Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will celebrate a special Mass this Saturday, open to all, in honor of all healthcare workers throughout the diocese.

You can watch Mass by clicking here. The broadcast will begin at 10:55 am.

This special celebration of Mass will take place at 11 am at St. Joseph Church in Brookfield.

Bishop Caggiano said he felt it was important that the diocese recognize healthcare workers in his pastoral exhortation, “Let us Enter the Upper Room with the Lord.”

“Over this past year, many of our healthcare workers offered heroic service on behalf of those who fell ill with the coronavirus, often risking their own lives to care for those who were sick. While I am sure that we have kept them in our prayers each day, we also look forward to this opportunity to affirm their healthcare ministry,” he said.

Registration is not required, the Mass is open to all.

BRIDGEPORT—Blessed Sacrament Parish in Bridgeport become the third parish in the diocese to host a mobile vaccine clinic this week, with more than 60 people a day coming forward to receive the free COVID-19 vaccine in their own neighborhood.

The mobile clinic was sponsored by FEMA, the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, and St. Vincent’s Medical Center/Hartford Healthcare working in partnership with the Diocese of Bridgeport.

People were invited to schedule an appointment or walk in and receive a vaccine. The only requirement was they be age 12 and over, and that anyone between the ages of 12–17 be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

On Tuesday, nurses were administering the Pfizer vaccine to parishioners and neighbors under a white tent in the parish parking lot alongside its beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. Throughout the week Johnson & Johnson vaccine was also available by request.

Father Joseph “Skip” Karcsinski, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, was on hand to greet the staff and some of people of all ages who were vaccinated. He said that he encouraged his parishioners to come forward to protect themselves and others, and he tried to set the example by getting vaccinated in advance and assuring parishioners that it is safe and effective.

“Bringing it to the parish and the neighborhood is a good thing,” he said. “It makes it accessible to them in an environment that they know and trust.”

Bill Hoey, vice president of Mission Integration at St. Vincent’s/Hartford Healthcare, said the hospital is moving away from mega-sites to more targeted mobile delivery to neighborhoods that have a much lower vaccination rate than the rest of the state.

“We’re looking forward to working with the diocese and its parishes in order to reach out to people who may face barriers to vaccination and make sure it is accessible to all,” he said.

(In recent weeks, the mobile clinic also served more than 200 parishioners of the St. Augustine Cathedral Parish and St. Charles Borromeo Parish. To learn more contact: www.HartfordHealthCare.org/vaccine)

BRIDGEPORT—Starting Tuesday, May 18, you can schedule an appointment or walk in and receive a vaccine to protect you and others. The only requirements: You are age 12* and over. *Ages 12–17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Sign up NOW: HartfordHealthCare.org/vaccine

Walk-in patients are also welcome

(Dates, locations and times below)

Blessed Sacrament Church

275 Union Avenue

May 18, 11 am – 6 pm
May 19 – 21, 9 am – 4 pm
May 22, 9 am – 3 pm

Department of Public Health

752 East Main Street

May 23, 11 am – 6 pm
May 24 – 26, 9 am – 4 pm
May 27, 9 am – 3 pm

STAMFORD—The City of Stamford in partnership with Stamford Health are to present a virtual town hall, “Faith in a Pandemic: A Way Forward” on Thursday, June 10 from 7-7:30 pm. Watch live at: www.stamfordct.gov/livestream.

BRIDGEPORT— “Christians should be in the world but not of it,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano in his online Mass for the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

With the pandemic receding and many people returning to in-person Mass for the first time in a year, Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said we are living in a moment of unique challenge and opportunity to bring Christian love into the world.

The bishop said “after this long 15-month winter we have endured together,” we should act in a conscious and intentional way to bring the vibrant, authentic Christian witness of love back into the world.

He described it as a love “powered by what you and I have been offered as we’ve been entering the upper room—to share purposefully, intentionally and joyfully the living power of Christ’s love on the Cross.”

Citing the May 10, letter in which he joined the state’s other Catholic bishops in inviting all people back to in-person Mass beginning with the Vigil of Pentecost, (May 22), the bishop said that today’s online Mass will be the last regular Sunday Mass taped from the Catholic Center chapel.

In the spirit of re-opening and returning to the world, he will begin visiting parishes throughout the diocese to personally welcome people back to Church.

“We will be welcoming people by name back home to church, a reassuring ,merciful, uniting presence in their lives and a golden opportunity in this new spring time to bring the message of Christ’s love to those reluctant to go back to church and to a waiting world,” he said.

The bishop began his homily by noting that he recently had occasion to take the subway from his family home in Gravesend, Brooklyn, to visit his doctor’s office in Manhattan. It was the same 40-minute trip he took as a boy for four years commuting daily to Regis High School.

The bishop recalled his student routine of studying Greek for the first 20 minutes and then allowing himself some “people watching time,” which on the subway could be “better than a Broadway show.”

However, after a time he came to realize that a community had formed on the train with the sullen faces turning into nods and smiles as people gradually got to know one another.

A priest in his Theology class at Regis opened up yet another dimension to the bishop’s subway ride when he challenged the senior class to stand up and make themselves known as Christians by acting and behaving in a caring way.

The bishop saw that principle put into practice on the subway one morning on his way to school when a man died between station stops. Most people in the crowded train didn’t notice because the man had died standing up and slumped to the floor after many had exited the crowded car.

It was then that the bishop noticed that one person had stayed behind to pray over the body, ”a person of love, a person of faith” who did not want the man to die alone.

The bishop said now is the time to contemplate what it means to be Christian because we are about to freely return to a crowded and busy world of friends, parties, sporting events and other activities.

“These are all good things,” he said, but we must not lose sight of the fact that this is an important juncture in which we must also bring our faith back into the world as witnesses of Christ’s love.

“Christians are very much in the world. We have become members of the world and that is a good thing provided that we do not become of the world. How do you and I become members of a diverse society and yet remain faithful to who we are, so they will know we are Christians?.”

The Gospel of John has a simple answer for us, he said, but it’s not a matter of how we might dress or outwardly identify ourselves, “but the love we have in our hearts, and our courage to show it to our neighbors whether known or unknown in simple acts of kindness or heroic acts of courage.”

He challenged the faithful not to lose this opportunity, so that people “should know by our manner we are Christians in the very sum total of our lives. Kindness should not be random but always our way of life. Forgiveness is not the exception.”

“They will know whose disciples we have become and the work He has given us in the inauguration of the Kingdom in this world… and that is why the Spirit is coming to us over and over again,” he said.

The bishop said the subway ride brought back many memories but also led him to ask himself an important question, “I being a Christian, a priest, a bishop. Would they know I was a Christian? Please God they know. The world needs Christians to be in it and not of it. They need to know.”

Before giving the final blessing the bishop said he looks forward to welcoming people back in person as he visits parishes in the coming months.

“I am asking you with heartfelt invitation to come back to Sunday worship with our sisters and brothers in person if possible,’ he said. He also noted that diocesan liturgies and other Masses will be live-streamed from St. Augustine Cathedral when he celebrates there.

The bishop thanked Patrick Donovan, director of the Leadership Institute for producing the online Mass each week throughout the pandemic, and he also recognized musicians Lindy Toole and David Harris who provided the music and song for his Masses.

BRIDGEPORT—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano has issued guidelines for the return to Mass now that the state’s three dioceses have called Catholics back to in-person Mass beginning the weekend of May 22,  with the Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost.

The new guidelines follow the release of the May 10 letter by Bishop Caggiano, Hartford Archbishop Leonard Blair, and Norwich Bishop Michael Cote formally lifting the dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation that was put in place last March to safeguard lives during the pandemic.

“It is time for us to come home, It is time for us to come together as a family of faith,” the bishop said in a video that accompanies the guidelines. “The obligation to come to Mass rises and finds its fulfillment in love,” said the bishop who made a fervent and heartfelt appeal “to everyone to come home, to join the sisters and brothers who are already worshiping in person, to come home and to come to Christ and to allow him to feed you his body, blood, soul and divinity.”

After a year of hardship, he said that many are eager to return communal worship and the reception of the Eucharist, and the guidelines will assure them that they can now do so safely.

The new diocesan guidelines are meant to answer the questions of the large number of people who are expected to return to in-person Mass over the coming weeks and to clear up any confusion about what to expect.

Most restrictions put in place during the pandemic have been removed; however, masks will still be required and must be put on prior to entering any church or parish facility.

Among the highlights of the new guidelines, parishioners will no longer have to register for Mass, and all pews will be available for seating because social distancing will no longer be required by the state. For the first time in over a year, the congregation will now be able to join in singing but must do so while wearing a mask.

Communion will only be distributed under one species in the form of the consecrated host, and it may be received either in the hand or on the tongue based on the choice of the communicant.

Confessionals may return to full use through proper ventilation is strongly encouraged. Likewise, social distancing will no longer be required at weddings and funerals.  Beginning May 22, the faithful will notice the return of Church bulletins, holy items, cards, and books. The guidelines also permit outdoor Masses to continue throughout the year.

In announcing the end to most restrictions, the bishop emphasized that the diocese will not drop it guard in its efforts to protect lives. Churches will be sanitized, the faithful will continue to wear masks and parishes will follow state guidelines.

The bishop also made it clear that those who are already sick, who need to quarantine and have other serious health conditions, and their caretakers are excused from the obligation.

The new guidelines are consistent with Governor Lamont’s recent decision to limit indoor restrictions on public assembly only to the mandatory wearing of masks as vaccinations are increasing, and hospitalizations are decreasing throughout the state. All parish or private functions must follow state guidelines. There are no additional restrictions for parish and diocesan events beyond what the state mandates. The state is planning to publish new guidelines for indoor activities on May 19.

“Now that pandemic restrictions are being lifted throughout the State of Connecticut, and given that many of our parishioners have been vaccinated, it is my hope that those who have not been coming to Mass will now be returning to in-person worship. With that in mind, we have published these detailed Guidelines for the celebration of Mass,” said Bishop Caggiano.

Click to read the complete set of guidelines.

Click to read CT Bishops Letter Calling All to Return to Mass

 

  1. General Guidelines
    1. Masks are required in church, but not outside including the parking lot
    2. People must put on masks prior to entering any church facility
    3. No social distancing is required within church
      1. All pews are available for seating
      2. Pastors may want to consider having a “social distance” section for those more vulnerable
    4. Mass registration systems are no longer required
    5. Outdoor Masses are allowed for the remainder of the year
    6. Church bulletins are allowed, as are holy items, cards, and books
    7. It is recommended that at least one weekend Mass should be livestreamed
    8. Holy Water fonts must remain empty
    9. The Church must be cleaned before and after weekend Masses but not in between weekend Masses
      1. Church bathrooms should be open and cleaned before weekend Masses start and after the last weekend Mass
    10. Signs are no longer required on church doors or inside churches
      1. A sign reminding people to wear masks is recommended
    11. Parish or Private functions must follow state guidelines
      1. There are no additional restrictions for these events beyond what the state mandates
      2. The state is planning to publish new guidelines for outdoor activities on May 1st and indoor activities on May 19th
    12. Mass
      1. Missals may be placed in the pews
        1. Disposable worship aids are still the preferred method of publication
      2. 8 person choirs plus instrumentalists are allowed
        1. It is recommended that singing masks be used and social distancing be observed by all choir members
        2. Choir rehearsals should be no more than an hour with social distancing
      3. Congregational singing with masks is allowed
      4. Use of Masks:
        1. Masks must be worn by everyone participating in the processionals and recessionals of Mass
        2. Masks are required in the sanctuary except for the celebrant or anyone speaking to the congregation
        3. Masks are required for anyone who is distributing Holy Communion.
        4. Concelebrants may be seated next to one another but it is recommended that they wear masks
        5. Clergy may greet parishioners before or after Mass while wearing masks
      5. There is no limit on altar servers
      1. Altar servers are not permitted to hold the book for the celebrant
  1. No restrictions on the use of Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
  2. Collection baskets with handles passed by ushers are allowed.
    1. Ciborium lids must remain on until the distribution of Holy Communion
    2. It is strongly recommended that the hosts which are to be consecrated for distribution to the faithful be of at least 1 3/8” diameter to allow for ease of use and sanitary purposes
  2. The exchange of the sign of peace among the faithful remains optional
    1. If the sign of peace is exchanged, then it must be some type of non-contact gesture (bow)
  3. Processions (e.g. Corpus Christi) with masks are allowed
  • Procedures for the distribution of Holy Communion
    1. Holy Communion may continue to be distributed either on the tongue or in the hand. Clergy are not to limit the faithful in their choice of method of reception.
    2. Communion is to be distributed to the faithful only under one species – that of the consecrated hosts. Gloves are not to be worn in the distribution of holy communion, and no type of sanitary device or implement is to be placed over the hands of any communicant during distribution
    3. Social distancing is not required for Communion lines
      1. Two Communion lines in the center aisle are permitted
  1. Masks must be removed by the faithful immediately prior to receiving Holy Communion and then put back on after receiving
  2. Those distributing Holy Communion must sanitize their hands before and after distributing Holy Communion
  3. Sanitizing hands in between communicants is required when someone receives on the tongue or if the person distributing Communion inadvertently touches the communicant’s hand
  4. Kneelers and altar rails no longer must be cleaned in between communicants
  5. Communion is only given under one species – consecrated hosts
  6. Celebrants, concelebrants and deacons who are ministerially assisting at Mass must receive both species of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Appropriate accommodations must be made:
    1. The Precious Blood from the celebrant’s chalice must not be shared with concelebrants or with assisting deacons;
    2. Concelebrants are to self-communicate by means of intinction from a chalice separate from that used by the celebrant.
  • In the case of deacons who are assisting at Mass, the celebrant is to distribute the consecrated host to them so that the deacons can receive either by intinction or from a separate chalice.
  1. Procedures for other liturgical and sacramental celebrations
    1. Sacrament of Reconciliation
      1. Masks are required
      2. Social distancing is not required; confessionals may return to full use though proper ventilation is strongly encouraged.
  • Sanitization procedures are not required.
  1. Weddings and Funerals
    1. The same guidelines above for Mass apply to weddings and funerals
    2. The bride and groom are not required to wear masks

Download CT Bishops Statement on the Eucharist (English)

Descargar la Declaración de los Obispos de CT sobre la Eucaristía (Español)

May 10, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

We have lived through an extraordinary year filled with personal challenges, fears, and sufferings caused by the pandemic. At the same time, we have been encouraged by the heroism of health care workers and first responders, the creativity of our pastors, and the kindness of neighbors and friends who by their love and service peeled back the darkness which at times threatened to overwhelm us.

Now that there are clear signs the pandemic is loosening its grip on our lives, we come to you with confidence to take the next step in reestablishing our ecclesial life as a community of faith.

You may recall that when COVID-19 first appeared in our state last March, we, the Latin Rite Catholic Bishops of Connecticut, adopted a series of changes to the celebration of Mass designed to protect those who attended from the possible spread of the virus. However, it quickly became evident that those measures were insufficient to protect our people. After consultation and prayer, it was with a heavy heart that we took the extraordinary step of granting a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation in each of our respective dioceses. The intent behind that decision was to protect human life, especially the frailest and most vulnerable in our midst from becoming infected by a disease which many doctors were unsure how best to combat. We wish to express our sincere gratitude for your cooperation in observing the safety protocols that resulted in no significant viral spread of COVID-19 at any celebration of Mass in our dioceses.

Thankfully, the situation surrounding the pandemic is slowly improving in our state. For example, vaccinations are increasing, and hospitalizations are decreasing throughout the state. The recent decision by Governor Lamont to limit indoor restrictions on public assembly only to the mandatory wearing of masks marks a watershed moment in our year-long struggle against the COVID-19 virus.

In light of these positive developments, we believe the time has come to review the importance that full participation at Mass has for the spiritual life of all believers and offer a heartfelt appeal for all Catholics to return to the Sunday celebration of Mass in person.

Our Catholic faith teaches us the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the sacramental celebration in which the Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection becomes present to us through grace. In other words, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross at Calvary, which was offered once for all and atones for the sins of the whole world, is made present to us during the Mass. Personal participation at Mass invites us into the mystery of our salvation in Jesus Christ.

Everything that takes place during the Mass offers us a personal encounter with the Crucified and Risen Christ. We hear him speak to us in his Word, reminding us of the Gospel message and the mandate to proclaim it. We see Christ living among the community of the faithful, where He hears our prayers and encourages us in our daily lives. We experience the Lord in the person of the priest, who preaches the Word and offers the Eucharist in which our Lord becomes sacramentally present to us. Most especially, we encounter the Lord profoundly through the reception of Holy Communion since it is the crucified and Risen Christ himself we receive.

These moments of our encounter with the Lord during Mass offer us a deeply personal opportunity for spiritual nourishment. By receiving Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist, the Lord’s grace strengthens the daily life we share with him through our personal prayer and works of charity. Holy Communion is the celestial food that enlightens our minds, gives comfort to our hearts, and strengthens our wills to live the Church’s mission in word, deeds and manner of life.

Furthermore, when we gather as a community at Sunday Mass, we do so as members of Christ’s Mystical Body. Just as the Lord gathered with his apostles in the Upper Room on the night before he died, in part to strengthen the bonds of love they shared in light of the challenges they would later face in their ministry, so too we gather as members of Christ’s Mystical Body. In imitation of the Lord’s example, we strengthen our bonds of unity and renew our shared mission to bring Christ’s message of redemption, forgiveness, and hope to our troubled world.

In a world that has relied upon technology to keep people united in times of profound isolation, some may question the need to attend Sunday Mass in person. To answer this question, we can never forget that while Christian discipleship involves a deeply personal relationship with the Lord, it is never a wholly private one. At our baptism, each of us received the Spirit of adoption, transforming us into Temples of the Holy Spirit and members of the one Mystical Body of Christ. The pursuit of holiness in our personal lives requires that we come together as a community of faith so that the Lord can bless, unite, and strengthen our shared hopes, dreams, challenges, and sufferings in service to Him.

This communal transformation occurs uniquely during the celebration of Mass. “In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value.”1

We are grateful for all those who joined us and our priests for online Mass during the pandemic, and we look forward to welcoming you back in person. At the same time, we encourage our pastors to continue to live stream the celebration of Sunday Mass for the sake of those who legitimately cannot attend Mass in person.

From apostolic times, the community of believers felt a deep desire to gather in-person to celebrate the Lord’s Death and Resurrection on Sunday, the eighth day ofre-creation and the first day of the week.2 The current law of the Church has codified this ancient, ecclesial practice in the following manner:

Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation [ … ] On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.3

 
However, the obligation to gather in person and attend Sunday Mass should never be understood simply as an observance of a legal requirement. Instead, it is the Church’s expression of the deep, personal desire that burns in our hearts to come into the presence of the Lord whom we love, who gave His life for our salvation so that we may receive Him as food for our life’s journey unto eternal glory.4 For who among us does not want to spend time with someone we deeply love? How much have our hearts ached this past year isolated and separated from our family and friends? In those moments, were our hearts not burning with a deep longing to see them again face to face? We did not need anyone to tell us we were obliged to seek them, for our love sought them. Similarly, it must be our deep love for Christ that invites us to seek Him in person and by attending Mass, to welcome Him intimately into our lives as food for the journey of life.

Given the reality that the pandemic has not completely subsided, we recognize that some persons may deeply desire to return to Mass in person but are prevented from doing so for legitimate reasons. These reasons include: (1) suffering from serious pre-existing conditions that may make a person more susceptible to falling ill from COVID-19; (2) being ill and homebound or being a caregiver in close contact with someone who is; (3) having tested positive for any contagious disease, including COVID-19; ( 4) being in quarantine due to exposure to any contagion or residing with someone who is quarantined. For anyone facing these circumstances, please remember that the Lord will never invite you to do something that poses a danger to oneself or others.

Furthermore, considering the fact that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and that the Church has determined that moral questions regarding their development do not preclude their use, we encourage people very strongly to receive the vaccine for their own safety, for the safety of their family and their communities, and the common good, because the larger proportion of people who get vaccinated, the more quickly will the pandemic subside.

In light of these reflections and with confidence in the Lord’s grace and protection, we have decided to end the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation in person in each of our respective dioceses effective Saturday, May 22, 2021, beginning with the Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of Pentecost.

As we take this hopeful step in our recovery from the pandemic, let us pray that the Lord Jesus, in his great mercy, will deepen our appreciation, love, and participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. For with our hearts and minds renewed, we will be ready to go out into the world and courageously proclaim the saving message of the Gospel by our words and witness of life.

In the light of Easter joy and with every best wish, we remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

1 CCC 1368.

2 “By a tradition handed down from the apostles which took its origin from the very day of Christ’s resurrection, the Church celebrates the paschal mystery every eighth day; with good reason this, then, bears the name of the Lord’s day or Sunday. For on this day Christ’s faithful are bound to come together into one place so that, by hearing the word of God and taking part in the Eucharist, they may call to mind the passion, the resurrection and the glorification of the Lord Jesus, and may thank God who “has begotten them again, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto a living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3); THE SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Constitution «On the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum concilium», 106.

3 PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR THE AUTHENTIC INTERPRETATION OF THE CODE OF CANON LAW, The Code of Canon Law, ns.1246-1247.

4 “Yet more than as a precept, the observance should be seen as a need rising from the depths of Christian life. It is crucially important that all the faithful should be convinced that they cannot live their faith or share fully in the life of the Christian community unless they take part regularly in the Sunday Eucharistic assembly. The Eucharist is the full realization of the worship which humanity owes to God, and it cannot be compared to any other religious experience:, JOHN PAUL II, Apostolic Letter «On Keeping the Lord’s Daily Holy Dies Domini, 81»

DANBURY—Sacred Heart Church, in partnership with Griffin Health, the Department of Public Health and the City of Danbury, will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations every Wednesday in May from 3-7 pm.

Sacred Heart Church is located at 12 Cottage Street Danbury, CT 06810.

(For more information, call 211 or visit ct.gov/covidvaccine. For guests who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711.)

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As vaccines continue to roll out, I’m starting to notice a sense of urgency in people to return to life as it was before the pandemic. While I understand the excitement to see friends and family again, and to once again enjoy certain activities we’ve missed out on, I find myself wondering what the rush is to get back to “the way things were before.”

If there is anything this time has taught me, it is that there are certain things in life that hold less weight in the grand scheme of things. I suspect all of us in one way or another have asked ourselves similar questions: When it comes down to it, are those extra hours in the office really going to make you happier? Do we trade too much of our time for “success” or things we want to buy or think we need to be happy? Have we learned anything about ourselves and our lives from the suffering and loss of the pandemic?

Many national surveys suggest that the “new normal” will be more difficult and challenging— maybe not a world we readily want to deal with. At the same time, we hear that people are reluctant to return to the “old” normal. They don’t want the rush hour commutes and sitting in traffic just a mile away from home or work. They’d like to be able to work from home more often where possible and have time in their life for other things.

And we also know what people miss—the unmasked freedom of being with others, enjoying life without the anxiety of exposure; being able to gather with family and friends; to go back to church and other parish activities and live a purposeful life.

I was hopeful that experiencing a global pandemic would help people slow down and take stock of the things that are really important, and that it would spark an overall shift in what we value. I, for one, have learned so much about what those things are, and I hope it has changed the way I approach many things in my life.

I don’t think we should forget the more than 500,000 lives lost in our country alone, and many are still grieving even as those of us who went relatively unscathed are trying to recover what we lost and to move on.

While we’ve been inspired by the heroism of so many people during the pandemic, we’ve also been reminded that some lives have been worth more than others—that many of the poor and most vulnerable were far less healthy and did not have easy access to care. So we learn that a person’s value should not be based in her or his job, but as Christians we know that God tells us we are valuable in and of ourselves. Matthew 10:31 says, “So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” God sees our inherent value, outside of what we do to make a living, can we do the same for ourselves and others?

In our rush to get back to life as we knew it, I don’t want us to forget what happened here. I don’t want us to forget these 500,000+ people who no longer get to live their lives. How can we honor them in the way we live our lives moving forward?

I hope the pandemic has helped people realize that the things that set our souls on fire are the pursuits that make life worth living. As Matthew 6:34 says, “Tomorrow will take care of itself.” God assures us of this. Can we trust Him and begin to live our lives the way He intended them for us?

Having the knowledge we do now of how the things of true importance can be taken from us so quickly, can we really go back to the way things were before? In his Pastoral Exhortation, “Let us Enter the Upper Room with the Lord,” Bishop Frank J. Caggiano offers us an answer. He urges us to find courage and strength in God’s love for us and to joyfully share it with others.

In his wise words, we realize that the way of the Gospel and the ways of the world are not one and the same. And faith gives us a fullness that is not found anywhere else. I guess the challenge is to remember what happened here and what we learned during this time. Let us be intentional about how we move forward, as a testament to the lives that were lost.

When the pandemic hit, my biggest regret was not traveling more. Looking back, I wish I had taken every opportunity to see the world and experience new things. There are so many places I want to see and cultures I want to learn more about.

During this time, I’ve had to find other ways to broaden my worldview and step outside my com-fort zone.

One of my favorite ways to “travel” is through books. I’ve always been a big reader. I remember sneaking Harry Potter books under my desk in grammar school (sorry to any of my teachers reading this). Having more time at home has given me the ability to read more than I could before. I read 81 books in 2020 and my goal is to reach 100 in 2021. I have been able to start writing and sharing more book reviews, which is something I really enjoy.

My reading has taken me everywhere from fictional lands to Regency England to Chicago in 2008.

There is so much to be said for taking a look beyond where we grew up. There is so much to learn from other cultures, religions and from looking back on history itself. We can learn from the mis-takes that were made in the past, gain understanding of the struggles of people different than us and use that insight to inform the way we live our lives.

Another way I’ve “traveled” during the pandemic is through cooking.

I’ll admit, I’m not a very good cook. I can make basic meals, but my favorite is the “just throw it all in a pan” method. If it doesn’t require a ton of preparation or clean-up, that’s a good option for me.

I have begun to look at entering into both reading and cooking as I would entering into prayer— with a steadiness and a reverence. Like time spent in prayer, each ingredient is meant to nourish my body and keep me healthy, each page is a salve to a soul that longs to be somewhere new.

Instead of viewing cooking as a chore that needs to be done, I’ve found it helps to view it as some-thing fun, where I can learn and discover new things—about food, but also about patience and the power of “letting it go.” Yes, I just spilled that flour all over the counter, but that’s okay. Sharpening my knife skills can be a way to sharpen my mind.

Entering into cooking in this way has also been a way for me to learn about different cultures. I typically enjoy Asian and Mediterranean dishes, so it has been fun to learn about what kinds of in-gredients are used in these dishes and why. At a time when travel isn’t possible, viewing cooking new dishes as a way to experience different lands and cultures has been a healthy respite.

So, during this Lenten season, I’ll continue to travel through books and poems, and I’ll work on the virtue of patience. There is something to be said for not rushing through the dinner experience, but rather savoring the moments of it—the good and the bad. The same goes for savoring a good book— really delving into the scenery and getting to know the characters. I guess the same could be said for life itself. Lent teaches us to wait, to prepare, to learn gratitude—and that life isn’t meant to be rushed through.

The pandemic has forced us to slow down. For many, this has been a challenge, especially when we were still in a state of not knowing, unable to see family and friends, and unsure of what was to come.

Now that cases have gone down, we have slowly been able to gather in small groups again, especially outdoors. This has been a saving grace for many.

I don’t want to down-play the seriousness of the pandemic, and I recognize how fortunate I am not to have lost a loved one or a job or anything else of great importance to me. I feel grateful for that every day. I will say, though, having extra time to reflect and slow-down has truly been a blessing for me.

I have learned so much about what I truly value and what is important to me. I have learned that there were things in my life that were no longer serving me.

If I didn’t have this time, I probably would have just kept blindly going on without realizing that I was carrying things that I didn’t need to anymore.

I feel like God tries to tell us these things in small ways, but when we are too busy, we tend not to notice His messages.

When we don’t stop and listen and take stock of what we’re feeling, we can get caught up in things that He didn’t intend for us. Paths that He may not have cleared for us but that we forced our way through anyway.

I don’t know what life post-pandemic is going to look like. I’ve gotten used to wearing a mask. I actually kind of enjoy it because it provides a convenient disguise when I’m running errands in sweatpants and don’t want to be seen.

I’ve been able to take stock of where my priorities lie. The question of “do I really need to go there or do that thing?” or “is it worth risking my life or the life of a loved one for that particular activity?” have helped me cut my schedule down to what is more manageable for me, which makes me a lot happier in the long-run. Things that once required a drive and a meet-up can now just be a quick phone call or an e-mail, which leaves us all with so much more time to devote to meaningful connection (for all us, “that meeting could’ve easily been an email” folks, this is a welcome relief).

I know it’s the introvert in me speaking (I’m sorry extraverts, I know this time is probably ten times more difficult for you! I hear you, I see you), but I just feel like this slower way of life is more suited to intentional living.

I don’t think He wanted us to thrive in the rat race. I think He wanted us to live our lives with intention and purpose, taking stock regularly of whether what we are doing is serving Him or whether it’s just useless noise.

I turn to one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite saints, St. Francis de Sales (the patron saint of writers and journalists, which explains why he is very near and dear to my heart). He writes, “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

The whole world does seem upset. And some of that is for very good reason. And there is a time to engage in that, for sure. We have a duty as members of society and humans on this earth. But we can always return to our inner peace. We can find that grounding within ourselves and go back there when it all seems to be too much. Because only if we begin with the steadying of our own selves, can we then go out and make a difference in the world.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY—Starting Friday, ALL Hartford HealthCare vaccination sites will be open to walk-ins for vaccination.

Hartford HealthCare had been offering a pilot program at a few sites this week.

Due to the success of the pilot program, Hartford HealthCare will now offer walk-in availability across the state, as well.

You can find Hartford HealthCare’s vaccine clinic locations here:

https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health-wellness/covid-vaccine/locations

STAMFORD—Learn about the science of COVID-19 and vaccine safety from national, state and local experts. Thursday, May 13, from 7 pm to 7:30 pm. Watch live: www.stamfordct.gov/livestream

 

BRIDGEPORT—When Father Skip Karcsinski looks back on the challenges Blessed Sacrament Church confronted during the COVID lockdown, he says they would have been insurmountable if his parish did not receive a grant from Foundations in Faith to overhaul its technology and communications systems.

So many problems that had been endurable before quickly reached crisis proportions with the pandemic, or as Father Skip puts it, “COVID changed everything.”

The parish phone system was completely outdated and couldn’t receive or leave messages. A former employee, now deceased, who had worked at the church 18 years ago had recorded the prompts … and nothing had changed in almost 20 years.

Because the outdated parish technology was linked together, Blessed Sacrament needed a complete overhaul of the phones, alarm system, office computers, software, Internet, doorbells, security system and cameras…not to mention the website. In addition, the pandemic made it necessary to live-stream services and conduct religious education classes online with Zoom. The list was a long one, and the project took nine months.

“That’s how bad our situation was,” he recalls. “They asked me, ‘How can you possibly function like this?’ You see, we are a very hands-on parish, and our people prefer to visit in person rather than use the phone. We functioned well enough until COVID. This grant changed everything. It was providential and allowed us to continue to serve our people during very difficult circumstances.”

Blessed Sacrament is the first church in the Diocese of Bridgeport to receive the Francis Xavier Technology & Communication Enhancement Grant for missionary parishes, from Foundations in Faith, which is supported by the We Stand With Christ Campaign.

Kelly Weldon, director of Foundations in Faith, said: “This was a huge success for us. The Blessed Sacrament team dug deep and embraced technology and all the learning and changes that go along with a significant upgrade. They were willing to step out of their comfort zone and the results speak for themselves.”

Weldon said that because of the pandemic, pastors had to shift gears quickly and embrace a lot of new technology that would let them connect with their parishioners and bring Mass into their homes. Those who had never before filled out an online form suddenly found themselves live-streaming Mass to hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

“Our parishes with financial burdens—our missionary parishes—did not have the technology they needed to do this,” she said. “And Joe Sindelar, vice chairman of Foundations in Faith and the board advocate of the St. Francis Xavier Fund, recognized the importance of getting Mass live-streamed everywhere in the diocese.”

The project was undertaken by Liz Tamarkin and her company Newfound Consulting LLC, which assessed the scope of the upgrade and implemented the changes with the parish team.

“Each grant application begins with an in-depth interview to get to know the parish community, how they like to communicate, and understand where the parish is currently with their technology infrastructure and use,” Tamarkin said. “I have been amazed at how these pastors push forward with things like phone systems that haven’t worked in years, staff members without computers, or a church with a broken sound system. The SFX Fund allows these burdens to be lifted and makes it easier for the pastors and their administrative team to serve their community.”

Father Skip said everything that interfered with the life of the parish because of COVID was greatly remedied by the grant and the new technology.

“We even had a couple of Zoom retreats, which have been great fun, and the children are still receiving religious education online, which is overseen by Karen Soares-Robinson our director of religious education,” he said.

And while the children adapted quickly to the technological changes, Father Skip concedes that he and his staff “needed a lot of tutoring and mentoring and some personnel help, which the grant provided.”

The parish was also able to bring on a retired educator, Natalie Foust, to work with ParishSOFT, a church management software that interfaces with the diocese.

“We are coming along, and we needed a lot of patience,” he says, “so we’re very grateful to Liz and her team.”

Father Skip, who has been a priest 42 years and pastor for nine, said he is especially grateful for the grant from Foundations in Faith and the patience of the people who completed the work over a period of nine months.

“They were troopers,” he said. “It was more involved and complicated than they anticipated.”

“I compliment the SFX committee on looking at a full approach to helping these parishes move forward, which includes training and support,” Tamarkin said. “They understand that putting new hardware in place will only benefit the parish if the pastor and staff understand how to integrate it into their daily use. They also understand that ongoing training and support allows the parish team to grow in their use of the technology. I’ve really enjoyed seeing eyes light up when a team member learns how much time their new skills are going to save them or how to collaborate with their team to work together.”

And what about that antiquated phone system?

Tamarkin said that the new phone system allows people to call at any time and get the information they need from the auto-attendant on everything from Mass and Confession times to cancelations and parish events, in both English and Spanish. They can also leave messages for the parish staff, which is especially important when office hours are limited.

Tamarkin and her team have now begun work at St. George Church in Bridgeport, which will be followed by St. Mary of Stamford Parish.

The St. Francis Xavier grants are available to “missionary parishes,” which Weldon defined as those that are vibrant in their communities with strong pastoral and lay leadership, and excellent ministries and outreach. They are in urban environments and dealing with socioeconomic burdens.

“We are in constant contact with our missionary parishes about their needs,” Weldon said. “When they express a need that falls under technology and communications, the program is explained to them. This is so important because every pastor and every parish deserves to have the same quality and ability to connect with parishioners and share the good news about the work they are doing.”

Weldon urges anyone who would like to donate or support the St. Francis Xavier Technology & Communication Grants or other initiatives of Foundations in Faith to contact her at kelly.weldon@foundationsinfaith.org.