Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish welcomed home its native son Archbishop Michael W. Banach Sunday. Joy permeated the proceedings from the formal greetings at the beginning, to the children in traditional Polish dress presenting him with gifts at its conclusion. The parish which nurtured his vocation to the priesthood added to the homecoming with prayers and hymns sung by the Polish choir in its native tongue.
Archbishop Banach is home for a short time before he travels across the world to take up his new mission for the Church as apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea. There he will be the representative of Pope Francis.

Many people have met the young men from Colombia serving at different parishes throughout the diocese. Only a few, though, have gotten to know their mothers.
Jean Lawler of Leominster is one who has. She’s had an opportunity to spend time with several of the Colombian priests, and their extended families.
Last June she traveled to Colombia for the first Mass of newly ordained Father Hugo Cano, offered at his home parish, in a town outside Medellin. While there, she met his mother and dozens of his relatives.

Bishop McManus is asking priests to use prayer, education and a postcard campaign to protect religious liberty and conscience rights.
In an April 24 letter, the bishop was repeating requests he made in January letters to the clergy and faithful. He repeated his requests because the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said last month that there is a renewed urgency to contact members of Congress, explained Allison LeDoux, director of the Diocesan Respect Life and Marriage and Family Offices. The offices are partially funded by Partners in Charity.

Bishop McManus and three pastors of downtown parishes have expressed opposition to a proposed slots parlor in the city’s Green Island section.

The three pastors, Msgr. Francis J. Scollen of St. Peter’s and St. Andrew’s parishes; Msgr. Robert K. Johnson, rector of St. Paul Cathedral Parish, and Father John F. Madden of St. John’s Parish, signed a letter asking the Worcester City Council and city administration to reject a proposal to build a slots parlor at the former Wyman-Gordon site.

BOSTON (CNS) — Within hours of two explosions taking place near the finish line of the Boston Marathon April 15, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley sent a message of prayer and support for those injured, their loved ones and those who experienced the trauma of the tragedy.
“The Archdiocese of Boston joins all people of good will in expressing deep sorrow following the senseless acts of violence perpetrated at the Boston Marathon today,” he said.
Close to 3 p.m., the Boston Police Department reported that officers had responded to two large explosions along the Boston Marathon route that left three people dead, including an 8-year-old boy, and more than 170 wounded.

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., president of Assumption College has been named the next chair of the National Review Board by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, according to a press release from the USCCB. He succeeds Al Notzon III, who concludes his term as chair after the June 2013 meeting of the USCCB.
The NRB advises the bishops’ Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection and was established by the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People, which the bishops adopted in 2002.

“Happy Easter!” the voice rang out through the store. A child was sharing her joy.
“I don’t believe in Jesus,” a man responded.
“That’s OK, because he loves you and he died for you anyway,” replied the child.
Father Frederick D. Fraini III, associate pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Gardner, told this story in his homily at the parishes’ Easter Vigil Saturday at Holy Rosary.
“I marvel at that little girl – what an instrument,” he said of the member of one of his former parishes.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

“Peace be with you!” (John 20:21) This greeting of our Risen Savior brings us great joy! On this Easter Sunday, we stand in the garden before the empty tomb with Mary Magdalene. Recognizing Jesus’ voice, we say with her, “I have seen the Lord.” (John 20:18)
Yes, the joy of Easter is to stand with the disciples and share the exhilarating realization that Jesus is risen! This experience of faith is happening now just as it did on that first Easter.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Although attempts were made to simplify the ceremony, Pope Francis officially inaugurated his ministry as pope and bishop of Rome in a liturgy filled with biblical symbolism and signs of the universality of his mission.
But before the solemn rites began March 19, Pope Francis – known for choosing public transport over chauffeur-driven limousines – took his first spin in the popemobile, blessing the tens of thousands of people who arrived in St. Peter’s Square as early as 4 a.m. to pray with him. He waved and, at one point, gave a thumbs up to the faithful. He also kissed three babies held up to him by the chief of Vatican security, Domenico Gianni, and other officers.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Although attempts were made to simplify the ceremony, Pope Francis officially inaugurated his ministry as pope and bishop of Rome in a liturgy filled with biblical symbolism and signs of the universality of his mission.
But before the solemn rites began March 19, Pope Francis — known for choosing public transport over chauffeur-driven limousines — took his first spin in the popemobile, blessing the tens of thousands of people who arrived in St. Peter’s Square as early as 4 a.m. to pray with him. He waved and, at one point, gave a thumbs up to the faithful. He also kissed three babies held up to him by the chief of Vatican security, Domenico Gianni, and other officers.