HARTFORD – When they have nowhere else to turn in tough economic times, they are turning to their local Catholic pastors.

This year, in ways that pastors were never equipped to assist in the past, they are helping people make mortgage and rent payments, receive necessary prescriptions and health care, pay for utilities and dramatically reduce the cost of feeding their families.

NEW HAVEN – Citing demographic changes and a struggling economy, the Archdiocese of Hartford has announced plans to merge St. Rose of Lima School next fall with the nearby St. Francis of Assisi School in the city’s Fair Haven section.

The renamed St. Francis/St. Rose School will be located on the St. Francis property.

The decision came as a blow to students, parents, faculty and benefactors of St. Rose. They have worked in recent years to support the school, which has grown, over its 96-year history, from an Irish to an Italian to now a largely immigrant Latino and African-American student base of 144 students.

Chris Dailey (Photo by Keith Griffin)

HARTFORD – The qualities that helped the UConn women’s basketball team win its sixth national title are evident in the students to whom Catholic Charities gives scholarships to high school.

"[H]onestly, if the kids who are in that program had any basketball ability, they would be the kind of people that we would want in our program because those are the kinds of people that you want: people that work hard, that embrace opportunity," said Chris Dailey, associate head coach for UConn women’s basketball, May 15 at Catholic Charities’ fourth annual Help and Hope Breakfast.

Father Marcin Pluciennik, left, and Father Robert Morgewicz. See Photo Gallery of Ordination. (Photo by Bob Mullen.)

HARTFORD – Everyone who spoke about Robert Anthony Morgewicz II and Marcin Piotr Pluciennik is excited about how much richer the Hartford Archdiocese will be with them as priests.

The two men took the step from the transitional diaconate to priesthood during a Mass of Ordination May 9 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Archbishop Henry J. Mansell was the ordaining prelate. About 50 priests and deacons assisted at the Mass.

Liza Mendez, stewardship coordinator for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oxford on May 11 at the Aqua Turf in Planstville. Click here to enlarge. (Photo by Jack Sheedy)

PLANTSVILLE – James K. Kelley believes everyone has amazing gifts to offer.

"Each person is gifted in some way, even at an early age. I’ve never in my life met a talentless person," he told about 600 archdiocesan parish leaders at the annual stewardship evening at the Aqua Turf Club May 11. The event was sponsored by the Office of Stewardship and featured displays of various ministries by several parishes.