St. Anne and St. Patrick Parish in Fiskdale has surpassed its Partners in Charity fundraising goal, and Julie Glavin, the parish business manager, hopes that inspires other parishes to do the same.

After Isaac Cross graduated from Thomas Aquinas College in California in 2019, the Leominster resident helped his alma mater start a satellite campus in Northfield.

In 2023, Partners in Charity paid $632,535 for seminarians education.

When people donate to Partners in Charity’s annual appeal, they realize that they’re supporting thousands of families and individuals in more than 25 charitable, educational and pastoral ministries in the Worcester Diocese.

Partners in Charity is at 86 percent of its goal of $5 million. Each year, Partners raises funds to support thousands of families and individuals in more than 25 charitable, educational and pastoral ministries in the Diocese of Worcester.

BOYLSTON – Partners in Charity helps children attend Catholic school, struggling families get support, and young people renew and share their faith. It’s a way for people to “be the face of Christ” to others – to evangelize. Those reminders were shared at the annual appeal’s kickoff Feb. 16 at St. Mary of the Hills Parish.

The skyrocketing cost of utility bills shocks everyone, but imagine not being able to afford to pay them or having to choose between paying for heating fuel or food. This winter, the Diocese of Worcester dedicated $54,000 in Partners in Charity funds to help pay utility bills for those in need.

Bishop McManus has expressed his gratitude for the support given to this year’s Partners in Charity appeal, which officially concluded on Aug. 31, reaching 95 percent of its $5 million goal.

James Brasco comes to be the new director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Worcester after serving as director of sales and marketing for the 25 cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Boston.

Most Catholics are aware of the words of Jesus, found in Matthew 25:39-41, that teach us to treat even the most vulnerable people as if they were him. Fewer Catholics are aware of the words of Pope Francis when he spoke at the 2019 “Yes to Life: Taking Care of the Precious Gift of Life in its Frailty,” conference at the Vatican. “No human being can ever be unfit for life, whether due to age, state of health or quality of existence,” the pope said.

Priests living at Southgate at Shrewsbury are retired, but “we’re still priests,” says one of them, Father Charles J. Dumphy. Despite physical limitations, he takes part in Mass there and takes his turn being available to hear fellow residents’ confessions.

Timothy Messenger, 33, spent his youth and young adult life immersed in Catholic ministry.    “In high school, I had a really positive experience with the youth ministries in my parish and different retreats and youth programs that I think helped shape, not just my job choice, but really shaped my vocational calling and wanting to be a practicing Catholic,” he said.  

BY RAYMOND L. DELISLE | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS 22 parishes are kicking off their parish appeals for Partners in Charity this month. Why just 22? “Last year we tried a phased-in approach so we could work more closely with each parish,” said Michael P. Gillespie, director of the Office of Stewardship and Development, which oversees the annual appeal.

BY BILL DOYLE | CFP CORRESPONDENT Seminarian Peter Bui believes he was destined to become a priest even before he was born. “You can call it destiny or God’s providence,” he said from Theological College, the national seminary of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

BY BILL DOYLE | CFP CORRESPONDENT Since 1847, St. John’s Cemetery has served the community as a final resting place in the Diocese of Worcester. “We’re here to assist families in time of need,” said Michele McCarthy, office manager of the diocesan cemetery system