From the desk of Monsignor Bride

On Holy Saturday night during the celebration of the Easter Vigil, the Alleluia is sung after the proclamation of the special Easter Epistle.  The cantor sings the first Alleluia. The assembly echoes the same. The cantor sings a second Alleluia while raising it to a higher note.  The assembly replies again. The cantor chants the third Alleluia, and the assembly replies echoing the same melody. Each time this refrain is elevated until it grows in crescendo. On Ash Wednesday, the Alleluia became silent because we had entered into the Penitential season of Lent. At the Easter Vigil, Deacon Ron carried the beautiful ancient Gregorian Alleluia back into the Church, which is a sign and symbol to us all of the praise, the honor, the glory, the faith, the beauty, and the worship we give to the God who died and rose for us all.
The Lord came to this earth that we might be free from sin. He died that the world might know the horror of sin and the evil of sin, the viciousness of sin and the extent to which sin affects us all.  On that cross, on the hill of Calvary, he died. He died for each of us, for all of us, for everyone, for those in the first century and for us in the twenty-first century. He died because of sin; he died because of sins that sinners commit. He died for all the sins of every age, of every century, of every time and place.
It has become so painfully clear that there remains so much sin.  When we see the horrors of war, the death of innocent men and women happening so quickly, so intentionally, so viciously, it seems that morality is disappearing from our world and its people. There is also sin in the media, sin in high places of government, sin in the entertainment industry, personal sin, infidelity, immorality, and fraud. 
 At the tomb of the Lord there was a large stone, so large it appeared mortals could not role it back. It sealed the death of the buried Christ and it sealed sin, it sealed despair. But the resurrection moved the stone. Light, new life, grace, purification, and hope come to the darkened tomb to Jesus, to His followers, to believers and to a world that needs them so desperately. The stone was rolled back.
Now for us, role back the stone of your hearts to the fullness of the new life, to a second chance that the resurrection brings, to new hope. Let the past die forever and let it be sealed by the rock of the past. Let good overpower evil and let darkness fall away. Role away the stone of all that is wrong and let it become a symbol of all that is former and dead. But live for the Lord, for his ways, and for his Grace.
Happy Easter everyone!  Happy New Life!
                                                     Monsignor Bride   

Today we begin the 50 days of the beautiful and glorious Easter Season.  Celebrate this wonderful time.  We have had a tough winter with avery mild December, a very cold January and February with several bad storms,house bound by the snow and cold weather.  Easter is here.  Christ is here.  New life is here.  Grace is here.  Celebrate these 50 days with faith, with joy and with hope.

Thank You
Monsignor Bride wishes to say “Thank You” to all who helped in any way to make this Lent and Holy Week such a special and beautiful time. Thank you! Deacon Ron,  Sister Michelle, Chris, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Ministers of the Sick, the Choir, Choir Director, organists, collectors, altar servers, and so many who gave to the memorial flower fund. Special thanks go to those who came to the Mini Parish Mission with Monsignor Brown/ the special Mass of Anointing/ daily Mass/ Stations of the Cross/ special Holy Week Services/ Adoration each Friday/ Adoration on Holy Thursday/ the Passion of the Christ Movie/ and adoration before our Shrine of the Holy Sepulchre. It’s an amazing list, isn’t it?  Thank you everyone!  God bless you all! Only in heaven shall we know the full extent of our efforts and the good that comes from them all.

RICE BOWL RETURNS
There are containers in the rear of the Church to collect your Rice Bowl offering boxes.  This is the annual Lenten Almsgiving offering and it goes to feed the hungry.  Now that Lent is over, we wish to send our returns to the Diocese.
Please make your returns today.

The special Collection today on Easter Sunday is for the support of retired, sick and infirm priests. We owe our support and thanks to the retired priests because of their valued ministry for and with us all!  
   

Monsignor Bride’s Anniversary
We are planning a very special Pot-Luck Supper in honor of Monsignor Bride’s 40th Anniversary of Ordination.  Monsignor will supply the Roast Beef and Jim wasniewski will supply Rhode Island Clam Chowder.  However, like Sister Michelle’s 25th Anniversary here, all parishioners will supply the remaining food. We need the help of everyone,  even if your schedule does not permit you to attend.

Try to make a dish that will serve 10 people. This will insure we have enough food.   Thank you.
                                      The Committee

Announced Masses

Monday, April 9th   Easter Monday
7:30 A.M.  Intention of Celebrant
Tuesday, April 10th   Easter Tuesday
7:30 A.M. Philip B. & Frances E. Pasquale  (Estate)
Wednesday, April 11th    Easter Wednesday
7:30 A.M.  Special Intention  (Ruth Sanislo)
Thursday, April 12th      Easter Thursday
7:30 A.M.  Parishioners of OLPH
Friday, April 13th     Easter Friday
7:30 A.M. Ann Gero  (Josephine York)