Four County Catholic December 2012

Volume 24 Number 11

December 2012

2012 ~ 2013

His

Birth Miracle His Love was a

is a Gift...

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Four County Catholic December 2012

As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, while God is marching on.

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- Verse from Battle Hymn of the Republic as sung in honor of the military by the congregation at this year’s Red, White and Blue Mass.

Advent reminds us how to wait and wonder – a gift we’ve never needed more.

24

Four County

atholic Serving the Counties of Middlesex, New London, Tolland, Windham & Fishers Island, NY

Established in 1989 and published each month except July.

Publisher

- Christina Capecchi reflecting on Advent as a time of glorious anticipation.

Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. Bishop of Norwich

21Christmas is a time to be reminded of miracles.

- Kyn Tolson speaking of the life-changing programs provided by Outreach to Haiti to families in need in Port-au-Prince.

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Theological Advisor

The three Magi are a fascinating emblem of the inner unrest and search for truth of the human spirit.

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- Pope Benedict XVI from his recently completed trilogy, The Infancy Narratives.

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Nobody froze with Washington at Valley Forge to secure the right of government to coerce free men and women to violate their consciences. Nobody died on Omaha Beach so that someday all Americans would have the right to force their boss to buy them birth control pills.

- Francis Manion, Senior Counsel, ACLJ, in defense of 1st Amendment rights.

2012 ~ 2013

ber 11 24 Num Volume

2012 December

Birth le irac M His Love

His

was a

t... is a Gif

On the Cover Cover image is oil on canvas Madonna and Child by 17th century Italian Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

The Most Reverend

Michael R. Cote, D.D.

Bishop of Norwich

Christmas Pastoral Letter

Love, the True Significance of Christmas My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: In the first days of the Year of Faith (October 11, 2012 through November 24, 2013) over three dozen pilgrims, most from the Diocese of Norwich, journeyed with me to the Holy Land. On October 15, 2012, the strains of Christmas carols filled the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria as I celebrated the Mass of Christmas in the town of Bethlehem. Here, Christ had appeared to Saint Catherine. In the caves below this Church, the tomb of the infants slain by Herod the Great is located. In these caves, Saint

Jerome had translated the Bible into Latin; and following his death, Jerome was buried there.

The Church is nearby the site of Jesus’ birth. What an appropriate Church in which to celebrate Christmas Mass!

A short time before the Mass, we had gone to the same countryside where, on that first Christmas, shepherds had taken turns tending their flocks. There, the Angel of the Lord appeared and proclaimed to them good news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. On this beautiful morning in Bethlehem, as we looked out over that countryside, a shepherd was tending his flock in a scene reminiscent of that first Christmas.

A short time later, during the celebration of Mass, we heard the familiar Christmas Gospel proclaimed. We listened to the message of God’s infinite love incarnate in His only begotten Son. My homiletic reflection spoke of the light of that incarnate love which overcame the darkness of the world. In the radiance of Jesus’ Nativity, and ultimately His lifegiving death and res-

urrection, sin and death are conquered and we are born anew.

Following Mass, we entered the Church of the Nativity where we joined hundreds of pilgrims from around the world.

With reverential silence, we inched our way along, reflecting on the purpose of our visit to Bethlehem. After making our way down a very narrow and steep stairway, we knelt at the place of Jesus’ Nativity and we savored the moment that has filled generation after generation with the joy of which the Angel spoke, a joy to be shared by the whole people. “For today in the City of David, a Savior has been born for you Who is Christ and Lord.”

While a replica of Jesus’ Nativity was only a few feet away, no imagery could substitute for the silver star imbedded in the stone marking the place of His birth. Nothing could replace the exhilaration that filled our hearts as we reverenced that sacred site.

For here, the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes had lain in the manger nurtured and cared for by the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. In that holy space, the

presence of the Infant Jesus was as real to us as He had been to the Shepherds who found Mary and Joseph and the Infant Jesus lying in the manger on that first Christmas. Like the shepherds, we went forth glorifying and praising God for all we had heard at Mass and seen with our own eyes. It was exactly as we had been told.

In several references to Sacred Scripture in his letter initiating the Year of Faith, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI teaches, “Faith working through love becomes a new criterion of understanding and action that changes the whole of man’s life.” As the first event in the Year of Faith, this pilgrimage to the Holy Land bolstered our faith and changed our lives. It strengthened our belief in the Lord and it gave new zeal to our commitment to the work of the Gospel and its mandate to love. Like the shepherds, we seek to understand fully what has been told to us about this Child of Bethlehem, the Son of God and Savior of the world!

With Mary, we reflect on these events that we have relived. By doing so, we reinvigorate our

faith and we grasp the much deeper meaning of love, the true significance of Christmas.

Christmas will never be the same for me and I hope for you as you joined me in reliving this account of our visit to Bethlehem. It will be a much deeper experience of God’s love and mercy, His goodness and His peace. Please remember at Christmas Mass and in your daily prayers the intention of peace in our world, especially in Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout the Middle East. May our hearts and homes be places where Jesus is born anew; may there be mangers where Jesus lives, not only for a day but for all days!

At Christmas, celebrate not the fantasies of a secular holiday but the Feast of the Nativity of the Savior and the greatest gift you will ever receive, Christ the Lord! Give your heart to the Lord and He will give you the gift of Himself.

Merry Christmas!

Sincerely yours in Christ’s love, Bishop Michael R. Cote

Amor, el verdadero significado de la Navidad Queridos hermanos y Hermanas: En los primeros días del Año de la Fe (11 de octubre

2012 hasta el 24 de noviembre 2013) viajaron a Tierra Santa conmigo más de tres docenas de peregrinos, la mayoría de la Diócesis de Norwich. Las melodías de los Villancicos de Navidad llenaron la

Iglesia de Santa Catalina de Alejandría mientras yo celebraba la misa de Navidad en la ciudad de Belén, el 15 de octubre del 2012.

Aquí, Cristo ha aparecido a Santa Catalina. La tumba de los niños

asesinados por Herodes el Grande se localiza debajo de esta Iglesia en las cuevas. En estas cuevas, San Jerónimo tradujo la Biblia al latín, Significado de la Navidad Continued on page 4

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Four County Catholic December 2012

significado de la Navidad Continued from page 3 y después de su muerte , Jerónimo fue enterrado allí. La Iglesia está cercana al lugar de nacimiento de Jesús. ¡Que Iglesia apropiada para celebrar la misa de Navidad!

Poco tiempo antes de la Misa, nos habíamos ido al mismo campo donde, en esa primera Navidad, los pastores se habían turnado cuidando sus rebaños. Allí, el Ángel Del Señor se les apareció y les proclamó la buena nueva de gran alegría, una alegría para ser compartida por todo el pueblo.

Mientras mirábamos sobre ese

Norwich, CT (860) 887-7468 www.mmpct.com New London, CT (860) 701-9171 www.mmpnl.com

paisaje, en esa hermosa mañana en Belén, un pastor cuidaba de su rebaño en una escena que evocaba esa primera Navidad.

Poco tiempo después, durante la celebración de la Misa, escuchamos la proclamación del conocido Evangelio de Navidad. Escuchamos el mensaje del infinito amor de Dios encarnado en Su Hijo unigénito. Mi reflexión homilética habló de la luz de ese amor encarnado, que venció las tinieblas del mundo. En el resplandor de la Natividad de Jesús, y dando muerte y resurrección a Su vida, nacemos de nuevo y el pecado y la muerte por fin son vencidos.

Después de la misa, entramos en la Iglesia de la Natividad, donde nos unimos a cientos de peregrinos de todo el mundo. Con silencio reverencial, reflexionando sobre el propósito de nuestra visita a Belén, fuimos avanzando paso a paso a lo largo de nuestro camino. Despúes de llegar abajo, por una escalera muy estrecha y empinada, nos arrodillamos en el lugar de la Natividad de Jesús y

saboreamos el momento que ha llenado a generación trás generación con la alegría de la que el ángel habló, una alegría para ser compartida por todo el pueblo. “Hoy, en la ciudad de David, ha nacido para ustedes un Salvador Quien es Cristo y Señor.”

Mientras que una copia exacta de la Natividad de Jesús estaba sólo a unos metros de distancia, las imágenes no podrían sustituir la estrella de plata incrustada en la piedra que marca el lugar de Su nacimiento.

Nada podría reemplazar la emoción que llenaron nuestros corazones cuando venerábamos ese sitio sagrado. Aquí, en el pesebre había permanecido el niño envuelto en pañales alimentado y cuidado por la Santísima Madre y San José. La presencia del niño Jesús fue tan real para nosotros en ese lugar sagrado como lo fue para los pastores quienes encontraron a María y a José y al niño Jesús en el pesebre en esa primera Navidad. Al igual que los pastores, salimos glorificando y alabando a Dios por todo lo que habíamos es-

cuchado en la misa y visto con nuestros propios ojos. Fue exactamente como se nos ha dicho.

En su carta de apertura del Año de la Fe en varias alusiones a la Sagrada Escritura, el Santo Padre, el Papa Benedicto XVI nos enseña: “La Fe obra a través del amor y se convierte en un nuevo criterio de comprensión y de acción que cambia toda la vida del hombre.” Como primer evento en el Año de la Fe, esta peregrinación a Tierra Santa reforzó nuestra fe y nos cambió la vida. Fortaleció nuestra creencia en el Señor y dio nuevo entusiasmo a nuestro compromiso con el trabajo del Evangelio y su mandato de amar. Al igual que los pastores, buscamos comprender plenamente lo que se nos ha dicho acerca de este Niño de Belén, el Hijo de Dios y ¡Salvador del mundo! Con María, meditamos sobre estos acontecimientos que hemos revivido. Al hacerlo, reforzamos nuestra fe y captamos el significado más profundo del amor, el verdadero significado de la Navidad.

Navidad nunca será lo mismo para

mí y espero que usted se una a mí reviviendo este relato de nuestra visita a Belén. Será una experiencia mucho más profunda del amor y misericordia de Dios, Su bondad y Su paz. Por favor, recuerde en la Misa de Navidad y en sus oraciones diarias la intención de paz en nuestro mundo, especialmente en Irak, Afganistán, y en todo el Medio Oriente. Que nuestros corazones y hogares sean lugares donde Jesús ha nacido de nuevo; puede haber pesebres donde vive Jesús, no sólo por un día, pero por ¡todos los días!

En Navidad, no celebre fantasías de un día festivo secular , sino la Festividad del Nacimiento del Salvador y el regalo más grande que usted recibirá por siempre ¡Cristo El Señor!

Dele su corazón al Señor y Él le dará el don de sí mismo. ¡Felíz Navidad!

Sinceramente, en el amor de Cristo.

Obispo Michael R. Cote Translation by Paulina Angulo

Rejoice in Hope May the Love of Christ fill Your Heart with Joy God invites us in the midst of the noise and distractions we face every day to a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. Set some time aside for Him, book your retreat today!

(860) 536­0565 www.endersisland.com

Visit St. Edmund’s Book Store for Christmas gifts, Cards and our famous Jellies and Jams.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Director of Priestly Vocations

Reverend Gregory Galvin A Year of Faith, the Feast of Christ The King, Advent Season and the coming celebration of the Christmas season all point Catholics to spend serious time reflecting on their personal discipleship of Christ and on their personal response to the universal call to holiness that each of us who has been baptized has received through Christ Himself.

There is not a better time to reflect on questions like; does my daily life reflect my discipleship of Jesus? Am I easily identifiable as a follower of Christ by others in society? Have I completely embraced the living of God’s commandments as a way of becoming an instrument of His love and as an expression of my love for Him? Do I live my life focused on His will for me as opposed to my own will or the way society would have me live? Is it evident by the way I live that Christ is my King and my God? Do I live with a daily anticipation of His Glorious return and live with a daily understanding of heaven as my life’s proper end and goal? Finally, does my discipleship as I am presently living assist in building up the Church in the way it should?

This is a great opportunity “to experience anew the joy of believing” as Bishop Cote mentioned in his pastoral letter earlier in October this year. This “Year of Faith” is a great time to renew our individual commitment to loving our Heavenly Father by embracing His commandments, thereby becoming His friends, and through Christ to be washed in Divine Mercy, to experience the spiritual strengthening of and the complete giving of Christ Himself in the Heavenly banquet of the Eucharist, Holy Mass.

As we prepare for the coming celebration of the Incarnation, that first Christmas morning when through our Blessed Mother’s “yes” to God’s will for her, she became the gateway that allowed our savior to enter into this world in the humble form of a baby, recall the words and expressions that we so often share in song during Christmas; “Joy to the

World”, “O Holy Night”, “Peace on Earth” and many more. Each one of us is called in a unique way to be God’s instrument of that Joy, that Peace, that Holiness. We can only be an instrument of each of them if we truly as disciples have embraced with our whole being the commandments that allow us to live in a Christ-like way. Once we have become friends of God, nothing else should measure up. We must daily strive to be the best disciple, the best instrument of God we can be. To learn to think as God thinks, to love as God loves us, to put others first in all things, to assist in building up

the Kingdom of God by building up the Church which happens by building up humanity and introducing each and every person we can to the Love of God. Some are called to be disciples through married life. Others are called to serve as single individuals who by their lives lead others to Christ. Some men and women are called to consecrate themselves directly to Christ in religious life, praying for the Church and working to build Her up. Some men are called by Christ Himself to give their whole life, their whole being to serve as one of His priests, pray-

Some White Collar Jobs Are More Challenging Than Others

ing for the Church and making available the sacraments which allow all other disciples to be well fed and nourished by the grace of God. The best way to commit one’s self to praying well during the “Year of Faith”, to praying and preparing during this Advent season, to celebrating the Incarnation of our Lord this Christmas, to re-commit to one’s discipleship of Christ our King, is to unwrap our hearts, open

Holy Hour for Vocations The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich,leads the Holy Hour: January 17, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Immaculata Retreat House, Windham February 21, 2013 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Sacred Heart, Taftville March 21, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Saint Patrick, East Hampton April 18, 2013 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Saint Augustine, Canterbury May 24, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich

You have been thinking about it. Let’s talk...

Father Greg Galvin 860-887-9294 www.God-Calls.org Office of Vocations • Diocese of Norwich, CT • vocations@norwichdiocese.net

wide the doors to our souls and return in humility to the one who loves us more than anyone else, to place ourselves in the warmth of the unity of the One Triune God. How? Go to the sacrament of confession to receive His mercy, to experience the Joy and Peace of Christ in the world and then go tell another person of His love for you.

Have a very Blessed Christmas Season and a healthy and joy-filled New Year!

June 20, 2013 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Saint Joseph, Willimantic

July 18, 2013 5:00-6:00 p.m St. Patrick, Mystic August 22, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Sacred Heart, Vernon September 19, 2013 4:00-5:00 p.m.

St. Mary, Clinton October 17, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Saint Mary, Baltic November 21, 2013 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Saint Joseph, New London December 19, 2013 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Saint Edward, Stafford Springs

Father Greg Galvin, Director of Priestly Vocations vocations@norwichdiocese.net

(860) 887-9294

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Sunday, December 16 33rd Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols Is presented at 7:30pm at the Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich. The traditional festival originated in England at the end of the 19th century and consists of music and readings that trace the mystery of salvation from the creation of the world through the birth of Jesus Christ. Participating in the festival along with the Norwich Diocesan Choir will be the Cathedral Children’s Choir, the three Cathedral hand bell choirs, the Cathedral Youth Singers and readers from the Cathedral parish. The choirs, totaling more than one hundred voices and ringers are all under the direction of Douglas Green, Cathedral Music Director. Accompanying the choirs on the Cathedral organ will be Michael McCarthy along with the Sterling Brass Quartet. The public is invited and admission is free.

Saturday, December 15 St. Mark’s 7th Annual Christmas Cookie Sale 9:00am- 12:00pm (or till sold out.)

Plates of 2 ½ dozen assorted, delicious home-baked cookies ($10.00) will be sold, along with our parish cookbook “Cookie Jar Favorites.”

Themed baskets and a beautiful cable-knit afghan will be raffled.

Proceeds will benefit the landscaping of the church grounds, with a portion going toward St. Mark’s Haitian Ministry. St. Mark the Evangelist Church, Westbrook. For further information, please call Joan at (860) 388-9675 or Julia at (860)3885186.

Saturday, January 5 1st Prayer Group Leaders and Core Members From 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at Spiritual Renewal Services Center, 11 Bath St., Norwich, CT Saturday, January 12 Responding to God: Person to Person Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Quaker Hill, 9:00– 3:30pm. Featuring Vinny Flynn known to many by singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet on EWTN. This one-day event begins with Mass with Bishop Cote

and will focus on God, healing and holiness, Adoration, the Eucharist and Our Lady. $20 includes lunch with pre-registration to Office of Faith Events: (860)848-2237 ext 312.

Saturday, January 19 A Day with Mary The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate will be conducting a “Day with Mary” at Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary, 199 Colonel Brown Road, Griswold. “A Day with Mary” is a beautiful day of prayer and devotion. From 9:00am-3:00pm. For more information please call David Ethier at (401)568-0349 Friday- Sunday, January 18-20 Retrouvaille Weekend Reaching for a lifeline for your troubled marriage? Need serious marriage building and repair: Couples are given tools to heal, re-establish communication and work on issues.

Six post sessions follows the weekend. For more information or to sign up for the next weekend on January 18-20 in Meriden, CT call (413)-525-1634.

Thursday- Sunday, January 24-26 Diocese of Norwich, Youth March for Life Trip Stand up for your faith and it will

Thursday, January 24 March For Life Buses At 9:00pm buses sponsored by the Southeast Chapter of Connecticut Right to Life will leave from the Norwich Municipal Parking Lot (Exit 80, I395) and travel to D.C. for the March For Life on January 25, 2013. Bus fare is $58 per person. If you are unable to attend the March For Life, please consider sponsoring a seat on the bus. For further information and/or to reserve a seat or to sponsor a seat, please call Margaret Becotte at (860)822-1362. change your world! Join us for an exciting and faith-filled two night pilgrimage as we experience what it means to be prolife in the D.C. metropolitan area. We will travel by coach bus, attend Life is Very Good morning rally and evening of prayer and song, participate in the 40th an-

nual March for Life and visit a DC attraction before returning home.

Student accommodations are quad occupancy; chaperone are double at the Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, VA. For details contact: Pam Plasse at (860)848-2237x311 or Jill Patten at (860)848-1271x148. Cost: $175 (Payable to Office of Faith Events) Saturday, January 26 Unbound Prayer Ministry At 10:00 am. By appointment ONLY – Please call 860-887-0702 Spiritual Renewal Center, 11 Bath Street, Norwich, CT. Marriage Preparation Class for Engaged Couples “God’s Plan for a Joy-filled Marriage” For more information or to register for the 4 session class please call 860-889-8346 ext.283 Date: Saturdays, January 26 and February 2, 9, 16, 2013 Time: 9:30 – 11:45am Location: St. Joseph Church Hall ,11 Baltic Rd. Occum.

Cost: $50.00 per couple.

Every Tuesday at 7:00pm Prayer, Praise, Worship & Adoration Spiritual Renewal Services Center, 11 Bath St. Norwich. Leaders: Deacon James Delaney and Nancy Delaney.

NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK SET FOR JANUARY 13-19 Time for parishes to promote vocations with prayer and education. Hundreds of thousands consider career of service to Church and need encouragement. Parish resources are available on Web. WASHINGTON - The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) January 13-19.

“National Vocation Awareness Week gives dioceses and parishes across the country a chance to promote vocations through prayer and education,” said Archbishop Robert Carlson, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “This is especially important in this Year of Faith and as the Church continues to focus on the New Evangelization. Vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life are essential in the Church’s mission of spreading the joy and love of Jesus Christ. Our world and culture needs the Good News of Christ more than ever.”

Father Shawn McKnight, executive director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV), said research shows more youth consider a lifetime of service to the Church than family and friends realize.

“A recent study found significant interest among never-married Catholics ages 14-35 in priesthood and the consecrated life,” he said. “We estimate that over 600,000 youth and young adults have seriously considered a religious vocation in the Church. This is good news. The challenge is to pray for them and encourage them to take the next step as they discern God’s call.”

The study, “Consideration of Priesthood and Religious Life Among Never-Married U.S. Catholics,” was conducted by the Georgetown University-based Center for

Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and commissioned by the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. It is available at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/survey-of-youth-andyoung-adults-on-vocations.cfm Vocation Awareness Week reminds Catholics that they have responsibility to pray for vocations and to invite young people to consider a call to ordained ministry and consecrated life, said Father John Guthrie, CCLV associate director.

“When someone is encouraged by three or more people to consider a religious vocation in the Church, they are more than five times more likely to seriously consider it, the CARA study showed. We need to be less shy about encouraging someone with

the right qualities for religious life to think about it,” Father Guthrie said.

The CCLV office will provide dioceses web resources such as prayer cards, suggested prayers of the faithful and bulletinready quotes. Materials can be downloaded from the USCCB Vocations page, www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/national-vocation-awarenessweek.cfm Observance of Vocation Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U.S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for the celebration. In 1997, it was moved to coincide with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, this year marked on January 13. Beginning in 2014, Vocation Awareness Week will be moved to the first full week of November.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Twenty-first Annual Red, White & Blue Mass Honors the Army: ‘Never Leave a Brother or Sister Behind’ NORWICH — With emotions ranging from soaring patriotic pride to deep

By Shelley Wolf Four County Catholic Contributor

sadness over fallen military companions, uniformed retired, reserve and active military personnel packed the Cathedral of St. Patrick on November 18, 2012 to celebrate the Twenty-first Red, White & Blue Mass for the military.

The Mass, celebrated by the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, honored all U.S. servicemen and women for their selfless dedication to God and Country, honored the sacrifices of their families, and commemorated those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year’s Mass placed special emphasis on the U.S. Army, the oldest branch of military service, which was formed by the Continental Congress, June 14, 1775.

The celebration began outside the Cathedral as the Mystic Highland Pipe Band played their bagpipes to the upbeat Marine hymn “From the Halls of Montezuma.”

Indoors, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Glee Club, under the direction of Dr. Robert Newton, sang a prelude which included “God Bless America” and “This is My Country” in harmonious voices that carried throughout the Cathedral.

All of the U.S. military services were represented with flag-bearing color guards that included the U.S. Naval Submarine School Silver Dolphins, the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Submarine Veterans, the Old Lyme VFW, Norwich VFW and Ladies Auxiliary, the District

5 American Legion, Plainfield VFW Auxiliary, District 5 VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, Post 1004 Auxiliary, District 4 VFW, the National WAVES, and the Order of the Purple Heart.

Once inside the Cathedral, all paused for a solemn moment as a lone trumpet played “Taps” followed by “Reveillle.”

Concelebrant Monsignor Anthony S. Rosaforte, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, welcomed everyone to the pontifical Mass. He noted the memorial candle for the repose of souls of all military personnel who are no longer with us, and made special mention of Sergeant Major Phil Twomey, U.S. Army (Ret.), the beloved photographer of record for the Red, White & Blue Mass, who passed away in September of this year.

Led by Director of Music and Organist Douglas Green, the entire congregation joined the Cathedral Choir and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Glee Club in singing the grand, national hymn “God of Our Fathers” as the deacons, the concelebrants, the homilist, and Bishop Cote entered the Cathedral.

Bishop Cote welcomed the congregation and focused everyone’s attention on honoring those who have served in the military — past and present.

“We thank God for all military personnel, and pray for all men and women, especially those in harm’s way,” Bishop Cote said. He also noted those who lost their lives most recently in Vietnam, on September 11, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq. “We pray that their noble service will inspire us to work for peace and justice.”

Deacon Frank Hann of St.

Twenty-first Annual Red, White & Blue Mass Continued on page 8

Naval Chief Petty Officer Gary Stephenson, a Parishioner from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Quaker Hill, holds his sleeping son during the the Twenty-first Annual Red, White & Blue Mass Sunday, November 18th.

Photo by Donna Antonacci

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Twenty-first Annual Red, White & Blue Mass Continued from page 7

Private Second Class Kendra Smith and the Coast Guard Choir.

Photo by Donna Antonacci

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Luke Church in Ellington delivered the homily. Deacon Hann grew up in an Army family, served as an Army medic during the Vietnam War, and was the recipient of four medals.

Deacon Hann reflected on the Gospel reading in which Jesus said no one but the Father knows the day or the hour when the world will end. Deacon Hann emphasized that in the darkest hour, Jesus will not abandon us but will come in His glory.

Reflecting on the state of current affairs in the U.S., the Deacon addressed the fact that many in the media and politics are spreading the message that the country’s best days are behind it and that everything is hopeless.

“But each of you reject that, not by your words but by the very action of your service to your country,” Deacon Hann said. “It’s a service that is all-sacrificing and is not motivated by fear, but by loving this Country enough that you defend it with your all.”

Deacon Hann then spoke of the many people who support members of the military, from support staff to family. “As we attend this Mass with our Bishop, we are also reminded that Mother Church stands with the families in their sacrifice,” he said.

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the Deacon noted. “Our responsibility is still with us to pray and do whatever we can to support the families and those who are serving still,” Deacon Hann said.

“Today, those whose war is over must always be united to the ones still serving today,” Deacon Hann said. “We are never released from our responsibility to never leave a brother or sister behind.”

Following the homily, the congregation united in prayer. They prayed for military chaplains; for all those who serve in the Army and in other uniformed services; for doctors, nurses, and counselors who help the war wounded; for the disabled and for those missing in action; and for those young people who continue to offer themselves in military service.

Servicemen representing all branches of the military service were accompanied by their wives and children, who brought the gifts to the altar as the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Glee Club sang the “Pledge of Allegiance.” During communion, the young men and women of the Glee Club sang “American Tears.”

Following communion, the Mystic Highland Pipe Band performed a communion meditation, simultaneously marching down all three aisles toward the altar, where they finally played a touching rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

Meanwhile in the pews, young mothers raised their toddlers in the air to watch the bagpipers play.

Near the conclusion of the Mass, the entire congregation joined in singing the “Star Spangled Banner” as military personnel stood in salute and civilians placed their hands over their hearts.

The final, recessional hymn was a rousing rendition of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” in which the entire congregation chimed in. The Battle Hymn aptly concluded with the following verse: “In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me, As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While God is marching on.”

9

Four County Catholic December 2012

Prison Ministry Celebrates Special Mass and Service Awards For Spiritual Works of Mercy MYSTIC - Another 13 volunteers drawn from all walks of life graduated from the

By Shelley Wolf Four County Catholic Contributor

Gift of Grace Prison Ministry Training Program on December 2, 2012, joining more than 300 other active volunteers already working in Connecticut’s 17 correctional institutions, where they are bringing spiritual comfort and the Good News of Jesus Christ to prison inmates throughout the state.

Graduates as well as veteran volunteers were honored by the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, in a special Mass held at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption at St. Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island. Father Anthony Bruno, Director of Religious Services for the Diocese of Norwich, was the concelebrant.

During an awards dinner at the Retreat Center immediately following the Mass, Bishop Cote also honored two people — Sister Patricia Cook, RSM, Ph.D., and Deacon Dennis F. Dolan — as recipients of the Father Edward F. Barry, M.S., Service Award for a lifetime of distinguished service in the prison ministry.

During the Mass, Bishop Cote served as the main celebrant and homilist. At the start of the homily he asked, “How good are we at reading signs?” Bishop Cote noted that the first coming of Jesus, and his birth in particular, was clouded in mystery without a lot of signage. Jesus was born in obscurity in a cave, and shepherds and the magi were among the very few to find him and pay him homage.

During his public life, Jesus gave many daily signs by turning wine into water, by healing the blind and lame, by multiply loaves and fishes to feed the hungry, and even by raising the dead.

Still, many questioned those signs

and refused to believe, Bishop Cote said.

Jesus’s last and greatest sign was rising from his tomb. That sign alone shows that he defeated death, Bishop Cote said.

In the final great sign, Jesus will come a second time as judge and merciful redeemer, the Bishop said. Jesus declared that this last sign would be unmistakable, Bishop Cote said, and that there would no longer be any doubt that he is the Son of God. However, in the time of Jesus, the cross was a big stumbling block for those who sought a messiah, Bishop Cote explained. Yet Jesus assures us through the Holy Spirit that he will come again, the Bishop said.

“The Lord gives us the hope of heaven, of seeing him face to face, of righting every wrong, of removing sorrow and even death,” Bishop Cote said.

“The world around us is plagued with greed, dishonesty, strife, and uncertainty. Our world has lost hope in God and in his promises to restore all human beings. This is the message that has been lost, and so many need to hear it. The inmates in prison deserve to hear it,” Bishop Cote stressed.

Directly addressing the prison ministry volunteers, the Bishop said, “Your job is a spiritual work of mercy. Together with corporal works of mercy, it’s the best way to reach out to the suffering.”

Bishop Cote also reminded the audience of the Bible’s description

of the last judgment in which Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats and will say, “Whenever you visited the imprisoned, you visited me.”

“That’s how closely the Lord identified with the imprisoned,” Bishop Cote said.

“The prison population is so easily forgotten, yet inmates cry out for attention and your presPrison Ministry Continued on page 8

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Prison Ministry Continued from page 9 ence,” the Bishop noted. “It’s important to present the Good

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oned is to visit God himself,” Bishop Cote concluded.

Following the Mass, Sheree Antoch, M.A., L.C.M.H.C., Diocesan Director of the Office of Prison Ministry, cautioned the new volunteers that they will hear some distressing life stories from prison inmates. “You will hear their stories, but God will take away your pain. You will have God in your heart,” she said.

Bishop Cote then presented each new prison ministry volunteer with a training certificate of completion.

This year’s graduates from the Gift of Grace Training Program include Karen Angelo, Judy Applegate, Robert Drake, Claire Fafard, Teresa Foley, Gayle Gallant, Irene Lagasse, Colin Pyzo, Martha Quizhpi, Anne Richmond, and Dawn Rosacker, Luis Michael Del Rosario, and Samuel da Silva Matos.

At the awards dinner, Bishop Cote presented the Father Ed Barry Award to Sister “Patty” Cook and Deacon Dennis Dolan. “We bless them especially for their years of devotion and service,” Bishop Cote said.

The Bishop handed each recipient a plaque inscribed with the following words: “Your inspiration has changed the hearts and

minds of all who know you.”

Sister Patty has spent a sizeable portion of her 59 years in religious life in the prison ministry.

She first volunteered to work with young women at Long Lane School, a former youth correctional facility in Middletown, then later trained inmates to participate in Mass at the Hartford Correctional Facility.

She became a prayer partner with inmates at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, became a full-time Catholic chaplain at Gates Correctional Institution in Niantic, then transferred to Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution in Uncasville, with outreach to Brooklyn Correctional Institution.

She spent 10 years raising funds for spiritual programming at York, and received York’s 2006 Prison Ministry Award. She retired as prison chaplain in 2009, but still volunteered as a prayer partner at York, where she also taught Spirituality of the World’s Major Religions and facilitated a Grieving and Loss group. She continues to serve on the Advisory Board for the Norwich Diocesan Prison Ministry.

“I’m very happy and honored,” Sister Patty said after accepting her award. She then circulated

around the room, introducing many of the awards dinner attendees, most of whom had served with her in prison ministry over the years.

Deacon Dennis Dolan has served as Senior Catholic Chaplain for the Connecticut Department of Correction, and has garnered many awards including Chaplain of the Year and the Commissioner’s Circle of Merit Award.

He is a Founding Member of the Malta Prison Volunteers of Connecticut, a columnist for the Paulist national newsletter for inmates called Let’s Talk!, is currently a chaplain at York Correctional Institution, and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Diocesan Prison Ministry.

“It’s a beautiful and consoling ministry, and I thank you for that,” Deacon Dolan said. “It’s a joyful ministry. You would think it’s sad, but it’s not.”

“I’m not sure how much we help people, but we grow spiritually ourselves,” Deacon Dolan said. “If you really want to grow spiritually, hospice will do it, and prison ministry, too.”

For more information on volunteering for the Gift of Grace Prison Ministry Program, contact Sheree Antoch at (860) 848-2237.

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Sister Simone LeBlond, DHS May 12, 1923 – November 23, 2012 Sr. Simone LeBlond, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died November 23, 2012 at the Holy Spirit Health Care Center, Putnam, where she had been in residence since 2010.

She was born on May 12, 1923 in Trois Pistoles, Qc, Canada and was

the daughter of Pierre and Anna LeBlond.

She entered religious life in 1940 in Putnam, CT and made her religious profession in August of 1945 at Holy Spirit Provincial House there. She was then known as Sr. Thérèse Lucille.

Sr. Simone obtained a B.A. in Education and was

involved in education both as teacher in several schools and later as school Principal. In 1987 she went to work for the State of Connecticut in Hartford doing clerical work. In 1992 she became Coordinator at St. Clare Convent in Newport, RI until her retirement in 1998 in Manchester, CT. From there she moved to Notre Dame Convent in Putnam in 2003, to the Holy Spirit Provincial House in 2006 and to the Health Care Center in 2010.

11

Four County Catholic December 2012

Sacraments of Healing Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick The Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing are the sacraments of both spiritual

By Sister Elissa Rinere, CP, JCD Office of Worship

and physical healing. As with the other sacraments, their celebrations are liturgical actions, and therefore actions of the Church.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation reminds us always that the call to discipleship is a call to continual conversion of heart. As we grow in our ability to face our sins and failings with honesty, there is meant to be an accompanying growth in and commitment to discipleship.

The Church provides three liturgical forms for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but we are most familiar with the first and second forms. The first form is individual celebration of the sacrament, or more simply, private confession.

Preparation for this individual celebration begins, for the penitent, with an examination of conscience, as well as a sense of sorrow and a determination to change the offending behavior. Preparation for the priest-confessor begins with prayer to the Holy Spirit for wisdom, enlightenment and charity.

Although individual practices might differ in this form of the sacrament, the main components are, as they have been for many years, the telling of sins, a prayer of contrition, absolution given by the priest, and the completion of a penance. The Rite of Penance explains: “This act of penance may suitably take the form of a prayer, self-denial, service to neighbor and works of mercy. These will underline the fact that sin and its forgiveness have a social aspect� (#18).

The second form of the sacrament is very familiar to us, especially in the seasons of Advent and Lent. The celebration begins with a communal prayer service which uses Scripture to emphasize the

meaning of sin and repentance.

Most often, several parishes in a given area will join together for such a Penance Service, so that when the Scripture-based service is completed, the priests of all the parishes

involved are then available for individual confessions, which is the celebration of the sacrament.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is, as its name indicates, an anointing service for those whose health is seriously impaired through illness or old age. The sacrament may be celebrated for an individual, or for several people at once, and either within or outside the celebration of the Eucharist. It is always preferred that the sick person for whom the sacrament is being celebrated is well enough to participate actively.

In whatever context the sacrament is celebrated, the rite calls for three distinct parts to the ceremony; the prayer of faith, the laying on of hands, and the anointing.

The prayer of faith is offered by all those present, on behalf of the person or persons to be anointed. “The entire Church is made present in this community - represented by at least the priest, family, friends, and others ... If they are able, the sick person should also join in this prayer� (#105).

The second element of the celebration is the laying on of hands.

This simple gesture of touching the ill person comes to us from Scripture, where Jesus is described as laying his hands upon those he cured.

There are several meanings given to the gesture. First, it indicates that the ill person is being prayed for by the whole Church. Also, the laying on of hands is a sign of blessing and grace, and of prayer that the ill per-

son may be restored to health, and comforted in spirit. Finally, the gesture is an invocation for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The third and final element of the celebration of the sacrament is the anointing with blessed oil. Usually, the Oil of the Sick, one of the three oils blessed by the diocesan bishop each year at the Chrism Mass, is used. The pastoral care of the sick includes many other prayers and practices, among them Viaticum, intended to comfort the ill or dying and their families.

Then, when a person has died, the Church provides the funeral rites which not only give comfort to those who mourn, but which teach us about the holiness of death and resurrection in Christ.

The sacramental system of the Catholic Church is a treasure of untold richness. Participation in the celebration of the sacraments is essential for the living out of our Catholic faith. There is always more to learn, more to appreciate, more to marvel at with these seven rituals, which are our heritage and our pathway to holiness.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Superstorm Sandy On Monday, October 29th, many communities within our Diocese were hit hard by

By MaryLou Gannotti Director of Planned Giving

“By means of the Funeral Rites, it has been the practice of the Church, as a tender Mother,…to commend the dead to God…and to give witness to its own faith in the future resurrection of the Baptized with Christ.”

Hurricane Sandy. This “Superstorm,” as it has been dubbed, accounted for widespread property damage, flooding, prolonged power outages, and in some tragic instances, loss of life.

Some of the ministries supported by our Annual Catholic Appeal were on the ground running during hurricane Sandy, namely, our soup kitchens and food pantries. Extensive power outages in our Diocese accounted for a tremendous amount of food spoilage. Saint Vincent de Paul Place, currently operating out of Cliff Street in Norwich, was able to provide warm meals to some individuals who otherwise may not have visited their facility. Since the city of Norwich did not face the lengthy power outages other com-

munities did, SVDPP was able to meet the increased demands placed on them by the Superstorm. Jillian Corbin, Executive Director of Saint Vincent de Paul Place, told us of her Sandy experience. While the SVDPP facility was relatively unscathed, the neighboring communities took quite a hit. Jillian noted, “I am happy to say that we only received minimal damage from Hurricane Sandy here - flag p o l e snapped in half.

We were so lucky to not lose power. We were open all day on Monday and had a shuttle to pick up people who needed shelter because they were sleeping outside. On Tuesday morning the cooks and I arrived at about 6am. As we drove up Park Street, our hearts sank as it was evident that there was no power in

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Clergy & Diocesan Appointments The Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, has made the following clergy and diocesan appointments in the Diocese of Norwich: Reverend Monsignor Richard P. LaRocque, 1 year renewal of appointment as Pastor, Saint Mary Parish, Stonington. Effective: November 26, 2012.

Edward J. Shine, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Norwich.

Effective: January 1, 2013. ~ Monsignor Robert L. Brown, Chancellor ~

the neighborhood. As we crested the hill and saw St. Joseph’s Church there was an outside light on at the old convent. When we turned into the parking lot we saw that the rectory had power too - we were spared, but our neighbors were out of power the whole day. We served breakfast and lunch and were busy all day. We actually ran out of food at lunch, serving over 200 people.

We gave all of the batteries and flashlights we had and extended our hours for people to take a shower. The patrons were so grateful; several of them helped pick up lose branches and leaves that were strewn around the parking lot and church area.”

Catholic Charities offices in Norwich, New London, Willimantic and Middletown have continued to provide services in the wake of Sandy. Sometimes Case Management services are needed as well as Emergency services to cope with many critical difficulties.

Michael Petrides, Program Director of Catholic Charities has said that “The tremendous support of material contributions and prayer assists Catholic Charities to join hands with donors and be as family to help those lacking food or other essentials. The Catholic Charities food pantries alone have fed over 1,100 people since August and the needs are mushrooming.”

Saint Vincent de Paul Place and Catholic Charities are just two of the over 20 ministries supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal assisting individuals and families within our Diocese. Donations of nonperishable food items, grocery store gift cards, and other emergency essentials are always welcome and always needed. To all those who gave this year – thank you. We are truly grateful for your generosity. Each and every day our ministries are assisting those in need and giving hope during adverse times.

13

Four County Catholic December 2012

Catholic Charities and Saint Vincent de Paul Place Food Pantries in Need of Donations to Feed Local Families Did you know that the Diocese of Norwich has food pantries and soup kitchens that serve local families in need? Many families are still feeling the effects of “Superstorm Sandy,” and as winter approaches, the number of families in need of food assistance in our communities is growing.

Since the month of August, the food pantry at Catholic Charities in Norwich has provided the equivalent of 2,200 meals to people who otherwise would not have food on their table-- and those numbers continue to rise.

During Superstorm Sandy, Saint Vincent de Paul Place in

Norwich not only served hundreds of meals, but also provided batteries and flashlights to those in need from their emergency services supply.

During this Christmas season, and all year round, you are en-

couraged to make a difference by giving the gift of food to neighbors who need it most. Donations of items such as canned tunafish, peanut butter, jellies, soups, and cereals are welcome. Gift cards

from local grocery stores are also extremely helpful to supplement donations.

This Christmas season please help us to help our neighbors feed their children and families in the face of hardship and uncertainty.

No gift is too small, and all gifts are sincerely appreciated.

Your donation to Catholic Charities and/or Saint Vincent de Paul Place is most welcome. Catholic Charities is headquartered at 331 Main Street in Norwich, and Saint Vincent de Paul Place is operating out of the former Saint Joseph School building, 120 Cliff Street, Norwich. Items can be dropped off at either location.

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James J. Maffuid, LMFT, Appointed Director of Catholic Charities & Family Services On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, announced the appointment of James J. Maffuid, LMFT, as Executive Director of Catholic Charities and Family Services. This appointment is effective January 7, 2013.

Catholic Charities and Family Services has its principal offices at 331 Main Street, Norwich. It also has offices at 28 Huntington Street in New London, 88 Jackson Street in Willimantic, and 151 Broad Street in Middletown.

The mission of Catholic Charities and Family Services, Diocese of Norwich, Inc. is to respond to Christ’s call to care for people in need by providing social services rooted in Catholic Social Teaching in such areas as basic human needs, adoption, mental health, family life education, foster care, and pregnancy services.

One of this agency’s goals is to strengthen family life and to help persons achieve self-sufficiency through education and enrichment programs. It also assists the homeless and disadvantaged families and persons.

As part of the umbrella of services offered by the ministries of the Diocese of Norwich, Catholic Charities and Family Services works cooperatively with other Diocesan offices and agencies to ensure that an appropriate continuum of services is available to enhance the well-being of those served and the community at large.

In responding to Bishop Cote’s call to lead this agency, Mr. Maffuid remarked that he is confident that he can lead Catholic Charities in a direction that honors its roots while ensuring its future service to the neediest in our communities. He has been in the social service field for over twenty years and is excited about the opportunity to serve in this capacity. Mr. Maffuid resides in Colchester and serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at his parish, Saint Andrew Church in Colchester. He and his wife, Ann Marie, have four children, Alissa, Danielle, Michael, and Christopher.

Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Maffuid, served as VicePresident Corporate Training and Staff Development at United Community and Family Services in Norwich, CT. He also had experience as their Interim Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health. For several years, Mr. Maffuid worked at Plainfield High School where he was responsible for the Clinical Day Program. Earlier at United Community and Family Services he had a wide range of experience as Vice President of Behavioral Health Services and Supervisor of Family Support Programs. He also held positions at the Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut in New London, the Community Health Center in Middletown, and Naugatuck Youth Services in Naugatuck.

As Director of Catholic Charities and Family Services, Mr. Maffuid succeeds Mr. Marek K. Kukulka who served as Director for the past seven years. Recently, Mr. Kukulka accepted the position of Chief Officer of Operations with Catholic Charities, Inc., Archdiocese of Hartford.

14

Four County Catholic December 2012

IMMACULATA RETREAT HOUSE A Ministry of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate 289 Windham Road, Rte. 32 Willimantic, Connecticut

Walking the Path of Faith Join us for our Advent Retreat for Men and Women from December 14-16. Offering is $190.00.

Come prepare your hearts for Christmas pondering Faith Discovered, Lived, Celebrated and Shared time for personal and communal prayer and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Senior Renewal Day Come and join your fellow seniors on December 12 for a morning centered around the question of “Why is Jesus of Nazareth so Important?� Offering is $10.00 and includes lunch. The day begins at 9 AM.

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Anna DeBiasi Appointed Development Coordinator for Catholic Charities The Diocese of Norwich has announced the appointment of Anna DeBiasi from Director of Development and Education, Outreach to Haiti, to Development Coordinator for Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities is the social service arm of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Norwich. The ministry provides a wide array of social services to the residents of New London County, Middlesex County, Windham County, Tolland County and Fishers Island, New York. Catholic Charities operates out of Norwich, with satellite offices in New London, Willimantic, and Middletown.

In her new role as Development Coordinator, Anna will serve as a key player in fundraising campaigns, event promotion and coordination, and community relations within the Diocese. “Catholic Charities is an organization made up of good people who go to work everyday to fight against poverty in our back yard,�

Anna says. “I am honored to work for an agency with such a longstanding record of helping our neighbors in need. I truly believe

what happens at Catholic Charities is a living example of Christ’s hands at work. I hope that in my new role I can help spread the word about the good work being done in our community, and invite people to become a part of making it possible.�

Anna is a life-long resident of Eastern Connecticut. She was raised in Ledyard and currently resides in Noank. She was confirmed at Our Lady of Lourdes in Gales Ferry and is a parishioner at St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer in Groton. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master of Public Administration with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Connecticut. In addition to her

nonprofit experience raising funds and awareness for Outreach to Haiti, Anna worked in the behavioral health field for six years as a unit supervisor at a therapeutic group home for adolescent girls.

Her varied experiences have made her a perfect fit for her new role.

Anna is committed to serving children and families and will now do so in our local community through Catholic Charities. “We are very happy to have Anna working for Catholic Charities,� notes Angela V. Arnold, Executive Director of Development for the Diocese of Norwich. “Her experience, personality, and faith will greatly assist her in her new role.�

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Four County Catholic December 2012

St. Andrew Choir Performs Series of Concerts in Canada The St. Andrew Church Choir, under the direction of Colleen Puscus, recently returned from its sevSubmitted by Barbara Musinski St. Andrew Church Choir

enth international tour – a trip to Montreal and Quebec.

The Colchester choir gave a series of concerts in four beautiful churches. The group was met with enthusiasm and great appreciation at each.

Father Benjamin Soosaimanickam accompanied the choir as spiritual director. Also some choir members from the St. John Fisher Church choir in Marlborough, as well as family and friends of choir members joined the choir for the trip.

The Canada adventure began in Montreal. St. Joseph Oratory and Shrine, the world’s largest sanctuary devoted to St. Joseph, was the setting for the first concert. Brother Andre, canonized as a saint in 2010, had devoted his life to building this church in honor of St. Joseph. After attending Mass, the choir was honored to be standing on the steps in front of the altar to sing.

After that, the choir traveled to Quebec to perform in two more churches. A bus tour of Old and New Quebec made the group eager to spend time walking in Old Quebec City. The quaint cobblestone streets and the stolid walls that surrounded the city gave it an unforgettable charm.

Within Old Quebec City sits Canada’s oldest, and possibly smallest, church – Notre Dame de Victoires. Built in 1688, its weathered stone edifice has a charm of its own.

Choir members had to squeeze in tightly to fit onto the altar steps, but their voices blended beautifully.

They could be heard not only throughout the church but out onto the cobble stone streets as well!

Artistic beauty was found at the “Albert Gilles Museum” where the Gilles family carries on his legacy of crafting embossed copper art. Albert Gilles created 50 hand-wrought panels depicting the life of Christ that were all on display at the museum. He also created and crafted the majestic doors of St. Anne de Beaupre church in Quebec.

St. Anne is the Patroness of the

providence of Quebec. It was an incredible experience to enter this most beautiful church dedicated to the Mother of our Blessed Mother – St. Anne de Beaupre. The voices of the choir singing hymns –”Benedictus” and “Ave Verum” – echoed throughout the church with devotion.

The choir gave its final concert at Notre Dame Basilica in the historic district of Montreal. Choir members sang as enthusiastically as ever – concluding with “Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy.” After each performance, some audience members approached the singers and expressed their gratitude for the concert. People showed many expressions of appreciation -including smiles, hugs and even tears – because they were moved by the singing of the choir.

Choir members returned to Connecticut with warm feelings and confidence that they had touched many hearts while giving glory and praise to God to grateful audiences.

Photo submitted by Barbara Musinski.

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If you or a lo oved one are in need of short-term or long-term care, call 860-774-9050 today for a tour or more information about Pierce’s individualized, expert care with a healing touch.

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16

Four County Catholic December 2012

Knights of Columbus Supreme Council Donates $500,000 to Hurricane Sandy Relief

Keep Christ in Christmas

(NEW HAVEN, Conn.) — With regions of the East Coast still reeling from Hurricane Sandy, the Knights of Columbus announced that as of Nov. 15, 2012, its donations to the affected area totaled more than $500,000.

The amount includes the nearly $350,000 raised by the Knights via online contributions.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson

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announced the amount raised and donated to date at the annual meeting of the Knights of Columbus state leaders, in Dallas, Texas.

In addition to more than $450,000 being distributed by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with the help of local Knights in the affected area, the organization also sent two truckloads of supplies: one to New York and one to New Jersey.

The relief being provided by the Supreme Council is supplementing the relief work being done by local Knights of Columbus councils throughout the affected region.

Local councils have engaged in a variety of relief activities, including

feeding hurricane victims and collecting and distributing needed supplies.

“Charity is the first principle of the Knights of Columbus,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, “and in a disaster such as this, we are grateful to the many people who have made donations in support of our relief efforts and are pleased to be able to directly aid those most in need.”

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and Supreme Warden George Hanna have traveled to some of the hardest hit areas of New York on Staten Island to encourage — and assist — local Knights in their relief efforts.

For additional information or to donate, visit kofc.org.

At Christmas we honor the birth of Jesus Christ. At times our Savior is forgotten in the commercialization of the season and the rush to get ready for holiday festivities. Each year the Knights of Columbus takes a leading role in reminding society that Christmas is first and foremost a holy day. Keeping Christ in Christmas is keeping the very heart and meaning of the Christmas celebration alive.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

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Four County Catholic December 2012

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This Christmas give HELP & HOPE to neighbors in need

Catholic Charities Annual Fund Appeal

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich provides help to over 10,000 individuals and their families. /Ŷ ƚŚĞ ǁĂŬĞ ŽĨ ĚĞƐƚƌƵĐƚŝŽŶ ĨƌŽŵ ͞^ƵƉĞƌƐƚŽƌŵ ^ĂŶĚLJ͟ ĂŶĚ ŝŶ ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ĨŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ĐƌŝƐŝƐ͕ many individuals in our communities are struggling to meet even the most basic human needs for their families.

Your donation to the 2012 Annual Fund will help provide local low-income families with food, housing, clothing, and financial assistance for utilities and prescriptions, as well as behavioral health care services.

As you consider what gifts to give to family and friends, please remember our brothers and sisters in ŶĞĞĚ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ŽǁŶ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚŝĞƐ͘ zŽƵƌ ŐŝĨƚ ŝƐ Ă ŐĞŶĞƌŽƵƐ ĚŝƐƉůĂLJ ŽĨ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ůŽǀĞ ƚŚŝƐ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ƐĞĂƐŽŶ͘

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28 Huntington Street New London, CT 06320 Tel. 860-443-5328

88 Jackson Street Willimantic, CT 06226 Tel. 860-423-7065

151 Broad Street Middletown, CT 06457 Tel. 860.342.0760

19

Four County Catholic December 2012

Emmanuel – God is With Us I never thought I’d be writing about another devastating storm, just one year after the infamous

By Mary Tunison

freak October storm of 2011.

Hideous memories of power outages and cold nights are still fresh in our minds. Yet – Hurricane Sandy (AKA the Frankenstorm) arrived with a vengeance.

I listened intently to news of the impending hurricane with great concern. Elements of the “perfect storm” were converging, gaining strength off the East Coast. It seemed surreal – almost like one of those science fiction movies, I thought. As a former Floridian, I knew that even a Category 1 hurricane would pack a powerful punch for many in the tri-state region. Sadly, the severity of the signs and warnings were underestimated and not fully comprehended by some.

Despite the loss and damage inflicted, these powerful displays of nature have a forceful way of reminding us of what’s truly important in life. It is difficult to lose that for which one has worked so hard to achieve yet, in the end, the gift of life and the gift of our friends and family are what really matter.

It puts life’s priorities in perspective.

Spiritual storms parallel many of the same principles of these weather tyrants. Our lives are often clouded by misconceptions, jostled by the thunder of conflict or disturbed by upheavals of unwanted change or inconvenience. Just as the raging winds cleared away many dead branches to make room for new growth, so too do spiritual challenges serve to cleanse and eliminate the unproductive elements in our interior life. The important thing to remember is that God is always walking with us during the hard times.

When eagles build nests they use sharp branches among jagged rocks and then pad them well with soft, warm feathers. The little eaglets don’t want to go anywhere. They are happy in their nice comfy nest.

When the mother eagle instinctively knows the eaglets are ready to fly, she will sometimes do some-

thing which may seem cruel. She’ll begin to pull out all the feathers from the nest, subjecting her young to the sharpness of the rocks, the branches and elements of nature until they are upended enough to leave the nest. The mother eagle will then fly underneath them, pick them up and take them back until they’ve learned to fly well. God does the same thing with us.

I t ’s

easy to trust God when we are sailing the calm seas of life or nestled securely within our comfort zones – when the money is flowing, employment is secure and life is good. But it is more difficult to trust Him when things are falling apart, when conflict arises, when we are unjustly let go, when accusations against us are false and we cannot correct it, when dreams are shattered and

there is no reason to believe that God is there -- but He is. God is with us.

Fear of failure or fear of transition can hold us back from rising to new heights. So, when we begin to feel the course reality of life – take heart. God is simply removing the feathers from our nests because he knows we are ready to move to the next level and wants to challenge us to do so.

This Christmas, may we remember that God is ever-present and deeply a part of our lives in every circumstance.

Emmanuel, which means “God is with us” is not merely an assurance of Divine assistance, but also an expression of the mystery of the Incarnation. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel– which means, ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:22-23 Mary Tunison works for Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford, and is a freelance writer, photographer, artist, and graphic designer. She can be contacted at tunison_ mary@yahoo.com.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

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detailed how the stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood are as relevant today as they were two thousand years ago. In 2007, Joseph Ratzinger published his first book as Pope Benedict XVI in order to ‘make known the figure and message of Jesus. Now the Pope focuses exclusively on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life as a child. The root of these stories is the experience of hope found in the birth of Jesus and the

affirmation of surrender and service embodied in his parents, Joseph and Mary.

This is a story of longing and seeking, as demonstrated by the Magi searching for the redemption offered by the birth of a new king.

It is a story of sacrifice and trusting completely in the wisdom of God as seen in the faith of Simeon, the just and the devout man of Jerusalem, when he is in the presence of the Christ child.

Ultimately, Jesus’ life and message is a story for

today, one that speaks to the restlessness of the human heart searching for the sole truth which alone leads to profound joy and freedom. This ostensibly simple message is also the most profound challenge to the individual human being at a time of unprecedented turbulence and change. There is no greater vocation for a Pope than to preach the Gospel and this is what in this book Pope Benedict has done with conviction and urgency.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

With Outreach to Haiti, Family Finds Strength They Need Christmas is a time to be reminded of miracles.

At Diocese of Norwich OutBy Kyn Tolson Programs Administrator, Outreach to Haiti

reach to Haiti, we are privileged to witness the life-changing work taking place in Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities in the programs we run that help the most needy. We also are humbled by the Haitians--men, women and children--who continue, day in and day out, in their struggle for better lives. Their spirit and enduring hope remain our inspiration.

This Christmas we want to share the story of the Julien family.

They live in an impoverished, crowded and rubble-filled neighborhood of Port-au-Prince called Christ Roi. Joane Udele and Taylor Julien and their three children have a home constructed of plywood that measures 12 by 9 feet.

They feel lucky to have a house, but neither parent can find a job.

Their oldest child, Sindy, is 8.

Their twins, Taiana and Ian, are just over 1 year old. The babies are alive today because of Outreach to Haiti’s Nutrition Program.

Eight months ago, the infants were emaciated and covered with a rash. Their hair was falling out.

Listless all day, they could not hold up their heads. Not even their mother’s voice caused them to stir. Joane and Taylor were desperate for help. They used what little savings they had to pay for a doctor’s visit and the medicine he prescribed. To the Juliens’ dismay, the medication made no difference. The babies grew frailer.

Their parents saw no where to turn.

“I felt helpless. I didn’t know what to do,” said Joane. “Every night I would pray to God that he would heal my babies. I had faith He would take care of us. I just didn’t know how.”

Not long after the Juliens’ failed attempt to find a cure, a health agent from the medical clinic at Outreach to Haiti’s headquarters in Christ Roi walked by the family’s house. He was making his rounds of the neighborhood as

part of the clinic’s community outreach work. All of the Juliens were outside, and the agent stopped to talk. Right away he noticed the poor condition of the twins and asked Joane and Taylor if they wanted help. He offered to lead the way to the clinic, where a doctor would examine the babies for free.

It did not take long for the physician to diagnose the little girl and boy with severe malnourishment and vitamin deficiencies.

They were enrolled in the Nutrition Program, which provides for about 45 children and their families at any one time. The program is comprehensive, offering not only long-term treatment for children but education and training for their families and follow-up procedures. The Julien babies were immediately put on fortified peanut butter called Plumpy Nut, which is made in Haiti specifically to fight malnutrition. The family received mosquito nets and soap.

With a diet of Plumpy Nut and

breast milk, the twins’ appetites grew. As they gained weight, nutritious food took the place of the therapeutic peanut butter.

Joane attended health education sessions at the clinic to learn about environmental hazards in the home, healthy food choices, and safe handling of water. Eight months after entering the program, the twins are still gaining weight appropriately. “Having this place in our own neighborhood is a blessing,” Joane said.

“It is close enough to walk here with the babies, and when you get here they don’t just see you once and then forget about you. There are services for the kids and me. I can come here for food, doctor appointments, vaccinations and health classes.

“Today I feel like I can provide better for my

children. If we didn’t find this program, I don’t know what would have happened. Thank you.”

To learn about the breadth of the Outreach programs that reach thou-

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Liberty

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U.S. Bishops Launch Religious Freedom Website “Religious freedom is our first American freedom. ‌It’s not a Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, Mormon or Muslim issue – it’s an American issue, a civil rights issue.â€?

Those are among the opening words on First American Freedom, the website launched recently by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The new site offers resources that visitors can use to learn, pray and act.

They can learn about religious freedom in America and around the world, and the real, serious threats to it. They can pray for ongoing protection of religious

freedom using prayer resources available. And they can act to stay informed; engage family members, friends, and coworkers; and get information on ways they can be involved in the ongoing fight for religious liberty.

First American Freedom also includes multimedia resources, including a video of Most Rev. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, discussing religious liberty; a radio ad in MP3 format available for download in English and Spanish; and a brochure available for download – Your Faith is Being Rewritten. www.firstamericanfreedom.com.

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tion against the U.S. government’s enforcement of the so-called “HHS Mandate,� a series of regulations requiring virtually all employers to pay for their employees’ contraception, sterilization, and early abortion-inducing drugs.

Our client, Frank O’Brien, is a St. Louis business owner who takes his Catholic faith seriously; so seriously that he doesn’t want the government to force him to pay for things he considers immoral.

O’Brien - doesn’t want to know - what his employees do in their bedrooms. He just doesn’t want Kathleen Sebelius or Barack Obama telling him he has to pay for what they do, even when doing so is against his religion.

More than 40 cases have been filed around the country challenging the HHS Mandate on behalf of religiously affiliated schools, charitable institutions, and nonprofit organizations who say that the Mandate is a blatant violation of the Constitution’s protection of religious freedom.

Frank O’Brien’s case was the first filed on behalf of a for-profit business owner. In September, the U.S. District Court in St. Louis

threw out O’Brien’s case, saying that the Mandate was not a “substantial burden� on his exercise of religion. We filed an appeal with the 8th Circuit before the ink was dry on the court’s opinion.

The district court reasoned: O’Brien wasn’t being forced to use contraception; he could still attend Mass; he could still send his kids to Catholic schools. What’s the big deal?

The big deal is that in this country, from its founding, the right to the “free exercise of religion� has always meant much more than the mere freedom to worship within the walls of your church.

The Continental Congress, in the darkest hours of the Revolution, with the very existence of the newly birthed Nation threatened by the approach of the greatest military machine in the world, saw fit to exempt from military service “people who, from religious principles, cannot bear arms in any case.� Congress didn’t tell the Quaker and Moravian pacifists who asked for the exemption that they were still free to have their meetings and raise their children as they chose, so shoulder a musket and fight.

Congress told them that “this Congress intend no violence to their consciences� and exempted them from what most people in just about every country in the

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world would consider a paramount duty of any citizen.

That expansive idea of, “free exercise of religion,� encompassing not only what a person believes, but also what a person does or refuses to do, in the public square, and yes, even in the commercial marketplace, is what the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) are meant to protect.

Nobody froze with Washington at Valley Forge to secure the right of government bureaucrats to coerce free men and women to violate their consciences. Nobody died on Omaha Beach so that someday all Americans would have the right to force their boss to buy them birth control pills.

The HHS Mandate, which compels employers to directly contribute to causes which they abhor, is, as Jefferson would put it, “tyrannical.� We at the ACLJ will not stand by while this government, or any government, tries to grind the First Amendment beneath its heels.

Francis J. Manion is Senior Counsel with the ACLJ who emphasizes First Amendment law and pro-life legal matters before state and federal courts.

Defending Religious Liberty We must continue to fight for freedom of religion, as guaranteed in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. There has been no other time in our history, when the government has forced people to choose between violating Church teaching and breaking the law. We should not be forced to choose!

If you haven’t expressed your opposition to the federal healthcare mandate, please contact the White House at: www.whitehouse.gov/contact or call: 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414.

23

Four County Catholic December 2012

The Good News is that Christmas brings the gift of faith, the blessings of hope and the peace of His love.

Thank You

For the opportunity to continue to share the news of our faith with you and for your kind and generous response to our recent fundraising appeal.

Wishing you every blessing this Christmas and in the Year of Faith.

Your Four County Catholic Team

24

Four County Catholic December 2012

St. Patrick Cathedral School, Norwich 860-889-4174 www.stpatscathedralschool.org

Academic Excellence. Character. Self-confidence.

Sacred Heart School, Taftville 860-887-1757 www.sacredhearttaftville.org Sacred Heart School, Groton 860-445-0611 www.sacredheartgroton.org St. Edward School, Stafford Springs 860-684-2600 www.stedward-stafford.org

From left, Saint Bernard teachers Art Lamoureux, Fred Smith and Wayland Currie.

Photo by Aaron Flaum The Bulletin

St. James School, Danielson 860-774-3281 www.stjamesdanielson.com St. John School, Middletown 860-347-3202 www.stjohnschoolmiddletown.org St. John School, Old Saybrook 860-388-0849 www.saintjohnschoolos.com St. Joseph School, Baltic 860-822-6141 www.stjosephbaltic.org St. Joseph School, North Grosvenordale 860-923-2090 www.schoolofstjoseph.com St. Joseph School, New London 860-442-1720 www.sjsnl.com St. Mary School, Middletown 860-347-2978 www.stmarymiddletown.com St. Mary-St. Joseph School, Willimantic 860-423-8479 www.smsjschool.org St. Michael School, Pawcatuck 860-599-1084 www.stmichaelschoolct.com St. Matthew Pre-School, Tolland 860-872-0200 www.stmatthewct.org St. Bernard Pre-School, Rockville 860-875-0475 www.saintbernardchurch.org

Saint Bernard Faculty Credited with Boosting AP Test Scores MONTVILLE CT - St. Bernard School students’ scores on Advanced PlaceBy James Mosher Reprint from the Bulletin

ment tests are 10 points higher than the statewide av-

erage and 24 points higher than the national average.

Students and administrators cite various factors for the success, including well-behaved students who allow their peers to learn in peace, as well as smaller class sizes

than those of most public schools with an average of 12 students per teacher. But the bedrock, most say, is the Uncasville school’s faculty, many of whom have decades of experience.

The most seasoned is Roger

Williams, a math instructor who has been at St. Bernard for 53 years. Others who have been fixtures at the school include English teachers Arthur Lamoureux (45 years overall) and Frederic Smith (44 years), and history teacher

To learn more, contact the Diocesan School Office, 860-887-4086, www.norwichdso.org or contact one of the diocesan schools.

25

Four County Catholic December 2012

Wayland Currie (44 years), all of whom teach in the honors or AP programs.

“Teachers come here to stay,” said Lamoureux, who has been teaching in the honors program for 30 of his 45 years. “The students make it rewarding.”

“I love the teachers here,” Michelle See, of Norwich, said Monday after attending a history class taught by Brian Sheridan, an alumnus who returned to St. Bernard as a teacher two years ago.

In 2011-12, St. Bernard had 56 students enrolled in AP classes in 11 subject areas, including English, math, history, foreign language and art. AP Scholar awards were granted to 12 of them with a Scholar of Honor award going to Alexander Johnson, of Oakdale and a Scholar of Distinction going to Nora Sternlof, of New London.

The high success rate at the Roman Catholic school is a source of pride, Headmaster Thomas J. Doherty III said. This year’s high school senior class has 74 students.

“I am always impressed by the hard work of our students and their teachers,” he said. “We know

that the academics at St. Bernard is second to none. All of us are very proud of the many remarkable accomplishments the class of 2013 is making.”

See, a semifinalist for a 2013 National Merit Scholarship, was not upset that her team lost a competition in Sheridan’s class.

The fact that the teams spurred each other on to greater knowledge was the important thing, said Christian Gospodinoff, of Ledyard, a teammate of See and also a National Merit semifinalist.

“It’s better quality environment here than at most schools,” Gospodinoff said.

Matthew Clement, a psychology and guidance teacher, and Matthew Donnelly, a math teacher who is the Advanced Placement calculus instructor, are also alumni who have become St. Bernard teachers.

Students showing commitment to learning inspire the teachers to long careers, instructors and administrators say. Listed among distinguished alumni in the school’s admissions brochure are the Rev. Walter Nagle, pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Church in

Oakdale; Dr. Russell Nauta, chief of the general surgery division at Georgetown University Hospital; and Gregg Gonsalves, a Goldman Sachs managing director.

Sheridan’s mentor is Currie, who has taught history at St. Bernard for 44 years, including 26 in Advanced Placement classes.

Sheridan said one of his hardest tasks is not to call his mentor “Mr. Currie,” but to interact with him as a colleague.

“It’s that full circle thing you hear about,” Sheridan said. “I always wanted to work with kids.

He inspired me to pursue that. I get loud and I love history, but what I want to do most is keep the

tradition alive.”

Having multiple generations in the teaching ranks is unique for a small high school, said Susan Griffin, the high school’s director of admissions and a 1977 graduate.

“We’ve invested our own children in this place,” said Smith, who has taught literature and composition for 44 years, including 38 as an Advanced Placement instructor.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Advent & the Art of Anticipation Twenty five years ago Hallmark introduced a simple device that revolutionized the meBy Christina Capecchi Four County Catholic Contributor

chanics of gift giving: a paper bag attached to two handles.

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With its cheery polka dots and bold hues, the gift bag won us over, becoming the norm and often the sole present carrier at birthday parties and bridal showers. It’s sleek, modern and eminently recyclable, making the rounds from closet to closet, across neighborhoods and through extended families, sometimes returning to the original buyer.

Yet I can’t help but wonder if something’s lost with this added convenience. Back before the gift bag, presents had personality.

Aunt Kathy wrapped everything in the funny pages. Grandma tied her packages in red yarn. You could trace a person’s fingerprints on the gift she had prepared. For a moment, you paused to take it

in, to tilt your head and behold.

The guessing was inevitable, if private – turning the gift, gauging its dimensions – and then, delight in destruction. Let the paper fall where it may. Childhood revisited.

There’s something about receiving an artfully wrapped gift that makes you feel special – beauty that was assembled just for you.

And nothing looks better beneath a Fraser fir than wrapped presents, a wide base leading up to that pointed star.

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TV holiday romance involving a widower and an angel, a small town and a Christmas-morn kiss.

Then I set to work creasing my foil gift wrap, fanning a wide, wire-rimmed ribbon and adding a tag and topper – pine cones or a cranberry strand, a glittery reindeer or a glass ornament. I think of the recipient as I wrap and I relish the details: an emerging theme, coordinating colors, signing the tag in loopy cursive. Then I tuck it away.

For me, it’s a way to sink into Advent, that hushed, holy season muffled by big business. Advent reminds us how to wait and wonder, a gift we’ve never needed more. It rebuilds our muscle memory of the times we used stamps and landlines and phone books, when we snapped pictures we couldn’t see right away and wrote articles we couldn’t publish with a click. It brings an instructive nostalgia, especially for young adults whose lives have been rewired along faster circuits.

Pope Benedict XVI invites us to rediscover Advent every December. My favorite reflection came in his 1986 book “Seek That Which Is Above.” In it he wrote, “It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.”

What more could you ask of any season than to awaken memories of goodness, of loving parents and simpler times, of childlike hope in the newborn King and a world that is nothing but open doors?

Advent empties us out, clearing room on our counters and in our minds, teaching us how to delay and to believe, calling us to lose ourselves in thought of others. We slip gifts below the tree and seek that which is above.

Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. She can be reached at www.ReadChristina.com.

27

Four County Catholic December 2012

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every year saved pennies for children in Haiti, given pointsettias to the sick in the hospital, collected for fellow students who have lost their homes, given food and gifts at the holidays and now added volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul Place on Cliff Street. The students not only through word but action are showing what God’s mission is; through their actions they show what it means to be Christian, helping others, making each day worth while. It may seem a small thing to hand

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Four County Catholic December 2012

Youth Pack 21,500 Meals for Needy Children On Friday evening, November 9, One hundred and forty four middle school students gathered at Saint Matthew Church in Tolland to pack non-perishable meals for needy children.

Among the participants were young people from Saint Matthew, WyldLife, Our Savior Lutheran Church of South Windsor, Storrs Community Church, the Service Club at Tolland Middle School, and many others.

At the event, the youth were divided into two shifts. One group started working on several assembly lines while the other group enjoyed an impromptu melodrama and some beach volleyball with twenty people forming an unusual human net. About half way through, the two groups traded places which gave everyone the opportunity to work hands-on with the meals. The meals called “Lentil Protein Casseroles” consisted of rice, lentils, dehydrated vegetables and Himalayan sea salt.

By the time the evening was over, the youth were able to pack and box 10,556 meals. The next night a hundred and nineteen high school youth gathered at Saint Matthew Church, and together they were able to pack an additional 10,944 meals.

The total number of meals packaged and boxed by the middle and high school youth was 21,500. These nutritious meals will be donated to local food pantries and/or schools in either Hartford or Tolland County. The youth themselves raised the money or made donations in order to purchase the food supplies for the meals.

In order to bring this exciting event to Tolland, the Youth Ministry of Saint Matthew Church and the Christian youth organization “Young Life,” partnered together with “Feeding Children Everywhere,” a charitable organization which specializes in running these kinds of events. Churches, schools, businesses and other groups can also contact Feeding Children Everywhere (see feedingchildreneverywhere.com) if they would like more information about sponsoring a similar event. For more information about Young Life, contact Young Life Area Director Van Hall at 860-647-8957. For more information about the youth programs of Saint Matthew contact Youth Minister Bridget Thurston at 860-872-0200.

Mrs. Jill Patten, Elizabeth Gaccione, Emily Patten, Mena Buscetto, Victoria Becotte, Joey Ferraro and Ben Whewell in the background. All students are seniors, class of 2012.

Saint Bernard School: Empty Bowl Project On Tuesday, December 4, the students of Saint Bernard School, Uncasville CT sponsored The Empty Bowl Soup Project. Homemade soup was served in handcrafted bowls that were sold for $5.

The cost included a bottomless bowl of soup or chili and the bowl to keep.

The soup sale culminated a twomonth long project initiated by students that belong to the XBSS Saints Senior Leadership Group,

led by Jill Patten, Director of Campus Ministry. The students include seniors Victoria Becotte, Elizabeth Gaccione, Emily Patten, Mena Buscetto, Joey Ferraro and Ben Whewell. The student’s felt that encompassing the art project of creating the bowls and the compassion of filling them with soup to raise money for a needy mission was an appropriate fit for the student team and the school as a whole.

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Department, Mr. David Belval and Mrs. Patti Kelley, generously pledged their time and talent to help facilitate the project of actually creating the soup bowls. All students and faculty were invited to attend a workshop to create a unique bowl for the project. The workshops were held in mid-October allowing sufficient time for drying and firing time along with glazing. In total, over 150 bowls were made and donated to the project.

The event raised $690 and the money will be donated to help feed the hungry children of Nicaragua.

Saint Bernard School will be sponsoring a Mission Team, that includes 10 students and 2 faculty members, which will travel to Diriamba, Nicaragua, April 12 – 19, 2013. The team will be part of the Mustard Seed Communities serving handicapped and abandoned children in marginalized communities.

29

Four County Catholic December 2012

Xavier Routs NFA for 3rd Straight Class LL State Title EAST HARTFORD — David did not slay Goliath.

Friday night, in front of a paid

By Jim Bransfield Reprint from the Middletown Press

6FKRODUVKLS 6SLULW &RPPXQLW\ 6FKRODUVKLS 6SLULW &RPPXQLW\

crowd of 4,576 at Rentschler Field, Xavier recertified itself as the State’s premier scholastic football program by crushing previously unbeaten Norwich Free Academy 48-14 to win its third consecutive Class LL state championship.

“These championships are a testament to the kids we have and to our assistant coaches,” said coach Sean Marinan. “The coaches are great and we have great kids throughout the program.”

The game will go down as the DeAngelo Berry show. The Falcon running back carried the ball 30 times for a staggering 260 yards and three touchdowns.

Xavier had an overwhelming sta-

tistical edge to go with the onesided score.

“We had a feeling coming in that Berry was going to have a good night,” said Marinan. “I really can’t explain it; it’s just a feeling you get. I know that he wasn’t satisfied with his performances against Greenwich and Glastonbury and that maybe he felt this was the night to showcase who he really is.

“We also felt we were bigger and stronger up front and that would wear them down. When our line decides it wants to play, they can play.”

The Xavier ground game was so effective that Boston Collegebound quarterback Tim Boyle threw only five passes, all in the first half.

“The ground game was going so well, that we didn’t need to throw much,” said Marinan. “Besides, that kept their offense off the field.”

ARRANGE TO

SSHADOW HADOW A

Xavier became the first football team to win the Class LL (Connecticut’s largest division) state

SSAINT AINT

Photo by Catherine Avalone/Middletown Press. title three years in a row. left in the half and although Verre Xavier (12-1) made it 20-0 on missed the kick, Xavier was breezXavier Continued on page 31 Berry’s three-yard run with 3:19

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30

Four County Catholic December 2012

Did You Know?

December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (birth of Mary). Read what the Prophet Isaiah said about Mary before her birth in Isaiah 7:14.

According to tradition, St. Francis of Assisi set up the first nativity set in 1223. He used wax figures and real animals and set it up in a cave. Find out about the history of nativity sets at http://bit.ly/S8r1vo.

December 12 Gingerbread House Day. Make a gingerbread house and chat about how Mary and Joseph could not find a place to stay in Bethlehem.

by Karen H Whiting

December 16 First day of the celebration of Los Possdas. This started in Mexico where children go from house to house for nine days, dressed as Mary and Joseph, looking for a place to stay. Discover more at http://www.brownielocks.com/posadas.html

Nativity Set Activities Little figurines of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus fascinate children. This year use the crèche to help focus on the meaning of Christmas and teach children spiritual truths. Start by making a special event of setting up a nativity set. Read the account of the birth of Jesus from a child’s Bible. You may have a few sets, including a child set that is not breakable for children to handle and use in play. If there is a play set, chat about the story each time your children play with the set. Try some of these activities to make the most of your nativity set: • Talk about each figure while chatting about the story.

• Discuss the place to set it up and how to care for the set.

• Add just one figurine to the set each day to focus on that animal or person. Chat about why that creature or individual is part of the set. Make the sounds of any animals and discuss how those animals help people.

• Use the figures to act out the story or have children lift up each appropriate piece as you retell the story.

• Instead of putting all the figures in the set at the beginning of advent, move them toward the set throughout the weeks. This helps children understand that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem and that the other people came there after the birth of Jesus.

• Place Jesus in a little box and giftwrap him. This helps children understand God sent Jesus to us as a special promised gift. You can read Psalm 127:3 that every child is a gift from God and also talk about the gift of life. Then when you open the gift to place Jesus in the crèche read John 3:16 and how God the Father gave us Jesus.

• Rejoice over the nativity set and sing songs around it, such as O Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, We Three Kings, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

• Celebrate the birth of Jesus with a party and let the nativity set be the display on the table.

• Think of activities to match each figure.

• Joseph was a carpenter so make a small wooden cross.

• Mary was mom who cooked and cleaned for Jesus as he grew. Help your mom with cooking and cleaning.

• Jesus was a baby. Buy a baby toy to give to a toy drive.

• Look at the wooly sheep and find items made from wool. Give clothes you’ve outgrown to the poor.

• Cows give us milk so make milkshakes or enjoy a glass of milk.

• Donkeys help carry people so let mom or dad give donkey rides.

• Shepherds guide the sheep with their staffs.

Pass out candy canes as reminders of shepherds.

• Angels spread the news of the birth of Jesus.

Go and tell others about the reason for Christmas.

• Wise men brought gifts for Jesus. Be wise and think of ways to give gifts of love to Jesus. This might be with helping neighbors, being kind to strangers, or doing extra chores for money to give at church.

• Consider ways to make the nativity set special.

Add twinkling lights or place straw in the crèche for a soft bed for Jesus

Christmas Code Puzzle Change each letter to the one before it in the alphabet and each number to the one before it numerically (so replace a 5 with a 4 or a C with a B. Each * is a space between words. It spells out the message the angels told the shepherds on the night Jesus was born.

Look up the verse in the Bible to check your answer.

G PS* UPEBZ *JO*UIF* DJUZ*PG*E BWJE*B*TBWJ PS*IBT*CFFO*CP SO*GPS*CPV*XIP* JT*NFTTJBI*BOE*MP SE .*MV LF* 3:22 Answer: For today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. Luke 2:11.

December 31 Universal Hour of Peace Day. Pray for peace in the world. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6.

31

Four County Catholic December 2012

Vatican City, 5 December 2012 (VIS) - The traditional nativity scene mounted every Christmas in St. Peter’s Square will this year be offered to the Holy Father by the Italian region of Basilicata.

Xavier Continued from page 29 ing at 20-0. Then the wind shifted.

Marinan elected to go with an onside kick, but NFA covered the kick at its 40. After the teams exchanged penalties, NFA quarterback Joey Paparelli hit Ryer Caruso with a 49-yard touchdown strike and with the kick by Elisa Formiglio (who became the first female to score a point in a CIAC championship football game) the lead was cut to 20-7.

Berry then fumbled the kickoff — Xavier had three fumbles and lost them all — and NFA was in business at the Falcons’ 20-yard line. Seven plays later and with 1 second left on the clock, Paparelli hit Caruso for a six-yard touchdown and with Formiglio’s kick, it was suddenly a game at 20-14.

But not for long.

“I was concerned at halftime because of those last two minutes,” said Marinan. “I had flashbacks of the Hand game [Xavier led at the break before Hand rallied for the victory]. We challenged the kids in the locker room at the half. I talked to them a long time because I had a lot to say.

“I told them I thought we were wearing them down, but I said we had to come out in the next 24 minutes and earn it. I reminded them of what the Hand game felt like. The kids responded.”

Did they ever.

Xavier shut out the Wildcats 28-0 in the second half as the offensive line opened up huge holes

and the defense slammed the door.

“I’m so proud of this team,” said linebacker Rider Doolittle.

“This team is the reason I’ve been getting up in the morning for the last six months. I’m just so proud of my teammates.”

NFA coach Jemal Davis had

nothing but praise for Xavier.

“We just played and got beat by a very good football team,” said Davis. “They are well-coached, very physical and they had a great game plan which they executed.

“They outplayed us in all facets of the game — we lost to the better team.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s Missionary Intention for December 2012 Christ, light for all humanity. That Christ may reveal himself to all humanity with the light that shines forth from Bethlehem and is reflected in the face of his Church.

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Four County Catholic December 2012

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