Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT—“Thank you for the important work you do to protect children and young people,” Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said to a room full of parish coordinators of Safe Environments at today’s appreciation luncheon held in Queen of Saints Hall at the Catholic Center.

The bishop said that out of this great evil we hope and pray that we find the grace for healing and reconciliation.

“The Church must be the place where young people can be themselves,” said the bishop, encouraging the coordinators that they play a crucial role in the Church and in the lives of the young people entrusted to them.

“In a time when many young people are looking for someone to care for them, you are their spiritual mothers and fathers,” the bishop said.

The bishop praised the great work of Director of Safe Environments Erin Neil and her team, boasting the large numbers of 13,000 adults and 20,000 children who have gone through the VIRTUS training program.

“Because of your work,” said the bishop, “many young people will not have to experience the same suffering as others have.”

Both Erin Neil and the bishop thanked the parish coordinators of safe environments for all the work they do.

Leaders from the diocesan Office of Safe Environments were available to answer any questions and meet with coordinators.

(For more information on Safe Environments in the Diocese of Bridgeport visit www.bridgeportdiocese.org/safe-environments.)

BRIDGEPORT—The newest official member of the Sacred Heart men’s hockey program suited up with the Pioneers on Tuesday at Webster Bank Arena, but he had been out there with them before. Zakarai Schneider, 16, of Bethany, joined them on the ice a few weeks ago.

“We had him passing. What really blew me away is when he actually scored a goal,” Pioneers coach C.J. Marottolo said. “(His smile) just lit up everybody on the ice. That’s why you do this. That’s why you get involved.”

The Schneiders and the Pioneers connected last season, but Tuesday cemented the relationship. Zakarai signed a letter of intent, becoming the first youngster formally connected to a Sacred Heart team through Team Impact.

Zakarai plays with the Southern Connecticut Storm Special Hockey program and has been playing for about five years, said his father, Mark. He enjoys it, as his smiles Tuesday showed.

Zakarai has Down syndrome, apraxia, limited muscle tone and an intellectual disability.

“The thought was he might not even walk without crutches, when he was younger,” Mark Schneider said.

“He has communication challenges. He has a hard time, as you can imagine, fitting in with his peers. To buddy up with an elite hockey team, for him, it makes a world of difference.”

Mark Schneider emailed the Pioneers last season about Zakarai. The team invited him into the locker room, and Marottolo said there was an instant connection between him and the team. He’d give players high-fives on the way on and off the ice. He got friendly with the school band and “conducted” their performance.

The family found out about Team Impact but noticed that Sacred Heart wasn’t a member.

“Team Impact did a great job and connected the two. We had a small connection with coach, and they made that connection formally,” Mark Schneider said. “It’s been huge. I think it demonstrates to other schools and high schools and elementary schools that this buddying and partnering can be a positive thing for students.

“A lot of times I see students then getting motivated by that, changing their career to special education, working with these kids.”

Team Impact, according to its website, is “a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious and chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes.”

The Pioneers hadn’t been partnered with the organization until now.

“It’s great that we’re the first one. The mission of Sacred Heart in whole, there’ll be other teams joining in for sure,” Marottolo said.

“It lends perspective to everything. … You want to win the game. You think it’s do or die, but it’s not really. There’s more to life than the sport we’re in, more to life than winning and losing. I think having Zak adds a whole other level of perspective.”

The plan is to include Zakarai in all kinds of team activities, at the rink and in the community.

“We’re all really excited for Zakarai to join our group,” captain Jason Cotton said. “Off-ice activities, things like go-karting, just being together as a group, we’re really excited for him to be a part, one of us.”

The Pioneers tied for third in Atlantic Hockey’s preseason coaches poll after reaching the league quarterfinals last year after a strong second half.

Sacred Heart opens Oct. 5 with a home game against UConn.

For more information: www.goteamimpact.org

By Michael Fornabaio | CT Post

VATICAN CITY— The international community must ramp up its efforts if it expects to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, Pope Francis said.

In a video message sent Sept. 23 to participants at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York, the pope said that while the 2015 Paris climate agreement raised awareness and the “need for a collective response,” the commitments made by countries “are still very weak and are far from achieving the objectives set.”

“It is necessary,” he said, “to ask whether there is a real political will to allocate greater human, financial and technological resources to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and to help the poorest and most vulnerable populations, who suffer the most.”

According to its website, the goal of the U.N. Climate Action Summit is to “ensure the global focus on climate gains momentum” as well as to make sure that “there is scrutiny on the investments countries are making in fossil fuels vs. renewables.”

Calling climate change “one of the most serious and worrying phenomena of our time,” the pope said that states have a duty to fight against it and that despite the weak response, a “window of opportunity is still open.”

“We are still in time. Let us not let it close. Let us open it with our determination to cultivate integral human development, to ensure a better life for future generations. It is their future, not ours,” the pope said.

Climate change, he added, is “related to issues of ethics, equity and social justice” and connected to an evident human, ethical and social degradation, which “forces us to think about the meaning of our models of consumption and production.”

Encouraging the participants at the summit, Pope Francis said that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue, but a “challenge of civilization in favor of the common good.”

“And this is clear, just as it is clear that we have a multiplicity of solutions that are within everyone’s reach, if we adopt on a personal and social level a lifestyle that embodies honesty, courage and responsibility,” the pope said.

By Junno Arocho Esteves | Catholic News Service

STAMFORD—They came in humility to pray to Our Lady. They came in hope, looking for a healing for themselves, a family member or friend. They came because of a lifelong dream to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, one of the most revered Marian shrines in the world.

More than 1,000 faithful filled St. Mary Church on Saturday to take part in the Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage, which brought the experience of Lourdes to the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Bishop Frank Caggiano, who led the rosary and offered a Eucharistic blessing said, “This was an absolutely extraordinary spiritual experience for me and helped me come to a greater love of Our Lady.”

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers coordinated the program, which featured a slide show and narration about the shrine, a candlelight rosary, holy water from Lourdes and rocks from the grotto at Massabielle, where the Blessed Virgin appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl, in 1858.

The event recreated a pilgrimage to Lourdes. “This experience draws pilgrims nearer to God in the company of Our Lady as they are guided through a prayerful visit to the Grotto, the experience of water, prayer in a rosary procession and a Eucharistic blessing,” organizers said.

Every year, 6 million pilgrims travel to Lourdes to pray to Our Lady. Many go in the hope they will receive a healing at the spring the Blessed Virgin revealed to St. Bernadette. In the 160 years since the apparitions, thousands of people have been healed in the waters, and 70 have been recognized as miraculous cures by the Church.

The event was organized by David D’Andrea of St. Roch Church in Byram, who attributes several miracles in his life to Lourdes. “I wanted to give everyone a chance to experience Lourdes who may never get to go there,” he said.

“This is truly a tribute to Our Blessed Mother that so many of you have come out this afternoon to honor her,” said Fran Salaun, the director of Lourdes volunteers, North America, who narrated the slide presentation.”We are here this afternoon to share the pilgrimage together to a very holy place called Lourdes, France. All you need is an open mind and open heart to listen to the message Our Lady gave to St. Bernadette.”

The Blessed Virgin appeared 18 times to Bernadette, “who by all measures was an unlikely saint,” Salaun said. She was a sickly child who did poorly in her studies and still had not made her First Communion as she approached 14 because she had trouble with her catechism. She was told that she was “too stupid” to learn.

And yet on that chilly, damp afternoon on February 11, 1858, the Mother of God chose to appear to her with a message of penance and prayer for the entire world. The grotto where the 18 apparitions occurred was like the village dump, a place where stolen goods were exchanged and the pigs ate.

“How could such a terrible place became such a holy place today?” Salaun asked. “Because the Mother of God came there.”

During the presentation, the faithful came forward to touch rocks from the grotto, and Bishop Caggiano blessed the assembly with holy water from Lourdes, followed by a candlelight rosary before the Blessed Sacrament, with each decade said in a different language—Spanish, English, Filipino, French and Italian, which was led by the bishop.

In his closing remarks, D’Andrea, who encouraged everyone to embrace the message of Lourdes and “open your arms and open your hearts and open the doors to the churches and walk through and follow our leader, Bishop Caggiano,” whom he described as the “best bishop in America.”

“I was awestruck by the number of people who were moved by the event,” he said later. Many of the responses he received by email and phone, one after the other, told him about their suffering and pain and faith in Our Lady.

A lifelong Greenwich resident, D’Andrea approached Bishop Caggiano with the idea of bringing the Virtual Pilgrimage to Stamford and received his support. Father Gustavo Falla, pastor of St. Mary’s, agreed to host the event at his church.

The bishop thanked D’Andrea for his “hard work, persevering, and your love for Our Lady and Our Lord and for sharing with everyone you meet.”

D’Andrea said he was cured of polio as a child and overcame the trauma of clerical sex abuse. He also survived stage 3 cancer, which was diagnosed in 2014.

He credits his recovery to Our Lady of Lourdes through the efforts of his cousin, Monsignor Joseph Giandurco, pastor of St. Patrick’s in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., who celebrated a healing Mass for him and brought holy water from Lourdes to bless him when he began his treatment for cancer.

D’Andrea still has that bottle of holy water and continues to share it with others who are suffering or ill. And while he has never gone on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, he knows Our Lady was instrumental in his recovery.

The volunteers of the Lourdes Hospitality association bring seriously ill and disabled people to the shrine and also share the message of Lourdes by conducting the Virtual Pilgrimage for those who cannot travel to France. Their mission is “To extend the invitation of the Immaculate Conception as given to Bernadette in the Grotto at Lourdes, to serve the sick and suffering at Lourdes and at home, following the loving example of St. Bernadette in simplicity, humility and obedience.” More than 3,000 members of the North American Volunteers have served at Lourdes.

The Virtual Pilgrimage Experience, which lasts about two hours, is held at parishes, schools, prisons, nursing homes, universities and convents. Since it began in 2004, more than 165,000 people have taken part in 44 states and 19 countries. The Virtual Pilgrimage began in Kansas, when three pilgrims brought it to Holy Spirit Church in Overland Park. Those who participate will receive a plenary indulgence granted by papal decree of Benedict XVI.

FAIRFIELD—On Wednesday, October 2, 2019, the 19th Annual Anne Drummey O’Callaghan Lecture on Women in the Church will be delivered by Tricia Bruce, PhD, at Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business Event Hall. Dr. Bruce is a sociologist of religion and an award-winning author. Her lecture, “Carriers of Catholicism: Agents of a Future Church,” is part of an annual series that honors the legacy of Anne Drummey O’Callaghan, a catechist, youth minister, advocate for the intellectually disabled, and director of religious education for the Diocese of Bridgeport.

In her presentation, Dr. Bruce will suggest to her audience that the relative stability of Catholics as a proportion of the U.S. population belies substantial change occurring within the Church. Through what and whom does the Catholic Church in America sustain this adaptation, and how? With a particular focus on women’s roles, Dr. Bruce will consider the carriers of Catholicism — organizationally, materially, and individually — that move the Church forward into the future.

Dr. Bruce’s award-winning books include Parish and Place: Making Room for Diversity in the American Catholic Church(Oxford 2017) and Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful is Changing the Church(Oxford 2011/2014).  Her edited volumes include American Parishes(Fordham 2019) and Polarization in the U.S. Catholic Church (Liturgical 2016). She is an affiliate of the University of Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society, has led research for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and is a frequent television, radio, and podcast commentator on religion and society.

The “Carriers of Catholicism: Agents of a Future Church” lecture by Tricia Bruce, Ph.D., is free and open to the public. It will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 5 pm in the Dolan School of Business Event Hall, Room L01, at Fairfield University, located at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. For more information, visit fairfield.edu/cs.

Fairfield University is a modern Jesuit Catholic university rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and across the globe are pursuing degrees in the University’s five schools. Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values. The University is located on a stunning 200-acre campus on the scenic Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.

FAIRFIELD—Students, families, faculty and staff gathered at the St. Catherine Center for Special Needs on Sunday to celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of St. Catherine Academy.

In his homily, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, who was principal celebrant of the Mass along with concelebrant Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima parish in Newtown, reflected on the Gospel message, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16: 10-13).

The bishop said, “Jesus is reminding us of our priorities.” He continued, “to be a disciple of Jesus Christ means that we learn to see the world as God sees the world…and that takes a lifetime to do.”

“We are here because we are blessed that there are women and men, staff and leaders, who for 20 years have dared to see the world the way God sees the world,” said the bishop. “For the truth is, we live in a world who perceives those in need of any type, even those with special needs, as a problem to be solved, an obstacle to be overcome, a challenge to be addressed.”

The bishop posed the question, “But what does God see?” He answered, “God sees beloved daughters and sons who reflect His beauty to the world. He sees them all as He sees us…as a very part of His great design.”

“How blessed are we that for 20 years we have St. Catherine’s Academy and those who lead it, who see the world differently,” the bishop said. “Everyone who comes here is here because they are beloved, first by God and then by His servants who are you and me.”

“That is what it means to be slaves to God,” the bishop once again referred to the Gospel, “it does not mean to lose our freedom but to use it to give Him glory…and there is no better way to do that than to love all we meet regardless of what they can give us back…oftentimes being blind to the fact that the most in need are the ones who can give us the most back in the long run.”

Photos by Amy Mortensen

The bishop praised the academy, saying, “That is why this mission in our diocese is absolutely essential and central to all that we do. For if we did not have this mission we would not fully see the world the way God asks us to see the world.”

The gifts were brought up by students and families from St. Catherine Center, and many reflected that one of the most special moments of the Mass was when students, faculty and staff gathered together to sing “This Little Light of Mine.”

Music for the liturgy was provided by Joseph Jacovino, music director of St. Lima Parish and Erin Kathleen Aoyama and the gathered were invited to enjoy a reception afterwards.

“We are grateful for past and present friends and families of St. Catherine Academy. Your generosity of spirit and treasures has secures the future of our mission. You are walking with our children and young adults in their life’s journey. Thank you for your joyful commitment. May God continue to bless you,” said Helen Burland, executive director of St. Catherine Center.

About St. Catherine Center

Rooted in Gospel values that affirm the dignity of every person, Saint Catherine Center for Special Needs provides unified pastoral and educational support for individuals with disabilities and serves as a centralized resource for the diocesan community.

Through direct service at Saint Catherine Academy or our Adult Day Program, and support in the Parishes or Catholic Schools for faith formation, The Center strives to foster the educational, spiritual and social well-being of people with disabilities.

(For more information visit stcatherinecenter.org.)

The Dedication Mass at Saint More Church, celebrated with Bishop Frank Caggiano, will take place Saturday, September 21, at 4:30pm. A reception will follow on the Great Lawn. All are invited to attend!

Bellow is a letter from Bishop Caggiano to the parishioners of Saint Thomas More, followed by a poster for this event with more information.

Dear Parishioners of Saint Thomas More Parish:

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations and prayers on the joyful occasion of the Rite of Consecration for your newly constructed parish Church of St. Thomas More. The beauty of this sacred space gives witness to the spiritual and pastoral vibrancy of your parish community. It is a sign of your commitment to build upon what you have received from the parish families who came before you, and of your readiness to pass on our Catholic faith to future generations.

Allow me to express my personal thanks to Father Paul Murphy, for his hard work and excellent leadership throughout this project. I am grateful to the parish planning committee and everyone who helped to bring this important project to completion. It is truly an historic milestone in the life of your wonderful parish.

It gives me great pleasure to join with you at the altar for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Today, as we give gratitude to the Lord for the many blessings that Christ has bestowed upon St. Thomas More Parish, we also remember in our prayers all the clergy, religious, lay men and women who have gone before us, having dedicated their lives in service to this parish.

My hope is that this newly built church, your spiritual home, will be for you a true sanctuary. That it will inspire you to grow in holiness by your prayers, your celebration of the sacraments, your fidelity to the Gospel and the teachings of the Church, and by your loving service to one another, all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her Immaculate Heart, and St. Thomas More, your Patron Saint, continue to intercede on your behalf and on behalf of your deacons, Reverend Mr. Michael V. Clark and Reverend Mr. Gauthier Vincent, and your pastor, Reverend Paul G. Murphy.

With every best wish,
I am Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano
Bishop of Bridgeport

The opportunities to celebrate Mass at Jesus’ tomb, visit the stone cave in Nazareth where Mary lived and swim in the Dead Sea may be ones that many Catholics dream of experiencing but rarely see fulfilled. For 14 people from the Diocese of Bridgeport, however, that dream became a reality in July when they traveled to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage sponsored by The Leadership Institute and witnessed firsthand the path that Jesus walked.

For some of these pilgrims, this journey was the ideal means to renew their faith life; for others, it was a way to explore their religion outside Sunday Mass and see the Gospels come alive and for still others, it was a return to a place that held spiritual significance for them in the past.

After Bishop Frank J. Caggiano led a similar pilgrimage to the Holy Land in January 2018, he was inspired to plan another one specifically geared toward young adults ages 19-35 with a focus on studying scripture.

“Young adults by and large are at greater risk of disassociating from the Church than older adults are,” said Patrick Donovan of The Leadership Institute who coordinated the trip. “The bishop is committed to helping the youth stay active with their faith in the future.”

Following a traditional route from Tel Aviv to Nazareth and Galilee to Jerusalem, Donovan said the pilgrims began their journey at Haifa and Caesarea, allowing them a look at the early Apostles with an initial view of the Holy Land from a post resurrection experience. From there on, they gained a greater awareness of their faith and saw the Bible stories of their childhood come to life in different ways.

Marina Renzi, a student at Stonehill College who grew up going to Catholic schools, was in awe of the small details that clarified the narratives from her early religion classes, such as that of Jesus’ 40 days and 40 nights in the Judean Desert.

“Being out there with the vast nothingness that the desert offers really put into perspective how much Jesus would have suffered out there on his own,” said Renzi, remembering the unbearable heat and treacherous cliffs of the wilderness. “It was difficult to imagine how Jesus would have done this without his Father’s help, [but] we were out there, experiencing it, just like He did.”

The visit to the desert was profound for the other pilgrims as well, such as Keara Stewart, a nurse practitioner in New York. Sensing Jesus’ suffering as well as His promise of new life, Stewart said, “The desert signifies such a barren existence, but it contrasts so powerfully with the growth that thrives there.”

Feeling the presence of Jesus throughout the journey deeply affected Grace Shay, who accompanied Bishop Caggiano on the first pilgrimage and chose to return in July. She never imagined she would have the chance to visit the Holy Land twice in a lifetime.

“It was a blessing to revisit and rediscover the source of our faith by walking in Jesus’ footsteps,” said Shay, a parishioner at St. Luke’s Church in Westport. “Some of my favorite memories include celebrating an intimate Mass in the tomb within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, singing the Magnificat as a group in the echoing upper chapel of the Church of the Visitation, and wading in the warm waters of the Sea of Galilee.”

Not only did the pilgrims find the sites of the Holy Land inspiring and transformative, but their conversations and revelations as well, as they bonded over shared experiences. Each evening, Donovan led the group in reflective discussions beginning with the prompts of “What challenged you today?” and “Where did God surprise you today?” While some started off with mundane comments about the heat and the excessive walking, talk gradually moved toward contemplative responses such as how little they understood about the stories they learned as children and how they could live out Jesus’ message in the moment.

“As young adults, they wonder, how do I live this at home, with my students, on Wall Street?” said Donovan, adding that the small group of 14 was the ideal size for such intimate dialogue, though at times, the quiet moments of reflection signified even more.

Recalling “deafening silence” after a visit to the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was crucified and buried, Donovan said, “Everyone was so quiet. We were all moved in such a powerful way.”

As each pilgrim had their own individual reasons for making this journey, the experience affected them in individual ways as well.

“I came away with more of an awareness,” said Theresa Readey, an accountant with the Diocese of Bridgeport who accompanied the young adults. “I found myself wanting to talk to God with no distractions. The experience of being where Jesus was conceived, born, lived, died and rose again has given new life to my prayers, especially when I pray the Mysteries of the Rosary.”

Due to the success of the two recent pilgrimages, Donovan is hoping to plan future trips to the Holy Land, Greece, Turkey and Rome with a spiritual and catechetical focus for young adults.

“We want [them] to feel connected to the church and we invite them to tell their story of how they came to know Jesus,” said Donovan. “We want to accompany them on their journey.”

Such a journey is ongoing in both spiritual and personal ways for those who traveled to this sacred place back in July. As they reaffirmed a commitment to their faith individually, they continue to deepen it together. According to Donovan, the 14 have already had a reunion and are planning a future Bible study.

“They want to unpack scripture as they did in the Holy Land,” he said. “It’s easy to see our faith as detached from ourselves, but when you’re in such a place as the Holy Land, you see it’s not just ‘Sunday’ anymore. We listened, we breathed, we learned.”

And that learning came in ways as diverse as the pilgrims themselves who walked the path of Jesus. Whether it was similar to Renzi’s “greater appreciation of Jesus’ suffering” or Readey’s heightened “awareness of what the Apostles faced,” each one of these travelers grew in their understanding of Jesus’ missive.

“I learned that as a Catholic, we must open our arms to all,” said Stewart. “We must truly live by Jesus’ example of love and acceptance and open ourselves to the plans God has in store for us.”

BRIDGEPORT—Many thanks to the hundreds of readers who took the time to respond to Communications Survey included in the last issue, which asked for your thoughts on Fairfield County Catholic, the diocesan website and social media. The survey was designed to give the diocese a better understanding of our readers, the format in which they prefer to receive information and the effectiveness of communications in celebrating the faith and further engaging people with their parishes and diocesan activities. Answers and comments from the survey are being tabulated and analyzed. The results will be shared in the October issue of Fairfield County Catholic.

NORWALK—Credo is a young adult ministry that brings together those ages 21-31 to engage in fellowship and become closer to Christ. Credo means ‘I believe’ and the goal of the group is to grow in faith through different prayer styles and spiritual experiences.

Hosted at St. Joseph Parish in South Norwalk, the group meets twice a month on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 pm. “The beauty of using the parish is that the campus houses a convent building with a small and intimate chapel that is the cornerstone for where we have our Masses and spiritual encounter/experience nights,” says Michael Falbo, who assists with the group.

“The other great aspect is that Washington St. in Norwalk is down the road from the parish and is home to the bars/restaurants where we hold our socials,” Falbo says.

Credo welcomes all those in the diocese who are 21-31yrs old and asks that all parishes in the surrounding area please promote this among their young adults!

Dates for CREDO:

Oct. 2nd – Mass & Social 7-9 pm

Oct. 23rd – Spiritual Gathering Night 7-9 pm

Address for St. Joes

85 South Main St, Norwalk CT 06854

(For more information visit stjosephsono.org/credo.)

FAIRFIELD—The late Father William “Bill” Sangiovanni, who was known for his missionary and volunteer work, inspired Jim Browning to create a scholarship with unique characteristics in memory of his brother Scott. It’s only fitting that this year’s awards will be in memory of Sangiovanni.

Browning started a scholarship foundation in 1987 in memory of his brother, Scott Browning, who had died suddenly. The financial assistance aids local students who experience hardship that suppresses their dreams of a college education. While the scholarship has been assisting students at SHU and the University of Bridgeport for 32 years, Browning explained that the gratification of the scholarship goes farther than a simple memorial of his brother.

“In the first couple years, until I had the chance to meet some of the beneficiaries, I never realized the hardship that so many had in going to school,” said Browning. He noted that, while helping students financially is important, meeting them and sharing their stories is what makes the scholarship special—a life lesson he learned from Sangiovanni many years before.

This year’s scholarships were awarded in memory of Sangiovanni, who died in February at age 77. Sangiovanni—or Father Bill, as he was commonly called—was best known for his service in the Diocese of Bridgeport, where he was director of chaplains at Sacred Heart University and then principal, and later president, of Notre Dame High School of Fairfield.

The relationship between Sangiovanni and Browning dates back to when Browning attended Central High School in Bridgeport. “Father Bill used to come to our football games. He used to come with a bugle and play it in the stands. He was our number one fan. It was pretty cool,” Browning said.

Sangiovanni performed the wedding ceremony for Browning and his wife Sue, delivered the mass at Scott Browning’s funeral and led weekly masses at Sacred Heart that Browning and his family often attended. “When I think about my relationship with Sangiovanni, he was an inspiration to me well before my brother Scott passed away,” he said.

Browning said Sangiovanni taught him that, while donating is important, seeing the impact of the donations goes much farther. “Always around Thanksgiving, he was part of a program that delivered food to people who couldn’t afford it. I always made sure I donated, but he said to me, ‘Thank you for writing a check, but just so you know, that’s the easy part. Why don’t you come with us to deliver it sometime?’ I did one year. It was amazing when I met the people—seeing the impact and gratitude. When you’re writing a check, you’re missing a part of the impact. He taught me there is more than just donating money.”

More than $800,000 has been raised for the scholarship, which has been awarded to 47 Sacred Heart University students, not including this year’s recipients, and another 16 at the University of Bridgeport. This year’s recipients are William Mastroni ’20, Olivia Okoroafor ’21, Kadijah Needham ’23 and a fourth who will be announced at a later date. The recipients each have a deep-rooted connection to Sacred Heart University, and this scholarship enables them to pursue the education they wanted, regardless of circumstance.

“For me, it is only right to honor Father Bill’s legacy and tradition with this special award for the students. His inspiration drove me to many of the aspects of the scholarship today.”

Visit the Browning Family Endowed Scholarship webpage for more information.

FAIRFIELD—As Sacred Heart University kicked-off its 10th anniversary celebration of the Holy Spirit Chapel, it warmly welcomed Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio of the United States to speak about the Holy Father’s recent Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (Christ is Alive).

“Young people are the now of God,” the archbishop addressed a room filled with young people, which, faculty members commented, provided the perfect atmosphere for a discussion on the post-synodal response document which focuses on youth, faith and vocational discernment.

The apostolic nuncio echoed the words of Pope Francis as he encouraged the gathered, saying, “God calls each of us by name to serve Him in a unique way. God calls you to holiness by being yourself.”

He explained that Christianity is not simply teaching and rules but it is a proclamation. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, the nuncio said, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

Archbishop Pierre encouraged the young people to be themselves, exactly as they are and to proclaim the faith through the way they live their lives. The archbishop explained that in a difficult world, Pope Francis wants young people to know that they are priceless, they are loved and that there is great value in every human life, shown to us through God’s mercy and love.

“The Holy Father wants us to examine whether our faith is a series of teachings or if it is something alive…an encounter with a person, the Risen Lord,” said the nuncio. He posed the question, “Is He alive in you?”

During the discussion portion of the colloquium presentation, a CIT faculty member addressed what the nuncio said about ‘being yourself,’ asking what those who feel like they cannot be themselves should do. The nuncio responded that “even though a lot of times we do not feel loved, Jesus says, ‘I love you.’” And it is this love, the archbishop explained, that we must show to one another.

“It is love,” the archbishop said, “not being preached at, that will attract believers,” explaining that the attractiveness of Christianity will show through the lives of young people.

“We cannot be Christians alone,” said the nuncio, “being a Christian is belonging to a person through community.” The archbishop explained that this was how the early Church was started, through the apostles’ testimonies and the witnesses they gave of their encounters with Christ.

When asked what young people in the U.S. can learn from young people in other countries, the nuncio, who has worked in ten different countries, said that “the U.S. is a place where you meet the whole world.”

“We are different and difference is a beauty,” Archbishop Pierre said. “We are different but we are the same.”

The nuncio spoke about the importance of building fraternity. “Are we today in the U.S. building fraternity or not?” he asked. “I am not always certain of that. Do we prefer this polarization? This has to do with our faith,” said the nuncio.

Archbishop Pierre is a long-time member of the Sacred Heart University family, having received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2017.

The events of the 10th anniversary celebration continued with a Mass in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit celebrated by Archbishop Pierre and a youth festival which features displays of work by campus ministry and volunteer programs and service learning.

By Elizabeth Clyons

About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland and offers online programs. More than 9,000 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 385 Colleges–2020 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 267 Business Schools–2018 Edition. Sacred Heart has a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theater.

(For more information visit: www.sacredheart.edu.)

HAMDEN—The Sacred Heart community will celebrate the opening of the Academy’s new School Center on Sunday, October 6, beginning at 2 pm with a liturgy. The dedication, blessing and reception will immediately follow. Tours of the 7,250 square-foot space, completed in time for the 2019-2020 academic year, will be offered during the reception.

The new School Center, constructed in front of the original building connects the Philip Paolella, Jr. Recreational Center and the former main entrance. Visitors now enter the school from ground level in full view of the relocated main office. “We love having visitors,” said President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71, “and we want them to feel welcome. This new configuration forms a central hub for the school while providing enhanced safety and security.” The president’s office, principal’s office, and offices for admissions and alumnae relations are situated near the main office, and new conference rooms provide convenient meeting space for alumnae, academic departments, the Advisory Council, and the Mothers’ and Fathers’ Clubs, among other groups. This new space—an educational, social, and cultural center—offers improved accessibility for those with physical challenges and includes a student commons and space for exhibiting student and visiting artists’ works. Relocating offices has freed up rooms in the main building for use by faculty to meet with students and parents and by students for club meetings and activities.

In 2016, the Academy embarked on Ever Higher – The Campaign for Sacred Heart Academy to raise funds for the five million dollar School Center and, in June 2018, more than 400 attendees gathered to break ground for this new space. Students, faculty and staff, alumnae, Advisory Council members, campaign cabinet and committee members, Sisters, and guests came together for First Friday mass, followed by the blessing and groundbreaking ceremony.

This project represents Phase I of the school’s ten-year master plan, spearheaded by Sr. Sheila and approved in 2015 by the Apostle’s Board of Directors and Sacred Heart Academy Advisory Council. Phases II and III, even more far-reaching, include expanding the cafeteria by flipping its orientation from horizontal to vertical, allowing space for the creation of new classrooms for fine arts and a spacious atrium for large gatherings and concerts. On the long-range drawing board in Phase III is a new building that will house a larger student commons, a faculty commons, and a theatre; the building will also benefit the sports program as former classrooms will be repurposed for athletics.

The construction company, FIP of Farmington, has extensive experience serving educational institutions, and David Thompson Architects, the New Haven-based architectural firm that designed the new School Center, is well known for having worked successfully with educational and religious communities throughout the region. Architect David Thompson (AIA) believes that this project represents an important opportunity for Sacred Heart…“Sacred Heart has built a stellar reputation for quality secondary education. The construction of the new space is important in projecting the school’s identity, linking its programs and activities into a more tightly integrated physical plant.” Thompson also notes the critical participation of the entire Sacred Heart community in shaping the design.

Founded in 1946 by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart Academy successfully prepares young women in grades 9 through 12 for learning, service, and achievement in a global society. Sacred Heart welcomes 500 students from more than 80 schools and 60 towns in Connecticut and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

(Visit www.sacredhearthamden.org to learn more.)

TRUMBULL—AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals Fairfield Country Connecticut Chapter) invites you to celebrate philanthropy in Connecticut with an awards breakfast and educational conference featuring nonprofit leaders, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking and more.

Holly Doherty-Lemoine, executive director of Foundations in Education in our diocese will be honored at the event. Holly and her staff administer and distribute the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund, a tuition assistance program funded through the Annual Catholic Appeal.

After the awards ceremony, build your skillset with a series of educational programs taught by sector experts. Topics include board leadership and governance, fundraising best practices, marketing and communications and organizational challenges.

Then enjoy a banquet luncheon featuring nationally-acclaimed author, activist, fundraiser & speaker Dan Pallotta, founder & president, Add Humanity and the Charity Defense Council and Top 100 viewed TED Talk speaker.

After lunch, bring your insights and questions to round table leaning moderated by nonprofit professionals and grow your influencer circle in our Power Hour networking sessions.

This is a meaningful day to learn and strengthen our philanthropic community. Please join us for Connecticut’s National Philanthropy Day®!

This event will attract more than 250 executives, board members, community volunteers and fundraising professionals from across the region.

Tickets are on sale now.

(For tickets visit: www.afpfairfield.org/npd2019)