News - October 2023 RSS Feed

Faith was incorporated into fun on Halloween at St. Mary Elementary School including songs and a costume parade.

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.

God’s servants aren’t just remembered on All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, at North American Martyrs Parish in Auburn. They’re a weekly focus.

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.

The hospice and palliative care programs at Notre Dame Health Care in Worcester are about living – even in the face of sickness and death. The two programs are very different, said Patricia Thibeault, director of marketing and admissions for Notre Dame’s At Home division.

James Brasco, director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Worcester, realizes that vandalism or theft from a gravesite is devastating for the loved ones of the deceased. The mausoleums at St. John’s and Notre Dame are alarmed and monitored by a security company, but the diocesan cemeteries are not.

It was Father Paul O’Connell’s idea to form an environmental stewardship ministry in the Diocese of Worcester in 2017 and he’s served on the committee ever since. So, he was pleased to read that Pope Francis recently urged the world to do more to fight climate change.

The arrival of new clergy to continue Latin Masses and other ministry was greeted with jubilation Sunday at a solemn high Mass and meal at St. Paul Oratory.

Sister Carolyn Plante (Sister M. Anne Miriam), 84, a Sister of St. Anne, for 57 years, died Oct. 5, at Alliance Health in Marie Esther Center.

Massachusetts Citizens for Life presented the first "Mark Rollo Award for Life" at its 50th anniversary gala Oct. 14. Keynote speaker Dr. Ben Carson gave the award to Dr. Rollo's wife, Annette Rollo. Attendees were challenged to continue defending life at every stage.