Frank Caggiano

Frank Joseph Caggiano (born March 29, 1959) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the Bishop of Bridgeport since his appointment in 2013. Prior to his appointment to the Bridgeport diocese, Caggiano was an Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Frank Joseph Caggiano
Bishop of Bridgeport
Portrait of Bishop Caggiano.
Diocese	Bridgeport
Appointed	July 31, 2013
Installed	September 19, 2013
Predecessor	William E. Lori
Orders
Ordination	May 16, 1987 by Francis John Mugavero
Consecration	August 22, 2006 by Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio, Thomas Vose Daily, and Ignatius Anthony Catanello
Personal details
Birth name	Frank Joseph Caggiano
Born	(1959-03-29) March 29, 1959 Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
Nationality	American
Denomination	Catholic
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn (2006-13) Titular Bishop of Inis Cathaig (2006-13)
Education	Regis High School
Alma mater	Yale University Cathedral College Pontifical Gregorian University
Motto	"JESUS CHRIST IS LORD"
Coat of arms

Styles of Frank Joseph Caggiano
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Biography

Early life

Frank Caggiano was born on Easter Sunday in 1959 in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, New York, the younger of two children of Arnaldo and Gennarina Caggiano. His parents were Italian immigrants who came to the United States from the town of Caggiano, in the province of Salerno, in 1958. He has an older sister, Antonia.[1] His parents originally wanted to name him Francesco after his grandfather, however, a nurse mistakenly placed Frank on birth forms which his parents reluctantly accepted.[2]

Caggiano grew up in southern Brooklyn on Van Sicklen Street and would attend Mass each Sunday morning at their parish of Saints Simon and Jude where he would eventually attend school.[2][3] He attended Saints Simon and Jude Elementary School in Gravesend and graduated from Regis High School (under the direction of the Society of Jesus) in Manhattan in 1977. He then entered Yale University as a political science major, but later decided to enter the priesthood. This sudden shift from Yale to the priesthood disappointed his father who opposed his priestly inclinations, even though Caggiano himself was still unsure of his vocation.[2] In 1978, he entered Cathedral College in Douglaston, from where Caggiano obtained a B.A. in philosophy in 1981.

Upon graduating from Cathedral College, Caggiano worked in the New York metropolitan area for the Gregg Division of McGraw Hill Publishing Company for eighteen months. He then went on to attend the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington and earned a M.Div..

Priesthood

Caggiano was ordained a priest by Bishop Francis Mugavero on May 16, 1987 in Douglaston,[4] and then served as associate pastor at Saint Agatha Church in Bay Ridge and at Saint Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst until August 1991. After serving in ministry for a few years, Caggiano studied in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning a Doctor of Sacred Theology in May 1996: His thesis was entitled: The Eschatological Implications of the Notion of Recreation in the Works of St. Cyril of Alexandria. While in Rome, Caggiano was assigned to the North American College while he pursued his studies at the Gregorian.

He returned to the Diocese of Brooklyn after studying in Rome and became associate pastor of Saint Jude Church in Canarsie in June 1996, also serving as Dean of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate Program and Censor Librorum for the Diocese. He became the pastor of Saint Dominic's Church in Bensonhurst in 1998 and taught theology at Saint John's University's Staten Island campus and at Saint Joseph's College. He also preached at the Youth 2000 Summer Festival in Tipperary, Ireland.[1] He was named director of the Permanent Diaconate Office in 2002 and later Vicar for Evangelization and Pastoral Life in 2004.

He was raised to the rank of Papal Chaplain by Pope John Paul II in 2003. In 2004, Bishop Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio appointed him as the diocesan Vicar for Evangelization and Pastoral Life, which also came with directing several offices under that responsibility.

Episcopal career

Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn

On June 6, 2006, Caggiano was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn and Titular Bishop of Inis Cathaig by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 22 from Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, with Bishops Thomas Daily and Ignatius Catanello serving as co-consecrators. Caggiano has participated in a number of World Youth Day gatherings, delivering catechetical talks in Sydney (2008), Madrid (2011) and Rio de Janeiro (2013).[1]

In 2009, the Brooklyn diocese made the decision to close fourteen schools down; Caggiano was selected by Bishop DiMarzio to lead the reorganization effort and conceded that prior school closings generally led to job losses and that the current reorganization efforts (to be completed prior to the end of the academic year) would more than likely result in job losses for some people.[5] He also was put in charge of consolidating 46 parishes and reducing the Catholic grade schools from 108 to about 65 or 70 while converting the rest into independent Catholic academies.[2]

Bishop of Bridgeport

On July 31, 2013, Pope Francis appointed Caggiano the Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and he was installed there on September 19.[6]

One of his first actions was to publicly announce the financial deficit incurred before his installation, and to mandate that pastors would serve six-year renewable periods at parishes and would be required to submit their resignations when they turned 75, much like bishops did.[3]

In 2014, he convoked the 4th Synod of the Diocese of Bridgeport, the first in 32 years (themed "Building Bridges to the Future Together).[4] In an interview with America, Caggiano said that one of his first priorities as bishop is reaching out to the high percentage of Catholics in the diocese, who for whatever reasons, no longer attend Mass.[7] One of the major concerns that the synod focused on was the decline in Mass attendance and sacramental reception as well as the need to bolster Catholic schools due to declining enrollment.[8]

In April 2019, Fairfield University's Murphy Center awarded Bishop Caggiano the "Bowler Award" in recognition of his pastoral contributions to the Diocese of Bridgeport.[9] In November 2019, Caggiano was elected to the board of Catholic Relief Services and then named to a three-year term as its chairman.[10] Of that appointment, Caggiano said in a statement issued on November 25 that it was an honor for him to lead an organization dedicated to people "who don't have enough to eat or a place to sleep because of entrenched poverty".[11]

In 2018, Caggiano announced that liturgical norms and regulations in the diocese would be revised over the next four-year period as a result of discussions from the diocesan synod. Caggiano said, on October 1, that these newer regulations would "allow us to pray effectively and reverently as a Church" and would be the newest norms implemented since 1983.[12]

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Caggiano issued directives to cease public Masses on a temporary basis and would go on to livestream his Masses for people to virtually participate in. Caggiano reasoned that closing churches was per "our common moral obligation to protect human life" and reduce transmission in the virus. Additionally, he noted in a Facebook post that suspending all public Masses was important for community safety, and was in accordance to "the central Catholic belief in the sanctity of every human life". However, the diocese also announced that one particular format for the Mass in person would be arranged to social distancing norms for only 50 people while others can participate via their car in parking lots, still socially distant in the case of an emergency.[13] Caggiano later announced an easing in restrictions on Mass attendance based on a reopening process in conjunction with steps taken by neighbouring dioceses.

In order to evangelize on a broader level (per one of his pastoral commitments upon his installation), Caggiano maintains a Facebook and Twitter account where he publishes small reflections updated regularly.[14]

Sexual abuse reporting

Caggiano commissioned a report released in October 2019 from former state Superior Court Judge Robert Holzberg into the Diocese's handling of accusations of sexual abuse by its priests. Holzberg found that since 1953 some 71 priests had abused almost 300 people, with most cases dating to the 1960s and 1970s and none since 2008. He detailed how three bishops over forty years had consistently failed to fulfill their moral and legal responsibilities.[15] Caggiano also said on October 3, 2019 that victims "need to remain at the center of all of our efforts because they are our brothers and sisers" which meant that "moving forward does not mean leaving them behind".[16]

Views and theology

Abortion

Caggiano opposes abortion, believing that countless more unborn children will be robbed of their God-given right to enjoy the gift of life". Caggiano released a reflection on January 25, 2019 in which he referred to the legalization of abortion as disturbing and as a failure on the part of contemporary American society.[17] In June 1997, he gave an address where he said that life must be preserved and defended from the moment of conception since an unborn child was "of infinite value" due to its origins in God's love.[18]

Euthanasia

In June 1997, the then-Father Caggiano gave an address in which he lamented that "contemporary society continues to undermine all attempts to respect and defend human life", referring to an imminent Supreme Court ruling on physician-assisted suicide which Caggiano said "represents a subtle form of euthanasia". He elaborated that refusing to contribute to the defence of human life only contributed to a "culture of death" that would usher in dramatic societal shifts towards life and death.[18]

Same-sex marriage

Caggiano opposes same-sex marriage and in 2015 issued a statement lamenting the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision that same-sex marriages were nationally constitutional. Caggiano joined other Catholic dioceses in opposing the ruling, reflecting that the decision was indicative of "rapidly shifting attitudes in our secular American society", however, pointing out that this did not deter the Church's official magisterium or "its understanding of sacramental marriage".

The bishop further stated that "the Church clearly teaches that the sacrament of marriage is a covenant of love that can be entered into only by a man and a woman", and that a change in civil law was only proof that the Church needed to continue to make the effort "to become a more welcoming Church".[19]

Youth

Bishop Caggiano was one of the delegates appointed to attend the Synod of Bishops in 2018 dedicated to the youth. Caggiano said that the Church needed to act transparently in order to secure trust on the part of young people left scandalized by scandals. He further said that there was a need to make outreach to young people a crucial pastoral focus for any episcopacy.

In an interview given to the National Catholic Register on July 10, 2017, Caggiano said that young people "are facing their own unique challenges and want someone to listen to them", therefore necessitating the need for pastors to be able to respond to them through modern technological innovations that can draw them closer to young people and the youth to the Church. Caggiano further said that striving for personal holiness and to "proclaim the Good News" were focal points for a youth ministry so that the youth were not forgotten.[20]

Having attended several World Youth Day events, Caggiano strongly believes that those events can become "a life-changing experience" for young people to encounter Jesus Christ. He said that it was exceptional to see millions of young people gathering together from all parts of the world under a common faith.[2]

Interfaith dialogue

Caggiano supports interreligious dialogue as a call for peace. On December 22, 2015, Caggiano attended a prayer service with Jewish and Muslim leaders in front of the Margaret Morton Government Center "to alert people to the sin of discrimination and to stand in solidarity with those who are in need". He decried those attacks motivated by religious discrimination and hatred, noting the "growing menace of terrorism and violence" in a Facebook post he wrote shortly after the event.[21]

His comments also went indirectly towards terrorism motivated by religion when he also noted that "unfortunately there are few who, in the name of God, are perpetrating terrible acts of evil". Caggiano pointed out that different religions needed to come together to reject religiously-motivated violence in order "to search for peace, understanding and a spirit of tolerance".[21]

The bishop also condemned the spraying of anti-Semitic graffiti at the diocesan cathedral, referring to "this brazen and disgusting display of anti-Semitism which is morally abhorrent and an affront to our Catholic faith" in a statement issued on January 5, 2019. He further said that "to use a clearly anti-Semitic symbol is participating in unspeakable evil" and that it was a distressing occurrence given that there was a growing need to mutually respect other religions.[22]

Racism

Caggiano issued a statement on Twitter following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May 2020, in which he said that "we must once again confront the evil of systematic racism, bigotry, and discrimination in our country".[23]

Clerical sex abuse scandal

Bishop Caggiano, shortly after his installation in Bridgeport, told the National Catholic Reporter in an interview that it was important "to rebuild trust in the Church, among people in the Church", particularly with those younger people who leave due to feeling scandalized by the impact the crisis has. He firmly said that rebuilding trust was dependent upon transparency and authenticity which he hoped to demonstrate consistently in his episcopacy.[3]

References

1. "Biography", Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport
2. Tim Loh (August 3, 2013). "How an Italian boy from Brooklyn became bishop". Greenwich Time. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
3. Brian Roewe (May 27, 2014). "New Bridgeport bishop reaches out through simplicity, dialogue". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
4. "Our Bishop: The Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano", The Cathedral Parish
5. Paul Vitello & Winnie Hu (January 13, 2009). "Brooklyn Diocese Moves to Shut 14 Schools". The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
6. Altimari, Daniela (September 19, 2013). "Caggiano Becomes Bridgeport Bishop In Ceremony Of Hope". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
7. Salai SJ, Sean. "Church Reform from Below: An Interview with Bishop Frank Caggiano", America, July 27, 2014
8. Brian Roewe (September 11, 2014). "Ahead of diocesan synod, Bridgeport bishop returns his residence to seminary". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
9. "Bishop Caggiano Honored by Fairfield University’s Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality", Fairfield University, June 17, 2019
10. "Bishop Caggiano named chairman of Catholic Relief Services board". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. November 25, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
11. "Bishop Caggiano named chairman of Catholic Relief Services board". November 26, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
12. "Bishop Announces Revision Of Liturgical Norms". Diocese of Bridgeport. October 17, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
13. "Bridgeport bishop: Suspending public Mass was 'moral obligation to protect human life'". CT Post. May 24, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
14. Susan Adams (March 9, 2016). "The Entrepreneurial Bishop: Can The Catholic Church Learn From JetBlue?". Forbes. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
15. Altimari, Dave; Blanco, Amanda (October 1, 2019). "Bridgeport Diocese report on sex abuse among priests blames former Archbishop Edward Egan; nearly 300 individuals allegedly abused by 71 priests since 1953". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
16. Andrew Pugliese (October 7, 2019). "Bridgeport Bishop Caggiano Addresses Scandal". The Tablet. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
17. "Bishop Frank Comments on NY Abortion Law". Diocese of Bridgeport. January 25, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
18. "Christ, the Defender of Human Life". Pro-Life Council. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
19. "Roundup of Reactions To Same-Sex Marriage Ruling". The Tablet. July 1, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
20. Joseph Pronechen (July 12, 2017). "Bishop Frank Caggiano and the 'Power of the Table'". National Catholic Register. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
21. Frank Juliano (23 December 2015). "Interfaith prayer service warns against discrimination". CT Post. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
22. "Caggiano condemns anti-Semitic graffiti at Bridgeport cathedral". Catholic News Agency. January 5, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
23. Monica Chon (June 2, 2020). "Religious Leaders Across the Country React to The Killing of George Floyd". The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2020.

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by William E. Lori	Bishop of Bridgeport 2013 – Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by -	Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn 2006 - 2013	Succeeded by -