Dear Parishioners:
Last Sunday morning shortly after 6:00am I received a text message from our erstwhile Associate Pastor, Fr. Connors. It simply said: “Tobin named Cardinal!” I admit that I was perplexed but soon enough Father clarified it by adding “from Indy!” So our own Bishop Tobin was not named Cardinal after all!
I guess while Fr. Connors was eating his lunch on some scenic Roman
Piazza he heard the news about Pope Francis naming new Cardinals and calling a Papal Consistory in November. The Holy Father has named three new Cardinals from the Untied States: Archbishop Blasé Cupich of Chicago, Archbishop Kevin Farrell from Dallas, the Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery of Laity, Family and Life, and Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis. These three bishops along with fourteen other bishops from across the globe make up the new members of the College of Cardinals.
Pope Francis commenting on the diversity of the new Cardinals said they represent “the universality of the church” and “the mercy of God in every corner of the world.” These seventeen bishops are to be 
elevated to the College of Cardinals in Rome on November 19th. The College of Cardinals is a group of bishops who advise the Holy Father on Church matters. All Cardinals under the age of 80 also participate in the election of a new Pope. They play an important role in the life and mission of the Church. Please keep them and our Holy Father in your prayers.
We are to have our own celebration next weekend. We have a visiting Bishop coming to OLM for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Eighty-eight of our young adults from OLM are to be confirmed by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano of Rochester, NY next Sunday at the 5:00pm Mass. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to prepare for the reception of the Sacrament. Bishop Matano is no stranger to OLM as he has visited many times and celebrated Confirmation here on numerous occasions.
Bishop Matano is a native priest of Providence and grew up at St. Ann Church in Providence
with our late OLM Pastor, Monsignor Lolio. The Bishop served as the Vicar-General of our Diocese and the Pastor of St. Sebastian Church in Providence for many years before being named the Bishop of Burlington, VT. A few years ago he was named the new Bishop of Rochester, NY. Over twenty years ago when I was a newly ordained priest, I was privileged enough to live with Bishop Matano when he was the resident priest at St. Augustine Church in Providence. I am truly grateful that he accepted the invitation to be with us at OLM and celebrate this special day for our young adults.
But please take heed that next week at the Sunday night 5:00PM Mass the Sacrament of Confirmation is to be celebrated. This means that the eighty-eight Confirmation Candidates, their sponsors, families and friends are to be in Church! You are most welcome to attend and celebrate this great occasion with them but if you’d like a guaranteed seat in Church I’d advise you to go to another Sunday Mass next week.
In continuing the preparation for the reception of the Sacrament, our OLM Confirmation Class are attending Monday Devotions this week. It is a great opportunity for us as a parish family to gather together and pray the Rosary for these young adults. They are the future of our
Church and deserve our prayers and support. So please come to October Devotions on this Monday and pray with and for the Confirmation candidates. After October Devotions on Monday, the Confirmation candidates, their sponsors, parents and family member are invited to continue the preparation by receiving the grace of a good Confession. Several area priests along with Fr. Barrow and myself will be available to hear these Confessions. All are welcome to come to Confession on Monday and experience God’s love, forgiveness and mercy.
Be well. Do good. Join us at Devotions and pray for our Confirmation Class! Go Pats!!!! God Bless. See you at Devotions!