Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

By Ron Kuzlik

STAMFORD—Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Stamford celebrated its annual Dożynki, or Polish Harvest Festival, the weekend of August 17 and 18.

According to Parish Council Member and Trustee Boga Davidson, the Festival is “two days of fun and entertainment including traditional folk dancing performances, live music, dancing, delicious traditional Polish cuisine, a 50/50 raffle and other attractions for all age groups, including a Kid Zone with waterslide, bounce house and various games.

“Holy Name has been celebrating Dożynki for the past 47 years,” she added.

It all started under the guidance and tutelage of the Lay Board and then-pastor Monsignor Alphonse J.V. Fiedorczyk, and has continued without interruption except in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bernadette Jachimczyk was one of the original board members during the early days of the Dożynki Festival. She also was chair of the raffle committee.

“The festival always began with a Mass of Thanksgiving. People would come together for the food and the socialization,” she said.

Since that time, the festival has grown and expanded from a one-day event to two days in length with many additional features and activities.

Davidson has been on the Dożynki committee for the past 12 years.

“There are so many people that are responsible for the planning, preparation and execution of the festival working with the members of the Parish Council and our clergy, Fathers Pawel Hrebenko and Jakub Rachwalski,” she said. “The organizing committee has done everything in its power to deliver an event which will be remembered for a long time to come.”

Jadwiga Rakowski has been a part of the kitchen staff for as long as she can remember.

“I give these people a lot of credit. It’s a lot of hard work to keep the food fresh and good tasting, that is what is most important,” she said. “We made about 2,000 pierogi, 600 pyzy, which are meat and potato filled dumplings, 800 stuffed cabbage and so many other things.”

Dożynki festivals originated in Poland as early as the 16th century. At the end of the growing season, usually in August or September, farmers would celebrate the harvest with a holiday and landowners would organize celebrations to reward the laborers and give thanks for bountiful crops.

Derek Rutkowski of Ridgefield came with his wife Monica and son Daniel.

“The festival is always a lot of fun. Plus the food and beer is always great. We’ve been coming for about 15 years now,” Rutowski said.

When asked, Olivia, 6, said the food was the best part of the festival.

“The waffles and the Polish sausage are my favorite,” she said.

Helena, 11, said, “I came here because I wanted to have fun. The waterslide is definitely my favorite. I’ve been on it at least 50 times!”

Meanwhile, John, 10, said, “I’m having so much fun. The waterslide and the dancing is totally fun.”

In spite of heavy rains on Sunday morning, festival organizers reported that over twelve hundred people attended this year’s Dożynki Festival including record crowds on Saturday evening.

There are various sponsors that help to offset the costs of the festival and help raise money including banks, car dealers, wholesalers, and owners of small and large businesses alike.

Proceeds from the festival go toward the remodeling fund for Holy Name.

“Our beautiful but old church building requires our attention and is in need of many expensive repairs and renovations,” Davidson said.

For more information, visit www.holynamestamford.org

By Barbara Kelley, OP

ADRIAN, Mich.— The Adrian Dominican Sisters formally received Sister Jamie Caporizo as a novice August 10 during a special ritual held in the context of Vespers.

Sister Jamie began her two years as a novice later that month, traveling to Chicago to participate in the Inter-Congregational Collaborative Novitiate (ICCN). During this year, Sister Jamie and novices from other congregations of Catholic sisters will live in community and focus on the elements of religious life, such as prayer, theological study at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, formal weekly meetings with other novices, and spiritual direction. Each novice will also learn about the spirituality of her own congregation.

“I’m grateful for all the opportunities for growth that I’ve been given this year,” Sister Jamie said. As a candidate, she learned more about the congregation through various experiences, including visiting ministries from Adrian and Flint, Mich., to the Dominican Republic.

“Each of our sisters and our associates has varied gifts and varied talents, and yet at the heart of it all was our mission,” she said.

Sister Jamie, a native of Stamford, began her formal discernment process with the Adrian Dominican Sisters a year ago with her entrance as a Candidate. After earning a bachelor’s degree in music education and choral conducting from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, she taught music at her alma mater, Rippowam School in Stamford.

While earning her master’s degree in sacred music from the University of Notre Dame, Sister Jamie served as a liturgy intern with the Sisters of the Holy Cross. She continued working for the sisters for five years as Director of Music and Liturgy. While discerning her call to enter the Adrian Dominican Sisters, she began a new ministry at Alvernia University in Reading, Penn., first as a campus minister and then as Senior Director of Mission and Ministry.

Sister Patricia Walter, OP, Sister Jamie’s mentor and Dominican Charism Formator, welcomed the assembly to the Rite of Reception and affirmed Sister Jamie’s readiness to begin the next step of her initial formation.

“From the very first week, she has said ‘we’ when talking about this congregation and offered her considerable gifts to us,” Sister Patricia noted. “She has wholeheartedly embraced community life with sisters in Siena House and here on campus. She has warm-heartedly responded to needs on a variety of places, ministering creatively and effectively.”

Sister Patricia Harvat, OP, in her reflection during the service, agreed.

“You are ready, Jamie, for God to write the next chapter in your life,” she said. “The margins are clean and space open for the unfolding words of love, mercy, and hope. Your desire to continue this Dominican journey is bold.”

During the Rite of Reception, Prioress Elise D. García, OP, formally examined Sister Jamie on her desire to be “received into the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian as a Novice, and to experience more fully our way of life in faithful observance of our Rule and Constitution.”

Sister Jamie received a copy of the congregation’s Constitution with the instruction to study and reflect upon the document as she continues to discern her call to religious life. She was also presented with and clothed in a preaching garment, with the words of Sister Elise: “Receive this garment, sign of your desire to preach God’s word.”

The Adrian Dominican Sisters encourage single Catholic women, ages 19 to 35, to consider whether God is calling them to vowed Dominican life. To learn more, visit www.adriandominicans.org.

By Ron Kuzlik

NORWALK—The St Ann Club of Norwalk celebrated its annual Italian Feast the weekend of July 25-28. The event was kicked off with a procession of the statue of St. Ann from the club led by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, followed by Mass a few blocks away with a Knights of Columbus Honor Guard at St Thomas the Apostle Parish in East Norwalk.

There was music and entertainment, rides for both kids and adults, raffles, and vendors booths.

Bishop Caggiano pointed out that events such as these serve many purposes.

“When we come together to celebrate a feast like this, we are recalling history and the marvels that God has done in history,” he said. “We also celebrate our culture and that our faith is alive and being passed on from generation to generation.”

The feast also featured Italian specialties such as pasta and meatballs, sausage and peppers, Italian pasties and, of course, “our world famous pizza fritta,” St Ann Club Financial Secretary Lou Imperato said with a smile.

Ken Prince was in charge of running the kitchen.

“We’re making pasta, meatballs, stuffing cannoli and making sfogliatella (so-called lobster tails) and other Italian pastries,” he said. “We make 50 or 60 pounds of pasta each day of the feast. And we’ve probably made about 1,500 meatballs for the weekend so far, and we’re not done yet!”

Sister Marie Lucie Monast, SSTV, is a member of the Sisters of St. Thomas of Villanova, who have operated the Notre Dame Convalescent Home in Norwalk since 1952.

“We have made over 800 pizza fritta today,” Sister Marie said. “The best part of the feast is having community and friendship, talking and laughing while we roll the dough. We all have so much fun!”

Charlie Hernadez attended the feast with his younger siblings, twins Dayra and Dayla, 5, and sister Jocelyn, 12.

“I like the vibe and the environment, all things Italian. The pizza fritta, the rides are a lot of fun and we’re having a great time,” he said.

St. Ann Club President Joe Tamburro explains that there is a lot going on behind the scenes that make this feast possible.

“We have anywhere from 50 to 100 volunteers working during the weekend,” Tamburro said. “But the planning starts months in advance of the four-day event. We have an entertainment committee that schedules the bands and the singers. Each booth has a chairperson to run it. And so many others are involved from initial setup to final takedown.’

According to Tamburro, the effort to make the feast happen is a multigenerational one.

“All of this takes place over weeks and involves many, many hours prep time.,” he said. “In fact, many of our volunteers are in their 70s and 80s, with younger folks filling in where needed.”

According to event organizers, proceeds from the Feast are given back to the club’s “Community Dinner” as well as other charitable, humanitarian and military organizations in the community.

For more information on the St Ann Club, visit www.stannclub.org.

By Brooke Wasserman

BRIDGEPORT—The Diocese of Bridgeport will this fall become home to a new online center designed to empower the clergy to become better preachers who can communicate the faith with greater clarity, depth, and inspiration. This serves the diocese’s ultimate goal to give the laity spiritual insight and guidance to enrich their faith.

The St. Jerome Center for Preaching and Biblical Studies will launch on September 30, the feast day of St. Jerome.

The Center is named after St. Jerome (ca. 340—420), who was a Christian priest, Doctor of the Church, historian, translator, theologian and confessor. He is especially known for his translations of the Bible into Latin, as well as his teachings on Christian morality and life. St. Jerome’s dedication to preaching and instructing on how to live a moral Christian life inspires clergy to hone their preaching skills to better reach the faithful.

The St. Jerome Center will launch four programs this fall. Three of these programs are intended for clergy, and one is tailored to laity. The clergy-directed programs seek to help priests and deacons improve their preaching skills and assist in making their homilies more inspirational, insightful, and relevant.

The first of the programs for clergy is the Preaching Intensive for Priests, which is a week-long course in Rome that helps priests improve homily content, structure and engagement. The course will be taught by the Dominicans from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). The bishop will accompany a cohort of eight to 10 priests on this educational trip early next year.

During the morning sessions, participants will study some of the great preachers in the Roman Catholic tradition, such as St. Augustine, learn new ways to structure engaging homilies, and learn how to preach about controversial topics in a Christ-centric way.

Participants will tour Rome each afternoon and visit a site related to the morning session for a time of prayer and reflection. Each priest will preach at least once during the week at Mass or Vespers and receive structured feedback from the instructor and their peers.

The second clergy program is the Certificate in Preaching for Deacons program. This program consists of five courses on the essential pillars of preaching over nine months: Foundations in Preaching, Liturgy and Preaching, Scripture and Exegesis, Pastoral Sensitivity, and Personal Integration and Spirituality. The program will be taught at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in the Dominican preaching tradition.

According to Deacon Patrick Toole, diocesan chancellor and the executive director of the St. Jerome Center, “It also gives them an opportunity throughout the nine-month program to practice what they are learning by preaching and getting feedback from their instructors and peers.” Participants will preach and receive formal feedback during each course. Those deacons who successfully complete all five courses will receive a certificate in preaching. The first cohort of fifteen deacons will start this program in the fall of 2024.

The last of the new programs dedicated to clergy is the Language Enhancement Training Program, which is designed to assist non-native English-speaking clerics in refining their speech for more effective communication. This comprehensive training program consists of 14 weeks of personalized, one-on-one coaching sessions focused on pronunciation, intonation, and clarity. Each participant will undergo an initial evaluation with an expert language coach to tailor the program to their specific needs. After the program, clerics will be able to communicate more clearly and effectively with their parishioners, which according to Deacon Toole “is essential to the Center’s goal of helping people become more engaged with the Liturgy of the Word at Mass.”

The Center’s efforts are not just for clergy. The program designated for the laity is called the St. Jerome Bible Study Program. Launching next year, five parishes will pilot this program of weekly parish-based Bible study focused on the upcoming Sunday readings. Deacon Toole hopes that “by studying the Mass readings, participants will have a deeper level of engagement during the Liturgy of the Word and be able to make scripture more relevant in their daily lives.”

The St. Jerome Bible Study Program is offered in partnership with the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Participants will use resources from the St. Paul Center to interpret the Sunday readings within our Roman Catholic tradition. Deacon Toole says, “We are thrilled to launch the St. Jerome Center and to offer both clergy and laity alike a closer connection to scripture, and become better pilgrims of hope within our community.”

BRIDGEPORT—Anna Weitzler recalls that when Father Ricardo Arganaraz prayed over her at a recent seminar at Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel, she felt her body shake and the power of the Holy Spirit move within her.

Father Arganaraz, founder of the charismatic community Koinonia John the Baptist, visited the Bridgeport group recently and held a four-day Pentecost Seminar, during which there were lectures and healing services.

“The welcoming I received brought back such beautiful memories of the past when I belonged to the charismatic movement,” Weitzler said. “I believe the Holy Spirit is working hard at this time, and we have to open our hearts and welcome him because this world has become so crazy. I keep praying for people to come back to church and to know Jesus.”

Koinonia is a Greek word that means “fellowship, sharing in common and communion,” and its mission is to promote the New Evangelization through activities, training programs and the formation of community.

Now 88, Father Arganaraz recently visited Bridgeport to spend time with one of the newest communities at Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel at 163 Ortega Ave., which began two years ago with the approval of Bishop Frank J. Caggiano and has been called “an oasis of Bridgeport.”

Koinonia, which was founded 50 years ago, spread through Northern Italy to Europe, Asia and North America. Today, the community of 15,000 people worldwide, includes families, consecrated brothers and sisters, and priests.

Sister Maire Close said the recent seminar included prayer, preaching, healing prayer, and praise and worship.

“We listen to the Spirit and receive his guidance to bring his power to the Church and the people,” said Sister Letizia Girella. “The beauty of the Holy Spirit is that he gives us revelation of what is inside us and he answers us. The Spirit reveals what we need and intervenes with his power in our lives, and this can include physical healing or interior healing.”

Some 45 people attended the Pentecost Seminar each night and heard Fr. Ricardo talk about the effects of sanctifying grace, the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost and the effusion of the Spirit.

One of the primary missions of Koinonia is to further the New Evangelization and bring people to a personal encounter with Christ, Sister Maire said. This includes proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior and the recognition that God loves us personally and unconditionally, that we are sinners and that Jesus is our Savior who died for us and gives us the Holy Spirit for new life.

The Bridgeport Koinonia community includes Father Adriano Biccheri, the Priest Moderator; consecrated brothers Michele Bertaja and Pablo Nejib Espinal Varela; and consecrated sisters Máire Close, Letizia Girelli, Katka Barkóciová, Aide Escamilla Roman and Maria Tauchmanova.

People came from different parts of the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Archdiocese of Hartford to attend the seminar, listen, learn and be prayed over.

Sister Maire said that sometimes people do not realize what they need in their spiritual lives. Very often, for example, a person may have to forgive someone or themselves in order to receive the gifts of the Spirit.

“With forgiveness, we cannot do it on our own,” she said. “Many times it is done in the name of Jesus, and this allows us to break the chain of bondage in the person so the Spirit can come in. People must be set free to come into a relationship with the Lord.”

Sister Letizia said the seminar was very well received.

“The people were very happy because at this kind of seminar, we try to give basic information that is easy to understand,” she said. “They also hear and experience the presence of the Holy Spirit, and they share with us what they received. This is a nice way for them to bond with one another and create a community.”

Armida Oradei of Stratford said: “Koinonia puts a lot of emphasis on the community. It is important for people to belong to a community where you support one another. What always strikes me is the joy of praying and to see people who have serenity in their lives. Even with the challenges you encounter, you know that God is with you and you are not alone.”

She was particularly moved when Father Arganaraz, after praying over the people who attended the session, knelt and asked them to pray for him.

“The Holy Spirit touched many people that evening,” she said.

Carmen Burns had originally planned to go shopping that day … but the Holy Spirit had other plans, and she found herself in prayer with the Koinonia community instead.

Burns, who was born in Panama and raised by her parents in Puerto Rico, said, “Walking into the church, I felt like I was home.”

After Father Arganaraz prayed over her, she said, “I felt a sense of calmness. And I have been like that ever since, where I’m not stressed, and I just go about my day praying a lot more, when I go to work and whenever I have a free moment. I feel like I’m headed in a new direction spiritually.”

Looking back on the evening, she says, “Well, I didn’t go shopping—I went someplace much better.”

By Joe Pisani

By Joe Pisani

STAMFORD—David D’Andrea believes there have been miracles in his life. When he was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, they told him he had five years to live. That was nine years ago. Today he is cancer-free and has been blessed with two grandchildren. At eight years old, he had polio and recovered from the illness. He is also a survivor of clerical abuse, and carries the trauma with him, he said. And through all these challenges his faith has grown stronger.

“I am a devout Catholic and Mother Mary is everything to me,” he said. “And I believe she has saved me a few times.”

His devotion to the Blessed Mother inspired him in 2019 to have a Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage, which more than 1,100 people attended, some of whom, he is convinced, had physical, emotional and spiritual healing.

This year, he is coordinating another Lourdes Retreat, which will be celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano on Saturday, September 7 at 1 pm at St. Mary Parish in Stamford and hosted by Father Gustavo Falla, pastor. Admission is free although donations are encouraged.

The event, which will last about an hour, will include a procession with the Our Lady of Lourdes statue around the church, a candlelight Rosary of the Joyful Mysteries said in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian, a Eucharistic Blessing, a homily by Bishop Caggiano, distribution of Holy Water from Lourdes, and a reception in the church hall.

Lourdes, France is the most famous Marian shrine in the world, and more than 7,000 healings have been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. Every year, six million pilgrims travel there. Many go in the hope they will receive healing at the spring she revealed to St. Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl.

In the 160 years since the apparitions in the grotto at Massabielle, thousands of people have been healed in the waters, and 70 have been recognized as miraculous cures by the Church.

The last retreat with Bishop Caggiano was in 2022. D’Andrea says he plans to hold the retreats every other year.

“We hope that having it in September will bring a massive crowd, especially because the world is a little crazy now, and we want to bring people together,” he said.

D’Andrea praised Bishop Caggiano for always saying yes when asked to celebrate the retreats, and Father Falla for his help in hosting them, along with administrative assistant Stefania Canneto who organizes the volunteers.

“St. Mary of Stamford is a wonderful parish,” D’Andrea said. “They are always ready to help. They are rich in faith and volunteerism, and I love that place.”

The free-will offering will be given to the church to help finance renovations, he said.

“I hope to see anyone at the retreat who has challenges personally or who has family members who are suffering physically, spiritually or mentally,” he said. “You do not have to be Catholic to attend. Healing goes across every religion.”

Erin Neil, LCSW, Director of the diocesan Safe Environment Office, will also offer comments at the event.

“Our Committee for Healing, a sexual abuse survivor support group organized through our office, invites everyone who has been wounded by any form of abuse to join us on this special day,” Neil said. “Members of our group include survivors of sexual abuse as minors by clergy and family members of victim-survivors.”

She said the Lourdes Retreat is an opportunity “to bring hope and healing and encourage those who have not yet been able to find a way to come forward to know that they will be listened to and accompanied whenever they feel ready.”

The Committee on Healing will also pray for all who have suffered abuse as adults and as children, she said.

“Members of our group find healing through our faith, prayer and friendship, and they are committed to bringing awareness and education to the community by promoting the Virtus programs, which seek to prevent abuse before it can start.”

D’Andrea said he has been inspired by the many people who have contacted him to tell their stories following the retreats. In his own life, he believes God has blessed him many times, including surviving Stage 3 cancer, which was diagnosed in 2014.

He credits his recovery to Our Lady of Lourdes through the efforts of his cousin, Monsignor Joseph Giandurco, pastor of St. Patrick’s in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., who celebrated a healing Mass for him and brought Holy Water from Lourdes to bless him when he began his treatment.

D’Andrea still has that bottle of Holy Water and continues to share it with others who are suffering or ill. And while he has never gone on a pilgrimage to Lourdes because of his medical challenges, he believes Our Lady was instrumental in his recovery.

“I have a great devotion to Mother Mary,” he said. “She has always been there for me, and when I was young, my mother prayed to her that I would recover from polio.”

Bishop Caggiano took part in the Virtual Pilgrimage in 2019 and conducted the Lourdes retreat two years ago.

At that time, the bishop, who has a profound devotion to the Mother of God, reminded the congregation, “Our Heavenly Mother has been there in every moment of every day of your life and mine, since we were conceived in the wombs of our natural mothers. What words can you and I say to express our gratitude for so great, so rich, so deep a love that she has for you and me? Being here today may be a start, a token of the thanks we owe to the great Mother of God.”

For more information on or to register for the Lourdes retreat, email lourdesretreatstmarystamford@gmail.com. For more information on the Office of Safe Environments or on the clerical abuse victim-survivor group, contact Erin Neil at 203.650.3265 or at eneil@diobpt.org.

By Emily Clark

BRIDGEPORT—A tremendous blessing. An honor. A great privilege. These were phrases used by recent retirees Anne McCrory and Brian Wallace in reflecting on their many years of service to the Diocese of Bridgeport—and the same ones their colleagues used in describing them, a testament to their leadership, character, and commitment to serving God’s people.

Originally hired by the diocese as Vice Chancellor, Anne McCrory then served as Chancellor until she was appointed by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano as the diocese’s first-ever Chief Legal Counsel in 2014, the position from which she retired this summer. That new role, McCrory said, was very thoughtfully created as the bishop expected many issues at that time to become related to parish real estate.

“Working with him (the bishop) was a tremendous opportunity. He has such extraordinary vision,” said McCrory.

Though she described learning a lot on the job, McCrory relied on her previous positions in general practice and as the in-house legal counsel for organizations such as Southern Connecticut Gas Company and United Illuminating. From working with diocesan schools and parishes to charitable foundations and boards, this experienced attorney handled real estate assets and those requiring compliance, responsibilities she thoroughly enjoyed. In addition to her position as Chief Legal Counsel, McCrory’s service extended to Catholic Charities of Fairfield County and Foundations in Faith, among other organizations.

“Anne’s many years of service to the Diocese of Bridgeport have been nothing less than exceptional. We have been truly blessed with her brilliant legal mind, tremendous common sense, integrity, exceptional leadership and her indefatigable dedication to serving her Church. She will be deeply missed. I speak for our entire diocese when I say we cannot thank her enough,” said Bishop Caggiano.

“It was a great privilege to collaborate in the initiatives the bishop brought to the diocese and to work with people committed to the mission of the church,” McCrory said. “It was especially rewarding to find ways to solve problems.”

Despite the problems that sometimes arose from a legal perspective, including those in which she needed to represent both sides of an issue, she said they would negotiate and come to a resolution.

“It was always about the people—the amazing clergy, administrators, teachers, donors, and volunteers who are so dedicated to their work,” she added.

That perspective was seen firsthand by Debbie Tietjen, executive assistant to the Diocesan General Counsel.

“When a situation was presented, Anne looked at it from all sides. She did her job with ease, not looking for acknowledgment of a job well done, but rather that she was doing the right thing for the diocese,” Tietjen said. “Anne always looked for the best in people.”

For Brian Wallace, longtime spokesperson for the diocese and editor of Fairfield County Catholic, it was also the people—many of whom became his friends and mentors—that made his working environment so enjoyable.

“It was an honor to have this job, the greatest work experience of my life,” said Wallace, who succeeded Dr. Joseph McAleer in this position 15 years ago. “I was most comfortable working for non-profits that served others, so it was a natural transition to this role in the diocese.”

“Like Anne, Brian has provided the Diocese with exceptional professionalism, integrity, wisdom and leadership—especially in the most difficult moments. He has helped navigate Diocesan communications’ challenges with great aplomb and finesse, making it look much easier than it really is,” the bishop said.

“Brian is much beloved and trusted by his colleagues at the Catholic Center and beyond. His wisdom, love for the Church, loyalty, humility and extraordinary gifts for communicating have been a tremendous blessing to our Diocese. He will be deeply missed,” he added.

Wallace took this position later in his career, having worked primarily as a freelance writer and in public relations for St. Vincent’s Medical Center and Catholic Charities. While at the diocese, he edited and produced the monthly newspaper, oversaw the active website and social media platforms, and responded to press inquiries, often working in concert on legal issues with McCrory, whom he called the “best of the culture” because of her integrity, decency, and service.

Of his colleagues in the Communications Department, Wallace said, “It was always a team effort. We had a goal, and we let everyone be their best. They never disappointed me.”

One of those people was former digital media director John Grosso, now digital editor for the National Catholic Reporter. Though he credits both retirees for teaching him so much, he has a special connection to Wallace, his former boss.

“Brian’s quiet, humble leadership was instrumental in forming me in this position, forming my faith, and even forming me as a parent,” Grosso said. “He has such love for the diocese and the Catholics of Fairfield County.”

While Wallace still sees print media as a vehicle for communications, he is proud of the ongoing efforts made in the digital realm and grateful for coworkers like Grosso who built on what McAleer created years ago. The level of engagement on the diocesan website continues to grow, with hundreds of thousands of page views by the area’s faithful, proving, as Wallace said, that “they want to communicate with us.”

Though their job descriptions and backgrounds differ, Wallace and McCrory are grateful that the work they did revolved around the church.

“It was a privilege to do this in the name of Jesus,” said McCrory. “This position allowed me to follow my faith, a faith I relied on.”

Now, in retirement, she keeps that faith at the forefront of her life as she continues her work with Catholic Charities and other organizations and assumes her position as chair of the Board of Trustees at Albertus Magnus College, an opportunity, she said, that “God gave me to focus on. It’s another chapter for me.”

Wallace’s next chapter is not unlike his previous one, as he and his wife continue to live what he calls a simple, quiet life: reading, writing, and “taking a step back to see what God has in store for me.”

These early days of retirement may seem like an extended summer vacation, as McCrory plays a few rounds of golf and Wallace bikes along the Fairfield coastline, but the gratitude for their fulfilling careers and the friendships that persist.

“I cherish the relationships I made at the diocese,” McCrory said, while Wallace added, “It was a labor of love, bringing people to God.”

By Joe Pisani

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.—Ken Santopietro has directed the Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference for 12 years, and he says it’s a “spiritual booster shot every guy needs.” This year more than ever.

The 17th Annual Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference, which will bring together men from across the state, will be held on September 21 at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford and have nationally known speakers talk on the theme of “The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.”

Santopietro said the panel will include Father Wade L.J. Menezes, CPM, author and homilist; Steve Ray, Catholic apologist and bestselling author; Kevin Wells, writer and former sports reporter, and Peter Herbeck, Executive Vice President of Renewal Ministries and TV/radio host.

“The guys are really going to like the theme a lot and practicing Catholics I know say it is a topic you can sink your mind into,” he said. “Every speaker will have something meaningful to say about it, and each has explored the topic in some way. This is a topic that will keep you focused on the ultimate purpose of life.”

He said the conference offers a wonderful opportunity for men to gather “to share a day of faithful teaching, deep fellowship, and spiritual revival, as we accept our call to become the faithful Catholic men God has called us to be.”

In addition to the speakers, there will be an opening procession with first class relics of 24 saints, which will remain on the stage throughout the event, “serving as a powerful reminder of the saints’ understanding of Christ’s presence in the last four things,” Santopietro said. He also encouraged people who have apostolates to inquire about having an exhibit or table.

The conference, which begins at 8:30 am and concludes with a Vigil Mass celebrated by Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne of the Archdiocese of Hartford, will also feature a Eucharistic procession, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, exhibitors and fellowship. Doors will open at 7:30 am. Men come from all three dioceses in the state, and there are many attendees from parishes in the Diocese of Bridgeport, including St. Edward the Confessor in New Fairfield, St. Rose of Lima in Newtown, St. Joseph in Shelton and St. Mary in Ridgefield.

“This event is a one-day spiritual journey that brings Catholic men from across our state together to reflect, pray and find strength and inner peace,” said Deacon Rick Lawlor of St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield, who is a member of the leadership committee. “It is perhaps the single best day of the year for a Catholic man to focus on his life and spiritual health and ultimately makes each of us stronger and better men.”

Santopietro said he is always encouraging men to come for the spiritual uplift and the fellowship.

“I encourage men to bring someone with them to share and gain a little support,” he said. “Whatever guys can do for each other to offer support is so important at this time.”

Aaron Joseph, the Conference co-director, said the event gives men an opportunity to rest and reflect, pray together, network and enjoy fellowship.

“We all need to be reminded that how we live has ramifications that are both short-term and long-term,” he said. “In the short-term, our actions can affect others, leading them toward God or away from God, by inspiring our brethren to become more loving or less loving. They can also affect us the same way….It is easy to forget this, as we trudge through life, with all its distractions and temptations, especially today.”

The speakers will be:

Father Wade L.J. Menezes, CPM, who has served as the Assistant General and as the Director of Vocations and Director of Seminarians for the Fathers of Mercy. He has written for many Catholic publications, appeared on EWTN as a guest and program host, and spoken on a number of Catholic radio programs. He is the author of The Four Last Things: A Catechetical Guide to Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell and Overcoming the Evil Within: The Reality of Sin and the Transforming Power of God’s Grace and Mercy.

Steve Ray is a convert to the Catholic Church and best-selling author of Crossing the Tiber, Upon this Rock, and St. John’s Gospel: A Bible Study and Commentary, among others. He is a writer, producer and host of the 10-part video/DVD series The Footprints of God: The Story of Salvation from Abraham to Augustine. He has been featured on Catholic Answers, Ave Maria Radio, Relevant Radio and EWTN.

Kevin Wells is a Catholic writer, speaker, and former sports reporter with the Tampa Tribune, where he covered major league baseball. He is the author of the best-selling Catholic book, The Priests We Need to Save the Church and Burst: A Story of God’s Grace When Life Falls Apart. He is currently the president of the Monsignor Thomas Wells Society for Vocations.

Peter Herbeck is the Executive Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries, co-host of the weekly television show “The Choices We Face,” and host of the daily radio show, “Fire on Earth,” His works include When the Spirit Comes in Power and When the Spirit Speaks. He and his wife Debbie have co-authored the book, Lessons from the School of Love: Cultivating a Christ-Centered Marriage.

Tickets are $45 for adults and $30 for teenagers 13 to 19. For more information and to obtain tickets, visit www.ctcatholicmen.org

Thursday was the feast day of St. James, the namesake of St. James RC Community of Faith in Stratford. Established in 1886, St. James is one of only 19 parishes in our diocese that was founded in the 19th century. Notably, they are home to a food pantry, which includes fresh produce from the parish’s garden during the summer months, and their motto is “See a face, learn a name, share a story, love one another!”

As we celebrate the Feast of St. James the Apostle, we thank God for this parish community. St. James the Apostle, pray for us! To check out their website, head to https://www.stjamesstratford.com/

As Catholics and Americans, we are blessed to be able to participate in our nation’s political and public life. Our freedoms respect the dignity of individuals and their consciences and allow us to come together for the common good. Election seasons, therefore, should contain a sense of gratitude and hope. Our love for this country, our patriotism, properly impels us to vote.

But increasingly, it seems, election seasons are a time of anxiety and spiritual trial. Political rhetoric is increasingly angry, seeking to motivate primarily through division and hatred. Fear can be an effective tool for raising money. The most heated arguments online often get the most clicks. Demonizing the other can win votes.