Watch: Sunday Mass with Father Jim (7-26-26)
Listen: Pray As You Go Daily Meditations
Read: Scripture for Life by Mary McGlone (7-26-26)

This Week’s Message
Already A Saint

By Brother Patrick

On Friday, July 24, 1981, Father Stanley Rother (1935-1981), known by his parish in Guatemala as Padre Francisco, was told that a government death squad wanted to kill him. He was warned to leave the mission parish where he had served for thirteen years. Padre Francisco’s offenses were obvious to all. He practiced what he preached. He offered sanctuary to the oppressed. He buried and consoled the victims of violence. He ministered to the poor, the sick, and the elderly. He preached Christ’s message of peace in the languages of the local people.

When told of the threats, Padre Francisco said simply: “I will not leave. I made a commitment to the people…I will not leave.” As the hardworking son of an Oklahoma farmer, he then helped the Carmelite sisters decorate the parish church for the Feast of Saint James the Apostle. The Church was decorated with symbols of life and resurrection: white banners, fruits and vegetables, and a carpet of pine needles. Padre Francisco quietly told one of the nuns: “When they kill me, do not cry for me. Just light the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner.”

On Sunday, July 26th, Padre Francisco preached an emotional farewell homily in the midst of an otherwise joyful celebration. He spoke honestly about the possibility of death: “I will not hide…I am not afraid of dying…If they kill me, praise be to God!” After Mass, he joined the sisters for a festive dinner. He surprised them with wine. He played cards with them. He joked and talked with them well into the night.

One day later, Padre Francisco celebrated the afternoon Mass. He then accompanied two of the sisters into the village to shop for groceries. When they noticed that the town square was almost empty, they hastened back to the parish. They arrived home to find a growing crowd of young men at the doors of the church. They begged for sanctuary because militias on both sides of the civil war were abducting their friends and brothers into forced military service.

On Tuesday, July 28th at 1:30am, three men wearing masks broke into the rectory. After a lifetime of physical labor, Padre Francisco was strong. He bravely defended himself, but he was no match for their knives and their guns. While being tortured, he did not cry out. Finally, Father Francisco was shot in the head. After his body was discovered, the sisters washed him, dressed him in white vestments, and covered his shoulders with a colorful Mayan shawl that was hand-woven by a grateful parishioner.

Many Masses were celebrated in the following days and weeks for Padre Francisco, but the first one in the local parish where he lived and died was prophetic. Throughout the liturgy, but especially at the moment of consecration, the villagers whispered again and again: “Padre Francisco, Padre Francisco, Padre Francisco!” In their eyes, he was already a saint. One of the nuns said: “Without a doubt, he is a saint. We always invoke his name.”

In 2016, Pope Francis declared Padre Francisco a martyr. Nine months later, he was beatified in Oklahoma City by Cardinal Angelo Amato, who said: “He did not hate. He loved. He did not destroy. He built up. This is Blessed Stanley Rother’s invitation to all of us.” As we mourn our own tragedies, we pray for the grace, courage, and perseverance to embrace the call to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and rebuild the Church. And we join the inspired chant: Padre Francisco, pray for us!

Brother Patrick Garvey
Associate Minister & Diocesan Hermit
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
brpatrick@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (7-26-26)
Bringing Home the Word (7-26-26)
The Kids Bulletin (7-26-26)

New!
Ten Years Later
The Murder of Father Jacques Mamel
Vatican News

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Call to Prayer
A Prayer for Divine Favor

For the Intercession of Blessed Stanley Rother

Blessed Stanley,
brother and shepherd,
you poured out your life in service
and you spilled your blood as a witness
to the faithfulness of God’s love.
Those you loved so deeply
and served so completely
knew you to be their priest and pastor,
praying for them as their open door
to the presence of Christ.
Pray for us now
and intercede on our behalf,
as we ask you to walk with us
on our journey through life,
so that the redeeming presence of Jesus
may touch us now
and restore us to peace and wholeness.
During our time of need,
we ask that your prayers accompany us.
Echoed in your ministry and martyrdom,
may the mercy of Christ renew us,
and bring us the grace necessary
to heal our brokenness,
enlighten our darkness,
and restore the losses in our lives,
so that finally, we may be one with you
in praising God forever in heaven.
Glory to the Father,
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Learn More: Blessed Stanley Rother

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Special Morning of Prayer
Saturday, August 1st

By Father Jim

A wise person recently wrote: “Grief is not just the weight of loss. It is the echo of the love that once filled our lives…Grief is not something to be fixed or avoided. It is a sign that we cared more than we even realized.”

In the midst of our mourning for Father Ben Madu (1972-2026), I am heartened to hear again and again how much all of you loved him and appreciated his ministry here in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport. We have also received many touching messages from people who came to know Father Ben at Salem Hospital.

As I write these words, we still do not know for sure how Father Ben died. What we do know is what we feel: anger, sadness, disbelief, and compassion for our dear friend’s family and friends around the world. And what we do here when we grieve is to lean on each other. What we do here when we grieve is to gather in prayer and fellowship.

As one small step toward healing our broken hearts, all friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners are invited to join together for a Special Morning of Prayer on Saturday, August 1st in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. We will begin with a Mass for the People at 9:00am.

After Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, we will offer Morning Prayer from the Office of the Dead in memory of Father Ben. We will then enter into a period of silent adoration during which all are encouraged to spend a few moments in prayer for Father Ben and for all those we have loved and lost during the past year. We will conclude at 11:30am with the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

My hope is that sometime soon we will be able to announce a schedule of Memorial Masses for Father Ben at all three of our parish churches. Until then, we will continue to pray together and support each other. May God bless Father Ben. May God bless all who mourn. Peace and blessings to all.

Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
frjim@ccgronline.com

Learn More: Understanding Grief

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Call to Prayer
Praying with Our Patrons

For the Intercession of Saints Ann & Joachim

Saint Ann and Saint Joachim,
good and faithful parents
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and grandparents of our Savior:
When our lives seem barren,
help us to trust in God’s mercy.
When we are confused,
help us to find our way back to God.
When we are lost in the desert,
lead us to those God calls us to love.
When we are selfish,
teach us to cling only to what lasts.
When we are afraid,
inspire us to have faith
in God’s plan for our lives.
When we are ashamed,
remind us that we are God’s children.
When we sin,
bring us home to God’s will.
God, our Father,
you gave Saint Ann and Saint Joachim
the privilege of being the parents
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
mother of your incarnate Son.
May their prayers attain for us
the salvation that you promise
to all of your children.
We ask this through Christ Jesus,
our merciful redeemer, friend & brother. Amen.

Learn More: Saints Ann & Joachim

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Our Lady of Good Voyage
Summer Carillon Concerts
Begins Friday, August 14th

A popular summer tradition is returning to Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish and the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport! Our Summer Carillon Concerts begin on Friday, August 14th at 6:30pm! This year, Luann Pallazola, Cynthia Cafasso, and Thomas Dort have prepared programs that include faith-filled hymns, patriotic melodies, and classical and international music, along with selections especially for children!

Installed in 1922, the carillon at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church is the first toned bell set ever in the United States. The carillon’s thirty-one bronze bells hang from a steel beam within the west tower. And our bells range in weight from 16 pounds to 3,000 pounds. The carillon bells at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church were forged by the Taylor Foundry in Loughboro, England.

In order to avoid the payment of a tariff upon their arrival in Gloucester, the church was declared a warehouse by the Collector of Customs in Boston, who happened to be a friend of the local congressman. Soon after, a bill declaring them a “work of art” was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Warren G. Harding.

Although our bells can be heard from blocks away, the sound is always best near the church. Once again this year, Our Lady’s Guild will be selling snacks, cold drinks, and raffle tickets to support the parish. Our Summer Carillon Concerts are an awesome opportunity for the whole family to enjoy the gift of music with friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners!

Additional concerts are scheduled for Friday, August 21st at 6:30pm; Friday, August 28th at 6:30pm; and Friday, September 4th at 6:30pm. For more information, please contact Luann Pallazola at lpallazola@gmail.com. Save the dates! Bring a friend! Bring your family! All are invited! All are welcome!

Watch: Our Lady of Good Voyage Carillon

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Our Online Community
Something New Every Week!

By Father Jim

Twelve years ago, I asked Brother Patrick to create new websites for the Assisi Project and the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport. Our websites initially attracted a few hundred visitors each week. During the pandemic, traffic more than doubled to approximately one thousand visitors each week. Six years later, visits to our online community have doubled again to approximately two thousand visitors every single week.

Needless to say, one small fellowship and one large collaborative cannot compare with WCVB or the Boston Globe. But we recently reached a combined milestone of more than 1.1 million visitors to our websites! The success of our online community is a testament to your ongoing interest, the rich content offered, and the user-friendly and welcoming atmosphere of our websites. No ads. No sign-ins. All of our online resources are free, always available and we add something new and interesting every week! Here is a small sampling of the resources recently added or linked to our websites:

Scripture for Life
By Mary McGlone
National Catholic Reporter

Pray As You Go
Daily Audio Meditations
British Jesuits

A Rosary for Peace
Featuring Prayers By Pope Francis
An Assisi Project Podcast

The First Fact
Praying with Pope Francis
An Assisi Project Podcast

Thank you, Brother Patrick, for your ongoing stewardship of our online community. Thank you, one and all, for your ongoing support! Peace and blessings!

Learn More: CCGR Weekly Resources

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