There is an old saying that could very well describe Brother John Blaschik’s journey to the Trappists: “Every saint has a past and every sinner a future.” Not too long before becoming a monk, he was on a very different path — a path to perdition. Blaschik is a monk of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (also known as the Trappists). He resides at Our Lady of the Holy Cross Abbey in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He leads a life of relative simplicity, silence and separation from the dominant culture, following the Rule of St....

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The Reverend George Richards Jr., JCL, of Middletown, passed away at St Joseph's Living Center in Windham, Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the age of 69. Born at the Naval Hospital in Groton, he was the beloved son of the late Margaret and George Richards Sr. Father George is a graduate of St. Michael's Parochial School, Pawcatuck. He graduated from Saint Bernard School, Montville, in 1972, and Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., in 1976. He earned his Licentiate in Canon Law (J.C.L.) degree from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., in 2000. ...

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Sr. Giselle Brouillard November 20, 1932 – May 6, 2023 Sr. Giselle Brouillard, 90, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died on May 6, 2023 at St. Joseph Living Center in Windham, CT. Born Giselle Béatrice Brouillard in Waterbury, CT on November 20, 1932, the child of the late Antonio and Marie Jeanne (Descoteaux) Brouillard, she entered religious life in Putnam, CT in 1949 and made her religious profession on August 23, 1952 at the Motherhouse in St. Brieuc, France.  She was then known as Sr. Jeanne Antoine. She earned a B.A. in Education at...

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April 20, 2023 My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we prepare to support our annual diocesan Seminary Education Fund Collection, I would like to thank you for your constant generosity to the formation of those young men discerning and preparing to serve our Diocese of Norwich for years to come. I hear from so many of you that you are praying for vocations daily at home and in your parish churches in the presence of Our Lord. These prayers are the foundation of the work that we do in creating a culture of discerning vocation for all young people in our Diocese. ...

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Vocations

Join us at The Cathedral of St. Patrick for two momentous celebrations of faith and service!  Mark your calendar for the Transitional Diaconate Ordination on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at 10:30 am. Be inspired as three devoted men take a significant step towards their priesthood journey. Their unwavering commitment and spiritual preparation will be on display during this sacred ceremony. Then, save the date for the Permanent Diaconate Ordination on July 8, 2023, at 10:30 am. Witness the culmination of years of formation and discernment as five dedicated men, balanci...

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