St. Joseph Medal of Appreciation

While the Olympic medal presentations have been completed, many in the Archdiocese of Hartford are winning a different sort of medal… the St. Joseph Medal of Appreciation. Archbishop Henry J. Mansell will present the Medal of Appreciation on Sunday, March 7th at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Since 2002, the St. Joseph Medal of Appreciation has been given to parishioners from around the Archdiocese who exhibit distinguished and outstanding service to the Church. This year, Archbishop Henry J. Mansell will honor 208 people, the most St. Joseph Medal winners ever in one year.

March for Life - Washington, D.C.

Hundreds of thousands of people are pouring into Washington D.C. to protest abortion for the annual March for Life. Office of Radio and Television reporter Jason Calvi is with a group from the Archdiocese of Hartford. Tonight there will be a special Mass, which, we're told, more than 10,000 people will attend. Tomorrow, a pro-life breakfast, another Mass, and then the march itself. WJMJ and Crossroads Magazine will be there live and bring you reports throughout the day.

Deacon Charles Dietsch to Speak on Experience in Haiti Earthquake

Deacon Chuck Dietsch of Sacred Heart Parish in Southbury has returned from Haiti after being rescued from the rubble when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the region.
He will speak about his experience in the quake and his mission in Haiti, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19, 2010, at his parish in Southbury at 10:00 a.m.
Deacon Chuck first visited Haiti in 2007 with other members of Sacred Heart Parish, a visit that eventually culminated in a decision to twin the parish with Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish in Gran Boulage, Haiti in October 2009.

Since then, Deacon Chuck has been serving with the Office of Haitian Ministries of the Diocese of Norwich to work with groups of Americans who came to Haiti through the Norwich Mission House for a cultural and spiritual immersion in Haiti.

He arrived for his mission there just days before the earthquake shook the country. He and Jillian Thorpe, also from Connecticut, were buried under the rubble for 10 hours before being rescued.

Deacon Chuck was taken to the American Embassy in Port-au-Prince and then flown to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic before being flown back to the United States. He is presently recuperating from his injuries at home.


WHO: Deacon Chuck Dietsch of Sacred Heart Parish
WHAT: Speaking on his experiences in Haiti, before, during and after the earthquake. Increasing awareness to the disaster there that still requires help and funds.
WHEN: Tomorrow, January, 19, 2010, 10 a.m.
WHERE: Sacred Heart Parish, 910 Main St. South, Southbury


Deacon Chuck will speak at 10 a.m. and take questions afterward.

Waterbury Native One Step Closer to Sainthood

Hartford Archbishop Henry Mansell has just signed the documents of the investigation into a possible miracle attributed to the founder of the Knights of Columbus, Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney. The information is now being sent to the Holy See, where a team of medical experts and theologians at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will investigate the potential miracle.

Make sure to watch Crossroads Magazine this Saturday for the full story. Crossroads airs Saturday on WTXX at 10:30 a.m., and My TV 9 at 10:35 p.m.

Priest Chef Out Cooks Renowned Chef Bobby Flay

Father Leo Patalinghug beat world-famous chef Bobby Flay in a steak fajita cook-off on the Food Network’s Throwdown! With Bobby Flay. Father Patalinghug works at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where some of our Archdiocese of Hartford seminarians train for the priesthood. Bobby Flay visited the seminary to challenge Father in a head-to-head cooking competition.

Father's Grace Before Meals cooking show airs on Boston's Catholic TV. You can also find his show on his website, which receives 10,000 hits a day. He also penned a book with the same name as the show. Father tells the Archdiocese of Baltimore's The Catholic Review, “Having Bobby Flay challenge me to a throwdown was a complete surprise and shock. I’m a huge fan of his and the Food Network, so it was an honor just to be on the show and cook alongside of an Iron Chef.” Flay is a former altar-server.

If you missed the original episode on September 9, you still can check out Father's victory on the Food Network on Sep 20 at 11 p.m. and Sep 21 at 2 a.m. Check times here. Congrats, Father Leo!

PBS's Faith and Ethics Newsweekly just did a nice profile on Father. It is worth checking out.

Cathedral Green Dedicated and Blessed!

Archbishop Henry Mansell cuts the ribbon at the brand new Cathedral Green, which will be the home for 28 low income families.

Click here for the complete story, with pictures.

This Saturday, Crossroads Magazine will give you a tour of the new space and share the touching stories of some of the families who will soon move into Cathedral Green. (In the above photo, you can see the hard work of one of our videographers, Bruce Tumyol, as he and his camera peer down into the ribbon cutting crowd.)

In order to help furnish the new rooms, Catholic Charities still needs some monetary donations. You can contact Peter O'Donnell for more information:
J Peter O’Donnell
Director of Fund Development
Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford
860-728-2571 or email
podonnell@ccaoh.org

Hartford Catholic Charities Wins National Award

Catholic Charities USA recently handed out their 2009 Family Strengthening Awards. El Centro Family Center, run by Catholic Charities of Hartford, was among the three winners from across the country.

El Centro Family Center strengthens families "by encouraging children, adults, and seniors to reach their full potential. The center's family specialists work with families that need services, support, leadership development, early childhood education, adult education and training, crisis intervention, and stabilization. The program seeks to help parents recognize that they are their children's first and most important teachers, natural supporters, and most powerful advocates, and further, that they are decision makers who can have a positive impact in their families and communities."

This award honors exceptional programs that provide holistic services that support family relationships, strengthen family finances, and enhance the community. The winning programs will each receive a $25,000 award. The awardees will then be formally honored at Catholic Charities USA's Annual Gathering in Portland, Oregon in September.

Blue Mass

Archbishop Mansell Implements Precautions for Mass

Hartford Archbishop Henry Mansell is asking all parishes take three temporary precautions to prevent the spreading of swine flu:

1. "The faithful should be encouraged to share the sign of peace without physical contact. A smile, a wave, or a nod of the head would be appropriate."
2. "Communion should preferably be given only under the species of the consecrated host, and communicants should be encouraged to receive in their hands rather than on the tongue. If, however, there are communicants in your parish who have Celiac disease and can receive Communion only from the cup, they should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to receive from the cup despite potential health risks. "
3. "The faithful should be encouraged not to hold hands during the Our Father."

The Archbishop also asks that priests, deacons, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion wash their hands before and after Mass.

S.B. 899 Passes with Amendment to Protect Religious Freedom

Senate Bill 899, the codification of same-sex marriage in the state of Connecticut, passed through the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday, after a 10-hour marathon of debate and compromise.

Democratic Senator Edith Prague spoke to us about what this bill really does for our radio newscast on WJMJ Radio.

The Bill as passed will allow same sex couples who are currently in a civil union to be automatically married as of October of 2010.

Lawmakers endorsed an amendment that allows religious organizations to opt out of the law's requirements, meaning that a group such as the Knights of Columbus would not be required to rent out its function halls for same-sex wedding receptions. Nor would a Catholic priest be obligated to preside over such a union.

The Hartford Courant published the full story on yesterday's vote.

One key problem opponents of this bill are still fighting against is the possibility of homosexuality being taught in schools. Supporters of the bill say this is not an issue, as there is no language in the bill specifically relating to teaching the lifestyle within school curricula.

Crossroads Magazine will have the entire story - including what voters think about the passage and the amendment - later this week.