04.19.19

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. †Friday, April 19, 2019

The Romeiros, Portuguese pilgrims who visit select sites throughout the diocese during Lent, stop to pray outside Holy Name Church in Fall River on April 9. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) April 19, 2019 â€

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Faithful Romeiros group continues Portuguese Lenten observance

By Kenneth J. Souza Editor

kensouza@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — The deep sound of male voices echoed off the sides of the otherwise quiet Highland neighborhood houses as the group of a dozen men dressed in colorful shawls with scarves covering their heads slowly walked up to the front of Holy Name Church on Hanover Street.

The first-in-line, carrying a crucifix draped with Rosary beads, tried the door but found it locked.

The group then congregated near the entrance and prayed in Portuguese, reciting the “Pai Nosso” (“Our Father”) and “Ave Maria” (“Hail Mary”) in solemnity.

Known as the Romeiros of New England (Romeiros da Nova Inglaterra), this devoted group of parishioners took to the roads on a pilgrimage throughout the Diocese of Fall River during Lent. The group has practiced this annual pilgrimage since 2012, praying and spreading the Word of God to all those they encounter.

“The pilgrimage was founded here in our diocese by Joe Camara and (his nephew) Peter after a return flight home from completing the pilgrimage in São Miguel, Azores,” said Derek Arruda, one of this year’s organizers. “This is the eighth year that the pilgrimage has happened.

With a lot of the original members not being able to participate due to illness and age, the group has gotten a little smaller, but the fire and desire still remain.”

Arruda has been a member since 2014, and he noted that although some have dropped out, others have stepped in to carry on.

“Some of the brothers that walk today have been there since the beginning,” he said. “But we had two new brothers join us this year — Mario from New Bedford and Rafael from the Santa Barbara village in São Miguel, Azores.”

For eight days the group traveled approximately 150 miles, making 2

† April 19, 2019

stops at more than 60 churches in the diocese from Fairhaven to Taunton, praying to God for peace, hope, or even a special favor — or “graça” — for themselves or others.

“We collected 175 intentions over the course of our eight-day pilgrimage, those went into our intention booklet that we prayed over during the course of the week,” Arruda told The Anchor.

While the majority of them would be considered middle-aged or older, there were a few younger faces peeking out from under the scarves.

In fact, the leader of this year’s Romaria, or pilgrimage, was 25-year-old Jeffrey Clementino of Fall River, who has been participating since 2012. While Clementino said he was honored to be named the Mestre (Master) this year, it was really “just a title.”

“I was a little nervous, but with the help of all my brothers we got it done,” Clementino said. “I was just doing what we had to do to keep it going. I’m not different than anyone else.”

The Romeiros (pilgrims) carried Rosary beads and would often hand them out to the curious spectators they encountered along the way.

These Rosaries were all donated by the Rosary makers at St. Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven and were blessed by its pastor, Father Dave Lupo, before their departure.

“We handed out more than 400 prayed Rosaries for peoples’ personal intentions,” Arruda said. “The type of intentions collected vary — from disease and illness to families and Marriages, happy intentions to very sad. Some are prayed aloud and some are kept privately between that person and our prayer keeper, who would

then tell us what type of prayer to pray.”

The group would request permission to enter a church along the way. If a church happened to be closed during the pilgrimage, the group simply said prayers at the door. If services were being held, they prayed a short distance away so as to not disturb anyone.

Along the way, the group also spent seven nights in private homes and church halls.

This year’s Romaria journey began on Saturday, April 6 from St. Bernard Church in Assonet. They walked an average of 20 miles a day, and brought the pilgrimage back full circle to Assonet on Saturday, April 13, where a closing Mass was celebrated at St. Bernard Church.

The origins of the Romeiros dates back to the 16th-century in the Azores and has been maintained to this day by faithful followers for centuries on the island of São Miguel.

It began when a large earthquake took place, causing landslides and much human loss and devastation to the local people. After the island was

struck with this deadly earthquake, the locals perceived it to be Divine punishment for their human actions.

8 Turn to page five

Bishop da Cunha’s 2019 Easter Message “If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, your faith” (I Cor. 15:14).

T

hanks be to God for Easter! We need the light, the joy, the Spirit of the Risen Lord to help us move forward in faith and hope. When we look at the world around us and see violence, discrimination, division, injustice, we may be discouraged by all these evils and the bad news all around us every day. We may be disappointed by the failings of our leaders, both civil and ecclesiastical; we may also be discouraged by the lack of commitment to the faith on the part of many people, especially the younger generation; we may be saddened by an alarming number who increasingly say that they no longer need to go to church or believe in God or feel the need to practice any religion; we may be disheartened by the suffering around us, maybe in our own lives or in our families and neighbors. In the midst of all these negative aspects of our imperfect world, we may lose sight of what God has done and continues doing for us. And so, it is the Resurrection of Jesus that gives us hope.

We may be discouraged by the prospect of a future where planet Earth, our common home, and all the natural resources in it, may be threatened and not readily available for future generations resulting in an unhealthy living environment. We may be discouraged by a political system that fosters division in our own country; we may feel discouraged by the number of people who are losing their homes, are forced to flee their countries, causing family separation due to violence, war, poverty and political turmoil; people who have become refugees or unwelcome migrants. In the midst of all these evils we may still find reason for hope because Jesus rose from the dead.

We may be saddened by the closing of our beloved churches, changes in our neighborhoods, the increasing number of deaths by young people from opioid overdose, but in the midst of all this we still can find joy because Jesus rose from the dead.

The Resurrection of Jesus impacts everything we say, everything we do and the way we live. It reminds us that Jesus is the Son of God, our Messiah and Savior. It makes Him credible, because everything He said and promised came true. Let us listen to the witnesses of the Resurrection: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter and Mary Magdalene. Let them remind us of what Easter is about.

Easter is an invitation for all of us to pass from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom. In the midst of anxieties, fears, disillusions and disappointments, we can find courage because Jesus rose from the dead. My hope and prayer for all of you this Easter is that our faith in the Resurrection of Jesus will be as strong and as real as the Apostles experienced and proclaimed.

“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all” (I Cor. 15:19).

April 19, 2019 †

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Diocese of Fall River † 2018 Audited Financial Statement

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† April 19, 2019

Diocese of Fall River † 2018 Audited Financial Statement

Romeiros group continues Lenten observance continued from page two

In response, they began to pray in large groups, walking every corner of the island from the end of February until early March, stopping off in local parishes to rest and eat while praying for forgiveness for their sins, all while giving thanks for the blessings in their lives.

“I don’t see it as a tradition, I see it as a way of life,” Arruda said. “We come together to profess our faith with our brothers to show our communities that there is still faith, hope, and love in this world. It is done during Lent because that is when Jesus offered Himself for us. As Romeiros we do the same by offering ourselves to represent Christ to the world.”

Arruda explained that the bulging backpack each pilgrim carries represents the cross that Christ car-

ried on the road to Calvary; the colored shawl represents the cloak the Romans used to mock Jesus during His trial; the decorative head scarves are meant to resemble the crown of thorns; and the wooden staff is a stand-in for the reed stick they gave to Christ.

The symbolism and sacrifice in this penitential act during Lent is not lost on Clementino.

“Christ died for all of us,” he said.

“This weeklong Romaria was just a little of what we can give back to Him.” “Our pilgrimage does not end when we get home and put away our shawls and scarfs, but continues throughout the year,” Arruda added.

“We are not called to be Romeiros for just one week a year, but every day.”

April 19, 2019 †

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Editorial

Notre Dame, again

We in Fall River experienced a sad sense of déjà vu this past Monday, when Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was partially destroyed by fire. Our own Notre Dame, in the Flint neighborhood of Fall River, burned down on May 11, 1982. Thanks be to God, in both infernos, no one died.

At the time, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin released a statement, thanking God for protecting human lives and thanking hundreds of people, by name or by group, for their assistance on that tragic day. He added, “The bitter events of last Tuesday have occasioned an outpouring of generosity and brotherly love which is the true silver lining in the dark clouds of tragedy.”

We join with the people of Paris and of all of France in praying for a “silver lining” to come from this latest loss. The best possible one would be a rebirth of faith in what used to be referred to as “the eldest daughter of the Church.”

The building itself will be rebuilt through a collaboration between the Church and the French government. The European Union has also offered support. This is not to say that there is no “separation of church and state” in France — it actually is more severe, generally, in that country than in our own, but the government sees the cathedral as a national symbol, worthy of preserving with its own funds. In the U.S. it is very difficult to obtain government money for the rehabilitation of a church — there are a few examples of non-Catholic churches in Massachusetts which have received some state funding, but this is due to their historical significance (e.g., the “Church of the Presidents” in Quincy, which has the Adamses buried in it).

The rebuilding of the faith is a much larger project, which does not need money as much as dedication of hearts (although some money is needed in this Spiritual rebuilding, it is the “letting go” of money which most benefits all involved).

In 1884 Pope Leo XIII wrote an encyclical to France, entitled Nobilissima Gallorum Gens (The most noble nation of the French), in which he dealt with the “religious question” facing that country then, when a lot of people there wanted a “State in which the influence of religion is extinguished.”

He reminded them of their history. “Having embraced Christianity at the initiative of its King, Clovis, it was rewarded by this most honorable testimony to its faith and piety, the title of eldest daughter of the Church.

From that time, Venerable Brethren, often have your ancestors been the helpers of Providence itself in the performance of great and salutary works, and especially has their valor been illustrated in defending Catholicism throughout the world, in propagating the Christian Faith among barbarous nations.”

Referring back to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror and the Napoleonic Wars, Pope Leo wrote, “[E]very human society which does its utmost to exclude God from its laws and its constitution, rejects the help OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 63, No. 8

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of this Divine beneficence. Rich, therefore, and powerful as it appears, that society bears within itself the seeds of death, and cannot hope for a lengthy existence. It is, indeed, with Christian peoples as with individuals; it is safety to follow the counsels of God, it is danger to fall away from them.

These facts are to be found in history; and We could cite to you more recent instances, even in your own country, had We the time to recall the events seen by a previous generation, when the impiety of the mob shook France to its very foundations, and Church and State perished in the same destruction.”

After the Nov. 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and suburbs, in which more than 100 people were killed, Pope Francis led pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square in prayer. “May the Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, plant in the hearts of all thoughts of wisdom and resolutions of peace. Let us ask that she protect us and watch over the beloved French nation, the first daughter of the Church, over all of Europe and the whole world.”

Tuesday Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris invited his people to come to the Chrism Mass at the Church of Saint-Sulpice. He wrote, “It will be an opportunity for all of us to show our unity, our fervor and our confidence in the future. We feel that we will not only have to rebuild our cathedral but also rebuild our Church whose face is so wounded.” Here he is reminding the people of the need to rebuild the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, not as merely a physical building. The face is wounded due to our sins, both those of the laity and of the clergy (which is all the more scandalous and about which Christ warned severe punishment).

The archbishop wanted to have people be aware that bricks and mortar will not bring healing, but repentance and holiness will.

The archbishop knows that this rebuilding is a long process and often will require “baby steps” to get people to start walking along the path of Christ, our Way, Truth and Life. He suggested, “I propose to all persons of good will that they put in their window on the night of Easter, a candle as we will do in all our churches by beginning the Easter Vigil with the rite of the new fire.” What he proposed is a simple thing which anyone could do, even someone who is not churchgoing or even a believer. We did this here in the U.S. a few nights after 9-11. He is also trying to plant a seed, getting his audience to wonder what this “new fire” is all about.

He continued, “It means that the light illuminates the darkness, that life definitely triumphs over death. Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, let this tragedy allow our country to find a happy unity so that we can build together what is written on the pediment of our public buildings: fraternity. We believe that it has its origin in the Fatherhood of God, source of all love.”

May we Catholics here see what we can do, in our own lives and as a community, to help in the rebuilding of the Church, thus living the rebirth we celebrate at Easter.

Daily Readings † April 20 - May 3 Sat. Apr. 20, Holy Saturday: 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; Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18; Ps 16:5,8-11; Ex 14:15—15:1; Ex 15:1-6,17-18; Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13; Is 55:1-11; Is 12:2-6; Bar 3:9-15,32—4:4; Ps19:8-11; Ez 36:16-17a,18-28; Ps 42:3,5; 43:3-4 or Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6 or Ps 51:12-15,18-19; Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Lk 24:1-12. Sun. Apr. 21, Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34a,37-43; Ps 118:1-2,1617,22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes; Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10 or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, Lk 24:13-35. Mon. Apr. 22, Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps 16:1-2a,5,711; Mt 28:8-15. Tues. Apr. 23, Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5,18-20,22; Jn 20:11-18. Wed. Apr. 24, Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Lk 24:13-35. Thurs. Apr. 25, Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2ab,5-9; Lk 24:35-48. Fri. Apr. 26, Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2,4,22-27a; Jn 21:1-14.

Sat. Apr. 27, Acts 4:13-21; Ps 118:1,14-15ab,16-21; Mk 16:9-15. Sun. Apr. 28, Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:12-16; Ps 118:2-4,13-15, 22-24; Rv 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19; Jn 20:19-31. Mon. Apr. 29, Acts 4:23-31; Ps 2:1-3,4-9; Jn 3:1-8. Tues. Apr. 30, Acts 4:32-37; Ps 93:1-2,5; Jn 3:7b-15. Wed. May 1, Acts 5:17-26; Ps 34:2-9; Jn 3:16-21. Proper Gospel for Joseph: Mt 13:54-58. Thurs. May 2, Acts 5:27-33; Ps 34:2,9, 17-20; Jn 3:31-36. Fri. May 3, 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; Jn 14:6-14.

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xcept among the devout who live Holy Week as a Sacred octave, Monday of Holy Week is normally low-key, a day seemingly like any other, when believers and nonbelievers succumb to the practical atheism of living as if God were absent.

Not this year.

When Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Christianity’s second-most famous Church, was ablaze and risked being reduced to ashes, it was impossible to forget God. Many across the world stopped and turned sad eyes toward the live images coming from the banks of the Seine.

Believers and non-believers prayed that by some miracle the water would outpace the flames and the munificent 859-year-old sanctuary would see its 860th year.

Those who had visited Notre Dame and been touched by its soaring beauty were sentimental, grateful for their past visits but feeling profound emptiness that they might never have that experience again. Those who had never visited perhaps felt the impending loss even more.

Notre Dame was called

by Pope Benedict in 2008 a “living sign of God’s presence in our midst.” It was a vivid witness to the faith and love for God, combined with more than a century of hard work and ingenuity, that built it. Visited by 13 million a year, it was a place where, across the centuries, saints and sinners convened, as they were introduced into a universe far more expansive than the French Gothic shrine’s physical dimensions.

Destruction and rebuilding It seemed that this living sign was engaging in its last act of worship as a burnt sacrifice. The universe it contained appeared to be coming to an end as the world began to feel much smaller and less splendid. The history it symbolized, which provided persons and western cultures with a sense of strong foundations, seemed to be going up in smoke. And many inopportunely asked whether the burning Church was the calamitous, conclusive confirmation of the end of the age of faith.

We rejoice that much of it was saved, thanks to the heroism of more than 400 firemen, the architectural and structural brilliance of its original builders, and doubtless God’s response to a world in prayer.

We rejoice at the vow to rebuild it and the extraordinary generosity of several who have stepped forward to help that commitment be fulfilled.

We hope that the rebuilding project will prosper the interior rebuilding God wishes to undertake in so many individuals within a society that has made secularism a new religion, praying that the holy nostalgia the French and others have for Notre Dame will awaken their religious memory and ultimately revivify their desire to enter into the Christian memorial, bringing the realities of the faith alive in daily life.

I have been to Paris seven times and on each occasion had the opportunity to visit Notre

Dame, where I prayed Holy Hours and offered Mass for pilgrims, venerated its relics, listened to its renowned organ, and imbibed the beauty of its art and architecture, stained glass, famous paintings and sculptures.

I have always felt a particular connection to Notre Dame because one of its 32 side chapels (the sixth chapel on the left aisle)

is dedicated to St. Landry, the holy bishop of Paris (650-661) known for heroic charity. Each time I’ve visited I have prayed that he won’t be the last of that moniker with that prefix and every time others tell me they’re heading to Paris, I always ask them to pray for me there.

As Notre Dame was burning, I couldn’t help but think back to the fires and disasters that have destroyed other iconic churches in Christianity.

Close to home, I thought of the fires that destroyed Fall River’s Saints Peter and Paul Church in 1973, and Notre Dame Church in 1982 — both communities where I’ve served as a priest, where the recollection of those infernos was indelibly singed into the Spirituality of those who sorrowfully never saw those breathtaking edifices rebuilt to scale and splendor.

I thought also to Rome.

The Archbasilica of St. John

in the Lateran, the pope’s cathedral, was destroyed by fire twice, in 1308 and 1360, leveled by an earthquake in 897 and devastated by barbarians in 410, but after each was reconstructed. The Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls in Rome was ruined by a fire in 1823, but over the next 31 years, with help pouring in from all over the world, was rebuilt according to its original fourth-century design.

I thought of Notre Dame itself.

It was desecrated severely by the Huguenots in 1548 and worse during the French Revolution in the 1790s, when it was repurposed to the Cult of Reason. Eventually Napoleon permitted it to be used again for Sacred worship.

Without care, however, it proceeded quickly into decay. It was only after Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” that appreciation for the cathedral was revived and the edifice restored.

Pondering the fact that the fire was taking place during Holy Week, however, I also thought about the most important temple of all, one Christians across the globe contemplate with particular devotion during these days.

After Jesus had cleansed the courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem, overturning the moneychangers’ tables and driving out the animals with a whip, the leaders in the Temple area asked, “What sign can you show us for doing this?”

“Destroy this Temple,”

Jesus replied, “and in three days I will raise it up.”

The leaders retorted, “This Temple has been under construction for 46 years and you will raise it up in three days?”

But St. John tells us that Jesus was speaking about the “Temple of His Body” (Jn 2:13-22).

Jesus is the true Temple.

In Him God has taken flesh and dwells among us. In Him, God and man, Heaven and earth, are in touch.

As His Body is “destroyed” in crucifixion and death, as He is lifted up from the earth, He draws all to Himself (Jn 12:32) and by giving His Body and pouring out His Blood for our Redemption, He seeks to unite us as one Body, one Spirit, one Temple.

His Resurrection on the third day was the rebuilding of the true and definitive temple and the most basic cause of hope.

This hope should pervade the reconstruction of one the world’s most beautiful images of that destroyed and raised temple, where God wishes to engage us in ceaseless dialogue.

It should also inform the rebuilding project in each of us and in all of us together, made by Baptism true temples of God. Holy Week, especially the Sacred Triduum, is the culmination of that restoration.

And Our Lady is present, at the foot of the cross, in the midst of the destruction, praying with anticipation for that resurrection.

Father Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

April 19, 2019 †

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(Roman?) Catholic — Part Five

n the second installment of this series I mentioned the three ancient metropolitan areas which served as expansion centers for Christianity and which gave rise to the various modern Rites of the Catholic Church. Rome and Alexandria were the mothers of three modern Rites each, and all the other Rites (about 20) call Antioch in Syria their mother. Among the various Rites which pattern their Liturgy on Syria, there is again a threefold aspect: East Syria, West Syria, and North Syria, which is usually called Cappadocia.

The southwest coast of India, known as Malabar, is home to an ancient Christianity, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, which traces its Catholic history back to the preaching of the Apostle Thomas in the first century of the Christian era.

In fact, I think it is probable that the rather large Jewish diaspora settlement of the area was represented in Jerusalem at the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and brought the seeds of Christianity back with them.

My reason for saying this is the great similarity of some of the folk customs between Malabar Catholics and Jews.

For example, besides celebrating Easter in memory of the Resurrection, Malabar Christians celebrate the Exodus from Egypt with rituals called Pesaha. The Jewish term for Passover is Pesach.

The history of the Malabar Church is quite convoluted and is full of names not easily pronounced or remembered by those of a European background. For those reasons, I shall not delve deeply into the history 8

of that Rite. Besides the first century origins of Christianity, over the following centuries there were many contacts with European Christianity. India was an important market for trade with Europe. Even Columbus was seeking a western route to India! The Portuguese established an important Roman Rite community in the vicinity of Goa. The Syro-Malabar Church is the third largest Rite in the Catholic Church after the Roman Rite and the Ukrainian Rite. (We shall later see a special connection between the Ukrainian Rite and our own Roman Rite in the Diocese of Fall River.) There are more than four-and-one-half million Malabar Catholics, mostly in Kerala State of India.

In the United States, the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Chicago has 35 parishes and some 87,000 parishioners. The nearest parish to us is St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Boston.

With rapid immigration of Indians for the tech industries and our universities, we may see an expanded Malabar Catholic presence in our nation.

Using the ancient name for the various Malabar Christians, they were called the Christians of St. Thomas, or the Nasrani. Besides these most eastern of all Christians, another Rite which follows the Liturgy of East Syria is found in Iraq. Jews from this area of the diaspora are specifically mentioned as being present at Pentecost: “Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia”

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(Acts 2:9).

The number of Chaldean Catholics in the United States is more than twice the number of Malabar Catholics, i.e. 180,000, but the reason for this is very sad.

As the Nazis tried to exterminate the Jews, so the IS in Iraq has tried to exterminate Christians. Iraq is the homeland of the Chaldean

Catholics, but so many have fled their homes destitute, that now they are the most populous Rite in this country after the Roman Rite.

It is a credit to our nation that we have welcomed them, but also an accusing reminder of how poorly we treated Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazi pogroms 80 years ago. (See the entry https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ MS_St._Louis for an example of that treatment.) Now that they are here, there is a certain duty to help our coreligionists to re-establish themselves with dignity according to their Catholic heritage. St. Paul wrote for us, “So then, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10).

The name Chaldean could refer to a connection to the ancient Chaldean Empire, but it does not. It is purely a religious term, not an ethnic identity. Ethnically, the Chaldeans are Assyrians.

From a European perspective, we may think of

the missionaries St. Francis Xavier and Matteo Ricci as bringing the Gospel to the Far East, but Christian missionaries from the lands of Iran/Iraq were active in China long before those great missionaries. An archaeological monument of 781 A.D. documents 150 years of Christian history in China.

There are two eparchies of the Chaldean Rite Catholic Church in the United States, the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Detroit for the eastern half of our nation, and the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego for the western half of the country. The eastern parishes are clustered in Michigan and Illinois. The western eparchy has parishes in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Relations between the Chaldean Rite Catholic Church and fellow Assyrians in the Assyrian Church of the East have improved in recent years. In 1994, Pope

John Paul II and Patriarch Dinkha IV of the Assyrian Church of the East signed a “Common Christological Declaration.” On July 20, 2001, the Holy See issued a document, in agreement with the Assyrian Church of the East, named “Guidelines for Admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East”, which confirmed also the validity of the Anaphora of Addai and Mari. In 2015, Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako proposed unifying the three modern Patriarchates into a re-established Church of the East.

Thus we have briefly introduced the East Syrian Rites of the Catholic Church. The West Syrian Rites are known as Antiochian, Malankar, and Maronite. The Maronite Rite is represented by two parishes within the territory of the Diocese of Fall River.

Father Martin L. Buote is a retired priest of the Fall River Diocese and a frequent contributor to The Anchor.

CORRECTION An error in transcription has completely changed the meaning of the last paragraph of the second column Father Martin Buote recently published in The Anchor, in part four of his current series. The offending sentence reads, in part, “... traditional logic might give us …” That sentence should read: “… traditional logic might not give us …” Since the one word is so pivotal to the meaning of the paragraph, we are republishing that paragraph (now corrected) here: “Modern science has discovered that traditional forms of logic do not always apply to the physical world. If this is so for creation, traditional logic might not give us the whole truth about God. The decision at Chalcedon states that the majority position is true and valid, and that it is illicit (not invalid) to hold and teach the minority position. If theologians can apply the insights of modern physics to this matter, possibly both positions can be found to express truth about the mystery of the Incarnation.”

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t all started in the morning of April 4 when I went to our Kalaupapa International Airport to meet a planeload of young men and women who were arriving on Saints Damien and Marianne land in order to spend a few days of retreat away from the business of Honolulu’s everyday life.

Their demeanors were calm and reflective as they stepped off the plane, befitting the purpose of their coming. That would change somewhat as soon as they hit the town. Later that morning Meli and I returned to the airport, accompanied by two of the young men to collect the cargo of food they would consume in the next few

The day I lost my sole days. It was quite evident by the shipment that these young Christians had not come to fast ... at least from food anyway. Of course fasting takes many other forms.

In the morning of the second day they descended on St. Francis Church, armed with brooms, dust cloths, mops and their own youthful energy.

They went to work immediately (well almost immediately) dusting, sweeping and washing the interior of our church like it seldom has been done before. They expended much energy in their efforts and shed a lot of perspiration in the

process.

I was in my house when suddenly two of the young men burst through the door, wearing masks.

Initially I thought that they had come to fumigate me but, as I discovered,

they had actually come to clean the walls of my bathroom which frequently become afflicted with mold.

After they had completed wiping and scrubbing those walls, they emerged unscathed by the chemicals they had used and began cleaning the walls of the living room where the paint had been peeling off, like the whitewash on the walls of an Irish cottage, or some poor quality breakfast corn flakes.

These walls had not been very appealing.

The third day dawned bright, sunny and quite warm. Still, instead of swim time, it was time for more service work.

So we hit the rocky road to Kalawao (and it hit back) and made our way to St. Philomena, the church built

by St. Damien.

There the young ladies, led by Meli, swept, dusted and mopped the floor from door to door, while the young men joined me in the graveyard outside in an effort to clean up the graves.

It was then that it happened. As I flexed whatever muscles I had left, I felt a pull on my right foot and, on looking down, saw that the sole of my long-serving right shoe was flapping from toe to heel like the wing of a silly goose. These shoes had accompanied me to Kalaupapa six years, nine months and six days prior to this day. They had car-

ried me to the Kauhako crater on numerous occasions. Now no string or ribbon could save my sole and by the time we had finished our work, it had departed from my shoe. It had given its all in service.

Its work was completed.

The young men and women of Singles for Christ had enjoyed their service days for the church and the next day we joined them at St. Philomena for Sunday Mass celebrated by their chaplain, Marianist Father Patrick McDaid.

They sang with great fervor and gusto and, while they had come to Kalaupapa as part of their desire to better themselves and save their souls, they also inspired us resident older ones in our mission to save our own souls and other souls as well.

Aloha.

Anchor columnist Father Patrick Killilea, SS.CC., is pastor of St. Francis Parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

The hard-working young men and women of the Singles for Christ group assist in cleaning up the graveyard at St. Philomena Church in Kalawao while Father Patrick Killilea, SS.CC., far right, attempts to save his sole. (Photo courtesy of Father Killilea) April 19, 2019 â€

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Bishop da Cunha explains plight of migrants, Church’s responsibility to advocate for them

By Dave Jolivet

JolivetDB@comcast.net

ATTLEBORO — For many years the plight of immigrants seeking to enter the United States and other countries to escape a plethora of dangers and to provide for their families in safety and peace has made headlines. There are also many opinions on this topic running the full spectrum: those who feel for these people and want to help and those who see them as people looking for something for nothing and taking away jobs.

Regardless of what one’s opinion is of the immigration situation, a Christian response is what is expected from the Church and on April 4 Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. gave a presentation at La Salette Shrine in the Welcome Center titled: “Responding to Immigrants in Our Midst,” sponsored by the Pax Christi chapter based at the shrine.

The evening was planned to help answer the question of “how should we respond to the plight of the immigrant seeking refuge and a new life in the United States.”

The bishop carefully and thoughtfully laid out a response in a

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† April 19, 2019

PowerPoint presentation.

He called attention to the fact that countries have the right to secure their borders, to screen who comes across the borders, to keep out terrorists and other criminals, and to protect and keep their citizens safe.

Bishop da Cunha also explained that people have the right to survival and support their families, the right to a decent and peaceful life, to be safe from persecution and violence, to migrate to achieve these other rights, and to life with dignity in their own homeland.

There are some immigration detractors who feel the Church is “meddling” in a political situation.

Bishop da Cunha responded to that by saying that the Church “needs to be involved because the issue of immigration concerns the life and dignity of human beings. Since this involves morality and the Church has the obligation to speak on moral issues and to speak against anything that is unethical, immoral and that involves the life and wellbeing of people.”

Pope Francis put it very plainly and succinctly: “Being a migrant is not a crime. They are not a danger,

they are in danger.”

The bishop went on to explain that the Catholic Church herself is an immigrant church in the U.S. and “is compelled to raise her voice on behalf of those who are marginalized and whose God-given rights are not respected.” He also referenced a number of passages in Scripture that reference problems faced by immigrants and the Christian responsibility to help these people.

Bishop da Cunha said that the Catholic Church believes that current immigration laws and policies often lead to “undermining of immigrants’ dignity and have kept families apart.”

The numbers regarding immigration worldwide are staggering. It’s estimated that the number of international migrants has swelled to 200 million people. More that 65 million persons are forcibly displaced across the world and that 11,000 children lose their homes everyday.

With the Catholic Church rooted in a history of immigration, many documents, in the U.S. and beyond, have been prepared by the Church to deal with immigration issues and the need for the Church and her

members to “welcome the stranger.”

The causes of immigration are many, including extreme poverty; danger from drug lords and dealers; government oppression; ethnic, religious and race prejudices; and lack of natural resources.

Some of the problems faced by immigrants are being able to enter the country in the first place. Bishop da Cunha explained that “Close family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents must wait years for a visa to be reunited.

And, our nation’s border enforcement strategies have been ineffective and have led to the death of thousands of migrants.”

He further stated that backlogs of available visas for family members result in waits of 20-plus years. “The bishops call for a reduction of the pending backlog and more visas available for family reunification purposes,” he said.

Bishop da Cunha indicated that “In recent years, immigrants have been subject to laws and policies that debase our country’s fundamental commitment to individual liberties and due process. These laws and policies, including detention 8 Turn to page 16

St. John Vianney’s incorrupt heart relic coming to diocese FALL RIVER — The incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney will be visiting the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, 327 Second Street in Fall River, on Easter Monday, April 22.

A special Liturgy to welcome the relic will be celebrated at 7 p.m. by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., followed by viewing and veneration of the relic until 10 p.m.

The relic will remain at

St. Mary’s Cathedral for the following morning, April 23, with additional viewing and veneration hours from 7 to 11 a.m.

The Shrine of Ars in France has made this major first-class relic available for a national tour in the United States.

In Catholic tradition, a relic is an object associated with a saint that may be offered to the faithful for veneration. Since the soul of

a saint is united with God in Heaven, an object associated with a saint is meant to draw a person closer to God. The teaching of the Church is very clear that we are never to worship anything or anyone other than God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Born in a small village in France in 1786, John Vianney and his family suffered through the dark years of the French Revolution, when the

faith was attacked, churches were destroyed, and bishops, priests and religious were martyred. This hardship only increased John’s desire to serve Jesus and His people.

After the Reign of Terror ended in France, young John entered the seminary, where he met more obstacles.

He found studies difficult, struggling especially with Latin, and was about to be dismissed from the seminary when an official of his diocese interceded.

The vicar general said that he should continue his studies and “the grace of God will do the rest.” At John Vianney’s ordination in 1815, the vicar general said, “The Church wants not only learned priests but, even more, holy ones.”

Father Vianney was assigned to the small farming community of Ars, whose parish consisted of 260 people. He undertook a life of heroic penance and prayer to draw his people away from sin and closer to God. Known for his wise Spiritual counsels and the gift of

reading hearts, he soon became a “prisoner” of the confessional, hearing Confessions for up to 18 hours a day, as people came from across Europe and beyond to see him.

Father John Vianney died on Aug. 4, 1859, at the age of 73. Nearly 1,000 people attended his funeral, including the bishop and priests of the diocese.

On Oct. 3, 1873, Pope Pius IX proclaimed him venerable, and on Jan. 8, 1905, St. Pius X beatified him. St. John Vianney was canonized

by Pope Pius XI on May 31, 1925. In 1929, the Holy Father declared him patron of parish priests. His feast day is August 4.

The Knights of Columbus is hosting the tour and welcomes this special opportunity to view and venerate this relic of the patron of parish priests, whose holiness and integrity is a model for clergy and laity alike.

For more information about St. John Vianney and the relic tour, visit www. kofc.org/vianney.

The heart of St. John Vianney was taken from the saint’s body after his death in recognition of his burning love for God and humanity. It has remained intact, or incorrupt, for more than 150 years.

April 19, 2019 †

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If I had a dollar for every …

here’s an old expression: “I wish a had a dollar for every ... then I’d be a millionaire.”

Well, ironically enough, I wish I had a dollar every time I have started with an old expression in my column over the last 20 years — then I’d be a millionaire.

This example may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are a plethora of other life instances where this just may be the case — or maybe a compilation of them. Just for giggles, let’s start: I wish I had a dollar for every prescription drug commercial that comes on television over the course of a day. Even more accurately, I wish I had a dollar for every potential side effect these drugs carry along with them.

I wish I had a dollar for every commercial during every National Football League game.

I wish I had a dollar for every red light I hit when I am in a hurry to get from point A to point B. And conversely, when I’m early and wish to take my time, it’s green, green, green!

I wish I had a dollar for every minute I’ve spent waiting behind someone at a cash register purchasing a deck of cards’ worth of scratch tickets and, adding insult to injury, they pick and choose the 52 different potential money-makers morphing the five-minute process into a 10- to 12

15-minute agonizing wait.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve been bitten by a mosquito while outside in the great outdoors with a group of people, who, after hours of enjoying Mother Nature, come away with nary a nibble on them. I have always been mosquito bait — so much so, that when I’m outside with family they eschew bug repellant and simply ask that I sit several yards away from them.

I wish I had a dollar for every meal I’ve prepared and the smoke alarm is triggered, forcing me to grab a dining room chair and remove the annoying noise box.

And just to be clear, it’s not because I’m a bad cook and burn my delicacies. It’s just that the safety feature was placed on the ceiling a few feet

† April 19, 2019

from the stove top — not so well though-out if you ask me. Unless of course it was done purposely for the very effect it produces.

I wish I had a dollar for every coupon

I’ve clipped that expired one day before I attempt to redeem them. But this one can be a my-bad moment, since I rarely read the expiration date on the coupons partly because I’m lazy, and partly because I can no longer see such tiny lettering.

I wish I had a dollar for every politician who has cut down another person to gain popularity and votes from a public they believe are nothing but chattel. And

that goes for conservatives, moderates and liberals.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I gave up on my local sports teams when they were behind late in games, and then watch as they steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Especially when I post it on Facebook, only to have to eat my post at game’s end. That’s what happens when you’re not a glassis-half-full kind of guy.

I’m not a glass-is-halfempty person either, I’m more of a “the glass is broken” kind of pessimist.

There are myriad annoyances in day-to-

day life that at times irritate us, or at least me, when in truth, there are so many people in this world whose lives are filled with pain, fear and hopelessness. It makes me ashamed to complain about such trivial occurrences.

But there is one certain million-dollar maker. I wish I had a dollar for every transgression I’ve committed that the Almighty has forgiven and forgotten.

For that, I’m much more than a millionaire. Such unconditional mercy from a loving God is beyond monetary gain.

It’s downright priceless.

So count me as being a rich man. jolivetdb@comcast.net

www.anchornews.org

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Easter Sunday, April 21 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Celebrant is Most Rev. Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of the Fall River Diocese

Sunday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Thomas C. Lopes, a retired priest of the Fall River Diocese

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Easter Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church in Fall River

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, April 28 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford

Bishops speak out against abortion legislation

A statement of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts The Massachusetts State Legislature will consider passing into law two deeply troubling bills this legislative session. They are identical in text but differ slightly in their titles. The first, (HB 3320) is “An Act removing obstacles and expanding access to women’s reproductive health.”

The second, (SB 1209) is “An Act to remove obstacles and expand abortion access.” Combined they share the same acronym — ROE. The supporters of these bills argue the proposed changes to Massachusetts law are simply intended to protect a woman’s right to an abortion in the event the United States Supreme Court overturns the 1973 decision in the case of Roe v. Wade. However, in reality these bills would create a significant expansion of current Massachusetts state law. More specifically, ROE would: 1) Allow abortions during the nine months of pregnancy for virtually any reason.

2) Eliminate any requirements that abortions be performed in a hospital.

3) Eliminate the requirement that provides medical care to a child who survives an abortion attempt.

4) Eliminate the requirement that a minor under the age of 18 have the consent of a parent, guardian, or the courts.

5) Provide state funding for women who cannot afford the procedure.

In order to understand the serious moral questions raised concerning the protection of human life, the specific wording of the bills must be examined closely. For example, that examination is particularly significant while considering the language that would allow for an abortion in the third trimester of a pregnancy. The two bills state in part: “A physician, acting within their lawful scope of practice, may perform an abortion when, according to the physician’s best medical judgment based on the facts of the patient’s case, the patient is beyond 24 weeks from the commencement of pregnancy and the abortion is necessary to protect the patient’s life or physical or mental health, or in cases of lethal fetal anomalies, or where the fetus is incompatible with sustained life outside the uterus. Medical judgement may be exercised in the light of all factors — physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the person’s age — relevant to the well-being of the patient” (HB 3320, lines 27-33; SB 1209, lines 25-32).

In just these two sentences, the bills would make extreme changes to Massachusetts law.

In addition to aborting infants with fetal anomalies or where the fetus is incompatible with sustained life outside of the uterus, it allows physicians to perform abortions up until birth for myriad of undefined reasons (ie: physical, emotional, psychological, familial, age) to protect a woman’s life, physical health or mental health. The result would become abortion on demand for the full term of pregnancy.

The Catholic Church has always upheld the dignity of human life and spoken out against abortion at all stages of pregnancy. As Bishops we are encouraged by the most recent statistics which clearly indicate that the rate of abortions in both this state and across the country has significantly decreased over the past 40 years. In fact, the rates today are 50 percent lower than the rates in 1980. However, at a time when the overall number of abortions have decreased, society cannot now accept such an egregious attack on human life as these bills would provide.

Therefore, we, the Roman Catholic Bishops of the four Dioceses of Massachusetts, call on our elected officials to carefully consider the consequences that these bills would bring to the lives of infants, parents, families and the citizens of the Commonwealth. We urge all people of good will, regardless of what faith they practice, to vigorously oppose these extreme measures.

For more information, visit: www.macatholic.org/news-article/let-your-voice-be-heard-say-no-expanded-abortion-massachusetts This page instructs anyone who wants to voice their opposition to the two bills that would expand abortion, and how they can contact members of the legislature. It also sets out the five most troubling aspects of the bills, which can be used by individuals to stress specific areas of concern when they contact their senators and representatives.

April 19, 2019 †

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Be not afraid

ook down a bit. Right there in the center of the article. See it? Next to my photo. Yup, those three simple little words, superimposed over the picture of St. John Paul II. “Be Not Afraid.” It’s the official title of this column. It’s been there all along. Ever notice it before? What does it mean?

“Be Not Afraid,” is probably a phrase that we’ve heard many times in our lives. In the hymn of the same name, we sing, “Be not afraid, I go before you always. Come follow Me, and I will give you rest.”

“Be not afraid” is a phrase I have learned that is repeated more than 300 times in the Gospels. And it is a phrase that was sounded by the late St. John Paul II, especially in his consistent message to the youth of the world over the last quarter century of his life: “Be not afraid, young people. Get up, Jesus is calling you! He’s your Creator; He’s your Redeemer; He has a plan for your lives. Give yourselves to Him; give yourselves to others out of love for Him, and discover the truth that will set you free — the truth that will guide you through this earthly existence and into God’s eternal Kingdom.”

It was in his very first address as pope on Oct. 16, 1978, that St. John Paul II, appearing on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square right after being elected, said (at least three times) to all of us, “Be not afraid.”

I believe that our young people — and all of us, for that matter — could relate to what St. John Paul II said because he so fearlessly practiced what he preached. He dodged Nazis and then the communists when he grew up in Poland.

He studied for the priesthood in secrecy. He challenged communism, suffered an assassination attempt and went home to the Father after facing a long and debilitating illness.

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He was tough — physically, mentally and morally. He was unyielding in his beliefs. It is, therefore, a fitting title for this column.

It is also an ongoing message that needs to be repeated today and every day to everyone, but especially the young.

Be Not Afraid. Today we live in a society where even the most innocent are sometimes treated as disposable objects.

Be Not Afraid. Many abuse themselves with food, drugs, sex and alcohol. Be Not Afraid.

Many live with broken relationships and broken promises and broken lives. Be Not Afraid. Hungry and lonely. Be Not Afraid.

Out of work, out of savings, out of time. Be Not Afraid.

Afraid? Be Not Afraid.

There is no doubt that things are tough right now.

We are all waiting for the next shoe to drop. We’re all a bit afraid. Time and time again, however, when we join together as a people, as Christian people, we can make a difference in the world! It is this very spirit of prayer, self-giving and of caring and service to others that will get us through these difficult times. But to make it through, we need to set our sights on someone greater than ourselves. The reason St. John Paul II was not afraid, is that he set his sights

† April 19, 2019

on Christ. We must do the same.

St. John Paul II also stated in his first address: “Be not afraid to welcome Christ. Be not afraid. Rather, open wide the doors to Christ! Open the frontiers of your states to Christ’s power of Salvation, your economic systems as well as the political ones, the wide fields of culture, of civilization, of development. Be not afraid!”

At the conclusion of his homily at his Inaugural Mass, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI continued the message of St. John Paul II when he said, “At this point, my mind goes back to Oct. 22 1978, when Pope John Paul II began his ministry here in St. Peter’s Square.

His words on that occasion constantly echo in my ears: ‘Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!’ The pope [JPII] was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let Him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, He would certainly have taken

something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom to do as they pleased. But He would not have taken away anything that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society. The pope [JPII] was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? And once again the pope [JPII] said: ‘No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing ... absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He

takes nothing away, and He gives you everything. When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundred-fold in return. Yes, open wide the doors to Christ, and you will find true life.’”

Pope Francis in his address to the young people at World Youth Day XXVIII, continued the theme when he said to those gathered in Rio, “Do not be afraid. Some people might think: ‘I have no particular preparation, how can I go and proclaim the Gospel?’ My dear friend, your fear is not so very different from that of Jeremiah when he was called by God to be a prophet. ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.’

God says the same thing to you as He said to Jeremiah: ‘Be not afraid ... for I am with you to deliver you’ (Jer 1:7,8). He is with us!”

Amen.

Frank Lucca is a deacon in the Diocese of Fall River, a youth minister at St. Dominic Parish in Swansea and St. George Parish in Westport, and a campus minister at UMass Dartmouth. He is married to his wife of 40 years, Kristine, and the father of two daughters and their husbands, and three grandsons. So blessed!

Comments, ideas or suggestions? Please email him at DeaconFrankLucca@ comcast.net.

For and About Our Church Youth The Business Club at Bishop Stang High School had a strong presence at the UMass Dartmouth Titan Challenge on March 14, hosted by Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts. The team of Clinton Hegarty of Westport, and George Brown and Ben Markert of Portsmouth, R.I., won the day and received first place overall. Each member of the team earned a $1,000 scholarship for the college of their choice, which is doubled if the students choose to attend UMass Dartmouth. The faculty coordinator of the Business Club at Bishop Stang, Edna McKenna, was pleased to have seven teams from Bishop Stang enter the competition this year.

Pictured here, at left from left, are Jeff Pelletier, executive director of Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts; winning team members George Brown, Ben Markert and Clinton Hegarty; and Michael Patacao, chairman of Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts.

(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Golden)

Kindergarten students at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford recently celebrated the 100th day of school by pretending they were 100 years old. The children came dressed with rolled-down stockings, gray hair, mustaches, canes, and glasses hanging around their necks. Pictured below are students Mason, Jacob, and Juliana in their ‘old’ attire.

(Photo courtesy of Margaret McCormick)

The Pre-K students from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently collected crafts and teeth hygiene items for New Hope as their seventh annual Lenten Service Project. According to Pre-K teacher Mrs. Kim Cavanaugh, “The goal of the project is almsgiving during Lent. We try to help the children understand that there are others who are in need and we try for items that they understand and can pick out with their parents. This has been a great year, we have nine baskets of items to share along with eight boxes of diapers.” Pictured above with the students and their baskets are Pre-K teacher Kim Cavanaugh; Liza Packer, New Hope Prevention Educator; and Pre-K teacher Tammy O’Malley. (Photo courtesy of Gina Cuccovia-Simoneau) April 19, 2019 †

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Third annual Religious Brothers Day to be observed May 1

FALL RIVER — On the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, the universal Church will observe the third annual Religious Brothers Day. This observance offers an opportunity to celebrate and offer gratitude for the gift of Religious Brotherhood. All are invited “to shed light on the identity of the Religious Brother and the value and necessity of this vocation” as called for in the Vatican document, “Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church.”

Brothers belong to religious communities of men who are committed to live and work together for the educational service of the young and for service to those on the margins.

Brothers respond to

God’s call giving themselves completely to Jesus Christ, through the specific charism, mission and responsibilities the Church has entrusted to them in the Religious Congregation they are attracted to and called to join.

There are currently 88 congregations or institutes of Religious Brothers in the United States, with eight represented in the Fall River Diocese.

Those working here include the Congregation of the Holy Cross; the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; the Franciscans; the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate; the Institute of the Incarnate Word; the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette; and the Society of Divine Vocations.

Just as it was during previous centuries, the Brothers continue to dedicate their entire lives to God in the ministry of service to the poor, of healing the infirm, of intercession and of teaching.

A Brothers’ life is marked by daily meditation, community prayer, Liturgy and the life-giving support of the religious community, enabling the Brothers to infuse the world of today, especially the poor, the infirm and the young with the Gospel.

All are invited to pray for religious orders and to share in promoting Religious Brothers Day on social media with hashtag #religiousbrothersday or by visiting the page www.facebook.com/ religiousbrothersday.

Bishop discusses plight of migrants in La Salette presentation continued from page 10

for months without charges, secret hearings, and ethnic profiling.”

He called for a broadbased legalization “for those in this country without proper immigration documentation, opportunities should be provided for them to obtain legalization if they can demonstrate good moral character and have built up equities in this country.

Such an ‘earned’ legalization should be achievable and independently verifiable.”

In summary, Bishop da Cunha told those in attendance that the Church’s position includes: n Global anti-poverty efforts, so that immigrants do not have to leave their homes our of necessity; n A reduction in the backlogs of the family-based 16

visa system; n A temporary worker program that actually provides paths to legal residency for laborers and better protection of their rights; n An earned path to legalization for the undocumented already here so that they can responsibly take their place in a line that will not take years to process (i.e. not necessarily amnesty); and n A restoration of due process for immigrants who are here without papers, such as those seeking asylum.

Some of the documents establishing the Church’s position on migrants include: n “Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity,” (USCCB – No-

† April 19, 2019

vember 2000); n “Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,” (U.S./Mexico bishops, 2003); and n “Erga migrantes caritas Christi” (“The Love of Christ towards immigrants) (Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People,” Vatican, 2004).

“We call upon all people of good will, but Catholics especially, to welcome the newcomers in their neighborhoods and schools, in their places of work and worship, with heartfelt hospitality, openness, and eagerness both to help and to learn from our brothers and sisters, of whatever race, religion, ethnicity, or background” (“Welcoming the Stranger Among Us”).

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks 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, 1859 April 22 Rev. James L. Smith, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1910 Rev. Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Pastor, St. Mary, Nantucket, 1954 April 25 Rev. John J. Wade, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1940 Rev. Raymond J. Lynch, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 1955 April 26 Rev. Ubalde Deneault, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1982 Rev. James F. Greene, Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford, 2002 April 27 Rev. Francis J. Bradley, D.D., Retired Rector St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River, 1925 Rev. Romeo D. Archambault, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1949 Rev. Edward F. O’Keefe, S.J., retired, St. Francis Xavier, Boston, 1973 April 28 Rev. Stanislaus J. Goyette, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea, 1959 April 29 Rev. James Leo Maguire, Pastor, Diocese of Monterey, Calif., 1987 Rev. Adolph Szelagowksi, OFM Conv., Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1989 Rev. Peter P. Mullen, M.M., Maryknoll Missioner, 1999 April 30 Rev. John A. Hurley, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1900 Rev. David F. Sheedy, Pastor, St. John Evangelist, Attleboro, 1930 Rev. John Moda, Pastor, St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Ford City, Pa., 1993 May 1 Rev. Francis J. Quinn, Founder, Immaculate Conception, North Easton; Founder, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1882 Rev. Joseph F. D’Amico, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Oak Bluffs, 1996 Rev. Walter A. Sullivan, Pastor, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1997 May 2 Rt. Rev. Msgr. M.P. Leonidas Lariviere, Pastor, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1963

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or waynepowers@ anchornews.org

“Y

oung people do not ask the Church for anything because they do not see her as significant in their lives” [CV40].

This was the conclusion that came from the Synod on Youth and Young Adults that took place last fall. Pope Francis did not try to whitewash this sentiment in Christus Vivit, the post-synodal exhortation. Instead, he put the blame where it belongs: “financial and sexual scandals; a clergy ill-prepared to engage effectively with the sensitivities of the young; lack of care in homily preparation,” and on it goes.

This is not a very optimistic view of the Church during this hopeful Easter season, but what better time than now? One wonders how we are going to turn this around and restore the Church to the vibrant symbol of Christ in the world. And yes, it is our Church to renew, not theirs.

We are taking action not for the youth, but with them.

Christus Vivit, Christ is Alive! This is the hope of our renewed Church. The good news is that the Church has been through this before and by the power of the Holy

The power of Cursillo Spirit, through the hands and hearts of ordinary and extraordinary people, she has been renewed. We do not have to look too far back in history to find our answer.

Not too long ago, when the western world was emerging from a half-century of war and economic disaster, the Church was teetering on the crumbling pedestal of monarchies that had supported her with wealth and temporal power.

Throughout Europe the Church was depleted by the rise of secularism and the political shift toward communism. Rising from the ashes of a dying Church came a surge of power from the laity. Emboldened by the Holy Spirit, Catholic Action organizations, filled with exuberant youth, fought against the rising tide of anticlericalism that had emptied the pews. The Spanish version of Catholic Action took an innovative path and built upon an existing structure that the Jesuits had brought into the Church. Shortening their eight-day Spiritual Exercises retreat into a more

accessible long weekend, the Cursillo emerged as a powerful movement in the Church.

Cursillo, Spanish for “short course,” became much more than a lesson in discipleship. It attracted people on the fringe of society in Spain, those who were poor and disaffected with the

Church, not the rich and powerful that the Church once courted. These people were in search of a more personal relationship with God and they found it in this four-day experience that presented to them stories of conversion from people just like themselves. Ironically, this movement that brought so much life into the Church started to disturb the hierarchy because the cursillista — those who had lived the Cursillo weekend — were empowered by the Holy Spirit to take control of their own Spirituality. One bishop

objected to the theology of grace that was emerging from the Cursillo reunion meetings because the laity expressed that they had a personal experience of the Holy Spirit.

In order to curtail the movement, a pastoral letter was issued which dictated that cursillistas should not make a personal Confession of their past life and conversion, and should not speak in public without a priest present. These restrictions drained some of the power out of the movement, but it could not stifle the Holy Spirit. The Cursillo movement found its way to the United States in the early 1960s and spread like wildfire. It became the fuel for an empowered laity in the Diocese of Fall River for decades.

There is much to learn from the history of the Cursillo movement, and much to be gained by renewing its influence in the diocese.

The Church will be renewed from the people up, not the top down. The Cursillo movement was once the

catalyst for the laity to bring into their parishes the joy and exuberance that comes from an encounter with Christ and His Holy Spirit.

Parishes benefitted from their commitment to service, but soon complained that the post-retreat reunions were drawing the people away.

Without the support of the parishes the movement lost its steam, and the diocese lost a powerful vehicle for evangelization.

The Synod on Youth made it clear that the Church has to stop standing in the way of effective ways of bringing people to Christ.

“It does not matter where they are coming from or what labels they have received, whether ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal,’ ‘traditional’ or ‘progressive.’ What is important is that we make use of everything that has borne fruit and effectively communicates the joy of the Gospel” [CV 205]. We are on the cusp of renewal in the Diocese of Fall River.

We are going to emerge as a strong and vibrant Church if we take responsibility for the renewal of our own relationship with Jesus, and then pay it forward to the people around us.

Don’t wait for the parish to figure this out, but get out there and do it yourself!

Make a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ.

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

April 19, 2019 †

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Around the Diocese A sale featuring a variety of new, used, vintage and fine jewelry plus jewelry cases, handbags, and more will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Julie Billiart Church Hall, 494 Slocum Road in North Dartmouth. The sale is sponsored by the Ladies Guild of St. Julie Billiart Parish.

A Divine Mercy Celebration will be held at St. Margaret Parish, 141 Main Street in Buzzards Bay, on Sunday, April 28 beginning at 3 p.m. featuring the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Our Lady of the Cape Parish invites all to a Divine Mercy celebration on Sunday, April 28. The celebration will take place as follows: 1:30 to 3 p.m. – Sacrament of Reconciliation; 2:50 p.m. – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; 3 p.m. – Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song, followed by Benediction, and then veneration of a relic of St. Faustina.

Our Lady of the Cape Church is located at 468 Stony Brook Road in Brewster. For more information, contact Kathy at 508-385-3252, ext.

14, or email adultfaithformation2@gmail.com.

The Feast of Divine Mercy will be celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, 4256 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, on Sunday, April 28 beginning at 3 p.m. with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Adoration, recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy based on the Sorrowful Mysteries, and Benediction. Refreshments and pastry will be served immediately following in the parish center.

All are welcome to a spring Day of Silence with the Masters on Saturday, May 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. John Neumann Church, 157 Middleboro Road in East Freetown. Come spend some time in silence reflecting on the teachings of St. Josemaría Escrivá, whose teachings are especially relevant to those with full and busy lives who want to infuse a deep Spirituality into daily life as “contemplatives in the middle of the world.” For registration or more information, contact Karen Howard at klhoward@aol.com or 508-947-0193.

A Divine Mercy Cenacle group meets every Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 306 South Street in Somerset.

Meetings are held in the parish center, except for holidays. Meetings include formation on the Divine Mercy message from the “Diary of St. Faustina,” readings from the Bible and “Cathechism of the Catholic Church,” and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All are welcome.

For more information call 508-646-1019 or 508-672-1523.

St. Anthony of Padua Church on Bedford Street in Fall River will host a recitation of the Holy Rosary and Litany with the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Monday evening at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call the rectory at 508-673-2402.

Holy Rosary Fraternity Gatherings are held in the hall of St. Jude the Apostle Church, 249 Whittenton Street in Taunton on the second Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call 508-695-5430.

The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program needs more team couples — both newly-married and veterans (age is not a consideration) who would like to enrich their Marriage while helping engaged couples prepare for their lifetime together. The Diocesan Marriage Preparation program meets in three locations: Mansfield, Dartmouth and Harwich on Cape Cod. In each location there is a team of volunteers that facilitate three to five sessions per year. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, please contact Claire McManus at 508-6782828, ext. 19, or email cmcmanus@dfrcs.org.

To submit an event for consideration in The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing, please send the information by email to kensouza@anchornews.org.

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Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ASSONET — St. Bernard’s Parish will have Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at the conclusion of 9 a.m. Mass and the church will be open all day, concluding with evening prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds 6:30 p.m. Mass followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Adoration at 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday evening.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John the Evangelist Church, North Main Street, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Adoration Chapel at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every First Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending at 5 p.m.

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 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of Padua Church, on the corner of Bedford and Sixteenth streets, has Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by music and prayer every first Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m.

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., and Thursdays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Friday at 8 a.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.

FALL RIVER — St. Joseph’s Church has a Holy Hour every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., with Benediction at 6:45 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Michael’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday following the 7 a.m. Mass, with Benediction at 4:30 p.m.

HYANNIS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, 347 South Street, Hyannis, has Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 3 p.m., daily Monday through Friday.

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

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Each First Friday Mass ends with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration continues until Benediction at 5 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday, with Confessions, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church. 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 Fridays from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 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 4 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 4 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

NORTH EASTON — A Holy Hour for Families including Eucharistic Adoration is held every Friday from 3-4 p.m. at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street.

NORTH EASTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Immaculate Conception Church Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, until 6:40 p.m. Those wishing to make a monthly commitment can sign up on the parish website at www.icceaston.org or call the parish office at 508-238-3232.

ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Parish, 61 Canal Road, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday starting after the 8 a.m.

Mass and ending with Benediction at 11:45 a.m. The Sacrament of the Sick is also available immediately after the 8 a.m.

Mass.

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.

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 until 9 a.m.

Taunton — The Chapel of St. Andrew the Apostle, 19 Kilmer Avenue, Taunton, will host Eucharistic Adoration Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Taunton — St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton will host Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 9 a.m. Mass and the St. Jude Novena, until 11:30, ending with Benediction. It will take place at Holy Rosary Chapel during the summer months.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church takes place 9 a.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday. 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.

Obituaries † Memorials John Ferreira, grandfather of Father Christopher M. Peschel TAUNTON — John Ferreira Jr., 85, died peacefully in his own home on Sunday, April 7, after several years of illness. His devotion to his Catholic faith and his love for family sustained him throughout this time and brought him a great sense of consolation.

John was born in Taunton to the late John and Laura (DeMoura) Ferreira on May 28, 1933 and called Taunton home for his entire life. He was immersed in the Catholic community of his hometown from an early age and was a proud graduate of Msgr.

Coyle High School, class of 1951. After high school he

entered the U.S. Army during the Korean War and returned to Taunton when the war ended. He got his first and only job at the former Robertson Curtain Factory in Taunton, where after decades of dedicated employment he worked his way up to becoming the vice president of manufacturing, a job that he retired from several years ago.

In his retirement, John enjoyed traveling the world with his former work colleagues, and particularly preferred destinations that were warm and had plenty of sun.

John also enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren

and took a keen interest in their lives and activities.

John was known for playing host and in true Portuguese style, cooking a spread at holidays and special occasions that would take a small army to consume. John was a life member of the Taunton Elks Lodge and was a charter member of the St. Paul’s Council of the Knights of Columbus. Most importantly, retirement afforded John the ability to practice his faith on a daily basis. He quickly became a regular at the 7 a.m. weekday Mass at St. Mary’s Church, the Monday evening Novena at St. Andrew’s Church, and various other

activities and devotions in the churches of Taunton and beyond. John lived his life for Heaven, and we pray that is a place that he enjoys for eternity.

John was preceded in death by his sister and brother Barbara and Richard Ferreira, as well as his former wife Geraldine (Gouveia) Crocker. He is survived by his longtime companion Eduardina LaPointe and his three children, Linda Peschel-Forte of Taunton, Jay Ferreira and his companion Payton Brant of Taunton, and Joan Ferreira and her companion Aaron Menice of West Palm Beach, Fla. He

is also survived by his seven grandchildren, Michelle Alexander, Father Christopher M. Peschel, Gregory Peschel, Amanda Ferreira, Ashley Ferriera, Jonathon Peschel, and Michael Forte. John had one great-grandchild, Julian Peschel.

A funeral was held on Friday, April 12, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Andrew’s Church in Taunton. He was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, alongside his mother and father.

Donations in his name can be made to the Taunton Regional Dialysis Center, 1 Washington Street, Taunton, Mass.

Deacon Francis J. ‘Frank’ Camacho ESTERO, Fla. — Deacon Francis J. “Frank” Camacho, 81, of Estero, Fla. died unexpectedly on Tuesday, March 26. He was born April 23, 1937 in Cambridge, the only child of the late Frank and Louise (Silviera) Camacho. He had been a resident of Estero for the past 24 years, coming from Cape Cod. He graduated from Rindge Technical High School in Cambridge. After graduation, Deacon Camacho enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served his country from 1955 through 1959.

He would spend the next 37 years working for the Federal Government. While working for the General Services Administration during the day, he attended night school at Northeastern University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1979.

He retired as the assistant regional administrator for the GSA. He was responsible for all programs associated with federal buildings in the New England area including land acquisitions, the building of new federal buildings, leasing space and maintaining them to house federal

agencies.

He was a member and deacon at Our Lady of Light Catholic Community in Fort Myers, Fla. He was also named their director of Liturgy with the responsibility of planning and implementing all parish Liturgies.

Deacon Camacho was first ordained on June 7, 1980 in the Diocese of Fall River by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin. He would serve at Our Lady of the Cape in Brewster, Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, and as the assistant director of the Diaconate in Dartmouth.

After moving to Bonita Springs, Fla., Deacon Camacho was incardinated on April 22, 2003 by thenBishop John J. Nevins in the Diocese of Venice. He served at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs and was named parish administrator for a 90-day period until a permanent administrator could be named.

He was elected president of the Diaconate Council and held that position for six years. He was also the director of formation and the director of diaconate personnel, where he was responsible to the bishop in all phases of Life and Ministry Programs in the diocese, according to the National Directory.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Lillian B. Camacho, who died May 14,

2018; a son, Joseph Camacho who died in 1964; and a daughter, Barbara Peters who died in 2014.

He is survived by three children, Leo Almeida of Fargo, N.D.; Susan C. Franze and her husband, William of Brewster; and Francine E. Camacho of South Yarmouth; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at Our Lady of Light Catholic Community in Fort Myers.

Memorial contributions in his memory be made to the Our Lady of Light Memorial Fund, 19680 Cypress View Drive, Fort Myers, Fla. 33967.

Additional services will be held on Cape Cod with burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery in South Dennis.

Deacon Bernard Theroux memorial service BRISTOL, R.I. — A memorial service will be held to honor Deacon Bernard Theroux, who passed away at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River on February 12.

A Mass in celebration of a life well-lived, will be held on Saturday, April 27 beginning at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 330 Wood Street, Bristol, R.I., with a short reception following Mass in the church hall.

Remembrance donations in the deacon’s honor may be sent to: St. Mary’s Church, 330 Wood Street, Bristol, R.I. 02809.

Deacon “Bernie” had a 35-year career in service at the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home, most notably as chaplain and director of Volunteer Services.

All are welcome to join this service to honor a life so beautifully lived.

April 19, 2019 †

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Anchor expiration date EXAMPLE FALL RIVER — New mailing labels (right) are now printed on all Anchor publications, along with the notice of a $25 subscription amount beginning at renewal time.

Below is a sample of the label that shows when the subscription expires allowing readers to renew to keep their subscriptions active. If no payment is received within 30 days of the expiration date, The Anchor will send one reminder notice at a later date. NOTE: We cannot accept credit card payments by phone.

Subscriber name Subscriber Street Address Subscriber City/Town/Zip Code

A subscription to The Anchor would make a wonderful gift for a loved one, a friend, or yourself. It’s a publication that provides a Spiritual uplift and keeps Catholics connected to our Church — locally and beyond.

One-year subscription — $25 Two-year subscription — $45 Name: _____________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ City: ____________________ State: _____ Zip: ___________ if given as a gift, the card should read: From: _____________________________________________ Street: ____________________________________________ City-State: _________________________________________ Enclose check or money order and mail to: The Anchor, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720

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† April 19, 2019