04.27.07

New Bedford pastor spearheading prayer drive to save Marriage Act By

OFF AND RUNNING - Bishop George W. Coleman speaks to the attendees of the Catholic Charities Appeal kick-off dinner at the Cape Codder in Hyannis on April 19. (Photo by Bruce McDaniel)

Catholic Charities Appeal begins 66th run May 1 FALL RIVER - The Fall River Diocese will begin its 66th annual Catholic Charities Appeal on May I, inviting parishioners and supporters "to share what they have with those who have less."

Proceeds from the Catholic Charities Appeal provide the financial backing for the numerous programs, services, and agencies sponsored by the diocese throughout

southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands.

Diocesan Development Director Michael J. Donly explained that, "The Charities Appeal is the one time during each year when the Fall River Diocese asks its parishioners and friends in the community for help in funding its charitable works, which are open to anyone regardless of creed, race, nationality, gender, or economic status."

The Appeal supports diocesan services such as emergency and transitional housing, food pantries and vouchers, counseling, pregnancy assistance, hospitallIlini,stry, CYO, family programs, campus ministry, the weekly Television Mass, and a network ofregional offices ofCathOlic Social Services. It also funds Marriage Prep and Enrichment opportunities, HIVI AIDS ministry, summer camp for handicapped children, programs for ESL, GED assistance, and citizenship preparation, and many other supportive endeavors.

Donly reported that last year nearly 40,000 contributors donated to the Catholic Charities Appeal, bringing in $3,936,578, and he emTum to page 18 - Appeal

DEACON JAMES

N.

DUNBAR

NEW BEDFORD - Institute of the Incarnate Word Father Samuel Leonard, pastor of S1. Kilian's Parish in New Bedford, is asking for another miracle.

"I'm told that when things looked darkest lastJanuary as a most reluctant Legislature was finally taking up the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in Massachusetts and define marriage as the union of one man and one man, that suddenly there was a favorable turnaround, that our prayers had been heard," Father Leonard recalled last week On January 2, the deadline to vote on the marriage act petition, legislators at a constitutional convention voted 61 to 132 to advance the proposal.

"And so as we move towards May 9," when another constitutional convention takes up the marriage act for its second and needed vote to get the petition before the voters on a ballot question in the 2008 general elections, "we're asking God again - not to tamper with people's free will- but to grant the graces that s~s people to act in truth," said Father Leonard.

As spiritual advisor for the Fall River Diocese's

Catholic Citizenship Coalition, one of several moving forces', in the marriage act, Father Leonard has sent a letter to pastors asking them to consider setting aside a specifj,c time for prayer and fasting in their parishes leading up to the constitutional convention in Boston.

"We ask our Lord's divine intervention and favor to prolect marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and help insure that our legislators vote to put the marriage amendment on the ballot in 2008," he wrote.

And while memories are still fresh of the March 6 immigration raid on a New Bedford factory that snared 361 illegal aliens and puts deportation in their foreseeable future, the day of prayer and fasting is also meantto ask God's help" for a just reform of the immigration laws of our country," he noted.

Even as he urges a new effort via scheduled times of prayers, Masses and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Father Leonard made it clear that "prayer is timeless. It can be done anytime, by anybody. Our sacrifices:itoo are timeless, as we do extra penance or ofI Tum to page 14 - Prayer

A FAITHFUL PRESENCE - The Knights of Columbus have been a presence at many Catholic functions for 125 years. Here they attend a rosary servicernarking the anniversary of Servant of God Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton at his gravesite in North Easton. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

For Knights of- Columbus celebrating its 125th anniversary, ~hebeat goes on

By DEACON JAMES N.

DUNBAR

FALL RIVER - When Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell received the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus' 2007 prestigious Lantern Award last week in Newton, it was the latest in a string ofevents marking the 125th anniversary of the founding of the world's largest lay Catholic organization with 1.7 million members worldwide.

Knights from across the New En-

gland region gathered with those from across the globe to ~,elebrate "Founder's Day" on March 29 in New Haven, Conn., where, on the same date in 1882, the Connecticut General Assembly - its Legislature at the time - chartered the society that local diocesan priest Father Mi,chael J. McGivney had founded with a small band ofCatholic men inthe basement of his St. Mary's Parish the~.

Hartford Archbishop Henry J. Mansell and Bridgeport Bishop WJ1l-

iam E. Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, were among several bishops and approximately 100 diocesan priests to concelebrate Mass on the anniversary in the founder's historic and renovated church.

During the lOOth observance celebrations in March 1982, Father McGivney's remains were re-interred in the nave of the church. Shortly afterward, his cause for sainthood was Tum to page 18 - Knights

I2

$ NEWS FROM THE VATICAN $

APRIL

27, 2007

Search for truth succeeds only through faith in Jesus, pope says

By CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY - The human search for truth can succeed only through faith in Jesus Christ, who is truth, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"Faith in Christ grants the true knowledge which the ancient philosophers had sought through the use of reason," the pope said April 18 at his weekly general audience.

Continuing his audience talks about the early Church fathers and theologians, Pope Benedict focused his remarks on St. Clement of Alexandria, who was born in the middle . of the second century.

The theologian's writings, the pope said, outline how a believing Christian can and should use both faith and reason to "reach an intimate knowledge ofthe truth, which is Jesus Christ, the word of God." "Only this knowledge of the person, who is truth, is true gnosis, the Greek word for knowledge or intelligence;' Pope Benedict said.

The joining of faith and reason, he said, "leads to true philosophy, that is, the real understanding of the path to take in one's life."

Pope Benedict said St. Dement explained how knowledge of Christ must become "a living reality; it is not just a theory. It is a life force, a union with transforming love." ~owledge of Christ is not simply an intellectual exercise, he said, but rather it implies the experience of ''love that opens one's eyes, transforms the person and creates com-

munion with the Logos, the divine word, who is truth and life."

The unity of knowledge and love ofChrist leads to contemplation and, ultimately, ''union with God," he said.

St. Clement explained how ''the ultimate aim of human life is to become similar to God;' the pope said. ''We are created in the image and likeness of God, but this is also a challenge, a journey. Our final aim and ultimate destination is to become similar to God." The pope said the fact that people are created in God's image allows them "to know the divine reality."

Knowledge of God, he said, comes first through faith but grows through the practice ofmoral virtues.

St. Dement insisted that correct moral conduct must accompany the intellectual. search for truth and for God, he said.

'The two go together because one cannot know something without living it and cannot live something without knowing it;' said the pope.

Pope Benedict said he hoped all Christians, but especially theologians and religious educators, would see St. Dement as a model for bringing faith and reason together and for conducting a dialogue with modem philosophy.

At the end of the audience, two days after the pope's 80th birthday, dozens ofvisitors presented him with birthday cards and presents, including a huge cake and several smaller tortes delivered by a group of German pastry chefs.

Animal rights group asks pope to quit wearing fur VATICAN CITY (CNS) - An Italian animal rights group called on Pope Benedict XVI to stop wearing fur out of "respect for the sa-

SPECIAL REQUEST - Pope Benedict XVI, wearing the white fur-trimmed red hat known as a "camauro," arrives at his general audience in St. Peter's Square in this file photo from 2005. An Italian animal rights group has called on the pontiff to stop wearing fur. (CNS photo/Giancarlo Giuliani, Cathol.ic Press Photo)

credness of the lives of all living creatures."

The Italian Anti-Vivisection League made the appeal ahead of the pope's April 22 visit to the Italian city of Pavia, where he was to receive a fur cape made of white ermine pelts.

Having the pope give up fur would be of "great religious and ethical significance" and be "a praiseworthy example of Christian charity," the group said in an April 13 press release.

Vatican tailors had custom-ordered the fur cape from the Pavian furrier, Annabella, according to the fur company's owner, Simonetta Ravizza.

"It will be the pope's decision whether to wear (the fur) or not," she told the Italian news agency ANSA. For outdoor events during the colder winter months, Pope Benedict would sometimes wear a "camauro," a red velvet cap trimmed with ermine, and for special occasions a red velvet, erminetrimmed cape - called a mozzetta.

The last pope to have worn the traditional fur-trimmed papal hat in public was Pope John XXIII..

BALLOONS FOR BENEDICT - Children release 1,100 balloons with birthday wishes for Pope Benedict XVI at his birthplace in Marktl am Inn, Germany. The pope celebrated his 80th birthday April 16. (CNS photo/Michael Dalder, Reuters)

Pope, turning 80, thanks Church for surrounding him with affection

By JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE VATICAN CITY - At a Mass marking his 80th birthday, Pope Benedict XVI thanked the Church for surrounding him with affection "like a true family" and for supporting him with prayers.

"Over and over, I recognize with joy how great is the number ofpeople who sustain me with their prayers, who with their faith and love help me carry out my ministry, and who are indulgent with my weakness," he said.

The Mass opened two days ofcelebrations commemorating the pope's April 16 birthday and the second anniversary ofhis election April 19. The festivities featured a Vatican concert, dozens of written testimonials and a giant birthday cake in the shape of the Vatican.

Some 50,000 people, including German pilgrims wearing traditional dress,jammed into St. Peter's Square for the liturgy. The altar area was surrounded by thousands of flowers yellow and white, the colors of the Vatican.

Cardinals and bishops processed with the pontiff through the square to a canopied altar area on the steps of the basilica. Seated near the front were German civil authorities from the pope's native Bavaria and ecumenical representatives from Orthodox churches.

Greeting the pope in the name of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano said his 80th birthday marked a moment of "spiritual joy" for the entire Church.

He thanked the pope for guiding the Church with love during the first two years of his pontificate.

In his sermon, the pope appeared a little reticent about being the focus ofthe Mass, saying the liturgy should not be the place "to speak about oneself." But he added that one's personal

life can also offer lessons about God's mercy.

The pope said he always felt he was given a special gift by being bom on Holy Saturday, at ''the beginning of Easter." In a sense, he said, he was born into his personal family and the larger family of the Church on the same day.

He said his family helped lead him to God, and he expressed his gratitude to his own father, mother, sister and brother. The only surviving member of his immediate family, Msgr.

Georg Ratzinger, sat near the papal altar.

The pope described his priestly ordination in 1951 as a turning point in his life. As he approached the ordination Mass, he said, ''the awareness of the poverty of my existence in the face of this new task weighed upon me."

"I was able to have a profound experience: The Lord was not only the Lord, but also a friend. He placed his hand in mine and will not leave me," he said.

As his responsibilities have grown in life, the friendship of Christ has given him the strength to face them, he said. There is a lesson here for everyone, he added.

At the end of the Mass, the pope said he was moved by the vast crowd

$ The Anchor

that had gathered in the square. ''From the depth of my heart, I renew my most sincere thanks and extend it to the entire Church, which, like a true family, especially in these days, surrounds me with affection;' he said.

One gift the pope accepted was a cope, or liturgical cloak, given him by his brother. The pope also received 80 bottles ofbeer from a brewery near Freising, Germany.

The pope joined cardinals for a private birthday lunch at the Vatican April 16, where he was given a check for 100,000 euros (about $135,(00) collected by the Roman Curia's cardinals, designated for the support of Catholic communities in the Holy Land.

The Vatican newspaper published eight pages of articles commenting on the pope and his ministry, under the main headline: ''Hearts Overflowing With Joy." At that evening's concert in the Vatican's audience hall, the pope listened to the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra perform pieces by Mozart and two other composers.

"Looking back on my life, I thank God for having placed music alongside me almost as a traveling companion, one that has always given me comfort and joy," the pope said.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 51, No. 17

Member: Catholic Press A~socialion. Catholic News Service

PUblished weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the CathoUc Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508·675-7151 - FAX 508·675-7048, email: theanchor@anchomews.org. Subscription price by mail. postpaid $14.00 per year.

Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA. call or use email address PUBLISHER - Most Reverend George W. Coleman • EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherroger1andry@anchomews.org EDITOR David B. Jollvet davejollvet@anchornews.org NEWS EDITOR Deacon James N. Dunbar jlmdunbor@anchomews.org REPORTER Mike Gordon mlkegordon@onchomews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chose marychose@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org POS1MASTERS send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

1l:IE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass.

1

APRIL

$ THE CHURCH IN. THE U.S. $ Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act

27) 2007

upheld; Pro-Lifers praise court

By MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

abortion decision. ChiefJustice WIlliam Rehnquist, who died in September 2005, and now-retired JusWASHINGTON - The Sutice Sandra Day O'Connor were preme Court has upheld the Partial both on the high court at the time Birth Abortion Ban Act in a five to this ruling was issued. O'Connor four decision. The ruling was lauded sided with the majority, and by abortion opponents, including Rehnquist with the minority.

President George W. Bush, who In 2003, Congress again called partial-birth abortion an passed a ban on partial-birth "abhorrent procedure" in a abortions, and the bill was statement from the White ttGranted this is a very small step, signed into law by Bush.

House.

Kennedy's majority opin"Today's decision affirms but it is the first step away from a that the Constitution does not society that looks at the life of an ion said there was "medical stand in the way of the unwanted, unborn child as nothing disagreement whether the people's representatives en- more than a problem that needs to act's prohibition would ever acting laws reflecting the be disposed of, and the first step to- impose significant health risks compassion and humanity of ward a society that respects and val- on women" - a prohibition America. The partial-birth ues all human life, " said a statement based in significant part on the abortion ban, which an overfinding that the procedure was by former Republican Sen. Rick never medically necessary whelming bipartisan majority in Congress passed and I Santorum of Pennsylvania, author of and that other procedures exsigned into law, represents a the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. ist to abort ~ate-term pregnancies. commitment to building a culture of life in America," said A brief separate opinion Bush on April 18.

Paul Stevens. written by Thomas and joined by In what the law calls partial-birth Scalia said they wanted to reiterate He signed it into law in 2003, but because of court challenges it never abortion, also referred to as an "in- their view that "the court's abortion went into effect. tact dilation and extraction," a live jurisprudence ... has no basis in the "The Supreme Court's decision fetus is partially delivered and an Constitution." is an affirmation of the progress we incision is made at the base of the "Granted this is a very small step, have made over the past six years in skull, through which the brain is re- but it is the first step away from a protecting human dignity and up- moved, and then the dead body is society that looks at the life of an unwanted, unborn child as nothing holding the sanctity of life. We will delivered the rest of the way. continue to work for the day when In the 1990s, Congress had twice more than a problem that needs to every child is welcomed in life and passed a ban on partial-birth abor- be disposed of, and the first step toprotected in law." tions. Both times the bills were ve- ward a society that respects and valJustice Anthony Kennedy, writ- toed.by President Bill Clinton. ues all human life," said a statement ing the majority opinion in the In 2000, the Supreme Court by former Republican Sen. Rick Gonzalez v. Carhart and Gonzales struck down a Nebraska ban on par- Santorum ofPennsylvania, author of v. Planned Parenthood cases, said the tial-birth abortions. Writing for a five the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. law's opponents "have not demon- to four majority at that time, Breyer In praising the decision, Father strated that the act would be uncon- said the law imposed an undue bur- Frank Pavone, president of Priests stitutional in a large fraction of rel- den on a woman's right to make an for Life, said: "Congressand the vast evant cases."

Also voting in the majority were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Voting in the minority were Justices Paul Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Souter and John

I,

majority of state legislators and American citizens have made it clear over the last decade that this procedure - by which a child is killed in the very process of deliyery - has no place in a civilized society."

"I am encouraged by the impor-

tant strides made by the court today:' said Mailee Smith, staff counsel of Americans United for Life. "The court sent the message that it will not strike down abortion regulations simply because they are abortion regulations."

History of the Act 1995 Congress approves Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.

1996

VITO

President Clinton vetoes bill. Congress fails to override veto.

1997 Congress approves Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.

1998

VITO

I

Clinton vetoes act again. Congress fails to override veto.

2003 Oct. 21 - Congress approves act for third time Nov. 3 -. President George W. Bush signs bill into law. Court challenges are filed to stop enforcement of the law.

2004 Sept. 8 _. U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf becomes the third federal judge to rule the act unconstitutional

2005 July 8 - Three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanim.ously upholds the Kopf ruling.

2007 April 18 - U.S. Supreme Court upholds the act banning partial-birth abortions.

Attention Students: Secure Your Summer Job Now! II

Ii

We are looking for Freshmen and Sophomore college students or high school seniors to work as a Machine Operator or Shipper in a fast-paced automated environment. Must be at least 18 years of age.

I,

I!

-

Earn $14.55/hr after 60-day review ($12.601hr to start) II

-

May be eligible to apply for $1 ,~OO Annual Scholarship

-

Opportunity to qualify for end of summer bonus (average bonus is $400) II

-. Opportunity to participate in Map.agement Internship Program -

A variety of day and night shifts I'available with 3 or 4 days off per week! (8, 10 and 12 hour shifts) I!

Don't wait - limited positions available! Intetview now for summer positions!

Train part time now to be ready for summer! We will work around your schedule.

GRIM STATISTIC - Abortion opponents demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last November. (CNS file photo)

If interested, call Gold Medal Bakery at (800) 642-7568, x 799 Or e-mail gmbapp@goldmedalbakery.com Or apply in person to 21 Penn Street, Fall River, MA I

$ The Anchor $

4

APRIL

27, 2007

Diocese applauds Supreme路 Court's abortion ban ruling Bishop George W. Coleman is among leaders speaking out

By DEACON JAMES N.

DUNBAR

the instruments he had just used.'" falsehood of the 'right' to abortion," the bishop stated.

FALL RIVER - The U.S. Supreme Court's ban on Marian Desrosiers, director of the Pro-Life ApostoJustice Anthony Kennedy, writing the majority opinpartial-birth abortions - the first time in 34 years the ion in the Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned late in the diocese, said, "I applaud and welcome this high court has upheld an abortion ban - finds many Parenthood cases, said the law's opponents "have not decision and see it as a sign of hope that the court is across the Fan River Diocese thankful and encouraged. demonstrated that the act would be unconstitutional in a looking more closely at the tragedy of abortion for the On April 18, the high court on a five to four vote up- large fraction of relevant cases." child and is mother." held the federal ban on the brutal and inhumane late"It is long overdue that we stop the brutal killing of Kennedy took an excerpt from an abortion doctor's term procedure. clinical description of a partial-birth abortion, as follows: our children in the very process of being born, that we "The Pro-Life cause was handed a significant victory "Here is another description from, a nurse who wit- recognize the suffering of the mother involved and that in the recent U.S. Supreme we continue to work to restore Court decision, Gonzales v. the right to life of all our citiCarhart, which upheld the zens, born and unborn," she Diagrams of Partial-birth abortion federal ban of "partial-birth" added. abortions," said Bishop According to Desrosiers, the George W. Coleman. "In this decision does not however long-awaited decision, the change the legal status of the court has shown that its premajority of abortions being vious recognition of the done in the U.S. and does not government's legitimate inreverse past decisions "claimterest in protecting the life of ing" a Constitutional right to an unborn child is no longer abortion. mere rhetoric."

But what encourages her, This significant decision, she said, are some of the key upholding the prohibition of facts the court did recognize, Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist The baby's is pulled out into the a particular late-term abortion such as: that abortion is the grabs the baby's leg with forceps. birth canal taking of a human life and govmethod which borders on inernment does have a legitimate fanticide, and which an overwhelming majority of Ameriinterest in the protection and cans find morally objectionpreservation of human life; that able and even repulsive, is an "respect for human life finds an ultimate expression in the important step toward the . \ bond of love the mother has for building of a just society, in the child"; that abortion may which all innocent human life cause suffering, sorrow and must be respected and progrieffor women"; and that partected from the moment of copception until natural tial-birth abortion is difficult to distinguish from infanticide death, Bishop Coleman noted. and affects the moral fabric of " In a society which all too society as well as the ethical often sees the malicious and The abortionist delivers the baby's The abortionistjams scissors into integrity of our medical profescareless disregard for the digentire body, exceptfor the head. the baby's skull. The scissors are then sion, nity and sanctity of human openeato enlarge the hole...

"It is our hope, here at the life, this legal decision is a apostolate, that one day, with welcomed sign of a new willyour continued prayers and ingness to recognize the inhelp, we will build a 'new culherent value of all human /ture of life' which will respect life," he stated. ;A'~ / the sacredness and dignity of all Of particular note in the re.J.; human beings from conception cent decision is the Supreme ( ;~,C: to natural death, Thank you to Court's honest and straightThe scissors are removed and a suction everyone who has helped us in catheter is inserted. The child's brains forward acknowledgment of are sucked out, causing the skull the past and to those who will .the gruesome nature of the 路to collapse. The dead baby is then help in the future." abortion procedure and the removed..

She recalled that in 1996 importance of informing people in the Fall River Diowomen of the truth regarding Graphic from Priests For Life newsletter cese, along with others across abortion, he pointed out, the nation, flooded Congress quoting the high courL "The state's interest in respect for life," wrote the nessed the same method performed on a 26-and-a-half- with a massive postcard campaign demanding an end to court, "is advanced by the dialogue that better informs week fetus, who testified before the Senate Judiciary the partial-birth abortion procedure.

"The people of our diocese sent the largest numthe political and legal systems, the medical profession, Committee: 'Dr. Haskell went in with forceps and expectant mothers, and society as a whole of the conse- grabbed the baby's legs and pulled them down into the ber of postcards to Congress that first year, more than quences that follow from a decision to elect a late-term birth canal. Then he delivered the baby's body and the any other diocese in the country," Desrosiers reabortion." arms - everything but the head. The doctor kept the head ported.

"Congress listened to you and passed the ban only to "Such a statement by our nation's highest court is most right inside the uterus ..... encouraging, " said Bishop Coleman.

'The baby's little fingers were clasping and have President Clinton veto iL Our office launched anHe added, "Admittedly, this decision is only an incre- unclasping, and his little feet were kicking. Then the other massive postcard campaign in 1997 and Congress mental step in achieving the rightful legal recognition doctor struck the scissors in the back of his head, and approved a bill calling for a ban only to have President and protection of the unborn, but it is nonetheless a sig- the baby's arms jerked out, like a startle reaction, like a Clinton again veto iL" Finally, on Nov. 5, 2003, President George W. Bush nificant legal and moral victory for those who have faith- flinch, like a baby does when he thinks he is going to signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban into law, only to fully advocated on behalf of the unborn and a culture of fall. have it struck down by three lower court challenges. life."

'The doctor opened up the scissors, struck a high-powDesrosiers said she invites "any man, woman or medi"We can only hope that this decision signals a new ered suction tube into the opening, and sucked the baby's cal person who has been involved in the tragedy of aborwillingness on the part of the court to sustain legislative brains ouL Now the baby went completely limp .... tion to contact Project Rachel at 508-997-3300. This is a efforts to protect the unborn, leading ultimately to the 'He cut the umbilical cord and delivered the placenta. full protection of unborn life and the overturning of the He threw the baby in a pan, along with the placenta and ministry of reconciliation, mercy and healing. God Bless."

leg

Ii

'I! I!

I

APRIL

27, 2007

~THE CHURCH IN THE

l!!S. ,

5/

Bishop weighs in on debate

over care of dying Texas boy

By CATHOLI~

NEWS SERVICE .

must be used to presf\rve human life AUSTIN, Texas - Citing difficult and to promote the profound dignity decisions in his own family and the thafbelongs to it:' the bishop a~ded. example ofPope John Paul II, Bishop "At the same time, we recognize that Gregory M. Aymond of Austin said ~ometimes we should not use mOdCatholic ~ching would permit the em technology if it inflicts greater withdrawal of extraordinary medical suffering on our loved one, and holds treatment for Emilio'Gonzales, a dy- them back from being able to go ing 17-month-old boy at Children's . home to God." Hospital.ofAustin.

In the case of Emilio Gonzales, Catarina Gonzales, the boy's "numerous physicians" consi~er the mother, has been fighting for contin- child's condition irreversible and terued medical treatment of her son at ~al, the bishop said, and there is the hospitai, which is part of the Se- "greatconcern that continued extraorton Family ofHospitals, a 31-facility dinary treatment will only result in Catholic health system in central greater pain for Emilio, without curTexas. The boy's physicians and other ing or improving the condition from. hospitill officials have recommended which he suffers." . . that the child be removed from a resUnder the "comfort care" plan pirator and given only "comfort care." proposed, "Emilio would continue to Emilio, who has been blind and . receive food, water, pain medication "deaf since birth and was admitted to and other 'ordinary' treatmenttoprothe hospital December 27 with a col-. vide as much comfort as can be given lapsed lung, has been diagnosedwith by a loving and vigilant team," LOVING LIFE - Erin Smith, two, who was conceiv~d inl!a petri dish through in-vitro fertilization and Leigh's disease, a rare disorder th~t Bishop Aymond said. Moving to such adopted as an embryo, is seen with her adoptive parent$, Dawn and Tim Smith, outside Holy Cross is causing his central nervous system a plan ''would be morally acceptable:' Church in Dover, Del., in early March. The Smiths are inv91ved in the fight against a Delaware Senate bill that ~ould sanctionstem-cell research using human embryos that would kill the embryos to harto break down. The disease is con- he added: sidered incurable.

The bishop noted that some have vest their stem cells. (CNS photo/Don Blake, The Dialog) "I cannot imagine the pain that compared Emilio's situation to that .

Catalina experiences as she faces ofTerri Schindler Schiavo, the brainthese terrible questions that no mother damaged Florida woman who bewants to face," Bishop Aymond said came the center ofa highly publicized in a recent statement. debate on end-of-life issues and who But he said such questions are not died in March 2005 after a court or- .Fall River's Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk "If,, Delaware's Legislature passes Senate Bill 5," . unfiuniliar. ''In my own family, 1have dered her feeding tube be removed. speaks on the issue. . he says, "embryos like Erin could be killed and used been part of making end-of-life deciBut he said the two cases "are very for m~dical experiments." , sions for both of my parents and for different; in the Schiavo caseordinary

By GARY MORTON .Titn Smith grew up in an evangelical family. Dawn my 24-year"Old nephew, who was in- means - food 'and water ,- were CATHOLIC NEWS'SERVICE Smith was baptized Catholic but left,the Church while volved in a traumatic vehicle accident withdrawn, which caused her death."

DOVER, Del. - Tim an~ Dawn Smith adopted a in high school and joined her husband's faith when a few months ago:' the bishop said.

Bishop Aymond said he has of{leftover frozen embryo in January 2004 and gave birth they ~arried. Their faith journey led through the PresHe offered a brief oVf\rview of fered to meet with Catarina Gonzales, byterian Church to Catholicism, and last year Tim was nine months later to their adopted daughter, Erin.

Church teaching on extraordinary, or a 23-year-old Catholic from • I d' At the time they had no idea it would lead them to a recel\~e Into the Church and Dawn made a profession disproportionate, medical care and Lockhart, "to offer my support and public battle in coming years with legislators and lob- of faith. They are members of Holy Cross Parish in ordinary, or proportionate, medical to explain the teachings ofthe Catho. . byists seeking to let such embryos be destroyed for Dover. care. lic Church regarding end"Of-life isembryonic stem-cell research. .

They said the Catholic Church has deepened their ''Generally, if a medical procedure sues:' As of late April 16, Gonzales The fate of such frozen embryos no longer wanted Pro-Life comntitment. carries little hope ofbenefit andis ex- had not responded to the offer, said . Thb Smiths, who want to have another child from by theii genetic parents is at the heart ()f a debate in cessively burdensome, Catholics ---;- Helen Osman, diocesan· spokesthe Delaware Legislature. On March· 29 the Senate ~ addpted embry~, are aware of different ~iews ~ithin and Catholic institutiOns - 'are not woman. . voted 13 to seven to adopt the Delaware Regenerative the C~urch on embryo adoption. Tim Smith said they morally obligated to pursue that proTravis 90unty Probate Judge Guy cedure," BishopAymond said. ''Evtm Herman was to hear testimony on :Medicine Act, which w9uld sanction human embry- praye9 for guidance on the moral implications.

Catholic teaching clearly rejects' in-vitro fertilizaPope John Paul II was adamant that whether to extend a temporary re- onic stem-cell research in Delaware, allowing researchers to destroy the embryos to harvest their stem cells. tion, saying conception should only take place in the he would not accept extraordinary straining order requested by Gonzales conte!t of ~he conjugal act. But once the embryo from medical care as his health·declined." that would require the hospital to con- .The bill was awaiting action in the House. who~met in college and married in ' in-vi~o fertili,zation already exists, new questions arise The Smiths, "Catholic moral teaching on ethi- tinue treatment until the mother caD. cally required medical care states that find another facility that would .ad- 1991, wanted three or four children, but in 1997 they that 3.1.'e notclearly resolved by Church teaching.• learned that they were infertile.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, director of Education we realize that all reasonable means mit her son. ' . One day as Dawn Smith was looking through a' at the'; bioethics center, said pregnancy "must be the . phone book listing of fertility clinics, she noticed one fruit ~f husband and wife." Since embryo adoption inthat,offered embryo adoptions. After considering tra- volve~ implanting a woman with the fruit of another dition~ adoption alternatives, the couple decided to _coupl~, "my own opinion is that it is !lot moral to do try the embryo adoption. ' this," he told The Dialog-.

But he added that in the absence of authoritative While Erin was bomin Oc~ober 2004, she was con.ceived in-vitro about eight years earlier. Her embryo teaching Catholics who study the issue prayerfully and reach . ~ different conclusion may act in good faith. layf~ozen for about seven years before the Smiths volI' Peter J. Cataldo, a center consultant, told The Diaunteered to adopt her and have her. implanted in Dawn log th~t he supports embryo a,doption in certain cirSmith's womb.

Last year when the state LegislatUre was debating a cumstances. "Even though the Church teaches"that inbill similar to the one currently under. consideration, vitro fertilization is morally unacceptable; the child Tim Smith listened to part of the debate and was who is engendered is fully human and possesses full ranklecl to hear one proponent of the bill refer to the humatt dignity, which must be respected," he said. "exc~ss"embryo~ in fertility clinics as "medical w~te." . ''The frozen .embryo is indeed a human embryo with . . "I didn't like him calling them that,"Snuth said in humab rights, the most basic of which is the right to ' an interview with The Dialog, Wilmington diocesan life," he added.

He said if an infertile couple is considering adoptnewspaper.

"Some would call Erin medi~al ~aste," he says in ing an embryo, "the primary reason should be to save . the life of a child." . the ad. "I call her my daughter." sault.: leMo)'ne CoIIegeIl<9>y Intl!matloiial 02007 CNS

Parents of baby adopted as embryo fight embryonic, stem-cell research

"

"i

"i Ii

"

., The Anchor ,

6

Stopping the violence at its roots

APRIL

27,2007

the living word

On Monday of last week, 'our whole nation seemed to stop; utterly speechless and sickened by the murderous rampage at Vrrginia Tech. The hearts of at least 26,000 sets ofparents raced in agony, and at least 33 had their worst fears . become living nightmares. Even the most mature college kids were introduced to a reality that no amount of violent video games or horror movies could have ever prepared them.

The shocking violence and total disregard for human life revolted us-all.

None of us could adequately understand how a young person could have become so sadistic as to massacre dozens of innocent human beings so chillingly one-by-one. The reality of his savagery· brought us all undeniably before the . mystery ofevil and left us with the'type ofquestions that even the best forensic psychiatrists or FBI profilers are incompetent satisfactorily to answer.

The dark and foreboding cloud that emanated from Blacksburg and hovered like a paIl over the'nation was fi.naIly pierced after two days by a flicker of light coming from Washington, D.C. For those who long have appreciated the precious value of every human life, who have fought for decades to eliminate the barbaric slaughter of fellow human beings and the dehumanization that makes it possible, who have stood before the mystery ofevil and courageously opposed one of evil's most conspicuous and hideous trophies, it was apartial answer to at leaSt 34 years of constant prayer. ' The timing of the u.s. Supreme Court's April 18 decision upholding the constitutionality of a ban on partial-birth abortion was, in'one sense, providential. There are, after all, no coincidences in God. At the very time when our nation was united in mourning the senseless massacre ofinnocent young people and in the undeniably obvious reCognition that no one ever has the freedom to choose to kill others, the grisly reality ofabortion bequeathed to us by Blackmun was j~taposed to the gruesome scenes of Blacksburg. , At the 1993 National Prayer Breakfast, Mother Teresa boldly and prqphetiVIRGINIA TECH STUDENTS SING IN A CHOIR DURING A SPECIAL MASS AT -THE NEWMAN cally reminded President and Mrs. Clinton and the cadre ofpolitical leaders of both parties assembled around them of the cornerstone of the culture of death ' CENTER THE DAY AFfER ApRIL 16 SHOOTINGS AT THE UNIVERSITY IN BLACKSBURG, V A., that makes scenes like Norris HaIl thinkable. ''If we accept that a mother can WHERE 33 PEOPLE DIED INCLUDING COLLEGE PROFESSORS, STUDENTS, AND THE SUICIDAL kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?"

STUDENT GUNMAN. (CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING) , No matter how much a nation tries to conceal the reality of abortion behind euphemisms of''rights'' and "choice" and ''freedom:' the lessons, she said, are "TURN TO ME AND BE SAFE, ALL YOU ENDS OF THE EARTH, FOR I AM GOD; unmistakable and disastrous. ''Any country that accepts abortion is not teach-' ing the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want."

THERE IS NO OTHER!" (ISAIAH 45:22).

Last Wednesday's Gonzales v. Carhart decision was one smaIl but !iignifi~ cant step in a long staircase leading us out of the dungeon of the culture of death. It's significant because for the first time a particular abortion technique was outlawed by the legislative branch and upheld by the judiciary; it's smaIl because only the technique was banned, not the abortion itself.

Christ, faithful Christians must be in heaven" (Mt 5:11-1Z).

In one of my favorite passages It is now illegal to half-deliver an unborn child; intentionally pierce the child's willing to encounter and accept Suffering dishonor for the sake from sacred Scripture, which skull with scissors and suction out the child's brain,but it is still quite legal,!iS the opinion states, to kill the same child by ripping him or her-into 14 Of 15 appears in the readings for Mass dishonor, ridicule and even of the name of Christ is somepieces:inside the womb and takiDg out the pieces one by one. The ~ision~is during this Easter season, we are thing that most Christians will not persecution when they take a akin to saying that you can't kill somebody with a gun, but you can with a given a powerful reminder of the stand for the teachings of Christ. avoid, if they are truly faithful. _ knife; it hasn't prohibited the killing.

Every faithful Christian couple The more our secular society necessary cost of discipleship.

A woman can still have an abortion duriBg all nine months ofpregnancy for moves away from the teachings of who admits to their friends that As we reflect on the events in any reason tied to her health, and since pregnancy haS physiological and psythey do not approve,of sterilizaChrist, the greater the chances chological effects on a woman's health, the mere fact that she doesn't want to the life of the early Church, tion or use artificial contraception through readings from the Acts of that faithful Christians will be pregnant remains sufficient legal justification to end her child's life. knows this dishonor. Every But there are atJeast 10 reasons why the Supreme Court's decision has the Apostles, we recall how the ' encoUnter opposition and even given Pro-Lifers reasons for hope. faithful college student, who dishonor for defending those Apostles were imprisoned by the FlI'St, it explicitly declares that the "state, from the inception of the preg- chief priests in Jerusale~ , admits to her friends that nancy, maintains its own regulatory interest in protecting the life of the fetus she believes in abstinence for preaching about Jesus that may become a child." before marriage knows Second, it affirms that "ethical and moral concerns" at issu,e in the practice (Acts 5:17-32). When the this dishonor.

And those Apostles were brought of abortion may 'justify a special prohibition." who defend the spiritual Third, it evokes "the reality of the love between a mother and a child" that before the Sanhedrin, the ought to be involved in all decisions about a child This leads, it says, to a. high priest said, "We gave value of imitating Our "respect for human life:' Lord~s life of celibacy you strict orders did we Fourth, it stops using language that anaesthetizes our consciences. Not only not, to stop preaching that also know the dishonor does it repeatedly use terms like "unborn child;' ''baby:' and ''human life" to .they suffer from a culture name" (Acts 5:28). But refer to the one who is aborted, but it also describes in graphic detail what Ii that fails to understand or after the Apostles woman chooses when she chooses to have an abortion. value self-denial and sacrifice. teachings, in the name of Christ.

God·· answered, "We must obey ,Fifth, it advocates general support for laws that require Women tQ be inis a cost for being There For example, those who show rather than ,men," the members of formed of what occurs in an abortion before they consent to it. faithful to Christ. The Apostles Sixth, it introduces into evidence the post-abortion trauma that many women the Sanhedrin "had them flogged, Christ-like sympathy for the who make the tragic choice to abort their child experienCe. "Some women ordered them to stop speaking in understood this, and they rejoiced hardship of illegal immigrants , come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sUs- the name of Jesus, and dismissed when they paid that cost; even know the disdain and mockery taIDed," it states forthrightly, footnoting the personal testimony ofSandra ~o, ' when it was paid with physical they face on harsh, unforgiving them" (Acts 5: 29,40). who is the famouS ''Doe'' of the infamous 1973 Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court pain and hardship. They rejoiced radio talk shows.

Those who dare , Next we are told, "So they left decision. ' , because they considered it an to speak-out against abortion, the the presence of the Sanhedrin, Seventh, it pokes a hole in ''health of the mother" -exception for abortion, . honor to suffer dishonor for penalty or the destruction of death rejoicing that they had been found saying that that cannot 1>ecomeunlimited or "tantamount to allowing a doctor to choose the abortion method he or she prefers." , Christ. When we put into the human ernbryos for medical ' worthy to suffer dishonor for ttte Eighth, it ~ a public "dialogue" about·abortion, such as occurred in sake of the name" (Acts 5:41). deep, after the example of the research know the derision and' Congress prior to the 2003 passing of the Partial Birth Abortion Act. This is in , The Apostles were beaten and Apostles, we must remember that contempt they face in a society marked and humble contrast to the hubris of the 1992 Casey decision on abor•every dishonor suffered for the which thinks the ~nds always they rejoiced because of it. They tion, which sought to end all such dialogue. sake of the name is actually a justify them~ans. And every Ninth, it dOesn't reaffirm the court's abortion precedents, but merely "as- had been puriished as a result of badge of honor from the one who ,their preaching, and they were faithful Christian legislator or sumes" them for the point of the opinion. .' promises to reward us in heaven. resident who admits to his Tenth, it lays the ground wOrk for overturning other types of abortions, as filled with joy. Surely they Knowing this is cause for grea~ Justice Ginsburg objected in her screeching dissent. As she says, other abortion recalled the words of Our Lord, colleagues or neighbors that he techniques are ''in some respects as brutal, ifnot more" than partial-birth abor- who had told them, "Blessed are rejoicing. does not believe in the legal tion..

Father Pignato is chaplain at fiction of "gay marriage" knows you when they insult you and As we look back in future years to what was undeniably one of the most persecute you and utter every .

Bishop Stang HighSchool in the scorn he faces from a society horrible weeks in the history of our fla;Iion, we hope and pray that we will alsO North Dartmouth and is secre· that refuses to recognize the see in it the beginning of a long ascent toward a culture not only in which kind of evil against you (falsely) tary to Bishop George lv. natural law. because of me.

Rejoice and be barbaric acts against innocent human beings are uncustomary and unthinkable, Coleman.

For the sake of the name of glad, for your reward will be grea,t , but in which all hUman life is respected and cherished.

For the sake of the name

I

APRIL

27, 2007

$ Night blindness

The Anchor may have just turned 50 and is eager for another half century of service, but this 5Q-yearold hasn't the same verve.

It is for that reason that I'm liking prime-time baseball and football . telecasts less and less.

Simply put, I can't stay awake for them.

The New England Patriots recently released 2007 schedule includes five prime-time games.

Just about one-third of the season. Egads.

The Red Sox are becoming the darlings of national telecasts, and that translates into prime-time telecasts, and even worse, listening to national announcers broadcasting the action.

Even NASCAR had a Pr airing last Saturday night. Until a few years ago, I would have thought my wife had something to do with this, but now that she's a fanatic too, and nearly the age of The Anchor, she is also in danger of missing out.

I guess that is the price of success. There was something to be said for the days when New

Englanders were the only ones interested in New England teams.

Red Sox Nation East faces the same problem. The poor folks in Japan are blessed with air times ranging from 2 to 9 a.m.

Prime-time nearly cost me the chance to witness history last weekend ESPN had custody of Sunday's game between the Yanks and the Red Sox. Air time in our neck of the woods: 8:05 p.m. In Japan, it was 9 am. - a bit more reasonable.

Dice-K was pitching, the whole world was watching, and Dave was beginning to nod. It must have been that nice long walk that afternoon that did me in.

Any way, the Yanks were seemingly beating up Dice-K every

The Anchor

$

inning, so slipping into a coma seemed like the natural thing to do.

When Manny cut the lead to 3-1 with a solo homer, Emilie cheered.

With one eye open, I witnessed the bomb, and muttered underneath my breath, "It's only one." Next up, J.D. Drew deposited one in the centerfield ' bleachers. Emilie goes wild.

With one-and-a-half eyes open I think, "It's only two;' but I climb up out of my reclining position.

When Mike Lowell follows with another, I join Emilie in voicing our elation. Wide awake I am. And when Tek follows with the historic fourth consecutive fourbagger, I shout to Emilie, ''That's my Red Sox:' Thanks to the prime-time adrenaline rush, I continued to watch the Sox duke it out with the Yanks - but by the eighth inning, I'm in la la land again - as are wife and child I awaken in the bottom of the ninth just in time to see Papelbon wrap up the win. If I lived in Japan, it would have been just after noon.

It's going to be a long season.

Babushka blues ... and the Good News Sometimes I look back at the days when I attended Catholic elementary school and I always remember them with fond memories and a profound sense of gratitude.

The Dominican nuns who were our teachers taught us discipline, strengthened our prayer life and deepened our faith in Jesus Christ, while at the same time teaching us academic subjects. There were of course, rules to follow.

In the 196Os, it was the custom for girls to wear a head covering when attending Mass. In our ' Catholic school we had little plaid ''beanies'' that matched our unifonn or sometimes we might wear a babushka; a scarf or piece of material that tied under the chin.

One day when it was time to attend Mass one of our classmates was without her beanie and had no piece of material that might function as a babushka. It was time to go so Sister took matters into her own hands. A piece of white tissue on her head and our classmate was good to go.

Now as most kids know, when attending Mass with a group of classmates sometimes the smallest thing can be humorous. A funny sounding sneeze or hiccup, or any unusual visual stimulation could seem more humorous in the quiet of a church. Self-control is of utmost importance in these situations. On this day we had to contend with our friend's make shift ''tissue babushka."

She was sitting right in front of

me. Would it fall off? No, Sister had secured it nicely with two bobby pins. .

The important thing was that each girl was respectful and wore a head covering. I don't believe our classmate forgot her beanie after that, or at least had a scarf with her to avoid the ''babushka blues:' Another rule that was strictly enforced was that the length of skirts

had to be just above the knee. Skirts that were of "questionable length" could be easily measured by the principal. The student would kneel down and the skirt would be measured with a ruler. In most cases, if the skirt was too short it was due to the fact that the student had rolled the skirt at the waistband to achieve a more ''fashionable length." At least the situation could be remedied by unrolling the waistband, with no need to return home.

We always attended Mass on First Fridays and Holy Days. On one particular warm day the incense for a special Mass was particularly strong, or at least it seemed that way to me. I remember feeling light headed and the next thing I knew I had fainted and woke up lying in the pew. Fortunately, it was the only time I ever fainted in church.

I remember the beauty of the Sisters'voices when they sang together and praying with them in the convent chapel. I remember the privilege of being asked to do an errand for the Sisters, which meant going into the living quarters of the convent. Everything about the place seemt:d holy and sacred and it was so special just to see w~ere they lived.

In third grade I did a writing assignment and gave an oral report on St. Catherine of Siena. To this day she has always been one of my favorite saints.

She was born in the year 1347. She was a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, which allowed her to dress in the habit of a Dominican nun while remaining in her own home. She is known for her spiritual insight and her spiritual writings.

She was instrumental in restoring the papacy to Rome. She died at age 33 and her feast day is April 29.

In many ways the memories of our faith formation are like a tapestry of different colors and different hues, each with their own richness. Many people and many different learning experiences may be part of the tapestry which shapes our faith. If we look deeply we may find that there is a significance behind every experience and a meaning behind every teaching and that altogether they contribute to our faith in Jesus Christ.

Greta and her husband George, with their children are members of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.

May 6 Holy Hour for Vocations caps 'Go Out and Fish' campaign

By DAVE JOLIVET, EDITOR FALL RIVER - 1,'We can go out and spread the word about what a great vocation the religious life is, but we must compliment ourefforts with the most impo~t aspect prayer," said Father Karl C. Bissinger, assistant ~or of the diocesan Vocation OffiCe. Father Bissinger 'fVill be the homilist at a Holy HOllr for Vocations at St. Mary's Cathedral in Fall River on May 6 at 2 p.m. Bishop George W. Coleman preside at the event sponsored by the Vocation Office and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women! ''The Holy Hour will be the culmination of the 'Go Out and Fish' vocation campaign latmched this past January," Father Bissinger i added.

The campaign was spawned from the splendid video produced by the U.S. ConferencelofCatholic Bishops, ''Fishers of Mbn." Since January, the Vocation Office, under the direction of Father

will

Edward E. Correia, has hosted information sessions for young men in college and high school seniors who may be interested in the priesthood;, visits by high school boys and girls to a local seminary and convent; holy hours in parishes across the diocese; an overnight priests' retreat in Duxbury; and the May 6 Holy Hour at the Cathedral.

Father Bissingertold TheAnchor that the May 6 event was scheduled to join the world-wide Church's celebration ofWorld Day ofPrayer for Vocations on April 29. ''It is vital for everyone to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life;' said Father Bissinger.

"It's one of the most important things the laity can do to help foster vocations. We are so grateful to all vocation teams in parishes across the diocese for their dedicated service to help foster new vocations.

"We invite everyone to join us on May 6 at the Cathedral."

It's a way for everyone to "Go Out and Fish."

Come Holy Spirit!

II

The Dio~esan Se~ce Committee . IS sponsonng an

+ '

Old F~shion Prayer Meeting to praise the Lord, Celebrate the Charismatic Gifts, and prepare our hearts for Pentecost

Guest Speaker: Mr. David Thorp From the National Service Committee fo~ the Charismatic Renewal

Music & fraise with: Father Henry S. Arruda and Fflther Edward A. Murphy

7:00 p~m .â&#x20AC;˘ Monday, May 7th St. Anthony's Church 126 School St. Taunton II

For more info or directions, call Mary Leite at 508-822-2219

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, April 29 11:00 a.m.

at

Scheduled celebrant is Father Karl C. Bissinger, parochial vicar at St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth

$ The Anchor $

8

APRIL

27, 2007

Sheep, shepherds and today's modern parish Today, we find Jesus those are actually involved referring to himself as the whereby I know them by Good Shepherd. We somename, know their strengths and weaknesses, know their times have a poor understanding of what a shepherd gifts and talents, know their does, and we complicate â&#x20AC;˘ family history, their pains matters more when we use and joys. Our flocks today are much more transient. the word shepherd and Convenience in pastor interchangeably. The word pastor itself is derived schedules and family celebrations at other from the Latin meaning parishes all impact shepherd. They are more than synonyms, they are how often I actually see and talk to my identical.

The shepherd must know parishioners. Yet, if the pastor got to his flock. These days that is easier said than done. It know one or two parishioners per would be very easy if parishioners were branded or week, over the course marked like sheep were. of a year, the more he could They do bear the stamp of be of service to his people. their baptismal character, but We can only be of true help to our people when we are this is not easily perceived by our sense of sight. Some made aware of what is Catholics delay or neglect in happening in their lives. introducing themselves to Pastors are called to be at the service of their people, their parish priest, preferring but service is not synonyto remain anonymous. We have 3,631 members in our mous with slavery. The first responsibility of a pastor is parish and 10 percent of

to foster growth in Christian holiness through sacramental living among individuals, families, schools and the like. The emphasis is the parish community for it is here where Jesus Christ proclaims his word and lives

his life anew in each one of us, participating in the Eucharistic celebration, receiving his body and blood. At the consecration, we hear, ''This is My Body (and Blood) given up for you." Jesus wants an intimate relationship with us.

We often wear masks that hide who we truly are, but

Jesus sees beyond the masks into our souls and knows us intimately. We may be able to deceive others and at times, even ourselves, but we cannot deceive the Lord.

And if we drift away from his fold, Jesus searches us out through others and our own hearts and calls us . back to him. Are we listening for the voice of the shepherd calling us back home to our faith community?

The shepherd or pastor has to speak the truth, even at the threat of sometimes alienating some of the sheep. They in tum lose their way, but hopefully, that truth will call them back to the flock. Jesus preached to an emerging Church in Jerusalem. His preaching didn't meet with the approval of his Jewish audience. Many resisted him and they charged him with blasphemy. Peter and

Barnabas were fierce preachers of the Good News. As Paul preached to them, he often witnessed his words had no effect, yet he continued to speak out boldly. In the face of persecution and under the threat of opposition, neither Jesus nor his disciples, Paul and Barnabas, watered down the Christian message.

Next Sunday, we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We need to continually pray, encourage and callout men to shepherd our present and future parish families. This prayer can be done at our parishes or in our homes, but let us ask the Good Shepherd to shepherd us with priestly ministry to continue to proclaim the truth of the Gospel through their personal commitment, fatherly care and love of Christ and his Church.

Father Lacroix is pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat, April 28, Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; In 6:60-69. Sun, April 29, Fourth Sunday of Easter, Acts 13:14,43-52; Ps 100:1-2,3,5; Rv 7:9,14b-17; In 10:27-30. Mon, April 30, Acts 11:1-18; Pss 42:2-3;43:3-4; In 10:1-10. 'fues, May 1, Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1-7; In 10:22-30. Wed, May 2, Acts 12:24-13:5a; Ps 67:2-3,5-6,8; In 12:44-50. Thurs, May 3, Philip and James, Apostles, 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; In 14:6-14. Fri, May 4, Acts 13:26-33; Ps 2:6-11; In 14:1-6.

The New Yorker spins the pope The New Yorker was once a wailing wall for left-leaning famous for the ferocity of its Vaticanisti, disgruntled Curial bureaucrats, and Italian Catholic fact-checking and editing. No activists unhappy with Benedict more. Any magazine whose XVI's challenge to Islam. It's an editors give a pass to falsehoods (e.g., Catholics believe that effort - rather unsuc. cessful, I fear ---,- to "heaven, and possibly earth, belongs exclusively to them"), come to grips with the substance of the Pope's' grossly tendentious mis-readings Regensburg Lecture in of documents (e.g., Vatican II's September 2006. It's Nostra Aetate taught "the dim possibility of Jewish salvation"), yet another attempt to and factual errors (e.g., Karol drive a wedge between Wojtyla was "one of the young Benedict XVI and John Paul II, along the hoary theological advisers at Vatican II") is a magazine that is not "nice Wojtyla/nasty Ratzinger" seriously edited. axis of pseudo-analysis. And it's Jane Kramer's lengthy a brusque dismissal, without tantrum in the New Yorker's April serious examination, of Benedict 2 issue, "The Pope and Islam," is XVI's suggestion that the first inculturation of Christianity in really several articles in one. It's

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLIC TRUE HOLY

ONE LOVING INFALLIBLE CHARITABLE

PRO-LIFER HELPER ADVISOR RESTORER MEDICATOR ANTI-ABORTIONIST CAREGIVER INSTRUCTOR SPECIALIST THERAPEUTIST

The NIlIonII CIl!IoIc Phlnnlclstl Guild 011'" Unlted SlIt.

it

~ Walsh Pharmacy THOMAS PASTERNAK

Phannacl"

202 RockSt.

Fall RIver

508-679¡1300

the world of classical rationality was providential, because it gave .early Christians the intellectual tools to tum their evangelical confession of faith ("Jesus is

Lord") into doctrine and creeds, such as the Nicene Creed universally prayed by the Church.

The Wojtyla-vs.-Ratzinger business is easily rebutted. In "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," John Paul II stated flatly that "not only the theology but also the anthropology of Islam: is very distant from Christianity."

That's a far more dramatic statement of the gap between Christianity and Islam than anything Benedict XVI said at Regensburg. The "nice Wojtyla/ nasty Ratzinger" trope is a cartoon, period. Anyone who hasn't come to grips with what John Paul II wrote about Islam isn't in a position to comment seriously on the differences in approach - which certainly exist - between the two popes.

A similar lack of research, or

so one assumes, distorts Kramer's reading of Benedict's approach to Islam. Kramer makes no reference at all to the pope's address to the Roman Curia last December, in which he suggested that the interreligious dialogue of the future focus on assisting Muslims who wish to assimilate the best of the Enlightenmen.t (like the institutional separation of religious and political authority) by developing the resources of their own religious tradition. She makes passing reference to the post-Regensburg "Open Letter to Pope Benedict XVI" from 38 senior Muslim leaders, but does not conjure with the fact that this Muslim condemnation of violence in the name of God followed a robust papal challenge, not the platitudes too frequently typical of "interreligious dialogue."

As for the issues put on the global table at Regensburg, does Kramer really think it a bad thing to challenge irrational forms of faith that command the murder of innocents in the name of God? Is it wrong to suggest that there is danger in the obverse of irrational faith: that trouble is afoot in the West's loss of faith in reason, which erodes our

capacity to defend the universality of human rights and the superiority of the rule of law over the rule of coercion?

Then there's Kramer's bugbear about reason-and-faith.

Classical ideas of reason have a privileged place in Christian theology, not because of xenophobia ("Ratzinger is Eurocentric. To him, Europe means Christianity.") but because the conviction that human beings can know that some things are true is essential in a Church whose Lord taught that the truth is liberating. Doctrine is not excess baggage on the journey of faith. It's the vehicle that makes the journey possible.

Finally, Jane Kramer really ought to find herself some new Roman sources. The men she cites remind me of nothing so much as those unfortunate Japanese soldiers found on remote Pacific islands in the 1970s - men who never, somehow, got the word that Emperor Hirohito had packed it in 30-some years before. One of her-refugees-from-radicalismspast sighs that Vatican II was "the 1968 of the Catholic Church." Memo to source: It's over. Get over it.

George Weigel is a senior fellow ofthe Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

APRIL

$.,.TheABchor ,

27, 2007

Dishwasher wanted: no experience necessary 22 April 2007 - Port-O-Call: Fall J!.iver - Third Sunday of Easter

their own initiative, operate a soup kitchen every Monday yearround. Sometimes an outside group comes in to give them a

I take Easter Monday as a personal day. I need some down-time. I have to catch up on all the errands I've let go B~flptiQns;of ""~ during Holy Week. Off ~~:'NlSJj!jed~st .Y/,'; I go to buy some food .!~ - ~--?:~ :~". _ __~: ~~~,_~-__ .~~~~-~;,;t~:_~ pellets for my beta fish c';[<::'~1lY:P.....ertim::c~ Methuselah, pick up the ~Goldrick dry cleaning, and have my meds refilled. I also want to make a brief appearance helping hand by preparing a meal. at the Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen My parish Knights of Columbus in Fall River. The parishioners of are hosting this particular meal.

Sacred Heart Parish, entirely on Every Easter Monday the men

The Ship's Log :.. a

of the Cross of Christ COlL'lcil No. 12283 provide dinner for those in Fall River who are hungry.

Tonight, our K of C food services crew will include: Paul and Carol Levesque, Steve Ferreira, AI Castro, and Gary I Guinen. At the stove is - Carlos "The Cook" Custodio, who has 'already prepared the meal. The task of our K of C brigade will now be to plate up the meals.

As I drive into the parking lot, I notice a crowd of people waiting. There are young and old,

Rais.ing varsity Catholics As I was running through the garage, stuffing all manner of sports equipment into several bags, I instinctively grabbed a Power Bar and a bottle of Gatorade. Oddly enough, my husband and I were headed not to a sports game, but to church to give a talk titled "Raising Catholic Kids." Our sportsthemed talk was given during Pre-Jordan, a mini-retreat given at our parish for parents asking to have a child baptized.

Upon arrival at the parish hall, I began unpacking my sports bags. Pulling out the Power Bar and the Gatorade, I laughed to myself. I had forgotten that as a part of the evening, we always enjoyed a fully catered, mouthwatering Italian meal, so I wouldn't need either pre-packaged energy source that night. As I looked at the two items in my hand, wondering what to do with them, the Holy Spirit gave me a profound insight.

I think the realization came to me so unmistakably because this event happened during the season for first Communion, or maybe it was because the aroma of garlic and basil was already wafting through the parish hall. Whatever the reason, when I looked at the items in my hands, I unexpectedly saw the Power Bar as the Body of Christ and the bottle of Gatorade as the Blood of Christ. What I actually held was health food, specially formulated to keep athletes in action healthy and strong, but what I truly beheld were images of the host and filled chalice, soul food especially

consecrated to keep Catholics in action health and strong.

Boy, did I blink and try to refocus my eyes!

As a mom I know thalif my young athi~tes don't keep their blood sugar up and stay hydrated, they risk burning out in the middle of a game. Yet I had never befote thought of the just as urgent need KidWor

needed to undetsfaM was that baptism is only the beginning.

Similar to the way that many sports' games are diviped into innipg~ or quartei~r the proceSS6fbecoming born again as a child of God in the Catholic Church takes place during three, distinct sactaments of CfiP,stian init1lt~ion. We re=Ve these i!!!!'!!"'''!lI!!''''!''tI--:~-...,1'''Igenerally in the order of baptism, first Eucharist, and then confirmation. Like good athletes listen attentively to their coaches, so we should listen attentively to the Church when she says that none of these sacraments is a stand-alone adults have for the spiritual event, but part of a whole life nourishment of the Eucharist, of faith. We need to press-on lest we bum out in the middle of our faith lives. The comparitoward receiving these and all son made sense immediately. the sacraments on our way to When we understand the becoming varsity members of physical benefits of carbthe Catholic Church. packed Power Bars and I believe that the savory electrolyte-rich bottles of Italian meal we had was the Gatorade to our bodies, it isn't key ingredient of the Premuch of a stretch to underJordan mini-retreat. This was stand the spiritual benefits to not just because I didn't have our souls of the divinely to cook it, or even because it enriched, "living Bread" and was so much more appetizing than Power Bar and Gatorade "spiritual drink" of the Mass.

I'd brought. It was because a I was so overwhelmed by the inspiration of the Holy special, communal meal is the way families across time and" Spirit that I replaced much of my talk that night with this place have welcomed new and insight. I was grateful to be returning members. Likewise, able to tell participants that we the Eucharist or holy Comnever stop learning how to be munion is the worldwide sign better Catholic parents. I told and sacrament of our membership in the family of Christ, a them that if the Pre-Jordan team had given them an idea or new or renewed team membership that begins at baptism. two about raising their child Catholic, then we had been Heidi is an author, photogsuccessful in giving them a rapher, and full-time mother. start, but no more. To go the She and her husband raise distance in their own faith and their five children in Falmouth. in raising their child to be a homegrownfaith@yahoo.com. faith-filled Catholic, what they

9 men and women, and several families with children. The doors open. The hall fills quickly. I slip in just as the pastor, Father Ray Cambra, is leading grace. It's a large hall now filled with 126 guests. It doesn't look like a stereotypical soup kitchen. It looks like a fine restaurant. It has pastel cloth-covered tables, freshly-painted walls, and carpeted floors. Even the lighting is tasteful.

Father Ray announces with great flourish the menu

cleared. I notice there is still perfectly good food in the kitchen.

Having finished drying the soup bowls, I'm trusted to ladle the minestrone into big plastic containers. To do this, I just have to stand in one place. There is no chance of my tripping again.

Famous last words.

When the food containers are full, the Delivery Department swings into action. Yes, dear readers, this soup kitchen delivers in more ways than one. Twelve intemationale: dinners are trucked to Hope - Fresh garden salad ProvinHouse and 72 plates to Amos cial (French dressing), House. Total meals served this - Authentic home-made evening: 210. No food is ever Italian Minestrone soup wasted.

- Fresh baked Virginia ham When everything is done, we with pineapple/cherry sauce volunteers get to eat. I'm really - Delmonico potatoes hungry after all that dishwashing.

- Green beans amandine I gobble double-helpings of both - A dessert cart of assorted ham and potatoes. Mmmm, fancy pastries and beverages delicious.

Having finished supper, I glide The guests cheer an9 applaud. subtly towards the side door Then the serving begins. There deviously intending to leave the are no food lines. The guests remain seated at table. Volunteer clean-up of the pots and pans to servers wait on them. They are Father Ray. He spots me with his eagle eye. "Come back here, short on wait staff. I'mitecruited to help with the serving, So much Goldrick!" he shouts. It's too late.

I'm gone. I don't do pots. for my cameo appearance. I'm assigned to a food cart with "Dishwasher wanted: apply within."

Urban Medeiros. Our first job is to deliver the bowls of hot soup to The work of feeding the poor II the tables. Several young people goes on week after week in parishes are assigned to our cart as well. and church facilities throughout the They take the bowls off the cart Diocese of Fall River. It's intentionand serve them to the guests. ally unheralded.

Meanwhile, bowl after bowl is Back in the Village, I recall. being poured in the kitthen. The that Gospel scene in which the kitchen pot never seems to go . Risen Lord appeared to his empty. Call it the Miracle of the disciples (Luke 24: 36-43). Seems Minestrone.

Jesus was hungry. "Have you All is going well until I anything to eat?" asked the Risen accidentally trip. (I told you I was Lord. They answered, "Yes." The a klutz). After I clean up my soup Lord continues to appear to mess, I get demoted. I'm taken off today's disciples. He is still the tables and reassigned to the hungry. Jesus asks the same dishwashing department. "Wash question, "Have you anything to or dry?" asks coordinator Dylan eat?" Throughout our diocese, the Duarte. I spend the rest of the answer is still "yes." time at the kitchen sink - out of This is a work of charity that feeds your soul. harm's way. Father RaYiwashes.

Cindy Gamache rinses. I dry.

Father Goldrick is pastor of Mter all have eaten as much as St. Bernard Parish, Assonet. they want, a few guests linger Comments are welcome at behind for some further socializStBernardAssonet@aol.com.

Previous columns are at ing. Gradually, they drift back www.StBernardAssonet.org. into the street and the hall is

ITALY 2007 June 23- July 1, 2007; October 5-12, 2007 October 15-23, 2007; Cost: $2,290

RomeNe.nicelTuscany/Florence See the Pope, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Catacombs, Spanish Steps...

Contact: Anthony Nachef, PhD (Theology) 508-340-9370 E-mail: an@catholicteachings.org ,..... Website: wyvw.catholicteachings.org, or ~. â&#x20AC;˘ www.TourOfltaly.us ~

4;

10

The Anchor

$

Jeffrey DeMarco helps strengthen community

By MIKE GORDON, ANCHOR STAFF

':

Money raised from the events helps the parish and ASSONET - Each day after he leaves the house, some of it benefits local charities and even the town's Jeffrey DeMarco manages to pray the rosary several annual Fourth of July fireworks display. times. He carries with him a prayer card with quotes "When the previous coordinator was unable to do from Mother Teresa and said he strives to not be a role it, they asked me to step in and help. Now we have model, but to just "try and help wherever he can." three people that serve as coordinators and two groups That he does. of chaperones that help make it all happen.

DeMarco volunteers atSt. Bernard Parish in Assonet "I feel that God is everything. I can't thank him where he is director of Development and coordinates enough for the wonderful family he has blessed me fund-raisers. With his help, the parish has been able to with and for always being there for me. I'm glad to be put an extra $100,000 towards its mortgage and hopes a little part of what we do here at the parish." to have it paid off in the next two to three years.

Pastor Father Tnnothy J. Goldrick is pleased to have . DeMarco helping out and "Around my late 20s I started helping the praised his work.

Church. Today you "He is tremendously couldn't tear me apart active in this parish doing from God with a prybar," fund-raising efforts all said DeMarco. "I love this year long and coordinatchurch and its parishioing volunteers. Because of ners and it makes me feel his huge investment of good to help others." time we've been able to The 53-year-old has pay a lot towards our been a parishioner for 14 standing mortgage. He is years and has lent his time the heartbeat of our parand talents to numerous ish." events and activities.

DeMarco also assists Whenever there is a local food pantries in obspecialty dinner, taming food to feed the DeMarco can be found needy. He did so in behind the scenes cooking Brockton a few years and preparing food. Each back and when he was month the parish holds a told by Father Goldrick malassadas breakfast and that there was a great DeMarco is the man who need, DeMarco didn't helps make it happen. hesitate in putting his When the annual parish skills to work. festival arrives he is found "I help coordinate getorganizing, coordinating ting food from the stores and helping make the to area soup kitchens and event a successful enit its just another way we deavor. can help people through A Fall River native, the Church," he said.

DeMarco grew up in a KEEPING TABS _ Anchor Person of the Week "He's very creative family o~ ~e c~ildren. Jeffrey DeMarco charts the progress of the Extra and uses all his skills to benefit our parish," said He and his wife Lmda re- Effort Drive at St Bernard's Parish in Assonet.

Father Goldrick. "He's side in Berkley. She w o r k s ' as a manager for the R.I. division of Webster Bank. done a tremendous job for us and is a hard worker. He They have been married for 23 years and have a 29- really puts his faith into action and his efforts help build year-old daughter, Vanessa. the community. Some people call him Mr. St. Bernard."

He works full-time as Food Service director for DeMarco has coordinated the annual parish festiMassassoit Community College and its conference cen- vals for a number of years, but this year will be concentrating more on the food aspect of it to prevent getter where he cooks, manages and ''wears a lot of hats."

DeMarco has been at the college since 1980 and is a ting bumed out. He also helps out with the annual pargraduate of the Culinary Arts Institute of America in ish golf tournament and is a founding member of its Hyde Park, N.Y. He holds a business management de- Knights of Columbus council. gree from Fisher Junior College. ''I've been a Knight for nine years and currently ''I do most of the food functions at the parish," said serve as the financmI secretary for Council No. 12283," DeMarco. "We do clam cakes and chowder for six ~eeks he said. "It's been very successful and we've been able during Lent, we do a booth at the Fourth ofJuly celebra- to establish a Columbiettes group for women as well tion and ''It's God's work that I'm doing. It's who I am. as a Squire and Squirette group for young people."

When people ask for help, I try to assist them. I always The Knights have taken on the job of doing clean remember what MotherTeresa said, 'We can do no great up at a nearby cemetery, grinding down stumps and things, only small things with great love.''' cutting down branches. It's another project that DeMarco said all the efforts like the malassadas event DeMarco has become involved with but according to help payoff the church mortgage. ''We started doing him, "I wouldn't haveit any other way." that about three years ago and it's brings in six to seven DeMarco taught Religious Education classes for thousand dollars a year." several years and is a member of the parish pastoral He was also instrumental in starting The Extra Ef- council and finance committee. He and his wife have fort Club, a low-key group where members pledge been extraordinary ministers of holy Communion for above and beyond what they would normally give to more than five years. the parish. According to DeMarco they raise an aver''My wife is my rock," said DeMarco. "She is a great support for me and has great patience and understandage of $20,000 which goes toward the mortgage.

'The church had a great need for the fund-raising," ing." said DeMarco. "Once the mortgage is paid off we can As for hobbies, DeMarco said he enjoys fishing and concentrate on the infrastructure and future of the par- building model ships, but doesn't have much free time ish." for that right now. "Maybe when I retire," he quipped.

DeMarco also organizes monthly youth dances for Asked what motivates him, DeMarco replied, "God students in grades five to eight. He helps set up lights motivates me. He sends me out every day." and music as well as arranging for chaperones and poSend Anchor Person of the Week nominotions to lice detail. ''We get 200 students each month and I en- theanchor@anchomews.org,orP.O.Box7,FallRiver, joy being a part of that."

MA 02722.

BLUE-RIBBON PERFORMANCES - These students from Holy Trinity School, Fall River, received awards in the school's first ever Read-a-thon. All grades participated and more than 33,000 minutes of reading were realized. From left are winners Myles YoungMedeiros, Benjamin Costa, Paul Borges, Grant Mooney and Eric Ganczarski.

Students log more than 33,000 reading minutes By

MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF

FALL RIVER - Students who completed a recent read-athon at Holy Trinity School in Fall River logged more than 33,000 minutes during a twoweek period and brought a big smile to the face of Principal Emma Hipolito as she praised their efforts.

"You did a fantastic job and we are proud of all the reading you did," said Hipolito. "We always want to promote reading in and outside of school and we are thankful for all the encouragement and support your teachers and parents provided."

Entitled, "Reach for the Stars: Keep America Reading Program," it was coordinated by Sandra Cabrera and Kelly Delacruz of Usborne Books, part of the educational development corporation.

"It was a great read-a-thon and -the teachers were very enthusiastic and supportive," said Cabrera. "I think for everyone it is a positive experience and even with just 30 minutes a day one can see improvement in a child's reading."

Cabrera has been organizing read-a-thons for three years in Rhode Island, but this was the first school they have done in the Fall River Diocese.

"Each child received books . for participating and they were excited about that," she added.

"Students kept a reading log and each child who turned one in was awarded a book. Some students also received a Kid Kit which is an activity package that contains more books and worksheets."

Students in grades kindergarten through eight participated and were sponsored by friends and family. More than $4,000 was raised at the end of the two weeks. Of that, $2,000 went towards books for the children, $800 went towards books for teachers and $1,200 came directly back to the school to help defray education costs.

"The ladies from Usborne Books were great to work with and they really did an excellent job," said Hipolito. "They set up a book fair for us and asked if we were interested in doing the reada-thon. It's been a wonderful way to bring the parents and school together and we're hoping to do it again next year."

The top reader for the school was seventh-grader Paul Borges. Second place resulted in a tie between fourth-grader Benjamin Costa and thirdgrader Grant Mooney. Third place went to third-grader Eric Ganczarski. Each received a certificate and books for their efforts. Second-grader Myles Young-Medeiros was the top money earner for the school and received a $50 gift certificate to Wal-Mart.

The two classes that read the most, ki ndergarten and third grade, were recipients of a pizza party provided by New England Pizza on Tucker Street. All told, the children logged 33,263 minutes of reading.

Paul Ganczarski was proud of his son's efforts. "We encouraged him to read at an early age and each morning he reads comic books at the breakfast table. We're very happy and proud of him.

Reading is him."

,

The Anchor ~

11 .,..1

All in a day's work

BISHO=~t.:gBIN

11

II

The Second Annual Night to Honor Mary Bishop Geo,rge ~ Coleman Bishop ofFall River

Homilist

~~ .Friday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m.

Cathedml of ss. Peter A: Paul One Cathedml Square

Providena; KI 02903

~tJuv~ II

Agreat sign appearedin fire skyl'l!lll'ilm.1lJ doIbei.l with the sun; with the moon undti:rher f~ ~ on herheadacrown oftwdves6ars. Sbe muwillJ child and wailed aloud in]Xlin as she Jaban:d tJ give birth.

(Rev. 12:1-~

..-

II

-

$ .Th.e Anchor

12

$~

MEMORIES - Resurrection Sisters Leandra, Casimira and Krystyna stand with pictures of their foundresses, Mother Hedwig Borzecka, left, and Mother Celine Borzecka.

Sisters of the Resurrection foundress to be beatified The Sisters served at Sf. Saviour Day Nursery in New Bedford from 1962 to 2001.

By

DEACON JAMES

N.

DUNBAR.

NEW BEDFORD News that Mother Celine Chludzinska Borzecka, co-foundress of the Sisters of the Resurrection, will be beatified October 27 at St. John Lateran Church in Rome, was received with great interest by many Commercial & Industrial Gas/Oil Burners

LEMIEUX HEATING, INC. Complete BoilerlBumer Service 2283 Acushnet Ave. New Bedford, Mass. 02745-2827 508-995-1631 Fax 508-995-1630

families in the Greater New Bedford area.

"We still receive correspondence from so many families and people who well remember and are grateful for the efforts of our Sisters when they conducted the day nursery in New Bedford," reported Sister Christine Marie, treasurer of the Sisters ofthe Resurrection in a telephone chat from the congregation's Provincial House of Mount St. Joseph in Castleton, N.Y. Five members of the congregation arrived in New Bedford in December 1962 and took up residence at 405 County Street.

They opened St. Saviour's, which cared for 35 to 40 pre-

remembered litany in many Whaling City families.

The Sisters of the Resurrection have another reason for celebration. One hundred years ago, in August 1907, the first six Sisters came to St. Mary's in Schenectady, N.Y., from Chicago, to teach in a parish school. The group had arrived in Chicago from Poland in 1899.

From New York the Sisters' service to God's people in education, health care, and parish ministry spread to the Fall River Diocese and other dioceses in several eastern states.

The congregation had an unusual beginning in that its founders were a mother and daughter. . Celine Borzecka, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, was born in Eastern Poland in 1833. She always had the desire to serve God in a special manner. But in obedience to her parents and confessor, she married at age 21.

She had four children, two of whom died in infancy, and when, after 21 years, her husband died, the young mother and daughters Hedwig and Celine made their way to Rome.

There, the mother and daughter Hedwig laid the foundation for the new community.

Among those aiding the new , congregation was Msgr. James Della Chiesa, later to become Pope Benedict xv. The official beginning of the Sisters of the Resurrection took place in January 1891.

Co-founders Mother Celine and daughter Mother Hedwig have had their causes for canonization advanced, and both were declared Venerable in 1982.

Mother Celine died in Cracow on Oct. 26, 1913. Mother Hedwig

27, 2007

died in Kety, Poland on Sept. 27, 1906.

They will be among later members of the congregation who also have been beatified.

The most recent was Resurrection Sister Alice Kotowska, who was beatified with 108 other martyrs of the Church on June 13, 1999.

Sister Kotowa had fought with the Organized Polish Army in WWI against Germany when she was 17. After medical studies she returned to the trenches to serve the military as a nurse during the Polish-Bolshevik War in 1920, and was decorated by the Polish government for her compassion and bravery. She entered the congregation in 1922 and was dedicated to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Because of her patriotism she was arrested when Nazis entered Poland in 1939. After imprisonment and torture, the 39-year-old nun stood alongside Jewish children to be shot and buried in a mass grave on November 11, 1939 in the forest of Piasnicy in Poland The congregation, with members in Poland, Italy, England, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the United States, has two aims: the glorification of the Resurrection and the sanctification of its members, together with spreading of God's kingdom by apostolic and education work.

Its motto is "Through the Cross and Death to Resurrection and Glory."

For more information about the beatification of Mother Celine and a plannedpilgrimage, telephone 518-732-4141; email mcelinecr@yahoo.com; or write: Sisters of the Resurrection, clo Beatification, 35 Boltwood Avenue, Castleton NY 12033.

Eastern Television Sales And Service

Montie Plumbing & Heating Co. Over 35 Years of Satisfied Services Reg. Master Plumber 7023 JOSEPH RAPO$A, JR.

432 JEFFERSON STREET FALL RIVER

school tots five days a week. It was a godsend for working women, who paid $2 a day for each child or $55 a week - if they could afford it.

The Sisters also took charge of a unique "sacristy," that of the former New Bedford Channel 6 WTEV, where the weekly televised Mass and apostolate originated.

Also unusual is the fact that the five Sisters who came originally remained together for many years.

The names of Sisters Rose Konopienis, Leandra Jankowski, M. Bertha Krzysko, Jane Rose Urbanski, Jane Therese Hulak and M. Krystyna Kobielus, are still a

APRIL

508-675-7496

Fall River's Largest Display of TVs

ZENITH • SONY 1196 BEDFORD ST. FALL RIVER 508-673-9721

Charlie's Oil Co., Inc. • Prompt 24 Hour Service • Automatic Deliveries • Call In Deliveries • Budget Terms Available • Free Estimates

You Never Had Service Until You Tried Charlie's We're located at ...

46 Oak Grove Ave., Fall River orcall ...

508-675-7426 • 508-674-0709

SISTERS HELPING MOTHERS - Sisters Krystyna, Casimira, Jane Therese, Leandra and Jane Rose with most of the 1991 enrollees at St. Saviour Day Nursery in New Bedford. (Anchor file photos

by John E. Kearns Jr.)

APRIL

$

27,2007

Grappling with the evil of abortion On April 18 the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Gonzales v. Carhart, declared the federal ban on partial birth abortion to be constitutional. This type oflatetenn abortion, technically known as ''intactdilation and evacuation" abortion, was vividly described in the court's opinion by a nurse who witnessed the procedure on a 26-anda-half-week, third-trimester fetus: ''Dr. Haskell went in with forceps and grabbed the baby's legs and p.ulled them down into the birth canal. Then he delivered the baby's body and the arms-everything but the head. The doctor kept the head right inside the uterus.... ''The baby's little fingers were clasping and unclasping, and his little feet were kicking. Then the doctor stuck the scissors in the back of his head, and the baby's anns

meeting resistance from the cervix.

The friction causes the fetus to tear apart. For example, a leg might be ripped off the fetus as it is pulled through the cervix and out of the woman. The process ofevacuating theretus~eceby~ececontin~s

until it has been completely removed. A doctor may make 10 to 15 passes with the forceps to evacuate the fetus in its entirety, though sometimes removal is completed withfewerpasses.... The doctor examines the different parts to ensure the entire fetal body has been removed."

The court also ruled that the partial-birth-abortion-ban's lack of a general health exception for the mother does not impose an unconstitutional burden on the so-called abortion right, even though the court assumed that ''the Act's prohibition . would be unconstitutional under controlling precedents, ifit subjected women to significant health risks:' Justices Thomas and Scalia indicated in a separate concurrence that they are prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade since it has no basis in the Constitution. Justice Kennedy's was clearly the swing vote here, which is why he wrote the opinion for the Court, and he did not want to overturn any of the precedents, not Roe, not Planned Parenthood ofSoutheastemPa. v. Casey, the 1992decision reaffirming Roe, and not even the previous partial birth abortion decision, which while remaining on the books has effectively been gutted now that Justice Alito has replaced former swing-vote Sandra .

Day 0'Connor. Better to gut a mistaken decision than to gut an Unborn child.

We just observed the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Dred Scottdecision, which declared slavery a constitutional right such that Congress was powerless to restrict it. At the time, 1857, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was the 19th century's best-selling novel which vividly portrayed the evils of slavery. It took a Civil War (which Lincoln called "this big war" which the "little lady" Harriet Beecher Stowe, the authorof "Uncle Tom's Cabin," had made) and the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution to ultimately abolish slavery. Perhaps public awareness of partial birth abortion and similar gruesome procedures can ultimately lead to the decisive overturning ofRoe v. Wade and reasonable state· restrictions on the lethal practice of abortion.

Dwight Duncan is a professor at Southern New Englond School ofLaw in Norlh Dartmouth. He holds degrees in both civil and caTion law.

_-----------1'-----,.. .JUdge

For Yourself

By Dwight Duneso

jerkedout, like a startle reaction, like a flinch, like a baby does when he thinks he is going to fall. ''The doctor opened up the scissors, stuck a high-powered suction tube into the opening, and sucked the baby's brains out Now the baby went completely limp....

"He cut the umbilical cord and delivered the placenta. He threw the baby in a pan, along with the placenta and the instruments he had just used."

The majority opinion for the court was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy and signed onto by ChiefJustice John Roberts, Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito. The five-four opinion, with Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Paul Stevens, David Souter, and Stephen Breyer in dissent, found that the law was not unconstitutionally vague or overbroad, defects that the court had found in its previous partial abortion case in 2000, Stenberg v. Carhart, which had invalidated Nebraska's ban on the procedure among other reasons because it was broad enough to not only forbid partial birth abortions but also standard "dilation and evacuation" abortions, which are the most common type oflate-tenn abortion and constitutionally protected under applicable Supreme Court precedent.

Here's how the court describes that still-constitutionally-protected type of abortion: ''The doctor, often guided by ultrasound, inserts grasping forceps through the woman's cervix and into the uterus to grab the fetus. The doctor grips a fetal part with the forceps and pulls it back through the cervix and vagina, continuing to pull even after

The Anchor

$

13

'Words are not enough' to comfort Virginia Tech families BLACKSBURG, Va. (CNS) Words are not enough to comfort grieving parents, said a priest who spent time with the parents of several of the slain Vrrginia Tech students when they first learned their son or daughter was dead.

In the early hours after the murder rampage on campus that left 33 dead, Father James Arsenault, pastor ofSt. Mary Parish in Blacksburg, was at Montgomery Regional Hospital with those who were wounded and their families. The first priest at the hospital, he said, was Father Rob Cole from Our Lady of Nazareth Parish in Roanoke.

Father Arsenault said that from the hospital he went to the Inn at Virginia Tech, a hotel on campus where parents seeking infonnation about their children were asked to gather. He said he said he was present in many cases when the Virginia Tech police chief informed parents their child was dead. Father Arsenault said he would tell parents: "Words are not enough to express how sad we are. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" and give them a hug.

When he hugged tliem, they would break down and cry, he told Catholic News Service.

After staying with thetn a while, he would pray the Our lfather and Hail Mary with them and lead them in prayers for the dead, he said.

At the hospital, Father Arsenault said, Father Cole anointed those that he could, though most students were in surgery. Catholic vict;ims were being brought Communion each day by representatives of St. Mary Parish, he added.

Mia Ortega, a 26-year-?ld graduate student who also works for the university in student affairs, said in a phone interview April 19.with CNS that she was receiving "a lot of support from my family and my friends" to help her cope with the tragedy.

She said that ever since she saw the images on TV that the killer, SeungHui Cho, had sent to NBC the moming of the killings, she has' not been able to turn out the lights in 'her apartment. If a room goes dark~ she said, she sees the vivid image shown on TV of Cho with both arms raised holding the guns he used in the sl~,ughter. ''1 II

feel bombarded by that image."

To help people cope with the fear that the Vrrginia Tech tragedy may provoke, the U.S. branch of the Christian Family Movement, a network of parish- or neighborhoodbased groups of families that meet to support one another in Christian living, has posted a "Living Without Fear" program on its Website, cfm.org.

The nine-page program, which can be downloaded, provides a structured guide for a group meeting to reflect on fear, how it arises and how it affects people, and to discuss ways to face it from a Christian perspective. It begins with Scripture readings and several statements by individuals or organizations, including the U.S. bishops and the Department of Homeland Security, about living with fear and overcoming it.

The guide for group discussion follows the "observe, judge, act" pattern that the Christian Family Movement uses as a way of moving from reflection and understanding to concrete actions dealing witlran issue constructively in one's own life.

aWe cannot direct the wind, 1ut.we can adjus~ the sa' •" Feitelberg Insurance has been naJigating the insurance marketplace since 1916. Let us put tour business insurance program on the right; course.

Life

Business

Personal

Employ.e Benefits "

~

II ~

~

I~ I ·

Feitelberg Jnsurance 508-676-1971 Fall River • W. Bridgewat~r • Somerset Plymouth • Dartmouth i· Hingham

-

I 14

,

The Anchor

$

the petition they filed.

Although the consistent goal was restoration of traditional marriage, the reluctance of a slim majority oflegislators, including some who claimed they were Catholics, at constitutional conventions in July and November 2006 opted to go into recess and not take up the matter..

Their reluctance drew sharp rebukes from the bishops, the Massachusetts Catholic Council, and the Family Institute and Catholic Citizenship, all amendment supporters.

In the interim, local rallies bolstered citizens' interest even as prayer and adoration services brought many to their knees in prayer.

"We had been praying all the time, but at this point we began asking for scheduled prayers and devotions across the diocese," Father Leonard recalled.

On a separate tack, in mid-December the ballot initiative committee VoteOnMarriage.org further pressed the case by filing a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Worcester seeking $500,000 from

legislators for legal fees and another $5 million in punitive damages and asking the court to order legislators to fulfill their elected obligations.

The subsequent affirmative 61131 cliftbanger vote by the legislators that brings the matter before the current assembly, found Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick lobbying and siding with the samesex lobby, and referring to the vote as "shocking."

He is on record as saying "I'm going to do what I can to stop that (amendment) as this measure continues to move through the process."

Gay marriage supporters have vowed to defeat the amendment, which they call offensive and deplorable and are unlikely to throw in the -towel. Because several aggressive legislators who supported the amendment are no longer in office, no one is willing to talk about "sure" votes at this time.

"So is it definitely a time to ask for God's saving help, and for people to join with others asking him to intercede to protect marriage," said Father Leonard.

r--------------------------------, I

:

Prayerful places to seek God's help to advance Marriage Amen~ment

I The following I Mass, adoration,

-,

is a list of parishes where prayers, and devotions are I scheduled to seek intercession for the I Legislature's approval furthering the Marriage I Amendment petition at the May 9 constitutional I convention in Boston: Attleboro Deanery : St. Mary in Mansfield. Holy Hour on May 4 at 3 p.m.

I Cape Cod Deanery I Corpus Christi in East Sandwich. Two hours of I adoration: Friday, May 4 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., I and 7 to 8 p.m.

I St. Joseph's in Woods Hole. Adoration on the I First Friday, May 4, following the 8 a.m., Mass I and ending at 5 p.m. Stations of the Cross at 4:30 I p.m., and Benediction at 4:50 p.m.

I St. Patrick's in Falmouth. Adoration on Friday, I May 4 after the 9 a.m., Mass and ending at 4:30 I p.m., with Benediction.

Fall River Deanery I Santo Christo in Fall River. Mass on Sunday, I April 29, at noon.

I St. Anthony of the Desert in Fall River. AdoraI tion on April 30 and May 1 after the 8 a.m., Mass I and ending at 10 p.m. The intention of Masses will I be for the protection of marriage.

I St. Michael in Fall River. Adoration April 30 I after the 8 a.m., Mass and ending at 5 p.m.

I St. Stanislaus in Fall River. Adoration April 30 I following the 7 a.m., Mass and ending at 6:30 p.m.

Holy Name in Fall River. Adoration Thesday, I May 1, following the 7 a.m. Mass and ending at 9 p.m.

I St. Francis ofAssisi in Swansea. Mass at 7 a.m.

I on May 1 for the intention of the protection of I marriage.

I St. Dominic in Swansea. Adoration on May 4 I after the 8 a.m., Mass and ending with BenedicI tion at 6 p.m.

I St. John of God in Somerset. Adoration May 4

27, 2007

, The Anchor news briefs

Continued from page one fer up our fasting from food and even TV, because God is always listening."

Beseeching heaven for the marriage amendment has been ongoing.

The citizen's petition brought by a broad spectrum of religious and secular organizations asked the defining of marriage as the union of one man and one woman in the wake of the 2003 ruling by the.

Massachusetts Supreme Court that ordered same-sex marriages to be recognized in the Bay State.

When 170,000 signatures statewide - many taken in the pews supporting the amendment were certified by the Secretary of State's Office, it meant the petition could be taken up by a constitutional convention in which 50 votes by legislators would be needed in the 2006 assembly and another 50 votes in the 2007 assembly to get the petition before voters next year.

Bishop George W. Coleman, like his three colleague Catholic bishops in Massachusetts, continually urged Catholics to contact their legislators and he spoke out strongly on the rights of citizens to vote on

APRIL

: I

after the 8 a.m., Mass and ending at_noon. : New Bedford Deanery .

Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church m I New Bedford. Adoration on S~day,. May 6, ~e- I ginning at 12:30 p.m., and ending WIth Benedic- I tion at 4:45 p.m.

I I Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Bedford. I Adoration 'on May 4 follOWing the 8 a.m., Mass I and ending at 10 p.m. _ St. Francis Xavier in Acushnet. Thirty hours of adoration, from 9 a.m. on May 4 to 3 p.m. on May 5. _.

St. John Neumann in East Freetown. Adoration in the chapel on April 30 from 8 a.m., to 9 p.m.

St. Julie Billiart in North Dartmouth. Mass on Sunday, April 29 at 11 a.m., for the protection of marriage; Holy Hour at 7 p.m. on May 2, a day of fasting and prayer.

St. Kilian's in New Be,dford. Adorati~n May 4 starting at 7 a.m., and ending at 7 p;m., WIth Benediction; and Masses at 8:15 a.m., and 7 p.m.

St. Mary's in New Bedford. Adoration May 4 after the 8 a.m., and ending with Benediction at 3 p.m.

Taunton Deanery Holy Family in East Taunton. Adoration on Wednesday, May 2, following the 8 a.m., Mass and ending at 8 p.m. with Benediction.

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Taunton. May 2, Holy hour beginning at 7 p.m., and including the rosary.

Morton Hospital in Taunton. Sunday, May 6, adoration in the chapel.

Included among the many prayer partners in the diocese in support of the Marriage Amendment as the union between one man and one woman, are the Pro-Life Apostolate, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, retired priests of the diocese; students, staff and faculty at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth; and St. John's Seminary in Brighton.

L--~----------------~~~~7~~-~-~~-~

With Jesuits' support, new Cristo Rey school planned for Houston NEW ORLEANS (CNS) - The Society of Jesus' New Orleans province will sponsor a high school in Houston that will be part of the Cristo Rey Network, which establishes schools in urban areas to serve economically and educationally disadvantaged youths. The network has commissioned a feasibility study to determine where in Houston the high school should be located. It will serve the fourth most populous city in the country and one of the most ethnically diverse. The one-year feasibility study will begin this summer and will take into account demographic, educational, housing and other data. The study coordinator, who has not yet been hired, will interview local school, Church and community leaders, and will conduct focus groups of middle-school students and their parents to gauge interest in the school.

The study will determine whether there are enough entry-level clerical jobs in the area to support the school's students, as well as how many students might enroll. Cristo Rey schools partner with local businesses that provide job opportunities for students, covering their tuition through their salaries.

Ethics code to bring posh London hospital in line with Church morals LONDON (CNS) - A revised code of ethics will prevent doctors from providing contraceptives and abortion referrals at a London Catholic hospital popular with celebrity mothers. The finalized code, which is expected to be passed by the hospital board May 16, will encompass all staff and resident practitioners at the Hospital of St. John and St. Elizabeth. A draft of the code says that services will not be provided if they conflict with Catholic teaching regarding the value of life or sexual ethics. This includes the provision of the morning-after pill, amniocentesis to detect Down syndrome and in-vitro fertilization. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor ofWestrninster ordered the code to be revised after doctors admitted to prescribing the morning-after pill and referring women for abortions at other hospitals. The cardinal wrote a letter in March 2006 to Robin Bridgeman, chairman of the hospital, that said a newly revised code would be produced and that the hospital would have to abide by it.

World must do more to support Iraqi refugees, says Vatican official ROME (CNS) - The international community must do more to welcome and support the thousands of refugees daily fleeing the "horrific violence" in Iraq, a Vatican official said. "The world is witnessing an unprecedented degree of hate and destructiveness in Iraq," which not only destroys the "social tissue and the unity of Iraq," but is exerting "a widening deadly impact" on the whole Middle East, said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi. The Vatican's representative to U.N. and other international organizations in Geneva spoke there recently at an international conference addressing the humanitarian needs of Iraq's refugees and internally displaced people. Catholic News Service in Rome obtained a copy of his text. The archbishop said history has shown that the international community can be effective in creating "durable solutions" to the massive displacement of peoples.

Now nations must help Iraq's refugees and internally displaced people by providing "a coordinated, effective and generous response," he said.

Christians flee Lebanon amid signs of growing fundamentalism BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) - Christians are fleeing Lebanon to escape an ongoing political and economic crisis amid signs that Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise in the country. Forty-three percent of Maronite Catholics - the largest of the country's 12 Christian denominations - polled recently said they were considering emigrating. Nearly a third of them have applied for visas in the last six months, according to the study by Information International, an independent Beirut-based research body. The high emigration statistics also are impacting Lebanon's Muslims, many of whom are thought to have left Lebanon since last summer's war between the Iranian-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah and Israel. But Lebanon's Christians are concerned their traditional influence in the country is waning as a result of the country's continuing internal power struggle, which for the past five months has pitted a Sunni-led government against a predominantly Shiite opposition movement spearheaded by Hezbollah. Although the country's last census, which was conducted in 1932, found that Maronites were the country's largest religious group, the latest statistics compiled by Information International suggest they currently represent only 22 percent of Lebanese residents, or 800,000 people. That compares to a share of roughly 28 percent for both Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

27,. 2007

APRIL

We walk together, with the Lord

4; The Anchor 4; Christian Leader~hip Institute set at Cathedral Camp in June

15

EAST FREETOWN - With a meal blessings, daily 1iturgy and Padua Parish in Fall River, a team the mission the Lord gave us: to evanmember on many CLi weeks and a success story of having prepared evening socials. gelize and ''teach all nations." Based According to progriun director YES! Director; and Father David nearly 850 teen-agers in the Fall on that belief, the Church continu- , River Diocese since 1989 for lead- Frank Lucca, the purppse "is not Frederici, a chaplain.at Cape Cod ally looks at what it can do to rrlake ership inyouth ministry in their par- simply to form candtdates with Hospital and Cape Cod Community that beliefbecome a reality. Dioceses ishes and schools, the Christian skills in management and leader- College, who is joining CLI for the are established. Churches are provide fourth time.

Leadership :{nstitute will train an- ship. It also seeks May 31, 1986 - Feast of the formed. Educational and social proOthers are CLI graduates. Chad other 50 high school students at Ca- catechesis by which th~' Candidates VISitation grams are sponsored for young and can come to a fuller understanding D' Adamo is a 1994 CLI grad; is an thedral Camp from June 22 to 27.

It was a hot day - really hot. It. old. Services for the poor and needy The goal is to provide an oppor- of what it means to be: a Catholic MBA candidate and involved in the was also the day my classmates and are created. And like anything else, '. YES! and Emmaus retreat proi tunity for young people to develop Christian diiiciple." .I had been waiting for after several as members of the Church we need Lucca, a director for the Yes! grams; Scott Waite, CLI 1991, is a leadership sldlls in ministry and deyears of preparation: ordination to to look at hoW well we're doing those velop an understanding of what it Retreat program, a pa,rish youth nurse and involved as an assistant the priesthood. We were excited, things in the face of the changes gomeans to be a Christian disciple. minister, and a member pf nine eLI director of YES!; and Mary Noone anxious, and sweating (for more than ing on in and.around us.

The weeklong experience fosters teams said. "The team :',very much is a 1994 graduate of CLI, and a one reason).

Our office has been.conducting growth'in personal and communal wants to focus on the idea of what co-director of YES! April 2007 - Easter Season Study Sessions in the deaneries to New members who joining the faith by participation and planning it means to be "Catholic" - not to 1\venty-one years later, I could unpack what pastoral planning is and the exclusion of other '!denominateam include: Amanda Cooke, a redaily' prayer and worship experinever have imagined my priesthood keep folks updated on what ~e ofenCes, and through sessions focused tions, but to foster an appreciation ligion teacher and campus minister would have taken the roads which it fice is doing. Some issues that people for our tradition. Thel! team also at Bishop Stang High School in on prayer and morality. has, the twists and turns, the ups and have brought up consistently are: Some sessions focus on the art hopes to enable the candidates to North Dartmouth; Father Tom downs. Five parish assignments, one ''How do we get young people inhospital chaplaincy, one Tribunal as- . volved? We need to empower lay of leadership; communication plan' and coordinate ac~ivities l;Uld Costa, from St. Mary's Parish in signment. Some agony, some ec- people! What can we do at our parskills, styles, group dynamics, and prayer which, while creative and Mansfield; and William Furtado, a stacy. AU priceless. The common ish to bring people back?" planning. Others explore aspects of youth-facilitated, can j! be imple- youth minister at St. John Neum~ thread between them all is that each This is what pastoral planning is discipleship and how it is embod. mentea in their own fai,th commu- Parish in East Freetown and a memhas required some change on路 my about ~ looking at our mission, re,: ber ofthe March YES! Team. .ied through prayer and liturgy, nities." .

I . part: a change in attitude, a change flecting on the issues that confront The team - a'gro.up of adults The support staff includes Phil moral decision making, sacramenus and acting with noteworthy credentials in min- Perreira, who will provide music for tal living and service. to bring the "Our young meri and women are istry, education and leadership pro- liturgies; Judith Sousa, administraGospel in evernot simply the Church of tomor- gramming - has been involved in . tive assistant in the Office of Faith路 changing cirrow," said Claire McManus, direc- preparation for the CLI experience. Formation; Bobbi Paradise, past cumstances to tor of the Office of Faith Formation. Each member participates in facili- team member on many CLI weeks; those around "They are the Church of today. CLI tating the program, eithet as a work- Evelyn Noone, of Holy Trinity Par.us.It'snotsimtrains some of the best leaders and shOp presenter, group leader or as ish in Fall River; and Rich

By Father ply about parservants for young people: their support staff. Candidates are di- Rodrigues, a YES! director and DaVid M. Andrade ish mergers. peers:' . vided into six-member d'oups; each team member.

It's a whole lot assigned a leader who'! will work.

One ofthe major continuing fac"Often times in our service to in expectations, a change in the way more. And I'm sure as you can tell, closely with them throughout the ets of this year's Christian leaderthe Church we piant trees, but are of doing things, most of which I we've been doing it for about 2,000 week. ship Institute is thedevelopment of not able to enjoy their shade and could'never have foreseen. years.

The team includes C&stal-Lynn follow-ups for graduates to provide fruit until later on down the line, My name is Father David Change abounds and we have to if at all," she added. "Sometimes Medeiros, assistant dir~tor of the them the opportunity to plan anq Andrade. I'm the pastor of Holy keep on our toes to meet the cbalit's discouraging. But througb CLI, Diocesan Office for Youth and evaluate the Diocesan Youth ConTrinity in Fall River, and I'm also the lenges it brings. AU this in one lifedirector of Pastoral Planning. Wel- . time - who would have known? . which has trained so many young Young Adult Ministry ana the Youth vention: Discover Jesus Christ: come to the first installment of SeaJust one路more thing. It's impor- . people, we often have the privilege Ministry coordinator at St.路 "Just as I loved you, you should .sons of Change; a column we'll be tant to remember we're all in this toto reap the,benefits of our service Lawrence, Martyr Parish in New love one. another" scheduled for using to share some mUSings about gether. We don'tjourney alone. None Bedford, who has setvbd on 'two October 28 at Bishop Stang High early on." pastoral planning in our diocese. ofus is an island, as individuals, parParticipants a,re challenged to CLI teams; Donna Martyniak from School in North Dartmouth.

This, with upcoming informational iShes, schools, diocesan.offices. We ParFor more information about use their skills and talents in plan- Our Lady of the Assumption 'II series and other articles, will serve walk together, and we walk with the ning sessions for specific portions ish, New Bedford, who has served Cll 2007'contact Frank Lucca at as a way for the 'Office of Pastoral Lord as members of hi~ Body. So' of the daily program; morning on 10 eLI te~s and is a nurse; 508-324-4516 or Crystal-Lynn Planning to get the word out about let's pray for one another and our wake-up, morning and night prayer, Elena Sardinha, St. Anthony of. Medeiros at 508-678-2828 . , , what's happening.

Churcb. I've included a prayer that So, what is pastoral planning re- we've used at meetings with folks ally all about? from across the diocese. Cut it out, AU of us, in some way, shape or put it iIi a place where you can see it form, are planners. We plan for our .- as a bookmarK, even on your re. futures. We get jobs. Some getmar- frigerator: riecl..Some have children: Some buy ''Beloved Lord Jesus, anoint US houses. Some try to get into better to do yoUr will. May the joy of your physical shape and better financial. dwelling in us draw us closer to each health. Whatever the case, we plan. other. Expand our vision to recogWe have a set of driving beliefs that nize your plan; warm out hearts by _ ,guides us in making decisions. We the flame ofyour love; open our lips Family Heirwoms from look at what we want to do, and what so that we can speak your word; exAmerica's Oltkst FamHy OWlled we need to do. We look at what we . pand our arms so that we can em,can do, and can't do. And then Wy brace each other as your people; .

Religious Gift Store. act At the end of the day, we look speak to.US so we can discem the role back and see if what we did really you 'have for us as your Body, the worked, and how we may do things Church. Fill us with youtHoly Spirit, better' in the future. A constant fac- empowering us to become vital exExtended Store Hours For: '1 tor is that there is change all around pressions ofgrowth in your Church.

April 23, 2007 - May 11, 2007 i us - in ourselv~ and in our world. Help us to discover aDd live your Deluxe Boys Communion Set-$32.35 Deluxe Girls-Communion Set-$32.35 And sometimes we have to c~ge will. Amen."

UL20 140 06 UL20 145 07 M, Tu, W, F-9:00AM - 6:00PM Th- 9:00AM - 7:00 PM our plans accoidingly.

FatherAndrade is pastorofHoly Sat-IO:OOAM-4:00 PM Pastoral planning acts in the same Trinity Parish in Fall R~ver, and diway. In very basic sense, the driv- rector of diocesan Pastoral PlanVISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM, WITH AMPLE PARKING AT 1150 PONTIAC AVB. CRANSTON, RI. ing belief that guides what we do is ning.

Editor's note:' This is thefirst in a series.ofcolumns andfeatures to inform and enlighten the diocesan faithful aboutpastoralplanning issues affecting the local and worldwide Church.

to

Seasons of

Change

II

.

a

"'.'

.

I 16

-,

~ YOUTH PAGES ,

APRIL

27,2007

First-graders from St. Mary's Primary School in Taunton, recently enjoyed a field trip to the State House in Boston as part of their Social Studies curriculum: As a special treat, the children were given Toll House cookies, the "Official State Cookie," to chomp on during the bus ride ho~e.

FUTURE LEADERS -

TOP CATS - The April Cougars of the Month at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall

River gathered for a group photo with school president, Robert Morissette, center.

From.left:Freshman KatarinaMauricio; Sophomore Amanda Sousa; M9rissette; Junior Peter Menard; and Senior Cynthia Cheng.

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT - Meteorolog.ist Tony Petrarca talks with student Jessic~ .Silvia of Espirito Santo School, Fall River, about her Science Fair project, "Why is the KNIGHTS IN SHINING ARMOR - Notre Dame School students Sealtiel and Hazelin Sky Blue?"

The Channel 12 personality was a judge for the event and helped evaluAlves recently received a check for $500 towards路 their education at the Fall River ate nearly 100 submissions. school. It was awarded by the Msgr. Prevost Cpuncil No. 12380 of the Knights of Columbus. From left: Knights Paul Oliveira, Ray Morrissette, Sealtiel, John Alves, Hazelin, Ana Alves, and Principal Christopher Myron.

Sixth-grader Dorothy Mahoney-Pacheco 'and fifth-grader NichQlas Piques of Holy Name School, Fall River, serve one of the many tables of guests at a recent parish chowder and clam cake supper. Proceeds from the eVent benefited tile diocesan mission in Guaimaca, Honduras

,HAPPY AS A CLAM -

FREE TO MOVE ABOUT THE GLOBE - Kindergarten studentS at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro show off their "passports" used during a recent school project.

Students traveled to each of the school's classrooms which represented a different . country where they learned about culture and people. Passports were stamped along the way and t~e day concluded with a meeal featuring international cuisine.

I

APRIL 27,2007

$ YouTH PAGES

17

Appreciating a life of little wonders

By CHARLIE MARTIN LITTLE WONDERS

The Confirmation Class a~ St. Patrick's Parish in Wareham produced a Living Stations of the Cross for parishioners, under the direction of Dianne Zine and Maureen Lindquist. Below, Veronica (Samantha DeMoranville) wipes the face of Jesus (James Giannelli) as a Roman guard (Colin Antel) looks on.

THE GOSPEL COMES ALIVE -

Let it go Let it roll right offyour shoulder Don't you know' The hardest part is over Let it in Let your clarity define you In the end We will onlyjust remember how itfeels Refrain: Our lives are made In these small hours These little wonders These'twists and turns offate Time falls away But these small hours These small hours still remain Let it slide Let your troubles fall behind you Let it shine Until you feel it around you And I don't mind If it's me you need to tum to We'll get by It's the heart that really matters in the end (Repeat refrain.)

All my regret Will wash away somehow But I cannot forget The way I feel right now In these small hours These little wonders These twists and turns offate These twists and turns offate Time falls away but these small hours These small hours still remain Still remain These little wonders These twists and turns offate TImeJalis away But these small hours These little wonders remain

A leap of faith

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

(Repeat refrain.)

Sung by Rob Thomas Ii Copyright 2007 by Disney Climbing the charts i~ Rob Thomas' latest hit "Little Wonders." Since his beginnings with Matchbox 20, Th<:>mas' spirited renditions of contemporary pop have appealed to many of us. "Little Wonders" is prereleased from the soundtrack to the upcoming Disney animated movie "Meet the Robin~ons." ,The song offers good advice for many of life's situatihns. We are reminded that "our lives are made in these small hours," that is, we can only live one day, even one hour, at a time!! Indeed, there may be many "twi~ts and turns of fate," but always these "small hours" the "little' wonders" of our lives, remain.

The song's character encourages another to "let yourI, troubles fall behind you.;' He says to this individual, "If it's me you need to turn to, we'll get by; it's the heart that really matters in the end.'"

Most likely, the context for these words is what occurs iIi the film. But the words ci'ould also come from Jesus' teaching.

Jesus often told his followers to live in the present momept and surrender their worries to God. It is easy to imagine Jesds saying that indeed "it's the heart that really matters in the lend."

Eaclt of us can recognize the "little wonders" that fill each day. How easy it is to tak;e such benefits for granted. For 'ex_ ample, when you got up this "

,

II

II

morning, was there something in your home for breakfast?

Perhaps you were able to participate in some enjoyable after-school activity. And then, when you got home, food, shelter and safety once more awaited you. When you pause to consider what "little wonders" compose your life, you are likely to identify many blessings.

Furthermore, do you consider how your actions and attitudes affect others' "hearts"? If you rode the bus to school today, did you pause briefly to thank the driver and wish himlher a good day? Or maybe you saw a sibling struggling with a study assignment and you volunteered to help himlher get through it.

As the song suggests, most of our lives are formed around minor interactions, but each moment holds a treasure. It is up to us to fill these "small hours" with enough awareness to receive the opportunities and "wonders" that are given to us.

One special way to grow in this awareness is to take time to pray each day. Thank God for the wonders you notice. Also bring to God your concern for those you care about. Or, if you are encountering obstacles or disappointments in your own life, ask God to help you navigate this time in your life.

Your comments are always welcome. Please write to me at: chmartin@swindiana.net or at 7125W 200S, Rockport, IN 47635.

I,

I

Like many parents of teen-agers, I too sense that I become overprotective about everything that my children do. I try to remember that my son and daughter are now 19 and 17, respectively. But that's no comfort, not when it comes to their health, welfare and safety. However, they always try to comfort me with responses like, ''Trust me!" or ''Don't you have faith in me?" I assure them that I do. So why is it so difficult to let go? And that is the hardest thing for a parent to do let go.

I've read many articles and books on parenting. Every one of them talks about the parents' responsibility of helping the adolescent become a mature individual, resulting in a happy and productive life. This is also the parents' goal. As a young person, . your goal is to demonstrate that you are becoming mature, by accepting responsibility and being dependable in the tasks that have been given you. Demonstrating this means you have to have certain freedoms. But

always remember that these freedoms are always tied to responsibility. As you show yourselves to be trustworthy, you will be given more privileges.

Having patience is a virtue, but it's also the key to this whole process - it is based on timing and progression. This means that your parents allow for a gradual progression of increasing independence. Be mindful, however, that there will always be discipline and rules to follow. These keep you in check, but most importantly, they are constant reminders of your parents' care and love for you. This independence that you havejs also your parents' way of saying, "I trust you, I believe in you, I want you to be your best self. And I am always here to help if you need me."

As a young person you have the right to be heard. But, be careful.

There are good and effectiv~ ways

of doing this and there are also ways that can be counterproductive.

How not to make a bad situation with your parents worse can be as simple as keeping the lines of communication open and try to understand your parents' attitudes

going to make the right choices. ways. Parents are so concerned for That's when I'll need you most so the child's welfare and that their I won't repeat those mistakes. desire to be good parents rr$y Life's lessons are always learned cause them to stifle the child's best through self-experience. For growth. This kind of parenting has teen-agers, like me, it seems that been called "smother love." Ii On , this is the best way we learn. I occasion, I have found mysblf need you to respect that, but be doing just that. It worried honest with me when I do someme. I want to keep my children close to but I thing wrong and say 'Yes!' when I just want to have plain fun! Ask also want them to enjoy who my friends are. Don't be life, their freedoms, and afraid to give me your opinion of their responsibilities.

So I I, them. I know I will come to spoke to my daughter, appreciate your honesty."

Becky, and asked her It's time I take a leap offaith. what she thought.

I' Parent/teen relationships are meant "It's hard for ~ou to to grow in love, both in the let go because you don't presence of God and community. want anything bad to happen. The Parents, love your children and take most important thing to do js a leap of faith - guide them and create a strong foundation tb, stand trust them. Young people, take your on, so when it is time to 'let-go' leap of faith. Don't nag your you have the confidence you've parents. Trust them in the decisions done everything you can. Bpt, they make. don't ever completely let go. Let God bless! me explore and keep asking Owe Pacheco is Faith Formaquestions; these are reminders of tion director at Santo Christo that foundation you have bJilt for Parish, Fall River. me. Obviously, I'm not always

me,

and motives. Also, identify the influences that can ~ause your parents to be anxious about some of the choices you make. Remember, it's still all bout love - it's your parents' duty in the Lord.

Recently, I discovered a new parenting term called "smother love" (At least new to me). It is described as parents not knowing how to express love in positive

I 18

$

Knights

Continued from page one

introduced. Should he be canonized, portation and other costs for the kidFather McGivney would become the ney recipient. first American-born priest to be so ''Because he had to be ready within honored. a short time when a kidney became Around the Fall River Diocese, sev- available, the Knights had done reeral councils of the Knights reported markable planning," Father Maddox that besides their prayers, attendance related. at Masses and pmyer services, and "Indiana had a kidney available this serving as honor guards at funerals, March. A Knight who ran a travel their ongoing benefit fund-raisers for agency had the airline tickets waiting people and charities are upholding the and within hours the would-be recipihistoric traditions oftheir brotherhood. ent even had a police escort - the ofOne of the many stories involves ficer a Knight himself - who transthe Knights at Holy Family Parish in ported him to the airport;' the pastor East Taunton where Father Jay said. '''The real celebration carne a week Maddox is pastor.

When a parishioner, a father with ago when, after a successful transplant three children, needed a kidney tmns- opemtion, the man, his wife and famplant two years ago, the Knights ily attended Mass with us," Father swung into action. After determining Maddox reported. that the usual five-year waiting time Such cooperation isn't new at Holy in Massachusetts was two years' Family Parish, where annually the shorter in Indiana, they applied there. Knights host a St. Patrick's Day celAt the same the Knights teamed with ebration - complete with a corned other groups in the Taunton commu- beefdinner, Irish music and step dancnity and raised $18,000 to meet tmns- ing, that demands two seatings be-

Part Time Sales Coordinator - to handle calls from customers, key in orders into the computer, printing and checking in invoices. Fast-paced environment. 10-key pad skills or experience with computers or cash register in retail environment helpful.

25-hour work week with rotating days off. Must have Saturday and Sunday flexibility. Hours 9:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Must be 18 yrs. or older. Apply in person at Gold Medal Bakery, 21 Penn St., Fall River, MA or e-mail gmbapp@goldmedalbakery.com.

The Post Office charges The Anchor 70 cents for notification of a subscriber's change of address. Please help us reduce these expenses by notifying us immediately when you plan to move.

Please Print Your New Address Below NAME: STREET ADDRESS: CITY, STATE, ZIP: NEW PARISH: MOVING DATE: Please attach your Anchor address label below so we can update your record immediately.

Please cut and adhere address label in this space

CLIP THIS ENTIRE FORM AND MAIL TO:

The Anchor

.,~

P.O. BOX 7 L

$

FALL RIVER, MA 02722 THANK YOU

~

The Anchor

$

cause of its popularity.

Further north, in South Attleboro, Knights are a bit more innovative.

"We hold several 'Texas Hold 'Em Poker Toumaments' every year that after paying off winners can bring in $1,500 or more," said Matt Sweeney, a member ofSouth Attleboro Council 5876, which has approximately 180 members. An upcoming toumament is slated for May 18.

"It's our biggest fund-raiser right now, and we have plenty of people signing up in advance to participate.

While we have several charities that benefit from what we raise, we currently are financially assisting two seminarians who are studying for the priesthood," he said '1thelps them pay for their books."

Another recipient is the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, better known as FOCUS. It is a national outreach to college students. It trains them in the teachings of the Church, Scripture and practical aspects of the evangelizing ministry to other students on campus.

"We're helping to fund one young woman in that program right now," Sweeney reported.

AI Brunetti, Gmnd Knight of St. Pius X Council in South Yarmouth, which has more than 100 members, . says members are keeping an eye on the progress of the cause for Father McGivney even as it plans its annual drive to help widows and families and those with special needs such as wheelchairs.

They're also bent on increasing religious vocations.

"Our council raised $8,000 last year for charitable endeavors including "God's Special Children" in the well-known Tootsie Roll Fund, that has them at busy store locations seeking donations, reported Brunetti, who has worn many hats during his 3O-year service with the Knights, 15 of them on the Cape. ''April and May are months during which we concentrate on membership and vocations," he reported. "On April 29 we will attend Mass as a group and set up a booth with vocation materials - including CDs - we have gathered to raise awareness ofthe need for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We'll have the help ofSeminarian Peter Fournier," he added.

At Bishop Cassidy Council 86 in Fall River, currently working out of St. Anne's Parish facilities in that city, Deputy Gmnd Knight Moe Sirois said planning for events to observe the 125th anniversary during the coming year is underway.

"We're an old council with Third and Fourth Degree members, and although most of our membership are seniors, we're still active and currently recruiting," he added.

"We donate regularly to the Tootsie Roll Fund which benefits children who are mentally handicapped, and for the past two years we've made a $500 donation to a Catholic school, the money to be used for whatever the principal feels is needed; whether it be books or tuition. We also have fur-

APRIL

nished hearing aids as part ofour charities. It's among the many things Knights do."

Father Arnold R. Medeiros, pastor ofSt. Patrick's Parish in Wareham, and until 2002 the chaplain of the Knights of Columbus in the region, described the activities of the Knights "as outstanding. '''There is so much they do thatisn't talked about much. They don't look for publicity for their works, so you do have to talk: to them to find out."

Now known as the Servant of God, Father McGivney was 29 years old when he founded the fraternal society - rooted in Christ and in the Church - that would pay insumnce benefits to members' families. Born in 1852, he died in 1890.

A visionary far ahead of his time, Father McGivney supported family life and the protection of the vulnerable long before the contemporary assault on the family and on unborn children.

Bishop Lori, in a talk centering on the anniversary said, "Father McGivney provided a means for husbands and fathers to grow in ~eir knowledge and love of the Lord and of the faith. He helped them to fulfill their role in the family, in the workplace and in society at large."

Following up on the founder's focus the Knights pay more than $90 million yearly in death benefits to the families of deceased Brother Knights as dividends to insurance members.

Last year, the Knights donated more than $139 million and more than 64 million volunteer service hours to charitable causes.

Among those contributions was $10 million in reliefassistance to Gulf Coast residents and Catholic organizations affected 6y Hurricanes Katrina

Appeal

27,2007

and Rita. Other prolJlinent charities annually supported by the Knights are Special Olympics and the Wheelchair Foundation.

Its charitable work also includes substantial support for the Vatican. It funded the restomtion ofthe f~ade of St. Peter's Basilica during the 1980s, and annually underwrites the cost of satellite TV broadcasts of liturgical celebrations'fromVatican City, including the Christmas Midnight Mass.

The Knights has also established a $20 million endoWment, the Wcarius Christi Fund, whose annual proceeds are provided to the pope in support of his charitable initiatives.

It committed $8.8 million to the U.S. Bishops' Pro-Life educational campaign since 1990 and an additional $1 million for the production of ProLife materials in an effort to overturn the pro-abortion mentality and promote the right to life.

For a hands-on look at the Knights of Columbus and its history, visit the Knights of Columbus Museum at 1 State Street in New Haven, Conn., which is home to the organization's archives. Since its opening in 2001, it has hosted some ofthe country's most impressive exhibits ofreligious art and history.

Permanent displays include the Father Michael 1. McGivney Gallery, which includes many personal effects of the founder; the Wall of History, which chronicles the birth, growth and highlights ofthe organization; the Papal Gallery, which displays a history of the papacy during the 125-year existence of the Knights; and the Christopher Columbus Gallery, which in- . cludes artwork, history, and artifacts associated with the explorer's discovery ofAmerica.

0

Continued from page one

phasized that 94 cents out of every contributed dollar went to Appealfunded agencies and programs.

In his letter on the Catholic Charities Appeal Bishop George W. Coleman writes that increasing numbers of individuals and families are looking to the Church for assistance with basic needs like housing, food, and furniture, as well as for educational and advocacy services to help tum their lives around.

Bishop Coleman points out, "It is one of our highest goals as a diocese, to meet these requests for assistance, so that we can help people to live more fully. Our Lord said, 'I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly' (In 10: 10).

Through our annual Catholic Charities Appeal, we seek to provide the services that will help others find this more abundant life."

Over the past weeks the diocesan Development Office has been providing parishioners across the diocese with information on the Catholic Charities Appeal in pamphlets, audio and video recordings, and an expanded edition of its newsletter,

Sharing, which includes a financial statement on the 2006 Appeal.

"We keep hearing from our parishioners - including those who already co.ntribute to the Appeal how surprised they are at the extent of programs funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal," said Donly. '''The more they know about what the Appeal makes possible, the more they realize how important their donation is each year."

The 2007 Catholic Charities Appeal will continue through June 15.

Contributions may be made either through a one-time donation or through a pledge, which is payable . over 10 months.

Donations should be sent to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, 450 Highland Avenue, P.O. Box 1470, Fall River, MA 02722, or dropped offatany parish in the diocese. In addition, contributions may also be made through the Appeal Website at www.frdioccatholiccharities.org ForaddUionalinfonnationv~u

the Website or contact the Appeal office at 508-675-1311.

$

APRIL 27, 2007

Around the Diocese ~

,~. - J

~ucharistic Adoration

.l

AITLEBORO - Perpetual eucharistic adoration is held at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street. For more information call 508-226-1115.

Healing L -

Se~ces .

-J

BREWSTER - A Mass and healing service will be held May 2 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road. La Salette Father Richard Lavoie will lead it. For more information call 508-385-3252.

STOUGHTON - Mass will be celebrated by Father Joseph P. McDermott Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 122 Canton Street. A healing service will follow. For more information call 781762-2029.

[iectureslPresentations ATTLEBORO - John Polce will bring his Bethany Nights Program to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette tonight at 7:30 p.m. It will include music and prayer and is held in the main church. For more information call 508-222-5410.

TAUNTON - The annual convention of the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will be held May 5 at St. Anthony's Parish, 126 School Street beginning at 7:45 a.m. with coffee and registration. It is themed, "Because My Mother SaidYes," and it will include a talk by Atty. Philip Moran.

For more information call 508-6726900.

IMiscellaneous BUZZARDS BAY - The Guild of St Benedict Joseph Labre, a support group for families and friends of those with emotional troubles, depression and mental illness, will meet Sunday at 3 p.m. at St. Margaret's Church.

Meetings include prayer and an opportunity to share with one another. For more information call Timothy Duff at 508-759-1903.

CHATHAM - A Day with Mary will be held tomorrow beginning at 8:45 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Parish, 57 Highland Avenue. It will include the celebration of Mass at 9:50 a.m. and will conclude at 3:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a bag lunch.

For more information call 508-9841823.

FALL RIVER - The Catholic television program "Good News For Life," sponsored by the Communications Department of the diocese, will present "In Support of Life," on May 2 and 16 at 9:30 p.m.

on the Portuguese Channel.

NEW BEDFORD - To mark the 90th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's appearance at Fatima, the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue will be at Our Lady ofFatima Parish Sunday at 3 p.m.

The rosary will be prayed and Benediction held.

NORTH EASTON - Witness history in the making. Attend the beatification ceremony of Venerable Father Basile Moreau, CSC, in Le Mans, France. Holy Cross Family Ministries is conducting a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Paris and Le Mans. Includes the beatification ceremony of Father Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. September 9-17. Contact: Marie Dennehy, 508-238-4095 or 800299-7729, or mdennehy@hcfm.org.

RANDOLPH - The Sisters of Charity will hold its annual Elizabeth Ann Seton Award Luncheon Sunday from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Lantana. For more information call 800-247-6509 or email: rqrevite@schalifax.org.

TAUNTON - A yard sale will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes School, 52 First Street, on May 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and May 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. It will be held in the school gym and includes clothing, furniture and baked goods. Free coffee will be served.

IPro-Life Activities FALL RIVER - A Pro-Life mini conference will be held tomorrow beginning at 9 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish, 951 Stafford Road. It will include prayer, refreshments and guest speaker Marian Desrosiers, diiector of the Diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate. She will address the topic, "Proclaiming the Gospel of Life with Honesty and Love to the People of Our Times." For more information call Bea Martins at 508678-3351.

ISocial Events

'"

FALL RIVER - The Providence College Concert Chorale and I Cantori will present a concert to benefit the St. Mary's Cathedral Pipe Organ Fund Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral. For more information call 508-678-1054.

NEW BEDFORD - A pipe organ and choir concert will be held Sunday at 3路 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359AcushnetAvenue. It will have a patriotic theme in honor of our armed service men and women. The concert will be directed by David Touchette and will feature brass and percussion accompaniment. For more information call 508-264-8010.

Appeal videos to air on local cable TV路 A video offering a look at some of the programs and ministries that are funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal is beginning to air on cable TV public access channels in communities throughout the Fall River Diocese.

It includes interviews with a sampling of persons who have been assisted by Appeal-sponsored services, details on a variety of diocesan agencies and apostolates, reflections from parishioners across the diocese on their reasons for contributing, and a message from Bishop George W. Coleman.

The 3D-minute Catholic Charities Appeal video was produced by the diocese and Media Image Productions, Inc., of New Bedford.

As The Anchor went to press airings were scheduled as follows: Dartmouth, Fall River, New Bedford: Comeast Channel 9, on May 4, 5,11,12, 18 and 19at6p.m.;May6, 13, and 20 at 8:30 p.m.

Seekonk, Cable Channel 9, on April 27, 28, 29 and 30 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Look for information on airings in additional locales in next week's issue.

The Anchor

$

19

Mary Eleanor Connelly Cox; wife,of Deacon Ralph F. Cox EAST DENNIS - Mrs. Eleanor (Connelly) Cox, 84, wife of Permanent Deacon Ralph F. Cox, who serves at Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich, died April 18.

Born in Trenton, NJ., the daughter of the late Edward F. Connelly and the late Madeleine R Connelly, she married Deacon Cox in 1950. She summered with her family on Cape Cod for many years before moving permanently to East Dennis in 1993.

During World War II she served as assistant director on the staffofthe USO Club in Trenton and later with the

Veteran's Service Bureau. She attended Cathedral High School and Rider College in Trenton.

Following her marriage she resided with her family in West Sprihgfield and in Morrisville, Penn. In 1973 the family moved to Texas where she established the Champions Secretarial Service, Inc. She was a member of th~Daughters of the American Revolution and a volunteer with a number ofother organizations, including the Holy Trinity Women's Guild, the Pastoral.ICare team ofCape Cod Hospital and the Volunteer group at Eagle Pond Nursing Home in

Dennis.

Besides her husband, she leaves two daughters, Carolyn Cox Lyons of Yarrnouthport, Cynthia Cox Roman and her husband, PeterofWashington, D.C.; a son, Dr. Ralph F. Cox Jr. and wife, Debra, of Colleyville, Texas; a brother, Edward (Ted) Connelly and his wife Elizabeth of Cincinnati, Ohio; three grandchildren, Jessica, Matthew and Madeline Cox; and nieces and nephews.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated April 21 in Holy Trinity Church, West Harwich. Interment was in St Francis Xavier Cemetery, Centerville.

II

Our readers respond Disappointed by papal letter

I

am

As a Catholic who has been married for 42 years, I

believe in the sacrament of matrimony. However, when I read ofPope Benedict's reaffirmation that divorced and remarried Catholics are not permitted to receive holy Communion, I was sadly disappointed.

My aunt's husband abandoned her with two young boys to raise by herself. The boys were three and six years old. She was a wonderful woman and a good Catholic. After the boys grew to adulthood and left home, my aunt finally sought a social life ofher own. After she turned 60, she met and married a wonderful man who had lost his first wife. She was denied the Eucharist for the last 20 years of her life by a Church that she loved.

That is not what Christ intended. Yet, you would call her an adulteress and condemn her to "eternal death." You can quote the Bible to support any position that you support and it would be difficult for anyone to refute that.

However, how many abusive priests had millstones placed around their necks and were thrown into the sea rather than "offend one of these little ones?" Those were Christ's own words ... his prophetic moral teaching.

Yet, because I believe that my aunt should have been permitted to receive holy Communion, I amcalled a "cafeteria Catholic" because I believe that one's strict conscience must be my guide through life.

Edward J. Scahill Jr. Christ The King Parish, Mashpee

In you~ Pl.\",yer~__ Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks April2S Rev. John I. Wade, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1940 Rev. Raymond I. Lynch, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 1955

Apri126 Rev. Ubalde Deneault, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1982 Rev. lames F. Greene, Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford, 2002

Disillusioned in North Falmouth

I somewhat disillusioned with my Church. It seems to me they are encouraging and enabling illegal immigrants to break our laws, and I say "illegal."

To me this is no different than encouraging homeless people to break fito houses because they need a bed in which to sleep.

I have seen first hand what illegal immigration has done to my son-in-Iaw's business in the trades. He has to pay his own family's medical insurance, workers comp, vehicle registration and insurance, social security, all taxes and home mortgage. Most illegals do not pay these, and are willing to live 15 to 20 people in a house. Therefore they are able to charge less for the same work. They are not all doing work that Americans are not willing to do.

The end should notjustify the means.

Nancy LoGiudice North Falmouth Letters are welcome but the editor reserves the right tol'condense or editfor clarity if deemed necessary. Letters should be typed, no longer than 100 words iuul should include name, address, and telephone number. Letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial views ofThe 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.

SERVICE,.. By caringfamily and service.jami/y professionals TRUST.. .In the people you know CHOICE... Custom-designed, personalized tributes AFFORDABILITy~ .. Dignified services within a budget

For over 135 years, families ~ave turned to the Waring-Sullivan service family of compassionate professionals io guide them through life's mosl challenging times.

508-676-1933 508-999-5100

~

~

Waring - Sullivan路

Apri127 Rev. Francis I. Bradley, D.O., Retired Rector, St. Mary's Cathedral. Fall River, 1925 Rev. Romeo D. Archambault, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1949 Rev. Edward F. O'Keefe, S.1., retired, St. Francis Xavier, Boston, 1973

April 28 Rev. Stanislaus J. Goyette, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea, 1959

April 29 Rev. James Leo Maguire, Pastor, Diocese of Monterey, 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 Missioner, 2005

April30 Rev. IohnA. Hurley, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1900 Rev. David E Sheedy, Pastor. St. John Evangelist, Attleboro, 1930 Rev. Iohn Moda, Pastor, St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church, Ford City, Pa., 1993

"'"

..

: .'.' ,.

"

$

"

The Anchor

~' '\

$ Renovations included a new platform and marble flooring in the area which houses the Blessed Sacrament.

Although the restoration project received much funding, maintaining the shrine is a big endeavor according to Father Bergeron who said, ''funds are always needed. Right now

we're behind on our oil bill so we're trying to catch up."

For more informaJion about the fund-raising campaign call 508674-5651 or write: St. Anne Shrine Historical Restoration Fund, St. AnneParish, 818 Middle Street, FaN. River, MA 02721.

Open House - April 28, 2007 lOAM-2 PM

liVHALE~S PLACE,

AFFORDABLE, CAREFREE LIVING FOR ACTIVE ADULTS'

AGES SS AND OLDER. WRALER'S p~ hM bttn beautifully ltSfored. and ~nstnlting\y rwovated inro n= apmment honu:s. Rt:cognizcd by The Mass:!ch1lSCttS Historical Commission and me N:nion:d P:uit Service. Whaler's Place is conveniently located in me picturesque 5C3Side comnlunll)' or New 1lcdford. and is d<lS<' to area shopping and the New 1lcdford waterfront hi.ltoric an:>. Co_ visit, and cxpcrimcc me C1refrce lifmyle. and all me modem on-site felltures and amenities Whaler'a PLlcc h.. to offer: .~

'.'

'1

"(]

t.... • V·'

. t! - V '

V"''''' ,

<;f"

~~.A..~\.~·\,""",~A1'-~~7~~~~~~·

..

~

)

~.

PLACE OF HONOR - This Santo Christo statue showcases some of the renovations recently completed at the historical St. Anne's Shrine in Fall River. It was rededicated on April 15 by Bishop George W. Coleman following a $250,000 restoration. (Photos by Mike Gordon)

Revered Fall River shrine rededicated following restoration

By MIKE GORDON

coats of lacquer, walls and the ceiling were painted, broken windows were replaced and tiles were replaced.

FALL RIVER - St. Anne's Statues were cleaned and many were Shrine, built in 1895 by French-Caon hand to view the updated Shrine. nadian immigrants, was rededicated The effort was accomplished April 15 by Bishop George W. Colethanks to the St. Anne's Shrine Hisman following a year-long restoration torical Restoration Committee's capiproject that will likely carry the poputal campaign and the generosity of lar destination well into its second many visitors and supporters of the century of existence.

Shrine. ''There was a great need for this work," said FatherBergeron. ''We had a wonderful committee that came together and helped raise the money.

It's bright, it's clean, it looks terrific."

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bishop Coleman visited and blessed each of the Shrine's statueS and alcoves.

A concert by the Fall River Symphony Orchestra followed in the upper church.

The Santo Christo statue area was one of those to receive a facelift and it is one of the many places pilgrims come to pray or light candles for their . loved ones or a special intention.

"It looks spectacular:' said Father Bergeron.

Other popular attractions are the statue of Our Lady ofLourdes which includes running water and the area dedicated to the Shrine's patron saint where many leave crutches to symbolize healing.

"Hundreds come here every day for one ofour three weekday Masses or to sit and pray on their lunch hour:~ he added. Masses are held at 7: 15 and A MOTHER'S INTERVENTION - A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, left, depicted in a cave with running water is a popular stop at the II :30 a.m., and 6:30 p.m. On SaturShrine. Many visitors light candles for loved ones or for special inten- days they are celebrated at 7:15 and tions. At right, a visitor prays before the statue of St. Anne. The saint is II :30 a.m. Confessions are heard depicted with Mary, the mother of Jesus as a young girl. Many visitors from 11-11 :30 a.m. weekdays and leave crutches in an area behind the statue as a sign of healing. from 3-4 p.m. on Saturdays.

ANCHOR STAFF

--::.--

'Thousands come each year from all over to visit this special place and we are thankful to the bishop and all those who made this project possible," said Pastor Father Marc H. Bergeron.. . The $250,000 restoration included a plethora of work. The old asbestos floor was removed and replaced, pews and woodwork were given new

• On-sJre lll:UIJllenum & atuntouticc p~....otmd

• bh'UUlij bu.iJdiuM: ;lI lCO(wa

• Bc.Jmifu1ly CNIU.:d u.v<=! wood "lLnj;' • Adj.«<nsQltw"", p;llklug "Klfi.cml''lron1U • 'Iwut'1(."VJWI1 • Wl"ltt,c.f..

• laundry lou1Iy.< • Gn:.<t room

.. Qunputer «nxr

• C""\lllunily n"m

, [nd'lJOrfaNln"l/;r,·",-s

• JitnN un,ttr

• lJry drilling \IT\';;,..r

AI'MII.

-U

,

~I_.

• filtH 8;.;1!iJHI. reA C;'lo15 Tt': llit:J57.\119. rtt c~£.·irJ.llfrJ r{iU]· tf/.;i "t.:;-~ ;~l;:Jt?. -;::',~

!!nR;¥Itl'~ IC:--J Anr~

...

,-_.._.....

":'-

................

~

St. Arithony of Padua Church

Concert & Tea Sunday, April, 29 2007, 3 p.m.

1359 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MasS<lchusetts

The Spirit of St. Anthony Choir DAVID TOUCHETTE. Director accompanied by Paul W. Fernald

In a tribute to our local military heroes featuring DAVID LANGEVIN, Organist with DAN CLARK "The Singing Trooper"

t

Ccn:cert bfllefits ST.ANnIONY RESTORATION FUND Admi9~lon:

JrnlEEWlU DONATION Donor

S~~~P Adopt an Organ Part

II

~:':.I

~.... ~

Complimentarv TeE! hosted by

USJB Chipter3 of the CathOlic Family Life Insurance .

.