August 28, 2025
For those who have suffered miscarriages, stillbirth, or the loss of an infant, Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Bridgeport has created Little Angels Shrine at Resurrection Cemetery in Newtown.
“Women, couples, and families will now have spiritual support as they live with the heartbreaking loss of a pregnancy, a stillborn baby, or an infant,” said Carolyn Killian, Director of Bereavement. “We see the pain that so many have experienced, and we hope our shrine will provide a prayerful place of peace and comfort. Our message to parents and grandparents, and families is that your pain is no longer invisible.”
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will bless the shrine on September 6 at 11 a.m., and the public is invited to attend the ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery on 208 South Main Street in Newtown.
Kenn Devane of Catholic Cemeteries said work is being completed on the shrine, which is located near the cemetery entrance. It will include five memorial walls, each 10 feet long and 4 feet high. They will be positioned behind a semicircle of 14 Stations of the Cross made of Carrara marble on black granite platforms.
Those who have suffered perinatal loss through miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, or loss of an infant less than a year old will be able to have the name and date inscribed on a plaque, and the remains will be interred in the ground, in front of the memorial wall. When remains are unavailable, a plaque honoring the child will also be placed on the memorial wall. There is no charge for the plaque. They will all be the same size and material for consistency on the walls.
The shrine project is also designed to support the bishop’s desire to help people recognize the important role that faith can play in mourning the loss of a child, Killian said. Providing a sacred place to bury remains in consecrated ground, pray and memorialize lost babies, “will extend the support of our faith community to many who often feel very isolated.”
“This consecrated ground honors the memory of all deceased children, and it provides a reverent place of prayer and healing for parents and others,” Devane said.
On one Saturday each month, the cemetery will host a service. A registration form for the service will be available on the cemetery website to determine who will be attending, the name and date for the plaque, and if they have remains. There is no charge for the service, burial or inscribed plaques, but donations are welcome, Devane said.
For more information about how to memorialize a child, visit ctcemeteries.org/LittleAngelsShrine.
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