News - September 2023 RSS Feed

The Diocese of Worcester has a new monsignor: Msgr. Richard F. Reidy. He was named a "Chaplain to His Holiness," with the title of Reverend Monsignor, by Pope Francis.

Catholic Charities’ Crozier House, a men’s substance abuse recovery home, is expanding at 10 Hammond St. following the move this summer of the Catholic Charities Worcester County offices from that building to the Mercy Centre on West Chester Street.

After being resuscitated twice and enduring immense health struggles, Father Conrad S. Pecevich, who some have dubbed “Miracle Man,” has been recovering at St. Patrick’s Manor, a care facility in Framingham. But his life-and-death experiences have helped him to discover an additional calling.

Tricia Brzenk – a teacher and pre-school director – had prepared to be a Catholic school leader. But her induction to becoming principal at St. Anna Elementary School in Leominster involved the unexpected.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, St. Joseph School in Webster will host the upcoming 2023 Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference. The theme is “Male and Female: He Created Them.” Christopher Klofft, an associate professor of theology at Assumption University, will speak at the conference.

St. Paul Church in Warren is now an oratory in which the extraordinary form of the Mass will be celebrated. A religious community committed to the traditional Latin Mass, and new to the Diocese of Worcester, will serve the pastoral needs of parishioners. The decree also changed the canonical status of St. Stanislaus Parish in West Warren to a territorial parish to serve the needs of the Catholic community of Warren.

Partners in Charity reached 93 percent of its $5 million goal, bringing in $4,637,869 from 11,961 gifts.

St. Anna Elementary School, St. Leo Elementary School, and St. Cecilia Parish experienced flooding. The schools closed for several days last week to assess the damage.

“Male and Female He Created Them” is the theme of this year’s Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference. Deborah Savage’s talk is titled “Return to the Garden: Man and Woman in the Order of Creation.”

On Sunday, the major relics of St. André will be honored at St. Cecilia Church in Leominster. His relics will be exposed in the main church for veneration beginnning at 8:30 a.m. A short talk on the saint’s life will be given by the custodian of the relics, Father Roman Kalladanthiyil, CSC, followed by an anointing with St. Joseph oil from the shrine in Montreal.

Following the storms that moved across the city of Leominster and surrounding towns on Monday, roads and schools were shut down and families were displaced because of flooding.

Megan Paradis, executive director of First Concern Pregnancy Resource Center, which has offices in Clinton and Marlborough, spoke at a “birthday party” for the Blessed Mother at St. Cecilia’s Parish Center on Sept. 9. Msgr. James P. Moroney, St. Cecilia’s pastor, celebrated Mass for the Nativity of Mary. The party, with cake and balloons, followed.

Becoming coach of the Saint Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School boys’ soccer team which posted a 1-13 record last fall and lost nine of its 15 players to graduation, may not seem ideal, but Nathaniel Crea believes otherwise. “I couldn’t be happier that I’m coming in with such a young team,” Mr. Crea said.

The 2023 Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference will welcome Father Colin Blatchford as a guest speaker on Oct. 7 at St. Joseph School in Webster. The title of his talk is “Authentic Loving Accompaniment.”

Our hearts and prayers are with the residents of Leominster and neighboring communities as they struggle to recover from the devastating rains on Monday. In speaking to pastors in the area, I know our parishes and schools are reaching out to their parishioners, school families and neighborhoods to learn how they are faring with this disaster. Catholic Charities in Leominster is also mobilizing to assist in whatever way they can. Please keep everyone affected by this weather in your prayers, especially considering more rain is anticipated this week. Once we confirm how we can offer charitable assistance, we will announce those efforts through all our parishes in the diocese. May the Holy Spirit comfort those in search of hope during this difficult time.

“Male & Female, He Created Them,” is the theme of the upcoming Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference. The conference will take place Oct. 7, at St. Joseph School in Webster.

The concert, titled “Love & Transformation,” will be held Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. at Mechanics Hall. Ms. Shivick’s hope for the concert is that it is a “healing moment,” not just for her but for many who lost their loved ones in unexpected or tragic ways. The songs will evoke feelings of “compassion, empathy, and hope” and will show how “love is the ultimate form of transformation,” she said.

Assumptionists took young people to the 150th National Pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, Aug. 11-16. Among volunteers helping the sick and handicapped this year were members of the Assumptionists’ North American delegation making the pilgrimage. Two of them, Gabriela Vargas and Christopher Casey, shared reflections about their experiences.

At the request of the Sisters, Bishop McManus, the fifth bishop of Worcester, celebrated the final Mass, Aug. 24, in the chapel located on the grounds of Notre Dame Academy, 425 Salisbury St., Worcester. The chapel has been closed because sisters will no longer be living in the convent.

The founder of the first Catholic radio station in Worcester, Raymond J. Lauring, died at home Sept. 1 at the age of 97. Calling hours are Thursday and funeral is Friday at Christ the King Parish.