The Anchor of Hope
By Father Jim
Most scripture scholars agree that Saint Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans while staying with a friend in the City of Corinth, which was a prosperous center of commerce. Paul’s plan was to leave Corinth, then visit Rome, and then travel to Spain where he longed to preach the Good News of the Risen Christ. In a sense, Paul’s epistle is a letter of introduction to the Roman people. It is a kind of spiritual opening statement to the most important city in the ancient world.
One prominent scholar, N.T. Wright, writes that the Letter to the Romans is “neither a systematic theology nor a summary of Paul’s lifework, but it is by common consent his masterpiece.” In this classic work, his longest letter to an early Christian community, Saint Paul seeks to explain the gift of salvation that is offered to all people by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In addition, Paul strives to resolve the divisions between Christian leaders and Jewish converts to the faith.
In this Sunday’s Second Reading (Romans 5:1-5), Saint Paul builds on three themes that are introduced in the previous chapter (Romans 4:23-25). The first theme is justification and righteousness. In short, justification is how a person is made just or deserving before God. It is a grace-filled process that involves mercy and conversion. Righteousness is a way of living that is good, true, and honorable. It is a state of being in right relationship with God.
The second theme is that Jesus suffered and died for us — to forgive our sins, to wash away our guilt, and to reconcile us with God. Finally, the third theme is that Jesus rose from the dead for our sake — to justify us in God’s eyes, to confirm us as children of God, and to enable our conversion and sanctification. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ…and the source of our future resurrection (CCG 638).”
Saint Paul then dives deep into the painful realities of life. He knows what we know. Life can be hard. Life can be challenging. Life can be filled with hardships of all kinds. But rather than wallow in our afflictions, Paul reminds us that all of our pain and suffering has already been transformed and transcended by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. He reminds us that because we believe in the Good News, we are blessed with the virtue of hope.
Holding on to hope is not easy. Pope Francis once said: “Hope is like throwing an anchor to the other shore and clinging to the rope…Hope is poor and humble. It is a virtue that we must cultivate every day. We must take the rope, see that the anchor remains fixed in place and hold it in our hands. We must remember we have security which is the Holy Spirit who works within us (10-29-19).”
Hope, then, is an exercise of the soul, an exercise that keeps us close to God, close to the Church, and close to each other even during the darkest times. Even when all seems lost. As God’s children, made just and righteous, by the Poor Christ, we can “boast in hope (5:2)” because we know in our hearts, at the core of our being, that “hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts (5:5).” Thank you, Lord, for the anchor of hope!
Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: frjim@ccgronline.com
CCGR Weekly Newsletter (6-15-25)
Bringing Home the Word (6-15-25)
The Kids Bulletin (6-15-25)
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Created to Be Together
Pope Francis & Vinicio Riva
An Assisi Project Podcast
assisiproject.com
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Jubilee of Hope
The Building Hope Prayer
Archdiocese of Dublin
Pilgrim God,
we give you thanks and praise.
You constantly journey with us
even in our darkness and our doubts.
We seek your way of loving kindness
to walk together as one family.
Open our eyes to recognize you
in the faces of one another,
in the breaking of bread,
and in the splendor of creation.
May the Risen Christ sow seeds of hope
and new life deep within us.
May our hearts and minds be filled with your Word,
bring forth truth, justice, and peace.
May the Holy Spirit working in and through us
do much more than we can dare imagine
as we live out our baptismal calling
in humble and loving service.
We make this prayer through Christ Jesus,
our Risen Lord and Savior. Amen.
Learn More: Jubilee of Hope 2025
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Saint Peter’s Novena
An Annual Summer Tradition
Begins Monday, June 16th
In prayerful anticipation of the 98th Annual Saint Peter’s Fiesta, all friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport are invited to join together in praying the Nine Day Novena to Saint Peter from Monday, June 16th through Tuesday, June 24th at 7:00pm in American Legion Hall, which is located at 8 Washington Street in Gloucester.
This beloved and beautiful summer tradition affords us a special opportunity to offer our heartfelt prayers and petitions to Saint Peter the Apostle — patron of our parishes and patron of fishermen all around the world. For more information about the Saint Peter Novena, please contact Joe Novello at 978-283-4367. Save the dates! Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome!
A Prayer for the Intercession of Saint Peter
O Saint Peter the Apostle,
you are the rock
upon which Jesus built his church.
Obtain for us, we pray:
a lively faith, firm hope, and burning love;
complete detachment from self-interest;
contempt for the world and the ways of corruption;
patience in adversity, humility in prosperity,
recollection in prayer and adoration,
purity of heart, right intention in all of our actions,
diligence in fulfilling the duties of our vocations,
constancy in our resolutions to do good,
perseverance in God’s grace unto death;
so that by means of your powerful intercession,
we may be worthy to appear
before the chief judge and eternal shepherd
of our souls, who is the Lord Jesus Christ,
our merciful redeemer, friend, and brother.
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: Saint Peter’s Fiesta
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Into the Deep
Mass & Eucharistic Procession
Saturday, June 21st
Welcome Archbishop Richard Henning!
In the Gospel of Luke, Peter is tired and discouraged, but he answers the Lord’s call to “put out into the deep.” Peter’s simple “yes” not only fills his nets, but his heart. As Peter draws up the fish, Jesus draws Peter to himself (See Luke 5). The Lord desires to draw all people to himself through the Eucharist. Archbishop Richard Henning says: “The whole point of the Eucharist is to draw us to the heart of God.”
All friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport are invited to join Archbishop Richard for “Into the Deep” on Saturday, June 21st beginning with Mass at 8:30am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church.
After Mass, we will walk in procession with the Eucharist from Our Lady of Good Voyage to the Jodrey State Fish Pier where Archbishop Richard will begin a journey by sea from Gloucester to other parish churches — in Manchester, Salem, Marblehead, Swampscott, Winthrop, East Boston, and Boston (including the North End, Seaport District, and South Boston).
For more information about this special event, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com; or visit bostoncatholic.org. Father Jim and our pastoral team hope and pray that you and your family will be able to join us for this unique opportunity to meet our new archbishop and share our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Save the date! All are invited! All are welcome!
Watch: Archbishop Richard’s Inspiration (2 Minutes)
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A Rosary For Peace
Featuring Prayers by Pope Francis
Saturday, June 21st
For those who are unable to process with Archbishop Richard, Father Jim, and our friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners due to age, illness, or disability, Father Jim will lead a Rosary for Peace immediately after the beginning of the Eucharistic Procession in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. For more information, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@ccgronline.com. All are welcome!
Learn More: A Rosary for Peace
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Saint Peter’s Fiesta
Outdoor Mass & Procession
Sunday, June 29th
Saint Peter’s Fiesta begins on Wednesday, June 25th and concludes on Sunday, June 29th. On that final day, all friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport are invited to join Father Jim for the annual outdoor celebration of Holy Mass at 10:00am at Saint Peter’s Square in Gloucester.
After Mass, all are welcome to join us for the traditional procession through the streets of our beloved city with Saint Peter! Trailers are available for groups and families who wish to participate in the procession with a faith-based float in celebration of Saint Peter’s Fiesta. For more information, please contact Rose Aiello at 978-283-1664 or visit the website at the link below. Spread the word! All are welcome!
Learn More: Saint Peter’s Fiesta
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Living the Gospel
Cevicos Mission Update
Thirteen missionaries from Holy Family Cevicos Mission, including seven from Cape Ann, recently returned from a week in the Dominican Republic. We held four medical clinics and visited twenty families in their homes. Overall, we saw more six hundred patients over the course of the week.
Dr. Jeff and Dr. Mara treated patients with diverse conditions such as diabetes, parasites, pregnancy, common colds, hip dysplasia, and the effects of the recent Zika virus epidemic. And thanks to the generous support of our supporters, our pharmacy staff of Meghan, Kathleen, and Phyllis were able to supply necessary medications for almost everyone.
In addition, we visited several of the new bathrooms that we funded along with Puente Bridge to Development and the Friends of the Dominican Republic. These bathrooms replaced the unsafe and unsanitary holes in the ground that were formerly used by families with clean and sparkling facilities that homeowners display with pride. And we also met with several of our scholarship students and learned about their dreams and challenges as they work toward degrees in law, teaching, agronomics, and engineering.
Throughout the week, we also participated in the vibrant life of the local parish, Nuestra Senora del Pilar; enjoyed the hospitality of the Sisters of Fatima; and rekindled relationships that have grown over the past twenty-four years since our first mission trip to Cevicos. We brought all of our friends and fellow parishioners with us in prayer! For more information, please contact Tom Paradis at tomparadis13@gmail.com or visit our website at the link below. Thank you for your support!
Learn More: Holy Family Cevicos Mission
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Sharing God’s Love
Sacrament of Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation in the Roman Catholic Church. The two others are Holy Eucharist and Confirmation. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism, we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission (CCC 1213).” During May and June, Father Jim baptized the following young disciples:
Ford Burnham
Leonardo Cannavo
Elizabeth Carlson
Kaden Curley
Miles D’Angelo
Christopher DeFreitas
Winston Doane
William Foss
Gianna Giovinco
Griffin Gonzalez
Theo Grabus
Andreilys Hernandez
Benson Martorana
Yociel Melo
Aiden Moynahan
Matteo Numerosi
Caesar Pellerano
Zion Perry
Cashel Poliskey
Adel Quirk
Matteo Randazzo
Ivy Reardon
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated during any Sunday Mass at 10:00am in Saint Joachim Church; on the second Saturday of the month at 11:30am in Saint Ann Church; and on the third Saturday of the month at 11:30am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. For more information about having your child or grandchild baptized in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, please contact Sheila McCarthy-Durkin at smccarthy@ccgronline.com.
As a community united in prayer, fellowship, and service, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport prays for all of our newly baptized young disciples; and for all of their parents, godparents, and grandparents! Peace, blessings, and congratulations to all!
Learn More: Sacrament of Baptism (Short Video)
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Words of Wisdom From Pope Leo XIV
The Holy Spirit opens borders,
first of all, in our hearts.
He is the gift that opens our lives to love.
His presence breaks down our hardness of heart,
our narrowness of mind, our selfishness,
the fears that enchains us,
and the narcissism that makes us
only think of ourselves (6-8-25)
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We Share
Safe & Easy Electronic Giving
Do not forget to do good and share with others. — Hebrews 13:16
Electronic giving has become an essential part of parish support in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport; and it is available in both Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. It is safe and easy to make online donations to your home parish using a credit card, debit card, or electronic check.
Donations can be made on a weekly, monthly, or one-time only basis; and it takes just a few minutes to set up a secure personal account. In addition to the weekly offering, you can also give electronically to our church restoration funds which help us plan for the repair and maintenance of our four beloved and historic churches.
Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish always need your generous support! Please prayerfully considering enrolling in our electronic giving program! For more information about creating a new account or assistance with an existing account, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com. Peace, blessings, and sincere thanks to all!
Support Holy Family Parish
Support Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish
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About Us
Established in 2014, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is a collaborative of two historic parishes: Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. Working together as a family united in prayer, fellowship, and service, we are committed to living the Gospel of Christ, sharing God’s love and mercy with all people, and rebuilding the Church in Gloucester & Rockport. All are invited! All are welcome! Always!
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