9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.
Statement of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin on
the New Mask Mandates in Rhode Island
December 15, 2021
As it has from the beginning of the pandemic, the Diocese of Providence will continue to cooperate fully with state directives regarding the response to the pandemic.
Accordingly, I encourage Catholics of the Diocese of Providence to follow state guidelines and to wear a mask whenever they are attending Holy Mass, and other church services or public programs.
At the same time, no individual should be turned away from Mass or singled out if they choose not to wear a mask. Such individuals may have good and substantive reasons for not doing so. In addition, in keeping with our approved policies, liturgical ministers, (e.g. priests, deacons, ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, cantors, choir members,) are not expected to wear masks while actively participating in the liturgy.
As I have done on multiple previous occasions, I strongly urge all Catholics of the Diocese of Providence (clergy, religious, and laity) to receive approved vaccines as soon as they are eligible to do so. Being vaccinated is a commitment to the common good, an act of charity for our brothers and sisters, and an expression of our respect for the dignity of human life.
As we prepare to celebrate the special hope and joy of the Christmas Season, let us renew our fervent prayers that Almighty God will lift this terrible pandemic from our midst and will give healing, comfort, and peace to all.
+Thomas J. Tobin
Bishop of Providence
Bishop Evans blesses St. Joseph statue.
On Monday, November 1 following the 9:00 am Mass on the Solemnity of All Saints, the Most Reverend Robert Evans, Auxiliary Bishop of Providence, blessed the beautiful new statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child, the Gift of the OLM School Class of 2021.
EXCELLENT SHOWING BY OLM’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS AT STATE MEET
The Catholic Athletic League’s State Cross Country Meet was held at Slater Park in Pawtucket, RI on Wednesday, October 13th. Runners from 25 schools across the state came to represent their schools in a 1.85-mile race. Our Lady of Mercy’s boys’ team finished as this year’s Southern Division Champions and placed third in Wednesday’s meet. Jack Sullivan placed number 13 out of 177 runners. The OLM boys’ team was a strong presence. The girls’ team for OLM was runner-up for the Southern Division and placed 3rd in the State meet. Led by Natalie Ringler who placed 9th out of 159 runners, the girls proved to be strong contenders in their group.
One of the cross country coaches, Rosa Ciunci, told families it was “a perfect way to end such a great season, a season that brought so much growth and sense of community to all of our runners.”
We offer our prayers and congratulations to
the 2021 OLM Confirmation Class
Joseph ANTHONY Andreozzi
Tessa FRANCIS Barone
Francesca PIER GIORGIO Biafore
Ava PETER Bogs
Nicolas PEDRO Buontempo
Brandon THOMAS Carll
Lucas THOMAS AQUINAS Caporaso
David JORDAN Carreiro
Patrick GENESIUS Cavanagh
Emily MARIA Chatowsky
Sofia ELIZABETH Chianese
Charles ISIDORE Cofoni
Samuel PATRICK Deady
Michael MAXIMILIAN KOLBE DeOrsey
Zachary ANTHONY Dessert
Ava KATHARINE Doorley
Sophia TERESA D’Orsi
Brooke MARY Fairbanks
Gregory JOHN Flanders
Brandon MAXIMILIAN KOLBE Flood
Jonathan THOMAS AQUINAS Ford
Evan FRANCIS Franchina
Finan PATRICK Gammell
Leyla THERESE Gomez
Daven Matthew Gopalakrishnan
Ava ANNE Hayes
Cameron PATRICK Hayes
Connor JOHN PAUL,II Hayes
Brayden MICHAEL Healey
Aidan SEBASTIAN Igoe
John MICHAEL Kiernan
Maeve ELIZABETH Kiernan
Toby FRANCIS Kim
Christian CALEB Koness
Kaitlyn ANNE Kopec
Madeline PIER GIORGIO Kortz
Jace THOMAS AQUINAS LaPlante
Quinn ROCCO Legault
Alejandro MIGUEL Leon
Emily CAROLINE Loiselle
Dylan ANDREW Lynch
Rees SEBASTIAN Maccarone
Matthew MAXIMILIAN KOLBE Maligaya
Emma TERESA Manzo
Megan VITUS Matthews
Richard PATRICK McAuliffe
Madeline BERNADETTE Medeiros
Mary MARY MAGDALENE Mita
Luke MATTHEW Moio
Finn DEMETRIUS Moynihan
Mary CLARE Murphy
Ryan FRANCIS Narcessian
Catherine HOPE Neville
Margaret GENEVIEVE Neville
Andrew ELIGIUS Nicchia
Joseph JOSEPH Nicchia
Daniel PATRICK Nuti
Quinn PATRICK O’Connell
Bonnie BRIGID O’Flaherty
Daniel ANTHONY O’Hare
Ava TERESA Paletta
Julianna GEMMA Pauley
Olivia MARIA Prior
Roman ANTHONY Prosseda
Isabella LEE Righi
William DOMINIC Roberti
William BENEDICT Ruskaup
Ava CECILIA Scott
Kaitlyn CECILIA Toce
Iris MARIA Weiss
Henry JOHN Wind
Matthew NICHOLAS Ziady
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, Fill the hearts of your faithful
And kindle in them The fire of your love.
Send forth your spirit, And they shall be created:
And you will renew The face of the earth.
The rain did not stop the Blessing of Animals on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron of animals, Monday, October 4th at Our Lady of Mercy School. Father Daniel Mahoney was met by countless families looking to have their cherished pets blessed. All were welcome from snails to gerbils to cats and dogs - this tradition has long been a family favorite event in the OLM community.
The blessing of animals dates back 800 years to the life of Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226). He first blessed animals early in his ministry sometime between 1210–1215. Tradition has it that he was wandering around outdoors one warm afternoon, full of self-doubt when he noticed a flock of birds in his path. He immediately felt the need to first talk to them as though they were his equals and then preach to them about God’s glories and the reasons why men and animals should be grateful for these blessings. The tradition of the Blessing of Animals on St. Francis’ feast day continues today and recalls his love for animals as expressed in his Canticle of Creatures.
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.