Monday Message, August 18, 2025
KNOW
If you missed the time slots for interviews with Annie, fear not. While Annie has returned to school, Laura remains at the Institute office. Please email Laura to set up a time to review the inventory. Remember, we are preparing the report for the bishop and all attendees at the Fall Forum, so if you do not participate, you will not be heard.
The New England Catholic Biblical School has decades of success welcoming students into an accredited program of learning Sacred Scripture. Now, those in ministry in the Diocese of Bridgeport can enroll in one of two satellite locations and participate virtually. Spend a few hours each week learning Scripture. Ideal for catechists, parents, teachers, and anyone wishing to learn more about the written word of God. Available in English and Spanish.
You should have received an email two weeks ago with a new task in LEAD. This questionnaire asks that you request Advent posters, Lenten posters, Catechist Journals, and copies of the Compendium to the Catechism in English and Spanish. The compendiums are for pastors, so please check with them before making a request. The number of Catechist Journals must mirror the number of catechists in LEAD. If you do not complete the task, you will ot receive these materials and you will be sad.
All these items will be distributed at the Fall Forum on September 13, 2025. Register here, please.
Starting this fall, all parishes are invited to nominate a Witness of the Week – a catechist whom you’d like to highlight. For more information, see the task in LEAD that was assigned last week.
Also, this fall, all catechists’ names will appear in the Fairfield County Catholic, so we can thank them for their witness. If they are not enrolled in Catechist 2.0 formation in LEAD, they will not appear in the paper. Please use this link to enroll your team members if they are not already part of the group and in formation.
The Bishop’s Office will be issuing updated norms for Confirmation ceremonies and an updated planning sheet on August 18, 2025. Stay tuned. Speaking of Confirmation, we have updated the learning path for Sponsors and Godparents with Spanish subtitles in the coming week (thanks to MS for that request).
XIV at NCYC
In case you missed the big news on Friday, Pope Leo will be attending NCYC virtually in November. The National Catholic Youth Conference is the largest gathering of young people in the country, and we have 50 tickets. Only those registered before the end of September will be eligible for the lottery the NFCYM will hold to choose which young people get to interact with the Holy Father. All details are here. If you are an adult and wish to attend, email Bill Staley. Read the press release here.
REFLECT
Labor Day is almost upon us, and most of us are shaking our heads over where the summer went. We will plan in the coming days our final backyard gatherings, quick trips to the beach, and a few more days of rest before the school bells ring and the buses arrive. Where does time go?
We are commanded to rest, and some of us are better at that than others. The family flew to sunny (and hot) Florida last week, and all the work I took with me stayed in the backpack. The access to excess we carry in our pockets means that work is never left behind and how much we interact with those who are looking for us back home at the office is a decision we have to wrestle with – do I stay in touch and clear emails or suffer the defeat of the deluge of suddenly out-of-date messages upon my return?
There is still time to rest before the craziness of the fall is upon us. Just a few more weeks before school begins, and a few more chances to get those summer books read and those household chores we have been putting off accomplished.
Get some rest in the coming weeks. Once fall is upon us, we will scarcely have time to catch our breath.
LAUGH
