Volume 26 Number 1
January 2014
Made Possible in part through your generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Stand up for your faith and it will change your world.
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atholic at c
- A call to participate in the upcoming March for Life demonstration in Washington D.C.
Serving the Counties of Middlesex New London Tolland Windham & Fishers Island NY
Today, amid so much darkness, we need to be men and women who bring hope to others
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Publisher
Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. Bishop of Norwich
- Pope Francis in support of the principles of immigration reform.
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We have been gifted by the light of many who understand our brokenness and want only to let us know that we are not alone and that healing will be ours in time. - Monsignor Robert Weiss, Pastor, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Newtown, reflecting on the one year anniversary of the tragedy at Sandyhook.
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- Rick Musacchio, Nashville Diocesan Communications Director, reemphasizing the Church’s objection to the HHS mandate.
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- The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich addressing parents and all friends of Catholic education in a letter commemorating Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 26 – Feb. 1, 2014.
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Patroness of all the Americas Our Lady of Guadalupe Annual Celebration by Diocesan Hispanic Ministry. Cover photo: Father Robert Washabaugh, Pastor, St. Mary Star of the Sea, New London. Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2013, Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich. Made
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Four County Catholic January 2014
The Most Reverend
Michael R. Cote, D.D.
Bishop of Norwich
Quiet Acts of Kindness and Mercy My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Keeping up with the news these days, whether in print, online, cable, or perhaps by tweet, it is hard not to get discouraged seeing the struggles and injustices faced by so many. After a while, it can seem like the culture of neglect and selfishness is winning the battle over the culture of kindness and mercy. So it may seem. We know, however, that real life experiences come along just about every day that show us the power of individual kindness. A few days ago, a parishioner shared a story with me that has had me thinking ever since. He explained that his wife recently had surgery. One night, he left his wife’s bedside to go down to the lobby restaurant in the hospital for a quick dinner. After selecting his dinner, he placed his tray on the counter at the cash register. As he prepared to pay, he searched all his pockets and found
that he had lost his cash. He apologized to the cashier, who suggested he retrace his steps and maybe he would find it, perhaps on the floor. He left his tray at the register for a moment and proceeded to retrace his steps. No luck. As he headed back to the cashier, he reached into his inside jacket pocket one last time and there was his money. As he re-approached the cashier, he began to explain; but before he could, she said “That’s all right, someone paid for your dinner while you were searching. You take care.” As it happened, this was not a man who needed assistance. Still, how uplifting to realize a stranger was right there to help when it appeared a little help was needed. Anonymously. These kind gestures are quietly taking place more and more often. Yes, we are living in a troubled world. The solution is not to concede to injustice, immorality, excess, and disrespect for life. The
solution is to pray, be in communion with God and live our faith – not simply profess it. As Pope Francis reminds us, “trust and hope overcome uncertainty and pessimism”. Examples abound. Christmas week, I happened on a documentary on PBS about Paul Newman’s very successful food company right here in Connecticut. Still going strong, Newman’s Own donates all after-tax profits and royalties to its Foundation for distribution to charities. Annual charitable donations of often more than $30 million benefit more than 700 organizations. Stunning generosity. It is the same recipe of kindness, of course, as the person who paid for dinner that night in the hospital – on a bigger scale, but the same benevolent intent to help others. Pope Francis has, in a short time, made the world more aware of the plight of the poor and the vulnerable. His message has been univer-
sally and overwhelmingly met with a renewed sense of hope. It has been both message and example, as rumors emerge of Pope Francis leaving the Vatican some nights to personally bring gifts and prayerful support to the poor in Rome. Quiet acts of kindness and mercy. In thinking about the phenomenal approval ratings of Pope Francis worldwide, I am struck by a world, continually portrayed as cynical, that is proving to be ready and hungry for the message of Jesus brought forth by the new Pope. The time may be right. The time may be now. The time may be with Pope Francis to begin to let kindness take control of a culture in need. I see in our own diocese, the growing volunteerism and generous support of our ministries of love, hope and charity. Our St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchens and food pantries, Catholic Charities, Prison Ministry, Ministry of the Sick, Hispanic Ministry -- are all helping so
many among us get through the harsh winter and the tough times. Outreach to Haiti and Catholic Relief Services operating in crisis areas such as the Philippines are sharing kindness far from home. Your support of these life-lifting and life-saving ministries right through these recessionary times, makes me certain that kindness to others ultimately will win out in the culture struggles. The community of faith that is the Church transforms and multiplies the power of kindness into the living Christian mission. Be confident in your faith. Be confident this New Year that kindness toward your brother and sister in need is the path toward redemption and the eternal rewards promised by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Sincerely yours in Christ’s love, Bishop Michael R. Cote
Obras Silenciosas de Bondad y Misericordia Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas: Al Mantenerse al día con las noticias, en estos tiempos ya sea en forma impresa, en línea, cable, o tal vez por tweet no es difícil desanimarse viendo las luchas y las injusticias que enfrentan muchos. Después de un tiempo, puede parecer que la cultura de negligencia y de egoísmo está ganando la batalla sobre la cultura de bondad y de misericordia. Así lo parece. Sin embargo, sabemos que las experiencias de la vida real ocurren casi todos los días y nos muestran el poder de la bondad individual. Hace unos días, un feligrés compartió conmigo una historia que desde entonces me ha tenido pensando. Explicó que recientemente
su esposa tuvo una cirugía. Una noche, dejó el cuarto de su esposa para bajar al vestíbulo del restaurante en el hospital para una cena rápida. Después de elegir su cena, puso la bandeja sobre el mostrador de la caja registradora. Cuando se disponía a pagar, buscó en todos sus bolsillos y se dio cuenta que había perdido su dinero. Pidió disculpas a la cajera, quien le sugirió volver a trazar sus pasos y tal vez lo encontraría, tal vez en el suelo. Dejó su bandeja por un momento en la caja registradora y procedió a volver a trazar sus pasos. Sin suerte. Mientras se dirigía de nuevo a la caja, metió por última vez la mano en el bolsillo interior y allí estaba su dinero. A medida que se acer-
caba a la cajera, comenzó a explicar; pero antes que pudiera hacerlo, ella dijo: “Está bien, mientras usted estaba buscando, alguien pagó por la cena. Cuídese”. Este no era un hombre que necesitaba ayuda. Aun así, qué edificante darse cuenta de que un extraño estaba allí para ayudar cuando parecía que se necesitaba un poco de ayuda. Anónimamente. Estos gestos de bondad más y más a menudo están tomando lugar. Sí, estamos viviendo en un mundo atribulado. La solución no es ceder a la injusticia, la inmoralidad, al exceso y la falta de respeto por la vida. La solución es orar, estar en comunión con Dios y vivir nuestra fe - no sólo profesarla.
Como el Papa Francisco nos recuerda que “la confianza y la esperanza superan la incertidumbre y el pesimismo”. Los ejemplos abundan. La semana de Navidad, se me ocurrió uno de un documental de la PBS sobre la compañía de alimentos de gran éxito de Paul Newman aquí en Connecticut. Todavía fuerte. Dona todas las ganancias después de impuestos y regalías a su Fundación para la distribución a organizaciones benéficas. Donaciones caritativas anuales con frecuencia de más de $ 30 millones que beneficia a más de 700 organizaciones. Generosidad impresionante. Por supuesto, es la misma forma de bondad, como la de la persona que
pagó por la cena esa noche en el hospital - en una escala más grande, pero la misma intención de ayudar a otros. El Papa Francisco, en poco tiempo, ha hecho al mundo más consciente de la difícil situación de los pobres y los vulnerables. Su mensaje ha sido conocido universalmente y sorprendentemente unido a un renovado sentido de esperanza. Ha sido ambos mensaje y ejemplo, ya que surgen los rumores de que el Papa Francisco deja el Vaticano algunas noches para llevar personalmente regalos y apoyo de oración a los pobres de Roma. Obras silenciosas de bondad y misBondad y Misericordia
Continued on page 4
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Bondad y Misericordia
Continued from page 3
ericordia. Al pensar en el fenomenal índice de aprobación al Papa Francisco en todo el mundo, me llama la atención que un mundo, continuamente retratado como cínico, está demostrando estar
preparado y con anhelo por el mensaje de Jesús traído por el nuevo Papa. El tiempo puede estar en lo cierto. El tiempo puede ser ahora. El tiempo puede estar con el Papa Francisco comenzando a
dejar que la bondad tome el control de una cultura en necesidad. Veo en nuestra propia diócesis, el creciente voluntariado y el apoyo generoso a nuestros ministerios de amor, esperanza y caridad. Nue-
Holy Hour for Vocations The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, leads the Holy Hour: January 16, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm St. Joseph, Occum
stros comedores y despensas de alimentos de San Vicente De Paul, Caridades Católicas, Ministerios de Prisión, Ministerios de los Enfermos, Ministerio Hispano - están ayudando a muchos entre nosotros a pasar el invierno y los tiempos difíciles. La extensión a Haití y los Servicios Católicos de Asistencia que operan en zonas de crisis, como en Filipinas están compartiendo bondad lejos de casa. Su apoyo a estos ministerios que consuelan vidas y salvan vidas a través de estos tiempos de recesión me aseguran de que esa bondad a los
demás es una fuerza que finalmente triunfará en toda la lucha cultural. Tenga confianza en su fe. Tenga confianza de que esa bondad individual y colectiva, hacia su hermano y hermana en necesidad es el camino hacia la redención y la recompensa eterna prometida por nuestro Señor y Salvador, Jesucristo. Sinceramente, en el amor de Cristo, Obispo Michael R. Cote Translated by Paulina Angulo
February 20, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Sacred Heart, Groton March 20, 2014 • 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm St. Mary, Jewett City April 10, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Our Lady of Sorrows, Essex May 15, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm St. Mary of Czestochowa, Middletown
Reverend Brian Christopher Maxwell, Ordained to Priesthood on May 25, 2013, by the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich
June 26, 2014 • 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm St. John, Cromwell July 25, 2014 • 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich August 21, 2014 • 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm All Saints, Somersville September 18, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm St. Agnes, Niantic October 16, 2014 • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm St. Francis of Assisi, Lebanon November 20, 2014 • 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm St. Thomas Aquinas, Storrs December 18, 2014 • 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Sacred Heart, Norwichtown
Clergy Appointments The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, has made the following clergy and diocesan appointments in the Diocese of Norwich: Reverend Monsignor Richard P. LaRocque, from Pastor, Saint Mary Parish, Stonington, to Pastor Emeritus, Saint Mary Parish, Stonington. Effective: December 31, 2013. Reverend Paul Murdock, from Sabbatical, to Pastor, Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Middletown. Effective: January 6, 2014. Very Reverend Dennis M. Perkins, Pastor, Saint Mary Parish, Stonington, while continuing as Pastor of Saint Michael Parish in Pawcatuck, and Vicar for Clergy for the Diocese of Norwich. Effective: December 31, 2013. Reverend Monsignor Anthony S. Rosaforte, 1 year renewal of appointment as Rector, Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich. Effective: December 10, 2013. ~ Monsignor Robert L. Brown, Chancellor ~
Father Greg Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations vocations@norwichdiocese.net
(860) 887-9294
www.God-Calls.com
Independently Owned and Operated Since 1881
Steve Bennardo Owner/Funeral Director Kurt O’Brien 3rd Year College Holy Apostles Seminary Cromwell, CT
Juan Aguirre 2nd Year English Studies Clark University Worcester, MA
Reverend Mr. Martin Noe 4th Year Theology Holy Apostles Seminary Cromwell, CT
Reverend Mr. Jonathan Ficara 4th Year Theology Pontifical North American College, Vatican City State
Jeffrey Ellis 2nd Year Theology Mt. St. Mary Seminary Emmitsburg, MD
Peter Langevin 2nd Year Theology Mt. St. Mary Seminary Emmitsburg, MD
Thomas Griffin 2nd Year Theology Blessed John XXIII National Seminary Weston, MA
433 Main Street, Danielson, CT
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Director of Priestly Vocations
Reverend Gregory Galvin Happy New Year! It is still early in the new year and yet hard to believe that the Christmas season just ended with the Feast of the Baptism of The Lord this past January 12th. I hope that everyone took the chance to open their hearts to the grace of our Lord’s Mercy during this past Advent and Christmas and therefore has received the fullness of the Christmas season graces made available to each of us through the sacraments of the Church. May this year be a healthy and joy-filled year for you all. 2014 promises to show continued growth in the Norwich Diocese Vocation culture of awareness. Remember that your prayers for and alertness to those who might have gifts given to them by our Heavenly Father for the purpose of a religious or priestly vocation plays an important role in helping us build the future for our diocesan family. What is coming this year? Hopefully we will be adding to our seminarian numbers this winter and spring. Please keep in your prayers those who are discerning making the commitment to hand in the application to the diocese, or to fill it out. Please keep in your prayers the five men from within our diocese who are presently in their spiritual year of the new permanent diaconate program which began again this past September.
As a diocesan family we are now anticipating the priestly ordination this summer of two of our seminarians, Deacon Martin Noe and Deacon Jonathan Ficara in late July. Sometime in the next academic year of 2014 - 2015, we now start looking forward to the possible diaconate ordinations for Jeff Ellis, Peter Langevin and Tom Griffin! This would be our first class of three men in some time! One of our Colombian candidates, Ruben Dario Garcia Sanchez decided to return home and not come back to continue his English studies for personal reasons. We already miss Ruben but wish him well and will keep him in our prayers and thoughts as he moves forward with his personal discernment of God’s will for him. Please keep Frank Gilbert in your prayers as Frank is continuing his recovery from surgery late last summer which put him on hold for seminary studies. He is hoping to receive medical permission to move forward later this winter and, God willing, he will begin his studies this coming August. Please also keep our other seminarians and possible candidates in your prayers as they continue their journey with us and with The Lord. 2014 came quickly and as we get this new year under way I call
your attention to a few vocation promotion matters. This past November we put together a new Vocation Commercial which was put together with video taken inside the newly restored Saint Patrick Cathedral. Visit godcalls.com to see the commercial. Also, we started a new advertising campaign in December which runs through January on the internet homepage of all Xfinity internet users. Three different ads which when clicked on also show the new commercial and give access to our newly developed website. Yes the website has been freshly updated! If you missed it, go to god-calls.com and poke around. Follow my blog or the blog postings of some of our seminarians. Visit it for our weekly reflection. Check out the monthly calendar of the Vocation Director or check the upcoming date and time of our monthly Holy Hour for Vocations so you can join us in prayer for our future priests, religious and deacons. Finally, a thank you to all who, during our Advent Campaign for Seminarians, offered prayers, sent gift cards or spiritual bouquets to our men. They greatly appreciate it and I know it will make their second semesters a little easier as they continue their preparation and formation at seminary. God bless our diocese with many good vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
17th Annual
Mass of Thanksgiving for the Gift of Consecrated Life Sunday, February 9th, 2014 at 10:30 am Cathedral of Saint Patrick • 213 Broadway, Norwich, CT
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Four County Catholic January 2014
“Here , O’ Israel (O’ America)! The Lord is our God, the Lord ALONE! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, YOUR GOD, with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your strength. Take to heart (your name) these words, which I enjoin on you today. DRILL them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad...
…whether you are BUSY or at REST.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7
“Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you besides.”
Monday, January 13 Monthly Masses and Healing At 1:00 pm, Spiritual Renewal Center, Norwich. Father Ray Introvigne, Celebrant, Judith Hughes, Healing Prayer. For more information please call Spiritual Renewal at 860-887-0702.
Friday-Sunday January 17-19 Retrouvaille Weekend Is a lifeline for your troubled marriage with serious marriage building and repair, and tools to heal, communicate and work on issues. For more information or to sign up for the next weekend in Hartford call 413-525-1634. Retrouvaille.org.
Matthew 6:33
January 21-22, 2014
Happy “Prayerful” New Year and 2014
Diocese of Norwich Youth
1st Prayer Group Leaders and Members Meeting Saturday Jan 4, 9 am – 3 pm Spiritual Renewal Center 9 am to 3 pm 2nd Prayer Group Leaders and Members Meeting Saturday, February 1st 9 am – 3 pm Beginning January 12th, 2014 Monthly Masses & Healing Twice monthly Starting Monday, Jan. 13th and Monday, Jan. 27th 1:00 pm, Spiritual Renewal Center Fr Ray, Celebrant, Judith Hughes - Healing Prayer One Day Life In The Spirit Seminar Saturday, January 18, 2014, 9 am – 4 pm St. Andrew Church Hall, Colchester, CT Please call the Renewal Center to register (860)-887-0702 Spirit of Love Prayer Group Mass Wednesday, January 22, 2014 @ 7 pm All Hallows Church Hall • 130 Prospect St., Moosup, CT
March for Life Student Cost $95 (Payable to Office of Faith Events) Stand up for your faith and it will change your world! Join us for an exciting and faith-filled two days as we experience what it means to be PRO-LIFE in Washington D.C.! We will travel by coach bus, attend the Archdiocese of Washington’s Youth Rally and Mass for Life at the Verizon Center and participate in the 41st annual March for Life before returning home. Student accommodations are quad occupancy, chaperones are double at the Courtyard Marriott in Washington D.C. For more information: Pam Plasse at (860)848-2237x311.
Cornerstone Prayer Group Mass Thursday, February 27, 2014 @ 7:30 pm St. Patrick Church Hall, East Hampton, CT “Everyone’s welcomed to these programs!
spiritual renewal services Dial-A-Prayer (860) 887-7767
P.O. Box 6 • 11 Bath Street Norwich, CT 06360 • (860) 887-0702 email: Renewal@catholicweb.com
Wednesday, January 22 Spirit of Love Prayer Group Mass All Hallows Church Hall, 130 Prospect Street, Moosup, at 7:00pm. For more information please call Spiritual Renewal at 860-887-0702. Friday- Sunday, January 24-26 Marriage Encounter Weekend The perfect weekend for couples to fall in love all over again. Rediscover each other with a heart to heart Marriage Encounter. For information on the weekend in East Hartford call 860-376-0440. wwme.org. Saturday, January 25 Unbound Prayer Ministry (Freedom) Spiritual Renewal Center, Norwich. From 10:00am-3:00pm. Call for an appointment (860) 887-0702. Lead by Father Ray Introvigne, Judith Hughes and Team. Monday January 27 Monthly Masses and Healing At 1:00 pm, Spiritual Renewal Center, Norwich. Father Ray Introvigne, Celebrant, Judith Hughes, Healing Prayer. For more information please call Spiritual Renewal at 860-887-0702.
Unbound Prayer Ministry (Freedom) Saturday, January 25, 2014, 10am-3pm Spiritual Renewal Center, Norwich, CT Call for an appointment (860)887-0702 Fr. Ray, Judith Hughes and Team
Diocese of Norwich
Saturday, January 18 One Day Life In The Spirit Seminar St. Andrew Church Hall, Colchester. From 9:00am-4:00pm. Please call the Renewal Center to register 860-887-0702.
Pope Francis @Pontifex Dear Young people, put your talents at the service of the Gospel, with creativity and boundless charity.
Saturday, April 5 Be My Witness 4th Annual Catholic Women’s Conference of the Diocese of Norwich co-sponsored by the Office of Faith Events and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Held at St Bernard School, Uncasville. Doors open at 8:30am and program ends at 3:15pm. Featuring special guest speaker Dr. C. Vanessa White. There will be a 9:00am Mass with Bishop Cote. Live music, inspiring talks, lunch, Eucharistic adoration, confession, exhibitors. For more information please call the Office of Faith Events at 860-848-2237 ext 312.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe! El 12 de diciembre se conmemora la Festividad de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, una tradición que Por Paulina Angulo Contributor to the Four County Catholic
comenzó en México y que se lleva a cabo en todo el mundo. La historia se remonta al año 1531, cuando la evangelización en América Latina comenzó. La Virgen María se apareció en el cerro del Tepeyac, México a un humilde indígena, Juan Diego. La Virgen le pidió a Juan que hablara con el obispo de aquella época y le pidiera que construyera un templo para ella, su hijo y para los nativos. Hubo cuatro diferentes apariciones y en cada una la Virgen hizo la misma petición a Juan Diego. Los mexicanos regocijaron al enterarse de las apariciones y festividades fueron hechas en el nombre de la Virgen María. Hoy las apariciones son celebradas en la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en la ciudad de México. Miles de fieles devotos de diversos lugares del país se unen en peregrinación a la Basílica. Todo el mundo se reúne a medianoche la noche antes de la festividad para cantar Las Mañanitas a la Virgen. El 12 de diciembre es un día muy emotivo y glorioso porque se celebra La Santa Eucaristía. La gente viste atuendos tradicionales, hay música mariachi, cantos, bailes y por supuesto deliciosa comida mexicana. Estos eventos son muy significativos en la fe católica, no sólo en México, sino en todo el mundo. Nuestra diócesis ha estado celebrando la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ahora por 23 años. Para nosotros, esta tradición comenzó en la comunidad mexicana de Willimantic. La mayoría de los mexicanos que pertenecen a nuestra diócesis viven allí; ellos fueron los que tomaron la iniciativa para honrar a Nuestra Santa Madre con esta particular festividad. En el año 1990, se hizo la primera Caminata en Willimantic y en la Catedral Saint Patrick en Norwich se celebró misa para Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. En 1991 La Iglesia Del Sagrado
Corazón de Jesús fue fundada en Windham. Esta pintoresca iglesia nos recuerda a México con su diseño arquitectónico único. Fue construida para que la comunidad hispana de esa zona pudiera practicar su fe en su propio idioma. La celebración Guadalupana comienza con una novena, cada noche la gente se reúne para rezar el Santo Rosario; el número aumenta a medida que se acerca la noche del evento. El 11 de diciembre independientemente de las condiciones climáticas, a medianoche los devotos de diferentes partes de la diócesis se reúnen en Willimantic para participar en la procesión Guadalupana. Cada persona camina llevando una vela encendida, rezando el Santo Rosario cerca detrás de la imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe Caminando desde las calles Bridge y Main en Willimantic hasta Club Road, en Windham donde la iglesia está situada. Al llegar a la iglesia, Monseñor Michael R. Cote, D.D. Obispo de Norwich junto al reverendísimo Laurence Lapointe, Párroco de la iglesia y otros sacerdotes dan la bienvenida a la gente mientras todos
e n tran a la iglesia cantando Las Mañanitas acompañados por los mariachis. La imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe se coloca en al altar rodeada de muchos hermosos ramos de flores, personas visten en sus trajes tradicionales y miembros jóvenes de la parroquia interpretan una dramatización de las apariciones. Nuestro Obispo bendice a todos los presentes y los invita a continuar la celebración la noche
siguiente en la Catedral de Saint Patrick en Norwich. Después, todos se reúnen en el salón social para cantos, bailes y comida típica mexicana. Es una noche de gran celebración y devoción a la virgen María. La Madre Mary Jude Lazarus, Directora del Apostolado Hispano ha sido el líder organizacional de ambos eventos desde 1996 junto a la ayuda de un comité encargado. La festividad continúa en la Catedral Saint Patrick como un mayor evento bilingüe. La Santa Misa es celebrada por nuestro Obispo, Monseñor Michael R. Cote acompañado de sacerdotes y diáconos de la diócesis. La gente deja ramos de flores alrededor de la imagen de la Virgen: la música litúrgica es interpretada por Mariachi Internacional acompañados por otros. Este año, la homilía fue predicada por el Padre Robert Washabaugh, Párroco de la iglesia Santa María Estrella del
Mar, en New London. También este año, el Obispo Cote dio bendición a un mural a la izquierda del altar. Este mural contiene la historia de las apariciones de la Virgen de Guadalupe. Rápidamente terminando la misa, la gente celebra en el salón social con bailes, cantos y disfrutando comida típica y fraternidad. Cada año más y más personas se están uniendo a este evento mundial; la Festividad de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe está creciendo cada año en nuestra diócesis. ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe! Me gustaría dar las gracias a Padre Robert Washabaugh, Párroco de la Iglesia Santa María Estrella del Mar en New London, a Padre Paul J. Murdock, Párroco de la Iglesia Saint Francis de Asíssi, en Middletown y a Padre Henry Agudelo, Vicario Parroquial de la Iglesia Del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, en Windham Gracias por ayudarme con la creación de esta historia. Otro agradecimiento especial a mi hija Angela Angulo por la asistencia de la traducción al inglés. Photos by Donna Antonacci
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Long Live the Virgin of Guadalupe! December 12th commemorates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a tradition that began By Paulina Angulo Contributor to the Four County Catholic
in Mexico and is carried out throughout the world. The story dates back to 1531, when the evangelization in Latin America began. The Virgin Mary appeared on the hill of Tepeyac, Mexico to a humble Indian man, Juan Diego. The Virgin asked Juan to ask the bishop to build a temple for her, her Son and for the natives. There were four different apparitions; and each time the Virgin made the same request to Juan Diego. The Mexicans rejoiced when they heard of the apparitions and festivities were made in the Virgin Mary’s name. Today the apparitions are celebrated at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Thousands of faithful devotees from around the Country come together in pilgrimage to the Basilica. Everyone gathers at midnight the night before the feast to sing Las Mañanitas to the Virgin. December 12th is a very emotional and glorious day because the Holy Eucharist is celebrated.
People dress in traditional attire, there is mariachi music, singing, dancing and of course delicious Mexican food. These events are very significant in the Catholic faith, not only in Mexico but worldwide. Our diocese has been celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for 23 years now. For us, this tradition began in the Mexican community in Willimantic. The majority of Mexicans who belong to our diocese live in Willimantic; they were the ones who took the initiative to honor Our Blessed Mother with this particular feast. In 1990 the first procession was held in Willimantic and a Mass was held in Saint Patrick Cathedral in Norwich for Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1991, the Iglesia Del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús was founded in Windham. This picturesque church reminds us of Mexico with its unique architec-
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tural design. This church was built for the Hispanic Community in that area so that they can practice their faith in their own Spanish tongue. The Guadalupe cele-
Main and Bridge Street in Willimantic to Club Road, in Windham where the church is located. Upon arriving at the church, Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D.
bration begins with a novena. Every night people gather to pray the Holy Rosary; the numbers increase as the nights approach the festive event. Regardless of weather conditions, on December 11th at midnight devotees from different parts of the diocese gather in Willimantic to participate in the Guadalupe procession. Each person walks behind a lit candle praying the Rosary close behind the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe walking up from
Bishop of Norwich along with Very Reverend Laurence LaPointe, Pastor at the Iglesia Del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, and other priests welcome people as everyone sings Las Mañanitas accompanied by mariachi. The image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is placed on the altar surrounded by beautiful bouquets of flowers, people dress in traditional attire and young parishioners act out the apparitions. Our Bishop blesses everyone present and invites them to continue the celebration the following night at Saint Patrick Cathedral in
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Norwich. Afterwards, everyone gathers in the social hall for songs, dances and typical Mexican food. It is a night of great celebration and devotion to the Virgin Mary. Mother Mary Jude Lazarus, Director of the Hispanic Apostolate, has been the organizational leader of both events since 1996 with the help of a committee. The feast continues at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral as a major bilingual event. The Mass is always celebrated by Most Reverend Bishop Michael R. Cote with priests and deacons from the diocese. People place bouquets of flowers around the image of the Virgin; liturgical music is performed by Mariachi International accompanied by others. This year’s homily was preached by Reverend Robert Washabaugh, the Pastor of Saint Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London. Also this year, Bishop Cote blessed a new mural found to the left of the altar. This mural contains the story of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Quickly following the Mass, people celebrate in the social hall with dancing, singing and enjoying traditional food and coming together in fellowship. Every year more and more people are joining this worldwide event; the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is growing in our diocese yearly. ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe! I would like to thank Reverend Robert Washabaugh, Pastor of Saint Mary’s Star of the Sea Church in New London, Reverend Paul J. Murdock, Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Middletown, and Reverend Henry Agudelo, Paroquial Vicar of the Iglesia Del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Windham. Thank you for helping with this story. Another special thanks to my daughter Angela Angulo for editing the English translation.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
The Synod of Bishops This past October, Pope Francis announced that he is convoking a special Synod of By Sister Elissa Rinere, CP, JCD Office of Worship
Bishops, who will meet at the Vatican from October 5 to 19, 2014. The major topic for discussion at the Synod will be “the pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization.” The idea of a synod comes to us from the early centuries of the Church, when they were used quite frequently as a means of communication and collaboration within a given region or country. They fell into disuse for several centuries, but were resurrected, so to speak, by Vatican II. In the document dealing with bishops, Christus Dominus, the Council defined the Synod of Bishops as an advisory council to the Pope, representative of the whole Church, and a testament to the hierarchical communion that exists between the Pope and all the bishops of the world. The first Synod of Bishops in the post-Vatican II Church was convoked by Pope Paul VI, and met from September 29 to October 29, 1967. Since then, both regularly scheduled Synods and some special, or extraordinary, Synods have met to discuss several topics which include Laity, Evangelization, Catechesis, Priesthood, Scripture, Consecrated Life, Eucharist and Marriage and Family. Following each Synod, a teach-
ing document is issued by the Pope which deals with whatever topic was discussed by those who participated in the Synod. Synod participants are a mix of clergy and laity, including
cardinals, bishops, theologians and experts in fields pertinent to the synod topic. The new document recently issued by Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, (The Joy of the Gospel) is the official papal response to the Synod of Bishops convoked and led by Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, and held in October 2012. The topic of discussion for this 2012 Synod was “The New Evangelization,” and specifically the impact of secular society, especially in Europe and North America, on religious practice. Pope Benedict XVI, as we know, resigned early in 2013, before a synodal document was completed, so the task fell to Pope Francis. With the publication of Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis also announced the October 2014 Extraordinary Synod of Bishops which will give a sharper focus to the topic of the New Evangelization through consideration of the challenges faced by families. Pope
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Francis will then follow this Synod with another Ordinary Synod to be held in October 2015, and to deal with the same topic of the pastoral challenges facing families. Given the global character of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis and the participants in these upcoming Synods are faced with a difficult task. By praying for the success of these Synods, we pray for an effective collaboration among the leaders and members of the Church which will lead to an effective and meaningful articulation of the Gospel message. Let us pray!
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Philanthropy is Good for Your Health! It’s a new year and for many, a time to make resolutions involving better health. Some individu-
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als might find themselves exercising more and eating healthier. Others might vow to go on what is referred to as a debt diet, eliminating unnecessary expenses, sticking to a budget, and paying off credit card balances. For some, the road to better health involves giving. Believe it or not, philanthropy can actually be good for your health! Stephen Post, a professor of preventative medicine at Stony Brook University, wrote a book called Why Good Things Happen to Good People. He writes that giving to others has been shown to increase health benefits in people with chronic illness. To further back up such ideas, a group of researchers at the National Institute of Health found that “when people give to charities, it activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a “warm glow” effect. Scientists also believe that altruistic behavior releases endorphins in the brain, producing the positive feeling
known as the ‘helper’s high’.” Studies have further shown that “giving promotes cooperation and social connection, and giving evokes gratitude.” As Catholics, we know there is no greater testament to the power of charity than scripture. As Jesus said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Catholic stewardship involves
sharing your resources of time, talent and treasure. Many find that volunteering their time provides immeasurable social and spiritual benefits. Each day in the Diocese of Norwich there are hundreds of people who spend countless hours volunteering for a cause they feel passionate about, whether that be helping to feed the hungry through service at a soup kitchen, sharing their talents as a board member or ministry volunteer, or making a financial contribution to the Annual Catholic Appeal, which serves as a lifeline to over 25 ministries and programs that promote the work of the Church. There are individuals who practice charity by leav-
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ing a gift to their parish in their will. Some sing in their parish choir, while others teach faith formation classes each Sunday morning. Maria Sparmer of Uncasville spends her weekdays as a Professor of Nursing at Capital Community College in Hartford, but each Sunday morning during the school year you can find her at St. John the Evangelist Parish teaching faith formation classes to seventh and eighth graders. “It is my way of giving back,” says Maria, “and it is heartwarming to work with young people.” A major theme of Catholic social teaching is that human beings grow and achieve fulfillment in community. Helping those who have less ultimately helps the whole community. We are not judged by what we have achieved, but how we treat the most vulnerable members of our society. When we show mercy, we show the love that Christ asked of us. When we help others feel good, we typically feel better ourselves! This year, as you are setting your resolutions, maybe a focus on charity can be among them. For more information on stewardship, charitable giving and how you can help support the work of the Church, please visit www.norwichdiocesedevelopment.org.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Catholic Charities and Community Groups Come Together to Bring Christmas to Local Families “It’s a Community effort,” said Sylvia Laudette, Program Manager for By Anna DeBiasi Development Coordinator, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich
Catholic Charities. She is referring to “Christmas at Catholic Charities,” a time when local families who are struggling financially can receive gifts for their children that they otherwise would not be able to afford. “There are groups in our community who just never forget us and the families we serve at Christmastime. It is heartwarming to know we have people who care so much in our community.” These compassionate groups include Our Lady of Lourdes Ladies Guild in Gales Ferry, who year after year bring bags of toys for Catholic Charities to distribute. The Norwich Rotary Club also donated coats to keep children warm this winter- a much needed gift for many little ones in the area. Vouchers from the local Neighborhood Thrift Shop in Norwich also help parents purchase coats to keep their children warm. Throughout the holiday season, the generosity expanded beyond these groups, to include schools and local individuals. Students and faculty from St. Thomas Moore School donated $750 in gift cards for the purchase of groceries, gas, and Christmas toys. A handful of anonymous donors also generously “adopted a family” during the Christmas season and donated directly to a specific family in need. The Norwich Council of Catholic Women generously gave gift cards for teenagers. “We like to give gift cards to the teenagers because they are often forgotten at this time of year, and they deserve Christmas too!” said Judy Pappagallo, former president and current member of the council.
In Willimantic, the Catholic Charities Advisory Board came together to host a Christmas party at St. Mary-St. Joseph’s School on December 21. Toy donations came in from parishes in the Willimantic area that included St. Mary in Coventry, St. Columbus in Columbia, St. Jude in Willington and St. Joseph in Willimantic. Further-
more, many of the volunteer board members donated toys themselves. St. Nicholas paid a visit to the children, and passed out the presents to 155 children from the Willimantic area. There were Christmas songs and cookies, and the children loved the festive event! “I am so thankful to be able to come to Catholic Charities to supplement the small amount of gifts I can afford for my children. This year it was a decision between paying bills or buying presents. I didn’t want my children to wake up to nothing under the tree, but other financial necessities have to come first,” reflected Susanna, a mother of 2 small children. In New London, about 45 children were given gifts through the generous donations from local parishioners. This is the third year that Jill and Mark Palmerino from New London have purchased gifts for 15 children in the area. When they dropped the gifts off, they expressed that, “This is what the season is about for us and we are glad to do it. We sincerely hope it helps make their holidays a little more cheerful.” With all the efforts combined, over 225 children received gifts this Christmas season as a result of this heartwarming community effort. Jim Maffuid, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Norwich said, “Christmas is a tra-
dition at Catholic Charities. Many businesses are moving away from celebrating Christmas or even talking about it-- but here we are lucky enough to be able to embrace this wonderful season. And we embrace it by connecting with our neighbors in need; providing compassionate help and hope-which is really what Christmas is all about.” Jim also emphasized, “the local need doesn’t stop at Christmastime. As winter progresses, many families are facing grave financial difficulties. Many families need help keeping their homes warm, their electricity on; some are trying their best not to lose their homes to foreclosure, while others
are in need of behavioral health services that they cannot afford.” If you are interested in helping a
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Reverend Adam Pupsys Father Adam Pupsys served the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y. from 1960 until 1967 and the Diocese of Norwich from March 1967 until his death in Old Saybrook, CT, December 14, 2013, after a long illness. He was 96 years old. He was born in Lithuana on August 28, 1917, to Michael and Emilia Stancius Pupsys. He was ordained to the holy priesthood on January 20, 1952 by late Bishop Francesco Beretti, at the Church of Our Lady (Dominae Nostrae a S.C.J.) in Circo Agonali, Rome. In September 1952, Father Adam Pupsys began his studies of Canon (Church) and Civil Law at Pontifical Lateranense University. On May 14, 1959 he publicly defended cum laude his dissertation and obtained a Doctor’s Degree in “Utoque Iure” (in Canon and Civil Law) from the Pontifical Lateran University. He simultaneously completed three years of study at the Sacra Romana Rota (the highest appellate tribunal of the Catholic Church) for issues related to marriage. While awaiting immigration to the United States, Fr. Adam served two years as chaplain for the Polish Sisters of St. Ursula in the Diocese of Gaeta, Scauri / Minturno, Italy. In November 1960, he immigrated to the United States and worked in the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y. Assigned to the parish of St. Athanasius by the Most Reverend Bryan J. McEntegart, Bishop of the diocese. Father’s second assignment was at St. Matthew’s parish, where he worked from June 1964 to March 1967. During this time he worked successfully and cooperatively with parishioners to organize and minister to CCD and High School students. In March 1967 Fr. Adam came to the Diocese of Norwich. The Most Reverend Vincent Hines, Bishop of the diocese assigned him to St. Paul’s Parish in Waterford. Shortly thereafter, Fr. Adam was re-assigned to St. Sebastian’s Parish in Middletown. He followed his calling to work with youth and served as Sunday School Coordinator and also as the Moderator of the alter servers. He was also known as a source of constant comfort to the sick and elderly. His work was an inspiration to all parishioners. On November 9, 1979, Fr. Adam was assigned to St. John’s Parish, Middletown. On November 12, 1985, Fr. Adam was assigned as Parochial Vicar to St. John’s Parish in Old Saybrook. To characterize him, Fr. Adam was humble with a great compassion for all people. He served as a constant reminder of love of others, love of the Church, and the call to follow Christ. The Most Reverend Daniel P. Reilly, Bishop of the Diocese of Norwich wrote a letter on Fr. Adam’s 40th Anniversary of Ordination, saying: “You are a loyal and faithful priest, who loves God, and His people and brother priests. Fr. Adam instructed and directed the alter servers, participated in CCD programs, and constantly visited the sick and confined. Upon retirement, Fr. Adam was under the protection and motherly care with love by Sarah V. Becker. She cared for him as a member of her own family. Please pray for the repose of Fr. Adam’s soul. Donations may be made in Fr. Adam’s memory to the Lithuanian Seminary Fund, Knight’s of Lithuania, St. Casimir’s Guild Inc., 1110 Darlene Dr., Endicott, NY 13760.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
A Stain on the Soul of the Nation: If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:17-18 This past week was National Migration Week with a memorable theme, “Out of the DarkBy Michael Strammiello Executive Editor, Four County Catholic
ness.” Migrants -- particularly children, the undocumented, refugees and the victims of human trafficking often live in a kind of figurative darkness. The need for us as Catholics and U.S. Citizens to help make immigration reform happen is urgent. It is telling that the very first week of the year was devoted to launching
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close touch with many immigrants from Mexico, Central and Southern America who represent a large portion of the population affected by this crisis. A crisis of denial of rights, family separation, and lack of protection from harm and injustice. The life and dignity of every human person is a fundamental principle of Catholic social teaching. Father Washabaugh in his homily at the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, made the connection of Juan Diego representing the defenseless poor who are represented in today’s society often by undocumented immigrants. He spoke of how our call to protect life and promote justice are “calls to protect the human person, the defenseless human person.” Father Washabaugh referenced His Holiness Pope Francis as understanding the urgency of caring for the vulnerable. “Today, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women
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who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope.” Pope Francis The plight of the immigrant is ever close to home. Mother Mary Jude, SCMC, Director of the
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what will be a persistent campaign to build awareness of the urgency of the Catholic mission to help our immigrant brothers and sisters. It is our calling as people of faith to create the energy and spread the light of the Gospel to those in darkness and in the shadows of our great society. Joining with the proactive United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Diocese has been hard at work for years now on this critical cause, especially the Hispanic Ministry in such
Prayer to St. Jude Most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Make use I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever. I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen.
~ MH ~
Diocese of Norwich Hispanic Ministry, shared a first-hand experience of Silverio in our diocese who at the age of 16 left his native Guatemala; who married and has two U.S. citizen children; and has endured every conceivable ordeal with authorities including deportation and then a return to his family here the U.S. In his words, “I am very hopeful that immigration reform will pass this year so that no family will have to go through what my family is going through. I hope that every family who has come to this country willing to work hard and sacrifice so that both they and their new community can thrive, will be given the opportunity to show their love for this great Country.” This is the Human Face of Immigration – right here in the diocese. We are in Silverio’s corner, and there in solidarity for so many other suffering families. A shared prayer: Te pedimos tu proteccion divina para todos los migrantes Que han abandon ado sus casas en busca de nuevas Opportunidades en otro pais.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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Archbishop Blair Installed as Fifth Archbishop of Hartford Hartford, CT (AP) — Leonard Blair was installed Monday, December 16, 2013, as the fifth ArchFrom the FCC News Desk
bishop of Hartford at a service where he spoke of the importance of evangelism and sharing one’s gifts with others. Archbishop Blair was presented with a staff symbolizing his new role during a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, where he was formally installed by the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano.
In his homily, Blair spoke of his roots in Detroit, urged the archdiocese to keep up its charity and educational work, and stressed the importance of spreading the faith. “We’re not meant to hide the light of Christ under a bushel basket.” he said. Archbishop Blair, 64, had led the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, since 2003. Pope Francis appointed him in October to lead the archdiocese’s 700,000 Catholics. He succeeds the Most Rev. Henry Mansell, who retired at 76 after 10 years in the Hartford. Archbishop Blair was ordained a
priest in 1976. He said he personally thanked Pope Francis for his appointment, which he learned about during a trip to the Vatican in October. The Archdiocese comprises Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties. More than 500 priests minister in the archdiocese, serving 213 parishes and other apostolates. Archbishop Mansell, who is past the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops and archbishops, said he will be retiring to a parish in Glastonbury. He said he had told Pope Benedict XVI that he was willing to retire last year.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Quiet Remembrance of Sandy Hook Tragedy There was not exhaustive news coverage Dec. 14 on the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting From the FCC News Desk Excerpts from Carol Zimmerman and WFSB Reporter and News Anchor Kevin Hogan
at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. That’s because Newtown’s First Selectman Pat Llodra specifically asked the media to stay away and give the townspeople “the time to be alone and quiet, with time for personal and communal reflection.” There were no public events in Newtown to mark the anniversary. Local churches and faith communities had special services Dec. 14 and rang bells 26 times at 9:30 a.m. to honor each victim.
Msgr. Robert “Bob” Weiss, pastor of St. Rose, wrote in the parish bulletin under the “Message from Msgr. Bob” that he knew there would be “heavy hearts” at this anniversary. Here are his words to the parish community: “We have found great strength through the witness of the most impacted families who even in their unspeakable grief help hold each one of us up by their courage and the positive actions they are taking to honor their loved ones. It is love and love alone that keeps them and us moving forward. It is also a time of great gratitude for the incredible amount of support we have received from throughout the world. I am certain that there is not one
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family in our community who has not had a call, conversation, letter of concern or the assurance of prayers from outside the community. In the darkness we have been gifted by the light of many who understand our brokenness and want only to let us know that we are not alone and that healing will be ours in time. Gratitude is an important human aspect of human life, especially in times like these. I am personally grateful for all the support that I have been given from people throughout the world who realize that it is only in faith that we can move forward and find the strength and hope that we need. I am especially grateful for the faith of this parish community.” As reported on WFSB, Channel 3 Eyewitness News, Kevin Hogan engaged in an at length interview
with Monsignor Weiss revealing the depth of sorrow and the steep path of healing for the St. Rose of Lima Parish and the whole Newtown community. Monsignor Weiss said to Kevin that his faith was “absolutely” tested. “That was one of the first questions that was asked of me,” Monsignor Weiss said. “I think I’m so grounded in my faith at this point in my life that even though it might be tested and challenged and even though others might challenge, you know where is this
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coming from? I never really questioned it. I’ve always had a deep trust in the Lord. And when I realize the grace that I’ve been given through these days, I know that faith is strong, that faith is secure.” But while tending to his flock during these trying days and months, Weiss confessed, he too has felt the burden. “I think we are all on the emotional edge, certainly I don’t have the answers. We don’t have any answers as to why this happened or why these families have to be suffering so much or why our community was so tested or challenged, whatever word we choose to use but you know certainly it is a burden,” he said. “ Not because I can’t function. It’s just what are the right words to say? Are there any right words to say? I think just being present, just trying to be a man of faith, trying to encourage people, its going to take a long time to move ahead.” In moving ahead, beyond the anniversary and the memorial Mass, Monsignor Weiss said his message includes forgiveness. “We can’t love unless we learn how to forgive. That’s a difficult experience for many people not just about this tragedy but just about many of the relationships that people have with each other you know,” Weiss said. “I think a lot of the focus will be on healing, on forgiveness, on renewal, on continuing to work together to stand in solidarity with each other to be respectful of each other.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Documentary on Pope Offers Insight Into Time’s 2013 ‘Person of the Year’
Rome - A new documentary on the life of Pope Francis is helping the public learn more about Time magazine’s 2013 “Person of the
Year.” The documentary, Francis: The Pope From the New World, will air on Mexican and U.S. com-
mercial television and has been a bestseller on Amazon.com, rising as high as number four in the documentary category. Amazon has had to reorder DVD copies several times after running out of stock. The documentary traces the remarkable rise of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who, on March 13, became the first pope from the Americas, the first pope who is a Jesuit, and the first to take the name Francis. The nearly hour-long film features interviews from around the world with close friends, fellow priests, coworkers, his biographer and the poor of Buenos Aires. Most of the interviews and much of the film were shot on location in Argentina. “This documentary arrives as the world realizes that a very special man has assumed the leadership of the Catholic Church, and this begins — but does not end — with his gestures of humility and care for everyone,” said Carl Anderson, one of the documentary’s executive producers. “Still, what remain largely un-
Book Review: Dr. Ben Carson’s ‘America the Beautiful’ What is America becoming? And what can she be, if we reclaim a vision for the things that made her great in the first place? Now Dr. Ben Carson reveals his vision for retaking America in his New York Times best-seller America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great. In America the Beautiful, Dr. Carson offers Americans a stark alternative. Dr. Carson argues that we must learn from our past in order to chart a better course for our future. Carson uses his own American success story — detailing his ascent from inner-city poverty to international medical and
humanitarian acclaim — as the launching point for a journey of rediscovery of the fundamental truths and principles that made America such a great nation. Written by a man who has experienced America’s best and worst firsthand, America the Beautiful is at once alarming, convincing, and inspiring. In America the Beautiful Carson shares his perspectives on our nation’s origins, why our
Judeo-Christian heritage remains so relevant and needed today, our failing educational system, and the great threat posed by what Dr. Carson believes are the current administration’s socialistic policies, including precarious Obamacare. America the Beautiful calls us all to use our God-given talents to improve our lives, our communities, our nation, and our world.
known to the public are many details of Pope Francis’ life, the work he has done and the ways in which he has defended the voice-
less and Catholic principles. This documentary delves into
those stories.” The documentary begins with the electrifying moment when the new pope stands before the crowd in St. Peter’s Square on the day of his election. It then takes viewers through both the ordinary and climactic events of his life, from family dynamics, to his call to the priesthood, to his support for the San Lorenzo soccer team, to his care for those in the slums of Buenos Aires. It traces his work for those threatened in Argentina’s Dirty War that coincided with Father Bergoglio’s time as Jesuit provincial, his advocacy for those affected by economic and political turmoil, and the opposition he sometimes encountered from Argentina’s political elites. A trailer for the documentary and information can be found at http://www.popefrancisdocumentary.com/.
Bus Schedule: January 22, 2014 marks the 41st Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s infamous abortion-on-demand ruling. Because of that decision, millions of pre-born babies have been denied their most basic right - their right to life. On Wednesday, January 22, 2014, people from across the Nation will assemble in Washington, D.C. to visibly express their opposition to abortion. On Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 9:00 pm, buses sponsored by the Southeast Chapter of Connecticut Right to Life will leave from the Norwich Municipal Parking Lot (Exit 80, I-395) and travel to D.C. to attend the March for Life on January 22, 2014. Bus fare is $65 per person. If you are unable to attend the March for Life, please consider sponsoring a seat on the bus. For further information and/or to reserve a seat or to sponsor a seat, please call Margaret Becotte at 860-822-1362.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Archbishop Kurtz Asks President Obama for Temporary Relief from Burdensome Fines Against Ministries of Service to the Poor, Sick and Vulnerable Washington - Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has asked President Obama to temporarily exempt religious institutions from crippling fines if their insurance plans exclude sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives. Archbishop Kurtz also asked the President to consider that the U.S. Supreme Court already has agreed to hear two cases related to the mandate created by the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services (HHS). At least 90 cases have been brought to federal courts by individuals and institutions objecting to the imposition of the HHS mandate. Most of the decisions to date have favored those bringing suit. Archbishop Kurtz’s request comes as the Administration has offered exemptions to numerous people and organizations having difficulty in implementing the ACA. Individuals who faced penalties for not meeting deadlines for enrollment
have had deadlines extended. Businesses with 50 or more employees will not be fined if they drop or otherwise do not offer health insurance at all for 2014. After 2014, if these businesses do not offer a health insurance plan, they face a fine of $2,000 a year per employee. Meanwhile, beginning as early as January 1, 2014, organizations such as church-sponsored universities, hospitals and social services, face a fine of $100 per day ($36,500 per year) per employee if they provide health coverage that
does not include contraceptives, including abortion-causing drugs, and sterilization. “The result is a regulation that harshly and disproportionately penalizes those seeking to offer life-affirming health coverage in accord with the teachings of their faith,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “The Administration’s flexibility in implementing the ACA has not yet reached those who want only to exercise what has rightly been called our ‘First Freedom’ under the Constitution.”
“I understand that legal issues in these cases will ultimately be settled by the Supreme Court,” he added. “In the meantime, however, many religious employers have not obtained the temporary relief they need in time to avoid being subjected to the HHS mandate beginning January 1. I urge you, therefore, to consider offering temporary relief from this mandate, as you have for so many other individuals and groups facing other requirements under the ACA.” The entire letter follows:
Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the Catholic bishops of the United States, I wish you and your family every blessing in this New Year. The bishops pray regularly that you and our other public officials will have renewed strength to fulfill the duties of your office with integrity, justice and compassion. In this regard, your Administration recently relaxed the rules governing individual health plans under the Affordable Care Act, so Americans whose current plans have been canceled may claim a “hardship exemption” from some requirements. This is the latest in a series of actions to advance the ACA’s goal of maximizing health coverage, while minimizing hardships to Americans as the Act is implemented. For example, the ACA exempts small employers from the mandate to offer health coverage, and you have suspended this mandate for all employers through 2014. One category of Americans, however, has been left out in the cold: Those who, due to moral and religious conviction, cannot in good conscience comply with the HHS regulation requiring coverage of sterilization and contraceptives. This mandate includes drugs and devices that can interfere with the survival of a human being in the earliest stage of development, burdening reli-
gious convictions on abortion as well as contraception. To date, at least 90 lawsuits representing almost 300 plaintiffs have been filed to challenge this mandate, and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear two of these cases in its current Term. Most lower courts addressing the issue have found merit in the plaintiffs’ claims and granted at least temporary relief, while some courts have denied relief or have yet to act. Many Catholic and other nonprofit institutions caring for those in need through education, health care and other services are not exempt from the contraceptive mandate. For reasons articulated by the courts, the Administration’s final rule of July 2013 does not alleviate the burden on their religious freedom. Please consider, then, the result of your Administration’s current policies. In the coming year, no employer, large or small, will be required to offer a health plan at all. Employers face no penalty in the coming year (and only $2000 per employee afterwards) for canceling coverage against their em-
ployees’ wishes, compelling them to seek individual coverage on the open market. But an employer who chooses, out of charity and good will, to provide and fully subsidize an excellent health plan for employees – but excludes sterilization or any contraceptive drug or device – faces crippling fines of up to $100 a day or $36,500 a year per employee. In effect, the government seems to be telling employees that they are better off with no employer health plan at all than with a plan that does not cover contraceptives. This is hard to reconcile with an Act whose purpose is to
bring us closer to universal coverage. The result is a regulation that harshly and disproportionately penalizes those seeking to offer life-affirming health coverage in accord with the teachings of their faith. The Administration’s flexibility in implementing the ACA has not yet reached those who want only to exercise what has rightly been called our “First Freedom” under the Constitution. I understand that legal issues in these cases will ultimately be settled by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, however, many religious employers have not obtained the temporary relief they need in time to avoid being subjected to the HHS mandate beginning January 1. I urge you, therefore, to consider offering temporary relief from this mandate, as you have for so many
other individuals and groups facing other requirements under the ACA. Thank you for considering this urgent plea. Again, be assured of my continued prayers in the coming year as you seek to serve the American people. Sincerely yours, Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Archbishop of Louisville President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Courts Give Some Last-Minute Relief from HHS Contraceptive Mandate West Palm Beach, Fla. -- In the midst of their New Year’s Eve celebration with low-income elderly By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service
residents, the Baltimore-based Little Sisters of the Poor learned that the Supreme Court issued an injunction temporarily protecting them from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. The order by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, issued within hours of the mandate taking effect at midnight Jan. 1, applies to the Coloradobased Little Sisters of the Poor and their co-plaintiffs -- Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Employee Benefits Trust - in a lawsuit against the federal government. The same evening, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an emergency stay for Catholic organizations in a lawsuit
filed by the Archdiocese of Washington, including The Catholic University of America, Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington; Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Md.; and Mary of Nazareth Roman Catholic Elementary School in Darnestown, Md. The 2-1 ruling in the Circuit Court included a comment from Judge David S. Tatel explaining why he voted to deny the injunction. “Because I believe that appellants are unlikely to prevail on their claim that the challenged provision imposes a ‘substantial burden’ under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, I would deny their application for an injunction pending appeal,” Tatel said, according to the Associated Press. The Archdiocese of Washington issued a statement saying the stay vindicates “the pledge of the U.S. Catholic bishops to stand in resolute defense of the first and most
Defending Religious Liberty The University of Notre Dame is among the many institutions refiling their lawsuits in opposition to the HHS mandate, because it would require the university to authorize insurance coverage that violates Catholic moral teaching. In a statement, Notre Dame’s President, the Rev. John Jenkins, said: “Going along with the administration’s plan would require us to forfeit our rights, to facilitate and become entangled in a program inconsistent with Catholic teaching, and to create the impression that the University cooperates with and condones activities incompatible with its mission.” If you haven’t done so already, please voice your opposition to the mandate by calling President Obama at the White House at 202-456-1111 or Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at 202-205-5445. Let them know that the mandate is in violation of our First Amendment right to religious freedom.
sacred freedom -- religious liberty.” Sotomayor’s order came in her capacity as the justice assigned to hear emergency applications from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Denver. Her two-sentence order also instructed the federal government to file its response by 10 a.m. Jan. 3. The injunction means the Little Sisters and the Christian Brothers will, for now, not be required to provide contraceptives, sterilizations and drugs and devices that cause abortions as part of their employee health insurance coverage. Sotomayor’s order came as faithaffiliated groups around the nation rushed to federal courts to halt the provision. Several efforts were successful in obtaining temporary injunctions in the last days of 2013. Also Dec. 31, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati reversed a decision by the Nashville District Court. The HHS mandate now may not be enforced while a lawsuit by the Diocese of Nashville and others works its way through the legal process. The plaintiffs there include Catholic Charities of Tennessee; Camp Marymount; Mary, Queen of Angels; St. Mary Villa; the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia; and Aquinas College. Sister Constance Veit, communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor, told Catholic News Service in a phone interview that the call from their attorney about Sotomayor’s order came just as the sisters were finishing a party with residents at their Baltimore base. The sisters operate 29 homes for the elderly around the country. “It was surprising that we heard anything because we knew Justice Sotomayor was in New York City for the celebration, and we are grateful for the move in the right direction,” she told CNS. Sotomayor led the countdown to midnight as the crystal ball was dropped in Times Square. In general, employers who provide health insurance to workers are required as of Jan. 1 to comply with
the mandate that those policies include various types of contraceptives, including sterilization and abortifacients. The penalty for noncompliance is potentially thousands of dollars daily in fines. Although the Obama administration has made some allowances for exemptions for religious institutions, when final rules were issued in June, some Catholic employers said the exception still did not address their moral objections. The sisters said they hope and pray for a favorable outcome so they can continue to serve the elderly of all faiths. “If we were subject to the fines, it would impact all our homes around the country,” Sister Veit said. “We have 13,000 residents.” Prior to the order, preliminary injunctions had been awarded in 18 of 20 similar cases, according the Washington-based Becket Fund, which represents many organizations suing over the mandate and maintains data about the cases on its website. Mark Rienzi, senior counsel for the Becket Fund, told CNS it makes no sense for the Little Sisters to be fined for noncompliance before the lawsuit can even be decided. “For the most part, the religious nonprofits are winning their cases, and the courts have said the governments are wrong here and that people have a right to exercise their religion,” Rienzi told CNS shortly before Sotomayor’s order. “Some, unfortunately, didn’t get preliminary injunctions and therefore face an imminent choice of either violating their religions or facing enormous fines.” There are 91 lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate, according to the Becket Fund. Rienzi added that until the Supreme Court provides a clear answer to the legal challenges there will be a patchwork of court decisions in which some groups win and others face massive fines that may force some to close. In Nashville, Rick Musacchio,
diocesan director of communications, told CNS that its lawsuit is “not about access to contraception, it is about making Catholic entities facilitate and provide those services even though we find them morally objectionable.” “We think the government mandates unfairly and unconstitutionally drive a wedge between the Catholic faith and the works we do through these affiliated entities,” he said, explaining that the mandate penalizes organizations for refusing to participate in providing morally objectionable products and services that are readily available anywhere. “We still know that there is a long road ahead, but we are delighted about this outcome,” said Sister Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith, president of Aquinas College in Nashville. Elsewhere, the Fort Wayne, Ind.based U.S. District Court entered a preliminary injunction temporarily barring enforcement of the contraceptive mandate against the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The suit included the diocesan Catholic Charities, St. Anne Home and Retirement Community, Franciscan Alliance, Specialized Physicians of Illinois, the University of St. Francis and Our Sunday Visitor. The Dec. 27 order by Judge Jon DeGuilio focused only on the request for an injunction against enforcement while the lawsuit proceeds. “It is small first step, a touchdown in the first quarter, but there is still a lot of game to be played; this is not over by any means,” Sean McBride, diocesan spokesman, told CNS. “Clearly this is an affirmation for religious freedoms, of the First Amendment, and an opportunity for us to operate on a daily basis without violating our deeply held religious beliefs,” McBride added. The Supreme Court will hear, probably in March, two cases by for-profit employers that are challenging the contraceptive mandate. Challenges by entities similar to the religious orders are working their way to the high court.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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Thanks to your support, the Four County Catholic has been there for 25 consecutive years to chronicle the news, local and far, that defines our role as active Catholics.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
St. Patrick Cathedral School, Norwich 860-889-4174 www.St-patrickschoolnorwich.org
Academic Excellence. Character. Self-confidence.
Sacred Heart School, Taftville 860-887-1757 www.sacredhearttaftville.org Sacred Heart School, Groton 860-445-0611 www.sacredheartgroton.org St. Edward School, Stafford Springs 860-684-2600 www.stedward-stafford.org St. James School, Danielson 860-774-3281 www.stjamesdanielson.com Blessed John Paul II Regional School, Middletown 860-347-2978 www.jpii.org St. John School, Old Saybrook 860-388-0849 www.saintjohnschoolos.com St. Joseph School, Baltic 860-822-6141 www.stjosephbaltic.org St. Joseph School, North Grosvenordale 860-923-2090 www.schoolofstjoseph.com St. Joseph School, New London 860-442-1720 www.sjsnl.com St. Mary-St. Joseph School, Willimantic 860-423-8479 www.smsjschool.org St. Michael School, Pawcatuck 860-599-1084 www.stmichaelschoolct.com St. Matthew Pre-School, Tolland 860-872-0200 www.stmatthewct.org St. Bernard Pre-School, Rockville 860-875-0753 x113 www.saintbernardchurch.org
Of All the Great Sports Moments of 2013 Hartford Courant Columnist Jeff Jacobs Chose a BuzzerBeater by Maria Weselyj That Gave Mercy a State Title She calls it the greatest gift she has received. Better than any birthday. Better than any Christmas present. Yet if Maria By Jeff Jacobs Reprint from the Hartford Courant
Weselyj could do it all over again, she would not be on the floor at Mohegan Sun Arena for the final 3.8 seconds of her state championship game. To hit the greatest buzzer-beater in
Connecticut high school basketball history is one matter. To watch the reaction of the Mercy fans is quite another. “I’ve watched the video so many times,” Weselyj said. “I just watch the crowd and how they react to the moment. A player has a different perception. If I could relive the whole thing, I don’t want to shoot the shot. I want to be in the stands with them.” It is the collective joy, of her team, of
her school community, more than her individual three-pointer to win the Class LL title game against Lauralton Hall that Weselyj carries so dearly. And as I rummaged through my sports memory for our state’s greatest sports moment of 2013, it is the realization that it is the collective joy that separates a simple muscular act from the complex matters of the heart and soul. How could there be anything more
To learn more, contact the Diocesan School Office, 860-887-4086, www.norwichdso.org or contact one of the diocesan schools.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
memorable than Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte leading Mariano Rivera off the mound for the final time at Yankee Stadium? How could there be anything more memorable than David Ortiz, after the Boston Marathon, taking the microphone, and saying, “Nobody is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong.” Unless it was Papi hitting the grand slam that turned around the ALCS and left Torii Hunter upside down on the fence with his legs in the same victory sign that Fenway bullpen cop Steve Horgan made with his upraised arms. Who was Connecticut’s athlete of the year? For the men, it is has to be Mets pitcher Matt Harvey of Groton. For the women, it has to be Breanna Stewart for leading the UConn women to their eighth national title. Still, my mind keeps drifting back to Weselyj and her shot. The shock, the joy, the heartache, all in an innocent heartbeat. If you saw it, well, you’ll never forget it. “My brother-in-law’s up from North Carolina for Christmas and we were watching the last quarter,” Mercy coach Tim Kohs said. “The end, it brings tears to your eyes. We had an open house a month ago at Mercy and the husband of our religion teacher Daria Fitzgerald walked in with a sweat shirt with 3.8 on it. I only know Bob Fitzgerald to say hi. He told me, ‘I’ve been to NFL games, NCAA championships, and that game brought back my faith in sports.’” “It’s the rawness of high school. They’re kids. They’re not doing it for the money or the fame. They do it for each other. That moment really made me think about that.” When asked immediately afterward what she thought when she took the shot, Weselyj had a classic reply: “I thought it was going in.” She didn’t want that to sound cocky, only confident. Weselyj is a shooter. She believes that every shot is going in. She admits that Kohs sometimes had to shoo her off the court after practice. She was overdoing it. So what did Weselyj do? She’d sneak off to Healthtrax of Glastonbury or Newington or to her driveway at home in Marlborough to put up more shots.
“Shooting is my outlet,” Weselyj said. “It releases a lot of stress.” Through the years, Kohs’ teams have practiced the Valpo play once or twice every week. “But we’ve never used it when it meant anything,” Kohs said. “The biggest thing is getting a long pass that can be caught, and it’s hard to find a high school girl who can throw it anywhere near where Sheena Landy put it. Even Sheena couldn’t do it five out of 10 times.” “Four of the five Lauralton Hall players gravitated toward the ball, so Maria and Jordyn Nappi were both open. We felt like we had a good plan. But to put it all together in that type of pressure and environment, you’ve got to be really lucky. If we ran it 100 times, you’d hit maybe two to five.” This is a kid who was born in Lviv, Ukraine, and adopted by Ukrainian-American parents, Oleh and Luba Weselyj, when she was about to turn 5. Yes, she remembers, and, yes, she speaks fluent Ukrainian. Yes, she went to Ukrainian school until she was a sophomore in high school, re-
mains tied to the Ukrainian Scouts and keeps up with the events of her homeland, including the mass demonstrations of recent months. “I am in touch with my heritage,” she said. Great pass by Landy, now playing soccer and basketball at Trinity. Great catch by Santoro, now playing at Salve Regina, with three players on her. Santoro’s chest pass found Weselyj open. Lauralton’s Olivia Levey, arms raised, got in Weselyj’s face a splitsecond late. “As a coach, you just hope a kid like Maria gets a chance,” Kohs said. “She’s unbelievably humble. She didn’t have a good shooting game that day, but if you’re going to pick a kid in Connecticut to take that shot, you’d pick her.” The ball hit the net with about 0.9 seconds left. By the time it hit the floor, it was over. As she backpedaled, her teammates dropped her to the court in a tremendous dog pile. Weselyj saw Kohs jump up and down, yet it wasn’t until she watched the video that she saw Nappi’s unre-
strained joy. She started jumping up and down under the basket. She kept it up until she reached near halfcourt. And when she couldn’t get at Weselyj in the pile, Nappi, now playing at Eastern Connecticut, just stood there jumping up and down. “We always laugh about it, ‘Wow, Jordyn, we’ve never seen you so excited in your life,’” Wesleyj said. Like Kohs said, the moment brings tears to your eyes. Mercy had advanced to the state finals in each of the previous three years and had lost each time. As a freshman, Weselyj lost to NFA by three. Then it was to Career by two and Newtown by two. “My favorite quote is if you want something you’ve never had,
you have to do something you’ve never done,” Weselyj said. “So those last 3.8 seconds come down to this: Were we lucky? I’ve considered that. But I believe we had five seniors on that team and we weren’t going to lose again.” “That group knew heartache,” Kohs said, “That’s what made the shot even more amazing.” The shot ended up on “SportsCenter.” It was everywhere. Heck, newspapers in Europe had it on their websites. So now Maria Weselyj starts at point guard as a scholarship freshman for Southern Connecticut, averaging nearly 10 points a game. People come up and ask her, “Aren’t you the girl who hit the shot?” It is, she says, a great conversation starter in her life.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Cold Hands, Young Heart: The Wonder of Winter Just when you think you’ve seen everything – every lion hugging human, every shark-eluding By Christina Capecchi Four County Catholic Contributor
seal – the World Wide Web churns out a picture that makes you stare. We process a barrage of images so glibly that it takes something special to keep us from skipping and scrolling right by. And yet here it was: a Twitter link that led to a Flickr page of super-magnif i e d snowflakes dripping and fluttering in remarkable intricacy. Despite their commonality as symmetrical, six-pointed crystals, their diversity was staggering, no two even close to alike: a boxy
hexagon, a dainty doily, a set of arrows, a regal crown ready to enshrine emeralds. Elizabeth Scalia, a Benedictine Oblate I follow on Twitter, had already responded to the snowflakes. “When I first saw these pictures, all I could think was, ‘Look! Pictures of Christ!’” she had blogged. “The snowflakes are ordered. They are visibly, perfectly ordered, like Christ. And as with Christ, you can see the
whole world in them. Butterflies and flowers, dragonflies and stingers and crescents, stars, arrows and feathers and leaves, sand dollars, beetles and tents and cathedrals and even people.”
I emailed the link to my friend Sister Mary, a Dominican sister from San Francisco who recently moved to St. Paul, Minn., and seemed alarmed by our recent cold snap. Perhaps their beauty would soften their bite. “It is incredible that every snowflake and every grain of sand is unique,” she wrote back. “What an awesome God we have!” We are in the midst of a white winter here, Sister Mar y can attest, and for me, the snowfall never gets old, filling me with childlike glee and recalling the magic of a snow day, one fell swoop that could wipe away 12 hours of
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hustle through basketball practice? Nah, let’s keep you in those nice, warm pajamas a few more hours and then send you outside to build a snow fort! Each time I spot flurries, I step away from my desk and entertain the urge to grab my camera and photograph the old oak out back that somehow looks new again. The other day I discovered an Anne Sexton quote that conveys it well: “I am younger each year at the first snow. When I see it, suddenly, in the air, all little and white and moving, then I am in love again and very young and I believe everything.” Beauty leads to belief, and the foot bridge is a youthful sense of wonder, inviting us to pause from the day’s demands and simply delight. As young adults distancing ourselves from college, we can be consumed by practicalities – rent, insurance, a 401k – and we hurl toward the future with our heads down and elbows pumping. We mistake growing more serious for growing wiser. We starve our imaginations. It’s all made worse by the fact that we, as a species, now largely live indoors, glued to tiny electronics and oversized TVs, stuck in a kind of secondhand existence. This winter I am compelled to venture outside, to feel cold, alert and alive. Last week I almost succumbed to an impulse buy of snow shoes beckoning from a Sam’s Club endcap. And I’m framing the Dec. 30, 2013, New Yorker cover, an illustration of Pope Francis making a snow angel, as a symbol of winter wonder. My mom is celebrating her retirement on a dog-sledding trip near the Canadian border. I’ll be content to stand below an Eric Carle moon and let its cloudy light drip down. Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. She can be reached at www.ReadChristina.com.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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ND . VERE T RE OTE, D.D MOS .C R L E A H C I M
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Did You Know? January 6
Three Kings Day. These wise men searched for Jesus. Be wise and follow Jesus! January 9
National Static Electricity Day. An imbalance of electrons produces static electricity. You might feel it when you get a tiny shock when you walk across a rug and grab a doorknob. Try these activities at http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Society/national-static-electricity-
by Karen H Whiting
January 19
Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. You’ll hear about this in the gospel readings on two Sundays. Chat about baptism. January 20-24
No Name Calling Week. Read what happened when teens called one of God’s prophets names in 2 Kings 2:22-24. January 26 - February 1
Angels and Christ’s Birth Martin Luther King Day, on January 20, celebrates freedom. It comes the day after Pro-Life Day that celebrates the freedom of babies, disabled people, and the elderly to live. National Religious Freedom Day is a few days earlier. These days for freedom and equality are times to pray for people to get along and value all life. They remind us to value every person and not judge people by their looks or consider anyone unwanted. Alas, there are more slaves in the world today than at any other time in history. Even in the United States there is human trafficking, a form of slavery. Many people around the world may not be slaves, but they do not have freedom to worship Jesus. Pray for freedom for all people. Do your part in being nice to everyone, young old, rich and poor, and people with different colors of hair, eyes, or skin. God loves colors. He gave flowers many colors and made rainbows. Try these activities to celebrate life: • Collect baby clothes and items for a homeless shelter. • Congratulate women who are going to have a baby. • Smile at everyone you meet. • Read about people who helped free others or took care of unwanted, ill people. Read about Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, and Mother Teresa. • Look at your baby pictures and chat about what you were like as a baby. • Make cards or tray favors for children in a hospital or people in a nursing home. (Check on what you can make and get permission.) • Pray every day for freedom and for people to love one another and live in peace. • Make a collage of baby pictures of as many people and relatives in your family as you can. • Collect used toys, canned good, and clothes. Donate them to a St. Vincent de Paul center or other organizations in your area that helps the poor. • With your family bake a meal for a neighbor who is ill or has a newborn baby.
Soar like an Eagle January 19 is Bald Eagle Appreciation Day. The Bible talks about eagles quite a bit (31 verses). Decode the following to find out some things people who trust in God will do that an eagle does: a=A
e=E
f=F
g=G
h=H
i=I
k=K
L=L
n=N
o=O
r=R
S=S
t=T
U=U
w=W
y=Y
d=D
__ __ __ __ S o a r
__ __ __ r U n
&
__ __ __ __ w a L k
__ __ __ __ h i g h
__ __ __ n o t
&
__ __ __ __ g r o w
__ __ __ n o t
__ __ __ __ __ w e a r y
__ __ __ __ __ f a i n t
Answers from Isaiah 40:31: Soar high, Run and not grow weary, Walk and not faint
Catholic school week. It’s important to learn about your faith whether you attend a Catholic school or CCD. Write thank you notes to teachers who help you understand your faith.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Bishop Chibly Langlois of Les Cayes, Haiti, is Among the 19 New Cardinals Named by Pope Francis Vatican City (AP) - Pope Francis named 19 cardinals Sunday, January 12, 2014, choosing men from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor. Pope Francis read out the 19 names to a crowd of tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square. Sixteen of the appointees are younger than 80, meaning they would be eligible to elect the next pope, which is a cardinal’s most important task, after the Feb. 22 ceremony to formally install them. Some appointments were expected, including that of his new secretary of state, Italian archbishop Pietro Parolin, and the
German head of the Vatican’s watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy, Gerhard Ludwig Mueller. Two others named Sunday also come from the curia. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pope’s selection of churchmen from Haiti and Burkina Faso reflects Pope Francis’ attention to the destitute as a core part of the church’s mission. Pope Francis’ announcement of the honor of the Les Cayes Bishop Chibly Langlois, who, at 55, was the youngest of the appointees, came as the impoverished Caribbean nation marked the anniversary of the quake there that killed tens of thousands of people. “Today we are marking four years since the earthquake,” said a
priest, Hans Alexandre, in Haiti. The pontiff ’s emphasis on the poor “touches us immensely.” In Burkina Faso, the archbishop of O u a gadougou, Philipe O u e draogo, said he thought reporters had made a mistake when they called him about his promotion to car-
dinal’s rank, as he had no advance word from the Vatican. He also embraced Pope Francis’ vision of a church toiling for those on the margins of society. “I fully recognize myself in his vision and pastoral philosophy that, like Jesus, identifies himself
with the poor and the sick,” the African prelate said. Ouedraogo, very popular in his homeland, had recently opposed a proposed change to the constitution to allow the country’s president, in power since 1987, to run for another term. Not counting the four picks from the curia who no longer represent the Church in their homelands, the other new voting cardinals include two from Europe, three from North and Central America, three from South America, and two apiece from Africa and Asia. Pope Francis has stressed that the Church hierarchy mustn’t view itself as an elite aloof from its flock, but instead serve its flock, especially the poor.
Rejoice in Hope
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Pope Reaches Out to ‘Indifferent’ Catholics Vatican City (AP) — Pope Francis offered another gesture
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he gives love and this love looks for you, waits for you — for you who don’t believe or have drifted away. This is the love of God.” Francis has made a priority of reaching out to atheists and Catholics marginalized by their church, particularly gays. He has tasked priests, bishops and cardinals with going out to preach on the margins of society and not wait for the faithful to come back to the church.
Father Paul Gaumond Memorial Dedication
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Francis made the comments after he celebrated Epiphany, a feast day that recalls the visit to the infant Jesus Christ by three kings. “I would like to tell all those who feel far from God and the church — and I say this respectfully to those who are afraid or indifferent: The Lord calls you and wants you to be part of his people and does so with great respect and love!” Francis said. “The Lord doesn’t proselytize,
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On December 29th 2013, Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Essex, CT held a memorial dedication for the late Father Paul Gaumond on the first anniversary of his death. Father Paul was pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish from May 17, 2000 until the time of his death. Father Arul Rajan Peter, the new pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows hosted the event which was attended by Father Paul’s family, friends, and parishioners. The parish unveiled a memorial stone that is displayed near the entrance of Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
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Four County Catholic January 2014
Baptism Gives Strength to Forgive Enemies, Love Poor, Pope Says Vatican City - Baptism isn’t just some formal ritual, it profoundly changes people, giving them unBy Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
wavering hope and the strength to forgive and love others, Pope Francis said. “With baptism, we are immersed in that inexhaustible source of life that is Jesus’ death, the greatest act of love in all of history,” he said during his first general audience of 2014. The pope spent nearly two hours after the audience Jan. 8 greeting people, blessing the sick, speaking with newlyweds and receiving notes, letters and late Christmas gifts from the crowd. He also watched a brief performance by acrobats, jugglers and
clowns who were part of an international Golden Circus festival. During his usual rounds through St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile before the start of the audience, the pope caught sight of a friend in the crowd. The pope had the driver stop the popemobile and gestured for his friend to board the vehicle. The friend, Father Fabian Baez, sat in the back seat, then walked with the pope to a special seating section for guests. Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini, vice director of the Vatican press office, said the priest works in a parish in Buenos Aires and that the pope said Father Baez was “a great confessor.” The pope began the new year of audience talks with a new series of catecheses on the sacraments,
starting with baptism -- the sacrament that “grafts us as living members in Christ and in his church.” Baptism isn’t merely “a simple rite, a formal act of the church,” he said. “It is an act that profoundly touches our existence” and radically changes the person. “A baptized baby is not the same as a baby who’s not baptized. A baptized person is not the same as a person who’s not baptized,” he said. By being immersed in the living waters of Christ’s salvation, he said, “we can live a new life, no longer at the mercy of evil, sin and death, but in communion with God and our brothers and sisters,” embarking on a whole new life. The pope reminded his audi-
ence that it was very important for Christians to know the date of their baptism because it was “a happy day” of celebration. Recalling that event is important because there is always the risk people think of it as something that happened in the past or that it was something just their parents wanted, and was “not of our volition.” Even though chances are people were just infants on that day and can’t remember it firsthand, “We have to reawaken the memory of our baptism” and live it every day as a great gift from the Lord, the pope said. “If we are able to follow Jesus and remain in the church, even with our limits, frailties and our sins, it is precisely because of the sacrament in which we became
new beings and were vested in Christ.” The power of baptism frees people from original sin, grafts them to God and makes them bearers of “a new hope” that nothing and nobody can destroy, he said. “Thanks to baptism, we are able to forgive, to love -- even those who offend us and hurt us; that we are able to recognize the face of Christ in the least and the poor,” he said. The fact that baptism is always conferred by a priest in the Lord’s name shows it is a gift that is passed on from person to person “a chain of grace,” he said. It is “an act of fraternity” and becoming a child of the church, who, like a mother, generates new children in Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Saint Ber Bernard nard School School Grades Gr ades 6 – 12 12 FEBR FEBRUA UARY MORNING MORN COFFEES COFFEES 9:00 - 11:00 AM on FFebruary ebruar y 11,, 12,, 13 O PEN HOUSE OPEN Tuesday March 4 esd , March fr om 6:00 - 8:00 PM from ENTRANCE EXAM EXAM ENTRANCE Satur day, March March 22 Saturd fr om 8:30 AM - Noon from Visit our website www.beasaint.us website and register register at www .beasaint.us Email:: admissions@saint-bernard.com admissions@sain admissions@saint-bernard.com Call:: 860-848-1271
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Four County Catholic January 2014
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