The Seasons Change, The Truth Cannot

Dear Parishioners:                                

October is upon us and the leaves are changing color and falling! Its autumn in New England and that means apple picking, football, MLB playoffs and sweaters!  I think the fall season is one of the most beautiful especially in this area!  So enjoy the season because winter is not far away!               

October is also Respect Life Month. The Respect Life Program is under the direction of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and highlights the value and dignity of every human life.  The theme for the coming year is “Be Not Afraid”.

In early September, Professor Amy Barrett,  a distinguished law professor at the University of Notre Dame, appeared before the U.S Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing as the nominee to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Professor Barrett is an outstanding lawyer and academician. She is also a committed Catholic and the mother of seven children.

Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and Senator Nancy Feinstien (D-California)  at U.S. Senate Judiciary Hearing for the confirmation of Professor Barrett.

At the confirmation hearings several Democratic Senators repeatedly raised questions about her suitability to serve because of her Catholic faith. The most offensive and I believe deeply bigoted comments came from Senator Dianne Feinstein from California. She expressed her great concern about Professor Barrett as a judge because “dogma lives loudly in you.” 

Of course, the Senator is an also ardent and vocal supporter of abortion on demand. Her dogma that abortion should be unlimited and paid for by taxpayers seems to live quite “loudly” within her!

Amy Coney Barrett, The Diane and M.O. Miller, II Research Chair in Law and Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame School of Law.

Professor Barrett, as every Catholic should, believes in the Church’s teaching. She understands that all human life is sacred from natural conception until natural death. And human dignity and human life should be respected in law.

It might be news to Senator Feinstein and her cohorts in the U.S. Senate but a great many faithful Catholics do let their convictions “live loudly” in their hearts and also in their actions.  It’s called being a witness and it takes tremendous courage in our contemporary culture.  It is a courage and conviction sadly missing in many of our Catholic elected officials.

In this Respect Life Month let us stand up with pride and with courage for our convictions.  Pray for an increase of respect of human life in our nation and in our world.  Don’t give in to Senator Feinstein’s anti-Catholic bigotry. Do not be afraid as Catholics to proclaim with enthusiasm “the dogma that lives loudly in you!” 

One great way to take up such prayer for respect life is to join us at October Devotions on Mondays at 7:00pm.   This week we welcome back to OLM, Fr. Shemek who served here just a few years ago.  He is to speak to us about Mary, Our Lady of Częstochowa.

The Black Madonna of Częstochowa is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland. Come learn more about her and her powerful intercession on Monday. There are also Confessions with two priests beginning at 6:00pm on Monday.

I want to thank you for your generous response to the recent hurricane relief efforts.  The OLM Outreach Collection raised almost $8,000 in the month of September.  As a result we were able to send $4,000 to the relief efforts here in the US led by Catholic Charities USA.  Also an additonal $4,000 to the relief efforts in the Caribbean led by Catholic Relief Services.  Your prayers and generosity are appreciated. 

I also thank the many parishioners who have responded so generously to our Annual Parish Collection.  This important collection taken up in late September is critical to the fiscal stability and well being of the parish.  I am truly grateful for those who dug so deep to help us in this effort.  If you have not yet returned your gift to the Annual Parish Collection, I urge you do so soon and I thank you for your support.

We are recruiting new Altar Severs at OLM and the training camp commences soon. If you son or daughter is interested, please contact Fr. Barrow.  Yes, it’s a low paying job but the spiritual benefits are priceless! So join the few, the proud, the OLM Servers Corps! 

Come to Devotions on Monday,  Fr. Shemek will be happy to see you! Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats! Go Sox! Our Lady of Częstochowa, pray for us!

United in Prayer for Las Vegas

Dear Parishioners:                             

Our hearts ache for all those suffering in Las Vegas after the horror of last Sunday's shooting. Please join me in continued prayer for the victims, their families and loved ones, and also our nation. We pray for the first responders and medical personnel who continue to aid and assist the scores of people who are injured or are grieving a loved one’s death.              

Bishop Tobin issued the following statement following the Las Vegas Tragedy:
“I extend my profound sorrow, sympathy, and prayers to all the victims of the horrendous
shooting in Las Vegas. What a terrible, violent and senseless act! May God help us bring an end to all the violence of our world.”

The Bishop asked us to pray this prayer: "God our Father, our strength in adversity, our health in weakness, our comfort in sorrow, be merciful to your people. Give us new life and hope as we rest in your kindness. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Mary, Our Mother of Sorrows, pray for us."                                                   

Also Bishop Joseph Pepe of Las Vegas invited all "our sisters and brothers around the world to join us in prayer for healing and for an end to violence.” And Pope Francis in a message to Bishop Pepe offered his prayers and support for this senseless tragedy. 

Cardinal Dolan of New York along with other religious leaders stated: “Today as we of different faith traditions mourn the tragic violence in Las Vegas, we echo the words of the Psalmist, ‘Hear my prayer O Lord; Listen to my cry for help.’  (Psalm 39:12) We cannot remain silent as innocent lives are taken from us and thus refuse to accept what some call ‘the new normal’ in our society. Too often following mass shootings, we express our words of condolence and return to ‘business as usual.’”                                  

On Saturday we marked the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  In light of the need for prayer, perhaps we might all pray the rosary once a week this month for peace and an end to violence in our world.  There are rosaries and books on how to recite the rosary at every door of our Church.  Take them home, find a quiet place and good time and kneel down and pray.  Don’t’ let this tragedy go by without some prayer to Our Lady of Peace.                                            

Also you might join us on Monday night at 7:00pm for October Devotions.  We gather before the Eucharistic Lord, recite the rosary, listen to beautiful music, hear a meaningful reflection and pray.  It might be the best thirty minutes you spend on Monday and it certainly wouldn’t be “business as usual” for most parishioners.                                

This week at Devotions, Father Steven Battey, one of our newly ordained priests reflects on Mary, the Mother of God.  He is a very talented young priest and I think you will enjoy his reflection.  So turn off the Wheel of Fortune, leave the kids’ soccer game early, and bring your family to devotions.  Pray to Our Lady of Sorrows and ask for her peace and consolation for the many victims in Las Vegas.                  

In the bulletin today you will find a copy of the Annual Parish Financial Report for the Fiscal Year of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.  It reports that we’ve had a decline in our parish budget revenue of $23,000.  This is due to the death or moving away of twelve very generous OLM parishioners.  It also reports that we’ve reduced our expenses and have a net cash surplus of about $20,000.                                          

We have also reduced the loss at our school from $170,000 to just $6,000.  The prior year loss was due to the departure of students from our parish school. Sadly we’ve had to lay off some faculty and make some cuts at the school to ensure such a large loss does not continue. This year we have 295 students and our future and our fiscal viability is very positive.                      

The report highlights the reality that there are less people practicing the faith and thus less people financially supporting parishes and enrolling in parish schools. Meanwhile our healthcare costs along with insurance, utilities and other fixed costs continue to rise.  Therefore I am deeply grateful for your commitment to the faith and your continued support of the parish. 

I am away this week visiting a priest classmate who serves in Southern California. Do good. Be well. God Bless! Happy Columbus Day!  Pray the rosary for Las Vegas!

Seeking Our Lady's Powerful Intercession, Our Lady of the Rosary Pray for us!

Dear Parishioners:     

             Yes it is October already! The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. October 7th is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Church celebrates the month of October to honor Our Lady of the Rosary.

             The Feast is in honor of a great victory that took place on October 7, 1571. The Muslim Turks had already conquered the Middle East forcing all to convert to Islam. They then moved across the Mediterranean Sea and set their sights on the Christian kingdoms of Europe.

Pope Pius V called on the Christian princes of Europe to rally to defeat the Islamic threat. In addition, he called on Rosary Confraternities in Rome and all over Europe to undertake special processions and public recitation of the Rosary, asking the intercession of the Blessed Mother. What ensued was the historic Battle of Lepanto. The Christian fleet was outnumbered and appeared to have no human hope of winning. On the first Sunday of October 1571, the Christian fleet met the invading Muslims off the coast of Greece in the Gulf of Lepanto.

As Christians all across Europe prayed for Our Lady’s intercession, the Turks soon surrounded the Christian ships. But the European fleet broke through. By days’ end, almost all of the Turks were driven to shore or drowned. Europe was saved. Pope Pius established an annual commemoration to honor Our Lady of Victory, and his successor, Pope Gregory XIII, decreed that the first Sunday in October would be the feast of the Holy Rosary.

We are to continue this tradition of honoring our Blessed Mother in this month with Devotions on Mondays at 7:00PM.  As we continue to celebrate this Diocesan Year of Mary, we once again celebrate her titles with a guest preacher.  A complete schedule is in the bulletin and I invite you to join us in praying the Rosary each Monday.

We had a grand and glorious celebration of Mercy last week in honor of our Patronal Feast.  The solemn Mass last Sunday was a fitting start to celebrate our Parish Patroness, Our Lady of Mercy.  Of course, God gave us beautiful weather for our OLM Annual Picnic on Sunday. It was an afternoon of good food and great fun for our parish family! I am grateful to all who joined us and helped us celebrate our Parish Feast Day.

Also as part of our Mercy celebration, on Monday we had two hours of Confessions and a Holy Hour dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy.  Fr. Joseph Brice, one of our new and talented young priests of the Diocese, did an outstanding job as our guest preacher.   It was a trulyterrific way to prayerfully celebrate Mercy as a parish family.

On Tuesday our wonderful parish choirs along with our talented OLM musicians,  Henri St. Louis and Deirdre Donovan, performed a concert in honor of Our Lady of Mercy. Listening to the beautiful sacred music in honor of Our Lady was truly inspirational. We thank them for the joyful and prayerful concert.

On Wednesday night we gathered as a parish family once again.  This time to help those who are so less fortunate than ourselves.  In this Act of Mercy, we prepared meals for the hungry and homeless of our state.  It was a modest Act of Mercy in light of the great problem of homelessness, hunger and poverty that exists in our state.  Nonetheless, it was a powerful witness to the charity and mercy that exist in our parish.  I offer my deep gratitude to those who took the time to join us to help feed the hungry and homeless.

On Thursday, Fr. Barrow and hundreds of priests, friends and family members gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to celebrate the Ordination Mass of 42 young men as Transitional Deacons.  Among these new Deacons was Philip Dufour, a young man from Bristol who studied with Fr. Barrow.  He is to be ordained a priest by Bishop Tobin next June.  We offer our congratulations to Deacon Dufour and his classmates. Let us pray for them as they continue the path toward priesthood.

It’s October so take up your beads and pray the Rosary!  Come to Marian Devotions on Mondays and honor the Mother of God! Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Sox! Go Pats!

Celebrating Our Lady of Mercy with Mass, Picnic, Prayer, Music and Service

Dear Parishioners:      

Last week we celebrated Catechetical Sunday with the theme of "Living as Missionary Disciples."  It is important for all of us to reflect on the role that each Catholic plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel.                 

At last week’s 10:30am Mass we commissioned our Parish Religious Education Teachers. These volunteer teachers give generously of their time and talent to teach the children of our parish the Catholic Faith. We are grateful for all that they do and thank them for their commitment and dedication.  Please pray for them and for all those in our OLM RE Program. 

This Sunday we celebrate our Parish Patronal Feast and ask the continued intercession and guidance of Our Lady of Mercy for our parish. We celebrate the feast with deep faith,  great joy and solemnity at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday.

The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, September 24, commemorates the foundation of the Mercedarian Order and the apparition of Our Lady of Ransom. In this appearance the Blessed Mother carried two bags of coins for use in ransoming Christians imprisoned by Moors. In 1218, the Mercedarian Order was legally constituted at Barcelona, Spain by King James of Aragon, and was approved by Pope Gregory IX in 1235.

The Mercedarians celebrated their institution on the Sunday nearest to August 1st because it was onAugust 1, 1218 that the Blessed Virgin showed their founder, Saint Peter Nolasco, the white habit of the Order. This custom was approved by the Congregation of Rites in 1615 and in 1696 it was extended to the entire Latin Church, and the date changed to September 24th.

Let us all pray this Sunday for the intercession of Our Lady of Mercy for our own intentions and those of our entire parish family.  The Prayer To Our Holy Mother of Mercy: 

“O Mary, our Mother of Mercy, the fullness of God's own Mercy dwells in you. With the eyes of a mother look upon your children. Intercede for everyone who suffers in body or soul, and for all who are enslaved in mind or spirit.  We give ourselves to you totally – mind, heart, and senses. Keep them and help us always to be a sign of God's love.  Reveal to us what it means to be yours, and teach us to live in that same generosity with which you responded to the grace of Jesus our Redeemer. Amen.”

The Feast Day Mass kicks off our celebration of Mercy continues on Sunday with the Our Lady of Mercy Picnic from Noon until 4:00pm.  The Picnic is a great event for us to gather as a parish family and celebrate our faith and our friendship.  There is great food and great fun for all.  So stop by for a burger or dog, to root on the Patriots, maybe play some games, socialize with friends old and new, and celebrate Mercy!

This week we continue our celebration of Mercy on Monday night at 7:00pm with a Holy Hour of Mercy at which one of our newly ordained priests, Fr. Joseph Brice,  preaches about Mercy.  There are Confessions for two hours with two priests in honor of the Feast of Mercy beginningat 5:00pm on Monday. A great way to celebrate and receive God’s Mercy!

On Tuesday night at 7:00pm, we gather to sing the praises of Our Lady of Mercy with a concert of sacred music. Both our OLM Adult Choir and Children’s Choir are performing.  Also our very talented parish musicians, Deirdre Donovan and Henri St. Louis,  performsome beautiful hymns in honor of Mary.  It is truly a wonderful way to celebrate our faith as a   parish family.  

On Wednesday all OLM parishioners and families are invitedto join us for a Work of Mercy.  God has blessed us and our parish and we so in a special way we share our blessings as we together prepare meals for the hungry and homeless.  Come to the OLM School Cafeteria at 6pm on Wednesday and join us in this corporal work of mercy for the poor.  What better way to celebrate our faith than performing a Work of Mercy.  Bring your children or bring a friend, all are welcome!

Fr. Barrow leaves for Rome this week to attend the Ordination of Providence Seminarian Philip DuFour as a Transitional Deacon. Please pray for the new Deacons who arebeing ordained his week at St. Peter’sBasilica.

Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Sox! Go Pats!!! Celebrate Mercy!

Golfing for Saints and Scholars, Helping Hurricane Victims and Celebrating Our Lady of Mercy

Dear Parishioners:     

The OLM Golf Tournament at Quidnessett Country Club, September 11, 2017.  L to R: OLM Parishioner George Simms, Michael & David Simms (OLM School Graduates) and Tom Tally of Tally's Religious Goods Store. 

What a spectacular day we had on Monday at the First Annual OLM Golf Tournament. We had 120 golfers playing atthe beautiful Quidnessett Country Club.  God provided beautiful weather and everyone had grand time.                               

We thank Jamie Pedro and her crew of volunteers who organized and put together a great day in support of the Saints and Scholars Fund.  We also thank Lorraine Kane and the great folks at Quidnessett for their generosity and hospitality in hosting our golf tournament. We must also thank our corporate sponsors from Washington Trust, Ocean State Signal, Home Loan Bank, Barrington Promotions, and Wardell & Reed.  We must thank those who sponsored our retired priests and faculty members. We had over 40 tee sponsors and we thank them too!  We are grateful for the generous support from many parishioners, school family and friends of OLM!

We had some great golfers who put their talents on display and the winning score was an incredible 59!!  Fr. Barrow won the clergy prize for lowest score for a first timegolfer!  It was a grand day and we are grateful for all who helped to make it possible.  We are already planning next year’s OLM Golf Tournament!

Sadly while we were on the course golfing in beautiful weather, our brothers and sisters in Florida were dealing the devastation and destruction of Hurricane Irma.  Like Texas once again hundreds of thousands of people in Florida and the Caribbean are suffering and in need. All funds collected in September though OLM Outreach is being dedicated to Hurricane Relief in Texas and Florida through Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and we will also aid those in the Caribbean through Catholic Relief Services (CRS).  

If you would like to help this effort, please make a check payable to OLM Outreach and write “Hurricane Relief” on the envelope and place it in the collection basket or simply mail it to the parish office. There are many of our brothers and sisters suffering and we can aid them in their need with our support. 

CRS is responding to Hurricane Irma with pre-stocked relief supplies and a skilled emergency team headed to the worst affected areas in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and the Caribbean Islands. CCUSA, the official domestic relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, is already delivering compassionate care and support to those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Irma.

As Catholics we can take great pride that both these Catholic agencies provide essential support before, during and after disasters and that 100% of the funds collected go directly to those affected.  In the name of the thousands of people suffering because natural disasters, I thank you for your generous support. 

Next Sunday we mark our Parish Feast Day.  The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy is September 24th and we begin the day with a Solemn Mass at 10:30am.  Following the Mass, we gather for our Annual Parish Picnic, complete with hamburgers and hot dogs, ice cream, games for kids and adults.  Please join us for this great day. 

We ask you to please bring your own beverage (adult or otherwise), chairs, blankets, cigars, and a homemade dessert to share! It should be another great celebration of parish family and friends.  Of course there will be a large screen TV to watch the Pat’s game too!  The Annual Tug-of-War between Team Healey and Team Barrow is on again this year!  I won’t be the anchor this year as I’m a little lighter now!  Join us for good fun, good food and good times!

On Monday, September 25th we have a Holy Hour of Mercy preached by one of our newly ordained priests, Fr. Joseph Brice from St. Augustine Church in Providence.  Two hours of Confession precede the Holy Hour for those in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness of sins.

On Tuesday, September 26th, our talented musicians, Henri St. Louis and Deirdre Donovan, lead our OLM Adult and Children’s Choirs in a Concert of Mercy.  Join us for beautiful sacred music in honor of our patroness, Our Lady of Mercy.  And on Wednesday, September 27th, we invite you to join us in an Act of Mercy as we prepare meals for the homeless.

Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Sox! Go Pats!!!
Celebrate Our Lady of Mercy!

Celebrating Faith, Committment, Prayer and Charity

Dear Parishioners:   

Labor Day has passed and with it the summer vacation! School is now underway everywhere in the state and collegians have returned to their dorm rooms.  It’s hard to believe that September is well underway already, where did the summer go??!                                                          

On Friday Bishop Evans celebrated the Opening Mass of the School Year for our parish school.  It was an a great way to renew ourselves spiritually for the new school year on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Our excellent faculty including a few new teachers were solemnly installed.  We prayed together for the school, the faculty and staff, students and families.                       

We also recognized at the Mass the special anniversaries of two special people at OLM. Sister Lourdes celebrated 25 years of profession as a Franciscan Apostolic Sister in August and last weekend Sister Jeanne Barry celebrated 60 years as Religious Sister of Mercy.  We thank them for their continued faithful witness to the Evangelical Counsels.                 

On Monday we begin a new event in the life of Our Lady of Mercy Parish.  Our FirstOLM Golf Tournament at Quidnessestt Country Club. We are grateful to those who are playing in the tournament.  It should be a fun filled day of golf and fellowship. We thank all who sponsored the event.              

Next week’s Second Collection is for the Senior Priests Retirement Fund.  This important collection helps to defray the costs of pensions for our Senior Priests. You have always been generous in supporting this crucial collection for priests and I thank you in advance for your generosity.  For the record, I won’t receive the modest priest pension until the year 2040 and Fr. Barrow until the year 2064!!!                           

We continue to pray for the many victims of Hurricane Harvey.  The devastation and destruction of property is costly but the death of so many due to the storm is so terribly tragic.  Let us continue to pray for the repose of the souls of those who died as we also pray for those still suffering.  For those who wish to help the Hurricane Harvey Relief, we encourage your support of September’s OLM Outreach collection. If you wish to support the relief effort, I ask you to please make a check payable to OLM Outreach and place it in an envelope marked“Hurricane Relief.” Simply place the envelope in the collection basket during the month of September.  As always I thank you for your generous support!      

We’ve all seen the utter devastation and destruction in Texas.  However, what has been more impressive is the response of kindness and compassion offered to strangers from so many.  Such charity and civility has been lacking in our society for many years now.  The last time I witnessed such a tremendous outpouring of compassion and service was following the September 11th attacks upon our nation.                   

Sadly we recall that somber anniversary on Monday.  It has been sixteen years since that fateful day on which so many died at the hands of madmen.  Sadly many still suffer loss and grief and we continue to be a nation at war with terror. But the response of charity and service following September 11thshould serve as a reminder of what we can truly be in this nation.  When tragedy strikes, we respond not with fear and loathing but with courage and compassion.  Let us pray that the great spirit of service and charity witnessed sixteen years ago inspires us to recommit to such courage and compassion again!                           

I am reminded of the words of Timothy Cardinal Dolan on the Tenth Anniversary of September 11th. He stated:      “We came together across religious, political, social and ethnic lines to stand as one people to heal wounds and defend against terrorism. As we face today's challenges of people out of work, families struggling, and the continuing dangers of wars and terrorism, let us summon the 9/11 spirit of unity to confront our challenges. Let us pray that the lasting legacy of 9/11 is not fear, but rather hope for a world renewed. May we resolve to put aside our
differences and join together in the task of renewing our nation and world.”                                            

Good words to reflect on for the anniversary of 9/11 and the recent events in Texas.  Pray for all victims and all those still suffering.  Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Sox! Go Pats!!!