The Parish Office will be closed today because of the storm.

“Scientifically it’s a human life. The textbooks teach us that. But is it right to take it out to solve a problem? This is why the Church is so strict on this issue because accepting this is kind of like accepting daily murder.” These particular words of Pope Francis fill my astonished mind and pained heart in the wake of the radical and extreme measure announced by Governor Janet Mills on January 17 that would expand abortion in Maine beyond 24 weeks. This is no longer a discussion of heartlessly destroying a fetus, which is immoral on its own. This is an unborn child. Everything is ready for birth. It is beyond troubling to see how denying the existence of a human life has become so casual for this governor and members of the legislature. Governor Mills has said that the rights of women are not dispensable. If only she had the same compassion for children. After 24 weeks, this is not between a woman and her medical provider. It is a woman, her medical provider, and an unborn child. Who is the advocate for the child? This measure would eliminate any protections for children who cannot speak for themselves but will suffer that way. Pope Francis reminds us that this is evil and on its most basic level is “the termination of human life in the maternal womb, in the name of safeguarding other rights.” And what are those rights? They always belong to someone else, not the unborn child. This is senseless. The perpetrators of this planned reality are not “serving as a light” and inspiring “others around the country” as they would have you believe. They are attempting to normalize a horrific stance that each life is not sacred or deserving of the basic human dignity given by God and nature. As this debate continues, I implore people of good will to speak to your local representatives in the state legislature and ask them to reconsider this unnecessary reform that will bring immeasurable pain to Maine and its people. Join me in advocating and praying that we will find a way for all in our state and society to embrace an ethic which values all human life from conception to natural death. The Diocese of Portland will continue to accompany any woman, regardless of faith, who is experiencing difficulties in pregnancy through our various Catholic agencies in Maine, including pregnancy help centers and parish-based initiatives like Walking with Moms in Need. As well, we will support and assist those who have been involved in an abortion through our Project Rachel program. God is merciful, and it is of paramount importance that people who experience distress grow in understanding of this truth and are guided on a path to emotional and spiritual healing. To learn more about programs and initiatives in the Diocese of Portland and across the country that care for and promote healing for women and families in need, visit www.portlanddiocese.org/DobbsDecision.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an opportunity to ask God to help Christian Churches seek common ground and appreciation for each other. Prayer is the key which opens our hearts to Christ’s desire for unity. In opening ourselves to prayer, we remember that we share a common baptism and faith in the Trinity. Our practice of faith begins in our shared appreciation for Scripture as the Word of God where we encounter the saving truth of Jesus. In this, we are reminded of an important teaching of Pope Benedict XVI: “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a Person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” That person is, of course, Jesus. Our common witness to our faith in Him calls us to work together on those issues which unite us: caring for the sick, the needy, migrants, and refugees, and confronting religious persecution. Through these shared experiences, the discovery of further common ground can come to pass. This week, remember the truth that as disciples of Jesus, we seek to follow him in doing the will of the Father. Together. for more information click here.

On January 16, the nation will pause to honor the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an important motivator of the civil rights movement who did not ask for a confrontation with hatred but faced this ugly reality with hope and the dream of better days. He believed that each American deserved full civil and political rights and that when that elusive reward came, it would be the product of commitment, willpower, and desire, common characteristics of the human spirit for all times. Sadly, our own time is marked by anger, hostility, and the inability to even listen to viewpoints differing from our own. Reverend King’s hopeful message remains as relevant today as it was six decades ago. As a preacher of the Gospel, he saw the Christian message as a way forward; its call to unconditional love and acceptance of the neighbor was the reason for his hope. In respect for his teaching and impact, let us recommit ourselves to doing what we can to replace hostility with gladness in bringing about “miracles in the hearts of men.” Conflict and disagreement are inevitable, but the Gospel is greater. As Reverend King did before us, let us learn from the teachings of Jesus to seek out the good in each other and bring healing, understanding, and reconciliation to our world.

Due to inclement weather, the 12:15PM Mass at Notre Dame on Mon., Jan. 16 is canceled.

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; Wednesday (January 11) is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day “It is shocking to consider the size and scope of the tragedy of human trafficking that exists in our world in 2023. Confronted by desperation and fraud, women and men are still exploited through forced prostitution and labor against their will. To be clear, this is modern day slavery that has affected over 40 million people. It cannot be accepted in any decent society. Human trafficking is a horrific crime against the basic dignity and rights of the human person and requires massive resources and focus at the local, state, and federal levels to eliminate the root causes that allow it to exist. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops continues to call upon Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform, which would provide legal avenues for men, women, and their families to enter the country and work legally and safely. Elected officials must collaborate to decisively build pathways that lead to the common good. Survivors of human trafficking are commonly linked by poverty and a lack of opportunity, particularly immigrants and undocumented workers in the U.S. The selling of people, treated as instruments of gain, takes away all fundamental values rooted in the nature of a human being. As Pope Francis has said, it is a ‘scourge that wounds the dignity of our weakest brothers and sisters.’ So, what can we do as people of good will to assist survivors and victims? Parishes can offer opportunities to discuss this issue. The diocese is so grateful for programs like CourageLIVES, a division of Saint André Home that is Maine’s first residential program for women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and need a safe secure place to heal and rebuild. Lend a hand by learning how you can help this program and many others at www.portlanddiocese.org/HumanTraffickingAwareness. Let us resolve as Christians to raise awareness of what is happening in our communities and pray that the victims and survivors of human trafficking find freedom, waiting arms to offer safety, an understanding of their intrinsic value, and a path to healing.”

Thanks to the generosity of parishioners In Auburn, Bridgton, Fryeburg, Gardiner, Kennebunk, Hallowell, Millinocket and East Millinocket, Waterville, Wells, and Winslow, hundreds of Maine children and teens had a happier Christmas. The “Jolly Gifts” program collected over 1,000 new toys and clothing items as well as many gift cards. The program is organized by Catholic Charities Maine’s Parish Social Ministry which works with community partners to match donations with local families in need. During Advent, parishioners are asked to drop off a new gift for a child or teen at their church. “We are once again overwhelmed by the great generosity of our parishioners during the season of giving,” said Bill Wood, a member of CCM’s Parish Social Ministry team. “The program provides our parish communities with an easy yet meaningful way to celebrate the joy of giving during the Advent and Christmas seasons. To see these children and families smiling as they receive these gifts is so impactful. You realize that these are more than gifts, they are feeding the spirit as well.”

Dates for the Maine Catholic Men's Conference and Maine Catholic Women's Conference have been set. Click here for the dates and information.

December 31, 2022 The passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is a great sadness for the universal Church and a personal loss for me and countless others who benefited from his great faith, intelligence, and kindness. He served for over seven decades as a priest and nearly eight years as the Successor to St. Peter. His contributions to theology are extraordinary, including the creation of many conciliar documents, and even as his health declined in recent years, he continued to teach of the sacredness of life. I worked with Benedict when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger during his long tenure as the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Vatican City. He knew that faith is entrusting oneself to Jesus and being conformed to his very life of love, and to believe is to enter into that love. Pope Benedict taught that holiness was charity lived to the full and that being a Christian “is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” Pope Benedict XVI spent his life educating those he encountered on the truth that Jesus is the one who reveals God’s love to each of us. A beautiful sentiment he shared in his homily at the Easter Vigil in 2011 has always stuck with me and informs on how faith-filled he was: “The sweep of history established by God reaches back to the origins, back to creation. Our profession of faith begins with the words: ‘We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.’ If we omit the beginning of the Credo, the whole history of salvation becomes too limited and too small. The Church is not some kind of association that concerns itself with man’s religious needs but is limited to that objective. No, she brings man into contact with God and thus with the source of all things. Therefore, we relate to God as Creator, and so we have a responsibility for creation. Our responsibility extends as far as creation because it comes from the Creator. Only because God created everything can he give us life and direct our lives. Life in the Church’s faith involves more than a set of feelings and sentiments and perhaps moral obligations. It embraces man in his entirety, from his origins to his eternal destiny. Only because creation belongs to God can we place ourselves completely in his hands. And only because he is the Creator can he give us life forever. Joy over creation, thanksgiving for creation and responsibility for it all belong together.” Pope Benedict XVI knew and shared that the Gospel opens us to great possibility when we live life generously serving one another in our families, parishes, and communities, and we are all better people and better Catholics as a result. We pray that Pope Benedict XVI, a great man of the Church, will find eternal peace in the embrace of the Lord Jesus he served so faithfully in life. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. To see more about Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI from the Diocese of Portland, click here.

Due to the storm, the Parish Office will be closed Fri., Dec. 23. Merry Christmas!

The snow won't dampen our Christmas spirit! The Christmas sing-a-long will still take place this afternoon at Notre Dame beginning at approximately 3:15PM. For those who can't get there safely, it will be live-streamed on our Parish website.

The Parish Office will close at 2PM on Thurs., Dec. 15. It will re-open at 8AM on Fri., Dec. 16.

Thank you to all who generously gave to this year's Catholic Appeal, helping to fund the church of Maine. We recently exceeded our goal with 493 pledges totaling $165,484!

Click here to see the offerings from the Parish and other groups for the Advent season.

In an effort to help countless children and families in need, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and Corpus Christi Parish will host “Jolly Gifts,” an initiative that aims to warm hearts and offer support to community members as they prepare for Christmas. All are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy or gift to the “Jolly Gifts” displays at the locations listed below. The gifts will be distributed to young children up through early teens. Popular items include board games, arts and crafts kits, model cars, sports items, and dolls. Cash donations are also accepted. Donations will be accepted from Saturday, November 26, through Sunday, December 11. Collection bins can be found at: Sacred Heart Church, 8 Sacred Heart Place in Auburn; St. Philip Church, 2365 Turner Road in Auburn; Notre Dame du Perpetual Secours Church, 116 Silver Street in Waterville; St. John the Baptist Church, 26 Monument Street in Winslow All the families that receive Jolly Gifts live locally. Organizers suggest a gift of around $10 or less, and there is always a particular need for older youth, ages 12 and up. Participants can also drop off their donations or a financial contribution during business hours at the offices of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish on 24 Sacred Heart Place in Auburn (Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to noon) or the offices of Corpus Christi Parish on 17 South Garand Street in Winslow (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to noon). For more information, call (207) 956-1457.

The Parish Office will be closed on Fri., Nov. 11 for Veteran's Day. Thank you to all of our Veteran's for their service.

Parish Masses for the Solemnity of All Saints are: 12;15PM at Notre Dame in Waterville and 6:00PM at St. John in Winslow.

Please note--there will be no weekday Masses this week at either Notre Dame or St. John churches.

Saint Dominic Academy in Auburn will host a special conference that aims to help both students and parents around Maine to understand how online activity impacts safety, both on the screen and off of it. Click here for more details.