TRUMBULL—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano told the students of St. Catherine of Siena School that they were called to teach through their actions, by sharing the love of Jesus with those in need of love and forgiveness.
On the Memorial of St. Blaise, the bishop celebrated First Friday Mass for the students, their parents, grandparents and friends.
“Even if we don’t perform miracles like St. Blaise did, we can still perform signs of God’s love,” Bishop Caggiano said. “We do that by living what we believe—and don’t ever underestimate how much you can touch somebody’s life by being kind or forgiving them or telling them you’re sorry, or being honest with them or simply spending time with them. They may not be big miracles, but for the life of the person, it could be just the miracle they need to help them know just how much God loves them.”
During the liturgy, the bishop, Father Joseph A. Marcello, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Deacon Ferry Galbert and Deacon John DiTaranto blessed the throats of the students and adults.
In his homily, Bishop Caggiano told the students that when Jesus was on Earth for three years, he did two things — teach and perform miracles.
“Both were designed to prepare those who were with him to receive the Kingdom of God that he had come to begin,” the bishop said. “And in his death and resurrection, he opened the gates of heaven, and the Kingdom was opened for everyone who follows and believes in him.”
He asked the students what Jesus taught us, and they responded, “To be kind,” “To be good,” “To obey God and his laws,” “To love our neighbor,” and “To forgive and love our enemies.”
“Jesus was giving us a sense of what the Kingdom is going to be like, a place where we are forgiven, we are loved, we get along, and we’re one family forever in glory and love,” the bishop said.
The students also recounted the major miracles of Jesus, from turning water into wine, to feeding the 5,000, walking on water, healing the lame and blind, curing lepers, and even raising people like Lazarus from the dead.
The bishop said: “Those miracles were signs of what the Kingdom will be like because when we get to Heaven, there will be no blindness, no lameness, no sickness, no disease, no suffering, no tears and no disappointment. Everyone will be fed, everyone will live in joy, everyone will live in peace, and everyone will see the glory of God himself. Jesus’ teaching and miracles show us what is ahead for us and what will be ours.”
He explained that in the day’s Gospel about Jesus’ Ascension and return to Heaven, he gave us work to do as his followers.
“We are to continue his work by the power of the Holy Spirit, which means that you, like me, have two things to do: We are to teach, and we are to show God’s power in our midst,” he said. “All of us can teach, not with our words, but with our actions. Every day, you like me, can teach people what we really believe by being kind, being forgiving, being merciful, being patient, by accepting a person for who that person is and reaching out to everyone … even those who initially may not be someone you like.”
He urged them to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and said, “You don’t have to teach with words, you can teach with your lives, and that is part of our responsibility as Christians—to teach wherever we go.”
He told them this is why they are attending St. Catherine of Siena School, and not enrolled in a public or private school.
“You are attending a Catholic school at great sacrifice from your parents,” he said. “You are here to learn to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and one day go into the Kingdom of Heaven. Imagine what it’s going to be like when we get to Heaven and can see St. Blaise and our Blessed Mother and St. Catherine, and all those who have gone before us, living life together.”
The bishop told them, “It is here at St. Catherine School that you are learning to walk to Heaven.” And as a special homework assignment, he asked them to go home and hug their parents or grandparents or guardians or family members “for sacrificing to send you here.”
By Joe Pisani
