Last Friday, I met with Commissioner John Kelley, Director of Inspectional Services for the City of Worcester, along with his Deputy, David Horne, George O’Neill, senior project manager with Gorman, Richardson, Lewis, architects, and Rev. Richard F. Reidy, Vicar General of the Diocese. This meeting was preceded by several other meetings with Mr. O’Neil and his associate, Neil Rouleau, Jeffrey Berthiaume, Chair of our parish Finance Committee and Mark Morrow, project manager from Consigli Construction. These meetings concerned the very serious disrepair of the front of our church building. Gorman, Richardson, Lewis have informed us and the city that they cannot certify the structural integrity of our building and recommend that the building be taken down. If a catastrophic failure of the front wall occurred, there is a real and significant danger to those in the church, and to those walking or traveling by the church on Mulberry Street and Interstate 290. CLICK HEADLINE FOR COMPLETE ANNOUNCEMENT

“This is a sad day for the parishioners of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel-St. Ann and our hearts go out to them for the pain of this loss they are facing today,” said Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester. “However, the safety of those attending Mass and in the vicinity of the church building are of primary concern. I thank Msgr. Pedone, his committee members and all the parishioners who have been trying over recent years to find a solution to the building’s structural issues while seeking to build a more vibrant parish community. My prayers are with them as they must focus now on a transition plan to make this parish merger welcoming for both parish communities.”

April 19, 2016, WORCESTER, MA – The Diocese of Worcester, in conjunction with its parishes and missions throughout Worcester County, has launched an online survey to Catholics in the Diocese of Worcester. The online survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/comm-strategy . All Catholics, whether they self-identify as active, occasional or lapsed in their church participation, are encouraged to take the survey, which is anonymous. It addresses people’s use of traditional media, social media and use on online tools in daily life. CLICK HEADLINE FOR FULL RELEASE.

ISSUED March 10, 2016, WORCESTER, MA – The Office of Development of the Diocese of Worcester has announced that, since the beginning of Lent, it has received 4,735 gifts and pledges totaling $1,515,939 toward this year’s Annual Partners in Charity Appeal. To date, 35 of the 97 parishes and 3 missions in the diocese conducted their initial public appeal, also known as “In-pew Sunday,” and an additional 15 will conduct their in-pew appeals over the next two weekends. The total raised to date represents 31 percent of the $5 million goal. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Called to be Merciful.” The campaign officially launched at an event at the Diocesan Chancery on February 11.

Most Reverend Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, announced today that he has granted faculties for limited pastoral ministry to Rev. Stephen M. Gemme, effective immediately. He will celebrate Mass and other sacraments at Crozier House and at other non-parish institutional settings. CLICK FOR MORE

February 12, 2015, Worcester, MA -- On Sunday, February 14 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul, Worcester, 251 candidates along with their sponsors and families will participate in various rites leading to completing their initiation into the Catholic Church. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adult (RCIA) is the sacramental process used worldwide in the Roman Catholic Church through which people prepare for initiation, or come into full communion, or complete their initiation into the Roman Catholic Church. (Click for complete release)

January 21, 2016, WORCESTER, MA -- Following a complete audit of its financial accounting, the Diocese of Worcester has issued online Financial Statements and online and printed editions of the Annual Report on Financial Activities for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2015. In his letter, Most Reverend Robert J. McManus, S.T.D., Bishop of Worcester, wrote that the Diocese was challenged on a number of fronts, including $840,001 in unrealized losses on investments. The Bishop referred to the unrealized losses as “primarily a reflection of the state of the market when our year ended on August 31.” The Statements of Activities showed an operating deficit of $1,192,704 after expenses totaling $25,178,740 for 2015 compared to a surplus of $1,276,057 the previous year, primarily from unrealized gains, on expenses totaling $25,271,377. (CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL RELEASE)

March for Life TRIP to Washington, DC is CANCELLED. Due to the forecast of bad weather for the Mid-Atlantic states up to New England for Friday evening, the bus company has notified us of anticipated treacherous road conditions. Therefore the trip to Washington is cancelled. We will celebrate the Mass for Life as scheduled at the Cathedral of St. Paul on Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 pm. All are invited to attend and pray for an end to this assault on innocent life in the womb. (Concelebrating clergy should bring alb and RED stole for the Feast of St. Agnes)

Megan Joinville, a kindergarten teacher at St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary School in Worcester was honored as the WSRS, Unibank Teacher of the month.

The annual March for Life will be held on Friday, January 22, 2016 in Washington, D.C. All are invited to attend the Respect Life Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 19 Chatham St., Worcester, on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. (CLICK TITLE FOR MORE)

on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 10:00 am Most Rev. Robert J. McManus will ordain three men to the Order of Deacon, the final step on their journey to the priesthood. The three men to be ordained are Diego Buritica, Wilmar Ramos, and Joseph Rice. The Liturgy will take place at the Cathedral of St. Paul, corner of Chatham and High Streets, Worcester to which the public is invited. The Ordination Liturgy will be streamed LIVE on the internet and a link is available on the homepage of worcesterdicoese.org.

Terror always seeks to separate us from those we most love. Through their suffering, courage and compassion, Parisians are reminding us that the common bond of humanity is strongest when the need is greatest. We pledge our prayers for everyone who suffers from this horrific violence and our advocacy to support all those working to build just and peaceful societies.

Fr. Michael J. Sheridan, a priest of the Diocese of Worcester, is being assigned to sacramental ministry at St. Ann Parish in Southboro while their pastor, Fr. Conrad Pecevich, is away on a medical leave of absence. Deacon Paul Reuter, who has been serving St. Ann parish since his ordination last June, will be the administrator of the parish. The assignments are being announced in the parish this weekend by Fr. James Caldarella, minister to priests, on behalf of Bishop Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester.

The Diocese of Worcester has announced that applications are now available for the St. Vincent Community Healthcare Fund grants. Forms with eligibility requirements are available through the Office of the Chancellor, Diocese of Worcester, 49 Elm St., Worcester, MA 01609, phone 508-929-4345 or fax at 508-754-2768 or email jschroeder@worcesterdiocese.org . Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2015.

July 2, 2015, WORCESTER, MA –The Office of Development for the Diocese of Worcester, which oversees the annual Partners in Charity Appeal, announced that as of July 1st it has raised 4,663,170 or 93% of its $5Million goal. Efforts over the coming month will continue to be focused on reaching goal. The annual appeal funds dozens of educational, pastoral and charitable programs of the diocese, all of which benefit tens of thousands of people each year. CLICK TITLE FOR MORE

For millennia, society has recognized the unique benefits of marriage to the common good of society. Hence, society has protected legally the foundational union of man and woman as the irreplaceable basis of family life. In the American experience, the states have protected this union as the way civilization flourishes through the gift of new human life. The Supreme Court’s decision requiring that all states license and recognize marriage between two people of the same sex is tragic because it will undermine the public morality of society. MORE

Related: 2014 Audit finds Diocese compliant with National Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People June 25, 2015, WORCESTER, MA -- Following the Catholic Church’s commitment to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, has announced that Gerard L. Branconnier, Robert E. Kelley and Lowe B. Dongor have been laicized. All were dismissed from the clerical state by the Holy Father, Pope Francis. As a result of the laicizations, the three men may never function in any capacity as priests or be referred to as priests (MORE)

Statement from Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester: I am grateful to our Holy Father, Pope Francis, for his Encyclical Laudato Si, which calls for dialogue throughout the world on how we can be better stewards of the earth and, in so doing, be more responsive to the plight of the poor around the world. MORE