Four County Catholic January 2011

Volume 23 Number 1

January 2011

As we welcome the new year, we are united by our respect for the value and incomparable dignity of each human being‌ and by the great responsibility we have towards others Pope Benedict XVI

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Inside Our Diocese Bishop’s Column ....................................................................................3 Vocations Corner ................................................................................5 Calendar of Events ..............................................................................6 Diocesan & Clergy Appointments ..............................................7 The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe ........................................8 el Banquete de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe....................9 Brightest Christmas on Record....................................................

Liturgy Notes ........................................................................................10 Faith & Finances ..................................................................................11 Corporal Works of Mercy and the ‘Spirit’ of Christmas ................................................................12 National Council of Catholic Women Convention ..........................................................................13 Knights of Columbus Receive Top Award ............................14 St. Andrew Church Celebrates 150 Years ............................15 Why Catholic? ......................................................................................16 Amazing Food Pantry Opens in Middletown....................17 In Tribute ................................................................................................17

Four County

atholic hol

Serving the Counties of Middlesex, New London, Tolland, Windham & Fishers Island, NY

Established in 1989 and published each month except July.

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Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. Bishop of Norwich Editorial Office

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Finding God ..........................................................................................19 Knights of Columbus Debut Michaelangelo Collection ..........................................................20 Movie Review: “True Grit” ..............................................................21

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Outreach to Haiti Unites Two Agencies ............................22 Cholera and Earthquake Devastation Call for Greater Relief Efforts in Haiti ..............................23

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Benefit in Honor of Jes Egan ......................................................24 Mercy Students Attend SADD Conference ........................24 Twenty Something ............................................................................25 A+ for America: Catholic Schools are an Added Value for the Nation ................................................26 A Different Kind of School ........................................................28 Family Page ..............................................................................................29

Our World Bishop Cote Attends Consistory in Rome Recognizing Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke ......................30 Chile: Love & Care Arrive; Anger Forced to Leave..........31

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Four County Catholic January 2011

The Most Reverend

Michael R. Cote, D.D.

Bishop of Norwich

When the Power Goes Out, Faith Will Light the Way My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: It is my privilege as Bishop to join you on many special occasions, large and small. I am always grateful to be with you whether at a parish celebration or a diocesan event, especially when we may be assembled to honor or help our children. Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of having dinner with three hundred friends of Catholic education at the first annual Seton Scholarship Dinner, held at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration.

The purpose of the night was to gather in support of our Catholic schools and to underscore our commitment to preserving and strengthening Catholic education here in our Diocese. The funds raised at the dinner will provide tuition assistance for a good number of families wishing to send a child to a diocesan school.

As I mentioned in my remarks that evening, we are blessed as a diocese with the resources and the will to restore the full promise of our Catholic schools. Recently, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, reminded us that “All the work the children in Catholic schools do is placed in the context of growing in friendship with God, and all that flows from that friendship. Education is not and must never be considered as purely utilitarian. It is

about forming the human person, Maria. With remarkable poise, she equipping him or her to live life to continued to sing without a microthe full – in short, it is about im- phone and delivered a wonderful parting wisdom. And true wisdom performance under her own power. is inseparable from knowledge of These are the talented and capable the Creator.” young people who personify a This sentiment was well placed Catholic education. in the aquarium venue chosen for this occasion. The magnificent living, breathing, richly-colored environment of God’s wonders of the sea kept us mindful of a child’s curious and creative mind. How appropriate, given the Catholic school dedication to educating the whole child. The Catholic school advantage is clearly the balance of academic excellence and developing the student’s moral Sabrina Brown, character, selfSt. Bernard School confidence and Photos by full potential.

Phil Twomey This is the tradition we are deSuperintentermined to dent of Schools, protect and preDr. Jack Shine serve. spoke of the fiC e r t a i n l y, nancial chalthere was no lenges facing our Asia Carter, St. Bernard School more joyful exschools and, of pression of a balanced Catholic ed- course, all institutions at the moucation than the music and voices ment. Enrollment is down. Unemof the St. Bernard School entertain- ployment continues high, affecting ers with us that evening. At one a family’s capacity to pay for tupoint in the musical program, the ition. Costs of operation and enpower went out – just as Asia ergy are at unprecedented levels.

Carter was beginning to sing Ave There have been some school clos-

ings. This is the reality in which we find ourselves. However daunting, we choose to face the challenge head-on. For the past six months, an ad hoc Education Commission has been evaluating the situation and has recently presented its findings and recommendations to me.

Among their suggestions was to gather more support immediately and begin to turn the momentum in our favor. The Seton Scholarship Dinner was one of the first steps to pull together champions of our Catholic Schools. We are encouraged and inspired by the show of support.

Further steps forward will include connecting more proactively with alumni to build on the Catholic Alumni Partnership program, working with the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference to encourage proCatholic and private school legislation, collaborating with parent/teacher advocates, recruiting business partners to help with technology provisions and other assistance, and sharing resources when and where appropriate to optimize efficiencies. These are some of the initiatives we look forward to pursuing.

As you begin to hear of other opportunities to show support for our schools and to join in programs to help the cause, please do so. The academic and spiritual stakes are so

very high. Catholic schools have been with us here in New England since the 1880’s. Not quite that long ago, I attended and have the fondest memories of Notre Dame School in Springvale, Maine. Sister Celeste of the Sisters of Saint Anne of Marlboro, MA was my second grade teacher. I remember how surprised and pleased I was to see her years later at my installation as Bishop of Norwich. The Catholic school mission then and now remains “preparing the student for life.” Sister Celeste helped me understand what that means.

I would say that we are starting to get the hang of educating the whole person – mind, body and spirit. At no time in our history have the qualities of good judgment, moral character, academic discipline, faith in God and respect for Country been of more value.

This is the time to stand together and see our way through a tough time. I’m so delighted to have been a part of the Seton Scholarship celebration and look forward to a rising tide of prayers and support to ensure our Catholic schools are here and going strong for generations to come. We can do this.

Faith will light the way.

Sincerely yours in Christ’s love,

Bishop Michael R. Cote

Cuando se va la Electricidad, la fe Ilumina el Camino Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo: Como Obispo, es un privilegio para mí unirme a ustedes durante ocasiones especiales, ya sean grandes o pequeñas. Siempre estoy agradecido de estar con ustedes durante una celebración en una de las parroquias o durante un evento diocesano, especialmente cuando

nos reunimos para honrar o ayudar a nuestros niños. Hacen varias semanas atrás, tuve el placer de cenar con trescientos amigos de la educación Católica en la primera Cena anual de Beca Seton, celebrada en el Acuario e Instituto de Exploración de Mystic.

El propósito de reunirnos esa noche fue para apoyar a nuestras es-

cuelas Católicas y para dar énfasis a nuestro compromiso de preservar y fortalecer la educación Católica aquí en nuestra Diócesis. Los fondos recaudados por medio de esa cena proporcionarán ayuda de cuota escolar para un buen número de familias que deseen enviar a su hijo a una escuela diocesana.

Según mencioné en mis comen-

tarios esa noche, como diócesis somos bendecidos con los recursos y la voluntad para restaurar la promesa de nuestras escuelas Católicas. Recientemente, el Santo Padre, Papa Benedicto XVI, nos recordó que “Todo el trabajo que los niños hacen en las escuelas Católicas es puesto en el contexto de el desarrollo de la amistad con

Dios, y de todo lo que fluye de esa amistad. La educación no es y nunca debe ser considerada solamente como algo utilitario. Es para dar forma al humano como persona, equipándoles para vivir la vida al máximo – en resumen, es para impartir sabiduría. Y la verCuando se va la Electricidad Cont. on page 4

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Cuando se va la Electricidad Continued from page 3 dadera sabiduría es parte de nuestro conocimiento del Creador.”

Este sentimiento fue bien establecido en el local elegido para esta ocasión. La magnificencia de las maravillas de las criaturas vivientes y de multi-colores del mar de Dios nos mantuvo conscientes de la curiosidad y creatividad de la mente de un niño. Cuan apropiado, dada la dedicación de la escuela Católica a educar al niño en su totalidad. La ventaja de la escuela Católica es claramente el balance de la excelencia académica y el desarrollo del carácter moral del estudiante y la confianza en el potencial de sí mismo. Esta es la tradición que estamos determinados a proteger y preservar.

Ciertamente, la más alegre expresión de una educación Católica balanceada lo fue la música y las voces de los entretenedores de la Escuela de San Bernardo quienes estuvieron con nosotros esa noche.

A un punto durante el programa musical, se fue la electricidad – precisamente cuando Asia Carter,

comenzaba a cantar el Ave María. meses, una Comisión de EduCon notable compostura, ella con- cación ha estado evaluando la tinuó cantando sin micrófono y en- situación y recientemente me ha trego una maravillosa presentado sus conclusiones y reinterpretación bajo su propio es- comendaciones. Una de sus sugfuerzo. Ésta es la gente joven capaz erencias es el buscar más apoyo y talentosa que personifica la edu- inmediato y comenzar a girar el ímcación Católica. petu a nuestro favor. La Cena de El superintendente de Escuelas, Beca Seton fue uno de los primeros Dr. Jack Shine habló de los desafíos pasos para reunir a los campeones financieros que enfrentan nuestras de nuestras Escuelas Católicas. Nos escuelas, al igual que todas las insti- sentimos animados e inspirados tuciones en este momento. La in- por la demostración de apoyo. scripción ha bajado. El desempleo Pasos adicionales incluirán el sigue alto, lo cual afecta la capaci- conectarnos más activamente con dad de la fagraduandos con milia para el propósito de Nunca antes en nuestra poder pagar la añadir al prohistoria las cualidades cuota escolar. del buen juicio, carácter grama de AfilLos costos de iación de moral, disciplina operación y enGr a d u a n d o s académica, fe en Dios y respeto por el País han ergía están a Católicos, trasido de más valor. niveles sin bajando en precedentes. Alconjunto con la gunas escuelas han cerrado. Esta es Conferencia Pública de Asuntos la realidad en la que nos encon- Católicos de Connecticut para antramos. Aunque es desalentador, imar la legislación a favor de las eshemos escogido darle el frente al cuelas católicas y privadas, desafío. Durante los pasados seis colaborando con defensores de

padre/profesor, reclutando socios de negocios para ayudar con provisiones de tecnología y otras asistencias y para compartir recursos cuando y donde sea apropiado para eficiencia optima. Éstas son algunas de las iniciativas que con anhelo añoramos.

Cuando escuche de oportunidades y programas para apoyar y ayudar a nuestras escuelas, por favor participe de ellos. Los riesgos académicos y espirituales son altos.

Las escuelas católicas han estado con nosotros aquí en Nueva Inglaterra desde los años 1880.

Tengo gratos recuerdos de la visita que hice recientemente a la Escuela de Notre Dame en Springvale, Maine. La hermana Celeste de las Hermanas Ursulinas de Santa Anna fue mi profesora de segundo grado. Recuerdo lo sorprendió y contento que me sentí al verla durante mi instalación como el Obispo de Norwich. La misión escolar Católica en ese entonces y ahora sigue siendo “preparando al estudiante para la vida.” La her-

mana Celeste me ayudó a entender lo que esto significa.

Yo diría que estamos comenzando a entender lo que significa la educación de la persona en su totalidad – mente, cuerpo y espíritu.

Nunca antes en nuestra historia las cualidades del buen juicio, carácter moral, disciplina académica, fe en Dios y respeto por el País han sido de más valor. Este es el momento para ponernos de pie juntos y ver nuestro camino en medio de tiempos difíciles. Estoy encantado de haber tomado parte de la celebración de Beca Seton y con mucha ilusión espero el momento de la alta marea de oraciones y de apoyo para asegurar que nuestras escuelas Católicas están aquí y continuaran fuertes para las generaciones por venir. Podemos hacerlo.

La fe ilumina el camino.

Atentamente en el amor de Cristo,

Obispo Michael R. Cote Traducido por Rebecca McDougal

ST. EDMUND’S RETREAT Retreats

St. Edmund’s at Enders Island

860.536.0565

For further information call: Or visit www.endersisland.com

Day’s of Recollection February 2 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord “Presenting our Lives to God” with Fr. Frank Sutman, OP Weekend Retreats February 11-13 “Partners in Faith and Family” Married Couples Weekend Listen to each other, prayer with each other.

Directed Retreats February 20-26 Silent Directed Retreat with Sr. Eugenia Brady, SJC Elijah did not hear the Lord in the Storms and the Fury, but in the quiet of the slightest breeze. Break away from the bustle of your daily life and draw closer to God during a week of prayer, reflection, and the peace-filled setting of Enders Island.

St. Michael’s Institute of Sacred Heart

Join us while we explore the history, the sacred nature, and the techniques of the Sacred Arts in a prayerful manor.

February 13-19 Icon Writing in the Russian Style This introductory class offers lecture, theory, theological discussion and time to write a complete icon.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Holy Hour for Vocations The Holy Hour for Vocations will now be held in a different deanery and parishes each month. Bishop Cote will lead the prayers of the Holy Hour each month. The schedule is as follows: Vocations Director

Reverend Gregory Galvin

Jan. 20, 2011 Saints Peter & Paul, Norwich Feb. 17, 2011 Holy Family Church, Hebron March 24, 2011 Saint Mary Church, Putnam

4-5pm 4-5pm 7-8pm

National Vocation Awareness Week to be Celebrated January 9-15 A week to urge young people to think of priesthood and religious life The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week, January 9-15.

The week begins on the Church’s celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on January 9 in 2011.The feast marks the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry.

Vocations week celebrates vocations to the priesthood, diaconate or consecrated life. During these days, families and the parish community are urged to nurture the faith of their children to prepare them to respond to whatever God’s call is for them.

“National Vocation Awareness Week gives parishes across the country a chance to promote vocations through prayer and education,” said Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis, chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “It is

our responsibility to encourage young people to be generous as they discern the possibility of a call to service in the Church. Parents, families and parish communities must be involved in this work, since vocations recruitment is everyone’s responsibility. All need to foster a culture of vocations.”

Father Shawn McKnight, executive director of the USCCB Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations (CCLV), noted the many voices that can communicate God’s call.

“Just as Jesus needed to hear with his human ears the voice of the Father, so our young people need to hear words of encouragement from parents, other family members, friends and the parish.

God’s call comes through the Church in this way.”

To support efforts during Vocations week, a special prayer card and suggested prayers, are available from the USCCB vocations

website: ForYourVocation.org or PorTuVocacion.org.

“One reason some young people do not consider a call to the priesthood or consecrated life is the fact that they were never asked,” said Sister Mary Joanna Ruhland, RSM, Associate Direc-

tor of CCLV. “There are many ways to help young people see the beauty and joy of these vocations.

Catechists are in a key position to do so. Materials to assist them can also be found on the USCCB website.”

The observance of National

Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) began in 1976 when the National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year as the beginning of NVAW. In 1997, this celebration was moved to coincide with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Some White Collar Jobs Are More Challenging Than Others

The Baptism of the Lord January 9, 2010 Almighty, eternal God, when the Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism in the Jordan, You revealed Him as Your own beloved Son. Keep us, Your children born of water and the Spirit, faithful to our calling. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

You have been thinking about it. Let’s talk...

Father Greg Galvin 860-887-9294 www.God-Calls.org

Office of Vocations • Diocese of Norwich, CT • vocations@norwichdiocese.net

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Saturday, January 15, 2010 An Encounter with the Bible: Lectio Divina Do you want to learn how to pray with Scripture? Do you want greater intimacy in your conversations with God? Do you want to discover God’s will for your life? Do you want to live out the Gospel message and be authentically happy? Then Lectio Divina is for you. Come and learn this ancient practice of praying with Scripture. January 15, 2010, 8:30am-4:00pm, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Oakdale. $20.00 per person; lunch included. For more information contact Marge Vanner, at the Office of Faith Formation, at 860-848-2247. E-mail: faithevents@norwichdiocese.net

Saturday, January 15, 2011 Natural Family Planning Classes Married and engaged couples: Natural Family Planning (NFP) is scientifically sound and enhances communication and intimacy. NFP (the Sympto-Thermal Method) is easily learned, 98-99% effective and in union with the Church and God’s plan for marriage. NFP can be used with doctors if you are having fertility problems. No dangerous chemicals, hormones, side-effects or synthetic birth control pills. Natural Family Planning can change your heart in surprising ways! Three-Part class begins on January 15, 2011 at 2:00pm at Our Lady of Lourdes, Gales Ferry, for information

There will be two events to acknowledge the 38th anniversary of the Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing Abortion throughout the United States. There will be two separate events to prayerfully acknowledge this serious disregard for the sanctity of Human Life:

Pro-Life Mass On Saturday evening, January 22, 2011 at 7:00 P.M., there will be a solemn Mass at the Cathedral of St. Patrick. Rev. Msgr.

Robert L. Brown, Chancellor, will be the Principal Celebrant and Homilist. The theme will be: “The Measure of Love is to Love Without Measure.’

March for Life Buses to Washington Pro-Life rally at the Nation’s Capitol on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 9:00 P.M., buses will leave from the Norwich Municipal Parking Lot (Exit 80, I-395) and travel to D.C. for the March For Life on January 24, 2011. The first stop in Washington will be at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Bus fare is $58.

For further information and/or to reserve a seat or to sponsor a seat, please call Margaret Becotte at 860-822-1362.

call The Schantz’s at 860-5361871. Three-Part class begins on February 21, 2011 at 7:00pm at St. John’s in Old Saybrook; for information call The Collison’s at 860-399-8265. Website: www.ccli.org for information or to register for a class. Home Study NFP course also available from CCLI. For info: Sue Williams, Office of Family Life: 860-889-8346 ext. 283.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011 Prayer, Praise, Worship and Adoration Will be held at7:30 p.m. at he Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath St., Norwich. For information call Judith Hughes, at 860887-0702.

Sun.-Mon. January 23-24 2011 March for Life Stand up for your for faith and it will change your world! Join us for an exciting and faith-filled two days. We will travel by coach bus to Woodbridge, VA and attend Life is very good, an evening for teens celebrating life in prayer & song. Accommodations are quad occupancy at the Courtyard Marriott in Woodbridge. On Monday, January 24, 2011 we will go to D.C., participate in the March and return home late evening. For details contact: Jill Patten at (860) 4603947.

Sunday January 23, 2011 Prayer, Praise, Worship, Adoration & Benediction Will be held at 7:00 pm. at St. Mary Church, Coventry. For information call Judith Hughes, at 860-887-0702.

Sun-Mon, January 23-24, 2011 March for Life Trip for High School Students Join us for an exciting and faithfilled two day as we experience all that the D.C. area has to offer for teens attending the March for Life. We will travel by coach bus to Woodbridge, VA and attend Life is VERY good, an evening

A Celebration of Consecrated Life Sunday, February 6, 2011 Cathedral of St. Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich CT This day will begin with registration in the vestibule of the Cathedral at 1:30 p.m., followed by the celebration of Mass at 2:00 p.m. Homilist is Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago. A catered dinner will be served at 3:30 p.m.

The Planning Committee for this observance has selected the theme, “United in Service: Call to Love.”

It is the Committee’s hope to have exhibits of community services or outreach provided by students in some of our schools. All men and women who are members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life are invited to attend.

for teens celebrating life in prayer & song. Accommodations are quad occupancy at the Courtyard Marriott in Woodbridge. On Monday, 1/24, we will attend the Youth Rally and Mass for Life at the D.C. Armory, participate in the March and return home late evening. The cost is $100 for teens and chaperones. For details contact: Jill Patten at (860) 4603947. Please call Jill to register by Monday, January 17th.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Prayer, Praise, Worship and Adoration Will be held at 7:00pm at the Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath St., Norwich. For information call Judith Hughes, at 860887-0702.

Sunday, January 30, 2011 Family Character Breakfast Sacred Heart School will be hosting a hearty breakfast while dining with your favorite characters from popular literature. Enjoy great food, games, music and

more. Fun for all ages! All proceeds to go to The R.I.S.E.N. Learning Resource Center of Sacred Heart School Promoting Inclusive Catholic Education for children with special learning needs and gifts. Breakfast runs from 9:00am – 12:30pm.

Friday & Saturday, February 11&12, 2011 Are you a male from 30 -50?

Have you considered a priestly vocation? The Blessed John XXIII National Seminary invites single men from around New England who are considering a priestly vocation to visit their campus. Cardinal Sean O’Malley will be among the presenters during the two day visit which will also include the opportunity to meet other men like themselves, participate in the liturgical life, and attend saturday classes and converse with the faculty. For more information speak with your pastor or contact the vocation office of the diocese at 860887-9294.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

NORWICH DIOCESAN CEMETERY CORPORATION 815 Boswell Ave, Norwich CT 06360 The Most Reverend Michael R Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, has made the following appointments:

860-887-1019

Clergy Appointments

ST. MARY & ST. JOSEPH CEMETERY

Reverend Michael Smith, Chairman of the Continuing Education and Formation Commission for the Clergy, while continuing as Pastor of Church of the Holy Family, Hebron. Effective: December 10, 2010.

Reverend Kevin Reilly, from Secretary to the Bishop, to Pastor, Saint Patrick Parish, Mystic, and Part-time Chaplain at Saint Bernard School in Uncasville. Effective: January 10, 2011.

Diocesan Appointments Ms. Kyn Tolson, Director of Development for the Diocese of Norwich, Outreach to Haiti, Inc. Effective: January 4, 2011.

Community Mausoleum Available 815 Boswell Ave, Norwich • 860-887-1019

SACRED HEART CEMETERY Harland Road, Taftville • 860-887-1019

ST. PATRICK CEMETERY Depot Road, Uncasville • 860-887-1019

ST. MARY CEMETERY Community Mausoleum Available 600 Jefferson Ave, New London • 860-443-3465

RESURRECTION CEMETERY

Mr. Dennis Petruzzi, Interim Director for the Diocese of Norwich, Outreach to Haiti, Inc. Effective: January 4, 2011.

Route 145, Westbrook • 860-399-6503

Reverend Brian Romanowski, from Pastor, Saint Patrick Parish, Mystic, to the Tribunal of the Diocese of Norwich, Auditor, with Residence at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Oakdale. Effective: January 10, 2011.

Wauregan Road, Wauregan • 860-887-1019

SACRED HEART CEMETERY ALL HALLOWS CEMETERY Green Hallow Road, Moosup • 860-887-1019

~ Monsignor Robert L. Brown, Chancellor ~

Attorney at Law

Philip M. Sloan, Jr.

Licensed in RI

16 High Street • Westerly, RI 02891 philipsloan@cox.net 401.596.6767

The Church, through it funeral rites: • Celebrates the life and faith of the deceased • Expresses the Church’s belief in the Communion of Saints • Recognizes the spiritual bond that exists between the living and the dead • Brings hope and consolation to the bereaved • Reminds faithful to turn to God in time of need and crisis • Seeks God’s mercy and love • Nourishes the faith of the bereaved • Acknowledges that deceased benefit from our prayers

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Four County Catholic January 2011

The Miracle Relived The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe NORWICH - In 1531, the Blessed Mother appeared to a peasant named Juan Diego in

By MIchael Gannon

î Že start of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass Sunday, December 12, 2010 at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich.

Photo by Khoi Ton/Norwich Bulletin

the Mexican countryside, proclaiming Christ’s message in America, particularly His embrace of the poor.

And every December, the celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most festive events in the Diocese of Norwich.

Hundreds gathered in Norwich at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick on Dec. 12 to mark the 16th annual celebration with a bilingual Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich. The church was adorned inside with roses and red, white and green streamers representing the Mex-

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ican flag. Several children and young adults wore period Mexican outfits, and the hymns were played by the band Mariachi Internacional (STET).

Juvnal Moran, a native of Mexico who now lives in Taftville, said his family attends every year. “There’s more than 20 of us,� he said waving a hand indicating his family members. “That is the way we celebrate (Our Lady of Guadalupe) in Mexico,� said Moran. “We go to church and pray. Then we celebrate with music, dancing and food.�

Moran said his family and those of Mexican heritage take great pride in the feast day. Sister Mary Jude Lazarus, SCMC, director of Hispanic ministries for the diocese, explained that Mary’s message to Juan Diego was even more broad. “Mary not only belongs to South America andNorth America but all of America,� she said. “We want everyone to feel welcome - that’s why we have the bilingual Mass. Mary told Juan Diego to be her ambassador and carry her message. We must all be her ambassadors, all be her messengers.�

Sister Mary Jude said the event actually begins each year the night before in Willimantic, with a procession from one side of the town to the other ending at Iglesia del Sagrado Corozon de Jesus (The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) in Windham.. “The procession starts at 10:30 p.m. and arrives at the church at midnight, when they say prayers called Las Mananitas, prayers to greet the Blessed Mother a few minutes into the new day,� she said.

Bishop Cote’s voice was raspy after the Mass, owing largely to the terrible weather; but he was delighted to acknowledge that “We had record turnout even in this weather,� he said. “The faith and dedication is incredible.�

9

Four County Catholic January 2011

Volviendo a Vivir el Milagro el Banquete de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe NORWICH – En el 1531, la Bendita Madre se apareció en el campo mejicano, a un campesino

By MIchael Gannon

llamado Juan Diego para proclamar el mensaje de Cristo a América, particularmente Su abrazo para el pobre.

Y cada diciembre, la celebración del banquete del día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es uno de los acontecimientos más festivos en la Diócesis de Norwich.

Cientos se reunieron en Norwich en la Catedral de San Patricio el 12 de diciembre y marcaron la 16a celebración anual con una misa bilingüe celebrada por el Mas Reverendo Michael R. Cote, D.D., Obispo de Norwich. La iglesia estaba adornada por dentro con rosas y flámulas rojas, blancas y verdes representando la bandera mejicana. Varios niños y jóvenes llevaban puestas vestimentas típicas mejicana, y los himnos fueron tocados por el conjunto Mariachi Internacional (STET).

Juvnal Moran, natural de México y quién ahora vive en Taftville, dijo que su familia asiste a la fiesta cada año.

“Somos más de 20,” él dijo mientras agitaba la mano para indicar a los miembros de su familia. “Este es el modo que celebramos (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) en México,” dijo Moran. “Vamos a la iglesia y rezamos. Luego celebramos con música, baile y comida.”

Moran dijo que su familia al igual que aquellos de herencia mejicana se enorgullecen al poder celebrar el día de la fiesta. Pero la Hermana Mary Jude Lazarus, SCMC, directora de el Ministerio Hispano de la diócesis, dijo que el mensaje de María a Juan Diego fue mucho más amplio.

“María no pertenece a Sudamérica o Norteamérica, sino a toda América,” dijo ella. “La mayor parte de la población hispana que esta aquí en esta noche no es mejicana. Queremos que

todos se sientan bienvenidos - por eso tenemos una misa bilingüe.

María le dijo a Juan Diego que fuera su embajador y que llevara su mensaje. Todos debemos ser sus embajadores, todos debemos ser sus mensajeros.”

La hermana Mary Jude dijo que cada año el evento realmente comienza la noche anterior en Willimantic, con una procesión desde un lado de la ciudad hacia el otro finalizando en la Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús en Windham.

“La procesión comienza a las

10:30 con llegada a la iglesia a la medianoche, entonces rezan Las Mañanitas, rezan para dar la bienvenida a la Bendita Madre mientras un nuevo día comienza,” dijo ella.

La voz del Obispo Cote estaba un poco ronca después de la misa, debido en gran parte al mal tiempo; pero él estuvo encantado de reconocer que “Tuvimos buena asistencia a pesar de el mal tiempo,” dijo él. “La fe y la dedicación de esta gente son increíbles.”

Traducido por Rebecca McDougal

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New Year’s Eve Prayer Party Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:30 PM Prayer, Praise, Refreshments – Mass at 10:00 PM St. Mary Church, 1600 Main Street, Coventry, CT 06238 Leaders & Prayer Group Members Gathering – Part 1 Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 9AM to 3PM Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT 06360 National Service Committee Leaders Meeting January 14-19, 2011 Tampa, FL Leaders & Prayer Group Members Gathering – Part 2 Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 9AM to 3PM Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT 06360

The Brightest Christmas on Record Over 9,500 tree lights at St. Joseph Church Norwich - A tradition, now ten years in the making, had St. Joseph Church, Norwich all aglow this Christmastide.

Under the supervision of Mark Olszewski, Jr., the lead decorator, and with the help of cousins

By Mary Pineault Christopher and Kevin Olszewski, St. Joseph Church used a spectacular 9,500 lights to decorate 24 Christmas trees inside the church. “Stars Were Brightly Shining” everywhere inside the church.

In addition, there were over 100 pots of flowers to further transform the church into a shining display of the parishioners’ devotion to their faith, their Church and the Polish heritage of the Parish.

Father Tomasz Sztuber, Pastor of St. Joseph, summarized the spirit of the extraordinary light display, “I am so proud of this one-of-a-kind, blessed demonstration of the light of our faith at this holy time in our lives. I hope this wonderful tradition will continue for many, many years to come.”

Prayer & Discernment Board Meeting Monday, February 7, 2011 at 6:45 PM Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT 06360 Mass of Healing and Hope Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 2:00 PM St. Peter Church, 30 St. Peter Lane, Higganum, CT 06441 Pastor: Fr. Jan Swiderski Celebrant: Fr. Ray Introvigne Prayer, Praise, Worship, Adoration & Benediction Held 2nd & 4th Sunday monthly at 7:00 P.M. St. Mary Church, 1600 Main Street, Coventry, CT 06238 Prayer, Praise, Worship and Adoration Spiritual Renewal Services, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT 06360 Every Tuesday, 7:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.

Spiritual Renewal Services Diocese of Norwich Dial A Prayer (860) 887-7767 P.O. Box 6, 11 Bath St. Norwich, CT 06360 (860) 887-0702 Email: Renewal@catholicweb.com

10

Four County Catholic January 2011

A New Venture With this issue of the Four County Catholic, we begin a year of preparation for liturgiBy Sister Elissa Rinere, CP, JCD Office of Worship

as Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion? Why is it so important for everyone to respond to the priest with “Amen,” and other pieces of dialogue from the Mass? Why is it more important to respond to the prayers of the cele-

cal changes which will begin in our parishes in November 2011. The word “change” sometimes has the ability to put us on edge, especially when it concerns something so sacred as the celebration of the Eucharist. However, in this instance, bration than to say our own private there is no reason at all to be ap- prayers, such as the rosary? prehensive.

The liturgical life of all Catholics Those of us who can remember changed significantly in the 1960s, back to the 1960s, and the years but for many there wasn’t enough following the close of the Second explanation. In November 2011 Vatican Council in1965, recall that our liturgical life will change in the liturgical changes introduced at more modest ways, only with rethat time were spect to some of truly extraordithe words with nary.

The which we pray Church went together. Howfrom all masses ever, the year of celebrated in preparation Latin, to celegives us the bration in the Third Edition chance to go language of the back and look Deepen, Nurture, Celebrate people.

The at some of the priest turned larger questions around to face the congregation, that were missed earlier, and do a and we were invited to participate better job of understanding why in the celebration in many new we do what we do. ways. Gregorian Chant was less So, in the coming year, our and less used. Some of these whole diocese will be looking at changes were welcomed, others the celebration of the Eucharist in were not. Often cited as a short- our parishes. During this time, we coming in the implementation of can consider questions about the all these liturgical changes was the changes to begin in November education intended to accompany 2011, but we can also take some them. That is, those of us in the time to look back at how we have pews went along with everything, been praying for the past few and tried very hard to be attentive, decades, to see if our understandbut often the reasons for the ing and our celebration of the Euchanges were never explained to charist can be enriched. us.

In the coming months, various What would be your answers to diocesan workshops will be anthese questions about the liturgical nounced which will focus on these renewal which followed Vatican II? liturgical issues. If you have any Why did the Church think it was specific questions about the celeimportant for everyone to sing, bration of the Eucharist, and why and not just listen to the choir? we pray as we do in the Catholic Why was the language of the peo- Church, the questions can be subple considered so important, and mitted to the Editor of the newsLatin de-emphasized? What are paper, or send them to the reasons behind the use of laity worship@norwichdiocese.net.

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11

Four County Catholic January 2011

Taking A Personal Inventory It’s the start of a new year and a new decade. For many, it’s a time to take stock and reflect on the

By MaryLou Gannotti Director of Planned Giving

year ahead. Fortunately, the days are getting a little bit longer, giving us that much needed sunlight we so desperately crave as winter’s frost and freeze remind us of God’s great power.

A new year provides us with a wonderful time to take a personal inventory of our financial matters. Topics to ponder could include reaching retirement goals, establishing a budget to live within one’s means, and invariably, making sure all estate and financial matters are settled by the creation or update of your will.

Putting one’s affairs in order can also include a directive to physicians, a power of attorney, funeral instructions and sometimes a loving letter addressed to immediate family members.

If you are a philanthropic, you can take these actions a step further and prepare a charitable report. Your report could be

computer generated, or contained in a notebook, folder or large envelope. The cover sheet should explain why you have prepared the report and a statement of your philosophy of giving why you engaged in charitable giving.

The purpose of this report, of course, is not to parade your gifts, but to explain what you did and why you did it so your survivors

can be inspired to imitate your example.

After stating your philosophy of giving, list the names of those organizations you have supported through your regular giving. Indicate why these organizations were important to you and what led you to start and continue your support. This might include your regular parish contributions, support of the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, Catholic Charities, or another ministry within the Dio-

cese of Norwich. This year, many turned their attention to the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti, making generous contributions for the devastated nation.

Finally, disclose the planned gifts you made, including the bequests in your will, any charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, endowments or other gift arrangements. Explain your thinking and motivation. Also, include a copy of any giftrelated documents in this section of your report.

Your charitable report brings together in one place the giving philosophy and practices of your life. It will be a treasured document and highly influential in motivating your children, grandchildren and even greatgrandchildren to follow in your steps. You don’t need to preach; the power of your example will be enough to inspire imitation.

Please contact MaryLou Gannotti, Director of Planned Giving for the Diocese of Norwich, to discuss your gift planning options. She can be reached by telephone at 860886-1928 ext. 15, and by email at marylou.gannotti@norwichdiocese.net.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Corporal Works of Mercy and the ‘Spirit’ of Christmas During a retreat at the Gift of Grace Prison Ministry training program, I was asked, “Will you

By Sheree Antoch

talk a little about the Corporal Works of Mercy and can you list

them?”

The Corporal Works of Mercy are the seven practices of charity toward our neighbor.

According to Scripture in the Book of Matthew, the Corporal Works of Mercy practices are

strictly emphasized in Christ’s prophecy regarding The Judgment of the Nations. Christ’s prophecy continues to stress that fulfillment of these ‘works’ will determine each person’s final destiny. The last work of mercy, burying the dead,

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comes from the Book of Tobit.

Mat 31-40”Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.’”

1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drink to the thirsty.

3. To clothe the naked.

4. To visit and ransom the captive, (prisoners).

5. To shelter the homeless.

6. To visit the sick.

7. To bury the dead.

Why am I bringing this up now, and at this time of year? I recall how Bishop Cote visits prisoners, especially on Christmas Eve Day to celebrate Mass. And, recently, during Prisons Week, Pope Benedict XVI met with prisoners and

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this is what he said:”You are always close and I pray that the Lord help you on this difficult path: I will carry you in my heart and, from my heart, I hope that you can find the way to make a contribution to society, according to your capacities and the gifts that God has given you.”

I was touched by an article by Joe Garman, the President of American Rehabilitation Ministries in Joplin, Missouri.

He wrote that, “In prison, Christmas day is the second happiest day of the year. New Year’s Day is the happiest because New Year’s signals another year gone by and one nearer release and the outside world. It doesn’t really matter which month you were ‘sent up’, another calendar year has passed. It’s gone forever.” He continues to quote an inmate, “I don’t understand Christianity, but I went to chapel anyway. There I saw genuine smiles and wholesome love… People even asked me my name...not my number.”

In the still present Spirit of Christmas, I give thanks to the Lord for Bishop Cote who leads by example, for Pope Benedict XVI who inspires all Christians to action, to the Clergy and Laity who work or volunteer within the correctional institutions.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

National Council of Catholic Women Hosts Historic 90th Anniversary Convention Seven women from throughout the Diocese of Norwich were among the more than 600 members

By Judy Pappagallo

and friends of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) who met at the Renaissance Washington Hotel to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the founding of NCCW. Convention participants renewed their commitment to spirituality, leadership, and service and explored practical ways to bring their faith to bear on problems at home and the world.

A panel discussion by some of the nation’s key Catholic lay leaders addressed ways to transform social justice principles into action.The moderator for the panel was Tony Spence, Director and Editor-inChief of Catholic News Service.The panel offered ideas on the most pressing national and international priorities for Catholic leadership.

Helen Alvare, Associate Professor of Law at George Mason University, noted that more and more children are born outside of marriage, putting them at higher risk of poverty.

There are programs with goals of “trying to connect fathers to children,” often times they do so “without connecting them [fathers] to the mothers.”

John Carr, Executive Director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked “What does it mean to bring good news to the poor?”

“What does it mean to set the captive free when 10 percent of our population has nowhere to go, where one million children never see the day of their birth?” Mr. Carr stated, “We need to change the wind, because politicians change with the wind.”

At the luncheon on Saturday, the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 1989-1993, Ambassador Thomas Melady, recounted the history of the U.S.-Vatican relations. In 1840, anti-Catholic sentiment resulted in legislation that forbade spending “one penny on any contact with the Holy See,” for 90 years. Today “The U.S. and the Holy See have a lot in

common, particularly their common concern about the unholy trinity of poverty, illiteracy, and disease.”

The “Our Lady of Good Counsel Award” was presented to Pearl Sullens for her outstanding accomplishments in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Twenty-two women from throughout the United States, whose names were submitted to NCCW for the Our Lady of Good Counsel Award, were also honored for their lifetime accomplishments both on the National and Diocesan levels of NCCW and work in their parish

and community. Helen Connell from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Uncasville, past Norwich District

and Diocesan President as well as Province Director of the Province of Hartford on the NCCW board was

Seated L to R: Connie Gillies, Hartford Province Director, Helen Connell, Norwich District CCW Interim President, and Rosemarie Vecchitto, Middletown District CCW Treasurer. Standing L to R: Janice Pikal, Willimantic District CCW, Judith Pappagallo, NDCCW President, Dottie Victor, New London District CCW CoPresident, and Nancy Russo, Middletown District CCW President.

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Helen has been active in Council both on the diocesan and national level for 52 years and she served on the Board of the Associates of NCCW. Connie Gillies, past Middletown District President and Past Norwich Diocesan CCW President, was installed as the Province Director for the Province of Hartford and will serve a two year term on the National Council of Catholic Women Board.

The Convention ended with the closing Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. His Eminence, Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, retired Bishop of Washington, DC was the celebrant; Monsignor Walter Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, along with about thirty NCCW Diocesan Moderators, concelebrated the Mass which was in honor of NCCW’s 90 years of dedication and service to the Church and community.

14

Four County Catholic January 2011

Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Donate to Charities in Diocese The Norwich Diocesan Council of Catholic Women had it’s annual December Board meeting/luncheon. The Board voted to contribute $200 to the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, $200 to the Bishop Hart Endowment for the Poor, $200 to the Catholic Foundation, $300 to the 2010 Catholic Charities Annual Fund Campaign, $200 to Project Northeast and $350 to the National Council of Catholic Women.

The board members also brought gift cards to local stores which were divided up between the three Catholic Charities offices (New London, Norwich and Willimantic).

Catholic Charities will give the gift cards to the teenagers that are in the families that they service.

FROm ONE gENERATION TO THE NExT.

Portland Knights of Columbus Council Receives Top International Award Knights of Columbus Freestone Council #7 of Portland, CT has earned the distinction of Star Council, one of the organization’s top awards, for the 2009-2010 fraternal year. The organization’s headquarters, located in New Haven, Connecticut, made the announcement.

The award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of membership, recruitment and retention, promotion of the fraternal insurance program, and sponsorship of service-oriented activities.

In announcing the local winner of the Star Council Award, Carl A. Anderson, chief executive of the organization, said, “Please accept my sincere congratulations upon attaining this prestigious award.

Your dedication to the Order is seen in the high standard of excellence you have achieved. At the same time, I encourage you to carry forward this enthusiasm to meet the challenges that will face the

Knights of Columbus in the years ahead. May this award be a reminder and an inspiration to the members of your council to continue to promote the ideals of Columbianism for the good of the Church, your community, and the Order.”

“Receiving the Star Council Award is quite an honor for us. We’re extremely proud of this accomplishment,” proclaimed Buddy Hernandez, Grand Knight of the local council.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic lay organization. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Church, their communities, families. With more than 1.8 million members in over 13,000 councils around the world, the Knights of Columbus annually donates more than $151 million and 69 million hours of service to charitable causes. Please visit www.kofc.org for more information.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

St. Andrew Church Celebrates 150 Years The sunshine was bountiful as parishioners gathered together to celebrate the 150th Anniversary

By Andrea DePaola

Mass of St. Andrew Church in Colchester, on Sunday, November 28th. The occasion provided an opportunity to celebrate the history of the church itself, as well as the people that comprise the parish.

As the ceremony began, the celebrants of the Mass entered while the choir led the congregation in joyfully singing “By All Your Saints Still Striving”, a hymn which offers a special tribute to St. Andrew, the namesake of the church.

The Mass, led by principal celebrant, the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, was a beautiful testimony to the parish community and its long tradition of proclaiming the Catholic faith.

In his thought-provoking homily, Bishop Cote discussed the history of St. Andrew Church, highlighting the many political and economic challenges that the early parishioners faced. Established in 1860, St. Andrew Church originally served many of the surrounding towns and was a source of strength for Catholics during a period dominated by anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic beliefs.

Catholicism was viewed by many as a severe detriment to the Protestant and Anglo Saxon values prevalent during the time. However, as Bishop Cote pointed out, “the challenges of the period did not stop God’s grace”. Shortly after the first Mass was celebrated in Colchester, St. Andrew received its first resident pastor, Fr. Patrick Creighton, a Jesuit priest.

This signaled the permanency of the church in the town of Colchester.

Bishop Cote went on to explain that this, “served as a test to prove that Catholics were decent and honest as well as good Americans, and was

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very well met by the community.”

Throughout the years, St. Andrew Church continued to lead its spiritual flock and grow as a parish. By the 1950’s, the small church was filled beyond capacity, leading to the construction of the present building, in 1966.

While the history of St. Andrew was certainly a focal point of his homily, Bishop Cote also incorporated the struggles that parishioners face today. The congregation listened intently as the Bishop discussed how Catholicism and the truth it preaches will always be met with hostility. He stated, “AntiCatholicism is as alive today as it was in the 1860’s.” Despite these challenges, Bishop Cote encouraged parishioners to be proud of who they are today, and what they have been in the past. He declared, “Cherish your roots! Cherish the faith of those who went against the tide in order to retain their faith.”

At the conclusion of what was a beautiful ceremony, Fr. Michael Giannitelli, pastor of St. Andrew

Church and con-celebrant of the Mass, offered his sincere thanks to the Bishop and his fellow priests for joining him, and all those who participated in the extensive planning of the celebration. Speaking on the significance of the 150th anniversary of the church, Fr. Giannitelli offered his personal thoughts, stating, “We honor and celebrate a very special place. This is our church, our parish. The dramas of your lives have played out in the walls of this bulding. Think of all the baptisms, the first communions, the reconciliations, and the confirmations… think of the individuals with troubled hearts who have reconciled with God. Think of all of them.

This is so much more than a building. It will remain in our hearts, forever.”

Following the 150th Anniversary Mass, a reception dinner was held at the Glastonbury Hills Country Club, where parishioners were able to enjoy faith, fellowship and look forward to another 150 years of service to the Lord.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

A Mountaintop Experience Are you looking for more ways to make prayer an important part of your family’s everyday life? Prayer

By Deirdre Malacrea

has been the focus of the first Why Catholic? faith-sharing season this past fall in parishes throughout the

diocese. Taking that theme to heart, a Why Catholic? small community from St. Matthew Parish in Tolland set a goal for itself to make prayer, including thanking God, a daily priority within their families. Session Four of the book Christian Prayer describes different forms and types

of prayer, including prayers of blessing and adoration, intercession, petition, and others. In the midst of the beauty and bounty of the fall season, the group felt that offering Prayers of Thanksgiving were especially relevant and timely. In the session, the text refers to the Catechism

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of the Catholic Church’s text, “every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving.”(CCC 2638) Inspired by the session’s recommendation for Living the Good News: “Take a walk in nature and offer prayers of praise to God for the beauty of creation,” the group met early on a Saturday morning this past October with their teenaged children. They visited a town hiking trail, C a m p b e l l ’s Peaceful Valley Conservation Area and set out for a 40-minute hike on somewhat mountainous -- or at least very hilly -- terrain. With fall foliage and a beautiful blue sky, all were rewarded with an awesome view at the top of the hike. Their prayer of thanks to God included singing a song praising God for their children in recognition of their upcoming birthdays. One of the dads had made up a “birthday song” that expressed how God made the children in His image and has a plan for their lives.

Both adults and children valued this thankful prayer experience. Remarked Tim Maurer, one of the fathers on the hike, “We wanted to do something to share our love of God and our thankfulness with our families.” Naomi, a teenager on the ex-

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cursion, commented, “Hiking is a cool way to thank God for His creation.”

Since the hike, the group members have each committed to make thanking God a more constant part of their daily lives and they encourage other groups to undertake a similar experience. Fall is over, but winter offers many beautiful days to enjoy as a family with grateful prayers.

Why not make a New Year’s resolution to find time to express gratitude to God with your family? Here are some ideas to consider: • Say “grace” before meals as a daily ritual. Add special prayers for blessings experienced during the day.

• Each Sunday take turns telling family members what gifts or quality in them for which you are especially grateful to God. • Take time to write thank you notes for recent Christmas or birthday gifts. Tell the person you will pray in thanksgiving for his or her goodness.

• Remind children to start bedtime prayers with a prayer of thanks before prayers of petition.

• Make a small donation to the poor for a prayer answered. This custom, known as “St. Anthony’s Bread,” dates back to 1263 when a mother’s prayer to St. Anthony for her child’s life was answered.

With Lent approaching, parishioners can also join part in a Why Catholic? small faith-sharing community. Prayer will be the continuing focus during that holy season, with a special emphasis on exploring the Lord’s Prayer. Anyone who is interested in joining a small group may contact Father Joseph Whittel at (860) 443-1875, Marge Vanner at (860) 848-2237 x 312, or Sister Mary Jude at (860) 456-3349.

17

Four County Catholic January 2011

Bro. Donat J. Daigle, OMI Missionary Oblate Brother for 48 Years September 4, 1931 ~ December 4, 2010

New and Amazing Food Pantry Opens in Middletown After months of careful planning and community participation, St. Vincent DePaul – FCC News Desk

Middletown’s Amazing Grace Food Pantry has relocated and expanded to three times its former size. The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, was there at the November 27, 2010 opening to bless the new facility.

He was joined by St. Vincent DePaul – Middletown Executive Di-

rector, Ron Krom. The new and much larger pantry will now be able to serve many more families in the greater Middletown community, at a time when the economic recession continues to increase the need. The renovation of the new pantry represents a community-wide accomplishment of over 2,000 volunteer hours. A project very much by the community and for the community.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremonies took place on December

9, 2010, generously attended by many civic leaders and supporters of the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. On hand to share in the celebration and thanksgiving were Senator Paul Doyle, State Representative Matt Lesser, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh and members of the Middletown Common Council.

Everyone recognized the new pantry as welcoming, spacious and a place of kindness and respect.

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Bro. Donat J. Daigle, OMI, 79, died at Blair House, Tewksbury, MA on December 4, 2010 after a lengthy illness. He was born in Lowell, MA on September 4, 1931, a son of the late Wilfred and Cecile (Morrissette) Daigle.

Bro. Donat entered the Oblate Novitiate in Colebrook, NH on October 31, 1953 and made his first vows there on November 1, 1954. He professed perpetual vows on November 1, 1960 in Bucksport, ME. Inspired by the example of his uncle, Fr. Donat Morissette, OMI, he began studies at Bucksport, ME, but as time went on, he realized his talents were drawing him to the life of a brother rather than a priest.

Following Bucksport he was assigned briefly to Immaculata Retreat House, Willimantic, CT. He then joined with Bro. Paul Ricard, OMI to form a mobile team in 1979. They were given a van and the tools needed for repairs and minor construction. They traveled the province, saving the Oblates thousands of dollars.

Bro. Daigle served at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, Colebrook, NH, Ephpheta House, Manvill, RI, and Our Lady of Good Counsel House, Lowell, MA. From 1981 to 1985 he was on the staff of the Oblate Seminary in Natick, MA while serving two terms as a provincial council member.

He was the first Oblate brother to be a member of the Provincial Council. In September of 1984, he returned to the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Colebrook and was the first Oblate brother to be appointed superior of a Northern Province Oblate Community. He served three terms as superior in Colebrook, and stayed on for one more year as treasurer.

In 1993, he was assigned to the staff at the St. Paul Center in Augusta, ME. The work that the maintenance team did there was extensive and very professional. He also served as treasurer and assistant to the superior. In 1997, this property was transferred to the Diocese of Portland, ME and he remained there until February of 1998 to close the center after many years of service to the Catholic community of Maine.

Bro. Donat joined the staff at the Immaculata Retreat House for a second time in March of 1998. He then returned to Colebrook, NH in April of 2006. He remained until fall of 2010, when due to failing health, he was assigned to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in Tewksbury, MA.

18

Four County Catholic January 2011

Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Clinic Offering a full range of behavioral services in our licensed clinics located in Norwich, New London, and Portland. ~ Psychological Assessment ~ Psychiatric (Medication) Evaluation and Medication Management ~ Intensive Treatment Programming ~ Anger Management therapy ~ Specialized Treatment for Persons with Co-occurring Disorders ~ Substance Abuse Treatment ~ Availability of Agency Based Self Help (Dual Recovery Anonymous) Meetings ~ Individual, Group, Family, and Couples (Marriage) therapy ~ Case Management ~ Post Abortion Counseling

For questions about our services or for more information please contact: Holly Dreger, MSW, LCSW at (860) 889-8346 ex.280 or Dr. Ciro Anthony Massa, Psy.D, LCSW, LADC

19

Four County Catholic January 2011

In Search of God Moments My spiritual director recently reminded me of the importance of being sensitive to the “God moBy Mary Tunison

ments� in the daily routine of life - those experiences when we become particularly aware of God’s presence. I believe that sometimes His all consuming love for us impels Him to slip out from behind the unseen curtain every once in awhile to give us a kind of love tap upon our souls, leaving such a divine mix of love and light that we just know – God was there.

He has done this throughout history in all sorts of different ways from burning bushes to softly falling snow. And it doesn’t really matter how or what God uses to manifest Himself – just that He does.

Speaking of “God with us� is kind of a natural segue to the beautiful season of Advent and Christmas. We have celebrated the awesome gift of God, Who, loving us so much, took on our very nature, in order to commune more intimately with us -- the ultimate “God moment� of all time! What more intimate and personal way could God have chosen, then to come humbly and softly into our world so He could teach us, be with us, share our human sorrows, sufferings, joys and emotions – to understand fully the human experience – and to die so that we could live.

On December 4th, my brotherin-law, John, passed away. It was a sad experience for the family and yet another very concrete reminder of how fleeting life is. Death has a way of putting things in clear perspective. We see what is important and what is not. Any imperfections or weaknesses the deceased may have had quickly diminish in light of all those things we loved about the person – and don’t we wish more than anything that we could say all those things that we should have said while they lived among us?

How different our lives would be

if this insightful perspective that death keenly amplifies for a time could be more prevalent while our loved ones are with us. We assume that they will be with us for a long time, and perhaps don’t tell them often enough that we love them, that we appreciate their p re s -

ence, their humor, their endearing phrases, mannerisms.

In the end, family and friends are what matter most. So, why do we fill our lives with so many other things that don’t really matter? Are not our warmest memories of moments we’ve spent with family and loved ones?

God who is love is also “family�.

Love, at its purest, deepest essence is an outpouring of itself into something else – a total, selfless giving. That’s why God as Trinity makes sense. God is not solitary.

He is family -- the Father pouring Himself into the Son, through which such ardent and radiant love, comes the Holy Spirit. God’s very nature is giving – and this fire which has taken up residence in

our core being is what impels us to do loving things.

One special “God moment� I experienced recently encapsulated this kind of impelling love. After my brother-in-law’s wake, I had the privilege of dining out with a priest friend of the family. Some great conversation abounded and toward the end of the meal, he took note of a young family of five sitting just across from our table. He decided that he was going to pay for their meal. He didn’t know this family. They were perfect strangers. He went over to the family’s table, introduced himself, and chatted awhile in his inimitable kind and gentle way. This was one of those rare moments when God’s presence was truly felt.

In one small corner of the world, this priest shined his light in this ever-increasingly shadowed world of ours. I know that his one spontaneous act of kindness touched me very deeply as I am sure it did the family. No one ever really knows just how much a kind selfless action like this affects others but I think that divine mix of light and love set something in motion that night – perhaps for years to come because – God was there.

Mary Tunison works for Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford, and is a freelance writer, photographer, artist, and graphic designer. She can be contacted at mjtunison@comcast.net.

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Join us for a blend of presentations from clergy and married couples on the graces and experience of living the marriage vows.

March 18– 20, 2011

Senior Citizens Retreat Day: How As A Senior Do I Live Lent?

Presented by Fr. Roger Couture OMI, this Wednesday morning program explores how seniors can continue their spiritual growth even in this later phase of their life journey.

Suggested offering: $10, includes lunch.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 ~ 9:00 AM to Lunch

Soup and Substance Lenten Evening Retreat Series: “Living in the Image and Likeness of God�

We are created in the image and likeness of God, but how often do we think about that? What does it really mean in terms of our day-to-day lives and in our search for the divine? This is a video Retreat with talks presented by Fr. Ron Rolheiser,OMI a specialist in the fields of spirituality and systematic theology.

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Wednesdays February 9,16,23, 2011 Offering of $20.00 per evening or $50.00 for all 3 sessions (if paid in advance) is suggested.

Delicious home made soup at 6:00 PM, followed by video and discussion, ending with Mass at 8:00.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

K of C Museum Debuts Michelangelo Reproduction Marian Lecture to Kick-Off Exhibition (NEW HAVEN, Conn.) — The Knights of Columbus Museum have opened a new exhibition, featuring a full-scale bronze reproduction of Michelangelo’s Bruges Madonna sculpture.

Michelangelo (1475–1564) was a painter, sculptor and architect during the Italian Renaissance.

Two of his best-known works, the Pietà and David, were sculpted before he turned 30. Michelangelo

also created the fresco scenes from Genesis and the Last Judgment in Rome’s Sistine Chapel. Carved in Florence, the Bruges Madonna is the only known Michelangelo sculpture to leave Italy during his lifetime. It was purchased by two brothers from the Mouscron family, affluent cloth merchants in Belgium, and donated to the beautiful, gothic Church of Our Lady in the city of Bruges. This exact reproduction was cast from a 1932 plaster mold by the Marinelli Foundry in Florence, Italy. The world-renowned bronze foundry also cast the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the spiral staircases of the Vatican Museums, monuments for the U.S. Department of Defense and many items in the restoration of the Kremlin in Moscow. The bronze Madonna

was unveiled Oct. 27, 2009, at the Casa Buonarroti, Michelangelo’s home in Florence. Two months later, it made its U.S. premiere in Washington, D.C., at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The lenders are members of the Gaddy family, entrepreneurs and altruists from Virginia.

Admission and parking are free for the exhibition. The Knights of Columbus Museum is located at 1 State Street in New Haven. For more information, call 203-8650400 or visit kofcmusum.org.

Wedding Crashers at Tamarack he beautiful Tamarack lawn is so inviting that occasionally you’ll encounter an uninvited guest. And the lodge is so cozy, the fireplace so warm, the dance floor so alive that nobody will want to leave. If only all the problems in your life could be so nice. Come to Tamarack.

Have your reception in the classic rustic lodge.

Choose from our delicious menus and dine in the intimate front area or in the spacious back room.

Some day, if you look back carefully at your wedding album, you may spot a wedding crasher or two, a fond reminder of what it was to be wed at Tamarack.

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21

Four County Catholic January 2011

“True Grit” and the Everlasting Arms “True Grit,” the 1969 film starring John Wayne, was the first “grown-up” movie I saw as a kid.

By Reverend Robert Barron

I was nine years old at the time, and I remember the experience vividly. I also discovered, through that film, that I had a gift for mimicry. For years afterward, at family parties, I was invited to reproduce the Duke’s distinctive drawl: “I wouldn’t a-asked you to bury him if he wann’t dead.”

The Cohen brothers, the auteurs behind “Fargo,” “No Country For Old Men,” and “A Serious Man” are among the best and most spiritually alert filmmakers on the scene today. And so it was with great excitement that I learned that the Cohens had produced a remake of “True Grit.” Though their version is far different from the original, I found it compelling, especially in the measure that it brings the religious dimension of the story to the fore.

The leitmotif is set in the opening moments of the movie, as we hear Mattie, the narrator and principal character, say in voice-over “the only thing in life that’s free is the grace of God.” The film will unfold as an extended meditation on the play between justice and mercy, between what is owed and what is given as a grace. Fourteen year old Mattie, whose father had been killed in cold blood by a man he had befriended, lives in a world of strict justice, of give and take, of contracts and obligations.

Bound and determined to see her father’s killer hanged, Mattie hires a wizened old law man named Rooster Cogburn (played with characteristic naturalness by Jeff Bridges) and gives him the charge of tracking down the murderer.

We get a delicious taste of Mattie’s personality as she, with lawyerly skill and fierce persistance, wrests from an oily horse-trader the money she needs to pay Rooster.

And when Cogburn leaves without her, convinced that the teenaged city slicker would only slow him down, she rides her horse right across a raging river to catch

up to him—and then reminds him that he is in breach of contract! Mattie is a mulier fortis, a woman not to be trifled with.

She moves with Rooster and Le Boeuf—a Texas ranger who is also looking for the murderer—into Indian country, a place of lawlessness, where drifters live outside the constraints of polite society. They corner a couple of members of Ned Pepper’s gang, for Rooster is con-

vinced that the killer might have joined forces with these desperados. After a shootout and a violent interrogation, two men are dead and a third is wounded. The next day, by the bank of a river, Mattie encounters her father’s killer and manages to wound him before being captured

by Ned Pepper and his men. In the most stirring scene in the film, Rooster manages, single-handedly to take on the entire Pepper gang, holding the reins of his horse in his teeth and firing with both hands. After this encounter, four more men lie dead. Finally, Mattie frees herself and shoots to death her father’s murderer, but the recoil on the gun is so strong that she is pushed into a snake pit, where she receives a bite on the hand. I’ll get back to the snake pit in a moment, but notice first what this canny fourteen year old girl’s lust for vengeance has wrought:

eight dead men. She wanted only to bring her father’s killer to justice, but the single-mindedness of her pursuit conduced toward a disproportionate, even barbaric, result, something far beyond the requirements of justice. Her excessive and one-sided passion for righteousness kicked her into a den of snakes, and no one with a Biblical sensibility could miss the symbolic overtone of this kind of fall.

As she lies helpless and desperately injured, Mattie looks up and sees Rooster Cogburn lowering himself by rope to the bottom of the pit. He cuts into her wound and sucks out as much of the poison as he can and then he brings her back up, places her on a horse and commences a furious ride to the nearest doctor who is many miles away. When the horse gives way from sheer exhaustion beneath him, Rooster picks up Mattie in his arms and carries her through the night to the doctor’s home. Now Cogburn is a man of the law, and like Mattie, he was aiming to bring a killer to justice, but what these heroic actions on behalf of the girl reveal is that he more than that. His passion for justice is accompanied by, even surpassed, by his mercy, his graciousness, his willingness to give even when that giving was not, strictly speaking, owed.

As the film comes to a close, we have fast-forwarded many years into the future, and a still prim, unmarried, and somewhat cold Mattie has just learned of the death of Rooster Cogburn. We then see that she has but one arm.

Though Rooster’s graciousness saved Mattie’s life, the doctor, evidently, was not able to save her limb. And as the final credits roll, we hear the beautiful old spiritual “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” which speaks of the “fellowship and joy divine” which comes from “leaning on the everlasting arms” of God. Rooster had carried Mattie in his two arms, evocative of both justice and mercy, attributes that come together supremely in God. Mattie’s

tragedy is that she had only justice, only one arm. The same Cohen brothers who gave us a powerful image of God in the tornado at the conclusion of “A Serious Man,” have given us still another in the strong arms of Rooster Cogburn.

Father Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Ministries.

He is “one of the church’s best messengers” and great teacher of the faith. He is a prominent theologian, author of numerous books, and a sought out speaker and cultural commentator. In the Fall of 2011, a 10 part documentary, Catholicism, will be released with Father Barron was

the host and writer. The documentary is the history of the Catholic church spanning 50 locations in 15 countries.

He was ordained a priest with the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1986 and holds the Francis Cardinal George Chair of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary. He received his Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America (1982) and his doctorate in theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris (1992).

His numerous articles on theology and culture have appeared in a variety of journals, newspapers and magazines.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

The New Outreach to Haiti Unites Two Agencies A new agency to serve Haitians in need has been formed by the Diocese of Norwich, CT, bringing

By Kyn Tolson Development Director, Outreach to Haiti

together the services, programs and projects of its two agencies that have been working in Haiti for decades.

Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti unites and preserves all

the existing services and facilities of both Haitian Ministries and Hospice St. Joseph. Their centers in Port-au-Prince eventually will be located in a new mission house to be built at the site presently occupied by Hospice St. Joseph. The mission house of Haitian Ministries was destroyed in the January 12th earthquake.

The union maintains the support provided to all of Haitian

Ministries’ programs: the twinning program; the Tierney-Tobin scholarship for impoverished students; the meal program for children at Madame Samson’s house; the support for two orphanages (Paula Thybulles’orphanage for girls and La Maison L’Arc-enCiel); immersion visits; and the non-profit shop Haiti’s Back Porch in Middletown, CT, which supports artisans in Haiti.

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In a recent announcement, the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, said, “For some time now the need to unify diocesan services in Haiti has been apparent. Since the earthquake it has become even more essential that we devote the maximum amount of time, energy, and resources to immediate and direct assistance to the Haitian people.

In view of the dire needs that

presently exist in Haiti, I have concluded that it is in the best interest of the Haitian people for us to consolidate our services and facilities in Haiti.�

Dennis Petruzzi has been named interim Executive Director. In Connecticut, Outreach to Haiti will have its office at 199 Broadway, Norwich, CT, which is the same address used by Haitian Ministries and Hospice St. Joseph.

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23

Four County Catholic January 2011

Cholera and Earthquake Devastation Call For Greater Relief Efforts in Haiti As cholera claimed more than 2,400 lives in Haiti by mid-December, Haitian Ministries was

By Kyn Tolson Development Director, Outreach to Haiti

maintaining links with priests in the nine parishes twinned with churches in Connecticut and in Milwaukee to provide information on how help might be best delivered to tens of thousands of Haitians in those communities who are threatened by the deadly disease.

At least three of the Haitian parishes have reported deaths and illnesses due to cholera, starting in mid-November. No confirmation of those numbers was available.

The two orphanages in Port-auPrince twinned through a Haitian Ministries’ program with Mercy High School in Middletown and St. John’s Church in Uncasville have not reported any deaths or illnesses.

The children at Madame Samson’s meal program in a Port-auPrince slum have not yet been affected, according to a December report. The meal program is not however a “twin.” It has been receiving its operating funds from Haitian Ministries since the early 1990s and now has from 60 to 90 children who get their only meals at her house. The program has instituted “good health practices” for the children as a cholera preventative measure. Also, it has installed running water treated by bleach.

The potable water is available to all children registered in the program.

The Church of the Holy Family in Hebron, partnered with a parish of more than 30,000 people north of Port-au-Prince, sent emergency aid to the rural community of Fonds-Baptiste after the priest there reported six deaths and dozens of people stricken by cholera in November.

The outbreak of cholera in Haiti—confirmed in October and identified as matching a strain in South Asia—involves the first confirmed cases in the country since

A line of children in Madame Samson’s meal program forms at the newly installed clean water system. Photo

by Dr. Wilkins Gilbert, son of Madame Samson.

Photo supplied by Kyn Tolson World Health Organization records began in the mid-20th century. Suspected outbreaks of a different strain of cholera might have occurred in Haiti more than a cen-

tury ago.

Cholera, civil unrest arising from a scheduled presidential election run-off in January, and the devastation and chaos that remain in the

wake of last January’s earthquake have combined to create health and

safety problems overwhelming the nation and the extensive humanitarian efforts there.

Haitian Ministries has continued to deliver emergency relief since days after the January 2010 earthquake. More than $420,000 was disbursed by the end of November, and additional relief funds were earmarked for longer-term recovery measures.

For the nine parishes and the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, which is twinned with the Diocese of Norwich itself, Haitian Ministries has delivered in excess of $155,000 in relief aid. The two orphanages—Paula Thybulle’s orphanage for girls and La Maison L’Arc-en-Ciel—have received about $50,000 since early December in emergency funds. (For details of those disbursements and others, please see the homepage of www.haitianministries.org.)

In mid-December, Haitian Ministries was merged with the Diocese of Norwich’s other agency in Haiti, Hospice St. Joseph, to form the new Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti. All the programs of both agencies have been preserved, and funding allocated to those programs for either emergency or regular support will remain in place.

For more information, call the Outreach to Haiti office at 860.848.2237 ext. 206.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Benefit In Honor of Jes Egan 1992 Xavier Alumni Matt Dunn, Matt Fragola, and Wally Stojak are among a group who have come together to offer assistance to their friend and classmate Jes Egan, his children, fiancee and family members. On January 16th, they have arranged for a Benefit in honor of Jes. Xavier has donated the use of the dining room in St. Joseph Hall for the event. Plans are for dinner, music, cash bar, raffle and auction to help raise needed funds for Jes and his family.

Jes is battling an inoperable brain tumor (diagnosed in September) and the cost personally and on his family has prompted this show of support. Donations and hard work are helping to make this event possible. Tickets for the event are $20 per person and are available at Xavier’s Office of Advancement as well as from committee members; for additional donations or more information visit forjes.com.

Headmaster Brother Brian Davis, C.F.X. said, “fostering enduring personal relationships is central to the mission and vision of Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools, so we are happy to support these young men who are working to help a friend.”

Help spread the word about this event.

SADD officers and members attending the leadership conference include: Kathleen Darling, Shannon Egan, Sarah Hemstock, Victoria Piscatelli, Sophia Panaccione, Bridget Scott, Michelle Ruel, Amanda Bernard, Rachel Hemstock and Mrs. Sanchita Maitra.

Photo submitted by Sanchita Maitra/Mercy High School

Mercy Students Attend SADD Conference Members of Mercy High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)

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Chapter recently attended a leadership conference organized by the Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council.

Nine Mercy students, along with faculty moderator Mrs. Sanchita Maitra, participated in the “Leading with Assets” regional conference, where they came together with students from other schools to learn more about their responsibilities as student leaders and brainstorm better ways to help other teens recognize that they can be successful in the world.

The all-day conference featured keynote presenter Jim Conway, senior trainer at Search Institute, who spoke about the essential developmental assets for youth. He urged the students in attendance to “start a commu-

nity-wide initiative, creating organizational and community change on behalf of youth.”

Upon their return to Mercy, the SADD representatives who attended the conference shared the information they learned with other student members of their chapter and discussed ways to share the message they heard with the Mercy community. The Mercy SADD Chapter, one of the largest organizations in the school, is part of the national SADD organization and holds monthly meetings where members listen and interact with guest speakers, watch and discuss videos which address destructive decisions of young people, and design ways to get the SADD message across to their peers.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Secondhand Books and Recycled Grace Why Good Stewards Share Nothing feels like a better bargain than a one-cent book, so I alBy Christina Capecchi Four County Catholic Contributor

ways click on Amazon’s used category.

Not only does it save me money, it comes with the added benefit of footprints from a previous reader – marks flagging the sentences that struck someone somewhere, a person who can u n k n ow i n g l y offer me a flashlight for the story ahead.

I also look for clues to identity – a library stamp, a cursive inscription – and marvel at the book’s journey.

Joseph Cardinal Bernardin’s end-of-life reflection “The Gift Of Peace” was passed from a daughter to a mother, then back to a daughter from a mother – with Goodwill in between. When I read the note inside, dated April 1998, “To Mom – All my love, Mary,” I knew a similar love brought it to me.

Then there’s the “Chicken Soup For the Soul: Living Your Dreams” edition, copyright 2003. Amazon offers 121 used copies – 18 for a penny – but mine came through Sam’s Club, where it sold for $7.47, down from its cover price of $12.95, and was later consigned for a dollar.

The first chapter includes a goal sheet for the reader to fill out. A previous owner played by the rules, leaving secrets in black ink.

He vowed to triple his income of $30,000 and lose half of his 240 pounds. “My ideal soul mate is: someone I can talk with, share things we like to do together,” he wrote in the book. “My right livelihood is: be my own boss.

Other dreams I have are: a home on a lake.”

It’s not just hand-me-down books that become hand-medown wisdom. As I orient to 2011, I’m thinking of all the

things we share: recipes and knock-knock jokes, bobby pins and bug spray. Parking spaces and prayer cards, passwords and priests. How impossible a year would be if I were left to my own bag of tricks.

Giving something small can have a big effect, cracking open the heart and sharpening a sense

of purpose. I know for sure that generosity invites grace, and I’m determined to welcome the new year with upturned palms, as the cheerful giver God loves. When we share we are drawn into community, practical support underlined by neighborly affection.

Our year begins with Epiphany, when the Magi from the East follow the star. Along the way they share bread and blankets. Their fellowship guides and sustains them, carrying them to Bethlehem where they drop to the ground in

worship of the Christ Child.

“Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

We are prepared for this wellknown Gospel by a short second reading, when St. Paul tells the Ephesians about “the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit.” And therein is the key to it all, that we are merely stewards of the blessings and crock pots and laptops in our homes. We do not own them; we are temporary keepers. In that spirit we do not count or collect but give freely.

When we embrace the call to community and stewardship, it becomes easier to journey toward the star. As you do, look out for the pilgrims who fall into stride with you, if even for an hour. And together, leave bread crumbs for the ones who will follow.

Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. She can be reached at www.ReadChristina.com.

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26

Four County Catholic January 2011

A+ For America Catholic Schools Are An Added Value for the Nation Celebrations in the Diocese’s schools will not conclude with the end of the Christmas/New Year’s

By Colleen Egan

season this year. Schools across the Diocese are making plans now to celebrate Catholic Schools Week, which runs from Jan. 30 to Feb 5.

According to the National Catholic Educational Association, this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week is “A+ For America – Catholic Schools,” which celebrates the fact that Catholic schools are an “added value for the nation.” A NCEA press release states that “because of their traditionally high academic standards and high graduation rates, all supported by strong moral values, Catholic schools and their graduates make a definite contribution to American society.”

This sentiment was seconded by many school principals in the Norwich diocese.

Sr. Mary David, SCMC, Principal of the Sacred Heart School

in Taftville, said Catholic Schools Week “gives us the opportunity to appreciate what Catholic education is all about. We have children recognize what their gifts and talents are and nurture them to achieve the end that God created them for.”

According to Sr. Mary David, graduates of Sacred Heart are better prepared to meet the challenges of secondary education and higher level schools. Things such as reading and study skills are ingrained in these graduates that help make them successful in their endeavors at higher academic levels.

Principal Anne Tortora of St. Mary Star of the Sea School in New London is enthusiastically waiting for Catholic Schools Week.

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promote spirit; to get the children used to doing things together,” said Principal Tortora. “It’s a week to show unity. It’s easy to forget that we’re part of a larger community.”

At St. Joseph School there are cooperative art projects, open houses, scavenger hunts, and a basketball game, to name a few of the activities planned.

All the school principals said not just teachers are to be involved in Catholic Schools Week activities. Staff and parents will play integral parts as well.

Catholic Schools Week is a

member Matthew’s Gospel – don’t hide your light under a bushel. This is an opportunity to show our light and it’s good news. Plus it’s our tradition.”

Principal Marianne Cote of St. Joseph School in New London said research proves that a Catholic education usually leads students to go on to college and succeed there.

“Being an elementary school, we provide an education that educates the whole child, not just the academic child,” she said. She went on to say that former students often come back to the school to thank the teachers and staff for what

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they learned at St. Joseph’s.

Activities planned at the Diocese’s schools for Catholic Schools Week vary according to school.

Some of the activities planned at Sacred Heart are Literacy Day, where students may dress up like their favorite book characters; Math/Science Day; a talent show and school assemblies. Each day will begin with a Prayer Service and Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 5.

St. Mary Star of the Sea School has activities such as Color Day, Hat Day, Team Day and a special day in which young students invite senior citizens to the school for tea.

“It’s a weeklong connection to

joint project of NCEA and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This year is the 38th year it has been celebrated, the first being in 1974.

Catholic School Week is a time each year for us to remember the commitment which the Catholic Church has to education. It is also a time to recommitment ourselves to educating children and families in our faith. The Church has a great tradition to education. It has been especially committed during the history of the United States.

At this time, we encourage families to choose Catholic education for their children and we urge the faithful to support Catholic education in our diocese.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

MORE THAN EVER, OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS HOLD THE ANSWER...

• The answer to educating the whole child • The answer to academic excellence • The answer to developing moral character and self-confidence.

Support our Catholic Schools and become the answer to preserving a tradition of excellence.

To learn more, contact the Diocesan School Office, 860-887-4086, www.norwichdso.org or contact one of the diocesan schools.

St. Patrick Cathedral School, Norwich 860-889-4174 www.stpatscathedralschool.org

St. John School, Old Saybrook 860-388-0849 www.stjohnschoolos.com

St. Mary School, Middletown 860-347-2978 www.stmarymiddletown.com

Sacred Heart School, Taftville 860-887-1757 www.scaredhearttaftville.org

St. Joseph School, Baltic 860-822-6141 www.stjosephbaltic.org

St. Mary School, New London 860-443-7758 www.stmaryschoolnewlondon.com

Sacred Heart School, Groton 860-445-0611 www.scaredheartgroton.org

St. Joseph School, North Grosvenordale 860-923-2090 www.stjosephct.com

St. Mary-St. Joseph School, Willimantic 860-423-8479 www.smsjschool.org

St. Edward School, Stafford Springs 860-684-2600 www.stedward-stafford.org

St. Joseph School, New London 860-442-1720 www.sjsnl.com

St. Michael School, Pawcatuck 860-599-1084 www.stmichaelschoolct.com

St. James School, Danielson 860-774-3281 www.stjamesdanielson.com

St. Joseph School, Rockville 860-875-4943 www.saintjosephrockville.com

St. Matthew Pre-School, Tolland 860-872-0200 www.stmatthewct.org

St. John School, Middletown 860-347-3202 www.stjohnschoolmiddletown.org

St. Bernard Pre-School, Rockville 860-875-0475 www.saintbernardchurch.org

28

Four County Catholic January 2011

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An entire wall outside of the principal’s office features a school of multi-colored little aquatic creatures, all spreading the news of good deeds and kind spirit.

As part of a school-wide initiative to encourage respect and kindness, students who are “caught” helping others are spotlighted on a wall of fish for all to see. The main message is to treat everyone as you would like to be treated.

It could be said that the initiative is coming along swimmingly, according to Doris Messina, principal. “The mission of St. Michael School is to provide the formation of Catholic faith for our students in a nurturing environment. The fish wall helps us to teach the students not only to treat each other as they wish to be treated; but to treat each other the way that Jesus instructed us.”

The students have been caught in a variety of kind acts that encourage others to act in kind. Some of the deeds on the wall include: Sarah, grade one, was willing to

St. Michael Kindergarteners caught doing good deeds, from left: Joseph Basso, Katrina Shulda, Natale Gabriele, and Helen Godshall.

Photos submitted by Sandy Whewell give up her school store money to worn out library book with a brand help a friend who had forgotten new copy her lunch buy something to eat Ethan, grade three, helped a Joseph, Kindergarten, cleaned younger student wash his hands up toys he did not play with Bryn, grade three, returned Andrea, grade five, replaced a money she found in a library book.

Other good deeds included helping classmates in math, allowing someone to go in line first, helping connect classroom computers, sharing crayons with a friend, and walking with a friend to the school nurse. Every age and grade is learning to treat each other with kindness in a variety of ways and levels.

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Four County Catholic January 2011

New Choices for the New Year

by Karen H Whiting Baptism Word Search Did you know?

January 6 Three King’s Day celebrates the wise men worshipping Jesus. Be wise and follow Jesus!

January 9 Baptism of Jesus where the three persons of the Trinity are together. Read Matthew 3:13-17

January 16 Religious Freedom Day. Celebrate the freedom to worship with reading the Bible and listening to Christian music.

January 29 National Puzzle Day. Work on a puzzle as a family. Take about the mysteries about God that puzzle you.

On January 9th we celebrate when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. Find the words to do with Baptism in the puzzle. Use the uncircled letters to spell out a message of what to do when someone is baptized.

Water John Candle

Holy Spirit Believer Love

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It’s a New Year! That means a new opportunity to make new choices and do great things. A very long time ago Joshua, a great leader and warrior of Israel, led his people to the Promised Land of Israel. Before entering the land he spoke some wise words. He said: But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve.

Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.

Joshua knew that the people had seen God defeat the Amorites. He knew the idols he mentioned were made up by men and could not help real people. It’s a New Year and you have a choice to serve God or to put yourself first. Think of ways to serve God. Here are some ideas: • Pray every day • Make good use of what God made by saving on water and energy • Help around the house • Work hard at school to develop the talents God gave you • Exercise every day to keep the body God made healthy and strong • Enjoy eating good foods that God created • Thank God for all you have and don’t beg for more stuff • Compliment people • Listen at mass to the Gospel, the words of Jesus’ • Help make family plans to do something together at least once a month • Don’t complain or argue, but obey you parents

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Four County Catholic January 2011

Bishop Cote Attends Consistory in Rome Recognizing Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke On 20 November, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI elevated Cardinal Elect, Raymond Leo

By Michael Strammiello

Cardinal Burke to the cardi-

nalate, along with 23 others, including, Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington. Cardinal Burke is the current Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, hav-

(Above) Former classmates Bishop Cote, Cardinal Burke and Father Donohue. (Right) e Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Photos by Father Donahue

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ing previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis (2003– 2008) and Bishop of La Crosse (1995–2003). The consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals, took place in Vatican City Bishop Cote and Father Michael Donohue, both classmates of Cardinal Burke at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome in the mid 1970’s, were on hand to share in the celebration.

At a Mass of Thanksgiving held November 22, 2010 at the Pontifical North American College in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Cardinal Burke, in his homily, spoke of Saint Cecilia, on her feast day.

Said Cardinal Burke, “On her feast day, we ask St. Cecilia to pray for us, so that each of us will remain steadfast in responding to our vocation in life, so that we will never fail to provide oil for our lamps, so that, each and every day, Our Lord will find us waiting and ready to welcome Him, with our lamps burning brightly. “ Speaking of the responsibility and honor of becoming a Cardinal, he continued, “The Cardinal today is called, in a special way, to assist the Successor of St. Peter, in handing on, in an unbroken line, what Christ Himself has given us in the Church, His Eucharistic Sacrifice, the font and highest expression of the whole Christian life.”

Cardinal Burke will retain his high office overseeing the The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, a judicial body that exercises final appellate jurisdiction concerning conflicts occurring between two or more Vatican Congregations or Dicasteries; appeals of administrative decisions rendered by diocesan bishops and Vatican Congregations; and appeals of judgments and other decisions issued by the Tribunal of the Roman Rota.

31

Four County Catholic January 2011

Chile: Love & Care Arrive; Anger Forced to Leave Each time the Earthquake Solidarity Committee of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit meets in

By Sally J. Tolles CONS. SEC., D.H.S.

Santiago, the meeting begins with a prayer. They pray that the decisions they make regarding the distribution of assistance to families in need will be a source of blessing to the families and the communities in which they live. So, while the Committee focuses on rebuilding, they also try to ensure that each project will communicate that every person involved has been, and is, loved by God. It’s not an easy task.

Just outside of rural Palmilla, Alicia and Fernando’s home was completely destroyed by the earthquake.

During their marriage, fifteen children were born to Alicia and Fernando. Two died as infants.

One died of cancer as an adult. A son was murdered by the son of one of their neighbors. They found a way to forgive their neighbor’s son, so that their own children would not be so filled with hate that they would attempt to kill him in return. The couple owned a small parcel of land that they rented out through a trusted friend. Both illiterate, they signed the paperwork they believed was necessary to allow their friend to administer the land. After several years without rental payments, they asked their friend to return the land to their control. He refused. The paperwork they believed was giving their trusted friend the power to administer the property had actually been a deed to the property. Later, Fernando was diagnosed with cancer. He began a course of chemotherapy.

During the course of the chemotherapy, they discovered that he did not have cancer. However, the chemotherapy had destroyed his kidneys. He now receives dialysis three days each week. No medical malpractice award was received by Fernando.

Apparently malpractice claims by the poor in Chile are largely ignored by the courts.

Before beginning the rebuilding project, Daughters of the Holy Spirit Associates, Manolo and Haydee, met with local contractors and builders. They prayed with them and explained that the project was their opportunity to share God’s love with their neighbors, Alicia and Fernando. While money had been donated by friends in the Diocese of Norwich, they also asked the contractors and workers to donate extra time and materials. After all, they told them, if strangers who did not know Alicia and Fernando wanted to share with them, shouldn’t they, as fellow Chileans and neighbors do the same?

Manolo, a native Mapuche AmerIndian, drew up the plans for the house. He included two extra large bedrooms to accommodate the children and grandchildren coming to visit Alicia and Fernando. One son and his family also lived on the property in a “media agua” and would certainly need to move inside during the winter. Manolo also planned extra large doorways and hall ways to accommodate the wheelchair that Fernando will inevitably need. The original kitchen was left standing and was attached to the new home so that Alicia did not need to change her manner of preparing family meals. A handicapped ac-

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From left to right: Senora Alicia, Homeowner; Sister Sally, DHS Secular Branch; Don Victor, Homeowner; Berta, DHA Secular Branch & Solidarity Committee Member; Mireilla, Resident of Palmilla & coworker on this project; Haydee, DHS Associate & Solidarity Committee Member; Germaine, DHS & Solidarity Committee Chair; Cristian, Resident of Palmilla & coworker on this project. Front: Martin, Grandchild of homeowners & Mauricio, sone of Mireilla.

Photo supplied by Sister Sally Tolles cessible bathroom was added to the house.

The workers from around the area contributed extra time and materials to the project. Manolo selected beautiful and practical interior ceramic tile for the floors.

Alicia and Fernando selected the wall colors. When the house was

done, it was a work of love by all of those involved.

Fernando admitted that for many years he had held on to his anger toward the person who had stolen his property. It was like a stone around his neck. When he saw the love and care that had gone into rebuilding his home, that

anger left him. He said he could no longer be angry and he forgave his former friend for the betrayal.

Fernando’s forgiveness of his neighbor, challenged the workers and members of the Earthquake Solidarity Committee to go and do likewise. It was an answer to their prayers.

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Four County Catholic January 2011