Press Releases
April, 2005

Diocese responds to "Civil Union" Legislation

A Review of "Civil Union" Legislation

Diocese of Bridgeport invites faithful to participate in prayerful observances during the official 9-day mourning period for the Holy Father

"The entire world has lost a great spiritual leader," says Bishop William E. Lori on the passing of Pope John Paul II

Thousands of Catholics will journey to Hartford on Wednesday, April 20 for Catholic Concerns Day, marching to the State Capitol and meeting with legislators

On behalf of the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Bishop William E. Lori issues a statement of welcome to the new Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI

N.Y. Daily News Columnist Mike Lupica to headline sold-out Celebrity Benefit Breakfast for New Covenant House of Hospitality on April 27

BRIDGEPORT - Friday, April 8, 2005 - In response to the announcement last week that the Connecticut Senate has voted in favor of a bill legalizing "Civil Unions," aka Same-Sex Marriage, Bishop William E. Lori issued the following statement:

"Last week, the Connecticut Senate voted 29 - 7 in favor of a bill legalizing so-called civil unions of persons of the same sex. In a few days, the House will vote on similar legislation. This is truly a moment of decision for our State and for society of large. For this legislation not only pertains to individual rights but also signifies a fundamental re-ordering of society itself. It is a time when not only legislators but also citizens need to be honest and clear-headed. Here are some important points we all need to ponder carefully:

• The civil union legislation pending before the Connecticut General Assembly gives to same sex couples almost all the same rights and entitlements as married couples. The bill refers to "civil unions" but in fact it is authorizing same sex marriage. Just changing a name doesn't change reality. There hasn't been a lot of intellectual honesty on this point.
  
  
• A recent Harris poll indicated that most citizens in Connecticut strongly oppose civil unions and same sex marriage. But the Connecticut Senate did not want to hear directly from the people. It defeated a non-binding referendum that would have clarified what the citizens of Connecticut really want. A truly representative government would want to check directly with the people before re-ordering society in such a fundamental way.
  
  
• Before marriage was ever a sacrament or, for that matter, any kind of a religious rite, it was a basic human institution, far older than Judaism or Christianity. It is the committed union of a man and woman for the purpose of begetting and raising children. It is a fundamental cell of society in which children find the love and security they need to grow as well adjusted, virtuous and productive citizens, able to relate well others, both men and women. The State of Connecticut and society at large has an abiding interest in encouraging loving, stable homes. This is where social problems are cut off at the pass and where young people absorb the values and knowledge that make for a strong society.
  
  
• Marriage, as an institution, is struggling. Our secular, materialistic culture makes it difficult for couples to embrace the commitments demanded by marriage and family. This results in a lack of stability that puts tremendous stress on our children. Growing up in today's world, children face challenges which many of us adults never did. So instead of weakening marriage by making any committed relationship its equivalent, the State should be protecting marriage - for the sake of our children and young people.

"Much of the rhetoric surrounding the issue of civil unions focuses on the problems facing same-sex couples, and their supposed rights. The rights of homosexual persons should be respected. But before our State starts down this slippery slope toward same-sex marriage, let's see where the logic leads. If love makes a marriage, then any combination of people who are "in love" make a marriage. This hasn't been lost on the ACLU, which supports including multiple relationships under the title of "marriage". It takes a family to raise a child - not a boarding house!

"Please also think also about this: two blood sisters living in the same house cannot supply one another with health benefits; but if the current bill is signed into law, two unrelated but committed people of the same sex living in the same house will be able to do so. Are we sure that's how we want it to be?

"I represent a religious faith. But the points I have raised here are not theology or doctrine but questions which every reasonable citizen should want answers to. Faith and reason are pulling in the same direction. So we need to demand answers from our public officials and hold them accountable. As Pope John Paul II taught: "the future of humanity goes the way of the family." The vote on civil unions is a few short days away. We need to make our voice heard once again. Talk to your friends and neighbors, and get in contact with your Representatives. If we delay, our entire society will shift in a way that weakens marriage and may harm generations to come.

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BRIDGEPORT - Thursday, April 14, 2005 - In response to the announcement that the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill legalizing "Civil Unions," aka Same-Sex Marriage, Bishop William E. Lori issued the following statement:

"The decision by the Connecticut House of Representatives to approve a bill legalizing civil unions is a terrible blow against family values and civil society in the state of Connecticut. Despite attempts to disguise its true intent, this legislation is, in all but name, same-sex marriage legislation. It virtually bestows on same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of man-woman couples.

"If this bill should pass the Connecticut General Assembly it ignores the will of the state's citizens who overwhelmingly support a referendum on initiatives that would equate the marriage of a man and woman with other marital unions. There is a wide and strong indication that the people of Connecticut do not support same-sex marriage no matter under what name it parades.

"We believe that legitimate human and civil rights of homosexual and lesbian human beings should be respected. But the issue of same-sex marriage is not solely or primarily a question of individual rights. The State of Connecticut has an abiding interest in supporting stable marriages and families. The common good demands it. By equating marriage to the status of other committed relationships, the Legislature further weakens the most basic unit of society. It ignores the absolutely vital need of children to be nurtured by a father and mother who will impart to them the values and virtues that build and sustain a strong society.

"It is quite clear that children are cheated and suffer when deprived of male and female parental role models.

"As the bill returns to the Senate, we hope and pray that its members will carefully listen to the many voices of Connecticut's citizens and vote against it. We also urge Governor Rell to veto this destructive bill if it should pass the Senate.

"It is well to remember what Pope John Paul II taught throughout his long life: "The future of humanity goes the way of the family.""

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Back to Breaking News

BRIDGEPORT - Monday, April 11, 2005 - Provided below is the legislation on Same-Sex Marriage, aka "Civil Unions," passed by the Connecticut State Senate last week.

General Assembly
File No. 24
January Session, 2005
Substitute Senate Bill No. 963

Senate, March 10, 2005

The Committee on Judiciary reported through SEN. MCDONALD of the 27th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING CIVIL UNIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) For the purposes of sections 1 to 15, inclusive, of this act:

(1) "Civil union" means a union established pursuant to sections 1 to 15, inclusive, of this act between two eligible persons; and

(2) "Party to a civil union" means a person who has established a civil union pursuant to sections 1 to 15, inclusive, of this act.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) A person is eligible to enter into a civil union if such person is:

(1) Not a party to another civil union or a marriage;

(2) Of the same sex as the other party to the civil union;

(3) Except as provided in section 10 of this act, at least eighteen years of age; and

(4) Not prohibited from entering into a civil union pursuant to section 3 of this act.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) A woman shall not enter into a civil union with her mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, father's sister or mother's sister.

(b) A man shall not enter into a civil union with his father, grandfather, son, grandson, brother, brother's son, sister's son, father's brother or mother's brother.

(c) A civil union between persons prohibited from entering into a civil union pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section is void.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) All judges and retired judges, either elected or appointed, including federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage or a civil union, family support magistrates, state referees and justices of the peace may join persons in a civil union in any town in the state, and all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state, as long as they continue in the work of the ministry may join persons in a civil union. All civil unions solemnized according to the forms and usages of any religious denomination in this state are valid. All civil unions attempted to be celebrated by any other person are void.

(b) No public official legally authorized to issue civil union licenses may join persons in a civil union under authority of a license issued by such official, or such official's assistant or deputy; nor may any such assistant or deputy join persons in a civil union under authority of a license issued by such public official.

(c) Any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.

Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) Any person who undertakes to join persons in a civil union, knowing that such person is not authorized to do so, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both.

Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) Any person authorized to join persons in a civil union pursuant to section 4 of this act, who fails or refuses for any reason to join persons in a civil union shall not be subject to any fine or other penalty for such failure or refusal.

Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) No persons may be joined in a civil union in this state until both have complied with the provisions of sections 8 to 10, inclusive, of this act and have been issued a license by the registrar of vital statistics for the town in which (1) the civil union is to be celebrated, or (2) either person to be joined in the civil union resides, which license shall bear the certification of the registrar that the persons named therein have complied with the provisions of sections 8 to 10, inclusive, of this act.

(b) Such license, when certified by the registrar, is sufficient authority for any person authorized to perform a civil union ceremony in this state to join such persons in a civil union, provided the ceremony is performed not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.

(c) Any person who joins any persons in a civil union without having received such license from them shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) No license for a civil union may be issued by the registrar of vital statistics until both persons have appeared before the registrar and made application for a license. The license shall be completed in its entirety, dated, signed and sworn to by each applicant and shall state each applicant's name, age, race, birthplace, residence, whether single, widowed or divorced and whether under the supervision or control of a conservator or guardian. The Social Security numbers of the two persons shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the license. If the license is signed and sworn to by the applicants on different dates, the earlier date shall be deemed the date of application. The registrar shall issue a copy of sections 1 to 15, inclusive, of this act to any person making application for a license.

Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) No civil union license may be issued to any applicant under the supervision or control of a conservator, appointed in accordance with sections 45a-644 to 45a-662, inclusive, of the general statutes unless the written consent of the conservator, signed and acknowledged before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of conveyances under the provisions of section 47-5a of the general statutes or authorized to take acknowledgments in any other state or country, is filed with the registrar of vital statistics.

(b) Any person who enters into a civil union without the consent provided for in subsection (a) of this section shall acquire no rights by such civil union in the property of any person who was under such control or supervision at the time the civil union was entered into.

Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) No civil union license may be issued to any applicant under sixteen years of age, unless the judge of probate for the district in which the minor resides endorses such judge's written consent on the license.

(b) No civil union license may be issued to any applicant under eighteen years of age, unless the written consent of a parent or guardian of the person of such minor, signed and acknowledged before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of conveyances under the provisions of section 47-5a of the general statutes, or authorized to take acknowledgments in any other state or country, is filed with the registrar of vital statistics. If no parent or guardian of the person of such minor is a resident of the United States, the written consent of the judge of probate for the district in which the minor resides, endorsed on the license, shall be sufficient.

Sec. 11. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) (a) Each person who joins any person in a civil union shall certify upon the license certificate the fact, time and place of the civil union, and return it to the registrar of vital statistics of the town where it was issued, before or during the first week of the month following the celebration of the civil union. Any person who fails to do so shall be fined not more than ten dollars.

(b) If any person fails to return the certificate to the registrar of vital statistics, as required under subsection (a) of this section, the persons joined in a civil union may provide the registrar with a notarized affidavit attesting to the fact that they were joined in a civil union and stating the date and place of the civil union. Upon the recording of such affidavit by the registrar of vital statistics, the civil union of the affiants shall be deemed to be valid as of the date of the civil union stated in the affidavit.

Sec. 12. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) The certificate required by section 11 of this act or an affidavit recorded pursuant to subsection (b) of said section shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in them.

Sec. 13. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) All civil unions in which one or both parties are citizens of this state, celebrated in a foreign country, shall be valid, provided: (1) Each party would have legal capacity to contract such civil union in this state and the civil union is celebrated in conformity with the law of that country; or (2) the civil union is celebrated in the presence of the ambassador or minister to that country from the United States or in the presence of a consular officer of the United States accredited to such country, at a place within his or her consular jurisdiction, by any ordained or licensed member of the clergy engaged in the work of the ministry in any state of the United States or in any foreign country.

Sec. 14. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) Parties to a civil union shall have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law, whether derived from the general statutes, administrative regulations or court rules, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage.

Sec. 15. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2005) Wherever in the general statutes the terms "spouse", "family", "immediate family", "dependent", "next of kin" or any other term that denotes the spousal relationship are used or defined, a party to a civil union shall be included in such use or definition, and wherever in the general statutes, except sections 7-45 and 17b-137a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, subdivision (4) of section 45a-727a, sections 46b-20 to 46b-34, inclusive, and section 46b-150d of the general statutes, as amended by this act, the term "marriage" is used or defined, a civil union shall be included in such use or definition.

Sec. 16. Section 7-45 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

Each person making any certificate of birth, marriage, civil union, death or fetal death, or any copy of such certificate for the commissioner, or any sexton's report required by law, shall cause the same to be typewritten or printed in a legible manner as to all material information or facts required by the provisions of sections 7-48, 7-60 [, ] and 7-62b, and sections 46b-25 and 46b-29 to 46b-30, inclusive, or sections 8, 9 and 10 of this act, and contained in such certificate. If the certificate is in paper format, such person shall sign the certificate in black ink, shall state therein in what capacity such person so signs, and shall type or print in a legible manner the name of each person signing such certificate, under such person's signature. If the certificate is in an electronic format, such certificate shall be authenticated by the electronic vital records system of the department. Any certificate not complying with the requirements of this section shall be returned by the registrar with whom it is filed to the person making the same for the proper correction.

Sec. 17. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 17b-137a of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

(a) The Social Security number of the applicant shall be recorded on each (1) application for a license, certification or permit to engage in a profession or occupation regulated pursuant to the provisions of title 19a, 20 or 21; (2) application for a commercial driver's license or commercial driver's instruction permit completed pursuant to subsection (a) of section 14-44c; and (3) application for a marriage license made under section 46b-25 or for a civil union license under section 8 of this act.

(b) The Social Security number of any individual who is subject to a dissolution of marriage decree, dissolution of civil union decree, support order or paternity determination or acknowledgment shall be placed in the records relating to the matter.

Sec. 18. Subdivision (7) of section 45a-106 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

(7) For proceedings brought under section 46b-30 or section 10 of this act, the cost shall be twenty-five dollars.

Sec. 19. Subsection (c) of section 45a-676 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

(c) For purposes of sections 45a-669 to [45a-784] 45a-684, inclusive, and section 46b-29 and section 9 of this act, any alleged inability of the respondent must be evidenced by recent behavior which would cause harm or create a risk of harm, by clear and convincing proof.

Sec. 20. Section 46b-150d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

An order that a minor is emancipated shall have the following effects: (a) The minor may consent to medical, dental or psychiatric care, without parental consent, knowledge or liability; (b) the minor may enter into a binding contract; (c) the minor may sue and be sued in his own name; (d) the minor shall be entitled to his own earnings and shall be free of control by his parents or guardian; (e) the minor may establish his own residence; (f) the minor may buy and sell real and personal property; (g) the minor may not thereafter be the subject of a petition under section 46b-129 as an abused, dependent, neglected or uncared for child or youth; (h) the minor may enroll in any school or college, without parental consent; (i) the minor shall be deemed to be over eighteen years of age for purposes of securing an operator's license under section 14-36 and a marriage license under subsection (b) of section 46b-30 or a civil union license under subsection (b) of section 10 of this act without parental consent; (j) the minor shall be deemed to be over eighteen years of age for purposes of registering a motor vehicle under section 14-12; (k) the parents of the minor shall no longer be the guardians of the minor under section 45a-606; (l) the parents of a minor shall be relieved of any obligations respecting his school attendance under section 10-184; (m) the parents shall be relieved of all obligation to support the minor; (n) the minor shall be emancipated for the purposes of parental liability for his acts under section 52-572; (o) the minor may execute releases in his own name under section 14-118; and (p) the minor may enlist in the armed forces of the United States without parental consent.

Sec. 21. Subsection (b) of section 51-164n of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2005) :

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any person who is alleged to have committed (1) a violation under the provisions of section 1-9, 1-10, 1-11, 4b-13, 7-13, 7-14, 7-35, 7-41, 7-83, 7-283, 7-325, 7-393, 8-25, 8-27, 9-63, 9-296, 9-305, 9-322, 9-350, 10-193, 10-197, 10-198, 10-230, 10-251, 10-254, 12-52, 12-170aa, 12-292, or 12-326g, subdivision (4) of section 12-408, subdivision (3) , (5) or (6) of section 12-411, section 12-435c, 12-476a, 12-476b, 12-487, 13a-71, 13a-107, 13a-113, 13a-114, 13a-115, 13a-117b, 13a-123, 13a-124, 13a-139, 13a-140, 13a-143b, 13a-247 or 13a-253, subsection (f) of section 13b-42, section 13b-90, 13b-221, 13b-292, 13b-336, 13b-337, 13b-338, 13b-410a, 13b-410b or 13b-410c, subsection (a) , (b) or (c) of section 13b-412, section 13b-414, subsection (d) of section 14-12, section 14-20a or 14-27a, subsection (e) of section 14-34a, subsection (d) of section 14-35, section 14-43, 14-49, 14-50a or 14-58, subsection (b) of section 14-66, section 14-66a, 14-66b or 14-67a, subsection (g) of section 14-80, subsection (f) of section 14-80h, section 14-97a, 14-100b, 14-103a, 14-106a, 14-106c, 14-146, 14-152, 14-153 or 14-163b, a first violation as specified in subsection (f) of section 14-164i, section 14-219 as specified in subsection (e) of said section, section 14-240, 14-249 or 14-250, subsection (a) , (b) or (c) of section 14-261a, section 14-262, 14-264, 14-267a, 14-269, 14-270, 14-275a, 14-278 or 14-279, subsection (e) of section 14-283, section 14-291, 14-293b, 14-319, 14-320, 14-321, 14-325a, 14-326, 14-330 or 14-332a, subdivision (1) , (2) or (3) of section 14-386a, section 15-33, subsection (a) of section 15-115, section 16-256, 16-256e, 16a-15 or 16a-22, subsection (a) or (b) of section 16a-22h, section 17a-24, 17a-145, 17a-149, 17a-152, 17a-465, 17a-642, 17b-124, 17b-131, 17b-137 or 17b-734, subsection (b) of section 17b-736, section 19a-30, 19a-33, 19a-39 or 19a-87, subsection (b) of section 19a-87a, section 19a-91, 19a-105, 19a-107, 19a-215, 19a-219, 19a-222, 19a-224, 19a-286, 19a-287, 19a-297, 19a-301, 19a-309, 19a-335, 19a-336, 19a-338, 19a-339, 19a-340, 19a-425, 19a-502, 20-7a, 20-14, 20-158, 20-231, 20-257, 20-265 or 20-324e, subsection (a) of section 20-341, section 20-341l, 20-597, 20-608, 20-610, 21-30, 21-38, 21-39, 21-43, 21-47, 21-48, 21-63, 21-76a, 21a-21, 21a-25, 21a-26 or 21a-30, subsection (a) of section 21a-37, section 21a-46, 21a-61, 21a-63 or 21a-77, subsection (b) of section 21a-79, section 21a-85, 21a-154, 21a-159, 21a-201, 21a-211, 22-13, 22-14, 22-15, 22-16, 22-29, 22-34, 22-35, 22-36, 22-37, 22-38, 22-39, 22-39a, 22-39b, 22-39c, 22-39d, 22-39e, 22-49, 22-54, 22-61, 22-89, 22-90, 22-98, 22-99, 22-100, 22-111o, 22-279, 22-280a, 22-318a, 22-320h, 22-324a, 22-326 or 22-342, subsection (b) or (e) of section 22-344, section 22-359, 22-366, 22-391, 22-413, 22-414, 22-415, 22a-66a or 22a-246, subsection (a) of section 22a-250, subsection (e) of section 22a-256h, subsection (a) of section 22a-381d, section 22a-449, 22a-461, 23-37, 23-38, 23-46 or 23-61b, subsection (a) or (b) of section 23-65, section 25-37, 25-40, 26-19, 26-21, 26-31, 26-40, 26-40a, 26-49, 26-54, 26-59, 26-61, 26-64, 26-79, 26-89, 26-97, 26-107, 26-117, 26-128, 26-131, 26-132, 26-138, 26-141, 26-207, 26-215, 26-224a, 26-227, 26-230, 26-294, 28-13, 29-6a, 29-109, 29-161y, 29-161z, 29-198, 29-210, 29-243, 29-277, 29-316, 29-318, 29-341, 29-381, 30-48a, 30-86a, 31-3, 31-10, 31-11, 31-12, 31-13, 31-14, 31-15, 31-16, 31-18, 31-23, 31-24, 31-25, 31-28, 31-32, 31-36, 31-38, 31-38a, 31-40, 31-44, 31-47, 31-48, 31-51, 31-51k, 31-52, 31-52a or 31-54, subsection (a) or (c) of section 31-69, section 31-70, 31-74, 31-75, 31-76, 31-76a, 31-89b or 31-134, subsection (i) of section 31-273, section 31-288, 36a-787, 42-230, 45a-450, 45a-634 or 45a-658, subdivision (13) or (14) of section 46a-54, section 46a-59, 46b-22, 46b-24, 46b-34, 47-34a, 47-47, 49-8a, 49-16 or 53-133, subsection (a) or (b) of section 53-211, or section 53-212a, 53-249a, 53-252, 53-264, 53-302a, 53-303e, 53-311a, 53-321, 53-322, 53-323, 53-331, 53-344 or 53-450, or section 4, 7 or 11 of this act, or (2) a violation under the provisions of chapter 268, or (3) a violation of any regulation adopted in accordance with the provisions of section 12-484, 12-487 or 13b-410, shall follow the procedures set forth in this section.

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ACROSS FAIRFIELD COUNTY - With the death of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, the Universal Church begins the novendiali, nine days of mourning. This period will conclude on Monday, April 11.

Here in the Diocese of Bridgeport, several prayerful observances are planned, and the faithful are encouraged to attend and participate (please check this page regularly for updates and additions):

A Mass in honor of the Holy Father was celebrated by Bishop William Lori on Saturday, April 2, at 6 p.m. at Saint Joseph Parish in Danbury.

A Mass in honor of the Holy Father was celebrated by Bishop Lori on Sunday, April 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in Stamford.

A Holy Hour for the Holy Father, including Eucharistic Adoration, was hosted on Monday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Mary Parish in Greenwich.

Evening Prayer (Solemn Vespers) in honor of the Holy Father was said on Tuesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Theresa Parish in Trumbull.

A Mass in honor of the Holy Father will be celebrated by Bishop William Lori on Wednesday, April 6, at 12.10 p.m. at Saint John the Evangelist Parish, 279 Atlantic Street, Stamford.

A Mass in honor of the Holy Father will be celebrated by Bishop Lori on Wednesday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Aloysius Parish, 40 Maple Street, New Canaan.

A Vigil Memorial Mass in honor of the Holy Father will be celebrated by Bishop Lori on Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Matthew Parish, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk.

A Memorial Mass in honor of the Holy Father will be celebrated by Bishop Lori on Friday, April 8, at 12:10 p.m. at Saint Augustine Cathedral, 359 Washington Avenue, Bridgeport. On this day in Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the Funeral Mass will be celebrated for the Holy Father.

A Mass in honor of the Holy Father will be celebrated by Bishop Lori (in English and Polish) on Sunday, April 10, at 11 a.m. at Saint Michael the Archangel Parish, 310 Pulaski Street, Bridgeport.

Each of the 87 Catholic parishes in Fairfield County is also encouraged to celebrate special Masses, Holy Hours, and prayer services for the Pope.

To download the Novena Prayer for the Repose of the Soul of Pope John Paul II, click here. (PDF file, 1.8 MB, can take 1-2 minutes to open)

The website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops contains a wealth of information on the life of Pope John Paul II and explanations of the process to elect a new Pope. To access, click here.

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BRIDGEPORT - On the passing of Pope John Paul II, Bishop William E. Lori issued the following statement:

"I know I speak for the entire family of faith in Fairfield County in expressing a great sense of loss and sorrow over the passing of Pope John Paul II. The entire world has lost a great spiritual leader, a magnificent teacher of the faith, an advocate for peace and justice, and a tireless defender of life at all stages.

"Personally, I have also lost a mentor and a friend. I feel privileged to have lived my entire priesthood under his historic leadership of the Church.

"We are comforted in our grief by our knowledge that the Holy Father has now embarked on his final journey 'home' where he will meet our saving Lord."

Bishop Lori has written an appreciation of the life of the Holy Father, which follows below.

Pope John Paul II: An Appreciation
By Bishop William E. Lori

In October 1978, I was a recently ordained priest and a doctoral student at The Catholic University of America. I was teaching a class on the Sacraments to graduate students when the news of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla's election as John Paul II was flashed around the world. At the time, I knew little of the young Cardinal from Krakow. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit knew him well and moved his fellow cardinals to elect him to the Chair of Peter.

CAPTION: In the late 1980s, then-Monsignor Lori, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

In the mysterious ways of the Lord, the papacy of John Paul II was long in the making. Its origins are traced to a small town in southern Poland, Wadowice, where, in 1920, Karol Wojtyla was born. By the time he reached adulthood, he was the only surviving member of his immediate family. Blessed with a deeply perceptive intellect, the sensibility of an artist, and an extraordinary capacity for friendship, the future pope could be found working in a stone quarry by day and on acting on stage at night. His native land was under siege by the Nazis from the West and the Communists from the East. It was dangerous business to practice one's Catholic faith. It was even more dangerous to become a priest. In those dire circumstances, the Holy Spirit moved Karol Wojtyla to enter the underground seminary to study for the priesthood.

CAPTION: On February 23, 2001, at the Vatican, Bishop Lori thanked Pope John Paul II for granting him a new appointment as the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport.

As priest, bishop, cardinal, and for the past 26 years as the world's Pontiff, the personality of John Paul has been a bridge to Christ for countless people. A poet, he dedicated his whole life to contemplating and preaching the revealed Word of God. An actor, he was consumed with engaging people everywhere in the great drama of salvation in Jesus Christ, re-enacted in the Mass and the Sacraments. A philosopher, he reflected deeply on the mystery of the dignity of the human person and on the great moral and cultural questions that continue to shape the world in which we live. A skier and hiker, he possessed the self-discipline of an athlete and the leadership of a coach capable of guiding young people to exercise their freedom by embracing truth, goodness and virtue.

A mystic, he continually deepened his communion with Christ and in that bond of love, enabled countless others to see themselves as the friends of Jesus and of one another. A canny leader, he was instrumental in bringing to the fore a robust Catholicism that resisted the wiles of communism and contained the seeds of an authentic renewal of the Church. While still a very young bishop in the early 1960's, he was an architect of the Second Vatican Council, especially its Decree on the Church in the Modern World, known to most as Gaudium et Spes, the Latin words for joy and hope.

As Successor to Saint Peter, Karol Wojtyla's gifts of nature and grace have been written large on the world's stage. From the first day of his pontificate, he readied the Church for the coming of the third millennium of Christianity. His nearly endless travels have brought the Gospel to the far corners of the world. He has championed human dignity, especially the rights of the most vulnerable. He was key to discrediting and dismantling in Eastern Europe the totalitarian system of communism which so stifled the human spirit. He has used his immense moral authority to warn against the totalitarianism of Western culture whose all-embracing materialism stifles the human spirit by marginalizing the things of the Spirit.

World leaders know and respect him as a man of principle and a forceful advocate for peace. John Paul II has taught the Catholic faith vigorously, with more insight, innovation, and depth than critics on the right or the left give him credit for. His full-bodied proclamation of the faith, which does not shrink from the counter-cultural features of Catholicism, attracts the young in staggering numbers and taps into their God-given idealism. A lover of the Eucharist, he has been a true father to bishops and priests and a defender and promoter of priestly vocations. No pontiff in history has carried on a deeper and more extensive dialogue with culture, science, law, philosophy, and theology. He has been tireless in his dedication to Christian unity, especially with the Eastern Orthodox. He has labored intensely to build stronger inter-faith relations, especially with the Jewish community.

CAPTION: On September 4, 2004, at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence, south of Rome, Italy, Bishop Lori met with Pope John Paul II as part of the "ad limina" visit, an event every five years when a bishop presents a detailed report of the ministries and accomplishments of his Diocese. This was the last meeting between Bishop Lori and Pope John Paul II.

Like so many others, I count myself blessed to have been the Holy Father in person many times - at prayer, at meetings, and at his table. Just last September, I was privileged to spend twenty minutes in a private audience with His Holiness. He was a world-class leader with a personal touch.

In our prayerful vigil of these past weeks, we have seen the last earthly witness of John Paul II to Christ - the wordless witness of his sufferings. In those sufferings are found more than the ravages of time. They embody his motto, "totus tuus," "completely yours" - a compressed hymn of total consecration to Christ, the Redeemer of Man.

May his great soul rest in peace.

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HARTFORD - Catholic Concerns Day, rescheduled for Wednesday, April 20, the annual pilgrimage to Hartford of the faithful from all parts of the state, including Fairfield County, could not come at a more important time, says Bishop William E. Lori.

"Seemingly every day we read in the newspapers or hear on television about some new piece of proposed legislation which threatens everything we as Catholics hold most sacred," Bishop Lori says. "From the destruction of human embryos and the decriminalization of assisted suicide, to the establishment of civil unions, the very fabric of our society and the sanctity of human life are imperiled. We all must make a strong show of solidarity, and make our voices heard. I urge Catholics will join me in Hartford on April 20."

CAPTION: Last year's Catholic Concerns Day drew a cast of thousands to Hartford. Following a prayer service at Saint Joseph Cathedral, participants marched to the State Capitol to meet with legislators and make their voices heard. (Photo by Pat Hennessy)

Bishop Lori will join his fellow Catholic bishops, priests, deacons, Religious Sisters, and faithful of all ages at Catholic Concerns Day, which is organized by the Connecticut Catholic Conference.

The day begins with a 9:30 a.m. prayer service at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph. Following the service, expert speakers will bring participants up-to-date on issues before the current session of the legislature.

Following a procession to the State Capitol, participants will have the opportunity to hear from and question legislators in the Legislative Office Building.

Several items before the General Assembly are of immediate interest to Catholics and others concerned with whole life issues, and the timetable to avert the passage of several of these bills, including civil unions, embryonic stem-cell research, and assisted suicide, may be tight. A list of specific concerns to Catholics is published below.

Bus transportation is being organized around the state, including several points in Fairfield County. Details can be found in parish bulletins; by contacting Linda in the Diocesan Family Life/Respect Life Office: 372-4301, ext. 341; or via e-mail.

(To learn more about the issues of concern to Catholics, visit the website of the Connecticut Catholic Conference: www.ctcatholic.org.)

CATHOLIC CONCERNS DAY

April 20, 2005

Issues of Concern to Catholics

The following list of issues was prepared by the Connecticut Catholic Conference in anticipation of Catholic Concerns Day in Hartford on April 20. Whether or not Catholics are able to attend the day, they are urged to contact their State Representatives and Senators and express their concerns about the following issues. In many cases, the specific bill number (SB or HB) is listed; this should be cited in all correspondence.

For contact information on a member of the Connecticut State House of Representatives, click here

For contact information on a member of the Connecticut State Senate, click here.

To contact Governor M. Jodi Rell, click here.

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Life and Dignity of Human Person

Our belief in the sanctity of human life is foundational to the principles of Catholic social teaching. Our commitment to the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. The measure of any society is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. Increasingly, our society responds to social problems through violence: abortion as the solution to an unwanted pregnancy, assisted suicide as the solution to pain and suffering, and capital punishment as the solution to violent crime. Children can be referred for an abortion and contraception without parental notification or consent. This not only destroys the life of the unborn, but diminishes the human dignity of the teenage mother, and violates the rights of parents. Parents also must have the right to exercise their obligations as the first educators of their children.

As human life becomes expendable, the natural consequences emerge: school violence is rampant, and reproductive technology treats human life as a commodity that can be bought and sold. Embryonic stem cell research and cloning involve the creation, research upon, and destruction of human life. This is the ultimate commercialization of human life. Society condones the killing of young human life (embryos), because of unsubstantiated claims of potential cures for those fortunate enough to be allowed to be born. Legislative proposals for advancing and publicly funding embryonic stem cell research include the creation of human life by cloning for its destruction. We have separated the most sacred act of co-creation from its purposes, to create between a man and a woman a loving family. Family must be supported, not undermined by proposals that equate this most sacred institution to same-sex unions and domestic partnerships.

• We support adult stem cell research (including umbilical cord blood and placental tissue).
  
  
• We support parental notification for medical procedures for minors.
  
  
• We support family life curriculum in public schools which fosters abstinence, not the misnomer of "safe-sex."
  
  
• We support abolition of the death penalty: HB-6012: An Act Concerning Murder with Special Circumstances.
  
  
• We support a referendum allowing the people to decide if marriage should be redefined for all of society through equating same-sex civil unions to marriage.
  
  
• We oppose SB-963: An Act Concerning Civil Unions. We oppose HB-6698: An Act Concerning the Deprivation of Rights on Account of Sexual Orientation [creating sexual orientation as a class similar to gender, race, etc.].
  
  
• We oppose SB-1147: An Act Concerning Health Care Coverage; HB-6353: An Act Concerning Health Care Benefits for Domestic Partners of State Employees; and HB-6930: An Act Providing Health Insurance for the Same-Sex Domestic Partners of Retired Members of the Connecticut Teacher's Retirement System [domestic partners].
  
  
• We oppose embryonic stem cell research and all cloning: SB-934: An Act Permitting Stem Cell Research and Banning the Cloning of Human Beings [please note it does not ban all cloning].
  
  
• We oppose laws that would decrease penalties for assisted suicide: SB-1122: An Act Concerning the Eligibility for Accelerated Rehabilitation of a Person Charged with a Violation of Section 53A-56(A)(2).

Rights and Responsibilities
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Labor

Every person has a right fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human dignity. We each have corresponding responsibilities to one another, to our families, to the poor and the vulnerable, especially the elderly and the young, and to the larger society. The right to health care and those things that maintain health must be protected. There is a critical need to provide for basic human needs, including health care to immigrants through Medicaid, who would be otherwise eligible if they were citizens. We oppose cuts to behavioral health and addiction services, Medicaid co-pays monthly premiums for Husky B, and registration fees, co-pays and excessive deductibles for prescriptions for the impoverished elderly.

Providing adequate funding for our mission driven health care institutions, which serve the most vulnerable, is a responsibility of society. Anticipated cuts will strain the resources of our hospitals, nursing homes, and health care systems. We support a Provider Tax that assures adequate redistribution to equitably support our nursing homes, and other services for the vulnerable.

In providing these vital services, our ministries and our employees must be free of coercions that violate confidentiality or conscience. Work is a form of continuing participation in God's creation, not a form of participation in the destruction of life. Employers should not be prevented from engaging employees in the faith-based missions of their agencies. Furthermore, coercive investigative subpoenas that violate confidentiality and civil rights should be opposed.

• We support a Nursing Facility User Fee that provides adequate funding for nursing homes, with consideration of the needs of other health and human services ministries.
  
  
• We oppose delays in acute care hospitals' biennium rate increases.
  
  
• We oppose SB-277: An Act Concerning Employer Communications about Politics, Religion or Labor Organizing Activities.
  
  
• We oppose HB-5795: An Act Requiring Information and Counseling about Treatment Options for Life Threatening Diseases [which would include abortion].
  
  
• We oppose HB-6887: An Act Concerning Investigative Subpoenas.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Solidarity

A society will be judged by how its most vulnerable members are faring. We can never abandon them. As a people of God, when we turn our backs on the most vulnerable, we turn our backs on ourselves. Vulnerable poor urban children are forced to live in unsafe housing, subject to urban blight. Shelters turn away homeless families. Those in need of mental health services are left to find shelter in the streets. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. The integrated supportive services needed to permanently move people out of chronic homelessness must be provided. These obligations are not defined by national origins of persons. Immigrants, whether legal or undocumented, have the fundamental right to those things necessary to meet their basic needs. Catholic Charities and Catholic health care are the safety nets. Government must partner with the Church to meet the needs of those who have no other access to services vital to their well being.

• We support SB-897: An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Child Poverty Council.
  
  
• We support HB-6540: An Act Authorizing Bonds of the State for the Institute of the Hispanic Family in Hartford.
  
  
• We support SB-1056: An Act Providing Additional Units for the Supportive Housing Initiative and for Financing of the Initiative by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority.
  
  
• We oppose HB-6688: An Act Implementing the Governor's Budget Recommendations with Respect to Social Services Programs.

BRIDGEPORT, Tuesday, April 19, 2005, 1:45 p.m. - On behalf of the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Bishop William E. Lori has issued a statement welcoming the new Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

"We joyfully greet the news of the election of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, as the new shepherd of the Church Universal.

"Through the years I have come to know the new Holy Father as a man of holiness, prayer, faith, serenity, and stamina. He also is a man with a great love for history, art, music, and science. He is fluent in various languages, including English.

"Pope Benedict XVI brings to his pontificate tremendous theological and philosophical depth coupled with a pastoral understanding of the dignity of each person. He was one of the leading theologians of the Second Vatican Council, and remains a strong proponent of the New Evangelization to revitalize the faith of the Catholic Church throughout the world. He has a global, pastoral grasp of the prospects and challenges confronting the Church today.

"The new Holy Father has had a great deal of contact with the Church in the United States, having traveled and lectured widely in our country. We can be confident that he will address the unique challenges of the Church in the United States, and those in other parts of the world.

"We can expect continuity with Pope John Paul II, and yet Pope Benedict XVI will bring to the papacy his own gracious personality, a vital intellect, and a deep love for Our Lord and His Church."

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CAPTION: HABEMUS PAPAM! WE HAVE A POPE! Newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI appears on the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica on April 19, in the photo shot by Bridgeport Seminarian Sam Kachuba, who is studying for the priesthood in Rome.

STAMFORD - Nationally known sports columnist and novelist Mike Lupica will be the featured speaker at the New Covenant House of Hospitality's First Annual Celebrity Breakfast on Wednesday, April 27, at 7:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Select in downtown Stamford.

The event will benefit the inner-city soup kitchen, which provided more than 150,000 meals last year to the working poor and homeless of the greater Stamford area. With the help of hundreds of interfaith volunteers, it is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year

The event is sold-out. Accredited members of the media are welcome to attend to cover the event.

NCH: 2 6 Years Feeding Mind, Body, Spirit
"We are enormously excited to have Mike Lupica commit his time and his talent as our keynote speaker for this occasion," said Phil Shalala, chairman of the New Covenant board of advisors. "For 26 years, New Covenant House of Hospitality has been a place where the poorest among us can be fed in body, mind, and spirit and be treated with respect and dignity. We are eternally grateful to all those who have offered their support to make this event a success."

The breakfast is sponsored by The Advocate and Greenwich Time. Bishop William E. Lori, Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, and other officials will attend.

Honorary chairs from area corporations such as General Electric, International Paper, MeadWestvaco, Premier Home Health Care, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson, and Xerox, will be there to serve breakfast and collect "tips" from attendees to benefit New Covenant House.

Marilyn Esposito, president of MCC Worldwide in Stamford and co-chairperson of the breakfast, said that businesses as well as churches and other congregations have taken tables in support of the event. Individuals are also invited to attend.

"New Covenant House is the only soup kitchen in the Stamford area and it represents the faith, goodwill and generosity of so many individuals and businesses," Esposito says. "The breakfast will be a good time to celebrate that commitment while building new resources for our mission of feeding and caring for the poor."

Mike Lupica
Mike Lupica is one of the best-known and widely-read sports columnists in the United States. He began his newspaper career with the New York Post in 1975, at the age of 23, covering the New York Knicks. In 1977, he became the youngest columnist ever at a New York paper when he joined the Daily News.

A resident of New Canaan, Lupica has written or co-written four nonfiction books: Reggie, the autobiography of Reggie Jackson; Parcells, an autobiography of former Giants and Patriots coach, Bill Parcells; Wait 'Till Next Year, co-written with William Goodman; and Shooting From the Lip, a collection of columns.

In addition, he has written a number of novels including Dead Air, Extra Credits, Limited Partner, Jump and Bump, Run, Full Court Press, Red Zone, and his latest, Travel Team, a New York Times bestseller. Lupica appears regularly on the "Imus in the Morning" radio and TV show.

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