Celebrating Labor Day and The Dignity of Work! Anticipating a Week of Mercy!

Dear Parishioners: Happy Labor Day! For an American Catholic, one of the gratifying things about Labor Day must be that it is celebrated in September. In much of the rest of the world, it’s celebrated in May. Instead of affirming the dignity of free working men and women, it has been traditionally used to celebrate the communist views of the revolutionary “worker” and worker collectives of “May Day” . Our own American bishops played a crucial role, in the nineteenth century, in convincing the larger Catholic Church that workers and free labor unions could be instruments of a just social order – not the anti-Christian forces they often were, and can be, in Europe. This may all seem like ancient history to Catholics and others today who assume that there is nothing necessarily anti-religious in associations of laborers.

In continental Europe, however, large numbers of workers were swept by their economic struggles into communism, atheism, and opposition to the Church. But that did not happen here in the United States. One reason was the Knights of Labor, in the 1880s which was the largest union in the country and Catholic. Still, there were many European bishops who wondered about Catholics belonging to such associations. It took the collaboration of the legendary James Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore with Terence Powderly, the Catholic president of the Knights of Labor, to reassure Rome that groups like the Knights served the Catholic vision of a just social order. The Vatican gave its approval to Catholic membership in the Knights in 1888. Labor Day became a holiday in 1894.

This Labor Day as we take rest from our work, let’s not forget those who have gone before us and made it possible. Let us also thank the Lord for the great gift of serving Him and His Kingdom in whatever work we do or labor we find ourselves. Celebrate the dignity of work on Labor Day and remember the words of the Catechism: “Work honors the Creator’s gifts and talents received from Him.”

School work began this past week with the return of the our school children to OLM School. Summer fun is truly over now as a new academic year begins for students across the state. Students begin to get homework, projects and papers to do, and teachers begin to correct papers, quizzes and tests! The work of school has begun, may God Bless it!

In just two weeks we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. We begin the week with our Annual OLM Parish Picnic on Sunday, September 20th! This great event commences the Week of Mercy in celebration of our patroness, Our Lady of Mercy. A full schedule of events is planned that week, a special Prayer of Mercy on Monday in anticipation of Pope Francis’ visit to the US, a Concert of Mercy on Tuesday night as we sing in tribute to Our Lady, a Work of Mercy on Wednesday as we feed and clothe the hungry, and a Celebration of Mercy with a Feast Day Mass on Thursday, September 24th at 9:00AM.

There are more details in the bulletin about the events. We are in need of some volunteers for the picnic and sign-ups are to take place after Masses. We need some folks to help set-up, serve as greeters, help with food and games, and help clean-up. It is always a great day to celebrate together as a parish family. We will also have our traditional tug-of-war between Team Healey and Team Connors. So be sure to put the picnic on your calendar. We hope you can make all or some of the Week of Mercy Events! It is truly a sign of our vitality and life as a parish family as we gather to celebrate our faith and our blessings with one another.

I have been told there is a slight chance that Pope Francis may stop by our parish picnic in order to pose for pictures with OLM parishioners. Fr. Connors is working on it with his connections in Rome and I have every confidence in his ability to pull something off for the picnic as he has in years past! So say a pray! Have a Happy Labor Day! Enjoy some rest from labor! Welcome back students and teachers! Be well. Do good. God Bless. God Bless America!

Summer Ending! School Begins This Week! Welcome Back Students!!

Dear Parishioners: Last Saturday morning over 500 people gathered at Planned Parenthood of RI. Fr. Connors and I along with a few parishioners from OLM were among them. We gathered there to pray for an end to abortion and an increased respect for human life. We were also there to protest the depraved practices of Planned Parenthood. The large crowd was led in prayer by Bishop Tobin who called for the conversion of heart of Planned Parenthood workers. A host of speakers included our own Fr. Connors who reminded the crowd that “the Church stands ready to receive with open arms all those hurt and wounded by abortion. The God of mercy and love stands ready to forgive and to convert our ‘throw-away culture’ into a culture of life and a civilization of love.”

All during the peaceful and prayerful protest Planned Parenthood was blaring music from their building. It was a rather obvious attempt to “shout down” the speakers calling for their defunding. No matter how loud the music got during the protest it did not and cannot drown out the voice of the voiceless unborn. Let us continue to give the unborn a voice as we call for the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Our tax dollars should not be used to kill innocent unborn children and then sell their bodies and body parts as part of a macabre scientific experiment. Pray for an end to abortion and an increase in respect for all human life.

This Monday we welcomed our new OLM School faculty members at an orientation session. We are so happy to have such excellent additions to our outstanding faculty. The new teachers were joined on Wednesday by the entire faculty as they spent the day preparing for the start of school this Tuesday! On this Monday our OLM School Faculty gathers for a day of retreat at the Enders Island Retreat Center in Mystic. Their retreat is being led by Fr. Joe Upton, the Chaplain at the Prout School and the University of Rhode Island. I ask you to please pray for our teachers that this time of retreat might be one of renewed faith and zeal as they begin another school year.

This Sunday we welcome the many new families who are entering OLM School this year. We are overjoyed that they have decided to entrust their children and their education to our parish school. There are many educational choices available to parents and we are happy they think OLM School is the best way to go!

It’s hard to believe but school starts this week. East Greenwich Public Schools begin on Monday and OLM School begins on Tuesday. The first day of school is always a great day for children and families. Do you remember your first day of school? I remember my very first day in 1970! My Dad brought me to school and into the classroom. I saw some friends, he said “So-Long” and my school career commenced! I hope and pray that all our students enjoy their first day of school! Having a parish school is a true blessing for our community.

Pope Francis reminds us about the mission of Catholic Schools: “Our generation will show that it can rise to the promise found in each young person when we know how to give them the material and spiritual conditions for their full development; to give them a solid basis on which to build their lives; to guarantee their safety and their education to be everything they can be.” We pray for OLM School that the new school year is truly a year of faith, hope and love for all!

We invite all parishioners to join us on Friday at 9:00AM for the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Join us as we celebrate the Beginning of the New School Year at OLM. We pray together as a parish family that the Holy Spirit continues to guide Principal Fuller, the OLM Faculty and Staff, OLM students and families. May they grow together in wisdom, understanding, piety, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, and awe. Welcome back students and teachers, have a great first week of school! Saint Thomas Aquinas, the patron of students, intercede for us. Be well. Do Good. God Bless.

New Study Reveals that the Happiest People Are Found in Church!! Live the Gospel of Joy!

Dear Parishioners: I recently read about a new study that found that the secret to sustained happiness is to be found in the regular participation in religion. The researchers examined four areas: volunteering with a charity, taking educational courses, participating in religious organizations and participating in political and community organizations. They found that participation in a religious organization was the only social activity associated with sustained happiness. Now the study also suggests that going to church plays an important role in coping with depression and illness. It also found that joining political or community groups lost their benefits over time because they were not overly fulfilling. The research seems to suggest that the happiness expressed in those who go to church was found in “the sense of belonging and not being socially isolated.”

I am not sure how exhaustive the study is but it does point to something positive about religion. It can bring happiness and fulfillment to one’s life. So often people fall into the trap of seeking their happiness in worldly things like money, power, or sexual promiscuity. Sadly they are usually left very empty by such worldly pursuits. True happiness is found in a deep and devout relationship with the Lord and His Church. This happiness we might properly call the joy of the Gospel. It is as Pope Francis has said: ““Without joy that person is not a true believer.”

Yet we all know people who go to Church and even receive the Eucharist daily who seem less than joyful! People who don’t say hello to a neighbor, people who hold a grudge against someone, people who delight in other’s mistakes and misfortunes, people who cannot wait to share some juicy gossip, people who like to ridicule and harshly judge others, and people who seem just plain miserable. Where’s the joy? Why is it that the joy of the Gospel and the happiness found in practicing religion escape even those who come to Church? Perhaps it’s because of a burden they bear or a mistake they’ve made in life. Maybe they’ve been hurt and betrayed by someone in their life. Or it could be they cannot escape from the cynicism and despair in our world.

Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta once said: “Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls. “ So we might ask ourselves how joyful are we? When we leave Mass are we joyful that we have shared in the Body of Christ and received the Bread of Life? Do people around us recognize the joy of the Gospel in us, in our words and actions? We all know there are many things in our world and sometimes in our own lives that are less than joyful. War, famine, poverty, sickness, unemployment, death and violence are but just a few to be found in our world and in our own lives. Yet Jesus Christ calls us to share our joy in knowing and loving Him despite the sinfulness and brokenness of our world. It may be difficult at times to overcome the sadness and cynicism of our world.

We need only listen to the Lord to realize we can overcome this. Jesus Christ tells us: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”; “Do not be afraid”; “I am with you always” and “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete!” So if “joy is the net of love by which we catch souls,” how are we doing? When is the last time we invited a friend, family member or neighbor to come to Mass with us to experience and share the joy of the Gospel? When is the last time someone asked us why we seem so happy and joyful in our lives despite perhaps our own hardships or burdens? How joyful are we of the many blessings God has bestowed upon us? If joy is the mark of “a true believer” and scientific studies demonstrate that those who go to church are genuinely happy, why not share the Good News? After all, the great hymn of joy reminds us: “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of Love, Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!” Be well. Do good. Have a great week. Be joyful! God Bless.

Storms and Sidewalks at OLM, Defunding Planned Parenthood Everywhere!!

Dear Parishioners: I wrote too soon about the sidewalks last week. Due to the big storm on Tuesday, the work on the sidewalks was delayed. The Town was busy cleaning up all the down trees and limbs and couldn’t complete the sidewalks as planned. It was quite a storm last week that brought down trees, limbs, and electric wires. We lost power here at OLM for most of the day on Tuesday. Thankfully it came back on late Tuesday evening. I hope you and your homes weren’t too severely impacted by the storm. And now we look forward to seeing completed sidewalks this week.

The storm surrounding Planned Parenthood continues unfold. Every new video released further demonstrates the depth of depravity of that organization. Sadly the efforts to defund Planned Parenthood went down in defeat in the U.S. Senate last Monday. Unfortunately our two U.S. Senators voted against defunding Planned Parenthood and have thus far even failed to condemn the group’s gravely immoral and depraved actions. I urge you to speak up in defense of life and contact your elected officials in support of life. It is not simply a political issue but a moral issue and so we must continue to speak out in defense of life. The innocent unborn need our voice.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is one step in ending this grave moral evil in our nation. The respect of human life, most especially the innocent unborn children, should be a priority for us and for our elected officials. Pray for an end to abortion and for the increased respect of human life.

Cardinal O’Malley of Boston rightly described Planned Parenthood’s harvesting of body parts as part of our “throw-away culture.” Indeed it is! Without our voices and without our commitment to pray and action, the voiceless unborn continue to be treated as just another commodity to be bought and sold. Our Holy Father, PopeFrancis, has also lamented the throw-away culture. He stated: “The victims of such a culture are precisely the weakest and most fragile human beings – the unborn, the poorest people, sick elderly people, gravely disabled people… who are in danger of being ‘thrown out,’ expelled from a machine that must be efficient at all costs.”

On a happier note, you can read in this weekend’s bulletin about Brother Brian Bennett. He is from Our Lady of Mercy and his parents Dudley and Kathy are active parishioners. Last Saturday on the Feast of Saint Dominic he formally entered the Novitiate of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Friars). He received his Dominican habit as he begins the process of prayer and study with his fellow Dominican Novices. We offer congratulations to Brother Brian. Let us pray for him and his novice class, may their time be fruitful as they prepare to serve the Church as Dominican Friars.

Next Sunday night at 4:00pm we invite all our OLM high school aged young adults to come to a Kick-off Cookout. It takes place on the OLM School field and should be a great time to get together and discuss the upcoming year. Our OLM Youth Ministry Coordinator, Michael LaChimia, is organizing the event for our parish youth. If you or a member of your family is in high school we invite you to stop by for some good food and good times.

Finally a word of warning to all parishioners. It has come to our attention that a couple of people are “pan-handling” outside Church. This has occurred before and after daily mass and also during some Church meetings. We ask that you not give these individuals anything and certainly do not give cash. Instead ask them to see the parish priests or OLM Outreach Director, Doug Green, at Mercy House. We are always ready to help those in true need. The generous support you give to the monthly Outreach Collection is designated to help such people in need. If you are approached, please let us know so we are aware of it. Thank you for your cooperation in dealing with his sensitive issue. Have a great week. Be well. Do good. God Bless.

Fixing things, Preparing for School, Celebrating Mercy and Welcoming the Holy Father!!

Dear Parishioners: As I look out my window on this Monday morning I see the Public Works Crew working on the sidewalks. Many of the sidewalks and curbs around OLM have been deteriorating over the years. Last winter’s particularly harsh weather also contributed to their further deterioration. The corners of the sidewalks were redesigned for handicapped accessibility. The new sidewalks and curbs were sorely needed. I hope as you read this column they are all firmly in place.  I am grateful to the East Greenwich Public Works Crew for their great work. Also I thank EG Town Manager Tom Coyle, EG Public Works Director Joe Duarte and EG Town Councilwoman Sue Cienki for helping to make this important project possible. We are grateful for their efforts ensuring access to our Church is easy and safe for all!

The work on the sidewalks is not the only work taking place at OLM. At OLM School our maintenance crew under the direction of Paul Anderson is working hard on several school improvement projects. They have removed all the carpeting from the walls of the corridors. The walls are freshly plastered and painted and now brightening up the hallways! They have also been painting classrooms and hope to completely renovate two classrooms with new paint, new flooring, and new furniture. It is an expensive but worthwhile endeavor to keep the classrooms in good condition. We are also in the process of updating our technology and internet services in the school. This too is a time consuming and costly project but well worth it to keep our parish school up to date.

You may see our teachers coming and going from the school over these next few weeks as they prepare their classrooms for the new year. The first day of school is scheduled for September 1st! I know it’s hard to believe during these beautiful days of summer but school is coming in September! Speaking of September, its time to mark your calendars for some upcoming special events. Of course, there is the fist day of school with all its fanfare but also the opening Mass of the Holy Spirit is to be celebrated on Friday, September 4th. Our Annual Parish Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 20th!

The Parish Picnic is the kick-off of a week of Mercy Events in honor of the Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Mercy on September 24th. These events include a special Mercy Event for Families in conjunction with the World Meeting of Families with Pope Francis in Philadelphia. Also we plan a Concert of Mercy, a Work of Mercy Event and the Feast Day Mass on Thursday, September 24th.

Fr. Connors is the Spiritual Director for the Diocesan Pilgrimage from Providence to the World Meeting of Families. He is to lead over 500 pilgrims from Rhode Island to the many events at the meeting and with Pope Francis. There are several families from OLM going along too. Keep them all in your prayers as they prepare for this wonderful pilgrimage of faith. Pope Francis is to make an Apostolic Visit the United States in September. His trip includes visits to Washington, DC, New York and Philadelphia. He is to visit the White House, address Congress and the UN, celebrate several Masses and canonize Blessed Father Juniperro Serra a Saint at the National Shrine in DC. He is to also visit a prison and meet with prisoners and deliver a major address on religious liberty at Independence Hall. In addition he is to visit a Catholic elementary school in Harlem and also offer prayers at the World Trade Center.

Let us pray for our Holy Father and for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. May the visit and the meeting be successful in strengthening family life and marriage in our nation. May it lead to an increased respect for human life and dignity in our nation. May the Holy Father’s wisdom and pastoral leadership lead to a renewed zeal for the faith and the life of the Church. They say “time flies” but please enjoy the summer sun during the rest of this month of August. September is coming ! Be well. Do good. God Bless

Praying and Acting in Defense of Human Life, A Call for All Catholics!!

Dear Parishioners: We are grateful to Fr. Roy Shea from the Missionhurst Missionaries for sharing his experience in the missions with us last weekend. The Annual Mission Co-op enables us to spiritually and financially support the missions. It also reminds us that we are part of large and universal Church and that we are called to evangelize the world both near and far. Let us continue to pray for the many missionaries of our Church who bring the faith to the remotest and poorest places across the globe!

I hope you had a chance to say “Farewell” to our Summer Seminarian Eric Silva last weekend. We are grateful to Fr. Carl Fisette, Diocesan Vocation Director, for sending us a seminarian as part of the summer program of the Diocese. OLM is blessed to part of their formation for priesthood. We continue to pray for Eric and all our seminarians as they move forward in their preparation for priestly ordination.

I was blessed last week to attend a meeting of State Catholic Conference Directors. Nearly forty directors from across the country gathered together in Michigan to discuss legislative strategies, public policy initiatives, and Church teaching. We had presentations from legal experts about threats to religious liberty. In particular how the Religious Freedom Restoration Act effects the Church nationally and locally.

We also examined some of the national legislative initiatives to address the growing problem of poverty in our nation. Presentations offered by the staff of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities USA were very helpful. We also received updates on the progress of immigration reform and criminal justice reform.

We were updated on the growing movement across the nation to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide . In fact, such a bill was introduced and received committee hearings at the RI General Assembly this past spring. Thankfully these bills were held for further study but the fight to ensure the dignity of the terminally ill and handicapped goes on here and across the Untied States.

Another topic discussed at the meeting was the recent revelation about Planned Parenthood’s selling of body parts of aborted babies. This shocking news about such a depraved practice by the nation’s largest provider of abortion on demand only reinforces our Church’s commitment to call for the protection of innocent human life in our nation. Bishop Tobin issued a statement about this tragic news last week, stating:

“If there was any doubt about the evil agenda of Planned Parenthood, that doubt has been dispelled by the recent video showing the sale of body parts of aborted babies. This disgusting and depraved practice should be condemned by everyone with a conscience, everyone committed to the defense of human life and dignity. It is time for political leaders to renounce their association with Planned Parenthood. And once again I call upon the Rhode Island Congressional delegation to end the public funding of Planned Parenthood. Our taxes should not be used to end the life of children and then market their bodies.”

As Catholics we must make our concerns known to our elected officials both nationally and locally. If we are to turn the tide of the culture of death that continues to debase our nation we must not only pray but also act. So I encourage you to pray for our nation and also to act in defense of human life. I am reminded of the words of Pope Francis in his recent encyclical, Laudato Si. The Holy Father states:

“A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted.”

Pray and act in defense of life! Be well. Do good. God Bless.