“Tonight, we begin a celebration which culminates with the Vigil of Easter. This is a unity. It is a continuous celebration of light, darkness, happiness, suffering, and ends with joy, and mission.”
Diocesan News
With every pew of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland filled by a capacity assembly, Bishop Robert Deeley joyfully welcomed priests and deacons, religious, and faithful from around Maine to the annual Chrism Mass, one of the most significant and solemn liturgies of the Catholic Church, held on the Tuesday of Holy Week.
The Mass of the Oils includes the distribution of the blessed and consecrated oils to parishes located in northern and eastern Maine.
Men, women, and children of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish reenacted Christ’s journey to the cross, from his condemnation at the hands of Pontius Pilate to his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
The Mass will be celebrated in English, Azande, and Arabic, and will feature traditional music and dancing. More than 200 people, most of them members of the Sudanese community, gather in the Cathedral for the Easter Sunday Mass each year.
Participants will find friendly, caring people who will walk alongside them offering support, comfort, and guidance as they struggle through one of life’s most difficult experiences.
Bishop Robert Deeley ordained Daniel Mahoney to the permanent diaconate during a Mass celebrated at St. Martha Church in Kennebunk.
A presentation that aims to help people become effective agents of compassion and to speak mercy, empathy, and love to post-abortive men and women is set for March 22.
Regular Masses in Spanish are set for eight Maine communities during Lent, and the Diocese of Portland’s Office of Hispanic Ministry has also announced special Lenten observances, including Stations of the Cross services, adoration, and a healing service.
St. Peter the Fisherman records indicate the last time the Knights of Columbus were active in the Machias area was over 60 years ago.
The workshop with Steve Angrisano will be hosted by St. Michael Parish in the St. Augustine Church and hall on 75 Northern Avenue from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Faith formation children at St. Francis Xavier Church worked together to make life a little easier for Maine foster children.
Bishop Robert Deeley presided over the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at three churches during the first weekend of Lent.
In an effort to offer support and comfort to community members coping with the loss of a loved one, Good Shepherd Parish in Saco conducts a grieving ministry to walk alongside individuals needing guidance through one of life’s most difficult experiences.
The retreat was entitled “Men Need the Eucharist” and was presented by the priests of Prince of Peace Parish.
Young people collected money at several Maine parishes with all donations going to local charities that help tackle hunger.
Registration is being done through the national organizing committee, and Bishop Deeley was able to reserve a limited number of discounted passes for purchase by Maine Catholics.
“We join with others for the unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.”
Parishioners share memories and look to the future as they celebrate together for the final time at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church.
The social justice and peace commission at St. Joseph Parish in Bridgton is sponsoring a chocolate tasting event featuring Equal Exchange Fair-Trade chocolate at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fryeburg.
This month, St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Houlton and St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Camden are holding baby bottle drives to provide practical help and support for women and men served at local pregnancy care centers.
Those who can assist are asked to bring hats, mittens, scarves, socks, and t-shirts, in adult and children’s sizes, to any of the three locations and hang them on the clotheslines.
All engaged couples getting ready for marriage are encouraged to participate.
“Love Our Library” Campaign at Holy Cross in South Portland to Honor Memory of Beloved Second Grader
The “Love Our Library” campaign at the school begins on February 1 and will run through the month, offering several ways for the community to help keep the Kathleen A. Wittmer Memorial Library at Holy Cross flourishing.
Prayer shawls have been made for centuries to offer physical and spiritual warmth and serve as a tangible reminder of God’s care, encouragement, and inspiration.
The cuddly teddy bears are donated by members of the community, and children are invited to send one to any person they know to be ill and in need, regardless of whether the person is Catholic or even from Maine.
It’s a family friendly event, with people of all ages encouraged to attend.
Women of any faith or no faith are welcome to receive support and assistance.
“9 Days for Life” will run from Thursday, January 19, through Friday, January 27, and is a novena for the protection of life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.
Students at St. Brigid School in Portland will participate in a special three-day music residence with professional Gospel singer and The Voice contender Delvin Choice on January 23-25.
The bishop visited each classroom at the school, taking time to see what the students were working on, enjoying musical performances, and even participating.
Over the course of time, parishioners have donated thousands and thousands of pairs of socks for community members in need.
What started as a series of discussions about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's has evolved into a program that brings warmth, support, and caring for participants.
The service project, which included bake sales, pork pie sales, and “Angel tags” raised over $20,000.
“Seeing the many ways in which they are learning that each of us is called to be holy in life is beautiful.”
Bishop Robert Deeley said, for us, the encounter of the Magi with Jesus is not something in the past but something we experience every time we come together for Mass.
The “Jolly Gifts” program collected over 1,000 new toys and clothing items as well as many gift cards.
A new endowment established through the Catholic Foundation of Maine will provide a scholarship to a Maine high school senior who plans to enter a science-related field, most especially one focused on cancer research.
Honoring the life of a man of faith and charity was a personal experience for Bishop Deeley, who worked with Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Vatican City nearly 20 years ago.
Masses honoring the life and memory of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI have been announced for Bangor, Caribou, East Millinocket, Ellsworth, Gray, Greenville, Lewiston, Machias, Portland, Rumford, Sanford, and Scarborough.
The event is being hosted by Casco Bay Catholics, a ministry of and for young adults (18-35) in Maine.
Monsignor Marc Caron, vicar general of the Diocese of Portland, visited the Christian Life Center (CLC) in Frenchville to bless its new dining hall on December 29.
To honor the memory of Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Robert Deeley will preside at a special Mass on Wednesday, January 4, at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on 307 Congress Street in Portland.
Grief ministry programs are being planned for churches in Portland, Brunswick, and Newcastle, where participants will find friendly, caring groups who will walk alongside them offering support, comfort, and guidance as they struggle through one of life’s most difficult experiences.
Seminarian Vinh Nguyen publicly expresses his desire to pursue holy orders during the Rite of Candidacy celebrated by Bishop Robert Deeley.
Those gathered will sing traditional Christmas carols for 15 minutes, and all are welcome to attend. This is a family-friendly event. Organizers will provide the lyrics.
The feast day celebration at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Lewiston commemorated the Blessed Mother's appearance to St. Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531.
This important feast commemorates Mary being conceived without the stain of original sin and created full of grace, making her a fitting mother for Jesus.
A special collection will be held during all Masses in Maine churches on Dec. 10-11 to help over 30,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests.
Surrounded by residents and staff, Bishop Deeley celebrated Mass for the special community on November 30.
