Skip to content

Rest in Peace: Rev. Thomas J. O’Rourke

Rev. Thomas J. O’Rourke died at the age of 89. Fr. O’Rourke was ordained June 27, 1964. He went to Senior Status in 2012 after 19 years as Pastor of Ascension in Hamden. His funeral and burial will be private and at the convenience of his family, according to his wishes.

He will be remembered at Mass on Wednesday, June 3rd at 12:05 pm at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, 467 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, CT. Archbishop Coyne will be the celebrant. All are welcome.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. May perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.

Vatican Designates Special Jubilee Year of St. Francis

Story by Shelley Wolf

This spring, St. Francis of Assisi Church in New Haven, part of Blessed Michael McGivney Parish, kicked off its observance of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis with a visit from Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne.

Before the Mass, the Archbishop blessed the church’s central doors, decorated with images of St. Francis of Assisi and wild animals, to commemorate this site as one of many pilgrimage sites in the Archdiocese of Hartford where Catholics may obtain special graces.

The event was part of the larger Jubilee Year of St. Francis, which has been declared by the Vatican, and is being observed by Catholics all over the world. The special jubilee began on Jan. 10, 2026, and continues through Jan. 10, 2027.

The Jubilee Year of St. Francis marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, who died on Oct. 3, 1226.

The special jubilee year is intended to encourage Catholics to model on the beloved saint, who continues to inspire with his enduring example of humility, simplicity, peace, care for the poor and care for creation.

The renowned San Damiano Cross leads the procession into St. Francis of Assisi Church. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH

Born into a wealthy family, Francis renounced earthly riches to live a humble life in service to God. His love for Christ led him to seek to rebuild the Church, to embrace the poor and marginalized, to recognize the image of God in all creation, and to establish bonds of peace within all human persons.

Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne opens the central doors to New Haven’s St. Francis of Assisi Church, one of many pilgrimage sites for the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH

“Others were drawn to his way of living, and so St. Francis founded the first Franciscan Order (Order of Friars Minor), the Second Order (Poor Clares), and the Third Order Regular. Today, religious and lay members of these communities serve the spiritually and materially poor in hospitals, orphanages, schools, social service outreaches and retreat centers across the globe.

Over the centuries, the saint’s legacy has continued to have a profound effect. Upon his election to the papacy, Pope Francis explained his choice of name to a group of journalists, praising Francis as “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”

For the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, Pope Leo XIV designated Franciscan-led communities and St. Francis-patronized churches as pilgrimage sites where visitors can earn a plenary indulgence for themselves or the souls in Purgatory.

To receive the plenary indulgence, Catholics must pray at a designated Jubilee church, obtain a sacramental confession (within 20 days), receive the Eucharist, and pray for the pope’s intentions.

The decree also requires visitors to pray an Our Father and the Creed. In addition, visitors must seek the intercession of the Blessed Mother and Franciscan saints for global charity, harmony and peace. And they must have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin. The homebound and caregivers may participate spiritually, if not in person.

Franciscan-led communities in the archdiocese include: St. Joseph Parish, Winsted; St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish, Hartford; St. Paul Parish, Kensington; and St. Martin of Tours Parish at St. Joseph Church, Canaan, St. Mary Church, Lakeville, and Immaculate Conception Church, Norfolk.

Churches under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi include: St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. John Paul the Great Parish, Torrington; St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. Junipero Serra Parish, South Windsor; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Britain; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Naugatuck; and St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blessed Michael McGivney Parish, New Haven.

For a list of pilgrimage sites, click here.

Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center Relocates to New Location

Story by Jim Tierney

In a new home more visible to the community, Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center begins its next chapter. Behind its doors, the work continues — rooted in a quiet commitment to the women and children of Torrington and the area.

Two Hearts Pregnancy Center, which first opened in October 2012 in the former rectory of Sacred Heart Church, began a new chapter after the parish property was sold in 2023. While relocating had not been part of the plan: “Moving for us was not an option,” says Lynn Reynolds, former executive director of Two Hearts Pregnancy Center, the search led to a building that proved to be the right fit.

Purchased in March 2025 after what she described as a “futile search of many properties,” the site “needed some work, but the location was perfect.”

Following renovations, the center welcomed families into its new home in October 2025. Located along a well-traveled road in Torrington, the new site offers visibility that helps ensure women and families know support is available when they need it most.

“If you want to help women in need, they have to know you are there,” Reynolds explains. “This location helps us do that.”

Since 2012, Two Hearts, a nonprofit supported by the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, has served 1,059 mothers — and more than 1,000 children — through 21,805 visits for support and supplies, Reynolds notes.

Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center celebrates its new office at 139 New Litchfield St. in Torrington. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Over time, the former space had become difficult to manage. Supplies were stored in multiple small rooms, making it harder for volunteers to organize and access what families needed. The reception area, where many first conversations take place, was tight and divided.

But the new layout has changed that.

Dora Csehak, board member and client services volunteer, standing on the chair, and Ann Marie Kelson, client services volunteer and diaper room coordinator, help provide essential resources to families in need. SUBMITTED PHOTO

“Supplies are better organized, volunteers can prepare items more efficiently, and the reception area is open and welcoming,” Reynolds says. “As they say, first impressions count.”

Meanwhile, Reynolds says the center’s mission itself has grown.

“I would like to stress that we do not just assist pregnant mothers trying to decide if they want to abort or keep their child,” she says. “Our original vision was just that.”

The center’s volunteers have met many women who had already chosen to carry their child despite difficult circumstances. “We also help those women and their children,” Reynolds adds. “We believe this is more reflective of Christ’s love.”

A key component of Two Hearts is its volunteers.

“Volunteers are critical to the life of the center,” Reynolds says. “Without volunteers, the center could not function.” As the only paid staff member, she oversees administration and meets with clients, while volunteers handle nearly everything else — maintaining the supply room, scheduling visits, preparing packages and cleaning.  When it came time to move, volunteers painted, handled electrical work and transported every item from the old building to the new one.

With the move complete, the center is entering a new chapter under newly hired executive director Jane Muir Sellery, who assumed her post April 20.

“Asking our volunteers, they said that when clients come to this location after having received services at the former location, they universally say it’s nice,” says Muir Sellery. “One advantage of the current space is that all operations, other than a small amount of storage, are located on one floor, as compared to two separate floors.”

Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center, 139 New Litchfield St., Torrington, is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit twoheartscenter.com. For questions, call the office at 860.482.0673. Women seeking help can call the 24-hour hotline, 860.482.0672.

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center Celebrates 75th Year of Spiritual Renewal

Story by Shelley Wolf

In 1951, Holy Family Monastery and Retreat House opened its doors in West Hartford, on a hill with a lighted cross, as is the Passionist tradition. On Feb. 2 of that year, the retreat center welcomed 95 men from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford for the first weekend retreat, striving to grow their spirituality and connect them more deeply to God.

What is now known as Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a slate of activities that will be open to the general public.

“We’re so proud of all that we’ve achieved and all that we’ve become over the years,” says Father David Cinquegrani, a Passionist priest and the leader since 1999, “and we’re beyond thrilled to be celebrating this milestone anniversary.”

“We’re proud of our history as a place of peace and an instrument of spiritual growth and transformation for so many people,” he says, “and we hope to continue on that path for many years to come.”

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center’s roots go back far longer than 75 years – to 1720. It was then, in Italy, that St. Paul of the Cross founded the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Passionists) with the goal of teaching people how to pray and meditate on Christ’s Passion.

The Order arrived in the United States in the 1800s, and in 1945, Bishop Henry J. O’Brien of Hartford invited the Passionists to establish a monastery and retreat house for Catholic men in Connecticut.

Under the leadership of Father Joseph Leo Flynn, a Passionist priest, the Passionists purchased 69 acres of farmland in West Hartford, and in 1951 the monastery and retreat house opened for men. In 1986, it added retreat programs for women, and in the 1990s added youth programs and programs for those in recovery.

Today, Holy Family is the largest parish-based Catholic retreat center in the United States, offering a wide variety of retreats and programs. According to Luke Giroux, director of administrative operations, between 4,000 and 5,000 people visit for retreats and other programs each year.

A statue of St. Joseph with the Christ child welcomes guests to Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH
The main chapel is the site of morning and evening prayer, Masses and special liturgies. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH

To celebrate its anniversary, Holy Family has a number of activities planned for 2026. So far, two special anniversary events have been scheduled.

A Summer Concert will be held July 8 at 7 p.m. at the outdoor pavilion. “A collection of talented vocalists and musicians from Holy Family’s music ministry will be performing a mix of Broadway numbers and jazz hits,” Giroux says. All are welcome to this free event. No registration is required.

On Sept. 13, an Anniversary Celebration is set for 3 p.m., beginning with an outdoor Mass and a reception immediately following. The event will offer music, food and an array of speakers. It is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

“Holy Family welcomes all who seek to deepen their relationship with God and with one another,” Giroux says. “We encourage all seekers to come be at peace on our 48 acres, to enjoy the labyrinth, to walk the outdoor stations, and to discern their relationship with God as we take steps into the next 75 years.”

For updates on these and other anniversary events, visit holyfamilyretreat.org/calendar-of-events.

In All Things, Give Thanks?

Story by Joe Pisani

Let me tell you a secret. When my world is falling apart, when nothing seems to be going right, and when there’s no one around to console me and I’m on the verge of complaining more than usual, I look up to Heaven and say, “Lord … thank you for everything.”

Do I sound convincing? I suppose saying that is an exercise to exercise my spiritual muscles or at least an attempt to strengthen them.

To be truthful, I really want to say, “Lord, where the heck are you when I need you?!!?” Or “Lord, it’s a disaster down here. How about a little help?” Or “Lord, I can’t take much more of this. I could use some reinforcements.”

However, contrary to my flawed human nature and my tendency to constantly ask for things, I’ve been trying to rise to the occasion — no matter how low the occasion brings me — and mutter, “Lord, thank you for everything! The good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.”

Of course, that idea isn’t my own. I borrowed it from a number of saints, most notably St. Paul, who told the Thessalonians: “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” He gave similar exhortations to the Ephesians and the Colossians.

I suppose that means God, who counts every hair on our heads — and some of us have fewer hairs than others — and who knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, as Jesus said, has everything under control. Despite a little adversity or a lot of adversity, he’s in charge, guiding us, keeping us in his care and comforting us. Sometimes that’s hard to believe, and then I look to the example of the saints.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla, an Italian pediatrician whose feast day is April 28, once said, “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that he, in his goodness, sends us day after day.”

She certainly knew the ups and downs of life. During her brief life, she served the poor, the elderly, children and mothers. In her fourth pregnancy, she was diagnosed with a uterine tumor and refused treatment that would have led to the death of her unborn child. A week after her daughter was born, and St. Gianna died at 39 on April 28, 1962, from medical complications. Today, she is recognized as the patron saint of mothers, unborn children and doctors.

Also consider the example of St. Bernadette Soubirous, the 14-year-old peasant girl the Blessed Mother appeared to 18 times in Lourdes, France. Bernadette, who entered the religious life, said: “For the poverty in which my mother and father lived, for the failure of the mill, for all the hard times, for the awful sheep, for constant tiredness, thank you, my God! For lips, which I was feeding too much, for the dirty noses of the children, for the guarded sheep, I thank you! … For my spelling, which I never learned, for the memory that I never had, for my ignorance and for my stupidity, thank you… .”

St. Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun and mystic whose spiritual diary “Divine Mercy in My Soul” taught us about the infinite mercy of God, was so committed to being thankful that she kept a list in her diary of what she was grateful for, including her “daily little crosses.”

“True love is measured by the thermometer of suffering,” she wrote. “Jesus, I thank you for the little daily crosses, for opposition to my endeavors, for the hardships of communal life, for the misinterpretation of my intentions, for humiliations at the hands of others, for the harsh way in which we are treated, for false suspicions, for poor health and loss of strength, for self-denial, for dying to myself, for lack of recognition in everything, and for the upsetting of all my plans… .”

I doubt I’ll ever achieve that degree of thankfulness during adversity and suffering. And when I finally get to see Jesus face to face, I’ll probably ask him, “Lord, where were you when the chips were down? And when —” At that point, Jesus will politely interrupt me and open my eyes to show me that despite my grumbling, he was beside me every step of the way, consoling, comforting and encouraging. I was just too blind to see because if I had better spiritual vision, I would have said, “Thank you, Lord, for everything.”

So I’m taking the advice of St. Paul, with one slight revision. I’ve adopted the slogan: “In all things, TRY to give thanks… .” Hey, it’s a first step.

A Race Against Time: Father Joshua Wilbur Awaits a Lifesaving Liver Transplant

Story by Karen A. Avitabile

Father Joshua Wilbur remains optimistic, though he has acknowledged the reality of his situation.

“I’m hopeful for the future but accepting what God has in store,” the Catholic priest says. “I’m very thankful for this feeling, and I am not afraid to die.”

Facing a critical, life-threatening autoimmune liver condition, the 45-year-old Father Wilbur was added to the Yale New Haven Hospital transplant waiting list in March. He is hoping for an immediate living donor.

Because his liver is failing, a transplant is essential. Without this lifesaving procedure, doctors estimate he has one or two years left to live.

“This urgent situation is rapidly deteriorating,” says Father Wilbur, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oxford. “It’s going to get worse.”

Back in August 2025, he was rushed to the emergency room, vomiting blood. Doctors told him that if he had waited another 48 hours, he wouldn’t have survived.

“Right now, they are keeping me stable,” Father Wilbur says of his medical team.

To manage his health, the priest undergoes blood transfusions every four to five weeks at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, sometimes requiring unplanned two-week hospital stays.

Father Joshua Wilbur has been added to the Yale New Haven Hospital transplant waiting list. His liver is failing. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH

He notes that his intermittent health struggles present “unpredictable and challenging” obstacles; nevertheless, he maintains a commitment to celebrating Mass and fulfilling his parochial obligations when his condition allows.

During a vocations panel at Bristol’s St. Gregory the Great Church, Father Joshua Wilbur exposed the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration before students from St. Paul Catholic High School in Bristol. PHOTO BY AARON JOSEPH

Following the news of his illness last year, the St. Thomas the Apostle Parish community rallied behind Father Wilbur, holding a well-attended rosary service and ensuring he is constantly uplifted by requesting Mass intentions for him and providing heartfelt messages of prayer.

Ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Hartford in 2018 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Father Wilbur has served at Annunciation Parish in Newington, Our Lady of Knock Parish in Farmington and Unionville, and started his tenure as pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in October 2023.

The recently established website frjoshwilbur.com chronicles Father Wilbur’s vocational story and features a photo gallery. Additionally, the website offers insights into his medical journey and acts as a guide for potential living donors.

During a living donor transplant, a surgeon takes a portion of a healthy liver and transplants it into a recipient. Almost immediately after surgery, the livers of both the donor and recipient begin growing back to full functioning organs.  

Donors must undergo a thorough medical evaluation to ensure it is safe for them to proceed as living donors. A dedicated team of doctors, surgeons and donor advocates supports every step of the process. Donors do not need to be related to the priest to be considered.

Father Wilbur’s illness has deepened his own understanding of those facing difficulties. “It’s given me a greater sense of empathy for those who are struggling,” he adds.

This profound shift has also shaped the priest’s personal outlook as well. Echoing Pope St. John Paul II, Father Wilbur is framing his own life as an act of total surrender to God’s will.

To contact Father Wilbur, visit frjoshwilbur.com. For more information about the Yale New Haven Health Transplant Program, call 866.925.3897 and tell them you are calling about a living liver donation for Father Joshua Wilbur.

Diaper Drive Brings Compassion, One Box at a Time

Story by Jim Tierney

The idea did not begin in a church hall, but in a town conversation.

While living in West Hartford, Deacon Keith Griffin learned local agencies were quietly collecting diapers for families that could not afford them. When he was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in June 2023 and assigned to Christ the King Parish in Wethersfield, the thought stayed with him. Why not here?

Christ the King Parish, comprising Church of the Incarnation, Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart, already had a strong social action committee. Parishioners were supporting a health clinic in Honduras and the work of Father Rick Frechette in Haiti. A diaper drive would be practical, immediate and local, Deacon Griffin notes.

“Diapers are an expensive necessity,” he says. “People shouldn’t have to choose between food and diapers. An average monthly supply costs $80 to more than $100. Clean diapers are a basic need for every baby and toddler.” 

For families relying on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, that money must also cover rent, heat, electricity, food and transportation, Deacon Griffin adds. Diapers alone can consume up to 12% of those benefits.

The first diaper drive was held in January 2024, around Three Kings Day. Parishioners responded with open hands. More than 800 diapers were collected. That generosity has continued, twice each year — once in January and again on Mother’s Day weekend. The next Deacon’s Diaper Drive will be held May 9 and 10 at all Masses.

“The main goal for the drive is to lend a helping hand to families,” Deacon Griffin explains. “We deliver diapers to groups to distribute. We don’t know directly how many families we are accommodating. The main goal is to collect as many as possible to help as many as possible.”

Before the May 2024 collection, social action committee member Vin Cannamela contacted Corpus Christi School. Principal Ann Sarpu offered a simple incentive: a dress-down day for students who brought diapers, wipes or ointments. The children came through. Nearly 40% of the items collected each year now come from the school.

On collection day, the students form a bucket brigade, passing boxes hand to hand from the school building to adjacent Corpus Christi Church. It is a small parade of charity — sneakers squeaking, cardboard shifting, children grinning as they carry what many take for granted.

A diaper bank at Corpus Christi Church maintains a supply of baby essentials including diapers, wipes and ointments. The diaper bank is a vital resource for community families in need. PHOTO BY SHARON REYNOLDS

The parish does not distribute directly but delivers the diapers to those who manage the need: the Town of Wethersfield Social Services Department, Maria Reina de la Paz Parish in Hartford, Undercover New England, Hartford Deportation Defense, and Birthright. At the request of partner groups, the drive now also includes disposable undergarments for adults.

Deacon Griffin summarizes the broader community message from Matthew 25:45, when Jesus says that whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.

For questions or more information about the diaper drive, email Deacon Griffin at deaconkeithCTK@gmail.com.

Rest in Peace: Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell, D.D.

The Most Reverend Henry Joseph Mansell, Archbishop Emeritus of Hartford, entered into eternal life on April 21, 2026, at the age of 88. A native of New York City, he was born on October 10, 1937, in New York City to the late Henry and Bridget (Finn) Mansell. He attended Ss. Peter and Paul School in the Bronx and Cathedral Preparatory Seminary in New York City before enrolling at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1959. He pursued graduate theological studies at the Pontifical North American College and the Gregorian University in Rome, receiving a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1963. He later undertook postgraduate studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New York on December 19, 1962, in Rome by Archbishop Martin John O’Connor. Upon returning to the United States, he served as a parish priest in New York City and Westchester County and held several key administrative positions within the Archdiocese of New York, including Vice Chancellor, Director of Priest Personnel, and Chancellor. In 1986, he was named an Honorary Prelate by Pope John Paul II, receiving the title of Monsignor.

On November 24, 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Monsignor Mansell an auxiliary bishop of New York and titular bishop of Marazanae. He was ordained to the episcopacy on January 6, 1993, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Pope John Paul II.

On June 12, 1995, Bishop Mansell was installed as the twelfth Bishop of Buffalo (New York), an office he held until his appointment to Hartford in October 2003. During his tenure in Buffalo, he fostered strong relationships with clergy, religious, and laity, and worked closely with diocesan leadership bodies including the Council of Priests, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and the Bishop’s Council of the Laity. He was also active in civic life, serving on the Board of Directors of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, promoting economic and community vitality in western New York.

A strong advocate for Catholic healthcare and education, Bishop Mansell established the Catholic Health System in 1996, uniting Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare agencies across the Diocese of Buffalo. He also strengthened Catholic education by launching the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, which received an initial two million dollar gift to the Fund for Education, and he initiated a comprehensive strategic planning process for all the diocesan schools, including a program for teacher certification.

He championed parish-based ministry to local communities and founded the Diocesan Service Corps, modeled after the U.S. Peace Corps. During his tenure in Buffalo, he encouraged financial stewardship in parishes through two successful giving campaigns titled “Stewardship in Faith” and oversaw eight consecutive Catholic Charities Annual Appeals, each exceeding its goal. He celebrated the many cultures of the local church, honoring the contributions of the Polish, Italian, Irish, and German people of the Diocese and expanded ministry to the Hispanic, African American, Vietnamese, and Korean faithful. He continued his civic engagement while engaged in his pastoral ministry, serving on the State Commission on Education Reform as well as the Public Policy Committee of the New York State Catholic Conference.

On October 20, 2003, Bishop Mansell was appointed by Pope John Paul II as the fourth Archbishop of Hartford. He was installed on December 18, 2003, and received his pallium the following year.

As Archbishop of Hartford, he continued his tireless advocacy of Catholic education and healthcare while expanding charitable outreach. He established a tuition assistance initiative within the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal to support families with children in Catholic elementary schools. In 2006, through the Annual Appeal and in collaboration with the Order of Malta in Hartford County, he founded Malta House of Care, featuring a mobile medical clinic serving communities in Hartford and Waterbury. He also prioritized clergy wellness, initiating a Priest Wellness Program through local Catholic hospitals and oversaw the development of the Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin Residence for Retired Priests, which opened in 2007.

Deeply committed to serving those in need, Archbishop Mansell was co-chair of the Mayor’s Commission to End Chronic Homelessness in 2004, helping to develop a ten-year plan to address chronic homelessness in the Capitol Region. Through the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, he initiated emergency assistance programs supporting families with basic needs such as healthcare, housing, and utilities. Also, during his tenure, the New Institute for the Hispanic Family was dedicated in Hartford, new Catholic Charities facilities were opened in New Haven and Waterbury, and Cathedral Green, an affordable and supportive housing development, opened its doors in Hartford.

On October 29, 2013, after more than 50 years of priestly ministry and 20 years as a bishop, Pope Francis accepted his retirement.

Throughout his life, Archbishop Mansell received numerous honors in recognition of his service. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Niagara University and St. Bonaventure University in 1996, and from Canisius College in 1997. Additional honors were conferred by Albertus Magnus College, Goodwin College, and the University of Hartford. For his work furthering Catholic Education, the National Catholic Education Association awarded him the distinguished Elizabeth Ann Seton Award, gratefully and humbly received in 2014.

Archbishop Mansell was deeply devoted to his vocation as both priest and bishop, approaching his ministry with quiet fidelity and a profound sense of responsibility for the clergy entrusted to his care. His spiritual life was anchored in the daily celebration of the Eucharist and the faithful celebration of the Divine Office, which sustained him throughout his ministry. Beyond his pastoral duties, he found great joy in classical music and was an accomplished musician, often delighting others by playing the violin and accordion at family gatherings. He was also a lifelong and enthusiastic fan of the New York Yankees, a passion he followed with enduring enjoyment.

Archbishop Mansell is survived by his beloved sister, Ann Browne of Bethel, Connecticut. He is also survived by his nephews: Robert Browne III and his wife, Jeanine, of Roseland, New Jersey; Matthew Browne and his wife, Heidi, of Scituate, Massachusetts; Kevin Browne and his partner, Beth Hetzel, of Crystal Lake, Illinois; and Edward Browne and his wife, Ellen, of Brooklyn, New York. He is further survived by eight cherished grandnephews and grandnieces and one great-grandnephew, all of whom held a special place in his heart. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother-in-law Robert.

Friends and parishioners may pay their respects on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 4:00 to 6:30 pm at the St. Thomas Chapel located at St. Thomas Seminary/Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese of Hartford, 467 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, CT. Solemn Evening Prayer from the Office of the Dead will be celebrated at 6:30 pm.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11:00 am, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, 140 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT, with the Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, Sixth Archbishop of Hartford, as principal celebrant. Burial will follow at Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Ahern Funeral Home of Hartford. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support the educational mission of the Catholic Academy of Hartford, attn: Office of the Archbishop, 467 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002.

Archdiocese of Hartford and Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools Resolve Dispute

SEEN Events Offer Grieving Parents Avenues to Healing

Story by Shelley Wolf

Families who have experienced infertility, the loss of an unborn child or a stillbirth often suffer in silence. But there is hope and healing for the invisible pain of child loss.

“SEEN,” which stands for “Supporting Everyone Experiencing Neonatal Loss,” is a series of events intended to acknowledge the life lost and to provide spiritual support for grieving families.

There are two upcoming spring events: Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m. sponsored by St. Paul VI Parish at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2819 Whitney Ave., Hamden, and Friday, May 8 at 6 p.m. sponsored by Immaculate Conception Parish at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 74 West Main St., Waterbury.

“Parents love that baby with all their heart from the first moment,” says Valerie St. Jean, associate director of adult and family life ministries for the Archdiocese of Hartford. “When a parent loses a baby, the sadness is almost too much. And the loss is not recognized.”

“The name ‘SEEN’ is important because very often, nobody knows what happened. The parents hold it inside,” she explains. “But we’re here to affirm the dignity of the life lost. As Catholics, we believe that life begins at conception, and every soul has meaning and purpose.”

SEEN events allow parents to come forward to acknowledge their loss, meet other parents, gain spiritual nourishment and find ways to begin healing. The Basilica event will offer both spiritual and practical resources for coping with the loss of a child, whether the loss was due to a miscarriage or occurred after birth.

The evening at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church is a Holy Hour and reception, which will include adoration, prayer teams, guided prayer, support and resources.

The evening event at the Basilica will include Mass, adoration, the veneration of relics, and a reception with resource materials. It will also feature a ministry of presence, including prayer, reconciliation, and counselors as well as art and journaling therapies.

“These events offer those suffering a safe place to grieve and to process their emotions, to be comforted and guided by spiritual support through our Catholic teachings,” St. Jean stresses.

“There will be prayer, adoration and other ways for people to experience the presence, love and mercy of Jesus. Expanding upon other resources and forms of prayer, can help people process their grief in different ways. The Basilica has done an amazing job of finding resources to help people,” she adds.

Candles are lit for beloved lost children at a previous SEEN event. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The SEEN concept was started as a grassroots effort in 2020 by interested parishioners at Blessed Michael McGivney Parish in New Haven and has been quietly circulating to other parishes around the archdiocese in slightly different formats to reach more Catholics.

While the events are parish-driven, the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Office of Faith Formation and Parish Life is offering its support and guidance, recognizing SEEN events as creative forms of support to reach the hearts of those who are suffering.

SEEN events are free, with many resources and services being donated, including music, food and materials. All interested families are welcome to attend.