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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , February 7, 2014

At left, students from All Saints Catholic School in New Bedford take part in the recent annual Greater New Bedford Catholic Schools Challenge, a day-long event at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, where seventh- and eighth-grade students participated in a series of academic, athletic and creative competitions in a fun and engaging environment. The program was run by Stang students, faculty and administration. At center, Bishop George W. Coleman processes into St. Mary’s Church in Mansfield, where he recently celebrated a Mass for students in the Greater Attleboro and Taunton areas who had gathered for the Liturgy. At right, students process into the Mass carrying banners identifying their schools.

Mass. lawyer ‘cautiously optimistic’ about Mass. buffer zone appeal

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — A local lawyer who helped craft the challenge to Massachusetts’ 35-foot buffer zone law, heard before the United States Supreme Court on January 15, said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the law will be overturned.

“The consensus is that the case will be reversed,” Phil Moran told those gathered at the Massachusetts Citizens for Life Assembly for Life on January 26.

“To say that it was exciting to be there for the historic case would be an under-

statement.”

The law, enacted in 2007, criminalized Pro-Life speech within 35 feet of an entrance, exit or driveway of an abortion clinic. It prevents people from approaching women contemplating abortion in order to provide them with support, information and practical assistance, Moran said.

“The petitioners try to position themselves near the clinics in an attempt to reach this unique audience at a unique moment,” he said.

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The scene outside The Anchor offices in Fall River after one of several winter storms to hit the Diocese of Fall River this week. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Hospice and palliative care offer support for patient and family

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — When Penny Gosson, lead Hospice volunteer coordinator at Steward Health Care in Fall River, began her work in Hospice care in 1983, there was a general misconception about what type of patient received such care.

“I think in the beginning, people thought Hospice was just for patients who have cancer, and it’s really not,” said Gosson. “It’s for anyone with a terminable diagnosis for any disease.”

Hospice and palliative care provides medical services, emotional support and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of a serious illness, and also provides additional support services for families. Hospice and palliative services are not intended to speed up or prolong the dying process; the focus is instead on relieving

pain and other symptoms. Caregivers are concerned with enhancing the quality of remaining life by keeping a patient as comfortable as possible in a familiar environment.

At Our Lady’s Haven in Fairhaven, the nursing home has its own palliative care program that works alongside a Hospice agency of the patient’s choosing, said Cheryl Ann McMullen Jolin, R.N., who has been a case manager for 16 years. Having a Hospice agency offers “another set of people with our people, working together to make the most of the [patient’s] life they’re living,” explained Jolin. “We’re not focusing on their dying. What we’re focusing on is the moment — getting them comfortable, seeing what they want to make their days comfortable. We try hard.”

The skilled nursing home provides the nursing care and meets all the patient’s

needs, including social services, spiritual, pain management, while “we bring the agencies in and they provide an extra layer,” said Jolin. “We meet with the whole team, the nurse, social worker, chaplain and CNAs. We meet once a week with them so that we’re all on the same page, and we develop a plan of care. They provide a lot of support.”

Denise Benjamin has been an assistant chaplain at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and said that the support is key; “It’s the most common need.”

And while the number of Hospice and palliative care patients she sees varies from week to week, Benjamin says her biggest challenge is “when a patient is close to death and is not conscious, and some family members want spiritual care and others don’t; trying to meet the needs of the family when they’re not all on the same page. We

don’t go in with an agenda.”

Sometimes the moments are heartbreaking, like when a family or patient questions, “why?”

“It’s just why? Why this person? Why is this happening to them? In any suffering, we ask why — why is God allowing this?” said Benjamin, who cannot offer an easy answer. “Sometimes I don’t give any answer.

Sometimes they just need to go through that process.”

And for devout Catholics, the process often involves an inner struggle over understanding what the teachings of the Church are regarding the sanctity and dignity of human life.

“A lot of the questions I’ve dealt with, especially when I was full-time in the ministry, a real challenge for people is certainly the issue of extraordinary means, such as Turn to page 18

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News From the Vatican

February 7, 2014

Church must always protect, support children against abuse, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Children and young people must always be protected against sexual abuse and always find adequate support in the Church community, Pope Francis told the Vatican doctrinal office dealing with suspected cases of sexual abuse by clergy.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith should also look at ways to collaborate with a new papal advisory commission on abuse, which, the pope said, he wants to be an exemplary model for child protection.

“I want to thank you for your dedication to dealing with the delicate set of problems concerning the so-called most grave crimes, in particular cases of sexual abuse of minors by clerics,” Pope Francis said in a written speech January 31.

He called on the congregation, which was given exclusive jurisdiction over a number of these most serious crimes in 2001, to focus on “the wellbeing of children and young people, who in the Christian community must always be protected and supported in their human and spiritual growth,” he said.

The pope asked the doctrinal office to also study ways it could cooperate with the special commission for the protection of young people he established in December.

While the pope has yet to name who will be on the new advisory commission, he said in his speech that he wants the new body to be “exemplary for everyone who is charged with promoting the well-being of children.”

Less than a month after his March 13 election, Pope Francis met with the congregation’s prefect, Cardinaldesignate Gerhard Muller, reaffirming the importance of continuing “to act decisively concerning cases of sexual abuse,” according to a Vatican statement.

The pope wanted the congregation to continue promoting measures to protect children; to offer care and help for victims; to implement necessary procedures against those found guilty; and to have bishops’ conferences formulate and implement appropriate directives for child protection, the statement had said.

The pope’s meeting and

speech January 31 addressed Cardinal-designate Muller and members, advisers and other people taking part in the congregation’s plenary assembly.

Pope Francis asked the congregation to work in such a way that “the criteria of faith prevail in the words and practice of the Church.”

The faith needs to shine “in its simplicity and original purity,” he said, so God may appear in all His glory and bring people to Christ.

Unfortunately there has always existed “the temptation to interpret doctrine in an ideological sense or to reduce it to a collection of abstract and crystallized theories,” he said.

Instead, “doctrine has the sole aim of serving the life of the people of God and is meant to ensure our faith has a sure foundation.”

However, the temptation is still great for people “to appropriate for ourselves the gifts of Salvation that comes from God, to domesticate them — perhaps also with good intentions — according to the views and spirit of the world.”

Safeguarding the purity and integrity of the faith is “a very delicate task” and must be done in collaboration and with a spirit of communion with local pastors and the doctrinal offices of the world’s bishops’ conferences, he said.

The congregation tries to maintain “constructive, respectful and patient dialogue” in its work, the pope noted.

If truth demands fidelity, he said, fidelity “always grows in charity and brotherly assistance for those who are called to mature or clarify their convictions.”

Dialogue, communion and collegiality with all parties are key, he added.

“I am sure that the more collegiality will be an effective approach to our work, the more the light of our faith will shine before the world,” he said.

He also noted the plenary reflected on an issue retired Pope Benedict XVI had designated for further study: the need to look more closely at people’s faith and the Sacrament of Marriage.

In a January 2013 speech to the Roman Rota, the nowretired pope asked for closer reflection on the impact a person’s lack of faith in God could have on the validity of Marriage.

Pope Francis holds a parrot handed to him by a pilgrim during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

2015 celebration of religious life won’t ignore problems, officials say

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has called for a special yearlong focus on consecrated life, asking the Church’s religious Sisters, Brothers and priests to “wake up the world” with their testimony of faith, holiness and hope, a Vatican official said.

“Consecrated men and women are aware that besides recounting the great stories they have written in the past, they are called to write a noless-beautiful and great story in the future,” said Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

At a news conference January 31, the cardinal spoke about plans for the 2015 Year for Consecrated Life, which Pope Francis announced in November.

The congregation hopes Pope Francis will celebrate the year’s opening Mass November 21, when the Church marks a day of prayer for cloistered religious. The events would conclude one year later on the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of the Second Vatican Council decree “Perfectae Caritatis” on the renewal of religious life.

“We are convinced that the council represented the breath of the Holy Spirit not only for the entire Church, but in a particular way for consecrated life,” Cardinal Aviz said.

“We are also convinced that in these 50 years, consecrated life has followed a fruitful

path of renewal — certainly not without difficulties and struggles,” the cardinal said.

“In this year, we want to recognize and confess our weaknesses, but we also want to show the world with strength and joy the holiness and vitality that are present in consecrated life.”

Responding to questions about the huge numbers of religious who have left consecrated life since the council, Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, congregation secretary, said: “In consecrated life, there are lights and shadows, and recognizing this is an exercise of lucidity and courage.

There are lights and shadows, just as in every area of the life of society and of the Church.”

The archbishop said he had no problem talking about, and even publishing in the Vatican newspaper, the number of priests, Brothers and nuns who leave religious life each year.

“It’s part of the crisis that society is living through,” he said. “We consecrated people, thanks be to God, are part of the societies of this world.”

In October, the archbishop wrote that between 2008 and 2012, the congregation for religious issued 11,805 dispensations, releasing men and women from their religious vows. Other religious received dispensations from the congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith, for Bishops and for Clergy, bringing to about 3,000 the average number of

perpetually professed religious who left each year.

The figures, he said, work out to be about 2.5 dispensations annually for every 1,000 consecrated men and women with perpetual vows. The Vatican’s Statistical Yearbook reported that at the end of 2011, there were more than 903,300 religious priests, Brothers and Sisters in the world; however, that figure includes those with temporary vows.

Commemorating the Second Vatican Council during the Year for Consecrated Life will not mean ignoring “the shadows,” but it also will not mean wallowing in them, the archbishop said.

“We believe the council was a breath of the Holy Spirit and the point of departure for a profound renewal of consecrated life, which retains its evangelical significance,” he said.

“It’s sad when a consecrated person leaves, just as its sad that many families break up, but this is part of the reality of grace and sin that exist in the Church and every human reality,” he added.

Cardinal Aviz said a key challenge of being Christian and being a religious is looking toward the future with hope.

“We want to see these crises not as an antechamber of death, but as a ‘kairos,’ a favorable occasion for growth” and the Year for Consecrated Life should be a further push for doing so, he said.

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February 7, 2014

As Israeli court hears case, U.S., Canadian bishops weigh in on barrier

JERUSALEM (CNS) — On tives from 12 countries as well as plan could become one step forthe eve of an Israeli Supreme several Church leaders attended ward toward making it possible Court decision concerning the the court heating. Among them for Palestinians and Israelis to live construction of a contested seg- were Auxiliary Bishop William in peace and justice,” he said. ment of the security barrier in the Shomali of Jerusalem and Father He added that the Canadian West Bank town of Beit Jalla, U.S. Ibrahim Shomali, parish priest in bishops were aware of and supand Canadian bishops sent letters Beit Jalla. ported Israel’s need for and right to their governmental representaIn his January 28 letter, Bishop to security. tives urging them to push Israel to Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, “Nevertheless, we believe the stop building along the proposed Iowa, chairman of the U.S. bish- wall as planned will only deepen route. ops’ Committee on International the wounds between Palestinians Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, the Justice and Peace, asked U.S. and Israelis. We are convinced, Israeli Supreme Court spent three Secretary of State John Kerry “to with our brother bishops from hours January 29 listening to around the world, that the security expert testimony evertheless, we believe the extension of the wall will from the Israeli Council for wall as planned will only raise more skepticism from Peace and Security presented deepen the wounds between Palestin- the international commuby retired Israeli Col. Shaul nity. As it is, the security wall Arieli on an alternative route ians and Israelis. We are convinced, is already perceived by many for the barrier that would still with our brother bishops from around as an illegal ‘land grab.’” be beyond the Israeli border the world, that the extension of the Both bishops were signabut would not reach into the wall will raise more skepticism from tories to a January 28 stateCremisan Valley. the international community. As it is, ment released by the bishops If built according to the of the Holy Land CoordinaIsraeli plan, the proposed ex- the security wall is already perceived tion. That statement, which tension of the security barrier by many as an illegal ‘land grab.’” included bishop-signers would cut through Palestinfrom Europe and South Afian-owned land, separating fami- urge the government of Israel to rica, called for prayer and internalies from their agricultural land cease and desist in its efforts to tional pressure on Israel to change as well as separating the Salesian unnecessarily confiscate Palestin- the planned route.

Sisters’ school from the commu- ian lands in the Occupied West “We call for justice to be upnity it serves. The schoolchildren Bank.” held in the Cremisan Valley, would be forced to go through a “The Cremisan Valley is a mi- near Bethlehem. Israel’s plans to military-like checkpoint gate to crocosm of a protracted pattern build a security wall on the land reach their school if the barrier is that has serious implications for of 58 Christian families should built. It would also separate the the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian be abandoned,” the statement women religious from the Salesian conflict and your commendable said. “We recognize the right monastery for male religious and efforts to achieve a peace agree- of the State of Israel to security would separate both communities ment,” Bishop Pates said. and secure borders. However, the from their lands.

In a similar letter sent to Cana- planned route of the security wall Arieli testified that the alterna- dian Foreign Minister John Baird, deviates sharply from the Green tive route would cause less harm Archbishop Paul-Andre Duro- Line, the internationally recogand would better serve Israeli se- cher of Gatineau, Quebec, presi- nized demarcation line separating curity needs because it would not dent of the Canadian Conference Israel and the territories captured require the construction of gates, of Catholic Bishops, noted that in the six-day war of 1967.” which are always weak points and the barrier would also disturb the The bishops said they were cause friction. religious life of the community in concerned that the planned secuIsrael has argued that the loca- that area by preventing the tra- rity wall “is more about consolition of the barrier is vital for the ditional May procession to Beit dating the settlement areas and protection of the Har Gilo settle- Jalla and prevent the centuries permanently choking off Bethlement, which abuts Beit Jalla but is old Christmas procession, which hem from Jerusalem.” considered a neighborhood of Je- begins at the Monastery of Mar “This particular plan is a mirusalem by Israel. Israeli authori- Elias. crocosm of the tragic situation ties noted that most of the wall in “We ask your government to in the Holy Land, which incites the area has already been built. raise our objections about the ex- resentment and mistrust, makA final court decision is ex- tension of the security wall in the ing the possibility of a muchpected soon.

Cremisan Valley, with the hope needed solution less likely,” Diplomats and representa- that a change to the present Israeli they said.

“N

As required, Bishop Coleman offers his resignation on 75th birthday

FALL RIVER — Having celebrated his 75th birthday on Feb. 1, 2014, the Most Reverend George W. Coleman has written to Pope Francis submitting his resignation in accordance with the Church’s Canon Law. The canon instructs a diocesan bishop, upon reaching that age, “to offer his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who, taking all the circumstances into account, will make provision

accordingly.”

According to the normal procedure, a widespread and confidential consultation will take place under the supervision of the Most Reverend Carlo Maria Viganò, the nuncio (or pope’s representative) to the United States, leading to the naming of the new bishop. It is not unusual for this process to take several months, even more than a year as the Holy Father

discerns who the man would be who would lead the diocese in the future.

At the Priests’ Convocation held last month in Newport, the priests honored Bishop Coleman with a cake and a toast, in anticipation of his birthday, since it was a rare occasion of having the entire Presbyterate together.

The priests also offered their continued prayers for him in the months ahead.

The Church in the U.S.

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February 7, 2014

Catholic advocates find little to praise in farm bill passed by House

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The House passed a five-year farm bill January 29, more than a year after the 2008 farm bill expired and two days before an extension of the prior measure was to expire.

While Catholic groups and other rural advocates were urging passage of a farm bill, their support for this House version of the bill was muted, largely because of an $8 billion cut in food stamps and the deleting of agricultural reform measures from the version of the bill that came out of a joint HouseSenate conference committee.

What praise there was to offer dealt largely with the conferees’ ability to put together a compromise bill despite their partisan differences.

“While we are disappointed that the final compromise continues to call disproportionately for sacrifices from hungry and poor people in this country and around the world, especially when large industrial agricultural operations

continue to receive unnecessary subsidies, we are glad to see support will continue for domestic and international nutrition and development aid, rural development and conservation,” said a January 29 statement from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

In addition to nutrition programs — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program — the farm bill’s provisions cover crop insurance, conservation, subsidies to farmers and overseas food aid.

“We are disappointed to see that necessary reforms to farm commodity programs and payment levels have been struck down in the final bill,” said James Ennis, executive director of Catholic Rural Life, in a January 29 statement. “Congress needs to close loopholes and set real payment limits. By doing so, the farm

bill will help to save hundreds of millions of dollars and take a step towards leveling the playing field for all family farmers.”

In a January 27 email sent to its members, Catholic Rural Life had urged a “yes vote” on the House bill, despite its “failings in reforms.” The organization said passage would at least “ensure some stability in farm, food and conservation programs for the next several years.”

The Senate was to consider the bill sometime in early February and passage was expected.

In a January 30 posting about the House vote on Catholic Rural Life’s website, Ennis said: “The apparent backroom deals do not represent the kind of democratic process we deserve as citizens. As devoted farm and food advocates, we believe our voice is as necessary as commodity organizations and agribusiness interests. Who else can articulate enlightened policies for a new agriculture of sustainable practices and vibrant

rural communities?”

Even with passage of this farm bill, Ennis added, “we will not stop in working for real reform in farm and food policies. Much can be done at the local, state and regional levels. Much can change on the farm by the food choices we make at the store.”

Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, also weighed in on the House measure in a January 29 statement.

“We continue to be concerned that those who are most vulnerable will bear the greatest burden when cuts are being considered in any programs that address poverty in this country,” he said.

“However, we realize that tough choices may have to be made and encourage our country’s decisionmakers on this 50th anniversary on the war on poverty to commit to ensuring that millions of our brothers and sisters are not being left out or left behind.”

“We welcome the renewed commitment by Congress to programs that tackle root causes of chronic hunger and appreciate its foresight in making programs more cost effective so we can serve more people with the limited resources available,” said

Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, also in a January 29 statement.

National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson, in a January 28 statement, said he was “encouraged by the inclusion of robust mandatory funding levels for renewable energy programs” in the bill. “We’re also very happy that the bill preserves the ability of American family farmers and ranchers to distinguish their products in the marketplace through the existing country of origin labeling law.”

The House approved the bill, which ran 959 pages, in a 251-166 vote. Its passage was not guaranteed because the House last year rejected a compromise farm bill, instead passing separate, smaller pieces of agriculture-related legislation, including a bill that would have slashed SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, by nearly $40 billion over 10 years.

The $8 billion cut in the bill will result in $90 less per month for 850,000 Americans. The cut was offset, but only in part, by an increase of $200 million in funding for food banks.

Smith-Lipinski bill stops taxes from ‘subsidizing violence’ of abortion

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act “will help save lives and will reduce abortions,” U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said January 28.

The measure, known as H.R. 7, was approved 227 to 188.

Sponsored by Smith and U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act applies the principles of the Hyde Amendment to federal health programs, including the Affordable Care Act. Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to fund federal subsidies to any part of a benefits package that includes elective abortions.

“Americans have consistently demanded that public funds not pay for abortion,” Smith told House members prior to the vote.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order preserving the Hyde Amendment restrictions and applying them to the new health insurance exchanges. But Smith said the effort has failed because “many, perhaps most” plans available on health care exchanges include elective abortion.

In Connecticut and Rhode Island, at least, state officials have

confirmed that all insurance plans offered on their respective health care exchanges include abortion coverage.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act also requires that health care providers fully disclose the extent of their abortion coverage, including any abortion surcharges required of premium payers.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act is the second piece of Pro-Life legislation recently passed by the House. Last year, the House passed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which prohibits abortion after 20 weeks. Ten states have enacted similar provisions, including two that are being challenged in Georgia and Idaho.

The Senate has not voted on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. It also is not expected to pass its own version of H.R. 7. In November, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would invalidate any state laws that prevent access to abortion.

“An ever-growing number of people recognize that abortion isn’t health care — it kills babies and harms women,” Smith said.

February 7, 2014

The Church in the U.S.

People pray during a vigil outside St. Louis University College Church January 28 ahead of the execution of Missouri death-row inmate Herbert Smulls of St. Louis. Smulls, 56, was executed after midnight January 29 at the penitentiary in Bonne Terre, Mo. Convicted in a 1991 murder committed during a jewelry store robbery, Smulls was granted a temporary stay of execution by the U.S. Supreme Court January 28 but his appeals ran out and he was put to death by lethal injection. (CNS photo/Lisa Johnston, St. Louis Review)

New complications in executions bring new death penalty discussions

WASHINGTON (CNS) — International law, the risk of using inhumane methods of execution and opposition to capital punishment by the survivors of murder victims are among issues that are bringing fresh energy to debate about the death penalty.

In mid-January, Father Lawrence Hummer, of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chillicothe, Ohio, witnessed the execution of Dennis McGuire for the 1989 rape and murder of 22-year-old Joy Stewart, who was 30 weeks pregnant.

A week later, publications around the world were printing the priest’s account of watching what he called an inhumane procedure in which the convicted murderer struggled for 26 minutes while a previously untested mixture of drugs was used to execute McGuire.

At about the same time, the execution of a Mexican citizen drew international attention and warnings from the U.S. State Department that the refusal of the State of Texas to review the man’s conviction in light of an international court ruling might put U.S. citizens at risk while traveling abroad.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, the parents of a prison guard who was beaten to death by an inmate in 2002 are battling the county prosecutor for the right to be heard at the retrial of the man who previously confessed to killing their son.

While Robert Autobee supported the death penalty for Edward Montour at his first trial,

he’s since had a change of heart.

After meeting with Montour in prison, Autobee, also a former corrections officer, decided to forgive the repentant Montour and began working to save his life.

Montour’s original sentence was set aside after the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that a judge cannot impose a death sentence without a jury having a role.

But, as described in a lawsuit filed January 24 by Autobee and his wife, Lola, Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler is trying to block the Autobees from participating in the sentencing phase for Montour because their position conflicts with his objectives.

“The Autobee family has experienced the immense harm caused, not only from the specter of the death penalty being imposed, but also its lack of healing potential,” reads the lawsuit.

“Because the Autobee family’s beliefs conflict with the prosecution’s agenda, the prosecution has ‘relegated them to the status of second-class victims,’” the suit says.

In a third situation in the news in January, Texas came under fire internationally and by the U.S. State Department for the January 22 execution of Edgar Tamayo Arias, a Mexican citizen.

Tamayo was convicted in the 1994 murder of a Houston police officer. As statement from the State Department pointed out, Tamayo was entitled under international law to be notified about his rights to assistance

from the Mexican consulate.

The Mexican government and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had pleaded with the State of Texas to review Tamayo’s conviction and sentencing as required under a 2004 ruling by the International Court of Justice. That ruling found the U.S. failed to provide consular access and notification to 51 Mexican citizens as required under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to which the United States is a party.

“We have obligations under the Vienna Convention for folks that are arrested in our country,” said Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson at the State Department in a recent press briefing. “If we don’t uphold those obligations, it will make it much harder for us

to ask other countries to do so.

We take the security and safety of our citizens overseas very seriously. If they are arrested and held in detention, we want to be able to go to other countries and ask for these same consular access we are entitled to under the Vienna Convention.”

As to developments on execution methods, writing for the British publication, The Guardian, Father Hummer described meeting McGuire in November, hearing his Confession and his prayers for forgiveness and agreeing to the inmate’s request that he witness the execution, along with McGuire’s family and Stewart’s family.

“I’ve seen people die many times before: in nursing homes, families I’ve known, my own mother,” he wrote. “In most settings I’ve found death to be a very peaceful experience. But this was something else.”

“There is no question in my mind that Dennis McGuire suffered greatly over many minutes,”

5 Father Hummer wrote. “I’d been told that a ‘normal’ execution lasted five minutes — this experimental two-drug concoction had taken 26 minutes. I consider that inhumane.”

Graphic descriptions by the priest and other witnesses of watching McGuire’s stomach swell up and his 11-minute struggle for breath have led to at least one lawsuit — by McGuire’s parents — against the Illinois company that manufactured the lethal drug.

The drugs used to kill McGuire are a replacement for a three-drug combination used for years. But the European manufacturers of propofol, an anesthetic commonly used in U.S. hospitals, threatened to limit its export if it was used in executions.

States in response began seeking new drug combinations, or returning to previous methods including the electric chair, the gas chamber, firing squads or hanging.

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February 7, 2014

Anchor Editorial

St. Josephine Bakhita, giving people hope

Tomorrow (Saturday) has been designated by the Catholic bishops of the United States as a day of prayer and awareness regarding the continuing problem of human trafficking (a modern term for slavery).

They chose this day, February 8, because it “is the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. Once Josephine was freed, she dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering,” according to usccb.org.

“On that day, we will lift our voices loudly in prayer, hope, and love for trafficking victims and survivors,” said Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, M.Sp.S., auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chairman of the committee. “If just one person realizes from this day that they or someone they know is being trafficked, we will have made a difference.”

According to the bishops’ conference website, Catholics are encouraged “to reflect on the experiences of those who have suffered through human trafficking and exploitation.

Catholics are invited to pray for the emotional, physical, and spiritual healing, and make a personal commitment to work against human trafficking.”

The Catholic Church prays and reflects upon this criminal evil and takes concrete action to stop it. “For over a decade, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been a national leader in advocacy and education to eradicate sex and labor trafficking.

For six years, USCCB and our partners provided intensive case management services to victims of human trafficking, assisting more than 2,232 survivors of trafficking and over 500 of their family members. Currently, we are concentrating our efforts on training and technical assistance so that victims can be identified and brought into safety. Hopefully one day, we can eradicate the horrible crime of modern day slavery,” according to usccb. org.

The Anti-trafficking Program of the bishops’ conference provides services just up the road from us in Boston, one of seven cities where the Church, together with the federal government, has launched an employment program for people who had formerly been caught up in human trafficking (often they were forced into prostitution). The Dignity of Work program of the ATP there assists them in rejoining the legitimate workforce.

Blessed John Paul II gave many talks in which he spoke about St. Josephine Bakhita, In 2003 he said to the bishops of Sudan, “[She] knew the cruelty and brutality with which man can treat his fellow man. Abducted and sold into slavery as a young child, she was all too familiar with the suffering and victimization that still afflicts countless men and women in her homeland and throughout Africa and the world. Her life inspires the firm resolve to work effectively to free people from oppression and violence, ensuring that their human dignity is respected in the full exercise of their rights. St. Bakhita is a shining advocate of authentic emancipation. Her life clearly shows that tribalism and forms of discrimination based on ethnic origin, language and culture do not belong in a civilized society and have absolutely no place in the community of believers.”

Pope Benedict XVI extensively wrote about her in his encyclical on hope, “Spe Salvi.”

At No. 3 he wrote, “To come to know God — the true God — means to receive hope. We who have always lived with the Christian concept of God, and have grown accustomed to it, have almost ceased to notice that we possess the hope that ensues from a real encounter with this God. The example of a saint of our time can to some degree help us understand what it means to have a real encounter with this God for the first time. I am thinking of the African Josephine Bakhita. At the age of nine, she was kidnapped by slave-traders, beaten till she bled, and sold five times in the slave-markets of Sudan. Eventually she found herself working as a slave for the mother and the wife of a general, and there she was flogged every day till she bled; as a result of this she bore 144 scars throughout her life. Finally, in 1882, she was bought by an Italian merchant for the Italian consul Callisto Legnani, who returned to Italy. Here, after the terrifying ‘masters’ who had owned her up to that point, Bakhita came to know a totally different kind of ‘master’ — in Venetian dialect, which she was now learning, she used the name ‘paron’ for the living God, the God of Jesus Christ. Up to that time she had known only masters who despised and maltreated her, or at best considered her a useful slave. Now, however, she heard that there is a ‘paron’ above all masters, the Lord of all lords, and that this Lord is good, goodness in person. She came to know that this Lord even knew her, that He had created her — that He actually loved her. She too was loved, and by none other than the supreme ‘Paron,’ before Whom all other masters are themselves no more than lowly servants. She was known and loved and she was awaited. What is more, this Master had Himself accepted the destiny of being flogged and now He was waiting for her ‘at the Father’s right hand.’ Now she had ‘hope’ — no longer simply the modest hope of finding masters who would be less cruel, but the great hope: ‘I am definitively loved and whatever happens to me — I am awaited by this love. And so my life is good.’”

St. Bakhita was freed legally and spiritually in Italy. By her own choice she was Baptized and became a Sister. Pope Benedict described her service: “Besides her work in the sacristy and in the porter’s lodge at the convent, she made several journeys round Italy in order to promote the missions: the liberation that she had received through her encounter with the God of Jesus Christ, she felt she had to extend, it had to be handed on to others, to the greatest possible number of people. The hope born in her which had ‘redeemed’ her she could not keep to herself; this hope had to reach many, to reach everybody.”

On a visit to a seminary in 2007, Pope Benedict recounted a story about St. Bakhita.

“When she was old, the bishop who was paying a visit to her religious house had not met her. He spotted this small, bent African Sister and said to Bakhita: ‘But what do you do, Sister?’; and Sister Bakhita replied: ‘I do the same as you, Your Excellency.’ Astonished, the bishop asked her: ‘But what?’ and Bakhita answered, ‘But Your Excellency, we both want to do the same thing: God’s will.’ This seems to me to be a most beautiful answer, the bishop and the tiny Sister who was almost no longer capable of working, who were both doing the same thing in their different offices; they were seeking to do God’s will and so were in the right place.”

Let us all do God’s will, helping people to be free, through our prayers and actions.

Pope Francis’ weekly Angelus address and prayer

lo!

Dear brothers and sisters, hel-

Today we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. Today is also the Day of Consecrated Life, which recalls the importance for the Church of those who have received the vocation to follow Jesus closely along the path of the evangelical counsels. Today’s Gospel gives an account of how Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple 40 days after His birth to offer and consecrate Him to God according

to the prescription of the Jewish Law. This Gospel episode also constitutes an icon of the gift of their life made by those who, by a gift of God, assume the traits of Jesus as virgin, poor and obedient.

This gift of ourselves to God regards every Christian because we are all consecrated to Him through our Baptism. We are all called to offer ourselves to the Father with Jesus and like Jesus, making a generous gift of our lives, in the family, at work, in service to the Church, in works OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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Vol. 58, No. 5

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of mercy. Nevertheless, such a consecration is lived in a special way by religious, by monks and by consecrated laypersons, who, with the profession of their vows, belong to God in a total and exclusive way. This belonging to the Lord permits those who live it in an authentic way to offer a special witness of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Totally consecrated to God, they are totally given to their brothers, to bring the light of Christ where the darkness is the most impenetrable and spread hope to discouraged hearts.

Consecrated persons are a sign of God in the different spheres of life, they are the leaven for the growth of a just and fraternal society, they are a prophecy of sharing with the little ones and the poor.

Thus understood and lived, the consecrated life appears to us as it really is: a gift of God, a gift of God to the Church, a gift of God to His People! Every consecrated person is a gift for the People of God on its journey. There is great need of these presences that reinforce and renew the commitment to spread the Gospel, Christian education, charity toward the

neediest, contemplative prayer; the commitment to human formation, the spiritual formation of young people and of families; the commitment to justice and peace in the human family. But think about what would happen if there were no Sisters in the hospitals, Sisters in the missions, Sisters in the schools. Think of a Church without Sisters! You can’t.

They are this gift, this leaven that moves the People of God forward. These are great women who consecrate their life to God, who advance the message of Jesus.

The Church and the world need this witness of God’s love and mercy. Consecrated people and religious are a testimony that God is good and merciful. So, it is necessary to appreciate with gratitude the experiences of consecrated life and deepen our knowledge of the different charisms and spiritualities. We must pray that many young people answer “yes” to the Lord’s call to consecrate themselves totally to Him in view of a disinterested service to their brothers, of consecrating their life to serve God and their brothers.

For all these reasons, as it was

just announced, next year will be dedicated in a special way to consecrated life. From this moment let us entrust this initiative to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, who, as the parents of Jesus, were the first to be consecrated to Him and to consecrate their life to Him. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by work of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.

Hail Mary ...

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary ...

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

February 7, 2014

“F

LASH! Pope Francis speaks kindly about priests!” That was the headline on one of the most visited American priest’s blogs on January 27.

“During his daily offthe-cuff, non-magisterial sermonette today,” the blog entry began, “Pope Francis spoke about priests. And he didn’t bash them! In fact, as a refreshing change of pace today, he said some good things about priests,” italicizing the “good” to stress how anomalous he found such compliments to be.

“How many holy priests have given their lives in the service of the diocese, the parish,” the pope had said that morning. “How many people have received the power of faith, the power of love, [and] hope from these anonymous pastors!”

After describing that the newspapers often carry front page stories of priests who have sinned and committed crimes, the pope added, “Tell me, though: do the papers carry news of what great charity so many priests in so many parishes of the city and the countryside perform? Of the great work they do in carrying their people forward?

No? This is not news. It is the same as always: a single falling tree makes more noise than a forest that grows.

Today it will do us good to think of our brave, holy, good, faithful bishops and priests, and pray for them. We are here today thanks to them!”

These words from the Holy Father came as a much welcomed surprised to many priests because over the course of the last 11 months, priests had begun to question whether Pope Francis was in fact more critical and negative about them than even

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Anchor Columnist Pope Francis’ critical comments on priests

the most anti-clerical secular palpable. news organizations.

To use Francis’ own analFather Raymond de Souza, ogy, many priests have felt a pastor, university chaplain, that — at least until his Janueloquent scribe and one of ary 27 homily — the pope my best priest friends, dehas given exclusive attention scribed in an October arto criticizing the relatively ticle in the National Catholic few priests who “fall” from Register the disquietude many priestly standards rather than priests have been experiencon praising the “forest” of ing before the barrage of priests who are building up papal criticism. He noted: “Pope Francis is capable of speaking Putting Into with great tenderthe Deep ness about those far from the Church.

By Father When discussing his Roger J. Landry brother Jesuits, even those who sent him into exile and were active obstacles to the misthe Church. sion of Jesus Christ and the At one clergy gathering, a Ignatian charism, the Holy priest complained that Pope Father speaks with nuance Francis has mentioned on and delicacy. Yet when he three occasions priests who speaks of the parish clergy, turn the Confessional into a his remarks are almost always “torture chamber,” as if, the critical, inveighing against priest said, there’s a worldthe lazy priest in his rectory, wide “society of sacerdotal unmoved by the suffering of sacramental sadists.” Oththe afflicted in need of mercy, ers have noted the pope’s reduced to a functionary who frequent censures of priests has become an obstacle rather who are “greasy” rather than than a conduit of God’s grace. anointed, clerical rather than Priests need to hear that to evangelical, spiritually worldbe challenged and corrected, ly rather than filled with the but fallen men that we are, it Holy Spirit. is not easy. Often the clergy But perhaps most stinging feel singled out for criticism of all to many priests were or feel underappreciated. the pope’s comments in an Perhaps they ought to stop interview about those who feeling sorry for themselves “insist only on issues related and ‘man up,’ but the pheto abortion, gay marriage nomenon is real and explains and the use of contraceppart of the uneasiness some tive methods” and are “obhave with him.” sessed with the transmission Over the last few months, of a disjoined multitude of I’ve been invited to different doctrines to be imposed dioceses to do retreats and insistently.” Priests who have workshops for clergy and suffered for their fidelity in for seminarians specifically preaching on these controon Pope Francis and I can versial issues on rare occasion attest that among clergy and have said that they felt that future clergy the “uneasiness” the Holy Father was arming Father DeSouza describes is those who had long attacked

them for mentioning these subjects at all. Rather than the pope’s having their back, they felt he was punching them in the stomach.

What’s behind the preponderance of criticism of his priestly brothers? I don’t think it has anything to do with a negative view of the vast majority of his priestly brothers. Rather, I believe it has to do with something profound he said in a 2006 retreat he preached to Spanish bishops, published in English as “In Him Alone is Our Hope.”

In a conference entitled, “The Lord Who reprimands and pardons us,” Cardinal Bergoglio said, “As we read the Gospels, a paradoxical pattern emerges: the Lord is more inclined to warn, correct and reprimand those who are closest to Him — His disciples and Peter in particular — than those who are distant. The Lord acts in this way to make it clear that ministry is pure grace; it does not depend on the merits or competencies of the one chosen for the mission. In this context of the Lord’s gratuitous choice and His absolute fidelity, to be reprimanded

by Him means that one is receiving a sign of God’s immense mercy.”

The future pope then took up several of the Lord’s reprimands, which he applied to the life and ministry of priests and bishops. Jesus rebuked His first priests for trying to dismiss the crowds, to dismiss children, to get

7 rid of the Canaanite woman.

He admonished them several times for their lack of faith based on fear. He chastised them for their rejection of the cross because of a lack of hope. He reproved them for their failure to keep watch with Him. “We should not be afraid of [ Jesus’] reprimands,” he told his brother bishops at the end of the conference, “for they are proof of the Lord’s closeness to us, that He takes us seriously. That He corrects us, just as He corrected Peter, is a sign of our friendship with Him and our apostolic zeal! He puts up with us and corrects us and always helps us grow, without ever belittling us or withdrawing His esteem and respect for us.”

That, I’m convinced, is what is behind his regular reprimands of his brother priests. Rather than negativity or belittling, there’s a special esteem, bond, closeness and friendship.

Just like with the first priests in the Gospel, however, it’s going to take some time for today’s priests to get used to it!

Anchor columnist Father Landry is pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River. fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

8

O

n one level, this is such a simple Gospel — not to mention the fact that we’ve heard it hundreds of times. Its vocabulary has become a part of our everyday speech: light of the world and salt of the earth. We may ask, what’s the big idea, why focus on such simple things as these?

Of course, that’s just the point: Jesus used these simple images because they speak to us so directly. Even children know what salt and light are. St. Paul was to speak of such simplicity in the words of this week’s second reading: “When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” This is

February 7, 2014

The world needs us

the true language of the a bushel basket, you’re Gospel — accessible to not doing what light is all, even to children. It is meant to do. You’ll be not a theological lanput out. If you claim to guage, nor is it meant to be a Christian and others be. It precedes theology. don’t see it in you, so that Jesus never said, “You they cannot give glory to are independent existential entities of goodness, Homily of the Week called upon to give Fifth Sunday moral inspiration in Ordinary Time and direction to those sharing your

By Father environment.” He Andrew Johnson could have put it like that, but He didn’t. He didn’t even say, “You are what God, you’re not really a gives illumination and saChristian at all. Wake up. vor to the whole world.”

Use it or lose it. Act in He said, “You are light harmony with what you and salt; don’t forget it; claim to be.” live it out.” To my mind Did you ever notice He was saying, “Use it or that there’s another, lose it. If you are salt and almost parallel text in you’re tasteless, you’re the New Testament? It is not really salt. You’ll be found in the Gospel of St. thrown aside. If you are John: “I am the light of light but placed under the world; the One Who

follows Me will have the light of life.” How do we reconcile the two texts?

Is Jesus the light of the world or are we? Foolish question. Both are true.

We are the reflected light of Jesus’ love, and only the reflected light. The minute we think we’re shedding our own light, we’re bound to go out — to lose it. Nevertheless, it is the very same light, since reflected light is real light. And reflected light is at its brightest when the reflecting surface is clean. Our job is to be perfect reflectors of His love, by His grace.

Mary, as always, shows us how best to do this. Lowliness and humility are, surprisingly, the first step in reflecting the glory of Divine grace and light

and glory.

So the idea here, as was said, is a simple one: Live out what you are. Keep your glass clean for the best possible reflection of the Divine light and life. How do we do this, besides the humility just mentioned? By living a good, moral life. Above all, by living a Sacramental life: letting the Divine power of the Sacraments transform us, day by day.

The world of today really needs us, not because of who we are but because of the message we embody in our lives. Jesus Christ is our light and we need only to reflect Him. It’s all already given; everything is grace. We only need to live it out.

We must use it or lose it.

Father Johnson is pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Stanislaus parishes in Fall River.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Feb. 8, 1 Kgs 3:4-13; Ps 119:9-14; Mk 6:30-34. Sun. Feb. 9, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 58:7-10; Ps 112:4-9; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16. Mon. Feb. 10, 1 Kgs 8:1-7,9-13; Ps 132:6-10; Mk 6:53-56. Tues. Feb. 11, 1 Kgs 8:22-23,27-30; Ps 84:3-5,10-11; Mk 7:1-13. Wed. Feb. 12, 1 Kgs 10:1-10; Ps 37:5-6,30-31,39-40; Mk 7:14-23. Thurs. Feb. 13, 1 Kgs 11:4-13; Ps 106-6:3-4,35-37,40; Mk 7:24-30. Fri. Feb. 14, 1 Kgs 11:29-32;12:19; Ps 81:10-15; Mk 7:31-36.

P

apal approbation being no bad thing, I was delighted to learn that Pope Francis, in a homily a few weeks ago, had suggested that his congregants learn the date of their Baptisms and celebrate it — which is precisely what I have been proposing to audiences around the country this past year, when discussing my book, “Evangelical Catholicism.”

I usually begin by confessing that marking and honoring the date of my Baptism hadn’t really occurred to me until a quarter-century or so ago, when I began working with evangelical Protestants on Pro-Life and religious freedom issues and noted that some of them had an interesting way of introducing themselves at a meeting. Whereas the normal American way of breakingthe-ice is to say, “I’m John Doe and I work at Boeing” or “I’m Jane Smith and I’m an attorney,” these folks would begin rather differently: “I’m John Doe/Jane

A date to remember Smith and I was born again of my Baptism, I went to on such-and-such-a-date,” the church where the deed usually in the past 10 or had been done — amidst 15 years. Contrarian that I great caterwauling on my can be on occasion, when part, I’m reliably informed things got around the table — and asked him to help to me, I’d say, “I’m George Weigel and I was born again on The April 29, 1951, at Catholic which point I was 12 days old.”

Difference Which got a few interesting converBy George Weigel sations going about Sacramental regeneration, etc.

Then, when I was workme find the baptismal font, ing on the biography of which had been moved in John Paul II and was rea post-conciliar wreckovaminded that the first thing tion, so that I could kiss it). he had done on returning As I explain to my audito his home parish in Wad- ences after I ask how many owice as pope was to kneel of them know the date of and kiss the baptismal font, their Baptism (average “yes” memories of those men and response: three percent of women who remembered any group), Baptism and the the day of their rebirth New Evangelization, Bapin Christ as a crucial way tism and mission, go toof identifying themselves gether. We are Baptized into came back to me. And mission and for mission.

I started taking April Indeed, viewed through the 29 much more seriously prism of the New Evangeli(shocking an usher when, zation, the day of our Bapon the 50th anniversary tism is the day of our being

commissioned as missionary disciples.

This link between Baptism and mission is made explicit in the Biblical readings at Mass for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the A cycle, which we are using this Liturgical year, the Old Testament reading is from one of the Servant Songs in Isaiah, establishing the link between the Baptism of Jesus and the mission of the Servant of the Lord: “Behold My servant, Whom I uphold, My chosen, in Whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him, He will bring forth justice to the nations.”

Then, in the reading from Acts, Peter tells Cornelius about “the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the Baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how He went

about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; and God was with Him.” The very next verse — “And we are witnesses to all that He did” — points out our responsibilities as missionary disciples: we, too, are to “do good” and to help heal “all those who [are] oppressed by the devil.” As Pope Francis reminds us, we are to be like medical workers in a battlefield hospital after a terrible battle.

We are to offer others the possibility of encountering the mercy of God, and the possibility of learning the truths about right-living that the encounter with the Divine mercy affords us.

Baptism is Baptism-intomission. Thus a papallyendorsed suggestion from your scribe: learn the date of your Baptism, celebrate it each year — and be re-energized for mission because of that celebration.

George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

February 7, 2014

Saturday 1 February 2014 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — Bishop George William Coleman’s 75th anniversary of birth. riests sometimes say to me, “It must be deader than a doornail in a Cape parish this time of year.” This, of course, raises a series of questions in my mind. What in the world is a doornail?

Was it ever alive? If not, how can it be dead? I looked it up.

Before the invention of wood screws, very large nails were used in the construction of medieval doors — doornails.

What is a “dead” nail? It’s one that has been bent over on the other side of the board (or clinched). Since it cannot be used again, it’s referred to as “dead.” Thus, dear readers, we have the expression “deader than a doornail.”

Is it true that a Cape Cod parish in midwinter is deader than a doornail? Let me tell you my story and then you can decide for yourself.

The fire truck suddenly arrived at the church with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Spoiler alert: There was no fire.

The fire truck was responding to a signal sent by the church’s

P

F

ebruary, a month full of romance and love, a time when we shower those we care about with gifts or simple reminders of what they mean to us. Not that we don’t do this all year long, it’s just that we add a little flair and finesse to our expressions of love and kindness.

But what of our love for Jesus, do we dare to express it openly, do we risk the shame and possible rejection of letting others know how deeply we love Him? Are we afraid that such a public display may lend itself to criticism or worse, being ostracized? Do we keep Him a secret from others, only hinting at having a crush on someone that they really don’t know, so what difference does it make Who He is?

This may seem foolish — who would not want others to know that they believe and love Jesus Christ, yet, so many of us do just that. We are afraid that admitting such a love and devotion may turn others away, thus keeping our love of Christ reserved for those times when we feel safe in doing so. This may be in our

Anchor Columnists What could possibly go wrong?

With that situation under safety system indicating that control, I could now get back the fire sprinklers were acto my quiet parish life. Not tivated. I accompanied the so fast. In a couple of days, firefighters as they searched the undercroft for the cause. It the alarms went off again. I couldn’t believe it. I was in didn’t take us long to find the denial. I asked Father Jack problem. The extreme cold of Andrews, who was staying in a “polar vortex” (the weather pattern formerly known as an Alberta clipper) had frozen The Ship’s Log and burst one of the Reflections of a ceiling pipes in the church hall. It was the Parish Priest water pipe to the fire

By Father Tim sprinklers. The place Goldrick was flooding with water. Fortunately, I was wearing the waterthe rectory guestroom if, perproof work boots I had found chance, it was his alarm clock. on sale last year at Walmart.

He told me he didn’t even I could trudge through the own an alarm clock. OK. Now water with the best of them.

The water supply was prompt- what? With the sounding of the alarm, a 12-step group ly shut off. Now, I just had meeting in the church hall to get rid of the water. No problem. What could possibly evacuated the building. I saw them standing in the parking go wrong? I’ll tell you what. lot, bundled against the bitter The water disappeared much too quickly on its own accord. cold. I ran through all the rooms in the building, upstairs Where did it go? I had a susand down, looking for another picion. I checked the elevator broken pipe. The firemen arshaft. Sure enough, there was more than two feet of water in rived in their flashy truck and greeted me cheerfully. “So, the elevator. It’s just another Father, how ’ya doing?” Well, quiet day on Cape Cod.

don’t you know, the problem was again identified quickly.

It seems a smoke detector had interpreted accumulated dust as a puff of smoke and automatically notified the fire department. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire — except in this case. Not to worry. It would be an easy fix. What else could possibly go wrong?

Sure enough, a few days later, on a Saturday morning, I was preparing to feed the dogs when the doorbell rang. There stood a concerned parishioner.

“Father, Father! It’s time for the 8 a.m. Mass and there’s no priest in the church.” OK. Now what? I knew Father Jack Andrews was assigned to that Mass and Father Andrews is always very punctual. I dashed upstairs to the rectory guestroom. There was Father Andrews. “Tim, I feel weak,” he told me. Just to be on the safe side, I called an ambulance. In came my old friends the firefighters/EMTs, who took Father Andrews off to the hospital. As it turned out,

Will you be my Valentine?

parish communities, church gatherings, retreats or other such events where we are sure others feel the same way.

Thinking back to my childhood, I remember my mother taking me shopping and helping me find the perfect Valentine’s Day cards to share with my classmates. Once I opened the package of cards, I would carefully pick out just the right one for those special people in my class, leaving the others for the rest of the class. Not that I liked them any less, it was that there were certain individuals that I hoped to get special attention from so I wanted their cards to be perfect. In the primary years it was all fun and everyone got a card from their classmates, as we matured, the distribution was more selective and often disappointment ensued when you didn’t receive a card from that someone special. Yet we were willing to take the risk, willing to let ourselves be vulnerable and even hurt when the card we hoped to get never materialized.

Jesus is such a friend, every day He reaches out to us, He waits for us, and He lets us know over and over again how much He loves and cares for us, only to be rejected time and time again. His love for

In the Palm of His Hands

By Rose Mary Saraiva us is so accepting, so trusting, and so full of promise with no strings attached. He loves us unconditionally, as we are where we are, regardless of what paths we have chosen. He is our patient lover, waiting on the love of His life to come and say yes, to want nothing more than to know Him more deeply and intimately, allowing Him to be a part of our lives and our becoming one with Him. So what keeps us from saying yes? We all know love, we know what it means to be cared for, to be another’s special someone. As children

we were loved unconditionally by our parents, grandparents and family members. As a mom, I have come to fully understand the true meaning of unconditional love, and now as a grandmother, know no bounds to this love.

Those of us, who chose the vocation of Marriage, grew to love a total stranger enough to trust them with the gift of ourselves. Still others shared their love with their communities by becoming priests, religious or missionaries. It is safe to say that we have each experienced and continue to experience love in different ways throughout our lives.

So what is Jesus asking of us? First and foremost He wants us to love Him, to know Him, to come into a deep relationship with Him. In January we talked of resolutions, and how we should resolve ourselves to truly getting to know God, the Father, Jesus, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

During this month of February, let us take it to a higher level, but allowing ourselves to fall in love, truly fall in love

9 his ill health was a cause for concern but not life-threatening. He’s back to his old self.

But wait, there’s more. There were still people waiting in the church. I rushed into the sanctuary (dressed in flannel shirt, jeans and spiffy work boots) and told the startled assembly what was going on and that I would celebrate Holy Mass in just a few more minutes. In the meantime, they spontaneously began to pray the Rosary for the intention of Father Jack.

When I returned to the sacristy after Mass, I could hear the dogs in the house barking.

Now what, burglars? Oh, wait, in all the confusion I have forgotten to feed the dogs.

Wait till Father Peter John gets back from vacation and I tell my story of what happened in his absence. He won’t believe a word of it, of course, but, as you well know dear readers, I am not making this up. So, is a Cape parish deader than a doornail in winter? It’s your call.

Anchor columnist Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth. He can be reached at frxmas@aol. com.

with Christ Jesus. To enter into an intimate relationship with Jesus, getting to know Him, allowing Him to take our hearts and our hands, guiding us into a love that knows no boundaries, that desires only what is good for us, wanting only that we love Him in return. Jesus has already shown us how much He loves us, by stretching His arms out for us on the cross.

Scripture reminds us that “No one has greater love than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend” ( Jn 15:13). So ask yourself; what is holding me back? What is keeping me from allowing Jesus in, from falling in love with Him? So as you prepare for Valentine’s Day, how will you answer when Jesus asks, “Will you be My Valentine?”

Anchor columnist Rose Mary Saraiva lives in Fall River and is a parishioner of St. Michael’s Parish, and she is the Events Coordinator and Bereavement Ministry for the diocesan Off ice of Faith Formation. She is married with three children and two grandchildren. rmsaraiva@dfrcec. com.

10

February 7, 2014

A Church without religious Sisters is ‘unthinkable,’ pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Church without religious Sisters would be “unthinkable,” Pope Francis said, honoring the contributions consecrated men and women make to the Church and society.

“Every consecrated person is a gift to the people of God on pilgrimage,” he said February 2, reciting the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter’s Square. The pope had just finished celebrating Mass

for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which the Church marks as the World Day for Consecrated Life.

“There is such a great need for their presence, which reinforces and renews the commitment to spreading the Gospel, Christian education, charity for the neediest, contemplative prayer, the human and spiritual formation of the young and families, and the

commitment to justice and peace in the human family,” the pope said.

Straying from his prepared text, Pope Francis told people gathered in the square: “Think what would happen if there weren’t any Sisters, if there weren’t any Sisters in the hospitals, no Sisters in the missions, no Sisters in the schools.

Think what the Church would be like without Sisters — no, that’s unthinkable.”

Consecrated life is a gift that moves the Church forward, he said.

“These women who consecrate their lives to carrying forward the message of Jesus — they’re great,” he added.

Pope Francis asked all Catholics to pray “that many young people would respond ‘yes’ to the Lord when He calls them to consecrate themselves totally to Him.” The earlier Liturgy for the feast of the Presentation, once widely known as “Can-

dlemas,” began with dozens of Sisters, Brothers and religious priests carrying lighted candles into St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the pope.

In his homily, he urged religious to allow the joy of the Holy Spirit to guide their observance of their communities’ rules and their willingness to be prophetic.

Religious must “never be rigid or closed, but always open to the voice of God Who speaks, Who opens and Who leads and invites us to go out toward the horizon,” he said.

Within religious communities, the pope said, the elderly should communicate their wisdom to the young and the young should accept “this patrimony of experience and wisdom and carry it forward, not to preserve it in a museum — no, no, no — but to continue it and bring it to bear on the challenges that life poses.”

11

February 7, 2014

Letters to pope read ‘with the heart,’ Vatican official says

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis receives a few thousand letters a week, which Correspondence Director Msgr.

Giuliano Gallorini notes are read more with the pontiff ’s “heart” than his “mind.”

“He reads these letters more with the heart than with the mind; to share the suffering” of others, Msgr. Gallorini told Vatican Radio on January 28.

The letters, packages, drawings and objects that arrive at the Vatican on the pope’s behalf are sent from all over the world, and are sorted by the Office of Correspondence of the pope, located in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, which Msgr. Gallorini directs.

In their letters people ask for many things, the priest explained, whether it is advice on how to manage a turning point in their lives or asking for wisdom in the midst of hopeless situations. Some have even written the pope a poem, or sent gifts, such as a scarf.

Most of the requests made are for “support and prayer,” he stated, but many also regard “the moment we are living — difficulties, especially diseases, asking for prayers for children,

Anchor reporter/photographer Kenneth J. Souza works his way up a snow mound to get a better angled-shot in Washington, D.C. during the recent March for Life. Souza was on one of the buses that made it to the march, while several others had to turn around and return because of an east coast snow storm. (Photo

by Father Jay Mello)

also describing situations of economic hardship.”

Reflecting on why so many people write to the now-famous St. Martha House of the Vatican where the pope resides, Msgr. Gallorini observed that it is because the people of today feel that Pope Francis is “near” to them in a special way.

“They try to feel the closeness of the pope who captures their suffering, their distress, who is close to them in prayer.”

“Then, for what is possible,

we help by directing requests to specific offices,” the priest continued, adding that “for example the requests for economic help are forwarded to the diocesan Caritas so that they can be verified, either immediately or more operational.”

Managing the high volume of letters is a small team of four, consisting of Msgr. Gallorini, a Religious Sister, and two others, Vatican Radio reports, revealing that the first step in the process of sorting is to divide everything by language.

Afterwards the letters are

opened and read by the Office of Correspondence due to Pope Francis’ time constrictions, and the office then distinguishes the simple letters of greeting from those who seek solace and spiritual support from the pope, or have and urgent need. These are the letters that arrive to his desk, the bishop explained.

“There are a little more delicate cases like cases of conscience,” Msgr. Gallorini noted, and “in this case, a note is made and passed to the secretaries because the pope ex-

amines the content directly.”

“He definitely reads them, puts his initials and directs us on how we should respond.”

Although Pope Francis is unable to respond personally to all of the letters he receives, the priest assured that all who write the pontiff do receive a response expressing gratitude in the pope’s name.

“The pope has always said that the priest should live among the flock, the sheep,” said Msgr. Gallorini. “Hear and live the experience with them.”

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February 7, 2014

Pope may visit Turin in 2015 to remember St. John Bosco’s birth

Turin, Italy (CNA/ EWTN News) — Pope Francis may visit the Italian city of Turin in 2015 for the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians, and for an exposition of the Shroud of Turin, believed to be Christ’s burial cloth.

The news has been circulating this week in Turin, the saint’s adopted home where he founded the Salesians, focusing on his feast day, celebrated January 31. St. John Bosco dedicated himself to the betterment of the youth in Turin, and founded the Salesian order to educate the young poor and to prepare them for an occupation.

His 200th birthday will be celebrated Aug. 16, 2015, and a reliquary containing a portion of his right arm has been touring the world since 2010 in preparation for the anniversary.

The Salesian order founded

by St. John Bosco is found in 131 countries at more than 1,800 apostolates. The order includes more than 15,000 members, of whom 10,500 are priests.

Pope Francis has already shown his appreciation for the order with his January 19 visit to Rome’s Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Praetorian Barracks parish, which is staffed

by Salesians. The parish was founded by St. John Bosco a year before his death, and staffs an attached boarding school.

Behind the basilica are the “camarette,” or “little rooms” where St. John Bosco stayed on his last trip to Rome, when

the parish was dedicated, from April 30 to May 18, 1887.

It is located near the Termini train and metro stations, and serves an area filled with migrants, refugees, homeless persons, and itinerants.

Having gone to Sacred Heart at the Praetorian Barracks, Pope Francis may now show his support for the Salesians by visiting their home of Turin, in northern Italy some 90 miles from Milan.

According to Torinese media, Pope Francis would visit Turin and Milan, which will

Aaron Eckhart stars in a scene from the movie “I, Frankenstein.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Lionsgate)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

“Dallas Buyers Club” (Focus) The onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, with its devastating impact on victims and on society as a whole, provides the backdrop for this true story of a macho Texas cowboy (Matthew St. John Bosco. (Photo courtesy McConaughey) whose life is of CNA) turned upside down when he unexpectedly tests positive for HIV. hold the International Expo in Refusing to accept the apparent death sentence, he learns there 2015.

The pope met January 17 are treatments in Mexico to rewith Cardinal Angelo Scola, lieve symptoms and prolong life.

Archbishop of Milan, who is Together with an HIV-positive managing the expo, along with transvestite ( Jared Leto), he esCardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, tablishes the organization of the president of the Pontifical title whose members pay monthCouncil for Culture. The Sale- ly dues for access to experimental sians will host several events at smuggled drugs. Despite all the sinful behavior on display — dithe expo.

Should he visit Turin, the rector Jean-Marc Vallee re-crepope would be expected to visit ates a sordid world of sex, drugs, Valdocco, the Salesians’ head- and general decadence — there is quarters and site of St. John a worthy (and Christian) message Bosco’s burial; the Shroud of underlying the proceedings, one Turin; and perhaps to visit ex- that condemns prejudice toward tended family — Pope Francis’ individuals and uplifts compasfather was born in Portaco- sion for the suffering. Yet the fact maro, a town an hour outside that immorality of various stripes is consistently given a pass in of Turin.

According to a Salesian screenwriters Craig Borten and source, the pope would go to Melisa Wallack’s script precludes Turin May 24, for the feast of endorsement even for a mature Mary Auxiliatrix, patron of the and restricted audience. A benign view of promiscuity and of Salesian Sisters. homosexual acts, strong sexual content, including graphic casual sex, full nudity, masturbation and sexually themed dialogue, drug use, pervasive profane and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“I, Frankenstein” (Lionsgate) A surprising amount of Catholic imagery comes into play as the tormented but immortal creature (Aaron Eckhart) of the title returns from two centuries of self-imposed exile and reluctantly renews his involvement in a fairly straightforward goodvs.-evil struggle pitting an armed band of angels-turned-animated gargoyles (led by Miranda Otto) against the hordes of hell (commanded on Earth by Bill Nighy).

Despite some idle metaphysical speculation — does Eckhart’s character have a soul or not? — director Stuart Beattie’s overblown but mostly harmless adaptation of his co-scriptwriter Kevin Grevioux’s graphic novel is restrained enough in its portrayal of the combat to be likely acceptable for mature adolescents. Constant but bloodless violence, brief images of a gory wound, a single crude term. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG13 — parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“Labor Day” (Paramount) A glossy look and skillful performances fail to disguise the improbability at the heart of this romantic drama in which an es-

caped convict ( Josh Brolin) forces a depressed, reclusive divorcee (Kate Winslet) and her adolescent son (Gattlin Griffith) to give him temporary shelter in their home. But then he manages to transform himself, over the course of the titular holiday weekend, from hostage-taker to aspiring husband and dad. Though its portrayal is restrained throughout, sensuality permeates writerdirector Jason Reitman’s screen version of Joyce Maynard’s bestselling 2009 novel which finds the fugitive stoking the banked fires of his hostess’ eroticism, a process uncomfortably juxtaposed with the teen’s emerging sexuality. Though the primary relationship eventually shows itself ready for the long haul, it takes on a physical dimension within hours. Fleeting violence, brief semi-graphic premarital sexual activity, another unseen but audible encounter of the same nature, at least one use of profanity, several sexual references. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, February 9, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Michael S. Racine, pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet

13

February 7, 2014 physician-assisted suicide as well as organizing the Walk to Aid Mothers and Children, local baby showers, conventions and rose drives.

MCFL presented the Ignatius O’Connor Award to Francis Fox for his “outstanding contribution to the Pro-Life movement.” He testified before the Supreme Court for Federal Election Commission v.

MCFL in 1986, which MCFL won.

The case began with a MCFL newsletter that presented the voting records and positions for 492 candidates for political office. Though it urged readers to “vote Pro-Life” a clause stipulated that MCFL did not endorse any particular candidate. The FEC conducted

an investigation and brought suit.

Fox read his notes from the closing argument before the Supreme Court. He told the justices that the MCFL newsletter represented “the most puny threat” to the electoral process compared to other similar cases.

He concluded, “But when considered from the point of view of those basic freedoms that bind us all together — freedom of speech, freedom of the press and, most importantly, freedom of association, that ability of like-minded people to band together and enhance their individual voices which would otherwise be faint and lost — this may be the most significant case of them all.”

Pro-Lifers hear about the U.S. Supreme Court challenge of the state Buffer Zone Law at the Massachusetts Citizens for Life’s Assembly for Life January 26. (Photo courtesy of Edward Boylan)

‘Cautious optimism’ about buffer zone appeal continued from page one

These peaceful counselors are banned even from beginning conversations with willing listeners. The law exempts people representing the clinic, which results in “viewpoint discrimination,” he said.

Lower courts disagreed, saying that petitioners had ample alternative avenues of communication, even suggesting that they could use a bullhorn.

Much of the reasoning for the rulings in McCullen vs. Coakley was based on a prior case, Hill vs. Colorado, in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an eight-foot buffer zone around people entering health care facilities in Colorado.

Moran spoke about the events at the Supreme Court on January 15, breaking down the most important moments of the oral arguments that fill a 62-page transcript.

Mark Rienzi, lawyer and assistant professor at The Catholic University of America, began arguments in favor of overturning the law by stating that public sidewalks are a “natural and proper place for citizens to exchange information and ideas.” Any disturbances outside clinics should be dealt with appropriately without discriminating against everyone’s First Amendment rights, he said.

He added that the Commonwealth has not prosecuted a person for obstruction outside an abortion clinic since 1997.

Presenting Massachusetts’ case, assistant attorney general

Jennifer Miller repeatedly referred to the sidewalk counselors as “protesters,” a term with which Justice Antonin Scalia took issue.

Almost immediately after Miller began her oral arguments, Scalia leaned in and said, “This is not a protest case.

These people do not want to protest abortion. They want to talk to the women who are about to get abortions and try to talk them out of it.”

“If it were a protest case, keeping them back 35 feet might not be so bad. They can scream and yell and hold up signs from 35 feet,” he added.

Miller maintained that the counselors had plenty of opportunity to speak with women before they entered the buffer zone and that conversations had been moved back only “a few feet.”

Justice Elena Kagan objected, saying that a 35-foot zone is more than a few feet.

“It’s pretty much this courtroom, and that’s a lot of space,” she said. “I am having problems with this statute. I guess I’m a little bit hung up on why you need so much space.”

At another point Miller claimed that, “No one is guaranteed any specific form of communication.”

Justice Anthony Kennedy responded, “Do you want me to write an opinion and say there is no free speech right to quietly converse on an issue of public importance?”

Justice Samuel Alito pointed

out that if someone working for the center approached a woman in the buffer zone and said, “Good morning, this is a safe facility,” that would not violate the law but another person approaching the same woman who said, “Good morning, this is not a safe facility,” would be a criminal. He asked how such a law could be considered viewpoint neutral.

Miller answered that in the first case, the person was doing his or her job.

“Justice Alito was not persuaded,” Moran said. “Nor was anyone else, I suspect.”

Alice Bachant told The Anchor she was “inspired” by Moran’s summary of the events.

Bachant, who owns a home in Mattapoisett, used to do sidewalk counseling before the latest buffer zone was put in place.

“It gave me a lot of hope that something positive will come out of this ridiculous 35foot buffer zone,” she said. “You can’t counsel someone from 35 feet.”

The annual Assembly for Life, held in historic Faneuil Hall, is steeped in patriotic tradition. Participants recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem and conclude with a rousing rendition of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

This year’s emcee, author and Pilot columnist Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, spoke about MCFL’s important work litigating cases like McCullen vs. Coakley, opposing attempts to legalize

Money is flying out the window The Anchor spends nearly $2,000 in postage change fees each year!

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February 7, 2014

Pope’s focus on poor brings Church tradition to forefront

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The focus thus far by Pope Francis on the Church’s responsibilities to the poor are certainly not new, and there will continue to be new challenges as his attention encompasses other aspects of Catholic social teaching, suggested Father J. Bryan Hehir in an address to people who work in social ministries.

Neither the much-heralded first 100 days of President Franklin Roosevelt’s administration or the renowned 1,000 days of the John F. Kennedy presidency “had the global impact that Pope Francis has had” in the first months of his

papacy, said Father Hehir, speaking February 3 at the Catholic Social Ministries Gathering.

Father Hehir is secretary for health care and social services for the Archdiocese of Boston and a professor in religion and public life at Harvard University. The priest told the annual gathering that the focus on the poor and society’s inequities that Pope Francis has made a centerpiece are part of a Catholic tradition that goes back centuries, although the formal Catholic social teaching has a more recent history, only 135 years or so.

Our Catholic faith: The puck stops here

F

ortunately (I guess) I’m able to culminating with a highlight-reel goal. squeeze this column in between Alyssa consistently lights the lamp in each February snowstorms; one yesterday ensuing chapter.

(Monday) and tomorrow (Wednesday); Her writing skills, humor, compassion and you may be reading this in the midst and love of the Catholic Church jump of a Sunday-Monday event. off just about every one of the book’s 203 The shortest month of the year has so pages. As a Minnesotan, she obviously far proven to be the nastiest. Perhaps its grew up with and has a passion for the Napoleon complex is bursting forth. game.

Regardless, I still love winter. I enjoy All-in-all, ice hockey is a simple sport: stirring up memories of flying down the put a three-inch, hard rubber disk into a hills at lower Kennedy (South) Park in four-foot-by-six-foot net via a wooden Fall River on my brother’s and my trusty (now synthetic) stick. While the game Flexible Flyer (of which I still have), and may be simple, the rules governing the skating on the pond in the same park, contest are complex, exact, and above all whizzing past the girls in our class and necessary. stealing their three-foot long stocking Alyssa lets the reader in on the fact that caps (a fashion trend of the late 1960s). our faith is simple: love God and follow But nothing pleases me more than to the teachings of Christ. But the Church hearken back to the hours upon hours has rules that can be complex, exact, and skating on the local ponds with a hockey above all necessary. stick, and a few pucks (that would inI can’t fill you in on all the comevitably end up in the water, making it parisons, otherwise I’d be rewriting her impossible to find a black puck in black wonderful book. But I can say she covers water). everything; from penalties to team work; My mates and I would play pond from forgiveness to abortion to Marriage. hockey as long as there remained a ray of light in the winter sky.

I always enjoyed the quartermile skate to retrieve a puck that was the victim of an errant pass.

The biscuit would seemingly slide forever across the pond. For me, it was a treat to go after it, and then

By Dave Jolivet skating back with it as I pretended to deke hapless defensemen on my way to a Stanley CupAs I read “The Catechism of Hockey,” winning goal.

It was in my blood, in my name, Jolivet. I found myself saying on many occasions, I was pretty far removed from my pépère’s “I never thought of that.” And I wasn’t place of birth in Rivière-du-Loup (Wolf ’s referring to hockey.

I taught ninth-grade Religious EducaRiver) north-east of Quebec City on the St. Lawrence River, but the love of ice and tion classes for nearly 20 years, and I truly wish I had Alyssa’s book as a reference snow had emigrated to Fall River years for those “tumultuous” times. Her use of before.

I played youth hockey, and played in an metaphors is spot on and can make complicated issues as easy and enjoyable as a “over 40” league for a while. skate on a pond to retrieve an wayward Ice hockey was and still is running through my veins. I still try to get out and puck.

I highly recommend “The Catechism skate a few times each winter, although of Hockey” to any catechist who enjoys the legs don’t churn as easily as they once sports, the Church, and their students. It did.

I grew up with Bobby Orr and the Big will put you on the power play, giving you that “man advantage.”

Bad Bruins and watched them dominate I also recommend it to those who the league (as best I could) on snowy love hockey, or any sport for that matTV-38. Years later I was enamoured, as ter, because I can see how her theory can was the rest of the U.S., when the men’s translate to other venues.

Olympic hockey team stunned the And I also recommend it to those who mighty Russians in 1980, en route to an are not sports fans — “The Catechism of unexpected gold medal.

Hockey” will not only teach you about the J’adore le hockey! sport, but about your faith and Church as So when I received correspondence about a new book release, “The Catechism well.

As the Winter Olympics in Sochi kick of Hockey,” by speaker, retreat leader and catechist Alyssa Bormes, I was more than into gear this week, take a couple of hours to absorb “The Catechism of Hockey.” curious.

You’ll find the Olympic men’s and I requested the book not knowing women’s ice hockey games all that much what to expect. I finished the book in a few hours and when I did, I sat there with more enjoyable. You’ll see players of many a smile on my face, a warmth in my heart, nations, who speak different languages, yet understand the same game of hockey. and a spark in my soul.

Sounds kind of like the Catholic Church, It was that good. doesn’t it?

What’s difficult to accomplish in this To grab a copy of Alyssa Bormes’ “The column is to let you know how Alyssa successfully used ice hockey as a metaphor Catechism of Hockey,” visit hockeyfaith. com. for our Catholic faith, but she did so as Dave Jolivet can be reached at smoothly and effortlessly as a Bobby Orr davejolivet@anchornews.org. rush from one end of the ice to the other,

My View From the Stands

15

February 7, 2014

Rob Grant, an Associate Missionary of Peace (Third Order member) for the Apostles of Peace in East Weymouth, and Mattapoisett resident, and an active member of the Legion of Mary at St. Joseph in Fairhaven, crosses the finish line of last November’s Myles Standish Marathon, where he raised monies for area hungry and homeless.

See the forest for the trees Reflections on the Year of Faith from a runner of the Myles Standish Marathon

Editor’s note: This is the f irst of a three-part reflection

by Rob Grant who participated in the November Myles Standish Marathon, where he helped raise funds to help the hungry and homeless.

CARVER — The second annual Myles Standish Marathon took place exactly one week before the Year of Faith concluded. In the wake of the Year of Faith, ending on November 24 and on the heels of Advent, where Jesus Christ comes to each of us, it is a time of reflection. The reflections in this article are on marathonrunning in conjunction with a charity, The Damien Food Pantry begun in 1992 by Father Gabriel Healy, SS.CC. and Father Tom McElroy, SS.CC. who oversee its operations. It also mentions a few saints renowned for charity and a few memorable persons that I encountered who practiced heroic virtue at the marathon.

Marathoning is a testament to the human spirit. To finish, it takes the whole person — body, mind and spirit. It takes heart. First, it takes a leap of faith.

John H. is an acquaintance turned friend whom I met in Miami where I resided for 13 years. In the 80s, John, a veteran of 13 marathons, once ran Boston in two-and-half hours. He resembles Thor.

Not for his deep reservoir of running knowledge did I pay heed to the advice given from the eternally-youthful spirit

of the Cornell grad, now in his late 50s who had made his livelihood as an eminent scientist for them before retiring and heading to Hawaii, land of St. Damien. But rather, it was for his constant encouragement. “You can do it. Go Rob, go!” John’s refrain would often re-echo in my mind on many a run and marathon, as I’ve now run eight, two a year since 2010.

John’s joy and love of running, along with his infectious happiness in encouraging fellow runners were the impetus for me to take that leap and register for my first marathon in Miami. John’s advice for me consisted in two directives, “Distract yourself from the fact that you’re running a marathon.” And, “The finish line never comes!”

Prophetic!

“Our hearts are restless until they rest in you,” said St. Augustine, Doctor of Grace.

The statement reverberates in the hearts of countless marathon aspirants throughout many long, hard months on the road, much of it trekked alone fueling a restless drive that pushes the runner relentlessly through every condition he or she may encounter.

“Training is grueling, Rob. I mean, it’s a beast,” John cautioned, then consoled. “Ha! But you’ll make it and it’ll all be worth it. You’ll see.”

Faith, like grace, is belief in what you cannot yet behold.

“You’re a runner,” said

Frank Kelly, a healer/layman gifted with the word of knowledge who had just prayed over me at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro. Also author of “Short Circuit to God,” Frank is renowned for bringing people closer to God through having them pray novenas through the saints. He then relayed that “St. Paul is very close to you. Pray to him before you run.” I did and still do. Power from on high always helps. While saints in the Church Triumphant are great boosts from on High to assist us, the members of the Church Militant are sent by God to us as intermediaries to also assist us, but in the here and now, physically present to us.

A noteworthy grace-filled sight on the course that “distracted” me a while also spurring my dispiritedness onward toward the finish, occurred after running much of the Myles course, replete with remarkable, idyllic sights; amongst them — four ponds, numerous cranberry bogs, then the sight that finally kick-started my flagging vigor — a herd of un-stabled racehorses meandering along the edges of a farm by a white picket fence. Their stamina I envied for it would’ve come in handy. These healthy pedigrees populated on both sides of their homeland, a sprawling farm, did cheer the spirits for many of our little pack who were off-the-pace; lagging runners, who were able

to take heart on beholding the gorgeous solid-hoofed creatures, as we deigned to make some hay for the next series of rolling hills therefrom a water-station volunteer had minutes earlier cautioned me and another thirsty runner to perdure for these final four miles of the course that “will be quite hilly.”

My gaze lingered on the spectacular animals, whose regality and graceful manner for a spell vanquished my pain, borne neither from any blisters, nor from streamlined sneakers, but a general ungluing; a shearing of my spirit and will, as if these faculties were locked in a stable a couple miles behind us in this long-lasting “runner’s wall” that threatened to be an everlasting climb.

Marathoners are a different breed than the run-of-the mill runner. The blood in their circulatory system pulses to a different drumbeat — parum-pum-pum-pum.

The back-beat mind-set, one in which the “lunatic in the mind” doesn’t rest until it crosses the threshold of the finish line tape and is told to lie down on the massage table, whereupon the peace of mind alas begins to settle us.

So why do marathoners put themselves through the torture once again of running a marathon?

Sentiments expressing such a paradoxical agony were made recently by a fellow marathoner who told me that toward the end she just wanted to walk it. “The motivation has left,” she said. “I’ve done a handful and now I’ll just run half-marathons.”

Such are the sundry temptations to give up on, and in, our marathon runs, and even on our walks of faith. This begging out can happen if an activity is not done for the aims of satisfying the needs of another, rather than solely our own. The former give joy to the heart, even if we suffer for it. The latter becomes a weary chore, even if we gain some measure of pleasure.

If you give in and don’t lace up, you never get to experience a silver lining.

At Myles, runners came by to say “Keep going,” and I would respond like a jockey tapping his debilitated filly back onto a trot to get a kick up the course, tick up the hill and tock down it with my old, now resurrected sprinter’s speed being unleashed for a

New York minute.

The fans were so supportive.

Young children upon spotting my gray Patriots “Elvis profile” T-shirt piped up with “Keep it up — you can watch the Pats tomorrow night.” Sometimes a small, encouraging word is all that is needed to spur a runner on, whether it’s relevant to the marathoner or an out of left-field comment.

The beautiful thing about the remarks is that they are fullheartedly spoken, and when voiced aloud from the crowd is germane to the moment. To which each marathoner strives to properly respond to each of those harmonious cheers and chipper beckonings while tasked with the goal of all marathoners, that is — finish!

To ward off inevitable low moments, which each marathoner to some degree undergoes a slew of brewing doubts and unseemly, battering manifestations of pervading fears plumbed from a vast array of possible ways of failing to finish, I would seek afar for inspirations of some form to appear, occasionally casting a glance deep into the forest thick with frighteningly tall white encrusted pines, as if a large collection of denselypacked toothpicks, for a Jolly Green Giant plucking, besides which we’d been moving.

Seeing nothing, I no sooner espied with eyes drawn in now from the forest’s edge a fleeting image. A swift-footed runner skirting the outermost margin of the dirt path where it nearly blended in with the awning forest. A young Myles Standish descendant, who donned a blue Lycra longsleeved shirt, harkening his ancestry tree that in its delineated print shouted in a whispering echo amidst the tall pines, and thus declaring an encouraging, ancestral word at this precisely opportune moment during this painfully slow stretch of miles at mile number 14.

Through the lens of history, I continued my ruminations, in and of them a great selfmade imagining most helpful to distract oneself from thinking about the reality of running a marathon. John H. would be proud.

Rob Grant is an Associate Missionary of Peace (Third Order member) for the Apostles of Peace in East Weymouth.

He resides in Mattapoisett and is an active member of the Legion of Mary at St. Joseph in Fairhaven.

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Youth Pages

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth recently announced that three seniors have been nominated to compete in the National Honor Society Scholarship program — Gabrielle Boissoneau, Rachel Carlowicz and Leonard Murphy. “We are proud to announce our nominated students who have consistently demonstrated exceptional academic standards during their time at Bishop Stang High School,” said Peter Shaughnessy, president/principal of Bishop Stang. “These students join many others with their ability to excel academically, demonstrate leadership and actively participate in a wide range of athletics and co-curricular activities — all the while acting with integrity and compassion in our faith-based community.”

Sixth-graders Miranda Carson and Angoilina Chessa waited patiently for the judges at the St. Joseph School Science Fair. All students from the Fairhaven school participated through classroom projects, while students in grades four through eight presented individual projects to a panel of judges. Middle school students who earned the highest scores advanced to compete at the Regional Science Fair in March.

Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro recently held its annual Science Fair. The keynote speaker at the award ceremony was Dr. John Gonet of Attleboro, a self-proclaimed high school shyguy, whose inspirational message to the students was to work hard and follow your dreams.

The Best of Fair Trophy for 2014 was awarded to: Sydney Majka for “Texting vs. Talking: The Effects of Cell Phones Reaction Time.” Front from left: Nicole Tiberio, Megan Berube, Matthew Ellis, Matthew D’Ambrosia, Kirsten Wade, and Sydney Majka. Middle: Kathleen Garrity, Madeline Jezard, Benjamin Choiniere, Christopher Chou, Devin Payson, Matthew Murphy, and Jason Cooper. Back: Akansha Deshpande, Elizabeth Romsey, Erika Button, Marissa Fontaine, Kathryn Sachs, and Emily Dold.

Students in grades pre-kindergaren through eight at Holy Name School in Fall River participated in the Clothe-A-Child program sponsored by Salvation Army.

Each classroom donated a coat to a needy child. Through the generosity of the Holy Name School Family, they were also able to donate more than $1,000 in gift cards and cash. The pictures shows students in kindergarten through grade four holding one of the classroom boxes.

February 7, 2014

Students in grades five through eight at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently took part in an “Hour of Code” during Computer Science Education Week. According to Kelly Schremp, “I am including it as part of the science classes because it highlights the application of technology in the STEM approach to teaching science.” If the students coded for one hour, they could log onto www.csedweek.org and register in the international promotion. Shown here are fifth-graders Josh Lancaster and Lincoln Schneider coding an “Angry Bird” game on an iPad.

In an effort to give the students a fun day during Catholic Schools Week, students at St. Mary’s-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro came to school in PJs and fuzzy slippers. The students also had a special snack for the day and all gathered together to watch a movie on a big inflatable movie screen in the school hall. In this photo the sixth-grade class clusters together around its teacher Mary Clausius.

February 7, 2014

T

here is no time like the present to show our love for others. Whether you accept it or not, we all need each other. We only need to see it, recognize it and live it. It’s time to step out of the darkness, out of hiding, and enter the light that guides us to the truth, the light that reveals the truth and the light that fulfills the truth. Put your petty differences aside and love those who hate you; believe in those who have lost faith in themselves; be the hope for those who are hopeless. There is no time like the present to come together as God’s family.

All too often we are personal witnesses to bullying or watch it second-hand on TV. Yet, sometimes, we choose to do nothing about it. The consequences of our inaction may be very harmful to the person being bullied. We are all witnesses to this. Almost daily we hear in the news about kids being bullied. And, sadly, we know the result of some of

Youth Pages Band of brothers

see, bullying isn’t a modern day these kids being bullied; death social problem — it’s been a by suicide.

Take, for example, Rebecca, part of our lives for a very long the 12-year-old girl in Florida, time. What are you prepared to do to stop the bullying? last October, who took her A few months ago I saw own life because she was bethis clip on YouTube. A group ing tormented by one of her classmates. Yes, you read that correctly — a classmate: same age group. Rebecca took her own life because she thought there was no way out. And all because of what? In

By Ozzie Pacheco this case it all started with a boy and friends falling out. There was of young boys, calling themno happy ending here. Parents selves, “Band of Brothers,” blamed each other, kids were got together to defend one of afraid to talk to one another their own. A first-grader who and authorities scrambled for suffered a hemorrhage was answers to why children are being bullied at his school, and, needlessly dying. as a result, the entire football Bullying knows no age, team rallied around him to color, race or creed. It affects show their support. Danny, the us all. I’m sure you could call first-grader, usually wears a suit Jesus’ persecution a form of and tie to school and was bebullying. His Apostles and ing teased by others for doing disciples who followed Him so. When the football team experienced the same. So you

Be Not Afraid

found out, they decided to take a group photo wearing similar attire as Danny to show that it does not matter what you wear or how you are, you will be accepted. That night, little Danny started to cry before he went to bed and when asked by his mom why, he said because he feels loved.

Could it be that simple? I believe it is that simple. Love is all you need. This is just one of many heartwarming stories that goes to show that people do care and there is still love in our world. Be a part of it! May we all take the time to help someone who needs love.

After all, aren’t we all brothers and sisters in Christ? We don’t hesitate to defend our own. It’s all about attitude — we are all “our own!”

We can’t change the past, but we can surely learn from it.

Neither should we live in the past, but we certainly should

17 remember it and not forget it.

Complacency is a very dangerous word. Doing nothing can have a negative impact on others and ourselves. Ignoring the real social issues of our day is not loving God and our neighbor as ourselves.

Last month, hundreds of thousands of people, many of them young, rallied in Washington, D.C. for the March For Life. They were all voices for the unborn, the most fragile and innocent among us who are tormented and bullied and many of whom never get to see the light of day. Will you help them with your prayer and support?

Stand up for the bullied, the unborn and all who are the outcasts of our world. Band together as brothers and sisters and together be their one voice that can save them.

God bless!

Anchor columnist Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

Students in the New Bedford Deanery recently participated in the Catholic Schools Week Challenge. The students from St. James -St. John School were the winners.

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February 7, 2014

Hospice and palliative care offer support continued from page one

feeding tubes,” said Father Rodney Thibault, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Dartmouth and director of Pastoral Care of the Sick for the Fall River Diocese. “That’s always something people struggle with.”

“With feeding tubes, one of the most popular misconceptions is that you definitely have to give someone a feeding tube — you don’t,” he said. “I always say when people are struggling, ‘Does he or

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she look hungry?’ And if an elderly person has been unresponsive for weeks and the family is pondering, [saying] ‘She hasn’t eaten anything in a week, should we give her a feeding tube?’ I always tell them, do they look hungry?”

There are signs to look for if someone is suffering from hunger, said Father Thibault; some patients will grimace or wince or express pain, grabbing his or her stomach; “Then that person needs nourishment,” he explained, “but if that person is unresponsive and doesn’t exhibit any signs whatsoever for any hunger, then you don’t need to put in a feeding tube in someone like this; it’s the natural process of life and death.”

End-of-life issues are difficult and filled with emotion; choices have to be made and often not all family members are in agreement.

This is when the pastoral team gets involved, to help families understand they need to address the needs of the patient.

“It is their desire to care for their loved ones,” said Father Thibault, “and I believe that my role as a chaplain or as a priest in general, is to help them understand that they do have a need, but that need is to make sure they’re comfortable and being taken care of — and putting a feeding tube into someone isn’t necessarily taking care of someone. Sometimes it can have an adverse effect and then the family feels guilty having done it.”

As lead Hospice volunteer co-

ordinator, Gosson trains volunteers to help provide respite for the family, offering companionship so that families can take a momentary break.

“We try to give families two to fours hours, once or twice a week, in addition to the other services that they get. The volunteers will go in, with no agenda, just for the patient, meet them where they are,” said Gosson, and that oftentimes the volunteers are payingit-forward in his or her own way.

“A lot of times someone in their family has benefitted from Hospice services and it’s their way of giving back.”

“It’s a privilege and intimate time in someone’s life,” said Gosson, “and they come to trust the volunteers because they’re the only ones coming in that don’t have an agenda. The nurse is coming in to check vitals and do this or do that; the home health aid is there to give them a bath; the social worker is there to get them more services or whatever — the volunteers are coming in out of the kindness of their heart, giving their time, and the families and patients really connect with them.

It’s just a rewarding experience.”

Hospice and palliative care isn’t just about pain management and end-of-life issues — staff, like those who work at Our Lady’s Haven, have worked on behalf of patients to embrace life to its fullest. There’s the story of a gentleman who was a baseball fan, said Jolin, and between the Hospice

agency, nursing staff at Our Lady’s Haven and an ambulance company, were able to take him to enjoy a baseball game at a stadium.

Just two weeks ago, a patient wanted to celebrate his birthday at his favorite restaurant in Yarmouth, and Jolin worked with an agency to help make it happen.

“He told us, it’s probably going to be my last birthday,” said Jolin.

“He told us the day before, and we scrambled, and between the Hospice [agency] and us, and the ambulance company, we got him there. He had a wonderful time.

That’s a success story, making the best of his moments.”

And sometimes it’s just giving peace to the patient and the family. Father Thibault shared a story of a woman who had been declared brain dead and placed on a ventilator. Her family was at odds over when, if at all, to remove her from the vent. It’s hard to reason with the emotions of a family going through a such a difficult time, but Father Thibault reminds those dealing with such issues, “It’s so beautiful to see people wanting to care for their loved ones and how they don’t want to lose them — no one wants to lose a loved one. It hurts but we can’t forget, we can’t be selfish. Each person is a gift from God.” Four hours after the vent was removed, the woman passed away surrounded by her family; “There was a sense of relief and a sense of peace; I felt it,”said Father Thibault.

“They were very grateful that was the decision that they made.”

“When you think about life issues in general, people don’t see the sheer logic of it all,” he added.

“Sometimes people are so afraid that they’re killing their loved one, and [I tell them] you’re not the master over life and death, only God is. This machine is only a machine, you gave it a try and it didn’t work, so let’s see what is God’s plan. I think if people realized that a little bit more, I think that end-of-life issues wouldn’t be so traumatic.”

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February 7, 2014

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel at Holy Ghost Church, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through November 17.

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m.

Mass.

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 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.

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 a.m. to noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at noon. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Refreshments follow.

Fall River — Espirito Santo Parish, 311 Alden Street, Fall River. Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has continuous Eucharistic Adoration from 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.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.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday, following the 9 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 4:30 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Benediction at 5:45 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m.

Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and Confessions offered during the evening. 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 every Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 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 5 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 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

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. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church begins each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ends on Friday night at midnight. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall.

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 from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

Italian police recover stolen relic of Blessed John Paul II

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Less than a week after a relic of Blessed John Paul II disappeared from a country chapel east of Rome, Italian police recovered the venerated piece of fabric stained with the late pope’s blood.

Auxiliary Bishop Giovanni D’Ercole of L’Aquila told reporters January 31 that one of three men arrested for the theft the previous day had led police to the relic, which they found inside his garage.

The bishop said the postagestamp-sized piece of fabric — cut from the clothing Blessed John Paul was wearing when he was shot May 13, 1981 — was almost intact, missing only a few gold threads.

The previous day, the thieves turned over an empty iron reliquary, along with a stolen cross, buried on the grounds of a drug treatment facility in the city of L’Aquila, about 75 miles east of Rome. They said they had removed and discarded the relic itself because they considered it worthless. “These three lads have the forgiveness of Pope John Paul II and our own,” Bishop D’Ercole told reporters.

The relic and the cross were reported missing from the Church of San Pietro della Ienca over the

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Feb. 8 Rev. Raymond P. Monty, USAF Retired Chaplain, 1996 Feb. 9 Rev. Msgr. John J. Kelly, Pastor, SS. Peter & Paul, Fall River, 1963 Rev. Peter J. McKone, S.J., Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Vincent R. Dolbec, A.A., Assumption College, 1985 Feb. 10 Rev. Edward L. O’Brien, Pastor, St. Mary, Mansfield, 1966 Rev. Lucien A. Madore, Retired Chaplain, Mount St. Joseph School, Fall River, 1983

Feb. 11 Rev. John O’Connell, Founder, St. John Evangelist, Attleboro, 1910 Rev. John J. Sullivan, S.T.L., Retired Pastor, Holy Rosary, Fall River, 1961 Rev. William J. McMahon, Retired Pastor, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, 1987 Rev. Christopher (Leo) King, SS.CC., Damien Residence, 2013 Feb. 12 Rev. Stanislaus B. Albert, SS.CC, Retired Founder, Our Lady of Assumption, New Bedford, 1961 Feb. 14 Rev. Charles E. Clerk, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1932 Rev. Msgr. Francis McKeon, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1980

weekend of January 25-26. The church, where Blessed John Paul often prayed, is located 13 miles north of L’Aquila, in the mountainous Abruzzo region where he frequently went on brief vacations.

law Dziwisz of Krakow, who served as Blessed John Paul’s personal secretary during his pontificate, gave the relic to the chapel in recognition of the late pope’s many visits.

Around the Diocese The Knights of Columbus council at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton will sponsor a craft fair tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be more than 40 diverse crafters on hand. The fair will feature food, raffles, bake sale, face painting and more. For more information, call 774-217-0390.

February 11 is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and also World Day of Prayer for Healing. A special Mass for Healing will be celebrated at Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville on February 11 beginning at 6 p.m. The Mass is open to all. Please invite any friend, neighbor or family member who might be caregivers, patients or survivors, affected by any illness of body, mind or spirit. There will be a will meeting following the Mass in the parish center at 7 p.m. The Mass is sponsored by the Cancer Support Group and is open to anyone. The speaker will be Tom Duffy, an auxiliary member of the Knights of Malta, who has had the privilege of travelling to the Shrine of Lourdes several times. For further information call 508-362-6909.

A Mass with Sacrament of the Sick will be held on World Day of the Sick: Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, on February 11. Mass begins at 12 noon with the Sacrament of the Sick for those who wish to receive. All are invited to join for this special day of prayer and remembrance for all who are sick and suffering. It will be held at St. Joseph’s Chapel, 500 Washington Street in North Easton. For more information visit www.FamilyRosary.org/events or call Holy Cross Family Ministries at 508-239-4095.

All are invited to join in prayer for “Building a New Culture of Life” on February 20 beginning at 1 p.m. in St. Jude’s Chapel of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. Prayers will consist of the four mysteries of the Rosary with brief meditations on each.

A Day with Mary will be held on March 1 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, 235 North Front Street in New Bedford from 7:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. It will include a video presentation, procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother with Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There will be an opportunity for Reconciliation and a bookstore is available. Please bring a bag lunch. For more information call 508-998-8274.

A St. Joseph’s Men’s Retreat (for men 18 years and older) will be held on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organized by Deacon Chris Peschel, the day will include lunch, talks, a holy hour and time for fellowship with like-minded Catholic men. A freewill donation will be accepted. The day begins at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Attleboro at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. with Mass. Family members are encouraged to have their family attend Mass at the church. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Deacon Peschel (chrispeschel@yahoo.com) or Shawn Seybert (shawnseybert@comcast.net).

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February 7, 2014