This year’s virtual program – called Opening Doors to Stronger Communities – will take place on Tuesday, September 21 at 7:00pm.
Registration is complimentary – click HERE now to register!
Watch a preview of this year’s celebration – featuring our own Fr. Jim!
For priests, bringing the presence of Christ to others is a daily calling that extends far beyond the walls of the Church, and impacts the lives of people of all faiths and backgrounds throughout the entire community. There are countless examples of priests in the Archdiocese of Boston working tirelessly and selflessly to make the world a better place for all of us. Our priests don’t just enrich the lives of Catholics in parishes, they enrich the lives of everyone in all communities. It’s simple: healthier priests mean stronger communities.
You can help by contributing to the Clergy Trust special collection at all Masses on the weekend of September 18-19…
On Saturday, August 14, a massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, killing nearly 1300 people, with death toll numbers increasing. The shock leveled homes, leaving thousands without shelter. Countless others are injured and hospitals are already overwhelmed. Haiti is a country already susceptible to hurricanes and still recovering from the disastrous earthquake a decade ago and many in Haiti are already facing widespread hunger due to drought and economic instability.
Recognizing the suffering of the Haitian people and growing need for assistance, Cardinal Seán has asked that a special collection for Catholic Relief Services and the Church in Haiti be taken in all parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston this weekend, August 28-29.
Donations may be placed in the second collection at all Masses this weekend. (Checks should be made payable to your home parish with “Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the memo.)
Donations may also be made online…
He was the oldest priest of the archdiocese. He was the second in ordination seniority of Boston priests. He was the last Boston priest who was a veteran of military service in World War II. He was the last, of whom many priests would have saluted as the “greatest generation” of St. John Seminary faculty members (his late friends and fellow faculty members Father James O’Donohoe and Father Philip King would also be included). He was a consummate gentleman. He was a greatly loved pastor. He was a wise counselor. He was Father John J. Connelly — who died at Massachusetts General Hospital on June 28, 2021.
Aware that the opportunity to participate in Sunday Mass is increasingly available and increasingly safe for our Catholic people, we are joining dioceses in the Boston Province (Boston, Fall River, Springfield, Manchester, and Portland) in lifting the dispensation of the Sunday and Holy Day Mass obligation, effective the weekend of June 19 and 20, 2021.
This obligation does not apply to those who are ill; those who have been recently exposed to COVID or any other communicable illness; those who are confined to their homes or to hospitals or other facilities due to illness, infirmity, frailty, or age; and those who are not yet able to be vaccinated, due to age or any health consideration. Parishioners should consult their local pastor if they have questions about the obligation.
Cardinal Seán has asked for an Emergency COVID special collection for the Church in India and Brazil to be taken in all parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston… The Catholic Church, through Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is on the ground in those countries working to support local hospitals and programs which are being overwhelmed and which have reached a breaking point. Given our own experience in the United States with regards to the pandemic and the important role the Church has in being able to respond to global events, we have an opportunity to assist relief efforts in India and Brazil.
As you know, new State of Massachusetts protocols lifting many of the current COVID-19 restrictions will go into place on Saturday, May 29.
Please remember that the current restrictions remain in place until that time: masks (covering the nose and mouth) and social distancing are still required, regardless of vaccination status.
More information will be available next week – please watch for updates via email and here on our website.
Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control issued a statement that in many settings fully vaccinated people can now go about their days not wearing masks and not social distancing. Governor Baker has stated that, like some other states, Massachusetts will not be lifting the masking and distancing mandates immediately. We will continue to monitor the State mandates closely, and as soon as there is a change, we will adjust our archdiocesan protocols accordingly.
As of now, we are not making any changes – masks (covering the nose and mouth) and social distancing are still required, regardless of vaccination status.
The killing of George Floyd has had a traumatic impact on our society. The suffering he endured and the immense loss his family has experienced speaks to us on a very human level. The death of Mr. Floyd in a very public and raw manner catapulted this case into the conscience of the nation. The resulting anger and protest that culminated in the trial and conviction of Derek Chauvin is one important step in the process of addressing the broader issues facing our country in terms of racism, a criminal justice system many feel needs reform and the reality of living as a person of color in America…
Easter is the center and core of Christian faith. Christian faith is Resurrection faith; the Risen Christ, having conquered sin and death, remains with us across the ages. When we celebrate “the Triduum” — the great feasts of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday — we recall and present again through words and worship the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord.