The New Bishop of the Bridgeport Connecticut Diocese – Son of Campania Immigrants, and from Brooklyn … No Less!
The New Bishop of the Bridgeport Connecticut Diocese – Son of Campania Immigrants, and from Brooklyn … No Less!
(August 1, 2013)
Most Rev. Frank J Caggiano
At a time when the Catholic Church in general and the Diocese of Bridgeport in particular are rife with controversy, the Pope appointed a southern-Italian American who immediately demonstrated he is not afraid of controversy. At the news conference announcing his appointment, Bishop Caggiano unequivocally, empathically and vociferously said: “I’m a New York Mets Fan!” Needless to say, that raised a lot of eyebrows.
The Most Rev. Frank J Caggiano, 53, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y., was introduced Wednesday 7/31/13 as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport
Bishop Caggiano was born in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn on March 29, 1959, Easter Sunday, the second of two children of Arnaldo and Gennarina Caggiano, both of whom came to this country in 1958 from the town of Caggiano in the province of Salerno, Italy. The Bishop is fluent in Italian.
The Installation Mass for Bishop Caggiano will take place on Thursday, Sept. 19 – the feast of San Gennaro, the patron of Naples; according to Caggiano, the choice was made "for obvious reasons."
The appointment can be viewed as an especially vote of confidence that the Pope has in the Jesuit educated Caggiano; for the Bridgeport Diocese has suffered a number of high profile cases of sexual and financial misconduct by clergy.
After establishing himself as a Mets fan, questions at the news conference turned to the serious issues confronting the Church. Homosexuality and Gay marriage, for example.
In answer to a question about gays in the church, Caggiano responded consistent with his role as the Shepard, teacher and leader of Catholic laity; clearly and unequivocally consistent with the Church’s Cannon Law, which is based on Sacred Natural Law Theology, he said:
"The love of God is universal, and everyone is welcomed into the life of the church. But there is a need for us to live an authentic Catholic life of chastity."
“Although homosexual couples have a need for a shared life, marriage is not one of those ways. Marriage is understood to be a man and a woman called together to make a life.”
To my mind, the Catholics of the bucolic Bridgeport Diocese are going to greatly appreciate the clarity of teaching and morality of behavior this southern-Italian city boy will bring to them.
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