Our Lady of Hope News

Blessed Palms

There will be blessed palms available in the churches for you to take home from Palm Sunday morning through all of Holy Week.  Please stop by the churches between 8:30am and 4:00pm to pray and to take a palm. 

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New FACEBOOK page

Please "follow" and "like".  See link above.  

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Father Michael's announcement on Covid19 

The Archdiocese of Hartford, following the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Connecticut’s state and local governments, is suspending both public worship and other archdiocesan and parish events through April 3, 2020.

Here is what you need to know about the upcoming schedule at Our Lady of Hope Parish.

1. All weekend and weekday Masses, from March 17th through April 3, 2020, will not be open to the public for attendance, will now extend through April 30, 2020.  This includes the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter.  Fr. Michael will offer Mass everyday and on the weekends for all of the scheduled Mass intentions and for God’s grace to quickly deliver us from this time of illness and worry. We do not yet know how this will affect the Holy Week schedule. You are encouraged to watch the televised daily Mass on EWTN (aired throughout the day) and ORTV (WB20) at 10:00 am.
2. Both churches (Immaculate Conception and Immaculate Heart of Mary) will be open everyday for individual prayer from 8:30-4:00. For those who are able to take some time to pray, you are highly encouraged to spend some time with the Blessed Sacrament.
3. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will still be available on Saturday afternoon from 3:30-4:45 at Immaculate Heart of Mary and on Monday evenings from 6:00-7:00 in both Churches (depending on the availability of clergy).
4. A number of parish events and classes are cancelled or postponed
   1. Religious Education Classes will be suspended for at least two weeks. We will be following the same precautions as the local school districts.
   2. The Confirmation retreat for March 21st is postponed until a later date.
   3. The First Reconciliation service will be postponed until a later date. However, any child who is prepared to make their first reconciliation may do so at any of the normally scheduled time for reconciliation.
   4. The Irish Dinner scheduled for March 21st is being postponed to a later date.
   5. The Pasta Supper, scheduled for the end of April, is cancelled this year. We will plan to have it next year.
   6. Soup & Stations in Harwinton and Stations in New Hartford have been cancelled. 

It feels surreal that a virus from around the world can so deeply affect our everyday life. While it is strange as an American in the 21st century, historically society and the Church has regularly faced plagues and illnesses. This is not a time to lose heart, to lose hope, or to grow lax in prayer. Even though public celebration of the Mass is temporarily suspended Our Lord is still present in our midst. Please take the time to raise your heart and mind to Almighty God, who desires the salvation and abundant life of humanity, and find peace in this period of paring down our life to deeper essentials.

Charity, the great virtue of willing the good of another, demands that we make an effort to care for those around us — especially those who are in the greatest need. In this moment, one of the principal ways we show charity is doing our part to protect the health of those around us. As Catholics and Americans, we can embrace this in freedom and without force — there is great virtue in that. Additionally, charity demand that we care for those around us who may be suffering in this time. Please do not ignore your neighbors, especially if they are in need of assistance.

Finally, Our Lady of Hope exists to bring Christ to our communities. Please let Fr. Michael know if you are in need of the Sacrament of the Sick, Reconciliation, or Holy Communion.

The Church traditionally invokes Saint Rocco, who lived in the 14th century, as a powerful intercessor in time of plague and illness. Here is one traditional prayer to him:

O Great St. Rocco, deliver us, we beseech you, from contagious diseases, and the contagion of sin. Obtain, for us, a purity of heart which will assist us to make good use of health, and to bear sufferings with patience. Teach us to follow your example in the practice of penance and charity, so that we may, one day enjoy the happiness of being with Christ, Our Savior, in Heaven. Amen.

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Download MyParish App Today!

Stay connected with what's happening in the parish with our MyParish App. (See side bar to downlaod app)

Religious Education Update

• Religious Education Schedule 2019-2020.  Click here

• In Lieu of Class: Here are some suggestions for families to continue to learn about and practice your faith:

   

  · Continue to check your email and postal mail for new lessons or encouraging messages from the office of religious education.

  ·  Most importantly, please continue to explore your Catholic faith together as a family. 

  · Access the daily Mass readings and get them emailed to you from USCCB.org .

  · Watch Father Michael’s YouTube channel to see and hear his enlightening homilies (accessed through the parish website: ourladyofhopeparish.com).

  · Watch an Easter (or daily) Mass online or on television.

  ·  If you would like further ideas for family faith activities or have any other questions or concerns regarding religious education, feel free to contact Teresa at (860) 806-5347 or Religious.ed@ourladyofhopeparish.com

•  First Reconciliation: 1) When Masses resume, please take a moment to notice the display of “sheep” in the front entrances to the churches. These represent the 26 children who will be making their first Reconciliation, we hope, at some point this spring.  Please pray for these children and their families as they prepare for this important step on their spiritual journey.  2) The Archbishop has announced that Confessions will not be heard at any church in our diocese until further notice. Parents who signed your children up for a First Reconciliation, please note that it is cancelled for now.

• Confirmation Class (9^th Graders): Please mail in your paper work if you have not already turned it in.  This includes Sacramental Data form, sponsor form (if necessary), Pathway to Discipleship, and, if you’ve completed your service hours, the Works of Mercy Service Reflection. (Obviously, most forms of service have been suspended for the time being, so it’s fine to do this over the summer or even in the early fall.)  And please check your email for a fun, socially distanced, service opportunity!

• Parish Website Slideshows:  Check out the slide shows in the “Family Faith” section under the Religious Education tab on our parish website!

  Call for pictures! Please send family photos for the parish website depicting creative ways your family is practicing social distancing while still practicing their faith and/or just staying healthy and positive.  Photos can depict children coloring Easter Eggs, making a cross out of palms, hiking outdoors, playing with pets, or holding up a sign saying what they did (for example: “I made my First Reconciliation!” Or “I memorized all my prayers!” or “I watched the Mass online!”)

  Send photos to Religious.ed@ourladyofhopeparish.com.

• Rice Bowls 2020:  Our parish continues to participate in the Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl campaign this Lenten season. For more information on Operation Rice Bowl, visit https://www.crsricebowl.org/about. If you would like to turn in the money you saved in your Rice Bowl by Easter Sunday as originally intended, please consider converting that money to a single check, made out to CRS (Catholic Relief Services) or to Our Lady of Hope with CRS Rice Bowl in the memo line, and mail it to the parish office.  (P.O. Box 285, New Hartford, CT 06057). Otherwise, please hold onto your Rice Bowl and return it when public Masses resume.

Call/text Teresa Lovejoy for any questions: 860-806-5347 or email Religious.ed@OurLadyofHopeParish.com.

Update regarding hospital visitations…..

Due to HIPAA Privacy Rules, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital no longer can provide the parish with names of our parishioners who are in the hospital.  If you or your loved ones would like to be visited or receive the sacraments while in the hospital, please notify the parish office at 860.379.5215.

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Confession Mondays

The Archdiocese will once again sponsor its Lenten Confession Campaign.

Confessions for Our Lady of Hope will be every Monday in Lent from 6:00pm to 7:00pm with two exceptions: Monday 3/2 Immaculate Heart of Mary only and Monday 3/9 Immaculate Conception only.  After that, they will be at both churches.

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Save the Date!

And prepare for an unforgettable adventure!  Join our own “Great Adventure” biblical studies group, fellow parishioners and Fr. Michael as we travel together “In the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle,” (including a 3-night Greek Islands cruise)

Sept. 9th – 19th, 2020

Space is limited.  For a booklet and more information, contact Jean Foisie at www.jean@yourtravelvision.com, or 860-693-2515.

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TMIY

That Man is You! Honestly addresses the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, especially those relating to their roles as husbands and fathers.

Wednesday Mornings

NEW PROGRAM!!!    PLEASE JOIN US!!

6:00am @ IHOM Social Center

“The Revelation of the Father”

Open to all men in the parish 18 and older.  Please join us for breakfast, video review and group discussion.  Please call John L. @ 203.623.3474 with any questions.

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Women's Bible Study

"No Greater Love"

We will be showing the videos and enjoying a discussion afterwards. No homework. 

Chocolate and non chocolate snacks provided. 

Come join us for 3 weeks  - 3/19, 3/26, and

Thursday Evenings / IHOM Social Center    --   7-8:30pm

Contact: Melissa L. at 860-459-6679/missykh2@gmail.com

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RCIA

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. This faith formation program is available to non-Catholic adults and young adults past the age of reasoning who wish to become members of the Catholic Church, and to Catholic adults and young adults past the age of reasoning who have not yet received the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation.  Classes meet on a weekly basis, and can be begun at any time.  Contact Father Michael (860-379-5215) if you are interested. Young adults under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.

Online Giving Message

We are proud to announce that Our Lady of Hope is keeping up with technology, and now has the ability for online giving.  Contributions can be made to the parish online safety via an encrypted website.  Online giving makes it easy when you are unable to attend Mass.  It's real simple to do.  Here are two simple ways:

     1.  Sign up here at the website.  Click on the "online giving" button that is found on the home page.  For the first time user, just click on "create new account".  This is a one-time account set-up.  This allows you to make donations to the church with options as a one-time gift or recurring.

     2.  The second way for accessing online giving is from your phones. Simply download the app for free from Apple or Google stores.  The name of the app is "Online Giving by Our Sunday Visitor".  From there it's the same login process as the website.

Upcoming Events

Please see Event Calendar for further details