This Week's Message
from Fr. Amesse
July 28, 2024

We strive for peace. I spent two weeks at the parish of my brother, Father Steve Amesse. So many people attend Mass. Confessions, like here, are frequent. The line doesn’t stop. People are looking for peace.

While I was there, the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Cap-de-la-Madeleine came to visit St. Patrick’s. 2,500 people stood in line to pray and to touch the Pilgrim Virgin from July 5-7. They all were looking for peace. A mother and father asked Mary to heal their newborn, Ezekial. An elderly woman cried before Our Lady. Her son was in prison in Vancouver. Everyone brought a burden to the Mother of God.

I asked the sponsors if they would come to Lowell with Notre Dame du Cap. They will consider it. Mary loves the poor. She will be at home here. Our Lady always brings to us her Son, Jesus. He is the fulfillment of peace. Our mission is to spread this peace. Peace is the goal of life in society.

Jesus is our peace. He has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, among people, reconciling them with God. Mary has a special love for the poor. I saw this at my brother’s church in Ottawa. I see it here. You love Our Lady.

“Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give to you,” thus says the Son of Mary, Jesus Christ.

I remember you at Mass!

Catholic Conversations

2023 St. Joseph the Worker Christian Worker Award winner Dr. Rebecca Duda speaks with Brother Richard of St. Josepht the Worker Shrine and Irene Tremblay, Director of Pro Maria Committee, about Brother Richard's forthcoming book, Our Lady of Beauraing, Queen of the Golden Heart

ADVANCE NOTICE OF BOOK LAUNCH 
 

Shrine patrons will be happy to hear of the publication of Our Lady of Beauraing—Queen of the Golden Heart,  edited by Br. Richard Cote, O.M.I., Shrine Historian.  The “official” book launch will take place at St. Rita’s Church 158 Mammoth Rd, Lowell, on August 22nd beginning with Mass for the Queenship of Mary at 6:00 p.m.  Copies of Our Lady of Beauraing—Queen of the Golden Heart will be available for purchase at a discounted rate that evening.    

Br. Richard explains, “This fourth edition serves to elevate a significant spiritual event in the Catholic history of Belgium and the world through the publishing of an updated and comprehensive non-fiction book containing never before released eye-witness accounts, plus commentary on how the seers understood the Virgin Mary’s words, what they experienced, how they were bullied, and the sufferings they endured.  This is the lesser-known story of Our Lady’s appearances in Belgium, yet powerful in its message.”

2024 Christian Worker Recognition  Award  

Nominations for the annual Christian Worker Recognition Award are now being accepted until August 5. 

Information and nomination forms were inserted in last week’s bulletin, will continue to be available at the display found in the Shrine Confessional lobby and can be downloaded HERE 

Please help us select a worthy recipient for this year’s award.

Legion of Mary
at the Shrine

Meetings are held in the downstairs Conference Hall each week after the Sunday 12:00 noon Mass.

The Legion of Mary is a Marian movement founded in Ireland in the 1920’s. It is currently the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis’ July
Prayer Intention

We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it, and their loved ones,  the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.

Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Brazil

Four young Oblates from the Eastern U.S. arrived in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1945, after difficult travel in the immediate post-war period.  The Superior was Lowell native, Father Walter Mooney, OMI.  Beginning with ministry to the English-speaking colony of the area, they and succeeding U.S. Oblates were assigned to outlying priest-less districts and the desperately poor urban favela slums of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Belen in the Amazonian north.

Several Oblates were targeted by the authoritarian regime for imprisonment and even torture because of their championing the interest of the indigenous people and the poor of the city of Recife whom they served.

Joined the 1960’s and 1970’s by Oblate missionaries from the Central U.S., Canada, France, Belgium and Ireland and an increasing number of Brazilian Oblates, the Brazilian Province now numbers 65 priests, Brothers and seminarians in four districts.  They work to extend the Word and Work of the Gospel through pastoral ministry, social services, and the formation and support of Basic Christian communities throughout the vast country.

The vast favela slums of the cities where Oblates have lived and served.

You gave yourself to the service of the Church and dedicated your priestly life to serve the young and the most abandoned.

St. Eugene de Mazenod, lead us to Jesus through the trials of life.

St. Joseph
Guardian of Virgins
Pray for us!

Full Litany of St. Joseph

Praying with the Stained Glass Windows of
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

Part I - The 100 Year+ Windows Series
Part II - The St. Joseph Windows

May 27, 2024 - End of 40 Hours of Devotion Eucharistic Procession

Self-Guided Tour
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

Ring the Bells of the Shrine

Everyday of the year, the “Bells of St. Joseph” ring-out God’s praise for all to hear!

Our Carillon can play Special Hymns of your choice any day of the year. At your request, our chimes will ring in honor of loved ones for the entire community to hear and prayerfully remember.Your offering of $20.00 will be greatly appreciated and will assist us in maintaining the Shrine and its ministries. Thank You!

Bell-ringing selections may be reserved for specific days & times throughout the year(s) in the Shrine Gift Shop/Bookstore.

St. Eugene de Mazenod’s Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother

 O Lord, Almighty God, you endowed the Blessed Virgin Mary with the fullness of every gift and grace. By allowing her heart to be pierced with the deepest sorrow, you crowned her merit and placed her at the head of countless legions of martyrs who, for love of your Son Jesus Christ, have shed their blood. Through the painful martyrdom endured by this gentle Mother seeing her beloved Son dying as a Victim because of his love for us, grant us the grace to bear with fortitude the disappointments and setbacks in our life, and not to fear torment or death itself, when we are called to confess our faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Click on the Image to view the prayer of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Archdiocesan COVID protocols lifted
Learn more here

Confession

Mon - Friday
10:00 am - noon
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

Saturday 
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

First Wednesday of the month

Eucharistic Adoration

The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration on -

Saturday after the noon Mass until the 4:00 pm Mass
First Fridays after the noon Mass until the 5:30 pm Mass

Say NO to Physician Assisted Suicide in Massachusetts
Learn more