Rhode Island Catholic

The breadth and depth of Holy Mass

In a small parish graveyard outside of Orvieto in central Italy, the headstone for Archbishop Hannibal Bugnini reads simply “Liturgiae Amator & Cultor,” that is, “Lover and … more

11/4/21

Hope, not grief, should be the dominant sentiment at Mass

Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston is a contemporary brick and mortar building with very minimal adornment. A couple of reverent banners and framed artwork flank the sanctuary proper. The … more

10/28/21

Following the road to true discipleship

Of the many titles accorded Jesus Christ during his public life, the designation “Son of David” is linked by Saints Matthew, Mark and Luke with the healing ministry of the Messiah. In … more

10/21/21

Father Randall’s priestly service leaves lasting impact

My academic grades at LaSalle Academy in Providence, Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Warwick and St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., were almost invariably As and Bs. There was no A+ … more

10/14/21

Renewing the secular world while preserving the spiritual

My second pastor at Sacred Heart Church, Pawtucket, was Fr. Edmund I. Mullen, a Boston native but a longtime Providence priest. His first pastorate was St. Joseph Church at Hope Valley. Apparently … more

10/7/21

One man and one woman — No other duality constitutes an authentic marriage

Scripture is clear that everything on the face of the planet was made from the dust of the earth. Rocks, trees, vegetables, animals, fish, even Adam, the first man, were formed from the dust of the … more

9/30/21

Living out our true faith through charity

While waiting for a funeral cortege to arrive at St. Charles Church in Woonsocket, my attention was sadly drawn to a mattress, a blanket, and some paper cups concealed in a protected spot upon the … more

9/23/21

Our Father will go to any length to remind us of our eternal destiny

The Gospel accounts of Ss. Matthew, Mark and Luke each relate three occasions during Jesus’ public life when he offered ominous predictions of his Passion, Death and Resurrection. This coming … more

9/16/21

Retirement Fund helps priests in their later years

A few years ago a pay increase was proposed for the priests of the diocese. I was stationed in Warwick at the time so I attended a regional meeting on the issue at St. Paul Church in Cranston. A … more

9/9/21

What is at the core of salvation history?

Adorning the sanctuary at the cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence are three depictions of Christ’s last days and two portrayals from the later life of the Church. Central to the … more

9/2/21

Christ meets believers where they are

Probably the least popular line in Scripture is found in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and will be heard in the second reading at Mass this Sunday. Or maybe St. Paul’s infamous words … more

8/19/21

Every Mass is indeed a saving sacrifice

Jesus instructs his followers very clearly in this coming Sunday’s Gospel account from St. John’s celebrated chapter six that ‘…the bread that I will give is my flesh for the … more

8/5/21

Earthly objects can convey unfathomable, heavenly realities onto a believing community

Seventy years ago a new house, one lot up, was built on my street. Max Diamond, a local mattress salesman, constructed a bricked-front cottage, garage and smart landscaping. During several very hot … more

7/22/21

In adversity and hardship God is with us

God calls all manner of men and women to be his prophets, his seers, his saints. The prophet Amos, whose words are heard in this Sunday’s first reading, was a landscape gardener. He might have … more

7/8/21

The Gospel is more than a biography; it is salvation history

Now that the Church’s liturgy is back in Ordinary (that is, numbered) Time, the Gospel account according to St. Mark will be proclaimed from Catholic pulpits until Advent. St. Mark’s … more

6/24/21

Will you have faith when the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives?

From the creation account in Genesis, through the release of the Hebrews from Egypt, during the sojourn in the wilderness and even into the apocalyptic visions of the later Hebrew Scriptures, it is … more

6/17/21

Go forth and live out your Catholic faith

The Hebrew Scripture prophet Ezekiel is inspired in this coming Sunday’s first reading to compare the Kingdom of God to a mighty cedar tree which will “put forth branches and bear … more

6/10/21

God is the interaction of three Persons intimately sharing their Divine personalities

In the very early Biblical accounts of the creation of mankind in the Book of Genesis, among the first Divine Words uttered are found, “Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness … more

6/3/21

Let us not take participation in the Mass for granted the Mass for granted and forget what a privilege it is to be able to attend

A month ago this column outlined my pleasant experience of participating at Mass from a parish pew rather than a presidential chair. Experiencing the broad inclusion of the laity into various parts … more

5/27/21

The table of the Lord is the heart of Catholic parish life

“How Green Was My Valley” was a 1941 film production of a 1939 novel about the Morgan family, a Welsh household in the late nineteenth century who faced challenging work in the coal mines … more

5/20/21