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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , April 18, 2014

Bishop Coleman’s 2014 Easter Message

“Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who has been crucified. He has risen.”

(Mt 16:1)

Dear Friends, On the first Easter morning, according to the Gospel of St. Mark, three women went to the place where the Body of Our Lord was buried.

Upon their arrival, they found the stone already rolled away from the door of the tomb.

When they entered, they did not find Jesus, but a young man dressed in a white robe who told them: “Do not be amazed: you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen.”

As we begin our annual celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, I greet you and repeat with great joy the announcement of Good News: “He is risen!” I wish to extend this message to all men and women of good will who reside in the Diocese of Fall River, to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, to families, to the elderly, to school children, to the sick and suffering, to the disabled, to those in prison, to those who live alone, and to all who will read this message.

Easter reminds us that death, sadness, and evil do not have the last word. When Jesus was nailed to the Cross, He took upon Himself all our sins, suffering, and pain. Faith in the Resurrection, however, helps us find meaning in our efforts, in our struggles, and even in our suffering. It can relieve us of the sense of helplessness, futility, and frustration. It can even make sense of death itself. The triumph of the love and mercy of God are revealed to us in the light of the Resurrection. This can be decisive for the way we see the world and for the way we live our lives. Christ’s victory is our victory!

I pray that the new life revealed in Jesus’ Resurrection will draw you and your loved ones closer to God and greatly nourish your hope. If you allow our Risen Lord into your hearts, He will transform your lives. He can help you act more honestly and generously toward your brothers and sisters. He can endow you with a greater capacity for mercy toward others and patience with your own limitations. He desires to share with you His peace. The grace of Easter not only promises eternal life when our earthly existence comes to an end, but it also bestows countless blessings upon us here and now, above all the blessing of friendship with God. With prayerful wishes that the living presence and blessings of the Risen Christ remain with each of you and with your families this Easter, I am Sincerely yours in the Lord,

Bishop of Fall River

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April 18, 2014

Fall River parish creates Easter baskets for area children in need

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor

FALL RIVER — It’s not uncommon at Christmas time for area faithful to remember the poor and needy children who will wake up that morning not even in their own beds, let alone find gifts under a tree.

There are scores of ministries, organizations and parish projects that will make sure these special children of God will have something to take the sting of homelessness, poverty, and sadness away — if even for a few moments.

But for Nancy Sardinha, a Westport resident and parishioner of Holy Name Parish in Fall River, Christmas time wasn’t enough.

“I thought about these children and what happens to them the rest of the year,” Sardinha told The Anchor. “I wanted to do something for them, not just at Christmas. My sister and I came up with the idea of pre-

paring Easter baskets for children such as these, and the idea took off.”

The idea was a year in the making. “Just after Easter last year, I sent a letter to Holy Name School parents asking for used Easter baskets, eggs and grass,” explained Sardinha.

“The response was very good.

I started to collect these items and store them in my attic throughout the year.”

As Lent approached this year, Sardinha solicited help from the school and parish communities looking for items to place in the baskets. “Again, the response was very good. The children were excited to bring candy to give to me to put in the baskets,” Sardinha said.

Sardinha cleared out the attic of all the Easter products and sent another letter to school parents asking if they and their children would be willing to gather at the school to assemble Turn to page 13

It’s all smiles as a group of volunteers prepare to raise a wall for the Women Build home on Bevan Way, Orleans, one of six homes being built by Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod. Kelly Lungo, a single mom of a six-year-old son will be the purchaser of the Women Build home, made affordable thanks to the dozens of volunteers and Habitat making such homes available for those who would otherwise be priced out of the booming real estate market on Cape Cod.

Habitat Women Build well underway on the Cape

said Dawn Walnut, volunteer services manger for Habitat for ORLEANS — The Apostles Humanity of Cape Cod (www.

Build, a project of Habitat for habitatcapecod.org).

“The way we do that is to be Humanity of Cape Cod, helps extra welcoming and provide exspread the Word about Jesus through the volunteer efforts tra training,” said Walnut. “We of “Apostles” who work on the really are very good at providhome, and appreciates the inter- ing training for every volunteer faith sponsorship by area par- who shows up, but some people ishes and congregations, like St. might not realize that and might Joan of Arc Parish in Orleans, be reluctant to come on site, esthat regularly raises thousands pecially in a male-dominated of dollars annually for Habitat. profession; some may think, The Women Build home on ‘Well, I can’t do that.’ But by desBevan Way, Orleans, is similarly ignating it a Women Build, you helping a family in need, but are really saying that yes you can also endowing women with a do that.”

According to Habitat, more sense of accomplishment by encouraging “volunteers you may 25 percent of families with not normally get to a build site,” children have been classified by

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

These students helped prepare Easter baskets at Holy Name School in Fall River this week, to be distributed to area needy children.

Cape Cod schools as “low income” families, and of the 244 families who have applied for Habitat for Humanity homes, the median income of those applicants was $36,469 for a family of four. Massachusetts has one of the most expensive real estate markets in the nation and with single-family homes on the Cape averaging 10 percent more than the rest of the state, coupled with the average wage on Cape Cod being 35 percent lower than that of the state, the “affordability gap” is what Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod strives to address.

“Without affordable housing, families cannot grow and Turn to page 13

Bristol Community College hosts seminar focusing on grief awareness

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — Before he became pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Stanislaus parishes in Fall River, Father Andrew Johnson — a former Trappist monk who became incardinated into the diocese in 2011 — served as head chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital in the city.

One of the more difficult experiences of his chaplaincy was getting the call in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving 2011 to come to the hospital to console a grieving couple whose daughter was killed in a car accident.

Father Johnson recently recalled that first meeting with Darlene Tetreault, the distraught mother, during a grief awareness event at Bristol Community College that Tetreault, a thanatology-certifed BCC student and LPN, had organized for her Leadership in Honors Project.

“We met under sad circumstances, because I was on call when (her daughter) Mirissa was brought in,” Father Johnson said. “My enrichment in knowing her and my friendship with her is what brought me here today. I got the call at 3:30 in the morning, and we were there at the hospital until 6:30

really just consoling each other with words of faith.”

In the nearly three years since Mirissa’s death, Tetreault has made it her mission to learn more about grief and to try to help others to deal with their own painful loss.

“My passion is to educate and help others who have suffered a significant loss or grief … with the hopes of having a support group on campus where students and staff can go and feel as though they are not alone and can express themselves and get the help that is needed,” she said.

To that end, Tetreault sinTurn to page 15

Father Andrew Johnson, right, pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Stanislaus parishes in Fall River, speaks during the recent Grief Awareness Event held at Bristol Community College in Fall River while Darlene Tetreault, left, a BCC student and coordinator for the event, looks on. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

News From the Vatican Vatican, civil authorities join forces against human trafficking

April 18, 2014

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Gathered in Rome to discuss methods for the eradication of human slavery, law enforcement and Vatican officials exchanged ideas on how to collaborate in combating the issue and caring for victims.

“Human trafficking is an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the Body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity,” Pope Francis exclaimed in a recent audience with the conference participants.

Drawing police chiefs from 20 different nations around the world, the conference was hosted by the Vatican’s Academy of Sciences, and was organized through the Bishops Conference of England and Wales.

This marks the second conference bringing individuals together in the Vatican to discuss the topic of human trafficking, the first being held in the fall of 2012. Following this gathering, participants revealed that a third gathering will convene in London this coming November.

In his message the pope extended his greetings to attendees, thanking them for their presence and encouraged them all to “combine our efforts” with the desire for “our strategies and areas of expertise to be accompanied and reinforced by the mercy of the Gospel” and “by closeness to the men and women who are victims of this crime.”

Referring to human trafficking as “an open wound on the body of contemporary society,” the pontiff gave special

attention to the presence of law enforcement authorities, “who are primarily responsible for combating this tragic reality by a vigorous application of the law.”

“It also includes humanitarian and social workers, whose task it is to provide victims with welcome, human warmth and the possibility of building a new life” he continued, noting that although these are “two different approaches,” they “can and must go together.”

During a press conference following the conclusion of the meeting, representatives from Asia, Africa and Europe responded to journalist’s questions regarding the events and topics of discussion over the last two days.

Speaking in reference to the importance of the strong backing the Holy See gives to civil authorities on the issue, London’s Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe expressed that this collaboration is crucial.

The fact that Pope Francis, who met with the four survivors of trafficking who gave their testimony during the conference, is giving the topic such dedicated attention is extremely helpful, Howe noted, especially since most of the trafficking is of a sexual nature, because the pope approaches victims with a particular tenderness.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of the Abuja province in Nigeria, affirmed the importance of the pope’s interest in the issue, stating that the fact that he drove down to meet the conference participants rather than having them come to him and wait demonstrates

that “He’s present, he’s part of this group.”

When asked whether or not these meetings have made an impact on the number of trafficked individuals who are being rescued, Sir Bernard Howe responded that he has “seen more come forward,” but that still “only one percent of victims being trafficked are coming forward.”

This is because, he explained, many are addicted to drugs and fear that they will be judged or condemned by government and Church officials, also because many are no longer in their home countries, and do not have visas or legal immigration status.

Regarding initiatives which Church and legal authorities are seeking to put into place in order to combat the issue more effectively, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, stated that the issue is handled in different ways in different countries, however he lauded the system of support given to victims in Australia, who are able to be sustained by the government for up to four years.

In England, the cardinal explained that they are seeking to expand and extend the resources already available for as long as possible by establishing a sanctuary where first contact with a victim can be made, and where there can be psychological assistance and an assessment of the victim’s needs.

Other goals, he continued, are to help initiate the process of a court hearing, bring about a reconciliation between the victim and their families, and

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A panel of participants in a Vatican conference on human trafficking speak with journalists during a recent press conference. (CNA photo)

attempting to get rescued persons back into the workplace.

“Slavery has never been as widespread in the world as it is today,” he observed, emphasizing that “those being trafficked are not free” and that there is a need to “focus on those taking people and bodies.”

A religious Sister who traveled to Rome from Nigeria for the two-day encounter, and whose order has been highly praised for its efforts in helping trafficked women in Africa, was also present at the press conference.

Emphasizing how the work they do “is great, and compli-

cated,” the Sister highlighted that all those gathered have “different projects, but the same goal,” and explained that a large part of this goal is “to build a more human society, with answers for all that don’t exclude anyone.”

Quoting one of the victims who gave her testimony during the conference, Cardinal Nichols expressed that her voice echoed that of all those who are suffering at the hands of human trafficking, when she stated that “I would like greater presence from police, and I would like the bishops and the Church to pray for me.”

The International Church

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April 18, 2014

Pope mourns ‘brutal killing’ of priest, urges end to violence

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said the assassination of “my confrere,” a 75-year-old Dutch Jesuit in Syria, “filled me with deep sadness and made me think again of all the people who suffer and are dying in that martyred country.”

Jesuit Father Frans van der Lugt “arrived in Syria about 50 years ago” and “always did his best for everyone with graciousness and love, and so was loved and held in esteem

by Christians and Muslims,” the pope said at the end of a recent weekly general audience.

Father Van der Lugt had refused to leave war-torn Syria, instead staying in Homs to help the poor and homeless.

He was beaten by unidentified armed men and killed April 7 with two bullets to the head, according to the Jesuits’ Middle East province.

“From my heart, I ask you all to join my prayer for peace in Syria and in the region,” Pope Francis said, “and I launch a heartfelt appeal to Syrian leaders and to

the international community: the only priest and the only Homs in a video posted on Silence the weapons! Put an foreigner in this place, but I YouTube in late January.

The United Nations superend to the violence! No more don’t feel like a foreigner.’”

The Jesuits prayed that “his vised an evacuation of about war! No more destruction!”

Father Van der Lugt, a sacrifice would bring the fruit 1,400 people from Homs in psychotherapist, had worked of peace and that it would be early February; arriving in Jordan, the refugees in Syria since 1966 rom my heart, I ask you all to join confirmed Father and had been ofmy prayer for peace in Syria and in Van der Lugt’s acfering shelter in his the region,” Pope Francis said, “and I launch counts of people, monastery to Musyoung lims and Christians a heartfelt appeal to Syrian leaders and to the especially left homeless by the international community: Silence the weapons! children, starving to death. war, which began in Put an end to the violence! No more war! No Speaking to March 2011.

Catholic News SerIn a statement, more destruction!” vice by telephone Father Adolfo Nicolas, superior general of a further stimulus for silenc- February 6, the Jesuit had the Jesuits, and the staff of ing the weapons and setting said: “There has been no food. People are hungry and the Jesuits’ headquarters ex- aside hatred.”

Father Van der Lugt be- waiting for help. No injured pressed their sorrow “for the brutal assassination of a man came known around the world people have been allowed who dedicated his life to the after appealing for aid for the to leave. Families have been poorest and neediest, espe- people of the besieged city of hoping to get out of the siege cially in Homs, and who did not want to abandon them even at times of great danger.”

“He always spoke of peace Jaffa, Israel (CNA/ thusiastic to hear the Holy and reconciliation,” the state- EWTN News) — Migrant Father.” ment said, “and he opened his workers in the Holy Land are “The pope’s forthcoming doors to all those asking help eagerly awaiting Pope Francis’ visit has boosted the morale, without distinction of race or pilgrimage to Palestine, Israel and will reinforce the hopes, religion. ‘I don’t see Muslims and Jordan next month, and of the migrant Christians or Christians,’ he used to say, are praying for its success. working in Holy Land.” ‘but only human beings. I am Pope Francis will arrive in “The migrant workers’ communities are eagerly awaiting Amman, the Jordanian capithe pope with joyful expecta- tal, May 24 and pay a courtesy tion,” Father Tojy Jose, OFM, visit to the nation’s king and head of the Indian Chaplaincy queen, and he will later adin the Holy Land, told CNA dress national authorities.

The pope will celebrate recently.

Pope Francis will travel to Mass in the afternoon at 4 the Holy Land May 24-26, p.m., followed by a visit to marking the 50th anniversary the baptismal site at Bethany of the meeting in Jerusalem beyond Jordan and to meet between Pope Paul VI and and address the refugees, and Patriarch Athenagoras, who physically-challenged people.

The following day, Pope was then the Eastern Orthodox Archbishop of Constan- Francis will travel to Palestine to visit Bethlehem, meeting tinople.

Father Jose said the Indian the state’s president and the community in the area is “en- Palestinian Authority, then

“F

and out of the fighting between the two sides.”

“The wounded have not received proper treatment, so healing has been difficult.

Newborns die very quickly because of a lack of milk,” he said. “There have been cases of death due to hunger and starvation.”

In Syria, Jesuit Refugee Service announced it would close for three days after Father Van der Lugt’s death.

“Father Frans was a beacon for all of us; he did not only preach about love and reconciliation but he lived it out every day — in humility and with compassion for all — until the very end,” said Father Peter Balleis, JRS International director.

Migrants in Holy Land look forward to papal visit

celebrating Mass and praying the Regina Caeli.

He will lunch with Palestinian families at the Franciscan convent of Casa Nova, and then make a private visit to the Grotto of the Nativity.

After this, he will be greeted by refugee children, and then depart by helicopter for Israel.

He will meet in private with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the present day Archbishop of Constantinople; the two will sign a joint declaration, after which there will be a public ecumenical meeting at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.

On May 26, Pope Francis will meet Jerusalem’s Grand Mufti, the Sunni cleric entrusted with the city’s Muslim holy places.

He will then visit the Western Wall and lay a wreath at Mount Herzl, the site of Israel’s national cemetery, and then make a discourse at Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial of the Holocaust, and meet with Jerusalem’s chief rabbis.

In the afternoon he will meet in private with Patriarch Bartholomew, aside the Orthodox parish on the Mount of Olives, after which he will meet with priests, religious, and seminarians at the Church of Gethsemane.

Pope Francis will celebrate Mass with the ordinaries of the Holy Land and the papal suite at the Cenacle, and he will preach at the Mass.

In the evening, he will fly from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, say farewell to Israel, and return to Rome.

The Church in the U.S. Catholic hospitals have right to reject contraceptives, doctors say

April 18, 2014

Tulsa, Okla. (CNA/ EWTN News) — Following controversy over a Catholic-affiliated medical center’s rejection of contraceptive practices in Oklahoma, physicians have said that such institutions are trying to act with integrity.

“Catholic hospitals and health care providers do not prevent women from accessing what they want, they just don’t provide it themselves,” Lester Ruppersberger, a Pennsylvania physician and vice president of the Catholic Medical Association, said recently.

“They are not lobbying against contraception, they just do not wish to be forced to violate their beliefs and ethics.”

He told CNA that those who do not agree with Catholic medical ethics “are not being deprived” and “do not have the right to expect or force (Catholic health systems) to provide what they cannot and will not.”

Catholic ethics became the focus of controversy in the northeastern Oklahoma city of Bartlesville in late March when reports claimed that doctors affiliated with Jane Phillips Medi-

cal Center were directed not to prescribe birth control.

Reports attributed the policy to Ascension Health system, the new sponsor of the St. John Health System, of which the medical center is a member.

Ascension Health’s sponsors include five Catholic religious congregations.

A recent statement from St. John Health System said it operates “consistent with Catholic health care organizations” and in accordance with Catholic ethical and religious directives. It “therefore does not approve or support contraceptive practices.”

However, the health system added that only physicians are licensed to practice medicine and make medical judgements.

Although its physicians “agree to abide by the directives,” they can prescribe medications “in accordance with their independent professional medical judgment.”

The medical system said such actions includes informing patients that they are acting on their own professional judgement and “not on behalf of St. John Health System.”

Critics of the medical center

objected that the policy hindered access to contraception and other services. They said that the policy could drive patients away from local doctors and hurt the local economy.

One Bartlesville woman, speaking anonymously to the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, said she did not think a religiously-affiliated hospital is “good for Bartlesville,” and a local pediatrician, Ray Harris, said he believes Catholic tenets are “medieval and barbaric,” adding that the policy would require those who desire contraceptives to leave town.

However, Rebecca Peck, a Florida-based family physician, criticized assumptions that birth control drugs are difficult to secure.

“They are widely available, even if there is not another health care system in town.” The federal Title X Family Planning Program makes contraceptives “widely available, even free,” and the drugs can be purchased at the retail giant Wal-Mart “for about $10 a month,” she said.

Peck, a member of the Catholic Medical Association, said that contraceptives and morning-

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (CNS) — Outpourings of grief and support came in response to the murder of three people at two Jewish-run facilities in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park April 13, the day before the Jewish feast of Passover was to begin.

Although none of the three dead were Jewish, local police and the FBI labeled the killings a hate crime the day after the shootings.

A former Ku Klux Klan leader with a history of anti-Semitism was charged in connection with the killings.

One of the dead was a Catholic woman, Terri LaManno of Kansas City. She was at Village Shalom, where Frazier Glenn Cross, according to police, headed after allegedly shooting a doctor and his teen-age grandson at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City a mile away.

LaManno was a member of St. Peter Parish in Kansas City. Her mother lives at Village Shalom, an assisted living residence near the community center.

The married mother of two college-age children, LaManno, 53, worked an occupational therapist at the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, according to the Kansas City Star.

The newspaper reported that a Rosary was said for LaManno after Mass April 14.

“I express my deepest condolences to the Jewish community for the unspeakable act of violence that occurred on their campus on Sunday,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in a statement.

“Our prayers also extend to the Methodist Church of the Resurrection for the loss they feel as a congregation, and to all the families who have experienced pain, sorrow and loss because of this event,” Archbishop Naumann added. The other two victims, Dr. William Lewis Corporon, 69, and 14-year-old Reat Griffin Underwood, were members of that congregation.

“I will remember all of you as we enter this prayerful time of remembrance — Holy Week and Passover,” Archbishop Naumann said.

The American Jewish Committee lamented the killings in an April 13 statement.

“Our hearts go out to the victims of this heartbreaking tragedy,” said AJC executive director David Harris.

“As we await more details on the attack and its motive, we join in solidarity with the entire Kansas

City area community, both Jewish and non-Jewish, in expressing shock, sadness and dismay,” Harris added. “We can’t help but note that this attack comes on the eve of Passover, a celebration of Jewish freedom from oppression and violence.”

Underwood had been driven by his grandfather to the Jewish Community Center so he could audition for an “American Idol”style competition called KC SuperStar.

Killings at Jewish community center mourned; Catholic woman among dead

after pills do not prevent disease.

“Fertility and children are not diseases,” she told CNA. She said that contraceptive use is bad for women’s health and their relationships, noting some studies indicating an increase in breast cancer and cervical cancer risk, the risk of strokes and blood clots, and occasionally death.

Ruppersberger said that Catholics understand that contraception “violates the meaning of the marital act” by separating procreation from the unitive dimensions of marital relations.

Peck labeled as “short-sighted,” concerns that the Catholicaffiliated medical center policy will hurt the local economy by driving business elsewhere.

She said money from ob-

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stetric and pediatric services for children helps contribute to the town’s economy, as does the labor of the children after they grow up.

She said Catholic health systems “promote family life, which is the heart and soul of every town,” and that Catholic health care provides a necessary counterweight to “an increasingly secular and utilitarian society.”

Ruppersberger said Catholic hospitals exist to provide “Christcentered health care,” which aims to apply Catholic teachings “with integrity and compassion.”

“True ethical and moral applications of these principles will never violate the dignity of the person and the value of life, both at beginning and end of life.”

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April 18, 2014

Anchor Editorial

Pope Francis and political correctness

The Thursday before Palm Sunday Pope Francis in his daily Mass homily criticized “political correctness.” He referred to it as “a dictatorship of a narrow line of thought.”

The Holy Father’s jumping off point for his homily was the Gospel reading ( Jn 8:51-59), in which the Pharisees are closed to learning anything from Jesus. “It is a closed way of thinking that is not open to dialogue, to the possibility that there is something else, the possibility that God speaks to us, tells us about His journey, as He did to the prophets. These people did not listen to the prophets and did not listen to Jesus. It is something greater than a mere stubbornness. No, it is more: it is the idolatry of their own way of thinking. ‘I think this, it has to be this way, and nothing more.’ These people had a narrow line of thought and wanted to impose this way of thinking on the people of God; Jesus rebukes them for this: ‘You burden the people with many Commandments and you do not touch them with your finger.’”

We do not normally think of the Pharisees as being “political correct,” since they were a very strict (“Puritanical” is how some might term them) group of people, which is not how the “politically correct” are viewed. However, the Pharisees and these modern intellectual cousins of them make an idol out of their own opinions, to the detriment of anyone else’s line of thought.

Pope Francis continued, “When this phenomenon of narrow thinking enters human history, how many misfortunes. We all saw in the last century, the dictatorships of narrow thought, which ended up killing a lot of people, but when they believed they were the overlords, no other form of thought was allowed. This is the way they think.” Here the pontiff is making reference to the great dictatorial regimes of the 20th century — fascism and communism. He himself lived under a dictatorship in Argentina (which was not as harrowing as Blessed John Paul’s decades under nazism and communism or Pope Benedict ’s youth under the nazis, but still it was a bloody and scary time, which has marked Pope Francis for life).

He then moved on from discussing living this reality under dicta-

torships to living it in today’s democratic realms. “Even today there is the idolatry of a narrow line of thought. Today we have to think in this way and if you do not think in this way, you are not modern, you’re not open or worse. Often rulers say: ‘[ You] have asked for aid, financial support for this, but if you want this help, you have to think in this way and you have to pass this law, and this other law and this other law.’ Even today there is a dictatorship of a narrow line of thought and this dictatorship is the same as these people: it takes up stones to stone the freedom of the people, the freedom of the people, their freedom of conscience, the relationship of the people with God. Today Jesus is crucified once again.”

These are strong words from the Holy Father. The Holy See reported that Pope Francis did bring up to President Obama during their recent meeting at the Vatican the threats to freedom of conscience which exist in the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) contraceptive mandate in the health care law. The pope used a very dramatic term in the last paragraph to describe this type of coercion against one’s conscience — crucifying Jesus once again.

As we remember today (Good Friday) the Lord’s crucifixion due to our sins and His message of mercy from the cross, we pray for our political and cultural leaders, just as Jesus prayed for the religious and imperial officials. Pope Francis reminds us that Jesus gives us hope in the face of their demands that we follow the idolatry of their way of thinking. Jesus tells us that “faced with this dictatorship” our approach should “always [be] the same: be vigilant and pray; do not be silly, do not buy [stuff ] you do not need, be humble and pray, that the Lord always gives us the freedom of an open heart, to receive His Word which is joy and promise and covenant!” In other words, by living a more sober life of prayer and sacrifice (but lived out as a loving relationship with God, not just a mere following of Commandments, as did the Pharisees), our minds will remain free, even if our society wants to try to keep us under control.

Pope Francis’ weekly Angelus address and prayer

At the end of this celebration [Palm Sunday Mass] I offer special greetings to the 250 delegates — bishops, priests, religious and lay people — who participated in the meeting about World Youth Days that was organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. In this begins the journey of preparation for the next world gathering, which will take place in June 2016 in Krakow and will have as its theme “Blessed are the merciful, for they will find mercy” (Mt 5:7).

In a moment the young people of Brazil will hand over the World Youth Day cross to the young people of Poland. Thirty years ago Blessed John Paul II handed over the cross to young people. He asked them to carry it throughout the world as a sign of Christ’s love for humanity.

On April 27 we will all have the joy of celebrating the canonization of this pope together with John XXIII. John Paul II, he started the World Youth Days, will become their great OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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patron saint. In the communion of saints he will continue to be a father and friend to the young people of the world.

Let us ask the Lord that the cross, together with the image of Mary “Salus Populi Romani,” be a sign of hope for all, revealing to the world the unconquerable love of Christ.

[The Brazilians hand over the cross to the Polish.]

I greet all the Romans and the pilgrims! I greet in particular the delegations from Rio de Janeiro and Krakow, led by their archbishops, Cardinals Orani João Tempesta and Stanisław Dziwisz.

In this context I have the joy to announce that, if it pleases God, on August 15 in Daejeon, in the Republic of Korea, I will meet with the young people of Asia during their great continental gathering And now, let us turn to the Virgin Mother that she might help us to always follow Jesus’ example with faith.

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by work of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...

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

Hail Mary ...

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

Hail Mary ...

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

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

Amen.

Pope Francis greets the crowd after celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 13. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Anchor Columnists

April 18, 2014

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Mob injustice

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mong all the spiritually vertiginous aspects of the Good Friday account what’s always pierced me the most has been what happened in the courtyard of the Praetorium.

Pontius Pilate knew that Jesus was being framed by the totally corrupt chief priests and Sanhedrin members. He was too much of a coward, however, to take personal responsibility for setting Jesus free. He suspected that the same chief priests and Sanhedrin who thought nothing of trumping up charges against Jesus to get Him murdered would almost certainly engage in similar machinations to get him eliminated by his Roman superiors if he didn’t let them get their homicidal way.

So he tried to shift the responsibility for setting Jesus free to the crowd. Invoking the precedent of releasing a prisoner during the Passover, he called for his soldiers to bring forth an absolutely notorious convict, Barabbas, and have the crowds choose between Jesus and this murderous insurrectionist.

Pilate was intentionally stacking the deck so that the crowd would select Jesus. He knew that the Jewish religious leaders had handed Jesus over out of envy, but that the crowds had nevertheless been flocking to Jesus. Pilate had doubtless heard about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem a few days earlier amidst exultant crowds with palm branches treating Him as a hero.

The choice would be a no-brainer, holy city for the religious feast of Passover, who were there to he thought. It wasn’t. ponder God’s freeing them from We’ve heard the name BarabPharoah’s oppression in Egypt, all bas so many times that we can of a sudden rise up to roar that a become inured to the shock value guiltless fellow Jew be butchered of the scene that’s about to take by the oppressing Romans? How place as the procurator asks the could they, in the span of only a crowd to pick whom they wanted few days, go from acclaiming Jesus released to them. If the scene were taking place today, Pilate would bring up Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Putting Into ask a crowd on Boston the Deep Common whom they wanted released, Jesus or the marathon bomber.

By Father By this point in his Roger J. Landry politico-military career, Pilate had probably seen almost everything, but with palm branches, cloaks, and he was obviously not prepared for hosannas to preferring a notorious what was about to transpire when criminal over Him and accepthe proposed the choice to the ing nothing short of His sadistic assembled jury. Spurred on by the destruction? chief priests and the Sanhedrin, What would have happened if the mob shouted, “Release to us one solitary but courageous voice Barabbas!” Pilate was aghast. So he asked, “Then what do you want had begun shouting in the courtyard, “Release Jesus to us”? What me to do with Jesus, called the if a small group had cried out, “We Christ?” Their response shocked want Jesus!” What if a handful of him even more. “Crucify Him!” those who believed in Jesus had “Why? What evil has He done?” begun to work the crowd in His Pilate blurted. The mob, however, favor and the favor of justice in just kept increasing the volume as opposition to the perverted peer they clamored for capital punishpressure of those calling for the ment against an innocent man. massacre of an innocent man?

It’s important for all of us to We don’t know what would have ask: what the hell — literally — happened, but, sadly, we have no happened? How could the mulevidence that there was any protest titude of ordinary, hard-working at all. Instead, there was a crepeople who had come up to the

scendo from a cacophonous choir clamoring for evil instead of good.

While it is inappropriate to compare anything to the magnitude of what happened to Jesus on Good Friday, we can say that mob injustice still occurs, and, from a spiritual point of view, still effectively crucifies the Lord by facilitating sins that led to His death.

One area where the sudden shift between “Hosanna!” and “Crucify Him!” is being observed today is with regard to same-sex marriage and sexual activity. Only a few years ago, the vast majority of people respected Jesus’ clear teachings about Marriage — that Marriage involves a man and a woman whom God joins in a one-flesh union witnessed most easily in children. Most saw the disorder in same-sex sexual activity; Christians, in particular, recognized that it was a sin from which to be converted, not a quasisacrament to be celebrated.

And yet rapidly we have gotten to the point where Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich is pressured out of his job by his employees because six years ago he gave a $1,000 contribution to the defense of Marriage. Photographers in New Mexico have been fined $6,000 because in conscience they refused to film a lesbian ceremony. And inside the Church this Lent, we’ve had stu-

dents and parents at Catholic high schools in North Carolina and Rhode Island orchestrate protests against a Dominican Sister and a Catholic priest, respectively, who in assemblies dared to be faithful to Jesus’ and the Church’s teaching with regard to same-sex sexual activity and Marriage.

Just as Jesus’ crucifixion didn’t happen because the vast majority of people really wanted to follow Barabbas rather than Jesus but because people allowed themselves to be persuaded by a mob to acquiesce in evil, so today a similar thing is happening with regard to Jesus’ teaching on love, Marriage, sex and family.

Most are just following the crowd as today’s cultural Sanhedrin seek to label Jesus’ teaching bigoted and intolerantly persecute those to whom just a few years ago they were saying, “How will my same-sex marriage affect you?”

We’re now seeing how. And the modern Sanhedrin is trying to intimidate everyone either to join them in shaming and penalizing those who stand with Jesus and His teachings or risk becoming the object of the violent mob.

Today as 2,000 years ago, the question remains: Who will stand up and shout, “Give me, Jesus!”?

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

A path of renewal for the Catholic sterilized couple

mong married men and women who undergo A surgical sterilization through a

vasectomy or a tubal ligation, it has been estimated that anywhere from 10 to 20 percent will come to regret the choice.

Sometimes there may be an immediate awareness of wrongdoing following the surgery, while in other cases, as Patrick Coffin, radio host and author of “Sex au Naturel” notes, sterilized couples may “drift for years before acknowledging that something between them is no longer in sync. After the initial pregnancy fear subsides, and the vision of 1,001 erotic nights turns out be something of a scam, spouse may (subtly) turn against spouse while doing their best to ignore the silent, disturbing ‘presence’ of the choice they made.”

Their decision to seek out a permanent form of contraception can also affect their Marriage in other important ways. As Dr. John Billings has noted: there is “an effect that is even more tragic than the clinical, and it is that in many cases the use of contraceptive methods in Marriage has been followed by an act of infidelity of one of the members.

It would seem that contraception diminishes the mutual respect of

not be feasible or obligatory, the husband and wife. Additionally, repentant couple may nonethethe abandoning of self-control less become aware of the need to diminishes the capacity to exerorder their sexual activity and apcise this self-dominion outside petites in the face of their original the Marriage.” sterilization decision and its exThe “abandonment of selftended consequences. They may control” that can follow permarecognize a pressing interior need nent sterilization raises ongoing spiritual and moral challenges for couples who Making Sense later repent and Confess the sin of having underOut of gone a vasectomy or a Bioethics tubal ligation. A unique and vexing problem arises

By Father Tad because sterilized individPacholczyk uals may find themselves, as Patrick Coffin observes, “sorely tempted to delight to grow in the virtue of marital chastity and to engage in a lifein the very sex-without-babies mentality that led to the steriliza- style that authentically embodies their new, albeit delayed, rejection tion in the first place.” of the contraceptive mentality.

Repentant couples, out of an In these situations, clergy and abundance of spiritual caution, spiritual advisors will often enmay thus wonder what they courage couples to pattern their should do, and whether they are sex life on the same cycle of peobliged to get a surgical reversal riodic abstinence that fertile couof the procedure. The Church has never declared this to be a re- ples follow when using Natural quired step, in part because of the Family Planning. During times risks and burdens associated with of abstinence, the couples actively exercise self-control, thereby surgical interventions, in part reordering the sensual and because of the high uncertainty sexual appetites. This strengthens of a successful outcome, and in spouses in their resolve not to part because of the potentially reduce each other to objects for significant expenses involved. pursuing sexual self-gratification.

Even though a reversal may

This is important because various forms of contraception, including permanent sterilization, often involve the phenomenon of the woman feeling as if she is being “used” by her husband.

Abstinence, therefore, assists couples in learning to express their mutual love in other ways. Blessed John Paul II explains this perspective in his famous work Love and Responsibility: “Inherent in the essential character of continence as a virtue is the conviction that the love of man and woman loses nothing as a result of temporary abstention from erotic experiences, but on the contrary gains: the personal union takes deeper root, grounded as it is above all in the affirmation of the value of the person and not just in sexual attachment.” In one of his weekly general audiences later as pope, he further notes that “continence itself is a definite and permanent moral attitude; it is a virtue, and therefore, the whole line of conduct guided by it acquires a virtuous character.”

Fertile couples who incorporate NFP into their Marriages to avoid a conception often end

up acquiring a different attitude towards life as they chart and practice periodic abstinence: they can have a change of heart and discern a call to have one or several additional children. A similar spiritual conversion to a culture of life might reasonably be expected to occur among some sterilized couples who resolve to live out an NFP lifestyle, perhaps becoming more open to adopting a child, or more open to other forms of spiritual parenthood in their communities such as Big Brother/Big Sister programs.

By abstaining during fertile times, then, the sterilized couple reintegrates the same positive behaviors that they might have practiced had they not chosen to be sterilized. In this way, the science of NFP offers the repentant sterilized couple a school of opportunity to acquire virtue within their Marriage and their conjugal relations.

Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www. ncbcenter.org.

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April 18, 2014

Alleluia! We must celebrate the reason for this day

isters and brothers in Christ, I hope you have felt some of the blessings of Christ touch your lives in the sacrifices and good works we have been doing as Church during our Lenten season. And I pray that we are open to continue living grace-filled lives as Easter is upon us.

Our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and works of charity open us up to the reality of God truly alive among us. Even though some of us may have lost some of the Ash Wednesday fervor for our Lenten practices, we can thank God for the reality although you have no need of our praise — or our penances, our prayers, our sacrifices — yet our thanksgiving is itself your gift (Common Preface IV with my additions). For this we can proclaim Alleluia!

As a Church we have just walked the whole of the Paschal Mystery through

the celebrations of Holy — from the obstinacy of Week. Jesus came to earth, Pharaoh’s attitude, the fear He lived, and He taught a in the Israelites’ hearts, and new way of life, He touched the unchangeable boundary many people’s lives. Some of the Red Sea. people wanted to put an But God spoke; Moend to the truth He was ses acted; and the people sent to proclaim.

On Good Friday they tried — but JeHomily of the Week sus’ truth would not Easter be obliterated. And Sunday so the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from

By Father Christopher the dead, which Santangelo, SS.CC. Easter commemorates, reminds us about the resurrection Jesus wants to make believed in their chosen real in our lives each day. identity. And what seemed We recall the dramatic impossible was made real story proclaimed every in their lives. Freedom won Easter Vigil about the Israout over bondage. God elite people being delivered remained faithful to the from Pharaoh’s approaching Eternal Covenant He made armies (Ex 14:15 – 15:1). with His people.

By all human observation I wish that each of us they were doomed to die could feel the fullness of for daring to change the Easter joy today. But the established rules Pharaoh reality is that all things set for them. But they in our lives have not been trusted God to deliver them made new. Many of us

struggle with various illnesses, personal problems, and confusions about aspects of our lives. Healing and new life, resolution of our troubles, and greater personal clarity may not be a complete reality today just because the calendar says that today is Easter Sunday.

As a resurrection people we strive to remember those occasions when our Lord was very present to us in the past, how God helped us move from personal darkness to moments of light.

In faith we dare to trust that God is still with us no matter what is happening in our lives today. With such an attitude of trust, moments of Easter renewal may come for you in July or October. The key is living with expectant openness and readiness to pay attention when Alleluia will be

ours anew.

When the women come to Jesus’ tomb they experienced an earthquake and the realization that Jesus’ Body was not there (Mt 28: 1-10). An angel gave them a message of powerful reassurance: Do not be afraid! Pope Francis echoed this same directive at the last World Youth Day: Do not be afraid of what God asks of you. With God’s help and support we strive to not be enslaved to fear.

Rather we strive toward living with eager hope that Alleluia will be our song one day — even if we cannot sing it today.

Throughout the Easter season the Church sings Alleluia. May we be open to Alleluia in our lives by remembering our identity as a people chosen to be God’s own.

Father Chris Santangelo, SS.CC. is vocation director for the Sacred Hearts Congregation.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. April 19, Easter Vigil, (1) Gn 1:1—2:2, or 1:1,26-31a; Ps 104:1-2,5-6,10,12-14,24,35 or Ps 33:4-7,12-13,20,22; (2) Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18; Ps 16:5,8-11; (3) Ex 14:15—15:1; (Ps) Ex 15:1-6,17-18; (4) Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13; (5) Is 55:1-11; (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4-6; (6) Bar 3:915,32—4:4; Ps 19:8-11; (7) Ez 36:16-17a,18-28; Pss 42:3,5;43:3-4; or when Baptism is celebrated, (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6 or Ps 51:12-15,18-19; (8) Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2,16ab-17,22-23; (9) Mt 28:1-10. Sun. April 20, Easter Sunday, Acts 10:34a,37-43; Ps 118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or 41: Mt 28:1-10 or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, 46: Lk 24:13-35. Mon. Apr. 21, Acts 2:14,22-23; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Mt 28:8-15. Tues. Apr. 22, Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:45,18-20,22; Jn 20:11-18. Wed. Apr. 23, Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Lk 24:13-35. Thurs. Apr. 24, Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2a,5-9; Lk 24:35-48. Fri. Apr. 25, Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2,4,22-27a; Jn 21:1-14.

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his coming August 3 will mark the golden anniversary of Flannery O’Connor’s “Passover,” to adopt the Biblical image John Paul II used to describe the Christian journey through death to eternal life. In the 50 years since lupus erythematosus claimed her at age 39, O’Connor’s literary genius has been widely celebrated. Then, with the 1979 publication of “The Habit of Being,” her collected letters, another facet of O’Connor’s genius came into focus: Mary Flannery O’Connor was an exceptionally gifted apologist, an explicator of Catholic faith who combined remarkable insight into the mysteries of the Creed with deep and unsentimental piety, unblinking realism about the Church in its human aspect, puckish humor — and a mordant appreciation of the soul-withering acids of modern secularism.

Insofar as I’m aware, there’s never been an effort to initiate a beatification cause for Flannery O’Connor. If such a cause

Easter with Flannery O’Connor “The truth does not change should ever be introduced, “The Habit of Being” (and the lectures according to our ability to found in the Library of America stomach it emotionally. A higher paradox confounds emotion edition of her collected works) as well as reason and there are should be the principal doculong periods in the lives of all mentary evidence for considering her an exemplar of heroic virtue, worthy to be commended to the whole Church.

O’Connor’s sense that ours is an age of nihilism — an age sufBy George Weigel fering from a crabbed sourness about the mystery of being itself of us, and of the saints, when — makes her an especially apt the truth as revealed by faith is apologist for today; not least because she also understood the hideous, emotionally disturbing, downright repulsive. Witness evangelical sterility of the smithe dark night of the soul in ley-face, cheap-grace, balloonsindividual saints. Right now the and-banners Catholicism that whole world seems to be going would become rampant shortly through a dark night of the after her death. In a 1955 letter to her friend Betty Hester, Flan- soul.”

That darkness is rendered nery O’Connor looked straight darker still by late modernity’s into the dark mystery of Good refusal to recognize its own Friday and, in four sentences deepest need. For as O’Connor explained why the late modern put it in a 1957 lecture, “Reworld often finds it hard to demption is meaningless unless believe:

The Catholic Difference

there is cause for it in the actual life we live, and for the last few centuries there has been operating in our culture the secular belief that there is no such cause.”

A world indifferent to its need for redemption is not indifferent to the possibility of redemption; it’s a world hostile to that possibility.

Down the centuries, the mockery endured by Christ on the cross may stand as the paradigmatic expression of that hostility.

The Church meets this hostility by doubling down on its conviction that the truths it professes are really true, and in fact reveal the deepest truth of the human condition. Flannery O’Connor again: “The virgin birth, the Incarnation, the resurrection ... are the true laws of the flesh and the physical. Death, decay, destruction are the suspension of those laws. [It] would never have occurred to human conscious-

ness to conceive of purity if we were not to look forward to a resurrection of the body, which will be flesh and spirit united in peace, in the way they were in Christ. The Resurrection of Christ seems the high point in the law of nature.”

You can’t get much more countercultural than that. Yet what O’Connor wrote speculatively in 1955 was what the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council solemnly affirmed a decade later, in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: “In the mystery of the Word made flesh, the mystery of man truly becomes clear, Christ the Lord, Christ the new Adam, fully reveals man to Himself and brings to light his most high calling.”

Our age habitually thinks low.

Easter bids us to think high: very high. For Christ is risen, and so shall His faithful people be.

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

April 18, 2014

Friday 18 April 2014 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — Good Friday. s the glass half-empty or half-full? It seems to me that the correct answer is neither. The glass is partially filled with liquid and partially filled with air. One way or another glass is always full.

This is my meditation on Good Friday: Is the cross a symbol of utter tragedy or is it something more? Is it a sign of defeat or a sign of triumph?

The answer is both. As the glass is always full, so is the cross. The tree of death is the tree of life.

This reminds me of my great grandfather, Michael Revell. Grandfather Revell was born and raised in Waterford City and there he lies buried.

Grandfather Revell was educated in the medical field and served as the neighborhood pharmacist. Every day, as he walked home from work, he would stop at the pub for a pint of Guinness beer.

During Lent, not only would he avoid the pub altogether, but he would place a pint of Guinness on the mantle in his home. In his mind, this added

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hree of them knelt with tears in their eyes as they watched the scene unfold around them. They had barely finished breaking bread with Jesus before they were saying their goodbyes and then falling asleep by His side in the garden, only to awake to a betrayal so remarkable that their lives would forever be changed and never be the same.

Throwing themselves onto the chain link fence they wept for Jesus, the Man they had come to love, the Friend they cherished. When the scene ended the cast was visibly shaken.

The most moving part? The players were Bishop Stang High School students passionately portraying the final scenes of Stephen Schwartz’s “Godspell” on a Tuesday night rehearsal.

“Godspell,” Stang’s spring musical this year, first premiered off Broadway around 1971, and is commonly known as a musical based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Set to a rockpop score and complemented by a sparse set and an eclectic cast of characters as the “disciples” of a figure we come to know to be Jesus, the production is powerful in its own way. As I sat watch-

Anchor Columnists The glass is always full temptation enhanced his Lenten penance. But there’s a twist. Having scrupulously kept his Lenten penance, he would come home from work one particular day, take the Guinness from the mantel, and enjoy a beer. That day was Good Friday. He would proclaim, “Lent is over!” Grandfather Revell was correct in saying that Lent was over, but he overlooked the fact that on Good Friday the Paschal (Easter) fast begins. My great grandfather was a pharmacist, not a Liturgist.

Of course one should keep the Paschal fast, but one should also keep in mind that the Three Days of Easter (Triduum) have begun. Lent has ended. Easter is unfolding. Every year, it takes the Church three days to celebrate the core of our faith — the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Those three days reverberate for 50 days thereafter — the Easter season.

Some who weep and grieve on Good Friday sometimes appear to me to be people without hope. “The Lord Jesus

is dead. All is lost,” they keen.

“The glass is empty.” Not so.

The glass is full. The wood of the cross is a sign of hope. In this sign we shall conquer.

There are those who live their entire religious lives in a state of melancholy. “Woe is

ing months of hard work come to fruition in the final scenes it struck me in a way it had not before.

Since I’ve returned home I’ve been at Stang on a weekly basis to sit in on rehearsals and help in whatever way I can. Giving back to a drama club that did so much for me was something I felt I wanted to do and as I mentioned in my last article, the fact that the show was “Godspell” gave me an opportunity to approach my faith from a different perspective during Lent. And so, for roughly the past two months I have watched as students transform from freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors into a cast and an ensemble that brings life to Schwartz’s work once again.

This past Tuesday was especially memorable, as the cast approached the end of the show.

With Act II nearly complete, Judas’ betrayal of Jesus loomed before us and the cast members grew anxious and were fretting about the gloominess that the scenes yet to come would bring. The lines were laden with

foreshadowing that Jesus was soon to leave them in some way and that someone would abuse His good nature to see to His ultimate end. Growing noticeably wary, the students began the descent into the final scenes, commenting here and there be-

me. I’m cursed to walk forever in a valley of tears.” There is no hope, no joy, in their souls.

For them, the cross of Jesus is a sign of defeat.

Some are given to pessimism by temperament, others by choice. These are those whom when you pleasantly inquire, “So, how are you doing, Harry?” will proceed to bombard you with a detailed account of their medical complaints. They will then move on to inform you of all the trials and tribulations of their many relatives and friends.

You are, of course, sorry you

ever asked the question.

You know me, dear readers, I keep my thumb on the pulse of the culture. I will now enlighten you on a contemporary culture of gloom and doom.

In our time, there is a subculture called “emo.”

That’s short for “emotional.” The emotion is angst, although emos are usually poker-faced.

Emos are over-reactive, dramatic, and fatalistic.

You will find emos (a kind of “geek”) among our teens. Not quite “nerds” or “dweebs,” they nonetheless share with these types qualities of intelligence and obsession. Unlike nerds and dweebs, emos are socially well-adjusted — mostly. Also, emos are less dark-spirited than “goths.”

Emos are too intelligent to be “dorks.” Just as the Peanuts cartoon character Pig Pen is always surrounded by a cloud of dust and dirt, so the emos always have a cloud of sadness hanging over their heads. I hope this clarifies the matter for you.

It takes a great deal of effort to keep up with to-

day’s ever-changing culture.

Oh, wait. I have just been informed by a source (who wishes to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak) that emos have now gone out of style. Never mind.

The large crucifix here in the sanctuary of St. Patrick Church, Falmouth, has been covered with draped purple cloth since the Fifth Sunday of Lent, when Passiontide began. The repository was in place yesterday for Holy Thursday. On either side of the repository two golden angels knelt in adoration. Today the tabernacle is empty. The sanctuary is stark and solemn, but it is not morose. Later, the cloth will be removed so that the crucifix may be venerated.

We will genuflect to the cross on which hung the Savior of the world. If it weren’t for the Holy Cross, there would have been no empty tomb.

According to Pope Francis, ours is a “Gospel of Joy” (“Evangelii Gaudium”). It may be Good Friday, but the joy of the Gospel remains and Easter hope springs eternal.

Anchor columnist Father Tim Goldrick is pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

students. They felt this. They felt His departure. They knew He was leaving and they couldn’t do anything to stop it. The scene before me was such a remarkable thing to see. These students watched as their friend who plays Jesus proclaimed, upon finding them asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, the willingness of the spirit, but the weakness of their flesh.

They watched him as he acted out Jesus being led to the crucifixion, and wailed for Him as he took His last breath.

Clearly affected by watching another friend in such a powerful and humbling role, the act closed with several expressions of sorrow and tears that were true and understanding of what they had just witnessed. What’s more is they were affected by the reality that Jesus did in fact do this. Just as they watched their friend take a final breath, so too did Jesus, before His own close friends. He died for His disciples and for humankind.

And somewhere in history, this was not an act, but a reality for so many who felt the immediate loss of Jesus Christ, the histori-

cal Man. Those who knew Jesus, who knew His healing touch, His love and kindness, wept for Him as He died for all of us.

This scene in the music room of Bishop Stang High School was much more than just “acting.” It was loving, understanding, and believing. It was the realization that Christ is real and that His life was sacrificed as a gift for all.

This week we celebrate Easter, when Christ is redeemed and rises from the dead. We transition from our mourning to a time of celebration for the ever-living Christ. We celebrate His life and His resurrection, as we come to understand His great sacrifice a little bit more.

Our eyes have been opened, be it through our Lenten journey or our participation in the transformation of a group of high school students, and it is clear that God is very, very good. I wish you a most blessed Easter season. May your heart always be open to God and your eyes always open for His Son in those around you.

Anchor columnist Renee Bernier is a Stonehill College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

See Thee more clearly

Radiate Your Faith

By Renee Bernier tween their lines about how sad the script was making them and how they felt they were going to cry when the last moments of Jesus’ life were played out before them.

It was incredible for me to watch their morale sink with the script, for while Jesus was indeed aware of their own human nature and the inevitable fate that was meant to be His alone, they dragged their feet, not wanting to be at fault. As He walked from disciple to disciple, sharing a final moment with each, I watched as tears began to well up in the eyes of the

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April 18, 2014

John Paul II’s secretary: Pontificate was marked by martyrdom Krakow, Poland (CNA/ EWTN News) — Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, one of Blessed John Paul II’s closest collaborators, said the pope’s holiness and pontificate were characterized by martyrdom.

In an article entitled “A Life with Karol,” published in a magazine insert by the Italian newspaper Avvenire, Cardinal Dziwisz said that during the May 13, 1981 assassination attempt, “the pope’s blood was shed, and the pope came close to martyrdom by blood.”

“Afterwards, the rest of his pontificate was marked by another kind of martyrdom: hard work, sacrifice, being consumed

by Christ and His cause, for which the Savior of man came to earth.”

Cardinal Dziwisz reflected that during the 27 years of his pontificate, the holiness of John Paul II was multifaceted and manifest in many ways, including “prayer, service and suffering.”

“I met Karol Wojtyla in the seminary at age 18. It was 1957. He was professor of ethics. We were amazed at his

knowledge of the material, as well as his spirituality and his open-mindedness toward others. A year later he was named auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Krakow and some time later, he took over as metropolitan archbishop,” the former secretary recalled.

“On June 23, 1963, I received the Sacrament of Orders from the hands of young Archbishop Karol. At that time I never imagined that the story of my life and my vocation would be so marked by service to the Church at his side.”

On Oct. 6, 1978, a turning point came in the life of Cardinal Dziwisz: Cardinal Wojtyla was elected Bishop of Rome.

“He asked me to continue helping him. That’s how it all began.”

“Nobody knew how long it would last or how the pontificate of John Paul II would be. He came from a faraway country, from the geographical and political point of view. In the pope’s country, a Communist totalitarian system against

God, the Church and the human being was in power, with the goal of depriving man of what is most important.”

Cardinal Dziwisz said that John Paul II became a catechist for the world at his death. “I stayed with him until the end, until his last breath. You could think that it was the end of everything, but in reality it was the beginning of a new story:

holiness. The death and funeral of John Paul II in themselves became an emotional catechesis for the entire world.”

“God only knows what happened within the hearts of millions of people. The holiness of the pope began to speak to them at that moment. The holiness of the pope is the synthesis of what he was, what he was able to achieve.”

Then-Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz helps Pope John Paul II climb into his popemobile at the end of a welcoming ceremony at Krakow Balice International Airport in Krakow, Poland, in 2002. (CNS file photo)

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April 18, 2014

Dynamic duo: Blessed John XXIII, his valet often skirted papal protocol VATICAN CITY (CNS) — to the papal summer residence the Vatican Secretariat of State.

Blessed John XXIII struggled in Castel Gandolfo, he said “The pope started to laugh, to shake off many formalities Pope John was much bolder happy, because we had sucthat came with the papacy and about getting out. One day he ceeded in getting away with it, often conspired with his valet hatched a plot to escape out the in defiance of everyone.”

Gusso said they’d either take to sneak out of the Vatican. back gate of the pontifical villa.

One covert road trip in the He said the pope told him, the huge Chrysler that had Alban Hills outside of Rome “Let’s do this; get the keys to been given to Pope Pius XII got Guido Gusso, the pope’s the gate. Unlock it and let’s or the valet’s own two-tone — valet, in trouble with the Italian leave it open for about 10 days ivory and blue — Opel Record, police responsible for the pope’s so nobody will get what’s going which, the pope said, reminded him of the car he had in Venice. safety. on.”

The transition to the Vatican But the security breach just Several days later, when they made the pope chuckle — hap- were in the car riding around from his independent life in py with their unauthorized es- the villa’s gardens, the pope told Venice was hard for Pope John, capade, Gusso told journalists his valet to take one extra spin Gusso said.

The first night in the during a news conference he pope told me, ‘Tomorrow, papal apartments, they at Vatican Radio recently. don’t call anyone (to help). looked out onto St. PeWhile the conference was designed to unveil Have them leave the nails, hammer and ter’s Square “and it was all the radio’s latest project ladder. And we’ll do it.’ A few days later dark, so dark,” and comof digitalizing its com- I got up the ladder, and he held the foot pletely empty of people.

“It was a disappointplete audio archives from Popes Pius XI to Fran- of the ladder so it wouldn’t slip, and he’d ment for him” because cis, Gusso was among a say, ‘Higher, lower!’” indicating where he had been used to music, lights and nightlife number of panelists in- to hang the pictures. going on past midnight vited to speak about their in Venice’s St. Mark’s memories of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II, around the property “so we’ll Square.

When the pope’s personal who will be canonized April 27. make the gendarmes dizzy” and Gusso, the son of a fisher- confused. They got to the un- belongings arrived from Venice, man and a native of Venice, locked gate, opened it and left the pope was unable to put up with the dozen Vatican workworked for five years for then- for an excursion, he said.

Cardinal Angelo Roncalli when Toward the end of their men deciding where all the piche was patriarch of Venice. He road trip in the Alban Hills, tures and paintings should be followed the cardinal to Rome they passed through the town hung, Gusso said.

“The pope told me, ‘Tomorfor the conclave in 1958 and of Marino. The narrow streets row, don’t call anyone (to help). remained in the pope’s service were full of people taking for another five years until the their afternoon stroll and “we Have them leave the nails, pope’s death, after which he couldn’t get through,” Gusso hammer and ladder. And we’ll do it.’ A few days later I got up was promoted to running the said. papal household.

The crowds realized the the ladder, and he held the foot Gusso said that a week af- pope was in the car and started of the ladder so it wouldn’t slip, ter his election, Pope John was shouting, “’Long live the pope!’ and he’d say, ‘Higher, lower!’” already bored with taking the And there’d be someone else indicating where to hang the same daily walk in the Vatican saying, ‘Yo, Jo! Yo, Johnny, our pictures.

Pope John told his valet it Gardens, confined within the boy!’”

Vatican City walls.

When they finally made it was OK for him to call him, “The route is always the back to the papal residence in “His Holiness,” but to othersame one!” he said the pope Castel Gandolfo, Gusso said wise pretend they were still in complained. “Take me to the he’ll never forget the look on Venice and stop the hand kissJaniculum Hill. Take me to Vil- the Swiss Guard’s face when he ing and the kneeling, adding la Borghese!” a park the pope saw the pope driving up. “The that if the valet felt he needed knew from his days as a student gendarmes were freaked out, the to kneel, it was better in prayer in Rome.

Italian police — I can’t tell you. before the Lord.

When Gusso said it wouldn’t It was amazing.” be allowed, the new pope said, The head of “How come it’s not possible? the Italian poIt’s easy. You’ve got the car, let’s lice, however, go!” But Gusso said the pope sent a formal made only two secret outings in letter of comRome: once to visit the British plaint against ambassador to the Vatican who Gusso to the was at the hospital, and once to Vatican Secresee a journalist. tariat of State.

“It was also dangerous beThe pope cause we’d have to stop at the read aloud the red lights,” he laughed, which letter from gave passersby the chance to the police in identify his passenger since “he front of Gusso didn’t wear a black overcoat” to and Cardicover up his white papal cas- nal Angelo sock.

Dell’Acqua, a However, when they went top official at

“T

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“J

esus Christ loves you; He gave His life for you; and now He is living at your side everyday to enlighten, strengthen and free you.” That’s the “kerygma” in a nutshell, says Pope Francis; it is the essential message of the Gospels without which nothing makes sense — not doctrine, Liturgy, or tradition. The message is so simple that it’s a wonder that we have to have a “New Evangelization” to get the point across, but we are living in an age of silent prophets.

The season of Lent is behind us; that special time in the Church that begins with a stampede for ashes and ends with standing room only crowds at Easter Sunday Masses. No better opportunity to proclaim the kerygma, but no one dares to open their mouth.

Most of us don’t think of ourselves as prophets; we think that spreading the Good News is the exclusive purview of the ordained. Yet we have prophets all around us; they’re the small group of faithful for whom prayer is a regular part of their lives. They read books and articles about spiritual matters; they put their faith into action. They’re the ones that usually show up for Holy Thursday and Good Friday services. They aren’t perfect; don’t have perfect lives or holy families, but they have an intentional relationship with Jesus Christ. They just

April 18, 2014

It doesn’t take much to be a prophet don’t know that they are the prophets of this generation.

The prophets in Scripture are always a reluctant bunch. They either felt so unworthy to be the bearers of God’s message, or were hesitant because they knew that the message could get them killed. There was one prophet whose reluctance was unique among his peers, and we may get some insight from him to help inspire this generation to proclaim God’s Good News.

We all are familiar with the story of poor Jonah, thrown overboard during a storm only to be swallowed up by a very big fish. The story is almost so silly that we can miss its very serious intent. The Book of Jonah was a parable written in Jerusalem after the time of Israel’s exile.

To say that Jonah is a reluctant prophet is an understatement; he is downright disobedient. God sends him to proclaim the need for repentance to Israel’s archenemy — the Ninevites. Jonah is so outraged with God’s command that he tries to escape by sailing far away in the opposite direction of Nineveh. He eventually finds his way to Nineveh

(after the fish regurgitates him onto its shores) and exhorts the people to repent or face God’s wrath. To his shock and horror, the Ninevites immediately repent and turn to God. Jonah is so disgusted that these hateful people should receive God’s love and mercy that he asks God to let him die. The story of Jonah was a clear message to the people of Israel who thought that they had an exclusive hold over Salvation. It has as much to teach us today as it did 2,500 years ago. God’s mercy is for everyone, even the people whom we have judged to be unworthy because of their sinfulness, their arrogance, or their disordered priorities. We might not disdain them with the same vengeance as Jonah, but these are the Ninevites of our generation.

There is more to the story than the Good News of God’s gratuitous mercy, for Jonah is a story about us. It has taken me a long time to understand what Jonah was trying to teach me, and it took the death of my dear friend Jack Scanlan to open my eyes. Jack was so convinced that this story could change lives that whenever he was asked to talk to youth about anything, he would somehow work Jonah into the con-

versation. It didn’t matter whether he was in church or in the classroom of Quincy High School; Jonah’s story was so universal that he could drop it into any situation. Jack believed that Jonah was just like us. Jonah wasn’t a great man, was very disobedient, and he complained vociferously to God. Despite his ineptitude as a prophet, God grabbed him out of his complacency and made him an agent of others’ Salvation. Jack Scanlan was Jonah to thousands of young people for more than 40 years of teaching in the public schools and at his parish.

He knew what it was like to spend time in the darkness of the belly of the big fish, yet he always emerged to continue God’s mission. When he died last month the line of Ninevites that came to pay respect clogged the streets outside the funeral home for almost seven hours.

What we can learn from Jack and Jonah is that it doesn’t take much to be a prophet. We don’t need to be the smartest Scripture scholar, or the most pious person in the pew. We must, however, talk to God and be willing to listen. God will work within our failure and ineptitude, and will help us to emerge from even the darkest places so that we can be the reluctant prophets of this generation.

Anchor columnist Claire McManus is the director of the Diocesan Office of Faith Formation.

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April 18, 2014

Brightening Easter morning for children continued from page two

baskets to be distributed to local programs and shelters that assist poor and homeless families with children.

Children, parents and parishioners descended upon the school hall last Saturday and filled 75 baskets that were later picked up by Catholic Social Services volunteers.

Nancy Lawson, H.O.U.S.E. Program coordinator at CSS in Fall River told The Anchor that five area sites were targeted to receive the baskets.

“This project Nancy has undertaken will be of great assistance to families in need here in our area,” Father Jay Maddock, pastor of Holy Name Church told The Anchor. “The joy of the Resurrection is celebrated beautifully in our Easter Liturgy but is also done by bringing this measure of happiness to our young children. The response from our school children and those in our Faith Formation program has been wonderful and the lesson of helping others in need will hopefully be with them for a lifetime.”

Sardinha, whose son Collin is a second-grader at Holy Name School, said her son

was excited about the fact that needy children would get the baskets on Easter morning. “‘Mom,’ he said, ‘I wish I could see the smiles on their faces,’” Sardinha told The Anchor. “It warms my heart to know that so many people, children and adults, do so much to make these children happy.”

“Nancy’s hard work has now recently been supplemented by parents and students in our school and the entire parish,” Gregrory Bettencourt, director of Faith Formation at Holy Name Parish, told The Anchor.

“Students in Faith Formation and our school have had the opportunity to donate items toward this cause. The response, as with many outreach initiatives we have here at our parish, has been great.”

“Nancy has not only done a tremendous job in coming up and coordinating the idea, but she has worked so hard to ensure that it is successful and will help as many young people as possible to bring them Easter joy and show them that our Christian community has concern for them,” added Bettencourt.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Easter Mass

Sunday, April 20, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Celebrant is Bishop George W. Coleman, Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River.

Habitat Women Build well underway on Cape continued from page two

thrive on Cape Cod,” said Kathy Herrick, who in her six years of volunteering for Habitat has helped build homes all over the Cape, including Orleans, Brewster, Truro, Dennis and Eastham.

“Many of the people who need affordable housing are those same people who work in the businesses that year-rounders and visitors alike come to count on each day throughout the year.”

This is the fifth Women Build on Cape Cod, and volunteer coordinator Joanne Broderick got “hooked on Habitat” during a Women Build in Brewster back in 2008. Retired from working years for a global professional services firm headquartered in New York and London, Broderick was drawn to volunteering for Habitat because of the emotion home-ownership provides for families.

“There is an immediate and practical impact,” she said. “Having your own home can make a critical difference to a young family on the Cape. It’s a foundation for so many other things in life. It provides stability, continuity, hope, peace, joy, memories. When you see that finished house and you see the family move in, it’s a great sense of accomplishment, of having made a difference in some small way.”

A few months ago, 55 women took part in the four training sessions offered by Habitat that educated the women about Habitat for Humanity, went over safety guidelines and put some women to work by putting together window bucks, the frames that will hold the finished windows; “And those window bucks can be seen in the house right now,” said Walnut, who looked around at the volunteers doing the work during the sessions and watched them realize “it’s not as hard as they thought it would be, and they’re doing something really meaningful.”

That’s the key to working on the homes, said Carolyn Kennedy, crew leader for Habitat.

Kennedy became involved with Habitat shortly after moving to Cape Cod in 2003 and has worked on more than 20 homes.

Volunteering for Habitat is one of the ways she give back to the community and not only does it help make a difference in the lives of families and children, she said, it makes a difference in the lives of the women who are volunteering.

“One of the fascinating things about the Habitat way of

building a house is the empowerment of volunteers, some of whom walk onto a building site with no experience, are handed a tool and taught to use it,” said Kennedy. “As one woman said to me last week when asked to extract a bent nail in a difficult spot, ‘I didn’t know I could do that!’ One skill leads to another as the building process moves along. Volunteers can see progress every day and know that they made it happen.”

Homes are not given away, said Walnut; families must not just show need, but also must quality financially to be able to buy the home at the reduced cost.

Kelly Lungo will be the recipient of the Women Build home, and is well into her mandatory 150 hours of “sweat equity” working alongside the volunteers.

“I interviewed her and she told me she really wasn’t handy but was glad she got the Women’s Build house because she was nervous to work alongside men who knew what they were doing,” said Walnut. “By the time we had our wall-raising day — which is our first big volunteer day — she was hammering like she had been doing it for her whole life.”

A single mom with a sixyear-old son, Lungo grew up in Brewster and has been a server

in restaurants all her life. Being part of a family who has lived on the Cape for generations, Walnut said that Lungo is thrilled to be able to move to a neighborhood “where her son will be able to play with other children, ride his bike in the cul-de-sac, that there were nature walks nearby and can walk to town. She is just ecstatic.”

By working alongside the volunteers, Lungo will actually be in a better position than the average homeowner to be able to personally maintain her home due to her training through Habitat. And the idea of a woman living in a home built primarily by women, is a fitting conclusion to the Women Build home that has a scheduled build-time of six to eight months before completion.

“Investing in affordable housing is critical to Cape Cod,” said Broderick, “to keeping our young, industrious families on the Cape, able to raise their children in an environment that they know and love. Habitat is one way to provide affordable housing [and] involves a broad cross-section of the community working together to build homes that keep our young folks here on Cape Cod. Building is hard work, but it’s so worth doing.”

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April 18, 2014

Diocesan technology director inducted into Technology Hall of Fame

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — William Milot, director of technology for the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River, was recently named by the Consortium for School Networking to its Volunteer Hall of Fame. Milot’s induction took place at the CoSN conference in Washington, D.C. on March 21.

Milot, who has served as the diocesan technology director for the past 19 years, said he was very proud and humbled by the recognition.

“It was a big surprise to me and there were two people from the local chapter who were nominated this year, and the other person was persistent in finding out who nominated us,” Milot told The Anchor. “Oddly enough, we were both nominated by staff from the national office — it wasn’t even someone locally — so it made it even more special that someone on the national level had recognized what we were doing.”

Milot, who resides in Taunton, was recognized for his service on the board of the Massachusetts Education Technology Administrators Association, which is a local affiliate of CoSN. For the past two years he has served as co-chairman for the METAA CTO Clinic, an annual event that is designed to meet the diverse and challenging needs of the Educational Technology Administrator. Through a combination of local and national speakers and vendors, technology administrators use this event to gather information that will directly impact their technology implementation decisions in their districts.

“The CoSN is the national organization for school technology directors,” Milot explained.

“I’ve been involved with them for about five years. The local chapter of that is called METAA, and I helped them organize a CTO clinic where we bring in tech di-

rectors from across the state to run some workshops and have vendors demonstrate some new technologies.”

Fall River Diocesan School Superintendent Dr. Michael Griffin noted, “Milot has provided exceptional leadership for nearly 20 years as technology director for our diocesan schools.

His efforts have inspired and guided many successful technology initiatives, including recent steps by many of our schools to incorporate one-to-one iPad initiatives and other technological advances.”

For nearly two decades now, Milot has played a pivotal role in determining what types of technology would best benefit students in the diocese’s Catholic schools.

“It’s a lot about researching trends in technology and coming back to the schools to present them with ideas on how to move forward with technology,” Milot said. “My role is to support the technology in the curriculum. For the diocesan schools I also do all the networking and computer installations.”

With rapid advancements in technology in recent years, Milot said it has been a challenge at times to keep up with what is considered to be state-of-the-art.

“I’m pretty cautious and conservative in my purchasing and I try to make sure that whatever we buy is going to be used,” Milot said. “The biggest challenge is you need to let the curriculum push the technology, and not the other way around. So you just can’t buy technology for technology’s sake and then figure out how to use it within an educational environment.

“That’s a huge challenge — especially in the beginning, because it’s sort of like the chicken and the egg. You have to start somewhere, so you have to buy technology and try to introduce it to the teachers.”

Milot’s tenure with the diocesan Catholic schools began at a time when computer technology was just beginning to become a vital resource for educators.

“When I started there were really no networks installed in any of the Catholic schools,” he said.

“That was my first, big challenge — to get all of the schools networked and wired.”

Today, every Catholic school in the diocese makes extensive use of computer technology in the classroom, and Milot has been implementing a one-to-one initiative in the high schools to ensure that students have access to personal laptops and tablets.

“All of our high schools have some sort of BYOD — bring your own device — initiative going on right now,” Milot said. “At Coyle and Cassidy and Bishop Feehan, they have a mandatory, one-to-one BYOD iPad initiative. For Bishop Stang, they are implementing it one grade at a time, so next year it will be just for freshmen and sophomores.

At Pope John Paul II and Bishop Connolly, it’s a bring-your-owndevice initiative — it can be a laptop or a tablet.”

Noting that all of the Catholic schools are now equipped with wireless computer networks, Milot said his ultimate goal is to “allow our students to bring any cutting-edge technology into the schools and use it.”

Although Apple’s ubiquitous iPad remains the most popular choice for educators, Milot said others devices are just as reliable.

“I don’t really call them iPad initiatives — the schools tend to call it that — I call them oneto-one initiatives, because for me the iPad is just a stepping-stone,” he said. “We want the students to bring in whatever they want, which is similar to what colleges do. In most colleges, there’s really no set device that you have to bring in. That’s where we want to be, so students can have whatever

David Pogue, left, columnist for Yahoo Tech and Scientific American, correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning,” and a former columnist for The New York Times, presented the Technology Hall of Fame award to William Milot, director of technology for Fall River’s Catholic schools, on March 21.

device works best for them.”

A lifelong Taunton resident and graduate of Coyle and Cassidy High School, Milot never envisioned himself as the technical director of the diocesan schools when he first received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University.

“I did a number of things after graduation and worked in private industry for a while before deciding that I would like to become a teacher,” Milot said. “That’s when I went back to Coyle and Cassidy and taught math and some computer science courses. When I left Coyle, I went to teach in public schools for a while — I taught at Norton High School for a little more than three years.

I then went back into private industry, at which time I was working on installing and supporting computer systems for the American Red Cross. During that time I received a master’s degree in computer science from Boston University.”

While his brother, former diocesan school superintendent Dr. George A. Milot, was serving as principal at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Milot was brought in to assist the school with their technology needs.

“Five superintendents later, I’m still here,” Milot said, adding that when he first started he was mainly working with just the four diocesan high schools, since Pope John Paul II High School had yet to open.

Looking back over his accomplishments, Milot said he enjoys the challenge of trying to keep ahead of the latest technology trends. He cited the state-of-theart computer lab and network upgrades at Bishop Stang High School’s new academic resource center expansion as one of his proudest moments.

“Another one of our challenges is to move from a textbook-based curriculum to a resource-based curriculum,” he said. ‘So we’re not just taking what we have in print and making it electronic — we want to go much further than that.”

With a daughter now enrolled at Coyle and Cassidy, two other kids in college and a wife studying nursing full-time, the 55-year-old Milot said he has no immediate plans to retire.

And he still enjoys the day-today challenge of learning about the latest cutting-edge technology.

“It is a privilege to work with our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River,” Milot said, “and I am highly honored to be selected into the CoSN Hall of Fame.”

April 18, 2014

BCC hosts seminar focusing on grief awareness

— you have a relative who visits you from another country. Taking them to continued from page two the airport is difficult. Can you imagine “We need to remember in the most saying goodbye to someone, knowing gle-handedly planned and developed the afternoon seminar dubbed “The benign and peaceful way possible the there’s no possible way you’re ever going Many Faces of Grief ” at BCC featuring people we have lost,” Father John- to see them again?” an array of specialists and professional son said. “They are still in communion But our faith, Saraiva added, is what counselors including, among others, with us and they hunger for our prayers gives us hope.

Father Johnson; holistic healer and in- and our love. This is healing for people “I believe someday that I will be reternational lecturer Maureen Hancock; grieving and it also assures the spiritual united with those I love,” she said. and Rose Mary Saraiva, events coordi- health of the deceased. We need each Father Johnson said he’s learned from nator and Bereavement Ministry for the other on either side of the grave.” experience that there’s nothing you can Maureen Hancock, a spiritual me- say to someone in grief to console them.

Fall River Diocese.

“We are hosting this event today to dium and author of the book “The Me“Saying things like ‘God is so good’ show you what resources are out there,” dium Next Door: Adventures of a Real- or ‘God needed an angel’ doesn’t help,” Tetreault said by way of introduction. Life Ghost Whisperer,” agreed that our he said. “No trite or what we think to be “Mirissa is the reason why I have put deceased loved ones remain in commu- consoling comments are helpful. What together today’s grief awareness event. nion with us. we really want is to console ourselves “I believe that they try to let you know with thoughts like that, because we don’t Being able to find the help I needed is why I wanted to pass on this gift to as in subtle ways that they are still around,” really want to deal with the pain of what she said. “There are signs or dreams that these people are going through.” many others as possible.”

Father Johnson said he hoped to share remind you.”

He added that the best thing you can Hancock said she often has dreams do is to simply be there for them, often his experiences not just as a Catholic priest and chaplain, but also as someone and visions of her nephew, Sean, who just sitting in silence. passed away suddenly at age 19. who has lost loved ones himself.

“To sit there in silence with people “He comes to us all the time, saying: who are grieving means, unconsciously “I lost my father, my mother and my brother all within five years in the ‘I’m still here with you. I’m going to help to them, that we are ready to share in 1990s,” Father Johnson said. “I have guide you and take care of you.’ So just their grief,” he said. “Because they are an older sister who is still alive, but my be open to that,” she said. “They want us reduced to silence, so are we.” younger brother, Robert, had Down to be happy, they want us to celebrate Referencing the Book of Job, which life and keep living and so many of us he called “one of the great texts on grief syndrome and he died 15 years ago.”

Shortly after his parents passed away, are stuck in our grief that we need these in the Bible,” Father Johnson said it can Father Johnson became his brother’s reminders.” be viewed as God’s guide on how to Like Tetreault, Rose Mary Saraiva, grieve. guardian until he died in November 1997. Almost immediately after bury- the Bereavement Ministry for the Fall “Job had lost his family, lost his ing his brother, Father Johnson’s order River Diocese, also experienced the wealth, lost his own health and his good assigned him to work in Rome, and he painful loss of a child that ultimately led friends show up to counsel him,” Farecalled an incident there that left a last- her to become involved with grief coun- ther Johnson said. ““And they sat with seling. ing impression on him. him on the ground for seven days and “Seven-and-a-half years ago, my seven nights, and no one dared to speak “In Rome I was always wearing a habit,” he said. “One day as I was walk- daughter Rachel died in a car accident,” a word to him, for they saw that his sufing down the street I noticed a young Saraiva said. “I was immobile for a year. fering was very great.’ man with Down syndrome walking That’s what made me realize that there’s “This is the Word of God, telling with his mother and he looked over no rushing grief. We can’t just get up us to be quiet. When people need our at me in my habit, pointed and said: one morning and say: ‘This is it: today ‘Prete, prete,’ which in Italian is priest. I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to So I stopped and went over to see him. think about it, I’m going to move on.’

I asked him his name, and he said ‘Ro- Well, those days last for about two secberto.’ My brother’s name was Robert. onds.”

Saraiva said grief is not only natuTo me, that was God winking at me. ral, but it’s something we need to go Science cannot touch that — that’s through to come to terms with the death faith.”

Noting that it’s common for people of a loved one.

“It’s our bodies’ way of coping with to use the word “loss” when talking about someone who has died, Father this confusing time,” she said. “We Johnson said our Catholic faith would grieve because we love someone very suggest that’s not the correct term to deeply, and that’s why it hurts. None of use, since they are never really “lost” to us wants to say goodbye to someone we love. Think of those people who travel us.

15 presence, that’s often all they need. They don’t need the easy answers, or the cute questions. They need the silence of love, just being there with them.”

Saraiva also stressed the important difference between grief and mourning, which are often viewed as being one and the same.

“They are very distinct and different,” she said. “Mourning is the outward expression of our grief. Mourning is when we go to funeral homes and we see people crying and expressing their feelings.

Grief is our internal thought process — it’s dealing with emotions and feelings; things like confusion, not knowing what to do next. Grief is healthy, and when people try to suppress that, they do more damage than good.”

If people try to ignore these feelings or, as Saraiva put it, try to “sweep things under the rug,” she said: “eventually you’ll trip over it.”

For Father Johnson, the most important part of helping people deal with grief is to exhort them to live a good life.

“Look at your own life and see what you would want to change before you stand before God,” he said. “Healing really takes off at this point, when we look at ourselves and say: ‘For the sake of my beloved dead, I want to be a better person.’ It’s hugely important and, if you will, it’s the final step in grief management.”

“Today is about grief awareness, but it’s also about how do we live life to the fullest?” Hancock agreed. “How do we get the most out of this life and really feed your soul? Those who have gone before us want us to live — they want us to be OK, even though there are times when you don’t know how you would survive.”

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Youth Pages

Grades four and five from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford recently enjoyed a field trip to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, home of the New England Patriots.

The poems of four fifth-graders from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro have been accepted for publication in the 2014 “Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans” to be issued this month, National Poetry Month. From left: Michele Schremp, Ryan Sullivan, Erin D’Angelo and Abby Smith.

Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro recently hosted the nationallysyndicated radio talk show, “Go Ask Your Father,” presented by Father Francis J. Hoffman, also known as “Father Rocky,” director of Relevant Radio and commentator on WGN-TV. The hour-long show was recorded at Feehan and featured students as they presented questions to Father Rocky regarding Catholic faith issues. Here Mary Macari takes an opportunity to ask Father Rocky her question regarding why God would permit bad things like the Holocaust to happen to good people.

April 18, 2014

Taylor Myers, a first-grader at St. Margaret Regional School in Buzzards Bay, was principal for a day after her parents bid for that item at the annual auction. Here, she types a memo commending the teachers for their hard work.

The third-grade class of Holy Trinity Religious Education Program, West Harwich, have fun with a project at a recent session.

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth recently hosted a visual arts night in its new Academic Resource Center. Student artists from all levels of high school were represented with work from the following coursework: Introduction to Drawing and Painting; Honors Drawing and Painting II and III; 3-Dimensional Design; Introduction to Photography; Honors Technical Drawing and Design. Students pursuing a career in the Fine Arts were featured artists. Awards were displayed for several categories. Senior John Rego gives a thumbs-up to the displays. Alyssa Adriance and Kate Burakowski are the lead Bishop Stang art teachers for the students displaying their work.

April 18, 2014

Youth Pages Fear is the greatest obstacle

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us who are made in His image sion, we grow in our identity s we enter into the and likeness. It can keep us as brothers and sisters to the Sacred celebrations of from loving others. the Triduum and Easter, let me Lord Jesus Christ. We accept “Do not be afraid,” was the share with you a homily I gave His forgiveness in our lives and seek Him out in our daily message of the angel and is a few years ago at the Easter Jesus’ message to us. lives. Conversion, turning our Vigil: Not just words to make us minds and hearts to God, Rejoice Heavenly powers! feel better, but the message allows us to recognize just Sing, Choirs of Angels! how loved we are by God and that allows us freedom.

Exult, all creation around We gather at this table to be in accepting that love, we are God’s throne! (Exultet) transformed, we are accepting nourished in faith and encourAlleluia! Alleluia!

These are words of great joy of who we are and we become aged by one another so that fear does not dictate how we Sacrament, signs and instruand hope, words that speak act or react.

Confirmation students from the Faith Formation program at St. Jo- of the fulfillment of seph’s Parish in Fairhaven form a peace sign to let everyone know promises, words that We bring our very they are praying for a world that will have love and forgiveness as call us to live each day selves to this altar: our the norm. joys and hopes, our with renewed faith, struggles and failures. hope and love.

We offer them to the They are not words Lord with the gifts motivated by the fact

By Father of bread and wine FAIRHAVEN — It has been ed the week of May 12 on the that, after 40 days David C. Frederici and in doing so, unite four full months since youth grounds of St. Joseph’s in Fairhav- of denying ourselves ourselves to Christ’s chocolate, we can en.

On May 18 there will be a ministry at St. Joseph’s Parish in Paschal Mystery, a finally eat all we want.

Fairhaven introduced its Peace dedication celebration led by the mystery that results in new life, ments of Christ at work in our They are words motivated by Pole Project. The young people youth ministry. Parishioners and victory and the joy and hope world. in Faith Formation sessions have military personnel (retired and love, a response to a perfect that removes fear from our The greatest obstacle to been praying the Peace Prayer. active) will be invited to attend. love offered us. hearts. this conversion, the greatest Pope Benedict XVI once They also say the prayer at the end Music and prayer will be shared We gather each week to obstacle to truly celebrating by all who come. Those from St. wrote, “The meaning of this of each Mass on the weekend. remain connected to the victhis Easter victory is the same The Peace Prayer has become Joseph’s youth ministry and par- love is that God accepts us tory we celebrate tonight. We obstacle that led the disciples part of their morning prayer and ish family, urge everyone to offer without preconditions, even if gather here with others of our to abandon Christ in the first we are unworthy of His love, the students have since had days a prayer for peace each weekend family of faith to help us realplace: fear. incapable of relating to Him, of Eucharistic Adoration. Those at Mass and as part of their daily ize the Lord’s unconditional Fear can keep us from seekwho attended were offered folders prayer from now until that time because He, Jesus Christ, love for each of us, despite our ing God’s forgiveness when transforms us and becomes a with several prayers and poems and, hopefully forever after. sins, our weaknesses or failures. we are in need of it, as well as The students feel that everyone Brother to us.” about peace. The young people We gather here to celebrate This is what we celebrate on the graces we need to persewho are involved with this project can make a difference. The Prince vere through our struggles and God’s love and to be strengthhave gathered and will continue of Peace showed how to love, how Easter. ened in the virtues of faith, temptations in life.

In the Exultet we were to gather to pray for peace and to to forgive. The students ask all to hope and love in such a way Fear can keep us from told: “The power of this night complete the plans for the plant- persistently pray for peace and that our lives proclaim to the changing the world we live in; dispels all evil, washes guilt good will toward all. ing of the Peace Pole. world: we are afraid of being ostraPope Francis shares this with away, restores lost innocence, During the annual Mardi Gras “Alleluia! He is risen!” cized, persecuted in some way, brings mourners joy; it casts celebration, the Confirmation the faithful: Anchor columnist Father “And so we ask the Risen Je- out hatred, brings us peace, and of having our earthly things or candidates gathered in silence at Frederici is pastor of St. John life taken away from us. the end of the evening to create sus, Who turns death into life, humbles earthly pride.”

Fear can keep us from shar- the Evangelist Parish in PoThe truth is, we can dimina peace sign to let everyone know to change hatred into love, vencasset and diocesan director of ing the joy of Christ’s victory they are praying for a world that geance into forgiveness, war into ish the effects of this power.

Campus Ministry and Chaplain over sin and death; it keeps We can make this celebration will have love and forgiveness as peace” (3/31/13). at UMass Dartmouth and Cape us from sharing the love and simply something to do as “Everything is lost in war. Evthe norm rather than violence and Cod Community College. desire that God has for each of erything is gained with peace” opposed to a celebration that hate. transforms and changes the The Peace Pole will be plant- (6/2/13). world we live in. This happens if we fail to see how the events of the Sacred Triduum as having any relevance to us in 2014. We may feel that this celebration is just very idealistic, but not practical in the “real world.”

Jesus says: “Do not be afraid.

Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” His message to those who The Pope John Paul II High School (Hyannis) Concert and Chamber abandoned Him at His hour Choirs, comprised of 58 students, recently traveled to New York of greatest need: you are My City for their third annual performance tour. The tour highlight was performing during a Sunday Solemn Pontifical Mass at St. Patrick’s brothers. Scripture scholars Cathedral in New York City. The students sang Giuseppe Ottavio Pi- tell us that these words express toni’s “Cantate Domino” after Communion. The principal celebrant the Lord’s forgiveness to them, Fifth-graders from Our Lady of Lourdes School, Taunton Cathowas the esteemed Cardinal Timothy Dolan. After the Mass a mem- as well as an invitation to lic Middle School and St. Mary’s School recently visited Coyle and ber of St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir, made up of outstanding area vo- continue in their relationship Cassidy High School for a tour of the new Middle School division. calists, commented on the choir’s incredible quality. A video of the with Him. It is an invitation While there they participated in an Easter egg hunt that emphasized performance can be seen by visiting the school’s website at www. of continuing conversion. An shared Christian values. Pictured is a group of the visitors from Our pjp2hs.org. The PJPII students also performed at St. Stephen/St. Edward and Sacred Heart Schools, as well as a very moving perfor- invitation extended to all of us. Lady of Lourdes School with Coyle students. All of the schools are In the process of converin Taunton. mance for patients at Rosary Hill Cancer Hospice Home.

Peace Pole project continues at St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven

Be Not Afraid

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April 18, 2014

Brother Henri Bernier, FIC

BIDDEFORD, Maine — Brother Henri Bernier, FIC, 98, died on April 3 in the Southridge Living Center in Biddeford, Maine.

Born on Aug. 4, 1915 he was the son of Antoine and Rose

Anna (Ruel) Bernier of Fall River. He was educated in the parish schools of Notre Dame Parish, and began his career as a religious Brother in February, 1928 upon entering the Brothers’ formation center in La Prairie,

Around the Diocese

Beginning Easter Monday, April 21, the Divine Mercy Holy Hour will be sung at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28 in West Harwich. It will continue all week, through April 26 at 7 p.m.

On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, celebration will begin at 2:45 p.m. and the chaplet will be sung. No Confessions will be available on Divine Mercy Sunday, so all are encouraged to go to their individual parish for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The prayer group at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham is sponsoring a series of seven DVD talks, given by leaders in the Renewal and the New Evangelization, designed to introduce people to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and to an experience of a New Pentecost. This seven-week seminar will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the parish hall, 82 High Street in Wareham, from April 23 through June 11.

A Healing Mass will be celebrated on April 24 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. The Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include Benediction and healing prayers. At 5:15 p.m. there will be a holy hour including the Rosary. For more information or directions, visit www.saintanthonynewbedford.com or call 508-993-1691.

The Lazarus Ministry of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster is offering a six-week Bereavement Support Program called “Come Walk With Me” on Thursdays beginning April 24 through May 29 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The program meets at the parish center and is designed for people who have experienced the loss of a loved one within the past year. For more information or to pre-register, call 508-385-3252 or 508-896-8355.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, District of Greater Attleboro, is sponsoring its third annual family walk, “Helping Our Neighbors,” on April 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Mass Audubon Society’s Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary next to the La Salette Shrine at 947 Park Street, Route 118, in Attleboro. This fun-filled family event will include guided nature tours, balloons, face-painting, refreshments and is pet-friendly. Proceeds from the walk will benefit those less fortunate from the towns of North Attleboro, Attleboro, Mansfield, Norton, Rehoboth and Seekonk. For more information, or to pre-register for the walk, visit www.svdpattleboro.org, or register on-site the day of the walk.

ECHO of Cape Cod is sponsoring its third annual dinner/auction at 6 p.m. on April 26 at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee. This fund-raiser helps to support the ECHO Retreat program, now celebrating its 44th year on Cape Cod. For tickets or more information, email EchoofCapeCod@gmail.com or call 508-759-4265.

The Feast of Divine Mercy will be celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in New Bedford on April 27 beginning at 3 p.m. Devotion will include exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, adoration, recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and benediction. All are welcome to come and join in this celebration of Divine Mercy. Refreshments and pastry will be served following in the parish center.

The feast of Divine Mercy will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, Onset Bay Lane in Onset, on April 27 at 2:30 p.m. featuring the Divine Mercy Chaplet with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and veneration of the image.

Guest speaker will be Marty Rotella, a three-time Grammy Award nominee, who will also perform live at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 5 Armory Road in Buzzards Bay. For more information call 508-295-8952.

QC, Canada. His first profession of vows in 1932 was culminated by his perpetual commitment in 1937.

His teaching career started in Canada but was mainly exercised as a highly-respected teacher of English in the Brothers’ schools in Plattsburgh, N.Y.; Fall River; Alfred, Biddeford and Sanford, Maine; and Detroit, Mich. He assumed responsibilities as principal and religious superior in several of these centers.

In addition to his master’s degree from St. Michael’s College, he spent several summers studying Spanish and German at Georgetown University. With polished language skills furthered by advanced studies in Spain, Austria and Italy, Brother Bernier became an associate professor of language arts at Walsh University, in North Canton, Ohio. While living on campus for more than 25 years, he served stints as the Brothers’ superior, house bursar, gardener and substitute cook. In 2004 the university presented him with a “Distinguished Service Award.”

In 1981 his fluency in languages earned him the position of director general of the Brothers’ international headquarters in Rome.

In 2000 he retired to the Brothers’ American retirement community on the Notre Dame campus in Alfred. His most fulfilling and productive life was recognized by Walsh University when he was presented with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2009.

Predeceased by his siblings Emile, Antoine Jr., Joseph, Florence (Lizotte), and Julienne (Dion), he is survived by one sister Lorraine Copan of Williamsburg, Va. and by many admiring nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Notre Dame Chapel in Alfred on April 24. Interment followed at the Brothers’ Cemetery in Alfred.

Contributions can be made in his memory to the Brothers’ Retirement Fund, c/o Brother Jerome Lessard, P.O. 159 Alfred, Maine, 04002 Arrangements were under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Sanford-Springvale, Maine.

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

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

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

ATTLEBORO — There is a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church on N. Main St. Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

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

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

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

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

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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

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

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel every Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

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

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

SOUTH YARMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Pius X Parish, 5 Barbara Street, on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., from March 13 to April 10. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be offered at this time.

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

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church begins each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ends on Friday night at midnight. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall. ~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~ East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish has perpetual Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

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

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April 18, 2014 In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks April 19 Rev. William Wiley, Pastor, St. Mary, Taunton, 1855 Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Duart, Pastor, St. Peter the Apostle, Provincetown, 1975 Rev. Daniel E. Carey, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Retired Pastor, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1990 Rev. Msgr. Antonino Tavares, Retired Pastor, Santo Christo, Fall River, 2008 April 20 Rev. Edward F. Coyle, S.S., St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, Md., 1954 Rev. James E. O’Reilly, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Seekonk, 1970 Rev. James P. Dalzell, Retired Pastor St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1999 April 21 Rev. John O’Beirne, Pastor St. Mary, Taunton Rev. Thomas Feeley, C.S.C., Holy Cross Family Ministries, Easton, 2004 April 22 Rev. James L. Smith, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1910 Rev. Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Pastor, St. Mary, Nantucket, 1954 April 23 Rev. John J. Murphy, Retired, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 2007 April 25 Rev. John J. Wade, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1940 Rev. Raymond J. Lynch, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 1955

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Remarkable creatures, they are

hey’re all the same. Yet, they’re all so very different. They can laugh. They can cry. And boy, can they eat.

They don’t require much sleep, except the next day when three o’clock rolls around, but once they get past that wall, it’s onward and upward until late into the evening — again.

They’re strange, beautiful, enigmatic, energetic, complex, simple, and loving creatures. They’re teen-agers. For those of us whose ages no longer have the number one leading off, we’ve all been there.

Many of us have had these creatures as children of our own. They’re fascinating. And when they’re in a pack they’re even more intriguing.

I mention this because last weekend I was blessed enough to be part of the

By Dave Jolivet 29th edition of the YES! Retreat at Cathedral Camp.

For those of you who haven’t been in the presence of teens for a while, or ever, please forget what you see and hear in the media, because most of the young people who make it to the news do so for all the wrong reasons. Those poor souls hardly represent the countless great young people we have in this diocese, in this country and on this big old blue marble we call earth.

I’ve worked countless retreats over the years and, like the creatures known as teen-agers, they’re much the same, yet very different. I’ve yet to be part of a team that wasn’t comprised of incredibly faith-filled Catholics who are strong, compassionate, and hilarious. Last weekend, they were all of the above. And keep in mind that many on that team were teen-agers themselves, a year of two removed from their own YES! encounter.

And I’ve yet to find a pack of

My View From the Stands

teen-age candidates who weren’t non-stop bundles of boundless energy and wonder.

During my talk, I introduced myself as 57 years old going on 19. In my opinion, you have to be. It’s a fresh, amazing place to be. There’s too much to miss by letting go of that time in our lives completely.

It was appropriate that we had our encounter on Palm Sunday weekend. We shared a beautiful Palm Sunday service. We all went through the pain of Good Friday together, and we all experienced the joy of Easter together.

Despite their tender age, these young people do have their Good Fridays, in many different ways, and it’s nice to help them know there’s an Easter always waiting for them.

This pack of teen-agers learned from the team and taught the team.

These wonderful creatures laughed, danced, and ate with gusto and effervescence. Yet, when the time came to honor and glorify Our Lord in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, their reverence was equally as intense.

As we live through this weekend of Good Friday through Easter Sunday, I implore everyone to say a special prayer for these remarkable creatures called teen-agers who lived YES! 29.

Pray that they may continue to face their Good Fridays with the hope of the coming Easter. They deserve that.

Dave Jolivet can be contacted at davejolivet@anchornews.org.

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April 18, 2014