Dear Parishioners:                    

Pope Gregory XIII

 Spring has arrived, and March is ending. April arrives on Tuesday as we welcome April Fools’ Day! According to tradition, one of the most likely origins of April Fools' Day is the Western world's switching from the Julian calendar to the Christian Gregorian calendar in the 1500s.   The Gregorian calendar was named after Pope Gregory XIII, who instituted it in 1582. The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, is a solar calendar with 365 days in a normal year and 366 leap days every four years.

For centuries, scientists have been grappling with how to address problems created by the Julian calendar. One concern is that, due to imperfect calculations, there is a ten-day difference between the calendar and the perceived reality of seasons and lunar cycles. Why did the Catholic Church get involved? A primary reason is that the Church was among the parties most affected by this discrepancy, especially regarding calculating when Easter would fall each year.

Many people don't realize that the date of Easter isn't chosen at random. Instead, it's decided using a systematic, scientific calculation based on the Spring Equinox and lunar cycles. Every year.  Easter falls on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21. That works well for us with the Gregorian calendar but not when the Julian calendar was used. Because of the ten-day discrepancy that has existed for hundreds of years, the date that the Church chose for Easter no longer matched actual lunar realities.

Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

The Roman Catholic Church follows the Gregorian Calendar, and the Orthodox Church follows the Julian Calendar. Therefore, Easter is often celebrated on different dates by each Church. However, Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, has stated that ongoing conversations between Catholic and Orthodox Churches are about a possible agreement on the common date for Easter. Pope Francis has also expressed his support for a unified Easter celebration between Eastern and Western Churches.

Easter Sunday is April 20 in 2025, almost as late as it can be. This year, both the Eastern and Western Churches will celebrate it on the same date. However, Holy Week coincides with the school's Spring Vacation. The OLM Holy Week Schedule is in the bulletin for those not on vacation. If you are traveling during Holy Week, you can find Holy Week Mass times at masstimes.org online. Holy Week is celebrated in nearly every country in the world!

Join us at the Living Stations of the Cross this Friday.  Our OLM Middle School students perform this powerful meditation on the Stations of the Cross at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm.  All parishioners are most welcome to come pray, reflect, and meditate at the Living Stations of the Cross. 

Mark your calendars as next weekend, the Saturday Evening Mass moves to a 5:00 pm start time, and Saturday Confession time moves to a 4:00 pm start time. Please note this schedule change and tell your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners. This schedule remains in place until November 1.

Operation Rice Bowl, a practical act of almsgiving during Lent.

St. Jerome said: "Fasting without almsgiving is entirely without benefit; fasting with almsgiving is twice as good; but fasting without almsgiving is no good at all." How's your almsgiving going this Lent? There are many worthwhile charities to support with your Lenten Almsgiving. The Catholic Charity Appeal helps our Church serve the poor and needy of Rhode Island. Please make a gift today.  The Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl helps feed the hungriest of the world. Fill those Rice Bowls picked up on Ash Wednesday. OLM Outreach helps serve the poor and needy of our community with food. Your support is appreciated. Pray, fast, and give alms!!

Pope Francis made his first public appearance in over a month last Sunday, offering a brief greeting and apostolic blessing from a window of Gemelli Hospital. He looks weak and tired, so please pray for our Holy Father. He has now returned home to the Vatican for two months of necessary rest and convalescence. He will likely be unable to celebrate Holy Week Services in public.

Do good. Be well. God Bless. See you at the Living Stations of the Cross on Friday! Pray for Pope Francis.