Dear Parishioners:
“Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day,” said the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen. This came to mind as I watched members of the R.I. House of Representatives and their allies rejoice and applaud as a bill to expand the evil of abortion was passed. Our local area state representatives all voted to to significantly expand abortion in Rhode Island. The supporters of this measure have placed political expediency over the protection of the defenseless unborn. It is a sad chapter in the history of our state.
The bill now moves on to the State Senate for consideration and if passed, Governor Raimondo has promised to sign it into law. I urge you to continue to pray for the unborn and for the RI State Senate as they consider this bill. Also please contact your state senator and urge them to vote against this extreme abortion bill.
We had a great crowd at our Gaelic and Garlic Night last Saturday. They enjoyed Italian and Irish food including pasta, homemade meatballs, corned beef, zeppoles and Irish Soda Bread. We had live Irish music and lots of great fun. Everyone whether of Italian or Irish ancestary or not truly celebrated St. Patrick and St. Joseph! My thanks to all who worked so hard to make it a wonderful event for our parish.
The celebration continues this week with Mass at 12:05pm on this Tuesday, March 19th, which is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. This Mass is to be celebrated in Italian by Bishop Evans and includes readings and hymns in Italian. Dominican Fr. James Sullivan, OP, Pastor of St. Pius V Church in Providence, will offer the homily. Following the Mass there will be a reception in the church vestibule. There will be plenty of coffee and zeppoles to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day. Join us at this great festival of faith!
Next weekend we begin our Annual OLM Lenten Parish Mission. Fr. Nathan Ricci, Associate Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in East Providence, is our Mission Preacher. He is to preach at all Masses next weekend. Fr. Ricci is a terrific young priest and a truly dynamic preacher. He was born and raised in Warwick and graduated Bishop Hendricken High School. After graduating Providence College, he studied for the priesthood at the North American College in Rome. While in Rome he earned degrees in Theology and Canon Law. A complete schedule of the Lenten Mission is in this week’s bulletin. Mark your calendars now and be sure to make the Mission. It is a great time to renew our faith and deepen our spiritual lives during this holy season of Lent.
Last Saturday a plane crash in Ethiopia tragically killed all 157 people on board. Included among the many victims of this tragic event were four workers of Catholic Relief Services. We mourn the loss of all the dead and pray for the repose of their souls and consolation of their families. A statement issued by Catholic Relief Services read in part: “Although we are in mourning, we celebrate the lives of these colleagues and the selfless contributions they made to our mission, despite the risks and sacrifices that humanitarian work can often entail.”
Catholic Relief Services does incredible work for the poor and hungry of the world often with great risk and sacrifice. As part of our annual Lenten alms giving we support Operation Rice Bowl with those simple cardboard rice bowls. This Lent as we can truly honor the work of these CRS workers by making a sacrificial gift to support the work they died doing.
Have you gone to Confession this Lent? “The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works,” said St. Augustine. There are plenty of opportunities here at OLM including Confession every day before the 12:05pm Mass, Monday nights at 6pm with two priests and Saturdays at 3pm. Also on this Saturday March 23, there will be All Day Confessions from 9am until 3pm. Priests from across the state will be here and four priests available all day for Confession. Lent is the time to cleanse our soul and confess our sins!
It’s Lent! Pray, fast, and give alms! Make a good Confession and remember Fridays are for fish and Stations of the Cross! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Happy St. Joseph’s Day!