Last Saturday, I was happy to celebrate the confirmation of another group of local college and university students, here at the cathedral. Ordinarily, we would hold one Mass for all the university students together, but this year we divided them into smaller groups.

We were accompanied at the Mass by Regis College chaplain Father Paul Kilroy; Northeastern University chaplain Father Paul Helfrich; and Father Eric Cadin, who coordinates Campus Ministry for the archdiocese.

Campus ministry is a very important ministry in Boston, which is a center of academia. We have about 70 colleges and universities within the archdiocese. So, we are very grateful to all of those who serve in this important mission -- priests, deacons, religious, and laypeople, particularly our FOCUS missionaries.

Healing Mass

Later that day, we held our annual Healing Mass for Survivors of abuse. Typically, we would hold it at the Pastoral Center, but this year it was held at the cathedral, which also allowed it to be live-streamed. Many people joined us online, including several who have moved away from the Boston area but have still maintained a relationship with our Office of Pastoral Support and Outreach, headed by Vivian Soper.

Of course, I very much missed being able to have the social time that we usually have after the Mass, but we look forward to the time when we can have this gathering with the survivors and their families once again.

Mass at St. Michael Parish

On Sunday, I celebrated Mass at St. Michael Parish in North Andover. St. Michael's is such a vibrant parish, and the pastor, Father Kevin Deeley, is doing a wonderful job there.

I was so pleased to see so many join us in person for the Mass. It was also live-streamed, so many more were able to join us from home.

Planning session

On Monday, I participated in a planning session for our annual Celebration of the Priesthood Dinner with some of our benefactors and with Tom and Patricia O'Brien, who are this year's dinner chairs. The celebration is planned for Sept. 21, and I look forward to being able to share more details about it with you in the coming weeks.

We are grateful to all those who have worked so hard to put together this event, which celebrates our priests and is an important source of support for our Clergy Trust. It is all the more important this year because the Christmas and Easter collections that support the Clergy Trust were lower than normal because of limited Mass attendance due to the pandemic. So, I urge all of you to mark Sept. 21 on your calendar and plan to join us for this wonderful event to celebrate and support our priests.

Virtual pilgrimage Mass

On Tuesday, the Order of Malta asked me to celebrate a virtual pilgrimage Mass for them.

This is the time of year when our local members of the Order of Malta would take the sick on pilgrimage to Lourdes. The pilgrimage will once again be held virtually this year, and I was very happy to join them as they begin this very special experience.