The weekend mass schedule is:
Saturday – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday – 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
You will meet a greeter upon entering and ask that everyone still continue to sign-in! Masks will be required if the alert status is Red. Otherwise we strongly recommend wearing of mask in enclosed confined space as per CDC guidelines. Thank you!
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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.
4th SUNDAY in LENT
March 19,2023
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,In the coming weeks you will be seeing some changes as you enter Church for Weekend Masses. It is time for us to move from our pandemic plan to a plan which will give us direction to be a welcoming Parish. I will be meeting with our volunteers who serve us at mass, on Monday March 20th at 7pm, in the Church.
A note of thanks to our volunteers who have served our parish during the pandemic time. A note of thanks to our parishioners for keeping us safe during the pandemic.
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.
The Stations of the Cross will be prayed at noon on Fridays during Lent.
Holy Week & Easter Schedule
Palm Sunday – April 1/2 – Blessed Palms will be given at all weekend masses.
Holy Thursday – April 6 – Mass of the Last Supper at 7:30 pm. Please note there is no morning mass on Holy Thursday
Good Friday – April 7 – Outdoor Stations at 1:00 p.m. Passion of the Lord at 3:00 p.m
Holy Saturday – April 8 Easter Vigil -7:30 p.m. Easter Blessing of Food 12:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday – April 9 – Mass 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.
.DAILY MASS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday at 9:00 a.m.
ADORATION
Wednesday – Eucharistic Adoration will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a prayer service. Adoration will continue until noon.
PARISH ROSARY
Join us weekday mornings at 8:30am to pray the rosary of the Blessed Mother.
CONFESSION
Saturday 1:15 p.m.–2:15 p.m. Please wear a mask for Confession!
Church is open for prayer Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
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
We have developed a policy that safeguards our parishioners and will allow time for our parish contractors to clear the property during storms. Weekdays: When the schools are closed or delayed or the Town or State has advised against travel, Daily Mass will be cancelled for that day. The parish will notify channel 8, channel 3 and the radio stations of the cancellation.
Weekends: When severe weather occurs during weekend Mass times, please check the local TV and Radio stations and our parish website for cancellations. It becomes very difficult to keep the sidewalks, driveways, and parking area clear if it snows during Mass time. Your safety is important to us! Any Mass intention effected by the cancellation will be said during the next week.
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
Bishop Caggiano's Podcast
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 cnucera@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.
2023 Mass Book
- The mass book for 2023 opened on August 22, 2022. You will can purchase masses on Mondays and Fridays from 9:30am to 3:00pm.
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. 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. 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:– March 19 – Msgr. Matthew Bernelli ; March 20 – Fr. Adriano Biccheri; March 21 – Fr. David Blanchfield.; March 22 – Fr. Colin Blatchford; March 23 – Fr. Brendan Blawie; March 24 – Fr. Michael Boccaccio – March 25 – Fr. Philip Bochanski; March 26 – Fr. Robert Boyd; March 27 – Fr. James Breen; March 28 – Msgr. Laurence Bronkiewicz
I am immensely grateful for your support last year to the Diocese of Bridgeport’s 2022 Bishop’s Appeal. As we moved forward from the pandemic, the need for services continued to be impacted, especially nutrition and counseling programs.
Because of your generosity, we were able to serve thousands of Fairfield County individuals and families through our ministries and services, introduce new programs to experience, and learn more about the beauty of our Catholic faith and to mentor young adults in business and faith.
Our goal for the 2023 Annual Bishop’s Appeal is $67,800.00. Thank you for your support and generosity.
Msgr. Ryan
DONATE
Welcome!
Parish Happenings
We will pray the Stations of the Cross at noon on Fridays during Lent. Come and join us for this prayerful devotion. For those who cannot attend the Stations in Church, Stations of the Cross can also be found on our Lent 2023 page.
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The K of C Lenten Drive Thru Fish Dinners for the low price of $12.00 for adults, $6.00 for 12 and under, with toddlers (3 and under) eating for FREE! Why not let us take care of the cooking Friday, March 24th between 6:00pm and 7:00pm. You may order by form https://forms.gle/a7CHgadPTiWkhfwx6 or phone Pat O’Keefe: 203-400-8712.
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Knights of Columbus Council 13228 will be selling beautiful 24” x 12” Palm Crosses for $12 each, Proceeds benefit the Msgr. Mooney Scholarship Fund. the cost of $12.00 each. You may order by form by clicking here or phone Pat O’Keefe: 203-400-8712. Please order no later than Thursday, March 23rd for your drive-thru pickup, during our Food Drive, Saturday, April 1st between 10:00am and 12:00 noon.
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Liturgical Q&A –
Q: What are the rules of Lenten Fasting & Abstinence?
A: The rules for fasting and abstinence in the United States are: Every person 14 years or older must abstain from meat (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednes- day, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent. Every person between the age of 18 and 59 (beginning of 60th year) must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting is one full meal and two smaller meals and fast between meals. Ash Wednesday is February 22, 2023.
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Loaves & Fishes Campaign
Food insecurity continues to be the number one issue impacting many individuals and families in our community struggling to make ends need due to the rising costs of food, gas and housing due to inflation. Thanks to YOUR generosity, Catholic Charities has been a leader in providing food to the most vulnerable members of our community. This Lenten Season, give to the Loaves and Fishes Campaign and help feed the hungry in our midst. Donations can be made online at https://bit.ly/3DFPqrL or via the agency website at www.ccfairfield.org. Checks made out to Catholic Charities may be mailed to: Catholic Charities ATT: Finance Dept/L&F Campaign, 238 Jewett Ave. Bridgeport CT 06606
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Parish Family Mass – Join us on Sundays for our 9 a.m. parish family mass. We will have a special liturgy for our families on “Palm Sunday” April 2nd. The children will participate in the Blessing and the Procession of Palms. Please come and join us.
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Questions of the Week – March 19th – 4th Sunday of Lent – Source of Light
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as Children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. (Ephesians 5:8–9)
1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a • Samuel anoints David
Ephesians 5:8-14 • Duty to live in the light
John 9:1-41 • The man born blind
Adults: What are you doing in your life right now to move toward light rather than darkness?
Kids: How can you let the light of your faith in Jesus shine for others to see?
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Do you need a time to rest and renew The Amen App is a wonderful way to take time to pray and reflect on God’s goodness. Please join us in prayer listening to the Amen App. https://amenapp.org/
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Are you searching to renew and refresh your life! There are several videos for Lent. Our Lady of Grace Parish has joined with other parishes to bring to our parish a web platform for learning and renewing our spiritual live. Please join us at Formed.org. Follow the directions below and take a look. All parishioners our welcome! Registering for FORMED is easier than ever:1. Go to formed.org/signup
2. Select your parish: Enter parish zip code 06614 and select Our Lady of Grace from the provided dropdown menu
3. Register with your name and email address
4. Check that email Inbox for a link to start watching FORMED
This Lent, join your parish in enjoying the riches of God’s Word with free emailed Daily Reflections from Dr. Tim Gray. Your parishioners will also surely benefit from any of the many FORMED programs and resources available to you as a FORMED parish.
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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. Second Collection: March 25/26 -Hope for the Future.
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CallingPost – We will be sending our Callingpost message during the Lenten Season. 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 weekly CallingPost messages.
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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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