BRIDGEPORT—The diocesan tradition of “Reconciliation Monday” will continue this year on March 25, as parishes throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation for six straight hours on the Monday of Holy Week.
This year, 18 parishes across the nine deaneries will offer the sacrament from 3 pm to 9 pm, so the faithful can be reminded of God’s never-ending love and mercy as Holy Week begins.
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano encouraged the faithful to take advantage of this unique opportunity to encounter God and his mercy, and to draw ever closer to him.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation “is not solely a spiritual exercise during which you tell the priest your sins,” he said following a previous Reconciliation Monday. “Rather, it is a profound encounter with the Lord Jesus, who through the words and actions of the priest, meets us in our sinfulness and forgives, liberates and empowers us with the Holy Spirit so that we can go forth and sin no more.”
Throughout the years, Reconciliation Monday has seen tremendous spiritual fruit throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport. In 2022, one of the host parishes was St. Mark in Stratford. Pastor Father Birendra Soreng noted there was never a lull in the six hours his parish offered Confession. And for many of the penitents, Reconciliation Monday marked the first time they’d received the sacrament in a long time.
“I heard confessions from people who had been gone for 30, even 40 years,” Father Soreng said. “Despite that time away, many have returned, praying for forgiveness in anticipation of the celebration of Easter.”
By Rose Brennan
The following deaneries and parishes will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Monday, March 25 from 3 to 9 pm:
Queen of Peace Deanery (Bridgeport)
- St. Mary Parish: 25 Sherman St., Bridgeport
- St. Ann Parish: 481 Brewster St., Bridgeport
- St. Augustine Cathedral: 359 Washington Ave., Bridgeport
Mystical Rose Deanery (Stratford)
- St. James Parish: 2070 Main St., Stratford
Queen of Martyrs Deanery (Monroe, Shelton, Trumbull)
- St. Lawrence Parish: 505 Shelton Ave., Bridgeport
- St. Catherine of Siena Parish: 220 Shelton Rd., Trumbull
Our Lady, Queen of Confessors Deanery (Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown)
- St. Joseph Parish: 163 Whisconier Rd., Brookfield
- St. Joseph Parish: 8 Robinson Ave., Danbury
Sear of Wisdom Deanery (Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, Wilton)
- St. Mary Parish: 55 Catoonah St., Ridgefield
- Our Lady of Fatima Parish: 229 Danbury Rd., Wilton
Queen Assumed into Heaven Deanery (Easton and Fairfield)
- St. Pius X Parish: 834 Brookside Dr., Fairfield
- St. Thomas Aquinas Parish: 1719 Post Rd., Fairfield
Mother of Divine Grace Deanery (Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk)
- St. Thomas More Parish: 374 Middlesex Rd., Darien
- St. Aloysius Parish: 21 Cherry St., New Canaan
- St. Matthew Parish: 216 Scribner Ave., Norwalk
Cause of Our Joy Deanery (Stamford)
- Sacred Heart Parish: 37 Schuyler Ave., Stamford
- St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel Parish: 1184 Newfield Ave., Stamford
Mary, Mother of the Church Deanery (Greenwich)
- St. Catherine of Siena-St. Agnes Parish: 4 Riverside Ave., Riverside
Bishop Caggino’s Holy Week Schedule
Sunday, March 24 at 10 am – Palm Sunday Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral
Monday, March 25 at 3 pm to 9 pm – Reconciliation Monday
Thursday, March 28 at 10 am – Chrism Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral
Thursday, March 28 at 7 pm – Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Good Friday, March 29 at 10 am – Bridgeport Procession (St. Mary)
Good Friday, March 29 at 3 pm – Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Notre Dame of Easton)
Saturday, March 30 at 8 pm – Easter Vigil Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral
Masses at St. Augustine Cathdral will be livestreamed here.
