Dear Parishioners:
Monsignor Séamus Horgan
We welcome Monsignor Séamus Horgan, a priest of the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland, to OLM. He will celebrate and preach the St. Patrick's Day Mass at 10:30 am. The Mass features readings and hymns in the Irish Language. A reception of Irish Coffee and Irish Soda Bread follows it.
Monsignor studied at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1994. Following six years of parish ministry, he pursued studies in Rome. He received his license degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He later earned a Doctorate Degree in Canon Law. He then studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome to prepare for the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See.
Monsignor has served in various diplomatic postings across the globe, including Kampala, Uganda, Berne, Switzerland, Manila, the Philippines, and Rome. He is the First Counselor at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC. We are honored to have him join us at OLM to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! Welcome Monsignor Horgan!
On Tuesday, we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph with Mass celebrated in Italian at 12:05 pm. Bishop Robert J. McManus, a native son of Providence and now the Bishop of Worcester, is our celebrant and homilist. He is no stranger to OLM, having served as a Deacon here. He was ordained a priest in our Church in May 1978. A reception with Italian Coffee and delicious zeppoles follows the Mass! So please join us for this special celebration!
You don't have to be Irish or Italian to celebrate these two great saints of our Church, but we do so as we celebrate our Catholic faith and the heritage of the Irish and Italians! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit! Happy St. Joseph's Day! Buona Festa di San Giuseppe!
On Friday, the students of OLM Middle School are performing the Living Stations of the Cross in Church at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. It is a prayerful and powerful recounting of the Way of the Cross. Join us as we prayerfully prepare for Holy Week with the Living Stations.
Next weekend, we celebrate Palm Sunday with the Passion of our Lord as we begin Holy Week. Palm branches will be distributed and blessed at all Masses. There will be a Solemn Procession of Palm Branches from Mercy Park at the 10:30 am Mass. In a Palm Sunday homily, Pope Benedict XVI said: "The procession of the Palms is primarily an expression of joy because we can recognize Jesus because he allows us to be his friends and because he has given us the key to life. This joy, however, which is at the beginning, is also an expression of our 'yes' to Jesus and our willingness to go with him wherever he takes us. The expression 'following of Christ' describes the whole of Christian existence."
On Palm Sunday, the Second Collection is for the Rice Bowl Collection. CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All the monies collected in your Rice Bowls go directly to purchase and provide food for the hungry and starving of the world. I thank you in advance for your generous support.
Pope Francis making Confession at St. Peter’s Basilica
Next Saturday, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm, OLM is hosting All Day Confessions. Four priests will be available for the entire time. No lines, no waiting, merciful confessors, and plenty of volunteers to assist you. Come to Confession and bring a friend or family member. There will be Eucharistic Adoration during the Confession hours. Please pray for the Confessors and those coming to Confession. Pope Francis reminds us: "Don't be afraid to go to the Sacrament of Confession, where you will meet Jesus who forgives you."
We have a busy couple of weeks as Lent ends, and we prepare for Holy Week. The Holy Week Schedule is in the bulletin. We congratulate the OLM School Girls Grammar and Boys Junior teams who won the R.I. Catholic Athletic League Division 1 State Championship games last Sunday! They're off to New Hampshire for the New England Tournament next weekend. We wish them luck! Be well. Do good. God Bless! Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Happy St. Joseph’s Day!