During this time, as we await the day when our parish may open its doors again, we continue to pray for those affected by the virus, the healthcare workers, and all whose livelihood is disrupted. Our parish will be ready to welcome its vibrant community ‘home’ as soon as it is feasible and safe. Our buildings must be maintained and no one could predict this extraordinary event. Offertory donations can be delivered in several ways. Online giving is an easy and safe method. You can make your donations weekly or monthly. If you need assistance with online giving, please contact Kathy Hessel at mkhessel@aol.com Alternatively, should you wish to drop your envelopes at the rectory, the mail box on the front porch is available and checked regularly. Finally, some parishioners send their donations through the regular mail. Please know that we are sensitive to the households already impacted by this temporary loss of employment. Thank you for your support of our parish. If you or anyone in your family is in need of assistance, please contact our Pastoral Outreach Coordinator, Annie Doyle, at 508-450-4134.
Churches will suspend Public Masses beginning Tuesday March 16, 2020. In cooperation with Governor Baker's announcements yesterday, the Diocese of Worcester has issued the following statement by Bishop Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester: "After carefully reviewing the sound advice of medical professionals and the recent order by Governor Baker to limit gatherings to 25 participants, I have decided to suspend all public celebrations of Mass until further notice in the hope of slowing and, God willing, halting the spread of this disease. The obligation to take part in the Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is thereby lifted." The Bishop also announced that, by tomorrow, the Office for Divine Worship of the Diocese of Worcester will announce further details on how parishes will celebrate Funerals, Weddings, Baptisms, Confessions and other sacraments in order to help fight this pandemic while continuing to meet the Church's obligation to care for the spiritual well-being of believers, especially at this time of crisis. In the meantime, the Bishop is encouraging all Catholics to continue to pray with the local Catholic community by virtual attendance at the Sunday Mass and Daily Mass which is carried on Spectrum (Charter) Channel 193 each weekday morning at 9 am and Sundays at 6 pm, and also streaming on worcesterdiocese.org and on many parish websites. Additional prayer resources will be produced weekly and distributed via parishes by email and their websites to continue to pray for healing and hope during this pandemic. A diocesan-wide “Prayer in Time of Pandemic” in English and in Spanish is also being distributed to parishioners and on the diocesan website. Other languages will be made available in the next few days.
The elderly in nursing homes are truly the forgotten folks in our community. Your gifts help to make their Christmas joyful. This year the Giving Tree gifts will be donated to Aids Project Worcester, Winter Hill Rest Home, Blaire House, Crescent Manor Rest Home, St. Mary‟s Health Care, The Bridge (Now called Open Sky), St Francis Nursing Home, Diocesan Seminarians, and the Mustard Seed Catholic Worker. There are several requests for larger size sweatshirts and sweatpants. We know that these can sometimes be challenging needs to fill, so please know that we appreciate your extra effort to find these gifts. It is really a special treat for our neighbors, who must usually wear second hand, ill fitting clothing, to receive something new and warm! Please - As we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace - No toy guns or violent toys. Also, no battery operated items - these are too expensive for the poor to replace. Please, no cash and no food. Please wrap your Giving Tree Gift loosely in a GIFT BAG or RECYCLABLE BAG and reattach the tag. Kindly return it to the church no later than December 8th at the 11:00 AM Mass.
June 9, 2019 6:30 pm for students who will be in 10th grade in the fall of 2019 as well as for any upcoming 11th and 12th grade students who have not yet received the sacrament.
Join Us After Mass for Palm Sunday Pancake Breakfast this Sunday, April 14. We look forward to seeing you at the annual pancake breakfast, hosted by Holden Boy Scout Troop 182’s High Adventure Scouts.
There will be an Easter egg hunt, games and face painting for the children in the area behind the Church after the 9:00 AM Mass on Easter Sunday. Everyone is invited to join in the fun.
The cold weather is upon us and the homeless of our city wait in line for shelter in the only city shelter available. The numbers of homeless has grown to more than double the number of beds in that shelter. The local news reports say that several inner city churches might be planning to give shelter in their basements. We have seen nothing definite and in the meantime it is very cold searching for a place to sleep. A donation of gloves, a hat, a scarf or socks would be put to good use. There is a bin in the Outreach Collection area. Many thanks to the Prayer Shawl Ministry for their prayers and donations of scarves
Our Christmas Food Collection was given to Our Lady of Providence Food Pantry and the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. Let’s keep the need filled! Food and paper products continue to be most welcome. Non-perishable food items can be left at the Outreach collection area just outside the door of the church hall.
Each grade level met with Mr. White during class times. On our final class day before Christmas break, our students gathered in the church to sing Christmas carols with families.
Saturday, December 3 at 9:30am The children of the religious education program and their families are invited to a pancake breakfast with St. Nicholas. Join us in the church hall.