Dear Parishioners, This past week we celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. I remember a song when I was growing up: “God is watching us from a distance.” I would often think of those lyrics in relation to the Ascension. It made me wonder: Why did Jesus leave His apostles? Why didn’t he stay here on earth? In fact, this solemnity seems to put us Christians at a disadvantage. Whereas the Apostles and the early Church had Christ with them, we have Christ from a distance. Yet, the solemnity of the Ascension is meant to tell us the precise opposite: that Christ is with us in an even more intimate way. Click the title to read more.
Dear Parishioners, This past week our nation was gripped by news of a mass shooting. Our nation grieves at this news and any acts of violence against the innocent. Confronted by the problem of evil we naturally ask the question: why? The Gospel for this weekend, taken from John’s Gospel gives the answer. The words our Lord speaks are repeated at every Mass after the Our Father and before exchanging the sign of peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” These words cut through the grief, sadness, and despair that comes with such news. We learn at every Mass that the peace which Christ brings is unique. His peace does not mean the absence of war or violence. In fact, he says these words on Holy Thursday night; the day before his violent crucifixion. In a word, peace comes even amid violence. Click the title to read more.
Dear Parishioners, I have exciting news for our parish. This summer we will host a summer seminarian, Mr. Joseph Brodeur. Bishop Tobin and Fr. Christopher Murphy, rector of Our Lady of Providence Seminary assigned him here for eight weeks. He is currently finishing his second year at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. This will be his first summer assignment after living, learning, and praying in Rome for two consecutive years. My first assignment after my two years in Rome was to St. Pius X parish in Westerly, Rhode Island. There I first met Joseph who was an altar server and a member of the parish youth group (among the many other activities and groups to which he belonged). In God’s providence we have ended up back together; this time with me as a priest and he as a seminarian. Click the title to read more.
Dear Parishioners, Young boys and girls throughout Catholic parishes in Rhode Island receive their First Holy Communion in the month of May. Dressed in suits and dresses they approach the altar of the Lord for the first time to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. This weekend we celebrated the reception of First Holy Communion by our second graders. I want to thank our Director of Religious Education, Sue Levesque, our teachers and aids: Jaqueline Allard, Kendra Adams, and Kim DeMayo for all of their work preparing these children.
Dear Parishioners, Last weekend our parish Knights of Columbus hosted a fundraiser for a needed family at our school. Parishioners and school families came to a pasta dinner in our church hall to support Mr. David Montenegro, his wife, and his two children who attend our school. He is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. These donations support his treatment and his family as he is out of work. It was an incredible show of support both from those who attended the dinner, and from those who simply dropped off a donation. It was a wonderful example of the generosity of this parish and school community. Please pray for David and his family that through the skills of surgeons and nurses, God’s healing gifts may be granted to him. Click the title to read more.