News from the Diocese of Providence

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August 13, 2021

Diocese Prepares to Celebrate Sesquicentennial

By Rick Snizek, Executive Editor, RI Catholic

PROVIDENCE — Sesquicentennial. It’s not a term one often uses in casual conversation, but that is about to change in the Diocese of Providence.

Midway between a centennial and a bicentennial, a sesquicentennial represents a time period spanning 150 years, a milestone quite worthy of major celebration.

Organizers of the Diocese of Providence’s sesquicentennial celebration are planning a nine-month series of events that will engage the faithful on multiple levels, including the celebration of solemn liturgies, presentations by high profile guest speakers, a variety of concerts, a festival of the arts and the promotion of 150 acts of charity across the diocese to commemorate the milestone anniversary. Over the course of the celebration, Rhode Island Catholic will feature retrospectives on the history of the diocese and each of the eight shepherds who have led it.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin to St. Mary's traditional Latin Mass community: 'I want you to be at peace'

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor, RI Catholic

PROVIDENCE — As Ed Gallagher held the door open for the steady stream of worshippers entering the Church of St. Mary’s on Broadway for the 10:30 Mass Sunday morning he marveled at the number of changes that had affected his beloved parish — which offers the traditional Latin Mass exclusively — in the previous 10 days.

In that time frame, Pope Francis had issued an apostolic letter restoring limits on the celebration of such traditional Latin Masses, and the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, which has administered St. Mary’s on Broadway for the last three years, announced the upcoming departure of the pastor and some of his associates, with a new pastor and associate scheduled to take their place in early August.

Photo: Rick Snizek, Executive Editor, RI Catholic

Many Blessings on Land and at Sea

Runners and walkers from the Office of Vocations race team gathered before the recent Blessing of the Fleet road race at St. Thomas More Parish. Their shirts encouraged observers to “Pray for Vocations.”

Learn more about Vocations in the Diocese of Providence

PHOTO: Courtesy of Father Christopher Murphy, Rector, Our Lady of Providence Seminary; Director of Pre-Ordination Formation, Diocese of Providence

In one month! Be there!

Jesus is life-giving bread, not just ‘side dish,’ pope says

By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Jesus wants to nourish the souls of those who are spiritually famished from the loneliness and anguish that come from life’s difficulties, Pope Francis said.

“What does he not want? To be relegated to being considered a side dish — he who is bread — to be overlooked and set aside, or called on only when we need him,” the pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 8 during his Sunday Angelus address.

Pope Francis leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Aug. 8, 2021. In his Angelus message, the pope said Jesus is the "essential bread of life," the one who "makes us feel loved even if everyone else disappoints us" and "gives us the strength to love." (CNS photo/Vatican Media)