OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
April 12, 2019
My Dear Friends in Christ,
The Lord is Risen. He is Truly Risen!
I invite you to join with me in proclaiming these joyful words to a suffering and fearful world.
Even if we cannot fully understand the mystery of Christ’s love for us, our unique observance of this past Holy Week assured us in quiet and ordinary ways that Christ has triumphed over suffering, sin and death itself. He will never abandon us in the hour of our greatest need. For His victory is our victory. His resurrected life is our promise of new life.
As we continue to live through these difficult days, you have been much in my prayers and in the prayers of our priests, deacons, and religious, just as you and I have prayed for all those who have been afflicted by this pandemic. We pray for families who have lost loved ones, those who are sick and remain in isolation and for all those suffering from the anxiety of the moment. As we remember them, I also commend you and your families to the power of the Risen Lord. May He watch over you and grant you safety, protection and continued good health.
During these past weeks, I am much reminded of the letters of Saint Paul to the early Christian communities. Saint Paul reminded his fellow Christians, many of whom suffered great trials because of their allegiance to Christ, to trust in the Lord’s promises, to love each other more deeply and to support one another in faith. On this Easter day, Saint Paul offers you and me this same message of hope. As we spend this day in the safety of our homes, let us draw courage from the example of those who came before us.
With Easter joy, let us express our deep gratitude for all those heroes and heroines in our midst who continue to risk their lives to care for us and our neighbors. We recall our healthcare and rescue workers who cared for the sick, our police and fire fighters who went where others feared to go, for the quiet courage of the grocery and pharmacy employees, and transportation and service industry workers who have carried on the dangerous work of feeding, clothing and sustaining the most vulnerable among us. In our world, the mighty and powerful often wish to claim the mantle of heroism. Easter teaches us that the true heroines and heroes in our midst are those who are servants of love and live among us each day.
Here in our own diocese, I have been moved by the dedication of our priests who have given sacrificially and found creative ways to minister to the spiritual needs of their parish families; by the teachers and catechists who are reaching out to the young online to continue their education, and by the personal courage of Catholic Charities workers and volunteers who have kept our soup kitchens open to feed those who have nowhere else to turn in the crisis. I am also deeply grateful to our many donors and all who continue to make sacrificial financial gifts to help continue the good work of our parishes, charitable organizations, and the diocese during this time of increasing need. So much good and faithful work has been performed by many diocesan and parish staff, and so many other good works will undoubtedly go untold. They too are fearless heralds of the Easter message of love’s victory over suffering and fear.
My sisters and brothers, as we proclaim the message of Easter, let us draw together in prayer, faith and service, and look forward to the time that we can worship together again as members of Christ’s Mystical Body and proclaim together the victorious message of Easter.
May the Risen Lord bless you and your families, and may we be strengthened in His love and the joyful promise of eternal life.
With every best wish, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano
Bishop of Birdgeport
