Dear Parishioners:
Last Saturday night the OLM School gathered to celebrate the Annual Spring Fling. This event is a major fundraiser for our school and helps to maintain and support the many fine programs offered at OLM School. We are grateful to the many benefactors who donated some fabulous auction items including Red Sox tickets, Patriot’s Box Seats, tickets to the Broadway sensation Hamilton, and many others. There was also the Dinner with the OLM Priests always a popular auction item! All the proceeds directly benefit the students at OLM School.
I thank OLM School PTO President, Jaime Pedro, and her excellent committee for all their hard work and dedication to ensuring a great time was had by all. Also we thank those parents and guests who came to the big night and gave so generously in support of OLM School. With the Spring Fling now over, it’s hard to believe butin just a few weeks school ends for the summer break! On the horizon, is the First Annual OLM School Golf Open. Mark your calendar now for this golf tournament scheduled for Monday, September 11th at Quidnessett Country Club.
We also give thanks this week that we have now surpassed our Catholic Charity Appeal parish goal of $193,000. Once again your generous support of the good works of our Diocesan Church surpasses the goal. I wholeheartedly thank all those who pledged and gave a gift to the CCA. Your generous support helped us not only reach but go over the goal. In the name of the poor and needy who benefit from your generosity, I sincerely thank you.
This week I received news from the Office of Vocations that a Seminarian for the Diocese of Providence is to be assigned for the summer to Our Lady of Mercy Church. Seminarian Hiep Nguyen is currently finishing his First Theology Year at St. John Seminary in Boston. He has been assigned to live and work at OLM for ten weeks and arrives on May 18th.
Hiep is a native of Vietnam where he was raised. He emigrated to the Untied States several years ago and his home parish is St. Philip in Greenville. He has a brother who is a priest and serves as a Pastor in Vietnam anda sister who is a religious sister and works in the St. Louis area. We are looking forward to having Hiep here and supporting his priestly vocation. While here at OLM he will be living and working with Fr. Barrow and me. He will be helping with Masses, teaching at school, visiting the home bound and working with the OLM Outreach Office. Be sure to give him a warm welcome when he arrives on May 18th.
Hiep is to also help us with our Annual Vacation Bible School. This great week of fun and faith for our OLM children is scheduled for June 26—30. It is always a great week of faith-filled activities for our parish. There are details in the flyer found in the bulletin this week. Make sure to sign up your child or grandchild!
I hope you join us this Monday for May Devotions as Fr. Joseph Briody, a Priest of the Diocese of Raphoe, Ireland, is to lead our devotions in honor of Our Lady of Knock. He is a Professor of Scripture at St. John Seminary in Boston. The Story of Knock began on the 21st August, 1879 when, at approximately 8 o’clock in the evening, fifteen people from the village of Knock in County Mayo, Ireland witnessed an Apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a Lamb and a cross on an altar at the gable wall of the Parish Church. These witnesses watched the Apparition in the pouring rain for two hours, reciting the Rosary. Although they themselves were saturated not a single drop of rain fell on the gable or the vision.
There were fifteen official witnesses to the Apparition, most of whom were from the village of Knock and surrounding areas and ranged in age from just 5 years old to 74 years old. There is a beautiful shrine at Knock where I have had the privilege to celebrate Mass and seek Our Lady’s powerful intercession. Fr. Briody is to lead us in our devotions as we plead for the intercession of Our Lady of Knock for our parish. Please join us on Monday at 7:00PM for the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration and beautiful music.
Be well. Do good. God Bless. Our Lady of Knock, pray for us!