All Diocesan Articles

October is Respect Life Month- Read Bishop Cote's Column

Posted on October 01, 2019 in: News, Reflections, ProLife

October is Respect Life Month- Read Bishop Cote's Column

Respect Life Month

Although we must cherish, protect, and defend human life year-round, the Catholic Church in the United States sets aside each October as Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of October is observed as Respect Life Sunday. As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning of life to its end, and at every point in between. During the month of October, the Church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life. 
Bishop Cotes Column from the October Four County Catholic is below. 

October 2019 Four County Catholic

Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life

“The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy.
I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

John 10:10

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

 Each October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month to proclaim the immeasurable value of every person from conception to natural death.  The theme this year is, Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life.  We live in a world that needs hope.  Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God is the source of our hope, and as St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, "hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).

 The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1700) affirms that "the dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God."  This has been a core belief in the church from the very beginning.  In Psalm 139:13-14 the psalmist proclaims, "You formed my inmost being: you knit me in my mother's womb.  I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your ways!" 

This letter proposes the dignity of the human person "in every season of life," from conception to natural death.  It seems that life, at its most vulnerable stages - from the unborn child to the elderly- is under attack.  Laws expanding abortion rights and physician assisted suicide reflect a culture that has lost hope.

 Pope Francis, in his book On Hope, highlights the importance of Abraham.  He says "Saint Paul, in Romans, reminds us of the great figure of Abraham to show us the way of faith and hope.  Of him the Apostle writes, 'He believed, hoping against all hope, and so became the father of many nations' (Romans 4:18)."  Elsewhere, Pope Francis writes: "Hope opens new horizons, making us capable of dreaming what is not even imaginable.  This hope invites us to enter the darkness of an uncertain future and to walk through and into the light.  It is beautiful, the virtue of hope; it gives us great strength to walk in life."

 Pope Francis invites us to accompany people on the margins of society - the frightened pregnant mother who has lost hope, the migrant crossing the border in search of a better life, the elderly person full of pain and facing a terminal diagnosis.  Each of these people need us to be witnesses of hope - in every season of life.  As Saint John Paul II noted in the encyclical The Gospel of Life: "The Gospel of Life is for the whole of human society.  To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the promotion of the common good.  It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."

 We need to be ardent defenders of the right to life as we promote the common good.  Thank you for bringing hope to those in need and for all you do to foster a culture of life in our Diocese.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop of Norwich


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Now Hiring: Faith Filled Educators

Posted on July 11, 2025 in: News, School News

1380

Now Hiring: Faith Filled Educators
There are several current job openings for educators in our diocese.  The positions are updated weekly, so be sure to bookmark this page in your browser-  NorwichDiocese.org/Employment Click Here to See the Current Open Positions  All candidates must complete the official professional application to be considered for a teaching position or principal position and submit it to the Diocesan School Office. Applications are available on the employment page of the website. Visit NorwichDiocese.org/Employment to view all of the open jobs in the di...

Read More

Clergy Appointments

Posted on July 09, 2025 in: News, Vocations

1076

Clergy Appointments
July 3, 2025 The Most Reverend Richard F. Reidy, Bishop of Norwich, has made the following clergy and diocesan appointments in the Diocese of Norwich   DIOCESAN APPOINTMENT Rev. Msgr. Leszek T. Janik, JCL, Vicar General of the Diocese of Norwich, while continuing as Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Norwichtown, and Saint Joseph Church, Norwich. Effective: June 5, 2025. Very Rev. Ted Tumicki, STL, JCL, Judicial Vicar for the Tribunal Office of the Diocese of Norwich. Effective: June 5, 2025.   CLERGY APPOINTMENT Reverend Francis Gi...

Read More

5 Ways to Sanctify Your Summer Vacation and Evangelize
With the arrival of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, many people take a vacation, a period of rest away from their routine but also a unique opportunity to reconnect with their faith. A bishop, a mother, and a priest shared some tips from their own experiences for “sanctifying vacations” and evangelizing at vacation spots.   1. Take time to connect with God. Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the bishop of Matamoros-Reynosa in Mexico, Eugenio Lira, emphasized that summer is a time of rest to “recreate&rd...

Read More

Pope Leo Meets with Supreme Knight, Supreme Chaplain
As the United States celebrated Independence Day last week, Pope Leo XIV received Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore in a private audience at the Vatican. The July 4 audience was the first meeting of the U.S.-born pope with the leader of the Knights of Columbus and the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which in 1789 became the first diocese in the United States. During their visit, the supreme knight and supreme chaplain pledged the Order’s loyalty to Pope Leo and promised ongoing prayers and support...

Read More

Looking Forward with Gratitude for What Has Been
Editor’s Note After nearly ten years of ministry with the Diocese of Norwich, our dear colleague Mary-Jo McLaughlin has entered retirement. While she may be stepping away from her day-to-day role, she is not stepping away from us entirely. I’m happy to share that she will continue writing her beloved Marriage Matters column, bringing her insight and compassion to our readers in the months ahead. In the following reflection, Mary-Jo shares her heartfelt gratitude for the journey she’s been on—and the faith that continues to guide her. It’s...

Read More

Notre-Dame Cathedral Welcomes More Than 6 Million Visitors Since Reopening
Notre-Dame de Paris (French for “Our Lady of Paris”), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. | Credit: Sam valadi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons   Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris has become the most visited place in France. Since reopening its doors last December after a 2019 fire, it has welcomed more than 6 million people. On April 15, 2019, the French capital witnessed one of the most devastating tragedies in its recent history. Its iconic cathedral &mdash...

Read More

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

Español

 

Latest Articles
Youth Bowling with the Bishop August 19th
A Joyous Eucharistic Procession at Saint John Church
Looking Forward with Gratitude for What Has Been
Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
In Memoriam: Sr. Eileen Smith, DHS (1921–2025)
Calendar of Parish Events from Around the Diocese
Notre-Dame Cathedral Welcomes More Than 6 Million Visitors Since Reopening
Now Hiring: Faith Filled Educators
Recently Added Galleries
Click to view album: Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Richard F. Reidy
Click to view album: Students Called to Feed the Hungry
Click to view album: 40 Days for Life 2024
Click to view album: Blessing of the Fleet 2024
Signup for Weekly Newsletter

     

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