05.14.2021

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, May 14, 2021

Annual Catholic Appeal supports the Solanus Casey Food Pantry ̔ Time to Gather, Time to Heal, Time to Loveʼ NEW BEDFORD — Two weeks into the 80th Catholic Appeal of the Fall River Diocese the annual campaign has raised $1.5 million of its $4 million goal as of press time.

Each year, donations to the annual Appeal meet the physical, emotional, and Spiritual needs of tens of thousands of individuals and families in our diocese. The largest beneficiary of funding through the Appeal is Catholic Social Services (CSS). CSS serves and ministers to nearly 50,000 individuals across the Diocese of Fall River each year,

working with persons of all faiths and cultures in the Spirit of God’s universal love to advance human dignity and promote social justice, truth, and solidarity in our community.

Last year, the need for the programs and services CSS provides reached an all-time high. The issue of food insecurity, in particular, took center stage. One of the largest food pantries in Massachusetts, the Solanus Casey Food Pantry, is a program of CSS. Located at 238 Bonney Street in New Bedford, 8 Turn to page seven

During the COVID-19 pandemic, food pickup at the Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford was moved outdoors.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., visited the Mary Garden following a Mass on May 1 at St. Joseph Church in Woods Hole where he lauded the virtues and example of St. Joseph. (Photo by John E. Kearns Jr.)

Bishop lauds works of St. Joseph at church that connects with saint’s ‘humility and simplicity’

By Dave Jolivet Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

WOODS HOLE — On May 1, the tiny church building dedicated to St. Joseph in Woods Hole provided, what Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., called, “An appropriate place to celebrate the memory of St. Joseph,” because the cozy confines “connect with St. Joseph’s humility and simplicity.”

He told the small congregation at the church and those watching the Mass on live-stream, “This is my first time coming to this beautiful, tiny church. It is a joy and a pleasure to be here.”

The Mass was celebrated to remember St. Joseph the Worker, during this year of St. Joseph.

Bishop da Cunha, in his homily, stressed four major points to contemplate on the memorial; the first being St. Joseph’s example, saying we must imitate “St. Joseph’s humility, service, work, providing for his family, and his faithfulness to God, to his spouse, his Son, his Jewish heritage and his fidelity.”

Next the point shared by the bishop was St. Joseph’s patronage.

“We should turn to him for his protection over us, his prayers for us, interceding for us, watching over us; someone like a friend in Heaven we can turn to.”

The bishop told the faithful that concentrating on St. Joseph’s example and patronage will help us to “Complete the work God sent us to do,” leading to the third key — “Now it’s time for our share of the work,” Bishop da Cunha said. “St. Joseph did his share already, and he is still doing that from Heaven. But we have some work to do on earth.”

The fourth major point was that we, as Catholic faithful, have to pause and ask ourselves, “What is the work I need to complete? What is the work God has entrusted to me? First it is the work of our own Sanctification; and the work of being witnesses to the faith to other people.”

The bishop said that with St. Joseph, it was never about him, it was always about Jesus. In the common phrase, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” the bishop said, “Joseph is happy to come after Jesus and Mary.”

The bishop explained that the May 14,82021 Turn†to page four

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Diocesan Schools Office thanks Catholic school educators for historic year of in-person learning FALL RIVER — During the recent Teacher Appreciation Week, the Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Office publicly thanked all teachers, principals, and staff of the 20 Catholic schools for their commitment and dedication to educating students.

Even though the 2020-21 school year has been a historic year, the focus and commitment of educating the “entire child” by Catholic schools never changed.

Just over a year ago when the COVID-19 pandemic began and all schools were immediately closed, the Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools demonstrated their nimbleness and ease in converting to remote learning to ensure students would experience as little disruption in their education as possible. The 2019-20 school year closed out with Catholic school students not missing a beat.

During the summer of

2020, the leaders of all 20 Catholic schools used the time to carefully plan if their school could return to in-person learning at the beginning of September and if so, how their school would do it safely.

Teachers and principals gave summer vacation time to prepare for the opening

of school on time. All 20 Catholic schools opened their doors to welcome students back in school in September with much joy and excitement.

When it was announced that the Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools would open for in-person learning, many

families contacted schools, enrolled their children, and quickly learned why Catholic schools are such a treasure to every community. After the Catholic schools opened in September, accolades from happy parents poured into each school as well as to the Catholic Schools Office.

The diocesan Catholic Schools Office delivered a snack basket to each Catholic school for all personnel, as well as bookmarks with a prayer for each employee.

These baskets were delivered during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3-7.

The Catholic Schools Office delivered a snack basket to each Catholic school for all personnel, as well as bookmarks with a prayer for each employee.

These baskets were delivered during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3-7.

Wendy Rocha, a Marion mother of a kindergarten student, indicated, “As a parent, I was worried about what school would be like for our kindergarten class, and I was quickly put at ease with our excited kindergartner who loves going to school. Mrs. Jason (the kindergarten teacher at St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet) is nurturing, encouraging, and a joy to our little learners, especially during these uncertain times. Our son has excelled socially through the confidence given to him by Mrs. Jason. We enjoy hearing the excitement and love my son has for school.”

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Holy Family Parish 370 Middleboro Avenue East Taunton Register for Mass attendance online at hfparish.net and click on the ‘Sign up’ icon Weeknight Masses at Parish Center (438 Middleboro Ave.) at a variety of times, including Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. at the church 2

† May 14, 2021

Forty-four teens receive diocesan youth award

FALL RIVER —Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., presented the Pope St. Pius X Youth Award to 44 young persons from parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese in the context of a prayer service May 11, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

The annual award, named for the pontiff who created the Fall River Diocese in 1904 and presented for the first time in 2001, recognizes teens who serve their parish community with selflessness, commitment, and dedication.

Nominated for the honor by their pastor, recipients support their parishes and the wider community through a variety of ministries and activities. Some are lectors, special ministers of Holy Communion, Religious Education teachers, and youth group leaders; others have volunteered in local food pantries and tutored non-English-speaking persons. One has led a yearly initiative to collect and distribute school supplies for students in need.

This year several recipients are being recognized for service in response to the pandemic: for organiz-

ing a fundraiser to support first responders; operating video technology to live-stream parish Masses; assisting with drive-by distribution of Religious Education materials, and cleaning and sanitizing the church.

Pope St. Pius X Youth Award recipients must have already received the Sacrament of Confirmation, be at least a sophomore in high school and not older than 19.

The award itself is a medal bearing the image of St. Pius X along with his motto, “Restore all things in Christ.”

Those honored are listed by deanery.

Attleboro Deanery Savannah P. Blanchard, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro; Daniel T. Currier, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Attleboro; Angela M. DeTrolio, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield; Emily M. Fasteson, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk; Victoria C. Kopij, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Attleboro; Clare Lowre, St. Mary Parish, Norton; and Amy M. Parkinson, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleboro.

Cape Cod Deanery Ben Barney, St. Patrick Parish, Falmouth; Owen D. Beals, St. Margaret Parish, Buzzards Bay; Madison R. Crapo, St. Anthony Parish, East Falmouth; John O. DellaMorte, Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich; Sarah Doucette, Our Lady of the Cape Parish, Brewster; Daniel A. Journet, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; Claire Komar, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Lucille Komar, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Osterville; Quinn MacDonald, Our Lady of the Cape Parish, Brewster; Aidan A. Melton, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich; Ross Mikulskis, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, North Falmouth; and Alvin F. Torres De Leon, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Hyannis.

Fall River Deanery Naomy M. Alvarez, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral Parish, Fall River; Alexander D. Camara, St. John of God Parish, Somerset; Jacob A. Chaunt, St. Dominic Parish, Swansea; Alexandra P. Coelho, Santo Christo Parish, Fall

River; Jacob P. Do Rego, St. Michael Parish, Fall River; Nathaniel R. Frois, St. George Parish, Westport; Rylee M. Klein, St. Joseph Parish, Fall River; Isabella Moniz, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Jacob M. Nelson, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; John Olivier, St. John the Baptist Parish, Westport; Jacob Torres, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River; and David M. Viveiros, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Westport.

New Bedford Deanery Bridget A. Clavell, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet; Emily Jones, St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, New Bedford; Alexis Luiz, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Bedford; Molleigh E.

O’Neil-O’Connell, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven; Sara Ann B. Pereira, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish, New Bedford; Emilia Pinhancos, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Natalie R. Portal, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; and Jason Sicaj, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford.

Taunton Deanery Angelina Cabral, St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton; Jackson A. Franzoni, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton; Lily C. Gustafson, St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Lauren K. Iolli, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; and Joshua Knief, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton.

† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has accepted the nomination of the Reverend Alberto Barattero, I.V.E., Provincial Superior of the Institute of the Incarnate Word - Province of the Immaculate Conception, and has made the following appointment: Reverend Marcelo Alexandre da Silva, I.V.E., Parochial Vicar of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford Effective: May 3, 2021 May 14, 2021 †

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St. Joseph̕ s timely and timeless virtues

ur Holy Father Pope Francis has proclaimed this year a year of St. Joseph, because it is the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pius IX declaring St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church. He wrote a beautiful apostolic letter entitled Corde Patris, “With the Heart of a Father,” on St. Joseph, which is well worth your reading and reflecting on.

St. Joseph is really dealt with in the Bible only in the first couple chapters of the Gospels of Mark and Luke, the so-called Infancy Narratives, though he is mentioned as a tekton, craftsman or artisan or carpenter, a term also used of Jesus, in another place.

In addition to being known by his work, he is known by his relations, his relatives: as a descendant of King David, as true spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and as legal or foster father of Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the World.

He is also known by his silence, for he does not say a word in the Gospels. He appears in the first chapter

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of St. Matthew, in the acsurprise pregnancy, the “Jesus.” His sorrow was fol- cannot, because of the excount of the birth of Jesus, adventure of his life, which lowed by this joyful news. ample of Jesus and Joseph, as follows: “Joseph, the hus- is also the adventure of And so on throughout or, for that matter St. Paul, band of Mary; of her was Salvation history for all of the adventure of Salvawho was a tentmaker. begotten Jesus, tion history: seven St. Joseph was head called the Christ” sorrows, perhaps in of the Holy Family. He is (v. 16). “His imitation of the seven an example of dedicated mother Mary had dolours of Mary, but fatherhood, especially relebeen betrothed to each coupled with a vant in an age like our own Joseph; but before joy, for a total of sev- often bereft of good exemthey began to live en joys. These paired plary fathers. St. Josemaria together, it was sorrows and joys are Escriva used to say that we found that she commemorated on belong to the Holy Famwas with child— the seven Sundays ily. And, of course, being through the Holy us. This is the first of his preceding his feast day on a member of the Mystical Spirit” (v. 18). sorrows, which was reMarch 19.

Body of Christ makes us Matthew’s account solved when God’s angel He is a family man; he identified with Jesus, and then uses the first of the appeared to him in a dream is a worker. In fact, there we were given Mary as our adjectives used to describe assuring him of the miracu- is another feast day of St. mother on Mount Calvary.

Joseph, “just.” “Her huslous conception of Jesus by Joseph, since from the St. Joseph is likewise our band Joseph was a just man, the Holy Spirit, and that he 1950s the Church has also father. We can imitate him but unwilling to expose was to take his wife into his observed the feast of St. Jo- and ask for his help with her to public disgrace; home, welcome the birth, seph the Worker on May 1, utter confidence. and so he resolved to send and “you will call His name which we recently celebratAnchor columnist her away quietly” (v. 19).

Jesus, for He will save His ed. He was a manual labor- Dwight Duncan is a profesThe first of his virtues is people from their sins.” The er, working with his hands. sor at UMass School of Law justice, rendering to every- one word we can safely say Aristotle looked down on Dartmouth. He holds degrees one, beginning with God, he would have uttered is menial work. Christians in civil and canon law. what was owed them. He is always upright. Here we Bishop lauds works of St. Joseph at tiny Woods Hole church also see his propensity to continued from page one silence and to prudence sions; those who came here would be like now. We Church has various levand charity in not raising a els of celebrations of the for healing and peace in the would not know all that stink. He suffers in silence, difficulties in their lives.

Mass: solemnities, feasts, Jesus did and what Joseph the strong, silent type.

The memories are so many and Mary did.” memorials, and optional That’s the way his story and so wonderful, and how memorials. He said the St. The bishop said that it begins, with his fiancee’s those memories have been Joseph the Worker Mass was so fitting that the tiny celebration was an optional passed from one generation Woods Hole church, the to the next.” memorial. “What caught oldest Catholic church still The bishop explained my attention was the word standing on all of Cape Cod, that’s what the Church ‘memorial,’ because that was the mother church of wants us to do, “To pass on all the Falmouth area; that reminds us of keeping something in memory,” the the memory of St. Joseph other parishes spun from and his life, his virtue and bishop said. “Not somesimple St. Joseph’s Church. his example — to keep the thing to memorize, but to “We live in a fast world,” memory alive.” keep and pass on. the bishop added. “Things Comparing this to “Just think of where we change so fast that it is possiare right now in this beauti- Jesus, the bishop explained ble to lose memories. But we ful little place that has been that when Jesus told the can’t just remember but we here for 139 years. Think of Apostles, “Do this in have to pass on the memothe memories of this place; memory of Me,” they kept ries, the faith and values. the memory of all they had of all the people who have “Let us keep that memgone through here; of those heard and seen. ory of all that Jesus said and “Imagine if the Apostles did, and let us keep that who have built this place; said they were not going those who donated the memory of St. Joseph alive to pass it on, there were no in our hearts, in our homes, land; those who worked; written Gospels,” he said. those who prayed; those our minds and in our souls who celebrated joyful occa- “Imagine what the world and in our families.”

† May 14, 2021

The teaching of the Church about the ethics of COVID vaccines

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n recent weeks, I have encountered scores of people who are confused about Church teaching with regard to the morality of taking COVID-19 vaccines.

This confusion comes not really because they have not heard that Pope Francis, two Vatican organs, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have all said that it is morally permissible to receive them. It is mainly because several prominent figures — a few well-known bishops, various priests, and several lay Catholic media personalities — have undermined that teaching by publicly asserting that getting vaccinated is immoral.

In so doing, they have essentially said that the Church’s well-established principles on cooperation in evil are not valid in the case of vaccines tainted in any way by the use of cell lines derived from abortions and that St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have all been in error with regard to their moral analysis of such vaccines.

Such a claim, especially from figures with a reputation for doctrinal orthodoxy, is scandalous. Beyond obfuscating the Church’s position with regard to COVID vaccines, it renders papal judgments and formal Vatican declarations nothing more than erroneous opinions, something that cannot but undermine the teaching authority of the Church.

What are the principles of the Church with regard to receiving vaccines that in their development (J&J), production (J&J) or testing (J&J, Pfizer and Moderna) have involved cell lines derived from aborted fetuses?

Since the Church emphatically condemns abortion, is it possible to benefit in any way from products derived from such an abortion, in these cases, one committed about 50 years ago?

This is the classic situation of cooperation in evil.

The Church teaches that it is always sinful to approve of a sin committed by another, which is called formal cooperation. More complicated is “material cooperation,” when one occurs only in the bad action of the other without approving of the evil. Such cooperation can be morally permissible when the action is good or indifferent in itself and when there is a reason for doing it that is both morally good and proportioned to the seriousness of the other’s sin and to the closeness of the assistance provided to carrying out the sin.

Applied to the situation of taking vaccines that involve aborted cell lines, the action of taking a vaccine is in general good or at least neutral.

There is a just reason: to protect one’s own or others’ health from a disease that has taken 3.3 million lives across the world. The assistance given to the original abortion by someone vaccinated today is nonexistent, since there is no evidence that doing so will promote other illicit cell lines. And the only thing that seems to be proportionate to the evil of abortion would be seeking to save innocent lives.

That is why the Church has concluded and taught that it is permissible to take the vaccines. At the same time the Church stresses that it is of course wrong to create abortion-derived cell lines and for pharmaceutical companies to use them; that using vaccines benefitting from abortion-derived cell lines should be avoided when comparable alternatives with no connection to abortion, or less connection to abortion, are available; and Catholics and all those concerned for the Sanctity of

life should protest the use of tainted cell lines and advocate for the development of vaccines with no connection to abortion.

So the Vatican and the U.S. bishops have been clear that, under present circumstances, because of the seriousness of COVID-19, it is morally permissible to receive Pfizer, Moderna and the J&J vaccines, with preference given to the first two where possible, and that this doesn’t constitute formal or material proximate cooperation in the abortions from which the cell lines involved in their development,

production or testing were derived. The Church also insists, however, on the duty to push for ethically untainted vaccines, and some are presently being developed.

What are the challenges?

Some think that the protest against tainted vaccines must be absolute. One well-respected bishop said that he could not in good conscience receive a vaccine even minimally derived from an aborted child and urged others to reject such vaccines. Our culture, he says rightly, has become habituated to the exploitation of aborted children. For that reason, he urged others with him to wait for ethically untainted vaccines in order to testify to the truth that abortion must be rejected in all its forms.

Others think that abortion is so evil that the theological principle of material cooperation no longer applies, because to permit any abortion-derived vaccine would contradict

the Church’s recognition of abortion as a grave moral evil. Abortion is so evil, one well-regarded bishop wrote, that any connection to an abortion, however remote, is an immoral cooperation with one of today’s greatest crimes and cannot be accepted by a Catholic with a well-formed conscience.

One cannot but give God thanks for these bishops’ profound Pro-Life convictions. At the same time, however, it is necessary to state, emphatically, that theirs is not Church teaching. A Pro-Life intention does not render every moral judgment that person makes infallible. It doesn’t allow one to overturn the Church’s principles with regard to cooperation in evil, which were formulated precisely to apply to situations of moral atrocities like abortion. And it does not allow one to presume a position of ProLife superiority to St. John Paul II, or Benedict XVI or Francis.

That said, while receiving a COVID vaccine is permissible, it is not a strict moral obligation. One can in conscience voluntarily refuse. Some may also need to decline vaccines because they are allergic to one of the ingredients or have a severely compromised immune system.

At the same time, there is a duty to protect one’s health and to protect others, especially those who are weakest and most vulnerable. That’s why the Church says that if one chooses not to be vaccinated, then out of love of neighbor and pursuit of the common good, that person must do his or her utmost to avoid becoming means for the transmission of COVID to others.

Charity is the context with which to understand Pope Francis’ words in a re-

cent interview, “I believe that morally everyone must take the vaccine. It is the moral choice because it is about your life but also the lives of others.” Christians are called to love one another as Christ has loved us. If the Good Shepherd laid down His life to save the lives of His sheep, Pope Francis is implying, we should be willing to take a vaccine if doing so might save the lives of one or more for whom COVID might prove lethal.

So while the decision to be vaccinated should be voluntary, the proper use of freedom should always be tied to love. Therefore, under ordinary circumstances, the case to be vaccinated against COVID-19 seems stronger than the case against.

That does not mean that governments should compel citizens to be vaccinated, since it is possible, like the bishops cited above, to have conscientious objections.

But conscientious objection, which must be protected, does not make one immune from consequences of such decisions, like in the case of “local mandates” at schools, or hospitals, or certain business settings: one cannot be forced to receive the vaccine, but neither can such settings be forced to accept someone who is not vaccinated, if they determine that doing so is contrary to the common good.

In the midst of many questions surrounding COVID-19 and vaccines, the Church has worked hard to provide clear — even if sophisticated and highly nuanced — answers. It is important for Catholics who think with the Church to put in the time to listen to the authentic voices and to study Church teaching so that we may radiate true light to others at a time of confusion.

Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

May 14, 2021 †

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Editorial Giving to the Catholic Appeal

“This is My commandment: love one another as I love you” (Jn 15: 12), Jesus ordered us in the Gospel on Mother’s Day. He said this at the Last Supper, just a few hours before He would demonstrate to us how greatly He loves us by dying for us on the cross. This Commandment is very demanding. To paraphrase the famous cook from Fall River, Emeril Lagasse, this is a lot more than “kicking it up a notch” from “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mk 12:31).

Loving our neighbors as ourselves is challenging, but seems doable.

Loving our neighbors as Christ loved us — that looks impossible. But, as Jesus said after the rich young man walked away from His invitation to follow Him with a radical abandonment of his riches, “for men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26; Mk 10:27; Lk 18:27).

St. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). As Christ helped Paul go from being an oppressor of Christians to being foremost in spreading the Christian faith throughout the world, who knows what Christ could do in each of us, if we just let Him? We are in the midst of our annual Catholic Appeal which provides the bulk of the funding for the important ministries of the Diocese of Fall River. In his letter introducing the 2021 Catholic Appeal, Bishop Edgar da Cunha explained the connection between love and charity: “Sacred Scripture reminds us that love is the most important way we share our Savior’s light with the world: ‘Let love make you serve one another’ (Gal 5:13). In Christianity, charity is the highest form of love between God and our brothers and sisters; the two words, charity and love, are synonymous. When we show charity to others, we bring this love to life in so many wonderful ways and we fulfill our obligation to live in the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life for us.”

The current situation of the tail end (one hopes) of the pandemic with the resulting fragile economy both causes there to be more needs to which the Catholic Appeal tries to respond (as you can read in the story beginning on page one) and there to be less ability to give for some folks.

Bishop da Cunha acknowledged this. “Should your circumstances allow, please consider making a contribution of any size to help us carry out our mission in real, life-changing ways. As we face many hardships and challenges together as a community of faith, I am especially humbled and grateful for your continued, loving care and blessed to serve as your OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 65, No. 10

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† May 14, 2021

bishop.”

When we examine our consciences about our love of neighbor, we need to always ask ourselves whether we are doing all that we can to help them. This edition of The Anchor has so many examples of that love being put into action, both by individuals and by groups, in corporal and Spiritual works of mercy.

St. Gregory the Great actually points out that it is not just mercy, but actually a demand of God’s justice that we be generous to those in need.

“For, when we administer necessaries of any kind to the indigent, we do not bestow our own, but render them what is theirs; we rather pay a debt of justice than accomplish works of mercy.” In other words, although we are giving from the money in our wallet or bank account, St. Gregory is saying that this money really belongs to the person in need. That’s why he calls it “theirs.” This is something to think about when considering how much we should give (or “give back”).

St. Gregory also raised the issue of another rich man from the Gospels — not the rich young man, but “Dives” (which just means “rich man”) in the “Dives and Poor Lazarus” parable of Jesus (Lk 16:19-31). The sainted pope pointed out that everything that Dives did was legal, but he still ended up in hell. “But [people who aren’t generous] are wont sometimes to say, ‘We use what has been granted us; we do not seek what belongs to others; and, if we do nothing worthy of the reward of mercy, we still commit no wrong.’ So they think, because in truth they close the ear of their heart to the words which are from Heaven. For the rich man in the Gospel who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every day, is not said to have seized what belonged to others, but to have used what was his own unfruitfully; an avenging hell received him after this life, not because he did anything unlawful but because by immoderate indulgence he gave up his whole self to what was lawful.”

A deacon from another diocese commenting on St. Gregory online said that we shouldn’t use his words to “guilt trip” a teen-ager who wants to buy some nice sneakers, but that “I hope to encourage us all to look at our own wealth, our stuff, as what it truly is, which is God’s. It is not the 10 percent that is Our Lord’s [referring to tithing]. It is everything.

It is all of us and every part of us. It is my property and also my mind, my heart, my daughter’s blue eyes, my son’s disarming smile, my wife’s tender care — it all belongs to Him — and so it is all subject to be prudentially shared.”

Daily Readings † May 22 - June 4

Sat. May 22, Acts 28:16-20,30-31; Ps 11:4-5,7; Jn 21:20-25. Pentecost Vigil: Gn 11:1-9 or Ex 19:3-8a,16-20b or Ez 37:1-4 or Jl 3:1-5; Ps 104:1-2a,24,35c,27-28, 29bc-30; Rom 8:22-27; Jn 7:37-39. Extended Vigil: Gen11:1-9; Ps 33:10-11,12-13,14-15; Ex 19:3-8a,1620b; (Ps) Dn 3:52,53,54,55,56 or Ps 19:8-11; Ez 37:1-14; Ps 107:2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9; Jl 3:1-5; Ps 104:1-2a,24,35c,27-28,29bc-30(62); Rom 8:22-27; Jn 7:37-39. Sun. May 23, Pentecost, Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1,24,29-30,31,34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7,12-13 or Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15. Mon. May 24, Gn 3:9-15,20 or Acts 1:12-14; Ps 87:1-3,5-7; Jn 19:25-34. Tue. May 25, Sir 35:1-12; Ps 50:5-8,14,23; Mk 10:28-31. Wed. May 26, Sir 36:1,4-5a,10-17; Ps 79:8- 9,11,13; Mk 10:32-45. Thu. May 27, Sir 42:15-25; Ps 33:2-9; Mk 10:46-52. Fri. May 28, Sir 44:1,9-13; Ps 149:1b-6a,9b; Mk 11:11-26.

Sat. May 29, Sir 51:12cd-20; Ps 19:8-11; Mk 11:27-33. Sun. May 30, Holy Trinity Sunday, Dt 4:32-34,39-40; Ps 33:4-6,9,18-20,22; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20. Mon. May 31, Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16; (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6; Lk 1:39-56. Tue. June 1, Tb 2:9-14; Ps 112:1-2,7-9; Mk 12:13-17. Wed. June 2, Tb 3:1-11a,16-17a; Ps 25:2-5b,6,7bc,8-9; Mk 12:18-27. Thu. June 3, Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde,9-17; 8:4-9a; Ps 128:1-5; Mk 12:28-34. Fri. June 4, Tb 11:5-17; Ps 146:1b-2,6c-10; Mk 12:35-37.

Staff and volunteers at Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford (photo taken before COVID-19)

Appeal assists Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford continued from page one

the Food Pantry experienced a more than 150 percent increase in use in 2020, serving nearly 20,000 households representing more than 52,000 individuals. This included a significant increase in the number of elderly and disabled individuals turning to the Food Pantry.

In an interview with the Diocesan Office of Faith Formation in March, Catholic Social Services CEO Susan Mazzarella said, “Thanks to the contributions of donors, we have been able to distribute 505,663 pounds of food to the hungry in New Bedford and beyond. That’s a retail value of almost a half million dollars.”

While individuals and families turned to the Food Pantry for assistance in larger numbers than ever before last year, staff and volunteers also needed to shift operations completely outdoors to ensure safe distribution.

Bags of food organized by type — including breakfast foods, produce, and meats — are arranged to allow for socially distanced and organized pickup every Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“All through the winter, all through the summer,

in the rain, snow, we are watch a series of “Ministry working outside — havMoments” videos featuring ing people come through individuals reflecting on a line in our driveway so they can have food throughout the month,” said program manager Matthew Dansereau. The need stretches beyond the neighborhoods nearby the Food Pantry. “We’re getting people from as far away as Taunton,” Dansereau said.

The community’s needs were ever-evolving in 2020.

When everyday household items became scarce, the Solanus Casey Food Pantry was there to help meet newfound demands last spring. According to Dansereau, “Across the street from us was Pope Francis Place, and one of the things they did was give out diapers. When the pandemic started and they closed, I began buying diapers from the (Greater Boston) Food Bank during the second month of the pandemic, because families were coming in every week and asking if we had them.

We are at a point where we easily give out 2,500 diapers a week, along now with wipes, and sometimes baby food: something new we started that is definitely going to continue as we get ‘back to normal.’”

This year you can

good works supported by gifts to the Catholic Appeal. The series, which includes the Solanus Casey Food Pantry, can be found on the Catholic Foundation’s website: www. catholicfoundationsema. org/ministry-moments.

The Appeal website also includes a summary of how philanthropic dollars raised through the Appeal have been distributed across the various ministries it supports, and a video message from Bishop da Cunha in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Please visit the website for more Appeal news and highlights in the

weeks ahead.

Contributions to the Catholic Appeal, which runs through June 30, may be made either through a one-time donation or through monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual pledges. Donations may be mailed to the Catholic Foundation Office, 450 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass., 02720, made online at www. givefrdiocese.org/2021, or dropped off at any parish in the diocese. Please contact the Catholic Foundation Office at 508-675-1311 with any questions.

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Statue of Good St. Anne returns home FALL RIVER — St. Anne Shrine, located at 818 Middle Street in Fall River, was granted permission to relocate the statue of Good St. Anne from the St. Mary’s Cathedral to the Shrine on May 6 with the generous permission of Father Thomas Washburn, rector of St. Mary’s.

This statue, commissioned by the French Dominican priests who were building the shrine, was carved in 1892 and displayed at the Chicago World’s Fair before being installed at St. Anne’s Church in 1893.

For many years, she overlooked the Sanctuary from atop the original high altar, but was moved

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to the side of the Sanctuary after renovations in the 1950s. When St. Anne’s was closed as a parish in 2018, the statue was moved to the cathedral for safe keeping until it was felt that returning it to its original home would ensure its preservation and dignified display.

Long a source of comfort and devotion by the parishioners of St. Anne’s Church and Shrine, its return marks another step in the Preservation Society’s efforts to restore this landmark, as well as provide a fitting environment to support the devotion and comfort of pilgrims to this landmark in the diocese.

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Professionals from M&M Movers, who have generously assisted the Preservation Society in relocating and positioning many of the acquisitions obtained to enhance the lower church, carefully transported the statue, a replica of St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec, from the cathedral to St. Anne’s where she was installed on the side altar of the Shrine for devotions by pilgrims who visit.

For more information about St. Anne’s Shrine in Fall River visit stannes-shrine.org or contact Bryan Boyle O.P., sacristan, at 908-4108510 or Michael Antaya, director of Liturgy, at 774-451-2280 .

The statue of Good St. Anne, that was housed at St. Mary̕ s Cathedral since 2018 was recently returned home to St. Anne̕ s Shrine in Fall River.

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rowing up in Fall River, it seemed that our parish would find any excuse to have a procession.

Whether it was two processions for our parish feast, the annual Romeiros on Good Friday, the Mordomia processions for the Holy Spirit, or the annual Peace Procession on Columbus Day, we were always holding up traffic for Jesus.

Let me tell you something: as a kid, those experiences changed by life. I’m not trying to exaggerate; I’m quite serious. Sure, walking in the street was always fun as a kid. But I just took it as this is what we did as a community. But as I grew older and into adolescence, it made me really own the faith. Moreover, building this habit over time showed me the power of someone’s witnessing for Christ.

One year, when I was in middle school, we walked by a bar as part of the Romeiros. I saw two gentlemen loudly discussing outside: “I believe that there is someone up there!” exclaimed one to the other. His exclamation seemed a defensive response to the other’s probing of his faith. I could only assume that their conversation was prompted by the fact that while they spoke, 300 men, women, and youth walked by while chanting the Rosary.

It makes me wonder: are we mindful of our witness?

What example are we setting for others? Do we practice what we preach?

The language used in the Baptismal Rite is quite telling of what is expected of us as parents. It begins by the baptizing priest or deacon asking the parents “What do you ask of God’s Church?”

Our response as parents is “Baptism.” We are the ones requesting Baptism for our children. As such, it is us parents that take on the principal ownness for raising our

Of witnessing and parenting children in the Catholic faith.

The new “Directory of Catechesis ”(2020), released by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, echoes that this is a reality we need to better appreciate: “Believing parents, with their daily example of life, have the most effective capacity to transmit the beauty of the Christian faith to their children. ‘Enabling families to take up their role as active agents of the family apostolate calls for “an effort at evangelization and catechesis inside the family.’’ The greatest challenge in this situation is for couples, mothers and fathers, active participants in catechesis, to overcome the mentality of delegation that is so common, according to which the faith is set aside for specialists in Religious Education’” (n.124).

We must, as parents and families, lead the way in sharing the faith by first doing so within our homes. What parishes offer are meant to enhance and support our role as our children’s primary catechists.

Growing up, my family’s involvement in Church created a “tag team” effort between my parents and our parish that supported me through good times and bad.

While my parents shared the faith at home, several adults in the parish became examples to me, at times simply by being present. When I doubted, I could lean on both my parents and the parish to encourage me. It was this collective witness of authentic faith that showed me that the Catholic faith wasn’t some made up fairytale or collection of opinions, but that God and objective truth are real.

This fostered a desire in me to learn more about the rational warrant for God’s

existence and the “whys” behind the truth which the Church teaches. In all this, I didn’t just come to know about Christ, but to truly know Him. And it all started with my parents.

They were not trained theologians, nor did they know the answer to every question. But, they taught us that a relationship with God and our Catholic faith was the priority. And then, they

did their best to live it.

As I prepare for my daughter’s Baptism, and reflect back on that of my son, I am struck by the promises that we make as a part of the Baptismal Rite: “Presider: You have asked to have your child baptized.

In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training them in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring them up to keep God’s Commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?

Parents: We do.

Presider: (To the Godparents) Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents?

Godparents: We are.”

Parenting isn’t easy.

Sometimes my son responds well to us taking him to church and praying at home, and other times it’s a real struggle. The same may be true for you. That’s OK. Just don’t stop trying. This also means that we should be intentional about who we ask to be our children’s godparents

the faith at home? and consider whether they Are our parish programs will aid us in living and sharand ministries family-focused ing the Catholic faith. After or make it easy for parents to all, being a disciple of Christ be involved? is the most important thing Do we speak to the we can do with our lives and challenges of parenting and offer our children. Or, to put aid parents to navigate these it more directly, “For what challenges through faith? good will it do a person if he Do we pray for them? gains the whole world, but And as parents, we how forfeits his soul?” (Mt 16:26). do we bring our children up What good will it truly to live the two greatest Comdo for our children if we mandments: that we must give them everything, except love God above all things and Christ? our neighbor as ourselves.

I have met (Mt 22:37-38) various parents Do we go to Mass each who tried their Sunday and pray at home? best to do this, but Do we speak about Jesus whose children as Someone we can truly walked away from know and have a relationship the Church. They with? have expressed Do we show how to serve to me their pain one another at home? that their child no Do we live the Church’s longer practices the faith. teachings and show our chilWhen we love God, we want others to love Him too. When dren how to do the same?

Do we practice forgiving they don’t, it hurts. I have and asking for forgiveness, the greatest respect for these and model this by going to parents, because they continConfession? ue to try their best to live the I share these questions as promises made at their chilthey are ones I ask of myself. dren’s Baptisms. Even now, In particular, I am looking they have not given up loving to improve on asking for forthem, still inviting them to giveness and explaining to my hear and respond to Christ’s son why I go to Confession. invitation to relationship.

Speaking to these parents After all, the confessional is where we are healed. That gives me pause to ask: what is a great thing for people to have I, as a fellow Catholic, know even at a young age! done to help them and their In this month of May, children? What can we as let us pray to Jesus’ parents a Church community do — our Blessed Mother Mary better to help invite fallen and St. Joseph the Workaway Catholics back to the er — to intercede together Church? for us to their Divine Son To begin, I would invite to help us witness and share individuals to read Brandon the faith with our children.

Vogt’s book “Return,” where he discusses how families can And remember, as Venerable Father Patrick Peyton taught, work to bring their children back to the Church. For now, the family that prays together, I will simply say that as Cath- stays together!

Anchor columnist olics we can begin by evaluating how we support parents David Carvalho is the senior director for Faith Formation, and families.

Youth, Young Adult and Do we invite parents to Family Life Ministries for take on their role as the prithe Diocese of Fall River. mary catechists of the faith?

Do we help parents know Contact: dcarvalho@dioc-fr. org. how to share and witness to May 14, 2021 † 9

CSS seeks input from faithful in reactivating Guild for the Blind

Faith Formation students at St. John of God Parish in Somerset created banners to help celebrate their recent First Holy Communion there.

FALL RIVER — Catholic Social Services is in the midst of efforts to reactivate the Catholic Guild for the Blind in the Fall River Diocese.

“A Guild could support, inform, refer, educate and improve the quality of life for visually-impaired individuals,” said Catholic Social Services CEO Susan Mazzarella.

“To do so we must ask for guidance from our fellow Catholics on this journey, whether at a beginning step or nearing the end.”

In an ongoing effort to solicit thoughts and ideas about resurrecting the ministry, input from diocesan faithful is a very important step in that direction.

To learn more about the needs of the blind and visually impaired

and what services would be of support, Catholic Social Services has posted an online survey on its website.

Faithful throughout the diocese are invited to offer input through it. The initial deadline has been extended so there is still time. The survey can also be printed out, completed, and returned by mail.

In addition, Martha Reed at Catholic Social Services is available to help anyone to complete it with her over the telephone.

Martha can be reached at Catholic Social Services at 508674-4681.

The link to the online survey is cssdioc.org; select Services, click on Guild for the Blind.

Father Greg Matthias, pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown, stands with two of our three winners of the recent Earth Day contest, sponsored by the parish̕ s Circle of Life Ministry. They were Grace Johnston and Irene Costa. Also winning was Mila Ferreira.

East Freetown Circle of Life Ministry holds children’s contest for Earth Day

EAST FREETOWN — St. John Neumann’s Circle of Life Ministry recently sponsored a contest for Earth Day in conjunction with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’.

The children were invited to create posters to make all more aware of caring for our ”Common Home”.

There were three categories of ages for the entries: 6-8, 9-11 and 12-14. Each winner got a $25 gift card to Target and a St. John Neumann medal on a chain. Pastor Fa10

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ther Greg Matthias announced the winners and gave them their gifts at the end of a recent Mass. He said a few words about the importance of taking care of our “Common Home” from Laudato Si’.

Entries were displayed in the narthex for a week and CLM members voted the winners. The winners were: Team A (6-8): Mila Ferreira of New Bedford, Team B (9-11): Irene Costa of New Bedford, and Team C (12-14): Grace Johnston of East Freetown.

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ow that we have celebrated the solemnity of Easter we see again the prominent visibility of the Paschal Candle. Is this just another candle? What does it all mean?

When someone says they are Spiritual and don’t require objects of religion to believe, I understand. I am like that in some ways. Then one day I began reading the writings of a person who focused on the symbols associated with the objects. For example, take our country’s flag. As an object it can be just a piece of cloth but what does it stand for as a symbol? It stands for freedom and justice. It represents liberty and love of country.

Its power goes way beyond a piece of cloth. Symbols are a place-holder for the real thing. We can’t hold freedom or liberty in the palm of our hand but the flag sparks those emotions in our minds and hearts. We learn to cherish the flag because of all the good it represents. We fly it proudly and visibly. So it is with our religious symbols.

Just a word of caution here. Our religious symbols are symbols but they are not the real thing they represent.

For example, we love Mary, the mother of God, but we should not love her statue.

We should respect it, cherish it and locate it in a place of honor. The statue is not Mary but rather an instrument that helps humans to connect with the Spiritual.

In contrast, the Eucharist is not a religious symbol.

This is the real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the appearance of bread and wine. The Eucharist is a miracle. It is the Real Thing!

What is the Paschal Candle?

That’s the large candle on the large stand we see at Mass. The Paschal Candle

The Paschal Candle is a symbol of Christ Rising from the dead. The light of the candle represents Christ, the Light of the World. The fire represents Christ’s Resurrection. The slow burning nature of the candle represents Christ’s endless love.

The prominence of the candle represents Christ’s visible and powerful presence still alive and working in our community.

This candle is quite special and is one of the most important symbols of our faith. It is three-feet tall and two or three inches thick. It is made of beeswax. The pure beeswax represents the sinless nature of Jesus formed in Mary’s womb. The large size of the candle allows it to last all year and still be standing tall until next Easter.

A new Paschal Candle is brought into service every year at the Easter Vigil. It remains in the Sanctuary or near the ambo for the Easter season. It is customary for the candle to burn for all Masses during the full 50 days of the Easter season. After Pentecost it is kept near the Baptismal Font and used during Baptisms, funerals and other services.

During funerals it reminds us of our Baptism. It guides us from birth to death and points to the promised new life in Christ. In the U.S. bishops’ document, “Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship” (94) it describes the candle as a symbol of the light of Christ, rising in glory, scattering the darkness of our hearts and minds. The Paschal Candle is placed near the coffin as a sign of the Christian’s passover from death to life.

After the Service of Fire at the Easter Vigil, the

Paschal Candle is lit from the fire and carried into the church. Its flame is passed along to the people holding candles as a visual symbol of the Light of Christ and the victory of the Resurrection being shared with each of us.

The call and response, “The Light of Christ. Thanks be to God.” Is proclaimed three times in procession. Then

a special hymn of praise is sung called The Exsultet.

It poetically describes the dignity and majesty of the Easter mystery. It tells the story of man’s sinfulness and God’s redemptive love and mercy. Part of the Exsultet describes the Paschal Candle as a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God, mingling with the lights of Heaven and forever burning.

“On this, your night of grace, O Holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work of bees and of Your servants’ hands, an evening sacrifice of praise, this gift from Your most holy Church.

“But now we know the praises of this pillar, a flame divided but undimmed, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light, for it is fed by melting wax, drawn out by mother bees to build a torch so precious” (The Roman Missal, 3rd Edition, 2011).

What is on the Paschal Candle?

There are many artistic designs available for Paschal Candles but all of them have

much in common.

There is an image of the cross on the candle. The cross is itself a symbol of our faith in Jesus and His triumph over death. Through the Cross of Christ we are saved.

Because a new candle is obtained each year, you will see on the candle the year in which the candle was placed into service. The new candle first appears during the Service of Light at the Easter Vigil. So this year our candles have the year 2021 impressed on them. Often, the digits for the current year are placed around the cross near the center corners.

The new candle and the new year inscribed on it symbolizes Christ’s presence in our current community.

The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are engraved on the candle. These are the first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet. They signify the beginning and the end. This symbolizes God’s eternal nature. During the Easter Vigil when the Paschal Candle is blessed, the following prayer accompanies the blessing: “Christ yesterday and today; the Beginning and the End; the Alpha and Omega.

All time belongs to Him; and all ages. To Him be glory and power; through every age and for ever. Amen” (The Roman Missal, 3rd Edition, 2011).

Five grains of incense are arranged at the four extremes of the cross and another in the center. They symbolize the wounds of Jesus — His head crowned with thorns, His hands, feet and His pierced side.

If you have never closely examined the Paschal Candle, I recommend at some future time you explore it up close and discover the beauty and richness of the symbols.

Because social distancing requirements are still in effect, please don’t do this in church until we are told it is safe. You can certainly enjoy articles and images of the Paschal Candle on the Internet in the safety of your home.

The Paschal Candle represents the faith, hope and eternal life promised to all of us and fulfilled by Christ’s death and Resurrection! The Paschal Candle is the Light of Christ.

I hope I have given you a little insight to the power of the symbols of our faith.

Christ is Risen. Alleluia, alleluia!

Rick Swenton is a parishioner at St. Pius the Tenth Church in South Yarmouth and is a member of the choir and a cantor.

He has a certificate in Lay Ministry from the Archdiocese of Hartford with a focus on Liturgy and Music.

He is a published church music composer. He resides with his wife, Gail, in South Dennis.

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T he C hurch

and

Y outh & Y oung A dults

Students at All Saints Catholic School raise $1,000 for New Bedford child in need of heart transplant NEW BEDFORD — When Lynne Kuczewski, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for the Catholic Community New Bedford North, learned of a local five-year-old boy who needed a heart transplant, she shared the story with Patricia Ferreira, advisor to the All Saints Catholic School Chapter of National Junior Honor Society, to see if the school would be interested in raising money to help the family.

Due to Covid restrictions, the NJHS students had been looking for a community service opportunity that would be impactful and safe. This group of All Saints students, in grades seven and eight, decided to support Jeremiahs and his family through his recent health challenges.

NJHS students, with the

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ommunity is so important in the lives of all people but especially in the lives of Christians.

We were made in the image of the Blessed Trinity, in the image of a community of love. Over the last year, we have seen and felt the pain of being isolated from our communities. We were separated from our families, our friends, our co-workers, our teams and our clubs. We were told to stay socially distant from those who make our lives better. We have seen the toll this has taken on us and for many of us it has been a reminder of how important it is to stay connected to those we love.

As an extrovert, community has always been a central part of my life.

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assistance of the All Saints middle school classes, Grades five through eight, organized a series of letters to be sent to Jeremiahs.

Each grade created cards and letters for every step of Jeremiahs’ health journey; i.e. before Jeremiahs’ recent surgery as well as when he arrived back home. The message included in each shared that they are all praying for him and his family. In all, more than 80 cards were created and sent to Jeremiahs, cheering him on through these very difficult months.

But the students wanted to take their help one step further. A dress-down day was planned with a minimum $2 donation to help Jeremiahs’ family.

Second-grader, Landyn, rallied his entire family and group of friends to

help; thus raising $200 to contribute to the school’s overall fund-raising efforts. Landyn had only one request — that he would be able to buy Jeremiahs a toy, as well!

Driving up in a police car that escorted his family, Jeremiahs was led out to the applause of All Saints students on the front lawn of the school. The sunny spring day filled the hearts of everyone as Landyn presented Jeremiahs with a toy truck, and members of the NJHS handed Jeremiahs balloons and a check for $1,022 to give to his mother. Speaking in behalf of the family, Melissa Batchilder, director of Communications for the New Bedford Police Department, said, “Jeremiahs’ family is overwhelmed with gratitude at the support and prayers

Community I have always been “over involved.” Aside from the pandemic, I have recently felt the impact of what it truly means to be a part of a community. By its simplest definition, community is a feeling of fellowship with others. On February 18, I received a phone call from my doctor letting me know that I had cancer. These last two months, more than ever, I have felt the strength and power of communities. I was with some of my closest friends when I got the call. They rallied around me, kept me distracted and reminded me that I am loved.

The love and care I received while recovering

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was only matched by that of the support and love I got when I was able to return to life as I knew it. The volley-

ball community, the Bishop Stang community, and my friends and family were such an amazing witness of the love of the Trinity that at times I was overwhelmed by the love.

We believe that we are made in the image of God. God is a community within itself. This image of the love between the Father, Son

All Saints Catholic School students show their support for Jeremiahs and his family as they anticipate Jeremiahs̕ need for a heart transplant. need. This is the type of for their son. He is such a community we strive to be bright light in their lives every day and hope to teach and all are blessed who have a chance to meet Jere- our students how to make their communities a better miahs.” place.”

Sue Massoud, princiFor more informapal of All Saints Catholic tion about the Catholic School, added, “I am so Schools Alliance, please proud of how our students go to https://www.cathoresponded with enthusiasm and service when they licschoolsalliance.org/wehave-a-place-for-you/. learned of this family’s

and Holy Spirit is the role model for the life we are called to lead. The letter to the Hebrews reminds us, “Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful; and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:2325). The reminder to love one another and meet with one another is the central part of our faith.

Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospel of Matthew,

“Where two or three are gathered in My name there I am in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). When we are gathered together as a Christian community, we are a witness to the Trinity.

As the world begins to open back up, remember our need to be in community again with one another. We need to share love with one another, always reminding each other that we are beautiful creations of a good God. Anchor columnist Amanda Tarantelli has been a campus minister at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth since 2005. She is married, a diehard sports fan, and resides in Cranston, R.I. She can be reached at atarantelli@ bishopstang.org.

EASTON — Holy Cross Family Ministries, with central offices in Easton, is a family of Catholic ministries that inspires, promotes, and fosters the Spiritual well-being and prayer life of families around the world.

Newly-appointed Ministry Center Directors include Holy Cross Father Ruben Gomes, C.S.C., National Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries, Bangladesh; and Holy Cross Father Stephen Mburu, Ministry Center Director for the Arusha Archdiocese in Northern Tanzania, Africa. All local directors share the same mission, “to help families pray,” each utilizing local talent, culture, and resources of the Catholic Church to broaden the ministry’s reach.

International Director Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C., said, “These leaders will join an existing team of 24 other directors in encouraging and strengthening the prayer life of families, while spreading the message of Venerable Patrick Peyton, that ‘The family that prays together stays together,’ and ‘A world at prayer is a world at peace.’”

Resources offered by each ministry center include a wide array of digital events and online materials, Rosary rallies, processions, retreats, and days of recollection and prayer on the family as the domestic Church.

Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, said, “Our leaders dedicate their time and energy to develop ministry teams of staff and volunteers to connect with families, engage them in an active prayer life, and foster an appreciation of the family as God’s masterpiece, and our most precious possession. Our leadership is Catholic and often Holy

Holy Cross Family Ministries celebrates global appointments of new ministry center directors Cross religious, but they serve all families in prayer, especially the Rosary.”

Holy Cross Family Ministries is a family of Catholic ministries that has ministry centers in 17 countries, including Family Rosary,

Family Theater Productions, Catholic Mom, Museum of Family Prayer, Father Peyton Family Institutes, and the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life.

For more information, visit Holy Cross Family

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: May 22 Rev. Daniel L. Freitas, Retired, Former Pastor, St. John of God, Somerset, 2012 May 23 Rev. William F. Donahue, Assistant, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1944 Rev. Alfred J. Guenette, A.A., 1995 May 24 Rev. James F. Clark, Founder, St. James, New Bedford, 1907 Rev. Patrick Heran, SS.CC., Former Rector, Sacred Hearts Seminary, Fairhaven, 1985 Rev. Msgr. John J. Regan, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Patrick, Falmouth, 2015 May 25 Rev. Michael P. Kirby, Former Assistant St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1925 Rev. James V. Mendes, Pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Fall River, 1961 May 26 Chorbishop Norman J. Ferris, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of the Desert, Fall River, 2006 Rev. Thomas F. Murray, Assistant, St. Patrick, Falmouth and St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 2012 May 28 Rev. Lionel A. Bourque, Former Chaplain, Cardinal Cushing Hospital, Brockton, 1982 Rev. Kenneth J. Delano, Former Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford, and Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 2017 May 30 Rev. Jordan Harpin, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1929 Rev. Edmond J. Potvin, Pastor, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1937 Rev. James M. Quinn, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1950 Rev. Robert T. Canuel, Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1993

Ministries, visit hcfm.com.

List of newly-appointed Global Ministry Center Directors: Father Ruben Gomes, C.S.C. — Bangladesh; Father Stephen Mburu, C.S.C. — Tanzania; Father Royal Nazareth, C.S.C. — India;

Father Arokia Sahayaraj, C.S.C. — India; Father Arul Raj, C.S.C. — India; Sister Areli Cruz Hernandez, C.S.C. — Mexico; Brother Joseph Tsiquaye, C.S.C. — Ghana; Father Wilson Andrade, C.S.C. — Canada.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday,May 16 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in New Bedford

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, May 16 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Craig A. Pregana, Pastor of St. John the Evangelist and St. Vincent de Paul parishes, Attleboro

May 31 Rev. Vincent A. Wolski, OFM Conv., Pastor, Holy Cross, Fall River, 1964 June 1 Rev. James A. Ward, Former Pastor St. Peter, Provincetown, 1911 Permanent Deacon Gregory Beckel, 2018 June 3 Most Rev. James J. Gerrard, DD. Auxiliary Bishop of Fall River 1959-1976, Retired Pastor St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1991 Rev. Luis A. Cardoso, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 2011 June 4 Rev. Louis J. Terrien, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1920 Rev. Jose P. d’Amaral, Parochial Vicar, Santo Christo, Fall River, 1949 Rev. George Daigle, Pastor, Sacred Heart, North Attleboro, 1979

Sunday, May 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Maurice O. Gauvin, Pastor of Espirito Santo and St. Anthony of Padua parishes in Fall River

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Diocesan School Office gives kudos to Catholic educators continued from page two

Jennifer Moore of Attleboro added, “St. John the Evangelist School is very fortunate to have Mrs. Muehlberger as the Middle School ELA teacher. She is an engaging, enthusiastic and inspiring educator who has a positive impact on all her middle school students as she really gets to know them in a safe and caring environment.

Both of my children have excelled in her class due to her creative teaching strategies and positive leadership style.”

“This school year would not have been as successful if it were not for the commitment and dedication of our Catholic school educators,” said

Daniel S. Roy, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Fall River. “They have worked tirelessly for our children providing structured familiarity in learning environments that are nurturing and safe.”

Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., bishop of the Diocese of Fall River, lauded the educators, “Our Catholic school educators perfectly exemplify the call to service that Jesus asks of everyone.

“Catholic education is a vocation to educate and evangelize our youngest members of the Catholic faith. Throughout this most historic challenge, our schools remained places of safety, consistency, and family.”

For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, please go to https://www. catholicschoolsalliance. org/we-have-a-place-foryou/.

Permanent Deacon Robert G. Lorenzo FAIRHAVEN — Deacon Robert Gregory Lorenzo, 84, son of the deceased Gregorio and Vernie Lorenzo, died April 24, at his home in Fairhaven, with his family surrounding him in love. He is survived by his wife, Mary (O’Neil) and five of his six children, Regina (Jeff) McCready, Gregory (Carrel), Kathryn and life partner (Daniel Morris), Karen (Thomas) Kurtz, Christopher and predeceased by his beloved daughter, Amy. He also leaves 12 grandchildren; Ian, Colin, Cassie, Christopher, Sarah, Jon, Izzy, Sophia, Jack, Annie, Katie and Lucas. And his precious “Family O’Neil” including his brother- and sister-in-laws and 11 nieces and nephews.

Deacon Lorenzo had many acquaintances and

friends who will miss his gentle way. As an only child, growing up in Roxbury, he was a graduate of Cathedral High School and Merrimack College.

After studying at MIT, he became a naval architect of the U.S. Navy and traveled the world. Deacon Lorenzo was honored to be a United States Marine Corps Veteran, serving our country proudly.

In retirement, he was able to follow a passion for his Catholic faith. The Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph at Cathedral High School were instrumental in developing this passion in Deacon Lorenzo and he pursued the role of permanent deacon in 1988 through St. Patrick’s Parish in Woodbury, N.J., and later at St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven.

He was a dedicated and faithful servant of God. Deacon Lorenzo found joy in music, swimming, his garden, sitting in the sun on his deck overlooking Buzzards Bay and he was an avid food enthusiast.

He will be remembered by his family, friends and community for his warm and contagious smile and his ability to share his life experience to bring those he encountered to Christ.

A Memorial Mass was held at St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven on May 10.

Interment was at Riverside Cemetery.

A donation in memory of his beautiful spirit can be made by check to St. Joseph Parish in Fairhaven for the restoration of #32 Holy Orders Stained Glass Window Fund.

H. Douglas Byington, brother of Father Edward J. Byington WELLESLEY — H. Douglas Byington, age 88, of Wellesley, died peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family on May 2, after a brief battle with cancer.

He was the beloved husband of the late Mildred A. (Urban) Byington.

They enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. In his free time, Byington was an avid golfer and longtime member of Nehoiden Golf Club, and a fan of all Boston

sports teams.

Byington was born and raised in Fall River, graduating from Sacred Heart Parish School, Coyle High School, and Providence College (class of 1954).

He was the son of the late Maurice ”Bud” Byington and Ethel (McCoomb) Byington. Byington and his family moved to Wellesley in 1963.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving daughters, Deborah

A. Byington of Wellesley and Jane E. Byington; his brother, Father Edward J. Byington; and his cherished granddaughter, Ava Danielle Byington-Forman.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 5 in Holy Name Church, Fall River.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his honor may be made to St. Joseph’s Indian School, P.O. Box 100, Chamberlain, S.D. 57325-0100.

Film about Father Peyton wins Christopher Award NEW YORK — “PRAY: THE STORY OF PATRICK PEYTON” has won a prestigious Christopher Award, for the story of a Catholic priest, Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., whose gratitude for a miraculous healing led him to create a media ministry that popularized the life-changing idea, “The family that prays together stays together.”

The Christopher Awards were announced for 22 films, 14

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TV programs and books for adults and young people, highlighting the life-changing power of facing hardships with hope, courage, determination and faith.

“PRAY” is available for digital rental or purchase on Amazon Video, iTunes and Google Play.

The film is offered to Catholic parishes for screening events or fundraisers. Licensing information at https://

www.praythefilm.com/ grouplicense.

A “PRAY’ screening license can be used to show the movie at a parish, school, ministry, drive-in event or fundraiser. It’s the ideal movie for events hosted

by Catholic organizations, especially those devoted to Our Lady, prayer and Bible study groups, and Knights of Columbus councils.

Learn more at www.

FamilyTheater.org.

O

ne of my favorite things to do is to buy family and friends gifts.

I place great emphasis to get the giftee the perfect gift — and it’s of my opinion that said gift must be something they would enjoy, not something they need.

I think that over the years, I’ve nailed that. As a matter of fact I also love to send personalized birthday greetings on Facebook to my friends and family.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and I didn’t have Millie with us to gift her, but I got Denise a couple of enjoyable surprises.

We were talking about past gifts and such and she reminded me of a time in our lives that brought us to one of our lowest lows.

As most of you know, we lost our son David Joseph in 1996 at three days old. Despite his short time on this earth, the little guy (now 24!) left an indelible mark on our hearts and souls.

Shortly after DJoe was born, it became clear that he had hurdles to overcome. With that knowledge out there, the staff at Charlton Memorial Hospital took some photos of the little guy because frankly, we

A Motherʼs Day past didn’t think to do so. We never thought he would be gone so quickly. We were so grateful they did.

He went from Charlton to Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I., to Children’s Hospital in Boston all in that short threeday span.

When he couldn’t hang on any longer and passed to Heaven, the wonderful people at Children’s Hospital gave us a lovely satin box containing mementos of DJoe’s brief life; his birth certificate, the tiny bracelet he wore, a lock of his hair, and photos.

It is a cherished collection. But I couldn’t find the courage to open the gift for the longest time.

Six months after he died, Mother’s Day was approaching, and I knew it would be a difficult one for Denise, so the gift had to be exceedingly meaningful.

On DJoe’s memorial card and etched on his tombstone is one of our favorite scenes, ”The Madonna of the Streets.”

I bought a locket with bearing the image. I knew what had to go inside.

With great sadness, I opened the box and removed one of the photos.

It hurt so badly. But, I scanned the photo of his

angelic face with the little toque (French Canadian for knitted cap)and reduced it, laminated it and placed it inside the locket.

I didn’t know how De-

nise would react and I felt that maybe I overdid this one.

Come Mother’s Day I gave her the wrapped treasure. She gasped when she opened it. I didn’t know what that meant.

She had tears in her eyes and told me that was an answer to a prayer of hers. She told me that since the little guy died, she kept asking God for a sign that he was OK. Denise knew then and there, that was the sign for which she was praying. It was perfect.

I will never be able to get a better gift for anyone ever. Nor do I want to. The fact we still talk about it a quarter of a century later is proof.

The sting has worn off, but not the hurt and missing him. But we had a painting made of that photo and it hangs prominently in our living room.

I love getting people gifts that are funny and fun.

But sometimes a Higher Authority leads me in another direction. That, in and of itself, can be an awesome gift. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

Work has commenced on the 2021-22 Diocesan Directory scheduled to be published this September.

There are a limited number of 2020 editions still available. The books contain some outdated information, but much of it is accurate. We are offering this book for $15 (includes shipping).

Mail to: The Anchor 887 Highland Avenue Fall River, Mass. 02720

May 14, 2021 †

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Please support the TV Mass Donate online at www.GiveCentral.org/FRTVMass Or mail your check payable to: Diocese of Fall River – TV Mass, 450 Highland Ave. Fall River, MA 02720

T

he COVID-related meeting had been slated to happen in Pasqual Hall, the seat of Kalaupapa’s movie theater, originally dedicated in 1916 and rededicated in 2012.

However, when morning dawned, we realized that the venue had been switched overnight to the shade of the great banyan tree just off Staff Row. We were not entirely surprised at this change, since this banyan tree has provided the shelter for all of our community meetings since COVID-19 hit our islands.

It has been the safe gathering place.

On schedule our administrator, Ken Seamon, appeared before us like

Free at last Jesus Christ appeared to the Apostles in the upper room after His Resurrection. He then proceeded to give us the latest directives from the State Board of Health for living in Kalaupapa at this time. This would be in effect for the next 120 days. Now while many of the directives remain the same as those previously in effect, we were delighted to hear that those of us who have already received our two vaccinations will be free to return to Kalaupapa after visiting another of our Hawaiian Islands, without

having to quarantine for 14 days on return here.

On hearing this, a somewhat muted “Free at Last” murmur went up. The

muted factor was because of the continued inclusion of mask-wearing in the directives. Still, in our own humble way, we echoed the “Free at last” of the great Dr. Martin Luther King in his 1963 speech and the equally great President

Nelson Mandela in 1994.

We continue to wear our masks out of respect for our fellow residents and we try to keep the promulgated social distance. So, when we sneeze for example, the mask prevents us from splattering someone’s face or from blowing out an adjacent window. When someone addresses us, we may have to say, “Sorry! Can you come with that again?” There may be a temptation to shout, but here in Kalaupapa, we try to be polite as we are in the land of Saints Damien and Marianne.

We are still somewhat

cut off from the outside world in a sense as no visitors are permitted here at this time. And so I talk a lot to my three remaining cats, one of which is sleeping on the couch next to me as I pen this.

Titus is a gentle little tiger and reminds me of what our society and our world could and would be like if all of humanity learned to get along.

There would be no place for “Woke” and no space for “Cancel Culture.” God Almighty, we would all be free at last.

Aloha.

Anchor columnist Father Killilea is pastor of St. Francis Church in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or waynepowers@ anchornews.org 16

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