Mass for July 5, 2020 – Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Please give or sign up today – your donation is now more important than ever – Thank you!
To signup 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 and choose option 1.
Pastor's Message
Dear Friends,We are entering into the next step of the reopening of our parish church. On this weekend we will have three weekend masses in the church. Last Sunday, the decision was made to bring the masses back inside because the number of people attending mass in the parking lot were small and the weather was very hot! So, beginning this weekend, June 27th and 28th, our mass schedule will be Saturday at 4:00 PM, Sunday 8:00 AM, and Sunday Noon. You will have to make reservations for each person who will be attending. We can seat 60 people in the main body of our church and reservations will be important to accomplish our seating limitations. I will be calling you after you make your reservation and giving you instruction on what needs to be known about attending mass here at Our Lady of Grace. Registration for the mass can be found on the website on Wednesday evening and by phone reservation on Thursday morning. A calling post reminder will be sent on Wednesday with reservation information. Please be listening for the directions that will come to you by calling post. Click here to read about what to expect when coming tp mass this weekend!
We will continue to celebrate the mass by means of our Website and Facebook each weekend. Some of our parishioners will choose not to come back to church at this time. I assure them that the Bishop continues to grant a dispensation from Sunday Mass for those people who need to care for themselves and their health.
God Bless,
Msgr.Ryan
Mass Times & Reconciliation
Beginning the weekend, June 27th and 28th, our mass schedule will be Saturday at 4:00 PM, Sunday 8:00 AM, and Sunday Noon. You will have to make reservations for each person who will be attending. We can seat 60 people in the main body of our church and reservations will be important to accomplish our seating limitations.
Weekday masses will continue to be celebrated in private by Msgr. Ryan.
We hope to resume weekday masses by the middle of July.
The Church will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily 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. We continue to make plans and deal with the many changes we are facing with cleaning and sanitizing the church. You may find a sign on the church door limiting prayer time for a given day. Thank you for your cooperation.
SABBATH MASSES
Saturday – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday – 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m.
Reservations are required. The registration forms are available at 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday on the Mass Reservation page.
During this time the Sunday mass will be videoed. It will be available by 4:00 p.m on Saturday on our website, Facebook and YouTube.
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
Vigil Mass – 7:00 p.m.
Holy Day Masses – 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon
Handicapped Parking
The four spaces directly in front of the Church on Second Hill Lane are handicapped parking spaces. These spaces are for our parishioners who have a handicap parking sticker.
Wheelchair Seating
We invite you to be seated in the front area of the church. You and your family can be seated. Communion will be brought to you at the beginning of Communion time!
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!
Join us to pray, smile, listen, encourage and invite others to come home.
Be Still and Know that I am God – Psalm 46:10
Parish Happenings
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sgr. Ryan and the staff wish everyone and their family a happy, safe Fourth of July. Please take a minute or two and prayer this Independence Day Prayer.
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Welcome Home!
Our journey began in March when all churches in our Diocese closed due to the corona virus. On March 19th, Msgr. Ryan videoed the first of many Sunday masses so we could worship together in spirit. On June 14th and 21st we were able to attend mass in the parking lot and receive Eucharist. Last weekend our little church welcomed us home! It was a bit different with social distancing and everyone wearing masks, but oh so good being home, worshipping and receiving Eucharist together! We missed those who were not with us and look forward to seeing them soon. Thank you Msgr. Ryan, the staff and all the volunteers!
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On-Line Scams
We have recently received from the Diocese an alert about individuals using email addresses found on our website or in our bulletin. The scam artist will contact you with an email using your Pastor’s name. Please be alert to the fact that we would not contact you by means of email. Please disregard any personal emails you receive from Msgr. Martin P. Ryan’s email address.
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On behalf of the Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Catholic Social Ministry the Conference would like to encourage you to join the second webinar addressing racism on July 11th.
The purpose of these webinars is to help us view the issue of racism from a Catholic perspective. This year long series of webinars is based on the the US Bishops’ pastoral letter against racism issued on November 14, 2018. The exploration of the Bishop’s letter, through this webinar series, is very timely considering the current events facing our nation.
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Please visit our Musical Moments of Prayer page weekly.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.
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Weekly Offertory Donation
As we reopen our Church, I want to thank 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!
To make donations during this time of masses being cancelled please consider:
1. Mailing your donation to the Parish directly.
2. Dropping off your donation in lock box that has been installed outside to the left of the garage located next to the rectory sidewalk.
3. Go online to our EFT/Online Giving and sign up temporarily.
Please call Stacey at the Parish Office (203) 377-0928 x13 with any questions or concerns.
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On-line Giving Program
Please consider signing up for our Online Giving as another way to safely, securely and/or temporarily donate to the parish during this time of the virus. 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. (May 3, Capital Improvement)
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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
Remembering Someone Special
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 Mass Book continues to have Masses available. (Monday through Friday and on Weekends) In our parish you have always been faithful in having Masses said for those that are ill or for those who have died. We would like to remind you that Mass intentions can also be had for various intentions such as finding a cure to the coronavirus or for all the first responders or for my doctor or for the intentions of those that are out of work. Masses have been offered every day in our church since March 16th. These Mass intentions are changing because we cannot attend Mass. Think about what intentions you need to share in your life! You may contact the parish office if you wish to have a Mass celebrated!
Masses can be said for either “living” or “deceased”. Mass stipends are $10.00 for Masses said during the week and $20.00 for weekend Masses. If a specific day is unavailable, please consider having a Sanctuary Lamp lit for your intentions. The stipend is $10.00 per Lamp.
For masses that are already scheduled, Msgr. Ryan will be saying mass with no congregation on the requested day.