Dear Parishioners:
Happy Pentecost! Today’s feast is celebrated 50 days after Easter, and marks the day that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles while they were cowering and hiding behind locked doors following Jesus’ resurrection. After receiving the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit, the apostles immediately went out and preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. In sending his Holy Spirit to the Apostles in the upper room, God invites each of us to join him in a passion for evangelizing the world and spreading the message that God loves us. We are Christ’s witnesses to the world and our mission is to respond to the fire of God’s love with our lives of faith and good works.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XV teaches: “Dear friends, we must live according to the Spirit of unity and of truth, and for this we must pray that the Spirit enlighten us and lead us to overcome the fascination with following our own truths and instead the truth of Christ transmitted in the Church. Jesus, before ascending into heaven, asks the Apostles to remain together to prepare themselves to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And they gather in prayer with Mary in the cenacle in expectation of the promised event (cf. Acts 1:14). Today the Church – recollected as she was at her birth with Mary – prays: “Veni Sancte Spiritus!” –“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love!” Amen. “
On this Pentecost Sunday, as also call down the Holy Spirit upon our OLM School 8th Grade. We ask the Holy Spirit to guide and protect them as they prepare for high school. The OLM 8th Graders join us at the 10:30AM Mass along with their families and the OLM School Faculty. Each graduate is given a beautiful OLM School medal to commemorate their time at the school. The OLM School Class of 2019 Graduation is on Monday, June 10th at 6:00PM in OLM Church. All parishioners are most welcome to join us at OLM School Graduation and wish our graduates congratulations and best wishes as they receive their diplomas.
Please continue to pray for these graduates as they leave our parish school and enter high school. May they be guided by the Holy Spirit and continue to grow in faith, holiness, grace and wisdom. I pray they heed the bold words of St. Catherine of Siena “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
Father Rowley, Bishop Evans and Father Silva at Ordination to the Diaconate, May 2018.
On Saturday morning, two new priests were ordained for our Diocese of Providence, Father Eric Silva and Father Brendan Rowley. They now begin their priestly ministry and move to their new parish assignments. We offer them prayerful congratulations and best wishes. Ad multos annos! As Father Silva and Father Rowley begin their priestly life and ministry, let us pray for them and their priesthood. St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, has a wonderful prayer for priests that we might offer for the newly ordained and indeed all priests:
“O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Your holy love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown.”
Fathers Day is next Sunday and Masses are to be offered for all Fathers and in particular for those whose names are inscribed on the Fathers Day Memorial envelopes. Let us pray for Fathers that through the intercession of good St. Joseph, they might be strengthened in the gift of Fatherhood. We also remember at Mass and in prayer our deceased Fathers and we ask them to pray for us!
Happy Pentecost! Our heartfelt congratulations to the OLM Class of 2019 and also to the newly ordained Fathers Silva and Rowley! OLM School ends this Friday and summer vacation begins for our students and teachers. May it be happy and healthy. God Bless! Be well. Do Good. Go Sox. Go Bruins!