FOUR COUNTY Rejoicing in the good of others DIOCESE Love of NORWICH VOLUME 31 • CATHOLICNUMBER 2 • FEBRUARY 2019 SERVING THE COUNTIES OF MIDDLESEX, NEW LONDON, TOLLAND, WINDHAM, CT & FISHERS ISLAND, NY NORWICHDIOCESE.ORG Love Life, Choose Life March for Life 2019 - Washington D. C. FOUR COUNTY CATHOLIC NORWICHDIOCESE.ORG SERVING THE COUNTIES OF MIDDLESEX • NEW LONDON • TOLLAND • WINDHAM, CT & FISHERS ISLAND, NY 10 Established in 1989 and published each month except July. “Your life isn’t your own, it’s a gift from IGod, to be given isback toI Him. Serving ue Made Possible in part through your generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal Discover more at Him is praising Him.” NorwichDiocese.org Curtis Martin, founder and CEO of FOCUS, PUBLISHER Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D. 860.887.9294 speaking at the SEEK conference. Bishop of Norwich EDITORIAL OFFICE 14 31 Perkins Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360-3613 Fax 860.859.1253 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS/EXECUTIVE EDITOR “As Disciples of Christ, we are asked Wayne Gignac, 860.886.1281 [email protected] to be ‘good stewards’ and share our time, ADVERTISING SALES/PRODUCTION MANAGER talent and treasures.” Meredith Morrison, 860.887.3933 [email protected] THEOLOGICAL ADVISOR Kathy Gaito speaking about the new ACA theme Very Reverend Ted F. Tumicki, S.T.L., J.C.L., J.V. 860.887.9294 “Hand in Hand with All God’s Children”. ADDRESS CHANGES Please be sure to notify us of an address change, a name change of a recipient 16 of the Four County Catholic, or a request to discontinue receiving the newspaper. You may notify us via email at [email protected] or call 860-887-3933. Thank you for helping us maintain accurate mailing .norwichdiocese.org “ e March for Life was a very powerful experience. It was very inspiring to see information to better serve you. PRINTING/LAYOUT | www | and be with so many people marching The Hartford Courant, 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 060115 for the protection of all lives. EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING DEADLINES Natalie Burkhard, 12th Grader from e Academy The deadline for advertising and editorial is the fi rst Monday of the previous month. Articles limited to 500-word max; letters to the editor limited to 200-word of the Holy Family refl ecting on her experience while max and must include name, address and phone number for verifi cation. Email attending the March for Life rally. photos as JPEG attachments and MS Word copy to [email protected] or fax to 860.859.1253. Publication not guaranteed. The Editor reserves the right to reject, omit or edit all editorial and advertising copy. Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily refl ect the editorial position of this newspaper. FOUR COUNTY CATHOLIC CATHOLIC COUNTY FOUR © Copyright 2019, Diocese of Norwich. All rights reserved. | | No content may be reproduced without expressed consent. Periodical Postage paid at Hartford, CT 06101 and at additional offi ces. Students from the Academy of the POSTMASTER - SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: HolyO Family, locatede Cover in Baltic, Four County Catholic, 31 Perkins Ave., Norwich, CT 06360-3613 attended the annual March for FEBRUARY 2019 FEBRUARY Life rally in Washington DC on January 18, 2019. FOUR COUNTY CATHOLIC Issue 2 February (PE 9934) is published monthly except Story on page 16. July by The Diocese of Norwich, 31 Perkins Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360-3613. Periodicals postage paid in Hartford, CT 06101 and at additional mailing offi ces. 2 THE MOST REVEREND MICHAEL R. COTE, D.D. BISHOP OF NORWICH LET FAITH LEAD THE WAY Every Life a Gift My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, U.S. are going down. Abortion clinics are importance of prayer in transforming our closing, lives are being saved. Recent news culture from a culture of death to a culture events have shown us, there is still much work of life. January 22, 2019 marked the forty-sixth that needs to be done. anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Through prayer, sacri ce, education and Court decision. This year, as has become It was heartbreaking to see the lost souls efforts such as the March for Life we will a tradition, hundreds of thousands of the celebrating the signing of a late-term pro- once again cultivate the sense of wonder faithful gathered in Washington, DC for the abortion rights law in the bordering state surrounding the gift of human life. It is a annual March for Life. This year's March, of New York or to hear Virginia’s governor, message of great joy, as Saint John Paul .norwichdiocese.org held on January 18th, was themed: " Unique a pediatric neurosurgeon, describe the II wrote, "Inspired by this contemplative infanticide of a baby born alive during a outlook, the new people of the redeemed from Day One: Pro Life is Pro Science." It www | was inspiring to see young and old gathered third-trimester abortion. Death of babies is cannot but respond with songs of joy, praise to witness to life – a sign of hope that Life is not a healthcare solution! Late term abortion and thanksgiving for the priceless gift of life." winning in America. is the devil’s work — destructive to a civilized Thank you for all that you do in the service society. Depriving a voiceless pre-born child of life here in the Diocese of Norwich. Life The teaching of the church on human life of his or her personhood is more than a has been consistent and clear, especially is winning! Let us continue to cultivate a slippery slope, it is diving off the cliff of deep and rich appreciation for the wonder of as it refers to the unborn. "Since the rst human decency and God’s moral law. These century the church has af rmed the moral human life and the many gifts with which we actions are not compassionate for the child have been blessed. evil of procured abortion.” (CCC 2271) or the mother. Pope Francis echoes these statements in CATHOLIC COUNTY FOUR his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Yes, it is important that we work to change laws. However, it is more important to change | Exsultate. He writes: "Our defense of the Sincerely yours in Christ, innocent unborn, needs to be clear, rm, hearts – prayerfully and with compassion and passionate, for at stake is the dignity toward those who are on the wrong side of of a human life which is always sacred and this issue. Love not hate will overcome. Light demands love for each person, regardless of not darkness will win. So, speak out when his or her stage of development." and where you can; in your homes, churches workplace and social media. In his landmark Bishop of Norwich 2019 FEBRUARY Since 1973 over sixty million lives have been encyclical Evangelium Vitae, the Gospel lost to abortion. These are appalling statistics! of Life, Saint John Paul II, stresses the Recent studies suggest that abortions in the 3 Promise To ProTecT • PLEDGE TO HEAL Diocese of Norwich Of ce of the Bishop 201 Broadway Norwich, Connecticut 06360 (860) 887-9294 MICHAEL R. COTE, D.D. February 7, 2019 and found guilty in a civil criminal court of any priests incardinated in the Diocese of Norwich, incident of sexual misconduct of a minor; and/or 7 priests who were members of religious orders, 2 priests who were from another diocese but My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, • An allegation has been investigated and has been determined to be reasonable, plausible, working in the Diocese of Norwich, and 12 probable, and bearing the semblance of truth; priests who served or resided in the Diocese I shared with you in January what the Diocese and/or of Norwich but who had allegations brought of Norwich is doing to address the scourge forward elsewhere from outside the diocese, in • An allegation that is corroborated with other total 43 priests, roughly 2.8 percent of all clergy of sexual abuse of minors by clergy and our evidence or another source; and/or commitment to restore trust and faith and ensure affi liated with the Diocese of Norwich since a safe environment in our churches, schools, • An allegation that has been acknowledged or 1953. Since 1953, the clergy who served in and other institutions. The Diocese of Norwich admitted to by the accused. the Diocese of Norwich or were present in the is committed to protecting children and young The names presented of the accused clergy with diocese for a temporary ministry assignment people so that the tragedy of sexual abuse does allegations of substance is based on the review include, 5 bishops, 1,422 priests (351 diocesan not occur. of all clergy records by a team of volunteer lay priests incardinated in the Diocese of Norwich, .norwichdiocese.org 914 religious order priests, 134 priests from The Diocese of Norwich, since the enactment of people with law enforcement and canonical experience. The publication of names will another diocese working in the Diocese of its fi rst Sexual Misconduct Policy in 1990 and the Norwich, and 23 priests who had residence or | www | implementation of the United States Conference be updated as any new information becomes available. a temporary ministry in the diocese), and 114 of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection deacons. of Children and Young People in 2002, continues The names of those clergy in the Diocese of to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors Norwich who have been accused over the past 65 The records of the fi nancial expenditures made by clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons) and has years, since the establishment of the diocese on as a result of the abuse of minors by clergy was experienced a signifi cant reduction of reported August 6, 1953, will be posted on the diocesan compiled from data available as of January 31, allegations of abuse.