All Diocesan Articles

Reverend John Stanley Gwudz, a retired priest of the Diocese of Norwich, died on Monday, January 26, 2026, in San Diego, California, following a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements are pending in California, where he resided for many years, with burial to follow at the Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego. Father John was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on July 1, 1946. He attended Falls School and St. Joseph School, and graduated from St. Bernard High School. He continued his priestly formation at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and at Our Lady of the ...

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  Married couples are invited to step away from the busyness of daily life and invest in their relationship at a Marriage Retreat Day titled God Chose You for Me, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Hartford. The retreat will take place on Saturday, March 21, at the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Pastoral Center in Bloomfield. Designed as a day of reflection, prayer, and renewal, the retreat focuses on deepening the spirituality of marriage and strengthening the bond between husband and wife. Rooted in the missio...

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The Diocese of Norwich mourns the passing of Rev. Victor Chaker, who died on February 3, 2026, at Bayview Nursing Home in Waterford, Connecticut, at the age of 91. Born September 15, 1934, in Port Said, Egypt, Father Chaker pursued advanced studies in science and engineering before answering God’s call to the priesthood later in life. Father Chaker studied at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Norwich on May 31, 2003, at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Norwich. He served the faithful of St. Mary Parish in C...

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”   On a frigid evening, the Catholic community of the University of Connecticut at Storrs gave Bishop of Norwich Richard F. Reidy a warm welcome at the annual Young Adult Mass held on Sunday, February 1.  It was the bishop’s first time celebrating the Norwich diocese’s Young Adult Mass, and the Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapel on the UConn campus was almost filled to capacity for the occasion.  In his homily, Bishop Reidy acknowledged the challenges we all fac...

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Catholic Charities is seeking volunteers for the following positions: Receptionist(s): Bilingual, greet clients, answer phones and other responsibilities. Grant Writer(s): Previous grant writing experience, flexible hours, work from home. Finance Volunteer: Enter data information. Digital Designer: Applies creative thinking and technical skills to design content for websites. Web Developer: Designs, builds, maintains websites or web applications Fundraiser: Design, plans and executes events to raise funds for Catholic Charities.   Please send yo...

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St. Vincent de Paul Place Norwich  is preparing for our annual Easter basket distribution, bringing joy to children in our community. We are seeking approximately 1,000 filled Easter baskets to meet the needs of local families. Distribution will begin March 16, 2026, and baskets can be dropped off at St. Vincent de Paul Place, 120 Cliff Street, Norwich. For more information, please contact Jill at jcsvdpp@gmail.com or 860-889-7374.   Thank you for helping make Easter brighter for the children we serve!

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