Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The season of Lent begins this Wednesday. As ashes are imposed on our heads, they become the physical reminder of our desire for repentance, conversion, and growth in holiness. The forty days of Lent prepare us for the celebration of the Passion of the Lord and help us to look forward to the fulfillment of the Messianic mission of Jesus on Easter Sunday. If you have not yet given any thought to how you will observe this holy season, now is the time to start! During Lent, we are very familiar with the practices…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This weekend, I am grateful to Fr. Chris Ford, the Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Bridgeport, for his ministry to our parish. I am away for a few days of vacation with priest friends from my seminary days. Fathers Blatchford and Silva have ably held down the fort with day-to-day ministry in my absence, and I am so thankful for their help! Fr. Ford is here to speak to the gift of vocations to the priesthood, especially here in the Diocese of Bridgeport. I have said many times that I have no…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, February 7 – 14 marks National Marriage Week for the Church in the United States. We are reminded by the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, Apostolicam Actuositatem, that “[t]he Creator of all made the married state the beginning and foundation of human society.” From the beginning, marriage serves a natural purpose as husband and wife are drawn together in mutual support and for the building up of the family. When Jesus performs His first public miracle at the wedding feast at Cana, He sanctifies marriage in a particular way,…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This weekend the Winter Olympics begin. For the next three weeks, athletes from around the world compete in sports to which they have dedicated years of their lives. Simply competing in an Olympiad is a tremendous accomplishment, to say nothing of winning a medal in a particular sport or discipline. Next weekend the Super Bowl will be watched by millions. Whether you watch because you have a team in the game, or because you like the commercials, or because it feels culturally appropriate, we will watch athletes who have reached a game they may…read more