All Diocesan Articles

October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the Church’s most cherished devotions. At the heart of this month is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7, established by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the victory of Christian forces at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The Battle of Lepanto, fought on October 7, 1571, was a decisive naval encounter between the Holy League — a coalition of Christian states organized by Pope Pius V — and the Ottoman Empire. Vastly outnumbered, the Christian fleet entrusted their cause to the Blessed Virgin M...

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Deacon Richard “Rick” Kenneth Walker December 13, 1942 – October 2, 2025 Deacon Richard “Rick” Walker, 82, entered eternal life on October 2, 2025. Born in Bennington, Vermont, on December 13, 1942, he was the son of the late Donald and Cecilia Walker. Rick proudly served his country in the United States Navy, operating nuclear submarines before beginning a long career at Millstone Power Station, where he worked as a nuclear power plant operator and shift manager for more than 35 years. After retiring, he found joy in driving a school ...

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Bishop Richard F. Reidy greets Ride for Haiti cyclists at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich Bishop Richard F. Reidy welcomes cyclists Tom Campbell and Ron Paine at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich while eighth graders from the Saint Patrick School cheer them on. (Photo: Wayne Gignac) Part of the 11th Annual Ride for Haiti (approx. 337 miles across CT & MA) On a drizzling, seasonably cold October morning, the 2025 Ride for Haiti made a heartfelt stop at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich, where Bishop Richard F. Reidy and a li...

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I recently returned from two weeks in Rome where, with about two hundred other recently appointed bishops from around the world, we attended a school for new bishops. We were hosted at the College of Saint Paul the Apostle, a seminary where missionary priests are trained. Presentations were made by cardinals and archbishops from various Vatican offices. We had a three-hour meeting with Pope Leo (including picture taking), attended the canonization Mass for Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, and made visits to pray at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul, John XXII...

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If you have been to a Mass when a Deacon was serving, you may have noticed something different. Before proclaiming the Gospel, the Deacon approaches the priest or Bishop, bows, and says quietly, “Your blessing, Father.” What’s going on here? Is the priest giving the Deacon his permission to proclaim the Gospel? Is it just a formality?   First of all, the Gospel is not just read, it is proclaimed. The Gospel is not just words on a page in a book; it is the living voice of Jesus Christ. Therefore, whoever is proclaiming it does so with the help of...

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