Praying for More to Hear the Good Shepherd's Call

Dear Parishioners:                               

This Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is traditionally called Good Shepherd Sunday. The name derives from the gospel reading for the day, which is taken from the tenth chapter of St. John's Gospel. In  John’s Gospel,  Christ is described as the "Good Shepherd" who lays down his life for his sheep.                              

Good Shepherd Sunday  also marks the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  The purpose of this day is to publically fulfill the Lord's instruction to, "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2).  I encourage you to please continue to pray that more young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord's call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life or secular institutes.

While the Church appreciates all vocations, She concentrates Her attention today on vocations to the ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), to the Religious life in all its forms (male and female, contemplative and apostolic), to societies of apostolic life, to secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life.

In his message announcing the celebration of  this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, our Holy Father, Pope Francis states: The joy of the Gospel, which makes us open to encountering God and our brothers and sisters, does not abide our slowness and our sloth.  It will not fill our hearts if we keep standing by the window with the excuse of waiting for the right time, without accepting this very day the risk of making a decision.  Vocation is today!  The Christian mission is now!  Each one of us is called –whether to the lay life in marriage, to the priestly life in the ordained ministry, or to a life of special consecration – in order to become a witness of the Lord, here and now.”

Fr. Eric Bennett of the Archdiocese of Boston celebrates Mass.  Father is a native son of Our Lady of Mercy Parish where his parents and family still continue to worship.

At Our Lady of Mercy Parish we have been truly blessed to have vocations come from our parish family.  Two priests, Fr. Eric Bennett of the Boston Archdiocese and Fr. Brian Morris of the Providence Diocese were recently ordained priests. Both these fine priests  grew up in our parish and had their vocation to the priesthood nurtured here at OLM.  In fact,  their families still worship here. 

The Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN.

We are also blessed to have a young woman from OLM who is graduating from Providence College this year who is to enter the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville this fall. This congregation of religious sisters is booming with young and holy women eager to serve  Christ and His Church.

Each one of us is still called to continue to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life at OLM.  We must do so by praying for more vocations to the priesthood and more vocations to the consecrated life in the Diocese of Providence.  Our culture is full of distractions and very often God’s call to the priesthood and consecrated life is lost amidst the loud cries of our secular and materialistic society. 

However, many young men and women are being called to take up a vocation to the priesthood and religious life.  It is as Pope Francis once said: “Becoming a priest or a man or woman religious is not primarily our own decision. Rather it is the response to a call and to a call of love.”

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence ordains Brian Morris a priest in June 2017 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence, RI.

We can help this effort to increase priestly and religious vocations with our continued prayers and by encouraging young people especially within our own families and in our parish family to consider a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. Remember that prayer, encouragement and support are needed if we are too drown out the noisy secular world around us and let God’s call be truly heard.

Bishop Tobin recently said to the priests of the Diocese of Providence, "Please pray fervently for and work deliberately for more vocations to the priesthood in the Diocese. Of course a priestly vocation originates in the heart of God, but it is nourished in our homes, parishes and schools. You and I were inspired by priests we’ve known and loved. The same is true for future priests; they will be inspired and encouraged by us! God said: “I will give you shepherds,” and I believe Him."

On this Good Shepherd Sunday let us heed the Bishop’s call to pray fervently for more vocations for the Church of Providence. Pray, encourage and support vocations! Do good. Be well.  God Bless. Go Sox!!

Spring Soiree Supports OLM

Dear Parishioners:                                

Is it spring yet? Snowstorms on Easter Monday and frigid temperatures in April, it must be springtime in New England. Opening Day at Fenway Park look like a Patriot’s game in December!  I’m ready for the sun, the flowers and the warm temperatures to reappear soon! Hopefully this week coming week the sun will shine for all those enjoying the Spring Vacation Week.  While many head south for the sun, let’s pray it warms up around here so the school kids on break can get outside and enjoy it! 

Last Friday the OLM School Community celebrated the Annual Spring Soiree at Quidnessett Country Club.   Nearly two hundred parents, teachers and friends of OLM School came together not only to celebrate our wonderful parish school but to support it too! With both a live and silent auction, the event raised in excess of $80,000 in one night!

There were some truly terrific auction items like tickets to Hamilton on Broadway, Patriots box seats, golf foursomes at area private courses including the elite Shelter Harbor Country Club, a stay on Block Island, beach houses in Matunuck and the Jersey Shore, Dinner with the Priests of OLM (always a big seller!) and even a Hi-Lo Jack Night with Fr. Healey at the Regency Cigar Emporium!

We are grateful to the many donors of these great items and especially grateful to the folks who made such generous bids at the auction. Our own Gene Valicenti served as our MC for the night and did an outstanding  job.  I also thank Lisa Cooper, the OLM School PTG President, and her hardworking committee for providing a fun and fruitful night for our school!

The proceeds from this important fundraiser for our school go directly to fund the needs of our school.  As you can imagine the cost of operating a parish school continues to grow as does the need for continued improvement in the area of technology and maintenance of a school built in 1950.  We are truly blessed with a school and parish community that understand the importance of Catholic Education.  The generous spirit and tremendous financial support by our school parents, parishioners and friends of OLM School help to ensure that our parish school can continue to succeed in helping to form the next generation of saints and scholars. 

Speaking of saints and scholars, we could use some at the RI Statehouse these days.  In the last two weeks the so-called “progressive” agenda has gained momentum with hearings on bills that would attack the sanctity of life.  Once again the sick, suffering and terminally ill are being threatened with legislation that would lead to euthanasia. 

Also a bill that would expand abortion on demand up until the ninth month payed for by taxpayers was also considered by our elected officials. Thankfully a good number of people turned out for these hearings and spoke in defense of human life. 

These bills are a sign of our times as some elected officials desire to create a “progressive paradise” in RI where the innocent unborn and the sick aren’t welcomed but rather put to death. Sadly those supporting such extreme legislation include our local RI State Representatives, Evan Shanley from Warwick and Julie Casimiro from North Kingstown.  Pray that they and other elected officials heed the words of Pope Francis:   “All human life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”  

Sadly the voice of the voiceless at the statehouse is diminishing as agents of the culture of death continue to advance their agenda  with the support of many of our elected officials.  However, I wish to commend RI State Representative from East Greenwich,  Anthony Giaurusso, for his consistent support of the sanctity of life. He is an elected official who has the courage of his convictions and is not afraid to protect the unborn and vulnerable.

It’s Easter and the Risen Christ is truly alive! Never lose hope but rejoice and be glad!  Pope Francis reminds us in his new exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate: “Do not be afraid of holiness!”

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

The Easter Season Begins with Great Rejoicing and Gratitude!

Dear Parishioners:                                

Happy Easter!  We continue to rejoice in the Resurrection of Christ. Easter is much more than a day! In fact,  it is a season of 50 days to rejoice and reflect upon our new life in Christ.

Newly recieved into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil on March 31st, Sue Healey poses with Fr. Healey, OLM Pastor and Janice M. Healey, her sponsor.

We rejoice and give thanks for our newly initiated into the Church.  We rejoice with Al Behbehani who was baptized, confirmed and made his First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.  Also we welcomed Susan Healey, my sister-in-law, who was received into the Catholic Church, confirmed and made First Holy Communion.  We also congratulate Grace Dobrzynski, Gerianne and Joanne Exil, Ken and Melissa Goudreau, and Haley Pinheiro who were all confirmed at the Easter Vigil!

It was a joyful celebration last Saturday night as these men and women were reborn and confirmed in the Risen Christ!  We thank them for making the journey in faith to Easter and  choosing to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church! We welcome them and pledge our prayers that they may flourish in the faith.

The Easter Vigil is always a beautiful and meaningful event in the life of our parish.  Of course, the beauty and majesty of Easter at OLM is the result of the dedication and hard work of  many people. We must thank so many who work  so hard and give so much to   ensuring a beautiful Holy Week.

Alleluia, He has Risen!  He has Risen Indeed!

We must thank Celia Franzone and her dedicated band of decorators who ensured the Church was properly and beautifully decorated for each ceremony of Holy Week.  Of course, Paul Anderson and the great maintenance staff at OLM deserve thanks too as they cleaned and prepared the Church property and assisted so ably setting up for Holy Week.

OLM Senior Altar Servers pose in the sacristy prior to Easter Vigil, March 31, 2018.

We also thank our many sacristans who ready all the vestments and sacred vessels for all the ceremonies of Holy Week and Easter.  Their work behind the scenes is an invaluable service to the parish.  Our corps of  outstanding OLM Altar Servers did a terrific job serving Holy Week and Easter. I received many compliments for their  service which is always  so reverent and dutiful. We thank them for their commitment to serving God and parish so faithfully.

We also thank our lectors for proclaiming  God’s Word with great solemnity; our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who reverently helped distribute Communion to the very large crowds at all the Masses; our OLM Ushers for their service in welcoming our many visitors and ensuring that OLM is always a place of hospitality and civility.

We thank our wonderfully talented musicians and OLM Choir.  Henri St. Louis, our organist and Choir  Director and our soloist, Deirdre Donovan,  do an outstanding job ensuring the music is appropriate  and also beautifully played and sung.  Our OLM Choir  brought  much beauty to the celebration of Holy Week and Easter.  The music at the Easter Vigil with the brass and timpani was truly majestic and fitting for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection!

I wish to thank our religious sisters, Sister Emma and Sister Lourdes, who help us so much daily but even more so during these busy seasons.  Their witness to humility and service is a sign for us all.

Deacon John Dowd carries the Book of the Gospel.

I thank Bishop Evans, Fr. Barrow, Fr. Connors and Deacon Dowd for their great help and loyal support in making Holy Week and Easter so meaningful and majestic.  In particular, I must truly commend Fr. Barrow for his incredibly hard work and attention to the many details of Holy Week. We are  truly blessed at OLM to have such young, fine, talented, holy and zealous priests and we give thanks to God for their vocations and Bishop Tobin for assigning them here!

Congratulations to our OLM Girls 7th/8th Grade Basketball Team who are  State Champions! Our CAL Basketball program is an important part of the life our parish and I thank all the players, volunteer coaches and parents who make it possible.  We celebrate all our CAL Basketball Teams on Sunday night with our annual banquet!  Thanks for a great season!

“Easter is the feast of the new creation. Jesus has opened the door to a new life,” said Pope Emeritus Benedict XV.  Let’s continue to open that door to new life in the Risen Christ!  Easter isn’t a day nor a week but a season! Rejoice and live your faith to the fullest! Do good. Be well.  God Bless. Go Sox!!

Alleluia, He has Risen! He has Risen Indeed, Alleluia! A Happy and Holy Easter!

Dear Parishioners:   

OLM beautifully deocrated for the Easter Season! 

                             
A Happy and Holy Easter! Alleluia, He has risen! He has risen indeed, Alleluia!  This is the traditional Easter greeting that recounts the great joy of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.  At Easter we celebrate and confess our faith that Jesus is truly risen from the dead! We also proclaim the extraordinarily good news that Jesus also invites us to rise with Him! He shares with us His triumph over the cross! And so we joyfully acclaim  that we are partakers in the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter Mass as we sing: “By dying, He destroyed our death! By rising, He restores our life!” 

With the death of a loved one or a friend, we  often recall that we do share in the victory of the Risen Christ  It is at these times that we immediately trust that, by the mercy of Jesus, we are united with Him forever in heaven.  But immortality, eternal life, is but the ultimate way we share in our Lord’s triumph of Easter. A second way is so beautifully evident in our lives too.  In and through Jesus, we, too, have the power to die to our sins, worries, anxieties, failures, and suffering. 

With Christ we rise to a new life of virtue, peace, fidelity, and truly find meaning in our lives. The cross is still there but with Christ we can conquer it and it has meaning.  Simply ask the cancer survivor, the recovering alcoholic or addict, or even the married couple struggling who persevere and get through their tribulations. The  power of the Resurrection of Jesus  Christ lives on in our lives!

Another way we share in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is through the sacraments.  Jesus desires to imbue His new, risen life into our souls.  We call that life of Christ within our hearts grace.  Christ gives us grace in many ways, but quite beautifully and profoundly through the seven sacraments of the Church.

On Holy Saturday throughout the  Church  across the globe thousands of adults  are baptized, profess our Catholic faith, receive the sacrament of Confirmation, and their first Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil Mass.

Following the Easter vigil, the newly Baptized and Confirmed Al Behbehani wears his White Baptismal gown and poses with his sponsors, Mary Anne and Rod Weaver, and Fr. Healey, OLM Pastor.

Here at the Easter Vigil Mass at Our Lady of Mercy we witness right before our eyes, several people rise to a new life as Jesus pours His light and life into their thirsting, hungry souls. One adult is to be baptized, another adult received into the Catholic Church and  several other adults to be Confirmed.  It is always a great joy for our parish to welcome  new members and  fully initiate others. It is truly a sign of the vitality of our Catholic Faith and the parish life at Our Lady of Mercy.

Following the Easter vigil, the newly Confirmed Joanne and Gerrianne Exil pose with their sponsor, Kelsey Exil and Fr. Healey.

We rejoice as we offer our congratulations to our new Catholics who have made the journey into the Catholic Church.  Together we celebrate this great season of joy and glory for the next fifty days of  Easter. While it is the beginning of spring in the world around us, it is also  spring in the Church. We watch the flowers bloom but we also watch the  faith blossom with  First Holy Communions, confirmations, weddings, and ordinations. We rejoice in the sacramental life of the Church unleashed from the cross and Resurrection.

At Easter, we rise to a new life of grace and mercy as we are renewed in the Risen Lord! This renewal never stops! Jesus is always renewing His Church. We are part of that renewal as we immerse ourselves into the glory of Easter.  The gloom, death and darkness of Good Friday do not have the final word! Rejoice, the Risen Christ radiates light, life and love all over!

Bishop Tobin preaches at the 2015 OLM Confirmaiton Mass.

We are blessed to have our Bishop, the Most Reverend  Thomas J. Tobin, celebrate the  School Mass on the upcoming First Friday, April 6th at 9:00am.  The Bishop will also visit our excellent parish school and see firsthand the great spirit of  wisdom and faith of our wonderful students and tremendous faculty.  In a special way, we celebrate Bishop Tobin’s  birthday. He marks his 70th birthday on Easter Sunday! (It’s not an April Fools joke!) Please join us this Friday as we welcome our Chief Shepherd! 

A very Happy Easter and Birthday Bishop Tobin! On behalf of Fr. Barrow, Fr. Connors, Deacon Dowd, our religious sisters, and myself, I wish you  a Blessed Easter! You are in our prayers and  are remembered at Easter Masses.    Alleluia, He has risen! He has risen indeed, Alleluia!  Happy Easter! Do good. Be well.  God Bless. Go Sox!!

The Week that Changed the World, Celebrate Holy Week

Dear Parishioners:                                

Holy Week is the week that changed the world.    We begin this most sacred of weeks with the celebration of Palm Sunday and the Proclamation of the Passion of our Lord. This day inaugurates Holy Week with the triumphal entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem.                

We relive this historic event of salvation history  at Mass with a procession into the church and a solemn blessing of palm branches. St. Augustine writes: "The palm leaves symbolize homage, for they stand for victory. Our Lord is on the point of conquering by dying on the cross. Under the sign of the cross, he is about to triumph over the devil, the prince of death."

On Monday of Holy Week, Bishop Tobin celebrates the Chrism Mass, a Mass in which the oil of the sick, used in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and the oil of catechumens, used in preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism, are blessed. Also the sacred Chrism, used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, is consecrated. At this Annual Mass, all priests of the diocese renew their priestly promises and their pledge to remain in communion with the bishop, our Chief Shepherd and head of the Church of Providence. The Chrism Mass reminds us  that we are anointed at our baptism and that, through the ordained men He chooses, Christ continues the ministry of his one High Priesthood, a ministry of word and sacrament.

On Holy Tuesday we  move ever closer to Jesus’ Passion as the liturgy focuses on Jesus announcing Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial. On Spy Wednesday, the traditional name for the day before Jesus is betrayed, Judas visits the chief priests of the Temple  promising to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. This day is traditionally called “Spy Wednesday” in reference to the “spy” or “traitor,” Judas.

Holy Thursday marks the end of the holy season of Lent and the beginning of the most sacred time in our liturgical year: the Paschal Triduum. These three days are one unit wherein the greatest mysteries of our redemption are celebrated.    On Holy Thursday we gather in the evening to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We celebrate the institution of the ordained priesthood and the Sacrament of  the Holy Eucharist.

Holy Thursday is also called “Maundy Thursday” in reference to the “mandatum,” which is Jesus’ commandment to love one another. It is symbolized by his washing of the feet of the apostles and the gesture is reenacted by the parish priests with the washing of feet of parishioners. On this holy night, the Eucharist is carried in procession to the altar of repose. There we adore Christ truly present in the Eucharist and keep watch with him as did the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane.

On Good Friday we  fix our gaze on the Cross. There is no celebration of Mass on this  most somber day in the Church’s calendar.  In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday — the adoration and veneration of the Cross, the reading of the Passion and the reception of Holy Communion — we not only behold the wood of the Cross, but we also unite ourselves and our crosses to our Savior.

Holy Saturday  is a holy day of “waiting,” when Jesus is said to have “descended into the dead” to bring the just souls who died before his sacrifice on the cross to the glories of heaven. We wait in prayer until the Easter Vigil, which begins in the dark and ends in the light of Christ’s resurrection. It is a solemn and beautiful liturgy as those coming into the Catholic faith are baptized, recieved and confirmed. The Alleluia and the singing of the Gloria return to the liturgy, and church bells that have been silent ring joyfully.

St. Augustine calls the Easter Vigil, the “Mother of all Vigils.” This year at OLM we baptize one adult, receive a non-Catholic into the Church and confirm several other adults.  On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in which he conquered death itself and opened the gates of Heaven to us. And so we proclaim with great joy on Easter : “The Lord is Risen. He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!”

Please join us this week for the celebration of Holy Week 2018.  Holy Week is indeed the week that changed the world, so let it change your world this year! Do good. Be well.  A Blessed Holy Week to you all!

Enough Snow! Let's Celebrate Saints and Prepare for Holy Week!!

Dear Parishioners:                                

I hope you survived the big snowstorm on Tuesday! It was a reminder that winter has not ended yet! I thank Paul Anderson, and his crack crew, who worked very hard all day to shovel and plow the snow!  They did a great job and we are grateful!                             

Luckily we didn’t lose power, or heat, but we were snowed in all day.  We still celebrated Mass at OLM!  In fact, about 10 hearty souls attended the 7:30am Mass on Tuesday morning!  Two brave souls trekked through the height of the snowstorm to attend the 12:05pm Mass!  I commend them all for their faith, witness and dedication to God!

Let’s hope it’s the end of snow until next winter.  But I fear it’s not!  I remember an Easter snowstorm or two over the years!  Let’s pray it doesn’t happen this year but Easter is on April 1st!  April Fools Day just might surprise us all! We celebrated St. Patrick's Day on Saturday morning. 

I am grateful to Bishop Evans who celebrated the Mass and Fr. David Gaffney who served as the homilist.  Also, I thank OLM Parishioner Sinead Campion who did the readings in her native Irish!  It was a beautiful and solemn celebration with beautiful music and a great reception of Irish coffee and soda bread!

Of course on Monday at Noon we mark the Solemnity of St. Joseph with Mass in Italian.  Again Bishop Evans serves as our celebrant and will celebrate the Mass in Italian!  We thank Andrea Minopoli, from    La Masseria,  and Dr. Anthony Bruzzese who will read in Italian.  It is always a beautiful and solemn celebration and afterwards we enjoy a little Italian Coffee and a zeppole or two!  I hope you can join us!

On Friday of this week I invite you to join in our special presentation of the Living Stations of the Cross. This beautiful and prayerful event is performed by the students of OLM Middle School.  It is always a great way to prepare for Holy Week.  There are two performances on Friday, the first at 1:00pm and then again at 7:00pm in OLM Church.  Join us, and bring the whole family, you and your children will find it a great reflection for this holy season.

Of course, next weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord is to be solemnly proclaimed at all Masses. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and marks the beginning of Holy Week. We will bless palm branches at all Masses and celebrate the solemn palm procession from Mercy Park at the 10:30 Mass. 

On Palm Sunday our second collection is always the Operation Rice Bowl Collection.  I hope and pray you’ve been filing those humble cardboard bowls throughout these forty days of Lent.  All the funds collected from the Rice Bowls go directly to support the hungry of our world.  There are millions who suffer in famine and malnourishment and its our Church through the great work of Catholic Relief Services that helps to feed them on a daily basis.  

I ask that you please count the many coins you’ve collected and return it in the form of a check payable to OLM.  This helps our Monday morning counters complete the count.  My thanks in advance for your cooperation and your generous support of the Rice Bowl Collection.

Yes this is our last full week of Lent! How has your Lent been going? Have you been praying and fasting? Have you made efforts to give alms to the poor and needy?  Have you made a good Sacramental Confession of your sins?  There’s still plenty of time left to change your heart and renew your relationship with the Lord Jesus. Don’t let Easter come without truly preparing this year.

Next Saturday OLM is hosting All Day Confessions from 9:00am until 3:00pm.  There will be four or more priests available the entire time.  So spread the word among your friends and neighbors! It is a great opportunity to take the necessary time to confess your sins and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.  It is a special grace to do so on the threshold of Holy Week.  St. Augustine reminds us: “The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.”

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day! See you at Living Stations on Friday. Do good. Be well.