Free Income Tax preparation (VITA)
PROVIDENCE — IRS-certified volunteers at Amos House, a fully handicap-accessible agency at 460 Pine Street in Providence, prepare free income tax returns for those earning $58,000 or less. Appointments are available on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 – 8 p.m., plus on selected Saturdays, by calling 401-272-0220. Masks are required. More information is available at www.amoshouse.com/freetaxprep. Other free tax sites in Rhode Island and Massachusetts may be found by calling the number 211.
First Saturday Devotions to Our Lady of Fatima
PROVIDENCE — The St. Augustine Council of the Knights of Columbus, the Men of St. Joseph, and Relevant Radio support the continuation of the First Saturday Devotions to Our Lady of Fatima. The First Saturday Devotion in music and song begins on February 5, 2022. Devotions are held at the St. Augustine Church, 20 Old Road, beginning with the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 3:45 p.m., and continuing until 5 p.m., followed by the Holy Rosary in music and song at 4 p.m., private meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary at 4:30 p.m. and Mass with Holy Communion beginning at 5 p.m. Subsequent devotions will be held on the following first Saturdays: March 5, April 2, May 7 and June 4. All are invited on each of the first Saturdays for this very beautiful and special devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary.
St. Pius V Women’s Faith Sharing Group
PROVIDENCE — St. Pius V Church will host a Women’s Faith Sharing Group on the second Sunday of every month. This group is for women dedicated to prayerful discussion of relevant topics. The next event will take place on Sunday, February 13 at 7 p.m., at Caffe Lepanto in the church hall.
Learn about estate planning, planned giving
PAWTUCKET — Learn about estate planning and planned giving on Sunday, February 27, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus Church in Pawtucket. This event will be an opportunity to learn how to avoid probate, the difference between wills and trusts, and how to set up a living will and power of attorney for medical and financial decisions. Discover ways you can continue to support your church and diocese for years to come. Join R.I. Attorney Tracy A. Loignon and Cyndy Brown from the Catholic Foundation of Rhode Island to learn how making plans now will help the people you love in the future. This event is free and open to all. A light lunch will be provided at 1 p.m., so we request an RSVP for a headcount: cbrown@dioceseofprovidence.org or 401-277-2117.
Hope Revival
CUMBERLAND — St. John Vianney Church Youth Ministry will host a rally to bring hope and encouragement to the local community on Sunday, Feb. 13, from 9:15 - 11:15 a.m. Teens will gather in front of the church on Diamond Hill Road with uplifting signs, balloons and cheer. Youth will also be collecting cans of hearty soups for the Northern RI Food Pantry. Contactless drop-off for the local community will also be offered. Simply pull into the church parking lot at that time and one of the volunteers will accept your donations from your trunk or you can put them in the boxes that will be laid out in the entrance/exit ways. For more information, contact Kim Passanante at sjvkimp@gmail.com.
Youth Free Throw Competition
BRISTOL — All boys and girls ages 9-14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the 2022 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. The local competition will be held February 18, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish center beginning at 6:30 p.m. Masks must be worn at all times by all. For more information contact Past Grand Knight Warren Rensehausen at 401-200-1047 or at wrensehausen@hotmail.com.
Support group formed for divorced and separated Catholics
CHARLESTOWN — The Diocese of Providence is sponsoring an on-going support group for divorced and separated Catholics at St. James Chapel, 2079 Matunuck School House Road, in the parish center. The group will meet on the first and third Wednesday evening of each month, 7-8:30 p.m. This free support group embraces the Catholic faith and provides a peaceful place for sharing, healing and for topics related to separation/divorce. Preregistration is required. Contact Peter Magnotta: 278-2517 or Father Paul Desmarais 364-7214.
Grief Support group
WESTERLY — If you are searching for hope and peace after losing a loved one, St. Pius X Church invites you to participate in the Seasons of Hope six-week support group. This is a safe and nurturing place for you to join with others who share your faith in Christ to give voice to your unique journey of grief, and to find comfort and spiritual renewal. The group will meet on Saturdays, January 8 to February 12, from 8:30-10 a.m. at St. Pius X Church, 44 Elm St. For more information or to register, please contact Linda Cunningham at 401-714-9824.
Save the date: Special Guest Speaker George Weigel
EAST GREENWICH — Author and columnist George Weigel will visit Rhode Island on Wednesday, March 23, 7 p.m., offering a talk at Our Lady of Mercy Church in East Greenwich, as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Diocese of Providence. Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is a Catholic theologian and one of America’s leading public intellectuals. He holds EPPC’s William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies. Mr. Weigel is perhaps best known for his widely translated and internationally acclaimed two-volume biography of Pope St. John Paul II: the New York Times bestseller, Witness to Hope (1999), and its sequel, The End and the Beginning (2010). In 2017, Weigel published a memoir of the experiences that led to his work as a papal biographer: Lessons in Hope — My Unexpected Life with St. John Paul II. For up to date information about this event, please visit https://www.dioceseofprovidence.org/events/george-weigel.
