Watch: Sunday Mass with Father Jim
Listen: Pray As You Go Daily Meditations
Read: Scripture for Life by Mary McGlone
Our Pastor’s Message
The Singing Towers
By Father Jim
Almost twenty years ago, Brother Patrick and I embarked on our first ever trip to Rome and Assisi. Among the many blessings of that extraordinary pilgrimage was not just to see but to actually touch Pope Bendict XVI’s hand as he passed by us on the way into the local cathedral.
After that amazing moment, we climbed to the Rocca Maggiore, the ancient fortress that looms over Assisi on the steep slope of Mount Subasio. From there, we looked down upon the Basilica of Saint Francis, where the Holy Father was then celebrating an outdoor Mass for thousands of enthusiastic pilgrims. It was from this inspiring perch that we envisioned the ministry that soon would become the Assisi Project.
Ten years later, I was poking around an antique store in the little village of Nobleboro, Maine. In a bin with dozens of old prints and drawings was a one hundred year old etching by Ernest David Roth (1879-1964). It beautifully depicted the Basilica of Saint Francis as we had seen it years before. I did not buy it and still regret not doing so. But since then, on and off, I have looked for Roth’s work at flea markets, antique malls, and used book and print shops.
Ernest David Roth was born in Germany and emigrated to New York City in 1884. In his youth, he clerked at a print shop where he discovered a love and talent for art. He studied at the New York School of Design and the National Academy of Design. Soon after becoming an American citizen in 1905, Roth embarked on the first of several long journeys across Europe. Before and after World War I, he visited France, Spain, and especially Italy. Several of his copper plate etchings were acquired by the renowned Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Back in the United States, Ernest Roth became famous for his drawings and etchings of New York City, Philadelphia, and historic sites related to the lives of George and Martha Washington. At some point, he spent several summers here on Cape Ann. His lovely paintings of Rockport, Eastern Point, and Good Harbor Beach remind my untrained eye of impressionist paintings by Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Earlier this year, I found myself browsing online auction sites in search of information related to our churches here in Gloucester and Rockport. What I found was a ninety-seven year old magazine supplement of eight drawings of famous churches by none other than Ernest David Roth! These included the Peace Tower in Ottawa, Canada; Christ Church in Cranbrook, Michigan; Cleveland Tower in Princeton, New Jersey; Riverside Church in New York City; Mountain Lake Tower in Lake Wales, Florida; Saint Stephen Church in Cohasset, Massachusetts; and gracing the front cover of the booklet is Our Lady of Good Voyage Church!
Entitled The Singing Towers, these amazing drawings of different churches and spires from different faiths in different countries have one thing in common. Each of these singing towers contains a carillon — a set of bronze bells played with foot pedals and hand batons. Needless to say, I purchased this collection of prints not just as a keepsake, but as a reminder of the gratitude that we all share for our historic church and for our three talented and self-taught carillonneurs: Thomas Dort, Cynthia Cafasso, and Luann Palazolla. This week, let us pray in thanksgiving to God for our shared faith, for our beloved churches, and for the gift of beautiful music on a warm summer evening. Peace and blessings to all!
Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
frjim@ccgronline.com
CCGR Weekly Newsletter (8-23-26)
Bringing Home the Word (8-23-26)
The Kids Bulletin (8-23-26)
New!
The Vicious Cycle of War
Pope Leo XIV
Religion News Service
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Our Lady of Good Voyage
Summer Carillon Concerts
Friday, August 28th
A popular summer tradition has returned to Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish and the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport! Our Summer Carillon Concerts continue this Friday, August 28th 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!
Our final concert of the season is scheduled for Friday, September 4th at 6:30pm. For more information, please contact Luann Pallazola at lpallazola@gmail.com. Save the date! Spread the word! Bring a friend! Bring your family! Please join us as we celebrate the gift of beautiful music! All are invited! All are welcome!
Watch: Our Lady of Good Voyage Carillon
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Annual Mission Appeal
Welcome, Father Sean!
August 29th & 30th
Next weekend, August 29th and August 30th, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is blessed to welcome Father Sean McGillicuddy, C.Ss.R. from the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Boston. Father Sean has been a Redemptorist for forty years. He was a missionary in Brazil; and he also served parishes in Manhattan, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.
Father Sean will talk with us about the good works of the Perpetual Help Project in Brazil. Inspired by the life and ministry of the late Father Patrick McGillicuddy, the Perpetual Help Project (which includes Redemptorists, lay people, and religious men and women) work with the poor and homeless in and around Curitiba, Brazil.
This ministry inspired the founding of Sarnelli College, a residence and fully accredited school for homeless adult men. The students are invited to live and study until they complete the equivalent of a high school education. After graduation, the men can continue studies at the University of Curitiba. Inspired by Father Pat, they formed a community in which the Lord is clearly present and active.
Over the years, the participants in this program have become valued members of local parishes and the wider community. They contribute to the well being of their friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners by putting their new skills into practice and by living lives of deep faith, hope, and love.
At all of our weekend Masses in all of our churches, Father Sean will speak with us about his missionary work and about building a spiritual communion between our parishes, the Perpetual Help Project, and all those whose daily lives may be very different from our own culture and customs.
In support of these ministries, both Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish will ask for a second collection on August 29th and August 30th. Your generous support will be much appreciated. On behalf of our senior priests and pastoral team, we welcome Father Sean McGillicuddy to the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport! Peace, blessings, and sincere thanks to all! — Father Jim
Learn More: The Redemptorists – Boston
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The Assisi Project
Franciscan Virtues – Loving Our Enemies
Saturday, September 5th
This year marks the 800th anniversary of the life and death of Saint Francis of Assisi (1226-2026). In commemoration of this sacred milestone, Pope Leo XIV has declared a Special Jubilee Year which has inspired us to focus our adult faith formation programs on the Poor Man of Assisi. In this spirit, the Assisi Project is going back to the basics, back to the life and good example of our patron and his first followers to learn more about the virtues that can help us follow Saint Francis and live the Gospel of Christ in thought, word, and deed.
All friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport are invited to join us on Saturday, September 5th at 8:00am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church for a two hour mini-retreat that includes Holy Mass, a reflection by Father Jim and Brother Patrick, along with a period of prayer and faith sharing. At this gathering, we will focus on the Franciscan virtue of loving our enemies.
Founded in 2007 by Father Jim and Brother Patrick, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers around the world. We are dedicated to helping believers of all ages more faithfully live the Good News in the spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. We are also dedicated to promoting a devotion to Pope Francis (1936-2025) as a patron of peace, mercy, and fraternity in our troubled world.
You do not need to be a member of our fellowship to join us for this special morning of prayer and reflection! So, please join us! Bring a friend! If you would like us to pray for your special intention or if you would like more information about the Assisi Project and its good work in our parishes, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com.
Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us! Pope Francis, pray for us! All are invited! All are welcome! May God bless you! May the Lord give you peace!
Learn More: The Assisi Project
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Words of Wisdom from Saint Francis of Assisi
The peace you proclaim with words
must dwell more abundantly in your hearts.
Do not provoke others to anger or give scandal.
Let your gentleness draw them
to peace, goodness, and harmony.
This is our vocation:
to heal wounds, to bind what is broken,
and to bring home those who are lost.
And remember that many who may seem to be of the devil
may one day become disciples of Christ.
Watch: The Franciscan Spirit (1 Minute)
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Living the Gospel
Saint Michael’s Lent
Fasting as Whole Body Prayer
Prayer and fasting are weapons of love that can change history. — Pope Francis
By Brother Patrick
As everyone knows by now, Father Jim and I, along with some friends and fellow parishioners, have entered into the ancient season of prayer and fasting known as Saint Michael’s Lent. We undertake this penitential season in memory of Father Ben and for all who suffer from anxiety, depression, and-or loneliness.
In a culture dominated by greed, corruption, self-interest, and self-gratification, it is sometimes difficult to discuss and promote the practice of fasting. In the book, Fasting: The Ancient Practices, Scott McKnight writes: “Urging folks today to fast is like urging them to milk their own cows — just as there are no cows in their backyards, so there is no body in their perception of spirituality.”
McKnight explains that our personal spiritualities are all too often dominated by the intellect. The body is left out of the prayer process. But God did not create just our minds and imaginations. God created our bodies, too. God created us, body and soul, in his image and likeness. So, it is good, holy, and holistic to engage both our minds and bodies in the discipline of prayer.
We see the connection between body, mind, and spirit as we genuflect and bless ourselves before the Holy Eucharist. We see this connection when we pray during Mass while kneeling, singing, sitting, and standing. We see this connection when we pray a chaplet or rosary with the help of a beaded prayer rope. We see this connection when we are inspired to offer some act of kindness that requires us to engage our strength and our senses.
In this way, fasting is our body’s response to a sacred moment or grievous situation in the life of God’s family. By fasting, however much we are able, we unite our bodies and souls in prayer for a particular intention. As Pope Francis once said: “Prayer and fasting are weapons of love that can change history.” So now more than ever, let’s pray and fast together!
Saint Michael’s Lent Resources
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Special Invitation
Diaconate Ordination of Peter Brau
Saturday, September 12th
On Saturday, September 12th, our friend and fellow parishioner, Peter Brau, will be ordained as a permanent deacon at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston by Archbishop Richard Henning. This is a moment of prayer and celebration for all who live, work, and worship in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport.
All are invited to join Father Jim and members of our pastoral team in attending the ordination Mass at 10:00am. A bus will depart at 8:30am sharp from Our Lady of Good Voyage Church and return immediately afterward. The requested donation is $25 per person. If you would like to reserve a seat on the bus, please contact Father Jim frjim@ccgronline.com by Monday, August 31st at 5:00pm.
For those unable to join us due to age, illness, or disability, Brother Patrick will lead Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours and the Franciscan Rosary from 9:00am until 10:00am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. Everyone who joins us will also have an opportunity to venerate a relic of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We hope and pray that you will be able to join us for this special morning of prayer and celebration for Peter Brau and his family! Congratulations, Peter! May God bless you! Peace and blessings to all!
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Holy Family Women’s Guild
Bakeless Bake Sale
Month of September
During September, the Holy Family Women’s Guild is sponsoring a Bakeless Bake Sale! Why? Because now more than ever, our parish needs your support, especially in light of rising utility costs. Every dollar makes a difference! Checks should be made payable to Holy Family Parish. All donations (cash or check) should be mailed to the following address:
Lydia Bertolino
Holy Family Women’s Guild
10 Orchard Street
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930
Established in 2005, the Holy Family Women’s Guild brings together women of all ages in prayer, fellowship, and service. New members are always welcome. For more information about the Women’s Guild and its good work in our parish, please contact Lydia at lbbglosta1929@outlook.com. May God bless you! Thank you for your generous support!
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Words of Wisdom from Saint Rose of Lima
A part from the cross,
there is not other ladder
by which we can get to heaven.
Learn More: Saint Rose of Lima
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We Share
Safe & Easy Electronic Giving
The righteous give generously. — Psalm 37:21
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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In Memory of Frederick Reynolds