The weekend mass schedule is:
Saturday – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday – 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
*****************
We are sorry we are unable to post the Mass for Easter Sunday. Here are two websites that the Easter Sunday Mass should be available on by 10:00 a.m. Easter Sunday –
Our 4:00 pm Saturday sabbath mass will be live-streamed and available on our Facebook and YouTube pages beginning at 4:00pm.It will be posted here on our home page usually by 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening and available on all three throughout the weekend.
The readings for this week’s mass can be found by clicking on this link.
**********************************
Pastor's Message
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the parish staff and myself may we wish you a Blessed Easter. As we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus may we understand the mystery of the Risen Lord. May we live our lives with Easter joy. Let us pray for each other and ask the Lord’s blessings for our families and ourselves.
Peace,
Msgr. Ryan
Mass Times & Reconciliation
SABBATH MASSES
Saturday – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday Masses are at 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
We invite parishioners to present the Offertory Gifts! Our 4:00 p.m. Saturday sabbath mass will be live-streamed. The mass will continue to be available on our Facebook and YouTube pages beginning at 4:00pm on Saturday and throughout the weekend! It will be available usually by 6:00 p.m on Saturday on the homepage of our website.
Schedule for Holy Week and Easter 2024
Palm Sunday, April 12 & 13th – Blessed Palms will be given at all Masses
Saturday……………………………………………4:00pm
Sunday …………………………9:00am and 11:30am
Monday – Tuesday, April 14th & 15th – Daily Mass………………………….……………..9:00am
Wednesday, April 16th –Adoration………..……………….9:30am – 12:00pm
Holy Thursday April 17th – Mass of the Lord’s Supper………………….7:30pm
Good Friday, April 18th
Outdoor Stations………………………………1:00pm
Passion of the Lord……………………………3:00pm
Holy Saturday, April 19th
Easter Blessing of Food……………………12:00pm
Easter Vigil……………………………………….7:30pm
Easter Sunday, April 20
Mass……………………………9:00am, and 11:30am
.DAILY MASS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday at 9:00 a.m.
ADORATION
Wednesday mornings, Deacon John Piatak will hold a prayer service at 9:30 a.m. to begin Eucharistic Adoration. Please come and join us for prayer and adoration weekly from 9:30 a.m.-Noon.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The Stations of the Cross will be prayed every Friday during Lent.
HOLY DAY MASS SCHEDULE
The mass schedule will be posted prior to each Holy Day.
.PARISH ROSARY
Why be a Member of the Parish? Not a registered member of OLG! Many parishioners seek Mass cards, sacramental certificates, and/or sponsor certificates. We invite you to become a parishioner filling out the Become A Parishioner form found in the bulletin and emailed as attachment to MLopez@olgstratford.com dropped in the Drop Box by the rectory or by using the on-line registration link. If you prefer NOT to register online call the Parish Office at 203-377-0928 x 113.
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
2025 Mass Book
Mass book 2025
The Mass Book for 2025 is open as of Tuesday, October 1st. You may schedule your mass intentions by phone (203-377-0928 x 113) or in person the rectory M-F 9-3. We ask that you schedule no more than 6 weekend masses at this time. The stipend for weekday masses remain at $10 and $20 for weekends.
Please consider having a Sanctuary Lamp lit for your intentions. The stipend is $10.00 per Lamp. Mass cards can be picked up in the Parish Office during office hours. 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 Cathy at the Parish Office (203) 377-0928 x 113.
The Diocese of Bridgeport has asked us to pray for our priests. They publish a monthly list of priests to pray that month. It can be found on the Pray for Our Priests page of 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: April 6 – Fr. Matthew Mauriello; April 7 – Fr. Edward McAuleyr ; April 8 – Fr. James McDevitt; April 9 – Fr. Roger McDonough; April 10 – Fr. Carl McIntosh; April 11 – Fr. Gregg Mecca & Fr. Leonel Medeiros ; April 12 – Msgr. William Millea; April 13 – Very Rev. Arthur Mollenhauer; April 14 – Fr. Guido Montanaro; April 15 – Fr. Stefan Morawski, OFM
Welcome!
Parish Happenings
An Easter Prayer
“O God, who by the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, have granted joy to the whole world, grant, we beseech you, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.”
*********************
We are hopeful that 100% of our registered households will respond to the 2025 Bishop’s Appeal. While the level of sacrifice will differ from parishioner to parishioner, an Appeal gift this year is within the reach of the majority of our people. Please prayerfully consider supporting the Bishop’s Appeal with a pledge or one-time gift as your means allow. Your support is much needed and will be greatly appreciated! To learn more please visit: https://www.2025BishopsAppeal.org Thank you for your support.
We are at 61 % of our goal. Thank you.
*******************************************************
Blessing of Children / Save the Date
Join us on Sunday, April 27th at the 9:00 Mass for a blessing of all children who have been baptized over the past 7 years in our parish’s “Growing Up Catholic” program. After Mass, we invite everyone to the Parish Center for a gathering of families to celebrate our children. We will have refreshments, snacks, Faith Formation information, Vacation Bible School registration, and more! All are welcome!
**********************
Stations of the Cross
We will celebrate the Stations of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent. The Stations will be prayed at 12:00 noon on each Friday.
**************************
Loaves and Fishes Campaign
Will you and your family consider the Lenten sacrifice of a “meager meal” once a week during Lent and donate the money you would have spent on a more substantial meal to feed local families who can’t afford to put food on their table? Please consider supporting Catholic Charites Loaves and Fishes Lenten campaign to feed our most vulnerable neighbors. Food insecurity continues to be the number one issue impacting people in our community and your family’s Lenten sacrifice can make a significant impact! Donations can be made online via the Catholic Charities website at https://www.ccfairfield.org/loaves. Checks made out to Catholic Charites may be mailed to: Catholic Charities ATT: Finance Dept/L&F Campaign 238 Jewett Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06606.
*************************
“Women of Grace”
The Daily Prayer Group phone line is open. You can leave your intention request by calling 203-377-0928 x117. The Rosary Group has begun! Wednesday’s at 6:30pm in the Church followed by scriptural Meditation & reflection. All are Welcome to participate.
SAVE THE DATES 1.Mother’s Day Plant Sale: Spring has Sprung……which means the annual plant sale is right around the bend! Flowers, annuals, perennials, veggies and herbs. Something for everyone. No green , No Problem! Stop by for a sweet treat at the BONUS “Flour” Bake Sale. Mark your calendars, Mother’s Dy Weekend May 9, 10 & 11! 2.Family Game Night on May 16th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Please see our flyer with signup sheet to RSVP no later than April 27th.
****************
Liturgical Volunteers
We are in need of volunteers for our Sunday 11:30 am Mass. Can you assist us as Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, and Greeters? If interested contact Cathy Nucera at 203-377-0928 x113
***************************
Diocesan Vocation Prayer
Heavenly Father, renew your presence among us through the gift of the ministerial priesthood, through which we are given the gift of the sacraments, most especially the Eucharist. Grant courage to those whom you are calling to serve at your altar as priests, 20 that they may receive your call with generosity and respond with their whole hearts. May the stewards of your mysteries grow in number and persevere in holiness of life. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
*********************
The prayer intention for the Catholic Holy Year of 2025 is to reawaken hope for the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Prayer intention
“Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom” Pray Daily!
Holy Year Prayer
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen.
********************
Question of the Week – April 13 – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion – Love and Betrayal
T he Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” (Luke 22:61)
Luke 19:28-40 • Welcomed with palms
Isaiah 50:4-7 • Salvation only through the Lord’s servant
Philippians 2:6-11 • Jesus, compassionate high priest
Luke 22:14-23-23:56 • The passion of Jesus
Adults: When have you felt that you betrayed the confidence of another, as Peter did when he denied Jesus?
Kids: When have you let someone down who trusted you? How did you feel?
**************************
We would like to thank our on–line donors for their support of our parish. We would like to ask our donors to check their accounts. We have noticed that your credit card may have expired or you have changed account numbers. Your financial support to our parish are important! Please call (203) 377–0928 x113.
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 x113. To insure the proper date for your donation, we will be announcing each month the second collections and their dates: April 19/20 – Easter Collection & Capital Improvement; April 26/27 – Home Mission for Blacks & Indians.
*******************
CallingPost – Please watch for our calls each Friday night at 7pm. If you wish to receive our parish CallingPost call 203–377–0928 X113.
Thank you for receiving our CallingPost message on Friday evening at 7pm. Did you know 86.6% of our parishioners are receiving our CallingPost message? Please listen to our message during Lent!
**********************************
Our Lady of Grace Social Media – You can view Sunday mass on the website, Facebook or YouTube!
Please Like and Follow Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church Stratford CT on Facebook!
Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church Stratford CT. Please subscribe to our channel.
*********************************************