Parishes in the Fall River Diocese

This is a one-time collection to be taken up in dioceses around the country to support the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The Basilica is the nation’s preeminent Marian shrine, and is oftentimes affectionately referred to as America’s Catholic Church. Open 365 days a year, the Basilica is host to nearly one million visitors annually, attracting pilgrims and tourists alike from across the country and around the world. Proceeds from this collection will…

On the Feast of the Ascension, which is a holy day of obligation, the Church celebrates the return of Christ to the Father, his physical body leaving the earth behind. The feast recalls the completion of Christ's mission on earth for the salvation of all people and his entry into heaven with glorified human nature. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter.

World Mission Sunday is the annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration for the Missions and missionaries of the world. The collection taken on this day is a unique, global effort for the entire Church to provide for the building up of over one thousand local churches in Asia and Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe. Through the work of these churches, and their witness to Christ, the poor receive practical help and experience God’s love and mercy, His…

The Solemnity of All Saints, or All Saints’ Day, is a celebration of all Catholic saints held on November 1 each year. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. All Saints Day commemorates all the blessed in heaven, and is intended particularly to remember and honor the blessed who have no special feast. “On this solemnity, we recall the holy men and women who, having completed their earthly journeys, now live forever with God. These saints, though not canonized, offer…

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development or CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops, working to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ "... to bring good news to the poor ...  release to captives ...  sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18) The CCHD supports programs that address the causes of poverty and provide a sustainable future for those who are struggling across the country. CCHD aims to offer a hand up, not…

This is a holy day of obligation. It commemorates the fact that Mary, in view of her calling to be the Mother of Christ and in virtue of his merits, was preserved from the first moment of her conception from original sin and was filled with grace from the very beginning of her life. She was the only person to be preserved from original sin. While its roots go back to the eighth century, the present form of the feast…

Thousands of senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests spent years working in Catholic schools, hospitals, and agencies—often for little pay. Their sacrifices leave their religious communities without adequate savings for retirement and eldercare. The Retirement Fund for Religious distributes grants to religious institutes  for the retirement care. The fund also provides retirement planning and educational assistance to religious institutes. Your donation to the Retirement Fund for Religious collection during December 9-10 weekend Masses at your parish helps provide prescription…

This yearly national campaign is designed as a shared collection, meaning half of the proceeds stay in the local diocese and the other half is forwarded to the Catholic Communication Campaign office of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference. The portion remaining in the Fall River Diocese is used to fund the weekly Television Mass, which airs at 11 a.m. each Sunday on WLNE-TV, channel 6. On the air since 1963, the Diocesan Television Mass has been a source of spiritual sustenance…

Proceeds from the additional collection taken up in parishes throughout the Diocese at Masses on the first weekend of February each year support two Church endeavors at the national level: the Black and Indian Missions Collection and the Home Missions Appeal.  Established by the U.S. Bishops in 1884, the Black and Indian Missions Collection embodies the Church's concern for evangelizing Black, American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut peoples in the United States. Donations going to the Home Missions Collection also helps…

The 77th annual Catholic Charities Appeal begins in parishes in the Fall River Diocese. Proceeds from the Appeal provide funding for the charitable programs, services and ministries offered by the Diocese throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.

This is a Holy Day of obligation. The Solemnity commemorates the taking into heaven of Mary, soul and body, at the end of her life on earth, a truth of faith that was proclaimed a dogma by Pope Pius VII on November 1, 1950. The feast, among the oldest and most solemn dedicated to Mary, has a long history; it was celebrated by Christians as early as the seventh century. Please consult your parish or a neighboring one for a…

The Solemnity of All Saints, or All Saints’ Day, is a celebration of all Catholic saints held on November 1 each year. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. All Saints Day commemorates all the blessed in heaven, and is intended particularly to remember and honor the blessed who have no special feast. “On this solemnity, we recall the holy men and women who, having completed their earthly journeys, now live forever with God. These saints, though not canonized, offer…

This is a holy day of obligation. It commemorates the fact that Mary, in view of her calling to be the Mother of Christ and in virtue of his merits, was preserved from the first moment of her conception from original sin and was filled with grace from the very beginning of her life. She was the only person to be preserved from original sin. While its roots go back to the eighth century, the present form of the feast…

The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held Dec. 8-9 in the Diocese of Fall River. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, the appeal benefits 31,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests. Learn more.

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a liturgical feast day honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary's motherhood in the wake of the birth of the baby Jesus Christ. This holiday is also the Octave of Christmas, or the 8th day of Christmas. It is a holy day of obligation. Please check with your parish for the schedule of Masses.

Lent, the forty-day season of prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving in preparation for the joyous celebration of Easter, begins on this day. Parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese will mark the start of Lent with the traditional rite of distribution of ashes. Ashes, symbolic of penance, are blessed and distributed as a reminder that Lent is a time for repentance and spiritual renewal.

This is a Holy Day of obligation. The Solemnity commemorates the taking into heaven of Mary, soul and body, at the end of her life on earth, a truth of faith that was proclaimed a dogma by Pope Pius VII on November 1, 1950. The feast, among the oldest and most solemn dedicated to Mary, has a long history; it was celebrated by Christians as early as the seventh century. Please consult your parish or a neighboring one for a…

On this World Mission Sunday, Catholics across the globe are called to be part of the Church's missionary efforts, supporting mission priests, religious Sisters and Brothers, and lay catechists who provide service to those most in need. In 1926 Pope Pius XI instituted Mission Sunday for the whole Church with the first worldwide Mission Sunday collection taking place in October 1927. The Mission Sunday collection is always taken on the next to last Sunday during the month of October. It's…

The Solemnity of All Saints, or All Saints’ Day, is a celebration of all Catholic saints held on November 1 each year. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. All Saints Day commemorates all the blessed in heaven, and is intended particularly to remember and honor the blessed who have no special feast. “On this solemnity, we recall the holy men and women who, having completed their earthly journeys, now live forever with God. These saints, though not canonized, offer…

The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held Dec. 7-8 in the Diocese of Fall River. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, the appeal benefits 30,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests. Learn more.

The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, also known as Ascension Thursday or Ascension Day, celebrates the return of Christ to the Father, his physical body leaving the earth behind. The feast recalls the completion of Christ's mission on earth for the salvation of all people and his entry into heaven with glorified human nature. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter.

Today, parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese join with those around the world to observe World Mission Sunday. We are called through our Baptism to be part of the Church’s missionary efforts, through prayer, self-sacrifice, and support of the Mission Church through material aid. This year, Pope Francis asks us to respond to that call, saying, “Here I Am, Send Me!” To “send” ourselves, we can pray for the Church’s worldwide missionary work and offer financial help and charity through…

In the United States, one in six people lives in poverty. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) supports programs that address the causes of poverty and provide a sustainable future for those struggling across the country.  In the Fall River Diocese and most others nationwide, the collection for CCHD will take place the weekend before Thanksgiving, November 21-22. Please keep in mind that 25% of the funds we collect will remain in our diocese to fund local antipoverty projects.…

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a liturgical feast day honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary's motherhood in the wake of the birth of the baby Jesus Christ. This holiday is also the Octave of Christmas, or the 8th day of Christmas. Please check with your parish for the schedule of Masses. Because of the pandemic, the obligation to attend Mass this year is lifted.