On the weekend of December 12-13, parishioners and community members in the Diocese of Portland will have the opportunity to give to those who have given a lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! For many of us, this Thanksgiving is very different from the celebrations we have come to enjoy throughout our lives.

Through December 21, all are encouraged to check gifts off their Christmas shopping list by visiting the St. Michael School Christmas Fair, being presented virtually due to the pandemic, at https://sites.google.com/smsmaine.org/smschristmasfair.

The annual Catholic Campaign for Human Development Collection will be held at Maine churches this weekend (November 21-22). From this collection, 25% of the proceeds remain in Maine to support local efforts. The remaining 75% is distributed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to larger-scale projects at the national level for which Maine organizations that address the systemic root of poverty can apply.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), including Bishop Robert Deeley, will gather virtually for the 2020 Fall General Assembly on November 16-17. In August, after consultation with the Holy See, the bishops voted to approve the convocation of this year’s November meeting in a virtual format in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PORTLAND---During his homily at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday morning, Bishop Robert Deeley spoke to those in attendance and those participating in the Mass online about the McCarrick Report, released by the Vatican this week, and what it means to Catholics and the Church moving forward.

In accordance with Governor Mills’ guidelines, Catholic churches in Maine will temporarily allow a maximum of 50 persons in attendance for indoor daily and Sunday Masses, no later than Monday, November 16. The Maine CDC reported 204 new cases of COVID-19 on November 9, a new single-day record. Maine’s seven-day average for new cases is now 160.9, a leap from a month ago when it was just 31.9. On November 10, the CDC reported that Maine has the highest virus reproduction rate in the nation.