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!!

Celebrating the Holy Eucharist & the Sacred Priesthood on Corpus Christi

Dear Parishioners:                               

We celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi this weekend.  It is also known as the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It is a feast that honors Jesus Christ, really, truly, and substantially present in the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine.                     

From the earliest days of the Church, Christians have believed that Christ was present in the Eucharist. This ancient feast dates back to the 13th century, an era in the history of the Church marked by widespread disbelief or misperception about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Pope Urban IV verifies the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena

It was the experience of a priest, Peter of Prague, that would make this a universal feast for the Church. In 1263, Fr. Peter was on a pilgrimage to Rome. He was a good, pious priest who strived for holiness but struggled with doubts about the Holy Eucharist. He agonized over whether, at the words of consecration, the bread and wine truly became the Body and Blood of Jesus.

During this time, he was celebrating Mass at the tomb of St. Christina, and as soon as he said the words of consecration – “This is my Body” – the host in his hands began to bleed down his arms and onto the altar cloth below. He was awestruck and began to cry. Pope Urban IV was in the nearby town of Orvieto, and he went to him. After investigating, the Pope declared a miracle and had the corporal brought to the cathedral in Orvieto. You can still go and see that blood-stained corporal in Orvieto’s Cathedral – almost 800 years later. One year after this miracle, the Pope extended the Solemnity to the Universal Church.

The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist happens through the change which the Church calls transubstantiation (“change of substance”) when at the Consecration of the Mass, the priest says the words which Christ Himself pronounced over bread and wine, “This is My Body,” “This is the chalice of My Blood,” “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

His Presence is real because it has a “real being.” This philosophical term conveys that it has actual existence and not just mental existence.  His Presence is true.  The Blessed Sacrament is called Christ because it is Christ. It is not simply a symbol, as a flag is the symbol of a nation, or as a photograph is a representation of the individual shown.

Finally, His Presence is substantial. Even though our senses detect the appearances or properties of bread and wine, the substance is Christ, who is wholly present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, under each element and any parts of them. In the Eucharist, Jesus Himself re-presents for our benefit His Sacrifice on Calvary, gives Himself to us in Holy Communion, and remains among us until the end of the age. He comes to us in this humble form, making Himself vulnerable out of love for each one of us. Yet, as God Himself, the Body and Blood of Christ deserve our utmost respect and love, as well as our adoration.

And so today, we celebrate the great gift of the Holy Eucharist with First Communions at the 10:30am Mass.  Also, a Eucharistic Procession to Mercy Park with Benediction will follow the 10:30am Mass.  In addition, the 10:30am Mass is offered as a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Thirtieth Anniversary of my Ordination as a Priest on June 24, 2025. As I mark this anniversary, I do so with a profound spirit of thanksgiving and as a genuinely happy and grateful priest.   

 I am indeed grateful for God’s gift of love, which called me to this beautiful life as a priest of  Jesus Christ. I am thankful to my late parents, all my family, and many friends. I wish to thank my brother priests who served alongside me, as well as the bishops under whom I have served over the past thirty years.  And for the many people I have served as a parish priest, I am profoundly grateful for their witness to the faith.

On Corpus Christi, as we celebrate the Most Holy Eucharist, I am reminded of the words of St. Pope John Paul II: “There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist.’ So today we celebrate both the great gifts of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacred Priesthood with great joy and thanksgiving. Pray for me and my priestly ministry as I pledge my continued prayers for you. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. 

Praise the Holy Trinity!

Dear Parishioners:                                 

Father Joseph M. Brodeur at this Ordination Mass on June 29, 2024 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence.

As announced last weekend, we are grateful to Bishop Lewandowski for assigning Father Joseph M. Brodeur as our new Associate Pastor.  Father begins his priestly ministry at OLM on July 1 after his return from Rome, where he is presently finishing up his theological studies.   Born and raised in Westerly, he is the youngest of four children. He is a native son of Saint Pius X Church, where Father Mahoney currently serves as Pastor. Fr. Brodeur attended the parish school from kindergarten to eighth grade before graduating from Westerly High School in 2016. 

He then entered the Our Lady of Providence Seminary for his priestly formation during his college years. He is an alumnus of Providence College, where he earned his B.A. in Philosophy and Classics in 2020. Following college, Father undertook his priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas ('Angelicum'). He was ordained a priest on June 29, 2024, by then Bishop Henning.

Last summer, he served as Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Mary Parishes in Bristol before returning to Rome to complete a Licentiate in Liturgical Theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross ('Santa Croce'). He has been living at the Casa Santa Maria, the American priest graduate house in Rome. We certainly look forward to his arrival and having Father Brodeur with us at OLM.  I know you will give him your usual warm welcome when he arrives in July.  Keep him in your prayers.

This weekend, we welcome Sister Angelina Giramma, M.P.F., to OLM for the Missionary Cooperative.  She is speaking at all Masses on the good work of the Filippini Sisters in the Missions. The Institute of the Religious Teachers Filippini was founded by Saint Lucy Filippini and Marcantonio Cardinal Barbarigo in Italy in 1692.  The Filippini Sisters serve in parishes, schools, universities, and social work with those in need in the U.S., South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.   Pope Leo recently said that we need to "recognize the fundamental importance of the missions and supporting our brothers and sisters in those areas of our world where the Church is young and growing."

The Second Collection this weekend is for the Filippini Missions, and it is a way for us to recognize and financially support the important work of missionaries. I thank Sister Angelina for speaking to us this weekend, and I also thank you in advance for your generous support and prayers for the Filippini Sisters.   Next Sunday, we will celebrate the  Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

Although we celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday, the Church emphasizes its importance with a special feast. It was Pope Urban IV who first extended the feast to the Universal Church in 1254. Corpus Christi is one of the few feasts in which we observe a procession and a sung "Sequence." We will have a Eucharistic Procession following the 10:30 am Mass next Sunday. Corpus Christi is a threefold feast: 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.

Father Healey carries the Eucharist in the Corpus Christi Procession in May 2024.

It is a doctrinal feast established to give God collective thanks and gratitude for Christ's abiding presence with us in the Eucharist and to honor Him there.  It is meant to instruct us in the Mystery, Faith, and devotion surrounding the Eucharist. And to teach us to appreciate and make use of the great gift of the Holy Eucharist, both as a Sacrament and as a sacrifice.

Within the three-year cycle of the Sunday liturgy, a different theme is featured each year for the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.  In Cycle A, the theme is the Eucharist as our food and drink; in Cycle B, the emphasis is on the Eucharist as the sign of the covenant; and in Cycle C, the theme focuses on the priesthood of Jesus.

Also, next Sunday, at 10:30 am Mass, I  mark my 30th anniversary of priestly ordination. They have been joyful and happy years of service to the Church.  I humbly ask for your continued prayers for me and my priestly ministry. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. 

Come Holy Spirit, Renew the Face of the Earth!

Dear Parishioners:                                  

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, one of the most important feast days of the year. This feast concludes the Easter season and marks the beginning of the Church. Pentecost Sunday always occurs 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus on Easter and 10 days after his Ascension into heaven.      

The timing of these feasts is also where we derive the concept of the novena, which consists of nine days of prayer. In the Acts of the Apostles, Mary and the Apostles prayed together "continuously" for nine days after the Ascension, leading up to Pentecost. The Church prays the novena to the Holy Spirit in the days before Pentecost. The name of the day itself is derived from the Greek word "pentecoste," meaning 50th.

Pentecost celebrates the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy  Spirit, descending upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together in the Upper Room.  A "strong, driving" wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads, allowing them to speak in different languages so that they could understand each other. It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk, but Saint Peter pointed out that it was only the morning and said the Holy Spirit caused the phenomenon.

The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission — to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. It fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ that the Apostles would be "clothed with power" before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel. It was right after Pentecost that Saint Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, preached his first homily to Jews and other non-believers.

St Peter Preaching in the Presence of St Mark, Fra Angelico (circa 1395–1455

He opened the scriptures of the Old Testament, showing how the prophet Joel prophesied events and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Saint Peter also told the people that the Jesus they crucified is the Lord and was raised from the dead, which "cut them to the heart." When they asked what they should do,

Saint Peter exhorted them to repent of their sins and to be baptized. According to the account in Acts, about 3,000 people were baptized following Peter's sermon.   For this reason, Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church — Saint Peter, the first Pope, preaches for the first time and converts thousands of new believers. The apostles and believers were united for the first time by a common language and a shared zeal and purpose to preach the Gospel.

As we celebrate this great Feast of Faith, we also celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for some adult parishioners at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Pray for them as they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm their Catholic Faith.  Let us also pray that the Holy Spirit may renew the Church, our parish, and our own faith lives.  We pray: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth."

Next weekend, we will have the Annual Mission Cooperative Appeal at all Masses. Each year, we are asked to help support the good works of missionaries across the world in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. This year, we welcome Sister Angelina Giramma, M.P.F., a member of the Religious Teachers Filippini. Sister Angelina will be speaking at all Masses next week about the missionary work of the Sisters.

The Second Collection next weekend is in direct support of the Filippini Missions. There is no budget envelope for this collection. Please make checks payable to Our Lady of Mercy Church and indicate 'Mission Coop' on the memo line. I know you will give Sister your usual warm welcome to OLM. And I thank you in advance for your prayers and generosity in supporting the good works of the Filippini Missions. 

Last Friday night, the OLM School Class of 2025 held its graduation ceremony.  Now they're off to high school in the fall. They are well-prepared thanks to our excellent school and outstanding faculty. We offer them congratulations and the promise of prayers. Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Sox????!!

Welcome Bishop Bruce! Farewell 8th Grade & Sister Emma

Dear Parishioners:                               

At the Mass of Installation, Bishop Lewandowski knocks three times on the Cathedral Door. The knocking is a symbolic act of humility, highlighting the bishop's role as a servant of God and the People of God.. The knocking is a way to formally announce the bishop's arrival at his new Diocese and request permission to enter and begin their ministry of teaching, sanctification, and governance.

Last week, our new Bishop was installed at a beautiful Mass at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. Bishop Lewandowski is now the Tenth Bishop of Providence. Fifty bishops, hundreds of priests and religious, and over 1,000 people were in attendance. It is a great sign of hope as our new shepherd begins his ministry here. Please continue to pray for Bishop Lewandowski.

As the new Bishop begins his ministry in Providence, we say farewell to the OLM School 8th Grade, who graduate this week. Today at 10:30 a.m. Mass, they receive their Our Lady of Mercy Medal, and we, as their parish family, pray for them. Following the Mass, there is an Academic Awards Lunch, where these young budding saints and scholars are recognized for their achievements.    

The OLM 8th Grade, Class of 2025

On Monday, the 8th Grade is on Retreat at the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence for the day.  Father Mahoney is leading them on this Retreat, and we thank him for his generosity.  Please pray for our Class of 2025. The soon-to-be graduates go to Holiday Hills for a day of fun in the sun on Tuesday.  Then on Thursday, they have their final “Walk-Out” as students of OLM School at school dismissal time. And their Graduation Week ends on Friday as they attend their Final First Friday School Mass. The Graduation Ceremony is on Friday evening at 6:00 pm.  Congratulations to the OLM School Class of 2025!  We wish them much success in high school and beyond!   

Sister Emma and Sister Lourdes enjoying the Oktoberfest!

As we say farewell to these students, I’ve learned that we will soon say “Farewell” to Sister Emma.  The Franciscan Mother Superior wrote me about a month ago to inform me that Sister Emma, who has served at OLM for 11 years, will be transferred this summer. She is heading to the Seminary of St. Gregory the Great in Nebraska to begin a new ministry among the seminarians and priests at the seminary.    Sister Emma has been a wonderful part of our OLM Family for many years, and we will miss her very much.  She will leave for the Annual Retreat and Assembly of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters in Nebraska in late July. 

After the Retreat, Sister will stay in Nebraska to begin her new assignment.   We thank her for her years of faithful, dedicated, humble, and holy service to Our Lady of Mercy Church and School.    When Sister Lourdes and Sister Jane return from their Retreat in Nebraska in August, they will return with Sister Benigna Mallare, newly assigned to Our Lady of Mercy.  We look forward to welcoming Sister Benigna as she begins her ministry here at OLM.  We thank Mother Zenaida, the FAS Superior, for assigning her to OLM.  Please pray for our good Sisters in this time of transition in their lives and ministry. 

 As Bishop Lewandowski begins his ministry here in Providence, please pray for him.  We hope and pray that he might assign a new Associate Pastor to OLM.   But if it is impossible, we must reexamine our schedule to make it more manageable for one priest.   While we are grateful to Bishop Evans, Monsignor Montecalvo, and the Dominican Friars for their assistance this past year, we may have to adjust our Mass schedule. So pray for a new Associate  Pastor and for more vocations to the priesthood!

The arrival of June also means that our OLM Office hours change for the summer months. During June, July, and August, the office will be closed on Fridays. It is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. 

I offer my thanks to the 405 parishioners who generously donated this year to the Catholic Charity Appeal. We have raised over $240,000.  However, we are still short of 465 donors who helped us raise over $260,000 last year! If you are among the parishioners who have not yet donated this year, please do so by the end of June.  We want to exceed last year’s total number of donors and total amount raised.  It would be a good sign of our dedication to the poor for Bishop Lewandowski!!  

Next week, we look forward to the celebration of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.  As we prepare for that great Solemnity, please pray for two adult parishioners who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the 10:30 am Mass. May the Holy Spirit come and renew our parish!   Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Sox!