-
December 4, 2022Dear Parishioners,
Congratulations to our newest altar servers: Catherine Cirello, Julian Maldonado, Benjamin Medeiros, Stella Morris, Jeremy Neves, and Christian Rutkowski. They are now ready to help serve either parish Masses, our parish school Masses, or both. I thank them and their parents for their willingness to help in the celebration of Mass. May God reward them for their work.
This weekend we have two events. First the Knights are hosting their annual Keep Christ in Christmas Breakfast with Operation R.O.V.A.C. Thank you to the Knights and for all who support their work in helping veterans in need this Christmas. Second our Cheerleader Group will be recognized at the 9:00am Mass. We are fortunate to have so many groups here in the parish that make it so vibrant. One of those groups includes our cheerleaders. Whether training regularly throughout the year, or supporting our parish teams on the sports field, they provide another way for the athletic formation of our youth. So it is good to recognize them and their work for the parish and our families.
This year we have a chance to help the residents at Pawtucket Falls Nursing Home just down the road from us. We have set up a giving tree in the front entrance of the church. You can find an ornaments with Christmas wishes of the residents. If you are able, simply fulfill the wish, place the gifts in a gift bag, and place those gifts around the tree. Please do not wrap the gifts; a gift bag will be the best solution. The gifts will be picked up on December 19th. This is just another way for us to help those in need during the Christmas season.
This week we also celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. At the Offertory Prayer we pray: “…grant that, as we profess her, on account of your prevenient grace, to be untouched by any stain of sin, so, through her intercession, we may be delivered from all our faults.” On this solemnity the Church celebrates that God, by a special grace won by Christ’s sacrifice, preserved the Blessed Virgin Mary from Original Sin. The term used in the prayer “prevenient grace” illustrates God’s exceeding graciousness towards us. Prevenient grace does not just apply to Mary. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2670 we read: “‘No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.’ Every time we begin to pray to Jesus it is the Holy Spirit who draws us on the way of prayer by His prevenient grace.”
What is prevenient grace? It is the idea that prior to our own movement toward God, God’s grace is already present in us moving us toward him. God’s grace is unconditional and precedes our own movement toward God. The first reception of grace is not something given to someone because of a decision to accept it. Our free acceptance to say yes to God and follow Him is itself the effect of grace. In other words, God does not wait for us to love Him; He loves us first. Once He finds us, the good things that we do are inspired by the grace of God. Mary is the preeminent example of God’s first movement of love to all of us.
Masses on December 8th will be at 7:15am, 8:30am school Mass, 12:00pm, and 7:00pm.
God bless,
Fr. Barrow
