Dear Parishioners:
Happy Easter! We continue to rejoice in the Resurrection of Christ. Easter is much more than a day! In fact, it is a season of 50 days to rejoice and reflect upon our new life in Christ.
Newly recieved into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil on March 31st, Sue Healey poses with Fr. Healey, OLM Pastor and Janice M. Healey, her sponsor.
We rejoice and give thanks for our newly initiated into the Church. We rejoice with Al Behbehani who was baptized, confirmed and made his First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Also we welcomed Susan Healey, my sister-in-law, who was received into the Catholic Church, confirmed and made First Holy Communion. We also congratulate Grace Dobrzynski, Gerianne and Joanne Exil, Ken and Melissa Goudreau, and Haley Pinheiro who were all confirmed at the Easter Vigil!
It was a joyful celebration last Saturday night as these men and women were reborn and confirmed in the Risen Christ! We thank them for making the journey in faith to Easter and choosing to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church! We welcome them and pledge our prayers that they may flourish in the faith.
The Easter Vigil is always a beautiful and meaningful event in the life of our parish. Of course, the beauty and majesty of Easter at OLM is the result of the dedication and hard work of many people. We must thank so many who work so hard and give so much to ensuring a beautiful Holy Week.
Alleluia, He has Risen! He has Risen Indeed!
We must thank Celia Franzone and her dedicated band of decorators who ensured the Church was properly and beautifully decorated for each ceremony of Holy Week. Of course, Paul Anderson and the great maintenance staff at OLM deserve thanks too as they cleaned and prepared the Church property and assisted so ably setting up for Holy Week.
OLM Senior Altar Servers pose in the sacristy prior to Easter Vigil, March 31, 2018.
We also thank our many sacristans who ready all the vestments and sacred vessels for all the ceremonies of Holy Week and Easter. Their work behind the scenes is an invaluable service to the parish. Our corps of outstanding OLM Altar Servers did a terrific job serving Holy Week and Easter. I received many compliments for their service which is always so reverent and dutiful. We thank them for their commitment to serving God and parish so faithfully.
We also thank our lectors for proclaiming God’s Word with great solemnity; our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who reverently helped distribute Communion to the very large crowds at all the Masses; our OLM Ushers for their service in welcoming our many visitors and ensuring that OLM is always a place of hospitality and civility.
We thank our wonderfully talented musicians and OLM Choir. Henri St. Louis, our organist and Choir Director and our soloist, Deirdre Donovan, do an outstanding job ensuring the music is appropriate and also beautifully played and sung. Our OLM Choir brought much beauty to the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. The music at the Easter Vigil with the brass and timpani was truly majestic and fitting for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection!
I wish to thank our religious sisters, Sister Emma and Sister Lourdes, who help us so much daily but even more so during these busy seasons. Their witness to humility and service is a sign for us all.
Deacon John Dowd carries the Book of the Gospel.
I thank Bishop Evans, Fr. Barrow, Fr. Connors and Deacon Dowd for their great help and loyal support in making Holy Week and Easter so meaningful and majestic. In particular, I must truly commend Fr. Barrow for his incredibly hard work and attention to the many details of Holy Week. We are truly blessed at OLM to have such young, fine, talented, holy and zealous priests and we give thanks to God for their vocations and Bishop Tobin for assigning them here!
Congratulations to our OLM Girls 7th/8th Grade Basketball Team who are State Champions! Our CAL Basketball program is an important part of the life our parish and I thank all the players, volunteer coaches and parents who make it possible. We celebrate all our CAL Basketball Teams on Sunday night with our annual banquet! Thanks for a great season!
“Easter is the feast of the new creation. Jesus has opened the door to a new life,” said Pope Emeritus Benedict XV. Let’s continue to open that door to new life in the Risen Christ! Easter isn’t a day nor a week but a season! Rejoice and live your faith to the fullest! Do good. Be well. God Bless. Go Sox!!