Finding Hope Through Prayer and the Faithful Witness of Our Community

When the World is Troubled, We Turn to Prayer for Peace

People stand on the rubble of a damaged building after an Israeli strike in Beirut March 6, 2026, following renewed hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. (OSV News photo/Reuters)

As I read news from around the world, especially from the Middle East, I have spent much time in prayer reflecting on how urgently our world needs the gift of peace. In response, I have asked our parishes throughout the Diocese to offer a Holy Hour for Peace between March 9 and March 23, at a time when it is most convenient. We cannot stop the bombings, but as followers of Christ, we can pray that common sense and peace will eventually prevail. I invite you to join others across the Diocese in these moments of prayer, asking the Lord to bring healing to our divisions and peace to an increasingly troubled world. I invite you to check your parish bulletin, website, or social media for details as these Holy Hours are scheduled.

This invitation was also inspired by a recent virtual meeting with diocesan and parish staff, during which I asked participants to share one prayer intention. By far, the most frequent response was peace. That simple moment reminded me how deeply our faithful people feel the need to turn to prayer in times of uncertainty and conflict. In communion with calls from Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ to pray for peace in our nation and in the Middle East, I hope these Holy Hours will give us the opportunity to come together as a community of faith. I pray that we, as a Church, may be instruments of Christ’s peace in our fractured world.

Honoring Dennis and Michelle Kelly and Their Commitment to Catholic Education

Bishop da Cunha pictured with the Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award recipients Dennis and Michelle Kelly and Timothy Sullivan, Bishop Feehan President.

This past Saturday, I joined the Bishop Feehan High School community at their “Setting Our Hearts” Gala to celebrate Dennis and Michelle Kelly, recipients of the Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award. For decades, the Kellys have been steadfast supporters of Catholic education in the Diocese. From Michelle’s years as a Bishop Feehan graduate to their roles as proud Catholic school parents and grandparents, they have generously shared their time, talent, and treasure to strengthen our schools and the students they serve.Through Dennis’s leadership with the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) and their work as co-chairs of Bishop Feehan’s historic Daring to Believe campaign, their impact has been felt across our Diocesan school community. At the same time, they remain faithful parishioners whose quiet generosity and commitment to the Church reflect the very spirit of Catholic education, forming young people in faith, service, and love of God.

Grateful for the Educators Who Form the Future of Our Catholic Schools

On Monday, I was pleased to offer the opening prayer and welcome to administrators and faculty from our Catholic schools in the Diocese as they gathered for their annual professional development day. It was an opportunity for me to express my gratitude to these dedicated men and women who do more than teach; they are entrusted with the safety and well-being of the students in their care. As a means of support, the professional day focused on school safety and preparedness. Sessions were led by both Diocesan staff with appropriate professional expertise and outside experts. I shared with those in attendance my belief that the day’s program was an investment in our schools. It was not offered in response to a crisis, but rather as a reflection of the Diocese’s ongoing commitment to creating a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community.

Christ With Me, Christ Before Me, Christ Behind Me

St. Patrick’s Day invites us to look beyond the secular observances and recall the inspiring faith of a humble missionary who trusted in God’s call. After being enslaved in Ireland as a young man, Patrick eventually returned with a desire to share the Gospel with those who had once held him captive, an extraordinary example of Christian forgiveness! His life reminds us that faith is often formed in hardship and strengthened through conversion. Patrick also had a gift for seeing God reflected in creation, famously using the shamrock to explain the mystery of the Trinity. In a world that often feels divided, St. Patrick invites us to live with courage, gratitude, and trust in Christ. On behalf of St. Patrick, we pray: Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me.

Drawing from the Well of Mercy this Lent

Last week, we launched a new series featuring priests of the Diocese sharing brief Lenten reflections. This week, Fr. Jason Brilhante, pastor of St. John of God Parish, Somerset, invites us to rediscover the healing grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. During Lent, a season marked by prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, he encourages us to turn our hearts more intentionally toward God and seek His mercy. Reflecting on the Gospel story of the woman at the well, Fr. Brilhante reminds us that Christ meets us in our brokenness and offers us the gift of conversion and new life. Through the Sacrament, we can leave behind what weighs us down and encounter the renewing and forgiving love of Christ.

Sincerely,

Bishop da Cunha