The Church in Connecticut

The Diocese of Bridgeport Vocations Office hosted a Called to the Fire event for young Catholic men on October 23 at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield. Participants gathered around a bonfire to discuss faith, friendship, and their personal relationships with God.

The event included dinner, music, and conversation regarding the participants' lives and struggles. Father Férry Galbert, the vocations director for the diocese, organized the gathering following his attendance at the Vocare Institute, an annual meeting for vocation directors in the United States.

The Gillis Literacy Center opened at Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School on October 30 to provide reading support for Catholic school students in Bridgeport. The center is the first of five literacy spaces planned for the city.

A $6.3 million gift from Dr. Margie Gillis and Chip Gillis funds a five-year initiative to assist more than 1,000 students. The program provides one-on-one reading intervention for students and personalized coaching for teachers.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano spoke at the opening, noting the gift would benefit many young people. Steven Velardo, president of Foundations in Education, hosted the event. Stacie Stueber, the diocese superintendent of schools, stated the resources address the need for individualized support in classrooms.

A statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, believed to have been purchased by Blessed Michael J. McGivney in the 19th century, has been placed outside Immaculate Conception Church in Terryville. The statue was discovered in storage this past spring and has since been mounted on a rebuilt pedestal on the right side of the church.

A historical ledger maintained by McGivney includes an 1886 entry stating he purchased a Sacred Heart statue for the church. McGivney served as pastor of St. Thomas Church in Thomaston from 1884 until 1890, a position that included the Immaculate Conception Mission. The mission and St. Thomas Church are now part of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish.

Archbishop William Lori, the supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, blessed the statue this past June. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 while serving as parochial vicar at St. Mary Church in New Haven.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano joined local entrepreneurs on October 22 for the launch of the Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin Guild for Business Owners at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. The guild is a partnership between the Diocese of Bridgeport and His Way at Work, an international association that helps business owners integrate faith into their workplaces.

Nearly 40 business owners attended the kickoff event to learn about consecrating their companies to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Deacon Patrick Toole, chancellor and secretary of the curia, said the guild provides specific formation for leaders and offers a way for business owners to support one another.

His Way at Work was founded in 2008 by Peter Freissle to help companies build cultures based on service and compassion. The new diocesan guild seeks to connect Catholic entrepreneurs and explore how their faith affects their professional leadership.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano blessed a new perpetual adoration chapel at St. Benedict-Our Lady of Montserrat Church in Stamford on Sunday. The blessing followed a quarter-mile procession from St. Mary Church, where more than 1,000 people walked through the streets accompanied by a police escort and musicians.

During the procession, Bishop Caggiano carried the Blessed Sacrament in a golden monstrance under a canopy. Father Juan Gabriel Acosta led the group in prayer, including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and various litanies.

The new chapel will provide continuous access to the Eucharist for the faithful. The sisters of the Eucharistic Communicators of the Heavenly Father will oversee the chapel.