News - July 2023 RSS Feed

The United States is expected to have one of the five largest delegations, with more than 28,600 pilgrims, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced July 24. Most U.S. pilgrims are between the ages of 18 and 25, and more than 60 bishops are expected to join them.

Communists had closed seminaries and imprisoned some Christians. One prisoner’s sister asked a seminarian to take her brother Communion. Upon arrival, the seminarian saw an armed policeman, and quickly left. That was 1977 in Vietnam

The bishops of the four Catholic dioceses of Massachusetts were among the more than 350 people who signed a petition for the U.S. Congress to pass a national ban on assault weapons.

NASONVILLE, Rhode Island – Worcester’s Bishop McManus is participating in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Shrine of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus. Bishop McManus is scheduled to give a talk on the life and theology of the saint on Aug. 4.

St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Sturbridge has helped its former pastor with his present ministry – aiding migrants at the U.S. border inTexas.

Assumptionist Father Chi Ai Nguyen was appointed as the new provincial superior of the North America Province for three years, starting from July 15, the Augustinians of the Assumption reported on their website.

Partners in Charity is at 86 percent of its goal of $5 million. Each year, Partners raises funds to support thousands of families and individuals in more than 25 charitable, educational and pastoral ministries in the Diocese of Worcester.

WORCESTER – The Children’s Choir of Greater Paris, consisting of 40 boys and girls aged 11-14 and led by founder and artistic director Francis Bardot, performed a free concert at Christ the King Church on Tuesday.

The annual Novena to St. Anne at St. Anne’s Shrine and St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Sturbridge is one way that people there are participating in the parish phase of the National Eucharistic Revival. The novena begins tonight.

The Worcester Organ Festival taking place this summer will feature organ concerts at numerous churches including Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of the Angels, and St. Joseph Church, all of Worcester. The goal of the festival is to raise money to help preserve and maintain organs by building awareness and excitement with concerts.

Tyler Reese, 24, is youth program coordinator for Assumption Center, operated by the Religious of the Assumption in the former St. Andrew’s rectory in Worcester, which the sisters now own. As part of his job, Mr. Reese developed a week-long summer program that is a cooperative venture between Assumption Center and St. Peter Parish.

This wasn’t a typical Mass. The main communication was via American Sign Language. Participants in the International Catholic Deaf Association United States Section’s conference in Boston had come to North American Martyrs Church in Auburn for this Mass July 5.

Sister Annette Boyer (Sister M. James Edward), 88, a Sister of St. Anne, for 65 years, died July 7 at Alliance Health at Marie Esther Center. Funeral will be Wednesday, July 12.

WORCESTER - Will Religious Venerini Sisters die out in the United States – their first mission country? Or will they bring in more sisters from abroad? Venerini Sisters in the Worcester Diocese are to discuss this during their international meeting in Rome this month.

Assumptionist Father Alex Castro, pastor of St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Sturbridge, has been elected general treasurer for the Augustinians of the Assumption worldwide. Assumptionists are to continue to staff the parish until a new pastor is chosen.

Sister Susana Miranda, of the Xaverian Missionary Society of Mary, ran a “fun vacation” program, as she called it, last week at St. Bernard Church of Our Lady of Providence Parish. Inspiration from Scripture led to lessons about appreciating people from different cultures and being peacemakers.