A Fond Farewell to Bishop James Ruggieri

Bishop Ruggieri driving the Food Truck that serves hungry and homeless residents in Providence.

Dear Parishioners:                                

This week, I will joyfully travel north to Maine, for the Ordination of Bishop-Elect James Ruggieri as the 13th Bishop of Portland. The Ordination Mass is on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. It will be celebrated by Séan Patrick Cardinal O'Malley of Boston in the presence of Christophe Cardinal Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio (ambassador of the Holy See) to the United States. 

Many bishops from the area will attend, as will many priests from Providence and Portland. The Bishop’s family, friends, and parishioners from Rhode Island will also make the trek north for the celebration.

Pope Francis named Bishop Ruggieri, then pastor of St. Michael and St. Patrick Parishes in Providence,  as the 13th Bishop of the Diocese of Portland on February 13, 2024. Bishop Ruggieri grew up in Barrington, RI, where he was trained as an altar boy by Bishop Evans, then a young curate at Holy Angels Church. 

Bishop Ruggieri and Father Healey pose with Bishop Gelineau after their priestly ordination on June 24, 1995

The Bishop and I were ordained priests together on June 24, 1995, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul by Bishop Gelineau. He is a holy and humble priest and will be an outstanding shepherd of his flock in Maine. It is a bittersweet moment as we lose such a fine priest of Providence, but it is a happy day for the Bishop and a time of great joy for Portland. 

Our parish has long supported the many good and charitable works at his parishes in Providence. Over the years, we have had food drives and backpack drives and provided outreach efforts in support of the many poor and needy served by his parishes. 

Bishop Ruggieri regularly drove his Food Truck for the poor and hungry throughout Providence. He established St. Patrick's Academy, a Catholic High School for low-income students. Fluent in Spanish, this "Padre," as he is known, is truly a beloved shepherd of his flock in Providence. 

Just a few weeks ago, over 1,000 people gathered at a Farewell Mass for Bishop Ruggieri at the Cathedral in Providence. As a pastor, he has never turned a blind eye to anyone but always sought to help the unborn, the immigrant, the refugee, the addict, the homeless, and the poorest of the poor. He will undoubtedly continue to do so in Maine.

Bishop Ruggieri greeting parishioners at his Farewell Mass.

Although ordained a priest, the bishop-elect will celebrate another degree of the sacrament of holy orders of the Catholic Church. Bishops are ordained to "the fullness of the priesthood." He continues the ministry of charity while taking on the responsibility for governance of the local Church.

At the Ordination Mass, the recitation of the Prayer of Ordination, which dates to the 4th century, officially makes the man over whom it is being prayed a bishop. During the prayer, two deacons hold the open Book of the Gospels over the head of the new bishop to symbolize the principal task of proclaiming and living the Gospel.    The new bishop is then anointed on the head with Sacred Chrism and receives the signs and symbols of his office: The Book of the Gospels and a ring, signifying his union with this local Church and his lifetime commitment as a servant of the Lord. 

He receives a mitre worn by bishops at liturgical functions, a symbol of the wings of the Holy Spirit. He is presented with a crozier (pastoral staff), which looks like a shepherd's crook, symbolizing the bishop as the chief shepherd, protector, and guide of Christ's flock.  All the bishops at the Mass then give the new bishop a Sign of Peace, an embrace that marks the newly ordained bishop's membership in the College of Bishops. The newly ordained and installed bishop then presides for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, his first as bishop of Portland.

Bishop Ruggieri chose "Auspice Maria" as his episcopal motto, "Under the protection of Mary." Pray for Bishop Ruggeri. May our Blessed Mother Mary guide and protect him in his ministry of teaching, governing, and sanctifying the People of God as the Bishop of Portland. Ad multos annos! Gloriosque annos, Vivas! Vivas! Vivas!

Be well. Do good. God Bless. Join us for May Devotions on Monday at 7:00 pm. Saint Francis de Sales said:  "The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary."

.

April Showers Bring May Flowers, Mary & the Rosary

Dear Parishioners:                               

It begins this week! Yes, it's the month of May, when all the flowers watered by April showers finally bloom, the grass grows, and we start thinking about planting gardens, having family picnics, going to college graduations, and celebrating First Communions. The Month of May is also dedicated to the Blessed Mother Mary. For centuries, we have dedicated the entire month of May to honor Mary, Mother of God. This is not just a day in May but a month of reverence and devotion

 The tradition of the Month of Mary is not a recent one. It spans centuries and cultures, with its roots going back to the Ancient Greeks. In early Greece, May was dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of fecundity. In Ancient Rome, May was dedicated to Flora, the goddess of blooms. At the end of April, they celebrated ludi florals, or floral games, and asked Flora for the intercession of all that bloomed.

Similar such customs abounded in medieval times, centering around expelling winter, as May First was considered the start of new growth. The medieval tradition of Tricesimum, or "Thirty-Day Devotion to Mary," occurred during this period. It was also sometimes called "Lady Month."

The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Blessed Mother Mary can be traced back to baroque times. Although it wasn't always held during May, Mary Month included thirty daily spiritual exercises and devotions honoring Mary. In this era, Mary's Month and May were combined, making May the Month of Mary with special devotions organized daily. This custom became especially widespread during the nineteenth century and remains in practice until today.

There are numerous ways to honor Mary in May, and these traditions are as diverse as the people who practice them. Here at OLM, we have the great tradition of May Devotions with Eucharistic Adoration and the recitation of the Holy Rosary every Monday in May at 7:00 pm. We also have a morning Rosary Group who pray the Rosary after the daily 7:30 am Mass.

Additionally, we crown the statue of Mary during May – a custom known as May Crowning. The crown, made of beautiful blossoms, represents Mary's beauty and virtue. It serves as a reminder for us to strive to imitate our Blessed Mother's virtue, faith, and humility in our lives. The May Crowning at OLM is always on Mother's Day at the 10:30 am Mass. Our First Communion children come to the Mass in their First Communion attire and crown our Blessed Mother, Queen of the May! This beautiful ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate Mother's Day and honor Mary.  

During May, give Mary a special spot in your spiritual life. Take up the Rosary and pray it daily! Come to May Devotions on Mondays, and pray for peace in your life and our world. Yes, turn to Mary and pray for her intercession. St. Padre Pio said: "The Rosary is the 'weapon' for these times!"  

It is widely believed that in 1214, St. Dominic had a vision of Blessed Mother Mary. She presented him with the Rosary, both the beads and the prayers to be prayed. St. Dominic had a tremendous devotion to Mary and the Rosary, which he promoted wherever he traveled to preach. He encouraged Catholics to gather in small groups to pray together, which was an early form of the Rosary together.

Mary is our mother, and because she cares for us day in and day out without fail, she intercedes for us in even the tiniest matters. For that, she deserves an entire month in her honor. So take your Rosary beads and put them to prayerful work, meditating on the joyful, sorrowful, glorious, and luminous mysteries.

Pope Francis has urged Catholics to pray the Rosary, especially in May. He said: "I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. Contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family. It will help us overcome this time of trial."     

So add a Rosary to your week and come to Devotions on Mondays too! The Rosary is a mobile prayer. Pray it alone in the car on the way to work or together while taking the kids to a game. Mary, pray for us! Be well. Do good. God Bless. 

Stepping Into the Spring Calendar

Dear Parishioners:                              

It's hard to believe we had the April Spring School Vacation this past week, and it's already the Fourth Week of the Easter Season. Between an early Easter Sunday and all the rainy weather, the spring has gotten off to a slow start. As Mark Twain famously said: "In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."

Of course, spring brings with it many events on our parish calendar. The School Play debuts with the Little Mermaid Jr., and the School's Annual Spring Fling Fundraiser kicks off on Kentucky Derby Day. First Holy Communion and Mother's Day are also in early May! Lots of great events to celebrate as a parish and school family.

Mark your calendar for next weekend to see performances of The Little Mermaid Jr. Tickets for the shows are available at the door at the Prout School Theater. There are two performances, a 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 27, and a 2:00 pm matinee on Sunday, April 28. Our theatre troupe has been working hard for months on this production. Come see our talented students sing, dance, and entertain. It's closer and more affordable than Broadway and perhaps even more entertaining!

Then, on May 4, the OLM School Spring Fling takes place at 6:00 pm at the Quidnessett Country Club. This is the most important fundraiser of the year for our school, with all the proceeds going directly to support the excellent education and outstanding teaching of our Church and the world's future saints and scholars. The night will include a Kentucky Derby theme, featuring food and drinks to suit the occasion. The Spring Fling is an event for the whole parish and all the alums and friends of OLM School. So please wear your Derby suit or dress, hat, or bonnet, and join us! And remember to bring your checkbook for the auction!

It is a fun-filled evening that provides crucial financial support for our parish school. There are live and silent auctions of great prizes to bid on, ranging from Dinner with the Priests in the Rectory, MasterChef Fr. Mahoney Cooking Lessons for the Perfect Steak on the Grille, Hi-Lo Jack Night at the Regency Cigar Emporium, In-Home Wine Tasting from the Savory Grape, Vacation Get-Aways, Chef's Tables at local restaurants and much more! Tickets and information are available online at olmspringfling.org.

We look forward to our parish celebration of First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 11, and the May Crowning on Mother's Day, May 12. Fr. Mahoney and I will interview our First Communion candidates and their parents this week. They are entering into the final preparation for the big day.

Please pray for them as they continue preparing to receive Jesus Christ truly present in the Eucharist for the first time. May they heed the words of Pope Francis speaking to a First Communion Class: "Remember that this is the sacrament of your First Communion, not your last. Remember that Jesus is always waiting for you!"    

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. It is the perfect time for us to pray for priests, bishops, and all those who shepherd the Lord's flock. It is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a day for us to fulfill the Lord's instruction to "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest."   While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. So please spend some time in prayer today and during this upcoming week to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, especially in the Diocese of Providence. Also, please pray for all the priests, bishops, and seminarians of Providence.

Pope Francis reminds us: "Vocations aren't the result of planning, but an encounter with God that changes your life." If you know a young man who would make a good priest or a young woman who would be a good religious sister, invite them to consider it and pray for them. Help them encounter God, change their lives, and pursue a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life.

At OLM, we are truly blessed to have two priests, four religious sisters, a seminarian, and even a retired Auxiliary Bishop living next door. Pray that every parish in our Diocese may be so blessed with vocations! Be

Eastertide! New Life & Growth in the Church

Dear Parishioners:                              

The English Catholic convert and author G. K. Chesterton once commented: "Christendom has had a series of revolutions, and in each one of them, Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again, for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave."  His words came to mind as I reflected upon Easter, a season of baptism and new life.

Baptism on Easter Sunday

We had the joy of witnessing four baptisms at the Easter Vigil, and even more blessings followed as we baptized a baby on Easter Sunday, with five more babies to be baptized this Sunday!

Even in its simplest form, the sacrament of baptism is a celebration filled with Easter symbolism. Celebrating baptism at the Easter Vigil is a tradition, and this is no mere 'coincidence.' The Church intentionally connects baptism to the events of the Paschal mystery during the Easter season. Much of the symbolism is in the Jerusalem Catecheses, a series of catechetical lectures attributed to St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop during the 4th century. Addressing those baptized at the Easter Vigil, Cyril writes:

"You were led down to the font of holy baptism just as Christ was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb before your eyes. Each of you was asked, 'Do you believe in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?' You made the profession of faith that brings salvation; you were plunged into the water, and three times, you rose again. This symbolized the three days Christ spent in the tomb."

The white garment of baptism symbolizes that the person baptized has "put on Christ," risen with Christ. The candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies that Christ has enlightened the neophyte. In him, the baptized are "the light of the world." Yes, baptism is a truly beautiful sacrament. When celebrated during Easter, all of its symbolism comes to life.

Adult Baptism at Easter Vigil

Thousands of adults across the United States were baptized into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil this year. So please pray for all our newly baptized. Meanwhile, in secular France, over 12,000 people, both adults and adolescents, were baptized on Easter; this is a record number in the country that has become "de-Christianized."

According to reports from France, 7,135 adults were to receive the sacrament of baptism during the Easter Vigil. In addition, over 5,000 teenagers aged 11 to 17 were baptized this Easter. While this is good news, it is insufficient to compensate for the dramatic decline of infant baptism in France.

Islam is growing and may become the primary religion in historically Catholic countries such as France, the so-called eldest daughter of the Church. Yet, there was a dramatic increase in adults converting from Islam and being baptized at Easter in France. It, too, is a sign of faith and hope growing in Western Europe. In Rome, Pope Francis baptized eight adults: four from Italy, two from South Korea, a man from Japan, and a woman from Albania. He also confirmed them and gave them their first Communion.

Newly baptized at the Easter Vigil

On Easter Sunday, Catholics across the globe renewed their baptismal promises. They were sprinkled with the newly blessed Easter Holy Water. As they joyfully and faithfully recalled their own baptisms. They denounced sin and Satan and declared their belief in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, and his Church.

Eastertide is indeed a time of new life and growth in the Church. It is a time for us to live joyfully in faith, hope, and love. Christ is risen and alive. Sin and death have been defeated! The Church is alive and growing! This is good news that should bring us great joy!

I think Monsignor Ronald Knox, the English Catholic Priest, author, and theologian of the early twentieth century, said it best when he said: "The Church was buried in the catacombs; She rose again with Constantine. She died in the Dark Ages; She rose again with Charlemagne. She died with the Renaissance; She rose again with the saints of the Counter-Reformation. You cannot kill the Catholic Church."

We congratulate all the newly baptized and promise our prayers. A Blessed Easter Season!  Let us echo the words of St. John Paul II, "We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!" Be well. Do good. God Bless.

Rejoice & Be Glad with Gratitude!

Dear Parishioners:                    

              "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad," the Psalmist sings on Easter Sunday. And indeed, in this Easter Season, we continue "to rejoice and be glad!" For there is much good news of great rejoicing at OLM.                                

At the Easter Vigil, we celebrated the Light of Christ, defeating the darkness of sin and death. We rejoiced in the waters of new life as five people were baptized and received into the Church. And so we rightly rejoice with and for them, as they enter the Church and take up the Catholic Faith. Please pray that their Faith grows and bears fruit as they celebrate their rebirth in Christ this Easter Season.

We rejoice, too, at our celebration of Holy Week. It was a solemn celebration of Faith as we recalled our Lord and Savior's Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Of course, such glorious liturgical celebrations require many people's hard work and dedication. We rightly thank all those who helped to prepare and make Holy Week and Easter so special at OLM.

We thank Paul Anderson and our dedicated maintenance crew for their tireless cleaning, preparing, setting up, and taking down everything involved in Holy Week. The Church and grounds were cleaned and ready to properly celebrate the mysteries of our Faith.

We also thank our good Franciscan Sisters, led by Sister Lourdes and her band of sacristans. Their humble devotion and faithful dedication to ensuring everything is pressed, polished, cleaned, and ready for Holy Week Liturgies deserve our deep gratitude. The decorators deserve our praise and thanks for making the Church beautiful for all the liturgies. Their hard work and devotion result in the beauty of Easter with all the flowers and plants that decorate our Church. We thank them for all they do.

The music for Holy Week, Easter, and all of Lent was magnificent. We must thank our Music Director, Henri St. Louis, our soloist, Christiana Caprarelli, and our OLM Choir for the beautiful music that always lifts us to God. As St. Augustine said: "When we sing, we pray twice!" All these talented people helped us pray twice, and we are grateful.

We thank all our Lectors for joyfully proclaiming God's Word and our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for helping us with the large crowds at Easter Masses. We are grateful to those Ministers who brought Communion to our many shut-ins. Our ushers did a superb job ensuring everyone could find a seat, as the crowds on Easter Sunday were thankfully very large!

And finally, we thank our many OLM Altar Servers for their exemplary service. They dutifully and reverently served God at his Sacred Altar with great devotion and dedication. We must also thank our Master of Ceremonies, Erik Carlson, Seminarian David Del Bonis, and Luke Simms, who returned from university, for their faithful service during Holy Week and Easter.

On behalf of Father Mahoney, Father Connors, and myself, we thank you, OLM's good and faithful parishioners, for your steadfast devotion during Lent and Holy Week. Your witness to the Faith is truly heartening and encouraging. We also thank the many parishioners who were so generous to us at Easter. Your well wishes, gifts, and delicious goodies are deeply appreciated, and we thank you. Your support of our priestly ministry calls us to "rejoice and be glad!" 

In an Easter op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, "Why Pews Are Packed on Easter Sunday," Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, wrote:

"As in a gathering of kin, congregating with one's spiritual family—people with whom one has a deep instant connection—is liberating and fulfilling. There are very few social gatherings where ordinary people can enter and not sense critical eyes sizing them up, assessing their status, and guessing their motives. There are even fewer where every participant sings, recites creeds, and listens to ancient wisdom in a spirit of humility and love. At its best, Christian worship is such a setting. And when Christians worship at their best, their wandering brothers and sisters tend to come home."

We worshiped and prayed at our best during this Holy Week at OLM, so we rightly rejoice and are glad. Blessings for a Happy Easter Season! Be well. Do good. God Bless. 

"Alleluia, He has risen as He said, Alleluia! Alleluia!"

Dear Parishioners:                   

Happy Easter! Alleluia, He has Risen! Today, we celebrate the center and core of our Christian faith, the Resurrection! For our faith is a Resurrection Faith. We rejoice today, for the Risen Christ, having conquered sin and death, remains with us across the ages.     The Lord's Easter gift to the Church and the world is the gift of hope. Because the Risen Christ remains with us personally and collectively, we never face life's challenges alone. Christian hope teaches us that we are destined for eternal life, and hope is meant to sustain us in the concrete realities we face each day.

As we celebrate this Easter, no truth is more relevant than hope built on Christian faith. St. John Paul II said: "Yes, Christ is truly risen, and we are witnesses of this. We proclaim this witness to the world so that our joy will reach countless other hearts, kindling in them the light of the hope which does not disappoint."

Our society and world are deeply divided in many ways. Our politics and populations are polarized. There is war and growing violence across the globe. There is no room for debate, listening, persuading, and being persuaded to a good compromise. The language of true tolerance has been replaced by hardened ideologies. It is into these deep divisions that the Easter message must be spoken anew. So now is the time to help the world see even more clearly Christ's passion, death, and Resurrection as the most profound expression of unfathomable love and mercy. This love and mercy must be proclaimed despite the war, destruction, sin, apathy, and tensions in the Church and the world.

Christ's victory and continued presence shine in our lives through the Church, the sacraments, and the witness of God's people. Signs of that continued witness are visible in those we welcome into the Church at the Easter Vigil, as we do this Easter at OLM. Today, on Easter Sunday, Christians desperately need to proclaim the cross and live in Easter hope. This hope exposes the lies of the world and is stronger than conflict or worldly ambition for power and status. It invites and welcomes all who seek the peace that only true discipleship can bring, living in conformity to God's will rather than our own. It is a true new beginning. 

   Pope Francis memorably taught in his Easter homily last year, "It is always possible to begin anew because there is always a new life that God can awaken in us despite all our failures. From the rubble of our hearts — and each one of us knows the rubble of our hearts — God can create a work of art; from the ruined remnants of our humanity, God can prepare a new history. He never ceases to go ahead of us: in the cross of suffering, desolation, and death, and in the glory of a life that rises again, a history that changes, a hope that is reborn."

The empty tomb of Jesus was a sign of God's victory over hatred, violence, death, and everything that diminishes the human person and community. "Amor vincit omnia": love overcomes everything. That is an authentic love overcomes, a self-sacrificing love, not a self-indulgent love. As we celebrate Easter, our call is to be people of faith, hope, and love. To be people who let the light of the Easter Candle burn brightly within us so that others may share in the joyful truth of the Easter message. "We are an Easter People, and Alleluia is our song!"     

Such Easter hope is not found in an ideal, an ideology, or philosophy but in an encounter with a person, the Risen Christ. The Christ who went to a place where no one else would willingly go for us. The Christ who then emerged from a place where no one else has ever - the grave! As Pope Francis said:

"He who rolled away the stone that sealed the entrance of the tomb can also remove the stones in our hearts. He did not abandon us; He visited us and entered into our situations of pain, anguish, and death. His light dispelled the darkness of the tomb: He wants that light to penetrate even into the darkest corners of our lives today."

 Fr. Mahoney, Fr. Connors, and I wish you a Holy and Happy Easter! May the Easter Season  be a grace-filled time for you and your families. "Alleluia, He has risen as He said, Alleluia! Alleluia!" Be well. Do good. God Bless.