Parish News and Announcements
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Friday Evening Catecheses for Advent
Fr. Chalifoux will be offering 20 minute catecheses (brief explanations of the Catholic faith) on Friday evenings, following the 5:15 Mass in Holy Angels Church. During the season of Advent, these catecheses will be on the foundations of Christology, the study of Who Christ is, and what it means to see that He is fully God and fully man. The catecheses will begin around 5:50 pm.
December 4th- Christ's Divinity
December 11th- Christ's Humanity
December 18th- Christmas Conclusions: the teachings of the Council of Chalcedon and Mary as the Mother of God
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Day of Eucharistic Adoration- December 4th
The Most Holy Eucharist will be exposed for Adoration this Friday, December 4th, from after the morning Mass until the evening Mass. Benediction with some devotions will take place at 4:45 pm, just prior to the evening Mass. Please be generous in coming to express your love to the One Who has first loved us.
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Friday Evening Catecheses
Fr. Chalifoux will be offering 20 minute catecheses (brief explanations of the Catholic faith) on Friday evenings, following the 5:15 Mass in Holy Angels Church. During the month of November, these catecheses will be on the Last Rites of the Church and our preparation for death. The catecheses will begin around 5:50 pm.
November 6- Anointing of the Sick
November 13- Viaticum
November 20- Apostolic Pardon and Commendation of the Soul
November 27- Dying a Catholic Death
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Solemnity of Christ the King
Please note that a partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King. A plenary indulgence is granted, if it is recited publicly on the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 22, 2020).
The prayer can be found here:
https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=533
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No Changes (11/14/20)
Regarding our Governor's recent announcements, please know that there are no changes to our Mass schedule. The precautions we have been taking will remain in place and our Mass schedule will remain the same. Thank you for your continued fidelity and for joining us in worship at the altar of God. Please be assured of Monsignor Routhier's and Father Chalifoux's continued prayers.
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40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration, October 29th-31st
The Most Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration for 40 hours at Holy Angels Church, beginning Thursday evening after the 5:15 pm Mass and ending on Saturday at 1 pm.
There is a sign-up sheet in the back of the Church. Please be generous in spending time before our Lord and King, making reparation for sins and imploring an outpouring of His grace and mercy upon our parish, our nation, and our world. The One Who loves us desires your love.
"O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for me is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Your altar, in Your presence, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Your loving Heart is everywhere subject...
We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Your divine honor, the satisfaction You once made to Your eternal Father on the cross and which You continue to renews daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Your Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Your grace, for all neglect of Your great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending You and to bring as many as possible to follow You.
O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to You, so that we may one day come to that happy home, where You with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, world without end. Amen."
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Patronal Feast- Holy Guardian Angels,October 2nd
Friday, the Second of October, is the patronal feast of our parish, the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. In celebration of this great day, we will have our normal two daily Masses (8:00 am and 5:15 pm) along with Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, beginning immediately after the morning Mass. Some devotions will be prayed and Benediction will take place at 4:45 pm, followed by the evening Mass, which will be sung. Following the evening Mass, Fr. Chalifoux will offer a brief catechesis in the Church on our belief in the guardian angels, specifically considering the questions of whether everyone has a guardian angel and whether the angels grieve when we sin or suffer.
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Confessions Update, 6/8/20
Please note that Confessions are now being heard according to our previous schedule, from 2:45-3:30 on Saturday afternoons. Confessions are always available upon request and we will continue to strive to be as available as possible, especially before and after our daily Masses.
"As the failty and weakness of human nature are universally known and felt by each one in himself, no one can be ignorant of the great necessity of the Sacrament of Penance...For those who fall into sin after Baptism the Sacrament of Penance is as necessary to salvation as is Baptism for those who have no been already baptized...Should they at any time prove so unfortunate as to fall, then, looking at the infinite goodness of God, Who like the good shepherd binds up and heals the wounds of His sheep, they should not postpone recourse to the most saving remedy of Penance."
~Catechism of the Council of Trent
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**Resumption of Public Mass**
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him." [John 4:23]
We are most pleased to announce that the offering of public Mass will resume Monday, June 1st. Our first public weekend Masses will take place during the weekend of June 6th. The Mass schedule is the same as before and is listed in the bulletin, which is available on this website and in our Churches. The obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended at this time, though, of course, the obligation to keep the Sabbath Day holy remains, per divine law!
Bishop Coyne has published a set of protocols for our use during this time.
The most important safety protocols for you to be aware of at this time are the following:
-The maximum number of attendees is 25% of our seating capacity. This will present no problem for us at daily Mass. As for our weekend Masses, we will have to see. At this time, we do not anticipate the need to turn anyone away or to have to use a sign-up process of any kind.
-The use of masks is strongly encouraged. If possible, please bring your own mask and your own hand sanitizer to Mass, so that we are able to keep the parish supply available for those who do not have any.
-Social distancing is required, meaning that we keep six foot distances between ourselves both in the pews, in the Communion line, as well as before and after Mass. Of course, families and/or those who traveled together to Mass are welcome to sit together.
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-The choir lofts, the adoration chapel, and the cry room will be closed for use at this time.
-People are asked not to congregate in groups before or after Mass, either inside or outside.
-There will be no hymnals/missals available in the pews, so singing will be greatly limited.
-There will be no sign of peace.
We are grateful for your patience and your cooperation in these matters. If you have any further questions, you are welcome to contact us at the rectory. However, it is likely that your questions will be answered at Holy Mass itself. We are still sorting out some of these details and figuring out how best to meet the needs of our parishioners while being prudent and striving to keep everyone safe. As I have mentioned several times before, the priority remains the salvation of souls. Therefore, we are so happy to be welcoming you back to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Please be assured of our continued daily prayers for all of you. Thank you again for your patience, perseverance, and generous support.
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Resources for Compline
Here are two links that will prove helpful to those trying to learn Compline according to the Roman Breviary/Divine Office:
-https://www.ccwatershed.org/2016/10/22/compline-online-chant-notation/
This site has two resources on it: one a website version of Compline, the other a printable booklet
-https://divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/horas/officium.pl#
This site has the whole Divine Office in Latin and English. Compline can be found by clicking on "Completorium" near the bottom right.
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Happy News!
The Bishop wants to begin slowly reopening parish life. In accordance with his directives, the first step will be in the allowing of our churches to be open for private prayers and devotions effective Monday, May 11th. The hours will be 9 am to 5 pm daily at both Holy Angels and St. Mary's. Social distancing must be maintained, and the use of gloves/face masks are recommended for those to vulnerable to sickness. This opening will be done with no media announcement, so please do spread the word. There will be no public assemblies or public liturgies permitted at this time, including Holy Mass and Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Confessions are still available upon request. Let us be sure to offer to God prayers of praise and thanksgiving in gratitude for this tremendous gift and let us resolve to take good advantage of this opportunity to visit our Lord and pray before Him, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
Please see the above video for some further details, as well as the Diocesan directives posted above.
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FORMED- Big News!
Dear Parishioners,
A forty day trial of the Augustine Institute's "FORMED" platform has now been launched for our parish, which is exciting news for those spending more time at home these days. Formed.org now gives you access to a huge variety of catechetical videos, lecture series, live-streamed Masses, and more.
To sign in, simply go to formed.org and click "Sign Up"! Then you can click "I belong to a parish or an organization" and insert our zipcode (05478).
From there, the whole website is open to you and I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. The content on Formed.org is of great quality and the people there are working very hard to pass on the faith as it has been known, taught, and loved for centuries with great zeal and fidelity. The content available there can be of great help to you and your family as we enter these holiest of days. Enjoy!
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Online Giving
Dear Parishioners,
Please find the link to Online Giving at the page above. In these extraordinary circumstances, we are most grateful for your generous support of our parish. Once again, please be assured of our prayerful remembrance of you at the altar of God.
On the same page, you can view Bishop Coyne's new message regarding the state of the Diocese and his request for your assistance with the Bishop's Appeal.
/online-giving
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Thomistic Institute's"The Quarantine Lectures"- highly recommended!
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Happy Easter!
Dear Parishioners,
The Lord is risen! Indeed He is risen! This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!
You are all in our prayers this day as we wish you the happiest and holiest of Easters! Thank you so very much to all those who helped make our Easter liturgies, though private, be beautiful and splendid, all for the glory of God. Enjoy this season of joyful celebration as we bask in the victory of our triumphant King.
With our love and prayers,
Msgr. Routhier
Fr. Chalifoux
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Palm Sunday Update, 4/1
Dear Parishioners,
After careful and prayersful consideration, Bishop Coyne has decided that there will be no public distribution of palms in the parishes of the Diocese of Burlington. Rather, it is recommended that the palms be stored secruely until they can be distributed publicly and safely to our parishioners.
As we approach Holy Week, please remember that the Sacraments are available upon request. If you would like to avail yourself of the Sacrament of Confession, please do not hesitate to call or visit the rectory. If you or a loved one falls ill and is in need of the Sacraments, please do not hesitate to let us know. We will be happy to serve them to the best of our abilities and to aid them with the grace of the Sacraments. Please remember that the Sacraments remain of the utmost importance now and that we must tend to the health of our souls above all else.
Please be sure to review the guide to making an act of perfect contrition and a spiritual communion: Perfect Contrition and Spiritual Communion
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Happy News, 3/27/20
Dear parishioners,
The bells at St. Mary's have been recently rigged so that they can once more ring out and remind the people of our lovely city of the presence of God. I will be sure to ring them before offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every morning and before praying Vespers every evening. Look to the Heavens, from whence shall come our help!
Psalm 121 [120]
I have lifted up my eyes to the moutains, from whence help shall come to me.
My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer they foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keepeth thee.
Behold, he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel.
The Lord is they keeper, the Lord is thy protection upon thy right hand.
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Regarding Mass Videos
I have worked out all the kinks for the recording of Masses, and none of the mistakes I've made thus far should happen again. For this Sunday (3/29), the recording only lasted through the Offertory. But I hope you still find it helpful! From here on out, full recordings of my morning Mass and homily should be made available each afternoon. Thank you for your patience. Again, the videos can be found under the "Sacraments" tab, on the link for "Videos and Photos."
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Regarding Confessions
At this time (3/27/20), Confessions are only being heard by appointment and cannot be heard inside the Church. They are always available upon request and we will do all we can to preserve anonymity according to your wishes. Please call the rectory at 802-524-2585 to make an appointment and feel free to leave us a message if we do not answer. Never hesitate to knock or call!
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Parish Update, 3/26/20
Dear Members of our Parish,
In keeping with the governor’s order, Burlington Bishop Christopher Coyne has directed that all Catholic churches, chapels and shrines throughout the state be closed as of 5 p.m. on March 25th.The priests of our parish will continue to offer their private Masses each morning, praying and interceding for you at the altar of God. Bulletins can be picked up across the street at the rectory and they can also be found posted here on our website.
Dear families and friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, I know these are challenging days and you are daily in my prayers. Please know that I am here for you in any way that I can be of assistance, especially regarding the means of grace and the Sacraments. Please do not hesitate at all to reach out if there is some way that we can be ministering to you as priests of Christ. I am working on various ways to be present to the community insofar as possible and I am always open to any suggestions that may prove helpful in that regard. My Sunday homilies will be posted on our parish website and I am looking into video options. Above all, please look to the Heavens in this time, and implore God to have mercy on us and to send us His aid swiftly. Be assured of the intercession of all the saints, especially our own dear St. Alban. Be assured of the presence of Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity, in our tabernacles. Though our Churches are so sadly locked at this time, Christ remains there, reigning as our King, and He will be with us, even unto the end of time. And I will continue to kneel in His presence every day, pleading with Him on your behalf. I urge you, in this dark hour, to increase your life of prayer, to turn to God with all your hearts, to renew your complete reliance upon our good and triumphant Lord. If seized and embraced as a share in Christ's cross, this time of chastisement and purification could be for our community, our Church, a great outpouring of grace. Let us pray together that when our good Lord brings us back together, there will be found among us a renewed love for the treasure that is the Most Holy Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Be patient and kind to one another in these days, attentive to those burdened with fear or loneliness. Take time to renew a life at home that is marked by happiness and pleasant rest in one another's company; sing songs, read stories, laugh, and pray together, knowing that we remain God's dear children. And once again, know that I am united to you in prayer. Please pray for me.
Finally, please do not hesitate to contact the rectory with any needs, but especially if someone should fall ill. We will be sure to minister to them to the best of our abilities and would not want anyone to endure a serious sickness unaided by the Sacraments of the Church.
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