03.09.12

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , March 9, 2012

Archdiocese taking the lead in the fight against assisted-suicide

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

BOSTON — With a citizenpetitioned bill known as the Death with Dignity Act potentially headed for Massachusetts ballots later this year, a campaign is already in full swing in the Archdiocese of Boston to educate Catholics that physicianassisted suicide and euthanasia are never viable options.

The campaign entitled “Suicide is Always a Tragedy” was inspired

by Cardinal Séan P. O’Malley, OFM, Cap., and has been spearheaded by Janet Benestad, secretary of Faith Formation and Evangelization for the archdiocese.

“Back in the fall Cardinal O’Malley gave two homilies on the subject — one at the Red Mass for lawyers, the other at the White

Mass for nurses,” Benestad said.

“He spoke against assisted suicide and appointed two steering committees in the archdiocese — one to address the issue at the statewide level, working with the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, which is the public policy arm of the bishops in Massachusetts; and the other, an archdiocesan steering committee, and I was made the head of that committee.”

Benestad said her committee decided to devise an early educational campaign to inform people about the Church’s official teachings regarding assisted suicide, creating brochures and pew cards that could be distributed at all parishes and setting up a website dedicated to the issue.

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helping the hungry — The students at Holy Name School in Fall River recently collected more than 1,400 cans of food for those in need. The collected food was given to the Greater Fall River Community Soup Kitchens, Inc. With hundreds of hungry people across the Diocese of Fall River, donating food items is a beneficial way to give alms during the Lenten season.

Suffering of area poor and hungry can be lessened with Lenten almsgiving

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

NEW BEDFORD — At the beginning of his 2012 Lenten Message, Pope Benedict XVI quotes the Letter to Hebrews, “Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works,” (10:24). The Holy Father reminds the faithful, “A society like ours can become blind to physical sufferings and to the spiritual and moral demands of life. This must not be the case in the Christian community!”

Preventing suicide — The Archdiocese of Boston has established a website, suicideisalwaysatragedy.org, to educate Catholics about the dangers of physician-assisted suicide.

Federal judge affirms abortion clinic buffer

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — On February 22, a federal court judge upheld the current Massachusetts buffer zone law that restricts ProLife speech outside abortion clinics. Since 2007, sidewalk

counselors and those praying outside clinics in the Commonwealth have been required to do so at a 35-foot distance from all entrances. The law replaced a previous 18-foot restriction.

Seven Pro-Lifers who reguTurn to page 12

The Catholic Church stresses three important factors on which Christians should focus during the Lenten season: Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The pope tells us that Christians can express their membership in the one body of Christ “through concrete concern for the poorest of the poor.”

For Catholics wishing to heed the call to help the poorest of the poor, there are myriad national and international agencies that care for

the needs of the millions of innocent victims of poverty across the globe.

But Msgr. John J. Oliveira, diocesan director of the Propagation of the Faith Office, also sees the needs in our own back yard of the Diocese of Fall River. “There are so many people in our area who are in great need,” he told The Anchor.

“Almsgiving is not only about helping the missions. We can help Turn to page four

A Catholic retreat: Time for renewal and refreshing

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

ATTLEBORO — Lent is a season of repentance and renewal, a time to turn away from our sinfulness and recommit ourselves to following Jesus.

Retreats are a way for Catholics to have the time to contemplate better and more deeply how to embrace Jesus’ message. There are retreats for youth, young adults, married couples, and individuals.

They can be for just men or women, or co-ed. They can last a weekend, a work week, or just a day. Just as Jesus regularly took time away to pray to His Father, a Catholic ought regularly to do the same.

“It’s important in the sense that anyone who is in a serious relationship with God needs time away from the daily stuff that is going on with their life to focus on a retreat — that is a time with God,” said Father Cyriac Mattathilanickal, director of La Salette Retreat Center in Attleboro for the past six years.

Whether immersed in college courses, taking care of a family or lost in a stressful job, everything you do and the choices you make must reflect your faith, said Father Mattathilanickal, and retreats offer individuals that opportunity; “Take a Turn to page 14

refresher — Pope Benedict XVI kneels in prayer during his recent weeklong Lenten retreat.

All Catholics can benefit from periodic retreat experiences. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

News From the Vatican

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March 9, 2012

Archdiocese of Omaha opens sainthood cause for founder of Boys Town

OMAHA, Neb. (CNS) — It started in 1917 with a rented house, five boys who needed a home in Omaha and a Catholic priest determined to help troubled and abandoned youths throughout the city.

Now, Boys Town helps more than 1.6 million people each year through its main campus of group homes, churches, a grade school and high school, post office and bank, as well as a national research hospital in Omaha, a national hotline, and other services and locations around the country.

And the priest who started it all — Father Edward Flanagan — might someday be named a saint.

The process toward canonization began February 27 with Archbishop George J. Lucas — surrounded by more than 200 people with dozens of cameras flashing — placing a notice on the doors of St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha.

The notice, which is a centuries-old Church tradition, alerts the public to the opening of Father Flanagan’s sainthood cause.

It also invites people to share their thoughts with a tribunal that is being formed to review the priest’s life and works.

The process toward possible canonization continues with a March 17 Mass at Immaculate Conception Church at Boys Town — where Father Flanagan’s body is laid to rest — with Archbishop Lucas, Father Steven Boes, executive director of Boys Town, and other Catholic officials participating.

Father Flanagan will be named a “servant of God” at the Mass. In addition, the archbishop will install the religious officials and experts who will form the tribunal investigating Father Flanagan’s work and reputation. Tribunal members will interview people who come forward as witnesses of Father Flanagan’s virtue.

If there is a declaration of the priest’s heroic virtues, the Church will give him the title “venerable.”

The second step is beatification, after which he is called “blessed.”

The third step is sainthood. At various steps in the canonization process, evidence of alleged miracles is presented to Church authorities.

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In general, two miracles need to be accepted by the Church as having occurred through the intercession of the prospective saint.

If Father Flanagan is canonized, he would be the first person declared a saint whose ministry was based in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

The process could take years to complete — or even decades, said Omar Gutierrez, director of the archdiocesan Office of Missions and Justice and the tribunal notary. In some cases, causes for sainthood are never completed because of a lack of witnesses, funds or volunteers, or major gaps in the historical timeline for the person, he said.

But Gutierrez and others involved in Father Flanagan’s cause said they believe the process could move relatively quickly because officials at Boys Town have organized easily-accessible records on the late priest’s life.

The groundwork for Father Flanagan’s sainthood cause began 13 years ago when several Boys Town alumni formed a group to build devotion to the priest and teach people about his life and mission as a mentor and protector of youth.

The Father Flanagan League Society of Devotion has been holding monthly prayer meetings at Father Flanagan’s tomb, speaking about him publicly, coordinating prayer groups in Ireland, Father Flanagan’s native land, and leading pilgrimages to Boys Town that reflect on his life and virtue.

“We are humbled and overjoyed by Archbishop Lucas’ acceptance of our petition to examine the heroic virtue and sanctity of Father Flanagan,” said Steven Wolf, league president and a 1980 Boys Town High School graduate.

“We see this as a response to the Holy Spirit that is moving through an international groundswell of devotion,” he told The Catholic Voice, Omaha’s archdiocesan newspaper.

Father Flanagan’s vision made him a thoroughly modern man, Wolf said, and his example, words and beliefs about educating and raising children are as relevant today as they were in his lifetime.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 56, No. 10

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time for reflection — Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo of Kinshasa offers spiritual reflections to Pope Benedict XVI (seen through the doorway) and Vatican officials recently in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel in the Apostolic Palace. Seated at right are Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, retired prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. The pope and top Vatican officials were on a weeklong Lenten retreat February 26-March 3. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

Content of pope’s Lenten spiritual exercises revealed

Vatican City (CNA/EWTN News) — The Vatican revealed details of the meditations being preached to Pope Benedict XVI during his weeklong Lenten retreat led by Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa in the Congo.

“To live in truth,” the cardinal told the pope, “is to live according to the Beatitudes. It means repudiating the lies of our words and actions. It means rejecting the hypocrisy which impels us to appear other than as we are.”

In a Vatican communiqué released on March 2, the cardinal said this is as true for the Church collectively as it is for each individual “so that the truth of Christ’s Gospel may be known and lived.”

Last week, Cardinal Pasinya lead the pope and the Roman Curia in three meditations a day interspersed with praying the Divine Office and Eucharistic Adoration. As a result, all private and public papal engagements were canceled including a general audience.

The theme for the week has been “the communion of Christians with God,” with Cardinal Pasinya reflecting upon God as light, truth,

mercy and loving guide, before turning to consider love of the world, lack of faith in Christ and the sin of priests.

He began, however, with “the sign of the cross” saying that it was much more than habit but an “act whereby we add the splendor of knowledge and the dynamism of freedom to our every action.” It is a sign which means “sacrifice for love. It is death for resurrection.”

In his mediation upon God as “the way, truth and life,” Cardinal Pasinya said that despite many of the horrors of the modern world – including war, genocide and abortion — we must never been indifferent “to repression and man’s exploitation of man.”

“Even if the mystery of sin is beyond us,” he said “we must walk in the light” or “in other words, we must choose to abandon sin.”

Understanding God as truth is particularly important for people “who have no awareness of their own sins, for people who have lost the sense of sin because they no longer pose themselves the problem of God.” It is also important for those who no longer possess moral criteria and confuse good with evil, he

said, adding that this was a tendency related to “religious indifference which affirms that all religious are alike but which, in reality, is seeking a lax morality.”

He cautioned the gathering of clerics that this phenomena can also affect priests “in the measure to which spiritual barrenness leads them into the same defects,” and when “priestly ministry thus becomes mere functionality and has no true sense of God.” The cardinal then warned priests against putting themselves into occasions where sin is more likely, stating that “our generosity does not protect us from sin. We must be prudent, and not recklessly expose ourselves to the possibility of falling.”

And he offered the response of the penitent St. Peter following his betrayal of Jesus as a model of how a priest should react upon falling into sin.

“In all situations, whatever happens, the Lord is always at our side.

The biggest affront we can show Him is to doubt in His mercy, as Judas did.”

The retreat in the Vatican’s Redemptoris Mater Chapel concluded March 3.

March 9, 2012

The International Church

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Scottish midwives lose case to avoid participation in abortion

altar rails — Workers build an altar in front of Cuban independence hero Jose Marti’s mausoleum at Havana’s Revolution Square. Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass at Revolution Square when he visits Cuba this month. (CNS photo/Stringer via Reuters)

Vatican urges Catholics to help Church in Holy Land

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — The Vatican has called on Catholics around the world to give generously to the traditional Good Friday collection for the Holy Land.

“The annual Lenten journey towards the Pasch of the Lord offers a propitious occasion to sensitize the Catholic Church around the world with regard to the Holy Land by promoting relevant initiatives of prayer and fraternal charity,” said Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, in a letter sent to the bishops around the world on March 1.

The annual collection goes not only towards the Church in Israel and Palestine but also to Christians in the surrounding states of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Egypt. Recent political upheaval in the region is creating an uncertain future for many Christians in these lands.

It was in this part of the world, Cardinal Sandri reminded the bishops, that “the Son of God made man” traveled “announcing the Kingdom” before going up “to the Holy City” to be crucified.

From that time, he added, “every Christian finds himself at home in that City and in that Land.”

Cardinal Sandri also reminded the bishops of the “unceasing request of Pope Benedict XVI that the mission of the Church in the Holy Places be generously supported.”

Last month, the pope told a gathering of 182 ambassadors to the Holy See of his concern “for the people of those countries where hostilities and acts of violence continue, particularly Syria and the Holy Land.”

Pope Benedict also used a Sunday Angelus address to issue a “the

pressing appeal to put an end to the violence ... for the common good of the whole of society and the region.”

Cardinal Sandri spoke of the urgent need to support the “schools, medical assistance, critical housing, meeting places,” and other such social services which the Catholic Church provides “to all without exception,” in the region.

By offering its charity to all religious groups the Church thus helps create a form of “fraternity” which can help “overcome division and discrimination” and give “renewed impetus to ecumenical dialogue and interreligious collaboration.”

As for the plight of the Christian minority in the region “Good Friday seems more fitting than ever as a sign of the needs of both pastors and faithful, which are bound up with the sufferings of the entire Middle East,” he said.

Many of the countries in the region have witnesses a dwindling of their Christian populations in recent years due to emigration.

Cardinal Sandri said this exodus is “exacerbated by the lack of peace, which tends to impoverish hope.”

His comments come on the day that a report was published detailing how the money from last year’s Good Friday collection was spent. The report was produced by the Custody of the Holy Land, a branch of the Franciscan order with responsibility for the Holy Places.

It explained how the 2011 Good Friday funds were used to restore and maintain numerous shrines, churches and convents in the Holy Land including such places as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Magdala and Mount Tabor.

A significant part of the proceeds were also used to fund student scholarships, to help small

business, and to build houses, schools and play areas for children.

Cardinal Sandri concluded his letter with the hope that Pope Benedict’s upcoming Year of Faith will be an opportunity for Christians worldwide to “restore the spiritual patrimony which we have received from these Christians’ two millennia of fidelity to the truth of the faith.”

This can be done, he said, through “prayer, by concrete assistance, and by pilgrimages.”

As for his prayer for this year’s Good Friday, he asked that “around the Cross of Christ, let us be conscious of being together with these brothers and sisters of ours.”

Glasgow, Scotland (CNA/ EWTN News) — Two Catholic midwives from Scotland have lost their legal battle to avoid taking part in abortion procedures on grounds of “conscientious objection.”

“I view this judgment with deep concern,” said Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow. “I wish to put on record my admiration for the courage of the midwives who have, at very great cost to themselves, fought to uphold the right to follow one’s conscience.”

Mary Doogan and Connie Wood were previously told by the state-run National Health Service in Glasgow that they had to supervise and support fellow midwives who perform abortions. As senior staff, they were also expected to be on standby to help in abortion procedures in certain medical situations.

On February 29 Scotland’s highest civil court ruled that the women’s religious liberties were not being infringed because “the nature of their duties does not in fact require them to provide treatment to terminate pregnancies directly.”

The Court of Session judgment also said that the women knew abortions were part of the job description when they accepted their posts as labor ward coordinators.

Doogan said they were “very disappointed” by the verdict and that it would have “very grave consequences for anyone of conscience who wishes to choose midwifery as a career.”

The midwives had maintained that their right to opt-out of providing abortions for reasons of conscience was upheld by Article 9 of

the European Convention on Human Rights and Section 4(1) of the U.K.’s 1967 Abortion Act. The two midwives previously told the Court of Session that “they hold a religious belief that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception and that termination of pregnancy is a grave offense against human life.”

But the National Health Service in Glasgow rejected their appeals, claiming that their rights are being respected because the midwives are not compelled to administer abortion-inducing drugs. The Court of Session today agreed with that argument.

The court ruled today that the 1967 Abortion Act allowed only qualified conscientious objection, and that the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to freedom of conscience and religion were not absolute.

Both Doogan and Wood have worked for over 20 years at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital and have always made clear their conscientious objection to abortion.

In 2007, however, the National Health Service in Glasgow decided to send more women undergoing late-term abortions to labor wards, instead of admitting them to gynecological departments. This change in policy led to the current dispute between the health service and the midwives.

Doogan, who comes from Glasgow, has been absent from work because of poor health since 2010, as a result of the ongoing situation. Meanwhile, Wood has been transferred to other duties.

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The Anchor

Archdiocese leading fight against physician assisted-suicide continued from page one

“The website codified with the material that was handed out to parishes here in the archdiocese on February 11 and 12 — the World Day of the Sick and the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes,” Benestad said. “The idea here was to provide as much education as we could in a simple way on the question of assisted suicide. We hope to educate parishes, pastors, teachers, chaplains — anyone who would have to speak on this issue or works in the health-related field.”

Supporters of the Death with Dignity Act garnered more than 86,000 certified signatures last December, but the Massachusetts state legislature has until May to choose whether or not to act on the proposal before it would appear on the ballot later this year.

Proponents say the measure would give patients greater peace of mind, choice and control in their final days of life. The legislation permits individuals who are given six months or fewer to live to receive life-ending drugs. The law would require that two doctors verify the mental competence of patients and that there be a 15-day waiting period between the request for and writing of the prescription.

But Cardinal O’Malley in his Red Mass homily last September at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross called the initiative petition “an attempt to undermine the sacredness of human life that demands an energetic response from Catholics and

other citizens of good will.”

The cardinal acknowledged the fears that many have today of a “protracted period of decline at the end of life,” in which they may experience pain, loss of control, dementia, abandonment, and becoming a burden on others. But then he declared, “We as a society will be judged by how we respond to these fears.” The way to respond to the fear is not to allow those with the fears to kill themselves, but to respond to them with greater attention, love and care.

“Suicide is a tragedy, one that a compassionate society should work to prevent,” he said.

At their June 2011 meeting, the bishops of the United States also approved and published a clear statement against physician-assisted suicide entitled, “To Live Each Day with Dignity.”

In it, the bishops observed that many people today fear the dying process and “being kept alive past life’s natural limits by burdensome medical technology. They fear experiencing intolerable pain and suffering, losing control over bodily functions, or lingering with severe dementia. They worry about being abandoned or becoming a burden on others.”

“Taking life in the name of compassion,” they stated, “also invites a slippery slope toward ending the lives of people with non-terminal conditions. Dutch doctors, who once limited euthanasia to termi-

nally-ill patients, now provide lethal drugs to people with chronic illnesses and disabilities, mental illness, and even melancholy. Once they convinced themselves that ending a short life can be an act of compassion, it was morbidly logical to conclude that ending a longer life may show even more compassion.”

Benestad admitted there’s a lot of confusion among Catholics about end-of-life treatment options, and she hopes the Suicide is Always a Tragedy campaign will send a clear message about the Church’s teachings.

“Most Catholics believe that you cannot refuse treatment even if it’s burdensome or costly or excessive,” she said. “The fact of the matter is you can refuse treatment.

For example, if you are an elderly person who has been diagnosed with cancer, you can refuse chemotherapy if you feel it’s going to be excessively burdensome or painful or that it’s futile. The ethical and religious directives of the Church are very clear about that.

“The second area of confusion among Catholics is that you can’t have enough pain medication at the end of life; but you can have whatever level of morphine you need to control the pain, even if that level of treatment hastens death. Those two things are very important to clear up for Catholics as they deal with decisions at the end of life.”

But the one thing Benestad said is not condoned by the Catholic

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March 9, 2012 Church is aiding someone in what has been callously labeled as “mercy killing.”

“That’s not a way to treat someone who is in the late stages of life or is dying,” she said. “We care for the sick and dying, we don’t kill them.”

With the Death with Dignity Act looming on the horizon and given the current environment where assisted-suicide is being encouraged, Benestad said it’s vitally important for Catholics to make sure they appoint a health care proxy who is

Area poor can be helped with almsgiving continued from page one

them all year long and we have special collections throughout the year.

We must also focus on the needs of our brothers and sisters in our own communities, and I think Lent is a perfect time for us to look beyond our own needs.

“Lent is more than just giving up candy and filling up Rice Bowls and mite boxes for the poor worldwide. It’s about not forgetting others so near to us.”

One suggestion he has for area faithful is to “bring a food donation to church when attending weekend Masses. Many parishes across diocese have food baskets available for donations to help the many food pantries and kitchens in our cities and towns. We have a basket at every entrance at St. Mary’s Church in New Bedford.”

An online search of food pantries and kitchens within the Diocese of Fall River revealed more than 30 locations from the Attle-

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clearly aware of their intentions.

“Catholics have to think seriously about who they want to have making those decisions for them if they’re not able to themselves,” she said. “It is very important for Catholics to make clear to people making those decisions that assisted suicide is not an option for them. It’s not morally acceptable to them.”

For more information about the Suicide is Always a Tragedy campaign, visit www. suicideisalwaysatragedy.org.

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Parish to receive credit: Enclose check or money order and mail to: The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722 This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concern in the Diocese of Fall River Gilbert C. Oliveira Insurance Agency

boros through Cape Cod and the Islands.

During the recent Advent season, Arlene McNamee, diocesan director of Catholic Social Services told The Anchor that “there are more people with less resources than we’ve seen in years.” That trend has not changed in the less than two months since. “The fact is we cannot meet the needs that are presenting themselves and we anticipate more to come over the next 12 months.”

Catholic Social Services provides assistance to scores of individuals who are homeless, living in temporary shelters, jobless, and living below the poverty level.

Donations of non-perishable food products at diocesan churches go a long way in meeting the temporal needs of many.

The need is also great for clothing, including adults and children, and for baby products.

Father Michael Racine, pastor of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet, told The Anchor his parishioners “are very generous when it comes to helping out area food kitchens and pantries. We consistently fill food baskets at weekend Masses and send the donations to the St. Anne’s food kitchen in Fall River.

We also collect clothing for needy seniors in the Lakeville area.”

Other diocesan agencies taking a proactive stance on the fight against poverty include the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Knights of Columbus.

Msgr. Oliveira said many people think that helping the missions and national and international agencies are the only ways of helping the poor and needy. “Just bring a food item to church on Sunday,” he said.

“It can be an important part of the Church’s call for prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent. It’s our Catholic responsibility to be conscience of the need to help others.”

For information on donating items or money to Catholic Social Services, contact 508-674-4681; the diocesan Propagation of the Faith Office at 508-995-6168; the St. Vincent de Paul Society at 508409-1452, or 508-642-3440; any member of the Knights of Columbus; or your local parish.

5 The Church in the U.S. More ‘confusion than clarity’ about HHS mandate, Cardinal Dolan says March 9, 2012

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said there is more “confusion than clarity” in the revised federal contraceptive mandate.

In a March 1 blog entry on the New York archdiocesan website, the cardinal said the U.S. bishops will “keep up advocacy and education on the issue” and “continue to seek a rescinding of the suffocating mandates that require us to violate our moral convictions.”

San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer in a February 27 column in the San Francisco Chronicle said the troubling aspect of the revised HHS mandate was “not about contraception, but about religious liberty.”

The mandate, announced January 20 by Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, requires no-cost coverage of all contraceptives approved by Food and Drug Administration, including some that can cause an abortion, as well as sterilizations, as part of preventive health services for women. A narrow religious exemption applies only to those employed by houses of worship.

In a revision announced February 10, President Barack Obama said religious employers could decline to cover contraceptives if they were morally opposed to them, but the health insurers that provide their health plans would be required to offer contraceptives free of charge to women who requested such coverage.

U.S. bishops and other religious leaders continue to press for rescission of the HHS contraceptive mandate, saying it

violates religious liberties. be reached in the health care Catholic bishops to uphold reCardinal Dolan, in his blog law to allow self-insured reli- ligious liberty.” posting, said he is putting more giously affiliated institutions More than 4,500 women hope in finding a resolution to to provide contraception access have signed a letter urging this issue through Congress or without violating their reli- Obama, Sebelius and Congress the courts than the White House. gious beliefs. “to allow religious institutions “We have to be realistic and pre“There are a variety of ar- and individuals to continue pare for tough times,” he said. rangements already in place in to witness to their faiths in all He also disputed the opin- the 28 states that have this law their fullness.” ion expressed in an editorial in already in place and we intend The open letter from women the March 5 edition of America to be informed by that when was organized by Helen Alvamagazine, which said the bish- we propose the rules,” Sebel- re, who teaches law at George ops’ objection to the revised ius told members of the House Mason University School of mandate is primarLaw, and Kim Danily “a difference ardinal Dolan, in his blog posting, said iels, former counover policy” and he is putting more hope in finding a sel to the Thomas seemed to “press More Law Center, resolution to this issue through Congress or under the banner, the religious liberty the courts than the White House. “We have Women Speak for campaign too far.”

Bishop William to be realistic and prepare for tough times,” Themselves (http:// E. Lori of Bridge- he said. womenspeakforthport, Conn., chairemselves.com). man of the U.S. “No one speaks bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee Energy and Commerce Health for all women on these issues,” on Religious Liberty, also took Subcommittee during a hearing the letter says. “Those who issue with the editorial in a about the HHS’s 2013 budget purport to do so are simply atMarch 2 letter to the editor. In proposal. tempting to deflect attention reference to the editorial’s call “Whether it’s through a from the serious religious libfor civility and a “conciliatory third-party administrator or a erty issues currently at stake. style,” he said: “Maybe Mo- side-by-side plan or many othThe Senate voted 51-48 ses wasn’t at his best when he er arrangements, we will offer March 1 to table the Respect confronted Pharaoh. Maybe the a variety of strategies to make for Rights of Conscience Act, Good Shepherd was a bit off sure that religious liberties are also called the Blunt amendHis game when He confronted respected,” she said. Sebelius ment for its chief sponsor, Sen. the rulers of his day.” was responding to a question In his column, Archbishop by Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., Niederauer acknowledged “the who asked about possible penissue of contraception is ex- alties for religious employers tremely important in Ameri- that fail to comply with the can society,” but also pointed HHS mandate to offer contraout that there are “frameworks ceptive drugs that violate their though which the government’s religious principles. desire to make contraceptives Upton said a Catholic hospiwidely available and afford- tal in his state would likely be able, and the Catholic Church’s subject to fines of more than $1 desire not to be involved in billion. supplying contraceptives that Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., who conflict with Catholic faith, can chaired the hearing, read a both be accomplished.” statement from Catholic ChariIn a March 1 congressional ties USA emphasizing that the subcommittee hearing, Sebe- organization did not endorse lius said she was confident an the revised HHS mandate and acceptable compromise could shared the “goal of the U.S.

C

Roy Blunt, R-Mo. The act would have allowed Church-affiliated organizations, including Catholic charities, hospitals, schools and universities, to opt out of mandated contraception coverage and would have extended exemptions to any nonreligious employer with a moral objection to such coverage.

Under the amendment, any employer also would have been allowed to refuse to cover any other preventive health care procedures required under the rule if they held a moral or religious objection.

Bishop Lori said in a statement after the vote that the bishops will continue their strong defense of conscience rights for all people.

“The need to defend citizens’ rights of conscience is the most critical issue before our country right now,” Bishop Lori said.

“We will continue our defense of conscience rights through all available legal means. Religious freedom is at the heart of democracy and rooted in the dignity of every human person.”

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The Anchor What we’ve been learning, Part I

It’s a new day for the Catholic Church — and for truly religious believers in general — in the United States. While the Church in the U.S. experienced discrimination in the past — most notably during the Know Nothing era of the mid-19th century — for the most part, this discrimination, despite its occasional mockery of Catholic beliefs, was fundamentally ethnic and anti-immigrant in its motivation. Once this rabid xenophobia passed and Catholics had the chance to demonstrate that they were good Americans — hardworking, family-oriented, community-building, patriotic, and self-sacrificial citizens — even those who may have had theological issues with Catholic teaching couldn’t help but recognize how much Catholics and Catholic institutions contributed to the common good. From hospitals, to schools, to orphanages, to soup kitchens, to local St. Vincent de Paul chapters, to scores of other parochial, diocesan and national social work, Catholic individual and institutional charity justly won the respect and admiration of almost all Americans; proof-texting Protestants, hard-core hedonists, supercilious secularists and assiduous atheists alike all seemed to agree that the Church’s charity was a cause for the common good that should be praised, protected, participated in and promoted. Those who opposed the Church’s teachings generally agreed to disagree with the Church in those areas, while enthusiastically supporting all the Church does and continues to do for the poor through her institutional charity. The good the Church did far outweighed in their opinion the problems they had with Church doctrine.

But that was then. We have entered an era when hostility toward the Church’s teachings on the part of militant secularists and ethically-emancipated voluptuaries has become so aggressive that they are hell-bent on shutting down the Church’s charity unless the Church sacrifices fidelity to its moral teaching and capitulates to incensing before the altars of Ba’al (sex) and Moloch (abortion).

Until recently, these attacks have come primarily through the courts, where activist groups would seek to find activist judges to try to ignore the Constitution, centuries of laws and standard legal interpretations to invent rights, for example, to abortion or same-sex marriage and to eliminate rights to religious expression in public ceremonies or public property. It happened through the courts because the unpopular things they wanted to achieve basically didn’t stand a chance of winning referenda or elections. What has changed recently, however, is that those who would sacrifice the Church’s charity in order to advance a radically-secularist agenda are now seeking to do so through intentionally-ambiguous legislation and the decisions of increasingly-powerful unelected officials in agencies of the executive branch.

This change led the U.S. bishops in September to establish an ad-hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, to help the bishops not only to stay alert to the multivalent coordinated attack on religious freedom that threatens the Church’s charitable work but also to help them inform all Catholics and conscientious citizens of these unconstitutional incursions. The Archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, pointed out then that there were “increasing threats to religious liberty in our society,” which is now “in unprecedented ways under assault in America.” He noted the attempts of the Obama Administration through the Department of Health and Human Services to eliminate the Church’s charitable work from the government’s understanding of religious institutions and to force these charitable institutions to pay for abortion-causing pills, sterilizations and contraception. Churches could either cave in against their moral teaching and believers’ consciences, or pay a crippling annual fine, or close their doors, as Church adoption agencies have had to do in Massachusetts, Illinois and elsewhere.

But that wasn’t an isolated infraction. HHS, Cardinal Dolan stated, also stripped the bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services agency of its contract to continue its award-winning work with sextrafficking victims because it refused to offer the “full range of reproductive services”— something the Obama Administration, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, has also been threatening to do to Catholic Relief Services unless it likewise facilitates abortions, sterilizations and access to contraception. The administration has shown that it is willing to sacrifice all the good the Church has done in these areas unless the Church cooperates in what in considers evil, even though there are plenty of other groups that can deliver these “services.” Furthermore, Cardinal Dolan described how the Obama Administration’s Justice Department wants to compel religious groups to adhere to anti-discrimination employment laws, even when these violate the groups’ religious teachings — something that the U.S. Supreme Court eventually unanimously overturned in January — and regards the Church’s defense of marriage as the union of one man and one woman as an instance of unconstitutional bigotry; this latter position portends that, if the administration gets its legal way, the Church would be breaking the law if it continued to preach and practice that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.

The Fathers of the Church, when commenting on Christ’s command to love our enemies, noted that while Christians are never supposed to make enemies, they will nevertheless have them involuntarily, when others make themselves the adversaries of the Church. That is what is going on now. As Cardinal Dolan noted in a March 2 letter, “We did not ask for this fight.” The fight has come from those who have decided to treat the Church and her charitable institutions as enemies and to use the coercive power of the executive branch to compel the Church to acting against its religious teaching and individual consciences.

Church leaders have been understandably reluctant and slow to acknowledge the presence and intentions of those who have made themselves the Church’s enemies. Spiritually trained to see the good in others, pastorally experienced to working together for the common good with those who don’t agree with the Church on everything, and politically committed to engagement and conciliation rather than withdrawal and condemnation, many Church leaders were caught off guard by the sustained virulence of the recent attacks on religious freedom. Many believed President Obama when at Notre Dame he said that he wanted to “honor the conscience of those who disagree” with him and to “make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded not only in sound conscience but also in clear ethics.” They took him at his word when he assured Pro-Life legislators that the health care reforms would not push abortion and would have adequate conscience protections. Cardinal Dolan himself believed him when in November at the Oval Office the president assured him that he would do nothing to impede the good work of the Church. But the bishops have had to conclude, reluctantly, that the president is not an honest man. Even more troubling, after the president’s phony “accommodation” that didn’t even get published in the Federal Registry, after the administration didn’t even consult the Catholic bishops before announcing it, and after the administration informed the bishops after announcing it that questions of religious freedom would not even be considered in the specifications of the accommodation, the bishops have now reluctantly had to adopt a position of justified skepticism toward the president’s stated desire to harmonize free contraception with “important concerns raised by religious groups.”

The first thing that we’ve all been learning is that, unbidden, the Church is now in a fight not of its making against members of an administration intent on using the power of government, in open defiance of the First Amendment, to compel the Church to act contrary to her teaching with regard to abortion, sterilization and contraception. This fight, as one commentator recently said, is not about contraception any more than the Revolutionary War was about tea.

Next week, we’ll examine several other lessons we’ve been learning.

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March 9, 2012

‘I will give you shepherds’

oday we examine the second sharers in His consecration and mission; “degree” within the Sacrament and these, in their turn, duly entrusted in of Holy Orders — the priesthood. In the varying degrees various members of the ninth chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, we Church with the office of their ministry. read the passage where Christ summoned The function of the bishops’ ministry was the Twelve Apostles (the first bishops) handed over in a subordinate degree to and shared with them His divine authorpriests so that they might be appointed in ity over demons and the ability to heal the order of the priesthood” (CCC 1562). and forgive sins. In the very next chapter, The Second Vatican Council exwe read about Christ sending out the plained how priests are called to as72. These men represent the first priests, sist the bishops (the successors of the those who were to assist the Apostles as Apostles), acting on their behalf as their the number of disciples began to grow. representatives to the faithful people of The reason that Christ sent out more each local community. Lumen Gentium than just the Twelve Apostles is found in states, “In each local assembly of the Luke 10:2 where Christ says to the 72, faithful the priest represents, in a certain “The harvest is abundant but the laborers sense, the bishop, with whom they are are few; so ask the Master of the harvest associated in all trust and generosity; in to send out laborers for His harvest.” Jepart they take upon themselves his duties sus sent out the 72 as “co-workers” with and solicitude and in their daily toils the Apostles because there was and still discharge them.” is much work to be done in the Lord’s Pope John Paul II, in his 1992 Aposvineyard. tolic Exhortation on the Priesthood, PasSo as the Church began to grow, as tores Dabo Vobis, explains “The writings we see in the of the New Acts of the Testament are Apostles, there unanimous Putting Into was a need for in stressing the Apostles that it is the the Deep to “ordain” same Spirit of more men to Christ Who

By Father help them in introduces Jay Mello establishing these men and caring for chosen from the Church. among their These men chosen to be “priests” were brethren into the ministry. Through the originally called “presbyteroi” in Greek, laying on of hands which transmits the meaning “elder” or “presbyter” from gift of the Spirit, they are called and emwhich we get the English word, “priest” powered to continue the same ministry of and “presbyterate” (the group of priests reconciliation, of shepherding the flock who work with a bishop in a particular of God and of teaching.” diocese).

“In the Church and on behalf of the The “Catechism” defines “priests” as Church,” the pope continues, “priests “co-workers with their bishops who form are a sacramental representation of Jesus a unique sacerdotal college or ‘presbyChrist — the Head and Shepherd — terium’ dedicated to assist their bishops authoritatively proclaiming His word, in priestly service to the people of God. repeating His acts of forgiveness and Through the ministry of priests, the His offer of salvation — particularly in unique sacrifice of Christ on the cross is Baptism, Penance and the Eucharist, made present in the eucharistic sacrifice showing His loving concern to the point of the Church.” of a total gift of self for the flock, which We hear about the beginnings of the they gather into unity and lead to the priesthood in several places in the New Father through Christ and in the Spirit.

Testament. The very first time that we In a word, priests exist and act in order hear of the word “priest” in the New to proclaim the Gospel to the world and Testament is in 1 Peter 2:5 and 9, but it to build up the Church in the name and is also found in the Book of Revelation, person of Christ the Head and Shepherd” 1:6, 5:10 and 20:6. But as we already (PDV 15). know, the role of the priest has developed The teachings of the Second Vatican over time, just as the Church has continCouncil and wisdom of Blessed Pope ued to grow and develop.

John Paul II provide renewed emphasis One of the important references to upon the priesthood that we read about the priesthood is found in the letter of in the New Testament. More precisely, St. Paul to the Ephesians, where we see they explain that the priesthood is not an establishment of different roles being a career or a job anymore than being a given to different members of the early spouse or a parent is a job. The priestChurch. “He gave some as Apostles, hood isn’t something a man does for others as prophets, others as evangelists, a living; rather, it is something that he others as pastors and teachers, to equip becomes. the holy ones for the work of ministry, The traditional expression for this idea for building up the Body of Christ” (Eph is that the priest acts “in persona Christi” 4:11-12). (in the person of Christ). The priest conEach of the baptized is part of the tinues the work of the Christ in the world Church and as such is called to build up today. When the priest says, “I baptize the Body of Christ in a way that is proper you,” it is really Christ saying it. When to his or her state in life. Priests are called he says, “I absolve you,” it is really to do that in a particular way, namely, Christ speaking. When he says, “This is assisting the bishop in the pastoral care My Body, this is My Blood” it is really of God’s people by teaching the faith and Christ who is saying it. Most, if not all administering the Sacraments. priests, would quickly explain how humThe “Catechism” provides great bling this really is, because while we act insight on this matter: “Christ, Whom in the person of Christ, we are still very the Father hallowed and sent into the human and sinful human beings. world, has, through His Apostles, made Father Mello is a parochial vicar at their successors, the bishops namely, St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

March 9, 2012

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The Parables of the Good Shepherd and the Good Sheep

ur final two parabolic images in John place Jesus in the position of caregiver and source of life for the Israel of God. They do this in the historic sense and in a future sense as well.

Historically, the Israelites were shepherds. Throughout the Old Testament there are many uses of images associated with sheep. Perhaps the best known are found in Psalm 23 and in King David, the shepherd king. In the present pericope (Jn 10:1-17), John has combined several different parables about sheep, shepherds, the sheepfold, and the sheep gate. These parables may or may not have been given by Jesus at the same time.

I shall not try to separate the various parables and discover separate meanings. Instead, I shall just summarize: Jesus puts Himself in the role

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The Anchor of shepherd king and Divine Moses to scout the land of Cashepherd; He is concerned for naan come back with an enorthe welfare of the sheep and He mous cluster of grapes borne guards them; men who were on a pole by two men. (This deputed to care for the sheep image is used today as the logo of Israel had betrayed their position and the trust of the sheep; and He has other sheep and it is His intention to bring all into one flock.

By Father The image of the Martin L. Buote vine is very rich in Jewish literature, and we don’t have the space to examine adequately all of the Ministry of Tourism of the examples from the ScripIsrael.) tures and extra biblical sources.

The land “flowing with milk Instead, I shall put together a and honey” will also be known concatenation of images (paras “the vineyard of the Lord.” able, metaphor, allegory, etc.)

Thus, Israel (the people) is a to allow one to meditate on this vine in Israel (the land). image given by Jesus.

But Israel was also a man The first link in this chain is (Jacob/Israel), and the vine found in the Book of Numbers, grew through the 12 tribes of chapter 13. The men sent by Israel’s descendants. (See the

Parables of the Lord

following for images of Israel as vine or vineyard: Judges 9:7-15, Psalm 8:9-20, Isaiah 5:1-7 and 27:2-6, Jeremiah 2:21, Hosiah 10:1, Matthew 21:33-46.)

Jesus says to his 12 disciples at the Last Supper that He is the true vine (Jn 15:1-17).

This does not say that Israel is a false vine, but that He is the vine par excellence. Israel, the vine, received life from Israel the patriarch, through human generation of the 12 tribes. Jesus, the vine, shares life with His Twelve by incorporation.

A vine is pruned and dressed by a gardener. The Twelve left home and livelihood to follow Jesus. The Twelve had already been pruned to 11.

The 11 are cautioned to remain in union with Jesus to

bear much fruit and are warned of the consequences of trying to do their own thing. The vital lifeblood or sap of this vine is love (agape).

Since this teaching was given at the Last Supper it seems that the phrase, “I am the vine; you are the branches,” was addressed only to the Apostles, not to all the followers of Jesus in general. It is later extended to all of us by St. Paul, who develops this idea of vital union with Christ in the image of the Body of Christ.

Father Buote is a retired priest of the Diocese of Fall River. For more than 30 years, he has been leading Bible study groups in various parishes and has also led pilgrims to visit sites in Israel associated with the Bible.

This concludes Father Buote’s series on the Parables of the Lord.

Federal mandates and the crushing of religious freedom

n January 20 the United States Department of Health and Human Services issued a mandate placing first amendment rights and religious freedom in the crosshairs.

The mandate, as a provision of ObamaCare, requires “preventive health services” to be covered by all health insurance issuers and all group health plans. Those insurance plans must provide (with no co-pay) the full range of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods for women.

These include not only surgical sterilizations, but also potential abortion-causing agents such as Plan B (the morning-after pill), intrauterine devices and another form of “emergency contraception” known as ella. This drug, which the FDA acknowledges may also work against the life of the embryo “by preventing attachment (implantation) to the uterus,” can be taken up to five days after “unprotected” sex.

Essentially all employers would thus be forced — and therefore complicit in — financially subsidizing pharmaceutical abortions, contraception and sterilization procedures for their employees. All these procedures represent sinful and damaging human choices, as the Catholic Church has never ceased to point out.

The mandate constitutes a direct intrusion into the religious works and governance of the Church and represents a federally-sponsored violation of her members’ consciences. The Church, as the largest provider

of not-for-profit health care in who feel this was an insult to the U.S., operates roughly 600 freedom of religion and a slap hospitals and employs three in the face of faith-based instiquarters of a million people, in tutions,” Rabbi Eliot Pearlson addition to employing hunof Temple Menorah in Miami dreds of thousands of others in Beach said. her educational and social service ministries.

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago aptly described the authoritarian environBy Father Tad ment being created Pacholczyk by the HHS mandate in one of his recent newspaper columns: “The bishops would love to Rabbi Dr. Michael Korman have the separation between of Congregation Anshei Shalom church and state we thought in West Palm Beach concurred: we enjoyed just a few months “The entire contraception ago, when we were free to run policy was poorly instituted. It Catholic institutions in conforappears to be in violation of our mity with the demands of the First Amendment.”

Catholic faith, when the govJessica Devers in a letter ernment couldn’t tell us which to the editor of the Wall Street of our ministries are Catholic Journal perhaps put it most and which not, when the law clearly when she wrote: “I am protected rather than crushed not Catholic. I am a social libconscience. The state is making eral and a supporter of Planned itself into a church.”

Parenthood. I’ve educated my In the words of another children about birth control commentator, “As is more and since they were young. Nevmore obvious, ObamaCare has ertheless, I am offended at the nothing to do with controlling arrogance of our government healthcare costs. It has everyruling that the Catholic Church thing to do with government must provide a benefit that the control. It’s time to admit a Church believes is immoral.” mistake, repeal the law, and On February 10, after stormy look at market-based ways to reaction even from President control health care costs.”

Obama’s staunchest Catholic Critics of every persuasion supporters, he announced a sohave condemned the HHS called “accommodation,” which mandate as a particularly egre— as the U.S. Conference gious violation both of reliof Catholic Bishops quickly gious freedom and the rights of explained — really changed conscience. “I side with those nothing. When the government

Making Sense Out of Bioethics

documents were made available, it became clear that there was no compromise at all but rather some slight procedural modifications that left the substance of the mandate entirely intact.

The day the “accommodation” was announced, in fact, the mandate was entered into the Federal Register with no changes, along with vague assurances of possible modifications at a future date (reminiscent of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s famous line when campaigning for ObamaCare: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”)

Philip Rovner in the same issue of the Wall Street Journal sums it up this way: “The premise in favor of the birthcontrol mandate is based on its being ‘essential to the health of women and families.’ I assume such items as food, housing, clothing and transportation

are ‘essential to the health of women and families,’ as well. Therefore, I propose that the ObamaCare mandates be extended to cover food, shelter, clothing, autos, etc. In this scenario, everybody would be paying for everyone else’s essentials.”

The real issue, of course, has nothing to do with access to particular “reproductive issues” (like abortion or birth control), and everything to do with whether someone else can be forced by the strong arm of a federal mandate, in direct violation of their religious freedom, to pay for practices they recognize as morally reprehensible.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard.

He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org.

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hen I read John’s Gospel this week about the moneychangers in the temple, I thought back many years ago when there were moneychangers in our churches. Neat little rows of quarters lined a table as parishioners would come in and ask for change for a dollar to pay the “seat money.” It was a traditional donation to “pay” for your seat in church.

In Jesus’ day, such people existed to help those who had traveled to the temple in Jerusalem for worship. It was the Passover time and many Jews went to the temple to celebrate the feast. Those present in the temple were performing a service by providing animals for sacrifice.

Moneychangers were also performing a service. The temple would not accept regular coins and required that the temple tax be paid with temple coins.

So why did Jesus drive them

March 9, 2012

The Anchor

Cleansing our minds and hearts this Lent out of the temple area with a as we begin this third week of whip made of cords?

Lent.

John tells us: “His disciples For many, this may be the recalled the words of Scripture, season of God’s grace when all ‘Zeal for your house will conthat is not right in our lives is sume me.’”

While all the Gospels mention this Homily of the Week incident, it is only John who had this episode Third Sunday listed at the beginning of Lent of the public ministry

By Msgr. of Jesus. Others place John J. Oliveira it just as Jesus was to enter into Jerusalem for His passion and death.

There is the obvicast out. Oh, we want to do it, ous reference to His death and but things are more comfortable resurrection. As John’s Gospel as they are. states: “But He was speaking I can imagine a teen-ager’s about the temple of His body. room might need cleaning, but Therefore, when He was raised they are content with what is. from the dead, His disciples Perhaps, even leftover food and remembered that He had said dirty clothes in a pile can be this, and they came to believe found. the Scripture and the word It is like the lady who Jesus had spoken.” wanted a sponsor certificate.

As I reflected on the readWhen I did not recognize her ings for this Sunday, two from church, she said I had to meditative points come to mind realize how busy she was. She

worked and, while admitting that she did not work 24/7, she was busy. After all, she noted, I do have my karate.

So it is that there are things in our spiritual lives that need to be cleaned, removed, done away with. Do we really want to do it? Will it take Christ to come into our lives and do it, much the same way as He cleansed the temple? Christ is willing; the real question is, are we ready?

Secondly, an obvious reflection on the readings today is how do we respect the temple — the Church? Have you noticed the sound level when you come to church? One can question if people come to church to visit one another. Is it a social hour, or time to worship God? Before a special ceremony, such as a wedding or First Communion, the noise level drowns out the possibility of prayer.

One person has said it is like visiting a home and not speaking to the guest who had invited you.

Could it be that we have forgotten who we are and why we are at church? We have come to worship God, to pray together in community. We come to raise our minds and hearts to the Lord, to lift our voices in prayer and song.

This is much more than a social or religious obligation. It is our attempt to focus the week to come on what matters. It is the place where we are nourished by the Body of Christ and His Word. It is where we gather the strength we need to go forth to proclaim His Word, His works.

May the cleansing of the temple by the Lord remind us to cleanse our minds and hearts this Lent. May it remind us of the special place our Church must be.

Msgr. Oliveira is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Mar. 10, Mi 7:14-15,18-20; Ps 103:1-4,9-12; Lk 15:1-3,11-32. Sun. Mar. 11, Third Sunday of Lent, Ex 20:1-17 or 20:1-3,7-8,12-17; Ps 19:8-11; 1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25. Mon. Mar. 12, 2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Pss 42:2-3; 43:3-4; Lk 4:24-30. Tues. Mar. 13, Dn 3:25,34-43; Ps 25:4bc-5ab,6-7bc,8-9; Mt 18:21-35.

Wed. Mar. 14, Dt 4:1,5-9; Ps 147:12-13,15-16,19-20; Mt 5:17-19. Thurs. Mar. 15, Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2,6-9; Lk 11:14-23. Fri. Mar. 16, Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11b,14,17; Mk 12:28-34.

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n February 6, Queen Elizabeth II marked her diamond jubilee, an achievement that Great Britain will celebrate throughout 2012. I am not a monarchist, but I’ll happily join in saluting the Queen, who embodies several qualities that are in short supply among 21st-century public figures.

In one of a slew of diamond jubilee books, author Robert Hardman reports that Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is awed by the Queen’s “gravitas.” One hopes it’s catching, even as one hopes that people understand why, as one of Her Majesty’s friends puts it, “she is never, you know, not the Queen.” It’s not a matter of Victorian formality and still less of arrogance.

God save the Queen

Rather, it’s that the Queen evacuated to Canada to escape thinks of her unique position the Nazi Blitz and a posas a vocation — a responsibil- sible German invasion: “The ity for which she was consechildren won’t go without crated at her coronation on me. I won’t go without the June 2, 1953.

King. And the King will never The character of Elizabeth leave.”) The teen-age Princess Alexandra Mary Windsor was forged in the fires of World War II, when she learned the meaning of duty from her father, King George VI, and her mother,

By George Weigel later the Queen Mother Elizabeth, whose name she bears. (Something of the steel Elizabeth played her part in in the former Lady Elizabeth Britain’s finest hour, doing Bowes-Lyon may be grasped the occasional radio broadin her response to the suggescast and joining the Women’s tion that the two princesses, Auxiliary Territorial Service, Elizabeth and Margaret, be where she was trained as a driver and mechanic. The quiet stoicism and sense of composure she learned in those days have been powerful assets these past 60 years, even if they weren’t appreciated by the media lynch-mob in the immediate aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Whatever one’s theological opinion of the “sacring” of British monarchs, it’s quite clear from the pictures of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation that this was a young woman

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The Catholic Difference

— by then a wife and mother — who thought of herself as being anointed, blessed, and crowned for a task to which she must sacrifice her own life, for the sake of her people. Yes, Queen Elizabeth II is enormously wealthy and yes, she has lived a life in which she has been spared much of the drudgery that afflicts other mortals. But anyone who does not think that Elizabeth II has made sacrifices in living out her monarchical vocation doesn’t know much about how public life works these days — or how this remarkable woman understands herself.

Queen Elizabeth’s sense of duty is not generic; it is specifically Christian. That is clear from her annual Christmas broadcasts, the one time each year she speaks to her people in something resembling her own voice. (The annual Throne Speech in Parliament is written entirely by her government.) The 2011 Christmas address was particularly memorable. In it, the Queen talked simply, movingly, and profoundly about the meaning of the birth of Jesus for humanity, and about the

Christian virtues of forgiveness, compassion and magnanimity. I watched the address and thought, perhaps uncharitably, that there had been few better Christmas homilies preached that day between Land’s End and the Pentland Firth. And it “worked” because it came from the heart — a heart formed by Christian conviction.

Elizabeth II is said to be “low Church” in her Anglican sensibility, but that is of considerably less importance than the fact that she is a genuine Christian who is not afraid to bear witness to the truth of Christ as she has been given to understand it. The future is never certain, but on the present form sheet it seems unlikely that this admirable facet of Queen Elizabeth’s way of exercising her role as sovereign will be replicated in successor generations. Britain, and the world, will be poorer for that.

Still, and on the same form sheet, we may wish for many more years of her company.

So on this diamond jubilee, I say, with heartfelt respect, “God Save the Queen.”

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Thursday 8 March 2011 — at home on the Taunton River — night of the Lenten Moon id you know, dear readers, that there’s a specialized seminary located in Weston, Massachusetts? It’s called Blessed John XXII National Seminary. It has prepared some 500 men for the priesthood since its founding in 1964. The men in this seminary are between 30 and 60 years of age. This is commonly referred to as a “late vocation” or, sometimes, a “delayed vocation,” but to my way of thinking, these men just took a more circuitous route to ordination. They weren’t late at all; they arrived at the altar in God’s good time. I recently saw

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Fork in the road an interview featuring some of these older seminarians. One had been a surgeon and another a lawyer. One had been a sportswriter and another a contractor. Some

of these men had been previously married and were now widowers, even with children and grandchildren.

There have always been “delayed vocations” in the Church.

One of the priest-professors during my own college seminary days

had been a lineman for the electric company. After the death of his wife, he entered the seminary and was eventually ordained a priest.

Then he found himself teaching us seminarians about the Sacraments. He used to joke that he had been chosen to teach Sacramental Theology because he was the only member of the faculty who had received all seven of them.

I think of the priests of our own diocese, some of whom had other professions before entering the seminary. They don’t talk much about it. You hear dribs and drabs of their stories if you keep your ears open. I’ve heard that several were teachers before entering the seminary. I think of Fathers Paul

Pharaoh and the midwives

atching how Great Britain deals with the ethical issues surrounding health care is instructive for a few important reasons. First, we both have a Judeo-Christian foundation to our cultures; we have inherited much of our legal system from theirs; they introduced socialized medicine more than 60 years ago, and finally, they legalized abortion six years before we did — which, given the first three reasons might provide a glimpse into our own future.

Ultimately, when the citizens of one place pool their resources to take care of the sick (and some medical conditions cost a great deal of money) it goes without saying that unless there is a firm understanding concerning the value of each person, the healthy may grow to resent the sick, who inevitably take more than their “fair share” of those finite resources.

A recent court case concerning two Scottish midwives is chilling. Midwives have traditionally been laudable women who help others bring new life safely into the world. As far back as the Book of Exodus, their singular devotion to life was clear when they refused the order from the Egyptian Pharaoh demanding that they kill the male infants born to the Jewish women. When summoned to explain themselves, they concocted a clever story.

“Why have you done this, allowing the boys to live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women.

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The Anchor

March 9, 2012

They are robust and give birth before the midwife arrives.”

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very numerous. And because the midwives feared God, God built up families for them (Ex 1:18-21).

Unfortunately, this reputa-

tion notwithstanding, most British midwives have long been diverted from the beauty of birth to the dirty work of aborting those babies who are unwanted. The government enlisted their services as a cost-saving device, since their training is less expensive than doctors, but it was also pragmatic, since British doctors are increasingly opting out of performing abortions. Since the 1967 Abortion Act included a conscience clause, doctors can request exemptions, and they have been doing so in “unprecedented numbers” according to a statement from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Thus, while early terminations take place in a hospital’s gynecology wing, the later procedures — usually due to suspected fetal disabilities — are performed on the delivery wing, and senior midwives were required to oversee the staff responsible for the abor-

tions. Two asked for exemptions, due to their religious convictions and in light of the conscience clause. The court has just refused their request.

The ruling handed down at the end of February said that their objection is not covered by the conscious clause of the Abortion Act, allowing the judge in the case to exercise a tyranny that Pharaoh himself couldn’t manage. When even the fundamental issues of life and death are not covered by a conscious clause, a culture has pretty well lost its understanding of the human person.

Ironically, an even more unnerving proposal has been made in Britain’s “Journal of Medical Ethics,” wherein two writers defend infanticide, arguing that “newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons because individuals who are not in the condition of attributing any value to their own existence are not persons.”

The authors elaborate further, noting that if babies cannot explain themselves, then they’ll hardly understand their own loss of life, but that begs the question. What rights does the state think it’s conferring on persons if its judges subsequently refuse to recognize the consciences of those who can explain themselves?

Remember well how God dealt with Pharaoh.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books) and blogs at feminine-genius.com.

Caron, Horace Travassos, and Gerald Barnwell, among others.

Some worked as accountants or financial managers, like Fathers Jim McClellan and the late Raul Lagoa. Father Bill Campbell was a professional musician. Father Michael McManus was an executive assistant to a mayor. Fathers David Pignato and Paul Lamb worked in the legal field; Fathers Paul Bernier, Henry Dahl, and Tom Costa were in the business world. Father Joe Mauritzen was a psychologist. Father Tad Pacholczyk was a research scientist.

Father Ed Byington was an FBI agent. Until they came to the fork in the road and set off in a different direction.

Priests are not the only ones who may take a round-about route to the religious life. The same applies to nuns. One nun in particular has been receiving a lot of notice lately. An acquaintance of mine, Pulitzer Prize-winning Maureen Dowd, recently wrote about the nun in her column in the New York Times. This alerted me to the good Sister’s journey of faith. Leave it to Maureen. In her previous life, this nun had been a glamorous Hollywood starlet. She appeared in films with the likes of Elvis Presley (twice), Robert Wagner, Anthony Quinn and Montgomery Clift. As a rising Hollywood star, she was a presenter of the Oscars at the Academy Awards in 1959.

She is still a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Dolores Hart made her screen debut in 1957 as Elvis’ sweetheart in “Loving You.” It was Elvis’ first kiss on screen. He blushed. Dolores became an overnight success and starred with Elvis again the following year in “King Creole.”

On an episode of the “20/20” television program in 2001, Dolores Hart was reported to have been one of the most visible and envied women in the Hollywood of her day. She also appeared on Broadway, starring in “The Pleasure of His Company” in 1959, for which she won a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress. Seven more films followed, including “Where the Boys Are,” the highest-grossing film of 1962. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture for her performance in the film “Lisa.” Then, at the young age of 24 years, she came to a folk in the road. She chose the cloister.

On Oscar Night this year, there was Mother Dolores, back in Hollywood, strolling down the famous red carpet and waving to her fans. If you missed it live, it was rebroadcast on the “Today Show” the following morning.

“Who” was she wearing at this Super Bowl of Hollywood fashion — Alexander McQueen?, Tom Ford? Marchesa? No, she was not wearing the couture of a famous designer at all but the simple habit of the Order of Saint Benedict. The short documentary on the life journey of Dolores Hart is scheduled to air on HBO on April 5. It’s entitled (what else?) but “God is the Bigger Elvis.”

Often Catholics view priests and nuns as having been dedicated to God since birth. In a word, they have never had a life other than Church, Church, Church.

Do a little digging, and you may very well be surprised. On the journey of life, when some came to a fork, they took the road less traveled.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

10

The Anchor

March 9, 2012

Parishioner heeds call to do corporal works of mercy

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

SOMERSET — During her 11-year stint working as a Maryknoll missionary in Guatemala, Sheila Matthews learned firsthand that the Holy Spirit often works in ways you’d never expect.

While training health providers in remote rural villages, she encountered one man who didn’t seem to learn as quickly as the others.

“He was always missing things and I started thinking he shouldn’t be a health provider and we might have to ask him to leave the program,” Matthews said.

“I was going to his village to supervise a clinic he was going to be running, and we went into his home. It was a very simple one-room house with a dirt floor and there was a woman over in the corner in a bed, coughing away.”

Immediately sensing that the woman had tuberculosis, Matthews assumed the man didn’t have a clue and she challenged him by asking about the bed-ridden patient.

“He told me: ‘She lives in a village three hours from here and she has tuberculosis and she needs injections everyday. I can’t walk three hours there and back to give them to her. I talked to my wife and asked her if we could let her live with us for the three months during her treatments. And my wife said we could, so I’ve invited her to live with us. I’m trying to keep her as isolated as possible,’” Matthews said.

Stunned and humbled by his response, Matthews realized that it was the Holy Spirit’s way of speaking to her.

“I was thinking to myself, who am I to judge him?” she said. “Here he was responding in a way that Christ would have responded and I’m not even sure I could have put my own family at risk like that.”

Throughout her life — whether working as a nurse, serving the needs of the poor and sick in Guatemala and El Salvador, or even simply volunteering at her home parish of St. Patrick’s in Somerset — Matthews has always

heeded Christ’s call to fulfill the corpo- 11 years, working on a team that trained ral works of mercy. the locals to become health providers in Her journey began shortly after grad- rural areas. uating from nursing school in the early “I taught them basic health care that 1970s when she joined Volunteers in they then could share with their vilService to America (VISTA) and ended lages,” she said. “We also taught them up working at a Catholic church in cen- about the more common illnesses so tral Vermont. they’d be able to treat the people in “I always knew that I wanted to do their village as well. Some people some type of overseas work, but I had would have to walk many hours to get a sense that I should know what was to health care facilities, so if they were going on in my able to treat the own country first, more common illwhich is why I nesses, it would went into VISonly be the people TA,” Matthews who were really said. “At the time, beyond their help I didn’t underwho would have stand why I’d be to be taken to the sent to Vermont, nearest hospital or but it really introclinic.” duced me to rural Matthews next poverty and all its traveled to El Salproblems.” vador, where she It was through did similar work her VISTA expein the city of San rience in Vermont Salvador for three that Matthews years. realized she not “I went from only wanted to being in a very work overseas, rural area in Guabut wanted to do temala to a very something conurban area, so the nected to her own problems were Catholic faith; a lot different which led to her there,” Matthews seeking out the said. “The other Maryknoll Misthing that’s intersionaries. esting is even after “I found that being in GuatemaMaryknoll was la for 11 years, the one of the few experience didn’t groups at the time Anchor Person of the week translate from one that was allowing — Sheila Matthews. (Photo by Ken- place to the other. lay missionaries neth J. Souza) It was very humto come in,” Matbling for me to thews said. “My realize it was kind sister, who lives in Montana, was very of like starting all over again.” good friends with a Maryknoll priest In both cases, Matthews said she and when I went to visit her he told ended up receiving much more than she me all about the Maryknoll lay mission gave. program.”

“I think the poor have so much to She first ended up in Guatemala for teach us,” she said. “For me, one of the basic things I struggle with is I don’t like being totally dependent on God. But for the poor in Guatemala and El Salvador, that is not a struggle for them.

That is how they live everyday. They helped teach me how to do that a little bit better. I don’t say I do it well, but just a little bit better.”

When she gave up her missionary work to return home to care for her ailing mother nearly 10 years ago, Matthews said the lessons she learned overseas came back with her.

“One of the hardest things when I came back after being a lay missioner for so many years was being able to adjust,” she said. “The poor don’t have a lot of the material things that become distractions and impede us in our relationship with God. I think it’s a challenge to live in a society where we have all these ‘things’ and still be able to do that. But being part of St. Patrick’s Parish, it’s very welcoming and I feel at home here.”

Even though her mom has since passed away and she now cares for her father full-time, Matthews still serves her parish in a variety of ways — from teaching Faith Formation classes to Confirmation students to serving as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to volunteering for the Social Justice Committee.

“Teaching Confirmation students is more fun than I thought it would be,” she said. “The students express their faith very differently at times, but you also get glimpses of the depth of their faith. It can be pretty moving considering how difficult their lives can be.”

Her work with the Social Justice Committee is very much an extension of her previous missionary efforts.

“Some of the things we try to get involved with include helping to fight against budget cuts which impact the poor,” Matthews said. “We do letterwriting campaigns to maintain international aid to countries like Ethiopia.

It’s a way of saying we care about those people and those cuts shouldn’t be tolerated. If you want to balance a budget, you can’t do it on the backs of the poor.”

St. Patrick’s has also adopted the Haitian Health Foundation — founded

by Dr. Jeremiah Lowney, formerly of Fall River — as a parish project.

“It works in the Jérémie area of Haiti,” Matthews said. “The fourth-graders in our Faith Formation program are offering prayers of petition for Haiti’s needs and have collected food to send there. The entire parish is involved — from the young kids to our elders who are knitting baby hats and baby blankets. It’s great to see the whole parish get behind the effort.”

Matthews is also active with the Pax Christi movement, which meets at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro.

“I’d encourage people to think about joining us at La Salette or starting their own group in their parish,” she said. “I think peace work is much harder than waging war and I think it’s something as Catholics that we need to work on.”

Admitting that everything she does provides her with a little bit of “peace and joy” and adding that those she helps “nourish me,” Matthews is quick to encourage others to get involved in their own parish and beyond.

“I think a lot of times we do a good job within our parish, but we don’t really stretch ourselves beyond our parish,” she said. “And it can be even within the diocese — just look at the issue of homelessness in our area. Don’t think you can’t do it. Whatever you do matters — it matters to the people you’re reaching out to and it matters to you.”

“I think we’re all called to try and follow Jesus — a non-violent Jesus and a service-centered Jesus,” she added. “And that’s what I truly want to be doing; whether it’s activities within the Church or broader areas outside the Church.”

To submit a Person of the Week nominee, send an email with information to fatherrogerlandry@ anchornews.org.

11

The Anchor

March 9, 2012

Teddy bears and tabernacles: The pope’s childhood, told by his brother

ROME (CNS) — Recounting their rural Bavarian childhood and subsequent lifelong friendship, the elder brother of Pope Benedict XVI offers a privileged look at the personal side of the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics.

“My Brother, the Pope,” published March 1 by Ignatius Press, is based on interviews with Msgr.

Georg Ratzinger published by German writer Michael Hesemann and

was originally published in German last year.

Joseph, the future Pope Benedict, was “very slight and delicate” at birth, Msgr. Ratzinger says, and was “often sick” as an infant, with diphtheria among other ailments.

Later on, Joseph’s favorite toys were stuffed animals, and he was particularly attached to a pair of teddy bears.

Msgr. Ratzinger describes fam-

ily life with their parents and older sister Maria as free of any overt conflict, “since each one settled that himself and with God in personal prayer. We did not talk about such things. Such problems became a part of our prayer.”

Glimpses of the boys’ destinies came early on. When a cardinal visited their small town in 1931, arriving in a black limousine, fouryear-old Joseph exclaimed, “I’ll be a cardinal someday!” Nevertheless, Msgr. Ratzinger says, his brother was never ambitious, and external honors have been “always unwelcome” to him.

“My brother was somewhat bet-

ter behaved than I,” Msgr. Ratzinger says, yet he recounts a boyhood prank in which the two tricked a local farmer into losing track of his oxcart.

Recreation of a more edifying sort came when the boys played at being priests, using a toy altar made for them by an uncle.

“It was a really beautiful high altar, which he even equipped with a rotating tabernacle,” Msgr. Ratzinger recalls. “Naturally we used water instead of wine for the makebelieve consecration.”

The future Pope Benedict, now a proficient amateur pianist and lover of Mozart, “did not take to

music quite as spontaneously as I did,” says Msgr. Ratzinger, who went on to become the choirmaster of the Regensburg, Germany, cathedral. His brother “was a little more restrained, although he is a very musical person,” Msgr. Ratzinger says.

Recounting Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany, Msgr. Ratzinger says that their father regarded the dictator as the “Antichrist” and refused to join the Nazi party.

“But so as not to put our family completely at risk, he advised Mother to join the women’s organization,” Msgr. Ratzinger says, noting that the women “did not talk about Hitler but instead exchanged recipes, chatted about their gardens, and sometimes even prayed the Rosary together.”

It was only reluctantly that the two boys obeyed requirements to join the Hitler Youth and later served in the German military during World War II, Msgr. Ratzinger says. The pope’s brother was present at the Allied bombardment of the monastery on Monte Cassino, Italy, in 1944.

Msgr. Ratzinger recounts anecdotes about their time together as adults: watching a German television series about a police dog named “Inspector Rex” and dividing tasks in the kitchen — the monsignor drying the dishes which his brother, by then a cardinal, washes.

In 2005, after the death of Blessed John Paul II, Msgr. Ratzinger was sure that his brother was too old to be elected pope.

When he heard the new pontiff’s name pronounced on live television, he admits that he was “disheartened.”

“It was a great challenge, an enormous task for him, I thought, and I was seriously worried,” Msgr.

Ratzinger says.

The pope later confided that his election had “struck him like a bolt of lightning,” Msgr. Ratzinger says.

Readers get a glimpse inside the papal household as Msgr. Ratzinger describes his brother’s daily routine. On Tuesdays, for example, Pope Benedict listens to tape recordings and practices his pronunciation of the remarks in foreign languages that he will make at the next day’s general audience.

Msgr. Ratzinger says that his brother has not been indifferent to the many criticisms that he has received during his career, as prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and then as pope.

Pope Benedict is “personally very sensitive, but he also knows from which corner these attacks come and the reason for them, what is usually behind them,” Msgr.

Ratzinger says. “That way he overcomes it more easily, he rises above it more simply.”

12

The Anchor

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

“Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” (Universal) Theodore Geisel’s beloved

1971 children’s book is brought to the big screen by director Chris Renaud in a 3-D animated adventure that expands the original story while retaining its central message about the responsible stewardship of natural resources. Raised in a town where everything is artificial, a teen (voice of Zac Efron) sets out to win the girl of his dreams (voice of Taylor Swift) by fulfilling her wish to see a real, live tree. His quest leads him to the recluse (voice

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

Celebrant is Father Jay Mello, Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth

of Ed Helms) whose unbridled greed and ambition long ago caused the environmental disaster — an outcome predicted in the dire warnings of the title character (voice of Danny DeVito), the enlightened but curmudgeonly guardian of the forest. First-rate animation and catchy songs forward the theme of respect for God’s creation and make this an enjoyable outing for the entire family. Some cartoonish action. The Catholic News Service classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds” (Lionsgate) Less heavy-handed than the eponymous writer and director’s other morality plays but considerably slower in pace, this romance — of sorts — focuses on a single relationship, and carries a steady reminder that the wealthy and powerful have to work much harder than the less privileged to approach the kingdom of Heaven. Perry plays a computer software tycoon whose well-ordered life is upended by a widowed officecleaner (Thandie Newton) and her six-year-old daughter (Jordenn Thompson). An implied premarital relationship, fleeting crass language and sexual banter. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

March 9, 2012

Judge affirms abortion clinic buffer continued from page one

larly stand outside Planned Parenthood in Boston, Springfield and Worcester filed suit against the law, citing its restriction of their right to free speech.

Justice Joseph L. Tauro split the case into two challenges — one to the law itself and the other to the law as applied. He upheld the law itself in 2008, determining that the Commonwealth has a “substantial and legitimate” interest in protecting public safety outside clinics.

That decision was affirmed by the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and not taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In his latest ruling on the law as applied, Judge Tauro found that the regulation left open “ample alternative means of communication.”

“Protesters may engage in any form of communication with their intended audience so long as they do not do so inside a clearly marked and posted buffer zone during clinic business hours,” the ruling reads.

“A valid time, place, and manner restriction, by its nature must burden some First Amendment activity for the purpose of advancing the state interest at stake.”

The judge also found that the sidewalk counselors have still been effective in communicating their message despite the 35-foot barrier. They can be seen and heard by “both willing and unwilling listeners” and have been “successful in convincing a number of women not to have abortions.”

The ruling may be appealed and the matter could eventually be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Tauro is the same federal district judge who found the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in 2010.

James Driscoll, executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, said the bishops are “disappointed” in the buffer zone ruling.

“Aside from the First

Amendment concerns, criminalizing the peaceful and nonobstructive use of the sidewalks is unnecessary, punitive and unfairly excessive,” he said.

Last June, the MCC testified in favor of a proposed law that would repeal the buffer zone.

On its website, the MCC points out that, “Federal case law already requires individuals entering a designated zone outside the entrances of health facilities to gain the consent of other individuals before approaching closer than eight feet to counsel against abortion.” Massachusetts law also prohibits individuals from obstructing any entrances to medical facilities.

The buffer zone law “creates no-speech zones in areas traditionally regarded as open to the public precisely for the purpose of free expression and assembly,” the MCC contends.

Anne Fox, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said that the law shows an unfair preference for abortion clinics.

“Unfortunately, in our country right now, the regular rules do not apply to abortion clinics,” she said. “Either a buffer zone is a good idea that should apply to all health facilities, or it isn’t and should apply to none.”

Such laws are currently active in two states in addition to Massachusetts — Colorado, which has a 100-foot barrier, and Montana, which has a 36foot buffer.

The justification often used for a buffer zone is the incidents of violence that sometimes occur at abortion clinics.

Fox pointed out that anyone who physically harms or kills another has violated laws much more serious than the buffer zone law.

She said the law has pushed peaceful protesters to sidewalks in front of other businesses or in the middle of busy streets. This is an undue burden on sidewalk counselors, who are particularly important in the Commonwealth because no informed consent laws exist.

Roderick Murphy, director of Problem Pregnancy in Worcester, said that sidewalk counselors — who pray outside the Planned Parenthood directly across the street from the pregnancy resource center — would be able to assist two to three times as many women if the buffer zone law were repealed.

“It does affect the babies that are born,” he said. “We have a much more difficult time speaking to women about abortion alternatives.”

March 9, 2012

I

13

The Anchor

The prominence of disguise

n two weeks I’ll be wrap- old trope, almost like the red ping up this discussion shirted characters in “Star about Shakespeare and his Trek.” In “Star Trek” if a England but I’d like to use this character wore a red shirt you space this week to consider could be sure that they were another aspect to his dramatur- going to be killed before the gy, and that is the prominence end of the episode. In Reforof disguise. mation comedy, if a character Disguise features in 12 of wore a friar’s costume you his plays. Naturally, this by it- could be sure they were up to self cannot be counted as a uniquely Catholic phenomenon, as disguise has always been a prominent device in tragedy and comedy.

The very art of acting itself is a form of disBy Jennifer Pierce guise so it is endemic to the form and serves as a giddy in-joke on the part of playwrights; they no good. Except Shakespeare double the uncanny practice unmistakably turns that trope of acting, by having the actor inside out. In a world where portray someone who is ... priests were disguised as acting. It’s a laugh riot and laymen in order to do good, still happens today. Remember he created a dramatic world Julie Andrews in “Victor/Vicin which lay folk disguised toria”? themselves as priests in order Scholars agree, however, to do good. that Shakespeare was notably In “Measure for Measure,” adept in using disguise as a for example, Duke Vincentio device and that he used it fredisguises himself as a friar so quently. So frequently, in fact, that he may observe the true most studies of disguise on villain of the piece, Angelo, stage in the time period tend in a position of power. In that to focus almost entirely on habit, he enacts other devices the Bard. Scholars try to show typically used for evil in other an even hand but inevitably plays during the time period, Shakespeare dominates the one of which was the “bed period when it comes to protrick” in which a man was viding examples of disguise. tricked into thinking that one In several of his plays woman was in his bed when people disguise themselves as it was actually another. It is friars, a jarring situation when often characters wearing a you consider that priests in friar disguise, and without Shakespeare’s world had to exception, it is a device of disguise themselves as urwrong doing against innocent chins, gentleman, gardeners, characters. In Shakespeare’s and the like in order to avoid special world, it is done so that prosecution. Even more jarring a wronged woman may find when you consider that it was justice, and that a licentious likely that members of Shakeman be led to do what is right. speare’s extended family hid It is certainly remarkable that such disguised priests in their Shakespeare performed such midst, and that other disguised inversions on these devices, priests stayed at the building particularly when we know he purchased adjacent to his priests in disguise surrounded theater, which happened to him, perhaps even gave him have also been a friary at one Communion or heard his contime but was now “disguised” fession. as a theater for entertainment.

There is something else to The friar disguise was an consider: the faithful Catholic

Hidden Shakespeare

majority, effectively, was also in disguise. Divided between Church and crown, forced under penalty of law to one set of religious rites and practices, while secretly engaging in the old ways, one could very much feel as if he or she was living a within a disguise of civic obedience. After a papal bull in 1570 excommunicated Elizabeth I, the sense of threat grew and, consequently, the arm of the crown grew longer.

A suspected Catholic could be followed, his house searched, and he could be fined 20 pounds at a time when that could easily represent half a man’s annual income. Knowing that people such as these — ones who might fear being followed home after a performance and having their Catholic testament found under a floor board in the kitchen, or a priest discovered living in the hollow wall behind the fireplace — were Shakespeare’s audience, how might they connect to a character such as Viola from “Twelfth Night,” a woman who is in distinct jeopardy and must hide her identity for her own safety and disguise herself as a man? Inevitably, Viola finds that, while her disguise keeps her safe, it forces her to hide a love she cannot speak.

Such a story in such a context might make quite an impact, mightn’t it? “Concealment,” says Viola disguised as Cesario to the man whom she loves but cannot tell, is like “a worm i’the bud” and “feeds upon her damask cheek.”

Jennifer Pierce is a parishioner of Corpus Christi in East Sandwich, where she lives with her husband Jim and three children.

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14

The Anchor

Catholic retreats: Time for renewal and refreshing continued from page one

look at what I am doing and why I am doing it; where is God in it all? Where does God show up in my life? Anyone who is serious about his faith really wants to look at his life and see if he is fulfilling that call that God has given.”

During Lent, La Salette is offering its annual retreat with this year’s focus on discernment, giving attendees some time to think about the stage of life they are currently in, and for those “who need to make different, lifechanging decisions. We provide them with tools to help make those decisions through prayer discernment. We give different approaches,” said Father Mattathilanickal.

The annual weekend retreat is expected to draw 35-40 people, and will begin on Holy Thursday and end on Easter Sunday.

Taking time to engage in prayer helps Christians continue to build a relationship with God. “Our goal is mainly to bring

about renewal,” said Father Mattathilanickal. “There are people who have been coming for more than 30 years. The reason is this is their time to spend with God and renew their life, and look back on what is going on with them in different stages. A lot of it is healing and reconciliation with issues, so we try to address some of them during this retreat.”

Encountering Christ in Others (ECHO) sets aside a weekend to focus on the Lord, to worship and pray, and to find fellowship with young people, usually juniors and seniors in high school.

ECHO was founded in 1968 at the request of Bishop James L. Connolly and was originally designed for seniors at then-Coyle High School in Taunton. Now its purpose has broadened to include all area youth in the Fall River diocese but continues to help young people deepen their relationship between Jesus and the Church.

Christ the King Parish in Mashpee holds its ECHO retreats at the Craigville Conference Center in Centerville, and board member Jean Giddings has been part of program since 1986.

“The kids share their faith, share their journeys and the things that are going on in the world. They build a community and that’s what keeps ECHO going,” said Giddings.

With the number of candidates around 30 per weekend, the genders are split between a boys-only and a girls-only retreat. Talks are given and group discussions are key to sharing in groups within the retreat. Over the years the design of the retreat has been modified. When Giddings first started, Saturdays were spent talking about the people of God with Sunday having talks on the Church in the world.

“The people of God were from the Bible, and who are the people of God? The Church in the world is, you are the Church and you make up the body of the Church,” explained Giddings. “Because of all the things, the trouble and the issues that kids were having, the Saturday afternoon talk was changed to ‘Today’s Issues’ and talks about the issues that kids face. They moved the people of God to Sunday and combined it with Church in the world.”

“Today’s Issues” was later changed to “Choosing a Christian’s Life,” a talk that has become “more about their choices and what they’re doing instead of focusing on today’s issues, which focused a lot on ‘this is wrong; that is wrong,’” said Giddings, adding the change flows better in a weekend full of kids trying to understand that it’s OK to make mistakes, “but then you have the choice to go back to Church, follow your faith and do

Foyer of Charity

Scituate, MA 02066-1499 Scripture-based Eucharist-centered Retreats since 1977

March 9, 2012 whatever you need to do. It’s always your choice.”

As Giddings talked about the types of youth who attend, she explained how the young people run the gamut of backgrounds — some kids are blessed and come from wonderful homes while others have issues to sort through.

“We have had several kids who have come on weekends who were in foster care, that weren’t Catholic, were struggling, and it turned their life around. We’ve had several kids become Catholic because they realized that this was what was missing in their lives,” said Giddings. “We’ve had kids who have been hanging out with the wrong crowds and getting into trouble,

Retreat centers, sites and contact information

MASSACHUSETTS

Sacred Hearts Retreat Center 226 Great Neck Road Wareham, Mass.

(508) 993-2442 www.sscc.org/wareham National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette Retreat Center 947 Park Street Attleboro, Mass.

(508) 222-8530 www.lasaletteretreatcenter.com His Land Bethany House 17 Loon Pond Lakeville, Mass.

(508) 947-4704 www.his-land.com Arnold Hall Conference Center Randall Street North Pembroke, Mass.

(781) 826-5942 www.arnoldhall.com Miramar Retreat Center 121 Parks Street Duxbury, Mass.

(781) 585-2460 www.miramarretreat.org Espousal Retreat House and Conference Center 554 Lexington Street Waltham, Mass.

(781) 209-3120 www.espousal.org Glastonbury Abbey 16 Hull Street Hingham, Mass.

(781) 749-2155 www.glastonburyabbey.org St. Joseph Retreat Center 339 Jerusalem Road Cohasset, Mass.

(781) 383-6024 www.csjretreatcenter.org

For reservation or information: www.foyerofcharity.com or info@foyerofcharity.com or 781-545-1080

that went on an ECHO and said, ‘What am I doing?’ and slowly pulled themselves away from the kids who were influencing their wrong choices.”

The ultimate success story comes in the form of a young man in his 20s who is currently a youth advisor and active member of his parish, but spent his teen years being the complete opposite of who he is today.

“It has changed his life. If he didn’t make that choice many years ago, he probably would have ended up in jail because that’s where a lot of his friends that he was hanging out with ended up,” said Giddings. “There are a lot of stories like that.”

It helps that there is a followTurn to page 17

Betania II Marian Center 154 Summer Street Medway, Mass.

(508) 533-5377 x104 www.betania2.org

Campion Renewal Center 319 Concord Road Weston, Mass.

(781) 419-1337 www.campioncenter.org Foyer of Charity 74 Hollett Street Scituate, Mass.

(781) 545-1080 www.foyerofcharity.com CONNECTICUT St. Edmund Ender’s Island 99 Yacht Club Road Mystic, Conn.

(860) 536-0565 www.endersisland.com Immaculata Retreat House 289 Windham Road Willimantic, Conn.

(860) 423-8484 www.immaculataretreat.org My Father’s House Retreat Center 39 N. Moodus Road Moodus, Conn.

(860) 873-1581 www.myfathershouse.com Holy Family Passionist Retreat and Conference Center 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, Conn.

(860) 521-1929 www.holyfamilyretreat.org Our Lady of Calvary Retreat Center 31 Colton Street Farmington, Conn.

(860) 677-8519 www.ourladyofcalvary.com NEW YORK Bethany Spirituality Center, Inc. 15 Bethany Drive Highland Mills, N.Y. (845) 928-2320 www.bethanyspiritualitycenter.org

March 9, 2012

15

The Anchor

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Christ’s 40 days in the desert teach Christians that temptations can be overcome in life if we stay close to Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI said recently.

“Man is never wholly free from the temptation but with patience and true humility we become stronger than any enemy,” the pope said in a Sunday Angelus address, quoting Thomas à Kempis’ famous 15th-century devotional work “The Imitation of Christ.”

The pope addressed thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square giving a reflection on St. Mark’s Gospel account of Christ’s 40 days in the desert when He was tempted by Satan.

Pope Benedict, citing his fifthcentury predecessor St. Leo the Great, suggested that Jesus “willingly suffered the attack of the tempter to defend us with His help and to teach us by His example.”

The desert can be a place of “abandonment and loneliness” where temptation becomes stronger, he said. However, it can also indicate “a place of refuge and shelter, as it was for the people of Israel who escaped from slavery in Egypt.” The desert is a place “where we can experience the presence of God in a special way.”

The patience and humility required to defeat “the enemy” come by following Christ every day and from “learning to build our life not outside of Him or as if He did not exist, but in Him and with Him, because He is the source of true life,” the pope continued.

In contrast to this is the temptation “to remove God, to order our lives and the world on our own, relying solely on our own abilities.”

This is why in Jesus “God speaks to man in an unexpected way, with a unique and concrete closeness, full of love,” because God has now become incarnate and “enters the world of man to take sin upon Himself, to overcome evil and bring man back into the world of God.” In return for this “great gift” Jesus asks that each person “repent and believe in the Gospel.”

This request, explained the pope, is “an invitation to have faith in God and to convert our lives each day to His will, directing all our actions and thoughts towards good.”

Lent is the perfect season to do this, he concluded, as it provides the ideal opportunity to “renew and strengthen our relationship with God” through daily prayer, acts of penance, and works of fraternal charity.

Upcoming Events

"

Pope says stay close to Jesus to conquer temptation

Mar. 9 - ASH WEDNESDAY: “The Greatest of These (Wed.) 10am-3pm is Love” (1Cor. 13-13)

Presenter: Father Mike McNamara

Mar. 19 - A TIME FOR HEALING: “Healing Our Hidden Self (Sat.) 10am-1:30pm Though the Power of Jesus’ Perfect, Unconditional

Love and Forgiveness” (Ephesians 3:14-22,

Luke 22:33-34) Presenter: Dr. Hugh Boyle Jr., Ed.D,

Christian Psychologist Mar. 26 - (Sat.) 10am-3pm

a day of recollection: “Seek Wisdom” (Wisdom 6:12) Presenter Barbara Wright

Apr. 6 - (Wed.) 10am-3pm

Apr. 16 - (Sat.) 10am-3pm

praise and worship: Presenter: Fr. Tom DiLorenzo

May 21 - (Sat.) 10am-1:30pm

May 28 - (Sat.) 10am-3pm

A TIME FOR HEALING: Presenter: Dr. Joseph Coyle, PhD, Christian Psychologist

June 26 (Sun.) 2pm

A TIME FOR HEALING: “Angels are Real” Presenter: Maria Rocha

-

A TIME OF INNER HEALING: “Healing the Hurts of the Heart” Presenter: Dorothea Degrandis-Sudol

a day of recollection: “Living in the Moment” Presenter: Barbara Jacobbe

BRING A LUNCH TEA AND COFFEE WILL BE SERVED

For required registration and for further information, please call 1-508-947-4704 If you register and discover you cannot attend, please call to cancel so that a replacement may be found.

16

Youth Pages

March 9, 2012

getting the point — Students in pre-kindergarten at St. James-St. John School in New Bedford recently learned a Portuguese story about a hat with three points.

hand-warmers — The fifth-graders at Holy Name School in Fall River are learning about adaptation — traits that organisms have to meet their basic needs to survive in their environment. Animals that live in a cold environment have thick fur and blubber to keep them warm. Here, students put their hands in two plain baggies and then two baggies that contain Crisco — “fat” and immersed them in ice water. The students agreed that the “blubber mitts” kept their hands warmer. scouts’ honors — Cub Scouts from Pack 51 chartered

by St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet recently received their Religious Emblems from Msgr. Gerald O’Connor at the “Scouts at Mass.” Lucas Correia (on left) received his Light of Christ Religious Emblem and Jacob Correia, Dakota Chixarro and Austin Avelar received their Parvuli Dei, Webelos Scout Religious Emblem Award.

cavity fighters — St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro parent and dental hygienist Margaret Quigley recently spoke to the kindergarten students about dental health.

pilot program — The students in grades three to five at St. Mary’s Primary School in Taunton were enthralled and engaged in the historical full-life portrayal of Amelia Earhart presented by Historical Perspectives For Children.

Earhart’s character was vividly dramatized from early childhood through adulthood, emphasizing how she developed the character qualities needed to achieve her dreams and goals, as well as reinforcing the importance of family, respect for others and individuality.

Youth Pages

March 9, 2012

P

icture this: some mornings you wake up and the outside world is blanketed with a fog. Looking out your window all you see are outlines of the houses across the street. The details of your surroundings are not clear at all. This is what living with anxiety and fear is like. They create a fog in your mind and heart that keeps you from seeing Christ clearly. But, just as the sunlight burns away the morning fog, Christ’s light chases away the fog of fear and anxiety. All you need to do is to tell Christ your fears and anxieties and leave them with Him. Don’t take them back again! But, unfortunately that’s easier said than done.

Let’s go back a few weeks to Ash Wednesday. Why did you receive those ashes? What did the words, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel,” said during the imposition of ashes, mean to you? Those ashes are really meant to be an outward sign of

17

24/7 conversion track

our inner resolve as a people them: rejecting Satan, and all of promise. We should be a his works and all his empty people in action, living out promises; believing in God, our baptismal promises daily. the Father Almighty; believing There is no need to make new in Jesus Christ, His only Son; promises, but only to do good believing in the Holy Spirit, by the ones we have already the holy Catholic Church, made. As a people in action we must be on a 24/7 conversion track.

During this Lent, journey with Jesus into the desert to fast and pray. Our desert is

By Ozzie Pacheco not really a physical place but a spiritual reality. It’s a place of silence, a place of encounthe communion of saints, the ter. Long ago it was the place forgiveness of sins, the resurwhere God led the chosen rection of the body and life people to freedom, where the everlasting.

Spirit led Christ to prepare for Living these promises His saving mission. Now, it throughout the day, everyday, is where we go to hear God’s is saying to God, “Please be Word in the silence of our more in me. Change me to be hearts. what You desire. It might not This is the place where we be success as the world sees it, take the time to affirm and but what You see for me in my strengthen the promises we life.” have made and do good by Have the want to be con-

Be Not Afraid

verted. This is what Lent is really about. It is about your conversion and my conversion. It is our transformation to be the person that God wants and sees that we can be. It’s living each day and making it better than the last. A friend of mine introduced me to a poem that helps me remind myself of my need to be on the conversion track 24/7. It is titled, “Each Day Brings A Chance To Do Better,” by Helen Steiner Rice: “How often we wish for another chance to make a fresh beginning, A chance to blot out our mistakes and change failure into winning — And it does not take a special time to make a brand-new start.

It only takes the deep desire to try with all our heart To live a little better and to always be forgiving

And to add a little ‘sunshine’ to the world in which we’re living — So never give up in despair and think that you are through, For there’s always a tomorrow” — and a chance to start anew.

Change, conversion begins by seeking forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

It is not a one-time Sacrament because we are not one-time sinners. This is the reason for the need to be on this conversion track 24/7.

Remember, Jesus wants you to trust Him and He wants to help you handle everything that happens — nothing surprises Him. Count on Christ.

Let His light chase away the fog of fear and anxiety. Then, go out and live your day in the sunshine and in His love.

Have a happy Lent!

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

Christian.”

There are currently 20 candidates signed up for the upcoming retreat this month, and they will listen to talks during the weekend and share in groups to talk about each presentation.

“That’s how they start forming that community — that family — and that continues throughout the weekend,” said Roderick, adding that having a group that ranges in ages is a benefit because all bring something completely different to the table.

“You don’t think they can relate, but to see that they all have something in common and they grow in their faith — those life experiences and sharing them are pretty powerful.”

As it so often happens for those who participate, life-changing moments can be traced back to attending a retreat as Roderick shared an inspiring story.

“There was one individual who came — and I hate to use these words — who had a chip on his shoulder and didn’t want any part of the weekend, and to see the transformation of this person was remarkable,” said Roderick. “By Saturday night, after Reconciliation, which is a very powerful part of the program, he changed. You could see the glow on his face.”

Reconciliation was key, as the young man felt forgiven and renewed, helping him reestablish a relationship with God.

“He is so involved in his parish and in his faith and prayer life,” said Roderick. “I see him every now and then thriving in his faith and he says, ‘If it wasn’t for Emmaus, I wouldn’t be where I am today.’”

Each candidate is asked at the end of the Emmaus retreat when they felt Jesus and close to God during the weekend and often Reconciliation is at the top of the list for answers given.

“I would recommend for everyone to take an Emmaus weekend,” said Roderick. “It is so powerful and it brings people closer in their faith and to God. I’m very passionate about this program and everyone should experience an Emmaus weekend.”

The La Salette Retreat Center will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013 and will kickoff a year-long celebration with a series of events and bringing in well-known individuals for retreats and conferences. Everyone should make a point to attend an annual retreat within his or her community, said Father Mattathilanickal, who said he also attends an annual retreat that offers him time to reflect in silence and renew his vocation.

“A year without a retreat is like I am not doing my duty for God,” he said. People should attend because a retreat will “bring you closer to God. To be still, and know that God is there.”

Catholic retreats: Time for renewal and refreshing continued from page 14

up program, said Giddings, with reunions that meet weekly: Tuesday night at Christ the King Parish and Thursday night at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville. ECHO takes the youth away from the technology-overload that inundates their senses and gives them a chance to focus on what is most important in their lives.

“Some parents send their kids and think, ‘Oh good. This is going to change them,’” said Giddings, adding the truth is closer to, “It’s going to help them see who they can be, and if they are trouble-makers, maybe it will give them insight and think twice before they do something.”

Cursillo (pronounced ker-seeyo) began in Spain in 1939 and has spread throughout the world.

Meaning “little course,” Cursillo is literally a little course in Christianity and is geared towards an older audience of men-only or women-only retreats. Weekends play host to a series of talks, celebration of the Sacraments and fellowship.

Led by a team of laymen or laywomen, the most current Cursillo held by the Office of Worship and Spiritual Life for the Archdiocese of Boston had 25 women participate and provided “an experience of spiritual renewal and evangelization” for those who attended, said office co-director Mary Ann McLaughlin.

“As we learn the language of faith, we are more able to articulate it to one another — in other words, evangelize. Evangelize sounds so intimidating and it basically is a very simple sharing of faith with another person, and introducing Christ to the other person,” said McLaughlin. “I do think that we, as Catholics, need to learn how to share our faith with one another. The Cursillo, I think, helps us to evangelize. It provides an environment, which is a microcosm of the Church. It presents what the Church teaches, over the course of a weekend, and then asks people to share their faith in small groups around what has been presented.”

The purpose of the retreat is to facilitate an encounter with Christ during the weekend by listening to the Gospel and through various talks that are given. Currently using the Campion Center in Weston as its current location, McLaughlin noted that locations have changed over the years due to centers closing their doors.

“It’s interesting because it’s been called a ‘movement’ and in some ways, that’s true,” said McLaughlin. “People move with whatever needs to be done.

I do think that Christ is revealing Himself through this group of people who volunteer. This is not a funded operation; people volunteer their money and their time. While it’s overseen by the archdiocese, it is something in

which people are very generous.”

McLaughlin went through the letters she received from the most recent Cursillo: “I wanted to deeply thank you for such a wonderful weekend,” read McLaughlin. “It was spiritual and fun … it was healing to laugh so much too.”

While responses vary, McLaughlin’s most rewarding moment came when her own daughter wrote to her: “She said to me how much it meant to her to learn about her faith in that way — she was on the team — and how Cursillo not only taught her about her faith but she thanked me for helping her to know how to be a mother,” said McLaughlin.

The Emmaus retreat program is open to all men and women, ages 19 and over, and is a co-ed weekend that gives Christians, regardless of their level of faith and practice, an opportunity to set aside time for personal reflection and grow in a relationship with Christ.

“We’ve had people in their 80s and their 70s attend these.

We open it up to everybody,” said Dave Roderick, coordinator for the Emmaus program and member of Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich. “The reason why we did that is because we felt that everybody should be able to grow in his or her faith and to be open this type of program. We invite anyone who is a

18

The Anchor

Around the Diocese 3/10

Courage, a welcoming support group for Catholics wounded by same-sex attraction who gather to seek God’s wisdom, mercy and love, will next meet tomorrow 10 at 6 p.m. (please note change in start time). For location and further information, call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

3/13

The next meeting of the Catholic Cancer Support Group will be at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville on March 13. The meeting will begin with Mass and Anointing of the Sick at 6 p.m. in the church, followed by speaker Father Mark Hession in the parish center. For more information call Mary Lees at 508-771-1106 or email maryplees@comcast.net.

3/13 3/15

St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford is hosting the Stations of the Cross according to Mary on March 13 at 7 p.m., followed by a small coffee and dessert bread reception in the parish center.

The Cape and Islands Prayer Group Deanery is sponsoring a Day of Recollection on March 15 at the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham. For more information or to register call 508-3491641 or 508-759-2737.

3/15

Catholic Social Services’ Citizenship Services Program offers Naturalization Workshops at which its legal staff assists people with the N-400 Application for Naturalization. The contact is Ashlee Reed, email: areed@cssdioc.org or 508-674-4681. The next workshop will be held on March 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Catholic Social Services, 261 South Street in Hyannis.

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

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

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street, Sunday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and Mass. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

East Freetown — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

East Sandwich — Eucharistic adoration takes place at the Corpus Christi Parish Adoration Chapel, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, 24-hour eucharistic adoration takes place on the First Friday of every month.

The Ladies Guild of St. Mary’s Parish in South Dartmouth will sponsor a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner on March 17 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the parish center. Entertainment will be provided by Voices in Time and seating is limited. For reservations or information, call 508-993-9441.

3/17

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, eucharistic adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

3/20

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has eucharistic adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at noon. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

The Daughters of Isabella will reconvene for fellowship and fun on March 20 at 7 p.m. at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 121 Mount Pleasant Street in New Bedford. The local chapter of Hyacinth Circle welcomes all past and present members to come and join them for a reflection night to discuss the old and welcome the new.

3/23

The Respect Life Ministry of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee will sponsor a Lenten program on end-of-life issues on March 23 at 11:30 a.m. in the parish hall. Father Michael Fitzpatrick, former chaplain at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and current parochial vicar at Corpus Christi, will speak on how to live fully, even at the end of life. A “poor man’s lunch” will be served prior ot the talk. For reservations or more information call 508-759-2737.

3/24

The St. Mary’s Council of the Knights of Columbus will celebrate a special Mass for the Unborn Child on March 24 at 4 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 1 Power Street, Norton. In addition to the Mass, there will be a baby shower where people will have the opportunity to donate items for unwed mothers with infants. These can include clothing, diapers, lotions, furniture, and toys. The baby shower will extend to all the Masses on Sunday as well. All are invited to attend and donate.

3/29 4/1

A Healing Mass will take place at St. Anne’s Church, 818 Middle Street, Fall River, on March 29. The evening begins with the Rosary at 6 p.m., followed by Mass, Benediction and healing prayers.

A three-part Lenten series entitled “I have come that they may have life ... abundantly” and led by Anna Rae-Kelly will begin April 1 at 4 p.m. in the Welcome Center at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, 947 Park Street in Attleboro. The series will resume on April 2 and 3 at 7:15 p.m. in the Reconciliation Chapel. All are welcome. For more information see www.annaprae.com.

4/15

Holy Trinity Women’s Guild will host a Spring Penny Sale on April 15 at 1 p.m. in the church basement on the corner of Tucker Street and Stafford Road in Fall River. There will be raffles, door prizes and a luncheon menu including Chow Mein, sandwiches, chourico and peppers, pastries and more. For information call 508-679-6732.

5/6

Registration is now open for Project Bread’s 20-mile Walk for Hunger on May 6 in Boston. The effort will help fund hunger relief through emergency programs, schools, community health centers, farmers’ markets, community suppers, home care organizations and other programs. For information or to register visit www.projectbread.org or call 617-723-5000.

Misc.

Catholic Social Services offers Citizenship Instruction in formal classes and on an individual or small-group basis for clients who are not suited to the formal setting for a variety of reasons.

CSS is recruiting volunteer tutors to work with clients who need assistance in English, preparation for the citizenship interview, and/or study in U.S. History and Civics for the citizenship test. For information contact Lemuel Skidmore, email: lskidmore@cssdioc.org or 508-771-6771.

Misc.

Adoption by Choice, a program of Catholic Social Services, provides confidential, free, supportive pregnancy counseling to individuals experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Their licensed counselors are available to meet with individuals and their families whenever they might need someone to share concerns with about an unplanned pregnancy and the future of the baby. If you or someone you know might want to explore the agency’s services, call 508-674-4681 or visit the CSS website at www.cssdioc.org.

Fall River — SS. Peter and Paul Parish will have eucharistic adoration on March 30 in the parish chapel, 240 Dover Street, from 8:30 a.m. until noon.

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

FALL RIVER — Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has eucharistic adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the chapel.

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

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has eucharistic adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has eucharistic adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass until 6 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. There is a bilingual Holy Hour in English and Portuguese from 5-6 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

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

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, beginning immediately after the 12:10 p.m. Mass and ending with adoration at 4 p.m.

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

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

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

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the Rosary, and the opportunity for Confession.

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and every Friday from noon to 5 p.m., with Benediction at 5 p.m.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508336-5549.

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WAREHAM — Every First Friday, eucharistic adoration takes place from 8:30 a.m. through Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Morning prayer is prayed at 9; the Angelus at noon; the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m.; and Evening Prayer at 5 p.m.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

March 9, 2012

Catholic laity urged to bring convictions to public square

HICKSVILLE, N.Y. (CNS) — Catholics have a duty as American citizens to bring faithinspired convictions to politics, and they can never allow politics to trump principles articulated by the bishops in their role as official teachers, according to Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York. Informed political action is a particular charism of the laity, he said in the keynote address March 3 in Hicksville at the annual Public Policy Convention of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Cardinal Dolan said Catholic involvement in the public square is based on Catholic social teaching, which articulates bedrock principles and the actions that logically follow from them. “We root for the underdog in Catholic social justice,” he said. The innate dignity of the human person is the central tenet of Catholic social teaching, Cardinal Dolan said. Each person is a reflection of God and a “spark of the divine,” he said, and human life is unquestionably sacred and deserves protection and respect.

More than 700 people participated in the program at Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville. Cardinal Dolan, introduced by Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, spoke on the event’s theme, “Catholics in the Public Square: Our Role in Shaping Public Policy.”

“We are called to construct a society of virtue and responsibility where human dignity is sacred and human life is revered,” the cardinal said. “Thus, informed political action is a duty. It is not some tawdry distraction.” Catholic teaching is based on natural law, “which is hard-wired into us as part of our moral DNA” and provides the basics of right and wrong elementary, which human beings disregard at their peril, he said.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks March 12 Rev. Aurelien L. Moreau, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1961 Rev. Adrien E. Bernier, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1989 Rev. George I. Saad, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Purgatory, New Bedford, 1991 March 16 Rev. Francis J. Maloney. S.T.L., Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1957 Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, CSC, 2006

March 9, 2012

I

19

The Anchor

What reason for melancholy?

t seems to be an every-week occurrence at Fenway Park South this winter. Red Sox brass, players former players, family members, and the press corps gather before a podium set up with the Green Monster Jr. as a backdrop.

A familiar face, in unfamiliar garb, emerges from the monster and makes a bittersweet trek to his place near the podium.

Clutching rolled-up sheets of paper, he is accompanied by children and a spouse.

It’s retirement day. Two weeks ago it was the venerable Tim Wakefield, the ageless knuckleballer. Last week, it was the captain, Jason Varitek, a Fenway fixture as recognizable as the Pesky Pole.

Both men saw the writing on the wall, and actually read it. What was suggested was to gracefully exit the game with dignity before hanging on far too long, a-la the great Willie Mays and others who were a pathetic

tion to family members, former shell of the athlete the good old coaches, trainers, office personU.S.A. grew to know and love. nel, former teammates, hot dog In an age of egocentric, selfish, arrogant professional ath- vendors, ushers, and groundskeeletes, Wakefield and Tek were the pers. (I got carried away there, consummate gentlemen and teammates.

Both were respected on the field, and gave to the community off the field.

Wakefield was a

By Dave Jolivet Red Sox for the last 17 years, and Tek for the last 15. Any Sox fan in their early 20s but you get the picture.) and younger has grown up with When it came time to say the the pair. actual words, “I’m retiring from Following Tek’s retirement, the game of baseball,” both men my 32-year-old son lamented choked up, as did their signifion Facebook about experienccant others and guests. The only ing a Red Sox team without the ones seemingly left emotionless stalwart duo. were members of the press, but At each ceremony, after that’s for another column. receiving accolades from team Watching the events at home, owner Tom Werner, the star of I too, felt a wave of melancholy the show walked up to the dais as they said goodbye to the game and began a litany of thank yous they loved so much. But after and expressions of apprecia-

My View From the Stands

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Tek’s farewell, it hit me. They said goodbye to the GAME they loved so much.

All the fanfare of a retirement press conference and ultimately a day at Fenway Park North was for individuals who played a game for a living.

Please don’t take this the wrong way. I truly like and respect both players, but I think I’d like to save my melancholy for more appropriate events.

Both men have played baseball since they were lads — Little League, high school, college, the minor leagues and eventually the pros.

Sure, while stomping around the minors or as early majorleaguers, they may have worried about their hard-ball futures. But the alternative would have been to face reality and get a job in the real world. Like most of us. Like my dad who started working on farms and at ice houses as a boy

to help out his family, and my mom who raised my brother and me before heading out into the work force herself.

And like me who took whatever jobs he could to be sure my family had food on the table and insurance coverage. And like my wife Denise who worked as a young girl in her father’s variety store, then as a teen got a job to help pay for the basics she needed, then stayed home with all our children as they grew, then headed back to work at the proper time. And like most of you out there who have sacrificed and toiled without making millions of dollars, ending up set for life at age 40.

Yeah, it’s sad that they’ll miss their teammates and playing games, but the mood shouldn’t be sadness — it should be gratitude for a blessed life. But that’s the way sports and entertainment tend to skew reality and those of us who live in it. It’s wise to keep things in perspective.

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The Anchor

March 9, 2012