Summer 2015 - Church of Saint Ann

THE NEXUS
Sharing Experiences Building Community
VOLUME XXXV, NO.2
A NEWSLETTER FROM THE CHURCH OF ST. ANN
AVON, CT
SUMMER 2015
Pastor's Corner
Dear Parishioners,
In this issue you will find the annual report of income to expenses; as you can see, we finished the year in
good form. Because of the generosity and beneficence of our parishioners, we were able to make some
needed repairs and updating. The restrooms in the Fr. Bennett Hall, as well as the restrooms in the office area,
have been updated. In addition, we have replaced the rectory boiler and changed over to gas. This is due to
the age of the original boiler and the inability to secure replacement parts.
Also, I would like to thank Frank Ahern of the Ahern Funeral Home, Unionville, for his generous gift of the
marble pedestal in our parish cemetery, upon which rests a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As I
have mentioned in the past, we will continue to make improvements to our parish cemetery when the funds
become available.
I would also like to address the burial procedures for cremains. The cremated remains of a body should be
treated with the same respect given to the corporeal remains of a human body. This includes their final
disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave. It is permissible to bury the cremated remains
on the top of an existing grave of a loved one; they may also be entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium.
The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground or keeping them at the
home is not permitted and should be avoided. It is of the utmost importance that we communicate this to
our loved ones who may have conservatorship over our care.
Now that the summer is upon us and the academic year has come to a close, I thank the many volunteers of
our Religious Education program and various ministries for their dedicated effort in making this year so
successful.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. John McHugh
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St. Ann's Parish
The Rev. John W. McHugh, Ph.D., Pastor
The Rev. Joseph P. Cheah, OSM, Ph.D., Weekend Assistant
The Rev. Daniel J. Sullivan, Weekend Assistant
In this issue
Meet: John Drake
What is RCIA?
The Deacon’s Bench
Knights of Columbus
Teen Scene
Jeffrey Sutherland, Deacon
Tim Healy, Deacon
Valerie St. Jean, K-8 Religious Education Coordinator
Joan Gould, Confirmation & Youth Ministry Director
Maureen Fiedler, RCIA Director &
Liturgy Coordinator
Tom Stockton, Director of Music
Kris Martino, Office Manager
Parish Happenings
...dates to jot down
Oct 2 & 3
Scholarship Used Clothing Sale
Fr. Bennett Hall
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RCIA
THE DEACON’S BENCH
We’ve just completed a cycle of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) here at
St. Ann. Maureen has written a wonderful article for us that explains what it is, and I
encourage you to read it. At the last RCIA session, I handed our candidates and catechumens
a copy of The New Catholic’s Survival Guide I’d written (since updated) to help them easily
follow through with their newly acquired faith.
It occurred to me since then that many folks these days are pretty busy dealing with the
demands imposed by our complex world, and that they, too, might benefit from taking a peek
at a condensed version of the Catholic “playbook.” So here goes - it’s really not hard at all!
WHAT IS RCIA?
‘RCIA’ stands for ‘the Rite of Christian
Initiation for Adults. At the Easter
Vigil on May 2, our parish welcomed
four new members as full and
participating members of the
Catholic Church. We welcomed Quoc
Bui, Annemarie Rodgers, Ruby
Hutchinson, and Jaimie Hastings. The
four candidates met on a weekly
basis from the second week of
September through Pentecost Sunday
every Tuesday night from 7:00 to
8:30 p.m. along with the members of
the RCIA Team: Deacon Jeffrey
Sutherland, Deacon Tim Healy,
Maureen Fiedler, and Eric Gauvin.
The parish of St. Ann, in conformity
with the universal church,
established an RCIA program many
years ago. This program seeks to help
all those coming to the church from
other faith traditions (or no tradition
at all) in the following ways:
• to be attentive to individual questions
concerning the faith
• to offer a systematic presentation of
the Catholic faith tradition using the
liturgical year as its format
• to explore with the candidate the
person of Jesus
• to offer opportunities for the
candidate to explore its many faces; i.e.,
as institution, proclaimer of God’s word,
sacrament, servant, and gathering of
faith community
This process is for anyone who is
uncatechized (need to be prepared to
receive the sacraments of Eucharist and
Confirmation) and any unbaptized
persons who want to become a member
of the Catholic Church. Anyone
interested in becoming a member of our
Catholic Church is warmly encouraged
to call Maureen Fiedler at 860-995-4026.
The non-negotiables come first. Our faith, after all is said and done, is about love and mercy.
This is the way it has always been, is now, and will always be…
You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do justice and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God. --Micah 6:8
One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he
had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus
replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other
commandment greater than these.” --Mark 12:28-31
A Simple Catholic Discipline
1. Love everyone (including God and, in particular, yourself). If you can pull it off, love all of Creation
too; but don’t stress about it if it seems unreasonable or impossible to do just now. God will lead you
where you need to be when you need to be there, as long as you’re open to being led.
2. Attend mass, daily if possible - at least on Sundays and Holy Days. Like eating properly, breathing,
and getting enough exercise, it’s the way we keep our spirits healthy. Your life is not just about you
after all - it’s about all of us together in community, like the community for which
we’re destined - The Trinity.
3. Prepare for Mass by reading the Scriptures for the day; lectio divina helps here. If you don’t know
what lectio divina is, Google it, or just ask Fr. McHugh, another priest, or one of the deacons, who
will happily explain it to you. Biblical commentaries, online or in books, are very helpful in explaining
difficult passages. There’s nothing worse than being at Mass, listening to a passage of Scripture, and
asking yourself “Now what does that mean?”
4. Pray daily; try a simple aspiration on rising (e.g., “Wow! Another day - thank you, God!!) and
maybe lectio divina if you have a few minutes more. If you’r e worried about “form,” relax - the only
wrong way to pray is not to pray at all. If you think it’s prayer, it is. It’s not possible to confuse God.
5. Consider joining a Small Christian Community, a Cursillo group, or some other organization to
keep you in touch with like-minded individuals.
6. Give. Money’s fine, but helping at a soup kitchen, teaching, working with little folks or older
people would likely draw you into a more intimate relationship with God and the rest of us. You‘ll
likely find that you’re receiving more than you’re giving. As St. Peter Chrysologous pointed out, “Give
to the poor and you give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you did not give away.”
7. Reconciliation at least once a year is, like gravity, more than just a good idea - it’s the law.
Definitely go when you know you’ve gone over the line, and don’t be afraid to pray, even right
smack in the middle of your sin, while you’re actually doing it. Don’t hold stuff in - it doesn’t do you
any good and God knows about it anyway. Hidden stuff will follow you around like three dogs
following a guy carrying a fresh cut of meat, not to mention the sad collateral damage to others
that’s caused by you holding your ugly stuff in. There might even be a perfectly good reason God
“allowed” you to sin. Julian of Norwich remarked “First came the Fall. Then came Redemption. BOTH
are the mercy of God.” Go figure - but it’s profoundly true.
8. Reading and spiritual direction are helpful to learn more about the faith and to discern
the action of God within you and your life. Time and money well spent. Any priest or deacon
will be happy to help you begin.
9. Practice prayerful compassion and gentle loving-kindness towards yourself and other people.
10. As Meister Eckhart advised centuries ago - “Trust God the way you did before you even existed.”
Then relax and enjoy being a Catholic person. Folks will notice.
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Worship - Service - Lifelong Learning
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ST. ANN SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM NEWS
The St. Ann Scholarship Program completed
another successful year with the perennial
plant sale and art show and sale in May, 2015.
Sixteen students received tuition support to
attend St. Paul, East Catholic, and Northwest
Catholic high schools this year.
Funding for this program is dependent on
money raised in our four major fundraisers.
Our next event will be the annual Used
Clothing Sale on Saturday, October 3, with a
preview opening on Friday night, October 2.
We will be looking for gently used clothes,
coats, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Please
save your no-longer-used items to donate - all
seasons welcome. Watch the bulletin for
information on drop-off dates, sale times, and
opportunities to volunteer.
As always, we salute the parish of St. Ann for
its continued support of this very important
and valuable program.
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus, Pope Pius XII Council in Avon is a Catholic men’s
organization whose members dedicate their time and talents to serving St. Ann’s
community and the greater Avon community. The emblem of our order is a
compass to help guide us in our journey. The four points of our compass represent
Fraternity, Unity, Charity, and Patriotism. Council 4376 embraces the principles set
founded over 100 years ago, has grown from meeting in the basement of a church
in New Haven to become an international organization of several million Catholic men.
We are an organization which prides itself in serving, helping, and supporting the parish of St. Ann, our local
example as faithful Catholic men by contributing our time, talent, and treasure to the Catholic Church, our families
While most parishioners probably know us for the Thanksgiving Pie Sale we conduct each November, were you
aware that all the proceeds are returned to our parish? Every year, it has been our privilege to welcome the new
several ministries here at St. Ann’s as well as giving their time to local food pantries, shelters, and driving special
needs children. Our council also provides milk to school children in Hartford, provides critically needed vitamins for
Haiti, and has been a sponsor for Seminarians. We endeavor to be a bridge between need and resources.
This year we are pleased to announce that one of our members, Michael Gould, was formally Knighted in our order
at a State Council ceremony held on March 15, 2015. We congratulate Mike for all of his charitable works; he is truly
deserving of the honor.
We are open to all Catholic men. We welcome any man who wishes to dedicate himself to family, the Church, and
his community. We take your time and talents, but the rewards are truly tenfold. Any man interested in joining or
gary.balich@comcast.net or at 860-676-0652.
On behalf of The Knights of Columbus, I would like to thank St. Ann’s parishioners for all their support over the
years. And I leave you with this thought - our credo: In Service to One; In Service to All.
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Worship - Service - Lifelong Learning
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Meet:
John Drake
“Life follows God’s plan;
how we respond is our choice.”
These wise words, spoken
years ago by Eva Drake,
have inspired her son,
St. Ann’s parishioner
John Drake, to a life
of trust and charity.
“When she was dying
of ALS, my mother
still found true joy in the
simple day-to-day things,”
he recalls. “She fully trusted
God and His plan.”
THANK YOU
As she moves on to other endeavors, we extend our sincere thanks to Lisa Stevens for her
many years of dedicated service as our K-8 Religious Education Coordinator.
You will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go with you, Lisa.
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L
ike many of her generation, the elder Drake
possessed a simplistic faith – examined, but not
challenged. She and John’s father, Bob, were the
children of Polish immigrants and Catholic tradition
was central to their lives. “Poland has a history of
upheaval,” explains their son; “the one constant in
the lives of the Polish people has always been their
faith.” So John Drake was raised in a devout home
where he was reminded, daily, that everything is a
gift from God, and that he must use his gifts to help
others. When he settled in Avon after a career
change brought him to Hartford, the parishioners of
St. Ann’s soon became the recipients of John’s many
gifts.
A longtime catechist in St. Ann’s Religious Education
program, John has been teaching various grades for
20 years; he is a Eucharistic Minister, and just
completed the first year of a 3 year term on the
Parish Council. During the economic downturn, John
met with Fr. McHugh and leaders from Farmington
Valley churches to start Neighbor to Neighbor, a
volunteer organization that helps families in financial
crisis. “Our client is the family who does not qualify
for government assistance. They may own a large
home and have significant fixed expenses and,
during a period of unplanned unemployment, they
go through their retirement and college savings just
to pay the mortgage.” The program has saved
homes from foreclosure; stocked kitchens with food;
and paid for children’s birthday parties, all in the
spirit of neighbors helping neighbors.
John is perhaps most recognized these days for his
leadership of the Farmington Valley Re-employment
Group which serves the greater area but resides here at
St. Ann’s. A Human Resources executive and
consultant, John attended the FVRG for years as a
resource for the group, founded and led by Brian Jud.
It was only natural that he should take it over when
Brian stepped down. “My focus is on getting clients to
take action,” he explains. “Support groups are great,
but they must have a purpose beyond socializing. At
the end of the day, the guy sitting next to you in the
group isn’t going to help you get a job because he
doesn’t have one either!” So, John gives group
members networking and research assignments to
fulfill in the two weeks between each meeting.
John’s own career started with his network in his small
hometown of Russell, Massachusetts (population 1,500
at its peak). After graduating from the University of
Massachusetts with a BS in Economics/Political Science and a MS in Labor Economics,
he returned home to a job at the local bank, led by one of his father’s golfing buddies.
“The idea was to keep me busy learning many facets of the business so that when they
had a real job opening they could plug me in.” That opening came in Human Resources,
which turned out to be the perfect blend of business and interpersonal relations that
suited John perfectly. He moved on to leadership roles at Providence Hospital and later
Prudential Insurance, which brought him to Connecticut.
In 1996, John married his wife Julie, presently a procurement executive at The Travelers
Insurance Company, and they gave birth to daughters Veronica and Sophie (now
students at Avon High School) in 1997 and 1998. Soon afterwards, dissatisfied with
the creative limits of corporate work and tired of juggling jobs and childcare, John
made another career change – he hung a shingle and became self-employed. As an
Organizational Consultant, John helps corporate clients become more effective at talent
acquisition, and he coaches individual clients on networking and career maximization.
Working from home has been a boon for Julie and the girls (and their four dogs and
three cats) as much as it’s been for John, a man who never doubted his desire to have
a family.
In 2009, John and Julie were inspired by some friends to expand their family in an
unconventional way. Feeling that familiar pull to ‘help others,’ they became certified
through the Department of Children and Families’ foster family program. Since then,
they have hosted more than a dozen children in their home, as many as four at one
time, with a typical stay of a year. Three years ago, they welcomed a beautiful toddler
named Autumn. Now five years old, Autumn Drake is heading into kindergarten at
Roaring Brook School in the fall; John and Julie adopted her soon after she joined them.
Being a foster family has its challenges. The Drakes become attached to children.
Sometimes, they see children they’ve grown to love return to questionable families. Yet,
despite the possibility of disappointment and heartbreak, they always say ‘yes’ when
DCF calls. “Our job is to help reunite families by keeping children safe during a time of
tumult,” says John adding: “but it is hard.” One particularly hard case was Canyon, a
little boy who was part of the Drake family for one year and who they had hoped to
adopt. In the end, Canyon’s mother was declared fit and able to bring her son home.
Rather than dwell on their grief, the Drakes developed a relationship with Canyon’s
mother; at the moment, their dining room table is covered with kitchenware that they
are collecting for her and her son’s new apartment.
“I’m not at all handy. I can’t bang a nail or fix a sink to save myself,” says John with a
chuckle. “But I like to think I’m good with kids, so that is one way I serve.” In addition
to the Drake’s three daughters, seven pets, and regular DCF guests, they have hosted a
German exchange student named Thomas this school year, as well.
John Drake is a talented storyteller. Charming tales about his parents meeting at a
church picnic; his mother (the town tax collector) secretly paying the bills of struggling
residents; and he and Julie trying to safely navigate their floors riddled with teenaged
girl clutter and pet fur, are masterly woven through more serious talk about job-seeking
and the challenges of a modern-day Catholicism. Between his work serving children in
his home and as a catechist, and his work instructing and inspiring adults to find work,
this big man with an even bigger heart has certainly made his mom proud by
acknowledging God’s plan and responding with a hearty ‘yes.’
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ST. ANN’S CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT
FOR YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014
INCOME
Offertory, Annual & Special Purpose
Gifts, Donations, Bequests
Religious Formation & Other Miscellaneous Income
Other Income
TOTAL INCOME FROM OPERATIONS
EXPENSES
Salaries, Taxes & Benefits
Insurance
Utilities (Oil, Gas, Electric, Phone, Cable)
Maintenance & Repairs
Contracted Services (Plowing, Mowing, Professional Services, etc.)
Rectory Expenses (Food & Household Supplies)
Liturgy (Hosts, Wine, Candles, Vestments, Music)
Religious Formation (Books, Rent, Teachers & Supplies)
Charity & Parish Socials
Bank & Investment Fees
Office Expenses
Publications & Memberships
School Subsidy & Assessments
Cathedraticum (5.5% of previous year’s ordinary income)
Catholic School Support (5.5% of previous year’s ordinary income)
TOTAL EXPENSES FROM OPERATIONS
INCOME/(LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS
OTHER INCOME
Interest & Dividends
Realized Gain/(Loss) on Investments
Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments
TOTAL OTHER INCOME
Online Giving
$784,880
94,712
85,236
48,282
1,013,110
451,424
15,273
82,638
35,216
77,725
23,162
20,008
36,805
15,372
9,736
26,974
6,567
31,000
39,874
39,874
911,648
101,462
20,764
11,757
34,112*
66,633
OTHER EXPENSES
Annual Campaign Expenses
Depreciation
TOTAL OTHER EXPENSES
7,873
127,020
134,893
NET INCOME/(LOSS)
$33,202
*Unrealized Gains/Losses are subject to market increases and decreases.
These values should not be relied upon for economic decision-making purposes.
They will change with the market until such time that they are realized; i.e.,sold.
CHURCH LIBRARY
The church library will be getting a couple new book cases
thanks to Eagle Scout Drew Duarte this spring. Elizabeth
Collier is organizing and shelving the books. A grand
opening is being planned for September, 2015. Thank you,
Drew and Elizabeth!
Visit the St. Ann website
(www.stannavon.com) to learn
about the benefits to you and
your parish for using Online
Giving. Simply click on “Giving”
and then “Electronic Giving” to
learn about this easy and secure
method of making your
donations.
PARISH COUNCIL
The purpose of the Parish Council is to facilitate
communication between Father McHugh and the
parishioners. Father McHugh shares his ideas about
parish needs and developments at meetings and
seeks feedback from Council members.
Representatives of numerous parish ministries
provide updates of their work at these meetings,
and the Parish Council ensures that the ministries
have the help and support that they need.
Parish Council members Meg Kundahl, Tinker
Murphy, Lorraine ZuWallack, and Tom Harrison have
concluded their terms on the Council. We thank
them for their many years of dedication and service
to the parish. When the Council reconvenes in the
fall, they will welcome Carole Anderson for a second
term and JoEllen Oakes for her first term. We are
grateful for their willingness to serve our vibrant St.
Ann’s community. Father McHugh and the Council
are hoping to fill two open positions and welcome
suggestions from our parishioners. Please see
Father McHugh with your ideas.
Parish Council members wish that all parishioners
enjoy a safe, relaxing, faith-filled summer.
A new retreat season will begin in October,
2015, and end in June, 2016. Yes…2016!
Have you attended a women’s retreat
recently, or ever? Leave your worries on the
doorstep of the Holy Family Retreat House
and experience the feeling of safety and
tranquility. The atmosphere is relaxed and
friendly.
The theme and schedule dates will be
announced when available. Please check
St. Ann’s bulletin, The Nexus, and the website
www.holyfamilyretreat.org. St. Ann contacts
are Nancy Janiszewski, 870-818-9260, and
Jacquie Warren, 860-673-6761.
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Sacramental Milestones
Baptisms
Shannon Elyse Barry
Aiden Douglas James Byrne
Mason Domenic Donnelly
Ciaran Thomas Gilbey
Blake Robert Giulietti
Nicholas Black Gouveia
Edmond Alexander LeBlanc
Adele Rose Mango
Joseph Jerome Marino
Luke Patrick McDonough
Matthew James Natrillo
Daniel Nicholas Rubino
Brecken Hill Senior
Rory Kathryn Suchenski
Lucille Michelle Tang
Charles Daniel Teich
Ava Marie Vaughn
Gabriella Cheryl Zunino
Marriages
Alexander Maulucci and
Laura Ann Carlson
Jason Chang and Natalie Cooper
Keith Lee and Alexis Liberatore
Funerals
Nathalie Burbach
Roger Byrne
Marguerite Coyne
Ronald Distin, Sr.
Marian Downey
Michael Gresh
Walter Haaser
Francis Hogan
Sandra Jarem
Donald King
John Lappen
Mario Lattizori
Alfred Murray
Richard St. Onge
Ignazio Termini
Elizabeth Wilhelm
First Eucharist
* Celebrated on April 25
First Eucharist
Sofia Bela Agudelo
Emma Grayce Aiudi
Lila Elizabeth Albert
Benjamin Garrick Bredice
Norah Grace Buzzeo
Gianfranco Cacciola
Ciaran Augustus Concepcion
Victoria Aurora Concepcion
Alexander Tarrence Crawford
Megan Fischl Dolan
John George Earley
Gavin Patrick Fallon
Jack Ryan Fallon
Isabella Maria Fasano
Lucas Andre Fernandes
Jonathan Walsh Ford
Evan Bernardino Foschini
Sofia Antonia Frez
Lucas Robert Gavrillen
Gavin Stephan George
Shaelin Delaney Gorny
Noelle Marie Griffith
Charles Amos Hoffman
William Barry Hofheimer
Ryan Joseph Hovorka
Nicholas Reese Jones
Madeline Patricia Jozef
Dimitri Michael Kaponis
Evan Cornelius Keane
Julia Elizabeth Knorr
Olivia Marie Knorr
William Joseph Lancaster
Emily Grace Langou
Kate Elizabeth Loparco
Ava Wynne Lynch
Matilda Quinn Lynch
Grace Elizabeth Magel
Sofia Anne Magro
Laryssa Anne Mascola
First Eucharist
Charles Thomas May
Jada Lynn McCamish
John Christian McDermott
Aidan Jose McLaughlin
Brendan Seamus McLaughlin
Hope Angela Meaney
Nikolai Matthew Meltser
John Patrick Murphy
Andrew Michael Mugno
Caitlin Elizabeth Mussa
Morgan Elizabeth Neamtz
Elise Monica Nicholas
William Paul Nusom
Taylor Alexis O’Malley
Luciana Elizabeth Oneglia
Jessayla Elen Ortiz
Adrian Michael Parady
Michael Domenic Prisco
Ashlyn Kathleen Ryan
Kieran Bruce Ryan
Finnian McGuire Seeley
Cameron Jason Smith
Owen Christopher Soucy
Cecily Anne Termeer
Addison Jane Toomey
Alyssa Lijia Tousignant
Dominic Michael Turner
Connor Joseph Valentine
James Joseph Walsh
Curran Michael Waterbury
Steven Edward Westrick
David Kelly Wyne
Confirmation
* Conferred by Bishop Christie A.
Macaluso, D.D. , on February 27
Confirmation
Michael Benvenuto
Andrew Blackmore
Brendan Bompane
SOCIAL JUSTICE
The Sixth Annual Bishop Peter Rosazza Social Justice Conference took
place at St. Paul Catholic High School on June 13, sponsored by the
Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of
Hartford (OCSJM).
The Conference theme, “Rooted in Faith: Creating an Economy of
Inclusion,” has its origin in Evangelii Gaudium, the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, which reminds us that inequality is the root of all
social ills, that we must consider the poor in decisions about the
economy, and that everyone should have a voice in economic life. The
program featured many small workshops where speakers discussed how
community groups, churches, and individuals each have an opportunity
to stand with the poor.
Three main programs help carry out this mission. Cooperative Parish
Sharing promotes solidarity among parishes in the Archdiocese of
Hartford. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development funds
self-help organizations led by poor persons, and OCSJM makes local
recommendations for funding. Catholic Relief Services is the official
international humanitarian agency for the U.S. Catholic community.
The Social Justice Committee would like to thank all of you who have
given so generously to our collections of food and supplies, which go
directly to the needy in Hartford and Avon.
Confirmation
Connor Burwood
Julia Callahan
Anthony Campanelli
Marisa Canova
Rachael Carlson
Ashley Clark
Francesca Cleary
Natalie Cooper
Andreanna Crawford
Patrick Currier
Evan Deckers
Hannah Deppe
Claire Donnelly
Thomas Donovan
Nicole Dymersky
Rebecca Elliott
Lisa Fiori
Molly Ford
Marita Galliher
Brendan Gill
Alexa Glaude
Arthur Godbout
Cameron Graves
Elizabeth Graves
Anne Hayes
Sabrina Heller
Margaret Hoffman
Kathryn Horovitz
Brianna Houston
Olivia Jackson
Ian Jalbert
Andres Jaramillo
Samuel Johnson
Laura Kunkel
Sofia Langou
Mark Lepage
Taylor Lisevick
Dominic Lofredo
Jennifer Logan
Mason Love
Gabriella Lugli
Katrina Lugli
Confirmation
John Lynch
Robert Magrini
Andrew Mascoli
Heather McGuire
Meghan McKenna
Eamon Moore
Catherine Neagle
Bryce Neseralla
Claire Nicholas
Allison Norris
William Norton
Moira O’Brien
Michael O’Connor
Patrick Olmstead
Lexi Pastizzo
Raymond Powell
Jack Prete
Ian Pritchard
Elizabeth Raynor
Claudia Salhany
Garrett Salonia
Martina Seminara
Daniel Michael Shayler
Aidan Shuck
Hannah Smelter
Kyle Smelter
Jared Smelter
Grace Soucier
Grace Stevens
Allison Strid
Erin Sutter
Julian Tarlowski-Parady
Blake Thompson
Erica Tiffany
Matthew Tyler
Thomas Waldeck
Lucas Weiler
Eliza Whitty
Connor Wilde
Jeremy Zarwanski
Christina Zone
Congratulations to Marion Rejniak, who received the St. Joseph
Medal of Appreciation for his faithful
and dedicated volunteer service
to the parish of St. Ann.
The medal was presented to him
at the Archdiocesan ceremony at
the Cathedral of St. Joseph on
March 21. We are grateful to
Marion for his many years of service.
THE NEXUS Staff - Jean Frey, Editor
Michele Ciment
Tinker Murphy
Sophie Sopelak
Susan Rietano Davey Bonnie Santarsiero
Anita Sullivan
Nicki Jud
Sealing and Labeling: Thank you to all those who helped apply seals
and labels.
The Nexus staff welcomes articles from parishioners. To be considered
for the Fall issue, please submit your article/letter by September 14.
Please drop off at the parish office. All articles may be edited for
content, grammar, and length. Please include your name and phone
number for the purpose of verification.
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Worship - Service - Lifelong Learning
TEEN SCENE
The Latest News from Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry has had a very eventful and exciting few months. As the school year comes to a close, the final Youth
Ministry meeting was held in the church. With new faces to welcome and seniors who will be leaving us next year in
attendance, the gathering was exciting for the teens and a nice way to introduce new members. They talked about
relationships with friends, family, and God and how to handle dating in the modern world. They also “Prom-posed” to
each other, an activity that helped new and past members get to know one another better. Youth Ministry also had its
final Teen Life Night of the year, a Luau. This welcomed soon-to-be 9th graders who will be receiving the sacrament of
Confirmation in a couple of years and was an opportunity for the incoming 10th graders to meet them and interact. The
theme of the night was based off of the movie “Frozen”. The movie helps us realize that acting out of true love can help
to “thaw” a frozen heart and reminds us of the importance of treating others with compassion and love as Jesus would
want. With the popularity of social media in todayʼs world, getting together in person and sharing details about
themselves provided a way for them to melt the ice that has built up in their hearts. We are excited for the year to come
with lots of new people to meet.
The Passion Play took place during March and raised money for HIV-positive children living in Africa. The performance was
a success, raising hundreds of dollars to go towards this noble cause. The kids had a great time working to put it together,
with months spent rehearsing and preparing for the night. It provided an opportunity to bond with each other and bring us
closer to God. It also was the first Youth Ministry event for a couple of new members, making it even more exciting.
St. Annʼs Youth Ministry has had a successful and fun year. We look forward to reuniting again to learn about God together
and demonstrate our faith through volunteer work and fundraisers. Anyone interested in joining for next year should
contact Mrs. Gould. We would be very excited to have you join us on our journey of faith.
~submitted by Veronica Drake, St. Ann Youth Ministry
Congratulations to St. Ann parishioner
James Jordano on being named Northwest Catholic High School
Valedictorian!
9
YOUTH MINISTRY
MEMBERS RECEIVE
DISCIPLESHIP AWARD
On May 26, the Archdiocese of Hartford’s
Office of Religious Education held their
Certificate and Award Ceremony. Nine of
our Youth Ministry members, John Deckers,
Taylor Edgar, Michael Frost, Jennifer
Hudak, Alexandra Johnson, Alexandra
Kolb, Jonathan Oh, Jack Pavano, and Tara
Shayler, were among the 84 young people
who received the Discipleship Award from
the Rev. Christopher Tiano.
This distinguished award is given to high
school seniors whose parishes have
recognized that they have exercised their
baptismal call and selflessly served their
peers and youth ministry with unwavering
commitment and dedication for all four
years of high school. They must be in good
Catholic standing and present at the
ceremony in order to receive the award.
Thank you to these dedicated teens for
all they have done and will continue to
do for our parish. Our Catholic Church is
alive and well because of young people
who take their faith seriously.
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