Use the Handy List Below to See Where All the Best Church Bazaars and Craft Fairs are Being Held Throughout the Diocese. You Can Also Add Events to Your Google Calendar from Ours.        Sunday, November 30 Wreath Making Event Our Lady of Lourdes, Hampton • 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM All materials supplied to create your own unique wreath. Not feeling creative? Order one already made. Contact Gloria Burell at (860) 445-9350. Saturday, December 6 Holly Berry Christmas Craft Fair St. Philip Parish Center, Ashford &bul...

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Each Advent, as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, we’re drawn to the warmth of familiar Christmas stories. We dust off old DVDs, queue up streaming favorites, and settle in with cocoa, popcorn,and twinkling lights — yet beneath the nostalgia, many of these films quietly proclaim the Gospel. I’ve written before about "It’s a Wonderful Life" (Volume 35 Number 1) and its unmistakable parallels with the Good News: sacrifice, redemption, community, and the reminder that every life touches countless others. But it isn’t...

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Thanksgiving is a "beautiful feast" that reminds everyone to be grateful for the gifts they have been given, Pope Leo XIV said. "Say thank you to someone," the pope suggested two days before the U.S. holiday when he met reporters outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo before returning to the Vatican after a day off. Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was scheduled to spend his Thanksgiving Nov. 27 in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey, the first stops on his first foreign trip as pope. A reporter asked the pope what he was than...

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On December 8, we celebrate one of the most beautiful truths of our faith: the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast invites us to pause in the midst of Advent and reflect not only on who Mary is, but also on what God is continually doing in the quiet of human history and within the hidden places of our own hearts. The Immaculate Conception does not refer to Jesus’ conception, but to Mary’s. It is God’s loving act of preserving her from original sin from the very first moment of her existence. This miracle is the unmistakable sign...

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  The permanent deacon is an ordained minister who receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders and is called to a life of service to the People of God in the ministries of the liturgy, the word, and charity. The permanent deacon is called to be a living “image of Christ” (Imago Christi), called to “serve, not to be served.” Diaconate service can only be genuine when it is rooted in humility. Colin D’Amelio is attempting to create a film illustrating the humble heart of a deacon. Colin is the son of Deacon Dan and Kathy D’Amelio, D...

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Families in need of warm winter clothing are invited to attend the 2025 Free “Coats for Kids” distribution on Tuesday, December 9, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Cargill Council 64 Knights of Columbus Hall, located at 68 Providence Street in Putnam. This annual initiative, jointly organized by the Northeastern Connecticut Knights of Columbus and the Danielson Elks Lodge 1706, provides brand-new winter coats for boys and girls in a range of toddler, youth, and teen sizes. Coats are available in various colors and styles to help children stay warm during the col...

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