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Blessing of the Christmas Manger

Posted on December 16, 2025 in: ADVENT

Blessing of the Christmas Manger
The beloved custom of displaying figures depicting the birth of Jesus Christ began with St. Francis of Assisi, who created the first Christmas crèche on Christmas Eve in 1223. The blessing of the manger or nativity scene may take place on the Vigil of Christmas—that is, Christmas Eve—...

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A Question of Faith — What Makes the Star of Bethlehem So Significant To Our Advent Journey?
Father Richard, when I look at the Star of Bethlehem on Christmas cards and crèche displays, I can’t help but wonder—what makes that star so significant to our Advent journey? Advent, from the Latin adventus meaning “coming” or “arrival,” begins the Church&rsqu...

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Faith, Friendship, and Forever: UConn Missionaries Discern Vocation Together
Ethan and Julie Roberts are two of the FOCUS missionaries at UConn, bringing students on campus to Christ through evangelization, outreach, and discipleship. In August, they united in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. I recently sat down with them to discuss their discernment of their vocation to mar...

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A Diocesan Night of Unity: Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass in Norwich
On Friday evening, December 12, 2025, hundreds of Catholics filled the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich for the diocesan celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas and Star of the New Evangelization. Beginning with the recitation of the Holy Rosary and an oppo...

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A Festive Autumn Atmosphere at the 15th Annual Seton Scholarship Dinner
The trees surrounding the Lake of Isles provided brilliant colors of red, orange, yellow, and gold on October 26, 2025, at the 15th Annual Seton Scholarship Dinner. Dr. Gail Kingston, Superintendent of Schools, Bishop Reidy, and the Office of Development hosted nearly 160 people on this glorious fal...

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Blessing of a Christmas Tree

Posted on December 09, 2025 in: ADVENT

Blessing of a Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree, a newer custom rooted in the “tree of paradise” from medieval plays, reminds us that Christ is the Light of the World. It is set up before Christmas and remains until Epiphany, with lights illuminated after the blessing.A parent or family member may lead the blessing,...

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Unwrapping the Stories Behind Our Favorite Carols
  When my children were in grade school, we hosted several caroling parties in December. Family and friends would pile into the house, and I’d hand out little songbooks I had put together. After a short practice session in the living room, where I could see the Cathedral from the windo...

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Mary, Full of Grace: Honoring the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
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 with...

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Bound by Faith: Three Books to Lift the Heart this Christmas Season
As Christmas approaches and we begin to think about gifts that enrich the spirit, we launch Bound by Faith — an occasional feature highlighting books written by authors within our own Diocese of Norwich. This first installment brings together three inspiring works by local writers whose faith ...

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Liturgy of the Hours Workshop - Register Today!
Discovering the Gift of the Liturgy of the Hours With the new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours arriving next year, this workshop invites our lay brothers and sisters to discover — or rediscover — the gift and beauty of this prayer of the Church. Presenter Sister Rosemary Esseff, O.P. Sister Rosemary, a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee, holds a Ph.D. in Composition from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. Since entering the community in 1993, she has continued her musical studies, earning advanced degrees in...

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Faith & Firelight Summer Evenings for Teens & Young Adults
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Rediscover the Gift of “Us”: Worldwide Marriage Encounter Experience Coming to West Hartford
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Ferrán Torres, the Catholic Forward Who Won the World Cup for Spain
Torres stands out for his Catholic faith within the Spanish national team, alongside coach Luis de la Fuente. Ferrán Torres is the Catholic forward who secured a 1–0 victory for Spain over Messiʼs Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, played on Sunday, July 19, in New Jersey. “The goal is the least important thing; right now, all I want is to grab that trophy and squeeze it as hard as I can, because I believe it represents the dream of the 47 million people we were representing on the pitch today — because I think we deserved it and we gave it ...

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Legion of Mary Hosts Day of Recollection in Baltic
Legion of Mary Invites All to Day of Recollection on September 12 The Norwich Curia of the Legion of Mary invites all members of the faithful to a Day of Recollection on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Baltic. The retreat will be led by Fr. Josemaria M. Barbin, FI of the Franciscans of the Immaculate and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, 70 West Main Street, Baltic. The day is designed to provide an opportunity for spiritual renewal and includes: Two Co...

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Catholic Charities Launches Back-to-School School Supply Drive
As summer begins to wind down, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Norwich is inviting the community to help local children start the new school year with confidence by donating new school supplies.   Each year, many families throughout eastern Connecticut struggle to afford the basic supplies students need for a successful school year. Through this annual Back-to-School School Supply Drive, Catholic Charities hopes to ease that burden by providing children with the tools they need to learn, grow, and thrive in the classroom.   Donations of new school...

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    Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
    201 Broadway
    Norwich, CT 06360-4328
    Phone: 860-887-9294