04.24.09

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , April 24, 2009

Diocesan priest-professor gets prestigious grant to study Buddhism

“The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts” — a Buddhist saying.

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

WESTPORT — Catholics can learn much about the practical techniques of meditation from Buddhism, especially in how to be in constant prayer as

Father Leonard P. Hindsley

Christ taught, said Father Leonard P. Hindsley, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Westport and professor of humanities at Providence College.

“Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions and while it is particularly appealing to many people because of its monastic prayer techniques, so is our Catholic faith which has its own mantra, with our “Jesus prayer” filled with compassion and non-violence,” said the 59-year-old Dominican priest who was incardinated into the Fall River Diocese a few years ago.

Father Hindsley’s chat with The Anchor followed his notification earlier this month that he had been given a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to participate in a three-week summer institute beginning June 1 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.

“I am one of 25 who will be Turn to page 18

Grassroots action urgently needed to defend parents rights

By Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — Parents opposed to public school programs that push same-sex indoctrination were relieved to hear their state taxes may not have to subsidize them again next year.

But pro-family activists warn that grassroots action is needed now more than ever to defend parents’ rights to personally explain sexuality to their children. These rights, so integral to religious freedom, face hostile challenges on both the state and national level.

In fact, an Obama Administration Homeland Security Report is-

sued April 7 actually refers to opposition to abortion and redefining marriage as potential sources of “right-wing violence.”

“The president’s rhetoric should sound an alarm with our community leaders,” said Victor Pap, executive director of the grassroots group Catholic Citizenship, which promotes lay involvement in civic life. “If calling those who promote and protect life ‘extremists’ doesn’t spur the complacent to action, then nothing short of government regulation of Canon Law will,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state budget shortfall evidently played a part in Turn to page 18

CALVARY ON THE CANAL — Forty-four members of ECHO of Cape Cod walked the 6.3 miles of the Cape Cod Canal on Good Friday saying the Stations of the Cross. Thanks to their efforts ECHO mailed a check for $500 to Matthew 25 House in Haiti to help rebuild houses destroyed by the hurricanes of last summer. This was the 33rd year of the Canal Walk sponsored by Diakonos, Inc., an IRS approved non-profit, non-denominational social justice organization. (Photo courtesy of Katy Fuller)

Catholic Conferences inspire thousands Men hear stirring messages

Women celebrate their faith

CHESTNUT HILL — For many of the estimated 2,000 attendees at the fifth annual Boston Catholic Men’s Conference held April 18, it was the second coming of Christ that drew them to Boston College’s Conte Forum.

Actually it was the return appearance of actor Jim Caviezel, best known for portraying Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” who once again served as one of the conference’s keynote Turn to page 13

CHESTNUT HILL — Thousands of women from across the archdiocese assembled April 19 for a day of faith and inspiration at the 2009 Boston Catholic Women’s Conference.

The day-long conference, “Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart,” drew 2,500 women to Boston College’s Conte Forum for a program that included four keynote addresses as well as liturgical celebrations for Divine Mercy Sunday.

Turn to page 20

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

Sarah Barrett Special to The Anchor

Annual Catholic Charities Appeal kicks off on May 1

By Michael J. Donly Diocesan Director of Development

FALL RIVER — “A shower and a meal seem like, you know, trivial to most people but when you don’t have it, it’s everything,” says Tim. “I was laid off because they got slow in the winter and I couldn’t pay my rent.

I had to live in my truck for three months.

You’re basically on the verge of giving up; you don’t want to live anymore. A place like this gives people hope,” he added.

“I was living in a battered women’s shelter before I came here,” said Jodi. “If it wasn’t for a place like this where would I have gone? After the battered women’s shelter I wouldn’t have been able to afford anything and would have been left in the streets

on my own.”

These quotes from Tim and Jodi, residents of two of the housing facilities run by the Diocese of Fall River, were offered as they held back tears of relief and thanks.

They are two of literally hundreds of men, women, and children who are housed in transitional and long-term housing facilities and programs by the Office of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Fall River.

The funds for such programs are the result of the annual Catholic Charities Appeal that gets underway May 1.

The springtime Appeal is an endeavor totally dependent upon the spirit, generosity, and efforts of parishioners in the 91 parish communities all across the Turn to page 19

News From the Vatican

2

April 24, 2009

Pope gets birthday celebration with song at general audience

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pilgrims from all over the world treated Pope Benedict XVI to an early birthday celebration during his April 15 weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

Before the pope gave a summary of his catechesis in English, audience members broke into a spontaneous rendition of “Happy Birthday, dear Benedict” followed by an encore with musical accompaniment by a Bavarian band present in the square. The pope smiled widely, waved and stood in appreciation.

Smaller groups of pilgrims also sang birthday greetings in their native languages at different moments during the audience. The pope celebrated his 82nd birthday April 16 and marked the fourth anniversary of his election as pope April 19.

Pope Benedict arrived at the Vatican by helicopter from Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, and returned to the papal villa by helicopter after the audience.

St. Peter’s Square was still decorated with some of the tulips, daffodils, pansies and flowering trees that were set up for the pope’s Easter morning Mass April 12.

The pope used his weekly general audience to underline the importance of celebrating the 50-day Easter season.

This festive, joyous period celebrates Christ’s definitive triumph over evil and death, the pope told the estimated 30,000 people in the square.

“To proclaim the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as a real, historic event, attested to by many authoritative witnesses, is so fundamental to our faith

The Anchor

and our Christian testimony,” he said.

It’s important to strongly assert the veracity of this historical event, he said, because today “there is no lack of people who try to negate the historicity (of Christ’s resurrection), reducing the Gospel account to a myth or a vision of the Apostles, and spreading old and worn-out theories as new and scientific.”

Jesus’ resurrection was not simply a coming back to life like, for example, Lazarus being raised from the dead, said the pope.

Jesus’ resurrection marks “an entrance into a new dimension of life meant to transform every human being, all of history and the whole cosmos,” he said.

“It illuminates our entire earthly pilgrimage including the human enigma of pain and death,” he said.

“Faith in the crucified and risen Christ lies at the heart of the whole Gospel message and is the central nucleus of our belief,” said Pope Benedict.

Jesus is gloriously alive “because he conquered the power of death and brought humanity to be in communion with God,” he said.

While the Resurrection is celebrated every Sunday all year long, Catholics should focus on its meaning and rejoice over it more intensely in the days immediately following Easter, the pope said.

He asked the faithful to bathe in the brilliant light of the resurrected Christ and to recognize that this joy is something that must be shared.

“We cannot keep this truth that changes everyone’s life just for ourselves: We have to be witnesses of divine love,” he said.

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TAKING A STAND — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson greets Pope Benedict XVI during the pope’s weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 15. Richardson signed a bill abolishing the death penalty in New Mexico. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

State’s decision to abolish death penalty marked at Colosseum

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

and signed the law. One thing at a time.”

“It is the result of our dialogue and prayer, and that of many others, that enabled him to see and to change his position,” the archbishop said. “There are better ways to protect citizens from bad guys than killing them.”

The archbishop pointed out, however, that it was not the Vatican or the Catholic Church that

and decided that life in prison, staying in a small cell 23 hours a day, “was worse than death.”

VATICAN CITY — For makAlso, the governor said, he ing what he described as “the was moved by the fact that some most difficult decision in my po130 people sentenced to death in litical life,” Gov. Bill Richardson the United States had been freed of New Mexico was given a frontin the past 10 years when it was row seat at a papal audience and discovered they were wrongly was to see Rome’s Colosseum lit convicted. up in honor of his state.

The fact that most people on Greeting Pope Benedict XVI death row are members of minorApril 15, Richardson asked him ity groups — “Africanto bless the silver olive branch given to him t is the result of our dialogue and American or Hispanic by the Community of prayer, and that of many others, like me,” he said — made him question the fairness Sant’Egidio in recognition of his decision March that enabled him to see and to change his of the system.

“Plus, my archbishop, 18 to sign a bill abolish- position,” the archbishop said. “There ing the death penalty in are better ways to protect citizens from a man who I deeply respect, was very active on New Mexico. bad guys than killing them.” this issue,” he said.

Archbishop Michael Archbishop Sheehan J. Sheehan of Santa Fe said he introduced the governor was honoring Richardson, but was asked at the press conference to Pope Benedict, saying, “Holy the Catholic lay Community of about the decision of some bishops to refuse to give Communion Father, this is our governor and Sant’Egidio.

At a press conference hosted to Catholic politicians, like Richhe just repealed the death penalty.” The archbishop added, “And by the community, Richardson ardson, who do not uphold certain the pope nodded very happily in said he was influenced by several Church teachings, particularly on people: state Rep. Gail Chasey, the sacredness of every human life. agreement.”

“I do not want to bring holy The Rome-based lay Com- who had been fighting to elimimunity of Sant’Egidio, which is nate the death penalty in New Communion into a situation that active in a worldwide campaign Mexico for more than a decade; makes it look like a penalty. I do to eliminate capital executions, the New Mexico Coalition to not think it is good to take the sachosted the governor’s visit and Repeal the Death Penalty; and rament of holy Communion and arranged the April 15 Colosseum “the archbishop and the Catholic make it a weapon in a context that Church, because they are very, is political,” he said. lighting with the city of Rome.

The archbishop said the Vatican Richardson, a Democrat and very influential in a Catholic state has “not been approaching politia Catholic, had been a supporter like New Mexico.”

After supporting the death cians who have a different view in of the death penalty; he also supports legalized abortion and em- penalty for years, Richardson that way, nor do I think we should bryonic stem-cell research, which said, “This is what changed: One, do it in the United States.”

I didn’t want America to continue At the same time, he said, he the Church opposes.

Archbishop Sheehan told being isolated,” being one of the will continue to defend the right Catholic News Service, “We were very few democracies still using of Church members, including bishops, to speak publicly about able to help him understand our capital punishment.

Second, he said, he visited a political issues that have a moral opposition to the death penalty and he did indeed change his view prison before making the decision implication.

“I

April 24, 2009

The International Church

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Former Paraguayan bishop, now president, admits to fathering child

HEALING HANDS — Dr. J.C. Doornick, a chiropractor from Port Chester, N.Y., examines a girl at a home for disabled children in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, in early April. Doornick is president of ChiroMission, a group of doctors that travels to foreign countries to treat underprivileged children.

(CNS photo/Chaz Muth)

U.S. doctors offer compassion, expertise to disabled Dominican youths

By Chaz Muth Catholic News Service

PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic — When Dr. J.C. Doornick brought his two young sons to the Dominican Republic, his primary focus was not to show the boys the beautiful beaches and tropical surroundings.

The Port Chester, N.Y., chiropractor also brought his wife and mother along with him to witness the volunteer work he does for the abandoned, disabled children in several Catholic-run institutions near the coastal town of Puerto Plata.

“I’ve been coming on these missions for the past six years, but this is the first time I’ve brought my family with me,” Doornick told Catholic News Service as he visited a Mustard Seed Communities home for orphaned and disabled children in the northern Dominican beach town. “I wanted them to see all of this and meet the people I come down here to help. I want them to have an appreciation of real poverty and understand there are ways we can all contribute to help make the lives of the people here better.”

The nonprofit Mustard Seed home is in part supported by the Diocese of Puerto Plata, whose bishop warmly embraced the fact that Doornick and the other doctors visiting from the nonprofit ChiroMission brought their family members with them.

“Thank you, thank you, for

coming along this time and spending time with the children here,” Bishop Julio Corniel Amaro told Jill Doornick, 66, of Rye, N.Y., who held a boy with Down syndrome.

As the child nestled in her arms and stroked her hair, Jill Doornick told the bishop that she was gaining more than she was giving and that her trip to watch her son’s volunteer work with ChiroMission was enlightening.

Then, as Jill Doornick — an acupuncturist whose office is within her son’s practice — set the boy down and watched him play ball with her five-year-old grandson, Jeremy, her smile broadened and her eyes filled with emotion.

“Jeremy sees this boy as a playmate, and he doesn’t realize yet what a life-changing experience this actually is for him,” she said. “This is a lesson in acceptance, compassion and awareness that we are all called to help those in need. I’m looking at this happen in front of me, and I wish I had done something like this for my son when he was growing up.”

J.C. Doornick co-founded ChiroMission six years ago to encourage other doctors to donate their skills to people in need in nations with limited access to medical care and preventative medicine.

“You know, I had this thriving practice in a wealthy suburb of New York, and I woke up one

day and asked myself, ‘What are you doing? You are so fortunate and what are you doing for people who are not as privileged?’” said the 37-year-old Catholicraised chiropractor. “Then I told my wife, Deborah, that I wanted to do something that was going to make a difference to people beyond the world that we had created for ourselves.”

After helping to launch ChiroMission, Doornick began traveling with other doctors to the Dominican Republic and Haiti at least once each year — sometimes twice a year — to treat disabled and underprivileged children and to teach preventative health care practices.

“When we first start out as doctors we have that servant attitude, and a trip like this helps us reconnect with that mindset,” said Dr. Larry Markson, 68, of Boca Raton, Fla., who brought his daughter, Danna Markson, 42, a social worker from Florham Park, N.J., along on the mission.

Doornick encouraged all the doctors traveling with him to bring family members, so the idea of mission work would become contagious.

“This experience has been amazing,” said Danna Markson, a Jewish mother of two schoolage daughters. “It reinforces that you can give back and get out of your own head, and not expect anything in return. I plan to bring my kids with me on the next trip.

I want to share this with them.”

ASUNCION, Paraguay (CNS) — Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, the former bishop who was elected in 2008, admitted April 13 that he had fathered a child, now nearly two years old, who was born before Lugo was laicized.

In a televised statement, Lugo said, “It is true that there was a relationship with Viviana Carrillo. I assume all responsibilities that could result from that, acknowledging paternity of the child.”

Bishop Mario Medina Salinas of San Juan de las Misiones, a member of the permanent council of the Paraguayan bishops’ conference, told the Paraguayan newspaper ABC Digital that Lugo’s admission was an “act of courage and sincerity.”

The case came to light April 8 when two lawyers filed a paternity suit on Carrillo’s behalf.

The woman distanced herself from the lawsuit later that day, but Paraguayan newspapers reported that Lugo, 57, was a friend of her godmother’s family and had met Carrillo, now 26, 10 years ago, when she worked as a maid in her godmother’s home.

Lugo’s political colleagues said they were blindsided by the announcement and did not

know the accusations were true when they called a press conference to defend the president after the lawsuit was filed.

Lugo resigned as bishop of San Pedro in early 2005 and worked as the principal of a school in Asuncion until December 2006, when he announced his intention to leave the priesthood and run for president. His child, a boy, was born in May 2007.

Lugo won the presidential election in April 2008, but the Vatican did not laicize him until the end of July 2008, just two weeks before his inauguration.

Bishop Medina said that since Lugo has been laicized there would be no sanction from the Church. Liz Torres, head of the Ministry of Children and Adolescents, called Lugo’s acknowledgment “the right thing to do” and said the next step would be for him to officially register the child as his son.

Lugo, who was known as “the bishop of the poor,” campaigned against corruption and for greater equality for the country’s indigenous people and poor peasant farmers.

His election broke the 60-year rule of Paraguay’s Colorado Party.

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April 24, 2009

More than 2,000 see Archbishop Dolan’s installation in New York

By Beth Griffin Catholic News Service

NEW YORK — St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York overflowed with people, music, incense and good will for the April 15 installation of Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan as the 10th archbishop of New York.

More than 2,000 guests in the cathedral listened to two church choirs and a brass ensemble and watched on television monitors as Archbishop Dolan, waiting outside on 50th Street, waved, pointed, grinned and called out to many of the 1,000 robed clergy and laity who moved into place ahead of him in the 45-minute opening procession.

His entrance through the main doors of the cathedral on Fifth Avenue was greeted with echoing applause.

The Mass of installation was concelebrated by 12 cardinals and more than 115 archbishops and bishops. Approximately 800 priests in white chasubles participated from a sea of folding chairs arrayed on three sides of the high altar.

The congregation included Archbishop Dolan’s mother, Shirley, and other family members; New York Gov. David Paterson; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; U.S. Sens.

Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; dozens of political and union leaders; and representatives of each of the 373 parishes of the archdiocese.

In his last act as administrator of the archdiocese, Cardinal Edward M. Egan, newly retired

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archbishop of New York, recalled the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to St. Patrick’s one year ago, with many of the same people in attendance. The apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, said the day was “a new start with a new shepherd.”

The Gospel, read by a deacon, was Luke’s description of Jesus meeting the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

In his homily, Archbishop Dolan said contemporary Christians should turn to Jesus and “recognize him again in his word, in the ‘breaking of the bread’ and in his Church. Let him ‘turn us around’ as he did those two disciples, turned them around because, simply put, they were going the wrong way.”

He said no one really knows where the village of Emmaus was, so Christians hoping to retrace Jesus’ steps can do so by making every journey in life a “walk down the road to Emmaus.”

Archbishop Dolan invited his “new friends in this great archdiocese” to join their new pastor on an “adventure in fidelity” along familiar New York thoroughfares to “witness a real ‘miracle on 34th Street’ and turn that into the road to Emmaus.”

The homily was greeted with enthusiastic applause eight times, including two standing ovations. The longest ovation was in response to his observation, “The Resurrection goes on, as his Church continues to embrace and protect the dignity of every human person, the sanctity of human life, from the tiny baby in the womb to the last moment of natural passing into eternal life.”

He said the Church is a “loving mother who has a zest for life and serves life everywhere, but can become a protective ‘mamma bear’ when the life of her innocent, helpless cubs is threatened.”

Archbishop Dolan called the priests of the New York Archdiocese “the apple of my eye” and said they “mean everything to me.

Without you, I can’t do anything.”

“I have long admired you from afar, but today for the first time I can say ‘my brother priests’ of the Archdiocese of New York — my admiration, my deep appreciation, my unflagging love for you. Thank you, brother priests.”

At a press conference earlier in the day, Archbishop Dolan said, “I need to be to my priests what I want them to be to their people.” He said it is impor-

tant to dispel the caricature of religious life as a “very dour, sacrificial life” and reveal it as “one of the most freeing, liberating, joyful styles of life you can lead.”

The installation Mass reflected the ethnic diversity of the 2.5 million Catholics in the 10 counties making up what Archbishop Dolan called “these extraordinary acres of the Lord’s vineyard of the Church we call the Archdiocese of New York.”

The epistle was read in Spanish, Archbishop Dolan pledged himself to Spanishspeakers in their language during his homily, and the prayer of the faithful was offered in seven languages, ranging from Irish Gaelic to Igbo, spoken in Nigeria.

As part of the official installation ceremony, the archbishop was greeted by two dozen representatives of ethnic groups, as well as representatives of other Christian faiths and nonChristian faith traditions.

In his homily, Archbishop Dolan cited the welcome given by the archdiocese to generations of immigrants, “who came and still come to this country through this city with little or nothing of earthly value but tenaciously clung to that ‘pearl of great price’ their faith, to find in the church here the spiritual counterpart of Lady Liberty, holy mother Church, who welcomed them, embraced them, settled them in, taught their children, and kept that faith alive.”

Archbishop Dolan drew laughter and applause when he said he was glad his mother was there. “I was concerned this morning when she found out there was a sale at Macy’s,” he said. He also quipped, “Maybe I should not be so flattered that so many are here today. After all, everybody wants to claim sanctuary on income tax day!”

Musicians at the Mass included tenor Ronan Tynan, who sang Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and Cesar Franck’s “Panis Angelicus.” His loosely knotted green necktie was a nod to the Irish heritage he shares with the archbishop.

Two hours after he entered the cathedral, Archbishop Dolan made the rounds of the sanctuary before the concelebrants recessed and then made his way down the aisle to applause, “working the crowd” like a seasoned New York leader.

THANKS MOM — Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan embraces his mother, Shirley Radcliffe Dolan, at the conclusion of a vespers service in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York April 14. He was named New York’s archbishop in February. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Archbishop Dolan invited New Yorkers to open hearts to Christ

NEW YORK (CNS) — Amid warm applause and traditional evening prayer, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan urged the people of the Archdiocese of New York to open the door of their hearts to welcome Christ as an intimate part of their lives.

Speaking at a vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral April 14, the eve of his installation as the spiritual leader of the country’s second largest archdiocese, Archbishop Dolan admitted he was afraid to completely open the door to Christ, but that when he did he “heard him invite me to serve him and his Church as archbishop of New York.”

The archbishop, who has led the Church in Milwaukee since 2002, said he wondered about his appointment to one of the most prominent leadership positions in the U.S. Church. He said he felt comfortable at home in Wisconsin, with its “beloved brats, beers and cool summer lake breezes.”

“I inwardly replied to him: ‘Go away, Lord. I’m not your man. My Spanish is lousy and my English not much better. The Yankees and Mets over the Cardinals and Brewers? Forget it!’” he said.

He said he questioned how he could follow his predecessors such as Archbishop John J. Hughes and Cardinals Patrick J. Hayes, Francis J. Spellman, Terence J. Cooke, John J. O’Connor and Edward M. Egan to become the 10th archbishop of New York.

“Yet he had his sandal in the

door and would not let me shut him out as I heard the whisper of the one who says, ‘Timothy, be not afraid.

My grace is sufficient. Never do I invite one to a task without giving him/her the strength to do it.’”

Likewise, the 59-year-old archbishop told the congregation, everyone can choose to welcome Christ “to receive incomparable light, love, mercy and friendship or whether we will remain closed up in darkness, self-absorption, sin and isolation.”

“God invites us, never coerces; God invites us to believe in him, trust him, accept him. God invites us to let him be the Lord of our life, and when we do our lives are never the same. Our lives will last forever,” he said.

The service began with the traditional knocking at the cathedral doors as Archbishop Dolan struck a hammer nine times until the massive doors opened. As he stepped in the congregation welcomed the native of St. Louis.

As he waited in mist and fog outside the cathedral for the service to begin, Archbishop Dolan greeted friends and people he recognized in the opening procession. He made lighthearted jokes and thanked participants for being part of the installation ceremonies.

Cardinal Egan welcomed the archbishop to the cathedral as the vespers service began, assuring him that the archdiocese will keep him in prayer as he starts his new ministry.

April 24, 2009

The Church in the U.S.

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Group of Holy Cross priests opposes Notre Dame’s invitation to Obama

By Catholic News Service

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — A group of 10 Holy Cross priests said the decision to invite President Barack Obama as the University of Notre Dame’s commencement speaker “portends a distancing of Notre Dame from the Church which is its lifeblood and the source of its identity and real strength.”

“Such a distancing puts at risk the true soul of Notre Dame,” said the priests, who are graduates of Notre Dame and members of the congregation that founded the university.

The priests’ signed letter to the editor was published in the April 8 issue of Notre Dame’s student newspaper, The Observer.

They said they wished to join and support the “courageous students and treasured alumni” who similarly opposed the university’s “sad and regrettable decision” to host Obama as the school’s May 17 commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient.

Critics of Obama say his support of legal abortion and embryonic stem-cell research make him an inappropriate choice to be commencement speaker at a Catholic university.

The group of priests echoed the U.S. bishops’ 2004 document, “Catholics in Political Life.” The document says: “Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors, or

platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”

In an early April letter to Notre Dame’s board of trustees, not released by the university but published April 8 by LifeSiteNews. com, Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins, university president, said the invitation to Obama, announced March 20, was in keeping with the “letter and the spirit” of the bishops’ document.

He said university officials understood the document to be specifically referring to Catholic politicians, a view he said has been supported by canon lawyers and what other university presidents have been told by their bishops.

As far as the university giving honors, awards or platforms “which would suggest support” for speakers that do not support Church teachings, Father Jenkins wrote that he always has been clear to express his disagreement with the president “on issues surrounding the protection of life, such as abortion and embryonic stem-cell research.”

“If we repeatedly and clearly state that we do not support the president on these issues, we cannot be understood to ‘suggest support,’” he wrote.

“However misguided some might consider our actions, it is in the spirit of providing a basis for dialogue that we invited President Obama,” he added.

In their letter to The Observer, the Holy Cross priests said they

regretted the “fissure” that the invitation caused between the university and some U.S. bishops, including the local bishop, Bishop John M. D’Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend, who said he will not attend the graduation in protest.

The priests said that even though their public stance puts them at odds with Father Jenkins, they could not remain silent on the issue.

“Notre Dame’s decision has caused moral confusion and given many reason to believe that the university’s stance against the terrible evil of abortion is weak and easily trumped by other considerations,” they said, urging Father Jenkins to “revisit this matter immediately.”

“Failure to do so,” they said, “will damage the integrity of the institution and detract from all the good work that occurs at Notre Dame and from the impressive labors of its many faithful students and professors.”

The campus newspaper also included a column by Cecilia Prinster, president of the Notre Dame Alumni Association, stressing that some of Obama’s policies are in line with Catholic social teaching.

She urged the university community to welcome the president, saying it would “do well to heed” the words of the Second Vatican Council document “Gaudium et Spes,” the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS — Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Robert J. Carlson of Saginaw, Mich., shown in this file photo during a Rite of Election at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Saginaw, as the new archbishop of St. Louis. The appointment was announced April 21 by the apostolic nuncio in Washington. (CNS file photo)

GONE TOO SOON — An impromptu memorial, set up after the death of Los Angeles Angels rookie right-handed pitcher Nick Adenhart, is seen at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. Adenhart’s father, grandparents and family are parishioners of St. Augustine Church in Williamsport, Md. (CNS photo/Mark Avery, Reuters)

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The Anchor

Bringing about the renewal of women’s religious life

Last September, Stonehill College and the Diocese of Fall River sponsored an important symposium entitled, “Apostolic Religious Life since Vatican II … Reclaiming the Treasure: Bishops, Theologians and Religious in Conversation.” The fruits of the day extended far beyond the 600 in attendance, as several of the addresses quickly made their way around the world on account of the candor with which several of the speakers addressed the challenges many religious communities are facing.

The most significant address was given by Cardinal Franc Rodé, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which exercises for the pope supervision of religious communities throughout the world. After having discussed the great history of religious communities in the United States — responsible, among other things, for the incredible growth of the Catholic school and hospital systems in our country, which were the greatest of any country in the history of the Church — the Slovenian cardinal forthrightly said: “Despite this past greatness and present vitality, we know — and it is one of the major reasons we are gathered here today — that all is not well with religious life in America. … The sheer decline in the numbers of consecrated men and women, the abandoning of many corporate apostolates and ministries, the closing of communities, the invisibility of corporate witness to consecrated life, amalgamations of provinces, mergers of different institutes, the graying of religious, the death of entire congregations — these realities are all familiar to us.”

He said that religious life in the states falls into four different categories. The first two categories, he said, are healthy, and involve “many new communities … which are thriving” and “older communities that have taken action to preserve and reform genuine religious life in their own charism.” About these first two groups, Cardinal Rodé said, “The future looks promising if they continue to be what they are and as they are.”

A third group consisted of “those who accept the present situation of decline as … a sign of a new direction to be followed. Among this group there those who have simply acquiesced to the disappearance of religious life or at least of their community, and seek to do so in the most peaceful manner possible, thanking God for past benefits.” But he also added that some communities are in decline because of an obvious and ongoing crisis of faith. “There are those who have opted for ways that take them outside communion with Christ in the Catholic Church, although they themselves may have opted to ‘stay’ in the Church physically.” In other words, these are certain communities that think they have “moved beyond the Church” yet remain within it in invisible schism. “Surely, such an ambivalent existence cannot bring forth fruits of joy and peace, neither for themselves nor for the Church,” the cardinal added.

The fourth category involves “those who fervently believe in their own personal vocation and the charism of their community, and are seeking ways to reverse the trend [and] achieve authentic renewal.” Cardinal Rodé stressed that for these Sisters to effect real renewal of their communities, they must be helped to implement what has worked in the reform of the first two categories of communities and avoid the fatal mistakes of those in the third.

Why have so many religious communities in the states been experiencing such a decline? Cardinal Rodé said that one of the most fundamental reasons has to do with a false and fatal misinterpretation of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. The second two categories of communities looked at the Council as a rupture with what came before and often separated themselves, not merely from the faith of the Church but their foundational charisms.

A religious himself, Cardinal Rodé described with prophetic frankness why this “hermeneutic of rupture” was so destructive. “Religious life, being a gift from the Holy Spirit to the individual religious and the Church, depends especially on fidelity to its origins, fidelity to the founder, fidelity to the particular charism. Fidelity to that charism is essential, for God blesses fidelity while he ‘opposes the proud.’ The complete rupture of some with the past, then, goes against the nature of a religious congregation, and essentially it provokes God’s rejection. Obedience was an early casualty, for obedience without faith and trust cannot survive. Prayer, especially community prayer, and the sacramental liturgy were minimized or abandoned. Penance, asceticism and what was referred to as ‘negative spirituality’ became a thing of the past. Many religious were uncomfortable with wearing the habit. Social and political agitation became for them the acme of apostolic action.

The New Theology shaped the understanding and the dilution of the faith. Everything became a problem for discussion. The results came swiftly in the form of an exodus of members. As a consequence, apostolates and ministries that were essential for the life of the Catholic community and its charitable outreach quickly disappeared — schools especially. Vocations quickly dried up.

Even as the results began to speak for themselves, there were still those who said that things were bad because there hadn’t been enough change, because the project was not complete. And so the damage was further compounded.” About women’s religious communities in particular, Cardinal Rodé said that many were infected with a “certain strain of feminism by now outmoded but which still nevertheless continues to exert much influence in certain circles.”

Cardinal Rodé noted that there are groups of Sisters in the vast majority of the third and fourth categories of communities who do wish to seek genuine reform according to the mind of the Church, but, he implies, have not yet been able to achieve that desire because of the leadership within their communities. That may be one of the reasons why the Vatican has recently announced two interventions to try to help these Sisters bring about that genuine renewal.

The first intervention was announced at the end of January. It’s an unprecedented visitation of all 400 active religious institutes in the United States to be led by Mother Clare Millea of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Much like the recently-completed visitation of U.S. seminaries authorized by Pope John Paul II in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis, this two-year study is being undertaken, according to the decree from Cardinal Rodé, to “look into the quality of the life” of the various institutes.

The second intervention is described on page 15 of this edition. Last week it was made public that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has appointed Toledo, Ohio Bishop Leonard Blair to conduct a doctrinal assessment of the activities and initiatives of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Maryland-based association whose members include the vast majority of institutes to which U.S. Sisters belong. He is said to be charged with investigating the LCWR on fidelity to the Catholic faith on Christ’s role in salvation, on the sinfulness of same-sex sexual activity and on the inadmissibility of women to priestly ordination, three seminal issues on which some Sisters and female religious communities have separated themselves from the teaching of the Church.

While the visitation and assessment are technically independent, both seem to be coming from a common motivation to assist those religious who wish to reform their communities in accordance with the mind of the Church and in continuity with the fidelity of their foundresses’ charisms. Such reform cannot easily occur, however, if the present leadership of these communities, or the association representing the vast majority of them, are not with the Church’s program. Both the visitation and assessment are attempts to ensure that they are, so that our country may “reclaim the treasure” of women’s religious life, and, as is happening with the ongoing reform of seminaries, lead to a new flourishing of the Catholic faith in our country.

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April 24, 2009

True Catholic joy

ast Wednesday, I was in the capital of at times perhaps like those two dejected disthe world for the installation of Arch- ciples on the road to Emmaus? They were bishop Timothy Dolan as the new shepherd so absorbed in their own woes, so forlorn of the Archdiocese of New York. Prior to the in their mistaken conclusion that the one in Mass, as I was in line with more than 800 whom they had placed their trust was dead, so priests waiting to process in to St. Patrick’s shocked by the shame, scandal, and scorn of Cathedral, I asked an older priest from New last Friday that they failed to recognize Jesus York for his first impressions of his new ordi- as he walked right alongside of them! nary. “I’m amazed at how happy he seems to “I say to you, my sister and brother discibe,” he replied. ples now on the road to Emmaus, let’s not turn It was Archbishop Dolan’s Christian joy inward to ourselves, our worries, our burdens, — even more than his incredible talent as a our fears; but turn rather to him, the way, the preacher of the Gospel — that was most on truth, and the life, the one who told us over display during the installation festivities. Dur- and over, ‘Be not afraid!,’ who assured us that ing my years in seminary, he once gave a rec- he ‘would be with us all days, even to the end tor’s conference on joy in which he stressed of the world,’ and who promised us that ‘not that joy is the most infallible sign of the pres- even the gates of hell would prevail,’ the one ence of God within. He said that a man of God who John Paul the Great called ‘the answer to who is not joyful is an oxymoron who makes the question posed by every human life,’ and the Good News seem like a lie. He stressed recognize him again in his word, in the ‘breakthat joy is a gift of God, a fruit of the Holy ing of the bread,’ in his Church. Let him ‘turn Spirit that flows from the conviction that God us around’ as he did those two disciples. He loves us, dwells within us when we’re in the turned them around because, simply put, they state of grace, sustains us with his providen- were going the wrong way.” tial care, and answers our prayers. He predictHe finished his exhilarating homily by ed that if Catholics were really joyful, people calling his “new friends” to join their new paswould be busting through the doors to invade tor in an “adventure of fidelity,” as together our churches. they turned “the The world is Staten Island longing for this E x p r e sswa y, joy that the Fifth Avenue, world can’t give Madison Aveand take away, nue, Broadway, he asserted, but the FDR, the often does not Major Deegan, By Father find it in us. and the New Roger J. Landry Well, last York State Thruweek, New way into the Yorkers — and road to Emmaus, Catholics throughout the country through as we witness a real ‘miracle on 34th street’ and EWTN — were able to behold true Christian turn that into the road to Emmaus.” They have joy on full display in Archbishop Dolan and every reason to be joyful along all those paths people were literally jamming through the because, as their new Archbishop grasped and doors to be a part of it. wanted them to grasp, “Christ is walking right In an op-ed in the New York Daily News alongside us!” on the morning of the installation Mass, During his time as rector of the North Archbishop Dolan explicitly wrote about his American College, one of the central lessons joy and how the Catholic faith makes him — that Msgr. Dolan tried to convey to us future and should make us — joyous. “I aim to be priests by word and example was that the a happy bishop, sharing joys and laughs with priesthood should be joyous and fun. Yes, the you. Being Catholic is not a heavy burden, priesthood is serious business, in which we snuffing the joy out of life; rather our faith in share in Christ’s mission for the salvation of Jesus and his Church gives meaning, purpose the world, but he emphasized that we must live and joy to life. I love being a Catholic, I love with the joy that flows from knowing that we being a priest, and I fully intend to love being are the disciples and ambassadors of the one archbishop of New York while loving all of who has conquered sin, death and the world. you in the Church in New York.”

He showed that joy with his constantly buoyOn his first day on the job, he demon- ant sense of humor, with the happiness with strated for all how much he already seemed which he would smoke cigars and play softto love being Archbishop of New York as he ball with us, with the mischievous relish with pointed to the font of his joy and ours. In his which he once smothered my face in pumpkin homily, largely based on Jesus’ encounter pie during a Thanksgiving day speech, and with with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he the magnanimous way he would allow himself illustrated that the same Jesus who met those to be the butt of seminarians’ humor. two along the way, helped them to understand Every November, the seminarians would how his sufferings fit into the context of God’s put on a series of skits poking fun at the recplans, and revealed himself to them in the cel- tor and other faculty members as well as the ebration of the Eucharist, was hoping to meet incongruities and imbalances we saw in semius all along the streets of New York to bring nary life. A few of the more serious and hyperus from sadness to joy. sensitive faculty members thought the student He first described how many of us Catho- satires should be shut down lest someone’s lics in the northeast are comparable to those feelings be hurt, but Msgr. Dolan saw them two disciples at the beginning of the Gospel as a way the seminarians could let off some scene, forlorn and lost. He described several steam, creatively collaborate, and most imporof the reasons why: “We are tempted to fa- tantly have a good laugh, even if at his expense. tigue in our works of service and charity; … While some of the skits may have pushed the We continue realistically to nurse the deep envelope a little, Msgr. Dolan showed that he wounds inflicted by the horrible scandal, sin, could take a joke as well as he could give one. and crime of sexual abuse of minors; … More He could laugh at himself because he was nevand more of our people are burdened under er self-absorbed and, while he took his priestly financial woe and uncertainty; … Strains on work and formation responsibilities seriously, the family take their toll, [and] the Church is he refused to take himself too seriously. As ridiculed for her teaching on the sanctity of many of my classmates were saying in New marriage; … We struggle to keep our parishes York last week, he was one of the reasons why and schools strong, and recognize that we our years in seminary were so fun and unforneed a new harvest of vocations to the priest- gettable, and he modeled for all of us how to hood, diaconate, religious life, and faithful, be happy priests. life-long, life-giving marriage; … [There Now his mission is to show the faithful in are] shortages and cutbacks, people mad at New York — and bishops, priests and faiththe Church or even leaving her, and [at] our ful throughout the country — how to be happy seeming inability to get the Gospel message Catholics. He’s off to a good start. credibly out there.”

Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of All of these led him to ask, “Are we not Padua Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

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St. Paul on saying goodbye

he Acts of the Apostles took his leave of each. Sometrace the early history times crowds inhospitable to of the Spirit-guided Christian his preaching drove him away; community and the first spread sometimes he fled from danof the Gospel throughout the world. It does so by focusing mainly on two Living the protagonists: St. Peter Pauline Year and St. Paul. This New Testament book, howBy Father ever, begins with Jesus saying goodbye to his Karl C. Bissinger Apostles and departing from them into heaven ger. Sometimes he promised to (Acts 1:2ff). return again (as in Acts 18:21).

In his many journeys, Other times, the Apostle and his recounted in the Acts of the band shook the dust from their Apostles, St. Paul went from one community to another and feet as they left certain territohad to say farewell often as he ries (cf. Acts 13:51). On one oc-

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The Anchor

April 24, 2009

casion, his former companions Barnabas and Mark bid him a bitter adieu after a sharp dispute (cf. Acts 15:39). Paul had to say goodbye a lot.

At the end of the Third Missionary Journey, however, St. Paul knew that when he returned to Palestine, the religious authorities there had it in for him.

So, his Farewell Speech at Miletus (Acts 20:1735) contains a more definite tone of finality than any of his previous departures. Some people refer to this discourse as Paul’s “last will and testament.” He has apprehensions for what he

The blueprint for discipleship

pring is in the air, and personal conversion that comes with it comes many from praying with Jesus through promises. There is the promise the Gospels. This prompted of fair weather, the promise of one observer to accuse me of a championship or two, and heresy. My accuser found my in the post-Easter readings, criticism of forced piety to be the promise of the kingdom of thinly veiled “Church bashing.”

God. During this beautiful time When I asked how she thought after Easter we are given the people come to know Christ blueprint for discipleship. Jesus she asserted that the best way makes the plan sound so simple. to know Jesus is through sound doctrine. I can’t argue with that, Spread the good news about but I think she is skipping some God’s forgiveness, and I’ll take of the important steps of the care of the rest. The blueprint, when followed faithfully, works. blueprint.

This is evidenced by the spread of Christianity throughout the ages. We seem to be struggling with the plan these days.

Maybe the time has come to get back to the original blueprint for

By Claire McManus discipleship. Open to the Gospel of Luke and you will find the instructions as they were handed out to the It is helpful to remember disciples on the road to Emthat most heresies come from maus. absolutizing partial truths. Pope Step one: Walk with JeBenedict XVI does a better job sus. This is the only way we of making my point. “One can can come to recognize Jesus never know Christ only theowhen he reveals himself. We retically. With great teaching walk with Jesus when we read one can know everything about Scripture as prayer, not when we sacred Scripture without ever analyze Scripture as an intellechaving met him.” In his reflectual exercise. Study comes later; tion on discipleship he explained prayer is first. We often get this that to be disciples of Christ mixed up. we have to recognize him first.

I was speaking recently to a “How does this happen? It is an group of people about the chalinvitation to listen to him just lenge of evangelization in this as he speaks to us in the text of generation. One of the listeners sacred Scripture, as he addresses lamented the fact that some of us in the common prayer of the her contemporaries who grew Church, in the sacraments and in up in the Catholic Church of the witness of the saints.” the 1950s left because they felt Let us return to the blueprint. that they were forced to observe Step two: Learn to read devotions and special services, the Bible through the lens of none of which seemed to draw Christ. This is where sound them into a relationship with doctrine comes in. While Jesus Christ. I suggested that maybe walked beside the two disciples forcing piety upon a generaon the road to Emmaus, he tion was counterproductive and began to break open Scripture did not facilitate the kind of for them. They were confused

The Great Commission

and needed guidance. Today we have our bishop walking beside us. The bishop is first and foremost our teacher. He is the chief catechist.

Step three: Be people of the Eucharist. You cannot be a disciple of Christ and not break bread with the people whom he gathered. The encounter on the road to Emmaus only made sense after the disciples broke bread with Jesus.

Those people of the 50s that walked away from the eucharistic community never came to know Christ. If they had, they would never have walked away. Ask the faithful who have continued to gather for Eucharist, even during the darkest days of our Church’s history, and you will discover that they recognized Christ in the breaking of the bread.

Step four: Don’t just talk about Christ, live the life of Christ. If you go through all of the steps and don’t put into practice what you have learned, then you have a long way to go until you can be called a disciple of Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI said it best: “Catechesis can never be merely the instruction of the mind; it must also become a practice of communion of life with Christ, an exercise in humility, justice, and love. Only in this way do we walk with Jesus Christ on his path, only in this way are the eyes of our hearts opened; only in this way do we learn to understand Scripture and to meet him.”

As we enjoy the promise of another spring, it is time to put on our walking shoes — there’s someone waiting to meet us on the road.

And watch out, he has a plan.

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

would face in Jerusalem. Before he departs in fear and dread, the Apostle mentions “In one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me” (cf. Acts 20:23). Additionally, in the Letter to the Romans, he asks his addressees, “Join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the disobedient in Judea, and that my ministry for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the holy ones” (cf. Rom 15:30-31).

Saying goodbye is part of everyone’s experience, and almost everyone hates it. Farewells can be difficult and sad. They can be very emotional. They can even hurt. That is often the case when our goodbyes are permanent. On the other hand, saying goodbye might be bittersweet: Although we may be reluctant to leave some people behind, we are on the whole happy to be moving on to a better place.

Of course, goodbyes are a different experience for the one who is leaving and for the ones who stay behind. The 18th-century English novelist Henry Fielding once affirmed, “Taking leave of our friends resembles taking leave of the world.” In other words, saying goodbye is a form of death. In theological terms, we would call this an “eschatological experience,” an experience of the end.

Above all, the toughest time for anyone to say goodbye is precisely at death and the loss of a dear friend or loved one. We know that this kind of farewell is for good and will be followed by the painful experience of missing that absent person very much. As an unknown author once accurately wrote, “It takes a minute to say hello, and forever to say goodbye.”

So, how does St. Paul say

goodbye? What can Paul teach us? How should a Christian take leave of someone? What is different about this experience for one who believes?

In his farewell speech, the Apostle handles his goodbye carefully, with due seriousness and self-control. He does not go overboard, nor does he act too casually or treat it nonchalantly. He talks to the group of elders and recalls his history with them. He makes sure they share no regrets. Then, he prays with the group of well-wishers.

Prayer recognizes the presence of God. This is the same loving God whose presence will always envelop them all, no matter how far apart they may go from each other.

After St. Paul is done talking and praying, the text says, “They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him” (Acts 20:37).

This personal contact among the leave-takers communicates affection to the Apostle. By touching, they also comfort one other. This happens to be very important when saying goodbye.

Finally, those who gather to say goodbye to Paul escort him to the ship. In other words, they go with him on his journey as far as they can.

St. Paul teaches us that saying goodbye is an act filled with faith, because when a person is leaving, you lose control and you have to let go. In the extreme case of death, we who believe in the resurrection do not despair at goodbyes. For us, we only say goodbye to our loved ones and friends temporarily. For Christ fills us with hope of the real possibility of happily meeting each other again.

Father Bissinger is vocation director of the Diocese of Fall River and secretary to Bishop George W. Coleman.

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very time we attend the holy Mass, there is one phrase that we hear repeated several times — “Peace be with you.” At the beginning of Mass, immediately following the Sign of The Cross, the priest greets us with the words: “The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” After we pray the Our Father together, the priest offers us the peace of Christ, and then in turn, we offer that same sign of peace to those sitting around us. Finally, at the end of the Mass, before the final blessing and dismissal, the priest then says again, “The Lord be with you.”

This ancient greeting, found not only in today’s Gospel where Christ appears to his Apostles and offers them his peace, but also at the beginning of St. Paul’s letters, where he, as a representative of Christ (like the

The Anchor

April 24, 2009

Peace be with you

priest at Mass) offers us the doubt, to lose faith in all peace of our Lord and savior. that Christ had taught them.

This greeting reminds us, as But in the resurrection they it did the first disciples, of are reassured that this was the central mystery of the all part of God’s plan for the incarnation, that the Lord is salvation of the world and with us; Jesus is Emmanuel, the forgiveness of sins. In God with us (Mt 1:23). And appearing to the Apostles not only is he with us, but that he will also remain with his Homily of the Week Church, with us until Third Sunday the end of time (Mt of Easter 28:20).

This greeting

By Father reflects the words Jay Mello that Christ spoke to his Apostles after the resurrection, when he appeared to them in the in his glorified body, he Upper Room in Jerusalem. reveals to them that he has Jesus offers them his peace conquered sin and death, to calm their anxious and and that he now lives and incredulous hearts. These reigns forever. disciples had come to beOur response to this great lieve that Jesus was the one revelation is found in the that Moses and the prophets second reading from the spoke about, but then as first letter of St. John, who they watched him brutally reminds us that the way we crucified, they began to may be certain that we know

him is by keeping his Commandments, for the person who does keep his Commandments has the love of God in their heart, because he is now in heaven as our advocate before our heavenly Father. Jesus offered his peace to his disciples in order to strengthen their faith, which was tested by the crucifixion, but perfected by his resurrection.

Jesus offers us that same peace in order that we may continue to be strengthened by him and continue to be witnesses of his death and resurrection, of his love for each and every one of us and of his peace that is offered to all who keep his Commandments.

The peace of Christ is offered to us at each celebration of the Mass. This peace is not to be a stagnant gift that we receive, but it is to

be a dynamic impetus which propels us to be courageous in proclaiming the Gospel to every part of our culture.

This is not an easy task, and our Lord knows that. So when we get discouraged, when we struggle to believe that he is truly with us, or when the anxiety of life’s burdens slow us down, may we find comfort and vitality in the words we hear at Mass just before receiving the Eucharist (the greatest gift and source of strength): “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your Apostles, I leave you peace, my peace I give you.

Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever, Amen.

Father Mello is a parochial vicar at St. Julie Billiart Parish and chaplain at Bishop Stang High School, both in North Dartmouth.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Apr. 25, St. Mark, Evangelist, 1Pt 5:5b-14; Ps 89:2-3,6-7,16-17; Mk 16:15-20. Sun. Apr. 26, Third Sunday of Easter, Acts 3:13-15,17-19; Ps 4:2,4,7-9; 1Jn 2:1-5a; Lk 24:35-48. Mon. Apr. 27, Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24,26-27,29-30; Jn 6:22-29. Tues. Apr. 28, Acts 7:51-8:1a; Ps 31:3cd4,6ab,7b,8a,17,21ab; Jn 6:30-35. Wed. Apr. 29, Acts 8:1b-8; Ps 66:1-3a,4-7a; Jn 6:35-40. Thu. Apr. 30, Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9,16-17,20; Jn 6:44-51. Fri. May 1, Acts 9:1-20; Ps 117:1-2; Jn 6:52-59.

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few days after the 2008 election, I was walking toward the Largo Argentina on a cool, clear Roman evening, when I noticed a magazine kiosk and wandered over to have a look. There were journals from all over Europe: France, Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, wherever.

Every one of them featured a glowing portrait of Barack Obama, photographed in sideor quarter-profile and looking up with a calm, secure gaze — not altogether unlike like Jim Caviezel’s Jesus at the end of “The Passion of the Christ,” on the morning of the resurrection.

Messianic politics had returned to Europe, big time.

A Christian nation?

President Obama was greeted war against terrorism was just rapturously during his recent about wrapped up, such that European tour, and why not? that unpleasant term could be He told Europeans — or at retired back to Texas along with least western Europeans — evthe warmongering evangelical erything they’ve been longing to hear for eight years: that America had been dissing them and now appreciated their leadership role in world politics; that

By George Weigel their womb-to-tomb social welfare states were models of humane, sensible governance; that Ruscowboy, Dubya. sia’s recent imperial assertions None of these soothing reaswere nothing to worry about; surances bears close examinathat the West wasn’t at war with tion. Europe’s inability to play a Islam; that peace in the Middle leadership role in world politics East was at hand; and that the was amply demonstrated before the president even got home, with the NATO countries failing to ante up for larger roles in pacifying Afghanistan. The European social welfare state will be bankrupt in less than two decades, thanks to Europe’s demographic suicide. Russian aggression may be nothing to worry about, unless you’re a Ukrainian, a Georgian, a Pole, or anyone in the E.U. looking to heat their home next winter, should Ivan cut off the natural gas (which he’s already done in blackmailing Ukraine). No, the West isn’t at war “with Islam;” but virtually every shooting war

The Catholic Difference

in which the West is involved has been triggered by Islamic extremists, who don’t seem to understand that the strife is o’er, the battle done. Peace in parts of the Middle East is somewhat closer, thanks to the success of the surge and the beginning of real politics in Iraq; but peace between Israel and Palestine is no closer than it’s ever been, thanks to the murderous rule of Hamas in Gaza and the utter corruption of the PLO on the West Bank.

Long after the president had gone through the familiar litany of liberal foreign policy shibboleths, however, it was another comment of his that stuck in my mind — and that was his suggestion, in Turkey, that America is not a Christian nation.

Which is, of course, true in one sense: the United States Government does not endorse Christianity or any brand thereof as the official national faith. But as a cultural matter, it seems odd to say that America is not a Christian nation when three out of every four Americans claim that Christianity is the source of their deepest commitments — including, one might assume, their commitments to civility, tolerance, religious freedom, the

rule of law, and democracy.

My friend Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek, tried a parallel argument in his magazine’s Easter issue, suggesting that falling numbers of believing and practicing Christians over the past two decades mean that, while Christianity remains a prominent cultural force, it’s just not possible to speak of a Christian nation any more, if by that term we mean a nation in which Christianity plays a determinative, or even significant, role in politics. What holds America together, Brother Meacham argued, is our shared commitment to each other’s liberties.

That strikes me as a weak foundation for a nation that robustly protects religious freedom, however. Better that the American people believe that it’s the will of God that they defend the religious freedom of those who have different ideas about the will of God, as Richard John Neuhaus used to say. Whatever happened at the Founding, that conviction is what keeps religious freedom alive in America today. We’d better hope it stays that way.

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

Fashionistas

were introduced. Before they Sunday 19 April 2009 — became available, you had to Three Mile River — Pope wear either a black suit and rabat Benedict’s election anniversary or a cassock. A rabat is a kind of (2005) still wear the winter “snorkel coat” I got at an army/navy surplus store back in 1964. The Reflections of a late Miss Molly Malone, Parish Priest one of my recalcitrant greyhounds, chewed the

By Father Tim trim off the hood years Goldrick ago. The coat is shabby, but it works for me. shirtfront or dickey held in place I buy my black clothes at cut by straps under a suit coat. It has rate prices. You can’t find “clerno back. Even with a collar butgy shirts,” though, in Building ton, the neckband kept popping 19 or Ocean State Job Lot. I’ve up in a “wardrobe malfunction.” looked. There’s a manufacturer If you wanted to make a stateof clergy apparel here in Masment, you could wear underneath sachusetts, and it does have a your rabat a white shirt with “seconds” department, but who French cuffs. Cuff links added a wants to drive to Worcester for touch of ecclesiastical “bling” at a triple-extra-large chartreuse the wrist. Economically-minded clergy shirt?

I remember when clergy shirts fashionistas could buy fake

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The Anchor

April 24, 2009

The Ship’s Log

sleeves. These went to the elbow and were supported with elastic bands.

Cassocks got in the way when you were driving your car. In the old days, the collar was starched linen (thus “man of the cloth.”) Cassocks can be sweltering in the summer, even the lightweight “Zephyr” model. I have a cassock, but it’s the same vintage as my coat.

I still wear my old cassock, too.

Clergy fashions don’t change much.

Clergy shirts, once invented, sold like hotcakes. They came not only in black, but also in sand, navy, light blue, grey, purple, and in white. They still do. Some Church leaders initially forbade priests to wear them, but there’s no stopping fashion progress.

The best of endings

abuse that Jesus suffered to espite the uniqueness achieve this marvelous end. of life’s obstacles, It is essential to focus on challenges and crises, all those dark moments — in involve a measure of sufferOur Lord’s passion and on the ing. A platitude many know is various journeys we undertake, “all’s well that ends well,” but especially the details that we it’s not that simple. It’s a little occasionally bury without the more problematic, precisely proper attention. The Easter because enfolded in each of story encompassed the monuthese crises — big and small mental failings of the Apostles — are often personal wounds who fled in fear, the Jews who borne of the shortcomings of couldn’t see the prophecy others. fulfilled in their midst and the A wedding and reception Romans who compromised might come off splendidly on a Saturday afternoon, but there may have been slights, hurt feelings, and harsh words imbedded in the year’s preparation. Likewise, completing an arduBy Genevieve Kineke ous course of study — perhaps to be a doctor or other profeswith the truth for the sake of sional — involves a gratifying short-term security. All of commencement exercise, and those — as well as our own yet those years of study may sins — contributed to the sufhave also harbored neglect of fering and death of the Lord of family, friends and faith. Both life, so that we might live with examples have successful outhim forever. comes that might not tell the Jesus offers forgiveness whole story. for them all. His dear mother, We’ve just completed in imitation of her Son also another Lenten journey — for forgave them all — and each better or worse. The joy at the one of us. She agreed in the end was the Magdalene’s disheight of her suffering to take covery of the risen Lord, and these inconstant and fearful subsequently all the Apostles souls as her children and we’re reveled in the reunion with the welcome in that embrace, no one they’d so recently buried. matter what we’ve done to One by one, they came to the injure her Son. understanding that in conOne might think that God quering sin and death he had — with his omniscient undertransformed all their lives. Our standing of the meaning of joy is woven into theirs to the every gesture — is beyond us degree that we participated in in his ability to forgive these the passion itself — marking transgressions. Ultimately, the betrayal, abandonment and

The Feminine Genius

he knew the outcome, so we turn to Mary who did not. She firmly believed in the promises of God, and her faith was vindicated despite the apparent triumph of sin.

Even while the passion unfolded, Our Lady had to forgive the Apostles who abandoned Jesus so that she could still love them without reserve. Her fullness of heart didn’t hinge on their apologies, although they may have been offered. Surely we know of Peter’s contrition before Our Lord, but if he asked for Mary’s forgiveness as well, God didn’t see fit to include it in the Gospels. She forgave anyway.

There have been a handful of stories recently of heroic forgiveness — often concerning the parents of children who have died through the negligence or maliciousness of others. While these witnesses shine amidst their tragic circumstances and make manifest the magnitude of the grace they’ve received, the little acts of forgiveness are just as important. All those trampled feelings on the path to the most worthy of destinations require the proper response in order for our joy to be complete. Only when we forgive as Mary did will Easter offer us a story that truly ends well.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books). She can be found online at www. feminine-genius.com.

Most clergy shirts come with two plastic collar inserts. I guess with that “man of the cloth” became “man of the plastic,” although the later expression never caught on. I get many good years out of a clergy shirt before it turns dingy grey. If I lose both plastic inserts, I can always cut up a Clorox bottle.

The fashion houses of Paris and New York have now released their new spring lines of clothing. It makes no difference to me if men’s ties are wide or narrow.

I’m personally not the least bit interested in this sort of thing, but I did happen to see the latest offerings of the fashion industry for those who are. What man or woman would be caught dead wearing these ridiculous costumes in, say, Acushnet? One elegant supermodel struggled halfway down the runway and toppled over. She couldn’t walk in her shoes, poor thing. I hope it didn’t ruin her modeling career.

When it comes to sanctuary wear, that’s another story.

Priest’s vestments are important because they’re used in worship. I could say Mass validly in Bermuda shorts, but the vision of me in Bermuda shorts would do nothing to inspire a congregation, not even in Bermuda.

The most prominent Mass vestment is the chasuble. This is an outer garment. A thousand years ago and more, men and women wore the chasuble in normal dress. Priests are the only ones who still do. I told you fashions change slowly in the Church.

Do you know there are styles of chasubles? For centuries, the fashion was “Roman style” — what priests call “fiddle-back” due to their shape (the vestment,

not the priest.) These used a minimal yardage of fine textile.

The embroidery was intricate and concentrated on the back, since the priest said Mass facing away from the people. Vestments from Spain were particularly beautiful. Old sacristies all over the world still have shallow drawers in which to store “fiddle-back” vestments.

Following the Second Vatican Council, the vestments made by the ecclesiastical tailors of the Low Countries became all the rage. These tended to use copious amounts of fabric. Elaborate ornamentation was handembroidered on the stole. The stole was designed to be worn externally. It is now officially decreed that stoles must be worn under the chasuble and not over it, so many of us have lovely stoles that no one ever sees.

A community of monks not far away is well respected for making fine vestments. Their trademark “Portuguese Coronation” fabric design is ubiquitous.

Good vestments are expensive. There are companies specializing in low-end products, but these tend to look cheap because, well, they are.

I notice that many of our younger priests seem to be into “retro style” in clergy apparel and liturgical garments. The pope himself is setting this trend. The fashion pendulum swings.

I’ve packed away my winter coat for another year. I suppose in 20 years or so my old coat will come back into style. Not that it really matters. In the fashion wars, I’m a non-combatant.

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

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The Anchor

April 24, 2009

Catholic Layman of the Year practices what he preaches

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

NEW BEDFORD — Having attended three previous Boston Catholic Men’s Conferences, Steve Guillotte never imagined he would be getting up on stage before thousands of fellow Catholics inside Boston College’s Conte Forum to accept the 2009 Catholic Layman of the Year award.

It’s readily apparent that the soft-spoken and humble 44-year-old doesn’t do what he does for accolades or awards.

In fact, the active parishioner at St. Anthony of Padua Church and founding Grand Knight of the Father Michael J. McGivney Council No. 14557 Knights of Columbus seemed highly embarrassed to be singled out.

“I was completely surprised,” Guillotte said. “This is my fourth conference. I never conceived that I’d be standing at a podium here accepting an award. I was very gratified to receive this award on behalf of everyone … and I’m sure there were a few Knights who were instrumental in getting me nominated.”

Indeed, many of the 42 fellow members of the Knights of Columbus Council that Guillotte founded in May 2008 had nothing but praise for their Grand Knight.

“There’s no doubt he deserves this award,” said Joe Amaral. “As St. Francis said, ‘You live the Gospel not just by words, but by deeds,’ and Steve does that.

He’s been active in everything, but Steve doesn’t do this for recognition — he’s very humble.”

“He’s absolutely well-deserving and a great man,” added Victor Alves. “He’s truly a leader who believes in his faith and he’s proud to show it.”

“He has helped many people in the parish tremendously to improve their faith and I can say that our council is not just a group to socialize,” said Nelson Abreu.

“We are brothers in faith who practice our

The newly-formed Council based at Catholic religion, pray and support each St. Anthony of Padua Parish was named other.”

For Guillotte, adhering to the tenets of after K of C founder Father Michael J. the Knights of Columbus was just a natural McGivney, a name that hadn’t been taken extension of his own ongoing charitable ef- by any existing council within Massachuforts within his parish and beyond. Noting setts, much to Guillotte’s amazement.

“I was kind that the Knights of surprised that were founded on his name wasn’t four basic printaken yet,” he ciples — charity, said, “and we fraternity, unity, were astonished and patriotism when our instal— Guillotte was lation of officers already on the took place on the right path before feast of Our Lady forming the fraof Victory — so ternal organizawe’ve had a lot tion. of coincidences “We’re supthat have reinposed to serve forced our unthe Church, derstanding that youth, families, as Knights we our own council, have to be dediand the commucated to Mary.” nity at large,” he Even before said. “The fortaking a promimula is pretty nent leadership simple for what role in the new we’ve done with K of C group, the Knights of Guillotte had Columbus: that already distinis, we’re just men guished himseeking truth and self as someone we found a paswhose earnesttor who is seekness and zeal ofing men who are ten inspired othseeking truth.”

ANCHOR PERSON OF THE WEEK — Steven Guillotte said Guillotte speaks at the Boston Catholic Men’s ers to strengthen his pastor, Father Conference last week. (Photo by George Martell) their own faith and defend it Roger J. Lanpublicly. Among dry — a Knight himself — suggested starting a Knights of his many parish activities, Guillotte has Columbus Council in response to requests spearheaded active participation in the “40 he had to form a parish men’s group. After Days for Life Campaign” for which he has hosting a presentation from K of C state recruited Knights, youth group members, leaders, “it just took off from there,” he friends and more. He has also served as a teacher for the parish’s RCIA and adult said.

confirmation programs, as a lector for daily Masses and the Stations of the Cross, as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion, as an usher for weekend Masses, as a member of the parish pastoral council, and as chairman of the annual parish feast.

Guillotte also works for Coastline Elderly Services, where he is a compassionate but fierce advocate for seniors with no one to look after them. He volunteers each year to spend a frigid night outdoors counting the homeless and for the past several years he has dedicated his incredible talents and time to pass on the love of Christ toward others, helping to form new Catholics, serving those who are homeless, elderly, or otherwise in need, caring for young people, and so much more.

All that he does flows from his deep relationship with the Lord Jesus.

His influence on the men of the Knights of Columbus has helped many of them become real men of God and men of the Church.

It’s an impressive list of accomplishments that most might find daunting for a man in his 40s.

“I was making my way to adoration and confession here at the conference when someone just stopped me out of the blue — a man probably in his 60s — who told me when he heard a list of all the things I had accomplished, he expected someone much older to run up to the podium and he was taken aback by the fact that I was a younger person,” Guillotte said.

“If anything, I hope I can serve as an example to younger folks and let them know that we are the strength of the Church and if we don’t continually bring younger folks to God then we won’t have a chance of really bringing more salvation to people.”

To nominate a Person of the Week, send an email message to FatherRogerLandry@AnchorNews.org.

A CELEBRATION! Father Pat will formally release his new DVD and CD entitled “Tears of Love” On Sunday, May 3rd and Sunday, May 24th at 6:30 PM at La Salette Shrine Church, Attleboro, MA You are invited to join him on these momentous occasions as he radiates through his words and music the love our Blessed Mother has for all of us!

Admission is Free

HEAR NO EVIL — Another religious painting mysteriously appeared in New Bedford last week — this time a depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her hands over her ears. The icon is located on a concrete pillar under the Route 195 overpass adjacent to a skateboard park just off Cedar Grove Street near the Hayden McFadden Elementary School. Although unconfirmed, it is believed to be the work of local artist Mark Carvalho, who last month claimed responsibility for a similar icon of Jesus Christ holding his hands over his eyes on the wall of a video store in the city’s north end. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

April 24, 2009

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The Anchor

Join Father Pat on an Inspiring 3-Day Trip to Lancaster, PA July 14th, 15th, 16th, 2009

IN THE PLANNING STAGE — The Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women recently hosted Bishop George W. Coleman at its annual luncheon to finalize plans for its yearly convention to be held May 2 at St. Bernard’s Parish facilities in Assonet. From left, Jeanne Alves, first vice president; Claudette Armstrong, president; Bishop Coleman; St. Joseph of Cluny Sister Eugenia Brady, moderator; and Lynette Ouellette, Boston Province director of the National Council of Catholic Women. (Photo courtesy of Maddy Lavoie)

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12

The Anchor

April 24, 2009

Barriers broken; barriers remain

E

very player in Major League Baseball who had a game on April 15 wore the number 42 on their backs.

It wasn’t because there was a clearance sale of those numbers and MLB was trying to save money in these tough economic times.

It was to honor the courageous Jackie Robinson who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947, becoming the first African-American professional baseball player.

The National Football League had two black players from 1934-35, but they were essentially pushed out of the game by owners who wanted a whitesonly league. It wasn’t until after World War II that another black

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet man suited up for an NFL game.

Robinson did indeed break the color barrier, but it wasn’t without cost to him and his family. On the field Robinson had to endure wave after wave of racial slurs callously hurled his way from opposing players, coaches and fans.

Off the field he had his “place” on buses, hotels and even rest rooms.

Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, but he didn’t break the cold-hearted spirit of vicious, evil people who thought African-Americans were below them — subhuman if you will.

Today black athletes are a common sight on all playing fields, but unfortunately, the racist mentality still exists in far too many people. It can be argued

that African-American athletes and coaches still haven’t experienced the dream of the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when everyone will “one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

It saddens me that day has not yet come.

Another momentous event in history occurred on April 15. In 1865 America’s greatest president succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head he received from the Deringer fired by John Wilkes Booth the previous evening.

Lincoln was one of many martyrs seeking equality among all mankind.

And yet another example of the evil of prejudice was highlighted on April 15. In 1912 the ship that someone allegedly remarked, “God himself couldn’t sink,” the Titanic, slipped beneath the icy waters of the North Atlantic. In all 1,513 perished — 75 percent of the 710 third-class passengers died, while 60 percent of the 329 first-class passengers survived.

Coincidence? Maybe. Or perhaps it’s just another example of the inequality of all God’s children.

April 15 was a day that made me think of how far mankind has come in realizing that “all men are created equal,” and also how far we really have to go.

Race, color, creed, sex or any other discriminating factors do not, never have, and never will diminish that fact we are all God’s children — and our heavenly Father is still waiting for us to realize it and act accordingly.

BEARING THE COLD — Polar bears are seen in the animal adventure film “Earth.” For a brief review of this film see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Disney)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“Earth” (Disneynature) Majestic and moving nature documentary chronicling a year in the lives of a variety of wild animals in different habitats, most prominently a polar bear, an elephant and a humpbacked whale.

In this big-screen adaptation of their television series, “Planet Earth,” co-directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield make the most of high definition technology to present a stunning portrait of creation and a subtle plea for environmental responsibility.

A couple of bleeped exclamations. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G — general audiences. All ages admitted.

“Observe and Report” (Warner Bros.)

A self-important mall security officer and would-be policeman (Seth Rogen) runs afoul of a real cop (Ray Liotta) in his blundering pursuit of an exhibitionist and a thief while romancing a cosmetics shop girl (Anna Faris). In writerdirector Jody Hill’s brooding dark comedy a few oddly poignant moments are overwhelmed by nonstop vulgarity, sadistic violence and wayward sexual humor.

Graphic nonmarital sexual activity, full nudity, drug and alcohol use, pervasive rough and crude language, and a few profanities.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“17 Again” (New Line) Pleasant, though unremarkable romantic comedy about a dissatisfied middle-aged man (Matthew Perry) who gets his wish to be a high-school student (Zac Efron) again and, with the help of his lifelong best friend (Thomas Lennon), uses the opportunity to guide his teen-age son (Sterling Knight) and daughter (Michelle Trachtenberg) and to revive his failing relationship with his wife (Leslie Mann).

Director Burr Steers’ formulaic star vehicle sees its protagonist standing up for the underdog and promoting sexual restraint but thematic elements make it best for mature teens and up.

Premarital sexual situations, some sexual humor and references, about a dozen crass terms and at least one use of profanity.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is AIII — adults. The Motion Picture

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

“State of Play” (Universal/Working Title) Engrossing political thriller about a veteran reporter (Russell Crowe) and a rookie blogger (Rachel McAdams) on the same Washington paper who join forces to investigate a series of murders, one of which involves a crusading congressman (Ben Affleck) who’s trying to expose corruption involving a powerful military contractor. Kevin Macdonald directs this streamlined version of an acclaimed BBC miniseries which, though not always plausible, and with some of its revelations all too transparent, has an intriguing narrative, a solid cast and a script that eschews overt sex and violence, making this acceptable for older teens. Nongraphic violence, implied past adultery, some rough language and profanity, brief sexual remarks and innuendo, abortion and drug references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, April 26 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Maurice O. Gauvin, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in New Bedford

Men hear stirring messages at conference continued from page one

speakers, reprising his role from the inaugural 2005 gathering.

In fact, Caviezel joked about his repeat performance as he was greeted with a standing ovation during the packed afternoon session.

“Don’t get too excited. It’s pretty much the same speech,” he said.

But any similarities to his earlier presentation certainly didn’t lessen the impact of Caviezel’s stirring message: an impassioned call for all men present proudly to proclaim and defend their faith in Christ.

Citing examples throughout his career where praying the rosary and a devotion to Christ and his Blessed Mother Mary had served him well, Caviezel stressed how important it is today to stand apart from those who choose to shut God out of their lives.

“His talk was a highlight for me because it wasn’t anecdotal,” said Mike Waxman, an attendee from St. Martha’s Parish in Plainville.

“It was extremely compassionate and heartfelt. Sometimes you look forward to something and it’s a letdown, but this was completely the opposite.”

A Jewish man who converted to Catholicism 12 years ago, Waxman decided to attend the conference for the first time this year after going through a “difficult time” recently with the death of his father.

“Actually, it’s been awesome,” he said. “I reached a crossroads in my life and this is exactly what the doctor ordered. It’s been compelling, compassionate, philanthropic — whatever you want to call it.

It was totally unexpected.”

“Jim Caviezel gave a very fiery and inspirational speech,” agreed Jeff Estano, parishioner from St. Mary’s Church in Plymouth. “I heard him back in 2005 and he actually gave a bit of a longer talk this time.”

The theme for this year’s conference was “In the Footsteps of Christ,” a message that was echoed in presentations from other key speakers such as Jerry York, hockey coach for Boston College which hosted the event for the second time this year; Curtis Martin, founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students; and Jim Stenson, author and one of the Church’s foremost experts on Catholic men’s issues.

Catholic men of all ages traveled from throughout New England to attend this fifth annual convention to share not only Communion, but also their communal belief in Jesus Christ and his Church.

Younger participants like high school student Wyeth Dion, a member of St. Catherine’s Parish in Manchester, N.H., returned for his second conference this year and

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The Anchor

April 24, 2009

this time brought along his friend, Tom Ciccarello from St. Marie’s Parish, also in Manchester.

“I came last year and I thought some of my other friends would want to come to learn more about their Catholic faith,” Dion said, adding that Jim Caviezel’s speech was a highlight for him.

“Wyeth came last year and I had wanted to go with him, so this year we came together,” Ciccarello added. “I love it. I work a lot with the youth ministry in my parish and I love the team involvement and the inspiration that you get from being here is just great.”

While Ciccarello agreed Caviezel’s talk was a high point, he also cited Curtis Martin’s speech as being “terrific.”

Robert Durette of Holy Name Parish in Fall River — likely one of the few in attendance who didn’t immediately make the connection between Jim Caviezel and his role in Mel Gibson’s film — also said his passionate speech was a “highlight” of this year’s conference.

“I attended last year’s conference and returned again this year,” Durette said. “Both years were inspirational.”

“I also attended last year and I think both years have been equal … maybe this year was a little better,” said Kevin Ward from St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham. “All the speakers were good and it’s always a well-run and organized convention.”

Although he noted that recent attendance numbers suggest they’ve “hit a plateau,” conference co-founder Bob Allard said he’s been consistently pleased with the turnout over the conference’s fiveyear history.

“Overall, I’d say this year’s conference met all our expectations,” Allard said. “We still get a core group of about 2,000 who come every year and bring others along with them. Even this year people have come up to me and told me they heard something at a past conference that changed their life for the better. You don’t hear that often — that something you’ve been involved with has changed someone’s life for the better.”

In keeping with past tradition, three men this year were honored with Catholic of the Year awards as selected by the conference committee. Father Rodney Copp of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Waltham was presented with the priest award; Deacon Leo Donoghue, former director of the permanent diaconate office for the Archdiocese of Boston, was given the deacon award; and Steve Guillotte, a Knight of Columbus from St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford, received the layTurn to page 20

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Condoms and Africa

he media expressed campaign stressing abstinence shock when Pope before marriage and fidelity Benedict XVI on his trip to in marriage has had positive Africa said that the promotion results? of condoms as the solution for Both require substantial the AIDS epidemic may only changes in behavior. The increase the problem. How, difference is that while the the shocked journalists asked, decision to practice abstinence could the pope ignore science? and fidelity is made with your The fact is that science is on clothes on, the decision to the side of the pope, as Edward use a condom is made with Green, author of “Rethinkyour clothes off, in the heat ing AIDS Prevention” admitof passion and often under the ted. Green had gone to Africa influence of alcohol or drugs. accepting the conventional The decision not to engage in wisdom that condoms were the sex requires will power, but it solution for the AIDS epidemic, but discovered that massive condom education and distribution programs were not working.

On the other hand,

By Dale O’Leary a program promoting abstinence before marriage and fidelity in marriage in Uganda was suc- is supported by religion and cessful. tradition. While condom proHis conclusions have moters encourage people to use been confirmed by numerous a condom every time, the fact other studies. In 2003, Noris that if both partners are HIV man Hearst and Sanny Chen free and monogamous, the risk conducted a condom effectiveof infection is zero. ness study for the U.N.’s AIDS The epidemic isn’t driven by program. They concluded that monogamous couples not using “In many sub-Saharan African condoms, but by concurrent countries, high condom use has multipartner sexual activity. yet to produce demonstrable Those pushing condoms as the benefit … sad experience only solution for the AIDS epishows that high HIV transmisdemic, ignore the psychology sion can coexist with high of multipartner sexual activity. condom use.”

Those who engage in sexual An article in the prestigious relations with a number of partBritish medical journal The ners, almost by definition, tend Lancet concluded: “Massive to value their personal pleasure increases in condom use world- over the well-being of their wide have not translated into partners. Those most at risk demonstrably improved HIV engage in sex with people they control in the great majority don’t know very well. Insisting of countries where they have on condom use in such situaoccurred.” tions implies a lack of trust, it Those promoting condoms breaks the mood, it interferes as the solution insist that “corwith the seduction that is part rect and consistent” condom of such encounters. use reduces infections. The problem is that no intervention or education program no matter how intense has been able to achieve anything close to consistent condom use over time.

No matter how good the intentions of those in the program, after a few months use drops significantly, this is true in Africa and true among men who have sex with men in the U.S. As a result that where condoms are promoted as the answer, the epidemic continues. In the U.S. in 2006 the number of new infections among young men who have sex with men increased 18 percent over the previous year.

Why have massive condom education and distribution campaigns failed to slow the AIDS epidemic in Africa, while a

AIDS in Africa

The pope is right in worrying that condom promotion may actually increase the problem, because condom promotion campaigns necessarily spread a false sense of security.

The campaigns don’t say that condoms, even used every time and correctly will only reduce your risk of infection, and you may still contract HPV, which causes cancer and warts.

Instead they paint a picture of fun and freedom. According to the Lancet article; “A vigorous condom-promotion policy could increase rather than decrease unprotected sexual exposure, if it has the unintended effect of encouraging greater sexual activity.”

And since those who are encouraged to engage in multipartner activity even if supplied with condoms and educated on how to use them inevitably slack on condom use off after a few months, but continue multipartnering.

The problem gets worse not better. According to study published in the Journal of AIDS in 2005, when compared to a control group, men supplied with condoms and education “reported a significantly higher number of partners during the six month follow-up period when compared with the six months prior to joining the study” thus increasing their risk of infection.

Condoms may sound like the solution, but governments and funders need to look at the results and back programs with a proven record of success.

Dale O’Leary is an internationally recognized lecturer and author. She regularly lectures in support of the Church’s teachings on the gift of human sexuality.

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The Anchor

Our readers respond

The rights of women We are all becoming more and more educated about the mind/body connection. Many of us know personally how our thinking, our “mind,” affects the health of our body.

Father Tad Pacholczyk, in a January 16 Anchor article, writes: “When a woman suffering from pulmonary hypertension chooses to tie her tubes, however, that tubal ligation does not address or cure her pulmonary hypertension; she is therefore, opting for a direct sterilization. A direct sterilization is morally unacceptable.”

Now I find it difficult to understand how Father Pacholczyk, a celibate male, can write with such certainty about a woman who, because of her experiences, her situation, her knowledge of herself, feels a tubal ligation will relieve her of her pulmonary hypertension. Being a mother myself, I can appreciate that a woman, fearing more pregnancies than she can handle, and suffering from pulmonary hypertension, would seek a tubal ligation to free her from the constant worry and anxiety of conceiving an unwanted child in a world filled with many unwanted children.

Having that security, I can well understand how her pulmonary hypertension would be relieved. That is basic mind/body medicine.

This decision is the right of the woman, and certainly doesn’t fall anywhere in the expertise of Father Pacholczyk.

Margaret Murphy Falmouth

Executive Editor replies: Because of our hylomorphic nature, sins in our body — such as a tubal ligation for contraceptive rather than directly therapeutic purposes, whatever the ultimate intention — can also affect the soul. As a neuroscientist and as a priest, Father Pacholczyk knows quite a lot about those mind/body connections, which is why he addressed the subject recently for the spiritual good of readers.

Notre Dame’s invitation to president lamented Thank you so much for yet another superb, insightful editorial in The Anchor (“The Passion Continues,” April 3). As the mother of two Notre Dame graduates, I am devastated, appalled and so deeply saddened by what is happening at Notre Dame. It is bad enough to have the most pro-abortion, anti-life president we’ve ever had give the commencement address at Our Lady’s University, but to bestow an honorary degree on him is truly a disgrace and scandal, the likes of which our Lord warns us against in the Gospels. It certainly contradicts our fundamental beliefs

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as Catholics and makes mockery of the basic truths we hold dear.

Thank you for so aptly and concisely putting the whole situation into the context of our Lord’s continued Passion ... his persecution, betrayal and denial ... as we entered Holy Week.

I anxiously await The Anchor each week. Even though I do receive Our Sunday Visitor and The Pilot, our diocesan newspaper is the best.

Beverly Stambaugh Nantucket Accepting those who differ from Church teaching I love my president, I love my Church and I am Pro-Life.

Are these three truths mutually exclusive?

The president is not perfect.

For example, in our terms, he is not Pro-Life. At the same time, this new president is a person of integrity, very intelligent with a sense of history, an understanding of law and our Constitution. I like his ethic of wanting to serve the common good. I admire his family.

At the same time I love my Church. In addition to ministering our spiritual needs, unwaveringly it serves the poor, the sick, and the powerless. During the last election cycle, the Church, with courage, took a counter cultural stand by speaking up on behalf of immigrants. It opposed the war in Iraq and is consistently Pro-Life.

Yet the Church, or at least those who speak for it, are also subject to flaws. For example, The Anchor, in its April 3, editorial, portrays the ideal Catholic image to be one of Church Judgmental. The editorial presents the Notre Dame University invitation to President Obama as today’s equivalent of “the mob crucifying Jesus.” This is not only ridiculous; it is outrageous.

Neither the president nor Notre Dame deserves vilification. In our conversation with those who disagree with us, we convey more truth with attitudes and tones of respect and love than with anathemas. As teacher, the Church does better, in my opinion, to present the truth to others, while respecting the dignity of the person and by accepting the sincerity of conscience of those who do not as yet accept our teaching.

Mrs. Pat Donlan South Dennis Executive Editor replies: The editorial concerned the ways even those who have faith in Jesus betray him. It argued that Notre Dame, by shamelessly ignoring the U.S. bish-

April 24, 2009 ops’ guidelines not to honor those who support the destruction of the unborn and other practices against fundamental human rights, was betraying the Lord. We are indeed called to love everyone as Christ does.

Part of that love, however, involves the fraternal correction of those who facilitate and fund — and honor those who facilitate and fund — practices that treat unborn children in the womb even more sadistically and inhumanly than brutal Roman soldiers treated Christ on Good Friday. This is not to judge persons, but to judge deeds, according to the clear and objective standards of the Gospel, in order to try to bring those people we love to conversion. The Church’s goal is not merely to present the truth; it is also to protect the innocent and voiceless whom we also love from those who seek to harm or kill them. Sadly, with those who reject the truth about the dignity of the human person and its practical consequences, tones of “honey” often do not suffice either to bring them to the truth nor to stop the killing.

Let’s hear it for old Notre Dame In 1961 I graduated from Stonehill College, a small Catholic college in North Easton, known as “The Notre Dame of the East,” because both schools are run by the Congregation of Holy Cross Fathers. Most of them must be rolling over in their graves, because of the decision

by Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., to honor a pro-abortion politician.

Formerly considered one of the most prestigious Catholic colleges in the country, Notre Dame could also boast of its storied Fighting Irish football team.

Since this is no longer the case, now might be a fitting time to change the words of its famous fight song to the following: Shame, shame on Old Notre Dame, You let opponents defame your name.

Lift your prayers way up high, Look for forgiveness from the sky.

So, when, again, you see the light, Old Notre Dame with all of her might, Will fight on God’s side in this strife, For babies’ right to life.

Richard A. Carey Needham News reports short on moral distinctions Those who, like me, define Christian faith and life by the Gospel rather than prevailing

secular orthodoxies should be disheartened by the results of the values and beliefs surveys taken by the Gallup Organization and reported by Catholic News Service (Anchor, April 10). Among churchgoing Catholics, we are told, a slim majority dissents from Church teaching on certain moral issues — specifically, sexual relations and childbearing outside marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, divorce, and capital punishment; while on other issues — abortion, gambling, and homosexual activity — most practicing Catholics affirm the teaching of the Church, although many do not. That Catholics do not accept or live according to Church teaching is nothing new; for 2,000 years, the doctrine that we should love one another has met, at best, with a mixed response. Still, I cannot help but wonder how different the Gallup findings would have been were it not for two generations of doctrinally anemic catechesis and preaching.

What irritates me is that the CNS report invites grave misunderstandings by neglecting to point out that not all of these issues have the same moral gravity. From a Catholic perspective, gambling and capital punishment (and alcohol consumption, for that matter) are not intrinsically evil, like abortion or fornication or racism, although circumstances can render them immoral. The Church has consistently recognized the right of legitimate authority to inflict the death penalty under some circumstances, though in recent times she has urged a practical judgment against its use (“Catechism of the Catholic Church,” 2266-67). As for gambling and games of chance, these are sinful only when they deprive someone of what is needed to provide for his needs and those of others (CCC, 2413).

The moral waters are muddy enough without Catholic news agencies failing to make important distinctions.

Father Thomas Kocik Fall River Letters are welcome but the editor reserves the right to condense or edit for clarity if deemed necessary. Letters should be typed, no longer than 100 words and should include name, address, and telephone number. Letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of The Anchor.

Letters should be sent to: The Anchor, Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722-0007, or Emailed to fatherrogerlandry@anchornews. org.

April 24, 2009

15

The Anchor

Daring rescue of ship’s captain leaves Vermont parish overjoyed

STILL GOING STRONG — Franciscans walk outside the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, Italy, April 15. Members of the branches of the order founded by St. Francis were meeting for the International Chapter of Mats. This year marks the 800th anniversary of papal approval of the Franciscan rule. (CNS photo/Emanuela De Meo, Catholic Press Photo)

Vatican orders ‘doctrinal assessment’ of group representing U.S. nuns

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has ordered a “doctrinal assessment” of the “activities and initiatives” of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Maryland-based association whose members represent about 95 percent of the 67,000 women religious in the United States.

Sister Annmarie Sanders, a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who is LCWR director of communications, confirmed the investigation in a brief statement released to Catholic News Service April 15.

“At this time, LCWR knows neither the process nor timeline for completion of this assessment,” the statement said. “As more information is made available to LCWR, the conference will take the appropriate steps for its participation in the assessment.”

Bishop Leonard P. Blair of Toledo, Ohio, a member of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, is to conduct the assessment at the direction of Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the doctrinal congregation.

The assessment by Bishop Blair is separate from an apostolic visitation of U.S. institutes of women religious that will look into the quality of life in the communities and why their membership has decreased during the past 40 years.

That study, announced in January and ordered by the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, is led by Mother Mary Clare Millea, a Connecticut

native who is superior general of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an international religious institute that has its headquarters in Rome.

The LCWR statement said the doctrinal assessment was announced by Cardinal Levada in a February letter, which the conference received March 10. Officers of the LCWR informed members about the investigation in an April 2 letter.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told CNS April 16 he could confirm the congregation asked Bishop Blair “to undertake in the coming months a study regarding doctrinal problems that have presented themselves in the area of female religious life in the United States.”

Top officials at the doctrinal congregation at the Vatican were also unavailable for comment.

Although neither the cardinal’s letter nor the LCWR letter has been made public, National Catholic Reporter, an independent national Catholic newspaper based in Kansas City, Mo., said it had obtained a copy of LCWR’s letter to its members.

NCR reported that Cardinal Levada described the assessment as a follow-up to a 2001 meeting between LCWR leaders and officials of the doctrinal congregation, at which the women religious were asked to report on “the initiatives taken or planned” to promote acceptance of Vatican teachings on “the problem of homosexuality,” the ordination of women to the priesthood and the 2000 declaration “Dominus Iesus.”

“Given both the tenor and the doctrinal content of various ad-

dresses given at the annual assemblies of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the intervening years, this dicastery can only conclude that the problems which had motivated its request in 2001 continue to be present,” Cardinal Levada wrote, according to NCR. The Church teaches that all homosexual acts are morally wrong but affirms the dignity of those with homosexual inclinations and says that having such an inclination is not in itself sinful.

In the 1994 apostolic letter “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis,” Pope John Paul II reaffirmed Church teaching that the Church “has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women.”

“Dominus Iesus,” the doctrinal congregation’s 2000 declaration on the “unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church,” says other Christian churches and communities “suffer from defects” and non-Christians also “are in a gravely deficient situation.”

In its statement, LCWR said the organization “faces this process with confidence, believing that the conference has remained faithful to its mission of service to leaders in congregations of women religious as they seek to further the mission of Christ in today’s world.”

Sister Annmarie said LCWR officials planned to meet with Cardinal Levada this month at the Vatican as part of their regular annual consultation with Vatican offices.

The meeting had been scheduled before the doctrinal assessment was announced, she said.

Conference leaders also plan to meet with Bishop Blair “later this spring,” NCR reported.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — When news of the bold liberation of U.S. Capt. Richard Phillips from the grip of pirates off the coast of Somalia filtered through his Vermont Catholic parish April 12, members of his parish community felt like their Easter prayers had been answered.

“We’re so happy that it turned out the way that it did,” said Donna Schaeffler, secretary of St. Thomas Church in Underhill Center, Vt., the parish where Phillips, 53, and his wife, Andrea, regularly attend Mass.

“There is so much media here and we’re trying to give the Phillipses their privacy, but we’ve been praying at Mass for his safe release,” Schaeffler told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview.

“Our pastor (Father Charles R. Danielson) also asked everyone to pray for the Phillipses during the Easter morning Mass.

We were just so happy to hear the news of his rescue later in the day,” she said.

Phillips allowed himself to be taken hostage by four pirates who tried to seize the U.S.flagged Maersk Alabama April 7 in the Indian Ocean, in order to keep the crew of the 17-ton ship safe.

He was detained by his armed captors on one of the ship’s lifeboats for five days. U.S. naval

forces surrounded the small boat, and Navy snipers fired three shots to kill a trio of Somali pirates and free the American sea captain, a Navy commander told The Associated Press.

The fourth pirate, who had been aboard the USS Bainbridge for negotiations about the captain’s release, surrendered and could face life in a U.S. prison, the AP reported.

President Barack Obama, who told the AP he was pleased with the rescue, said Phillips’ courage was “a model for all Americans.”

The White House had authorized the Navy to take action to resolve the five-day standoff.

Father Danielson prayed with Phillips’ wife privately at the couple’s Underhill Center home the day before the dramatic rescue, Schaeffler said.

The U.S. sea captain told news reporters shortly after his rescue that he was not a hero, and praised the Navy SEALs for their efforts in securing his freedom.

“This is a small community and everyone here has been concerned,” Schaeffler told CNS. “Our office has been flooded with phone messages and emails from people who have expressed their well-wishes to Capt. Phillips and his family. When things settle down, I’ll make sure they get these messages.”

St. Francis Xavier Church 125 Main St. Acushnet, MA 02743 Saturday, 2 May 2009 ~ (508) 995-7600 7:50 am 9:00 am

10:00 am

Fatima Video presentation in Church.

Procession of Our Lady. Regina Caeli. Crowing Ceremony.

Sung Litany of Loreto. The Five Joyous Mysteries.

Mass of Our Lady: Celebrant and Preacher, Monsignor Gerard P. O’Connor. Consecration of Parish to Our Lady.

11:10 am

Lunch break in Church Hall. (please bring a bag lunch)

12:15 pm

Exposition and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

12:40 pm

Sermon on “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at Fatima” by Fr. Raphael, FI. Silent Adoration.

1:20 pm

Meditations on the Resurrection of Our Lord (Via Lucis).

1:55 pm

Break in Church Hall.

2:20 pm 3:10 pm

The Five Glorious Mysteries. Act of Consecration. Benediction.

Enrollment in the Brown Scapular and Conferment of Miraculous Medal. Procession of Our Lady.

- Confessions available throughout the day -

Finish approx 3:30 pm

SELECTION OF VENUES FOR 2009: Saturday, 6 June Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Fall River MA Saturday, 4 July St. Patrick’s Church, Wareham MA Saturday, 5 Sep Good Shepherd Church, Fall River, MA Saturday, 3 Oct St. Bernard, Assonet, MA

16

Youth Pages

A LOVE STORY — Pre-schoolers at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford recently took in an Agape meal. Agape is the Greek word for love, they were told by Sister Muriel Lebeau. Jesus showed us his love at the Last Supper when he gave his Body and Blood. Forty-six children between the ages of three and five came to the meal and sat on the floor in a circle. While listening to traditional Jewish songs, they tried different foods that Jesus ate as a boy, including yogurt, honey, cucumbers, olives, dates, apricots, grapes, apples and celery. Near the end of the meal the children were given bread and grape juice and solemnly told how Jesus showed us his greatest love on the cross, but before he died gave us his Body and Blood at the Last Supper.

EASTER GOODIES — Volunteers from Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich, recently spent two days preparing an Easter meal. Of the more than 20 volunteers, eight were Religious Education students. Here Molly Lomenzo, T.J. Pagliaro, Frank Pagliaro and Thomas Lomenzo serve some of the guests. On Easter Sunday more than 50 guests enjoyed the lunch and 25 dinners were delivered to home-bound people in the community.

A HOLY HISTORY LESSON — Kindergarten students from Holy Trinity School in Fall River gathered for a reenactment of the Last Supper during Holy Week.

April 24, 2009

JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS — As part of Holy Week activities and in preparation for the sacred Triduum, fourth-graders at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro enacted the Stations of the Cross. Front, from left: Ian Morris, Spencer Marcotte as Jesus, Benjamin Cortellini, and Katie Loonie; rear: Lily Bond, Joseph Landry, and Jacqueline Wallace.

JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER — Students from St. Pius X School, South Yarmouth, enacted the Stations of the Cross during Holy Week.

JESUS FALLS — With the assistance of the school chaplain, Father Kevin Cook, students from the Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton, Peer Ministry class reenacted the Stations of the Cross in preparation for the holy Triduum.

April 24, 2009

I

was touched by a story that was shared by the wife of one of the permanent deacons of our diocese at a session I attended last month. She shared this story as an example of the effect that one person can have in service to God’s people and I think it applies to all of us.

A vacationing businessman was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy walked slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean. The businessman, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, “I have been watching what you are doing, son. You have a good heart, and I know you mean well, but do you realize how many beaches there are around here and how many starfish are dying on every beach every day. Surely such an industrious and kind-hearted boy such as yourself could find something better to do with your time. Do

Youth Pages It matters

you really think that what you are It is thoroughly lifeless” (Jas doing is going to make a differ2:14,17,18b). ence?” The boy looked up at the So often we may not always man, and then he looked down at put our faith into action to make a starfish by his feet. He picked up the starfish, and as he gently tossed it back into the ocean, he said, “It matters to that one.”

I often write about the call to service as I

By Frank Lucca believe it is so important to our calling as Christians. Over the years, I have come to learn that our faith a difference in the family, comlife must be built on at least three munity or the world we live in. strong legs … like a tripod. The Like in the Legend of the Starfirst leg is prayer. The next is fish, we, like the young man, are study. The final leg is action. If faced with the impossible task of one leg of the tripod is not strong making the world right for some the tripod cannot stand effecmany of our brothers and sisters. tively. So it is with us. Unless It seems overwhelming and to be we pray, study (and learn about honest, it may well be imposChrist and our faith) and put that sible. There are so many facing faith into action we will not have difficult times today. Where do a balanced faith life. we start? What I love about this St. James writes, “My brothstory is that even though we ers, what good is it to profess may not be able to be there for faith without practicing it? Such everyone in every situation, when faith has no power to save one, we act on behalf of another, it has it? So it is with the faith matters. We can start with just that does nothing in practice. one person and to that one person

Be Not Afraid

17 it matters.

When we feed the hungry person, it matters. When we talk to the kid in school who is not the most popular, it matters. If we volunteer in a food kitchen or visit shut-ins, it matters.

If we spend some time listening to an elderly person, it matters. There are millions of opportunities to serve and make a difference. The comforting thought that the Legend of the Starfish offers is that we only have to begin with one … then another and another.

However, it all begins with one.

Don’t underestimate that however small your action might be, that it makes a difference to someone. I know that I can make the difference in the life of one person and so can you. If each of us took that opportunity, imagine the effect we could have on our world.

It matters.

Frank Lucca is a youth minister at St. Dominic’s Parish in Swansea. He is chair and director of the YES! Retreat and director of the Christian Leadership Institute (CLI). He is a husband and a father of two daughters.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools or parish Religious Education programs have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@ anchornews.org

18

The Anchor

Priest-professor receives grant for Buddhist studies continued from page one

attending the institute on ‘Buddhist Traditions of Tibet and Himalayas’ organized by professors Todd Lewis and Leonard van der Kuijp,” he said.

“We will have the opportunity to hear lectures from experts from around the world and engage in academic study, discussions and excursions.

“As a professor of humanities and a Catholic pastor I approach life and academics in a Catholic way seeking to see connectedness in difference and harmony in discord,” he wrote in his application to participate in the institute.

“In ‘Nostra Aetate’ the Church set forth principles and attitudes of non-Christian religions that inspires Catholics to see the goodness, wisdom and beauty inherent in other religious traditions, while celebrating the importance of Christ for the salvation of the world,” the paper continued.

Father Hindsley said he applied for the institute for two reasons: personal and academic.

“Personally I have come to appreciate the wisdom of the Buddhist traditions and practices by reading various texts in the tradition and by taking part in a Buddhist-Christian retreat. As a result I have adopted Buddhist-inspired meditation practices and enlivened by own Christian prayer life having recognized the similarity of meditation practices in Christian and Buddhist monastic traditions.”

He added, “I have always had a great respect for the Dalai Lama as a world religious leader. Like many Americans I have also been drawn to Zen practice as well.”

The academic reason, he said, is “because I teach a course an-

nually on the relationship of the Church and Major World Religions (THL 358) at Providence College. I learn more and more … but also come to the insight that I need to learn more from experts in the field.”

Aligned with that, Father Hindsley reported that he would be taking a sabbatical from teaching from July 1 of this year to July 1, 2010 during which he will visit India for two months. It is part of an interdisciplinary course for his Global Studies he teaches on the topic of the Indian subcontinent, which would include the areas of India, Tibet, and their relative environs. It will include how the people engage in prayer practices such as chanting, and silent meditation.

“The summer institute will help me reap the benefits of studious application in the experiences of the sojourn to the India subcontinent,” he explained.

His course at Providence College offers an in-depth look at Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam and how they correlate, “and yes, we can learn much from their manner of prayer … their repetition of a simple prayer, and how it can keep Christians and Catholics in an ongoing prayerful union and close to Jesus,” he noted.

One such Christian method, known as the “Jesus Prayer” simply involves repeating the name of Jesus during a quiet time of meditation.

“Continuing prayer is much simpler than even the repetition of prayers in the rosary.

For example the prayer St. John Cassian taught in the fifth century: “O God come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help me.”

He said that frequently peo-

Diocese of Fall River

Leadership Opportunities Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL for ACADEMICS

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL St. Pius X School, South Yarmouth Approved Graduate Degree Required Applications to close May 8, 2009 Submit a letter of intent, resume, transcripts and three current letters of reference to: GEORGE A. MILOT, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools 423 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720 Other positions listed on our Website: www.dfrcec.com

ple are apt to abandon their Christian religions to find a new or meaningful prayer life, while all the time the means to a constant life of prayer is right under their noses.

Besides being professor of Humanities at Providence College, Father Hindsley has also been the associate professor of German and teaches various theology and liberal arts courses as well as an honors course in civilization; has chaired the Department of Modern Languages, and directs Global Studies. He regularly travels to Germany to conduct research on Dominican women mystics of the 14th century.

He is the author of dozens of books and articles; translated dozens more; and written many book reviews. His latest books are, “Margaret Ebner: Major Works” (Paulist Press), and “The Mystics of Engelthal” (St. Martin’s Press). He is currently completing a new book on Adelheid Langmann, (13121375) a Middle Ages mystic.

No stranger to academics, Father Hindsley, a native of Brooklawn, N.J., earned a bachelor’s degree cum laude from LaSalle College in Philadelphia in 1972; a doctorate from Rutgers University in 1980; and a licentiate in theology from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., in 1985.

He was ordained a priest for the Dominican Order on May 25, 1984. This year he is celebrating his 25th anniversary as a priest.

He served at Providence College and St. Mary’s in New Haven prior to service in the Fall River Diocese at Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish in Fall River in 2000, and since 2006 at St. John’s in Westport.

Of his upcoming time abroad, he said he would be spending time in New Delhi, Dharamsala, and if possible Nepal and Tibet.

“I will also be in Kerala in Southern India. It is a place, where the people live in a stabile community, and can offer much towards our better understanding of life in their particular culture,” he said.

Father Hindsley says he is accustomed to juggling his pastoral duties in his Westport parish with his college teaching career “I will necessarily have to live at the institute during the week, but will be back in my parish weekends,” he said.

Planning for the visit to India is “another whole initiative” but is already in the planning, he indicated.

April 24, 2009

Grassroots effort needed to protect rights continued from page one

the House Ways and Means Committee’s proposal, released April 15, to delete $850,000 for programs earmarked GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, “transgender), according to a report in Bay Windows, a prohomosexual newspaper.

That was the amount funded this year for the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth, which promotes clubs, school assemblies, programs and curriculum aimed at mainstreaming the active homosexual lifestyle. The commission, begun in 2006, is not accountable to oversight and must include a member of the Boston chapter of Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, a well-funded national activist group.

Public pressure also played a part in the committee’s scrapping these programs in its fiscal 2010 budget, concluded a release from MassResistance.org, a Walthambased parents’ rights group.

“Although the money could still find its way back in when the Senate releases its version — and the homosexual lobby will attempt to do that — this is a huge victory for the pro-family cause,” stated the release, which urged people to contact Senate leaders now (President Therese Murray at 617-722-1500 and Ways and Means Chairman Steven Panagiotakos at 617-7221630.)

Rep. Robert Hargraves of Groton also filed a bill to repeal the controversial commission. That bill — H 145 entitled “An act protecting children and parents” — is in the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

At least four bills have also been filed to protect parents’ rights when dealing with public school administrators pushing “alternative lifestyles.”

One is H 406, the David Parker Parents Rights Opt-In Bill. This bill strengthens the current Parental Notification Law against abuses that have increased, especially since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in 2003 legally “redefined” marriage.

Entitled “An act regarding parental notification and consent,” the opt-in bill’s main strength is in requiring parents to opt their children into lessons and discussions of human sexuality rather than out of them. It also protects against psychologically intrusive and damaging school surveys that include questions about death, suicide, sexual experimentation and criminal activity.

The bill aims at sparing more parents from having to endure what David and Tonia Parker of Lexington did. Their objection to not being notified their kindergarten son would be given books normalizing homosexuality ended up in court

and cost them their life savings.

Federal district court judges in Boston stated that parents have no legal recourse to opt their children out of pro-homosexual lessons because Massachusetts legally recognizes same-sex unions as “marriages.”

H 406 was filed by Rep. William Greene of Billerica and is in the Joint Education Committee. Other opt-in bills in that committee are: H 472 “An act requiring parental consent on sex education in public schools,” filed by Rep. Elizabeth Poirier of North Attleboro; H 437 “An act relative to parental notification and consent,” filed by Rep. Brad Jones of North Reading; and H 421 “An act regarding parental notification and consent,” filed by Rep. Hargraves.

On the Congressional level, the president of ParentalRights.org is urging people to support a federal parental rights amendment, according to an April 16 OneNewsNow report. The amendment, called House Joint Resolution 42, states that parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children. It also maintains that no state, treaty, or international law — nor the U.S. government — may infringe upon this right.

Mike Farris of ParentalRights. org said the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child will take away the rights of parents if it is ratified

by Congress — something he believes could happen as early as midyear.

The U.N. proposal stipulates that children have the right to associate with anyone they choose; receive contraception and abortions without parental knowledge; that parents have no right to take them to church if they don’t want to go, nor try to bring them up in their family religion, among other things. It takes away any control by parents of their children and in essence gives the U.N. supervision over the family.

The OneNewsNow report continued: “If people will stand up [for parents] and call for international law to be stopped and parental rights to be protected, we’re going to win,” Farris contends. “But if people remain silent, we not only will not pass this amendment, but the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child will be shoved down our throats and will radically change all parenting as we know it in this country.”

(This is the third in a series on legislation affecting families, life and religious freedom. The text of all state bills can be found on the Website Mass.gov/legis.

Next: Health Education Bill resurfaces, as do bills to redefine marriage and decriminalize certain behaviors.)

April 24, 2009

Around the Diocese Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration ACUSHNET — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Church, 125 Main Street, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., ending with evening prayer and Benediction.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place First Fridays at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held Fridays from 8:30 a.m to 6:30 p.m. in the Lourdes Chapel at Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Avenue.

FALL RIVER — St. Mary’s Cathedral will host a First Friday Mass May 1 at 12:05 p.m., followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and ending with Benediction at 1 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place at St. Joseph-St. Therese Church, 51 Duncan Street, Mondays following the 8:30 a.m.

Mass until 1:30 p.m. For more information call 508-995-2354.

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

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

TAUNTON — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m. Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

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.

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous: ACUSHNET — A fund-raiser for St. Mary’s Church in Fairhaven with the Baha Brothers will be held at the Century House, 107 South Main Street, May 29. The event will include dinner followed by entertainment and dancing. For tickets or information, call 508-992-7300.

ACUSHNET — A Day with Mary will take place May 2 from 7:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church, 125 Main St. It will include a video, instruction, devotion, a procession and crowning of Mary, Mass, an opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praying of the rosary, and enrollment in the brown scapular and investiture in the Miraculous Medal. For more information call Mary Creedon at 508-984-1823.

BRIGHTON — The diocesan Vocations Office is having a men’s vocation discernment retreat the weekend of May 1-3 at St. John’s Seminary. This retreat is geared for men ages 18 and older. Those interested should contact Father Kevin Cook at 508-823-2521 or frkcook@coylecassidy.com.

NEW BEDFORD — Holy Hour is held every Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. at St. Kilian’s Church, 306 Ashley Boulevard. On May 7 the guest speaker will be Samantha Varnerin from Bishop Feehan High School.

NEW BEDFORD — The Daughters of Isabella will meet April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Holy Name of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 121 Mount Pleasant Street. The group is an international Catholic charitable organization for women 16 and over.

For information on membership contact Elizabeth Almeida at 508-728-9483.

NORTH ATTLEBORO — The Relay for Life Team is sponsoring a pancake breakfast Sunday following the 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Masses at Sacred Heart Church, 58 Church Street. The breakfast will be served in the parish hall and all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life which will be held June 12-13 at North Attleboro High School. For information call 508-6998228 or 508-695-7259.

NORTH EASTON — A panel entitled “Wall Street, Main Street or Capitol Hill: Where Does the Answer Lie?” will take place April 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Father Peyton Center at Holy Cross Family Ministries, 518 Washington Street. The panel will discuss the role of government policy and individual responsibility during the current economic crisis. Refreshments will be served after the presentation and this event is free and open to the public.

SWANSEA — St. Louis de France Parish, 56 Buffington Street, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving commemorating Father Richard Gendreau’s 40th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood, May 3 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow in the parish hall. For information contact Nancy at sldfo@comcast.net or Lucia at 508-674-9746.

WEST HARWICH — Holy Hour will be held on Monday at 1 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28. Rosary will be followed by Benediction.

Support Groups

FALL RIVER — Courage, a support group for people experiencing same-sex attraction who would like to live the Church’s teaching on chastity, will gather for prayer and conversation May 2 at 7 p.m. For location and more information, call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

Pro-Life

ATTLEBORO — Concerned faithful are needed to pray the rosary outside Four Women, Inc., an abortion clinic at 150 Emory Street, Thursdays from 3-4 p.m., or 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. For information call 508-238-5743.

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The Anchor Sister Grace Donovan, SUSC; provincial, dean, and historian

FALL RIVER — Holy Union Sister Grace Donovan, also known as Sister Theresa Anna, who served her Congregation in many posts during 60 years of religious service, died April 9.

Born in Fall River, the daughter of the late Cornelius and Mary Ellen (Grandfield) Donovan, she graduated from the former Sacred Hearts Academy and entered the Holy Union Sisters in 1938.

She received a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan College in New York, and a master’s degree and a doctorate from Boston College.

She did graduate studies at Oxford University in England and at the University of Paris in France.

Sister Donovan’s educational assignments include principal of the former St. Mary’s School in Taunton, teacher of history at Bos-

ton College and Lowell State College, as dean of students at Regis College in Weston, and as a member of the campus ministry team at Stonehill College in Easton.

She was provincial superior of the Fall River Province of the Holy Union Sisters from 1971 to 1974.

Sister Donovan was also archivist for Sister Grace her ConDonovan, SUSC gregation in Rome as well as archivist for the newly formed U.S. Province.

A member of the American Historical Society, the Society of

American Archivists, and the New England Archivists of Religious Institutions, she was the author of “Beginnings, Holy Union Sisters in the United States” as well as “Holy Women on Holy Ground,” a history of the foundation of the Holy Union Sisters.

Following her retirement in 2006, she continued to do research and write articles for the province newsletter.

Besides her Holy Union Sisters, she leaves a sister, Helen Scholl of Somerset; nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was the sister of the late John, William, Neil and Mary Walmsley.

Her Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated April 14 in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

Burial was in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, also in Fall River.

have with those in need by helping to fund the charitable works of our Catholic Charities agencies and apostolates.

In 2008, nearly 36,000 parishioners and friends contributed $4,296,300 to this annual endeavor, realizing full well that only through their efforts and generosity would the thousands who turn to the diocese in their time of need be cared for.

Donors were also confident that their donations were being directed to those in need of assistance, with 94 cents of every dollar donated going directly to fund Catholic Charities agencies and apostolates.

“I would say thank you so much Catholic Charities because in so many ways you’ve saved my life,” said Tim. “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because if it wasn’t for people like you I don’t know where I would be,” Jodi stated.

In his letter to diocesan parishioners, Bishop George W. Coleman wrote: “It is not easy to ask you to make sacrifices, especially when our country is facing a time of financial instability. However, our faith in Christ compels us to care for our brothers and sisters.

In a spirit of compassion, we find ways to share our blessings with our neighbors even now. Together, we can reach out to those who have trouble meeting even their most basic needs. Together we can change their lives.”

Bishop Coleman’s Catholic Charities Appeal audio-message and the appeal video may be heard and seen on the Catholic Charities Appeal Website at: frdioc-catholiccharities.org.

Donations to the Appeal can be sent to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, P.O. Box 1470, Fall River, MA 02722; dropped off at any parish in the diocese; or made on the Appeal Website: frdioc-catholiccharities.org.

Catholic Charities Appeal kicks off May 1 continued from page one

Diocese of Fall River, which covers all of southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

For 68 years the diocese has been able to minister to hundreds of thousands of the neediest and most marginalized individuals and families as a result of this yearly campaign. It is the one and only time the diocese asks its parishioners to come together to share what they

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks

April 27 1925, Rev. Francis J. Bradley, D.D., Retired Rector St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River 1949, Rev. Romeo D. Archambault, St. Anne, New Bedford 1973, Rev. Edward F. O’Keefe, S.J., retired, St. Francis Xavier, Boston April 28 1959, Rev. Stanislaus J. Goyette, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea April 29 Rev. James Leo Maguire, Pastor, Diocese of Monterey, California, 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 Rev. John M. Breen, M.M., Maryknoll Missionary, 2005 April 30 Rev. John A. Hurley, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1900 Rev. David F. Sheedy, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1930 Rev. John Moda, Pastor, St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Ford City, Penn., 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

20

The Anchor

Men hear stirring messages at conference continued from page 13

man award.

“The Catholic of the Year award, to me, is the most definitive Catholic moment we have during the conference,” Allard said. “It’s when you honor guys who never in a million years expect to get an award for anything.

They don’t do it for an award and it’s never something they aspire to. Everything they do is about humility — it’s really the humility award — which is ironic when

you think about it.”

The Boston Catholic Men’s Conference — which also included a Catholic Women’s Conference counterpart on April 19 — was borne out of a meeting of a Catholic Men’s Group at St. Paul Parish in Cambridge in the fall of 2004 and was established to help then-Archbishop Sean O’Malley rebuild the Church in Boston.

Following the format of a daylong retreat, the agenda included

Women celebrate their faith continued from page one

The women’s conference began in 2006, following the success of the men’s conference the year prior, as a way to strengthen the Catholic women’s community by providing an arena for them to gather together and discuss how to live their faith in today’s world.

The first keynote address came from Sister Nancy Keller, a Sister of Charity and a founding member of the Saint Elizabeth Seton House of Prayer in New York. “Embracing the cross and finding our place in the Passion is an integral part of finding peace and faith and trusting our hearts to God,” said Sister Keller.

In a second address, Kerri Caviezel, wife of actor Jim Caviezel who portrayed Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ,” spoke to the women on “Defending the Faith in Tough Environments.” Caviezel centered her discussion on how the pillars of the Catholic Church shape family and married life and are essential to protecting the faith in today’s “hostile environment.”

“God did not call us to be successful, as the world wants us,” said Caviezel. “He called us to be faith-

ful women of Christ.”

Johnette Benkovic, the founder of Living His Life Abundantly — a Catholic evangelization communications apostolate — gave the final address of the afternoon, entitled “God’s Mercy is for All.” Benkovic gave a personal testimony on her return to Catholicism in 1981 after having been “enticed, totally entranced and bewitched by the voices of the (1970s).”

On “emerging from the darkness” and her return to the Church, Benkovic said it was Scripture and faith in God that brought her hope, healing, solace and direction in life.

“Nothing you can do can eradicate his blessings from you. No sin can take it away from you. He is incapable of loving one of us more than the other; he loves us totally,” she said.

At 3 p.m., conference participants celebrated a Divine Mercy Holy Hour with exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

To conclude the conference, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley celebrated Mass in honor of Divine Mercy Sunday.

the aforementioned keynote speakers along with music and video presentations, exhibitions and group discussions, prayer and worship with confession, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,

April 24, 2009 and a closing Mass celebrated by Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

“This is my third conference and I think this is the best one yet,” Estano said. “As far as the venue goes, this is a very comfortable

place and the speakers have been great. I would absolutely come next year and encourage others to attend. It’s a great opportunity to grow in your faith and learn something new.”