Rev. Christopher Tiano, Director

Archbishop Mansell has appointed Fr. Christopher M. Tiano to be the new Director of the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization (note the new name!), replacing Msgr. Michael Motta. Welcome Fr. Tiano.

Fr. Tiano is also currently the pastor of the Torrington cluster of (4!) parishes: Sacred Heart, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary, and St. Peter.

Notable among his many accomplishments, Fr. Tiano is active in ministry with Boy Scouts of America and in 2007 was awarded Housatonic Council's James E. West Endowment Award.

Is God Like a Fire? Biblical Reflection for Teachers

A basic symbol for God by all peoples of faith, fire has revealed and concealed God's mystery for thousands of years. If you are looking for a tool to help folks (teens through adult) reflect on the image of fire in Scripture as it relates to knowing our God, BJ's non-copyrighted slideshow is available for your use. Check it out on Slideshare by clicking here.

A Weekly Bible Study

3rd Sunday of Lent
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

To whom are we faithful?
 
Today we hear St. Paul’s letter to the early followers of Jesus in Corinth, Greece. A major center of culture and commerce, Corinth was a cosmopolitan city in its day. It was also a hub of moral depravity and pagan worship. Surrounded by these influences, the early Christian community at Corinth was not without its own issues: liturgical divisions, improper Christian behavior, doctrinal problems, and various infidelities, to name a few.  Paul addresses these issues with firmness and compassion.

Paul drew on the wealth of understanding of his Jewish-Christian faith to remind the Corinthians how fragile their relationship with God could be. Referring to the time of Moses, Paul reminds the Corinthians that, although God protected his people in the desert, blessed them, and provided for their needs, he also demanded their fidelity. Paul tells us that “God was not pleased with most of them.” Their infidelities weakened their relationship with God making them easy prey to the pagan influences. Paul urges the Corinthians to reexamine themselves. Those who stand tall need to look deeply into their hearts and consider whether they are standing on true faith in Christ Jesus.

Lent is about looking deeply into our hearts. It is about asking ourselves the hard questions: What are we faithful to in our daily lives? What are those acts and attitudes of sinfulness that estrange us from God and others? God’s goodness is not to be taken for granted, by the early Israelites, the first century Corinthians, or us.

To whom are we faithful?

The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish, Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal. 

Springtime at CBS

I know spring is nearly upon us because we are beginning the third and final unit of the Catholic Biblical School and St. Thomas Certificate in Biblical Studies courses. Lenten Scripture Days, spring graduate courses and programs, and preparations for end-of-year festivities--the Award Ceremony, Graduation, and Mount Nebo Day--are all approaching fast.

This also means that we will be registering for next year's courses this month. Please pay prompt attention to all materials and forms related to registration, so we can neatly expedite next year's calendar. Return all completed forms by fax, mail  or email (scanned) to BJ or Jill in the Office of Religious Education.

Student workbooks for the coming year are available for sale at this Sunday's Celebration of Sacred Scripture, 1:30-4:45 pm at St. Thomas Seminary.

Summer Reading Assignments will be made by June 1, 2013.

Contact Info: Office of Religious Education, Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary, 467 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002; Fax: (860) 243-9690; Phone: (860) 243-9465; Email: cbs@orehartford.org.