Rev. Henry C. Frascadore died yesterday at the age of 92, just one day shy of his 93rd birthday. He was ordained a priest on May 7, 1959. Funeral arrangements and obituary may be found here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/southington-ct/henry-frascadore-12808762
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. May Perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the Faithful Departed thru the Mercy of God rest in peace.
Story by Shelley Wolf
When students at St. Lawrence School in West Haven were asked about their interests for an upcoming career day, many said they wanted to learn more about media and journalism. That sparked the idea for an old-fashioned Newspaper Club that is teaching foundational journalism skills, using today’s technology for print and digital publications.
“This is teaching them the basics that will carry them into the future,” says Bambi Grestini, alumni relations director and one of three Newspaper Club advisers. “I’m so excited by the number of students who have stayed and come out of their shells.”
In the fall of 2025, The Chargers’ Voice, a student newspaper, published its inaugural print issue, with a digital issue planned for March, and another print issue set to publish in June. The publication is produced by 35 students in grades five through eight, who meet after school most Mondays in the school library.
The school retired its old alumni newsletter in favor of the new student newspaper, which now blends interesting tidbits about teachers, students, staff and alumni all in one student-run publication.
The advisers help the students to develop their own ideas. “This is their voice,” Grestini says. “It’s amazing how their minds work.” Now the student newspaper is charming parents, parishioners and alumni alike, solidifying their Catholic identity through the generations.
“They’re enjoying the stories. They’re loving it,” Grestini says of the adults. That’s because parents, parishioners and alumni want to know what students are up to these days, she says.
Among many articles, the inaugural issue included bite-sized stories introducing new and returning teachers, a brief essay on the importance of attending the monthly school Mass, and one-sentence understandings of God contributed by first graders. There was also an update on the Cooking Club and the results of a pizza poll.
Additionally, the back page highlighted the alumni Class of 1965 reunion, with a quote from an attendee and photos. A fun list of the price of staples in 1965 also appeared: 31 cents a gallon for gas and 53 cents for a dozen eggs.
Students shared tidbits about the school’s early history, including a color photo of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry, founders of the school. “Whatever these kids come up with in their heads, we bring it to life,” Grestini says.
Divided into four teams, the students call themselves the News Navigators, Creative Crew, Layout & Design Team, and Faith in Action as they write, fact check, edit, and assemble the text and photos. “If they want to change groups they can. We keep it open,” Grestini says. “We just grounded them into teams so they can see what they like.”
The school is working with makemynewspaper.com, which offers teaching suggestions and printing. The students use Chromebooks, Google Classroom and Canva, an online graphic design tool, before uploading to the printer.
In addition to learning about story generation and layout, students are introduced to schedules, deadlines and printing costs. “We’re trying to give them real-world experience,” Grestini says.
With a different theme for each issue, the March digital issue is focused on sports and science, plus a new feature called “Unsung Heroes,” including interviews with first responders and the school office staff. The June issue will offer a year in review.
Story by Joe Pisani
Almost 25 years ago, Deacon Adam Michaele was moved by a heartbreaking situation when a young woman had her engagement broken and lost her friends because of mental illness.
“She had nothing and no one to go to, and we knew we had to do something,” he recalls. That’s when he and his wife Rose began a mental health ministry to offer people suffering from loneliness to depression, stress, autism and anxiety a place to turn for support. Since then, they have assisted dozens of people, most of whom had nowhere to turn.
The Mental Health Ministry Spiritual Support Group is hosted by St. George Parish in Guilford and has members from the shoreline parishes. Meetings are held on the campus of St. George Church.
“The group offers a safe and confidential environment where people who live with mental illness can meet and share their experiences, their concerns and their faith,” says Deacon Michaele. “It is not group therapy, and behavioral health professionals are not involved, but through support, prayer and reflections, members can grow closer in their relationship with our loving God.”
Deacon Adam is a certified Catholic mental health minister with a master’s degree in spiritual and pastoral care. He was a founding board member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, and three years ago received the Archdiocese of Hartford’s social justice award for his work.
Rose Michaele provides spiritual accompaniment and previously facilitated a group for caregivers.
“My wife Rose has been there every step of the way and offers a gentle touch and womanly perspective that I cannot provide,” Deacon Michaele says.
“People in the group offer support for each other, and a camaraderie has built up,” Rose says. “Some of them live alone and don’t have family, some can’t drive, and older members are lonely and feel their vulnerability. Many suffer from the stigma associated with mental illness and don’t want to speak about it because they’re afraid of being ostracized.”
Meetings begin with a prayer, and Deacon Michaele asks them to share their experiences while members offer suggestions when someone has a problem. Later, they discuss a spiritual reading or the Gospel. The meetings end with a blessing, and Rose gives them treats to take home.
The Michaeles also take members to events, such as the St. George Thanksgiving Day dinner and the parish annual carnival.
“We support them and try to get them out so they’re not home alone,” Rose says. “Sometimes we treat them to lunch and a movie, which they look forward to.”
Members are required to adhere to certain rules.
“We have rules about confidentiality,” Deacon Michaele says. “If they have a therapist, they can’t abruptly stop treatment without having a plan to get another one. They also can’t abruptly stop their medication.”
During the week, the Michaeles make themselves available to members.
“Anyone can come in any time and sit with us if they have a problem,” Deacon Michaele says. “We get calls and support them with our prayers and understanding. The door is always open.”
The Mental Health Ministry Spiritual Support Group meets the second and fourth Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Ruiz Center on the campus of St. George Church, 33 Whitfield St., Guilford. For dates and more information, contact St. George Parish, 203.453.2788.
Story by Jim Tierney
At the heart of the North American Martyrs Adult Social Club in East Hartford is something simple but powerful: people who show up for one another. For many members, the club is the one place where they know they will be greeted by name, welcomed with a smile and surrounded by others who genuinely care about them.
Being a member of the Adult Social Club for St. Christopher and St. Mary churches is far more than attending a monthly meeting; it is a lifeline of friendship, purpose and joy for older adults who might otherwise feel isolated.
Jean Nowik, a member for more than 10 years, uses one word to describe why she loves the club. “Friendship,” she says.
For many older members who don’t use computers, Nowik adds, the club is their main social connection. “It’s like visiting old friends,” she explains. “There is a great sense of community.”
The club’s caring spirit runs deep. Members drive one another to gatherings, celebrate birthdays and look out for anyone who needs help. This spirit of dedication is reflected in longtime member and club president Joan Perrone.
Perrone has been part of the St. Christopher Church community in East Hartford since 1962, raising her family there and building lasting friendships through its many social groups. After her husband Frank’s passing last May, she continues helping the club thrive by working with other members to prepare and set up for the meetings, which are held at St. Christopher Church.
What keeps members, ranging in age from 60 to 95, coming back?
“They like us and how we treat them,” Perrone says. “They don’t have to drive very far to get there, they like the entertainment and they like meeting up with their friends and acquaintances. I believe they have fun and laugh a lot.”
Long before each meeting begins, dedicated members arrive to prepare the hall — setting up tables, arranging name badges, testing sound equipment and making sure the smell of fresh coffee fills the room.
And when those doors open, the atmosphere shifts completely. The room erupts into laughter, whether it is triggered by someone wearing a funny hat at the Funtucky Derby, a spontaneous game of make-believe baseball or comedic antics.
The club though is serious about one thing only: making sure people enjoy themselves. The themes, decorations, speakers, entertainment, music and games are chosen with the same purpose — to give members something to look forward to, to smile about and to cherish.
With an aging membership and volunteers that are hard to find, the club remains a testament to what can happen when people care enough to keep showing up, Perrone says.
“I don’t know for sure how we have impacted members’ lives or relationships, but I believe we have given them some small moments of fun, entertainment and inclusion,” she says. “All I can do is try to make sure that when they come in those hall doors, they enjoy themselves. If that makes them a little happier when they leave, I’m happy.”
Story by Shelley Wolf
This year will mark the sixth annual Connecticut March for Life, a day for pro-life advocates to communicate to the Connecticut State Legislature their desire to protect and safeguard all human life.
Note: This year’s events will begin earlier. The 2026 Connecticut March for Life is set for March 18 with the rally at 11:30 a.m. on the grounds of the Connecticut State Capitol, located at 210 Capitol Ave., Hartford, followed by the march around Bushnell Memorial Park at 12:30 p.m.
At 10:30 a.m., there will also be a pre-rally concert at the Capitol with praise and worship music, courtesy of the worship team at Revelation Church from Bozrah.
“Many people, especially politicians, believe there is little opposition to abortion in our state. This March sends a much different message,” says Deacon David Reynolds, associate director of public policy for the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, the public policy and advocacy office of Connecticut’s Catholic Bishops.
“Not everyone in Connecticut is happy with the complete lack of restrictions on abortion in our state,” the deacon says. “In past years thousands have attended the March. The larger that number, the stronger the pro-life voice will be in Connecticut. It also gives pro-life legislators in our state, which are few in number, the support they need to continue the fight for life.”
Organizers of the March are asking all Catholics to join them to signal their support for protecting all human life, from conception to natural death.
“Catholic social teaching requires us to be thoughtful citizens,” Chris Healy, executive director of the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, said in a recent video at the start of this year’s legislative session. “Your voice matters when it is heard, so be heard.”
Healy advises staying informed about issues that affect your values, getting to know your elected officials, and making a commitment to attend the Connecticut March for Life at the State Capitol. He will be one of the speakers at the March for Life.
This year’s main speaker will be Radiance Foundation’s Ryan Scott Bomberger, whose birth mother gave him up for adoption.
In addition to Healy, the roster of other speakers includes: Jennie Bradley Lichter, president, March for Life; Peter Wolfgang, president, Family Institute of Connecticut; Gerry Williams, radio show host for WIHS and master of ceremonies; Bishop Richard F. Reidy, Bishop of Norwich, who will offer the closing prayer; and Pastor Jeremiah Johnson of Vox Church, Hartford.
The Connecticut Pregnancy Care Coalition is also sponsoring a student sign contest with prizes for the best handmade signs, with judging at 11 a.m.
Prior to the event, Healy recommends scheduling an appointment to speak with your legislator on March 18 to discuss your concerns about any possible bills. Or you can stop in to make a future appointment. You can also write a polite letter or e-mail, sharing your concerns.
Before You Go: For more details about Connecticut March for Life, including a map, parking, and buses, visit ctmarchforlife.org. Contact your parish for transportation provided by the Knights of Columbus.
To find your legislators, and to sign up for action alerts and newsletters on legislative matters from the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, visit ctcatholicpac.org.
The Connecticut March for Life is hosted by the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference, the Family Institute of Connecticut, and the National March for Life.
Column by Joe Pisani
Over the years, I’ve had devotions to saints with special meaning to me, such as St. Joseph Barsabbas, one of the first disciples who was in the running to fill the opening left by Judas, but didn’t get the job. Instead, it went to Matthias.
If you ever wanted a promotion and someone else got it, he’s a great saint to prayer to. Or if you’ve ever been disappointed and needed a saint who trusted in the will of God even when it hurt, ask for his help.
I’ve always had a devotion to the virgin martyrs, including St. Philomena, St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Lucy and St. Cecilia because they stood for Christ against the terrifying power of tyrants. We all should have the same courage when we spread the Gospel message.
One of my all-time favorite saints is St. Martha. I’ve lived with a lot of Marthas, and it hasn’t been easy — although the house was always immaculate. Martha was a saint known for a good meal, not to mention a good miracle.
Others I regularly pray to include St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Ann (and Joachim), St. Mother Teresa and Our Lady of Guadalupe. And let me not forget my namesake, my mother’s namesake and my father’s namesake … the towering yet humble St. Joseph.
Being Italian, I have a fondness for St. Anthony of Padua, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Padre Pio, and St. Margaret of Castello, patron saint of the unwanted, whose parents abandoned her as a child because of her physical deformities. (I was born on her feast day.)
I recently added another Italian saint to my pantheon of favorites — Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani. No relation, as far as I know.
Blessed Pisani, a Benedictine nun born on Dec. 29, 1806, is the patron saint for protection against cancer. The miracle that led to her beatification involved the healing of a Benedictine abbess in 1897, who was dying from stomach cancer.
After a friend informed me of her feast day on Feb. 25, I started doing research. In 2001, she was declared blessed by St. John Paul II. At her beatification Mass, he spoke of her silent, holy life and compared her to Mary of Bethany, “who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.”
Born in Naples, Blessed Pisani was raised in a privileged family. Her father was a powerful baron from Malta, and her mother was from Naples. Sadly, her parents’ marriage fell apart because of her father’s drinking, so she went to live with her paternal grandmother after her mother left.
When her grandmother died, Blessed Pisani went to boarding school and at 19, she moved to Malta with her mother. Three years later, she entered the Monastery of Saint Peter of the Benedictine Sisters in Mdina, despite her family’s insistence that she marry someone with money. However, she gave away her inheritance and took the name of Maria Adeodata (given to God).
During her 25 years in the monastery, she had many jobs, including nurse, mistress of the novices, abbess, and porter, which was her favorite because she loved helping the poor who came for food.
Blessed Pisani wrote several spiritual books, including The Mystical Garden of the Soul That Loves Jesus and Mary and was even said to levitate. She was abbess for two years but gave up the job because of chronic heart problems. She died at 48 on Feb. 25, 1855.
Following her death, many claimed to have received healings and graces through her intercession.
I had prayer cards made in her honor, which I gave to my friends and family. It contains the prayer: “Lord God, you kept Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani faithful to Christ’s example of poverty and humility. May her prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.”
I was pleased that many of them began praying to her, especially those who were ill, and that I was able to spread devotion to this humble nun.
One woman, whose sister-in-law had cancer, went to her home after she died and found the prayer card taped to the refrigerator door.
“I know that it meant a lot to her,” she told me. “And she often prayed to her.”
Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani, pray for us all.
Rev. Gerald H. Dziedzic died February 25th in New Britain. Father Dziedzic was born in 1947 and ordained in 1974. His last assignment as Pastor was at Saint Francis Xavier/Our Lady of the Lakes in New Milford. He entered Senior Status in 2022. Further details will be sent when they are available. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 6 at St. Aloysius Church, 254 Burritt St., Plantsville. Family and friends are asked to meet directly at church. Burial with military honors will follow in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Southington. There are no calling hours. Plantsville Funeral Home has been entrusted with handling the arrangements. For online condolences and directions, please visit https://www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com/.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. May Perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the Faithful Departed thru the Mercy of God rest in peace.
Story by Shelley Wolf
In 1973, Sister Dolores Liptak, a Sister of Mercy, completed her studies for a doctoral degree in American history at the University of Connecticut. But she still needed to write her dissertation. A professor suggested she research Catholic immigrants in Connecticut, beginning in the 1880s.
Her research led her to the Catholic Transcript and then to the Archdiocese of Hartford’s archives in the Chancery.
“What I found was two dozen boxes on the floor near a large vault, where they kept the baptismal records,” she recalls. While the baptismal records were safely stored in cabinets, she says, “the historical records had zero organization.”
In order to do her research, Sister Dolores needed to dig through those boxes of correspondence. Also, around that time, the Catholic Church was getting serious about capturing its history.
“In the 1970s, the Vatican issued a document asking every diocese in the world to make sure their archives were organized and available to all serious researchers,” Sister Dolores says. The United States bicentennial was also looming.
So, Sister Dolores, Vivian Stephenson, then editor of the Catholic Transcript, and Mary Caffrey, an English teacher, proposed to then-Archbishop John J. Whealon the creation of what is now the Office of the Archdiocesan Archives.
This year, the Archives, which is located on Farmington Avenue in Hartford, is celebrating its 50th anniversary (1976-2026). Sister Dolores, now 94, is its first archivist.
Today, the Archives functions as a private records facility. It contains the official governing and business records of the archdiocese. It also contains ancillary records, objects, artwork and other materials of historical significance, which reflect the mission and ministry of Catholics as a whole.
The Archives supports three categories of users: the archbishop; Catholic parishes, schools, clergy and archdiocesan administrative offices; and qualified researchers doing approved scholarly research.
It is private and not open to the general public. However, over the years, the diligent collection and maintenance of records by a series of archivists (ranging from religious sisters to professional archivists) has quietly captured the history of bishops, clergy and Connecticut’s Catholic people.
These records have proven invaluable to book authors and to clergy assigned to special projects.
For instance, during her years as an official archivist (1976-1985), Sister Dolores assisted author Christopher Kauffman in finding a document about Blessed Michael McGivney for his book Faith and Fraternalism: The History of the Knights of Columbus.
At the request of Archbishop Whealon, Sister Dolores used the Archives herself to research and author the book Hartford’s Catholic Legacy: Leadership, which chronicled the bishops and how the Church evolved with the influx of European Catholic immigrants.
One gem in the Archives she still recalls is a touching letter written in 1890 by Michael Simko, requesting the state’s first Slovak Roman Catholic parish be created in Bridgeport so 1,200 people could practice their “beloved religion” and “so our souls might not be condemned.”
In recent years, clergy have consulted the Archives in preparation for the Jubilee Year of Mercy and for the Archdiocese of Hartford’s 175th Anniversary. The Archives also houses a time capsule filled with parish memorabilia to be opened in 2093, the Archdiocese’s 200th Anniversary.
Today, Archivist Bridgette Woodall and Assistant Archivist Lindsey Restelli are carrying on the work of cataloguing archdiocesan records and preserving history. They also process 200-plus research requests from clergy and archdiocesan employees annually. Note: For sacramental records, contact your local parish.