The Cathedral of St. Patrick’s in Norwich, CT is pleased to welcome Fr. Herald Joseph Brock, CFR (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal), for the 2026 Lenten Mission, on March 9–11, 2026, at 6:30 PM each evening. The Mission is open to all—please save the dates and help spread the word.
A Lenten Mission is an invitation to “put out into the deep,” embrace deeper conversion, anchor ourselves more firmly in Christ, and rediscover our mission in Him. We look forward to gathering as a diocesan Church for these grace-filled evenings of clarity, encouragement, and renewal.
This year’s Mission, entitled Lifeboat: A Radical Reorientation for Catholic Survival, will offer three evenings of reflection and prayer focused on the present moment in the Church. Together, we will consider the call to personal and communal conversion, repentance, renewal, and seek to strengthen our faith and resolve in hope.
Monday & Tuesday – March 9th & 10th, will feature presentations and guided reflections exploring “where we are, how we got here, where we are going, and how we get there.” Fr. Brock will offer clarity, encouragement, and a renewed vision for faithful Catholic living today. These nights will be especially valuable for catechetical leaders, parish ministers, catechumens, engaged parishioners, and all who seek to live and share the Gospel in today’s world. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday – March 11th, will be a Night of Prayer for Renewal. In Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Fr. Brock will offer a brief reflection. Many priests from around the Diocese will then join in offering extended opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This will be a powerful evening of encounter. You are invited to come and entrust yourself and our diocese to the mercy and love of Jesus. A reception in the Parish Hall will follow Benediction.
Looking foward to seeing you there this Lent and together step into the boat with Jesus to be convicted and renewed for the glory of God, our good, and the good of the whole Church.
About Fr. Herald Joseph Brock, CFR:
Fr. Herald Joseph Brock, CFR, joined the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in 1988 and was ordained a priest in 1994. He has directed the friars’ shelters for homeless men in the Bronx and worked closely with YOUTH 2OOO New York. As a missionary in Honduras he established St. Benedict Joseph Free Medical Center for the poor and Casa Guadalupe Missionary Center, and in South Sudan built the House of Mercy Spiritual Center. Fr. Herald has preached throughout the US and traveled to more than 30 nations, mostly in the developing world. He comes to Norwich from the Saint Michael Friary in Paterson, New Jersey.
Lenten Resources
Find diocesan resources for Lent—including prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and Holy Week.
Click the button below to take you to NorwichDiocese.org/Lent.