Last Friday (5/5) I went to St. Paul School in Hingham to celebrate a Mass to mark the school's 65th anniversary. We were very happy to be joined by a number of the Sisters of Charity to Halifax who are the founders of the school. Afterwards, I made a visit to the school and stopped in at the school's Grandparent's Day celebrations.

Dinner with seminarians

On Friday, I had one of our regular dinners with a group of seminarians. This time I met with a group from St. John's Seminary, as well as several of our college seminarians studying at Our Lady of Providence. It is always very encouraging for me to be together with our future priests, and these gatherings give us a chance to discuss various issues in the Church and the world.

Fatima Shrine in Holliston

Saturday (5/6), I went to the Fatima Shrine in Holliston for their celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima.

The Marian Association of the Hispanic community organized the procession, rosary and Mass at the shrine. Despite the fact that the weather was not ideal, we were still joined by several hundred participants for the coronation and procession with banners of the various Latin American and Caribbean countries represented by the faithful. It was a very beautiful, enthusiastic celebration in honor of Our Lady and the devotion of the people was a very inspiring sight. We are so grateful to the Xaverian Missionaries who run the shrine for hosting this wonderful event.

Oblates gala dinner

That evening, I attended the gala dinner celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and their 40 years of ministry in Boston.

It was an opportunity to express our gratitude for the wonderful ministries carried on by the Oblates at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine, the St. Francis Chapel at the Prudential Center and their St. Joseph's Retreat House in Milton. They have a very important outreach to young adults in our archdiocese, they provide a great deal of spiritual direction and, of course, they began the ministry of perpetual adoration at St. Clement Shrine. We are very grateful for all that they do, and I was very pleased to be at their gala to congratulate them and to express our thanks on behalf of the whole archdiocese for their devoted ministry.

First Communions at the cathedral

On Sunday (5/7), we celebrated the First Communion Mass for the English speaking children in the cathedral parish. This is something relatively new for us. A couple of years ago, Father O'Leary began catechetical programs in English to serve the young families that are moving into the South End, and the result was this First Communion class.

We are so grateful to Pamela Hennessey and Sister Ruth, who prepared the children for their First Communion. They all participated very actively in the liturgy and read the petitions. It happened to be Good Shepherd Sunday -- a wonderful day to realize that the Good Shepherd is always feeding the sheep and these "new lambs." At the end of the Mass we also had a special blessing for the cathedral, as we prepare for renovations of the upper church. Masses will be held in the lower church and in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to allow for the renovation of the main sanctuary of the Cathedral.

St. James Society board

Wednesday (5/10), we had our annual meeting of the board of the Society of St. James the Apostle, better known simply as The St. James Society.

There are presently about 20 priests serving in the St. James Society and three more priests will hopefully be joining the mission very soon, working in some of the poorest areas in Peru including the shantytowns surrounding the capital city of Lima. We are preparing for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the society and I look forward to going to visit them to celebrate that happy occasion.