Welcome to St. Dorothy and St. Thomas Churches!

Join us in the celebration of Word and Sacrament as we continue to grow in our Catholic faith and as a faith community. We welcome all to join us as we seek to follow Christ, to come alive in His Spirit, and to share His love with one another.

Parish Office: 11 Harnden St., Wilmington 978-658-4665
Faith Formation Office: 126 Middlesex Ave., Wilmington 978-658-6040

We'll be welcoming Fr. Walter Carreiro as our new pastor on March 1, 2022.

Cardinal Seán O'Malley has extended the mask mandate through March 3, 2022 which is the Thursday after ash Wednesday. All Masses, including weddings and funerals, require the wearing of masks. Masks will be available at both churches should you forget one. THANK YOU!

A NOTE FROM FR. COYNE

When I entered the Seminary (9/’65) the Second Vatican Council was just concluding but the changes wouldn’t be felt for a couple of years. I was one of 73 young men in my class. We were all 18-19 years old, and I would describe us as enthusiastic, naïve and apprehensive. I was an idealist but had no idea about the reality of what was ahead of me for the next 8 years of study. When I entered, I only knew one other young man in my class because he was also from my parish. We were not encouraged to make friends or get too attached to other students. They would be called particular friendships (PF’s). We did have time for sports and socializing called violent recreation and non-violent recreation respectively. We also had study hall in the library where we studied in a monitored environment. After 2 years in the “minor seminary”, we moved on to the major seminary in Brighton. In that short time the changes brought about by the Vatican Council started to take effect and the training was less strict and more open to facing reality. Obviously, I had made friends among my classmates, but unfortunately, we lost a lot of classmates who left the Seminary either by their own choice or they were asked to leave. There were actually 23 of us ordained priests in 1973.

Despite the restrictions in those early years, I became very good friends with some of the guys in my class and those ahead of me and behind me in the seminary. One of my best friends was from Dorchester. We spent a lot of time together at the seminary and when we were home for holidays or summer vacation. During those years as the seminary “opened up” we were allowed to leave the grounds and some of us would go out to bars or clubs. This was the late 60’s early 70’s, a very exciting and challenging time in the country and the Church. I remember on some of those occasions when we were out socializing and ready to return to the seminary, my friend would not return with us but would take off on his own. I had no idea where he went and never asked him. I guess I figured he had other plans that didn’t include us.

Fast forward to May 1973 and we were both ordained at the Cathedral and received our first “assignments”. We were only stationed a few miles from each other. I got very invested in parish life and we continued to get together. Once a year a few of us would take a trip to New York and see a play.

My friend was a very outgoing personality with a great sense of humor. We got to know each other’s families and visited often at each other’s home. I enjoyed the Irish music at his home, and he enjoyed the Italian meals at mine. After 5 years he left the priesthood and got a job as a social worker. He got an apartment in the South End, and we continued our friendship. He was a gay man and felt hypocritical. He loved ministry but also knew that his sexual orientation made him feel very conflicted. He obviously had been struggling with the conflict between his vocation and his orientation throughout his life. I was really blessed to be invited into his world as he shared his journey with me.

In the late 80’s he was diagnosed as HIV positive which led to full flown AIDS. I had the privilege of accompanying him and his family through the process of his illness. As I picture him in my mind, it puts a smile of my face. He was brought up Catholic and loved the Church. He was a faith filled man who believed in God’s unconditional love for him. He made the world a better place. He died in 1993 and I had the honor of celebrating and preaching at his funeral.

So many wonderful people come in and out of our lives and every one of them has an impact.

World AIDS day is commemorated on 12/1 each year, so it may be a little late but I now pay tribute to the vibrant, animated teenager I met 57 years ago and to so many others who sought to understand love in their lives and who died in the pursuit.

Enjoy Life!
Fr. Ron Coyne

CATHOLIC TV DAILY AND SUNDAY MASS

Cardinal Seán encourages Catholics to participate in the daily and Sunday Masses broadcast from the CatholicTV chapel.

Daily Mass airs live at 9:30am and is rebroadcast at 7pm and 11:30pm.

Sunday Masses air throughout the day at 10am, 4pm, 7pm, and 11:30pm.

The Sunday Spanish Mass airs live at 8am and is rebroadcast at 5:30pm and 10pm.

Viewers can watch these Masses on demand at any time at www.WatchtheMass.com. For more information about CatholicTV and where you can watch it, visit http://www.catholictv.org/.

FINANCIAL REPORT 2018-2019

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