All are Welcome

Shrine Summer Schedule  begins June 8.

Morning confessions will be from 

10:30-11:45 AM

All other ministry remains the same.  

The Gift Shop will close  at 4:00 PM daily.  

August 2, 2026

When we think of the Blessed Mother, many of us think of the month of May. We decorate her statues with flowers. We pray the Rosary more often. We honor her as our Mother. What many Catholics do not realize is that the Church has also dedicated the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. What does that mean?

When we speak of Mary's heart, we are not talking simply about a physical heart. We are talking about the very center of who she is. Her heart was filled with love for God. It was a heart that listened, a heart that trusted, a heart that said "yes" to God's plan, even when she did not fully understand it.

In the Gospel of St. Luke, we are told that Mary "kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." She treasured every moment of her life with Jesus. She rejoiced at His birth. She suffered at the foot of His Cross. Through every joy and every sorrow, she remained faithful. That is why the Church invites us to look to Mary's heart. It teaches us how to follow Christ with faith, humility, and perseverance.

The devotion to the Immaculate Heart became especially dear to Catholics after the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917. There, Mary asked the faithful to pray, do penance, and grow in devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She made a promise that continues to bring hope to the Church: "My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God." Notice those last words. Mary always leads us to Jesus. She never asks us to stop with her. Like every loving mother, she points us to her Son.

This month also gives us several beautiful Marian celebrations. We begin with the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major on August 5, celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, and honoring the Queenship of Mary on August 22. These feasts remind us that God continues to accomplish great things through the humble servant who answered His call with faith.

Perhaps August can be a time to deepen our own devotion to Our Lady. Pray an extra decade of the Rosary. Spend a few quiet moments with the Gospel each day. Pray the Angelus. Wear your Brown Scapular or Miraculous Medal with renewed devotion. Most importantly, ask Mary to help your heart become more like hers—more open to God's will and more filled with love for His Son. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary be our refuge and our guide. And may she always lead us closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

I remember you at Mass.

          St. Joseph the Worker Shrine 2026

          Christian Worker Recognition Award

Each year, St. Joseph the Worker Shrine selects a person in the community at large for a special Christian Worker Recognition Award. 

Established in 2016, on the 60th anniversary of the Shrine’s dedication, the award celebrates the person who embodies the virtues of St. Joseph, in their home, workplace, and community at large.

Would you help us to make this year’s selection a worthy one? 

                                 Link to 2026 Nomination Form  

St. Joseph the Worker Shrine again served as  a Place of Welcoming Respite  during the 

Lowell Folk Festival - 2026

The annual Lowell Folk Festival is the 2nd largest such Festival in the United States and draws an estimated 100,000 visitors to our city during the last weekend in July – this year: July 24-25 -26.  

Many of these vistors stopped by to take advantage of the quiet, cooling place during their sojourn through the festival. Many utilized our tables and chairs to eat, hydrate, socialize, and to just take a break in the shade during the urban fesival activity. Many browsed through our collection of free religious items and literature. 

Numerous visitors stepped inside to view the interior of our beautiful shrine and visit the  Oblate musem and gift shop. Many visitors, as well as festival workers, took the time to say a quiet prayer in the Shrine or participate in the sacrifice of the Mass.

There was much interest in the special presentaion of the statue of our newest saint, Saint Carlo  Acutis. 

Thank you to the Shrine staff and  to all the volunteers who greeted people, gave narrated tours, helped to clean up, and assisted in so many other ways during the festival. 

Click on the link below to go to the 2026 Festival photo gallery.