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‘The anchor we need’

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ:

This coming week is going to be a time of transitions for many of us. Spring officially arrives this week, and though we might still get a late-season snowstorm, the warmer weather and longer days are very welcome. For our college students, the second half of the spring semester is looming, and for our seniors, graduation and the next chapter in life is beginning to become more and more of a reality. In the life of the Church, we move from the heart of the Lenten season into thy mysteries of Holy Week and the great Triduum. And in a particular way, those adults who have been participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adult (OCIA) are looking forward to receiving the new life in Christ through reception of the Sacraments of Initiation. Whatever change we may be encountering, whether welcome or not, it is a good time for us to reflect upon those things that do not change in our lives, those constants which keep us anchored to life.

First and foremost, we need to remember God, the source of our life and salvation. Having spent almost five weeks in more intense prayer and sacrifice in an effort to grow closer to God, there is sometimes a temptation as we move out of Lent to return to former ways of living. We can be tempted to see our Lenten sacrifices as simply an obstacle course we had to navigate, and once completed it is done until the next Lent. However, the growth we have experienced this Lent is not meant to end just because Lent is over. Like so many other good things in life, it is meant to continue.

If we have found strength and consolation in more prayer, greater sacrifices, more frequent acts of service, why stop? Let’s continue, maybe not in exactly the same manner (desserts may be back in our diets) but stay committed to prayer, sacrifice, and service. God is constantly calling us deeper and deeper into His embrace and a relationship that will sustain us in the most difficult times. We must not lose this firm and most important foundation.

Next, our families and friends who support us. Do we remember them in prayer as much as we should? Do we reach out to stay connected to them in personal and significant ways? While texts and emails are important parts of our communication network, do we try to communicate in more direct and personal ways — telephone, written letters and cards, personal visits? There are many commentators who note that in a world where we can communicate so easily, we are perhaps the loneliest generations ever because our communication is done only through electronic means. While convenient, these methods do not encourage a real sharing of self.  Sharing thoughts over a cup of coffee in a kitchen, having a conversation while walking with a friend, writing a letter to a sibling who may be struggling — these may be better than any meme or Instagram post. Our families and friends are gifts from God and deserve more than passing acknowledgments.

As we move into these transitional times, may we keep God, families, and friends at the center of our lives. They provide us with the anchor we need to stay firm in the rapidly changing tides of life.

Peace,

Msgr. John J. McDermott

Diocesan Administrator

8-year-old Andrew Gradziel spreads love with his creative projects

Eight-year-old Andrew Gradziel is a young boy with a heart full of empathy.

As Valentine’s Day approached, he spent three weeks making 51 valentines for residents of the St. Joseph/Kervick Home in Rutland so residents “would feel love in their heart.”

He and his mother, Marianne, visited the Vermont Catholic Charities elder care home to distribute them in the activities room on Valentine’s Day and spent time visiting with residents.

“The residents just loved having Andrew here on Valentine Day,” said Rosie Poczobut, activity director. “They could not get over how these were not your typical valentine. He had every valentine different from the other. Andrew is such a cute, loving little guy.”

Many of the cards he made had cardboard inserts of hearts or 3D flowers; they were like little gifts inside the cards.

His favorite valentines featured a jet; he collects model jets and flies a remote-control plane. He is interested in World War II history; one grandfather served in that war and his other grandfather served in Korea.

“The residents were thrilled and took their valentine back to their room to be admired. The men were just as happy as the women,” Poczobut said. Some displayed their card in their room for decoration; some shared it with other residents.

Andrew lives in Sudbury and will be making his First Communion later this year at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church in Fair Haven. “Jesus said, ‘Love one another as I have loved you,’” he said.

And that’s what the homeschooled boy, an only child, was doing with his valentines.

The Gradziels chose St. Joseph Kervick Home as the recipient of the missives because Mrs. Gradziel’s grandmother had “taken care of the Sisters” of St. Joseph who lived there when it was Mount St. Joseph Convent.

Andrew enjoys spending time with older people. “I feel very happy with them,” he said.

And they enjoy their time with him. “On Valentine’s Day when he was here passing the valentines out, he was happy because he could see all the smiles and hugs and compliments he was getting,” Poczobut said. “He understood how all his hard work had paid off in helping these residents. I explained to him how much love he had brought to these people and how much they all appreciated him.”

Andrew, who enjoys reading and writing, also made 48 Lenten mementos he distributed at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church: He attached a crayon to cards that bore the message, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Now he is working on a spring poster to deliver to St. Joseph Kervick Home for Easter.

His concern for others makes his parents proud. “He’s a little guy with a big heart. It reaffirms what his Dad and I teach him about empathy,” his mother said.

 

 

8 of the most popular novenas

A novena is a traditional form of Catholic prayer lasting nine days. Typically, novenas focus on asking God for a specific intention and many are prayed through a saint’s intercession. Novenas are a beautiful way to grow in prayer and nurture your spiritual life.

Here are eight of the most popular novenas:

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Also known as the Pentecost Novena, this was the first novena ever prayed by Jesus’ disciples and the Blessed Virgin Mary after Jesus ascended into heaven. Catholics pray this novena during the nine days that fall between the feast of the Ascension and the feast of Pentecost. The novena asks for the Holy Spirit’s seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was started by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque after experiencing apparitions of Jesus to spread this devotion. It is also said that St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) prayed the Sacred Heart novena prayer every day. The Sacred Heart Novena is traditionally prayed during the nine days leading up to the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is always 19 days after Pentecost.

Novena of Divine Mercy

The Divine Mercy Novena was given to St. Faustina Kowalska by Jesus. He told the Polish nun that the novena was to start on Good Friday and gave her an intention to pray for on each day. The novena consists of praying a Divine Mercy Chaplet followed by the daily prayer intentions. While this novena can be prayed during any time of the year, it is recommended to begin on Good Friday in preparation for the feast of Divine Mercy, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter.

Novena to the Holy Family

The Holy Family Novena is typically prayed during the nine days leading up to the feast of the Holy Family, which is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas, and encourages the faithful to meditate and reflect on the Holy Family so that we can model our own families after them. It also serves as a great way to grow closer with your family and strengthen your relationships through prayer.

Christmas novena

The Christmas novena starts on Dec. 16 and ends on Christmas Eve. It includes a daily Scripture reading, a meditation, an antiphon, the Magnificat, intercessions, and a closing prayer. Father Charles Vachetta is credited with writing the novena in 1721 in hopes of inspiring his parishioners with the coming of Christ during Advent.

Surrender Novena

In the Surrender Novena, the faithful focus on letting go of their own will for their lives and strive to live their lives according to God’s will for them and place complete trust in him. The novena comes from Father Dolindo Ruotolo, who is a servant of God and candidate for beatification. We can pray this novena whenever we are struggling to let go of worries or doubts and need the Lord to take care of things.

Mother Teresa’s emergency novena

Have you ever found yourself in need of an answer but don’t have the time for prayers of petition for multiple days in a row? St. Teresa of Calcutta would turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary in these cases and pray her “Flying Novena.” The quick novena consists of saying 10 Memorares — a centuries-old prayer asking for the intercession of the Blessed Mother.

The 54-Day Novena

The 54-Day Novena originated in the late 19th century in Naples, Italy, after a young girl suffering from what was thought to be an incurable illness called on the Blessed Virgin Mary for help. The Blessed Mother appeared to the young girl and told her she would be healed if she prayed three novenas. The young girl was miraculously healed. The Blessed Mother appeared once more to the young girl and this time added that those who want their requests granted should pray three novenas in petition and three novenas in thanksgiving.

Therefore, the first 27 days of this novena consist of a rosary said each day in petition followed by another 27 days consisting of a daily rosary said in thanksgiving, whether or not your request has been granted. This novena can be prayed anytime, however, and many choose to begin or end the novena on a Marian feast day.

—CNA

 

What to expect at the 2024 Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis

The 2024 National Eucharistic Congress, taking place July 17–21 in Indianapolis, is expected to draw tens of thousands of people for Masses, worship, talks, workshops, and more to celebrate Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist.

The congress, the first such event to be held in the U.S. in over 80 years, is the culmination of a multiyear “Eucharistic Revival” initiative of the U.S. Catholic bishops, which aims to inspire deeper belief in and devotion to the holy Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus.

Registration for the congress is now open, and the full schedule is available. The congress will have five masters of ceremonies, including Montse Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of CNA’s parent company, EWTN News, Inc.; Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, host of the “Abiding Together” podcast; Father Josh Johnson, host of the podcast “Ask Father Josh”; and Dave and Lauren Moore, Catholic musicians from Texas.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect at the once-in-a-lifetime event.

Day 1: “From the Four Corners” (Wednesday)

The main event Wednesday is the opening procession and the large-scale “Revival Session,” taking place from 7 to 10 p.m. in Lucas Oil Stadium, the massive indoor arena of the Indianapolis Colts. The Revival Sessions, the capstone of each day of the congress, will feature dynamic speakers as well as praise and worship.

The opening procession will see the culmination of the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimages, which are set to kick off in May. Starting from four different spots — San Francisco, northern Minnesota, southern Texas, and Connecticut — pilgrims will process the Eucharist thousands of miles to Indianapolis, with Catholics invited to join in and walk small segments along the way.

The keynote speakers for the opening Revival Session are Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, who spearheaded the U.S. bishops’ initiative of Eucharistic Revival; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Pope Francis’ apostolic nuncio to the United States; and Sister Bethany Madonna, who accompanies vulnerable pregnant women and ministers to young college students as a Sister of Life.

Day 2: “The Greatest Love Story” (Thursday)

On Thursday, a “Family Rosary Across America” will be prayed from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Opening liturgies — offered in various languages and various Catholic rites — begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by morning “Impact Sessions” from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

The Impact Sessions will consist of talks and workshops “organized with various themes and intended audiences” that attendees can choose from. Organizers of the congress have explained that the event will offer special sessions geared toward different Catholics in attendance to best suit their needs. (The congress website includes detailed information about each session on its “Schedule” page.)

For example, “Cultivate” sessions are geared toward families; “Empower” sessions are for people working as missionaries; “Renewal” sessions are for ministry leaders; “Abide” sessions are specifically for priests; and the “Awaken” sessions are specifically for youth. There will also be “Encuentro” sessions for Spanish-speaking Catholics in attendance.

From noon to 6:30 p.m., attendees are encouraged to visit the congress’ expo hall, which will feature numerous Catholic apostolates, ministries, religious orders, and vendors.

The afternoons will include “Breakout Sessions” (also detailed on the “Schedule” page) and Event Experiences from 2 to 4 p.m. Following that, from 4 to 5:15 p.m., are the Afternoon Liturgies.

Thursday Breakout Session topics include a discussion on ensuring access to the Eucharist for people with disabilities; apologetic defenses of the Eucharist against fundamentalist arguments; a biblical walk through the Mass; and a talk titled “Sex, Gender, and a Sacramental Worldview.”

After a dinner break, the evening’s main event, the Revival Session, begins at 7 p.m. and will feature keynote talks and praise and worship, going into the 10 p.m. hour.

Thursday’s speakers include Father Mike Schmitz, host of the “Bible in a Year” and “Catechism in a Year” podcasts; and Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, founder and servant mother of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth in the Archdiocese of Boston.

Day 3: “Into Gethsemane” (Friday)

Friday’s schedule will be very similar to Thursday’s, with the timing of the morning liturgies, Impact Sessions, lunch and expo hall schedules, and afternoon Breakout Sessions all being the same (but with different Breakout Session topic options available for attendees).

Breakout sessions this day include a discussion about parish vocation ministries, Catholic health care, and the Eucharist as a source of healing after abortion.

For the evening Revival Session, the speakers will be Sister Josephine Garrett, a child and adolescent counselor from Texas; and Father Boniface Hicks, a sought-after retreat master and spiritual director.

Day 4: “This is My Body” (Saturday)

After a similar schedule to the previous two days from 8 a.m. until 2:45 p.m., one of the highlights of Saturday will be a mile-long Eucharistic procession around downtown Indianapolis, beginning at 3 p.m. and going until 5 p.m.

For the evening Revival Session, the speakers will be Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries; and Gloria Purvis, an author, commentator, and the host of “The Gloria Purvis Podcast.”

Matt Maher, a Canadian musician best known for his contemporary worship hits such as “Lord I Need You” and “Your Grace Is Enough,” will lead a massive worship session in Lucas Oil Stadium in the evening.

Day 5: “To the Ends of the Earth” (Sunday)

The congress will wrap up with a final Revival Session from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a final Family Rosary Across America and then a closing Mass at 10 a.m. celebrated by a papal delegate with music by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

The final two speakers of the congress will be Mother Adela Galindo, a Nicaraguan religious sister; and Chris Stefanick, host of “Real Life Catholic” on EWTN.

The end of the congress will not mark the end of the multiyear Eucharistic Revival. The third and final year, following the congress, will be dedicated to the Church “going out on mission” to renew the world.

 

Musings from Monsignor McDermott

‘Rejoice, our God is always with us!’

My dear family in Christ,

Joy is not the first word people think of when it comes to the season of Lent. Sacrifice, fasting, prayer, somber news, and other words maybe, but not joy. From one perspective this makes absolute sense. We begin the season on Ash Wednesday by being reminded to turn away from sin and that we are turning to dust, not overly joyous messages. The first Sunday of Lent has us journey to the desert with Jesus to ponder 40 days of fasting from food and water, being dedicated to continuous prayer, and fighting against the temptations of the devil, again, not overtly joyous thoughts. Lent is usually portrayed in the light of giving up, dying to self, turning away from sin and doing penance, and rightfully so, we all need these reminders so that we remember that we are in need of a savior. However, despite the somber tone of so much of our Lenten vocabulary, if we pay attention carefully to the prayers and readings of Mass, we may just find a reason to be joyful.

This fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally called Laetare Sunday because its prayers and antiphons remind us that there are reasons to be joyful even in the midst of our Lenten sacrifices. The entrance antiphon begins with the words “rejoice Jerusalem,” and invites all who mourn to “be joyful,” because the redemption of the world is coming near. Our offertory gifts are placed before God “with joy” because they bring “eternal remedy.” Finally, the first Lenten preface reminds us that Lent is a gift given to us by God so that we can be prepared to “await the sacred paschal feasts with the joy of minds made pure.”

Why joy? How are we to be joyful when we are called to sacrifice and repentance? The answer lies in the fact that joy is not the fleeting happiness or pleasure of daily life. Joy is the deep-rooted conviction of God’s eternal love for us and that His plan for our salvation is greater and more powerful than any earthly pleasure or pain. Joy is the result of being convinced that regardless of having to endure struggles and want, even for only the 40 days of Lent, God sustains us, feeds us, forgives us, strengthens us, and loves us. We can experience joy because God is at the center of our lives and provides us with strength and protection.

So though we have another couple weeks of Lent remaining and so we have to continue to embrace the call to repentance and sacrifice, let us do so not with the long face of those who have no hope, but as the true children of our Heavenly Father who provides for all our needs, even in our struggles. Rejoice, our God is always with us!

In Christ,

Monsignor John J. McDermott

Diocesan Administrator

Obituary: Sister Patricia Murtagh, RSM

Sister Patricia A. Murtagh, RSM, (Sister Mary Benedicta), 95, of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, died at McClure-Miller Respite House on Feb. 28 in her 77th year of her religious life. She was born in Montpelier on Dec. 3, 1928, the daughter of Anne (Morse) and George Murtagh. She entered the Sisters of Mercy on Sept. 8, 1946 and professed her vows on Aug. 25, 1949.

Sister Murtagh received a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College in Burlington and did post- graduate studies in science at the University of Vermont and Murray State Collage in Murray, Kentucky, and clinical pastoral education at Andover Newton Theological School in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

Sister Murtagh taught in parochial schools in Burlington, Barre, and Middlebury. She also taught religion classes in the surrounding parishes and was an active part of the diocesan religious education program for the developmentally disabled. She served in parish ministry and as the director of religious education in Woodstock, Enosburg Falls, and Northfield. She ministered for several years in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, as a pastoral associate and director of religious education. She represented the Sisters of Mercy of Vermont on the Council for Religious in that diocese and as vice president, president, and treasurer. Sr. Patricia ministered at the Howard Mental Health Services in Burlington and the Tewksbury St. John’s Hospital in Tewksbury. She also volunteered at Birthright and Hospice.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Terri Murtagh, and her nieces, nephews, cousins, and her sisters in religion, the Sisters of Mercy. She was predeceased by her parents, her brothers, Father George O. Murtagh and Tom Murtagh and her sisters, Rose Mary Murtagh, Helen Peslin, and Betty Hutchinson.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on March 16 at 11 a.m. in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mater Christi School (former Mount St. Mary Convent), 100 Mansfield Ave., Burlington, with visiting hours prior to the funeral Mass from 10 to 11 a.m.

Burial will follow the funeral in the Mount St. Mary Cemetery.