Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

Current Articles | Archives | Search

Bishop's Column: There is a Season

Posted on April 07, 2020 in: News, Reflections

Bishop's Column: There is a Season

April 2020 Four County Catholic

There Is A Season

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, There was a song that I recall from my youth called Turn, Turn, Turn. The lyric will be familiar to you — To every thing, turn, turn, turn there is a season, turn, turn, turn and a time to every purpose under heaven. I realize today that the lyrics were inspired by Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. Its message speaks to the public health crisis we are living through together. A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep... We are living in unprecedented times. As the song tells us and we know all too well, every thing has its time. It is a time for faith, a time for renewal, and yes, a time, paradoxically, for community and communion — even as we are forced to keep our distance. In the last few weeks, we have all heard the phrases and understand the meaning of “social distancing” and “flattening the curve.” Our healthcare experts, government officials and news media have repeated these terms and told us, that this is the way to counteract the spread of the virus. I have acted upon this, as have other Bishops, by suspending all public Masses and postponing other diocesan events for a while. I am reminded of two other phrases, “Be not afraid” and “Do not worry”. Jesus, the Great Healer, spoke these words on more than one occasion. We would do well to include these in our vocabulary as we practice social distancing, hand washing and all the other recommendations that the experts tell us will help flatten the curve. Pope Francis on March 27 graced us with a moving and extraordinary Urbi et Orbi meditation and blessing in response to the coronavirus pandemic. He likened our current plight to that of the disciples in the Gospel, who, while in a boat with Jesus, were frightened by an unexpected and turbulent storm. Pope Francis said, “We have realized that we are in the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other.” Pope Francis went on to say that God is “calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing . . . a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is the time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.” I have been impressed with those who, in spite of this pandemic, talk of a time for kindness, a time for grace and a time for generosity. A time to assess what is important in our lives — a time to realize we are blessed with the opportunity to look inward to our faith and to our values. A time to put our faith into action. A time to look after the vulnerable. It is a blessing; it is all grace. This has sparked a time of creativity and the embrace of technology to help us practice our faith. I am grateful for the number of priests, deacons and lay people who are stepping up to make available online, devotions such as the Rosary and Stations of the Cross, as well as, celebrating private Masses for anyone with a smartphone or a computer to see. As you go through the next weeks and months, I encourage you to look for the stories, the many, many wonderful stories of people putting their faith into action during this time of crisis. People stepping forward with heroic acts of service to others. The Holy Father asks us, “How many people every day are exercising patience and offering hope, taking care to sow not panic but a shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday gestures, how to face up to and navigate a crisis by adjusting their routines, lifting their gaze and fostering prayer. How many are praying, offering and interceding for the good of all. Prayer and quiet service: these are victorious weapons.” As we move forward in the next weeks and months may we see the love of Christ in every sacrifice and act of generosity during this crisis – a crisis that will pass — and make us all the stronger and more appreciative of our love for each other in our shared love of our Savior and Redeemer. Now is the time to invite Jesus into the boats of our lives and welcome His Easter message of hope. Sincerely yours in the healing power of Christ,

Michael R. Cote
Bishop of Norwich

Our Advertisers Support Our Ministries

Please Support Our Advertisers

Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Your Guide to Church Bazaar and Craft Fairs and Other Holiday Events

Posted on October 23, 2026 in: News, Events

4481

Your Guide to Church Bazaar and Craft Fairs and Other Holiday Events

Church Fairs, Bazaars & Holiday Events Use the Handy List Below to See Where Church Fairs, Bazaars and Special Seasonal Events Are Being Held Throughout the Diocese. You Can Also Add Events to Your Google Calendar from Ours. Friday, November 6 & Saturday, November 7 St. Luke Christmas Bazaar St. Luke Church, Ellington Friday: 5 PM – 8 PM Saturday: 9 AM – 2 PM Crafts, country store, attic treasures, raffles, free pictures with Santa, children’s activities, baked goods, vendors and...

Read More

Sunday: Father Frank Rouleau to Be Honored for Decades of Haiti Ministry

Posted on October 26, 2026 in: News, Outreach to Haiti

1744

Sunday: Father Frank Rouleau to Be Honored for Decades of Haiti Ministry

Outreach to Haiti • 40th Anniversary Father Frank Rouleau: A Life of Faith and Service to Haiti A quarter-century of priestly ministry and enduring relationships across borders. Father Frank Rouleau meets with parishioners in Haiti. As Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti celebrates 40 years of ministry, Father Frank Rouleau stands among those whose dedication has helped build lasting bonds of faith, friendship and hope between Connecticut and Haiti. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Norwich by Bishop Daniel P. Hart on May 27, 2000, Father Frank&...

Read More

Pope Leo's Cancer was Localized, and no Further Treatment Needed, Vatican Says

Posted on October 22, 2026 in: News

673

Pope Leo's Cancer was Localized, and no Further Treatment Needed, Vatican Says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV will not need further cancer treatment, the Vatican announced. Final examinations of the tissue removed during his lung surgery confirmed that the cancer was lung adenocarcinoma and it was localized; an oncological evaluation determined that no additional therapy was necessary, according to a Vatican communique released late Oct. 21. The news came just over a week after the pope underwent surgery Oct. 13 at Rome's Gemelli hospital to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Medical tests had detected a suspicious growth that was ...

Read More

Auriesville Pilgrimage is a Profound Experience

Posted on October 22, 2026 in: News

637

Auriesville Pilgrimage is a Profound Experience

Bishop Reidy celebrated the North American Martyrs Feast Day Mass Monday at the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, NY. He was accompanied by seven concelebrating priests from the Northeast. Various pilgrims from NY, MA, VT, PA, and our home state of CT, along with many Sisters of Life came to receive the many blessings and graces of Our Generous Lord. Bishop Reidy spoke on the eight heroic Saints who brought the Gospel of Christ to the inhabitants of the New World, and our continued mission to spread the Good News in our day and age. The beautiful autum...

Read More

Among Friends: Encountering the Saints in Baltic

Posted on October 21, 2026 in: News

598

Among Friends: Encountering the Saints in Baltic

At the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church, an extraordinary collection of relics offers more than a glimpse into Catholic history. It makes tangible an ancient truth of the faith: the saints are not distant figures of the past, but friends who remain very much a part of the Church today. To walk the hallway leading to the chapel at the Motherhouse in Baltic, Connecticut, is to pass through centuries of Catholic history. Behind glass, reliquaries bear the names of men and women who lived in different countries, embraced dif...

Read More

Little Flower Pilgrimage a Delightful Day for Youngsters

Posted on October 21, 2026 in: News

451

Little Flower Pilgrimage a Delightful Day for Youngsters

Little Flower Pilgrimage It was a delightful day as nearly 100 diocesan homeschoolers and their parents joined Bishop Richard F. Reidy to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Thérèse at the Shrine of the Little Flower in Rhode Island. The day began with a beautiful Mass celebrated with our Good Shepherd. Following Mass, families enjoyed a walking tour of the shrine grounds, where life-size statues of the saints brought their stories to life. Sister Grace explained the lives of the saints and engaged the children in prayer along the way. With the weather c...

Read More