Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, January 7, 2022
Diocese loses two beloved priests during Christmas week FALL RIVER — The Fall River Diocese recently lost two beloved priests; one shortly before and one after Christmas Day. Msgr. John J. Smith, 89, died at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River on December 28. Born in New BedFather Paul T. Lamb
Msgr. John J. Smith
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Synod seeks to involve everyone (First in a series about the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops) On the weekend of Oct. 9-10, 2021, Pope Francis launched the a worldwide journey for the Church towards the 16th annual Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops,
Synod in the Fall River Diocese on Oct. 17, 2021 with a Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. The bishop celebrated a special votive Mass of the Holy Spirit Whose guidance and inspiration was sought for a fruitful synodal experience and outcome. The word Synod was
What’s different with the current Synod is that Pope Francis asked for an extended period of consultation involving as many people as possible from the parish and community level.
The St. Nicholas of Myra Knights of Columbus Council #14947, and Annunciation of the Lord, Msgr. James Coyle Council #82, teamed up to provide a Breakfast With Santa for families from both parishes from North Dighton and Taunton. The breakfast was held in North Dighton at St. Nicholas of Myra parish hall. The Knights prepared and served scrambled eggs, sausage patties, pancakes, orange juice and coffee, and Santa gave each child a gift bag of Christmas goodies with candy cane, Rosary beads and a Nativity activity. From left: Manuel Avila, Brian Brown, Ed Hubbard, Mike LaPlante, Lloyd Simpson, Grand Knight Ed Kremzier, Manny Sousa as Santa, Peter Perrier, Dave Grant, Bruce Blunt, and Pierre Barbour.
themed: “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission.” It will include consultation in three phases: diocesan, national and continental, and will culminate in Rome in October of 2022. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. opened the diocesan phase of the
“Greek” to most of us before last fall. In fact, the word comes from the Greek and has been translated roughly to mean assembling on a common road, journeying together. Ecclesial synods date back to the early days of the Church. Revived by the 8 Turn to page two
Pope Francis’ 2022 World Day of Peace Message — Page 3 January 7, 2022 †
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Work continues on the 2022 Diocesan Directory scheduled to be published in early 2022.
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Synod seeks to involve everyone continued from page one
Second Vatican Council, synods have been assemblies, primarily of bishops meeting with experts on specific subjects, to consult, achieve consensus and develop direction. Synods during the past few years have addressed subjects such as the Christian Family, Consecrated Life and Catechesis as well as concerns within geographical areas such as Africa and South America. What’s different with the
current Synod is that Pope Francis asked for an extended period of consultation involving as many people as possible from the parish and community level. “The Spirit asks us to listen to the questions, concerns and hopes of every Church, people and nation. And to listen to the world, to the challenges and changes it sets before us,” said the pope in his homily opening the Synod last October. Commenting on synodality in his pastoral letter, “Journeying Together,” focused on revitalization of our local Church, Bishop da Cunha emphasized broad participation: “Conversations and efforts regarding revitalization must include all those who comprise the People of God in a particular place. Yet, this also requires that People of God step forward to be part of these efforts.” Stepping forward, being heard and hearing others is what the Synod is all about. “The journey of synodality is the journey that God wants from His Church in the third millennium,” says Pope Francis.
Become involved Let us Hear From You! — What do you want to know about the Synod? — What is your parish doing? Send your thoughts, comments, suggestions and questions to synodnews@ anchornews.org 2
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2022 World Peace Day message: Pope Francis calls for investment in education, not weaponry
Dialogue between generations, education and work: Tools for building lasting peace 1. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace” (Is 52:7). The words of the prophet Isaiah speak of consolation; they voice the sigh of relief of a people in exile, weary of violence and oppression, exposed to indignity and death. The prophet Baruch had wondered: “Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies, that you are growing old in a foreign country, that you are defiled with the dead, that you are counted among those in Hades?” (3:1011). For the people of Israel, the coming of the Messenger of Peace meant the promise of a rebirth from the rubble of history, the beginning of a bright future.
Today the path of peace, which St. Paul VI called by the new name of integral development, [1] remains sadly distant from the real lives of many men and women and thus from our human family, which is now entirely interconnected. Despite numerous efforts aimed at constructive dialogue between nations, the deafening noise of war and conflict is intensifying. While diseases of pandemic proportions are spreading, the effects of climate change and environmental degradation are worsening, the tragedy of hunger and thirst is increasing, and an economic model based on individualism rather than on solidary sharing continues to prevail. As in the days of the prophets of old, so in our own day the cry of the poor and the cry
of the earth [2] constantly make themselves heard, pleading for justice and peace. In every age, peace is both a gift from on high and the fruit of a shared commitment. Indeed, we can speak of an “architecture” of peace, to which different institutions of society contribute, and an “art” of peace that directly
involves each one of us. [3] All can work together to build a more peaceful world, starting from the hearts of individuals and relationships in the family, then within society and with the environment, and all the way up to relationships between peoples and nations. Here I wish to propose three paths for building a
lasting peace. First, dialogue between generations as the basis for the realization of shared projects. Second, education as a factor of freedom, responsibility and development. Finally, labor as a means for the full realization of human dignity. These are three indispensable elements for “making 8 Turn to page 11
† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has approved the nominations of the Very Reverend William V. Kaliyadan, M.S., Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of La Salette, and has made the following appointments: Reverend Paul Mandziuk, M.S., Pastor of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster Effective: January 15, 2022 Reverend Brian D. Schloth, M.S., Priest in Residence at Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster Effective: February 28, 2022 January 7, 2022 †
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Taking our rebirth seriously
here is so much to take in over Christmastide, with all its feasts and images — not to mention the temporal responsibilities undergirding “the holiday season”—that years (even decades) might pass without taking the opportunity to really ponder some of the underlying themes that the Nativity reveals to the faithful. As the decorations are reboxed and stored, it may be a good time to meditate on how to make the new year different, really different. We’ve seen anew how the Child was given, the Virgin embraced Him, the humble rejoiced, and then the hostile world intervened. We know that Joseph prayerfully put one foot in front of the other, leading his family into the desert, and then to the unfamiliar town of Nazareth. The birth of Christ destabilized his family and changed the trajectory of their lives. They took it in stride, because they
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had long been in conversation with God, and the story of their very people was often punctuated by radical movement amidst the shifting sands of strife and crisis. Tevye of Anatevka offered a stark image, indicating that pursuing a life of faith mirrors a fiddler on the roof, who is “trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck.” Even in ideal circumstances, the birth of a child requires a total reorientation within the home. The needs of the parents are subsumed by the needs of the child, and any lingering self-absorption is swamped by quotidian demands. Ironically, the baby rules by means of an overwhelming vulnerability, and parents discover a strength and stamina they never knew they had. God
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willing, they also develop a new appreciation for what was done for them, and eventually they’ll sift through the accumulated wisdom of previous generations to tackle the
heretofore unimagined questions and dilemmas hurled at them with astonishing speed. Having just paid homage to the birth of Christ, consider the curious conversation between Nicodemus and Our Lord, who insisted that all believers must be reborn. In an excellent new book, “Mary’s Voice in the Gospel According to John,” author Michael Pakaluk reminds us that the verb used in the exchange (gennēthē)
could either mean “to be begotten” or “to be born,” but he insists that it’s less about the birth canal than “the sense of being brought forth from one’s mother.” It is that “bringing forth” that surely encompasses both destabilization and reorientation, but more importantly provides the true paradigm for motherhood and fatherhood. It is essential that we recognize that the rebirth brought about by Christian Baptism is as much an initiation, a “bringing forth from one’s mother” as is physical birth. Here is where we return to the words of St. Cyprian: “He cannot have God for his Father who has not the Church for his Mother.” Martyred in 238, he indicated even then that the Church was the essential “sacrament of unity”
needed to orient believers towards eternal truths that would assure their Salvation. Beyond the gift of regenerating the soul, to be “born again” is to overlay an existing physical relationship with a filial regard for the institutional Church as our new mother. In this regard, as we ponder what the family is meant to show us Spiritually, we might make a New Years resolution to study at least one long-standing teaching of Holy Mother Church for greater insight into how to live, how to choose well, and how to witness to Spiritual realities in a culture that has rejected not only motherhood and fatherhood, but the existence of truth itself. Choose a topic, roll up the sleeves, and get reading. Two millennia of wisdom are easily accessed, and have been carefully preserved specifically to guide those who have been brought forth into the light of Christ. Anchor columnist Genevieve Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman.” She blogs at feminine-genius. typepad.com.
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Growing in devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus
ne of the fruits of the Year of St. Joseph just concluded was the opportunity to enter into his contemplative, hardworking silence and to ponder how the only word Scripture records him saying is the name of Jesus, pronounced eight days after Jesus was born at His circumcision. “You are to name Him Jesus,” the angel had instructed him in a dream, “because He will save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). St. Joseph’s whole life can be summarized as a proclamation of that one word, Jesus, literally “God saves,” and as a participation in His rescue mission. Earlier this week, on January 3, the Church celebrated the Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was reinstituted by St. John Paul II in 2002 after having been eliminated from the Liturgical calendar in the reform of the Mass that took place after the Second Vatican Council. Traditionally the Church celebrated the Lord’s circumcision on January 1, the octave of His birth, quickly followed by the celebration of His saving name on January 2. In the reforms, when the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, was instituted on January 1 and other changes made to the Solemnities of the Holy Family and the Epiphany and to the memorial of SS. Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen, the Liturgical celebration of the Holy Name of Jesus was moved to a votive Mass that a priest could celebrate at his discretion on open weekdays in Ordinary Time. That meant, sadly, that few priests, and fewer of the faithful, would mark it each year. A proper understanding and invocation of the name of Jesus, however, is essential to a fully formed Christian life. Each of us, in our own way, is called, like Joseph, to relate to Jesus as Savior and pronounce His name before others. The Memorial of the Holy Name
of Jesus at the beginning of each new civil year can provide an opportunity for each of us to set our bearings to make it truly a “year of the Lord.” We live in a secularist age that seeks to separate faith from life and ghettoize expressions of faith to private homes and houses of worship. Even within the Church, there is sometimes a powerful push for assimilation with cultural elites and conformism with prevailing ideas, such that we lose our distinctiveness, speak of Jesus less explicitly, and begin to behave and speak like a charitable association calling people to goodness rather than to God. We see this when Catholic educational institutions speak of “values” and “traditions” instead of authentically Christian faith and morals. We find it when preachers barely touch on the Scriptures, fail to mention the name of Jesus or God at all, and focus rather about political, social or psychological issues. We lament it when, somewhat scandalously, certain Church documents and major initiatives lack any clear connection to the Gospel and to the words, actions and person of Jesus. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Sanhedrin, after flogging the Apostles Peter and John, forbade them “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18, 5:40), a prohibition that recurs in various countries today where Christians are not accorded religious freedom. But in many places with full religious liberty, Christians do not speak or teach in Jesus’ name by choice or custom. These defects occur not necessarily because Christians are ashamed of Jesus’ name, but because many have become accustomed to thinking, speaking, and acting in ways that are increasingly like
that of the world. That’s why it’s helpful for us to reflect on, appreciate, invoke and celebrate Jesus’ holy name. In Biblical understanding, a name isn’t an abstraction or fundamentally a “thing” but is an identity and vocative meant to bring people into interpersonal communion. When the Son of God’s name was revealed as “God saves,” it was precisely so that we could call upon, speak to, and recognize in Jesus our Divine Redeemer. It was meant to bring us into a life-changing “I-thou” relationship that would pervade all aspects of life.
This is clear in the Gospel. Jesus wanted us to pray in His name, promising that whatever we ask the Father in His name He will give us (Jn 14:13; 15:16; 16:23) and that whenever two or three are gathered in His name, He will be present in our midst (Mt 18:20). To pray in Jesus’ name is to do more than finish our prayers by saying “through Christ our Lord.” It means to pray in communion with the person of Jesus, to turn to the Father together with the Son. The “Catechism” states that “the name of Jesus is at the heart of Christian prayer” (435) and “is the simplest way of praying always” (2668). Jesus wanted us, moreover, to preach in His name (Acts 9:15; 9:27) and act in His name, giving the Apostles the ability to work miracles, speak new languages, and do exorcisms in His name (Mk 16:17; Acts 3:6). He called us to receive children in His name, saying that whenever we receive them we receive Him (Mt
18:5) and to be willing to sacrifice in His name, promising that when we give up family members or property for the sake of His name, we will receive 100fold in this life and eternal life (Mt 19:29). He warned us that we would be hated by all because of His name (Mt 10:22) and persecuted because of it (Lk 21:12; Jn 15:21; Acts 21:13), but through those sufferings, we would be more united to Him and to His work, as those hardships would be pulpits by which we could more greatly witness to His saving Mission. He said that we should know Him through His name so well that we should recognize various imposters who would falsely invoke His name to deceive us and others (Mt 24:5; Lk 21:8). In the early Church, we see the absolute centrality of the name of Jesus in Christian prayer and life. Christians are summarized simply as those “who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:26). Their call to conversion, announced by Peter on Pentecost, was “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). St. Paul referred to Christians as those who have been “washed,… sanctified… [and] justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 6:11). Christians were called to “believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 3:23), to “give thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:20), and “whatever [they] do, in word or in deed, [to] do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 3:17). St. Paul urged them to have the same mindset as Jesus, Who humbled Himself to death on the cross but
“God greatly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:6-11). The name of Jesus should, in other words, bring us to dedication, justification, faith, gratitude, Sanctification of work, Adoration and public profession. In the history of the Church, Saints Anselm, Bernard of Clairvaux, Henry Suso, Bernardine of Siena, John of Capistano, Ignatius of Loyola, and many other Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, Augustinians and Carthusians have all helped to spread devotion to the holy name of Jesus through litanies, prayers, writings and devotions. The first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek — IHS — became a popular monogram by which people could visualize the name of Jesus, as those letters were soon put everywhere — on Church façades, altars, vestments, Tabernacle doors, hosts, preaching tablets, banners and so many other objects to remind everyone of the name of Jesus — and in a Latin context were developed into the abbreviation Iesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus, Savior of the human race, reminding us of what the name of Jesus means. The month of January is traditionally dedicated to Jesus’ Holy Name. St. Joseph and our Lady, the Apostles, and all the saints just listed are doubtless interceding that this month will be one in which we will seek to glorify and hallow that name, the only one “under Heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.
January 7, 2022 †
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Editorial
Care for the sick
On Tuesday, the feast of St. Elizabeth Seton (who cared for the sick herself), Pope Francis released his message for the 30th World Day of the Sick, which is observed on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Holy Father noted that his predecessor, St. John Paul II began this observance so as “to encourage the people of God, Catholic health institutions and civil society to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them.” Given the pandemic we are living through right now, this seems more timely than ever. Pope Francis thanked God for progress made in caring for the ill, “yet there is still a long way to go in ensuring that all the sick, also those living in places and situations of great poverty and marginalization, receive the health care they need, as well as the pastoral care that can help them experience their sickness in union with the crucified and Risen Christ. May the Thirtieth World Day of the Sick — whose closing celebration, due to the pandemic, will not take place as planned in Arequipa, Peru, but in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican — help us grow in closeness and service to the sick and to their families.” The theme for this year’s observance is “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36). The pope said that this “makes us first turn our gaze towards God, Who is ‘rich in mercy’ (Eph 2:4); He always watches over His children with a father’s love, even when they turn away from Him. Mercy is God’s name par excellence; mercy, understood not as an occasional sentimental feeling but as an ever-present and active force, expresses God’s very nature. It combines strength and tenderness. For this reason, we can say with wonder and gratitude that God’s mercy embraces both fatherhood and motherhood (cf. Is 49:15). God cares for us with the strength of a father and the tenderness of a mother; He unceasingly desires to give us new life in the Holy Spirit.” One might wonder: what does this have to do with being ill? Pope Francis explained, “The supreme witness of the Father’s merciful love for the sick is His only-begotten Son. How often do the Gospels relate Jesus’ encounters with people suffering from various diseases! He ‘went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people’ (Mt 4:23). We do well to ask ourselves why Jesus showed such great concern for the sick, so much so that he made it paramount in the mission of the Apostles, who were sent by the Master to proclaim the Gospel and to heal the sick” (cf. Lk 9:2). Pope Francis then quoted Emmanuel Lévinas, a French Lithuanian Jewish philosopher, who wrote, “Pain isolates in an absolute way, and absolute isolation gives rise to the need to appeal to the other, to call out to the other”. The pope applied Lévinas’ observation to the present: “When individuals experience frailty and suffering in their own flesh as a result of illness, their hearts become heavy, fear spreads, uncertainties multiply, and questions about the meaning of what is happening in their lives become all the more urgent. How can we forget, in this regard, all those patients who, during this time of pandemic spent the last part of their earthly life in solitude, in an intensive care unit, assisted by generous healthcare workers, yet far from their loved ones and the most important people in their lives? This helps us to see how important is the presence at our side of witnesses to God’s charity, who, following the example of Jesus, the very mercy of the Father, pour the balm of consolation and the wine of hope on the wounds of the sick.” This is a reference to the loving actions of the Good Samaritan. “Jesus’ invitation to be merciful like the Father has particular significance for healthOFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 66, No. 1
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care workers. I think of all those physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, the support staff and the caretakers of the sick, as well as the numerous volunteers who donate their precious time to assist those who suffer. Dear healthcare workers, your service alongside the sick, carried out with love and competence, transcends the bounds of your profession and becomes a mission. Your hands, which touch the suffering flesh of Christ, can be a sign of the merciful hands of the Father.” In other words, it is Christ ministering to Christ in these hospitals and other health facilities. The pope again thanked “the Lord for the progress that medical science has made,” in technology, in the elimination of some illnesses, and in progress in rehabilitation methods. “None of this, however, must make us forget the uniqueness of each patient, his or her dignity and frailties. Patients are always more important than their diseases, and for this reason, no therapeutic approach can prescind from listening to the patient, his or her history, anxieties and fears. It is always possible to console, it is always possible to make people sense a closeness that is more interested in the person than in his or her pathology.” Care of the sick takes place in specific places and the pope discussed them in his message. “Down the centuries, showing mercy to the sick led the Christian community to open innumerable ‘inns of the good Samaritan.’ Merciful like the Father, countless missionaries have combined the preaching of the Gospel with the construction of hospitals, dispensaries and care homes.” The Holy Father also expressed his “wish to reaffirm the importance of Catholic healthcare institutions: they are a precious treasure to be protected and preserved; their presence has distinguished the history of the Church, showing her closeness to the sick and the poor, and to situations overlooked by others. How many founders of religious families have listened to the cry of their brothers and sisters who lack access to care or are poorly cared for, and have given their utmost in their service! At a time in which the culture of waste is widespread and life is not always acknowledged as worthy of being welcomed and lived, these structures, like ‘houses of mercy,’ can be exemplary in protecting and caring for all life, even the most fragile, from its beginning until its natural end.” The Holy Father next discussed the attention given to the Spiritual needs of patients. “If the worst discrimination suffered by the poor — including the sick, who are poor in health — is the lack of Spiritual attention, we cannot fail to offer them God’s closeness, His blessing and His word, as well as the celebration of the Sacraments and the opportunity for a journey of growth and maturation in faith. In this regard, I would like to remind everyone that closeness to the sick and their pastoral care is not only the task of certain specifically designated ministers; visiting the sick is an invitation that Christ addresses to all His disciples. How many sick and elderly people are living at home and waiting for a visit! The ministry of consolation is a task for every baptized person, mindful of the word of Jesus: ‘I was sick and you visited Me’ (Mt 25:36).” Something for all of us to consider! The pope closed by invoking Mary’s intercession and praying for the sick, that “United with Christ, Who bears the pain of the world, may they find meaning, consolation and trust. I pray for healthcare workers everywhere, that, rich in mercy, they may offer patients, together with suitable care, their fraternal closeness.”
Daily Readings † January 15 - January 28
Sat. Jan. 15, 1 Sm 9:1-4,17-19; 10:1a; Ps 21:2-7; Mk 2:13-17. Sun. Jan. 16, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 62:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-10; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-11. Mon. Jan. 17, 1 Sm 15:16-23; Ps 50:8-9,16b-17,21,23; Mk 2:18-22. Tue. Jan. 18, 1 Sm 16:1-13; Ps 89:20-22,27-28; Mk 2:23-28. Wed. Jan. 19, 1 Sm 17:3233,37,40-51; Ps 144:1b,2,9-10; Mk 3:1-6. Thu. Jan. 20, 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Ps 56:2-3,9-13; Mk 3:7-12. Fri. Jan. 21, 1 Sm 24:3-21; Ps 57:2-4,6,11; Mk 3:13-19. Sat. Jan. 22, 2 Sm 1:1-4,11-12,19,23-27; Ps 80:2-3,5-7; Mk 3:20-21. Sun. Jan. 23, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Neh 8:2-4a,5-6,8-10; Ps 19:8-10,15; 1 Cor 12:12-30 or 12:12-14,27; Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21. Mon. Jan. 24, 2 Sm 5:1-7,10; Ps 89:21-22,25-26; Mk 3:22-30. Tue. Jan. 25, Acts 22:3-16 or 9:1-22; Ps 117:1bc,2; Mk 16:15-18. Wed. Jan. 26, 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-8a,10; Mk 4:120. Thu. Jan. 27, 2 Sm 7:18-19,24-29; Ps 132:1-5,11-14; Mk 4:21-25. Fri. Jan. 28, 2 Sm 11:1-4a,5-10a,13-17; Ps 51:3-7,10-11; Mk 4:26-34.
January 15-16 Catholic Communications Campaign supports diocesan, national projects FALL RIVER — The Bishops’ Conference annual Catholic Comstaff and other grantee munication Campaign organizations here in (CCC) collection will be taken up at parishes in the Fall River Diocese during the weekend of January 15 and 16. 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 weekly Mass that airs on WLNE-TV, Channel 6. 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. In addition to proceeds from the upcoming CCC collection, communication endeavors in the Diocese including the Television Mass are also supported by the annual Catholic 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.
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.
January 7, 2022 †
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Bishop’s Blog Ringing in the New Year Mary, Mother of God The first day of January is not only the beginning of a new year but also the day the Church celebrates Mary, as Mother of God. It is also a beautiful and most fitting way to close out the Christmas octave —the eight days following the birth of Christ — with a day honoring Mary, whose yes to the Angel Gabriel opened the way for Christmas. “Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of Salvation and because His Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where His Son and His Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church’s Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the Liturgy as the ‘Seat of Wisdom.’” — “Catechism of the Catholic Church” 721. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is usually a holy day of obligation, but since in 2022, it falls on a Saturday, the obligation was lifted. However, continuing my Christmas message of a season of 8
opportunity, one should always view attending Mass as a blessing. To come together as a Church community to celebrate this incredible gift of Mary, as Mother of God, is indeed more opportunity than obligation. World Day of Peace Every year on January 1, the Holy Father marks World Day of Peace with a special message inviting all people to reflect on the important work of building peace. Pope Francis’ message for the 2022 World Day of Peace, the 55th celebration, is entitled “Dialogue between generations, education, and work: tools for building lasting peace.” In the text [found beginning on page two of this edition of The Anchor], Pope Francis outlined three “paths for building a lasting peace”: promoting dialogue between generations, investing in education, and improving labor conditions. The pope called for a new alliance between the young and elderly to address the problems of isolation and self-absorption heightened by the Coronavirus pandemic. Pope Francis con-
† January 7, 2022
cluded his World Day of Peace message with these poignant words: “Dear brothers and
sisters, as we seek to combine our efforts in order to emerge from the pandemic, I renew my thanks to all those who continue to work with generosity and responsibility in the areas of education, safety and protection of rights, in supplying medical care, in facilitating meetings between family members and the sick, and in providing economic support to the needy and those who have lost their jobs. I continue to remember the victims and their families in my prayers. “To government leaders and to all those charged with political and social responsibilities, to priests and pastoral workers, and to all men and women of good will, I make this appeal: let us walk together with courage and creativity on the path of intergenerational dialogue, education, and work. May more and more men and women strive daily, with quiet humility and courage,
to be artisans of peace. And may they be ever inspired and accompanied by the blessings of the God of peace!” Let us contemplate Pope Francis’ words, as we also consider how we can be agents of peace in
2022, in our homes, our communities, and our world. Happy New Year! ¡Feliz Ano Novo! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! May 2022 be a year filled with many blessings, renewed hope, and much joy for you and your family. Yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha
The St. Nicholas of Myra Knights of Columbus Council #14947 and Annunciation of the Lord, Msgr. James Coyle Council #82 teamed up to provide a Breakfast With Santa for families from both parishes from North Dighton and Taunton. Adeline Thatcher and Amelia Thatcher share time with a Christmas friend.
Diocese loses two priests during Christmas week continued from page one
ford, he was the son of the late Ambrose and Nora (Sparrow) Smith. Msgr. Smith attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Md., and was ordained to the priesthood on April 25, 1959, by the Most Reverend James L. Connolly at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. Following his ordination, he served as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in Wareham and St. James Parish in New Bedford. He also served as temporary administrator to Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich and pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Attleboro. He was diocesan director of Vocations from 1968 to 1997. In 1987, he was raised to the rank of Prelate of Honor by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. In 1989, until his retirement in 2006, he served as pastor of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth. During his time in active ministry, Msgr. Smith also served as chaplain of the Serra Club of Attleboro, the St. John’s Council #404 of the Knights of Columbus of Attleboro, and assumed the responsibility of the Newman Chaplaincy at Southeastern Massachusetts University in North Dartmouth. He also served as moderator of the Catholic Nurses of the Cape
and Islands District, and was a member of the Council of Priests, College of Consultors and Episcopal Vicar for the Cape Cod and the Island Deanery of the Diocese of Fall River. He is survived by many nieces, nephews and brother priests. He was the brother of the late Sister Mary Nora Smith, R.S.M., Patricia Manning, Ambrose Smith, Philip Smith, Robert Smith, Nora Feener, James Smith, Michael Smith and Julia Gamba. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated January 4 at St. Lawrence Martyr Church in New Bedford, where Father Marc Tremblay preached the homily. Burial followed at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Bedford. Arrangements were by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer. com. Father Paul T. Lamb, 84, a retired priest of the Diocese of Fall River and chaplain of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, died on December 23. He is predeceased by his parents, Leon and Evelyn (Smith), and survived by his cousins Nelson (Joanne) Lamb of Wilmington, Del., and Doris Bea Campbell of Pawleys Island, S.C.
in Cromwell, Conn., he was ordained a priest at A native of Washing- St. Mary’s Cathedral, on ton, D.C., and alumnus June 8, 1996, by Bishof Notre Dame Univer- op Sean P. O’Malley, sity (1959), “Terry” (as OFM Cap. Father Lamb he was known to his rel- served as parochial vicatives and close friends) ar at Holy Trinity Parish served in the U.S. Army in Harwich and twice at and later worked as St. Francis Xavier Parish a stockbroker before in Hyannis; chaplain discerning a vocation to of Morton Hospital in the priesthood. Taunton; and pastor of After graduate stud- St. Rita Parish in Maries at The Catholic Uni- ion until retiring in versity of America in 2007. Washington, D.C., and He enjoyed golfing, Holy Apostles Seminary reading, watching old
movies, playing bridge, and spending time with family and friends. The wake will be held in St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, Hyannis, January 10, at 9:30 a.m., and the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. On Tuesday, January 18, a memorial Mass will be held at St. Bartholomew Church in Bethesda, Md., with burial following immediately at St. John’s Forest Glen Cemetery in Silver Spring, Md.
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O
What is the end of all this anyway?
ne of the key lessons I learned when I started working as a high school teacher was to begin planning the year with the end in mind. Otherwise, it would be difficult to effectively prepare students in a way that made sense and attained our goal as a class. Now, I certainly understand that there is value in the journey itself. Yet, every journey ultimately leads somewhere. Knowing what that somewhere is can certainly help make the journey a better source of growth and mitigate confusion. Perhaps that is why many of us become excited when we set New Year’s resolutions. We have an end in mind and begin to eagerly plan for the journey to get there. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been good at the whole New Year’s resolution thing. I bought a juicer once. I used it once. It now occupies a lot of room in my bottom cupboard. But the premise of resolutions can be intriguing to consider in this way: what is our end? What is it that we are ultimately made for? And, perhaps equally as important, how do we get there? Not just in a one-time resolution. Not just this year. But across our lifetime. How can we know that, as we lay on our death bed, we have reached our purpose? The famed philosopher Aristotle, in his “Nicomachean Ethics,” spoke to these questions by postulating that humanity’s ultimate end was happiness. Seems pretty straightforward. But how do we get 10
there? For Aristotle, the manner in which happiness is attained is through a life of virtue. To this end, virtue — he postulates — is the mean between excess and deficiency in disposition. For instance, courage is the rightly ordered mean between cowardice and rashness. When we fall into either of the latter, our actions — and by extension our lives — become, in a sense, disordered. Not all things or actions lead to happiness. The philosopher, theologian, and saint, Thomas Aquinas, later built upon Aristotle and the classical tradition. For Aquinas, not only is our end happiness but it is a perfect happiness attained in God. That is to say that our end will only be realized when we encounter the Beatific Vision: seeing God face to face in Heaven. Until then, our experience of happiness is “imperfect”; a foretaste, but not the fulfillment of, the perfect happiness we were made for. It is in this way that we can better understand St Augustine’s words in his “Confessions': “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Our end then, is found in God. And, in particular, a profound intimacy with God, face to face. That is something much more profound than losing 10 pounds or trying to be a “nicer person” this year. Instead, this speaks to conviction, meaning, and purpose. It speaks to the heart of who we are.
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Anything short of that is at best manifestations of imperfect happiness, and at worst distractions or deficiencies that pull us from the mean Aristotle referred to. If then we are made for God, Who is the source of perfect happiness, and this happiness comes from rightly-ordered virtue, then it would stand to reason that this virtue also comes from God. This is the heart of the Christian message, that
not only did God become one of us to save us from sin, but to also show us this virtuous way of life. “The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on My account will find it” (Mt 10:39). Rather than trying to “find oneself,” find God. Only then will we grasp our meaning and purpose. By all means, strive to be more healthy and friendly this year. Start that savings plan. But, as the cliché goes, you can’t take it with you when you go. So, above all else, strive to be holy. Today, next month, this year, next year, every year. It is the one resolution we can make, and continue to make, that will always be worthwhile. And it is the only resolution we can make that is directly ordered toward our ultimate end. And as we resolve to seek this end, what do we
share of it with others? What will my wife, my son, or my daughter know of this end? Will they know how to get there? And what role do I play, as a spouse and parent, in helping them with either? The first thing I would say is this: do we live as individuals seeking our end? Will our spouses and children see us modeling a purpose-driven life? Will they see us striving to live virtue? Will they see us striving for God? Second, we must consider if we actually desire this perfect happiness for them. I know, this may sound silly. Of course we do — right? Well, I think that many of us desire happiness for our family and children, and even others in general. But not all happiness is perfect happiness. And, if perfect happiness is found in God, then we must consider if we desire others to know God. Intimately. Face to Face. I spoke with a parent once who was explaining to me why they wanted their children to go through Faith Formation in their parish and receive Confirmation. What struck me was that in their explanation they never once mentioned Jesus. Faith Formation was spoken of as any other after school program, travel team, or extracurricular. It served a purpose to them, but not much more than reaching Confirmation and being a “nice person.” If Christianity and faith Formation were really only about being a nice person, gaining values or reaching
a (incorrectly) perceived “rite of passage” as Catholics, I wouldn’t be quite interested in it either, much less ensuring my children “went through it.” I can buy countless self-help books online that can give insight into being nice or mindful. But Christianity is not about that. Not even close. Christianity is an encounter with Jesus Christ; a call to conversion; a relationship of sacrificial love that leads to perfect happiness. Perfect happiness. It’s what we desire and desire for the ones we love. And as Aquinas pointed out, it can only be found in God. So, desire to know God. Desire that your spouse and children know God. Not just know about Him, but know Him. Make it a priority in your daily life, in your home life, in what you place importance on in word and action. Share the faith with them and share how God has and continues to work in your life. If everything is important, then nothing is important. Make clear in your life and family what is important: God. As we begin this New Year, think and act with the end in mind. For when you strive for holiness you’ll be striving for happiness, until that day when we see God intimately, face to face. On that day we’ll see that nothing else really mattered except that. Anchor columnist David Carvalho is the senior director for Faith Formation, Youth, Young Adult and Family Life Ministries for the Diocese of Fall River. Contact: dcarvalho@diocfr.org.
Pope Francis’ 2022 World Day of Peace message continued from page three
possible the creation of a social covenant”, [4] without which every project of peace turns out to be insubstantial. 2. Dialogue between generations to build peace In a world still gripped by the pandemic that has created untold problems, “some people attempt to flee from reality, taking refuge in their own little world; others react to it with destructive violence. Yet between selfish indifference and violent protest there is always another possible option: that of dialogue. Dialogue between generations”. [5] All honest dialogue, in addition to a correct and positive exchange of views, demands basic trust between the participants. We need to learn how to regain this mutual trust. The current health crisis has increased our sense of isolation and a tendency to self-absorption. The loneliness of the elderly is matched in the young by a sense of helplessness and a lack of a shared vision about the future. The crisis has indeed been painful, but it has also helped to bring out the best in people. Indeed, during the pandemic we encountered generous examples of compassion, sharing and solidarity in every part of the world. Dialogue entails listening to one another, sharing different views, coming to agreement and walking together. Promoting such dialogue between generations involves breaking up the hard and barren soil of conflict and indifference in order to sow the seeds
of a lasting and shared peace. Although technological and economic development has tended to create a divide between generations, our current crises show the urgent need for an intergenerational partnership. Young people need the wisdom and experience of the elderly, while those who are older need the support, affection, creativity and dynamism of the young. Great social challenges and peace processes necessarily call for dialogue between the keepers of memory — the elderly — and those who move history forward — the young. Each must be willing to make room for others and not to insist on monopolizing the entire scene by pursuing their own immediate interests, as if there were no past and future. The global crisis we are experiencing makes it clear that encounter and dialogue between generations should be the driving force behind a healthy politics, that is not content to manage the present “with piecemeal solutions or quick fixes,” [6] but views itself as an outstanding form of love for others, [7] in the search for shared and sustainable projects for the future. If, amid difficulties, we can practice this kind of intergenerational dialogue, “we can be firmly rooted in the present, and from here, revisit the past and look to the future. To revisit the past in order to learn from history and heal old wounds that at times still trouble us. To
look to the future in order to nourish our enthusiasm, cause dreams to emerge, awaken prophecies and enable hope to blossom. Together, we can learn from one another”. [8] For without roots, how can trees grow and bear fruit? We need only think of care for our common home. The environment, in fact, “is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next”. [9] We ought to esteem and encourage all those young people who work for a more just world, one that is careful to safeguard the Creation entrusted to our stewardship. They go about this with restlessness, enthusiasm and most of all a sense of responsibility before the urgent change of direction [10] required by the challenges emerging from the present ethical and socio-environmental crisis. [11] On the other hand, the opportunity to build paths of peace together cannot ignore education and labor, which are privileged settings and contexts for intergenerational dialogue. Education provides the grammar for dialogue between generations, and in the experience of labor men and women of different generations find themselves able to cooperate and to share expertise, experiences and skills in view of the common good. 3. Teaching and education as drivers of peace In recent years, there has been a significant reduction worldwide in funding for education and
training; these have been seen more as expenditures than investments. Yet they are the primary means of promoting integral human development; they make individuals more free and responsible, and they are essential for the defense and promotion of peace. In a word, teaching and education are the foundations of a cohesive civil society capable of generating hope, prosperity and progress. Military expenditures, on the other hand, have increased beyond the levels at the end of the Cold War and they seem certain to grow exorbitantly. [12] It is high time, then, that governments develop economic policies aimed at inverting the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry. The pursuit of a genuine process of international disarmament can only prove beneficial for the development of peoples and nations, freeing up financial resources better used for health care, schools, infrastructure, care of the land and so forth. It is my hope that investment in education will also be accompanied by greater efforts to promote the culture of care, [13] which, in the face of social divisions and unresponsive institutions, could become a common language working to break down barriers and build bridges. “A country flourishes when constructive dialogue occurs between its many rich cultural components: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic culture, technological culture, eco-
nomic culture, family culture and media culture.” [14] It is essential, then, to forge a new cultural paradigm through “a global pact on education for and with future generations, one that commits families, communities, schools, universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women”. [15] A compact that can promote education in integral ecology, according to a cultural model of peace, development and sustainability centered on fraternity and the covenant between human beings and the environment. [16] By investing in the education and training of younger generations, we can help them — through a focused program of formation — to take their rightful place in the labor market. [17] 4. Creating and ensuring labor builds peace Labor is an indispensable factor in building and keeping peace. It is an expression of ourselves and our gifts, but also of our commitment, self-investment and cooperation with others, since we always work with or for someone. Seen in this clearly social perspective, the workplace enables us to learn to make our contribution towards a more habitable and beautiful world. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the labor market, which was already facing multiple challenges. Millions of economic and productive activities have failed; short-term workers 8 Turn to page 13
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T he C hurch
A
Y outh & Y oung A dults
Liturgical seasons
s I write this article we are still a few days from Christmas. The gifts have been purchased (mostly), the tree is trimmed, the Christmas roast is seasoned, work is done (for now) and the excitement among our kids grows (even among our teen-agers). And yet we remain in Advent, aware that this special time has not yet arrived. When this article is published we will be close to the end of the Christmas season, a happenstance that inspired me to reflect on the importance of these Liturgical Seasons and how central this way of marking time is to the Church and the world. “Time is short.” “Time is money.” “Quality time.” “Time flies when you are having fun.” “Time management.” We are all familiar with these references to time and its importance in our lives. In many ways, we are slaves to time in that it
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often controls our disposition, actions and decisions. And yet, the Church offers a distinctive way to measure time that, rooted in our earthly rhythms, puts us in touch with the timeless eternity of God. By observing the cycle of the year marked by Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Triduum, Easter and Ordinary Time, we more deeply immerse ourselves in the mystery of Christ. Time, in this sense, becomes a Sacramental experience of God’s grace. In the secular world, the “Christmas season” now corresponds more to the commercial aspect of Christmas. It seems like it starts earlier and earlier every year. The Christmas radio stations are in full swing after Halloween. Now please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that we should wait until
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Christmas day to break out the Bing Crosby and Andy Williams tunes, but I think we all know that it probably isn’t such a healthy thing that this precious time, centrally about Jesus
Christ, is driven by profits! Advent, rather, is such a beautiful time of hopeful expectation that teaches us essential truths about being prepared for Christ’s entry into the world, into our lives every day and at the end of time. A part of the Advent season that we should seek to recover is the penitential aspect. Traditionally called “a little Lent,” Advent is also a time for increased prayer, fasting and almsgiving. I think it is nearly impossible that Advent would ever feel like Lent and its necessary sparsity. Nonetheless, aren’t making sacrifices, giving to charity, volunteering one’s time, and praying more all necessary to prepare our souls for the birth of Christ? Given the immense abundance in our society, is Advent not also a way to more deeply connect with those around us who are disadvantaged, who lack material resources, or who lack health in mind, body or spirit? By recovering this penitential aspect of Advent, we can both please
God and become more fully human at the same time. In preparation for this Advent, I used the Hallow app on my phone to pray more regularly throughout the season, using beautiful reflections and readings to help me focus on my Spiritual preparation for Christmas. I also refrained from many of the sweets so common this time of year, and found ways to share what God has given me. While hardly heroic in my efforts, I hope this allowed me to more fully celebrate the Nativity of our Lord, recognize how Christ comes to me on a daily basis in those around me, and be truly prepared for my own personal judgment. In the Church’s Liturgical calendar, the Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Baptism of the Lord. That is actually more than the 12 days with which most of us are familiar! Once again due to COVID-19, this Christmas season is impacting our ability to see family and friends. This is a shame because that is such a primary part of the tradition of the season. Nonetheless, we can still honor traditions by fully participating in the Christmas Liturgies, giving thoughtful gifts out of love, displaying our Nativity scenes and lighting our homes for our local communities to see. It is a small but important witness to keep those decorations up until the end of
the Christmas season (or until Lent if you want!) and not take them down the day after Christmas! Perhaps you could reach out to loved ones with whom you have lost touch, or who may need some support. Gently invite a family member to come home to the Church during this wondrous season, and let the beauty of our traditions do the evangelizing for you! Look for ways to serve those in need. Continue to celebrate, and find ways to give small gifts, material or otherwise, until the Baptism of the Lord. Most importantly, if we truly immerse ourselves in the Advent and Christmas seasons, we will more fully experience the intense love of God that we feel in such a powerful way at Christmastime. We will draw closer to Mary, who is so central to this time, and as a consequence, closer to her Son. By doing so, God will give us a reservoir of grace and we can proclaim along with the reformed Scrooge in Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”: “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” Anchor columnist Peter Shaughnessy is president/principal of Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth. He resides in Fairhaven with his wife, Anabela Vasconcelos Shaughnessy (Class of ’94), and their four children: Luke (Class of ’24), Emilia (Class of ’25), Dominic (Class of ’27) and Clare (Class of ’30).
Pope Francis’ 2022 World Day of Peace message continued from page 11
are increasingly vulnerable; many of those who provide essential services have an even lower public and political profile; and in many cases, distance teaching has led to a deficit in learning and delays in completing programs of study. Furthermore, young people entering the job
market and recently unemployed adults presently face bleak prospects. In a particular way, the impact of the crisis on the informal economy, which often involves migrant workers, has been devastating. Many of the latter are not even recognized by national legislation; it is as
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, January 9 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Santo Christo Parish in Fall River
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass
on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, January 16 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, January 9 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant is Father Ryan J. Healy, Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet
Sunday, January 16 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant is Father Christopher M. Peschel, Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Westport; and Pastor in Solidum St. John the Baptist Parish, Westport
though they did not exist. They and their families live in highly precarious conditions, prey to various forms of slavery and with no system of welfare to protect them. Currently only one third of the world’s population of working age enjoys a system of social protection, or benefit from it only in limited ways. Violence and organized crime are on the increase in many countries, impinging on people’s freedom and dignity, poisoning the economy and hampering the development of the common good. The only answer to this is an expansion of dignified employment opportunities. Labor, in fact, is the foundation on which to build justice and solidarity in every community. For this reason, our aim should not be “that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfillment.” [18] We need to combine our ideas and efforts in order to create the solutions and conditions that can provide everyone of working age with the opportunity, through their work, to contribute to the lives of their families and of society as a whole. It is more urgent than ever to promote, throughout our world, decent and dignified working conditions, oriented to the common good and to the safeguarding of Creation.
The freedom of entrepreneurial initiatives needs to be ensured and supported; at the same time, efforts must be made to encourage a renewed sense of social responsibility, so that profit will not be the sole guiding criterion. In light of this, there is a need to promote, welcome and support initiatives that, on all levels, urge companies to respect the fundamental human rights of workers, raising awareness not only on the part of institutions, but also among consumers, civil society and entrepreneurial entities. As the latter become more and more conscious of their role in society, the more they will become places where human dignity is respected. In this way, they will contribute to building peace. Here, politics is called to play an active role by promoting a fair balance between economic freedom and social justice. All who work in this field, starting with Catholic workers and entrepreneurs, can find sure guidelines in the Church’s social doctrine. Dear brothers and sisters, as we seek to combine our efforts in order to emerge from the pandemic, I renew my thanks to all those who continue to work with generosity and responsibility in the areas of education, safety and protection of rights, in supplying medical care, in facilitating meetings between family members and the sick, and in providing economic support to the needy and those who have lost their jobs. I continue to remember the victims and their families
in my prayers. To government leaders and to all those charged with political and social responsibilities, to priests and pastoral workers, and to all men and women of good will, I make this appeal: let us walk together with courage and creativity on the path of intergenerational dialogue, education, and work. May more and more men and women strive daily, with quiet humility and courage, to be artisans of peace. And may they be ever inspired and accompanied by the blessings of the God of peace! From the Vatican, 8 December 2021 FRANCISCUS [1] Cf. Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio (26 March 1967), 76ff. [2] Cf. Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 49. [3] Cf. Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020), 231. [4] Ibid., 218. [5] Ibid., 199. [6] Ibid., 179. [7] Cf. ibid., 180. [8] Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (25 March 2019), 199. [9] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ [10] Cf. ibid., 163; 202. [11] Cf. ibid., 139. [12] Cf. Message to the Participants in the 4th Paris Peace Forum, 11-13 November 2021. [13] Cf. Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 231; Message for the 2021 World Day of Peace: A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace (8 December 2020). [14] Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (3 October 2020), 199. [15] Cf. Video Message for the Global Compact on Education: Together to Look Beyond (15 October 2020). [16] Cf. Video Message for the High Level Virtual Climate Ambition Summit (13 December 2020). [17] Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Laborem Exercens (14 September 1981), 18. [18] Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ (24 May 2015), 128.
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Diocesan announcements and events Catholic Guild for the Blind The Catholic Guild for the Blind is hosting a Rosary and Social Hour via Conference Call. The Rosary and social hour will be offered twice monthly on the first Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. and on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. All are invited to join the Guild, as they come together to pray for those in need and for a renewed sense of purpose. To join either of the calls dial 1-774-462-3143 and enter the Pin Number 8916. (Please Note: You may wish to save this number and pin, as it will remain the same for all future calls and programs offered
by the Guild.) If you have any questions or need information about the Catholic Guild for the Blind, call Cynthia Stead at 508-771-6771 or Martha Reed at 508-6744681. Bereavement Support The Bereavement Support Group of the Diocese of Fall River continues to offer online support groups and hopes to begin offering live sessions in the spring. These online virtual programs are being offered through Catholic Social Services on Tuesdays. The links to register for either of the one-hour sessions are as follow: 4:30 p.m. — https://bit.ly/
SupportGroup4 or 7 p.m. — https://bit.ly/ SupportGroup7. In addition to the online sessions, oneon-one sessions are also offered via phone. For more information, contact Rose Mary Saraiva at 508-674-4681 Ext. 1111 or 774-253-4097, or by email at rsaraiva@cssdioc.org. Cape Cod Parishes Volunteers wanted! St. Joseph Shelter in Hyannis (a Catholic Social Services site) is in need of volunteers to help clean, sort, and organize various areas at the shelter. If interested in helping out or want more information, contact Rose Mary Saraiva at 508674-4681 Ext. 1111. Wedding Anniversary Celebration Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will celebrate the annual special Mass of Thanksgiving for couples observing significant anniversaries (including first year) during 2022 on February 13 from 3 to 4 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. Couples who would like an invitation should see their pastor as soon as possible. Deadline for registration is January 14.
To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or waynepowers@ anchornews.org 14
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In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
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 Rev. Gilles M. Genest, M.S., 2012 Jan. 18 Rev. Paul J. Duff, C.S.C., Retired, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton, 2012 Permanent Deacon James 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 Jan. 23 Permanent Deacon John Cwiekowski, 2001 Jan. 24 Rev. Aaron L. Roche, O.P., Immaculate Conception Mission, North Easton, 1870 Rev. Louis A. Casgrain, Pastor, St Mathieu, Fall River, 1920 Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Boston College Faculty, 1951 Rev. Thomas F. McMorrow, Assistant, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 1977 Rev. Cornelius J. O’Neill, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1999 Jan. 25 Rev. Jack Hickey, O.P., Dismas House, Nashville, Tenn., 1987 Rev. David M. Andrade, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea, 2018 Jan. 27 Rev. John T. O’Grady, Assistant, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1919 Rev. Joseph M. Silvia, Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 1955 Rev. Thomas E. Lockary, C.S.C., Stonehill College, North Easton, 1988 Jan. 28 Rev. Joseph M. Griffin, Pastor, St. Mary, Nantucket, 1947 Rt. Rev. Msgr. John J. Shay, V.F., Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1961
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he old man awakened to the muffled sound of not-sofar away explosions and regained enough of his senses to see the flashes of light slightly out of sync with the concussions. He glances at the large green LED lights on the clock aside his bed: 12:00. “Happy New Year,” he said to no one, perhaps himself, or perhaps to the woman who shared the empty side of the bed not too long ago. She was there for 59 years, keeping him company; giving him comfort; just plain being there. “I so took that for granted,” the old man said as he tried but failed to swallow back the tears. The small house was empty now, but for him. It wasn’t always that way. There was a time when he and his sidekick enjoyed, mostly, the company of five bundles of kinetic energy in various stages of youth. There was a time when a pair of dogs excitedly followed the Tasmanian devils of motion and
Auld lang syne laughter, barking and jumping just by picking up the vibes of the band of sisters and brothers. The cell phone by his bed, next to the clock with the big green numbers buzzed every minute or so — four times to be exact. He knew what that was and thought, “There once would be five sets of buzzes,” he pondered, “but that came to a halt about 10 years ago. At least he and my beloved share the new year together now.” The old man laid back knowing full well that sleep, for the time being, was out of the question. His mind had already become saturated with memories — good and bad, mostly good — and those memo-
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ries must be welcomed and given the love and respect they deserve. None of that is conducive to sleep. “I remember my dad telling me, in this very house, ‘Son enjoy every moment, savor every sensation, embrace every loved one — every day. They will all be gone in the blink of an eye,’” said the old man aloud to an empty house. He continued his solitary conversation. “I loved that man, but I thought he was just being melodramatic.” The father’s quote brought the old man’s thoughts back a few years, remembering the words of the rock performers he used to, and still does, listen to — rockers, many of whom have themselves come and gone. He sang softly aloud, “I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger. I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was stronger.” Welcoming in the new year was a far less pensive experience for the old man until but a few years ago, when suddenly he was the lone inhabitant of the bed. Still, it wasn’t an unpleasant night ushering in 2022 for the old man. The memories that overran every lobe portion of his brain were warm, funny, touching, and oh so simple. “If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing,”
he said without speaking the words. “Everything that has happened has made me what I am today. I don’t like the loneliness, but I do love that man I am.” Sensing he was becoming a bit too philosophical for a midnight memory session, the old man reached over to his cell phone and read the four texts waiting in his mailbox. All four of them were warm wishes and humorous sentiments from his four surviving children — all of them eagerly waiting to see him at dinner this very day; and all of them expressing a wish that their mother and brother could be there with them. “Wouldn’t change a thing,” the old man repeated aloud. The memory session was taking its toll and the old man was growing sleepy once again. Most of the shades of the past were slipping away, temporarily, allowing space for slumber to take over. As he felt himself slipping back to sleep he thought, without saying it, “I wish my dad wasn’t so darn wise.” And with that, the old man fell asleep while in homes and at fireworks and parties and in restaurants, revelers continued to usher in the new year — things the old man and his sidekick did many times themselves in years past. Happy New Year to all who take the time to read my column, and my wish for you this year is to remember to enjoy every moment, savor every sensation, embrace every loved one — every day. davejolivet@anchornews.org.
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† January 7, 2022