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MASS SCHEDULE
Monday – Friday: 6:30 & 9:00am
Saturday: 8:00am & 5:30pm (Vigil Mass)
Sunday: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30am & 5:30pm
RECONCILIATION
Saturday: 4:00 – 5:00pm
STAFF
Father Corey V. Piccinino Pastor
Father Rolando Arias
Parochial Vicar
Father Chris Perrella
Parochial Vicar
John DeRoin
Deacon
Kate Fitzgerald: Parish Secretary & BulleƟn Editor
Pat Jackson: Parish Secretary
Julie Doerner: Business Manager
Paul Orsino: Property Manager
ST. MARY SCHOOL (744-2922)
Sister Anne McCarthy: Principal
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (743-4557)
Mary Ferri: Director
Elizabeth Cuneo: Secretary
RCIA: (203)744-5777 (Call if you are interested in
becoming a Catholic or compleƟng your iniƟaƟon as
a Catholic with ConfirmaƟon and/or Eucharist)
MUSIC MINISTRY
Michael Ferrari: Music Director
Elizabeth Barnes: Choir Director
Karen Ma era: Children’s Choir
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Bob Kozlowski: Chairman (794-8512)
BAPTISMS
Most Sundays at 12:45pm. Please call the Rectory at
least six weeks in advance to schedule your Bap sm
and to sign up for the New BapƟsm Class that is required for both parents and Godparents. These classes are oﬀered on the first Sunday of each month.
Anyone reques ng a Sponsorship form must be a currently registered and prac cing Catholic, and they
must a end one of the New Bap sm Classes to receive it. There is a 3-month wai ng period for a sponsorship form for the newly registered. The Catholic
requirements for a Godparent/Sponsor are: you
must be at least 16 years old; received the Sacraments
of Bap sm, First Holy Communion and Confirma on
in the Catholic Church; a end Mass regularly on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obliga on; receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion regularly;
sincerely try to follow the moral teaching of the Catholic Church; and if married, was married in the Catholic Church.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR MARRIAGE
All couples must meet with a parish clergyman at
least six (6) months before the marriage is to be celebrated.
PASTORAL CARE AT DANBURY HOSPITAL
Prior to Your HospitalizaƟon: You or a family member should noƟfy the Rectory.
Saint Mary Parish
26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel, CT 06801
Phone: (203)744-5777 Fax: (203)744-3740
www.stmarybethel.org
Visit us on Facebook: StMaryChurchBethel
PARISH OFFICE HOURS:
9am –3:00 pm, Monday – Friday (Closed weekends and Holidays)
October 12, 2014
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31 -- 5:1; Ps 113:1b-5a, 6-7; Lk 11:29-32
Tuesday: Gal 5:1-6; Ps 119:41, 43-45, 47-48; Lk 11:37-41
Wednesday: Gal 5:18-25; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 11:42-46
Thursday: Eph 1:1-10; Ps 98:1-6; Lk 11:47-54
Friday: Eph 1:11-14; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13; Lk 12:1-7
Saturday: 2 Tm 4:10-17b; Ps 145:10-13, 17-18; Lk 10:1-9
Sunday: Is 45:1, 4-6; Ps 96:1, 3-5, 7-10; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21
St. Mary Catholic Church
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE
♦ October is pro-life month! The theme for this year's pro-life month, "Each of Us is a Masterpiece of God's CreaƟon!" comes
from Pope Francis' 2013 Day for Life gree ng. In it, he stated that "even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the
unborn, and the poor, are masterpieces of God's crea on, made in his own image, des ned to live forever, and deserving of the
utmost reverence and respect." In reflec ng on this theme, Sean Cardinal O'Malley, chairman of the USCCB Commi ee on ProLife ac vi es, stated: "We must draw close to Jesus in prayer and in the sacraments. We must ask the Lord for the grace to see
ourselves and others as he sees us—as masterpieces of his crea on. When God created each of us, he did so with precision and
purpose, and he looks on each of us with love that cannot be outdone in intensity or tenderness. We must look at ourselves and at
others in light of this truth and treat all people with the reverence and respect which is due."
The USCCB's Secretariat of Pro Life Ac vi es has prepared a packet for the 2014-2015 program containing materials and resources. The packet includes several pamphlets, each one addressing a diﬀerent human life issue. This year, the six topics covered
are: adop on; the sorrow of miscarriage; healing a er an abor on; advance medical direc ves; various issues raised by technology
that treats children "as commodi es"; and the connec on between poverty and abor on. The pamphlets oﬀer stories of people
who have lived through these circumstances along with advice on how to handle such situa ons. The materials are available
online at www.usccb.org/respectlife.
Launched in 1972, the Respect Life Program was created to celebrate the value and dignity of human life in Catholic dioceses
across the U.S. Each year, as a part of the program, Respect Life Month is observed with liturgies and marked by special events
that take place during the month of October and throughout the year.
Prayer for Life by Saint Pope John Paul II — O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the
cause of life: Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies to be born, of the poor whose lives are made diﬃcult, of men
and women who are vic ms of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indiﬀerence or out of misguided mercy. Grant
that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our me. Obtain for them
the grace to accept that Gospel as a gi ever new, the joy of celebra ng it with gra tude throughout their lives and the courage to
bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civiliza on of truth and love, to the praise
and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life. Amen
♦ Comments from Father Rolando: There is a very popular Spanish saying that reads: “Behind a great man there is always a great
woman.” And it refers to those women who have made remarkable contribu ons to society, or who have influenced the life of
great men at important moments in history. Nevertheless, the role those women have played throughout history has been somehow overshadowed frequently, despite their strong leadership and outstanding example of life. There is a lot of truth in saying
that behind a great man there is also a great woman, and that is not meant to be understood in a discrimina ve or diminishing
way, but rather exal ng and honoring. Since October is the month of devo on to Our Blessed Mother in our Parish, I would like to
recognize that the role of women in the Church is indeed highly valuable, important, and necessary in order to built a community
of faith based in love, fidelity and holiness. Star ng with the Sacred Scripture teaching as well as the Doctrine of the Church, we
will discover how women’s lives have remarkably changed the course of history.
“She shall be called woman,…” Genesis, 2:23. Eve was the only woman personally fashioned by the Creator, and the woman whose
home was paradise. Paradise Lost is a book that talks about Eve as a celes al beauty, yet arrayed in all human perfec on, grace
was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, in every gesture, dignity and love. Eve was the first woman, the first wife, and the first
mother of every living soul. God’s plan was far from any malice or sin; however, the consequence of disobedience destroyed the
beauty and perfec on made by the creator.
The book of Genesis also teaches about Sarah’s life as a wonderful tes mony to the marvelous grace of God. Sarah was a great
influence on Abraham’s voca on. She is an example of hope and trust. She le her town, her house and her life to follow her
Sunday, 10/12
Monday, 10/13
Tuesday, 10/14
Wednesday, 10/15
7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am,
11:30am
Parish Oﬃce Closed for Columbus
Day
NO 6:30am or 9:00am Masses
NO 6:30am or 9:00am Masses
NO 5:30pm Mass
9:00am Communion Service
9:00am Communion Service
NO 6:30am or 9:00am Masses
6:30pm Senior Youth Group
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd
a er all the Masses
9:00am Communion Service
7:00pm October Devo ons
8:15pm Knights of Columbus
4:45pm Children’s Choir
St. Mary Catholic Church
October 12, 2014
FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE
husband pursuing the dream of being the origin of the new people of God according to His promise described in Genesis 12: 1-2.
She suﬀered the shame of being barren, but also rejoiced in God when she gave birth to a child who was oﬀered to Him. Sarah was
the wife of the Patriarch of the faith, and the mother of a great oﬀspring.
Another remarkable woman in the Old Testament is Miriam sister of Aaron and Moses. Miriam was the first woman men oned in
the Bible whose interest was na onal and whose mission was patrio c. Many are the women in the Old Testament that, through
their lives as mothers, wives and daughters, were extraordinarily exalted in the history of salva on.
In the New Testament, there are also exemplar women whose lives were devoted to do God’s will, and whose ac ons were according to God’s plan of salva on. Elizabeth for instance, gave birth to John the Bap st who was the one announcing the coming
of the Savior a er she was considered barren. Holy women like Martha and Mary of Bethany served the Lord with devo on and
love. Pope John Paul II teaches that though not called to the apostolate of the Twelve, many women, nevertheless, accompanied
Jesus in his ministry and assisted the group of the Apostles. They were present at the foot of the Cross, assisted at the burial of
Christ, received and transmi ed the message of resurrec on, and prayed with the Apostles in the Cenacle awai ng Pentecost.
Women have always been present and ac ve in every remarkable event of Christ and his Church.
Thus, among the many women that have taken part in God’s plan of salva on as well as in the mission of the Church, the Blessed
Virgin Mary is at the center of them all. The document Dignita s Mulieribus teaches: “Mary a ains a union with God that exceeds
all the expecta ons of the human spirit”. The nature of Mary as a woman makes of her the servant of God, the Mother of the Son
of God, and the Mother of His Church.
Therefore, our Blessed Mother represents the dignity and purity that was lost with Eve; and her dignity is transmi ed to all women
who were created to give glory to the Lord with their talents, gi s, and capaci es. Furthermore, Mary’s voca on is precisely what
makes of our Church, a woman, a faithful wife, and a loving mother.
Voca on is then a key point to understanding the significance of the mission of women in the Church, because they contribute to
the forma on of Chris ans; they are prac cally the first teachers of the faith. A great example of a wonderful voca on of zeal and
love for the Church is Saint Teresa of Avila, whom a er so many struggles and diﬃcul es, was able to reform a religious Order,
founding one of the most remarkable and stable Religious Communi es of the church — The Discalced Carmelites, masters of
prayer, contempla on and spirituality.
St Therese of Lisieux is also an example of how a personal voca on in the Church grants eternal happiness to the soul. She writes
in her autobiographical manuscripts: “I understood that the Church has a heart and that this heart is burning with love. I understood that only love moves the members of the Church, and I clearly recognized that love contains in itself all voca ons; love is everything.” Therefore, in her amazement and happiness she exclaimed: “Jesus, I had found my voca on; in the heart of the Church
my Mother, I will be love.”
It is not enough to say that behind a great man there is always a great woman, especially in the context of the Church. The writer
Alice von Hildebrand says that men and women are perfectly equal in dignity, and that they are both made to God’s image and
likeness. To be created last does not indicate inferiority. However, the mission and call of both men and women diﬀers in certain
aspects, but that doesn’t mean that either mission is more or less valuable that the other.
In par cular there are two great tasks entrusted to woman. First of all, the task of bringing full dignity to the conjugal life and to
motherhood; secondly, women have the task of leading families and communi es, with the example and model of Our beloved
Mother Mary. The fact that woman are not called to be priests, doesn’t mean that they are not called to be holy, and with the mission and voca on they have in the Church, they bring an example of holiness as we have just learned with many examples of outstanding women. A woman does not have to be a priest in order to be a disciple, nor a minister of confession in order to be an
Thursday, 10/16
Friday, 10/17
Saturday, 10/18
6:30am Mass
6:30am Mass
9:00am Mass
9:00am Mass
7:00pm Choir Rehearsal
5:30pm Knights Pasta Dinner
7:30am Catch Me If You Can Road 7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am,
Race
11:30am, 5:30pm
8:00am Mass
6:30pm Senior Youth Group
7:00pm Cursillo
8:30am Men’s Ministry
4:00pm Confessions
5:30pm Mass
Sunday, 10/19
FATHER COREY’S EPISTLE
example of forgiveness. However, as any bap zed Chris an, women have the fullness of grace granted by the Church that is not
limited to certain individuals, but that is dispensed to all those who believe in Jesus and follow His commands.
In a le er that Saint Pope John Paul II addressed to women for the event of the Fourth World Conference of Women, he highlighted the importance of their role in the life of the Church. With words of gra tude and admira on the Pope says “This word of
thanks to the Lord for his mysterious plan regarding the voca on and mission of women in the world is at the same me a concrete
and direct word of thanks to women, to every woman, for all that they represent in the life of humanity.” He thanks all the women
who are mothers for joining their future to that of their husbands, in a rela onship of mutual giving, at the service of love and life.
He writes also to all women who are daughters and sisters for bringing sensi vity, generosity, and fidelity to the family.
Consequently, the Church by no means wishes to diminish the importance and value of women. On the contrary, the Church wants
to enhance and make stronger the dignity that they have, and the special voca on that God has called them to achieve. The rewards that we have in heaven will not be measured by how much we did or had, what gender we were, or what posi on we had.
We will rather be measured by how much we love and gave to others, according to the par cular voca on and mission that God
entrusted to us. Women are not called to demand the recogni on of their dignity or the importance of their role because nobody
is denying either of them. Women are not to be behind any great man; they are called to lead, to propose, and to accompany with
constancy and dedica on the mission of our Mother the Church, which ul mately is what Jesus asks for to the Father in the Gospel
of John: “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may
believe that you have sent me” (Jn. 17, 21).
The Rectory will be closed on
Mon., Oct. 13th for Columbus Day.
A reminder that there will be no 5:30PM MASS ON SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 12TH AND NO DAILY MASS ON MONDAY, TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 14, & 15 because all the
priests will be on the Diocesan Convoca on in Rhode Island
with all the other priests of the Diocese. We will have a Communion Service at 9am on Monday through Wednesday, October 13-15. The Diocese has arranged that each parish, hospital
and nursing home will have emergency coverage by a priest.
Deacons will also be on call to assist in every way that they can.
Join us for our Autumn BIBLE STUDY as we con nue
to discover God's plan for our salva on and His
Church here on Earth as wri en in the book "Acts of
the Apostles". Wri en by Saint Luke it describes the
diﬃcul es and challenges of the early Church and is a beacon of
light and hope for all of us as we discover the beau ful reality
of our own redemp on! Our next class will be held Wed., Oct.
29 at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall. For informa on or to register
please contact Rick Lawlor at [email protected], 204-4708084. You don't need to a end every session to learn something new, so please join us. All are welcome!
ST. MARY MEN’S MINISTRY Come share in the posive Chris an fellowship & learn how you can be er
strengthen your personal faith journey on Sat., Oct.
18 at 8:30am in the Parish Hall. For info, call Eric Keener at
(203)739-0468 or [email protected].
OCTOBER DEVOTIONS to the Blessed Mother begin
this Monday, Oct. 13 at 7pm in the Church and each
Monday in October.
Each devo on will have the
Rosary, prayers and the Litany of Our Lady of Fa ma.
ST. MARY BOOK CLUB: Our next book is “Hail Holy
Queen” by ScoƩ Hahn. Join us on Wed., October 29 at
7:00pm, in the Children’s Room.
Welcome to those newly BapƟzed
Calvin Bryant Baigert
Emily Sophia Bodelsen
Mila Claire Jayaraman
Kyle Kenneth Lindstrom
Evie Rose Monteleone
I I I — Theodore Timmel & Julia Guer n
I I — Michael Zoller & Emily Jo Dakin
YOUTH GROUP
SAT., OCTOBER 11
5:30 + Geraldine Reed — Edith Jaccarino
SUN., OCTOBER 12
7:00 + Smith & Ba sta Families — Peter & Dolly O’Shea
8:30 + William Gorman — Lois Pastore
10:00 + John Thibdeau — The Wakeman Family
11:30 + Carmelo Broccoli — Family
5:30 NO MASS
MON., OCTOBER 13
6:30 NO MASS
9:00 Communion Service
TUES., OCTOBER 14
6:30 NO MASS
9:00 Communion Service
WED., OCTOBER 15
6:30 NO MASS
9:00 Communion Service
THU., OCTOBER 16
6:30 Mother’s Day Spiritual Bouquet Inten ons
9:00 + Kevin Clarke — Mary & Bob Sawitsky
FRI., OCTOBER 17
6:30 Father’s Day Spiritual Bouquet Inten ons
9:00 + William Melton — St. Mary Faculty & Staﬀ
SAT., OCTOBER 18
8:00 + Michael Manzella — Pat & Richard Kuhn
5:30 + Paul English — Robyn & Joan Benne
SUN., OCTOBER 19
7:00 + Deceased Members of the McCarthy Family
8:30 + Jennifer & Johnathan Timm — Grandma
10:00 + David Whitmore, Sr. — Diane & Jim Ryan & Family
11:30 + Alfonso Arboleda — Family
5:30 + Tim Mulvey — The Stevens Family
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Our parish ministry, ST. MARY PRAYER LINE, is an
amazing network of parishioners li ing up prayers
of faith, intercession and thanksgiving on behalf of
our whole parish. We invite you to join us - it is easy and fulfilling. Simply send a Join Request email to Maggie Kent
at [email protected]. Your name will be added to the
email chain. When a prayer inten on is requested, the chain is
emailed all together. You can say your prayers, at your own
me and in your own way, knowing that your prayers are mul plied by all the warriors praying along side you! There are no
mee ngs and no phone calls to track down people "next on the
chain." As always, all prayer inten ons can be made by emailing
Maggie Kent or calling her at 203-731-4738 or Deana Chamberlin at [email protected] or 203-482-7149."
Oﬀertory for the weekend of October 4/5
Collec on: $12,791.00
On-Line Giving: $2,697.00
YOUTH GROUP IS BACK!!! Our next mee ng of the SENIOR
SCHOOL YOUTH group will be on Sunday, October 12 at
6:30pm. Join us for faith, friendship, and fun in the parish
hall.
Contact Dean Aufiero at [email protected] for
more info on our Youth Group ac vi es or if you wish to volunteer.
REGISTRATION for students entering Pre-school through Grade
8 is ongoing. Please call the school at 203-744-2922 or email
our
Admissions
Coordinator
Linda
Garvey
at
[email protected] for informa on. You can also visit
our website at www.stmarybethelct.org for school and registraon informa on.
St. Mary’s Sixth Annual Roadrace, “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN”
10K, 5K AND KIDS FUN RUN will be held on Saturday, October
18th. Dust oﬀ your running shoes and join us to celebrate the
5th annual 5K, 10K and Kids’ Fun Run. Check-in is at 7:30am.
The 5K and 10K will start at 8:30 a.m. followed by the Kids’ Fun
Run. Runners, Walkers, strollers welcome! T-shirts to the first
200 registered runners. You can register online going to
www.stmarybethel.org and connect to the link. You can also
contact Ashley Tarzia at [email protected] for a hardcopy applica on that can be mailed to you and then you can return it to
St. Mary School. Hope to see you there!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We need 20 adult volunteers along the
race route to assist with direc ng racers through the course.
7th and 8th grade students interested in service hours can also
help pass out water to the runners. Contact Ashley Tarzia at
[email protected] for details.
OPEN HOUSE! SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26 An 'Open House Fair' will
be hosted in the Parish Hall from 9:00 – 12:30. Hear first hand
from current parents, students, faculty and alumni about their
experiences at SMS! All are welcome! Following the Open
House, there will be a ribbon cu ng ceremony at 12:30 in the
school to celebrate the opening of the new Science Lab.
St. Mary’s 9TH ANNUAL HARVEST WINE TASTING will be held
on Saturday evening, November 15th in the Parish Hall. Spread
the word and gather friends and family for an evening which
has quickly become a community favorite!
Cra ers and Vendors Wanted! St Mary School ANNUAL
CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR will be held on Saturday, December
6th. If you are interested in having a table at the fair please
contact Kathy Friscia at 914-320-7779 or Email [email protected].
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Moms and Girls (ages 5 & up)
Come Join a Fun, Flexible, Faith-filled
Catholic Club
LITTLE FLOWERS GIRLS’ CLUB
The Li le Flowers Girls’ Club is a program whose goal is to provide young Catholic girls (and Moms), from age five and up,
with an opportunity to gather and learn about their Catholic
heritage, faith, virtues and tradi ons through games and cra s,
scripture, saints' biographies and the Catechism of the Catholic
Church. It is hoped the Li le Flowers would learn what it
means to be a Catholic girl and eventually a Catholic woman. Whether she is called to a life of consecra on to our Lord,
as a single woman, or as a wife and mother, what she learns as
a Li le Flower will give a strong founda on upon which to
build.
This is a wonderful opportunity for Moms to have quality me
with their daughters in a fun, loving and faith-filled environment! Mee ngs will be the third Monday of each Month from
6:30-7:30pm in the Parish Hall.
Join us for our first mee ng on Monday, October 20 at 6:30pm
in the Parish Hall. Any ques ons, call Mary at 203-743-4557.
AROUND THE DIOCESE
CURSILLO The next Ultreya mee ng is Thurs., Oct. 16 at 7:00pm
in the Parish Hall. To learn more about Cursillo and their three
day weekends designed for Catholics who desire to strengthen
their faith, call Mary Guer n at 790-6645 or [email protected].
OFF THE STREETS needs many hands in this ministry to help
homeless people transi on to a place of their own. Please join
us on Thurs., Oct. 16 at 6:30pm in the Congrega onal Church in
Danbury. Park on the le side of the Church and upon entering
the building behind the sanctuary, go to the Pilgrim Room. For
more info go to www.OﬀTheStreetsNow.com.
Get started on your Immaculate High School experience! Please
join us at our FALL OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, October 19th at
11:00am. Meet faculty, students and parents, tour our campus
and learn more about your “Bright Future” at Immaculate. Register for the High School Placement Test (HSPT) to be given on
November 1st and 15th. Spend a day at Immaculate and see
firsthand what it is like to be a Mustang! For details please visit www.immaculatehs.org/admissions, contact Tom Burns, Director of Admissions at [email protected] or call (203)
744-1510, X 148.
On Thurs. Oct. 30, 2014 at 7:30am at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury, CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF GREATER DANBURY
will host a Celebrity Breakfast to benefit the Danbury Behavioral
Health Clinic, Morning Glory Breakfast Program & the Family
Loan Program. Ernie Anastos, the creator & host of Posi vely
Ernie, will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are $60 per person.
Go to www.danburycelebritybreakfast.eventbrite.com for reserva ons.
Religious Ed Oﬃce hours
Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs. 9:30am-2pm
RegistraƟon has begun for the 2014-15
School Year. Any child entering Kindergarten or First Grade
who is not currently registered, may download a Registra on
Form from our website and drop it oﬀ at the Religious Ed Oﬃce.
Our next mee ng will be on Mon., Oct. 13 at 8:15pm
in the Parish Hall.
The Knights will be holding their ANNUAL TOOTSIE
ROLL DRIVE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES a er all
the Masses the weekend of October 11/12.
The Knights of Columbus are happy to sponsor a new Lighthouse Catholic Media CD program here at St. Mary. In the back
of the church star ng Oct 11th you will find a collec on of professionally recorded CDs from the world's best Catholic speakers to help inspire you and deepen your understanding of your
Catholic faith. Feel free to pick up a CD a er any Mass, listen at
your leisure in the car or at home, and either return to the parish in exchange for another CD, or pass along to a friend! If you
do chose to keep a CD, please consider a dona on of $3.00 for
each CD to help maintain this ministry and enable us to con nue to bring in new tles every few months. If you would like to
find out more about the Lighthouse Catholic Media CD of the
Month Club, please visit www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org. If
you join, please be sure to use our promo code #103902 - a poron of your purchase will be returned to the parish to assist in
maintaining the Catholic CD program. If you have any ques ons,
please contact Luigi Cazzaniga at [email protected]
Synod Bulletin – October 2014
The Fourth Diocesan Synod is officially opened!
On Friday, September 19, 2014 Bishop Frank Caggiano signed the official decree opening the Fourth Diocesan Synod at the Vespers
Service held at Saint Augustine Cathedral. The next morning, starting at 8 AM, the First General Session of the Synod was opened.
The event took place at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Trumbull, CT. Close to 400 General Delegates, Observers, Theological
Experts, Ecumenical Observers, the Synod Commission and various committee members participate in the session. After the
Morning Prayer, Dn. John DiTaranto presented a general demographic overview of the Diocese, to help the Delegates understand
the scope of Fairfield County and the Diocese of Bridgeport. Immediately after, he followed with the 1st Synod Theme presentation
Empower the Young Church. The 2nd Theme Build Up Communities of Faith was presented by Mr. Bob Rooney and Ms. Marie
rd
Pascale. Father Peter Towsley reported on the 3 Theme: Foster Evangelical Outreach. Finally, Mr. Michael Tintrup and Mrs.
th
Barbara Ripp spoke of diocesan charitable outreach reporting on the 4 Theme: Promote Works of Charity and Justice. Each of these
presentations was data-driven to provide a solid understanding to all present on the scope and scale of the issues before us. After
each of these report the General Delegates had 40 minutes to discuss the reports at their tables and then make public comments or
email them so they could be presented to all present. At the close of each discussion, Bishop Caggiano gave “homework” to all
Delegates and to all in the Diocese of Bridgeport in form of the questions presented below:
1.
Empower the Young Church.
a) How do our programs, initiatives, and behavior exacerbate some of challenges identified in the presentation?
b) Evidence indicates a fundamental challenge – our youth do not believe they are lovable or loved. Reflect – Is that your
experience?
c) Is technology just a tool, or has technology become a formational force? Technology is no longer a “play thing”; it is
now forming human life. For those of an older age technology is a tool. For young people it is forming them. How?
Young people are undergoing physiological changes, so they don’t think, cognate, communicate the same way.
Technology is altering how their brain is formed.
d) Non-affiliated does not mean non-spiritual. Many youth do not believe that a community is important in their search
for God. Could it be that one of the root causes is that there is a need to reestablish the credibility of the community
for our young people? They see us as well-meaning and nice, but their search does not require them to be with us.
They do it on their own.
2.
Build Up Communities of Faith
a) Is community the right word to use? What is common among the three categories?
b) What makes a family a family?
c) What makes a Catholic school Catholic?
d) With regards to parish life, when does one age’s strength become the next age’s weakness or liability?
e) Not just this OR that, but where is the And in all that we reflect upon?
3.
Foster Evangelical Outreach.
a) What is the good news of the Gospel? And personalize it, what is the good news of the Gospel to me?
b) The means we use matter – At the heart of Evangelization is the recognition of the Truth (Jesus Christ) vs. truths of the
Faith (the things we profess and believe)
i.
How do you convey both?
c) There was a time when people came to us; now we have to go to them – how do you propose to do this, one person at
a time?
d) Who do people say that I am? What does the world (for example; Catholics who are no longer with us, social media, or
Oprah Winfrey) say about Jesus Christ? Who do YOU say that I am?
4.
Promote Works of Charity & Justice.
a) What happens when it is not easy to fit charity and justice together?
As mentioned above, ALL the Faithful of the Diocese of Bridgeport are encouraged to comment on these questions. To do so, please
visit the synod website www.2014synod.org/gss. There you can view all of the presentations (General Overview of Demographics
and Statistics, and 4 Themes) and leave your comments online under each of these themes. If you do not have access to the
website, please mail your comments by October 15, 2014 to: Diocese of Bridgeport, Office of the Synod, 238 Jewett Avenue,
Bridgeport, CT 06606.
The Synod will next meet in General Session on November 15, 2014. We will provide a Bulletin to all parishes shortly after that
meeting keeping you updated on the activities of the Synod. We also strongly encourage all interested parties to follow the Synod
through the Fairfield County Catholic, www.bridgeportdiocese.com, and www.2014synod.org.