Reverend John Stanley Gwudz, a retired priest of the Diocese of Norwich, died on Monday, January 26, 2026, in San Diego, California, following a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements are pending in California, where he resided for many years, with burial to follow at the Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego. Father John was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on July 1, 1946. He attended Falls School and St. Joseph School, and graduated from St. Bernard High School. He continued his priestly formation at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and at Our Lady of the ...

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”   On a frigid evening, the Catholic community of the University of Connecticut at Storrs gave Bishop of Norwich Richard F. Reidy a warm welcome at the annual Young Adult Mass held on Sunday, February 1.  It was the bishop’s first time celebrating the Norwich diocese’s Young Adult Mass, and the Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapel on the UConn campus was almost filled to capacity for the occasion.  In his homily, Bishop Reidy acknowledged the challenges we all fac...

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The Diocese of Norwich mourns the passing of Rev. Victor Chaker, who died on February 3, 2026, at Bayview Nursing Home in Waterford, Connecticut, at the age of 91. Born September 15, 1934, in Port Said, Egypt, Father Chaker pursued advanced studies in science and engineering before answering God’s call to the priesthood later in life. Father Chaker studied at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Norwich on May 31, 2003, at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich. He served the faithful of St. Mary Parish in C...

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  Married couples are invited to step away from the busyness of daily life and invest in their relationship at a Marriage Retreat Day titled God Chose You for Me, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Hartford. The retreat will take place on Saturday, March 21, at the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Pastoral Center in Bloomfield. Designed as a day of reflection, prayer, and renewal, the retreat focuses on deepening the spirituality of marriage and strengthening the bond between husband and wife. Rooted in the missio...

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   On Monday-January 19, families from across the diocese gathered at the Rose Garden Ice Arena in Norwich for Ice Skating with Bishop Richard Reidy, an afternoon filled with laughter, fellowship, and winter fun. More than 150 adults and young people attended, transforming the rink into a joyful scene of community and connection as people of all ages took to the ice together. Skaters of every skill level were welcomed and encouraged. Those new to ice skating especially enjoyed using skating “seals,” which helped learners stay upright while buildi...

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Adele Brice. | Credit: National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion   The Catholic Church has officially opened the cause for sainthood of Belgian immigrant Adele Brice, an illiterate woman who had visions of the Blessed Mother. In a decree by a Wisconsin bishop on Friday, the Catholic Church officially opened the cause for sainthood of a Belgian immigrant who had visions of the Blessed Mother. Adele Brice (1831–1896) couldn’t read or write, but she traveled the countryside of Wisconsin on foot teaching children and families about God. Brice is most ...

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