Independence 250 Years Later! Happy Anniversary USA!

Declaration of Independence, John Trumbull, 1819

Dear Parishioners:

Happy 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Independence Day is an opportunity for every citizen, especially Catholic citizens, to reflect on important lessons at the heart of virtuous living and faithful citizenship.                                                    

I fondly remember the Fourth of July as a child with its cherished cookout complete with hamburgers, saugy hot dogs, potato salad, corn on the cob, and watermelon.  Then came the sparklers and fireworks my older brothers had bought in Silver Lake.  Finally, we made the trek from our house to Narragansett Bay by the RI Yacht Club to watch the giant blazing bonfire supervised by the Pawtuxet Volunteer Fire Company. They were happy times.

But an important lesson of Independence Day was imparted to us by our parents.  Both had lived through the Great Depression, and my Father also served in combat in Italy during the Second World War.  My mother worked at the Quonset Base during the war, and her three brothers all served in the Second World War.  Their example calls us to remember that our freedom isn’t free, and good things are worth fighting for. Freedom is a fragile reality.

Our Catholic faith and the American experiment assert that freedom is our inheritance as the children of God. Of course, this requires that freedom be rightly and fully understood. Freedom is a summons placed within the heart of every human person to live a life of virtue, self-control, and goodness. Freedom is not the power to do whatever we want. It is the power to do what is right and good. 

Freedom always runs the risk of captivity, however, either by our own fallen hearts through sin, or by governments and regimes that repress authentic liberty, self-determination, and a creativity born from virtuous living. St. Paul describes the struggle for freedom in our hearts in his Letter to the Galatians: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Mount Rushmore with the images of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln

These lessons are not only those of a young child living in Edgewood fifty years ago. They are the lessons that all people of goodwill are called to discern, discover, and accept. They are the foundational lessons that inspire, motivate, and sustain a healthy society and a virtuous form of representative government.

Unlike my parents and their peers of the “Greatest Generation,” our contemporary culture, which indulges in moral relativism on one side and new forms of socialism on the other, often misses the inner dynamics of how freedom and goodness interact in such a way that each needs the other. Freedom and moral goodness are beloved twins who enjoy and prosper best when they are together and in harmony with one another.

Our Founding Fathers rightly understood this 250 years ago when they signed the Declaration of Independence. They considered liberty and its exercise in pursuit of the flourishing of themselves, their families, and their communities. Charles Carroll, the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence, on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary, said:

Minute Man

“Grateful to Almighty God for the blessings which, through Jesus Christ our Lord, he has conferred on my beloved country in her emancipation, and upon myself in permitting me to live to the age of eighty-nine years, and to survive the fiftieth year of American independence and my approbation of the Declaration of Independence of which I am now the last surviving signer, I do hereby recommend to the present and future generations the principles of that important document, as the best earthly inheritance their ancestors could bequeath to them; and pray that the civil and religious liberties they have secured to my country may be perpetuated to the remotest posterity and extended to the whole family of man.”

Let us celebrate this hard-won liberty on the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which freed us from the shackles of English Royal Tyranny with gratitude, pride, and joy! God Bless the USA! Happy Independence Day!

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The Friars & Fourth of July Are Coming! One Nation Under God!

Dear Parishioners:                                

Dominican Friars of the Order of Preachers

We are kicking off a new Adult Faith Formation Summer Program at OLM this month. Three Dominican friars from the Godward Program will be preaching a series of weekly talks titled “Why Catholicism Still Matters” across the Diocese of Providence, including here at OLM.  The series will include a short talk on various topics relevant to daily Catholic life, followed by a Q&A panel discussion.  Our program begins on Monday, June 29, at 7:00 pm and continues on the first three Mondays in July. 

The Dominican friars, formally known as the Order of Preachers, are a Catholic religious order founded by St. Dominic over 800 years ago for one sole purpose: giving every single person a chance for a real encounter with the Gospel. Locally, the Dominicans are known for their ministry and service at Providence College and St. Pius V Parish. We also have Friars from PC Priory help with Masses here on occasion.

The three Dominican Friars are Brother Anselm Kelly, O.P., who entered the Order of Preachers in 2021. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College, where he studied history and government. Before entering the Order, he lived and worked in Richmond, Virginia. Brother Clement Greenspan, O.P., entered the Order of Preachers in 2021. He studied marine transportation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and received a U.S.C.G. license. He lives in Washington, D.C., where he is continuing his formation for the priesthood.

Brother Roland Wakefield, OP

Brother Roland Wakefield, O.P., is originally from Hanover, Massachusetts. After graduating from Providence College in 2021, he entered the Order of Preachers. He was attracted to the Dominican life of prayer, preaching, and fraternity. He currently lives in Washington, D.C., where he is continuing his formation for the priesthood. He hopes, along with Br. Anselm and Br. Clement, to be ordained a deacon next year.

This program is taking place across the Diocese of Providence at nine parishes: St. Jude in Lincoln, Saint Pius V in Providence, Saint Teresa in  Pawtucket, Saint Bernard in North Kingstown,  Holy Apostles in Cranston, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Narragansett, St. Patrick in Providence (in Spanish), Saint Christopher in Tiverton, and here at OLM. 

The talks will take place at the parishes on different days and times, with some in the evening, afternoon, and morning. You can find the days and times of all the talks, along with more information, on the Godward website. 

It is a unique opportunity for our Diocese and our parish to be formed in our Catholic Faith.  I hope you can come on Monday to the cool of the Church to learn more about the faith and ask the Friars questions.  Confessions on Mondays at 6:00 pm continue, with talks following at 7:00 pm. Hope to see you here!

As part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage when it arrived in the nation’s capital on the evening of June 5, 2026, Father Charles Trullols, the director of the Catholic Information Center in Washington, holds the Eucharist aloft as he offers a special blessing for America near the Washington Monument, accompanied by nine young adult “Perpetual Pilgrims.” Those pilgrims are traveling with the Eucharist along the East Coast this summer as the National Eucharist Pilgrimage commemorates the nation’s 250th anniversary with the theme, “One Nation Under God.” (Catholic Standard photo by Mihoko Owada)

Another unique event taking place in the Diocese of Providence is the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which is coming this week. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, this Pilgrimage has the theme "One Nation Under God." 

The pilgrims have been making their way across the country with the Eucharist. They will do so here in Rhode Island, including a special Eucharistic Procession led by Bishop Lewandowski from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul to the RI Statehouse. A complete schedule of the Pilgrimage Events is in the bulletin. 

Everyone is welcome to attend the events. As the Catholic Charity Appeal for this year comes to a close on June 30, there is good news to report.  Thanks to the generosity of Catholics across the Diocese of Providence, we have surpassed our $7.8 million goal, reaching 102% of our diocesan goal. This was thanks to the generosity of 17,108 donors across the diocese.

Here at OLM, our CCA goal was not only surpassed but also set a new record.  As of this week, $311,000 has been pledged or donated by 478 generous parishioners. This is a incredible increase from the $276,756 raised last year, and the number of donors rose from 449. In the name of the poor and needy, I thank you for your generosity. If you have not yet made a pledge, please do so by June 30! I thank you for your support.

Be well. Do good. God bless.  Have a Happy Fourth of July! Happy 250th Anniversary of the United States of America! God Bless America!

The Vital, Irreplaceable Gift of Fatherhoood

Dear Parishioners:

We wish all our Fathers a very Happy Father's Day! We celebrate the great gift of Fatherhood with prayer and thanksgiving this Sunday. Fatherhood is a tremendous gift from God. I know this because of my own father’s love for me and because of our Heavenly Father’s love for me. The love my earthly father showed me throughout his life is merely a fraction of the love that God has for each one of us.

Fatherhood is not just a job or a position within the family. Being a father is a vocation and a calling. We know that the primary role of parents is to get their children to heaven, and fathers are a critical part of that. Children need fathers to guide them in the faith and to teach them about our Father in heaven. When children feel that their father is trustworthy, honest, dependable, merciful, and loving, they are more likely to believe the same about our Heavenly Father. 

Today, we celebrate the importance of the vocation of Fatherhood. However, the New York State Assembly recently passed a bill that erases the terms 'mother' and 'father' from state child custody and parental laws. 'Mother' would be replaced with 'gestating parent' while 'father' becomes 'non-gestating parent' in family court and also in domestic and education law.  

Words matter, and radical changes to legal language serve only to undermine the importance of these roles in society. Mothers are mothers and fathers are fathers. To suggest otherwise is delusion at best and evil at worst.

Pope Leo  has highlighted the vital and irreplaceable role of fathers in his messages to families. He has also described fathers as the foundation of the family unit, adding, "Dear Fathers, on this special day, I want to encourage you in the complete gift of your life for the good of your marriage and family.”

Speaking of Pope Leo, he recently returned from Spain and took time off to rest at Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles south of Rome in the Alban Hills.  It is the Papal Summer Residence, and Pope Leo typically stays there in July until the Feast of the Assumption.  He offers a good witness of the need to rest, recreate, and renew during the summer. 

Summer also means more time for reading. The  Holy Father recommends reading “The Practice of the Presence of God.” Written by the 17th-century French Carmelite friar Brother Lawrence, it is a slim volume that runs just 131 pages. Ascension Press has recently reprinted it. It includes a foreword by Pope Leo, and each chapter is also accompanied by commentary from Fr. Gregory Pine, a Dominican friar, and theology professor, and his sister, Rebecca Dougherty, a theologian.

In addition to my spiritual reading with Brother Lawrence’s book.  I hope to read a new book entitled Converts: From Oscar Wilde to Muriel Spark, Why So Many Became Catholic in the 20th Century by Melanie McDonagh. It examines the lives of notable converts, such as Oscar Wilde, G. K. Chesterton, and Graham Greene, from the perspective of their faith.

The semiquincentennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is this July 4, so I am reading a new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America by Michael Auslin. 

Finally, I  plan to read A Murder in Springtime, the latest installment in Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series. It just came out last week on Amazon. The Bruno Detective series always makes for a great beach read, preferably with a cigar.   What are you reading this summer?

The newly paved St. Patrick Cemetery road.

This summer, several youths from OLM will attend the Steubenville Youth Conference in Ohio. Transportation costs have risen sharply due to gasoline prices.  We are seeking sponsors to provide scholarships for this life-changing, faith-filled opportunity. Please contact Fr. Brodeur if you can help our youth financially.

As you may have seen, St. Patrick Cemetery has a beautiful, newly paved road.  It was certainly needed and helps keep that sacred ground beautiful. The Grateful for God’s Providence Capital Campaign funded the $40,000 cost.  My thanks to the Lynch Family of the J. H. Lynch and Sons Construction Company for a job well done!

Be well. Do good. God bless.  Happy Father’s Day! May God bless all Fathers!

"Summertime is always the best of what might be.”

Dear Parishioners:                               

Last Sunday, we had a beautiful and solemn celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.   Fr.  Brodeur’s excellent homily on the Sequence for Corpus Christi, composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, set the tone. The 10:30 am Mass included the Corpus Christi Procession of the Eucharist to Mercy Park for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  We thank the many who help make it beautiful, including the Parish Musicians and Choir, and our tremendous Altar Servers.  

Pope Leo XIV carries the monstrance as he leads the Corpus Christi procession at Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, June 7, 2026, during his apostolic journey to Spain

However, we were a little outdone by our Holy Father, Pope Leo.  He celebrated the Corpus Christi Mass and Procession with over one million people in Madrid, Spain.  He is making his first apostolic journey as Pope to Spain.   In his homily, he said:

“Thus, if in the Eucharistic celebration Christ gives himself as nourishment, the procession demonstrates that he does not remain closed in the temple but, rather, comes out to meet us. Jesus walks the streets, passes through the squares, visits our neighborhoods, inhabits the places of our daily lives, like the close God who walks with his people, like the Lord of history, consolation for the weak, light for families, hope for the most vulnerable, peace for those who suffer.”

The photos of the Mass and Procession in Madrid were very moving.  Over a million people knelt in silence as the Eucharistic Procession passed by. These worshippers, including First Communicants, nuns, priests, bishops, and cardinals, gathered to throw flower petals and colored sawdust along the Eucharistic procession's route.

OLM Altar Server Shane Ciunici serves Mass while at OLM School. The Hendricken Man of the Year has graduated and will attend Harvard this fall.

This Sunday at the 10:30 am Mass, we honor our  Senior Altar Servers who have graduated from high school.  They have served Holy Mass since the Fourth Grade.  We commend them for their dedication to duty and to God, and their reverence for the Eucharist.  So please join us as we honor and thank them for their service. St. Pope John Paul II, speaking to altar servers, said: “Your commitment to the altar is not only a duty, but a great honor, a genuine holy service."

While we look forward to the official start of summer next Sunday, on June 21, it’s beginning a little early here at OLM this week.  Our parish school will have its last day of school on Thursday, June 18, with a dismissal for summer break at 11:30 am.   We thank our Principal, Mr. McNabb, faculty, staff, students, and families for another tremendous year of education and faith.  Please keep them in your prayers that God may guide and protect them during these summer months. We hope the summer break is both fun and fruitful for our students. We look forward to their return to school all tan, rested, and ready! Charles Bowden, the American writer, once said: “Summertime is always the best of what might be.”

As summer approaches, I invite you to mark your calendars for some of “the best of what might be” here at OLM this summer.  First, the ordinations of two new priests for the Diocese of Providence will be held on Saturday, June 27, at the Cathedral. In preparation for the Ordination Mass, OLM will host a Holy Hour for Vocations on Friday, June 26, at 7:00 pm.  I encourage you to come as we pray for more vocations to the priesthood and also for the two young men to be ordained. The two young men to be ordained will be here with their families and friends. 

Bishop Lewandowski will preside, and Fr. Chris Murphy will preach.  Our Choir has been practicing overtime for this special event. So, as a parish, let’s make a good show of it and turn out in great numbers for this important event.

We have an important Adult Faith Formation Program this summer. The Dominican friars are hosting a four–part summer series entitled: “Why Catholicism Still Matters.” For four Mondays beginning on June 29, the brothers will host a Godward event at Our Lady of Mercy, featuring a short talk followed by Q&A with the Friars. This should be a great way to gather together and spend a summer’s evening in the cool of the Church, learning more about our Catholic Faith. So save your Monday evenings this summer for Godward!

Summer’s coming! Stay safe and enjoy! Next Sunday is Father’s Day as we give thanks for Fatherhood. Masses will be offered for all Fathers. Be well. Do good. God bless. 

Processing with the Lord

Dear Parishioners:                              

Friday night, we celebrated the Our Lady of Mercy 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony.   Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and to all those graduating from school this year.  Pray that they continue to grow in faith, hope, and charity.  As St.  Catherine of Siena said, “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”          

Christ with the Eucharist (or Christ with the Host and Chalice) by Vicent Macip (also known as Vicente Juan Masip, c. 1475–1550

Today, we celebrate the solemn feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Often called Corpus Christi, it is three feasts in one: the feast of the Eucharistic sacrifice, the feast of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and the feast of the Real Presence of Jesus in this Sacrament.  Corpus Christi is a doctrinal feast established for us to give God collective thanks for Christ’s abiding presence with us in the Eucharist and to honor Him there.  It is meant to teach us to better appreciate and make use of the great gift of the Holy Eucharist, both as a Sacrament and as a sacrifice.

Although we celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday, the Church emphasizes its importance with a special feast called “Corpus Christi.”  Today's celebration of the Body and Blood of the Lord originated in the Diocese of Liege in 1246 as the feast of Corpus Christi. Pope Urban IV officially instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi for the entire Catholic Church on August 11, 1264. It was established to publicly celebrate the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

In the reforms of Vatican II, Corpus Christi was joined with the feast of the Precious Blood (July 1) to become the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord. We celebrate today Christ's gift to us of the Eucharist, the source and summit of our life together as the Church.    

Our belief in this Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist derives from the literal interpretation of the promise of Christ to give us his Body and Blood for our spiritual food and drink, as found in St. John's Gospel, Chapter 6, and also in the four independent accounts of the fulfillment of this promise at the Last Supper (Mt 26; Mk 14; Lk 22; 1 Cor 11).    

Theologians explain the Real Presence through a process called transubstantiation: the entire substance of bread and wine is changed into the entire substance of the risen, living, and glorified Body and Blood of Christ, retaining only the “accidents” (taste, color, shape) of bread and wine.  

The Council of Trent declared that we must publicly honor Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, so that those who observe the Catholic faith in the Most Holy Eucharist might be attracted to the Eucharistic Lord and believe in the Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, present in this great Sacrament.    

Corpus Christi Procession by Carl Emil Doepler (1824-1905)

So I invite you to join us as we process with the Eucharist following the 10:30 am Mass. We will carry our Eucharistic Lord to Mercy Park, and there, the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be offered.  

In his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Saint Pope John Paul II said: “The devout participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a grace from the Lord which yearly brings joy to those who take part in it. In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into the body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength and our food for the journey, and he enables us to become, for everyone, witnesses of hope.”    

"La messa al campo,” by Emilio Rizzi in 1938

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we might reflect on our own appreciation of the Eucharist. We are blessed at OLM to have two priests and many Masses offered.  Our Church is open all day for prayer before Christ, who is present in the tabernacle.  We have frequent periods of Eucharistic Adoration when we can truly adore the Lord, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.  Do we avail ourselves of these blessed opportunities? Do we take them for granted?  

We should also ask if we actively participate in the Mass? Do we sing and recite the prayers aloud? Are we dressed appropriately for Mass? Have we made the Eucharistic Fast? Do we arrive on time and stay until the end? Do we worthily receive Communion? Do we act as if we are in the real presence of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? G.K. Chesterton famously said, “The Mass is very long and tiresome unless one loves God.” Be well. Do good. God bless.

A Humble Heart & A Sacred Heart Month

Dear Parishioners:                               

We had a beautiful Pentecost celebration last weekend.  Fr. Brodeur solemnly celebrated the Extended Vigil Mass with its many readings.  And on Pentecost Sunday at the 10:30 am Mass, I had the great privilege of baptizing and then confirming two adults, along with eight other adults. It is a great sign of life and vitality for our parish as we celebrate the birth of the Church and the descent of the Holy Spirit.   We offer our heartfelt congratulations and sincere best wishes to the newly baptized and confirmed.  Their names are listed in this week’s bulletin. Please pray for them.

I have important news about the budget envelopes. First, we know they were not sent out to any parishioners.  The Cathedral Envelope Company in Connecticut has once again experienced a breakdown in its manufacturing equipment.  This is now the third time this has happened.  

Envelopes were finally sent out from Cathedral on May 18 and should be in your mailbox. This is the last budget envelope package you will receive from Cathedral, as we have engaged a new envelope company,  Our Sunday Visitor Company in Indiana.  Beginning in July, newly designed envelopes from OSV will arrive in your mailbox every two months. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time of transition.

Today at the 10:30 am Mass, we celebrate the Graduation Mass for the Our Lady of Mercy School Eighth Grade Class of 2026.  These students have spent as many as 10 years in our outstanding parish school and are now departing OLM for high school. After Mass, we celebrate their academic achievements at a Graduation Luncheon at Quidnessett Country Club, with our administration, faculty, students, and their families.  

OLM School Class of 2026!

On Monday, Fr. Brodeur will lead the class on an all-day retreat at the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence.  On Tuesday, they will spend the day in the sun having fun at Holiday Hills Camp. On Thursday, they have their final dismissal on their last school day at Our Lady of Mercy. On Friday at 9:00 am, they join with the entire OLM School community for the Final First Friday Mass of the school year! And then Friday evening at 6:00 pm, we gather in the church for the Graduation Ceremony.  

We offer the Class of 2026 our best wishes for their future endeavors.  Please pray for them as they celebrate this milestone in their young lives and begin a new chapter.  I remind them of the words of Saint Pope John Paul the Great, who said to young people at World Youth Day,  “Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

The month of June begins on Monday! In June, the Church dedicates the entire month to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, offering special prayers and devotions. The reason is that the feast of the Sacred Heart, celebrated on June 12 this year, usually falls in June. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a very profound and enduring symbol representing the immense love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a special form of devotion to Jesus—the focus being his Heart, which exemplifies our Lord’s redemptive suffering for the whole world.

In the Gospels, Jesus’ heart is moved with pity for the crowds, and He tells us that He is gentle and humble of heart. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, which began beating in the womb of the Blessed Virgin more than 2,000 years ago, still beats today in the glorified humanity of the Risen Christ.  In the Sacred Heart of the Lord, we experience the overwhelming mercy of God and His infinite desire to be with us. 

St. John Henry Newman said: “The Heart of Jesus is a heart of flesh, and not of stone. He loves each of us as if there were none other for Him to love.”

As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, the U.S. bishops are consecrating the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, 2026.  We will join in this consecration here at OLM with Mass and a service for the school on Friday, June 12, the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

Be well. Do good. God bless. Congratulations and Best Wishes to the OLM School Class of 2026!