Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

WHAT: The Human Journey colloquia series presents “Was the Synod an Earthquake, a Mild Tremor or a Nothing Moment?,” with guest speaker Michael W. Higgins. The Synod on Synodality held in Rome last October wasn’t just an ordinary church assembly and a new world is being shaped by this Synod, according to Higgins. He will explore some of the dynamics involved in the shift taking place. Event will also be livestreamed here.

WHO: Michael W. Higgins is a distinguished professor emeritus at Sacred Heart University and a senior fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto.

WHERE: The Dr. Michelle Loris Forum at the Frank and Marisa Martire Center for Liberal Arts at Sacred Heart University, 5401 Park Avenue, Fairfield

Visit the livestream here.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 7, at 2 p.m.

SPONSOR: Sacred Heart University’s Center for Catholic Studies, the Human Journey colloquia series

PRESS: Media coverage is welcomed. Please contact Deb Noack at 203-396-8483 or noackd@sacredheart.edu for further information

This Lent, explore the rich heritage of prayer in the Catholic Church by attending the Lenten Lecture Series on Catholic Prayer. Hosted by Fr. Frank Hoffmann, pastor of St. Matthew Church in Norwalk, this series of lectures will cover various aspects and kinds of prayer. While fasting and almsgiving are commonly practiced during Lent, prayer can be challenging for many of us. We all know the basic idea of prayer is talking to God, but the Catholic Church offers a plethora of ways to pray, and this lecture series aims to educate and inspire attendees to become Students of Prayer.

Some of the topics that will be covered in the series include Distractions in Prayer, Marian Prayer, Praying in the Ignatian Tradition, and Praying with Teresa of Avila. Do not miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and practice of prayer this Lent. All are welcome!

A one-hour session will be offered Monday evenings at 7 PM beginning on February 12 through March 18. The same program will be offered on Tuesdays at 1 PM beginning February 13 and concluding on March 19. The Monday evening session will take place in the Church; the Tuesday afternoon session will take place in the Great Room of Saint Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk and is open to all. This Lent come back to school and be a Student of Prayer!

In recent years, the world of education has witnessed a remarkable transformation through the integration of cutting-edge technologies. One such groundbreaking innovation that holds immense promise for learning is Virtual Reality (VR).

VR is gaining significant traction in education for one simple reason: It can offer students a unique opportunity to explore and experience concepts in a way that traditional teaching methods cannot.

“I believe education outside of textbooks and the traditional classroom environment can often be the most productive, long-lasting, and meaningful,” states St. Mark Middle School History Teacher, Matthew Bonito

Virtual Reality refers to a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that users can interact with using specialized hardware, such as VR headsets or controllers. The technology immerses users in a lifelike experience, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual worlds. By creating a sense of presence, VR allows learners to feel as though they are truly present in the virtual environment.

“My students are filled with excitement whenever we use them,” shares Bonito. “The software offers virtual field trips to classic locations such as the Pyramids of Egypt, The Taj Mahal of India, The Great Wall of China, The Parthenon of Greece or the Colosseum in Rome. In addition, the students are also able to explore programs and images of cities around the world. After our class performed for our school Christmas concert, we toured a program entitled ‘Christmas Around the World’ . We learned about Christmas traditions in locations such as Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and more.”

“I’m deeply grateful to God for the opportunity to share this gift with my students,” Bonito explains. “I thank all those who helped make this happen, particularly our school principal Mrs. Melissa Warner who envisioned this project and encouraged me to apply. Bringing the social sciences to life has never been easier, or more fun!”

Bonito believes that the technology has profound implications for education.

“The results show that students more thoroughly comprehend the factual information and data about a society after ‘witnessing’ it and ‘experiencing’ it themselves through the headsets. Most importantly, the improved comprehension and performance from the students has helped to make learning both meaningful and enjoyable.”

Eighth Grader Julianne Gonzalez commented, “Using the new VR headsets in History class was amazing! I really enjoyed traveling back in time and seeing how people lived in the past. My favorite destination so far has been Ancient Egypt!”

St. Mark School Principal Melissa Warner commented, “VR has provided an immersive experience that encourages students to explore, experiment, and discover knowledge on their terms.”

Warner added, “This immersive learning isn’t just for students. After all, educators are life-long learners too. VR helps both students and educators own their educational journey by providing hands-on, innovative, engaging, and meaningful opportunities that have advanced our classroom learning environment.”

Funding for Matthew Bonito’s VR project was awarded through a grant program provided by Foundations in Education. Foundations in Education is an independent non-profit initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport’s ongoing mission to support Catholic education in Fairfield County.

St. Mark School is a 2009 Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Academic Excellence and a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredited school, serving students in Pre-K through Grade 8. St. Mark School will host an Open House for prospective families on Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 10 am–12 noon. For more information, visit www.stmarkschool.org.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. —Presented by the Center for Catholic Studies at Fairfield University, the 2024 Bellarmine Lecture will take place on Wednesday, January 31, at 7 pm in the Dolan School of Business Event Hall. This in-person event is free and open to the public.

In his lecture, titled “Eliciting Great Desires’: Jesuit Education as a Call to Freedom, Justice & Reconciliation,” Father Kevin O’Brien, S.J., will share how, long ago in 1551, Ignatius Loyola wrote to his fellow Jesuits at their newly founded college in Ferrara, Italy, and instructed them to “endeavor to conceive great resolves and elicit equally great desires to be true and faithful servants of God.”

With the help of members of Fairfield Bellarmine’s inaugural Class of 2026, Father O’Brien will explore how Jesuit educators today continue to elicit bold and holy desires in students to realize their God-given potential and embrace with greater freedom their call to build a more just and gentle world.

Father O’Brien teaches in Fairfield University’s Department of Religious Studies and serves as founding vice provost and executive director of Fairfield Bellarmine, an initiative to expand access and affordability to Jesuit higher education by offering a two-year associate’s degree program to low-income and first-generation students from Bridgeport, Conn., and surrounding communities.

Prior to Fairfield, Father O’Brien taught and served in the administrations of Saint Joseph’s, Georgetown, and Santa Clara universities. He has served on the boards of Marquette, Seattle, and Fordham universities.

Winner of a 2012 ACP (Association of Catholic Publishers) Excellence in Publishing Award, Fr. O’Brien’s first book, The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life (Loyola Press, 2011), has sold more than 60,000 copies and has been translated into three languages.

His most recent book, Seeing With the Heart: A Guide to Navigating Life’s Adventures (Loyola Press, 2023), was described in an America magazine review as “an invitation to live, as St. Ignatius writes, with magnanimity, inspiring us to be ‘great-souled’ people attentive to the needs of others, clear in our integrity, rooted in hope and as ‘beholders of the holy.’”

Born in Canada and raised in South Florida, Father O’Brien practiced law and taught high school before joining the Jesuits in 1996. He earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown University, a law degree from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in philosophy from Fordham University, and two advanced theological degrees from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (now part of Boston College) in Cambridge, Mass.

The 2024 Bellarmine Lecture with Father Kevin O’Brien, S.J., will take place on Wednesday, January 31 at 7 pm in Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business Event Hall, located at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT  06824. This event is free and open to the public. For more information about Fairfield’s Center for Catholic Studies, please visit fairfield.edu/cs.

STAMFORD- The Catholic Academy of Stamford community is thriving as the flagship Catholic School in Stamford. Founded in 2017, CAS was formed when the Stamford-based Catholic schools were combined to create one PreK (ages 3 & 4) through eighth grade school. The CAS Community celebrates The Catholic Academy of Stamford difference with their amazing teaching staff, academic excellence, personalized learning and nurturing environment.

Sowjanya Kopperla-Thota, a CAS parent of a first grade and sixth grade student, had to say that, “CAS Family as we lovingly call them, are teachers and staff who are simply unique. Everyone here is fully invested in the WHOLE of our children not just academically, but the growth of their character too. There is no better place than CAS to start a child’s joyful educational journey where kids come out feeling confident, competent learners that will serve them well throughout their life”. 

“The faculty and staff at CAS are truly dedicated to what they do, and this quality continues to exceed our expectations. We feel this differentiates CAS from other educational options we have and gives us much validation in the choice we’ve made for our children and our family. We are so grateful for the partnership they create with us to support our children in their academic and religious education”, stated Susan Michalak who is a CAS parent of a PreK-4 and first grade student.

Emma Martin, a CAS parent of a PreK-3, second grade and fourth grade student shared, “The CAS teachers are one of a kind. They are invested not only in the academic achievement of their students, but in each individual’s personal development and growth. All of the teachers with whom I have interacted revealed a deep understanding of my children and their needs. The community that has been created by these educators is one of warmth and inclusion, where all students can feel safe and excited to learn.”

Julia Omanoff, a CAS parent of two first grade students praised the school saying that “We could not be happier with the progress we have seen in our girls both academically and as individuals. In all our interactions with the CAS faculty, you can feel the passion and dedication they have to our children. We always walk away from meetings or events at the school saying, ‘they do such an amazing job’. We are grateful to be a part of the CAS family/community”.

Jennifer Restrepo, a CAS parent of a first grade student, had to say, “‘The teachers at CAS have a special way to invite all children into a safe and encouraging environment. We feel at ease each day, as we send our daughter to school to learn, develop friendships and become better versed in our faith. On top of that, they have become a regular part of our dinner conversations; as our daughter shares how they made her laugh, smile or learn something new.”

“Throughout the last three years, all CAS teachers have all helped our son in different ways to become a confident student. All have been proactive to help him achieve their classroom goals. His teacher’s lines of communication are always open. They utilize all tools in their toolboxes to achieve their high expectations with plenty of positive support. I cannot find words to express thanks for his current teacher Mrs. Carpanzano. She is proactive, seasoned, helpful, and much more. We are truly blessed this year”, shared Kristen Delmonico, a CAS parent of a first grade student.

Miss Brady, Head of School noted, “The difference at The Catholic Academy of Stamford are the 36 men and women who comprise our faculty and staff. They are faithful disciples in forming and educating our students. They believe in and live the mission of our school which is focused on Faith, Knowledge, and Service.”

The Catholic Academy of Stamford community and incredible faculty and staff, has built strong foundations for this generation and for many future generations to come. The CAS community is second to none. We invite you to experience the CAS difference!

The Catholic Academy of Stamford is a fully accredited Pre-K through grade 8 school. CAS is located at 1186 Newfield Ave. To schedule a tour, contact 203.322.6505 ext. 4 or admissions@CasCt.org. Spaces are filling up fast, apply today (no fee) at www.CasCt.org.

STRATFORD—In 2024, the name of the game is parish collaboration. And it’s a theme that is both old and new in the Catholic community of Stratford, which is home to five parishes and new ideas for working together.

The fourth of nine parish collaboration meetings hosted by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano took place on January 20 at St. Mark School in Stratford. These regional collaboration meetings offer ways for parishes in the same geographical area to share ideas, resources and challenges and facilitate new ways for them to collaborate.

They will ultimately help support the bishop’s vision of “The One,” which is an effort to renew Catholic culture and bring every believer closer to Christ.

In Stratford, some of these collaborative efforts are underway—or have been for quite some time. Previously, in order to boost Mass attendance and provide more time options, the five pastors worked together to create a new Sunday Mass schedule, ensuring that beginning at 7:30 am, another Mass would begin every half four at one of the five Catholic parishes in Stratford. And if a parishioner of one parish attends Mass at a different Stratford parish one Sunday, the pastors also agreed to redirect envelopes in the offertory basket to their respective “homes.”

But as a new year begins, so do new opportunities for collaboration. And Bishop Caggiano thinks those collaborations can help address problems the parish communities have in common.

“We have to be able to address challenges that, quite frankly, are so big that no single parish can face them alone,” the bishop said. “And that requires collaboration across parish lines.”

The Stratford parishes are among three communities acting as pilots for the Seton Collaborative, along with select parishes in Norwalk and Fairfield. In Stratford, collaboration is primarily taking place under “comprehensive formation in discipleship,” encompassing baptism, parish religious education, Confirmation, RCIA, and adult faith formation. The effort is being undertaken by Colin Petramale, the newly-hired Director of Discipleship for the Stratford parishes.

As new opportunities for collaboration emerge, the bishop said that it is still important for parish communities to retain their identity.

“Collaboration does not mean that one parish becomes less important than another,” the bishop said. “It means that all get better. Ministry is more effective when we work together.

“The truth is that every aspect of our lives needs to be shared,” he continued. “That does not mean parishes will lose their identity. That is not the case. If anything, it will strengthen their identity, because we are a family within a family.”

The bishop asked those gathered to consider the challenges that faced their communities, and to determine which they felt was the most pressing matter. That one question would guide the remainder of the meeting, as well as possible collaborative efforts that could address those challenges.

One of the challenges mentioned was how to retain younger Catholics in parish communities, especially those who had aged out of formal religious education, as well as college students and people in their 20s and 30s.

Bishop Caggiano noted a startling statistic among this age demographic, who had been raised Catholic but no longer participated in the faith: the number one reason for that disaffiliation was perceived hypocrisy of Church leaders and higher-ups.

“What makes you different from politicians and government leaders and business leaders and everybody else out there who says one thing and does another?” Bishop Caggiano asked. “That, my friend, is fodder for real soul-searching among Christians—not just Catholics, but Christians in general. That is why, in my mind, The One is very important: we’re going to invite people, young people particularly, back to church, where I think they will sense that we mean what we say, and we live what we (say).”

Part of the solution to that problem, the bishop said, was building parish communities and families that are welcoming and loving toward young people.

“We have to create a culture, an environment, a place which is both physical and spiritual, where young people will say, ‘My goodness, look at that! They really do care for each other. They really do now their names, and they actually care for me. This may be worth it, because what I see over here, I’m not exactly sure if it’s worth it.'”

The bishop also said in this new age of collaboration, there is a need to redefine success. To him, it can no longer be simply a numbers game.

“Would you rather have 100 people come to an event and 90 of them not be inspired, or would you rather have 45 people at the event, and all 45 of them are on fire?” the bishop asked.

To the bishop, collaboration is essential for the parishes and their congregations to become missionary in their outreach and in their relationships with each other.

“Your pastors,” he said, recognizing the five Stratford pastors, “have agreed to go off on their own for a day to reflect, to see what are the priorities they’ve hear from you and from me, (and) to be able to say, ‘These are the issues that we want tot work on together,'” the bishop said. “We don’t simply want to do window dressing. We want to change the trajectory of the Church, the Catholic community here in Stratford. So it takes a bit of time and discernment.”

The next regional collaboration meeting will take place on Saturday, February 3 at 8:30 am at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Wilton. The meeting will focus on collaboration between the parishes in the Seat of Wisdom Deanery, which encompasses Georgetown, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport and Wilton. No pre-registration is required.

For more information on the bishop’s initiative, please visit www.formationreimagined.org/the-one

By Rose Brennan

STRATFORD—As part of its year-long 100th Anniversary Celebration, Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Stratford will hold a commemoration Mission of Renewal.

The Mission, titled “The 3 R’s: Remember, Root, Restore, “will feature presentations throughout the Winter and Spring. Presentations by Father Michael A. Boccaccio of the Tribunal Staff of our Diocese of Bridgeport will begin and end the Mission.

On Tuesday, February 27 at 6 pm, Father Boccaccio will present: “In the Beginning: The Scriptural Meaning of HOLY, NAME, JESUS”. In this inaugural presentation, Father Boccaccio will offer the Biblical roots, background and meaning of these three words.

“Those words come together in empowering and inspiring ways in Scripture,” Father Boccaccio said. “We will explore how Holy, Name, Jesus can open our hearts to healing, both for ourselves and for others.”

Sandwiched between these talks by Father Boccaccio, Holy Name of Jesus Parish is planning a Retreat, with details coming soon.

The Mission will conclude on Tuesday, May 7 at 6 pm with Father Boccaccio’s second presentation titled “Back to the Future: The Vision of Vatican II’s PRIESTLY PEOPLE”. In this talk, Father Boccaccio will highlight the role of the laity as envisioned and refreshed by the Second Vatican Council for the purposes of “updating” (AGGIORNAMENTO, as Pope St. John XXIII named it) the Universal Church.

“Throughout our 100th Anniversary year, we have implemented activities, celebrations and opportunities for our parish family to experience ways to ‘Frame our Future on the Foundation of Faith’,” Father Bert Pinciaro, pastor of Holy Name said. “The rich heritage we have received is now in our hands to mold for the present and future members of the Holy Name of Jesus family. To that end, in January, we began the work of refreshing, restoring and revitalizing our church interior to invite all who enter to a deeper relationship with our Lord. Our hopes are that the planned talks during the Winter and Spring will be catalysts to a spiritual resurgence of faith for all who participate as we prepare to face the future. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we hope that they will be both formative and transformative.”

All are invited. Each evening will include prayer and refreshments, and end at 7:30 pm. The presentations will be held in Heritage Hall at Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 50 College Street, Stratford. (The Hall is directly behind the church.) Please register at ParishOffice@HNOJchurch.org.

BRIDGEPORT—St. Vincent Medical Center is looking for volunteers over the age of 16 to volunteer at the organization’s gift shop. For more information, please contact volunteer manager Ellen Muentener at 917.744.1237.

NEWTOWN—Expanding youth ministries, sharing activity calendars and public processions of faith were some of the suggestions by parishioners at the first Diocese of Bridgeport regional collaboration meeting to help foster the renewal of the Church.

“All true renewal of the life of the Church begins with listening,” said Father Christopher Ford, Director of Vocations and Seminarians in the Diocese of Bridgeport, facilitating the meeting for Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, who was unable to attend.

“We have a responsibility and duty to listen to one another so we can find better ways to support one another for the renewal of the Church,” Father Ford said.

The first of nine regional deanery collaboration meetings this year was held at St. Rose of Lima Parish, which is a part of the Our Lady, Queen of Confessors Deanery encompassing parishes in Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield and Newtown. Meetings in the other deaneries in the diocese are scheduled in the upcoming months.

About 200 people attended the Saturday morning meeting where one of the goals is to cultivate conversations and collaborations among the parishes through parishioners sharing experiences, challenges and successes in creating a vibrant parish community.

“You have far more in common than you think,” said Father Ford. “The beauty of listening is that it fosters relationships,” he added, encouraging everyone in attendance to propose and pursue ideas during and after the meeting in the spirit of collaboration.

One of the concerns shared during the group discussion included how to keep the Church relevant to young people and make sure it is stronger in the future.

A young woman in attendance said, “We need to be seen for our love and bringing people together. We should show love first, I think that will bring people back to the Church.”

One mother also shared her thoughts on how effective youth ministries can be in contributing to young people continuing their faithful journey in the Church. She said two of her children were involved in youth groups and two were not. The two that were, continue to go to church.

There is a United Youth Ministry that includes youth from the parishes of St. Rose of Lima, St. Mary Parish in Bethel and St. Joseph Parish in Brookfield. It is an example, Father Ford said, of how parishes can collaborate and work together to provide services needed in the community that perhaps one parish alone may struggle to provide.

“They (youth) are looking for answers in the secular world, let’s be the answer,” said Renzo Ortega, Coordinator of the United High School Ministry.

Attendees acknowledged it is important to address the needs of the youth of the church but equally as important to meet the needs of the elderly. Sister Mary Ellen Genova, CSFN, who leads the Parish Outreach program at St. Rose of Lima, said they offer a Friendly Visitors program which connects parishioners who may be homebound with others who are able to visit. The program aims to connect parishioners over shared interests such as reading, sports or art.

It was also suggested that activity calendars be shared among the parishes so parishioners have more opportunities to grow in their faith as well as parishes can share the responsibility of hosting different series and events.

The choir director of St. Rose suggested choir members may be able to share their talents with other parishes when the need arises during busy times of the year.

Andrea Farley of St. Rose of Lima said more needs to be done to encourage a life of faith.

“I’m finding a lot of people think they don’t need God,” Farley said. “We can do more to reintroduce them to the Lord.”

Linda Moritz of St. Rose of Lima agreed.

“I would love to see more Eucharistic processions on public streets to show the community we are in love with Jesus and we are doing this for him,” Moritz said “You never know what impact it could have.”

There was a public procession of faith on Main Street in Danbury where 700 people marched from St. Peter Parish to St. Joseph Parish with the Blessed Sacrament on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in June 2019.

Father Ford said future public processions of faith are planned throughout the diocese.

Acknowledging the good ideas and suggestions also came with the question of how to get young people to lead the efforts.

Father Ford said it’s important for all parishioners to feel they have a place in leading the community of which they are a part.

“I thought it was a good meeting,” said Joseph Kieras, a parishioner of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish since 1981. “People were really speaking from the heart. We need to have more of this for our parishes. We need to have a spirit of collaboration and conversations with other parishes and we need a revival of lay involvement.”

Father Ford thanked the attendees for coming and sharing their ideas. He encouraged many to continue the conversation.

“We will be there to support you and offer assistance,” he said.

By Kathy-Ann Gobin

BRIDGEPORT—Foundations in Education Inc. is pleased to announce that applications to the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund open February 1, 2024.

The mission of the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund is to help families afford a Catholic education at Diocesan elementary schools in Fairfield County. Families with students entering Kindergarten through Grade 8 in the Fall of 2024 are eligible to apply.

In the 2023-2024 academic year, the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund received 2,448 applications for tuition assistance and awarded 1,351 students over $3,000,000—an increase of 13% over last year! Awards range from $300-$3,650 per student.

A composite of 2023-2024 Bishop’s Scholarship Fund recipients includes:

• 54% raised by single parents
• 54% qualify for free or reduced lunch
• $61,688 was the average household gross income

“At a time our country is replete with so many social challenges, there is no better time to experience the difference a values based Catholic School can make in your child’s education,” commented Foundations in Education Executive Director Holly Doherty-Lemoine. “We encourage all families who need financial assistance to apply to the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund and see the difference a Catholic school can make in the life of your child.”

“I am so very grateful for the tuition assistance!” shared Lorena Tesbir, parent of a Bishop’s Scholarship Fund recipient. “Without this help, I could never afford to have my daughter attend a Catholic School. Thank you. She is developing a close relationship with God as well as receiving a top-notch education.”

Applicants apply online via the FACTS Grant and Aid application and complete all questions relating to Bishop’s Scholarship Fund. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024 for families with a child currently enrolled at any of the Diocesan elementary schools and April 15, 2024 for families new to our schools.

Foundations in Education is a non-profit initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport’s ongoing mission to support Catholic education in Fairfield County. To learn how you can support Catholic education or for more information, visit www.foundationsineducation.org.