Our Lady of Aparecida Quasi- Parish in Danbury/Bethel, Connecticut
Role of Episcopal Vicars
The role of Episcopal Vicars is defined in the Code of Canon Law, can. 476.
Following its spirit, in the Diocese of Bridgeport Episcopal Vicars are the Diocesan Bishop’s appointed personal representatives, each overseeing a diocese-wide initiative or serving the pastoral needs of an ethnic community or another specific group of persons. As such an Episcopal Vicar enters a two-way line of communication with the Diocesan Bishop and his office so the proper flow of information is maintained, and the Vicar’s positions are taken into consideration before any major decision is made regarding his entrusted ministry and his pertinent duties.
Episcopal Vicar for Brazilian Catholics
Today, Father Leonel Medeiros is the appointed Episcopal Vicar for Brazilian Catholics in the diocese. He is directly responsible for the sacramental life and ministry of the Brazilian-American Catholic Community Our Lady Aparecida Quasi-Parish in Danbury, CT, and oversees the priests and laity ministering to the needs of the Brazilian Catholic Community in Bridgeport, CT. Since he also administers Our Lady of Aparecida Catholic Community Center, unde this responsibility he be also the Community Center Director.
Community Description
The Brazilian-American Catholic Community Our Lady Aparecida has more than 1100 families officially registered, and many other families and individuals not yet registered but who help populate many exceptionally well-attended religious, social, and cultural events. It has many children, adolescents, and youth, and most of its adults are under 45 years of age.
The community is sustainable, solvent, and thriving, meets its obligations, and fulfills its responsibilities; it has the human talents it needs, eager to serve.
Background
For over 27 years, the Our Lady of Aparecida has been stable as a Catholic community of faith and love, with many faithful in movements, services, pastoral ministries, and/or otherwise dedicated to the service of the Lord. Our Lady of Aparecida strives to meet members’ sacramental needs, forms, encourages, supports, sustains, and renews 28 vibrant pastoral ministries and service groups, promotes faith development, social gatherings, retreats, bible studies, lay leadership development, and delivers didactic themes.
Since its establishment on January 25, 2020, Our Lady of Aparecida Quasi-Parish has been able to celebrate daily and Sunday Masses at strategic times as it now have the full support of our Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. Our Lady of Aparecida Quasi- Parish has also acquired a new facility located at 42 Vail Rd. Bethel, CT 06801 to resolve its problem of enough and adequate space, which was also problem for the faithful to exercise fraternity, welcome one another and hone their Christian coexistence, share in social living, and discharge their responsibilities of praise, religious formation courses, and service to the needy. The need for more space came hand-in-hand with the need for administrative and financial autonomy to manage the elements and systems that support the community’s operation.
Opportunity
These 27 years have seen opportunities come and go. The Diocesan Capital Campaign has helped favorably in our direction with its many opportunities and challenges that the community is ready to embrace.
For over 17 years, Our Lady of Aparecida was part of St. Peter’s parish, the OLA Quasi- Parish had been relying on St. Peter’s church’s physical space since its inception. Then and currently Our Lady of Aparecida celebrates two Weekend Masses at St. Peter’s Church, namely, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30pm
Our Lady Aaprecida has the Brazilian Community Center Our Lady of Aparecida, located at 61 Liberty Street, in Danbury, an example of an opportunity not squandered in these 25 years. There the community celebrates daily and weekend Masses and holds all meetings and activities of the 28 pastoral ministries and all community events and encounters and retreats. Thanks to the community’s due diligence, the building is in good overall condition. The Pastoral Center was a cherished asset that the community had the good judgment of buying and was kept for so long to provide for the needs of the Brazilian- American Catholic Community.
The Capital Campaign made possible the transference of the Brazilian Community Center Our Lady of Aparecida to an instituted Our Lady of Aparecida Quasi-Parish along with the acquisition and repurposing of the new property at 42 Vail Rd. Bethel, CT. Our Lady of Aparecida is in complete charge of directing the repurposing of the old Michael’s At The Grove reception Hall into a new Worship, offices and classrooms space and making financial and administrative decisions regarding both buildings, the area Brazilian-American Catholics are finally seeing the concretization of 27 years of service.
Our Lady of Aparecida Quasi- Parish is immensely grateful to St. Peter’s Parish for the help over these 20 years of partnership and work for the sake of the preaching of the Gostel and the Salvation of Souls.
Combined Duties: Diocesan Bishop’s Vicar for Brazilian Catholics/Our Lady Aparecida Quasi- Parish - Director
