The Diocesan DispatchPlease Cut & Paste items in your bulletin as appropriate to your parish.    
The Diocesan Dispatch is usually published on Monday mornings by 8 am via email. Submission must be received by the previous Friday for inclusion and should be at least 2 weeks before an event date in order to have an opportunity to be included in parish bulletins before your event. You can email submissions directly to [email protected].

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Have space available in your bulletin this week? Consider including one of the ongoing resources: Click HERE for ONGOING RESOURCES

For March 16, 2026 

Stewardship Reflections for Bulletins

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Vocations Reflections for Bulletins

Mass and Brunch in Gilbertville
St. Aloysius Parish, Gilbertville and St. Augustine Mission, Wheelwright will hold a Mass followed by a Brunch Social at Hardwick Crossing on Sunday April 12.  Mass 11:00am--Brunch 11:45am. Featuring Raffles & Entertainment with DJ Brian O’Malley. Tickets are $25.00 ea. Raffle items include: big screen TV, dinner for 6, sports items, theatre tickets, and other great items! For tickets call 508-413-6493 or email [email protected]. Hardwick Crossing is located at 262 Lower Rd., on route 32, Gilbertville. Last day to purchase tickets: Sunday, March 29.

TO: Parish Administration

If you need LARGE containers of Holy Oils ...
Orders for large (250 ml) Holy Oils are due by Friday, March 20. Please use the online form:  worcesterdiocese.org/holy-oils-online-order-form

Catholic Free Press Subscription List updates DUE
If you have not yet responded with updated subscription lists for the Catholic Free Press, please contact Judy at [email protected] or 508-929-4344. Details were in a Flocknote sent on Feb. 11 with the subject: "February Resources for Catholic Media month". Thank you to all the parishes which have sent updated lists!

PAST DISPATCH NOTICES

Cancer Support Rosary Group in Auburn
The Cancer Support Rosary Group is a gentle and welcoming space for individuals living with cancer to come together in faith, fellowship, and hope. It provides a prayerful community where no one walks alone, and where faith can be a source of courage, healing, and light. Gatherings will be facilitated by Carlene Sherbourne, a parishioner of North American Martyrs who brings both personal experience and deep faith to this ministry. It will meet weekly beginning Wednesday, March 18 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. and will be offered in a hybrid format: virtually via Zoom and in person at North American Martyrs Church, 8 Wyoma Drive, Auburn.  Please contact Carlene at 774-696-4812 or [email protected] for more information about the group or to register.

Annual Chowder Fest in Leominster
All are welcome to the Annual Chowder Fest on Friday, March 20 from 5:00-7:30 pm at St. Joseph’s Hall,  Our Lady of the Lake Parish, 1400 Main St.,
Leominster. Menu includes: clam, fish, and corn chowder, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, crackers, bread, water, soda, coffee, tea, and desserts. Tickets are Adults $10, Children 6-12 $5.  

Operation Carry the Cross
On June 6 at 9 am, local native Noah Hajdu will be carrying a life-size cross up Mount Wachusett. Father Derek Mobilio will offer Mass near the summit. If you would like to learn more how to sponsor his effort or join the hike, please check out worcestervocations.com/operation .  All proceeds support college campus ministry in the Diocese of Worcester. 

"Scout Sunday" Mass in Worcester
The Diocesan Scout Sunday Mass will take place Sunday, March 8 at 10:00 am, at Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant St., Worcester. All Catholic scouts, adult scouters and supporters of the scouting program are invited to participate.  An informal reception will take place after the Mass in the Phelan Center, where we will have information about the Catholic scouting program. All scouts and scouters who attend the mass will receive a special Scout Sunday patch at the reception!

End of Life Workshop in Northbridge
St. Peter Parish, Northbridge, will hold a special four-part series entitled “Follow Me: Glorifying God in Our Life and in Our Death” offering Catholic teaching on preparation for death, planning the funeral and estate planning. Workshops will be held in St. Peter Parish Hall on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm on March 10, March 24 and April 7. A Mass of Remembrance will be held in St. Peter Church on Tuesday, April 14 at 6:30 pm. Presentation include: March 10: Catholic Theology and Morality and End of Life Decisions with Msgr. Peter Beaulieu and Fr. Michael Lavallee; March 24: Praying for Our Deceased Loved Ones: Planning the Wake, Funeral and Burial with Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone and Gerald Jackman, Funeral Director; April 7: Giving Thanks to God for The Gift of Life: Estate Planning, Creating a Legacy of Love with Attorney Thomas Wickstrom of Wickstrom-Morse and Tina Marie Anderson, Diocese of Worcester; April 14: Mass of Remembrance and Question and Answer Session. All are welcome. For more information and to register for the workshops, please call the Parish Office at 508-234-2156 or email us at [email protected]. Located at  39 Church Ave.

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"40 hours with the Lord" in Gardner
All are welcome to join Annunciation Parish during our upcoming 40 Hours of Adoration at Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols St., Gardner, beginning  on Friday, March 20 at 4:30 pm and concluding on Sunday, March 22 with the the 8:30 am Mass. To learn more about the various devotions which will be held during our 40 hours or to sign up to be a guard for one hour of Adoration go to our parish website AnnunciationGardner.org or call Maura Sweeney at 978-632-0253 ext. 117.

"The Passion of Christ" to be shown in Worcester
The movie, ‘The Passion of the Christ’ will be shown on a large screen at the parish hall of Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant St., Worcester, on Friday,  March 27, at 7:15 pm. All are welcome. Admission is free. March 27 falls just before Palm Sunday and Holy Week. The movie depicts the suffering, quite graphically, of Jesus Christ in the last twelve hours of his life and is a meditation on the suffering He experienced for all men and women. It is recommended for mature teenagers and adults. The movie was distributed in 2004 and broke box office records at that time. It received three Academy Award nominations. A long-awaited two-part sequel, also produced by actor and director Mel Gibson, The Resurrection of Christ, is set to be distributed in 2027.

Save the Date for Visitation House Annual Dinner
On Saturday, April 18 from 5:30  - 9:00 pm. The Visitation House 2026 Annual Dinner will be held at the College of the Holy Cross Hogan Campus Center, Tickets are $120 per person (cash bar). The theme is "The House that Ruth Built" and will feature speakers Atty. Dwight Duncan, postulator for the Cause of Ruth Pakaluk and Meghan Tallarita, Exec. Director of the Ruth Pakaluk Foundation. Tickets can be purchase online at www.visitationhouse.org or call Rebecca at 508-798-8002.

Men's Prayer Group in Shrewsbury
Feeling isolated? Lacking connection? Looking for brotherhood? Cor is the answer! On the Second Mondays of the month, experience Christ-centered brotherhood at the Shrewsbury Cor Men's Prayer Group. Strengthen your faith and virtue, building bonds of friendship to become better men and disciples through prayer, formation, and fraternity. The next session, discussing repentance, will be on Monday, March 9, 7-8:30 PM at St. Anne Parish, Shrewsbury - Father Smith Center, large classroom.  

Bereavement Support Group
Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, 111 Worcester Street, West Boylston will hold its next six-part series of "A New Day" bereavement support group starting on Monday, March 9 from1-2:30 p.m. and ending April 13.  For more information or to register (required prior to start of sessions) call Renate Isbell (508) 835-3286.

Women's Lenten Morning of Reflection in Worcester
The Guild of Our Lady of Providence will hold its spring Morning of Reflection on Saturday, March 21 from 9:00 am to Noon at the Phelan Center, Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant Street, Worcester. Sister Ginny Scally, SNDdeN will present "The Gift of Mary to Us." To make a reservation, send your name, address, and phone number to Patricia Matthews, 144 Moreland Street, Worcester, MA 01609 by March 14. Please include a check for $10 made out to the Guild of Our Lady of Providence.

Benefit Dinner/Show in Worcester
St. John's Social Committee is sponsoring a Dinner Show with a tribute to Neil Diamond & Patsy Cline on Sunday, March 22. Dinner will be served at 1:30 pm, showtime 2:30 pm at the St. Francis Xavier Center, 20 Temple St., Worcester. ( a catered family-style dinner, soup, garden salad, Italian dressing, roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, ziti w/meat sauce, rolls & butter, dessert, coffee & tea.)  All proceeds will benefit St. John’s Food for the Poor.  Show & dinner $35,00 per person, plus raffles & 50/50.  Dinner show tickets will be on sale after Masses or by calling Judy Burke 508-478-9813. There are limited tickets, so get them early.



Special Religious Development for Adults
Adult SPRED (SPecial REligious Development) is now meeting the first Sunday of the month (except April 2nd) at 12:30 PM during the school year. This is for intellectually challenged adults 22 years of age and older. Location is Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Hall, 11 Day Street, Webster.  Please contact Linda at [email protected] for further details  

BEWARE of Email Scams that appear to come from the parish
All too often, email scams are appearing that use the pastor's name or a parish staff name asking for gift cards or donations of some sort. BE VIGILANT and delete these. If you look closely they often use an email address that appears to be very close to the real email address of the pastor or some staff person, but is not real. Know that our parish will only seek donations through normal, announced requests, not an individual email looking for donations to be personally sent to someone. When in doubt, DELETE. Don't even open them.

Save the Date: 2026 Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference 
“Be Not Afraid” - The 25th Annual Catholic Men’s Conference will be held on Saturday, March 21 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester.  Adult Tickets are just $60 (through March 11) and Student Tickets are always $30. All tickets include lunch. For ticket sales or for more information regarding this years conference & speakers, please visit our website at: catholicmenworc.com.

Volunteer Opportunity

Divine Mercy Ministry to Seniors
Volunteers are needed to spread Jesus’ message of Divine Mercy to seniors in local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As a volunteer prayer group leader, you would lead a weekly 30-minute Divine Mercy prayer group using a simple prepared model of readings, prayers, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. If you feel that the Lord is calling you to this ministry of mercy, please contact Mary Higgins (413) 552-7231 or email Mary at: [email protected].