Category: From the Pastor’s Desk (Page 2 of 66)

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Rejoice! Easter is coming! With childlike joy, Holy Mother Church begins on  Laetare Sunday to count the days. She is ringingly jubilant. “Laetare” means “rejoice,” and the term is taken from the entrance  antiphon of the day, “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all  who love her!”

Here at St. Joseph’s, though, there is more reason for rejoicing. Over the past three years, both Mass attendance and parish registrations have increased. Welcome to the parish to all newcomers from near and far! And a special word of thanks to all who offer words of encouragement and support about our weekend liturgies here at St. Joe’s! Your positive comments mean a lot to the many individuals who work behind the scenes to make this parish a special place in which to worship God in the White Mountains!

Another cause for rejoicing is the notable increase in generosity from our parishioners and visitors. Over the past four years, our revenue has increased from $117,278 in 2021, to $174,917 in 2022, to $209,466 in 2023, to $219,691in 2024! There is more work to be done, for sure, but with the grace of God and the continued support of those who worship here, we’ll keep moving in the right direction, both spiritually and fiscally!

With prayerful best wishes,

Fr. John Mahoney

Bishop Peter A. Libasci invites couples celebrating  significant years of marriage to a Mass in celebration of wedding anniversaries.  The Mass will be held on    Sunday, June 1, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral, Manchester. To register, please contact the parish office by May 9, 2025. The parish office will gather and submit all necessary information.  A mailed invitation to this special celebration will follow.

Please pray for the repose of the souls of Charles E. Harrington and Pierrette Clermont, whose Masses of Christian Burial were celebrated last week.

Holy Trinity Parish, Plymouth and Bristol, NH is pleased to announce our 2025 Cornerstone  Women’s Retreat. This year’s theme is:      

PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD

Cornerstone is an overnight weekend retreat which calls together Catholic women to share in prayer, scripture,  stories, activities, and group discussions for the renewing, strengthening and deepening of our personal relationship with Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith.  

We come together from Friday evening, May 16th through Sunday morning, May 18th, 2025 at The Silver Fox Inn, Waterville Valley.

For more information, please contact Eleanor Morrison at (603) 520-3748 or email her at emorrison255@gmail.com.   Registration deadline is April19th.

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Visiting the sick and the homebound of a parish community – and those visiting the parish territory – is one of the more significant aspects of a pastor’s ministry. It has been one of the greatest joys of my priestly vocation to visit the sick and the homebound of St. Joseph’s parish community and its visitors here, whether the parishioner is at home, in a healthcare facility, or hospitalized, and even to visit a family member who is not of the Catholic faith.

As those I visit regularly these days will attest, my pastoral visits – whether Communion calls, confessions, or administering the Sacrament of the Sick – are simple and peaceful occasions for an encounter with Christ. While Thursdays and Fridays are my usual days for pastoral visits, I am happy to stop by and say hello at any time, and I always check your availability and interest before visiting. Remember, please, that the Sacrament of the Sick, formerly referred to as Extreme Unction or the “Last Rites of the Church,” should not be postponed until the time of death is imminent.

The act of visiting those who cannot come to Mass reminds them that they are not alone in their struggles, and that they continue to be valued members of the parish community. Pastoral visits provide a tangible expression of the Church’s care. Please call the parish office at 603-745-2266 if you or a family member would like me to visit.

With prayerful best wishes,
Fr. John Mahoney