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DIOCESE OF FALi-RIvER

FRIDAY, MARCH

9, 2007

Taunton's Holy Family Parish to host Respect Life Conference Prominent bioethics expert Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk and biologist Linda Thayer will discuss stem-cell research, sexuality and end of life issues.

By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR EAST TAUNTON - Holy Family Parish's Respect Life Committee and pastor Father Jay T. Maddock are gearing up to present their second annual Respect Life Conference on March 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

If the popularity of their two featured presenters is any indica-

expertise in bioethics, and has spoken before legislators in Washington, D.C., Boston, Wisconsin, Virginia and North Carolina; lectured to community and parish groups and students and shared a forum for journalists who wanted to learn what the Catholic Church thinks of the advances in science.

He has participated at roundtables on CNN International, ABC World News Tonight, and National Public Radio, and has spoken throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Father Pacholczyk, 43, is also

MEN OF FAITH - More than 5,200 men were fed intl:lllectually and spiritually at last year's Boston Catholic Men's Conference. (Photo by George Martell)

Conferences strengthen Catholics' faith Diocesan pilgrims prepare for Boston conferences

By GAIL BESSE ANCHOR CORRESPONDENT

BOSTON - Jim Baker felt the Holy Spirit's presence for the first time at the Boston Catholic Men's Conference. Marty Doyle started a parish men's prayer group because of that FATHER TADEUSZ PACHOLCZVK

LINDA THAYER

tion, they can expect a large turnout.

Father Pacholczyk, who will give two presentations, "Embryonic Stem-Cell Research and Cloning," and "End of Life Issues," earned his doctorate in neuro-science from Yale University and followed with post-doctoral work at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School. He also holds degrees in theology and bioethics from the Gregorian and Lateran universities in Rome.

A priest of the Fall River Diocese, he is the director of education at the National Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. He is recognized internationally for his

a columnist for The Anchor.

Linda Thayer, who holds a degree in biology from Boston College, taught for 34 years in the Boston Public Schools and has presented more than 2,000 ProLife programs since 1982, especially with youth. Her talk is entitled "Vocation of Love."

She is a member of the Massachusetts Citizens for Life. She gave an outstanding talk at Holy Family's first Respect Life Conference last year. It included a strong, PowerPoint presentation, which linked the life of a child in the womb with the Incarnation of Jesus.

A resident of Marshfield, she continues her work in speaking Tum to page 18 - Taunton

same 2005 meeting, and Paul Levesque realized how vibrant and alive the Church really is.

Last year when she was among thousands at the first Boston Catholic Women's Conference, Barbara Wenc truly appreciated what being one in the

Eucharist means.

They will all return and bring others with them to this year's March 17 and 18 events at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston.

Tum to page 18 - Conferences

LIVING OUT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE - These students from Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, recently helped give a Pro-Life talk to seventh- and eighth-grade students at Holy FamilyHoly Name School in New Bedford. It was organized by the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate. Story on page 16. (Photo by Mike Gordon)

Guaimaca mission priest is filling in at home - butjust for a while Father Craig R. Pregana is helping out at Pregana was expecting only a brief furlough.

But when Notre Dame pastor Father Chretien was Notre Dame Parish until June.

By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR FALL RIVER - When he arrived home on Valentine's Day from his duty assignment in the diocesan mission in Guaimaca, Honduras, Father Craig R.

unexpectedly forced to take time off and face heart surgery, "Bishop Coleman, who had spent two weeks in GUaimaca and was traveling home with me, asked me to stay in the diocese a little longer and fill in and I was Tum to page 20 - Priest

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'NEWS FROM THE VATICAN ,

MARCH

9, 2007

Cardinal says pope's letter to Chinese will be sent at Easter time

By AuCIA AMBROSIO CATHOUC NEWS SERVICE

ROME - Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Chinese Catholics will be released at Easter time and will encourage the faithful, clarify issues of doctrine and call for full religious freedom, said China's cardinal.

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told Catholic News Service in Rome March 1 that he has seen drafts of the pope's letter.

After a two-day meeting in January on the status of the Catholic community in mainland China, the Vatican had announced that the pope would be writing the letter.

"On issues regarding the divine position ofthe church and freedom of religion, the Holy Father will seek to clarify the truth;' Cardinal Zen said.

The cardinal, a Salesian, was in Rome to give a speech and preside at a liturgy at the Pontifical Salesian University.

Cardinal Zen said that as a diplomatic courtesy Pope Benedict's letter will be translated into Chinese and will be sent to the government of China several days before it is released to the public.

The situation ofCatholics in China today is still very confused, the cardinal said. There are reports of arrests and ofunderground bishops, who having come out into the open are forced to concelebrate Masses with government-approved bishops, he said.

After decades ofharsh persecution ofCatholics who maintained their ties to the Vatican and stringent efforts by the government to exclude Vatican influence over all areas of Church life in the country, the communist govem-

ment had appeared to be relaxing its stance.

In 2005 several bishops were ordained who were approved both by the government-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Vatican. However, in 2006 the patriotic association moved forward with the ordinations of three bishops without Vatican consent.

The Vatican issued statements after each of the ordinations expressing its disappointment that the patriotic association went ahead with the ceremonies. The statements also pointed out that canon law establishes penalties, including excommunication, for the bishops ordained and for those participating in the ordinations if they were acting of their own free will.

Cardinal Zen said that while priests certainly were pressured into participating in the ordinations it is unclear exactly how strong that pressure was.

Some bishops have said the pressure was overwhelming, while others have disagreed on the extent ofthe pressure, the cardinal said. ''What we know for sure is that there was economic pressure:' he said.

The government threatened to take subsidies away from those who refused to participate in the govemmentapproved ordinations, he noted.

The last parish that hosted a government-approved ordination was promised about $775,000, while one of the bishops ordained received nearly $26,000, he said. ''We can imagine other forms of pressure; for instance, the government might threaten to hann the family of a priest who refused to participate in an ordination," the cardinal said.

Rome office inundated with requests for JPII prayer cards, relics ROME (CNS) - The Rome diocesan office charged with promoting the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul II has exceeded its postage budget because of increased requests for prayer cards and relics of the late pope.

"We were getting about 50 requests a day, but overnight it grew to between 500 and 1,000 requests," a spokeswoman for the office said March 2.

"We could not have foreseen this demand," she said. "It's an avalanche."

Franciscan Brother Chris Gaffrey, who assists the office with English translations, told Catholic News Service that the vast majority of requests in late February and early March were coming via email from the United States.

CNS had published a story about the cards and relics February 26 and dozens of Websites and blogs, or Web logs, ran links to the story.

The prayer cards and relics, a small piece of one of the white cassocks worn by Pope John Paul, al-

ways will be distributed free of charge, but without an increase in donations the office cannot afford to mail them, Brother Gaffrey said.

While one writer kindly sent the office his express mail account number, others wrote requesting cards for their entire parish without even thinking of what it would cost to ship them from Italy, he said.

An individual prayer card, relic and copy of the cause's magazine, Totus Tuus, could be mailed to the United States for about $5, Brother Gaffrey said.

Several options for sending donations can be found on the official Web site of Pope John Paul's sainthood cause www.JohnPaulIIBeatification.org - which was experiencing interruptions in service because of the increased traffic in early March.

The mailing address of the office is: Postulazione Giovanni Paolo II, Vicariato di Roma, Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 6A, 00184 Rome, Italy.

OPEN AIR PRAYER - Pope Benedict XVI prays the Angelus from his apartment window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican recently. (eNS photorrony Gentile, Reuters)

Antichrist tempts Christians to place dialogue above Jesus - Cardinal Biffi

By CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE VATICAN CITY - Christians tempted to set aside their belief in Christ as the only savior in order to promote dialogue with others are being tempted by the Antichrist, retired Italian Cardinal Giacomo Biffi told Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Biffi, who has been leading a February 25-March 3 retreat for the pope and top Vatican officials, cited as "prophetic" a warning about the modern guises of the Antichrist presented in the work of Vladimir Solovyev, a 19th-century Russian philosopher.

While the Vatican has not published Cardinal Biffi's talks to the pope, Vatican Radio provided a daily summary and some quotations from his presentations.

The cardinal, who wrote the introduction to an anthology of Solovyev's work, said the philosopher's most important message was that Christianity cannot be reduced to a collection of values.

In one of the philosopher's works, Cardinal Biffi told the pope, "the Antichrist presents himself as a pacifist, ecologist and ecumenist. He convokes an ecumenical council and seeks the consensus of all the Christian confessions, conceding something to each one.

"The crowds follow him, except for tiny groups of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants.

Chased by the Antichrist, they tell him, 'You have given us everything except for the one thing that interests us, Jesus Christ,'" said the cardinal, according to the radio's February 28 report.

Cardinal Biffi said the account should be taken as a warning.

"Today, in fact, we run the risk of having a Christianity that puts Jesus with his cross and resurrection into parentheses," he said.

The 78-year-old cardinal said that if the Church were to speak about only those values that it shares with others it would find great acceptance "on televisions shows," but "we would have renounced Christ."

Obviously, he said, the Church does espouse values that it shares with other people of good will.

He said there are "absolute values such as the good, the true and the beautiful. One who perceives them and loves them also loves Christ, even if he does not know it, because Christ is the truth, beauty and justice.

"There also are relative values such as solidarity, love for peace and respect for nature," he said. "If these are given an absolute value or uprooted from or placed in opposition to the proclamation of the fact of salvation,

'.

The Anchor

then they become the basis for idolatry and are obstacles on the path to salvation."

If Christians set aside their belief that salvation comes only through Christ, he said, they may find dialogue with others easier, but they will have denied their obligation to share the Gospel and will have placed themselves "on the side of the Antichrist."

In an earlier meditation, reported

by Vatican Radio February 27, Cardinal Biffi told the pope and Vatican officials that by "believing in the unique and indispensable value of the cross" Christians can appear to be unwilling to understand and appreciate what is true and good in others.

However, he said, Christians recognize and even seek out what is true and good in others knowing that "objectively they always flow from Christ," because God created all men and women in Christ and wants to save all of them through his Son. "For this reason Christianity does not have a precept to love the believer but rather to love your neighbor, because he already is an image of Christ," the cardinal said.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

Vol. 51, No. 10 Member: Catholic Press Association, Catholic News Service

Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 - FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchomews.org. Subscription price bymafl, postpaid $14.00 per year.

Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA, call or use email address PUBLISHER路 Most Reverend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherrogerlandry@anchomews.org EDITOR David B. Jollvet davejollvet@anchornews.org NEWS EDITOR Deacon James N. Dunbar jlmdunbar@anchornews.org REPORTER Mike Gordon mlkegordon@anchomews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org

Send Leners to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchomews.org POSTMASTERS send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-Q20) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass.

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MARCH

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~ THE CHURCH IN THE

9, 2007

Lenten路messages stress ties with God, combating social problems

By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

parents are deported to their country of origin."

The cardinal asked Catholics to dedicate prayers and charitable activities to one of these groups during Lent arid said that his efforts would be aimed at helping the children of immigrants.

Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput asked. that Lent be a time to reinforce the Church's "culture of life,"especially its efforts to abolish the death penalty.

AND THE ANCHOR

WASHINGTON - Using imagery such as "spring training" and "hunger for justice," U.S. bishops are promoting Lent as a way of ~trengtheningpersonal ties with God and grappling with social problems harming human dignity.

In separate messages, many bishops listed social issues for Lenten action. These' included immigration reform, an end to the death. penalty and helping children in need ranging from victims of sex abuse to orphans of war.

Messages also emphasized the link between Lent and the sacra~ent of reconCiliation: Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl accompanied a Lenten pastoral letter with a major campaign encouraging Catholics to receive the sacrament.

Detroit Cardinal Adam J. Maida likened Lent to '''spring training" when baseball players limber up their bodies before the regular season. , "Lent is about learning. to stretch - reaching out toward the God who is already reaching out toward us," Cardinal Maida said in a statement in the February 16 issue of the archdiocesan newspaper, The Michigan Catholic.

The Diocese of Orange, Calif., launched a "Hunger for Justice" campaign asking Catholics to fast for one day during the week of March 26 and to send cards to their elected representatives calling for comprehensive immigration reform.

"For many of these people (immigrants), hunger is not a choice.

Their hunger moves them to look fora better life," said Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto of Orange, in announcing the campaign during an Ash Wednesday Mass homily: "Together we can hunger and pray for justice. We are all invited to ask our elected representatives to work for an immigration reform that is just and humane," said Bishop Soto.

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony asked Catholics to help ease the pains of "children in special need." These include victims of "neglect and abuse, even within the Church," said the cardinal during an Ash Wednesday Mass homily.

He also listed "children without a father or mother because of their death while serving in our military," orphans and refugees of the fighting in the Dafur region of Sudan, victims of forced labor and human trafficking, and "children left behind as undocumented

Regarding the death penalty, he said that "we don't need it. It does not deter crime."

San Antonio Archbishop Jose H. Gomez said that the Church's emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation during Lent offers society a countersign to "an emerging culture of revenge" in which stirring up divisions takes precedence over dialogue.

"Instead of trying to settle differences through conversation

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U.S. $ and compromise, more and more people are turning tq the legal system, seeking to h~ve judges and juries punish their adversaries or push their legaf agendas," " he said.

Archbishop Chaputlicriticized a "terrorist mind-set" that opposes forgiveness.

Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali said Lent is a time to use the "arms of:Christian penance," defined as prayer, fasting and !' good works.

Fall River, Mas'Sachusetts Bishop George W. C6leman said' that Lent is a special' time to re-

visit the promises made at baptism and which are renewed at Easter. "'these baptismal promises define our very lives, as Christilins," he said. "Through a deeper understanding of these promises we can work collectively to strengthen the Church ...."

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in an' Ash Wednesday letter said, "Prayerfully concerned as we are about the war that engages us across the ocean, Lent directs our concern to the war within, where the flesh wars against the spirit."

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9, 2007

San Diego Dioces'e, facing sex abuse suits, files for bankruptcy SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego Diocese has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to handle more than 140 clergy sexual abuse claims equitably. It is the fifth and largest U.S. diocese to do so since 2004.

San Diego Bishop Robert H. Brom announced the decision February 27, the day before the first abuse lawsuit was to go to trial, after a lastminute flurry ofnegotiations between diocesan and plaintiffs' lawyers OUTSPOKEN - Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, left, is seen here with Bishop Robert E. Mulvee outside the Cathedral of 55. Peter & Paul brought no agreement. ''We put money on the table that in Providence, R.I., last May 31, minutes before his installation Mass. would have stretched our financial (CNS photo file photo) capability to the limit, but demands were made which exceeded the financial resources ofboth the diocese and our insurance carrier," Bishop Brom said in a statement posted on the diBy MARCIA GRANN O'BRIEN on the talk show. "I found it ironic oCesan Website. ' CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE , and unfortunate; the attorney general The bankruptcy proceedings, PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Saying he was giving me something else to pray . which will be conducted under the feels a strong obligation to speak out about and to repent for:" jurisdiction ofthe federal bankruptcy on issues of moral and cultural imStill, BishopTobin mused, it could court in San Diego, effectively put port, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of have been worse. "He could, have any civil lawsuits on hold.

Providence took to the airwaves of a waited UIitil Good Friday." ''We have decided against litigattalk show last week local AM Bishop Tob~ put the issue of ho- ing our cases because of the length and for an hoUr discussed why same- mosexual acts m the context of a of tiine the process could take and, sex marriage is not marriage and why broader morality, telling a male caller more importantly, because early trial homosexual behavior can never be who identified himself as gay that, judgments in favor of some victims accepted or condoned. just as he is called to celibacy, ''I must could so deplete diocesan and insur_ The bishop's remarks were a con- be celibate as well." And so, for that ~=.::..:....-.: tinuation of his response to an opin- matter, he said, must be all people ion issued February 20 and made who are not married - , a position public the next day, on Ash Wednes- Yorke noted is not very popular.

Bishop Tobin noted that homoday, by Attorney General Patricf Lynch stating that ''Rhode Island will sexuality has been opposed in all culBy CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE AND CATHOLIC LEAGUE REPORT iecognize a same-sex marriage law- tures throughout the course ofhuman fully performed in Massachusetts as history.

WASHiNGTON - After a Church teaching "is not against a marriage in Rhode Island." quarter-century ashead of an orIn a February 22 statement the gay people," he emphasized. ~'It is ganization working to change the bishop said marriage is "a union of against specific acts. Gay people will Catholic Church's stand on aborone man and one woman" as "insti- listen to this and say, 'You cannot tion, Frances Kissling is stepping tuted by God, blessed by the Church separate our sexuality from who w.e down as president of Catholics for and affirmed by every culture are.'" a Free Choice. throughout the ages."

Nonetheless, the bishop noted that Kissling and others describe "The state should not be in the abstinence is "another inconvenient Catholics for a Free Choice, which business ofsupporting other lifestyles truth," alluding to the title of forni.er supports legal abortion, as a • or promoting immoral, unnatural Vice President AI Gore's documen-' "church reform group," but ,the sexual activity," which was the "net tary on global warming.

U.S. bishops' Administrative ,"Society says don't talk about it, effect" of Lynch's opinion, he said.

Committee said in 1993 that it On the. afternoon radio s.how tries to avoid it. There's no one else "has no affiliation, formal or othhosted by Dan Yorke, Bishop Tobin (other than the Catholic Church) willerwise, wi~ the Catholic Church" suggested that Lynch's sister's mar- ing to take on the issues of abortion, and "can in no way speak for the riage February 15 to another woman embryonic stem-cell research, gay Catholic Church and its 59 milin Massachusetts, the only state cur- sex," the bishop said. It is the entire lion members in the United rently to grant marriage licenses to religious community and people of States." same-sex couples, had to "affect his moral conscience wh? must speak Under Kissling's leadership, view of the world." out, he urged.

Catholics for a Free Choice exYorke asked the bishop about his The bishop said, "I like him very panded its reach beyond the abormuch. He's a very fine man and does statement; in which he said it was tion issue to such topics as samea good job, and is often put in diffi- clear Lynch's "thinking on this issue sex marriage, embryonic stemcult positions. But he's wrong on this has been influenced by the relentless cell research, contraception; the issue." gay agenda so prevalent in our state." clergy sex abuse crisis and the Lynch has told reporters that his Bishop Tobin elaborated, referring Vatican's right to diplomatic stasister's gay relationship had no im- to the ''political and social pressure tus at the United Nations. The orpact on his deCision, which he said ofthe gay community" in such events ganization also worked outside was based on legal research and is- as a Valentine's Day "Rally for MarU.S. borders to change abortion sued as a response to a question from riage Equality" at the statehouse. policy in other countries. a Rhode Island state agency.

"Sometimes people accuse the "Because of its opposition to Bishop Tobin said he learned of Catholic Church of imposing its the human rights of some of the Lynch's decision after returning from agenda," he said. ''Who's imposing most defenseless members of the Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Hospi- an agenda on whom on this issue? human race, and because its purtal.

That's troublesome to me. I'm tryposes and activities deliberately "Television news reported a deci- ing to energize theCatholic commucontradict essential teachings of sion on gay marriage:' the bishop said nity."

Providence bishop speaks out on talk radio show against same-sex marriage

radio

ance resources that there. would be nothing left for other victims;' Bishop Brom said.

"Chapter11 reorganization is now the best way available for us to compensate all ofthe victims as fairly and equitably as our resources will allow.

Our participation in this process will demonstrate that this is not a 'cop out,' but a sincere effort to face up to our responsibility," he said.

In a letter sent out to all parishes 10 days earlier, Bishop Brom said the diocese was considering filing for bankruptcy. He said the diocese had resolved claims by 43 people but negotiations with 143 others "have, unfortunately, been unsuccessful."

With nearly a million Catholics, San Diego is by far the largest of the five U.S. dioceses that have filed for bankruptcy since 2004.

The next-largest, the Archdiocese ofPortland, Ore., has almost 400,000 Catholics. It is currently awaiting the court's final judgment on a $75 rnillion court-supervised settlement with 150 claimants that was reached last December. .

In January the Diocese ofSpokane, Wash., reached a $48 million settlement over claims by up to 185 people, but it is also awaiting final confirma-

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tion of that agreement in c,ourt. The diocese has about 100,000 Catholics.

The Diocese ofThcson, Ariz., filed for bankruptcy in September 2004 and emerged from bankruptcy a year later following a $22.2 million settlement with sex abuse claimants that was approved by the bankruptcy court in July 2005. Thcson has more than 350,000 Catholics.

The Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, which has about 100,000 Catholics, filed for bankruptcy protection last October. It had just lost a court case in which the jury awarded a single plaintiff $1.5 million and it faced at least 25 other claims totaling $7 million. The bankruptcy procedure there is still in its early stages.

No dollar figures were published in the negotiations that went on in San Diego just before the bankruptcy filing, but other recent settlements in Southern California have worked out to an average of more than $i .million per claimant.

In 2004 the Orange Diocese settled 87 claims for $100 million.

Last December the Los Angeles Archdiocese reached a $60 million settlement with 45 claimants. The Los Angeles Archdiocese still faces about 500 unresolved claims.

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Kissling retires; led fight against ,the Church's teaching on abortion the Catholic Church, we state once again that Catholics for a Free , Choice merits no recognition or support as a Catholic organization," the Administrative Committee said in its six-paragraph statement in 1993.

.National Abortion Federation, Kissling will be succeeded by Jon O'Brien, executive vice president of Catholics for a Free Choice, who formerly worked as director of communications for the Irish Family Planning Association in • his hometown of Dublin.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, the nation's larg,est Catholic Civil Rights organization with headquarters in New York, offered a parting shot at Kissling.

"Ex-Catholics for Abortion would be a more accurate name for Kissling's anti-Catholic front group, but we won't quibble now that she is quitting," Donohue said. "Kissling has misrepresented herself to the public, pretending to be the head of a bona-fide Catholic organization. Twice condemned as a fraud by the Catholic bishops' ~onference, Kissling NO FRIEND TO THE UNBORN would have had to have found - Frances Kissling, president of another job long ago if it had not Catholics for a Free Choice is been for her friends in the estab,stepping down as president (eNS photolNancy Wiechec) lishment. The Ford Foundation, the Warren Buffet Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the The bishops charged that Packard Foundation, the Playboy Catholics for a Free Choice "is Foundation - these are just some associated with the pro-aborof Kissling's Donors." tion lobby in Washington" and Donohue had a final thought. is mostly funded by "secular or"Kissling'recently said th{l Cathoganizations supporting legal lic Church ',abuses ... anyone who abortion in this country and abroad." thinks.' It's reassuring to know she can't claim victim status."

A founder and president of the

MARCH

9, 2007

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Lebanese ,cardinal warp.s rival factions against arms buildup

By MICHAEL HIRST CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE II

ONE IN PRAYER - Catholics pray in the basilica in Aparecida, Brazil, recently. Pope Benedict XVI will visit the famous Marian shrine when he travels to Brazil in May to open the meeting of the Latin American bishops' council, or CELAM. (CNS photo/Paulo Whitaker, Reuters)

CELAM conference: The paradox of world's most Catholic continent

By BARBARA J. FRASER CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE LIMA, Peru - When Church leaders from throughout Latin America gather in Brazil in May for the fifth general conference of the Latin American bishops' council, they will be grappling with the contradictions of life on the world's most Catholic continent.

While more than 450 million of the region's 551 million people are considered Catholic, "the practice of the Christian faith is in profound crisis, which is reflected in the type of societies we have," Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri of San Marcos, Guatemala, president o~ the Guatemalan bishops' conference, told Catholic News Service. "They are societies in which there is a great deal of violence, societies that try to . follow lifestyles in which consumerism and hedonism predominate, societies that lack social justice."

Economic justice, corrupt~on, migration, education and civic participation are among the issues that bishops in the region will discuss at the conference, which is expected to draw more than 160 voting bishops and 80 other participants to Aparecida, Brazil, outside Sao Paulo, May 13-31.

Pope Benedict XVI, who will travel to Brazil for a five-day visit May 9-13, will officially open the conference.

In a recent meeting with papal nuncios from Latin America in Rome, the pope outlined some of the issues Church leaders face in Latin America, including the growth of evangelical churches - still generally referred to as "sects" in this majority-Catholic region - and "the growing influence of postmodern hedonistic secularism."

In examining the reasons for the lure of Pentecostalism, the bishops will have to take a critical look at the Catholic Church's own practices.

Part of the attraction of other churches lies in "a failure to awaken a missionary commitment in Catholics and a lack of priests and reli-

gious," said Cardinal Javier Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago, Chile, who is president of the Latin American bishops' council, or CELAM. "It's not that people leave the Catholic Church because they oppose it, but in seeking a relationship with God and seeking the Gospel, and having lost a livelier contact with Catholic' communities, they go to other pastors who are talking about Jesus Christ," Cardinal Errazuriz said.

The conference's dual emphasis on discipleship and missionary commitment is meant to spur an awakening so that "every Catholic feels called by Jesus Christ to be a disciple and to be sent out to change the world in accordance with the Gospel," he said.

The bishops must grapple with how to educate Catholics to take on that task, he said.

Although Pope John Paul II once called Latin America "the continent of hope," a brighter future remains elusive for nearly half the region's people. More than 40 percent live in poverty, and income distribution is the most unequal in the world. In countries such as Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, El Salvador and Guatemala, the wealthiest one-fifth of the population receives half the country's income, while the poorest one-fifth take home a scant three percent.

"This is poverty born of social and economic inequality, poverty that affects human life and dignity, and poverty that is a form of violence," Bishop Ramazzini said.

Archbishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno ofHuancayo, Peru, who will be a delegate to the conference, told CNS that the bishops must also address environmental issues. Andean glaciers are in rapid retreat and may disappear within two decades, leaving farmers without water. In South America, one-fifth of the Amazon rain forest has been cleared, and destruction continues at a rate of as much as 20,000 square miles a year.

The fifth general conferencefol-

lows earlier CELAM gatherings in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1955; Medellin, Colombia, in 1969; Puebla, Mexico, in 1979; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 1992. The special Synod of Bishops for America brought together bishops from both hemispheres in 1997.

The meeting in Brazil will build on the issues raised at those meetings, including the need for a new evangelization, human development, a路Christian culture and ways of overcoming extreme poverty, as well as solidarity between the Church in the United States and Canada and the Church in Latin America, said Cardinal Errazuriz.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -,,- The patriarch of Lebanon's Maronite Catholic Church has w'arned that Lebanon's rival politickl factions are engaged in an arms race that has become like the' weapons stockpiling of the co~ntry's 15year civil war.

"All the parties ha've started again to be armed as "if we had gone back more than 20 years and learned nothing from the tragedies, abominations and difficulties which we went thrpugh," said Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, I' Maronite patriarch. , Cardinal Sfeir's tomments, made during a late February homily in Bkerke, the Lebanese headquarters of the Maronite Church, came after several explosive devices were found around the country. Beirut's L:Orient-Le Jour newspaper reported his comments February 26, and a press spokesman for the patriarch confirmed the comments: With tensions running high due to Lebanon's ongoing political crisis, the discovery sparked fears that an attack was beittg planned.

On February 13, the bombing of two buses in Lebal1on's Christian heartland killed tpree people.

The bus bombs heightened already strained tensidns between supporters of the country's Western-backed government and an II

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opposition alliance led by the Syrian-backed Hezbollah party.

Cardin.al Sfeir said an ongoing anti-government protest was suffocating downtown Beirut, forcing the closure of most of the commercial area's hotels, restaurants and businesses, raising unemployment levels and prompting an exodus of workers out of the country. Since December 1, Hezbollah-Ied protesters have been camped outside the downtown office of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, demanding the resignation of a government they claim is corrupt and unrepresentative.

Cardinal Sfeir also applauded Lebanon's army, which at one point imposed the country's first curfew in more than a decade to end a rise in street fighting between pro- and anti-government factions.

"We cannot manage without the Lebanese army," he said.

The cardinal called on the Lebanese to unite and rebuild Lebanon based on mutual respect.

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6

The lost tf!mb v. the empty tomb - Part I

t

~

I

It has become a recuning pattern that every Lent and Easter season, as Christians mark the most sacred moments of their faith, they receive a full frontal attack on their beliefs by publicity-seeking producers in the entertain-. ment industry.

First it was that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were lovers and had children together - and the early Church covered it up. Then it was that Judas was a hero rather than a villain - and the early Church covered this up as well. Now it is that Jesus never rose from the dead at all, but Christians,just as the Sanhedrin claimed, stole and stashed his body in a suburban Jerusalem familial tomb and the early Church not only covered it up, but knowingly spread the lie that he had risen from the dead. .

The producers make these claims because they've learned that the response from Christians defending the faith will hype their product and dramatically increase their profits. They have also caught on that Christian leaders will not risk ignoring their claims, because they know that no matter how outlandish and unsubstantiated claims against the faith are, many in the media will still accept and report them uncritically as factual. Moreover, pastors have also recognized that so many oftheir people have such a weak knowledge ofthe underlying reasons for the-credibility ofthe faith that they remain gullible and vulnerable to having their faith shaken by the fictional tales spun by "The Da Vinci Code," "The Gospel of Judas," or last Sunday's "The Lost Tomb of Jesus."

Like it or not, Church leaders are needing to engage more in the defense of the faith - traditionally called apologetics - which may in fact turn out to be a propitious development. As an organ ofadult formation and information, this newspaper also has a role to play locally in responding to attacks on the faith and in providing the gf(~und for why we believe what we believe.

With regard to the latest attack, James Cameron's Discovery Channel "documentary" "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" is a story that would best be classified in the same category as The National Enquirer articles on Hollywood starlets' being kidnapped by extra-terrestrials.

It involves a family tomb accidentally uncovered in 1980 in a south Jerusalem suburb. Israeli archaeological experts - generally reputed to be the world's best - studied the tomb, concluded it was from the first century before Christ and said the names on the 10 ossuaries found in the tomb were all common from the period. Had they found what they thought was the tomb and the bones ofJesus ofNazareth - which would have easily been the greatest discovery in the history of archaeology - they would have acted on it. They concluded, however, that it was an ordinary find. It only became "extraordinary" 27 years later when Cameron and director Sirncha Jacobivici made it the centerpiece of their tabloid science fiction.

The documentary begins by accepting only one part ofthe Gospel accounts about Jesus' death and resurrection: the part in which the Sanhedrin alleged that the empty tomb was proof that Jesus' body was stolen by his disciples. It doesn't state that it was a crime punishable by death under Roman law to translate a dead body, nor does it answer why the disciples would have risked their lives to move the body ofsomeone who had obviously deceived them in thrice stating that he would rise from the dead.

The next item that viewers must accept is that the disciples fit Jesus' cadaver, less than two days old, into a tiny ossuarium no more than a couple offeet long.

In order to accomplish this, Jesus' followers would have had either to boil or tear his flesh off in order to stack and fit his bones in the little casket. Needless to say, this was not a pious Jewish custom.

Then come the inscriptions. The first is an Aramaic one that says "Yeshua bar Yosef," which means "Joshua (or Jesus) son of Joseph." Cameron and Jacobivici want to conclude that this is proof that we're talking about Jesus of Nazareth, but there's the inconvenient fact that those names were so common that one out ofevery 25 Jews named Joshua would have a fathernamedJoseph.

Then there's the inscription "Maria" written in Latin on another ossuarium.

Cameron asks us to believe this is Jesus' mother Mary, but why anyone strangely would have written her name in Latin rather than in Aramaic or Hebrew when there is no proof she was ever called by a Latin derivative goes unmentioned. .

Next is the Greek and Aramaic inscription "mariamne mara" on another small casket, which Cameron wants to convince us refers to Mary Magdalene.

The documentary tries to dance around the fact that the Gospel or early Christian writings never refer to her as "mariarnne" by stating that the fourth- century gnostic Pseudo-Gospel of Philip refers to her by this name. Beyond the leap of treating as more authoritative fourth-century sources than first-century ones, the problem is that the Pseudo-Gospel of Philip never mentions a ''Mariarnne''! The fourth-century Acts of Philip do, but uses the name exclusively to refer to Philip's sister, who is never once identified with Mary Magdalene. .

Fmally, Cameron says his argument hinges on showing that "Jesus, son of Judah" and ''Mariarnne'' were married. The way he "proved" their bond was by showing! through DNA analysis offragments from their ossuaries, that they were not related. Not being rel~ for Cameron, is sufficient proof of marriage. He didn't test whether either was related to any ofthe others in the tomb; otherwise, he could have concluded by the same logic that they were members of a polygamous sect.

For these and other reasons, historians and archaeological experts have univocally panned the documentary as a pseudo-archaeological hoax designed simply to gain publicity and make money.

Arguments against Jesus' resurrection are as old as the Gospel. Christian counterarguments have always been based on the empty tomb, Jesus' appearances, and the credibility of the witnesses to those appearances. All Christians should be familiar with these apologetics. Next week, we will take them up.

~ The Anchor

tt

MARCH

9, 2007

the living word

PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS FROM THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICA COLLEGE PRAY PRIOR TO THE START OF A SOCCER MATCH AGAINST THE PONTIFICAL URBANIAN UNIVERSITY DURING A FIRST ROUND MATCH OF THE NEWLY FORMED CLERICUS CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN ROME. (CNS PHOTOlkESSIA GIULIANI, CATHOLIC

PREss PHOTO)

''FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN" (ROMANS

11:36).

Crucified with Christ During Lent, we are preparing ourselves to celebrate our redemption. The events of our Lord's passion, death and resurrection, which made possible our salvation, are so monumental in the history of humanity that we need this penitential period of 40 days to prepare ourselves well to celebrate them worthily.

The prayers and discipline of Lent should lead us ultimately to recall the Lord's sacrifice on the cross, which accomplished our reconciliation with God and redeemed the whole world.

But they should also prepare us to participate in this sacrifice. As St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me _ and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20).

To be crucifi~ with Christ means to suffer innocently. Unlike the two thieves crucified on each side of him, our Lord was completely irmocent. Often the sufferings we experience in this life are the results of our own sins. The sufferings of Christ, however, were in no way caused by his own acts.

They were instead the consequence of our sins, and he bore them irmocently.

To be crucified with Christ means to accept suffering that is caused by others, and to endure it as Christ did. St. Peter wrote,

"Christ suffered for you, and left you an example to have you follow in his steps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in his mouth.

When he was insulted he returned no insult. When he was made to suffer he did not counter with threats. Instead he delivered himself up to the one who judges justly" _ (IPet 2:21-23). When we suffer irmocently, it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.

Being crucified with Christ also means being willing to suffer in defense of the truth, as Christ did.

During his interrogation by Pilate, before his death, our Lord said, ''For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth" (In 18: 37). The death that he was about to suffer was the unjust punishment for testifying to the truth - the truth that he was God, and the truth about how we are supposed to live. And anyone who follows Christ faithfully today will have ample opportunity to be crucified with him in defense of the truth, if only by taking a stand in defense of the truth about marriage in a culture and society that has rebelled against God. And lastly, being crucified with Christ means being willing to live

this life as one long, beautiful sacrifice. It means accepting selfdenial as an inesCapable requirement of discipleship. In the course of his mission of salvation, our Lord had to forego many comforts of this life, including opportunities for valid and innocent pleasures.

The hard task of accomplishing our redemption simply did not leave time for them. Our discipleship of Christ often requires the same.

St. Paul reached this same conclusion in his own work of evangelization, as he wrote, "But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:14). Being crucified with Christ means being crucified to the world and forfeiting many of its pleasures, so that we can devote more time, more resources and more energy to assisting Christ in the work of salvation.

Suffering irmocently, in defense of the truth, and with a spirit of sacrifice arid self-denial puts us into the deep of our faith in Christ. It makes our lives a more perfect imitation of the Savior, who suffered for us and left us an example to follow. One of the greatest goals of Lent, and of our entire lives, is learning not to be afraid of being crucified with Christ.

Father Pignato is chap10in at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth and is secretary to Bishop George If. Coleman.

I

MARCH

$

9, 2007

The Anchor

$

Thinking about sex'and 'marital surrender more than my own?

Do Americans think enc;mgh gift awaiting discovery and unpackabout sex? Some would argue that it Even within the marital act itself, ing. In their abandonment to each seems to be the only thing on we discover this same aspect of self- other, the husband and wife initially people's minds in troubled times like surrender. St. Augustine referred to lack even the knowledge abOut the intensity of sexual intimacy, these where so much attention is whether'they have become pregnant; lavished on celebrity couplings, noting that ''when it reaches its they remain unsure for a while about Viagra and breast augmentation. climax, there is an a4nost total whether the gift has come or not, Yet there is an important extinction of mental alertness; the and they wait in hope. Clearly, they difference between sex are not in control of the whole on the brain and sex as an process. In the depths of their object of thought, and we one-flesh union, in their face a rather urgent "union of self-annihilation,~' cultural need to reflect they discover this transcenmore deeply on the inner dent and mysterious possibil,\ " /> . order and significance of ity of engendering/receiving a

By Fath~r Tad, /_. human sexual activity. "third." That ''third'' comes as Pacholc%y"k ~ ;' "-' Th~ failure to think an equal to the parents in part carefully about the because the parents cannot deeper meaning of sex, I believe, intellectual senses, as it were, are selfishly lay claim to the new life as stands at the root of several modernoverwhelmed" The point of climax, if it were an entitlement, possession day bioethical problems like in vitro ,'then, also involves a language of or right. ,With the ultimate origin of ' fertilization (IVF) and contraception. letting go of oneself, so that we enter , that new life out of their control, a new and ecstatic space where we Sex has a delicate structure of its they cannot subjugate it as "unoWn. At the heart of the marital act, are no longer iIi command, where equal" or ''lesser'' than themselves, we can identify a kind of surrender. our own self-will no longer prevails: because of the inherent equality of The inner language of sexuality This aspect of surrendering ,origins between themselves as ourselves, looking to the other, and involves a surrender of our self and human beings and their children as our self-will. Prior to the marital act, relinquishing control is a basic human beings. The engendering of one already sees how this selfdynamism at the heart of human new life, in ail important sense, surrender begins to come into play: sexuality. Whenever a new human always stands just outside their full does my spouse feefup to it tonight? life is conceived at the center of this control. The inner structure of ' If we become pregnant, will I surrender, it suddenly appears as a h~ sexuality thus includes this "third," and a cO-eq)lal with its support her in the morning sickness central and discernible meaning: that parents. The child seems to appear that may ensue? Am I willing to the root origin of new human life is surrender my desire for intimacy out of nothing, precisely when the meant to ultimately lie beyond our now, if we agree that we ought to parents find they cari lay claim to own direct determination, being .

J l , wait? Am 1ready to surrender nothing of their own, when their instead the fruit of a collaborative surrender has become complete. In myself to the various demands that surrender and union with our spouse will come with raising children well their mutual surrender, the child can and with God. come as an equal, entering the world and responsibly? Am I open to my Once we begin to see this spouse's concerns tonight, even not as a product or a project, but as a beautiful inner order of hUman

-Making Sense 'Outof Bioethics I

Poets of the airwaves The IS-minute ride to school each morning provides Emilie and me with time for some pretty interesting conversations. Often times I'll quiz her as to the artist performing the song playing on the radio. She's quite good. " She has the Beatles and the Stones down very nicely, and Clapton and the Who rank up there as well.

She does an old rocker proud.

This morning, ''The Boxer" came on. Instantly she asked, "Simon & Garfunkel?" Bingo. Then she said, ''Is this the song with the 'li la li, boom' part?" Just as the words left her lips, the duo blurted out "li la li, boom." It warms my heart.

1 took tlte opportunity to explain what the song was about, and how .

Simon'& Garfunkel we~e not only musicians, but poets as well. As we listened to the brilliant lyrics, I , thought just how great a sports song this was. In the early 80s, the Greg Kihn Band once sang ''They don't write 'em like that anymore." How true.

Simon & Garfunkel were among the masters of poetry in rock music.

About a young man trying to make a living in the boxing ring they penned, "In the clearing stands a boxer, and a·fighter by his trade.

And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down, or cut him 'til he cried out, in his anger and his shame, 'I am leaving, I am leaving, but the figpter still remains.'" .

this game a ride. Just to hit the ball" and touch'em all- a moment in the sun. It's a-gone and you can tell that one.goodbye." It makes one want to break out the old glove and wooden bat and relive, as Bruce Springsteen sang, ''those glory days."

A musical list of great sports poetry wouldn't be complete without Dan Fogelberg's "Run for the Roses." One can't help but recall the late, great Barbaro when hearing lyrics like, "From sire to sire, it's born in the blood.

It led me to think of other poetic The fire of a mare and the strength works set to music with regards to of a stud. It's breeding and it's, the sports world. Several quickly training and it's something came .10 mind: unknown, that drives you and In a pi"ecursor to NASCAR's carries you home." emergence as a top spectator sport, There are some who will the Beach Boys made a living in the disagree that rock and roll has it's 60s singing about putting the pedal fair share of top-notch poets, but for to the metal. In ''Little Deuce me writers like those mentioned Coupe," the lads shined with ''And here and artists such as Bob Dylan, comin' off the line when the light Lennon & McCartney, Joni turns green, well she blows'em Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl outta the water like you never seen. 1 Crow, and James Taylor will always get pushed out of shape and it's hard hold their own against literature's to steer, when 1 get rubber in all four finest. And each time one graces gears:' Outstan~g imagery. the airwaves, I'll call Emilie's John Fogerty paid homage to the attention to their brilliant way with boys of summer with '~Centerfield." words. Couple rock music and "Got a beat-up glove, a homemade . sports, and you get the perfect bat, and a brand new pair of shoes. union. "Li la li, boom."

You know 1think it's time to give davejolivet@anchornews.org.

sexuality, we can also begin to appreciate how both coniraception and IVF manage to upset the apple cart of sexual relations irI married I life.

I When a married cougle uses contraception, they say \Vith their bodies that they do not, in fact, surrender to each other. Utey hold back a deep and critical aspect of themselves, namely, their own fruitfulness and fertility."They refuse' to share that part of themselves with each other and with God. Because sex is abou~ total surrender, contraceptiofl strikes at the heart of human sexuality by turning it into a partial and warped exchange, where one spouse may use the other to gain ceitain desired satisfactions. This can limount'more to manipulation and ddtmnation, II perhaps even a form o~ mutual masturbation, rather thlm loving surrender. The entire dimension of loss-of-self in mutual surrender, opening up a self-less space for the arrival of a "third," issiripped away by contraception. Any"child who might happen to be conceived (in spite of cOI\traceptive ~fforts) arrives not as a welcome ''third'' equal to 'I the parents, but as an ~equal, lessthan-desired encumbrance. The ''third'' is perceived as a threat to my desires and plans. 1 must remain in command, in charge, tather than living in the fruitful rrtystery of total surrender in marriage: The appearance of this ''third'' who is outside I' my game plan may l~ to the next step - abortion --...: reflecting a radical closure of the,marriage to any kind of surrende~ or acceptance, and a firm rejection of any kind of equality between parent and child.

So while there should be real surrender in this settfug, with contraception there is instead a real form of domination 9ver the origins . , of another. The appl~ cart goes topsy-turvy as contraception enters a marriage. . The situation is equally troubling with lYE At the heart of IVF, we again encOunter notfonly manipulation but also a new form of domination. -Instead of the GmId appearing as an equal in the midst of true selfabandonment. foll0'Ying sexual intimacy, the child is now highly unequal to the parent, a pawn to be played with in the epdgame of satisfying parental wants. The child is radically unequalito his parents

because he is manufactured in laboratory glassware, treated as a product, manhandled, prodded, possibly even frozen or discarded so as to assure that a desired outcome is forthcoming for those who dominate over him and his origins. Instead of surrender, the origin of human life is turned into a laboratory effort that is subject to our own direct determination and manipulation. The arrival of a ''third'' is not a gift that appears in the midst of our one-flesh surrender, but a scheme to be realized by making use of all our wiles and resources. Our own willfulness, rather than our mutual surrender, is the central dynamic in IVF, much as it is in contraception.

BenedictXVI in his first encyclical letter speaks of ''that love between man and woman which is neither planned nor willed, but somehow imposes itself upon human beings...." This mysterious love is particularly reflected in the marital embrace of husband and wife, calling forth their mutual selfabandonment and total surrender, and throwing open a receptive space in their marriage to new life and new love.

Father Ptkhola;yk is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the Director ofEducation at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org

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Time is limited A question people often ask is why are there so many tragedies and misfortunes in our world, events such as 9/11, natural disasters, povertY, abuse and so on? Why are children shooting each other in the streets? Why are our kids taking drugs? Why are so many woman having abortions?

Why is God letting this world fall apart?

If I could partially answer that question, I would respond by saying don't blame God. We live in a world that has created this problem ourselves, by being afraid to draw the line between right and wrong. Its not acceptable to tell others what is right and wrong anymore.

We live in a world without discipline. A world where you take a piece of candy away from your own child and you'll be inve~tigated for abuse for hurting their feelings. We live in a world that wants morality only as long as its sweet and friendly and unimposing. But talk. about justice combined with mercy and you've got a battle on your hands. God has given us the solution to fix the problem, the trouble is the world

today, much like in biblical times, won't accept the ways he wants us to correct the problems.

To grow in love in this world and experience the eternal rewards God has promised in the Kingdom to come, we must turn away from our sinful ways, and turn our hearts to God. The readings for the Third Sunday of Lent speak of God disciplining his children in order to get them to repent, grow in his love and be saved from eternal punishment.

God is calling the people then and now to learn fronfthe past mistakes and change their sinful ways by setting their hearts on heaven.

I'll be honest and say, I struggle at times to envision God as a disciplinarian. Honestly, ifI could have it my way, I would prefer the light and fluftY God all the time, minus the discipline. God who is just sweet and never gets mad is a very convenient way of thinking.

But that is also a very shallow and nai've way of thiriking as well.

God is more similar to a loving parent who cares for his or her

child. The child must corrected even when the child doesn't want to be told what not to do, it is the only way it will learn to avoid danger and hann.

Correcting our peers or family, or even ourselves, won't win a

popularity contest, but love, mercy and justice are necessary to get us back on track to holiness.

I'm certain God is not pleased when we need to be corrected either, but its necessary.

The common view of God in our modem world is to think of God as always loving, giving us many chances to repent, never getting angry with us. But if this were all true the world would be in big trouble, because a life without justice and mercy is nqt healthy and is doomed to failure.

Yes, God gives us many opportunities to renew our covenant with him and he is all loving, but as we read in the first reading from Exodus this weekend, people throughout history have taken advantage of that mercy and compassion and then turned to heaven and said, "Why God have you let this happen?" So God in his mercy does not fail to correct the people out of - loving concern for their eternal salvation.

God declares his intention of using Moses as the leader who will rescue his people in slavery. Then he renews the promise made earlier to the patriarchs to give them a "land flowing with milk. and honey."

Who could possibly be so worthy of such mercy and forgiveness?

None of us could ever be that worthy, but God gives us that mercy and love always.

In the second reading for this weekend St. Paul'gives a commentary on that same reading from E({odus, warning the Christians of Corinth to learn

from the sad experience of the Israelites who were punished for their sins by a merciful but just God. The warning is for us as well. Repent and be faithful to the Gospel!

The Gospel from Luke explains how God disciplines his people. He invites them to repent of their sins. When is the last time I can remember inviting someone to repent from their sins? When have I invited others to turn away from what is wrong and do what is pleasing to God? In the Gospel he then asks them to renew their lives and produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit and to learn from the past mistakes.

In the parable of the barren fig tree, he warns them that the merciful God may not put up with their disobedience forever.

Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent and gives them a lifetime to do so as well as grace to make it happen, time is limited for all of us to do what is pleasing to God.

Father Costa is a parochial vicar at 51. Mary's Parish in Mansfield.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat, March 10, Mi 7:14-15,18-20; Ps 103:1-4,9-12; Lk 15:1-3,11-32. Sun, March 11, Third Sunday of Lent, Ex 3:1-8a,13-15; Ps 103:1-4,6-8,11; 1 Cor 10: 1-6,10-12; Lk 13:1-9. Mon, March 12, 2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Pss 42:2-3;43:3-4; Lk 4:24-30. Thes, March 13, Dn 3:25,34-43; Ps 25:4bc-5ab,6-7bc,8-9; Mt 18:21-35. Wed, March 14, Dt 4:1,5-9; Ps 147: 12-013,1516,19-20; Mt 5:17-19. Thurs, March 15, Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2,6-9; Lk 11:14-23. Fri, March 16, Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-llb,14,17; Mk 12:28-34.

The end of the Anglican communion There's an Anglican church, St. Luke's, a few blocks up Old Georgetown Road from my parish in the Maryland subwbs of Washington,D.C. St. Luke's recently posted a large sign on the church lawn: "No matter who you are, no matter what you believe, you are welcome at oUr table." , Which is, in one sense, a noble sentiment: if it's meant to convey that, look, we're all sinners, and no matter how awful you may think you are, you're welcome in the communion of Christ's Church if you're truly repentant. Judging from' recent events in the Anglican .

Communion, however, St. Luke's sign isn't a synopsis of the parable of the prodigal son and his merciful

father; it's a succinct, if unwitting, statement of why the Anglican Communion is coming apart at the

seams.

Protestantism in English guise. In the wake of the Second Vatican Council, as hopes for ecclesial , reconciliation between Rome and

No Catholic serious about the Catholic commitment to the unity of Christ's Church can take any satisfaction from today'sAnglican meltdown. It now looks as if John Henry Newman was right when he concluded that Anglicanism was not a ''third branch" on the tree of historic Christian orthodoxy, of Canterbury ran high, it seemed, which the other branches were briefly, as ifCardinal Newman Catholicism and the Ortho.dox might have been wrong. With the churches of the Christian east; rather,_ ' Anglican communion now fracturNewman decided, Anglicanism was ing into a gaggle of quarreling

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communities no'longer in communion with each other, it looks as if Newman had the 'deeper insight into what King Henry VIII wrought.

But neither the late cardinal nor the multiuxorious king could have imagined that Anglicanism's breakup would result from some Anglicans' insistence that sodomy can be sacramental.

Yet that is precisely what is happening. As Canada's finest Catholic commentator, Father Raymond de Souza, wrote last year (reflecting on the attempts of Dr. Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury, to hold the Anglican Communion together), "Some [Anglicans] argue that [homosexual acts] are sinful; others that they are sacramental. This is an unbridgeable gap and it appears impossible for Canterbury to straddle it, try as he rnighC' Dr. Williams has tried mightily; he seems to have failed. There are indeed unbridgeable gaps, and it turns out that it does matter what you believe, if you wish to be seated at "our table" - at least in the minds of the majority of the world's Anglicans, who disagree with the Episcopal Church USA's determination to bless same-sex unions and ordain practicing homosexuals to priestly and episcopal ministry.

An American Anglican clergyperson, debating all this on PBS's ''NewsHour,'' said that, if schism were the only answer, she ,and her Pasadena congregation would choose ''the Gospel" over ''the institutional Church:' From a

theological point of view, no more thoroughly Protestant posing of the issue could be imagined. And what does standing up for ''the Gospel" have to do with embracing the Zeigeist of the more delirious subwbs of the People's Republic of Califomia?

Shortly after Rowan Williams was named to Becket's chair, we spent a cordial ninety minutes together at Lambeth Palace, Canterbury's London headquarters. I gave him a copy of "Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul IT'; we spoke of John Paul's theology of the body, and then fell to discussing the difference between "sacramental" and "gnostic" understandings of the human condition. The former insists that the stuff of the world - including maleness, femaleness, and their complementarity - has truths built into it; gnostics say it's all plastic, all malleable, all changeable. The sacramentalists believe that the extraordinary reveals itself through the ordinary: bread, wine, water, salt, marital love and fidelity; the gnostics say it's a matter of superior wisdom, available to the enlightened (which can mean, the politically correct).

Dr. Williams seemed convinced that the gnosticism of a lot of western high culture posed a great danger to historic Christianity and the truths it must proclaim.

He was right. The gnosticism that infects the Episcopal Church USA has just about driven the Anglican communion over the cliff.

. George Weigel is a seniorfeUow ofthe Ethil:s and PublU: Polil:y Center in Washington, D.C.

I

MARCH

$

9, 2007

The Anchor $~

Things they never taught us in the seminary Thursday 9 March - Homeport parish plants are quite old, occasion- Panic Day Observed - Run ally there's no time for consultation. around all day in a panic, telling This particular church, by the way, is others you just can't take any more. the oldest building in the diocese Web: www.wellcat.com. going on 200 years.

When I was first named a pastor, I confided in Father Frank Wallace that I was ,'r,R~11~t;~ns,of a .·~7 feeling unprepared for the "L:_~P.jsh~t:iest . task - specifically, how ~ _~ . _ .0,S::"",,,• ." __ - <~·"",r:":....'.t).,c:. .:\ :!;~ to care for a parish plant. ~~"';'tBy:w;atfier'1tims .~ I told him I was taking a - ._- - ~Goldrick crash course by watching reruns of ''This Old House:' Frank laughed.

He's a retired military guy. ''You'll But the same applies even if you be fine, Tun. You don't need a are assigned to a brand new facility. degree in plant management. You Christ the King Church, Mashpee, just need to surround yourself with for example, is fabulous. I was there people who know what they're for a meeting on the very first day doing. Listen to what they have to Msgr. Dan Hoye reported for duty say and, if it sounds sensible, get out as the in-coming pastor.Msgr. Ron of their way." I've operated on this Tosti had retired. My group was principal for more than three munching cheese and crackers decades. It works - mostly. before the start of our meeting. For There are times, however, when a some reason, the smoke detectors pastor needs to make a plant went off. There was no smoke management decision on the spot. because there was no fire. NevertheGiven the fact that some of our less, alarms screeched. Warning

The",Ship's Log .

lights flashed. I grabbed the cheese and crackers and fled outside with the group. No sense wasting perfectly good food. Fire trucks arrived. Msgr. Hoye appeared.

"What's going on?" he asked calmly. Dan Hoye is always calm but my presence caught him offguard. "Goldrick! I might have known! What are you doing here? What's going on?" ''Not to worry, Monsignor:' I assured. ''No problem. By the way, welcome to your new parish assignment. Here, have some cheese and crackers."

What to do if you go over to say Mass one frigid morning and there's no heat in the church? What to do if the lights suddenly go out during Saturday night Mass? What to do if we get buried under five feet of snow on a Sunday Morning? What to do if the pipe organ finally kicks the bucket during the Easter Vigil?

These are things they never teach you in the seminary. Or maybe, if they did, I missed that class.

It takes a village of vocations Last week I began a series on the different vocations available to Catholics, remaining single and celibate, entering consecrated religious life, or getting married. and how we might help our children discern God's vocational calling for their lives. Here I will focus on the usefulness of the vocation of marriage to the worldwide Body of Christ or the "Catholic Village," and how we parents can joyfully transmit the vocational blueprint of marriage to our children, even if we are parenting without a spouse.

Last weekend Ijoined a group of 40 moms on retreat at St. Benedict's Abbey in Hartford, Mass.

We withdrew from our hectic lives for three glorious days of vocational rejuvenation. We lived a kind of microcosm of the Catholic Village with the Benedictine monks feeding us, sheltering us, and bringing us the sacraments. In return we brought them babies, stories about family life, and lots of junk food. It wasn't really a fair exchange - they ministered to us much more than we did to thembut it symbolized to me how each vocation could offer what it had in order to lift up the other.

While thanking one of the monks for his hospitality, I asked if there was anything I could give him in return. He paused, and then said, ''No, you just keep doing what you are doing (being a Catholic parent) and that would be good. Oh, but, next time you visit, bring the whole family:' This monk's answer showed me two ways married couples are

needed and can be useful to the Body of Christ. The first was generously to accept children from God and to diligently raise them in the faith. If Catholic spouses intentionally close themselves off to having children, or if they do not bring their children up in the faith, Catholicism as we know it could easily be lost in one generation.

The second way this monk showed me the usefulness of

marriage to the Body of Christ was by including him and his brothers in our lives. Loneliness and isolation are genuine hardships for some priests, brothers, and sisters.

Even with the companionship of his fellow monks, this brother enjoyed our motherly doting and the opportunity to hold our babies.

In our home parishes, just think how much more satisfying the ministry of each parish priest would be if the whole congregation jumped to attend his Lenten prayer talks, invited him to dinner, prayed for him regularly, or asked what we could do for him personally. By living an authentically Catholic family life and including our fellow religious in that life, we support, bless, and make their lives so much easier.

The hidden bonus of living this way is that we encourage our children not only to know the joy of marriage and family, but also to

know the joy of men and women who are part of our Village, but who have different vocations. By showing them all these joys, we give our children concrete reasons to be open to God's calling in their own lives.

The overall blueprint for a Catholic marriage is that it would be a conduit of God's grace for spouses and a sign of the union in love between Christ and his bride, the Church. All spouses fall short of this ideal, but when we do, we are called to pick ourselves up and continue on this sanctifying path. Even if we are parenting without a spouse, we can still present God's blueprint for marriage to our children. We can do this by not demeaning an ex-spouse, not degrading the entire institution of marriage, and not distrusting all members of the opposite sex. We can be truthful with ourselves and, in an age-appropriate way, with our children about the failings of our marriage and seek an annulment, if it is appropriate. Even if we have never been married. we can be sure our children experience the joy of married life through exposure to the positive marriages of friends and extended family. We can continue to practice our faith, thanking God for his abundant grace and mercy. Next week, we'll look at the vocational paths and lives of single, celibate Catholics who do not take religious vows.

Heidi and her husband raise their five children in Falmouth. homegrownfaith@yahoo.com.

9 Recently, on my alleged day off- . you're not down at the National duty, a phone call came into the Septic Convention in Nashville rectory. ''Father, Father, come todayT' quickly! The plumbing on the south Rooter Guy: "You know about side of the church has malfuncthat? I was planning to go but my tioned." Inspecting the situation, truck blew a @#$I\&*@! head somebody else came running up. gasket:' ''Father, Father, come quickly! The Me: ''Bummer. I was down at plumbing on the north side of the the Center during the Septic church has malfunctioned!" I went Convention last year. Very nice." (I to see. Then came a third alert. was there for another convention, ''Father, Father! Come quickly! The but didn't go into it). radiator pipe in the church hall has Rooter Guy: "Yea. I've been the sprung a leak." What else could past four years myself. This will be possibly go wrong in a single the last one in Nashville. They're morning? I asked myself. The moving it to Houston." answer came quickly. ''Father, Me: "No kidding? Never been Father! The broken radiator pipeto Houston. Bet it's nice and it's built into the ceiling.~' I knew it. I warm, though. Got to go to work now." should have watched more episodes of ''This Old House." As Father Rooter Guy: "You're not the Jack Oliveira always says, they church janitor? Who are you, don't teach you this stuff in the anyway? Wait a @#$!*% minute! serninary.

You're in the septic business, aren't Before the 9 a.m. Mass, Speedyyou?"

Rooter arrived. He had been called.

Me: ''Well, I suppose you could There was a blockage in the church say that. Catch you later." (I am not kitchen sink. I greeted him while making this up.) wearing my ratty old work clothes I changed into my priest uniform with the tom knees. I had been and returned after Mass to pay the mopping the floor. I explained the bill, hoping Rooter Guy wouldn't problem as I saw it. fall into the tank when he saw me in Rooter Guy: '1 think you're uniform. right, man. You seem to know more Thus another excellent advenabout this than other janitors." (I let ture ended happily in the Village. the comment pass). 'I Father Goldrick is pastor ofSt. Me: "Really? You think soT' Be17UU'd Parish, Assonet.

Rooter Guy: "Man,I can't stand StBe17UU'dAssonet®aol.com. this #%&*@! cold weather."

Previous columns are available at Me: ''No? Then how come www.StBe17UU'dAssonet.org.

'I

"She is living proof that we develop only surrounded with love - Jesus' love."

Sister Philomena is speaking of the transformation ofone little girl at St. Anth?ny's Children's Village in Ndola, Zambia. There, the Sisters offer our Lord's love 'and provide basic nece~sities to some of the more than two million children orphaned in Zambia. After time with thes~ Sisters, that one little child - unable to walk or talk at five years old - was able to sing songs and dance. t lilt is only with God's help

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tlult we dare to hope for a brighter tomorrow, Sister Philomena says. t God's grace and help - and your prayers and Lenten sacrifice to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

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May the Lord bless you for your generous mis$ionary heart!

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$ The Anchor $ English-speaking liturgists design multimedia education project ROME (CNS) - Although a new translation of the Mass probably is a couple years away from parish use, a group of liturgy specialists from the United States, England and Australia is designing a multimedia package to help Catholics prepare.

Msgr. James P. Moroney, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for the Liturgy, said the liturgy offices of other English-speaking bishops' conferences will be invited to participate in the education project, which could be ready by late 2008.

He said the project flowed from informal discussions about how little was done to prepare people for the Mass in English after the Second Vatican Council; many people felt efforts to get the original English Mass into use were "very hurried."

As the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, or ICEL, continues to prepare new English translations of the Mass prayers and as bishops' conferences await Vatican permission to use the translations they have approved, the group met in Rome in late February to continue outlining what members believe an education package should include.

The six participants began work in November, deciding they wanted to produce a DVD with video, slide show and text presentations, which would include the history ofthe liturgy, liturgical spirituality, liturgical language

and how to preside at the liturgy.

"Ministry guides" and bulletin inserts also would be part of the package they hope would get "massive distribution in the English-speaking world," Msgr. Moroney said.

He said the materials would include suggestions "to help priests effectively proclaim the (new) texts, but a discussion about translations is only a very small part of the project."

Most Catholics, he said, are aware of the Second Vatican Council's call for "full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations" on the part of all the faithful, but many have overlooked the council's warning that participation is unlikely unless priests are "fully imbued with the spirit and power of the liturgy and capable ofgiving instruction about if' Msgr. Moroney said the group was not convoked by the Vatican or by the ICEL, although ICEL chairman Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, England, and its executive director, Msgr. Bruce Harbert, are involved.

The three other participants are: Father Allen Morris, secretary of the Department for Christian Life and Worship of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales; Msgr. Peter Williams, executive secretary of the Australian bishops' National Liturgical Commission; and Msgr. Kevin Irwin, dean of the school of theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington.

1912 Casavant Flire5 3,256 Pipe Organ, Opus 489

Organ Recital Sunday, March 11, 2007, 3:00 p.m.

St. Anthony of Padua Church 1359 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, Massachusetts

Peter Kaiinski ·GJml~

Amndudo~ organist. and educator in the Boslon area, he served for

U years as OrganistlMusk Oi& al the United Parish in Brookline,

MA and is pmentIy Dln!ctor of Choral Arts al Beaver Caunby Day School and Artistic Oil. of Youth Pro Muska, the Grealer Boston Youth Chorus. He is organisl at FilSt Chun:h of Chris~ Scientist, Providence, and Beth E1 Temple Synagogue. Belmont In 2002, he won first prize in improvisation at the AGO National Competition.

Concert 10 benefil ST. ANTHONY RESTORATION FUND

Conrert followed I1y aCIJI1lplimtntary tm

'

Sister Tacy builds faith at UMass-Dartmouth

By MIKE GORDON, ANCHOR STAFF

orjust about life. The Bible study group meets weekly DARTMOUTH - Dominican Sister of Hope and we look at how it applies to one's life."

Madeleine Tacy has been faithfully serving young FatherCiryak celebrates Mass Wednesdays at noon people at the University ofMassachusetts at Dartmouth and at 8 p.m. on Sunday nights as well as holy days. for more than 30 years and enjoys the opportunities They are sometimes held in a classroom or a dorm the assignment has presented her. depending on where space is available.

'To see the faith of students grow has been a won''We have it where we can," said Sister Tacy. "We derful gift," said Sister Tacy. ''Prayer is very important have a core group ofstudents that comes regularly, but to me. Notjust saying a prayer, but having a deep rela- many go home for the weekend and attend their local tionship with God. That provides the foundation for parish celebrations." everything else and I try to instill that in the students."

Former chaplain, Father Craig A. Pregana, worked The 67-year-old religious came to the Dartmouth with SisterTacy for several years and praised her work. campus in 1976 at the r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , "She is a wonderful perrequest ofMsgr. JohnA. son and has set in place . ... .

Perry who was serving a great and dedicated as its chaplain. She was ministry. She has a good hired as assistant campus and is very well AIlCI,o,..Person oftl,e Week heart minister and today is part liked by students and of the school's campus ' " - - - - - - ' - - ' - - ' = - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ' staff." ministry team working The Newman House closely with current is a private home purchaplain Father Michael chased by the Fall River Ciryak.

Diocese located 1,500 "She really does marfeet down the road from velous work at the camthe campus. It is used by pus," said Msgr. Perry.

10--......-.. Sister Tacy and campus "She brings a strong ministry for prayer serCatholic presence there vices and various activiand is doing a lot ofgreat ties. work for the students and "It's made it easier staff. SisterTacy inspires working with students," those around her." said Sister Tacy. "We Born in Chateaugay, have a Pastor Night on N.Y., SisterTacy said her Wednesdays which inrelationship with God cludes a meal and social began to blossom when and it's a place where she graduated from high r-"""_..... students can get away school. ''When I was in for a while and relax, reschool I was taught by flect, study or pray."

Dominican Sisters and I There are 8,000 students got to know them quite attending UMasswell," she said. "I had Dartmouth. been thinking about reliSister Tacy has also gious life for some time • • •11I been instrumental in orand was attracted to their ....... - - - - - - ganizing a weekly leclifestyle and spirituality.

DOMINICAN SISTER MADELEINE T ACY ture series including There was a regular guest speakers addressrhythm to it." Her parents were very supportive of her ing a wide variety of religious topics. decision.

"I enjoy the opportunity to do some kind of teachShe added that for her it was "a real calling. I feel ing," she said. "During Lent and Advent we have that's what God wanted me to do with my life." themes and they are wonderful."

It has been a life filled with service to others and to Each year they also hold a Pennies For Honduras God and this September, SisterTacy will mark 50 years drive to help support the diocesan mission. Students of religious life. collect pennies and line them up side by side for a "I've enjoyed watching the students grow and mile. "A mile of pennies equals $844.80," said Sister change over the years," said Sister Tacy. "It's been a Tacy. She is proud of the fact that some of the students pleasure to give them support as they try and succeed. have taken the opportunity to visit the Guaimaca misI try and share with them the difference between know- sion and "that there have been more vocations to the ing God and really knowing God. There is no short cut priesthood out of the secular college than anywhere to that, but I am motivated by faith." else in the diocese."

Sister Tacy taught for three years at the former DoAs for goals, Sister Tacy hopes they can continue minican Academy in Fall River. She also taught el- to provide a Church presence on campus and keep stuementary school students in New Haven and East Ha- dents in touch with the traditions of the Catholic faith. ven, Conn., for more than 10 years. After an assign- ''We want to be here to support the faith journey of ment in Acushnet, she lived at Still Point, a house of students. I think in campus ministry they can develop prayer in Round Lake, N.Y. their faith, meet new friends, have a sense of being ''Prayer was the central focus of life there and it connected to the community and make a difference was a peaceful atmosphere conducive for prayer and through community service." reflection."

When she is not working at the college she enjoys When she returned from upstate NewYork she was woodworking, a hobby she began as a teen. She also in need of ajob and took advantage ofthe opportunity likes to spend free time canoeing on local rivers and at the college. She's never looked back and it's easy to salt marshes and enjoys reading. see that the assignment keeps her busy.

She is hopeful that students will get involved in "We have a Bible study group and campus minis- campus ministry early and stay involved through their try group," said Sister Tacy. We also do some work college years. She also hopes that they will have more with the college staff and are always ready to assist students attend the weekly celebration of Mass and students as needed. I have an open door policy," she help the campus ministry program grow in leaps and declared. bounds.

That open door brings in many students who are in ''We have a lot to offer," she concluded. need ofsomeone to listen. Whether they are struggling TheAnchor eru:ourages readers to nominate othwith a roommate conflict, studies or their faith life, ersforthe Person ofthe Week - who and why? Submit nominations at our email address: Sister Tacy is there with a smile and ready to listen.

"We talk about all kinds of things like their rela- theanchor@anchomews.org, or write to TheAnchor, tionship with God, challenges they have in their lives P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722. ~.

LiVing Stones

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The Anchor

tt Iraqi Christians face danger; some opine it w~s better under Saddam

-~.-

By JUDITH SUDILOVSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE :i

A HAPPY MOMENT - Father Nabil Haddad laughs with Iraqi refugee Noar Azat, four, during a session of the Iraqi Children's Art Exchange Project in the basement of SS. Peter and Paul Melkite Catholic Parish in Amman, Jordan, recently. Father Haddad helped start the art program, which is an example of several informal schools in Amman run by churches and congregations for Iraqi refugees.

(CNS photo/Debbie Hill)

Church aid officials say influx of Iraqis puts burden on Jordan

By JUDITH SUDILOVSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

their faces all darkened by the same grim resignation - line the walls in the reception room as they wait AMMAN, Jordan - The enorfor social workers to do the initial mous influx of Iraqis over the past assessment. Later, they will sit with five years has put a large burden on one of the seven caseworkers, who Jordan, said Church aid officials trying to help the refugees. will then visit their homes to help determine the degree of need and Though official estimates put the number of Iraqi refugees in Jordan amount of help Caritas can provide. at about one million, Catholic Each caseworker sees about seven families a day, said Bsharat. groups working with the refugees Caritas also runs an informal say that number is closer to 1.5 million. school project and a community clinic for the Iraqi refu"Overall the situation is very difficult," said Ra'ed "We have many new refugees gees.

Bahou, director of the Pon- coming, and that is part of our mis"There is too much detifical Mission for Palestine sion. We as Christians can never mand and too little resources, in Amman. "Most of the refu- refuse anyone," said Sister especially for the chronic disgees are very poor, and this Kudassti. The hospital and its clinic ease cases which need treatcountry does not have the rement every month," Bsharat are also open to Jordanians and sources" to deal with the situsaid. other foreigners living in Jordan. ation.

Iraqi refugees also receive .treatment, partially funded by The arrival of the Iraqi refugees in this landlocked nation with no legal status and no rights, the Pontifical Mission, in a hospiof some five nlillion people - more having escaped from threats of kid- tal administered by the Comboni than half of whom are former Pal- napping, murder and daily bomb- Sisters. The refugees hear about the estinian refugees - has caused ings that leave hundreds of people hospital through word of mouth, prices to skyrocket, making the cost dead every week. The refugees lack said Sister Kudassti Tekle, the hosof living for the average Jordanian health care, employment and edu- pital administrator who is originally almost prohibitive, said Hania cational opportunities for their chil- from Eritrea.

Bsharat, assistant manager of the dren.

"We have many new refugees Extremely Vulnerable Individuals Bsharat said the Extremely Vul- coming, and that is part of our misproject of Caritas Jordan, the local nerable Individuals project, which sion. We as Christians can never provides funds for health care, food refuse anyone," said Sister Church's charitable aid agency.

"Most Jordanians do not wel- and humanitarian assistance, has Kudassti. The hospital and its come the Iraqis," she said. "We seen an increase in the number of clinic are also open to Jordanians are a poor country. We need a so- people turning to it for help in the and other foreigners living in Jorlution - resettlement in Jordan or past year; many have chronic dis- dan. in a foreign country, and we hope eases that went unchecked in Iraq.

In order to receive new manthat they will be allowed to work "Most of the people who come dated documents to be able to travel and send their children to school. seeking our help are (also) de- abroad, the refugees must return to There is no way they can go back pressed," she said, sitting in the Iraq, she said, because Iraqi embasto Iraq."

Caritas offices in downtown sies have not been authorized to isThe only escape routes left open Amman. "They don't want just sue the new passports. This leaves to Iraqis trying to flee their war-tom health care." most refugees stranded, since recountry lead to Syria or Jordan, but The elderly, young mothers with turning to Iraq is not a viable opthe regulations for entering those babies, women in wheelchairs tion for them, she said. countries fluctuate, sometimes daily, leaving people bewildered and unsure of how to proceed, aid workers said.

For example, recently the minimum age for males permitted to enter Jordan was raised from 35 to 40 for "security reasons," and Syria also recently imposed a similar directive.

When they manage to cross into Jordan, the Iraqis arrive in Amman

AMMAN, Jordan - Seen as allies ofthe West, Christians and their institutions have become targets of extremist Islamic groups iJ Iraq, say i Iraqi Christians.

"Christians are facing a big problem in Iraq. Maybe all Iraq'is are facing big problems, but I ap1 talking about the Christians now," said Ra' ed Bahou, the Pontific!! Mission for Palestine's regional director for Jordan and Iraq.

Saddam Hussein's regime - no m~tter how cruel and despotic kept the lid on any sectarian violence, said one Iraqi CatHolic refugee in Jordan, who ask~d that his name not be used. He said Saddam, a secular leader, was espeCially good for Christians, as long as they stayed out of the way.

"Saddam (controlled) everything. Nobody could say anything bad especially (about) us Christians," he said. "Christians in the Middle East are very good people.

We are peace-loving people."

Another refugee said that after years ofliving in fear and <짜Wy bombings many Iraqi Christians felt they were actually safer with Saddarn.

"We are getting tir~d. When Saddarn was in power there was no fighting. Saddarn loved the Christians.

We were safer with Saddarn; now we just leave the country," he said.

Christians make up about five percent of the 1.5 millio" Iraqi refugees in Jordan, said Bahou, whose agency is under the auspices of the New York-based Catholic Near East Welfare Association. i Most of the Christians in Iraq were part ofthe middle class and had a relatively good standatd of living before the war, Bahou ilsaid. Like most Christians in the Middle East, they devoted a lot of their time to their children and their education.

"When there is a threat (against) their children:s lives,they leave Iraq," he said. "People ilfe leaving

for their children."

At least six Iraqi priests have been kidnapped and five Christian churches bombed in the past few years. At first the Islamic extremists targeted mainly Christians, but now they have turned against each other, said one relief official who works with the Iraqi refugees.

"In the end there will be no Iraq," she said.

Bahou said he was "not optimistic about what is going on demographically."

"Before there used to be one million Christians in Iraq; now there are only half a million left. Everything is changing, and it will never be like it was before," he said.

With only one Chaldean Catholic priest attending to the pastoral needs of the Chaldean refugees in Amman, many Iraqi Catholic refugees have had to find their place within the churches ofdifferent rites.

Jordanian churches have never been so full, said Bahou, and worshippers must come early to find a seat at Sunday Mass.

Through the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, the Pontifical Mission in Jordan has sponsored a catechism training program for Iraqi religious educators who have remained in Iraq.

For at least three years, workshops were held four times a year, twice in Jordan and twice in Iraq, in coordination with Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk. Religious experts from Lebanon also take part in the meetings, said Bahou.

"Last year we held the two workshops in Amman but we were not able to hold it in Iraq because of the political situation," Bahou said. Nevertheless, he said, "outside contact is very important" for the Christian religious community in Iraq.

In addition, with so many Iraqis now living in Jordan, keeping the lines of communication open with their religious and spiritual leadership in Iraq becomes very important, Bahou said.

Running from War TURKEY

SAUDI ARABIA Source:'vstimates from Reuters

@2007eNS

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The Anchor ,

MARCH

9, 2007

More reasons to be vigilant about kids and TV; as if we needed them

By MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON - As if we really needed them, here are still more reasons to be vigilant about television and its potential harmful effects on children.

- Under the heading "What hath 'Teletubbies' wrought?", entire channels are now dotting the 500-channel universe devoted to the youngest children, who have no discretionary spending but can develop brand loyalty at an early age; - The United States' dominant Spanish-language TV network, Univision, has agreed to pay a $24 million fine to the Federal Communications Commission for touting as "educational and informational" children's programming that was neither educational nor informational - nor, come to think of it, for children; - The American Psychological Association issued a report in February about the growing sexualization of young girls, calling it a matter that needs close, close attention.

One thing at a time.

BabyFirstTV, which debuted last year on satellite television, is making its way to cable systems across the United States, according to a story in The Washington Post. A British channel with the same ultrayoung demographic, BabyTV, is expected to make its way across the Atlantic before the year is over.

"Teletubbies," which debuted in 1998, is aimed at the under-two set, as are the new "baby" channels.

"Teletubbies" was able to save on production costs because, after showing some short film or another, one of the four Teletubbies would invariably say "Again!

Again!" - as the series' child experts imagined a human toddler would - and the film would be repeated.

Then there are the video marketing firms like Brainy Baby and Baby Einstein, which cater to the youngest of the young. They rake in hundreds of millions of dollars for their parent companies.

......

A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 43 percent of children under age one watch at least some TV every day. This despite the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age two.

What hath "Teletubbies" wrought, indeed. Whoever called television an electronic baby sitter was a few decades too early.

The FCC's fine and Univision's appm:ent willingness to pay it - would dwarf the recent fines levied against (and contested by) CBS in the past three years: a cumulative $3 million for CBS affiliates airing a simulated teen sex orgy on the prime-time drama "Without a Trace," and $550,000 for the famed "wardrobe malfunction" of Janet Jackson during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.

If you're wondering why Univision would agree to such a fine, it's because it would clear the deck for the network's sale - for $12 billion - to a consortium of private equity firms, one of whom has immediate past FCC chairman Michael Powell as a senior executive.

Last, but hardly least, is the American Psychological Association study, issued February 15. It found that in every form of media that was scrutinized last fall by an APA committee - TV, movies, the Internet, magazines, advertising and sports media - women and girls are sexualized and objectified.

"If pop culture is saturated with images in which girls are sexualized, will we begin to project adult sexual desires onto children?" said Eileen Zurbriggen, associate professor of psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz, who chaired the APA's Task Force.

Will we come to believe that children want to have sex with adults, thus making child sexual abuse seem "normal" and perhaps increasing the demand for child prostitution?" Zurbriggen asked.

"Girls deserve better."

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

Scheduled celebrant is Father Gregory A. Mathias, pastor of St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth

A TALL TALE - An undated file photo released by the Israel Antiquities Authority shows a burial box found during excavations in Jerusalem. A recently released Discovery Channel documentary suggests that several ancient burial boxes excavated 27 years ago in Jerusalem contained the remains of Jesus and his family. Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner, who oversaw work at the tomb, has refuted the claims. (CNS photo/Mariana Salzberger, Israel Antiquities Authority via Reuters)

Biblical scholars slate filmmakers' claim on finding tomb of Jesus as 'nonsense'

By JUDITH SUDILOVSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE JERUSALEM - Catholic biblical scholars and an Israeli archaeologist rejected .filmmakers' claim that a tomb uncovered nearly 30 years ago in Jerusalem is the burial site of Jesus and his family.

Dominican Father Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, a biblical archaeologist and expert in the New Testament at the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem, who was interviewed for the film two years ago, said he did not believe there was any truth to the claim.

"It is a commercial ploy that all the media is playing into," he told Catholic News Service February 27.

Amos KIoner, an Israeli archaeologist who wrote the original excavation report on the site for the predecessor of the Israel Antiquities Authority, called the claim "nonsense."

"In their movie they are billing it as 'never before reported information,' but it is not new. I published all the details in the Antiqot journal in 1996, and I didn't say it was the tomb of Jesus' family," said KIoner, now a professor of archaeology at Israel's Bar-Han University.

Toronto filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and Oscar-winning Canadian director James Cameron announced at a press conference in New York City February 26 that by using new technology and DNA studies they have determined that among the 10 ossuaries - burial boxes used in biblical times to house the bones of the dead -

found in the cave by KIoner in 1980 are those of Jesus, his brothers, Mary, another Mary whom they believe is Mary Magdalene, and "Judah, son of Jesus."

The documentary film by Jacobovici and Cameron was aired on the Discovery Channel and in Canada earlier this week on Vision TV. A book on the topic, written by Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino and published by HarperCollins, recently went on sale.

Father Murphy-O'Connor said the names found on the ossuaries "are a combination of very common names. Fifty percent of all Jewish women in the first century were called either Mary or Salome. It doesn't mean much at all," he said.

"You can prove anything with statistics." He noted that KIoner had written about the findings a decade ago, and though it was all out in the public domain nobody had been interested.

According to press reports, the filmmakers said they had worked on the project with world-renowned scientists, including DNA specialists, archaeologists and statisticians.

They said the ossuaries were not identified as belonging to Jesus' family when they were first discovered because the archaeologists at the time did not have the knowledge and scientific tools that now exist. .... But Kloner noted that Jesus' family was from Galilee and had no ties to Jerusalem, casting serious doubt that they would have had a burial cave in Jerusalem. He added that the names on the ossuaries were common during that time and their discovery in the same cave is purely coincidental.

He said the tomb belonged to a middle- or upper-middle-class Jewish family during the first century and the cave was in use for 70-100 years by the family.

At the New York press conference, Jacobovici said he thought the so-called "James ossuary," purported by its owner, Oded Golan, to have belonged to James, the brother of Jesus, was also from the tomb, and he cited a forensic technique used to determine this.

He did not mention that in 2003 the Israel Antiquities Authority declared the inscription on the James ossuary a forgery or that Golan is currently on trial for forging part of the inscription.

Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, a biblical scholar and head of Toronto's Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation, said this latest film shows that "self-proclaimed experts" have learned nothing from the James ossuary incident.

"Why did the so-called archaeologists of this latest scoop wait 27 year~ before doing anything about the discovery? James Cameron is far better off making movies about the Titanic rather than dabbling in areas of religious history of which he knows nothing," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Israel Antiquities Authority said two of the ossuaries had been loaned to the filmmakers for their press conference. One of the Mary ossuaries has been on display for many years at Jerusalem's Israel Museum; the Judah ossuary is on display in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; two ossuaries are currently with the filmmakers; and the other six are in the authority's warehouse just outside Jerusalem.

MARCH

$ The Anchor $ In pastorallet~er,bishop calls pornography society's plague

9, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CNS)- In within'the people of God. , fession and reception ofthe Eucharist, a pastoral letter that calls pornography ''Pornography is a symptom ofthe to break the cycle ofpornography use a ''plague in our society, reaching epi- loss of the dignity of the human per- and build the spiritual graces and demic proportions," Bishop Robert W. son," he told the Key. ''It is a mortal sin strength to resist future temptation.

Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph has to look at pictures ofother:persons with "Use of pornography is a serious pledged diocesan resources to help the idea to give yourself sexual grati- sin against chastity and the dignity of people overcome pornography addic- fication. That is a serious misuse of the human person," Bishop Finn tions and reconcile themselves to God. our sexuality." wrote.

Bishop Finn issued his pastoral, "It robs us of sanctifying gface, But rather than simply condemn''BlessedAre the Pure in Heart: A Pas- ing the sin, the pastoral also reaches separates us from the vision of God toral Letter on the Dignity of the Hu- out to those who use pornography. It and from the goodness of others, and man Person and the Dangers of Por- offers ways for them to become rec- leaves us spiritually empty," he added. nography'" on Ash Wednesday. onciled and ''pure of heart," building ''Attraction to pornography and its The 11,OOO-wor~ pastoral was its themes from the late Pope John Paul gratifications is a false 'love' that leads published in English in The Cat/wlic II's teachings on the theology of the to increasingemotional isolation, loneKey, the local diocesan newspaper. It body. liness and subsequent sexual actingalso will be published in Spanish and Bishop Finn closed the pastoral out with self and others. in Vietnamese.

Bishop Finn told the Key that acwith words of hope to those addicted Bishop Finn, who became bishop to pornography: ''If you rememberjust cess to pornography has becomeeasier of Kansas City-St. Joseph in 2005, told one sentence from this letter let it be with every advance in communicathe Key that he wrote the pastoral, his this: Never despair of God's mercy." tions technology. first, at the request ofthe diocesanAnti"It's so easy," he said. ''At no extra Bishop Finn noted that the.

Pornography Task Force that he es- diocese's Anti-Pornography Task cost, in 10 seconds anyone can find tablished in 2005.

Force has established a support group, pornography on any computer. Any,''I have taken my lead from the ef- modeled after 12-step programs, to one who has a connection to, the forts of a lot of faithful people in the ,assist men in breaking an addiction to Internet has a real connection to pordiocese who have been building a pornography. nography." multifaceted'strategy to help people in Holding up his own cellular teleThere are plans to add a support regards to pornography," he said group for women. According to stud- phone with a viewing screen, Bishop He cautioned" however, against ies cited in the pastoral, one-third of Finn said that such hand-held devices "readllg too much" into the fact that visitors to adult Websites are women also offer portable access to online his first pastoral focused on pornog- and "one out of every six women pornography as well as the ability to raphy. grapples with addiction to pornogra- make, distribute, receive and store In fact, he said, the pastoral letter phy." sexually explicit images. . is part of a theme of his episcopacy to He said he does not condemn comThe pastoral letter urges Catholics uphold human dignity, to reconcile to tap into the power ofprayer and the munications technology, only the mispeople to 'God and to build holiness sacraments, particularly frequent con- use ofit to degrade the human person.

The Lovipg Kindness of ,QnT God Divine Mercy Weekend at La Sale~e Retreat Center April 13-1i-15, 2002 lip ,resenteI·' Rev. Richard~cAlear,OMI

Maryland bishop testifies in support of death penalty bill ANNAPOLIS, Md. (CNS) - In gressor, ''we believe that public authoran unusual move that highlights the ity should limit itself to such means priority Maryland's bishops have because they are more in,keeping with placed on abolishing the death pen- thecon~conditions ofthe common alty, Auxiliary Bishop Denis 1. Mad- good and with the dignity of the huden of Baltimore testified in person at man person," he said.

Bishop Madden spoke on the same arecent Committee hearing inAnnapolis on a bill that would replace the death day Gov. Martin 1. O'Malley forcepenalty with life sentences without fully argued for a ban on the death 'penalty. The governor's appearance parole.

Representatives of the Maryland was also unusual in that state execuCatholic Conference usually testify on tives do not often testify in support of behalf of the Maryland bishops, but a bill that was not part of their legislaBishop Madden personally urged tive agenda. members of the Senate Judicial Pro-c . O'Malley, a member ofSt. Francis ceedings and House Judiciary com- of Assisi Parish in Baltimore, called the death penalty "inhe~ently unjust mittees to pass the legislation.

During his testimony in the Sen- and without a deterrent value."

The Democratic governor said that . ate, Bishop Madden appeared to look often in the direction of Republican in 2005 the murder rate was 46 perSen: Alex Mooney, a member of St. cent higher in states that had the death John Parish in Frederick and member penalty than in states without it, even of the deadlocked Judiciary Commit- though the rates had been about the tee. Mooney holds the deciding vote same in 1990.

While the murder rate has declined on whether the legislation will make since 1990, the governor noted that it it to the floor of the Senate. ''The teachings of our Church rec- declined by 56 percent in states withognize the right of legitimate govern- out the death penalty and only 38 perment to resort to capital punishment, cent in states that have it. ''It would but directly challenge the appropriate- appear that the death penalty is not a ness of government's doing so in a deterrent, but possibly an accelerant society that is capable ofdefending the to murder," O'Malley Said.

Since 1978, Maryland has spent public order and ensuring the public's about $22.4 million more on death safety," said Bishop Madden.

If nonlethal means are sufficient to penalty cases than the costs of life ensure the public's safety from an ag- imprisonment, he said.

"If, however, we were to replace the death penalty with life without parole, that $22.4 million could pay for 500 additional police officers ot provide drug l:reatment for 10,000 of our addicted neighbors," he asserted.

Addressing questions, from Mooney and others, Bishop ,Madden said ending the death penalty is part of the- Church's broader Pro-Life agenda.

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MARCH

9, 2007

$ The Anchor news briefs Court case could open door to legal fight over faith-based initiative WASHINGTON - In a case that hinges on procedural questions of when a taxpayer has the legal standing to challenge how the administration spends .money appropriated by Congress, the Supreme Court is being asked to open the door to legal fights over President George W. Bush's faith-based initiative. The only question before the court is the fairly dry issue of whether taxpayers have standing under the Establi.shment Clause ofthe Constitution to challenge actions ofthe executive branch that are only indirectly financed through general appropriations by Congress. During oral arguments in late February, Solicitor General Paul Clement argued that taxpayers only have the legal standing to challenge how the administration spends money when the funds are going directly to an outside source. Attorney Andrew Pincus, arguing on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group of Wisconsin-based atheists and agnostics, argued that because the meetings organized by the White House were religious in character it was unconstitutional for them to be paid for with U.S. government money.

ON A MISSION - Sister Mediatrix teaches children at St. Antho.ny's Children Village in Ndola, Zambia. . ' . ,

Transforming suffering into hope: Loving 'service in the Missions

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One child was found in the long wet grass beside songs. She. is living proof that we develop only sur. the roadside. Another little girl, when she was discov- rounded with love - Jesus' love."

At St. Anthony's, the Sisters offer that love and proered, sat alone in a yard, playing with chickens, ducks vide the basic necessities as well, trying to bring the and dogs - no one to feed or care for her. ''Each child has its ow.n story," says Sister Philomena healing touch of our Lord to a mere fraction of the of the little ones in her care at St. Anthony's Children's more than two million children orphaned in Zambia, Village in Ndola, Zambia. And each story has a more largely the result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in that hope-filled ending, thanks to these Sisters who bring African nation.

"Our present situation causes serious concern," Sisto the Good Friday world of these children, the light ter Philomena states. "It is only with God's help that of the Resurrection. we dare to hope for a brighter tomorrow."

"Usually their experiences take time - and lots of In another part of the Missions, in Berhampur, Inlove - to heal," Sister Philomena explains. "The little dia, Sister Arpan looks to the Lord - and holds him girl found playing alo~e in the yard, who was unable .out as a source of hope for her people. to' walk or talk at five years old, now dances and sings "When I he.ard the call to become a Religious Sister," she recalls, "my main goal was to show Jesus to the poor." . Along with members of her local Religious Community in this area of East India, Sister Arpan visits families. "We pray together, read the Word of God and seek ways of m~ng this Word live in our lives," she says. "During our visit, we encourage family prayer, listen to their joys and sorrows, and help them in whatever-way we can."

The Sisters also visit the sick in the area. There are hugs for orphan children, and words of encouragement for the disabled. "We pray with them," notes Sister Arpan. ''That is most important."

"My work has proven to them the joy, love and salvation of Jesus," she continues. "Whatever comes my way, I will keep on doing this for Jesus. I see our Lord's face in every person here."

This Lent, through the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, you are a missionary right there with Sis. ter Philomena in Zambia and Sister Arpan in India and with many other priests, Sisters and Brothers, and lay catechists throughout the developing world who daily offer to the sick and the suffering, the poor and the abandoned, the hope of the resurrection. Your. prayers are most important. Your financial help maybe $40, $1 for each day of Lent - is gratefully accepted in support of this'life-giving service of the Church through the Mission,s.

May the Lord bless you and those you love this HOPING FOR A HAPPY ENDING - Little "Supe" Lent - and most especially at Easter - with his sus~ was left by the roadside with his belongings - the taining hope.

Sisters of St. Anthony's Children's Village in Ndola, To make a donation to the S,ociety for the PropaZambia, found him and now take care of him. The Sisters, with your help, are working to make sure gation ofthe Faith, send a check to the Society at 106 Illinois Street, New Bedford, MA 02745. each c/'lild's story has a hope-filled ending.

Panelists call for social, legal remedies for violence against women NEW YORK - Violence against women, both in the United States and around the world, is on the rise and must be addressed with a potent combination of social, legal and economic remedies, said a panel of speakers February 27 in New York. "Addressing Violence Against Women" was the topic of a panel discussion at the Church of the Holy Family. The program was the second discussion in a series called ''The Human Dignity ofWomen in Contemporary Societyr sponsored by the Holy See Mission to the United Nations, the Path to PeaceFoundation and the Vmcentian Center for Church and Society at St. John's University. ''It seems ironic that, at a time when the sensitivity for women's issues appears stronger than ever, the world is now obliged to confront new forms of violence and slavery directed especially at women," said Archbishop Celestino Migliore, papal nuncio to the United Nations. 'The mistreatment of women is a long-standing reality in many places and a disregard for the age and vulnembility ofyoung girls in particular is especially repugnant," he continued.

Brazil's women prisoners feel abandoned, says U.S. missionary WASHINGTON - Ministering to women in Brazilian jails often involves just being there for the prisoners, said a U.S. missionary working with the Brazilian bishops' Prison Pastoral Office. Women prisoners feel abandoned and forgotten by society, said Heidi Cerneka, national women's coordinator ofthe bishops' office and amember ofthe Maryknoll Lay Missioners. Women prisoners "often feel invisible. They feel they have no voice," she said. Being there and talking to the women makes them feel important because "somebody cares enough to show up:' she said. "It helps them feel that they are not invisible:' Usually, the only people visiting women prisoners are their mothers, who in many cases are also caring for their daughter's children, she said. On March 1she gave testimony about conditions for women in Brazilian prisons to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The commission is a branch ofthe Organization ofAmerican States and has its headquarters in Washington. Cerneka, whose family is from St. Louis, has been working as a missionary in Brazil for 10 years.

Church in Austria denounces abortion clinic in new shopping mall VIENNA, Austria - Catholic Church officials in Austria have denounced the opening of an abortion clinic in a new Viennese shopping mall. "You can now drink coffee, watch a film, buy clothes and then have an abortion," said Erich Leitenberger, spokesman for the Austrian bishops' conference.

"This trivializes decisions about life and death." Leitenberger told Catholic News Service that Cardinal Christoph Schonbom of Vienna has asked the shopping mall's Catholic owner, Richard Luger, to ''think again" about the cllnic's opening. Lugar "already leased the premises and says this isn't up to him, but the cardinal knows him well and I think he's open to the arguments," Leitenberger said. "Legally any quick decision could be difficult.

But I think this latest controversy has made some people reflect on the reality of abortion here:' A 1975 law legalizing abortions for women up to 12 weeks pregnant has left an "open wound" between the Church and state in Austria, where Catholics make up about 78 percent ofthe population of 8.1 D)illion, Leitenberger said Philippine bishops express concern over abuses in anti-terrorism bill MANUA, Philippines - Bishops in the Philippines have expressed concern over potential human rights violations which could result from an anti-terrorism bill. Bishop Martin Jumoad of Isabela said that, although he is "glad" the Human Security Act was passed by Congress, an independent body is needed to avoid such violations. 'There should be another body of civil society that will evaluate or analyze the implementation:' he told UCA News, an Asian church news agency. However, he said, the bill could stabilize peace and order in his prelature on Basilan, an island-province. The Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, who have been blamed for bombings, kidnappings and killings in the southern region, have camps there. The House of Representatives passed the bill in mid-February after the Senate had passed it 11 days earlier. If President Gloria MacapagalArroyo signs the bill into law, authorities may detain suspects for three days without a court warrant and without filing formal charges. People ''wrongly arrested" or detained as terrorism suspects would be entitled to compensation of up to $10,300 a day.

MARCH

9, 2007

$

The Anchor

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15

Pope denounces tech trend toward ':'designer embryos'

By JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS S~RVICE

The also pope warned against increasing pressure to legalize VATICAN CITY - Pope euthanasia. In addition to such Benedict XVI denounced the direct attacks on life, he said, efhigh-tech trend that encourages forts are multiplying to legalize parents to seek the "perfect child" "alternative" forms of cohabitathrough genetic selecti'on. tion that are closed to procreIn a recent speech to more than ation.

350 Catholic medical profession"In these situations the conals, the pope said so-called "de- science, at times overcome by the signer embryos" repreSent one of means of collective pressure, does many contemporary attacks on not demonstrate sufficient vigilance about the seriousness of human life.

The attacks have increased to what is at stake," he said. the point that the Christian conThe Christian is called to moscience has been lulled, and even bilize continually against attacks good people sometimes seem on human life, because it is the paralyzed in the face of collective most fundamental of all human social pressure rights, he said. against the right That is why the In order to reawaken the to life, he said. formation of a cOf(1science as an eloquent true and corThe pope listed a number anfi clear voice, the pope rect conscience of ways in which said, the Church needs to is such an esl]uman life is work at the family and par- sential task for threatened in ish level so that young parents, educapoorer nations to- pepple are educated in tors and pasday, including basic values and Church tors, he added. pressure to legal- teachings. Lay Catholics But he said ize abortion, new should know that, particu- conscience forforms of chemi- larfy on human life issues, mation today is cal abortion in- they need to welcome the hindered in troduced under Church's teaching, he said. many ways, the pretext of "reparticularly by productive popular attihealth," and the continuing poli- tudes of tolerance that mistrust the very capacity of reason to pertics of demographic control.

In richer countri~s, he said, ceive the truth.

"Thus the conscience, which is biotechnological engineering aims to establish "subtle and ex- an act of reason that aims at the tensive methods of eugenics in the truth of things, ceases to be a light obsessive search for the 'perfect and instead becomes a simple child,' through artifibial procre- background on which the massation and various forims of diag- media society projects contradicnosis that allow selection." tory images arfu impulses," he He said this kind of genetic se- said. lection is part of "a new wave of In order to reawaken the condiscrimination" aimed at the un- science as an eloquent and clear voice, the pope said, the Church born.

1 The pope did not nlame specific needs to work at the family and countries, but on thel same day it parish level so that young people was reported thauhe,lBritish gov- are educated in basic values and ernment would allow scientists to Church teachings. Lay Catholics genetically modify ~mbryos for should know that, particularly on research purposes ---1 which many human life issues, they need to see as a step closer to the genetic welcome the Church's teaching, breeding ~f babies. he said.

II

SIGNS OF HOPE - Teen-agers hold signs outside St. Mary's Church in Auburn, N.Y., following a recent Pro-Life march. (CNS photo/Mike Crupi, Catholic Courier)

Pro-Life speaker sees signs Roe could be overturned

By PATTY GAYES CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

spoke about mobilizing the states to pursue "trigger legislation" that would result in national action.

Daniel McConchie, executive director ofAmericans United for Life, said the Supreme Court is not likely to overturn Roe v. Wade in response to a direct challenge.

Nearly a dozen cases have "come before the Supreme Court asking them to reconsider Roe since 1992, and the court has refused to consider aany of them," McConchie said.

The last time the Supreme Court made a decisive decision that had an impact on Roe v. Wade was in 1992 in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.

The case was not a direct challenge using a state abortion ban, but was a case addressing abortion regulations seen as incremental, such as parental consent and waiting periods, McConchie said.

The law, most of which was upheld by the high court, required parental consent for minors, a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion, the filing of detailed reports about each abortion and distribution of information about alternatives to abortion. The court struck down a requirement that married women notify their husbands before having an abortion.

"I do believe the Supreme Court will address this issue (Roe) at some point, perhaps soon, but clearly it will be in its own time," McConchie said.

"Most likely, it will be again addressing some incremental regulations, but will at the same time quietly assert that the right to have an abortion is an issue that should be decided by the states," he said.

CHICAGO - Pro-Lifers attending an Illinois conference envisioned a nation without Roe v. Wade, and a speaker told them there are many signs the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion could be overturned.

"We see signs everywhere that an overturn of Roe v. Wade may soon be a reality," said Ann Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League and an organizer of the 17th annual SpeakOut lllinois. "Most notably, we see signs from abortion supporters who have said they are afraid they may lose the Supreme Court's support."

SpeakOut lllinois, sponsored in early February by a wide range of Pro-Life organizations, addressed how states would be affected if the Supreme Court overturned its 1973 ruling.

The Roe decision threw out most state restrictions on abortion, and its companion decision, Doe v. Bolton, permitted abortions through all nine months of pregnancy.

The conference looked at how laws made to comply with Roe have shaped culture, and how overturning the ruling would reshape culture.

"An overturn of Roe v. Wade will not mean the end of abortion," Scheidler said. "Most likely, the Supreme Court will allow individual states to make their own laws. So the states that now have especially liberal abortion laws will become meccas for abortion."

Those states include lllinois and New York, she added.

Speaker Chris Slattery, who operates a network of 15 crisis pregnancy centers in New York, spoke about how the centers will need to prepare for these . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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He said the centers he operates are expanding I their services to provide·ultrasounds to expectant mothers via mobile units parked in front of abor- April 14 - 21, 2007; June 23 - July 1, 2007; tion centers. In addition, the centers are expanding October 5 - 12, 2007; Cost: $2,200 their seorvices for counseling and prenatal and postRomelTuscany/Florence. natal care.

State Rep. Roger Hunt of South Dakota spoke at See the Pope, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, the conference about his state's recent effort to ban Catacombs, Spanish Steps..• abortion in any situation unless it endangered the Contact: mother's life. The legislation was approved by the Anthony Nachef, PhD (Theology) legislature and the governor, but was overturned in 857 W. Boylston St., Worcester, MA 01606 . a state referendum in 2006.

508-340-9370 Hunt's goal was not only to provide the state with E Pro-Life legislation but to push the Supreme Court -mail: an@catholicteachings.org to take a stand on the issue, since the law would CiIiiiIil Website: www.catholicteachings.org, or have directly conflicted· with Roe v. Wade. Hunt .... lW!I!!J. __ .

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9, 2007

Stang ~tudents help bring Pro-Life message to peers

By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF

Third-graders in Patricia Gracia's class at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in New Bedford participate in a series of Junior Achievement classes taught by Joe Gracia. The children had lessons about the importance of cities and were given a chance to build one out c;>trecyclable material. They also designed and ''worked'' in a restaurant, learned about the importance of a newspaper in a city, and role-played simple banking transactions.

CONSERVATION CONSCIOUS -

These Bishop Feehan High School students were award winners in its annual science fair. Front row from left: Megan Glasheen, Elizabeth Gingras, Caitlyn Doucette, Kaitlyn Gibson, Cori Semple and Kayla Holland. Middle from left: Joseph Paquette, William Clerx, Dan Scannell, Christopher Swick, Samuel Dodge, Ryan Post, Patrick Vale and Thomas Romero. Back from left: Grace McKayCorkum, Molly Clarke, Lauren Taylor, Spencer Driscoll, Casey Corkoran, Emma Killion, Cary Kaczowka and Grace Hannawi.

SCIENCE WHIZZES -

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MYLES OF SMILES - The Myles Family of Attleboro shares a smile following the National Honor Society induction at Bishop Feehan High School for youngest daughter, Meaghan Myles. From left: Mary Myles, Patrick Myles, Kathleen Myles, Kevin Myles, Meaghan, Kevin Myles, and Kelly Myles. All but Mary are alumni of the Attleboro school. Fifty-six students were inducted during the ceremony.

NEW BEDFORD - Four students from Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth are helping to spread the Pro-Life mes~age to their colleagues. They recently visited seventhand eighth-grade students at Holy FamilyHoly Name School where they participated in a Pro-Life presentation by the diocesan ProLife Apostolate.

Principal Cecilia M. Felix was happy to have them. ''This is a great opportunity for our students and they were very well organized," said Felix. "It's nice to have a peer augmented presentation and to see these students are professing their faith. In today's society, the more we can evangelize, the more we can open hearts."

The 90-minute presentation focused on life inside the womb and was aimed at bringing facts about life, the Pro-Life movement, and abortion to the gathering of middle schoolers.

For Junior Joc.elyn Trindade the idea of being a staunch supporter of life is an easy one. "My parents taught me that abortion was wrong," she explained during the presentation.

"I went on the Pro-Life March in Washington, D.C. this year and learned that one out of every four children is aborted. That's about 1,000 kids a day or one every 23 seconds. It could have been someone's best friend. When I heard that I wanted to help give a voice to the voiceless."

Her enthusiasm was shared by her fellow presenters, Juniors Lauren Ferris and Katia Garcia and Senior Cameron Durant, who all spoke to the students.

Garcia declared, "I love being here today.

I wanted to help bring the Pro-Life message to other young people and that's why I got involved."

Trindade said she heard about the opportunity from a classmate and although "a little nervous," she stated, "the opportunity to do something important is great."

The event was organized by the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate and its director, Marian Desrosiers, led the talk and told students, "We are against abortion because it is the killing of a baby before it gets a chance to be born and God tells us to stand up for what is right."

Desrosiers spoke about fetal development and brought several models of unborns for students to see. Each represented a different period of development in the womb and judging by the students' reactions'many could not believe the rapid growth and development during pregnancy.

A PowerPoint presentation entitled, ''The Beginning of Human Life," was at the center of the information and it helped answer questions they had. Desrosiers asked students what the rights ofthe unborn are and spoke about the rights guaranteed to Americans like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness guaranteed by the Constitution, but not extended to the unborn. ''We are all human beings," said Desrosiers.

"At what point does a human being become a human being?"

Desrosiers also told students that a child is a gift from God and God loves the baby and each one of them unconditionally. "Jesus tells us to judge the sin, but not the sinner. The taking of human life is wrong, but don't judge . the person. We offer Project Rachel for those suffering from abortion and we are' called to

reach out to those in need and be compassionate."

Seventh-grade teacher Chistina Rudd praised the presentation. "It was awesome.

They brought a very positive message for our students today. The younger they start out the better. It's important for them to hear this message."

For Ferris and her fellow presenters it was their first time speaking in front of students following several training workshops put on by the apostolate. Ferris said, "I didn't know anything about Pro-Life before I got to high school. But I had a good teacher and learned about it. It's notjust cells and tissue, it's a life."

Durant was thankful to be part of the presentation and shared his experiences of the Pro-Life March in Washington D.C. earlier this year. "I couldn't even see the start of the walk because there were so many people," said Durant. "It was one of the greatest experiences of my high school life."

Desrosiers asked students how many months into a pregnancy a woman could get an abortion. Some guessed six, others seven, but it is nine she told them. Many were surprised by that fact. They also learned that at 18 weeks in the womb a baby will begin to suck it's thumb. They also learned that since 1973 more than 47 million abortions have been performed. 744,600 abortions were performed in the first year that Roe v. Wade made it legal and it peaked at 1.6 million in 1980 according' to Desrosiers.

"Communist China is the only country that is more liberal than the United States because they force abortion," said Desrosiers.

The presentation also touched on premature births and one student in the class was premature by seven weeks. Desrosiers said, ''It doesn't make sense that at the same hospital they spend millions of dollars to save a premature baby, but on the other side of that same building路they may be killing babies older than that one."

The group passed out pins shaped like little feet to each student and they are the same size of those of a 10 week old baby in the womb.

"It's so important that students get this information," she said. "We need to get involved.

We need to speak for them." At the close of the presentation she encouraged students to pray for the unborn.

Seventh-grader Jessica Young enjoyed the presentation. "It was good and I learned a lot of things I didn't know before." Her classmate Jason Beauregard agreed. "It was a good learning experience. I learned some new things too."

This is the first presentation we've done in the schools with the students from Bishop Stang," Desrosiers added. "We're hoping to make presentations at other diocesan schools for other seventh- and eighth-grade classes. It is not a graphic presentation. It focuses on life inside the womb and it's a great opportunity to have peers educating peers on this important issue. We are grateful to be speaking on behalf of the unborn."

Kayla Muleey is also a seventh-grader and took home a small model of a baby with the intention of praying for the unborn. "I'm ProLife and I'd like to get more involved in it. It's a great message to tell people."

Schools is interested in bringing the ProLife presentation to their students can call the Pro-Life Apostolate at 508路997-2290for more information.

MARCH

YOUTH PAGES'

9, 2007

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Boyfriend, girlfriend miscommunications

Christians protest Finnish rock band's Lithuania tour

Bv CHARLIE MARTIN TOO LITTLE TOO LATE Come with me Stay the 'night You say the words, but boy it don't feel right What do you expect me to say?

(You know that it's just too little too late) You take my hand And you say you've changed But boy you know your begging don't fool me Because to you, it's just a game (You know it's just too little too late) So let me on down 'Cause time has made me strong I'm starting to move on I'm gonna say this now Your chance has come and gone And you know Refrain: It's just too little too late A little too wrong And I can't wait You know all the right things to say (You know it's just too little too lat~ You say you dream ofmy face But you don't like me You just like the chase So be real, it doesn't matter anyway You know it's just too little too late I was young And in love I gave you everything But it wasn't enough And now you wanna communicate (You know it's too little too late) Go find someone else .

I'm letting you go I'm loving myself You got a problem But don't come asking mefor hr;lp 'Cause you know

By RUTA TUMENAITE CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

the Lordi frontman holding a fire-spitting machine gun and VILNIUS, Lithuania - The water-spraying motor saw. latex mask-wearing and axe- , The next day in Klaipeda, apwielding Finnish rock band proximately 100 Catholic, ProtLordi has been greeted by half- estant and Orthodox representaempty concert halls and protest- tives held an alternative evening ing Christian groups in of prayer at St. Casimir Church Lithuania. next to the concert hall where Though individual calls for a Lordi played. The hall was boycott of the concerts were is- rented from the Lithuanian sued right before the Lithuanian Christian College, which tour, irritated sparked more controversy. organizers have blamed Chris"Under the guise of arFather tian protests for tistic and creative free- Arnoldas the low turnout. dom, an aesthetics of ab- Valkauskas, Lordi won surdity and ugliness ... is exorcist of the the 2006 preached, apparently Archdiocese E u r 0 vis ion speaking against human of Kaunas, rethe Song Contest, a and Christian values and jected opinion that c?mpetition to at the same time damagflOd the mo~t ing people's psyche," Lordi's Satanist appopular song m they said.

Europe. How_ pearance is ever, many Eu"just a game ropean ~eligious leaders have and part of an image," said the band could inspire "We wanted to warn people Satanism with its morbid im- that such things as wearing ages. ghostly masks are not funny at In a statement the same day all. Masks trace back to as Lordi's opening show in shamanic and pagan cultures," Vilnius Ash Wednesday, exor- Father Valkauskas told Catholic cists of the Archdiocese of News Service. "On the other Kaunas and the Diocese of hand, there are ample studies inPanevezys released a statement dicating that playing with such expressing concern over how the demonic things are unambiguband "represents a destructive ously negative, damaging a Satanist movement," person's self-esteem and open"Under the guise of artistic ing the way to the concrete and creative freedom, an aes- workings of Satan." thetics of absurdity and ugliness Because many controversial ... is preached, apparently speak- groups seek Christian protests ing against human and Christian for free advertising, Father values and at the same time dam- Valkauskas said the best way for aging people's psyche," they Christians to respond is "to live . said. an active and Christian life, afThe Vilnius concert featured firming their ideptity,"

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(Repeat refrain')'1 One should always be careful in I can love you with all how others are treated and in my heari, baby I making promises when dating. I I know that I have so muqh to give encourage teens to avoid lengthy (I have so much to give) emotional involvements. Date for With a player like you I don't fun and for learning what it means have a prayer !I to be in a caring relationship.

That's no way to live The song makes one point It's just too little tod late worth considering. The character's (Repeat refrain twice.) dissatisfaction with her boyfriend Sung by JoJo I!, stems from his lack of attention.

Copyright (c) 2006 by I True, we are not told what her Biackground Records , expectations were. However, his ~ How do you get to' be a way of relating was not what she "veteran" recording artistI at age路 sought in a boyfriend.

16? Well, if you put your"first disc This situation speaks of a need out when you're 13, Tha\ certainly in every relationship and, for that brings experience in the business. matter, at every level of commitPerhaps "veteran" is not quite ment: Thinking that your dating accurate in describing 1010'S partner shoJ.l1d "know" what you recording career, but sheldoes have are thinking is a sure path to history. Actually her current hit disappointment.

Further, those in a dating "Too Little Too Late" is off what is only her second album, 'rrhe High relationship should not attempt to ' 'II express needs through hints or Road."

For the past two year~ 1010'S manipulations. Doing so will been focusing on acting in films. likely lead to miscommunication Now she's back into mu~ic. and possibly resentment. Some "Too Little Too Late'; offers individuals avoid this type of more of what is overused in pop straightforward discussion because music, that is, expressio~s of teenthey want to avoid conflict. This age frustration. The song's may work temporarily, but eventUally the conflict becomes character has had it witq her boyfriend and his pretending to even more difficult to resolve care about her. She tellsl;him, "I because it has been layered with was young and in love, J gave you messy and manipulative communi-. everything, but it wasn't enough." cations.

Though the guy now wimts to I r~peat my' suggestion, though, "communicate," she tells him, that teens not get into exclusive relationships! Go out with a .

"I'm letting you go, I'm loving myself." His "chance has come variety ofpeople. Let others know and gone," and his reneZved up front that you do not seek a interest is "too little, t06 late." "steady" relationship. That way Follpwing her instintts in this you can just enjoy getting to know situation is a good idea: While the someone without the pressure of teen years are the time lo begin extensive expectations. . dating, serious relation~hips should Your comments are always wait for later when teens are more wekome. Please write to me at: I' prepared to face the cOplplexities chmartin@swindiana.netorat of their relationships. I ?125W 200S, Rockport, IN 47635.

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The jewel of the crown I spent last weekend with learned' this weekend is that our including a dance, were a part of more than 500 teen-agers. This young people, whether from Fall the weekend. Almost all attendweekend marked the biennial River ,or Maine, are the jewels in ees participated in the dance.

New England Catholic Youth Nearly 500 teens doing the our crown. It is a remarkable Conference in Nashua, N.H. The experience to sit in a room with Electric and Cha-Cha slides is hundreds of teen-agers as we are truly a sight to behold.

Diocese of Fall River was represented by more than 60 welcomed to the people, the largest delegation in eucharistic table. These , young people truly are several years. I'd like to take a moment here to thank everyone the Church. who took the time out of their Through th~ course weekend to share and strengthen of the weekend, teens \..-/. their faith. attended workshops :) , ?/~ Spending a weekend with from "Is there 'Sex in Crystal.lVled~iros 500 teen~agers may not seem an the City' ~f God" - a ~. \ ideal, and if I were to say that I discussion of the thoroughly enjoyed my time Catholic message about with them, some may think I sex and sexQality, to keynote Social activities aside, the weekend was filled with numerneed to have my head examined. presenters APeX Ministries' The weekend's theme was Triple "What's Your Sign" - an ous moments for spiritual growth. Gene Montrastelli and Crown: Practice, Praise, Preach exploration of signs and .sym- three key elements to living Brad Farmer of APeX discussed boIs of our Catholic faith.

Various social activities, ' the power of prayer, each sharing our Catholic faith. But what I

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their personal sto.ries"IAs1 scanned the room while they spoke, every teen-ager was focused on their message. Gene and Brad made themselves available to everyone:1 and anyone who felt they::needed to own talk about their I: experiences. They ministered to as many young peopl~: as possible.

Throughout ~e two-anda-half days, t~ens had other opportunities 'to experience tb,eir faith.

The hallways of the hotel were lined with teens wishing to participat~ in the sacrament of reconciliation. At one point, the committee searched for additional priests to hear confessions. It proves that if given the chance, te~ns willingly I

partake of this sacrament.

Attending a gathering with so many teen-agers nevt<r ceases to leave me amazed. I am always pleasantly surprised at their level of understanding as well as their commitment to the faith. I am always moved by how hungry they are for our Catholic faith. They are eager to learn . how to bring our values into a secular culture. All they need is a little guidance, a loving heart, and an ear to listen. They are the precious stones of our faith.

They are th~ jewel of the crown.

Crystal is the Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Lawrence Parish in New Bedford and im assistant in the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office. Email questions or comments to cmedeiros@dfrcec.com.

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I 18 Conferences

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MARCH

9, 2007

Continued from page one

"I was a fallen-away Catholic," Conferences: said Baker, 46, who owns a security Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley company in Billerica ''It was incred- will celebrate Mass at both conferible to find other men in the same situ- ences. Music will be provided by ation, trying to fill that big hole 'you Martin Doman of Christ Music, a have inside of you, hungry to find out music ministry that seeks to renew the what the truth is; to learn how to be Church through eucharistic praise and better fathers and husbands and worship. The men's day runs from friends."

8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the women's Baker saw a buddy, who was a from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check-in begins pretty tough guy, cry tears ofjoy after 90 minutes earlier each morning. leaving his first confession in 20 years.

Speakers for the women's confer"He got all that baggage out of his ence will be Immaculee Ilibagiza, ausoul," Baker said. ''We tapped into a thor of "Left to Tell:' a book that degroup of what I'd call 'real friends.' scribes how she survived the savage You could feel the Holy Spirit there, 1994 Rwandan genocide; Dana and I didn't even know what that Scallon, a successful former singer meant beforehand." turned Irish politician; Johnnette One result was that he formed a Benkovic, who founded the Catholic men's prayer group - Courageous Apostolates Living His Life AbunCatholic Men - which now meets dantly and Women of Grace; and Sismonthly. Members prompt each other ter linda Koontz, founder of Spirit of to understand and deepen their faith the Lord International Mission.

Five awards' will be presented to more under the spiritual direction of a priest. "Pastors are starting to realize area Catholics - a layman and laythat theirjobs get a lot easier when lay woman, a priest, a deacon or religious people get energized about their faith;' man, and areligious woman - whose Baker said. faith and work have inspired others Likewise in Seekonk, Doyle started during the past year. a men's prayer group at Our Lady of Attendees this year are coming Mount Carmel Parish. ''rrobably the from throughout the Bay State and best thing any man can do this Lent is from Maine to Florida Eighty exhibito attend the conference and let God tors will be present and about 200 touch him in a special waY;' said the priests will hear confessions. More 48-year-old photographer from than 5,000 people are expected to atRehoboth. . . tend each day.

"You have achance to be with other Among them will be BarbaraWenc men and share your stories. You have from Holy NameParish in Fall River, some of the best Catholic speakers in who is leading a busload of women the country:' he said. ''And when we from there and from Mt. Carmel in gather and give our time to God, the Seekonk, where she works as a busiLord will most likely give us some ness manager. ''I was most impressed word we need to hear. It could be last year to see how we can come tothrough someone on the bus, through gether in such large numbers sharing a speaker or a priest in confession. We one faith;' she said. "We're all one in just have to be aware." the Eucharist."

A group from St. Bernard Parish And Catholics won't be the only in Assonet will attend with Levesque, ones in attendance. Some Protestants, 58, who first went at the invitation of for example, will be with the group his son Ryan Levesque, 29, who is led by George Stillson from Our Lady heading up a group from St. John of Victory, Centerville. "Everybody Neumann's in East Freetown. who goes will hear something that will "It was overwhelming to see thou- touch them in a very special way. sands of men singing, laughing, pray- Hopefully a lot of people will be set ing at last year's conference:' Paul said. on the right path:' he said.

"I thought to myself: Who says the Scot Landry explairied that the first Catholic Church is dead? Everyone men's conference, held on the Feast really wanted to be there. The music of St. Joseph, began after his own and camaraderie were great arid the men's fellowship group at St. Paul's spiritual talks were pertinent."

Church in Cambridge felt the need to The speaker lineup for this year's do something constructive for the men's conference is impressive: Church in Boston.

Catholic author and apologist Patrick ''We were just a group of regular Madrid, host ofseveral EWTN shows; guys searching for a closer relationCardinal Peter Turkson, the fourth ship with 000:-' he said. The organiyoungest Catholic cardinal and the first zational team now includes 10 men from Ghana; CarlAnderson, Supreme and 10 women.

Knight of the Knights of Columbus; 1ickets will be $40 at the door ($20 Father Roger Landry and Scot Landry, for students, freefor clergy, religious 37-year-old identical twins from and postulants.) Lunch can be purLowell. Father Landry is pastor of chasedfor $12.50. The New Boston St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New ~~~Mn~mu~at#5&mmu Bedford and executive editor of The St., Boston. For direcMns andparkAnchor. Scot is secretary for Institu- ing information, call 617-977-0916 tional Advancement and chief devel- or v~it www.bostoncatholkmen.org . opment officer of the Archdiocese of and www.bostoncatholkwomen.org• Boston as well as a co-founder of the Gail (gailbesse@co11lCaSt.net) ~ Boston Catholic Men's and Women's a Massachusetts freelance writer.

SIX DECADES OF SERVICE - Five retired employees of Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River were recognized at a recent reception at the home. Each of the retirees received engraved clocks to acknowledge their 63 years of combined service to the residents and the staff. The retirees were, front, from left: Mary Marcelino, M. Fatima Pereira, Carol Araujo, and Emile Collard. Back, from left: Erin Kanuse, assistant administrator; Elisha Dumont, dietary supervisor; Diane Santos, RN, assistant director of nursing; and Gerald Farrar, housekeeping/laundry coordinator. Not pictured is retiree Eleanor Codega.

Taunton

Continued from page one

Linda Thayer's presentation and educating others on Pro-Life year's conference, and continues . issues. its support of the programs in the will begin at 1:45 p.m., and co-coordinator Lauren Murphy will give The Respect Life Committee at current year.

Holy Family Parish was estabCurrent committee chairmen the closing remarks, with prayer at lished in the fall of 2005 by Gre- are Carol Murphy and her daugh- 2:45 p.m.

Various Pro-Life organizations gory Bettencourt, a seminarian of ter, Lauren Murphy, a junior at the Fall River Diocese currently Coyle and Cassidy High School in will be available throughout the· day to provide information and studying for the priesthood at St. Taunton. answer questions on how to spread John's Seminary in Brighton.

Registration for the conference and support the Gospel of Life in In its first operational year, the will begin at 8 a.m. in the church today's world.

Respect Life Committee spon- at 370 Middleboro Avenue.

Participants are also welcome to sored an Adopt An Unborn Baby Father Maddock will greet conProgram, used a Baby Bottle Pro- ferees at 9 a.m., and Seminarian stay and attend the 4 p.m., Mass gram during Advent to collect Bettencourt will give the introduc- following the conference.

For more information on sugfunds for A Woman's Concern- tions.

Following Father Pacholczyk's gested pre-registration and the an agency that helps pregnant women - and assisted with a 9: 15 a.m., presentation, there will program, contact the Holy FamBaby Shower to provide supplies . be a break at 10:30 a.m. His sec- ily Church Respect Life Commitond presentation will begin at tee, PO Box 619, East Taunton, for Taunton Birthright.

It also conducted A Respect 10:45 and lunch-will be provided MA 02718; or call 508-823-2044; or visit carlaumar@aol.com.

Life Holy Hour as well as last at 12:30 p.m.

Stonehill College adopts SAT optional NORTH EASTON - Beginning in fall 2007, and impacting high school seniors in the class of 2008, candidates applying for admission to Stonehill College will have a choice whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores with their applications. . Scores will not be required; however, the college recognizes that many applicants may still choose to submit them to support their.applications.

Stonehill is making this move because it is mission-consistent: "Our mission states that the Col-

lege educates the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate' world."

"By becoming test optional, we rttaffirm our commitment to carrying the whole-person view through to our admission process - looking at candidates holistically, not summarizing them based solely on test scores," said Brian P. Murphy, dean of Admissions and Enrollment.

Providence College hosts Lenten luncheon presentations On March 14, Father John E. PROVIDENCE, R.I. - ProviAllard, O.P., assistant professor of dence College's Center for Cathotheology, will present "The Lenten lic and Dominican Studies will . sponsor two luncheon presenta- Journey: Reflections on Holy tions for the Lenten season on· Thursday and Good Friday."

On March 29, Father Thomas D. Wednesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 29, 2007 from noon to McGonigle, O.P., associate profes1 p.m. in the Center for Catholic sor of history and director of the and Dominican Studies on cam- . Center for Catholic and Dominican Studies, will present "The Lenten pus.

Journey: Reflections on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday."

The presentations are open to the pul:Tlic; reservations are required, as a light luncheon will be served. To reserve a place, please call the Office of Mission and Ministry at 401-865-1210 by noon on the day before the presentation.

MARCH

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Around the Diocese ~

AITLEBORO - Perpetual eucharistic adoration is held at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street. For more information call 508-226-1115.

FALL RIVER - Sacred Heart Church, 160 Seabury Street, has exposition and adoration ofthe Blessed Sacrament Mondays following the 8 a.m.

Mass until 2:30 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD- Perpetual eucha-

ristic adoration is held at Our Lady's Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street. For more information call Laurie Larsen-Silva at 508-888-7751. r----·-·

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AITLEBORO- ABible study ofthe Gospel of John led by La Salette Father Donald Paradis is ongoing at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. It meets Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon until May 26. For more information call 508-236-9068.

AITLEBORO - Ivan Dragicivic, a visionary from Medjugorje, will give a talk on his experiences tomorrow at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street. Archbishop George Pearce, S.M., will celebrate Mass at 7 p.m. and the talk will follow. The sacrament of reconciliation will be available at 5 p.m. and the rosary will be prayed at 6 p.m.

For more information call 508-2261115.

CENTERVILLE -The Stations of the Cross will be prayed Friday evenings during Lent at Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street. All are invited tojoin as members ofits various faith community groups lead the evening of prayer. For more information call Patricia Clock at 508-7755744.

coming for all its graduates May 4-6 featuring receptions, dinner, brunch, hospital tours and more. For more information contact Cecilia M. Russell, president, Alumni Association, 124 Slocum Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747.

[P;~~ife Activit~s

HYANNIS - The Cape Cod Pro-Life Group welcomes volunteers to pray the rosary on Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. in front of the abortion clinic located at 68 Camp Street.

NORm DARTMOUTH-The next YES! Retreat will be held March 1618 at the Family Life Center, 500

Slocum Road. This post-eonfirmation retreat is an opportunity for young people to grow in the understanding of the yes they proclaimed at confirmation.

For more information contact YES! Director Frank Lucca at flucca@comcast.net.

NORm DARTMOUTH- The next Retrovaille weekend will be held March 23-25 offering couples a chance to heal and renew troubled marriages. Rediscover yourself and your spouse and a loving relationship in marriage. For more information call 1-800-470-2230 or the Diocesan Office of Family Ministry at 508-999-6420.

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Miscellaneous

FAIRHAVEN - Our Lady's Haven seeks volunteers to assist at the nursing facility in transporting residents to and from their rooms to meals, activities and daily Mass. People are needed during the week and on weekends. For more information call Manuel Benevides at 508-999-4561.

FALL RIVER - GorVde Zale, Polish Lenten lamentations, will be sung following the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Masses during Lent at SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Holy Cross Church, 47 Pulaski Street. For more information call 508676-8463.

FALL RIVER - A soup kitchen is open on Mondays from 5-6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church Hall, 160 Seabury Street. Volunteers are welcome to assist beginning at 4 p.m.

NORTH DARTMOUTH - The School of Nursing Alumni Association at St. Luke's Hospital will hold a home-

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SOMERSET - Mrs. Lorraine L. (Gauthier) Bernier, 79, of Shawomet Avenue, wife of Rudolph B. "Pete" Bernier, and mother of Father Paul Bernier, rector of St. Mary's Cathedral in Fall River, died February 25 at the Clifton Rehabilitative Nursing Center.

Born in Fall River, the daughter of the late Eugene J. and Lucy B. (Mercier) Gauthier, she had lived in Tiverton, R.I., for 37 years and in Somerset for the past 20 years.

She was a member of Ladies of St. Anne Sodality of St. Louis de France Parish in Swansea.

Besides her husband of 59

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NEW BEDFORD - An organ recital

featuring Peter Krasinski, will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at St. Anthony ofPadua Church, 1359 AcushnetAvenue. He will perform on its historic 1912 Casavant Freres pipe organ and complimentary tea will follow in the church hall. For information call 508-993-1691.

TIVERTON, R.I. - A Spring Craft Fair will be held at Tiverton Middle School on March 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone who does handmade crafts or would like to participate or volunteer may call 508-674-5132. ~-pp-ort G;;~-psL-:..

years and her priest son, she leaves another son, Alan Bernier,

LORRAINE L. BERNIER

SAINT PAUL, Alberta (CNS)Catholic organizations which choose to do good work with funds raised from gambling create a scandalous situation that "compromises the religious identity" ofthe organization, said the bishop of Saint Paul.

Bishop Luc Bouchard said he is giving Catholic parishes, schools and other organizations up to three years to stop pursuing revenues derived from gambling.

In an Ash Wednesday pastoral letter Bishop Bouchardcalled on his diocese to contact their legislators to state four concerns or recommendations: -legalized gambling does an injustice to a vulnerable minority; - Alberta should set up "an impartial and open public review oflegalized gambling in order to see if the current and future benefits of gambling are not outweighed by their costs"; - the province should substantially increase "the quality and quantity" of counseling resources available for problem gamblers; - video lottery terminals and video slot machines should be eliminated or, at the very least, restricted to licensed casinos.

Bishop Bouchard also called on members of his diocese to examine their own gambling behavior "and resolve not to contribute to a culture of gambling."

The bishop said he wrote the letter "after much prayer and thought,

solely because the issue is so serious."

The Alberta bishops have spoken against the growing culture of gambling in the province. In 1998, as a group they issued a statement, "The False Eden ofGambling," that urged governments "to avoid seeing gambling as a cash cow to be milked for ever-increasing monies."

In his letter Bishop Bouchard traces the history of gambling in Alberta since 1967 when the only gambling was "relatively innocent games of chance and skill" taking place on the midways of agricultural fairs and exhibitions. Currently, the province has 6,000 video lottery terminals, 8,000 slot machi~es, 2,300 lottery ticket centers, five ~acetracks, three racing entertainment centers and 17 permanent casinosl Gambling " raises about $1.3 billion (WS$I.I bil' ) a year 10 . revenue 10 . II th e provIIon ince, according to the lettbr.

I "Gambling in Alberta is so visible and so ever present t~at no one any longer even notices ~hat a profound ethical transformation has

NORTH DARTMOUTH - The Diocesan Divorced-Separated Support Group will meet March 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 500 Slocum Road. It will include a presentation ofthe video, "Surviving Divorce."

Refreshments will be available. For more information call Bob Menard at

of Tiverton; three daughters, Jeanne Dallaire of Swansea, Susan Koerner of South Kingston, R.I., and Diane Trepanier of Westport; two sisters, Imelda Desrosiers and Pauline St. Laurence of West Palm Beach, Fla.; a brother, Eugene R. "Pete" Gauthier of Tiverton; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated March 2 in St. Louise de France Church in Swansea.

Burial was in Newport Memorial Park in Middletown, R.L The Auclair Funeral Home in Fall River was in charge of arrangements.

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Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks March 16 Rev. Francis 1. Maloney. S.T.L., Pas-

tor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1957 March 17

Rev. Henry R. Creighton, SS.CC., Damien Residence, 2004 March 18

Rev. Robert D. Forand, C.P., West Hartford, Conn., 1989 March 19

Rev. John J. McQuaide, Assistant, St. Mary, Taunton, 1905

occun-ed in slJch a short period of time," he said.

Citing the morality of gambling, "It espouses principles such as human dignity, the common good, solidarity and the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, which he says are "in very sharp conflict" with legalized gambling.

"Legalized gambling is not socially harmless but quite destructive to individuals, to families and ultimately to communities," said the bishop.

The bishop quoted a report by the Vanier Institute on the Family which says that "up to 90 percent of pathological gamblers have considered suicide, and 20 percent of those in treatment actually attempted it."

Bishop Bouchard said those most severely affected by gambling are disproportionately poor, and they "constitute a most vulnerable minority."

The report also said that children in problem gambling families live in an "atmosphere of chronic interpersonal conflict, poor parenting and domestic violence."

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NORm DARTMOUTH - Project Rachel, a ministry of healing and reconciliation for post-abortion women and men is available in the diocese. If you are hurting from an abortion experience and want help call 508-997-3300.

All calls are confidential.

508-965-2919.

19

Canadian bishop: Catholic groups using gambling funds give scandal

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CENTERVILLE - Echo of Cape Cod, a retreat program for high school students, is now accepting applications for its upcoming retreat weekends at the Craigville Conference Center. A Girls' weekend is scheduled this weekend and a Boys' weekend April 13-15. Applications may be downloaded from echoofcapecod.org. For more information call Mary Fuller at 508-759-4265.

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EAST TAUNTON -The second annual Respect Life Conference will be held March 31 at Holy Family Church beginning with registration at 8 a.m. It will include presentations by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk and Linda Thayer and will close at 3:30 p.m. with a prayer service. To register call 508-823-2044.

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ATTLEBORO - Pro-Life advocates picket and offer prayers on Wednesdays from 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:309 a.m. at "4 Women's Clinic," at the corner of Park and Emory streets, where abortions take place on those days. Participants are needed to pray and picket to help save the lives of unborn children.

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Mrs. Lorraine L. Bernier, 79; mother of Father Paul Bernier

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ATTLEBORO - A Divine Mercy holy hour is held Wednesdays following the 6:30 p.m. celebration of Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed during the holy hour. For more information call 508-222-5410.

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.haven't warmed up yet. But I am getting used to hot, running water again.

Continued from page one That's nice. While I'm happy to assist happy to be of assistance," Father istrator. here my heart is still in our mission in Pulling on a heavy sweater the sunPregana told The Anchor on a cold Honduras, where I've served since tanned priest said ''We are entering the and rainy day last week.

2004, and I'll be going back in June:' His assignment at Notre Dame hot season in Guaimaca and this New he said with a wide smile. will be as temporary parochial admin- England cold is like new to me again. I ''These months of March, April and May are the most frequently visited by wonderful groups from across the Fall River Diocese and unfortunately I will miss welcoming and being with them as they deliver books, medicines and needed items and work in our medical dispensary, in our boarding school and on our new, large, multi-acre farm where we grow produce as food and for resale too," he reported.

Various school groups and contingents from Bridgewater State College and Stonehill College "are among our frequent, repeat visitors and they do great work."

He said the mission itself serves a great purpose on three different lev1 Year $14.00 Foreign $25.00 els.

Name: _ "First, it helps the people in Guaimaca, with their parish life, eduAddress: _ cation and medical needs. It also helps the Fall River Diocese, because it allows us to realize our blessings City: State: Zip: _ and share those with others less fortunate. And last, it helps me on my IF GIVEN AS A GIFT, THE CARD SHOULD READ: spiritual journey, and I am blessed From: _ with the ministries I have and I can give more to the people I serve."

Street: City/State: _ One of the long-scheduled events during what was originally intended Parish to receive credit: _ to be a short stay, was a four-day reEnclose check or money order and mail to: treat at St. Mary's Parish in Mansfield The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722 beginning on February 25, the first

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Sunday of Lent. Father Pregana spoke at the parish Masses, following up with two talks daily and noon and evening Masses through February 28. ''Not to confuse it with our mission in Guaimaca, we called it a parish retreat," he said. "Many came and we entered into the spirit of it all. Because families are so busy with so many things these day, we asked them to make it a quiet time ... to sacrifice time, to give up time away from TV at night and read the Scripture passage for the day. Lent is a time ofretreat for the Church, a time of conversion, and that was the basic theme that guided us for the week. We looked at the temptations ofChrist and heard the invitation from Christ to change our hearts. We reflected on Pope Benedict's wonderful Lenten message, to reflect on the great love ofGod and make it a part of our lives."

He added, "Like the people, I reflected on how I needed to change and mirror that great love of God toward others, in my own heart."

Did his experiences in Guaimaca - one of the poorest regions in the world - enter into his presentations in Mansfield?

"People are all the same, no matter where they are," said the young missionary, who was ordained to the priesthood in 1989, served in parishes and as director of vocations and as a chaplain at UMass-Dartmouth. ''The particulars of life may be different, but the challenges and the faith journey are all the same. The need for hearing the call to conver-

sion is the same. I did share my experiences of living in Guaimaca which are so very different from living in Mansfield - and in perspective told them of how richly blessed they are living in a small community near Boston."

During the retreat, St. Mary's School Principal Joanne Riley coordinated a Mass in Spanish for the students in the upper grades who are studying Spanish.

"The Spanish teacher had prepared the children and they were excellent.l celebrated the Mass in Spanish and they were wonderful in participating, and doing the readings," he said.

But he made it clear that if anyone is interested in visiting the Guaimaca mission and working to benefit the people there, "Being able to speak Spanish is not important," Father Pregana asserted. ''The most frequent reason people give me for not coming to the Guaimaca mission is that they don't speak Spanish. I didn't either when 1 first went down there. People, including my family, come down and play with the children, and you wonder how can that happen? But there is a language of faith and love that goes beyond the spoken language. Bishop Coleman recently thanked our mission people for receiving and welcoming visitors so openly. You see, when people come to work and help others, there is no language barrier."

He noticed my silence, smiled and said, "I always carry Guaimaca in my heart."

Polish leaders express praise for new head of Warsaw Archdiocese VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Two months after Pope BenedictXVI's first choice as archbishop of Warsaw, Poland, resigned amid accusations ofcollaborating with communists, the pope named a 57-year-old bishop to take the post.

Archbishop Kazirnierz Nycz, who had been bishop of KoszalinKolobrzeg, was named archbishop of Warsaw March 3.

Newspapers have published quotations from the file that communist Poland's secret police kept on the cleric, saying that he repeatedly had refused to cooperate. A Polish priest's new book describes how the secret police attempted over the course of 12 years to recruit Archbishop Nycz as an informer but gave up in the face of his refusals.

Archbishop StanislawWielgus was named archbishop of Warsaw in December, but resigned during his installation Mass January 7 after two separate commissions said they had seen signed documents indicating he had "deliberately and secretly collaborated" with Poland's secret police.

In an interview with Vatican Radio March 4, Archbishop Nycz said that from the time he was named bishop of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg in 2004 he ''was convinced that the entire past-

mine, that of the priests and of the entire Church - had to be faced, because the past of the Polish Church is heroic."

"You cannot erase this truth even if, during the times of the communist terror, police control, the destruction ofmen in various ways by the regime, there were a certain number ofpriests who did not meet the challenge, which required heroism," he told Vatican Radio.

Archbishop Nycz said the Polish Church must face the past, ask for forgiveness and promote healing. ''I fear that some think that the most important problem facing the Church is that of purifying itself of the past," he said. "Instead, we must overcome the situation with serenity and continue our work, which is the mission of the Church: to preach the Gospel, call the faithful to holiness through the sacraments and concretely witness to love.

Nothing more."

Archbishop Nycz was born the son of a builder close to the former Nazi concentration camp atAuschwitz Feb. 1,1950. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Krakow in 1973 by the future Pope John Paul II.

Meanwhile, Polish Church leaders including Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz

ofKrakow and Cardinal Jozep Glemp, the outgoing archbishops of Warsaw, have welcomed the appointment and have expressed praise for Archbishop Nycz.

KAl said in a March 4 commentary that Archbishop Nycz had strongly backed Poland's May 2004 accession to the European Union and was known as "a person excellently understanding the needs ofthe unemployed and poor, who places great trust in laypeople and does not avoid media contacts."

The new archbishop had avoided "all signs of superiority" but had also proved to be tough with Polish politicians, said KAl. The archbishop had warned politicians in 2000 against seeking to build "unity out of seedy compromises, half-truths and concessions:' KAl said.

Father Adam Boniecki, editor of Poland's Tygodnik Powszechny Catholic weekly, said Archbishop Nycz's style had been "formed in the school of Cardinal Wojtyla," the future Pope John Paul ll.

"A simplicity free of Church nuances, insinuations and pretense behavior, and facing up to difficult issues - that's how Bishop Nycz was known in Krakow:' Father Boniecki told KAl March 4.