05-06-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,
Last weekend’s First Communion Mass was quite spiritual and touching. I am certain this weekend’s First Communion Mass will be as moving and beautiful. Attending First Communion certainly fills our hearts with beauty and joy. The brilliant sunlight and warmth of the air with the blossoming shrubs and trees provided a larger setting of beauty for all of us. Pray for the children’s parents that they be models and examples of faith to their children. Parents are the primary teachers of their children and what they say and do, or fail to say or do truly matters in their children’s lives.

This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day, a day on which we honor all those women who have been our mothers in life. Some have been our mother’s by birth and others have been our mother’s by choice. Let us say a prayer for gratitude for those women who so loved us that they devotedly cared for us in our young lives.


This weekend at Mass by paper ballot or electronically on our website: (stmarysfranklin.org), you are able to nominate parishioners for the four open positions on our Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). Those whom you nominate and are eligible will be able to accept or refuse the nomination. It is a commitment that requires being an active and engaged member of the Parish who can listen openly without judgement and also be an advocate for Saint Mary Parish and an evangelist. Direct ineligibility for this position is being an employee or a resident in an employee household or an out going member of the PPC. I value the PPC as advisors to me as I try to provide the pastoral services that our parish as a whole needs. The PPC helps us to focus our vision, our understanding and the Pastoral Plan of our Parish. Final elections of nominees will be in early June.


The Pandemic is still on-going so that we will continue to observe necessary and healthy protocols and practices in church. The Pandemic has heightened most people’s consciousness about germs and their transmission. If I may make a simple observation: some of our church practices pre-Pandemic do not reflect twenty-first health standards and practices. There is the famous Scholastic Theological Principle that “grace builds on nature”. Unfortunately many people reverse this principle of our time honored understanding of our faith and end up with magical thinking and superstitious ideas when it comes to church practices. We hope to observe this Scholastic Principle and also current health practices.

Thank you for your generous response to our Saint Vincent’s for Mother’s Day Gift Bags. Your constant support of them and this extra thoughtful help are very much appreciated. Our Parish continues to rely greatly upon the financial support of some of our Parishioners. I appreciate and thank those who give by on-line (best accessed at: stmarysfranklin.org), by mail in or drop by envelopes and by the baskets at the doors of the church. Your giving truly matters for the well-being of our Parish.

We have had some wonderful sunny weather as we begin this month of May which is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. As our Patroness may she continue to intercede for us at the Heavenly Throne. May Saint Rocco, Healer and our special Patron intercede for those who are in need of healing, especially our young people.


God bless,
 Father Brian

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