Dear Parishioners, Today we celebrate our Lord’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem. Welcomed as king and messiah, only several days later he would be hung on a cross. Five weeks ago, we stood in the church and received ashes. We were reminded of our mortality, our sinfulness, and our need for penance and prayer. In a word, we remembered that we need a savior. Those ashes were the remnant of Palm Sunday branches from last year. This year we once again receive new palm branches. This symbolizes new growth and rebirth. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Beginning this weekend on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the last two weeks in the season of Lent are called Passiontide. Now the Church shifts her focus from Christ in the desert (the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent) to Christ during His Passion. The Church marks this shift in many ways. So, walking into church this weekend you may have noticed something striking: the statues were covered. Why the veils? Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Last week I mentioned that we have the dates for our parish Lenten Mission: March 27th, 28th, and 29th. Each day the mission begins at 6:30pm. On Tuesday, March 28th at 5:30pm we will have two priests hearing confession prior to the talk. Finally on Wednesday, March 29th in addition to the talk, we will also have Eucharistic Adoration. The theme this year is: “Become What You Believe.” Each night of the mission details a different part of the mystery of God enabling us to become like God. Now for the big reveal: the mission preacher is none other than my former pastor (and boss) Fr. Bernard Healey. In addition to being a zealous pastor he is also a dynamic preacher that comes from his many years as a priest. I hope that he does not bring up too many stories of my time as his associate priest! Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, In our church downstairs we are fortunate to have a large hall, kitchen, and two meeting rooms (as well as closet space). Many groups, parishioners, and events use that space. For the past few weeks if you had a chance to use or walk through the Ryan Room downstairs you would have noticed a bit of construction. Rotting wood, bulging plaster and general maintenance needs were all the reasons for the work. Fortunately, that room and the work therein is coming to an end. We should (hopefully by the time you read this) have a partly painted Ryan Room. There will still be more work to do in the weeks ahead, but I wanted to give everyone a quick update. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Thank you to everyone who prayed for and supported the Little Sisters of the Poor who visited our parish last weekend. It was an opportunity for us to fulfill two of our Lenten practices: almsgiving and prayer. It may have also fulfilled our fasting as well if we gave up money to the sisters that otherwise would have been used for food or drink. There are so many opportunities to live out these three practices this Lent and each builds off of the other. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, We have begun the Season of Lent. It can be a wonderful time to grow in our faith in and love of Jesus Christ. The Church proposes three main activities every Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. While these are practices we can do throughout the year, every Lent we redouble or restart our efforts at these practices. In a word, we join Christ in the desert. Here at our parish we have many opportunities for these practices. Just this weekend we have the opportunity to give alms. The Little Sisters of the Poor run Jeanne Jugan Residence Home; it is a well known institution: Well-known for its extraordinary care of its patients. There the sisters, staff and faculty do not just provide physical and psychological care, but also spiritual. The residents have daily opportunities to attend Mass and pray. This weekend we have a chance to hear from the sisters of the good work that goes on there and to show our support. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, It might be difficult to believe, but this week we begin the Season of Lent. Lent can be an amazing time of year if one observes it properly. It is a time to challenge ourselves to be detached from the things of this world and cling more completely to Jesus. The three main pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Of course, Lent does not have to be the only time of the year that we practice these three things because they are essential to Christian faith year round. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, This weekend we begin our part in the Catholic Charity Fund Appeal for the Diocese of Providence. It is our chance to help those in need. Now that I have been a pastor for over a year, and I have seen all the parts of running a parish, I understand the many ways our finances can be strained. This year the increased price of food, rent, housing, electricity, gas, oil, and the like are on the minds of many. It can be difficult to be generous towards others when one struggles to put food on the table. Yet we know that the Lord provides. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, We had a busy week here in the diocese of Providence. On Thursday, the Most Reverend Richard G. Henning was officially received as the Coadjutor Bishop of Providence at a Mass at the Cathedral. The Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre was present, as well as Bishop Tobin, Evans, and numerous other clergy and faithful. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, There are two important events that take place at the end of January. First, the annual March for Life in Washington D.C. The March began in January 1974 after the legalization of abortion in 1973. Since then, millions of Americans have attended the march in an effort to not only change the law but change the hearts and minds of Americans. Protecting the life of unborn children in the womb is of paramount importance. The principles behind the pro-life movement have far reaching consequences beyond abortion. A pro-life mentality opposes euthanasia and the killing of those with mental handicaps. It values all human life regardless of race, sex, or ethnicity. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Last weekend we bid farewell to Mr. Alfred Panone our parish Director of Music for the last five years. In that time he has helped us worship God with his playing, singing, and directing. For the last year and a half it has been a pleasure working with Al. I thank him and wish him well in his retirement. If you would like to send him a thank you, you are welcome to send it to the parish and we will forward it to him. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Last weekend Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed from this world to God. We pray that he may rest in peace. He was one of the most influential figures in the Church in the last one hundred years (up there with St. John Paul II and Mother Teresa). While a quiet man by nature, his influence spread through his work as a thinker, theologian, and author. His book series Jesus of Nazareth is a wonderful work on our Lord. He gave us the hermeneutic of continuity interpretation of the Second Vatican Council; that the Council should be interpreted not as a break with the past, but as continuous with it. He was only thirty-five years old when he was made a theological expert to the Council. As such he had an influence on many of its documents. He would spend a lot of his life defending and trying to give a proper interpretation to the Council. In addition, he fought against (his words) the “dictatorship of relativism.” Above all, he was in love with Jesus Christ. His last words were “Lord, I love you,” the same last words as our patroness St. Therese of Lisieux. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Happy New Year to everyone. Many at the beginning of the New Year form lists of resolutions and promises, but why exactly do we celebrate the New Year when we do? Many of us take for granted the dates and times of the months and years, but where did we get our current calendar? Part of the answer reveals an important truth about Catholicism: that it is concerned with all aspects of human good, including the dating of time. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners Merry Christmas to everyone! The day for which we have spent the last four weeks preparing has arrived. We remember this weekend, and for the next several days, that God took the much longer journey to us to save us. He did not come with a display of power or might, but instead as a helpless infant. He did not come in the palaces of the greatest empires of the time, but in a manger. He did not come on his own, but in a family. How blessed we are that God should come to us in this way. The mystery of Christmas cannot be celebrated in just one day. So for the next several days the Church celebrates the octave of Christmas. During those days I pray for a blessed and healthy Christmas to everyone. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Another thank you to our parish Knights of Columbus Council and to those who donated to their Operation ROVAC (Remembering Our Veterans at Christmas). The breakfast and donation drive were a huge success. We had eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and pastries. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, You may have noticed a ring of Christmas trees around the statue of our patroness. Our parish school, religious education program, and youth group organized a Christmas tree decorating event this past Friday. Each tree is decorated by a different grade or group. I want to thank everyone involved who helped organize this event, provide a beautiful decoration for our parish, and for bringing the community together. Click the title to read more.

Dear 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. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope that everyone had a blessed day. Here at the parish we had the Mass at 9:00am. After the Mass we had our traditional blessing and handing out of bread for families. Last Saturday (November 19th) we had a pasta dinner to raise funds for Odin Mello. He is a 1 year old who suffered life threatening trauma after being attacked. The money will go to help defer ongoing medical costs. Thank you to our Knights and to everyone who participated in this fundraiser! Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, Throughout November we have been praying for the deceased, particularly those who passed away this past year. Our board in the sanctuary and the list in the bulletin helps us remember and pray for them. Unfortunately, we accidently omitted some names from this past year. I am very sorry to the families, and I take responsibility for their omissions. The lists have been amended. Please add to your prayers: Antonio Almeida, Jeanne “Claire” Boardman, Leonne Cote, Mary Grinsell, Raymond Johnston Jr., Genevieve McLellan, Luis de Nobrega, Robert Papineau, Irene Sweeney, and Gloria Vecoli in your prayers. If any other names of those who died this past year whose Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated here at St. Teresa are not on this list, please let me know to add to our list. Click the title to read more.

Dear Parishioners, This past week we celebrated as a nation Veterans Day. On November 11, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower called upon all citizens of the United States to observe that day as Veterans Day. In his proclamation he told us: “On [this] day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting and enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to offer grateful thanks to the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend and protect our precious liberties. We give thanks to our military service men and woman who make it possible for us to gather in peace every day. We remember those who have served, those who continue to serve our country whether at home or abroad, those still suffering the effects of their generous response in times of national need, those families who’s loved ones are away on deployment, and those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Click the title to read more.