Pastor's Corner

In 1984, as the Catholic community in Duxbury continued to grow, it became more obvious that our parish needed a larger and more adequate space to gather for Masses and parish activities. And so, with the leadership of the pastor at the time, Msgr. William Glynn, the Archdiocese of Boston approved the purchase of over 11 acres of land as the site of a new Holy Family Church, which was to replace the much smaller church building on St. George Street – now part of the Duxbury campus of the South Shore Conservatory.

This weekend, our parish celebrates International Widows Day, traditionally celebrated on June 23rd, a day dedicated to becoming more aware of and responsive to the hardships that widows face when their husbands die. In support of these women, we invite the widows of our community to obtain a "flower of hope" as they exit the front door of church. From the earliest times, God has encouraged special solicitude for the needs of widows and orphans. Their unique circumstances make them very vulnerable and, consequently, call for people’s particular care and attention.

I was informed recently of an event that will take place at the Duxbury Free Library on Saturday, June 25 (4 – 5 pm), which is eliciting some alarm and questions from parishioners about the Catholic Church’s position on such events. It’s a Drag Queen Story Hour, and is described this way on the DQSH website: “DQSH is just what it sounds like—drag queens reading stories to children in libraries, schools, and bookstores. DQSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where people can present as they wish, where dress up is real.”READ MORE

Let’s look together at what we’re dealing with in this moment in history. Most recently, we’ve been shocked by the prevalence of unprecedented violence with mass shootings of innocent people happening around our country and the frustrating political gridlock hampering needed reform. Then, there’s the ongoing horrific war in Ukraine with the unbelievable injustice being perpetrated on an innocent people as one sovereign nation’s despot seeks to annex a weaker sovereign nation – all with a backdrop of potential escalation into a world war.

Many of our young people are graduating from either high school or college this spring. It’s filled with many emotions. There’s satisfaction in having accomplished one’s goal and achieved success. There’s gratitude for the many people who have been a support along the way, people who have helped in the learning and growth process – teachers, coaches, parents among others. There’s some sadness at leaving the familiar surroundings, the friends made at school, and the extracurricular activities enjoyed these past few years. There’s the excitement at the prospect of new beginnings and opportunities ahead. And, there’s some anxiety over the uncertainty of what it will be like and how things will turn out. Change is not easy. Still, it is a natural part of every stage in life.

This Monday is Memorial Day, a holiday on which we remember in a special way all of the men and women who served in the armed forces and sacrificed their lives protecting our country and its freedoms. It was originally a day to remember the lives lost in the Civil War, but it was eventually broadened to encompass all wars and armed conflicts. Sadly, there have been many of them over the course of our nation’s history.

A recent news report explored reasons why, to date, there is such a large difference in the number of deaths due to Covid between the United States and Australia. Tragically, the U.S just marked 1 million deaths. However, Australia’s death rate for the same period is one-tenth of America’s. The report acknowledged that differences in geography and other factors unique to each country could account for some insignificant differences in outcomes. However, one observation noted a more significant difference, that Australia’s approach to Covid, generally speaking, has been stricter. And, from many interviews, survey data, and scientific studies from around the world, one lifesaving trait surfaced among the Australian people from top level government to local hospitals: they trusted in the science and institutions, and especially in one another.

The recent leak of a draft of an opinion from the Supreme Court about overturning Roe v. Wade has engendered much consternation and outcry leading to rallies that support “women’s reproductive rights to choose.” It’s sad to note that this focus is solely on the woman without any acknowledgement of the human being growing within the woman’s body. I’ve noticed over the years, that there has been an increasing disregard for the unborn child from what was once an attitude that abortions should be “safe, legal and rare.” Now, there’s a more cavalier attitude of “my body – my choice” in all circumstances, which really denies the regrettable and heart-wrenching reality involved. It’s called “my baby” only when it’s wanted. It’s not surprising that such truth is being denied in a culture that now allows persons to twist reality to fit their own ends.

It was 34 years ago today, May 8, 1988, that our “new” church building on Tremont Street was dedicated. The Catholic community had outgrown the much smaller church on St. George Street, which was later sold and transformed into the Ellison Center for the Arts, a campus of the South Shore Conservatory. Our present church building has suited our needs well, accommodating the growth our Catholic community has experienced over the years.

Do you remember your First Holy Communion? Sadly, I have only vague recollections and they focus on the ice cream we children enjoyed in our parish school hall after the Mass. It’s an important and pivotal moment in the lives of our children, not merely a rite of passage as a cultural Catholic.