Happy Easter!

Chances are the feelings that we associate with Easter this year are not the same as usual -  and there’s something unsettling about that. I’ve always been struck by the joy of Easter morning and how it insinuates its way into the hearts of the fervent and not so fervent alike. If it’s different this year, our isolation has much to do with that. In our Gospel this morning, Mary Magdalene upon seeing the empty tomb runs to Peter and John with the news which she could not keep to herself, even if its full meaning was not yet revealed. We see the same with the Blessed Mother’s intuition after the Annunciation to go immediately to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Good news is intended to be shared, we are helpless but want to let others know. Since this morning dawns with the very best news that our faith has to offer, at no moment in time do our empty churches seem quite so strange and so disorienting.

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As a public reminder of the power of the risen Christ to bring hope into our lives, particularly during this terrible pandemic, we will ring our church bells this Easter Sunday at noon in solidarity with other Catholic Churches and those of other denominations around our diocese and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. May our tolling bells be a call to offer a prayer of petition for God’s healing grace to those who are suffering and their caregivers and a call to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of eternal life to all believers on this Easter Sunday. (Since we have been ringing our Church bells regularly, the ringing of bells this Easter Sunday at noon will be dedicated for this intention.)

Fr. Alex Castro, A.A.

Happy Easter! Our Easter Sunday Mass on April 12 is at 10:00 AM at St. Anne Church live streamed on the St. Anne-St. Patrick Facebook page. You can pick up Holy Water (in small containers) blessed during the Easter Vigil Liturgy at St. Anne Church during the week.

Fr. Alex Castro, A.A.

“Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image!”

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

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