Happy Easter from St. Francis Xavier Parish!
I apologize that I was not able to send out this newsletter last week. As you can imagine, the days of Holy Week are very full in the life of a parish. I am grateful for your patience and understanding.
A blessed and joyful Easter to all of you. It was a great joy to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord together at St. Francis Xavier.
Although Easter Sunday has passed, the Church continues to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection for fifty days during the Easter season. This is the most joyful season of the Church year, and it is meant to be lived not as a single day but as a whole season of renewed faith, hope, and gratitude for the victory of Christ over sin and death.
Check out this great video about the Resurrection from Bishop Barron:
A blessed and joyful Easter to all of you. It was a great joy to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord together at St. Francis Xavier.
Although Easter Sunday has passed, the Church continues to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection for fifty days during the Easter season. This is the most joyful season of the Church year, and it is meant to be lived not as a single day but as a whole season of renewed faith, hope, and gratitude for the victory of Christ over sin and death.
Check out this great video about the Resurrection from Bishop Barron:
Holy Week at St. Francis Xavier
Tenebrae on Wednesday
Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday
Good Friday
This year’s Holy Week and Triduum were a beautiful celebration. Thank you to all who attended the liturgies and prayed with our parish community during these sacred days.
I am deeply grateful to the many people who helped prepare our church and liturgies for these celebrations. In a particular way I thank our decorators, especially Mrs. Louise Hebert, for the many hours she devoted to preparing the church so beautifully. I am also grateful to our altar servers and sacristans, to Jono Babbitt for providing the music throughout the Triduum, and to our two seminarians, Lucas DaCosta and Noah Pollard, for their generous help and presence in the parish.
I am deeply grateful to the many people who helped prepare our church and liturgies for these celebrations. In a particular way I thank our decorators, especially Mrs. Louise Hebert, for the many hours she devoted to preparing the church so beautifully. I am also grateful to our altar servers and sacristans, to Jono Babbitt for providing the music throughout the Triduum, and to our two seminarians, Lucas DaCosta and Noah Pollard, for their generous help and presence in the parish.
Please also join me in congratulating the five individuals who were received into the Church or completed their Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Their “yes” to the Lord is a great blessing for our parish and a beautiful reminder that the Church continues to grow as new members discover the joy of the Gospel.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Greg Hurst (pictured on the right above), their catechist, who has journeyed with them over these past several months in preparation for receiving these sacraments.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Greg Hurst (pictured on the right above), their catechist, who has journeyed with them over these past several months in preparation for receiving these sacraments.
This Week at St. Francis Xavier School
Our students enjoyed a very nice break from school for Good Friday and Easter Monday, giving them the opportunity to spend time with their families and celebrate the sacred days of the Triduum and Easter. Before leaving for the break, the school community gathered to pray the Stations of the Cross together, helping our students reflect on the Passion of the Lord as we entered into the holiest days of the Church year.
When we returned from the break, we were also blessed to welcome our Maronite sister friends into the school on Tuesday. They visited our classrooms and helped our students reflect more on the meaning of Jesus’ death and Resurrection, why these events are so important for us today, and how through them Christ brings us the gift of salvation.
When we returned from the break, we were also blessed to welcome our Maronite sister friends into the school on Tuesday. They visited our classrooms and helped our students reflect more on the meaning of Jesus’ death and Resurrection, why these events are so important for us today, and how through them Christ brings us the gift of salvation.
We are also very excited for our first annual St. Francis Xavier School 5K Brew Run, which will take place tomorrow morning. Please pray for good weather and for a successful event as we look forward to welcoming many people to our campus. Events like this are a wonderful opportunity to highlight our school community and introduce many in the wider community to the mission of St. Francis Xavier School.
The race will begin at 11:00am, and we already have more than 300 individuals registered, which is very encouraging for our first year. Registration opens at 8:45am. If you are planning to participate in the race or walk, please note that there will be no parking at the school, and all parking will be available at Pope Park and at the church.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Nadeau and Mrs. Rogers for the tremendous amount of work they have put into organizing this event. I am also very grateful to the many parents and parishioners who have volunteered their time to help make this event possible. We are very excited for what promises to be a great day for our school community.
The race will begin at 11:00am, and we already have more than 300 individuals registered, which is very encouraging for our first year. Registration opens at 8:45am. If you are planning to participate in the race or walk, please note that there will be no parking at the school, and all parking will be available at Pope Park and at the church.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Nadeau and Mrs. Rogers for the tremendous amount of work they have put into organizing this event. I am also very grateful to the many parents and parishioners who have volunteered their time to help make this event possible. We are very excited for what promises to be a great day for our school community.
Divine Mercy Sunday This Weekend
This Sunday the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday, the feast that falls on the Sunday after Easter. In the 1930s, our Lord revealed to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska his desire that the Church celebrate this special feast dedicated to the mercy of God. Pope St. John Paul II formally established Divine Mercy Sunday for the whole Church at the canonization of St. Faustina in the year 2000.
We will be observing this feast here at SFX this Sunday afternoon. Confessions will be available from 2:00pm to 2:45pm, followed by a Holy Hour at 3:00pm which will include praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All parishioners are invited to come and spend this time in prayer, reflecting on the great mercy of God revealed to us through the Resurrection of Jesus.
On Divine Mercy Sunday the Church also offers the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence. To obtain the indulgence, the faithful should receive Holy Communion, make a sacramental confession, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and take part in prayers honoring Divine Mercy, such as the Chaplet. It is not necessary to go to confession on the day itself; confession may be made within several days before or after the feast, provided one approaches the sacrament with sincere repentance and a desire to be free from all attachment to sin.
We will be observing this feast here at SFX this Sunday afternoon. Confessions will be available from 2:00pm to 2:45pm, followed by a Holy Hour at 3:00pm which will include praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All parishioners are invited to come and spend this time in prayer, reflecting on the great mercy of God revealed to us through the Resurrection of Jesus.
On Divine Mercy Sunday the Church also offers the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence. To obtain the indulgence, the faithful should receive Holy Communion, make a sacramental confession, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and take part in prayers honoring Divine Mercy, such as the Chaplet. It is not necessary to go to confession on the day itself; confession may be made within several days before or after the feast, provided one approaches the sacrament with sincere repentance and a desire to be free from all attachment to sin.
Women of Grace Book Study Starting Next Week
*Please read first two chapters before first meeting
Questions? Email amyplante122@gmail.com
Men's Night This Thursday 4/16
Sacrament of Confirmation this Week
This Thursday evening, April 16 at 6:00pm, our parish will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation here at SFX. Please keep the 22 young men and women who will be receiving this sacrament in your prayers during these final days of preparation.
This year we will be celebrating Confirmation together with students from St. Lawrence and Holy Name of the Sacred Heart parishes in New Bedford. We are grateful to partner with Fr. Kevin Cook and their parish communities as we come together for this important moment in the lives of these young people.
It will also be a special joy to celebrate the sacrament in our newly renovated church. Although Bishop da Cunha had hoped to be with us, he unfortunately has another commitment that evening. In his place, the Vicar General of the Diocese, Fr. David Frederici, will celebrate the Mass and confer the sacrament. We look forward to welcoming him to our parish.
This year we will be celebrating Confirmation together with students from St. Lawrence and Holy Name of the Sacred Heart parishes in New Bedford. We are grateful to partner with Fr. Kevin Cook and their parish communities as we come together for this important moment in the lives of these young people.
It will also be a special joy to celebrate the sacrament in our newly renovated church. Although Bishop da Cunha had hoped to be with us, he unfortunately has another commitment that evening. In his place, the Vicar General of the Diocese, Fr. David Frederici, will celebrate the Mass and confer the sacrament. We look forward to welcoming him to our parish.
All parishioners are welcome to join us for the Mass. If you are able, please consider coming to pray for these young people as they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Phil Martin, our DRE, for coordinating the program and guiding the students throughout the year. I am also grateful to their catechists, Louise Hebert and Bob Mullin, for the time and care they have given in preparing these young men and women for this important step in their faith.
Please continue to keep our confirmandi in your prayers.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Phil Martin, our DRE, for coordinating the program and guiding the students throughout the year. I am also grateful to their catechists, Louise Hebert and Bob Mullin, for the time and care they have given in preparing these young men and women for this important step in their faith.
Please continue to keep our confirmandi in your prayers.
Save the Date: Spring Fling Dinner Dance
The Parish Events Committee is planning a Spring Fling Dinner Dance on Friday, May 15 at the Knights of Columbus in Mattapoisett. Please save the date and plan to join us for what promises to be a fun evening together as a parish community. More details will be shared soon.
A Homily for this Sunday from Fr. Mike Schmitz
Save the Date: St. Vincent de Paul Pop-Up Fundraiser
On Saturday, April 25, members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be holding a pop-up fundraiser in the church parking lot. Parishioners will have the opportunity that morning to support their work by donating cash, checks, or gift cards, which will go directly toward helping those in need in our local community.
Thank you for your continued generosity in supporting the important work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Thank you for your continued generosity in supporting the important work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
In your kindness, please pray for the repose of the soul's of the following individuals:
Helen O. Mello, 98, of Acushnet, passed on March 28, 2026, at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth, MA. Mass of Christian Burial was held on April 7th at 10am at St. Frances Xavier Parish.
Helen O. Mello, 98, of Acushnet, passed on March 28, 2026, at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth, MA. Mass of Christian Burial was held on April 7th at 10am at St. Frances Xavier Parish.
Holy One of the Week
Servant of God Clare Crockett, SHM
(14 November 1982 – 16 April 2016)
New Tile Scene Blessed
At the 8:00am Mass on Easter Sunday, we blessed and dedicated the newly installed tile scene located near the baptismal font. This project has been in the works for several months following the completion of the church renovation as a way to fill the wall space in that area of the church.
You will remember that the organ stood in that location before the renovation. That niche originally contained a confessional until the space was later converted into the bathroom that is behind that wall. During the COVID pandemic, Fr. Williams installed the woodwork that now frames the area so that it would match the confessional on the opposite side of the church, a project he completed with the help of several parishioners. Fr. Williams shared with me when I arrived that it was always his hope to eventually move the baptismal font to this location so that on either side of the church there would be a visible reminder of the sacraments of regeneration: Holy Baptism and the Sacrament of Confession.
As we considered how best to adorn that wall, we looked to a tradition that is very common in churches in Portugal, where baptismal areas are often decorated with tile scenes depicting the Baptism of the Lord. This particular tile scene was created by one of the few remaining hand painting tile workshops in the Azores, on the island of São Miguel.
I would also like to express my gratitude to a very talented parishioner who generously donated his time and skill to install the tile scene and build the custom frame that now surrounds it.
The tile was generously donated by Mr. & Mrs. José & Alzira Castelo, and the baptismal area is now dedicated to their family and loved ones. We are deeply grateful for this beautiful gift to our parish.
The baptismal font itself is one that was brought from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in New Bedford. One parishioner recently shared with me that he himself was baptized in that very font many years ago. It is moving to think that this font will continue to be the place where many more generations of Catholics are baptized and welcomed into the life of Christ and his Church.
May all who are baptized here in the years to come be richly blessed, and may they always grow in the grace of their baptism as faithful children of God.
You will remember that the organ stood in that location before the renovation. That niche originally contained a confessional until the space was later converted into the bathroom that is behind that wall. During the COVID pandemic, Fr. Williams installed the woodwork that now frames the area so that it would match the confessional on the opposite side of the church, a project he completed with the help of several parishioners. Fr. Williams shared with me when I arrived that it was always his hope to eventually move the baptismal font to this location so that on either side of the church there would be a visible reminder of the sacraments of regeneration: Holy Baptism and the Sacrament of Confession.
As we considered how best to adorn that wall, we looked to a tradition that is very common in churches in Portugal, where baptismal areas are often decorated with tile scenes depicting the Baptism of the Lord. This particular tile scene was created by one of the few remaining hand painting tile workshops in the Azores, on the island of São Miguel.
I would also like to express my gratitude to a very talented parishioner who generously donated his time and skill to install the tile scene and build the custom frame that now surrounds it.
The tile was generously donated by Mr. & Mrs. José & Alzira Castelo, and the baptismal area is now dedicated to their family and loved ones. We are deeply grateful for this beautiful gift to our parish.
The baptismal font itself is one that was brought from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in New Bedford. One parishioner recently shared with me that he himself was baptized in that very font many years ago. It is moving to think that this font will continue to be the place where many more generations of Catholics are baptized and welcomed into the life of Christ and his Church.
May all who are baptized here in the years to come be richly blessed, and may they always grow in the grace of their baptism as faithful children of God.
New Votive Candle Racks
As you can see above, two new votive candle racks have been installed at the back of the church as of Easter. I actually ordered these way back in August, but it took several months for the manufacturer to complete them and have them delivered.
I am grateful to the generous donors who made these possible. One rack was given by the Bernardo family in loving memory of Victoria Lynn Varieur, and the other was donated by Mr. and Mrs. John Charbonneau in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Charbonneau, as noted in the program booklet for the reopening of the church.
These racks are located beside the statues of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Anthony of Padua, and parishioners are welcome to light candles there for their prayers and intentions.
I am grateful to the generous donors who made these possible. One rack was given by the Bernardo family in loving memory of Victoria Lynn Varieur, and the other was donated by Mr. and Mrs. John Charbonneau in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Charbonneau, as noted in the program booklet for the reopening of the church.
These racks are located beside the statues of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Anthony of Padua, and parishioners are welcome to light candles there for their prayers and intentions.
Eucharist Book Study Coming up at St. Anthony's, NB
St. Anthony of Padua Parish in NB will be hosting a parish reading of 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory beginning May 6 and concluding with a consecration on Corpus Christi, June 7. Anyone who has not yet made the consecration, or who would like to make it again in a group setting, is welcome to participate.
For more information or to sign up, please call the parish using the number on the flyer or contact Deb from SFX at arlenj@comcast.net
For more information or to sign up, please call the parish using the number on the flyer or contact Deb from SFX at arlenj@comcast.net
Mass Times
Sunday: 8:00 AM | 10:30 AM
Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
M, T, Th, F, S: 9:00 AM
Sunday: 8:00 AM | 10:30 AM
Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
M, T, Th, F, S: 9:00 AM
First Friday: 9:00 AM | 6:00 PM
Adoration Times
Monday-Friday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-7:30pm
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-7:30pm
Wednesday
6:30am-7:30pm
Saturday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-2:45pm
6:30am-7:30pm
Saturday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-2:45pm
Confession Times
Monday: 5:30–6:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30–10:00 AM | 3:00–3:45 PM
Monday: 5:30–6:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30–10:00 AM | 3:00–3:45 PM
First Friday: 6:45–7:15 PM
Anytime by Appointment
To add someone to this weekly newsletter, they can either text the word ACUSHNET to 84576 or sign up at sfxparish.flocknote.com.