Home/Stay Informed/All Diocesan Articles

All Diocesan Articles

Current Articles | Archives | Search

Bishop Cote's Christmas Message for 2021

Posted on December 23, 2021 in: Reflections

Bishop Cote's Christmas Message for 2021

December 2021 Four County Catholic

Christmas Message 2021

“And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

These words speak to us, in a beautifully poetic way, of our Lord’s miraculous gift of Himself - a gift which He gave to the world when He humbly took flesh and was born in the simple manger in Bethlehem. The gift, the true meaning of the Christmas event, is that the Lord, the Eternal Word and Son of God the Father, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The mystery and miracle of our Lord’s Incarnation stands at the very heart of our Catholic faith. It is the source of our hope. God’s great love and mercy, as proclaimed in the Gospel message, began with the birth of a child who would grow, teach us the truth of the Gospel, and ultimately offer His very life in sacrifice, providing for those who believe in Him the tremendous grace to share eternal life with God and all the saints in heaven. May we never forget this miraculous gift of God’s love. Our annual celebration of the Lord’s Nativity provides an important reminder to us of the true depth of the love that He continues to pour forth upon each of us and our world. The opportunity to encounter the same Lord Jesus who was born in the manger in Bethlehem but is now risen and glorified - who again humbles Himself to become present to us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity - is now found in the Most Holy Eucharist. Intimately tied to our Lord’s Incarnation, the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist is the mystery by which He continues to make his dwelling among us here and now. Sadly, as multiple surveys conducted in recent years have shown, belief in the true and real presence of the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist has declined significantly, even among those who self-identify as Catholics and who attend Mass regularly. This disturbing trend should be a cause of great concern for us all, but we must not lose hope! In response to these trends, the Bishops of the United States have recently approved a catechetical document on the Most Holy Eucharist that is being prepared for publication in the new year. Plans for a national Eucharistic revival have also been approved. More information about these two initiatives will be forthcoming. It is my hope that they will reawaken and reinvigorate our understanding of this great gift of the Lord’s presence in the most Holy Eucharist. In the meantime, let us pray with greater fervor throughout this Christmas season that these initiatives will be successful and that we will never take the miraculous gift of our Lord’s birth, or of His abiding presence among us in the Most Holy Eucharist for granted. May you, your families and loved ones have a truly merry Christmas and a New Year filled with God’s blessings!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop of Norwich

Most Viewed Articles of the Last 30 Days

June Belongs to the Sacred Heart

Posted on June 04, 2025 in: Reflections

1107

The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion that draws us into the tender, burning love of Christ for all humanity. As this month begins, we are invited not only to contemplate His pierced heart but also to allow our own hearts to be shaped by His mercy. The Sacred Heart is more than a symbol; it is the very center of our faith, offering consolation, healing, and renewal. In a world often marked by indifference and division, devotion to the Sacred Heart calls us to live with compassion. We are encouraged to see others through the...

Read More

A Prayer for Father's Day

Posted on June 12, 2025 in: Reflections

1073

Dear God, Thank you for loving us with your perfect heart of a father. We ask you this Father's Day and always to guide and protect the hearts of all men in fatherly roles who are striving to love with your heart and do your work. Give them pure, chaste, courageous, and creative hearts like Saint Joseph. Give them hearts that never tire of serving those they are called to love. Give them hearts that seek out their loved ones and gently turn their gaze to see You, who is Love. And we ask you, Father, to bless them abundantly today....

Read More

Bishop Reidy's Pastoral on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Posted on June 18, 2025 in: Reflections

611

Bishop Reidy's Pastoral on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

June 16, 2025 My dear friends in Christ, This weekend we observe the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). This day reminds us in a particular way of the great gift of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist has been called God’s gift par excellence because it is the gift of Jesus Himself and of His saving work. Jesus is present to us in many ways---- in the Scriptures, in all the sacraments, in the assembly of the faithful gathered to pray at Mass, and in the prie...

Read More

Knights of Columbus Column: Making Room for Grace

Posted on June 03, 2025 in: Reflections

376

Knights of Columbus Column: Making Room for Grace

Humility can be a rare commodity these days. It’s not often spoken of in business or in the halls of government as a virtue to be pursued. Instead, popular books on the “rules of power” frame it as a personal deficiency that should at least be hidden if it cannot be overcome. Such views betray a misunderstanding. Humility does not equal weakness or a lack of confidence, nor does it mean pretending that you are unworthy and have nothing of value to contribute. To the contrary, humility is not about you at all. It’s about thinking of others more tha...

Read More