Community
Despite Fall River Romeiros being cancelled, Father Jay Mello leads small group on pilgrimage
Despite Romeiros being canceled and a few snowflakes, it didn’t stop a small group from making the pilgrimage across Fall River this year.
Each year about 350-400 people participate in a Good Friday Azorean tradition of walking from church to church in the city. Catholics walk from village to village throughout the island praying for God’s protection at each church.
This year, because of COVID-19, the tradition in Fall River was canceled to avoid large crowds. Because Good Friday devotions had been suspended, it gave the opportunity for a Fall River priest to do something he has always wanted to do.
Father Jay Mello, who is a priest at St. Joseph and St. Michael churches in the city, jumped at the chance to visit each church in the city of Fall River, 12 in total, praying for the health, safety and protection of the people of Fall River and throughout the world.
“It is something that I have wanted to do since I became a pastor here in Fall River in 2015, but because of the services and devotions on Good Friday, I’ve never been able to. This year, with everything suspended, I was able to do it this year.”
A parishioner called Father Jay and asked him if he would walk with him and a few others while maintaining social distancing.
It gave Father the perfect opportunity to make the journey.
“We started at 8:00 a.m. and got back around 12:30 p.m.”
While on his trek, Father Mello carried a backpack with all of the intentions that people have been sending him the past few weeks.
“27,000 steps, 12 churches, 14 rosaries, 4 1/2 hours, a few snowflakes. A truly blessed day!”
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Donna
April 10, 2020 at 7:50 pm
thanks for the rosaries and other prayers…Fr. Jay.
DSP
April 11, 2020 at 10:55 am
MOST Catholics only participate in their religious holidays, then cry because their churches get shut down because they don’t show up and feed the Vatican their money.
Robert Teixeira Jr
April 11, 2020 at 12:18 pm
Sounds like a noble endeavor; however, it also appears to me to be a selfish endeavor on the part of this priest fulfilling his own lifelong desire and dragging others behind him. The first few people in the photo certainly don’t look like they’re maintaining the necessary distance behind the Rev. Father. The blind leading the blind. Why didn’t you just follow the bishop’s directive and not engage in this groupee and unnecessarily put all of you at risk. I’m sure the Lord would have heard your prayers from a distance. So unnecessary.