Welcome to OLM Bishop Tobin! Happy 70th Birthday!

Bishop Tobin poses with the OLM School Altar Servers, OLM Deacon John Dowd, Fr. Healey and Fr. Barrow following the April 6th OLM First Friday School Mass.

Bishop Tobin happily cuts his birthday cake!

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence celebrated the OLM First Friday School Mass on April 6th.  The 4th Grade was the host class and did the readings.  The OLM Students served the Mass and the OLM School Choir provided the beautiful music.  The students presented the Bishop with birthday cards and gifts in recognition of his 70th birthday which was April 1st.  Following the Mass, Bishop Tobin was treated to a Birthday Reception by the students, parents and faculty in the OLM School Gym including a "Pittsbugh Steeler MIter" Cake and a new Steeler jersey with his name and the number 701  Bishop then spent time visiting the classrooms where the 1st and 2nd Graders asked questions. 

Bishop Tobin answers questions from Mrs. Ryan's Second Grade Class.

Welcome & Congratulations to our Newly Baptized, Recieved & Confirmed at the Easter Vigil

Alaedin Christopher Behbehani was baptized a Catholic at the Easter Vigil! He is prictured here in his baptismal gown with Fr. Healey and his sponsors, Ron and MaryAnne Weaver.

Susan Elizabeth Ann Seton Healey (pictured on left) was received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. She is pictured with her brother-in-law, Fr. Healey and her sister-in-law, Janice Healey.

On Saturday, March 31, 2018 at the Easter Vigil at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Father Bernard A. Healey, Pastor of OLM, baptized one adult into the Catholic Faith, received one non-Catholic adult into the Catholic Church and Confirmed several adults.  We congradulate our newly intiated and offer our prayers and support as they come into the fullness of hte faith!

Gerianne Veronica Exil and Joanne Amanda Exil were confirmed at the Easter Vigil.  They are pictured here with their sponsor and Fr. Healey

Newly confirmed (on the right) Grace Sarah Dobrzyski is pictured with her sponsor and Fr. Healey.

Haley Anne Pinheiro was confirmed at the Easter Vigil.  She is pictured here with Fr. Healey and her sponsor.

Confirmation Class Bakes for McAuley House

The annual OLM tradition of baking Easter cupcakes for McAuley House took place on Good Friday once again this year.  Many of our candidates for Confirmation spent their Good Friday making and baking over 400 cupcakes for the homeless and hungry to enjoy on Easter Sunday.  Great job by all of them!

Congratulations! OLM Girls Team Wins RI State CAL Championship

OLM Girls 7th/8th Grade Team
Wins RI State CAL Championship

  The OLM Girls’ 7th/8th Grade School Team completed its undefeated season with a 25-14 win over Monsignor Clarke School in the Catholic Athletic League (CAL) State Championship on Saturday, March 24 at St. Mary’s Academy BayView.  The OLM Jaguars finished the year a perfect 14-0 and earned their second consecutive state title, with last year’s 5th/6th grade parish team winning the D1 Parish Division.  The game was a defensive battle at both ends of the floor. 

OLM led most of the way, but Monsignor Clark did not give up, pulling within six with just five minutes remaining in the game. OLM’s leading scorer was seventh grader Meghan Pagliaro (East Greenwich), who chipped in 17 in the victory.  As the team only loses three players to graduation, they will be looking to remain in contention for CAL state honors again next season. 

OLM earned its spot in the championship after a 12-0 regular season and a semifinal win over Immaculate Conception (Cranston) last Saturday, March 17 while Monsignor Clarke earned its spot with a semifinal victory over Blessed Sacrament.

Frenchtown Pack 4 Celebrate 50th Birthday! Call OLM Home!

Pack 4 Scouts celebrate with members of the East Greenwich Town Council.

The Frenchtown Cub Scout Pack 4 marked 50 years on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.  Scout Master Jason Clark served as the MC of the evening that celebrated fifty years of scouting with family, friends, scouts, civic officials, veterans and clergy at the OLM School Gym.  Congratulations!

Fr. Healey celebrates with the scouts from OLM School.

OLM Celebrates St. Patrick and St. Joseph, Hailing the Irish and the Italians

Fr. Healey is joined by Fr. Gaffney, Fr. Barrow, Fr. Bodah, Fr. Henry and Msgr. Halloran and the Irish OLM Servers at the St. Patrick's Day Mass.

OLM Lector, Sinead Campion, offers the readings in her native Irish.

On Saturday, March 17th, Fr. Bernard A. Healey, Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church celebrated the Mass of the Feast of St. Patrick.  Fr. David Gaffney, Rector of the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence, served as the homilist.  Readings in the Irish language were offered by OLM Parishioner Sinead Campion, a native of Ireland.  Irish hymns were sung and a reception featuring Irish Coffee and Irish Soda Bread followed. 

OLM Parishioners and guests celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

On Monday, March 19th, Auxiliary Bishop Robert Evans of Providence celebrated the Mass for the Solemnity of St. Joseph in Italian.  Fr. James Ruggeri, Pastor of St. Patrick's Church in Providence, offered the homily.  Andrea Minopoli of La Masseria Ristorante on Main Street offered a reading in his native Italian and Dr. Anthony Bruzzeze offered a reading in Italian.  OLM parishioners and guests enjoyed a reception with Italian Coffee and zeppole after the Mass!

Bishop Evans and local clergy gather with the OLM Italian Altar Servers on St. Joseph's Day!

Fr. James Ruggeri preaches on the life and virtue of St. Joseph!

OLM RCIA Candidates Celebrate the Rite of Election

Bishop Tobin celebrated the Rite of Election on Sunday, February 18 at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. With great joy we offer our congratulations to two of our RCIA candidates from OLM who are now called “the elect.”  Our “elect” from OLM are Sue Healey, she is to be received into the Catholic Church, and Al Behbehani who is to be baptized and fully     initiated into the Catholic Faith.  These last weeks of Lent are a particularly intense period of prayer and preparation for these catechumens as they ready themselves for the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil Mass. 

The Rite of Election at the Cathedral, Sunday, February 18.  Left to Right: RCIA Team Members Carol Jones, Mary Anne Weaver, Fr. Barrow, Candidate Al Behbehani, RCIA Team Member Don Jones, Candidate Sue Healey and her husband, Mike Healey. 

Guidelines for Lenten Fasting and Asbtinence

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.

Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church.

If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection

OLM Students Celebrate School Choice at RI Statehouse

Ten students from OLM School traveled to the Rhode Island State House on Thursday, January 25 for what has become an annual event in advance of Catholic Schools’ Week, which is to be celebrated nationally next week.  Sponsored by RI Families for School Choice,  the event invites schools from around the state to join together in support of legislative issues that directly impact families who choose a variety of educational options for their children, including Catholic, Christian, Hebrew and Independent schools.  Among the issues being discussed at the State House, the group’s focus was a proposed expansion of the corporate tax credit program.   For further information on this “Raise the Cap” initiative,  visit  faceofri.org

          The highlight of the reception was a variety of performances by several choruses and musical groups from schools around the state.  In addition, local state representatives visited the tables of the various schools in attendance, many meeting with their constituents before heading into their general session. 

          According to its website, the mission of the RI Families for School Choice “seeks to empower families to choose the educational environment that best meets the strengths and needs for each student by advancing public policies and providing a voice for school choice.”    For more information, visit edchoiceri.org.

          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

Congratulations to the OLM School Robotics Team! First Place Winners at Championship

The OLM Robotics Team, “Team Tech Tsunami” won First Place in Programming at the First Lego League Championships on Saturday, January 13 at Roger Williams University.   The team has been working after school since September to program and design a robot which would solve a problem in the human water cycle. According to OLM Coach and Computer Science and Engineering Teacher Bea Lukens, “They have met with experts, built prototypes, and best of all honed their programming skills to be named top in the state in programming!” In December, the team from OLM won First Place in Robot Performance and was the Overall Champion in one of the four regional qualifiers to advance to the State Championships.  Since qualifying, the team  has been putting in extra time and effort towards improving their prototype for a residential septic filter that would save a homeowner 167,000 gallons of water a year!  It would filter septic water to be used to water lawns through an underground sprinkler system. They also worked after school every day to program their robot to complete the missions on the game table, many times through a working dinner. After the State Championship, Mrs. Lukens stated, “All of this was well worth it as the team took home the top trophy in Programming in the State of Rhode Island! Be sure to look for these future engineers in the years to come!”

          Rhode Island Students of the Future has hosted Four First Lego League Qualifying tournaments, all sponsored by National Grid, Textron Charitable Trust and the Verizon Foundation, during the 2017-18 Hydro Dynamics season. First Lego League introduces programming and problem solving to students around the world.

OLM School Students Put on Spectaular Christmas Pageant

The students of OLM School displayed their faith and talent at the Annual Christmas Pageant on Friday, December 14th.  Students from grades Pre-K through 8 sang carols and hymns and offered a live Nativity.  We thank our OLM Music Teacher, Mrs. Nonetta Ruggerio,  for her hard work in planning, rehearsing and conduction the Pageant.  We also thank the OLM Jr. and Sr. Bands under the direction of OLM Band Teachers, Greg Takemoto and Jack Ramatta, for performing several Christmas favorites.  It was truly a spectacular night of music and performance for the OLM Community.  Keeping Christ in Christmas!

Christmas Season Schedule at Our Lady of Mercy

Congratulations to our Newly Confirmed

On Sunday, November 5, 2017 Bishop James F Checchio of Metuchen, NJ confirmed 87 young adults of Our Lady of Mercy Church. We offer the newly confirmed our heartfelt congratulations and prayerful best wishes!

“Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire!” St. Catherine of Siena

 

Bishop Checchio anointing Spencer THOMAS MORE Wood with the Sacred Chrism Oil at Sunday's Confirmation Mass.  

Priests Grilled at 1149!

On Wednesday, October 18, the OLM School and Parish community gathered at 1149 Restaurant in East Greenwich for its third Grill the Priests event.  Organized by members of the school’s Parent Teacher Group,  Father Bernard Healey and Associate Pastor Father Joshua Barrow of OLM Church, the evening was a tremendous success with a sold-out group of over 100 attendees who were not only thirsting for answers to various questions, but also enjoyed the opportunity to socialize in an adults-only format.  

Father David Gaffney (far right) offers a response during OLM’s recent Grill the Priests event held on Wednesday, October 18 at 1149 Restaurant in East Greenwich. Joining him on the panel were Father Nicanor Austriaco, OP, Father Brian Morris, Father Joshua Barrow and (hidden from view) Father Adam Young. 

Following a brief reception of complimentary food and beverages ,the priests took their spots before the crowd and prepared to be “grilled”.   In what has become a somewhat popular format in recent years, participants were allowed to ask questions, either “live” or anonymously via note-cards, on a variety of topics related to the Catholic Church. 

Father Healey served as the moderator for the evening.  The brave and learned priests on the panel included newly ordained OLM School Alum Father Brian Morris of St. Luke’s Parish in Barrington, Father David Gaffney, Rector of the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence, Father Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a Dominican Friar and Professor ofBiologyat Providence College, Father Adam Young, Pastor of St. Paul Church in Cranston and Father Barrow. 

The priests took turns answering questions that were either directed specifically to them, or based on their area of expertise. The evening was filled with tremendous faith, light-hearted humor amongst the brother priests and laughter and frequent applause from the attendees.  By all accounts, it was another tremendously successful event that celebrated the OLM community.

We Congratlute and Rejoice for Deacon Phil Dufour Ordained in Rome

Deacon Dufour celebrates his ordination at the North American College in Rome.  Pictured L to R: Fr. Carl Fissette, Fr. Nathan Ricci, Deacon Dufour, Bishop Checchio and Fr. Ryan Connors.

The 2017 Ordination Class of the North American College in Rome.

Today at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Philip Dufour of Bristol, a seminarian of the Diocese of Providence, was ordained along with his 30 classmates by Bishop James Checchio of Meutuchen, NJ. OLM's Fr. Joshua Barrow along with other Priests of the Diocese of Providence including Fr. Ryan Connors, Fr. Nathan Ricci and Fr. Carl Fissette were in attendance for the Ordination.  We congratulate Deacon Dufour and offer our prayerful best wishes!  Ad multos annos!

Fr. Barrow and the happy new Deacon!

OLM Picnic, Fun in the Sun!!

OLM Parishioners gathered for the Annual Parish Picnic on Sunday, September 24, 2017.  Good food, good times and good conversations had by all!   Fr. Healey and his team won the Tug-of-War defeating Fr. Barrow and his team once again! 

Join us for the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, Sunday, September 24

 Feast Day Mass of Our Lady of Mercy

Solemn Feast Day Mass on Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 10:30am

Our Lady of Mercy Annual Picnic
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Noon until 4:00PM
On the Parish Grounds
Hot Dogs, Hamburgers & Ice Cream for all
Games for Kids and Adults
Annual Tug of War

CELEBRATE MERCY!

Rest in Peace Sister Lucy Vescera, MPF

Sister Lucy Vescera, MPF, 90, entered eternal life on Thursday, September 14, 2017, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, at St. Joseph Hall, Villa Walsh, Morristown, NJ.  Her passing came unexpectedly.

 Viewing is at Villa Walsh, St. Lucy Chapel on Monday, September 18, from  9:30 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.  The Mass of Christian Burial will follow the viewing at 12 noon.  Interment will take place at Ave Maria Cemetery.  Arrangements are by the Doyle Funeral Home, Morristown, N.J.

 Through the kindness of Fr. Henry Zinno, Pastor, a Memorial Mass is to be celebrated for Sr. Lucy Vescera at her home parish of Mt. Carmel Church, Bristol, RI, on Saturday, October 21, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. Family and friends are invited to attend.   This also includes other parishes where Sister has been stationed in the Rhode Island area.

 Born in Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1927, Sister Lucy entered the Religious Teachers Filippini in 1945.  She received her religious habit in 1946 and made her religious profession in 1949.  Sister Lucy received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Connecticut State College in Elementary Education.

 Sister Lucy’s mission centered on pastoral ministry and was a staunch teacher of religious education. Her places of mission included St. Joseph, Newark, NJ; St. Mary, Cranston, RI; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Bristol, RI; St. Thomas, Southington, CT; Holy Land, Waterbury, CT; and Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich, RI, her last place of active ministry.

 Through the years, Sr. Lucy was recognized for her dedicated, faithful service:  She was credited for her volunteer service at convalescent homes, hospitals, and home bound visits, especially to the people of Waterbury, CT, where she was honored for years of community service; she was acknowledged and praised for her teaching of religious education no matter where she was assigned. Sr. Lucy’s strong faith and authentic religious witness gave credence to what she taught and how she lived.

 In 2013, Sister Lucy retired at Mt. Carmel Convent, Bristol, RI, and in 2014, due to poor health was admitted to St. Joseph Hall where she spent her last years.

 Sr. Lucy is the daughter of the late Vincenzo Vescera and Angela (Cirillo) Vescera, and sister of the late Oronzo Vescera.  She is survived by loving sisters Philomena Rao Bonomo and Mary Vescera; many dear nieces and nephews, and great nieces and great nephews.

 In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Sister Lucy Vescera may be sent to St. Joseph Hall, c/o Sister Ascenza Tizzano, MPF, Provincial Superior, Villa Walsh, 455 Western Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960.

Congratulations Sister Jeanne and Sister Lourdes

We offer our prayerful and heartfelt congratulations to OLM's Sister Jeanne Barry, RSM and Sister Lourdes DeLeon, FAS.

Sister Jeanne is celebrating her 60th Anniversary as a Religious Sister of Mercy. She professed her first vows on September 2, 1957.   A native of Connecticut, Sister served as a teacher and principal at Catholic Schools throughout the state.  Arriving to OLM in the 1990s, Sister Jeanne served as a teacher and then Principal of Our Lady of Mercy School for nearly twenty years.  Now retired she continues to help students at OLM School and Mercymount Day School in Cumberland.  She resides at the Mercy Convent at OLM Parish.

Sister Lourdes is celebrating her 25th Anniversary as a Franciscan Apostolic Sister. She professed her first vows on August 15, 1992.  A native of the Philippines where her religious community was founded, she has served in the Diocese of Providence for nearly twenty years.  She has served at St. Agnes Parish in Woonsocket, Scalabrini Villa and now serves at the OLM School and Parish.  Sister Lourdes resides at the Franciscan Convent at OLM Parish.

Bishop Evans Celebrates Opening Mass of the School Year, Sister Jeanne and Sister Lourdes Annivesaries and Blesses New School Sign

On Friday, September 8, 2017, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,  Bishop Robert C. Evans, the Auxiliary Bishop of Providence, celebrated the Opening Mass of the School Year for the Our Lady of Mercy School community.   Father Bernard A. Healey, Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church, served as the homilist and Father Joshua A. Barrow, Associate Pastor, served as the Master of Ceremonies.  During the Mass, the parish school teachers were formally installed by Bishop Evans as Members of the Our Lady of Mercy School Faculty for the year 2017-2018.  Also Sister Jeanne Barry, RSM, Retired Principal of OLM School, was recognized for her 60th Anniversary of Religious Profession as a Religious Sister of Mercy and Sister Lourdes De Leon, FAS, OLM Pastoral Assistant, was also recognized for her 25th Anniversary of Religious Profession as a Franciscan Apostolic Sister.  Following the Mass, Bishop Evans formally blessed the newly installed OLM School Sign. 

Sister Jeanne Barry, RSM and Sister Lourdes DeLeon, FAS are congratulated by the OLM School children on their annivesaries of relgious profession.

Bishop Evans prepares to bless the newly installed OLM School sign.