News: There are many exciting events to look forward to this month besides Spring arriving with the warm weather. Easter falls on the 20th very late on the liturgical calendar this year, and is preceded by Holy Week starting on the 13th with Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday. I would also like to share with you some exciting news about the First Saturday on April 5th. We will be hosting the International Virgin Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Many of you may know that the statue is visiting the archdiocese in March and part of April, in fact the last stop on its tour will be at the Fatima Shrine Boston. We are honored to have her with us once again. There have been many miracles attributed to her and the statue has wept on many occasions. Tom Ross, one of the custodians of the statue will be giving a talk on the statue and there will be material available for purchase provided by the World Apostolate of Fatima as well. I hope you can join us. It will be a good way to prepare for Holy Week as we spend time praying and offering sacrifices in front of the statue for our loved ones and for the whole world. Let us all pray that the power of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ brings peace to a troubled world and to our own homes, where we all experience the brokenness of the human heart. Let us remember before the spring and warm weather arrives we have to suffer through the coldness of winter, much like we experience the 40 days of lent and contemplate the suffering and passion of Jesus Christ that we will be delivered with him by His resurrection from the dead. I often think about what young Jacinta suffered when she was in the hospital in Lisbon, they operated on her to remove a cancerous tumor, and there was no anesthesia and so she had to endure the pain of them removing one of her ribs and the tumor while conscious. The operation was not successful and eventually led to her death. She was only ten years old, but she trusted that she would be joined with the Risen Lord in heaven as Our Lady foretold. She offered up all her suffering for the Holy Father, for the conversion of sinners especially those that have no one to pray for them in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Because of the statue’s visitation on the First Saturday, Mass will be at 10:30 am and not at 9:00am..
April 4th: First Friday Devotion with Mass at 7 pm followed by all night Eucharistic Adoration ending with benediction in the morning. We are always looking for adorers to cover those overnight hours.
April 5th: First Saturday Devotion at the shrine, starting at 10:30a.m with Holy Mass, Rosary, Confessions. Followed by coffee and light refreshments. Rev. Michael Harrington we celebrate. We will be hosting the International Virgin Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima which will arrive at 11:30am and will depart at 2pm
The Spanish Rosary Community will hold their monthly First Saturday meeting at the shrine with a rosary, music and fellowship at 3:00 pm.
April 18th: Good Friday we will have the stations of the cross outside starting around 3pm.
April 26th: The Pro-life Mass & Divine Mercy Devotion will be held on Saturday the 26th at 10:30 am. Following Mass there will be a pro-life rosary followed by a talk. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. This month A special guest will speak to us.
