Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, will deliver a major a State of the Diocese address on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m., in the auditorium of All Saints School, 139 W Rocks Road in Norwalk.
The talk will summarize the state of the diocese administratively, pastorally and financially.
The bishop will discuss all the major initiatives that have come out of the recently completed Synod, as well as the programs put in place to address ongoing pastoral and financial challenges.
More than 500 lay leaders, priests and religious attended the inaugural event last year when the bishop laid out plans to reorganize the Catholic Center, launch the first General Session of Synod 2014, address financial challenges, relocate St. John Fisher Seminary from Stamford to Trumbull, and take other measures to renew the diocese.
The bishop is expected to discuss many of the achievements of the past year, including:
- The response to the recent Synod Closing Mass Celebration that drew 8,000 people to Webster Bank Arena.
- The launch of the Bishop’s Scholarship fund to support Catholic education for all families.
- The creation of the Diocesan Youth Choir, a delegation of 300 that will attend World Youth Day.
- The production of a balanced budget for the diocese.
He will also outline plans for the new initiatives proposed by the Synod, including a:
- Diocesan youth services corps.
- Leadership institute.
- Liturgical commission.
- Outreach to families and divorced Catholics.
- Long-term pastoral and strategic plans to move the diocese forward.
In his talk last year, the bishop said that while the Synod’s purpose was to address long-term pastoral challenges, work has also been underway to address those administrative, financial and pastoral challenges that are more immediate in nature in order to create a support structure and needed financial resources to implement synod initiatives and directives.
The Diocese of Bridgeport includes more than 460,000 registered Catholics in Fairfield County, representing 45% of the total population. Geographically, it encompasses all of Fairfield County and includes 82 parishes, the St. John Fisher Seminary, the Catherine Denis Keefe Queen of Clergy residence for retired priests.
Bishop Caggiano was installed as the fifth bishop of Bridgeport on Sept. 19, 2013, at St. Theresa Church in Trumbull, and began almost immediately to take steps to reorganize the diocese.
On Feb. 22, 2014, he formally convoked the Fourth Synod of the Diocese of Bridgeport — the first in 32 years — as an opportunity for renewal and pastoral planning for the future of the local church.
To attend the State of the Diocese address, visit http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com/state to obtain a paper or electronic ticket on or before Tuesday, Oct. 27.