Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

Our Parish is moving along with the flow of life. I notice each week a few more folks are coming to weekend Masses. Please remember we are here ready to welcome you whenever you return. What is wonderful news is almost 1000 people (or technically views) saw our three Confirmations on Live Stream or on our You-tube channel. (“St. Mary Franklin Live Stream” is its name) Usually over 120 people (views) watch our Saturday 4 PM Mass. We will be adding this weekend the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass so that you may see it in “real time” on our Live-stream.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

Pride prevented me from turning on the heat this morning when I saw that the indoor temperature had dropped to below 60 iu the Rectory. These few mornings of coolness can make us think that there is no more summer weather to arrive. This is, however, New England and some heat will surely return. Hopefully the heating season starts closer to early November. One of the Almanacs that people read says we will have a snowy winter, another says the opposite. None of us “control the weather” although we must pay attention and respond to the Climate Change crisis throughout the world.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

We all stepped along this week to the post Labor Day start-up of our lives. In New England life now takes on a rhythm and vibrancy which was missing in the summer. Education restarts, although this year in a radically different way; sports restart, again in a radically different way; special enrichment programs for our youth start again, some this year in a radically different way and Religious Education starts again in a radically different way.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

Labor Day has arrived. The summer has run its course and now we step forward to begin a new Fall Season which has all sorts of challenging and demands for us. I wish to share with you one memory of Labor which I had in my childhood. On September 5, 1954, I won First Place in the footrace for 5-year-olds in the Sand Hills Scituate MA Annual Labor Day Festivities. (sort of the seaside Olympics!) The One Dollar prize is framed along with the sketch of a little dog and is with me to this day. My memory of the “Great Race” is that my father told me when the whistle blows, I was to start running straight and keep running until you are told to stop. I ran my little legs along the route and was shocked to find out that I actually won. I must say that I have not won any races since then, but it does not matter.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

Most of our Town Life is focused on our Educational Plans for our young people. We also still hear about various colleges and universities as they change their plans which may greatly impact some of our highest education young people. It is clear that the Franklin Educational Department is doing its best to plan for our young ones. This is true whether we like or dislike their plans. We must faithfully pray for them and also for the teachers and school personnel as they begin their active Mission of educating our children in the most difficult of circumstances.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

We have rounded the corner of summer and are heading straight towards Labor Day and the start of Fall and the new School Season. These coming days of decision making about your children and school with the complexity of remote learning and proper child care are very upsetting and confusing. Our college and university students also are going through great struggles over their futures. We pray for all of you as you make decisions. We must rely on the strength and grace of the Lord Jesus.

Another week has passed in this quite hot and sunny summer. I much prefer this heat and humidity to the winter’s cold and ice. New England is not really known for a steady temperate weather pattern at any time of year. I think the constant and sudden weather changes help us to be a little more sturdy and reliant as people. Certainly in this time of the Pandemic we need to have substance and strength. Our God will provide us with this as we step into each day to deal with all the difficulties and worries that come to us. Life is not easy or smooth these days. Putting one foot forward at a time and doing our best actually will achieve a lot of good for everyone.

For forty-one years our Parish has celebrated in various ways a special religious and at times a social tribute to Saint Rocco, a renown Catholic saint of healing. At its beginning, this feast was small. As time progressed, it grew to a giant outdoor weeklong feast of food and fun, but bear in mind what was always the most important in all of the activities was the spiritual dimension. After the 40th Anniversary we changed the style again; we re-focused its directly on its spiritual roots. The Feast of Saint Rocco became a special Mass with invited guests who sought the sacramental healing of Anointing of the Sick through the special intercession of Saint Rocco.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

Parishioners and neighbors who have been able to come to our Weekend Masses comment on how our Masses are very safe and most reverent. Please know that we will be here whenever you are able to return. I wish to thank all those involved in helping our Masses to be available to those who come through the doors of our church.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

The days of summer are moving along. Almost every day I take great delight in the hot sunny weather. Although I am no longer a “beach person”, I really enjoy the ease of living when we do not have to wear gloves, scarfs, hats and winter coats, nevertheless having to scrape ice or snow off my car each morning. Because I am a gardener at my family’s Cape House, I appreciate these long days of light and warmth. This year, however in this summer comfort all of us are constantly under the direct and indirect effects of the COVID Pandemic.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

This past weekend our Parish had its first wedding since the beginning of the COVID Pandemic. This weekend we have two more weddings which will take place in our sanctuary and again under the special COVID restrictions. I understand why some couples move forward with their wedding date and also why some postpone. Like all decisions about events, even ones that are not church related, it is very hard to prudently decide what to do. The ripples of effects can be overt or subtle. I think it is really making the best informed and prudent decision you can and then move forward with grace, some courage and kindness.

Yes, the summer is upon us and it is time to shorten my weekly letter. The “Good News” is that our weekend Masses are continuing to be very safe and reverent. We are blessed with volunteer Ambassadors who assist us all at each Mass. The simplified Music at the 4 PM and 10:30 AM Masses has its own innate beauty to inspire our souls. Christ is made present on the altar and people are able to receive the Body of Christ. What greater blessing is there? Our Funeral Masses, though slightly modified, are powerful instruments of prayer which also provide spiritual comfort for the mourners. Our Baptisms continue each Sunday, as needed, and welcome the Light of Christ into the hearts of our young ones.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

The recent rain caused our main server to stop working and the letter which I had been diligently writing over the previous few days is on it and I have no access to it. This is a small inconvenience in life for me, and actually a great gain for you! This substitute letter will be very short!

I would like to wish you, your loved ones and your friends a Happy Fourth of July. To be sure this is a very, very different holiday weekend for all of us, but we can still enjoy the time and days.