Category Archives: A must read

Boston Red Sox prove we are BOSTON STRONG with World Series win at Fenway

by Robert Gillis
Published in the Foxboro Reporter and Boston City Paper 11/2013

“This is for you, Boston. You guys deserve it… We’ve been through a lot this year and this is for all of you and all those families who struggled.” — David Ortiz, MVP 2013 after the Red Sox World Series win.

The story goes that a few days after the September 11 attacks, singer/songwriter (and my personal hero) Bruce Springsteen walked along a bridge in New York City and stared where the twin towers had stood.

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Celebrating the remarkable clergy of Saint Mary’s Foxboro

by Robert Gillis
Published in the Foxboro Reporter and Boston City Paper, 5/2013

Each year around this time, I’ve made it a tradition to write a piece about spirituality, about faith, religion, or clergy who have made a difference in my life. While this column is not “church chat” and is intended toward folks of all faiths (or none), I’d like to talk today about three members of the clergy who make a difference, and encourage you, if you are so inclined, to thank your clergy or spiritual leaders as well.

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The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro — it’s more than just Christmas Lights

Note: Originally published 11/28/2012, and one of the most important pieces I have ever written, please note the following:

  • The 2012 concerts noted here have obviously taken place; CLICK HERE FOR THE LA SALETTE WEB SITE for current events
  • I’m happy to report that Father Pat has recovered and looks great and continues his concert series and work at the shrine.
  • The annual lighting continues each year between Thanksgiving and the Sunday before Little Christmas in January!
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Reflections at Ground Zero eleven days after September 11, 2001

Ground Zero Across from the World Trade Center September 22, 2001 photo by Robert Gillisby Robert Gillis
Published in The Foxboro Reporter 9/2001

(Note: My editor said that this was the best piece I’d ever written, and ran it on the front page of the Reporter with the rest of the 9/11 coverage. I am very proud of this piece.)

Ground zero.

Until a few weeks ago, this area was called the World Trade Center.

New York City. Corner of Ann and Broadway, one, maybe two blocks from where the planes crashed into the World Trade Center.

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Mother and child reunion survives passage of time; my wife finds her mother after 22 years


by Robert Gillis
Published in The Foxboro Reporter 3/2000 and the Boston City Paper 8/2007.

I consider this the best piece I have EVER written.

The scene was completely ordinary. Looking at it, you wouldn’t know the event was of any significance. A sunny Saturday morning, a favorite breakfast nook, and a young couple having breakfast with an older couple.

At one point over a fluffy omelet, the older gentlemen at the table asked the waitress, “Can you guess what the relationship between these two is?”

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