As we prepare to celebrate Easter, which solemnly commemorates the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ, our thoughts turn to the greatest of all mysteries — the emergence of Life from the wreckage of the Cross.
During the past year, God has blessed us with many signs of Life —
* Our old school has finally reopened, now providing temporary shelter and transitional housing to people who come our way. The project, which cost over $10 million, now awaits its official name as well as some finishing touches on the fourth floor.
* The Day Cafe continues to offer hospitality and friendship to 50 to 70 people every morning from 7:00 to 9:30 am. We have a great variety of faithful volunteers including parishioners, people from other parishes and denominations, nursing students from Rivier University, and young Mormons who spend time with us while on mission. The Day Cafe also connects us with Nashua Mental Health, Harbor Care, and Catholic Recovery, a new group at St. Patrick’s.
* The extensive renovation of our Parish Center is now completed. It hosts many new activities: post-Mass gatherings on most Sunday mornings, faith formation classes for children and teenagers, and access to clean and safe restrooms. All these good things came about because of the enormous generosity of Bill McCabe whose estate funded the project’s cost.
* God has sent several new families to us, blessing us with youth, energy, and beautiful devotion. Some came to us through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, our excellent Faith Formation program based on the methods of Maria Montessori. The generosity of parishioners has allowed us to dispense with all charges.
Because Easter proclaims Christ’s victory over death, I invite you to pray for all our beloved dead. Being situated as we are in an urban area, we now have closer — even direct — contact with needy people who die in our midst. For example, a young man’s body was removed from the old school right before the 7:00 am Mass. Such events cause us to stop, pray and reflect. For sure, these things test our faith. But I like to think that the continuous celebration of the Eucharist so close to poverty, suffering, and confusion, somehow produces healing hope for our friends and neighbors.
Thank you for your constant support and encouragement. You and your loved ones, living and dead, will be remembered at all our Easter Masses.