Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, Jan. 10, 2020
Jan. 12, 2020 The Baptism the Lord Baptismal font in front of wooden statues of the Holy Family at Holy Trinity Parish in Fall River. (Photo by Dave Jolivet) January 10, 2020 †
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Pope Francis’ New Year’s Message 2020
Peace as a journey of hope: Dialogue, reconciliation and ecological conversion 1. Peace, a journey of hope in the face of obstacles and trial Peace is a great and precious value, the object of our hope and the aspiration of the entire human family. As
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a human attitude, our hope for peace is marked by an existential tension that makes it possible for the present, with all its difficulties, to be “lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be
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sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey.” Hope is thus the virtue that inspires us and keeps us moving forward, even when obstacles seem insurmount-
able. Our human community bears, in its memory and its flesh, the scars of ever more devastating wars and conflicts that affect especially the poor and the vulnerable. Entire nations find it difficult to break free of the chains of exploitation and corruption that fuel hatred and violence. Even today, dignity, physical integrity, freedom, including religious freedom, communal solidarity and hope in the future are denied to great numbers of men and women, young and old. Many are the innocent victims of painful humiliation and exclusion, sorrow and injustice, to say nothing of the trauma born of systematic attacks on their people and their loved ones. The terrible trials of internal and international conflicts, often aggravated by ruthless acts of violence, have an enduring effect on the body and soul of humanity. Every war is a form of fratricide that destroys the human family’s innate vocation to brotherhood. War, as we know, often begins with the inability to accept the diversity of others, which then fosters attitudes of aggrandizement and domination born of selfishness and pride, hatred and the desire to caricature, exclude and even destroy the other. War is fueled by a perversion of relationships, by hegemonic ambitions, by abuses of power, by fear of others and by seeing diversity as an obstacle. And these, in turn, are aggravated by the experience of war. As I observed during my recent apostolic journey to Japan, our world is paradoxically marked by “a perverse dichotomy that tries to defend and ensure stability and peace through a false sense of security sustained by a mentality of fear and mistrust, one that ends up poisoning relationships between peoples and obstructing any form of dialogue. Peace and
international stability are incompatible with attempts to build upon the fear of mutual destruction or the threat of total annihilation. They can be achieved only on the basis of a global ethic of solidarity and cooperation in the service of a future shaped by interdependence and shared responsibility in the whole human family of today and tomorrow.” Every threatening situation feeds mistrust and leads people to withdraw into their own safety zone. Mistrust and fear weaken relationships and increase the risk of violence, creating a vicious circle that can never lead to a relationship of peace. Even nuclear deterrence can only produce the illusion of security. We cannot claim to maintain stability in the world through the fear of annihilation, in a volatile situation, suspended on the brink of a nuclear abyss and enclosed behind walls of indifference. As a result, social and economic decisions are being made that lead to tragic situations where human beings and creation itself are discarded rather than protected and preserved. How, then, do we undertake a journey of peace and mutual respect? How do we break the unhealthy mentality of threats and fear? How do we break the current dynamic of distrust? We need to pursue a genuine fraternity based on our common origin from God and exercised in dialogue and mutual trust. The desire for peace lies deep within the human heart, and we should not resign ourselves to seeking anything less than this. 2. Peace, a journey of listening based on memory, solidarity and fraternity The Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are among those 8 Turn to page three
Pope’s New Year’s message continued from page two
who currently keep alive the flame of collective conscience, bearing witness to succeeding generations to the horror of what happened in August 1945 and the unspeakable sufferings that have continued to the present time. Their testimony awakens and preserves the memory of the victims, so that the conscience of humanity may rise up in the face of every desire for dominance and destruction. “We cannot allow present and future generations to lose the memory of what happened here. It is a memory that ensures and encourages the building of a more fair and fraternal future”. Like the Hibakusha, many people in today’s world are working to ensure that future generations will preserve the memory of past events, not only in order to prevent the same errors or illusions from recurring, but also to enable memory, as the fruit of experience, to serve as the basis and inspiration for pres-
ent and future decisions to promote peace. What is more, memory is the horizon of hope. Many times, in the darkness of wars and conflicts, the remembrance of even a small gesture of solidarity received can lead to courageous and even heroic decisions. It can unleash new energies and kindle new hope in individuals and communities. Setting out on a journey of peace is a challenge made all the more complex because the interests at stake in relationships between people, communities and nations, are numerous and conflicting. We must first appeal to people’s moral conscience and to personal and political will. Peace emerges from the depths of the human heart and political will must always be renewed, so that new ways can be found to reconcile and unite individuals and communities. The world does not need empty words but convinced witnesses, peacemakers who
† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointment
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., Bishop of Fall River, has made the following appointments:
are open to a dialogue that rejects exclusion or manipulation. In fact, we cannot truly achieve peace without a convinced dialogue between men and women who seek the truth beyond ideologies and differing opinions. Peace “must be built up continually”; it is a journey made together in constant pursuit of the common good, truthfulness and respect for law. Listening to one another can lead to mutual understanding and esteem, and even to seeing in an enemy the face of a brother or sister. The peace process thus requires enduring commitment. It is a patient effort to seek truth and justice, to honor the memory of victims and to open the way, step by step, to a shared hope stronger than the desire for vengeance. In a state based on law, democracy can be an important paradigm of this process, provided it is grounded in justice and a commitment to protect the rights of every person, especially the weak and marginalized, in a constant search for truth. This is a social undertaking, an ongoing work in which each individual makes his or her contribution responsibly, at every level of the local, national and global community. As St. Paul VI pointed out, these “two aspirations, to
equality and to participation, seek to promote a democratic society. This calls for an education to social life, involving not only the knowledge of each person’s rights, but also its necessary correlative: the recognition of his or her duties with regard to others. The sense and practice of duty are themselves conditioned by the capacity for self-mastery and by the acceptance of responsibility and of the limits placed upon the freedom of individuals or the groups.” Divisions within a society, the increase of social inequalities and the refusal to employ the means of ensuring integral human development endanger the pursuit of the common good. Yet patient efforts based on the power of the Word and of truth can help foster a greater capacity for compassion and creative solidarity. In our Christian experience, we constantly remember Christ, Who gave His life to reconcile us to one another (cf. Rom 5:6-11). The Church shares fully in the search for a just social order; she continues to serve the common good and to nourish the hope for peace by transmitting Christian values and moral teaching, and by her social and educational works. 3. Peace, a journey of reconciliation in fraternal communion
The Bible, especially in the words of the prophets, reminds individuals and peoples of God’s covenant with humanity, which entails renouncing our desire to dominate others and learning to see one another as persons, sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters. We should never encapsulate others in what they may have said or done, but value them for the promise that they embody. Only by choosing the path of respect can we break the spiral of vengeance and set out on the journey of hope. We are guided by the Gospel passage that tells of the following conversation between Peter and Jesus: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but 70 times seven” (Mt 18:21-22). This path of reconciliation is a summons to discover in the depths of our heart the power of forgiveness and the capacity to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters. When we learn to live in forgiveness, we grow in our capacity to become men and women of peace. What is true of peace in a social context is also true in 8 Turn to page nine
Reverend Rodney E. Thibault, Pastor of St. Mark’s Parish in Attleboro Falls, Sacred Heart and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parishes in North Attleborough, to Pastor of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleborough Reverend John M. Schrader, Parochial Vicar of St. Mark’s Parish in Attleboro Falls, Sacred Heart and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parishes in North Attleborough to Parochial Vicar of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish in North Attleborough, while remaining Associate Director of Vocations and Seminarians for the Diocese of Fall River and Chaplain of Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro Effective: January 1, 2020 January 10, 2020 †
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Editorial
Peace in our times
As we prepare this editorial early in the week, we do not know in what situation the United States will find itself vis-a-vis Iran by the weekend. We pray for peace, as Pope Francis recommends us to do (as you can read his message for the World Day of Peace, beginning on page two of this edition). The pope reminds us that war is not the answer. Even if we are not at war with Iran, our service men and women are still serving in war zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, as well as in precarious situations in South Korea and many other places around the world. We pray for them, we pray for the innocent civilians in those lands, and we pray for our enemies, because they are our brothers and sisters and Christ wants us to be reconciled to them through Him. Over the Christmas season, which overlapped the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, there were several hateful incidents against members of our religions. People celebrating Hanukkah in a home outside of New York City were stabbed by a man who busted into the house and several other anti-Semitic attacks occurred around the country. Protestants in Texas were shot to death during a service. Eleven Christians were killed on Christmas day in Nigeria by ISIS in retaliation for the killing of ISIS’ head by the United States. Meanwhile in northern Kenya al-Shabaab has been killing Christians traveling by bus before and after Christmas. How do we pray for peace in a world like this? Pope Francis recommended many things to do in his New Year’s message, including approaching the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). By entering into peace with Our Lord through that Sacrament, we can become more effective in bringing peace and reconciliation to our world. We can lack peace in many ways. St. Raymond of Penyafort, whose feast we celebrated this Tuesday, said that we should not be apprehensive when facing this situation. He wrote, “May you never be numbered among those whose house is peaceful, quiet and free from care.” We might think, “well, that doesn’t sound like a nice blessing.” But he continued, saying that we should not be among “those who live out their days in prosperity, and in the twinkling of an eye will go down to hell.” What St. Raymond meant is that when things seem to us to be going perfectly, we forget about Christ and live self-centered lives, lives that put us at risk of our eternal Salvation. He reminded us of the need to constantly grow Spiritually: “your purity of life must be made purer still, by frequent buffetings, until you attain perfect sincerity of heart.” St. Raymond noted that the devil attacks us “in conflicts without, fears OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 64, No. 1
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within.” Regarding the latter, he said that “the cunning spirit [Satan] troubles the depth of your heart with guile and enticements.” The people to whom the saint was writing must have been fairly holy, since he wrote, “You have learned enough already about these kinds of warfare, or you would not have been able to enjoy peace and interior tranquility in all its beauty.” We probably are not at the Spiritual level of these folks and we need to make more progress in dealing with our interior temptations. About external attacks, St. Raymond did not have to look far afield. He wrote, “The sword falls with double or treble force externally when, without cause being given, there breaks out from within the Church persecution in Spiritual matters, where wounds are more serious, especially when inflicted by friends.” What St. Raymond wrote here has unfortunately been true since the beginning of the Church — because the Church is made up of human beings (i.e., sinners) Satan can tempt us to attack each other. Even in the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles we can read about conflict amongst us Christians. Even when Jesus was living with His Apostles for three years the 12 would get into petty disputes with each other. How are we to deal with these conflicts, within the Church, within our country and all over the world? Some say that we need someone like the Emperor Constantine or General Ulysses S. Grant or General George S. Patton. We can’t comment here about what would be best for the U.S. military, but we can suggest who would be the ideal leader for us Christians to imitate — Jesus. St. Raymond, after listing saints who willingly took up their crosses, then wrote, “Look then to Jesus, the Author and Preserver of faith: in complete sinlessness He suffered, and at the hands of those who were His own, and was numbered among the wicked. As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!), give thanks to the Lord, the giver of all blessings. May the God of love and peace set your hearts at rest and speed you on your journey; may He meanwhile shelter you from disturbance by others in the hidden recesses of His love, until He brings you at least into that place of complete plenitude where you will repose forever in the vision of peace, in the security of trust and in the restful enjoyment of His riches.” There’s the answer — we don’t fight with the tools of the devil, but with the tools of Christ. With His peace in our hearts, we can face any foe, as He did — praying for God’s mercy upon them, praying that God would help us to love them.
Daily Readings † January 11 - January 24
Sat. Jan. 11, 1 Jn 5:14-21; Ps 149:1-6a,9b; Jn 3:22-30. Sun. Jan. 12, Baptism of the Lord, Is 42:1-4,6-7; Ps 29:1-4,3,9-10; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17. Mon. Jan. 13, 1 Sm 1:1-8; Ps 116:12-19; Mk 1:14-20. Tue. Jan. 14, 1 Sm 1:9-20; (Ps)1 Sm 2:1,4-8; Mk 1:21-28. Wed. Jan. 15, 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20; Ps 40:2,5,7-10; Mk 1:29-39. Thu. Jan. 16, 1 Sm 4:1-11; Ps 44:10-11, 14-15,2425; Mk 1:40-45. Fri. Jan. 17, 1 Sm 8:4-7,10-22a; Ps 89:16-19; Mk 2:1-12. Sat. Jan. 18, 1 Sm 9:1-4,17-19; 10:1a; Ps 21:2-7; Mk 2:13-17. Sun. Jan. 19, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 49:3,5-6; Ps 40:2,4,7-10; 1 Cor 1:13; Jn 1:29-34. Mon. Jan. 20, 1 Sm 15:16-23; Ps 50:8-9,16-17,21,23; Mk 2:1822. Tue. Jan. 21, 1 Sm 16:1-13; Ps 89:20-22,27-28; Mk 2:23-28. Wed. Jan. 22, 1 Sm 17:32-33,37,40-51; Ps 144:1b,2,9-10; Mk 3:1-6. Thu. Jan. 23, 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Ps 56:2-3,9-13; Mk 3:7-12. Fri. Jan. 24, 1 Sm 24:3-21; Ps 57:2-4,6,11; Mk 3:13-19.
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n my last column, I discussed the Pew Research Center’s recently released study entitled, “The Digital Pulpit: A Nationwide Analysis of Online Sermons,” which examined the online audio or video sermons and homilies of more than 6,000 Christian Churches, showing that Catholic homilies are considerably shorter, far less Scriptural, and uploaded much less frequently than those in mainline Protestant, Evangelical or historically black Protestant Churches. The article solicited a lot of feedback in the comment boxes of various online versions of the article as well as on Facebook and Twitter. The deluge of comments reinforced how neuralgic a theme homilies are among Catholic faithful and clergy. Insofar as the Church is preparing on January 26 to celebrate for the first time the “Sunday of the Word of God,” in which Pope Francis wants the Church to ponder the treasure of Sacred Scripture in itself and Liturgically, and the importance of the homily to “enter more deeply into the Word of God,” “grasp [its] beauty,” and “see it applied to their daily lives,” it’s worthwhile to consider some of the many reactions, which made helpful distinctions, expressed common frustrations with Catholic preaching today, and revealed misunderstandings about the importance the Church gives to Sacred Scripture and homily at Mass. Various readers objected to Pew Study’s findings that Catholic homilies, at a median length of 14 minutes, are considerably shorter than mainline Protestant Churches (25 minutes), Evangelicals (39), and historical black Protestant Churches (54), as well as to the findings with regard to the use of Scripture. They noted that Catholic homilies are part of the Liturgy of the Word, which contains four readings of Sacred Scripture, something that should be factored into calculations of length
What is the purpose of a homily?
and Scripture use. These are valid criticisms, but they would only moderate not undermine the Pew conclusions. And while the criticism would certainly apply to the comparison between Catholic versus Evangelical and historically black Protestant Churches, it wouldn’t to most mainline Protestant Churches, which also incorporate preaching within a similar — sometimes identical — Liturgy of the Word. Many commenters made the point that the emphasis should not be on length, but on quality of content and communication, saying that the goal should be “better” preaching. “If the priest preaches the fullness of the Gospel with no sugarcoating, I don’t care how long it is,” one commenter said. If it’s poor, however, “10 minutes feels like an hour at the dentist!” Others insisted that one reason why Catholic homilies are shorter is not because Catholic attention spans are somehow inexplicably feeble compared to their Protestant counterparts’ but because Catholic homilies take place within a Liturgy in which the greater focus must be on the encounter with Jesus in Holy Communion. “Jesus told us to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood in memory of Him,” one noted, not “preach great sermons.” “The desire for ‘better preaching,’” another charged, “is what gave us the Reformation.” Therefore, various argued, we shouldn’t heed polls about what the “competition” is doing and “make the Mass something it is not” by increasing homily length to Protestant standards. Having a Bible study while “Christ is being crucified on Golgotha” is totally inappropriate, one insisted. When some commentators rebutted that the homilies of many of the greatest priestly saints in Church history, from Fathers of the
Church to St. John Vianney, often lasted an hour, they were met with the prediction that if Catholic preachers lengthened their homilies, Mass attendance would inevitably drop, since, as one candidly quipped about himself and others, many faithful are simply “more concerned about getting home for the Sunday pot roast.” While some readers said that they were blessed to be in parishes where the preaching was consistently excel-
lent, many more expressed various commonly repeated frustrations about homilies that are poorly prepared and meandering, passionless and uninspired, shallow, somniferous and irrelevant to daily life, light on Scripture, God, prayer, the last things, and difficult areas of Christian morality, and heavy on fund raising, movies, impertinent jokes, the preacher himself and his political opinions. Some questioned whether the preachers they’ve heard really believe the faith they’re commissioned to preach and whether they pray at all about what they’re going to say. “Many times I feel that I could write a better homily,” someone exasperatingly confessed. Such complaints are not new. The U.S. bishops in 2012 noted, “In survey after survey over the past years, the people of God have called for more powerful and inspiring preaching. A steady diet of tepid or poorly prepared homilies is often cited as a cause for discouragement on the part of laity and even leading some to turn away from the Church.” Pope Benedict wrote in 2006, “Given the importance of the Word of
God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved.” Pope Francis in 2013 stated, “So many concerns have been expressed about this important ministry [of preaching] and we cannot simply ignore them.” In order to improve homilies, however, there needs to be — in addition to infectious zeal on the part of preachers to share the Good News, coupled with holiness of life and the art of effective communication — a clear understanding of the goal of Liturgical preaching. If the target is off, then even if preachers hit it, what the Church hopes will happen won’t. There are various misconceptions about the purpose of preaching found in the comments. Some said it’s to “give a very brief thought or two on the readings,” to “provide the faithful a point to pray and meditate upon,” to leave people “with at least one resolution” to apply to their life. Others said it’s to “tie the readings together.” Others asserted it’s to teach the doctrine of the faith, and therefore homilies should be more catechetical. All of these have some element of what the Church is looking for, but are all seriously short of the mark. The Second Vatican Council taught that the purpose of Sacred preaching is “conversion and holiness.” Pope Benedict wrote, “The homily is a means of bringing the Scriptural message to life in a way that helps the faithful to realize that God’s Word is present and at work in their everyday lives. It should lead to an understanding of the mystery being celebrated, serve as a summons to mission, and prepare the assembly for the profession of faith, the universal prayer and the Eucharistic Liturgy.” Pope Francis stressed that homilies are supposed to bring about the heart-to-heart dia-
logue between God and His people, proclaiming God’s work of Salvation, restating the blessings and demands of the Covenant He has made with us, and guiding us to respond with faith and enter into a life-changing communion in the Eucharist. The homily is “part of the offering made to the Father and a mediation of the grace that Christ pours out,” meant to form, Pope Francis said, evangelized evangelizers, missionary disciples, capable of living the Word and sharing it. Those are the lofty goals toward which homilies need to be prepared and on which they need to be evaluated. Do they convert preacher and faithful and strengthen them to become saints? Do they illumine daily life with the light of Scripture, inspiring people to greater faith, prayer, communion with God, and the capacity to share the Gospel effectively with others? Do they attune us to God’s voice, remind us of His grace and call, and strengthen us to align our life lovingly to His will? In other words, the point of a homily is not just to give us something to chew on for the week, or lead us to make a minor course correction in our life. It’s ultimately to form us cumulatively to become Christ-like, so that we respond, like Mary, “let it be done to me according to Your word.” Meeting such goals requires a great deal of preparation. They, moreover, require some time in delivery, considering the fact that many listening have hardened, rocky, and thorny soil, to use Christ’s image, and not just good soil ready to bear 100-fold fruit. Finally, to reach a supernatural goal requires a supernatural means, and that’s why preaching with Sacred Scripture, inerrantly inspired by God, is so important. Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.
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The foxes and the henhouse
robably the biggest bioethics story of 2019 involved Dr. Jankui He (known to his associates as “JK”), a Chinese scientist who employed a new technology called CRISPR/Cas9 to produce the world’s first geneedited babies. JK made genetic changes to two little girls, Lulu and Nana, when they were early-stage embryos, attempting to modify a receptor for HIV to confer resistance to a possible future infection from the virus. He publicly announced the birth of the girls at an international scientific conference near the end of 2018, and as the news rapidly spread, many scientists and commentators expressed shock and dismay over his “designer baby” experiments. Chinese provincial authorities quickly became aware of his activities as well, and he was placed under house arrest upon his return from the conference. In the closing days
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of 2019, a secret trial was held, and he was sentenced to three years in prison for producing the CRISPR babies. The trial proceedings concluded that JK had “rashly applied gene editing technology to human assisted reproductive medicine.” The verdict reached by the Chinese court raises complex questions that must be confronted: What does it mean to “rashly apply” a new technology like human gene editing? Who should determine if a particular use is “rash” or “reasonable”? Dr. Rita Vassena, a member of the Executive Committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, framed the ethical concerns around JK’s case this way: “As the current scientific consensus indicates, the use of CRISPR/ Cas9 in human embryos destined to give rise to a
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pregnancy is, at this stage, unjustified.” She couches her ethical analysis, as many scientists do, in terms of the “current scientific consensus.” But such “consensus” is an extremely malleable concept.
It also conveniently implies that scientists themselves can set up their own ethical rules and provide regulatory oversight for scientific research, so that they, in effect, become the foxes guarding the henhouse. The saga that has unfolded during the last year surrounding the gene-editing experiments of JK has demonstrated, if nothing else, how self-serving and ineffective a community of scientists can be as they try to exercise the role of lawyer, judge and jury of their own ethical standards. Even though we should be justifiably alarmed at Chinese courts meting out jail time in secret to scientific researchers, the fact remains that it was a government-controlled court that finally put some teeth into ethical regulations. In the West, to have governments, courts or major institutions take any action whatsoever in a case like JK’s seems at present inconceivable. Instead, in American and European universities and industrial settings, we often encounter feeble, meandering discussions about
research ethics, along with a proliferation of rubberstamping “ethics review panels.” These often consist of hand-picked members devoid of strong ethical or religious training and viewpoints. Such panels give increasingly systematic cover for an ever-expanding range of unethical research practices. Whether it’s giving a green light to use stem cells derived from human embryos or tissues from intentionally aborted fetuses for research, or to employ cloning technology to produce new human life, or to manufacture three parent embryos, many biomedical researchers have come to rely so much on ethical rubber stamps that they just venture ahead, confident that they won’t be “fenced in” by ethical considerations. JK’s gene-editing experiments and China’s strong reaction have at least managed to bring the ethical concerns momentarily back into the spotlight. “I think a jail sentence is the proper punishment for him,” said Wang Yuedan, a professor of immunology at Peking University in comments he shared with the New York Times. “It makes clear our stance on the gene editing of humans — that we are opposed to it — signaling that there is a bottom line that cannot be broken.” Yet this is precisely the difficulty in biomedicine today: namely, that there are few, if any, “bottom
lines” when it comes to research ethics. The lines have become exceedingly flexible, if the price is right or if a particular political administration is amenable to re-drawing them. While there isn’t any perfect solution to ensure scientists never engage in unethical research — and the involvement of communist secret courts is certainly far from ideal — we clearly need to promote, fund and regulate modern biomedical research in a way that prioritizes ethics over expediency. This means establishing significant sanctions and funding restrictions when ethical violations by researchers occur. It also means including alternative viewpoints on ethics review panels, especially those informed by longstanding religious and philosophical traditions, like that of the Catholic Church, which offer the important perspective that certain ethical lines are not able to be moved or redrawn. This kind of input can contribute much to the kinds of discussions that need to occur, and can afford an important counterbalance to any foxes who desire to keep guard over the ethical henhouse. Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www. ncbcenter.org
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., recently attended the annual dinner with diocesan seminarians, this year held at Holy Family Parish Center in East Taunton. From left: Father Kevin Cook, diocesan director of Vocations, William O’Donnell III, Christopher Hughes, Brian Connors, Gregory Quenneville, Bryan Bangs, Larry Valliere, Thomas Palanza Jr., the bishop, John Garabedian, Peter Scheffer, Deacon Steven Booth, and Alex Texeira.
January 18-19 Catholic Communication Campaign collection supports national and diocesan projects FALL RIVER — The annual Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) collection will be taken up at parish Masses in the Fall River Diocese during the weekend of January 18 and 19. This yearly national campaign is designed as a shared collection, meaning half of the proceeds stay in the local diocese and the other half is forwarded to the Catholic Communication Campaign office of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference. The portion remaining in the Fall River Diocese provides partial funding for a variety of communication endeavors including the live streaming of events like
the Ordination to Priesthood and the Marian Medal Awards Ceremony from St. Mary’s Cathedral, and the weekly Masses that air on WLNE-TV, Channel 6, and the Portuguese Channel. The Diocesan Television Mass is broadcast on WLNE-TV, Channel 6, on Sunday at 11 a.m.; the Fall River Diocese covers production, airtime and closed-captioning costs. The Mass on the Portuguese Channel airs Sunday at 7 p.m. The diocese reimburses those diocesan parishes that participate on a rotating basis in the broadcasts for a percentage of the cost each incurs. The Portuguese Channel is carried by most
cable television providers in the diocese. In addition to proceeds from this weekend’s CCC collection, the Diocesan Television Mass is also supported by the Catholic Charities Appeal. At the national level, the CCC helps the Church spread the Gospel message through television,
radio, print, social networks and the Internet by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference staff and other grantee organizations here in the U.S. and abroad. To learn more about the Catholic Communication Campaign and the important work it supports on the national level, please visit www.usccb.org/ccc.
www.anchornews.org January 10, 2020 †
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As time goes by
hose of you who are into British sitcoms will recognize the title of this article as
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the name of a popular BBC sitcom which aired from 1992 to 2005 and its reruns are still viewed on
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Public Television channels. It follows the relationship between two old time friends who have reunited after 38 years. Now although I am an Irishman, I have watched this British humor, as well as others, on more than one occasion and so am borrowing the title if not the humor. Since I arrived here in Kalaupapa seven years, five months and 19 days ago, and counting, we have bade farewell to three of our fondly remembered patients who celebrated Christmas in the hallowed halls of the Heavenly mansions. There was Catherine whose voice would raise the rafters in Kananaha Church. There was Lelipali who led the services in Kananaha Church and who on Wednesday and Saturday evenings refereed the community volley ball games on the field
opposite one of the most sacred sites in town, the local bar of fond memory. Then there was Elizabeth who was a devout devotee of King Elvis and whose bed was always covered in
stuffed animals prompting the question, “Where do you sleep, Elizabeth?” I participated in the final farewell to each of them. Over the years we have bid farewell to administrator Mark who had welcomed me to this settlement in 2012 and to Too Tall Steve, the superintendent of the NPS. Both have now retired on the mainland. Ron with the Irish name began a new life in Alaska and from his home he sent me a shining whiskey flask. He
must have thought that my name is Jameson. Erik and Claire left us for new adventures in the south seas, leaving a hole in our lives and an empty spot in our church pews. More recently Big Erik retired to Topside to follow more closely his Minnesota Vikings and store boss, Xianna, moved to the mainland to be closer to her son, Keoki. Sir Walter and his bride, Kehau, retired to go on a second honeymoon. We miss them all, as time goes by, and hope that they come back often to visit us and to play volley ball. Soon one of our longtime stalwarts will return to his home on the Big Island. Lionel has been here for more than 30 years ensuring that we always have an unending supply of the best water I’ve tasted since my childhood in the west of Ireland, as well as an ample supply of beer. We wish him the very best because he has been the very best and we hope that he too will return to us once in a while to play volley ball, as time goes by. Aloha. Anchor columnist Father Killilea is pastor of St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa, Hawaii.
8 Continued from page three the areas of politics and the economy, since peace permeates every dimension of life in common. There can be no true peace unless we show ourselves capable of developing a more just economic system. As Pope Benedict XVI said 10 years ago in his Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, “in order to defeat underdevelopment, action is required not only on improving exchange-based transactions and implanting public welfare structures, but above all on gradually increasing openness, in a world context, to forms of economic activity marked by quotas of gratuitousness and communion” (No. 39). 4. Peace, a journey of ecological conversion “If a mistaken understanding of our own principles has at times led us to justify mistreating nature, to exercise tyranny over Creation, to engage in war, injustice and acts of violence, we believers should acknowledge that by so doing we were not faithful to the treasures of wisdom which we have been called to protect and preserve.” Faced with the con-
sequences of our hostility towards others, our lack of respect for our common home or our abusive exploitation of natural resources — seen only as a source of immediate profit, regardless of local communities, the common good and nature itself — we are in need of an ecological conversion. The recent Synod on the Pan-Amazon Region moves us to make a pressing renewed call for a peaceful relationship between communities and the land, between present and past, between experience and hope. This journey of reconciliation also calls for listening and contemplation of the world that God has given us as a gift to make our common home. Indeed, natural resources, the many forms of life and the earth itself have been entrusted to us “to till and keep” (Gen 1:15), also for future generations, through the responsible and active participation of everyone. We need to change the way we think and see things, and to become more open to encountering others and accepting the gift of Creation, which reflects the beauty and wisdom of its Creator. All this gives us deeper
motivation and a new way to dwell in our common home, to accept our differences, to respect and celebrate the life that we have received and share, and to seek living conditions and models of society that favor the continued flourishing of life and the development of the common good of the entire human family. The ecological conversion for which we are appealing will lead us to a new way of looking at life, as we consider the generosity of the Creator Who has given us the earth and called us to a share it in joy and moderation. This conversion must be understood in an integral way, as a transformation of how we relate to our sisters and brothers, to other living beings, to Creation in all its rich variety and to the Creator Who is the origin and source of all life. For Christians, it requires that “the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them.” 5. “We obtain all that we hope for” The journey of reconciliation calls for patience and trust. Peace will not be ob-
A Fall River Community Blood Drive in combination with the American Red Cross — www.redcrossblood.org, sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 12380 was held on December 14 at Our Lady of Grace Church Parish Center in Westport. Special thanks to Father Christopher Peschel and the parish team for allowing the Knights to use the center as the council hopes to be able to do blood drives every six months. It was a successful day with 36 donations.
tained unless it is hoped for. In the first place, this means believing in the possibility of peace, believing that others need peace just as much as we do. Here we can find inspiration in the love that God has for each of us: a love that is liberating, limitless, gratuitous and tireless. Fear is frequently a source of conflict. So it is important to overcome our human fears and acknowledge that we are needy children in the eyes of the One Who loves us and awaits us, like the father of the prodigal son (cf. Lk 15:11-24). The culture of fraternal encounter shatters the culture of conflict. It makes of every encounter a possibility and a gift of God’s generous love. It leads us beyond the limits of our narrow horizons and constantly encourages us to a live in a spirit of universal fraternity, as children of the one Heavenly Father. For the followers of Christ, this journey is likewise sustained by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, given by the Lord for the remission of sins of the baptized. This Sacrament of the Church, which renews individuals and communities, bids us keep
our gaze fixed on Jesus, Who reconciled “all things, whether on earth or in Heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:20). It requires us to set aside every act of violence in thought, word and deed, whether against our neighbors or against God’s Creation. The grace of God our Father is bestowed as unconditional love. Having received His forgiveness in Christ, we can set out to offer that peace to the men and women of our time. Day by day, the Holy Spirit prompts in us ways of thinking and speaking that can make us artisans of justice and peace. May the God of peace bless us and come to our aid. May Mary, mother of the Prince of Peace and mother of all the peoples of the earth, accompany and sustain us at every step of our journey of reconciliation. And may all men and women who come into this world experience a life of peace and develop fully the promise of life and love dwelling in their heart. From the Vatican, 8 December 2019 Pope Francis
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church in New Bedford recently sponsored a Sock Drive. Parishioners donated more than 150 pairs of socks for the homeless. Accepting the donation from SVP members Maureen Lewis (center) and Kathy Murphy is Raymond Duarte, manager of Sister Rose Shelter and Grace House in New Bedford. January 10, 2020 †
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U.S. Catholic Church stands in solidarity with immigrants and refugees Observation of National Migration Week: Jan. 5-11, 2020 WASHINGTON — Globally, there are more than 70 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to political instability, violence, and economic hardship. Pope Francis has challenged people to move from a culture of “indifference” to a
culture of solidarity, which will help them to embrace the poor and marginalized, and those struggling to find a better life. For nearly a half-century, National Migration Week has been observed in the United States to highlight the situation of immigrants
and refugees and unite in prayer to accompany them. The theme for this year’s observance (January 5-11) is “Promoting a Church and a World for All,” and reflects the Church as a welcoming place for all God’s children. “As a founding principle of our country, we have
always welcomed immigrant and refugee populations, and through the social services and good works of the Church, we have accompanied our brothers and sisters in integrating to daily American life,” said Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration. “National Migration Week is an opportunity for the Church to prayerfully unite and live out the Holy Father’s vision to welcome immigrants and refugees into our communities and to provide opportunities that will help them and all people of good will to thrive.”
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, January 12 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in New Bedford
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass
on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, January 19 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, January 12 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant is Father James M. Fitzpatrick, Pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet.
Sunday, January 19 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Paul E. Canuel, a retired priest of the Fall River Diocese.
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† O bituaries † Sister (Bartholomew) Eleanor McNally, S.U.S.C. www.anchornews.org
In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
Jan. 10 Rev. Jourdain Charron, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1919 Rev. George H. Flanagan, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1938 Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Sousa de Mello, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton, 1977 Jan, 12 Rev. Thomas P. Grace , Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1918 Rev. Manuel C. Terra, Retired Pastor, St. Peter, Provincetown, 1930 Jan. 13 Rev. Emile Plante, M.S., La Salette Seminary, Attleboro, 1954 Jan. 14 Rev. John J. Lawler, M.M., Maryknoll Missioner, 1977 Jan. 15 Rev. Thomas F. Kennedy, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1948 Rev. Vincent Marchildon, O.P., Director, St. Anne Shrine, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Msgr. John E. Boyd, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 1977 Rev. Harold A. Whelan Jr., SS.CC., Ph. D., 1997 Jan. 17 Rev. John F. Laughlin, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1967 Rev. Daniel J. McCarthy, SS.CC., Former Provincial Superior, Retired Pastor, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 2002 Jan. 18 Permanent Deacon Paul Leavitt, 2018 Jan. 19 Rev. Thomas E. O’Dea, Assistant, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1999 Jan. 20 Rev. Roland J. Masse, Assistant, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1952 Jan. 21 Rev. Msgr. Henri A. Hamel, USAF, Retired Chaplain, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1983
FALL RIVER — Sister Eleanor McNally (Sister Bartholomew), S.U.S.C., died Dec. 13, 2019 at Catholic Memorial Home at the age of 87. Born in Fall River on Sept. 21, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Bartholomew and Eunice (Whittaker) McNally. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, her sister Janet (McNally) Kinnane and brothers William and Brian, sistersin-law, Mary McNally, Mary C. McNally and Norma McNally as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and great grandnieces and great grandnephews survive her. She was predeceased by her brother Bartley and sister-in-law Ida McNally. A graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy, Sister Eleanor worked for several years in Boston before she entered the Holy Union Sisters on Sept. 8, 1959. She pronounced her final vows on Aug. 22, 1967. She received a bachelor of arts degree in Education from the College of the Sacred Hearts and taught junior high school classes in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, for eight years before pursuing her lifelong dream of going to Africa. She prepared by studying missiology at St. Paul’s University, Ottawa and St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia. Sister Eleanor worked for a short time in Cameroon and returned to the United States where she served as liaison with the New York City Board of Education for Catholic
Schools of the New York Archdiocese. In 1974 she joined Catholic Relief Services and administered a U.S. government-funded orphanage improvement program throughout South Vietnam until the fall of the country in 1975 when along with all other Americans she was evacuated to the United States. Because of her experience she was asked to establish the Vietnamese Resettlement Program for the New York Archdiocese. In 1976 she became personnel director for the Holy Union Sisters. But her desire to return to Africa remained. In 1979 she joined the Maryknoll Sisters’ Associate Program and was missioned to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where she became director of the Diocesan Caritas Office. In 1989 she returned to the United States and established the development office for the Holy Union Sisters. In 1994 again under the auspices of Catholic Relief Services, she
worked in the resettlement of Rwandan refugees on the northwest border of Tanzania. She returned to Dar es Salaam where she assisted the Caritas Office, which now had an entirely Tanzanian staff. She also worked with a youth group who had initially come to the Caritas Office for assistance. In 2005, believing that she had fulfilled her mission among the Tanzanian people, she returned permanently to the United States. Sister Eleanor volunteered at STARR Treatment Center in Fall River and was active in the Task Force on Violence Against Women. She also worked to educate the Holy Union Sisters on the issue of human trafficking, especially of women and children. In 2015 she joined the Holy Union Sisters Community at The Landmark, Fall River until ill health necessitated a move to Catholic Memorial Home in 2018. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on December 21. Burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery followed. Donations in Sister Eleanor’s memory may be made to Holy Union Sisters Mission Advancement Office, P.O. Box 410, Milton, Mass., 02186.
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Former Feehan chaplain Father David Costa to be honored with Sister Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award ATTLEBORO — Bishop Feehan High School announced that Father David Costa will be honored with the school’s Sister Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award during its “Setting Our Hearts” Gala on Saturday, March 21 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. A priest of the Diocese of Fall River since 1985, “Father Dave” served Feehan as chaplain for 14 years across two assignments (1991-95, 2011-19). His deep faith and joyful spirit have been a wonderful example for a generation of Feehan students. He invigorated school Liturgies, supported an everevolving campus ministry effort, counseled school leaders and served as a Spiritual guide for faculty and students through joys and sorrows. In addition, Father Dave served as a wonderful Feehan ambassador in Greater Attleboro, partic-
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ularly during his 24 years serving in what is now the Transfiguration of the Lord Parish (formerly the Catholic Community of North Attleborough). First at St. Mark’s Parish in the 1990s, and then leading three North Attleborough parishes and St. Mary-Sacred Heart School, his charisma and passion for Catholic schools was obvious to all. It’s no coincidence that Catholic schools thrive when Father Dave and his passion for students, education and faith are all present. “When we discussed at Feehan who might be our next Sister Pat honoree and Father Dave’s name came up — everyone knew we had the right person,” recalled Feehan president Tim Sullivan. “To watch Father Dave connect with 1,100 students at a Mass, singing every note with all he has, is to watch our faith come alive. All of our Feehan families and the families at St. Mary-Sacred
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Heart in North Attleborough have been blessed to learn from and celebrate with Father for so long. ” The Sister Patricia M.
Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award was established by Bishop Feehan High School in 2017 to honor a champion
of Catholic education who makes significant contributions in service of Catholic schools and the Church. Sister Pat — who passed away in 2015 — was a legendary figure in the Feehan community: her example of faith, love and mercy set a standard at Feehan for nearly 40 years and will be remembered always. Sister Pat herself (posthumously) was the first recipient of the award. Father Costa, who now serves as pastor of three parishes in Somerset and Swansea, will join Sister Pat, former Providence College president Father Brian J. Shanley, O.P., and former Feehan president Christopher E. Servant ’66 on a permanent plaque of honorees that will be displayed prominently at the school. All honorees will be remembered at the gala each year. “The Sister Pat award is Feehan’s highest honor,” Sullivan said. “Our honor-
ees each year embody the ideals that have allowed Catholic schools to thrive for decades and decades and remind us of the impact one person, like Sister Pat, can make. Father Dave certainly fits that tradition. Catholic schools everywhere will do well to keep the joyful spirit of Father Dave — similar to the joyful spirit of Sister Pat — central and alive for our students for the longterm, as hard as that will be without him here in our halls every day.” The gala itself has become the central annual community event of the Feehan year, welcoming more than 600 people to celebrate the Feehan community and support the school. “The Setting Our Hearts Gala is a one-night event that celebrates all things Feehan — our students, our community, our mission, and our vision for the future,” Feehan director of Advancement Dave Curtis said. Besides the Hero of Catholic Education award, other highlights of the evening will include an elegant dinner, a limited live auction, a $10,000 cash raffle, a live band, dancing and a host of surprises. For more information and to purchase tickets or tables, visit BishopFeehan.com/ SettingOurHearts or contact Dave Curtis at 508-226-7411, extension 135.
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St. Mary’s School (Mansfield) students could be heard from the mountain tops as they sang “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” at their annual Christmas pageant. The whole school (pre-school to grade eight) came together to perform the Christmas story. Preschool students were dressed in their Sunday best and kindergarten students were dressed as angels singing their special songs. Grade one students were dressed as sheep; grade two as elves; grade three as toy soldiers; and grade five as the carolers. The middle school students performed as the chorus. Grade four had the honor of performing the Christmas story with Lillian Jordan as Mary and John Ibrahim as Joseph. Trenton Forth, Jackson McMorrow and Jude Klements played the three Wise Men, Melchoir, Gaspar and Balthazar, respectively. The program was directed by music teacher Mrs. Catalano and Mrs. Tamul the grade four teacher.
Girls from American Heritage Girls Troop MA3712 recently volunteered at My Brothers Keeper in Easton. My Brother’s Keeper is a vibrant, welcoming Christian ministry in Easton and Dartmouth, which delivers furniture and food to local families in need (http://www. mybrotherskeeper.org).The girls received a tour and a sheet with information for a family’s Christmas needs and then wrapped gifts for them.
A tri-fold poster was recently displayed at St. Patrick’s Church Youth party at the Wareham parish. It provided an opportunity to show the Youth Ministry’s recent activities as presented in various media.
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Around the Diocese
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Winter is here. The shelter at Sister Rose House, 71 Division Street in New Bedford, has activated its Extreme Weather Overflow Shelter. The overflow opens when temperatures drop below 28 degrees. Volunteers are needed to help assemble cots with pillows and blankets from 4 to 5 p.m.; serve shelter guests and residents from 5 to 7 p.m.; and to monitor bathrooms and the sleeping hall in two- to four-hour shifts from 6 to 10 p.m. Volunteers can sign up alone or sign up as a team of co-workers (all must be over 18). Many hands are needed. Please contact Robin Muise to volunteer at muiserobin@comcast.net or call 774-553-5490. A Monthly Healing Service is offered at St. Patrick’s Church, 82 High Street, Wareham on the first Thursday of every month. Services offer God’s healing touch through Eucharistic Adoration, Anointing of the Sick and prayers for healing and peace for those recovering from addictions, reconciliation in relationships, Marriage issues, for the sick and suffering and those grieving the loss of loved ones. Services start at 6 p.m. with Reconciliation (Confession) followed by Rosary at 6:30. All are welcome. For further information, contact Father Rowland, 508-295-2411, info@stpatrickswareham. org or frrowland@stpatrickswareham.org. St. Vincent’s Services is conducting a Winter Coat Drive. Please consider helping the children and youth at St. Vincent’s by donating a new coat (with tags) this winter. Coats are needed for children ages 10 to 18. Donations can be dropped off at St. Vincent’s Reception Desk, 2425 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information contact Janice Johnston via email at JJohnston@SaintVincentsServices.org or call 508-235-3329. Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster invites all to join them for an upcoming Bible Study on the origin of the parts of the Mass. They will explore the Liturgy in a program entitled “A Biblical Walk Through the Mass.” The group will meet monthly on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 11 a.m. on February 23, March 22, April 26 and May 24 in the parish center hall, located at 456 Stony Brook Road. The program will consist of prayer, Scripture, a video lecture and small group discussion. Cost of materials is $20. If you would like to participate but cannot attend, there is the option of doing so remotely. Please contact Kathy at adultfaithformation2@ gmail.com or 508-385-3252, extension 14 to sign up or for more information. There will be a Healing Mass at St. Anne’s Shrine, 818 Middle Street in Fall River, on Thursday, January 16. Holy Rosary begins at 6 p.m. and will include the Sacrament of Confession. Holy Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. It will include praying over people individually and conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome.
To submit an event for consideration in The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing, please send the information by email to davejolivet@anchornews.org.
Anchor ‘Around the Diocese’ Policy While The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing of parish and diocesan events is a courtesy service, the diocesan newspaper does rely on advertising revenue to sustain its printing and postage costs throughout the year. As such, fund-raising events like parish festivals, holiday fairs and bazaars will be restricted from inclusion. We would greatly appreciate your consideration of a paid advertisement to promote these events. 14
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Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ASSONET — St. Bernard’s Parish will have Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at the conclusion of 9 a.m. Mass and the church will be open all day, concluding with evening prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m. ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds 6:30 p.m. Mass followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Adoration at 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday evening. Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every First Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending at 5 p.m. DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Mary’s Church, 783 Dartmouth Street, every First Monday of the month, following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with evening prayers and Benediction at 5 p.m. East Freetown — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower). EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m. FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of Padua Church, on the corner of Bedford and Sixteenth streets, has Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by music and prayer every first Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m. FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursdays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Friday at 8 a.m. FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel. FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory. FALL RIVER — St. Joseph’s Church has a Holy Hour every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., with Benediction at 6:45 p.m. FALL RIVER — St. Michael’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday following the 7 a.m. Mass, with Benediction at 4:30 p.m. HYANNIS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, 347 South Street, Hyannis, has Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 3 p.m., daily Monday through Friday. MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Each First Friday Mass ends with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration continues until Benediction at 5 p.m. NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday, with Confessions, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church. Please use the side entrance. NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession. NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel Fridays from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time. NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 4 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 4 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m. NORTH EASTON — A Holy Hour for Families including Eucharistic Adoration is held every Friday from 3-4 p.m. at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street. NORTH EASTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Immaculate Conception Church Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, until 6:40 p.m. Those wishing to make a monthly commitment can sign up on the parish website at www.icceaston.org or call the parish office at 508-238-3232. ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Parish, 61 Canal Road, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday starting after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending with Benediction at 11:45 a.m. The Sacrament of the Sick is also available immediately after the 8 a.m. Mass. SEEKONK — Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549. Taunton — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass. Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass until 9 a.m. Taunton — The Chapel of St. Andrew the Apostle, 19 Kilmer Avenue, Taunton, will host Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Taunton — St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton will host Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 9 a.m. Mass and the St. Jude Novena, until 11:30, ending with Benediction. It will take place at Holy Rosary Chapel during the summer months. WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church takes place 9 a.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall.
† PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION † ATTLEBORO — Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street in Attleboro. East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church. NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274. SEEKONK — Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549. WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.
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uman beings are inherently prone to debating issues. Most love a good old disagreement, and that’s cool, as long as in the end, folks learn to agree to disagree with respect and manners. And it doesn’t matter the topic. For instance social media blew up not long ago about whether a dress was gold or blue and whether a pair of shoes was pink or grey (blue and grey respectively, by the way — but that’s just my opinion). Now the latest, aside from the ongoing major political and military fiascoes, is if in 2020 we are beginning a new decade or ending an old one (beginning — if you want my opinion). More regionally, New Englanders are known to moan and groan about virtually anything, but especially sports. Now before those who are non-sports fans sign off, this really isn’t a sports column. So if you choose to hang on for several paragraphs, I’ll get to my main point. OK, that being said, back to the moaning and groaning issue, of which through the years, I have been a full and active participant. One of the greatest topics for debate in New England sports over the years has been the exodus of team players who have captured the hearts of the rabid fans here. As a younger man, I would lament the end of each of the four major sports seasons, knowing full well, one or more of my favorites would seek “respect” in another city. The worst for me was my all-time favorite athlete, and the best athlete ever in any sport, Bobby Orr. At the end of the 1975-76 season, Orr was a free agent and made it abundantly clear he wanted to remain a Bruin. He was offered a very lucrative contract and 18 percent
I guess I’m a goat
ownership of the Bs. His agent didn’t tell him and also told him the offer was lousy and Chicago had a better offer. Orr believed him and felt he wasn’t wanted and left. When Orr found out, he was angry and felt robbed by his agent — who later went to prison. There was Johnny Damon, the Red Sox favorite who went to the Evil Empire, never to be forgiven, and Ray Bourque of the Bruins, who asked to be traded so he could win a championship elsewhere (which he did). Because of that I will never consider Bourque a Bruin. There have been a plethora of great athletes who never won it all, yet never cried to be traded. Now we have the Tom Brady/New England Patriots debate and moan and groan feast all combined into one. Tom, a free agent for the first time, still wants to play, but it doesn’t appear the Pats will give him the “respect” he wants. Fans are biting their nails, talking heads are giving their opinions, and life in New England is in disarray awaiting the March 18 deadline when free agents can go “respect” hunting. Years ago, I would be very concerned about losing TB12, but I must admit for me with age comes wisdom — most of the time.
I am not worried, I am not concerned. If he goes to another team, don’t let the door hit you on the way out; and leave your Patriots jersey and affiliation at that door. According to online sources, Tom’s 2019 net worth was $180 million, and his
wife, Gisele Bundchen’s was $400 million. In truth, how much more does he need? That’s $180 million for playing a game. But, there are other big boys out there who have a greater net worth. This is where the “respect” issue comes in. I really don’t care. And let me tell you of others who really don’t care. There are myriad children in St. Jude’s Hospital, the Shriner’s Hospital, Dana Farber Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, Woman and Infant’s Hospital and hundreds of other facilities who are fighting for their lives from cancer and other diseases that respect no one. There are immigrants and migrants and refugees encamped in squalor, surrounded by dangers from disease and human beings, both of which have no respect for others.
There are countless women and children who have been absconded and sold in sex slave markets; victims of human trafficking by mostly men who respect no one, not even each other. There are hundreds and hundreds of people in Australia running for their lives from raging wildfires that have consumed their homes and everything they owned. Wildfires that don’t respect man or nature. There are men, women and children who have nowhere to run when bombs fall from the sky dropped by regimes that are fueled by greed, power and total lack of respect for others. These and thousands if not millions more don’t know what tomorrow brings,
if anything. All of these brothers and sisters I have mentioned do not care if Tom Brady gets the respect he’s looking for. And to be fair, I’m not just targeting TB, I’m referring to all those who don’t know just how wonderful they have it. TB12 is considered by many as the GOAT — the greatest of all time. No, the real GOAT was born in a manger, healed the sick, forgave sins and died for me — and you; and He didn’t ask His Boss for a better lot in life. He respects His Father, and He respects us. Am I worried about where the player will play next year? No. I’m worried about those who don’t care either — for heart-wrenching reasons — I guess I’m a goat to Patriots fans. davejolivet@anchornews. org.
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