Bridgeport’s Bishop Caggiano named next Legatus head chaplain

CNA Staff, Feb 6, 2021 / 06:01 am (CNA).- Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport has been named the next chaplain of Legatus International, a Catholic business leaders’ association with over 100 chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

“Legatus is blessed to have Bishop Caggiano as International Chaplain, empowering our chapters and members with Christian ethics and values as they navigate the mission field as ambassadors for Christ in the marketplace,” Stephen Henley, Legatus executive director, said Feb. 4

Caggiano’s term as chaplain is five years long. In this role he will work to help Legatus’ 5,000 members progress spiritually, give guidance to chapter chaplains, and oversee the theological content of Legatus programs. He also serves as an ex officio member of the Legatus International Board of Governors.

“We are now living in a missionary country and Legatus members are poised to be very effective missionaries through their witness of life and as messengers of salvation,” Caggiano said at his January 2021 meeting with Legatus chaplains. “I am looking forward to working with you to serve our chapters and members as they rise to the call of heroic holiness.”

Caggiano, a former auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, was born in Brooklyn to Italian emigrant parents. The 61-year-old has been Bishop of Bridgeport since 2013. Legatus’ Fairfield County Chapter in Connecticut was chartered under his guidance in 2016. The bishop has celebrated Masses for Legatus’ biannual summit and for its New York City gala. The previous international chaplain was Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux, who served in that role for 10 years.

The organization’s members are Catholic CEOs, presidents, managing partners, business owners, and their spouses. Its mission is “to study, live, and spread the Catholic faith in our business, professional and personal lives.”

Legatus chapter monthly meetings typically include Mass, Confession, and a rosary followed by social hours, dining, and a presentation on Catholic topics. Legatus International also organizes leadership conferences, pilgrimage opportunities, religious retreats, social events, and overseas trips.

The organization has chartered three new chapters in 2020, despite the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic, Legatus International said. The newest chapters are in Albany, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.

Tom Monaghan, the Domino’s Pizza founder turned Catholic philanthropist, founded the organization in 1987. It is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich.