Dear Parishioners:
It’s good to be home! As you know I was hospitalized over a week ago due to a serious infection and fever. I received intravenous antibiotics to treat the infection and spent a few days at Roger Williams General Hospital. Thankfully I am home and on the mend now. I am grateful for the terrific treatment I received at the hospital. The nursing and medical staff were caring, compassionate and professional. The infection is still being treated by antibiotics but I am happy to be home heading to a full recovery.
Fr. Barrow deserves a great deal of thanks for his hard work in my absence. With little notice, he managed to run the parish, cover the Masses and continue his normal schedule. I thank him for his help and concern during my hospitalization. He is terrific asset to our Parish and to the Pastor too!
Unfortunately I was recuperating and had to miss the great events surrounding our Patronal Feast. Reliable sources tell me that the Holy Hour of Mercy was wonderful and Fr. Adam Young’s homily terrific. Also, as expected, the Concert of Mercy,
featuring our talented OLM organist, soloist and choirs was beautiful. A large crowd of all ages showed up to make lunches for the homeless and pack them with socks. This Socks and Sandwiches is a true Work of Mercy and provides much needed support to the homeless at Emmanuel House in Providence. I offer thanks to all who participated in this Work of Mercy.
I wish to thank Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester who celebrated the OLM Feast Day
Mass last Saturday. Bishop McManus is no stranger to OLM having lived and ministered here as a Transitional Deacon. He also was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Providence right here at OLM.
Finally our Parish Picnic saw a beautiful day of sunshine and fun. My thanks to the many who set-up, cooked, cleaned and helped make the afternoon a great time for our parish family. Unfortunately I couldn't attend and had to miss the Annual Tug-A-War. Sadly Team Healey lost to Team Barrow! Deacon Dowd graciously took my place as the anchor of Team Healey but he is no Jimmy Gararpolo or Jacoby Bressette!
Our Annual Parish Collection looks to be off to a good start. My thanks to the many parishioners who have contributed thus far. However, we are a parish of over 2,000 families and to truly make the collection a success we need all parishioners to support the Annual Collection. We are asking each parish family to consider a contribution of $300. If you have not yet made a contribution to the Annual Collection, please do so today. My thanks for your continued generosity and support of this wonderful parish.
October has arrived and with it our annual commitment to pray and work for an increase in respect for all human life. Pope
Francis has reminded us: “All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”
October is also a month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. According to an account by fifteenth-century Dominican Friar, Alan de la Roch, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1206 after he had been praying and doing severe penances because of his lack of success in combating the Albigensian heresy. The Blessed Virgin Mary praised him for his valiant fight against the heretics and then gave him the Rosary as a mighty weapon, explained its uses and efficacy, and told him to preach it to others.
So during this month we honor the Rosary and the Blessed Virgin Mary with October Devotions. Join us at 7:00pm every Monday this month as we pray the Rosary and adore the Eucharist. Take twenty minutes from your busy schedule and come to pray, meditate and reflect. Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox! !!! Go Pats!!!!