Dear Parishioners:
Bishop Henning blessing new Church Doors on the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy.
Last Sunday's Feast Day Mass with Bishop Henning was a beautiful celebration. The music was magnificent, the altar servers were terrific, and the large crowd of parishioners was enthusiastic! The Bishop preached a powerful message on mercy and blessed our new front doors! We thank Bishop Henning and all those who worked so hard in making our Patronal Feast a glorious occasion.
All our prayers for fine weather for our golf tournament didn't work! Tropical Storm Ophelia brought rain and more rain on Monday. There was no golfing on Monday for our 144 golfers at the OLM Saints and Scholars Open. Instead, we had a nice luncheon with raffles and a silent sports memorabilia auction. Each of our registered foursomes received a certificate for golf at Quidnessett Country Club, so they get to play golf after all! We thank Lee Mita, the chair of our Golf Tournament, for another great job!
Wednesday's Holy Hour of Mercy was a prayerful time of adoration and reflection. I am grateful for Father James Ruggeri, who presided and preached an outstanding reflection. Celebrating our parish patroness in such a prayerful way is always an inspiring and uplifting occasion. I thank the many people who came to our Act of Mercy on Thursday evening. We filled dozens of backpacks with much-needed supplies for the homeless. I thank Doug Green, our OLM Outreach Director, for his hard work in making this happen. OLM's great mercy and charity affect a great number of our impoverished brothers and sisters across our state and beyond. I thank you for your support of OLM Outreach.
October is a month dedicated to Our Mother Mary and the Holy Rosary. Each Monday night during October, we gather at 7:00 p.m. for Eucharistic Adoration, recitation of the Rosary, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. During this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, please join us for Devotions on Monday nights and pray the Rosary more frequently. Take those Rosary beads in your pocket or hanging over the bedpost and put them to work! As St. Padre Pio said: "Pray the Rosary frequently. It costs so little, and it's worth so much!"
October is also Respect Life Month. It is a time for Catholics and all people of goodwill to consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. Enclosed in the bulletin is a statement by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, the Chairman of the US Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. It is an excellent reflection on why the Church's entire social doctrine is guided by the fundamental principle that every human life has innate dignity and incomparable value.
In reaction to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some areas of the country now legally protect the child in the womb. In contrast, other states, including Rhode Island, have expanded access to abortion up and until the birth of the child. At this critical moment, we have new opportunities and responsibilities to build a civilization of authentic love.
Our culture claims to offer women so-called "choice," but ultimately abandons mothers to make tragic and painful decisions alone. St. Teresa of Calcutta said: "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love but to use violence to get what they want." Our Church supports expectant mothers and mothers with infants through St. Gabriel's Call. Also, Project Rachel provides spiritual support for those mothers suffering after abortion. This month, the proceeds of our OLM Outreach Collection will directly support these charitable Pro-life works of the Diocese of Providence. I
n addition to our charity, I urge you to take up your Rosary and join us for Devotions on Monday nights as we pray for a culture of life. Do good. Be well. God Bless. Go Pats!