News - March 2016 RSS Feed

(Braintree, Massachusetts)  March 31, 2016 -- The Archdiocese of Boston today announced that the Holy See has dismissed Thomas H. Maguire from the clerical state.  As a result of the Holy See’s decision, he may no longer function in any capacity as a priest. 

The Most Rev. Peter J. Uglietto, S.T.D., Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Boston, announced the appointment of Deacon Christopher Z. Connelly as Director of Permanent Diaconate Formation for the Archdiocese. 

"Mother Angelica touched the lives of countless people throughout the world by way of her landmark evangelization at EWTN.  While serving as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, our Catholic population and the wider community were greatly enriched by Mother providing us programming for the diocesan television station, helping us share the prayer and teaching of the Church.

An Ecumenical Commemoration of the Saints and Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance, Witness and Resurrection    Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley will lead the first ever Archdiocese of Boston commemoration of the Armenian Genocide at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on April 23, 2016.  The Cardinal will host and preside at a 4 p.m. prayer service.  A large number of faithful from both communities will be joined by ecumenical and interreligious guests and civic dignitaries. 

The Archdiocese of Boston has learned of a troubling incident that occurred on Friday evening at Newton South High School, during a basketball game between Newton North and Catholic Memorial High Schools.  The Archdiocese wishes to make clear that the behavior of a number of students from Catholic Memorial at the game is unacceptable.   

St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Parish, 55 Warren St., Charlestown present a Palm Sunday Concert/ Meditation on Sunday, March 20 at 3:30 p.m. The afternoon features the Cappella Clausura and the Charlestown Community Chorus with distinguished organists Tom Sheehan, Peter Sykes and Rosalin Mohnsen and baritone Robert Honeysucker.

The abuse and misuse of opioids has become a national and local epidemic that has increasingly been felt in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in recent years. On average, four people lose their lives each day in this state, due to illegal and legal drug overdoses. It is a disturbing trend that must be stopped. In this year of Divine Mercy in the Catholic Church, we, the four Bishops of Massachusetts join health care professionals, law enforcement, first responders, elected officials and countless others affected by this epidemic in calling for a comprehensive plan to address this growing crisis.  

Spotlight is an important film for all impacted by the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse.  By providing in-depth reporting on the history of the clergy sexual abuse crisis, the media led the Church to acknowledge the crimes and sins of its personnel and to begin to address its failings, the harm done to victims and their families and the needs of survivors. In a democracy such as ours, journalism is essential to our way of life.  The media's role in revealing the sexual abuse crisis opened a door through which the Church has walked in responding to the needs of survivors.