05.03.13

The Anchor Diocese of Fall River

F riday , May 3, 2013

UMass Dartmouth students ‘reclaim their campus’ following ‘surreal’ week

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

united front — A large banner on the campus of UMass Dartmouth was made available for members of the community to sign and pledge that they would make their campus and world a more caring place, following the fateful events of the Boston Marathon bombings. (Photo courtesy of Father David C. Frederici)

Sex-ed consent bill granted hearing

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — Parents who wish to teach their children about sexuality in accordance with Catholic teaching may find support in two bills that will receive a hearing on May 14 at 10 a.m.

Bills HB333 and HB440 would change the current “optout” system for sex education in public schools to that of “opt-in.”

No longer would parents need to worry that missing a slip of paper would automatically enroll their child in instruction on birth control, abortion and sexual behavior.

“These bills ensure that parents are fully informed and their rights are respected before their children are exposed to classroom instruction on the sensitive issues of sexuality education,” the Massachusetts Catholic Conference announced April 23. The conference, the public policy arm for the four diocesan bishops in Massachusetts, encouraged par-

ents to contact their legislators and attend the hearing on the bills May 14 at the State House.

“My history with elected officials is that they listen, and they particularly listen when a large number of people weigh in,” James Driscoll, executive director of the MCC, told The Anchor.

“Every voice counts.”

Driscoll added that parents are the primary educators of their children. Conversations about sensitive issues surrounding sexuality should start at home.

There, parents can tailor the information to each child in accordance with his or her maturity.

Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, has supported the goal of these bills for years.

“The current status of opting the children out of sex education just doesn’t work. The schools are notorious for not notifying parents. Children are notorious for not bringing the paperTurn to page 18

NORTH DARTMOUTH — It’s not supposed to be this way on a university campus — the approach and landing of a military Black Hawk helicopter; the arrival of armored vehicles; the wail of sirens as a dozen Mass. State Police and FBI cruisers race on to the peaceful college grounds; students being instructed via texts, emails, phone calls and bull horns to evacuate their safe haven in a peaceful manner.

It’s not supposed to happen, but in the volatile world in which we live, scenes like this play out far too often across the U.S. On April 19, a peaceful Friday on the campus of UMass Dartmouth, events unfolded quickly, evoking confusion, fear, and anger among the students, faculty and staff.

In a surprising twist of fate, word came out that morning that there was a connection between the stunning events of the twin bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15 and UMass Dartmouth.

Nineteen-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the two suspected bombers, was discovered to be enrolled as a sophomore at UMD, and that he was seen on the Dartmouth campus on the days following the terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of three and injured more than 200, many of them with life-altering injuries.

“I had a feeling that something wasn’t right when I went to bed Thursday night (April 18),” Father David C. Frederici, campus minister at UMD,

told The Anchor. “I just learned about the shooting of the MIT police officer, and I had an uneasy feeling.”

Father Frederici was among the several thousand students, faculty and staff who learned of the UMD connection and the need to evacuate the campus.

“The evacuation went very smoothly, and I have to give the students all the credit in the world,” he continued. “I saw students helping their classmates pack and get ready to evacuate; I saw students who lived off campus offering some of the resident students a place to stay; and I saw the patriotism of the students kicking in as they drove off waving American flags. The evacuation was executed in a calm, organized fashion. That’s a testimony to the students, faculty, staff and campus police.”

That Friday morning turned the usually peaceful campus upside down, as the students received the messages in what they later dubbed, “Phone freakouts.”

As the campus emptied of its usual clientele, the vacuum was quickly filled with scores of lawenforcement vehicles and personnel, shutting the campus down all of Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, April 21, the campus was given the OK to “return to normal.”

But a return to normal was going to take time.

“This happened at a very bad time,” said Father Frederici. “Not that there’s ever a good time for Turn to page 11

YOUNG AT HEART — Members of the Coram Deo Youth Group from Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton prepare to participate in the 2013 Respect Life Walk to Aid Mothers and Children.

Sponsored by Massachusetts Citizens for Life, the annual walk was held for the first time this year at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro. Two-year-old Julia Kiley of Dedham (shown in the carriage in the background) was this year’s walk baby. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Diocesan Council of Catholic Women celebrates 60 years

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — As they prepare to begin their sixth decade of service to the Fall River Diocese, the still-active members of the Diocesan Council

of Catholic Women are hoping they can find some new members to get involved and continue the work they’ve be doing for the past 60 years.

“A lot of people don’t know what we do on Turn to page 15

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News From the Vatican

May 3, 2013

Pope Francis’ first encyclical might be out this year, says spokesman VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis may publish his first encyclical this year, the Vatican spokesman said.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said he “would not exclude” the possibility of the publication of the pope’s first encyclical “within this year,” Vatican Radio reported.

The spokesman recently told reporters that retired Pope Benedict XVI had already “fleshed out material on the theme of faith” for an encyclical.

Vatican officials had said Pope Benedict completed work in late 2012 on what would have been his fourth encyclical — a letter on the theological virtue of faith. Its release was expected in the first half of 2013, but the pope resigned February 28 before its publication.

It is not unusual for a pope to pick up work begun by his predecessor, make changes and publish it in his own name. The second part of Pope Benedict’s first encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God is Love”), was a discussion of Catholic charitable activity prepared under Blessed John Paul II. Nine months after Pope Benedict

was elected, the document was released after the new pope reworked that section.

Father Lombardi also said that Pope Benedict, who has been living at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo since his retirement, would soon be moving — as expected — to a renovated building in the Vatican Gardens.

The retired pope should be moving to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery between the end of April and early May, the spokesman said.

In the meantime, he said Pope Francis will continue to reside in the Vatican guesthouse where he has been staying since the beginning of the conclave that elected him, instead of the papal apartment in the apostolic palace.

The Domus Sanctae Marthae houses permanent residents as well as some guests who come to the Vatican for meetings.

Pope Francis “likes it there very much,” the spokesman said, and, at the moment, it doesn’t seem he wants to change his accommodations, even though no “final decision” has been made.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A French bishop who began organizing a Liturgical conference inspired by the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI months before the pope’s resignation said the new pope further demonstrates the importance of the Mass.

The fact that Pope Francis, known for his great dedication to serving the poor, begins each day by celebrating an early morning Mass with Vatican employees demonstrates his view of the Liturgy as fundamentally a service, said Bishop Dominique Rey of FrejusToulon.

The Mass is “the most important service the Church gives for holiness and the transformation of the world,” the bishop recently told Catholic News Service after a brief presentation of his plans for the “Sacra Liturgia” conference in Rome in June.

The conference — which will include celebrations of the Mass in the extraordinary Latin form and the ordinary, post-Second Vatican Council form — was “inspired by the Liturgical teaching of Benedict XVI” and will underscore the importance of “formation in the sacred Liturgy and its correct celebration,” Bishop Rey said.

Many of the speakers are known for criticizing what they see as excesses in the way many Masses are celebrated. Some have written that even the new Mass should be celebrated with the priest facing East

— which would leave his back to the people — and many believe the faithful should receive Communion only on the tongue while kneeling.

The scheduled speakers include: Sri Lankan Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo; U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature; Msgr. Guido Marini, master of papal liturgical ceremonies; and Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Ore. Bishop Rey said Pope Francis is “a pope of proximity,” who draws near to all sorts of people, and his early morning Mass with employees is a sign that the pope believes that “for a bishop or a priest, the most important charity I can give is to celebrate the Mass.”

“For many people, God seems very far away,” the bishop said.

Catholics have an obligation to tell them, “‘No, He is very close to us.’

Each Eucharist is a celebration of Jesus drawing near.”

Bishop Rey said the fact that there is a new pope won’t change the conference program, because the central role of the Liturgy in the life of the Church remains the same.

The bishop also said he expects Pope Francis “to follow in the footsteps” of Pope Benedict in allowing a wider celebration of the pre-Vatican II Liturgy.

“The Church has arrived at a balanced position and I don’t think he will want to change this position, which is very delicate,” he said.

Pope’s daily Mass shows sharing Liturgy is form of service

a day to remember — Girls in First Communion dresses attend Pope Francis’ general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Prepare for Last Judgment by serving the poor, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians believe they are saved by God’s grace, but they also know they will be judged at the end of time on how they used the talents God gave them and how they served others, especially the poor, Pope Francis said.

“Today belief in Jesus’ return and in the Last Judgment isn’t always so clear and firm in Christians’ hearts,” the pope said at a recent weekly general audience. But “Jesus, during His public life, spoke frequently” about His coming again to judge the living and the dead.

While teaching about belief in the second coming of Christ and the Last Judgment, Pope Francis also spoke about what it means to live in “the intermediary time,” the time between the death and Resurrection of Christ and His coming again.

It is a “time of vigilance when we must keep the lamp of faith, hope and charity burning, a time when we must keep our hearts open to goodness, beauty and truth. It’s a time to live according to God, because we do not know the day or the hour of Christ’s return,” the pope said.

Christians continually must look for signs of God’s presence, he said; they must be vigilant. “Do not fall asleep. The life of a sleeping Christian is a sad life.”

Pope Francis also spoke about the importance of using the talents God gives each person, and — in Italian and Spanish — he urged young people to recognize their gifts and seek ways to use them to serve God, others and the whole world.

“Do not be afraid to dream

big dreams,” he told them.

Faith is a gift and salvation is a grace, he said, “but in order to bear fruit, God’s grace requires us to be open, to give a free and concrete response.”

The time of waiting for Christ’s return is “a time for action,” Pope Francis said. Especially at a time of global financial crises, people must use their gifts to help others.

The parable in St. Matthew’s Gospel about the Last Judgment — using the image of a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats — is not meant to frighten people, but to motivate them to act, the pope said.

The Gospel “tells us that we will be judged by God on our charity, on how we have loved our brothers and sisters, especially the weakest and neediest,” he said.

The time before the Last Judgment, he said, is a time given by God, Who with mercy and patience, wants us “to learn to recognize Him in the poor and the little ones, work for good and be vigilant in prayer and in

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love.”

At the end of the audience, the pope personally greeted members of the Argentine group, Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo (Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo), which was formed in 1976 by relatives searching for the children of those detained during Argentina’s so-called “dirty war.” As many as 30,000 Argentines were kidnapped, tortured, murdered or disappeared between 1976 and 1983, and many of those detained were seized along with their children, who were then given to other families friendly to the regime.

Argentine media reported that the group at the audience included Estela Carlotto, president of the Abuelas; Juan Cabandie Alfonsin, a member of the Buenos Aires city council and son of one of the disappeared; and Nicolas Gil Lavedra, director of the film “Verdades Verdaderas” (“True Truths”) about the life of Carlotto. The pope committed himself to help the Abuelas in searching for their missing grandchildren.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 57, No. 17

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The International Church Kidnapped bishops spur call for religious freedom promotion

May 3, 2013

Washington D.C. (CNA/ EWTN News) — The recent kidnapping of two Orthodox bishops in Syria has a former diplomat urging the U.S. government to make religious liberty a greater priority in its foreign policy.

“U.S. foreign policy with respect to religious freedom consists almost entirely, when it consists of anything, of rhetorical condemnations of acts such as this,” said Dr. Thomas Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.

However, it is not always clear that these condemnations “have any effect whatsoever,” Farr told CNA. Archbishop John Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Archbishop Paul Yagizi of the Greek Orthodox Church were kidnapped April 22 near Aleppo, Syria by armed men who appear to have killed their driver.

It remains unclear who carried out the kidnapping. The Syrian government and rebel groups have traded accusations over who is to blame.

On April 23, both Al Jazeera and l’Oeuvre d’Orient, a French agency serving Christians in the Orient, reported that the bishops had been returned. But a joint statement of the Greek and Syriac Orthodox patriarchs contradicted this.

Al Jazeera has not reported on the matter since, but l’Oeuvre d’Orient said April 24 that “the situation is extremely complex and information is difficult to obtain. The Greek Orthodox patriarch of Damascus confirmed by telephone this morning that there was no release.”

“L’Oeuvre d’Orient calls again on the Syrian opposition forces, the Syrian government and international authorities to make every effort to obtain the release of these two bishops, and two priests, who are foreign to the conflict which tears Syria.”

On April 24, Archbishop Antonio Chedraui of the Orthodox Church of Antioch in Mexico, Central America, Venezuela and the Caribbean, confirmed to CNA that the two Syrian bishops “remain kidnapped. The reports published yesterday are not correct.”

At its press briefing April 23, the State Department believed the bishops to have been released and indicated relief. The topic of the kidnapped bishops was not in the April 24 briefing at which the acting deputy spokesperson reiterated the department’s call for their release.

“In the past we’ve seen the American government hesitate to speak too assertively about the persecution of Christians, lest they be seen as a vanguard of a kind of Christian imperialism,” said Farr, who directed the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom from 1999-2003.

“Hopefully that will not be the case here and we’ll see a vigorous condemnation, wheth-

SAO PAULO (CNS) — Security officials at all levels are coordinating to make sure World Youth Day is secure for pilgrims, including foreign visitors.

World Youth Day’s Local Organizing Committee has released details of a contingency plan to be used July 23-28, when the international event takes place in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil’s federal police and the federal highway police will be in charge of Pope Francis’ personal security, escorting the pontiff to the different event sites. Military police will be in charge of opening and closing of roads, as well as the security of tourist sites. The National Security Force will serve as a contingency force and will be activated only if needed.

Civil police will be in charge of crowd control. Municipal Guards will patrol subways and train stations, guarding pilgrim sites.

The Ministry of Defense said it would not place troops on display on the streets with armored cars and rifles. Army personnel will be seen only when necessary, so that their presence will not be overt.

“The safety of a big event like World Youth Day involves all three levels of government” — federal, state and municipal, said Rio de Janeiro’s undersecretary for major events, Roberto Alzir Dias Chaves. He said Bra-

zilians had exchanged information with Italian police and with Spanish officials — the last World Youth Day was in Madrid in August 2011.

Members of the World Youth Day organizing committee said one of Rio’s main attractions — the Corcovado, the mountain on which stands the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer — was the location for the training of 70 military police officers from the Special Battalion of Police Operations, canine units and Airmobile Grouping. The training included five stages: aircraft approach; recapture of the Corcovado train; rescue of victims; positioning sharpshooters; and equipment demonstration.

In March, police officers and military personnel, as well as officers from the municipal guard, attended a course in crowd control that included officials from Europe. The goal was to prepare security personnel for large events in Rio, such as World Youth Day, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2016.

But while World Youth Day and government officials meticulously go over security issues, volunteers and pilgrims planning to attend voiced optimism about the success of the event.

“We are so much more motivated now that the pope is a Latin American,” said Guilherme Sanches, a volunteer at

the Archdiocese of Campinas and leader of two groups going to Rio for World Youth Day. “I have not heard of anyone changing their minds about (going to) Rio due to security issues. I know some people that will not be able to go due to time constraints and money problems, but not due to security issues.”

Foreign volunteers already in Rio to help out before the event expressed confidence about the success of World Youth Day. “I know everything will work out and that everyone will enjoy the event,” said James Kelliher, 27, of London.

Brazil’s security officials coordinate safety for World Youth Day

er they’ve been released or not.”

The Syrian civil war entered its second year a month ago, and the country’s Christian minority has been caught in its midst.

Many Syrian Christians live in Damascus, Aleppo and Homs, all of which are cities strongly contested by the government and the rebels. Many have fled to nearby Lebanon.

Only about a week before his kidnapping, Archbishop Ibrahim had told BBC Arabic that Syrian Christians are in the same situation as their Muslim neighbors.

“There is no persecution of Christians and there is no single plan to kill Christians. Everyone respects Christians. Bullets are random and not targeting the Christians because they are Christians,” he said.

United Nations estimates indicate that about 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

More than one million refugees have flooded into Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Iraq, while another estimated 2.5 million are internally displaced inside Syria.

The Greek and Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch stated together recently that “the Christians living here are an essential part of their lands. They suffer the pain every person suffers, and work as messengers of peace to lift the injustice off every oppressed person.”

“We call the kidnappers to respect the life of the two kidnapped brothers as well as everyone to put an end to all the acts that create confessional and sectarian schisms among the sons of the one country.”

“We can but call the whole world to try putting an end to the Syrian crisis so that Syria becomes again a garden of love, security and coexistence. Set-

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tling accounts should not happen at the expense of the human beings who live here,” they pleaded.

Farr stated that “what the State Department should be doing — not yet in Syria, because it’s still a war zone — but in all the countries where such a thing happens with some regularity … we should be working not simply to react after they happen, but to engage with these governments and societies to develop structures of religious freedom.”

In addition to citing Muslimmajority countries, Farr mentioned China, India and other non-Muslim nations which need to be actively encouraged in religious freedom by the U.S. These countries should be urged to develop religious liberty as an important component for a peaceful, flourishing society, he said.

“I think U.S. foreign policy, when it comes to issues like religious persecution is primarily reactive, and that’s not enough.

We need to be working to convince societies that they have to prevent this from happening in the first place, because it harms their interests.”

As an example, he pointed to the April 7 attack of an Islamic mob on the Coptic Orthodox cathedral in Cairo, slaughtering Christians there.

“We shouldn’t just be reacting to that,” Farr emphasized.

“We should be getting in front of the problem and convincing the Egyptians that it’s in their interest to develop religious freedom.”

Religious persecution, he concluded, “is going on all the time, so to condemn it is something we ought to do, but we should be getting in front of the problem.”

May 3, 2013 The Church in the U.S. Philadelphia priest chaplain earns Bronze Star for Afghanistan ministry

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PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — After Mass at most parishes, it’s fellowship over coffee and doughnuts. But for troops stationed in Afghanistan, the post-Mass ritual involves smoking cigars down to the nub.

Father Stephen McDermott, a priest of the Philadelphia Archdiocese and a U.S. Army chaplain holding the rank of captain, led the way.

Father McDermott, who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Afghanistan, recently completed a yearlong tour of duty in the battle-torn country. He recalled how, after Sunday evening Mass, about 25 soldiers would gather for a smoky, impromptu catechetical session.

“We’d just sit around and burn down a cigar, and it was one conversation: ‘Father, what do you think about this or that?’ They would come with their questions, and that was just a golden time of doing that,” Father McDermott said.

He promoted the practice even in small outpost bases when he stayed overnight.

“I would post a sign saying, ‘Mass at this time followed by Holy Smokes,’” he said.

Much of Father McDermott’s time was spent ministering to Catholics and anyone

else at the sprawling Bagram chaplain in 2008.

Chapel (at Bagram Air Base), Air Base in Afghanistan, He began his deployment building a community of faith, where tens of thousands of in Afghanistan in April 2012, planning seasonal events, and service personnel and civilians mostly ministering at Bagram. instilling spiritual resiliency live and work.

Near Christmas, he entered within service members and His “parish” was hardly “battlefield circulation” in authorized civilians were done typical, but it included much which he served soldiers in flawlessly,” read an evaluation of the ministry performed by the field. Each weekend, he by his military superiors. any parish priest.

For Father McDerIn a chapel used by mott, the award recne of the things I always try ognizes not so much people of all faiths, to do no matter where I am — what he is doing, but Father McDermott celebrated up to seven my first three years were in Germany — what God is doing Masses on a weekend is trying to create a parish atmosphere among men and womplus daily Mass and en in difficult circumled weekly Eucharis- for these people, both military and civil- stances. tic adoration and lis- ian alike, so they are connected some“I have encountened to Confessions. how to the parish back home,” he said. tered a lot of people He even coordinated who were away from the Rite of Christian the Church and the Initiation for Adults, Sacraments for years a women’s group and Bible arrived at a small facility for and God has used this opportustudy sessions.

Mass and prayer. nity of the deployment to bring “One of the things I always Father McDermott also vis- them back to Church because try to do no matter where I am ited by helicopter numerous at any moment there could — my first three years were in smaller outposts monthly to be an IDF (indirect fire)” or Germany — is trying to create celebrate Mass. a rocket attack, he explained. a parish atmosphere for these “Those who take their faith “You have no idea when it’s people, both military and civil- seriously, it is such a blessing coming. So you’re living with ian alike, so they are connect- for them to see a priest,” he that, you’re facing death every ed somehow to the parish back added. “When you just sit and day.” home,” he said. talk to soldiers, they have such One of the most wrenching Father McDermott, 45, is a an admiration for the chaplain- duties Father McDermott has native of St. Joseph Parish in cy because they know we’re performed was helping to carWarrington, Pa., north of Phil- there for them.” ry badly wounded soldiers on adelphia, and graduated from The Army took notice of Fa- stretchers off the giant C-130 Temple University before en- ther McDermott, citing his or- transport planes and into the tering St. Charles Borromeo ganizational skills and leader- base hospital.

Seminary. He was ordained in ship at Bagram and his service “You see these kids com2003 and became a military on the battlefield as justifica- ing in missing arms and legs, tion for the Bronze Star. burned faces. It affects you,” “He is a soldier’s chaplain he said. “You’re there for them. who is equally capable in a You listen to them. You talk to garrison ministry setting and them when they can. A lot of in the most austere and dan- them are so angry because of gerous locations. His efforts in what happened to them, and revamping the Enduring Faith you’re just trying to be Christ

“O

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to them in that situation.”

Not that the priest chaplain is unaccustomed to infirmities himself. In June after playing in a good will game of soccer with Afghan soldiers, Father McDermott tore a knee ligament.

Although he needed a knee brace while carrying 50 pounds of equipment during battlefield rounds, Father McDermott persevered until returning to the U.S. in early April to Fort Belvoir, an Army hospital in Virginia, for surgery and recuperation.

He is seeing soldiers in the hospital with less serious wounds perhaps than those he’d witnessed in Afghanistan, but he is familiar with the men’s psychological damage.

“We call it the invisible war that they’re about to endure right now,” Father McDermott said.

Father McDermott does not know if he will be redeployed in the future. If so, he will again ask the friends and family members who want to send him candy, shampoo or other small items to remember what he really needs as a means of community building and evangelization: a box of cigars that he can pass out to the soldiers.

“I never realized the power of a cigar when it comes to ministry,” he said. “When I was on battlefield circulation, whether (the soldiers) were Catholic or not, I would walk into a (headquarters) with a box of cigars like giving out candy, and you just see the guys’ eyes light up.

They loved that.”

Survey finds strong Catholic support for immigration changes

Washington D.C. (CNA) — A survey commissioned by the U.S. bishops finds that almost 80 percent of Catholics support legal changes that allow immigrants to gain “earned citizenship” through meeting certain requirements.

“It is clear that Catholics understand the importance of this issue,” Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who chairs the U.S. bishops’ migration committee, said recently in response to the poll.

“As an immigrant Church, Catholics from all walks of life understand the migration experience and accept the Gospel’s call to welcome the stranger.”

The survey, commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Migration Policy and Public Affairs, found that 77 percent of

U.S. Catholics support citizenship for immigrants who fulfill requirements like registration, paying a fine, paying taxes, and taking English classes.

Eighty-four percent of respondents agree that requiring immigrants to register with the government in order to remain in the country would improve national security.

Another 75 percent of respondents said immigration law enforcement should be focused on “humane values” that deport violent criminals but “finds ways to work with people who have come to find a better life.”

Most respondents said that border security and humane treatment of illegal immigrants are compatible and most agree that the Church has an obligation to help those in need, even if they are illegal residents.

Additionally, most believe that immigrants are good for the economy, and most thought that enforcement-only policy focused on deportations is bad for family unity.

Sixty percent of Catholics who attend Mass weekly or more said that the immigration issue is very important to them.

The Catholic bishops have endorsed changes to immigration law, such as allowing an expansive “path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants and expanding legal migration for low-skilled migrant workers.

Archbishop Gomez encouraged Catholics to ask their legislators to support “humane” immigration reform, saying this would “help our brothers and sisters come out of the shadows and become full members of our communities.

5 The Church in the U.S. Student Pro-Life leader says she ‘won’t be bystander’ on abortion issue May 3, 2013

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CNS) — Reagan Nielsen isn’t afraid of being screamed at, threatened or despised for her beliefs.

The college junior, who grew up in Monument and is receiving national attention for her ProLife work, said she is used to it.

“It helps when you know that you are on the right side of things and have God on your side and you know you are doing the right thing,” she said. “I’m standing there with my fellow people who are Pro-Life and I know that I am a soldier in this fight for life. I get an adrenaline rush from it.”

Reagan’s father was in the military, and the family moved a lot when she was a child. At one time, they lived in Monument and, while attending Mass at St. Peter Church, she first heard the word referred to as the “Aword.” Her mom explained the word “abortion” to her later that day.

“I didn’t totally understand it, but it was still traumatizing to hear about,” she told The Colorado Catholic Herald, news-

paper of the Colorado Springs student groups. and Tyler Baltierra from MTV’s Diocese.

In just a few months, the “16 and Pregnant” to talk to the When she was older, she be- Mizzou group was formed and campus. The couple became came more traumatized when membership swelled to more pregnant and put their baby she saw pictures of post-abor- than 100 students. They decided up for adoption and now often tive babies. From then on, she their first event should garner speak to anti-abortion groups. made it her mission to work to attention, and they invited the More than 750 people showed end abortion. In high up to hear the couple school in South Dakota, eople just don’t want to talk talk, Nielsen said. In she became actively about this. They just want to mid-March, they plan involved in Pro-Life on putting up clothes activities and started hide under the covers,” she said. “It’s lines in the middle of to receive training on happening. It’s part of our generation campus displaying 370 how to be active in the and I won’t be a bystander and let it baby onesies to repremovement. After high happen.” sent the estimated 3,700 school, her parents, babies aborted a day in Pete and Carla Nielsen, the United States. returned to Monument and now Genocide Awareness Project to “Hopefully it will be a visual attend Our Lady of the Pines in the campus. The group displays thing for people to see,” she said.

Black Forest. Nielsen started huge billboards with images of “It’s not so graphic and it gets the school at the University of Mis- aborted babies. point across.” souri — nicknamed “Mizzou” All of that work was recogThey got the recognition they — majoring in journalism. wanted, but the event angered nized by the National Students When Nielsen went to the many people on campus — a for Life organization at its annuschool, she was disappointed reaction she expected. She said al conference in January. There, that there wasn’t an active Pro- she had professors walk up to the Mizzou chapter was named Life student organization. She her and call her a disgrace to “Best New Chapter.” immediately set out to start one women. The student newspaper Brendan O’Morchoe, director herself. She was able to quickly published a piece that “bashed of field operations for the organiset one up with the help of Stu- us,” she said. zation, said the chapter won the dents for Life, a national organiNext on their agenda, the annual award because of its imzation which supports Pro-Life group invited Catelynn Lowell mediate influence on the campus.

“P

Cardinal Dolan honored by evangelicals for leadership

New York City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York received the 2013 William Wilberforce Award from a group of Christians for his leadership in standing up for religious freedom.

“I resonate with Cardinal Dolan as much as any public religious leader in our country today,” Dr. Timothy George, chairman of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview which bestowed the award, told CNA. “Cardinal Dolan has just been tremendous, he’s one of the major leaders not just of the Catholic Church in the United States today, but of all Christians, and really all people of goodwill.”

George, who is also a Baptist minister and dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, noted that the prelate has “taken a very courageous and bold stand” for conscience protection and religious liberty in the face of the HHS contraception mandate.

“But that’s only one of a variety of concerns,” he added. “We’re concerned about the dignity of Marriage, the sanctity of every human life, including those children waiting to be born, and religious freedom.”

“On these particular issues as well as concern for the poor and the marginalized, Cardinal Dolan is a hero to so many of us.”

The William Wilberforce Award was established in 1988, and honors those who “have done something significant, notewor-

thy and consequential to show the importance of a positive witness related to the values and character of the Christian faith in our time today,” George said.

Cardinal Dolan is the third Catholic to be given the award, following Father John Neuhaus in 1998 and Bishop Macram Gassis of El Obeid, in Sudan.

The honor is named for an evangelical social reformer of 19th century Britain, who worked to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.

“Certainly Cardinal Dolan has been a tremendous encourager to Catholics,” but also to other Christians, George said. “He’s had a unique position from his base in New York to speak out clearly and boldly, but also winsomely.”

He praised Cardinal Dolan’s ability to “speak truth in love” and to convey the truth of Christianity “with a kind of joy, love, and sense of humor.”

“We make a better impact on correcting the culture of death with a culture of life if we can do that in a Christ-like way, and I think Cardinal Dolan has mastered that.”

Cardinal Dolan has been outspoken in his opposition to the HHS mandate, and had led his archdiocese into a lawsuit against the department, seeking to block its objectionable provisions.

In January 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services issued the mandate as part of the Affordable Care Act, requiring all health care providers to provide

and pay for contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs — even if the employer or insurance provider has deeplyheld beliefs preventing the provision of these products and procedures.

George said that opposition to the mandate “really is a debate about religious freedom, focusing on conscientious objection,” rather than “a debate about contraception.”

“Many evangelicals are not on the same page with respect to contraception itself, but across the board evangelicals have stood with Catholics to say this is not about contraception — it’s about religious freedom.”

It is Cardinal Dolan’s defense of religious conscience for which the Colson Center honored him.

“One’s conscience ought to be informed by the truth,” George said. “Conscience in itself is not a final arbiter of what is absolutely right and wrong — it needs to be an informed conscience, and that requires from a Christian point of view, an understanding of Who God is, of His revelation and Holy Scripture and the life of the Church, and a moral sensitivity that is shaped by religious faith.”

“That’s I think why Catholics object strongly to this (HHS mandate) enforcement, that it goes against their religious conscience.”

The award was presented April 27 in Arlington, Va., as part of the Wilberforce Weekend Conference.

“They really kicked it off big,” he said. “They made a big impact right away on their campus. They are doing a lot of campus activism.”

Along with the chapter, Nielsen, too, has made herself known to national Pro-Life leaders. She was recently chosen as one of a small handful of students to take part in its Students for Life of America Wilberforce Leadership Fellowship. The program, O’Morchoe said, selects the top Pro-Life student-leaders in the U.S. and mentors them to eventually become leaders in the national movement.

“Reagan is a great leader,” O’Morchoe said. “She has been really effective on her campus and has been a great example for other leaders across the county.”

Nielsen said the recognition is nice, but it is not why she works as hard as she does.

“People just don’t want to talk about this. They just want to hide under the covers,” she said. “It’s happening. It’s part of our generation and I won’t be a bystander and let it happen.”

6

The Anchor Mary’s gift of peace

On Palm Sunday Pope Francis closed his homily in St. Peter’s Square by saying, “Let us ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary. She teaches us the joy of meeting Christ, the love with which we must look to the foot of the cross, the enthusiasm of the young heart with which we must follow Him during this Holy Week and throughout our lives. May it be so.” Many in the crowd were young people and Palm Sunday is also the annual “World Youth Day” (not to be confused with the World Youth Day gatherings that are held every two or three years internationally — this year in Rio de Janeiro, as you can read on page three of this paper).

The pope was reminding his listeners of the true joy that can only be found in Christ.

Mary knew that joy and lived it out in an unselfish manner. Upon receiving the joyful (and surprising) news that she would be God’s mother, she rushed across Judea to the home of her cousin, Elizabeth, to share the joy of motherhood and the joy of God’s miraculous goodness to the two of them (and to help her in the three months remaining of Elizabeth’s pregnancy). When Mary called out to Elizabeth upon arriving at her home, the unborn John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb out of sheer joy that his Lord and Savior was approaching (inside of Mary).

In his Palm Sunday homily, Pope Francis said that the first word that he wanted to share with us was “joy! Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with Him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! And in this moment the enemy, the devil, comes, often disguised as an angel, and slyly speaks his word to us. Do not listen to him! Let us follow Jesus! We accompany, we follow Jesus, but above all we know that He accompanies us and carries us on His shoulders. This is our joy, this is the hope that we must bring to this world.

Please do not let yourselves be robbed of hope! Do not let hope be stolen! The hope that Jesus gives us.”

The Blessed Mother resisted the temptation to view her problems as insurmountable — be it the lack of room for her at the inn or the need to flee to Egypt from the bloodthirsty Herod the Great or the lack of wine at the wedding of Cana (this problem doesn’t “rank up there” with the other ones, but Mary still knew that she could ask Jesus to help with it, thus inviting us to do the same with Him) or the humiliation of her Son on Calvary or the lack of conversion of so many people after Pentecost. Like the old Jesse Jackson adage, Mary kept hope alive. Her hope was kept alive because she knew that God was truly love and she knew that she could trust in His plans. He would not reveal to her the whole plan — instead, God had Mary walk by faith, serving as an example for us all.

This past Tuesday and this coming Sunday in the Gospel, Jesus told His Apostles at the Last Supper, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn 14:27). Mary had that type of peace in her heart because she trusted in God. With that trust, she needed nothing else. Blessed John Paul II explained this back in 2002. “St. Cyril of Alexandria reminds us that in giving us peace, Jesus gives us His Spirit. He does not, therefore, leave us orphans, but through His Spirit remains with us.

[St. Cyril’s] commentary then becomes a prayer: ‘Grant us peace, O Lord. Then we will acknowledge that we have all things, and we will realize that those lack nothing who have received the fullness of Christ. Indeed, it is the fullness of every good that God dwells in us through the Spirit’” (cf. Col 1,19).

Back on Palm Sunday Pope Francis spoke of the love that Mary had at the foot of the cross. This past month we have seen how so many people behaved as Mary did at the foot of the cross, giving strength to people in need, just as she did to Jesus with her loving presence. People (unwittingly or not) imitated Mary at the foot of the cross by aiding victims of the Marathon bombings, both on Boylston Street that day and in the hospitals since then. Mary continues to strengthen her children here while also aiding our brothers and sisters suffering in Syria, Egypt, China, Bangladesh, Haiti and everywhere.

Pope Francis spoke of the enthusiasm of young hearts needing to imitate that of Mary.

Mary kept her enthusiasm even when it may have seemed that Jesus was abandoning her and the Apostles at the Ascension, which we celebrate next week. The Holy Father spoke about this at his weekly audience on April 17. “St. Luke says that having seen Jesus ascending into Heaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem ‘with great joy.’ This seems to us a little odd. When we are separated from our relatives, from our friends, because of a definitive departure and, especially, death, there is usually a natural sadness in us since we will no longer see their face, no longer hear their voice, or enjoy their love, their presence.

The evangelist instead emphasizes the profound joy of the Apostles,” and, by extension, that of Mary.

“But how could this be? Precisely because, with the gaze of faith they [and Mary] understand that although He has been removed from their sight, Jesus stays with them forever, He does not abandon them and in the glory of the Father supports them, guides them and intercedes for them,” the pope continued.

“Dear brothers and sisters, the Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that He is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension. He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone: we have this Advocate Who awaits us, Who defends us. We are never alone: the crucified and Risen Lord guides us.” We can see a similar blessing given to us by Mary’s Assumption. She also is no longer just in one place, but can be everywhere, carrying out the loving will of her Son. The two of them are always with us, urging us to be joyful as we carry our own crosses and help other people with theirs, knowing that this is the only route which leads to the Father’s mansion.

W

May 3, 2013

Pope Francis and the culture of hard work

ednesday was the feast of St. Joseph other words, was commanding, “Be stewards of the Worker, instituted by Pope Pius XII the earth: work!” to give a Christian response to the communist After the Fall, man’s work became toilsome May Day celebrations. Every year it focuses the but remained fundamentally good and in fact attention of the Church and the world on the true redemptive. That’s because the most important meaning of human work, seen in the diligent part of work is not the work itself but the way labor of St. Joseph. it transforms the worker. Honest work done It’s a theme that remains crucial even after well gives the human person the opportunity to the collapse of Soviet communism. cultivate all the various physical, intellectual, Since we spend so much of our time on earth moral and spiritual potentials God has implanted working, work is central to human life. It is also in him while providing a service to others. a crucial part of our vocation to holiness because One of the greatest spiritual cancers that can it is through work that we not only serve others afflict someone, the future pope said, is therefore but form our character. laziness, when a person either loses the will to Few, however, look at work in this way: work hard or never learns it. Hard-working parmost view it as a necessary evil that they would ents need to be careful lest, after battling so hard love to escape altogether, rather than something to provide for themselves and for their families, central to God’s plans for our flourishing. they spoil their children and grandchildren by So this week’s feast provides an opportunity not teaching them how to work hard. Rather to focus on the true meaning of work. than advance in dignity, the next generations will This is one of the central themes in the grow in “decadence,” he said. thought of the man who became Pope Francis.

He told a story of a father from Buenos Aires In “El Jesuita”— the 2010 book-length interwho was having problems with a son who didn’t view released in English earlier this week under want to work but who instead had become a fullthe title “Pope Francis: His Life in His Own time social protestor while living off his parents.

Words”— he said that one of the greatest gifts This is a phenomenon we saw last year in the his father ever gave him was to tell him at 13 to United States with the Occupy movement. get a job.

A wise old The young priest met with Jorge Bergoglio the two of them recognized at to help them the time that the resolve their reason was not conflict. He told because the famthem that their ily needed the biggest probBy Father money, but belem is that they Roger J. Landry cause he needed had forgotten the experience of the “aches and hard work for his pains.” Neither human and Christian growth. of them knew what he was talking about.

His father, an accountant, arranged for him to He told them that they had forgotten the daily work at a hosiery factory that belonged to one of soreness of their respective father and grandfahis clients. For the first couple of summers, Jorge ther who had to get up in the early hours of the swept the floors and did other types of janitomorning every day in order to milk the cows. rial services. In the third year, after the factory “Both had forgotten the importance of work,” owners saw his precocious intellectual talents, Cardinal Bergoglio said, and their relationship he began to help out with administrative work. was suffering the consequences: they were Once he had enrolled as a chemistry student leisurely focusing more on fixing each other in college, he began to work in the company’s or society than starting with fixing themselves laboratory. through work.

Throughout his university studies, he would It’s also crucial for societies to remember work in the lab from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., return how crucial a work ethic is. Governments home for lunch, and then take classes from 2 to have the duty to foster “a culture of work, not 8 p.m. It was a tough schedule for a young man, of debt,” and to promote “sources of work” but looking back at it many years later, he was because, he insisted, “work confers dignity.” so grateful for having learned at a young age the If unemployment legislation incentivizes value of hard work. staying home and collecting checks funded “I am very grateful to my father who sent by other people’s work, recipients may end up me to work,” he said in “El Jesuita.” “Work was being more harmed spiritually than helped mateone of the things that most formed me in life. rially. It’s important for their good and the good Particularly in the laboratory, I learned the good of society that people are given the opportunity, and evil of every human task.” not to mention the moral and financial incentive, Referring to that moral formation, he told a to be contributors rather than consumers of what story about a chemical analysis he had done. He others have earned. Otherwise all of society will was proud of how fast he had completed it. His suffer from the corruption of laziness, as people Paraguayan boss asked him whether he had done get used to looking for handouts, looking to otha particular test as part of the analysis. He replied ers to provide, and creating a culture of debt that that he hadn’t, but that it probably was unnecescannot be sustained long-term. sary because of the other tests he had done. “No, This culture of work must keep the worker, it’s necessary to do things well,” she gently repnot profit or capital, at the center, otherwise the rimanded him. The lesson, he said, “taught me work that is meant to confer dignity can become the seriousness of work,” and he never stopped “dehumanizing” for all involved. This dehumanbeing grateful for the advice. ization happens when, for example, workers are Work done well is crucial for our dignity. forced to work so much because of competition Speaking about the unemployed, with that they have no time with their families. It also whom he has spent much of his life ministering, happens when there’s no time for a “healthy leihe said, “They are people who don’t feel that sure,” something that used to occur on Sundays. they’re persons. Instead of getting assistance This allowed a “restorative rest” that the future from families and friends, they want to work. pope said produced not just good spiritual fruits They want to earn their bread by the sweat of but economic and human ones as well. their brow. It’s ultimately work that anoints a “The Church has always underlined that the person with dignity. This unction of dignity key to the social question is work. The worker doesn’t come from one’s family name, or home is in the center. Today, in many cases, he’s formation or education. Dignity as such comes not,” Cardinal Bergoglio stated. “The worker only through work. We eat what we earn. We becomes a thing if he is not treated as a person. provide for our family with what we earn. It The person isn’t for work, but work for the doesn’t matter whether it’s a little or a lot. We person.” can have a fortune, but if we are not working, Work is for the person as a means to sanctify our dignity suffers.” himself, to sanctify others, and to offer to God a Our dignity comes from God and we obvisacrifice like that of Abel. ously retain human dignity even when we’re This is a Gospel Pope Francis has learned incapacitated, but it does suffer when we’re not through a life of hard work — and one that he is working. God gave us work to strengthen our now proclaiming to others. dignity. “Work,” Cardinal Bergoglio said, “corFather Landry is Pastor of St. Bernadette responds to a clear command of God, ‘Increase, Parish in Fall River. His email address is multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.’” God, in fatherlandry@catholicpreaching.com.

Putting Into the Deep

H

aving been an ardent fan of PBS’s original “Upstairs Downstairs” series, I thought I would give the new series a try. Always late to television’s offerings — in this case a full three years — I found the episodes online in recent weeks, and settled in to enjoy them. I think many of you can already sense where this is going.

The original series concerned an English family at the opening of the 20th century, ending with the horrors of the First World War. The primary challenges of that period included a tottering class system and the impact of political revolutions and growing militarization on the continent, creating a backdrop to the personal dramas of the family (upstairs) and their servants (downstairs).

The new series picked up where the original left off, as the sabers are rattling once again — this time most fiercely by the national socialists in Germany.

Incense and incantations

While the prescience of the new abandoned all pretence of the owners proved a little tedious conventional pieties. It is true (they just knew that Chamberthat in many quarters, Christilain was wrong, appeasement anity has long been an empty was a dangerous path, and that construct and Biblical precepts all Jews were in grave danger), lost their meaning behind closed it was the personal drama that doors, but that makes our faith prevented me from enjoying the program.

Let’s see. What changed in the 40 years between the production of the two series? That would be contemporary support for abortion

By Genevieve Kineke and the sanction offered to homosexual behavior — both of which are center-stage in the 1930s-era drama. Not only was no less true. While the slippery there a passionate same-sex kiss slope has indeed been preon camera, but family members cariously steep, that can never and staff offered a fascinated justify lying about our past. indulgence of the whole sordid A Pollyanna view of hisaffair. tory serves no one — and to This is where we must take that end we must have a clear stock of our current challenge, understanding how the standard which is to defend chastity vices have challenged all genamidst a wider culture that has erations and twisted humanity

The Feminine Genius

New auxiliary bishop ordained for Archdiocese for the Military Services

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Not every bishop gets at his episcopal ordination, a color guard from the Knights of Columbus and the U.S. military. Nor do they get both “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “The Navy Hymn” sung at the ordination Mass.

But when you are newly-ordained for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, as Bishop Robert J. Coyle was April 25, you get that and a lot more — like being told by his new boss, Archbishop Timothy M. Broglio, that he’ll be working in “a global archdiocese.”

Bishop Coyle’s appointment was announced February 11, the same day Pope Benedict XVI announced his intent to retire from the papacy. In Bishop Coyle’s remarks at the end of the two-hour, 45-minute ordination Mass, he said that alone would be enough to make it a memorable occasion.

The new bishop spoke of his great affection for Pope Benedict and his predecessor, Blessed John Paul II. He also referred to one of Archbishop Broglio’s predecessors, the late Cardinal John J. O’Connor of New York, as one of his heroes.

In their respective military chaplaincies, both had served on Okinawa. “He had served in the 3rd Marines as well,” Bishop Coyle said, adding that he once got a letter from the late cardinal, recommending that the priest “stay close to Him (Jesus). He will never fail.”

Bishop Coyle had spent 10 years as a chaplain in the Navy and the Naval Reserves. That service

7

The Anchor

May 3, 2013

is reflected on his episcopal crest, which pictures a ship on the waters in full sail, with the letter “M” on the sail — a nod to the “M” Blessed John Paul used on his papal coat of arms to signify Mary.

His episcopal motto is “Lord bid me come to You,” which has its own nautical roots. It is taken from Matthew 14, when Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, bid me come to You in the water,” and Jesus answers, “Come.” Peter scrambles out of the boat and starts walking on the water, but begins to sink and calls for Jesus to save him, which Jesus does. After Peter is saved, Jesus says to him, “Ye of little faith. Why

carrying on — New U.S. Bishop Robert J. Coyle, an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, stands with the crosier of his late predecessor, Bishop Joseph W. Estabrook, during his episcopal ordination April 25 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. (CNS photo)

did you doubt?” Peter’s figurative answer: “Because I took my eyes off the Lord.”

“I venture on to new waters, and a new ministry,” Bishop Coyle said. Archbishop Broglio said Bishop Coyle would be responsible for a “vicariate” consisting of 90 military installations in the eastern half of the United States.

“You will need the vigor of youth,” he said to his new 48-yearold auxiliary in his homily, “and the fire of the Spirit to carry out this arduous task.”

Archbishop Broglio noted that the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the ordination site, had many mosaics on its walls and floors, likening it to mosaic of the military archdiocese, which ministers to five military branches, the Veterans Administration hospitals, and Foreign Service personnel working outside the United States.

He also recalled the words of the Mass’ Gospel passage from St. Mark — whose feast was also April 25 — to “go out into the world” to spread the Good News.

“The Apostles responded to His mandate,” Archbishop Broglio said. “The feast of St. Mark reminds us of the importance of evangelization.”

The archbishop took note of the challenges to evangelize in the military archdiocese, with “a shortage of priests, a growing flock and daunting distances.” He thanked Bishop Coyle “for your willingness to give up the familiar and embrace the nomadic.”

away from manifesting God’s will. But rewriting history is especially pernicious, not only because of the inherent lies, but because of the havoc those lies play on the faithful trying to stand fast now.

There is a scene in the “Chronicles of Narnia” in which a witch holds Prince Caspian and the other children captive below ground, and is trying to eradicate their memories of the real world. She was beguiling them with sweet incense and subtle music, purring, “Narnia? I have often heard your lordship utter that name in your ravings. Dear prince, you are very sick. There is no land called Narnia. There is no Narnia, no overworld, no sun, no sky, no Aslan. And now, to bed, all. And let us begin a wiser life tomorrow. But first, to bed, to sleep: deep sleep, soft

pillows, sleep without foolish dreams.”

They nearly succumb, and yet the marshwiggle, also captive, put his foot in the fire to squelch the incense, burning himself in the process. It was enough. “For though the whole fire had not been put out, a good part of it had, and what remained smelled very largely of burned marshwiggle, which is not at all an enchanting smell.

This instantly made everyone’s brain far clearer. The prince and the children held up their heads again and opened their eyes.”

In our own generation, keeping our heads about virtue and vice, truth and lies, authentic love and its imposters may require serious suffering — but Christ promised us a cross. Do not fear the pain attached to the Christian life, for it may save us from unquenchable fires later.

Mrs. Kineke can be found online at feminine-genius.com.

8

A

few weeks ago, as we marked Patriot’s Day, we all lived through an unbelievable week of tragedy, beginning with the Marathon bombings and culminating in an arrest of one of the alleged perpetrators of a week of death and violence, fear and high anxiety, from human carnage to being a prisoner in one’s own home. And we come now with some distance from the events of that week and we hear the words of Jesus.

“Peace I leave with you.

My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives peace do I give peace.” When we think of peace we usually consider the cessation of hostilities between warring nations, or even warring members of a family. That is not the peace the Lord gives. The peace of the Lord is the joy we experience when we are united to Him. This is the peace that Jesus felt on the cross when He was

May 3, 2013

The Anchor

The peace of the Lord

united to His Father. This is degree or other, the peace of the peace that the martyrs felt Christ. It gets you through. He when others brutalized them gets you through. for refusing to give up Jesus Sometimes I wonder how Christ. This is the peace that our young people do it, parwe all feel when we are mocked for taking our faith, our comHomily of the Week mitment to the Lord, Sixth Sunday so seriously that we of Easter refuse to join in with the immorality of our

By Father particular societies, be John C. Ozug that at school, in the neighborhood, or even within the country.

Sometimes I wonder how ticularly our young college, the mothers and fathers of our high school and even middle parish can remain so calm in school students. You have your the middle of little children courses you need to complete, pulling on them, and older teams to play on, activities to children needing guidance, support, and talents to perfect. along with the stresses of And then there is the pressure work, caring for the home, etc. of relationships, the biggest How do you do it all, and do pressure you have. There is it so calmly? Well, calmly at the pressure of having friends least most of the time. Then I without getting involved with realize: You pray. You are unitsubstance abuse. There is the ed to Christ. You have to some pressure of having a girlfriend

or boyfriend without crossing the line into immoral behavior. There is the pressure of being mocked because you don’t go along with what some say, incorrectly, that everyone is doing it.

But you remain committed to Jesus Christ.

You go about your lives calmly, and with peace. Your union with Christ gives you the peace you need to do all things well, happily and with the joy of the Lord.

There is a wonderful mystery of our lives that the immoral world will never understand: Saying “Yes” to Christ does not make every day a Good Friday. Saying “Yes” to Christ makes every day an Easter Sunday.

Our friends, our neighbors, the members of our families, come to us with their problems, their needs, their fears.

Why? Because they want us to share our peace with them.

They want us to share with them the peace of Christ. We would like to solve other people’s problems. We would like to make their pain go away.

But, very often, we cannot do either. We can do something far greater, though. We can encourage them to be united to the Lord and trust in Him. We can offer them the peace that has been given to us, the peace of the Lord.

And this why Christ came: to replace chaos with calm, hatred with love, and turmoil with peace. Union with Jesus puts all the difficulties of the world, including our personal worlds, into perspective.

May the peace of Christ be with you all, always.

Father Ozug is the Rector of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. May 4, Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:2,3,5; Jn 15:18-21. Sun. May 5, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Ps 67:23,5-6,8; Rv 21:10-14,22-23; Jn 14:23-29. Mon. May 6, Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1-6a,9b; Jn 15:26—16:4a. Tues. May 7, Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3,7c-8; Jn 16:5-11. Wed. May 8, Acts 17:15,22—18:1; Ps 148:1-2,11-14; Jn 16:12-15. Thurs. May 9, The Ascension of the Lord, Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3,6-9; Eph 1:17-23 or Heb 9:24-28;10:19-23; Lk 24:46-53. Fri. May 10, Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23.

I

t was a brief greeting to former colleagues. But if you read Pope Francis’s April 18 letter to the Argentine bishops’ conference closely, you get a glimpse of the man, his convictions and his vision.

First, the man: Jorge Mario Bergoglio has remained very much himself, rather than adopting what some might deem the pontifical style. Any pope who can write his former colleagues in these terms — “Dear Brothers: I am sending these lines of greeting and also to excuse myself for being unable to attend due to ‘commitments assumed recently’ (sounds good?)” — is a man at home in his own skin, and one likely to remain that way.

The Bishop of Rome as Christian radical

Then, the convictions: missionary key.”

Pope Francis believes that the The move from “kept” Church in Latin America took Catholicism to evangelical Caa decisive step toward a new tholicism is for everyone, the future in 2007. Then, at the pope seems convinced. “Kept” Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, held at Aparecida in Brazil, the leaders of the Church moved far beyond the “kept” CaBy George Weigel tholicism of the past — the Catholicism that was “kept” by legal establishment or, more recently, cultural habit — Catholicism has no future and embraced a robustly evan- anywhere, and not just because gelical Catholicism in which, of aggressive secularism and as the pope wrote on April 18, other corrosive cultural acids. “the whole of ministry (is) in a “Kept” Catholicism has no future because it doesn’t merit a future: or, as the pope put it to his former colleagues, “A Church that does not go out, sooner or later gets sick” in the hothouse atmosphere of its own self-absorption, which Francis has also called “self-referentiality.” When the Church is about itself, rather than the Gospel and the invitation to friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Church betrays the Gospel and the Lord. How? The “self-referential Church” falls victim to “a kind of narcissism that leads to spiritual worldliness and to so-

The Catholic Difference

phisticated clericalism,” which in turn are obstacles to what the bishops at Aparecida called “the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing.”

That joy, Pope Francis quickly added, is “many times united to the cross.”

But the joy that comes from the embrace of the cross helps the ordained ministers of the Church “to be each day more fruitful, spending ourselves and unraveling ourselves in the service of the holy faithful people of God.” And if the pastors are seen to pick up the cross and live joyfully in the embrace of the crucified and Risen Lord, the people of the Church will find the courage to do the same: thus the entire Body of Christ becomes a powerful witness to the truth that it is in selfgiving, not self-assertion, that we find happiness.

As for the pope’s vision, Francis seems willing, even eager, to lead a Church that takes risks in boldly proclaiming the Gospel. “It is true,” he wrote the bishops of Argentina, that “something can happen” to a Church that “goes out,” just as things can happen to someone who leaves the

safety of home: accidents can happen. But “I wish to say to you frankly,” the pope continued, “that I prefer a thousand times an injured Church than a sick Church,” a risk-taking Church to a Church palsied by self-absorption. Thus the vision toward which this pope “from the end of the earth” is calling the entire Church: all Christ, all Gospel, all mission, all the time.

The Bishop of Rome as Christian radical is going to take some getting used to.

Expect serious disorientation in those ideological redoubts where the old battles over the now-superseded Church of the Counter-Reformation remain all-consuming (e.g., the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Lefebvrists). Some may find it hard to reconcile Christian radicalism with orthodoxy.

But, as I argue in “Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church” (Basic Books), that’s precisely what orthodoxy is: the adventure of radical conversion ordered to mission. The 266th Bishop of Rome would seem to agree.

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

May 3, 2013

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The Anchor

Pope confirms young people, calls them to be ‘steadfast’

PERFECT TIMING — Members of the Chesterton Academy and the American Chesterton Society joined together for a pilgrimage to Rome, in time to witness Pope Francis’ election. (CNA photo by Kelly Krach)

Society president sees Pope Francis, Chesterton link

St. Paul, Minn. (CNA/ ditional values in a very witty, eryone was thrilled.”

EWTN News) — The American and certainly appealing way,” Students from Chesterton Chesterton Society’s thrilling ex- Ahlquist said. “There’s some- Academy, a private Catholic perience of being in Rome dur- thing about Chesterton that just high school near Minneapolis ing Pope Francis’ election has draws in his own enemies.” and St. Paul, had a “once-in-aled the group’s leader to reflect Ahlquist recalled that he knew lifetime experience” attending on the connections between the immediately that Pope Francis the new pope’s installation Mass. pope, G.K. Chesterton and St. was “a Chestertonian pope,” a “They got to see the pope Francis. reaction later supported by Pope from just a few feet away. They Pope Francis has “that Fran- Francis’ history. were absolutely thrilled,” said ciscan humility and Ahlquist, a co-founder hlquist said this similarity be- of the academy. he’s not afraid to do things that the world One girl said being tween Pope Francis and St. Franmay consider foolish,” cis is clear in Chesterton’s biography of in Rome was “the first president Dale Ahlquist time she had really inthe saint, which presents him as “some- ternalized her faith. told CNA. “Even certain peo- one willing to be a fool for Christ, but Coming to Rome was ple in the Church are also willing to be a mirror of Christ.” like coming home, but surprised by the things it also brought the faith he’s doing,” he added, itself home to them,” As archbishop of Buenos Ai- Ahlquist said of the students. citing Pope Francis’ washing the feet of prisoners and his decision res, Pope Francis was a member The International Chesterton not to move into the papal apart- of an honorary committee of a Conference March 16 hosted conference for the Argentine about 150 people, mostly Italian. ments.

Ahlquist said this similarity Chesterton Society and celebrat- It focused on Chesterton’s writbetween Pope Francis and St. ed a Mass for the conference. He ings on Rome and Italy as well as Francis is clear in Chesterton’s owns several books by Chester- his past and present influence in biography of the saint, which ton. the country, where there is “growPope Francis’ March 13 elec- ing enthusiasm” for the writer. presents him as “someone willing to be a fool for Christ, but tion to the papacy coincided with Ahlquist suggested that this also willing to be a mirror of the beginning of the American interest is rooted in the same Chesterton Society’s March 13- features of Chesterton that have Christ.”

He said he sees this charac- 23 pilgrimage to Rome. They helped revive interest in the U.S., teristic “absolutely” reflected in followed in the footsteps of G.K. such as his “prophetic qualities.” the first month of Pope Francis’ Chesterton, who made a three“He seems to be describing month visit to Italy in 1929 for exactly the problems that our papacy.

Ahlquist noted that he consid- the beatification of the English modern society is going through, ers Chesterton “one of the great martyrs. with a greater accuracy than About 70 students and society some of the present commentaEnglish writers of the 20th century” who was “very prolific and members made the trip, which tors are,” Ahlquist said included an international confervery profound.”

He said Chesterton was a crit“He was an important Catho- ence with the Italian Chesterton ic of “the attack on the family” lic convert who turned a lot of Society. and the “runaway big business “We had planned the con- and big government oppression heads, being a major literary figure who converted to the Catho- ference and the pilgrimage for of the common man.” months ahead of time. It just lic faith.”

Chesterton also created “sur“I think his importance is as so happened that we landed in prising interest” in the Catholic a defender of the faith and as Rome right in the midst of the faith in “a world that is always someone who articulates tra- new pope,” Ahlquist said. “Ev- ready to dismiss it.”

A

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — At a Mass where he confirmed 44 young people, Pope Francis encouraged the youth of the world to persist in their faith even in the midst of obstacles.

“Remaining steadfast in the journey of faith, with firm hope in the Lord, is the secret of our journey,” he told more than 70,000 young people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

“There are no difficulties, trials or misunderstandings to fear, provided we remain united to God as branches to the vine, provided we do not lose our friendship with Him, provided we make ever more room for Him in our lives,” he said during the Mass on April 28.

The Mass marked the ending of a two-day celebration as part of the Year of Faith, which gathered thousands of youths from around the world.

The day before, the young people had met with teachers of faith, or catechists, at St. Peter’s Square for a pilgrimage to the tombs of St. Peter and Blessed John Paul II. The Eucharistic celebration was dedicated to the 44 young people from around the world to whom the pope imparted the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to those who had already received the Sacrament earlier this year.

“To go against the current, this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the tide,” Pope Francis noted.

“Jesus gives us this courage,” he stressed.

Examining the day’s Gospel reading, the pontiff observed that the Holy Spirit “makes all things new” and “changes us.”

“The Holy Spirit is truly transforming us, and through us He also wants to transform

the world in which we live,” explained the pope.

“How beautiful it would be,” he said, “if each of you, every evening, could say: Today at school, at home, at work, guided by God, I showed a sign of love towards one of my friends, my parents, an older person!”

He noted that when God makes all things “new,” they are not like “the novelties of this world, all of which are temporary,” but are “lasting, not only in the future but today as well.”

Pope Francis also explained that “we must undergo many trials if we are to enter the Kingdom of God.” “To follow the Lord, to let His Spirit transform the shadowy parts of our lives, our ungodly ways of acting, and cleanse us of our sins, is to set out on a path with many obstacles, both in the world around us but also within us, in the heart,” he said.

He explained that trials are “part of the path that leads to God’s glory” and told the pilgrims that they will always encounter difficulties in life.

“Do not be discouraged,” the pope emphasized. “We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome these trials.”

You are invited to a Travel Presentation on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 PM at St. Joseph Church Hall, 28 Tarbell St., Pepperell, MA Directions can be found at www.ourladyofgracema.org

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The Anchor

May 3, 2013

Sister, native of Fall River Diocese to receive award

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — When Sister Regina Brennan receives the Lumen Gentium award for Education on May 16 she may have earned the award through her hard work at St. Raphael’s Academy in Pawtucket, R.I., but she can trace her Catholic roots back to the city of her birth, Fall River.

Initially Sister Regina thought about studying to become a nurse, but her years attending Mount St. Mary’s Academy in Fall River changed her mind.

“At Mount St. Mary’s, many Sisters lived there and they went off to different parishes each day, and went off to different schools, and I would watch them every morning from my homeroom going out and they looked like very happy people,” recalled Sister Regina. “My own teachers were very happy and very dedicated, and I thought what a great thing to do.”

She entered the Sisters of Mercy right after she graduated in 1960, making her final vows at St. Patrick’s Parish in Fall River. From 1968-1978, she spent a lot of time in the south end of Fall River, teaching at St. Patrick’s School and working at a local youth center.

“I enjoyed it. I loved the community and the students there. I’m still in touch with them,” said Sister Regina, who recently traveled to Fall River for a birthday party being held in the south end. During her visit, she crossed paths with someone who remembered her.

When she took a brief detour to another store, she saw another familiar face who also ran up to greet her. “It was really heartwarming. I was very young when I was there,

“They come for everything. you felt very safe, could explore so I feel like I grew up there. St. Patrick’s was a vibrant parish, fan- It’s career counseling and personal your thoughts and ideals; you were tastic people — lots of wonderful counseling. You teach them to say free to think things through without things out loud, teach them to lis- judgment. memories there.”

At that point Sister Regina was Sister Regina continued to live ten and you hope that they can in Fall River when she first went come to some resolve with what a full-time guidance counselor exto teach at St. Raphael’s Academy they’re going through,” said Sister cept for this one class, said Murphy, and the students felt very in 1978, and then transitioned special being able to call Sister into being a full-time guidance Regina their teacher; “Of all counselor. the freshmen kids, we felt top“It’s a wonderful group notch because we had her, and who appreciate everything she definitely made us feel that you do,” she said of the alway. We were like a little fammost 35 years she’s been at ily in that religion class.” the school. “They add a gift to Sister Regina became Muryour life every day. It’s just a phy’s guidance counselor and pleasure to work with them. homeroom teacher during her I have never wanted to leave sophomore year, staying as a here because it’s home. It’s a guiding force for the rest of great school.”

Murphy’s years at the school.

Her message to her stu“She’s been extremely indents hasn’t changed much strumental in my life to this through the years; “Respect day,” said Murphy, who took other people and yourself; Regina as her Confirmation love one another; be who you name. “I don’t know if my life are and have a great attitude. would be the same without her Teen-agers today are different in my life; she’s always been only because, I think, of the in it. She really knows everymedia and all the things they thing about me and she would have to contend with — not an sometimes be the only pereasy task. I think media is the son I’d confide in. I’d tell her big challenge. It’s just too inthings that I wouldn’t tell my stant, not enough time to really friends, and I knew that I’d althink and they react. It’s great ways be welcomed with open for them on one end, but it’s a arms and in a non-judgmental challenge, for sure.” way. I knew I could always get At St. Raphael’s, Sister Regina helped launch and main- Anchor Living Stone — Sister good, solid advice, and that was crucial as an adolescent.” tain the Encountering Christ Regina Brennan.

After Murphy graduated, in Others program, when she came to the school in 1978. She Regina. “I am probably one of the she stayed in touch with Sister Realso organized a program where most blessed people I know. I am gina throughout the years. Sister alumni of the school come back to constantly validated. Working with Regina read at her wedding, held speak to juniors biannually about teen-agers is life giving, no doubt her kids after they were born and four years ago, along with her behis or her career path. Her daily job about it.”

One student has come full circle; ing a lifelong “mentor, confidant sees her rising to the challenge of the students looking for college ad- Melaina Murphy met Sister Regina and second-mother,” Murphy addin 1981, the fall of her freshmen ed colleague to the list when she vice or issues with peer pressure. year at “St. Ray’s,” and immedi- became a guidance counselor at St. Raphael’s. ately connected with her teacher.

Murphy was moved to pursue a “I just knew off the bat that she was someone I was going to be able career in social work after hearing to build a relationship with,” said Sister Regina talk about her time in Murphy. “She just built an environ- Fall River: “She talked a lot about ment in our religion class where that and it really inspired me to want

to work with kids,” said Murphy. “I just wanted to work with kids who needed help and I knew that social work was the path I wanted.”

Now she clocks in at a job where she can look out her office door and see Sister Regina’s office door, said Murphy, who said there are still days when work is a surreal experience.

“I still feel like I learn from her every day,” said Murphy. “We have a really nice department and we’re really solid as a team. We all bring our own gifts to it.”

When Murphy heard that Sister Regina was going to be given the Lumen Gentium award, though she didn’t know about the nomination, Murphy said there is no one more deserving of the recognition of being a “light of the nations” by bringing Christ’s light to all.

“When I found out she got the award, it was just pure celebration that she got it,” said Murphy. “As far as how deserving she is of this award? I don’t know anyone better for the award. I cannot tell you the amount of people she has touched along the way. She says all the time how blessed she is to have gotten so much back from people, but we feel the same way.”

Sister Regina was also surprised at being chosen to receive the award, joking that the last award she received was in the seventh grade for penmanship, but quickly added that while the award is greatly appreciated, the validation of her work comes from her students.

“As wonderful as it is, I am rewarded every day with what I do,” said Sister Regina. “That is a thing that I say to my students when they’re trying to figure out their career path, don’t think about money but think about what’s going to make you happy. Find a passion, find what you love and go for it.”

To submit a Living Stone nominee, send an email with information to fatherwilson@anchornews. org.

The Anchor

May 3, 2013

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UMD students ‘reclaim campus’ following ‘surreal’ week continued from page one

something like this, but the students are finishing up final projects and taking final exams for the spring semester. Some couldn’t even take their books during the evacuation.”

On that Friday, Father Frederici made his way to the Newman House, a gathering spot for Catholic students just outside the campus perimeter. “When I arrived, there was already a student sitting in the living room praying the Rosary, said Father Frederici.

“Other students stopped by during the day.”

On the Saturday, Father Frederici utilized his social media contacts and reached out to as many of the students he could, as long as he had their emails, Twitter accounts, or text numbers. “I just wanted to touch base with them and reach out to them and check in with them.”

The UMD administration called upon Father Frederici and other campus ministers to be there to help counsel any student who asked for help. “The administration made it a point to include the Catholic clergy to be there for the students,” said Father Frederici. “Most just wanted to talk, and it wasn’t only Catholic students.”

When the students returned to campus to get back to normal, they not only had to absorb everything that had happened during the past week; the killing and maiming of people at a usually enjoyable Patriots Day event; learning one of the suspects was one of their own; having to scatter from their home away from home; and catching up on lost study and work time; but they had to endure the “hounding” from the press from all over the world.

“Many of the students were angry with the presence of the press on campus,” said Father Frederici.

“The bigger networks weren’t so bad, but it was the smaller, not-somainstream reporters who were problematic. Students said they were ‘Pushy and sneaking around where they shouldn’t be.’ No press were allowed in the buildings, but that didn’t stop some.

“But I also feel some of that anger was just a release, a target.

The students felt betrayed, hurt, inconvenienced, and lost a sense of security. There comes a time in all our lives when we realize that we are adults. This was that time for some of the students.”

On the Sunday night of the return, the faculty hosted a social event. “It was very well attended,” said Father Frederici. “It was a very positive response from the students.”

As the school week began on Monday, Father Frederici made his presence known by being in

his office or just walking around the campus. “I would engage in conversations with students who knew me and some who didn’t. I think just seeing that collar gave people as sense of ease.”

On the Monday night, the campus held a vigil for all of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. “It was another great turnout,” added Father Frederici.

“Again, I got to meet with students and chat with them.”

“There were some students who clearly weren’t handling all the events as easily as others. They found it tough to process, but they also were very appreciative to all those who reached out to help, and they were more willing to engage in conversation.

“There was a sense that a huge trust was violated that week. In some you could sense a feeling of ‘Who else could be like that?’

There were those who knew Dzhokhar. There was disbelief.

Many of the students called it a ‘surreal’ feeling, that he came back to campus after the bombings.”

Father Frederici told The Anchor that he and other counselors were also invited to administrative meetings to discuss outreach potentials. “We met with the Muslim Student Association which was a very important thing to do as part of the outreach,” he said.

On Wednesday, it was the students’ turn to help bring back normalcy by hosting a “Corsair Strong Bar-B-Q,” featuring food (always a student-pleaser), campus bands and Arnie the always effervescent Corsair.

“It was a great event, nice to see the community smiling, laughing and no TV cameras,” Father Frederici told The Anchor. “The entire UMD community was invited, and some of the staff and faculty brought family members. Before the tragic events, there had been a campaign being developed called ‘Corsairs Care.’ Needless to say, this campaign has taken on a new dimension. To promote it, there was a large banner available this week for members of the community to sign and pledge how they could make our campus and world a more caring place. They had it present yesterday and it was moving to see it quickly fill up with signatures and pledges.

“Observing the students with their friends, eating, laughing, listening to the bands, dancing, playing Frisbee and soccer (the rugby team decided to hold its practice at the event) there was a sense of normalcy. The reality of the time of year was evident though, as the time for the event came, everyone quickly cleared out as they had to get back to their end of the semes-

ter projects, papers and studying.”

Father Frederici said the past week-and-a-half found the students “reclaiming their campus,” and they deserve a great deal of credit for their maturity, concern, and compassion.

It was a week when students, faculty, staff and campus police worked as one, and reached out to each other. “When was the last time you heard a bunch of college students cheer for their campus police?” quipped Father Frederici.

He also said he shared with some of his active Catholic students some of the positive messages of support he received through the ordeal on his Facebook and Twitter accounts. “I told them, ‘A lot of people are pulling for you guys from all over the world.’ The students were very moved by support. It was a great ‘Proud to be Catholic’ moment.”

Through it all — the marathon bombings, the finding out that “one of their own” was a suspect, the evacuations, the massive military and police presence, and the healing process, Father Frederici said that he and the others who provided counseling were simply “there to absorb stress.”

Dave Jolivet is an alumnus of UMass Dartmouth (SMU) and is also “Proud to Be UMD.”

range of emotions — The UMass Dartmouth community (above) gathered on campus last week for a vigil remembering the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Below, Arnie, the effervescent Corsair mascot, helped raise spirits on the campus at a student-led “Corsair Strong Bar-B-Q” after learning one of the bombing suspects was a UMD student. (Top photo courtesy of UMD, bottom photo by Father David C. Frederici)

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May 3, 2013

The Anchor

Original research team member says science still can’t explain Shroud

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Even with modern scientific technology, the Shroud of Turin continues to baffle researchers.

Barrie Schwortz was the documenting photographer for the Shroud of Turin research project in 1978, an in-depth examination of what many people believe to be the burial cloth of Jesus.

Raised in an Orthodox Jewish home, “it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I’m a Jew and involved with probably the most important relic of Christianity,” Schwortz told Catholic News Service.

“Isn’t it funny how God always picks a Jew to be the messenger,” he said.

Schwortz said that he, along with the other members of the research team who came from various faith backgrounds, had to set aside personal beliefs and focus on the shroud itself rather than any religious implication it might carry.

“We were there to gather information ... to do empirical science and do it to the best of our abilities,” Schwortz said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with my personal religious beliefs. It has to do with the truth.”

The Shroud of Turin is a 14-foot linen that has a fulllength photonegative image of a wounded man on the front and back of the cloth. The scientific team spent five days analyzing the chemical and physical properties of the shroud, paying special attention to the topographical information showing depth that was encoded in the light and dark shading of the cloth.

“Our team went to Turin to answer one simple question: How was the image formed?”

Schwortz said. “Ultimately, we failed.

“We could tell you what it’s not — not a painting, not a photograph, not a scorch, not a

rubbing — but we know of no mechanism to this day that can make an image with the same chemical and physical properties as the image on the shroud.”

Testing has been performed on the shroud since the initial analyses, and the results continue to be contested. In 1988 carbon testing dated the cloth to the 12th century, leading many to conclude that the shroud is a medieval forgery.

In a paper published in 2005, chemist Raymond Rogers, member of the 1978 research team, challenged the claim that the shroud is a fake. He said the sample used in the 1988 carbon testing was a piece used to mend the cloth in the Middle Ages and that the methodology of the testing was erroneous.

Even though the controversy over the origin of the cloth does not seem like it will be determined any time soon, Schwortz said the shroud can still be regarded as a bridge between science and faith.

“I think the implication of the shroud, for those particularly of the Christian faith, is that this is a document that precisely coincides with the Gospel account of what was done to the man Jesus,” he said.

Schwortz said the public online technical database — www. shroud.com — that the team created should be used as a tool to learn more about the physical attributes of the shroud, but that individuals should draw their own conclusions about what it means for their faith.

“People often ask me, ‘Does this prove the Resurrection?’”

Schwortz said. “The shroud did not come with a book of instructions. So the answer to faith isn’t going to be on that piece of cloth, but more likely in the eyes and the hearts of those who look upon it.”

still no explanation — The Shroud of Turin is seen on display in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, in this file photo. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

a couple of big wheels — Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes star in a scene from the movie “The Place Beyond the Pines.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Focus)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by Catholic News Service.

“Pain and Gain” (Paramount) Nasty fact-based crime chronicle — set in the early 1990s — in which a trio of dimwitted bodybuilders (Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie) kidnap an abrasive but successful businessman (Tony Shalhoub) and torture him into signing over all his holdings to them. Thanks in large part to the efforts of a straight-arrow police officerturned-private-eye (Ed Harris), however, their nearly successful scheme begins to unravel. In adapting a series of magazine articles by Pete Collins, director Michael Bay invites viewers to marvel at the he-men’s jaw-dropping stupidity. Yet their vicious antics, acted out within a lowlife milieu of strippers and porn pushers, are too repellant to be amusing, while snarky swipes at religion culminate in blasphemous humor and the character of a pervert priest. Negative portrayal of Christian faith and clergy, brutal, sometimes gory violence, strong sexual content — including graphic sex acts, masturbation and upper female and rear nudity — drug use, about a half-dozen instances of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America

rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“The Place Beyond the Pines” (Focus) The iniquity of a father is visited upon his children — more than once — in this wrenching and profound multigenerational saga directed and co-written by Derek Cianfrance. A motorcycle stuntman (Ryan Gosling) in a traveling carnival reencounters his ex-lover (Eva Mendes) who reveals they have a baby son. Determined to provide for his newfound offspring, he embarks on a spree of bank heists.

When a rookie cop (Bradley Cooper) eventually tracks him down, it has devastating consequences for both men — and for their respective families.

The film offers a powerful message about temptation and relativism, as well as the role of conscience and the effect of one individual’s actions on others — though the choices made by the conflicted characters are not always ideal ones. Action violence including gunplay, brief gore, frequent drug and alcohol use, an instance of distasteful humor, a scene of sensuality, a couple of uses each of profane and crass language. The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, May 7, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father David C. Frederici, chaplain at UMass Dartmouth and Cape Cod Community College

May 3, 2013

Wanting the Church ‘to be holy’ I am writing to enter the ongoing dialogue regarding the reception of Holy Communion.

I have had the privilege of teaching in Catholic schools for 26 years, and it is from this perspective that I address the question. The buzzwords in education lately are the “preparation of students for college and career.” For Catholic schools however, the fundamental task remains what it has always been: to prepare and equip our students to live as faithful Catholics in the current age and society.

In our age, the things of God are often met with skepticism and mockery. How do we, as Church, give clear witness to what we believe in an age that needs bold signs? How do we support one another in our witness? How do we teach our children to be countercultural and fearlessly proclaim the Gospel?

The question by Father Johnson is really not so much whether to receive the Host in the hand or on the tongue, but is a deeper question of reverence. The Eucharist is at the heart of the question because the Eucharist is at the heart of our faith. It is no ordinary thing, this reception of Communion. It is radically different from anything which happens in this world — this intimate moment when the Lord gives Himself to us as food lifts us out of time and space, giving us a foretaste of eternity. The manner in which we receive this tremendous gift cannot be ordinary. It needs to be other, as witness to the Other, and as reminder to ourselves of the sacredness of the moment. I would suggest that a return to kneeling when we receive would serve this purpose. Communion could still be received in the hand or on the tongue, but the posture of kneeling would communicate to all that this is a sacred moment.

I am a product of the post-Vatican II years where it was thought that to make the Liturgy more relevant to the people, it ought to bring in elements of ordinary culture. This often led to a casual approach. Catholic culture was pushed aside. When I speak with my students, they express a hunger for a respite from their ordinary life. They want Church, in their words, “to be holy.” It is imperative on us, as adults, to hand on the fullness of our Catholic faith and the beauty of our rich Catholic culture — to equip them for a Catholic life.

This dialogue about our Catholic life needs to continue in our homes, our parishes, our schools. However, I fear that we in the Church have adopted the polarization of our society — conservative and liberal — each side molding the Lord into an image that fits its opinions. Can we not set this aside and conduct our dialogue in charity? Perhaps we will find ourselves surprised by our commonality.

Jean M. Willis, Principal St. Stanislaus School, Fall River EXECUTIVE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for your balanced meditation on the reality of Whom we receive in Holy Communion. As you suggest, a dialogue in love (only our ancient foe would want a dialogue about Communion devoid of love) can help us be more cognizant of the great Gift that Christ is offering us (Himself!).

The few times I have been at services at the Episcopal Church people there receive what they believe to be Communion while kneeling (which the Catholic Church does not believe to be the Body of Christ). So, your compromise position is intriguing

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The Anchor

Our readers respond

— it would remind people by their bodily action (kneeling) that this is something special, while retaining the options of receiving on the tongue or in the hand.

A breath of fresh air You have stated that much has been written about the “symbolism” of different actions of Pope Francis, and that the “secular media” is enthralled with the “newness” of Pope Francis’ way of serving, “as if he were inventing it ‘out of whole cloth.’”

However, it’s not the media that is enthralled, but rather the whole Catholic (and non-Catholic) world that is impressed with the pope’s Christ-like behavior since his election to office. His decision to avoid the use of the velvet and gold accoutrements that the Church has wrapped its hierarchy in for centuries, speaks volumes. His decision not to reside in the “Apostolic Palace,” speaks volumes. Did the Apostles ever live in a palace? His decision to conduct Holy Thursday service in a youth prison where he washed the feet of prisoners, Muslims and women, all speak volumes of who he is.

These decisions are indeed “newness” in our Church and not an invention of the secular media. This is a wonderful and hopeful departure from the culture of clericalism that has been the Catholic Church for centuries.

We pray that the Holy Spirit continues to similarly guide Pope Francis as he restructures the Roman Curia and appoints his administrative staff. Pope Francis is a breath of fresh air in the Roman Catholic Church.

Edward J. Scahill Jr. Mashpee EXECUTIVE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for your praise of the pope.

When I made reference to the secular media’s enthusiasm for the Holy Father a few weeks ago, what I was trying to convey was that I feared that once the pope said something that they found “old fashioned” or “conservative,” they would “turn him off.” I am enthused about him (as I was about the other popes in my lifetime), but in a lot of ways he is not doing something “new,” just trying to return us to our origins, to the center of our faith.

As George Weigel on page eight writes in this edition, Pope Francis is a “Christian radical,” i.e., he is bringing us back to the roots. That’s what I meant by saying that the pope wasn’t inventing something new.

I hope that we can all join in with him in this important task of following Christ in this way.

Where are the men?

After listening to our bishop’s message for the Catholic Charities Appeal at Mass today, I was left wondering, “Where were the men?”

By inference, men are despicable (domestic abuse) and missing (a mother grieving by herself over her daughter’s death). I suppose women and children tug more at the heartstrings but it’s men who are needed to help reduce the need for charity in the first place.

To effect this, the men themselves may need the assistance of Catholic Charities.

I presume that women tend to avail themselves more to the services available but the focus should not just be on a helping hand. It should also highlight the lifting up and that’s where the whole family

EXECUTIVE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for your note and your generosity to the Catholic Charities Appeal.

I cannot speak to the details of preparing this year’s video, but from having worked with the videographer last year, I do know that it is a time-consuming task to try to find people who have benefited from the services funded by the appeal and are willing to be on camera. I do know that many men are also served by the CCAfunded agencies. It may be that some men are more reluctant than these women to go on camera revealing their moments of need. I do not think that the intention of the video was to infer that men are all

abusers (although it is important to highlight the problem of domestic abuse and remind people that resources exist in the Church to help those seemingly “trapped” in abusive situations) or are absent to their grieving wives (I don’t know if the woman in the video was a widow or divorced. She may have even had a supportive husband, but still needed the resources provided by the CCA so as to better “process” the loss of her daughter). As you wrote, it could also be that the women who were available to be videotaped were judged to be effective at motivating people to give. I think that ultimately the goal of the agencies funded by the CCA is to lift up people, materially and spiritually, and I encourage all families to give what they can so as to help other individuals and families in their time of need.

Chicago, Ill. (CNA/EWTN News) — Residents and religious of a small Chicago suburb rallied to celebrate their so far successful campaign against the opening of a multi-million dollar strip club across from a convent.

“We came together as a community, as people of faith and stood together fighting for family values against what some thought was an unbreakable giant,” Sister Noemia Silva of the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, Scalabrinian said at a recent press conference.

“It’s not only for the Sisters, but for the community itself,” she told CNA in a later interview.

Outrage has erupted locally over the building of the strip club, particularly because of its location next to the missionary Sisters’ convent and retirement home.

Proprietors of the club have been accused of breaking state law, which requires a 1,000-foot “buffer zone” between places of worship and such businesses.

“They haven’t respected state law and so we’re going to tell them, ‘You need to respect that,” Sister Silva said. “This should not have even happened so close to a worship area.”

Although the $3 million “adult entertainment” club, “Get It,” was slated to open during Holy Week of 2012, it has yet to open its doors to the public largely due to community protest and a legal battle between the landowner and building owner.

Sister Silva said the Sisters, who are spread throughout 18 countries, have

been praying for the intercession of St. Michael. “All of our communities are praying for this; it’s just constant, constant prayer.”

She likened their fight against the club’s opening to that of David and Goliath. “David won the battle because he trusted in the Good Lord,” she explained.

“He’ll fight this battle for us.”

Many locals are worried about what kind of community such an establishment would foster, especially in an area where many young families as well as long-time residents live.

Opposition to the club has been steadily growing since last year as other community leaders have joined the Sisters in their fight against the club.

Recently with the help of West Suburban Action Project the community gathered in its largest-ever public demonstration as some 500 people assembled for a prayer vigil. Additionally, over 3,000 people have signed petitions against the club.

The community has called on Mayor Beniamino Mazzulla of neighboring Stone Park — which boarders Melrose Park and is home to the massive strip club — to enforce the “buffer-zone” law or to support the case when they take it to court.

If it opens, this would be the sixth strip club in the community.

The Thomas More Society has offered free legal support to the Sisters should they choose to take legal action, which they most likely will.

comes in — earthly as well as spiritual.

Mike Aiello Sandwich

Nuns celebrate one year of blocking Illinois strip club

14

The Anchor

May 3, 2013

Brooklyn Diocese launches ‘hipster’ Jesus ad campaign

Brooklyn, N.Y. (CNA/ EWTN News) — A new ad campaign by the Diocese of Brooklyn is hoping to attract the unchurched, with a series of posters calling Christ “the original hipster,” as well as ads designed for gyms and bars.

“We’re called to go where the people are ... to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ where people are, be that a bar, gym, restaurant, or what have you,” Msgr. Kieran Harrington, vicar for Communications at the Brooklyn Diocese and campaign creator, recently told CNA. “It’s not about accommodating Christ to ourselves, but

accommodating ourselves to Christ, changing our life; we enter into a deep relationship with Christ and the Church, and our life is changed.”

The ad which has garnered the most attention is one which depicts Christ in a robe and Chuck Taylor sneakers, calling him “the original hipster.”

The bottom of the ad, placed at bus stops and phone booths throughout Brooklyn and Queens, reads “All Faces. Everyday Understanding.”

Msgr. Harrington said that though it’s acknowledged that Christ was a Semitic man shorter and darker than popular depiction, nevertheless every

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culture produces its own images of Him. “Religious depictions of Jesus generally represent the people of a particular given day.

People in northern Europe and other places often show Him having blonde hair and blue eyes. Other places, in Asia, Africa, Latin America, you might see a different depiction of Jesus.”

“Well in Brooklyn, there’s a lot of young bohemian type folks, and this representation is to enable them to see that we’re all called to be another Christ in the world by virtue of our Baptism.”

The “hipster” depiction of Christ is meant to appeal to the broad demographic of vaguely counter-cultural, Pabst Blue Ribbon-swilling 20-somethings who are more likely to be agnostic or “spiritual but not religious” than regular Massgoers.

“The point of the Church is precisely that we shouldn’t think that just because of how someone dresses, if they wear Converse sneakers, that they can’t come to church on Sunday or won’t find understanding in church on Sunday,” said Msgr. Harrington.

“We’ve got to think of ways to provoke a conversation, because a lot of people come to us with pre-conceived notions about what people who are religious are like, in the same way that a lot of religious people have pre-conceived notions about other people.”

Rather than the Church “accommodating to a different way of life,” the monsignor said the ads are an effort to enter into dialogue with those whom it doesn’t often encounter. “That’s what Jesus did; He entered into dialogue with the woman caught in adultery, and with the woman at the well.”

An additional ad posted by the Brooklyn Diocese features a photo of a treadmill and is

wearing chucks — Original Hipster Poster. Courtesy of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

placed in gyms with the caption: “Tired of running in place? Attend Mass.”

Another one placed in bars and restaurants shows a man “who’s clearly been partying too long,” as Msgr. Harrington said, that asks, “Should I get a new habit?”

“There’s a lot of noise in Brooklyn, lots of people competing for attention,” he said.

“You have to cut through the noise, and this ad campaign was meant to do that.”

The “All Faces” campaign is meant to reach out to the diverse cultural make-up of Brooklyn and Queens. It runs in Spanish and Chinese as well as English, and links to a parish locator on the diocese’s website.

“Whether you’re from Gua-

temala or China or Tennessee, and living in Brooklyn and Queens, all people are welcome at church and we understand where you’re coming from,” Msgr. Harrington said.

The ads note that the diocese has more than 230 churches in the two boroughs. In a diocese of only 179 square miles, that should serve to remind people that they’re never far from a Catholic parish.

“It’s prompting people to hopefully go back to Mass,” reflected Msgr. Harrington.

“When they go to church they’ll have the opportunity to hear the Gospel message, which is very outward focused, in terms of how the encounter with Christ radically transforms the way I live.”

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

Diocesan Council of Catholic Women celebrates 60 years continued from page one

the council,” admitted longtime DCCW member and vice president-elect Madeline Lavoie.

“I know everyone is busy with other things but it can be very rewarding.”

Lavoie, who is a communicant of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Westport, has been an ardent supporter of the DCCW for many years, serving as the organization’s unofficial publicity coordinator and all-around cheerleader for the council.

“We need new members to assist us — young members who will carry on the many activities in their parishes and the diocese,” Lavoie told The Anchor.

“We’d hate to see (the DCCW) fall apart after all the good work we’ve done.”

“There are a lot of women who used to be active in this area, but they just can’t do it anymore — they’re either sick or in nursing homes — and we need some people to take over,” agreed former DCCW president Lynette Ouellette. “Today we don’t have the help we need.

The Fall River Diocese used to have a strong involvement on the local and national level.”

Established by Bishop James L. Connolly on June 3, 1953, the DCCW has faithfully and humbly lived out its mission for the past 60 years.

It was always Bishop Connolly’s dream to establish a tool to bring together the women of the diocese to help implement the precepts of the Church while adhering to three key goals: first, to give Catholic women in the diocese a common voice and an instrument for united action in all matters affecting Catholic or national welfare; second, to insure Catholic representation on and the proper recognition of Catholic principles in national committees and movements affecting the religious, moral and material well-being of the United States; and third, to stimulate the work of existing Catholic women’s organizations to greater service and usefulness in meeting the needs of the times.

Over the years, the DCCW has been involved with many charitable events in the diocese including the Bishop’s Charity Ball, support for Catholic Social Services apostolates such as St. Mathieu’s Residence in Fall River, St. Clare’s Residence in Hyannis and the Donovan House in New Bedford, along with various Pro-Life events on the local, regional and national level.

“Another important aspect is our legislative involvement,” Lavoie said. “We have members who go to the State House

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The Anchor

May 3, 2013

or to Washington, D.C. to voice their support for different issues. We also do a lot for families and mothers, including the WIC program and the Madonna Plan. We’ve also helped to raise money for Haiti and Honduras.”

Whether it’s raising funds for the needy and distributing them via diocesan agencies to making stoles for newly-ordained priests to preparing a prayer service as a tribute to the military who have served our country, the DCCW has consistently and quietly served the Church and her people in the Fall River Diocese.

But like many Church-based organizations in today’s busy world, the DCCW has found it difficult to maintain membership in recent years.

“We used to have more than 200 people attend our annual convention,” Lavoie said. “I think we have less than 100 signed up for this year. It’s hard to say now how many are active … and there aren’t many women’s guilds in the parishes anymore.”

Lavoie said the lack of parish-based guilds and the fact that young mothers are busy working and taking care of their families has made it difficult to devote time to the DCCW. “I think it’s harder to get young people involved because of technology today and all of the other commitments they have,” she said. “I know my oldest granddaughter is involved with sports — she was just in a regatta this past weekend and next weekend she has another race and her sister has a softball game. When I talk to women to try to get them to join, I know it’s difficult to find a free night.”

Once comprised of five districts in the diocese — encompassing Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro and Cape Cod — the DCCW also boasted member affiliates from individual parishes that were known as either Councils of Catholic Women or Women’s Guilds. Groups such as the Daughters of Isabella and the Council of Catholic Nurses are also affiliated with the DCCW. In an effort to generate more interest, the DCCW recently eliminated individual parish guilds and area districts, allowing all women — including those who had no parish affiliate in the area — to join the council, be part of the decision-making process, and contribute time and talent based on individual lifestyles and circumstances.

Ouellette said she hopes the Fall River DCCW will follow in the footsteps of similar organi-

zations in Florida, which have seen a boost in membership in recent years.

“There are a lot of young people involved with women’s guilds and groups in Florida,” she said. “That was surprising to me. You would think there would be more elderly people in Florida.”

Noting that the parish-based affiliate members of the DCCW would give of their time and talents to help with various fundraising activities and events, Lavoie said in turn they would receive support and information from the diocesan group and the National Council of Catholic Women.

“Every year we used to send someone to the national convention, so they could bring information back to our affiliate,” Lavoie said. “Unfortunately, the cost for registration, expenses and travel makes it hard to send someone now.”

“I think that unless you’ve gone to one of the national conventions, you really don’t know what the NCCW is all about,” Ouellette agreed. “It’s hard to explain. It’s very impressive — they have workshops and they provide excellent information.

And the Liturgy is beautiful. But not everyone can afford to go.”

While many parish women’s guilds had opted to not join the DCCW or NCCW due to the rising cost of dues and expenses, Lavoie said individual memberships can be obtained for a nominal fee.

“I’m an individual member of the DCCW,” she said. “Our guild decided not to join, so I became an individual member.”

Having first joined in the 1970s, Lavoie said she finds the work she does through the DCCW very rewarding.

“They encouraged me to do things that I never thought I would do,” she said. “And it was a great way to socialize and make friends. It’s a very rewarding experience, doing the Lord’s work, serving others, teaching and sharing your talents.”

“I noticed that when I started to serve on the national level, that’s when I started to make many life-long friends,” added Ouellette, who currently serves as the treasurer for her parish guild and is also on the DCCW budget committee.

While Lavoie said she understands why some younger people with family and job commitments might be reluctant to get involved with the DCCW, there are people like Cherie Cuff, a fellow parishioner at Our Lady of Grace Parish, who have found a way to make it work.

“I was delighted to see Cherie get involved, even though she works full-time and has three children,” Lavoie said.

“She comes to our meetings and is always smiling, carrying pastry.”

“My grandmother has been a member of the DCCW for years, so that’s what initially sparked my interest,” Cuff told The Anchor. “I enjoy helping people and I just thought it would be a way to do a little bit without having to do a lot.

I don’t have a lot of time with three children at home and a full-time job … but I just feel it’s one way to give something back.”

Despite her grandmother’s involvement, Lavoie said she was amazed to learn Cuff decided to join of her own volition.

“Her grandmother told me she didn’t really talk her into joining — that was something she decided to do on her own,” she said. “I know she has so

This week in 50 years ago — Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, blessed the new Bishop James E. Cassidy High School for Girls in Taunton. The cardinal was a close friend of the late Bishop Cassidy for many years.

25 years ago — Bishop Daniel A. Cronin celebrated an outdoor Pro-Life Mass at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro. The event, which included a Living Rosary service, was part of the annual “Knights for Life” antiabortion program of the Knights of Columbus.

much going on (with her family) and it’s difficult to find the time, but she does it.”

“The other advantage is I get to spend time with my grandmother and do something good at the same time,” Cuff said. “I certainly could probably do a whole lot more, but I just volunteer to do what I know I can.

It’s as time-consuming as you want it to be. It’s not a huge commitment — the meetings are only once a month — and you can do whatever else your time permits. There’s certainly no pressure involved.”

The annual meeting of the DCCW will be held tomorrow at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton. It will include Mass celebrated by Bishop George W. Coleman at 10:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon and guest speaker.

For more information about joining the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, call 508-993-5085 or 508-6726900.

Diocesan history

10 years ago — On the eve of its centennial anniversary, the Diocese of Fall River received its seventh bishop when Pope John Paul II announced the appointment of Msgr.

George W. Coleman as the next bishop of the Fall River Diocese.

One year ago — Pope Benedict XVI conferred papal honors on six priests of the Fall River Diocese. Msgr. John A. Perry was named a Protonotary Apostolic, and five priests were named Prelates of Honor to His Holiness: Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, Msgr. Edmund J. Fitzgerald, Msgr. John F. Moore, Msgr. Ronald A. Tosti, and Father Barry W. Wall.

16

Youth Pages

an old spin on things — Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro recently went retro when it celebrated Teen Tech Week, a national initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association aimed at teens, their parents, and educators. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technology, especially the types offered through libraries.

The Feehan library displayed technological innovations of the past to make evident the advancements that have been made, such as a record player, photographic slides, cassette tapes and a typewriter. Here freshman Brianna O’Rourke enjoyed playing “Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits” on vinyl.

which came first? — Students in kindergarten at St. James-St. John School in New Bedford hatched chicks as part of a science theme.

that’s a good question — St. Joseph School (Fairhaven) students attended the awards ceremony at MIT, holding the 2013 Curiosity Challenge Books which now includes their entries. From left: Skyler Stone (grade six) “Why Do People Have Scoliosis?” ; Francesca Saber (grade four) “Why Is There No Air In Space?” ; Sophia Murray (grade two) “Why Are Turtles So Slow On Land?”; and Justin Hankins (grade five) “Why Are Lions So Furry When They Live In Warm Places?”

May 3, 2013

Chips off the old Block — The Chippendale Family recently served students at Holy Name School in Fall River a specially-prepared “Chip Strong” lunch consisting of American Chop Suey, grilled hot dogs, and a delicious “Earth Day” cake dessert. Paul (Chip) Chippendale lost his year-plus hardfought battle against cancer this past February. The Chippendale Family wanted to thank the Holy Name Family for its love and support and chose to do so by making, serving and sharing a meal with all the students, faculty and staff.

a pressing need — The eighth-grade students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently took the Friends and Family CPR course through the American Heart Association. The students watched a video as they practiced the maneuvers. Physical education teacher Julie Bradley also spoke to them about AED, first-aid and choking. Here Bradley walks the students through the process of chest compressions.

valuable lessons learned — St. Mary-Sacred Heart School’s (North Attleboro) second-grade classes, taught by Patricia Diamond and Anne Sullivan held their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tea to celebrate and give thanks for all that MLK did for our country. The students perform skits about Martin Luther King and then the teachers handed out awards made by each student that shares something special about each student. Here the two classes pose wearing their awards.

May 3, 2013

“B

eloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God” (1 Jn 4:7).

God created you as a unique person. There is no one like you. You are one of a kind. And because you are a unique creation God has made a path, a way, just for you. All God asks of you is that you do not travel down that path alone: God wants to walk with you so you can become more and more the person He designed you to be. Others have their own paths to follow because they, too, are unique and different. Isn’t that part of the beautiful mystery we call life? Each of us is different because we can all make a difference. Each of us has a voice that needs to be heard. When you think no one is listening, think again. God is always listening!

The events of the past month have put us all on edge. But, we

T

ragedy, corruption, and violence consume the United States and affect each citizen in different ways. The bombing that took place during the Boston Marathon, as well as other terrible events such as the Newtown Elementary School shooting, have seemingly become the “norm” in today’s society. But these events are not destroying our country. Rather, they are unifying and strengthening the love and affection the citizens of the United States have for each other and their country.

The students of Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton had initial reactions of terror and dismay when they first heard about the bombings. Marissa Alger, a junior, had mixed feelings of “complete shock that something like that could happen, and so close to home, and worry for those whose lives were affected.” Many of the students, including Alger, initially reacted by praying for the victims and the innocent lives that were lost.

Youth Pages One voice

have seen tragedy turn into triact and the ability to make moral umph; pain into caring; and grief choices. Every one of us is capable into comfort. We mourn the loss of making selfish, self-centered of innocent lives, begin to rebuild or even evil choices. Whenever our own lives and take comfort that happens, people get hurt. And that we are not alone. We all witwhen people get hurt, God is the nessed this as a people of a city first to grieve. He grieves for the and a country that came together to be strong for each other. The fans at the TD Garden were a perfect example of this — singing the National Anthem as one voice, and, as one people,

By Ozzie Pacheco making their desire for peace paramount for the world to hear. Yet, the question still remains in the hearts pain and suffering of His children and minds of many youth I work and then for our misuse of His with in ministry, especially those wonderful gift of free choice. Sin in middle school: “Why does God ultimately is selfishness. “I want to allow evil to happen?” do what I want, not what God tells My young friends, God has me to do.” That is walking down given us a free will. Made in the path alone and always in fear.

God’s image, He has given us the To live in fear is to not know the freedom to decide how we will love of God.

Be Not Afraid

17 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God — Whom he has not seen” (1 Jn 4:18-20).

Have you ever wondered why we humans were created with two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet and only one mouth? Every decision you make will affect your life, and others. Never rush to decisions.

Think twice, speak once. This is the wonderful fruit of patience!

Tragedies, somehow, do bring us together. The outpourings of support, comfort, care and love help us to realize that we are one people

The attempts to separate are having a unifying effect The students of Coyle and CasCoyle students are trying hard sidy have turned to God for guidto look past the negative and see ance and believe that this tragic the positive in the Boston bombing event has not only strengthened incident, in which so many lives belief in God, but has also unified the nation. David Capella, a junior, believes that the events that took place in Boston have led people further into God’s light. “I do believe that tragic events like these

By Savannah Costa help unify our country and even strengthen our relationship with God. When tragic things like this haphave been taken or destroyed. Just pen our country comes together in like Capella, Joseph Fichera, a ways that are unbelievable,” said senior, tries to focus on the posiCapella. During hard times and tive by looking “at the amount of devastating circumstances, Capella love that was generated from the said he turns to God “because I families involved, the empathy know that God will always be from the country for these people, there to comfort and guide me and the security of knowing through things like this when my that Boston should now be safe family and friends aren’t availagain.” Fichera, like most students, able.” Capella believes that people believes that incidents such as the will “turn to God for the guidance bombing in Boston, cause “famand comfort they need as well as ily, friends, and newly-acquired to pray for the safety of the victims acquaintances to mourn together, and people affected.” pray together, and cause them to

School Views

join the chorus — The St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School (Hyannis) chorus joined peers from Monomoy Regional, Nauset Regional, Mattacheese, Barnstable, Dennis Yarmouth Regional, and Bourne high schools at a recent All Cape Cod Chorus Workshop at Barnstable High School.

be unified under similar intentions and compassion for one another.”

Elizabeth Aleo, a senior, believes that “looking at the responses of the people of Boston makes it easy to see the good in this terrible situation.” Aleo finds that the Boston bombings and other tragic events not only unify the nation but “also increase our faith in God, as can be seen by the signs reading ‘Pray for Boston’ that appeared everywhere after the attacks.”

Rebecca Santos, a sophomore, stated that the people of Boston “rallied together to prove that they were ‘Boston Strong’ and that they would be able to pull through this.”

Aleo and Santos find that their love and faith in God grow stronger during difficult times. “After these tragic events people often feel vulnerable and abandoned and often look to God to give them the support and guidance that they

with one voice. But, let’s continue to live this beautiful part of our humanity, always. Don’t be afraid to love and to accept love. In God’s own mysterious way let’s continue to walk the path He created for each of us while also staying in close contact with others. In fact, the more we stay in step with God — because we love Him — the more freely we can love others.

Always be amazed at how wonderfully God works in your life. The more you follow your path, the more you become who you really are. The more you follow your path, the more you can love others.

Let us echo everyday, with one voice, the words of Martin Richard, the youngest fatality of the Boston Marathon bombings, “No more hurting people. Peace.”

God bless!

Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

need to become strong again,” Santos observed.

Signs and billboards on local streets and highways proclaim “We are one,” proving that the terrorist attacks have unified this country, motivating the citizens of the United States to respond with support and love for those who need it most. The Coyle and Cassidy community is remembering the victims of the Boston bombing by saying special prayers and observing moments of silence. The students are devastated by the cruelty in this world, but know that God will always be there to guide them through the rough patches in life.

Savannah Costa is a senior at Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton. The Anchor is in the process of working with our diocesan high schools for more news coverage from students’ perspectives at the five area high schools.

solid support — Students, faculty and staff at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford recently participated in a canned-food drive for a local food pantry to show support for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

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May 3, 2013

Sex-ed consent bill granted hearing continued from page one

work home to let parents know that graphic sex-ed is going to be taught and they can opt their children out,” he said.

Mineau added that even if parents receive notification, sometimes they are afraid opting out would put their child in a spotlight. Sexual education should be an elective, he said.

“I’ve never talked to a parent that didn’t support it. Every parent I have ever come in contact with, when I explain it to them, says, ‘That makes all the sense in the world. Why don’t we have this?’” he said.

He called the current curriculum in schools across the state “reprehensible” and said it exposes young children, even those in kindergarten, to “vile and graphic” information. Programs for older children sometimes promote sexual experimentation.

Both of the proposed parental consent bills amend the same statute — Chapter 71, Section 32A of the Massachusetts General Laws — and both are entitled “An Act regarding parental notification and consent.” They employ similar language to make all sexuality education an elective, allow parents to monitor the content of such courses and permit school employees to conscientiously object to teaching on those topics.

Both bills require parental permission for instruction on sexual education, contraception, abortion, promiscuity, homosexuality, transgenderism and sex changes among other topics.

Both also mandate that parents be asked before their children are taught about non-traditional marriage and family constructs. Same-sex marriage advocates and others have argued that such a shift would prohibit classroom discussions about the state’s legal definition of Marriage and ignore the reality that many students are being raised in non-tradi-

tional families.

The second bill, HB440, also requires parental consent for student surveys about a wide range of topics, including sexual behavior, psychological problems, political affiliations and income.

Mineau also advised parents to be aware of a bill that would institute comprehensive sex education. The measure is hidden inside a comprehensive health education bill — HB421.

“Certainly, we’re all for health, but the Trojan horse in this thing is the sex-ed program that’s even more vile and graphic than what’s currently being taught,” he said.

Whatever happens with the pending legislation on sexeducation, Mineau encouraged parents to be involved in their local school board and parentteacher association.

“Find out what your children are being taught, particularly in health courses and any course involving human sexuality,” he said. “We need to be proactive to protect our children.”

Angie O’Grady, a Catholic mother of four who lives in Marston Mills, said she is concerned about sexuality education that is inappropriate and conflicts with her faith. She added that she has not always received adequate notice.

“You don’t really hear about it until after the fact. I do ask my son about it, though,” she said.

O’Grady added that she believes the best place for sex education is in the home and that schools should stick to general health topics.

For instructions on how to contact your elected representatives about the parental consent laws, visit the MCC’s website at www.macatholic.org. A copy of all proposed amendments to state law can be found on the Massachusetts website at www. malegislature.gov/bills.

with the spirit — Hundreds dance and pray during the annual Hispanic Charismatic Renewal at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago recently. The two-day event drew more than 7,000 people from several states and included speakers, music, Liturgy and prayer. (CNS photo/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World)

Vatican official says curia reform needs time, dismisses bank rumors

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Amid widespread speculation about a complete and quick reorganization of Vatican departments and rumors in the Italian media that Pope Francis was going to close the Vatican bank, a top Vatican official told everyone to calm down.

“It’s a bit strange; the pope still has not met the group of advisers he chose and already the advice is raining down,” said Archbishop Angelo Becciu, the substitute secretary for general affairs in the Vatican Secretariat of State.

The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, ran a frontpage interview April 30 with Archbishop Becciu, whose job is similar to a chief of staff.

Asked about rumors that Pope Francis intended to close the Institute for Religious Works, commonly called the Vatican bank, Archbishop Becciu said, “The pope was surprised to see attributed to him phrases that he never said and that misrepresent his thought.”

Vatican bank employees joined the pope April 24 for his morning Mass; in his homily the pope said the story of the Church is part of the story of God’s love for humanity and human beings’ love for God; Pope Francis said bureaucracies, structures and offices — like the Vatican bank, for example — must never get in the way of living and sharing that story of love.

“In the context of a serious call to never lose sight of the essence of the Church,” the pope’s reference to the Vatican bank was simply an acknowledgment that some of the employees were present, the archbishop said.

As for the panel of eight cardinals Pope Francis named April 13 to advise him on “the governance of the Universal Church and to study a plan” to reorganize the Roman Curia, Archbishop Becciu said, “at this moment it is absolutely premature to advance any hypothesis about the future structure of the curia.”

“Pope Francis is listening to everyone, but wants to hear first of all from those he chose as advisers,” the archbishop said. The eight cardinals — including Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston and Cardinal George Pell of Sydney — are supposed to hold their first formal meeting in October.

In the meantime, Archbishop Becciu said, Pope Francis has asked all the heads of Vatican congregations and councils to stay on “for now.” As of April 30, the pope had not offered any Vatican office head a more permanent position, but he also has asked Vatican officials with an expired five-year appointment to continue in their jobs, the archbishop said.

“This shows the desire of the Holy Father to take the time he

needs for reflection — and for prayer, let’s not forget — in order to have a complete picture of the situation,” he said.

Archbishop Becciu was asked about a commentator’s opinion that by appointing a group of advisers Pope Francis was putting in jeopardy the primacy of the papacy. The archbishop dismissed the claim.

“It’s a consultative body, not a decision-making one, and I truly do not see how Pope Francis’ decision could put primacy into question,” he said. Appointing advisers does, however, demonstrate how “the Holy Father wants to exercise his ministry,” listening to the opinions of cardinals from around the world.

In the Church, Archbishop Becciu said, consultative bodies work on the parish, diocesan and universal levels and religious orders have them, too, but the bodies do not lessen the authority of the pastor, the bishop, the pope or the orders’ superiors.

Outside the Church, he said, people might think a council without decision-making powers is irrelevant, “but that would mean comparing the Church to a business.” In the Church, he said, advisers and members of councils “help the superior in the work of discernment, in understanding what the Spirit is asking of the Church at a precise historical moment.”

May 3, 2013

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

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

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel at Holy Ghost Church, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

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

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

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

East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich.

Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

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

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

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

FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the chapel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

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

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

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

Taunton — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction.

Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass. taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Expostition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass.

The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day.

Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

WAREHAM — Every First Friday, Eucharistic Adoration takes place from 8:30 a.m. through Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Morning prayer is prayed at 9; the Angelus at noon; the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m.; and Evening Prayer at 5 p.m.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No Adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

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The Anchor

Cardinal ordains three archbishops for diplomatic service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With ambassadors from around the world in attendance, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone ordained as archbishops three members of the Vatican diplomatic corps — including U.S. Archbishop Michael W. Banach — who will serve as nuncios.

Archbishop Banach, 50, a priest of the Diocese of Worcester, was named nuncio to Papua New Guinea; he had been the Vatican’s representative to several international agencies based in Vienna.

The others ordained April 27 were: Italian Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, 46, former Vatican undersecretary for relations with states, who was named nuncio to Colombia; and 48-year-old Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, who was born in Cameroon but ordained for the Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria.

He will serve as nuncio to Benin.

Pope Francis offered his congratulations to three new archbishops April 29 during a meeting with them and members of their families.

Cardinal Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, presided over the ordinations during a Mass at the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.

In his homily, he spoke about the role of a bishop and about Jesus’ commandment to His disciples to love one another as He loved them.

Loving like Jesus did, the cardinal said, means loving others to the point of offering up one’s life if necessary.

“Offering one’s life means giving oneself in full availability, placing the gifts you have received from God at the service of others, giving others your time, giving your lives without reservation,” the cardinal said. “We find it easy sometimes to give things, but it’s much more difficult, important and

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming week May 5 Rev. Leo M. Curry, Retired Pastor, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1973 Rev. Albert Rowley, SS.CC., In Residence, St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, 1985 Rev. Raymond A. Robida, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 2003 May 6 Rev. Thomas P. Elliott, Founder, St. Mary, Mansfield, 1905 Rev. Asdrubal Castelo Branco, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, New Bedford, 1980 Rev. Ernest E. Blais, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1994 May 7 Rev. Raymond P. Levell, S.J., Professor, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala., 1958 May 9 Rev. J.E. Theodule Giguere, Pastor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1940 Rev. John P. Clarke, Pastor, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1941

fruitful to give our time, moved by a missionary spirit.”

While the nuncio’s job is to promote the spiritual good of a nation’s people by maintaining cordial relationships with civil authorities and supporting the local bishops, Cardinal Bertone said,

they also need to exercise the fullness of their priesthood by “going out to meet those searching for truth; lighting a lamp in the hearts of those walking in darkness; sowing peace, joy and hope in those suffering from solitude, distress and injustice.”

Around the Diocese 5/3

The Fall River Area Men’s First Friday Club will meet tonight at the Chapel of St. Mary’s Cathedral, 327 Second Street in Fall River, continuing its 65th year of activity. Following the 6 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father André (“Father Pat”) Patenaude, there will be a hot meal served in the school hall across the street. The guest speaker is “Father Pat.” Attendance at the meal is open to any gentleman interested in this gathering. Guests or their member sponsors must notify Norman Valiquette at 508672-8174 for seat reservations or with any questions.

5/4

A Day with Mary will be held tomorrow at St. Margaret’s Church, 141 Main Street in Buzzards Bay from 7:50 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. It will include a video presentation, procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother with Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There will also be an opportunity for Reconciliation. A bookstore is available. Please bring a bag lunch. For more information call 508-996-8274.

5/8

St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River has started a 10-week series on “Father Barron’s Catholicism.” It takes place each Wednesday at 6:45 p.m., with dinner, then the video and finally small group discussions. It’s open to all, with just a free-will donation given to cover the food. People are asked to email fatherlandry@saintbernadettefallriver.com to register so that enough food can be prepared.

5/11

Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville will present its sixth annual Comedy Night and Dinner on May 11. The event features three of Boston’s top headliners — Tony V., Dan Crohn and Dave Rattigan. Doors open in the Msgr. Perry parish center at 5:30 p.m. for hors d’oeuvres with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and showtime set for 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available only at the parish office, Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 12 noon. For questions or more information, contact Kelley Spodris at 508-775-5744, extension 113 or email kjs@olvparish.org.

5/16

A Healing Mass will be celebrated on May 16 at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. The Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. and includes Benediction and healing prayers. At 5:15 p.m. there will also be a holy hour including the Rosary. For more information visit www.saintanthonyofnewbedford.com or call 508-9931691.

5/20

Alumni, parishioners and friends of SS. Peter and Paul School are invited to a celebration of 90 years. Mass will be celebrated at Holy Cross Church, 47 Pulaski Street in Fall River at 6:30 p.m. on May 20. Immediately following Mass, a reception will take place at SS. Peter and Paul School (please use the Dover Street entrance). Call the school at 508-672-7258 to RSVP or for more information.

5/24

St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown invites all to its 29th Annual Lakeside Family Festival on Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27. Hours of operation are Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m., and Monday from noon to 5 p.m.

There will be a huge barn sale all weekend along with amusement rides, entertainment, a car show on Sunday (rain date is Monday) and a “Blessing of the Bikes” on Saturday. For more information visit www.sjnfreetown.org.

6/7

St. Theresa’s Parish, 265 Stafford Road in Tiverton, R.I., will host a Yard Sale on June 7 from 5 to 8 p.m., on June 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on June 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the church grounds.

There will be plenty of items for everyone such as books, small appliances, toys, household goods, jewelry, records, DVDs holiday decorations and more!

The kitchen will be open Saturday and Sunday. For more information visit www. sstandctiverton.org.

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I

it says it all — The UMass Dartmouth community, including students, faculty, staff and alumni have rallied to support each other during the recent Boston Marathon tragedy, allegedly involving one of its students. Here a sign displays that unity, “Corsair Strong — Proud to Be UMD.” (Photo courtesy of UMass Dartmouth)

May 3, 2013

The Anchor

Proud to be UMD

t was a place where I cut pack, studying, chatting, or tossmy academic teeth; a place ing a Frisbee or football. where I transformed from an imMy UMD was a place where mature high-schooler to a young I would escape to the “pit,” a man preparing to shed the skins of location beneath a stairway, that childhood. had connections for headphones, UMass Dartmouth, then South- where a student could preseastern Massachusetts University, ent their ID, secure a set of big, was where I grew in confidence, clunky headphones, and have the while still having the time of album (precursor to tapes and my life. It was a place where I CDs for you current Corsairs) made friends that actually weren’t Fall Riverites. It was a place where, in my freshman year, I became chums with young men and women from across the Commonwealth, from

By Dave Jolivet New York City (Yankee connections aside), and from Rochester in upstate N.Y. of their choice played. I always The campus was a place where chose Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of I had some very stimulating and the Moon,” to which I would just enjoyable courses — courses I unwind from brain overload, or remember to this day. It was also simply fall asleep. a place where I did manage to fall It was a place where, when we asleep in one or two very early had a couple of hours to spare, (8 a.m.) and very uninspiring friends and I would head to the lectures (philosophy wasn’t my pinball room to blow off some thing). academic pressure steam. Our It was a place where the favorite was “The Doodle Bug.” campus was an absolute delight We would run up so many free in the spring, summer and fall games, that we would have to months — time spent lazing in give them away because it was the sunshine, either alone, or in a time for class again.

My View From the Stands

It was a place where I became an “Ed Head,” meaning a fan of Jonathan Edwards (the singer/songwriter, not the fire and brimstone preacher). I saw him for the first time my freshman year. I also saw Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Richie Havens, the J. Geils Band, school plays and the annual Eisteddfod weekend — three days of international folk music and dance.

UMD was a place where I loved to be.

Last week, the student body, faculty, and staff were awakened to the ugliness of terrorism that hit way too close to home.

I guarantee today’s students have similar wonderful experiences that I had a “couple” of decades ago. For a while, the place they loved was shaken to core — for a while.

From what I’ve seen, read, and even reported in this week’s edition, I am so proud of how the UMD students have handled themselves and the situation over which they had no control.

While many experienced something most of their peers on other campuses never will, they received loads of support from faculty, staff, campus police, and even alumni.

All week long, as an active alumni, I received constant updates on my smartphone and Facebook. Emilie, too, who is enrolled as a freshman for this September, was kept in the loop.

Kudos go out to the administration for realizing the importance of including the campus ministers in the healing process of the students. Folks like our own Father Dave Frederici were there, as he put it, “to absorb the stress.”

But it’s the support students gave each other that means most.

I’ve no doubt these remarkable young men and women arrived at their final exams prepared and ready; that their final projects were well thought-out and executed; and that the events of mid-April 2013 will become just a memory — an experience they can share with their future Corsairs.

This was an unusual year for this batch of Corsairs. As Father Dave told me, “They’ve gone through super storms; blizzards; the inauguration of a new chancellor, Divina Grossman; the dedication of a new library; the Newtown tragedies, and now the close connection with the Boston Marathon bombings. I told some of the freshmen, it’s not always like this.”

There’s no question, this year’s Corsairs are “Proud to Be UMD,” and I, more than ever, am also “Proud to be UMD.”