Father Joseph M. Brodeur pictured at his Ordination Mass on June 29, 2024 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence.
As announced last weekend, we are grateful to Bishop Lewandowski for assigning Father Joseph M. Brodeur as our new Associate Pastor. Father begins his priestly ministry at OLM on July 1 after his return from Rome, where he is presently finishing up his theological studies.
Born and raised in Westerly, he is the youngest of four children. He is a native son of Saint Pius X Church, where Father Mahoney currently serves as Pastor. Fr. Brodeur attended the parish school from kindergarten to eighth grade before graduating from Westerly High School in 2016.
He then entered the Our Lady of Providence Seminary for his priestly formation during his college years. He is an alumnus of Providence College, where he earned his B.A. in Philosophy and Classics in 2020.
Fr. Brodeur greets the late Holy Father Pope Francis at the Pontifical North American College.
Following college, Father undertook his priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas ('Angelicum'). He was ordained a priest on June 29, 2024, by then Bishop Henning.
Last summer, he served as Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Mary Parishes in Bristol before returning to Rome to complete a Licentiate in Liturgical Theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross ('Santa Croce'). He has been living at the Casa Santa Maria, the American priest graduate house in Rome.
We certainly look forward to his arrival and having Father Brodeur with us at OLM. I know you will give him your usual warm welcome when he arrives in July. Keep him in your prayers
Our Lady of Mercy School held its graduation ceremony for 25 eighth graders on Friday, June 6, at OLM Church. Students processed into "Pomp and Circumstance" and heard readings from scripture before the Graduate reflection, which was delivered by Student Council President Lola Berube. In her speech to her classmates, which referenced Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Lola remarked, “Our OLM journey shows us there is a time to seek to grow our knowledge, to seek to grow our faith, and to seek to explore.” She continued, “Thanks to our formation at OLM, in strengthening our minds and seeking to be virtuous in the eyes of God, we are better friends, students, and children of God.”
Students then had a chance to present roses to their parents as a symbol of appreciation for their dedication and sacrifice in sending them to OLM, while honoring the school’s patron, Our Lady of Mercy. After an address by Principal Patrick McNabb, OLM Pastor Father Bernard Healey distributed diplomas, accompanied by eighth-grade teacher Kathleen Kerrin.
In addition to the traditional caps and gowns, each student was wearing a commemorative OLM School Medal, which was presented to them on Sunday, June 1, as the class celebrated Mass with the parish community. Following the Mass, the graduates and their families gathered at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown for an awards luncheon. There, students were honored for academic excellence in all subjects as well as Christian Values and the Sister Jeanne M. Barry R.S.M Circle of Mercy Award for dedication to the school’s mission.
Of the 25 graduates, 21 will be attending Catholic High Schools, including 13 who will be attending The Prout School. Three will attend each from LaSalle Academy and Bishop Hendricken. One student each will attend Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope in Warwick and Marianapolis Preparatory School. The remaining students will attend Moses Brown, North Kingstown H.S. (2) and Scituate H.S. A very high-performing class, 17 were awarded Presidential Medals for Academic Excellence with nine earning Gold Medals - awarded to students who achieved a 95% overall average for each middle school year and eight Receiving Silver - awarded to students who achieved a 90% overall average for each middle school year.
With a tradition of excellence in Catholic education since 1951, Our Lady of Mercy School supports its students as they strive to be the saints and scholars that God is calling them to be. Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Pre-K through Grade 8, co-educational Catholic school located in East Greenwich, RI, offers its students the opportunity to pursue excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts in a nurturing environment built upon the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Our Lady of Mercy School
Class of 2025
Daniel David Anter-PS La Salle Academy
Lola Giuliana Berube -PG,t The Prout School
Calvin K. Buffington-PG,E,m The Prout School
Cecilia Evangeline Cambio-PG,A,m The Prout School
Domenic Michael DeGraide Marianapolis Preparatory School
Ryan Richard D’Orsi-PS,H Bishop Hendricken High School
Lilly Nancy Flood The Prout School
Sienna A. Giardino-PS,S La Salle Academy
Madeline Anne Graves-PS,T The Prout School
Margaret Mary Haun North Kingstown High School
Alexa Rae Kanelos North Kingstown High School
Mason A. Killinger The Prout School
Nathanael Charles Lamendola-PG,t,SJ Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope
Katie Paige LaPlante -PS,M The Prout School
Andrew Paul Dungca Liwanag-PG,M,A,CV La Salle Academy
Benjamin James Magiera-PG,S,Th,PE Moses Brown School
Daniel Joseph Mahoney Bishop Hendricken High School
Sofia Rose Medici The Prout School
Annabel Margaret Morgan-PG,E The Prout School
Siena Haley Rocchio-PS,Sp,PE The Prout School
Caroline Louise Smith-PG,H The Prout School
Owen Michael Sowa-PS,Sp The Prout School
Gregory R. Stephenson Bishop Hendricken High School
Ella R. Stevens -PG, CV The Prout School
Serafina Hayes Trotta-PS Scituate High School
Code: PG: Presidential Gold Award; PS - Presidential Silver award; E - Excellence in English: H- Excellence in History; M-Excellence in Math; S- Excellence in Science; Th-Excellence in Theology; A-Excellence in Art; m-Excellence in Music; Sp-Excellence in Spanish; t-Excellence in Technology; PE-Excellence in Physical Education; CV-Christian Values; SJ-Sr. Jeanne “Circle of Mercy” Award
OLM School Holds Athletics Banquet
Recognizes Student Athletes for Athletic Performance and Sportsmanship
Our Lady of Mercy School hosted its annual Athletics Banquet on Sunday, May 18, at Quidnessett Country Club. Over 150 student-athletes, coaches, and family members gathered, along with OLM Pastor Father Bernard Healey, Principal Patrick McNabb, and Athletic Director Jerry O’Connell, to honor the student-athletes whose accomplishments stood out throughout the 2024-25 school year, both on and off the field.
More than 130 students in grades K-8 competed in one or more of the sports offered by OLM, including cross-country, co-ed soccer, basketball, softball, junior cross-country, and junior soccer. 62 student-athletes participated in multiple sports during the year, with 14 participating across all three seasons
Also on hand to be celebrated were the 24 volunteer coaches who dedicated countless hours of time, teaching and mentoring throughout the year. All OLM teams compete in either the Catholic Athletic League (CAL) or the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL).
Award Winners
Most Outstanding Player Christian Values
Junior Cross Country (G) Ellie Rielly Liliana Guerriero
Junior Cross Country (B) Declan Lynch Andrew Block
Middle School Cross Country (G) Serafina Trotta Hadley Carosi
Middle School Cross Country (B) Jase Simonelli Owen Sowa
Junior Basketball (B) Jack Gilkey Daniel Quinn
Junior Basketball (G) Maiori Giardino Caroline Casey
Junior Basketball (B) Camden Areson Luca Berube, Lucca Iafrate
Junior Basketball (B) Dexter Fernandes Jake Ellis
Grammar Basketball (G) Callie Smith Katie LaPlante
Grammar Basketball (B) Lucas Sisco Calvin Buffington,Noah Vetovis
Grammar Basketball (B) Jase Simonelli Andrew Liwanag
Middle School Wrestling Domenic DeGraide n/a
Middle School Softball (G) Callie Smith Lola Berube, Sienna Giardino
Junior Soccer (G) Isabella Simas Giuliana Del Signore
Junior Soccer (B) Rocco DiNezza Jacob Maligaya
Middle School Soccer (G) Ella Stevens Lola Berube, Alexa Kanelos
Middle School Soccer (B) Owen Sowa Noah Vetovis
A Prayer for the Pope Leo XIV
Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world. Amen.
V/ Let us pray for the Pope.
R/ May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies.
V/ May your hand be upon your holy servant.
R/ And upon your son, whom you have anointed.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Prayer for Pope Francis
O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favorably on your servant Francis, whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd; grant, we pray, that by word and example, he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to everlasting life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen
