Bishop Tobin Opens Jubilee Year of Mercy with Mass and a Visit to Our Lady of Mercy School
East Greenwich, RI -- Bishop Thomas Tobin, Bishop of the Diocese of Providence, visited the Our Lady of Mercy Parish and School Community on Tuesday, December 8. He began with the celebration of Mass at 9 a.m., honoring the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also marked the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, as declared by Pope Francis. During the Year of Mercy, the Pope has called upon the entire Church to reflect on God’s mercy—His love for those who are suffering, those who are in need, and those who are afflicted by sin. He has called for a renewed commitment to God’s Mercy in the Sacrament of Penance. He has also asked that we gain a deeper understanding of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
As is typical at an OLM school mass, students did readings, sang in the choir and served at the altar. Immediately following the mass, the entire student body gathered in the sanctuary for a group photo with the Bishop. Immediately following mass, the Bishop visited several classrooms and encouraged all of
the children to remain close to God and to continue to keep him in their prayers. He prayed with them, some sang for him and all had several questions for him. In his typical humor, he added a plug for his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers on more than one occasion.
With a tradition of excellence in Catholic elementary and middle school education since 1951, Our Lady of Mercy School offers its students an opportunity to pursue excellence in academics, athletics and the arts. Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Pre-K through Grade 8, co-educational Catholic school located in East Greenwich provides a nurturing, values-driven environment built upon the teachings of the Catholic Church.
