21-36 Christmas Around

Transcription

1 Iside this issue 7 Msgr. Weiss reflects o Sady Hook Christmas Aroud the Diocese Special Sectio

2 2 December 2017 Merry Christmas A Christmas Carol Tiy Tim, Bob Cratchit, Scrooge ad the Ghost of Christmas Past came to life recetly o the Triity Catholic High School auditorium stage whe the Crusader Players starred i three performaces of Charles Dickes A Christmas Carol. Last year, the Triity theater program was omiated for a record 16 Halo awards for best high school theater, wiig two of them for its productio of Fiddler o the Roof. Cogratulatios to the cast ad directors for a movig ad memorable productio about the importace of a chage of heart at Christmas time. God bless us, every oe! (Photos by Amy Mortese) Dear Brothers ad Sisters, What a woderful ad blessed seaso! The heart of Advet is a celebratio of the three comigs of Christ ito our lives: the cetral spiritual focus is the eed to spiritually prepare for the feast of Christmas that commemorates the birth of the Lord as Savior ad Redeemer. Equally importat is the eed to ready our lives for the Secod Comig of the Lord, whe Christ will retur i glory ad power to judge all creatio at the ed of time. Fially, each day we celebrate the comig of Christ i His Body, Blood, Soul ad Diviity, i the gift of the Eucharist. The Advet seaso is our ivitatio to prepare for a ew year of grace. The questio that you ad I eed to ask ourselves is whether we are ready, here ad ow, to receive all these gifts? Give the fact that Christmas will be celebrated o a Moday, this year s celebratio of Advet, already well uderway, is oly 21 days log the shortest legth possible. For this reaso, we must atted to its spiritual meaig ad challege i a itetioal way i order to experiece the beefits ad blessigs this great seaso ca give us. As we move toward Christmas ad its great message of hope for the world, there is still plety of time to immerse ourselves i the jourey of Advet ad the Paschal mystery. I pray that my brothers ad sisters throughout the diocese experiece the true joy ad peace of the seaso, ad that the Light of Christmas shies upo you ad your family. Most Revered Frak J. Caggiao, Bishop of Bridgeport ON THE COVER CONTENTS 6 ST. GEORGE CHURCH, BRIDGEPORT Restorig ad Revivig 8 ST. AUGUSTINE CATHEDRAL PARISH Feast of the Vietamese Martyrs 10 ST. LUKE PARISH, WESTPORT Celebrates its 60th Aiversary 19 CALENDAR EVENTS Bits & Pieces ifo Iside this issue 7 Msgr. Weiss reflects o Sady Hook Christmas Aroud the Diocese Special Sectio Childre from St. Adrew Academy i Bridgeport participate i last year s Nativity play for parets ad members of the commuity. Thousads throughout the diocese are ejoyig Christmas cocerts ad pageats held i schools ad parishes to celebrate the birth of Our Lord. (Photo by Amy Mortese) 22 DIOCESAN YOUTH CHOIR Arise & Shrie Christmas Cocert 23 A CHRISTMAS REVELATION Fidig Christ i playig Sata 26 GIVING VOICE TO ADVENT Semiarias sig at Basilica 28 SURPRISED BY AN ANGEL Visitor brigs the Christmas Spirit

3 December Latest News Foudatios ames three to Board of Trustees BRIDGEPORT Foudatios i Educatio is pleased to aouce the appoitmet of three ew members to its Board of Trustees. Joiig the board, effective December 11, are George Colema of Newtow; Adrea Maldo of Fairfield; ad Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, of New Britai. Our ew trustees embody the spirit of commuity ad brig talet ad eergy to the board. They are joiig a dedicated ad missio-drive goverig body, ad we are very fortuate to have their expertise as we cotiue to stregthe ad trasform Catholic Educatio, said Holly Doherty- Lemoie, executive director of Foudatios i Educatio. George Colema curretly serves as a early childhood system developmet specialist at Cooperative Educatioal Services (CES) ad holds graduate degrees i early childhood educatio ad curriculum ad istructio from Teacher s College at Columbia Uiversity. Prior to servig at CES, Colema spet his 24-year career with the Coecticut State Departmet of Educatio, where George Colema he was twice amed actig commissioer of educatio. Colema is credited with helpig to establish the state s ratioale for fullday kidergarte ivestmet ad with procurig the first state grat to support full-day kidergarte. Colema also drafted the school readiess legislatio ad fudig-level commitmets, which ow exceed $200,000,000. Adrea Maldo, CPA, curretly serves o the Foudatios i Educatio Audit Committee ad recetly retired after ietee years at Loe Pie Capital, LLC, a privately owed hedge fud i Greewich. Maldo joied Loe Pie i 1998 as cotroller, Adrea Maldo became chief fiacial officer ad most recetly served as maagig director of iteral ivestor services. Maldo graduated maga cum laude from Fordham Uiversity i 1993 with a bachelor of sciece degree. Prior to Loe Pie, Maldo worked at Bowma Capital Maagemet as a accoutig maager. Earlier, she served as a auditor at Erst & Youg, LLP, for three years. Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., curretly serves o the Iovatio ad Leadership Grats Committee at Foudatios i Educatio ad is trasitioig to the Board of Trustees. At pres- Sister Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ et, Sister Mary Grace is the provost for educatio, evagelizatio ad catechesis ad the presidet of Sait Thomas Semiary i the Archdiocese of Hartford. She is a Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ad holds a B.A. i Eglish from Albertus Magus College, a M.A. i educatioal admiistratio ad supervisio from Sait Louis Uiversity ad a Ph.D. i educatioal admiistratio/ church leadership from Fordham Uiversity. Prior to servig the Archdiocese of Hartford, Sister Mary Grace was superitedet ad secretary of Catholic Educatio ad Faith Formatio i the Diocese of Bridgeport. She has also served as a elemetary ad secodary school teacher ad admiistrator i seve dioceses ad archdioceses throughout the coutry. Foudatios i Educatio is Bishop Frak J. Caggiao s visio to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport s ogoig missio to advace Catholic educatio i Fairfield Couty. The primary purpose of this o-profit iitiative is to support Catholic educatio by providig tuitio assistace, grats that promote classroom iovatio ad professioal leadership developmet ad other educatio-based programs. The three ew members joi the existig Board of Trustees: Bishop Caggiao, David Cappiello, Robert Dilescheider, R. Bradford Evas, Michael Halo, Lawrece Kudlow, Daiel McCarthy, Ae McCrory, Tom McIerey, Julia McNamara, Joseph Purcell, Berard Reidy, Gerard Robilotti, Robert Scito, Michael Shea, ad Holly Doherty-Lemoie. (For more iformatio about Foudatios i Educatio, visit St. Matthew Parish drives to Texas NORWALK By the time Hurricae Harvey passed, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish outside of Housto had suffered icalculable damage. The Brazos River, which Spaish explorers oce called Rio de los Brazos de Dios or River of the Arms of God, had rise 100 feet beyod its baks. I some places, up to 60 iches of rai had falle, ad hudreds of homes i the rural commuity were flooded. It was the secod storm i a year to ravage the area, which had ot fully recovered from the first, ad relief agecies were overwhelmed by the extet of the damage. So the parish prayed ad looked for a sig of hope. Eve before the flood waters receded, Father Lee Flores got a phoe call. It was t FEMA. It was t a govermet agecy. It was a fellow priest 1,700 miles away who said he wated to VOLUNTEERS from St. Matthew Parish put the Gospel ito actio. help. Now. He was prepared to drive 23 hours with supplies, food ad prayers. The priest was Msgr. Walter Orlowski, pastor of St. Matthew Parish i Norwalk, a ma who believes we re called to put the Gospel ito actio ad sometimes we re called to act fast. Msgr. Orlowski bega pho- ig churches i the Housto area as soo as he saw the headlies, ad someoe told him Our Lady of Guadalupe, a predomiatly Hispaic parish with may immigrat families, eeded the most help, so he reached out ad orgaized a relief effort with churches ad groups i Fairfield Couty that collected more tha $40,000 i doatios, i additio to caed food, disifectat ad cleaig supplies. Soo after, o September 4, he bega the log jourey, drivig the first of three 26-foot retal trucks to Roseberg, Texas. He had doe the same thig five years before, after Superstorm Sady devastated the East Coast, whe he iitiated a effort for churches i State Islad ad New York. We have to be ready to put the Gospel i actio, said Msgr. Orlowski, admittig that sometimes you have to circumvet the bureaucracy, roll up your sleeves ad get dow to busiess. After he retured, he wrote i the bulleti, Thak you for the privilege of brigig your doatios to Texas. As God has loved us so much, we have that same love for each other. I October, ie parishioers made a secod trip to help recostruct homes at Our Lady of Guadalupe, which St. Matthew s has adopted as a sister parish. Before the ed of the year, aother team will go there, ad i the sprig, members of the St. Matthew youth group ad others pla to help repait the homes, Msgr. Orlowski said. Jim Weeks, vice presidet of Iformatio Services for Yale New Have Health, was amog the ie voluteers who flew to Roseberg as part of the St. Matthew recostructio team, alog with parochial vicar Father Suil Pereira. The group icluded me ad wome from diverse backgrouds fiace, healthcare, homemakig, costructio ad real estate all draw together by the commo purpose of puttig Christ s love ito actio. I ve bee goig to this church a log time ad Mosigor speaks from the heart, Weeks said. cotiued o page 19

4 4 December 2017 McGivey Ceter, Bridgeport Coe pitches Family ad Commuity STRATFORD McGivey Ceter lauched its first Celebrity Breakfast i a wiig style with pitchig great David Coe o the moud ad more tha 350 ethusiastic fas at Vazzao s Four Wids restaurat i Stratford. The recet evet, sposored by Aquario Water Compay, raised over $60,000 to beefit the diocesa-sposored commuity ceter that provides after-school ad eveig learig ad recreatioal programs to youth. The five-time All-Star ad Cy Youg Award wier i 1994 thaked all those preset for their commitmet to creatig a commuity for the youth i the Bridgeport area. Coe also shared his appreciatio for the McGivey Ceter, speakig o the importace of the sese of commuity ad family that the ceter creates for the studets they serve. Coe wet o to share his experieces i the Yakee clubhouse, icludig stories about his time with catcher Joe Girardi, Mike Mussia, ad Joe Torre. Before Coe took the podium, Bishop Frak J. Caggiao delivered the ivocatio ad reflected o the value of a eighborhood i the life of a child. I a world where may are guarded or do ot feel safe, we must create real eighborhoods where youg people are respected, cared for, ad loved. That is precisely what the McGivey Ceter does each ad every day, ad for that, I am deeply grateful, said the bishop. Youth speaker Briaa Johso wo the hearts of the gatherig with her thoughts o the role that McGivey Ceter plays i her life. She shared that i the future, she wats to be a urse so that she ca give back to the ceter that has meat so much to her. BASEBALL GREAT David Coe, former N.Y. Mets ad N.Y. Yakees pitcher, got the start for the first McGivey Ceter Celebrity Breakfast held recetly at Vazzao s Four Seaso s Restaurat i Stratford. Bob Matthews, presidet of the board of the McGivey Ceter, hadled the welcome, while Terry O Coor, executive director, served as master of ceremoies. Board members Ke Marti ad Sea Rabiowtiz served as evet co-chairs. The McGivey Commuity Ceter was fouded i 1992 to create a educatioal safe have by providig youth with after-school ad eveig programs, as well as summer camp. Its missio is to provide stimulatig ad erichig programs that foster academic success ad self-esteem. $100 $50 Programs iclude homework assistace, erichmet activities, Friday club, cookig classes, computers, recreatio, holiday evets, school vacatio programs, youth coucil tutorial services, ad summer camp. The McGivey Ceter was amed for Father Michael McGivey, a priest from New Have who worked tirelessly for the poor ad fouded the Kights of Columbus to serve as a mutual aid ad frateral isurace orgaizatio, particularly for immigrats ad their families. I March 2008, Pope Beedict XVI declared McGivey Veerable i recogitio of his heroic virtue. (The McGivey Ceter is located at 338 Stillma Street o the campus of St. Charles Borromeo Parish i Bridgeport. For more iformatio, phoe or visit www. mcgivey.org.) Provide meals for four families Wedesday Morig Breakfast for our retired priests after Mass 1. Visit to select gifts. 2. Dedicate a gift to a fried or loved oe. 3. The Diocese will sed a card to your gift recipiet or you may prit oe o your computer or sed a e-card. 4. The Diocese will direct your gift to the selected miistry. Questios: $50 $25 Readig or math textbooks for Ier-city Catholic Schools Provide warm breakfast for 25 people through Morig Glory, Dabury Simply complete the evelope that is iserted i the Fairfield Couty Catholic with your gift selectios. Blessed Gifts supports your faith i actio through miistries across the Diocese of Bridgeport. Diocese of Bridgeport, 238 Jewett Aveue, Bridgeport, Coecticut 06606

5 December NCYC 17 Recap With Jesus, there is othig you ca t face By JOHN T. GROSSO Just over 24,000 Catholic youth from throughout the coutry gathered i Idiaapolis for a three day coferece ad celebratio of faith. Participats i the Natioal Catholic Youth Coferece (NCYC), held November 16-18, came from as far as Alaska ad Hawaii, ad as close as our very ow Diocese of Bridgeport, which set a cotiget of 30 youth ad chaperoes. Startig their 14 hour bus jourey late o Wedesday ight, the youth kept up a spirit of joyful aticipatio, arrivig at the Idiaapolis Covetio Ceter the followig afteroo. Their patiece ad perseverace were immediately rewarded, as they stepped off the bus to a atmosphere of cotagious excitemet that permeated throughout the buildig. Youth from across the coutry were tradig hats ad trikets, comig up to complete stragers to share i coversatio, ad idetify with others about their commo Catholic faith. Vedors ad exhibitors from across the coutry were preset i the massive exhibit hall, which reflected a celebratio of differet parts of the coutry. Oe of the exhibitors, the Face of Prayer, was maed by a dedicated team of voluteers from the Diocese of Bridgeport. Youth were costatly surroudig the booth, filmig questios about their faith ad prayer life to be aswered i the ew Face of Prayer 2.0 campaig, which was formally lauched by Bishop Frak J. Caggiao later i the coferece. The goal of the campaig is to create a video catechism, usig questios asked by youg people ad aswers provided by theologias from aroud the coutry. Youth from the Diocese of Bridgeport gathered together each day for the morig ad eveig sessios, held i Lucas Oil Stadium. Youth from St. Philip Parish ad St. Adrew Parish participated i prayer, Catholic cocerts, Adoratio ad Holy Mass, ad listeed to speakers each day with great attetio. Amog those who helped lead prayer throughout the coferece was Bishop Caggiao, takig the stage at Lucas Oil Stadium o Saturday morig. I his reflectio, he discussed some of the challeges that youg people face ad how they ca fid their way through aythig they might face with the help of Jesus ad his Blessed Mother. With Jesus, there is othig you ca t face he said to a stadig ovatio. Bishop Caggiao also gave a breakout sessio to youth miisters o Friday afteroo, ad joied the NCYC staff o the official livestream of the evet that eveig. As the coferece woud dow o Saturday afteroo, the Diocese of Bridgeport cotiget gathered for a fial time to thak Eva Psecik, the coordiator of youth ad youg adult miistry, who led the pilgrimage. After a beautiful closig Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gomez, the youth were set forth ito the world to spread the Gospel by the way they lived their lives. Hittig the right otes for charity BRIDGEPORT The 26th Aual Fall Beefit for the Ier- City Foudatio for Charity & Educatio raised $682,000 to support strugglig ad eedy families i Fairfield Couty. The evet, held o November 16 at the Hyatt Regecy i Greewich, had supporters of the Ier-City Foudatio up SPREAD THE GOSPEL a cotiget of 30 diocesa youth ad chaperoes participated i the Natioal Catholic Youth Coferece i Idiaapolis. The Face of Prayer 2.0 campaig was formally lauched by Bishop Caggiao durig the coferece. o their feet by the ed of the eveig, swigig to the souds of the legedary New Orleas Preservatio Hall Jazz Bad Fouded i 1992, the Ier- City Foudatio has provided more tha $29 millio to about 200 local orgaizatios. It awards grats to orgaizatios providig educatio, food, clothig, shelter ad couselig. Master of Ceremoies, comediee ad master storyteller Boie Leviso kept the eveig movig with her humor ad quick wit, itroducig the bad as well as several speakers, icludig Msgr. Thomas Powers, vicar geeral of the Diocese of Bridgeport; Dick Matteis ad Hele FitzPatrick of the Ier- City Foudatio, both from Greewich; ad Mitch Bars, CEO of Nielse ad the evet s corporate chair. Jeifer Barum was this year s wier of the foudatio s Tim Russert Makig A Differece Award. Two beeficiaries of programs supported by the Ier-City Foudatio, Leidy Garcia of Stamford ad Briaa Hopkis of Bridgeport also spoke. Garcia said the Exchage Club Paretig Skills Ceter i Stamford provided critical guidace to her whe she foud herself pregat at 14, with owhere to tur. Remarkably, she was able to graduate o time with her high school class Amazig, right?! cotiued o page 17 Peace o Earth Crèches of the World Nov. 18, Feb. 19, State Street, New Have kofcmuseum.org Free admissio & parkig

6 6 December 2017 St. George, Bridgeport Reovatig for the future By PAT HENNESSY A church is a buildig where people gather to worship God. A church is also the people of God who gather i that buildig. At St. George Church i Bridgeport, both the buildig ad the people proudly recogize over a hudred years of history. Both, too people ad buildig alike are busy workig toward aother cetury of worship. To our families, Moumets ad Markers Are available for purchase through ay of our Catholic Cemetery Offices. Call for a appoitmet or visit us. ( We ca give you a FREE estimate o addig a iscriptio to your existig family moumet. Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Bridgeport Admiistrative Office, Catholic Ceter 238 Jewett Aveue, Bridgeport, CT We have parishioers from ie differet coutries worshippig here, said Father Elio Sosa, IVE, pastor. A recet parish cesus couted more tha 900 people at weeked Masses. Fouded by immigrat Lithuaias i 1907, the parish is curretly home to a mostly Spaish-speakig commuity, ecompassig ewly-arrived families ad those from a secod or third geeratio i this coutry. Families from Lithuaia backgroud still have a presece i the parish, alog with parishioers who have a special place for Irelad i their hearts. Everythig we do here is biligual, said Father Sosa. We are oe family, o matter what our backgroud. They were oe family i a leaky home, though. Water was ifiltratig through the aged roof Cemetery Offices BRIDGEPORT-STRATFORD St. Michael Cemetery 2205 Stratford Aveue Stratford, CT (203) DANBURY St. Peter Cemetery 71 Lake Aveue Extesio Dabury, CT (203) DARIEN St. Joh Cemetery 25 Camp Aveue Darie, CT (203) GREENWICH St. Mary - Putam Cemetery 399 North Street Greewich, CT (203) (203) NEWTOWN Resurrectio Cemetery c/o Gate of Heave Cemetery 1056 Daiels Farm Road Trumbull, CT (203) NORWALK St. Joh - St. Mary Cemetery 223 Richards Aveue Norwalk, CT (203) STAMFORD Quee of Peace Cemetery c/o St. Joh Cemetery 25 Camp Aveue Darie, CT (203) TRUMBULL Gate of Heave Cemetery 1056 Daiels Farm Road Trumbull, CT (203) WESTPORT Assumptio, Grees Farms Assumptio, Kigs Highway c/o St. Joh Cemetery 223 Richards Aveue Norwalk, CT (203) of the bell tower ad appearig by the staied glass widows of the mai church. There s a simplicity to the bell tower at St. George that s absolutely fabulous, said Rick Rapice, project maager for the diocesa Real Estate ad Costructio Office. It s a perfect square. It s really beautiful; the proportios are terrific. Because of the buildig s age, Father Sosa had already worked with the Real Estate Office to correct structural problems aroud the property. I thik that experiece gave Father Elio ad his parish team the reassurace to see us as a resource ad come to us with this ew problem, said Rapice. Our parishioers wat to see the church restored, said Father Sosa. So I followed the diocesa policy. I spoke to the bishop, ad he put me i touch with the correct office. Richard was my right had. He helped me a lot. Reovatio projects are dautig, ad parishes lack the ability to deal with them aloe. That s where the backgroud, kowledge ad skill of the Real Estate ad Costructio Office come ito play. Over the past year, Rapice ad Adrew Schulz, director of real estate, ispected the buildig ad preseted restoratio drawigs to Father Sosa ad the parish coucil. Durig the summer, Schulz ad Ae McCrory, chief legal real estate officer, researched restoratio compaies. Diocesa policy requires proposals from three differet sources before acceptig a cotract. Due to the age of the church, it was importat to choose someoe who had experiece restorig buildigs from that era. They chose Arthur Vicet Co. i Nyack, N.Y., who had worked o a Cogregatioal Church i Bridgeport. The diocese kows him very well, said Father Sosa. Adrew Vicet, the so, came with Richard ad Adrew to preset fial plas ad fiacial estimates to the parish. I October, a scaffold ad ettig was erected aroud the veerable tower. Before the moth eded, they were replacig the crumblig, spallig masory ad had started to replace the roof NEW LIFE IN OLDER PARISH Father Elio Sosa, pastor of St. George Parish, has breathed ew life ito the parish o the edge of dowtow Bridgeport. With the help of the Diocesa Real Estate Office, he s leadig the effort to restore the steeple of the historic church fouded by the Lithuaia commuity ad ow home to may Spaish-speakig families. with a copper ski. The itricate Europea staied-glass widows, almost a hudred years beautiful, are ow safe from water damage. Next up: re-poitig ad re-facig the brick façade. A third item will be to replace the frot steps, which have shifted over time. The pace of these items will deped o ucertai witer weather. The pace of spiritual life at St. George cotiues with o pause; o witer wids ca dim the glow of eergetic faith. Worshippers gather early for daily Mass i the ivitig chapel. First Friday Mass ad Eucharistic Adoratio brig stadig room oly. Nearly 300 childre participate i religious educatio programs. O Tuesdays ad Fridays, school childre ca come to the buildig to be part of the Oratorio of St. Joh Bosco, a mix of homework, coversatio, games ad life skills. Our kids, we kow them all, said Father Sosa. We kow if they are happy or feelig sad, ad we have time to talk to them. I November, the parish bega a ovea i hoor of Our Lady of Juquila, a popular devotio from the Mexica highlads. It eded just before the Feast of the Immaculate Coceptio o December 8. Aother huge Maria feast followed Our Lady of Guadalupe. Hard o the heels of these celebratios, St. George will celebrate Kucios, the traditioal Lituaia Christmas Eve feast. All oe family, Father Sosa repeated with pride. Meatime, Childre s Choir is practicig for Christmas Mass. A Christmas play will delight childre ad parets alike. Christmas Mass will be stuffed to the gills. Whatever the weather, Three Kigs Day will see the parish hall brimmig with food, flooded with music ad laughter, ad happy with toys for the little oes. They will be happy ad warm ad dry. St. George, both the people ad the buildig, are lookig forward to aother cetury of worship.

7 December th Aiversary Sady Hook remembered NEWTOWN Five years after the tragedy of Sady Hook Elemetary School, a priest still looks for healig ad for hope, but it has bee a difficult, ofte aguished path. Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish, vividly remembers the days, weeks ad moths after a youg ma took the lives of 20 childre ad six adults shortly before Christmas. Eight childre ad oe adult were from his parish. They were childre he had baptized, ad some were preparig for First Holy Commuio. Suddely, it was his resposibility to bury them. There s still a great deal of pai, there s still a great deal of ager, he said. The path to healig ad forgiveess has ot bee a easy oe. O the fifth aiversary, some people still do t wat to talk about it. The morig of December 14, he was amog the first clergy to arrive at the school with the Newtow police. Later that day, he would accompay them to iform parets their childre had died. He remembers keepig vigil at the voluteer fire statio as parets paced ervously throughout the afteroo ad the collapsed i grief whe Goveror Malloy aouced there were o more survivors. The parets kew i their hearts the childre were goe, Msgr. Weiss said. As broke as they were, the love i the room was pheomeal eve after such a great loss. That eveig, more tha 750 grief-stricke mourers crowded ito St. Rose for a Vigil Mass. Outside 1,000 more stood prayig i the cold. After midight, Msgr. Weiss wet with police to visit families who lost childre. By the time he got home, it was 3 am. The day left him emotioally devastated. The musical Carousel was o TV, ad Claramae Turer was sigig, You ll Never Walk Aloe. The momet affected him deeply. To me, that was God puttig his had o my shoulder, he recalled. That was God tellig me he would sed help. Ad he did. I put it i God s hads ad relied o his grace, he said. To be hoest, it was how I kept CATHOLIC PROFESSIONAL NETWORK Law Office of James M. Hughes Elder Law/TITLE 19/MEDICAID-Plaig Vetera s Beefits - Aid & Attedace Estates/Probate/Real Estate 1432 Post Road, Fairfield, Coecticut hughes_james@sbcglobal.et PARISH WEB DESIGN PACKAGES Mobile Friedly Maagemet Tools Visit: Magtype.com special pricig for o-profits myself together. His doctor wated to prescribe medicatio, but he refused because he kew he had to be alert ad a source of stregth. Oe parishioer described him as a light i the darkess. The Lord ad the people carried me through, he said. I had eight fuerals i five days, i additio to all the wakes. The childre from St. Rose of Lima Parish who died at Sady Hook School were: Daiel Barde, 7; Olivia Egel, 6; Josephie Gay, 7; Catherie Hubbard, 6; James Mattioli, 6; Grace McDoell, 7; Carolie Previdi, 6; ad Jessica Rekos, 6. Durig that week, priests from the diocese rallied to Msgr. Weiss s side, with as may as te priests ad deacos o the altar. He remembers assistig the grievig families ito the church, embracig the parets at the Kiss of Peace, spriklig holy water o the coffis ad commedig the childre to their fial rest. I his homilies, he talked about light ad darkess. This is darkess, ad darkess is ot goig to coquer the Light, he said. It was the seaso of Advet ad Haukkah, ad everywhere people were tryig to remid themselves of the Light coquerig darkess. There were Christmas trees with hudreds of lights ad cadles. His staff ad two parochial vicars, Father Igacio Ortigas ad Father Luke Suarez, were outstadig ad very protective. Wherever he wet, three parishioers accompaied him. We were able to brig cosolatio ad hope to a lot of people. The press was amazed by the role of the Church i the lives of the commuity, he recalled. We showed the world the importace of faith. The houses of worship became the ceters where people gathered. They were ope We also showed them the value of family. It remided us of what is truly importat i life. Day ad ight, people kept a costat vigil at St. Rose. They prayed ad lit cadles at shries o the grouds, adorig them with flowers, photos, Satas ad stuffed aimals. They came to pray, to publicly mour ad to let the families who lost a child kow their grief was shared. The way the parish ad the commuity rallied was absolutely pheomeal, icludig support from Catholic Charities ad staff Accept Doatios SEO Ready ST. ROSE OF LIMA PASTOR MSGR. ROBERT WEISS buried eight childre from the parish i late December, 2012, after the Sady Hook School shootigs. His deeply pastoral ad comfortig presece started the healig process for may people ad also became a symbol of the power of faith across the Uited States. I reflectig o the difficulty of dealig with the tragedy ad ogoig trauma, Msgr. Weiss says, I put it i God s hads ad relied o His grace. (Photo by Michelle Babyak) of the Catholic ceter, alog with efforts by the Kights of Columbus, the youth groups ad parish groups, Msgr. Weiss said. He broke up as he recalled their commitmet ad expressios of love for oe aother. Withi days, the commuity bega to receive hudreds of thousads of letters, cotributios ad packages cotaiig Christmas cookies, hams, prayer cards, had-crafted gifts ad books. Msgr. Weiss served o a committee that maaged their distributio. I had people comig i o two-hour shifts because emotioally that was as log as they could hadle it, he said. He ofte felt aloe as he cofroted his emotioal turmoil RESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY DRAIN CLEANING MUNICIPAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE LICENSED & INSURED CATCH BASIN CLEANING HIGH VELOCITY WATER JETTING LARGE DIAMETER POWER RODDING or Office: 534 Surf Aveue Stratford ad that of coutless people who came to him with their grief. His assistat priests evetually received trasfers, which compouded his pai. A lot of people asked if I was cosiderig a trasfer, but whe I saw what so may people were goig through, it cofirmed the eed to stay. He bega sufferig from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder ad spet several weeks at a Catholic facility for couselig ad rehabilitatio. I still break dow a lot, he says. My visio ad hearig were affected. These are the aftereffects. I have difficulty sleepig, ad my whole lifestyle radically chaged. I have terrible axiety cotiued o page 16 TV PIPE INSPECTION AIR TESTING JET RODDING VACTOR SERVICE

8 8 December 2017 St. Augustie Cathedral Parish Feast of the Vietamese Martyrs BRIDGEPORT I a word, JOY was the predomiat theme for the celebratio of the feast of the Holy Vietamese Martyrs held at St. Augustie Cathedral o November 19. The martyrs are the patros of the Vietamese Catholic commuity i the Diocese of Bridgeport, which makes the cathedral its home parish. There was a great excitemet throughout the evet. Bishop Frak J. Caggiao was the pricipal celebrat ad homilist. About 15 priests cocelebrated, icludig Father Thomas Thore, pastor of the Church of the Assumptio i Westport, ad Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish i Newtow. The cathedral was packed, with stadig room oly. Vietamese families, may of whom traveled a great distace, were joied by America guests ad may religious Brothers ad Sisters. Hoor guards from the Kights of Columbus let added digity to the occasio. Lively ad beautiful sogs sigig by the Vietamese choir ad colorful uiforms of the boys ad girls ad differet miistries added to the overall effect. The day started with the skit of the Vietamese Martyrs, the a lively dace by youg ladies i CENTURIES OF FAITH The heroic dedicatio of the Vietamese Martyrs was hoored durig a Mass held at St. Augustie Cathedral, home to the Vietamese Catholic commuity i this diocese. (Photos by Michelle Babyak) colorful Vietamese traditioal dress hoorig the martyrs, followed by veeratio of the first class relics of the martyrs. To fill i the historical backgroud, it s importat to recogize that Christiaity i Vietam dates back a solid 500 years. The Catholic populatio flourished, particularly after the arrival of the Jesuits i the early 1600s. Persecutio, always a threat, grew more omious as regimes welcomed or rejected the Christias i their midst. While slightly more tha a hudred martyrs are kow by ame, etire families ad whole villages were destroyed durig several persecutios. The Vatica estimates that possibly as may as 3,000 Vietamese have died for their faith i Jesus. For that reaso, Vietamese Catholics who died for their faith from 1533 to the preset day were caoized o Jue 19, 1988, by St. Joh Paul II uder the title Vietamese Martyrs. The faith of Vietamese Catholics ever faltered. Vietam has the fifth largest Catholic populatio i Asia, with early six millio Catholics i Vietam today, represetig 6.87 percet of the total populatio. Today, eve with the lack of religious tolerace, Catholicism i Vietam is still growig. The Cathedral Mass, celebrated i both Eglish ad Vietamese, was ethusiastically embraced by the parishioers. Bishop Caggiao, as always, captured the cogregatio s focus. Durig his homily, he poited out two lessos they could draw from the Vietamese Martyrs. The first, simply ad clearly, was Do ot be afraid, ad go out ito the world makig a differece. He eded his homily by emphasizig that the martyrs did ot die aloe, but with their brothers ad sisters i the Lord. After Mass, Father Augustie Nguye thaked all the people preset o behalf of the Vietamese Commuity. Now a parochial vicar at Assumptio Parish, Father Nguye preseted gifts to his pastor, Father Thomas Thore, for his geerosity ad support of allowig Father Nguye to also admiister to the Vietamese Commuity. He also gave Bishop Caggiao a beautiful picture of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus ad Mary with a first class relic of the Vietamese Martyrs. The cogregatio was the ivited over to the Kolbe Gym for a receptio to celebrate the feast day. There was plety of food ad great music performed by the youg people i the commuity. Bishop Caggiao, alog with most of the people, stayed util the very ed ejoyig the woderful time together. Service Corps helps Al s Agels pack meals BRIDGEPORT O November 11, hudreds of voluteers gathered at the Gault Stoe Warehouse o Seaview Aveue i Bridgeport to pack 1,600 Al s Agels Thaksgivig meal bis for families i eed. This is a aual evet for Al s Agels, a charitable orgaizatio fouded by Catholic etrepeeur Al DiGuido i 2004 as a outreach to thousads of childre with cacer, rare blood diseases ad fiacial hardship. Amog the voluteers gathered to assemble the bis, comprised of patry staples as well as all the fixigs for a Thaksgivig meal, were members of the Diocese of Bridgeport s Catholic Service Corps. The Catholic Service Corps calls o youg people to be the face of Christ i service to others ad uites them i service opportuities while coectig these to their Catholic faith. Al s Agels has partered with the Catholic Service Corps for the past two years for the Thaksgivig ad Christmas bi packig evets, as well as for the toy drive, i which over 12,000 ew toys will be collected for childre i area hospitals. uteers eagerly looked forward to the ext Al s Agels evet, the Christmas meal bi packig o December 9. (Youth ad families wishig to This evet was the perfect opportuity for the Catholic Service Corps to come together. Youg people from various parishes ad schools took part i the day, alog with Cofirmatio cadidates from St. Pius X Parish i Fairfield, studets from Fairfield Prep, Notre Dame High School, St. Joseph High School ad area youth groups, icludig oes from St. Mark Parish i Stratford, Assumptio i Westport ad St. Fracis i Westo. The youth of the Catholic Service Corps were also joied by four religious Sisters from the Coucil of Religious, led by Sister Nacy Stirillacci, ASCJ. That experiece behid them, the Catholic Service Corps volcoect to service opportuities ca lear more by visitig www. catholicservicecorps.org or cotactig CSC coordiator Jessica Nayde: jayde@diobpt.org.)

9 December Father Rolado Torres The priest s goal is to serve ad ot to be served BRIDGEPORT Whe he was 15, Father Rolado Torres met a youg woma who was i the same Catholic youth movemet i Puerto Rico. Years later, i desperatio, she ed the ow-pastor of St. Mary Parish i Bridgeport ad asked for help. She ad her husbad ad two sos were homeless. They lost everythig i Hurricae Maria, oe of the most devastatig storms ever to hit Puerto Rico. Could Father help them? He wasted o time, ad shortly afterward arraged for the family s flight from Sa Jua to America, where a apartmet was waitig for them i Bridgeport with two moths paid ret. It was oly oe of may efforts o the part of the priest ad the predomiatly Puerto Rica parish to help people from their ative islad, whose lives have bee destroyed by the storm that hit o September 20. He said his goal as a priest is to serve ad ot to be served. His spiritual metor, oe of the holiest priests he ever met, told him that should be his purpose. They are Christ s ow words. Sice he was amed pastor i 2015, Father Torres said his goals have bee twofold: to advace the spiritual lives of his parishioers ad to implemet social programs for the parish ad commuity, most recetly through charitable activities ad relief efforts for victims of the hurricae. Father Torres had wated to retur to Puerto Rico because he has family members ad frieds there, but his plas were thwarted whe a flight he booked was cacelled. Sice the, the parish has set regular shipmets of food ad provisios there, with the shippig beig paid for by a aoymous Greewich door. The parish also raised $4,000 through a diocesa collectio that was give to Catholic Charities for its relief effort. I additio, a special doatio is beig made to Our Lady of the Agels parish i Utuado, whose pastor, Father Miguel Mercado, was the rector of the mior semiary that Father Torres atteded. He was the priest who told me that we live to serve, he recalled. He oce said, If you wat to be a good priest, you start by cleaig. I have bee blessed to kow very holy ad humble priests. Workig with Rosa Correa, coordiator of the Puerto Rico Relief Ceter i Bridgeport, Father Torres has assisted other families who came here after the hurricae. Ofte lackig a support system i America, they were welcomed by St. Mary s ad ivited to atted the parish s Thaksgivig dier ad the observace of the feast of Our Lady of Providece, patroess of Puerto Rico, for whom Father Torres ad the parish have a special devotio. Father Torres speaks ofte about Providece i his ow life ad the life of the Church. Rosa Correa set people our way, he said. It was i the Providece of God that we already had everythig i place to help them. As part of their efforts, parishioers serve meals every secod Friday at the Thomas Merto Ceter, ad prepare breakfast i the church hall after Mass. St. Mary s has close to 1,000 families who atted three Masses i Spaish ad oe i Eglish. Father Torres recetly had a Adoratio Chapel built, where daily Mass is celebrated, alog with Eucharistic Adoratio, Moday to Friday from 8 am to 10 pm. I additio, more tha 100 people gather i the church hall for weekly classes i Bible study ad Church history, which he teaches. He also has a Iteret radio program twice a week titled Father Torres recetly had a Adoratio Chapel built, where daily Mass is celebrated, alog with Eucharistic Adoratio. Alpha ad Omega at www. lavozdemariaradio.com. For Father Torres, servig at St. Mary s is somewhat of a homecomig. His family atteded Mass i the old church, which was demolished i the early 1980s. It was there that Father Torres was baptized i 1978 by Msgr. Peter Culle, who years later vested him for his ordiatio. The yougest of ie childre, he ad his family left the East Side ad retured to Puerto Rico whe he was barely a year old. As a teeager, he felt called to the priesthood ad etered a mior semiary. He later received his bachelor s degree i philosophy from the Potifical Catholic Uiversity of Puerto Rico ad studied theology i Sa Jua. I 2002, he retured to Bridgeport. By the, however, he had left the semiary ad was workig odd jobs for a cleaig service ad detist s office. Eve though he did t kow what the future had i store, God did. Oe day after Mass at St. James Parish i Stratford, Father Thomas Lych, St. James pastor, asked to pray over him ad said, God has a pla for you. Do t let the devil hold up that pla. May the Lord make you come back to him. That prayer was quickly aswered. A few days later, he met with Msgr. Chris Walsh, the director of priestly vocatios. We talked for two hours, Father Torres recalled, ad he coviced me to come back. I told him my Eglish was bad, ad he said, God will take care of you. He resumed his studies at St. Joseph s Semiary ad College i Duwoodie, N.Y., ad graduated i He was ordaied o May 19, 2007, ad assiged to St. Mary Parish i Greewich, where he served for several years, followed by St. Mary s i Stamford ad briefly at St. Joseph s i Shelto. O May 19, 2015, he was appoited pastor of St. Mary s i Bridgeport. It was the aiversary of his ordiatio. For Our Lady of Providece, there are o coicideces. NO COINCIDENCES Father Rolado Torres is ow pastor of St. Mary Parish i Bridgeport, where he was baptized as a ifat. Because he grew up i Puerto Rico, he was ideally placed to offer assistace to families from that islad after the destructio of Hurricae Maria. This Scripture Puzzle is sposored by:

10 10 EDITORIAL A Mother s Faith I December 2012, Fairfield Couty Catholic received this extraordiary letter from Jey Hubbard, mother of six-year old Catherie Hubbard, who lost her life i the shootigs at Sady Hook School o December 14 of that year. The depth of her faith ad stregth of her love were a gift to all those strugglig with the shootigs. The Hubbards have sice hoored Catherie s life through the creatio of the Catherie Violet Hubbard Aimal Sactuary i Newtow (cvhfoudatio.org). Other families have goe o work for gu violece prevetio ad establish iitiatives that celebrate the lives of their childre by helpig others. As we prepare for Christmas ad the celebratio of a child whose life chaged the etire world, we solemly remember the childre of Newtow ad their families who cotiue to struggle with the loss. (See iterview with Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima o page 7). O the 5th aiversary of this tragedy that shook the diocese ad the etire atio, we are hoored to re-prit Jeifer Hubbard s letter: Whe I close my eyes I see Catherie cradled i the palm of His had. I see her softly gigglig. She is opeig her arms to all the aimals. She is sedig us comfort i ways that oly God s agels could kow how. She is with God, she is at peace. Whe I could ot fid her, I felt a calm fill my heart ad I kew i that momet she was with God. I kew that she was safe, safer tha I could ever make her. I miss her. There will be a hole i my heart that wides each time I remember somethig so simple that was so Catherie. Each time I feel that my tears will ot stop, I am pulled back to a place of peace ad fid comfort that Catherie was called to a job much bigger tha I ca eve fathom. I kow that God has a specific purpose for us ad while I may ot uderstad right ow how I will muster the stregth to fulfill His purpose, I must remai cetered o His face. He will provide what I eed to move forward. He will provide the soft udges to help me feel cofidet that I am doig what He iteded. We are all put where we are for a very specific reaso. My daughter, alog with the victims of Sady Hook School, brought a world to their kees i prayer. Twety babies ad six adults were able to do what some thought ever possible. They have set the stage for us ad we have a resposibility to cotiue what they started. We have a resposibility to cotiue to serve our childre ad help them be rooted i their faith. We are boud to this place ad must brig our childre s uderstadig of faith to a ew level. So may people are talkig about gettig back to ormal. I am ot sure that is really what we wat. Are we willig to accept that ormal icludes allowig our childre to ot feel safe i their schools? Are we willig to say that ormal is a place where first graders, teachers ad admiistrators beig brutally killed is acceptable? I pray that we do ot go back to ormal. I pray that we fid a ew ormal that is restored i faith. I pray that we cotiue to draw o God s love ad peace. I pray that the world is comforted kowig that they are wrapped i God s cloak. This week our so asked, How God would do this? We told him, God did t do this. We are huma, we have free will, there are people that do ot liste to God s voice ad decide to take their ow path. Whe we stop listeig to our hearts, we stop listeig to God s voice. We stop ackowledgig that we are i this place for a very specific reaso. As you celebrate the New Year ad settle back ito the lives you led prior to December 14th, I pray that you kow that you are exactly where you eed to be ad that you hear God s getle voice helpig you fid the words that you eed to say. I pray that we fid comfort ad solace kowig that God loves each oe of us ad will wrap each oe of us i His arms whe the days become too much. I pray that the world returs to their faith. A Jourey of Hope Pope Fracis calls Advet a jourey toward the horizo of hope. There is somethig about Christmas that ispires hope i everyoe. At this time of the year, people hope for peace i their families. They hope for peace i our harshly divided coutry. They hope for peace i our ever more frighteig world. As Pope Fracis emphasized, The jourey is ever fiished. Oe of the best ways to carry forward the jourey started by the ifat i Bethlehem is captured by the words of a popular hym, Let there be peace o earth, ad let it begi with me. Dea FATHER FRANCISCO GOMEZ-FRANCO, from iterim Dea of the Quee of Peace Deaery (A), to Dea of the Quee of Peace Deaery (A). Effective date was November 13. Father Gomez-Fraco will remai Pastor of Sait Charles Borromeo Parish, Episcopal Master of Ceremoies, ad represetative o the Presbyteral Coucil for priests ordaied 0-14 years. Office of Commuicatios Diocese of Bridgeport 238 Jewett Aveue Bridgeport, Coecticut telephoe fax fcc@diobpt.org Web Facebook BridgeportDiocese USPS o.: Periodical postage paid at Bridgeport, CT 06601, ad additioal mailig offices. CLERGYAPPOINTMENTS The Most Revered Frak J. Caggiao, Bishop of Bridgeport, has made the followig clergy appoitmets i the Diocese of Bridgeport: Most Revered Frak J. Caggiao Publisher Bria D. Wallace Executive Editor bdwallace@diobpt.org Pat Heessy Maagig Editor pheessy@diobpt.org Reée Stamatis Art Director rstamatis@diobpt.org Ralph Lazzaro Advertisig Maager rlazzaro@diobpt.org Bria A. Wallace Graphic Desiger bwallace@diobpt.org Joh Grosso Social Media Leader jgrosso@diobpt.org Roie Lazzaro Copy Editor (Cosultat) December 2017 LETTER TO THE EDITOR To Msgr.Orlowski ad the parish commuity of St. Matthew I uio with Christ the Kig ad the celebratio of Advet, I would like to express how thakful I am to the Lord for the uity ad love that is shared amog us i Christ the Kig. I wat to express my sicere gratitude ad thakfuless to Msgr. Walter ad the commuity of St. Matthew for the help give to the flood victims of our parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Roseberg, Texas, ad the surroudig commuities. I was overwhelmed by your selflessess ad acts of kidess ad love. The woderful families of St. Matthew ad the busiess commuity of Norwalk were a source of hope ad stregth to our commuity. The hope you brought to our commuity is the hope that is embodied the Advet seaso. Our parish commuity was hit with a secod flood withi a year ad a half. Hurricae Harvey caused much more extesive damage tha we aticipated. The church was spared but as may as 300 members of this parish commuity were ot. Your doatios ad moey helped us to reach out to all those i eed regardless of faith, color, rich, poor, male or female ad most importatly to childre. With your help, we became a distributio ceter for the couty. I do t kow how to thak you ad how humbled I am by the bod we share as Catholics, but most of all the bod we share as humas. Jesus Christ, our Kig, built his Church without borders or barriers that would costrai his disciples from goig out ito the world ad liftig up their eighbor i time of eed, sufferig ad death. To the me ad wome who came to help rebuild homes, I sed you my heartfelt thaks. You are a example of what Pope Fracis says, That the Church should come out of its buildigs ad go out ito the world ad become dirty ad poor ad messy. This is what makes the Church the livig body of Christ. The families will Parochial Admiistrator FATHER MICHAEL A. BOCCACCIO, to temporary Parochial Admiistrator of Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Stratford. Effective date was November 27. Father Boccaccio will remai Director of the Potifical Missio Societies for the Diocese of Bridgeport. Parochial Vicar FATHER HARRY PRIETO, from Parochial Vicar of Sait Theresa Parish, Trumbull, to Parochial ever forget your sacrifice. Msgr. Walter, you are ad ispiratio to me as a priest. You are a example of the good pastor who does t sit aroud but is very proactive i the proclamatio of the Word. To all the families of St. Matthew, thak you for your faith ad selfless geerosity. It shows the world that Jesus, our Kig, reigs i your heart, actios ad i the very commuity where your live ad pray. May our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the first ad perfect evagelizer of all the Americas, have you i the folds of her garmet ad i the crossig of her arms. May Christ Kig always keep us uited i the bods of love ad faith we share. May this holy seaso of hope be our stregth to move forward to a ew Advet. I am your humble servat, Father Lee A. Flores Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Roseberg, Texas Vicar of Sait Edward the Cofessor Parish, New Fairfield. Effective date was November 20. Episcopal Chaplai FATHER JOSEPH GILL, to Episcopal Chaplai to The Catholic Academy of Stamford. Effective date is Jauary 1, Father Gill will remai Episcopal Chaplai to Triity Catholic High School. Father Joseph A. Marcello Vicar for Clergy, December, 2017 Advertise To place a ad, cotact Ralph Lazzaro: Circulatio Every registered Catholic household i Fairfield Couty is etitled to a subscriptio. To cacel, chage or add a address, please fcc@diobpt.org Aual Subscriptio Price $20 (withi diocese) $50 (outside diocese) Postmaster sed address chages to: Fairfield Couty Catholic 238 Jewett Aveue Bridgeport, Coecticut Copyright 2016, Diocese of Bridgeport

11 December Editorial What was I thikig? There s othig like a little baby to make a household happy. The Heesseys have had a ru of good luck i that departmet little babies ladig o our doorstep at a pretty regular clip the last few years. The latest is Our Billy, a mischievous ad scamperig adveture pirate if ever oe existed. Billy is teethig ow. He moas ad groas. Keeps us up all hours. Starts out i his crib, eds up i our bed. It s exhaustig. But, ma, does he kow how to put a smile o my face. He s mostly all cheeks. The sight of him slaughters me. A Woma s View By Debra Tomaselli Debra Tomaselli writes from Altamote Sprigs, Florida. She ca be reached at dtomaselli@cfl.rr.com. startig my Christmas shoppig this weeked, I said I m to a coworker recetly. So early? she asked. I odded. Last year the holidays were so stressful that I ve decided to get the shoppig doe before Thaksgivig. That way there s time for church presetatios ad holiday gatherigs. I do t kow why we do this to ourselves, my associate said, shakig her head. Before log, we foud ourselves bemoaig the fact that Christmas had become too commercialized. Did people lose the real meaig of the seaso? Was it all about retail sales? Why create all this stress? I d rather see people give gifts throughout the year, istead of just oe day, she said. I odded i absolute agreemet. That weeked, however, as I took my Christmas list to the stores, I chaged my mid. I realized a world without Christmas gift-givig would be very sad ad cold, ideed. Suppose there were o bell-rigers for the Salvatio Army? Suppose you ever heard Christmas is ot (just) a story A Dad s View By Matthew Heessey Matthew Heessey ad his family are parishioers of St. Joh the Evagelist Parish i Stamford. The feelig I get gazig at him is love, I guess, but it deserves a differet ame. It s bigger tha love, really. Deeper tha love. More. Maybe the wid kows its ame. Eve whe Our Billy s rootig aroud uder the sik, or seakig up the stairs, or disablig my phoe with his fat figers, or whimperig like a straded seal at midight, I ca t fid it i me to get agry. My voice may deepe ad sharpe whe I do my Big Daddy Disciplie routie. But it s all for show. Our Billy is the world. He ca do o wrog. Not ow. The day Joy to the World piped though a retail outlet? Or if school choirs did t visit the mall wishig us a Merry Christmas? Suppose we were t prompted to cosider sharig our resources, like our food, our time ad our gifts, i some way, with family, frieds ad eighbors. What would that look like? For a seaso, the spirit of Christmas surrouds us. It s a spirit of love. Some may measure the seaso by retailers reveues, but it s far more tha that. It s about the icalculable amout of love that motivates those trasactios. Without the love, there would be o iflated sales. Should we elimiate the commercialism prompted by Christmas Day? Balace what we do throughout the year ad eradicate the eed to mark the occasio? That would be like havig someoe s birthday pass without ay special recogitio. We treat may come whe he strays from the path his mother ad I set him o. I ca t imagie lovig Our Billy ay less whe he does. It s impossible for me to thik of the Christmas story without thikig of how happy the appearace of that little baby Jesus must have made his parets. It was t your typical delivery-room scee. The Blessed Virgi ad Sait Joseph were improvisig. Their circumstaces were dire; the future looked grim. The the baby came ad all was quiet. All was bright. A baby has a way of makig a household happy. The miracle i the mager made the world happy, but first it made the Holy Family happy. It eve made them a family. A fried posted a drawig o Facebook recetly of a youg couple outside a 24-hour coveiece store i a urba eighborhood. She s i a advaced state of pregacy, sittig o a out-of-order mechaical poy, 25 cets per ride. He s o a payphoe, 25 cets per call, with a phoebook ope o his kee. you icely all year log, so why celebrate? Could we really refrai from that? I could t. I wat to celebrate you. I like to recogize birthdays yours, mie ad Jesus. We ca ad should give of ourselves throughout the year. We ca still be geerous, create happy surprises ad make someoe smile ay day of the year every day of the year! This, precisely, is what Christmas is all about. Ad the commercialism? May of us do t sew, bake, hammer or build aythig useful. Geeratios ago, you had to. Thakfully, times have chaged. Now we shop i malls. There s Amazo. We order olie. It s a believable sceario, a moder couple i a tough spot. It s after dark. A sig advertisig NO VACANCY looms atop a motel i the backgroud. Axiety. But at their feet, almost hidde amidst the litter ad decay, a tiy gree flower is breakig through a crack i the pavemet a shoot sproutig from the stump of Jesse. Just i case you do t get it, the ame o his work shirt is José. Her sweatshirt reads Nazareth High School. It s Mary ad Joseph, ad the little baby ubor Jesus a 25-cet Christmas Eve i Aytow, U.S.A. The spirit of the Lord rests upo them. Oe ight my trai was delayed. I eded up spedig more time i the basemet of Grad Cetral Termial tha I d ormally prefer. Watchig the commuters comig ad goig, to-ig ad fro-ig, it was hard to shake the impressio that we re all just meat o differet tha hordes of swarmig isects. Thousads of millios rushig hither ad thither for o good Why should Christmas be ay differet? However, it s ot about overspedig. A ote ad a cady bar ca be the sweetest gift. I God s ecoomy, a smile, a hug, a visit or a silet prayer are priceless presets. So let the retail ratigs soar. But do t forget why. Do t forget the love of God poured out o us this Christmas Day. Poder the birth of the Oe set to ope the doors of heave to you for eterity. That s the gift we celebrate o Christmas Day. Ad this gift is ever-edig. The love of God pursues you today ad all the days of your life. You ca be sure of that. I God s ecoomy, a smile, a hug, a visit or a silet prayer are priceless presets. You ca celebrate that. Today ad every day. reaso, satisfyig our selfish appetites, playig with our dopey toys, ad pursuig our midless obsessios. I kow I m ot the first to woder i a momet of weakess how it s possible that we ca all be special i God s eyes. There are so may of us. There have bee so may of us. There will be may more of us after you ad I are goe. He ca t possibly kow us all. He ca t kow me, you, ad every dowad-out José ad Maria. Whe I m i these moods, it s temptig to thik that Christmas is just a coveiet story. The I see those fat cheeks ad those sky-blue eyes. I hear the moaig ad groaig of our little straded seal curled up i bed betwee me ad my wife. The I get the picture. I kow Our Billy. I kow all of him, just as God kows all of me. Just as he kows everyoe who ever lived ad ever will. Just as he kows the ame that s writte o the wid. Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

12 12 December 2017 Wome Religious Cause for jubilatio WEST HARTFORD There was ample cause for jubilatio ad joy this fall as Sisters of Mercy of the Americas celebrated sigificat aiversaries. Amog them was Sister Mario Paul Lillis, markig 75 years of professed life. Durig her years of service she had taught at Sacred Heart School i Bridgeport (ow home to the Mercy Learig Ceter) ad St. Charles Borromeo School, also i Bridgeport. Amog the group were ie wome who etered from SISTER MARION PAUL LILLIS CELEBRATED 75 years of professed life. throughout the diocese: Sacred Heart Parish ad St. Charles Borromeo Parish, both i Bridgeport; St. Joseph Parish i South Norwalk; St. Peter Parish i Dabury; St. Maurice Parish i Stamford; ad St. Thomas Aquias Parish i Fairfield. SISTERS OF MERCY HAVE GIVEN over 1300 years of persoal commitmet to the Church. The Sisters of Mercy were the first wome religious to serve i Fairfield Couty, arrivig to establish a school at St. Joh the Evagelist Parish i Stamford i 1887, more tha half a cetury before the Diocese of Bridgeport was formed. I total, the jubiliaria Sisters have give over 1300 years of persoal commitmet to the Church! Itroducig Our NEW Itesive Stroke Rehabilitatio Program DIRECTED BY Neurologist: Daryl Story, Physiatrist: Claudio Petrillo ad Pulmoologist: Doald McNichol St. Luke celebrates 60 years WESTPORT The Church of St. Luke i Westport celebrated its 60th aiversary with three days of evets this fall. Msgr. Adrew Varga, pastor, Father Thomas Lakra, ad Sister Mauree Flemig, SSND, led the festivities. Startig off Friday eveig, parishioers had a chace to Rock Back to the Sixties. They daced to the music of DJ Remember The, twirled with hula hoops ad twisted to Chubby Checkers. A photo booth was set up, ad guests feasted o a spread of typical 60s ibbles. Saturday eveig featured a 60th Aiversary Mass atteded by priests who had served at St. Luke Parish i the past. Father Sam V. Scott, ow pastor of St. Joseph Parish i Dabury, gave the homily. Assistig priests were Msgr. Walter Orlowski, pastor of St. Matthew Parish i Norwalk; Father Ray Petrucci, a ative so of St. Luke; ad Father Thomas Thore, dea of the Deaery F (Fairfield ad Westport) ad pastor of Assumptio Parish. A champage receptio followed the Mass. St. Luke s childre had their ow party o Suday with a ice cream ad cake social after religious formatio classes. Prizes were also awarded to the wiers of a colorig cotest, which featured a tribute to St. Luke. The festivities icluded a special cake served at the Friday ight evet. It depicts the staied glass widow i the vestibule of the church. Oe side shies ito the gatherig space; the other side shows the widow above the balcoy that is visible o the way out of the church. The baker did a terrific job of depictio.

13 December Sports St. Joseph girls wi soccer, volleyball state titles By DON HARRISON Coaches Associatio (CHSCA) All-State team. Bridget has already committed to Coecticut College, Babieau said. St. Joseph swept its FCIAC volleyball oppoets (16-0) the match s loe goal five miutes ito the secod half appropriately eough, o a pass from All-America midfielder Jessica Mazo. The latter, a juior, was voted MVP of the title game. Accordig to Nogueira, Mazo is the most skillful ad techically soud player we ve had at St. Joe s, which speaks volumes. We ve had a lot of great players i the program, but Mazo is Yakee Uited soccer club sice she was 10 years old, Nogueira said. She s very athletic, with very good soccer skills combiig passig, shootig ad dribblig. The Cadets most reowed ST. JOSEPH S GIRLS SOCCER TEAM otched its third straight state champioship this fall. THE CADETS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM also fiished o top by wiig the Class M state title. Three straight state champioships. Four state titles i the past five seasos. Those are just some of the oteworthy accomplishmets of St. Joseph High School s Girls Soccer Team coached by Jack Nogueira. This fall, though, aother Cadet team joied the soccer squad at the piacle. The Girls Volleyball Team, coached by Jeff Babieau, captured the Class M state title its first sice 1997 with a hard-eared 3-1 victory over host East Have o November 18. We d lost to Greewich (3-0) i the FCIAC title game, Babieau poited out, but it was a good loss. We d gotte a little overcofidet. It woke the girls up. It got us goig for the state touramet. Juior Elea Ball, a outside hitter, rose to the challege ad was voted Most Valuable Player of the state touramet. Teammate Bridget Fatse, a seior outside hitter, was selected to the Coecticut High School Quite simply, it s durig the fall seaso ad fiished 25-2 overall. This champioship seaso, Babieau oted, Was a testamet to the kids buyig ito the program. I girls soccer, Nogueira has created a dyasty across his 18 seasos at St. Joe s, wiig o fewer tha six state titles i that spa. His wo-lost-tied record stads at Quite simply, it s the quality of the players we have. We are blessed to have outstadig kids who wat to come to St. Joseph, explaied Nogueira, who also serves as a guidace couselor at the school. The Cadets wrapped up their third straight Class L state title with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded RHAM-Hebro o November 18 at Middletow High School. Freshma forward Maddie Fried, who was selected to the CHSCA All-State team, scored the quality of the players we have. We are blessed to have outstadig kids. St. Joe s cocluded this champioship seaso with a wo-lost-tied record. The loe loss came agaist FCIAC rival Ridgefield, 2-0, o October 9. However, Ridgefield wet o to wi the Class LL state title with a 2-1 verdict over Staples. 10% off with this ad! Mazo. She has the heart of a lio, the heart of a champio. Mazo ad Fried shared the Cadets scorig lead this seaso with 21 goals apiece, ad were joied o the All-State team by seior Tory Bike. Maddie has played for my player thus far, Jea Bike, was a four-time All-State selectio ad the Natioal Soccer Coaches Associatio of America s 2015 Natioal Player of the Year. She just completed a outstadig sophomore seaso at Bosto College.

14 14 Obituaries Deaco Salvatore Clarizio Dr. Salvatore M. Clarizio, Ph.D., 81, of Trumbull, passed away peacefully o December 1 at St. Vicet s Medical Ceter. Bor i Bridgeport i May 1936, he was a so of the late Michele ad Clemetie Bocchio Clarizio. Dr. Clarizio worked as a cliical psychologist for the State of CT Departmet of Metal Retardatio, with may years of dedicated service before his retiremet. A graduate of Fairfield Prep, he eared his B.A. from Catholic Uiversity, a M.A. from George Washigto Uiversity, ad his Ph.D. from Walde Uiversity. I 2000, he was ordaied a deaco for the Diocese of Bridgeport, servig faithfully at St. Theresa Parish i Trumbull. Everybody loved Sal, said Father Bria Gao, St. Theresa s pastor. He was the Dr. Salvatore M. Clarizio walkig image of the Sereity Prayer, a quiet ma, but a tremedous worker i the vieyard of the Lord. Durig his diacoate, Deaco Clarizio served i prisos, hospital miistries ad bereavemet miistry. He was very devoted to those who were ill, cotiuig to offer a Commuio Service at area ursig homes said Father Gao, ad he showed his great love for our Blessed Mother through his miistry as spiritual director for the Legio of Mary. He was a avid collector ad jazz ethusiast. Deaco Clarizio is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ages, six childre ad 13 gradchildre. He was predeceased by his brother, Athoy. A wake was held at St. Theresa Church o December 6. A Mass of Christia Burial was celebrated at St. Theresa s the followig morig. Bishop Frak J. Caggiao was the pricipal celebrat; Father Gao delivered the homily. Itermet followed i Gate of Heave Cemetery, Trumbull. FUNERAL GUIDE NEIL F. HARDING Director/Ower Hardig FUNERAL HOME 203/ FAX 203/ POST ROAD EAST WESTPORT, CT Collis Fueral Home 92 East Aveue Norwalk William A. Skidd William R. Kelley Quiet Digity Without Extravagace Affordable Direct Crematio Title XIX Welcome Z Family owed for three geeratios Z Call for free iformative brochure Z or William G. Lahey, Jr. William P. Skidd Adrew D. Skidd Family owed for four geeratios Pre-eed Fueral Plaig Matthew K. Murphy, Fueral Director 267 Greewich Aveue Greewich, CT Z Hadlig every detail Z I home arragemets Z Memorial service facility December 2017 Sister Caridad, 88 Sister Maria Caridad Desell (Sister Mary Caritas), RSM, of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas died peacefully o October 3 at her home i the remote rural village of Chamagua, Guatemala. She was bor i West Hartford o August 30, 1929, ad etered the Sisters of Mercy i 1947, faithfully servig God s people for 70 years. Sister Caridad excelled as a popular, dyamic elemetary school teacher i Hartford ad Bridgeport parochial schools. After school hours, she discovered her real passio for servig the urba poor as couselor, supporter ad fried, persistetly advocatig for eeded social chage. She was a teacher at the former St. Mary School i Bridgeport whe her miistry led her to Guatemala i 1971 to serve the tiy ative populatios of 13 moutai villages. Compelled by a heartfelt compassio, she carried i her spirit a visio of a vibrat future for the moutai atives. She miistered uceasigly, advocatig for the advacemet ad well-beig of the Chamagua people, seekig ew life for multiple villages i eed of vital services, icludig brigig ruig water ito the etire area ad establishig a highly successful coffee co-op. This she did for 46 years. Her life became her miistry; her miistry became oe with her life. She chose to be buried i Chamagua, the place she called home. Sister Caridad was recogized ad acclaimed i her ative home of Coecticut with several hoors, icludig the 1994 St. Joseph College Heart of Life award ad the 2001 Most Revered Joseph F. Doelly Memorial Award from the Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Urba Affairs. A memorial Mass was celebrated for Sister Caridad o October 21 at St. Mary Home Chapel, West Hartford. Deceased Clergy of the Diocese of Bridgeport: December 17 Jauary 20 December 17 Rev. Kiera T. Ahear Rev. Philip Morrissey Msgr. Costatie R. Caldas Rev. Vicet P. Cleary Rev. Igatius Baraiak, OFM Cov Msgr. James H. Grady Rev. M. Joseph McCarthy Jauary 1 Rev. Michael J. Fly, C.S.Sa Rev. Joseph J. Malloy Rev. Robert J. McDermott Msgr. Pierre A. Botto Msgr. Fracis Medyski Msgr. William J. Fox Rev. Walter E. Bozek Rev. Mr. Edward R. Kovacs Rev. Joseph P. Biodio Rev. Gerald T. Devore Rev. Mr. Hugh Sweeey Rev. Robert Nemeth, O.F.M. Cov Rev. Daiel J. Deeha Rev. M. Joseph Joaqui Msgr. Joseph A. Sulliva Msgr. Harry L. Hale Msgr. G. Robert Haover Rev. Thomas B. Gloster Rev. Edward J. Small, SJ Rev. Adrew L. Horvat Rev. William D. Thompso Msgr. George D. Birge Msgr. Ralph P. Buogervio Msgr. Adrew T. Cusack Rev. Adrew L. Farkas Rev. Robert E. Oze

15 December Nuestra Voz Presecia hispaa e el cetro de Greewich Por MARICARMEN GODOY Etre 150 a 200 feligreses de orige hispao acude frecuetemete a los servicios religiosos y comuitarios de la Iglesia de Sait Mary, que ya cumplió más de 20 años de aglutiarlos e el miisterio hispao. E su mayor, los feligreses viee de Stamford, Norwalk, Port Chester, N.Y., y de los vecidarios cetrales de Greewich. Y, obviamete por veir de otras iglesias o puede teer u registro oficial de parroquiaos latios. Auque sí, por más de dos décadas Sait Mary es testigo de las sutuosas fiestas e hoor a la virge mexicaa de Guadalupe, la Imaculada Cocepció, la Virge de Fátima; y de los desayuos domiicales mesuales co meú latioamericao, más el café de la tarde después de la misa e español de las 7:30PM del sábado. El Padre Rolado Arias, vicario de la parroquia, admite que a pesar de ser el pueblo u lugar mayormete poblado de aglos co ua alta tasa de igresos ecoómicos, si embargo, la acogida y el acompañamieto a la comuidad hispaa es de maos abiertas. Prueba de esto, por más de veite años se lleva a cabo la vigilia de la misa del sábado a las 7:30 pm completamete e español, varios bautizos y la educació cristiaa escolar para preparar a los iños y adultos a su Primera Comuió y Cofirmació. Etre las preocupacioes de la parroquia, se ecuetra el alto úmero de persoas adultas o cofirmadas por eso, este año, la rectoría decidió realizar u curso especial para preparar a tomar el Sacrameto de la Cofirmació dirigido a adultos que se ha covertido al catolicismo o que o ha tomado el sacrameto. El Padre Arias, ativo de Armeia, Colombia, tiee cuatro años de ser ordeado sacerdote e la Iglesia de Sait Mary e Bethel. Dice que sus 150 o 200 feligreses proviee de su país atal, mayoritariamete; seguido por Perú, Ecuador y de lejos: México y Guatemala. Como parte del trabajo pastoral, el vicario admite que su cultura latia le permite idetificarse pleamete co sus fieles y por eso les visita frecuetemete e sus hogares, cea juto co ellos, bedice sus hogares. Nosotros somos familiares, hospitalarios, siempre teemos algo que bridar y siempre estamos dispuestos. Eso os idetifica y diferecia de otras culturas, dijo el Padre Rolado. E u pequeño sodeo realizado al mometo de la etrevista, el Padre Rolado hace u mapa imagiario sobre sus feligreses y cueta que el cie por cieto de los jefes de hogar so imigrates y que la primera geeració de latios acidos e los Estados Uidos de su parroquia au está muy pequeños. Por eso es que viee a Sata María, porque ecesita ua palabra de alieto, ecesita de la presecia de Dios e sus hogares y ecesita trasladar su fe a sus hijos. El Padre le da u sitial al grupo católico hispao que acude a la Iglesia de Sata María; Es ua població asetada e los Por MARICARMEN GODOY El Grupo Guadalupao de Norwalk que viee mostrado su devoció a la Virge María e la advocació de la Guadalupaa desde hace casi dos décadas, ha logrado esparcir su legado e todas las iglesias hispaas del codado, lo que ha dado lugar que e este mometo e forma simultáea y masiva se festeje a la Emperatriz de América y e los Estados Uidos sea ua de las tradicioes mexicaas más fuertes e importates celebradas. Durate la Misa domiical de Acció de Gracias y el Rosario e hoor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, el Padre Jua Carlos Acosta, párroco de la Parroquia de Sa Ladislaus e Norwalk, hizo hicapié que durate el tiempo de Advieto se ecuetra viviedo la Iglesia que se cumpla las escrituras: Dios amó tato al mudo que evió a su úico el primogéito. Esa presecia de Dios e la tierra veía co la THE HISPANIC MINISTRY i Greewich flourishes uder the guidace of Father Rolado Arias, parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish, with the ecouragemet of their pastor, Father Cypria La Pastia. Father Arias, like may of his parishioers, comes from Colombia, but the close-kit commuity of may atioalities collaborates closely o weekly Masses i Spaish ad o special feast days. alrededores de Greewich, compacta, co educació superior, piadosa e imesamete trabajadora y colaboradora. Auque la mayoría o viee de México, si embargo, la fiesta Viva la Virge de Guadalupe! obediecia de la Virge María, que decidió aceptar la volutad de Dios de cargar e su vietre al Niño Jesús. Por eso, acorde co el Padre Acosta, la presecia de la Virge María es ta importate para la salvació del mudo, porque represeta el símbolo de la obediecia a Dios; de ahí que la Virge de Guadalupe ha calado ta profudamete e la comuidad mexicaa y latioamericaa. Gabia Sáchez, la madre de Rya Pedraza, de 11 años de edad, es el reflejo de la devoció peregria de la Virge de Guadalupe. Ella perteece a la parroquia de Sait Mary e Norwalk. Durate las fiestas de la Guadalupaa va por las iglesias de Norwalk, prestado a su hijo que hace el papel del idio Sato Jua Diego llevado flores al Obispo de México, tal como cueta la historia de las aparicioes de la Virge de Guadalupe. La fiesta de la Guadalupaa fue celebrada e la Iglesia de Sait Joseph por el Grupo Guadalupao. Do Carmelo, de la Virge de Guadaulpe es realizada y esperada co paciecia de u año a otro. Y cree que el trabajo de él está e o dividir a sus feligreses e hispaos, filipios i aglosajoes, sio secilla- cociero del Río, u restaurate típico mexicao de Norwalk, tambié por las dos últimas décadas viee colaborado co el Grupo Guadalupao y desde siempre se ha ecargado de doar la comida a los feligreses como parte del agasajo que hace el Grupo para los acompañates de la Virge Morea e sus fiestas mete llamarlos: feligreses activos de Sata María. Elizabeth Rodriguez, oriuda de Colombia y Alicia Codori, del Perú, tiee más de 20 años de asistir a la misa del sábado e la oche y tambié de colaborar e las fiestas, desayuos y ecuetros pastorales de la parroquia. Ellas coicide que perteecer a Sait Mary es ua sabrosura porque se cooce etre todos, colabora y está abiertos para cualquier requerimieto de los miembros. No teemos jefe i ada parecido. Quie esté más a la mao se ecarga de hacer las compras para preparar el desayuo o de preparar el altar y las fiestas de Navidad o de la Virge. Vivimos e comuidad y eso hace que uestro comportamieto sea de colaborar e todo lo que podemos, dijero. (Se celebra la Sata Misa e español cada sábado a las 7 pm. Para más iformació, llame a ) ROSES IN DECEMBER SURROUND the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Ladislaus Parish i Norwalk. They are a remider of the roses Our Lady gave to St. Jua Diego to brig to the bishop of Mexico City as proof of her request to build a church. Whe he opeed his tilma, a rough cloak of local fibers, her image was preset o the iside. Devotio to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast day is December 12, has spread throughout the Americas. patroales. Este año, Carmelo y sus amigos cercaos lograro jutar más de dólares para comprar los igredietes de lo que fue más de 500 platos de arroz, care, frijoles, esalada y chile picate. La Virge fue tambié festejada e parroquias por todo el Codado de Fairfield.

16 16 December 2017 Colum: Thomas Hicks Is this as good as it gets? W ho amog you delights i life? (Psalm 34:12) Recetly Time Magazie put out a special editio titled The Sciece of Happiess: New Discoveries for a More Joyful Life. The followig are a few of Time s observatios: Our idea of happiess chages at differet stages of life. Happiess ivolves small advetures more tha sesatioal experieces. It ivolves realizig the happiess of the momet. People are happy whe workig toward a goal. Research shows that heavy social-media users are less happy tha others. The more people go o Facebook, the more their life satisfactio levels declie. Etc. From other research ad life experiece I have a few other Potpourri By Thomas H. Hicks Thomas Hicks is a member of St. Theresa Parish i Trumbull. observatios about happiess: Oe is that the happiest people are simply those who are the least uhappy. Much of people s ability to be happy is based o geetics some people are just happier tha others. Asked what was the secret of happiess, a ma I kow said, Do t grow up. Without doubt, the happiest people have the combiatio of a happy marriage ad a job that they love. As Thomas Aquias said, the best happiess is makig others happy. Happiess is foud i beig importat to somebody, privately importat, feelig that somebody eeds you, thiks of you, is eager to see you. There are joys which are trasfigured sorrows. A foudatio of happiess is forgiveess. How ofte we thik we have foud somethig or someoe who offers us a ticket to happiess, oly to fid that we have boarded the wrog trai. The Book of Ecclesiastes says that happiess is a gift of God, who decides who should have it ad should ot (Eccl.2:24-26). This idea is expressed by the Sufi writer Hafiz: Ever sice Happiess heard your ame, it has bee ruig through the streets tryig to fid you. Ad several times i the last week, God himself has eve come to my door askig me for your address. ( Several Times i the Last Week ) Ecclesiastes also cocludes that happiess is ot possible i this world except i brief satches that should be treasured as gifts from God. The followig are my two deepest covictios about happiess. The first echoes Ecclesiastes. Happiess eough has falle to my lot, but I ve come to kow that o happiess lasts. All happiess is perilously fragile. There s a story everyoe ca tell the story about happiess lost. The fifth cetury BC Greek historia, Herodotus, wrote that the gods ofte bestow happiess oly to uproot it. A Chiese proverb says a flower ever blooms for a hudred days, ad we are ever happy for a thousad days. Happiess is always imperiled. Sigmud Freud explaied that happiess is always threateed from three directios: from our ow bodies, from the exteral world, from our relatios with other people. The trouble which comes from this last source is perhaps more destructive tha ay other. My secod covictio is that othig satisfies us as we thought it would. We kow somethig is missig. There is a ache we feel deep withi for somethig more. As someoe put it, there s a sigh i the soul, a sadess. No matter how happy our lives are, this sigh ever goes away. It coects with what Shakespeare s Cleopatra calls our immortal logig. Throughout his writigs, author Joh Updike tells of experiecig itimatios of a absece at the core of thigs. There comes a time, Aldous Huxley wrote, Whe oe asks eve of Shakespeare ad Beethove, is this all? I thik everyoe kows what I m talkig about, somethig evades us. A married woma ad mother of three told me, There are times whe I simply lea my head agaist the wall ad say, Please, Lord, remid me there is more to life tha this. Whe he was 66 years old, the reowed atheist, Sigmud Freud, spoke of a strage logig, ad thought there might be, perhaps, room for a life of quite aother kid. I m amazed at atheists who claim that the world ad life here are complete ad satisfactory ad sufficiet. For me, God is costatly placig a message o my heart that says I made you for more. I have adjusted dowward my estimate of how much happiess I could extract from the world. Eve i our most satisfyig momets we are aware of limitatios. We are left with a costat feelig that somethig is missig. There is some kid of a immese logig that hauts us. I thik we all experiece sigposts that lead to kowig that othig i the world ca satisfy us fully, ca give us ultimate happiess, ca be the cetral drama of existece. We are all searchig for somethig that the world is ot givig us. The huma soul is draw to God. The Book of Isaiah gives a woderful metaphor for the idea that othig fiite ultimately satisfies us: for the bed shall be too short to stretch out i, ad the cover too arrow to wrap i (Isaiah 28:20). Sady Hook from page 7 about flyig ad crossig bridges. Whe I take a trip ad have to fly, it starts days ahead of time. May grappled with the questio of God ad the existece of evil. Lookig back at the media attetio that thrust him ito the atioal spotlight, he says the umber oe questio every reporter asked is Did I lose my faith? I have t, he said. I ve bee blessed with strog faith. Without the Lord, I could t have doe what I had to do, although I admit my faith i humaity has bee challeged. I questioed my faith i other people, but ot my faith i God. The youg people i the parish were amog the first to ask where God was i such a horrific tragedy as they tried to recocile their belief i a all-lovig God with evil i the world. I the begiig, I ever heard the questio Why did God allow this to happe? he said. The commuity idetified it as evil i our midst. Evetually, though, we foud that middle-school studets were startig to ask the really difficult questios like Why do bad thigs happe to good people? ad How could God let this happe? They are questios about free will, evil ad sufferig that have bee raised ofte i the press ad social media with the icrease i mass shootigs i places like Las Vegas ad Sa Berardio, ad churches i Texas ad South Carolia. Msgr. Weiss says his prayer has always bee that the world would lear from Sady Hook, that the world would chage, ad yet wheever he reads about aother shootig, he woders how we ca chage as a society if we do t recover the respect for life that has bee lost. Somethig has to chage, he says. We have to reclaim the value of huma life, but the chages have to come from withi each perso. Uless each oe of us reclaims the digity of huma life, this will cotiue. I the past five years, some people sought cosolatio i strivig to make the world a better place through acts of kidess ad compassio. At St. Rose, more miistries were created to help the commuity. There are six active youth groups, three me s groups, a couples group ad i-house retreats. Others tured to political causes, hopig to make a differece by seekig gu-cotrol legislatio. Eve though Msgr. Weiss joied fellow clergy i callig for stricter regulatios, he has ot lobbied i Washigto or become a vocal advocate. After 18 years as pastor, he is facig retiremet. May i the parish have appealed with him to stay i the area because his emotioal ad spiritual support is there. Sice his ordiatio i 1973, he has served i parishes i Bridgeport, Stamford, Moroe ad Shelto, where he was pastor of St. Joseph Parish for 10 years. He grew up i a devout family ad says whe he was 17 o his way to school, he heard the voice of God tellig him, Be a priest. From that momet, he kew it was meat to be his vocatio. He tries to be hopeful as he looks to the future. He has see Christ i the sufferig at Sady Hook, ad he believes Jesus shares our sufferig. O his desk, he keeps a photo that was take i the days followig the shootig. I the clouds above St. Rose of Lima School is the distict image of a Corpus, the Body of We have to reclaim the value of huma life, but the chages have to come from withi each perso. Christ crucified. I realized that was the sig of a burde placed o us, he said. A sig that Christ was with them i their pai ad aguish. Some tragedies seem too great for the huma heart to overcome, but Msgr. Weiss believes othig is impossible with God s love. It ca lead to healig ad forgiveess ad it ca make the impossible possible. Sometimes the road is a log oe.

17 December Colum: Joe Pisai Thak God ahead of time There was a time whe I did t pray... uless I eeded a miracle. The, I prayed, but my faith was t particularly strog. To my thikig, miracles occurred i foreig coutries like Lourdes, Frace, or past ceturies whe the Apostles walked the earth. Certaily ot i 21st cetury Shelto. O oe occasio, I desperately eeded a miracle because my father had bee diagosed with a maligat tumor o his laryx ad was told he would lose his voice box, ad his life. The doctors at oe of the fiest cacer ceters i the coutry gave him a few moths to live. They were reluctat to operate ad chose to do radiatio therapy to shrik the tumor. Decades of smokig ad drikig had led to this, although my father isisted tobacco ad booze had othig to do with it. I wet to Bares ad Noble Garcia asked the crowd ad ow, 14 years later, is a married mother of four ad lookig to pursue her BA i huma services. Briaa Hopkis curretly atteds Kolbe Cathedral High School i Bridgeport with help from a Ier-City Foudatio scholarship. She is a AP ad Hoor Roll studet, ad as a seior is ow applyig to colleges to become a physicia s assistat. Briaa poited out i her remarks that the average graduatio rate at Bridgeport public schools her alterative if she had ot received a Ier-City Swimmig Upstream By Joe Pisai Father Solaus Joe Pisai has bee a writer ad editor for 30 years. also had a special love for the poor ad ra a soup kitche durig the Depressio. Hittig the Right Notes from page 5 Foudatio scholarship to Kolbe Cathedral is about 60 percet. The graduatio rate at Kolbe is 100 percet. It s impossible to fail! Briaa told the crowd with obvious ethusiasm. Kolbe Cathedral also has the impressive record of havig set 100 percet of its graduates o to college for the past several years. The charity s fall dier beefit is their largest ad most importat fudraiser of the year, accordig to Executive Director Richard Stoe. People thik of Fairfield ad scoured the shelves to lear what I had to do to get a miracle. I came upo a book titled, Nothig Short of a Miracle, which cotaied accouts of 25 healigs attributed to moder saits such as Padre Pio, Mother Teresa, Fraces Cabrii ad Pope Joh Paul II. These miracles had the Church s seal of approval. They were miracles that had also bee scrutiized by secular experts, may of whom believed i the AMA more tha God, which meas they cosidered them iexplicable. I eeded to select a sait for the miraculous itercessio that would save my father, so I perused the stories util I came upo a Capuchi Fracisca amed Father Solaus Casey, the sixth of 16 childre bor i 1870 of Irish immigrats o a Wiscosi farm. Durig his early life, he worked at differet jobs, icludig logger, street car operator, hospital orderly ad priso guard. Eve though he wated to be a diocesa priest, the semiary ecouraged him to eter a religious order because he was strugglig with his studies. Evetually, he was accepted by the Capuchi Fraciscas ad ordaied i His assigmets took him to Harlem, Yokers, Detroit ad Hutigto, Id., where he usually worked as the doorma. Over the years, he met thousads of people, who recogized his sactity ad compassio ad came seekig his prayers whe they were troubled or sick. Father Solaus also had a special love for the poor ad ra a soup kitche durig the Depressio. Throughout his life, he freely gave his time to ayoe who asked, comfortig ad cosolig ad ecouragig them to pray to God ad Our Lady. May healigs, which icluded troubled pregacies, ski diseases, tumors ad ijuries, were attributed to his itercessio. I started prayig to him for a miracle ad wore a medal that said, Veerable Solaus Casey, Pray for Us. I prayed ad prayed ad prayed. Oe of Father Solaus favorite sayigs was Thak God ahead of time for ay favor you requested because it was a sig of faith that you believed God was goig to deliver. I took his advice ad bega to thak God every time I prayed God, I just wat to say thak you for healig my father. God, that s terrific what you re goig to do for my father ad I wat to thak you. By Couty as all very well-off, but it s ot all gold coast. State ad federal budget cuts have had a devastatig impact o the most vulerable members of our commuity. Ad the gap is wideig 38 percet of people who live i Fairfield Couty are ow strugglig to make eds meet. Without foudatios like ours, a lot of people are goig to have owhere to tur. (For more iformatio about the Ier-City Foudatio or to doate, visit iercityfoudatio.org, ifo@iercityfoudatio.org, or call ) the way, God, may thaks. To tell the truth, my faith was flimsy. Father Solaus had oce said, Cofidece is the very soul of prayer. Well, I lacked cofidece. Nevertheless, I prayed as if I had it because I oce read that if you act like you trust, you ll evetually receive the grace that helps you trust. Last moth, Father Solaus Casey was beatified. More tha 60,000 people gathered for the ceremoy at Ford Field i Detroit, where he had bee buried i St. Boaveture Moastery. Durig the processio, his relics were carried by people who received favors through his itercessio, amog them a Paamaia woma who By 333 Bridgeport Ave Shelto M-Th 9am-9pm Fri 9am-6pm Sat 9am-5pm was healed of a ski disease five years ago. Hers was the recogized miracle that moved Father Solaus cause for saithood forward to beatificatio, oe step away from caoizatio. As far as my father, whe the doctors did surgery, they discovered the tumor was completely goe. They could t believe it. Neither could my sister, who practices medicie ad teaches at a well-kow medical school. To them, it was iexplicable. To me, it was etirely explicable. My father lived aother 12 years, ad he lived a differet life because he kew he had bee give a tremedous gift from God. Blessed Solaus Casey, pray for us. Creatig memories sice Family owed & operated Ope Sudays Post Road, Fairfield (203) ONE OF CT S LARGEST VOLUME HONDA DEALERS CT S FIRST ESTABLISHED HONDA DEALER APRIL 1973 Ope All Day Saturday for Service & Parts Seior Citize Discout CALL CURTISS RYAN AT NEW & USED VEHIICLES SALES SERVIICE PARTS BODY SHOP

18 18 December 2017 Celebratig Advet Childre pray Agelus TRUMBULL The Parish of St. Catherie of Siea observed a very special momet o Friday, December 8, whe Bishop Caggiao celebrated the Solemity of the Immaculate Coceptio, met with studets, ad blessed the ew four-maual Walker Techical orga, fuded by a bequest from Dorothy Cotto. At that Mass, Bishop Caggiao blessed 12 images of the Blessed Mother, which are ow istalled i each of the classrooms of St. Catherie of Siea School. Begiig this Advet, the studets of St. Catherie of Siea School are prayig the beautiful prayer of the Agelus each day, to recall ad give thaks for the momet that Mary s yes to the Agel Gabriel s message made possible the Icaratio, ad thereby made possible our salvatio. That is the source of our rejoicig! said Father Marcello. (St. Catherie of Siea Parish is located at 220 Shelto Road i the Nichols area of Trumbull. O the web: Photo by Joh Vaacore Actio Photography. Cadets Rally to Wi State Title! CHESHIRE The St. Joseph High School Cadets team wo their 13th State Title o Moday ight, defeatig the Asoia Chargers at the Class S Champioship at Cheshire High School. The Cadets (12-1) rallied from a 3-touchdow deficit at halftime to defeat the Chargers (12-1). St. Joseph trailed 28-7 i the third quarter before scorig 28 uaswered poits to take a lead with 6:47 left o a 58-yard touchdow ru by Jade Shirde. It became the first of three touchdows durig a 52-secod spa. SJ quarterback David Summers threw four of his five touchdows i the secod half, but it was t util Ace Luzetti s secod iterceptio with 2:12 left o the clock that secured the title for the Cadets. The last time the Cadets wo agaist the Chargers i the Class S fials was i 2010 whe the Cadets were led by curret-pittsburgh Steeler, Tyler Matakevich 11. Proud priters of Fairfield Couty Catholic Please cotact us for a FREE cosultatio, prit samples & quote. We also offer a simple olie quote request form. 205 Sprig Hill Road, Trumbull CT Newspapers Publicatios Shoppers Catalogs Magazies Directories Coupo Books College Course Catalogs Free Stadig Iserts Busiess ad Fiacial Periodicals Advertisig Supplemets

19 December 2017 Bits ad Pieces SOLEMN CHORAL VESPERS ad beedictio of the Most Blessed Sacramet will celebrate the patroal feast at the Basilica of St. Joh the Evagelist, Stamford, o Wed., Dec. 27, a 7:30 pm. Receptio follows; all are welcome. For more ifo, cotact the parish: JOIN IN PRAYING the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary for Persecuted Christias from your home/car/office the first Tues. of every moth (Ja. 2) at 7 pm. How? Before 7 pm, call ad type i the pi umber PRIESTLY DISCERNMENT RETREAT, a day of recollectio with Bishop Frak J. Caggiao focused o the questio of discerig a priestly vocatio will be offered for me betwee the ages of o Sat., Ja. 13, from 9 am-5 pm at St. Joh Fisher Semiary, Stamford. There are some guest rooms available for overight, Fri., Ja. 12. For more ifo, cotact Fr. Joh Coaughto, director of vocatios:frcoaughto@diopbt. org. RSVP by Thurs., Ja. 4, to Amada Day: aday@diobpt.org or DIVORCED AND SEPARATED Catholics are ivited to joi Hearts Reewed, a support group for divorced or separated me ad wome. Meetigs are held i Fairfield o the first ad third Fri. of every moth (Ja. 5; Ja. 19) at 7:30 pm. For more ifo ad for directios, call Bette: or Peggy: TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS is celebrated at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish, Brookfield, the first Su. of each moth (Ja. 7) at 4 pm. For more ifo, call the parish: GOSPEL OF LIFE SOCIETY meets at St. Mary Parish, Norwalk, the secod Sat. of each moth (Ja. 13) at 10 am followig the 9 am Respect Life Mass. For more ifo, cotact Joh Juhasz: or juhaszjw@optolie.et. SURVIVORS GROUP: There will be a upcomig gatherig for ay perso who has bee sexually abused as a mior to meet with the victim assistace coordiators ad fellow survivors of sexual abuse, Wed., Ja. 10, from 12:30-2 pm at the Catholic Ceter, Bridgeport. If you are a adult survivor of abuse as a mior, ad you would like to lear more about the Aual Mass for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, upcomig meetigs ad other resources that are available i our diocese, please cotact oe of our Victim Assistace Coordiators: Eri Neil, LCSW: ; eeil@diobpt. Speakig to Sparrows TRIUMBULL Joi us o Wedesday, Jauary 10, or Thursday, Jauary 18 at 7 pm at St. Catherie of Siea Parish, Trumbull, for a free screeig of the documetary film Speakig to Sparrows. The Maria Commuity of Recociliatio ad the Leadership Istitute are co-sposorig the two screeigs. The eveig will iclude screeig the film followed by refreshmets ad smallgroup, age-appropriate discussio. Speakig to Sparrows is a documetary film about wome fidig courage to cofrot the ucomfortable. The film brigs to light the issues facig wome i today s world ad creates space for the difficult coversatios. The film serves to ivite each woma to see themselves as beloved daughters of God. It is icredibly powerful for wome to kow that they are ot aloe ad that their worth is determied by much more tha the size of their waist or their relatioship status. Speakig to Sparrows fearlessly cofrots issues such as body image, the pressure to be perfect ad successful, datig, isolatio, father wouds, abuse, eatig disorders, lust ad porography. Speakig to Sparrows is a film that ca be used as a lauchpad for authetic coversatio i homes, small groups ad schools. Further, the film provides this healig space for wome across all geeratios. Regardless of age, wome struggle with the same issues ad will beefit from Speakig to Sparrows whether they are 16 or 60. The evet is free, but a free will offerig is requested. (The film is appropriate for ages 16+. For more ifo, visit the film s website: speakigtosparrows.com/about.) org, or Michael Titrup, LCSW: ; mtitrup@ccfc-ct.org. FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY: A ie-week Christia-based moey maagemet class that teaches step by step how to create a budget, pay off debt, sped wisely, ad save for the future will be offered at St. James Parish, Stratford, startig Wed., Ja. 10, at 7 pm. The cost of class materials is $119. For more ifo, call David Zamachaj: MASS OF HEALING AND HOPE: the Charismatic Reewal Services aouces a Mass of Healig ad Hope o Mo., Ja. 15, at 7:30 pm, at St. Lawrece Parish, Shelto, with Fr. Charles Alle. For more ifo, call the Charismatic Reewal Office: MOMs+DADs prayer/support group for those with Dow Sydrome, their family ad frieds meets the third Thurs. of every moth (Ja. 18), at 7:30 pm at St. Mary Parish, Norwalk. For more ifo, cotact strapostolate@optimum.et. Whe this appeed, he was reachig out to see how we could help. He asked us about recostructig homes, ad I felt compelled to go. FEMA was overwhelmed. They eeded us. At 64 years old, Weeks said it s bee a while sice he restored a etire house, but he was up to the challege. We got to Texas, wet to the parish ad met the team, Weeks recalled. They explaied what eeded to be doe. The ext day, they rose at 5 am to begi the recostructio ad drove to the first of three houses that had sustaied four feet of floodig ad eeded extesive repairs. Everybody wated to do as much as they could, he said. Oe woma was wearig a boot because she had ijured her leg, but that did t stop her from keelig o the pile of sheet rock ad cuttig piece after piece so we could ail them up. Eve though this family had o moey, they spet the etire day cookig for us ad served us dier, he said. They were so proud to do that. It was a humblig experiece because they had lost everythig. The parish hoored the COME AND SEE if you are beig called to a vocatio i the Secular Fracisca Order. The Secular Fracisca Holy Spirit Fraterity ivites everyoe to St. Athoy of Padua Church, Fairfield, o Sat., Ja. 20, at 9:30 am to celebrate Mass with Msgr. Erest Esposito. Social ad meetig follow. For more ifo, call Pat Heile, OFS: or pheile5713@aol.com. BIBLE STUDY: The Spirituality of Paul will be held at St. Catherie of Siea Parish, Riverside, with eight sessios held Mo. eveigs 7:30-9 pm, Ja. 29-March 19, 2018 or Tues. morigs, Ja. 30-March 20, St. Matthew Drives to Texas from page 3 voluteers at Mass, ad they received rosaries ad pecas from the family s trees. At work, I talked with people from differet faiths, ad everybody said Harvey was terrible, but obody was doig aythig, Weeks said. I credit Msgr. Walter with takig the iitiative. He was drive to do this ad I wated to be part of it because as Christias we re called to help other huma beigs. I the aftermath of Harvey, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish reached out to the wider commuity ad led the relief effort i the couty through doatios from Coecticut ad elsewhere, Father Flores said. We had a full medical cliic that treated 1,000 people of every faith with emergecy room doctors ad urses ad a pharmacy, he said. We made their services available to everybody. We also gave out food, medical supplies ad cleaig supplies. I told the parish that if people are geerous to us, we have to be geerous to others. There is o distictio here. We are all oe people. Father Flores said the two storms were extreme hardships for the parish, which has 3,000 families, 60 percet of whom are immigrats. Just as they were rebuildig, they EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES! 19 The Diocese of Bridgeport posts career opportuities at various times durig the year. Opportuities become available i our Catholic Ceter, parishes, schools, ad at other orgaizatios throughout Fairfield Couty. Please visit our diocese website ofte at: to view all positios 10-11:30 am. Cost: $30. For more ifo, go to or call: SIGHT AND SOUND THEATER i Lacaster, PA, will preset Jesus, the musical stage adveture about the most famous perso ever to walk the earth, o Tues.-Wed., March 20-21, Chartered bus leaves Christ the Kig Parish, Trumbull, at 7 am o the March 20. The trip is 2 days/1 ight ad icludes roud trip motor coach, overight stay, tickets, breakfast ad dier. Cost: $305. For more ifo ad for reservatios, cotact Fr. Marcel: or marcelsaitjea@gmail.com. lost everythig agai. I wet to visit families the secod time ad as they told me their stories, they asked, How could this happe twice? he recalled. May were depressed ad hurt ad strugglig to uderstad. The priest, who has bee pastor for 12 years ad rebuilt the church barely over two years ago, has a special devotio to Our Lady. He told the parish, We have to look at our pai through Mary s eyes. The church has a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Sorrows ad part of a prayer to her cotais the words, Mary, give us your eyes so that we ca see beyod our sufferig ad pai to the glory of Christ s Resurrectio. He told them that s what they had to do. I their sufferig, God provided hope, he said. The geerosity of Msgr. Walter, St. Matthew s ad the busiess people of Coecticut really gave us a lot of hope because we realized there are people who care ad kow what the Gospel is all about. I could t believe they drove all the way from Coecticut to help us. I thak them all ad I am humbled by their geerosity.

20 Merry Christmas As we celebrate the may blessigs i our lives, St. Vicet s exteds our best wishes to you ad your family for a joyous Christmas seaso ad a New Year filled with peace, prosperity ad good health. stvicets.org /

21 The Kights of Columbus Christmas aroud the World NEW HAVEN The Kights of Columbus Museum opeed its 13th aual Christmas exhibitio o November 18 with more tha 65 Nativity scees o display. Peace o Earth: Crèches of the World cotiues through February 19, St. Fracis of Assisi, i the 13th cetury, popularized the represetatio of Jesus birth at Bethlehem, ad for ceturies artists have depicted the biblical accout of that evet i various forms. The crèche or Nativity scee, far more tha a decoratio, is oe of may visual represetatios of this historic evet. The museum has featured crèche displays yearly, cetered o the artistic expressio of particular coutries or regios of the globe. Each show celebrates the diversity of culture ad the history of Christiaity i a area of the world. This year s exhibitio features crèches from across the map. Items o display are from the museum s ow collectio, icludig its popular 120-square-foot Neapolita diorama, alog with recet acquisitios of Polish szopki, stoe sculptures from Zimbabwe, ad Hummel figuries. Also icluded are crèches o loa from the Glecair Museum i Bry Athy, Pa.; the Iteratioal Maria Research Istitute at the Uiversity of Dayto, Ohio; the Loyola Uiversity Museum of Art i Chicago; ad St. Joseph Oratory o Mout Royal i Motreal, Caada. Also a part of the museum s Christmas traditio is its aual Christmas Tree Festival. This popular display of two doze Christmas trees showcases the imagiatio ad talet of Coecticut Catholic elemetary schoolchildre, who create hadmade oramets ad trim i their classrooms the travel to the museum to tour the Christmas exhibitio ad decorate the trees. The festival opeed Saturday, December 2. The evet icluded childre s crafts ad live music by the Yuletide Carolers. The show cotiues through Jauary 28, 2018, ad visitors are ivited to vote for the People s Choice Christmas tree. A Christmastime Family Day takes place December 31 from oo to 3 pm, with crafts ad live music from Joyful Noise. The museum s popular historical exhibitio, World War I: Beyod the Frot Lies, is also o view throughout the Christmas seaso. The show commemorates the 100th aiversary of America s etrace ito the Great War. (The Kights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St., New Have, is ope 10 am-5 pm daily with free admissio ad parkig. More iformatio is available at or kofcmuseum.org.)

22 22 December 2017 Youth Choir Christmas Cocert Arise ad Shie! BRIDGEPORT The Diocesa Youth Choir Christmas Cocert will be held at the Regia A. Quick Ceter for the Arts of Fairfield Uiversity o Suday, December 17, at 7 pm. This will be the third Christmas Cocert for the youth choir formed by Bishop Frak J. Caggiao. It has become oe of the most joyous ad ispirig evets of the year i the diocese. The 100-member youth choir, uder the directio of Mary Bozzuti Higgis of Wilto, will perform a challegig program of Christmas sogs ad chats from differet ages ad cultures. The eveig will iclude some Christmas Cocert favorites icludig Arise ad Shie, Gaudete, Festival Sactus ad Siyahamba! The choir will also itroduce some ew music ad surprises icludig Let There Be Peace o Earth ad Calypso Lullabye featurig soloist Gospel siger Adriee Reedy. Supportig the choir will be accompaist Clay Zambo; flute, Dr. Jessica Raposo; oboe, Dr. Ralph Kirmser; trumpet, Nicholas Loafma; ad percussio, Do O Keefe This year Scripture readigs i betwee sogs will be doe i Vietamese, Ukraiia ad Spaish. The Diocesa Youth Choir recetly recorded a Christmas Special for Shalom World Catholic Chael, to be aired Christmastime. (Tickets are $20. Order tickets olie at quickceter.fairfield.edu or call the box office: )

23 December 2017 Advet/Christmas A Christmas Revelatio By JOHN J. FLYNN Forty-five years ago my oly so, Joh, was eight years old ad he wated to be a Cub Scout. All my frieds are Cub Scouts, I wat to be oe too he said. So I took him to the Cub Scout meetig at the public school i Poud Ridge, N.Y., where we lived at the time, ad I spoke to oe of the de mothers. She replied, Of course your so is welcome. But Mr. Fly, you must realize we ca t ru this program without the parets participatio. We eed a Cub Master. I kew othig about scoutig ad did t kow if I could be a Cub Master. She assured me that there were o other obligatios. A week later, she called to ask me if I had a Sata Claus suit! She cotiued, The Cub Master is always the Sata at our holiday party. After recoverig from the shock, I agreed ad purchased a Sata Claus outfit. The ight of the holiday party I was escoced i a velvet chair behid the curtai o the stage of the public school auditorium. The childre sag Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reideer, Frosty the Sowma ad several other holiday sogs that every eight-year-old kows util fially the curtai opeed ad the first group of five childre filed up to the stage to receive a gift from the grab-bag barrel. Cub des have a maximum of five childre, as they have foud that six is critical mass. There were eleve des preset that ight, ad they proceeded to storm the stage. Immediately oe of them took my hat ad passed it aroud as they circled me. I attempted to retrieve my hat as they overtured the gift barrel ad grabbed at my beard, hat ad coat. I was helpless to defed myself as fifty-five boys circled me like wild Idias. They yelled, You re ot Sata Claus, you re Mr. Fly! You re a phoy! I was holdig my hair ad beard o as they plucked at it, ad lookig out ito the audiece for assistace, I was astoished to fid the etire audiece of some 250 family members i hysterics, literally rollig o the floor with laughter as they watched their darlig childre terrorizig Sata Claus. Fially, the de mothers retrieved their charges, ad I was cotiued o page 25 SYMBOLIC DRESS For Joh Fly, puttig o the garb of Sata Claus is a way of puttig o the crucified Christ. This iterior awareess produces astoishig results. 23 Sait Mary s Church The Mother Church of Norwalk 669 West Aveue, Norwalk Est Sacramet of Cofessio: Thursday, December 21: 11:30am-12:00oo Friday, December 22: 11:30am-12:00oo Saturday, December 23: 3:00-4:30pm Christmas Eve Masses: 11:00pm Rosary by the Crèche 11:30pm Christmas Carols 12:00oo Solem Midight Mass Christmas Day Masses: Moday, December 25: 8:00am, Pastor: Rev. Richard G. Cipolla Deaco Stepha A. Geovese Christmas Schedule 9:30am (Solem Mass), 11:30am (Sug Mass), 1:15pm (Sug Mass i Spaish) Solemity of Mary/ Octave Day of Christmas masses: Moday, Jauary 1: 10:00am Sug Mass (Missa Catata) Sait Mary s Bookstore Offerig a wide selectio of books, crucifixes, rosaries, sacrametals from Italy ad the Holy Lad, First Commuio ad Cofirmatio gifts, ad more. HOURS: Saturday 10am-2pm Suday 9-9:30am ad 11am-2pm Moday-Wedesday 12:45-3:45pm Thursday 2:45-3:45pm Closed Friday ad holidays Located i Parish Ceter buildig behid Sait Mary Church VISA/MC ACCEPTED

24 24 December 2017 St. Theresa Parish, Trumbull Simple gifts brig joy overseas By PAT HENNESSY Every kid is familiar with gettig Christmas presets, said Kare Laiga, director of Cofirmatio preparatio at St. Theresa Parish i Trumbull. Oce you suggest it to them, what kid is t goig to wat to pack a toy for aother kid? Sharig the Christmas joy, yougsters i the Cofirmatio program at St. Theresa s, grades seve through ie, have joied with Cross Catholic Outreach i the Box of Joy program to pack boxes of gifts for yougsters overseas. Part of the faith formatio process is to perform the Corporal Works of Mercy, which are essetial to the Catholic faith, says Father Bria Gao, St. Theresa s pastor. We are people who are seekig itimacy with Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves ad fish, we use our persoal gifts ad graces to brig his presece ito the world. Through Box of Joy, the Cofirmatio studets have the opportuity to spread the joy of Christ s comig to childre who rarely have much to celebrate. Cross Catholic works globally to icrease the self-sufficiecy of the poor. The miistry provides food, shelter, medical care, water ad other essetial eeds to the poorest of the poor i dioceses aroud the world i the ame of Christ. While they provide humaitaria aid to the commuities they serve, Cross Catholic is aware of the emotioal wats of childre i these commuities. Through this program, groups here ca deliver a Box of Joy to a child overseas who would otherwise receive othig this Christmas. Laiga had leared about the Box of Joy project through Rose Talbot-Babey, diocesa coordiator of Faith Formatio, ad Jessica Nayde, director of the Catholic Service Corps. We wated to get the kids startig to thik outside themselves, said Laiga. This way, they re givig a kid hope where before they had oe. They are the arms ad hads of Jesus i the world. For the Box of Joy project, the St. Theresa kids chose a child to buy gifts for, pickig a girl or boy from toddlers to youg tees. For may of them, it was eye-opeig to discover what a child i a poor area thought of as a woderful gift. It s toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, socks thigs we take for grated here, said Laiga. Of course, our kids bought ad put i a few toys, too, because they like to get toys themselves. Our trip to Target to fill just this oe box was so meaigful, said Kelly Csizmadia, whose so Coli took part i the project. I watched my so aticipate what a boy aged 5-9 might NEED, ad the also watched him excitedly choose items that same boy might WANT. From soap, toothpaste, ad a Spiderma toothbrush, to Matchbox cars, rubber diosaurs, lollipops, a colorig book ad crayos, this was more tha a service project. Puttig this together makes me so grateful for all I have. God gave us his so at Christmas, so this is our chace to give to others, said eighthgrade Cofirmatio cadidate Abigail Clark. It s really fu to imagie this little girl s reactio whe she sees what s iside! Several of the St. Theresa yougsters chose to fill more tha oe box. I all, the parish youth set 173 boxes to Cross Catholic. Some of the kids asked us, This will help them for a little while, but what happes whe the toothpaste ad soap ru NECESSITIES AND TOYS selected with love Abigail Clark ad Coli Csizmadia carefully pack their Box of Joy presets for yougsters overseas. The project ecourages studets i the St. Theresa, Trumbull, Cofirmatio program to become the carig hads of Christ i the world. out? What do they do the? Laiga said. She explaied to them that, of the $9 per box that is set alog, Cross Catholic reserves $2 for local developmet projects. From the St. Theresa youth aloe, the project has added $346 to support logterm eeds i this commuity. Each oe of our kids has made a child happy o Christmas day, ad each oe of them has helped that commuity grow stroger. At a youg age, they have already made a differece. They ca tell the world, We did this! That s pretty cool!

25 December 2017 Advet/Christmas Kights support St. Catherie Academy Triity Catholic fights huger STAMFORD Bags of doated food lied the gym as the aual food drive ru by the Triity Catholic High School Studet Coucil exceeded their goals agai this year. No-perishable goods were collected over two weeks ad were combied with turkeys collected o November 21. The etire doatio was blessed at the aual Thaksgivig Mass ad the doated to the Food Bak of Lower Fairfield Couty, which provides food to over 100 o-profit agecies ad programs i Stamford, Norwalk, Darie, Greewich, New Caaa ad Wilto. Goals for each grade level were set ad exceeded. Freshma goal: 810 lbs., doated 820 lbs.; Sophomore goal: 910 lbs., doated 1,030 lbs.; Juior goal: 1,060 lbs., doated 2,032 lbs. ad Seior goal: 820 lbs., doated 1,411 lbs. A grad total of 5,293 lbs. of food were loaded o to the Food Bak s truck for distributio to various agecies. A Christmas Revelatio from page 23 allowed to escape out the back door of the stage. Sittig i my car I said to myself, I am ever doig this agai. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HUMILIATED. A voice withi the car said to me, YES YOU WILL, BECAUSE IT PLEASES ME. I was stued out of my mid. The voice cotiued, You sat there i your red suit while I was covered i my ow blood. They said you re ot Sata Claus ad you are ot Sata Claus. But I AM who I said I AM. They took your hat ad tauted you with it. They took all my clothes. They did t wat your grab-bag gifts, ad they did t wat my gifts either. I wated to grat them eteral life. They pulled your beard ad it sapped back o its rubber bad. Mie came out by the roots. You will be Sata Claus agai because it pleases me. Do t you kow you have bee give a grace? You have bee allowed to experiece a small portio of my humiliatio. I was breathless, i shock. It was a log time before I could calm dow eough to drive home. O the way I kept thikig, Was that a predictio? Or was that a commad? I assumed it was a commad. For forty-five years sice, I have bee Sata Claus. Not at Cub Scout meetigs, but o the streets of Mahatta, visitig my cliets durig the holiday seaso. Last year, as I was takig the Sata suit out of the closet, I heard the voice agai. Put o the Crucified Christ! I thought to myself, what a kucklehead I had bee all these years. The suit had a symbolic meaig: red for the blood of Christ, a hat istead of a crow of thors ad various other comparisos. So whe I put o the suit, I was midful of what it meat. I put o the crucified Christ. The results were astoishig. Miraculous. Whe I got out of my car o Fifth Aveue, the traffic came to a abrupt halt as people left their vehicles to have their pictures take with Sata. The traffic backed up for several blocks. The commotio caused people withi the buildig to come dow to the lobby; word had gotte out that Sata was i the eighborhood. Whe I got to visit my fried, the superitedet of the buildig, he was i tears. He said to me, How ca I thak you, Joh? Last ight I had a crisis of faith, ad I told God that I did t believe i him aymore. He had ever doe aythig for me. Ad the you showed up. I ll ever forget this. Astoishig. Miraculous. I am lookig forward to the comig seaso with aticipatio ad some trepidatio, but I will go agai, as log as it pleases him. God kows what will happe. (Joh J. Fly Cosultig Egieers, LLC, is a structural egieerig compay specializig i the maiteace ad repair of high-rise buildigs i Mahatta. Fly is a member of St. Joh Parish i Darie.) FAIRFIELD The Kights of Columbus St. Pius X Coucil #16347 i Fairfield recetly preseted a large check to Hele Burlad, executive director of the St Catherie Academy, a diocesa school for special eeds childre. Sice its opeig i 1999, St. Catherie Academy has served studets of all faiths who are impacted with autism, as well as itellectual ad developmetal disabilities. Through a well-rouded program that combies academics with vocatioal traiig ad social ad idepedet livig skills, St. Catherie Academy cotiues its missio of helpig each studet (l-r) Thomas Kelty, Sr.; Charles Chiusao, who also serves as chair of the academy s Board of Directors; Hele Burlad; Ralph Burke, Coucil Grad Kight; ad Art Wolf. The me are wearig the apro wor whe coductig the drive ad awardig tootsie rolls to doors. St. James Church 2110 Mai Street, Stratford, Coecticut Rev. Thomas F. Lych, FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT Saturday, December 23 Vigil Mass: 4:30pm Suday, December 24 7:30am, 9:15am, ad 11:15am CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE Suday, December 24 Vigil Masses: 4:00pm ad 6:00pm A Mass i celebratio of the Lord s birth at 11:00pm Moday, December 25 8:30am ad 10:30am Make a promise to your God today by makig a greater commitmet i 2018 to ope your heart to experiece God s itimate love by your cosistet participatio i Suday Eucharist. SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD Suday, December 31, Vigil Mass: 6:00pm Holy Day Masses Moday, Jauary 1, 2018, 8:30am ad 10:30am Pray a rosary o this Holy Day for greater peace i this world. SAINT JAMES NEW YEAR S DAY OF PRAYER Moday, Jauary 1, :00-3:00pm Eucharistic Adoratio i the Parish Ceter Chapel FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY God s Holy Word Amog Us - A opportuity to come forward, reverece the Gospel book, ad make or reew your commitmet to love ad pray with God s Holy Word i the Scripture. Saturday, Jauary 6 Vigil Mass: 4:30pm Suday, Jauary 7 7:30am, 9:15am, 11:15am, ad 6:00pm REMEMBERANCE FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE DIED Saturday, Jauary 13 Vigil Mass: 4:30pm Suday, Jauary 14 7:30am, 9:15am, 11:15am, ad 6:00pm All Masses will be dedicated to those childre who have goe before us i faith. All parets are ecouraged to atted ad light a special cadle. 25 achieve their highest level of idepedece. I support of St. Catherie s dedicatio to their studets, the St. Pius X Kights of Columbus Coucil #16347 held a Tootsie Roll/Cady fudraisig drive i which $962 i doatios were received. The check preseted by the Kights represets the fuds raised at the drive, which was held at the aual St Pius X Parish Festival.

26 26 December 2017 Advet/Christmas Semiarias give voice to spirit of Advet NORWALK Two cocerts celebrated the begiig of the Advet observace throughout the diocese. The semiarias of St. Joseph Semiary i Yokers, N.Y., preseted a beautiful program of Advet ad Christmas music o December 2 at the Basilica of St. Joh the Evagelist i Stamford, while diocesa semiarias of St. Joh Fisher Semiary i Stamford preseted Advet Lessos & Carols i a cocert at St. Mary Parish i Norwalk. Hudreds tured out for the prayer, readigs ad musical programs to reflect the spirit of waitig ad preparatio that characterizes the Advet seaso. Diocesa semiarias sag i both cocerts because may moved o to major semiary at St. Joseph i Yokers after completig studies ad discermet at St. Joh Fisher i Stamford. Bishop Frak J. Caggiao set the toe for the begiig of Advet i the diocese with this Facebook reflectio o the meaig of Advet: We begi a ew year of grace with the start of the Advet seaso. Give the fact that Christmas will be celebrated o a Moday, this year s celebratio of Advet will oly be 21 days log the shortest legth possible. For this reaso, we must atted to its spiritual meaig ad challege i a itetioal way to avoid the rush of Christmas from distractig us ad losig the beefits that this great seaso ca give us. The heart of Advet is a eed for every Christia to seek a true spirit of perseverace i doig the Lord s work. There are so may challeges i life that ca easily distract us from doig what we kow is ecessary to bear witess to Christ. Perseverace is a gift that allows us to remai faithful, eve i the most challegig of times. Perhaps we ca lear much from St. Augustie, who cou- Sait Theresa ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH The Mother Church of Trumbull Rev. Bria P. Gao, S.T.D., Pastor Rev. Carl McItosh, Parochial Vicar Dr. Carolia Flores, Director of Music 5301 Mai Street Trumbull, Coecticut CHRISTMAS 2017 Sacramet of Peace Thursday, December 21 7:00-8:30pm Friday, December 22 7:30-8:00am, 4:00-5:15pm; 7:00-8:00pm Saturday, December 23 3:00-4:15pm Masses Christmas Vigil Suday, December 24 4:00pm, 6:00pm ad 12:00 midight Christmas Cocert at 11:30pm before Christmas Eve Mass Christmas Day Moday, December 25 7:30am, 10:00am ad 12:00 oo New Year s Solemity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God Moday, Jauary 1 8:00am ad 12:00 oo celebratio of the three comigs of Christ ito our lives. The cetral spiritual focus is the eed to spiritually prepare for the feast of Christmas that commemorates the birth of the Lord as Savior ad Redeemer. Equally importat is the eed to ready our lives for the Secod Comig of the Lord, whe Christ will retur i glory ad power to judge all creatio at the ed of time. Fially, each day we celebrate the comig of Christ i his Body, Blood, Soul ad Diviity, i the gift of the Eucharist. As we pause to reflect upo this past year of grace ad prepare ourselves to start the seaso of Advet, I am struck by the seled the faithful to persevere i their ow time. He uses the image of sigig to ecourage them, ad us, to keep o movig forward. St. Augustie wrote: So, the, my brothers, let us sig ow, ot i order to ejoy a life of leisure, but i order to lighte our labors. You should sig as wayfarers do sig but cotiue your jourey. Do ot be lazy but sig to make your jourey more ejoyable. Sig, but keep goig. What do I mea by keep goig? Keep o makig progress your progress is i virtue, true faith ad right livig. My Advet resolutio is to lear how to sig better each day!

27 December 2017 Advet/Christmas Bishop blesses Food Patry NEWTOWN Just before Thaksgivig, Bishop Frak J. Caggiao paid a visit to St. Rose of Lima Parish ad school to offer his thaks to studets ad to the parish for housig the ew FAITH Food Patry for the area. The bishop s day started with a visit to St. Rose School. His visit cetered o the celebratio of Mass, where he spoke to the childre about the importace of gratitude ad service ad talked to them about the first Thaksgivig. The bishop told the childre that the historic momet of the first Thaksgivig teaches us to be midful that everythig we have is a gift from God, that it is importat to come together to share our gifts, ad that meal times are sacred momets of givig thaks. Most importatly, it is the meal we share at the Eucharistic table, the presece of Jesus i his body ad blood, soul ad diviity, that gives us our greatest hope, the bishop said. At the coclusio of Mass, Sister Collee Smith, ASCJ, pricipal, shared with the bishop the various service projects the studets of St. Rose will be doig throughout the year, icludig visitig ursig homes ad brigig homemade lap blakets, collectig for Morig Glory breakfast program for the poor i Dabury ad makig sadwiches for the homeless. After Mass, Bishop Caggiao ad Dr. Steve Cheesema, superitedet of schools, visited several classes. The childre were excited to share about all the blessigs for which they are grateful. Bishop Caggiao s visit to St. Rose the took him to the site of the groudbreakig for the ew FAITH Food Patry. O this very cold day, some of the older studets joied him for the outdoor dedicatio of the ew food patry ow uder costructio o the parish grouds. Uless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor i vai. We are God s co workers, the bishop said i his blessig, givig thaks for the geerosity of parishioers at St. Rose. The patry, fouded i 1984, was housed at St. Joh Episcopal Church util the church closed its doors last year. The ew buildig is scheduled to 27 ope i the sprig of Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose, said that he was proud of his parishioers for steppig forward ad agreeig to provide a ew home to the patry, which feeds may eedy families i the greater Newtow area. This parish has a very strog social cosciece, Msgr. Weiss told those o had for the blessig. This is cosistet with our missio as a parish ad with the recetly completed Year of Mercy.

28 28 December 2017 Advet/Christmas Surprised by a Agel By AL DiGUIDO It was late afteroo o Thaksgivig Saturday, just before the su was to set o a more tha hectic day. I did t otice her at first, a middle aged black woma carryig four bags burstig through their Rite Aid plastic. The toy collectio box i the frot of the shop o 28 Reef Road had barely filled. Quietly amid the flow of ice cream customers, she came from the back ad slowly placed four toys i the box. Thak you, I say, ad she smiles getly, leavig the rear etrace ad the makig a retur trip with several more dolls ad toys each makig their way ever so reveretly to the box up frot. Each trip, aother getle smile... Thak you so much for your care ad love, I say. The she surprises me with her respose, God told me to come here, the words so strog ad with great purpose. God, she said, TOLD me to come to this store with these toys! What will you do with these toys? she asks. I speak of the childre i our care battlig cacer, rare blood diseases ad severe fiacial hardships. She smiles oce agai... NOW I uderstad. she says. NOW I kow why God told me to come to this place. Fidig myself speechless, I thak her agai. Is there aythig I ca do for you? I say. That getle smile returs, Oh, o. I am fie. She stads over the box ad begis upackig several teddy bears, showig them to me. She says the childre will love these. I od sayig, You have o idea. Before our ecouter, I had ever met this woma. I move towards her ad say, My dear, I must ask, what is your ame? She smiles ad reaches out her frail had ad says, My ame is Alexadra. Struck with emotio suddely I say, My, my, mie is Alexader. Alexadra says that she lives i the area ad walks by our store o Reef Road all the time. You have ever come ito our store before today? I ask. She leaves me sayig. I do t AL DiGUIDO OF WESTPORT, fouder of Al s Agels, i frot of Saugatuck Sweets i dowtow Fairfield. kow why I have t bee here before. All I kow is that God told me to come here today with these gifts for childre. It seemed pretty importat to him. I am just tryig to do his will. She was goe a istat later. There are agels amog us... all tryig to do God s will. Most times, we do t see them or kow them. We are surrouded by them. O Saturday, I met oe. Her ame is Alexadra. (Al DiGuido, fouder of Al s Agels ad ower of Saugatuck Sweets, felt impelled to recout this emotioal ecouter over Thaksgivig weeked. Childre sufferig from cacer ad other lifethreateig illesses ejoy the toys from this ad other collectio poits ad delivered by Al s Agels.) Day Pitey is proud to support Fairfield Couty Catholic ad the Diocese of Bridgeport Wishig you a most happy ad blessed Christmas ad New Year BOSTON CONNECTICUT FLORIDA NEW JERSEY NEW YORK WASHINGTON, DC

29 December Thomas Merto Ceter Micalizzi s puts the icig o charitable givig BRIDGEPORT Jay Piccirillo was bor ad raised i Bridgeport. His father Ady ra Micalizzi s Italia Ice o Madiso Aveue util he died at the early age of 38. The busiess was the take over by Jay s mother, Lucille, who had to lear everythig o the spot. This year, Micalizzi s celebrated it s 40th Aiversary i the heart of Bridgeport with Jay ruig the show. He is focused o broadeig the compay brad via social media ad brachig out through local area restaurats, but his heart remais i Bridgeport. A example of this could be see the Saturday followig Thaksgivig whe Micalizzi s CHRISTMAS GIVING Jay Piccirillo (ceter) ower of Micalizzi s Italia Ice i Bridgeport, is thaked by Merto Ceter director Bria Jekis ad office maager Sabie Kuczo o a recet visit to the ceter, where he doated operishable food items collected at a charitable evet he sposors. hosted their aual Christmas party i their parkig lot right o Madiso Aveue. Jay himself played Sata, hadig out gifts to every child that visited. Christmas movies ad music played i the backgroud as guests ejoyed complimetary douts ad hot cocoa. Characters like Olaf ad Mickey Mouse wadered aroud greetig the kids ad takig pictures. The evet was also a opportuity to give back to the commuity where they are located. Sice he was a youg boy ad a studet at the former St. Patrick School, Jay remembers voluteerig at the Thomas Merto Ceter. This is why he decided to ask everyoe who atteded the evet to brig a o-perishable food item to be doated to the Thomas Merto Ceter s food patry. Jay himself the delivered the doatio to Bria Jekis ad Sabie Kuczo at the Thomas Merto Ceter which is located o Madiso Aveue just dow the street from Micalizzi s. Accordig to Jay, The Thomas Merto Ceter is a vital part of Bridgeport ad helps those who eed it the most. Jay ad Sabie are old frieds, as Sabie is a log time customer of Micalizzi s. But Jay ad Bria met for the very first time, a relatioship betwee the local busiess ower ad soup kitche director that they both hope will cotiue ito the future to beefit the people of dowtow Bridgeport.

30 30 December 2017 St. Arew Parish Presepio gives life to the birth of the Lord By PAT HENNESSY The pot steams. The fire flickers. Birds chirp i the trees, a steady stream of water powers the mill, a forester trims his tree ad a woma sets out fresh baked rolls as childre watch with hugry eyes. This is a classic Italia presepio, a elaborate ativity scee, brought to life at St. Adrew Church by Msgr. Matthew Berelli. I grew up with these all aroud me whe I was a kid, at home ad i the church, explaied Msgr. Berelli, who the shepherds ad kigs, sheep, cows, dokeys, camels ad other figuries that surroud the stable. The wise me ad their camels are described i the Gospel of Matthew (Matt 2:1-11). The presepio goes far beyod that, portrayig the everyday village life that cotiues, uaware ad idifferet to the miracle i their midst. The geius of a presepio is i the attetio give to the ordiary people whose lives ad occupatios would surroud Jesus as he grew up. Msgr. Berelli costructs his presepio so that the ceterpiece the parish garage. A trip to woodlads ear Guilford yielded eough moss to coceal the structure o artificial turf here. He spet most of the first week i Advet arragig the scee, which was uveiled to parishioers o December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Coceptio. Oce it was completed, Msgr. Berelli bega takig the studets at St. Adrew School, oe class at a time, to explore the detailed scees while he explaied the importace ad meaig of the presepio. Most of them have somethig similar at home, he observed. I wat them to uderstad that the meaig of Christmas is here i the birth of Jesus. Our life goes o, just like the life o display here, but Jesus has come ito our world. That s what we celebrate. was bor i orther Italy. I started collectig figuries whe I was i the semiary i Mexico City. Little by little you lear how to put them together, ad it chages every year. St. Fracis of Assisi is credited with creatig the first live ativity scee i 1223 i order to brig home to parishioers the reality of the birth of Jesus. He was ispired by his ow recet visit to the Holy Lad, where he had bee show Jesus traditioal birthplace. Withi a hudred years every church i Italy was expected to have a ativity scee at Christmastime. The popularity of ativity scees has spread throughout the world, though few are as elaborate, or as well kow, as the Italia presepio. Nativity scees, or crèches, i the Uited States will usually have a stable with a mager (a feedig trough for cattle filled with straw) where the homeless couple placed their ewbor baby (Luke 2:1-20). Mary ad Joseph keel by the baby Jesus. Childre, i particular, love of the busy day is the stable with the Holy Family. I the scee at St. Adrew s, these figuries are larger tha the rest ad placed toward the frot, a warm light emphasizig their importace. Msgr. Berelli has bee makig versios of this elaborate ativity scee throughout the 53 years of his priesthood. He served as parochial vicar at St. Raphael Parish i Bridgeport, St. Joseph Parish i South Norwalk, ad St. Ambrose Parish i Bridgeport. He became pastor of St. Mary Parish i Bridgeport i 1980, retirig after 36 years. Every place he wet, he built a presepio, makig it more or less elaborate as space allowed. St. Adrew s pastor, Father Gee Szatyr, had see it at St. Mary s ad asked if I would set oe up here this Christmas, he said. I frot of the altar, the way it is here, is the best place. People ca smell the moss ad hear the water flowig. To fit the elaborate scee ito the space i frot of the altar, Msgr. Berelli spet a moth formig the mai platform i

31 December Advet/Christmas Harvest Table feeds the poor By BRIAN D. WALLACE STAMFORD What a spectacular Harvest Table! The seveth aual Harvest Table fudraiser, held November 12 at the Hyatt Regecy Greewich, raised more tha $110,000 for New Coveat Ceter, oe of the largest soup kitches i the state. The evet was a recordbreakig fiacial success, ad topped last year s attedace with over 300 supporters, said Joh Gutma, executive director. Harvest Table featured a silet auctio offerig 100 items, delicious varieties of hors d oeuvres from their Marketplace vedors, ad guest speaker Cecily Gas, who spoke about Fightig Food Isecurity Oe Bite at a Time. Gutma said the fuds will be used to support NCC programs ad operatios throughout the year. Our largest expeditures are o utritious fresh ad froze food. Our food patry mothly shoppers have icreased from 400 to 1,200 i the two ad a half years i our ew facility, while we are maitaiig our goal of givig each idividual 10 days of groceries each moth, Gutma said. With thousads more people i our Stamford area ad surroudig commuities ot receivig eough food each moth, we have to purchase more refrigeratio ad freezer uits, as well as retig off-site, climatized storage uits to house the free ad reduced doatios we receive from various food baks ad food purveyors, he said. Al Barber, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities, which sposors New Coveat Ceter, said that all those who participated i the Harvest Table evet have made it possible to reach out to the workig poor, homeless ad elderly throughout the year. We re very grateful for the ethusiastic ad sacrificial support of so may board members, doors ad voluteers. Their commitmet is a particularly strog statemet durig the Thaksgivig holiday, Barber said. The evet was made possible through the geerous support of sposors: Mike & Diae Boyd, Bruce & Lida Koe, XL Catli, Nils & Christie Dahl, Greg HARVESTING FOR THE POOR More tha 300 frieds of New Coveat Ceter i Stamford tured out for the recet Harvest Table social evet that raised over $110,000 for NCC, oe of the state s largest soup kitches. & Sarita Haley, Ed & Gia Kears, Terry & Leslie Laughre, Laure Aubucho, Clive Correia, Darie Rowayto Bak, Hyatt Regecy Greewich, Odell Mays, Narragasett Brewig Compay, Pottery Bar, Holly & Dwaye Richardso, Peter & Barbara Ripp, RMS Compaies, Bob & Lisa Schultz, Hearst Media Services, Moffly Media ad Pepperidge Farm. I additio to servig well over 600,000 meals a year, New Coveat Ceter helps guests through life coachig, job skills traiig, a computer lab, immigratio services ad basic livig eeds such as haircuts ad showers. It is ope 365 days per year from 10 am-6 pm, providig three meals daily. It ow operates oe of the largest food patries i the state ad is the largest i Stamford. (New Coveat Ceter is located at 174 Richmod Hill Ave., Stamford, CT For more iformatio, phoe or visit Our Sicerest wishes for a Blessed Christmas & a Healthy New Year. Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of Bridgeport

32 32 December 2017 St. Jerome Parish Youth Group Night i a Box NORWALK O November 18 ad 19, TOTAL, the youth group of St. Jerome Parish i Norwalk, participated i the fifth aual Night i a Box evet. Night i a Box is a homeless awareess project that raises moey ad collects toiletries for the Ope Door Shelter i Norwalk. Thirty-ie tees spet the day servig others. We raked leaves for our parishioers, plated tiy trees ad brought doatios to the clothig shed at the shelter, helped aroud the church, ad made Christmas decoratios for the shelter. We filled 60 leaf bags at oe house aloe! After the service projects, we ate a simple soup-kitche supper of chicke soup ad grilled cheese sadwiches ad heard from Bob Geuario, a board member of the Ope Door Shelter ad logtime St. Jerome parishioer, who told us how the shelter helps the homeless i Norwalk. We the took o the persoa of a homeless perso, followed by a prayer service where we thought about how we could Multiply Love based o the Gospel story of the Loaves ad Fishes. Because the weather forecast was ot good (last year the rai pouded our boxes to mush!) we set up our cardboard shelters our beds for the ight i the parish hall. We took a momet to remember ad pray for those who do ot have the optio of movig iside durig bad weather. We cocluded our weeked with Mass. We leared to be grateful for what we have, to kow whe we have eough ad to be thakful that we have the choice to sleep iside. We also had a chace to express how grateful we are for our families, warm homes, schools, our opportuities ad our parets. Sometimes we have to walk a little i someoe else s shoes to really appreciate how blessed we are. Night i a Box has raised over $10,000 ad collected hudreds of toiletries to help the Ope Door Shelter. (Please remember the Ope Door Shelter this Christmas seaso ad doate to help the homeless i our eighborhood. Moetary doatios, toiletries, ew or getly used blakets, sheets ad towels ca be dropped off at St. Jerome Parish or at the Ope Door Shelter, 4 Merritt Street, South Norwalk, CT ) May the Peace & Joy of the Seaso Light Your Way Merry Christmas! Returig home for the holiday? Witer registratio is ope for udergraduates util December 19 th. Visit fairfield.edu/witersessio for more iformatio. People s Uited Isurace Agecy wish you ad your family a Happy ad Healthy Holiday. Isurace products are ot deposits or other obligatios of, or guarateed by, the bak or ay affiliate of the bak; are ot isured by the FDIC or ay other agecy of the Uited States, the bak, or ay affiliate of the bak; ad icludes possible loss of value People s Uited Bak, N.A.

33 December 2017 Advet/Christmas Garde Club of Darie brigs Holiday Happiess By ELLEN McGINNESS For over fiftee years, the Garde Club of Darie has put their creative floral talets to work by creatig holiday arragemets for the recipiets of Catholic Charities Meals o Wheels of Lower Fairfield Couty (MoW) program. As part of a aual project dubbed The Holiday Grees Workshop, more tha sixty busy elves with gree thumbs get together i early December at the Darie Boy Scouts Cabi to put together the cheery arragemets. The club assembles the greeery, tiy oramets, shimmery wire ribbo ad other festive blig to magically produce 300 table top desigs for the elderly BRINGING CHRISTMAS BEAUTY Garde Club of Darie members (l-r) Betsy Becker ad Tracy Drippé deliver holiday arragemets for the recipiets of Catholic Charities Meals o Wheels of Lower Fairfield Couty program. homeboud. The holiday gifts are delivered the ext day by the drivers of MoW. Why do the ladies take the time ad effort to do this? Betsy Becker, co-chair with Tracy Drippé of the Holiday Grees Workshop, explaied it this way: As oe of our major outreach iitiatives of the year, it s a gift back to our commuity. A gift that s as beautiful as a partridge i a pear tree. Catholic Charities Seior Nutritio Program (SNP) icludes Meals o Wheels of Lower Fairfield Couty home delivery plus Commuity Café cogregate meal sites for the elderly. The Seior Nutritio Program serves over 400 meals a day to cliets. 33 (To doate to the program, cotact Bob Doahue at or rdoahue@ccfc-ct.org.) Proud Priters of Fairfield Couty Catholic for more tha 20 years! Wishig you a very Merry Merry Christmas 205 Sprig Hill Rd., Trumbull CT trumbullpritig.com

34 34 December 2017 St. Joseph School Operatio Christmas Child By ANNIE OVANESSIAN Studets at St. Joseph School i Brookfield could barely cotai themselves as they budled up boxes of toys for their frieds. Studets i kidergarte through eighth grade paired with their school buddies to fill over 65 shoeboxes with gifts ad ecessities. These boxes, however, were ot for their school buddies, but for frieds they may ever meet across the globe via a partership with Operatio Christmas Child, a project of Samarita s Purse, a iteratioal Christia relief ad evagelism orgaizatio headed by Frakli Graham. The missio of Operatio Christmas Child is to demostrate God s love i a tagible way to childre i eed aroud the world, ad together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Sice 1993, Operatio Christmas Child has collected ad delivered more tha 146 millio gift-filled shoeboxes to childre i more tha 150 coutries ad territories. For may of these childre, the shoebox is the first gift they have ever received. I additio to gifts ad ecessities, SJSB studets also eclosed hadwritte otes to their global buddies wishig them blessigs for the comig seaso. Oce all the boxes were filled, studets gathered i the gymasium ad prayed over the boxes ad for the recipiets before the boxes were loaded to be shipped to the local collectio site. It was truly movig to see our etire school commuity come together ad pray over these boxes, said voluteer mom Katiaa Boefoy. The childre set ot oly gifts, but the message of God s Love. I m so hoored to have bee eve a small part of this service project! The etire SJSB commuity prays, as oe studet eloquetly oted, That the boxes arrive safely ad the childre receive the joy we are sedig them. PEOPLE S UNITED BANK IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE Fairfield Couty Catholic Wishig everyoe a happy ad healthy Holiday Seaso People s Uited Bak, N.A. Member FDIC

35 December Advet/Christmas Epiphay of the Lord By DR. FRANK DeSTEFANO Readig 1: Isaiah 60: 1-6 Readig II; Ephesias 3: 2-3a, 5-6 Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12 (Magi from the east) Epiphay is a Greek word which meas maifestatio or appearace. Traditioally, the story of the Magi from the east has bee see as a sig of the maifestatio of the Lord to all atios Today s first readig from the Prophet Isaiah, with its metio of caravas of camels ad dromedaries bearig gold ad frakicese, has from the earliest days of the Church bee associated with the story of the Three Kigs or Wise Me. The Gospel accout from St. Matthew oly tells us that Magi from the east followed the star to the place where the child was. It does t say that there were three of them, or that they were kigs. But traditio ad art have added the familiar features to the story. We have three kigs probably because of the three gifts gold, frakicese, ad myrrh which are associated with royalty. I art, oe of the kigs is usually portrayed as a old ma, aother is middle aged, while the third is youg ad beardless. They symbolize all the ages of makid. Traditio called them wise me because the word magi came to mea magicia, or oe familiar with the secrets ad mysteries of ature. It is commo to thik of them as astroomers or astrologers because of the famous star that they followed to Bethlehem. Although legeds have embellished the story of the Magi, there is a historical core to their story. There were, after all, magi i the East. The members of the rulig priestly class of the Persia Empire to the east of Palestie had for ceturies bee called magi. They would have bee familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures ad prophecies because so may Jews had emigrated to Persia i the ceturies before Christ. Their jourey to Bethlehem would have bee over a thousad miles, but it would have followed established ad frequetly traveled trade routes. The reactio of Kig Herod to their ews certaily fits what history has told us about that cruel despot. I those days it was commo for rulers to kill ayoe who might be a potetial threat to their crow. Herod murdered his favorite wife he had te ad five of his ow sos whe he suspected that they were plottig agaist him. The Slaughter of the Iocets which St. Matthew describes a little later i this chapter is certaily i lie with Herod s character. What is the importace of the visit of the Magi? Why is the Feast of the Epiphay oe of the greatest i the Church s caledar? We kow that eve after the Resurrectio of our Lord, the first coverts to Christiaity eve the Apostles themselves had difficulty i uderstadig that the missio of our Lord was ot just to the Jews. There was a great debate i the early Church i which some argued that Getiles had to covert to Judaism before they could be Christia. I St. Paul s epistles we see that this issue cetered aroud the questio of circumcisio, that particular rite which sigified oe s membership i the atio of Israel. I fact, the very first Coucil of the Church was held at Jerusalem precisely to discuss this very issue. There St. Paul, ispired by his ow visio of the Lord, argued that the message of Christ was for all makid. As he says i the Letter to the Ephesias, It has ow bee revealed to his holy apostles ad prophets by the Spirit: that the getiles are coheirs, members of the same body, ad coparters i the promise i Christ Jesus. For Paul, the Messiah promised to the Jews was to be what Isaiah called a light to all atios. St. Peter, as observat a Jew as St. Paul, will have his ow visio i which he sees that what God has created o ma ca call uclea. Perhaps it is oly after this questio had bee decided that the early Christias bega to reexamie the words ad life of Jesus for ew meaig. He came to call siers. He cured the Roma ceturio s servat. The Sermo o the Mout did ot metio race, creed, or color. He praised the Good Samarita ad isisted that the foreiger was more a eighbor to the beate Jewish traveler tha his coutryme who passed him by o the road to Jericho. They eve discovered, ad preserved i Matthew s Gospel, a icidet at the very begiig of our Lord s earthly life which idicated that he had come as a light to all the atios. The Magi had come from the East to brig him gifts ad do him homage. O the other had, the despised ruler of the Jews had oly sought to put him to death. Apparetly, Herod ad his advisers could t eve see the star that led the Magi to the child. The Christmas seaso comes to a ed with Epiphay. The twelve days of Christmas are completed. Subsequetly, we will begi to follow Jesus as he begis his public life. We will have a whole year to follow him o his way to Jerusalem. A few years ago I foud a woderful Christmas card which said simply, Wise me still seek him.

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