All Diocesan Articles

St. Joseph is honored with feast days throughout the Liturgical Year. This feast encourages us to look at Joseph's role as husband and head of the Holy Family. Most of what we know about the life of St. Joseph comes to us from Scripture and legends that have sprung up regarding his life. Though Joseph is only mentioned by two of the evangelists, he is paid the compliment of being a "just" man. This is a way of saying that Joseph was such a good and holy man that he shares in God's own holiness. In addition, Joseph gives us an example of h...

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On Sunday, March 15th at St. Joseph's in Rockville, more than 400 people were on hand to celebrate the Confirmation of 33 of our young people from St. Joseph's, Blessed Sacrament, St. Luke's and St. Edward's with Bishop Richard Reidy.   The Catholic sacrament of Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments and is considered a key step in a Christian’s spiritual journey. It completes the grace received at Baptism and strengthens the individual’s relationship with God. Through Confirmation, a person is sealed with the gift of the Holy...

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Led by our fearless leader, Bishop Richard Reidy, we embarked on Wednesday, March 18th from a beautiful Pro-Life Mass celebrated by our Good Sheperd at the Cathedral to Hartford to attend the Rally and March For Life, peacefully praying and demonstrating for the respect of all life and the protection of the unborn. Bishop Reidy gave the closing remarks, prayer and blessing. For many of us, with the Cathedral School children attending the morning kick-off Mass, their precious young voices praying the Our Father, touched our hearts and brought tears to many eyes, making fo...

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The Diocese of Norwich mourns the passing of Sister Joan Marie Crapps, 77, who passed away peacefully on March 16, 2026, at St. Joseph Living Center, following complications from cancer, a disease she faced with courage and faith for seven years. Born on December 21, 1948, in St. Paul, Minnesota, she was the daughter of the late Steve and Eda Mae (Dreager) Crapps. Drawn to a life of service at a young age, Sister Joan entered the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church in Baltic, Connecticut, in September 1966. She professed her Perpetual Vows in 1975, dedic...

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Each year on March 25, the Church pauses to celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the moment when heaven touched earth in a profound and life-changing way. The account of this sacred encounter is found in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:26–38). On this day, we recall the angel Gabriel’s visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary, bringing news that would alter the course of human history: she was chosen to bear the Son of God. Scripture tells us: “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Jose...

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The Blessing of the Easter baskets is a long-cherished tradition in the Catholic faith. Rooted in religious significance and cultural heritage, it has come to hold profound meaning for people of all ethnic backgrounds. Its roots date back to the early 12th century history of Poland, and is now observed by many Eastern European countries, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Many Eastern Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, including Czechs, Croatians, Hungarians, Lithuanians, Russians, Slovaks and Ukrainians, also participate in this holy ritual. On Holy...

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