While hearing confessions recently, I had a few quiet moments awaiting the next penitent. I picked-up the official Rite of Penance in the confessional and began reading through the introduction. There the Rite describes in a concise way the four required elements of a good confession, what I’m calling here the “four steps to forgiveness.” They are: contrition, confession, penance and absolution.

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By now, many Rhode Islanders have seen or heard the outrageous claims from the extensive media smear campaign orchestrated by the United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP.) For more than four years, the Diocese of Providence has been excoriated publicly and its entities sued frivolously over the Saint Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island (SJHSRI) pension fund—which exists to support retirees of Saint Joseph’s and Fatima Hospitals. It’s important to set the record straight on some of the egregious lies and misinformation designed to assign unwarranted blame and to extract money from the Church through threats, bullying and invective. Our understanding to date is not a single retiree has missed out on one penny of their pension payments. Some important facts you should know:

It is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Through CRS Rice Bowl, faith communities in every diocese throughout the United States put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

For more information, please visit: crsricebowl.org

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With joy and in thanksgiving for the gift of Religious vocation, we congratulate the Religious Jubilarians celebrating anniversaries of 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 30, 35 and 25 years of religious life. They will be honored at a Jubilarian Celebration Saturday, April 23 beginning with Holy Mass at 11:30 a.m. in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence with Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, Celebrant and Fr. James Sullivan, OP Homilist. Everyone welcome!

Pope Francis has asked every diocese across the world to engage people for a “listening phase” of the Synod on Synodality. Let your voice be heard—take the Diocese of Providence’s synodal survey and learn about other ways to participate at dioceseofprovidence.org/synod.

We want to hear from everyone about their experience of the Catholic Church, especially active and inactive Catholics. Please invite your family members and friends to take the survey as well by giving them the link to our diocesan page: dioceseofprovidence.org/synod

Click below to download/print flyer for more info!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence

Communications and Public Relations

One Cathedral Square, Providence, RI

the Catholic Communication Campaign.Thank you!