PLEASE Join us – all school and church families are invited to our annual picnic on Sunday, September 22nd from  3:00 – 5:00 PM in the North parking lot (in case of rain it will be moved to the Parish Center). Kane’s Market will be grilling hamburgers, veggie burgers and hot dogs;  you bring a side dish or dessert to share. Enjoy food, fellowship, and fun with music and games.

SignUp Now!
Sign-up sheets are located at all the entrances to the church.  You can also sign up by clicking HERE.  All responses are needed by Wednesday, September 18 to plan for the food.  Hope to see you there!

Alive In Christ!

Where did the summer go?!

It seems like only a few days ago that school vacation began and now our children are settled into their school year! There are, of course, beautiful days ahead to enjoy, but the lazy, carefree days of summer have come to an end.

I hope it was a good summer for you -- a refreshing and renewing summer. It was for me. I enjoyed time spent fishing with my brother and cousin in Wyoming at the start of summer and a more leisurely pace during July and August. My annual retreat at St. Joseph Abbey was especially renewing.

In the coming year, I hope to deepen our sense of community by focusing on a new theme: Alive In Christ. I have drawn this theme from a document Pope Francis wrote about youth and youth ministry entitled Christus Vivit ("Christ Lives!").

What does it mean to be alive in Christ? I can think of no better answer to this question than what Saint Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians: “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (2:20).

With these words, Saint Paul describes his new life in Christ. Paul is totally alive because the risen Christ lives in him. The Risen Christ has entered the deepest part of Paul’s being. And so, Paul sees everything, understands everything, and he does everything in the power of the risen Christ who is alive in him.

When we are alive in Christ, the Church is alive. When we are alive in Christ, we act with meaning and purpose because Christ lives in and empowers us.

Reflect on your life. What does it mean to say that you are alive in Christ? How deeply does Christ live in you? Christ, of course, lives in us, even when we are not aware of his presence. He is alive in us because we were baptized into the risen Christ, and every time we receive the Eucharist, the risen Lord lives in us, and we in him.

But how can we make our life in Christ more vibrant and more real?

There are many ways to come a deeper realization that we are alive in Christ, and I will focus on some of them in the weeks ahead. When we are alive in Christ our faith becomes contagious!

During the coming week enjoy a few moments of silence in the presences of the risen Lord who is always present to you. And, in his presence, ask the risen Lord to grant you a deeper awareness of his presence each day.

~ Fr. Matera

Are you are among those who have moved to the Farmington River Valley this summer?

Welcome!

Our parish has been in the heart of Simsbury for more than a century and it's our people that have made it so special. We would love to have you join us! Our weekend Masses are at 5 pm (Sat Vigil), 8 am, 9:30 am and 11 am. Daily Mass is celebrated at 8 am (Mon-Thurs).

Mass is the central celebration of our faith, but we have many offerings which can be seen as you explore our website. To contact us -- to register or if you have questions -- click here or call 860-658-7627. Or stop by our Parish Office in the Magowan Center.

And, of course, make sure to introduce yourself!

~ Fr. Matera

"St. Mary's: Connecting Our Community"

This program from Simsbury Community TV focuses on our
parish and school following the completion of our new facility.
Fr. Matera and Mrs. Margaret Williamson discuss the impact
for our school, our parish and the community.

Click the image to watch the program