Past Blogs

April 19, 2021

Hi Folks!  It has been about 3 months since I last posted on the blog.  I am getting worse in the time delay in the postings instead of better!  My apologies.  I have been well and have received the 2 shots of the Moderna vaccine, thank God.

I want to thank you for your continued financial support of the parish.  Your generosity knows no bounds.  We have been able to keep current with all bills and the payroll thanks to you.  It had been a worry at the beginning of the pandemic but you have allayed my fears.  Not many parishes have responded as you have, so you have my heartfelt gratitude.

Since my last posting, we have continued to experience several more deaths of parishioners.  They include Ralph Cataloni, Jr., Jaon M. Visconti, Richard A. Curtis, Peter DeGirolamo, Jr., Leonard J. Sacco, Ellen M. Westlund, Donald A. Corliss, Jr., Jacqueline Hansen, Edith S. "Edie" Vierra, Patrick R. Cummings, Barbara Mahanna, Kathleen Cooper, Rose A Cavallo, Gregory E. Dognazzi, Rose J. Picchi, and Mitzi J. Butler.  Several parishioners have also lost loved ones durign these past three months:  David P. Dee, the uncle of Deborah Stratton, James F. Lynch, the father of Mark Lynch, Marie Watts, the niece of Sister Ann William, Pauline C. Maciejko, the mother of Deborah Szrom, Audrey W. House, the mother of Sharon Broyles, Michael R. Mason, the brother of Catherine Connaughton and Rosemarie Loesher, Jerome St. Amant, the brother of Sue Benoit, William R. Hasenfus, the brother-in-law of Robert Carchedi and Michael Carchedi, Marie DiPietro, the mother of Debroah Bandanza, Sarah E. Danca, the mother of John J. Danca, Jr., Carmine Baratta, the father of Christopher Baratta, Thomas H. Hottleman, Jr., the father of Thomas M. Hottleman, Elizabeth A. Nardelli, the mother of Lisa Puccia, Kathleen J. Naughton, the aunt of John Colbert, Pauline A. Westlund, the wife of Stephen Westlund, Ruth E. DiMarzio, the mother of Carol Pignato, Ruth T. Jewell, the mother of Shirley Amoruso, Eric P. May, the son of David and Barbara May, and Barbara T. Auvil, the mother of Barbara T. English.  Let us keep all of these folks and their families in our prayers.

I do want to highlight the death of Ellen Westlund who was a giant in our midst.  For forty years, Ellen served as the Faith Formation Coordinator here - at the same time that she taught math at Mansfield High School.  And this was at a time when the enrollment in the Faith Formation Program was over 2,200 students - and there were no computers.  Thousands of young people (and their families) are indebted to this good woman.  May she receive the reward of her labors and enjoy everlasting life with our God whom she loved and served so well.

On January 22, we had a Holy Hour for the legal protection on Unborn Children.  We were able to have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the Stations of the Cross, and Benediction each week during Lent.  we had it on different days so that more people would have an opportunity to attend.  We started this 2 years ago by having these devotions on days when the Faith Formation classes were held so that the students could attend.  For a vast majority it was their first experience of attending Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, of the Stations, and of Benediction.  Hopefully, next Lent they will be back in classes at the Paris Center and will be able attend.  We also had the Parish Lenten Penance Service on Palm Sunday evening at 6 p.m.  Even during the pandemic we had about 50 people attend and receive the gift of the Lord's forgiveness.

Our school continues to do well.  We have received any applications for the next school year.  Matt Bourque, our principal, is working with the parents on the acceptance process.  I will have a more detailed report in my next blog.

I was able to schedule Confirmation interviews for the students in the Confirmation II program (grade 10).  They have been meeting via ZOOM and also using Google documents.  The interviews were held on 14 days from February 16 through April 13 with about 10 or 12 individual interviews per day, one student at a time in the Parish Center meeting room, maintaining the required social distancing and other protocols.  It is a lot of work, but I enjoy meeting with the candidates to not only ascertain that they are ready to be  confirmed but also to find out from them as to why they chose the Confirmation name and sponsor that they did, and to also hear from them about their rection to the program - what they liked and as to how we can make it better.  I am EXTREMELY grateful to Matt Bourque for overseeing the Confirmation program, to Sue Caughey for her work "behind the scenes", and to the faithfilled men and women who served as Table Leaders for these candidates the past two years:  Karen Cavanaugh, Beth Donovan, Greg Dunham, Eric Kascavitch, Molly Vokey, Steve Wholley. Ginny Greeley, Cindy Loncar, Kate Johnston, and Meg Costello.  I will give a "shout out' in my next blog for the men and women who served at Table Leaders for the Confirmation I program (students in grade 9).

We celebrated 2 First Holy Communions on March 14 for 17 of our current third graders.  They had deferred until then to receive the Lord for the first time.  We celebrated 2 Confirmations on March 21 for 22 of our current eleventh graders who had deferred from receiving the sacrament last year.  We celebrated First Reconciliaton (2 on March 20, 2 on March 27, and i on April 10) for all of our current second graders.  Many of them have opted to receive First Holy Communion next month.  We also celebrated 2 Confirmations on April 11 for 6 of our eleventh graders and 27 of our tenth graders.  We will be celebrating 3 Confirmations this coming Sunday, April 25.  More information about that in my next blog!

We have been celebrating Baptisms most weekends, one family at a time.  We have many scheduled in the next several weeks.

As I mentioned at Easter, it was exhilarating to celebrate the Sacred Triduum with folks in the congregation.  Last years it was so surreal celebrating it in a near empty Church.

The weekend before Palm Sunday we had too many folks at the 11:30 a.m. forcing us to go to an online reservation process to attend Mass from Palm Sunday weekend until the foreseeable future.  While many parishes have been doing this since last May, I have wanted to hold off until necessary because it rubs me the wrong way that you need to reserve a seat for Mass.  But due to so many who have received both vaccination shots, people are feeling safer in attending Mass in person.  Many folks this past weekend indicated that it was their first time back in over a year.  Thank God for the vaccines and the medical people who worked on creating them.

We do have more than a few folks who have had the COVID virus and some of them are struggling.  Let us keep them in our prayers as well.

That is it for now.  I hope that you get to experience the joy of the Easter Season each day.  Please keep me in your prayers (as I pray for you daily) - and please stay well.
                                                                                                                                Fr. Michael

January 20, 2021

Hi Folks.  It has been over 2 months since I last posted on the blog.  My apologies!  I have been well, just a couple of bouts with kidney stones.

Since my last posting, I do not want to let you know that we have experienced several more deaths of parishioners.  They include the following: Robert M. Medeiros, Robert F. Almeida, Robert P. Pearson, Leo E. Peloquin, Martha L. Sulham, Edward J. Dalton, Joan M. Gouveia, Maria M. DeFaria, Joan M. Consalvo, John R. Moody, Geraldine A. Abbott, Barbara Harris, Gabriel Gouveia, and Gary Palmeiri.  Several parishioners also lost loved ones during these past two months:  Thomas J. Meehan, the brother of Lauren DiMascio, Margaret J. Michalak, the grandmother of John D. McCann, Roland P. Bjorkman, the father of Paul Bjorkman, Paul R. Gastonguay, the father of Joanne Moyer, David R. Jones, the brother of Robert Jones, Mary Ann Akins and Judy Howard, the sisters of Jean Barrett, Rita Lindstrom, the mother of Christopher Lindstrom, Lois M. Mahoney, the mother of Richard Mahoney, Angelina Alexander, the sister of Celeste Jones and of Hilda Jackson, Brendan Belloise, the nephew of Eileen Murphy, Antoinette M. Rondina, the mother of Diane Matoian, Joseph Doherty, the father of Joan Giffels, Ann L. Musto, the mother of Thomas Musto, Helen P. Keady, the mother of Francis Keady, and David J. Owens, the father of Lisa Buckley and of Stuart MacLean.  Let us keep these people and their families in our prayers.

It is hard to believe that we have gone through Thanksgiving and Christmas!  Due to the expected numbers, we had to use a "sign up" process so that a person could receive a confirmation for admittance.  Many parishes started using this at the beginning of the pandemic, but I did not want to have to go that route.  It is unsettling to me that you need a "ticket" for admittance to Church.  But we were forced into it for Christmas.  While the maximum occupancy was 150 and each of the 4 vigil Masses had hit that number a week before Christmas, with the spike in Covid cases, folks started to cancel.  Others took their place, but in the end the closest we came to capacity was one vigil Mass at 148.  In a "normal" year, we would have between 5,400 and 5,500 people at the 7 Masses.  This year we had about 1,000.

We were able to carry on the tradition of an Advent Penance service.  We had about 35 folks participate, and I had the assistance of 3 other priests.

The Faith Formation program continues.  I am grateful to the women and men who are serving as "Master Catechists" who tape the lesson each week, and then it is posted on the Faith Formation website.  The students can view it at a day and time of their choosing, and then complete an online assessment.  I do miss the interaction with the students, however.  The Confirmation program has been functioning well - even to the point that we have had 2 Zoom retreats for the candidates!  It was great for me because I got to see them at the beginning of each session without masks!  I want to thank Pat Colbert, Maureen Buonpane, and Matt Bourque for overseeing these programs.  I hope to begin to offer Confirmation interviews (following all of the safety protocols) within the next 2 weeks.  Luckily, last year I completed the interviews just 2 weeks before the "shut down."

The Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Woman's Club had had Zoom meetings - so Parish life continues.

The youngsters in the school have been in 5 day/week sessions since it opened on August 25.  I am so grateful to God that this has gone so smoothly.  I am grateful to the administration, faculty and staff for their planning, hard work and flexibility.  I must say, however, I miss greeting the students in the mornings!

We have been blessed by the generosity of the good folks here who continue to forward donations to the parish such that all bills have been paid.  I thank you for that generosity because it was a worry of mine from the beginning of the pandemic.  Not many parishes have been able to remain current with payroll and bills, but due to your generosity we have been able to do so.  Thank you!

We have had a number of parishioners and relatives of parishioners who have tested positive within the last 6 to 8 weeks.  We need to continue to pray for one another.  Let us hope and pray that the vaccines can be distributed quickly.

That is it for now.  Let us keep one another in our prayers, and remember that our God is always with us.  Stay safe!
                                                                                                                                    Fr. Michael 

November 9, 2020

Hi Folks!  It has been over 6 weeks since my last posting.  I am fine.  I did have a two-week bout with kidney stones, but all has passed - thank God.  But as I have said several times, that if that is the worst thing I have in life, then lucky me!  It did slow me down a bit.

We have continued to experience the deaths of several parishioners and relatives of parishioners.  Most weeks, we had 2 or 3 funerals.  We lost the following parishioners: Michael S. McPherson (62) and his wife Doreen (60) who died within 6 days of each other from cancer, leaving their adult children Heather, Michael, and Kelli; Timothy Thayer (56); Thomas V. Conte (67); Thomas V. Daley (53); Katherine Reynolds (64); Joaquin "Jack" Ricardo (75); Anthony J. Odoardi, Sr. (61); James A. DiCorpo (57); Eileen Madden (79); Ann Marie Diamond (86); and Kay Placido (94).  As you can see, several were young.  I recently learned that Sandy Brooks lost her father, Ralph Perry, back in August.  Those parishioners who lost loved ones include the following:  Helen M. Capone, the sister of Susan Small; Thomas J. Meehan, Jr., the father of Lauren DiMascio; Dr. William A. Buckley, the father of Thomas Buckley; Jesse Dublanica, the father of Parker, Christopher, Wade, and Adeline Dublanica; Theresa Kelly, the mother of Suzanne DeFina; Richard Sternburg Holiver, the father of John Holiver; and Domenico Aielli, the brother of Armando Aielli.  Let us keep all of these folks and their families in our prayers.

We also have a number of parishioners who are seriously ill.  Their names can be found in the bulletin.  We need to pray for them and their families as well.  I have been called to administer the Sacrament of the Sick to many of them.

The Annual Report on the state of the parish is in the mail.  It details the steps that we have taken during the pandemic.  We have begun to celebrate baptisms - one family at a time.  We have several scheduled in the next few weeks.  This past weekend we celebrated First Holy Communion for 13 of our students, and next weekend we will celebrate 2 Confirmations for 25 of our (now) eleventh graders.  We had given the families the options to celebrate the Sacraments this past summer, this fall or next spring.  The balance of both groups will celebrate the Sacraments in the spring.

The Faith Formation Program (including the Confirmation program) are progressing nicely.  I am grateful to the Master Catechists and Table Leaders for the great job they are doing in these less than ideal circumstances.  Likewise, our school has been in session for 11 weeks, and all has gone well. I want to thank Pat Colbert, Maureen Buonpane and Matthew Bourque for their excellent leadership in these Programs and at the School.

Thanksgiving will soon be here.  Since many folks will not be travelling this year, we will have a Mass in anticipation of Thanksgiving on the night before, Wednesday, at 7 p.m. - and a Mass on the day itself at 8 a.m.  We have begun planning for our Christmas celebrations as well.  We will not be able to have a vigil Mass in the school gym since it is being used for 4 classrooms by the school.  We will be forced to use an on-line reservation program (something I have studiously avoided for the weekends because it strikes me as odd that you would have to reserve a seat to attend Mass).  More information about that will be forthcoming.

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society is in the midst of their food drive this past weekend and next.  Likewise Kathy Fleck is once again (God bless her!) overseeing the Giving Tree - but it will be done on a virtual basis.  That will occur this coming weekend, November 14/15 and the gifts are to be returned the weekend of December 5/6.  The online bulletin contains the information for you to participate. - or you can visit our website www.StMaryMans.org and click on the Giving Tree information.  The Knights of Columbus will be having their annual pie sale.  Due to the pandemic, you are encouraged to order pies online at http://pies.kofc420.org.  This information is also in the bulletin online.

This coming Wednesday is Veterans Day.  We pause as a nation to thank and pray for those who have served our nation in the Armed Forces.  The bulletin contains a list of all of our parishioners who are currently serving and where.  Let us pray for them as well.

I continue to thank the Knights for sanitizing the Church after each weekend Mass.  We would not be able to function without them.

I also want to thank those parishioners who have continued to support the parish financially. I realize that many are experiencing financial difficulties and thus cannot help.  I understand completely - your responsibility is to your family's well-being.  But for those who are able to do so, I thank you for your continued generosity.

I hope to be better in posting messages on a more regular basis.  Know that life here continues to be hectic.  I am fully aware of the things that I am unable to do - so please be patient and bear with me.  I continue to keep you in my prayers and would ask that you do the same.  Stay well!
                                                                                                                                  Fr. Michael

September 26, 2020

Yikes!  It has been almost 4 weeks since I last posted!  One of the reasons for the lapse in postings is due to the number of email messages I get.  On an average basis I get about 70 messages per day!  So if you haven't gotten a response from me to a message that you sent, please be patient.  I will respond.

We have also experienced the deaths of several parishioners and relatives of parishioners. We lost the following parishioners:  Carole A. Clemmey, Doreen J. Tighe, Paul A. Copparini (whose son Steve is also a parishioner here), Mary E. Cowell, Alfred J. McKeever, Sr., and Michael McPherson.  Those parishioners who lost loved ones include the following:  Thomas J. King (father of Kathleen Pignato), Douglas A. Santimore (father of Michelle Ward), Robert E. Bertolino (father of Paul Bertolino), Winifred L. McSweeney (mother of Michael McSweeney), Jacqualyn Pedimi (sister of Helena "Betty" Souza), Kathryn Stanislawzyk (sister of John Giblin), and Richard G. Coffey, Sr., (father of Richard G. Coffey, Jr.).  Let us keep all of these folks in our prayers.

We have completed 4+ weeks at our school, and things have gone very well.  The youngsters have adapted to the masks, frequent hand washing, outside activities.  So we give thanks to God, and thanks to the administrators, faculty and staff for all of their fine efforts.  And I misspoke in the last posting - we have 61 youngsters on our waiting list!

Pat Colbert and Maureen Buonpane have done an excellent job in preparing for the new year in the Faith Formation Program.  I mentioned last time as to how the program will unfold.  The parents are in the process of picking up the books, syllabi, and "goodie bag" for the coming year.  I am grateful to those catechists who are serving as "Master Catechists," filming the lessons which are then posted on the Faith Formation program for the youngsters to then watch.  In grades 3 through 8 the students will then complete an online assessment of the lesson.  "Classes" will begin shortly.

Likewise the Confirmation Program will begin on October 18.  I am grateful to Matt Bourque, the Confirmation coordinator, for putting together the program which will include 3 live classes and 9 classes utilizing Google Classroom as the platform.  I am grateful to the men and women who will be serving as Table Leaders.

I had a conversation with a parishioner a few weeks ago whose son began his freshman year at a University out west.  It didn't dawn on me how difficult this year would be for college freshman.  They know hardly anyone, and they have to stay pretty much in their rooms.  He described it as being like a prisoner.  We need to keep all of our college students in our prayers, particularly the freshmen.

We continue to have a number of parishioners who are seriously ill.  Their names can be found on the bulletin on the parish website.  Let us continue to pray for them and their families.  I have administered the Sacrament of the Sick to many parishioners during the last four weeks.  Going to one local long-term care facility, I was asked to take a Covd-19 test since I had not had one.  Thankfully, it came back negative!

We celebrated a wedding on September 18, and have 3 on the weekend of October 10/11.  We have also celebrated many baptisms (one family at a time), and have another 18 scheduled in the next few weeks.  We will also be reaching out to Confirmation candidates from this past year to see if they would like to be Confirmed this fall. 64 out of 133 had postponed celebrating the Sacrament in July and August.  We will also be reaching out to those First Holy Communion candidates (47 out of 109) who had deferred from receiving this past August to see if they would like to do so this fall.  You can see that we have had many celebrations!  And you wonder why I can't post messages more often!!

I want to repeat my thanks to the Knights of Columbus for sanitizing the Church after each weekend Mass - and a special word to Charlie Spath for overseeing this endeavor.

I also want to thank the parishioners for your continued generosity.  I know that many cannot due to the financial difficulties they are experiencing, and I understand completely.  Please take care of your families.  For those who are able to donate, please accept my deep gratitude.  As of today all of our bills (including payroll) and current - due to your generosity!

I think that that is it for now.  Please continue to pray for me as I do for you - and please stay well

                                                                                                                                     Fr. Michael

August 30, 2020

It has been just shy of 3 weeks since I last posted a message!  Sorry for the delay.

We have experienced the loss of the following parishioners:  Donald Moran who was 90, Maria Nelson who died one day after her 70th birthday, Patty Coyne who was 63, and John Sloane who was 66.  For those who attended the Parish Social would know Maria (and her husband George) for their fancy dance moves!  And many know Patty as she was a beloved teacher within the Mansfield School system - and was VERY involved here, most recently coordinating the coffee and donuts after Masses on Sundays prior to the pandemic shutting that down.  These four were faith-filled individuals who have given us wonderful examples to follow.  Some parishioners also lost loved ones:  Joan Lawrence, the sister of William J. Lawrence, Sr., and Thomas J. McGowan, the son of Mary McGowan and the brother of Mary Bruno and Cathy McGowan.  Let us keep all of these folks and their families in our prayers. 

The Parish School opened this past Tuesday, and everything went smoothly.  We have 207 students, and over 40 on the waiting list!  I give great credit to the administrators, faculty and staff for their detailed and well-thought out plan - and for executing that plan with hardly any glitches.

Two more updates on the senior lectors/altar servers and their plans for this school year:  Paden Palanza will be attending UMass Amherst, and Ryan Hart is at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  We wish them the best as they begin these new endeavors.

Our 2 seminarians, John Garabedian and Tom Palanza, Jr., have returned to Immaculate Conception Seminary in New Jersey.  It seems like they just got home!  As I have said several times we are blessed to have 2 fine young men from our parish who are willing to discern if God is calling them to serve the Church as priests.  I think that it would be great if parishioners sent them messages of support and assurance of prayers during the year.  Due to their busy schedule of studies and formation, please explain that you do NOT want them to feel a need to respond.  The address is Immaculate Conception Seminary, 400 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, New Jersey 07079.

A words of thanks to Pat Colbert and Maureen Buonpane, our Faith Formation coordinator and assistant, for another great year with the most trying of circumstances!  They have done fine work, and we (the parish, the students, and the parents) have benefited.  Due to our physical space limitations, we are not able to offer in-person classes this coming year for Faith Formation for grades 1 through 8.  Instead we will have 2 catechists for each grade create a video for each chapter in the textbook and then have it posted on our Faith Formation website.  Students will watch the video during their regular scheduled classroom time or during that week and then take an on-line test assessment afterward.  We wanted to be able to offer on-line learning without putting the burden on the parents.

I also want to thank Matt Bourque for overseeing the Confirmation program, the 23 table leaders who have served as tremendous role models for the candidates, and Sue Caughey and Denise Lee for working "in the background."  Parents and candidates will be receiving a letter Matt outlining the program for the coming year within the next week or so.

We have a number of parishioners who are seriously ill.  Their names can be found in the bulletin.  Please pray for them and their families.

Looking ahead we will be having some weddings in September and October, and we will see if any of the remaining Confirmation candidates and First Communion students want to receive the sacraments in the fall.

Last of all, a word of thanks to those who have been able to contribute financially to the parish during these trying times.  I realize that many are experiencing financial hardships due to the pandemic and cannot donate here.  Please take care of your families;  that is your primary concern.  But for those who have been able to contribute, please accept our sincerest thanks.

That's it for now.  Stay well.  And know that I pray for you daily.  Please remember me from time to time.                                                                                                                       Fr. Michael
                                                                                                                                              
August 10, 2020

I can't believe that it has been 23 days since I last posted a message!  You can tell that things have been crazier than ever!  Please be assured that I am alive and well!

During those 23 days, we experienced the loss of the following parishioners:  Ronald Vanacore, Patricia Brunetti, Patricia Titus, and Carmen Tortora.  Some parishioners also lost loved ones: Philip Burnham, Sr., the father of Philip Burnham, Jr., and Mary DiCicco, the mother of Stephen DiCicco.  On Saturday we celebrated the funeral Mass for Michael J. McLaughlin, the 39 year-old firefighter who died in June.

We also celebrated the wedding of Shawn Stadnick and Kathryn Foos on July 19, and the 3rd of 5 Confirmations for those who wanted to be confirmed during the summer.  On July 20, we celebrated the 4th Confirmation.  On Friday, July 25, we celebrated the wedding of Craig Smith and Shannon Keohane (who I baptized my first time here!).  On Sunday, July 26 we celebrated the 5th and last Confirmation - 69 of the 133 candidates opted to be confirmed during the summer.  And we celebrated the 1st of 5 First Holy Communions.  The remaining First Holy Communions were celebrated on August 2, and yesterday.  A total of 62 of the 109 second graders have opted to celebrate First Holy Communion during the summer.  Let us keep all of these folks in our prayers.
  
I did receive an update on 2 of the senior lector/altar servers as to their plans for next year:  Mary Muldoon will be attending Xavier University, and Ellen Gracia the College of the Holy Cross (how did I not remember that?!).  We wish them the best as they begin their new endeavors.

The attendance at Mass has averaged about 380 to 400 for the 4 Masses.  It has remained fairly steady with some new folks returning for the first time each weekend.  I am very grateful to the Knights for sanitizing the Church after each Mass - and to Charlie Spath in particular for overseeing that enormous project.

We have several parishioners who are seriously ill.  We need to keep them and their families in our prayers.  I have been able to visit some to administer the Sacrament of the Sick and give them Holy Communion.

I want to thank those who have been able to donate the parish.  I realize that due to the financial strain placed on so many during this pandemic that many are not able to do so - and that is fine.  You need to take care of your families first.  But for those who are able to give and have done so, I want to extend my gratitude and appreciation.  We have been able to keep up with all of our bills and payroll.

I have been working with the school folks in planning for the opening of school which we will do on August 25.  Utilizing the gym and parish center hall we will be able to have the students here 5 days a week, following the strict protocols of wearing masks, social distancing etc.  There has been a  significant uptick in enrollment as well!  I have also been working with Pat Colbert, our Faith Formation Coordinator, to finalize plans for the upcoming school year.  We will be forwarding that information to parents in the next week or so.

I was able to get away for a 2 night break during these 23 days - and it felt like I had been away for a week!  Once I post this message I am going to take the rest of this week off because summer will be coming to a fast end!

I continue to pray for you each day and would ask that you do the same.  Keep well - and cool!
                                                                                                                                Fr. Michael

July 18, 2020

Hi Folks!

It has been another two weeks since sent a post.  With all that is happening I hope that you understand.

We have experienced some technical issues with the posting of the daily Masses.  Hopefully it will be resolved this week.  You will still be able to "participate" in the weekend Mass.

We lost some parishioners during that time, including Salvatore Bertino, Jeanne Sullivan and Laurie Scafati.  Some parishioners also lost loved ones:  Maria Peccia, the mother of Lisa Petrillo, Robert Dugdale, the son-in-law of Michael and Barbara Longacre, and Ruth Upham, the mother of Wayne Upham.  Let us keep all of these folks in our prayers.

Last Sunday, we celebrated why I have called "the RCIA Mass."  We baptized those catechumens and received those candidates whose celebration would have occurred at the Easter Vigil.  We extend prayerful congratulations to Jessica Anne Pedigo and Matthew James Petteys who were baptized, and Andrew Larson Bourget and Jacob Christopher Charrette who were received into Full Communion.  We assure them of our continued prayers and we look forward to their participation in our Parish.  I want to take the opportunity to thank Teresa Murphy for overseeing the RCIA program, and the team that assisted her: Ann Orlando, Jennifer Linehan, Lauren and Brian Post and Martine Palanza.

Last Sunday and Monday 27 of our tenth graders received the Sacrament of Confirmation.  We congratulate them (the list can be found in the bulletin) and assure them of our prayers as fully initiated members of our faith.  We are grateful to Matthew Bourque, the Confirmation director, table leaders, Sue Caughey, Denise Lee and all who assist in our Confirmation Program.

We will celebrate the 3rd of 5 Confirmations tomorrow afternoon, and the 4th on Monday evening.  On July 26 we will celebrate our 5th Confirmation and the 1st of 5 First Holy Communions.  We will celebrate 2 First Holy Communions on August 2 and on August 9.  This will conculde those celebrations for those who wanted to receive the Sacraments in the summer.  Others are waiting for the fall or next spring.

The attendance at the weekend Masses has pretty much stabilized between 360 and 380 for the 4 Masses, well within our maximum.  In ordinary times, we would have invited our graduating high school seniors to the 9:30 a.m. Mass on the Sunday that Mansfield High graduates.  We were not able to do that this year.  At the conclusion of that Mass we would invite the graduates forward to inform the congregation of their name and then tell us what their plans are for the fall.  We would also have a gift to those lectors and altar servers who were graduating as a way of saying thanks for their years of dedicated service.  I did not want that opportunity to pass so I recently sent those lectors and altar servers a note and a gift and asked them to tell me what they are doing in the fall.  I have not heard back from all of them, but these are the graduates who have served as lectors and altar servers (with those who told me their plans in parentheses):  Justin Clark, Christine DeRosa (University of Notre Dame), Hayden Dolan (UMass Lowell), Henry Gorhan (University of New Hampshire), Rebecca Gracia (Stonehill), Ellen Gracia, Ryan Hart, Sam Honor, Mary Muldoon, and Paden Palanza.  We have a long and wonderful tradition here of the students serving as lectors and altar servers through their senior year in high school.  We thank these students for their faithful service and wish them well in their new endeavors.

I want us to continue to pray for those who are ill, many seriously (the names can be found in the bulletin) and for those who are homebound alone.   This has been a very isolating time for them.

The bulletin contains some important information about legislation to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide here in Massachusetts.  We were able to beat this issue a few years ago, but it is back again.  I would urge you to contact our legislators and let them know of your opposition.  With the palliative care that is available, suicide is not the answer.  It is but another example of putting ourselves in God's position in deciding life issues.

I want to take the time to thank you for your continued generous donations.  We have been able to keep current with our payroll and all of the bills that we incur.  I realize that many are unable to do so because of their own financial stress, and I understand that completely.  For those who are in a position to help, I want you to know how much we appreciate your generosity.  This parish has a rich history of generosity, and it continues.

The Catholic Appeal (formerly the Catholic Charities Appeal) continues until the end of the month.  Please give careful consideration to this important endeavor.  This is the first year that headquarters (and not the parishes) have run the Appeal, and there have been some serious glitches.  More than a few have contacted me because headquarters sent a letter from me at the end of June to those who have not yet donated but they had in fact contributed.  It is taking headquarters up to 4 weeks to post a donation.  This did not happen when the parishes oversaw the Appeal.  Even though it is run by Fall River I apologize for any delays/errors.

Please keep up the prayers.  I will certainly need them these next 3 weeks as we continue with the many celebrations.  Know that I pray for you daily.  Stay well!                                Fr. Michael    

July 4^th, 2020

Hi Folks!

I know that it has been over two weeks since I last sent a post.  Let me assure you that I have been well.  I received a few messages from people worried since I had not posted a message in so long!

The reason I haven't posted a message is that we have been busy scheduling Confirmations, First Holy Communions, and the RCIA Mass for the baptism of 2 individuals and the reception into the faith of two others (this would have normally occurred at the Easter Vigil).  So in between July 12 and August 9, we will have the RCIA Mass, 5 Confirmations, 5 First Holy Communion, 2 weddings, several baptisms - and the regular schedule of daily and weekend Masses!  We will have 70 of the 133 in the Confirmation class confirmed this summer and 66 of the 109 First Holy Communicants (the others are deferring until the fall or spring).  I would ask that you keep all of these folks in your prayers.

We have been hearing from many couples about scheduling baptisms, and from other couples about making arrangements for weddings.  It is like having 8 months of ministry compressed into 2 months!

We have also experienced the loss of several parishioners and relatives of parishioners.  Those whose funerals or burials we have occurred during the last 2 weeks include: Grace A. Watson, the mother of Kathleen Todesco, James A. Mitchell, Jr., Patricia B. Ruta, Alfred D. Turnbull III, and William H. Lawrence, Jr.  Those relatives of parishioners include:  John M. Donnelly, the father of Mary Hughes, Geraldine Rich, the mother of Linda McLaughlin, James M. Donovan, the father of James Donovan, Ann M. Coffey, the sister of Harry Salerno, and Alfred J. Kowalczyk, the father of Barbara Harrington.  We need to keep all of these individuals and their families in our prayers.  I want to mention in particular William Lawrence, Jr.  Bill was only 53 and lost a year-long battle with cancer.  he leave his wife, Cindy, his son Robby, his parents Bill Sr. and Cheryle, a sister and brother and their families.

We also have many parishioners who are seriously ill. Their names can be found in the bulletin.  This past week alone I was called to administer the Sacrament of the Sick to five individuals.  They all need our prayers as well.

The attendance has ticked up a bit the fourth and fifth weekends that we have celebrated public Masses.  For June 20/21, we had 77 at the 4 p.m., 114 at the 7:30 a.m., 67 at the 9:30 a.m., and 103 at the 11:30 a.m.  The following weekend, June 27/28, we had 76 at the 4 p.m., 110 at the 7:30 a.m., 94 at the 9:30 a.m., and 103 at the 11:30 a.m.  These numbers are still below the maximum allowed at any given Mass.  I am extremely grateful to the Knights of Columbus (and Charlie Spath who is overseeing the project) for sanitizing the Church after each celebration.  They have volunteered to help after all of the additional Masses for the RCIA, Confirmations, First Holy Communions, and weddings.  They have also assisted after funerals.

While we cannot distribute bulletins at Mass, we continue to post one on the parish website.  Please refer to it each week.  I want to draw your attention to the issue of Assisted Physician Suicide which is before the Legislature once again.  Please take the time to read about the issue in the bulletin and register your thoughts with our legislators.  Like everything else, they very often respond to voters who make their feelings known.  This bill is just another example of people trying to take over the role of God.

It is hard to believe that it is July 4th weekend.  We have been living in these extraordinary circumstance now into the 4th month!  I do want to thank you for continuing to support the parish financially.  You have been most generous. We have been able to pay all of our bills and have not had to let anyone go.  So a big thank you  - but it is another indication of the extraordinary generosity of the folks here.

Let us continue to pray for one another and remember that our God never abandons us!

With prayers,  Fr. Michael

 
Thursday, June 18, 2020

Greetings!

I hope that this message finds you and your family well.

We have been planning to schedule First Holy Communions (there are 109 second graders) and Confirmations (there are 130 candidates) - so it is a daunting task.  We have asked the parents to let us know their thoughts on proceeding this summer or waiting until the fall or spring.  Once we hear from the vast majority we will proceed.  We will also be scheduling the baptism of our 2 Catechumens and 2 candidates for full reception into the Church.  That is always edifying, and this year's Easter Vigil just wasn't the same.

We have had some sad news as well.  Eleanor MacKinder, the mother of Lara Bekampis, passed away.  We also lost Michael McLaughlin, a lifelong Mansfield resident, to cancer at the age of 39.  It is tragic loss.  Michael served proudly as a member of the Mansfield Fire Department for the past 8 years, and is the third generation member of his family to do so.  Michael leaves his wife Amy, step-daughter Olivia, his parents Maureen and Jim, and his brother Matt.  Let us keep all of these folks in our prayers.

There are several parishioners who are seriously ill.  Their names can be found in the bulletin.  The pandemic has made it impossible for family members to visit hospitals or long-term care facilities rending the patients even more isolated.  These folks are an important part of our parish, so let us pray for them and their families.

Jean Bourque, our hard-working and capable secretary, was on a long overdue vacation this week.  I hope that she has a relaxing week.  Since Jean is not here, everything has come my way - so it has been even more hectic than usual.

I want to say a word of thanks to those of you who have been able to make donations to the parish.  I realize that many cannot due to their own financial circumstances - I want them to take care of themselves and their families.  For those who have been able to contribute, you have been most generous, a hallmark of this great parish.  We have been able to pay all of our bills, and this is due to your generosity - so please accept a big THANK YOU!!!

This past weekend was the third that we were able to have public Masses.  The attendance was just about the same as the previous weekend (322 compared with 317 the previous weekend) - even without the 5 p.m. Mass.  We had 68 at the 4 p.m. (an increase of 11), 86 at the 7:30 a.m. (a decrease of 12), 71 at the 11:30 a.m. (a decrease of 1), and 97 at the 11:30 a.m. (an increase of 24).  We can handle those numbers safely.  Please remember that the dispensation from the obligation to attend weekend Mass is in effect for the foreseeable future.

The Catholic Appeal continues.  It is different having it in June and July, but the folks have stepped up.  Please give careful consideration to important diocesan endeavor.  Thousands of people are relying on our generosity to fund the agencies that help them.

That is it for now.  The warm weather is with us, so I will have to get my walks in the morning!  Please stay well.  Know that you are all in my prayers each day, thanking God for the gift that you are and asking Him to watch over you.  And before I forget, to all of the fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, adopted fathers, second fathers, expectant fathers - from one father to another - Happy Father's Day!!  
                                                                                                                             Fr. Michael  

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Hi Folks,
 
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones well.
 
Sorry for the delay in posting a new message.  This is the last week of school, we have been discussing how we can schedule First Holy Communions and Confirmations in the drastically reduced seating area in the Church, along with an in-person school graduation and many other things such as meeting with wedding couples etc..  It is like compressing 8 months of ministry into 2+ months!
 
We have had some folks pass away this past week or so.  I would ask that you keep in your prayers Rose Brunelle and Rudolph Sibilia and their families.  I only recently learned that Clementine Oliva, the mother of Jean Amichetti, died about a month ago.  Please remember her and Jean as well.  It has been so difficult for families to lose a loved one during this time, but the pain is exacerbated by not being with them if they are in the hospital or a long term care facility - and then not be able to gather with family and friends to grieve.  My heart breaks for people experiencing these losses.
 
This past weekend (our second since we have been able to celebrate public Masses) the numbers ticked up a bit.  We had 57 at the 4 p.m. Mass (the previous week 44), 98 at the 7:30 a.m. Mass (72), 72 at the 9:30 a.m. Mass (52), 73 at the 11:30 a.m. Mass (55) and 17 at the 5 p.m. Mass (24).  In light of this, I have suspended the 5 p.m. Mass for the foreseeable future.  I will revisit this issue if it appears that it will be needed.  I regret having to make this change but with the dispensation from the obligation to attend weekend Mass in effect until further notice, I cannot justify continuing with such a small turnout.
 
I do want to thank the Knights for their assistance in seating the people and for this sanitizing the Church after each Mass.  In particular, I want to thank Charlie Spath for overseeing this not inconsequential task.  The Knights are a fine group of faith-filled and dedicated men. We are blessed to have them in our midst.
 
Expanding my focus a bit, I do want to comment on the tragic death of George Floyd and the circumstances surrounding it.  This is another loss of life that we as a nation cannot allow to continue.  Our God reminds us that we are all made in His image and likeness, and we are all members of His family.  We need to recognize that and treat each other accordingly.  The vast majority of police are fine men and women who have a very difficult job, and they do it well on a daily basis.  One of my grandfathers was a policemen.  There are some, however, who disrespect the badge.  There is also a certain culture within some police forces that rally around an individual no matter what actions that individual has taken.  That must end.  In a sense a comparison could be made with the clergy abuse crisis.  The few bad apples have committed heinous crimes such that all priests have been impacted.  And the culture in the Church was to protect the perpetrators at the expense of our most innocent members, the children.  That remains an outrage.
 
It is difficult, if not impossible, for white Americans to know what the African American community experiences on a daily basis.  Mothers who fear that their children will not return safe.  African American men and women live in fear of interacting with the police because they are afraid that they could be harmed or killed - and they have many, many reasons to feel that way.  In fact one reason, one example, would be one too many.  In talking with an African American friend I asked him to help me to know or begin to grasp what they experience.  He stated that the nearest thing is to recall when we are going too fast on the highway and we go by an underpass and notice a patrol car.  For those fleeting seconds we are in fear that we will be pulled over.  The African American community feels about a hundred times more afraid than that when they see or interact with a police officer.  It is a constant dread hanging over their heads each day 24/7.
 
Reforms need to be enacted.  It cannot be a partisan issue but a societal one.  There needs to be an emphasis on community policing, more interaction in a positive way between the police and those they are charged to be protecting.  And the police departments/unions need to step up and get rid of the bad apples among them.  I read a brief story about how Camden New Jersey dealt with reforming their police department to root out corruption.  I am sure that there were problems in what they enacted, but many of their actions brought the police and the people together for a safer community.  Examples like that need to be found and emulated or initiated.  We need to demand that from our governments.
 
We must remember that racism has existed in the Church as well.  That is a blatant contradiction as to who we are as Church.  We cannot address the evil that is "out there" if we do not take ownership for the racism that is within.  We also need to examine closely how we treat others to make sure that we are not contributing to this unacceptable behavior.
 
In addition to demanding action, we need to pray for one another.  Our country was founded on the principle that all are created equal.  We need to live up to that principle so that we can have a brighter future.  We are all members of God's family, and we need to treat each other accordingly.  The scourge of racism, whether in individuals or in systems, must be eliminated.  The character of our country can accept nothing less.
                                                                                                                                Fr. Michael
 


Monday, June 1, 2020 - Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Greetings!  Two years ago, Pope Francis decreed that on the Monday after Pentecost we would honor Mary in her role as the Mother of the Church.

As you know, we started public Masses this past weekend.  I had been very anxious because of the very diminished seating capacity due to the six foot distancing etc.  I did not know what to expect - and I did not want to have to turn people away.  Some Churches were using the internet for people to sign up for admittance.  That does not sit right with me, so I refrained from using it.  My instinct told me that people were going to be very reluctant to come together not just at Church but for any reason.  The first car pulled in on Saturday at 3:10 p.m., and my anxiety started to rise.  But in the end my instinct was right.  At the 4 p.m. Mass we had 44, at the 7:30 a.m. we had 72, at the 9:30 a.m. 52, at the 11:30 a.m. we had 55, and at the 5 p.m. we had 25.  A total of 248 for 5 Masses.  My anxiety level dropped!  Now I realize that that was only 1 weekend, but we will continue with the normal Mass schedule for this coming weekend and see what happens.  I am grateful that the older folks stayed away as they are in the vulnerable group.  Likewise many are fearful from congregating and should stay home as well.  As I mentioned last week, the dispensation from attending weekend Mass continues until further notice.  I am grateful to the Knights of Columbus for assisting at the Masses, including sanitizing the Church after each Mass.  A special thank you to Charlie Spath for organizing this crew!

We had a number of losses within the last week or so.  I would ask that you keep the following and their families in your prayers:  Mary E. Donato, the mother of Sandra Fletcher, Paula Gendron, the sister of Susan Tibbert, Lisa Pelrine, Neal Boldrighini, Edward Troy, and the step-daughter of Margaret Boldrighini, and Susan McKay, the sister of Michael Hernon.

I do want to mention, too, that due to the low numbers attending Mass this past weekend, I am not comfortable proceeding with Adoration for this coming First Friday since the Blessed Sacrament cannot be left unattended.  I would ordinarily be here and could cover the day, but I am concelebrating a funeral in New Bedford at 10 a.m.  So in light of all this, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will NOT occur this coming Friday, June 5.  We will reevaluate for July.  One possibility would be to ease into it with 2 or 3 hours and then expand it each month as folks get more comfortable in coming to Church.

Now that we can celebrate public Masses, Pat Colbert, our Faith Formation coordinator, will be working with our second graders to see when we can schedule First Holy Communion.  We are awaiting information from the Diocese as to when we can schedule Confirmations.

Things here continue to be hectic.  Some folks think that because the Church had been closed that the workload here would lessen.  Not so!  I have been contacting the shut-ins about every other week to see how they are doing.  I am also keeping in my prayers those parishioners who are seriously ill.  We have not yet been given the green light to visit the sick to bring them Holy Communion and the Sacrament of the Sick.

I do want to thank you for your continued support of the parish financially.  We have been able to keep up with all of our bills.  I understand that many cannot due to the financial stress they are experiencing.  Please take care of your families.

As we have now entered our third month of restrictions please continue to be attentive to elderly neighbors or shut-ins to see if they need any assistance.  Periodically call some folks who are alone to let them know that you are thinking about them.  

I continue to see folks when I am out during one of my walks!  I thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.   I will continue to keep each of you in my prayers - and please say a prayer for me from time to time!
                                                                                                                       Fr. Michael                                                                                                                                  

5/25/2020  Happy Memorial Day!

I hope that this entry finds you and your family well.

I want to bring to your attention that we lost a parishioner, Donald M. Andres, this past week.  We need to keep him, his wife Joanne, and his family in our prayers.  We also need to pray for those who are seriously ill.

We received the guidelines from the Diocese at the end of last week as to how we are to open this coming Saturday.  They understandably want to follow the state requirements, but they are strict.  We have been planning ever since we received them.   Because of the 6 foot rule, our seating capacity will be reduced significantly.  We will only be able to use every other pew  and folks will need to keep 6 feet away from others - front to back, and sideways.  We are to use only one entrance (which will be the front entrances) which necessitates us designating a few more handicapped spaces near the front of the Church.  ALL (except those under 2 years of age) will be required to wear a mask.  The Knights of Columbus will be assisting with having individuals sanitize their hands upon entrance.  They will also be assisting with the seating.  Naturally families can sit together and not have to follow the 6 foot rule among themselves.  We are not to have congregational singing, nor can missalettes or hymnals be used.  We will be required to sanitize those areas of the Church that were in use after each Mass.  This will be a formidable undertaking.

I do want to caution the older members of our parish and those who may be fearful of gathering together.  Bishop da Cunha has informed us that the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass remains in effect until further notice.  You may want to consider staying home for now.

This is obviously a new venture for all of us.  We will do the best we can this first weekend.  We will be reviewing how things went and whatever changes we need to make to serve you better.  PLEASE be patient as we begin to have public Masses once again. 
                                                                                                                                   Fr. Michael                                                                                                             

5/17/2020 - Sixth Sunday of Easter

Hello everyone.  I hope that this message finds you and your loved ones well.

We had our "Open House Drive Through" on Saturday.  We had a steady stream of cars for 2 and 1/2 hours - 7 to 10 deep all during that time.  It was great to see so many people - from young families to seniors - and everyone in between.  We even had several pets!  I must admit that it was difficult at times to determine identity due to the masks, but I was able to figure out each visitor.  I had a ball.  I wore a different hat (meaning not a HC baseball cap) to give some folks something to talk about!  I wore it, though, because it had a wide brim which helped standing in the sun!  I know that Pat Colbert our Faith Formation coordinator and Matt Bourque our school principal enjoyed themselves as well.  So a big THANK YOU to those who were able to visit.  I know that these are busy times so that many others could not stop by, but we may do it again depending how long the restrictions are in place.

I would ask that you pray for Eileen Cooke and her family.  Eileen's father John died on May 5 and her mother Joan died just 6 days later.  We need to pray for those who are seriously ill as well.

I have been mindful, too, of those folks who have lost loved ones during the past few years, particularly young Moms and Dads leaving their spouse and children.  That is a terrible loss to experience, but during these "stay at home" days I am sure that the families experience their absence all the more.

We were blessed with 3 consecutive days of good weather so I have been able to resume my long walks.  So be on the lookout - you many never know where I might show up!

Please keep in contact with elderly neighbors and friends to see if they need anything.  I am sure that they are grateful just for your phone calls.

A word of thanks to those who have been able to send in donations or make them online.  I know that many can't due to the financial stress they are experiencing.  I understand completely and want you to take care of your families first.

We should be hearing from the Diocese soon as to what we can celebrate and when, once the Governor has detailed his gradual opening of the state.

Last of all, I failed to mention at Mass this weekend that Deacon Tom and Wendy Palanza celebrated their 35 wedding anniversary on Sunday, May 17.  Our congratulations and prayerful good wishes go to them on this important milestone.

That it is for now.  Let us continue to keep each other in our prayers, and know that our God is always with us.
                                                                                                                                    Fr. Michael
                                                                                               

5/10/2020 - Fifth Sunday of Easter

I hope that this finds you and your family and loved ones safe and well.

Let me begin by wishing all of the mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, expectant mothers, adopted mothers, and "second" mothers a very happy Mother's Day!  We will not soon forget this year's celebration!

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter the Church gives us the gospel passage from John in which Jesus encourages us "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God;  have  faith also in me."  Those words are even more poignant this year as we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

I want to bring to your attention some families who are hurting due to the deaths of their relatives.  We have lost Theresia Vardaro, Alma Courtemanche, Selim El Feghaly, and John MacDonald, the father of Eileen Cooke.  It is difficult enough to lose a loved one but the pain is compounded by not being able to gather and grieve together.  As I have mentioned previously, we have been able to gather for graveside services, and for those family who wish, we will have a Memorial Mass when we are able.

The Confirmation candidates and our second graders have been in my thoughts and prayers.  We would have already completed our 4 Confirmations and 4 of our 6 First Holy Communions.  We will make sure that they are extra-special celebrations when we are able to hold them.

I have heard from so many of you expressing gratitude for the availability of participating in Mass here via our website.  Some of you have sent messages from as far away as Florida!  Likewise, one of my college classmates has informed many other classmates of these Masses so I have heard from classmates from all over the country.  They will be my toughest critics, particularly in commenting on my homilies!  I am only kidding.  They know that I love them very much.  They have played an integral component in my vocation.

Many still inquire about my well-being.  I am fine (more than a little stir crazy like you). I appreciate your concerns.  So that we can spend a few moments and visit, we have scheduled a "drive-thru open house" for next Saturday, May 16, from noon until 2 p.m.  It will flow like the plan we had for the distribution of palms.  Once you enter the property, the Knights will direct the traffic flow.  We are alerting the various parish ministries and organizations, as well as the Faith Formation families and the Saint Mary School families.  Mr. Matthew Bourque, our school principal, will join me.  While the students have been interacting with their teachers, they have not seen Mr. Bourque.  So if you have a few moments on Saturday, please stop by for a quick visit.  It will be good just to see you!  The rain date will be the following day, Sunday, May 17 at the same times.  I want to thank the Knights for their assistance.  They are such an faith-filled and dedicated group of men.  We are blessed to have them.

As always, please check on elderly neighbors and folks who are shut-ins to see if they need any help.

Let us continue to pray for one another and realize each day that our God is always with us.
                                                                                                                                     Fr. Michael
 


5/3/2020 - Fourth Sunday of Easter - known as Good Shepherd Sunday due to today's Gospel passage.

I had hoped to update the blog earlier than today but the week got by me.  I hope that this finds you and your loved ones well.
  
I have been calling the shut-ins these past two weeks (and I have more to do) to let them know that we are praying for them and to make sure that they are doing okay.  The isolation is taking its toll on them.  Likewise it has been difficult for those in hospitals and long term care facilities who can receive no visitors.  That is why we need to reach out to our neighbors and others that we know are alone to see if they are in need of anything.  We need to keep in our prayers all in the medical field and first responders who are doing such heroic work under the most difficult of circumstances.  We also need to give a shout out to those who are working in grocery stores and other necessary fields for their assistance as well.  Last of all, let us keep the teachers and educators in our prayers for continuing to teach, many of whom who are juggling parental responsibilities at home at the same time
.
We have continued to experience the loss of parishioners and parents of parishioners, some of whom have died from the pandemic.  I would ask that you keep the following in your prayers:  Evelyn Bernazzani, mother of Mark Bernazzani, Raymond H. Fiore, Ellen O. Frank, Mary M. Gilbert, William M. O'Brien, father of John O'Brien, Stanley Medeiros, Donald T. Mayo, and Helen E. Williamson.  We have been able to celebrate graveside services, and for those families who wish, we will schedule a Memorial Mass as soon as we are able.

So much of our celebrations have been put on hold.  At the Easter Vigil we would have baptized Jessica A. Pedigo and Matthew J. Pettys.  We also would have received into full Communion Andrew L. Bourget and Jacob C. Charette.  While we will celebrate those sacraments with them in the future, I know that they have been disappointed by the delay.  Let us keep them in our prayers, too.  I have been mindful of our Confirmation candidates who would have been confirmed last weekend and this weekend.  They are more than ready to be fully initiated into the Church.  We are blessed by the caliber of our candidates.  Likewise, we would have celebrated the first two of six First Holy Communions today.  The boys and girls have been excited to receive the awesome gift of the Lord.  Let us keep both groups in our prayers, too.  There have also been more than a few couples whose wedding dates have been postponed.  They, too, need our prayers.
 
There are several parishioners who are seriously ill.  They and their families need our prayers as well.  As you can see, there are many folks in need of our prayers.  During this time especially we need to recognize that we are part of a larger whole, a community of believers who are interconnected by virtue of our baptism.  Let us never lose sight of that fact.

If anyone is in need, please contact the Saint Vincent de Paul Society at their number 508-369-4300, or contact the rectory directly at 508-339-2981 or email the parish office.

I am thinking of hosting a "drive by open house" on the weekend of May 16/17 where you can drive by (like we did in distributing the palms) and have a quick conversation.  I will post more information about this in the coming days - but stay tuned!

Last of all, I would be remiss if I did not extend a huge THANK YOU to those folks who have been able to send donations or donate online.  I realize that many cannot due to their financial stress.  PLEASE - family responsibilities come first.  But so many whose circumstances are such that they have been able and have been so generous.  As a result, we have been able to keep current with our payroll and the other bills that we incur.  For that I thank you.  I hope that you will be able to continue in the weeks ahead.

That is it for now.  Know that I pray for you often each day - in thanking God for the gifts that you are and asking Him to keep you safe and well.                                                                Fr. Michael 


3/26/2020 - Third Sunday of Easter

Hi Folks!!

I can't believe that an entire week has passed without my posting a message!  I apologize for the delay.  More than a few have called or emailed inquiring if I am okay.  I appreciate the concern, but I am fine.  I am concerned about you.
We have had a few deaths these past 2 weeks with 3 burials this week.  It is so heartbreaking not to be able to celebrate funerals, but we will catch up with Memorial Masses when we are able.  We have also had relatives of parishioners pass away as well.  I would ask that you keep in your prayers the following:  Valerie Naujalis, Brian DaSilva (brother of Christine McHugh), Pedro Laredo, Robert and Margaret Morrison, Elaine Corbeil, Carol Courtois (mother of Raymond Courtois), Barbara Venturelli (mother of Paula-Jean DeMartino), Barbara Chartier, John Dunn (father of Jon Dunn), Carolyn Williams (mother of Michael Williams), and Afra Guidetti (mother of Marina Guidetti).
Even though we were probably expecting it, it was sad to hear that schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year.  I knew that the Faith Formation program would not resume (Confirmations and First Holy Communions to be scheduled in the future when we can), but it was disheartening to know that I would not see the Saint Mary's students for the remainder of the year.  One of my great joys is to greet them each morning when they arrive.  I miss them terribly.
I also want to ask that you pray for parishioners who are sick, many who are seriously ill.  We need to pray for them and their families.  It is difficult enough for a family dealing with a serious illness but more so during these unprecedented times when they have to go to hospitals/doctors' offices for treatments and exams.  Let us pray, too, for the shut-ins.  This has been an especially trying time for them.  Please reach out to see if they are doing okay.
Know that I miss you greatly.  I look forward to seeing you in Church soon, I hope.  I have had lots of time for prayer, so know that you have been in my daily prayers.  Please say a prayer for me when you get a chance.  As the sign out front says, let us continue to pray for one another.  Our God is always with us!                                                                                                                 Fr. Mike

4/18/2020

Easter Saturday.  Hi Folks.  I hope this finds you and your familes well.  We will continue to celebrate weekday and weekend Masses and post them on the website,  In order to tape the weekend Mass, the Church will be closed on Saturdays.  It will remain open on the other six days from 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the restricted area accessed by the side door facing the large parking lot..
I have sent messages to the Holy Cross priests who assist us, and all seem to be doing well, thank God.  Starting tomorrow, the weather is supposed to improve, so hopefully I will be out on my walks in the afternoons.
If anyone needs assistance, please reach out to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society;  their help line is 508-369-4300, or call the rectory at 508-339-2981.  We need to periodically check in with our neighbors and those who are homebound to make sure that they are okay.  I have been checking in with folks on the Communion call list to make sure they are fine. It pains me that we cannot bring the Eucharist except to those who are dying.
Let us continue to pray for one another.  You are in my prayers all day.  Stay well!         Fr. Mike

4/14/2020

Easter Tuesday.  Hello Everyone.  I want to make sure that you are aware that we will continue to celebrate weekday and weekend Masses and post them on the website.  We will do this until we can celebrate public Masses - which I (and I know all of you) hope will occur sooner than later.  I am grateful to Kris Jepsen for filming the Masses and to Sue Caughey for posting them.  Everything here is fine - surreal but fine.  I have seen many of you on my walks.  I hope that the good weather will stick around for a few successive days.  You continue to remain in my prayers!  Stay well!

4/12/2020

Easter morning.  Hi Folks.  We are experiencing an Easter like no other, but we can't let the pandemic dampen what we are celebrating.  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has risen from the dead!!!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Christ has overcome the power of sin and death once and for all!  The power of evil has not prevailed.  AND by virtue of our baptism we have been given the opportunity to share in His eternal life.  Let us all do that we can to make that opportunity the reality, to make His victory ours as well.  My prayerful best wishes to you, and your families and loved ones for a blessed Easter.  During this challenging time, let us do all that we can to help our older folks and neighbors who may be homebound, by getting groceries, prescriptions etc.  That is putting out faith into action!
If you get a chance, please view the Easter Vigil.  We have such a beautiful music ministry here at Saint Mary's, and even in very reduced numbers, its caliber was demonstrated last evening!  Thank you to all nine in the various ministries who helped last evening.

4/10/2020

Hello everyone.  I hope that this messaage finds you and your familes and loved ones well.  I must state that I have missed you all very much - not having the opportunity to interact, to pray and worship together, to share a laugh or a funny story.  But I have not missed you as much as I did last evening.  To not have you present at the celebration of the Mass of the Lord's Supper was beyond surreal.  I mentioned that it pained me that while celebrating the Mass at which Jesus gave us the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the witness to service, you were not there to receive that awesome gift of the Lord Himself.  You were very much in my prayers at that Mass.  Once the restrictions are lifted and we are able to worship together again, it is my fervent hope that all of us will have a renewed appreciation for the Eucharist.
After the Mass of the Lord's Supper, I always look forward to spending some quiet time with the Lord in the Fanily room as we pray with Him in the hours before His arrest.  We were not able to do that last evening.  Because of that I have a new appreciation for the loneliness that Our Lord felt during that time.
I hope that you have been able to watch the Holy Week Services and know that you are here in spirit.  I continue to be heartened and humbled by your many messages.  I am fine.  I know that some of our families have loved ones with the coronavirus.  We need to keep them in our prayers.  At the services this week, we have included petitions asking for God's help during this tragic time.  In particular, I want to include one here:
    For those who have been effcted by the COVID-19 pandemic, those who have died and those who are sick, their families, the medical staff and first responders, that they may be strengthened during this difficult time by the love of God and the support of others, let us pray to the Lord...
I want to thank those who have sent contributions to the Parish.  I realzie that many cannot due to their own economic uncertainty.  Please take care of your familes.  But for those who have been able to contribute and have done so so generously, please accept my heartfelt thanks.  This parish has been know for its generosity, and it is being demonstrated once again.
We will soon celebrate the Passion of the Lord.  You will remain in my prayers.  Please say a pray for me when you get a chance.  I will be in touch soon                                               Fr. Mike

4/8/2020

Hi Folks!  I hope this finds you and your families well.  A couple of people have inquired about confessions.  We received a directive from Bishop da Cunha on March 26 about varous celebrations.  With regard to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he wrote the following:  "Parishes are to cancel all Lenten penance services and suspend all regularly scheduled confession times. Priests may offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation only in danger of death, or by appointment in extraordinary situations.  In these cases, social distancing practices must be observed, while at the same time ensuring privacy for the penitent.  There are to be no confessions by telephone, other electronic means, or by 'drive by.'  As Pope Francis reminded us in his homliy of March 20, 2020, priests are encouraged to remind the faithful who are physically unable to attend individual Confession of the Church's teaching on perfect contrition.  Such contrition arises when the penitent expresses a love of God above all else, the sincere desire for forgiveness, and firm resolution to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible when available.  Perfect contrition obtains the forgiveness of sins both venial and mortal (see Catechism of the catholic Church #1452)."
I hope that answers any questions you may have.  We are preparing the begin the Sacred Triduum tomorrow.  Be sure to access the website so that you will be able to participate from home in these beautiful liturgies.  Please stay well - and let us continue to pray for one another.

4/6/2020

Hello again!  I failed to mention yesterday that we had a very successful distribution of palms.  A few hundred folks drove through the property and received palms while staying in their cars.  I want to thank the Knights of Columbus for their assistance in directing the folks once they turned into the property.  Thanks, too, to Deacon Tom for his assistance.  It was great to see so many parishioners in person!  Some people have called inquiring about obtaining palms. There are 4 baskets in the parking lot along the side of the Church.  Feel free to stop by and pick up your palms! 

4/5/2020

Happy Palm Sunday to you all!  I hope this message finds you, your families and loved ones well.  I have received so many messages from you telling me that you are keeping me in your prayers.  I am humbled and gratified by your concern.  But as I mentioned in my video message, don't worry about me because I am worried about you.  You are in my prayers throughout each day.
I celebrated Palm Sunday Mass yesterday afternoon, and it is on the website for you to see.  We will be taping Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and you should be able to access them by 9:30 a.m. each day.  We will be taping the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Thursday so you should be able to access it by 6:30 p.m. that evening.  We will be taping the Stations of the Cross on Friday at noon (available around 1p.m.) and the Passion of the Lord at 3 p.m. (available at about 4 p.m.).  In order to be able to tape these services, the Church will need to be CLOSED on Thursday and Friday.  As much as we would want the Church open on those days, it is far better that we be able to tape the services so that the entire parish family can access them when they are able to.  We cannot celebrate the Easter Vigil until after dark, so we will be taping it at 8 p.m. on Holy Saturday.  You will be able to access it anytime on Easter Day.  Many people have never participated in the Vigil;  it is the most beautiful and meaningful of our liturgies.  I hope that you and your family take advantage of watching it on Easter.  I realize that not being able to celebrate Holy Week as a community here in Church is painful, but we do the best we can by bringing these services into your living rooms.
I want to encourage you to reach out to older neighbors and friends who are homebound by phone so that you can express your concern for them and also inquire if there is anything you can do for them.   One parishioner wrote to me that she has a newfound appreciation and empathy for those who are homebound.  What we have been experiencing these past couple of weeks is the "norm" for them.  That is why we must be attentive to them - not just during this time - but when this pandemic is over as well.
Laast of all, it is my fervent prayer that this crisis will spark a resurgence in people living out our faith, and in coming together to worship God at Mass.  We will appreciate all the more the awesome gift of the Eucharist, and the challenge to become more like the gift we have received
Let us continue to pray for each other and know that God is always with us.  I will be in touch in a day or two.  Keep well!   

4/3/2020

Hi Folks - I hope that this message finds you and your families well.  I want you to know that we will have Holy Week services on the parish website.  Palm Sunday Mass will be filmed on Saturday at 4 p.m. and on the website Sunday.  Morning Mass will be available Monday through Wednesday.  The Mass of the Lord's Supper will be filmed at 6 p.m. on Thursday and available on the website thereafter.  The same for Stations being filmed on Friday at noon and the Lord's Passion being filmed at 3 p.m.  The Easter Vigil will be filmed on Saturday at 8 p.m.  All of these will be posted on the website as soon as possible thereafter.   Stay well - and know that God is always with us!

4/1/2020
 
Hello at the beginning of a new month! I continue to be heartened by the number of messages I have received from parishioners.  As I mentioned in my video message - don't worry about me.  I am fine but I worry about you.
People have been inquiring as to how I spend my days.  In addition to private Masses, prayers and tending to messages on the computer and finally addressing so many items I usually don't have time to address, I have been able to go out for a long walk most days.  I have seen many of you on my walks - and many others have tooted even though I can't tell who it is!
We are finalizing the schedule for the Holy Week Services available on our website, and I will post it tomorrow.  The website does mention that we will have palms available on Sunday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Please follow those instructions.
As I mentioned in my letter of March 17, 2020, outlining the many concerns that I had during these unprecedented times, one was my concern about the parish.  Since the weekly collections have been suspended, it had started to have a devastating effect on how we function as a parish.  I stated that I realize that many will not be able to assist because their own circumstances have changed dramatically.  They need to care for their family first.  But for those who can assist I asked that they forward their weekly contributions, and possibly a little extra, to help us get through this difficult period.  I am happy to report that many have responded such that we have been able to make our payroll this past week and a half, and we have been able to chip away at the other bills. So a big THANK YOU for your generous response.  I hope that we will be able to meet our obligations in the weeks ahead.  This parish is known for its generosity, and it has been demonstrated once again!
That is it for now.  Let us continue to pray for one another - and know that God is always with us. 


3/31/2020

Hi Folks - I am grateful to Sue Caughey for setting this up for me.  I simply want to say that we have been working on having the Holy Week Services available on our website, and more information will be coming in the next couple of days.  We will also have palms available on Sunday - again the logistics are being worked on.  It will be posted on the website soon.
I want you to know that you remain in my prayers.  Let us continue to pray for one another - and know that God is always with us.