Formation of new Permanent Diaconate class begins this fall Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, February 4, 2022
Recently, the Mission Possible of North Dighton Team, presented a check for $700 from raffle proceeds to Sister Marta Ines Toro, Vice Provincial Superior of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation, at their Provincial House in Dighton. The funds will be used by the Sisters in Guaimaca for biosecurity and lab tests for diabetics. From left: Karen Paradis, Ruth Andrade, Manuel Avila, Sister Marta, Brian Brown, Sister Sindi Bardales, Nancy Brown, and Ed Kremzier. (Missing from photo is team member Sharon Clark.) Below, Patrick Larivee from Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton enjoys the basket he won in a fund-raising raffle.
A renewed start to a new year
NORTH DIGHTON — The Mission Possible of North Dighton Team has been actively helping to provide necessities and monetary funds to help with the Marie Poussepin Center school for girls in Guaimaca, Honduras, founded in 2005 by the Diocese of Fall River to help young girls to receive their high school formation with the Dominican Sisters. The families help as much as possible, but the center is maintained through donations and grants. Once the young women graduate they are able to attend the local Agricultural University with a full scholarship arranged by the Sisters. The funds will also assist the medical and dental clinic, and Jerusalem Farm 8 Turn to page four
FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., has authorized the formation of a new class of Permanent Deacons beginning in the diocese in September 2022. A series of Information Nights will be held in the months to come. Zoom sessions will be held on Saturday, February 19; Monday, March 21; and May 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. In person sessions will
— frpermanentdiaconate. com. Those interested in pursuing a vocation to the diaconate, scheduled to begin the Aspirancy phase in September 2022, are invited to submit a preliminary application and a letter of support from their pastor. The deadline for submitting these materials to the Office of the Permanent Diaconate is August 1. Additional details and
Permanent Deacon John Foley, left, of Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich, assists pastor Father Marc Tremblay at a Mass for a recent Confirmation retreat. A class for potential new candidates for the Permanent Diaconate in the diocese will begin in September. (Photo by Barbara-Anne Foley) be held on Monday, June 27, and Sunday, August 14 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is required and may be completed on the Permanent Deacon website. All the sessions cover the same material. If interested in learning more about the process for becoming a deacon in the Diocese of Fall River, please join one these Information Nights by registering on the website
the preliminary application are available on the website. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Frank Lucca or Rev Robert Oliveira, Co-Directors of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate at office@ frpermanentdiaconate. com or contact the Office of the Permanent Diaconate at 508-9900341.
West Harwich Faith Formation teens have busy, fruitful new school year — Page two 1 February 4, 2022 †
West Harwich Faith Formation teens touch many lives WEST HARWICH — With some things returning to a partial sense of normalcy, the pandemic and its aftershocks are still being felt, especially by those who are in financial dire straits, homeless, in recovery and in other difficult situations. The parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich and the Faith Formation teens there have not forgotten those who can easily be overlooked in trying times. Since the new school year began in September, the students have not only been learning about the faith, but living it. In
October, the generous parishioners of Holy Trinity stocked their car trunks for the parish’s “Halloween Treats for our Friends in the Streets Program.” The parishioners and volunteers each opened their trunks filled with different items that people living on the streets would need: toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, hand warmers, socks, gloves, hats, scarves, homemade blankets, etc. The teens then each took reusable tote bags donated by Stop and Shop Supermarkets and went shopping trunk to trunk until 2
they had filled more than 50 bags for their friends on the streets. Later, in December, the teens delivered some of the bags to the women in recovery living at St. Clare’s Sober House along with bringing pizza and cupcakes to them in Hyannis, and sharing that with the women for lunch. On January 22 the students brought 30 more of the bags to the “Street Reach” program coordinated by Marilyn Lariviere, along with a cadre of mostly volunteer students from all over the Cape who normally collect similar items along with clothes, blankets, etc., and made them a hot meal and coffee and sent them off with two brown bag cold meals to put in their back packs, one for themselves and one for a friend. Because of COVID-19, Lariviere moved the program outside of the First Baptist Church on Main Street in Hyannis. The teens started the morning listening to a prayer service followed by volunteer students handing out some brown bag food items for their back packs and then the Holy Trinity students handed out their bags to the Friends on the Streets who attended in the cold and snow. The kids fell in love with an elderly man named Tommy. He is a 71-yearold Vietnam 101st Airborne veteran, who is very proud to be a native Cape Codder and enjoys sharing the story that he was born in his house in Truro and not the hospital.
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Above, students from the Holy Trinity Parish Confirmation class in West Harwich, visited the St. Clare’s Sober House in Hyannis with donated needed necessities for the women. At left, Brianna Wall spends time with one of the resident pooches at the House. Below, Tommy, a Cape Cod Vietnam war vet, left, chats with a friend; and Ryan Casey gives a bag with two cold meals, both at the Street Reach Program at the First Baptist Church in Hyannis. (Photos by Barbara-Anne Foley) Tommy loves to come to the program and is well known to the organizers and as known and apparently very much loved by the student volunteers as well. There is also outreach to St. Joseph’s Shelter in Hyannis and many of the local hotels some of the homeless stay at to help in any way possible once a month by inviting them to the “Street Reach Program” to provide them with basic necessities: food, clothing and as importantly, love. It is very heartwarming for many to see the Holy Trinity students join many others from across the Cape on a Saturday morning to “serve others and be the Face of Christ to those in need.” In the Holy Trinity grades seven through ninth-grade Confirmation class the coordinators instill service through “living lessons in our community,” what service to others in need is. These turn out to be days the students won’t soon forget.
Diocese announces merger of two New Bedford Catholic schools NEW BEDFORD — The Diocese of Fall River recently announced that due to compounding financial challenges from the COVID pandemic, Holy Family Holy-Name School and St. James-St. John School will merge into a new school at the end of this school year, building on the strengths of the two New Bedford elementary schools. The consolidated school, yet to be named, will serve an estimated 300 students and will reside on the St. James-St. John campus on Orchard Street in New Bedford. A middle school serving the combined schools will be established in the Kennedy Youth Center, located behind the St. James-St. John building, and is slated to receive major renovations and upgrades. “We recognize remarkable strengths in our schools that we need to build on and find ways to sustain,” said Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., in a video to the school communities. “These decisions were not made lightly, and I regret the losses they bring,” the bishop said. “Both schools have long been anchors for developing Catholic identity in young people of New Bedford.” Holy Family-Holy Name’s 100-year-old building on Summer Street requires costly repairs and upgrades, a financial investment that the Central School Board decided would more wisely be spent on updating facilities at St. JamesSt. John School and the Kennedy Youth Center. Superintendent Daniel S. Roy said, “While we sincerely regret having to change the structure of any of our Catholic schools, the ultimate goal is to strengthen all remaining schools to ensure Catholic education is available for many years to come.” The Diocese of Fall River has fared better than Catholic schools nationwide with enrollment plummeting 6.4 percent across the country in the 2021-22 school
The St. James-St. John School building and the Kennedy Youth Center in the rear of the property on Orchard Street in New Bedford, will be renovated and updated to house a new diocesan Catholic school following the merger of Holy Family-Holy Name and St. James-St. John schools in the Whaling City. year, according ucation continues to The National to be recognized Catholic Educafor its rigorous action Association. ademic education In contrast, nine while providing of 19 Diocese of Fall River Caththe moral and Spiritual formation olic schools have seen an increase in enrollment over the 2019-20 school year, and an additional four schools exceeded last year’s enrollment. Roy said that St. James-St. John Principal Cristina Viveiros-Serra will serve as principal for the new elementary school, while Holy Family-Holy Name Principal Deacon Peter Schutzler will be dean of the middle school. A public naming process will start in February with recommendations to the bishop for naming the new school. “While this decision was difficult, we believe that wise stewardship of our resources will allow our students to receive the best possible Catholic education in a new school that will allow our students to thrive, and our community to grow,” said Roy. For more than a century, Catholic schools have educated thousands of children in the Diocese of Fall River. Today, there are about 5,400 students in Pre-K through 12th grade in 19 Catholic schools from Attleboro to Cape Cod. Catholic ed-
according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. To view the message conveyed by Bishop da Cunha, please go to www.catholicschoolsalliance. org/school-merger/. For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, please go to www.catholicschoolsalliance.org. The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.
Work is nearly complete on the 2022 Diocesan Directory scheduled to be published soon.
February 4, 2022 †
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E
The ethics of pig to human organ transplants
arly this year, a Maryland man suffering from severe heart failure underwent a new experimental procedure, receiving a pig heart transplant. His medical team had determined he would be a poor candidate for a human heart transplant or for an artificial heart, so he was offered the opportunity to participate in a novel treatment using a genetically modified pig’s heart. The pig had been specially bred and modified with DNA edits to increase the likelihood of successful transplantation. Three genes of the pig that contribute to the rapid antibody-mediated rejection of pig organs by humans were “knocked out.” Six human genes that would produce “human protective proteins” and improve immune acceptance of the pig heart were also inserted into the pig’s genome. An additional gene knockout was done to prevent the pig’s heart from becoming too large. The transplantation of animal organs into humans is known as “xenotransplantation” and is a new field that appears poised to expand rapidly
in the future. Xenotransplantation can be ethical as long as pilot studies are performed in animals ahead of use in humans, safety issues are carefully addressed, the benefits of the transplantation procedure outweigh the burdens, and risks are reasonably limited. While we have a duty to treat animals well and should try to avoid causing them undue suffering, it’s also clear that human beings have been given by God a legitimate dominion over members of the animal kingdom. Animal trials have always been key to launching new therapies in humans. Pig organ transplants into baboons and other non-human primates have been taking place for decades. These transplants have become more beneficial and less risky over time, especially as tailored genetic modifications have been introduced into the pigs. Xenotransplantation offers an important advantage over traditional human-to-human trans-
Renewed start to new year continued from page one
there. The team has been providing assistance to the Sisters and residents in Guaimaca for the last 12 years. Due to the pandemic its fundraising has been difficult, but not ending. Recently, it created a candy tower and included $50 in scratch tickets for a raffle fundraiser with the help 4
of the Knights of Columbus, and offered it after weekend Masses to the parishioners at St. Nicholas of Myra, North Dighton, Annunciation of the Lord and St. Andrew the Apostle parishes in Taunton. Patrick Larivee from Annunciation of the Lord was the grand prize winner.
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plants: the opportunity to modify the donor organ, rather than only modifying the recipient through suppressing his or her immune system. In the early days of implanting pig organs into non-human primates, researchers faced the serious problem of immediate organ destruction due to hyperacute rejection, with
In the future, additional and more sophisticated genetic engineering of source animals and the use of new immunosuppressive agents in recipients should further improve compatibility and decrease the chances of xenotransplant rejection. Still, it should be noted that there are other potential concerns besides organ rejection. Animal retroviruses or diseases could potentially be transmitted to humans when they receive an animal organ. Some have argued, however, that by maintainthe failure time being mea- ing strict control over how sured in minutes, rather animals are housed, fed than hours or days. Hyper- and bred for organ proacute rejection occurred curement, scientists can because the baboon’s imachieve a greater degree mune system recognized of assurance in terms of a carbohydrate molecule minimizing their exposure on the surface of the pig to pathogens through the organ. By knocking out the highly biosecure laboratotroublesome carbohydrate ry conditions the animals molecule via genetic engi- are raised in; meanwhile, neering, and relying on ad- for human organ donors, ditional immune-suppres- detailed knowledge of insion techniques, scientists dividual exposure profiles were able to extend signifi- may not be available. cantly the survival times of Surveys and focus transplanted pig organs in groups assessing attitudes baboons, in some studies to xenotransplantation up to nearly three years. generally report public The very complex support for the use of pig changes made in the organs. Such surveys also genetically-engineered suggest that many Chrispigs, when coupled with tians, Jews and Muslims continued advances in would consider xenotransimmune-suppression strat- plantation to be acceptable egies in organ recipients, as a life-saving measure. led to the realization that Some people object to the it might finally be possible use of animals, but the fact to attempt implantation that more than 100 million of a genetically-modified pigs in the U.S. are slaughpig heart into a human tered annually for human patient. food production lessens
for most the concerns around using them to alleviate the chronic shortages of life-saving organs. Thousands of people die every year on waiting lists for human organs. Moreover, if pig organ transplants into humans were to become standardized and widely available, this could also significantly reduce the illegal trade in human organs like kidneys, where the poor and disadvantaged are often victimized. Even though remarkable advancements have been made in “neutering” pig organs so they no longer provoke a powerful immune response in humans, and striking progress has been made in extending survival times for xenografts, there are sure to be many more twists and turns along the road of getting our immune systems to cooperate fully with implanted animal organs. Recent forays into xenotransplantation offer a significant first step on the long journey from yesterday’s “scientifically unimaginable,” to today’s “barely achievable,” to tomorrow’s basic “standard of care.” Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www. ncbcenter.org and www. fathertad.com.
B
ecause of the upcoming Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, it is likely that most of us will be in a lot more conversations about abortion. After the oral arguments on the case on December 1, experts on both sides of the abortion debate, analyzing the questions made by the Justices, are predicting that the Court, will either uphold a 2018 Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy (and permit other states to do so), or go further and overturn Roe v. Wade outright, making it possible for states to ban abortion altogether. Either way, if they’re right, the principal forum of abortion debate and law will soon shift, after 49 years, from the Supreme Court to state houses, and from nine unelected justices to regularly-up-for-election state representatives, senators and governors. That shift means that there will be a lot more consequential discussions happening about abortion policy, not just in state capitals, but in the debates for state offices, and among those who vote. For the past half-century, abortion has played a major role in electoral politics at various levels, since a candidate’s position on abortion is a bellwether of that candidate’s hierarchy of values. For many officeholders, however, their position on abortion often has been not much more than political virtue signaling to their base or party, since, for the most part, the major decisions had been seized by the courts. Now state legislative debates and decisions are primed to become much more — literally — about life and death. Similarly for citizens, abortion discussions will go from exchanges of “opinions” that seldom matter little to ultimate decision-making to conversations with far greater responsibility. Over dinner tables, in classrooms, around water coolers, in supermarkets, gyms and community centers, on social media, podcasts, websites and blogs, newspapers, television and radio talk shows, those opinions will be shared, formed, perhaps
changed, with greater intensity and potential impact on minds, hearts, elections, public policy and, eventually, wombs. There will, of course, still be intractable shouting matches on cable news programs involving trained spokesmen sloganeering past each other — a heat — rather than light-producing caricature of what should be taking place for a subject of such sensitivity and importance for women, men and children. But abortion arguments will now increasingly take place among friends and family members, not professional debaters. Some will have strong principles and ideas; others will have mixed and even confused thoughts and feelings, as they seek to get out from under catchphrases and propaganda to understand, evaluate, weigh and prioritize the truths and values involved. This reopened, public, cross-society discussion on abortion that the Dobbs decision augurs — with vast ramifications at the realm of law and policy, not to mention in individual human lives — is something that faithful Catholics should be ready for. To be Catholic — as the “Catechism,” the popes, and the U.S. bishops make unambiguously clear, despite the attempt of some prominent Catholic figures to pretend and behave otherwise — is to be Pro-Life. Jesus says that whatever we do to the least of His brothers and sisters we do to Him; to abort anyone, He suggests, is equivalent to aborting Him; to receive a little child in Jesus’ name, on the other hand, is equivalent to embracing Him. An essential part of the Church’s mission, indeed one of the most important things to proclaiming and advancing the Kingdom of God, is to create a culture in which Jesus Himself is welcomed, loved and adored. That can’t happen when a society facilely permits the image of God in the womb to be blithely desecrated, destroyed and celebrated as a human right. Catholics in particular,
Life training therefore, consistent with our vocation to be salt, light and leaven, must be prepared to engage our family members, friends, neighbors, fellow students, co-workers, teachers, elected representatives, and perhaps even confused co-religionists with effective arguments as the Dobbs decision likely thrusts the debate on abortion to the central place such a discussion on life and death should have in any society dedicated to justice and the pursuit of life, authentic liberty and lasting happiness.
The handbook to get us ready for that engagement is being published today (February 4): Dr. Steven A. Christie’s new book entitled “Speaking for the Unborn: 30-Second Pro-Life Rebuttals to ProChoice Arguments” (Emmaus Road, 168 pages, $11.95). Dr. Christie is a 56-yearold medical doctor and lawyer who with this book becomes an impressive apologist. For the first 35 years of his life he was a self-described “prochoice liberal” and so believed many of the arguments he now debunks in this work. That conversion, not to mention his medical and legal training as well as his experience as a married father of five, helps to make speaking for the unborn a compelling, clear, compassionate, concise, practical, scientifically accurate, witty, user-friendly and effective training manual. He takes up 65 of the most common and influential pro-choice arguments and, to each, gives one or more convincing rebuttals. Beyond his timely book, Dr. Christie has created a free website (speakingfortheunborn. com) where he gives a fourpart video Pro-Life master class that can be used by individuals, families, Catholic schools and catechetical classes, Pro-Life clubs and
more to learn the science, law and commonsense ethics from a non-religious perspective. The website also contains in utero photos, ultrasound images, animations and other helpful resources. Dr. Christie’s aim is to help us “reveal the truth to those who desperately do not wish to see it, hear it or speak it. And to do so with intelligence, diligence and — perhaps most importantly — compassion.” He’s conscious that up to 25 percent of adult women have suffered an abortion and so frames his arguments with that human reality in mind. He also recognizes that many pro-choicers erroneously suppose that opposition to abortion is merely a religious belief and so he avoids all religious arguments, making the case for being Pro-Life from scientific, pro-woman, social justice, anti-violence and evidence-based starting points. His approach will help many who are not yet decided about the personal and social ramifications of abortion to learn the strong foundations of Pro-Life convictions. It will also help those who already have firm Pro-Life conclusions to learn sounder and more convincing premises. I’d love to give a little taste of what he provides. In response to the “my body, my choice” slogan, Dr. Christie writes, “I fully support the right of a woman to do whatever she wants with her own body. I just don’t believe she has the right to do whatever she wants to someone else’s body. A pregnancy always involves two bodies, sometimes more.” In response to the argument that Pro-Lifers are just trying to “force their morality” on everyone else, he states, “We all believe in imposing morality, and we do it every day. On critical moral issues — like rape, child abuse, murder, or theft — we never rely on each individual’s personal moral code to best guide his or her actions. We declare to the world that rape and murder are repugnant, immoral, and illegal — and we’ll throw you in prison if you dare to
rape or kill! That’s ‘imposing morality’ and we impose it on every single member of society every single day. So let’s not pretend that we don’t believe in imposing morality — every single one of us does.” He continues, “Can you imagine someone saying, ‘I’m personally anti-slavery, but who am I to impose my view on others?’” For those who claim that abortion is basic women’s health care, he asks, “When did lethally injecting a living unborn child, or tearing it limb from limb and suctioning it from its mother’s womb, become ‘health care?’ Treating the diabetic is health care. Setting a broken bone is health care. Performing open-heart surgery is health care. Killing a living unborn child has nothing to do with health care.” Moreover, he continues, “Nearly 95 percent of all abortions are performed on the healthy babies of healthy mothers. Abortion is not health care.” Witty throughout, Dr. Christie includes several headlines from the satirical site BabylonBee, which expose, as comedy does better than most other means, the incongruity of pro-choice positions. Similarly he illustrates the humanity of those for whom he is speaking up by various photos of young babies, many with facial expressions precociously fitting for the debate. His goal in the work is to equip us not necessarily with arguments and approaches that will lead others immediately to wave a white flag, but to get them to say, “I’ve never really thought about it that way before,” which is an indication, he says, of their opening to the truth, a crucial first step — he knows from personal experience — on the path of conversion. As we await Dobbs, Dr. Christie’s excellent new book is a way to help us all think differently. It’s also a means to prepare us — and through our generosity, others, especially the young — to engage in upcoming discussions with greater clarity, confidence and effectiveness. Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.
February 4, 2022 †
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Editorial
A little good news
Back in 1983 the Canadian singer Anne Murray released a song which, unfortunately, is still timely today. Entitled “A little good news,” it begins with a mention of “Bryant Gumbel was talkin’ ‘bout the fighting in Lebanon.” Although Gumbel has long since left morning television of NBC and CBS, Lebanon still is in need of prayers for peace (it is not back in civil war yet, but is teetering much closer to it than our country). As any viewer of “Family Guy” would know, Anne Murray didn’t write the songs she sang, but she does like the messages they have. This song gave a list of lamentations about overdoses, murders, robberies, etc., but it also expressed a series of hopes, such as “nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today, and in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play.” Thanks be to God and people’s openness to peace, the 1998 Good Friday Accords did bring and end to “the troubles,” although there are still some folks on both sides in Northern Ireland who seem tempted to violence (although only God knows if the situation there or in Lebanon is more precarious — and God is working in both places to get people to reconcile, but He won’t force them). Recently Pope Francis asked everyone to pray for peace between Russia and the Ukraine on January 26. As of press time for the edition of The Anchor, it seems that this has worked, but we need to keep on praying that war be avoided there and that war be ended in so many other places (Yemen and Ethiopia being among the worse two situations in the world, at the moment). This past Sunday, Pope Francis, discussed Jesus’ rejection by the people of Nazareth (Lk 4:21-30). The pope noted that Jesus’ words show that this “failure was not entirely unexpected. He knew His people, He knew the heart of His people, He knew the risk He was running, He took rejection into account. And, so, we might wonder: but if it was like this, if He foresaw a failure, why did He go to His hometown all the same? Why do good to people who are not willing to accept you? It is a question that we too often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us understand God better. Faced with our closures, He does not withdraw: He does not put brakes on His love. Faced with our closures, He goes forward. We see a reflection of this in parents who are aware of the ingratitude OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 66, No. 3
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Published biweekly except for one week in autumn by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720, Tel. 508-675-7151; FAX 508-675-7048; email: davejolivet@anchornews.org. To subscribe to The Anchor online visit https://www.fallriverdiocese.org/subscribe Subscription price by mail, prepaid $29.00 per year for U.S. addresses. Please send address changes to The Anchor, PO Box 318, Congers, NY 10920, call or use email address.
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of their children, but do not cease to love them and do good to them for this. God is the same, but at a much higher level. And today He invites us too to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good.” God loves the people on both sides of every conflict. He died on the cross for each of them (each of us). He is actively knocking on the door of every heart, to see if we will “prepare Him room.” Since He will leave no stone unturned, nor should we. We need to rededicate ourselves daily to carrying out His will of love. To carry out God’s will, we need to look for how He is present before us. The Holy Father observed about Jesus, “He presents Himself as we would not expect. He is not found by those who seek miracles — if we look for miracles, we will not find Jesus — by those who seek new sensations, intimate experiences, strange things; those who seek a faith made up of power and external signs. No, they will not find Him. Instead, He is found only by those who accept His ways and His challenges, without complaint, without suspicion, without criticism and long faces. In other words, Jesus asks you to accept Him in the daily reality that you live; in the Church of today, as it is; in those who are close to you every day; in the reality of those in need, in the problems of your family, in your parents, in your children, in grandparents, in welcoming God there. He is there, inviting us to purify ourselves in the river of availability and in many healthy baths of humility [this is a reference the healing of Naaman, the Syrian leper, that Jesus mentioned to the people of Nazareth, to their annoyance]. It takes humility to encounter God, to let ourselves be encountered by Him.” Our own working to do that here will both help to lessen tensions in our own country and help to spread the power of God’s peace throughout this world. “The Lord always surprises us: this is the beauty of the encounter with Jesus… [T]he Lord asks us for an open mind and a simple heart. May Our Lady, model of humility and willingness, show us the way to welcome Jesus.” Jesus and Mary surprised us with the fall of the Berlin Wall. May we be open to the surprises they long to bring to our world, if we open our hearts to receive them. They have a lot of good news for us to spread, by our words and (even more so) by our actions.
Daily Readings † February 12 - February 25
Sat. Feb. 12, 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34; Ps 106:6-7b,19-22; Mk 8:1-10. Sun. Feb. 13, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jer 17:5-8; Ps 1:1-4,6; 1 Cor 15:12,16-20; Lk 6:17,20-26. Mon. Feb. 14, Jas 1:1-11; Ps 119:67-68,71-72,7576; Mk 8:11-13. Tue. Feb. 15, Jas 1:12-18; Ps 94:12-13a,14-15,18-19; Mk 8:14-21. Wed. Feb. 16, Jas 1:19-27; Ps 15:2-4b,5; Mk 8:22-26. Thu. Feb. 17, Jas 2:1-9; Ps 34:2-7; Mk 8:27-33. Fri. Feb. 18, Jas 2:14-24. 26; Ps 112:1-6; Mk 8:34—9:1. Sat. Feb. 19, Jas 3:1-10; Ps 12:2-5,7-8; Mk 9:2-13. Sun. Feb. 20, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1 Sm 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23; Ps 103:1-4,8,10,12-13; 1 Cor 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38. Mon. Feb. 21, Jas 3:13-18; Ps 19:8-10,15; Mk 9:14-29. Tue. Feb. 22, 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 16:13-19. Wed. Feb. 23, Jas 4:13-17; Ps 49:2-3,6-11; Mk 9:38-40. Thu. Feb. 24, Jas 5:1-6; Ps 49:14-20; Mk 9:41-50. Fri. Feb. 25, Jas 5:9-12; Ps 103:1-4,8-9,11-12; Mk 10:1-12.
Real listening is key to Synod success
(Third in a series about the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops) “We listen to each other, to our faith traditions and the signs of the times in order to discern what God is saying to all of us.” This statement in the Vatican handbook for the Synod sets the standard by which we are called to listen in synodal consultations. “You didn’t hear what I said.” “You’re not listening to me.” These are common responses in discussions with family, friends or business associates. Why? Because when we are “listening” we are often thinking of how we are going to respond or how we are going to defend our position. We are not really hearing what the other person is saying. The synodal process is calling on us to really listen. The old saying “put yourself in the
other guy’s shoes” can be a good reminder about how to authentically listen. “The Spirit asks us to listen to the questions, concerns and hopes of every Church, people and nation. And to listen to the world, to the challenges and changes it sets before us,” said Pope Francis. At the diocesan or parish level, this means listening to people whose opinions on “church” we might not ordinarily seek out. Perhaps, it involves intentionally inviting those who may have had a negative church experience or those who have not considered “church”
important in their lives. To be good listeners, the Vatican handbook suggests humility, openness to conversion and change, and leaving behind prejudices and stereotypes. It lists some of the obstacles to doing that as the scourge of the virus of self-sufficiency and ideologies that give “greater importance to ideas than the reality of life.” On a practical level, participants in the synod are being asked to be empathetic, listening not just to the words but also the feelings
being expressed; to be sensitive to the different ways people communicate; to think before speaking, especially in response to what another person has said; and to examine their own assumptions and perceptions. Listening is a tool or method. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the aim of listening, as expressed by Pope Francis, is “to discern what God is saying to all of us.” Guiding the Conversation When we hear the term ambassador, a picture may come to mind of a diplomat shuttling
between countries to develop strong productive relationships. Coincidental with the launching of the Global Synod, the office of the Secretary of Evangelization in the Fall River Diocese was introducing the concept of Parish Ambassadors — representatives from each parish communicating with other ambassadors and diocesan staff to build stronger parishes. The vision is that ambassadors will be two or more people within each parish who connect with other parishes and the diocese in the process of continued revitalization. Short term, current ambassadors have been asked to implement the synodal process. Ambassadors have been working with pastors, parish staff and other volunteers in implementing synod consultations. Parish level consultations seek to give light to the thoughts and feelings of all participants without judgment, confrontation or the need to reach conclusions. Achieving that in any group of five or 10 people is quite a challenge. To help the process along, a facilitator and note taker will be assigned to each group. The facilitator is not there to lead the discussion in a certain direction. Just the opposite. The facilitator will guide the conversation ensuring that all who want to have a chance to express themselves, can. The note-taker will capture what is said so that information from the small group can be included in one parish report. The parish report will then be sent to the diocese where a summary of all sessions will be created. It is important to note that no names
are included in any of the notes. Every comment is anonymous and equal in value to every other comment. Parish Synod News • Holy Redeemer Parish in Chatham held its first synod session on Saturday afternoon January 22 and will conduct four additional sessions on February 26, March 19 and April 2 and 23. While encouraging in-person attendance, an alternate questionnaire is available for parishioners unable to attend. • Two Parish Council members will lead synodal discussions at St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth from 9:30 until 12:30 on Saturday, February 12. • A general session synodal gathering for all parishioners is scheduled for Sunday February 27, following the 10:30 a.m. Mass at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. This is in addition to smaller group dialogues being held by various parish groups.
Become involved
Let us Hear From You! — What do you want to know about the Synod? — What is your parish doing? We’re listening at synodnews@ anchornews.org
February 4, 2022 †
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Bishop’s blog: Pope Francis speaks on Synodality During Pope Francis’ opening of the synodal assembly, he used three keywords: participation, communion, and mission. In a recent pre-Christmas address to the Roman Curia, Pope Francis expounded upon these words. And while these words were
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meant for the Curia, there is much we can take with us as we journey together in our synodal process here in the Diocese of Fall River; I thought we could all benefit from reflecting on his words. I’ve included a few quotes from his remarks: “First, participation.
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This ought to be expressed through a style of co-responsibility. Certainly, in the diversity of our roles and ministries, responsibilities will differ, yet it is important that everyone feel involved, co-responsible for the work, without having the depersonalizing
experience of implementing a program devised by someone else. Authority becomes service when it shares, involves, and helps people to grow. “The second word is communion. This does not have to do with majorities or minorities; essentially, it is based on our relationship with Christ. We will never have an evangelical style in our respective settings unless we put Christ back in the center, not this or that party opinion: Christ at the center. Many of us work together, but what builds communion is also the ability to pray together, to listen together to God’s Word, and to construct relationships that go beyond work and strengthen beneficial relations between us by helping one another. Otherwise, we risk being nothing more than strangers working in the same place, competitors looking to advance, or, worse yet, forging relationships based on personal interests, forgetting the common cause that holds us together. “Seeing things from the standpoint of communion also entails acknowledging our diversity as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we step back from this, and regard communion as a synonym of uniformity, we weaken and stifle the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit in our midst. An attitude of service requires, and indeed de-
mands, a good and generous heart, in order to recognize and experience with joy the manifold richness present in the People of God. Without humility, this will not happen. “The third word is mission. This is what saves us from falling back on ourselves. Those who are turned in on themselves ‘look from above and from afar,’ they reject the prophecy of their brothers and sisters, they discredit those who raise questions, they constantly point out the mistakes of others and they are obsessed by appearances. Their hearts are open only to the limited horizon of their own immanence and interests, and as a consequence they neither learn from their sins nor are they genuinely open to forgiveness. These are the two signs of ‘closed’ persons: they do not learn from their sins and they are not open to forgiveness. “Only a heart open to mission can ensure that everything we do, ad intra and ad extra, is marked by the regenerating power of the Lord’s call. Mission always involves passion for the poor, for those who are ‘in need,’ not only of things material, but also Spiritual, emotional and moral. Those who hunger for bread and those who hunger for meaning are equally poor. The Church is summoned to reach out to 8 Turn to page 14
Acceptance is the first step
O
ften times when I become frustrated or make mistakes it is usually because I am stuck in the same, self-serving mindset. It is only when I am able to begrudgingly muster the humility to admit this that I can then better address the problem. I would posit that as Catholics we have to do the same when it comes to evangelization. That is to say that rather than get caught up in frustration over why certain things or programs haven’t worked, we have to look at the truth of the situation so as to chart a better way forward. Without consciously accepting our reality and changing our mindset, we will continually be frustrated; and frustration can quickly turn into becoming jaded, cynical, or — worst yet — apathetic. We as a Church can’t allow ourselves to become consumed in this way. So, I invite you to consider something with me that perhaps you have already considered, but may not have accepted in practice: Christendom has dissipated. What do I mean by this? This premise is presented most notably in “From Christendom to Apostolic Mission,” written by Msgr. James Shea et al. and published by the University of Mary (2020). I would invite you to read the book. In it, the authors invite Catholics to appreciate the change in our society’s worldview. This shift is an important reason behind much of our woes. Yet, I would argue that our inability to respond to this shift, while remaining true to the Gospel message, is perhaps an even more important reason for decline. While we share with our lips that things have changed, in practice we act as if we still exist in an age of Christendom and not, as Msgr. Shea puts it, an Apostolic age. Let’s define our terms then. By Christendom, neither Msgr. Shea nor I mean the Church itself nor Christianity. Indeed, Jesus promised that the gates of the netherworld would not prevail over the Church and that the Holy Spirit would continue to guide it (cf Mt 16:18; Jn 14:26). Rather, Msgr. Shea describes Christendom in this way: “A Christendom society is one that goes forward under the imaginative vision and narrative provided by Christianity … there was a general acceptance of basic Christian truths and an assumption of the Christian narrative and vision of the world” (p.13-14). Christendom can therefore be understood as a culture structured around the core tenants of Christianity, where Christianity is the assumed and accepted norm. Shea links the dissipation of Christendom with the decline of belief and practice in much of the Church’s life.
Four students from diocesan schools won awards in the recent annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. drawing contest in Fall River. The students, with their principals attended a ceremony at Fall River Government Center. From left: Ryan Klein, principal, St. Michael School; Cecilia Cromwell, grade six, Second Place Middle School, St. Michael School; Alychia Almeida, grade five, Second Place Elementary, St. Michael School; Lennix Sullivan, grade four, First Place Elementary, Espirito Santo Parochial School; Samantha Bouchard, grade eight, First Place Middle School, Espirito Santo Parochial School; Andrew Raposo, principal, Espirito Santo Parochial School.
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Gift of Giving — Making a Difference By Rose Mary Saraiva Volunteer Coordinator & Bereavement Services Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc. FALL RIVER — Catholic Social Services’ Gift of Giving program has been instrumental in helping thousands of individuals and families over the years. Through this on-going program, children have been provided with new toys at Christmas and families have received
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much needed donations of clothing, outerwear, and other basic needs items. This program, however, would not have the reach it has without the generosity of the community. Donations come in many forms and from every corner of our great diocese, including many from the private sector. Yet, the majority of the donations come from our parishes and the individuals in the pews — you the parishioners. In the past, this pro-
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gram collected specific items, that were placed on ornaments and hung on “giving trees” located at parishes throughout the diocese. These items were then collected and distributed to the families who had requested them. It was a program that worked well and provided for so many, especially at Christmas time. Alas, like so many things effected by COVID-19, Catholic Social Services had to revisit
how the Gift of Giving program operated. After much deliberation and a conviction to ensure that those most in need would be provided for at Christmas, the Gift of Giving program took on a new life. The decision was made to provide each individual with a gift card. Families could use the cards to buy gifts for their children, new clothing, food and anything else they may need to brighten their holiday. A success for Christmas in 2020 and an easy decision for Christmas 2021. Word was sent to the parishes that Catholic Social Services would once again provide gift cards to those who reached out for help during the holidays. Through the efforts of the parishes that participated in this year’s program, we raised more than $24,000 in gift cards. This guaranteed that well over 450 individuals would be receiving a gift card to help with Christmas. In addition to the gift cards collected through our parishes, we also had businesses that chose to “sponsor” families in our programs. These organizations “adopted” families, providing them with clothing, household items, new toys, and even made certain that every member of the household had a gift to open at Christmas. Often we are asked, “Do the donations really make a difference? Do people really benefit from what we give?” What most of us do not see when we make a donation — big or small — is the impact it has on others. As someone who helped deliver your donations this year, I cannot begin to describe the gratitude and sense of
relief these families feel. As I think back to the weeks before Christmas, to the careful selection of items requested, and the actual delivery, I am almost brought to tears as I type, their reactions and gratefulness has stayed with me. We are all very familiar with the “washing of the feet,” how Jesus knelt before each of those present in the upper room, and how humbled they were to have the “Master” take on the role of a servant; that humbling feeling is what I myself and the others who make the deliveries have felt. We are humbled by the those we serve and reminded of how truly blessed we are, that we are given the opportunity to make a difference. So do your donations make a difference? Yes, they most definitely do, and in the most profound and moving ways possible. Not only do your gifts benefit the recipients, but they have a major impact on those who see your donations in action. For your generosity and continued support of all we do here at Catholic Social Services, we thank you. May this be the year that you choose to be the difference. Please note that at Catholic Social Services, the needs of many of those we serve extend well beyond the Christmas season. Please know that your kindness and generosity are greatly appreciated all year long, as the need for compassion, caring and understanding remains. If you, or someone you know, wants to make a donation at any time throughout the year, please call us at 508678-4681 and we will let you know what items are needed at that time.
David Carvalho: Acceptance is the first step continued from page nine
In other words, the first step a person makes before disregarding Church teaching and practice is to stop seeing the world through the eyes of a Christian — one who has accepted and sees the world through the lens that Jesus is God Who became flesh, died for our sins, and physically rose from the dead. Put another way: more people than we realize have not experienced an encounter with the Risen Christ and we who are in the Church act in such a way that assumes they have. In this reality, individuals may act more out of obligation than purpose when it comes to the faith. As a result, invitations to take a “next step” or “go deeper” in parish life go ignored, regardless of how many bulletin announcements are made to invoke attendance at the next “thing.” To this end, Msgr. Shea gives the examples of four locales: Quebec, Belgium, Spain and Ireland. Within these locations he writes that “in the space of one generation the bottom of Christendom culture fell
out. Almost overnight, these societies went from being strongly Catholic to aggressively secular” (p.31). Why? Msgr. Shea makes an observation: “The overarching vision of the society had been changing over a course of time, but the change was not perceived, and the institutions of the Church were not adjusting to it; they rather continued to be led under the attitude of ‘business as usual’” (p.31). A mentality of Christendom, implemented within a society divorced from such a culture, cannot sustain a foregone reality and, so, something has to eventually give. Church participation. Mass attendance; Faith Formation enrollment; the list goes on. Our own diocese has not been immune to this, as no diocese has. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., in his 2021 pastoral letter Journeying Together, notes that “in the Fall River Diocese since 1990 we have 100,000 fewer Catholics, participation in Faith
Formation has dropped 67 percent, and Sacraments of Initiation have declined by 65 percent” (p.2). I would add that 47 percent and 41 percent of the decline noted within those last two categories, respectively, occurred just within the last nine years prior to the pandemic. The pandemic, in turn, has not helped matters. This is not meant to be an apocalyptic message or a rehashing of the same old issues at a time when frustration abounds plentifully. I would like to think these declines have not gone unnoticed. But the fact that we can talk about these declines as “the same old issues” points to this issue: we may see the decline but seem to accept it as normal without acting differently. I can appreciate that nostalgia exists, and fear of failure, or frustration over past failed attempts, can become crippling. “We’ve been through this before,” or “that may work over there, but that won’t work here,” are phrases I’ve heard plenty. It is easier to start a new ministry that
serves “insiders,” than to equip and concentrate an entire community’s efforts to reaching “outsiders.” That takes work, prayer, and not being afraid to fail. Yet, we cannot afford to engage in “business as usual.” Better to try and fail then not to try at all. What do we have to lose? Discouraged? Don’t be. While Msgr. Shea describes that an Apostolic age brings challenges — hostility of a wider culture, fewer resources, exhaustion in articulating the faith, error in all its forms — such an age brings various opportunities, namely humility and authenticity (p.26). An Apostolic age requires the Church to be
less hypocritical and more intense in living the faith ardently and authentically. This, in turn, results in a more attractive witness which, when embodied in outward-focused relationship building, is a recipe for good evangelization. Msgr. Shea goes on to outline several pastoral strategies based on functioning within an Apostolic age. While discussing these requires a separate space (a reason to read the book), it suffices for now to say that Msgr. Shea’s recommendations can be summarized as the need for the “conversion of mind to a new way of seeing” our work as Church. He writes: “The main evangelistic 8 Turn to page 13
Our readers respond Thank you for printing Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message in The Anchor last week (January 7). Most people I know are not even aware that the pope writes this yearly message. Now more than ever we need to be reminded that our faith challenges us to true dialogue, and to create and value intergenerational relationships to foster the good and bring about a more peaceful future. Today, the disparities between public and private education are great and many are in jobs that do not honor
their dignity or offer a living wage. As Pope Paul VI reminded us, if you want peace, work for justice. Pope Francis continues to remind us of our task ahead. As I pondered his January 1 message, I prayed that Mary, Queen of Peace, would support us in our efforts. Thank you. Elaine L’Etoile Attleboro Member of Pax Christi — National Shrine of our Lady of La Salette February 4, 2022 †
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T he C hurch
W
Y outh & Y oung A dults
Full immersive faith with Bartimaeus resolution
atching a movie in an IMAX theater is a fully immersive cinematic adventure. According to the IMAX website, it is a “heart pounding, awe inspiring, immersive experience.” Couple that with 3D and your experience will be optimized to a level unexplainable to others. This type of perspective and experience fired up my Spiritual curiosity. Are we seeing, hearing, and experiencing our faith the way it was designed to be experienced and lived? Are we fully immersed and filling the space between what we know and ought to know with awe inspiring inspiration or are we OK with our standard black and white perspective? The idea of television was in the works as early as 1840s, and it would see many prototypes and improvements throughout the years. Starting with Scottish inventor, Alexander Bain’s facsimile transmission system, later revolutionized by American inventor Charles Francis Jenkins transmission of moving silhouettes in 1925. And again, improved upon by Kenjiro Takayanagi of Japan, introducing a 40-line resolution on CRT display. The world needed to buckle up because the video was about to kill the radio star, and the Baird “Televisor” would be the first shot fired, and MTV would be the final blow to the radio. The world was about to encounter a new “crystal clear” distorted 12
and
perspective on life. Human interactions would be shaped by their new view being formed by the television. Whether, in black and white, or color; standard, or high definition; HD, or 4K., life as we knew it was going to shift perspective faster than an optometrist switching lenses on you. We no longer just see images on screen, we experience it. Yet, our new set of eyes still needed more so it was further enhanced by a Three Dimensional (3D) feel. 3D is meant to fill the space between what you see on screen, and your actual eyes. So realistic is the space between that your body instinctively reaches out to touch it. First introduced in color with “House of Wax” staring Vincent Price, and later elevated with the spectacular that was James Cameron’s “Avatar,” audiences were left in awe and speechless at this, yet again, new perspective. Our realities have been “enhanced,” and “upgraded,” yet we have disregarded that our eyes are channels to our souls and our ears transmitters to carry God’s truth, beauty and goodness to our hearts. Humanity’s greatest visual enhancements were filling space, our minds, and our opinions, but we still struggled to see the bigger picture of life’s true meaning. “As Jesus was leaving Jericho with His disciples
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pity on me!” was what Jesus heard, but what Jesus witnessed was a true act of faith from this beggar. Bartimaeus “threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.” Though that may not seem like much. That cloak was his only and final earthly position. It was the final statement of his faith. The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” says: “This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate Bartimaeus, a blind it, and that they live from man, recognized Jesus it in a vital and personal upon hearing His voice. relationship with the living He did not recognize Him and true God. This relabecause he had met Him tionship is prayer. He who before. He recognizes the voice of his reason to hope. humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the founSt. Augustine of Hippo dation of prayer, only when writes in the “Harmony of we humbly acknowledge the Gospels”: that ‘we do not know how “Consequently, there to pray as we ought,’ are can be little doubt that this Bartimaeus, the son of we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. ‘Man is a Timaeus, had fallen from beggar before God.’” some position of great Bartimaeus first heard prosperity, and was now Jesus’ voice and then he regarded as an object of the most notorious and the saw Him clearly. Ironically, most remarkable wretched- those who rebuked Bartimaeus and walked with ness, because, in addition to being blind, he had also Jesus, still did not see Him. Our sight and sound are to sit begging.” a powerful combination Bartimaeus had fallen from his upgraded and en- that should not be limited hanced life. He thought he to physical abilities. We saw the bigger, clearer pic- who are a complex structure prior to being stricken ture of body and soul do not always have to hear as with blindness and poverwe hear, nor see as we see. ty. However, his perspecHearing with the ears of tive would start to shift as faith and seeing with the he found himself a beggar eyes God are what we are before God and finally called to do. heard the voice of his reThere are two ways this deemer, savior, and friend. year that we will hear with “Jesus, Son of David, have and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me’” (Mk 10:46-47).
faith and see with the eyes of God. First is embracing all of the Sacred Scriptures in our lives. Reading and praying with the Old and New Testament with equal conviction will allow you to hear the voice of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ more clearly in our lives. Venerable Fulton Sheen said: “The Old Testament is like a radio with its hidden voice announcing the One to come. The New Testament is like a television because the Word became both audible and visible.” Second is praying with the utmost humility, as if a beggar before our God. This cry to our God will strengthen our sight of love for the poor and will allow us to see clearly what God sees in our broken and impoverished humanity. This year let us shift perspective with Bartimaeus’ resolution, rather than 4K. Like Bartimaeus let’s cry out to Jesus in humble and contrite prayer and throw aside our comfort in order to come to Jesus. The world has made everything else in life extremely crystal clear, yet the one thing that needs to be seen clearly has been distorted and downgraded. Let us experience our faith, like Bartimaeus and finally get the full cinematic experience of our Catholic faith. Anchor columnist Oscar Rivera Jr., is director of Youth Ministry in the diocesan Secretariat for the New Evangelization. orivera@dioc-fr.org
David Carvalho: Acceptance is the first step continued from page 11
task in an apostolic age … is the presentation of the Gospel in such a way that the minds of its hearers can be given the opportunity to be transformed, converted from one way of looking at the world to a different way” (p.65). That is directed at all of us. Do each of us share
the faith with those we know? Do we minister to our literal neighbor? Are our homes places of invitation to those who have not encountered the Risen Lord? While we need to continually gather as Church to be nourished by the Sacraments, “Church” has to be extended beyond
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, February 6 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from St. Francis Xavier Church in East Providence
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, February 13 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church in Fall River
the physical property. This takes a community, not just one staff person at the local parish. To this end, as a Church let us consider: how can we help individuals know how to speak, one-on-one, with someone else about the faith? How can we help them to articulate how Jesus has worked in their lives? How can we better work together to be invitational, be strategic in reaching out and hospitable to outsiders? How can we set regular time aside for prayer, asking God to transform and ground us? Until we recognize that such activity is not optional but rather should be our primary focus, we risk continuing to act with a Christendom mentality in an Apostolic age. Do not become frus-
trated. Rather, commit to prayer and align everything you do with helping individuals to know Christ. And place your trust in God through all of it.
Anchor columnist David Carvalho is Secretary for the New Evangelization for the Diocese of Fall River. Contact: dcarvalho@ dioc-fr.org.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, February 6 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant is Father Andrew Johnson, Parochial Vicar of Corpus Christ Parish in East Sandwich
Sunday, February 13 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant is Father Maurice O. Gauvin, Pastor of Espirito Santo and St. Anthony of Padua parishes in Fall River
February 4, 2022 †
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Father Paul A. Phinn FALMOUTH — Father Paul A. Phinn, formerly of West Roxbury, passed away on January 14. He was the son of the late Henry and Florence (Kelley) Phinn; brother of the late Father Gilbert S. Phinn; and dear friend of Joan McCune and family. Father Phinn was the former pastor of St. John Chrysostom Church in West Roxbury. Father Phinn was born on Jan. 16, 1931. He came from a family of two boys and attended the Randall G. Morris Grammar School in West Roxbury and Boston Latin School (Class of 1948).
Both Paul and Gilbert became priests of the Boston Archdiocese. He prepared for the priesthood initially at Maryknoll College in New Jersey and New York. He then completed his studies at St. John Seminary. He was ordained on Feb. 2, 1957 at Holy Name Church in West Roxbury by the Bishop Jeremiah F. Minihan. He celebrated his first Mass on February 10 at St. Theresa of Avila Church in West Roxbury. Father Phinn’s assignments included St. Albert the Great, Weymouth;
1957-1963, St. John the Evangelist, Winthrop; 1963-1978, St. Mary of the Hills, Milton; 19781985. On Sept. 10, 1985, he was appointed pastor of St. John Chrysostom Parish in West Roxbury. He was granted senior priest/retirement status on Dec.15, 2005 and thereafter lived in Falmouth. He celebrated his golden jubilee in Feb-
Bishop’s blog: Pope Francis speaks on Synodality continued from page eight every form of poverty. The Church is called to preach the Gospel to everyone, since all of us are poor; all of us are, in one way or another, needy. “Participation, mission, and communion are the characteristics of a humble Church, one attentive to the voice of the Spirit and not self-centered.”
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The Diocesan Synodal Phase is a widespread consultation at the local level which invites the laity, clergy, and religious to pray, listen, and share to better journey together as a Church. This Synod is not about changing doctrine or Church structures but encountering one another as brothers and
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sisters in Christ. The input and feedback generated through this consultation will become part of a national report submitted for the 2023 gathering of bishops in Rome that will bring the Synod to its conclusion. As 2022 begins with ongoing challenges due to the pandemic, please know the diocese, our pastors, and parish ambassadors are working to accomplish the goals of the Diocesan Synodal Phase. Of utmost importance is to strive together to create a welcoming, listening, local Church as part of our ongoing revitalization efforts. For more information on the synod, please visit the Diocese of Fall River website at fallriverdiocese. org. For more blog entries by Bishop da Cunha, visit the diocesan website and click on Bishop’s Blog.
ruary, 2007 at St. John Chrysostom Church. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in St. John Chrysostom Church, West Roxbury on January 19. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury. In lieu of flowers, do-
nations in his memory may be made to The Boston Clergy Retirement Fund, 66 Brooks Drive, Braintree, Mass., 02184-3839 or at (www.Boston Catholic. org). Gormley Funeral Home in West Roxbury was in charge of the arrangements..
In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: Feb. 12 Rev. Stanislaus Bernard, SS.CC, Retired Founder, Our Lady of Assumption, New Bedford, 1961 Rev. Richard Lifrak, SS.CC., 2021 Feb. 14 Rev. Charles E. Clerk, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1932 Rev. Msgr. Francis McKeon, Retired Pastor , Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1980 Feb. 15 Rev. Joseph G. Lavalle, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1910 Rev. James C. Conlon, Pastor, St. Mary, Norton, 1957 Feb. 16 Rev. Alphonse J. LaChapelle, Assistant, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1983 Rev. Joaquim Fernandes da Silva, CM, 2001 Feb. 17 Rev. Louis R. Boivin, Retired, Catholic Memorial Home, Former Pastor, St. Theresa, South Attleboro, 2010 Feb. 19 Rev. Andrew J. Brady, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1895 Rev. Leopold Jeurissen, SS.CC., Pastor, Sacred Hearts, Fairhaven, 1953 Feb. 20 Rev. James H. Fogarty, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1922 Rev. Raymond M. Giguere, O.P., Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1986 Rev. Thomas E. Morrissey, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 2006 Feb. 21 Rev. Msgr. Luiz G. Mendonca, PA, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford, 1997 Feb. 22 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jovite Chagnon, Founder, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1954 Rev. Albert A. Croce, C.S.C., 2014 Feb. 24 Rev. Edward F. McIsaac, Retired Chaplain, Rose Hawthorn Lathrop Home, 2002 Feb. 25 Rev. Leo J. Ferreira, V.G., Pastor, St. Mary, Brownsville, Texas, 1988 Rev. William T. Babbitt, Assistant, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1998
Correction: In our recent list, which had the date of February 11 in it, we failed to note the anniversary of the death in 2020 of Rev. John J. Perry, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory, Centerville and Our Lady of Assumption, Osterville.
I
’ve been writing this column since 2001, too many to mention now, but I do believe this is the first time I’ve written one during a blizzard. Right now, I can’t see out my windows, but for the ghostly silhouettes of tree branches contorting in abnormal bends and twists. Except for the howling of the wind, it’s very quiet out there. As of yet, we still have power, but I’d say that’s tenuous at best, with the lights periodically flickering. I’ve already heard from family and friends who have lost power. I’m prepared as best as I can, with a few coolers sitting in a chilly part of
Thatʼs snow business
the basement, ready to be filled with refrigerator items, packed with some snow and put on the deck. The freezer door will not be opened, should we lose power. Late yesterday I filled my bird feeder to the brim and no sooner had I closed the bag of seed, my little feathered friends were there. Today, even during our arctic experience, there some of my pals pecking away, providing themselves with fuel to keep warm. It warmed my heart to see. It’s rare for us to get such a bombastic snow event. The last such event was the Blizzard of ’78. I liked it
back then when they had to name big winter weather events, but now, like their summertime cousins, they
are pre-named. As a lad snow was as much a part of winter as were the muggies of August. We would have great fun in the snow from December to March. We would skate on the ponds much of the winter. But that’s not the case today.
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Today brings me back to sledding at Kennedy (South/ Kennedy/South) Park in the Rive. The ride was not for the feint of heart. The decline from the stone pavilion to the bottom, several city blocks later, was sharp. The landscape, although covered with snow, revealed big old nasty boulders and rocks, only to make navigating the trip more difficult, and challenging. My sled was a big old Flexible Flyer, and its length more than accommodated my height-challenged body. The steering was manipulated by a piece of wood that rested perpendicular to the sled’s body. This rudder of sorts bent the front of the sled runners to hopefully steer clear of the large landmine boulders, stones — and fellow sledders. I really don’t know what speeds we reached on the way down, but we were moving at an impressive clip. And the traffic on the large hill’s slope was similar to that of the Southeast Expressway at, well at any time of day. The hill was broken into four stages with a small flat surface in between each. That only made the ride more exhilarating because after traversing each plateau, the hill dropped off in front of us again, sending the sled airborne along with
the riders. It was crucial to maintain control through the landing. The last leg was a gentle slope, but by then we were already at warp speed, so stopping meant turning the rudder, either very sharply for a rollover stop, or more gently for a controlled stop. I preferred the rollover. Sometimes along the way, and many times at the bottom, the snow would be dotted with blood. I never saw anyone get seriously injured. But I do recall one of my friends coming to a stop, slightly out of control and he plowed into a skier trying to pick himself back up after a fall. The skier went down like a bowling pin after a direct hit. My friend didn’t mean it, but the skier got up again and punched my buddy right in the nose. More blood in the snow. As thrilling as the ride down was, it was equally annoying to grab the old Flexible Flyer and head back up the hill for the next adventure. Remember, the decline was very sharp which means the incline was just as sharp. I don’t care how young we were, it was exhausting getting back up the hill, and it took so much longer. Back then, the park had a snack bar and a nice hot chocolate was the best fuel to rejuvenate and prepare for the next run — providing one didn’t lose their pocket change during a rollover. I’d say, on a good morning and afternoon (rarely did we take time for lunch) of flying down a snow-covered slope and climbing back up, we would get five or six runs in. I still have the Flexible Flyer. I no longer have the youth — or the snow, for the most part. But those are times I’ll forever cherish, and for which I’m grateful I survived. davejolivet@anchornews.org
February 4, 2022 †
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† February 4, 2022