Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT—“Many words have been said regarding the crime of sexual abuse of minors and the scandals that these crimes have produced, words that are needed to express our grief, anger and confusion. However, words alone are insufficient. The time for further action has come,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, in his letter to all those visiting the new A Pledge to Protect website, which launched on October 30.

This website (www.bridgeportdiocese.org/pledge) is one of the many ways that the bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport has planned to address the abuse crisis in the Church by focusing on a movement toward accountability and transparency.

“This newly designed website brings together and updates information concerning diocesan Safe Environments efforts, our outreach to victims and survivors of clerical sexual abuse, and the comprehensive policies and practices we have put in place to prevent future abuse and intervene immediately when allegations are brought forward,” said Bishop Caggiano.

The bishop acknowledges that, although we can never fully atone for the pain caused to the victims of clerical sexual abuse, healing, reconciliation and rebuilding trust must be the Church’s goal.

“It is my desire to attack this evil in a variety of ways, starting with a series of spiritual initiatives and administrative actions. Our spiritual efforts focus on the grave need for the clergy to seek reparation for the past sins of those who have sinned and harmed innocent children and young people,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano in his response to the sexual abuse crisis.

A Pledge to Protect outlines specific promises to everyone that has been affected, which is the whole Church. The bishop specifically addresses the faithful of the diocese, the clergy and the seminarians.

Most recently, Bishop Caggiano has commissioned a Financial Accountability Report that will address transparency regarding past incidents of sexual abuse of minors and a financial report that will address settlement amounts for past claims, include sources from which the funds were obtained and other information on financial support of accused clergy. The report will be issued on Wednesday October 31.

The website also links to the Safe Environments page, which has all necessary information about registering for VIRTUS training, which is required by all diocesan volunteers and employees, reporting an incident, resources for survivors and background checks. In an effort of full transparency, there is a list of accused clerics, which includes the names of accused diocesan clerics or accused religious order priests who served in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

On October 3, the bishop announced that retired Connecticut Superior Court Judge Robert L. Holzberg, who is a partner in the law firm of Pullman & Comley LLC of Hartford and Bridgeport, will serve as counsel and lead investigator for the Clerical Sexual Abuse Accountability Investigation being conducted for the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Results of the investigation will be presented in a public report that will address sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the Diocese of Bridgeport, along with the response of Church leadership to that abuse. The report will also contain any relevant recommendations to the bishop resulting from the review.

Bishop Caggiano has also released a number of spiritual initiatives in an effort of healing and reparation throughout the diocese and the greater Church. On the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Saturday, September 15, Bishop Caggiano led a Holy Hour with Rosary and a Mass of Reparation and Purification at the Cathedral of St. Augustine in Bridgeport, which more than 800 priests, deacons, religious and laity attended.

The bishop also asked all pastors to celebrate a local Mass of Reparation in their own parishes no later than October 31. After the diocesan Mass of Reparation, the bishop led the faithful in reciting the St. Michael Prayer, which he has now mandated to be said after Mass in every parish throughout the diocese.

“Along with A Pledge to Protect website, all these initiatives act as tangible steps toward healing for the whole Church, as we move forward in transparency, accountability and hope,” says Bishop Caggiano.

(Visit the new A Pledge to Protect website at: www.bridgeportdiocese.org/pledge).

BRIDGEPORT—“We’re not watering down formation by using digital methods,” said Rose-Talbot Babey, director of parish engagement for the Diocese of Bridgeport. “The expectation is still high.”

The Office of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Bridgeport hosted a “Quick Wins for Faith Formation” session on October 26, 9 am-3 pm at the Catholic Center, which was open to directors of religious education and faith formation leaders throughout the diocese.

Author John Roberto updated DRE’s and leaders in faith formation on parent faith forming practices and ways to incorporate a blended faith formation program in their parishes.

“You want to use these methods to help you do things that you couldn’t otherwise do any other way,” said John Roberto.

John Roberto is president of LifelongFaith Associates and works as a consultant to churches and national organizations, teaches courses and conducts workshops in faith formation and has authored books and program manuals in faith formation. He is also the project coordinator of the “Certificate in Faith Formation for the 21st Century”—a two-year online ministry education program, sponsored by Vibrant Faith.

His latest publications include Families at the Center of Faith Formation (editor and co-author, 2016), Seasons of Adult Faith Formation (editor and co-author, 2015), Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century (2015), Generations Together (co-authored, 2014), Faith Formation 2020 (2010), and Becoming a Church of Lifelong Learners (2006). He was the creator and project coordinator of the Generations of Faith Project—a five-year Lilly Endowment funded project from 2001-2006—to develop intergenerational faith formation in Catholic parishes across the United States.

Roberto discussed how the blended strategy of faith formation incorporates online, at home and at church. “With the focus on hours of engagement, we can expand ministry in ways we couldn’t always do on campus,” explained Roberto.

“Giving parents options accounts for diversity of all learners,” Roberto told faith formation leaders.

Attendees discussed different ways they could use technology to make information more accessible across platforms and ways to engage parents, grandparents and the whole family.

DRE’s also discussed ideas such as including videos on their websites, encouraging prayer practices in the home, and meeting three or four times a year to demonstrate what students have been learning.

Many gathered remarked that they were encouraged by these new and innovative ideas and couldn’t wait to implement them in their faith formation programs.

John Roberto can be reached at: jroberto@lifelongfaith.com and www.LifelongFaith.com.

(The goal of the Office of Faith Formation is to foster, guide, and support the endeavor of life-long formation in the teachings of Christ and all aspects of the Catholic Faith on both the parish and diocesan levels. Under the direction of the Bishop, chief catechist of the diocese, the Office of Faith Formation strives to accomplish this goal of catechesis and evangelization for all ages by supporting and building up marriage preparation, parish engagement, and youth and young adult engagement.)

 

STAMFORD—Students at Trinity Catholic High School’s AP World History course will be embarking on an exciting new opportunity this school year.

As part of their coursework, students will be participating in the annual National History Day competition in the Senior division. National History Day is an academic enrichment program for students in grades 6-12. Students select topics connected to an annual theme and complete their own in-depth research on the topic.

This year, the annual theme is Triumph and Tragedy in History. Students present their conclusions by creating museum-style exhibits, media documentaries, research papers, interactive websites, and dramatic performances.

The National History Day competition will take place at three different levels. TCHS students will first compete against teams from area schools at the regional level in April at Sacred Heart University. From there, students will have the opportunity, if successful, to advance to a state level competition in New Britain and concluding with a national competition, where the top two teams from each state will compete, just outside the nation’s capital at the University of Maryland in College Park.

At each level of competition, students share their work with their peers, historians, educators, and professionals in related fields as they compete for special awards and the opportunity to advance to the next level of competition.

“This is an outstanding opportunity to showcase the great work our AP World History students are doing”, states Chris Woodside, AP World History Instructor at Trinity. “History is alive and well here. ”

For more information on the competition or program,  please call Chris Woodside, AP World History Instructor, Trinity Catholic High at 203-322-3401, or email him at cwoodside@trinitycatholic.org.

VATICAN CITY—The Catholic Church and all its members must get better at listening to young people, taking their questions seriously, recognizing them as full members of the church, patiently walking with them and offering guidance as they discern the best way to live their faith, the Synod of Bishops said.

While the synod’s final document spoke of friendship, affection, sexuality and “sexual inclinations,” those issues were not the center of concern in the lengthy final document, which was released October 27.

The synod, which began October 3 and was to conclude with a Mass October 28, brought together 267 voting members—cardinals, bishops, 18 priests and two religious brothers—and 72 experts and observers, including three dozen men and women under 30 to discuss “young people, the faith and vocational discernment.”

For the vote on the final document, 249 bishops and priests participated; two-thirds approval or 166 votes, were required to keep a paragraph in the document. The version they voted on had 167 numbered paragraphs.

The focus of the final document was on improving ways to support young Catholics’ baptismal call to holiness, to welcome the contributions they make to the church and help them in their process of growing in faith and in deciding the state of life that would best correspond to what God wants from them.

The emphasis on the church listening to young people also led to an emphasis on the church listening to all people—including women—renewing communities and structures for a “synodal church” where all members listen to, support and challenge one another and share responsibility for the church’s one mission of spreading the Gospel.

“Listening is an encounter in freedom, which requires humility, patience, willingness to understand and a commitment to working out responses in a new way,” the document said. “Listening transforms the heart of those who live it, above all when they take on an inner attitude of harmony and docility to the Spirit of Christ.”

The bishops said they heard from many young people a need for “courageous cultural conversion and a change in daily pastoral practice” to promote the equality of women in society and in the church.

“An area of particular importance in this regard is the presence of women in church bodies at all levels, including in leadership roles, and the participation of women in church decision-making processes while respecting the role of the ordained ministry,” the document said. “This is a duty of justice.”

However, the final document was amended before passage to remove one specific suggestion on where to begin promoting greater equality in the church. The draft document had called for “avoiding the disparity” at the synod between the men’s Union of Superiors General, which has 10 voting members at the synod, and the women’s International Union of Superiors General, which had three non-voting observers at the assembly.

The document acknowledged how, in some countries, young people are moving away from the church or question its teachings, especially on sexuality.

The church’s response, the synod said, must be a commitment of time and patience as it helps young people “grasp the relationship between their adherence to faith in Jesus Christ and the way they live their affectivity and interpersonal relationships.”

Church teaching that all people are called to chastity and to refraining from sexual relations outside the bond of marriage between a man and a woman must be presented clearly, but not with a judgmental attitude, it added.

The document mentioned young people’s questions about homosexuality, sexual orientation and differences between men and women and called for “a more in-depth anthropological, theological and pastoral elaboration” on the church’s position on those issues. The final document used the term “sexual inclination” rather than “sexual orientation” as the draft document had.

“The synod reaffirms that God loves every person and so does the church, renewing its commitment against all sexually-based discrimination and violence,” the final document said. “It also reaffirms the decisive anthropological relevance of the difference and reciprocity between man and woman and considers it reductive to define the identity of persons solely on the basis of their ‘sexual orientation.'”

The paragraph, listed under “Sexuality: A Clear, Liberating, Authentic Word,” passed by the required two-thirds, but received the fewest favorable votes—178—while 65 bishops voted against it.

Members of the synod also praised young Catholics who are involved in their parishes or communities, who dedicate themselves enthusiastically to service projects, who offer their time and talent to the celebration of parish liturgies and who are willing to do even more. However, the document said, too often young volunteers are met by priests and other adults who doubt their commitment or preparation or are simply unwilling to share responsibility with them.

While young people can feel overlooked or ignored, the synod members said such attitudes are detrimental to the church and to its missionary mandate. The final document said young people challenge the church to be better and their questions force older church members to find clearer ways to express church teaching or to respond to new situations with the wisdom of faith.

“Their criticism, too, is needed because not infrequently we hear through them the voice of the Lord asking us for a conversion of heart and a renewal of structures,” the synod members said.

The clerical sex abuse scandal and financial scandals in the Catholic Church are leading many people, not only young people, away from the faith, the synod acknowledged.

Apparently responding to some bishops who felt the draft document’s section on abuse gave too much prominence to the topic’s importance in the United States, Ireland, Australia and Chile, the final document treated it in three paragraphs rather than the earlier five.

However, the final document, like the draft, said, “The Synod expresses gratitude to those who have had the courage to denounce the evil they have suffered: they help the church become aware of what has happened and of the need to react decisively” to ensure abuse does not continue to occur.

Behind the crime of abuse, it said, there lies a “spiritual void” and a form of exercising power that led some priests to believe their ordination gave them “power” over others rather than called them to serving others.

On “vocation,” synod members emphasized how the basic, common Christian vocation is the call to holiness, which can and should be lived out in every state of life: young or old, single or married or in the priesthood or religious life.

“Vocation is neither a script a human being is called to recite, nor a spontaneous theatrical moment leaving no traces,” the document said. God calls each person into a relationship with him, respects the person’s freedom and yet has a plan for each person’s life; discovering that plan requires prayer and self-examination.

The final document urged particular attention to marriage preparation programs as “a kind of ‘initiation’ for the sacrament of matrimony” and to careful selection of candidates for the priesthood and to seminary programs to ensure that future priests are men who can recognize the gifts of others, relate well to women and men of all ages and are devoted to serving the poor.

Young people who are poor or experience discrimination—especially migrants, victims of religious persecution and those struggling to find employment—received special attention at the synod and in the final document.

In fact, the synod said, “the world of young people is also deeply marked by the experience of vulnerability, disability, illness and pain” and Catholic communities have not always done everything possible to welcome and assist them.

By Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service

STAMFORD—The fourth annual “Night of Unity” brought to Trinity an ecumenical evening of “immeasurably more” on Tuesday, October 23.  The evening was filled to overflowing with inspiring talks by local pastors, moving and powerful testimonies and great music! Fr. Joseph Gill, TCHS chaplain and master of ceremonies for the evening, gave an inspiring talk during which he said, “Grace is God’s divine life living in us! We have God in us so that we can begin to radiate God to the world. ”

Pastor Kenny Sullivan, pastor Charles Thomson, and pastor Nathan Hart also focused their talks on the scripture passage Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory.”  Christina Vander Kolk (parent of TCHS student), Gabi Nagle (student at Cardinal Kung), and David Mangahis (student at TCHS) shared their witness to the immeasurably more that God has done in their lives.

 For the fourth time, Trinity’s music director, Angelo Natalie (TCHS Alumni Parent), brought together a very talented group of musicians, most with connections to Trinity: Tony Antonucci (TCHS parent) on drums, Steve DeMott, on guitar, John “Ratso” Gerardi (TCHS Alumni Parent) on guitar, Angelo Natalie (Alumni parent) as Worship Leader and keys, Todd Natalie (TCHS Class of 1996) on Bass, and Dani Wasserman (former TCHS parent) as Worship Leader. Our special guest once again was Christian Rap Artist, Zabbai, who continues to gain a following on Spotify and iTunes – we knew him when!!  

After a great evening of being filled with encouragement, hope and joy, guests were filled with a wonderful reception chaired by Sheila Uhl and Karen Pritchard. Finally, an enormous thank you to Frank D’Andrea and SoundCity for all of the sound, lights and video of the evening! Thank you to everyone who came out to support Night of Unity and to the Trinity administration and staff who helped in so many ways to make it a great evening! See you on Thursday, January 31 for our Fifth Anniversary Night of Unity!  

To learn more about Night of Unity and to see videos of previous evenings, please go to the Night of Unity Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Night-of-Unity-806068439541953/!

WASHINGTON—Following the tragic shooting this morning at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement calling for prayer and action to put an end to violence.

The full statement is as follows:

“This morning violence, once again, struck one of our communities, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is apparent at least eight souls lost their lives in a shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue. To our brothers and sisters of the Jewish community, we stand with you. We condemn all acts of violence and hate and yet again, call on our nation and public officials to confront the plague of gun violence. Violence as a response to political, racial, or religious differences must be confronted with all possible effort. God asks nothing less of us. He begs us back to our common humanity as His sons and daughters.

I commend to our Lord the victims, including first responders, and for the consolation of their families. May Almighty God be with them and bring them comfort at this tragic time.”

RIVERSIDE—This Sunday, Catholic Relief Services joined forces with the Social Justice Committee from St. Catherine of Siena Church (SCSC) in Riverside for an enlightening presentation by CRS’s Kevin Hartigan. Hartigan, based out of Cairo, has been with CRS for 28 years and is the Regional Director for the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia. He oversees roughly 800 staff implementing emergency response and development programs in roughly 20 countries.

A group of about 80 people attended this event to learn about “the Catholic Church’s role in aiding and healing war victims in the Middle East”. The event began with a delightful lunch graciously prepared and served buffet style by the Social Justice Committee. All gathered enjoyed it and were grateful to have time for camaraderie.

Hartigan’s 20-minute presentation, with impressive photos, was followed by 40 minutes of Q&A. The Social Justice Committee placed jars in the middle of each table suggesting a donation to Catholic Relief Services, which was a nice surprise to all attending.

Msgr. Alan F. Detscher, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena closed the event with some touching words validating the good work of CRS, and how impressive it is that  94% of CRS’ spending goes directly to operating expense.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.  

They are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as they act to: promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and, serve Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, they work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality. (For more information visit: www.crs.org.)

Part of a series on the Vatican Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment, this is the fifth of Griffin Oleynick’s dispatches from Rome. Catch up on his first, second, third, and fourth pieces here. Check back soon for the final installment.

It was late on Sunday afternoon and I still hadn’t been to Mass. There was a massive line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica snaking through the square outside, so I made my way to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, in the heart of Rome’s medieval quarter, where Mass would be celebrated using the “Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,” developed in the early fifth century and still the most popular form of the Byzantine Rite today. As the congregation moved through repeated recitations of the trisagion (“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us”) toward the chanting of the Gospel, the priest invoked Holy Wisdom and prayed that the “pure light of Divine Knowledge” might “open the eyes of our minds.” The Word, as it does in the beginning of John’s Gospel, had suddenly become “flesh,” dwelling there among us. The gospel, I recalled, is more than a message; it’s an encounter with a loving, incarnate Word, one that breaks into our lives and actively seeks us out.

As the Synod on Young People neared its conclusion, conversations among delegates, auditors, and commentators turned to what the practical, “enfleshed” results of the meeting might be. Young people have been pressing for greater attention to the concerns of women and LGBT Catholics in the final document (an initial draft came out the week of October 22), while the whole assembly has been stirred by tales of martyrdom in India and Iraq. But perhaps the theme to emerge most prominently in recent days is the question of social media, both its ubiquity in the lives of young Catholics and the church’s need to develop a more robust presence in the digital world. Somewhat surprisingly, synod delegates—mostly aging clerics in their 60s, 70s, and 80s—have shown a willingness to embrace the new platforms, viewing them not just as positive tools, but (as Bishop David Tencer of Reykjavik said at a press briefing) a pastoral necessity that “moves the church forward.”

Indeed, throughout the course of the Synod there’s been a steady stream of tweets, videos, and Instagram posts coming from both Vatican-managed accounts and delegates themselves. Most simply express a kind of benign affection for young people and enthusiasm for the Synod, their updates mirroring the timing and content of the official press briefings. But some, like Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, have used social media to convey more substantive remarks, tweeting highlights from their speeches in the hall and urging the church to embrace greater transparency and inclusivity. Still, as the church readily admits its relative inexperience in social media, how can it develop a distinctive voice that helps make the Word present? Should it even try? Efforts in recent days seem comically, even hopelessly, misguided—do church officials really expect young people to develop deeper spiritual lives after last week’s release of “Follow JC Go,” a Pokémon GO-style app where users wander the streets capturing saints, biblical figures, and Marian devotions on their smartphones?

The principle still holds in the digital age: the medium is essentially neutral, its moral value depending on the use to which it is put.

As Fr. Arturo Sosa, SJ (Superior General of the Jesuits) remarked at a Vatican press briefing in mid-October, the rise of social media represents an “authentic anthropological transformation.” Still, it’s not one without historical precedent, and the church has never shied away from aggiornamento when the signs of the times demand it—consider its transition from oral to written culture in antiquity, or its embrace of visual art in the middle ages, print culture in the Renaissance, and radio in the twentieth century. The principle still holds in the digital age: the medium is essentially neutral, its moral value depending on the use to which it is put. And with the potential to become tools for evangelization, the argument goes, social media ought to be embraced enthusiastically, as the church learns to speak the language of the young people to whom it ministers. That’s the reasoning present at the Synod, too. As some of the English-speaking delegates wrote in their small group report earlier this month, by sowing semina verbi (“seeds of the Word”) across the digital landscape, the gospel can find new audiences, even in “the most remote and even hostile corners of the contemporary world.”

A scan of the @synod2018 Twitter account reveals how young people have engaged digitally with the Synod thus far. Auditors—the thirty-six young Catholics attending the Synod as non-voting members—have been encouraged to use their own accounts not only to post selfies and short videos with delegates and Pope Francis, but also to give brief updates and reflections on the tone and topics of discussion both in the hall and in their small groups. It’s a strategy, one that takes its cue from discussions at the pre-synodal meeting held in Rome back in March. As I learned after speaking with Katie Prejean McGrady, one of the lay attendees from the United States, one of the main concerns back then was how the church might reach out to the “nones.” Social media, with its instantaneous, global reach, she told me, is where young people are out front. “They’re not going to wait for permission from diocesan officials,” she told me. “Especially when it comes to building new forms of community.”

Of course, some clergy have already mastered it. Fr. James Martin, SJ, Editor-at-Large at America Media, began experimenting with social media in 2006, after the publisher of his book My Life With the Saints convinced him to start a public Facebook page. He’s since become a Twitter star, and now holds an advisory appointment with the Dicastery for Communication at the Vatican, where he offers advice on how the church can get its message out more effectively. Over email, he told me that yes, he views social media as a ministry, one that helps him guide people to God. But his enthusiasm was measured. The connections that technology affords, he warned, are incomplete substitutes for face-to-face conversations or real relationships. After all, he said, “there’s a reason why it’s often referred to as virtual communication.” And the effects aren’t always positive. In his personal life, he’s found that too much time online can sometimes lead to spiritual desolation and burnout: “To connect with God, and others,” he said, “it’s important to disconnect from social media.”

To be sure, as a frequent target of digital trolls and hostile online attacks, Martin is also directly familiar with the darker side. “Remember the definition of prayer as a ‘long, loving, look at the real’?” he asks. “Social media often seems like a ‘short, hateful, glance at the real.’” The speed and reactive nature of virtual conversation create an environment in which debate can quickly devolve into personal attack. But here’s where Martin thinks the church can offer an alternative, taking a public stand against sites that traffic in hatred and personal vilification. “Some of these sites don’t deserve the term ‘Catholic,’” he argued. He also would like to see the bishops “more fully understand how damaging these sites are to church unity and, more basically, to the spiritual welfare of the faithful.”

But what about regulating our own social media use, as Martin recommends? There’s growing awareness of the harmful toll that social media addiction takes on our mental health and the harm it does to our real-world relationships. The New York Times even publishes periodic guides for readers looking to sever ties with the digital world. Yet it’s easier said than done: constant stimulation and disruption are built into the for-profit business models of Facebook and Twitter. With more than ninety-five percent of Facebook’s revenue coming from advertising, its bottom line literally depends on us staying addicted to our screens.

The CEOs of Twitter and Facebook are out to make a profit, but what we really need is freedom. So we shouldn’t be afraid to tell them no.

While the Synod as a whole has been reluctant to adopt a more critical stance towards social media, Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut (who at a recent press briefing categorized the digital world as a “missionary continent”), was more blunt. “The CEOs of Twitter and Facebook are out to make a profit, but what we really need is freedom. So we shouldn’t be afraid to tell them ‘no.’ And the Synod can take the lead in calling on them to purify their intentions.”

His comments came in the course of a larger discussion touching on everything from divisiveness in the church and the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas to the spirituality of icons and Caggiano’s own upbringing in an Italian family in Brooklyn.

He acknowledged straightaway that there was indeed disagreement at the Synod, even among the members of the U.S. delegation. Early on, there was some conflict around the language of the Instrumentum laboris, with some bishops wanting to take a more flexible, pastoral approach and others insisting that the church not water down its immutable doctrine. “But this distinction between truth and service, dogma and pastoral outreach, theology and social justice is really a false dichotomy,” he said. “The church might know the final destination of humanity in God, but it also has to accompany. After all, the Truth isn’t just an idea, but a person, an event: the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

That is the genius of Catholicism, he said: the word “and,” indicative of the church’s fundamental inclusivity. That’s what he hopes the church will embrace as it leaves the Synod. “Social media has rearranged our understanding of community. It too easily divides us into self-selecting, parochial tribes. We stop listening to those outside our tribe. At meals in my Italian family, or on the streets of Brooklyn, you always had to talk with people you disagreed with, even those you thought were nuts. But you didn’t shut them out. Because there’s always an ‘and.’ It’s the ‘and’ that holds us at the table.”

But he admits the current challenges. “People don’t trust us,” Caggiano said bluntly. “That’s why I said we need to talk openly about sex abuse during our very first day in the Synod hall. We need to stop relying on the power and authority of the office, and instead establish relationships of trust. First, you encounter the person. Then the power and charism of the office follows.”

As it happened, I was able to experience firsthand what he meant during our meeting. We were still discussing the sex-abuse crisis, when, without really planning to, I told him that I’d been a victim of clerical abuse myself. It had happened three years earlier, when I was a postulant in formation with a monastic community in Italy. My novice master had sexually harassed me for months before finally assaulting me; I left formation, reported it, and he was removed from his position. But for years, I told Bishop Caggiano, I’d wanted someone in the hierarchy to simply sit and hear what it was like. Without blinking, he did just that, not only apologizing on behalf of the church, but also listening to me intently before offering a long, meaningful blessing. It was a graced moment, a sudden and unexpected outpouring of the Spirit—and how else does God work? Our conversation, which began with a press inquiry that I’d sent to his staff on Twitter, had ended in a direct, genuine encounter in the presence of Christ.

That encounter also seems indicative of what’s really happening at the Synod—the outpouring of the Spirit, the spontaneous conversations, the interaction between young people and the world’s bishops. Yet it reveals as well the limits of communicating in digital bursts: Christ simply can’t be confined to 240 characters (or less). Nor can the Word be “captured” in a selfie stream on Instagram or through a Pokémon GO-style smartphone app. Yes, the church can and should develop a richer presence online. But it must do so thoughtfully, not with a view to its own self-promotion and success, but to authentic encounter with the Risen Lord.

By Griffin Oleynick,
Originally appeared in Commonweal Magazine
October 27, 2018

Rain or Shine – Outdoor Tents at all Locations

BRIDGEPORT—All Souls Day Mass will be celebrated in six cemeteries throughout the diocese on Friday, November 2, 11 am, rain or shine. The Masses, which will be offered for the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, are open to the public.

“These Masses are a beautiful way for people to remember their loved ones this time of year,” said Msgr. Thomas Powers, vicar general of the diocese. “We encourage Catholics throughout the diocese to pray that all those who have died may rest in the peace of Christ.”

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano announced the first outdoor All Souls Mass two years ago in the hope that it would become an annual tradition across the diocese. More than 150 people attended the first inaugural Mass, a number which only grew the following year.

Traditionally, Catholics visit cemeteries on All Souls Day to remember the dead and pray for their souls. During the Masses, the celebrants will remember in a special way all deceased bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women and lay faithful.

Last year, two Masses for All Souls Day were held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Trumbull and St. John/St. Mary Cemetery in Norwalk. The diocese expanded the number of locations based on the enthusiastic responses to last year’s Masses.

Below is a list of locations and celebrants:
St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury: Bishop Frank J. Caggiano
St. Mary Cemetery, Greenwich: Msgr. Thomas W. Powers
St. John Cemetery, Norwalk: Msgr. Walter C. Orlowski
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull: Father Joseph A. Marcello
St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford: Father Arthur Mollenhauer
St. John Cemetery, Darien: Father John P. Connaughton

The All Souls Day Mass held in Danbury will be streamed live on the diocesan Facebook page: Facebook.com/bridgeportdiocese.

Arrangements for the outdoor Masses are supported by Catholic Cemeteries and the Diocesan Real Estate Office.

The diocese sponsors nine cemeteries around Fairfield County. For information on Catholic Cemeteries, call 203.416.1494.

DANBURY—Over 300 people came out to the Amber Room Colonnade on October 25 to support the programs and services of Catholic Charities of Northern Fairfield County, including Behavioral Health, Community Support Program, Family Loan Program, Homeless Outreach Team, Housing, Morning Glory Breakfast Program and New Heights. They were there to support the programs which focus on services for the needy, homeless, and those struggling with mental issues but walked away with so much more.

The event promised a “celebrity” speaker, yet two-time Emmy Award Winner Kevin Briody will tell you himself that he considers himself anything but that. In fact, he sees the staff of Catholic Charities as the true celebrities as they are faced with the daily challenge of helping those in need. Kevin charmed the audience with the story about his life from growing up in Ridgefield and hitchhiking to St. Mary’s Church to meeting his wife and taking a chance on songwriting. His life has changed over the years, but it was always grounded in faith.

Kevin has done quite well as a songwriter. His compelling song “We’re All Heroes” opened the Special Olympic World Games and Autism Speaks commissioned him to write the song “Bring Them Back” to help generate awareness. After speaking to the group, Kevin performed two of his songs which were filled with so much emotion, that many could be seen wiping away the tears from their eyes.

In addition to hearing from Kevin Briody, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton spoke about the importance of the services provided by Catholic Charities and Father Chip O’Neill honored former Advisory Board Member Bob Leggett who passed away this year. Finally, Regional Director Michelle Conderino expressed how important it is to support Catholic Charities and provided insight into the number of people being served in the Danbury area by the agency. At the end, she implored people to take the centerpieces on the table and give them to anyone who could use some compassion and in need of brightening their day.

Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, Inc. is one of the largest private social service providers in Connecticut. Since 1916, Catholic Charities has served all people with programs that feed the hungry and homebound, shelter the homeless, strengthen families, assist the physically and emotionally challenged, and deliver consultation and assistance to immigrants. We serve all people without regard to age, race, religion or ability to pay. Catholic Charities puts faith into action by providing food, housing, mental health, adoption, immigration and family support services to the needy and vulnerable of Fairfield County. For more information visit: www.ccfairfield.org.

WESTPORT—Byron Pitts, Emmy award-winning journalist and author, enthralled a sold-out audience on October 11th at The Inn at Longshore helping to drive a record-setting fund-raising evening for Bridgeport based non-profit, Shepherds.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary of “Changing Lives… One Student at a Time”, Shepherds drew a lively and generous audience to the event including students, mentors, financial sponsors and friends. Keynote speaker Byron Pitts shared his poignant and inspiring personal story connecting earlier speeches, video messages and individual stories to the evening’s theme: the importance of caring adults in young people’s lives and the value that a private-school education can provide through a program like Shepherds. 

Raised in Baltimore, Byron overcame learning issues, a severe speech impediment and poverty to rise to the heights of his profession as anchor of ABC-TV’s Nightline. His previous credits have included lead correspondent covering national and international events for CBS News, including four years for CBS-TV’ 60 Minutes.

His mother’s determination and her emphasis on education coupled with the presence of caring adults at critical points in his early life, echoed the stories of many Shepherds alumni including speakers Melissa Bonilla-Sanchez of Bridgeport and D’Vonte Chambers of New Haven who credited their families and their Shepherds mentors with their academic and professional success.

This year’s Founders Award Honorees, Tammy Taylor of Darien and Greg Dillon of North Haven, spoke of the impact that mentoring students through Shepherds has had on them and the students they have been privileged to know. Shepherds cofounder Barney Phillips of Greenwich presented the awards and Executive Director Dan McAuliffe of Darien graciously stepped in as Emcee when Hurricane Michael kept NBC weatherman Dave Price from attending.

Results over 20 years have demonstrated that Shepherds students have a much higher likelihood of graduating from high school, pursuing higher education, breaking the cycle of poverty and becoming productive members of society. Three hundred twenty-five who might otherwise have dropped out have graduated high school and gone on to institutions of higher learning or to military or civil service roles.

With the evening’s financial and emotional success, Shepherds appears to have accomplished its goals of building the momentum and traction for the next 20 years.

Visit www.shepherdsmentors.org to learn more about the Shepherds organization as well as sponsorship and mentoring opportunities.

Each week, beginning this Sunday and continuing until the first Sunday of Advent, The Leadership Institute will publish a series of articles that will be distributed at all parishes in the Diocese of Bridgeport as we await Bishop Caggiano’s promulgation of the Revised Liturgical Norms. 

An intro to each article and the links to each in English and Spanish can be found below. A new article will be added each week. Click here to learn more about the Norms.

Week One: What is the Sacred Liturgy?

Until the documents of the Second Vatican Council were published, Sacred Liturgy was shrouded in mystery. The first catechetical article, “What is Sacred Liturgy?” asserts that today, we have a better balance in understanding the aspects of the Liturgy and an even greater grasp of what the Church believes and teaches about the Sacred Liturgy will bring forth much fruit for the life of the Church.

After the Second Vatican Council (1962- 1965), when the word liturgy sprang into more common usage, its definition (from the Greek leitourgia) – the work of the people or work on behalf of the people – soon resulted in an emphasis solely on the first, rather than the more important second understanding. Some explain this as a consequence of the Council’s call for “full, active and conscious participation” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 2, 14) in the worship of the Church as the “right and duty” of the Christian people, particularly as individuals and the entire assembly gradually assumed a more active role in liturgical celebrations. It is true that, immediately after the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, the tendency was to focus on the assembly’s role in the celebration of the Liturgy while failing to recognize the more important “work of God” being accomplished in the assembly’s midst. While a better balance in understanding both aspects of the Liturgy now exists, an even greater grasp of what the Church believes and teaches about the Sacred Liturgy will bring forth much fruit for the life of the Church.

Continue reading our first Catechesis Article here.

RIVERSIDE—The Social Justice Committee of St. Catherine of Siena Church and Catholic Relief Services are hosting Catholic Relief Services Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East, Kevin Hartigan on Sunday, October 28.

All are invited to his presentation after the 10:30 am Mass. The presentation will begin at 11:45 am in the Lucey Parish Hall.

Hartigan will be discussing the Catholic Church’s role in aiding and healing war victims in the Middle East.

Hartigan, a Minneapolis native, oversees CRS activities in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, areas where the U.S. Catholic Church’s overseas relief organization is serving a million refugees from Syria and Iraq.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.

They are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as they act to: promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and, serve Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, they work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality.

(For more information visit: www.crs.org.)

To RSVP for this event contact: parkerelizabeth@sbcglobal.net.

CHICAGO—From the time she was in first grade, Jaime Mitchell thought she might have a religious vocation. It was always in the back of her head, but she tried to sidestep Jesus all along the way.

“I pretty much knew I had a vocation, but I was afraid of what it would look like,” she said. “Besides, I wanted to get married, have a holy family and raise my kids in the faith.”

So in her 20s, she made a deal with Jesus that went something like this: “OK, Lord, if you want me to go look at religious orders, I will,” she recalled. “But if it doesn’t work out, your end of the bargain is that you have to help me find my future spouse.”

Never one to renege on a promise, Jesus kept his end of the bargain. He found her the perfect spouse — Himself.

Today, there are no hesitations, anxieties or fears for Sister Jaime Mitchell. She placed her entire faith in Christ and followed Him into the breach. She recently professed her final vows as a member of the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago, a newly established religious community, living and serving at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

Her journey began in the first grade, where Sister Ladislas of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth taught her how to read and write and pray at St. Jude School in Monroe.

“I loved Sister,” she said. “I always had admiration for her. She was very holy, and I knew there was something special about her. She loved us kids, and I liked being around her because she exuded the love of God.”

A 1995 graduate of St. Joseph High School, Jaime attended Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and earned a degree in hospitality management, which she says serves her well at the mission, caring and feeding the neighbors in West Humboldt Park.

“It’s a gift,” she says, “knowing how to talk to people and welcome them and make them feel comfortable.”

After graduating, she returned to Connecticut and took a job at Robustelli Travel, where she handled corporate accounts for five years. This was followed by a position as Study Abroad Coordinator at Fairfield University in which she oversaw a program for 400 students who studied in Florence each year.

Although her career was advancing, her spiritual life was stagnant. While she was in high school, she described herself as “boy crazy,” and college life presented new challenges.

“I was very far away from my faith and not practicing,” she recalls. “I went the opposite way, the way of the culture, and found myself hanging out with people who liked to go drinking and partying.”

She had a boyfriend, a good job and friends, but found herself asking: “Is this what life is all about?” She went on a retreat at My Father’s House in Moodus, Conn., where Father Bill McCarthy prayed over her, and she had what she calls “an encounter with the Risen Lord.” In that instant, she fully understood the truth that Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. She understood this person Jesus truly loved her and would lead her to the Truth.

“That retreat changed my life,” she says. “I came back and broke up with my boyfriend and started attending daily Mass, reading the Bible, praying the Rosary and trying to live a holy and virtuous life.”

She and her friends attended events for young Catholics, and five of them prayed novenas for their future spouses. One day Jaime asked whether anyone felt called to the religious life, and the unanimous response was no.

In 2009, she quit her job at Fairfield University because she believed Christ was calling her to serve in a maternity home called Maggie’s Place in Arizona.

“I randomly opened a magazine and saw it,” she says. “Maggie is my grandmother’s name, and I love her very much, and I love babies. Growing up, I loved St. Anthony of Padua because he held the Infant Jesus. He’s still my favorite saint, a very humble man, a great theologian and a Doctor of the Church who embraced poverty.” Also, a Franciscan.

In Arizona, she went to daily Mass, got a spiritual director, prayed the Divine Office and sat in front of the Blessed Sacrament, looking for answers. Two years later, she returned to Connecticut, still searching. She worked on a farm in Easton and at a liquor store. Her mother, Marilyn, who has always been her inspiration, told her, “I think you’re missing your vocation.”

So Jaime started going to Eucharistic Adoration at St. Theresa’s in Trumbull … and then it happened. She saw a video about the Franciscan sisters and was attracted to their way of life, their spirituality and their joy. In that moment, she had an epiphany and said to Jesus, “You want me here!”

She recalls: “I said to the Lord, ‘I’m 35 years old, and we’ve got to get this vocation thing settled. I’m not looking anywhere else, so if this doesn’t work out, sorry, I’m not going to be a religious. But if it’s meant for me, I really want to work with the poor and live with people who strive to be holy and want to do things for You.” She then proceeded to give Him a list of specifications. Jesus fulfilled them all, and much more, including a dog.

Jaime visited the community, which was only two years old, and immediately felt at home. In January 2013, she entered as a postulate and recently professed her final vows. Sister Jaime also received her master’s degree in pastoral studies from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and is involved in an engagement program for young adults.

The mission of Our Lady of the Angels is committed to assisting the poor and sharing the Catholic faith in West Humboldt Park, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago. It provides food pantries, clothing distribution, emergency assistance, after school programs, senior programs and community dinners, along with retreats, street evangelization and preaching. (For more information, visit: https://www.missionola.com.)

“It’s everything I wanted and more,” she said. “God has been really good to me. He has shown me His love in so many ways and in the littlest details.”

Father John Connaughton, vocation director of the Diocese of Bridgeport, attended St. Joseph’s with Jaime and recently visited her.

“We talked about how we ended up as a priest and a religious sister,” he said. “Both of us wrestled with the restlessness in our hearts and found what God wanted for us. I was struck by her obvious contentment and the joy of the sisters in her community. Their lives aren’t easy, but they’re happy. They’ve given their hearts to Jesus and serve Him in the poor. It’s radical and it’s beautiful. And seeing their trust in the Lord challenges me to be a better disciple myself and to trust Him more with my life.”

One day, Sister was weeding in the garden and a young girl came to help. While they were working, she said, “I want to be a nun when I grow up.”

“Why?” Sister asked.

“Because you’re always so happy!”

Looking back on her path to the religious life, she says, “Jesus is very patient and knows what every one of us needs. He has planned out everything in detail. My path has been winding at times, but now I’m exactly where He wanted me to be, and He’s using me to bring His love to others. I’m just honored that He has asked this of me and honored that He asked me to be His bride and to love Him and serve Him all the days of my life.”

There’s one more thing: Inspired by her daughter’s example, Marilyn Mitchell has professed as a Third Order Franciscan.

ROME—Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, has become one of the most closely watched American prelates at a time when the Church in the United States is in full crisis mode, making it perhaps unsurprising that he was the first bishop to raise the issue of clerical sex abuse during this month’s Vatican summit on young people.

His name is now often rumored as a potential replacement for Cardinal Donald Wuerl in Washington, D.C. or for Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia when he reaches retirement age next year.

Even so, Caggiano brushes off such rumors, insisting that he’s focused solely on his diocese and, particularly, building on the energy and ideas coming out of the Synod of Bishops on “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment,” where he has joined nearly 300 bishops around the world for his first go at a synod.

Among the topics he discussed in an interview with Crux last week are:

  • The upcoming meeting of U.S. bishops next month where he insists that the issue of accountability of bishops must be settled.
  • His plans for a youth synod in his own diocese.
  • Why hearing stories of Christian martyrdom have challenged him to consider what he’s willing to sacrifice for the faith.

Crux: Since this is your first Synod of Bishops, give us your impressions of the experience thus far.

Caggiano: The presence of the youth here has been tremendous. They’ve given an energy and a focus to everything we do, which I did not expect to happen. I think there’s general harmony, and the bishops seem to be moving in the same general direction, which in my greater fears I was wondering if that would happen, but it is, in fact, happening.

I’ve been so involved with young adults back home that a lot of these themes resonate in my heart. The one take-away, which has changed me the most, is the global sense: what other bishops are struggling with young adults, we are not. It’s basic human needs, human problems, that have been a sobering experience for me in the Church, that we in the United States don’t have.

Give us some examples.

Human trafficking. Martyrdom. Some of the bishops gave beautiful, compelling stories of young women and young men who literally gave their life because mobs wanted them to renounce their Catholic faith. I’ve read it in books in the ancient Church, but this is going on in Asia and Africa right now and in our midst, and I think it’s something our young people need to hear.

Not only is it inspiring, but also it calls them to greatness, to say “What’s the skin in the game for us—for me and for you?” These young people gave everything and that was spiritually compelling for me, and I’ve been praying about it ever since. Even personally, “What am I willing to give as a spiritual leader, as a mentor, and as a man of faith?

In the synod, you were the first to raise the issue of sexual abuse. Certainly in the first part of synod, and now in the small groups, that’s continued to be discussed. Realistically, what do you expect this synod to produce with regard to forward movement toward reform on sexual abuse?

The day before I left, I met with a number of young people from Bridgeport. I said to them, what message do I bring and every single one of them began with this question of abuse. The real question was the credibility of leadership, and the real question was “can I trust you?” One young woman said, “can I trust you?” Meaning me, not “you” in the plural. So, I promised them I’d bring it, and it confirmed in my heart what I knew I had to raise.

I think that since there’s the February gathering where they’re going to get in the nuts and bolts, that is the venue where we’ll get in the details.

(Editor’s Note: Pope Francis has convened a meeting in Rome in February 2019 for the head of every bishops’ conference from around the world to discuss the issue of sex abuse and the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.)

I think young people need to understand and hear from us: A. We understand the problem. B. We sympathize and empathize with the position they are now in—that we need to earn their trust. And C. That we stand with survivors. If there’s a characteristic that marks young people, it’s that they understand the underdog and they want to stand with those who are victimized, and they want us to stand with them, and we have to. So, I think if we can state that, and apologize earnestly for what happened, that will set the prelude to the February meeting.

We’ve heard apologies before. We’ve heard Francis apologize, we’ve heard Benedict apologize, and we’ve heard the U.S. bishops apologize. At the same time, we still see mistakes that shouldn’t be happening, so how do you think trust can be regained?

Yesterday’s homily that I gave at the synod, the most important words that I gave were the last ones. I spoke about broken hearts, and I said we’re going to re-learn how to be physicians “one broken heart at a time.” The last six words is the method.

There is no document on earth that is going to heal the broken trust that one individual has. We have to find the courage in this generation to come to sit with individuals and let them express what they’re really feeling and be able to answer to that. To a certain extent, I think it’s good that we empathize, but when I go back to Bridgeport, it’s going to have to be my ministry and to allow that forum to tell me directly how they feel and to be able to answer that, because that is where we’re going to be able to rebuild trust.

Speaking of going back to Bridgeport, what are you going to take back from the synod? What new things are you going to bring into the conversation?

I think the immediate task would be to say, “Whatever the Holy Father tells us is the direction” and ask how do I translate that into Bridgeport? That translation is going to be from affluent communities to some of the poorest communities in Connecticut. The bottom line is, I think we have to gather together—I think youth and their mentors and on a diocesan wide level have some assembly, some gathering, maybe even a synod—to be able to ask where do we go next? I think a synod shouldn’t be an exercise in visiting the dinosaurs, and it should be a regular experience in the life of the Church.

When you get back to the States after the synod, there is also the meeting of U.S. bishops coming up in November. What do you expect?

My hope is that the question of the accountability of bishops be definitively addressed. On Facebook I got a posting from someone who was a colleague of mine in Brooklyn before I was a bishop. We were together in Albany for a gathering on the Charter [adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002 in response to sex abuse]. She reminded me that I turned to her and said, “we’re talking about priests and deacons, but what about the bishops?” I wrote back to her and said, “thank God I said that!” We definitively have to answer that question in November and refer something to the Holy See to get approbation.

On the question of former Cardinal McCarrick, I’m not sure what will happen with that, but I think the people of my diocese would really appreciate hearing a direction going forward. In either case, I haven’t heard anything concrete, but on the first matter, it’s something we need to do and on the second matter, it’s something I’m hoping we’ll do.

Last question: are you going to go home more or less optimistic about the prospects of the Church because you took part in this synod?

More—much more.

Why?

Two reasons. Because the youth—the ones who are here – are committed, and they’re the tip of the iceberg. They’re willing to slug it out even in these times for their faith and for the Church, so it gives me great hope.

The second is that no matter what happens with the aftermath of what we’re going through in the United States, this may be a period of humility, and it may even be a period of humiliation for the leadership of the Church. But, in that being stripped, you people will see leaders who are not standing over them but are standing with them. They’ll respond to rebuild the Church. I think there’s a whole army of young people who are willing to say yes.

When you take away the pomp and circumstance, and if you’re just standing with them in the rags, they’ll be with us. And I think that could be a moment of great grace in a moment of great woundedness and great hurt, so I think that’s what I go back with.

Original article from Crux