From Rio into the World! The Call to Evangelize...

Dear Parishioners: What a site in Rio as an estimated crowd of 3 million people gathered on the Copacabana Beach  for a World Youth Day Mass with Pope Francis.  The Holy Father told the young people jamming the beach that the Church needs their enthusiasm and creativity. He urged them to go out and spread their faith "to the fringes of  society," even to those who seem the most indifferent.

Pope Francis continued to challenge the young people and the entire Church in his homily.  Here are some highlights from his powerful sermon: “Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us to everyone. The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. It is not only for those who seem closer to us, more receptive, more welcoming. It is for everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent. The Lord seeks all; he wants everyone to feel the warmth of his mercy and his love. 

And then, Jesus did not say: “One of you go,” but “All of you go”: we are sent together. Dear young friends, be aware of the companionship of the whole Church and also the communion of the saints on this mission. When we face challenges together, then we are strong, we discover resources we did not know we had. Jesus did not call the Apostles to live in isolation; he called them to form a group, a community. 

Evangelizing means bearing personal witness to the love of God, it is overcoming our selfishness; it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did. Go, do not be afraid, and serve. If you follow these three ideas, you will experience that the one who evangelizes is evangelized; the one who transmits the joy of faith receives joy. Bringing the Gospel is bringing God’s power to pluck up and break down evil and violence, to destroy and overthrow the barriers of  selfishness, intolerance and hatred, so as to build a new world. Jesus Christ is counting on you! The Church is counting on you! The Pope is counting on you!”                                                            

The Holy Father’s message was delivered to the young Catholics attending World Youth Day but it really is a message for each one of us, young and old, priest and laity.  Do we bring Christ with us wherever we go or is He only for Church on Sundays?  How well are we bearing witness to the Lord’s love and mercy with our own actions and words?  Is there someone at work, at home, at school or even at the local breakfast joint we frequent everyday who needs Christ in their lives?

Perhaps  we who  faithfully come to be with Jesus at Mass each week need to reach out  more to our neighbors, friends and even some members of our own families who have drifted away from the Lord and His Church and invite them back to be with the Lord.   Maybe we need to simply invite them to join us at Mass to share the experience of joy and hope we celebrate and proclaim each week at Eucharist.  If everyone who regularly attends Mass  invited just one person whose been away from the Church back to Mass imagine what could happen!  Is there someone in your life who needs to receive that invitation?

Let us pray: “Heavenly Father, stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News.   Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others. Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions.   In moments of hesitation, remind me: If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel? If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed?  If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim? I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call  to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.” God Bless.

Pope Francis and WYD, Becoming a Pilgrim of Charity

Dear Parishioners:I hope you’ve been able to see some of the news coverage of the Holy Father’s visit to Brazil for World Youth Day.   Huge crowds greeted him upon his arrival.  Pope Francis said he had come to Brazil, the country with most Catholics in the world, to "give an account of the reasons for the hope" that comes from faith in Jesus and inspire them to "offer everyone the inexhaustible riches of his love."

World Youth Day began in 1984 at the close of the Holy Year of Redemption, when over 300,000 young people from around the world responded to the invitation of Blessed Pope John Paul II for an International Jubilee of youth on Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s square. Looking out to the crowds who answered his invitation he said, “What a fantastic spectacle is presented on this stage by your gathering here today! Who claimed that today’s youth has lost their sense of values? Is it really true that they cannot be counted on?”

There have been 11 World Youth Day gatherings since 1984.  In 1993 World Youth Day was celebrated in Denver, Colorado and it has been held in Spain, Australia,  Canada, Italy, Germany, The Philippines, Argentina and Poland. Some might think that such a large gathering of young people that is World Youth Day might bring thoughts of delinquency as the massive crowds of youth flood streets.  However,   anyone who was to witness this gathering would end those fears. The World Youth Day gatherings are full of smiles and joy, singing and dancing young people, culture upon culture and nation upon nation, proudly holding their flags high, greeting one another in peace, trading their national tokens, humbly realizing how small they are in a world of people, and strengthened to witness so many who share their convictions.  Acknowledging the hundreds of thousands of young Catholic pligrims gathered in Rio for World Youth Day, Pope Francis said they need space, which they find in Christ, since "there is no more powerful force than the one released from the hearts of young people when they have been conquered by the experience of friendship with Him."

The coverage of the events of World Youth Day in Rio have centered upon Pope Francis and his unique style.  He arrived carrying his own luggage and drove through the streets of Rio in a small Fiat car. The Holy Father seems to have a great sense of humor as well.  When the journalists asked for a chance to interview him, Pope Francis responded: “It's true I don't give interviews. I don't know why. I just can't. It's tiresome, but I enjoy your company."

World Youth Day is a great event of joy, hope and faith for our Church.  Let us pray for all those hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered together in Rio to celebrate their faith in Jesus Christ and His Church. Also let us pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, that his pilgrimage might inspire the young people of our Church to be faithful witnesses of Christ.  One young pilgrim from the Ivory Coast in Africa when asked what he wanted to happen at the celebration said:  “What I want is for our pope to tell all people to have faith and tell people to be friends. The pope cannot resolve the problems of society, but he can illuminate the right path.”

Next week we have a chance to practically aid the good works of Pope Francis by supporting the Peter’s Pence Collection.  The 2013 theme is “Be a Pilgrim of Charity” and emphasizes the role of Catholics in allowing Christ’s love to reach others. This worldwide collection supports church needs and humanitarian activities, through support for victims of war, oppression, religious persecution, natural disasters and other human promotion projects around the world. It also assists seminaries and institutes of Christian formation in developing countries.

Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to serve others in need and the Peter’s Pence Collection is a great way to help the Holy Father help those most in need around the world. Have a great week! Pray for World Youth Day and for Pope Francis! God Bless.  Go Sox!!

Supporting the Missions...

Dear Parishioners: I was informed this week by Father Dore that he is not coming but that  Fr. Susai Pascal Raj who just arrived from India will now be preaching the Mission Co-Op this weekend at OLM.     The Mission Co-Op annually calls us to see beyond the borders of our own parish and diocese and help support the work of the Church in  the Missions.  As American Catholics we are blessed with a Church that has many financial resources and many generous benefactors.  This is not true for the Church in the Missions especially in India where the Catholic population is small.  Fr. Raj  is here to preach about  the great needs in India for building up and sustaining the Church and helping the neediest.  I ask you to please be generous in responding to the call for help and to continue to pray for the Missions. Also please give Father Raj your usual warm welcome to OLM!

Father Connors and I have been meeting and planning for the upcoming year.  We hope to offer a series of Adult Education Lectures, offer Adoration on a regular basis, and we looking  forward to being very involved in the school and the newly restructured Religious Education Program.

Recently at a meeting with the priests of the Diocese, Bishop Tobin told us that there are over 500 Masses offered across the Diocese of Providence every weekend!  We have a Catholic  population of about 600,000 people of which about a third go to Mass on Sundays.  In this tiny state that is a whole lot  of Masses, many of which are not well attended. So our Bishop is asking  Pastors to look at their Mass schedules to see if Masses need to be reduced.  This is especially true for parishes where there is only one priest but have a Mass schedule that was originally designed for two or three priests. We are truly blessed at OLM with a large Church that holds over 800 people and two priests. It is because of this that we are able to offer  four Masses on weekends. But  beginning on the first Sunday in September we are to offer a fifth Weekend Mass at 5:00PM  on Sunday nights.  This Mass is to be offered only from September through June.  Many parishioners have told me that they often have commitments on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings and therefore go to Mass on Sunday night at St. Francis de Sales or Saints Rose and Clement.  Both those parishes have just one priest and with two priests here at OLM we felt we should offer a similar option.  Plus we’d like to keep our parishioners  coming to OLM!  Also this Mass is to be followed by Religious Education Classes for Grades 6, 7 & 8 on Sundays from 6:00PM until 7:00PM. So please spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors that beginning on September 1st they can go to Mass on Sunday nights at 5:00PM! In addition our Religious Education Program for Grades 1 through 5 is to meet on Sundays from 10:00AM until 11:00AM following the 9:00AM Family Mass.  Moving RE Classes to Sundays connects Religious Education closer to the Eucharist and also provides a  better opportunity for the priests to be more involved.  So get ready for “Mass and Class” this upcoming year.

Last Saturday I visited with Sister Edna Lynch, RSM at Mt. St. Rita in Cumberland.  Sister Edna has had some serious setbacks in her health that require greater care.  She has decided that she is to remain at Mt. St. Rita and leave the Our Lady of Mercy Convent. She has lived on her own but now she feels she needs greater access to health care givers.  She has written a short note published in the bulletin this week.  Also her address is listed in this week’s bulletin if you would like to send her  best wishes.    Mt. St. Rita is certainly a beautiful place and she is getting  the great care and attention she so justly deserves. Please keep her in your prayers and drop her a note or go stop by for visit if you can.

In your name, I welcome to OLM Father Raj!   I am  in upstate  New York this weekend to perform the baptism of my grand-niece and leave you in the capable hands of Fr. Connors  See you next week.  God Bless.  Go Sox!!

Of Music, Missions and Saints in the Making...

Dear Parishioners: Last week was the debut for our new Music Ministers, Jeff Allard and Deirdre Donovan. They are two very talented musicians as you can tell from listening.  Jeff serves as our Music Director and Organist and Deirdre as our Assistant Music Director and Soloist.  Jeff is a native of North Providence and currently teaches Music at his alma mater, LaSalle Academy. He has served as the Music Director and Organist at various Catholic and Protestant Churches most recently at Our Lady of Grace Church in Johnston. When you see him please give him your usual warm welcome. The voice you heard from the Choir Loft is Deirdre Donovan who comes to us after many years as the soloist at St. Joseph Church in Providence.  She also serves as the Music Teacher at St. Paul School in Cranston.  Also, please be sure to give her a warm welcome when you see her. So as our new musicians begin their ministry at Our Lady of Mercy, let us  pick up our hymnals and sing loudly together in praise and worship of God.  As St. Augustine so wisely reminds us: “He who sings, prays twice!” 

Next weekend we host the Annual Mission Co-Op Collection and Father Bernard Dore, the Pastor of St. Paul Church in Foster, RI, is to preach at all Masses on behalf of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore in India.  The Mission Co-op is an annual event at every parish in the Diocese in which we are called to help support the work of the Missions with our prayers and financial resources.  Each summer Missionaries come to parishes across Rhode Island to tell about the good works of the Missions across the globe. Father Dore is a native of India and has been asked to speak to us on the great needs of his home Archdiocese.  It is in need of support for its  seminarians studying for the priesthood, support of the good works of parish priests, serving the needs of the poor and marginalized, and providing social services to the poorest of the poor through housing projects, education and healthcare initiatives.

There is truly great need in the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore.  So I ask you to please be prepared for the Second Collection next week which goes directly to support the good works of the Church.  There is no envelope for this collection but all checks  should be made payable to Our Lady of Mercy Church.  The proceeds of next week’s Second Collection are forwarded to the Diocese and then sent directly to the Missions in India.   I ask that you please pray for Father Dore, the priests and people of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore, the Church in India, all missionaries and for the spread of the Gospel in the Missions.   In their name, I thank you in advance for your generous response to their needs and your prayerful support of the Mission Co-Op next weekend.

Father Connors is settling in very nicely and was very appreciative of the warm welcome he received last week.  If you have not yet met him, please introduce yourself after Mass or when you see him next.  Some parishioners remarked to me that Father Connors “seems so young.”  Well he was born the year I graduated from high school so I guess that means I’m old!   Young or old it is great to have Father Connors on board here at OLM!!

You have probably heard the news that Pope Francis has cleared the way for Blessed Pope John Paul II and Blessed Pope John XXIII to become saints later this year.  These two exemplary holy men of the Church are certainly worthy candidates for sainthood.   Let us pray for their powerful intercession for our parish and Church.  “O Holy Trinity, we thank you for having given to the Church, Blessed Pope John Paul II, and Blessed Pope John XXIII  and for having made them shine with your fatherly tenderness and lead in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Grant us, through their intercession, according to your will, the grace that we implore, in the hope that they will soon be numbered among your saints.” I am away next weekend in New York at the baptism of my third grand-niece, Elizabeth Ann. Have a great week and enjoy the All-Star break! God Bless.

Let Freedom Ring...

Dear Parishioners: Happy Fourth of July! I hope you had a wonderful  Independence Day with family and friends.  This Fourth of July weekend I thought I’d share with you some recent comments from  Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York on freedom and faith.  His eminence writes:

“Standing in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty is one of our most beloved  landmarks, both as New Yorkers and as Americans.  So many of our ancestors fondly recalled  seeing Lady Liberty, their first  vision of a new homeland.  Many of them told the story of seeing her for the first time, and not a few of them had to pause in  retelling it because of a lump in their throat or a tear in their eye. 

Even those of us who were born in America cherish the Statue of Liberty, and, even more importantly, what it stands for.  Who indeed can fail to be moved by the line from Emma Lazarus’ famous poem: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, Your   huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’

That atmosphere of liberty is so much a part of the American experience and heritage.  Of course, most of us did not have to travel far and suffer hardship to glimpse the torch of the Statue, and to embrace her promise of freedom.  Most newcomers today do not come by ship, and so  never set eyes upon her.  We New Yorkers, frequently in a rush to our next destination, don’t even look out into the Harbor very often.

So it would be easy for us to take the Statue of Liberty for granted, as just another landmark for tourists to visit.  And it would be all too easy to forget how  precious — and fragile — is that breath of freedom that our  forerunners yearned for so ardently.  This desire for freedom was written into the human heart by God, and exalted in God’s word in the Bible.  It is expressed so powerfully in the founding documents of our nation, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  It is the ideal to which all our national institutions aspire, and which they are bound to protect and respect.  It is for freedom that so many of our brothers and sisters have been willing to sacrifice their lives to defend.

I don’t wish to push this analogy too far, but in recent years it has become a bit more difficult to ‘breathe free’ as  deeply as we would like.  The  atmosphere is not quite so clear and mild any more.  Our liberty — like clean air — isn’t something we can take for granted...the US Bishops...encourage action on a number of the current challenges to religious liberty.  These include:

• The HHS mandate, which  presumes to intrude upon the very definition of faith and ministry, and could cause believers to violate their consciences.
• Impending Supreme Court rulings that could redefine  marriage, which will present a host of difficulties to institutions and people who stand on their faith-based understanding of authentic marriage as between one man and one woman
• Proposed legislation at the national and state levels that would expand abortion rights, legalize assisted suicide, restrict immigrants from full participation in society, and limit the ability of Church agencies to provide  humanitarian services.
• Government intrusion into the rights and duties of parents  regarding their children.  Overt persecution of believers in many countries of the world.

My brother bishops and I are encouraging people to offer  prayers to God, the source of our freedom, that we may fully enjoy the liberty that was sought by those who came to our shores.

We must never forget the power of the American promise, which was passed on to us by our ancestors, and which we hold in trust for generations to come.  And, like Lady Liberty, may we always be proud to lift high the torch of freedom and hope to those who yearn for it today.”

We welcome Fr. Connors to Our Lady of Mercy as he begins his priestly service here this weekend. Now that he is here please be sure to welcome him and greet him after Masses.   Happy Independence Day! May God Bless America! Have a great week.  God Bless.

Saying Goodbye and Hello!

Dear Parishioners: What a nice farewell send-off we had for Father Shemek last weekend.  The weather was great and there was a good turn out of parishioners for his Farewell Reception at Mercy Park.  I am grateful to Doug Green and the Reception Committee for providing a wonderful reception for Father Shemek.  We say farewell to Father Shemek and wish him well as moves to his new assignment in Tiverton.

This weekend we are offer our thanks to God  for the ministry of Sister Rose and Sister Lucy here at Our Lady of Mercy.  These good and holy sisters have served our parish with dedication and faith these many years and we offer our thanks and gratitude to them as they retire from pastoral ministry. Later this summer they will be moving on to their new homes at convents in New Jersey and Bristol, Rhode Island.   I hope you can join us following the 10:30AM Mass for a Farewell Reception for the Sisters at Mercy Park.

Also this is Brother Roger’s last weekend as our Music Director at Our Lady of Mercy.  After many years serving our parish  Brother is moving on to new endeavors.  We thank him for his years of service and wish him all the best for the future.

Goodbyes can always be challenging as the ending of a relationship means having to say farewell.  But we trust that the next step on the journey will be good, because the people we say goodbye to are in good hands, in God's hands, and He'll always be there for them. A spiritual writer once suggested: “Goodbyes, when reflected upon in faith, can draw us to a greater reliance upon the God of love, our most significant other. With God we can learn to live in hope, with greater meaning, and deeper joy.  We all need to learn how to say goodbye, to acknowledge the pain that is there for us so that we can eventually move on to another hello. When we learn how to say goodbye we truly learn how to say to ourselves and to others: ‘Go, God be with you. I entrust you to God. The God of strength, courage, comfort, hope, and love, is with you. The God who promises to wipe away all tears will hold you close and will fill your emptiness. Let go and be free to move on. Do not keep yourself from another step in your journey. May the blessing of the God be with you.’ ”

Parish life, I've come to discover more and more, involves a lot of 'hellos' and 'goodbyes', in an endless cycle—because those we meet, those we care for, those we serve, those we love, are never really ours to keep. They merely pass through our hands, through our lives, and then we let go. And that's alright. Because in the end, that's what a  parish is meant to be. It is not the final destination, only a path, a bridge, a road, one that ends not in ourselves, but in God alone whose work we all strive, however imperfectly, to do every day.

Next weekend we get to say “Hello” not “Farewell” as our new Associate Pastor, Father Ryan Connors, begins his priestly ministry at Our Lady of Mercy. Father returned from Rome last week shortly after his trunks arrived at the Rectory from Italy.  He stopped by the Rectory to say “Hello” and get familiar with his new home at Our Lady of Mercy.  Father Connors is very excited about serving here at OLM and beginning his first parish assignment. Father has been slowly moving into his rooms and unpacking.  He will be at all the Masses next weekend and you will have a chance to meet and greet him after Mass.  So  get ready to say, “Welcome, Father Connors!” and give him your usual warm Our Lady of Mercy welcome.

It was seventeen years ago I arrived at my first parish assignment at St. Augustine’s Church in Providence.  I spent seven happy years there working with Monsignor Connerton and the good people of that parish.  It seems like just yesterday I was unpacking my trunks!  I hope the time doesn’t fly as fast for Father Connors.  Keep him you prayers as he comes to serve our parish and begin his priestly ministry with and for us.   Have a Happy Fourth of July!  Summer is here!  Enjoy it while it lasts!  God Bless.