Danbury, CT – The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) awarded Immaculate High School a āSportsmanship Superheroā honor at its High School Sportsmanship Conference October 3. Athletic Director Nelson Mingachos accepted the award on behalf of the school at the Aqua Turf Club event in Plantsville.
The CIAC honored Immaculate as a Fred Balsamo Sportsmanship Award recipient for founding a āClass Act Councilā which will adhere to and promote principles of good sportsmanship. Balsamo was a longtime athletic director and executive director of CIAC. Mingachos was accompanied by Principal and Acting President Wendy Neil and several Immaculate athletes at the event.
āWe are humbled by this award and greatly appreciative,ā said Mingachos, who was promoted to athletic director in 2019 and is an Immaculate alumnus. āBut much of this credit goes to an amazing team of coaches, to our faculty and staff who support athletics and, of course, to our Mustangs who make my job fun!ā
āWe are thrilled to be recognized for promoting good sportsmanship here at Immaculate,ā said Neil. āIt’s something thatās part of our culture, we take pride in and we instill in every single student-athlete.ā
Niche just ranked Immaculate #8 Best High School for Athletes out of 249 schools in Connecticut. The school is home to 27 varsity sports and has a tradition of athletic excellence that includes 48 conference championships and 37 state championships.
About Immaculate High School
Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. A continued commitment to our 60-year tradition of being a value-based, student-centric, outcomes focused Catholic high school, has driven our rising trajectory as evidenced by our exemplary Niche ratings. In 2024 it was once again ranked #1 Catholic Co-Ed Day School in Connecticut and also moved up four spots to become #4 Best Catholic High Schools in the state. Immaculate was also honored as #8 Best High Schools for Athletes. Learn more here: Immaculate High School in Danbury, CT – Niche
Photo Caption: From left to right: Immaculate High School Athletic Director Nelson Mingachos and students Ryan Hatcher ā25 of Sherman, Abiel Morales ā25 of New Milford, Kristina Asmani ā25 of Norwalk, Eva Balzano ā24 of Bedford, Caitlyn Mascetta ā24 of Danbury, Deirdre Dwyer ā25 of Bridgewater and Isabella DiNatale ā25 of Sherman.
By Maricarmen Godoy
NORWALK — The parish of Saint Joseph & Saint Ladislaus celebrated World Animal Day on Wednesday, October 4, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The blessing of animals is a practice that the church has been doing since the 13th century when Francis of Assisi named, in his humility, all beings in the ecosystem as ābrothersā and since 1929 when the World Organization for Animal Protection proclaimed October 4 as World Animal Day. During a congress in Vienna and later, in 1980, Pope John Paul II designated Saint Francis of Assisi as the patron saint of animals and environmentalists.
In the parking lot of the Saint Ladislaus church, where the pets and their owners gathered on the afternoon of October 4, the parish priest, Father Edicson Orozco, said that it is a privilege that families can care for and love animals, in turn, raise healthy families in their parish.
āOh, God! author and giver of all the good things that you have made, may animals also serve as a help to human beings in their needs and their work. We ask you for the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of nature, and ecologists; may animals always be beings that are respected by us and that help us every day to know your love for Jesus Christ, our Lord.ā
āLord, you who created animals and put them under our dominion so that they will help us in our work. Blessed are you, for these pets that we have here today, that we present to you, they are the sign of your friendship. And the love that you have for us, let us pray to the Lord, how many are your works, Lord blessed are you, Lord, that through these humble creatures, you also draw us to your love and teach us about your company and your friendship. May God’s blessing fall on these pets and their owners… And be with them, always.ā The priest prayed and immediately poured holy water on several dogs and cats and their owners.
HEALING MASS
At seven at night, however, inside the church, Father Rolando Torres, from the Saint Mary parish of Bridgeport, together with members of the parish and the Charismatic Renewal group, sang, offered a Healing mass, amid songs of joy and special prayers asking the Holy Spirit for the health of those present and their families.
āDo not ask for anything that is materialā¦ask Him, first! for the salvation of your soul. Ask Him to make you come closer to God and ask Him with faith because there is nothing that you do not ask God that, with faith. He will not give you. Why, where are two or more gathered in His name? God is present and listening healing! Freeing us! Cleansing us! said Father Rolando Torres who made the trip from Bridgeport to Norwalk to preach at the healing mass. Several people were in wheelchairs, or walking supported by their families and wearing artificial respirators.
As the mass coincided with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Father Rolando narrated how the saint of joy and poverty, as the world knows him, at the time of dying and seeing himself sick, asked his followers to help him called āfriarsā (younger brothers), who put him on the ground naked and left him alone to wait for his deceased sister. Reflection helped the priest explain the importance of accepting God’s designs and not being afraid of the order of life and nature but rather having faith.
BRIDGEPORTāDeacon Michael Saranich, Jr. passed away on Monday, October 2, 2023. He was 83 years of age.
āDeacon Saranich was a man of great faith who served his Church and his country. His life and ministry were guided by his love for the Eucharist along with his love for his family and parish community. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Deacon Saranich and for the consolation of his family,ā said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano in making the announcement.
Michael Saranich Jr. was born on July 13, 1940, in Bridgeport to Michael and Loretta Saranich. He was baptized on August 4, 1940, at Saint Michael the Archangel Church and received the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 29, 1949. He attended Saint Anthony Grammar School in Fairfield and Roger Ludlow High School where he graduated in 1958.
Following High School, Michael enlisted into the US Air Force with assignments as an Interceptor Technician and Radar Operator for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He spent four years on duty at radar sites on the northern border of the United States.
Michael returned home to Connecticut in 1962 and attended college at the Bridgeport Engineering Institute where he earned a degree in engineering. That same year he met his wife, Arlene, and they were married on May 22, 1965, at Saint Charles Church, Bridgeport. They moved to Stratford, raised three children, and were parishioners at Holy Name of Jesus Parish.
In 1998, Michael was accepted to the Diaconate Formation Program. He was ordained to the diaconate on June 22, 2002, by Most Reverend William E. Lori at Saint Augustine Cathedral. His parish assignment was Holy Name of Jesus in Stratford. In addition, following his ordination, Deacon Michael entered Sacred Heart University in pursuit of a masterās degree. In May 2005, he received an MA in Religious Studies. His masterās Thesis was titled āThe Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.ā
Deacon Michael retired from the diaconate on his 75th birthday, July 13, 2015.
The wake will be at Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford, on Thursday, October 12, from 4 to 7 pm. The funeral will be at Our Lady of Grace Church, 497 Second Hill Lane, Stratford on Friday, October 13, at 10:30 am. Monsignor Martin Ryan will be the celebrant. Deacons will gather at Our Lady of Grace at 10 am, to pray Office of the Dead. Vesting is Alb and diocesan stole. Committal will be at State Veterans Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown, CT 06457 at 1 pm.
BRIDGEPORTāFoundations in Education is pleased to announce applications to the Innovation and Leadership Grants Program open September 15.
The grants program promotes excellence in Catholic education by supporting teachersā innovative and creative classroom projects and professional development. Grants funded through this program are for transformative initiatives that may benefit multiple grade levels and have a long-term impact on student learning.
Now in its seventh year, this competitive grant program was the first of its kind in the diocese to offer innovation and leadership grants to Catholic school teachers and administrators.
To date, Foundations in Education has funded 104 transformative grants totaling nearly $770,000.
Educators within the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools are encouraged to submit grant proposals from September 15 through October 31.
A grants committee of Foundationsā Board of Trustees carefully reviews each proposal. Their recommendations are presented to Foundationsā Board of Trustees for approval. The committee is chaired led by Dr. Julie McNamara, President Emerita of Albertus Magnus College and include Foundation Board members George Coleman, Henry Rondon, Paula Summa and Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Superintendent of the Archdiocese of New York. They are joined by Foundations in Education Executive Director Holly Doherty-Lemoine; Immaculate High School alumnus Fraser Randolph; and Director of Innovation for the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools, Al Barnicle.
āGenerous donors passionate about quality education help make this program possible,ā Doherty-Lemoine said. āAs a committee, we are exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to work together to consider projects that are innovative, creative, and likely to have tremendous impact on student learning. Dr. McNamara leads us in thoughtful consideration of each application taking great care to evaluate each grant according to set criteria as part of this competitive grant process.ā
Grant awardee and AP Physics and Computer Science Teacher at Immaculate High School, Anthony DāAusilio, was awarded grant funds this past year to upgrade data collection devices and sensors in his physics lab.
āMy goal was to enhance my studentsā skills and instruct them on how to collect and interpret raw data using an Application Program Interface and computer code that they develop, rather than using a software package,ā he said.
Deploying this equipment elevated student labs to the college level, which enabled the students to meet the requirements of a UCONN Early College Experience Physics class. Class grade averages surged to 95+ on the UCONN final exam as a result of the experience with the new equipment.
āThis grant proved that we can go beyond high school in challenging our students,ā DāAusilio said. āIt also taught me that having labs that have accurate data collection with an error rate less than one percent has a major impact on studentsā understanding the science of physics.ā
Foundations in Education is an independent non-profit initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeportās ongoing mission to support Catholic education in Fairfield County by supporting innovation in academic programs and fostering opportunities for the professional development of school leaders and providing tuition assistance to families in need.
FAIRFIELDāWhen Alvaro Ramos was growing up in Madrid, he asked his parents if he could learn to play golf. They encouraged the 13-year-old by buying him a set of clubs and letting him use the backyard.
Eventually, they got him a membership at a golf course, where he encountered other kids his ageābut they werenāt hitting the links. They had left school to support their families by working as caddies, groundskeepers and janitors.
It was this privileged young manās first exposure to povertyāa vision that stayed with him and ultimately inspired him to change his life.
āEven at my age, I saw it was very unfair, and it stayed in the back of my mind,ā he recalled. āI realized I needed to take advantage of opportunities. I was playing golf with lawyers and bankers and entrepreneurs. On the other hand, I realized I had been lucky. I wasnāt special. I was just in the right place at the right time.ā
And he took advantage of those opportunities by earning a JD from the Jesuit University of Spain and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating, he carved out successful careers as a corporate lawyer, investment banker, private equity executive and social entrepreneur.
Today, however, Father Alvaro Ramos is on a different path. He is a Catholic priest in Tegucigalpa, serving the poor in Honduras by coordinating the mission Association, Collaboration and Effort, which helps 12,000 marginalized students from kindergarten to college make a better life through education.
āI want to help people who did not have the opportunities I had,ā he said. āBecoming a priest allowed me to partner with God to help the impoverished with the best business plan possibleāchanging the world.ā
Ordained in 2018, he is assigned to the parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta in the capital of the second poorest country in the Americas, where he lives in one of the cityās impoverished neighborhoods.
The mission, which is supported by some 30 volunteer groups and parishes in Spain and Canada, is managed by the high school and college students it sponsors.
Father Ramos, who recently spoke at Iona College, Seton Hall University, Sacred Heart University and Regis High School, said, āWe are creating a new generation with a mindset to take care of the whole country. They must undo the corruption and help people who need food, proper education and a sense of responsibility.ā
Father previously worked in international law, advising clients in the United States and the United Kingdom, in addition to a position in the investment banking division of Bank of America. During those years, he pursued some initiatives to eradicate poverty by sending funds to organizations in Latin America; however, his philosophy evolved and he came to the conclusion that he could use his business skills better as a priest. And he gets no salary for his work with the mission.
āI always tried to find partners in different enterprises, but they were often afraid of doing business with the poor,ā he said. āThen, I realized God is my partner. If you want to help the poor, Jesus is going to be by your side. I have experienced that myself. When I started to read the Gospel, it resonated. I realized God was guiding me in the right direction.ā
He eventually entered the seminary in Honduras and teamed up with Father Patrecio Larrosa, who went there from Spain to found the mission, which he continues to lead 30 years later.
āI realized the best way to help the poor is to live with the poor as a priest,ā he said. āIt took me some time. I learned that in order to change the life of the poor, you need to live with the poor, and I couldnāt do that by myself.ā
The mission, which works in 11 regions of the country is involved in more than 100 projects with the goal of filling the gap between what the government does and what families do, Father said. The projects allow students in rural and marginalized areas to go to school from kindergarten to college.
āOur idea is to educate students early on and for the long term,ā he said. āThe students run the organization, and we only help them as long as they help others. They learn and they give back. Real poverty isnāt lack of money. The real problem is when people donāt help each other, and this is something that needs to be taught.ā
One thousand people, including 400 from the community and 500 university students run the operation. The youngest ones work in the dining room, and by the time they reach high school, they start assisting with administration. The oldest students are leaders in the mission.
When Father talks to college students in America, he tells them: āYou could make a lot of money, but a lot of people need your help, and at some point in your life, you will have to stop thinking about making more money and having an easy life. Itās not fair for me to live in a world where I have plenty and people are starving. At the end of the day, if you want to be happy, you wonāt be happy making money or getting power; it will be in the love you share.ā
Katherine Friend of St. John Church in Darien was a classmate of Father Ramos at the University of North Carolina and has helped him spread his message about the Honduras mission in Fairfield County.
āWhen we sat next to each other in business school, I really had no idea about his vocation or his faith,ā she said. āItās been such a grace to witness how he has used education and business experience to answer his call to holiness and ā¦ to bring people out of poverty in one of the poorest countries in the Americas.ā
For more information about Association, Collaboration and Effort, whether to volunteer, sponsor a student or offer assistance, contact Father Ramos at alvaroramos@acoes.org
n his homily during the Consistory for the creation of 21 new Cardinals, Pope Francis reflects on unity and diversity in the Church, highlighting the importance of synodality under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the āmaster of walking together.ā
By Lisa Zengarini
āThe College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church.ā Pope Francis made this remark as he presided on Saturday at the Consistory for the creation of 21 Cardinals in St. Peter’s Square.
Diversity in one Catholic Church
In his homily addressed to the College of Cardinals and its new members (including 19 archbishops and bishops, and two priests), the Pope reflected on the reading from the Acts on the story of the Pentecost, in which the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and experienced the gift of tongues as they preached the Gospel to Jews of different nationalities in Jerusalem (Acts 2, 1-11).
The gift of being evangelized in our own language
He drew attention to the similarity between all those Jews of different nationalities and languages who heard the Apostles preaching to them and the Bishops and Cardinals of our time hailing āfrom all parts of the world, from the most diverse nationsā.
Seen in this perspective, Pope Francis noted, the story of the Pentecost should make us āthink back with gratitude on the gift of having been evangelized and having been drawn from various peoples who, each in their own time received the Kerygma, the proclamation of the mystery of salvation, and in welcoming it, were baptized in the Holy Spirit and became part of the Churchā who āspeaks all languages, is One and is Catholic.ā
He therefore pointed out that before being āapostlesā, before being priests, Bishops, Cardinals, pastors should remember that they are āParthians, Medes, Elamites etcā like those Jews, and should be grateful for having received the grace of the Gospel among their respective peoples of origin and in their own language, through their grandparents and parents, catechists, priests, and religious.
āIn the āfleshā of our people, the Holy Spirit has worked the wonder of communicating the mystery of Jesus Christ who died and rose again. And this came to us āin our languageā (ā¦). The faith is transmitted āin dialectā by mothers and grandmothers.ā
Evangelized evangelizers, not funtionaries
āIndeed – the Pope said – we are evangelizers to the extent we cherish in our hearts the wonder and gratitude of having been evangelized, even of being evangelized, because this is really a gift always present, that must be continually renewed in our memories and in faith, because, he emphasized, “We are evangelized evangelizers, non functionaries”.
Remarking that āthe Pentecost is not a thing of the pastā, butā a creative act that God continually renewsā, and that āthe Church, and every baptized member, lives the today of God, through the action of the Holy Spiritā, Pope Francis reminded the Cardinals receiving the biretta today that their new role renews in them their āvocation and mission in and for the Churchā.
Working for an ever more symphonic and synodal Church
He clarified this mission with the image of the orchestra which embodies simultaneous diversity and unity ārepresenting the harmony and synodality of the Churchā.
āDiversity is necessary; it is indispensable. However, each sound must contribute to the common design. This is why mutual listening is essentialā, the Pope said, adding that the conductor of the orchestra is called to help āeach person and the whole orchestra develop the greatest creative fidelityā.
Hence the call to the College of Cardinals to work for āan ever more symphonic and synodal Churchā confiding in the Holy Spirit who ācreates variety and unity and āis harmony itself.ā
āWe entrust ourselves to his gentle and strong guidance, and to the gracious care of the Virgin Mary,ā Pope Francis concluded.
BRIDGEPORTāReverend John Punnakunnel passed away in Indian on September 27, 2023, at the age of 94.
āFather John will be remembered by many in our diocese as a joyful priest who was always on the go, visiting the sick in hospitals and nursing homes and graciously serving the faithful in our parishes. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father John and for the consolation of his family,ā said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.
Born in India to a Syro-Malabar Catholic family, Father Punnakunnel entered the Salesian Order as a religious brother and served as a teacher for 20 years. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Vellorei, Tamilnadu, India, in 1979. Three of his four brothers were ordained priests in the Salesian order.
Father Punnakunnel underwent all of his academic and ecclesiastical studies in India. His first appointment in the Diocese of Bridgeport was as parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Parish, Bridgeport, in 1995. He later served as Parochial Vicar at St. Augustine Cathedral Parish, and as a Chaplain at Bridgeport Hospital. He retired in 2012, but continued to serve in parishes for a number of years before returning to India, when his health declined.
When he was interviewed by Fairfield County Catholic in 2012, Father John said he always held these words of St. Pope John Paul II close to his heart: āKnow that you are not alone, separated, abandoned or useless. You have been called by Christ and are his living and transparent image.ā
The Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest of the Eastern Rite Churches in communion with Rome. The Catholic faith in India traces its origins to the missionary work of the Apostle Thomas. The faith has continued to flourish in that country through the centuries, particularly in Kerala, and Catholics in that area are popularly referred to as āThomas Christians.ā
The Funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday, September 29 at St. Sebastian Church in Koodaranji, Kerala, India.
By Brian D. Wallace
NORWALKā āThis is a man of great faith, of great prayer, a man who listens very deeply. But of all the qualities of Father Hoffman, the one that I find the most endearing and the one that he put to use most beautifully when he was Vicar of Clergy, was that he was a man of deep compassion,ā said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano on September 23 at the Installation Mass for Father Frank Hoffmann as pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Norwalk.
The bishop told parishioners that Father Hoffmann, who most recently served as Vicar of Clergy for the diocese, is a man who is sensitive to others feeling and to the needs of those around him.
āWhether it’s times of joy, times of challenge, in times of sorrow, he listens with his ears, but he also listens with his heart. And in a family as big and diverse as you have here in this wonderful parish of St. Matthew’s, I could not imagine someone else doing that for you in the years ahead,ā the bishop said.
At the end of the installation Mass, the Bishop also acknowledged Father Jeff Couture, former pastor, who was in attendance. Father Couture resigned as pastor in May 2023, as he continues to receive treatment for a chronic autoimmune condition, which originates in the spine. While his health has improved in recent months, Father Couture has much more treatment ahead of him in the recovery process.
āI’m grateful to Father Jeff for his leadership when he was here. And we’re praying for your good health that it continued to remain good.,ā said Bishop Caggiano.
In his homily for the Mass of Installation, Father Hoffman reflected on the life and ministry of St. Matthew, and on his own vocation to the priesthood and the vocation of the laity.
āI believe that God’s call to the priesthood for me was his way of saving me, maybe the only way of saving me: that my salvation lay in becoming a priest of God,ā he said. āI’ve thought a lot about that. And I think that God has chosen all of us too, out of his boundless love and mercy, that we too may be saved. And we know he suffered and died for us on the cross because of this great mercy. But the manner in which each of us has been called is different in many different ways.ā
He said that Godās call most often comes āin ordinary ways and ordinary things but we do know that the answering of it in faith will have huge consequences for us in the future. It could be our call to married life, or single life or parenthood, religious life, clerical life. It can be a variety of careers that we have chosen if they are careers where we benefit others and make Christ more present in the world. And if they’re not, we may do that anyway. It can be in the ways we give of our time outside of work furthering Christ’s presence in the world today, we reminded that like St. Matthew, Christ has seen each and every one of us through the eyes of mercy and has chosen us and said, follow me.Ā He continues to mercifully choose us, calling us to show follow him every single day. We each know in our own ways how we’ve responded to him in the past. How will we continue to respond to that call in the future?ā
Following the Mass, Bishop Caggiano blessed the new Father McGivney playground located behind the church.Ā Members of Knights of Columbus Council 14360 in Norwalk completed construction of the playground in September.
Plans for the playground were set in motion when Father Couture recognized that the demographics of the parish were changing and there were more and more young families joining St. Matthewās.Ā Labor for the project, which included clearing and preparing a suitable space, assembling the playground equipment, building a sur- rounding fence, and laying down mulch, was provided by many different members of Council 14360, along with their family members. The playground was self-funded by members of the council, generous donors, and parishioners of St. Matthew.
Father Frank Hoffmann was appointed by Bishop Caggiano to serve as pastor of St Matthew Parish effective July 1, 2023. Father Hoffmann had served as the parishās parochial administrator since January 1, after Father Couture took medical leave. At the same time, Father Hoffmann continued serving in his full-time position as Vicar for Clergy and Religious in the Diocese of Bridgeport, a post he held since 2020.
Father Hoffmann earned a bachelorās degree in religious studies from Fairfield University in 1977, as well as a Master of Arts in religious studies from Sacred Heart University, a Master of Divinity in pastoral ministry from Seton Hall University in 1991, and a Master of Artās in theological studies from Seton Hall in 1991. He served as pastor of St. John Parish in Darien from 2014 to 2020, and as parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Siena Parish for nine years.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. ā The Knights of Columbus announced today that it has been named to the Forbes Americaās Best Insurance Companies 2024 List, marking the third consecutive year it has received this prestigious recognition. The award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the worldās leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Americaās Best Insurance Companies 2024 were identified in an independent survey based on a vast sample of over 15,000 participants across the nation. Knights of Columbus ranked 22nd on the Forbes list among life insurers which issue permanent life insurance ā up four positions from 2023.
āKnights of Columbus insurance is once again honored to be recognized by Forbes and Statista,ā said Knights of Columbus CEO, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly. āMore than 140 years ago our Founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, built the Knights in part to provide for the financial security of Catholic families, particularly widows and orphans. Today, we continue our mission of providing the families of our members with the best Knights of Columbus insurance products for their needs.ā
The survey considered customersā overall recommendations, their general satisfaction, and six sub-dimensions: financial advice, customer service, price/performance ratio, transparency, digital services, and damage/benefit ratio. A loyalty score was calculated based on a series of questions about the customerās likeliness to keep their insurance policy under different circumstances, and the total length of time that consumers have held policies with the same insurer. The awards list and survey details can currently be viewed on the Forbes website.
For additional information about the Knights of Columbus insurance program, please visit www.kofc.org/insurance.
DANBURY-Ā What a day for a budding young golfer! The Immaculate Varsity Golf Teamās freshman Desmond Bremner of Redding had his first hole-in-one during a match on September 19 against Stratfordās Bunnell High School at Richter Park Golf Course in Danbury.
According to Golf Digest, the average golfer has a 1 in 12,500 chance of making a hole in one.Ā It happened at Hole 5 with a 6 iron at a distance of 165 yards. Bremnerās playing partner was Senior Captain Aiden Henn of Danbury.
Immaculate has reported Desmond’s achievement to the CIAC. They keep a record of every varsity ace ever made.
āWe are incredibly proud of Desmond and our entire golf team,ā said George Bielizna, Immaculateās golf coach. āThe hole was cut top-right, the most difficult pin location on Hole 5 by a large margin. So this was no easy feat!ā
Immaculate’s Varsity Golf Team’s record is now 7-1.
By Joe Pisani
WEST HARTFORD ā Nearly 600 men, who came together for the 16th annual Connecticut Catholic Menās Conference, were told to support priests at a time when the Church faces one of the greatest challenges in its history with diminishing vocations.
The theme of Saturdayās conference was āThe Priesthood: Godās Gift and Our Responsibility.ā Speakers urged the men to support their priests by offering up suffering, attending Eucharistic adoration, fasting, praying the Divine Office, the rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and ādoing anything you can for our priests.ā
The daylong event was held at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford and concluded with a Vigil Mass for Priesthood Sunday, celebrated by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair with a homily by Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt.
The conference included nationally known speakers, confession, Eucharistic Adoration and a procession of 30 first-class relics, including St. John Vianney, patron saint of the priesthood.
In his homily, Bishop Betancourt said secular society pushes us away from God through distractions like the media, social networks, technology, and even our friends āwho are eager to tell us what to think and what to do.ā As a result, āWe seek guidance from anyone and anything but God,ā he said. āThat way of life cannot last long before isolation, depression and despair settle in the soul because it lacks Godās presence.ā
He said, āThe priest, like Christ, is mediator between God and his people and has been entrusted with the duty to remind us of the relationship between us and God our Father, and to proclaim that the Lord is near to all who call upon him.ā
He urged the men to support their priests through daily prayer and to give them encouragement and gratitude, and volunteer their time and talents for their parishes.
Fr. Anthony Federico, director of vocations for the archdiocese, speaking on behalf of his colleagues in the other dioceses, said: āI am here today because I am not satisfied with empty churches, and I am not satisfied when Holy Mother Church is degraded because I do not believe the Son of God died on the cross for what we see today.ā
Every night he goes before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and ābegs him for total renewal in our Church.ā
āI ask you to beg with me and beg the Lord for new priests in our Church,ā he said.
In recent months, he has visited dioceses that have been attracting men to the priesthood, which he said share common characteristics:
A widespread culture of Eucharistic adoration.
Parish vocation committees to encourage men to discern for the priesthood.
They teach young people how to pray and have a personal encounter with Jesus.
They have priests and nuns teaching in their high schools.
Since the archdiocese began praying for priestly vocations at every Mass, 31 men have expressed interest in the priesthood.
Deacon Rick Lawlor of St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield, a member of the leadership committee, said it was important to have the conference dedicated to the priesthood during this year of Eucharistic Revival.
āOur priests are Godās gifts,ā he said. āWithout our priests, we wouldnāt have the Eucharist. Thatās why we want to promote vocations to the priesthood. God has helped us for two millennia, and we have to take responsibility as well and promote the priesthood to our sons and neighbors.ā
Conference speakers included Father Larry Richards, author, radio show host and founder of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation; and Father Glenn Sudano, CFR, one of the founding members of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, who is priest-in-residence at Holy Family Farm, which offers formation for men between 18 and 30.
Also, Kevin Wells, speaker and author of āThe Priests We Need to Save the Church,ā along with Matthew Leonard, author and founder of the Science of Sainthood, an online platform for spirituality.
Ken Santopietro, director of the conference, said he was pleased with the turnout and that Fr. Richards was speaking at his third Connecticut conference.
āHe is the crux of the menās conference movement in America and having him here tells the guys weāre doing it right,ā Santopietro said. āThis is orthodox Catholicism, and weāre happy to have the support of the Connecticut dioceses and hundreds of men who came to get a spiritual booster shot.ā
In his talk, Fr. Richards urged the men to spend time with āthe Word of God every dayā so they can listen to Jesus rather than āthe echo chamber of people we agree withā in our highly politicized society. During his 34 years as a priest, he has never before seen such division in the Church; however, he told the men the Church needs unity and that weāre called to love even the people with whom we disagree and never to judge them.
He said he knows 29 priests who left because they were lonely and not supported in their ministries ā and not because of scandal. He said priests need encouragement and prayer and to know they are āloved by you and not judged by you.ā
Kevin Wells, author of the bestselling āThe Priests We Need to Save the Church,ā described eight characteristics of a good priest, based on the lives of saintly priests throughout history: āHe adores the Eucharistic Jesus; he is devoted to Mary; he prays devoutly; he assumes a victimhood; he is a father; he is persistently available; he preaches divine truth; and he dives into souls at a momentās notice.ā
Matthew Leonard urged the men to greater sanctity, assuring them sainthood is attainable and that some of the greatest saints like Augustine were ānotoriously sinful.ā However, with Godās grace they can āhave their face on a holy cardā because with God, all things are possible.
The son of a pastor and a convert to Catholicism, Leonard said sainthood begins by getting to know Jesus Christ personally. He recommended three steps: āYou have to learn how to loveā¦True love demands we give of ourselves to other people and true love is sacrificial.ā Receive the sacraments often, especially the Eucharist, which is āthe medicine of immortality.ā And commit to developing a relationship with God through frequent prayer.
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR, said we are living in difficult days that are āgoing to get more difficultā and that āpersecution will come in quiet, sinister ways.ā He encouraged the men to gather together in faithful groups that pray together because they ācannot stand alone in these dark times.ā
However, he cautioned them against complaining and casting blame about the Church and urged them to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and then take action.
Using the traditional metaphor of the Church as a boat, he said, āIād rather be seasick than overboard. Iām not going anywhere because I want to be where Christ is.ā He urged them to avoid the extreme right and the extreme left ā and even the middle ā but instead go below deck to āthe center, the heart, where Christ is.ā
Fr. James Sullivan, chaplain of the conference and rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, brought 30 relics from the basilicaās collection.
āHaving the relics here is a very special way to inspire the men to go beyond themselves,ā he said.
The selection included saints who were priests, such as Blessed Michael McGivney of Waterbury, St. John Bosco, Pope Saint John Paul II, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, whose feast day it was, St. Augustine and St. Benedict, along with women saints ā St. Monica, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila ā who played important roles in supporting the priesthood. Men venerated the relics and touched their rosaries and medals to them.
Father Sullivan also said that throughout the day, some 17 priests heard the confessions of an estimated 300 men.
Deacon Brad Smythe of St. Joseph Church in Shelton was joined by his grandson Michael Kupson, who manned a table for Notre Dame High School in West Haven.
āAs Catholic men, we need to be taken by the shirt and shaken and asked, āAre you willing to live the way the faith calls you to live?āā he said. āWhat weāve heard today is very inspiring, and these are messages we need to hear from the pulpit more often.ā
Deacon Rick Scinto brought 30 men from St. Rose of Lima in Newtown to the conference. āItās a great fraternal gathering,ā he said, āWe have a tight-knit group of men at St. Rose, who are here to show their devotion to the Church and to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament ā¦ and be with their brothers.ā
Photos by Joe Pisani
Greg Pin of St. Edward the Confessor in New Fairfield, said: āThe priests are so few and have such a demand on their time. I often want to invite a priest friend to a fire pit or dinner, but I donāt want to burden them by making them feel like someone else is asking for their free time.
However, I think Iāll write them, let them know how much they mean to me and my family, give my cell phone number, and let them know they are welcome in our house and family.ā
Chris Pasquale of Watertown was accompanied by his son Luke, a high school sophomore, who stood up when the audience was asked whether any men were thinking about the priesthood.
Pasquale was clearly proud of his sonās witness and said, āItās a great thing when fathers bring their sons here. Itās well worth the sacrifice to come for the day.ā
Gerald Brown Jr. of St. Joseph in Shelton, said, āThe conference was a rally call to Catholic Men. We need to support our parish priests, not just financially but emotionally, physically and spiritually.ā
Catholic blogger Bill Dunn of (merrycatholic.com) said, āIn our secular world, as a Catholic man, you often feel youāre on an island. We have to come together and remind ourselves weāre all together in this.ā
The 40 Days for Life fall campaign of prayer and fasting and community outreach to end abortion will be a 960-hour around-the-clock vigil at three locations in Fairfield County from September 27 to November 5.
āWe want to reach people in a peaceful, prayerful way,ā said Maureen Ciardiello, Coordinator of Respect Life and Project Rachel Ministry for the Diocese of Bridgeport. āThe campaign will bring awareness that there are other options than abortion. We hope to work on hearts and minds one at a time.ā
In Bridgeport, the campaign is being led by Barbara Grabowski, and the vigil will be held at the public right-of-way for Planned Parenthood at 4697 Main Street. In Danbury, the campaign leader is Don Mallozzi, and the vigil will take place at the public right-of-way for Planned Parenthood at 44 Main Street. In Stamford, the campaign is led by Monika Twal and Sal Constantino, and the vigil will be held at the public right-of-way for Planned Parenthood at 35 Sixth Street.
Interested people can sign up for vigil hours for their community by going to (http://www.40daysforlife.com/en/), according to Mallozzi, who said, āForty Days for Lifeāis a worldwide mobilization to end abortion through prayerful vigils, and as Catholics, itās important that we give visible witness to life because the Gospel of Christ is the Gospel of Lifeā¦.By praying in public, we hope that many hearts will be changed and women who are choosing to abort their pregnancies will choose life instead.ā
Since it began 20 years ago, 40 Days for Life now has 1 million volunteers in more than 1,000 cities in 63 countries.
According to the organization, since 2007 more than 23,500 lives had been saved. The slogan for the group is āEnding abortion where we live,ā and the campaigns in spring and fall are possible through the efforts of people of different faiths, including Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians and Evangelicals, who āseek Godās favor in turning hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life.ā Volunteers do not approach people individually and the signs they carry have positive messages with the goal of spreading the message of Godās love, mercy and forgiveness.
āSaving a babyās life is the most important reason that we are out there on the sidewalk,ā Grabowski said. āOur always peaceful, prayerful presence offers hope to the moms-to-be that they have alternatives to abortion that they may not have considered. We offer compassion, resources and support to women who are facing anxiety over their pregnancies.ā
She said that the Bridgeport campaign is blessed to have many clergy and pro-life groups willing to spend hours praying at the sidewalk vigil.
āIf only one baby is saved, it is worth it,ā she said. āWe are the voice of the baby out there, since they have no voice yet. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, as Mother Teresa said.ā
Sal Constantino who leads the Stamford campaign with Monika Twal, said: āWe hope to see even more faithful Catholics and others participate this year on the sidewalk as witnesses to the sanctity of human life in the womb. Participants, young and old, men, women and teenagers of various denominations, will engage in prayerful and peaceful vigils, saying the Rosary and other prayers on behalf of the unborn.ā
He said there are an estimated 660,000 abortions each year in America. āAbortion also harms women emotionally, psychologically and even physically,ā he said. āThe killing of innocent human life is always morally wrong and must be opposed by all of us, not just privately in our hearts and homes, but in public.ā
He hopes the 40 Days For Life campaign will soften peopleās hearts and change their minds and that more participants will join the group in their sidewalk ministry to end abortion.
The national organizers say that minds have been changed and that during the sixth 40 Days for Life campaign in Bryant/College Station, Texas, Abby Johnson, who was Planned Parenthoodās employee of the year, saw abortion in a new light and āturned to the 40 Days for Life team for encouragement as she left her job.ā