The Church in Connecticut

Sister Maire Close uses her music to help listeners experience the presence of Jesus through prayer. A member of Koinonia John the Baptist, the singer-songwriter has released six albums in English and Spanish. Her latest songs include "He Has Risen" in English and "El Sembrador" in Spanish, which are available on Spotify and YouTube.

Close, who previously served at Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel in Bridgeport, has worked in Brooklyn for the last ten months. She describes her songwriting process as a spiritual act, stating that melodies and lyrics come to her during prayer. She keeps a Bible, guitar, and cellphone nearby to record the music and words she receives while praying.

Regina Pacis Academy will honor the legacy of Colleen Wishall at its Annual Fall Gala on November 7. The school established the Colleen Wishall Scholarship Fund to recognize her life and faith.

Wishall, a wife and mother of four, died on July 27 at age 39 following a 19-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Three of her children attended Regina Pacis Academy.

During her funeral Mass, Father Luke Suarez, pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit, described Wishall as a deeply faithful person who grew closer to God while facing her illness and the physical limitations of cancer. In a reflection for her church bulletin, Wishall described herself as a wife and mother who saw God use her life to share His love.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will appear as an animated character in a new weekly series designed to teach the Catholic faith to children and families. The series, titled Bishop Frank Teaches the Faith, begins streaming on September 18, 2026, through the Institute for Catholic Formation.

The program features two to three minute episodes that use animation and storytelling paired with the bishop's own voice. The first ten episodes will be available at the launch, with new episodes released every Friday. Bishop Caggiano stated that the series uses digital media to introduce children to Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith.

Dr. Patrick Donovan, executive director of the Institute for Catholic Formation, said the series uses a medium children enjoy to help parents raise children with faith. The episodes aim to show that the faith is a way of living and an invitation into a relationship with Jesus Christ rather than a list of facts to memorize.

Deacon Jacinto Ortiz died on September 11, 2026, at the age of 90.

The Archdiocese of Hartford reported that Ortiz was ordained on June 13, 1992. He served at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Meriden until moving to Florida in 2005, where he continued his ministry until retiring in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Ramonita, his daughters, Edna Costa and Marilyn Seals, several siblings, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m. at Most Holy Trinity Church, 84 North Colony Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Calling hours will take place Wednesday, September 16, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main Street Ext., Wallingford, CT 06492. The burial will be private.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano created the Hispanic Council of Ecclesial Movements and Communities to strengthen evangelization, leadership formation, and collaboration among different spiritualities within the Hispanic Church in Fairfield County. The council provides a space for representatives from prayer groups, apostolic groups, ecclesial movements, and pastoral leaders to meet and discern together.

The council includes 18 members representing groups such as the Catholic Charismatic Movement, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, the Neocatechumenal Way, St. Paul Biblical School, the John XXIII movement, Talleres De Oracion Y Vida, COEHMS, and various Marian groups. Deacon Edward Carrillo, the diocesan coordinator of Hispanic ministry, said the council aims to bring previously silent voices into communion with the diocese so these groups can be recognized and work within Hispanic parishes.

Members will meet four times a year to discuss items for discernment and action. The bishop signed and promulgated the decree on May 3, 2026.

Bishop Caggiano has established Rosary Weekend as an annual tradition for the Diocese of Bridgeport. The first observance will take place on October 3 and 4, 2026, to honor Our Lady of the Rosary.

During this weekend, all Sunday Masses across the diocese will use the Votive Mass of Our Lady of the Rosary. While the liturgy will use readings from the Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Bishop stated that homilies should reflect on the role of Mary in the lives of Christians and explain the power of the Rosary as a prayer. All attendees at Mass during the weekend will also recite a prayer of consecratio together.

Bishop Caggiano said the new tradition aims to draw the faithful closer to Christ through the intercession of Mary. He noted that the Rosary serves as a way to contemplate the life of Jesus through its mysteries and provides maternal guidance in a world marked by anxiety and division.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano celebrated a Mass marking the 42nd anniversary of the St. John Paul II Center in Danbury. Volunteers and residents of the 141-bed skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care facility gathered in the center's community room for the milestone celebration.

During his homily, Bishop Caggiano spoke about the challenge of loving enemies. He described love as a choice to do what is good for others, even those who have caused hurt or betrayal. He encouraged the residents to practice virtuous love by choosing to see people in a new way rather than focusing on past injuries or seeking punishment.