Monday night I traveled to the Franciscan Life Center in Meriden to listen to Peter Wolfgang, Esq., executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, whom I wanted to hear speak partly to "vet" him as he will be speaking here at Saint Catherine of Siena on Tuesday, July 3rd at 7 p.m. on the issue of Religious Freedom, vis-à-vis the context of the debate over the Health Care Mandate. I was impressed. Actually I was happy to hear the focus of his discussion to be one of unity and not division. Please click the title to read more...Truth

Many of the members of our very successful Youth Minis-try program are seniors and will be heading off to colleges, universi-ties, work and service once the summer months come to a close. And while their physical presence will be missed by our parish, their impact as thoughtful and actively involved young men and women practicing their faith will not fade with the summer temperatures. Please click the title to read more...

In today’s second reading, from St. Paul in 2 Corinthians (8:7,9,13-15), we hear of this gracious act of Jesus Christ—the “GA” is that Christ becomes one of us, sharing in our limitations, our sufferings, our trials, our joy—sharing the whole of our lives in both the physical and mental spheres of humanity. St. Paul hopes that you also “may excel in this gracious act.” But we do this in a different way: Christ accepted willingly our sufferings—sharing in our lives; so now we must “give up” these sufferings by sharing in His life: with an honest belief and trust in God. To let go of these sufferings in the sense of a gracious act. Cliack the title to read more....

Recently I celebrated my 9th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. While it is not a long time, in the grand scheme of life, it made me consider what I love most about my vocation and count the many blessings of being a Catholic priest. Firstly, I enjoy people and the priesthood enables one to be involved in people’s lives at special moments—in the baptisms of their children, in the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation, in the preparation of marriages, and yes—in difficult times of illness and even death. No matter what the "happening" taking place, there is always a sacred joy of being part of someone’s experience of God, even if only in an outward way...Click the title to read more!

Catholics and many other Americans have strongly criti-cized the recent Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandate requiring almost all private health plans to cover contracep-tion, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. For the first time in our history, the federal government will force religious institutions to fund and facilitate coverage of a drug or procedure contrary to their moral teaching, and purport to define which religious institutions are "religious enough" to merit an exemption. Click the title to read more...

Help Support The Office of Radio and Television and WJMJ-WJMJ will be conducting its semi-annual radio-thon Thursday, June 21st through Saturday, June 23rd, to raise operating capital. Click the title to read more...

The Catholic Church will begin promoting Fortnight for Freedom, a 14-day period from June 21 (Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More) until July 4th when Catholics from across the United States are being asked by the Bishops to focus on prayer, special devotions,and catechetical sessions dedicated to the preservation of religious freedom. In next week’s bulletin you will receive a notice of the events taking place here at Saint Catherine of Siena and I encourage you to participate in this time of prayer—for both our religious freedom and for unity and peace in our nation during this very heated and scary time. Click the title to read more...