Diocesan News | Rhode Island Catholic

The new statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis stood close to the Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Bristol parish honors Carlo Acutis in special event

BRISTOL — Blessed Carlo Acutis, as beloved as he is, isn’t a saint quite yet. But in the eyes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bristol, he most certainly is. On the afternoon of … more

By Allison Shinskey, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent | 5/8/25

A Catholic Mom’s Tips to Avoid Mom ‘Burnout’

I saw a t-shirt that read “Moms are Superheroes” and it made me laugh. Regular day-to-day responsibilities, obligations and obstacles, plus the relentless demands of parenthood typically … more

5/8/25

Carlo Acutis, who was born in 1991 in London and died in 2006 in Monza, Italy.

Pedestal deserved: Carlo Acutis’ digital authenticity

For someone for whom the idea of a celebrity culture putting people on an undeserved pedestal was distasteful, it’s a bit ironic that he’s been put on a pedestal himself. In the case of … more

By Sister Hosea Rupprecht, OSV News | 5/8/25

The Good News: Redemption is on hand for mankind

How about this for the proudest boast ever: “The Father and I are one.” (Jn10:30) Still, Scripture readers should not be surprised at Christ’s claim. The very first line of St. … more

5/8/25

The Church of the Beatitudes in Galilee is built on the site where tradition says that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. The octagonal floor plan represents the eight beatitudes, and the grounds are quite picturesque and a place of tranquility.

Sea of Galilee teams with a wealth of faith and history

TIBERIAS, Israel — It is truly a small world. As a small group of American journalists enters the Igal Allon Centre, home of the Man in Galilee Museum and the Ancient Galilee Boat, Jack Gabay, … more

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor | 5/8/25

Special Event Listings for 05.08.25

Chopstick Auction CUMBERLAND — The Historic St Joseph’s Church, 1303 Mendon Road, will host a chopstick auction in the church hall on Friday May 9, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. The tickets … more

5/8/25

An estimated 200,000 people gather in St. Peter's Square and the neighboring streets to attend funeral Mass for Pope Francis at the Vatican April 26, 2025.

Poor and powerful pray for eternal repose of a pope 'with an open heart'

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was “a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone,” said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, as he presided … more

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service | 5/1/25

Copies of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, are left for visitors at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major where Pope Francis is buried April 27, 2025. The conclave to elect the next pope will begin May 7, 2025.

In Rome, the real national sport isn’t soccer. It’s betting on the next Pope

ROME — If you thought Italians were only obsessed with soccer, think again. With the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor still days away, a different game has taken over the Eternal … more

By Ines San Martin, OSV News | 5/1/25

From left, Fathers Marcel Taillon, Joseph Brodeur, Christopher Murphy and Mark Gadoury gather for a photo in St. Peter’s Square, where they met to concelebrate the Mass of Christian Burial for Pope Francis on Saturday, April 25. “It was a tremendous blessing to be there in the Square praying for the happy repose of our Holy Father, especially in the company of so many brother priests,” said Father Brodeur, who was ordained last year. “To sit all together as priests of Providence amidst such a large crowd was a special grace.”

Local priests have ‘providential’ meeting while concelebrating pope’s funeral

ROME — Among the flock of 250,000 mourners at Pope Francis’ funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, four priests from the Diocese of Providence managed to remain together to offer … more

By Jennifer Barton, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent | 5/1/25

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel March 13, 2013, at the Vatican. Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis, was elected the 266th Roman Catholic pontiff.

Where - and when - to watch for white smoke

OSV NEWS — The conclave is set to begin May 7, but the public only knows its end by iconic white smoke billowing out of the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Black smoke means the cardinals have … more

5/1/25

Special Event Listings for 05.01.25

May Breakfast NORTH PROVIDENCE — The St. Anthony Parish Holy Name Society will sponsor a May Breakfast on Sunday, May 4, from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. The event will take place at the St. Anthony Parish … more

5/1/25

Msgr. Albert A. Kenney concelebrates a Mass for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Friday, April 25. In his homily, he said that Pope Francis was true to his Jesuit charism and “never wavered in his desire to do all things for the greater glory of God.”

Pope Francis 'never wavered in his desire to do all things for the greater glory of God'

PROVIDENCE — The day before a quarter million people gathered inside the confines of St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis, the Diocese of Providence celebrated a Mass for … more

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor | 5/1/25

Catholic journalists reflect on covering Pope Francis

By Rick Snizek, Executive Editor I had the honor of covering Pope Francis on two occasions, the first in September 2015 during his first visit to the United States as pontiff, and the second three … more

5/1/25

Our Lady of Grace Parish, Johnston, parishioner Christiana Gondreau, left, assisted by Augustino, a Vatican usher, holds her 8-year-old son Dominic as he is embraced by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square following his first Easter Mass on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Dominic, who has cerebral palsy, is also the son of Providence College faculty member Dr. Paul Gondreau.

Local faithful share experiences with the papacy of Pope Francis, from the beginning to the end

Pope Francis rose to the papacy 18 days before Easter, in 2013. He passed from this life one day after Easter twelve years later. The “shot seen around the world,” as Rhode Island … more

By Jennifer Barton, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent | 5/1/25

The Prominence of St. Peter

Trivia Question: What was Jesus’ last miracle? No, no, not his Resurrection; let’s leave that grand event to God the Father. Actually during his public lifetime Jesus worked 37 miracles, … more

5/1/25

Pope Francis prays in front of the Marian icon, “Salus Populi Romani” (health of the Roman people), during a prayer service in an empty St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 27, 2020. At the conclusion of the service the pope held the Eucharist as he gave an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world). The service was livestreamed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Marian devotion of Pope Francis

Pope Francis must be remembered for his deep Marian piety. In speaking to a group of young people in Rome on June 29, 2014 — the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul — he famously said: … more

By Robert Fastiggi, OSV News | 5/1/25

A single white rose sits on the tomb of Pope Francis in Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major early April 27, 2025.

Retrospect on a Pontificate

During the March 2013 interregnum following the abdication of Pope Benedict XVI, and in the conclave itself, proponents of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., as Benedict’s successor … more

5/1/25

Eastertide is Almost Here!

The best time of the year is almost here! As the weather begins to get warmer, the sunshine sticks around longer and Spring starts to blossom, Catholics get to celebrate 50 whole days of Easter! … more

4/29/25

Through sincere belief in the Son of God we have life in His name

For many years, actually many centuries, the Catholic Mass was concluded with the priest’s reading of the opening verses of the Gospel according to St. John which begins, “In the … more

4/24/25

Pope Francis appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver his Easter blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at the Vatican April 20, 2025.

Pope on Easter: Jesus' resurrection makes Christians pilgrims of hope

VATICAN CITY — The hope Christians have is not a sign of avoiding reality but of trusting in the power of God to defeat sin and death as the resurrection of Jesus clearly shows, Pope Francis … more

4/24/25