A Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford

The St. Catherine Parish Legacy Fund is committed to ensuring the long-term stability of our parish and its ministries. Please consider a gift in lieu of flowers upon a love one's passing as a way to ensure our community will thrive well into the future.

The Epiphany of the Lord 4 January 2015

Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m.

Pastor The Reverend Michael Whyte 860 658 1642

PARISH STAFF Administrative Assistant-Parish Office Mrs. Lisa Cerchia 860 658 1642 or stcathy@comcast.net Director of Religious Education Mrs. Kathi Bonner 860 658 4737 or kathidre@aol.com Director of Youth Ministry Mrs. Judy Pluta 860 408 9888 or judyplutaym@gmail.com Music Director Mrs. Susan Zybert 860 216 6519 or susanzybert@comcast.net Facilities Manager Mr. Michael Grappone 860 658 1642 Parish Council President Mr. Tom Tanski 860 658 4430 Finance Council Chairman Mr. Scott Muryasz 860 693 4164 Parish Legacy Fund Chairman Mr. Peter Pabich 860 408 1254 Parish Lay Trustees Mrs. Melissa Horbal, (860)651-7844 Mr. Joseph Capozzoli, (860)352-2390

Thanks for worshiping with us.

If you would like to join our parish

family, fill out a yellow membership form found

in the vestibule or atrium and mail it to us, drop

it in the collection basket or

call us at 658 1642.

Mass/Liturgy Schedule: Saturday Vigil at 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, NO 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass) Daily Mass at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Wednesday, and Friday. (Yearly) Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Baptisms and Baptismal Preparation: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 Sacrament of Holy Matrimony: Please call the parish office at 860 658 1642 at least 6 months in advance Choir Practices: Adult—Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Youth—Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Music Group—Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.

Bulletin Deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Website News: email to: StCatherineWebMaster@Comcast.net 265 Stratton Brook Road, Box 184, West Simsbury, Connecticut 06092 Tel: 860 658 1642 /Fax: 888 297 3134 Email: stcathy@comcast.net Website: www.stcatherine.info

WELCOME! We welcome all visitors who are celebrating with us today. As is

our custom at St. Catherine of Siena, please remain in your pew

for the singing of the first and last verses of the recessional

hymn.

Religious Education News

REL ED K-10 classes resume today, January 4th. The Saint Composition will be assigned today so please be sure to attend! CONFIRMATION NEWS! The date for Confirmation has been announced: Saturday, April 25th at 11am. An email was sent last week with rehearsal details. Further details will be discussed at the Confirmation II Parent Meeting on Sunday, January 25th at 6pm in the Church. This is a mandatory meeting for parents, not Candidates. Spon-sors are welcome but not required to attend. Grade 8 Class Mass is Sunday, January 11th at the 5pm. All 8th graders are expected to attend and should be at the church no later than 4:30pm to rehearse.

Saturday, January 3rd @ 5:00 pm Mass for Alfred Zanelli, requested by the St. Catherine Women’s Club

Book Club;

Sunday, January 4th @ 8:00 am Mass for John Keane;

Sunday, January 4th @ 11:00 am Mass for Lucille Duford,

requested by Toni & Frank Negri;

Sunday, January 4th @ 5:00 pm Mass for Jennifer Furda, requested by the Hurd Family.

Monday, January 5th @ 8:30 am Mass for Special intention for Christopher, requested by Tammy, Mary Elizabeth and Caleb;

Tuesday, January 6th @ 8:30 am Mass for Evelyn Brophy;

Wednesday, January 7th @ 8:30 a.m. Mass for

Dominic Maradino, Sr.;

Friday, January 9th @ 8:30 am Mass for

Josephine Coppola;

Saturday, January 10th @ 5:00 pm Mass for Margaret Geraci, 20th anniversary, requested by her family;

Sunday, January 11th @ 8:00 am Mass for

Elizabeth Drapelick;

Sunday, January 11th @ 11:00 am Mass for John Monteleone, 1st anniversary, requested by his family; and,

Sunday, January 11th @ 5:00 pm Mass for Our Grade 8 Students.

WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS

Offertory Collection Weekly Collection: $ 9,484.00 Loose Cash/Checks $ 2,309.00 Envelopes $ 7,175.00 Cathedraticum* -$ 521.62 School Tax* -$ 521.62

*Parish taxes (5.5%) paid to the Archdiocese for services to the parish. Christmas…………………….$30,683.26 Repair & Refurbishment $ 9,804.32(additional)

Next week’s second collection is for

Repair & Refurbishment.

YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS

SENIOR HIGH YOUTH MINISTRY

WINTER INTO SPRING Youth Ministry Calendars will

be emailed home to all those on the Youth Ministry

newsletter distribution this week. Hard copies are available

in the atrium and vestibule.

Sunday, January 11th, TWO EVENTS:

2:00—4:00 p.m.—MCLEAN HOME—We gather

at 2:00 pm in the main lobby of McLean Home, then proceed

upstairs together to visit with and play games with the

residents. Please email Mrs. Pluta if you would like to join us

so we know how many teens to expect.

JudyPlutaYM@gmail.com.

6:00—8:00 pm Russell Hall—Senior High MOV-

IE NIGHT. Join us in Russell Hall for a movie night on the

big screen. Pizza will be served. Bring your favor-

ite munchies and crunchies to pass around. Feel free to bring

a bean bag or

comfortable chair and wear your slippers!

JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH MINISTRY

WINTER INTO SPRING Youth Ministry calendars will

be emailed home this week. Hard copies are available in the

atrium and vestibule.

Monday, January 10th, 6:45—8:45 p.m.—Junior High

MOVIE NIGHT. Join us in Russell Hall for a movie night

on the big screen. Can you arrive at 6:45 instead of 7:00

p.m.? Pizza will be served. Bring your favorite munchies and

crunchies to pass around. Feel free to bring a bean bag or

comfortable chair or wear your slippers!

Monthly Parish Rosary On the first Monday of each month, Father Michael will lead the parish in the rosary, from 7-7:30 p.m. in the Church. Prayer intentions for parishioners will be mentioned. Join your voice and prayers and ask the Blessed Mother to take your intentions to her Son. Rosaries, “how to” booklets provided.

FROM FATHER MICHAEL...

Happy New Year! With everyone’s traditional New Year’s greetings and wishes—as well as the resolutions—I thought I would outline some of the new things that will be occurring here at St. Catherine of Siena, at least in January 2015. And I also offer my best wishes and prayers for a peace-filled, happy, very healthy and blessed New Year to all! January will see our parish celebrate our prayer life with a NEW TIME for the monthly, first-Monday-of-the-month rosary. It will move to 7-7:30 p.m. to accommodate the return of Monday night Confessions, from 6-7 pm, as I return to more normal liturgical schedules; January will also see our return to our Religious Education class schedule and my taking over teach-ing Confirmation class on Sunday nights after the Sunday even-ing Mass. I thank all those who filled in for me while I was recuperating after surgery. On Sunday, 25 January our parish Welcome Committee will host a pancake breakfast after the 8 and 11 am Masses—please join in this wonderful welcome to all our parishioners as we kick-off the New Year. Making Music, Praying Twice is set to begin again on Friday, 16 January taught by Susan Zybert our music director. This music in motion class for our youngest parishioners and their parents meets on Fridays through March in the music room at 10 am. And many of the longstanding ministries of our parish resume in January. Please check the parish calendar on the website (stcatherine.info) and in our weekly bulletins for more details. Looking ahead, our Health and Healing Ministry, headed up by Diane Smith and many others, will be promoting a Prayer Foundation Workshop on 7 February from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in Russell Hall. Prayer is vital in our faith life…”when we do our part (prayer), God does His part!” Why attend this workshop? Well, here are some reasons: Jesus sent out 72 (all of us) to cure the sick through prayer (Luke 10:8) and called His Church to “pray unceasingly” and at Baptism all received the gifts of the Holy Spirit and one of those gifts was of healing. Come learn what and how to talk (pray) to God, especial-ly when praying for someone else. More information and details will be forthcoming in the bulletin and online.

RCIA-Right of Christian Initiation for Adults Will meet next on January 13th, 7 p.m. in the Library. This program is meant to introduce the non-Catholic to the elementary teachings of our faith and give an historical and theological understanding of the richness and depth of the Catholic faith—the oldest and original Christian Church found-ed by Christ and handed over to His apostles and their successors for all generations. Considering or ever thought about becoming Catholic? Do you join your family for Mass on weekends, or do you feel separated from them in the celebration of faith? Come and find out more about the fullness of the Catholic faith and the teachings of Jesus Christ and how they can lead you in developing a personal relationship with God and others who worship Him. No advanced training needed, no commitment required…just come and stick your toe in the waters of faith. Questions? Call Fr. Michael at 658-1642.

To my secret Santa... As I begin to write thank-you notes I find myself unable

to thank one person who has left me an envelope each Christmastime with a very kind note in it. So, I thought I would respond with a “secret” thank-you and wish you not only a blessed Christmas season but a very happy, healthy and blessed New Year. Thank you!

Celebrating The Epiphany of the Lord! This year’s Lectionary offers us the Gospel of Matthew and the account of the Magi and King Herod upon the birth of Jesus Christ. The Magi wished to visit and honor the newborn King, bringing Him specific gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We know the story of King Herod, a power-hungry king and one who had no use for the baby Jesus and what He represented to humanity—and what that would mean for Herod’s rule, power and pleasure—so Herod wants to “use” the Magi to ascertain the whereabouts of the newborn King in order to put a quick end to His reign, or so Herod thinks. But the outcome to the story can be “foreseen” in the gifts that the Magi bring for the Christ: gold, frankincense and myrrh—Gold is a precious metal and as such was a very valuable commodity. Its value could very well have financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. The Bible does not tell us any other significance to these three gifts; however, tradition has it that there is a deeper meaning for each of the three. Gold is a symbol of divinity and is mentioned throughout the Bible. Pagan idols were often made from gold and the Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with gold (Exodus 25:10:17). The gift of gold to the Christ child was symbolic of His divinity—God in flesh.

Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34). Frank-incense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

Myrrh was also a product of Arabia, and was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article of drink. Such a drink was given to our Savior when He was about to be crucified, as a stupefying potion (Mark 15:23). Matthew 27:34 refers to it as “gall.” Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. The baby Jesus would grow to suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him.

As we celebrate the Epiphany (The feast of manifestation, or Epiphany, is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th. In the dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.) Divine manifestation: The Epiphany takes its name from the Greek epiphania, which denotes the visit of a god to earth. The first idea of the feast is the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God. "Begotten before the daystar and before all ages, the Lord our Savior is this day made manifest to the world." The feast unites three events in the life of Christ when His divinity, as it were, shines through His humanity: the adoration of the Magi; the baptism of Christ in the Jordan; and the first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana. Moreover, at Epiphany the Church looks forward to the majestic coming of Christ on the "youngest day" when His manifestation as God will be complete. The Gospels of the baptism and the marriage at Cana are read on the Octave Day

(continued on next page)

Upcoming Meetings/Events JANUARY 2015

-Sun, 4th—Confirmation 1 & 2, all rooms, 6 p.m.

-Mon, 5th—Confessions resume, Church, 6 p.m.

-Mon, 5th—Rosary, Church, 7:00 p.m.

-Mon, 5th—PC Exec, Rectory, 7:30 p.m.

-Mon, 5th—Welcome Committee, Library, 7 p.m.

-Tues, 6th—Children’s Choir, MR, 6:30 p.m.

-Tues, 6th—Adult Choir, MR, 7:30 p.m.

-Thurs, 8th—Girl Scouts, RH, 7 p.m.

-Thurs, 8th—Contemporary Choir, MR, 7 p.m.

-Fri, 9th—MMPT, MR, 10:00 a.m.

-Sun, 11th—Sr. High Youth Ministry, RH, 6 p.m.

-Mon, 12th—Jr. High Youth Ministry, RH, 7 p.m.

-Mon, 12th—Parish Council, MR, 7 p.m.

-Mon, 12th—Prayer Shawl, Library, 7 p.m.

Social Outreach

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Pantry Partners—January 17 will be the

start of SCPP monthly distributions in 2015.

We will continue to serve on the third

Saturday of each month. Volunteers are

critical to our ministry, and anyone

interested in being added as a volunteer

should contact us at SCPP2013 @gmail.com.

Parish Socializing...

"Enjoy singing? The Contemporary Music

Group is looking for singers for their 5PM

Sunday Mass each week. Practices are on

Thursday nights from 7-8:30 PM. If

interested, please contact group leader,

Nicole Poirier, npoiriermusic@hotmail.com.

Defending Our Religious Liberty The Catholic Church’s stand against the federal health care mandate isn’t about access to contraception, which is widely available. It is about a government regulation that is forcing the Church to act against its moral principles, thereby, violating religious freedom. If you haven’t done so already, please voice your opposition to the mandate by calling President Obama at the White House at 202-456-1111 or U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell at 202-205-5445. Let them know that the mandate is in violation of our First Amendment right to religious freedom.

Holy Family Retreat Center—Our theme this season is

Know Greater Joy. Explore how we can discover deep

and enduring joy in God’s presence no matter the

situation. Includes home-cooked meals, inspirational

liturgies & workshops, original music, and free time to

rest and enjoy a walk on our 48 wooded acres &

labyrinth. If this weekend is not convenient, please check

our website for other available dates. Cost is $295, more

if you can; less if you can’t. Register at

www.holyfamilyretreat.org or call 860-760-9705. Holy

Family Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Rd, West Hartford,

CT. Men’s Retreat Date: February 6-8, 2015.

Poker night—Tony Pereira is

again hosting a Men’s Club Poker

Night on Friday January 16th, 7PM,

Russell Hall. Pizza, wine and beer

will be served. Admission is $10.

Great fellowship and fun! Friends

and neighbors are always welcome.

Fr. Michael continued……...and the Second Sunday after Epiphany, and later Sunday Masses in the Epiphany season continue to show the divine power of our Lord in some of His most striking miracles.

One could almost say that the Epiphany season is paired with miracles of the Lord and His Divine power. It might be a great time for all of us to open our eyes and our hearts to the miracles and Divine power of Christ in our own lives, beginning with the Sacraments and ending with prayer life and the whole community in which we share—and look more closely for His miracles. They are all around us…if only we use our “eyes of faith.”

Happy and Blessed New Year to all, and a happy season of searching for God’s power and miracles

in our lives, drawing our hearts ever-closer to Him who was, is, and will always Be!

Lost and Found — There are a couple of items in the office

that were found over the weekend. Please call, 658-1642.

End of Bulletin

Information on this page is not printed

Church: St. Catherine of Siena

City: West Simsbury, Connecticut

Account # 04-0523

Run #

Routing Code: O

Phone: 860.658.1642

Fax: 888.297.3134

Contact: Lisa Cerchia