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To help support evangelization, Catholic schools, seminarians, and retired priests, the diocese now has a permanent, full-time director of major gifts, who started Sept. 2.

NORTHBRIDGE – Barbara E. (Greene) Lavallee, 88, of Emond Street, died Monday, Sept. 15 at Milford Regional Medical Center in Milford.

WORCESTER - It’s easy to spot the new St. Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School boys’ soccer coach during games. He’s the one wearing a cassock.

The theme of this year’s Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference is “I Thirst for the Salvation of Souls.” One of the five scheduled speakers is Noelle Mering who will give a talk titled, “Identity and Invitation: Let your life and home be a witness to a searching world.”

School projects, social media messages, relics, and a live viewing of the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica helped spread the word, especially about St. Carlo, the first millennial to be canonized.

What does it feel like to be 100? “It feels [like] a blessing,” Sister Jeanne replied. “I was born on Labor Day in 1925.” She said “it was a work of labor” for her mother, and every year on her birthday she looks at a picture of her mother and says, “Thank you for giving me life and that I can walk and don’t have to use a wheelchair.”

The 2025 Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference includes in the speakers lineup, Adam Janke, from St. Paul Street Evangelization.

“We live in this world where there’s a lot of technology,” Miss Van Hoosen said. It’s special getting a handwritten letter addressed to her from her pen pal – the only person she communicates with that way. “It reminds me to slow down and enjoy,” she said. “I don’t need everything that instantly.” It reminds her to “be happy with the little things.”

For the first time since St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School and Holy Name Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School merged and formed St. Paul on the former Holy Name campus in the fall of 2020, championship banners from the two merged schools will adorn the gym walls.

Father Matthew Norwood, of the Boston Archdiocese, is to speak at this year’s Worcester Catholic Women’s Conference, Sept. 27 at St. Joseph School, Webster.

“For the kids, this is just an opportunity for them to meet some other friends,” she said, “and to socialize with other families who care about the faith and want to instill that, and care about growing in virtue. For the parents, it’s meeting other moms and getting to ask questions like, ‘What are you doing for this curriculum?’ or ‘How did you manage this?’ and to grow and support each other in our homeschooling journey.”

Educators and students might well use artificial intelligence as they return to school this year. But here’s a question for “extra credit”: How can they use it well? AI, as it is sometimes called, has both potential and pitfalls, according to David Perda, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Worcester diocese.

WORCESTER – Bishop McManus blessed a newly created chapel in the old St. Stephen school building Aug. 21, and expressed appreciation that religious items from elsewhere were used for it.

About 30 people ranging in age from about 6 to 60 took part in the hike Aug. 23. They had originally planned to celebrate Mass at the top of the mountain, but Father Luke A. Johnson, associate pastor of the Annunciation Parish in Gardner, found a better spot off the Semuhenna Trail about halfway up that wasn’t as crowded and busy as the top, but still provided a great view of the valley.

WORCESTER – John D. Kelleher had been in Korea just five days when he was wounded in battle and subsequently died. Seventy-five years later, dozens of people – including Bishop McManus, Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, vicar general and pastor of Christ the King Parish, and military and political leaders – gathered with his family for the dedication of a monument on the street where he grew up.

Father Richard A. Fortin, 91, passed away peacefully in Notre Dame Long Term Care Center on Friday, Aug. 22 after a period of declining health.

A Jesuit-trained team will offer the 30-week prayer experience held in the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola in the St. Peter Church lower hall from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from Sept. 30 through May 5.

When John Kottori realized that his daughter and other girls in Webster had no opportunity to play organized basketball in town, he bounced into action.

WORCESTER – From Mass, to eucharistic adoration, to Marian devotion, to an evangelization table and religious items for sale, the Italian Festival of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Loreto Parish was focused on faith – and brought the parish community and others together for a weekend also filled with family, food, fun and fundraising for the parish.