Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

WESTON — In the early evening, a group of faithful from churches around the Diocese gathers at St. Francis of Assisi Parish to pray for a special intention, a cause so important it will affect the future of the Catholic Church — vocations.

They are members of a worldwide apostolate begun 85 years ago called “Serra,” in honor of St. Junipero Serra, the 18th century priest and Franciscan friar who founded missions along the California coast in San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo. He is recognized as patron saint of vocations to church ministry.

The Serra Club of the Bridgeport Diocese, which meets on the fourth Thursday of the month, supports activities and prayer so that more men and women will enter the religious life at a time when there has been a steady decline in vocations.

In recent years, there are fewer priests to serve the 300,000 registered Catholics in the diocese. Since 2014, 43 priests have retired and 13 have been ordained. Because of the shortage, an increasing number of parishes have only one priest in residence, and many have taken on a diocesan assignment in addition to their work as pastors.

Anita Field, a member of the group, says that throughout the day she prays for vocations because they are fundamental to the life of the Church.

“Without priests, we will have no Church,” she said. “And without their moral fiber, we are really lost. We need to be focused on something greater than what most of the people in the world are focused on.”

Daily prayer for vocations and seminarians is a regular practice for the 19 members, whose stated mission is to “vigorously respond to the call to promote and support vocations to the ministerial priesthood, the permanent diaconate and consecrated life in the Catholic Church.”

Before their meeting, members pray in front of the tabernacle, confident that Christ is listening because, as he said, “The harvest is great, but the laborers are few; pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

“Praying daily for vocations and our seminarians has made me a more prayerful and more disciplined individual,” said Thom Field, president of the club. “I ask for the intercession of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit in the lives of young seminarians.”

A convert to Catholicism 26 years ago, Field says he loves the Catholic faith and is saddened by the crisis in the Church, which has had a negative effect on vocations.

The sex-abuse scandal has dramatically impacted our ability to recruit people for the religious life,” he says. “I remember the days when parents were proud to have their son become a priest. Today, they try to talk their kids out of it, but we need to help them understand that the priesthood is an honorable and sacred vocation.”

Fr. Jeffrey Couture, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi and chaplain of the group, said that to succeed in their mission, Serrans must commit themselves to the basics of spiritual warfare because Satan will always tempt them into thinking there’s an easier way. “All of us, as a group, need to do more,” he said. “We need to do holy hours. We need to pray the rosary. We need to pray together during Eucharistic adoration.”

At a recent meeting, club members discussed plans to create a vocation ministry at St. Francis of Assisi that would pray for vocations and also provide resources and opportunities to encourage young people to consider the religious life.

Serra International was begun in 1935 by four Catholic laymen in Seattle and is recognized by the Vatican as the “lay vocational arm of the Church” with more than 1,100 clubs in 46 countries that claim over 20,000 members.

The Bridgeport chapter began through the efforts of Deacon David Flynn of St. Jude Church in Monroe, who in 2014 while in formation for the permanent diaconate undertook a project to create a vocation ministry in his parish, which ultimately led to forming a Serra Club in the diocese.

“What appealed to me was the personal formation and growth in holiness for the members,” he said. “The activities are important, but the foundation of those activities rests on prayer and the individual’s spiritual formation and growth in personal holiness.”

At times, it seemed the effort was floundering, but he credits prayers to the Blessed Mother by several people, including his wife Anita, with bringing it to fruition. The Bridgeport club was chartered on April 28, 2015 at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield.

“It is really surprising how things work with prayer,” Deacon Flynn said. “No matter how hard we work for something, it doesn’t get done on its own. You have to do it with prayer because then you are following God’s will.”

The three goals of the club are:  “To promote and support vocations to the ministerial priesthood and the permanent diaconate of the Church as a particular vocation of service, and support priests in their sacred ministry; to encourage and promote vocations to the consecrated life in the Church; and to assist members to recognize and respond, each in his own life, to God’s call to holiness in Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.”

What is particularly rewarding for Serrans are the friendships that develop with seminarians, and they regularly hold events to become acquainted with them, including a family barbecue. As Deacon Flynn puts it: “Sierra hugs trees. Serra hugs the clergy.”

Some priests he knows who were ordained 50 years ago still remember the influence and support that Serra provided for them when they were in formation back in the 1960s … and knew that every day someone was praying for them by name. Gene Casciari of St. Bridget of Ireland in Stamford, who has been a member of the Serra Club since it began, says he currently prays for seminarian Joseph Cain.

In our era, despite the decline in vocations, God is still calling men and women to the religious life, Deacon Flynn said. However, many of them cannot recognize the call because they did not receive the necessary faith formation when they were growing up.

To encourage more vocations, Serra offers resources for parishes that want to start a vocation ministry, and Bishop Caggiano has asked pastors to encourage parishioners to become active in the Serra Club, Field said.

Bob Nelson of St. Mary in Bethel said, “We are always looking for new members because we are devoted to this cause. It is a vocation to pray for vocations.”

(For more information about the Serra Club of the Diocese of Bridgeport or how you can join them in their efforts, email serrabridge@gmail.com or tfield007@optonline.net)

“The Father has given him to us with great mercy. He has given him to everyone. He has given him forever. The Son is born, like a small light flickering in the cold and darkness of the night.”

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1)

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Merry Christmas!

From the womb of Mother Church, the incarnate Son of God is born anew this night. His name is Jesus, which means: “God saves”. The Father, eternal and infinite Love, has sent him into the world not to condemn the world but to save it (cf. Jn 3:17). The Father has given him to us with great mercy. He has given him to everyone. He has given him forever. The Son is born, like a small light flickering in the cold and darkness of the night.

That Child, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Word of God made flesh. The Word who guided Abraham’s heart and steps towards the promised land, and who continues to draw to himself all those who trust in God’s promises. The Word who led the Hebrews on the journey from slavery to freedom and who continues to call the enslaved in every age, including our own, to come forth from their prisons. He is the Word brighter than the sun, made incarnate in a tiny son of man: Jesus the light of the world.

This is why the prophet cries out: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1). There is darkness in human hearts, yet the light of Christ is greater still. There is darkness in personal, family and social relationships, but the light of Christ is greater. There is darkness in economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts, yet greater still is the light of Christ.

May Christ bring his light to the many children suffering from war and conflicts in the Middle East and in various countries of the world. May he bring comfort to the beloved Syrian people who still see no end to the hostilities that have rent their country over the last decade. May he stir the consciences of men and women of good will. May he inspire governments and the international community to find solutions to allow the peoples of that region to live together in peace and security, and put an end to their sufferings. May he sustain the Lebanese people and enable them to overcome the current crisis and rediscover their vocation to be a message of freedom and harmonious coexistence for all.

May the Lord Jesus bring light to the Holy Land, where he was born as the Saviour of mankind, and where so many people – struggling but not discouraged – still await a time of peace, security and prosperity. May he bring consolation to Iraq amid its present social tensions, and to Yemen, suffering from a grave humanitarian crisis.

May the tiny Babe of Bethlehem bring hope to the whole American continent, where a number of nations are experiencing a time of social and political upheaval. May he encourage the beloved Venezuelan people, long tried by their political and social tensions, and ensure that they receive the aid they need. May he bless the efforts of those who spare no effort to promote justice and reconciliation and to overcome the various crises and the many forms of poverty that offend the dignity of each person.

May the Redeemer of the world bring light to beloved Ukraine, which yearns for concrete solutions for an enduring peace.

May the newborn Lord bring light to the people of Africa, where persistent social and political situations often force individuals to migrate, depriving them of a home and family. May he bring peace to those living in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, torn by continuing conflicts. May he bring consolation to all who suffer because of violence, natural disasters or outbreaks of disease. And may he bring comfort to those who are persecuted for their religious faith, especially missionaries and members of the faithful who have been kidnapped, and to the victims of attacks by extremist groups, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.

May the Son of God, come down to earth from heaven, protect and sustain all those who, due to these and other injustices, are forced to emigrate in the hope of a secure life. It is injustice that makes them cross deserts and seas that become cemeteries. It is injustice that forces them to ensure unspeakable forms of abuse, enslavement of every kind and torture in inhumane detention camps. It is injustice that turns them away from places where they might have hope for a dignified life, but instead find themselves before walls of indifference.

May Emmanuel bring light to all the suffering members of our human family. May he soften our often stony and self-centered hearts, and make them channels of his love. May he bring his smile, through our poor faces, to all the children of the world: to those who are abandoned and those who suffer violence. Through our frail hands, may he clothe those who have nothing to wear, give bread to the hungry and heal the sick. Through our friendship, such as it is, may he draw close to the elderly and the lonely, to migrants and the marginalized. On this joyful Christmas Day, may he bring his tenderness to all and brighten the darkness of this world.

Pope Francis (transcribed, translated) | ncregister.com

Family-friendly ideas to savor in the slower days after the big solemnity itself

For families, there can be temptation at Christmastime to pack everything into Advent — both the preparation and celebration crammed into a season meant for peaceful anticipation.

This is actually a distortion of the liturgical year, in which the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ begins on Christmas and continues for a full 12 days!

If we can align our practices this time a little closer to the Church rather than the culture, we just may find some of the byproducts of a rightly ordered life: serenity, attention and receptivity of the gifts God wants to give.

When we enter into what the Church intends, our families will find surprising amounts of gratitude and joy in simple things and maybe even a deeper sense of the sacred. We can take a deep breath and continue our celebration with increased focus on the gifts of time, prayer and each other.

Rather than being a let-down among crumpled bows and discarded toys, the days following Christmas are deliberately given to us by the Church to enter deeply into the mystery of Christmas and its living extension within our own families. Here are some specifically family-friendly ideas to savor in the slower days after the big solemnity itself.

Surprise for Mom

Attention, dads: a post-holiday mom’s favorite Christmas gift just might be a much-deserved nap while you take the kids ice skating or out for pizza. Continue the gift-giving with a lovely, completely unexpected, surprise necklace on her pillow from Telos Art Shop.

Movie-Night Fun

Let the chilly weather be an excuse to stay home (as if you needed one!) and enjoy a traditional Christmas movie like The Bells of St. Mary’s or Come to the Stable. It’s a Wonderful Life is a favorite for a reason. Little kids with shorter attention spans will find A Charlie Brown Christmas delightful, and parents might rediscover how much they enjoy it, too. Teenage boys will stick around when you put on Joyeux Noel, the true story of the impromptu truce between warring troops on a special Christmas Eve during the First World War.

With things winding down after the holiday rush, there may even be time to watch a series over several nights. Announce a marathon movie week. The Lord of the Rings trilogy or The Chronicles of Narnia are timeless classics. (All movies are available at Amazon.com.)

Each viewing night can include a new surprise to keep things fun: Have the kids take turns opening packages of soft throws, fuzzy socks or a canister of hot cocoa with fun candy stirrers.

Anticipate movie night by spending a leisurely afternoon stirring up popcorn balls or treats to enjoy during the show. If baking is stressful before the holidays, it can be wonderful to discover how much fun it is when the pressure is over. Kids love to cook, and when they get your attention as an added ingredient, it is the perfect Christmas mix. A fun recipe can be found online at Food.com.

Family Time

Too much TV? How about bringing back the tradition of reading aloud? Imagine the kids curled up while Mom and Dad take turns reading from A Christmas Carol. You don’t have to be a great orator to enchant your children, and you might just be creating a new family tradition.

Set some surprises out at the breakfast table and let the kids unwrap a few books, puzzles, art supplies or board games you’ve intentionally saved for these 12 days. Spend the day enjoying quiet activities together. ChrómaCat, a Catholic company, sells exquisite greyscale mosaics for coloring — the budding artists in your family can create something frameable to gift a grandparent or neighbor and extend the season of gift-giving.

Post-Christmas Get-Together

And maybe you couldn’t squeeze much entertaining in before the big day, but there’s a family somewhere that would love to be invited over for a low-key evening. Let the kids explore each other’s new toys while the parents relax with a glass of wine and a tasty charcuterie board, reason alone to plan a post-Christmas get-together.

Here is a good recipe from Food.com: https://bit.ly/2KyJNQv.

Christmas Prayer

Keep the prayer coming, too! Plan an early-morning daily Mass as a family and make breakfast together when you come home.

Or how surprising would it be for each child to find a special new rosary wrapped on their dinner plate one night? Break the beads in with the Joyful Mysteries by the fire that evening. Lovely rosaries are available from Immaculata Grace Rosaries. The shop does custom orders, too.

Sacred Song

Don’t stop the sacred music. We should be singing Christmas songs for the entire season, even if the radios have cut the seasonal tunes off midnote on the 26th.

Let the sounds in your home echo the chorus in heaven. Try this chart-topping recording from the Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring: Christmas With the Dominican Sisters of Mary, available via EWTN Religious Catalogue, Item: 4125C.

Memorable Reminiscing

Dig out the old family photo albums. Take the slow time after Christmas to talk about relatives from past generations the kids may never have met.

Tell family stories and share memories from your own Christmases as children. You may have visiting relatives who can chime in with their own versions of family lore. Such tales are treasures to children, little glimpses into your life and how you remember celebrating Christ’s birth.

Our consumer culture continues after the holidays with even more sales, and it can be tempting to continue shopping, stocking up on deals for next year.

Swap shopping for hiking, sledding, building a snow fort in the backyard or another outdoor activity as a family — extend the festive fun with the special people in your life.

Overall, create space for the real stuff that matters: the very souls that Christ came to earth to save. Merry Christmas!

by Claire Dwyer | ncregister.com

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christmas night tells each person, no matter how poor or sinful, that they are utterly and totally loved by God, Pope Francis said as he celebrated Jesus’ birth.

The grace of God revealed in the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem “is divine love, the love that changes lives, renews history, liberates from evil, fills hearts with peace and joy,” the pope said in his homily Dec. 24 as he celebrated the nighttime liturgy.

“Tonight, the love of God has been revealed to us: It is Jesus,” he said.

The liturgy began with the “kalenda” or Christmas proclamation of Jesus’ birth “innumerable ages” after the creation of the world, “in the year of the 194th Olympiad” and in the 42nd year of Caesar Augustus’ reign when the whole world was at peace.

Pope Francis processed into St. Peter’s Basilica and, reaching the transept, unveiled a life-sized statue of the baby Jesus, kissed it and blessed it with incense.

Twelve children, aged 5-11, from Italy, Japan, Venezuela, Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines and Iraq brought flowers to the statue and, at the end of Mass, were to accompany the pope to the basilica’s Nativity scene.

In his homily, Pope Francis told a story similar to, but quieter, than that recounted in the song, “The Little Drummer Boy.” The pope’s story was about shepherds who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.

“There was one shepherd who had nothing to give. He was extremely poor,” the pope said. “As the others were competing to offer their gifts, he stood apart, embarrassed.”

“At a certain point, St. Joseph and Our Lady found it hard to receive all the gifts, especially Mary, who had to hold the baby. Seeing that shepherd with empty hands, she asked him to draw near. And she put the baby Jesus in his arms,” the pope continued.

Receiving Jesus, the shepherd “became aware of having received what he did not deserve, of holding in his arms the greatest gift of all time,” the pope said. “He looked at his hands, those hands that seemed to him always empty; they had become the cradle of God.”

The shepherd, feeling loved and overcoming his embarrassment, “began to show Jesus to the others, for he could not keep for himself the gift of gifts,” the pope said.

“Dear brother, dear sister, if your hands seem empty, if you think your heart is poor in love, this night is for you,” the pope said. “The grace of God has appeared, to shine forth in your life. Accept it and the light of Christmas will shine forth in you.”

In Jesus, the pope said, the Almighty “made himself tiny, so that we might love him.”

St. Paul described the coming of Jesus as “grace,” he said, because it means something completely free. God’s gift of Jesus is not something anyone deserves or anyone can ever repay.

Christmas is a reminder, the pope said, that “when we failed to measure up, God became small for our sake; while we were going about our own business, he came into our midst.”

“Christmas,” he said, “reminds us that God continues to love us all, even the worst of us.”

Preaching in a packed basilica, to an overflow crowd watching on screens in St. Peter’s and to millions of television viewers worldwide, Pope Francis said God’s message at Christmas is, “I love you and I will always love you, for you are precious in my eyes.”

“God does not love you because you think and act the right way. He loves you, plain and simple,” he said. “You may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you.”

The only thing people need to do with God’s grace is accept it and let themselves be loved by God, he said.

“To accept this grace means being ready to give thanks in return,” he said. “Often we live our lives with such little gratitude. Today is the right day to draw near to the tabernacle, the creche, the manger, and to say thank you.”

Receiving the gift of Jesus, believers should try to be like him by being a gift for others, the pope said. “It is the best way to change the world: we change, the church changes, history changes, once we stop trying to change others but try to change ourselves and to make of our life a gift.”

“Jesus shows this to us tonight. He did not change history by pressuring anyone or by a flood of words, but by the gift of his life,” he said. “He did not wait until we were good before he loved us but gave himself freely to us. May we not wait for our neighbors to be good before we do good to them, for the church to be perfect before we love her, for others to respect us before we serve them.”

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano
By the Grace of God and the Authority of the Apostolic See
Bishop of Bridgeport

DECREE MERGING THE PARISHES OF
HOLY FAMILY, FAIRFIELD, CT
and ST. EMERY, FAIRFIELD, CT

In virtue of the office entrusted to me, I, the Most Reverend 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 heard the people of Holy Family Parish, Fairfield, CT and St. Emery Parish, Fairfield, CT, and having considered the law and the facts, and having heard all those whose rights may be harmed (c. 50) on September 7, 2019 and on December 3, 2019, and having ascertained from documents and deeds and consulted those concerned that there are no major donors or heirs to be heard, and having consulted the Council of Priests ( c. 515 §2) on December 23, 2019 and having determined that the good of the souls requires it,

ESTABLISH THAT

The above two parishes be so amalgamated through an extinctive union so as to form one new parish. This determination has been made to slrengthen the pastoral care of the people of God in this area of my diocese, 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.

• I also hereby decree that all the rights, obligations, and privileges of the members of Christian faithful domiciled in the territory of the above amalgamated parishes, accorded them by law or legitimately acquired, are to be transferred to and made part of Holy Family and St. Emery Parish.
• The territorial boundaries of the aforementioned parishes by this canonical decree shall be the boundaries of the former Holy Family Parish.
• The intentions of the founders and donors of the patrimony of Holy Family Parish, Fairfield, CT and of St. Emery Parish, Fairfield, Connecticut must be respected, in accordance with the law (c. 121 & 122).
• All sacramental registers and parish files of the amalgamated parishes are to be properly transferred to, preserved and safeguarded by Holy Family and St. Emery Parish, in accord with the norm of law.
• Both churches shall remain open.

This decree becomes effective on January 2, 2020.

This decree is to be communicated to the respective pastors who are the proper administrators of the two juridical persons that are being amalgamated. 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 23rd day of December 2019, at the Catholic Center, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

WILTON—Despite the winter weather conditions that closed schools and iced local roads, a large group of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy students visited residents at Brookdale Senior Living community for a festive afternoon of Christmas caroling.

“Although it was a good day to hunker down, cozy at home, these children felt it was worth it to venture out to spread Christmas cheer!” said Mara Fleming, who heads OLF’s Youth Ministry program. “It’s wonderful to bring joy to people this way. It’s a good example of the ‘service above self’ principle that is so important at our school.”

The school will be hosting an informational Open House for prospective students and families on Sunday, January 26, 2019, from 2-4 pm. The Open House will take place at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy, 225 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT.

BRIDGEPORT— Hundreds turned out on Friday at the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts, where the Diocesan Youth Choir performed its 5th Annual “Arise and Shine” Christmas Concert before family, friends, and the general public.

Led by the gift choral conductor Mary Higgins of Wilton, the 140-member choir ran through traditional favorites and also added many surprises to the program.

The choir brought the audience to their feet several times include a rousing rendition of “A Million Dreams” from the movie The Greatest Showman.

The choir demonstrated its range, preparation and skill with the performance of an eight-movement Cantata called “The Glory of Christmas.”

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, who founded the choir as an initiative of Synod 2014, was in attendance and was deeply moved by the singing and faith of the young people who ranged in age from 8th grade to college students who return each year for the concert.

One of the highlights of the evening was the singing of children’s choirs from five parishes including Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton, St. Matthew in Norwalk, St. Theresa and St. Catherine of Siena in Trumbull, and n Trumbull, and the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford.

The choir, joined by the audience, closed the concert with its traditional ‘Dark is the Silent Night.

Auditions for next year’s choir will be held In January. To learn more about C4Y, please visit the Choir’s webpage.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The ongoing reform of the Roman Curia is a necessary part of the Catholic Church’s fidelity to its mission to proclaim the Gospel, recognizing that very few countries today can be described as “Christian” and that new ways of evangelizing are necessary, Pope Francis said.

But attempts to meet the new challenges are threatened by “the temptation of assume an attitude of rigidity,” the pope said Dec. 21 during his traditional pre-Christmas meeting with cardinals and top officials of Vatican offices.

“Rigidity, which is born of the fear of change, ends up erecting fences and obstacles on the terrain of the common good, turning it into a minefield of incomprehension and of hatred,” the pope said. “And today this temptation of rigidity has become very evident.”

Pope Francis quoted from St. John Henry Newman, whom he canonized in October: “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”

“Obviously,” the pope said, “it’s not about seeking change for change’s sake or about following fashions, but of having the conviction that development and growth are characteristic of earthly and human life while, from a believer’s perspective, at the center of everything there is the stability of God.”

“For Newman,” he said, “change was conversion, that is, an interior transformation,” which clearly shows that the Christian life is a pilgrimage, a process of moving closer to God.

Conversion and transformation are part of an individual’s response to God’s call, but also must take place within the Curia, which is called to be at the service of the church in its efforts to share the Gospel, he said.

Looking specifically at the Curia reform process and the planned reorganization of Vatican offices according to the draft constitution, “Praedicate Evangelium,” (“Preach the Gospel”), Pope Francis addressed the question of merging the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples with the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization and placing the office ahead of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the Vatican’s organizational chart.

But first he told the cardinals and top Curia officials that the church engages with the changing world “anchored principally on fidelity to the deposit of faith and tradition.”

The Curia reform project, he said, “has never had the presumption of acting as if nothing existed before; on the contrary, it focused on valuing what good was done” and on preserving its “roots” so that it can be fruitful.

“Invoking memory does not mean grasping on to self-preservation, but recalling the life and vitality of a process in continual development,” he said. “Memory is not static, it’s dynamic. By its nature it implies movement.”

As he has often done, Pope Francis quoted the 19th-century composer Gustav Mahler, who said, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”

The pope discussed the changes proposed for the doctrinal congregation and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the large Curia office that supports and oversees church efforts in lands traditionally known as “missionary territory” — like Africa and Asia.

The two congregations, he said, were instituted “in an age when it was easier to distinguish between two fairly well-defined shores: a Christian world on one side and a world still to be evangelized on the other.”

“This situation no longer exists,” the pope said.

“In fact,” he said, “the populations that still have not received the proclamation of the Gospel do not live only on non-Western continents, but live everywhere, especially in the large urban concentrations, which require their own specific pastoral work.”

“Christendom no longer exists,” he said. “Today we are not the only ones who produce culture, nor are we the first or the most listened to.”

Christianity, “especially in Europe, but also in a large part of the West, is no longer an obvious premise of our common life, but rather it is often denied, derided, marginalized or ridiculed.”

Evangelization and the “new evangelization” St. John Paul II called for are urgent needs, the pope said, which is why the Curia itself must change and adapt.

Pope Francis told the Curia officials there are and will be challenges and complications “for the simple fact that between a glorious past and a creative future on the move, we find the present in which there are people who necessarily need time to mature,” and there are “juridical and institutional questions that must be resolved gradually, without magic formulas or shortcuts.”

The pope also spoke about the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and why he merged into it the previously separate offices for justice and peace, charity, migrants and refugees and health care.

“In all its being and acting, the church is called to promote the integral development of the human person in the light of the Gospel,” he said.

The church does so, he continued, by “serving the weakest and most marginalized, in particularly forced migrants, who represent at this time a cry in the desert of our humanity” and are “the symbol of all those thrown away by our globalized society.”

The church, he said, “is called to testify that for God no one is a ‘stranger’ or ‘excluded.’ It is called to awaken consciences numbed by indifference to the reality of the Mediterranean Sea, which has become for many, too many, a cemetery.”

Christmas, he told his top aides, “is the feast of God’s love for us, the divine love that inspires, guides and corrects change, and overcomes the human fear of leaving behind ‘security’ in order once more to embrace the ‘mystery.'”

After meeting the officials, Pope Francis went to the Vatican audience hall to greet Vatican employees and their families.

In his short talk, he urged them to give a smile for Christmas and to let themselves experience the smile of the newborn baby Jesus in the manger.

“Jesus is God’s smile,” the pope said. “He came to reveal the love of the heavenly Father, his goodness, and the first way he did that was by smiling at his parents, like every newborn in this world.”

Pope Francis urged the employees to spend a bit of time looking at a Nativity scene; “look at the baby Jesus and feel God smile at you and at all the poor of the earth, all those who await salvation, those who hope for a more fraternal world where there is no longer war or violence, where every man and woman can live with their dignity as sons and daughters of God.”

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

FAIRFIELD — Almost 2000 years ago a Greek physician named Luke sat down to write the greatest story ever told, a story that has touched countless lives throughout history. On Friday, the students of Saint Catherine Academy gave the Christmas story special meaning as they retold St. Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus with a message of faith, hope and love for everyone.

The 16th annual Christmas Pageant, titled “A Cousins’ Christmas,” was performed to a standing-room-only audience at the St. Catherine Center for Special Needs and was, in the words of Executive Director Helen Burland, “Our gift to people who support us and to the families who trust us with their children each day.”

Sixteen students presented a narrated series of tableaux from the Nativity story, beginning with the angel Gabriel’s message to Zechariah that his elderly wife Elizabeth would have a child, who would be John the Baptist, the herald of his cousin Jesus. It was followed by the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, the Visitation, Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, the birth of the Christ Child in the manager, the arrival of the shepherds and magi, and concluded with a spirited rendition of “Feliz Navidad” by the students, which received a sustained standing ovation from the audience.

The Christmas message of the young actors was summed up in a few words the narrator read as the cast assembled on stage: “As we at Saint Catherine Academy work hard each day to love each other and help each other grow, may we inspire the rest of God’s people, in our diocese and throughout the world, to love each other the way good cousins like Elizabeth, Mary, John and Jesus do. In so doing, Jesus can be most fully Emmanuel — God with us.”

Deacon Patrick Toole, Episcopal Delegate for Administration of the diocese, thanked them for their performance and said, “Whatever gifts we receive this Christmas, there won’t be any as moving and beautiful as this. We saw the face of God in these actors. More than a gift, they gave us grace today.”

Anthony Minopoli, a board member of the Academy who attends the event every year with his wife Karen, said, “This is the best way to lead up to Christmas for us.”

Every student is involved and has a role in the pageant, Ms. Burland said, and the staff is in the background, providing support. Since it began, the pageant has helped students understand the true meaning of Christmas and let them demonstrate their abilities.

The pageant is the culmination of a month-long learning experience for the students, which gives them opportunities to practice language skills and gross motor skills, to follow multi-step instructions, and to sing familiar and new songs.

Sister Cheryl Driscoll, RSM, the director of the play and teacher at the Academy, said, “Every year, the students fully embrace the experience, exceed all our expectations and demonstrate that they really understand the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Seeing students respond to the message and the reverence with which they approach their roles, confirms that they understand.”

Sister Maureen Ulatowski SSND, who has assisted in the production for 16 years, said rehearsals began a week before Thanksgiving and that she is always inspired by the pageant. “You see these special-needs children shine and come through at an event like this. This is the real gift of Christmas. Our students know that this is what Christmas is all about.”

Eric Spencer, Director of Education, said, “Preparing for the pageant is such a wonderful experience for our school community. Not only do students and staff interact in unique, authentic ways, but our rehearsals of the Nativity remind us daily of the true meaning of Christmas.”

The pageant, which is an honored tradition at the Academy, tells the story of the Nativity from a different perspective each year, such as that of the Old Testament prophets, the Gospel writers and the Little Drummer Boy. “A Cousins’ Christmas” saw the Nativity through the eyes of Elizabeth and Zechariah, parents of John the Baptist and cousins of Mary. The production, based on the Gospel of Luke, was written by Mollie Mitchell, a former teacher at the Academy who now teaches theology at St. Joseph High School.

“I prayed about it and this is what came to me,” Mitchell said.

Her husband, the Rev. Amjad Samuel, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Huntington, said that Mollie comes from a close-knit family with many cousins who are dear to her, so the theme of a “Cousins’ Christmas” was familiar to her. He said his parish adapted her script for its pageant, which was performed last week.

The Academy cast included St. Luke played by Antonio Orozco; Zechariah, Vincent DiProperzio; Angel Gabriel, Philip Palilla; Elizabeth, Tanisha Delgado; Mary, Lindsy Paul; Joseph, Fabricio Almeida; Inn Keeper, Maggie McDonald; Shepherds, Frank Maldonado and Luke Norris; Angels, Briana Beliard, Elise Hilton, and Nyah Holmes; the Three Kings, Philip Palilla, Antonio Orozco and Ronald Scott; and narrators Anna Stowe and Eric Spencer.

Ms. Burland thanked the many volunteers, staff members and groups that made the pageant possible and said the work of Saint Catherine’s is based on three simple principles: “Faith makes all things possible. Hope makes all things work. Love makes all things beautiful. May all three be present at your table this year.”

Saint Catherine Center for Special Needs is home to Saint Catherine Academy, a private special education school that offers an alternative program to children ages 5-21. In 2014, an adult day program was created to offer an alternative for young people who had completed their formal education but still needed a structured, supervised environment. In addition, the center supports services throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport to assist parishes and schools in welcoming people with disabilities to be full participants in their communities. More than 40 children and young adults receive daily programming.

(For more information about the center and its programs, visit the website at StCatherineCenter.org, call 203.540.5381, or email info@stcatherinecenter.org.)

MONROE—St. Jude Parish was five years old and celebrating Mass in the school gym when Father John Sabia was named pastor. Several years later, he began what would be one of his greatest undertakings—-building a church with his faith community on 17 acres of land in Monroe.

The architectural plans included stone work, so Father invited parishioners to bring stones from their yards and gardens that could be used around the base of the church and in the sanctuary as a sign of their solidarity with Christ and one another.

“A lot of those stones are from people’s homes in Monroe,” said Monsignor Sabia, who retired in 2014. “Families would bring stones home from wherever they went on vacation. On Saturdays about 30 of us would have ‘rock parties’ and go to different properties to pick up stones. It was a joy. The Lord gave me the honor and privilege of building that church.”

This year, under the leadership of Father Henry Hoffman, the parish celebrated the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the church on Oct. 28, 1989, the feast of St. Jude. Father Hoffman describes St. Jude’s as “a welcoming community that lives the Good News of the Gospel in its actions and programs—a place to grow spiritually, to put our faith in action, and to use our gifts of time, talent and treasure as disciples of Christ.”

Rich Giannino, longtime parishioner and chairperson of the Development Committee, praised the efforts of Father Hoffman, who was appointed pastor in 2018. “He has worked tirelessly to bring people back to church and offer them opportunities to practice their faith as individuals and as families,” he said.

St. Jude’s, which is approaching 50 years as a parish, was established on Dec. 12, 1973 by Bishop Walter W. Curtis to accommodate the growing number of families moving to Monroe, who were originally served by St. Stephen Church in Trumbull. Parishioners were invited to select the name for the new church and chose St. Jude out of 14 possible saints, and Father Arthur Norton was appointed the first pastor. For 16 years, Mass was held in the school gym until the church building was completed in 1989.

At a recent celebration marking the 30th anniversary, Father Hoffman said, “As all of you know better than I, from those of you who worshipped with Father Norton, to those who set up and broke down chairs in the gym and worshipped together, to those who gathered the stones for the church whose anniversary we celebrate, and those who gave of their time, talent and treasure over the past 40-plus years—whether you are here in person or could not be here in person but are here in spirit—this evening is a great big thank you for all who have faithfully served the St. Jude Parish, and all who have walked through the very doors of the church whose anniversary we celebrate. You are the priests and deacons and parishioners of St. Jude parish. You are the faithful believers.”

Today, the parish provides many opportunities for participation in the spiritual life of the church, including liturgical ministries, such as choir member, lector, altar server and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. There are also social justice ministries that visit the homebound, serve the poor, volunteer at food pantries and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, along with youth ministries, men’s and women’s groups, and the annual parish bazaar.

Giannino, who moved to Monroe in 1978 with his wife Ellen, said, “This is a place where I’ve been able to flourish and grow in my faith, and it allows me to be involved with all kinds of opportunities to help others. There are all kinds of things that go on and activities that incorporate the family.”

In addition to his years on the Parish Council, the Finance Committee and Development Committee, he participates in the music ministry and is a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He is also active in the Feed the People program in which parishioners take baked goods from local supermarkets and bakeries to distribute to parishes and soup kitchens in Bridgeport for those in need. Giannino’s three children attended St. Jude School, which provided more than 3,200 students with a Catholic education over the years.

In 2017, St. Jude School became part of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy in Shelton, and the building is now used as the Parish Center, where some 450 children receive religious education, church groups meet and parish offices are located.

The 30th anniversary was observed recently with a weekend of events that included Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, a dinner dance at Stone Barn Inn and a celebration of music and reflections about the church. Concert pianist Jacek Zganiacz and the St. Jude Music Ministries performed. Later, Father Hoffman offered his reflections of the history of the Catholic Church and the parish.

Longtime parishioner and photographer Vic Eng said, “Thirty years ago, St. Jude parish worked and prayed together to plan, build and dedicate a new church. It was a great experience to see the entire community united in a common goal….We can’t wait to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the parish in 2023.”

At the celebration, Father Hoffman recognized the efforts of those who contribute to the life of the parish and said, “Thank you to the many parishioners and volunteers who make this parish not only a special place to celebrate fellowship and the sacraments, but also a special environment to worship and praise God. Your spirit, enthusiasm and prayer are the heartbeat of St. Jude parish.”

In addition to Father Hoffman, the parish is served by Father James Bates, parochial vicar, and Deacons Bill Koniers, John Tuccio and David Flynn.

Deacon Flynn, who has served at the parish for a decade, said, “I have always known St. Jude as a community where the Holy Spirit has a strong presence. The parishioners’ commitment to service is extraordinary. When Anita and I became parishioners nearly 10 years ago, we found it to be very warm and welcoming. It’s not only a faith-filled community to worship with, but it’s also a great place to build friendships.”

That was a view shared by Patty Eng, who was cochair of the anniversary committee with Giannino. “St. Jude’s parish has been like our second family,” she said. “We have been blessed with a faith-filled community and challenged by our pastor of many years Monsignor John Sabia to live ‘metanoia’—a transformative change of heart. The values of faith and community we taught at home were reinforced for our children as they attended St. Jude School…As a community, with our pastor, Father Henry Hoffman, we look forward to moving ahead as ‘metanoia’ continues to transform us.”

Reflecting on his 36 years as pastor, Monsignor Sabia said, “I loved every minute of it. It was fun building the church because everybody was working together. I had a committee that was wonderful. They did all the work and we raised $1.1 million in ten days.”

Today there is a social hall named in his honor, which is appropriate because he says he is a “people person,” who believes friendship and community are fundamental to St. Jude’s.

Looking back on the people he met over the years as pastor, he says, “I pray for them every day. I am going to celebrate Mass right now, and I will pray for them again.”

SHELTON—More than 45 years ago, when America was facing a financial crisis, the young parish of St. Margaret Mary was confronting harsh economic realities of its own. The church had closed the school that summer and was struggling to pay off a staggering mortgage.

That winter, a group of women conceived of a Christmas celebration to help the parish. They called it the “Holly Fair,” and from that first year, it was an enormous success, offering homemade food, arts and crafts, a raffle, baked goods, music, activities for children and, of course, a visit from Santa.

The Women’s Group of St. Margaret Mary has continued the tradition, and hundreds of people showed up December 7. Under the leadership of President LeAnne Sheldon, the fair showcased several dozen crafts vendors, a “cookie walk,” a basket raffle, a bake sale and for the first time, a children’s holiday boutique, which offered inexpensive gifts for kids to buy for their family and friends.

“It has always been a really good fundraiser and community event,” said Sheldon, who chaired the committee for the fourth year. “The women love getting together to work on it and we look forward to it every year.”

Money raised from the Holly Fair assists ministries of the parish, including the youth group, Sheldon said.

The Women’s Group has a history of helping the parish and the larger community, said former pastor Father Philip Brady, who at 101 still celebrates Mass several times a week at his senior residence in Orchard Park, NY, outside of Buffalo.

“The fair began in 1973, after I had been pastor for five years,” he recalled in a phone interview. “The ladies did all the work. It was a big event and went over well. The women are a great group and hard workers, who put on a number of events during the year to raise money for the parish.”

One of the popular activities this year was the “Cookie Walk,” which was held in the new Sacred Heart Parish Center, completed under the leadership of Father Ciprian Bejan, who recently celebrated his fifth year as pastor.

Parishioners each donated five dozen of their favorite homemade cookies, from Italian anginettes to short bread, butter balls and fudge, and people walked past the tables, selecting their favorite assortment.

Barbara Nordin and her husband Dave, who have been parishioners since 1966, work at the fair every year. “Everyone is always eager to help,” she said. “And Father Ciprian is doing a great job. He is a blessing to our parish. Everyone loves him and wants to help him.”

Barbara Mariano, treasurer of the Women’s Group, said, “This is a popular tradition for the parish that attracts a lot of people.

As Father Bejan made his way through the tables of gifts and crafts, he said, “Every year it improves. The woman organize the fair and what they raise helps other groups and charitable organizations. People come and go, and priests come and go, but this fair shows continuity for future generations.”

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis declared Tuesday that the pontifical secret will no longer apply in cases of accusations and trials involving abuse of minors or vulnerable persons, and in cases of possession of child pornography by clerics.

With the instruction published Dec. 17, “On the Confidentiality of Legal Proceedings,” Pope Francis intends “to cancel in these cases the subjection to what is called the ‘pontifical secret’ bringing back instead the ‘level’ of confidentiality, dutifully required to protect the good reputation of the people involved,” according to Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.

The pontifical secret, also sometimes called papal secrecy, is a rule of confidentiality protecting sensitive information regarding the governance of the universal Church. It is similar to the “classified” or “confidential” status common in companies or civil governments.

In the new instruction, Pope Francis said the pontifical secret will also no longer bind those working in offices of the Roman Curia to confidentiality on other offenses if committed in conjunction with child abuse or child pornography.

Witnesses, alleged victims, and the person who files the report are also not bound to obligations of silence, the instruction states.

The norms cover “delicts against the sixth commandment” as defined in article one of Pope Francis’ May 2019 letter, Vos estis lux mundi, which is sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable person by a cleric or consecrated person.

It also regards the delict defined in article six of the Normae de gravioribus delictis, which is the possession, distribution, or acquisition of pornography by a cleric.

The instruction notes, however, that information related to cases of abuse of minors or vulnerable persons, and of child pornography, should still be treated with “security, integrity and confidentiality” in accordance with canon 471 of the Code of Canon Law, “for the sake of protecting the good name, image and privacy of all persons involved.”

Canon 471 binds those who work in curial offices to fulfill their function faithfully and to observe secrecy in accordance with church law or in the manner determined by the bishop.

The instruction goes into effect immediately.

It was published together with another rescript, that one modifies several articles in Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic letter, Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela, which lays out the church’s norms on those delicts considered “more grave” and reserved to the judgment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

That rescript, which goes into effect January 1, 2020, makes three changes to Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela, as amended by Pope Benedict XVI’s Normae de gravoioribus delictis in 2010.

It changes the definition of child pornography as a “more grave delict” from age 14 and under to age 18 and under.

The role of advocate or procurator, which before had to be carried out by a priest with a doctorate in canon law, may now be carried out by a lay Catholic with a doctorate in canon law.

Article 14 was amended to state that the other functions of the tribunal—judge, promoter of justice, and notary —have not changed and must be carried out by a priest.

The pope granted the rescript at the request of Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect of the CDF, and Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

The new document, Arrieta said, “wants to give certainty about the way to behave in these situations that, in some cases, particularly for sacred ministers, can touch indispensable moral duties of secrecy.”

He said the new instruction is “in line with the norms given over the last few months on the subject,” and “slightly corrects” the pontifical secret, “making the disciplinary system as a whole more coherent.”

Arrieta also explained that lifting the obligation to pontifical secrecy in the two specific cases of clerical sexual abuse of minors or vulnerable persons and the possession or distribution of child pornography by clerics is always apart from the duty to the seal of confession and the “confidentiality that a positive law is not able to be dissolved.”

Giuseppe Dalla Torre, president of the tribunal of the Vatican City State, noted that the pope’s instruction concerns both procedures which take place in Rome at the CDF and procedures which take place locally.

He said the changes to the pontifical secret declared by Pope Francis are part of a “long process” directed at repressing the “abominable phenomenon” of the sexual abuse of minors by clerics.

By Hannah Brockhaus | Catholic News Agency

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On January 24, 2020 many will gather in our nation’s capital for the 47^th March for Life.

The Office of Faith Formation and Respect Life Ministry have coordinated a bus pilgrimage to the march for anyone in the diocese interested in attending.

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