Bishop Robert Deeley has authorized a special collection at all weekend Masses on Saturday, September 18, and Sunday, September 19, to provide assistance after a recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. In recent weeks, the Church has promoted, and continues to promote, giving options that provide immediate aid to Haitians in need through Catholic Relief Services and the Pontifical Mission Societies. This weekend’s special collection will serve a different purpose. “All proceeds from this collection will be turned over to the president of the Haitian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Chibly Langlois, for use by the Church in rebuilding churches, schools, convents, and rectories,” said Bishop Deeley. "The devastation is monumental and heartbreaking. The prayers of the faithful in the Diocese of Portland continue to be with the victims of this catastrophe. The true measure of a people’s character is how they respond in another’s moment of need. Such aid is at the very heart of our Christian faith.” Hundreds of Catholic churches and buildings, including the country's Catholic cathedral, were damaged during the storm. For those who are unable to attend Mass this weekend but still wish to contribute to the special collection, click here.

Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners and friends, we have raised over $4,000 to purchase sneakers for area teenagers in need! To see a list of winners click here.

This Sunday (September 12) marks National Grandparents Day, established in our country as a way in which to educate our youth about the important contributions that grandparents have made throughout history. That has certainly been the case during these months of pandemic. In so many cases, it is grandparents who have helped with childcare, a contribution to family life of great value in a difficult time. The day set aside to honor them reminds us to be grateful for their wisdom and their experience in life. Listening to them gives us lessons in living. For us in the Church, grandparents are often a source of great grace. They help pass on our faith in the love of God. In my conversations with young people, they often speak of what they have learned from their grandparents and how important the influence of their grandparents has been on their own commitment to living their faith. Grandparents hold a very special role in the handing on of our faith, including the generous way in which many help with tuition for their grandchildren to attend Catholic schools in Maine. They know the importance of drawing strength and hope from the relationship they have with God in Jesus Christ, and we can truly be grateful for that witness. Let us appreciate, and affirm, the gift of grandparents who remind us, in their own sharing, lives, and love, the true meaning of faith.

Twenty years. It seems impossible and yet, images from that day can sometimes bring us right back to the shock and sadness that we felt, the heroism that we observed, and the patriotism that we shared on September 11, 2001. To read the full statement, click here.