Second Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday

News and Notes: 

Prayer Service and Concert… Join us for a special Divine Mercy Sunday service this Sunday 4/23 from 2-3:30PM at St. Maria Goretti Church.  This service is based on the Polish nun Saint Sister Faustina’s visions of Divine Mercy and will feature Confession and Eucharistic Adoration, the Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, a witness talk and beautiful music, with a collation to follow in the Church Hall. 

Best wishes… I regret to announce that Steve Gannon, our Collaborative Director of Youth Faith Formation, has decided to resign his position as of May 31, 2017, for personal health reasons and to take care of his aging parents on Cape Cod.  For four years, Steve has been so generous in sharing his time and faith with our Middle and High School youth, both in our faith formation program and in youth ministry.  Join me in thanking him for his presence in our midst and his service to our Collaborative.  Steve, it has been a gift to have you with us! 

First Holy Communion… Our second graders in both our parish religious education programs and OLA School will be receiving their First Holy Communion beginning the weekend of May 6-7.  Thanks to the parents, the first and most important teachers of the faith of these children, along with all those who participated in any way in the faith formation of these boys and girls, for their role in preparing our first communicants for this Sacrament of Initiation.  Special thanks to Bethany Kilroy (SMG) and Alexis McDuffee (OLA), the parish coordinators of our two-year First Holy Communion program.  We are also particularly grateful for the contribution of Mary Disick and Colleen Shea, second grade teachers at OLA school, for their excellent work in the faith formation of our parochial school children.    

Catholic Appeal… Here is the latest 2017 Catholic Appeal update:  As of April 10, OLA parishioners had pledged $51,451, which is 87% of their goal of $59,211; and SMG parishioners had pledged $27,385, which is 80% of their goal of $34,347. If you have not done so already, please fill out a Catholic Appeal pledge card that can be found at the front entrances of both churches or go online at www.catholicappeal.org, and make a pledge on behalf of your respective parish. Help us reach and even surpass our goals, as we did so successfully last year. 

May all the blessings of the Easter Season be yours!