The body of the late Pope Francis was transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday to lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning, April 26 at 10:00am local time (4:00am ET) in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced.
Many U.S. television networks, including NBC, CBS, CNN and ABC, are planning to broadcast the funeral live…
“As the universal Church prepares for Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome, here in the Archdiocese of Boston, there will be three opportunities for clergy, religious, and the lay faithful to pray for our Holy Father’s eternal rest.
On Wednesday evening, April 23, Holy Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 PM at St. Theresa’s Parish in West Roxbury.
On Thursday evening, April 24, Holy Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Parish in Lowell.
On Friday evening, April 25, Holy Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 PM at St. James Church in Stoughton.
I strongly encourage the people of this Archdiocese to join one of these Masses and commend the Holy Father to the Lord.”
I was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Pope Francis. His legacy as Holy Father is broad and deep. In his ministry and across his writings, he has continuously called us to deeper faith and to a more generous participation in the boundless compassion of God. He has challenged us to turn away from selfish impulses and towards communion with others and respect for God’s creation.
I am personally grateful that he called me to the Episcopacy and entrusted me with the pastoral care of the Church of Boston. His example remains a guiding light to the Universal Church. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, may he rest in peace.
-Archbishop Richard Henning
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, The Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of God, One and Triune.”
-The text of the announcement of the death of Pope Francis, which was read Monday by Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta.
On March 29, members of the our Collaborative Care for Creation team participated in the 16th Annual Archdiocese of Boston Social Justice Convocation.
The theme this year was “Hope for Our Common Home: Catholics Caring for Creation.”
DID YOU KNOW THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 25-27 IS THE GLOBAL JUBILEE OF TEENAGERS? Let’s join our brothers and sisters at the Natick Catholic Collaborative on Sunday, April 27 for a special half mile Eucharistic Procession around the Natick Common to celebrate the amazing teens who help make our local Catholic community so strong and vibrant. The procession will follow the 11:00am Mass at St. Patrick Church (gather in front of the church at 11:45am.) All teens, families, and parishioners are invited to join the Procession! Rain or shine! Click here to sign up to walk with Jesus!
Questions? Please contact Dawn Sullivan of the Natick Catholic Collaborative: dsullivan@natickcatholic.org
SJSP Young Adult Ministry topped off its great Lenten programming with a final Theology at the Table event featuring our pastor, Father Jim! The group enjoyed an evening of conversation and community as they shared a homemade meal at the St. John Rectory– and even had to extend their usually full table to make room for more seats!
The night culminated in a Q&A session where participants asked Fr. Jim about everything from his vocation story and favorite Russian cuisine to his thoughts on young people in the church and how to best share one’s faith with others. What a gift to share together!
With the Easter season soon upon us, our Young Adult Ministry will be hosting a “Games & Gumbo” Night on Saturday, May 10th at 6:00pm in the St. John Rectory…
In case you missed it on Wednesday evening, you can watch the recording of Fr. Bryan’s Lenten Lecture now!
Last fall, many members of our Collaborative participated in the discussion around religious/cultural holidays and the Wellesley Public Schools, and spoke strongly – and ultimately successfully – in favor of retaining Good Friday as a school holiday.
As you know, Good Friday is the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died, and it stands out in the liturgical calendar as a day of pivotal importance and solemnity for us as Catholic Christians – a day meant for prayer and fasting.
All are encouraged to mark the day with prayer by participating in the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (offered at 3pm at St. Paul and 7:30pm at St. John) and/or the Stations of the Cross (12pm Outdoor Walk with the Cross at St. John, 12pm Stations at St. Paul, and 3pm Stations at St. John)
In celebration of Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope, the Archdiocese of Boston invites you to join us for a Mass honoring persons with disabilities and the Deaf community. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Richard Henning at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday, April 27 from 1:30-3:30pm. Participants and their families have an opportunity to volunteer to serve at the liturgy.
This Mass will be accessible for all and include a sensory-friendly space, ASL interpreters, Braille and large print worship aide, and a designated drop off and pick up location…