WILTON—On Friday evening, June 12, 2020, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy held commencement exercises for its graduating eighth-grade class. Featured commencement speakers were Clara and Gerry Davis, parents of a graduating student and Stanley Steele, school principal. The event included a Mass celebrated in the church parking lot and homily offered by Our Lady of Fatima Church pastor, Father Reginald Norman.
OLFCA proudly announces the members of the Class of 2020: Veronica Bosco, Connor Bowron, Lauren Davis, Rico de Guzman, Mary Kate Doyle, Allison Edouard, Ava Fleming, Michael Meenan, Sofia Pace, Fabrizio Perez, Ava Robinson, James Scimeca, Chelsea St. Cloud, Rick Wang and Alex Wong.
During the celebration, annual scholarships and awards were presented as follows:
Eugene Rooney Award: Chelsea St. Cloud
School Board Scholarship Awards: Sofia Pace and Lauren Davis
Speer Performing Arts Award: Chelsea St. Cloud
The Phillip Lauria Jr. Memorial Award: Alex Wong
The graduates will attend the following high schools in the fall (listed alphabetically): Fairfield College Preparatory School, Immaculate High School-Danbury, Lauralton Hall-Milford, New Canaan High School, Norwalk High School, Notre Dame High School-Fairfield, Saint Joseph High School-Trumbull and Wilton High School.
Signs highlighting each graduating student have been placed in front of the school along Danbury Road.
The school is also celebrating the successful completion of a recent fundraising initiative to make up for a COVID-19-related budget shortfall. Members of the OLFCA community created a poignant video thanking their many supporters; the vide can be seen on the school’s website www.olfacademy.org or on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVXNxofOLpM&feature=youtu.be.
After achieving a balanced budget for 2020-2021, the school has now shifted to expanding enrollment, which has been hindered by the pandemic.
Principal Stanley Steel reported multiple new enrollments just in the last several days, with room for 28 new students to enroll for the fall while remaining COVID-compliant.
School officials recently announced their plans for the return-to-school in the fall, with a COVID-compliant, full-time, five-day, in-person school week. Principal Steele said, “Our school is well positioned for these unusual times. We offer a “Personalized Approach to Learning” with small classrooms and instruction based on individual student needs.”
He added, “We are small enough to be flexible, whether that is on a distance platform or in person.”
Photo caption: Pictured with graduates are Geri Galasso, Middle School Mathematics Teacher (far left); Reverend Reginald Norman, Our Lady of Fatima Church Pastor (center front) and Stanley Steele, Principal (center back).
Photo used with permission: Hector Panchas Photography
About Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy is co-educational, National Blue Ribbon School offering a Pre-Kindergarten 3 through Grade 8 education model. The Academy’s Personalized Approach to Learning blends classroom and small group instruction with technology to provide learning that is fluid and flexible based on the ability of the student. Multi-age, child-centered classrooms offer continuous learning. OLFCA’s faith-based environment nurtures the whole child and emphasizes strong moral values and respect for self and others.
Registration for 2020-2021 is ongoing. Virtual tours and other information are available on the school’s website, www.olfacademy.org. The Academy is located at 225 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897. For more information, contact Principal Stanley Steele at ssteele@olfcatholic.org.
GEORGETOWN—We Stand With Christ is making much needed parish projects possible, and for Father David Leopold, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Georgetown, that means a new roof. Not one but three.
Worshipping in a church that is almost 140 years old certainly has its historic appeal, but it also presents challenges when it comes to maintenance.
“Our focus was mainly on one critical need that we had for at least a year at Sacred Heart,” said Father Leopold. “The shingles on the roof of the church building were starting to deteriorate, and we had to do something.”
Water was leaking into the hallway that led downstairs, where there are offices, and Father feared that if the problem was left untreated, the interior walls of the church would be damaged. When roofers came to look at the job, they discovered there were already four layers of shingles on the roof, which had to be removed.
The work on the church and two other buildings—the parish hall and religious education center along with a garage—was completed last November over the Thanksgiving weekend. During that time, Masses were held in the hall.
Father Leopold is especially grateful to his parishioners for their pledges to the We Stand With Christ campaign, which made the work possible. “I really appreciated what they did,” he said. “I know that everybody has his or her financial strains, and I was very thankful for their participation.”
“It is kind of a mundane project, but a critical project for us because you don’t want to have a roof leaking, and the proceeds we received from We Stand With Christ enabled us to do the job before it got worse,” he said. “Now, it looks perfect.”
St. Timothy Chapel in Greenwich celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, and throughout its history, it has been a favorite place to worship for people in northern Greenwich and visitors who come across the border from New York State. Part of the St. Michael the Archangel Parish, it was recently renovated with funds made possible through We Stand With Christ.
Father Ian Jeremiah, pastor, said the parish’s main concern was ensuring that the chapel was handicapped accessible because there are many elderly parishioners who need assistance.
“Instead of building a long ramp, we raised the gradient of the ground to make it incline into the church entrance,” Father Jeremiah said. In addition, they created a new gathering space outside that was farther away from the traffic. They also built a handicapped bathroom and installed new flooring and applied a fresh coat of paint and did some landscaping this spring. Now, the parish is looking forward to the day when restrictions on public gatherings are lifted, and Bishop Frank J. Caggiano can come to rededicate the chapel.
In addition to the chapel project, a major renovation of St. Michael the Archangel in Greenwich began two weeks earlier than scheduled once public Masses were suspended. The project is expected to take nine months to complete, and parishioners are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in the renovated church. During the construction period, when public Masses resume, the parish will worship in the cafeteria of Greenwich Catholic School.
“We want to recapture space in the church,” Father Jeremiah said. “We need a lot more gathering space so the vestibule will be extended.” In addition, there will be more conference rooms for church ministries and renovations to Guinan Hall, new pews and flooring, along with a new HVac system, a new driveway and more garden space around the church.
The additional space for meeting rooms is needed because of the new young families joining the parish and a parish effort to revitalize the youth ministries.
“Even amidst these challenging times, good things are happening,” Father Jeremiah told his parishioners in an update on the project. “Please pray for the success of our rebuilding and the safety of everyone involved in the construction.”
St. Michael surpassed its goal in the capital campaign, and Father praised his parishioners for their generosity. “I was gratefully and pleasantly surprised,” he said. “We have generous parishioners, so I thank our good Lord and the bishop for his guidance.”
By Joe Pisani
RIDGEFIELD—Recently, Lukas Dapkus, a young adult parishioner of St. Mary’s in Ridgefield was inspired to collect much-needed items for those who depend on the Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury.
In addition to feeding the hungry, hospitality shelters such as Dorothy Day House provide personal hygiene supplies to those in need. Following the Coronavirus outbreak, the Dorothy Day House was forced to close and the nearly 100 people per day that depend on the Dorothy Day House experienced shortages of hygiene supplies.
On Saturday, June 27, Lukas and St. Mary’s in Ridgefield held a donation drop-off to collect much needed items to benefit the Dorothy Day Hospitality House.
From 10 am to noon, cars came through the St. Mary School parking lot with donations such as travel size shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and soap, disposable toothbrushes and razors.
The donation drive was a great success!
The Dorothy Day Hospitality House has been feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless in the Danbury CT area since 1982 and is based on the Houses of Hospitality founded by Dorothy Day during the Great Depression. Dorothy Day Hospitality House serves 60-80 hot meals each afternoon and provides shelter to 16 people each night. The house is located on 11 Spring Street in Danbury.
(For more information visit: dorothydaydanbury.org.)
WHAT: Sacred Heart University’s College of Arts & Sciences, department of Catholic studies and Center for Catholic Studies present “Heart Challenges Hate – A Discussion Series: Wrestling with the Legacy of America’s ‘Original Sin.’” For this discussion, viewers are asked to watch the documentary “13th.” Written and directed by Ava DuVernay, watch her full-scale exploration of the history of racial inequality and mass incarceration in the United States, and how African-Americans went “from slave to criminal in one amendment.” Stream the full-length feature free on YouTube and tune in for the discussion on Wednesday, July 1.
WHO:
Moderator:
Michelle Loris—Associate dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, chair of the Catholic studies department
Featured panelists:
Bill Harris, Director of SHU Community Theatre
Julie Lawrence, Executive director for Diversity and Inclusion
Sally Ross, Associate professor, School of Communication, Media & the Arts
William Yousman, Associate professor, School of Communication, Media & the Arts
SPONSOR: Sacred Heart University’s College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Catholic Studies, Center for Catholic Studies
PRESS: Media coverage is welcomed. Please contact Deb Noack at 203-396-8483 or noackd@sacredheart.edu for further information.
About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland and offers online programs. More than 9,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 385 Colleges–2020 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 252 Business Schools–2019 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliated radio station, WSHU, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theater. www.sacredheart.edu
DANBURY—Immaculate High School announced that Denise Suarez of Bethel and Jeannie Demko of Danbury will assume new leadership roles at the Catholic college-preparatory school beginning July 1, 2020.
Denise Suarez has been appointed to be the Director of Admissions. Suarez is a 1987 graduate of Immaculate, and has served as the Director of Alumni Relations since 2013. In that position she developed and continuously expanded Immaculate’s alumni program to reach and engage its ever growing base of over 7,000 alumni, including members of her own family.
“After thoroughly enjoying my work with our incredible alumni community over the last seven years, I look forward to serving my alma mater in this new role. I am excited to build upon the great work of our Admissions department as I look to welcome the next generation of Immaculate students as Director of Admissions,” she said. “I can say without hesitation that the academic continuity, development of compassionate leaders and vibrancy of the Immaculate community have remained steadfast during these challenging times. There has never been a better time to consider Immaculate and I look forward to sharing the mission, values and outcomes of an Immaculate education with prospective families,” Suarez added.
Jeannie Demko will serve as the school’s Director of Alumni Relations. A 1988 graduate of Immaculate High School, Demko returned to Immaculate as Event Coordinator in 2018. In that role she helped plan, organize and run special events including the annual Golf Outing, Spring Gala and Scholarship Breakfast.
“Working at Immaculate for the past two years has been an absolute joy. In my new role as Director of Alumni Relations, I will have the privilege and honor to work directly with our amazing network of alumni. Thanks to the leadership of Denise Suarez, our efforts in this area have never been stronger,” Demko said. “I am inspired and energized to continue creating pathways for alumni participation that advance the goals of IHS. As an alumna, parent of an alumnus and current parent I am passionate about the mission of Immaculate and have seen firsthand how alumni relations help benefit our students and contribute to their growth,” she noted.
Immaculate High School is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York. Founded in 1962, Immaculate High School also allows students to focus on academic excellence, spiritual development, service to others and personal goals. Located in Danbury, CT, Immaculate High School is part of the Diocese of Bridgeport’s school system.
BRIDGEPORT— Discipleship and following in the footsteps of the Lord require a deep sense of gratitude for our blessings and also a willingness to give them all away, said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano in his homily for Mass on the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Practicing spiritual detachment is one of the most difficult things in life, but it frees us to truly love others, he said in his weekly online Mass from the Catholic Center chapel.
After reading the Gospel of Matthew, (10: 37-42), 39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” the bishop offered a personal and poetic reflection on spiritual detachment.
He said one of the most profound experiences he had while serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn was participating a spiritual exercise known as the “Five Suitcases,” in which a person is challenged to place all of his or her blessings in five suitcases and then unpack them one by one in an effort to detach themselves from the things of the world.
The bishop noted that in the gospel, Jesus challenges his listeners to be prepared to let go of all they love, “even the most basic, natural relationships with mothers and fathers.”
“There is much we all cling to, but Jesus becomes even more blunt that we must be prepared to give up everything even our own desire for self-preservation so that we can walk with Him.”
“Discipleship is about becoming detached from that which is around us so that we become more attached to the Lord,” he said.
Two qualities are necessary to fully follow in the footsteps of the Lord, “a deep sense of gratitude in the recognition of our many blessings and the willingness to give them away,” he said.
“Gratitude is fundamental to our lives. That is what we do here on the altar in the Holy sacrifice of the Mass—we give thanks” he said.
“On Calvary, Christ extended his hands to embrace us and let go of everything else except love of the Father, and he is our savior and redeemer,” he said, adding that the deeper reason for detachment is to learn that “Love is self-giving,” opening our clenched hands to give ourselves to others.
“He has taught us what it is to love and not cling to anything, and in his graciousness, he gives it all back to us but in its proper places so that it doesn’t command all of our attention, and we are ready to give it away if love demands it.”
As we are emptied of ourselves in following Christ, we are also “Filled with gift of Holy Spirit, so that we can love world, our neighbor, our enemy and all we meet in the mind and heart of Christ,” he said.
The bishop concluded by suggesting that those who watched the Mass begin their own spiritual exercise of sitting and listing all of the many blessings in their lives, and “thanking God for every line on your list. ”
“Thank God for all the ways he has helped us, picked us up, forgiven us, shaken the dust off us, embraced us, and walked with us to the next day, the next chapter in the newness of life.”
In brief comments after the final blessing, the bishop said there was much good news this weekend as all parishes throughout the diocese have resumed Mass inside Church, and he invited people to return as soon as possible to receive the Eucharist in person. He also asked prayers for all who are ill and that the virus will “leave our midst so that we may return to the worship we desire and the community we form together.”
When he was a freshman at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Thom Field had a feeling one afternoon that he was being “called,” being called to the ministry and not to a career in engineering.
He came from a devout Protestant family in Greenwich and had a strong education in the faith. His Sunday school teacher at Second Congregational Church was Claude Kirchner, a celebrity of children’s TV in the 1950s, and as a teenager his youth minister at the First Presbyterian Church was Bud Collyer, host of “Beat the Clock” and “To Tell the Truth.”
“They were both devout men,” Thom recalls. “Collyer was able to go beyond the religious and could understand teenagers’ lives and advise us on important things.”
Although there were many spiritual influences in his life, the one that stands out the most was his high school classmate Anita Caporale, the woman he later married who led him to the Catholic faith.
Today, Thom Field is an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Weston and president of the Serra Club of Bridgeport, a group committed to supporting seminarians and encouraging vocations to the religious life.
“During my upbringing, I was truly a Christian, but I didn’t have a lot of exposure to other faiths,” he recalled. “A couple of my classmates were Jewish, but I didn’t understand faiths outside of Christianity. When I got to college, I had the feeling that someone was calling to me, and I started to entertain the idea of becoming a Protestant minister and struggled with that for the better part of my freshman year.”
He walked the path to the Church many years, and throughout that time, he had Anita as an example of what it means to be a Catholic committed to Christ. They first met in the choir during sophomore year and had math and science classes together.
“We never dated in high school although we knew each other from the chorus,” Thom said. “I always thought she was beautiful, but I was pretty shy and never asked her out.”“I thought he was a terrific person and a good guy,” Anita recalled. “I sat in the first row, and Thom would walk in every day and say, ‘Hi, beautiful!’”
However, when she invited him to her 16th birthday party in her senior year, he spent the entire evening talking with another girl. Then, Thom went off to Rensselaer, and Anita went to the University of Connecticut, where she majored in chemistry and French with a pre-med focus. Later, she switched to physical medicine.
In 1967, they reconnected and Anita began writing to Thom after he joined the Navy.
At the Naval electronic school, he graduated first in the class and was recognized for heroism in 1970 while he was with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. He served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal as part of an anti-submarine helicopter squadron that rescued a man who had fallen overboard. Along with his other crew members, he received the Sikorsky ‘S’ pin, which was pinned on them by Igor Sikorsky himself.
“We continued to date and then fell in love,” Anita recalled. “I was so sure this was it. We loved each other, but he was leaving for an eight-month tour.”
During that time, Anita planned their wedding, and Thom bought a ring to surprise her. When he returned in July 1970, her parents set up a Christmas tree to observe Christmas in July. Among her gifts was a pair of shoes. She reached into a shoe that didn’t fit and pulled out the ring. They were married October 17, 1970 at St. Roch Church in Greenwich.
“I think the most important thing for us is that we never felt coming into marriage from different religions was a stumbling block,” Anita said. “The unifying force was we both believed in Christ. Christ was a great unifying force. His father was a very devout Presbyterian, and his mother and aunt would even come to the Catholic church with us.”
“I had no problem with that because I was learning more and more about the Catholic faith, and I came to the realization that I was becoming more faithful than I was as a Protestant,” Thom said. “I learned about the Sacraments and the saints, and it was a deeper faith than I had…but I didn’t convert.” And Anita never pressured him.
In June 1971, his tour ended, and in March of the next year, they moved to Connecticut, where their son Christopher was born. Thom began studying accounting at the University of Bridgeport and he was hired by Price Waterhouse even before graduation.
The job took them to Paris for several years. Then, they moved back to the United States and settled in Weston. They began attending St. Francis of Assisi Parish. Although Thom was a regular fixture in church, he never converted to Catholicism.
One day in 1994, he was asked to become an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.
“By that time, I had been going to Mass with Anita for over 20 years and people presumed I was Catholic,” he said.
He looked at Anita and asked, “What am I going to do? I’m not Catholic.”
“Thom, you’re on your own on this one,” she told him.
That evening he joined the RCIA program. Today, after 25 years as a Catholic, he is forever grateful to Ralph Palumbo for pushing him in that direction by asking him to be an extraordinary minister.
At the Easter Vigil Mass in 1995, he received the Eucharist and Confirmation and was accepted into the Catholic Church. It was one of most memorable occasions in his life.
“I was nervous,” he recalled. “Everybody was surprised and smiling. Once the ceremony was over, Monsignor Grieco asked everyone to applaud.”
He assumed many responsibilities in the parish, and several years ago, he and Anita, who are both members of Serra, began teaching RCIA classes. As a project for the parish, they also create calendars for Advent and Lent, which have daily scriptural readings.
Anita, who after a career in physical therapy went on to study to become a gerontologist, has been a lay Franciscan for 20 years and belongs to the St. Mary of the Angels fraternity that meets at the Convent of Sr. Birgitta in Darien on the fourth Sunday of every month.
Looking back on his faith journey, Thom says, “Anita inspired me. She never applied pressure. We raised our children in the Catholic faith, and her dedication to that faith truly encouraged me to continue to attend Mass and become part of the Church. If I had been married to a less faithful Catholic woman, I might never have converted.”
The appreciation is reciprocal. Anita says, “He is such an amazing Christian.” She tells the story of when she was at a low point in her faith and considered leaving the Church. “My faith was at an ebb, but he would not let me deny the Church and he brought me along.”
Their journey together has not been without tragedy. Two years ago, their daughter, Amanda, died of a heart disorder at 41, leaving behind her husband Heath and 6-year-old son Gunner.
Amanda was always a joyful and upbeat person, Anita said. When she lived in New Jersey, Amanda had a clown ministry and was known as “Sunshine.”
On Mother’s Day 2018, she gave Anita a plaque that said, “With God all things are possible,” and Anita gave her a mother’s locket.
“I always wanted one of these,” she told her mother, adding, “Mom, if anything ever happens to me, please make sure Gunner gets everything I want for him.” Anita promised her they would do that. Two weeks later, she passed away.
And they kept that promise. Today, their young grandson lives with Thom and Anita and goes to church with them every Sunday.
By Joe Pisani
WASHINGTON—The Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization has released a new Directory for Catechesis.
As the Preface explains, “The criterion that prompted the reflection on and production of this Directory finds its basis in the words of Pope Francis: ‘we have rediscovered the fundamental role of the first announcement or kerygma, which needs to be the center of all evangelizing activity and all efforts at Church renewal…. All Christian formation consists of entering more deeply into the kerygma, which is reflected in and constantly illumines, the work of catechesis, thereby enabling us to understand more fully the significance of every subject which the latter treats. It is the message capable of responding to the desire for the infinite which abides in every human heart’.”
Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, welcomed the new text: “We are excited to have a fresh and focused tool to enhance our evangelization efforts in catechesis. The new Directory highlights the centrality of the Church’s mission of bringing the world to an authentic encounter with Christ, an encounter that inspires and propels people as witnesses for the faith. In an age marked by tremendous social and cultural challenges, as well as ever-expanding digital tools which have often left the field of catechesis behind, the timing of this updated resource is providential.”
The Second Vatican Council originally inspired a Directory for Catechesis to ensure that the Church’s catechetical efforts might be vibrant, informed, faithful, and attuned to the needs of the times. First released in 1971 and then updated in 1997, this latest edition considers both the opportunities and the challenges which the Church faces in an ever more global and secular society. The new Directory builds upon the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the ongoing work of the new evangelization—particularly as called for in Pope Francis’ 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium . . . (The Joy of the Gospel). With a vision that brings the content of these beautiful resources alive in the context of contemporary society, the Directory invites the Christian faithful to be courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ in the family, in the workplace, and in the wider community.
Bishop Barron observed that, “The Directory’s call for a ‘kerygmatic catechesis’ affirms the Conference’s recent focus on the importance of living as missionary disciples. The authentic proclamation of the Gospel leads to the conversion of hearts and minds, which cannot help but manifest that ‘missionary impulse capable of transforming everything’ with the healing power of the Holy Spirit (EG 27).”
BRIDGEPORT—The seed of Tim Bolton’s vocation was planted shortly after his daughter Kaitlin was born with a chromosomal abnormality in 1993. “My youngest daughter taught me,” he says.
At the time, he and his wife Mary Ellen were members of St. James Church in Stratford, where they were embraced by the faith community, who brought them meals, prayed rosaries and held a benefit for them when the insurance company refused to pay for Kaitlin’s final surgery.
“It was an unbelievable gathering of people, prayer, love and faith,” he recalls. “I really saw what a Christian community is like. My vocation to the permanent diaconate was born that day and evolved over the next ten years. And Fr. Tom Lynch cultivated that call.”
Today, Deacon Tim Bolton, who left his family business after the Recession, extends that same compassion, care, prayer and presence to others in his assignment at Hartford HealthCare, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, where he is Manager of the Pastoral Care Department.
“A hospital is a container for everything from the beginning of life to the end of life and everything in between that is imaginable or unimaginable,” he says. “It is an amazing environment to be part of and see people offering themselves in the service of others. As a chaplain, you get to observe everything through the lens of faith. We see more than other clinical disciplines do because we participate across the spectrum. We see patients receiving a diagnosis, going through treatments, at the start of life and at the end of life with prayers of commendation at their bedside.”
Very often, he says, family members see themselves at the foot of the cross, like the Blessed Mother and St. John, with no power to influence the outcome. They are present to their loved one and recognize, some for the first time, the possibility of the Resurrection.
“We have this opportunity to be with families and frame for them through the lens of faith their part in the Passion and see their loved one as a unique reflection of the image of Christ, a reflection of the image the world has never seen before,” he said.
When Deacon Bolton was ordained in 2006, he was originally assigned to St. James Church but was later given permission to do his ministry full-time at St. Vincent’s, where he began working in 2011.
The challenges his family has confronted helped him understand God’s plan and recognize the needs of others facing a medical crisis.
“It is really the grace of God,” he said. “We have lived through a lot and also experienced great love, unlike any family has ever experienced from the community.”
Mary Ellen, who is principal at Jane Ryan School in Trumbull, has gone through three bouts of cancer over the past 20 years.
“I saw the need for people to have someone to talk to while she was in the hospital,” he recalled. “And I learned about the clinical surrounding when Kaitlin went for treatment….I know what it is like in the newborn intensive care when a doctor says to a family, ‘We need to do an MRI on the baby’s brain lesions.’ I know what it is like, and I can be in that place with them.”
Deacon Bolton calls himself “a trench guy” and says a fundamental part of his ministry is to accompany people. “I identify with the mystery of accompaniment and presence to help people feel comfortable and meet them where they are, while trying to have a healthy humility,” he said.
He tells the story of a woman dying of cancer, who asked if she and her husband could renew their wedding vows. Several months before she passed away, they were joined by their family members and friends at the vineyard where she worked. In the barn, with her gown on, she and husband renewed their vows. Deacon Bolton later went to her home, where she was receiving Hospice care, and did the prayers of commendation while her family and friends were present.
“I really feel privileged to do the work I do,” he said, “It is a privilege to accompany people at moments in their lives when they let you in. In those encounters, you can let them know they are not alone.”
Deacon Bolton manages the Pastoral Care Department at St. Vincent’s under the direction of Bill Hoey, Vice President of Mission.
“Pastoral care has been an integral part of how we provide care at St. Vincent’s since we were founded by the Daughters of Charity, and we have been blessed with some of the most gifted chaplains imaginable,” Hoey said.
There are lay and priest chaplains. The priests celebrate Mass, administer the Sacrament of the Sick, hear confessions and sometimes do a crisis baptism. They provide spiritual support to all patients, even those who are not Catholic, Hoey said.
“They are not just here to bring the Eucharist to a Catholic patient,” he said. “They provide a full array of chaplain services and will offer support to a Jehovah Witness or a Muslim or a member of the Jewish faith, or even a person of no faith.”
The department has full- and part-time chaplains, along with volunteer pastoral care assistants and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. The chaplains include priests, deacons, rabbis and representatives of different faiths.
“We talk about reverent holistic care, and the chaplains ensure that we are attending to the spiritual needs of the patient,” Hoey said.
Very often when a patient receives a life-altering diagnosis, it raises the question of “Where is God in all this?” A medical crisis, he says, provides an opportunity for people to re-examine their lives and their relationship with God.
“We all get so busy in our day-to-day lives that those may not be questions we ask,” Hoey said. “But if you get a blocked artery or renal disease, it can provoke a crisis as well as the receptivity to take a look at spiritual issues—and what better person to help you than a well-trained chaplain?”
“Many patients are very receptive to them because it is a different component of care,” Hoey said. “Just as important as medical treatment is the question of ‘Am I right with God?’ Having a trained, empathetic, compassionate chaplain fulfills the goal of reverent holistic care. They are right there near your hospital bed. It brings the Church to the people.”
“We have no hope; it will always be like this.” Lakota Sioux resident of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation South Dakota.
There are 7 million American Indians in the U.S., one-fourth living and dying on reservations under conditions rivaling third world countries. Most are Christian, many are Catholic. They are the poorest of all American ethnic groups with the highest rate of poverty.
Pine Ridge, the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre, is the home of the Lakota Sioux and is a microcosm of the worst of problems existing on some reservations, and one of the two poorest counties in the nation.
Here, the Oglala Lakota struggle on meager government subsistence. Men have a life expectancy of fewer than 44 years, 97% live below the poverty line, unemployment is greater than 80%, and the median annual income less than $3,500. Many of the substandard homes need repair and lack clean water and sewage, 40% lack electricity or propane, addictions affect 9 in 10 families. Diseases—tuberculosis, diabetes, cancer, are 800% higher than the national average, so too for suicide—many of the youth do not reach the age of 25. A typical grocery store is smaller than a gas station convenience store, primarily stocked with processed food, no fresh produce.
The abysmal state of education is among the worst in the nation. Built in 1958, and like many reservation schools, Wounded Knee elementary school facility in Manderson is in desperate need of repair and needs replacement. Lacking basic supplies, fresh food is in short supply, asbestos underlies the flooring and hangs on the pipes, lead-based paint still exists, and there are serious fire code violations.
The root cause of the economic situation is tied to the land, much of it held in trust and controlled by the government. As such, the American Indians have become the most regulated people on earth. Homeownership here isn’t possible. Most only have the right to occupy the land. Since they do not own their homes, they have little incentive or the money to repair them—nor any collateral to start a business.
How did it get this bad?
We must first go back to the Doctrine of Discovery first appeared in Spain, and then was adopted by the British, and then worked its way into the U.S. Constitution and federal legislation ever since. When the “New World” was being discovered—the question was: who is to take possession of these newly discovered lands?
In 1492, acting under the international laws of Western Christendom, Columbus was to “take possession” of the land for Spain. These “laws” took shape from two papal bulls (1452 and 1493). The intent was to recognize and defend any Spanish claim and that Spain was to bring the people of the new land to Christianity and prevent enemies of Christ to lay any claims, at a time when Islam was spreading across Europe.
The controversial 1452 bull, Dum diversas was written before Columbus or any knowledge of a new world or the existence of any indigenous people. Popes Nicolas and Alexander I did not intend that they should be mistreated or lose their land. Pope Paul III in 1537 (in Sublimes Dues) clarified that … Indians andall other people who may later be discovered by Christians, are by no means to be enslaved, deprived of their liberty or the possession of their property, even though they be outside the faith of Jesus Christ. Catholic social teachings have since repeated this stance. Over time the driving force of the Doctrine of Discovery was money and has had dire consequences as it has unfolded in U.S. Indian law that includes three related Supreme Court cases under Chief Justice John Marshall (1810, 1823 and 1835).
Loss of Sovereignty, Loss of the land
In 1887, after the dissolution of the treaties, the General Allotment Act in 1887 provided the means to take millions of reservation acres guaranteed to Indians and marked the beginning of misguided paternalism by the federal government toward Indian people that continues today. Additional losses resulted from the Burke Act (1906) and the Reorganization Act (1934) and amendments to the Land Consolidation Act. Lands not fully owned by individuals were placed into a “trust” system wherein the government has final authority over the land and its use. The fractionated patchwork of land remaining with its restrictions is a major obstacle to housing and business development. Since, there has been a continuing erosion of Native powers to govern and manage their lands and resources.
The legal framework as it exists today is not only inconsistent with the Constitution, but also with basic human rights having adverse consequences for the Indian and their ability to correct the social and economic injustices. Toward self-sufficiency, tribal members and their governments are trying to piece together their homelands through purchases, gifts and the return of government-held land. The continuance of tribes as sovereign nations, their individual cultures and language is at stake when the land base is diminished.
What can the Church do?
“We have no hope. It will always be like this.”No hope leads to despair, and despair leads to many of the social issues such as suicide and the widespread substance abuse. We must restore their hope that things will improve.
The reservation poverty issue touches the core of Catholic social teachings, as we find on the battlefields of pro-life and religious freedom. Responding to this social disparity is part of our Catholic identity and requires effective social justice advocacy. Public awareness is crucial and the Catholic news media can play a major role.
While credit has to be given to organizations such as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), Catholic Home Missions, etc., charitable donations are just a band-aid on the problem. A long-term solution requires major reforms at the Federal level and begins with the Church’s presence on Capitol Hill, supporting the tribes and pro-Indian legislation. It must become a national priority with all Americans engaged to solve it.
Toward this end, the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American affairs is now actively meeting with Native American leaders to listen to their concerns. They have issued the “Two Rivers” Report (on the USCCB Website) providing useful statistical data and the initial steps the Church will take to deal with this crisis. Besides citing the gifts the Catholic Native American communities have given us, it discusses the Church’s role in evangelization, the need to strengthen the schools, and to put pressure on Congress to reform Federal Indian laws governing reservations. You are encouraged to review its content.
Let us all become involved; and this begins with prayer.
Prayer to Help Native Peoples
Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of compassion and strength, we ask for your guiding hand as we come together to assist our brothers and sisters who are struggling on Indian reservations throughout our great nation. Help us to overcome the challenges we face in this most difficult undertaking. In the spirit of reform, open the minds and hearts of our government leaders so they may come together and devise a system that is fair and equitable to those Native Peoples who have suffered so long from many social injustices that have extinguished their hope. Assist us in our work. Allow us to be a beacon of light. Give us your grace to reach out to the most vulnerable, create jobs and opportunities where they are most needed, to help families subsisting on meager government incomes, those in substandard housing and the dispossessed First Peoples of this land, so that we may achieve the needed changes inspired by the Gospel. We ask these in your name. Amen
Rich May is from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. He has been actively working with the Lakota Sioux and the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American affairs.
WASHINGTON— Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, the acting chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty has encouraged Catholics to pray and uphold religious liberty at home and abroad during Religious Freedom Week 2020. Commencing on June 22, the Feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, Religious Freedom Week runs through June 29, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. The theme chosen for this year is “For the Good of All.”
Archbishop Wenski stated:
“Religious freedom is under stress throughout the world. Even in our Western liberal democracies, discrimination against religion in general and Catholic Christianity, in particular, is growing — albeit in perhaps more sophisticated and less violent ways.
“Political analysts and human rights advocates do include religion on their agenda. But most emphasize ‘tolerance’ as if religion were only a source of conflict. Or, they speak about religion in terms of ‘individual choices,’ as if religion were merely the concern of an individual’s conviction and were devoid of any social consequences.
“Yet, just as freedom of speech depends not only on one’s right to say what’s on one’s mind but also on the existence of institutions like newspapers, universities, libraries, political parties and other associations that make up what we call ‘civil society,’ so too freedom of religion ‘for the good of all’ must also encompass protecting those institutions that nourish the individual’s free exercise of religion.
“The right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person. Religious freedom is the human right that guarantees all other rights — peace and creative living together will only be possible if freedom of religion is fully respected.”
BRIDGEPORT—At a time of uncertainty, division and rancor in public discourse, we need not be overcome by our fears if we remember what Christ has taught us, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said in his homily at Mass for the Twelfth Sunday of ordinary time.
“Jesus said to the 12 disciples, fear no one and nothing, but I ask myself, ‘How can I get to that place,’” Bishop Caggiano said in his reflection on the gospel of Matthew (10: 26-33).
The bishop began his homily by noting that when he was a young boy, an episode of Superman frightened him. It portrayed aliens coming out of the manhole covers, and he had nightmares until his mother explained that it was a TV show and he had nothing to fear.
He said that as he grows older and sees the state of the world, he finds himself growing more fearful and filled with worry along with questions about the future we are leaving for the younger generation.
“There is no listening and dialogue, things are cold and cruel. There is no mercy or tolerance and no overriding desire to seek justice despite the cost,” he said of today’s society.
“In our church I also see divisions that frighten me. I see the inability to see beyond what I want rather than what is for my neighbor’s good,” he said, urging the faithful to seek the truth of the gospel.
“Knowledge dispels fear,” the bishop said, noting that truth of faith brings hope and strength to those who believe in and follow Christ.
“You and I as believers in the Lord must remember the things we have been taught and that we know… and we know at that bottom of our heart that there is a savior and redeemer who has come to touch your life and mine.”
The bishop said that by taking up the Cross, Jesus walked in our own footsteps and knows what it is to suffer and to be lonely, misunderstood and reviled. His sacrifice gave us new life that we need not fear losing and that no one can take from us.
Referring to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s statement that there is “nothing to fear but fear itself,” the bishop said that Jesus goes one step further in that formula.
“Jesus tells us we should fear nothing–not even fear itself. With him, knowing who he is. what he has done, what he offers and what he promises, I ask you in the end, what is there to be afraid of.”
After the final blessing the bishop thanked the growing number of people who have been joining him for his regular online Sunday Mass, and he wished all men a happy Father’s Day.
“In a Special way I wish to offer my greetings and prayer so all fathers, grandfather, Godfathers, spiritual father and foster fathers. May God give you the grace to be good fathers leading hour children and all those you love to the Lord Jesus.”
BRIDGEPORT — Bishop Frank J. Caggiano ordained two men as transitional deacons on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Augustine Cathedral, urging them to fulfill their ministry of service by following Our Lady’s example during these extraordinary times.
“I know you are both men of great integrity, of great faith, of great prayer, of great honesty and of great transparency, and I am delighted to be able to ordain you to be deacons and one day priests of Jesus Christ” he told Guy Dormevil and Brendan Blawie.
Ordination as a transitional deacon is the last step before ordination to the priesthood, which typically occurs a year later after additional pastoral, liturgical and educational preparation.
Attendance at the ordination on June 20 was limited to family members and guests because of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“What a wonderful day to gather on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” Bishop Caggiano said. “She has much to teach us. Your lives could not be more different, and yet they were foreordained by the Lord, for in your triumphs and sufferings, in your struggles and in the ordinary routine of your lives, you have been molded like a sacred piece of clay in the hands of the great Master so that you could — both by the gifts he has given you and by the willingness you have to open your heart to his grace — serve him as his deacon.”
Bishop Caggiano said the ministry of the diaconate was foreordained by Christ through the Apostles “so there would be those among us who would be at ready service to the needs of the community and the needs of the world.”
However, he said the ministry is more than simply an ordination “to do something” but represents “a Living Sacrament of Service, which is far more than the things ‘you do,’ because you are called ‘to be’ as well as ‘to do.’”
He told the candidates, “From this moment on, everywhere you go, every word you utter, every opportunity to serve actively or to help others will be your gift to God’s people. You are and will forever be a Sacrament of Service, and so you enter into a great mystery, a mystery you could not live on your own, and for that reason, through the laying on of the hands and the invocation of the power of the Holy Spirit, you will have an abiding in the indwelling presence of God, who will allow you to do and be what you could not do or be on your own.”
The service they are called to is threefold — Service to the Word, Service to the Altar and Service in Charity, he said, adding that they were blessed to be ordained on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary because “She is a great teacher who will help you live that threefold service well, as only a mother can do.”
He recalled Our Lady’s last recorded words in Scripture at the Wedding Feast at Cana, when she told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
“The power of a preacher,” Bishop Caggiano said, “is to remind all God’s children that the only path to trust and joy and the only road to eternal life is to follow the words of the Master. To do what he tells us, what he has revealed to us in season and out of season, whether we like it or not, whether it is easy or not….I ask you to always preach courageously, to preach fearlessly, to preach with courage and compassion and mercy, mindful of the struggles that you and I and all God’s children face day in and day out. Do not fail on every occasion to tell those you have the privilege to preach to and with to ‘do whatever he tells you.’”
Regarding, Service to the Altar, Bishop Caggiano said that Our Lady’s faithfulness allowed her to remain at Calvary when others fled. There, the sword of sorrow pierced her Immaculate Heart.
“You will come and serve not simply to aid in worship,” he told the candidates, but so you can bring your heart to it and allow it to pierce you so that the hopes and tears and sufferings and challenges of all God’s children that you and I have the privilege to serve will be presented at the altar through you, where they find healing and meaning and hope.”
He urged them to remember the example of the Blessed Mother because she will teach the profound meaning of Service in Charity, just as she did to the Apostles in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
“Why was she there?” he asked. “She was there because like any good mother, she was accompanying the friends of her son. She was there as the consoler, as the encourager, and throughout the Early Church, they came to her because she was the pillar of strength. They laughed with her, cried with her, danced with her and went on mission with her. She understood that charity is not simply giving to those who have not, but it is an accompaniment of life so that they may be encouraged, supported, lifted, freed, healed and never left alone.”
“We gather in extraordinary times,” he said. “If we were not people of faith, how could we endure the challenges we are facing because they are many and they are grave and they demand action of us. And yet it is precisely because these times are challenging that I am saying to you, Brendan, and to you, Guy, do not be afraid. Have hope and have joy because the Lord has called you, and the Lord will empower you. The Lord will strengthen you with whatever grace you need in every moment. He will never ask you to do what you cannot do, so do not allow the challenges around us to discourage you. Allow this day to be the first day of a joyful life of ministry. Remember, there will be many occasions when you will have no answer to give, when there will be no clear path, but the fact you are there. And the Lord will do what you cannot do yourself.”
When Bishop Caggiano concluded his homily, he examined the candidates, who knelt before him and declared publicly their intentions to undertake the office to assist the bishop and priests and serve the people of God.
Then, as they lay prostrate, the Litany of the Saints was prayed on their behalf, supplicating God for the grace to serve him and the Church. Later, extending his hands over each candidate, the bishop recited the prayer of ordination and they were vested with a stole and dalmatic. Bishop Caggiano presented them the Gospels and said, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”
The ordination was followed by photos and a gathering of family and friends who congratulated the newly ordained men on the lawn outside the Cathedral.
Deacon Dormevil said he was blessed to be taking a step closer toward fulfilling a dream of his father Gustave to have a son who was a priest. He was certain his late wife of 29 years, Magalie Adolphe, who died in 2015, was looking down and proud of him for pursuing the vocation to which God called him. His children Guyvensky and Guylendy attended the ordination with family members and friends from the Haitian community.
He was born in Haiti to Gustave Dormévil and Angélie Louis Charles, where he was raised with his 15 siblings. In 1988, he left his job as immigration inspector to take refuge in the United States, where he worked as a nursing aide and produce manager. He attended college and received a certificate of English as a Second Language and an associate degree in business administration.
On August 3, 2016, Bishop Caggiano approved his application to enter St. John Fisher Seminary, where he began pre-theology studies. A year later, he entered Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Mass., where he will continue his fourth year of theological studies in the fall.
He has been active in his parish and on a diocesan and national level. At his parish, he was leader of the liturgical committee, leader of the Haitian Charismatic Prayer Group, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, member of the parish council, a member of the finance board and a parish trustee.
In October 2009, he received the Saint Augustine Medal of Service from the Diocese of Bridgeport, while he was serving as a diocesan pastoral council member. In 2014, at the fourth diocesan synod, he served as delegate of the Haitian Community and St. Joseph Parish. Currently, he is one of the five members of the Haitian National Charismatic Committee based in New York.
“After my wife’s death, my plan was to fulfill the dream of becoming a Permanent Deacon,” he said. “However, the Lord had something far better planned for me. He re-kindled the priesthood call he made to me as a young adult so I prayerfully said yes to the call.”
Deacon Blawie was born and raised in Newtown and received all his Sacraments at St. Rose of Lima Parish. He is the middle of three children, with an older brother, Jack, and a younger sister, Marian. His parents, Karen and John Blawie, raised him in the faith, although he admits to not thinking much about being a priest as a boy.
“It was in high school that I began to actually learn about and love our faith,” he said.
He enrolled in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech in the Marine Corps ROTC program, before transferring to Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he earned his degree in accounting.
While at Franciscan, he pursued a commission with the Marine Corps, graduating from Officer’s Candidate School in Quantico, Va. in 2012. This fulfilled a dream he had of being a Marine officer, but in the end, it was clear to him that it may have been his plan, but not the Lord’s.
Instead of commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant, he entered St. John Fisher Seminary and completed two years of pre-theological studies before being sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he spent three years. In 2019, he received his theology degree, magna cum laude, from the Pontifical Gregorian University and has been on pastoral assignment at St. Thomas More Parish in Darien for the past year.
“I look forward to returning to Rome in the fall, where I will begin my studies for a Licentiate in Sacred Theology,” he said. “Life with Christ is always an adventure, and these past six years of formation for the priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport have been filled with joy and peace.”
“Approaching diaconate ordination has been a wonderful blessing,” he said. “It is something for which I have prepared and anticipated all these years of formation….Seminary formation is never the young man forming himself, but allowing the Lord to form him, so as to be a priest after his own Sacred Heart. Conforming our lives to the Will of God allows us to trust in his providence, and I can reflect back with much joy on all the twists and turns of the road of my life that have led me to this point of approaching his altar to receive Holy Orders. Being ordained during a pandemic was never how I pictured it, but I have learned that my plans are often flawed. I continue to trust in his will and his love, and pray that will lead me toward a worthy life of ministry.”
The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano
By the Grace of God and the Authority of the Apostolic See Bishop of Bridgeport DECREE MERGING THE PARISHES OF
SAINT JOSEPH, NORWALK, CT
and
SAINT LADISLAUS, NORWALK, CT
In virtue of the office entrusted to me, I, the Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano, Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, duly concerned with the spiritual welfare of the souls entrusted to me, zealous of removing everything that may be detrimental to their well-being and desiring to promote everything becoming of their progress, having engaged with the people of Saint Joseph Parish, Norwalk, CT and Saint Ladislaus Parish, Norwalk, CT, having prayerfully considered the information presented to me, the law and the facts, having heard all those whose rights may be harmed (c. 50), on November 16 & 23, 2019, February 12 & 29, 2020, April 2, 2020 and June 2, 2020 and having ascertained from documents and deeds and consulted those concerned that there are no major donors or heirs to be heard, and having heard the Council of Priests (c. 515 §2) on January 23, 2020, and having determined that the good of the souls requires it,
ESTABLISH THAT
The above two parishes be merged through an extinctive union so as to form one parish. This determination has been made to strengthen the pastoral care of the people of God in this area of my diocese especially through mutual coordination in the common mission of the Church and the re-evangelization of youth and to address several trends that are of serious concern, including: diminished Mass attendance, lack of sustainability in the face of diminishing income, declining sacramental celebrations, and clergy availability. Also, to be noted is that, the two parishes are territorial adjacent.
Wherefore, I, the undersigned Bishop of Bridgeport, in virtue of c. 515 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, do hereby decree that Saint Joseph Parish, Norwalk, CT and Saint Ladislaus Parish, Norwalk, CT, which up until now have been independent parishes, be merged as to form one parish which will be named Saint Joseph and Saint Ladislaus Parish.
I also hereby decree that all the rights, obligations and privileges of the members of Christian faithful domiciled in the territories of the now extinct Parishes of Saint Joseph, Norwalk, CT and Saint Ladislaus, Norwalk, CT, accorded to them by law or legitimately acquired, are to be transferred to and made part of Saint Joseph and Saint Ladislaus Parish.
The territorial boundaries of the aforementioned parishes, by this canonical decree, shall be amalgamated to become the boundaries of the newly formed Saint Joseph and Saint Ladislaus Parish.
Furthermore, the intentions of the founders and donors of the patrimony of Saint Joseph Parish, Norwalk, CT, and Saint Ladislaus Parish, Norwalk, CT, must be respected, in accordance with the law (c. 121 & 122).
All sacramental registers, seals, and parish files of the amalgamated parishes are to be properly transferred to, preserved and safeguarded by Saint Joseph and Saint Ladislaus Parish in accord with the norm of law.
The Church of Saint Joseph and the Church of Saint Ladislaus shall remain open as worship sites of the newly formed Saint Joseph and Saint Lad is la us Parish.
This decree will become effective on October 1, 2020, The Memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church.
This decree is to be communicated to the Pastors who are the proper administrators of the two juridical persons that are being amalgamated into a new juridical person, as well as the freely appointed Pastor of the newly formed juridical person. It is also to be communicated to all interested persons, according to the norm of law ( c. 532). It may be challenged within the peremptory time limit of ten (10) days from the legitimate notification of the decree and in accordance with the norm of law ( c. 1734 §2).
Given this 19th day of June, 2020, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at the Catholic Center, Bridgeport, Connecticut.
BRIDGEPORT—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will ordain two men as transitional deacons for the Diocese of Bridgeport on Saturday, June 20, 10 am at St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport.
Traditionally, ordination as a transitional deacon is the last step before full ordination to the priesthood. For the transitional deacons, the year ahead will include pastoral, liturgical and educational preparation period for the priesthood.
Attendance at the ordination will be limited to immediate family members and other invited guests in order to conform to the public health recommendations for returning to indoor Mass during the pandemic.
Guy Dormévil was born in Haiti to Gustave Dormévil and Angélie Louis Charles, where he was raised along with his 15 siblings. He was married for 29 years to the late Magalie Adolphe, who died from cancer on August 23, 2015. He has two children, Guyvensky (28) and Guylendy (25) Dormevil.
In 1988, he had to leave his job as an immigration inspector to take refuge in the U.S. Since his arrival to the U.S., he has worked as a Burger King clerk and manager, a certified nursing assistant, a grocery store produce clerk, and lastly a produce manager for 19 years. He attended college part time and received a certificate of English as a Second Language and an associate degree in Business Administration. He also obtained additional nondegree credits at UCONN and Sacred Heart University.
On August 3, 2016, Bishop Caggiano approved his application to enter St. John Fisher Seminary Residence, where he began pre-Theology studies. A year later he entered Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary, in Weston, Mass., where he will continue into his 4th year of Theological Studies this Fall.
Guy has been a very active layman in the Roman Catholic Church. His involvement not only included his home parish, but also expanded to both diocesan and national service. He started as a very young altar server, progressed to a youth group leader and then a charismatic prayer group leader. A few of the roles he has exercised at his parish are leader of the liturgical committee, leader of the Haitian Charismatic Prayer Group, eucharistic minister, member of the parish council, a member of the finance board and a parish trustee.
In October 2009, he joyfully and gratefully received the Saint Augustine Medal of Service from the Diocese of Bridgeport, while he was serving as a diocesan pastoral council member, with Bishop William E. Lori, presently Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland. In 2014, at the fourth diocesan synod of the Diocese of Bridgeport, called by Bishop Caggiano, Guy served as delegate of the Haitian Community and St. Joseph Parish. Currently, he is still one of the five members of the Haitian National Charismatic Committee based in New York and Msgr. Joseph Malagreca, Chaplain.
“After my wife’s death, my plan was to fulfill the dream of becoming a Permanent Deacon,” explains Dormévil. “However, the Lord had something far better planned for me. He re-kindled the priesthood call He made to me as a young adult. So, I prayerfully said yes to the call.”
Of his readiness for ordination, Dormévil shares, “I am willing to learn as much as possible in order to become a good shepherd to God’s people. I hope to be at the service of anyone who requires my help. But most importantly, I will eternally need the prayers of God’s people and I will pray for them as well.”
Brendan Blawie was born and raised in Newtown, Conn., and received all of his Sacraments at St. Rose of Lima Parish. He is the middle of three children, with an older brother, Jack, and a younger sister, Marian. His parents, Karen and John Blawie, raised him in the faith, although he admits to not thinking much about being a priest as a young boy.
Brendan loves sports, playing football and basketball through high school and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. “It was in high school that I began to actually learn about and love our faith,” he shares.
Brendan enrolled in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech in the Marine Corps ROTC program, before transferring to Franciscan University of Steubenville where he earned his degree in accounting.
While at Franciscan, he also pursued a commission with the Marine Corps, graduating from Officer’s Candidate School in Quantico, Va. the summer of 2012. This fulfilled a dream he had from his childhood of being a Marine Officer, but in the end, it was clear to him that it may have been his plan, but not the Lord’s.
Instead of commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, Brendan entered seminary for the Diocese of Bridgeport. He completed two years of pre-theological studies at St. John Fisher seminary, before being sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he spent three years. In 2019, he received his theology degree, magna cum laude, from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and have been on pastoral assignment at St. Thomas More parish in Darien for the past year.
“I look forward to returning to Rome in the fall where I will begin my studies for a Licentiate in Sacred Theology,” shares Blawie. “Life with Christ is always an adventure, and these past six years of formation for the priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport have been filled with joy and peace. I look forward to a life of priestly ministry in this diocese, which is my home.”
“Approaching diaconate ordination has been a wonderful blessing,” he says. “It is something for which I have prepared and anticipated all these years of formation, but I still find myself a bit anxious as the date grows near. Seminary formation is never the young man forming himself, but allowing the Lord to form him, so as to be a priest after His own Sacred Heart.
Conforming our lives to the will of God allows us to trust in His providence, and I can reflect back with much joy on all the twists and turns of the road of my life that have led me to this point of approaching His altar to receive Holy Orders. Being ordained during a pandemic was never how I pictured it, but I have learned that my plans are often flawed. I continue to trust in His will and His love, and pray that will lead me toward a worthy life of ministry,” he said.
“It is really the grace of God,” he said. “We have lived through a lot and also experienced great love, unlike any family has ever experienced from the community.”
