Come Holy Spirit, Renew the Face of the Earth

Dear Parishioners:                                

This weekend in a very particular way, we call upon the Lord to send out His Spirit and renew us This weekend, our joy is twofold. Firstly, because we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost, also, we rejoice because we are celebrating Mass with a congregation for the first time in months!                        

Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season. For Christians, it is a memorial of the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and the Virgin Mary in the form of fiery tongues. This event took place fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus and is the culmination of the Paschal mystery. It also commemorates the official inauguration of the Christian Church by the apostolic preaching of St. Peter. Pentecost is, thus, the official birthday of the Church.

The Scripture readings for Pentecost remind us that it is an event of both the past and the present. The readings remind us that is that the gift of the Holy Spirit is something to be shared with others. In other words, the gift of the Holy Spirit moves us to action and inspires us to share this gift with others. The Holy Spirit is that Paraclete (a Greek word meaning Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Encourager, or Enabler), who quietly works in us and through us every day behind the scenes of the daily activities of our lives and the lives of the people around us. He is also there in all His fullness wherever people worship and pray in the name of Jesus, most notably at Holy Mass.

Therefore, we rejoice on this excellent and "essential" feast of our faith. We rejoice today because we are celebrating this great feast together with public Masses after too many months away. We rejoice because we believe and know that the Holy Spirit is with us on this day in a special say. We have longed for this day for many weeks of isolation and quarantine. The Psalmist sings today: "Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth." So as we rejoice on Pentecost as we fervently pray for the Lord to send us His Spirit and renew our lives, our parish, our Church, and our world! 

  Pope emeritus Benedict XVI teaches: "The Holy Spirit is first and foremost a Creator Spirit, hence Pentecost is also a feast of creation. For us Christians, the world is the fruit of an act of love by God who has made all things and in which he rejoices because it is 'good', it is 'very good', as the creation narrative tells us (cf. Gen 1:1-31). Consequently God is not totally Other, unnameable and obscure. God reveals himself, he has a face. God is reason, God is will, God is love, God is beauty. Faith in the Creator Spirit and faith in the Spirit whom the Risen Christ gave to the Apostles and gives to each one of us are therefore inseparably united." 

   So we celebrate today on this Pentecost with great joy and a strong sense of renewal. The Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles and the Blessed Mother on the first Pentecost. They, too, were uncertain of their future. They also had been in isolation and living with fear. The gifts of Spirit enabled them to enter the world and boldly preach the Gospel with courage, with hope, with faith, and with joy! Our calling is to do the same in our uncertain times, amidst the pain, suffering, and fear of our world. May the Spirit leads us to preach the Gospel in word and deed with great courage, hope, faith, and joy! May it call us to renew our faith and trust in our loving God and the Church He established in Christ.  

  With such sincere faith, we continue to pray for the thousands of dead and the many still suffering physically, emotionally, and financially. We pray for all those who serve the suffering and the sick. And we pray for all leaders that they are inspired by the Holy Spirit to serve the common good. We pray that this pandemic may soon end!

Yes, we do rejoice today because of the resumption of the public celebration of Mass. Joyful that we pray together  at Mass.  The limited seating, social distancing, and the lack of singing change how we celebrate Mass. Yet we know that these necessary changes help maintain the safety and well being of all, priests as well as parishioners. However, the essential truth of what we celebrate at Mass, that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, is unchanging.

We rejoice on this Pentecost with faith, with hope, and with great joy! A Joyous Pentecost! Welcome back! Be Well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Come Holy Spirit!!! 

Preparing for Public Mass

Dear Parishioners:        

          On Monday, Governor Raimondo announced that beginning next weekend, houses of worship in RI could open for public worship. The details of the safeguards and guidelines were made available this week. With new guidance from the Diocese of Providence, we are presently working on a plan to offer public Mass at OLM.  Beginning next week please note that when public Masses resume that the schedule of Masses will be limited to ensure time to clean and sanitize the Church before and after each public Mass. The number of people allowed to attend will be very limited to allow for the six feet of separation and social distancing. The communal singing of hymns is not encouraged and our music will be limited as the hymnals have been removed from the pews. 

          The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass is still in effect, and therefore you are not morally obligated to attend. We urge all parishioners who are elderly and infirm and those who have underlying medical issues or are sick in any way not to attend Mass. The safety and well-being of every parishioner are of paramount concern. Those who choose not to participate in public Mass out health and safety concerns are entirely justified in their decision.  Also, we urge everyone to wear a face mask during the Mass and to wash their hands before Mass. We want everyone to be safe. As we resume public Mass, know that not everyone might be able to attend due to limitations on the number of people. 

          As the parish staff and I continue to plan for the resumption of public Masses at OLM, I ask for your patience and understanding. We hope to communicate the details of our plan this week by Flock Note and on the webpage. If you have not yet signed up for Flock Note, I encourage you to do so now as this is the most efficient and timely way for us to communicate to the parish.  

          It is not a time for us to be reckless or rebellious but rather to practice unity and charity. Recently I have noticed an increased lack of charity and civility towards people working on the frontlines in stores and also regrettably even towards our parish staff.  People quickly berate workers when they don’t get the answer they desire.  I assume it is the result of isolation, fear, and frustration during a crisis.  However, such rude impatience with others and harsh criticism offered uncharitably and sometimes angrily are not the way of the Christian. They are more than a bad habit, but instead, they are quite sinful! This week might be the week to make the way back to the Confessional and worthily prepare for Holy Communion.  

          After all, the reception of Holy Communion worthily is not a trivial matter. The Catechism teaches what the chief effects of a worthy Holy Communion are:  “First, a closer union with Our Lord and a more fervent love of God and of our neighbor; Second, an increase of sanctifying grace; Third, preservation from mortal sin and remission of venial sin; Fourth, the lessening of our inclinations to sin and the help to practice good works.”

          Over these weeks of isolation due to the pandemic, the Mass is being celebrated daily across the globe. Christ comes to us every day through the Sacred Priesthood and the daily offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.           While many have had to fast from the Eucharist temporarily, many of our fellow Catholics across the globe, have gone without weekly Communion for much more extended periods due to war, persecution, famine, and remote location. One sage commentator noted: “Neither our faith, nor our salvation, nor the centrality of the Eucharist depends on insisting on our ‘right’ to receive Communion every Sunday.”   

While the Church encourages the faithful to receive Communion regularly, there is an obligation only to receive once a year, especially during the Easter season. I hope that the fast from the Eucharist leads to a renewal of faith and a greater understanding of the real presence of Christ. May, the absence of Holy Communion, make our hearts grow fonder for the Eucharistic Lord.      

As a parish family, we patiently prepare for public Mass with an abundance of prudence and caution always striving to serve the common good not our individual needs. So too, we should prepare ourselves individually for the reception of Christ in the Eucharist. Let us do so with prayer and devotion, unity and charity, the avoidance of sin, the mercy of a good Confession, and the proper interior spiritual preparation so we might indeed receive Our Eucharistic Lord worthily.                   

Be Well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us!

Fr. Healey

Prayers, Patience & Public Massses!!

Dear Parishioners:             

We continue to live through this Covid-19 Pandemic with faith and hope.  The faith that God  provides us the strength, perseverance and patience to endure this time of trial.  The hope that the crisis may soon subside, restrictions on our social living eased, cures and vaccines might soon be found.  It is clear that without such faith and hope, we would be doomed to despair and overcome with anxiety.

It is with this spirit of faith that we hope to once again celebrate public Mass with a congregation. Bishop Tobin has publicly shared his desire that public Masses may recommence on Pentecost Sunday on May 31.  His  office is presently formulating guidelines for this eventuality.  These guidelines are the result of a national committee of liturgists, canonist, theologians, medical doctors and scientist who have been advising  the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops  They express how to best  restore public worship in the Catholic Church that ensures the public health and safety of all.

Rhode Island’s own Dr. Timothy Flanigan, a Permanent Deacon of the Diocese of Providence and international expert on infectious disease along with PC’s Professor of Biology  Dominican Father Nicanor Austriaco, O.P. are part of this team of national experts  providing  guidelines for public worship during this time of pandemic.   Locally, Bishop Tobin and his staff have been working closely with the Governor’s Office and  the RI Department of Health. As restrictions on activities and size of gatherings begin to ease over the next few weeks, we intend to follow the guidance of our Bishop and plan to restore the public celebration of Mass at OLM.

I ask  for your prayers  as we begin  this process at OLM but also for your patience and cooperation. The public celebration of Mass will be limited in size and include many safeguards for the safety and well being of all. So please pray for this good end but also be very patient  through the process. Certainly there will be a limit on the size of the congregation allowed in church and also the need to maintain distance during Mass. The church  will need to be hygienically cleaned before and after every public Mass.  Given supply chain difficulties, it may be especially challenging to purchase needed cleaning supplies expeditiously. Also the reception of Holy Communion  undoubtedly presents a challenge. There are no procedures that entirely prevent all risk of infection .  We are relying upon medical and public health experts to give us the best possible advice and guidance about this subject. Working with the Diocese and following proper common sense and safeguards, we are working on a a plan for OLM.

In the meantime, OLM is open daily for your private prayer and devotion.  We hope you  keep social distancing while in church and wear a mask for the sake of others.  Thankfully most parishioners have been cooperative and used common sense when in church. The very last thing I wish to become is a public safety officer who has to admonish people for not following common sense precautions.  We must work in solidarity  and also we must be realistic.  The public celebration of Mass will be very different than we’ve known it.  It will require tremendous patience and great kindness along with cooperation, consideration and common sense by all. 

There has been much pain and suffering endured during this pandemic.  Families have seen their loved ones die alone  without a Mass of Christian Burial. People continue to suffer with great sickness while others endure financial hardship and burdens.  We must continue to pray for them that God might end this plague. Also I know the suffering endured  by many because of no Mass and Holy Communion.  The Eucharistic fast borne of Covid-19, is a painful time for people of faith.  I pray that we are united again at God’s Holy Altar and together rejoice in the Risen Lord truly present in the Eucharist! Our plans for public Mass will be announced in the coming weeks until that time, please continue to pray, persevere and have patience! As Saint John Paul II, reminds us: “Don’t waste your suffering!”

Be well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us!

Celebrating Motherhood & the Greatest Generation

The Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszent

Dear Parishioners:             

The Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty, was the Primate of Hungary. He was imprisoned and persecuted by the Nazis in the Second World War and then after the war by the Communist regime.  He was a Churchman of heroic faith.  Pope Pius XII placed the Cardinal’s hat on his head, saying: “Among the thirty-two, you will be the first to suffer the martyrdom whose symbol this red color is.”

The holy Cardinal  wrote these words about Mothers:

“The Most Important Person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral -a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby’s body. The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God’s creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation. What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?”

Certainly these words  echo our sentiments on this Mothers’ Day. For today, we rejoice at the great gift of Motherhood and give thanks for our own Mothers.  We thank them  for all they mean to us and all  they do and have done for us through their maternal love and guidance.   We offer Holy Mass this Sunday for all Mothers, living and deceased.  May God Bless all Mothers!

Norman Rockwell’s Soldier Returning Home

On Mothers’ Day I lovingly recall my own Mother and all she meant to me.  She died while I was in college but not a day goes by that I don’t pray for her and for her continued guidance in my life. 

On Tuesday, May 8, 1945, President Harry S Truman announced the victory in Europe to the American people and announced that Sunday, May 13—Mother’s Day, appropriately enough—would be a day of prayer in thanksgiving.

In part, his announcement said, “Our rejoicing is sobered and subdued by a supreme consciousness of the terrible price we have paid to rid the world of Hitler and his evil band. Let us not forget, my fellow Americans, the sorrow and the heartache which today abide in the homes of so many of our neighbors—neighbors whose most priceless possession has been rendered as a sacrifice to redeem our liberty. We must work to finish the war. Our victory is only half over.”

Truman’s words come to mind as we mark the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and also the reopening of Rhode Island announced by Governor Raimondo.  We too “must work to finish the war” as our victory over the Covid-19 Virus is only half over. 

The VE Anniversary along with the celebration of Mothers’ Day on Sunday, brought to mind my late parents and what they might make of this pandemic.  Like most of their generation they suffered the economic disaster of the Great Depression and would continue sacrificing throughout the Second World War.  Yet they persevered through their trials and hardships with faith and courage, persistence and determination and went on to prosper. 

We might learn from the example offered by America’s Greatest Generation. After all they were a generation who didn’t complain, grumble or whine. Their greatness is to be found in their dutiful service and witnessed in their willing sacrifice.  They did what was asked of them to liberate Europe and the Pacific.                   

My mother, an honors graduate of Classical High School, sacrificed attending college to work at Quonset to help the war effort. My Grandmother who lost her husband, my grandfather, a Providence Police Officer killed in the line of duty, watched as her four daughters entered the workforce while her three sons enlisted to fight a war.   My Father had to finish Providence College in three years and half years in order to graduate early and enlist. He joined the Army and served in the Italian campaign with distinction in the 88th Infantry, “the Fighting Blue Devils.”

My Father, Sgt. Edward Healey, in front of the Duomo in Florence, Italy during Second World War.

My parents and much of the Greatest Generation might be confused if not amused by the complaints about some of the perceived hardships of this pandemic.  Complaints about lines at supermarkets as we suffer the lack of toilet paper and flour or about wearing masks and practicing social distancing, might make them chuckle.  After all as America’s Greatest Generation they lived without complaining during the economic destitution of the Great Depression and then continued on with the restrictions and ration books on the homefront of a nation at war.

My Father when on the few occasions he did speak about his war experience, once told me that he spent two years in combat without the Sacraments as no Catholic Chaplain was available on the frontlines. Instead he prayed his Rosary beads.

Many are frustrated at the suspension of public worship in our churches, synagogues and mosques because of the pandemic. Yet isn’t it precisely because of the willing sacrifice of those who’ve gone before us that we are able to enjoy our religious liberty today and live with the hope that soon the doors of our houses of worship will open again with unrestricted access.

As we consider the hardships and trials of this war on the coronavirus, on May 8th, the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, I give thanks for America’s Greatest Generation and my father’s small part in the liberation of Europe.  On Mothers’ Day I’ll offer thanks for the sacrifices of Motherhood and my late Mother’s role in my life.  As I offer a Mass without a congregation this Sunday, I am certain to offer prayerful thanksgiving for what my parents and their generation taught me, not so much by their words but by their witness.      

Happy Mothers’ Day! Be well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us!

Prayer in Pandemic, Pick Up Your Beads!

Dear Parishioners:             

              Pope Francis is encouraging every family to pray the Rosary during the month of May.  He stated: “The month of May is approaching, a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary at home within the family.  The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this “family” aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.”

In a Letter for the Month of May, published on the feast of St Mark the Evangelist (25 April), the Holy Father is proposing to everyone to “rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May”, whether individually or as a group, “making the most of both opportunities”.

In his letter, he assures the faithful that he too will be reciting those prayers throughout the month of May, “in spiritual union with all of you as contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial”.

Pope Francis concludes his letter with the promise that he is praying for all of us “especially those suffering most greatly”; and he asks for our prayers as well. The Holy Father also proposes two new prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which can be recited at the end of the Rosary. The First Prayer is:

“O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.  We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of the cross, were united with Jesus’ suffering, and persevered in your faith.  ‘Protectress of the Roman people’, you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us.  For he took upon himself our suffering, and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always
from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.”

 I invite to heed the words of our Holy Father and pray the Rosary daily during May. If every there was a time for us to pray the Rosary it is now.  Together as families and as individuals let us pray for an end to the pandemic: for those who suffer: for the dying and the dead: and for those who care for them. Let us together turn to our Blessed Mother seeking her aid.

The great spiritual writer   Dom Columba Marmion, once said: “Have you not often met poor old women who are most faithful to the pious recitation of the Rosary? You also must do all that you can to recite it with fervor. Get right down, at the feet of Jesus: it is a good thing to make oneself small in the presence of so great a God.”

Please be sure to join us every Monday night at 7:00PM for the livestreaming of May Devotions. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed as we  devoutly pray the Rosary  as a parish family. So set the time and tune in on Mondays at 7:00PM.  Together as a praish family let  ask our patroness, Our Lady of Mercy, for her powerful intercession for our world and our own intentions.  After all, the family that prays together, stays together even when separated by “social distancing”. 

The great tradition of the Rosary  traces its roots to St. Dominic in the 12th Century when he was distressed  in his preaching in countering the Albigensian heretics. In his desperation, Dominic turned to Mother Mary for help.  She appeared and  urged him to use the mysteries of our salvation as an instrument in combatting the great heresy of his day. Remember that Rosaries are not just decorations. Battles have been won because people prayed the Rosary! Hearts converted, illnesses cured and even  some impossible intentions answered. Life can only be blessed if we start praying the Rosary. So take up your beads, take the time daily and pray the Rosary!

St. Josemaria Escriva teaches us that: “The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.” Pray the Rosary!  Be well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

A World Without Public Mass?!

Dear Parishioners:             

As we approach the end the month of April, we also enter into another week of lock down and quarantine.  It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in this state for so many weeks without Public Masses, no school, no socialization and no sports!! It was obvious on this past Sunday when the sun came out and the temperature went up that people were ready to get out. As is my usual Easter custom, I made a pilgrimage to St. Ann Cemetery to visit my parents’ and grandparents ‘graves.  The roads were busy with traffic, the streets full of walkers and bikers, and the cemetery was crowded. 

However, we continue to follow the safety measures including social distancing and gathering only in groups of five people or under.  We hope and pray that we might soon resume some of our normal routines in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, we continue to pray for our world and for an end to the pandemic.  

Fr. Connors has returned to Boston to serve as a special Corvid 19 Chaplain to the sick and dying.  The Cardinal requested young priests who were not assigned to parishes to help with this important ministry. He is to stay at the Seminary of St. John and be available for emergencies and the Anointing of the Sick to those suffering from the corona-virus.   

It has been truly sad to see so many die from this awful virus especially those who die alone without their family and often without the Sacraments of the Church.  As priests it is troubling to us that we are prevented from visiting the sick and praying with the dying.  Local hospitals and nursing homes will not allow us into their facilities.  In addition to this troubling circumstance is the sad reality that we cannot celebrate  Funeral Masses for the deceased.

I hope our civic leaders realize the importance of religious freedom when making their decisions about ending the lock-down status of our state.  The free practice of religion is not only guaranteed by our constitution it is “essential” to the fabric of our society and state. It serves the common good of our community to allow the practice of religious faith unhindered by the government!

This week our Holy Father, Pope Francis, specifically prayed for politicians stating: “We pray today for the men and women who have a vocation to politics; politics is a high form of charity, Also for the political parties of various countries so that, in this moment of pandemic, they may seek together the good of the country and not the good of their own party."

“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”

— St. Maximilian Kolbe

We continue to anticipate what may happen when the lock-down begins to be lifted.  How it impacts our churches remains to be seen.  We hope that in some fashion  we might be able to publicly celebrate Mass with perhaps a limited number of people. We have several candidates for the Sacrament of Initiation and would like to get them the Sacraments. The Easter Vigil is typically when this is done but we were prevented from doing so this year due to the pandemic. We hope we can celebrate their Sacraments soon, so please continue to pray for these candidates.

We are also postponing  our First Communion Mass.  We are uncertain when and how we might be able to celebrate this most important even in the life of our Church and parish..  In the meantime, continue to pray that the First Communion Class and their families continue to practice their faith at home with a deep devotion and faithfully join us for Mass online on Sunday. 

I pray this time  strengthens our love and devotion of the Eucharist. This week a friend told me now he truly understands how much he took Mass for granted.  It was readily available every day in many places and at many times and now public worship is prohibited.

And so, may we who under the ordinary circumstances of our lives enjoy the great privilege of  attending  Holy Mass in peace and freedom never be tempted to use words like “boring” to describe it.  May we never again think of other things as more important than Mass on Sundays, but, rather, may our hearts burn with thanksgiving for the great gift of the Eucharist, of receiving Jesus’ Body and Blood, and to proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes, the death that, at every sacred altar, brings us new life.

St. Maximilian Kolbe who died in Auschwitz deprived of the Mass by his Nazi captors said: "If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion."

Be well. Do Good! Stay safe! God Bless. Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us!