St. Lawrence Church
505 Shelton Avenue
Huntington, CT  06484
Phone: 203-929-5355     Email: Stlawrpar1@aol.com
 

Third Sunday in Lent

March 6th/7th

 

Updated Guidelines for Mass
Registration Requested

The Diocese is asking all parishes to continue with registration for Masses which will help ensure the capacity allowed by state law which currently limits our capacity at Mass to a maximum of 160 people.  Please use the "Sign-up Genius" application above for registration.  If someone decides at the last minute that they would like to attend Mass without having registered prior to Mass, they will be able to sign in with their name, phone number and/or email on the forms provided at the doors as long as the 160 person limit has not been reached.  Once the limit has been reached, we will be unable to accommodate any additional people inside the Church.  This process is in place for the health and safety of all, and will allow us to notify parishioners in case someone tests positive. Since public Mass began again at Saint Lawrence, no such incident has occurred here, and to date, no widespread exposure to the virus has occurred in Fairfield County because of Mass or liturgical services.

It is still a requirement for all members of the congregation to wear face masks, and every effort should be made to maintain social distancing while in Church.  Pews that are blocked off should not be entered, and please recognize that it may not be possible to sit in familiar places.  Families may sit together in a pew, but for much of the Church a limit of six people will be enough for each pew.

Staff and ushers will be present to assist you. We ask that you make every effort to arrive at Mass early, in plenty of time to enter and be seated according to social distancing protocols before Mass begins.

We look forward to seeing you at Saint Lawrence!
 

Dear Parishioners,

Forty days might seem like a long time for people who are making sacrifices and doing penance for Lent. Giving up something that we like or doing some extra good works can change our normal routine of life. But that’s exactly the reason for the discipline of Lent, to work on preparing the ground for an abundant growth.
As a parish, we try to offer to our people the tools they need to facilitate their growth both in their spiritual lives and in their human relationships. A great gift the Church offers is the gift of Healing, especially through the Sacrament of Confession. There are many wounded hearts, heavy hearts, dry hearts. Jesus wants to heal them all. As we want to extend an invitation to everyone to receive the divine Healing, our church has joined other parishes in the diocese by becoming a Center of Mercy, offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Tuesday evening during Lent from 7:00-8:30 pm, in addition to our regular Confession schedule. It is really a call to celebrate God’s Mercy who desires us to be free, healed, restored and joyful.

May God bless you and our parish family!

Father Ciprian Bejan, Pastor
 

St. Lawrence Parish Drive Through Food Drive
for Merton House and Blessed Sacrament

Saturday, March 20th
10:00 am—12:00 Noon

Donations will be delivered directly to Merton House and the Food Pantry at Blessed Sacrament
Thank you in advance for your generosity

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
Before leaving home, place food donations in bags in your trunk. Follow the signs to the area where food donations will be collected. NO NEED TO LEAVE YOUR CAR.
Open your trunk from the inside of your car. (If your car is not equipped with a means to open your trunk from inside the car, kindly step outside the car to open your trunk.)
Volunteers wearing masks and gloves and maintaining social distancing will remove your food donations.
You also should wear a mask when bringing your donations.
Monetary donations are welcome. If you write a check, please make it payable to St. Lawrence, with the Notation “Food Drive.”

ITEMS NEEDED:
Merton House: Meals at Merton House are being bagged and handed out on the street. For that reason, the “wish list” is very specific.
Bottled water,  individually packaged snacks (cookies, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, etc.),  granola bars, oranges.  Pantry Needs canned meats, grape jelly in squeeze bottles; boxed 1% milk, black, red and chili beans.
Blessed Sacrament: Boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, pasta, canned tuna, bottled water.

Please consider using the Online Giving Link
to the right to make your gift to the
St. Lawrence Parish
2020 Annual & Christmas Appeal

The Catholic Practice of Making a Spiritual Communion
(Excerpted from a longer article) 

St. Thomas Aquinas taught that Spiritual Communion is “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and in lovingly embracing Him as if we actually received Him.” Think of it! You can have your own private “audience” with Christ in Spiritual Communion or in front of the Blessed Sacrament! Countless Saints and theologians throughout the centuries have extolled the virtues and great spiritual benefits we can receive from this time spent with our Lord. Remember, however, that you can “turn toward the holy tabernacle” and receive Jesus in your heart from anywhere you might happen to be, at any time, day or night!

SAMPLE PRAYERS Here are some sample prayers for making a spiritual communion:
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Another version reads:
Oh Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me. I love you, O my God. I cannot receive you in Holy Communion. Come, nevertheless, and visit me with Your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it. Sanctify it. Render it like unto Your own. Amen.

Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

St. Jean-Marie Vianney once said “when we feel the love of God growing cold, let us instantly make a Spiritual Communion. When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.” We can indeed be grateful for that!
 

    CONTINUE YOUR OFFERTORY
 

Sign up for
  
(Click on icon to go to Online Giving)

For Online Giving information 
click here

Call the Parish Office if you would like help setting up your account. 

If you prefer you can mail your weekly offertory,
we will continue to pick up the mail daily.

For detailed information and resources from Bishop Caggiano and the Diocese of Bridgeport
concerning the Novel Coronaviris COVID-19, please click here:https://www.bridgeportdiocese.org/

RELIGIOUS ED NOTICE:

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and our concern for the safety of the children and their families, we are offering a "home study" program for our students this year instead of the usual classroom setting. Students will be held accountable for program completion by completing their workbook at home with parent supervision and handing in completed unit tests on a timely basis to the Religious Education Office. The Religious Ed Office will be available for on-line guidance and virtual meetings through the year.