First Day of OLM School, September 1, 2021
Beginning September 8, 2021, and lasting until June 26, 2022, the Diocese of Providence will host an ongoing celebration of the sesquicentennial of its founding in February 1872. The central theme of the celebration - embossed on the anniversary logo beneath the welcoming outstretched arms of Christ - is rooted in the sacred scripture of Psalm 126: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”
Our diocesan celebration will begin on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, with the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, with "A Night to Honor Mary" at 6 p.m. in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, and will continue through Sunday, June 26, 2022, when the commemoration of the 150th anniversary will conclude with a solemn closing Mass at the cathedral at 1 p.m. That Sunday is the closest to the patronal feast day of SS. Peter and Paul.
In the months between the opening and closing celebrations, an extensive, multi-faceted program of dynamic guest speakers, concerts and artistic events is being planned by the diocese’s 150th anniversary Cultural and Educational Events Committee. Dates will be added to the calendar below, showcased in the Rhode Island Catholic, and shared across our diocesan social media.
Information will be added as we celebrate this year!
The Diocese of Providence is preparing to take in any Afghan refugees. Secretary for Catholic Charities and Social Ministry Jim Jahnz estimates that the Diocese will be able to support up to 100 Afghans. Finding affordable housing will be a challenge. The Diocese’s Office of Immigration and Refugee Services has seven people working to provide support to refugees.
For more on this read the WPRI newstory.
If you would like to support the efforts to help in Afghanistan, click here at the Afghani Evacuation Resource Page.
Thank you for your support and prayers.
Please join us in praying more than ever for Americans, Afghans, our military, and our leaders.
Almighty Father,
No one is ever far from your loving care.
Please watch over the people of Afghanistan,
our soldiers in the field, their families at home.
Please help those desperate to get out of harm’s way.
Bring them to safety and help us always to show kindness to the refugees, and to all in need.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Join us in supporting our parish school and helping our future Saints and Scholars receive a first-class Catholic Education
at Our Lady of Mercy School
OLM Saints & Scholars Open
Monday, September 20th
Quidnessett Country Club
1:00 PM Shot-gun Start
11:30AM Lunch/Registration
Sign-up here
We congratulate and thank our Senior Altar Servers for their years of service to OLM and God’s Holy Altar We promise our continued prayers as they depart for college. God’s Blessings upon them!
Left to right with Fr. Healey: Casey McQuesten, Senior Lector and Senior Altar Servers: Dylan
Brunner, Grace Truslow, Grace Dobrzynski, Catherine Clements, Katie O’Connell, and Giabella Childs
OLM Class of 2021 get ready for Graduation Ceremony.
Class of 2021, you made it!! After everything, you made it. Congratulations. You know, I stood here a year ago speaking to our Class of 2020 about how strange their eighth-grade year had been. But I think you have them beat. So much of what you expected from eighth grade never came to pass: dances and field trips, First Friday Masses, Christmas festivities, and everything else that you had looked forward to throughout your years at OLM. And while there are greater sufferings in life than missing out on eighth grade events, the absence of them leaves a sense of loss, and even sadness that lingers over our celebration this evening.
It makes sense to ask yourself what you ought to do with that sadness. And you can start by acknowledging it and recognizing it as real. The truth is that you have borne a burden this year that was not yours to bear. It has not been fair. And the old saw is that life is not fair, which, quite frankly, is a very annoying thing that adults say to children and would be supremely annoying for me to say to you right now. But there is more wisdom in that line than you might think, because for us to meet the standard of fairness is to meet the standard of justice. If we suffer for our own sins, if we bear the burdens we deserve, that is justice. But to carry those burdens we have not merited is something greater: that is mercy. That is love. Carrying the cross for others was the fundamental act of Christ, when as a perfectly sinless man, He took upon Himself all the sins of the world. The Crucifixion was the most unfair act in the history of the world. It was also the act that saved it. And you, over the past fifteen months, have engaged in the imitation of Christ, carrying a cross that was not of your making.
You have begun to walk the path of the saint. And that is a good thing. It is the saint who calls people back to God. When Christianity stood in turmoil after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was St. Benedict who launched a spiritual renewal with his monastic rule, one of whose adherents would become Pope St. Gregory the Great and restore order to the Church and the civilization that depended on it. One thousand years later, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Thomas More, and others led a Catholic revival in response to the criticisms of the Protestant Reformation. And now here we stand five hundred years later, in challenging, uncertain times of our own, waiting for the saints who will show us the way.
You may not be blessed with easy times. You certainly have not been for the past fifteen months. But history does not remember those who lived in ease. We do not look up to George Washington or Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, or Abraham Lincoln because their paths were smooth. Nor did our Church raise men and women like St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi, Pope St. John Paul II, or St. Teresa of Calcutta to the altars because they faced no obstacles. Rather, we honor them because they lived lives of heroic virtue right on through their many challenges, and in so doing, they left the world better for those that followed them. Those are the examples for you to emulate.
Do not set your sights on the multitude of celebrities who have gained fame more for their vices than their virtues. Resist a culture that screams for your attention at every moment, and that draws it away from prayer, the sacraments, and the only truth that satisfies. Aim for virtue. Aim for sanctity. Aim to be the next Washington, Tubman, Douglass, or Lincoln, the next Joan, Francis, John Paul, or Mother Teresa. Aim to conform yourself to Christ, to call out the best that God has placed in you, and then to draw out the same in everyone around you. That is what your community, your country, your Church, and the world itself need from you. It is a time to stand up for truth, for love, for God. He is calling you to something great. Stand ready to answer.
The Class of 2021
Lucas Ephraim Caporaso Bishop Hendricken High School
Brandon Thomas Carll North Kingstown High School
Patrick Joseph Cavanagh Bishop Hendricken High School
Emily Anne Chatowsky St. Mary's Academy, Bay View
Isabelle F. Crescenzi The Wheeler School
Mike A. DeOrsey La Salle Academy
Sophia Jennie D'Orsi St. Mary's Academy, Bay View
Ava Joy Durfey East Greenwich High School
Lily P. Endslow North Kingstown High School
Brandon G. Flood Bishop Hendricken High School
Evan Charles Franchina Bishop Hendricken High School
Ava Ferrin Hayes South Kingstown High School
Cameron Mitchell Hayes Barrington High School
Connor Kennedy Hayes Barrington High School
William D. A. Hinson Rocky Hill Country Day School
Aidan M. Igoe Bishop Hendricken High School
Jace P. LaPlante Bishop Hendricken High School
Quinn Legault The Prout School
Matthew Joseph Maligaya North Kingstown High School
Madeline Anne Medeiros St. Mary's Academy, Bay View
Mary Theresa Mita La Salle Academy
Ryan James Narcessian Bishop Hendricken High School
Quinn Michael O'Connell Bishop Hendricken High School
R. Camden Ouellette North Kingstown High School
William Oliver Roberti La Salle Academy
Isabelle P. Sammartino Rocky Hill Country Day School
Ian R. Sechio Bishop Hendricken High School
Jonah Hamilton Stockdill Rocky Hill Country Day School
Elizabeth Rose van Meeteren North Kingstown High School
Iris Joan-Marie Weiss St. Mary's Academy, Bay View
Henry Thomas Wind Bishop Hendricken High School
Father Healey and Father Mahoney after Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Francis Church in Wakefield, RI.
Bishop Tobin has assigned Father Daniel M. Mahoney as the new Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church and School. Father begins his assignment on July 1, 2021. Bishop Tobin ordained Father Mahoney on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.
Father Mahoney, 33, is the son of Terrance and Carol Mahoney, of Saint Francis Parish, Wakefield. He has three siblings and studied for the priesthood at Saint John’s Seminary, Brighton, Mass. He is an alumnus of Providence College, Rhode Island College, CCRI, and South Kingstown High School. On Sunday, June 6 he celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving. at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Wakefield.
The newly ordained Father Mahoney imparts his first priestly blessing upon Bishop Tobin at the Ordination Mass on June 5, 2021.
The OLM Parish Office will be closed on Fridays during the months of June, July, and August. The office is open Monday thru Thursday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. You can contact the parish office at 401-884-4968 or by email at parish@olmparish.org
As Father Barrow announced last weekend, Bishop Tobin has appointed him as the new Pastor of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Church and School in Pawtucket. He begins this new assignment on July 1, 2021. St. Teresa is large parish with a large parish school. Congratulations, Fr. Barrow!
We wish Fr. Barrow all the best in his first pastorate and assure him of our prayers. And we thank him for his five years of zealous priestly ministry here at OLM. As our Associate Pastor, he has done a tremendous job serving the parish and school. He is a joy to work and live with, and will be missed by many including myself.
At this time, Bishop Tobin has not named a replacement for Fr. Barrow. This year six priests are retiring from active ministry, and just two men are to be ordained. So please pray for an increase of priestly vocations in the Diocese of Providence.
Father Barrow's last Sunday at OLM is June 20, 2021. Appropriately enough, it is also Father's Day! On that weekend, we shall have a chance to officially say "Thank You" and "Farewell" to Father. So please mark your calendars.
We offer our heartfelt and prayerful best wishes to Sister Emma on the occasion of her 25th Anniversary of Religious Profession as a Franciscan Apostolic Sister. The OLM Parish and School community celebrated this special occasion with a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans of Providence.
Bishop Evans presents Sister Emma with a Papal Blessing.
Bishop Tobin restores the Sunday Mass Obligation
Effective Sunday, June 6, 2021, on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Bishop Thomas J. Tobin announced today that he has signed a formal decree restoring the obligation to attend Sunday Mass in the Diocese of Providence effective Sunday, June 6, 2021, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Bishop Tobin emphasized that since the pandemic lingers, some individuals are not obligated to attend Sunday Mass, and perhaps should not attend Sunday Mass to protect their health and safety, and that of others.
Read Bishop Tobin's Letter to the Diocese
PRAYER OF THE ROSARY TO INVOKE AN END TO THE PANDEMIC
St Peter's Basilica - Gregorian Chapel
Saturday, 1st May 2021
Prayer before the recitation of the Rosary
At the beginning of the month dedicated to Our Lady, we unite in prayer with all the shrines across the world, with the faithful and all people of goodwill, to entrust into the hands of our Holy Mother all of humanity, sorely tried by this period of pandemic.
Each day of this month of May we will entrust to You, Mother of Mercy, the many people who have been touched by the virus and continue to suffer its consequences: from our deceased brothers and sisters to the families who are living the pain and uncertainty of tomorrow; from the sick to the doctors, scientists, nurses who are engaged on the front lines of this battle; from the volunteers to all the professionals who have rendered their precious service in favor of others; from the people in mourning and pain to those who, with a simple smile and a kind word, have brought comfort to those in need; from those — especially women — who have suffered violence within the walls of their homes due to forced closure, to those who wish to enthusiastically resume the rhythms of daily life.
Mother of Relief, welcome us under your mantle and protect us, sustain us in the hour of trial and enkindle in our hearts the light of hope for the future.
After reciting the Rosary, the Pontiff said a concluding prayer
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, prays the Rosary invoking an end to the pandemic.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. In the present dramatic situation, full of suffering and anguish that grips the entire world, we turn to you, Mother of God and our Mother, and seek refuge under your protection.
O Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes upon us in this coronavirus pandemic, and comfort those who are lost and weeping for their deceased loved ones, sometimes buried in a way that wounds the soul. Support those who are anguished over their sick because — so as to prevent contagion — they cannot be close to them. Instill confidence in those who are anxious about the uncertain future and the consequences for the economy and for work.
Mother of God and our Mother, implore for us from God, Father of Mercy, that this hard trial may end and that a horizon of hope and peace may return. As at Cana, you intervened with your divine Son, asking him to comfort the families of the sick and the victims, and to open their hearts to trust.
Protect the doctors, nurses, healthcare personnel, and volunteers who in this time of emergency are on the front lines and put their lives at risk to save other lives. Accompany their heroic efforts and give them strength, goodness, and health.
Be close to those who night and day assist the sick and to the priests who, with pastoral solicitude and evangelical commitment, seek to help and support everyone.
Holy Virgin, enlighten the minds of men and women of science so that they may find the right solutions to overcome this virus. Assist the leaders of nations so that they may work with wisdom, solicitude and generosity to help those who lack the necessities of life, planning social and economic solutions with foresight and a spirit of solidarity.
Most Holy Mary, touch consciences so that the enormous sums used to increase and perfect weapons may instead be used to promote adequate studies to prevent similar catastrophes in the future.
Beloved Mother, make the world grow in the sense of belonging to one great family, in the awareness of the bond that unites us all, so that with a spirit of brotherhood and solidarity we may come to the aid of the many poor and destitute situations. Encourage firmness of faith, perseverance in serving, constancy in praying.
O Mary, comforter of the afflicted, embrace all your afflicted children and obtain that God intervenes with his omnipotent hand to free us from this terrible epidemic, so that life may resume its normal course in serenity. We entrust ourselves to You, who shine on our path as a sign of salvation and hope.
O merciful, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary, may you guide the steps of your pilgrims who wish to pray to you and love you in the shrines dedicated to you throughout the world, under the most varied titles that recall your intercession. May you be a sure guide for everyone. Amen.
L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly Edition in English, 7 May 2021
The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization explains that “in response to the Holy Father’s heartfelt wish, the month of May will be dedicated to a ‘marathon of prayer, to ask for the end of the pandemic, which has afflicted the world for more than a year now, and to ask for the resumption of social and work activities".
“At the beginning of this month dedicated to Our Lady,” the Holy Father said, “We join together in prayer with all the sanctuaries spread throughout the whole world, with the faithful, and with all persons of goodwill, to entrust into the hands of our Holy Mother the whole human race, sorely tried by this period of pandemic.”
Each day of the coming month, he said, “the many people who have been affected by the virus, and who continue to suffer the consequences of the pandemic,” will be entrusted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Mother of Mercy.”
