Dear Parishioners:
Although the weather didn't cooperate, we had a wonderful celebration of First Holy Communion last Saturday. It was a joyful and faith-filled occasion for our parish family, especially the children who received Jesus Christ in the Eucharist for the very first time.
On Sunday, we especially celebrated Mother's Day as our First Communion Class crowned our Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of the May! It is always a beautiful ceremony and made special on Mother's Day! May Our Lady continue to guide and protect our parish family, especially the children of the First Communion Class.
We received notification that pro-abortion extremists were organizing demonstrations around the country to disrupt Masses in Catholic churches on Mother's Day. Thankfully at OLM, our Masses on Mother's Day were not disturbed! If such disruptions should ever happen while at Mass, please remain calm, peaceful, and recollected, and do not confront the protesters. Our ushers will contact the East Greenwich Police Department for assistance if necessary.
Sadly Catholic Churches in our nation were vandalized and received threats of violence and disruptions at Mass by pro-abortion zealots. In Colorado, a Catholic Church was vandalized with pro-abortion graffiti, and its windows were smashed.
Pro-abortion extremists also disrupted Holy Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. In New York, a hostile protest occurred at Old St. Patrick's Cathedral. This New York protest was particularly vile and sinister. Protestors blocking the church doors shouted, "God loves abortion!" What I saw of this demonstration was not only reprehensible but diabolical.
These protests are the poisonous fruit of an ideology of hatred for life that has deeply wounded our country for two generations. Our response to such hatred and violence must always be to bear witness to the mercy of Christ, who teaches us to love our enemies, to pray for our persecutors, and to do unto others as we would have others do to us.
While we celebrated Motherhood last Sunday, these radical and extremist protestors celebrated the destruction of the unborn. Babies in the womb deserve legal protection and possess the basic human right to life. Unborn children at six weeks have a heartbeat. They have fully formed noses, lips, and eyebrows by fifteen weeks and suck their thumbs and feel pain.
The abortion lobby and their elected allies in the White House, Congress, RI Governor's Office, and RI General Assembly support abortion for any reason until birth. The vast majority of Americans, however, support protections for the unborn. It's time to end the tragic and extreme abortion policy that puts us on par with China and North Korea.
The Catholic Church and the pro-life movement across the country are committed to serving mothers and babies. More than 2,700 pregnancy care centers nationwide serve millions of mothers and babies annually—many states fund alternatives to abortion programs to serve expectant mothers.
The Diocese of Providence, through Gabriel's Call, supports expectant mothers and their unborn children. It provides emotional and practical support to those families in need, including diapers, baby clothing, baby furniture, and other needed items for them and their children. RI Right to Life Services also assists pregnant mothers and new mothers and their babies.
Sadly in Rhode Island, abortion until a child's birth is legal and will remain so. In 2019, the General Assembly passed legislation to codify abortion rights in Rhode Island. This year abortion advocates in RI seek to fund abortions with taxpayer funds.
Pope Francis has written: "Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless and innocent among us. Nowadays, efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this. It is not 'progressive' to resolve problems by eliminating a human life.."
Pray for a culture of life in our nation, and the legal protection of the unborn and expectant mothers. Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless!