Dear Parishioners:
The Baptism of Christ, 1723 by Francesco Trevisan
This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, marking Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist. This event revealed Jesus’ divine nature as God's beloved Son and launched his public ministry. It also marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Ordinary Time.
On this Feast of the Baptism, we need to reflect on our own baptism and how well we are living out the promises of Baptism to love God and neighbor. Baptism is that “gateway” or “door” to new life in Christ and is extremely significant. All the other sacraments depend on that first sacrament of Baptism. However, as important as our Baptism is, how many of us know and celebrate the day of our entrance into the Church?
During his pontificate, the late Pope Francis continually challenged us to celebrate our Baptism day. He said in a General Audience in 2014, “Many of us have no memory of the celebration of this Sacrament, and it is obvious why, if we were baptized soon after birth. I have asked this question two or three times already, here, in this square: who among you knows the date of your Baptism, raise your hands. It is important to know the day on which I was immersed in that current of Jesus’ salvation.
And I will allow myself to give you some advice, but more than advice, a task for today. Today, go home, look, ask about the date of your baptism, and that way you will keep in mind that most beautiful day of Baptism. To know the date of our Baptism is to know a blessed day.” Similarly, when asked what the most important day of his life was, St. John Paul II answered: “The day I was baptized.”
I encourage you to find your baptism date and place it on your calendar as a day to celebrate with faith, hope, and love. Take a moment on that special anniversary to remember and pray. Pray for your parents and godparents, as well as the priest who baptized you into the faith. After a celebration of faith and prayer, have a special dessert with a candle to mark the occasion! It is the “rebirth” day as you entered the Church and the doors of grace were opened, leading to life eternal.
Today, we are overjoyed to baptize two children at the 10:30 am Mass. What a glorious feast day to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism! Please keep these children, their parents, and godparents in your prayers. We hope and pray that as they are reborn in the waters of baptism and filled with the Holy Spirit, these children of God may grow fully in faith, hope, and love. Congratulations and prayerful best wishes!
With the Baptism of the Lord, we begin the Season of Ordinary Time. The beautiful Christmas creche, trees, lights, and decorations will soon be put away. So take a final look at the beauty of Christmas at Our Lady of Mercy, make your final visit to the creche to pray for the Holy Family’s intercession, and give thanks to God for the gift of his Son born on Christmas Day.
Pictured left to right: Seminarian Luke Simms, Fr. Healey, Fr. Brodeur, and Seminarian David Del Bonis. Luke and David, parishioners of OLM, are in priestly formation at the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence and are studying philosophy at Providence College. Pray for them!
We received good news from Bishop Lewandowski at Christmas. He has accepted Luke Simms, an OLM parishioner, into the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence as a seminarian for the Diocese of Providence. Luke’s grandparents and family are longtime parishioners of OLM. He graduated from our parish school and then LaSalle Academy. He has been studying at Texas A & M University, but has now transferred to Providence College. At OLP, he joins our other native OLM Seminarian, David Del Bonis, who is currently a senior at PC.
There are currently 27 collegiate seminarians living at OLP. These seminarians are from various dioceses, including Boston, Fall River, Springfield, Worcester, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Manchester, Hartford, and Rochester. Only two, Luke and David, are from the Diocese of Providence. In addition, 10 seminarians at the major seminary are studying for the priesthood in the Diocese of Providence. They study at St. John’s Seminary in Boston and the North American College in Rome. Pray for all seminarians, especially David and Luke. May they persevere in their priestly vocations. Also, pray for more vocations to the priesthood in the Diocese of Providence.
Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless! Go Pats!!!! Beat LA!!!!!