By Ryan Blessing Saint John Mission Church celebrated the 125th anniversary of its dedication with a special Mass on Sunday, June 16.  Saint John was built in 1893 and dedicated on June 17, 1894. It is the oldest Roman Catholic Mission east of the Mississippi River. Pastoral care of Saint John Mission was entrusted to Saint Andrew Church, Colchester, in 1893 and was transferred to Sacred Heart, Norwichtown, in 1960. The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, Bishop of Norwich, celebrated Mass in the small church in the Fitchville section of Bozrah. The B...

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Saint John Mission Church in Bozrah will mark the 125th anniversary of its dedication on June 16. Mass at 9 a.m. will be celebrated by Bishop Michael R. Cote, followed by a brunch at the Moose Club in Bozrah. St. John Church was built in 1893 and dedicated on June 17, 1894.  It is the oldest Roman Catholic mission east of the Mississippi River. Pastoral care of St. John Mission was entrusted to St. Andrew’s Church, Colchester, in 1893 and was transferred to Sacred Heart, Norwichtown, in 1960.

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June 7, 2019 WASHINGTON— The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2019 Spring General Assembly in Baltimore, June 11-14.   During the assembly, the bishops will discuss and vote on bishop accountability measures to respond to the abuse crisis and will also hear reports from the National Advisory Council and an annual progress report by the National Review Board. The bishops will also discuss and vote on the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States (2nd ed...

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By Ryan Blessing The Daughters of the Holy Spirit celebrated a combined total of 855 years of service by 16 Jubilarians at a special Mass on June 2 at the St. Joseph Church in Willimantic. Six of the Jubilarians marked anniversaries of 70 years with the DHS, a milestone not lost on The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, who celebrated the Mass. “Seventy years, it’s almost hard to imagine, 70 years,” the Bishop told members of the DHS. Based in Putnam, the Daughters of the Holy Spirit is an international religious congregati...

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By Ryan Blessing A perfect backdrop of sunny skies, a light breeze and singing birds provided a tranquil setting May 27 at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Norwich for the annual Memorial Day Mass, which honors the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.   Bishop Michael R. Cote, D.D., concelebrated Mass, along with priests of the Norwich Deanery, at the cemetery's outdoor altar, before a large statue of Jesus Christ. "As a nation, we honor our military men and women who have given their lives in service to our great cou...

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God of power and mercy, you destroy war and put down earthly pride. Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears, that we may all deserve to be called your sons       and daughters. Keep in your mercy those men and women who have died in the cause of freedom and bring them safely into your kingdom of justice and peace. We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord. R/. Amen   —from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers Saint Joseph Church Occum CT

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By Ryan Blessing Reverend Mr. Michael Bovino was ordained to the Diaconate in a Mass of Ordination on Thursday, May 23, at St. Mary Church, in Stonington Borough. Reverend Mr. Bovino was born and raised in Stonington as the oldest of five children. After attending the University of Connecticut for his undergraduate education, where he began to encounter anew the Lord Jesus and the richness of His Catholic Church, he spent two years doing Mission work with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) in New Jersey. I...

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By Mezalus Emil Kenley Richard’s story is proof that education is the road out of poverty for Haitian youth. The Outreach to Haiti Education Sponsorship recipient, Kenley now works to support his family and send his sister to college. For most of his life, Kenley’s family has faced economic challenges. He was born in Port-Au- Prince in 1989, the third of seven children of Jean Bossuet Richard and Keteline Noel. His mother, Keteline, has provided for Kenley’s family through her small trading business. His father was a cabinet maker who found occasiona...

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By Kathy Gaito Our Catholic schools certainly know the meaning of this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) theme, “Hand in Hand with All God’s Children.” The education of each student involves various school personnel working together, putting the child’s best interests first and making the school experience the best it can be. Similarly, the ACA works with donors, pastors and ACA leadership throughout the Diocese so that our ministries and programs are able to have the biggest impact possible. Recognizing the exemplary work of our educat...

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You are cordially invited to attend the Mass of Ordination to the Diaconate of Mr. Michael Bovino on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. St. Mary Church 95 Main Street, Stonington. 

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Saint Vincent de Paul Place will hold a 'Clean the Streets' cleanup from 9 to 11 a.m. on May  25 at Ellis Ruley Memorial Park, at 28 Hammond Ave. in Norwich. Last year the group kicked off the year by clearing brush and trees to make way for the park, which was dedicated July 27, 2018. The group encourages new volunteers to join in the effort, and has all the tools, gloves and equipment that you will need.

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Several Masses are planned to take place within the Diocese on Memorial Day, May 27.   Norwich In Saint Joseph Cemetery, Boswell Avenue, Norwich, the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich will celebrate Mass on Memorial Day on Monday at 9:00 a.m. Should there be inclement weather, this Mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich.   Taftville In Sacred Heart Cemetery, 260 Harland Road, Taftville, Reverend Christopher Zmuda will celebrate Mass at 9:00 a.m. on Monday. In case of inclement weathe...

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It was a beautiful evening at the Mystic Yachting Center as friends, supporters, staff, volunteers and board members of Catholic Charities gathered to celebrate its 98th anniversary at the Hope Anchors the Soul Spring Gala. Overlooking the Mystic River, guests were entertained by the Hot Cat Jazz Band while enjoying cocktails and impressive views from the wrap-around covered porch. Guests had the opportunity to bid on many exciting silent auction items, including; tickets to Barrett Jackson Northeast collector car auction at Mohegan Sun; a Cape Cod weekend getaway; a pri...

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By Ryan Blessing The streets of Stonington Borough welcomed walkers holding candles on the evening of Saturday, May 18, as parishioners and friends of St. Mary Church honored Our Lady of Fatima. A group of men dressed in white ceremonial capes carried the church’s statue of Our Lady of Fatima from its place on the altar out the front doors of the church, while parishioners lit candles. The image of Our Lady of Fatima, a life-sized statue, was positioned on a bed of white carnations atop a wooden platform, which the men held high while the parade took place. &...

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ACTION ALERT The Connecticut Pregnancy Care Coalition is sponsoring a pro-life rally to defend the work and reputation of the pro-life pregnancy resource centers in our state. The rally will take place at noon Tuesday, May 21, at the State Capitol. This past week, the House of Representatives passed H.B. 7070, which subjects the advertising of pro-life pregnancy care centers to the oversight and authority of the Attorney General of Connecticut. The Attorney General will have sole discretion in determining whether the advertising is appropriate or not. The bill p...

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