Bishop Michael R. Cote shares a childhood memory to remind us that "Christ is the Light of the World". Wishing all of you a blessed Christmas Season. Wishing you and your family have a blessed Christmas! May the light of Christ, shine brightly during this holy season and throughout the year. We hope you enjoy this reflection from Bishop Cote. Click here to read Bishop Cote's Christmas Message as published in the Four County Catholic

Read More

December 2019 Four County Catholic Christmas Message 2019 “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” Luke 2:15b My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Each year as we commemorate the birth of the Lord Jesus at Christmas, it is important for us to encounter the mystery and importance of the Lord’s Incarnation with renewed wonder, gratitude and love. In calling to mind that first Christmas, so lovingly evoked by the manger scenes set up in our parishes and homes, it can be ea...

Read More

Bishop, Column

As we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent our Advent journey comes to a close. The patient (or impatient) preparation and waiting now lies behind us and all that we did (or did not do) is history.  We move forward together into the Christmas Season overflowing with God’s love – an unconditional love that was freely given to all of us undeserving human beings. This gift was given to us so that, like all good gifts, we would share it with others. How are we going to share the amazing gift of God’s love for humankind this Christmas? Look for w...

Read More

The Office of Faith Events invites everyone to experience the Advent season in a new impactful way. These powerful videos with inspirational information from Priests, from the Diocese of Norwich, demonstrate how God’s hope, peace, joy and love is still with us and can make a lasting impact on all our lives this Advent. This week, hear from Fr. Peter Langiven, Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich, as he explains the Advent virtue of Joy. For More Advent Resources Click Here  

Read More

This season of Advent is known as one of “Joyful expectation.” In the Church we name the third Sunday of Advent as Gaudete Sunday or “Joyful Sunday” as our waiting for the Savior is almost at an end.  The joy that we highlight this week is the joy that we experience in knowing God is near. Although we know this is a joyful season many people struggle to find joy at Christmas. This is because we, as individuals and as a culture, confuse joy with “feeling good”. As a culture we are inundated with ads that encourage us to fe...

Read More

Peace:  freedom from disturbance; tranquility. (Oxford Dictionary) According to this definition all of us that live and breathe do not have a chance at attaining peace!  Every waking moment of every day we are inundated by some “disturbance” that requires our physical and emotional attention.  The advances in technology have widened our circle of friends, enhanced our knowledge base and complicated our lives beyond anyone’s imagination.  So how and where are we supposed to find peace this Advent season? The peace that calms our...

Read More

advent

HOPE Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen: a feeling of trust.   Life in today’s world has more than its share of uncertainty.  Will we go to war? Will I lose my job? Will I remain healthy?  Will I have enough money when I retire? Are our children safe in school?   As Christians we cannot be certain of anything in our material world.  However, we can be certain of God’s promises: God loves us unconditionally, gives us life through the death of Jesus, will welcome us in...

Read More

Heavenly Creator, In this season of gratitude and abundance, we give You thanks for our many blessings as we pray for all who struggle with hunger and want. Be with them in the dark of night, when all hope seems lost. Keep their faith strong as they await relief. Let Your goodness flow throughout our hearts and hands as we reach out to one another in the full, true joy of Thanksgiving in Christ. Amen

Read More

November 2 is the Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed, or All Souls. On this day, we pray that all those who have died— our loved ones, and also those people around the world who we will never meet— through the mercy of God, will rest in peace. Merciful Father, On this day, we are called to remember those who have died, Particularly those who have died in the past year, And pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator. As your son taught us to call the stranger neighbor, our fallen are many— Names we will never know, Voices ...

Read More

Catholic, Souls

Respect Life Month Although we must cherish, protect, and defend human life year-round, the Catholic Church in the United States sets aside each October as Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of October is observed as Respect Life Sunday. As Catholics, we are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning of life to its end, and at every point in between. During the month of October, the Church asks us to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life.  Bishop Cotes Column from the October Four...

Read More

Pro-Life