Remembering the Somber Anniversary of September 11th

Dear Parishioners: We recall this weekend and remember in prayer the tragic events of September 11, 2001.  It is a day we all know precisely where we were as we watched in horror and disbelief  the senseless attacks upon our nation.  This Sunday on the Fifteenth Anniversary we remember the thousands of  innocent who died that day and  those who grieve the loss of loved ones. We pray for them especially at  Mass.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York,  delivered a homily on the Tenth Anniversary of September 11th. His profound words are worth recalling today on this Fifteenth Anniversary of that tragic day.

Cardinal Dolan said:

“They say there are no atheists in foxholes. I’ve heard it said as well that there were no atheists on 9/11 here in New York. That’s why we decided to gather for this greatest of all prayers, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, at these very moments when bells are ringing throughout the United States, when people are united in their parishes, their churches, their synagogues, and their mosques, their heads bowed in reverent silence, recalling  –recalling with somberness,recalling with gratitude and recalling with prayers — the events of 10 years ago today at these very moments when the second of the Twin Towers was attacked.

Mercy, forgiveness, pardon, healing, compassion, redemption, kindness, patience…Those are all words from God’s Holy Word in the Liturgy of the Word this morning. You all realize, of course, and it’s basic to anybody who considers himself or herself a person of faith, that there is an intense battle that is being waged in the human heart. It’s that battle, that war, that is going on in the human soul that gives rise to all the violence, and battles and wars that we see outside.

You and I are aware of that tension deep within. It’s a battle between sin and grace, between darkness and light. It’s a war where evil is against good, where death is versus life, lies versus truth, pride against humility, selfishness against selflessness, revenge versus mercy, hate versus love, Satan versus Almighty God.

Now a decade ago, at about this very moment, throughout the United States, throughout the world, and especially in this our beloved community, it seemed that the side of darkness had conquered, as innocent people perished, as valiant rescuers rushed to their aid, as families were fractured, and as a nation seemed on the ground.

And yet what I propose at our Mass this Sunday morning, on this tenth anniversary of that day, is that as a matter of fact the side of light actually triumphed, as temptations to despair, fearful panic, revenge, and dread gave way to such things as rescue, recovery, rebuilding, outreach, and resilience. The side of the angels, not of the demons, conquered. Good Friday became Easter Sunday. And once again God has the last word.”

God  does have the last word, and that word is that good does triumph over evil.  Let us pray for the fallen of September 11th and let also us pray for our nation, first responders, our firefighters, police officers and our armed forces. We must never despair  but rather prayerfully remember in faith and  hope.

Next Sunday, Bishop Tobin is to celebrate the  Blue Mass for Police Officers.   I serve as the Chaplain to the East Greenwich Police Department and R.I. Capitol Police Department and plan on attending the Mass at the Cathedral. All are welcomed to come to the Mass.  Please pray for the men and women who serve and protect our community and state. May these “finest” who bravely serve us receive our  pledge  of prayers!

Next weekend’s Second Collection is for the  Senior Priests’ Retirement Fund.  I hope you can be generous in aiding the Senior Priests who serve so faithfully even after retirement. By the way, Fr. Barrow retires in 48 years and I hope to retire in the year 2040.  So we won’t benefit from this collection  for some time!!  Thanks for your  support.

Be well. Do good. God Bless America!  Go Sox!  And now we can say, Go Pats!!!!

Celebrating School, Marriage, Mother Teresa and Work! Happy Labor Day Weekend!!!!

Dear Parishioners: Happy Labor Day! The first week of school is now complete!  It’s Labor Day Weekend so it’s hard to believe we’ve finished one week  of school already. However, the students are back in the swing of things as they are studying for tests, completing their homework and reading up on their subjects.

Fr. Barrow and I have homework too!  This week we picked up copies of the revised Order of Celebrating Matrimony.  It has been long in the making.  Following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the Church published a revised Order of Celebrating Matrimony in Latin in 1969 and the official English translation was published in 1970.  In 1991, a revised version of this Order of Matrimony was published in Latin, but the English translation was delayed for various reasons until now.

In the summer of 2015, the Vatican gave its required approval to the work voted on by the U.S. Bishops. We can  begin to use the revised version on  September 8, 2016, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but  it  is obligatory as of December 30, 2016, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  Thankfully the Diocese is hosting a workshop for priests and deacons later this month on the revised ritual.

As it did previously the Order of Celebrating Marriage stresses the importance of the sacramental covenant between a man and a woman.  The introduction of the revised Order reminds us: “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish a life-long partnership between themselves, derives its force and strength from creation, but for the Christian faithful it is also raised up to a higher dignity, since it is numbered among the Sacraments of the new covenant.”

For those getting married in the Catholic Church, the high-point of the wedding day is the wedding liturgy, where bride and groom become husband and wife in the lifelong covenant of marriage.  It is a day of great joy for the bride and groom and their families but also very importantly it is a day of great faith.  I am reminded of some advice Pope Francis' offered to engaged couples about weddings: "Make your wedding  a real celebration – because marriage is a celebration – a Christian celebration, not a worldly feast!” Please pray for newly married couples and for those engaged to be  married.

Of course this weekend Blessed Mother of Teresa of Calcutta is being canonized a saint.  She knew well what poverty and lack of work could do to people and families.  Serving the poorest of the poor and the unwanted of the world, Mother Teresa offers a sterling example of what it means to truly love and serve God and neighbor.  May she intercede for  us and our needs as she is officially declared part of the communion of saints. Her Feast is September 5 and we will celebrate it Monday morning at 8:30am Mass. Monday is  also Labor Day, a day in which we give thanks to God for our work and the prosperity, security and dignity it provides us and our families.  In the Annual Labor Day Statement of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,   Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami writes the following on behalf of his brother bishops: “Dignified work is at the heart of our efforts because we draw insight into who we are as human beings from it.  Saint John Paul II reminded us that human labor is an essential key to understanding our social relationships, vital to family formation and the building up of community according to our God-given dignity, to a just wage and to the personal security of the worker and his or her family."

On Monday we  offer our prayers in solidarity with all working men and women across our nation.  Labor Day celebrates human labor and human dignity.  In between the cookouts, the golfing and the beach trips on Monday,  please take a moment to stop and give thanks to God for the gift of a good job, offer a prayer for the unemployed who seek the dignity that a good job and work provide.  May God Bless all working men and women!

Happy Labor Day! Be well. Do good. God Bless.  Go Sox!

Celebrating the New School Year, Praying for Flood Victims, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Pray for US!

Dear Parishioners: School is back!  The students at OLM School arrived back  to begin the new school year on Friday.  Smiling faces and happy parents filled the parking lot for the Frist Day of School!  Welcome Back OLM School!   We officially welcome our New OLM School Families this Sunday at the 9:00AM.  We are grateful these families have chosen OLM School and overjoyed that their children begin living  the schools’ mission as the future saints and scholars of our Church.  Welcome to OLM!

On Friday we officially open the new school year with the Mass of the Holy Spirit.  We gather as a school and parish community invoking the Holy Spirit to come down upon us and guide us to continue to grow in wisdom, faith, hope and love.  Everyone is invited to join us for this special mass on Friday at 9:00AM.  Let us pray that this new school year may be fruitful and faithful for all:  “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.”

I wish to thank Deacon Brian Morris for preaching at last Sunday’s Masses.  He did a great job and we can be proud of this native son of OLM.   Keep Deacon Morris in your prayers as he returns to his priestly studies at St. John’s Seminary in Boston.  We look forward to his ordination to the priesthood next June.

Next Sunday Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta is to be canonized by Pope Francis a Saint of our Church.  Saint Teresa of Calcutta, as she is to be known, is most remembered for her selfless charity and her selfless work with the poorest of the poor especially in Calcutta, India.  She joyfully served lepers, the dying, the poor and others who would otherwise suffer without care. Her services were given freely, and her example was followed by the good Sisters in the order she founded, the Missionaries of Charity.

Millions of pilgrims from across the globe are expected to attend the Mass of Canonization next Sunday in Rome.   Mother Teresa inspired many as she truly was a humble person with an unlimited capacity to offer unconditional love to people.  Blessed Mother Teresa once said: “There are two kinds of poverty. There is the poverty of material where people are hungry for bread, real hunger. But there is much deeper hunger and that is hunger for love.”

Loving all and giving comfort to the suffering, offering shelter to the homeless, helping the poorest of the poor and giving hope to the hopeless was Blessed Mother Teresa's life work.  Her work lives on in the  good works and faithful dedication of her good Sisters, the Missionaries of Charity. They continue to serve all over the world as she did.  May the soon to be Saint Teresa of Calcutta intercede for us!

This  week I received an email from a colleague from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Thankfully he and his family were not adversely affected by the recent flooding.  However, he did tell me about the devastation and destruction that thousands of people suffered.  Sadly some people lost their lives. Homes and businesses were completely destroyed with a large part of the State of Louisiana declared a total disaster zone. The Diocese of Baton Rouge and Catholic Charities are helping the many victims.  They also suffered losses as three  Catholic schools and seven Catholic parishes  are considered to be  at a complete loss.  Priests have been sent to the many shelters to offer Mass and provide support for the many victims.

My friend asks for your prayers, writing: “ I would simply ask for your prayers at this time.  Baton Rouge has had one  heck of a summer!  It began in the heat of the summer with the shooting of Alton Sterling, leading to protests.  This tragically lead to a gunman killing three police officers and our community in need of  deep healing.  As we began to catch our breath from these sad events, we then took on flood waters.  Please pray for us.”  I have assured him we are praying for our brothers and sisters in Louisiana!

Be well. Do good. God Bless.  Go Sox!

Getting Ready for the Return to School! Summer is Soon Ending!!!

Dear Parishioners:

It’s back to school for our OLM School children this week. Yes, the first day of school is this coming Friday! It’s hard to believe it’s already arrived. Where did the summer go?   As the students return to OLM School I ask that you please continue to pray for them, and also for the administration, faculty and staff of OLM School.  May God abundantly bless this new academic year with wisdom, faith, hope and love as our students strive to be both saints and scholars. Our Lady of Mercy, pray for them.

Our terrific faculty make a  retreat on Thursday at the Retreat Center on Enders Island in Mystic, CT.  Father Chris Murphy, the Chaplain at Bishop Hendricken High School, is leading the retreat.  It is a great way for our faculty to renew their faith and zeal for the Lord as they begin another year teaching our children at OLM School.  Let us  offer this prayer for the new school year at OLM School: Merciful Father, We  give You thanks for the opportunity to begin this new school year, and we ask that you bless the students, administration,  faculty, staff and school families that make our school a place of excellence and faith. We pray that you will guide them in your ways, so that they always seek Your will in all they do, and strive to always love others as You love us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

OLM School is back in session this week and so is our Back-To-School Supplies Drive for St. Patrick’s Parish in Providence.  Fr. James Ruggeri, St. Patrick’s Pastor, called me earlier in the summer seeking the help of OLM.  So again this year we pledged to help and to bring back-packs full of much needed school supplies to the children at St. Patrick’s in Providence. There is a complete list of needed supplies in the bulletin. You can place all  donated school supplies in the boxes in the vestibule of the Church.  If you would rather donate monetarily, please do so by striking a check payable to OLM Outreach with “Back-Pack Drive” in the memo and simply place it in the collection basket at Mass.  We are collecting these supplies through the end of August and hope to make delivery before September 1st.  I  offer my thanks for your generous support of this good work of OLM Outreach.

Sandra Demers, our Parish Secretary,  returned safe and sound from World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.   She and her daughter, Simone, joined over 60 pilgrims from Rhode Island and say it was truly a fun and faith filled trip.  They joined scores of young and happy Catholics from around the world singing and celebrating their Catholic faith together.  The closing Mass with Pope Francis saw over 2 million gathered together! At the closing Mass, Pope Francis offered some profound words to the Catholic Youth of the World:

“God loves us the way we are, and no sin, fault or mistake of ours makes him change his mind. As far as Jesus is concerned – as the Gospel shows – no one is unworthy of, or far from, his thoughts. No one is insignificant. He loves all of us with a special love; for him all of us are important: you are important! God counts on you for what you are, not for what you possess. In his eyes the clothes you wear or the kind of cell phone you use are of absolutely no concern. He doesn’t care whether you are stylish or not; he cares about you! In his eyes, you are precious, and your value is inestimable. God is hopelessly hopeful! He believes that we can always get up. He demands of us real courage: the courage to be more powerful than evil by loving everyone, even our enemies. People may laugh at you because you believe in the gentle and unassuming power of mercy. But do not be afraid.”

This powerful message of God’s love and mercy from Pope Francis provides something for all of us, both young and old, to pray and reflect about this week.  Thanks for  your generous support of this week’s Peter’s Pence Collection.  Also many thanks  for helping Fr. Ruggeri and the good people at St. Patrick’s Parish with back-to-school supplies.  I know it makes a big difference in their lives.  Be well. Do good. God Bless.  Go Sox!

Saying Farewell, Welcome Back and Congratulations! The Comings and Goings at OLM

Dear Parishioners: We said “Farewell” to our Summer Seminarian Billy Burdier last weekend.  He now gets ready to return to his priestly studies in Rome in September.  Billy is entering his third year and has two years left before ordination to the priesthood.  My thanks to all who helped organize the “Farewell Reception” in Mercy Park and the many parishioners who stopped by to offer Billy their thanks.  Vaya con Dios Billy!!

No sooner did we say good-bye to Billy when Sister Lourdes and Sister Emma returned from Nebraska on Sunday night.  The good sisters were on retreat and made their way back travelling across the country in their mini-van.  They arrived safe and sound late Sunday night.  Now rested and ready from their retreat they once again take up their ministry here at OLM.  Welcome home Sisters!!!

I recently received the news that Deacon Brian Morris, a native son of OLM and graduate of OLM School, is to be ordained a priest on Saturday, June 3, 2017.  He is to offer his Mass of Thanksgiving here at OLM on Sunday, June 4, 2017.  Please put those dates on your calendar now as it will be a weekend for our parish family to celebrate with Brian and his family.  Brian is coming to OLM next Sunday, August 21st to preach at all the Masses.  He then returns to his final year of studies at St. John Seminary in Boston and prepares for priestly ordination next June!

This week I learned that another OLM native son, Father Eric Bennett, who is the son of OLM parishioners Dudley and Kathy Bennett was named Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in East Boston.  Fr. Bennett worked in Boston as a Physical Therapist before entering the seminary and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston in June 2012. It is a sure expression of Cardinal O’Malley’s trust and confidence in Fr. Bennett’s tremendous abilities and talents to name him a Pastor of such a large parish as Sacred Heart.

It is a diverse parish that offers Masses in English, Italian and Vietnamese and  has a parish school.  Fr. Bennett studied in Rome so Mass In Italian shouldn’t be a problem and he has the assistance of  a Vietnamese Priest who serves the large Vietnamese population there.  Fr. Bennett begins his first pastorate on August 15th, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a  sure sign that Our Lady is to guide his pastorate!  We congratulate Fr. Bennett and his parents on this great milestone in his priestly ministry and extend him our prayerful best wishes!

With all this news of seminarians and young priests, I remind you of that there remains a great need to pray for priestly vocations for the Diocese of Providence.  We have just twenty seminarians studying for the priesthood for our diocese.  Keep them in your prayers but also pray that more young men might answer God’s call to serve the Church of Providence.

The Gospel says that “Jesus went about all the cities and villages... When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Mt 9:35-38). The prayer which Jesus asks of  all of us,  therefore concerns the need to increase the number of those who serve his Kingdom as priests.

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not a holy day of obligation this year as it falls on a Monday.  There is an explanation provided by  the Office of Worship in the bulletin this week.  There is to be only one Mass offered on this Solemnity at 7:30am on Monday, August 15th and I encourage you to join us on this great feast of Our Lady.  The arrival of the Assumption is always a sign that summer is coming to an end too fast.

Next week we take up the Peter’s Pence Collection for the Holy Father’s many charities.  Thanks for you generous support of Pope Francis’ many good works.  Be well. Do good. Go Sox! God Bless.

Farewell to Our Summer Seminarian Billy Burdier! It's Good to be Home!!!!

Dear Parishioners: We say so-long to our Summer Seminarian, Billy Burdier, this weekend.  He has been here for the last eight weeks.  His time here has been well spent working at OLM School, the Vacation Bible School, assisting at Masses, visits to shut-ins, writing a weekly column and working along side Fr. Barrow and myself.  Billy has a lot of energy and personality but also a lot of talent.  He speaks three languages fluently and can get by in few more.  He displayed his musical talents at the Vacation Bible School with his guitar playing and singing!

Billy was a great help over these weeks and we thank him. Billy can now enjoy some time of rest and relaxation with his family before he returns to Rome for priestly studies. This fall he enters his third year of theological studies  at the Gregorian University and priestly formation at the North American College in Rome.

Please keep him in you prayers as he continues to prepare for the priesthood. You can personally thank Billy for his time and service here at Our Lady of Mercy at a “Farewell Reception” on Sunday in Mercy Park following the 10:30am Mass.  We wish him well in his future endeavors and assure him of our continue prayers.  Farewell Billy and God Bless!

Last week I was in San Antonio, Texas for the Annual Summer Meeting of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors.  Hosted by the Texas Catholic Conference the meeting is a gathering of the men and women who advocate for the Catholic Church at statehouses across the nation. During the meeting we were updated on public policy issues like immigration reform, gun control, conscience protection, religious freedom, abortion, assisted suicide, refugee resettlement, poverty and educational choice.  These issues effect every state and we were able to hear from the staff of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops about them.  These diverse public policy issues are getting more complicated and more numerous.

We had the great privilege of having Father Paul Murray, O.P. of  the Pontifical  University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome offer very insightful theological reflections on our work as Catholic Conference Directors. Fr. Murray is a Dominican Friar who hails from Ireland and is the author of many books. While there we were also able to visit the Alamo.  Of course this Mission was  the site of the  historic battle between Texans and the Mexican Army of General Santa Anna. It’s a lot smaller in person and certainly very different from the classic John Wayne film!

We also celebrated Mass at the  Cathedral of San Fernando with the Archbishop of San Antonio, the Most Reverend Gustavo-García-Siller. The beautiful  Cathedral was founded in March 1731 by a group of 15 families who came from the Canary Islands at the invitation of King Phillip V of Spain. It is now a hub of the City of San Antonio.  Over 5,000 people participate at weekend Masses each week. The Cathedral Parish has over 900 baptisms, 100 weddings, and 100 funerals each year.

Following the meeting I made a trip to Austin, Texas to visit the LBJ Presidential Library. It is quite an impressive place that is full of history and brings to life the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.  He is one of the most fascinating U.S. Presidents in history. After Austin I moved on to Houston where I was able to visit  the President George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Park. The elder President Bush’s life and presidency is also well worth the visit. His vast service to the nation throughout his life most especially during the Second World War was well worth spending time examining.

I am happy to be back home at OLM!  I thank Fr. Barrow for his able stewardship of our parish during my absence.  Also I am grateful to Bishop Evans for helping cover Masses while I was away. OLM was certainty in good hands while I was in Texas! I’ll remember the Alamo but I won’t miss the Texas temperatures! Pray for peace!  Be well. Do Good. God Bless. Go Sox!