VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Holiness is a gift everyone receives with baptism, and it is a journey to be made together with the help of the saints in heaven, Pope Francis said on the feast of All Saints.
In celebrating All Saints, we honor all those holy men and women who’ve gone before us, the well-known ‘canonized,’ and the much larger number, millions, who’ve never achieved world recognition...those perhaps we’ve even known. ...Today, however, I want to shine a spotlight on just one: St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
Before I came into communion with the church, there were a handful of Catholic doctrines I found confusing and, frankly, odd. Purgatory was one of them. I couldn’t understand why anyone would believe that people who had entrusted themselves to salvation in Jesus Christ and did their best to live as faithful disciples didn’t go directly to heaven when they died.
“The Eucharist: Source of Healing and Power in the Spirit” was the theme of this year’s convention of the Hispanic Catholic charismatic renewal in the Worcester Diocese.
Ever since he began attending St. John’s High School baseball games in Shrewsbury when he was 9 or 10, Mr. Cummins wanted to play baseball for the Pioneers. After he graduated from St. John’s in 2008, he began thinking about becoming the head baseball coach one day. That day arrived on Oct. 2 when he was named head coach, replacing his former coach, Charlie Eppinger, who stepped down.
Sister Mary LeBlanc and Sister Charlene O’Leary celebrated their 70th jubilees at a Liturgy of Thanksgiving on Sept. 16 at the Notre Dame du Lac Assisted Living facility, 555 Plantation St., Worcester.
More than 100 Vincentians gathered to reflect and recommit themselves to faithfulness as they carry out their mission of serving their brothers and sisters in need.
With violence abroad and nearby, with passion and power threatening reason and law, it is good to pray, listen to God and honor those who have served the cause of justice, those attending the 65th Red Mass Sunday were told by Msgr. Richard F. Reidy, diocesan vicar general.
More than 400 people attended the 10th annual "Celebrate Priesthood - Taste of the Diocese" gala, Oct. 26, at St. Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School. The gala raises money for the diocesan Priests' Retirement Fund. This year, over $226,000 was raised.
The St. Vincent Community Healthcare Fund has awarded 23 grants totaling $68,500. This is the 25th year that the grants have been awarded since its establishment in June 1998.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church must continue discerning its future by listening to everyone, starting with the poorest and excluded, after the assembly of the Synod of Bishops closes its first session, participants said in a letter addressed to the "People of God."
Priests and parishioners must be "ready and willing to assist" the historic influx of migrants entering Massachusetts, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston wrote in a letter addressed to parishes Oct. 23.
The St. Thomas More Society of Worcester County will honor the following individuals at its Sixty-Fifth Annual Red Mass on Sunday at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Mother Teresa saw the love of a Spencer couple when the husband worked with her. That couple – Deacon Harry Sweet and his wife, Marguerite – married 65 years – were among participants in Sunday’s diocesan wedding anniversary Mass at St. Paul Cathedral celebrated by Bishop McManus. Sixty-six couples registered for the Mass with many celebrating milestone anniversaries. Collectively, they represented 2,156 years of marriage.
The match of the “holy rollers,” took place on Oct. 17 at Sparetime Recreation in Whitinsville between Father Nicholas Desimone, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge, and Father David Mullen, pastor of St. Brendan Parish, Bellingham, in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Sister Lorraine Gagne (Sister Paul-Bernard) died peacefully at Alliance Health at Marie Esther Health Center on Oct. 13. She was a native of Meriden, Connecticut, the daughter of Albert and Irene (LaQuerre) Gagne.
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health held hearings Oct. 20 on Senate 1331 and House 2246, bills known as “an act relative to end-of-life options” which would legalize physician-assisted suicide statewide.
Bishop McManus has invited funeral directors in Worcester to release unclaimed cremated remains to the St. John Cemetery System. The bishop is to lead a final commendation of the ashes of these deceased persons at the annual All Souls’ Day Mass he is celebrating in Notre Dame Cemetery’s mausoleum chapel at 11 a.m. Nov. 2. The public is welcome to attend.
