Meanwhile, back at home....

This just in: parishioners occupying six closed churches in and around Boston plan to gather Thursday to urge Cardinal O'Malley to turn his attention back to them.

The vigilers (vigilists?) will congratulate O'Malley on his elevation to cardinal, ask him to redouble his efforts to address their concerns, and will request, as a sign of goodwill, that he send each of them a priest to say at least one Mass during Holy Week, according to Peter Borre, the co-chairman of the Council of Parishes.

"We don't want to rain on his parade," Borre said in a phone interview, presumably unaware that it's currently pouring in Rome, "but we think now is the time to resolve amicably the situation."

Borre said council members will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. at St. James the Great in Wellesley; among the participants will be parishioners who have been occupying closed churches for more than 500 days, and parishioners at two churches, Holy Trinity in the South End and St. Bernard in West Newton, facing possible closing in the not-too-distant future.