Celebrations of Hope & Faith

Dear Parishioners:

Fr. Healey, Fr. Connors, and the seminarians from Our Lady of Providence Seminary.

Last Sunday, Fr. Connors, Rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary, celebrated the 10:30 am.  He brought the eighteen seminarians in formation for the priesthood at the seminary.  They are an impressive group of young men answering the Lord's call to follow him as a priest.  They are not all from the Diocese of Providence.  Some of these men prepare to serve as priests for other Dioceses, including Boston,   Worcester, Manchester, New Hampshire, Brooklyn, Rochester, and Rockville Centre, New York. It was a tremendous sign of hope for our Church and a particular grace for our parish. Speaking to seminarians in formation for the priesthood,

Pope Francis urged them to:  "Never extinguish that fire that will make you fearless preachers of the Gospel, dispensers of divine treasures. Be united with Jesus, like Mary, to surrender yourselves with Him in the Eucharistic sacrifice and the glory of His triumph. Pray for Fr. Connors and the OLP Seminary Faculty as they lead and guide these men in formation. Pray seminarians heed the Holy Father's wise words and persevere in their priestly vocation. They are the future priests who will serve God's people and proclaim the Gospel. 

Construction project in Mercy Park.

As you've noticed, we are adding some pavers around the Sacred Heart statue in Mercy Park. When completed, it will be a beautiful addition to our parish's physical plant, and the statue will be highlighted. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is mercy itself, and the statue is a fitting addition to Mercy Park. We hope to add a few stone benches to the park as part of this project so Mercy Park might be available for prayer, reflection, and receptions.

Our school boiler project is underway.  The two new boilers have been ordered and are being built.  We hope to install them in the next few weeks.  Arden Engineering Constructors are the project's contractor, and the total cost of the boilers is $168,000.  It is being funded by the proceeds from the Grateful for God's Providence Capital Campaign.  Thank you for your generous support of the campaign, which has made this most needed project possible.

This Thursday a Farewell Mass for Archbishop Henning will be celebrated at the Cathedral.  Everyone is invited to attend the Mass and say Farewell as we pray for Archbishop Henning.   He will be installed as the new Archbishop of Boston on October 31. 

Confirmation 2024 at OLM with Archbishop Henning.

Next Sunday, at the 5:00 pm Mass, fifty-six young adults of our parish will be confirmed by Bishop Evans. They will confirm their Catholic Faith and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  After interviewing them, I know they are well prepared to receive the Sacrament.  I am grateful to Mr. Jeremy Long, who directs our Confirmation  Program.  Please pray for them. 

As Pope Francis has said: "We can study the history of salvation, we can study the whole of Theology, but without the Spirit we cannot understand. It is the Spirit that makes us realize the truth or–in the words of Our Lord–it is the Spirit that makes us know the voice of Jesus."

Sister Lourdes departed this week to visit her native home in the Philippines. While there, she will meet with her superiors at the Motherhouse. She will also be able to spend some time with her family. She returns to OLM in early November. Please pray for her safe travels.

Monday is  Columbus Day, commemorating explorer Christopher Columbus' landing in the New World on October 12, 1492. It also celebrates the cultural heritage of Italian Americans since  Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy.  When I was a child, "Columbus Day" was celebrated, not just with banks and post offices closed but also with a day off of school. All of America celebrated the hero who "in 1492…sailed the ocean blue." 

I invite you to celebrate the day with prayer and devotion. Join us for Mass at 8:30 a.m. and October Devotions at 7:00 p.m. Our Rosary last Monday night was offered for peace, especially in the Holy Land. October is Respect Life Month, and so this week, we offer the Rosary for increased respect for the sanctity of all human life.  

Be well. Do good. God Bless.  Happy Columbus Day!

The First Landing of Christopher Columbus (1450-1506) in America, 1862 by Dioscoro Teofilo Puebla Tolin

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary! Pick One Up & Pray!!!

Dear Parishioners:                   

Monday, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. St. Pius V established the feast of Our Lady of Victory to thank God for the Christian defeat of the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to praying the Rosary. Pope Gregory XIII changed the name to Feast of the Holy Rosary–originally celebrated on the first Sunday in October–in 1573. Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716. Moreover, in 1913, St. Pius X set a date for the feast that we know today, October 7.

The development of the Rosary has a long history. First, a practice was developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then, there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon, a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail Mary.

Though Mary's giving of the Rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of  Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century, the Rosary was developed to consist of 15 mysteries: joyful, sorrowful, and glorious. In 2002, St. Pope John Paul II added the five Mysteries of Light (luminous) to this devotion.

The purpose of the Rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death, and resurrection. The "Our Fathers" remind us that Jesus' Father initiated salvation. The "Hail Marys" remind us to join Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The "Glory Bes" remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.

The Rosary appeals to many people. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create a prayerful atmosphere to contemplate God's mysteries. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever, and Jesus sheds his divine light upon us. October is a month dedicated to the Rosary.  If the Rosary is not a part of your regular prayer life, it is easy to get your feet wet with this devotion.  Pick up your rosary beads.  It is an easy practice of prayer to begin and make part of your regular spiritual life.

You do not have to pray the Rosary all at once. Sure, some people might sit down and quietly pray a whole rosary in one sitting. However, we can also divide it up, saying just a decade or two at different points throughout the day: on the way to work, in between errands, in between meetings, while folding laundry, or doing dishes.  Many holy men and women and even popes have prayed the Rosary this way and have found it manageable and fruitful for their busy lives.

We can pray  the Rosary anywhere! It is like a portable chapel we can keep in our pocket and pull out anytime, anyplace. Whether we have a sudden, urgent situation to present to God in prayer or want to fill some of our days with thoughts of God, all we need to do is pull out our beads and turn to the Lord as we pray the Rosary. We might pray it in a church, the bedroom, or office. We might pray it in the car, on the treadmill, in the grocery store line, while cutting the grass or taking a walk. Bringing our hearts into the rhythm of the Rosary is something we can do throughout any day.  It is easy to fit the Rosary into your schedule, give it a try!

The American Journalist James Foley was kidnapped and then executed by ISIS in 2014. He was a devout Catholic who faced severe beatings and torture at the hands of his terrorist captors. While imprisoned in Libya, Foley never missed praying the Rosary. He wrote:  "I began to pray the Rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. It took almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused."

Join us on Monday at 7:00 PM for October Devotions as we pray the Rosary as a parish family before the Eucharistic Lord.  Be well. Do good. God Bless.  Our Lady of Rosary, pray for us!

Giving Thanks for the Gift of God's Beauty & Creation

Dear Parishioners:                   

OLM School 2024 Saints and Scholars Open

We celebrated our Parish Feast this past week with much enthusiasm.  I hope you were able to join us for some of the celebrations.  Monday was a sunny and beautiful day.  This news was welcomed as we started our Parish Feast Week with the Saints and Scholars Open Golf Tournament.  Over 100 golfers enjoyed a day at Quidnessett Country Club.    

A beautiful Feast Day Mass on Tuesday, a Holy Hour of Mercy on Wednesday, an Act of Mercy on Thursday, and the Oktoberfest on Friday night highlighted the week.  Such fun, faith, and fellowship bring life and vitality to our parish family. I wish to thank the many volunteers who made the week so successful.   Mrs. Lee Mita, the Chair of the Golf Tournament, is hardworking in making it a great success.  We thank her for her dedication and the  others who volunteered, sponsored, and played the tournament. 

We thank the OLM Staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring all the plans are implemented and everything is prepared and ready. Their hard work and dedication to our parish make for an outstanding and successful Feast Week.  We also thank the many parish volunteers who assisted OLM Outreach Director Doug Green with our Work of Mercy on Thursday evening. The backpacks were filled with much-needed supplies and greatly helped people in need.  It is a witness to our parish's mercy and generous charity.

The German food, beer, and music always make our Oktoberfest a fun event for the whole family. The original Oktoberfest in 1810 was a wedding feast for the marriage of the Bavarian crown prince and his bride. The party lasted a few weeks!  

Today in Munich, Germany, the Oktoberfest is a two-week festival celebrating Bavarian culture, beer, food, and music. At OLM, we end our Feast Week dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy with Oktoberfest as we prepare for October, the Month of Mary, our patroness.

In October, we begin our weekly Marian Devotions on the Mondays of the month. Come join us for prayer and adoration of the Eucharistic Lord, Recitation of the Holy Rosary, Meditative Marian Music, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  Clearly, Ryan Seacrest is no Pat Sajak!  So turn off the Wheel of Fortune and come to Devotions. Join us as we turn in prayer to  Mother Mary.  St. Padre Pio reminds us: "Abandon yourself in the hands of Mary. She will take care of you."   

St. Francis of Assisi by Philip Fruytiers (1610–1666)

On Friday, October 4, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  He is the patron saint of Italy, animals, and the environment. He was a spoiled rich kid who gave up his family's riches and chose instead to live a life of radical poverty and simplicity. In the 12th century, he astounded and inspired the Church by taking the Gospel literally. Francis said: "Preach the Gospel at all times. use words if necessary."  Many began to follow him and his way of life, and the Franciscan Order was soon born. In 1209, with the approval of Pope Innocent III, Francis established his order. He also loved animals, and in honor of his feast, we will bless all pets, animals, and livestock at 2:30pm in the school parking lot on Friday.

The Feast of St. Francis is a special day for our Franciscan Apostolic Sisters, as he is their patron.  Please pray for them and their vocations. We wish them a  Happy Feast Day! Sister Lourdes is returning home to the Philippines in October for a visit with family and to the Motherhouse. Sister hasn't been back in many years.  Pray for her safe travel and return in November.

Seminary of Our Lady of Providence Administration, Faculty, and Seminarians.

Next Sunday, October 6, Father Connors, the newly installed Rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary, will celebrate the 10:30 am Mass. The seminarians at OLP Seminary in Providence will join us at the Mass. Father Connors directs eighteen seminarians from eight different dioceses in the northeast. Fifteen seminarians pursue studies at Providence College, and three others attend Rhode Island College and will transfer to Providence College next year. Please pray for Father Connors and the OLP seminarians. I know you will give them a warm welcome next Sunday. 

Bring your pets, animals, and livestock to the Blessing on Friday. Be well. Do good. God Bless. St. Francis, pray for us!

Celebrating OLM with Faith, Fun, & Fellowship! Feast Week Begins!

   Dear Parishioners:                   

 It's Feast Week! The Parish Feast Day of Our Lady of Mercy is Tuesday, September 24. Thus, this week, we celebrate Mary and turn in faith to Our Lady of Mercy, giving thanks for her patronage and asking for her continued intercession for our parish, school, ourselves, and our families.   

The devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Mercy" originates from the Order of Our Lady of Mercy.  The Order was founded in 1218 for the ministry of redeeming captives, a work of great mercy. It has always attributed to Mary a special role in its foundation.  For this reason, Saint Peter Nolasco, the founder, dedicated the first church in her honor in 1249.

Devotion to Our Lady of Mercy in the Americas can trace its roots to Christopher Columbus's second voyage, which Mercedarian Father John Solorzano accompanied. Thus began a strong missionary apostolate for the Order, which sought to proclaim the freedom of the sons and daughters of God.

Mercedarians through the centuries have seen in Mary the prototype of that freedom and truth accomplished for us by Jesus in the merciful work of our Redemption.  By looking upon Mary as the true follower of her Son, we understand more fully the freedom in her words:  "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." In the Magnificat, we recognize Jesus's liberating mission, reflected in the prayerful song of His Mother:  "His mercy is from age to age…He has lifted up the lowly and the hungry. He has filled with good things."

"Salve Regina, Mater misericordiae" begins an ancient Latin hymn that translates today to "Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope."  And so we hail the Holy Queen, Our Mother of Mercy, this week as we turn to her as our life, our sweetness, and our hope. Our parish was placed under the patronage of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Mother of Mercy, in 1867.  This is why we revere her and invoke her assistance, using the words of the Salve Regina:  "To you do we cry, poor banished children…in your mercy hear and answer us."

We begin our Feast Week with the Saints and Scholars Open Golf Tournament at Quidnessett Country Club on Monday. Over 100 golfers have signed up to play for the Saints and Scholars at OLM School. Please pray for good weather! Last year, we were rained out!!

Join us on Tuesday for the Solemn Patronal Feast Day Mass at 9:00 am.  Our OLM School Choir will be singing our hymns of praise in honor of Our Lady of Mercy.  Fr. Brian Morris, the Pastor of Christ the King Parish and Chaplain at Bishop Hendricken, is our preacher.  Fr. Morris is a proud graduate of our parish school and a native son of OLM.  Come as we celebrate our Patroness with worship and praise.

We gather for a Holy Hour of Mercy on Wednesday night as we turn to Our Lady for her intercession.  We come to adore her Son, the Eucharistic Lord, pray the Rosary, and meditate with beautiful music from our OLM Choir.   On Thursday at 6:00 pm, join us on the Lynch Field as we perform an Act of Mercy. We gather to assist our OLM Outreach Office in aiding the hungry and homeless as we pack up needed supplies for our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than us.  All parish families are invited to join us in this Act of Mercy.

We end our Mercy Feast Week with the fun and festive Oktoberfest. German food, beer, and music will be available at Lynch Field at 6:00 p.m. It is always a great celebration for both adults and kids. Oktoberfest anticipates the coming month of October, a special month for our parish as it is a month dedicated to the Blessed Mother Mary, our Patroness. Please put on your lederhosen and dirndls and join us! Prosit!

We congratulate Father Mahoney, who Archbishop Henning will install as the Pastor of St. Pius X Church in Westerly this Saturday.  Pray for him as he is officially installed as Pastor and begins shepherding the souls of the Parish of St. Pius X.  May God bless him, and may his priestly ministry be faithful and fruitful.  Ad multos annos!

Happy Feast Week! Join us as we celebrate with great faith, good fun, and friendly fellowship! Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Pats!????

Faithful Service & Getting Ready for the Feast

Dear Parishioners:                    

 One of our altar servers recently asked me if priests retire.  I paraphrased General McArthur: "Old priests never retire; they just fade away!" But the real answer is that priests are allowed to retire. I haven't even considered when I would retire, and I don't get to retire for at least another decade or more!    However, priests do not retire from their priestly life and promises. They continue to celebrate Masses, weddings, and funerals, hear Confessions, preach the Gospel, and perform the Sacraments.

When a priest retires, he retires from parish administration and all the duties associated with being a parish priest. Canon Law has set a priest's retirement age at age 75. However,  a bishop can grant permission for a priest to retire at an earlier age.  In the Diocese of Providence, the Bishop allows priests to retire at age 70 with his permission. Still, many other priests remain working in parish administration beyond 75.  With the growing shortage of priests, many bishops ask priests to delay retirement beyond age 70.  

This weekend, we take up the collection for the  Priests Retirement Fund. Unlike Religious Order priests, who are provided for in every way by their Order,  when diocesan priests retire from parish administration, they lose many benefits such as room & board, housing, car insurance, and a salary. Our retired priests are afforded good health insurance but still pay their Medicare Part B premium and participate in  Social Security.  But salaries were so low years ago ($50 monthly before 1952, then $100 until 1972) that Social Security benefits for our oldest priest retirees are very low.

The principal source of income for retired priests is a modest monthly pension from the Diocesan Priest Pension Fund.   It's a challenge for the Bishop to fund it fully.  Today, more than 90 of our retired priests receive a modest pension.  Approximately two-thirds are still active and helping at parishes. Many keep busy, sometimes assisting at 2 or 3 different parishes.  They often help here at OLM, including Bishop Evans. Retired priests are an integral part of the ongoing work of our parishes in the diocese, especially with the increasing shortage of priests.  While many remain actively assisting, there are some of our priests who live in nursing homes or assisted living and need much more support. 

This is not to suggest that our retired priests are in dire straits, sleeping in homeless shelters, or looking for their next meal in a soup kitchen.  However, a robust and healthy pension fund for our senior priests is vital for the future. The Second Collection this week goes directly to the Senior Priests Retirement Fund.  This collection is an opportunity for us to say 'thank you'  to those priests who have given many years of dedicated service to our parishes, schools, families, and the Church. I thank you for your generous support of this important collection.

It's hard to believe we are gearing up for Our Lady of Mercy Feast Week, which begins next week. Many people are involved in preparing and working hard to make our parish's celebration of the Feast week special. We kick the week off with the Saints and Scholars Open Golf Tournament at Quidnessett Country Club on Monday, September 23.  

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, Tuesday, September 24, we celebrate our Patronal Feast Day Mass. Father Brian Morris, who grew up in our parish and graduated from OLM School, will preach the Feast Day Mass this year. On  Wednesday the 25th, join us for prayer and adoration in our Holy Hour of Mercy at 7:00 pm.  Thursday, September 26, at 6:00 pm on the Lynch Field, we gather for an Act of Mercy as we help the hungry and homeless.  Parishioners of all ages are invited to help us, so bring the whole family.

We conclude the week with the Oktoberfest on Friday, September 27.  It is a great event for the whole family, with German food, beer, music, and lots of fun! Put on your lederhosen and join us as we celebrate the arrival of October, the month dedicated to Mother Mary.  We also draw the winners of the See You In September Raffle, so be sure to get your tickets today!

Be well. Do good. God Bless. How about the Pats!? Let's hope their winning continues!!! Go Pats!!

Prayerfully Remembering

Dear Parishioners:                    

 The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is normally celebrated on September 8 on the Church Calendar. As the date falls on a Sunday this year, we instead celebrate the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. However, since our parish is under the patronage of the Blessed Mother under her title, Our Lady of Mercy, we should celebrate this important Feast somehow.                              

Perhaps we might pray the Rosary in her honor.  The gift of prayer is the best birthday gift we can give.  If you don't know them, learn prayers for Mary, such as the Angelus, Litany of Loreto, Memorare, Hail Mary, and Hail Holy Queen. Have a special dessert with your dinner to celebrate Mary's birthday! 

Mary's birth has been celebrated since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

Scripture does not give an account of Mary's birth. However, pious tradition offers an account. Anna and Joachim were infertile but prayed for a child. They received the promise of a child who would advance God's plan of salvation for the world. Like many biblical counterparts, such a story stresses God's special presence in Mary's life from the beginning.

Saint Augustine connects Mary's birth with Jesus' saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth: "She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed." The opening prayer of the Feast Mass speaks of the birth of Mary's Son as the dawn of our salvation and asks for an increase in peace. If Jesus is the perfect expression of God's love, Mary foreshadows that love. If Jesus has brought the fullness of salvation, Mary is its dawning.

Birthday parties can bring happiness to the celebrant and family and friends. Next to the birth of Jesus, Mary's birth offers the greatest possible happiness to the world. Each time we celebrate her birth, we can confidently hope for more peace in our hearts and the world. The Divine Office has a beautiful prayer for the Feast. Let us offer it in Mary's honor today: 

"Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God, heralded joy to all the world. For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice, Christ our God. Destroying the curse, He gave blessing; and damning death, He bestowed on us life everlasting.  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice, Christ our God."

On Wednesday, we mark the 23rd Anniversary of the September 11th Attack. Mass on Wednesday is to be offered for the many victims.  Please join us as we pray on the anniversary of this tragic day in our nation's history.  We pray for all those who died and for ongoing strength and consolation for their grieving loved ones. Pray that God will protect us and our country and fill all the world with the peace that only he can give.

As we mark this sad anniversary, we anticipate Saturday's Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It celebrates two historical events: the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, in 320 in Jerusalem.

Also, it recalls the dedication in 335 of the basilica and shrine built on Calvary by Constantine, which mark the site of the Crucifixion.   The Persians destroyed the basilica, named the Martyrium, and the shrine, named the Calvarium, in 614. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which now stands on the site, was built by the Crusaders in 1149.

  However, the Feast, more than anything else, is a celebration and commemoration of God's greatest work: his salvific death on the Cross and His Resurrection, through which death was defeated and the doors to Heaven opened.    The entrance antiphon for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross  reminds us why we celebrate this feast:

"We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection: through him we are saved and made free."   

May we solemnly and prayerfully remember those important days! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Pats!