social distance gathering in cars on Saturday, October 3, 2020
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The Diocese of Bridgeport has asked us to pray for our priests. They publish a monthly list of priests to pray that month. We have added a Pray for Our Priests page to our website with the names of the priests bring prayed for during the month. Each week on our home page we will list the names of the priests to be prayed for that week. The priests we are asked to pray for this week are:
Sept. 20 – Tomasz, SVD; Sept, 21 – John Punnakunnel.; Sept. 22 -William Quinlan; Sept. 23 – Justin Raj, IMS; Sept. 24 -Alfred Riendeau; Sept. 25 – David Riley; Sept. 26 – F. John Ringley, Jr.
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Weekly Offertory Donation
Thank you to all those parishioners who are supporting our Parish. Your generosity to online giving, weekly envelopes, the use of the drop box, and by mail have continued to give financial support for the ministry and work of our parish. Thank you again for your generosity!
Please click on “On-Line Giving Button” on our website or by clicking this link, https://www.osvhub.com/olgstratford/funds. For customer assistance please call 1-800-348-2886 choose option 1 or the Parish Office at (203) 377-0928 x13.
To insure the proper date for your donation, we will be announcing each month the second collections and their dates. The Second Collection: Sept. 27, Hope for the Future; Sept. 27, Women’s Ministry.
Make-up Envelopes – We ask your assistance in supporting the parish. We are falling behind with our weekly offertory, and we know there are many reasons for us falling behind. We invite you to help us by making up donations. Thank You!
Please call Stacey at the Parish Office (203) 377-0928 x13 with any questions or concerns.
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PARISH REGISTRATION
Why register? Through your participation as a “Parish Steward”, you continue to help a community of faith grow. You gain services when you need them, such as Baptism, Visitation of the Sick, Sponsorship Certificates and a place for a Funeral. You will also receive updated information regarding the parish by email or by our robo-call system.
To register, stop by the Parish Office or fill out the Become A Parishioner form and drop it in the offertory basket during mass
Office hours: M–F, 9:00am – 3:00pm
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2020 Mass Book
Parish Memorial Books – When you wish to remember a special someone, remember that Our Lady of Grace Parish has a Memorial Program. The purpose of the Memorial Program is to provide the funding of small projects within the parish. For example, vestments, ritual books, and other liturgical needs. This is a wonderful way to acknowledge someone living or deceased or in thanksgiving for a prayer answered. The Memorial Books are displayed in the Chapel area by the Tabernacle. For information on the OLG Memorial Program or to make a donation please call Stacey at the Parish Office (203) 377-0928 x13.
The 2020 Mass Book is available for your Mass intentions. The weekend mass donation is $20.00 and the weekday mass offering is $10.00. Masses can be said for either “living” or “deceased”. If a specific day is unavailable, please consider having a Sanctuary Lamp lit for your intentions. The stipend is $10.00 per Lamp. The office will be open on Wednesday 9:30 until noon so that you can pick up your mass cards and make your mass intentions. Please call prior to coming to the rectory on Wednesdays. A staff member will meet you in the rectory garage.