Peter Rosazza – Communio

St Ann Melkite Church Welcomes the Order of Malta

The parish welcomed the Order of Malta of the Eastern CT Area today for a meeting of 25 people, Knights, Dames, and Associates and friends. The day included updates on activities of our Eastern CT Area, the work of the Order in the Association, and a brief witness talk by Father Dennis McCarthy, our pastor.

The Divine Liturgy was served by Father Dennis McCarthy and concelebrated by Bishop Peter Rosazza (conventual chaplain) and Father Joseph MacNeill (deputy chaplain).

An incredibly delicious Lenten meal was prepared for us by Joumanna Hajj and her brother Maroun, with the assistance of several others.

The Order of Malta describes itself in this manner:

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem is one of the oldest institutions of Western and Christian civilization. Present in Palestine in around 1050, it is a lay religious Order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. Its 13,500 members include Professed Friars and others who have made the promise of obedience. The other Knights and Dames are lay members, devoted to the exercise of Christian virtue and charity. What distinguishes the Knights and Dames of Malta is their commitment to reaching their spiritual perfection within the Church and to expending their energies serving the poor and the sick.

More information here:

~Order of Malta
~Order of Malta American Association
~Order of Malta Eastern CT Area

~The Order of Malta serves in Lebanon

Communion & Liberation of Connecticut meets for Mass

An annual Mass is celebrated for the repose of the soul of Father Luigi Giussani (+February 22, 2005) and the good of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation. We are a small but faithful group of friends who help each other to follow Christ and love the Church; we live our Baptism.

The anniversary of the Church’s approval of the charism of Communion and Liberation is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, 11 February.

Our friend, Bishop Peter Rosazza, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford celebrated the Sacrifice of the Mass with another friend concelebrating, Father Sal Rosa.

The 2012 Mass was held at Our Lady of Pompeii Church (Route 80, East Haven, CT) was the host thanks to Father John Lavorgna.

The CL movement asks us to live our lives in communion with the Vicar of Christ, the Pope. This communion, this fidelity to the sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition is expressed with concrete expressions of communion with the bishop of the diocese in which we live and therefore marking a gesture of communion with the Pope. Hence, by praying the Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter we demonstrate that we are in communion with him and Archbishop Henry Mansell (successors of the apostles) who are in communion with Pope Benedict XVI.

Meeting the Pope, Connecticut and Rhode Island bishops

Pope Benedict XVI met Nov. 5 with U.S. bishops from northeastern states on their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican to report on the status of their dioceses. From left are Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, R.I.; retired Auxiliary Bishop Peter A. Rosazza of Hartford.; Archbishop Henry J. Mansell of Hartford; Pope Benedict XVI; Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport; Bishop Michael R. Cote of Norwhich; Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans of Providence, R.I. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

Hartford Archdiocese Bishops meet with Pope

The bishops of the United States have begun their official visit to heart of the Church by praying at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, meeting with Pope Benedict, and meeting with the various heads of the Church’s departments at the Holy See to report on the various apostolic works undertaken for the proclamation of the Gospel.

The visit is called “Ad limina apostolorum,” meaning, “to the threshold of the apostles.” The Ad limina is a gesture of communio, an act of love, between individual bishop and the Pope. Hence, this is a pilgrimage of a bishop to center of faith. The Ad limina visits typically take place every 5 years though with Pope Benedict these pilgrimages are taking place every 7 years. Pope Benedict will meet all the diocesan bishops with the auxiliaries in the coming months and into 2012; he’ll have met 190 heads of dioceses, plus…. by the time all is said and done.

John Thavis of CNS has a review of what’s expected.

Continue reading Hartford Archdiocese Bishops meet with Pope

Missionary image of Our Lady of Pompeii visits East Haven, CT parish

The missionary image of Our Lady of Pompeii is making the rounds the various parishes in the USA strengthening the faith of the people and evoking the confidence in Christ. Tonight, the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Pompeii was brought to the parish church named for the same in East Haven, CT. Thanks to Father Matthew R. Mauriello, pastor of Saint Roch Church (Greenwich, CT) and the coordinator of the US Marian Mission of Our Lady of Pompeii.

Father John Lavorgna, pastor of the East Haven parish welcomed the bishop, clergy and the lay faithful. Mass began to strains of “Santa Maria del Camino.” Father John did a terrific job at bringing many people together for prayer and fraternity.

750 people prayed the Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend Peter Anthony Rosazza and 17 priests. Three of the priests present tonight were representing the Archbishop-Prelate of Pompeii Carlo Liberati. The faithful heard a letter sent to them by Archbishop Liberati and from the Pope via the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, SDB. Bishop Peter did some parts of the Mass in Italian and others in English; he sang the propers of the Mass and the Eucharistic prayer.

Following the Liturgy, several people prayed the Rosary, including members of the Third Order Dominicans. Because of a realization that the Rosary is gospel lived, it is known to cut off the head of evil. The Rosary connects us not only with God by way of meditating on His great of act of Love, but also the spiritual home of the Basilica of Our Lady of Pompeii with Pompeii, East Haven, CT.

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii is traditionally observed on May 8. This feast of the Blessed Mother is recalled as result of the good work of Blessed Bartolo Longo (a man who gave his life to Christ –after a life of following spiritism and satanism. He became a Third Order Dominican and a member of the Order of Holy Sepulchre, an Apostle of the Rosary. Longo is also known for his famous Supplica, a prayer which sets one’s heart on truth and reality of the Incarnate Word of God. Blessed Bartolo might be seen as Italy’s equivalent of Saint Faustina. Longo’s mission, which ought to be ours, “is to write about Mary, to Mary praised, to have Mary loved.”

There’s at least 8 churches in the USA named in honor of Our Lady of Pompeii: East Haven, CT, Chicago, IL, Tickfaw, LA, Baltimore, MD, Paterson, NJ, Vineland, NJ. New York, NY and Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Bernadette Soubirous is the lens Communion & Liberation engages reality

The yearly Communion and Liberation Mass was celebrated earlier this evening by our friend Bishop Peter A. Rosazza, auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Hartford, at Saint Mary’s Church, New Haven, CT. His homily focused on the young girl that had the vision of Our Lady of Lourdes, Saint Bernadette Soubirous.

The Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated for the good of Communion and Liberation –that is, so that it remain faithful to the charism given it by the Holy Sprit and articulated by its founder, Monsignor Luigi Giussani and for the peaceful repose of the soul of Monsignor Giussani.

2011 recalls for us that today is the 29th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s approval as a valid charism for the Church. It is also the 6th anniversary of Giussani’s death.

Continue reading Bernadette Soubirous is the lens Communion & Liberation engages reality

Bishop Peter A. Rosazza celebrates his 75th birthday

Bishop Peter Anthony Rosazza, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, celebrates his 75th birthday today.

Our prayers are with him as he makes this milestone.

Bishop Rosazza was ordained a bishop in 1978 (31 yrs a bishop) at the age of 43 by the great Archbishop John Francis Whealon.

Since I am from New Haven, Bishop Peter (as he’s known) is a legendary character. For one, he confirmed me in 1982 at Saint Stanislaus Church (New Haven, CT) and he’s been a tireless advocate for those living on the margins of society (the poor, the immigrant, the widow).

He’s been known as a good preacher of the Gospel and attentive teacher of the faith. Significantly, Bishop Peter is also been a friend to the Communion and Liberation group of New Haven for which are we deeply grateful.

Happy 75th birthday Bishop Peter!