SACRED HEART CHURCH

Welcome to Sacred Heart Church

Welcome to Sacred Heart Church in Stamford, Connecticut, the Italian National Parish. We are a diverse community of many cultures where the love of Christ is brought to, and shared with our neighbors.

Jesus said "Love one another as I have loved you, it is in this love that they will know that you are my disciples".

All are welcome at Sacred Heart Church. You will find a warm, welcoming, family atmosphere here at Sacred Heart. It is the perfect setting for prayer, worship and spiritual enrichment.

Our liturgies are where our parishioners and those who visit, enjoy and live the sacraments of the Catholic Church as Christ being present to bring His love and tenderness to all in the Church. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions. We are looking forward to seeing you at Mass with us.

If you would like to become a parishioner, have any questions, or say hello please email us at [email protected].

Download the Family Registration Form
Download the New Member Form

Forms can be completed and returned to the rectory.

ALL ARE WELCOME !!!

 

Dear Parishioners,

Water is one of the most important requirements for the sustenance of all lives. In fact, according to scientific studies, water makes up to 60-75 percent of the total body fluid, hence, total withdrawal or extraction of water from any person will result to death. In the Old Testament, water is a common metaphor for spiritual satisfaction (Is 12:3).

The first reading of today tells us of the ordeal of the Israelites in the wilderness. After four hundred and thirty years of slavery in Egypt, God came to deliver them (Ex 12:40). Yet, they grumbled against Moses, and consequently, against God because they were thirsty. God instructed Moses to strike the rock. From it, water came forth. The Israelites drank and were satisfied.

Both the rock Moses struck, and the water that gushed out form it allegorically and metaphorically prefigures Christ. He is both the rock and our salvation, and our eternal living water. On this third Sunday of Lent, we also need a spiritual drink from the living water that flows from Christ, the Rock of Ages. Hence, we must: “Draw water from the well of salvation” (Is 12:3) in order to quench our spiritual thirst this Lenten season.

In the second reading, Paul described how the love of Christ, “is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” Here, Paul implicitly mentions water using the verb: “to pour.” He reminds us also of ow helpless our life was and could still be without Christ, the Living Water. In other words, through his death, Christ made himself the source of our own life.

In today’s gospel, Jesus presents himself to the Samaritan woman as the Eternal Living Water. This underscores the importance of Christ in our life. The lesson from this is we must not discriminate against people based on their race or culture. Jesus knew quite well who the woman was (a Samaritan) and her life history. Yet, he approached her for a drink. Jesus’ aim was to draw her
closer to himself, the Eternal Living Water.

Hence, by breaking the silence and going against the social customs, and prejudices between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus becomes the gift of God to this woman and her people. Like Jesus therefore, we must be ready to take risks. This is by challenging the unjust rules of social structures and norms.  It is by breaking down walls that excludes people, and by opening possibilities to others. This is, so that they can experience Christ.

Finally, the argument that ensued between Jesus and the woman represents the obstacles that we must overcome to draw people to Christ, the Eternal Living Water.  In other words, they represent the “rational stubbornness” that the society will present to us before they finally yield to the gospel.  However, if we ourselves are connected to the Eternal Living Water, we shall have a better and more convincing witness without getting weary.

Peace be with you all!

God bless you and your families!

Fr. Alfonso Picone, Pastor

Regular Weekly Mass Schedule

Masses in English
Monday – Friday 7:00 AM
Saturday 8:00 AM
Saturday 4:00 PM Vigil Mass
Saturday 8:00 PM Neocatechumenal Mass (Lower Church)
Sunday 8:30 AM, 11:30 AM

Mass in Italian / Messa in Italiano
Sunday 10:00 AM

Mass in Spanish / Misa en Español
Saturday 6:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 PM Neocatechumenal Mass (Lower Church)
Sunday 1:00 PM

FRIDAYS STATIONS OF THE CROSS:
6:00PM ENGLISH/ITALIAN
7:00PM SPANISH

 

Family Mass

Family Mass every third (3rd) Saturday of the month at 4:00pm.
Please join our children as they lead us in praying the Most Holy Rosary at 3:30 PM before the 4:00 PM Mass.

Confessions

Saturday from 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM or by appointment

 

Adoration

Mondays – Adoration 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM  with novena of the Miraculous Medal at 6:30PM on Mondays (Only)

 

Encounter God by Praying with Sacred Scripture

Jesus wants to lead each of us into a very personal and deep relationship with Him, His Father and the Holy Spirit. God wants to speak with us through Sacred Scripture. He is inviting us to learn to pray with Scripture in what has been called Christian meditation and contemplation. Saints have described this as heart speaking to heart.
Fr. Timothy Gallagher is a very gifted teacher who has been helping many people encounter the Lord through Christian meditation and contemplation according to the methods of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Fr. Gallagher has established a web page where you can listen to his podcasts. Each podcast is about 30 minutes and on this topic there are 7 podcasts. You can listen at your own leisure by clicking on the following link and looking for Fr. Gallagher's podcasts.

"ONE in Christ" 2023 Bishop's Appeal

 I am immensely grateful for your support last year to the Diocese of Bridgeport’s 2022 Bishop’s Appeal.  As we moved forward from the pandemic, the need for services continued to be impacted, especially nutrition and counseling programs.  

Because of your generosity, we were able to serve thousands of Fairfield County individuals and families through our ministries and services, introduce new programs to experience, and learn more about the beauty of our Catholic faith and to mentor young adults in business and faith.  

This week you will receive information by mail about our 2023 Bishop’s Appeal, “One in Christ” and how your support assists the ministries and programs our parishes cannot provide for in the community on their own.  We cannot do it without you and I am immensely grateful for your support as we seek to unite the diocese in service, compassion and faith and bring our sisters and brothers together to encounter and embrace the power of the Lord Jesus in our lives.

the Appeal website at:

http://2023BishopsAppeal.org