Consecrated Virgins

Last Friday (May 2), I celebrated the First Friday Mass for archdiocesan staff at Bishop Peterson Hall in Brighton. I also invited the consecrated virgins of the archdiocese to the Mass, and then we had a breakfast meeting with them afterward. We meet occasionally, and at this meeting they had the opportunity to share about the different activities and ministries they are involved in.

Beth Lee was visiting from the Diocese of Fall River and shared with us the paper she will present at an international meeting of consecrated virgins that will take place in Rome next week in Rome. She will join another 500 consecrated virgins from 52 countries, including 31 from the U.S.

Another consecrated virgin, Sister Kathleen, has developed a Web site, http://www.WordofGodeveryday.com that provides e-mail delivery of a brief Scripture message for each day.

I was impressed by the activities and the witness of these wonderful women.

Evening with seminarians

at St. John’s

On Friday evening, I participated in a holy hour, evening prayer and dialogue with the seminarians at St. John’s. I do this several times during the year, and on this occasion we spoke about the impact of the Holy Father’s visit, what he said and the seminarians’ participation in the papal events. The Boston seminarians went to New York for the youth rally on Saturday and Mass on Sunday.

Centennial of Cheverus

Centennial School

On Sunday, I celebrated a Mass at Sacred Hearts Church in Malden to mark the centennial of the parish’s school.

It is named the Cheverus Centennial School because it was founded at the time of the archdiocese’s centennial and named after our first bishop. As I said at the Mass, I am sure that the school’s founders had no idea that 100 years later we would be reaping the benefits of their vision and sacrifices.

I was so impressed by the number of alumni who joined us for the celebration; there was standing-room only. The mayor of Malden, Richard Howard, attended the Mass. He is a graduate of the school.

I had not been at that parish since 1985 when I was there for confirmations, but the pastor, Father Daniel Hickey is the same pastor who was there when I went there over 20 years ago.

While I was bishop of the Virgin Islands, I used to do confirmations here in Boston. It is common for bishops to invite missionary bishops to help with confirmations since they often have only a few parishes in the diocese they are serving. In the Virgin Islands I had only eight parishes!

I very much enjoyed doing those confirmations and the chance to visit the bookstores while I was here. I did that for years, so I had been to many of the parishes here before I became archbishop. In particular, I was often invited to the parishes with large Hispanic and Haitian communities because the parishioners wanted someone who spoke their native language.

Also in this week’s blog:

> Meeting with the leaders of Women in God’s Spirit (WINGS)

> Greeting Archbishop Timothy Broglio

> Meeting with the superior general of the Daughters of St. Paul

> State convention of the Knights of Columbus

> Centennial Mass at St. Brigid in South Boston

> Celebrating Mass at Boston University

> Visiting the South Shore Chamber of Commerce

> Groundbreaking for the Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy in Dorchester

> Meeting with the New England Pro-life directors

> Visiting CatholicTV