Dear Parishioners:
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord as Sunday falls on August 6. Normally we don't get to celebrate this important feast on Sundays, only during the week at Daily Mass. The Feast of the Transfiguration foretells the glory of the Lord as God and his Ascension into heaven. It anticipates the glory of heaven, where we shall see God face to face. Through grace, we already share in the divine promise of eternal life.
In the Transfiguration, Christ enjoyed for a short while that glorified state, which was to be permanent his after His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The splendor of His inward Divinity and the Beatific Vision of His soul overflowed on His body. It permeated His garments, so Christ stood before Peter, James, and John in a snow-white light.
The purpose of the Transfiguration was to encourage and strengthen the Apostles who were depressed by their Master's prediction of His own Passion and Death. The Apostles were made to understand that His redeeming work has two phases: the Cross and Glory—that we shall be glorified with Him only if we first suffer with Him.
Pope Benedict XVI preached on the Transfiguration and said: "Today at Mass, we recall the Transfiguration of the Lord and how it prepared the Apostles for the coming scandal of the Cross. Strengthened by our faith in Jesus, true God, and true man, may we be inspired, not scandalized, by the Cross given to our Savior and to our fellow Christians who suffer with him throughout the world."
As we reflect upon Pope Benedict's words, let us consider the plight of those who suffer from want of food, shelter, security, education, healthcare, and so many material things we take for granted. Let us pray for them and all who suffer from poverty, injustice, famine, war, violence, hatred, terrorism, oppression, grief, sickness, and addiction.
This week I spoke with my classmate Fr. James Ruggeri, the Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Smith Hill and St. Michael Parish in South Providence. He asked if OLM would help him collect back-to-school supplies for his St. Patrick Academy students. In 2009, Fr. James transformed the old St. Patrick Elementary School into an affordable Catholic High School for low-income students.
The school serves those students who desire a good and solid Catholic, college-preparatory high school education but cannot enroll in any other area Catholic high school for financial or other reasons. There is no set tuition, and families pay only what they can afford to pay. No student is ever turned away because the family cannot afford tuition.
The St. Patrick Academy students are from diverse backgrounds, and many are first-generation immigrants from Africa, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Guatemala, Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The Academy has a 100% college acceptance rate!
Over the next few weeks, please deposit your donations in the blue bins in the vestibule. A complete list of needed supplies is in the bulletin today. We have plenty of backpacks, so please donate only the needed supplies. If you would rather donate with financial assistance, please make a check payable to OLM Outreach and write "Back to School Drive" in the memo. In the name of Fr. James and the students of St. Patrick Academy, I thank you for your generosity and support of this effort.
Next Sunday, join us as we welcome Fr. Patrick Ryan to OLM. He will celebrate and preach at the 10:30 am Mass. Father was ordained this past June by Bishop Henning. He currently serves at St. Theresa Church in Pawtucket with Fr. Barrow. Father returns to Rome in the fall to complete his graduate theological studies. He returns to RI for a parish assignment next June.
After his Mass of Thanksgiving, come congratulate Father at the reception in Mercy Park, where he is to offer his First Priestly Blessings. Pray for Father Ryan and all priests and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood. The new grass on our OLM School Field is growing nicely. We thank all who made it possible especially Yardworks for their fine job and Paul Anderson, who ensures the grass continues to grow and stay green! And no, as I had to tell Fr. Mahoney, you can't hit golf balls on the new grass. Do good. Be well. God Bless. Go Sox!