03.23.12

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , March 23, 2012

Mass. Pro-Lifers ready to battle threat of physician-assisted suicide

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

age-old tradition — Priests, seminarians and faithful gathered at Santa Sabina Church in Rome for an Ash Wednesday Mass. Father Riley Williams of the Fall River Diocese is part of a group that organizes a Mass at Station Churches in Rome during Lent. (Photo courtesy of the North American College)

Diocesan priest living and studying ancient Church teachings, traditions

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

ROME — For such a young priest, ordained for less than a year, Father Riley Williams has surrounded himself with some very ancient teachings and traditions. He is a priest of the Fall River Diocese currently studying for a license in Sacred Theology with a concentration on moral theology, at the North American College in Rome.

In addition to studying a topic as old as Church teaching itself, Father Williams is also big part of a centuries-old tradition of attending Mass at Station Church-

es in Rome every day during Lent. The observance of stational Liturgy dates back to the second and third centuries.

“Since the 1970s, a group from the North American College, priests and seminarians, have organized Masses at these churches during Lent,” Father Williams told The Anchor.

“From Ash Wednesday through Wednesday of Holy Week, we gather with others from the city at a designated station church for 7 a.m. Mass. For two of my years here, I had a role in orgaTurn to page 15

New parish takes shape in Fall River’s Flint neighborhood

FALL RIVER — In the fall of 2010 a task force composed of parishioners from Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Fall River was assembled to work with Father Richard L. Chretien, who serves as pastor of both, to begin the process of forming one new parish.

In the ensuing period, this Parish Planning Task Force (PPTF) consulted with parish-

NORWOOD — Determined to battle the latest threat to life in Massachusetts, Pro-Life women gathered to educate themselves about the proposal to legalize physician-assisted suicide. A petition initiative will likely allow voters in the Commonwealth to determine the issue in November.

The annual Women Affirming Life (WALI) spring breakfast, held March 10 at the Four Point Sheraton in Norwood, featured speaker M.C. Sullivan — a nurse, bioethicist, attorney and director of Ethics at Covenant Health Systems in Tewksbury.

WALI is an outreach of the Archdiocese of Boston’s Pro-Life Office.

Sullivan said the answer to doctor-prescribed death is palliative care. Palliative medicine ad-

dresses all aspects of the patient, including their physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs. It requires the cooperation of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, chaplains, social workers, psychologists and other health care professionals. The approach can differ greatly depending on the individual patient.

Palliative care differs from hospice care, which focuses strictly on the end of life, in that it can be used for patients with either chronic or terminal illnesses. It is not antithetical to curative care but is usually invoked when curative treatments are no longer working. Because it leans less on technology, palliative care is often cost-saving. More importantly, it tends to improve the patient’s quality of life.

Turn to page 13

ioners on possible names for the new parish and on whether its location should be the Notre Dame de Lourdes or Immaculate Conception Church. Based upon these consultations, the PPTF made recommendations to Bishop George W. Coleman.

In a letter read this past weekend at Masses at both churches, Bishop Coleman wrote that after prayerful consideration, he was pleased to Turn to page 13

Down to business — It’s a balancing act for Claire McManus, director of the Faith Formation Office in Fall River. Uniting the office ministries when she took the helm in 2006, McManus oversees a staff that focuses its attention to the varying demographics of the diocese but keeps the message of evangelization clear — help youth, young adults and adults form a relationship with Jesus Christ.

(Photo by Becky Aubut)

Faith Formation Office: The new evangelization in practice

B y B ecky Aubut A nchor Staff

FALL RIVER — ­­ After an extensive study done by consultants determined that there needed to be a leader among the varying ministries of youth and adult formation, a national search led to the installation of Claire McManus as the director of the Faith Formation Office in 2006; a position that she uses to propel her staff to support parish ministries within the Fall River Diocese.

“That’s why we exist and

that takes a lot of different forms,” she said of the varying duties of the staff. “We’re trying to build up certain ministries that we feel are ripe for evangelization. We’re always keeping that in mind. Everything takes time. I always ask these questions: What is the purpose of a diocesan office?

Do we do direct ministry? Do we do big events? I think it’s all of the above.”

Big events like the annual conventions and junior high rallies take a lot of energy,

as evidenced by the morning conference call being held by Crystal Medeiros and Deacon Bruce Bonneau focused on the upcoming New England Adult Faith Formation Symposium to be held in August.

“It’s pretty much taking everything we do at a diocesan level for, say a youth convention, and expanding it to a regional level,” said Medeiros, assistant director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

“That involves a lot of time Turn to page 14

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News From the Vatican

March 23, 2012

Pope says prayer gave Mary her readiness to do God’s will

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Profound and constant prayer enabled the Virgin Mary to embrace God’s will in her life, Pope Benedict XVI taught in his March 14 general audience.

Jesus’ mother “was placed by the Lord at the decisive moments of salvation history and has always been able to respond with full availability, the result of a deep relationship with God developed in assiduous and intense prayer,” the pope told the more than 10,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square.

In recent months, the pope has traced the history of prayer through the Old Testament and the four Gospels, focusing on the Psalms and the prayer life of Christ Himself. This Wednesday, he began a new chapter in his series of talks on prayer by focusing on the role of prayer in the early Church, with Mary as its first and greatest disciple.

Mary, he explained, “teaches us the necessity of prayer,” through which God gives believers the courage “to reach the ends of the world and proclaim everywhere the Lord Jesus, savior of the world.”

While Jesus’ disciples often showed their human weaknesses and lack of understanding, Mary modeled a deeper life of contemplation and wisdom, made possible by the Holy Spirit within her. In this way, the pope said, she paved the way for the disciples’ reception of the same Spirit at Pentecost.

“If there is no Church without Pentecost, there is no Pentecost without the mother of Jesus,” he said, “because she lived in a unique way, which the Church experiences each day under the action of the Holy Spirit.”

At Pentecost, Christ fulfilled His promise to the Apostles that they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,” enabling them to bear witness to Him throughout the world. Pope Benedict reminded his listeners that the fulfillment of this promise in-

volved a great deal of prayer.

“In Jerusalem, the Apostles are gathered in the house to pray,” he observed, “and it is in prayer that they await the promised gift of the risen Christ, the Holy Spirit.”

Mary, he suggested, showed them how to meet this worldchanging event with humility and readiness.

“Even in the upper room in Jerusalem in an atmosphere of listening and prayer, she is present, before the doors are thrown open and they begin to proclaim Christ the Lord to all nations.”

Her presence with Jesus’ inner circle of followers, recorded

by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, “is not just a historical record of a past thing, but takes on a meaning of great value.”

“She shares with them what is her most precious asset: her living memory of Jesus, in prayer and this mission of Jesus, preserving the memory of Jesus and thus also His presence.”

Pope Benedict stressed the importance of Mary’s presence in the Church, then and now, with a quotation from the thirdand fourth-century bishop St. Chromatius of Aquileia — who declared in a sermon that “one cannot therefore speak of the Church unless Mary, Mother of God is present.”

As both “Mother of God and mother of the Church,” the Blessed Virgin “exercises this motherhood until the end of history. We entrust to her every passing phase of our personal and ecclesial life, not least that of our final transit.”

Pope Benedict said the Church’s devotion to Mary should bring believers closer to one another — teaching them to imitate the Apostles, who were known for their unity and love.

“Mary invites us to open the dimensions of our prayer, to turn to God not only in need and not just for ourselves but in a unanimous, persevering, faithful way, with ‘one heart and mind.’”

calling the faithful — Pope Benedict XVI rings the International Eucharistic Congress Bell before a general audience at the Vatican recently. At left are Father Kevin Doran, secretary general of the International Eucharistic Congress, and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, president of the congress. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

Vatican commission affirms Scripture as ‘soul of theology’

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Catholic theology can be judged by its fidelity to biblical revelation, the Vatican’s International Theological Commission affirmed March 8 in a new document on the role of theologians.

“Theology in its entirety should conform to the Scriptures, and the Scriptures should sustain and accompany all theological work,” the commission said in its document “Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles and Criteria.”

Fidelity to Scripture is essential, the commission stated, “because theology is concerned with the truth of the Gospel, and it can know that truth only if it investigates the normative witness to it in the canon of sacred Scripture.”

Such investigation “relates the human words of the Bible to the living Word of God,” Jesus Christ Himself.

The International Theological Commission assists the Vatican’s highest doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in its examination of questions about Church teaching. The commission’s current president, Cardinal William J. Levada, is also the prefect of the congregation.

Cardinal Levada authorized the release of the new document, which has been in the works since 2004. Attributed to the commission as a whole, the text was drafted in accordance with further studies led by Msgr. Paul McPartlan, a theology professor at the Catholic University of America.

The document begins by acknowledging the growth in new areas of theology following the Second Vatican Council. During the same period, however, there has been “a certain fragmentation of theology,” making it difficult for the discipline to maintain “its own true identity.”

While there is room for a legitimate diversity of theological

insights, the Church also needs “a common discourse to communicate the one message of Christ to the world.”

According to the commission members, true Catholic theology “arises from an attentive listening to the Word of God,” “situates itself consciously and faithfully in the communion of the Church,” and is “orientated to the service of God in the world” through the communication of revealed truth.

Remedies for the “fragmentation” of theology, they suggested, can be found in the Second Vatican Council’s official teachings — particularly in “Dei Verbum,” its text on the topic of divine revelation.

“The ‘study of the sacred page’ should be the ‘very soul of sacred theology,’” the commission recalled, quoting Vatican II’s “core affirmation with regard to theology.” Thus, “biblical themes should have first place” for modern theologians, as they did for the early Church Fathers.

Catholic theology can also be judged by its faithfulness to the Church’s constant tradition — which includes its forms of prayer and worship, its formulation of creeds, and the moral rule of life which it sets out for its members.

While pursuing deeper insight into revealed truth, Catholic the-

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ology “recognizes the teaching authority of ecumenical councils, the ordinary and universal magisterium of the bishops, and the papal magisterium,” the theological commission recalled.

Theology, according to the commission, is essentially “a work of reason illuminated by faith,” involving both the acceptance of divine revelation and the active engagement of the mind.

The harmony of faith and reason, a key theme of both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, is strongly affirmed in the new document’s final chapter — which stresses the value of reason, in contrast with postmodern philosophies that devalue it.

“By the use of reason, the believer grasps the profound connections between the different stages in the history of salvation and also between the various mysteries of faith which illuminate one another,” the commission observed.

“On the other hand, faith stimulates reason itself and stretches its limits.”

“Reason is stirred to explore paths which of itself it would not even have suspected it could take.

This encounter with the Word of God leaves reason enriched, because it discovers new and unsuspected horizons.”

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 56, No. 12

Member: Catholic Press Association, Catholic News Service

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The International Church

March 23, 2012

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Vatican says SSPX response to basic doctrinal principles ‘insufficient’

middle east violence — A house recently damaged after heavy shelling by government forces is pictured in Sermeen, Syria. The U.S. bishops’ Administrative Committee, meeting in Washington recently, expressed solidarity with people facing Middle East violence and calling for a “change of heart and mind on the part of all those who sow division and hatred.” (CNS photo/Zohra Bensemra, Reuters)

U.S. bishops stand in solidarity with people facing Middle East violence

WASHINGTON (CNS) — cific incidents.

“When innocent women and Citing continuing conflict in The four-paragraph state- children are slaughtered, when the Middle East, the U.S. bish- ment was adopted unanimous- journalists are killed pursuing ops’ Administrative Commit- ly, he said. their profession, when the detee reiterated its support for “I do know from my person- fenseless are cut down on their the region’s bishops and all al relations with a number of way to work or even in their people of faith, urging them to bishops in the Middle East, that homes, then those responsible stand against viomust be brought lence even in the to reasonable juse insist that peace, which is ul- tice. Violence so face of hostility and aggression. timately a gift of God, must be often leads to more A statement from made the goal of every nation not only inter- violence. War is althe committee, ways a loss for hunally but in consort with all the nations and manity whether it which concluded a two-day meeting in peoples of the region.” be civil and internal Washington March or nation to nation,” 14, called for a it said. “change of heart and mind on they take our words to heart The administrative committhe part of all those who sow and that they find a great deal tee also urged “our brothers and of comfort in the solidarity that sisters in the Christian churches division and hatred.”

Bishop William F. Murphy we offer to them,” Bishop Mur- as well as all our brothers and of Rockville Centre, N.Y., a phy added. sisters and the religious leadThe statement acknowledged ers of all faiths to renew their member of the bishops’ Committee on International Justice the difficult circumstances that commitment to work together, and Peace, told Catholic News Catholic bishops face as they to pray and to use all their good Service the statement calls guide the Church and its mem- offices to offer an alternative upon Christians especially to bers in the face of conflict. to division, conflict and vio“We insist that peace, which lence.” respond to violence in a nonis ultimately a gift of God, must violent manner.

Bishop Murphy also called “As the statement says, vio- be made the goal of every na- for prayers for the people in the lence begets violence,” Bishop tion not only internally but in region.

Murphy said. “Pope John Paul consort with all the nations “I have trust in the Lord and II said that many years ago, and peoples of the region,” the I have trust His power is stronand it remains true. When one statement said. ger than our words,” he said. person has his or her dignity violated, then there are three possibilities: They can run away; they can turn around and respond with violence; or they can learn how to stand their ground without being violent.

“The third is the one that the Lord imposes upon us. That takes restraint. It takes suffering. But it needs to be supported. That third choice, which is the true choice, needs to be supported by Catholic bishops,” he said.

Bishop Murphy explained that the statement refers to all forms of violence in the entire region rather than spe-

“W

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI, has defined as “insufficient” the position of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X on certain basic doctrinal principles and criteria for interpreting Church teaching.

U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the doctrinal congregation, met for two hours March 16 with Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior of the society, to explain the Vatican’s evaluation of the position of the SSPX, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.

In a formal communique published after the meeting, the Vatican said it wanted to “avoid an ecclesial rupture with painful and incalculable consequences,” so Bishop Fellay and leaders of the society were asked to further clarify their response to a “doctrinal preamble” the Vatican asked them to study last September.

The text of the preamble was not made public, but the Vatican had said it “states some doctrinal principles and criteria for the interpretation of Catholic doctrine necessary to guarantee fidelity” to the formal teaching of the Church, including the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.

Bishop Fellay delivered the society’s official response in January, the Vatican said, and it was “placed under the examination of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and successively under the judgment of the Holy Father.”

“In compliance with the decision of Pope Benedict XVI,” the communique said, Bishop Fellay was given a letter signed by Cardinal Levada explaining that “the position he had expressed is not sufficient to overcome the doctrinal problems that are at the basis of the fracture between the Holy See and the society.”

Father Lombardi said Cardinal Levada told Bishop Fellay the society had a month to clarify its position in order to heal “the existing fracture.”

“A further clarification from the society is expected by mid-April,” said Father Lombardi. The society has been given “more time for reflection to see if some further step can be made.”

The Vatican spokesman would not give examples of the points on which the Society of St. Pius X and the Vatican still differ since the original preamble was never published. He said the additional month given to the society shows “the case is not closed,” although the letter to Bishop Fellay makes clear that the consequence of “a non-acceptance of that which was foreseen in the preamble” would be “a rupture, something very serious for the Church.”

Father Lombardi said Pope Benedict has taken many steps “to make possible a reconciliation” with the traditionalist group, including lifting the excommunications imposed on Bishop Fellay and other SSPX bishops, establishing a Vatican committee for doctrinal talks with society representatives in 2009 and drafting the “doctrinal preamble” to explain the “minimal, essential” elements on which the society would have to agree for full reconciliation.

“A response was expected, it was not sufficient and, so, now the Vatican is saying, ‘If you think there is something else you would like to clarify, if you’d like to reflect some more to clarify your position, there is another month for you to do so,’” Father Lombardi said.

In late November, Bishop Fellay had said, “This doctrinal preamble cannot receive our endorsement, although leeway has been allowed for a ‘legitimate discussion’ about certain points of the Second Vatican Council.”

When the Vatican’s doctrinal discussions with the society began in 2009, both sides said the key issues to be discussed included the concept of tradition in general, as well as the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on the Liturgy, the unity of the Church, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue and religious freedom.

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The Church in the U.S.

March 23, 2012

‘Unified, focused’ bishops pledge to continue religious liberty defense

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Declaring themselves “strongly unified and intensely focused,” the nation’s top Catholic bishops vowed to continue their multipronged defense of religious liberty in the courts, Congress and the White House.

The five-page statement titled “United for Religious Freedom” was approved March 14 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Administrative Committee, made up of the USCCB officers and committee chairmen and an elected bishop representative from each of the geographic regions of the USCCB. The bishops opened their statement with thanks for “all who have stood firmly with us in our vigorous opposition to this unjust and illegal mandate,” referring to the Department of Health and Human Services’ requirement that nearly all employers must provide free coverage of contraceptives and sterilization to their employees through health insurance plans.

“This is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the Church — consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions — to act against Church teachings,” they said. “This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing.”

The debate over the contraceptive mandate is “not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue,” the bishops added.

Nor is the issue about access to contraception or about “the bishops somehow ‘banning contraception,’ when the U.S. Supreme Court took that issue off the table two generations ago,” they said.

What especially concerns the bishops about the contraceptive mandate and the narrow religious

exemption to it is the “new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry,” the statement said.

“Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry,” the bishops said. “HHS thus creates and enforces a new distinction — alien both to our Catholic tradition and to federal law — between our houses of worship and our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and university, and others in need, of any faith community or none.”

Such a definition creates “a second class of citizenship within our religious community” that could “spread throughout federal law, weakening its healthy tradition of generous respect for religious freedom and diversity,” they added.

The bishops said their Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty plans to publish a statement on religious liberty that will “address the broader range of religious liberty issues.”

The upcoming document “reflects on the history of religious liberty in our great nation, surveys the current range of threats to this foundational principle, and states clearly the resolve of the bishops to act strongly, in concert with our fellow citizens, in its defense.”

The bishops closed their statement by calling on Catholics and other people of faith “to join us in prayer and penance for our leaders and for the complete protection of our first freedom — religious liberty — which is not only protected in the laws and customs of our great nation, but rooted in the teachings of our great tradition.”

“Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength — for without God, we can do nothing; but with God, all things are possible,” they added.

bringing it to the house — Catholic students from George Washington University lead the Rosary outside the White House to show support for religious freedom that they say is threatened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandates on contraception. (CNS photo)

Another Catholic ‘swing vote’: Supreme Court gets health reform law

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although there are no specifically Catholic issues under consideration when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments March 26-28 on various aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Catholics will play some key roles.

With six of the nine Supreme Court justices being Catholics, it is almost inevitable that a Catholic justice will be a “swing vote” determining the outcome in at least one of the cases. And Catholic groups and individuals have not been shy about filing friend-of-the-court briefs seeking to sway the justices toward their hoped-for outcome.

The lawsuits before the court have nothing to do with the contraceptive mandate set by the Department of Health and Human Services — and the First Amendment religious freedom questions raised by it — which has been the subject of a number of other suits in lower courts.

There are four questions before the high court in three cases, with five-and-a-half hours of arguments scheduled over the three days: — Does the Anti-Injunction Act, which says no tax can be challenged in court before it is due, preclude a challenge to the Affordable Care Act until after the individual mandate takes effect in 2014?

(Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services, one hour, March 26.)

— Does Congress have the power to require Americans to buy health insurance (“the minimum coverage provision,” also called the individual mandate)? (Department of Health and Human Services v.

Florida, two hours, March 27.)

— If the individual mandate is overturned as unconstitutional, can other parts of the Affordable Care Act remain in effect? (National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius and Florida v.

Department of Health and Human Services, 90 minutes, March 28.)

— Can Congress require the

states to expand their Medicaid programs for those with low incomes and the disabled? (Florida v.

Department of Health and Human Services, one hour, March 28.)

Dozens of organizations and individuals have filed friend-of-thecourt briefs in the cases, including a number of Catholics.

The heads of 19 U.S. Catholic religious orders joined with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the national Catholic social justice lobby Network in a brief supporting the Medicaid expansion, calling it “a moral imperative that all levels of government institute programs that ensure the poor receive” adequate health care.

The nuns — many of whose congregations serve in health care ministries — said they “have witnessed firsthand ... the devastating impact of the lack of affordable health insurance and health care on women, children and other vulnerable members of society.”

In a separate brief, an interfaith coalition called Faithful Reform in Health Care said the Medicaid expansion is both “morally proper and legally permissible.”

“Because states can opt out of Medicaid, the only compulsion they face is the knowledge that the Medicaid expansion is the right and moral thing to do,” it added.

The coalition, made up of Muslim, Jewish and Christian organizations, including many Catholic religious congregations, said the scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions and the sacred teachings of other faiths “understand that addressing the general welfare of the nation includes giving particular attention to the poor and the sick.”

“Individual acts of kindness to persons suffering ill health are commendable, but they cannot replace a nationwide safety-net program like Medicaid, which currently serves millions of this nation’s poor and vulnerable,” the brief said.

The Catholic Medical Association joined five other national orga-

nizations in saying that the requirement that every American purchase health insurance or face a penalty “effectively imposes an ‘abortion premium mandate’ that violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.”

Even if those who have religious or moral objections to abortion are able to find health insurance that excludes abortion, they “have their marketplace choices impermissibly limited under the Affordable Care Act by being forced to choose between insufficient plans that respect their conscience versus other plans that happen to require an abortion premium, but that may otherwise better meet their health needs or their choice of doctor network,” the brief said.

A brief filed by CatholicVote. org, which describes itself as a nonpartisan voter education project that promotes “an authentic understanding of ordered liberty and the common good” based on Catholic teaching, took a different tack in opposing the health reform law.

“Committed to individual liberty, minimal government, federalism and the doctrine of subsidiarity, CatholicVote.org believes that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a pernicious expansion of federal power that undermines religious liberty and responsibility, diminishes the sphere of private charitable activity and arrogates to the federal government totalitarian control of a vitally important and deeply personal matter,” it said.

The American Catholic Lawyers Association based its opposition to the individual mandate on the principle of federalism.

“Forcing a person into a market — dragging that person, kicking and screaming, into a sphere of activity in which he or she has and wants no involvement whatever — contradicts utterly the deeply embedded tradition of individual autonomy and self-determination which is a hallmark of our nation,” the association’s brief said.

The Church in the U.S. Women’s support for Obama drops in wake of HHS mandate

March 23, 2012

Washington D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — A recent poll shows that President Barack Obama’s approval ratings dropped 12 percentage points among women voters, despite claims that a federal contraception mandate would help his bid for re-election.

“It’s definitely something that young women are concerned about,” said Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life of America.

Hawkins told CNA on March 13 that beyond just contraception or abortion, the mandate touches on the issue of religious freedom, which is clear to any woman in the U.S. “whether she’s religious or not.”

“It goes too far,” she said, adding that women are beginning to ask fundamental questions about what the government would be able to regulate next if this mandate were to succeed.

In recent weeks, political analysts have suggested that Obama’s re-election campaign will receive a significant boost in women’s votes due to its support for a controversial federal contraception mandate.

But a New York Times/CBS News poll shows that Obama’s approval rating among women has plummeted at three times the rate as men within the last few weeks.

The poll, conducted March 7-11, revealed that the president’s approval rating among Americans has fallen from 50 percent last month to an all-

time low of 41 percent.

While Obama’s approval rating dipped just four percentage points among men, it dropped by 12 percentage points among women.

The decrease in women’s support comes amid debate over a January 20 mandate issued by the Obama Administration under the new health care law. Introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services, the mandate will soon require employers to offer health care plans that include full coverage of contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.

Faced with a storm of protest from those who argued that the mandate violated First Amendment guarantees of religious freedom, President Obama promised an “accommodation” for religious freedom on February 10.

Under the “accommodation,” which was never incorporated into the original mandate, religious employers would not directly buy the controversial coverage but would instead purchase health care plans from insurance companies that would be required to provide it free of charge.

Critics of the promised “accommodation” note that under such an arrangement, insurance companies would likely raise employers’ premiums in order to account for the “free” coverage, effectively passing the cost of the coverage back to the employers who object to it.

stating a fact — A farm worker and member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers holds up a sign recently in Lakeland, Fla., during a march that drew more than 300 people to urge the Publix Supermarket chain to sign a “Fair Food” agreement that would pay an extra penny per pound for tomatoes harvested by the workers. (CNS photo/Jean Gonzalez, Florida Catholic)

The U.S. bishops and numerous other groups have called for legislation to either overturn the mandate or implement an effective religious exemption.

Majorities of both men and women in the New York Times /CBS News poll also voiced support for religious and moral exemptions to the mandate.

Those polled believe by a 57 percent to 36 percent margin that religiously-affiliated employers should be able to “opt out” of covering the full cost of birth control and related drugs if they have object to doing so.

Fifty-one percent say they support an exemption for all employers who have religious or moral objections to the mandate.

The poll findings come as the Obama Administration launched increased efforts within the last week to bolster support among women voters by appealing to the healthcare law. On March 12, more than one million mailings were sent to women nationwide in separate versions for mothers, older women and young women, reported the New York Times.

Hawkins said that her organization is “comprised of mostly young women” who see the religious freedom concerns being raised by the mandate and do not accept the administration’s claims that it is looking out for women’s health.

She pointed out the irony in the fact that she, as the employer of a Pro-Life organiza-

tion that seeks to end abortion, would be required under the mandate to offer an insurance plan that covers abortion-causing drugs.

“There’s no freedom at that point,” she said.

Hawkins said she has “prochoice” friends as well who oppose the mandate for forcing people to violate their consciences. They realize that the mandate is “not about contraception” and “not about women’s health,” she said.

She also decried the efforts of those who have been “using

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women’s health” to promote the mandate, stressing “they’re not doing it for me.”

Hawkins encouraged women to take an active role in the political battle by contacting their Congressmen and making their voices heard.

When people are talking about the upcoming elections, they should be talking about this issue, she said, adding that men and men should work together to show the Obama Administration that “this is not the will of the American people.”

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The Anchor The full pastoral commitment of the entire Church

On March 9, Pope Benedict gave the third of what should be five addresses on the challenges to the faith in our country to visiting American bishops making their quinquennial ad limina visits to Rome. In his first address on November 26, he said that he hoped these addresses would be help the U.S. prelates discern how to approach their task of leading the Church into the future, especially with regard to the “urgency and demands of a new evangelization.” He began by trying to help the Church get its own house in order, declaring in that initial address, “We ourselves are the first to need re-evangelization.” Catholics need to know the truth announced by Christ more deeply and live it more whole-heartedly if we’re ever going to bring the Gospel credibly as a counter-proposal to those dominated by secularistic mindsets and lifestyles.

In his second address, given on January 19, Pope Benedict turned his attention to the rapidly changing context in which the Church in the United States must proclaim the Gospel. He conveyed his alarm that the consensus about the nature of morality and the common good that was enshrined in our country’s founding documents “has eroded significantly in the face of powerful new cultural currents that are not only directly opposed to core moral teachings of the Judeo-Christian tradition, but increasingly hostile to Christianity as such.” These cultural trends, he added, “represent a threat not just to Christian faith, but also to humanity itself.” It is therefore imperative for the entire Catholic community in the United States — not just the bishops, but especially “an engaged, articulate and well-formed laity” — to “realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism that finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres.” You don’t have to be a veteran vaticanista to recognize that he was describing the grave threats against religious freedom and conscience that are being implemented by the Obama Administration and a few like-minded radically secularist state governments.

In his third address, given two weeks ago, he turned directly and forthrightly to one of the most serious issues facing the Church internally and externally: “the contemporary crisis of marriage and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human sexuality.” Since, as Blessed John Paul II stated, “the future of humanity passes by way of the family,” if there is chaos in the understanding and experience of love, sexuality, marriage and family, there will be “grave social problems bearing an immense human and economic cost.” We’ve already started to have to pay that bill now, but the price tag of those problems will continue to soar well past our astronomical national debt unless we get serious about urgently addressing their symptoms and causes. This is something, he said, that demands the Church’s “full pastoral commitment,” which is a nice way to say that up until now he does not think that the Church in the United States has been committed enough.

He specified several areas in which the Church needs to be all hands on deck. The first is in fighting back against the “powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage.” The Church, he said, needs to respond with a “reasoned defense of marriage as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of persons, essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented toward procreation.” This reasoned defense is something that all Catholic adults need to be trained to make — and have the courage to make in public. Defending marriage is not like explaining the doctrines of concomitance or Trinitarian perichoresis. Marriage, as the pope says, is not just any committed relationship based on adult desires and choices, but a “specific” type of relationship in which “sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant.” If we’re talking about a husband-less or wife-less institution, in other words, we’re talking about a relationship other than marriage.

The second issue to which the Church needs to give “full pastoral commitment” is to communicating “in its integrity” the whole truth about marriage, family, love and sexuality. The pope says that this has to begin within the Church. He candidly said that “we must acknowledge deficiencies in the catechesis of recent decades,” which failed to pass on fully the Church’s teachings with regard to the sacramentality of marriage, to chastity within marriage, and to the vocation of Christian spouses in society and the Church. The fullness of the Church’s teaching as part of the Good News and as the truth that sets us free “needs to be restored to its proper place in preaching and catechetical instruction,” he said. In far too many Catholic parishes, educational institutions, Religious Education and RCIA programs, Catholics have attested that they have never heard anything mentioned about how and why extramarital sexual relations, cohabitation before marriage, and contraception within marriage are sinful and contrary to the good of those who engage in them. Those days need to be over.

Third, the pope stressed that great attention needs to be given to marriage preparation programs, especially their “catechetical component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities entailed by Christian marriage.” Marriage preparation needs to be about far more than communication skills and financial planning. The Church needs to help couples ponder in depth the meaning of their Christian vocation and mission. This is something that cannot in general occur on a weekend retreat and a couple of meetings with a priest or deacon. The Church requires priests to go to university and graduate school for eight to 10 years prior to the Sacrament of Holy Orders; it requires first Communicants and Confirmation students generally to study for two years of weekly classes. Yet for the Sacrament of Marriage, relatively little is demanded and little is given. And marriages and families are suffering and rupturing because of insufficient preparation and pastoral care.

With regard to marriage preparation, Pope Benedict forthrightly raised the “serious pastoral problem” of the “widespread practice of cohabitation” by couples prior to marriage, saying that often couples seem “unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the stability of society.”

Many couples today are choosing to cohabit without any urgency to get married. If these couples eventually determine to marry and approach the Church, priests are in a bind, obviously desiring to help the couple regularize their situation while at the same time trying to call them to conversion and to minimize the scandal that their situation causes among their family members and friends. That scandal is not limited to those who might object to cohabitation, but is much greater among those who have been so inured to the practice of living together before marriage that they’re no longer scandalized at all. Pope Benedict encouraged bishops and pastors to “develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the worthy celebration of matrimony that embody an unambiguous witness to the objective demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern for young couples.”

While he leaves the specifics up to bishops and pastors, he is clearly saying that cohabitation can’t be ignored. Guidelines need to be formulated, he said, indicating what cohabitating couples need to do in order worthily to receive the Sacrament and whether weddings of couples in such objectively scandalous situations should be celebrated differently than couples who have sought to structure their lives chastely in “unambiguous witness to the objective demands of Christian morality.”

That leads to the last issue Pope Benedict raised: the “urgent need for the entire Christian community to recover an appreciation for the virtue of chastity.” He noted that the “permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters … constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-Catechesis for the young” and that therefore the Church needs to be all the more committed to forming young hearts with the Church’s full “integrated, consistent and uplifting vision of human sexuality.” This has to occur not just in catechetical classrooms, retreats and homilies, but also through the convincing, embodied witness of Christian married couples. The young, he said, have a “fundamental right to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality” and all Catholics have the duty to provide it. Since children are the “greatest treasure and future of every society,” and since the future of humanity will pass based on the choices they make with respect to chastity, love, sex, marriage and family, Pope Benedict concluded, “truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues that are the key to human fulfillment.” And meeting this responsibility in our present context requires nothing less than the full pastoral commitment of the entire Church.

March 23, 2012

The Church as the universal Sacrament of salvation

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ver the last several months, I have particular in the United States, there is presented a rather lengthy series the attempt to reduce the Church to just on the seven Sacraments. I reflected on the another organization, no different than Sacraments of the Church with the intenbelonging to a country club or political tion of bringing about a greater awareness party. There is also the false understanding and appreciation for these instruments of that the Church is something that we have God’s grace. made, that we established.

In this final reflection upon the SacraHave you ever heard people set up the ments, I thought a fitting conclusion to dichotomy between the teaching of Christ this series would be a brief theological and the “man-made” laws of the Church? reflection upon the Church itself. After all, There is the desire on the part of some to Christ established the Church to be the set up this false dichotomy between Christ dispenser of the Sacraments. and His Church, because in doing so, it On more than one occasion, the Second allows one to discard anything from the Vatican Council describes the Church as Church that one doesn’t feel comfortable the “Universal Sacrament of Salvation,” with. simultaneously manifesting and exercising It is this understanding of the Church as the mystery of God’s love for humanity. mystery and Sacrament of Chris that has This idea of the Church being the been lost in recent years, which I think can “Sacrament of Salvation” doesn’t mean be clearly seen in the declining numbers that the Church is the eighth Sacrament. of those celebrating all of the Sacraments.

The Church is the Sacrament from which But it is in this understanding of the all the others come forth.

Church as the mysterious Sacrament of According to its etymology, the word Christ that we find our truest identity.

Sacramentum The unmeans a sacred derstanding or holy thing. of the Church Putting Into With reference as mystery to Christianity is a mystery the Deep it indicates the completely mystery of the rooted in the

By Father redemption by incarnation Jay Mello Jesus Christ. of Christ. The The Church, Church then, as the Body is a reflected of Christ, exists for the continuance of the mystery: she derives her origin and nature Sacramental ministry of Christ’s reconcilfrom Christ, Who is the primary Sacraing the world back to God. ment that makes visible the life of God. Through reconciliation in Christ and The Church is the secondary Sacrament, the gift of the Spirit poured out into our making visible the life of Christ extended hearts, we become children of God and though time. are called together. It is in this reception of Over time, the Church has and will the Spirit and being called together that we have different sociological dimensions, all see the foundation of the Church. This, in styles are equally mediated by Christ for fact, is what makes us different than any us to attain salvation, but the Church is not other human institution or organization. As sociological in herself, first and foremost children of God, St. Paul informs us we are she needs to be able to communicate set free from the law of sin and death; we Christ. In everything she does, the Church are set free to love one another as Christ must communicate Christ. has loved us, because all are one in Christ The mystery of the Catholic Church Jesus. is Christ Himself, dwelling in her, ruling Anticipating the Second Vatican Coun- over her, guiding, correcting, disciplining, cil, the great theologian Henri de Lubac forgiving, encouraging, and protecting her. depicted the Church as the “Sacrament of While for many centuries the institutional Christ,” that is, the sign that renders Him model of the Church perhaps predomireally and actively present in every place nated, the 20th century has seen a blosand time where the Church is present. soming of biblical studies and theology To express the simultaneously divine that has greatly enriched the contemporary and human reality of the Church, “LuCatholic’s possibilities of discovering the men Gentium,” the council’s document on richness of this mystery of the Church. the Church, makes recourse to the term The Church is not only structures Sacrament. The Church is in the nature of and rules, she is a people, won for God a Sacrament, meaning that it is a sign and

by Christ; she is the temple where God instrument of communion with God and of Himself dwells; she is perhaps most the unity among all men. profoundly the very Body of Christ. Christ As “Lumen Gentium” further explains, is the head of the Church and the members “The Church is essentially both human and are His Body. divine, visible but endowed with invisible The union between Christ and the realities, zealous in action and dedicated Church is so intimate that the union to contemplation, present in the world, but between man and his wife in marriage is as a pilgrim, so constituted that in her the but an earthly sign of the greater reality of human is directed toward and subordinated the union of Christ and the Church. In all, to the Divine.” the Second Vatican Council endeavored More precisely, since Christ Himself to recover the image of the Church as a may be called the Sacrament of God, mystery of love coming forth from the the Church, in an analogous way may most Blessed Trinity. be called the Sacrament of Christ. What As I conclude my reflection upon the we then designate by the word “Church” Sacraments of the Church, I pray that our represents a mystery of the self-communi- Lord will continue to pour out His Holy cation of God through Christ to the human Spirit into our hearts that we may recover community and thereby to individual huthe beauty and mystery of His Church and man beings, as well as the mystery of the the Sacraments in which we have access to this society itself fashioned by God’s self His grace! communication.

Father Mello is a parochial vicar at St. Too often, especially recently and in Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth. ,

March 23, 2012

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n Jan. 25, 1959, Pope (now Blessed) John XXIII startled his audience at the Roman Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls by first announcing his intention to summon all the Catholic bishops of the world for an ecumenical council, the 21st in the Church’s history and the first since 1870.

Yet even before that day, perceptive Catholics had been anticipating, if not an ecumenical council, surely a new era in the life of the Church. One of these was the Anglican convert and writer Edward Ingram Watkin.

“The ship of Peter,” he wrote in 1957, “has in short begun her voyage from the Catholicism of the Counter-Reformation to the Catholicism of the future, not a novel religion but a novel presentation, a deeper and wider understanding of the same religion once for all revealed.”

The Second Vatican Council, global Catholicism’s effort to meet the challenges of Christian witness and evangelization on the eve of the third millennium, would formally convene on Oct. 11, 1962, and close its fourth and final session on Dec. 8, 1965. Many things have changed in the Church and in the world since then. Now, 50 years removed from the council’s commencement, there still exists much debate over what Vatican II was, both in its intention and in its result. Its champions, in many cases, see

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f only we could be virtuous like St. Joseph! On March 19 we celebrated the feast of the man from Nazareth who was spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and legal father of Jesus, as we will celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1, also known as May Day. Through these two feasts, we remember his critical role in lovingly anchoring the Holy Family and in tirelessly working to support them as a carpenter.

After all, family and work are two of the central human realities that define us and provide the matrix of our vocation to holiness.

For Joseph was chosen by God to be the spouse of Jesus’ Mother and therefore the fosterfather of Jesus. He is considered the greatest saint after Mary, the Theotokos (Mother of God). The odd thing, of course, is that he is only mentioned a few times in the two Gospels that recount the infancy narratives, Matthew and Luke; and he is never quoted as saying anything. In effect, he is silent. Even in his last Gospel

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The Anchor

What Vatican II was about

the council as the greatest event those prophets of gloom, who since Pentecost, having dragged are always forecasting disaster, the Church out of her shell to as though the end of the world an active engagement with the was at hand.” modern world. For its detractors, As to the purpose of the many of whom are too young council, the portly pontiff stated: to have a living memory of the “The greatest concern of the Church before John Paul II (let alone John XXIII), the council was Vatican II at 50: an unmitigated disaster, having released a wave Fulfilling the of confusion, disorder, Promise and novelty unprecedented in Church

By Father history.

Thomas M. Kocik In part, the quarrels are due to the council’s unique purpose.

All 20 previous ecumenical ecumenical council is that the councils had been more reacsacred deposit of Christian tive than proactive. They were doctrine should be guarded and convened only when there was taught more efficaciously.” He an immediate need to debate and placed this task within a specific clarify doctrinal controversies. framework, which he designated By contrast, the Second Vatican aggiornamento, or updating: the Council was not occasioned by Church cannot cling to outa specific doctrinal crisis, which moded practices and policies; is why its necessity was not nor can she rest inert in the face apparent to everyone. Some of of contemporary ideological the early critics of John XXIII’s challenges and “the admirable decision would repeat the warn- progress of the discoveries of ings of England’s 19th-century the human mind.” In particular, Cardinal Henry Edward ManPope John insisted that doctrine ning, that “to convoke a General be stated, keeping in mind that Council, except when absolutely “the substance of the ancient demanded by necessity, is to doctrine of the Deposit of Faith tempt God.” It was partially is one thing, and the way in toward such critics that John which it is presented is another.”

XXIII, in his opening address This ecumenical council, he of the council’s first session, declared, would be “predomidirected the famous admonition: nantly pastoral in character.”

“We feel we must disagree with The notion of a “pastoral”

(rather than dogmatic) council was a significant theme emphasized repeatedly during and after Vatican II. Pointing out the council’s unique pastoral nature is not the same as claiming the council was “unofficial” or “didn’t count.” The Church evolves. This is saying little more than that she lives in time. Every generation has its contribution to make to the Church’s living Tradition. Onto the old teachings the council grafted new or rediscovered insights into the nature and mission of the Church, God’s self-revelation, the dignity of the laity, liturgical worship, and Christian morality — insights often gained in the decades before the council from a fresh reading of the Scriptures and the great Fathers of the Church. The orientation given the Church for the future would follow a few main lines: an outward movement of openness toward other Christians, other religions, and secular realities; and an inward movement of sizing up the various streams of the Catholic Tradition in order to emphasize what needs emphasis in the present day.

The purpose of this series is to present the key teachings of the Second Vatican Council as they are found in

Strong and silent

appearance, when the 12-yearto him and says to take Mary as old Jesus is found in the Temple his wife into his home, because after three days, Mary is the one it is through the Holy Spirit that to ask, “Son, why have you done the Child was conceived. “When this to us? Your father and I have Joseph awoke, he did as the anbeen looking for you with great gel of the Lord had commanded anxiety.” It is Mary, the biological mother of Jesus, who speaks; but not Joseph, his adoptive father. He comes across as the strong, silent type.

By Dwight Duncan It is not the only time. He first appears in the Gospels in the opening chapter of Matthew’s him.” infancy narrative, where he is So it turns out that this ancalled “a righteous man,” who nunciation to Joseph ends exactdecides to break his engagement ly as the annunciation to Mary to Mary because she is pregnant. does, with the recipients of the He resolves to do so “quietly”: message doing just as they had he was “unwilling to expose her been asked. Once again, though, to shame.” Joseph again keeps Mary gets the line: “Be it done silent when faced with a mystery unto me according to Your he does not fully understand. word.” Joseph just did as he had The truth comes out in a been asked. Later on, when Jodream, as it will several times for seph had probably already died, Joseph. He was a “dreamer,” as Mary will tell the servants at the was his predecessor Joseph the wedding feast of Cana at the bePatriarch of the Old Testament. ginning of her Son’s public life: In the dream, an angel appears “Do whatever He tells you.”

Judge For Yourself

Jesus would tell His followers to pray in the Lord’s prayer, “Thy will be done.” And that’s how Joseph always acted, even if he didn’t entirely understand God’s holy will.

Blessed Pius IX proclaimed him patron of the Universal Church.

He is the patron saint of everyone named Joseph or Jose or Giuseppe, so that includes Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), St. Josemaria Escriva, and many others. Blessed John XXIII included St. Joseph’s name in the Roman Canon, and St. Teresa of Avila called him

the 16 constitutions, decrees and declarations promulgated between 1962 and 1965. Rather than examine each of these documents in turn, we will focus on the four most important of them: the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963), the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (1964), the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965), and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (1965).

Taken together, these constitutions provide the key to understanding the council as a whole.

It would be possible to show that the council Fathers did, in fact, orient the Catholic Church toward “a deeper and wider understanding” of her precious heritage of faith, as E. I. Watkin forecasted. To grasp this is to have moved beyond the stale and largely irrelevant categories of “liberal” and “conservative” that obscure the real issues and have blighted the Church for the past half-century.

This is the first in a series by Father Thomas A. Kocik on the 50th anniversary of Vatican II and its significance today and into the future.

Father Kocik is a parochial vicar at Santo Christo Parish in Fall River, is editor of “Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal,” author of two liturgy-related books, and contributor to “T&T Clark Companion to Liturgical Studies.”

“father and lord.” He may not talk, but his virtuous actions speak louder than words.

He was a refugee from persecution, an immigrant on foreign soil, a manual laborer, a righteous man, a husband, a virgin, a stepfather, a family man, a protector, someone most likely poor (which would explain why there was “no room in the inn”). And the greatest saint after St. Mary, with whom he shared an incomparable intimacy with Jesus, the Son of God. Dwight Duncan is a professor at UMass School of Law Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

Visit The Anchor online at http://www.anchornews.org

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oday’s Gospel begins with some Greeks, those who are not of the Jewish faith, wishing to see Jesus. They ask Philip who in turn asks Andrew and both in turn tell Jesus that the Greeks want to see Him. These simple words of the Greeks, “We would like to see Jesus,” expresses our desire also. There is within all of us a desire to seek out God in our lives. All of us want to be reconciled with God. To live a life that will bring us closer to our Creator.

The response of Jesus is not one that we would expect. He begins by telling the people, the disciples and the Greeks, how salvation will be brought to both the Jews and the Greeks. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” By His death on the cross, all mankind will be able to share in everlasting life.

March 23, 2012

The Anchor

Growing closer to God

This idea of one dying have life to the fullest. to oneself in order to have Today’s Gospel tells us life is not a new message of that we must first die to Jesus. Throughout His public ourselves before we can ministry, Jesus constantly enter into a closer relationtold the disciples and the crowds that if we are to have life we Homily of the Week must die to self.

During these days Fifth Sunday of Lent we have been of Lent called to come into

By Deacon closer union with Paul J. Macedo our God; through prayer, repentance and almsgiving. Lent is almost over and ship with God. How do we how we have spent this Lent do that? What does it mean in preparation for Easter will to die to ourselves? vary among each and evWhen we place God first eryone of us. For some they in our lives, placing Him have tried to live the true over and above anyone or meaning of Lent and for othanything, then we are dying ers — well — we just never to ourselves. This does not got around to it. mean that we have to give up The beautiful thing with our lifestyle or our possesGod is that He accepts where sions. It does not mean that we are in life and is always we need to give up our famthere to help us improve our ily and friends. What it does relationship with Him. It mean is that God is more is never too late to turn to important than any of these.

Him and ask Him to come How do we do this? By into our lives so that we may prayer, fasting and almsgiv-

ing. By building up a relationship with that I want to spend time with Him. I need to communicate with Him. Prayer must be first in my life. Prayer must be times spent with God whereby I speak to God and then allow Him to speak to me. In prayer it is not just words recited — as important as it is — but time spent in silence, allowing God to speak to us “in the silence of our hearts.” When we learn to listen to God and allow Him to speak to us, then we have taken the first step of discipleship. Once we take this first step then it follows that we need to look beyond ourselves and to the needs of those around me.

If we are to be true followers of Jesus we must look at how He lived and see how He constantly reached out to others. He spent His time in solitary prayer but then went out and healed the sick, gave

comfort to mourners, welcomed sinners and strangers and gave them love. Anyone who came to Him was treated equally, whether they be Apostles, sinners, lepers, all received the same love. We are called to do the same. We are called to treat everyone we meet the same way Jesus were to treat them. When we do, we have died to self and a new life has begun.

As Easter quickly approaches, let us make the best of these last few days of Lent. Whether we be like the Greeks, who want to see Jesus, or like Philip and Andrew who already know Him, all of us can improve our relationship with God. For those who know Him, we are called to bring others to know Him. For those who are seeking, let us look for “Philip or Andrew” so that they may bring us closer to Jesus.

Deacon Paul J. Macedo serves at St. John the Baptist Church in New Bedford.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Mar. 24, Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7:2-3,9b-12; Jn 7:40-53. Sun. Mar. 25, Fifth Sunday of Lent, Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:3-4,12-15; Heb 5:7-9; Jn 12:20-33. Mon. Mar. 26, Is 7:10-14;8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38. Tues. Mar. 27, Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3,16-21; Jn 8:21-30. Wed. Mar. 28, Dn 3:1420,91-92,95; (Ps) Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42. Thurs. Mar. 29, Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105:4-9; Jn 8:51-59. Fri. Mar. 30, Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42.

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he irrepressibly effervescent personality of Cardinal Timothy Dolan may tempt some to think of the Archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as the latest in a line of gladhanding Irish-American prelates, long on blarney and short on depth. Succumbing to that temptation would be a very

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Cardinal Dolan and the new evangelization serious mistake. For Cardinal of many things the Church Dolan is a man of formidable does. intelligence, a historian trained “No, the Church is a misin the school of the late John sion, and each us of who Tracy Ellis, dean of the classic names Jesus as Lord and Savhistorians of Catholicism in the United States.

That historian’s-eye view of the contemporary scene and its antecedents in the immediate past, linked to

By George Weigel a deep insight into the meaning of Vatican II and the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, produced a reior should measure ourselves markable speech to the College by our mission-effectiveness. of Cardinals on February 17, Over the 50 years since the the day before Dolan received convocation of the council, his red hat. Like everything we have seen the Church pass else Cardinal Dolan does, his through the last stages of the speech that day was delivered Counter-Reformation and with brio, and it was that bubrediscover itself as a missionbling energy that got most of ary enterprise. In some venues, the press attention. Yet Dolan’s this has meant a new discovkey proposal — that the ery of the Gospel. In onceChurch is entering a new phase catechized lands, it has meant of its history — was a bold a re-evangelization that sets one, and may set the terms of out from the shallow waters discussion for the Church of of institutional maintenance, the future: and as John Paul II instructed “As John Paul II taught us in Novo Millennio Ineunte, in Redemptoris Missio, the puts out ‘into the deep for a Church does not ‘have a miscatch. In many of the countries sion,’ as if ‘mission’ were one represented in this college, the

The Catholic Difference

ambient public culture once transmitted the Gospel, but does so no more. In those circumstances, the proclamation of the Gospel — the deliberate invitation to enter into friendship with the Lord Jesus — must be at the very center of the Catholic life of all of our people. But in all circumstances, the Second Vatican Council and the two great popes who have given it an authoritative interpretation are calling us to call our people to think of themselves as missionaries and evangelists.”

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the convocation of Vatican II, which will be marked on October 11, the Church should remember that Blessed John XXIII wanted the Second Vatican Council to be a new Pentecost: a moment to re-experience the freshness of the Gospel and the burning desire to share the Good News that animated the first Christians. Blessed John Paul II, a man of the Council, called the Church to a similar encounter with the fire of the Holy Spirit: he led the Church through

the Pentecostal experience of the Great Jubilee of 2000 so that we might come to know ourselves again as a Church in mission, a Church for mission.

By inviting us into friendship with Jesus Christ, Who is always our contemporary, Benedict XVI, another man of the Council, has given that mission a personal and holy face: the face of the Lord, Who reveals to us both the countenance of the Merciful Father and the truth about our humanity.

The Second Vatican Council, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI have invited us to Galilee, that we might go out from there to the ends of the earth, bringing the Gospel of God’s passionate love for humanity to a world yearning for truth.

Cardinal Dolan’s address to the college of cardinals was an extended and moving reminder that everyone in the Church must ask for the grace and strength to accept that invitation to Galilee: to be the witnesses to Christ that all of us were baptized to be.

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

March 23, 2012

The rarest rose of all

Sunday 18 March 2011 — at church on Laetare, some have home on the Taunton River — suggested the flower chosen Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare might appropriately be the rose.

Sunday) ’ve been told, dear readers, that the late Msgr. John McKeon, Reflections of a Pastor of St. Lawrence Parish Priest Parish, New Bedford, was in the habit of keepBy Father Tim ing a single rose yearGoldrick round on his desk. This was before my time, so I don’t know whether or not he Rose-colored vestments may would discontinue the practice replace the penitential purple in observance of the season of ones that day. Actually, I’d rather Lent. He may very well have. not be color-coordinated with the By ancient tradition, the use of sanctuary flower arrangements. flowers (in the sanctuary at least) Anyway, with the average cost are not allowed during Lent, of a dozen roses varying between except on Solemnities and on the about $10 to nearly $100, I doubt Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare many Altar and Rosary SocietSunday). ies rushed out to order them for Since flowers are allowed in Laetare Sunday.

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The Anchor

The Ship’s Log

Did you know that on ­Sunday, there’s also that rarest of all Lenten traditions — the Golden Rose? You may not have heard of it, but it’s been around a long time. In the year 1050, the Golden Rose was already being called an ancient custom.

Back then, the solid gold rose was tinted red. Many were encrusted with rubies and other precious gemstones. One Golden Rose presented by Pope Innocent XI in the 17th century weighed 20 pounds.

A Golden Rose is still blessed every year on Laetare Sunday.

It can only be blessed by the pope. Soon after the blessing, it is sometimes (but not always) bestowed on a worthy recipient.

It is the pope who commissions

How sin undermines the state

and sadly, that individual has he response to the HHS determined that sexual libermandate concerning tinism is his right. Not only insurance and contraception has he resolved that he has has been shocking to many, the right to be promiscuous, as they realize that there is a but his promiscuity must be yawning rift in the American barren and uncomplicated. population between those The supreme irony is lost on who understand the Constituthis principled individual, of tion and those who don’t, and course, that other rugged souls between those who consider — the Catholics — have their sexual morality an important own principles which proscribe element of our cultural fabric them from subsidizing his and those who don’t. For as many who wish to confine the discussion to that of religious liberty — which it clearly is — there are those who welcome this timely discussion concerning

By Genevieve Kineke the Church’s teaching on sexual ethics. In all honesty, how often behavior, and in light of this will we find millions of people brazen thick-headedness, we pondering the topic — not only must ask why. focusing on it, but thrashing it The answer lies in effects with a passion that borders on of sin in our lives. The Church obsession? teaches that original sin has It’s been distressing, three consequences: it results though, to follow these discusin disordered passions, a sions, for it quickly becomes weakening of the will, and the obvious that the average darkening of the intellect. As American has quite a disparagwe consider those effects in ing view of authority. Most the abstract, we must conresent any who would insert clude that a country which has themselves into their decisioncountenanced the killing of making process, because each millions of babies and shows person’s choices are deeply no signs of adjusting its legal personal and the result of a code, which has such a deeply ritualized blend of relativism, confused understanding of utility and sentiment. Various marriage that it is attempting to transcendent views may be legally redefine it, and which thrown in the mix, but they’re refuses to differentiate between usually not subject to any virtue and vice in the formarecognizable creed — for such tion of its children is very, very a static approach to life would far from God. And a society prove stifling. that embraces such depravity Ultimately, that classic must be populated with many American icon — the rugged deeply confused individuals. individual — reigns supreme,

The Feminine Genius

That is why when reasoned arguments are raised concerning the rights of conscience and the power of the state, they are met with hysterical screeds about religious bullies. Furthermore when legislation is crafted to guarantee that those distinct rights are protected, obfuscation follows, shifting the argument to fiscal concerns and the popularity of Catholic teaching — both non sequiturs to the issue at hand.

Truthfully, prudence and respect for others can bring people to widely differing views, and a republic should be able to deal with them peacefully. Unfortunately, when sober propositions about ethical principles are met with frenzied passion, it confirms that this question of conscience cuts two ways, and those who cannot discuss the topic rationally may indeed have a problem with conscience — their own.

The Church’s understanding of sexual intimacy is built on self control, human dignity and theological consistency, and yet each of these are hotbutton issues with those who deeply resent the existence of any moral authority in their midst. Therefore, in listening to the shrill arguments that seek to drown out the very concerns of others, we’re facing far more than a problem with contraception, for when God loses authority, everyone’s conscience suffers.

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

the rose and the pope (or his delegate) who bestows it on a distinguished Catholic leader or, more often these days, on a famous church or shrine.

Pope Paul VI bestowed only five Golden Roses. Of the four Golden Roses presented during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II, one went to St. Joseph’s Oratory in Canada.

Pope Benedict XVI seems to appreciate the custom of the Golden Rose. He has presented 11 of the roses so far.

One of those was awarded to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In a few days, His Holiness will make it a dozen. He will personally present his 12th Golden Rose to the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Patroness of Cuba.

While I have no golden roses, I do try to seize every opportunity that presents itself to show a sign of public appreciation to those whose service to the Church has been exceptional. It’s easy. Our diocese affords pastors several occasions to do so.

The oldest diocesan presentation is the Marian Medal Award.

It was established by Bishop James L. Connolly in 1968. The sterling silver medal is given to those chosen from among those nominated by their pastors for their many years of volunteer parish work. Not to miss an opportunity, I had submitted a name and I was there to see St. Nicholas of Myra parishioner Nancy Goulart receive her Marian Medal.

Then there’s the St. Pius X Youth Award. This was begun by Bishop Sean O’Malley in 2002 to recognize the contributions to the Church made by young

people. Not to miss an opportunity, I had submitted a name and I was there to see young parishioner Neil Caswell receive his St. Pius X Award.

There’s also the John Cardinal O’Connor Award and the John Cardinal O’Connor Youth Award.

The Cardinal O’Connor Pro-Life awards were established by the diocese in 2002. The awards go to recipients who have done extraordinary work in support of the dignity of human life. These honorees are also chosen from among those nominated by their pastors. I had submitted a name in both categories.

This week, I plan to be at the Annual Diocesan Pro-Life Mass at St. Julie Billiart Church in North Dartmouth and I will be there when the John Cardinal O’Connor Pro-life Award goes to Gregory Bettencourt, director of Faith Formation here at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish. The John Cardinal O’Connor Youth Award will go to the same Neil Caswell of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish. It’s what they call “a sweep.”

I have no golden roses, but I want to do what I can to applaud the work accomplished by the laity in the parish to which I am assigned. It inspires me to see parishioners young and old, male and female, recognized for fulfilling the role to which they were called at Baptism. Their active participation in a parish’s spiritual and communal life is more precious than gold. I rejoice in it. Laetare! Every parish, in a sense, is a veritable rose garden.

Filling out a nomination form is the least a pastor can do.

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

patroness of cuba — An image of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, patroness of Cuba, before which Pope Benedict will present a Golden Rose during his trip to Cuba.

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The Anchor

March 23, 2012

Caring parishioner spreads God’s joy, one rose at a time

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

SWANSEA — When Irene Lake was first enlisted by Father Richard R. Gendreau, who was pastor of her beloved St. Michael’s Parish, to organize and run a Sunshine Committee to visit home bound elderly parishioners, she decided to bring them something special from her home garden.

“I always grow and care for roses on the side of my house,” Lake said. “Whenever I’d go to visit an elderly person, I’d bring them a rose. So one of the daughter-in-laws once told me when she came in and saw the fresh rose, she knew I had been there. To me, one rose is just as pretty as a bouquet.”

It’s no coincidence that just as Lake takes the time to love and nourish the flowers in her garden, she also provides the same level of attention and affection to others in need. As a vibrant and active parishioner of first St. Michael’s Parish in Swansea, now the merged Parish of St. Francis of Assisi, Lake has always devoted a large part of her time to the Church.

“One of my favorite things was being able to visit the elderly and the home bound,” she said. “That always meant a lot to me. One woman said she was interested in volunteering, but didn’t know what to talk about. I told her all you needed to do was be a good listener. The elderly have to know they are not forgotten.

Sometimes it can be lonely if they don’t have family members.”

Lake said there’s no greater joy

than seeing someone smile when Michael’s in 1950 and raised her ornate baptismal bibs for children you arrive to pay him or her a visit. four children — a boy and three who were about to be welcomed “What I get from other people girls — in the parish. Having to into the parish.

“When my first grandson was nourishes me,” she said. “When I raise four children, she didn’t have go to visit an elderly person home a lot of free time to devote to volun- baptized, he wore one of the bibs that his mémère made, so that alone and know that spending was kind of special for me,” time with them will brighten she said. “It was like a satin their day, it makes me feel as cloth and we’d sew it with a happy as I can be. It makes gold cross — they were really them happy and it makes me nice. I liked the bibs … it made happy. That’s what’s important them look like a baby.” in life.”

In addition to organizLake credits her parents ing and running the Sunshine with providing her with a solid Committee, Lake became an faith foundation and for teachextraordinary minister of Holy ing her the importance of serCommunion for her parish vice to others. in 1978, and soon found her“I can remember I always self bringing Communion to used to hear that word ‘volthe same elderly shut-ins she unteer’ when I was little, and I would visit on a regular basis. used to say: ‘Someday I want “We had to go to a service to volunteer,’ even though at at St. Lawrence Martyr Church the time I didn’t really underin New Bedford,” she rememstand what it meant,” she said. bered. “It was a beautiful cereAlthough her parents were mony, but it was very emotionmarried at the nearby St. Domal. I kept thinking to myself, inic’s Church, she said her ‘Am I worthy of this?’” family soon joined the newlyLake also served on the built St. Michael’s Church, Somerset-Swansea Council where Lake was baptized in of Churches — an interfaith 1926. collaborative through which “Our family was old-fashneedy kids from Harlem in ioned; everyone was always in church,” she said. “We had Anchor Person of the week — New York were temporarily supper at night and when we Irene Lake. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) placed in local homes for the summer. finished, before doing the “These kids had no place dishes, we had to kneel down and pray the Rosary. If kids were teer efforts, but that changed as her to play,” she said. “We placed 18 of them one year and the kids loved it.” outside waiting for us, they either children got older.

When her husband passed away “When my son was a toddler, had to wait or come in and join us.

Church was always a big part of our he was very sick, so I wasn’t about more than 20 years ago, Lake found to have someone baby sit him so I herself with a little more time on lives.”

Lake herself was married at St. could go volunteer at the church,” her hands, which led to her volunshe said. “I didn’t do as much then, teering at the oncology unit at Saint but when all my children were out Anne’s Hospital in 1994.

“I was a greeter and helped peoof school, I went back to volunteerple sign in and got to know them and ing and I loved it.”

Never one to refuse any task that their families,” she said. “That was needed to be done, Lake gladly did hard sometimes. One day a young everything from decorating the altar couple came in and the father was for Holy Week and Easter to ironing carrying a baby and I questioned God: why would He let this hapthe altar linens for weekly Masses.

“I ironed and pressed the pen to such a nice young couple? I church’s altar linens for almost remember crying on the way home.

30 years,” Lake said. “A little girl But I tried to be strong.”

Lake understood God’s plan who lived next door to me was so amazed, she used to come over and when her oldest daughter was diagwatch me. Here I was in the sum- nosed with cancer herself two years mer time, sweating and ironing the ago.

“That was hard and I immediatelinens, and she thought it was great. ly remembered all the people I used But I used to love to do them.”

She also remembers making the to see come in for treatments,” she

said. “To me, it was as if God was asking me: ‘How strong can you be now? You could be strong for someone else, but what about your own?’

She’s doing very well now and her attitude is wonderful, which means a lot.”

Although she admits it broke her heart when St. Michael’s Church was merged with Our Lady of Fatima to form St. Francis of Assisi Parish in 2001, Lake said she soon became comfortable at her new home parish.

“It was like a family breaking apart and I found it hard at first,” she said. “But I tried to bring everyone together — that’s just the way I am.”

“Irene has always reached out to help people,” said Father Gendreau.

“She was a crucial part of bringing unity to the two parishes. She’s a wonderful lady who doesn’t look for recognition but certainly deserves it.”

Lake’s current pastor, Father Michael A. Ciryak of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, certainly agrees.

“She’s been a longtime parishioner who has been just a wonderful presence and leader in our parish,” he said. “She definitely puts her faith into action.”

Lake admits she’s dialed back some of her volunteer efforts since the parish merger — but that’s only because she has difficulty hearing these days.

“I wanted to stay involved, but when I went to a couple of meetings and noticed several younger couples, I decided it was time to let them take over,” she said. “I still help out by attending the dinners or maybe baking now and then, but I can’t be as involved as I used to be.”

Despite her hearing loss and some recent health problems that led to a four-week hospital stay, Lake said she hopes to get back to those roses in her garden.

“When I became ill last year, I wasn’t able to take care of my roses, so they took a beating,” she said.

“But I’m getting better all the time, so I hope this year when they bloom I’ll be able to go out there and tend to them.

“My kids tell me: ‘Mom, that’s too much for you,’ but, you know, we old people are stubborn.”

March 23, 2012

The Anchor

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Diocesan Legion of Mary celebrating 60th anniversary

By Alice Beaulieu Special to The Anchor

FALL RIVER — The 60th anniversary of the Legion of Mary in the Fall River Diocese will be celebrated March 25 at 3 p.m. in St. Mary’s Cathedral. Bishop George W. Coleman will preside. The master of ceremonies will be Father Karl C. Bissinger. diocesan spiritual director, Father Barry W. Wall will give the allocutio. Also attending the “acies” ceremony will be Deacon Peter Cote.

It was in 1952 when Bishop James L. Connolly requested Legionnaires from Boston to come to this area and get the organization underway. Msgr. Daniel Shalloo, who was then a priest at St. Joseph’s Parish in Fall River, was the first diocesan spiritual director. One of the first praesidia to be established was St. Joseph’s in Fall River, along with St. John of God Parish in Somerset. The senior group of about 14 members under the guidance of Msgr. Shalloo, then began their study of Legion Handbook and the performed the spiritual works of mercy expected of each legionary.

Priests throughout the diocese spoke on the Legion of Mary at Sunday Masses, explaining its history and purpose and urging cooperation of parishioners in the organizations’s work. Within several years many parishes had responded to the call, and by the end of 1958 a total of 18 praesidia or local units had been established; six in Fall river, four in New Bedford and three in Taunton.

In addition to the adult units, the first junior group was established in Taunton.­­­­­ Reports of the accomplishments achieved in the diocese were very gratifying. The members under the direction of pastors and spiritual directors worked in promoting spiritual welfare. Then as now, their activities included hospital visitation, instruction of children in catechism, visits to homes, and the encouragement of lapsed Catholics in returning to the Sacraments, rectifying marriages and having children baptized. These and many other spiritual works, make the Legion a tremendous asset to the individual parishes and the diocese. Also, vocations to the priesthood and religious life have come to persons who were once active junior members of the Legion of Mary, hence the conclusion that the Legion may have been instrumental in fostering vocations in the diocese. At least two men are

presently studying in seminaries.

In 1962 the Legion of Mary in the diocese had a total of 20 praesidia in 16 parishes with 197 active members, and 5,370 auxiliaries. The active members attend the weekly meeting of the praesidium and perform, in pairs, a spiritual weekly work of about two hours duration. The auxiliaries offer the Rosary and Legion prayers daily to Our Lady.

Today, however, there has been a decline in the number of active units. Currently there is a total of five praesidia; one in Attleboro, one in South Dartmouth, two in New Bedford, and one in Fairhaven.

The current members of the Legion of Mary have dedicated themselves during this anniversary year, to adding more parishes that will want to join the Army of Our Lady as they continue to march in their quest for souls.

Legion members still very much enjoy when various functions are held, to which auxiliary and active members are invited.

The occasion being to celebrate feast days of Our Lady. The annual reunion which occurs in December to coincide with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, is always a time for laughter as each praesidium contributes to the entertainment by displaying some talent

within music, plays, recitations, etc.

The main function of the year, usually held in the Cathedral is the acies in March around the feast of the Annunciation. At that time each member is asked to renew their

consecration to Our Lady.

The organist will be Madeleine Grace, soloist will be Elizabeth Grace. Refreshments will be served in the school hall following the church service.

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March 23, 2012

The Anchor

Message of ‘October Baby’ film hits close to home for one of its stars

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Actress Shari Rigby sat right across from her interviewer, her legs crossed. On the instep of her right foot was a tattoo of a flower.

She was asked what it was.

“Her name would have been Lily,” Rigby answered, “and so that’s there to remind me.”

She was talking about the baby she had aborted 20 years ago.

Rigby plays a relatively small part in the new movie “October Baby,” but it’s a pivotal role: She plays the birth mother of Hannah (Rachel Hendrix), but Hannah was born as the survivor of a botched abortion; Hannah’s twin brother only survived a handful of days after the abortion attempt.

But the kicker is that brother directors Andrew and Jon Erwin, when they sent Rigby the script for her consideration, had no idea she had ever undergone an abortion.

In fact, Jon Erwin told Catholic News Service, it wasn’t until after the movie had been shown to several focus groups that Rigby went in front of the camera again to address moviegoers about her own abortion experience, which has been added to the film’s closing credits. “There are millions and millions of post-abortive women out there,” Erwin said.

“October Baby,” which debuts today in about 360 theaters, details the revelation to college student Hannah about the circumstances behind her birth, and her quest to find the woman who tried to abort her.

The movie also stars John Schneider (“The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Smallville”) as Hannah’s father and Jasmine Guy (“A Different World”) as the nurse from the abortion clinic all those years ago.

Erwin, Rigby and Hendrix spent two days in the Washington area to promote “October Baby,” conducting a joint interview with CNS at a Washington hotel.

Rigby is part of show biz royalty. She’s the aunt of 2007 “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks. Coincidentally, Chris Sligh, a finalist during the season Sparks won, has a comic-relief role in “October Baby.”

Hendrix — as did the Erwin brothers — grew up in Alabama, where the movie was filmed in a brisk 20-day shooting schedule, but by the time “October Baby” was ready to shoot, she had moved to Zurich, where her photojournalist husband lives. Hendrix had even established her own photo studio.

Erwin said he remembered casting Hendrix in a music video for Christian music singer Michael W. Smith. “She just had that

look,” he said. “October Baby” is her first feature film. “I just told her to step up to the plate, take a big swing and run with it — and she did,” Erwin added.

If “October Baby” does well at the box office, Hendrix said she and her husband would relocate to Los Angeles to try her hand at the film industry full time. Hendrix won an “outstanding achievement in acting” award at the Red Rock Film Festival when “October Baby” was screened there — except festival sponsors hadn’t expected to give anybody an acting award. So, instead of a trophy, Erwin said, they gave Hendrix a collection of still photos of action scenes and explosions from previously submitted films.

If she makes it to L.A., Hendrix can join Rigby, who just changed her professional name back to her maiden name after having gone by her German-American husband’s surname of Wiedmann.

“It either gets mispronounced or misspelled,” Rigby said. When not acting, Rigby helps with her husband’s L.A.-based farm equipment parts business. Acknowledging the seeming incongruity of having a farm business in one of America’s biggest metropolises, Rigby hastened to add, “It’s like the amazon.com of farm parts ordering.”

Erwin praised the investment

by American Family Studios in the film, which cost a mere $1 million to make. Its parent, the American Family Association, has been for decades one of the staunchest critics of television and film content. “They told us, ‘Everybody knows what we’re against. Now they’ll get to know what we’re for,’” Erwin said.

He’s a bit bothered by the movie’s PG-13 rating, saying there’s no objectionable content.

“Apparently, ‘abortion’ is a PG13 word,” Erwin said.

When “October Baby” premieres today, its chief debut competition will be the much-awaited “The Hunger Games,” on 10 times as many screens as “October Baby.” The initial thinking was that “October Baby” would get swamped. But then, Hendrix said, “there will be all these teenage girls waiting in line to see ‘Hunger Games,’ and they’ll see the poster for ‘October Baby,’ and they’ll want to go see our movie, too.”

It is a “strongly Pro-Life message movie whose theme viewers dedicated to the dignity of all human beings will welcome unanimously,” said staff critic John Mulderig. “Opinions about the aesthetic package in which they wrap their point,” he added, “may be more divided.”

a man of many words — Allison Janney and Eddie Murphy star in a scene from the movie “A Thousand Words.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/ DreamWorks)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed

by Catholic News Service.

“A Thousand Words” (DreamWorks) A fast-talking literary agent (Eddie Murphy) finds his marriage (to Kerry Washington) and his career (assisted by Clark Duke) stymied when he gets on the wrong side of a guru (Cliff Curtis) and is cursed.

According to the terms of the jinx, each word he speaks causes a leaf to fall from a tree that has magically sprouted in his backyard. Once the branches are bare, he’ll die. Hilarity fails to ensue in director Brian Robbins’ barren comedy, and when screenwriter Steve Koren’s script turns serious, it mixes fruitful messages about marital fidelity and the importance of family life with shady New Age-style spirituality. Mature content, including scenes of aberrant sensuality within marriage and incidental gay characters, a few uses of profanity, at least one instance of the F-word, considerable crude and crass language, an obscene gesture. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of Ameri-

ca rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“The Deep Blue Sea” (Music Box) Writer-director Terence Davies’ adaptation of Terence Rattigan’s 1952 play charts the downward spiral of a lonely wife (Rachel Weisz) into adultery, divorce and suicide.

Whenever caught between the devil and you-know-where, she consistently makes bad, selfish decisions. Her kind but distant husband (Simon Russell Beale) refuses to grant her

a divorce, while her lover (Tom Hiddleston) — with whom she cohabits, masquerading as a happily married couple — is cruel and vindictive. Mature themes, including suicide and adultery, brief nudity, at least one use of profanity, a few crass references. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, March 25, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Barry W. Wall, Retired, in residence at Cardinal Medeiros Residence in Fall River

March 23, 2012

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The Anchor New parish taking shape in Fall River’s Flint neighborhood continued from page one

defending life — The annual Women Affirming Life spring breakfast, held recently in Norwood, featured speaker M.C. Sullivan — a nurse, bioethicist, attorney and director of ethics at Covenant Health Systems in Tewksbury. (Photo by Sister Mary Emmanuel, FSP.)

Pro-Lifers ready to battle assisted suicide continued from page one

“The real gift of palliative care is the peace that comes to the patients who receive it,” Sullivan said.

The suffering of the patient is more than just corporeal. It includes pain of the mind and spirit. The terminally ill are often afraid of death and facing separation from everyone and everything they hold dear. They may already be in mourning over the impending loss of their earthly relationships, she said.

“It’s an exhausting time for them, not just dealing with the illness but dealing with life around it,” she said, adding that there are “sources of suffering that pain pills will never reach.”

She added that palliative care brings peace to their families and circle of friends and empowers the patient to “wrap up” his or her life.

In testimony submitted at a March 6 Statehouse hearing about the physician-assisted suicide proposal, the four bishops of Massachusetts say that the dying should devote themselves to the unfinished business of their lives. Their last days should be spent making peace with God, their loved ones and themselves.

“No one should dismiss this time as meaningless,” they said.

The legislation, called the Death with Dignity Act, is a citizens’ initiative petition that has garnered more than the required number of signatures. 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.

If the Legislature fails to act on the bill, proponents would need to gather nearly 11,500 certified signatures in order to put the measure before voters in November. Opponents expect the measure to appear on the ballot in the fall.

Sullivan told those gathered at the breakfast that the legislation itself is deeply flawed and should be opposed by even those in favor of doctor-prescribed death.

The bill does not contain requirements that would ensure patients be fully informed of their other options and has no provision for psychological evaluations of patients.

True compassion for the dying means easing their transition to the afterlife — not hastening their death, she said.

Ordinary people of faith need to educate themselves about the issue so that they can have the discussions God is calling them to have. The time to start having those conversations is now, she said.

Annemarie Girard, a special education teacher from Burlington, said that she left the talk with examples of the law’s flaws and information about the alternative that is palliative care. Such care embraces the end of life and helps patients to deal with their suffering.

“Physician-assisted suicide doesn’t address the journey people go through before death,” she said.

The Archdiocese of Boston has started a campaign, Suicide is Always a Tragedy, in order to educate the faithful in the Commonwealth. For more information, visit the archdiocese website on physician-assisted suicide at http://suicideisalwaysatragedy. org.

inform parishioners that the parish would be under the patronal care of St. Bernadette.

The bishop also announced that in accord with the recommendation of the PPTF, Notre Dame de Lourdes Church would serve as its worship site.

“I have accepted their recommendation, and your new parish of St. Bernadette will be inaugurated at the end of June 2012,” wrote Bishop Coleman.

St. Bernadette is a 19th-century French saint who is central to the Marian apparitions for which both of the merging parishes were named.

“It was at Lourdes where our Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette and announced ‘I am the Immaculate Conception,’” the bishop noted in his letter.

As a 14-year-old girl in 1858, Bernadette Soubirous had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto in the outskirts of Lourdes, France, where she lived. She reported seeing apparitions of “a small young lady” who revealed herself with the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Despite initial skepticism from the Catholic Church, her claims were eventually declared worthy of belief after a canonical investigation, and the Marian apparition is now known as Our Lady of Lourdes.

Bernadette was canonized in December 1933.

In his letter, Bishop Coleman also said that he understood this transition would not be easy.

“I realize that this may be difficult for some,” he wrote.

“Changes in our diocese require us to examine how we can utilize our resources to best provide for the Catholic community now and in the future.”

He extended to Father Chretien and members of the PPTF

his gratitude for their dedicated commitment throughout the challenging process, and to all parishioners his thanks for their continued cooperation.

In closing, Bishop Coleman shared his hope that “during this time of change the community will grow together and experience the joy of becoming a new parish.”

The PPTF will continue to meet to work on details regarding the new parish including plans for events to mark its inauguration.

Notre Dame de Lourdes and

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parishes are located approximately one-half mile apart in Fall River’s Flint neighborhood, the former established in 1874 to serve French-speaking Catholics in that area and the latter in 1882 for the Englishspeaking.

Their formation into one new parish comes in response to demographic changes in Fall River, a decrease in parish participation and Mass attendance and the declining number of priests to staff parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese.

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The Anchor

Faith Formation Office: The new evangelization in practice continued from page one

and it helps us to see what our neighbors are struggling with in their ministry and how we can complement each other.”

Networking is key to helping create contacts with speakers and scheduling these types of events. As a member of national organizations, including National Catholic Educational Association and the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership, staff members attend conferences on a regular basis, including the most recent Mid-Atlantic Congress for Pastoral Leadership that Sister Frances Thomas attended in her role as assistant director for Formation and Catechesis.

“This is a new venture because we’ve had nothing on the East Coast for some time,” said Sister Thomas. “It was very good. We’re really graced here that each staff member can go to a national conference once a year. That’s important to hear these national presenters, speak to different people throughout the country, go to different workshops; it’s all that networking that gives us insights into how we can improve what we’re doing.”

And what the staff is doing on a weekly basis depends on the season. Fielding a phone call from John Kearns, director of the Communications Office, Sister Thomas took a moment to discuss the number of candidates and catechumens who took part in the recent Rite of Election for the diocese’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program; the number to be submitted as part of a report for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Being in the Lenten season, Sister Thomas spent the previous day doing a webinar focused on the changes in the Roman Missal for the Easter Vigil and to help guide RCIA directors, giving the directors a headsup to subtle changes in the rite that the elect make during the baptismal promises.

“The rite itself is not revised this year but in the rite the Elect make baptismal promises, but the baptismal promises in the Rite and the promises in the new Roman Missal are not the same,” she said. “It’s a slight thing but some people might be confused.”

Sister Thomas’ main focus of her job is to work with the catechetical leaders in the diocese, and she took it upon herself to visit every parish and meet with those leaders when she joined the staff.

“I drove to every parish and

met them in their work setting, to spend some time getting to know who they are and what their situation is, which has been very helpful,” said Sister Thomas, who continues to meet with new leaders on an annual basis. “I try to keep up with them through emails. Every day is different.”

After he was done with the conference call, Deacon Bonneau spent time talking about his role as the assistant director of Adult Evangelization and Spirituality. He spoke of his part in the recent Rite of Election, helping prepare the Liturgy, making sure the names of those taking part were in proper order and working out the seating and music.

Jokingly saying, “My days are planned and then punctuated by unanticipated questions and needs,” he also collaborates with McManus for marriage ministry, giving talks for marriage covenant and marriage ritual. However, for Deacon Bonneau, this has “been the year of retreats.” He was part of the first young adult retreat held in January at the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham and he talked about two weekend retreats recently held, one for men and one for women, entitled, “Walking on Water with Feet of Clay.”

The women’s retreat had a waiting list while the men’s retreat was full.

Adding to his duties of teaching adult Confirmation classes at different deaneries, Deacon Bonneau is in the final stages of organizing an adult Confirmation retreat; the first time one has been put together for the adult Confirmation program. Often overlooked are the retired members of a parish, a group of people for whom retreats are also important.

“That’s an element that we forget about in adult formation,” said Deacon Bonneau, “all of the people who are retired and contributed a lot to the Church and are seeking spiritual days and ministries.”

The time consuming task of preparing for upcoming retreats has to be woven in with his duties as deacon at St. Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven, a role that keeps him grounded.

“In diocesan life, you can get disconnected to parish life sometimes — not always — but it keeps me tied to it,” he said.

Medeiros worked hand-inhand with Deacon Bonneau for the young adult retreat that was “well received” and has young adults waiting for the

next one. As part of “Scripture Alive,” the bible-sharing program that also sees McManus, Sister Thomas and office mate Rose Mary Saraiva leading their own sessions, Medeiros takes her role of ministering to the youth and young adults in the diocese very seriously.

Along with maintaining a Twitter account and Facebook page, she fields calls from inquiring minds eager to start a youth ministry group, and helps guide them by “pointing them in the right direction and providing them with resources and basic tips on what they should know.”

“That has been very lifegiving, not just to myself but to the area of young adult ministry,” said Medeiros, “because it clearly indicates a need that’s out there. Young adults want to share their faith. That’s been extremely rewarding.”

Medeiros also helped influence Renee Bernier, a junior at Stonehill College in Easton, who met Medeiros through a retreat five years ago. Having a hand in a bit of everything as a paid intern at the office, Bernier credits Medeiros for helping her develop a passion for youth ministry through seeing her work.

“What’s really interesting is that when you work for the Church — and this is personal for me — it’s kind of forced me to examine my own faith life,” said Bernier. “You see the Church’s teachings in a new context and it’s nice to see them reinforced.”

Medeiros is part of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry and attends an annual membership meeting that gives her the opportunity to convene with other directors and allow her to vet speakers at those conferences before she invites those speakers to bring their presentations to the youth and young adults of the diocese.

“People may think we go to these conference because we like to go to them, but it also helps us to see what we can bring and feed our own constituents in our diocese,” she said. “We really try to hear what is needed out there. It may take us some time to do the research and figure out how we’re going to go about it, and then bring it into the diocese. It’s a lot of discussion and planning.”

Initially hired as an administrative assistant, Saraiva — whose name came up in every interview as having

March 23, 2012 a hand in everything — took her job and carved out her own niche as events coordinator and bereavement ministry.

She handles all the details that “nobody sees but needs to get done.”

“I get that done so they can worry about the big stuff,” said Saraiva, laughing. “My job is to make everything simple.”

Her “simple” job includes — but isn’t limited to — organizing packets for marriage prep classes, creating and printing brochures and flyers for diocesan events, maintaining the office’s website and updating events posted to the site, and being the constant contact for the office by finding new avenues of communication, like the recently-instigated program “Constant Contact,” that allows email alerts to be sent on a regular basis.

After her daughter died six years ago, Saraiva found her calling in setting up a bereavement ministry through the office. She received her certificate in thanatology from Bristol Community College in Fall River and is also RAINBOW and TAPS certified.

“When it comes to grief, people just want to be heard.

I’ve been able to train myself to sit and listen. It’s given me that insight that when people are talking, it’s OK to be quiet,” said Saraiva.

Last year she attended a technology convention, will be going to a grief management workshop and will quietly attend as an observer for support groups “to see how it works and the dynamics of the group,” said Saraiva, who is also starting a pilot program in her parish.

The open-door policy the staff of the Faith Formation Office has with each other makes everyone accessible and informal hallway “staff meetings” are a common occurrence.

“I look at my counterparts in the region who don’t have an office setup like this and whose ministries are so separate and therefore don’t allow for such an easy job to collaborate and communicate with each other,” said Medeiros.

“There are times when we aren’t in the office together,” said McManus of everyone’s fluid schedules, “so we have to make that time to come together so that things don’t slip through the cracks. I keep my door open and they can walk in here and say what’s on their mind.”

Being the only representative for religious education in the region on the subcommittee for the Mass. Catholic

Conference, McManus is able to take part in talks regarding issues that bishops need to weigh in on, and then bring those issues to a local level.

The Catholic school offices are in the same building and McManus takes advantage of the close interaction to implement a curriculum that will set a firm foundation in theology.

Launched in 2010, the sixcourse Satellite Theological Education Program through the University of Notre Dame currently has 20 teachers from the Fall River Diocese enrolled to earn a certificate.

“The bishop wanted this and it’s needed. You have to be teaching sound theology. The hope is that the teacher who goes through this can become someone that other teachers can consult with. I work a lot with that,” said McManus of her role as a facilitator in the program, sometimes racing home from the office to take part in live-chats with those taking the course.

McManus also runs the marriage ministry for the Cape Cod deanery, travels constantly to be part of talks and conventions — including three times a year for her role as president of the New England Conference of the Diocesan Directors of Religious Education — and is readying to host a national team in August to bring “Beginnings” to the diocese, a program designed to train an RCIA team to have in every parish.

“My husband calls me the ‘Pinball Wizard’ because I pinball from one activity to the next,” said McManus, “but that suits my style; I like that.”

Not every parish takes advantage of what the Faith Formation Office has to offer, including a resource room stockpiled with the latest catechesis books and resources, but McManus doesn’t view the lack of relationship as an obstacle but simply another challenge to check off her list.

“Evangelization is so important and sometimes people lose sight of that mission.

They care about it a lot but they don’t know exactly what to do about it. We want to work consultatively with parishes and the only way to do that is to get out there,” said McManus. “The mission is evangelization. We have hope in Jesus Christ; we have a religion that can lead us in a relationship with Jesus Christ.”

This is the third article in an ongoing series that is highlighting the inner workings of the offices and apostolates of the Fall River Diocese.

March 23, 2012

Diocesan priest living ancient Church teachings, traditions continued from page one

nizing these Masses. I count this as a great privilege, as it has allowed me not only to experience the Liturgy in some of the most sacred places in the city, but also to help others to do so as well.”

The tradition of visiting Station Churches began, with one of its purposes, to unify the various groups and cultures who worshiped throughout the city.

While still a seminarian, Father Williams re-wrote a guide to the different Station Churches to assist those who attend the Lenten Masses entitled, “Procedamus in Pace.” The book, sold through the NAC seminary, contains brief histories of the churches as well as important things in them.

With the exception of the Paschal Triduum and Sunday Masses, the group attends daily Mass at a different church each day.

The current order has been in place since the Council of Trent in the mid-1500s. Two of those churches have been lost, but the vast majority remain, containing centuries of history and tradition.

A full schedule is found on the NAC website as well as a brief history and description of the site as well as a map and walking directions.

“This Lent we have 70-90 seminarians along with about 50 priests from the seminary or city attending each day, as well as 50-75 people from the city,” said Father Williams.

Father Williams’ studies go back even further than the Station Church tradition. “My area of concentration is morals, and if you’ve seen any news stories that involve morality, you would think from reading them that a moralist is either an old nag or a witch-hunter,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to learn what I have.

Morality is about life — it’s

15

The Anchor about seeking to perfect one’s self in accord with who we are as human beings, as children of God.” Father Williams has been so absorbed in the morality teachings that he felt the need to let others know. “After learning this myself, I wanted to be able to share this with others, particu-

Father Riley Williams

larly with those in our diocese, through whose support I am able to study this subject,” he said. “I thought that a blog would be an easily accessible way to share what I learn, and with Bishop George W. Coleman’s support I’ve prepared one.”

The title of Father Williams blog is “Lux Mundi,” referring to Christ as the Light of the world.

“This idea came from the prologue of St. John’s Gospel, and also from a document from the Second Vatican Council with a similar title,” said Father Williams.

“The purpose of this blog is to make morality accessible and understandable to the faithful in our diocese,” he continued.

“With all the battles in the public square over issues of morality, I hope to be able to provide Catholics and other people of good will

This week in 50 years ago — An organization with no meetings and no dues was in enthusiastic operation at Sacred Heart Parish in North Attleboro.

The Family Communion Crusade had some 72 families, totaling more than 250 individuals, who enrolled and agreed to receive Holy Communion as a family unit at least once monthly.

25 years ago — A mini-reunion of alumni of the former Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro took place in Japan as blood sisters Sister Louis and Sister Francis Pinsonnault got together for the first time with Columban Father Martin Dubuc. The two Sisters of the Presentation of Mary taught at Kenmei Girls’ Academy in Sakai City.

with a source that will help them to understand what the Church teaches, and also for them to be able to explain and defend it to others.”

Father Williams told The Anchor that one of his goals is to collect many good resources on as many current moral topics as they regard the lives and faiths of today’s Catholics. “I’ll include information from people far more intelligent and eloquent than I am,” he said. “I will provide some explanation as needed, and I also write some original things as well.”

He added that making this information available to Catholics is critical in light of current events in the U.S. and beyond. “I think this task is especially important given the events of the last few months,” he said. “We can’t take for granted that society, and the government, will allow us to practice our faith in peace. We need to be able to explain the reasons behind our beliefs — but all the while remembering that the faith isn’t a bat with which to beat people into submission, but rather a message meant to save people, even those who disagree with us.”

Father Williams’ first year as a priest has been a whirlwind of studies and age-old tradition, in one of the holiest cities in the world. “It’s been the most fulfilling and satisfying year of my life,” Father Williams told The Anchor. “After eight years of preparation, it was wonderful to discover that it was all worth it, and even better than I would have thought to be able to serve God and His people in such an important way.”

The first-year priest is grateful for the experiences of the last year. “To have experienced the tradition of our Church, and have

Diocesan history

10 years ago — The Dominican Sisters of Hope announced they were planning to close their Center of Hope on Park Street in Fall River.

The center, dedicated in 1895, served for more than a century as the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Fall River and was the home of Dominican Academy, which closed its doors in 1999.

One year ago — In the aftermath of a weekend storm where winds were estimated to be blowing between 55- and 65-miles-per-hour, the steeple tower atop St. Bernard’s Church in Assonet was discovered lilting to one side. The steeple was removed shortly thereafter, to be replaced with a new structure in the fall.

come to a fuller understanding of the living Word of the Gospel that has sustained the Church through all ages and still does so today, have helped my spiritual growth as an individual, and also given me a more profound

realization of the power of our faith that I hope to bring to others through my ministry in our diocese,” he added.

Father Williams’ blog can be found at http://luxmundichristus. blogspot.com/.

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Youth Pages

16

food-basket ball — The fourth-grade basketball teams from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently played for charity. As an entry “fee” parents and grandparents brought in a non-perishable item for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The students collected three baskets of food. The boys won the first half of the game and the girls won the second half.

March 23, 2012

college bound — More than 40 Coyle and Cassidy High School freshmen and sophomores recently attended the 23rd annual Old Colony YMCA Youth Conference held at Bridgewater State University. The day commenced with a keynote address by Stonehill College Professor Warren Dahlin. Students from the Taunton school then attended two workshops and a resource fair. Topics included nutrition and health, college knowledge, healthy relationships, and volunteer opportunities.

Diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate announces essay contest winners

FALL RIVER — Four diocesan youth were acknowledged at yesterday’s annual Pro-Life Mass at St. Julie Billiart Church for winning the 2012 Pro-Life Apostolate essay contest. Eileen Corkery, a junior at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro placed first in the High School Division, and Althea Turley, a student at St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis place first in the Junior Division. Second-place winners were Meghan Ritchie, a senior at Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton, and John Patrick Martin, grade seven, a home-schooled student at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford. Each of the students read their essays during the Mass celebrated

by Bishop George W. Coleman. The theme was “I came so that all might have life and have it to the full.” The first-place essays appear on this page.

Diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate Essay Contest 2012 First Place — Junior High School Division

By Althea Turley, Grade Eight St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School, Hyannis I am lucky to walk, talk, and communicate normally with the people I love. I have spina bifida, and without spinal operations, my life would be dramatically different. My parents always loved me, regardless of my problems. Not all babies with birth defects are so lucky. Some never take their first breath. Six hundred ninety unborn babies with Down’s Syndrome were aborted in 2002, and that rate rises every year. Aborted babies will never experience the simple joys of life because a person rejected a wonderful gift. Only God should have the power to give or take a life as every human life is a gift and a miracle.

Jesus “came so that all might have life and have it to the full.”

Victims of murder, capital punishment, assisted suicide, and abortion have a right to life. They are unable to have it because of the choices of others. God should be the only One to make these decisions, yet some people give up hope rather than trusting in God. They don’t leave it up to the omniscient Father.

Humans are fallible and make mistakes. Therefore, cancer patients who might live three more years may commit suicide because of a doctor’s estimate of a month left to live. The same goes for abortion and capital punishment. A baby in a complicated pregnancy might not kill a mother, and a convicted criminal may be innocent after all. Life’s potential cannot be known. An aborted baby could discover cures for diseases or become a great world leader, but no one will ever know if he or she is deprived a chance at life.

The disabled, poor, elderly, and sick are just as important as anyone else and should be treated with the same respect. This past Advent season, my classmates and I volunteered at a homeless shelter and served lunch to the less fortunate who were so appreciative of a single meal.

As I was there, I realized the homeless people who seemed so different on the outside weren’t so different from us. We all have the same needs and hopes, and we are all God’s children. We are all important and all merit good lives.

God is love, and He created us in His likeness, with the purpose of living a full, happy, and successful life. Humans need to realize this and let God choose when to terminate a life. We should put our faith in God and help others live lives God gives all His children.

Diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate Essay Contest 2012 First Place — High School Division

By Eileen Corkery, Grade 11, Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro “I came so that all might have life and have it to the full!”

“God is good all the time! All the time, God is good!” As Catholics we are all called to love God and all He has created, especially all human life. God created each and every person in His image, therefore giving all humans dignity and value. Although our modern culture is blind to each and every person’s worth, as Catholics we believe and love life in all forms and conditions — from the unborn all the way to the sick and the elderly. Jesus came so that we may have life to the fullest extent, both heavenly and earthly. We must protect God’s gift of life for the most vulnerable in our world, especially the unborn, those who are at risk for being harmed through acts of misguided “mercy,” and those who are treated unjustly.

One area of life that our culture fails to recognize to its fullest potential is the unborn.

Mothers and fathers claim that abortion is the best option for them because they simply cannot support a child. What they do not realize, however, is that life is precious and is always worth the sacrifice. God’s love is infinite, and it can be expressed through His Church on earth. There are many loving options for babies, such as families who are looking to adopt children. All the lives that that baby passes into will be more blessed and fulfilled than ever before. Imagine how much joy and happiness that baby can bring to the world, where otherwise there would be a void!

Another area of life that our culture fails to recognize to its fullest potential is the vulnerable, including the terminally ill, the disabled, and the elderly. Many people believe, with good intentions at heart, that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are merciful options for patients because they limit inevitable pain and suffering. This belief couldn’t be further from the truth. As Pope Benedict XVI said, “The real answer cannot be, in fact, to give death, as ‘gentle’ as this may be, but to testify to the love that helps us to face pain and agony in a humane way.” With God’s grace, we can face any challenge that confronts us and counter it with love and support. It may be difficult for patients and families to understand at times, but life always conquers death.

The last area of life that our culture fails to recognize to its fullest potential is the marginalized in our society, whether it is in our high schools, our workplaces, or even in our own homes. It may be that sophomore who sits alone every day, or that coworker that nobody really talks to. Sometimes, we don’t even realize that we are excluding anyone. Either way, life cannot be lived to the fullest unless one feels comfortable and welcomed. After all, the first step to making people want to protect life is by making them first appreciate their own life.

Everything God has created is good, especially life in all forms and conditions. Although we may be physically “living,” to be able to live to the fullest, we must devote our lives to loving God, others, and ourselves. When we stand up and defend the unborn, the vulnerable, and the undermined in our society, we truly become living witnesses to the meaning of Jesus’ mission: “I came that all might have life and have it to the full!”

Youth Pages

March 23, 2012

I

17

When it’s just the two of us, what will I say?

n a recent talk to the priests more easily swayed by opinions of the Diocese of Rome, that “sound good” or “feel good” Pope Benedict XVI, said, in but in actuality can lead us to part, that “we will not renew eternal damnation. I don’t know the Church, unless we renew about you, but I’m surely not people’s knowledge of the faith.” going to leave the sake of my The significance of this statesoul to anyone other than myself ment is striking to me, as we with the help of the Church.

Catholics are bombarded daily The Church is charged by Christ by candidate’s statements, arwith the mission to save souls. ticles, news reports and opinions Our eternal salvation is her only that purport to tell us what we, goal. Jesus left us the Church, as Catholics, believe. Of course, her Scripture and tradition and the statement or message in the the Magisterium of the Church media is usually incorrect and to help guide us on this journey based on “truths” that are often to Heaven. The alternative of hardly Catholic.

We have a responsibility to know what the Church teaches.

The pope cautions us, “Without a firm anchor to the faith and knowledge of what it teaches,

By Frank Lucca (we) are tossed by “the waves of the world, by the opinions of the world (and) by the dictatorship of the media.” course, God forbid, is hell.

It seems more so, lately, that There, I’ve said it! Hell. Took many do not have a firm anchor me a while to get here but I in the faith. We get fed informafinally did! Hell is not something tion that many of us don’t know we like to believe in or think is in keeping with the Church’s about and not something we hear teachings or not and that is about much, but it is a reality. indeed sad for all of us. We hear, Actually, when was the last time from the world, that same-sex you heard about hell? We don’t marriage, contraception, abormuch like to talk about it because tions, pro-choice, to name a few, it either bothers us, scares us or are all OK but they are, in fact, we don’t believe we can go there. not.

The devil would like nothing As a result, more and more else to separate us from God and Catholics seem to have chosen as a result we are bombarded a “smorgasbord” version of with these messages of the world Catholicism. That is, they like to whose purpose is to keep us from pick and choose which tenets of Heaven. He is clever enough to our faith that they want to accept use whatever he can to get us to and which they choose to ignore. choose the wrong path. Not just The danger is that by not accept- giant sins but tiny transgressions ing the true teachings of Jesus that ultimately desensitize us and through the Church, we have, in cloud our thoughts so that we fact, chosen not to be Catholic. start to form our own opinions To say this more plainly, you are and justify them in our minds. either fully in agreement with the We say, “No one can tell me teachings or you are not. Unforwhat to believe!” “I believe in tunately there is no halfway. It’s God and that’s good enough!” all or nothing with Jesus. He said “Jesus will save all of us because what He means and He means He loves us!” “I don’t have to go what He said. to church, God is everywhere!” I I can honestly say that I’ve know I’m preaching to the choir been surprised by how little I here but we need to unify as a knew about the Catholic faith Church so that we can stand up even after attending 18 years of to the evil and misguided beliefs Catholic institutions. It is only that surround us. Unless we do, it through the courses I have taken will get even worse! over the last four years, that I’ve A good friend and classmate come to better understand the of mine is fond of saying that we faith. It requires study by each of as Church “don’t talk enough the faithful to become aware of about jeopardy.” That is, we have what the Church teaches and to been so lulled into an underturn to the Church for guidance standing of a benevolent God when we are confused. Each who loves us no matter what of us is responsible for under(which is absolutely true) that He standing what Christ teaches us will welcome us home with open through the Church. If we don’t arms, no matter if we choose take this seriously, we will be to turn away from Him or not.

Be Not Afraid

Wrong! I agree with my classmate when he says, “If there are no consequences to our actions, why should we change or worry about what we do? “If we are all going to Heaven, we can just simply believe or do what we want … right?” Well obviously that’s a false assumption.

St. John Chrysostom, a Father of the Church, used to repeat, “The Lord Jesus preached more often on the Catholic dogma of hell than any other subject.”

Doesn’t that tell us something?

If he spent so much time on that topic, I would guess it is something we should pay close attention to! Didn’t Jesus talk about separating the goats from the sheep? Was that just a cute story? What about the chasm that exists between Heaven and hell that Jesus tells us about in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus taught us what is needed for salvation. He left all that is needed with His Church. We need to align our faith with His teachings. Reality is — hell exists.

Hell is eternal. I can go into hell.

You can go into hell. Or not. The choice is ours to make.

There is a beautiful song that I recently heard at a Mass in Florida. The song is entitled, “The Two of Us,” by C7. I now meditate on these words at the end of each evening after night prayer. “When it is the two of us, what will I say to You? When it’s the two of us, will You be looking at me?” These words, for me, put things into perspective. What will I say? What will Jesus say to me?

It helps me stay on course.

As Lent comes to a conclusion, may we take seriously the responsibility to learn more about the true teachings of our faith so that we can be resistant to the “teachings of the world.” May we unite with our Catholic sisters and brothers in defending what is right and good and to stave off evil. May we take every opportunity to learn about and align ourselves with Christ’s teachings.

May we also take every opportunity to take advantage of the Sacrament of Confession so that we are prepared at any time to face Jesus when it will be “just the two of us!”

Frank Lucca is a youth minister at St. Dominic’s Parish in Swansea. He is chairman and director of the YES! Retreat and director of the Christian Leadership Institute. He is a husband and a father of two daughters. He may be reached at stdominicyouthministry@ comcast.net

the few and the proud — Staff Sgt. Brad Burton, left and Pvt. Rachel Oldfield recently visited St. Michael School in Fall River to talk to the students about their careers as U.S. Marines.

Evan, left, and Nicholas Oldfield, brothers of Pvt. Oldfield, are students at St. Michael’s. The students there are celebrating Careers and Reading for the month of March.

school spirit — The second- and fifth-graders at Holy Name School in Fall River recently worked together to create a colorful bulletin board to tell why they loved their school.

fashion statements — Third-grade students at St. JamesSt. John School in New Bedford recently enjoyed a mismatch day.

18

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The Anchor

March 23, 2012

Thanks for everything Tim ... see ya

M

y initial reaction this selfishness and arrogance — and week was to feel sorry that comes from the players, for Tim Tebow. In fact, I’m sure coaches and owner. Seeing Tim he’s hurt by what transpired this Tebow in that environment is week in Denver, but I’m also like watching Christ in the midst quite certain that he will rise of the Pharisees and the Sanheabove this with class and dignity. drin.

In yet another episode of the If Jesus were around today, heartless nature of professional a professional athlete would be sports, the Denver Broncos one of the last professions where secured the services of future I would expect to see Him. Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, One doesn’t have to look very essentially giving Tebow his far to find an example of the walking papers from the Mile High City.

A man of lesser character and faith would probably torch some bridges on the way out of town, but Tebow will

By Dave Jolivet turn this into a positive because he realizes that football is just a game and he’s fortunate enough to aforementioned metaphor. play a game for a living right Tebow has fallen prey to two now. men who I see as looking out for As a kid, did you ever walk themselves first. along the sidewalk and there I have never been a fan of among the sand, dirt and litter Broncos general manager John glowed a bright, shinny nickel?

Elway — even since his college For you younger pups, a nickel days. When Elway was in the was a treasure — it could buy a college NFL draft in 1983, he pack of baseball or Beatles cards basically told the then-Baltimore complete with a rock-hard stick Colts he would not play for them of bubble gum. In juxtaposition if drafted. By threatening to hold against the dirt and trash, the his breath until he turned blue, gleam exuding from that silver he got his way (not unlike the Eli coin was a breath of fresh air.

Manning scenario several years That’s Tim Tebow in the ago). I have never been able to NFL. Certainly, he deserves a shake the image of a spoiled better fate than to be traded out brat, and now that he is GM, I of Colorado like a head of cattle, still see it. but that’s the nature of the beast.

I have always respected Tebow is surrounded by greed, Peyton Manning, until his recent

My View From the Stands

stint as a free agent.

For several weeks, Manning has held teams, cities and fans hostage while he searched out the uniform in which he would be most comfortable (in many different ways).

This wasn’t too unlike the LeBron James pony show in the NBA last year, with slightly less fanfare.

Manning ultimately decided on the uniform worn by a young quarterback trying to make it in the league, taking the shirt off his back.

As we go to press, Manning and the Broncos were still working on the language of the contract (I still don’t know why they call them contracts!). That should be interesting — two egocentric quarterbacks hashing out a fair deal! Elway and Manning deserve each other.

No matter where Tebow ends up, he’ll land on his feet, and he’ll bring that breath of fresh air along with him. I’m still not sure if he has what it takes to make it in the NFL. But I don’t worry for him or feel sorry. Wherever he plies his trade, Tim Tebow will be a success.

As for now, Tebow has to simply shake the Denver dirt off his spikes and head for a new city and a new team, and in doing so will make that place that much better.

Rest in peace Aunt Connie.

vocation celebration — The annual Celebration of Consecrated Life was held at the convent of the Dominicans of the Presentation in Dighton recently. The evening consisted of Mass celebrated

by Bishop George W. Coleman, followed by a social. The celebration was attended by 70 religious Sisters and Brothers. Here Bishop Coleman greets attendees following the Mass. Religious men and women in leadership representing 14 religious congregations ministering and residing in the diocese also recently came together for their annual meeting with Bishop Coleman at St. Julie Billiart Parish Center in North Dartmouth. Following shared prayer and reflection, religious leaders updated the bishop on their communities and ministries. The meeting was facilitated by Sister Joan Duffy, CSJ. A luncheon was provided by the Office for Religious.

March 23, 2012

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.

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

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

Fall River — 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.

19

The Anchor Pope asks married couple to compose Via Crucis meditations

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has asked an Italian married couple, founders of the Focolare Movement’s New Families initiative, to write the meditations for his Way of the Cross service at Rome’s Colosseum April 6.

The Vatican announced that the pope had asked Danilo and Annamaria Zanzucchi to write the meditations, which are read over loudspeakers as a cross is carried through and around the Colosseum on Good Friday. The Zanzucchis are the first married couple to be asked to compose the texts.

Along with Chiara Lubich, the late founder of the Focolare Movement, the Zanzucchis launched the New Families project in 1967 to strengthen families and encourage their spiritual growth and social commitment.

New Families now claims some 300,000 members around the world. The Zanzucchis’ meditations will offer commentary and prayers on the 14 traditional Stations of the Cross, the Vatican said.

In 1985, Blessed John Paul II began asking people to compose meditations for his Good Friday prayer service rather than using traditional texts. Over the years, he asked bishops and theologians, priests and religious women and — in 2002 — an international group of journalists who were covering the Vatican.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks March 25 Rev. John J. Brennan, SS.CC., Retired Founder, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 1991 March 27 Rev. James W. Conlin, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1918 Rev. Antonio P. Vieira, Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford, 1964 Rev. Richard W. Beaulieu, Former Diocesan Director of Education, Former Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 2007 March 28 Rev. Alfred J. Levesque, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1960 Rev. Bernard A. Lavoie, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Dieudonne Masse, OFM, Retired, Montreal, Canada, 1983 Rev. Howard A. Waldron, Retired Pastor, St. Thomas More, Somerset, 1985 March 29 Rev. James H. Carr, S.T.L., Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1923 Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Moriarty, Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1951 March 30 Rev. Aime Barre, On Sick Leave, Fall River, 1963 Rev. Benoit R. Galland, USN Retired Chaplain, 1985 Rev. Lucio B. Phillipino, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 2002

Around the Diocese 3/24

The St. Mary’s Council of the Knights of Columbus will celebrate a special Mass for the Unborn Child tomorrow 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.

3/24

The third meeting of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will be held tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Parish, East Falmouth. The meeting will be hosted by Cathy O’Connor, international concerns chairman. The guest speaker will be Laurie Stavrand from the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (a part of the United States Council of Refugees and Immigration). To help with the international concerns, bathroom items such as soaps, towels, face cloths, bath lotions, tissues and paper towels will be collected. Donations are greatly appreciated and all women of the diocese are cordially invited to attend.

3/26

The Knights of Columbus Council 2525 is sponsoring a “ProLife Week,” that includes three activities, in which all are invited to participate. March 26 from 7 to 8 p.m., a Pro-Life Prayer Hour at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South St., Hyannis, led by Father Tom Costa, Cape Cod Hospital chaplain; March 31 from 10 a.m. to noon, a presentation and discussion on end-of-life issues from a Catholic perspective, at Our Lady of Victory Parish Center, 230 South Main St., Centerville, led by Dr. Mary Patricia Tranter, chairperson of Ethics Board, Good Samaritan Hospital, and president of Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton; and daily private recitation of Pope John Paul II’s prayer for life, taken from his encyclical letter, “The Gospel of Life.”

3/28

The Pro-Life Prayer Groups of Holy Trinity and Holy Redeemer parishes are holding a holy hour March 28 following the 9 a.m. Mass at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28, West Harwich, including the Rosary, Pro-Life prayers and Benediction. All are invited to come and pray for an end to abortion.

3/28

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth will hold a spring open house on March 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Studentguided campus tours, faculty presentations, as well as information about athletics and co-curricular activities will be highlighted. Parents and students of all grades are invited to attend. For more information visit www. bishopstang.com.

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.

4/9

The Divine Mercy Holy Hour will be sung at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28, West Harwich, beginning on April 9 and continue all week through April 14. There will be a Mercy Sunday (no Mass) celebration on April 15 at 2:45 p.m. No Confessions will be available on Divine Mercy Sunday. For more information call 508-430-0014.

4/12

The Divorced and Separated Support Group will meet on April 12 beginning at 7 p.m. to discuss “Facing Your Depression” as part of its Divorce Care Series. This segment will offer constructive ways to deal with depression. The meeting will be held in the parish center of St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road in North Dartmouth. For more information call 508-678-2828, 508-993-0589, or 508-673-2997.

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 508-678-6941.

4/28

A “Fire of Love” Youth Rally featuring music minister Martin Doman will be held April 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (including Mass) at St. Margaret’s Church in Buzzards Bay. The rally is open to all youth in grades eight to 12 and is perfect for Confirmation classes.

To sign up, call 508-759-7777 or email stmargaretyouthministry@gmail.com.

For more information visit www.martindoman.com.

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.

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.

20

The Anchor

March 23, 2012

Massachusetts Choose Life plate effort gaining momentum

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — Despite a looming July 1 deadline in which to meet a minimum quota of 3,000 “Choose Life” specialty plates in Massachusetts, Merry Nordeen, president and founder of the nonprofit Choose Life, Inc. effort that put the Choose Life license plates in Registry of Motor Vehicle branches throughout the Commonwealth, remains optimistic about meeting the goal.

“It’s pretty much a soft deadline — I don’t want to scare people,” Nordeen told The Anchor. “The RMV does not intend to revoke the license plate. They try very hard not to do that. But technically we haven’t yet met the initial sales quota.”

According to Nordeen’s husband, Kenneth, who also serves as treasurer for Choose Life, Inc., they’ve officially sold 3,060 license plates to date, but there are only 2,437 active plates on the road right now.

“That’s the way it’s written in the legislation — that they have to be actively on the road,” he said.

“There are still about 600 people who have purchased the plate but haven’t picked them up yet.”

Merry Nordeen said in some cases the people who initially purchased the plate have since moved out of the state; others have unfortunately passed away in the interim.

“I only had one person write back to me who said they didn’t pick up the plate because they didn’t care for the picture on it, because we changed the final graphic,” she said. “They thought it looked too Catholic. I explained we never intended it to look like

Mary and Jesus and most Catho- sachusetts was working to bring exact number — but I’ve seen peolics would look at it and agree; but the plates to the Commonwealth. ple driving around with plate nummaybe a non-Catholic might think So she decided to give it a try. She bers in the 6,000 range. They had otherwise. started a corporation, secured non- to stock all the RMV branches with “I think we’re so in tune to im- profit status and began collecting the plates.” ages of the Blessed Mother that registrations. After a seven-year If there aren’t at least 3,000 acwe would not mistake it. And even effort, the Choose Life plates were tive Choose Life plates on the road though we have many Catholics made available in Massachusetts as of July 1, Nordeen said they may and Protestants who have pur- for the first time in July 2010. lose a portion of that bond. chased the plate, we’re a non-deBut among the requirements to “Or it may be that since we’ve nominational effort.” produce a charitable license plate in actually sold 3,000 they know the The Choose Life plate, one of 18 Massachusetts is meeting the afore- plates are going to be around and Massachusetts specialty plates that mentioned 3,000 quota within the they might not even assess us and benefit charities, features a mother first two years and the posting of a the bond would be released and cradling her infant and the words $100,000 surety bond, which was we’d be all set,” she said. “We just “Choose Life.” want to make The cost of the sure we have plates is $80 every the funds to pay two years. The first back the person $40 is the normal who put up the registry charge, bond so they’re and after the first not at risk of year, the entire relosing that monmaining $40 will ey.” fund alternatives to To that end, abortions.

Nordeen said “It’s nice when they’ve held they renew their onto about registration, be$70,000 of cause then we get the $134,290 the full $40,” Northey’ve raised deen said. “From from the plate the initial registraso far. tion, $12 goes to “Primarpay for the plate license to live — The Choose Life license plate in Massa- ily the money and then Choose chusetts has become a popular moving advertisement on Com- we raise goes Life gets the re- monwealth roads since July 2010. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) to the various maining $28. The Pro-Life centers renewal date is based on the last provided by an anonymous donor. in the state in one way or another,” number on the plate; if your num“The bond is put in place to pro- she said. “But because of the 40th ber ends in a one, your renewal date tect the RMV from losing money anniversary of Roe v. Wade comwill be in January.” over the plate, because they did ing up next year and because of the The first Choose Life license have to put up the initial investment surety bond being at risk, we’ve plates were introduced in Flor- to manufacture them,” Nordeen held onto it. But I’m sure we won’t ida 11 years ago. When Merry said. “We don’t know how much be assessed $70,000 in fees.”

Nordeen heard about them, she they might assess us for the unsold Among the many Pro-Life efthought, “That’s a great idea. I want plates. They may have made 10,000 forts throughout the state that have that for my car.” But no one in Mas- plates initially — I don’t know the benefitted from the sales of the Choose Life plate are pregnancy resource centers, that each received $1,000 to help promote the plate; a grant program wherein $5,000 is donated to new or relocated pregnancy resource centers; and Massachusetts Citizens for Life, which received $10,000 to fund a summer program for high school students.

“We also pay for new director training at the pregnancy centers,” Nordeen said. “I have to say I don’t

know much about the centers — I’ve never worked in one — I just know that I fully support their efforts to protect life.

“One center we worked with has a program called ‘Stop and Think’ where they have former clients go into the high schools to talk to the students about abstinence. It’s just such great work and I’m so glad we can somehow support it.”

Deacon Joseph F. Mador and his wife Ann of Holy Redeemer Parish in Chatham heard about the Choose Life plate years before it was made available here in Massachusetts and they were among the first in the state to sign up for it.

“We don’t like or use any bumper stickers so having the Chose Life plates tells other drivers how we feel about respecting life from conception to natural death,” Deacon Mador said. “We wish more drivers would take the same action.”

Sue Levesque, a parishioner at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford, said she and her husband Bob opted to purchase the Choose Life plate as a way to support the Pro-Life cause.

“I know a lot of people from our parish frequently go to the abortion clinic in Attleboro to pray,” she said. “That’s not something we’ve been able to do, so I figured buying the license plate was an easy way to promote and help the cause. You have to buy a license plate anyway, so why not have the money go to something you support?”

Given that there are currently 24 states that offer Choose Life plates, which have raised about $14 million nationally, and efforts continue to bring them to another 16 states, it would seem that Nordeen is on the right track.

“We think it’s going to catch on, because a lot of people haven’t even heard about the Choose Life plate yet,” she said. “I had a gentleman stop me on the street yesterday as I was going to the post office, and he asked about it. I told him he could go to the RMV and order one, or go online and get it. We’re just trying to get one more closer to that 3,000.”

And after more than seven years of working to first get and now promote the plate, Nordeen is confident she’ll soon see just as many Choose Life plates on cars as those other familiar specialty plates.

“I’m looking forward to the time when the plate is going to sell itself,” she said. “When you’ll see so many on the road that it will compete with the whale and the lighthouse and the Red Sox plates.”

To order a Choose Life license plate, you can visit your local Registry of Motor Vehicles branch or go online to www.mass.gov/rmv/ express/chooselife.htm. For more information about the Choose Life effort, visit www.machooselife.org or call 781-224-0404.