We Need to Take Care of Each Other

Here are the opening remarks Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley delivered at St. the Patrick's day Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross March 17, 2020. The Mass was not open to the public and was broadcast by CatholicTV.

As a people, community, and as a nation we are being forced into a stance of social distancing to ward off a potential health disaster. Even as we embrace a methodology of physical isolation, we must reject any stance of alienation and individualism. Our motivation cannot be fear and self-preservation, but a sense of solidarity and connectedness. What is being asked of us is for the common good, to protect the most defenseless among us.

In some ways the present, surrealistic atmosphere is similar to what we experienced after the attack of September 11. We were shaken from our complacency and confronted with the reality that changed our lives overnight. Likewise, today we see the real risk to countless numbers of elderly and infirm persons, to healthcare workers, indeed to our hospital system, and even the economic well-being of millions of people whose lives have been upended by the necessary closings and precautions.

Just as after 9/11 we need to come together as a people with a profound sense of solidarity and community, realizing that so many people are suffering and fearful. We need to take care of each other, especially by reaching out to the elderly and the most vulnerable.

Although we cannot celebrate public masses at this time because we wish to follow the directives of the government, I want to assure all of you that we, your priests, are offering mass each day for all of you. You are all spiritually united in these masses where we pray for the living and the dead. Our priests in the parishes are there and can be contacted. We are trying to use social media and Internet streaming as a means of sharing communications.

I am grateful to all of our priests and parish staffs and the 3000 Catholic school teachers and administrators who are all working diligently to be able to serve our people in these challenging circumstances. Please remember that your parish communities depend on the offertory collections and will need your support going forward to carry on their crucial work.

Let me share with you an account I read many years ago that made quite an impression on me. A group of rowdy university students on the train in France spotted an old man sitting alone praying his rosary. The students who prided themselves on their sophistication and scientific outlook began to mock the old man who seemed unperturbed by their hazing. Suddenly a passenger jumped to his feet and rebuked the students: “stop bothering Dr. Pasteur.” The students were shocked and embarrassed. That old man praying the rosary was Louis Pasteur, a national hero, a rock star, whose research and inventions have saved millions of lives. Pastuer discovered the principles of vaccination and pasteurization. Arguably, he did more than any other person in the history of medicine by his remarkable breakthroughs in understanding the causes and prevention of diseases.

I share this story to preface my request to pray the rosary each day. Many of us remember growing up praying the rosary every evening as a family. In the history of our people, during the wars, famines, plagues, and persecution, the rosary has been the powerful prayer of the Catholic people as we see in the example of the eminent scientist Louis Pasteur. Even if we cannot go to mass, the rosary is always accessible to us. It is a prayer that puts us in touch with God as we reflect on the mysteries of the life of Christ and the Blessed Virgin. It is a prayer that can be prayed by the simplest present and the smartest scientist.

St. Ignatius of Loyola once said that we must work as if everything depended upon us, and pray as if everything depended upon God. It is indeed encouraging to see how many people are visiting our churches for personal prayer and adoration during this time of enforced social distancing. May this strange Lent that we are living, help us to overcome the physical distance by growing closer to God and by strengthening our sense of solidarity and community with each other.

An Act of Spiritual Communion

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire to receive thee in my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee as if thou wert already there and unite myself wholly to thee. Never permit me to be separated from thee. Amen.

Bishop Suspends All Public Masses in RI

Statement of Bishop Thomas Tobin Regarding the Suspension of Public Masses in the Diocese of Providence
March 16, 2020

In light of the growing coronavirus crisis in Rhode Island, in response to the request of public officials, and upon the recommendation of health experts, I hereby direct that the celebration of all public Masses and other liturgical services be suspended in the Diocese of Providence effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020 and continuing until further notice.

The celebration of funerals and weddings may continue, but must be celebrated without Mass using approved liturgical forms. Every effort should be made to limit the size of the congregation to necessary participants only and the health precautions previously announced by the Diocese of Providence and the State of Rhode Island should be carefully followed. 

To the extent possible, churches should remain open during the day for personal prayer, devotions and visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Individual confessions may also be heard during this time.

This is an exceedingly difficult and painful decision, but it is necessitated by our commitment to promote the health and well-being of our brothers and sisters, especially the frail and the elderly. That is a moral priority we should all share. May we continue to pray for and support one another in these very trying times, and through the intercession of Saint Patrick, Saint Joseph and Our Lady of Providence, may God be with us.

Cancellations at OLM

Cancellations at OLM in Response to RI Department of Health Guidelines and Diocesan Directives

This page will be updated as needed, please check back. Updated: 3/16/2020

OLM Parish

• Per order of the Diocesan Bishop all PUBLIC Masses and devotions at Our Lady of Mercy are CANCELLED until further notice.

  • Private Masses are said by the priests for your intentions.

• Confessions will still be held at their normal hours or by appointment. However, ALL DAY CONFESSIONS are CANCELLED.

• The Church will be open for private prayer throughout the week.

• If this is a sacramental emergency please call the parish at (401) 884-4968.

• All Religious Education Classes and Confessions are cancelled for the Month of March.

• All First Communion Class Retreats are cancelled.

• Stations of the Cross on Fridays.

• Adult and Children’s Choir is cancelled until further notice.

• St. Patrick Day and St. Joseph Day Receptions and Public Masses are cancelled.

• St. Patrick Day Dinner at St. Luke on March 30 is cancelled.

• All CAL Basketball Games are cancelled.

• OLM All Sports Banquet on April 5 is cancelled.

OLM School

We are acting in accordance with the recommendation of Governor Raimondo to not participate in events that will include more than 250 people.  To that end, Our Lady of Mercy School will not host or participate in public events through the end of March.  These include:

• Students will not attend School Mass (including all daily Masses, St. Patrick’s, and St. Joseph’s Day Masses) for the Month of March.

• School Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 8:30am.

• The Senior Band Competition on March 26.

• The Eighth Grade Field Trip to the Boston Museum of Science on March 27.

• The Father-Daughter Dance on March 28.

• School Confessions on March 30.

• CAL Basketball Championship Games on March 14.

• OLM All Sports Banquet on April 5 is cancelled.

A Prayer for the Cornavirus

A Prayer for the Cornavirus

Heavenly Father, loving and merciful God, we worship and adore You. In faith, we come before You asking for mercy and forgiveness for our sins against You and Your creation.

In this time of anxiety and distress, we lift up to You the COVID-19 situation throughout the world. Abba Father, we beg You to halt the spread of this disease and to grant healing and comfort to those afflicted. Please cover everyone with the Precious Blood of Your Son, Jesus and protect all of us, especially those in the medical field, from any infection and harm.

Lord Jesus, we beseech You to grace government leaders and medical experts with wisdom and knowledge to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to find a cure for it.

Holy Spirit Lord, please breathe peace and new life into everyone. May You grace us with a strong sense of social responsibility to do the necessary, and to be prudent and considerate in our actions. Bless all people to work together as one family of God and to be compassionate to one another.

Most Holy Trinity, we believe in You and we place all our hope in You.
You are our strength and our shield; in You our hearts trust; so we are helped, and our hearts exult, and with our song we give thanks to You.
(Psalm 28:7)

Immaculate Conception, Mary our Mother, we seek your intercession for us, our loved ones, our communities and everyone in this world.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Messiah and King, we trust in You. (X3)
Amen.

Coronavirus: What should Catholics do?

Silvia Costantini | Mar 05, 2020

Advice from infectious disease expert and deacon Tim Flanigan.

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to infect more and more people around the world, and while science seeks to find a way to curb the spread of this virus before it becomes a pandemic, we as Catholics need to ask ourselves how to behave. There are two levels to this question: one regarding the safety guidelines we should adopt, and the other regarding our responsibility as Christians in the face of this still largely mysterious disease.

We spoke with Dr. Timothy Flanigan, a professor of medicine at Brown Medical School and infectious disease specialist at The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals, and a Catholic deacon of the Diocese of Providence, who volunteered in Liberia for months during the ebola crisis.

Let’s begin with the question that every reader would like to ask you: How should we behave regarding the coronavirus? What are the basic norms of health and hygiene we should all observe?

This virus is spread in a similar way to influenza. During the time of an outbreak we should not shake hands and not kiss, but should smile and nod and greet in a very friendly way, but without touching. If anyone is sick with a respiratory illness, they should stay at home until they are better. Colds and other viruses complicate the situation, so the fewer respiratory infections during the time of an outbreak the better. It is OK to get together but it is good to avoid very close crowding. Staying one meter away from others is called “social distancing,” and this has been shown to decrease the spread of respiratory viruses.

What kind of measures do you think a bishop should take to avoid the spread of the virus in the churches in his diocese? 

I would recommend at this moment to stop communion by the chalice. The sacraments are very, very important during difficult times of crisis. The sacraments can be delivered safely. The host can be provided to a person without skin to skin contact by placing it in the hand. This is a good time to avoid the handshake of peace. We can all greet each other with a big smile but don’t need to shake hands. We should make sure our smiles are twice as big. We need to help others. During this difficult time, we can visit those who are experiencing financial difficulty or who are socially isolated. We can visit them safely and help safely. The key is to avoid touching, good handwashing, and staying one arm’s-length away.

Let’s talk Catholic doctors and hospitals. How can they be witnesses of the faith in the current epidemic crisis? What could be their added value? 

The witness of doctors and healthcare providers and most importantly nurses is incredible. I am convinced that heaven will be full of nurses. There may be a few doctors there but I think that is because the nurses will say, “You can let them in, too.” The nurses are at the heart of health care. They are heroes, and they are so courageous.

What do people need to know about this epidemic? Do you think the media is actually helping communities to understand and to face the virus properly?

The media can be a huge help in order to stop community spread of viral illnesses. But the media can also be a great ally of the virus when the information is incorrect or superficial. The virus of bad information is as dangerous as the coronavirus. This is a top priority. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization give very, very good information and we should utilize that all the time.

In what way can the Catholic community contribute to help the most vulnerable people (like the homeless, the elderly) now that the epidemic is an actual threat? 

For the last 2,000 years the Catholic Church has helped those in most need. Hospitals were started by monasteries. We are providing care as a Church when others have run away. This continues today.

American sociologist Rodney Stark, author of The Rise of Christianity (1996), explains how in the first centuries of the Christian era the behavior of Christians during epidemics was decisive: they didn’t flee the cities like the pagans, and didn’t run away from other people, but motivated by faith, they visited and supported each other, prayed together, and buried the dead.

The witness that Catholics can offer to the world in this difficult moment is to be present: it is the strongest witness possible.

As reported on https://aleteia.org/2020/03/05/the-coronavirus-what-should-catholics-do/

Pope Francis' Lenten Message

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR LENT 2020

“We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”
(2 Cor 5:20)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This year the Lord grants us, once again, a favourable time to prepare to celebrate with renewed hearts the great mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the cornerstone of our personal and communal Christian life. We must continually return to this mystery in mind and heart, for it will continue to grow within us in the measure that we are open to its spiritual power and respond with freedom and generosity.

1. The paschal mystery as the basis of conversion

Christian joy flows from listening to, and accepting, the Good News of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This kerygma sums up the mystery of a love “so real, so true, so concrete, that it invites us to a relationship of openness and fruitful dialogue” (Christus Vivit, 117). Whoever believes this message rejects the lie that our life is ours to do with as we will. Rather, life is born of the love of God our Father, from his desire to grant us life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). If we listen instead to the tempting voice of the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), we risk sinking into the abyss of absurdity, and experiencing hell here on earth, as all too many tragic events in the personal and collective human experience sadly bear witness.

In this Lent of 2020, I would like to share with every Christian what I wrote to young people in the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit: “Keep your eyes fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again. And when you go to confess your sins, believe firmly in his mercy which frees you of your guilt. Contemplate his blood poured out with such great love, and let yourself be cleansed by it. In this way, you can be reborn ever anew” (No. 123). Jesus’ Pasch is not a past event; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit it is ever present, enabling us to see and touch with faith the flesh of Christ in those who suffer.

2. The urgency of conversion

It is good to contemplate more deeply the paschal mystery through which God’s mercy has been bestowed upon us. Indeed, the experience of mercy is only possible in a “face to face” relationship with the crucified and risen Lord “who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20), in a heartfelt dialogue between friends. That is why prayer is so important in Lent. Even more than a duty, prayer is an expression of our need to respond to God’s love which always precedes and sustains us. Christians pray in the knowledge that, although unworthy, we are still loved. Prayer can take any number of different forms, but what truly matters in God’s eyes is that it penetrates deep within us and chips away at our hardness of heart, in order to convert us ever more fully to God and to his will.

In this favourable season, then, may we allow ourselves to be led like Israel into the desert (cf. Hos 2:14), so that we can at last hear our Spouse’s voice and allow it to resound ever more deeply within us. The more fully we are engaged with his word, the more we will experience the mercy he freely gives us. May we not let this time of grace pass in vain, in the foolish illusion that we can control the times and means of our conversion to him.

3. God’s passionate will to dialogue with his children

The fact that the Lord once again offers us a favourable time for our conversion should never be taken for granted. This new opportunity ought to awaken in us a sense of gratitude and stir us from our sloth. Despite the sometimes tragic presence of evil in our lives, and in the life of the Church and the world, this opportunity to change our course expresses God’s unwavering will not to interrupt his dialogue of salvation with us. In the crucified Jesus, who knew no sin, yet for our sake was made to be sin (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), this saving will led the Father to burden his Son with the weight of our sins, thus, in the expression of Pope Benedict XVI, “turning of God against himself” (Deus Caritas Est, 12). For God also loves his enemies (cf. Mt 5:43-48).

The dialogue that God wishes to establish with each of us through the paschal mystery of his Son has nothing to do with empty chatter, like that attributed to the ancient inhabitants of Athens, who “spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21). Such chatter, determined by an empty and superficial curiosity, characterizes worldliness in every age; in our own day, it can also result in improper use of the media.

4. A richness to be shared, not kept for oneself

Putting the paschal mystery at the centre of our lives means feeling compassion towards the wounds of the crucified Christ present in the many innocent victims of wars, in attacks on life, from that of the unborn to that of the elderly, and various forms of violence. They are likewise present in environmental disasters, the unequal distribution of the earth’s goods, human trafficking in all its forms, and the unbridled thirst for profit, which is a form of idolatry.

Today too, there is a need to appeal to men and women of good will to share, by almsgiving, their goods with those most in need, as a means of personally participating in the building of a better world. Charitable giving makes us more human, whereas hoarding risks making us less human, imprisoned by our own selfishness. We can and must go even further, and consider the structural aspects of our economic life. For this reason, in the midst of Lent this year, from 26 to 28 March, I have convened a meeting in Assisi with young economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers, with the aim of shaping a more just and inclusive economy. As the Church’s magisterium has often repeated, political life represents an eminent form of charity (cf. Pius XI, Address to the Italian Federation of Catholic University Students, 18 December 1927). The same holds true for economic life, which can be approached in the same evangelical spirit, the spirit of the Beatitudes.

I ask Mary Most Holy to pray that our Lenten celebration will open our hearts to hear God’s call to be reconciled to himself, to fix our gaze on the paschal mystery, and to be converted to an open and sincere dialogue with him. In this way, we will become what Christ asks his disciples to be: the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt 5:13-14).

Francis

Rome, at Saint John Lateran, 7 October 2019
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Lenten Guide to Fast & Abstinence

ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE 2020 GUIDELINES FOR LENT

Lenten Fast and Abstinence Regulations

As Lent approaches on Ash Wednesday (February 26), all pastors are asked to please make their pa rishioners a wa re of the following Lenten Regulations:Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (for those 14 and older) is required by Church law. Also, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting: those between the ages of 18 and 59 should eat less, meaning, take no solid food between meals and only one full meal that day. Serious health conditions excuse a person from these precepts.Pastors and parents are encouraged by the law of the Church to ensure that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated nonetheless in an authentic sense of penance.Following the implementation of the revised Code of Ca non La w on November 27, 1983, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States determined that the rules of fast and abstinence which have existed for the last several years in this country be maintained. Namely, that the faithful observe suitable penitential practices on all Fridays throughout the year. These penitential practices need not include abstaining from meat. However, as indicated above, the faithful must not eat meat on all the Fridays of Lent as well as on Ash Wednesday. They must also observe faithfully the fast regulations as they have been stated above in accord with the universal law of the Church (Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canons1250-1252).

Pope Francis' Message for World Day of the Sick 2020

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE XXVIII WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2020

11 February 2020

 

“Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened,
and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28)

Dear brothers and sisters,

1. Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28) point to the mysterious path of grace that is revealed to the simple and gives new strength to those who are weary and tired. These words of Christ express the solidarity of the Son of Man with all those who are hurt and afflicted. How many people suffer in both body and soul! Jesus urges everyone to draw near to him – “Come to me!” – and he promises them comfort and repose. “When Jesus says this, he has before him the people he meets every day on the streets of Galilee: very many simple people, the poor, the sick, sinners, those who are marginalized by the burden of the law and the oppressive social system... These people always followed him to hear his word, a word that gave hope! Jesus’ words always give hope!” (Angelus, 6 July 2014).

On this XXVIII World Day of the Sick, Jesus repeats these words to the sick, the oppressed, and the poor. For they realize that they depend entirely on God and, beneath the burden of their trials, stand in need of his healing. Jesus does not make demands of those who endure situations of frailty, suffering and weakness, but offers his mercy and his comforting presence. He looks upon a wounded humanity with eyes that gaze into the heart of each person. That gaze is not one of indifference; rather, it embraces people in their entirety, each person in his or her health condition, discarding no one, but rather inviting everyone to share in his life and to experience his tender love.

2. Why does Jesus have these feelings? Because he himself became frail, endured human suffering and received comfort from his Father. Indeed, only those who personally experience suffering are then able to comfort others. There are so many kinds of grave suffering: incurable and chronic diseases, psychological diseases, situations calling for rehabilitation or palliative care, numerous forms of disability, children’s or geriatric diseases… At times human warmth is lacking in our approach to these. What is needed is a personalized approach to the sick, not just of curing but also of caring, in view of an integral human healing. In experiencing illness, individuals not only feel threatened in their physical integrity, but also in the relational, intellectual, affective and spiritual dimensions of their lives. For this reason, in addition to therapy and support, they expect care and attention. In a word, love. At the side of every sick person, there is also a family, which itself suffers and is in need of support and comfort.

3. Dear brothers and sisters who are ill, your sickness makes you in a particular way one of those “who labour and are burdened”, and thus attract the eyes and heart of Jesus. In him, you will find light to brighten your darkest moments and hope to soothe your distress. He urges you: “Come to me”. In him, you will find strength to face all the worries and questions that assail you during this “dark night” of body and soul. Christ did not give us prescriptions, but through his passion, death and resurrection he frees us from the grip of evil.

In your experience of illness, you certainly need a place to find rest. The Church desires to become more and more the “inn” of the Good Samaritan who is Christ (cf. Lk 10:34), that is, a home where you can encounter his grace, which finds expression in closeness, acceptance and relief. In this home, you can meet people who, healed in their frailty by God’s mercy, will help you bear your cross and enable your suffering to give you a new perspective. You will be able to look beyond your illness to a greater horizon of new light and fresh strength for your lives.

A key role in this effort to offer rest and renewal to our sick brothers and sisters is played by healthcare workers: physicians, nurses, medical and administrative professionals, assistants and volunteers. Thanks to their expertise, they can make patients feel the presence of Christ who consoles and cares for the sick, and heals every hurt. Yet they too are men and women with their own frailties and even illnesses. They show how true it is that “once Christ’s comfort and rest is received, we are called in turn to become rest and comfort for our brothers and sisters, with a docile and humble attitude in imitation of the Teacher” (Angelus, 6 July 2014).

4. Dear healthcare professionals, let us always remember that diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic treatments, research, care and rehabilitation are always in the service of the sick person; indeed the noun “person” takes priority over the adjective “sick”. In your work, may you always strive to promote the dignity and life of each person, and reject any compromise in the direction of euthanasia, assisted suicide or suppression of life, even in the case of terminal illness.

When confronted with the limitations and even failures of medical science before increasingly problematic clinical cases and bleak diagnoses, you are called to be open to the transcendent dimension of your profession that reveals its ultimate meaning. Let us remember that life is sacred and belongs to God; hence it is inviolable and no one can claim the right to dispose of it freely (cf. Donum Vitae, 5; Evangelium Vitae, 29-53). Life must be welcomed, protected, respected and served from its beginning to its end: both human reason and faith in God, the author of life, require this. In some cases, conscientious objection becomes a necessary decision if you are to be consistent with your “yes” to life and to the human person. Your professionalism, sustained by Christian charity, will be the best service you can offer for the safeguarding of the truest human right, the right to life. When you can no longer provide a cure, you will still be able to provide care and healing, through gestures and procedures that give comfort and relief to the sick.

Tragically, in some contexts of war and violent conflict, healthcare professionals and the facilities that receive and assist the sick are attacked. In some areas, too, political authorities attempt to manipulate medical care for their own advantage, thus restricting the medical profession’s legitimate autonomy. Yet attacking those who devote themselves to the service of the suffering members of society does not serve the interests of anyone.

5. On this XXVIII World Day of the Sick, I think of our many brothers and sisters throughout the world who have no access to medical care because they live in poverty. For this reason, I urge healthcare institutions and government leaders throughout the world not to neglect social justice out of a preoccupation for financial concerns. It is my hope that, by joining the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, efforts will be made to cooperate in ensuring that everyone has access to suitable treatments for preserving and restoring their health. I offer heartfelt thanks to all those volunteers who serve the sick, often compensating for structural shortcomings, while reflecting the image of Christ, the Good Samaritan, by their acts of tender love and closeness.

To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, I entrust all those who bear the burden of illness, along with their families and all healthcare workers. With the assurance of a remembrance in my prayers, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 3 January 2020

Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Francis

Parish Lenten Mission, March 1-4

A Prayer for Protection Against the Flu

PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE FLU

Dear Jesus, focus of my life,
I humbly come to You,
seeking Your refuge and protection
for my loved ones and myself
against the ravage of the flu.
Stop the advances of this influenza,
eradicating its power upon mankind.
I ask this through Your Mother,
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Thank you Jesus;
May Your Name be praised forever!

Amen.

A Student's Prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas

A Student's Prayer
by St. Thomas Aquinas

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion. This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever.
Amen.

Reflecting on the Nativity

Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter December 1, 2019 on the meaning and importance of nativity scenes, calling for this “wonderful sign” to be more widely displayed in family homes and public places throughout the world. “The enchanting image of the Christmas crèche, so dear to the Christian people, never ceases to arouse amazement and wonder. The depiction of Jesus’ birth is itself a simple and joyful proclamation of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God,” Pope Francis wrote in Admirabile signum, meaning “A wonderful sign” in Latin.  Clink the link above to read the entire letter.

Christmas Anticipation Prayer

Christmas Anticipation Prayer

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem,   in the piercing cold.

    In that hour vouchsafe, O my God,     to hear my prayer and grant my desires,

    [here mention your request]

    through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen

Blessing of the New OLM Scoreboard

On Saturday, November 2nd OLM parish and school famlies gathered with the family of the late Todd Youngs to bless the Todd Youngs Memorial Scoreboard in the OLM School Gym. Todd Youngs served as a OLM School teacher, coach, and parent for many years until his untimely death at the age of 53 in January 2018. He was beloved by the OLM Community and by his family as a son, brother, uncle, father and husband. The scoreboard is a fitting tribute to his legacy of service and committment to the OLM Parish and School Family. We are grateful to his wife June and son Ryan and the entire Youngs Family for their generous donation of the new scoreboard.

Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Each request is answered with MY JESUS MERCY.

O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:

 My dear parents and grandparents,

My brothers and sisters and other near relatives,

My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation,

 My spiritual and temporal benefactors,

My friends and neighbors,

All for whom love or duty bids me pray,

 Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,

Those who have offended me,

Those whose release is near at hand,

Those who desire most to be united to Thee,

Those who endure the greatest sufferings,

Those whose release is most remote,

Those who are least remembered,

Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,

 The rich, who are now the most destitute,

The mighty, who are now powerless,

The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly,

The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,

 The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,

The tepid who devoted little time to prayer,

The indolent who neglected to perform good works,

Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,

The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,

 Parents who failed to watch over their children,

Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,

Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,

The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God,

 Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,

Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,

Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,

 The popes, kings, and rulers,

The bishops and their counselors,

My teachers and spiritual advisors,

The priests and religious of the Catholic Church,

The defenders of the Holy Faith,

 Those who died on the battlefield,

Those who fought for their country,

Those who were buried in the sea,

 Those who died of stroke,

Those who died of heart attacks,

Those who suffered and died of cancer,

Those who died suddenly in accidents,

Those who died without the Last Rites of the Church,

Those who shall die within the next 24 hours,

 My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat,

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious.

 May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen.May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Saturday Evening Mass Time Change

On Saturday, November 2, 2019 the 5:00PM Saturday Evening Mass will fall back to a 4:00PM start time. Confessions on Saturday afternoons will now begin at 3:00PM. Thank you.

99 Confirmed, Congrats!!

On Sunday, October 6th, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Florida confirmed 99 young adults from OLM. We congratulate the OLM 2019 Confirmation Class and offer them our prayerful support. We thank Bishop Noonan and all who made our celebration of Confirmation joyous and solemn.

Octoberfest

The OLM Feast Week ended with the traditional celebration of Octoberfest! A few hundred parishioners gathered for German food and beer, good fun and festivities!