In anticipation of the possible elimination of the religious exemption from mandatory vaccinations in Connecticut, we would like to clarify our stance regarding mandatory vaccinations.
The Catholic Church encourages the use of vaccines, and our Connecticut Catholic schools require mandatory vaccinations. The Church recognizes the conscientious objection to certain vaccines that use human fetal cell lines, but the use of such vaccines is not immoral according to Church guidance. That is, there is no religious teaching against the use of these vaccines for Catholics. For background on the Church’s position, we reiterate the Pontifical Academy’s guidance to Catholics on the importance of public health, vaccinations, and alternative vaccinations.
The Connecticut Catholic Conference, our public policy office, stands as a defender of religious liberty for all. In general, the Conference maintains that all religious exemptions should be jealously guarded. Any repeal of a religious exemption should be rooted in legitimate, grave public health concerns. The existence of a health risk in the state of Connecticut is a question of fact beyond our expertise at this time.
VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis preached Sunday about the life-changing power of God’s word in Scripture, encouraging everyone to keep a Bible close for daily inspiration.
“Let us make room in our lives for the word of God. Each day, let us read a verse or two of the Bible. Let us begin with the Gospel: let us keep it open on our table, carry it in our pocket, read it on our cell phones, and allow it to inspire us daily,” Pope Francis said in his homily Jan. 26.
“The Lord gives you his word, so that you can receive it like a love letter he has written to you, to help you realize that he is at your side. His word consoles and encourages us. At the same time it challenges us, frees us from the bondage of our selfishness and summons us to conversion. Because his word has the power to change our lives and to lead us out of darkness into the light,” the pope said.
Pope Francis inaugurated the first Sunday of the Word of God with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The pope established the Sunday of the Word of God to take place annually throughout the world on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time.
“On this first Sunday of the Word of God, let us go to the roots of his preaching, to the very source of the word of life,” the pope said.
“We need his word: so that we can hear, amid the thousands of other words in our daily lives, that one word that speaks to us not about things, but about life,” he said.
The pope reflected on Jesus’ preaching in Matthew’s Gospel: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
“We can now understand the direct demand that Jesus makes: ‘Repent,’ in other words, ‘Change your life.’ Change your life, for a new way of living has begun. The time when you lived for yourself is over; now is the time for living with and for God, with and for others, with and for love. Today Jesus speaks those same words to you,” he said.
Francis said that Jesus began preaching from the peripheries in Galilee, passing through “all of that varied and complex region.” In the same way, Christ is not afraid to explore the difficult terrain in our hearts.
“Here there is a message for us: the word of salvation does not go looking for untouched, clean and safe places. Instead, it enters the complex and obscure places in our lives,” the pope said.
“Now, as then, God wants to visit the very places we think he will never go. Yet how often we are the ones who close the door, preferring to keep our confusion, our dark side and our duplicity hidden. We keep it locked up within, approaching the Lord with some rote prayers, wary lest his truth stir our hearts,” he said.
Throughout the Mass, the statue of Our Lady of Knock from Ireland was on the altar as the Church celebrates the 140th anniversary of the Marian apparition. Pope Francis blessed this statue of Our Lady of Knock when he visited the Irish Marian Shrine during the World Meeting of Families in 2018.
The relics of St. Timothy were also moved to St. Peter’s Basilica for the Sunday of the Word of God. At the end of Mass, Pope Francis gave copies of the Bible to 40 people as a symbolic gesture.
“To follow Jesus, mere good works are not enough; we have to listen daily to his call. He, who alone knows us and who loves us fully, leads us to put out into the deep of life,” he said.
“We will discover that God is close to us, that he dispels our darkness and, with great love, leads our lives into deep waters,” Pope Francis said.
VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis has asked for people to spend a moment in prayer and recollection on Monday for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
January 27 marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
Between 1940 and 1945, the Nazi regime murdered 1.1 million people in Auschwitz, many killed in the gas chambers immediately upon arrival at the camp. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust.
“In the face of this huge tragedy, this atrocity, indifference is not admissible and memory is a must,” Pope Francis said Jan. 26 in his Angelus address.
The pope invited each person to spend a moment on the anniversary in prayer and recollection with “each person saying in his own heart: ‘never again, never again!’”
In a meeting with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization, last week Pope Francis recalled his visit to the Nazi concentration camp in Poland in 2016:
“I went there to reflect and to pray in silence. In our world, with its whirlwind of activity, we find it hard to pause, to look within and to listen in silence to the plea of suffering humanity.”
“If we lose our memory, we destroy our future. May the anniversary of the unspeakable cruelty that humanity learned of 75 years ago serve as a summons to pause, to be still and to remember. We need to do this, lest we become indifferent,” Pope Francis said.
The pope also condemned the “barbaric resurgence” of cases of anti-Semitism in the world, and urged the need to respect each person’s human dignity.
“It is troubling to see, in many parts of the world, an increase in selfishness and indifference, lack of concern for others and the attitude that says life is good as long as it is good for me, and when things go wrong, anger and malice are unleashed,” Pope Francis said Jan. 20.
“This creates a fertile ground for the forms of factionalism and populism we see around us, where hatred quickly springs up,” he said. “Even recently, we have witnessed a barbaric resurgence of cases of anti-Semitism. Once more I firmly condemn every form of anti-Semitism.”
The Council of European Bishops’ Conferences and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the European Union also denounced anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia in a Jan. 25 statement marking the anniversary.
“At the hour of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, let us light candles and say a prayer for people murdered in death camps of all nationalities and religions and for their relatives. Let our prayers broaden the reconciliation and brotherhood, of which the opposite is hostility, destructive conflicts and fueled misunderstandings,” the bishops encouraged.
“Cruel wars, genocide, persecution, and different forms of fanaticism are still taking place, although history teaches us that violence never leads to peace but, on the contrary, breeds more violence and death,” they added. “May the power of Christ’s love prevail in us.”
FAIRFIELD— Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec, Ph.D., announced today that Christian J. Cashman, president and head of school at Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford, Conn., will become the next president of Fairfield College Preparatory School, effective July 1, 2020. In this role, Cashman will also serve as a member of Fairfield University’s Senior Leadership Team.
“Mr. Cashman is a proven leader with a strong commitment to the excellence and the tradition which are hallmarks of a Jesuit, Catholic secondary education. He has demonstrated a depth of strategic rigor and data-driven decision making not only in his time at Northwest Catholic, but throughout his career,” said President Nemec, “and I am confident that Mr. Cashman will lead Fairfield Prep into a successful future. I would also like to thank Father Tom Simisky, S.J., for his service to the Fairfield Prep community, his commitment to our shared mission, and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Previously a teacher in the Theology Department at Fairfield Prep, Cashman returns to the school after a three-year stint as the president and head of school at Northwest Catholic, where he not only acted as the Catholic spiritual leader and chief development officer of the school, but also oversaw all professional staff, budgetary processes, official communications, and gift-giving.
“Mr. Cashman has all the qualities and experience we were seeking, including having served as a faculty member at Prep for seven years,” said Sally Bednar, chair of Fairfield Prep’s Board of Governors. “I am pleased that he will lead Prep as our next president, and I am confident he will ensure Prep’s continued focus on academic excellence, thoughtful innovation, and athletic vigor.”
Cashman also served as principal and chief administrator at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Conn., as well as the principal and head of school at St. Timothy Middle School in West Hartford, Conn. With a demonstrated dedication to Catholic education, Cashman held such titles as associate retreat director at the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford; director of Campus Ministry and religion teacher at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Conn.; and director of Campus Ministry and teacher of religion and English at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, OH.
“As a Catholic parent and educator, I have received countless graces from my own Catholic and Jesuit education,” said Mr. Cashman on his new appointment. “I am thrilled and humbled to be coming home to my Jesuit roots and the Fairfield Prep community which has given so much to me and my family, and I look forward to a powerful collaboration and partnership between Prep and Fairfield University, the only Jesuit secondary model of its kind in the United States.”
A graduate of the Jesuit Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, Cashman earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Master of Education in Secondary Education specializing in English. He is also a graduate of the Seminars in Ignatian Leadership, part of the Jesuit School Network’s United States Jesuit Conference.
Fairfield Prep enjoys an outstanding reputation and history of success due to the efforts of the excellent administration, faculty, and staff, as well as the support and commitment of students, parents and alumni. The Prep community is excited to have Mr. Cashman, with his passion and commitment to Jesuit education, lead Prep into the future.
BRIDGEPORT—Hundreds of faithful filled the pews at St. Augustine’s Cathedral on Sunday as Bishop Frank J. Caggiano officially recognized the Vietnamese Catholic Community as a parish during a Mass celebrating the Vietnamese New Year.
The bishop signed the decrees that formally established the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Parish within the Cathedral Parish, 25 years after the first families came to Bridgeport and began to worship as a community.
Several hundred children and young people joined their parents and grandparents for the solemn and festive occasion. It was a time of prayer, celebration, thanksgiving and most importantly, a time to venerate their ancestors for the sacrifices they made.
“This New Year, I stand before you with great gratitude for your faith, your life, your enthusiasm, your generosity and your faithfulness in the diocese,” Bishop Caggiano said. “For 25 years, our community has been a leaven of joy and faith here at the Cathedral Parish, as well as in the diocese, and I want to recognize that and thank you for your witness.”
Canon Law allows the establishment of so-called “personal quasi-parishes” by “reason of the rite, language or nationality of the Christian faithful of some territory.”
“As we begin this new year, I also want to invite you to start the next new chapter for our Vietnamese community,” he said. “Today I would like to sign decrees into law creating the Vietnamese community as its own parish within the family of the Cathedral. It will allow us to plan your future together, to give you more of an opportunity so that we might grow ever bigger, meet the needs of our young people more effectively, and invite many others to come join us and know Jesus through the example that you and I will give.”
Bishop Frank entrusted the new parish to the Vietnamese martyrs, who include St. Jean-Theophane Venard, St. Andrew Dung-Lac and 115 others canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
The bishop thanked Father Augustine Nguyen, the Episcopal Vicar for Vietnamese Catholics, for all that he has done, and he named Father Philip Lanh Phan, who is chaplain at Kolbe Cathedral High School, as administrator of the new parish to handle the day-to-day responsibilities.
Father Augustine, who was ordained in 2012, was the first Vietnamese priest in the diocese, so it was a particularly meaningful occasion for him. Shortly after he was ordained, he began to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral for the Vietnamese.
“This is great step for us,” he said. “Our numbers are growing, and the community is very active.” He will continue to serve as episcopal vicar, along with his duties as chaplain at Western Connecticut State University while in residence at St. Joseph Church in Danbury.
In his homily, Bishop Caggiano recalled the witness of the Vietnamese martyrs and wished blessings and graces on the Vietnamese faithful for their families and loved ones in the New Year.
“In these days, we remember the martyrs who gave their lives for Jesus—they gave their lives because they knew in their hearts how much Christ loved them, and they did not hesitate to give everything back to the one who gave love in return,” Bishop Caggiano said. “We also remember our deceased, our parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, neighbors and friends. We stand on their shoulders. We came to faith because of them. Think of all the sacrifices they made. Think of all they did so that we might have a better life and have faith in Jesus. And they did it not because it was an obligation but because they knew in their hearts that Jesus truly loved them and would take care of them, even in their hours of the greatest sacrifices.”
He challenged the community to go out into a world that does not recognize the call of Christ as the Apostles did and to continue the invitation he made 2000 years ago, “Follow me.”
“My prayer is that the love you have in your hearts will grow, for that’s the only way we will bring the world to Jesus,” he said. “It is the only way we will show the world a better way. It is the only way we will teach the world to follow Jesus…if you and I are ready to follow him first. May this New Year help us to do that one day at a time.”
In his remarks, Father Phan thanked the bishop, priests, deacons and seminarians who participated in the Mass, along with the Cathedral pastor, Father Michael Novajosky, who has been supportive of the community.
Father Phan, who was ordained ten years ago, said, “I was born in a pagan tradition. Sixteen years ago, I broke with my family tradition and became Catholic. Christ is my hope. I don’t wish for success, but I wish to be faithful. Thank you, bishop, for all your support.”
He asked for the community’s support and said they would grow in faith together. Discussing his vision for the future, he later said, “Being assigned as head of the newly created Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, I feel humbled and excited at the same time. The community has always been strong and vibrant in the past 25 years, but as it has now become an independent parish, I would like the community to be more involved with the general works of the diocese, such as charitable work at soup kitchen and visits to the home-bound elderly, regardless of ethnic background.”
He also said he is committed to attracting more Vietnamese to the parish and growing the youth group by encouraging its involvement in liturgies and parish activities.
Vy “Vee” Nguyen, president of the local chapter of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, said, “We’re very excited today. The community has been here 25 years, and this is an important recognition.”
Vee, who was born in Vietnam, said the ministry’s goal is to teach youths to be good Catholics and virtuous people and to recognize their cultural heritage. During the Mass, several hundred young people sat in the front pews, recognizable by the neckerchiefs they wore, which had an image of the Blessed Sacrament and a chalice.
Cindy Nguyen of Trumbull, who belongs to the Catholic mothers’ prayer group, “Cac Ba Me Cong Giao,” talked about the activities of her fellowship, which meets for prayer on the third Sunday of the month. She moved here from California in 1994 and has been part of the faith community since the early years.
“Yet Nguyen Dan” or simply “Tet” is the largest and most important festival of the Vietnamese culture. It means “the first morning of the first day” and the observance can continue for the entire week, although in America it is typically a one-day event.
A central activity of Tet is the New Year Rite of Ancestral Veneration. Family members pray for their ancestors and offer thanksgiving for their heritage. It is a time for children to honor their parents for sacrifices they have made on their behalf.
As part of the celebration, eight couples were recognized for their wedding anniversaries, from ten to 55 years. They came forward and received a certificate of a papal blessing. Bishop Caggiano also blessed them and was photographed with their families. After the Mass, there were festivities and a luncheon in the gymnasium of Kolbe Cathedral High School.
Father Augustine said the parishioners come from throughout the state and as far away as New York.
“Every week we come together and attendance is from 300 to 400 people,” he said.
There are two Masses, on Friday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. The parish’s ministries include Vietnamese language programs for children and a youth group that meets before Mass. Half of the members of community are young people, he said.
The parish is assisted by five Vietnamese Sisters, who belong to the Lovers of the Holy Cross religious congregation, founded in Vietnam in 1670. The Sisters oversee the choir, language programs and preparation for the sacraments. In addition, there is an active RCIA program, and every Easter Vigil several catechumens enter the faith.
Many changes have occurred in the 25 years since the first families began worshipping in Bridgeport. Back then, priests would come from as far away as Springfield and Boston to celebrate Mass once a month and later once a week.
“This is our next great step,” Father Augustine said.
By Joe Pisani
The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano
By the Grace of God and the Authority of the Apostolic See
Bishop of Bridgeport
DECREE ESTABLISHING THE QUASI-PARISH OUR LADY OF APARECIDA BRAZILIAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
In virtue of the office entrusted to me, I, the Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, concerned with the spiritual welfare of the souls entrusted to me, in accord with c. 518 of the Code of Canon Law which determines that personal parishes may be established by the reason of the rite, language or nationality of the Christian faithful of some territory, or even for some other reason, having determined that the good of the souls requires it and, having heard the Council of Priests on January 23, 2020 and, having fulfilled all other requirements of the law, duly exercising my ordinary power,
ESTABLISH THAT
Our Lady of Aparecida Brazilian Catholic Community be erected as a Personal Quasi-Parish in the territory of St. Peter Parish, Danbury, in accord with cc. 515 §2 and 518 of the Code of Canon Law. This quasi-parish has been created and erected for the Brazilian faithful that worship regularly at St. Peter Church. The newly erected personal quasi-parish enjoys all the rights, obligations and privileges granted by law. In the allocation of patrimonial goods, rights and obligations, equity and justice must be observed, and the intention of founders and donors must be respected in accord with c. 122, 12-22.
The Quasi-Parish Our Lady of Aparecida Brazilian Catholic Community is erected subject to the following provisions:
The quasi-parish is to be a personal quasi-parish with membership obtained either by registration in the quasi-parish or by regular attendance at its liturgical services.
The quasi-parish is under full jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bridgeport and is subject to the prescriptions of the Code of Canon Law, particular law of the diocese and policies and procedures and any approved customs of the diocese.
The proper administrator of the quasi-parish will be appointed by the Bishop of Bridgeport in accord with the Code of Canon Law.
The jurisdictional authority of the proper administrator will be exercised with all the rights and obligations accorded by universal and particular law.
The quasi-parish will retain all the proper sacramental registers required by law.
The quasi-parish will rely for support on the donations of the faithful members of the quasi-parish. The quasi-parish will also be responsible for contributing to the Annual Catholic Appeal.
The proper administrator of the quasi-parish is bound by law to offer the required Mass pro populo (c. 534). He may delegate this, in accord with the law, to another priest.
The proper administrator is to assure that the quasi-parish establishes a Finance Council in accord with c. 537 of the Code of Canon Law. Diocesan norms for Finance Councils are also to be observed.
In accord with particular law, the quasi-parish is required to establish a Pastoral Council.
The quasi-parish is assigned to Our Lady, Queen of Confessors Deanery.
Faculties to celebrate all the sacraments will be granted to the priests who assist the proper pastor or administrator in the sacramental care of the members of the quasi-parish, either by particular law or by decree from the Diocesan Bishop.
This decree is to take effect on January 25, 2020 and is to be communicated to all interested persons according to the norm of law. Given this 25th day of January 2020, at Saint Peter’s Parish, Connecticut.
The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano
By the Grace of God and the Authority of the Apostolic See
Bishop of Bridgeport
DECREE ESTABLISHING THE QUASI-PARISH HOLY VIETNAMESE MARTYRS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
In virtue of the office entrusted to me, I, the Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, concerned with the spiritual welfare of the souls entrusted to me, in accord with c. 518 of the Code of Canon Law which determines that personal parishes may be established by the reason of the rite, language or nationality of the Christian faithful of some territory, or even for some other reason, having determined that the good of the souls requires it and, having heard the Council of Priests on January 23, 2020 and, having fulfilled all other requirements of the law, duly exercising my ordinary power,
ESTABLISH THAT
Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Community be erected as a Personal Quasi-Parish in the territory of the Cathedral Parish, in accord with cc. 515 §2 and 518 of the Code of Canon Law. This quasi-parish has been created and erected for the Vietnamese faithful that worship regularly at Saint Augustine Cathedral. The newly erected personal quasi-parish enjoys all the rights, obligations and privileges granted by law. In the allocation of patrimonial goods, rights and obligations, equity and justice must be observed, and the intention of founders and donors must be respected in accord with c. 122, 1º-2º.
The Quasi-Parish Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Communityis erected subject to the following provisions:
The quasi-parish is to be a personal quasi-parish with membership obtained either by registration in the quasi-parish or by regular attendance at its liturgical services.
The quasi-parish is to be a personal quasi-parish with membership obtained either by registration in the quasi-parish or by regular attendance at its liturgical services.
The quasi-parish is under full jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bridgeport and is subject to the prescriptions of the Code of Canon Law, particular law of the diocese and policies and procedures and any approved customs of the diocese.
The proper administrator of the quasi-parish will be appointed by the Bishop of Bridgeport in accord with the Code of Canon Law.
The jurisdictional authority of the proper administrator will be exercised with all the rights and obligations accorded by universal and particular law.
The quasi-parish will retain all the proper sacramental registers required by law.
The quasi-parish will rely for support on the donations of the faithful members of the quasi-parish. The quasi-parish will also be responsible for contributing to the Annual Catholic Appeal.
The proper administrator of the quasi-parish is bound by law to offer the required Mass pro populo (c. 534). He may delegate this, in accord with the law, to another priest.
The proper administrator is to assure that the quasi-parish establishes a Finance Council in accord with c. 537 of the Code of Canon Law. Diocesan norms for Finance Councils are also to be observed.
In accord with particular law, the quasi-parish is required to establish a Pastoral Council.
The quasi-parish is assigned to Queen of Peace Deanery.
Faculties to celebrate all the sacraments will be granted to the priests who assist the proper pastor or administrator in the sacramental care of the members of the quasi-parish, either by particular law or by decree from the Diocesan Bishop.
This decree is to take effect on January 26, 2020 and is to be communicated to all interested persons according to the norm of law.
Given this 26th day of January 2020, at the Cathedral Parish, Bridgeport, Connecticut.
WASHINGTON (CNS) — President Donald Trump credited attendees at the 47th annual March for Life for their commitment to protect the life of unborn and born children.
NEW CANAAN—Monsignor Thaddeus F. Malanowski died on Thursday, January 23, at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan.
Named after the famous Polish General and American patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko, he himself became a Brigadier General. Msgr. Thaddeus Malanowski was a retired Brigadier General in the United States Army and native son of Stamford’s Holy Name of Jesus Parish.
He celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on May 28, 2017 at Holy Name of Jesus Church.
Monsignor was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Hartford on May 15, 1947 and was incardinated into the Diocese of Norwich when it was established in 1953.
One of 14 children, Msgr. Malanowski lived at the Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Residence in Stamford from April 2009 until shortly before his death.
Monsignor Malanowski’s body will be received at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Stamford (325 Washington Boulevard) at 4 pm on Tuesday, January 28 and will lie in repose until the Vigil Mass at 7 pm. Monsignor Thomas W. Powers will be the celebrant and Monsignor Nicholas V. Grieco will be the homilist.
Bishop Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, will celebrate the Funeral Mass at 11 am on Wednesday, January 29 and Monsignor Leszek T. Janik, vicar general of the Diocese of Norwich, will be the homilist. Those concelebrating the Vigil Mass and/or at the Funeral Mass are asked to bring diocesan vestments. Vesting will take place in the hall below the church.
Interment will follow the Funeral Mass at Saint John’s Cemetery in Darien (25 Camp Avenue).
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Monsignor Malanowski, and for the consolation of his family.
Msgr. Malanowski’s service as a priest took him to many countries around the globe. This profile, originally published in 2007, offers an overview of his remarkable priestly life:
WASHINGTON D.C.—Twenty-nine Immaculate High School students and their chaperones participated in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Led by IHS Deacon Jeff Font, they peacefully protested the decision of Roe vs. Wade. The day began with a rally at the National Mall, followed by the march to the Supreme Court of the United States, where a rally is held.
Many contingents from around the diocese, including a bus trip sponsored by our own Office of Faith Formation, are in attendance at the march! Stay tuned for updates.
BRIDGEPORT—“How can we change a culture? It’s through the grace of the Holy Spirit that we will change the culture in which we find ourselves,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano in opening his homily at the March for Life Mass on Thursday, January 23. That simple question, he said, is “precisely why we are here.”
On the eve of the annual March for Life, scores of faithful from the Diocese of Bridgeport gathered at St. Augustine’s Cathedral in Bridgeport to pray for an end to abortion and for blessings on the pilgrims traveling to the March in Washington, D.C. the following morning. This Mass gave those unable to attend the event at the capital the opportunity to unite with others in prayer and community to end what the bishop called a “culture of death.”
Joined by members of the Knights of Columbus along with priests and deacons from the Diocese, Bishop Caggiano celebrated the first ever March for Life Mass, sponsored by the Respect Life Office.
“We must pray for a culture of life,” the bishop said. “Every life has value beyond measure. With every word we speak, every action we take, and every attitude we have, we will chip away at this culture. We must end this scourge and sin of abortion.”
To accomplish this shift, the bishop reminded the congregation to see reverence in all, from pregnant women considering abortion to immigrants and refugees seeking shelter to the sick, the handicapped, and all who suffer.
“There is dignity in every life,” Bishop Caggiano said. “We must stand with life in all its forms, in solidarity and love. We must not let our attitudes betray our words. There is so much we can do.”
After blessing the pilgrims on their journey to Washington, the bishop thanked them for bearing witness to our Catholic faith and being an example of those who desire justice and dignity.
Such a journey, said Maureen Ciardiello of the Respect Life Office, is “inspiring, prayerful, and joyful. Once people go, they are more motivated to help and join in. This is such an important issue, and we acknowledge it here in community.”
In addition to the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., the Connecticut March for Life will take place at the State Capitol in Hartford on Wednesday, April 15. Bishop Caggiano encouraged attendance at this event as well, adding, “It is important to come out in numbers. Don’t be discouraged. We can make that change. How? With one word, one action, and one attitude at a time.”
By Emily Clark
WESTPORT—Filipino Catholics from Fairfield County, New York, New Jersey and beyond recently gathered at the Church of the Assumption in Westport to celebrate the Annual “Sinulog Festival” in honor of the Infant Jesus or Santo Nino.
The Sinulog Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third Sunday of January and is the center of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines.
The festival is considered first from among other festivals in the Philippines, with every celebration of the festival routinely attracting around 1 to 2 million people from all over the Philippines and the world.
(For more information visit www.assumptionwestport.org.)
The following is a homily originally given by Deacon Paul Kurmay on January 19, 2020, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
FAIRFIELD—Join the Sacred Heart University community for the dedication of the new Pier Giorgio Frassati and Elie Wiesel residence halls, located on the University’s Upper Quad. Tours will follow the ceremony.
Administrators and alumni will gather for the dedication and blessing of these new residence halls that honor Pier Giorgio Frassati and Elie Wiesel in SHU’s tradition of naming dorms after people who exemplify the University’s mission. Guest speakers include Marisa Martire and Nadine Strossen.
Pier Giorgio Frassati, a courageous and devout Catholic, was born into a prominent Italian family in 1901. In his short life of 24 years, he took advantage of his social status to provide help and aid to those who most needed it. He was deeply dedicated to social justice and serving the poor.
Elie Wiesel was a holocaust survivor who was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland with his entire family at the age of 15. He went on to write 57 books and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for speaking out against violence, repression and racism.
The dedication will take place on the Upper Quad at Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield on Thursday, January 30, at 2 pm.Media coverage is welcomed. Please contact Deb Noack at 203.396.8483 or noackd@sacredheart.edu for further information.
WASHINGTON—The National Prayer Vigil for Life will be held from Thursday, January 23 to Friday, January 24, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Over 20,000 pilgrims from around the nation are expected to gather there and pray for an end to abortion before the annual March for Life on the National Mall.
BRIDGEPORT—A recent data collection audit of our diocesan safe environment programs was conducted by Stonebridge Business Partners of Rochester, New York. The audit process found that the Diocese of Bridgeport is compliant with all articles of The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People for the 2018-2019 audit period. Two types of audits are regularly conducted, onsite and data collection. Every three years an onsite audit involves members of the Stonebridge firm who travel to the Diocese of Bridgeport to conduct interviews with our Bishop and everyone involved with safe environment administration as well as survivors of sexual abuse by priests from our diocese.
Our most recent on-site audit of diocesan Safe Environment programs was conducted in October of 2018. The auditor spent two days interviewing and checking records which are submitted annually by schools and parishes and reflect their compliance with Safe Environments for adults and children. The auditor commented that our survivor group and victim assistance ministry is the strongest he has encountered. The Diocese of Bridgeport utilizes the Think First & Stay Safe training for children and parents, Netsmartz for teens & VIRTUS for Adults. We include Code of Conduct, reporting information and a background check during VIRTUS online registration so that pastors and principals can keep track locally.
The next onsite audit in the Diocese of Bridgeport will take place in 2021 and will include onsite audits at schools and parishes to review their training and background check compliance. Within the next 18 months, representatives from the Office of Safe Environment will schedule onsite meetings with local coordinators to share best practices and give feedback in advance of their onsite audit. Since 2003, our Diocese has policies and procedures in place which exceed Charter requirements. These policies are included in our Safe Environment Handbook and may be found on our Diocesan website at: www.bridgeportdiocese.org/safe-environments/safe-environments-handbook
