Enter Into the Season of Hope

Dear Parishioners:                               

The Holy Season of Advent begins this week with our celebration of the First Sunday of Advent and the Blessing of the Advent Wreath.  Advent has a dual focus on Jesus’s coming, both in his first coming among us as a man and his coming at the end of time.                                                      

This twofold approach to the season allows Advent to teach us about God’s presence among us. In Advent, we learn that God is the basis of hope, and that such hope is the basis for increasing our love of this life.  During this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to be a people of hope.

So often we reduce hope to wishful thinking: “I hope I win the lottery” or “I hope the Patriots go to the Super Bowl.” This type of reduction of hope has removed the virtue’s central character. Hope without a guarantee is just wishful thinking.

Hope needs some guarantee if it is to be truly hope. If eternity is present already in Christ, then hope finds its guarantee in him. We have hope because we already see the effects of Jesus in our lives and in the life of the Church. Hope gives us the ability to see Christ in all, to encounter him in prayer and the sacraments, and in the Scriptures.

All this gives our lives an enduring character. Christian hope says life is not fleeting but enduring because it is united to Jesus’s own life. Advent is the training ground of hope — of recognizing God’s presence as saving — in the face of whatever is fleeting and passing.

Advent is the season of hope. Pope Benedict XVI said: “Advent is par excellence the season of hope in which believers in Christ are invited to remain in watchful and active waiting, nourished by prayer and by the effective commitment to love. May the approaching Nativity of Christ fill the hearts of all Christians with joy, serenity, and peace!”   

If we are to be the people of hope that Advent calls us to be, we must commit to practical and spiritual Advent preparation. First, begin with more personal prayer time. Take up some spiritual reading and reflection.  Advent reading materials are available in the vestibule to assist with this. 

Secondly, seek Christ in the Sacraments, especially Mass and Confession.  Faithfully attend Sunday Mass during Advent, pray with the Sunday Gospels, consider coming to Daily Mass, and make a good Confession.

Finally, strive to be more charitable during Advent. In a world that reduces the birth of the Son of God to crass commercialism,  consumerism, and materialism, take the time to remember Christ in the poor and needy.  Be generous toward a good Catholic Charity, visit a relative, friend, or neighbor who is lonely or sick, send a card or note to the neglected out-of-state friend or relative, and be more patient and kind with your words and deeds.

Such Advent preparation is truly a sign of hope and prepares us for the coming of Christ. While the world around us goes crazy for the secular celebration of Christmas, let’s strive to be a people of Advent. 

As Saint Padre Pio says, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” 

Hopefully, the new hymnals are in the pews this weekend, as they were scheduled to arrive on time! The old Worship Hymnals are over 12 years old, the bindings are loosening, and the selection of hymns is not very good.  We have purchased 600 St. Michael Hymnals for a cost of $11,000.  The Worship Hymnals cost $12,000 when purchased 12 years ago! 

Our Music Director, Mr. Henri St. Louis, recommended the St. Michael Hymnal as it is used at the Our Lady of Providence Seminary, where he also directs the music. This is the latest edition and includes a wide selection of traditional and well-known hymns. 

The new hymnal does not include the readings, so more missalettes are available in the pews. The old hymnals will be donated to a church or institution that needs them. So open up the hymnal and sing with gusto!  As St. Augustine said: “When we sing, we pray twice!”   

We congratulate and thank our 14 new OLM Altar Servers who begin their service this week!  A Blessed Advent! Prepare the Way of the Lord! Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Pats!

A Day to Give Thanks to God

 Dear Parishioners:

This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  It is the final Sunday of the liturgical church year; the Holy Season of Advent begins next Sunday. It is a relatively recent feast, instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, emphasizing Christ's sovereignty and reign over all creation. 

As Saint Pope Paul VI reminds us, "Jesus Christ, You have heard Him spoken of, indeed the greater part of you are already His – you are Christians.  So, to you Christians I repeat His name, to everyone I proclaim Him –Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega. He is the king of the new world. He is the secret of history. He is the key to our destiny." "

On this Thursday, we celebrate the most American of holidays, Thanksgiving Day!  It is a day when we, as a nation, gather with family and friends to give thanks to God for the year's bounty.  With great thanksgiving, we express our gratitude for freedom, family, and food. 

When President Abraham Lincoln instituted the national holiday, he called on his ""fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." "

Our country has continued to celebrate the day as a national holiday since 1863. Though President Lincoln began the national tradition 162 years ago, his declaration followed a long tradition of setting aside a Thursday to give thanks to God, begun by President George Washington in 1789.

Jennie Augusta Brownscombe's 1925 portrait, Thanksgiving at Plymouth, is now on display at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.

The oldest and most iconic story of Thanksgiving is that of the passengers and crew of the Mayflower, who landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in November 1620. Following a harsh winter, during which much of its population perished from scurvy and inadequate shelter, these "Pilgrim" settlers at Plymouth were able to grow enough crops to provide for the colony.

After the abundant harvest, the fifty remaining settlers spent three days feasting and giving thanks to God for his blessings. These remaining colonists were also joined by ninety Wampanoags, who had been instrumental in helping the settlers survive the tough conditions of that first winter.

The story of the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower isn't just a national folktale. But it serves as a reminder to our nation and our families. In addition to watching football, eating a delicious family meal, and revisiting the story of the Pilgrims, I believe it is important to remember that the holiday is first and foremost meant as a day of giving thanks to God.

As American Catholics, Thanksgiving has an even deeper meaning for us. The best way to begin Thanksgiving Day is with Holy Mass.  "Eucharist" comes from the Greek word eukharistia, which literally means "thanksgiving". The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists several names for this Sacrament. Still, the first is "Eucharist, because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. "

One of the earliest Catholic texts on the Sacraments is the Didache, written around the beginning of the second century. The author of the text exhorts us, after having been filled with the Eucharist, to give thanks to the Father for his bountiful love.

Why go to Mass on Thanksgiving Day, since it is a national holiday and not a holy day of obligation? I cannot think of a better way to celebrate this day than to begin it by giving thanks through Christ Jesus in his offering to the Father. And while we need to remember to be thankful for the little things in our lives, we should be all the more thankful for the sacrifice Christ offered on our behalf! Further, Jesus gives us a way to participate in his very sacrifice through the Eucharist.  

So start your Thanksgiving Day with Holy Mass and join us on Thursday at 9:00 am.  Bishop Evans is our celebrant, and Father Brodeur is our preacher. St. Teresa of Avila said, "In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks."  

Fr. Brodeur and I wish you a Happy and Holy Thanksgiving! He will join his family in Westerly on Thanksgiving Day, and I will head north to my sister's home in Saratoga, New York. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Pats!  

Begin With the Beautiful

Dear Parishioners:                                 

Last week's celebration of the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica brought to mind a quote by Winston Churchill: "We shape our buildings, and afterward, our buildings shape us."  This Feast commemorates the building and consecration of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome and, thus, the Mother Church of all the Church. It is the location of the "Cathedra", the Chair, of Pope Leo XIV, from where he serves as Christ's Vicar for the entire world. This day should remind us of the universality of the Catholic Church and the obedience we owe our Pontiff.

This Feast also reminds us of the physical beauty of our Mother Church. To walk into St. John Lateran is to grow in hope, confidence, and love. You cannot help but gasp at the massive statues of the apostles, serving almost as pillars holding up the Church while grasping the instruments of their martyrdom. The stately façade gives one confidence in the strength of Mother Church. The magnificent baldacchino above the altar immediately draws one's eyes and heart to heaven.

The beauty of our Mother Church reminds us of the beauty of our soul and of God, even when we are surrounded by drear all week. Beautiful structures challenge us to keep our own temple beautiful, making it a space that raises others' eyes to God. A beautiful Church should remind us of God. Lastly, a beautiful Church reminds us that others are temples of God as well.

In the late 1800s, a priest was attempting to build a large, beautiful Church in South St. Louis. The neighborhood was highly industrial and not known for beautiful buildings, so the ambitious priest was regularly critiqued for the decision to build such a beautiful space in such a dreary neighborhood. Why waste the money and energy? He was often asked. In great charity, the cheerful priest would respond, "My people see only drear all day. I want them to see beauty on Sunday."

That should be the aim of all of us here at Our Lady of Mercy: to see beauty on Sunday.  We witness such beauty at the Holy Mass on Sunday.  Listen to the beautiful music that lifts our worship. Smell the beautiful aroma of incense that lifts our prayers to heaven. We see before us the beauty of the altar, the tabernacle, the pulpit, the statues, the stained glass, the candles,  the baptismal font, and the flowers!

It should go without saying that beauty is a good thing. While opinions about what makes something beautiful may differ, almost everyone agrees that beauty is positive. St. Thomas Aquinas defined beauty as "that which, upon being seen, pleases."

Certainly, it is something good, something to be admired. But beauty is so much more than simply something pleasant to see, smell, or hear. Beauty, in and of itself, can play an important part in faith lives. As Bishop Robert Baron has said: "Begin with the beautiful, which leads you to the good, which leads you to the truth."

As we look upon the beauty of Our Lady of Mercy Church, let us consider our part in keeping it beautiful. We must strive to do so by singing with greater gusto, worshipping with greater reverence, and praying with greater devotion. Even simply putting away the missalette and hymnal after we use them, and not leaving tissues or trash in the Church.

Maintaining the beauty of our Church and plant requires the hard work of our dedicated maintenance staff. They work hard cleaning and polishing the floors and pews, weeding the flower beds, sweeping the sidewalks, and a host of other cleaning jobs to maintain OLM's beauty. Please support them by doing your part in keeping OLM beautiful.

You may have noticed the new awning above the candle room door.  Pease Awning Company installed it last  Saturday.  The total cost to make and install the awning was  $1,300.  It will protect the wooden door from the weather.  Also, the flat roofs above the sacristy and boiler room, as well as the area around the Church's cupola, will be replaced this week. Freschke Construction will complete the project for $22,715. Such projects contribute to the beauty of our Church. I am grateful for your generous financial support, which makes them possible and keeps OLM beautiful.   Pray for the Suffering Souls of Purgatory. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Pats! Go!!!

Signs of Hope for the Future of Faith!

Dear Parishioners:     

 Last week, I  submitted our annual parish report, called the Status Animarum, to the Diocese. Status Animarum means the "State of Souls". It is a report of all the statistics of our parish life.  This annual report includes the number of registered households and the number of sacraments administered. The Status Animarum is particularly characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church. The parish registers were prescribed in the Rituale Romanum, published in 1614 by Pope Paul V. At first, they contained only data on sacraments received, religious knowledge, and religious affiliation. In the 18th century, additional data, such as household numbers, were added. Today, it is the common practice of the Catholic Church across the country, including the Diocese of Providence.  

The Status Animarum for the Church of Our Lady of Mercy reports there are 1,841 registered households.  This total is an increase of twenty-four additional families registered from last year's report. These registered households number 6,220 men, women, and children. Fifty-five children were baptized as Catholics at OLM last year. This number is an increase of fifteen children from the previous year. Last year, seven adults were received into the Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, which is an increase of three. Last year, 62 received First Holy Communion, an increase of 4. There were 58 Confirmations, an increase of 9. The number of marriages doubled last year, from four to eight. And forty-two souls were laid to rest from our parish, a decrease of four. 

These statistics are important for assessing a parish's health and vitality.  Across the northeast, including the Diocese of Providence, there is a steady decline in the Church's sacramental life. Fewer Catholics are coming to Mass, going to Confession, having their children baptized, getting married in the Church, and increasingly not choosing a Mass of Christian Burial.

However, our parish statistics, while lower than when I first was assigned here thirteen years ago, do show a healthy and vital practice of the faith. There is certainly much room for improvement and more growth. In a parish of over six thousand souls who claim OLM as their parish, we don't see them all at Mass on Sunday!

The reality is that many Catholics have decided that Mass and the sacraments are not necessary for their lives. Also, fewer children are being born today, and more young couples are choosing to cohabit or get married on a beach in Aruba. While Mass and the sacraments may not seem necessary to the lives of many Catholics, they are certainly essential for their eternal salvation. Pray for them. We'd love to see them all back, and so would the Lord. There are signs of hope for the future of the faith.

A recent study by Harvard University confirmed the trend among the so-called Generation Z, which saw a 6% increase from 2022 to 2023 in those identifying as Catholic. Here in the Diocese of Providence, there are robust groups of young Catholics very actively practicing their faith.  Providence College routinely has dozens of collegians enter the Catholic Church or return to receive Confirmation.

Our Catholic schools in the Diocese report an increase in students. OLM School began the year with 271 students across Grades Pre-K3 through 8, the largest overall enrollment since the 2017-2018 school year.  Our increase of 31 students from last school year is the largest increase we have seen since the fall of 2002.

I want to thank the many faithful parishioners who practice their faith with devotion, dedication, and fervor. I thank you for your generous support of Our Lady of Mercy Parish with time, talent, and treasure over the past year. Your generous response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit is a true blessing in helping us to be missionary disciples of Jesus Christ and making our parish family strong in faith, hope, and love. Please continue to pray for OLM parish and school.

May God our heavenly Father bless us, provide for all our needs, and reward our generosity and faithfulness. It’s November, pray for the souls in purgatory. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Pats!

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, O Lord

Dear Parishioners:

Twice a year, we all have to go through the inconvenience of resetting our clocks or having our clocks read the wrong time.  Every year, we have to remember whether we gain or lose an hour, and then readjust our body clocks. Of course, we all dislike “springing forward,” but “falling back” provides an extra hour of sleep on a Sunday.

So be sure to set your clocks and watches back one hour, and perhaps even enjoy the extra hour of sleep.  Without a doubt, a few people will arrive for Sunday Mass an hour early this weekend! Enjoy what has often been called  National “How Do I Change the Clock on my Microwave” Day!

Sunday, we celebrate the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, also known as All Souls’ Day. On this day, we honor our beloved dead for their fidelity in life, as well as pray for them since they are being purified before entering the All-Holy Presence of God. Those who die in the state of grace, yet without having been purified of all of their attachment to sin, go to Purgatory. Christ admonished us to “be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.” So the purification of all imperfections, which even the good often still have at death, is necessary before entering the Father’s Presence.

Purgatory by Ludovico Carracci. (21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619)

Top: Christ directing, with Mary and interceding saints. Middle: Angel showing a soul the intercessors. Bottom: souls being purged with various attitudes.

Pope St. John Paul II, in three addresses on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, explained that the essence of these realities is not a “place” in space and time, but the relationship of the soul to God, who is Love. On God’s part, He is always offering His Love. On our part, we choose to accept His Love perfectly, or imperfectly. We can also choose to reject God’s offer of Love.

Our choice, whichever it is, becomes fixed at death when the possibility of moral choice ends. This choice determines our eternal relationship with God. The Love of God in the blessed soul is experienced as joy, and in the longing of the soul is purified as fire, mitigated by the knowledge that it will one day be with God, and by the comfort of the angels, saints, and souls on earth praying for it.

Thus, all our Masses this weekend will be offered for All Souls, especially your own beloved dead whose names are inscribed on the All Souls envelopes. Also, we should spend some time in prayer for the souls of our loved ones, as well as for those who have no one to pray for them.

It is an honored custom, as well, to visit the graves of our deceased on this day, both to pray at the place where their bodies, hallowed in life by the Sacraments, await the General Resurrection. We offer prayers and leave some mark of Love and respect, such as flowers, to adorn their graves. Also, we might perhaps pray for a soul who rests in a grave that has no one to pray for them.

We especially remember those forty-two members of our parish family who were laid to rest since last All Souls Day. Their names are listed in the bulletin, and I ask you to please pray for them and their families. We will offer the 10:30 am Mass for the gentle repose of their souls as we gather together with their grieving families.  Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.

On All Souls’ Day, 1839 by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller

As we remember All Souls this month, we are asked to pray fervently for the poor souls in Purgatory.  It is a Corporal Work of Mercy to pray for the dead. The practice of praying for the dead is supported by scripture, such as the Book of Maccabees, which describes a holy and pious act of praying for the dead so that they might be delivered from their sin.  

As we pray for the poor souls in Purgatory, let us remember the wise words of the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He said, “As we enter Heaven, we will see them, so many of them, coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say ‘a poor soul you prayed for in Purgatory.’” 

Fr. Brodeur is away on vacation this weekend and will return late Sunday night.  On Monday afternoon, he leaves for the  Priests’ Convocation, a three-day gathering of the Priests of Providence in Newport. Please pray for him and the priests in attendance.  Father returns on Wednesday. On Monday, I depart for Arnold Hall in Pembroke, Massachusetts, for my Annual Retreat. I return on Friday evening.  Please pray for me and the priests making the Retreat.  We thank Bishop Evans for covering Masses this week.

Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Pats!

Celebrating the Holy Spirit & Remembering Our Beloved Dead

Dear Parishioners:                                

Bishop Evans confirms OLM Parishioner Anna Jelinek at the Mass of Confirmation in October 2024.

On Sunday, fifty-six young adults of our parish will be Confirmed in their Catholic Faith by Bishop Evans. It is an important day in the lives of these young men and women and a joyous occasion for their families and our parish family.                                              

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Confirmation establishes us more deeply in our relationship to God as his children, unites us more closely to Jesus Christ, pours out the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit into our soul, strengthens our bond with the Catholic Church, and gives us the power we need to be true soldiers of Christ through living, sharing, and defending our Faith.

We thank all those who made our celebration of Confirmation so joyful and special, especially Bishop Evans.  We are truly grateful to Mr. Jeremy Long, our Director of Faith Formation, for teaching the candidates and preparing them to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. We thank the parents of the newly confirmed, who first brought their children to Jesus and the Church, guiding them to this special day.  We thank their sponsors for offering an important example of living the Faith for these young adults. 

Also, we thank our OLM Music Director, Mr. Henri St. Louis, and the Choir for the beautiful and majestic music.  A special thanks to our Altar Servers for their reverent service and our good Franciscan Sisters who prepare everything for the Mass of Confirmation.

Finally, we thank the newly Confirmed for choosing to come forward for this special sacrament.  It is an important step in their faith lives. We pray that the grace of Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit will continue to guide and strengthen them. We also pray that these young men and women whose names are listed in the bulletin may stay close to the Lord and His Church. St. Ambrose offers wise words for all those who have been confirmed, he says:

"Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of knowledge and reverence, the Spirit of holy fear. Keep safe what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you, and sent the Spirit into your hearts as the pledge of what is to come."

It is hard to believe the month of October is coming to an end this Friday.  We had a great Trunk or Treat event at OLM School  Parking Lot on Friday night in anticipation of All Hallows Eve. It is always a fun and festive event with my trunk, the most popular because of the full-sized candy bars!!   With the arrival of November and daylight saving time, please take note of the schedule change. 

Next Saturday, November 1, the 5:00 pm Mass of Anticipation moves back to 4:00 pm until April 4. Also, next Saturday, Confessions at 4:00 pm moves back to 3:00 pm.  The Solemnity of All Saints is next Saturday, November 1. However, because it falls on a Saturday, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, and Mass will be on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.  All Saints is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. Those known to us and those unknown holy souls who led exemplary saintly lives. 

Next Sunday, November 2, is the Feast of All Souls, and all the Masses next weekend will be celebrated for All Souls. We ask that you please return your All Souls envelopes with the names of your beloved dead so they may be placed on the altar during November.  We dedicate the entire month of November to praying for All Souls, especially the souls in purgatory.   St. Pope John Paul II said, "Praying for the souls in purgatory is the highest act of supernatural charity."

Next Sunday, November 2, at the 10:30 am Mass, we will remember all our deceased parishioners who died during this past year. These forty-two souls have gone to their eternal reward, and we, their family, friends, and fellow parishioners, remember them with our prayers. Their grieving families will be in attendance at the Mass. Please pray for their consolation that the Lord may comfort them in their grief.  And also pray for the gentle repose of the souls of their beloved dead.

Join us on Monday at 7:00 pm for Marian Devotions. We offer our prayerful congratulations to the newly Confirmed. Pray for them. Be well. Do Good. God Bless! Go Pats!!! Go!!!!