Two men are scheduled to be ordained this year — one to the priesthood and one to the transitional diaconate.

Burlington Bishop Christopher Coyne will ordain Deacon Robert Murphy a priest and seminarian Gregory Caldwell a deacon preparing for priesthood at a special Mass on Saturday, June 19, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral in Burlington.

The bishop will place his hands on the head of the candidate for priestly ordination, and through this Laying of Hands and the Prayer of Ordination, the Gift of the Holy Spirit for the priestly office will be conferred on the candidate for priesthood who will receive the stole and chasuble, signs of the office of the ministerial priesthood

Deacon Murphy graduated from Mount Anthony Union High School Bennington in 2013 then attended Providence College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2017. He first felt the calling to the priesthood in elementary school.

“I was open to the call and desired to do God’s will for my life,” he said. He chose to study for the Diocese of Burlington because it is his home Diocese, and he felt called to serve the people of Vermont. “There have been many great priests in Vermont who have inspired me in my discernment of the priesthood,” he said.

Caldwell, who graduated from Essex High School in 2008, earned a Master of Arts in Catholic philosophical studies from St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana. He was received into full communion with the Church in 2013.

He has said he hopes to bring to the priesthood an ability to “teach in a way that can reach people,” an ability to show people how to live their faith and the willingness to bring the sacraments to the people of the Diocese of Burlington.

Deacon Murphy advises men who are contemplating priesthood to focus on growing in holiness — especially through daily prayer — and striving to grow in virtue. “I believe that if they are open and seeking to do God’s will, God will lead them to their vocation and give them what they need to live it well,” he said. The ordination will be a special time for clergy to meet in a spirit of fraternity and camaraderie.

Due to the seating capacity restrictions, attendance at the Mass will be by invitation only to allow for the priests of the diocese, Robert and Greg’s family and friends, and members of their home parishes to attend. The Mass will be live-streamed at vermontcatholic.org/news/communication/tv-mass.

“The Bishop’s Annual Appeal supports the vocations office. Please consider giving a gift during In-Pew Weekend on June 12-13. To make a gift online or to learn more please visit: bishopsappealvt.org.”

We are preparing the first Pregnancy Medical Mobile Clinic in Vermont.
With the help of the Knights of Columbus and R.R. Charlebois we are halfway to our total financial need of $202,000 to outfit our ultrasound medical mobile clinic.

Would you help us reach our goal?
It will take approximately 6-12 months and an additional $74,000 to outfit the van to make it into a medical Mobile Clinic. Additionally, the proposed annual operating costs are budgeted at $65,000. Aspire Together invites you to be part of the team that is bringing this medical mobile clinic to completion.

Text-to-give (802) 277-7027
or donate online at aspire1.org

or checks can be mailed to:
Aspire Together
56 Colchester Ave.
Burlington, VT 05401

As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization all of our services are free of charge and donations are tax deductible.

LEARN MORE HERE >>

NORTH END FOOD PANTRY
Saturdays: 9-11am,
Sundays: 9-11am (bakery/produce items only)
Oddfellows and Rebekahs Lodge of Burlington
1416 North Ave (entrance is in the rear of the building)

Stop in if you need extra food support for yourself or your family.  we have canned food, bakery items, milk, produce, and health-related items on Saturdays.  On Sundays, we offer a “second helping” of bakery items and produce.

Donations may be dropped off at the pantry on Saturdays or Sundays between 8-11am.  If you prefer to have a donation picked up from you, please contact us to arrange this.  You may email us at tlfleury@aol.com or call us at 802.862.7300.  Please note that the telephone is answered only on Saturdays and Sundays between 8-11am.  In the case of a food emergency, please also contact us at that email address and/or telephone number.

*** The North End Food Pantry provides food for those who need it on an emergency basis.  The expectation is that visitors will take what they need while being mindful that our supply of food is low and the need for it among all our visitors is high.  To make sure there is enough food or everyone, we ask each visitor to take no more than two plastic grocery bags of food and to be careful not to take too many of the same item.  This two-bag limit does not include perishable food, and we can provide visitors with additional bags for these items.  Visitors to the pantry on a Saturday may return for a “second helping” of food the following day but please remember that only bakery and produce items are available on Sundays.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors for sexual assault and empower individuals to take steps to prevent it in their communities.

“Sexual violence is a sexual act committed against someone without that person’s freely given consent,” said Sharon Trani, a nurse practitioner and a marriage and family therapist with Vermont Catholic Charities Inc., adding that consent cannot be granted under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

There are many types of sexual violence including rape, incest, childhood sexual abuse, date/acquaintance rape, intimate partner violence, sexual harassment and sex trafficking.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sexual violence is common. More than one in four women and one in five men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. One in three female rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11 and 17 years old and one in eight reported that it occurred before age 10. Nearly one in four male rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11 and 17 years old and about one in four reported that it occurred before age 10. Nine percent of high school girls said they experienced sexual assault before graduation.

Catherine Ducasse was 19 when she was raped. “Through spiritual direction, prayers, adoration, retreats and the sacraments I have been able to persevere on my path of healing and wholeness,” said the parishioner of Christ the King-St. Anthony Parish in Burlington. “Every time I receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, I remind myself that I am strengthened through Jesus Christ, that He is my strength, my courage, my light and my hope, that He and I are united in suffering, and through Him I will find inner peace and freedom from that horrific event.”

She is a victim advocate and associate director for H.O.P.E WORKS (Healing, Outreach, Prevention, Empowerment) serving Chittenden County.

“Advocacy entails listening, supporting, showing empathy, educating and empowering survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones,” she said. “It is to be present to survivors and their stories and to remind her/him that ‘I believe you,’ ‘It’s not your fault,’ ‘I’m sorry this happened to you” and “You are not alone.’”

Her faith strengthens her advocacy work in various ways. Before she returns a crisis phone call, she prays that the Holy Spirit guide her. She reminds herself that she is sharing God’s love in a dark moment of a person’s life and that she can be a vessel for His hope and light. “I have often asked the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe in dire situations, and I surrender the survivors to be wrapped in Mary’s mantle and be in Her comfort and care,” she said. “I believe Our Lady of Guadalupe is an advocate for victims of sexual violence and praying to her and our Lord Jesus definitely strengthens me to be the person I need to be.”

She also asks for the intercession of other saints like St. Maria Gortetti, St. Joan of Arc, St. John Paul II and St. Padre Pio. “Spiritual direction, prayer, retreats and daily Masses are all part of my self-care routine to help me face the vicarious trauma I encounter in my daily advocacy work,” Ducasse said.

According to Tran, everyone plays a role in preventing sexual violence and establishing norms of respect, safety, equality and helping others. “Empowering women to resist violence and protect themselves … is a positive and sensible part of sexual violence prevention, and there is a long history behind these kinds of approaches,” she said. “However, women-focused approaches used in isolation for prevention not only deflect responsibility from potential perpetrators but also represent only a partial solution. We can have a greater effect through combined efforts that also focus on potential perpetrators, bystanders and broader community-level influences.”

For more information, contact Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence at rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline or call the Office on Women’s Health Helpline at 1-800-994-9662.

“If you or a loved one needs help after sexual violence or are in an abusive relationship know that you are not alone,” Ducasse said. “You can reach out to speak to an advocate and they can assist you in making a safety and a healing plan.”

Reach H.O.P.E WORKS at 802-863-1236 for victims of sexual violence or Steps to End Domestic Violence at 802-658-1996 for domestic violence. “You can reach out to a trusted family member, friend, counselor or speak to clergy,” she added.

There are also options for safety and accountability such as filling for protective orders, reporting to police and going to the hospital. “It is important that survivors feel empowered to make their own decision after a traumatic event or if they are in an abusive relationship,” she said. “Advocates can educate and provide information on different options, but it’s ultimately the person’s decision on how and when they are going to proceed.”

To reach out to Ducasse directly, email catherine@hopeworksvt.org.

APRIL 14 @ 7PM ET via ZOOM
Tickets available for $15/ea per family – purchase online at https://vtchristianmusic.com
Facebook event – https://www.facebook.com/events/491153722049277

Not all artists’ work transcends sound to emotion but for artist/songwriter Lydia Laird, she doesn’t make music any other way. Her self-titled debut EP, releasing August 2020, will not only introduce listeners to Laird’s powerful vocals but also to her willingness to be in the dark places and find hope there with anthems that honestly address the pain in life along with the power of the Gospel.

Laird, who is number seven in a family of ten children, grew up in a Christian home in East Texas while also living in Romania as missionaries when she was young. She remembers becoming a Christian when she was just four years old and wrote her first song at nine as music became an outlet for her.

LYDIA LAIRD – https://www.lydialaird.com/

Food insecurity in Vermont has reached record levels during the Covid-19 pandemic with nearly 30 percent of Vermonters experiencing food insecurity since March, new University of Vermont research has found.

In this Year of St. Joseph, Burlington Bishop Christopher Coyne has announced a new coordinated effort to increase the Catholic Church’s capacity to feed the hungry in Vermont in response to the increasing need.

In the Diocese of Burlington, there are 68 parishes, most of which have formed a partnership with their local food shelf or operate their own pantry. “From operating their own food shelf, to partnering with local food shelves to hosting regular food drives, our Catholic community is already actively engaged in feeding the hungry,” he said. “I began this initiative to increase our efforts across our Diocese to meet the growing need for food in the community.”

Eileen O’Rourke, former executive director of human resources for the Diocese, volunteered to help launch this effort in collaboration with diocesan staff and the Vermont Foodbank to increase the Church’s capacity to feed the hungry by increasing volunteerism and food donations through local parish partnerships and foodbank initiatives throughout the state.

“The Vermont Foodbank is experiencing an unprecedented demand for food due to the pandemic,” she said. “They expressed a dire need for volunteers for several food distribution events that they host monthly and seasonally as well as in the local food shelves.”

The Vermont Foodbank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, providing nutritious food through a network of more than 300 community partners – food shelves, meal sites, senior centers, after-school programs, schools and hospitals. The Vermont Foodbank, a member of Feeding America, provides about 12 million pounds of food annually to people throughout Vermont.

“Throughout the year, the Foodbank hosts VeggieVanGo, gleaning and other food distribution events that are supported by our amazing network of volunteers,” said Kate Steward, volunteer manager for the Vermont Foodbank. “The Covid-19 pandemic has made it harder for many of our community members to access the food they need to thrive. In fact, Foodbank volunteers helped to distribute over 19 million pounds of food last year to Vermonters facing hunger — a dramatic rise from 2019. We’re grateful that members of the Diocese are willing to step forward and fight hunger by volunteering with the foodbank; it truly makes a difference in the lives of our neighbors.”

The St. Joseph the Provider Feed the Hungry Initiative is largely a communication effort to connect the Catholic community with organizations that feed the hungry and increase capacity.

“All our parishes are involved in multiple social ministries to help the most vulnerable among us. This initiative will harness the goodwill of the Catholic community to increase our capacity to ensure no one goes hungry by partnering with existing organizations and meeting the need,” Bishop Coyne said.

Parishes with Pantries

St. Charles, Bellows Falls

Sacred Heart-St. Francis de Sales, Bennington

St. Monica, Barre

St. Peter, Vergennes/St. Ambrose, Bristol

Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary-St. Louis, Swanton/Highgate

St. John the Baptist, North Bennington

St. Ann, Milton

Our Lady of the Lake, Grand Isle/Alburgh/South Hero/Isle la Motte

St. Michael, Brattleboro

Most Holy Trinity, Barton