Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

A Dedicated Servant of Faith Takes on a New Role

Posted on January 14, 2025 in: News

A Dedicated Servant of Faith Takes on a New Role

The Office of Faith Events is thrilled to welcome Alvania Tejada as its new administrative assistant. Alvania is a familiar face in the Diocese of Norwich, bringing years of devotion, experience and heartfelt service. Originally from the Dominican Republic and a proud mother of two adult children, Alvania has long been a part of our diocesan community, holding numerous ministry roles that have impacted countless lives. Her journey brought her to the U.S. in 1998 and then to Connecticut in 2002, where her story of Faith and service truly began to flourish.

For nearly two decades, Alvania was an active parishioner at St. Mary Star of the Sea in New London, serving from 2009 to 2021 as the youth ministry coordinator, faith formation secretary and Safe Environment advocate. “We have known and worked with Alvania for years as a youth minister, and we are so excited to have her positive energy and contagious smile brightening our office and our work,” shares Liza Roach, youth and young adult minister in the Office of Faith Events.

In addition to her parish work, Alvania has served the diocese in various capacities, including part-time as the immigration program coordinator at Catholic Charities in New London. She has also supported the Development Office of the Sisters of Charity in Baltic and held a role in the Faith Formation Office at St. Mary and Sts. Peter & Paul in Norwich, where she served as director of faith formation in the summer of 2021.

After moving to Norwich in 2022, Alvania began working at Backus Hospital, yet she never let go of her passion for ministry, continuing her faith formation work as a volunteer.

Her spiritual journey deepened in 2004 when she made her first promise as a layperson with the Missionary Servants of the Word, a commitment that has continued to nourish her spiritual life.

“This job is a dream come true. I feel that God has called me to this new job, and I am inspired to do this work every day. The work I am doing now is making a difference in my own life as well as in the diocese,” Alvania shares with heartfelt gratitude.

For those wishing to connect with Alvania in the Office of Faith Events, she can be reached at 860.848.2237, ext. 304 or faithevents@norwichdiocese.net.

By Andrea Hoisl


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Former Parishioner of Bishop Reidy Moves Closer to Sainthood
A beloved Worcester “Block Mom,” a Harvard-educated convert, and one of the most compelling pro-life voices of her generation — could she also be a future saint? The Vatican has now approved the next step in the cause of Ruth Pakaluk, a former parishioner of Bishop Richard F. Reidy when he served as rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Worcester. In this article by Matt McDonald for the National Catholic Register, you’ll discover how her remarkable journey from atheism to Catholicism, her tireless pro-life witness, and her heroic serenity in suffer...

Read More

Bishop Reidy on the Meaning Behind Catholic Schools Week
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, Catholic Schools Week is a celebration which began in 1974. This is a yearly celebration of Catholic Education throughout the United States. The theme for National Catholic Schools Week for 2026 is: “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic Schools educate the whole person mind, body and soul. It is based on Pope Francis’s words, “Christ is alive and He wants you to be alive.” Catholic Schools Week is celebrated from January 25 - January 31, 2026. The companion to National Catholic ...

Read More

U.S. Bishops to Consecrate Nation to Sacred Heart of Jesus
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2026 to accompany the country’s 250th anniversary. At the USCCB Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops voted “to entrust our nation to the love and care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Devoting the nation is an opportunity “to remind everyone of our task to serve our nation by perfecting the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel as taught by the Second Vatican Council,” Bishop Kevin Rhoades of ...

Read More

Renew Your Heart: Virtual Advent Mission 2025

Posted on November 20, 2025 in: News, ADVENT

292

Renew Your Heart: Virtual Advent Mission 2025
In our very busy world, it’s easy to feel stretched thin or spiritually scattered. This Advent, come renew your heart and rediscover the gifts God longs to give you.   Join us for a three-week Virtual Advent Mission as we reflect on how Patience, Perseverance, and Peace can take root in our lives through prayer and grace. Join us on Tuesdays: December 2, 9, & 16 from 7PM – 8PM.  To register contact Alvania at atejada@norwichdiocese.net or 860-848-2237 ext. 304. Come prepare your heart for Christ this Advent season.     ...

Read More

Padre Pio’s Devotional Joy Leads Us to the Christmas Open House
*Padre Pio and the Humble Mystery of the Incarnation* For Padre Pio, the heart of December was never noise or celebration—it was wonder. He was profoundly moved by the mystery of the Incarnation, the moment when God chose to enter the world in the smallest and simplest of forms. The humility of the Christ Child touched him deeply. Witnesses often noted that even the mention of the Infant Jesus brought a tenderness to his face and a quiet reverence to his voice. Though Padre Pio did not write extensively about the liturgical days leading up to Christmas, th...

Read More

Living the Longing: Finding God in the Quiet of Advent- A Reflection by Bishop Reidy
I love the Advent Season. I love it not just for what it leads to – the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth at Bethlehem. I love Advent for itself: a season of longing, expectation, and hope. I think that, in a way, the entirety of life is like Advent. There is, deep within us, a longing for God and, as Saint Augustine says, our hearts are restless until they rest in God. That longing and restlessness will not be entirely satisfied until we reach Heaven. Until then, in this life, many things compete for our attention. Those things variously attract us, distr...

Read More

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

Español

 

Latest Articles
Northeastern Connecticut Knights of Columbus and Danielson Elks to Host Free “Coats for Kids” Event on Black Friday
Monthly Pro-Life Mass to be Held December 6th
Renew Your Heart: Virtual Advent Mission 2025
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Living the Longing: Finding God in the Quiet of Advent- A Reflection by Bishop Reidy
Padre Pio’s Devotional Joy Leads Us to the Christmas Open House
Mark Your Calendar: Advent 2025 Begins November 30
Employment Opportunities in Education
Recently Added Galleries
Click to view album: Bowling with Bishop Reidy 2025
Click to view album: Ninety-Fifth Anniversary of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Saint Brendan the Navigator Catholic Community
Click to view album: Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Richard F. Reidy
Click to view album: Students Called to Feed the Hungry
Signup for Weekly Newsletter

     

    Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
    201 Broadway
    Norwich, CT 06360-4328
    Phone: 860-887-9294