Dear Parishioners:
OLM Young Pilgrims pray and worship at Eucharistic Adoration at the Steubenville Youth Conference
Father Brodeur and the young pilgrims who traveled to the Steubenville Youth Conference had a great experience of prayer, faith, and fraternity. It was a fantastic time of fellowship and even some fun. On the way back, they stopped at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania!
We thank the many parishioners who generously offered financial support for this pilgrimage. Also, we thank Fr. Brodeur and the many adult chaperones who attended for their dedication and hard work in making this a highly successful time for our parish youth. No sooner are Father Brodeur and I back at OLM than our good Franciscan Apostolic Sisters are gone for two weeks! They departed early this past Tuesday morning to drive to their Annual Retreat and Community Chapter meeting at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska.
There, they gather with their Community’s Superiors from the Philippines and with other Sisters from Peoria and Lincoln. Of course, they will see our old OLM friend, Sister Emma! Continue to pray for a fruitful retreat and meeting for the Sisters and for their safe return to OLM.
Monday night at 7:00 pm is our fourth and final night with our visiting Dominican Friars and their outstanding series, “Why Catholicism Still Matters.” These weekly Faith Formation events over the last month have been an outstanding time of learning about the faith and celebrating fellowship with one another. We are truly grateful to the Friars, Brother Roland, Brother Anselm, and Brother Clement for their time with us at OLM.
Their Godward program has kept them busy in Rhode Island this summer. Offering the program across the Diocese in nine parishes from Tiverton to Pawtucket to Narragansett! They had two programs a day for four weeks and traversed the Ocean State preaching the Gospel and answering questions of every kind! A busy way to spend June and July, but a truly beneficial way to build up the faith here in the Diocese of Providence! We thank the good Friars, and I invite you to join us this Monday for this great program. The Friars will take up a free-will collection with the proceeds going directly to fund the education and formation of Dominican Friars. I know you will be generous in supporting their good works.
Also, please pray for them as they prepare to be ordained Transitional Deacons next year. And then, please God, they are to be ordained Priests of Christ and serve as members of the Order of Preachers. We are most grateful for their presence and preaching at OLM. We wish them well in their studies and ministry. Ad multos annos!
The Hillbilly Thomist Bluegrass Band
More Dominican Friars are coming to Rhode Island this week! The Friars’ bluegrass musical group, called the Hillbilly Thomists, is coming to town. Inspired by Flannery O'Connor's phrase "Hillbilly Thomist," this bluegrass band of Dominican Friars’ music reflects the Thomistic belief that God's grace is present in the ordinary. I have seen them perform, and they are truly outstanding musicians and great performers. They are appearing this Friday, July 24, at the McVinney Auditorium. Tickets for this show are available online at the McVinney website or by calling 401-278-4588. It is a great time for the whole family, and all the proceeds support the Friars' education at the Dominican House of Studies. You don’t have to like bluegrass to enjoy the show and support the Friars!
“If it could only be like this always, always summer.”
It seems like summer just started, but July is winding down quickly. Now’s the time to get to the beach, read the new book, hit the golf course, take the boat ride, visit Block Island, or get away on a vacation! Even Pope Leo is on vacation this month at Castel Gandolfo in the Apostolic Palace overlooking Lake Alban. Don’t let the summer pass too quickly without getting some rest and recreation.
On your vacation, be sure to use masstimes.org to find a Sunday Mass. When you attend Mass at another parish, be sure to take a bulletin from the parish and throw it in the collection basket when you’re back at OLM. I enjoy seeing where people have traveled, as well as what other parishes are doing.
Be well. Do good. God Bless. Enjoy the summer while it lasts! As the English Catholic writer, Evelyn Waugh said: “If it could only be like this always, always summer, the fruit always ripe.”