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Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners, Today is Palm Sunday when we typically join the crowds of long ago in the streets of Jerusalem commemorating Jesus’ entrance into the holy city and claiming him once again as our Messiah and Lord. Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.

On Palm Sunday blessed palms will be available in the church parking lot from 9-11 am. We will be wearing gloves and keeping a respectable distance from parishioners who will drive up and receive them in their cars. Parishioners may also get palms in the afternoon and throughout the week inside the church.

Dear Parishioners of St. Mary’s,   We hope that this letter finds you well.  You and your loved ones are in our prayers each day during this difficult time. We are writing to you about prayer in this time of pandemic. Bishop McManus has asked that each parish in our diocese take one day - one 24 hour period - during which,  from home, one or more of our parishioners would pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, the healing of the sick, the salvation of the dead and the protection of healthcare workers and those who keep the necessities of life flowing in our nation and throughout the world.   

The Covid-19 Pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our daily lives. The uncertainty of when life will return to normal can be overwhelming and even frightening. We long to return to our familiar routines at home, at work and in the community.

Hearing confessions in a time of pandemic is one of the great pastoral challenges we face in these days before Easter.  There is a unique solution which maintains the minimum "social distance" of six feet (keeping both confessor and penitent safe) and respects the privacy of the penitent coming for confession. Here is how it works...

Parishioner, Nancy Hughes has been coordinating and working with over 30 sewers in the parish and Shrewsbury community to sew face masks to help alleviate the national shortage in medical-grade protective gear that medical workers are facing. T

When we were in the seminary, none of us could have dreamed that we would one day be faced with the situation we are in today with no public celebrations of the Liturgy, including Sunday Mass and all our other gatherings being cancelled.

On Wednesday, 18th, March  Phil Lemieux, Jen Smith, and Martha Serafin's high school religious education classes were scheduled to cook and serve a meal at the Mustard Seed.  Due to the COVID 19 restrictions students were no longer able to gather together to cook the meal.

Join us for Mass at St. Mary's on Facebook, Flocknote, Parish Website and Shrewsbury Channel 28.  During these days when we are prevented from celebrating Mass together, Father Javier will celebrate Mass on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 9:00am live streaming from St. Mary's Parish Facebook page ( @StMarysShrewsburyMA).  Msgr. Mike will celebrate Mass for the 4th Sunday of Lent on video which will be posted to the parish website ( stmarysparish.org/massrecordings) and Channel 28 or 328 on your television this Sunday.  Let us remain united in prayer during these days when we are separated from one another.

My dear friends in Christ, As we confront almost hourly news reports about rising cases of Coronavirus, additional measures to restrict exposures to the threat of this insidious virus, and concerns about our own health and the wellbeing of our loved ones, we can become very anxious.  

In cooperation with Governor Baker's announcements yesterday, the Diocese of Worcester has issued the following statement by Bishop Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester:

The Mass schedule the weekend of March 14-15 will continue as normal. Parishioners who are ill or suspect they are ill are not bound by the Sunday Mass obligation and should remain at home and return to church when they are well.

St. Mary Parish is committed to the health and well-being of the entire community. We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and following the recommended course of actions from state, local, and government authorities as well as the recommendations of Bishop McManus. 

What a great turnout and a wonderful community event at our 10th Annual Lenten Fish Fry last night! We served 876 people this year!! Thank you to Bob Terry for coordinating this wonderful event and the over 100 volunteers who pitched in before, during and after the Fish Fry this year!

What a great turnout we had last night at our first Palm Burning and Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper! It was so great to see so many parishioners and school families. THANK YOU to our Youth Ministry Group who did a fantastic job setting up, cooking and cleaning - we estimate that these amazing students flipped and served about 500 pancakes to a packed hall. THANK YOU to our Baking Ministry who baked and decorated beautiful King's Cup Cakes and THANK YOU to members of our Liturgy Ministry who helped coordinate the evening!

We all want to make time for God, but sometimes we struggle to figure out a way to squeeze in the time amidst the busyness of life. It’s also simple human nature that we get in a rut or a routine and sometimes we need a “boost” to get moving. Lent is a new beginning and the Light of the World Retreat could provide that "boost" you might need!

Each of us has an innate desire to come to know God better. Luckily, God is not shy about revealing himself to us! Below, Rebecca shares her experience from the Light of the World Retreat and how God answered her prayer.

One of the most energizing programs offered through St. Mary's is the Light of the World Retreat. Geared toward Christians interested in renewing their faith, Light of the World truly rekindles Christ's flame inside each and every one of us. If you were to ask the over 90 St. Mary parishioners who have attended they will tell you that they have experienced a deeper more meaningful faith and a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the coming weeks, we will share with you some of their personal testimonies and the impact the retreat has had on them. Click on the video below to listen to Jack's message.

Same great menu!  Same great price! Advance tickets are just $8 for the Fish & Chips dinner which includes Fish & Chips, Coleslaw, Soft Drink plus Dessert and Coffee.  Kids’ meal tickets are just $4.  Kids can choose Pizza or Mac & Cheese plus a soft drink and dessert. Advance tickets are available now online at www.stmarysfishfry.com  Beginning February 1st, tickets will be available for purchase after all Masses.

St. Mary’s will conclude our Legacy of Hope Campaign at the end of January. We are so very grateful for such a generous response from so many St. Mary’s parishioners. To date we have received $1,446,000 in gifts and pledges which is 144% of our parish goal of $989,782. Forty percent of all monies raised up to our goal will come back to St. Mary’s. We are now at the point where 60% will be returned to our parish for needs we have identified