BEVERLY -- Fifty-four years ago a newly ordained priest from St. John's Seminary, Father John D'Arcy, came to St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Beverly. Here he served as an associate pastor and was actively involved with both the parish school and the church.

Bishop D'Arcy fondly remembers the perpetual adoration that took place in St. Mary's lower church seven days a week and referred to it was one of the things he liked best of all in the parish, and that it was a great consolation to him.

Today, under the direction of Father David Barnes, pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea, this perpetual adoration continues, and prayer and the ongoing need to encourage others to pray, is the foundation of St. Mary's upcoming Lenten parish mission: "Christ: Yesterday, Today, Forever."

The mission is a three-day event inviting both parishioners and non-parishioners to come together to pray, worship, and be blessed by Christ's love. "It is a great privilege for St. Mary's to welcome Bishop D'Arcy home and be inspired by him," said Father Barnes.

Ordained in 1957, Bishop D'Arcy spent eight years at St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Mary's is the only parish that Bishop D'Arcy was associated with as a priest before being called to serve the wider Church. After studies in Rome, Bishop D'Arcy was ordained as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. In May 1985, he was installed as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana where he served for 25 years.

St. Mary Star of the Sea again feels blessed to have Bishop D'Arcy return to be with them during the parish mission which takes place March 14th through March 16th. The mission will commence with the St. Mary Star of the Sea School Legacy Gala at Danversport Yacht Club on Sunday March 13 where Bishop D'Arcy, along with four others will be honored.

The Lenten mission will then continue on three consecutive evenings at 7:00 p.m. Monday, March 14: Faith and Prayer, Tuesday, March 15: Penance, and Wednesday, March 16: The Eucharist.

For more information contact the parish at 978-922-0113 or visit http://www.stmarystar.org/html/bishopdarcy.html.