Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

By Brian D. Wallace

FAIRFIELD –   “Grow where you’re planted,” said Helen Burland, retired executive director of the St. Catherine Center for Special Needs in Fairfield at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the expanded facility at 760 Tahmore Drive.

It was a moment of joy and gratitude as more than 200 guests, friends, students, faculty and family members gathered for the ceremony in front of the new addition, which will be used to serve students in St. Catherine Academy and the Adult Services program provided at the center.

The school, carved into the hillside across from Lake Mohegan, has shared the grounds with Holy Cross Parish since 2007.  It serves young people and young adults of all faiths who are impacted with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“While the building is beautiful and exciting, it is the people that will bring this to life.  All of us need to continue to work to provide authentic opportunities for these young people to showcase what they can do, not highlight what they can’t do,” said Burland who was praised by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano during the ceremony for her vision and leadership.

The expansion and remodeling doubled the size of the facility by adding 6,500 square feet , bringing the total  to 12,700 square feet. It was made possible by the successful Building for the Future Campaign.

In the brief remarks before blessing the new facility, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano thanked all who supported the expansion and offered words of gratitude to Burland who oversaw the project until her retirement in June 2023.

“My friends, before I give the actual blessing, allow me just a few words of my own to say thanks to all those who allowed this miracle to happen in our midst and in a very special way, I want to thank you, Helen.  Without you this would not have happened. You are truly a visionary, and you work out of your heart with true love for all the young people and the staff here. “

The bishop said he was impressed by the speed of construction and the beautify of the new addition which was completed in nine months. The new wing includes new learning spaces that will provide real-world vocational experiences, flexible space for expanded evening and weekend social activities, and additional space for small group instruction, activities, and collaboration. It also include a new commercial kitchen, space for a hydroponics garden and a supportive environment to help students develop skills and build relationships with peers.

“It’s elegant and very functional, but in and of itself, it’s a testimony of that which powered it to be created in the first place, which is the love that so many people have for these young people. They deserve the very best, and today we are blessing the very best for them.”

The Bishop also thanked new executive director Laura Grozier, who welcomed the guests and introduced the speakers outside of the front entrance of the new building. “Laura, thank you for taking on the directorship of the center because it is in great hands– in your hands. And the future is very bright.”

Mike LaBella, Chairman of the St. Catherine Center Board of Directors, thanked Burland and Charles Chiusano, previous chairman of the board for his efforts to launch and guide the project.   He also expressed his gratitude to Burland, and to the parishioners of Holy Cross who supported the project and were patient through the nine months of construction.  He also thanked the architect and construction team for ensuring that everything went smoothly while looking out for the wellbeing of students.

The bishop concluded the program by offering this blessing, “Bless all who will use this center of learning and recreation, that they who come here may know the presence of Christ, experience the joy of his friendship, and always grow in his love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit God, forever and ever. Amen.”

The overall campus project also led to redesigned parking, storage spaces for adaptive devices and records to meet program compliance requirements, renovated areas to accommodate more exercise and daily living activities, and creation of a courtyard for outdoor classroom and contemplative activities.

The new center reflects the evolution of expectations of what young people with disabilities can accomplish and their place in the community. The addition was designed to incorporate advances in assistive technology, a comprehensive focus on wellness, and the need for meaningful, authentic experiences calls us to reimagine programming with an expanded footprint to create an appropriate, welcoming, and inspiring learning environment for all.

Recognizing the need for continuing support after completing a school program, the Adult Services Program was opened in 2015, offering opportunities in a supportive environment to develop skills and build relationships with peers. Through parish and community support, the Center encourages the spiritual growth and inclusion of people with disabilities in schools and parishes.

St. Catherine Center for Special Needs includes St. Catherine Academy, a state-approved, private special education school in Fairfield, serving students ages 5-22 of all faiths who are impacted with autism, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. It also includes the Adult Services Program, approved by the Department of Developmental Services, which offers opportunities for adults with disabilities to learn new skills and participate in vocational and community-based activities. The Center, founded in 1999, also serves as a resource for faith formation and inclusion for parishes throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport.

For more information, visit the website at StCatherineCenter.org, call 203-540-5381, or email info@stcatherinecenter.org.

House of Hope Ribbon-Cutting to Kick Off 13th Annual Food Drive

Extra SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits ended this winter and 1 in 4 households in the U.S. receiving the benefits now state they “sometimes” or “often” do not have enough to eat. Already local agencies are seeing an uptick in need.

Fighting hunger with healthy foods, St. Vincent’s Medical Center and Aquarion Water Company are launching the 13th Annual House of Hope Food Drive with a blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony.

Running until November 15, 2023, the House of Hope aims to help reduce hunger throughout the Greater Bridgeport area with donations of nutritious, non-perishable, non-expired
items.

Last year more than 10 tons of food were donated. With demand greater than ever, organizers want to meet or surpass that total this year.

WHEN: Friday, September 15, 2023

TIME: 11:30 AM

WHERE: House of Hope at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, in front of Cancer Institute entrance, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport

WHO:

William M. Jennings, SVP & Fairfield Region President, Hartford HealthCare

Donald J. Morrissey, President, Aquarion Water Company

Bill Hoey, Vice President, Mission Services, Fairfield Region, Hartford HealthCare

George Logan, Co-Chair, 2023 House of Hope Committee (Aquarion)

Ann Gorton, Co-Chair, 2023 House of Hope Committee (St. Vincent’s)

Peter Fazekas, Director, Communications, Aquarion Water Company

Edna Borchetta, Manager, Mission Services & Community Impact Programs, Fairfield Region, Hartford HealthCare

Representatives from Recipient Organizations:
Bridgeport Rescue Mission (Bridgeport) | Healthy Choices for Seniors (Bridgeport) | Port 5 Naval Veterans (Bridgeport) | South End Community Center (Stratford) | Spooner House (Shelton) | Sterling House Community Center (Stratford) | The Thomas Merton Family Center (Bridgeport)

FAIRFIELD—Nancy Dallavalle, PhD, associate professor of religious studies, has hit the ground running in her new role as director of Fairfield University’s Center for Catholic Studies. Dr. Dallavalle holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, has published in academic journals and the popular press, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Catholic Theological Society of America. Her appointment follows the retirement of Professor Paul Lakeland, PhD, the Center’s founding director, who served in the role for 19 years.

Energized by the Center’s mission to bring academic scholarship to a public conversation, Dr. Dallavalle plans a focus for the Center that “unpacks how Catholicism in the U.S. is lived today. Religious practice is changing rapidly, as are many social patterns and norms,” she observed, adding that, for Catholics, these practices are impacted by the U.S. Church’s current somewhat polarized climate, which “reflects the tensions of our national dialogue.”

Nevertheless, “The Catholic Church in the United States continues to be a place where the gospel speaks; a place of dialogue about the dignity of the human person, a place of sustained care for immigrants, the imprisoned and the poor; and a place where the sacraments are celebrated in parish communities across the U.S.”

Under the direction of Dr. Dallavalle, the Center for Catholic Studies will bring scholarship on the Catholic tradition ever deeper into the academic programming of Fairfield University — through a revitalized program to offer students a minor in Catholic studies, and the ongoing Presidential Seminar in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.

The Center will also continue to offer thoughtful reflection on Catholic life and practice to both the on-campus community and Catholics throughout the Fairfield County region through the continuation of a series of free, open-to-the-public lectures, also available via livestream.

Fall 2023 Catholic Studies Lectures:

● Oct. 4 | 5 p.m. | BCC Dogwood Room: Meghan Clark, PhD, will deliver the annual O’Callaghan Lecture on Women in the Church, on constructing an ethic of “local listening” to advance the full agency of women in Catholic social teaching.

● Oct. 25 | 5:30 p.m. | BCC Dogwood Room: Hosffman Ospino, PhD, will speak on “The American Catholic Experience”– which continues to be renewed and redefined by cultural and racial/ethnic pluralism.

● Nov. 15 | 5 p.m. | DSB Event Hall: Maureen O’Connell, PhD, and Becky McIntyre, a community artist, will present “Young Adults, the Global Synod and the Arts,” reporting on their deep and creative engagement with the ongoing Synod on Synodality.

BRIDGEPORT – Sean and Maureen Harrigan, parishioners of St. Roch in Greenwich, are turning an unexpected life journey into their mission to educate and empower people in the Diocese of Bridgeport and beyond.

Sean was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) after the observant eyes of his wife, a registered nurse, noticed the subtle shaking of his hands while he was working from home. Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements.

That was three years ago just before the pandemic shuttered the world into pockets of isolation.

Discovering Shakers Anonymous, a positive Parkinson’s support group, became a lifeline for the Harrigans as weekly Zoom calls focused on relevant and informative topics or featured a guest speaker and became a safe place to share experiences and ask for guidance.

“I found my way to this group, and they have been doing an extraordinary job,” said Sean, adding that he wants more people to be able to have access to resources that can help them.

Shakers Anonymous has since expanded into Parkinson’s Body & Mind (PBM), a collection of community-based, peer-led groups offering comprehensive exercise and wellness programs demonstrated to improve the symptoms and fight the progression of Parkinson’s Disease.

An Open House hosted at Sacred Heart University Center for Healthcare Education on September 15^th is open to the public and will showcase resources available to help those impacted by the disease to live their best lives: medically, emotionally, and socially.

“I want to encourage others to grab hold of their health,” said Shakers Anonymous founder and PBM co-founder and CEO Lynn Hagerbrant, a retired nurse who was diagnosed with PD more than 13 years ago. “I am doing well because I go beyond medication,” she said.

Support, networking and encouragement are also needed, said Hagerbrant, who is currently serving on the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Patient Council. “There is power in in-person community,” she said.

The Open House will feature a presentation and Q&A with a physician who specializes in movement disorders. A physical therapist and exercise instructors will also be on hand for informal exercise demonstrations and to answer any questions.

Sacred Heart University recently received a $60-thousand grant from the Parkinson’s Voice Project to increase its clinical outreach in support of the SPEAK OUT! Initiative which is focused on helping people with Parkinson’s regain and retain their speech and swallowing abilities.

Parkinson’s Body and Mind is currently in Fairfield, Westport, New Canaan and Greenwich.

The National Institutes of Health recommends exercise for PD patients, especially functional strength and conditioning exercises such as boxing and yoga.

The Harrigans hope the exposure and ease of accessibility of PD related activities will encourage people to participate in these programs.

Sean said the group is instrumental in helping people get comfortable with dealing with the disease and starting to think in a positive way.

The couple said it took more than a year to get accustomed to their “new normal,” and the support they have received from Parkinsons Body and Mind for both the person diagnosed with the disease and the caregiver is paramount for progress.

“It is a very safe place to talk about issues and the comradery is very beneficial. You feel less alone. It’s a nice outlet,” Maureen said, adding that the couple also speaks with a priest regularly to help navigate the challenges of living with PD.

“It’s easy to fall into depression and many with PD are reluctant to go out and interact with people. This is a way for people to exercise and socialize in a safe space,” Sean said.

Exercise is also a key component to well-being and for addressing multiple issues including balance, Sean said.

“Your muscles stiffen, you have difficulty walking or getting out of bed,” said Sean, describing everyday challenges. “The key to living with Parkinson’s Disease is to keep moving on a daily basis.”

Tai Chi, a Chinese Martial Art, is a good practice to help with any balance issues whether or not a person has Parkinson Disease, Sean said.

“The slowness of movement in Tai Chi helps a person feel the space around them,” he said.

Yoga and dance are also excellent ways to engage in physical activity for those with PD.

“When the body is going in different directions at the same time, it gets your brain to understand movement,” Sean said.

Another important lesson is how to fall. “If you’re going to fall, it’s important to know how to get down to the ground as carefully as possible,” Sean said, adding that mastering movement of the body through exercise can help with that.

Some helpful social activities include ping-pong, pickle ball, golf and walks in the park.

Sean, who retired from the financial industry shortly after his diagnosis also sits on the Board of Directors for Parkinson’s Body and Mind.

“I want people to know we are community driven,” Sean said. “Our focus is on individual care. We are peer led and many of the board members have PD.”

“We are trying to be uplifting,” Maureen said. “You can live with the disease.”

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Note: The Open House for Parkinson’s Body and Mind will be held at Sacred Heart University Center for Healthcare Education, 4000 Park Avenue, Bridgeport from 12:15 – 1:15pm on Sept. 15.

The following was written to all pastors, administrators and parish life on behalf of the Diocese of Bridgeport Real Estate Office.

A group of active volunteers from diocesan parishes are looking for homes for refugee families through the government program The Welcome Care Program. This program assists a refugee family that is sponsored by a group of community members.

St. Mary Parish in Ridgefield is participating and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Fairfield is currently getting set up to accept a family.

Housing options are needed! A small rental stipend would be provided to the participating parish. There is a tremendous need throughout the county for housing and employment support for these individuals and families.

If you have any options, please contact Denise Walsh at 203.650.4986.

DANBURY- Immaculate High School’s first varsity football game was bittersweet on Saturday. The ATI United football team honored one of its own who recently passed – former football coach Rich Holmes of Danbury – with a touching ceremony before the game at Mustang Valley.

Holmes helped create the football co-op program named “ATI United” between Immaculate and Henry Abbott Technical High School (ATI) in 2014 and coached the team until 2019. He is widely credited with setting the right tone for the marriage of the two teams and had been a staple at its games until his death June 4.

“Rich had a huge impact here at Immaculate. He had a big heart, always cared about the kids and always wanted the best for student-athletes,” remembered Athletic Director Nelson Mingachos. “He was always the first one here and the last one to leave every night.”

Holmes’ family accepted a plaque from Immaculate as ATI United players stood behind a memorial tribute to his time coaching the team (which the family also took home). Holmes was an educator in the Danbury School System for over 30 years, coaching there and also at Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury and Notre Dame High School in Fairfield before coaching the Abbott Technical football team. Longtime Immaculate Coach Bobby Plumb read reflections about Holmes at the ceremony from his former players and mentees – all cited his sense of humor, encouragement as a teacher and coach plus his ability to serve as a role model for many.

“Even after he retired, you’d find Coach Holmes in the stands rooting for our ATI United team,” Mingachos said. “He was here all last year cheering on the ATI football team. We will definitely miss seeing him in the stands – but we know Coach Holmes’ spirit will always be with us.”

FAIRFIELD—Fairfield University and Albertus Magnus have announced a partnership, to expand upon educational pathways for students enrolled in the University’s new two-year associate’s degree program, Fairfield Bellarmine.

The Fairfield Bellarmine program offers two-year associate’s degrees to students from the Greater Bridgeport region, as a foundation for their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, or as a pathway to enter the workforce. The program currently offers four majors sponsored by Fairfield’s four undergraduate schools: Business (Dolan School); Computer Science (School of Engineering & Computing); Health Studies (Egan School); and Liberal Studies (College of Arts & Sciences).

Fairfield offers Bellarmine students a pathway to continue their studies for another two years toward completion of a bachelor’s degree. This new partnership with Albertus Magnus will provide a meaningful and seamless opportunity for Fairfield Bellarmine graduates to do the same. Scholarship opportunities will be available for students interested in completing BA or BS degrees at Albertus Magnus.

“Fairfield is very excited to be collaborating with Albertus Magnus—our first pathway partner. Upon completion of their two-year associate’s degree at Fairfield Bellarmine, we know that providing students with a variety of options and programs is important,” said Fairfield Bellarmine Executive Director Rev. Kevin O’Brien, S.J. “While we look forward to students enrolling in Fairfield’s four-year degree programs, it is important to develop partnerships with other schools like Albertus Magnus whose mission and values align with Fairfield’s.”

“Albertus Magnus College is thrilled to partner with Fairfield University to provide Bellarmine students with access to completing a four-year degree at a Catholic, liberal arts-based institution,” said Albertus Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Rosa E. Rivera-Hainaj, Ph.D. “The Fairfield-Albertus partnership strengthens the College’s commitment to providing access to excellent higher education and career and professional development to underserved and underrepresented students in our region, contributing to the betterment of their families and their communities.”

In addition to Albertus Magnus, Fairfield Bellarmine administrators are working to establish agreements with other institutions to offer Bellarmine graduates additional opportunities to continue their studies without interruption and earn a bachelor’s degree within four years. Transfer agreements with partner schools will ensure that credits earned at Fairfield Bellarmine will be accepted into a comparable degree program.

The first cohort of Fairfield Bellarmine students was welcomed at the newly renovated 460 Mill Hill Ave. campus in Bridgeport on September 5, for the start of fall classes in the 2023-24 academic year.

TRUMBULL—The Our Lady of Fatima Affiliate of the St. Mary’s Chapter of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic will host a Lay Dominican Inquiry evening on Thursday September 14, 7 to 8 pm, at St. Theresa Parish in Trumbull.  All men and women, 18 years and over, are invited to attend the Informal Inquiry Meeting.

Father Brian Gannon, STD, pastor at St. Theresa’s and Religious Assistant to the Lay Dominicans, will deliver a spiritual reflection on “What is True Conscience,” as he explores how divine grace, Church teaching and virtue form the moral and spiritual life in a secular culture.

“We are very blessed to have found a home at St. Theresa Church under the guidance of Fr. Gannon, “ said Mr. Dave Andreotta, O.P., President , Our Lady of Fatima Affiliate, St. Theresa Parish. “Are you being called to a deeper understanding of Faith and Truth? Come follow us in the footsteps of St. Dominic toward Jesus, through prayer, study, community and apostolate.”

The “Our Lady of Fatima” affiliation of Lay Dominicans at St. Theresa is currently under the St. Mary’s, New Haven chapter for its spiritual guidance. The affiliation formed in 2018 has been thriving.  Members of the Lay Dominicans are lay men and women who are fully incorporated members of the Order of Preachers, but live out their Dominican vocation in the world.

The life of a Lay Dominican is based on the Dominican four pillars: prayer, study, community and apostolate.  A daily life of prayer revolves around the liturgy, both daily Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office), which helps to sanctify the entire day. Study is a life-long endeavor for Dominicans as well. Scripture study, the study of Dominican Saints and the Dominican Rule, as well as the study of Catholic teaching, are central to Dominican life and assist in their charge to “Go out to the world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.”

Lay Dominicans come together a minimum of once a month for prayer and study. Additionally, a monthly holy hour for all vocations (our community’s apostolate) is held the 2^nd Monday evening of each month at St. Theresa Church at 7PM. All are invited to attend!  This is key to the spiritual life of each member and apostolate— each affiliation or chapter discerns a community apostolate to serve the body of Christ and to further His evangelical mission. Lay Dominicans are called to do apostolate with those whom they come in contact with in their daily lives

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Father Brian Gannon was ordained to the priesthood on May 24, 1997 by Bishop Edward M. Egan at St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport.   A native of Greenwich who grew up in St. Agnes Parish, he earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm College and his master’s in history from the University of Maine. He completed his baccalaureate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and his masters in spirituality at Angelicum University, both in Rome. In 2004, Father Gannon returned to Rome to pursue a license and doctoral degree at the Alfonsianum Academy of the Pontifical Lateran University. His Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) was awarded in May 2009. He was named pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Trumbull in 2010. He is currently serving his second 3-year term as religious assistant to the Lay Domincans.

The meeting will be held in the Theresa School Gym (behind St. Theresa Church, 5301 Main Street), 55 Rosemond Terrace, Trumbull, CT. Refreshments will be provided.  For more information, call, text or email: Mrs. Virginia Silva, O.P. at (203)556-3468; vsilva9347@att.net

BRIDGEPORT– Choosing to do what is good for those around us, even if they don’t always appreciate it, is the definition of love and is the “vocation of every believer,” Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said at the Diocesan Blue Mass commemorating the 22nd Anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the United States.

Almost 300 faithful turned out for the yearly Mass honoring Fire, Police and First Responders. During the Mass the bishop asked all to join in praying for their safety and in gratitude for the life-saving work they do in their communities.

“Today on what we traditionally call the Blue Mass, I stand before you to thank you, who every single day in your line of duty and active service are the ministers of love in the world. For that, my brothers and sisters is exactly what you are.”

The bishop con-celebrated the Mass with police and fire chaplains Father Cyrus Bartolome and Fr. Jeffery Couture. He was also assisted by Deacon George Cain and Deacon Rick Lawlor who coordinated the Mass and reception that followed.

“You go on the front line every day as law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical workers, wherever duty calls so that you might lift up your neighbor when that neighbor is in a moment of crisis, or being threatened by someone or is in peril,” the bishop told the many uniform personnel who turned out for the Mass and provided the Color Guard.

The bishop said that first responders choose the good of others, often without regard for their own comfort and safety, and they serve as example to all.

“We need to remember that love is to choose to do what is good for those around us–wife, husband, children, grandchildren, relatives, friends, neighbors, and even those who harm us; even when the choice is difficult, even when we may be persecuted by the choice, not appreciated because of what we do, not encouraged for the actions that we choose.”

Reflecting on the Matthew 18: 15-20, (”If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”) the Bishop said that in addition to helping those in need, we also have an obligation to speak out if we see them moving in the wrong direction.

“We do it because we know it is right and it is good for the person for whom we are making the choice.”

The bishop also offered words of encouragement to police, fire and first responders whose service often goes unappreciated.

“Sadly, we live in a world that does not fully understand the nobility of your vocation. But in this church we do because in many ways, my brothers and sisters, you make God’s love real to the people whom you serve, whether they realize it or not. But in this Church, we do realize it, and I, for my part, and on behalf of all God’s people, wish to say thank you to every single one of you for showing the world that love is still alive.”

The bishop concluded his homily by remembering those who died in the line of duty 22 years ago.

Photos by Owen Bonaventura

“Thousands of people died, and hundreds and hundreds of the men and women on the front lines died with them. And hundreds and hundreds served those survivors for months after, and many have been slowly dying since. Those were heroic acts of love, so that Christ was present in the darkest of hours in any person’s life who was in that place we now call Ground Zero.”

“And so on a day like today, we pray that they will rest in eternal peace for the goodness of their life, for they did not fail love, and therefore love will not fail them.”

Following the Bishop’s homily, Deacon Lawlor delivered the universal prayer Universal prayer for all police, fire and rescue workers.

“For all those who care for us daily in the uniformed services, may we always express our thanks to them for their unflinching service to our community and to us as individuals…

For those who have laid down the burden of the perishable body, whose memory we now recall, may they be gathered into the harvest of everlasting life…

For all those who so generously responded in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center and its subsequent cleanup without thought of their own lives, especially for all those who now bare in their own bodies the physical and emotional scars resulting from their service.

After distributing Holy Communion the bishop called Norwalk Police Officer Keith Torreso up to the altar for special recognition. On July 25, 2022, Officer Torreso was dispatched to a 911 call to save the life of a newborn baby Elouise who was not breathing and was unresponsive. He rushed to the location and quickly provided chest compressions and was able to successfully resuscitate the infant.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Caggiano thanked Fr. William H. Atwood, Organist and Diocesan Director of Music Ministry, who lead the schola. After the choir sang the Marian antiphon, “Salve Regina,” and trumpet soloist Ken Tedeschi beautifully played “Taps” as the officers stood in the aisles. The Recessional Hymn was “America the Beautiful.”

By Brian D. Wallace

BRIDGEPORT–The Annual Diocesan Blue Mass honoring Fire, Police and First Responders will be held on Sunday, September 10 at 10 am at St. Augustine Cathedral, 399 Washington Ave.in Bridgeport.  A reception immediately following Mass will be held in the Kolbe Cathedral High School gym on the parish grounds.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will be the main celebrant along with diocesan priests who serve as police and fire chaplains in Fairfield County. The Mass will commemorate the 22^nd Anniversary of  the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Medical Service personnel of all faiths in Fairfield County, along with members of the general public, are invited to attend the Mass and reception.

The Fairfield County Councils and Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus are co-sponsoring the Mass along with the Diocese of Bridgeport.  Deacon George Kain, Chaplain of the Ridgefield Police Department, is coordinating the event.

Norwalk Police Officer Keith Torreso with 1-year-old Eloise, whose life he saved last year. Torreso will be honored at this year’s Blue Mass on Sunday, September 10.

While the Mass honors all first responders for acts of heroism and public service, the bishop will present a special award to Norwalk Police Officer Keith Torreso.  On July 25, 2022, Officer Torreso was dispatched to a 911 call of a birth of a child and that the newborn was not breathing.

“Officer Torreso rushed to the location to attend to the mother and infant.  The infant was unresponsive. Officer Torreso quickly provided chest compressions and was able to successfully resuscitate the infant. Due to his quick actions, training and calm demeanor Officer Torreso saved the life of the newborn baby,” said Deacon Kain.

This past July Officer Torreso was recently reunited with the family at their request and met with the 1-year-old  Eloise he had saved in 2022.

The Blue Mass takes its name from the blue uniforms worn by police, fire and emergency services personnel.  Founded by then-Bishop William E. Lori, the Blue Mass was initiated to celebrate the life and heroism of those who died during the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D. C.

For further information, please contact Deacon George Kain dnkain@diobpt.org. Phone: 203-994-7807.

By Joe Pisani

Jenine Berardesca, Family Services Director for Catholic Cemeteries, sees her work as a ministry for people who have lost loved ones.

Last year, she began the Tree of Remembrance celebration at St. Mary/Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich, and several hundred people showed up to put photos of their deceased family members and friends on a 10-foot-tall spruce.

But Berardesca’s work goes beyond providing services and assistance to families who are grieving. It also involves her personal prayers.

“I realized very early in my career while driving through the cemetery, that monuments became reminders of the families I had come to know and care about,” she says. “I would ride past and found myself asking God to bless them or comfort them. My prayers were nothing elaborate, just short and sweet heartfelt words to God. Simple prayers, which over the years have become part of my everyday prayer life.”

Several years ago, while attending the All Souls Mass at St Mary/Putnam, she realized how simple it would be to include prayers for souls in purgatory. “Now, I make sure that I do,” she says. “If I don’t have a specific name to pray for, I pray by cemetery section. I don’t have a long time to pray, but fortunately I pass a lot of sections in my work.”

Her approach is simple. “When someone comes to your mind, consider it an invitation from the Holy Spirit to say a little prayer for them,” she says. “God will hear you. You don’t need a monument. Anything can be a reminder — a billboard, a song, a flower — and I highly recommend it.”

At Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Jenine is not alone in her approach to work.

She is joined by Jean Leitz, whose mother Ann died a little over a year ago. For many months, Jean was her 24/7 caregiver after she suffered a stroke. Her mother was an inspiration in Jean’s work at St. Peter Cemetery in Danbury, where as a Footstone Specialist, she takes great pride in making the cemetery look the best it can be for families who have loved ones buried there.

When she was alive, her mother taught Jean the importance of honoring their family plot, which has six graves — with one remaining for Leitz.

“I always took pride in our family plot and tried hard to make the area look good,” she says. “I learned that from my mom. She set a wonderful example. She took care of my dad when he was alive … and when he died.”

Leitz extends that same care and concern to all the graves in St. Peter’s.

“Working in the cemetery, I can show my love and respect to my mom and my dad Alfred,” she said. “Not everyone is blessed to have visitors. Some [of the deceased] have no one to visit, and I take pride in caring for their individual stones — as if their family members were present. When I make things look nice that’s me expressing my care for everyone buried there, and for their families, even though I might not meet them.

Leitz assists with burials in the field and in the mausoleums, but her specialty is caring for foot stones, which can sometimes sink in the ground or get covered with grass and need to be cleaned and lifted.

“I’m learning so much from my boss Rich and my coworker Vito, who have been very supportive,” she says. “I truly enjoy my job and love coming to work every day. After a long hard day’s work, I can look out and see the fruits of my labor.”

Her colleague Johanna Ordonez believes it was God’s providence that led to her job as a Family Advisor at St. Peter Cemetery. After 18 years working as a pharmacy technician, she left Walgreen’s, and that very same day, a priest at St. Peter Church told her about an opening at the cemetery. Although the work is totally different from her previous job, it lets her do what is most important to her — help people who are dealing with a tragedy.

“God put me here for a reason, the Colombia native said. “I never thought before what it would be like working in a cemetery, but when you work here, you meet families that need your help. It is a very important job. It is a ministry.”

Ordonez is always available to assist families with filling out paperwork and helping them make decisions on what she says is often “the worst day of their lives, when they just lost their mom, their dad, a brother or sister or child.”

“My first family was a young couple who just lost a baby,” she sadly recalls. It was very difficult, but she assisted them, offered consolation and prayed for them. Sometimes family members are upset because their belief in God can be shaken after losing a loved one, she said.

Her Catholic faith is fundamental to Ordonez. She has volunteered at her parish for more than 18 years, and her husband Jorge is studying for the permanent diaconate. She is also a member of a prayer group that meets Monday nights, and she uses it as an opportunity to pray for people who have died, along with their families.

In addition, she often finds herself explaining the importance of Catholic funeral rites to her friends and people she meets. (For more information, visit ctcemeteries.org )

“Every day we try to do our best,” Ordonez says. “When people come through that door, I introduce myself, and they become part of my family. I know why God put me in this place.”