Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

 

 

 

Bishop Cote's Christmas Message for 2021

Posted on December 23, 2021 in: Reflections

Bishop Cote's Christmas Message for 2021

December 2021 Four County Catholic

Christmas Message 2021

And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

These words speak to us, in a beautifully poetic way, of our Lord’s miraculous gift of Himself - a gift which He gave to the world when He humbly took flesh and was born in the simple manger in Bethlehem.
 
The gift, the true meaning of the Christmas event, is that the Lord, the Eternal Word and Son of God the Father, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The mystery and miracle of our Lord’s Incarnation stands at the very heart of our Catholic faith. It is the source of our hope. God’s great love and mercy, as proclaimed in the Gospel message, began with the birth of a child who would grow, teach us the truth of the Gospel, and ultimately offer His very life in sacrifice, providing for those who believe in Him the tremendous grace to share eternal life with God and all the saints in heaven.
 
May we never forget this miraculous gift of God’s love.
 
Our annual celebration of the Lord’s Nativity provides an important reminder to us of the true depth of the love that He continues to pour forth upon each of us and our world. The opportunity to encounter the same Lord Jesus who was born in the manger in Bethlehem but is now risen and glorified - who again humbles Himself to become present to us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - is now found in the Most Holy Eucharist. Intimately tied to our Lord’s Incarnation, the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist is the mystery by which He continues to make his dwelling among us here and now.
 
Sadly, as multiple surveys conducted in recent years have shown, belief in the true and real presence of the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist has declined significantly, even among those who self-identify as Catholics and who attend Mass regularly. This disturbing trend should be a cause of great concern for us all, but we must not lose hope!
 
In response to these trends, the Bishops of the United States have recently approved a catechetical document on the Most Holy Eucharist that is being prepared for publication in the new year. Plans for a national Eucharistic revival have also been approved. More information about these two initiatives will be forthcoming. It is my hope that they will reawaken and reinvigorate our understanding of this great gift of the Lord’s presence in the most Holy Eucharist. In the meantime, let us pray with greater fervor throughout this Christmas season that these initiatives will be successful and that we will never take the miraculous gift of our Lord’s birth, or of His abiding presence among us in the Most Holy Eucharist for granted.
 
May you, your families and loved ones have a truly merry Christmas and a New Year filled with God’s blessings!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop of Norwich


Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

Saint Patrick: "Christ Be With Me"

Posted on March 16, 2023 in: Reflections

475

Saint Patrick: "Christ Be With Me"
“Christ be with me, Christ within me” St. Patrick’s Breastplate The Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Patrick on March 17. The following prayer is attributed to Saint Patrick and has a personalized inspiration for all of us who reside in our diocese placed under his protection and reliant on his intercession.  “Christ be with me, Christ within me… Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Chri...

Read More

Saint

Bishop's Column: 'Lord, I Love You'

Posted on March 01, 2023 in: Reflections

350

Bishop's Column: 'Lord, I Love You'
Winter 2023 Four County Catholic 'Lord, I Love You' As we enter the season of Lent, we take on the 40-day journey as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the Lord. It is a contemplative time of intense soul-searching. It is also an opportunity to think beyond ourselves. As Christians alive in our faith, we turn with love and compassion during this season of hope toward our brothers and sisters who most need our help. More than any other time of the year, Lent reminds us that love for one another is how love is ultimately defined at the cross...

Read More

With A Father's Heart: Celebrating the Feast of Saint Joseph
Ordinarily celebrated on March 19, the Feast of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was celebrated in dioceses in the US on March 20 because March 19 fell on a Sunday. As a diocese, let us continue to renew our devotion to the beloved, tender, accepting father Saint Joseph is to us (Patris Corde, 2020).  Click here to read Pope Francis' 2020 Apostolic Letter, "Patris Corde (With A Father's Heart)".  Click here to pray a Litany of Saint Joseph.  See below for a prayer to Saint Joseph. This Lent, give your ...

Read More

Catholic

Annual Catholic Appeal

ACA DONATE

English

 

Español

 

 
Signup for Weekly Newsletter


    Recently Added Galleries
    Click to view album: Rite of Election
    Click to view album: Mass of Ordination  for Fr. Jacob Ramos
    Click to view album: Mass of Ordination for Father Lawrence Barile
    Click to view album: Palm Sunday
    Latest Articles
    31 Chances for 31 Prizes - Help Those Facing Food Insecurity
    Monthly Pro-Life Mass to be Held April 1
    Watch: Full Remarks from the 2023 CT March for Life
    With Much Gratitude, 2022 Annual Catholic Appeal Surpasses Goal for Second Year
    Love of the Eucharist - Hope & Faith Video Series
    Forgive them-The Video
    With A Father's Heart: Celebrating the Feast of Saint Joseph
    Come Pray For Vocations

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