Back to School to Seek Knowledge to Serve

Dear Parishioners:                               

At the 10:30 am Sunday Mass, we welcome sixty new OLM School students from our thirty-seven new school families. This year, our enrollment at OLM School is 270 students. We thank these families for choosing a Catholic Education for their children and for enrolling them in our outstanding parish school.

We also welcome some new faculty members to OLM School.   Mrs. Melinda Almonte is our new Pre-K3 Teacher, and Mrs. Kerri Veccio is our new Pre-K3 Assistant. They come to OLM after teaching for many years at Immaculate Conception School in Cranston. And we welcome our new Third Grade Teacher, Mrs. Sara Aldridge, who also joins us from Immaculate Conception School. She is a native of Our Lady of Mercy Parish. 

We also welcome our new Fourth Grade Teacher, Miss Trinity Reilly, a first-time teacher who is from St. Kevin’s Church in Warwick. And we welcome Mrs. Christine Higgins as our new Kindergarten Assistant.  She is the mother of two OLM School alumni, Olivia and Shane.  We look forward to another great year with these outstanding educators as members of our faculty.

On Monday, the faculty will make a Retreat at the Christian Brother Center in Narragansett. Dominican Friar, Father Justin Brophy, OP, is the Retreat Master. We pray that this time of prayer and reflection may be fruitful for our faculty as they prepare to educate our future saints and scholars.

Sister Flora

Next week, we will welcome a new Franciscan Apostolic Sister to OLM.  Due to an unforeseen circumstance, Sister Benigna Mallare, FAS, who was originally assigned to OLM, had to take another assignment.  Thankfully, Mother Zenaida, the FAS Superior General, assigned Sister Flora Tanarte, FAS, to join us at OLM.

Sister Flora will serve both at our parish and school. She is a familiar face, having previously served at the Scalabrini Villa, Zambarano Hospital, and St. Phillip Church in Greenville. She was a frequent visitor to OLM.  There is more about her in the bulletin this week.

We look forward to her safe arrival from Peoria.   Summer ends this week for students in East Greenwich, Warwick, and also for our OLM School students!  Yes, Thursday, August 28, is the first day of school at OLM! It seems like summer vacation just started! This Thursday, the bells ring again in the school, the parking lot is busy again with drop-offs and pick-ups, and the joyful sound of our students playing at recess echoes across the neighborhood.  

OLM students attend Mass

Please pray for our OLM school faculty, students, and their families as they begin a new school year.  May they grow in faith and wisdom, the knowledge and love of God, and may mercy flourish this new school year.  At OLM, our students pray together daily and attend Mass weekly.  Let us pray that they strive to be saints and scholars.

As Pope Benedict XVI said, “A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Catholic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints.”       

We thank Paul Anderson and our outstanding maintenance staff, who worked so hard the last few weeks preparing for the new school year.  The corridors and classrooms are clean, buffed,  and newly painted.  Our library has been renovated and looks great. And our new Pre-K 3 Classroom is ready for our new three-year-old saints and scholars.  

The school parking lot is newly seal-coated and has newly painted lines.  The back of the school has a new roof, too!  All this was done in just the last couple of weeks.  We are grateful to Future Sealcoating Company and Ferschke Roofing Company for their excellent, quick work and a job well done.

First Day of School!!

Last Wednesday was the Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, my patronal feast day. St. Bernard is a Doctor of the Church, and his wisdom is quite appropriate for a new school year.  St Bernard said, “There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is Curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is Vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love.”

May students, especially at OLM School,  always strive to seek knowledge to serve, for that truly is Love. Welcome back, OLM students! Let the learning begin! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!

If it could only be like this always!

Dear Parishioners:                    

Summer is quickly passing in these August days! As the great English Catholic novelist Evelyn Waugh said:  "If it could only be like this always! Always summer!" Alas, it cannot be, and so we must prepare for the arrival of the fall.                  

Our OLM Faith Formation Program is preparing for another year. Registration for the First Communion and Confirmation Programs is now available online at the parish website.  Ms. Julia Anthon, who served as the Directress of Faith Formation for Communion and Adults, has moved on from OLM for new endeavors out of state.  We wish her well and thank her for her service to OLM.  

We are truly grateful to Mr. Jeremy Long, our OLM Middle School Theology Teacher, for his willingness to direct both programs.  He has directed the Confirmation Faith Formation Program for a few years.  He is a tremendous Catholic gentleman and an outstanding, talented teacher who holds advanced degrees in theology and philosophy.    

Our First Communion Faith Formation Program begins in the first grade for those students not enrolled at OLM School.  It continues in the second grade for both public and private schools, as well as the OLM School second-grade students.     The Sacrament of First  Communion is celebrated annually on the Saturday before Mother's Day, followed by the beautiful May Crowning Ceremony on Mother's Day.

All students in the program must be registered at OLM Parish or receive permission from the pastor at the parish where they are presently registered.      Classes meet once a month on Sundays following the 9:00 am Mass and begin in October.  We are grateful to our volunteer teachers who assist with the first and second grade classes.  We have some returning veteran teachers and a few new teachers this year.  It promises to be a great year of faith formation for these children as they prepare to receive the forgiveness of the Lord in the Sacrament of Confession and also to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist for the very first time.     

The Confirmation Faith Formation Program is for all eighth-grade students in public, private, and OLM School.   Mr. Long teaches the classes, which are held monthly on Sunday evenings following the 5:00 pm Mass. The program also includes service projects and a Confirmation Retreat. The eighth-grade students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in the fall of their ninth grade as they begin high school, a time when they truly need the grace of the sacrament.       

Before the reception of the sacraments, all the students in the First Communion and Confirmation Program are interviewed by Fr. Brodeur and me.  These interviews help ensure the students truly understand what the sacraments are and how important they are in their faith lives as Catholic disciples.    

The success of our program depends solely upon the cooperation of the students' parents, as they are the primary teachers of the faith for the children. It is the promise they publicly proclaimed to God and the Church on the day of their child's baptism into the faith.   We hope and pray that parents zealously ensure their children attend classes and attend Mass faithfully. We also include a few classes for parents so that they better understand their role as the primary teachers of the faith in the home. 

My experience has taught me that without faithful attendance at both formation classes and Sunday Mass, our program is undermined and the students' faith formation lacks a solid foundation.   Please pray for all our families in the Faith Formation Program that they truly strive to be faithful to the program and to attending Sunday Mass together as a family.  

Fr. Brodeur is working on organizing the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) Program.  This  Faith Formation Program is for non-Catholic adults who seek to join the Catholic Church and also baptized adult Catholics who have not yet received the Sacraments of Communion and/or Confirmation.  If you or someone you know is interested in being fully initiated into the Catholic Church, contact Fr. Brodeur at 884-4968 or by email at assocpastor@olmparish.org

Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox! Enjoy these summer days while they last!!

Summer Preparation for Fall

Dear Parishioners:                       

Downtown Nashville

My summer meeting with the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors in Nashville, which I attended last week, was a productive and enjoyable time. Our meetings included meaningful updates and conversations about the leading public policy questions facing states and the nation. Housing issues, poverty issues and concerns, sanctity of life issues like physician-assisted suicide, educational and school choice initiatives, international aid, and immigration issues.  

Nashville is a hot and humid place in the summer, but I enjoyed plenty of good music at the local hot spots downtown. We also toured the Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Country Music Hall of Fame museums. They were very well done and interesting. I was able to spend time with my friend and classmate, Bishop Spalding of Nashville.

Nashville Dominican Sisters

Just 4%  the people in the state of Tennessee are Catholic. However, the Nashville Diocese is growing with transplants from the Northeast and Midwest, as well as a large Hispanic immigrant population.  The Catholic Church is building new churches and schools to accommodate the rapid growth. Priestly vocations are abundant, as are vocations to the consecrated life, especially at the Nashville Dominican Sisters, whose average age is 38. 

Now that it's August, it seems the summer is quickly passing. Our excellent maintenance crew has been busy getting ready for the new school year. They remodeled a classroom for our new Pre-K 3 class and are now renovating our school library.  They are repainting the hallways and classrooms and buffing all the floors.   Additionally, we will have to replace the roof of the school library in the coming weeks and also sealcoat the large school parking lot.   Thankfully, the cost of those two projects is funded by the capital campaign. Grateful for God's Providence. The roof is estimated to cost just over $20,000, and the sealcoating project is estimated to cost about $15,000. The Town of East Greenwich put in the new sidewalks in front of the school at no cost to us!

Our Lady of Mercy School

We had to replace the central air conditioning of the rectory. The system was installed almost thirty years ago, and thanks to Paul Anderson, it kept chugging along all these years. Finally, it gave up a few weeks ago amid a hot and humid week of weather! The new air conditioning units installation was completed last week. It is more efficient and much quieter than the older unit. We expect the final cost of this to be about $25,000.  

In the fall, we hope to repave the road at St. Patrick Cemetery as it is badly in need of repair.  This project is also funded by the Grateful for God's Providence Capital Campaign.  It is estimated to cost about $40,000, but we are still obtaining bids from local contractors.  We hope to renovate the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters' Convent Chapel. And we have to paint the interior of the Church as well. These projects are just in the planning phase, and they too will be funded by the Grateful for God's Providence Capital Campaign.

As you can see, OLM is a busy place in both the spiritual and physical realms!  We are grateful to God for the blessings of our parish and our parishioners' generous support that make it all possible. I, too, am grateful for your continued support of our parish, especially the Monthly Building and Grounds collection that funds the upkeep of our beautiful physical plant.   

We look forward to a new school year beginning on August 28, with the school building bright and clean and ready for our 270 students. We will also welcome three new faculty members this year.  Please pray for our school administration, faculty, and students during these remaining weeks of summer vacation. May they return tan, rested, and ready for another great year in our outstanding parish school!  

VJ Day. Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signs instrument of surrender on Sept. 2, 1945.

    Monday is VJ Day, now called Victory Day, a state holiday only in Rhode Island. Our Parish Office is closed for the holiday, but please join us for Mass on Monday at 8:30 am as we pray for peace among all nations. Nashville was a great place to visit, and my meeting was very productive, but I am happy to be home at OLM again!

Happy VJ-Victory Day! Be well. Do good. God Bless. God Bless America. See you at the Holy Day Mass this week. Go Sox!

Praying for Priests with the Curé d’Ars

Dear Parishioners:                       

On Monday, we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint John Marie Baptist Vianney, commonly known as the Curé d’Ars. He was born May 8, 1786, in France. St. John Vianney was the fourth of six children.   Growing up during the era of the French Revolution, it was difficult and challenging to openly profess one’s faith because of the persecution of the Catholic Church.

During this dire time in history, priests endured the horrors of execution by the guillotine. To avoid this punishment, priests would disguise themselves as peddlers and farmers. Since churches were closed, priests were obliged to say Mass in secrecy, often in places such as farmhouses. Vianney and his family had to walk approximately a mile at night to attend Mass. Vianney proved to be a pious boy from a young age and was destined for the priesthood. St. John Vianney placed his entire trust in the Blessed Virgin.

By the age of seventeen, St. John Vianney had matured significantly. He was deeply passionate about his vocation to win souls for the Lord as a priest. His mother supported the idea, but it took his father a few years to come around to it.     Although St. John Vianney was then quickly enrolled in classes for his priestly vocation, he was significantly older than the other boys and struggled with learning the Latin language.

In 1809, though still a student, St. John Vianney was drafted into the military. However, because he failed to join his detachment, he was considered a deserter. Finding refuge in a small village known as Les Robins, St. John Vianney settled there for a couple of years. The police discovered him and he began to pray, promising the Lord he would never complain about anything again. The gendarmes left without taking him away. St. John Vianney felt deep gratitude for the Lord, and even in later years, he never once broke that promise.

After the many delays, trials, and suffering, St. John Vianney was ordained in 1815 and three years afterward was sent to the small, remote village known as Ars. Many of the villagers led lives of immoral behavior, drunkenness, and debauchery. Many suffered from ignorance of the faith.    St. John Vianney endured severe penances and great fasting for the souls of Ars.

Preaching excellent sermons in the pulpit, with pastoral zeal, St. John Vianney would castigate these men and women for their vile behavior as well as exclaim the greatness and beauty of surrendering ourselves every day to the will of Our Father.   Truly only wanting the conversion of his parish, in the pulpit, he would touch the weak spots of these men and women.
He was constantly tormented by the Devil, opened a free school for orphan girls, utilized his gift to read the souls of men, and spent hours in the confessional, all while undergoing harsh penances. St. John Vianney died on August 4, 1859.   He was canonized by Pope Pius XI and recognized as the patron saint of parish priests by Saint Pope John Paul II.
The Curé d’Ars is renowned for his profound devotion to the Church and his unwavering dedication to the sacrament of confession. His life inspires all priests, as he exemplified a genuinely holy priest through his humility, selflessness, and unwavering faith.   His work as a confessor is St. John Vianney’s most remarkable accomplishment. He was to spend 11 to 12 hours daily reconciling people with God in the winter months. In the summer months, this time was increased to 16 hours.

He is known as the patron saint of confessors and serves as a role model for all priests in their duty to shepherd their flock and lead them toward God’s mercy. One of his spiritual gifts was his ability to read souls. Many people who came to confession reported feeling as though he could see into their hearts and understand their deepest thoughts and struggles. He famously said, "God's mercy is like an overflowing river. It carries souls along with it in its current." This encapsulates his belief in the boundless mercy of God available through the Sacrament of Confession.

I humbly ask for your prayers for me, Fr. Brodeur, and all priests on Monday.  May the Curé d’Ars, St. John Vianney, intercede for us! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!

Celebrating Age & Wisdom

Dear Parishioners:                       

On July 14, I woke up to discover I was a senior citizen! It was my 60th birthday! Where did the time go? It seemed like only yesterday that I was "the young guy" among my "older" brother priests. Of course, Fr. Brodeur, at the tender age of 26, is the young one now.                       

Age indeed brings its share of aches and pains and wrinkles we "seniors" didn't have or, at least, never noticed before. However, it is also true that age brings a certain wisdom and insight born only from the experience of living life.

I once had hair on my head. I could read my prayer book, newspaper, or a menu without glasses, once. What did she say? Where are my keys? If you don't take these things too seriously, you can smile and say, "Well, I guess I am getting older!" It's really not so bad, especially when you consider the alternative.

Age is a gift, a beautiful gift to be cherished. A gift that offers us memories, reminders of the blessings of the years, and of all the people who have blessed my life.  And there is still more to come! As Mark Twain said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

Today is the Fifth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly.  The theme chosen by our Holy Father, Pope Leo, is: "Blessed are those who have not lost hope."  These words, taken from the Book of Sirach, express the blessedness of the elderly and indicate hope placed in the Lord as the way to a Christian and reconciled old age.

This special Day was established by Pope Francis in 2021, and is intended to be an opportunity to reflect on how the presence of grandparents and the elderly is a sign of hope in every family and church community. We are asked to celebrate the Day by remembering with love and prayer our grandparents and all "the elderly, promoting visits and opportunities for encounters between the generations."

Pope Leo XIV, in his message for the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, stated: "Old age can be a time of blessedness in which hope, tested in the fire of a long life, becomes a source of joy and renewed trust in the Lord. God teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope."

With this in mind, we remember all our grandparents today and the elderly of our parish with respect and prayer.  We can visit them, call them, and visit their graves if they have gone before us in faith.  We pray for them, asking especially for Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to intercede on their behalf. 

Saints Joachim and Anne are the patron saints of parenting and grandparents. Having been childless for the majority of their married life, the two continued to pray for God's favor and had hope. While Joachim retreated for prayer far from home, Anne prayed for her husband's safety in exchange for dedicating any future child's life to serving God's plan. The two then shared a dream and vision where an angel told them that their fervent prayer had resulted in God choosing them to conceive a "wondrous" child. When Mary was born and became of age to be presented in the Temple, they brought her and followed God's plan. 

There are parallels in their hope and dedication to faith that I have seen in my grandparents and parents, as well as in many parents and grandparents I have known and met throughout my life. Their witness to faith and hope is admirable and should be rightly celebrated today on this World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. So let us celebrate all the grandparents and the elderly of our families, parish, and the world today. 

The wise words of  Saint Augustine are appropriate for both the elders and the young to reflect upon on this World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. He said: "Let your old age be childlike, and your childhood like old age; that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your humility without wisdom."

This week, I will be in Nashville, Tennessee, attending the Annual Summer Meeting of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors. At these meetings, we hear from public policy experts and theologians as we reflect upon our advocacy on behalf of the Church.

Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!

Where Charity & Love Prevail

Dear Parishioners:                      

We had a grand send-off for Sister Emma last Sunday.  I am grateful to all those who helped with the Farewell Reception.  Our Franciscan Apostolic Sisters are now in Lincoln, Nebraska. They will be there for the next two weeks to attend community meetings and make a retreat.  Please keep them in your prayers that their time together is fruitful and productive. May they return home to OLM, safe and sound, in August.

Fire and Rescue respond to the Texas Flood.

The floods in Texas on the July Fourth Holiday caused significant destruction and devastation in Central Texas' scenic Hill Country. The storms dumped over 10 inches of rain in some areas, causing the Guadalupe River to rise roughly 30 feet within 45 minutes. Sadly, 130 people died and nearly 180 are still missing.

In the wake of such a disaster, there is a great need for help for the many victims. Communities across Texas have begun to rally with donations and volunteer efforts, and Catholic churches from west to east Texas continue to mobilize relief for the flood victims.

These floods, the worst since 1921, have left many in pain and sorrow but also in great need of assistance and help. Catholic Charities Mobile Relief Units are on the ground, providing food, clothing, hygiene kits, and water to those in need. Many Catholics in the region have been stepping up to help, converging on Notre Dame Parish in Kerrville, of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, located in the hardest-hit community along the Guadalupe River. San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller visited Notre Dame on the day of the flooding and met with families who had lost loved ones or whose loved ones were still missing.

San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller comforts victims of the Texas Flood.

Notre Dame Catholic Church was filled with worshippers for Sunday Mass, and many shared stories of their loss with the Archbishop. "One woman told me that her sister and her family, including four children, were missing," he recounted. Another said that while she and her family had survived the flooding, their home had been swept away.

 In times of suffering, we are not distant observers but are called to be in solidarity with those who suffer. The pain of families in Kerr County, whose children vanished into floodwaters at Camp Mystic, is our pain. Solidarity means more than just our prayers and good wishes; it also involves practical charitable support. Texas Game Wardens, Mexican search crews, FEMA officials, Catholic Charities workers, and local volunteers have given us a glimpse of what it looks like to live in solidarity. It is in the sharing of resources and in the act of risking one's own safety for the sake of another.

The Church calls us to care first for the most vulnerable. This flood struck the most vulnerable: children at camp, elderly residents in low-lying neighborhoods, and workers whose homes were built too close to danger because they could afford nothing else.  I urge you to support the efforts of Catholic Charities USA in responding in the aftermath of this disaster.  In the bulletin, you will find how to donate to the Catholic Charities Texas Flood Relief Fund.  You can also make a check payable to OLM Outreach with "Texas Flood" in the memo.  We will forward any donations to OLM Outreach directly to Catholic Charities USA for their flood relief efforts.  Thank you for your support and solidarity.

Let us pray for the dead and the grieving and all those suffering from the devastation and destruction of the flood.  The Archdiocese of San Antonio has written A Special Prayer for Flood Victims: "God of Mercy and Shelter, in this time of devastation and loss, we lift up our hearts to You. Be close to all who suffer from the flooding in our communities. Embrace those who mourn, shelter the displaced, strengthen the weary, and inspire all of us to offer loving assistance to those in need. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Anthony of Padua, may our Church be a beacon of hope and solidarity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

We have surpassed our goal for the Catholic Charity Appeal this year.  We raised a record $276,000 from 449 parishioners!  In the name of the poor and needy who benefit from the Appeal, I thank you for your generosity. Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!