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 23, 2026 

Stewardship Reflections for Bulletins

Palm Sunday
“As they were marching out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.” (MATTHEW 27:32) The Lord calls us to love God and to love our neighbor. Every day we are presented with opportunities to love our neighbor and help him “carry his cross.” These opportunities aren’t usually big events, they are usually ordinary occurrences like helping someone carry their groceries or holding the door open for them. The key is putting the other person’s needs before our own and not expecting anything in return.

Domingo de Ramos
“Al salir encontraron a un hombre de Cirene llamado Simón y lo obligaron a cargar la cruz de Jesús”. (MATEO 27: 32) El Señor nos llama a amar a Dios y a nuestro prójimo. Cada día se nos presentan oportunidades para amar a nuestro prójimo y ayudarlo a “cargar su cruz”. Esas oportunidades no son usualmente grandes eventos, son usualmente situaciones ordinarias como ayudar a alguien a llevar las compras o mantenerles la puerta abierta. La clave es poner las necesidades de los demás antes de las nuestras y no esperar nada a cambio.

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Vocations Reflections for Bulletins

Palm Sunday
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matthew 21:9) As we enter Holy Week, we honor Christ’s sacrifice. Priesthood, consecrated life, and holy matrimony mirror this self-giving love, offering one’s life for others. Could God be calling you to serve? Talk to your priest or reach out to the Vocation Office at (508) 630-4473 or via email: [email protected].

Domingo de Ramos
"¡Bendito el que viene en el nombre del Señor!" (Mateo 21:9) Al comenzar la Semana Santa, honramos el sacrificio de Cristo. El sacerdocio, la vida consagrada y el santo matrimonio reflejan este amor abnegado, ofreciendo la vida por los demás. ¿Podría Dios estar llamándote a servir? Habla con tu sacerdote o comunícate con la Oficina de Vocaciones al (508) 630-4473 o por correo electrónico: [email protected].Healing Service in Upton
On Thursday April 9 all are wlecome to a Healing Service and Mass at St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish -  Confessions at 5:30, Mass 6:00, Healing Service 7:00 pm with Fr. Larry Brault, Fr. Stephen Mullaney, and Maureen Capistran. Located at 151 Mendon St., Upton.  Visit straphaeloil.com/schedule/.

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Divine Mercy Sunday Notices

Clinton, Berlin and Lancaster
On Sunday, April 12, St. Joseph, the Good Provider, Immaculate Conception, and St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parishes invite you to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at St. John's Church, 80 Union St., Clinton. A Prayer Service will be held at 3:00 pm which includes: a brief talk on the Divine Mercy Devotion, Procession of the Divine Mercy Image, Eucharistic Adoration, Diary Readings, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Benediction, and Veneration of the Relics of St. Faustina. Confessions will be available at 2:00 pm, but to receive the great graces of this glorious Feast Day, it is important to go to confession before Divine Mercy Sunday. Please come join us in honoring the magnificent Mercy of God!

Gardner
Annunciation Parish invites you to join us for Divine Mercy Sunday devotions, April 12th at Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols St. in Gardner. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions will begin at 2 PM. Confessions will be available in multiple languages including English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. At 3 PM the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be prayed followed by Benediction. All are welcome to join us for a light reception after.

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Study "The  Acts of the Apostles" in Gardner
This Easter Season we invite you to join a Bible Study at Annunciation Parish exploring some of the key events in the Acts of the Apostles. Come and find out how Jesus’ Resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit shaped the lives of his apostles and the community that grew into the Church.  We will meet on Wednesday evenings beginning April 8  from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Parish Center at 142 Regan St in Gardner. Please use the ramp entrance at the rear of the building.  

TO: Parish Administration

Administrative Assistant Recognition
Save the Date! On Friday, April 17 we will hold  Administrative Assistant Recognition.  In honor of your years of service to your parish, school, and the Diocese of Worcester, school and parish administrative assistants are invited to St. Mary of the Hills Parish, for an 8:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus, followed by a breakfast buffet. Invitations are being mailed. A copy of the invitation is on the Commission's website:  worcesterdiocese.org/commission-for-women.     

The next Diocesan Dispatch will be published on Friday, March 27 to accomodate some early bulletin deadlines.

PAST DISPATCH NOTICES

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.

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.

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. 

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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"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.


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.

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].