This Week's Message
from Fr. Amesse
May 5, 2024

On Sunday, May 19, we will gather after each Mass, downstairs in the hall.  We will honor, Father Conserva and Father Tremblay.  On May 18, they will celebrate 50 years of being priests.  On May 10, I had my 40th.  Come down, for coffee and donuts.   

It’s now Mary’s month.  I am learning how the Oblates, one in particular, had a special friendship with St. Bernadette Soubirous.  She saw the Blessed Mother at Lourdes in 1858.  Father Ferdinand Gondrand was the Oblate.  Can we enter Mary’s Magnificat during the month May, in this year of 2024? 

Mary prayed after hearing from  the Archangel Gabriel that she would be the Mother of God.  For God has looked upon the lowliness of His servant.  St. Bernadette knew she was not worthy to see Mary.  Eighteen times, Mary appeared to Bernadette.  She said she was irresistibly drawn to Mary.   

Imagine what it was like for her to look at Mary, and for Mary to look at her.  “The more I look at my God, the more God looks at me.  The more I pray, the more He thinks about me.”  (St. Bernadette).  Can we not ever give up at looking at God?  Can we believe what Bernadette did when she said, “I was nothing and out of this nothing, Jesus made something great.”  I am sure Father Gene and Father Steve have made these words their own, the past 50 years of priestly life.  I know I have.  So, on May 19, it will not be a question of remembering our nothingness.  We will honor the greatness of God.     

I remember you at Mass!

The Saint that Came to Lowell

As previously announced, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has approved the final miracle for the Canonization of Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis, Founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family of Sherbrook, Quebec.  Although the date of her Canonization has not yet been determined, the Shrine will honor the future saint on her Feast Day, Saturday, May 4. Br. Richard Coté, Shrine Historian, will give a reflection on the life of St. Marie-Léonie after Mass has concluded at both the 8am and Noon Masses.

St. Marie-Léonie’s Cause is very dear to the Missionary Oblates here in Lowell and in Tewksbury. Mother Léonie came to Lowell in 1900 to establish a Convent of her Sisters at St. Jean Baptiste Rectory. From these humble beginnings in the rectory attic, the sisters followed the Oblates when they established rectories at Notre Dame de Lourdes and St. Jeanne d’Arc parishes, and at the Oblate Retirement home in Tewksbury. They also served here at St. Joseph Shrine in the 1970’s and 80’s. The sisters soon saw American women so interested in their two-fold ministry of prayer and domestic service to clergy and religious, that they opened a Novitiate house on Andover Street. With the decline in religious vocations to their kind of ministry, the sisters returned to their Motherhouse in Canada in 2004.

Shrine patrons are welcome to venerate the Relic of St. Marie-Leonie Paradis after Mass.  Br. Richard will also be available for any who would like more information on the Saint that came to Lowell.

Behind the Scenes

Many thanks to Angel Torres, our dedicated Maintenance man for completely refurbishing the Shrine’s first floor Ladies’ Room – from replacing the flooring to upgrading all the porcelain appliances in the room. All of this done at minimal cost – the only expense being the purchase of discounted materials.

In the coming weeks, he plans to do similar upgrades in the first floor Men’s Room.

Legion of Mary
at the Shrine

Meetings are held in the downstairs Conference Hall each week after the Sunday 12:00 noon Mass.

The Legion of Mary is a Marian movement founded in Ireland in the 1920’s. It is currently the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis’ May
Prayer Intention

We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.

Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Brazil

Four young Oblates from the Eastern U.S. arrived in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1945, after difficult travel in the immediate post-war period.  The Superior was Lowell native, Father Walter Mooney, OMI.  Beginning with ministry to the English-speaking colony of the area, they and succeeding U.S. Oblates were assigned to outlying priest-less districts and the desperately poor urban favela slums of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Belen in the Amazonian north.

Several Oblates were targeted by the authoritarian regime for imprisonment and even torture because of their championing the interest of the indigenous people and the poor of the city of Recife whom they served.

Joined the 1960’s and 1970’s by Oblate missionaries from the Central U.S., Canada, France, Belgium and Ireland and an increasing number of Brazilian Oblates, the Brazilian Province now numbers 65 priests, Brothers and seminarians in four districts.  They work to extend the Word and Work of the Gospel through pastoral ministry, social services, and the formation and support of Basic Christian communities throughout the vast country.

The vast favela slums of the cities where Oblates have lived and served.

On that Good Friday, standing at the foot of the Cross, you were led to understand your vocation to give yourself to the service of your Savior through the gift of your whole life as a priest.

 St. Eugene, guide us to the Savior in our time of need!

St. Joseph
Diligent Protector of Christ
Pray for us!

Litany of St. Joseph

Praying with the Stained Glass Windows of
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

Part I - The 100 Year+ Windows Series
Part II - The St. Joseph Windows

Self-Guided Tour
St. Joseph the Worker Shrine

View Twilight Stations of the Cross March 29

Ring the Bells of the Shrine

Everyday of the year, the “Bells of St. Joseph” ring-out God’s praise for all to hear!

Our Carillon can play Special Hymns of your choice any day of the year. At your request, our chimes will ring in honor of loved ones for the entire community to hear and prayerfully remember.Your offering of $20.00 will be greatly appreciated and will assist us in maintaining the Shrine and its ministries. Thank You!

Bell-ringing selections may be reserved for specific days & times throughout the year(s) in the Shrine Gift Shop/Bookstore.

St. Eugene de Mazenod’s Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother

 O Lord, Almighty God, you endowed the Blessed Virgin Mary with the fullness of every gift and grace. By allowing her heart to be pierced with the deepest sorrow, you crowned her merit and placed her at the head of countless legions of martyrs who, for love of your Son Jesus Christ, have shed their blood. Through the painful martyrdom endured by this gentle Mother seeing her beloved Son dying as a Victim because of his love for us, grant us the grace to bear with fortitude the disappointments and setbacks in our life, and not to fear torment or death itself, when we are called to confess our faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Click to Light a Candle 
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Click on the Image to view the prayer of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Archdiocesan COVID protocols lifted
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Confession

Mon - Friday
10:00 am - noon
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

Saturday 
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

First Wednesday of the month

Eucharistic Adoration

The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration on -

Saturday after the noon Mass until the 4:00 pm Mass
First Fridays after the noon Mass until the 5:30 pm Mass

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