The Diocesan Dispatch

Please Cut & Paste items in your bulletin as appropriate to your parish.     
The Diocesan Dispatch is usually published on Monday mornings by 8 am via email and fax to parishes. Submission must be received by the previous Friday for inclusion and should be at least 2 weeks before an event date in order to have an opportunity to be included in parish bulletins the week after the issue date. You can email submissions directly to rdelisle@worcesterdiocese.org.

---

Have space available in your bulletin this week? Consider including one of the ongoing resources:  Click HERE for ONGOING RESOURCES

Latest Edition: For Feb. 15, 2021

1^st Sunday of Lent
“After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God….” (Mark 1:14)  Do you ever think about how difficult it must have been for Jesus to come into Galilee, knowing that John had just been arrested for teaching the same message that Jesus was proclaiming.  It must have taken great love and trust for Jesus to do what the Father had sent Him here on earth to do.  In the same way, following a life of stewardship takes great love and trust from us.  We must be willing to surrender completely to God, trusting that God will always give us all that we need to fulfill His plan for us.

1er. Domingo de Cuaresma
"Después que Juan había sido encarcelado, Jesús vino a Galilea a proclamar el evangelio de Dios"  (Marcos 1:14)  Alguna vez ha pensado lo difícil que debe haber sido para Jesús venir a Galilea, sabiendo que Juan había sido arrestado por enseñar el mismo mensaje que Jesús estaba proclamando.Debe haber requerido un gran amor y confianza para que Jesús cumpliera lo que el Padre lo había enviado a hacer aquí en la tierra. De la misma manera, seguir una vida de corresponsabilidad requiere un gran amor y confianza de nuestra parte.Debemos estar dispuestos a entregarnos por completo a Dios, confiando que Dios siempre nos dará todo lo que necesitamos para cumplir el plan que tiene para nosotros.

Deacon Information Sessions
The Office of the Diaconate is seeking active men of faith in the Diocese of Worcester who may be discerning a vocation as a permanent deacon.  Two online information sessions have been scheduled on February 23 and March 4 at 7:00 pm via Zoom.  Each session should last from 1.5 to 2 hours. Men between the ages of 31 and 60, married or single, who are interested in learning more about the permanent diaconate and the process for become a deacon may pre-register for one of the Information Sessions at worcesterdiocese.org/register-for-information-session.  An email with the link to the online session will be sent out prior to the scheduled date.

CARE for your Mind, Body and Soul
You are invited to join the CARE team at St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge, for either an online gathering or in-person gathering of CARE for your Mind, Body and Soul. This session will consist of a faith presentation, including a video entitled, “How to Pray in Challenging Times,” followed by sharing, prayer and discussion if you are comfortable. Thursday, Feb. 25, 7 – 8:30 pm on Zoom; Saturday, Feb. 27, 10 – 11:30 am in the Parish Hall.  Registration is required and can be done through the parish website, email or by calling the office. For the in-person session, masks are required and social distancing will be observed. Visit stmaryuxbridge.org or email diane.moriarty56@gmail.com or call 508-615-7154.

Making Peace Between Faith & Science
Fr. Stephen Lundrigan will present Making Peace between Faith and Science: A Catholic Approach, on Monday, March 1 at 7 p.m.. Join us in person in the church hall at Holy Rosary, 135 Nichols St. Gardner MA or watch live on Facebook. at Annunciation Parish Gardner Massachusetts. Father will take questions from both those who attend in person and on Facebook.   

Devotions during Lent in Worcester
Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday at St. Bernard’s Church (228 Lincoln St. Worcester) during Lent.  Exposition begins following the 8:15 am morning mass and reposition takes place prior to the 7 pm Mass in Spanish.  If you are interested in signing up for an hour please call 508-755-3820 or email parish@olpworcester.org.

Stations of the Cross at St. Bernard’s Church on 228 Lincoln St. Worcester Fridays during Lent at 5:30 pm in English and 7 pm in Spanish

Lenten Meals to Go in Dudley
St. Andrew Bobola Church, 54 West Main St., will offer Take-Out Lenten dinners Fridays of Lent through Mar. 26, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. with your choice of baked or fried fish. Fried dinners include French fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Baked dinners include baked potato, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Cost is $12/adults and $6/children and must be ordered ahead by calling the rectory, 508-943-5633, during regular office hours (Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-noon).

Lenten Lunches in Worcester
St. Bernard Church of Our Lady of Providence Parish will offer a baked haddock lunch on Fridays during Lent for pick up only at 228 Lincoln St. by the gym entrance. The $15 meal comes with rice pilaf and carrots and must be preordered by Wednesday before, online at olpworcester.org/lenten-fish or call the parish at 508-755-3820.
 
Lenten Fish Dinners in Worcester
St. Joan of Arc parish, 570 Lincoln St. will hold drive-through (by the Arc) Fish Fry's, Fridays during Lent, 4-7 p.m. Fish & chips/$12; Baked fish & potato $13; Shrimp & chips/$13; beverage included. Tostones, fries and beverage available separately. To place your order call 508-283-0253. 

St. Patrick Dinners to Go
St Mary of the Hills, Boylston, will hold a St. Patrick's Day Take-Out Dinner on March 13 with pickup from 5 - 6 pm. Call or email Claudine at the parish to reserve your food. $15 per plate.508-869-6771
 
Fish Dinners in Worcester
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church will hold a drive-through dinner, Friday, Feb. 26, 4:30-6 p.m. at 33 Massasoit Rd. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Call the parish office at 508-753-5001 or email joan_dargenis@yahoo.com for tickets and information. Fish and Chips or baked haddock and pilaf are $15. Pick up times are assigned when tickets are purchased.

TO PARISHES:
Catholic Press Month
February is national Catholic Press Month – Please consider including the attached pdf of the flyer promoting subscriptions to the paper to accompany your email bulletin or to place on your website. Remember that subscriptions help subsidize your Communications Ministry which is being utilized now more than ever! Additionally, we have created a Flocknote in the Library which you can copy and send to your parishioners that also gives them the option to subscribe online – we will apply those subscriptions to your Communications Ministry Assessment.
Note to parish staff: Please email Judy Curini directly at circulation@catholicfreepress.org and she will respond with the current list of subscribers we have for your parish so you can update it to reflect deaths, moves or new families.

Lenten Pastoral Letter from Bishop McManus
Attached please find a Lenten Letter from Bishop McManus for the First Sunday of Lent to include with your bulletins on line or in print. Text available as usual under Bulletin Inserts and Letters on the Diocesan website.

Feb. 8, 2021

Chowder in Westminster
Eddy's Chowder House open the Fridays of Lent, February 19, 26, March 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 4 to 7 pm Take Out Only. St. Edward's Church Hall, 10 Church St. Westminster, MA 01473. Menu: Clam Chowder, Corn Chowder, and Fish Chowder, by the Bowl, Pint or Quart. Made from scratch in house. 

Baked Fish Dinners in Webster
Baked Fish Dinner is available at St. Louis Parish in Webster for Take-Out-Only on Fridays during Lent! Feb. 19 through March 26 from 4 – 6:30 pm in the:
St. Louis Church Hall, 14 Lake Street, Webster.  Baked Fish Dinner $ 11.00 (comes with Baked Potato, cole slaw and a cookie!). Clam Chowder available for $ 4.00.

Lent Bible Study for Young Adults
All young adults are invited to join us for a virtual Lenten Bible Study every Tuesday evening of Lent at 8pm beginning on February 23. The Bible study will involve Lectio Divina along with a discussion.  Each session will be unique to that Sunday's gospel reading so individuals are welcome to attend all gatherings, some, or even just one or two. Feel free to attend as often as you are able! To sign up to receive the Zoom link, go to neworcester.org/lent-lectio-divina
Adult Religious Awards - Scouting
The Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting (DCCS) is pleased to announce the following Adult Religious Awards for 2021 to be recognized at Mass at St. Paul Cathedral on Saturday, March 6 at 10 am and the actual awards presentation will be at a later date when gatherings are allowed. The Bronze Pelican awardees are Jill Patnode-Krause of St. Peter’s Parish, Northbridge, John Piselli of St. Brigid Parish, Millbury and Robert H. Ryan of St. Mary’s Parish, Shrewsbury. The St. George awardee is Michele Piselli of St. Brigid Parish, Millbury. The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Awardees are  Alessandra Soares and Rev. Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church, Worcester.

Small Group Discipleship Youth Ministry Training
All adult youth leaders are invited to join us for a 5-part training series on small
group discipleship! Join us by Zoom beginning on Wednesday, March 24 from 7:30-8:30 pm. and continuing on select Wednesdays throughout the spring. All sessions will be facilitated by Everett Fritz, a nationally acclaimed youth speaker and author of the book The Art of Forming Young Disciples. Cost to participate in the entire series is $25. To get more information on the program, sessions topics, and dates or to register go to neworcester.org/small-group-discipleship-training

Need more food at your parish food pantry?
Any Parish Food Pantry which is ever in need of food is invited to call St. John Parish, Worcester. We have acquired a box truck and will be happy to deliver whatever we can. Call Billy Riley at 508-371-7329 to arrange for a delivery.

Feb. 1, 2021

KofC Drive Thru Fish Fry
The Bishop Flanagan Council 12710 Knights of Columbus will once again be holding their Lenten Drive Thru Fish Fry every Lenten Friday beginning Feb. 19 from 4 to 7 pm in the parking lot of St. Mark Church, 356 Boston Rd., Sutton. All proceeds will benefit the Knights' charities

Meatloaf Dinner "To Go"
St. Peter Parish in Northbridge is having a Meatloaf “To Go” Dinner. Pick up will be on Saturday, Feb. 20 starting at 5:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Tickets are $10 per dinner and include salad and dessert. All orders must be purchased in advance. Please call 508-234-2156 or email parishoffice@stpeterrockdale.org to purchase tickets or if you have any questions.

Unique Lenten Program to do at home
Watch with Me is an online Lenten experience for adults - a brief time each week to stop, rest, reflect, listen, and pray a little. Each Sunday evening during Lent you will receive a link to participate at your convenience during the week - no meetings, no schedule. Each activity will include a little music and one or two short reflective prayers requiring15-20 minutes of your time on your mobile phone, tablet, or computer. For questions or to register, please contact Romeo Marquis at Rmarquis48@outlook.com. It's free, but you must pre-register. Please feel free to share this information with family and friends everywhere. (Note: If you participated in "A Time for Singing" during Advent, you do not have to register. You will automatically be included.)

Annual Priestly Discernment Retreat
The Office for Vocations announces that the annual priestly discernment retreat for men high school aged or older will take place on Saturday, March 27 from 9-5 at North American Martyrs in Auburn.  Join us for a day of prayer, witness talks from priests and seminarians, and a presentation from Bishop McManus on discerning a priestly vocation.  Social distance guidelines will be followed.

Praying for those discerning a Priestly Vocation
On Saturday, March 27, all are invited to join in a day of prayer for the men who are on the priestly discernment retreat. At Saint James Parish in South Grafton, there will be a “Day of Adoration” that starts with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:30 AM and ends after the 4:30  PM vigil Mass. Throughout the day there will be time for silent prayer. All four mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and other prayers for vocations will be prayed. There will be an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  All are welcome at any time during the day. For more information please contact: SevenSistersWorcester@gmail.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY
Parish Secretary
St. Brigid and Assumption Parishes in Millbury are looking for a secretary to work Monday through Thursday 8:30 am– 3:30. pm Must be computer literate, and familiarity with office and church responsibilities would be an asset. Salary and hours are negotiable. Call Deacon Ron Buron at 508-865-6624 if interested or with questions.

January 25, 2021

Lenten Adult Faith Formation on Zoom or In Person
St. Roch Parish, Oxford will offer "Awaken," a new video series from Light of the World Evangelization Ministries which takes on the key questions of faith and the meaning and purpose of life. Whether you are a seeker, casual in your faith or fully connected to your faith, you will find this series engaging. There will be in-person sessions at the parish, as well as alternate Zoom sessions held at convenient times. There is no cost for these sessions. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed for the in-person sessions. St. Roch Parish is located at 334 Main St, Oxford. For more information or to register for Awaken, please email: strochoxford@gmail.com or call 508-987-2382.

DCCS Mass for Youth
The DCCS Mass for Youth is a celebration at the Cathedral for members of American Heritage Girls, Girl Scouts of the USA, and Scouts-BSA.  It will be celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 10 am at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Worcester to bring these three youth serving organizations together as a diocesan community to commemorate the founding of the American Heritage Girls and Scouts-BSA in early February and the Girl Scouts in early March.  This qualifies for the Girl Scout Sunday Patch or the Scouts-BSA Scout Sunday Patch and American Heritage Girls Scout Sunday patch.  We ask all scout participants to come in uniform and to bring their unit flag and stand.

January 18, 2021

Lenten Adult Faith Formation on Zoom or In Person
St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge will offer "The Search," an innovative video series from Augustine Institute which tackles the key questions of the human heart. Multi-disciplinary experts will address such issues as life and death, sorrow and happiness, science and faith, and the meaning and purpose of life. Whether you are a seeker, tepid in your faith or completely engaged, you will find this series enlightening. It will take place on Monday nights, February 15 through March 29, from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm. There will be an in-person class at the parish and a Zoom class running at the same time. There is no cost for the class, but there is an optional workbook available for $10. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed for the in-person session. St. Mary Parish is located at 77 Mendon St. in Uxbridge. For more information or to register for The Search, please email: thesearch@stmaryuxbrid... or visit stmaryuxbridge.org.

Collection for Catholic Home Missions
Attached to the Flocknote (See above) please find the letter from Bishop McManus for the national Collection for Home Missions. Kindly announce the collection on the weekend of January 24 and take up the collection on the weekend of Jan. 31. The letter (option of text only or pdf) is also available on the diocesan website under Bulletin Inserts and Letters.

Divine Mercy Holy Hour for an End to Abortion 
Every Friday at 3:00 pm join us at St. James Church, 89 Main St., South Grafton.

FOR PARISH ADMINISTRATION:

Update on Clergy Visits at Saint Vincent Hospital
Realizing that this is a unique Christmas season, due to the increased number of patients whose condition warrants isolation, please be advised that routine visitation of your parishioners is not possible at this time. Exceptions are made for parishioners who are nearing the end of their lives and would be comforted by their own parish priest. Regardless of their condition, the diocesan priests assigned to the hospital have recently been vaccinated and have always been able to visit any patient, using proper protective equipment (PPE) for those who must be isolated. If you receive a call requesting sacramental or pastoral care for a patient who is a parishioner, please call the chaplain’s office at 508-363-6246 during the daytime hours. In the event of an after-hours’ emergency, where time is essential, call 508-363-500 and ask the hospital operator to page the priest on duty. Your call will be parked in a queue and, while you will not hear anything, the on-duty chaplain will receive a unique code that will allow him to be linked up with you. This will take some time, either to excuse himself from a visit or to find a phone to dial in. Please be patient.   

Dept. of Children and Families seeking spaces for monitored child visits
The MA Dept. of Children and Families (DCF) is looking for space with a separate entrance where children, who are placed out of home, can have a supervised family visit.  These would be monitored by DCF staff and could include others such as interpreters.  The space would need to accommodate 6 ft. social distancing for between 4 and 10 people with tables and chairs.  They would like to have access on at least one day per week with 2 visits in the a.m. and 2 visits in the afternoon. They would also need dedicated restrooms and help disinfecting between the sessions. They use screening questions and provide PPE for all visits.  They can provide proper signage.  The visits are staggered so one group does no interact with another.  If your parish has a hall available during the week and you have a part time maintenance person, and are interested in helping during this difficult time, contact Daniel Arnold at daniel.r.arnold@state.ma.us or at office # 508-929-2026. Fee is negotiable.

Coming to Chancery for Appointments - Protocol
The chancery remains closed to the public except for scheduled appointments. Beginning September 1 we have made staffing changes including no longer having a receptionist at the front lobby. The front vestibule is OPEN during business hours and a phone is present to call your appointment to notify them of your arrival.
If you are dropping off material for a department (e.g., Marriage Tribunal, Partners in Charity or Finance, please call that department to let them know. Phone messages will be checked regularly and we encourage parish staff to use the direct dial numbers for each department which are listed in the Diocesan Directory.
If you are entering the building for an appointment, masks must be worn in the building and hand sanitizer is available as you enter for your use. A strict cleaning schedule is maintained for all common areas and meeting rooms are cleaned immediately after use.

Returning to offices Training and Protocols
Even if your parish office is not open to the public, Massachusetts has a protocol for returning to work in offices which includes training and assuring that employees do not come to work if they are symptomatic. Whether you were an essential operation or just returning now to the office, please review the resources that are being used for Chancery employees regarding safety at work during this pandemic and adapting our acknowledgement form for use in your parish. visit worcesterdiocese.org/covid-related-forms.

eCatholic tip: online payments and donations
The monthly fee to use eCatholic payments is waived for parishes in the diocese and transaction fees are as low as it gets in the industry.  The site is very secure, and the money goes right into your parish bank account and you get a report letting you know! You can also use eCatholic Payments for one time or recurring payments and donations for offertory, religious education tuition and more! But, if you already have an online offertory platform you can use eCatholic Payments with their web forms alongside that platform for one time donations for events, etc. Questions: email worcester@ecatholic.com anytime.

Promoting events? Use your eCatholic and Flocknote Resources!
It is EASY to set up an event announcement and registration/ticket form on your eCatholic website. If you have not yet done so, contact them for an online account to accept credit cards via your site. Not only will it make it more convenient than “come to the rectory for tickets;” you can reach more people and plan better for your event. Costs are as low as it gets in the industry, the site is very secure, and the money goes right into your parish bank account and you get a report letting you know! PLUS you can then send everyone a link by Flocknote to go to the site with one click from their phone, tablet or computer and get the tickets, make the donation or at least be aware of the event details to share with family and friends. Let your Communications Ministry tools work for you! Contact Luke at worcester@eCatholic.com if you need to get set up or to learn more.

Include Text-To-Join in your Bulletin each week!
If you are one of the 60 parishes using Flocknote, remember to put your Text To Join (TTJ) number in your bulletin each week – or simply add it to the masthead next time you make changes. You can find the number and phrase when you click on Settings from your Dashboard.
Sample Bulletin notice:
Keep in touch with everything going on in our parish by signing up for our Flocknote emails. Simply text “Your Phrase” to ##### (your TTJ number) and be an informed member of our parish family. You can unsubscribe at any time.

EMAIL NOTICES
We often hear from pastors and parishes saying they are not getting emails from us, even when we have a correct address. No Email system is foolproof (Gmail, MSN, Outlook, aol, Charter.net, Verizon.net,  etc.) and your provider may be very aggressively blocking emails from your inbox based on general algorithms. Please remember to check your junk mail regularly to see if emails from our Flocknote system or from worcesterdiocese.org or other sources are being inadvertently blocked. You can always use your email system’s rules when this happens to “always accept email from this sender.” Usually that option appears when you “Right Click’ on the email in question with your mouse.

Senior Fraud Hotline
RSVP’s Senior Fraud HelpLine is a toll-free resource for seniors and their families to call when they are concerned that they are being targeted by scammers.  If they are in doubt, they should check it out by calling 1-800-297-9760. Confidential. Knowledgeable. Local. Supportive.

Volunteer To Help With Food Distribution In Our Food Pantry
Catholic Charities Emergency Stabilization Services located on Hammond Street in Worcester is looking for volunteers who might be able to assist them with distributing food in our food pantry. Volunteers must be available once a week from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and be able to lift cases of food. Volunteer days: Monday - Friday. Thank you for your consideration. All help is much needed and appreciated! Contact: Maydeé Morales at 508-860-2206 or via e-mail to mmorales@ccworc.org.

DAILY MASS ON TV AND THE INTERNET 

Tune in on Monday through Friday on Charter TV3 on channel 193 at 9 am for the local Daily Mass on cable celebrated by various priests from around our diocese. Also airs at 4:30 pm in Shrewsbury on Ch. 28, and 5 pm in Clinton area on Ch. 8. 

INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO HELP IN TV MINISTRY? 

Whether you like to operate a camera, or would like to learn audio controls or even how to produce, we have a place for you in TV Ministry. We will train – all you need is a desire to learn and some free time. Call Steve at 508-791-203 9 or email tvmass@charter.net for more information. Great service opportunity for high school or college students and retirees alike! 

REDUCED-FEE LEGAL SERVICES IN WORCESTER 
The Worcester County Bar Association has a Reduced Fee Program where household income exceeds the requirements for free legal assistance but makes hiring an attorney unfeasible. You must be a Worcester County resident and legal services include bankruptcy, mortgage foreclosures, wills, divorces, custody and evictions. Call 800-622-9700 800-622-9700 for more information, indicating your interest in the Reduced Fee Program. 

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON ONLINE LEARNING (DIOCESAN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM) 
Have you ever had a desire to expand your knowledge of the faith in areas such as Scripture, Liturgy and Worship, Prayer and Spirituality, Sacraments, Creed, or Church History? Check out the on-line courses available to adults through our Diocesan Partnership Program with U Dayton and the Virtual Community for Faith Formation. You can receive a substantial discount while learning in your own space during your personal hours of availability. If you have any questions, please call Barbara Ramian at 508-929-4308.

PROJECT RACHEL CAN HELP WITH THE PAIN OF A PAST ABORTION 
Hurting from a past abortion? We can help. Project Rachel is the Catholic Church’s ministry of healing and reconciliation to those who have been wounded by abortion. Our services are free and strictly confidential. Call Project Rachel at (508) 791-HOPE. 

FERTILITY CARE PROGRAM 
There is an alternative to artificial methods of birth control and IVF. Learn about The Creighton Model System of FertilityCare, the reproductive science that is 99% effective to avoid pregnancy, highly effective to achieve pregnancy and offers couples who are experiencing infertility hope to achieve their dream of pregnancy without artificial reproductive technologies. This is accomplished while following the teachings of the church. To learn more about the program contact Barbara Meier, RN, FertilityCare Practitioner at 609-457-0108 609-457-0108 or fertilitycare@ymail.com.

CAR DONATION PROGRAM
Did you know you can donate your car, truck, motorcycle or boat to Catholic Charities and help us help your Worcester County neighbors?  It’s quick and easy to do.  Just visit our website to donate your vehicle online atwww.ccworc.org or call 1-888-CAR-7308 1-888-CAR-7308 to arrange a convenient pickup time and confirmation of your donation from Catholic Charities Donation Angel Program.  The car in your driveway can help us to continue to offer many services to children, families and elders in our community so that they may regain home for a brighter future.  Thank you!

Mental Health Providers Directory
An extensive directory of mental health providers in Worcester who serve children and families, as well as bilingual providers, is available from the Worcester Community Action Council, Main St. Worcester.

Employees or Independent Contractors?
The Office of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has issued new guidance on the classification of hired personnel as employees or independent contractors. Hired personnel are considered employees unless: (1) the individual is free from the employers direction and control in connection with the performance of the service, both under his or her contract for the performance of service and in fact; (2) the service the individual performs is outside the usual course of business of the employer; and (3) the individual is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, profession, or business of the same nature as that involved in the service performed.