News - April 2018 RSS Feed

Parishes around the diocese have embraced Pope Francis’ teaching on the environment in different ways. But now, at the urging of Peter Dunbeck of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Westborough, the diocese has established a ministry team to address ecological issues.

WHITINSVILLE – St. Patrick Parish’s video ministry has been thriving. Its goal is “to share the Word of God with our friends, neighbors and fellow parishioners around the world.” It’s been doing so by live-streaming the church’s Sunday Mass each week.

A young woman’s concern about a slain police officer led to Blessed Sacrament Parish sending 500 rosaries to the Yarmouth Police Department.

A diocesan priest and deacon recently published a book about teenagers discerning a vocation. No, it’s not an autobiography or a “how to” manual. It’s a brief fictional story – which could have really happened - “Nicholas Gilroy: Our Lady and the Guardian.”

WORCESTER – In college Christopher T. Slattery was “personally pro-choice,” but after his awakening he opened the first pregnancy center in New York City, blocked and prayed at abortion facilities and befriended and converted a long-time abortionist. Mr. Slattery was the keynote speaker at the 13th Annual Visitation House Benefit Dinner.

Msgr. Francis J. Scollen, pastor of St. Peter Parish and St. Andrew the Apostle Mission, will receive the 2018 Madonna Della Strada Award on April 29 at Boston College High School. The award will be presented by the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, New England, to recognize Msgr. Scollen’s 46 years of service and outreach to people in need.

SOUTHBOROUGH - St. Matthew Parish has what amounts to a new church. Construction was done in about six months. It’s all paid for.

Young people at a Theology on Tap forum question Bishop McManus about controversies at the College of the Holy Cross, the role of Catholic students, vocations, and being good witnesses to the faith.

Bishop McManus told people who filled St. Paul Cathedral Monday that they have been drawn into one of the most important conversations in history. He was preaching at the diocese’s annual Mass for Life on the feast of the Annunciation. During Mass Bishop McManus presented the annual pro-life awards.

WHITINSVILLE – This past winter, St. Patrick Parish started a new ministry to help the homeless in its community. It became a host church for the Blackstone Valley Emergency Shelter.

FITCHBURG – Seeing the sin in the world, Christians can view mercy as too lenient. But mercy is at the heart of the Gospel, Father Joseph M. Dolan told an estimated 300 people attending last weekend’s Divine Mercy Sunday celebration at St. Bernard Parish.

WORCESTER – Two sides faced off across the street outside the College of the Holy Cross Saturday, at times shouting or singing over each other. The controversy was over writings of Tat-siong Benny Liew, who holds the endowed chair in New Testament Studies at the college.