Dear Parishioners:
We had a beautiful celebration last Sunday for Bishop Evans' Golden Jubilee of Priesthood. Bishop Matano's homily was inspirational and uplifting. We thank all those who helped with the Mass and reception. We especially thank our outstanding Altar Servers for their reverent service. Our Choir and musicians, under the direction of Henri St. Louis, for providing such majestic and beautiful music. And we thank Doug Green and his team of volunteers for the reception. And finally, we thank Bishop Evans for his fifty years of priesthood and faithful and loving service to the Church!
This weekend we welcome to OLM Sister Barbara Dopierala, FMM. She is speaking at all Masses on behalf of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. They were founded in 1877 in France by Blessed Mary of the Passion and beatified in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Before she died in 1904, she established the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary across the globe. During her lifetime, the sisters were established in Marseilles, Carthage, Ceylon, China, England, Belgium, Canada, Mozambique, Burma, Japan, Spain, Madagascar, and Chile. She boldly responded to the Church's or government's calls to have the good sisters assist with education, healthcare, and social work. In 1900, seven FMM Sisters were martyred for the faith in China. In 2000, they were canonized.
Each year every parish in the Diocese of Providence takes a weekend to promote the work of missionaries through the Missionary Co-op Collection. This provides an opportunity for us to learn more about the work of the Church in the missions as well as to provide some financial assistance to missionaries. Thank you in advance for your generous financial support of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in this weekend's Second Collection. We welcome Sister Barbara and thank her for her witness on behalf of the FMM Missions doing the good work first begun by Blessed Mary of the Passion. Please pray for missionaries and their work preaching the Gospel in the four corners of the earth.
With the Fourth of July already come and gone, the summer is going too quickly. However, summer is a time for us to stop and rest and refresh ourselves. St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross said: "God is there in these moments of rest and can give us in a single instant exactly what we need." So take some time this summer to rest with God. Of course, reading in these summer months is also a form of rest from the routine. I've already begun my summer reading and hope to finish it all! Along with the teachers at Our Lady of Mercy School, I am reading a short book, "Educating for Eternity.” It provides great insight into Catholic Schools forming saints.
For my own spiritual reading, I've begun a new book written for priests by the Dominican Friar, Fr. Ezra Sullivan, OP, entitled "Alter Christus." He also wrote the more general spiritual book, Heroic Habits: Discovering the Soul’s Potential for Greatness, which I recommend you read.
My big summer book to read is "The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink." Considering all that is happening worldwide, especially with the war in Ukraine, it will be a timely read. It's dense and long, so I'm unsure I'll finish it by September! And for fun on the beach, I usually read a detective novel from Martin Walker's Bruno the Chief series. However, the newest one isn’t released until September.
But I found another set of detective mysteries by American author Rebecca Pawel called The Sergeant Carlos Tejada Investigations. This murder mystery series is set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. I read the first one, Death of a Nationalist, a few years ago. It was very enjoyable. I hope to read a couple more as they are short and easy reads. What are you reading this summer at the beach or in the backyard?
The author Henry James once said: "Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." I agree and hope you spend a summer afternoon or two resting with God, recreating with family, reading a good book, and maybe even enjoying a good cigar! Do good. Be well. God Bless. Go Sox!! Enjoy some rest this Summer!