As the Advent season approaches and our hearts turn toward the light of Christ, the Diocesan Evangelization and Discipleship team is inviting the faithful to take part in a simple yet meaningful act of charity. This year, the team is collecting unused Christmas cards that will be lovingly written out by the youth of our diocese and delivered to the patrons of St. Vincent de Paul Place, Norwich. It is a small gesture with the power to bring comfort, dignity, and joy to those who may be struggling during the holidays. Each card becomes more than a greeting— it bec...

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A beloved Worcester “Block Mom,” a Harvard-educated convert, and one of the most compelling pro-life voices of her generation — could she also be a future saint? The Vatican has now approved the next step in the cause of Ruth Pakaluk, a former parishioner of Bishop Richard F. Reidy when he served as rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Worcester. In this article by Matt McDonald for the National Catholic Register, you’ll discover how her remarkable journey from atheism to Catholicism, her tireless pro-life witness, and her heroic serenity in suffer...

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, Catholic Schools Week is a celebration which began in 1974. This is a yearly celebration of Catholic Education throughout the United States. The theme for National Catholic Schools Week for 2026 is: “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic Schools educate the whole person mind, body and soul. It is based on Pope Francis’s words, “Christ is alive and He wants you to be alive.” Catholic Schools Week is celebrated from January 25 - January 31, 2026. The companion to National Catholic ...

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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2026 to accompany the country’s 250th anniversary. At the USCCB Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops voted “to entrust our nation to the love and care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Devoting the nation is an opportunity “to remind everyone of our task to serve our nation by perfecting the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel as taught by the Second Vatican Council,” Bishop Kevin Rhoades of ...

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Blessed Juan de Palafox y Mendoza and Our Lady of Guadalupe. | Credit: Public domain   Pope Leo XIV praised the missionary work of the Church in Mexico throughout history, inspired by the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the example of Blessed Juan de Palafox y Mendoza. In a message addressed to the participants of the 17th National Missionary Congress of Mexico, being held in Puebla Nov. 7–9, the Holy Father noted that the greatest privilege and duty of missionaries is “to bring Christ to the heart of every person.” Taking a closer lo...

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    The Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference (CTCPAC)— the public policy office of Connecticut’s Catholic bishops— serves as the Church’s voice on issues of life, justice, and moral concern at the state Capitol. Each year, the Conference publishes its Annual Abortion Report, compiling official data from the Connecticut Department of Public Health to provide a clear picture of abortion trends across the state. The newly released 2025 report reveals a sobering reality: abortion numbers in Connecticut have continued to rise sha...

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The St. Vincent de Paul Place food pantry and kitchen in Norwich was the recipient this week of a generous donation from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe during a visit by tribal and city officials.  "We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation  for their generous donation to help us provide food to our most vulnerable community members through our pantry," St. Vincent de Paul Place Norwich posted online.  The donation of $25,000, part of an annual giving campaign, comes during an ongoing disruption to SNAP benefits.&n...

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Maria Sweeney Joins Evangelization & Discipleship as Youth and Young Adult Minister The Diocese of Norwich is pleased to welcome Maria Sweeney as our new Youth and Young Adult Minister in the Evangelization and Discipleship Ministry. Maria, a wife and mother of four, and her family are parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Norwich. Before moving to Connecticut in 2020, she served for many years in parish youth ministry in both the Diocese of Rockville Centre and the Archdiocese of New York, where she led retreats, youth pilgrimages, and parish-based cate...

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The Vatican on Saturday named St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church. The 19th-century English saint — a former Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism — joined 37 other saints who have been given the same honor. Born in London and baptized into the Church of England in 1801, Newman was a popular and respected Anglican priest, theologian, and writer among his peers prior to his conversion to Catholicism in 1845. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1847 and later made a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1879. As a Catholic, Newman deepened and contri...

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Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of November is for the prevention of suicide.  “Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care, and love they need in their community and be open to the beauty of life,” the pope said in a video released Nov. 4.  According to a press release, this month’s video was made in collaboration with the Diocese of Phoenix.   In the video, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention...

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