Feast Day - April 24 Mark Rey (1577-1622) began his career as a lawyer who accompanied aristocrats around Europe as a tutor. During this travel, he attended Mass often and helped the poor at every opportunity. After getting fed up with the corruption among his colleagues, Mark abandoned his law career and joined his brother [...]
By Michelle DiFranco With the season of Lent almost upon us, I’ve thought about what I’m going to either “give up” or “do more of.” Over the years, this time has brought up feelings of inadequacy, since I usually fail at some point during the season. So, recently, I’ve tried taking a different approach in [...]
By Patricia Majher To honor His sacrifice, we make one of our own every Friday during Lent From the dawn of Christianity, Friday has been set aside as a day of abstinence to honor the memory of Christ suffering and dying on that day of the week. But when did that day become associated with [...]
Story by Joe Pisani I’ve decided to try a new approach this Lent. It will be a lot harder than giving up sweets but now quite as hard as giving up cigarettes. Fortunately, those days are long gone because I gave them up for good a long time ago. As I was leafing through my [...]
By Pete Burak Starting Ash Wednesday, Catholics enter the season of Lent, where we are called to fast, pray, give alms and prepare for the joyful celebration of Easter. Many of us, however, approach Lent simply as an uncomfortable time of reluctantly “giving up x” or “doing more y.” We just try to survive Lent [...]
By Shelley Wolf Pope Francis has proclaimed Dec. 8, 2020 to Dec. 8, 2021 as a “Year of St. Joseph” to celebrate the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. There are many who are happy to take the opportunity to honor this sometimes overlooked saint, especially right here in the [...]
Story by Shelley Wolf Father Diego Jimenez wants everyone to know that Jesus is beside them during the pandemic. As pastor of All Saints – Todos los Santos Parish in Waterbury, he has found a way to draw people closer to Christ, where they can find comfort and peace, even if they are unable to [...]
By Shelley Wolf Canon Joel Estrada, pastor of St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury, is celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord throughout the month of January. Using chalk, incense and holy water, he blessed and inscribed the entrance to St. Patrick Church on Jan. 6, and now he is driving around the city to [...]
Archbishop Leonard P. Blair As we move into 2021, I’m reminded of the beautiful prayer at the blessing of the paschal candle every Easter: “Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega. All time belongs to him and all the ages. To him be glory and [...]
Archbishop Leonard P. Blair Amedida que nos acercamos al año 2021, viene a mi memoria la hermosa oración de bendición del cirio pascual: “Cristo ayer y hoy, Principio y Fin, Alfa y Omega. Suyo es el tiempo y la eternidad. A él la gloria y el poder por los siglos de los [...]