30 Bartlett Street ~ Westfield, MA 01085A ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR

WELCOMENo matter what your present status in the Catholic Church,

No matter what your current family or marital situation,No matter what your current personal history, age, background, or race,

No matter what your own self-image—You are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected here

at Saint Mary’s Parish.We are here to welcome and serve you.

Together we are all called to conversion in Christ.

BAPTISM: Usually celebrated the last weekend of the month. Please contact the rectory to get started.

CONFESSION: Saturdays 2:30-3:30 pm, twice a year at our Westfield Communal Reconciliation Service or any time by appointment.

MARRIAGE: Please call any of the priests or deacons to begin the preparation process at least one year in advance.

NEW PARISHIONERS: Welcome! Please call the rectory to register.

ST. MARY’S PARISH SCHOOL: For more information regarding registration and enrollment in our Preschool (3 year olds), PreK, Elementary School please call (568-2388) or High School please call (568-5692).

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: CCD for grades K-11 takes place Sept. toApril. Contact the Office of Religious Education for more details.

MINISTERIO HISPÁNICO: Tenemos muchos: Círculo de Oración, Cofradas, Hijas de María, Juan XXIII, Ultreya y más. Llama al Diácono Pedro.

EUCHARIST

Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m Sunday: 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.

(11:30 am Misa en Español)Daily Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.

Holy Days as posted but usually 8:30 a.m. &6:15 p.m. (Bilingual)

STAFF

Fr. Matthew Alcombright – PastorDeacon Roger CarrierDeacon Pedro Rivera

Mrs. Michele Suhocki – Pastoral MinisterMrs. Robin Jensen

Director of Advancement Mrs. Kay Mowatt – Pre K – 6 Rel. Ed.Mrs. Joanne Bagge - Grade 7+ Rel. Ed

Mr. Rob Lepage – Music Director

TELEPHONE

Rectory & Pastoral Ministry 562-5477Fax 562-5478Elementary School 568-2388Advancement 568-1160St. Vincent de Paul 568-5619High School 568-5692Office of Religious Education 568-1127

REFLECTION PRAYER

This is My Parish. It is composed of people like me.We make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am.

Its pews will be filled, if I help to fill them.It will do great work, if I work.

It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I bring them.

It will be a church of loyalty and love, or fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these.

Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myselfto the task of being all things that I want my church to be.

900

Saturday, April 134:00 PM Maureen Sweeney, 1st Anniversary, requested by

Her FamilySunday, April 14 PALM SUNDAY

8:30 AM Christopher J. Kinsella, requested by His Family10:00 AM Bernard Loubier, requested by Anna Dorozko and

Co-workers11:30 AM For All the People of the Parish

5:00 PM June Macia, 4th Anniversary, requested by Doreen, Jeff, Deb & Bob

Monday, April 158:30 AM Lillian Sonsini, requested by Maria Iommazzo &

Elvira MottolaDonald Shannon, requested by His Daughter & Family

Tuesday, April 168:30 AM Anna Fattorini, requested by Camilla Mattia

Wednesday, April 178:30 AM Ronald Bonci, requested by His Wife & Family

Julia & Francis Hartford, requested by Betty Mitchell Thursday, April 18 - HOLY THURSDAY

8:30 AM Morning Prayer 7:00 PM For the People 8:00 PM Adoration – Night Prayer until 10 PMFriday, April 19 - GOOD FRIDAY

8:30 AM Morning Prayer 3:00 PM Via Crucis – Bi-lingual Way of the Cross 7:00 PM Celebration of the Lord’s PassionSaturday, April 20 - HOLY SATURDAY

8:30 AM Morning Prayer 8:00 PM Easter Vigil – Intentions for the RCIA CandidatesSunday, April 21 - EASTER SUNDAY

8:30 AM Deceased Members of the Affenito Family10:00 AM James L. Warner, III requested by Doris & Family11:30 AM For the People

HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 187:00 PM Altar Servers: Aidan Burke, Tucker Costello, Jessica Crosby, Nicholas Diaz, Anthony SuhockiReader: Religious EducationGOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 197:00 PM Altar Servers: Andrew Burnickas, Lindsey DeLand, Abbey HutchisonReader: Cathleen Bastible, Cathy SypekSATURDAY, APRIL 20 4 PMAltar Servers: Patrick Ditto, Brendan Morrissey, Catherine MorrisseyReader: Sheila Green, Karen HatchSUNDAY, APRIL 21 - EASTER SUNDAY8:30 AM Altar Servers: Justin Haluch, Joshua SturmerReader: Jay Ricci10 AMAltar Servers: London Adams, Dean Robinson, Calaeb ViewegReader: Chuck Dougherty11:30 AMAltar Servers: Kristal Torres, Destenie PachecoReader: Awilda Colombani, María Sanabria

NEXT WEEK’S LITURGICAL MINISTERS

MASS INTENTIONS

Jesus, humbling Himself out of love for us, did not shield His face from buffets and spitting, but offered His life on the cross. He relied on His Father’s love.

APRIL 6 & 7424 Envelopes

Total in Envelopes: $12,553.00Loose Cash: $803.31TOTAL: $13,356.31

Fuel: $855.00THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

WE STEWARD OUR TREASURE

2 PALM SUNDAY

MORNING PRAYER NOT MASS: During our sacred Triduum (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) we will not have morning Mass. Instead, join us for Morning Prayer. For those who can stay afterwards we will clean the downstairs Church on Thursday, April 18, the upstairs Church on Saturday, April 20, and decorate the church for the day’s liturgies.

If you would like to contribute towards the flowers on our altar, there is a notebook in the main entrance of the Church. It is easy to fill out a request and a great way to honor someone who has passed away or to celebrate a great event in someone’s life.

THE SANCTUARY CANDLE in the upstairs Church will burn from 4/6/19 to 4/19/19 for Megan Pelli, Birthday Remembrance.THE SANCTUARY CANDLE in the downstairs Church will burn from 4/6/19 to 4/19/19 in Memory of Deceased Members of the McKenna and Raufeisen Families.LET US PRAY

Please remember in your prayers all the sick in our parish, our families and friends. Please also pray for our beloved deceased: Anne Marie Russo, William Bernardara and Rev. Dennis Loomis, M.S.

PRAYER LINEThe Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary members have begun a prayer line. We will take prayer requests for you or your loved ones. Please call or text: Betty Mitchell, 413-563-0592, or Marguerite Murphy, 413-531-5648.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 13 & 14, 2019 3

900

auction & raffleSt. Mary’s Parish School will hold its Premier Event, the Annual Spring Auction & Raffle on Saturday, April 27, at 5 p.m. in the St. Mary’s High School Gymnasium and we need your support!  Would you like to be a sponsor of this year’s auction?  Do you have a new item you would like to donate such as concert tickets or a gift certificate?  If so, please contact Robin Jensen at rjensen@stmsaints.org  or call 568-1160.  Thank you for your support!  

NEW! Bible Study: Presence, The Mystery of the EucharistDo you ever feel like God is far away? The whole story of salvation is the story of God being present to his people – in Eden, in the wilderness, in the Temple, and finally in the Person of Jesus Christ. But the story doesn’t stop there. He is still here with us – in disguise. Under the appearance of bread and wine, Jesus Christ is truly present in his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. In the Eucharist, the God of the universe invites us into a deeper experience of His perfect love – and He is waiting for you. “Presence” explores the radical mystery of God’s love expressed in the Eucharist and shows how in this sacrament God is really present to help and strengthen us at every step of life’s journey. By diving

into the story of God’s love for His people in Scripture and the C h u r c h ’s t e a c h i n g o n t h i s sacrament, “Presence” invites each one of us into a deeper, more intimate union with God. Join us for this powerful four-week study beginning Wednesday, April 10, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Center. All are welcome!

SAVE THE DATE!St. Mary’s Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 22 at Tekoa. For details, contact Robin in Advancement at rjensen@stmsaints.org or call 568-1160.

My Dear Friends,

I wanted to take this time to express my gratitude for your prayers and understanding as I tend to some personal health issues. I know this comes at a difficult time of the Church’s liturgical year but, in particular, here at St. Mary’s. This community has seen a lot of change over the past year and I know that this change affects you all. Please know I am sorry to have to take this time now but it truly needs to be done for my own well-being.

The love, energy and hope you all bring to the St. Mary’s Community will allow you to continue through a precarious

time. I am grateful to Bishop Rozanski for affording me this opportunity to address my well-being. I am also grateful to Fr. John Salatino for taking on the responsibility as temporary administrator in my absence. Please pray for Bishop and Fr. John.

I humbly ask for your prayers during this time. Please know that you are all in my prayers and close to my heart. I truly love you all. I hope and pray that I will see you soon!

God’s Blessing and Peace,Fr. Matt

Message from Father Matt

HOSPITAL VISITIf you have a family member who is a patient at Baystate Noble Hospital, Baystate Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center or Holyoke Hospital and has not seen a priest or a Eucharistic Minister, please call the rectory. With the new privacy laws the hospitals will not give out patients’ names, so please call us and let us know when family members are there so someone can visit.

4 CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE! www.stmsaints.org

900

Monday, April 15SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK

7 pm El Camino Reunión Consejo - CenterTuesday, April 16

6:30 am Men of St. Joseph - Lower Church6 pm PAC - Center7 pm Finance Council - Center7 pm Renovación Carismática - Lower Church

Wednesday, April 179 am Eucharistic Adoration - Church9 am Reconciliation - Lower Church9 am ESL - Center5 pm Benediction - Lower Church5 pm Reconciliation - Lower Church7 pm Juan XXIII - Lower Church

Thursday, April 18 - HOLY THURSDAY8:30 am Morning Prayer - Lower Church

9 am Clean/Decorate - Lower Church6:45 pm Women’s Prayer Group - Lower Church

7 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper - Upper Church8-10 pm Adoration - Lower Church9:45 pm Night Prayer - Lower Church

Friday, April 19 - GOOD FRIDAYMen’s Retreat - ES

3 pm Via Crucis - Upper Church7 pm Good Friday Service - Upper Church

Saturday, April 20 - HOLY SATURDAYMen’s Retreat - East Mountain Country Club

8 pm Easter Vigil - Upper ChurchSunday, April 21 - EASTER SUNDAY

8:30 am Mass - Upper Church9 am Clean/Decorate - Upper Church

10 am Mass - Upper Church10 am Little Church - Lower Church

11:30 am Mass - Upper Church

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY’SST. MARY’S

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Adoration, April 17Wednesday, 8 AM - 6 PM

Confessions from 9 to 9:30 AM; 5 to 6 pmHoly Thursday, April 18

Mass at 7:00 PM in Upper ChurchAdoration until 10 PM in Lower Church

Night Prayer at 9:45 PMGood Friday, April 19

Parish-wide Via Crucis 3 PMGood Friday Service 7 PMHoly Saturday, April 20

Confessions from 2:30 to 3:30 PMEaster Vigil: 8:00 PM

Easter Sunday, April 21Masses at 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 (Spanish Mass)

in the Church. There will not be a Mass at Stanley Park this year.

THERE IS AN ELEVATOR FOR THE HANDICAPPED IN THE CHURCH.

Daily Reflections for Easter 2019There is no better season to renew one’s relationship with God than Easter, the most joyful day of the church’s year. Rejoice with these inspiring reflections on the daily Mass readings. In just minutes per day, the insightful meditations of Rejoice and Be Glad can help you embrace, live, and share the good news of the great Easter mystery.  With

this book you may feast on God’s Word during each day of glory from Easter to Pentecost.Please join Pastoral Minister, Michele Suhocki, on Saturday mornings April, 27, May 4, 11, 18, 25, and June 1 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the St, Mary’s Parish Center on 86 Mechanic St, Westfield. Please call or email Michele to register: 413-562-5477, ext. 144, msuhocki@stmsaints.org.

ST. MARY’S TO HOST RELICThe incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney will be visiting our parish on Thursday, April 25. The Shrine of Ars, France, has made this major relic available for a national tour in the U.S.

The Knights of Columbus is hosting this tour and welcomes this special opportunity to offer for veneration this relic of the patron of parish priests, whose holiness and integrity is a model for clergy and laity alike.

The relic will be available for veneration from 7:00 a.m. to noon. Our regularly scheduled Mass will be held at 8:30 in the upstairs church. Bishop Rozanski will be the principal celebrant for a special Mass at noon.

We are the only local church to host this special relic. You can look for more information about St. John Vianney and the relic tour in next week’s bulletin. You can also visitwww.kofc.org/vianney.

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE LATELY? 5

900

“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 1 Peter 4:10

Serving with the strength that God supplies, former Baystate Health CEO Mark Tolosky and his wife, Noreen DiPerri Tolosky, RN/author, built successful careers, shepherded their sons to utilize their talents, and actively share their faith in ministries at St. Mary’s Parish, Longmeadow. A timely reminder to faithfully use your talents and skills for the benefit of others.

Optional: Join in the Rosary Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. before the program.

THANK YOU to the families attending CCD each week and continuing to pass on their faith to their children. A big THANK YOU to the volunteers that impart the Catholic faith to them. The youth are the future of the Catholic Church and we are committed to guide and invite them to practice and live out their faith.

FIRST COMMUNION REHEARSALS will be April 23 & 25, from 4:15 to 5:30 in the Elementary School.

CRS RICE BOWL (Catholic Relief Services): Encounter Our Neighbors – We encounter Jesus this week in Jerusalem, a community He knew well. We prayerfully enter our own communities too, encountering those who are hungry and thirsty, and those who need our help. How does our Lenten journey motivate us to serve those we meet in our daily lives? Visit crsricebowl.org.

NEW EVENING BIBLE STUDY: On Wednesday, April 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. we will begin a new Bible Study called “The Passion and Resurrection Narratives of Jesus.” This video-based seven-week program compares the particular insights found in the Passion and Resurrection accounts of the four Gospels. The core of our faith incorporates both the pain of the cross and the hope of the resurrection into daily living. Everyone is welcome to join this study, no matter the level of Biblical knowledge. Please contact Joanne at 562-5484, or jbagge@stmsaints.org to register, or with any questions.

SPONSOR A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR: Give the gift of the “Word of God.” Each year parishioners generously give $10, so that we can purchase Bibles for each of our parish graduating high school seniors. The living Word of God is a timeless gift, which guides, reassures, soothes and nourishes the soul. If you want to donate one, please send $10 to St. Mary’s ORE 86 Mechanic Street, or stop by the office. If there is a special senior in your thoughts, perhaps a son, daughter, neighbor, friend or a relative, let us know and we will inscribe a Bible just for them from you. Very often our young adults need a Bible for a College Theology course, and this connection to home and their parish family is very nice for them! Our Senior Honor Mass will be held on Sunday, May 12, at the 10 a.m. Mass. We will pass out the Bibles then. The deadline to order a Bible is Thursday, May 2.

TIMELESS – The Encuentro Juvenil Committee presents a weekend for our youth prepared by our youth. This three-day bilingual retreat consists of music, prayers, games and reflections centered on our Catholic faith. This event is for high school-aged youth in Grades 9 through 12, from May 24 through May 26 at Camp Holy Cross in Goshen. For more information, or to register, please contact Mari Cruz at encuentroretreats@gmail.com or 562-8947.

CCD CORNER

LENTEN REGULATIONS1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat as well as days of fast, when only one full meal is allowed.2. On days of fast two other meatless meals may be taken according to one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal.3. The other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.4.The obligation to abstain from meat begins at fourteen (14) years of age.5.The obligation to fast begins at eighteen (18) years of age and ends at fifty-nine (59) years of age.

5.

Although the faithful may excuse themselves for a just cause from these laws of fast and abstinence, there is an obligation to substitute another penance and no Catholic should lightly excuse himself/herself from this obligation in the Lenten season.

St. Mary’s School is now enrolling students for Early Childhood. St. Mary’s offers a preschool class to children of all faiths that are three years of age by September 1 as well as two classes of Pre-K students that

are 4 before September 1. The preschool uses Scholastic’s My Big World and a thematic approach to learning. The Pre-K uses the Scholastic Big Day for Pre-K Early Learning Program. These programs are proven, effective, early learning programs that embrace children’s natural curiosity and encourage them to explore the world around them. Our religion program uses stories from both the Old and New Testaments. Children are able to connect God’s love to their everyday life. Our EC classes have two teachers to a maximum of 15 students. The children participate in music, physical education, and health and safety classes. Please call Ms. Juli Jensen-Derrig (568-2388) to schedule a tour and have your questions answered.

6 GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

900