06.24.11

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , June 24, 2011

Study links same-sex attractions and risky teen-age behavior

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — A government report, released June 6, found that youth with same-sex attraction are more likely to participate in harmful behaviors.

“Any effort to promote adolescent health and safety must take into account the additional stressors these youth experience because of their sexual orientation, such as stigma, discrimination and victimization,” Howell Wechsler, director of the Centers of Disease Control’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, said in a press release announcing the report.

The report is based on data from a study conducted by the CDC from 2001 to 2009. It found that students who report being gay, lesbian or bisexual were more likely to use tobacco, alcohol and drugs. They were also more likely to participate in risky sex, suicidal behaviors and violence.

Candi Cushman, education analyst for CitizenLink, told The Anchor that the collected data does not address the root causes of these harmful actions. Instead, it shows a correlation between risky sexual behavior and other actions that cause self-harm.

“The study demonstrated a well-documented trend that sexual experimentation leads to long-term emotional and physical harm,” she said.

CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, is a family advocacy organization that seeks to inspire people “to live out biblical citizenship that transforms culture.”

Cushman said she was surprised at some of the conclusions that have been drawn, particularly because in areas where homosexuality is more widely accepted, risky behaviors by homosexual teens do not decrease.

While the study’s median Turn to page 14

Catholic Charities Appeal enters its final week

FALL RIVER — With the closing of the 2011 Catholic Charities Appeal set for June 28, the Catholic Charities Appeal Office was scampering to answer the phones, open the mail, and check parish totals as secretaries and pastors called in to doublecheck their figures.

This will continue up until 4 p.m. on June 28 when the books officially close.

“It’s pretty remarkable to see the dynamic that unfolds

here in the office and on a grander scale all across the diocese,” said Mike Donly, coordinator of the Appeal for the diocese. “It would be so easy for parishes that have exceeded their previous year’s totals to just sit back and revel in the fact that they had accomplished what some might consider their goal, but the reality is that all of the parishes truly feel their true goal is to raise as much money as they can, from as many parishioTurn to page 19

a Diocesan schools mainstay — Dr. George A. Milot, diocesan superintendent of schools, is retiring after decades of service in the Catholic schools system of the Diocese of Fall River. (Photo

by Becky Aubut)

George A. Milot retires after a decade as school superintendent

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — Dr. George A. Milot may be retiring after spending nearly a decade as the superintendent of the Catholic school system of the Fall River Diocese, but his memories of teaching are what he is focusing on most as he prepares to leave the Diocesan Education Center.

“Some of my memories always go back to people,” he said. “In all honesty, some of my earlier years when I was actually teaching in the classroom and coaching are some of the most memorable years because you’re dealing with the students.

Later on in my career, when I became a principal, although you’re still dealing with students, a lot more of your job had you dealing more with adults, like parents and teachers. Certainly as superintendent, the majority of your job is absolutely with adults.”

Milot has spent most of his professional career in Catholic education in the Fall River Diocese.

He began as a teacher and a coach at Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth in 1966. In 1974, he became principal there, serving until 1982. Af-

ter a stint in public schools, he returned to the diocesan school system in 1994 as principal of Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro.

In January 2002, then-Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., appointed him director of the Diocesan Education Department, making Milot the first layperson to serve in the top education post in the diocese. The title was changed to superintendent of schools during a later reorganization of the diocesan education apostolate.

Milot credits his own Catholic education for the formation of the ideals that he brought not only to his career but also to his daily life.

“It gives you the realization that we have a loving God who is always with us and that we learn to make Christ the center of your life. You use that as your basis,” he said. “I always feel the Lord is part of the major decisions that I have made. He has always guided me. There is comfort in that I think He has led me in the right way.”

As he began to assume more responsibility in the Catholic education system, Milot said he never lost sight of finding the right balance between Turn to page 14

New Bedford parishes heed call to pray for pope, sanctification of priests, and new vocations

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

NEW BEDFORD — The solemn feast of Corpus Christi will be the catalyst for four straight days of eucharistic adoration in honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Initiated by the priests and parishes in the New Bedford Deanery, the four-day, 24-hours-a-day event at Our Lady’s Chapel, 600

Pleasant Street in New Bedford, is in response to a letter to bishops worldwide from Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Prefect for the Congregation for the Clergy calling for 60 hours of eucharistic adoration, in honor of the pope’s June 29 anniversary, for the intention of the sanctification of the clergy, and for the gift of new and holy priestly vocations.

“In this way, the pontiff could be honored with an extraordinary spiritual bouquet of prayer and spiritual union,” Cardinal Piacenza wrote, “capable of showing both the real center of our life from Whom every missionary and pastoral effort comes forth, as well as the authentic face of the Church and of her priests.”

Turn to page 11

News From the Vatican

2

June 24, 2011

Vatican, biotech firm host congress to promote adult stem-cell therapy

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

council’s foundation — called STOQ International, for SciVATICAN CITY — The Vat- ence, Theology and the Ontoican will host an international logical Quest.

The interdisciplinary concongress to promote the use of adult stem cells as a safe, effec- gress, “Adult Stem Cells: Scitive and ethical means to fight ence and the Future of Man and Culture,” will feature exdegenerative diseases.

The congress, to be held No- pert speakers from the fields of vember 9-11, will also feature medicine, health and ethics.

Father Trafny said at a Vatispeakers who support embryonic stem-cell research, to give can news conference June 16 proponents an opportunity to that proponents of embryonic “explain the reasoning behind stem-cell research will have an “opportutheir posie said some gov- nity to defend tion,” said Faernments may their posither Tomasz tion” and give Trafny, an be investing money official with in embryonic rather their reasons for pursuing a the Pontifical Council for than adult stem-cell field that is not Culture. The research because most only unethical, Church is op- government officials but has not yet posed to the making these decisions produced any concrete benuse of embryonic stem are not medical experts efits.

He said some cells since it and are influenced by governments involves the others to choose which may be investdestruction of path to take. ing money in the human emembryonic bryo.

The congress, organized by rather than adult stem-cell rethe Vatican’s councils for Cul- search because most governture and Health Care Ministry ment officials making these deas well as the Pontifical Acad- cisions are not medical experts emy for Life, is being held in and are influenced by others to conjunction with the interna- choose which path to take.

That is why it is important to tional biopharmaceutical comincrease people’s understandpany, NeoStem.

The congress will be the ing about the concrete beneficulture council and the biotech cial results coming out of adult firm’s first major collaborative stem-cell therapies, he added.

That is also why the target project since they forged an agreement in 2010 to work to- audience for the congress will gether to educate people about be people “who do not have the benefits of adult stem-cell a real scientific background” research. The collaboration is such as policymakers, lawyers, representatives, between NeoStem’s Stem for government Life Foundation and the culture bishops and journalists.

H

spread the word — Pope Benedict XVI addresses a diocesan conference recently at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. The pope told attendees to not be afraid of their duty as Christians to pass on the word of God. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)

Pope Benedict reflects on true adoration of God

VATICAN CITY, (Zenit.org) — Benedict XVI today continued his series of teachings on prayer, drawing on the Prophet Elijah to speak about the commandment to adore God alone.

“True adoration is love,” the pope said.

The Holy Father turned to Chapter 18 of 1 Kings for a lesson on prayer drawn from the prophet. There, the story of Elijah’s face-off with the ministers of Baal is recounted.

This is a confrontation, the Bishop of Rome said, that in reality “is between the Lord of Israel, the God of salvation and of life, and a mute and empty idol that can do nothing, neither good nor evil.”

It is also a confrontation, he said, “between two completely different ways of turning to God

and ways of prayer.”

Elijah’s method of prayer includes asking the people to come near, “thereby involving them in his action and in his petition.”

“His request is that the people finally know — and know in fullness — who truly is their God, and that they make the decisive choice to follow Him alone, the true God,” the pontiff explained.

“For only in this way is God acknowledged as He truly is — Absolute and Transcendent — without the possibility of putting Him next to other gods, which would deny Him as the Absolute by relativizing Him.” “By his intercession, Elijah asks of God what God Himself desires to do — reveal Himself in all His mercy, faithful to His own reality as the Lord of life who forgives, converts and transforms,” he added.

Benedict XVI said that what is in question in this account is “the priority of the first commandment: to adore God alone.”

“Where God disappears, man falls into the slavery of idolatry, as the totalitarian regimes of our own time have demonstrated,

The Anchor www.anchornews.org

along with the various forms of nihilism that make man dependent upon idols, upon idolatry — they enslave him.”

It is also, he continued, about the primary goal of prayer: conversion.

“The fire of God transforms our hearts and makes us capable of seeing God, of living according to God and of living for the other.”

Finally, it is a foreshadowing of the future, the fulfillment in Christ: “Here we see the true fire of God: the love that leads the Lord all the way to the cross, to the total gift of Himself,” the pope noted.

“True adoration of God, then, is to give oneself to God and to men — true adoration is love,” he reflected. “And true adoration of God does not destroy, but renews. Certainly, the fire of God, the fire of love burns, transforms, purifies, but it is precisely in this way that it does not destroy but rather creates the truth of our being, recreates our hearts.

“And thus, truly alive by the grace of the fire of the Holy Spirit, of God’s love, may we be adorers in spirit and in truth.”

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 55, No. 25

Member: Catholic Press Association, Catholic News Service

Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchornews.org.

Subscription price by mail, postpaid $20.00 per year, for U.S. addresses.

Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA, call or use email address

PUBLISHER - Most Reverend George W. Coleman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org ADVERTISING Wayne R. Powers waynepowers@anchornews.org REPORTER Kenneth J. Souza kensouza@anchornews.org REPORTER Rebecca Aubut beckyaubut@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.org

PoStmaSters send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722.

THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass.

June 24, 2011

The International Church

3

Nuncio renews call for abstinence, fidelity-based efforts to limit AIDS

more room — Berlin’s Olympic stadium is pictured during a German Cup soccer match in May. Organizers for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Berlin are considering holding a papal Mass there because of a huge demand for tickets for the September 21 service, although some officials are reluctant because it was built by the Nazis for the 1936 games. The stadium can hold up to 80,000 people. (CNS photo/Reuters)

English archbishop: Marriage not private agreement, but a ‘public good’

B y Simon C aldwell Catholic News Service

LONDON — The spiritual leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has praised traditional marriage as a “public good.”

Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster said it was “vitally important” for the “whole of society” to support marriage at a time when more British couples than ever were choosing to live together outside of marriage and to have children out of wedlock.

He said the British had acknowledged the importance of marriage by rejoicing over the April 29 marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in London’s Westminster Abbey.

The “mighty public cheer” that rang out after the couple exchanged vows showed an “instinctive and profound public understanding of the nature and consequences of marriage itself,” said Archbishop Nichols, who was a guest at the royal wedding.

“Marriage, as a permanent, exclusive commitment between this man and this woman was welcomed, applauded,” the archbishop said in a homily at a Mass for married couples in Westminster Cathedral.

“There was rejoicing in what the newlyweds had just done,” he said. “Marriage, then, is a public good.

“Marriage is not simply something done in church by a few. Marriage is not a private arrangement,” he said.

“Rather marriage expresses our deepest longings and expectations for ourselves, for

our children and for our society,” he continued.

“Marriage is of our nature.

It is not created by the Church, but blessed by her. Christian Marriage is a Sacrament,” he added. “In celebrating marriage, in defending marriage, the Church seeks to promote that which is good for us human beings, for our human nature and for our society.”

The archbishop’s words were directed primarily at a personally invited congregation of 543 married couples from his diocese who had a combined total of 18,048 years of marriage.

They gathered June 11 to celebrate the milestone 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th or more anniversaries, to renew their vows and to receive a solemn blessing.

But by releasing a transcript to the media June 10 it was clear that Archbishop Nichols intended his message to be heard by a national and not exclusively Catholic audience.

His comments came just months after official figures revealed that the marriage rate in the United Kingdom was at its lowest since 1895, with just 21.3 men marrying per 1,000 unmarried adult men and 19.9 women marrying per 1,000 unmarried women.

About 57 percent of children in the United Kingdom are now born to parents who are not married, said figures revealed in February from the Office for National Statistics.

In his homily Archbishop Nichols explained that marriage was nevertheless the key to a successful family life and

the happiness and security of children because it was the most successful framework “for the relationship of love of a man and a woman to become faithful, fruitful and permanent.”

He said that in contrast cohabiting relationships were inherently unstable because they were effectively negotiable.

Such arrangements were largely dependent on the fulfilment of high expectations for their success and not rooted in the mutual “acceptance of the other for who they are,” he said.

“When relationships are provisional, with an understanding that each can walk away, there is a sense in which each of the partners is always on probation,” Archbishop Nichols said. “They are never fully accepted.”

Foyer of Charity

Scituate, MA 02066-1499 Scripture-based Eucharist-centered Retreats since 1977

Upcoming Retreats July 11 - 17 July 25 - 31 (Blessed John Henry Newman’s thought) August 15 - 21 For reservation or information: www.foyerofcharity.com or info@foyerofcharity.com or 781-545-1080

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — Abstinence and fidelitybased programs remain the only universally effective, safe and affordable means of halting the spread of AIDS, the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations told a meeting to review progress and chart the future course of the global response to the disease.

Archbishop Francis Chullikatt also said in remarks delivered June 10 that access to anti-retroviral drugs is vital in treating the disease and for reducing the risks for spreading it, but should not be seen as a means to “diminish the consequences of dangerous and irresponsible behavior.”

The nuncio’s remarks were delivered by Jane Adolphe, associate professor of law at Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Fla., and a member of the Vatican delegation to the U.N. meeting reviewing efforts under the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. The archbishop said the world’s approach to the AIDS epidemic must involve “a value-based response which recognizes the need to promote the inherent dignity of the human person, thus, responsible sexual behavior and recognition of responsibility to oneself and one’s own community.”

While access to anti-retroviral drugs has proved beneficial in treating AIDS and limiting the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus that causes the disease, the archbishop said only about a third of the 15 million people with the disease in low- and middle-income countries can

obtain the medication.

Archbishop Chullikatt also pointed to reports that showed funding to combat AIDS fell in 2010 for the first time in the 30 years since the disease was identified. “We are reminded that political declaration and good will need to be matched by concrete actions on the ground and at the international level,” he said.

He urged the world to ensure that the 10 million people who lack access to life-saving drugs receive the safe and affordable treatment, care and support they need.

“The approximately $7 billion U.S. dollars which would be needed to provide this treatment is a substantial sum but pales in comparison to the money and resources spent by countries in the pursuit of war and other destructive activities such as the global enterprise that surrounds arms and drug trading,” he said.

The archbishop also called upon pharmaceutical companies to reassess their policies regarding intellectual property rights to ensure that such legal protections lead to greater research efforts “rather than becoming yet another barrier” to accessing drugs and medical equipment.

“While greater funding and access to necessary drugs is a requirement for addressing the lack of access to treatment, care and support, so too must greater considerations be given to ensuring that these resources are used in a manner which is effective and responsible,” Archbishop Chullikatt said.

The Church in the U.S.

4

June 24, 2011

Father Corapi announces he’s leaving the priesthood

Corpus Christi, Texas (CNA/EWTN News) — In the wake of being suspended over what he claims are unproven allegations, popular speaker Father John Corapi announced that after 20 years in ministry, he is leaving the Catholic priesthood.

“I am not going to be involved in public ministry as a priest any longer,” he said in an online post.

“There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone.”

In a June 17 post on a website with the title of his new ministry “Black Sheep Dog,” and a related YouTube video clip, Father Corapi outlined his reasons for leaving.

He said that he feels unjustly accused, that the process of clearing his name has been too sluggish and that there are authorities in the Church who are intentionally trying to oust him.

Father Corapi’s decision comes while he is on administrative leave, which his religious superiors placed him on this past March, following allegations of misconduct.

He claimed in a March 19 statement that a three-page letter submitted by a former, unidentified female employee was entirely “false.” The letter claimed that the priest took part in sexual encounters with several adult women and engaged in habitual drug use.

A member of the Texas-based Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, Father Corapi is an internationally-known speaker and author who has appeared regularly on Catholic television and radio programs.

He gained a widespread audience with his conversion story.

After a prominent career as a wealthy businessman, his life spiraled out of control due to a cocaine addiction, eventually leading to him living on the streets.

He later came back to the Catholic Church and was ordained a priest.

On March 18, Father Gerry Sheehan, Regional Priest Servant for the society, issued a statement defending the suspension, saying that he and other authorities were “duty-bound to conduct an inves-

tigation in this accusation.”

Father Corapi said in his online post Friday that he has “been guilty of many things in the course of my life, and could easily and justifiably be considered unfit to engage in public ministry as a priest.”

However, referring to the woman in question, he said that the “present complaint that you have heard about is, as far as I know, from the one person that I can honestly say I did more to help and support than any human being in my entire life.”

“I forgive her and hope only good things for her. I am not going to get into a back and forth or argument with the Church or anyone else about this matter.”

He said that even though he loves the Catholic Church, the process used following the allegations “is inherently and fatally flawed, but the bishops have the power, apparently, to operate anyway they see fit.”

“I cannot give a lengthy explanation of what has transpired, but I can tell you that the most likely outcome is that they leave me suspended indefinitely and just let me fade away.”

“My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process,” he said. “The case may be on hold indefinitely, but my life cannot be.”

Father Corapi said that he’ll move forward through ministry both within the Church and outside of it.

“I shall continue, black sheep that I am, to speak; and sheep dog that I am, to guard the sheep — this time around not just in the Church, but also in the entire world.

“Under the name ‘The Black Sheep Dog,’ I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing. My autobiography, ‘The Black Sheep Dog,’ is almost ready for publication.

“My topics will be broader than in the past, and my audience likewise is apt to be broader,” he added. “I’ll do what I can under the circumstances.”

a lifetime of blessings — Worcester Bishop Robert J. McManus blesses Elizabeth T. Gauthier of St. Peter’s Church in Northbridge, Mass., after presenting her an apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of her 110th birthday recently. Her son, Edgar Gauthier, 78, is standing by her side. (CNS photo/Tanya Connor, Catholic Free Press)

Bishops urged to fight back to defend traditional marriage

BELLEVUE, Wash. (CNS) for the life and upbringing of redefinition and cultural decon— Bishop Salvatore J. Cordil- that child,” Bishop Cordileone struction hinge upon the promoeone of Oakland, Calif., urged said. “In contemporary debates tion of the truth, goodness and his fellow bishops to fight back about the meaning of marriage, beauty of marriage itself,” he in the war of words over efforts the rights and dignity of the child said, calling marriage “a unique to redefine traditional marriage. should be at the forefront.” adventure and responsibility that The chairman of the U.S. Two other videos in English only one man and one woman Conference of Catholic Bishops’ — called “Made for the Com- can embark upon together.”

Subcommittee for the Promotion mon Good” and “Made for FreeBishop Cordileone said there and Defense of Marriage said dom” — will be completed in were “many strong signs for enorganizations advocating the le- 2012, he said, and a Spanish-lan- couragement and hope” in the gal redefinition of marriage have guage, “telenovela”-style video campaign to preserve traditional been using words like marriage, such as the ur culture is one that often for- defeat of same-sex “human rights” and “hate” in discussions gets the sacred gift of the child, marriage legislation in of same-sex marriage. and in so doing it also fails to recognize Maryland and progress “Strategies of lantoward amendmentguage are crucial here, the vital importance of a mother and a fa- level protection of marand what we see hap- ther together for the life and upbringing riage in Minnesota. pening in the marriage of that child,” Bishop Cordileone said. “In “The good news is debate with terms such often undermined or contemporary debates about the meaning as ‘equality’ is similar covered over, but the to the manipulation of of marriage, the rights and dignity of the facts remain,” he said. language found in the child should be at the forefront.”

“The myth of the inpro-abortion rhetoric evitability of same-sex of ‘choice,’” Bishop Cordileone is expected to be completed by ‘marriage’ remains just that — a the end of the year. said. myth.”

Bishop Cordileone said the fi“Many of our young people He cited two key challenges, have now come to see what ‘pro- nal video, “Made for Freedom,” however — the decision by the choice’ really means, and em- will stress the important connec- Obama administration to abanbrace instead a culture of life,” tion between marriage and reli- don “a robust defense of the he added. “A similar task lies gious liberty.

Defense of Marriage Act,” the “To be considered and labeled federal law declaring that marbefore us in our efforts to protect a ‘bigot’ or ‘discriminator’ by the riage can only be between one marriage.”

As one weapon in the war of government and by law has seri- man and one woman, and the words, he cited the video series ous implications for the religious rise in arrangements such as civil “Marriage: Unique for a Reason” liberty of both institutions and unions and domestic partnerthat is being produced by the US- individuals and their freedom of ships.

CCB in English and Spanish. He conscience,” he said. “The video “These are planted within a announced completion of the will seek to demythologize pop- strategy of incremental erosion second video in English, called ular claims and call attention to of marriage,” Bishop Cordileone “Made for Life,” which focuses what is really at stake.” said. “Originally proposed as a Bishop Cordileone’s subcom- compromise with assurances that on the indispensable place of both mothers and fathers in the mittee, formerly the Ad Hoc this was not an attempt to give Committee for Defense of Mar- recognition to same-sex ‘marlives of their children.

“Our culture is one that of- riage, recently was renamed to riage’ in the law, now arrangeten forgets the sacred gift of the include the word “promotion,” ments such as civil unions are child, and in so doing it also fails he noted. often advocated precisely as a “Our efforts to protect the in- stepping stone to the legal redefito recognize the vital importance of a mother and a father together stitution of marriage from legal nition of marriage.”

“O

June 24, 2011

The Church in the U.S.

5

Bishops approve statement on assisted suicide, charter revisions

BELLEVUE, Wash. (CNS) — The U.S. bishops June 16 approved a policy statement on physician-assisted suicide, the first on the issue by the bishops as a body, and they also approved revisions to their 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”

The votes came on the second day of the bishops’ annual spring general assembly held near Seattle in Bellevue June 15-17.

Taking on the issue of physician-assisted suicide in the state where voters most recently approved it, the U.S. bishops hope to counter the recent “strong resurgence” in activity by the assisted suicide movement, said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, in presenting the document a day before the vote.

In the document, titled “To Live Each Day With Dignity” and approved in a 191-1 vote, the U.S. bishops declared assisted suicide “a terrible tragedy, one that a compassionate society should work to prevent.”

It says if advocates of assisted suicide succeed in their campaign to see it legalized in more and more states, “society will undergo a radical change.”

The revisions to the charter were approved 187-5, with four abstentions.

They reflect changes in Church law since the last revision in 2005, bringing it into line with recent Vatican instructions in response to the crisis of sexual abuse of minors by priests. These include mentioning child pornography as a crime against Church law and defining the abuse of someone who “habitually lacks reason,” such as a person with mental retardation, as the equivalent of child abuse.

They also outline procedures to follow if a bishop is accused of having sexually abused a child and another bishop becomes aware of it.

The experiences of the past nine years have shown that “the charter works,” said Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Spokane said June 15. As chairman of the USCCB Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People he introduced the docu-

ment to the bishops.

“The charter has served the Church well,” he said. “It is a helpful tool as we keep our pledge to protect children, promote healing and rebuild trust.”

The next day before the vote there was little debate on the proposed revisions.

But not every bishop is on board with the charter’s provisions, as evidenced by the 28 amendments proposed by Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Neb., and rejected by the committee.

Most of the amendments suggested by Bishop Bruskewitz were aimed at weakening the charter’s wording because, the bishop said in a rationale included with the amendments, “The USCCB bureaucracy cannot bind bishops to obey the charter.”

Retired Archbishop Francis T. Hurley of Anchorage, Alaska, also raised questions about the “zero tolerance” policy outlined in the charter, which requires the permanent removal of any priest who admits or is found to have abused a child.

But at a news conference held later in the day, Bishop Cupich said a change in the policy would send the message that “we are going to put priest offenders first,” and that is not the case, he said. “We are putting the victims first.”

On the first day of their meeting, the bishops also heard a report from Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington on progress being made toward a U.S. personal ordinariate for former Anglicans who want to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

As many as 100 U.S. Anglican priests and 2,000 lay people could be the first members of the U.S. ordinariate, said the cardinal, who was appointed by the Vatican last September to guide the incorporation of Anglican groups into the Catholic Church in the United States under “Anglicanorum coetibus,” an apostolic constitution issued by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2009.

At a news conference following his report, Cardinal Wuerl said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the Vatican were to establish the U.S. ordinariate by the end of the year.

PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE — Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, celebrates Mass June 15 before the opening session of the bishops’ annual spring meeting near Seattle in Bellevue, Wash. (CNS photo/Stephen Brashear)

“I think it will be sooner rather than later,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. bishops voted overwhelmingly to authorize preparation of a 50-page document on preaching for consideration in November 2012.

St. Louis Archbishop Robert J. Carlson presented the proposal on behalf of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, which he chairs, but said the document would be drawn up in consultation with various committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Archbishop Carlson said the document would be “at once inspirational and practical, grounded in the tradition of the Church” and would aim to “adequately convey the purpose of the homily at Mass: the personal encounter with the Incarnate Word.”

In other action on the first day of the assembly, the bishops also: — Agreed by a 194-1-1 vote to integrate the Commission on Certification and Accreditation into the USCCB as a new Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry.

— Got an update from Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of Oakland, Calif., about the conference’s efforts to promote and defend marriage.

— Approved, 185-1-3, the use of the Mass texts for patronal feast days of Spanish-speaking countries as an appendix to the eventual Spanish translation of

the Roman Missal for use in the United States.

— Dropped from their agenda without comment a discussion of their perennial “Faithful Citizenship” document on political responsibility.

— Saw a video appeal from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin for strong U.S. participation in the International Eucharistic Congress scheduled for next year in his city.

— Heard about a plan to review periodically the mandate of each national collection held in this country.

— Gave a standing ovation to Ken Hackett, who addressed the bishops as he prepared to retire from Catholic Relief Services after nearly 40 years with the international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community.

— Heard from Father Edward Dougherty, superior general of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, about the 100th anniversary of the organization founded by the U.S. bishops to recruit, train, send and support American missioners overseas.

— Were given the option of beginning use of some musical settings for the new translation of Roman Missal in September, rather than waiting until full implementation on the first Sunday in Advent.

— Bid farewell to Msgr. David Malloy, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, who was completing five years of service as USCCB general secretary.

6

The Anchor

The most effective and radical remedy against idolatry

One of Pope Benedict’s greatest priorities has been to respond to the worsening secularism in western culture that is attempting to rebuild society on atheistic foundations. He has been confronting the efforts of those elites seeking to ban God and religion from public life, repeatedly reminding the world that when we forget God we not only lose touch with who we are but we also undermine the ground for inalienable human rights. He has also been addressing the far more common and problematic issue of practical atheism among Christians, when those who profess themselves to be believers live as if God does not exist. This divorce between faith and life, between private belief and public action, between religion and reason in western societies is what is making possible the advent of an aggressive secularism that seeks to codify in politics, education and culture this practical atheism in day-to-day existence.

Many Catholics are aware of Benedict’s diagnosis of the problem of the dictatorship of relativism to which many in society have surrendered their freedom, but few have noticed the remedy he has prescribed and even fewer have been following it. As we prepare for the celebration of Corpus Christi on Sunday, it’s important that all of us reflect anew on this antidote for these secularist social ills: true adoration of God. When Pope Benedict was in Cologne in 2005 for World Youth Day, he spoke to the German bishop about how important it is for the Church to recover the practice of adoration in order to help the world rediscover the face and love of God. “In our new context in which worship, and thus also the face of human dignity, has been lost, it is once again up to us to understand the priority of worship. We must make the young, ourselves and our communities, aware of the fact that adoration is not a luxury of our confused epoch that we cannot permit ourselves but a priority. Whenever worship is no longer done, wherever it is not a priority to pay honor to God, human realities can make no headway.”

Adoration, he stresses, is not a luxury but a priority, because when people cease to adore God, they begin to worship themselves through exalting pleasure, power, and material goods. Failing to adore God, they begin to serve mammon (Mt 6:24) — and once they begin to serve mammon, they forget who they are. “Without the Creator, the creature disappears,” as Vatican II’s Gaudium et Spes emphasizes. The rise of practical atheism and the decrease of adoration go hand-and-hand. Once Christians began to behave as if the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist was tangential to their lives, once they no longer allowed Jesus’ eucharistic presence to influence their daily priorities — through for example daily Mass and adoration, not to mention, obviously, the Sunday Eucharist — then it’s easy to see how they could take the small step to structuring their life as if God did not exist and begin to place their faith, hope and love in the things of this world. It’s also one of the reasons that, for the new evangelization to succeed, we need to rediscover and help others to rediscover the importance of adoration of God. The feast of Corpus Christi is an opportunity for us to reorient our priorities and the way we relate practically to the real presence of the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist. If someone believes that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist and loves Jesus, then that love ought naturally to show itself in eucharistic desires and deeds. Corpus Christi provides three opportunities, as Pope Benedict mentioned in a 2008 Corpus Christi homily. The first is to gather together to celebrate with joy the Holy Mass. The second is to accompany Jesus into the streets in a Corpus Christi procession. The third, on which we will focus, is to kneel before the Lord in adoration.

In the craziness that reigned in some places after the Second Vatican Council, there were many who mocked what they impiously called “cookie worship,” meaning eucharistic adoration. In Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict’s 2007 Apostolic Exhortation on the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Father responded to this widespread theological darnel that “the eucharistic bread was given to us not to be looked at, but to be eaten.” He called it a “false dichotomy” and quoting St. Augustine, commented, “no one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it.”

Eucharistic adoration, he continued, “is simply the natural consequence of the eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church’s supreme act of adoration. Receiving the Eucharist means adoring Him Whom we receive. Only in this way do we become one with Him. … The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself.”

It’s not enough, in other words, for us merely to receive the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist in the state of grace. We also must adoringly receive Him, because adoration forms and increases our receptivity and prolongs and intensifies our Holy Communion. When we adore Jesus, we remind ourselves that the One we receive is in fact the Lord. “Adoration,” Pope Benedict said in a 2006 question-and-answer session with first communicants, “is recognizing that Jesus is my Lord, that Jesus shows me the way to take, and that I will live well only if I know the road that Jesus points out and follow the path He shows me. Therefore, adoration means saying: ‘Jesus, I am Yours. I will follow You in my life; I never want to lose this friendship, this communion with You.’” That attitude of adoration impacts everything we are and do, including how we receive Him in Holy Communion.

At World Youth Day in Cologne, Pope Benedict elaborated on how the “inner journey of adoration” of God transforms us by highlighting the etymology of the word for adoration in Greek and Latin: “The Greek word is proskynesis,” the pope says. “It refers to the gesture of submission, the recognition of God as our true measure, supplying the norm that we choose to follow. It means that freedom is not simply about enjoying life in total autonomy, but rather about living by the measure of truth and goodness, so that we ourselves can become true and good. This gesture is necessary even if initially our yearning for freedom makes us inclined to resist it.” Proskynesis brings us to our knees, which is the first moment of adoration. “The Latin word for adoration,” the pope continues, “is ad-oratio — mouth to mouth contact, a kiss, an embrace, and hence, ultimately love.”

This is the second moment. “Submission becomes union, because He to Whom we submit is Love.

In this way submission acquires a meaning, because it does not impose anything on us from the outside, but liberates us deep within.”

In his 2008 Corpus Christi homily, Pope Benedict talked about how this loving union through adoring reception restores us to our true dignity. “Adoring the God of Jesus Christ, Who out of love made Himself bread broken, is the most effective and radical remedy against the idolatry of the past and of the present. Kneeling before the Eucharist is a profession of freedom: those who bow to Jesus cannot and must not prostrate themselves before any earthly authority, however powerful.

We Christians kneel only before God or before the Most Blessed Sacrament because we know and believe that the one true God is present in it, the God who created the world and so loved it that He gave His only Begotten Son (cf. Jn 3: 16). We prostrate ourselves before a God Who first bent over man like the Good Samaritan to assist him and restore his life, and Who knelt before us to wash our dirty feet. Adoring the Body of Christ, means believing that, in that piece of Bread [with a capitalB], Christ is really there, and gives true sense to life, to the immense universe as to the smallest creature, to the whole of human history as to the most brief existence.”

Against the secularism that wants to force us to bow down before earthly realities, adoration of God liberates and restores us to our true dignity. Adoration helps us to recognize that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son not only to take on our human nature and be born in a Bethlehem manger but that He allowed that same Son to humble Himself even further, remaining under the appearances of bread and wine in tabernacles and in monstrances so that He can be with us, and we with Him, until the end of time. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Pope Benedict in Sacramentum Caritatis strongly encouraged the practice of eucharistic adoration, both individually and in community, and asked that churches or oratories be set up wherever possible for perpetual adoration.

Not only will this revivify individual believers and communities, but it will also begin to provide spiritual chemotherapy to one of society’s greatest cancers.

T

June 24, 2011

Go forth, Christian soul

he death of a loved one is rarely know Him, to love Him, and to serve viewed or spoken of as a beautiful Him in this world, and to be happy with thing, but for those who trust in the Lord, Him forever in the next.” it really is. Today we examine the reality The purpose of this life is to get to the of death, the first of what the Church next life, which is our final destination. calls the “Last Things.”

And so that we might know this and be A few months ago, I experienced able to accomplish it, God sent his only one of the great moments in the life of Son into the world to teach us the Way, a priest. I was called to a nursing home the Truth and the Life. Our Lord Himself where the mother of a good friend was established the Church to help guide us in the last moments of her life, just a few along the right path, giving us all that we days before her 100th birthday. need to prepare for that moment when When I arrived at the nursing home we cross the threshold from this life into with another priest, we found her surthe next. rounded by her son and grandchildren As fitting as this explanation may be, who were all there praying with her. and as beautiful as the prayers before She had already been anointed with the death may be, there is still the uncerSacrament of the Sick, so we prayed the tainty of what awaits us on the other “prayer of commendation for the dying” side. What will this experience look like? which beautifully expresses the hope we What will it feel like? Will we see our have as Christians. loved ones? These are obviously quesThe prayer begins, “Go forth, Christions that we are unable to answer. tian soul, from this world, in the name of Perhaps it is like the child in the God the Father Almighty, who created womb of its mother. For about nine you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of months, a child has only one experience the living God, of life — his who suffered or her mothfor you, in the er’s womb.

Putting Into name of the Perhaps a the Deep Holy Spirit, pre-born who was child wonders poured forth what life will

By Father upon you. Go be like on Jay Mello forth, faithful the outside.

Christian.”

Perhaps I can’t he cannot think of a more fitting and beautiful comprehend how he would be able to prayer in which to commend a faithful survive once he is no longer attached to Catholic back into the hands of almighty his mother by the umbilical cord.

God. Clearly, saying our final farewell Just because the child has no experito the ones we love is never easy, but in ence of life after birth, it doesn’t mean the light of our Christian hope, we send that it doesn’t exist. No one has ever forth our loved ones, trusting in God’s gone back into his or her mother’s womb mercy and in the promise of our eternal to tell future generations what life would reward. be like after birth.

Praying with someone in the last moHuman death is much like human ments of life is a truly holy and sacred birth — life is changed, not ended. And moment. In fact, sacramentally preparing this is the expression of our faith about someone to meet the Lord is one of most death. At the funeral Mass, the prayer of priestly things that a priest can do. As a commendation expresses this faith: “To person stands on the threshold between you, O Lord, we commend the soul of this world and the next, with fear and your servant; in the sight of this world anxiety, the Church is there to provide he is now dead; in your sight may he consolation and hope. live forever. Forgive whatever sins he But in these final moments of one’s committed through human weakness and life we are confronted with the question in your goodness grant him everlasting of what happens when we die. Do we peace.” just cease to exist? Is there really someOur faith does provide us much thing more? Is there life after death? comfort in the face of death. The Church Does God really exist? In the face of teaches, “The Christian who unites his death, these are natural things to ask. own death to that of Jesus views it as a Those without faith have argued step towards Him and an entrance into that the idea of life after death in some everlasting life. When the Church for heavenly kingdom is just a concept made the last time speaks Christ’s words of up by religious people to comfort thempardon and absolution over the dying selves or make them happy and secure.

Christian, seals him for the last time with They argue that there isn’t any evidence a strengthening anointing, and gives him of life after death.

Christ in viaticum as nourishment for the One question that arises from this journey, she speaks with gentle assurcynical way of thinking is that if life ance” (CCC 1020). ends at death, what then is the purpose of Death is the only way that we are able this life. If there is nothing else, why do to pass from this life into the eternal life we do anything at all, good or bad? Our that Christ has prepared for those who Christian faith provides the answer to love Him. For those with faith and who these questions. have been faithful to Christ there is no Some readers may remember the reason to have fear or doubt.

“Baltimore Catechism” from which they May the souls of all the faithful delearned their faith as a child. One of the parted, through the mercy of God, rest in very first questions addresses this issue. peace. Amen!

“Why was I created?” The “Baltimore Father Mello is a parochial vicar at Catechism” answers, “God made me to St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

June 24, 2011

Q: Are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion for extraordinary circumstances or may they serve at every Mass? — W.B., Dallas, Texas Q: I understand that the use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion is to be just that, “extraordinary.”

I also understand that the distribution of the Blessed Sacrament under both species to all the faithful has been allowed by the U.S. bishops’ conference, given its fuller sign value. Thus my question is this: Which trumps which?

It is almost unheard of for a parish to distribute Communion under both species without recourse to extraordinary ministers. Is it preferable to avoid using extraordinary ministers and distribute under one species only? Or is it preferable to distribute under both species and have recourse to extraordinary ministers on an ordinary basis? — V.D., N.Y. A: Bishops, priests and deacons are the only ordinary ministers of Holy Communion and, unless impaired by a grave reason such as a serious health problem, they should always give out communion at Mass before any supplementary ministers are used. Extraordinary ministers are just that, extraordinary, and their

A

s I noted last week, “The Everlasting Man” is Chesterton’s masterpiece, which is why I am going to dwell on it here this week and next. He tells the story of mankind from the perspective of the first things, the things that we cannot not know. We read his narrative and it cannot fail to astonish, for it remains so appropriate to our own moment. In an age of overwhelming science and information, the things that we can know absolutely start to recede into a maelstrom of pseudo-science and false religion. Chesterton may not have imagined the American 24-7 media and the Internet, but I don’t think they would have surprised him much; he’d seen it all in seedling form in his own day.

We live at a time when opinion masquerades as knowledge.

Reason, we are told by the New York Times this past week, is simply a naturally selected tool to win arguments. If we once believed that reason reveals truth, well, we are told that we know better now, because we are smarter. It is really becom-

7

The Anchor

Are extraordinary ministers the norm?

function remains a supplemen- up whatever doubts one might have. In grave cases of abuse tary one. If the celebrant can one may inform the bishop. easily distribute Communion Even if one has serious to all without causing excesdoubts regarding the propriety sive delay, then extraordinary of using extraordinary minisministers should not be used. ters in a given case, the gift of At times however, factors Communion is a greater good other than numbers can play a part in justifying seeking help, and should never be refused. such as a very elderly priest, or, in the cases where it is approved, to administer the Precious Blood, or those daily Masses where people

By Father sacrifice their time in Edward McNamara order to attend Mass before work and even a couple of minutes In a very real sense we always delay can make a difference. receive Communion from To judge by the second unworthy hands no matter how question and the large amount holy the minister, for nobody of correspondence we get about this issue, it seems many is ever fully worthy to touch Christ’s sacred Body.

Catholics perceive a wideA reader from Rome asked spread overuse of extraordiif an instituted acolyte is connary ministers. sidered an ordinary minister.

Several readers asked what Properly speaking he is not, to do if they believed that but he does have precedence, there were too many extraorin the sense that, should an dinary ministers, some even extraordinary minister be suggesting that they should required, he should be called refrain from receiving Comupon first before anybody else. munion. There may be good After the instituted acolyte, reasons for using them, howthe usual order of preference ever, which are not immedifor designating extraordinary ately apparent, so one should ministers is to first choose an always be willing to give the pastor the benefit of the doubt. instituted lector, a seminarian, One could approach the pastor a religious brother, a nun, a catechist and a lay person of and politely ask him to clear

Liturgical Q&A

either sex (see instruction “Immensae Caritatis”).

With regard to the distribution of the Precious Blood by EMHCs, the 2004 instruction “Redemptionis Sacramentum” states in No. 102: “The chalice should not be ministered to lay members of Christ’s faithful where there is such a large number of communicants that it is difficult to gauge the amount of wine for the Eucharist and there is a danger that ‘more than a reasonable quantity of the Blood of Christ remain to be consumed at the end of the celebration.’ The same is true wherever access to the chalice would be difficult to arrange, or where such a large amount of wine would be required that its certain provenance and quality could only be known with difficulty, or wherever there is not an adequate number of sacred ministers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion with proper formation, or where a notable part of the people continues to prefer not to approach the chalice for various reasons, so that the sign of unity would in some sense be negated.”

From this text we can adduce that, in principle at least,

The everlasting man — Part II

ing a culture of noise. I do not none of which we can see, we know at what amplitude or ignore the small things we frequency that noise becomes actually can see. Imagine with the phenomenon we know as me again. Imagine the me“white noise,” but I’m fairly dia is telling you that you are certain that our cultural atmoliving on Mars (even though sphere has almost reached the you really live on Earth). The equivalent level. It is tempting to begin to believe the noise is the only true thing, and A Twitch the things we once Upon a Thread thought were true were just auditory hallucinaBy Jennifer Pierce tions. As Rod Serling, however, once said: imagine, if you will.

All that white noise has come television, the Internet, even to a startling halt and we fithe neighborhood rumor mill all nally have a moment of silence. tell you repeatedly that you are Then, crickets. Wind in the living on Mars. You read your trees. A loved one breathing. favorite “We Live On Mars” The real things. bloggers, you buy “We Live On Our culture of info-tainMars” merchandise, and drive ment’s white noise may be a car specially designed for constituted of one, or two, or Martian roads. Soon you begin many true things, but it has to believe you know that you the effect of drowning out the live on Mars, and that “knowlthings that are true. Chesteredge” begins to block out all ton’s point in “The Everlasting the real things in your daily Man” is that while we have life. It gets to the point that you gained the ability to construct can cite statistics on the Marand imagine large, “scientific” tian climate, you rattle off dates and “historical” narratives, in Martian history, and you

even understand enough about Martian Theory to discuss it at cocktail parties. Meanwhile, none of this Martian knowledge is anything you can see.

At some point, while you are a breed of Martian-lore expert, you have forgotten the color of the tiles on your kitchen back-splash. The information about Mars begins to drown out the sound of your spouse’s voice and, the taste of the food on your table.

You fail to remember what the silk of your dog’s coat feels like under your fingertips. You have come to believe the biggest of extraordinary lies while forgetting the smallest of ordinary truths. And when you look to the east in August this summer and see a star near the waning crescent moon you will wonder what in the world it could be.

Chesterton started us last week with a contemplation of the origins of man and now he brings us to the origins of civilization. When contemplating the birth of civilization, what are the simple things that

Church norms recognize the possibility of using wellformed extraordinary ministers to assist in distributing Communion under both species.

Therefore, rather than one norm trumping the other, it is a question of evaluating all the pertinent circumstances before deciding what to do. The mere fact of having to use extraordinary ministers does not appear to be a sufficient reason not to proceed with Communion under both species, provided that the ministers are duly qualified.

While Communion under both species is graced with indubitable spiritual advantages, it is not an absolute value and, as the norms suggest, it should be omitted if there is any danger of profanation or due to serious practical difficulties.

Nobody is deprived of any grace by not receiving from the chalice, as Christ is received whole and entire under either species.

Father Edward McNamara is a Legionary of Christ and professor of Liturgy at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. His column appears weekly at zenit.org. Send questions to liturgy@zenit. org. Put the word “Liturgy” in the subject field. Text should include initials, city and state.

we should know about it but somehow don’t? We believe we know so many things about it that we don’t really know at all.

We do not know whether Egypt and Babylon represent the first of anything; all we know is that they are the first from which remnant records survive. And we know that because they wrote. What pictures and art were to the caveman, writing is to the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians. Our tour guide takes us down to the very bank-edge of the Nile and asks us to imagine first the family, then their community, then the lengthening shadow of the king, and finally, he reminds us of something so obvious we are bound to forget it. They had a class of people who certainly had something significant to do with the moment that pictures began to morph into written words. This is something very simple we can know about these Egyptian ancestors. They had a priesthood.

Jennifer is a parishioner of Corpus Christi in East Sandwich, where she lives with her husband Jim and three children.

8

June 24, 2011

The Anchor

O

n this Feast of Corpus Christi, Jesus’ message is clear: Eat My Body and drink My Blood or you will not have life in you. In John’s Gospel (6:22-59), Jesus repeats seven times that His Flesh is to be eaten and His Blood to be drunk by those who wish to have eternal life. The key to this repetition can be found in Exodus (12:1-10). Before sending the 10th plague to secure Israel’s freedom from slavery, the Lord commanded Moses to slay a lamb and put the blood of the lamb on the door posts of their homes.

The angel of death would see the lamb’s blood on the door posts and pass over their homes, sparing the first-born inside. The Lord commanded that every family prepare a sacrificial Passover meal, which included unleavened bread, wine and a lamb that was sacrificed, and they were to eat the flesh of the lamb of sacrifice. If they failed to do this, their first-born would be

Eat and live

struck down with the firstfor all. During the Last Supborn of the Egyptians. God’s per, Jesus offered His life to chosen people were saved by the Father as a sacrifice to eating the flesh of the lamb free us from sin and death. and this became the sacrifice He took unleavened bread of the old covenant. and wine, and said, “This is God chose a lamb to be My Body, this is My Blood. the symbol of Israel’s salvaDo this in memory of me” tion because the lamb is the most innocent of God’s Homily of the Week creatures. The blood of the lamb had the Corpus Christi power to save the IsSunday raelites only because

By Father it was a foreshadGeorge E. Harrison owing of an even greater sacrifice.

The sacrifice of the Redeemer, the Messiah, the (Lk 22:19-20). With these suffering Lamb of God, still words, Jesus institutes the to come. priesthood of the new and While baptizing at the everlasting covenant. AfJordan, John the Baptist saw ter changing the bread and Jesus coming toward him and wine into His own Body and called out: “Behold the Lamb Blood, He commands the of God who takes away the Apostles to do the same, and sins of the world” (Jn 1:29). the Mass becomes the sacriJesus Christ is the true Passfice of the new and everlastover Lamb who opens the ing covenant. gates of heaven by shedding At every Mass, by the His precious Blood once and power of God’s Word, the

bread and wine are changed into the Flesh and Blood of the Lamb of God. This heavenly food brings life and health to our souls as we journey to the true Promised Land, the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem, where the glory of God gives light and its Lamp is the Lamb (Rev. 21-23).

The mystery of the Holy Eucharist is the center and source of true Christian worship for all time. Nothing in this world can give God greater honor and praise than the offering of the Mass.

That is why no matter where it is offered, no matter how small the church, no matter how poor the parish, no matter how humble the surroundings, no matter how ordinary the priest, whether we know it or not, whether we understand it or not, the Mass is the greatest, most powerful, most awesome and most

sacred event that takes place on the face of the earth.

The words of the saints in every century prove that what we believe about the Holy Eucharist is true. On his way to martyrdom in Rome in 107 A.D., St. Ignatius of Antioch, a direct disciple the Apostles Peter and John, wrote: “I have no taste for corruptible food, nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God which is the Flesh of Jesus Christ. And for drink, I desire His Blood.”

In the Eucharist, Jesus gives Himself completely and loves to the extreme: He gives His own life. We may never understand this great mystery, but we know and believe that it does happen so that we might “live forever.”

In the face of such love, the only appropriate response is to humbly accept this precious gift and to give our own love in return.

Father Harrison is pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich.

Upcoming Daily Readings: June 25, Gn 18:1-15; (Ps) Lk 1:46-50,53-55; Mt 8:5-17. Sun. June 26, Corpus Christi, Dt 8:2-3,14b-16a; Ps 147:12-15,19-20; 1 Cor 10:16-17; Jn 6:51-58. Mon. June 27, Gn 18:16-33; Ps 103:1-4,8-11; Mt 8:18-22. Tues. June 28, Gn 19:15-29; Ps 26:2-3,9-12; Mt 8:23-27. Wed. June 29, Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34:2-9; 2 Tm 4:68,17-18; Mt 16:13-19. Thur. June 30, Gn 22:1b-19; Ps 115:1-6,8-9; Mt 9:1-8. Fri. July 1, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, Dt 7:6-11; Ps 103:1-4,6-8,10; 1 Jn 4:7-16; Mt 11:25-30.

A

The enduring importance of Centesimus Annus

midst the excitement of John Paul II’s beatification on May 1, the 20th anniversary of the late pope’s most important social encyclical Centesimus Annus, got a bit lost. Blessed John Paul II was not a man given to rubbing it in. Still, it is worth noting that the encyclical, which celebrated the collapse of European communism and probed the social, cultural, economic, and political terrain of the post-communist world, was dated on May Day, the great public holiday of the communist movement. It was a subtle but unmistakable reminder that, in the contest between the Catholic Church and communism, someone had won and someone else had lost.

Twenty years after it was issued, Centesimus Annus remains a hard encyclical to swallow for those whose politics require them to defend the constant growth of the welfare state, and to identify such bureaucratic and budgetary growth with compassion for

certain virtues, to make free the poor. The encyclical was politics and free economics also a sign of contradiction to work toward genuine human those who had long insisted flourishing. Democracy and that Catholic social doctrine proposed some “third way” that was neither communism’s state ownership of the means of production nor the free market of the liberal democraBy George Weigel cies. By abandoning “Catholic third way” fantasies, Centesimus Annus firmly the market are not machines anchored the Church’s teachthat can run by themselves, ing on economic life in the so a vibrant public moralrealities of the post-industrial cultural life is essential to global economy while insisting (as the social doctrine had, disciplining both the market all along), that economic deci- and democratic politics. In fact, in the Catholic vision of sions, like political decisions, the tripartite free and virtuous are always subject to careful society — democratic polity, moral scrutiny. free economy, vibrant moralWhat else did Centesimus cultural sector — it’s the latter Annus teach that remains urthat’s most important over gent and relevant today? the long haul. The habits of John Paul taught that heart and mind of a people are what the Church proposes the best defense against their is not simply the free sociallowing their political and ety, but the free and virtueconomic liberties to become ous society. It takes a certain self-destructive. kind of people, possessed of John Paul also taught the Church new ways of thinkVisit The Anchor online at ing about the poor and about economic justice. In the http://www.anchornews.org

The Catholic Difference

emerging global economy, the Pope recognized, the source of wealth was less stuff in the ground than ideas and skills.

Thus economic justice meant including a greater and greater number of people in the networks of productivity and exchange by which wealth was created and distributed: rather than problemsto-be-solved (as 20th-century welfare states understood them), the poor should be thought of as people-with-potential. Inclusion, not redistribution, became the paradigm of economic justice; empowerment and getting people off the dole became the measure of how well a social welfare system worked; philanthropy and the independent social welfare agencies it made possible, not just taxes and government, were the means by which the poor were to be empowered.

The encyclical’s analysis of the collapse of communism is also relevant to contemporary debates. Denying God, communism had a false view of the human person, and that

was ultimately its undoing: it could not build a humane culture, politics or economics.

This truth has implications for a world without communism, too. Culture is the key to making free economies and free politics work well, and at the heart of culture was religious conviction, John Paul insisted.

Thus religious freedom had to be defended, not only against the hard totalitarianism of communist systems, but against softer, but nonetheless aggressive, forms of political pressure: pressures summed up in Pope Benedict’s biting (and wholly accurate) phrase, the “dictatorship of relativism.” Governments that impose political correctness through coercive state power — as, say, Canadian human rights tribunals do when they fine pastors for preaching biblical morality — are violating both religious freedom and weakening the moral-cultural foundations of democracy.

Centesimus Annus at 20 is coming into a needed maturity.

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

On the road again

21 June 2011 — here and there — the summer solstice. n a month of day-trips, the farthest I’ve traveled is Fairhaven. At this rate, it will be Thanksgiving before I reach the Cape Cod Canal.

Today, I’m driving straight to the village of Buzzards Bay. I once lived there.

Stop at the canal parking area on Main Street. Near the railroad bridge, you will discover a sevenmile-long paved service road. It’s a great place for walking, jogging, or bicycling.

I’ve learned from personal experience to check the wind.

With the wind at your back, you can ride your bike with very little effort all the way to

I

I

9

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

Scusset Beach. The problem will be the return trip, with the wind in your face. One breezy day, I thought I would require the services of paramedics.

The canal flows beside you.

On a good day, recreational boaters, ocean-going ships, and sports fishermen (and women) will be out and about.

Maybe you’ll see a large commercial vessel being piloted through the canal by a tug, or

perhaps a cruise ship. There will be private homes and campgrounds along the way.

The service road is dotted with benches on which you can rest your weary bones and enjoy the view. The canal road is a peaceful place, no question about it.

Next, it’s over the bridge to the old Town of Sandwich. I like to stroll around a bit, imagining I’m in the 18th century, and then walk over to my favorite quiet spot in the village. The reason it’s so quiet is because it’s the old graveyard. I like the view from there. Go a short distance more to Heritage Museums and Gardens, formerly called Heritage

A family diminished

n recent years, even after the bulk of the priest scandals came to light, there have been additional troubling chapters in which wellknown, seemingly stalwart priests have been accused of misconduct. While each man and woman arises daily to confront the sinner in the mirror, it’s only natural that those who take up the public task of admonishing others concerning right and wrong cause larger ripples when their transgressions become known, and these sagas can be quite painful.

The latest priest to become enmeshed in controversy is Father John Corapi, EWTN personality and well-known speaker, who has spoken forcefully on moral issues since his ordination 20 years ago. It is impossible to know if he is guilty of the various indiscretions with which he has been charged, or if he is a victim of procedures undertaken by misguided bishops (as he insists), but he has essentially short-circuited the investigation process by refusing to cooperate and abandoning his priesthood — on Fathers’ Day weekend, no less. Whenever the Church loses a priest, it is a tragedy, and that is certainly the case with this sad affair.

The life of the Church depends upon its ordained ministers for the Sacraments they make possible. Our lives — and the Church in its entirety — would crumble

without the Eucharist. “The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being” (CCC 1325). Furthermore, we depend on the graces attached to Confession, to the Anointing of the Sick, and the treasure trove of good-

ness embedded in Confirmation. It is technically true that laymen can baptize others and witness Marriages, but those Sacraments alone are not enough, and when offered apart from the hierarchy, they run the risk of allowing the faithful to become fragmented from the Mystical Body of Christ.

“The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the Sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. The saving mission entrusted by the Father to His incarnate Son was committed to the Apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in His name and in His person. The ordained minister is the sacramental bond that ties the liturgical action to what the Apostles said and did and, through them, to the words and actions of Christ,

the source and foundation of the Sacraments” (CCC, 1120).

And so we return to this latest scandal, which runs the risk of confusing the flock and deflating our spirits. It comes at a time when we are rejoicing in the outpouring of the Spirit, are preparing to celebrate new ordinations and remember the anniversaries of the priests so dear to us. How do we respond?

There are two primary lessons — the first recalling the sinner in the mirror.

While we have no business speculating without details, we put no sin beyond anyone. If we believe in original sin, then we believe ourselves to be entirely capable of any depravity, and should be humbly aware of such possibilities — beginning with ourselves. Live in fear of sin and in awe of God’s mercy, our only refuge.

Secondly, pray for priests — daily, by name. Lift them up to God in appreciation for their generosity and in awareness of how much Satan delights in their discouragement.

So much of their perseverance depends on ours, and attach meaningful sacrifices to those ardent prayers. We rise and fall together, and their sanctity will benefit the whole Church — beginning with you and your loved ones.

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

Plantation. This “hidden gem” covers a hundred acres. How do you hide something that large? Visit in the spring, when the Dexter rhododendrons are in bloom, and you’ll see a sight you’ll never forget. Visit in the summer and it’s daylilies you’ll see. Actually, the gardens are delightful any time of year. Heritage is definitely a peaceful place that feeds the soul.

There’s a sacred site not far away. It’s Corpus Christi Church in Sandwich. This is a relatively new building in the Romanesque style. Romanesque, with its rounded arches and simple lines, was standard church architecture before the collapse of the Roman Empire and the rise in popularity of what was then considered barbarian — what we today call Gothic. Notice the baptismal font, with its flowing waters, as you enter the narthex.

Now we’re off to St. Mary Episcopal Church in Barnstable Village. Although I have never been in the church proper, it’s surrounded by beautiful gardens. These were begun in 1946 (the year I was born) by the Reverend Robert Nicholson, an Episcopal priest. He planted with his own hands — a man after my own heart.

Let’s head for Orleans to see if we can discover a fourth-century basilica. You’ll find one in the Church of the Transfiguration (consecrated in the year 2000), headquarters of the Community of Jesus. This group, influenced

by Anglicanism and our own Benedictine spirituality, describes itself as “ecumenical Christian.” The church is filled with sacred art — including frescos, stained glass, mosaics, cast bronze and stone carvings. These walls can talk. They speak of creation, salvation history, and the life of Christ. The building and its

art work are impressive, but even more so considering the fact that the Community of Jesus numbers only about 300 members (counting children.)

I had intended to visit the National Seashore but that will have to wait for another day.

Instead I drive to Mashpee’s Christ the King Church.

It’s in a style we consider typical New England (postGothic Federal/Georgian) — a white wooden church with a portico and a square steeple surmounted by a spire. It’s informed by the designs of British architect Sir Christopher Wren. Unlike many other 18th-century New England towns, Mashpee never organized around a “village green” dominated by a state-sponsored Congregational church. This was not a problem in our technological age. Historically correct architectural details were simply programmed into a computer and out popped a virtual 18th-century New England village. The quintessential town called Mashpee Commons was promptly built.

Again a relatively new structure, the 1,000 seat church has been very recently updated.

This is a modern liturgical space, well-suited for Catholic Liturgy, but in a classic New England mode. Notice the new eucharistic pillar and reredos.

Heading for the bridge, I stop at the Bourne National Cemetery. I enter at the Otis rotary.

How beautiful it is, especially on those days when the huge American flags are fluttering along the access road. Smaller flags are now allowed at individual graves. It’s not only a sacred space and a peaceful place — it’s a patriotic one as well.

Where does the time go? It’s back over the bridge for me.

I’m going on home.

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

silent tribute — Bourne National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2011. (Photo by Nancy Goulart)

10

By Becky Aubut, Anchor Staff

NORTH ATTLEBORO — For almost 20 years the parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish in North Attleboro have seen Ernest Jaaskelainen as one of their more active and selfgiving congregational members, but many of them have no idea that he did not become a Catholic until Easter of 1998 when he was baptized by then-pastor Father Richard Degagne.

“I had been thinking about it for a while,” said Jaaskelainen of his decision, “and I decided to go through the proceedings.”

Church wasn’t a focus of his childhood; in fact, no faith was really part of his youth, admitted Jaaskelainen. He found himself focusing on work, landing in Los Angeles for a few years until his father’s illness brought him back to Massachusetts for a brief period.

It was then that he met and married his wife Kathy, who went back with him to California.

Active within her own parish in Attleboro, Kathy said she found a church in L.A. and began to attend on a regular basis. Inspired by his wife’s devotion, Jaaskelainen began to attend Mass and liked what he saw.

“The pastor was very humble in the way he spoke his sermon to all the parishioners,” he said. “I enjoyed it.”

The openness was very inviting to him, said Jaaskelainen, and when the family came back to Massachusetts after leaving California during the unrest brought on by the Rodney King incident, one of the first things Kathy did was to find a parish. While looking for a house, the family rented an apartment and began to attend the parish down the street

The Anchor

A man full of surprises and service has been part of the Maintenance Committee from their temporary home.

“Everybody watches out for each other,” since 1999. Doing light maintenance around said Kathy of the Sacred Heart Parish that the church, Ernest has done quite a bit around was initially chosen for its convenient loca- the parish including fixing pews and kneelers, hanging up decorations during the holidays tion, but then became their home parish. and shoveling “It was like a snow during the family when we winter months. came to church,” As a member of said Jaaskelainthe St. Vincent de en.

Paul Society, he That “famparticipates in the ily” embraced food drives withJaaskelainen in the parish, and when he realized also takes part in that he wanted the home deliverto become fully ies and meals.

Catholic. By then “When we do he and Kathy the home visits, had already been you can really see married for 15 the people who years, and while are in need,” said Jaaskelainen may Jaaskelainen. “I credit his wife for have met people his choice, Kathy who don’t want credits then-pasanything; the last tor of the parish, thing they would Father Degagne. ask for is for you “He made Erto give somenie feel so welthing to them. comed in the parWhen you see ish,” said Kathy. their faces when Ernest conyou give them tinues to add to the food, it’s a growing list of wonderful to help volunteer work.

An usher for Anchor Person of the Week — Er- somebody and many years, he nest Jaaskelainen. (Photo by Becky Aubut) you realize how desperate they are. Just a bag of groceries will make them cry. It’s sad. They don’t want to ask for food but they have nowhere to turn.”

Every five weeks he will drive to a local grocery store to pick up donated items. It adds a glow to his heart, said Jaaskelainen, and he knows how easily any person can find himself or herself in such a distressing situation.

“To give to others who are desperate in that need,” said Jaaskelainen, “I think it’s terrific to do that. Others don’t realize how many people need help. The way the economy is now, situations happen, and just a little bit of help can make a difference in somebody’s life.”

Most recently Jaaskelainen and his wife

June 24, 2011

participated in the Relay for Life team, something they have been doing for the past 12 years. Helping with the survivor tent, they are in charge of putting together the special program for survivors and caregivers. Interestingly, there is something that many within that tent may not know about Ernest, said Kathy.

“Ernie never tells people this but he is actually a cancer survivor,” said Kathy of the rare lymphoma cancer that Ernest lives with on a daily basis. “He still does help out even though he is in the same situation as the other people are.”

Treated with topical medication, Jaaskelainen was diagnosed with the skin cancer long after he was already volunteering for the Relay for Life team.

“In our parish I saw a young child, just nine years old, who got cancer that was very severe and she didn’t make it,” he recalled.

“To see the family, it’s just devastating. To find a cure for that to help those who do have it, to have them live a long life. Hopefully they can find a cure for this.”

Five years ago the couple joined the Medical Reserve Corps and a few years into their volunteer work, the ice storms in Western Massachusetts hit the area. Jaaskelainen found himself in a high school offering shelter not only to residents displaced by the storm, but hospital patients who were affected by the loss of power at the local hospital.

“It was really challenging,” said Jaaskelainen, who worked alongside others to help run electrical cords throughout the school to help power the oxygen tanks. “We had to run 100 feet of cord for the oxygen just so that they could go to the bathroom.”

“Ernie is just a very giving person. If someone asks him to do something, he’ll do it. He will generally put other people before himself. He’s known to drop everything to help people. He’s just that type of a person.

He’ll never say that to anybody because he doesn’t like to talk about it,” said Kathy. “I think he’ll be remembered as the guy who would help anybody do anything, and that he doesn’t want anything returned to him. He doesn’t expect anything from you, just the thanks is more than enough for him.”

To submit a Person of the Week nominee, send an email with information to fatherrogerlandry@ anchornews.org

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

New Bedford parishes honor Pope Benedict continued from page one

The letter requested that the adoration conclude by July 1, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart and World Day of Prayer for Priests.

Faithful have reserved a time to spend with the Blessed Sacrament for the entire four days, including more than 60 hours offered by parishes in the New Bedford Deanery.

The 77-hour spiritual bouquet will begin at the conclusion of the annual Corpus Christi Solemn Procession that begins Sunday at 2 p.m. at Our Lady’s Chapel.

The Blessed Sacrament will be processed to three church stations for Benediction: Our Lady of Purgatory, St. Lawrence Martyr, and St. John the Baptist.

The Rosary will be recited and Christian songs will be sung throughout the procession.

Vans will be available for those

with disabilities. Everyone is invited to participate in this sacred procession that concludes with final Benediction at the chapel. A buffet reception will follow.

All parishes in the Diocese of Fall River are free to fulfill Cardinal Piacenza’s request in any way they choose.

Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield told The Anchor that his parish held an overnight vigil for the Holy Father and priests on the eve of Pentecost.

Brother Robert Russell informed The Anchor that four hours of eucharistic adoration will be offered for the pope each Saturday during June.

For information about the New Bedford hours and Corpus Christi procession call 508-996-8274.

11

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

12

W

hen Bobby Orr soared through the Boston Garden on May 10, 1970, I was a 13-year-old sports nut who sat there weeping with joy as the Boston Bruins won their first Stanley Cup in 29 years. I saw the victory celebration in Government Center Plaza in Boston on the TV news and I still have a week’s worth of Boston Record-Americans stored away.

Two years later the Bs won the Cup again, and at 15 years old, again I couldn’t go to Boston to share in the big party, but I figured, “Gee, two Cups in three years ... there’ll be plenty more to come.” Not. That’s why I savored every drop of this year’s remarkable run to the Cup — after a 39-year wait. I watched game seven, exhaling only after Brad Marchand’s empty net goal with less than three minutes remaining gave the Bruins a 4-0 lead.

That’s why I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. absorbing every postgame celebration, analysis, and replay I could.

And that’s why I was not going to be denied an invite to the big party this time. I was old enough to go now.

Throughout the Cup-clinching game, my 16-year-old daughter, Emilie, kept saying “We got this.” I kept saying “Thirty-nine years.” Emilie has seen seven Boston championships among the “big four” teams in the last 10 years. Emilie doesn’t know what it’s like to suffer.

Despite her youthful optimism, she, too, sweated out the third period of that final game.

She, too, exhaled at Marchand’s goal. Emilie does, after all, have those pessimistic genes in her DNA. We agreed, as the seconds counted down, that we would attend the rolling rally through the streets of Beantown, whenever it was.

Fortunately it was scheduled for last Saturday. We wouldn’t have to miss work or school.

My wife Denise weighed

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

I just love a parade

the pros and cons of going to 30-year-old Bobby Orr Bruins the parade. She could either get jersey and Emilie threw on her up early; tolerate a jam-packed new Bobby Orr vintage Bruins subway ride into Boston; stand T-shirt. We both were crowned elbow-to-elbow with thousands with Bruins hats and we were of crazy strangers; wait with ready. nothing much to do for three On the ride up Route 24 hours; then repeat the process from Fall River, we lost track for the trip home, or she could of the amount of cars filled with get up early and go to work.

Bruins fans that passed us. The To me it was a no-brainer. parade had already started!

Denise’s and my brain do not The T ride was packed with work the same way. She gladly people who looked just like us. went to work.

When we emerged from the Oh well, that didn’t stop Boston underground, there were Emilie and me. After a grueling thousands more who looked just week of finals, Emilie was looking forward to sleeping in, but she opted to get up early, and, well you know the rest.

We started up to Quincy at 6:45 a.m.,

By Dave Jolivet where we would pick up the T. I donned a

My View From the Stands

like us. It was great. It was like one great big fanatical family.

There were babies, toddlers, adolescents, teen-agers, young adults, middle-age adults and elderly adults. There were dogs, beach balls, footballs, vuvuzelas (long plastic horns that are usually quite annoying, but not so much last Saturday), and homemade Stanley Cups.

From our vantage point on Boylston Street, on the top steps of a church entrance, Emilie and I enjoyed the joyous scene before us, including Boston police officers tossing wayward footballs back into the masses, only after teasing the crowds on either side of the street. Prior to the parade of bears, people cheered anything that made its way down the route: cyclists, street

Our cup runneth over — Now that the Garden ice has melted, things got hot in Boston last Saturday. Scenes from the Boston Bruins rolling rally included, top row, from left: Nathan Horton lifting the Stanley Cup; confetti flying from a Duck Boat; and playoff MVP Tim Thomas and Bruins’ captain Zdeno Chara pumping up the crowd of more than one million. Bottom row, from left: Rookie sensation Brad Marchand; a championship flag flying high in Boston skyline; and assistant captain Patrice Bergeron. Middle: A flag-bearing Bruin. (Photos by Dave Jolivet)

cleaners, semis, motorcycle cops, even pigeons.

Despite the huge throngs of people lining the streets, we witnessed no trouble-makers or inappropriate behavior. The worst we saw was the police confiscating pirated Bruins shirts from an unlicensed vendor, and a rambunctious teen being coaxed out of a tree by a law official.

By the time the champs rolled past, all of us were in a great frame of mind. Confetti spewed from smoking canons, the vuvuzelas were in fine voice, the crowd roared, and the sun splashed down on the celebration of players and fans.

One Duck Boat after another rolled slowly past. There they were ... the 2011 Stanley Cup champs: Playoff MVP Tim Thomas and captain Zdeno Chara were aboard the first boat and fellow teammates and hockey heroes followed: Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, Marchand, Nathan Horton and so on and so on. On other boats there were bears waving flags and babies in Bruins jerseys. The Bruins’ brass smiled and waved and people no one knew pumped their fists. Then there was the Cup. The hardware the size of Artoo-Detoo (R2D2) from “Star Wars” fame, the oldest sports trophy awarded in North America glistened in the sunlight. What some may see as a gaudy hunk of nickle and tin, is one of the most beautiful sights a New England sports fan could see. There it was, in all its glory.

I attended the 2004 rolling rally for the Red Sox, and the mood there was more like one giant sigh of relief, after 89 years of disappointment. Last Saturday was more like one giant party.

Following the parade, Emilie and I waited around for about a half hour to allow the streets to clear a bit and for the subway stations to drain off a bit of their human overflows.

I made friends with a fellow middle-ager and we exchanged emails and have since exchanged our favorites from the photos we shot.

We arrived at our Quincy T station a little over an hour after we left Boston. It was there where we encountered our only hiccup of the day. It took us nearly an hour just to get out of the parking lot.

When we got home, Emilie and I were tired, sweaty, hungry, thirsty, and spent.

The day started at 5 a.m. and finished with a hot shower and falling with a thud into the couch cushions. What a day.

I can’t wait for October’s.

June 24, 2011

O

cool friends — Jim Carrey stars in a scene from the movie “Mr. Popper’s Penguins.” For a brief review of this film see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Fox)

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

“The Lion of Judah” (AMG) This 3-D animated musical reimagines the events of the first Holy Week through the adventures of a bunch of wisecracking animals. At the center of the tale is a spunky lamb (voice of Georgina Cordova) chosen as the Passover sacrifice because he is pure and unblemished.

On the way to Jerusalem, he busts out of his cage and meets a sitcomworthy group of stable dwellers, led by a wise rat (voice of Ernest Borgnine) and a sassy rooster (voice of Alphonso McAuley). When the sheep is recaptured, and the rooster stows away in his cage, the remainder of the menagerie band together to set their friends free. Although its retelling of Christ’s Passion, death and resurrection is oversimplified and often takes a back seat to some pretty lame jokes, directors Deryck Broom and Roger Hawkins’ family film does provide a worthy introduction for very young children to the story of salvation and the basic tenets of Christianity. The Catholic News Service classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Mr. Popper’s Penguins” (Fox) The arrival on his doorstep of a half-dozen live penguins — a bequest from his father, a world traveler and arctic explorer — turns the life of a work-obsessed Manhattan real estate developer (Jim Carrey) upside down. Though their antics threaten to derail a deal (with Angela Lansbury) vital to his career, his growing bond with the unruly creatures also change his outlook, inspiring him to repair frayed ties

13

The Anchor

to his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and two young kids (Madeline Carroll and Maxwell Perry Cotton). Director Mark Waters’ routine comedy — loosely adapted from Richard and Florence Atwater’s award-winning 1939 children’s classic — is gooey with guano, but otherwise unproblematic while its hopeful theme of marital reconciliation is gratifying.

A mostly pleasant distraction for undemanding tots. Several scatological sight gags, a single adult reference, at least one mild oath.

The Catholic News Service classification is A-I — general patronage.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Super 8” (Paramount) Writer-director J.J. Abrams ably blends nostalgia, drama and sci-fi thrills as he travels back to 1979 Ohio where a half-dozen youthful film enthusiasts (most prominently Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths) use the local railroad station as a set for the endearingly amateur zombie flick they hope to enter in a local festival. But things take an unexpected turn when they witness — and their camera captures — a mysterious train accident.

Though the military arrives in force, trying to conceal the truth about the incident, the wreck sets in motion a series of odd and ominous events that one of the moviemaker’s dads, the town’s deputy sheriff (Kyle Chandler), is determined to investigate. Gently handled themes of loss, first love and family reconciliation add depth to this wry horror homage. But, while the romantic elements are kept enjoyably innocent, the onscreen teens’ vocabulary makes this unsuitable viewing for their real-world contemporaries.

Much action violence with some gore, drug use and references, several instances of profanity, at least one rough and many crude terms.

The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

We need more local saints

n June 2, the cause of I think there should be many, exemplary Christian lives. On beatification of Father many more. To me, and for that my drive through the Midwest Joseph Muzquiz officially during my June vacation, I matter to anyone who knew started in the Archdiocese of visited the tombs of a couple them both, the holiness and Boston. Father Joseph, whom I of exemplary priests who have heroic virtue of both Father was blessed to know personally, Joseph and Father Sal are nohad their heroic virtue fairly rewas one of the first three priests brainers. Of course, I submit cently confirmed by the Vatican of Opus Dei, ordained on June and thus are entitled to the title my judgment to the better 25, 1944 at the age of 31. He “Venerable.” judgment of the Church and its had worked closely with its One, Father Nelson Baker, tribunals. Ruth Pakaluk, a local founder, Saint Josemaria Esmother and Pro-Life leader who was a diocesan priest (and criva. ultimately vicar general) of the died in 1998 and about whom I Five years later, in 1949, Buffalo diocese. As a 22-yearhave previously written in this he brought Opus Dei to the column, is another worthy case. old conscript, he fought in the United States along Union Army at the Battle with laymen Salvador of Gettysburg, and then Ferigle (Sal) and Joseph went to New York City Barredo. Sal Ferigle to help quell the Draft became a professor of Riots of 1863. He initiphysics at Illinois Instiated countless charitable tute of Technology beendeavors in the town fore he was ordained to of Lackawanna, New

By Dwight Duncan the priesthood for Opus York, and built a magDei in 1957 and became nificent shrine to Our Father Sal. (Opus Dei Lady of Victories. Dying Or how about Father John is a personal prelature of the in 1936, nearly half a million Hardon, S.J., the great catCatholic Church, a canonical echist, or Father Walter Ciszek, people attended his funeral. structure characterized by close the American Jesuit who spent Pope Benedict XVI just recently cooperation between priests proclaimed his heroic virtue.

25 years in the Soviet Gulag and lay faithful in advancing The other, Father Solanus for carrying out his priestly the Church’s pastoral mission, Casey, was a holy Capuchin friministry? which in Opus Dei’s case is ar who died in 1957 in Detroit.

We read almost daily in the promoting the search for holiThe Solanus Casey Center at newspapers about Catholic ness in ordinary life.)

St. Bonaventure’s Monastery in priests being prosecuted for Though they started out in Detroit now houses his remains, egregious moral lapses, and Chicago, Opus Dei within five and artifacts from his life. dismissed from the priesthood, years had centers in Boston as and of Catholic couples getting Father Solanus was declared well. Father Joseph died on divorced and having their puta- “Venerable” in 1995 by Pope June 21, 1983, after spending tive marriages annulled. And so John Paul II. Father Solanus and the last years of his life in Bos- we need solid examples of suc- Father Baker need miracles to ton. His cause of beatification be declared “Blessed.” cess in living the Christian life and canonization was opened in and being faithful to the Church Like any of the holy people Boston because under the rules and its teaching. We need hope. I have mentioned, we can learn of canon law, causes of beatififrom them, and turn to them for Why not have as many cation are generally opened in help with the challenges (and causes of canonization as we the diocese where the person apparently hopeless situations, now have cases of annulment, died. medical and other) that we face. or cases of priestly sexual While I could be wrong, If we obtain a miracle through abuse? That, after all, is what my impression is that a cause the intercession of one of these the Church is all about: getting of beatification in Boston is people to heaven, which means holy ones, it’s a win-win situaa relatively rare occurrence. tion. We benefit, obviously; but that they become the saints we While there should be a cause they (and the Church) do, too. are all called to be. Admitpending to beatify Bishop Jean One does not, after all, hide tedly, there are failures and Cheverus, Boston’s first Cathoa light under a bushel basket. sinners — not everyone makes lic bishop and friend of John it; but there are plenty of happy Better to place it on a lampAdams, that cause belongs more endings, too, and we need to be stand for all to see. At least, properly to France, which is that’s what Jesus would do. reminded of them. where he came from and ended Dwight Duncan is a profesI have no doubt that there up as Cardinal Archbishop of sor at UMass School of Law are many latter-day AmeriBordeaux before dying in 1836.

Dartmouth. He holds degrees cans, often otherwise ordinary There have been canonical in civil and canon law. people, who lead and have led proceedings in Boston regarding alleged miracles in causes of beatification, most notably a miracle attributed to Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) that happened locally, as well as a miracle attributed to Sunday, June 26, 11:00 a.m.

Cardinal John Henry Newman curing Deacon Jack Sullivan of Pembroke of his debilitating back problems. This cure Celebrant is Father Michael led to Newman’s beatification

by Pope Benedict XVI last Racine, pastor of St. Bernard’s September in England. But Parish in Assonet proceedings to verify a person’s heroic virtue seem rarer in these parts.

Judge For Yourself

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

14

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

Study links same-sex attractions with risky teen-age behavior

Superintendent George A. Milot retires

percent of gay or lesbian teens who said they had “seriously considered attempting suicide” was 29.6, in Massachusetts it was 43.4. Only 13.2 percent of straight teens from Massachusetts said the same.

Same-sex couples have been allowed to marry in the Commonwealth since 2004. However, of the seven states this study surveyed, Massachusetts had the highest percentage of gay and lesbian teens to have had a suicide plan (37.1) as well as the highest percentage of those teens to attempt suicide (33.1). Of the six cities surveyed, Boston also had the highest percentage of homosexual teens in both those categories.

In a June 9 email to supporters, National Organization for Marriage’s president Brian Brown noted the difference between survey responses in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, which has had an amendment protecting marriage since 2006. Teens with same-sex attraction in Massachusetts were 56 percent more likely to report feeling unsafe in school and 40 percent more likely to feel sad and hopeless than teens with same-sex attraction in Wisconsin.

“Why is this stark clear evidence that marriage is not responsible for gay teens’ suffering never, ever considered

faith-based decisions and the impact those decisions had on the students under his guidance and care.

“You’re always looking at that,” he said. “There are two things you look at as an educator: Are you acting in the proper way as a Catholic; are you doing the work of the Lord? Catholic schools only exist to spread the word of the Lord, so you base your decisions on that and on what’s best for kids. Those two things are intertwined and usually come out with the right results.”

The diocesan school system comprises five high schools and 21 elementary and middle schools, which had a combined enrollment of 7,464 students in the 2010-11 academic year.

Finances have always been a concern, said Dr. Milot, adding that due to the current economy, finances are a concern on a national level.

“I think the Catholic school system is in good shape,” said Milot. “There have been difficult times. We have had to close a number of schools over the years, but I think we’re on pretty stable ground right now.”

Milot is conscious of the sacrifices that parents make on behalf of their children’s Catholic education. Though tuitions do rise, Milot said that he and his staff have worked hard over the years to try to keep those increases at a minimum while continuing to provide a quality education.

Dr. Michael S. Griffin, currently principal of Holyoke Catholic High School in Chicopee, Mass., will become the new diocesan superintendent of the Fall River Diocese.

“I am excited and thrilled with Dr. Griffin,” said Milot. “I have met him many times over the

continued from page one

The Anchor provides a weekly wealth of Catholic information.

Subscribe and stay informed on Church issues.

worthy of mention in the debates over bullying?” Brown asked.

He said support for marriage is being portrayed as equal to hatred against homosexuals, which is untrue. Brown was quick to point out that no child should be bullied or feel unsafe because each one is a “precious child of God.” Some officials are blaming social stigma.

In a June 14 letter addressed to his colleagues, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth experience bullying at a much higher rate. More than 90 percent of LGBT students reported bullying during the 2008-2009 school year.

“Gay-straight alliances and similar student-initiated groups addressing LGBT issues can play an important role in promoting safer schools and creating more welcoming learning environments,” he wrote. “By allowing students to discuss difficult issues openly and honestly, in a civil manner, our schools become forums for combating ignorance, bigotry, hatred, and discrimination.”

He added that some GSAs have been “unlawfully excluded from school grounds, prevented from forming or denied access to school resources.”

Under the Equal Access Act of

Subscribe to

This week in

The Anchor

One-year subscription — $20 Name: Address: City:

State:

Zip:

if given as a gift, the card should read: From: Street:

1984, public high schools must provide equal access for extracurricular clubs. He argued that the provision includes GSAs. For the first time ever, the federal government has given a federal grant to the GayStraight Alliance Network this year. The group plans to use the $285,000 on its new Safe and Healthy LGBT Youth Project, which will bring GSAs to more schools and communitybased organizations.

Traditional marriage supporters say the factors that contribute to the higher suicide rates among homosexual teens are far more complex.

Many of these traditional marriage advocates say the causes need further study so that practical solutions can be implemented. They believe that doing away with traditional marriage will only lead to greater harm.

Peter S. Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., told The Anchor that it is just a theory that disapproval of homosexual acts causes higher rates of suicide and harms mental health.

“You can find plenty of academic articles where they will speculate that ‘homophobia’ is the cause of these problems, but you can find very few, if any, that actually offer evidence to support that theory,” he said.

He added that Christians should love those with samesex attraction and that part of loving them is speaking the truth and informing them of the harmful consequences of homosexual conduct.

“We do no one a favor if we hide the truth from them,” he said.

continued from page one

City/State:

Parish to receive credit: Enclose check or money order and mail to: The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722 This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concern in the Diocese of Fall River Gilbert C. Oliveira Insurance Agency

50 years ago — Six Attleboro couples took seriously the Gospel admonition to shelter the homeless by taking in two Cuban refugees. Armando Piquero and Manuel Soto arrived in Attleboro and were taken in through the efforts of the Christian Family Movement, a lay apostolic organization.

25 years ago — Bishop Daniel A. Cronin blessed a newly-renovated outdoor worship area at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, part of a three-phase plan beginning with construction of a piazza and progressing to an ornamental garden and a small wooded area on shrine grounds.

years through different Catholic school functions. I know he is absolutely qualified. He is an educated, good and caring person who will serve the diocese well in the future. He’ll be bringing in experience from two other dioceses, so he will be able to bring in new ideas, to work on the things that have been implemented and bring a new outlook to Catholic education.”

Though Milot may be stepping down from his role as superintendent, he is not embracing full retirement. He will be working part-time for the Alliance for Catholic Education Consulting for the University of Notre Dame.

“They provide Catholic consulting services for Catholic schools and dioceses throughout the country. It will be project-orientated with a little bit of traveling,” he said of his new position.

The biggest thing about going from working to semi-retirement is “the pressure on the job. Today’s teachers and administrators have more pressure than they did in earlier times, and after a number of years in an administrative position, it will feel good not to have those pressures,” he added chuckling.

When he does fully retire, Milot said he looks forward to doing work around his house that he has “neglected and put off over the years; and play a little more golf.”

Surrounded by dwindling paperwork as he continues to wrap up loose ends, Milot paused a bit with emotion as he summed up his final thoughts.

“Thank you to all the wonderful people who I have been able to work for and with,” he said.

“How can you not be happy having worked with all the people in the Catholic schools? It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Diocesan history 10 years ago — More than 134 diocesan priests and Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., attended a three-day convocation at the Seacrest Resort in Falmouth to discuss how to effectively meet their pastoral commitments.

One year ago — Father David A. Pignato of the Fall River Diocese earned a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Angelicum University in Rome after intensive study.

Shortly thereafter, Father Pignato returned to the U.S. to begin a teaching assignment at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton.

June 24, 2011

Jesus’ awareness In his June 3 “Be Not Afraid” Column, Frank Lucca wrote: “Many other young men and women were called by God to share the special message.

Among these was a young woman named Mary, called to bear God’s own Son and bring Him into this world. And of course there was Jesus Himself: an ordinary Jewish boy who studied and worked and played. He grew in the awareness that He, too, was to spread God’s message that we are good and we are created to love God and one another.”

Jesus an ordinary Jewish boy?

Are Mr. Lucca and the editorial staff of The Anchor unaware of the Gospel of St. Luke, which tells the extraordinary event of Jesus’ conception and birth?

Jesus was “the Son of the most High” the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, true God and true man from the first moment of His conception. He was the promised Redeemer who came to save mankind from the effects of original sin.

He did not come to tell us that we are good but that we can become good through Baptism, which takes away original sin, makes us children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.

God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, does not “grow in awareness.” God knows all things, past, present and future.

These are not fine points.

These are basic Catholic doctrine.

Jean Smith Dennis Executive Editor replies: Both Frank Lucca and the editorial staff of The Anchor are aware of the third Gospel, which curiously says about Jesus that, after being found in the temple, he returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth, where “he increased in wisdom, age and grace before God and man” (Lk 2:52). While according to His divinity, Jesus could not grow or learn, according to His humanity, St. Luke affirms that He most certainly did. And as to Jesus’ knowledge, while the Triune God certainly knows all things, Jesus according to His humanity plainly admitted that He did not know everything, affirming that “not even the Son” knows the day or the hour when heaven and earth will pass away, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32). Frank Lucca’s point — as it seems was St. Luke’s — was that Jesus was not born, according to His humanity, as an omniscient infant in a manger only pretending to suck His thumb, but was fully

15

The Anchor

Our readers respond

human and grew in the various ways human beings grow, sharing in everything but sin.

Despite the extraordinary circumstances of His conception and birth, He was outwardly so “ordinary” that His fellow townspeople regarded Him as merely the son of a carpenter (Mk 6:3). As Catholics we not only need to take seriously and defend vigorously Jesus’ divinity but likewise His full humanity.

It’s time to teach the faith again When our own people are being neglected, it is hard to hear of all the help churches are giving to illegal migrants. Since the days of the great depression, I was used to helping others. We were taught in faith but learned from parents in action; even though we had little we should give what we had.

Now our own children are not being taught our faith. They are spiritually neglected. A good percentage that are Catholic are living in evil conditions. But bishops and priests, instead of teaching, the faith are preaching to those who still have faith to pay for health care and other social programs like payments for shelter and food. There’s no mention of the Ten Commandments or the Crucifixion. It sounds backwards to me.

Mary Franco Taunton Bathroom Bill a disaster I am a retired elementary school teacher of 36 years from the city of New Bedford.

I would like to comment about the Transgender Bill (HB 502), which was described in the June 17 Anchor.

First it is common knowledge

that this bill has failed to pass for six years because legislators are acutely aware that citizens across the state have serious concerns about their safety, privacy, level of personal comfort, and modesty if men are allowed into women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.

It is my opinion that it is the responsibility of legislators to promote the common good. This bill would detrimentally change the standards of bathroom usage for 99.95 percent of the general population. Four decades of research by the Amsterdam Gender Dysphoria Clinic maintains that five-one-hundreths of one percent of the general population is afflicted with gender identity mental disorder.

Studying this bill, talking with other educators, conversing with friends, speaking to various legislators, and applying common sense logic to what is suggested through HB 502 (the Bathroom Bill), I’m convinced without a doubt that the individual rights to complete privacy of our young children in school bathrooms would be trampled should this bill be passed.

Young children (both boys and girls) have the right to use bathroom facilities and locker rooms in complete comfort and privacy. It is understandable that many would not feel relaxed, happy and comfortable sharing bathrooms with transgender individuals and they shouldn’t be required to do so.

It would be extremely unsettling, and confusing for small children to see individuals of the opposite sex using the rest rooms while they are in the rest room. Seeing an adult or older child dressed differently, especially in and around the school, would be extremely frightening

to many young children, not to mention the comfort level of other adults using public rest rooms.

How would classroom teachers be expected to respond to or comfort children returning to the class who are upset, nervous, curious, agitated, confused, or unsettled about what he or she has seen there? What does the classroom teacher need to do to protect the emotional wellbeing of all the students in the public school setting? You must keep in mind that our teachers are entrusted with the safety and well-being of all the students under their care. It is evident that HB 502 does not take into account practicalities that face educators in Massachusetts.

Adequate safeguards for our students are not provided in this bill. Are we going to require school administrators to be on “potty patrol” so students can use the facilities in comfort and privacy while they are in the care of our cities and towns?

Who will be liable when something goes terribly wrong?

The passing of this bill would open our school boards up to a tremendous amount of litigation such as one in Orono, Maine in which a fifth-grade boy had been using the girls’ bathroom due to gender confusion issues.

School officials in an attempt to accommodate all students and protect the boy from harassment

created a completely separate bathroom for the boy. The boy’s parents petitioned Maine’s Human Rights Commission to demand access for him to the girls’ room. The school lost the battle.

It is common sense that this precedent in Maine would certainly impact litigation in Massachusetts about HB 502.

This bill is a recipe for disaster and student abuse, not to mention laying additional financial and human burdens on school staff. But most importantly it will put the emotional and physical health of our youngest children at risk. Having spent most of my adult life as a teacher of children, I maintain that this bill is an outrage and an injustice to children.

Legislators must continue to vote it down.

Deborah Furtado New Bedford Letters are welcome but the editor reserves the right to condense or edit for clarity if deemed necessary. Letters should be typed and should include name, address, and telephone number. Letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of The Anchor.

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

St. Lawrence Martyr Church

565 County Street, New Bedford, MA Saturday, 2 July 2011 ~ 508-992-4251

SELECTION OF VENUES FOR 2011: Saturday, 6 August Our Lady of the Assumption Church Osterville, MA Saturday, 3 September St. Francis of Xavier Church, Acushnet, MA Saturday, 1 October Corpus Christi Church, East Sandwich, MA Saturday, 5 November St. Lawrence Church, Brookline, MA Saturday, 3 December St. Brendan Church, Bellingham, MA

Youth Pages

16

June 24, 2011

moving on up — The graduating class of 2011 at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth recently gathered for a group photo. Front, from left: Julia Malta, Molly Heinlein, Genny Paige, Gabrielle Vaillancourt, Emma Miller, Caroline Leaver, Caitlyn Clark, and Mary Capobianco.

Back: Luccas Mariano, Savannah Carey, Jacquelyn Germani, Anthony Camerlengo, Nicholas Goetz, John Coffey, William Hufnagle, Sara Graff-Warner, Kerianne Hall, Grace Stafford, and Anne Marie Healy. hometown hero — Coyle and Cassidy Junior Brian Kenny bravely saved a man from choking recently. Busy clearing tables at Isaac’s Restaurant in Plymouth, Kenny overheard people frantically describing that someone was choking in the men’s room. Without hesitating, he took control of the situation, quickly going to the man’s rescue. Kenny performed the Heimlich Maneuver three times and was successful in dislodging the obstruction.

read ’em and smile — St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently held its third annual SJE Reads Book Swap with an estimated 600 books brought into school by the entire student body. The students had the opportunity to browse and take books to enjoy the rest of the school year and over the summer. Tereze Gjoni and Olivia Baker scan through some of the good reads.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth.

If schools or parish Religious Education programs, have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@anchornews.org

their stamp of approval — The grade-two students from Holy Name School in Fall River recently had the opportunity to take a walking trip to the President Avenue Post Office to learn how mail is handled.

Youth Pages

June 24, 2011

I

17

Breaking away from the mob

can hardly believe it.

The Stanley Cup has finally arrived in Boston to the cheers, accolades and pure joy of hundreds of thousands of Bruins fans. It is a good decade to be a Boston sports fan! Seven championships that span four professional sports is a pretty amazing accomplishment. I am sure countless adults and teens jumped off their couches at the end of game seven.

But amidst all the joy lay chaos, disrespect and violence.

I hope that I am not alone in the blatant disrespect toward fellow fans and the disregard for other’s property that erupted in Vancouver.

Now, this is not an us-versusthem article for we have seen this type of behavior in other sports victories and losses (remember the streets of Boston after the 2004 World Series win?) across the

globe (have you seen some As this whole scenario of those international soccer unfolded, I could not help matches?). The questions I but be reminded of a simialways find myself asking is lar mob mentality found in how can people get caught up sacred Scripture. The adulterin the destruction of property ous woman found in John 8 and potentially others in the was dragged by a group of name of sports? Why is such Pharisees and scribes to Jesus. a strong mob mentality invoked among people who ordinarily exhibit respect and kindness toward others? I do not know the answers to these questions.

By Crystal Medeiros Adrenaline? A need to fit in?

Perhaps.

Not all Canucks fans took They claimed that due to Moto the streets bent on “hurtsaic Law, she had to be stoned ing” someone or something to death for the act of comout of disgust for their team’s mitting adultery. It was their championship loss. Dozens way of testing Jesus to see if of volunteers who felt embarHe would abide by such a law rassed and disgraced began but Jesus, turning the tables cleaning up the streets of Van- on them, asked “Let the one couver the very next morning, among you who is without sin but the damage had already be the first to throw a stone been done. at her” (Jn 8:7). With that

one declaration, Jesus stirred moments of self-reflection in the hearts of the men vowing “justice.”

There will be times in our lives when we side with people for the simple reason that it is easier than going against the grain and causing a conflict. Hopefully, it is these conflicts that afford us the opportunity to stand up for what is right and just and to advocate for others who cannot advocate for themselves. We have to be ready, willing and able to break away from the mob and let our voices be heard over the crowd.

To the students who will enter college this fall or college graduates who will enter the workforce, I implore you to not lose your sense of self in the hopes of getting by and becoming one of “them.”

You will face challenges and you will feel the need to do anything except rock the boat. I encourage you to rock that boat if it means that you stand up for your convictions and your faith. Spread Jesus’ Gospel message and live His teachings each and every day.

Will this journey be easy?

Not always. Will it be fruitful, satisfying and rewarding?

Absolutely!

To the adults in their lives, model your faith for them.

Walk beside them in their journey and lead by example.

Invite them to share their faith with you. Encourage them to share their faith with others.

Encourage them to reflect on who they are and break away from the mob.

Crystal is assistant director for Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the diocese. She can be contacted at cmedeiros@ dfrcec.com

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of everyday life in the United States and around the world and Catholics are finding ways to make a unique mark on the social media world.

“I think the Church is catching on to using social media in bigger and bigger ways. The Church has got some pretty big toes stuck into the water right now ... and I’m excited to see the splash that’s coming in the next year or two,” Matt Warner, creator of Tweet Catholic and author of FallibleBlogma. com, told Catholic News Service.

As a Catholic blogger, Warner has more than 17,000 read-

ers, but it is his Tweet Catholic, www.tweetcatholic.com, that has brought Catholics together in the blogosphere.

Tweet Catholic was created in 2009 to connect Catholics already on Twitter so they can follow each other, share information and build the Catholic community on Twitter.

Warner explained that as Twitter became more and more popular, he noticed Catholics trying to connect and find each other through it. He set out to create a simple website that would put Catholics on Twitter in touch with one another.

“It’s turned into a good starting point for a lot of new Catholics on Twitter to help them jump into the Twitter ex-

perience and find some great Catholics to follow and show them the power of Twitter,” said Warner.

He thinks social media sites, like Twitter, provide a great opportunity for the Church to engage and build relationships with people.

“Social media is not just a broadcast medium; it’s a relationship medium. It lets the Church listen to people in ways never before imaginable. It lets the Church share the Gospel with people in new ways,” explained Warner.

Warner’s newest project is www.flockNote.com, a networking site that “approaches the communication challenges of a Catholic parish, diocese or

organization,” he told CNS. FlockNote.com describes itself as “an online parish registration tool that gathers parishioner data, plugs them into your ministries and builds a system of distribution lists to communicate with them via email, text messaging, Twitter, Facebook and more.”

Groups and individuals can register through the site to access bulletins, schedules, calendars, forms, invitations and polls. They also can leave feedback for their parish and link to other social media sites.

Warner is marketing his new initiative as “the newest, innovative way for Catholics to share information.”

Warner has been collaborating with others in the Church to build his social media platform and is already seeing success in his work. He plans on launching new features for flockNote in July.

Warner believes the impact of social media on Catholicism can be grand, but will never replace “face time”; rather, it will enhance face-to-face relationships.

“We have the greatest message in the world,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the creative ways Catholics are going to share that message and build up the Church using all of the amazing tools God has blessed us with.”

NORTH DARTMOUTH — Four Bishop Stang High School graduates from the class of 2011, Ian Costanzo, Peter Markarian, Luke Markert and Eric Martel, have achieved Eagle Scout status in the Boy Scouts of America. Eagle is the highest rank in the Scouts and each of them had to complete a service project. Each of their service projects directly benefited their community.

Costanzo, a resident of Acushnet, started a bicycle recycling program to donate to the international students attending UMass Dartmouth.

“Most international students do not have any form of transportation beyond their feet and most cannot afford a car on top of their college tuition,” he said. “This project allowed students that had to either rely solely on the university or friends to live more independently.”

Markert, who lives in Portsmouth, R.I. built two benches for a local beach in Portsmouth, while Martel, who is from Westport, decided to help restore the transfer and recycling station in his home town by painting fences, railings and

parking spaces. Markarian, a resident of Hyannis chose to create three raised garden beds and donate two benches to the Barnstable Senior Center in Barnstable.

The Eagle Scouts of Troop 63 Westport meet at the Westport Point Church. There are only four Eagles in this Troop, including Costanzo and Martel. Markarian is a member of Troop 54 and his troop meets at the South Congregational Church in Centerville on Wednesdays. Markert does not currently attend Scout meetings.

Be Not Afraid

Tweet Catholic, flockNote.com unite Catholics online

Four Bishop Stang High School 2011 grads soar to the top of the Scouting world

18

The Anchor Sister Beatrice Lapointe, SCQ

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, Canada — Sis- Heart Home in New Bedford for nearly 25 ter Beatrice Lapointe (in religion Sister years.

Saint-Julien-Eymard) died June 7 at the She is survived by the members of her Mother House of the Sisters of Charity religious family, sisters Oliver Lapointe of Quebec, at the age of 95, after 77 of Acushnet, Doris Massé of Colchester, years of religious life.

Conn., Annette Lesiak of Acushnet, and She was the daughter of the late Liliane McKay of New Bedford, as well François-Xavier Lapointe and the late as nieces and nephews.

Alida Smith of New Bedford.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held In one of her many roles in religious Sister Beatrice June 10 in the chapel of the Sisters of life, Sister Lapointe worked at Sacred Lapointe, SCQ Charity of Quebec.

Florian M. Corriveau, father of Father Michel G. Corriveau

WESTPORT — Florian M. Corriveau, 80, died June 13 at home surrounded by his family.

He was husband of Germaine (Desrosiers) Corriveau and father of Father Michel G. Corriveau of Seekonk.

Born in Fall River, son of the late Louis and Alphonsine (Levesque) Corriveau, he had lived in Westport since 1973. A career military man he served his country as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, serving his country in the Korean War and the Vietnam War where he received the Air Force Commendation Medal. Prior to retirement

in 1992, he was a special investigator for the Defense Investigative Service in the Department of Defense. He was a Communicant of Our Lady of Grace Church, Westport, a member of the Association of Former O.S.I. Agents with the U.S. Air Force, the SMART. (Special, Military, Active and Retired Travel Club) and was past president of the Richelieu Club of Fall River.

Including his wife and priest son, survivors include one son: Ronald P. Corriveau of Alaska; two daughters: Louise Y. Levesque of Westport and Denise R. Wickam of San Antonio,

Maryjane Tremblay, stepmother of Father Marc P. Tremblay

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Maryjane Tremblay, 84, of Clearwater, Florida, formerly of New Bedford died June 4, at the Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, of post surgery complications. She was the wife of Roger Tremblay for the past 26 years. She was the step-mother of Father Marc P. Tremblay.

Born in Bristol, R.I,. a daughter of the late Manuel and Portina (Sousa) Sardinta, she had been a resident of New Bedford for many years until moving to Florida nearly 10 years ago.

In addition to her husband and priest stepson, she is survived by two daughters, Donna Tavares and Joanne Florek, both of New Bedford; four stepsons, Carl Tremblay, John Tremblay, Michael Tremblay and Sgt. Paul Tremblay, U.S. Army; two stepdaughters, Celeste Duclos and Suzanne Franco, and a granddaughter.

Her Funeral Mass was held June 18 at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church, New Bedford. Waring-Sullivan Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Texas; four grandchildren, three great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was brother of the late Father Raymond Corriveau O.P., Lucien Corriveau, George Corriveau, Gabriel Paquette, Mariette St. Pierre, Jean Desjardins and Diane Charest.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Church, Westport on June 17.

Donations may be made to: Southcoast VNA Hospice, 502 Bedford Street, Fall River, 02720 or American Cancer Society, 30 Speen Street, Framingham, Mass. 01701.

Potter Funeral Home, Westport was in charge of the arrangements.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks June 25 Rev. Msgr. Louis A. Marchand, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, New Bedford, 1941 Rev. Raymond J. Hamel, Chaplain, St. Joseph Orphanage, Fall River, 1960

June 26 Rev. William Moran, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1891 Rev. Charles P. Gaboury, Former Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1931 Rev. Msgr. Albert Berube, Retried Pastor, St. Anthony, New Bedford, 1973 June 27 Rev. John Corry, Founder, St. Mary, Taunton; Founder, St. Mary, Fall River, 1863 Rev. Dario Raposo, Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton, 1933 Rev. Msgr. Thomas F. Walsh, Retired Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1980 Rev. Msgr. Bernard J. Fenton, USA Retired Chaplain, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, North Dighton, 1984 June 28 Rev. Thomas C. Gunning, Assistant, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1947 June 30 Rev. Simon Pease, SS.CC., Administrator, Sacred Hearts, Fairhaven, 1952 Rev. Alphonse M. Reniere, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1961 July 1 Rev. Fernando A. Veiga, CM, Vincentian Mission House, Fall River, 1993

June 24, 2011

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese

Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street, Sunday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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 following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and Mass. 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 — Eucharistic adoration takes place at the Corpus Christi Parish Adoration Chapel, 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Also, 24-hour eucharistic adoration takes place on the First Friday of every month with Benediction at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.

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, following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 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 8:00 a.m. Mass until Rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Notre Dame Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has eucharistic adoration on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 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 until 6 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. There is a bilingual Holy Hour in English and Portuguese from 5-6 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.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, beginning immediately after the 12:10 p.m. Mass and ending with adoration at 4 p.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.

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.

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 5 p.m.; and every Friday from noon to 5 p.m., with Benediction at 5 p.m.

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.

WAREHAM — Adoration with opportunities for private and formal prayer is offered on the First Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, High Street. The Prayer Schedule is as follows: 7:30 a.m. the Rosary; 8 a.m.

Mass; 8:30 a.m. exposition and Morning Prayer; 12 p.m. the Angelus; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 5:30 p.m. Evening Prayer; 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confession; 8 p.m.

Benediction.

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.

Catholic Charities Appeal enters final week continued from page one

ners as possible, by continuing the solicitation process right up until the very end of the Appeal. Without that mentality we could never grow the Appeal to meet the ever-expanding needs of the agencies we fund,” continued Donly.

Since 1942, the first year of the annual Catholic Charities Appeal in the Diocese of Fall River, it has been a parish-driven endeavor with tens of thousands of parishioners donating whatever they could to lessen the burden of those in need of assistance. Parish groups and organizations such as guilds and the local chapters of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, as well as parish youth groups, have seen the Appeal as a way of furthering their contact with those who look to us for assistance each year, and have worked diligently to contribute whatever they could to increase the revenues from their respective parishes.

“It is a common occurrence as well,” stated Donly, “for parishes across the diocese to attempt to raise awareness of the wonderful work we are doing in assisting so many in need by having Confirmation and First Communion classes, as well as classes in our Catholic schools, send in donations to assist us in our attempt to lessen the burdens of so many of our friends and neighbors in need. So it becomes a ‘teachable moment’ as well, as parishes and schools teach the young children that reaching beyond themselves, their immediate neighborhood, and their parish is the way to show caring and compassion for all those who Scripture instructs us are ‘our neighbors.’

“Thinking globally and acting locally” seems to be what drives the enthusiasm and spirit of the 90 parish communities across the Diocese of Fall River in their efforts to do whatever they can to make each annual Appeal the success it needs to be.”

The Annual Catholic Charities Appeal is the only time during year the Diocese of Fall River asks its parishioners to come together to assist in ministering to the tens of thousands of individuals and families who come to the agencies funded by the Appeal for assistance. With 94 cents of every dollar donated going directly to assist those in need, the credibility of the Appeal en-

19

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

courages donations from this wide array of socio-economic communities all across southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Donations to the Appeal can be sent to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, P.O. Box 1470, Fall River, Mass.

02722; dropped off at any parish in the diocese; or made on the Appeal website: www. frdioc-catholiccharities.org For information visit the website or contact the Appeal Office at 508-675-1311 .

Deacon Claude A. LeBlanc NEW BEDFORD — Deacon Claude A. LeBlanc, 69, died June 17, 2011 suddenly at home. He was the husband of Therese R. (Fecteau) LeBlanc.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Joseph Ernest and Loretta (Pontbriand) LeBlanc, he lived in New Bedford for all his life.

LeBlanc served as a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Fall River for the past 24 years, assigned to St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth.

He was formerly employed as a sales representative for NStar Gas Company until his

Around the Diocese 6/24

St. Vincent’s Home’s third annual Kick-Off To Summer Celebration will take place tonight from 6 to 11 p.m. on the deck of the Battleship Massachusetts in Fall River. The event includes complimentary beer and wine, cash bar, gourmet food stations, silent and live auctions as well as music and dancing to the World Premier Band. The celebration benefits the youth in St. Vincent’s Life Skills Program who are transitioning to independent living and young adulthood.

For information contact Melissa Dick at 508-235-3228.

6/25

Sacred Heart Parish in Fall River will be sponsoring a World Youth Day fund-raiser to Foxwoods Casino tomorrow. The money raised will help support three pilgrims who will be attending World Youth Day in August. The group will meet in the church parking lot at 1:30 p.m. and the bus will leave at 2 p.m. and return at 10 p.m. For tickets or more information, contact Cyndi Gamache at 508-7251110.

6/25

SS. Peter and Paul Parish at Holy Cross Church, 47 Pulaski Street, Fall River will be celebrating a Healing and Anointing Mass at the 4 p.m. Liturgy tomorrow. The church will also host exposition of the Blessed Sacrament immediately following the 10:30 a.m. Mass on June 26 in observance of the Feast of Corpus Christi and in honor of its patron saints. Benediction will be offered at 2 p.m. For more information call the parish office at 508-676-8463.

6/26

The Feast of Corpus Christi will be celebrated Sunday with a Solemn Procession beginning at 2 p.m. from Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, New Bedford. The Blessed Sacrament will be processed to three church stations for Benediction: Our Lady of Purgatory, St. Lawrence Martyr and St. John the Baptist. During the procession, the Rosary will be recited and songs will be sung. Vans will be available during the procession for handicap use and all are invited to a buffet reception following the final Benediction at Our Lady’s Chapel.

For more information call 508-996-8274.

6/27

The Knights of Columbus Council at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee invites the public for a discussion on “The Role of Samaritans in Suicide Prevention” with guest speaker Maura Wilson, executive director of Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands, on June 27 beginning at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Parish Hall, 1 Jobs Fishing Road, Mashpee.

7/9

Our Lady of the Cape Parish, 468 Stony Brook Road, Brewster, will host its annual Summer Fair on July 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will offer jewelry, attic treasures, collectibles, crafts, books, toys, art work, baked goods, vintage linens and tools for sale, along with a cash raffle and snacks at the cafe or lunch at an outdoor barbecue.

7/13

An all-you-can-eat Chowder Fest will be held at St. Elizabeth’s Parish, 481 Quaker Road, North Falmouth, on July 13 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Clam cakes, clam chowder (white and red) along with corn bread will be served with lemonade and watermelon.

Kids meals will available. The event is sponsored by the parish Men’s Club and members will be selling tickets after Masses beginning June 25 to support its scholarship program and activities. Tickets are also available at the rectory, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

7/14

The second talk in the three-speaker Summer Catholic Reflections series at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee will take place on July 14 beginning at 7 p.m. Dr. Thomas Groome will discuss “What Keeps Us Catholic.” Dr. Groome is chairman of the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry and is a professor of theology and Religious Education at Boston College. The series is co-sponsored by St. Anthony’s Parish, East Falmouth; Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville and Christ The King Parish, Mashpee.

retirement. He was a graduate of St. Anthony High School and New Bedford Textile In-

Deacon Claude A. LeBlanc

stitute.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Diane James and Margaret LeBlanc, both of Holly Springs, N.C., and Julie Tilley of Belgrade, Maine; a brother, Attorney J. Louis LeBlanc of New Bedford; four grandchildren, Evan and Alena James, and Chloe and Owen Tilley; three nieces and a nephew.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 21 at St. Julie Billiart Church.

Burial followed in Sacred Heart Cemetery. For online condolence book, visit www. saundersdwyer.com

20

The Anchor

June 24, 2011

Possible miracle reviewed for cause for sainthood for Father Peyton

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

easton — Holy Cross Family Ministries announced that on June 28, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of Albany, N.Y., will preside at the closing Liturgy for the Tribunal formed for the review of a possible medical miracle attributed to the intercession of sainthood candidate Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, CSC. According to the statement released by HCFM, “The tribunal appointed at the request of the postulator, Dr. Andrea Ambrosi and Bishop Howard Hubbard has conducted a thorough review of all aspects of this possible healing. The findings have been closed and will now be forwarded to the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints in Rome.”

Father Peyton, the famed “Rosary Priest” was a Congregation of Holy Cross Father, founded Family Rosary in Albany in 1942.

The priest who penned the phrases, “The family that prays together stays together,” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace,” spent 51 years serving the spiritual needs of families, especially encouraging them to pray daily together, particularly the Rosary.

He also founded Family Theater Productions in Hollywood in 1947, through which he produced more than 600 radio and television programs that featured hundreds of movie stars and celebrities, and had more than 10,000 broadcasts.

Holy Cross Father John Phalen, president of HCFM in Easton, of which Family Rosary is a part, told The Anchor, “The mood around the Holy Cross

Family Ministry family is busy and excited, particularly in Albany. We work very closely with the folks in Albany and we’re delighted the closing Liturgy is there.”

Father Phalen said a group from Albany recently made a

Father Peyton before the Blessed Mother.”

Regarding the purported miracle, Father Phalen said, “While the details of the possible miracle cannot be shared at this point in the process, we can share with you that a man in his 60’s was

miracle attributed to Father Peyton’s intercession. “The other was in Uganda,” he said. “It hasn’t been officially approved

by Rome, but it’s also being investigated.”

Father Peyton brought the message of family prayer to mil-

only the beginning — Bishop George W. Coleman opened the trial of the holy life, the heroic practice of virtue and reputation for holiness of Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, CSC on Oct. 1, 2003 at Cardinal Medeiros Residence in Fall River. To the bishop’s right is Msgr. Daniel A. Hoye, then-Promoter of Justice of the diocesan Tribunal. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

pilgrimage to St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton, Pa., where Father Peyton worked as a sexton in the late 1920s, shortly after emigrating with his brother from Ireland to live with their sister in Scranton. “The pilgrims from Albany visited the beautiful Rosary Garden on the grounds of the cathedral, where there is a statue of

admitted to the hospital with lifethreatening, multiple organ failure. His family prayed to Father Peyton and they strongly felt that he was healed through intercessory prayer. The medical community has offered information to support this belief.”

Father Phalen told The Anchor that this was the second possible

lions across the world in his lifetime. He died on June 3, 1992 and is buried in the Congregation of Holy Cross cemetery on the grounds of Stonehill College in Easton.

Father Peyton’s trial process was begun by then-Fall River Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. on June 1, 2001. At that time he announced that he sought formal approval from the Vatican Congregation for Sainthood Causes to open the cause for possible canonization of Father Peyton.

He revealed that he received the nihil obstat (no objection) from the Vatican congregation to open a diocesan inquiry into the sanctity of Father Peyton.

On Oct. 1, 2003, Bishop George W. Coleman, Ordinary of the Diocese of Fall River and

Ordinary Judge of the Eccleciastical Tribunal, presided over a gathering of clergy and appointed lay persons at the Cardinal Medeiros Residence in Fall River to open the Trial of the holy life, the heroic practice of virtue, and reputation for holiness of Father Peyton.

Father Paul F. Robinson, O.Carm., J.C.D. judicial vicar and episcopal delegate, was confirmed as Instructor of the Trial.

In November of 2008, the investigation was moved to the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Father Phalen is one of about 30 Congregation of Holy Cross Brothers, Sisters, and priests who have taken Father Peyton’s mission to heart.

Father Phalen travels the world preaching Rosary missions. “Many places across the globe, particularly in the Philippines and Mexico ask me ‘What’s taking so long?’ They feel he’s already a saint,” said Father Phalen. “It’s indicative of the long-term effect of Father Peyton on people all over the world. In fact, in the Philippines, the Congregation of Holy Cross has just accepted its first candidate for priesthood. We’re very excited.

“We hear from people around the world frequently, who believe they were healed through Father Peyton’s intercession. Many others simply share stories of being touched by his holiness. While they may already consider him a saint, we are all pleased to see progress in his cause.

“Today, we honor Father Peyton’s memory as we continue his mission to bring families together in Rosary prayer to fulfill his vision that the family that prays together stays together.”

Family Rosary and Family Theater Productions are members of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which ministers to families in 17 countries. The Father Peyton Family Institute, based in Lima, Peru, provides education and resources to enrich the spirituality of families. The ministries are all under the sponsorship of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Holy Cross Family Ministries, which carries on the works of Father Peyton, is headquartered in North Easton, and serves Jesus Christ and His Church by promoting and supporting the spiritual well-being of the family.

For information on Holy Cross Family Ministries or Father Peyton’s life or sainthood cause, visit the Father Peyton Family Institute at 518 Washington Street, North Easton, or visit the website at hcfm.org.