STAMFORD—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will lead the fifth annual Lourdes Retreat & Mass of Hope and Healing on September 27 at 5 pm at St. Mary Church on 566 Elm Street in Stamford.
The event will include a procession with the Our Lady of Lourdes statue around the church, a Eucharistic blessing, a candlelight Rosary said in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian, a homily by Bishop Caggiano, distribution of holy water from Lourdes and a reception in the church hall. Admission is free although donations are encouraged.
The event is being coordinated by David D’Andrea of Greenwich and the Office of Safe Environment of the Diocese of Bridgeport and being hosted by pastor Fr. Juan Gabriel Acosta. Speakers will include a testimony of healing from a survivor of abuse.
“It’s going to be great with Bishop Caggiano celebrating Mass and then the healing retreat,” D’Andrea said. “It will be a wonderful opportunity for healing and hope. I’m very excited because this is the fifth one we have done and they keep getting better.
D’Andrea of Greenwich is a survivor of cancer and clerical sexual abuse, who has a deep devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes and believes his recovery is due to her intercession.
Lourdes, France, is most famous Marian shrine in the world, and more than 7,000 healings have been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Every year, 6 million pilgrims travel there. Many go in the hope they will receive a healing at the spring Our Lady revealed to St. Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl. In the 160 years since the apparitions in the grotto at Massabielle, thousands of people have been healed in the waters, and 70 have been recognized as miraculous cures by the Church.
“The Mass of hope and healing and the Lourdes retreat with Bishop Caggiano have been an incredible blessing, bringing hope, peace and Christ’s healing love to so many,” Erin Neil LCSW, Director of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance Coordinator. “Through the loving intercession of our Blessed Mother, many have found comfort, renewed strength, and healing in mind, body, and spirit. We invite anyone who has experienced abuse, illness, grief, trauma, or any kind of suffering to join us. Together, we journey in faith, surrounded by prayer, the sacraments, and the gentle care of Mary, trusting that God has special graces waiting for each of us.”
Neil said that representatives from the Committee for Healing, the diocesan sexual abuse survivor-support group, will be available before and after the retreat to speak with people. Survivors and family members of survivors are working together with the Safe Environment office to bring awareness and prevention programs to the Church, she said.
For more information and to register, contact Erin Neil, director of Safe Environment at (203) 416-1406 or Valeria Jarrin (Espanol) at (203) 416-1407 [email protected]
The retreat originally began with D’Andrea wanting to give back to Our Lady of Lourdes for three medical miracles. He had been diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer and told he had five years to live. Today he is cancer free and has been blessed with grandchildren. At 8 years old, he had polio and recovered from that illness. He is also a survivor of clerical abuse, he said.
The retreat will also feature guest speakers who will share their personal faith journeys and how God’s grace has brought healing to them and their loved ones through times of suffering.
The Diocese of Bridgeport Committee for Healing, a survivor support ministry for those who have experienced abuse by a member of the clergy or by others, works with the Diocese and with Bishop Caggiano to help bring awareness to the problem of abuse and work with the diocese to deliver prevention programs such as VIRTUS, Protecting God’s Children classes. We help support survivors, and reach out to all who are suffering with compassion, understanding, and hope.
“This is a powerful experience whether you are a survivor of abuse or are seeking healing for yourself from illness, praying for a loved one, or simply looking to grow deeper in your faith, we invite you to join us on this journey of hope, healing, and God’s abundant grace,” Neil said. “If you or someone you know has been a victim of abuse by someone in the Church, help is available, and we encourage you to reach out. Our office has also supported many individuals who have experienced abuse outside of the Church.
(If you or someone you know is a survivor of abuse by any person from the Church, contact Erin Neil, LCSW, Director of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance Coordinator at (203) 650-3265 or Email: [email protected].)
She also encourages all victims of abuse to notify the police and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, even if the incident occurred many years ago. DCF can be reached at 1-800-842-2288.
