PASTOR'S CORNER

Dear Parishioners,

The Covid-19 virus has everyone on high alert. I think the best advice I’ve heard is to be calm but cautious. We are going to be doing just that here at St. Paul’s. You noticed last week that we omitted the “sign of peace” before Holy Communion. This will continue for the foreseeable future. Here are some other helpful tips for you to keep in mind:

-Until we receive direction from the diocese, we will continue to keep holy water by the doors. We will however be frequently changing and cleaning the trays.

-After each Mass, we will be wiping down the backs of the pews and other commonly touched areas (door handles, bathrooms, etc.)

-Please make use of the hand sanitizer by the doors before and/or after Mass.

-If you are worried about receiving Holy Communion, make sure your hands are clean. Might I also suggest that receiving on the tongue is more sanitary? It eliminates the possibility of transferring something from your hands into your mouth. If you wish to receive in this manner, make sure your mouth is open and tongue is out far enough to receive the Sacred Host.

-If you are not feeling well, PLEASE stay home. You are always dispensed from your obligation to attend Mass if you are sick.

If I receive any other information, I will make sure to pass it along to you via flocknote. Also, don’t forget to come this Monday evening to hear Sister Elizabeth Castro HMSP! She is an amazing and engaging person. She will talk about “Holiness and Mission”. Confessions are at 6:30PM, Stations of the Cross at 7:00PM followed by Sister’s short reflection. Don’t miss it!

In Christ,

Fr. Young

March GIFT Session – Sunday & Thursday

What is GIFT?

At St. Paul's we believe people should have opportunities to learn and grow in faith throughout their entire lives. This is why we offer GIFT - free monthly learning sessions for people of all ages. GIFT is always offered on a Sunday morning at 10:30 and is repeated on a weeknight at 7:00, so everyone can choose the session that is most conducive to their schedule. The sessions are about 45 minutes long and are a great opportunity to listen, learn, ask questions, and talk with other parishioners.  Middle and high school students attend GIFT with their parents, which can lead to great family conversations afterwards. Elementary school students attend Children's GIFT, which runs concurrently with both the Sunday
morning and weeknight sessions. Strive to learn, love, and live the Catholic faith. Come to GIFT! 

This month we continue with our “Come & See” church tour, focusing on our beautiful Stations of the Cross and the confessionals where the Sacrament of Reconciliation takes place. Has it been a while since you’ve been to Confession? Come to see what it looks like behind that heavy curtain, be reminded of how to do it by watching a fun skit, and hear why this Sacrament is one of the greatest gifts of being Catholic. 

GIFT sessions will take place in church TODAY Sunday, March 15th at 10:30AM and on Thursday, March 19th at 7:00PM. See you there!

2020 Catholic Charity Appeal

We will be kicking off our Catholic Charity In-Pew Appeal on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. If you have received a direct letter from the diocese, feel free to make your gift that way.

Just remember to credit St. Paul Cranston! Take the next few weeks to pray about how you will be able to contribute.  And remember, anything over goal comes right back here to the parish!

From Maintenance To Mission

In today’s Gospel St. John tells us the reaction of the
woman at the well when she met Jesus. “The woman left
her water jar and went into the town and said to the people,
“Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?” (4:28-29) And upon
meeting him for themselves they told her, “We no longer
believe because of your word; for we have heard for
ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the
world.’” (4:42) This Gospel story perfectly depicts exactly
what has been happening since we began running the
Alpha program here five years ago; our parish is like the
woman at the well and we love to tell everyone in town
about it so they can experience it, too!

Did you know that during every time we run Alpha we invite
priests and representatives from other parishes, so they
can see for themselves what it’s like? We also go out to
give presentations, and we have lots of conversations over
the phone to explain the process of launching Alpha and to
testify to the many benefits of running it. We’ve even filmed
an infomercial that airs on local cable! The ripple effect of
our prayers and effort is that Alpha is spreading, which
means people are coming to know and more deeply
understand Jesus and the Christian faith on a personal
level, within the context of a small, caring community. We
are truly living our mission and bringing people to Jesus,
within our parish and beyond!

Alpha has already begun in at least two other Rhode Island
parishes, plus one in Milton, Massachusetts, and others are
now considering it. How exciting and wonderful it is for us
to see other parishes being revived, and experiencing the
transformative effects of this program for themselves. And
just like it did for the woman at the well, the Samaritans she
told, the other parishes we have invited, and people who
have already participated, Alpha can change everything for
YOU, too!

Our seventh season of Alpha begins on Friday, April 17th.
Watch and listen for more details in the coming weeks.

Social Sunday – March 29th

March may be a long month, but there’s so many special things to celebrate…St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day, and Social Sunday! Why not invite a friend or two to the 9:30AM Mass on the 29th, then come over to Msgr. Canning Hall for coffee and pastries afterwards? It’s a nice way to introduce people to our warm and friendly community. Are you new to St. Paul’s? Please be sure to
stop in and meet your fellow parishioners! Thank you to the Korean Community who will be hosting this month!

What’s Happening for Lent?

Lent is here! Here are some exciting opportunities to grow closer to God this Lent:
Monday Mission Series
Holiness: Lived and Experienced
Confessions at 6:30PM, Stations of the Cross at 7PM followed by a short reflection from our presenters.

March 9- Prayer: Relationship with the Living and True God. Fr. Josh Barrow

March 16 – Mission: Sharing the Fruits of Holiness with the World – Sr. Elizabeth Castro HMSP

March 23 – Community: We can’t do it alone! Presenter Fr. Nick Fleming

March 30 – Liturgy: Growth in Holiness and Duty to God. Fr. Patrick Briscoe O.P.

Pick a Penance!

It has been a Catholic tradition from the time of the Apostles to do penance in order to grow in holiness. This year, we will be doing penance as a community! Each week, you can pick a penance from baskets by the doors and that’s what you’ll commit to doing for the next 7 days! Maybe you’ll get “No Sweets” or “Only 1 hour of social media per day” or even “Write a hand written note to a different person each day”. The possibilities are endless and the benefits are heavenly!

Congratulations Caroline Bradley – St. Timothy Award Winner!

The St. Timothy Award is a national award given annually in the Diocese of Providence to outstanding juniors and seniors in high school or early college years, who
Live as disciples of Christ, setting a positive example for others
Witness to their faith by exhibiting Catholic morals and integrity
Demonstrate Gospel values through service to others
Exhibit Christian leadership in parish, school, and/or community settings

This award from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry is the highest honor a diocese may present to a Catholic youth.

Congratulations to Caroline Bradley, senior at St. Raphael Academy and recipient of the 2020 St. Timothy Award! Caroline has been a member of our youth choir since second grade, an altar server since fourth grade, is now a sacristan, a lector, an active member of our Youth Group and a leader of our Vacation Bible Camp. Caroline also serves as a Eucharistic Minister during school Masses at St. Rays, and participates on the Diocesan Youth Leadership Team and Youth SEARCH Retreats. Thank you, Caroline, for your shining example of faith and leadership! We are very proud of you and the other recent recipients from our parish, Christian Adams and Celia Parisi!