Transitional Diaconate Ordination

Four seminarians studying for the priesthood for the Fall River Diocese will be ordained transitional deacons during the celebration of 11:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 22, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River. What an encouraging sign to be ordaining four men to the transitional diaconate. It has been many years since our diocese has been so blessed, and God willing, we’ll be together in 2022 for their ordination to the priesthood. 
To be ordained are Matthew F. Laird, William O’Donnell III, Gregory Quenneville, and Laurent M. Valliere. As deacons, they will be able to assist the priest at Mass and be an ordinary minister of the Eucharist, proclaim the Gospel and preach, baptize, and minister at other services. Learn more about our soon-to-be deacons by clicking here.



Their ordination to the transitional diaconate will begin the final leg of their journey toward the priesthood. In the fall, they will begin their final year of studies at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton. The Ordination on Saturday will be livestreamed on the Fall River Diocesan Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fallriverdiocese.
As we know fostering vocations is an important role of the faithful because without priests there is no Eucharist, the source and summit of our Catholic faith. Parishes can encourage participation in this important work by coming together regularly as a parish to pray for deacons and priests, by including vocations in the Prayers of the Faithful, and providing parishioners with prayers to say at home, individually or with their family.
 

Pentecost 

This Sunday, May 23rd, the Church will celebrate Pentecost, rejoicing once again as we move closer to the end of the restrictions brought up by the pandemic. Just as Pentecost brought the Apostles from the Upper Room, we were blessed, this weekend last year, to see many faithful emerge from their homes and return to Mass. This next phase of easing of restrictions brings even more hope, and we will communicate in the upcoming days and weeks what that will mean for our parishes. 
As I did last year, I once again thank you in advance for both your prayers and patience as our Diocese works through this next phase of eased restrictions. The reopening of Mass in the Fall River Diocese proceeded smoothly thanks to the incredible support and cooperation of our faithful, as well as the hard work of our priests, parish staff, and volunteers who had to navigate unchartered territory following the guidelines carefully designed to keep everyone safe and still respect the beauty and tradition of our Catholic faith.
In the meantime, I once again want to entreat you to consider, if you have not already done so, to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. I was recently asked by a local radio station to record a public service announcement in Portuguese to encourage the COVID-19 vaccination. I was happy to do it and given the importance of the message, decided to record one in English and Spanish as well. Those messages are available here.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Bishop of Fall River