Dear Parishioners:
This weekend we welcome to Our Lady of Mercy Sister Josephine and Sister Therese of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary. The Sisters are speaking at all Masses about the important work they do in the Missions in Africa. This is our Annual Mission Co-op weekend in which we dedicate one weekend a year to learning about the good works of Missionaries and support them with your prayers as well as our financial contributions. The Sisters are here to share with us the story of their religious community of the Holy Rosary and the many good works they do throughout the world. They are located in Africa, Mexico and Brazil and provide much needed education and healthcare to some of the poorest areas of our world. They also bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to these areas through their witness of the faith.
The Second Collection today is solely dedicated to supporting the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary. There is no envelope for the collection but if you do strike a check please make it payable to OLM. The collection is counted here and sent to the Diocese where it is then sent on to the Missionary Sisters. All the proceeds go directly to support the good works of these wonderful Missionary Sisters. I thank you in advance for your warm welcome to Sister Josephine and Sister Therese. 
Also in their name, I thank you for your prayerful support of their work and for the Missions as well as your generous financial support of the Second Collection. May God Bless the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary and their good works in the Missions! Let us continue to pray for Missionaries across the globe but also let us recall we too are called to be Missionaries right here in East Greenwich. In fact in his talk on World Mission Sunday this year, Pope Francis suggests:
“All of us are invited to ‘go out’ as missionary disciples, each generously offering their talents, creativity, wisdom and experience in order to bring the message of God's tenderness and compassion to the entire human family. By virtue of the missionary mandate, the Church cares for those who do not know the Gospel, because she wants everyone to be saved and to experience the Lord's love. She ‘is commissioned to announce the mercy of God, the beating heart of the Gospel’ (Misericordiae Vultus, 12) and to proclaim mercy in every corner of the world, reaching every person, young or old. “
Speaking of Missionaries, this week our OLM Parish Secretary, Sandra Demers and her daughter Simone, join a band of pilgrims from the Diocese of Providence going to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. A large part of the group is from St. Theresa’s Church in Tiverton and so is Fr. Shemek (formerly of OLM!) is leading the group that includes Deacon Brian Morris from OLM too! Over 30 teenagers, young adults and adults are making the pilgrimage to World Youth Day. Also OLM Parishioner and Senior Altar Server, Jack Kineke, is attending WYD with his school group. Hundreds of thousands of Catholic youth from across the globe are expected to attend the events. Pope Francis is to address the expected 2.5 million pilgrims in attendance! 
Prior to the World Youth Day opening ceremony on Tuesday, the Providence Pilgrims are to visit Warsaw, the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and the birthplace of St. Pope John Paul the Great in Wadowice. After the conclusion of World Youth Day, the Providence band of pilgrims are to make their way to the Jasna Gora Shrine which houses the Black Madonaa icon so beloved by St. Pope John Paul. Please pray for all the World Youth Day pilgrims especially those from OLM. It is sure to be a memorable event for all of them and for the entire Church. Pope Francis told the pilgrims: “Dear young people, at the Shrine in Krakow dedicated to the merciful Jesus, where he is depicted in the image venerated by the people of God, Jesus is waiting for you. “
I am away this weekend officiating at the wedding of my niece at St. Peter’s Church in Saratoga Springs, New York. Welcome Sister Josephine and Therese! Thanks for your support for the Missions! Pray for World Youth Day! Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Sox!