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!

Where Are You Heading This Summer?

Dear Parishioners:                                

Fr. Brodeur has arrived and is keeping very busy! If you haven't met him or greeted him, be sure to do so.  If you see him around the parish or town, say "Hello"!  We are blessed to have him here at OLM. We are grateful to Bishop Lewandowski for assigning him as our  Associate Pastor.                         

Sister Emma R. Salvador, FAS poses with OLM School students Matthew and Jacob Maligaya.

This weekend, we say thank you and farewell to Sister Emma.  She has been at OLM for over a decade. She has now been reassigned to a new ministry at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska. We thank her for her years of dedicated service here at OLM!   Join us this Sunday, following the 10:30 am Mass, for a Farewell Reception for Sister Emma.

Next Saturday, July 19, the Sisters depart early in the morning for their long drive to Nebraska for their annual community gathering and retreat. May Our Lady of the Highways guide and protect them. Sister Benigna Mallare, who has been assigned to OLM to replace Sister Emma, will accompany Sister Lourdes and Sister Jane on their return home in early August.

Sister Josephine P. Mata, FAS, is also returning with them.  She is a Superior who makes an annual visitation, representing the Mother General of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters. Pray for the FAS Sisters during their community meetings and retreat, that it might be a fruitful and productive time. 

In my list of summer books last week, I neglected to list a new book you may wish to purchase, written by our own Father Connors.  Part of the Catholic Handbooks Series published by the Encyclopedia of Catholic Theology, Fr. Connors' Moral Theology: An Introduction is now available. You don't need to be a theologian to read the book.  This introduction to moral theology aims to provide readers with an accessible overview of what moral theology is, its importance, and the Church's teachings on the subject. It is available for online purchase at shop.ect.org. 

I know many people are traveling for vacation during these summer months.   You don't have to skip Mass when you travel.  You can find local Mass Times anywhere in the world at masstimes.org.  It is a great service for Catholics who are traveling.  I encourage you to take the local parish bulletin when you attend Mass out of state.  Please place the bulletin in the collection basket upon your return.  It's always interesting to see where parishioners are traveling and what parishes in other places are doing.

Pope Leo XIV travels to Castel Gandalfo, where he pays a visit to the Borgo Laudato Sì, an area of the papal residence converted by Pope Francis into a space for formation and raising awareness about the care for our common home.

Last week, our Holy Father, Pope Leo, began his summer vacation at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. This village is situated on a hilltop in the Alban Hills, offering panoramic views of Lake Albano.  Castel Gandolfo has been a place of rest, prayer, and study for popes for centuries. Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI spent their summers there, prayed the Angelus on Sundays, and mingled with the townspeople.

During his pontificate, Pope Francis chose not to take his vacation there. However, Pope Leo XIV has returned to the tradition of taking a summer respite at the beautiful village located about one hour from Rome. He is spending two weeks there, away from the heat and noise of Rome, as well as the hustle and bustle of the Vatican. The Pope's private audiences are suspended during July, including the Wednesday general audiences, and they resume on July 30. 

While the Holy Father is at the hilltop village, he will celebrate Sunday morning Mass on July 13 in the local parish Church of St. Thomas of Villanova.  It is a notable and beautiful example of Baroque architecture, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for Pope Alexander VII.  The Augustinian Fathers, the same order to which Pope Leo belongs, administer the parish.  After Mass, the Holy Father will lead the recitation of the Angelus prayer at noon in the town square.

The late Pope Francis said: "During Summertime, let us learn how to take a break, turn off the mobile phone to gaze into the eyes of others, cultivate silence, contemplate nature, and regenerate ourselves in dialogue with God." 

Good advice to heed for everyone. Enjoy the summer like the Holy Father! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!

Summertime Welcomes, Goodbyes, & Books

Dear Parishioners:                                

The 1787 Constitutional Convention by Junius Brutus Stearns, 1856.

I hope you had an enjoyable Fourth of July!  It's a great day to be with family and friends and celebrate our nation's freedom from the iron shackles of British imperialism. I was able to celebrate the holiday with my sister and her family in Saratoga, New York, the site of a decisive Colonial victory over the British in 1771. This victory persuaded France to recognize American independence and form a military alliance, providing crucial support for the American cause.

On Independence Day, we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, which officially declared the colonies' freedom and separation from the British Empire.  As we are reminded on the two-hundred and forty-ninth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

This weekend, we welcome Father Brodeur, our new Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Mercy.  He'll be unpacking and settling in over the next few weeks after spending five years studying in Rome. Be sure to give him your usual welcome!

Sister Emma R. Salvador, FAS

Next Sunday, we  will officially say Farewell to Sister Emma.  She has been with us at OLM for over a decade, and she will be greatly missed by many, especially the school children whom she has served so well.   I know she, too, is sad to leave us at OLM but understands that religious life requires moving on at times.  Join us next Sunday after 10:30 a.m. for a Farewell Sister Emma Reception in Mercy Park.

On Saturday, July 19, our good Sisters depart for St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Sister Emma will begin her new ministry. While there, they gather with all the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters from across the United States for community meetings and a Spiritual Retreat.   Sister Lourdes and Sister Jane will return on August 5 with Sister Benigna, who will begin her ministry here at OLM.  Please pray for the Sisters.

It's summertime! A time for traveling, beaches, cookouts, pool parties, and fun in the sun. A time to relax from the routine and time off from the work schedule.  It is also a time to do more reading.  The Abolitionist Leader Henry Ward Beecher said: "There is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs." What's on your summer reading list this year? 

I've got a few books I'm looking forward to reading.  A new book I've started reading is "The Postmodern Predicament: And a Roadmap for Recovery and Restoration" by Bobby Angel, a Catholic Philosopher. It offers a guide on how to build a firm foundation in the tumultuous times we live. Another book, entitled Artificial Humanity, was published a few years ago by Father Philip Larrey, who teaches Philosophy at Boston College. The book presents a philosophical examination of the challenges associated with Artificial Intelligence.

It is a timely read, as Pope Leo XIV has said: "Today, the church offers its trove of social teaching to respond to another industrial revolution and to innovations in the field of artificial intelligence that pose challenges to human dignity, justice, and labor."

The Abolitionist Leader Henry Ward Beecher said: "There is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs."

I am also reading Sam Tanenhaus's new biography of William F. Buckley, Jr. entitled Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America.  The author wrote an outstanding biography on Whittaker Chambers which I read in the late 1990s.  I look forward to reading this new biography.  I recall watching Firing Line on Sunday afternoons with my late Father and enjoying the always erudite and witty William F. Buckley, Jr.'s debate on the topics of the day with many notables. 

And thankfully, the latest edition of the Bruno the Detective series arrived this past week! An Enemy in the Village was recently published by British expatriate author Martin Walker, who lives in France. This book is the eighteenth edition of my favorite detective series. They are a great read with a cigar on the beach! Welcome to OLM, Fr. Brodeur!

Be Good. Do Well. God Bless! Go Sox!!

Saints Peter & Paul, Pray for Us!

Dear Parishioners:

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.  They are the Patron Saints of the Diocese of Providence, so it is a special day for Catholics in Providence.  We pray for our Bishop, priests, religious, and faithful, asking Saints Peter and Paul to intercede for us and our Diocese. Happy Feast Day!                 

On this Feast Day in Rome, newly installed Metropolitan Archbishops receive the pallium from the Holy Father.  A pallium is made from the wool of lambs, which are blessed each year on the Feast of St. Agnes (January 21), and is a yoke-shaped vestment that covers the shoulders. The pallium symbolizes the authority and pastoral duty of the Metropolitan Archbishop over their flock, as well as caring for their flock. It serves as a reminder that we are all spiritually connected to our Mother the Church, our Holy Father, and the Church's magisterium.

A pallium

With the laying of the pallium on the shoulders of the archbishop by the Holy Father, the Metropolitan Archbishops are then sent back to their own archdiocese to extend the pastoral ministry of our Holy Father. We pray for the Archbishops, especially for  Archbishop Henning, our former Bishop, who receives his pallium today from Pope Leo XIV.

Today is also the First Anniversary of the Ordination to the Priesthood of our new Associate Pastor, Father Brodeur.  Last June 29, he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Henning at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence.  He arrives from Rome this week on July 1 to begin his assignment.  Pray for him as he begins his priestly ministry at Our Lady of Mercy. Ad multos annos, Father!  

Sadly, there will be no one ordained to the priesthood this year for the Diocese of Providence.   Next year, we anticipate ordaining three new priests. However, many of our priests are approaching or have already reached the retirement age of 75.  Don't worry. I turn sixty in July, which means I have fifteen years before I think about retiring! However,  please pray fervently for more vocations to the priesthood for the Diocese.  

This week, we celebrate Independence Day. I love the Fourth of July.  It's summertime, school's out, and families and individuals take vacations. There are fireworks and cookouts with family and friends. I remember the great Bicentennial celebrations of 1976 when I was 11 years old.  My Father took us to watch the Tall Ships sail into Newport Harbor. Next year, we celebrate our nation's Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026! I am looking forward to it! As we celebrate July 4, recall the opening prayer for Mass on Independence Day:

  "Father of all nations and ages, we recall the day when our country claimed its place among the family of nations; for what has been achieved, we give you thanks, for the work that still remains we ask your help, and as you have called us from many peoples to be one nation, grant that, under your providence, our country may share your blessings with all the peoples of the earth."

Our Lady of Mercy School students Caroline Colligan, First Place Winner, Aileen Block, Second Place Winner, at the State Civics Bee with Mr. P.J. O’Neil , OLM Middle School History Teacher.

On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the founding of our nation. In light of that, I offer my congratulations to our now-rising OLM School eighth-grade students, Aileen Block and Caroline Colligan, who took home the top two places in the Rhode Island State Civics Bee last Tuesday evening!

The State Civics Bee, which is part of a national competition, was hosted by the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. Students from across Rhode Island qualified for Tuesday's final by submitting an essay explaining how they would address a problem in their local community using civic virtues and the principles of our country's founding. Aileen and Caroline were two of only twenty state-wide finalists, and out of those twenty, they prevailed as the top two scorers on Tuesday! 

Aileen took home second place, and Caroline was the overall state champion, which qualifies her to represent Rhode Island in the national finals this fall! We are very proud of their outstanding work. We also want to thank our OLM middle school history teacher, Mr. O'Neill, who supported their participation and whose class helped prepare the girls for the competition.  Well done!!

Happy Fourth of July! Get ready to welcome Father Brodeur to OLM next weekend! Be well. Do Good. God Bless. God Bless America!!