Youth Choir & Music Ministry
Wednesday, April 15th
All young disciples, boys and girls, ages 8 through 17, are invited to share their musical talents with our parishes! Rehearsals continue on Wednesday, April 15th at 5:30pm in Saint Ann Church! Being a part of our youth music ministry is a great way to make new friends and learn about the Lord! For more information, please contact Patty Natti at pnatti@comcast.net. Save the date! Spread the word! Please join us! All are welcome!
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Easter Faith & Family Mass
A Youth Faith Formation Special Event
Sunday, April 12th
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says: “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them, because it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs (9:14).” In response to the Lord’s call, all young disciples and their families are invited to join Father Jim for our Easter Faith & Family Mass on Sunday, April 12th at 11:45am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church.
During Mass, Father Jim will offer a special homily about the Risen Jesus and the Easter Season. Every child who attends will receive a special blessing from our pastor! In addition, please save these dates for our last two Faith & Family Masses for this school year:
- Mother’s Day Faith & Family Mass
Saturday, May 9th at 4:00pm
Saint Ann Church - Holy Spirit Faith & Family Mass
Sunday, May 24th at 11:45am
Our Lady of Good Voyage Church
For more information about youth faith formation in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, please contact Betsy Works at bworks@ccgronline.com. Mass is our class! Jesus is our teacher! Every family who joins us is a special blessing from God! All are invited! All are welcome! Always! Happy Easter!
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Saints for All Seasons
Blessed Leopold of Gaiche
Wednesday, April 22nd
Jubilee of Saint Francis of Assisi (1226-2026)
Saints for All Seasons Mini-Retreat
All Christians are called to holiness. All Christians are called to be saints. A saint is a person who has lived a courageous and virtuous life: a life lived for God, a life lived for others, a life worthy of imitation. Pope Leo XIV recently proclaimed: “The lives of the saints teach us that it is possible to live passionately amidst the complexities of the present time without neglecting [Saint Paul’s] mandate to ‘shine like stars in the world (Philippians 2:15).’”
This year, the Catholic Church marks the 800th anniversary of the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi (1226-2026). As part of our commemoration of this Special Jubilee Year, we look not just to Saint Francis, but also to the friends who knew him best, the holy men and women who followed in his footsteps, the shining stars who sought to live the Gospel in thought, word, and deed.
In this spirit, all are invited to join Father Jim and Brother Patrick for our next Saints for All Seasons Mini Retreat beginning with Holy Mass on Wednesday, April 22nd at 5:30pm in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. After Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Brother Patrick will offer a reflection on Blessed Leopold of Gaiche (1732-1815), a Franciscan friar who is remembered for his preaching and for restoring the Church’s devotion to the Stations of the Cross.
After our reflection, Father Jim will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (for those who feel called to confession) during a period of silent Eucharistic Adoration. This special evening of prayer and devotion will conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
For more information about our Saints for All Seasons Mini-Retreats, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@ccgronline.com. Please join us! Bring a friend! All are invited! All are welcome! Blessed Leopold of Gaiche, pray for us! Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
Listen: Saints for All Seasons Podcasts
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Youth Faith Formation
First Holy Communion
Begins Saturday, May 2nd
As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our shared life of prayer, fellowship, and service. We believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ. And like Pope Francis, we believe in our hearts: “The Eucharist is essential for us. It is Christ who wishes to enter into our lives and fill us with his grace. The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of the sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak (EG 47).”
In this spirit, fifty-nine of our young disciples have completed their preparations and are ready to receive the Eucharist for the first time. As our annual celebrations of First Holy Communion approach, all are encouraged to be mindful of our upcoming schedule:
- First Holy Communion Mass
Saturday, May 2nd at 4:00pm
Saint Ann Church - First Holy Communion Mass
Saturday, May 3rd at 11:45am
Our Lady of Good Voyage Church - First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday, May 9th at 4:00pm
Saint Ann Church - First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday, May 10th at 10:00am
Saint Joachim Church - First Holy Communion Mass
Sunday, May 17th at 11:45am
Our Lady of Good Voyage Church
If your child has completed the second grade and has not received the Sacraments of Baptism or Eucharist, we have a special program for them called The Way for Kids! which begins on Saturday, April 25th from 4:30pm until 5:45pm. For more information, please contact Betsy Works at bworks@ccgronline.com. Please pray for all of our young disciples and their families! Peace, blessings, and congratulations to all!
Watch: The Eucharist (1 Minute Video)
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Youth Faith Formation
Confirmation Preparation
Now Underway!
After a great deal of prayer and preparation, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport has embarked on a journey to rebuild and reimagine our youth faith formation programs, especially our preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our parishes now offer a two year program for young disciples who have begun seventh grade and feel called to prepare to receive the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation.
During the first year of preparation, your child will be asked to attend both Sunday Mass and a series of workshops designed to help them jumpstart their faith; grow in prayer, fellowship, and service; and embrace the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
- Counsel
- Fortitude
- Knowledge
- Piety
- Understanding
- Wisdom
- Wonder & Awe
All seventh grade students are welcome to enroll in our program! The first year of preparation will begin at our Faith & Family Workshop with Mass on Sunday, January 25th beginning at 11:00am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. Our workshop will include registration; an explanation of our program of preparation, our schedule of workshops, our expectations for candidates, parents, and sponsors; and the celebration of Holy Mass. New candidates and their parents are asked to attend!
Tuition of $150 per student is requested. Checks may be made payable to either Holy Family Parish or Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. For more information about youth faith formation in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, please contact Betsy Works at bworks@ccgronline.com. All are invited! All are welcome! Peace and blessings to all!
Watch: Sacrament of Confirmation (1 Minute)
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Youth Faith Formation
Call for Youth Altar Servers
Father Jim is full of energy but now more than ever he needs our help! He is hoping to recruit a team of youth altar servers to assist him at the celebration of Holy Mass! All young disciples, boys and girls, ages 8 through 17, are invited to participate on a weekly or monthly basis (especially at the 6:00pm Vigil Mass on Saturdays; and the 8:15am, 10:00am, and 11:45am Masses on Sundays). Being an altar server is a great way to make new friends and learn more about the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church! If your son or daughter is interested in helping us fulfill our mission to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and rebuild the Church, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com. Training is provided. Please join us! Spread the word! All are welcome!
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Adult Faith Formation
The Way
I am the way, the truth, and the life. — John 14:6
The Way was the among the earliest names for the followers of the Risen Christ. The Way also appears as a biblical reference for the earliest Christian communities in the Acts of the Apostles. In addition, tradition teaches that both before and after his conversion, Saint Paul referred to the disciples of Christ as part of The Way. More than two thousand years later, Catholic Christians are still part of the Way of Jesus Christ. But as we all know, a life of discipleship is not a hobby or pastime. It is a vocation, a way of life that lays claim to our whole heart, mind, and strength. As disciples, our lives should be focused on and inspired by our faith in Christ, who is our merciful redeemer, friend, and brother. And as his disciples, we are called to reach out to those who need our help in growing closer to Christ and the Church.
If you are an adult (age 18 and over) and have not received all of the Sacraments of Initiation in the Roman Catholic Church (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation), then please consider joining The Way, a new adult faith formation program that will begin this fall. The Way (typically called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is a seven month program that prepares adults to be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. As part of this same program, we will prepare adults for the Sacra- ment of Confirmation (to be received at either the Easter Vigil or at a regional archdiocesan celebration). Other parishioners who have received the Sacraments and are interested in renewing their spiritual lives are also very welcome to join us!
Since October 2025, our group has gathered on the first Saturday of the month at 8:00am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church; and again on the first Sunday of each month for Mass at 8:15am in Saint Ann Church, followed by fellowship, formation, and faith sharing. Attendance at all monthly gatherings is required. As a community of disciples, we will learn together about the basic beliefs, teachings, and traditions of the Church; and we will explore the methods of prayer and spirituality that have brought centuries of believers closer to Christ Jesus and to the Church. In addition, we will talk openly and honestly about the challenges of living an authentic life of faith, hope, and love in the modern world.
Registration for this year’s program is now closed. A new program will begin in October 2026. For more information about this journey of faith in preparation for the sacraments of God’s Church, then please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@ccgronline.com. Please join us! Spread the word! All are invited! All are welcome!
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The Assisi Project Podcast
Always Free! Always Available!
Founded by Father Jim and Cliff, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit that is dedicated to helping believers of all ages to more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare. In response to the pandemic, Father Jim asked Brother Patrick to look back on nearly two decades of ministry as a catechist, spiritual director, and leader of retreats and pilgrimages; and to create a regular series of podcasts (audio recordings) as a way of continuing his adult faith formation ministry. As of this weekend, Brother Patrick has already created more than 75 podcasts with more on the way! These podcasts are free and always available! Just click on the links below:
Assisi Project Podcasts
Members of the Assisi Project range in age from 15 to 99 and live in Holy Family Parish, Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish, throughout the Archdiocese of Boston, all across the United States, Canada, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Angola. Part of our work together is our prayer together. So we pray each day for all who ask for our prayers all around the world. If you would like the Assisi Project to pray for you, your family, your special intention, or the soul of a deceased friend or loved one, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@ccgronline.com
During this time of pandemic, when we are encouraged to remain at home, all are invited to pray and reflect on the Gospel Life by making use of the many resources on our website (click link below). These resources include our Daily Prayers, Franciscan Rosary, Way of the Cross, our new podcasts, and more than fifty reflections and stories about Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. Come and pray with us online! May the Lord give you peace — now and always!
Learn More: The Assisi Project
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The Assisi Project
A Franciscan Night Prayer
Let’s Pray Together!
Saint Paul writes: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of the God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16).” For centuries, Christians have puzzled over what it means to pray without ceasing. But one ancient practice provides an answer: the Liturgy of the Hours. Since the Middle Ages, the Church has used a daily practice of prayer called the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours to mark and sanctify the various hours of the day: morning, afternoon, evening, and night. It is based on a four week cycle of psalms, canticles, and scripture readings that calls us into a deeper relationship with Christ and the Church bringing us together through prayers of praise, petition, intercession, and thanksgiving.
At ordination, deacons and priests make a solemn promise to pray the Liturgy of the Hours every day, using a book called the Breviary. But the Divine Office is not just for the clergy and those consecrated to religious life. Countless lay people around the world make the Liturgy of the Hours part of their daily prayer and worship. Indeed, when we pray these prayers, whether alone or in community, we are united in a powerful spiritual communion that helps to heal, redeem, and consecrate our sick and suffering world.
Unlike the other hours of the Divine Office, Compline (or Night Prayer) works on a seven day cycle. Every Sunday, the prayers are the same. Every Monday, the prayers are the same. And so on. According to the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours: “Night Prayer is the last prayer of the day, said before retiring, even if that is after midnight.” And about this form of prayer, Pope Francis says: “I am very attached to the Breviary…It is the first thing I open in the morning and the last thing I close before going to sleep.”
In this spirit, in solidarity with Pope Francis, and in communion with Christian disciples around the world, the Assisi Project invites you to join us in offering A Franciscan Night Prayer. This newly created version of Night Prayer includes the traditional psalms, readings, and canticle of the day. It also includes antiphons, readings, and a Marian devotion from the spiritual tradition founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. A Franciscan Night Prayer can be prayed by listening to one of our free podcasts or by praying with the printable version. See links below! Let’s pray together! It’s a great way to end the day! Each podcast is less than ten minutes!
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Sunday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Monday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Tuesday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Wednesday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Thursday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Friday
- A Franciscan Night Prayer for Saturday
For more information about the Assisi Project and its good work in our parishes, please see Father Jim or contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@ccgronline.com. Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of Angels, pray for us! May the Lord give you peace!
Learn More: The Assisi Project
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Adult Faith Formation
In addition to our adult faith formation programs that focus on preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport also offers the following programs for adults seeking to deepen their relationship with Christ and His Church:
- Assisi Project
- Saints for All Seasons Mini-Retreats
- Scripture Study with Father Jim
- Individual Spiritual Direction
- Other Special Events
Please read our weekly newsletter or visit this page for the dates and times for these and other upcoming opportunities for adult faith formation. For more information about adult faith formation in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, please contact Brother Patrick, Associate Minister, at brpatrick@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are welcome! Always!
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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 Roman Catholic community 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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