Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

STAMFORD—Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford will hold its 60th graduation ceremony on Thursday, July 16 at 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm on the school’s front parking lot under a tent. The school is holding two ceremonies in order to comply with the governor’s directive that in-person graduation crowd sizes cannot exceed 150 people.

This 60th graduation ceremony will be historic since it is Trinity’s final graduation. Trinity Catholic opened its doors in 1958 as Stamford Catholic High School and the first graduating class was in 1960. In the fall of 1991, Stamford Catholic merged with Central Catholic and St. Mary’s becoming Trinity Catholic High School. The Class of 2020 will be Trinity’s last graduating class.

The Class of 2020 is comprised of 84 graduates, representing Stamford and its surrounding towns, as well as international students from China.

The Valedictorian of the class is Fiona Willette from Stamford. The Salutatorian is Margaret Carlon, also from Stamford.

The exact amount of college scholarships and grants received by the class will be announced at the graduation ceremony.

The media is invited to attend the graduation ceremonies. Please arrange in advance with Jen Hanley at jhanley@trinitycatholic.org or Betsy Mercede at 203.322.3401 x106

WASHINGTON—The Little Sisters of the Poor recently went to the Supreme Court of the United States again to defend their community against attempts to force Catholic religious to cooperate with immoral activities, and again, the Supreme Court has recognized their right to religious freedom. By a vote of 7-2, the Court ruled in favor of the Little Sisters.

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, have issued a statement addressing the case:

“This is a saga that did not need to occur. Contraception is not health care, and the government should never have mandated that employers provide it in the first place. Yet even after it had, there were multiple opportunities for government officials to do the right thing and exempt conscientious objectors. Time after time, administrators and attorneys refused to respect the rights of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the Catholic faith they exemplify, to operate in accordance with the truth about sex and the human person. Even after the federal government expanded religious exemptions to the HHS contraceptive mandate, Pennsylvania and other states chose to continue this attack on conscience.

“The Little Sisters of the Poor is an international congregation that is committed to building a culture of life. They care for the elderly poor. They uphold human dignity. They follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church. The government has no right to force a religious order to cooperate with evil. We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision. We hope it brings a close to this episode of government discrimination against people of faith. Yet, considering the efforts we have seen to force compliance with this mandate, we must continue to be vigilant for religious freedom.”

The USCCB filed amicus curiae briefs supporting these religious institutions. The briefs can be found here:
http://www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/19-431-and-19-454_Amici-Brief.pdf

http://www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/2019-11-04-LSP-SPPH-v-COP-SONJ.pdf

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis praised the United Nations’ adoption of a global cease-fire resolution amid the coronavirus pandemic that has swept the world.

“The request for a global and immediate cease-fire, which would allow that peace and security necessary to provide the needed humanitarian assistance, is commendable,” the pope said July 5, after praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

“I hope that this decision will be implemented effectively and promptly for the good of the many people who are suffering. May this Security Council resolution become a courageous first step toward a peaceful future,” he said.

The resolution, which was first proposed in late March by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, was unanimously passed July 1 by the 15-member Security Council.

According to the U.N., the council “demanded a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations on its agenda” to allow for “the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance.”

In his Angelus address, the pope reflected on the Sunday Gospel reading from St. Matthew, in which Jesus thanks God for having hidden the mystery of the kingdom of heaven “from the wise and the learned” and “revealed them to little ones.”

Christ’s reference of the wise and learned, the pope explained, was said “with a veil of irony” because those who presume to be wise “have a closed heart, very often.”

“True wisdom comes also from the heart, it is not only a matter of understanding ideas: True wisdom also enters into the heart. And if you know many things but have a closed heart, you are not wise,” the pope said.

The “little ones” to whom God has revealed himself, he added, are those “who confidently open themselves to his word of salvation, who open their heart to the word of salvation, who feel the need for him and expect everything from him; the heart that is open and trustful toward the Lord.”

The pope said Jesus placed himself among those “who labor and are burdened” because he, too, is “meek and humble of heart.”

In doing so, he explained, Christ does not place himself as “a model for the resigned, nor is he simply a victim, but rather he is the man who lives this condition ‘from the heart’ in full transparency to the love of the Father, that is, to the Holy Spirit.”

“He is the model of the ‘poor in spirit’ and of all the other ‘blesseds’ of the Gospel, who do the will of God and bear witness to his kingdom,” Pope Francis said.

“The world exalts those who are rich and powerful, no matter by what means, and at times tramples upon the human being and his or her dignity,” the pope said. “And we see this every day, the poor who are trampled underfoot. It is a message for the church, called to live works of mercy and to evangelize the poor, to be meek and humble. This is how the Lord wants his church—that is, us—to be.”

By Junno Arocho Esteves  I  Catholic News Service

FAIRFIELD—Notre Dame High School in Fairfield will hold its 60th graduation ceremony on Friday, July 10 at 6 pm and Saturday, July 11 at 9:30 am on the school’s football field. The school is holding two ceremonies two comply with the governor’s directive that in-person graduation crowd sizes cannot exceed 150 people.

The Class of 2020 is comprised of 104 graduates, representing 21 cities and towns, as well as international students from China.

Valedictorian of the class is Sophie Stachurski of Trumbull. The co-salutatorians are Maria Raiti and Ruth Salazar, both of Bridgeport. Biographical information for Sophie, Maria, and Ruth are at the end of this article.

The exact amount of college scholarships and grants received by the class will be announced at the graduation ceremony.

The media is invited to attend the graduation ceremonies. Please arrange in advance with Principal Chris Cipriano at ccipriano@notredame.org or 203.372.6521.

Biography

Sophie Stachurski has been named the valedictorian of Notre Dame’s Class of 2020. A member of the inaugural Distinguished Scholars Program, as well as the Frank and Marissa Martire Leadership Institute, Sophie has established a tremendous four-year record of achievements both in and out of the classroom. As impressive as her academic record is as evidenced by her valedictorian status, her roster of extra-curricular activities is just as remarkable. President of the National Honor Society, Sophie was also the recipient of the St. Thomas Aquinas Award, the Harvard University Book Award, and was designed a College Board AP Scholar and a Governor’s Scholar Semi-Finalist. Sophie completed over 350 hours of service during high school, including participating in the school annual mission trip to Kentucky and Camden, NJ. She was also Student Council President, a member of the Drama Club, Campus Ministry, and Link Crew, and had her essay “The Lion, the Witch, and the Educational Value of C.S. Lewis” published by the Cardinal Newman Society in April, 2018. Principal Chris Cipriano commented, “Sophie has been one of the top students with whom I have had the pleasure of working during my two decades at Notre Dame. Her commitment to academic achievement, coupled a desire to serve her students and the greater community, sets a high bar for all. She will be tremendously missed at ND.” Sophie, a resident of Trumbull, will be attending Georgetown University in the fall.

Maria Raiti has been named a co-salutatorian of Notre Dame’s Class of 2020. A member of both the National Honor and Spanish Honor Societies, Maria was a recipient of the Sacred Heart University Book Award during her junior year. An excellent student in the classroom, Maria has been equally successful outside of the classroom with her numerous clubs, activities, and service work. During her high school career, Maria has been active in the Art Club, Dance Club, STEM Club, Campus Ministry, Philosophy Club, Drama Club, and Video Game Club. Maria participated in the 2019 summer mission trip to Kentucky and was planning to join the group again this summer before the pandemic ended summer travel. Maria has also been active volunteering for Campus Ministry service projects, the Girl Scouts, and the Knights of Columbus. According to Principal Chris Cipriano, “Maria has consistently made her mark on the ND community—both in and out of the classroom. I know that much success awaits her as she takes her fantastic skill set off to college and beyond.” Maria, a resident of Bridgeport, will be attending UConn—Storrs in the fall.

Ruth Salazar has been named a co-salutatorian of Notre Dame’s Class of 2020. Ruth has been very involved in the Notre Dame community during her high school career including membership in the Philosophy Club, Peace by Justice Club, Creative Writing Club, as well as Campus Ministry. A frequent volunteer for many local service programs, Ruth also participated in the 2018 mission trip to Neon, Kentucky. She served on the Cultural Awareness Committee and was an active participant in the Girls with Impact program. Ruth was also a member of the National and Spanish Honor Societies. Her principal, Chris Cipriano, commented, “Ruth has done phenomenally well during her high school career. Her achievements have left their mark here at school, and I know she will do fantastic work in the future.” Ruth, a resident of Bridgeport, will be attending UConn—Storrs in the fall.

GREENWICH— Sacred Heart, Greenwich graduated 82 young women on June 5, 2020.

Sacred Heart Greenwich is proud to recognize Valentina Grether as valedictorian and Caroline Badagliacca and Elisa Howard as co-salutatorians for the Class of 2020.

Valentina Grether of Riverside has spent eight years as a student at Sacred Heart. She played tennis and squash, was a freshman peer leader and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She will attend Brown University in the Fall.

“I chose Brown firstly because of the open curriculum,” says Grether. “Since I plan on majoring in engineering, which has stricter requirements than other majors, it was really important to me that I still had as much flexibility as possible to pursue courses in all my other interests. Ultimately, Brown’s open curriculum seemed ideal to extend my college experience to encompass not only my intellectual development, but also my growth as an individual. Another important factor was the collaborative culture at Brown, and the amazing opportunities that the university offers. Many of the current students I talked with highlighted the Brown UTRAs, which are undergraduate teaching and research awards for Brown students. Brown fascinated me because the students and faculty are always challenging each other to grow together in learning. Last but certainly not least, Providence is a great town for college students. Students always praise the art exhibits and other events available outside of Brown, not to mention a seemingly endless list of amazing Providence restaurants.”

Caroline Badagliacca of North Salem N.Y. has spent ten years as a student at Sacred Heart. During her time at Sacred Heart, she was the co-editor of Voices publication, served as a music therapy volunteer with Alzheimer’s patients, was a participant in Sacred Heat’s science research program, a Regeneron Scholar for studying music and cognition, and the Girl Scout Gold Award recipient. She will attend Vanderbilt in the Fall.

“Upon first visiting Vanderbilt’s campus, what stood out to me the most is the incredible balance the school possesses,” says Badagliacca. “I knew when looking for a school I wanted a place that was academically rigorous, but still left room for other enrichment and Vanderbilt’s programs, research possibilities, SEC sports, and boundless opportunities to be involved on campus were perfect for me. Additionally, one of my main focuses during my time at Sacred Heart has been working with those suffering from dementia and trying to use music to improve their quality of life. Not only does Vanderbilt have a music cognition laboratory, but the interdisciplinary nature of their academic programs, as well as my acceptance into the Curb Scholars Program, provided me with a unique chance to combine my interests in music, cognition, and business both in and out of the classroom.”

Elisa Howard of Norwalk has spent two years at Sacred Heart. She was co-captain of Sacred Heart Robotics, Perspectives Art Editor, NY Medical College Summer Prostate Cancer Research Assistant, saxophonist in Sacred Heart Jazz Band, a participant in varsity track and field, varsity cross country, and varsity fencing, a Kairos Retreat Leader, Kumon Math and Reading Instructor, George Washington Carver Community Center volunteer, White Plains Hospital step-down unit volunteer, CT Special Olympics volunteer, an altar server and Eucharist Minister. She will attend Yale University in the Fall.

“I have always been fascinated by the innate intricacies of the human brain and nervous system,” says Howard, “and Yale University’s renowned research opportunities, including the First-Year Summer Research Fellowship, will enable me to explore unanswered questions of neuroscience. When applying to Yale, I was particularly inspired by the research of Professor Nenad Sestan, who revived cellular functionality in a pig brain four hours after its death. Through research in one of Yale’s over 1,200 laboratories, I can investigate my own rather unconventional questions of the brain. At the same time, I am an aspiring neurosurgeon, and, through Yale’s affiliations with the medical school and hospital, I may explore my surgical interests as an undergraduate student.”

“Whether in the classroom, on the turf, in the chapel, at the anchor desk, in the lab or behind the podium, the graduating Class of 2020 accomplished so much at Sacred Heart Greenwich,” says Pamela Juan Hayes, Sacred Heart Greenwich alum, Class of ’64. “We’re especially proud to see these talented students matriculate to strong colleges and universities that reflect their individual academic interests and passions so closely. We look forward to seeing how far their academics, faith and commitment to others takes them in the future.”

2020 Highlights:

• 10,000 hours of community service were completed by Upper School students this year
• 24 seniors served as Eucharistic Ministers
• Distributed $8,200 in grants to educational agencies across the world through the student-run Barat Foundation
• 1 NEPSAC Class A champion team (field hockey) and 2 Fairchester Athletic Association regular season championship teams (varsity field hockey and soccer); Squash team placed 1st in the country at the Interscholastic National Championships
• 10 seniors continuing on and committed to play sports at the collegiate level

WASHINGTON, D.C.—When Vatican communication leaders met virtually with U.S. and Canadian Catholic journalists and communication leaders June 30, they urged the group to keep up their work, think of new ways to have a broader reach and not get weighed down by society’s current polarization.

“We have something to bring” to the modern world “and a huge amount to learn” from it, said Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary general of the Pontifical Council for Culture. The bishop, who has addressed this group in person at previous events, is a past secretary of the former Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

He was joined in the virtual panel by Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, and Natasa Govekar, director of the dicastery’s theological-pastoral section, which coordinates Pope Francis’ Instagram page.

The Vatican officials had a simple message, urging the group above all to really engage with readers, viewers and social media followers.

Ruffini stressed that communication is about relationships, which the other panelists also echoed. Govekar emphasized that a key part of communication is not just getting the word out but listening.

The panel addressed the opening session of the Catholic Media Conference via a Zoom call, replacing the session that would have kicked off the gathering this year in Portland, Oregon, which was canceled due to the coronavirus. Some workshops and other parts of the annual conference were available to participants in an online format.

The group of journalists and communication leaders asked some poignant questions in the chat section that were conveyed to the panelists such as: How would they advise diocesan leaders during a time of budget cuts related to COVID-19 not to do away with Catholic media, and what words of encouragement could they offer to this group during a time of increased polarization?

In response to the question about keeping diocesan communications going, Tighe said: “No diocese should not be active in communication.”

“If we have faith, we will find the resources,” he added.

Answering the polarization question, panelists advised the group to pray, spread love, not hate, and be sure to keep a sense of humor.

Ruffini said communicators need to learn how to dialogue and listen to those inside and outside the church without looking at others as the enemy. He stressed that the job of communicators is to unify, saying: “That is what we have to do.”

To do this well is not without risk, warned Tighe, who urged the group not to be frightened by modern culture but to get out there and engage with it. “Listen and respond,” he said almost in pep-talk fashion.

And when it comes to the ever-pervasive social media, the bishop advised the communicators to participate, but not to let it become who they are, always keeping the priority of sharing the good news as a barometer in their role as Catholic communicators.

These same themes came across in a message to the group from Pope Francis, read by J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor of America magazine and CPA president, at the start of the conference’s opening session.

“Catholic media outlets in the United States are called to break down barriers that prevent dialogue and honest communication between people and communities,” the pope said. He also urged the group to serve as an inspiration of the ideal of unity amid diversity “in an age marked by conflicts and polarization from which the Catholic community itself is not immune.”

“We cannot truly communicate unless we become personally involved, unless we can personally attest to the truth of the message we convey,” the pope told them.

Carol Zimmermann  I  Catholic News Service

BRIDGEPORT— Looking for a book to take to the beach or enjoy during some downtime? This summer, The Leadership Institute has come out with a fun way to interact with its summer reading list.

First, visit formationreimagined.org and read through the whole list. Then, using the thumbs up or down, choose where you would place a particular entry (one is at the top or your list, ten is at the end of your list).

Click “View Reader’s Choice” to see how many people agree with you. Then get reading!

The list offers a ride-range of reading for a variety of ages and interests.

Choices include A Man for all Seasons, An Introduction to the Devout Life, Forming Intentional Disciples, In Defense of Sanity, Memorize the Mass, Mere Christianity, Socrates Meets Jesus, Story of A Soul, White Rage, and Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

(Visit formationreimagined.org for the full list and make your selection!)

BRIDGEPORT—On Independence Day weekend, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano delivered a homily on the theme of accompaniment and the need to walk with others who are struggling or burdened.
In his weekly online Mass (for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time) celebrated in the Catholic Center chapel, the bishop reflected on the Gospel of Matthew (11: 25-30), “28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…”

Noting that Pope Francis has consistently spoken of accompaniment, the bishop said, “When we walk with our neighbor, we are fulfilling the Lord’s commandment and making the yoke easy, the burden light for someone who walks with us.”

The bishop began his homily by recalling the Spring of 1966, when he was seven years old and accompanied his parents back to Italy for his Uncle’s wedding.

He said he remembered two things about the trip; the heavenly wedding feast which had three pasta courses, and the old farmer plowing his field with a single ox, though the yoke was designed for two.

“The farmer was walking side by side with the ox before he began to plant. It struck me as odd until I grew older and realized the great symbol and meaning,” said the Bishop, referring to the gospel passage.

“The yoke was designed to hold two side by side. If Jesus invites you and I to carry his yoke, he will be near to us every step of the way to share the burden, pain and suffering, and also when the going is easy and we walk in delight and joy.”

Referring to the writing of St. Teresa of Avila, the bishop said that believers are the hands, voices eyes and ears of God in the world since the Ascension and must walk alongside of each other.

He said it can be difficult to accompany those we love and are closest to, when they are unwilling to change, “and our attempts to share their yoke are received with deafening silence,” he said.

Parents often desperately try to reach their teenage children who resist all attempts, and many people helplessly watch family and friends slipping away in self-destructive lifestyles.

“It not easy to accompany someone who doesn’t see the need,” he said, but he urged people not to give up, and to persevere in walking with those who share our lives or are entrusted to our care.

“Perhaps with God’s grace they will ask us to stand with them, share the yoke and accompany them in the ups and downs in life,” he said.

He also challenged listeners to “share the yoke” of those who have betrayed and wounded them.

“So I ask you can you share the yoke of the person at the bottom of your list, who you and I would least like to accompany, can we summon the courage to reach out and make the offer?”

“We may discover God has many surprises for you and me, and that the yoke may be easier than we imagined because we went where no one else dared to go.”

The bishop concluded by saying that years later when his sister returned to Italy for her own wedding, the oxen were gone, replaced by tractors, and that the village had changed.

“But the yoke remains– what Christ asks us to share with our neighbor. Who among us will put our hand to the plow?”

In brief words before the end of Mass, the bishop wished all a happy and healthy Independence Day weekend. He thanked them for joining the Mass and for also praying the rosary online on Sundays and during the week.

To join in the Bishop’s Sunday Mass, live-streamed weekly, click this link or visit the YouTube Mass Playlist.

(To volunteer to lead or to find the link to join, please visit https://formationreimagined.org/summer-sunday-rosary/. No computer? No problem. If you do not have access to a computer but still wish to join, please call 301-715-8592, 845-737-3993, or 312-626-6799, and enter this ID number when prompted: 853 2949 3207 If you call in a few minutes early, you should hear some music until we begin.)

WASHINGTON – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in the case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which challenged a decision by the Montana Supreme Court to invalidate a tax credit scholarship program because families benefiting include those who choose to send their children to religiously-affiliated schools, a violation of the Montana state constitution’s “Blaine Amendment” of 1889 against aid to religious schools. By vote of 5-4, the Court ruled in favor of the petitioners.

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J. of Oakland, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Catholic Education, have issued a statement:

“The Court has rightly ruled that the U.S. Constitution does not permit states to discriminate against religion. This decision means that religious persons and organizations can, like everyone else, participate in government programs that are open to all. This is good news, not only for people of faith, but for our country. A strong civil society needs the full participation of religious institutions. By ensuring the rights of faith-based organizations’ freedom to serve, the Court is also promoting the common good.

“The Court has also dealt a blow to the odious legacy of anti-Catholicism in America. Blaine Amendments, which are in 37 states’ constitutions, were the product of nativism and bigotry. They were never meant to ensure government neutrality towards religion, but were expressions of hostility toward the Catholic Church. We are grateful that the Supreme Court has taken an important step that will help bring an end to this shameful legacy.”

The USCCB filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the petitioners, which can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/amicus-briefs/upload/Laycock-Berg-CLS-Amicus-Brief.pdf

From usccb.org

“On this Independence Day, we celebrate the great freedoms that form our nation. We give thanks to the countless men and women who sacrificed so much to allow our nation the protection it needed and still requires to maintain the ideals of our founding fathers and to move forward into the future with confidence.” – Bishop Frank J. Caggiano

Wishing a happy, healthy and safe 4th of July to all!

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations has shared the results of the annual survey on the permanent diaconate. A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate: A Study for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2019-2020, was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and provides an illustration of the state of the permanent diaconate in the United States, including the number of those ordained and retired in the past year, percentages of those involved in various Church ministries, and other demographic information.

Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations expressed his gratitude for the ministry of permanent deacons in the Church. “Permanent deacons provide an invaluable service to the universal Church. Through their leadership in parish and pastoral ministry, proclamation and preaching of the Gospel, and involvement in corporal and spiritual works of mercy, deacons imitate Christ the Servant by bringing the presence of Jesus to those who are often the most vulnerable in our society.”

With contact information provided by the National Association of Diaconate Directors and CARA’s Catholic Ministry Formation database, CARA contacted the 187 dioceses and eparchies in the United States with an active Office of the Permanent Diaconate. Of this total, 129 responded to the survey for an overall response rate of 69%. Of that total, 71% of responses were from Latin Catholic dioceses and 36% were from Eastern Catholic eparchies. Some of the major findings of the report based on the responding dioceses and eparchies are:

• The dioceses with the largest number of permanent deacons: Chicago (764), Galveston-Houston (478), and New York (355). Adjusting for Catholic population size, Latin Rite dioceses with the lowest ratio of Catholic per permanent deacon include: Lexington (481 Catholics to every deacon), Bismarck (690 Catholics per deacon), Rapid City (704 Catholics per deacon), Duluth (708 Catholics per deacon), and Jefferson City (733 Catholics per deacon).
• The 123 Latin Rite dioceses that responded to the survey report a total of 13,810 permanent deacons, both active and non-active. The four eparchies that responded reported a total of 57 permanent deacons. Extrapolating to include the dioceses and eparchies that did not respond to the survey, it can be estimated that there are as many as 19,833 permanent deacons in the United States today.
• Latin Rite dioceses report having 9,935 permanent deacons active in ministry. The four eparchies report 50 active permanent deacons. Extrapolating to include dioceses and eparchies that did not respond to the survey, it can be estimated that there are 14,287 deacons active in ministry in the United States today, or about 72% of all permanent deacons.
• During the 2019 calendar year, 383 new permanent deacons were ordained. At the same time, 334 deacons retired from active ministry and another 289 deacons died. As is the case with priests in the United States, there are not enough new permanent deacons being ordained to make up for the numbers who are retiring from active ministry or dying each year.
• Ninety-five percent of active permanent deacons are at least 50 years old. About a fifth (20%) are in their 50s, four in ten (41%) are in their 60s, and two-fifths (41%) are 70 or older.
• Three-quarters of active deacons (76%) are non-Hispanic whites. Seventeen percent are Hispanic or Latino. Three percent are African American and 4% are Asian or Pacific Islander.
• Among permanent deacons who are financially compensated for ministry:
   
  • 26% are serving in a “parish ministerial position” other than in pastoral care of a parish (Canon 517.2), such as religious education or youth ministry.
  • One in eight are entrusted with the pastoral care of one or more parishes (Canon 3 517§2) (13%) or work in parish non-ministerial positions such as administration, business, or finance (12%).
  • One in nine works in prison ministry (11%), in a diocesan non-ministerial position (e.g., administration, business, finance) (11%), and in diocesan ministerial position (e.g., religious education, youth ministry) (9%).
  • Fewer work in hospital ministry (8%), parochial education (e.g., school teacher, educational administration) (7%), and works in ministry in a social services agency (e.g., Catholic Charities) (4%).

The entire CARA report can be accessed at: http://usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/diaconate/upload/Diaconate-Post-Ordination-Report-2019-2020.pdf

Published originally usccb.org

TRUMBULL—When Anna Bendiksen was a teenager growing up in Rochester, her dream was to be an opera singer, so she began formal voice training, along with her studies in Russian. As she tells the story, her voice instructor discreetly suggested she stick with Russian.

She did and eventually earned degrees from Bryn Mawr College and Yale University in Slavic languages and literature. “God had another plan,” she says. And while his plan may not have included a career in opera, it did include music … music that would give him glory.

Anna, who grew up singing and playing the piano, is a writer, poet, and author of hymn texts. A convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism, she is a member of the Parish of St. Catherine of Siena in Trumbull. Since she was received into full communion with the Catholic Church at the 2019 Easter Vigil, she has written several dozen hymns set to traditional melodies. One of her most recent is titled “We Stand With Christ,” in recognition of the Diocese of Bridgeport’s capital campaign.

“I was just taken with the phrase, ‘We stand with Christ,’ and it sounded to me like the title of a song,” she said. “Then, it occurred to me that it would fit a tune in the public domain, the old Welsh tune ‘Ar Hyd y Nos,’ or ‘All Through the Night.’ So I sat down and wrote it. Thank goodness for music writing software.” She later gave the hymn to We Stand With Christ campaign of the diocese.

“We are incredibly grateful to Anna for offering her hymn and reflection about our campaign. It highlights our central theme of standing with our neighbors,” Robert O’Brien, capital campaign director said. “We Stand With Christ is more than just a capital campaign. It’s been an opportunity to personally reflect on our roles as the hands and feet of Christ in our communities.”

Patricia Hansen, director of development operations, said, “We are encouraging parishes still running the campaign to play Anna’s hymn at Mass or at any future campaign receptions.”

[To hear Anna Bendiksen singing “We Stand With Christ,” click here]

Anna’s creativity blossomed when she entered the RCIA program. “I think what happened is that as a musician and Anglican, I needed to make sense of my experience coming into the Catholic Church,” she said. “The music at St. Catherine’s is lovely, and I wanted to add my own voice to the world of Catholic music.”

In a short time, she has achieved that goal. A member of the parish choir, she has written several hymns that she shared with Dr. William H. Atwood, Director of Music and Coordinator of Liturgical Ministries, and they have been used during church worship. The sung prayer, “Hear, Holy Mother,” set to the tune of “Christe Sanctorum,” asks for Our Lady’s intercession in ending the coronavirus pandemic. She is especially appreciative to Dr. Atwood and pastor, Fr. Joseph Marcello, for their support.

Since she began writing texts for hymns, she has compiled a notebook of more than two dozen compositions. The beauty of the faith has been a catalyst for her creative work, and she hopes her compositions express the joy she feels.

“To me, it is all about joy,” she said. “We are an Easter people and our song is ‘Alleluia.’ But we are also a Christmas people and our song is ‘Peace on Earth, good will to all.’ I want to bring Christmas to the lives of other people, and peace is not really peace if it is not combined with God’s justice.”

She doesn’t write the music to her compositions because by her own admission, “I am a horrible composer.” Instead, she borrows music from traditional sources, which she finds in her collection of hymnals.

“With certain hymns I loved, it seemed the music was happier than the words or vice versa,” she said. “They seemed mismatched, so I would write lyrics that fit them better. For example, ‘Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow’ sounded more like a Christmas carol when I sang it, so I wrote lyrics for it as a Christmas carol and gave it to my goddaughter as a present one year.”

She believes the skill of writing hymns can be taught and has offered to conduct a workshop for diocesan groups or people interested in learning the basic principles of the art.

Anna, who lives in Fairfield with her husband Aage and son Johan, recently submitted her hymn, “O, Queen of Sorrows, Weeping Rose,” to a music publisher. The piece, she says, “is about Our Lady’s sorrows, about where we are and where we should be.”

A published poet, Anna has also written humorous and satirical songs based on well-known melodies. Her son Johan plays trombone in the Norwalk Youth Symphony Brass Ensemble and when she offered to write a funny song for the group, he suggested using the melody of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Later, at a holiday party for the ensemble, she performed her rendition of the “Battle Hymn of the Norwalk Youth Symphony Brass Ensemble.”

In the folder that contains her hymns, Anna keeps a copy of a 1999 “Letter to Artists” by St. John Paul II, which has inspired her writing. It says in part: “In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art. Art must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God. It must therefore translate into meaningful terms that which is in itself ineffable.”

Nestled among her creations, she also keeps “The Prayer of a Christian Writer,” which she wrote, and before starting a new project, she always remembers to pray it:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Incarnate Word,
I do not ask for influence, riches or fame.
I ask to be a vessel of Your grace,
to love as Your Sacred Heart loves,
and to be known by You, my truest friend.
Help me to proclaim Your truth courageously,
Your goodness kindly,
and Your beauty selflessly,
that bearing with cheer the taunts of the world,
I might serve as witness
to Your life, death and resurrection.
Amen”

And what about Anna’s first love of opera? Even though she may not be singing in the Metropolitan Opera production of “Don Giovanni,” she is diligently at work on a Christmas libretto for the holiday season.