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Vigil Mass and Supper In memory of Deacon Thomas Lewis

Posted on November 06, 2018 in: News, Vocations

Priests and parishioners gathered in grateful memory of Deacon Tom Lewis, a dear friend and servant of St. Joseph Parish in Norwich. Parishioners and members of the Lewis family gathered at the 4pm.Sunday Vigil Mass to pray for the soul of Deacon Tom and to hang in the entranceway a memorial plaque in his memory. Deacon Tom Lewis died last summer at age 85. He was a lifelong member of St. Joseph Parish and was the first permanent deacon to serve there. He served as a deacon from 2001-2007. Deacon Tom was revered for his gentleness, steadiness in ministry, and generous love. A Pot Luck Supper in his honor was held at St. Vincent de Paul Place, formerly the cafeteria of St. Joseph School.

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Posted on February 25, 2026 in: News, Lent

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Joyous Rite of Election Welcomes Catechumens and Candidates to the Diocese

Calling it a "cause for great joy," Bishop Richard F. Reidy welcomed 250 people on the road to becoming Catholic or completing their initiation during the Diocese of Norwich's annual Rite of Election. The Rite of Election on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick was a watershed in several ways for the Diocese of Norwich. This year, the diocese welcomed 98 catechumens, along with 152 candidates, making for the highest combined total for the Diocese of Norwich in 10 years. This is another step toward their journ...

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God Offers New Possibilities, Not Prohibitions, With His Invitation to Love, Pope Says

Posted on February 25, 2026 in: News

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God Offers New Possibilities, Not Prohibitions, With His Invitation to Love, Pope Says

Beginning with the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humankind has had to face "the age-old dilemma: can I live my life to the fullest by saying 'yes' to God? Or, to be free and happy, must I free myself from Him?" Pope Leo XIV said during an early morning Mass celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome. ROME (CNS) -- While Satan tempts humanity with the lie of gaining unlimited power, God offers the gift of true freedom that leads to real love, relationships and fulfillment, Pope Leo XIV said. Beginning with the story...

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Why Do the Bones of St. Francis Draw Hundreds of Thousands of Pilgrims?

Posted on March 02, 2026 in: News

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Why Do the Bones of St. Francis Draw Hundreds of Thousands of Pilgrims?

Eight hundred years after his death, the remains of St. Francis of Assisi were exhumed and placed on public display in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi for a monthlong veneration, highlighting the Catholic tradition of venerating relics as tangible reminders of holiness. ROME (CNS) -- Eight hundred years after his death, the bones of St. Francis of Assisi have been placed on public display for the first extended public viewing in history, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to the hilltop town. Following Pope Leo XIV's approval and blessing...

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Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman’s Voice Needed ‘More Than Ever’

Posted on March 02, 2026 in: News

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Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman’s Voice Needed ‘More Than Ever’

Sister Thea Bowman. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi Bowman’s ability to see the dignity of each individual, and embrace all gifts and cultures, is an essential message for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. African American Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman’s ability to bridge divides shines as a witness needed today, according to those who knew her, and her cause for canonization may create a pathway for other African Americans on their ways to sainthood. More than three decades after her death, Bowman should be remembered...

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Posted on March 03, 2026 in: News, ACA

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2026 Annual Catholic Appeal will officially kick off March 7 and 8

Together as One, Through Faith in Action In a world that often feels unsettled, marked by conflict, uncertainty, and voices of division, it would be easy to lose heart. Yet as people of faith, we are called to something deeper: trust. Trust in God’s enduring presence, trust in His Word, and trust that hope remains not only possible, but powerful. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). It is with this spirit of hope that we reflect with grati...

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Pope Leo XIV Explains the Church’s ‘Human and Divine Dimensions’

Posted on March 04, 2026 in: News

Pope Leo XIV leads the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square on March 4, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News The pope’s catechesis focused on the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium, one of the pillars of Vatican II. VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said Wednesday that the Church cannot be understood solely from a human perspective but rather as the fruit of God’s plan of love for humanity realized in Christ. He also emphasized that this does not imply the spiritual superiority of the Church’s members. “An ideal and pure C...

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