A Happy and Holy Christmas to All!

Dear Parishioners:                          

The Season of Advent draws to a close very quickly this weekend as Christmas is on  Monday. The name Advent itself means “the coming” of the Lord and of nothing less than our Lord and Savior.  The very last line of the Bible cries out, “Come Lord Jesus!” The Lord wants us to anticipate nothing less than Himself.

As we approach Christmas with joy and faith and the days of our expectation, preparation, and  anticipation end, we might ask ourselves on what are we waiting for?  Yes, we await the feast of our faith with the celebration of Christmas.  But more importantly we wait for Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh. We wait for His grace and mercy that surely comes into our lives.  We wait for Him to answer our prayers, sure  that He will, but unsure when, where, or how.  We wait for reasons to explain and understand suffering, struggle, and worries. We wait for Him to call us to be with Him for all eternity.

And, lest we forget, the Lord  Jesus waits for us!  Yes Jesus waits for us to open up to His grace and mercy.  Jesus waits for us to admit that, as a matter of fact, we do need a Savior!  Jesus waits for us to admit that He is the answer to the questions our lives of searching pose.  Jesus waits for our ultimate return to Him, for He “has gone to prepare a place for us.”  

So on Christmas Eve we might ask ourselves, indeed what are we waiting for? But in reality our question should be, who have we been preparing to welcome this Holy Night? The Advent hymn
reminds of the one for whom we wait. It’s lyrics read: “Dear Savior, haste! Come, come to earth. Dispel the night and show your face, and bid us hail the dawn of grace.  O come, Divine Messiah, the world in silence waits the day when hope shall sing its triumph, and sadness flee away!”

Yes, the Divine Messiah comes! In our waiting is the very arrival and deep down inside, cradled in our soul, where no one but the One who truly counts can detect, is again an empty manger where the Son of God wants to be re-born. So let us loudly acclaim “Come, Lord Jesus!” “Come Lord Jesus” into our lives and into our homes.  “Come Lord Jesus” into our often cold and dark world! St. Augustine said: “What greater cause is there of the Lord’s coming than to show God’s love for us?”

On Christmas, the great feast of the Incarnation, we celebrate God’s love for us. With joy we celebrate the coming of our Messiah who dispelled the darkness of the world. With faith we welcome the Light of Christ that pierces the darkness of sin and sadness  of our world and  our lives.  Yes, there are dark things wrong with our world, but the celebration of the Lord’s Nativity  is even greater for that, since the Divine Light has come from Heaven, and “the darkness has never overcome it.”

The Incarnation of Christ is a central mystery of our Catholic faith. As the Advent Season quickly ends and the Feast of the Incarnation soon arrives, let us prayerfully meditate upon our God who humbled Himself to become one of us. Only then are we truly  blessed to see how the humble and tender Christ Child born in a manger pulls us away from darkness and  draws us into the light of His goodness, peace and love. For on Christmas we celebrate the reality that Jesus Christ, the God made Man, is truly real, present, and good! May He be ever more so to you and yours this Christmas. 

In the name of Fr. Barrow, Fr. Connors, Deacon Dowd and myself, I offer our  best wishes to all parishioners for a Holy Christmas Season. Be assured of our remembrance for you and your families  as we offer Holy Mass on Christmas.

I extend Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman’s Christmas Blessing to you and to all: “May each Christmas, as it comes, find us more and more like Him who at this time became a little child, for our sake; more simple-minded, more humble, more affectionate, more resigned, more happy, more full of God.”

Merry Christmas!

"Joy is the Infallible Sign of the Presence of God!"

Dear Parishioners:
"Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God,” so said the French Jesuit, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.  This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday.  It is a time that the Church calls us to rejoice and celebrate God’s presence even in the midst of  this Advent Season of  waiting.

This third Sunday of Advent is all about joy in the midst of darkness. As we wait  the coming of Christ, we light a cheerful rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath as a reminder that our waiting is not in vain. The Sunday gets its name -- "gaudete," which means "rejoice" -- from the introit to to day's Mass: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say,
rejoice."

These words come from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, which he wrote from prison. St. Paul was no naïve optimist, and he obviously knew real suffering. Despite the intense suffering of his imprisonment, St. Paul was joyful.  Joy appears 17 times in various forms throughout the short letter.

“Gaudete" is the word's imperative form. We are commanded to rejoice against  the headlines of violence, war and suffering. We so even if we might not truly feel like rejoicing.  Gaudete Sunday is a glimpse of the joy that comes at Christmas. 

The  joy  we anticipate today is the birth of our Messiah  on Christmas Day.  On Christmas, God’s light and peace dispelled the darkness of sin and evil.  Our faith, hope and love are stronger than any doubt, despair or hatred we encounter in our lives or in our world. The birth of our Savior  is coming so let us begin to “Rejoice!” 

We rejoice this Sunday as we gather in Mercy Park for the Bambinelli Blessing.  This Italian tradition of bringing the Baby Jesus figures from the crèche to be blessed by the Pope is here at OLM.  So please join us on Sunday after the 9:00am Mass as we gather to sing and pray and truly rejoice at the birth of the Christ Child on Christmas. 

We can also rejoice after going to Confession this week in time to prepare for Christmas.  On Monday night, December 18th, there are two hours of Confessions scheduled from 6:00pm until 8:00pm here at OLM with two priests available for both hours of Confessions.  Also there are two priests scheduled for Saturday, December 23rd, for Confessions from 3:00pm until 3:45pm.  No matter the season there is truly no better way to find real joy as we receive God’s mercy and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession.   Come to confession  this week and then  be able to truly rejoice on Christmas in the love and mercy of God.

We can also rejoice by helping the poor and needy.  Perhaps consider buying an extra-gift card at Stop & Shop while  getting the Christmas cookie supplies or an extra gift card at Walmart when going to find replacement lights for the tree this week. OLM Outreach is always in great need of these  gift cards.  Simple acts of charity bring great  joy. Try it and you’ll be rejoicing this Christmas with the Christ Child who was born poor.

We can also rejoice by dropping by to visit the long neglected neighbor, calling the old friend we haven’t spoken to in awhile or by forgiving a family member who has hurt us in some way. Then we can rejoice on Christmas in the love of the Christ Child.

We can also rejoice in offering an encouraging word of appreciation rather than a biting comment and cynical criticism or co-workers, friends and family. So forgo the cynical comments and sarcastic remarks instead try true gratitude as it always leads to joy at Christmas.

We can also rejoice by stopping in OLM Church and spending some time in prayer with the Lord.  We are truly blessed at OLM as our Church is open all day.  So make some time this week to reflect on the true meaning of the season.  On the way to the market, the Post Office, the liquor store or the mall, carve a few minutes out to visit the Lord, truly present in the tabernacle.  Stop, pray and rejoice with the Lord this week and  the celebration of his birth will be all the more joyful!

Joy truly is the “infallible sign of the presence of God.” So let us begin the rejoicing today in word and deed. This late Advent time is a time to live the joy we anticipate at Christmas. We live it in prayer with Lord, the Sacraments, and our good works. Rejoice!

Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats!!!

Tis the Season for Gratitude, Prayer, Charity & Blessing the Bambinelli

Dear Parishioners:                                

New AED by the OLM Sacristry Door.

I wish to thank the parishioners who so generously donated the new automated external defibrillators (AED) for our church and school.  An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest when someone’s  heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.  There are two located in OLM Church, one in the vestibule and one by the sacristy. We have also placed two in the school and a third is portable and brought outside when the students are at gym or recess. 

These life-saving devices can be used by anyone with a little training.  After Christmas, we will be holding training sessions for our OLM School faculty and staff and for our OLM Ushers and Staff.  The training will be open for anyone interested in learning how to use an AED.  We are truly thankful for those who were so quick and generous to support our effort to purchase the AEDs for OLM.  They cost over $1,000 a piece but they are an invaluable addition to our parish.  In your name, I offer our sincere thanks for the donation of these life-saving AEDs.

During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves  and our world with prayer and charity for the coming of the Messiah.  At last Sunday’s Weekly Angelus Address,  Pope Francis offer this reflection on Advent.  The Holy Father stated:

Pope Francis delivers his weekly Angelus Address at St. Peter's in Rome.

“Jesus exhorts us in the Gospel (Cf. Mark 13:33-37) to take heed and watch, to be ready to receive Him the moment of his return. He says to us: “Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time will come lest He come suddenly and find you asleep” (vv. 33-36). The person that takes heed is one that, in the noise of the world, doesn’t let himself be overwhelmed by distraction or by superficiality, but lives in a full and aware way, with concern first of all for others. With this attitude, we are aware of the tears and the needs of our neighbor and we can also grasp his human and spiritual capacities and qualities. The person that heeds then turns also to the world, trying to counter the indifference and cruelty in it.”

Refugees on the move in the Middle East.

As we continue to prepare ourselves and our world for the Messiah, let us heed the Holy Father’s Advent words. Our concern for our neighbors especially those less fortunate and in need should be  a hallmark of our anticipation of the Messiah’s coming. 

The Catholic Church in the United States is the largest Refugee Resettlement agency in the nation and the Diocese of Providence is the largest in the State of RI.  This Advent OLM Outreach is  looking for help in aiding several Refugee Families who have been resettled to RI.   These families are fleeing wars, famines, persecution and poverty and arrive here with only the clothing on their backs. The Diocese of Providence helps them find housing and work. 

Refugees recieving assistance from Catholic Church.

Any help you may wish to offer  our efforts is truly appreciated.  We always are in need of monetary donations, and also gift cards  especially to Walmart and Stop & Shop.  If you would like to help in any way, large or small, please contact Doug Green, our OLM Outreach Director.

Pope Francis reminds us that Advent calls us to turn to the world and counter  its often “indifferent cruelty.”  We are called to prepare for Christ at Christmas not only in our own homes but in the world around us.  We can do this in all kinds of ways: helping OLM Outreach, visiting neglected neighbors or lonely relatives, volunteering at McAuley House or Emmanuel House homeless shelters.

Italian Children at the Bambinelli Blessing in Rome.

This Advent we are bringing the Bambinelli Blessing to OLM.  Bambinelli is the Italian name for  Baby Jesus figurines that  children bring to be blessed by the Pope.  We have a small number of these beautiful figurines available for sale after Masses this weekend.  Next Sunday after the 9:00am Mass we invite you to come to Mercy Park by the parish crèche to bless the Bambinelli.  So please join us, and bring the Baby Jesus from your own crèche to be blessed by your priests (not the Pope!).  We’ll have singing led by our Children’s Choir, hot chocolate and donuts too! It’s a great way to prepare for Christmas and celebrate Gaudete Sunday!

It’s Advent so take heed and "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths." Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats!!!

Be Watchful! Be Alert! Advent is here! Prepare the Way for the Messiah!

Dear Parishioners:                                

Advent is here! "Be watchful! Be alert!” as we are reminded in the Gospel this week.  Advent is the season when we hear that wake-up call repeatedly. The master of the house, Jesus said, could come at any moment. Later, the first Christians expected the Second Coming of Jesus in their own lifetime, but as time passed they had to get used to a longer perspective. 

The great mystic of the 14th Century, Julian of Norwich, prayed to God for a deeper longing for God.  She longed to long more for God.  She called it a wound, “the wound of longing.”  Our world no longer struggles with this idea.  On the contrary we look for complete fulfillment through our own work and pleasure. We expect nothing to happen. Many now expect nothing really from their religion, and some even see it as an obstacle to life.  

Of course, the  myth of the secular mind is to think that pleasing only oneself doesn’t close the mind.  Yet we know that nothing closes it more effectively.  Let us pray that we may feel some opening of the “wound of longing” in this Advent season.  We need to be reminded again to look up from our frenzied lives, to wake up from our slumber, and to awaken our spirit to the Master who can come at any moment. 

Let us truly prepare the way of the Messiah this Advent with more intense prayer, a renewed relationship with the Lord, our faithful attendance at Mass and frequent Sacramental Confession of our sins. Let us truly long for the Divine Messiah to come and make room for Him in our lives!

I recently received some great news.  You may remember a couple of years ago that Father Mark Spalding of Louisville led our parish on the Annual Lenten Mission. On November 21st, the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary,  Pope Francis named Father Spalding as the 12th Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee.  He and I studied together for the priesthood at the American College in Belgium and have remained good friends these many years. He is to be ordained a Bishop on February 2, 2018 on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  Please pray for Bishop-elect Spalding.

I also heard good news from Fr. Connors last week.  He is coming home for Christmas on December 15th.  It will be good to have him back with us at OLM through the holidays.  He is working hard on his doctoral dissertation and expects to defend it in early June 2018.  So be sure to welcome him home when you see him around the parish. 

On  this Friday, December 8th, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics and so there will be four Masses celebrated.  A 5pm Vigil Mass on Thursday and 3 Masses on Friday at 7:30am, 9:00am and 7:00pm.  There are certainly ample opportunities for us to fulfill our obligation and attend Mass on the Holy Day.

In 1854, Pope Pius IX solemnly proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In the declaration of this dogma he stated: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

It took many years for this important doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life. The teaching indicates that Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In the Virgin Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset.

I am away this week attending the annual meeting of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors in Washington, DC and I return Sunday night. See you at Mass on the Holy Day! Our Lady is  the patroness of our parish and our nation, so come celebrate her special feast! Advent is here! Prepare the way for the Messiah! Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats!!!

Celebrate Christ the King and Prepare the Way!

Dear Parishioners:                                

We celebrate Christ the King this weekend and mark the end of the Church Year. This Solemnity  proclaims Jesus Christ as the King of the Universe. Pope Francis reminds us: “On this feast day, we rejoice together in the reign of Christ the King over the whole world. He is the one who removes all that hinders
reconciliation, justice and peace. We are reminded that true royalty does not consist in a show of power, but in the humility of service; not in the oppression of the weak, but in the ability to protect them and to lead them to life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). Christ reigns from the Cross and, with his arms open wide, he embraces all the peoples of the world and draws them into unity.”

As the Church Year ends, we now prepare for the coming of the great Feast of Christmas.  We do so with prayerful anticipation and joyful preparation.  Advent begins next Sunday. Mother Church is shrewd for She knows that all good things demand proper preparation.  Christmas is truly a good thing.  Advent invites us to properly and joyfully prepare for the birth of our Messiah.

In our Advent prayers and worship we reminded that as Catholics we are called to “stand out” during these weeks.  We do so because we do not celebrate Christmas until Advent is over!  Somber, purple vestments are worn by our priests and no festive Christmas carols are sung yet at Mass. The crèche and all the Christmas decorations are not to appear until around Christmas Eve. 

Meanwhile in the cold and secular world around us it often appears   to be December 25th already! But in our Church, we  Catholics try to slow down, we take our time ant try to truly get ready for December 25th. We celebrate that it’s Advent.

Now please understand that I am not an “Advent extremist,” nor am I on the warpath about Christmas being too secular, or its celebration coming way too early. Although I would agree that both are true in our world today. However,  I do love the Advent Season and I know that Christmas is always more meaningful if we use this special season to  truly prepare our hearts and homes for Christ’s coming.

So how can we “salvage” Advent?  Well if you do put up your tree and the crib a bit early, save the arrival of the Baby Jesus until Christmas itself. Growing up in my family home, the Baby Jesus was never put in the crib until Christmas Eve.

Why not place an Advent wreath,  an Advent calendar or perhaps even a giving tree,  or “Jesse Tree” in your home.  Teach your children to pray and prepare for Christmas with patience and joyful service to others in imitation of  the Holy Family.

Many people worry that Christmas has  become  much too commercial and perhaps a little “too selfish.”  So consider helping someone in need and sacrificing something this Christmas you don’t really need. Helping  the poor and needy buys the real joy of Christmas more than any expensive gift ever can.    I have a friend with eight grandchildren, who, during Advent claims she has nine, as she donates the amount she spends on one of her own to a charity to help a child.

Prayer is also a tried-and-true Advent practice.  So try to join us at daily Mass this season, or perhaps make a stop in Church on the way home from work for a little prayer time with Jesus.  Pray the mysteries of the rosary every day in Advent as a way to prepare for Christmas.  Consider reconciling with that person with whom you’ve had a falling out, a fight, or have not heard from in a long time.  Why not reach out to them in the spirit of Advent peace and reconciliation.

Finally, Advent is a great time to make a good Sacramental confession. You’ll find your Mass and Holy Communion on Christmas Day a lot more meaningful if during Advent you have experienced the loving and merciful forgiveness of the Messiah in Confession. God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession is the best gift you can ever give yourself and also your family for Christmas.

Over the next few weeks lets strive to  “keep Christ in Christmas” by keeping Advent alive in our hearts and homes with patience, prayer, joyful good works and a good Confession. Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats!!!  Advent is coming so prepare the way!

Ordinary Time Ending as We Gather to Give Thanks to God!

Dear Parishioners:                                
Ordinary Time is coming to end as we prepare for the great Solemnity of Christ the King next week which is the final Sunday of the Church Year. The Season of Advent starts soon. It’s hard to believe that the Church’s liturgical year iscoming to end so soon!                        

Of course, if you turn on a radio or TV you  hear all the Christmas music and see Christmas advertisements!  If you go to the mall or the local CVS, you’ll see the Christmas displays!  It started immediately after Halloween and in some cases before Halloween!

For me it is a truly a ridiculous over commercialization of a sacred season. This Thursday wecelebrate that most American of holidays, Thanksgiving Day! Much of the retail world have seemingly forgotten this holiday.  But on Thursday millions of Americans gather around their table to share a meal and give thanks to Almighty God for their blessings and bounty.

Thanksgiving Day is truly about preparing a special meal and then sharing it with family and friends.  This also included attending  high school football games, watching the NFL  and even tossing the football around in the backyard. Every family no matter how large or small, no matter how rich or poor, nomatter what color or creed  stops on Thanksgiving to give thanks to God!

Now for some people it as just a chance to get away on vacation or a time to spend night preparing for the big sales at the stores.  They then rush to the malls to fight the crowds and buy things nobody really needs and usually don’t appreciate.

Having spent five Thanksgivings living in Belgium while in the seminary, I grew very fond of the holiday.  For the Belgians it was just another Thursday and meant nothing! We classes were held and there were no football games!  We had to get our turkeys and pies from the local U.S. military base. And our Thanksgiving meal was far from home and our family.

Having celebrated Thanksgiving so far away, I grew to cherish it’s uniquely American traditions.  I have a priest friend who maintains that Thanksgiving is not only a uniquely American holiday but also a very Protestant one.  He tells me  that’s why many people do not come to  Mass on Thanksgiving Day.  I not sure that’s the real reason but  history  does tell  us that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Protestant pilgrims in 1621.

We also know that the Puritan pilgrims were very anti-Catholic. They had left England because they thought that the Church of England was too Catholic. The Puritans were strict Calvinists who opposed celebrating Christmas, dancing, musical instruments in church, and even hymns as too “Papist”!

Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, was a Catholic! He had been enslaved by the English but was freed by Spanish Franciscan Friars. Squanto was then baptized and became a Catholic. So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known  as Thanksgiving Day. So perhaps it is a Catholic holiday!

So while Thanksgiving may celebrate the Calvinists who fled England, we Catholics might remember that the same unjust laws they fled also granted the crown of martyrdom to St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, St. Edmund Campion, and many other Catholic martyrs.

Also remember that the  Greek word “Eucharistia” means “Thanksgiving.”  Thus,  Holy Mass is the true “Thanksgiving Meal.” So begin your Thanksgiving Day this year by joining us on Thursday at 9:00am Mass. We gather together as a parish family to truly give our Heavenly Father thanks and gratitude for our many blessings. Our OLM Choir is singing with praise to  our good and gracious God. Also Dominican Friar, Father John Sica, OP from Providence College  is preaching the Mass.   Join us as we  give thanks to God in the best possible way, at Mass!

And on Thanksgiving Day before you happily share   your meal, don’t forget to raise your  glass and recall the words of  the great Catholic author, Hilaire Belloc: “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, There’s always laughter and good red wine. At least I’ve always found it so. Benedicamus Domino! Let us Bless the Lord!”

Fr. Barrow, Deacon Dowd and I wish you  a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Know of our prayers for your  safe travel. Do good. Be well. God Bless! Go Pats!!!