By Ryan Blessing Saint John Mission Church celebrated the 125th anniversary of its dedication with a special Mass on Sunday, June 16.  Saint John was built in 1893 and dedicated on June 17, 1894. It is the oldest Roman Catholic Mission east of the Mississippi River. Pastoral care of Saint John Mission was entrusted to Saint Andrew Church, Colchester, in 1893 and was transferred to Sacred Heart, Norwichtown, in 1960. The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, celebrated Mass in the small church in the Fitchville section of Bozrah. The B...

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Join us at St Patrick Cathedral at 213 Broadway, Norwich at 7pm on June 28, 2019 as we pray for men to answer the call to be instruments of God’s grace as priests of Jesus Christ.

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Vocations, Prayer, Holy Hour

Want to help others while enjoying your hometown Connecticut Tigers?   Come join Catholic Charities at Dodd Stadium on June 21st at 7:05pm and enjoy a game, while helping others! Come for the game and stay for the fireworks. Perfect opportunity to thank your employees, volunteers and families! Contact Christine Jackel at 860-889-8346 x287 or email christinejackel@ccfsn.org

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By Ryan Blessing The Daughters of the Holy Spirit celebrated a combined total of 855 years of service by 16 Jubilarians at a special Mass on June 2 at the St. Joseph Church in Willimantic. Six of the Jubilarians marked anniversaries of 70 years with the DHS, a milestone not lost on The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, who celebrated the Mass. “Seventy years, it’s almost hard to imagine, 70 years,” the Bishop told members of the DHS. Based in Putnam, the Daughters of the Holy Spirit is an international religious congregati...

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By Ryan Blessing A perfect backdrop of sunny skies, a light breeze and singing birds provided a tranquil setting May 27 at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Norwich for the annual Memorial Day Mass, which honors the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.   Bishop Michael R. Cote, D.D., concelebrated Mass, along with priests of the Norwich Deanery, at the cemetery's outdoor altar, before a large statue of Jesus Christ. "As a nation, we honor our military men and women who have given their lives in service to our great cou...

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Q: How long have you been a member of the Board of Directors at Catholic Charities? A: I was asked to join in 2002, by Monsignor Thomas Bride and I’ve been on the board for the past seventeen years.   Q: Why did you become involved with Catholic Charities and what has your involvement looked like during your tenure? A: Before joining the Board of Directors, I was a driver for Father Martin’s First Saturday Club for the handicapped in Norwich. Fast forward, some years later, I returned to Main Street to be part of Catholic Charities. I’m stru...

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By Ryan Blessing Reverend Mr. Michael Bovino was ordained to the Diaconate in a Mass of Ordination on Thursday, May 23, at St. Mary Church, in Stonington Borough. Reverend Mr. Bovino was born and raised in Stonington as the oldest of five children. After attending the University of Connecticut for his undergraduate education, where he began to encounter anew the Lord Jesus and the richness of His Catholic Church, he spent two years doing Mission work with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) in New Jersey. I...

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By Mezalus Emil Kenley Richard’s story is proof that education is the road out of poverty for Haitian youth. The Outreach to Haiti Education Sponsorship recipient, Kenley now works to support his family and send his sister to college. For most of his life, Kenley’s family has faced economic challenges. He was born in Port-Au- Prince in 1989, the third of seven children of Jean Bossuet Richard and Keteline Noel. His mother, Keteline, has provided for Kenley’s family through her small trading business. His father was a cabinet maker who found occasiona...

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By Kathy Gaito Our Catholic schools certainly know the meaning of this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) theme, “Hand in Hand with All God’s Children.” The education of each student involves various school personnel working together, putting the child’s best interests first and making the school experience the best it can be. Similarly, the ACA works with donors, pastors and ACA leadership throughout the Diocese so that our ministries and programs are able to have the biggest impact possible. Recognizing the exemplary work of our educat...

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My Dear Friends, During the month of May we pay special tribute in our Catholic schools to Mary, as she is of major importance to us as Catholics. The Hail Mary is one of the most popular prayers in our schools. Many times, we, even as adults, pray it so often that we don’t take the time to really think about what we are praying. In May, we make a concerted effort to prioritize Mary in our schools as the perfect example of humility and acceptance of God’s will. Praying the Hail Mary at home with your children can be a “teachable moment”. Let&rs...

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It was a beautiful evening at the Mystic Yachting Center as friends, supporters, staff, volunteers and board members of Catholic Charities gathered to celebrate its 98th anniversary at the Hope Anchors the Soul Spring Gala. Overlooking the Mystic River, guests were entertained by the Hot Cat Jazz Band while enjoying cocktails and impressive views from the wrap-around covered porch. Guests had the opportunity to bid on many exciting silent auction items, including; tickets to Barrett Jackson Northeast collector car auction at Mohegan Sun; a Cape Cod weekend getaway; a pri...

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By Ryan Blessing The streets of Stonington Borough welcomed walkers holding candles on the evening of Saturday, May 18, as parishioners and friends of St. Mary Church honored Our Lady of Fatima. A group of men dressed in white ceremonial capes carried the church’s statue of Our Lady of Fatima from its place on the altar out the front doors of the church, while parishioners lit candles. The image of Our Lady of Fatima, a life-sized statue, was positioned on a bed of white carnations atop a wooden platform, which the men held high while the parade took place. &...

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The St. Augustine’s Ladies Guild met for tea and a baby shower for the pregnant mothers and clients with young children of Catholic Charities. The guild met at St. Augustine in the Church Hall where, Ed Tessman, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, thanked them for their help and support. Not only did the guild present Ed with a table full of basic needs and essentials for any new mother, they also presented Catholic Charities with a check for $500. These gifts will bring joy to those that seek Catholic Charities out for help and hope during their time of crisis....

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By Mary-Jo McLaughlin “God is the one who makes our to-do list when we live by the grace of ‘yes,’” author, blogger and international speaker Lisa Hendey said during her keynote speech at the ninth annual Norwich Diocesan Women’s Conference at Mercy High School in Middletown. “God has a unique purpose for each of us and for the world. Our ‘yes’ to God is needed in today’s world and it has dignity and worth.” Hendey is the founder and editor of CatholicMom.com and the author of several books, including The Gra...

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