With the arrival of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, many people take a vacation, a period of rest away from their routine but also a unique opportunity to reconnect with their faith. A bishop, a mother, and a priest shared some tips from their own experiences for “sanctifying vacations” and evangelizing at vacation spots.   1. Take time to connect with God. Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the bishop of Matamoros-Reynosa in Mexico, Eugenio Lira, emphasized that summer is a time of rest to “recreate&rd...

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  Prayer for Our Nation   God our Father, Giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to Your loving care. You are the rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for Your glory and dwell among Your people. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind Your people that true happiness is r...

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Almost four years after Pope Francis opened the Catholic Church's path toward synodality -- a term many in the church had never heard before -- his successor has thrown his support behind the last leg of the church's' synodal journey. The Synod of Bishops, which admitted women, lay and other non-bishop voting members among its ranks during its two universal assemblies in October 2023 and 2024, "naturally retains its institutional profile and at the same time is enriched by the mature fruits of this season," Pope Leo XIV told th...

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Kelly Henderschedt, archdiocesan director of Faith Formation and Parish Life, holds up a map showing Hartford among 20 dioceses selected to participate in a national family faith project. PHOTO BY SHELLEY WOLF   There is a map of the United States with 20 Catholic dioceses that are part of a cutting-edge, family faith project – and the Archdiocese of Hartford is literally on the map. Hartford appears proudly among the dioceses of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Honolulu on a map created by the National Community of Catechetical Leaders, or NCCL, a nat...

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  The original book cover of “Lord of the World” by Robert Hugh Benson. Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons   The last three popes — Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV — have on more than one occasion recommended reading “Lord of the World,” the dystopian science fiction novel written by Robert Hugh Benson in 1907. This apocalyptic novel depicts the consequences of a society that turned its back on God and presents a social critique of the customs of the West, which has succumbed to capitalism and social...

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On June 24, St. Vincent de Paul Place (SVdPP) in Norwich held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil a new elevator, enhancing accessibility for clients and streamlining the movement of donations. Bishop Richard F. Reidy, at right, blessed the elevator and attendees, and SVdPP Executive Director Jill Corbin emphasized the project as a shared commitment to “accessibility and dignity.” The $3.3 million project, which began over two years ago, was funded through a combination of state support, in the form of $1.7 million from Connecticut’s Department ...

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The Office of Faith Events includes the End of Life Ministry, which facilitates the production of cremation boxes made by retired carpenters, cabinet makers and shop teachers in our diocese. These retired craftsmen are using their gift and talents (and donating their time and treasure) to craft a cremation box that is available to anyone in need of one, free of charge. Some boxes come unpainted and unstatined which allows a person or family to personalize it themselves. Other boxes are stained a dark mahogoney or painted brown for a “classic” look. O...

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The number of ordinations of permanent deacons in the United States has decreased by nearly 200 from 2023 to 2024, according to a recent survey. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University published the survey results in its 2025 report “A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate in 2024.”  According to the report, 587 men were ordained to the permanent diaconate in 2023, but in 2024, the number fell to 393. The report was created in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (US...

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Mother Carmen Rendiles and Dr. José Gregorio Hernández are scheduled to be proclaimed Venezuela’s first saints on Oct. 19, 2025. | Credit: Courtesy of Mother Carmen of Venezuela/public domain   Pope Leo XIV will canonize seven blesseds on Oct. 19, including two Venezuelans: José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, considered the “doctor of the poor,” and María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez, a nun and founder of the Sister Slaves of Jesus. The canonizations were confirmed by the Holy See Press Office on June 13 following the decision by the ...

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In an era where mindfulness apps dominate smartphones and meditation studios populate urban corners, a new groundbreaking international study suggests that the ancient Catholic prayer practice of praying the rosary may offer comparable mental health benefits to Eastern-inspired meditation techniques. The research, published in the Journal of Religion and Health, also challenges assumptions made about traditional practices like the rosary, revealing surprising insights about who is actually praying the rosary in 2025. Researchers from Italy, Poland, and Spain surv...

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