Last Wednesday (6/8), I was able to spend some time with our parish pastoral associates who were holding their meeting at our Pastoral Center.

I was happy to have the chance to address them and thank them for the very important work that they perform in our parishes. It was also an opportunity for me to speak a little bit about my recent pastoral letter on evangelization and the need to continue the initiative of Catholics Come Home in the parishes.

I am grateful to Sister Pat Boyle and to Father David Couturier who were instrumental in providing such an enriching program for them at the Pastoral Center. We also want to express our thanks to Mary Peterson, a pastoral associate from St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Parishes in Lexington, who worked so hard to prepare the meeting.

Confirmations at MCI-Concord

On Friday (6/10) I celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation for some of the inmates at the MCI-Concord. Deacon Jim Greer, who heads up our prison ministry, assisted at the Mass.

Also with us were the two lay catechists who prepared the inmates for confirmation. They have been going to the prison there for years and are doing a wonderful job. It's a great joy, and to be able to have confirmations in the Pentecost season is so meaningful.

Lunch with Guild of St. Luke

On Saturday (6/11), I had lunch with the Guild of St. Luke, an organization of Catholic physicians here in the archdiocese, at the Algonquin Club of Boston. Dr. Gerald Corcoran and Dr. Helen Jackson organized the event, which included a number of medical students. It was a wonderful experience and we look forward to the Guild's annual White Mass in the fall.

Meeting with President Pedro Pires

I also had the honor of meeting with the President of Cape Verde, Pedro Pires, who paid us a visit at the cathedral on Saturday (6/11). It is the second time that I have met him, the last time was during a visit he made to the States several years ago. He was accompanied by his wife, the ambassador, and the consul general. President Pires recently completed ten years in office and he wanted to visit the Cape Verdean community in America once more. We discussed the activities and presence of the Cape Verdean community here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and also spoke about the Church in Cape Verde.

Confirmations with the Brazilian Community

For the feast of Pentecost (6/12), I was pleased to be able to celebrate confirmations at the cathedral for the Brazilian Community in the archdiocese. In all, there were about 200 being confirmed. It was a very joyful and spirit-filled celebration. Father Eduardo Marques, the coordinator for the Brazilian Apostolate, concelebrated with me and the cathedral was filled. We are also so grateful to Sister Elisete Sigmor who does so much in the Brazilian Apostolate.

Visit with the Sloane Family

On Monday, I visited with the Sloane family at the headquarters of Century Bank. Marshall and Barbara Sloane were great hosts and it was my pleasure to meet many of the workers there. I chuckled when we drove into the parking lot and saw they had a big electric sign that said "Welcome Cardinal Seán O'Malley."

They had a lunch and they invited all of their workers to go to lunch and to meet the archbishop. The Sloanes have been very supportive of the archdiocese and I was happy to be able to accept their invitation.