HARTFORD – Archbishop Henry J. Mansell headed a contingent of Connecticut bishops at the state Capitol Feb. 9 in a public appeal to government leaders to act on issues of health care, abortion counseling, school funding incentives and financial help for the underserved people of the state.

A press conference led by Archbishop Mansell in the Old Judiciary Room was a highlight of Catholic Awareness Day. The event was sponsored by the Connecticut Catholic Conference, the bishops’ public policy office, and drew about 150 Catholics from around the state, according to Deacon David Reynolds, CCC’s legislative liaison. Many people attended workshops on universal health care, Catholic school challenges, the death penalty and domestic violence in immigrant communities. As in years past, many attendees met with their legislators privately to express their concerns.

Veteran radio personality Ivor Hugh records voice cuts for his classical music program ‘Good Evening Good Music,’ which airs nightly on WJMJ-FM, the archdiocesan radio station in Bloomfield. Click here to enlarge. (Photo by Jack Sheedy)

BLOOMFIELD – For more than 30 years, Ivor Hugh’s dulcet tones have been reminding listeners that archdiocesan radio station WJMJ-FM can minister with music as well as through the Gospel.

HARTFORD – January was the month when Catholics throughout the Archdiocese were asked to say "no" in their parishes to the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) by signing and sending postcards to their Congressional delegates.

And sign they did.

During the weekend of Jan. 24-25, members of most parishes were provided with three postcards – one for their United States Representative and two for their U.S. Senators – stating their opposition to FOCA.

Irish stepdancers perform at the 25th annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast last year at the Connecticut Convention Center. Click here to enlarge, (Photo by John Bohuslaw)

HARTFORD – The founder of a national organization that crosses the divide between popular culture and virtue will speak at 7:30 a.m. March 17 at the Connecticut Convention Center.

NEW HAVEN – Parishioners in the Archdiocese of Hartford are being invited to a workshop titled "Building Communities of Compassion: An Introduction to JustFaith" from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 14 at Ascension Church, 1040 Dunbar Hill Road, Hamden.

Jack Jezreel will describe JustFaith, a ministry program that he directs which provides people with an opportunity to explore the biblical tradition, the historic witness of the Church, Catholic social teaching, and the relationship between spirituality and justice. Participants typically meet weekly for 30 weeks and participate in retreats and immersion experiences. The ministry’s main focus is poverty, with topics ranging from the scriptural background of justice and faith, the preferential option for the poor, hunger, nonviolence, consumerism and Third-World issues, to name but a few.