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WORLD NEWS 2 NATIONAL NEWS 3 EDITORIAL 4 OFFICIAL 4 BISHOP LETTER 4 COMMENTARY 5 AROUND DIOCESE 7 2021 GRADS 8,9,10
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VOL. 70, NO. 25 JUNE 18, 2021 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS HOME DELIVERY $39/YEAR
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Foley brothers blessed to share priesthood
BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT
WORCESTER - Msgr. Mi- chael G. Foley has been a priest for 50 years and his younger brother, Father John J. Foley, has been one for 47. Nearly a century of com- bined service in the Worcester Diocese will come to an end when they retire on June 30. Both insisted that, if they were younger and healthy, they'd remain as pastors. Msgr. Foley is 75, the age when priests are required to submit their resignations ac- cording to canon law. Father Foley, 73, is retiring due to health concerns, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabe- tes, osteoarthritis and neu- ropathy. The Foleys are the only brothers who are priests in the diocese. They feel blessed to have had one another to turn to for advice over the years. That is the greatest gift I could have," said Msgr. Foley, pastor at St. Luke the Evan- gelist in Westborough for 15 years. It probably saved my voca- tion," said Father Foley, pastor at St. Anne Church in Shrews- bury for 12 years. "After two years, I was ready to walk and if I didn't have his sup- port and his view on things, I think I would have said good- bye." His brother helped him realize he was meant to be a priest and he's since impacted countless parishioners. Fa- ther Foley was pastor at Good Shepherd in Linwood and at Christ the King in Worcester before taking over at St. Anne. He previously served as an associate at St. Andrew the Apostle in Worcester, St. Mary in North Grafton and Our Lady of the Rosary in Worces- ter, and he ran the religious education program at St. Ed- mund's Center for 1,250 chil- dren at St. Joseph in Auburn. Before coming to St. Luke, Msgr. Foley served as pastor at St. John Church in Worcester and St. Mary of the Assump- tion in Milford. For the previ-
BY TANYA CONNOR THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
WEBSTER - The people of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish found ways to observe their parish's 150th anniversary despite the pandemic, and changed plans to celebrate further. Last year was the 150th anniversary of the es- tablishment of the parish, but this year marks the 125th anniversary of the church building and the 25th anniversary of the perpetual adoration chapel, explained Father Adam Reid, pastor. Though Sacred Heart Parish was inhibited in implementing our multifaceted original plan to cel- ebrate its 150-year milestone in 2020, we do so now," he said in a letter in the commemorative parish bul- letin. The bulletin, containing some parish history, was distributed at last Sunday's anniversary event - a Mass commemorating all three anniversaries. More than 100 people attended. A social event and an observance of the chapel anniversary are to be held later, and parishioners have been invited to donate time capsule items rep- resentative of 2020 and 2021, Father Reid said. A renewal of vows for married parishioners was planned for April 2020, since the parish's first wed- ding was celebrated on April 17, 1870, said Susan Veshi, a member of the 150th anniversary commit- tee. Because of the pandemic, couples were invited to send in their wedding photos, and Ron Heroux, then parish archivist, made a slideshow that was shown last fall, she said. It's just interesting to celebrate 150 years of a parish," she said. "People think it's the church, but it's the people that make up the parish. - Our focus was always the people." In his letter Father Reid said the parish looks forward to continuing to proclaim Jesus. To do so, they seek to first discover or re-experience a life- changing relationship with Jesus, he said; in No- vember they begin the "Light of the World" renewal program. Speaking briefly at Mass, Bishop McManus said
Webster parish celebrates 150, 125, 25th
St. Paul's first grads
BY TANYA CONNOR
THE CATHOLIC FREE PRESS
Rising above difficulties, even death, were repeated themes at the first graduation of St. Paul Diocesan Junior/Senior High School, held with a baccalaureate Mass Saturday on the school's football field. And the unity the school community showed as two institu- tions were merged to form this new school was held up as an example for a divided na- tion. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, in the spring of 2020 schools transitioned to remote learning, and did not reopen before the end of the academic year. That was the final year for Holy Name and St. Peter-Marian, the dio- cese's two central Catholic junior/senior high schools in Worcester. They were merged to form St. Paul, which opened this fall on Holy Name's renovated campus. Bishop McManus and Michael Clark, head of school, presented diplomas to St. Paul's first graduating class. One of the 158 diplomas was awarded post- humously - to Zachary Hare - who Mr. Clark said died on Dec. 22, 2020, after a long bout with cancer. He said Zachary's family received his diploma privately. Several diplomas were awarded in absentia, he said, because international students deal- ing with COVID and visa issues finished their education remotely from their home coun- tries. Mr. Clark presented Dominic Porcaro with the first St. Paul Knights Award. This award is to be to be given annually to a graduate who has demonstrated outstanding qualities of lifelong learning, servant leadership, and Christian virtue," and represents the best at- tributes of all St. Paul Knights. Dominic was class president for three years at Holy Name and this year he was one of two presidents at St. Paul, Mr. Clark said. Gifts
11,535
Raised
$4,006,594
Percent of $5 million goal
80%
SEE BROTHERS , 6 SEE ANNIVERSARY , 6
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Somber graduates and their supporters applaud as the diploma of Zachary Hare is awarded posthumously. Zachary died in December after a long battle with cancer. His family received his diploma privately.
TANYA CONNOR CFP
Father Adam Reid, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Webster speaks at Sunday's anniversary Mass as Bishop McManus and Deacons Paul J. Lesieur and Roland R. Michaud listen.
BILL DOYLE CFP CORRESPONDENT
Msgr. Michael G. Foley, left, and his younger brother, Father John J. Foley, still enjoy the Vernon Hill three-decker in which they grew up.
BILL DOYLE CFP CORRESPONDENT
n
GRADUATIONS, Page 8
SEE ST. PAUL , 8
Ordination
A liturgy for the ordination to the priesthood of Deacons Lucas M. LaRoche and John L. Larochelle is scheduled for 10 a.m., June 19, in St. Paul Cathedral. Those who cannot attend can watch via Livestream at worcesterdiocese.org. Those in Worcester can view live on cable WCCA, Spectrum Ch 194.
'As you are sent forth from here go with the love of God .'
Father Donato Infante III
Chaplain
Jared Bailey gives his valedictory address.
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