08.14.09

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , August 14, 2009

Year For Priests

CELEBRATING PRIESTHOOD — Father David C. Deston, center, was the principal celebrant at a Mass at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church in Fall River, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary Vianney, patron saint of parish priests. To his immediate left is Father Peter J. Fournier who delivered the homily. Fathers Deston and Fournier were ordained June 13 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The Mass, concelebrated by more than 30 area priests, was part of ongoing diocesan observances of the Year For Priests. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Archbishop for the Military Services calls attention to the need for chaplains

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

AUGUST 15 IS THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. IT IS A HOLY DAY ON WHICH CATHOLICS ARE URGED TO ATTEND MASS. This statue of Our Lady of the Assumption on the rectory lawn of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Osterville was placed there in 1960 by Father John Higgins. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

OSTERVILLE — It’s a scene that has played out far too often over the last 10 years in the deserts and mountains of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Within 48 hours following the death of a U.S. soldier a memorial service begins for the fallen hero. The commander and close friends speak about the deceased.

The Catholic chaplain offers a reflection, followed by music appropriate for the solemn occasion.

Then comes the most poignant moment of the service. The first sergeant begins roll call. He calls out the rank and last name of the first soldier on the list, after which the soldier answers, “Here, sir.” The scene repeats itself until there is silence after a name is called.

The first sergeant repeats the call. Again silence. On the third try the first sergeant calls the rank, first and second name of

the non-responsive soldier. Again silence.

Following the third call with Turn to page 18

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE US — Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy P. Broglio spoke to a group attending a fund-raising luncheon for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, in Osterville last week. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Successful Catholics Returning Home initiative sparks additional sessions

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

MASHPEE — According to Msgr. Daniel F. Hoye, pastor of Christ the King Parish, there are myriad reasons why once faithful and practicing Catholics drift away from the Church.

There are students who go

away for college and just never get back into the rhythm when they return; or parents who find their kids have moved away and they’ve gotten into the habit of skipping Sunday Mass.

“Other times it’s more dramatic things,” Msgr. Hoye said.

“It might have been a divorce or some alienation from the

Church itself because of a certain circumstance or personality. All of these things can come into play … and sometimes it just happens.”

In an effort to help facilitate the return of these prodigal sons and daughters, Christ the King Parish hosted a program Turn to page 18

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News From the Vatican

August 14, 2009

Pope Benedict to be featured singing on Marian prayers CD

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The music-loving Pope Benedict XVI will be featured on a new CD singing and reciting Marian hymns and prayers.

“Alma Mater,” Latin for “nourishing mother,” will be released worldwide November 30 by Geffen Records, which is part of Universal Music Group.

Using material recorded by Vatican Radio, the album will feature Pope Benedict singing the “Regina Coeli” hymn to Mary as well as prayers and snippets of talks in Latin, Italian, Portuguese, French and German, Geffen announced July 31.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman and director of Vatican Radio, said the radio authorized use of about 10 minutes of the pope’s voice for the project, which was developed by Geffen and by the multimedia production company of the Pauline Fathers.

Geffen said proceeds from the sale of the CD would be used to provide music education to underprivileged children around the world.

The CD will include the Litany of Loreto and other popular Marian prayers along with eight original classical compositions commissioned for the project.

The pieces featuring the pope

will be accompanied by the choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome singing in St. Peter’s Basilica. The new classical pieces will be recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Geffen said.

In 1994, Vatican Radio authorized the publication of a CD featuring Pope John Paul II reciting the rosary in Latin; sold with a commentary in a variety of languages, the CD was an instant hit.

Pope Benedict has not commented on the CD project, but he spoke about music as a universal language after a recent concert in the courtyard of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo.

The pope apologized to Italians in the audience for speaking in German, but said he did so because the orchestra and many of the guests were German.

“Unfortunately, after the events of the tower of Babel, languages separate us, creating barriers,” the pope said.

But, he said, peoples of all tongues can understand the language of music “because it touches our hearts. For us, this is not only a guarantee that the goodness and beauty of God’s creation has not been destroyed, but it also reminds us that we are called to and capable of working together for what is good and beautiful.”

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — In a very brief general audience, Pope Benedict XVI said the Church needs holy priests who can help the faithful understand that truth exists and, ultimately, is found in God. The audience, with an estimated 4,000 people packed into the courtyard at the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo, lasted a mere 15 minutes. The pope’s main talk lasted only five minutes, although the Vatican published the much longer text the pope had prepared for the audience.

Pope Benedict’s remarks focused on St. John Vianney, the patron of parish priests, who died Aug. 4, 1859. The pope invoked a special Year for Priests to mark the 150th anniversary of the French priest’s death.

At first glance, “the pastoral methods of St. John Vianney could appear little suited to current social and cultural conditions. In fact, how could a priest today, in a world that has changed so much, imitate him?” the pope asked.

But just like many societies today, French society in the 1800s seriously challenged people of faith, he said.

“Post-revolutionary France experienced a sort of ‘dictatorship of rationalism’ aimed at canceling the very presence of priests and of the Church in society” and at convincing people that by using just their reason they could arrive at all the truths they needed to give meaning and order to their lives, the pope said.

“If back then there was a ‘dictatorship of rationalism,’ in many areas today there is a kind of ‘dictatorship of relativism,’” he said.

Thinking that reason alone can bring people to truth or thinking that there is no such thing as a definitive truth valid for all people and all times ignores the fact that human beings were created by God and will find the fullness of life in him, Pope Benedict said.

Just as in St. John Vianney’s time, he said, the human search for meaning and fulfillment today can be satisfied only through a relationship with God. The saint’s example is a reminder that ‘the priest must have an intimate personal union with Christ to cultivate and deepen day after day. Only in this way can he touch the hearts of the people and open them to the merciful love of the Lord,” he said.

Priests must help people find truth in God, pope says at audience

IN THE SWIM OF THINGS — Pope Benedict XVI wears a cap during a recent audience for competitors of the world swimming championships. The audience was held at the pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. (CNS photo/L’ Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

Pope’s message for 2010 World Peace Day will focus on environment

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI will focus on the connection between protecting the environment and working for peace in the message he will publish for World Peace Day in 2010, the Vatican said.

The theme the pope has chosen for the Jan. 1 celebration is “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Safeguard Creation,” the Vatican announced July 29.

The Vatican said the pope intends to discuss the fact that in a globalized world there is a strict connection between protecting the environment and promoting peace.

“The use of resources, climate change, the application and use of biotechnologies (and) demographic growth” are all issues that can have repercussions across national borders for generations to come, the statement said.

The papal message will underline the fact that protecting the natural environment is a challenge all people must face together, recognizing they have an obligation to respect a gift God created for all, it said.

Pope Benedict also wants to emphasize how the “current ecological crisis” is impacting the entire world and, therefore, requires international action to resolve, it said.

“If one wants to cultivate the good of peace, in fact, one must promote a renewed awareness of

the interdependence that links the earth’s inhabitants to one another,” the Vatican statement said.

Together people must preserve and restore the natural environment, eliminating at least some of the causes of environmental disasters, it said.

The Vatican statement said Pope Benedict intends his World Peace Day message to be a further development of the four paragraphs on the environment included in his encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”).

In his encyclical, published in early July, Pope Benedict said, “The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility toward the poor, toward future generations and toward humanity as a whole.”

While the encyclical focused

The Anchor

on development, and therefore discussed the need to share natural resources equitably and not exploit those found in poor countries, it also insisted there is a connection between environmental protection and peace.

“The stockpiling of natural resources, which in many cases are found in the poor countries themselves, gives rise to exploitation and frequent conflicts between and within nations. These conflicts are often fought on the soil of those same countries, with a heavy toll of death, destruction and further decay,” the encyclical said.

Pope Benedict’s message for the World Day of Peace in 2008, which focused on the family and on the world’s population as forming one human family, also included a section on the obligation to protect the environment.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 53, No. 30

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The International Church

August 14, 2009

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Rising Mexican pop star now sings for Jesus

By Doreen Abi Raad Catholic News Service

and prayer became more difficult.”

Observing firsthand the infidelity rampant in the entertainment industry, Gonzalez also saw how easy it was “to start to doubt the sacredness of marriage.” She was advised to “have fun” and give up her chaste life, but she resisted.

The exhilaration of her rise to fame soon turned to loneliness and desolation. “I was fighting, sacrificing myself for nothing, for things of the world. And when you get it, you feel empty. I had lots of people all around me,

lucrative recording offers started coming her way. However, Gonzalez turned them down. Just as BEIRUT, Lebanon —Azeneth the star-studded doors closed, Gonzalez thought she had everyGonzalez believes God opened thing — fame, talent and beauty. new ones. In 2006, she recorded From an early age while growher first CD, “Va mas alla” (“Go ing up in Monterrey, Mexico, Further”). She became active in Gonzalez felt music was special. the Pro-Life movement and in She sang in her Catholic school 2007 recorded “Vida - Life.” choir, learned to play the guitar She came to the Middle East and was involved in youth minisfor the first time in July, spending tries, visiting and singing for the the month in Lebanon on a mispoor. sion with the Franciscan Fathers In 2002 at the age of 21, Gonof the Renewal. She met mostzalez auditioned for Mexico’s ly with Catholic youth groups celebrated “La Academia,” simithroughout the small country lar to “American Idol” in the with a population that is United States. When seou are God’s temple, and God’s about 33 percent Chrislected as a finalist with a promising pop-star life temple is holy. We must always tian.

She tells youths: “God ahead, it seemed Gonza- be aware of what we are doing with our has a very big plan for lez’s dreams had come bodies and our souls.” you, that you can’t even true. begin to imagine. But The rosary, prayer, Mass and the Eucharist had al- but I felt very lonely,” Gonzalez God doesn’t want to push you to follow him, to love him. He wants ways been essential to her. Fel- said.

“But God helped me not to us to be free to decide. He wants low contestants nicknamed you to be happy, but he knows her “Sister Azeneth” and “St. fall down.”

It was a blessing, Gonzalez that you can’t be happy without Azeneth” because of her suggessaid, that a year later, in 2003, him. Every day we must pray, tions that they pray together.

But Mass was not on the itin- she was able to quit the show ‘Jesus, I want to stay with you, to erary of the reality show, which and cancel her contract, which do your will.’”

Gonzalez also encourages required the finalists to live se- would have required her to tour cluded as a group for five months. in concerts for several years. She young people to fight against the Gonzalez missed the spiritual credited the prayers of her par- world’s temptations by living a support of her family, whom she ents for her decision. She prayed, chaste life.

“It’s about everything: your only glimpsed among the sea of too, that she would “come back eyes and ears, your heart, your adoring fans while performing to Jesus.”

Gonzalez recounted how body,” she told them. “It’s how each week.

At first Gonzalez resisted the “God put in my heart” to go to you talk to people, what you see revealing clothes and the sensual the Lord’s Ranch in Vado, N.M., on the Internet and TV and what way of singing encouraged by an outreach ministry run by the you listen to on the radio. You are the show’s producers. In time, late Jesuit Father Richard Thom- God’s temple, and God’s temple is holy. We must always be aware she said, “my way of dressing as.

“My world changed. Father of what we are doing with our started to change, becoming less modest. I was using bad words, Rick taught me that each of us is bodies and our souls.” called to be holy. And God has Now the 27-year-old Gonzathe power to transform our life,” lez sings for Jesus.

DIOCESAN TRIBUNAL she said.

“I am so happy,” she said.

FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS Gonzalez’s faith had yet an“Nothing compares with serving Decree of Citation other test. While at the ranch, him.”

Sinceherpresentdomicile is unknown,inaccordwiththeprovision of Canon 1509.1, we hereby cite MariaDeGracaA.Barbosatoappear in person before theTribunal of the Diocese of Fall River (887 Highland Avenue in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts) on September 3, 2009 at 2:30 PM to give his testimony regarding the question: IS THE SOUSA-BARBOSA MARRIAGE NULL ACCORDING TO CHURCH LAW? Anyonewhohasknowledgeofthe domicile of Maria De Graca A. Barbosa is hereby required to inform her of this citation.

Given at the offices of the Diocesan Tribunal in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts on August 5, 2009.

“Y

HATE CRIME — A Christian couple sits outside their destroyed house the day after recent attacks in Gojra, a town in Pakistan’s Punjab province. (CNS photo/Mohsin Raza, Reuters)

Pope deplores latest killings of Christians in Pakistan

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI deplored the killing of eight Christians in Pakistan by a Muslim mob and urged the minority Christian community not to be deterred by the attack.

The Christians, including four women and a child, were either shot or burned alive August 1 when a crowd attacked the eastern Pakistani town of Gojra, setting fire to dozens of Christian homes. Authorities said tensions were running high in the area, fueled by a false rumor that a Quran, the sacred book of Islam, had been desecrated.

A telegram sent in the pope’s name said the pontiff was “deeply grieved to learn of the senseless attack” on the Christian community.

Noting the “tragic deaths” and the immense destruction in the neighborhood, he sent condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with the survivors.

“In the name of God he appeals to everyone to renounce the way of violence, which causes so much suffering, and to embrace the way of peace,” it said.

The telegram, sent to Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad, asked the bishop to “encourage the whole diocesan community, and all Christians in Pakistan, not to be deterred in their efforts to help build a society which, with a profound sense of trust in religious and human values, is marked by mutual respect among

all its members.”

Pakistan has been beset by political and social tensions, including attempts by Muslim militants to impose an intolerant version of Islam. A number of attacks on Christians have occurred in recent years, prompting Catholic leaders to call for constitutional amendments to protect religious minorities.

The latest violence followed several days of rising tensions in the area of Gojra when rumors of the desecration of a Quran were spread by Muslim militants. Pakistani government officials said they had debunked the rumor, but that “anti-state elements” had continued to foment hostilities.

Church-run schools, which were set to reopen in some cities, were closed for three days to mourn the deaths. The government meanwhile appealed for calm and announced an investigation into the attack.

Catholic leaders have said a major factor in interreligious tension is the abuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which severely punish vaguely defined insults to the prophet Mohammed or the Quran.

In June, the Pakistani bishops’ National Commission for Justice and Peace said the abuse of blasphemy laws had led to the destruction of places of worship and properties of religious minorities.

About 95 percent of Pakistan’s 160 million people are Muslim. Less than two percent are Christian.

Shrine of The Little Flower of Jesus JUBILEE CHURCH & SHRINE

16th Annual Feast Day Celebration First Shrine To St. Theresa In America

Sunday, August 16, 2009 Rain or Shine

9:30 AM ~ Prayers at Holy Stairs 10:30 AM ~ Stations of the Cross 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM ~ Lunch 12:30 PM ~ Concert 1:30 PM ~ Outdoor Living Rosary 2:45 PM ~ Procession with St. Theresa 3:00 PM ~ Chaplet of Divine Mercy Solemn Feast Mass - Celebrant: Father Gerard Caron (Pastor of St. Theresa’s) Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament - Blessing with St. Theresa’s Relic ~ Continuous video showing of St. Theresa’s life ~

• Gift Shop • Food & Refreshments • Canopy - Covered benches at outdoor altar • Bus Groups welcome • Priests are invited to concelebrate the Feast Mass • Bring Chairs and umbrellas for the sun

(Rev.)PaulF.Robinson,O.Carm., J.C.D. Judicial Vicar

For information please call (401) 568-0575 • (401) 568-8280

(Mrs.) Denise D. Berube Ecclesiastical Notary

Shrine is located at intersection of Rt. 102 and Rt. 7 in Nasonville (Burrillville), R.I. (near Wright’s Farm Restaurant)

E-mail: shiirl@cox.net www.SaintTheresaShrine.com

The Church in the U.S.

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August 14, 2009

Pastor of Detroit-area Lithuanian parish drowns in rescue attempt

DETROIT (CNS) — The pastor of a Lithuanian ethnic parish in suburban Detroit drowned after diving into a lake in an attempt to save his 13-year-old nephew.

Neither Father Ricardas Repsys, 59, nor his nephew, who was visiting from Lithuania, were able to make it back to the boat in which they and two others had been enjoying an outing on Lake St. Clair on July 28.

Father Repsys had come from Lithuania in 2004 to become administrator of Divine Providence Lithuanian Parish in Southfield, just north of Detroit.

The parish has a membership of 245 families, but also serves as a community center for many Lithuanian-Americans who belong to other Catholic parishes throughout metropolitan Detroit.

Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron said: “The sudden loss of Father Repsys is a great tragedy, as is the loss of his young nephew, Toutvydays Skudas.”

Msgr. John P. Zenz, episcopal vicar for the northwest region of the Detroit Archdiocese, said: “It is not surprising that Father Repsys would die literally trying to save a drowning person; he was truly Christ-like.”

“I remember him telling me stories of the risks and dangers and loneliness he endured during the early years of his priestly ministry while taking the train to

minister to Lithuanians in Siberia; these were the darkest days of communism,” the priest told The Michigan Catholic, Detroit’s archdiocesan newspaper.

Noting that the other occupants of the boat reported that Father Repsys did not hesitate to jump into the water, Divine Providence parishioner Juozas Orentas said that was the kind of man he was.

“He was a very, very good pastor. He really cared for the people and will be very greatly missed,” said Orentas, who chairs the parish’s administration commission.

Both he and Aldona Sonta, the commission chair, said Father Repsys made a special effort to reach out to members of the latest wave of Lithuanian immigrants — those who came in the 1990s after the country regained its independence following decades of Soviet rule.

Father Repsys was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 1950 and ordained a priest for the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary religious order in 1981. He later became a priest of the Archdiocese of Kaunas.

At the request of his archbishop in Lithuania, Father Repsys came to the United States and began ministry to the Detroit-area’s Lithuanian Catholics. He was granted permanent legal residency in the U.S. in March 2008.

LAID DOWN HIS LIFE — Father Ricardas Repsys, 59, pastor of Divine Providence Lithuanian Catholic Church in Southfield, Mich., delivers a homily at the Dainava Lithuanian Catholic youth camp in Manchester, Mich. Father Repsys drowned July 28 after diving into a lake in an at tempt to save his 13-year-old nephew Toutvydays Skudas of Lithuania. Father Repsys and his nephew were unable to make it back to the boat in which they and two others had been enjoying an outing on Lake St. Clair. (CNS photo/Kestutis Sonta)

Sisters of Charity mark bicentennial

EMMITSBURG, Md. (CNS) — Peering through a glass display case, nineyear-old Gloria Whitfield was impressed with an old letter that rested on a 19thcentury wooden writing desk.

Composed by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the May 3, 1803 note, written in a flowing black script, was addressed to one of the saint’s daughters on the girl’s birthday.

“May almighty God bless you, my child, and make you his child forever,” it said.

Establishing an up-close connection with the first U.S.-born saint was a thrill for Gloria, a parishioner of St. Timothy in Centerville, Va. The youngster was equally impressed by a locket with St. Elizabeth Ann’s hair, relics and other historic artifacts on display at the visitor center of the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg.

“It’s cool,” said Gloria. “She did a lot for Catholic schools. She helped a lot of people.”

Gloria was one of approximately 1,000 people from across the country and around the world who converged in Emmitsburg August 2 to celebrate a special Mass honoring the 200th anniversary of Mother Seton’s arrival in the small town.

The celebration also commemorated the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the community of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s — the first new community for women religious in the U.S. The liturgy was the highlight of a weekend of events that also included the showing of a specially commissioned 30-minute documentary on the life of Mother Seton and the dedication of the Seton Legacy Garden behind the stone farmhouse where she founded the Sisters of Charity July 31, 1809.

Even though heavy rains washed out a planned re-enactment of Mother Seton’s arrival in Emmitsburg in a Conestoga wagon, the bad weather failed to dampen high spirits among the many attendees at the Mass.

In his homily, Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden of Baltimore said the key to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s success was her “unlimited love and faith in God.” “She responded to God’s will for her at every station of life,” Bishop Madden said.

Born into a prominent Anglican family in New York, Elizabeth married William Magee Seton at age 20 and had five children. When her husband contracted tuberculosis, he took his wife to Italy in an effort to find a cure in a warm climate. He died in Italy in 1803, leaving her widowed at age 29.

During her time in Italy, Elizabeth was inspired by the Catholic faith. On her return to the U.S., she decided to became a Catholic and was received into the Church in New York in March 1805.

Archbishop John Carroll of Baltimore invited her to Baltimore to serve as a school mistress. The school flourished and her feelings of support from God inspired her to start the religious congregation.

She took her first religious vows at St. Mary’s Seminary in March 1809 and in the summer of that year moved with a small band of Sisters to Emmitsburg.

During this time she began the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. She modeled her order on the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.

Sister Claire Debes, provincial leader of the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, called St. Elizabeth Ann an “extraordinarily courageous woman, yet an ordinary person.”

From St. Elizabeth Ann’s original religious community grew several independent communities in North America, and today about 4,000 Sisters and Daughters of Charity minister in North America, according to Sister Betty Ann McNeil, Daughters of Charity archivist for the Emmitsburg province. They are active in education, parish life, social justice, health care and other ministries.

August 14, 2009

The Church in the U.S.

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Cuban-American confirmed as ninth U.S. ambassador to Vatican

By Catholic News Service

TROUBLE BREWING — U.S. President Barack Obama, standing near Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., left, waves after speaking about health care reform in the White House Rose Garden in Washington recently. Pro-Life groups are warning that proposed health care legislation could mandate abortion coverage for most insurance plans. (CNS photo/Larry Downing, Reuters)

House panel accepts, then rejects abortion ban in health reform bill

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Despite the support of a U.S. cardinal and its own initial approval, the House Energy and Commerce Committee July 30 rejected an amendment to a House health care reform bill that would have prohibited any mandated abortion coverage, except in cases of rape, incest or life-threatening danger to the mother.

Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, had urged the committee to approve a one-paragraph amendment to the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act introduced by Reps. Joseph R. Pitts, R-Pa., Bart Stupak, DMich., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo. “No provision of this act ... shall impose, or shall be construed to impose, any requirement for coverage of abortion, or access to abortion, or to authorize or permit the recommendation for, or imposition of, any such requirement,” except in limited circumstances, the amendment said.

Approved by the committee on a 31-27 vote, the amendment was brought up for another vote after a 35-24 vote to reconsider it. The second time around, one Democrat changed his vote and another who had not voted previously voted “no,” leading to the defeat of the amendment, with 29 for and 30 against.

The committee then took up a seven-page amendment proposed

by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif., which would prohibit abortion coverage as part of a federally mandated minimum benefits package but would require at least one insurance plan in each “premium rating area” to cover abortion.

The National Right to Life Committee called the Capps amendment a “phony compromise” that would lead to “elective abortions being covered under the government-operated ‘public plan’ the bill would create, and would allow federal subsidies to flow to private insurance plans that cover elective abortions.”

Deirdre A. McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications in the bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said her office was disappointed at the defeat of the Pitts-StupakBlunt amendment and passage of the “so-called compromise” Capps amendment.

But she said other amendments dealing with abortion were likely to be proposed as the various health care reform bills make their way through Congress.

“We’re several steps away from being able to say we do or do not support this or that bill,” she added.

In a July 29 letter to the com-

mittee, Cardinal Rigali said a “fundamental requirement” for health reform legislation is that it “respect human life and rights of conscience.”

“Much-needed reform must not become a vehicle for promoting an ‘abortion rights’ agenda or reversing long-standing current policies against federal abortion mandates and funding,” the cardinal said. “In this sense we urge you to make this legislation ‘abortion-neutral’ by preserving long-standing federal policies that prevent government promotion of abortion and respect conscience rights.”

“As longtime supporters of genuine health care reform, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is working to ensure that needed health reform is not undermined by abandoning long-standing and widely supported policies against abortion funding and mandates and in favor of conscience protection,” he added.

WASHINGTON — Catholic theologian Miguel Diaz was confirmed by the U.S. Senate August 4 as the ninth U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

A professor of theology at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., Diaz is the first Hispanic to serve in the post.

Diaz issued a statement through St. John’s University saying he was grateful to the Senate for its vote and to President Barack Obama “for the confidence he has invested in me.”

“I am honored to be given the responsibility of representing the people of the United States to the Holy See,” he said in the statement posted on the website of St. John’s University. “I very much appreciate the support of all those who have reached out to me and to my family with their prayers and best wishes during this process.”

He also said he planned to move his family to Rome and present his credentials to Pope Benedict XVI as soon as possible. His wife, Marian, directs Companions on a Journey and CORAD: Heart Speaks to Heart at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. The couple have four children.

Born in Havana, Diaz, 45,

comes from humble beginnings.

His father worked as a waiter and his mother did data-entry work.

He was the first member of his family to attend college.

At the time of his nomination in May, Diaz pledged to build upon 25 years of formal diplomatic relations with the Vatican and the work of his predecessors. “I wish to be a bridge between our nation and the Holy See,” he said.

In confirmation hearings July 22, Diaz told Senate Foreign Relations Committee members he wanted to use his academic work on human identity and cultures to ensure a strong friendship between the U.S. and the Vatican.

He said he was especially interested in exploring the relationship between religion and human identity, taking into account cultural influences.

Diaz served as a member of Obama’s Catholic advisory team during the 2008 presidential campaign and was a regular campaign spokesman on Obama’s behalf, particularly in the Spanish-language press.

Prior to arriving in Minnesota in 2004, Diaz taught at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla.; St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Fla.; the University of Dayton in Ohio; and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He is fluent in Italian, Spanish and French.

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The Anchor Catholic environmentalism

In his recent encyclical, “Caritas in Veritate,” Pope Benedict dedicates five paragraphs to how a proper understanding of and care for the environment is essential for the integral development of the human person and human society.

Since being elected, Pope Benedict has spoken out so often and so forcefully about environmental concerns that many secular journalists have dubbed him “the green pope.” Nowhere has he given as authoritative, extensive and compelling a treatment of authentic Catholic environmentalism than in this encyclical. In it he presents a far deeper foundation for the protection of the environment than one will find on the websites of Greenpeace and the Sierra Club or in the musings of Al Gore. He also exposes the anthropological causes of the environmental destruction of modern times and describes how they can be remedied. Finally, he inspires Catholics to assume their responsibility to guide the environmental movement to promote both the protection and promotion of nature and the safeguarding and advancement of the human person.

His discussion is an important primer for every Catholic. We can break the teaching down into 10 points.

First, “the environment is God’s gift.” The pope says that “in nature, the believer recognizes the wonderful result of God’s creative activity, which we may use responsibly to satisfy our legitimate needs, material or otherwise, while respecting the intrinsic balance of creation. If this vision is lost, we end up either considering nature an untouchable taboo or, on the contrary, abusing it. Neither attitude is consonant with the Christian vision of nature as the fruit of God’s creation.” When we lose the connection between creation and its Creator, we risking ending up either with a pantheism or a wasteful consumerism, both of which are contrary to the truth and dignity of nature.

Second, environmental responsibility flows from remembering the bond between God and nature. Benedict notes that the modern atheism that has tried to turn the theory of evolution into an argument against God’s existence has actually led to the environmental abuses. “When nature, including the human being, is viewed as the result of mere chance or evolutionary determinism,” he argues, “our sense of responsibility wanes.” If nature is just matter, then it does not matter in the final analysis what you do with it. Only if nature has a built-in purpose is it possible to speak about violating that purpose. “Nature is at our disposal,” he stresses, “not as ‘a heap of scattered refuse,’ but as a gift of the Creator who has given it an inbuilt order, enabling man to draw from it the principles needed in order ‘to till it and keep it’” (Gen 2:15). The desire for “total technical domination over nature,” viewing it merely as “raw material to be manipulated at our pleasure,” flows from modern atheism, which sees in nature “merely a collection of contingent data.”

Third, “the environment is God’s gift to everyone.” The environment is not something that can morally be selfishly exploited by individuals or nations to the detriment of others in the present or future. “In our use of it,” the pope says, “we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.” He therefore calls for “solidarity and inter-generational justice” in the proper use of nature. “The fate of those countries deficient in natural resources cannot be left in the hands of whoever is first to claim the spoils, or whoever is able to prevail over the rest. Here we are dealing with major issues; if they are to be faced adequately, then everyone must responsibly recognize the impact they will have on future generations.”

Fourth, because the environment is God’s gift to every man and woman, “it is contrary to authentic development to view nature as something more important than the human person.” This is a healthy corrective to those who have given the green movement a bad name by caring more about the proliferation of spotted owls and humpback whales than the flourishing of human beings.

Fifth, nature has a built-in “grammar” that “sets forth ends and criteria for its wise use.” This is a new way of articulating the ancient truth that nature reveals a natural law that needs to be respected.

Sixth, all persons and nations are called to exercise a “responsible stewardship over nature.”

The term “stewardship” is used in contrast to “ownership,” and implies the vocation to be “good stewards” in developing and passing on the gift with which we have been entrusted. The pope specifically refers to our duties toward subsequent generations: “We must recognize our grave duty to hand the earth on to future generations in such a condition that they too can worthily inhabit it and continue to cultivate it.”

Seventh, Benedict states, in the deepest theological point of his treatment of the environment, that the relationship between man and the environment is one of a “covenant,” which, he says, “should mirror the creative love of God.” The word “covenant” is often used in contrast to a “contract,” the latter of which can be mutually exploitative. Covenant implies that there is a sacred bond linking the two. In predicating that the bond should reflect God’s creative love, the pope seems to be saying, first, that creation should be loved as the handiwork of God himself and second, insofar as nature is God’s gift to man, it should become a treasured pathway to reciprocate the love of God, going from gift to the giver.

Eighth, “human ecology” and “environmental ecology” are intrinsically related. ‘The way humanity treats the environment,” Pope Benedict says, “influences the way it treats itself and vice versa.” If our personal or national moral approach to others is based on “the quest for truth, beauty, goodness and communion with others for the sake of common growth,” then those values will affect our environmental policy. If our individual or political behavior, however, is grounded on hedonism and consumerism, then we will be exploitative of the environment and of others through the environment. “Every violation of solidarity and civic friendship harms the environment,” the pope says, “just as environmental deterioration in turn upsets relations in society.” He illustrates the point by giving the example of war. Often wars are caused by selfish hoarding of natural resources, like water and lucrative minerals, and wars in turn give rise to vast destruction of natural resources.

That is why his upcoming 2010 Message for Peace will be dedicated to the theme, “If you want peace, take care of creation.”

Ninth, the decisive element in the protection of nature is not economic incentives or deterrents, educational campaigns, windmills or solar panels, but the “overall moral tenor of society.” The great litmus test for that moral tenor is how we treat the most vulnerable: “If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology. It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves. Herein lies a grave contradiction in our mentality and practice today: one which demeans the person, disrupts the environment and damages society.”

This is a strong response to those environmentalists who say, erroneously, that the cause of environmental destruction is overpopulation.

Finally, the Church has a responsibility toward creation and “she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere.” Pope Benedict says that the Church “must defend not only earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone, she must above all protect mankind from selfdestruction.” This is a task, obviously, that to be fulfilled requires far more than the pope’s efforts. It requires the dedicated work of every Catholic, to create that “overall moral tenor of society” which respects the covenant not only with nature, but with other human beings and especially with the God who has made us stewards of the gift of the environment.

The price of the conversion of Ars

When Father John Vianney was notified to visit each of the 60 resident families to get to that he was being sent to Ars, three years after know them and encourage them to return. Few his priestly ordination, his vicar general told took him up on the offer. He started to clean him, “There is not much love for God in that himself and adorn the house of God with his parish; you will bring some into it.” own money, to demonstrate that God is worth Msgr. Courbon was right on both scores. our sacrifices and our best. These improveArs, a village of 230 in 1818 when Vianney ments were obviously talked about in a small arrived, was at best lukewarm and lackadaisical town but these attractive embellishments failed in the practice of the faith. Part of this could be to attract many to the pews. ascribable to its recent history. In 1791, Father Seeing the situation for what it really was, Etienne Saulnier, the then Curé of Ars, took the he upped his recourse to the two main weapons oath of the Civil Constitution, professing that in a Christian’s arsenal. the highest authority in matters of faith would The first was prayer. He began to spend all be the French Constitution and government, night in prayerful vigils in the Church, kneelnot God and the Church he founded and guides. ing with a candle before Jesus in the Blessed This was the path by which cowardly priests, Sacrament, and tearfully begging his help. “My who valued saving their earthly life at the risk God,” he implored, “grant me the conversion of losing their eternal life, evaded the guillo- of my parish; I am willing to suffer all my life tine. Later, when despite his oath he was still whatsoever it may please you to lay upon me; arrested on account of his priestly ordination, yes, even for 100 years I am prepared to endure he gave up his priesthood rather than face death the sharpest pains, only let my people be conand actually had the scandalous gall to return to verted.” Soon these vigils became a subject of Ars to try to make money off his former parish- curiosity to the night owls and the content of ioners as a businessman. Such a feint-hearted his prayers became an item of even greater cuspiritual father was not one to preach to his riosity. Why would someone stay up all night to flock on the supremacy of the love of God. In pray for their conversion? the midst of a time of great Christian heroism To these prayers he added the second main in France, Cathspiritual weapolics in Ars were on, mortificatrained in spiritution. He began al pusillanimity. to fast even more They were never intensely than he trained to be was accustomed faithful in denyup until then, ing themselves, and started to go

By Father picking up their a whole week on Roger J. Landry cross and followa few boiled poing Christ down tatoes. He began the path of the to increase his grain of wheat. use of the discipline, a whip of cords that many After Father Saulnier’s abandonment, the saints, priests and religious have used through Church of St. Sixtus in Ars, rather than being the centuries to unite themselves to the passion used for divine worship, was transformed first of Christ and do penance for their sins and the into a discussion club for the “free-thinkers” sins of others. of the Revolution. It was also used for the asOnly then did he go out into the pulpit and semblies of the new secular religion that lead- into the village to eliminate the sins that were ers of the French Revolution were trying to leading his people into an earthly slavery and invent, worshipping not on Christian Sabbath endangering their eternal lives. He preached but on the 10th day of the new French calendar, and fought with a holy ferocity to shut down and adoring not the true God but the goddess the taverns, eliminate the dances, and curtail Reason. No record exists of protests from the the blasphemies that were spiritually poisonpeople of Ars. ing his people. He reminded and convinced his In the early 1800s, after the bloodshed had flock that hell was real and that we need to be ceased and Napoleon restored some rights to serious about hating sin and avoiding its near the Church, a missionary priest visited Ars, occasions. where he tried to catechize, celebrate baptisms, It took him 25 years of relentless, patient and legitimize marriages, before he needed to perseverance, but he eventually achieved the move on to other villages. Another priest ar- conversion of his parish. rived in 1807, and labored for a decade, before In future weeks, we’ll have a chance to exthe unrelenting diligence needed got him to ask amine more closely what he did to achieve this for a transfer. Vianney’s immediate predecessor conversion, since many of his issues are faced, was appointed when he was only 26. Seeing in one form or another, by priests and parishes the spiritual state of Ars, he worked tirelessly today. This work was the prelude to bringing to correct abuses and bring people to the love the love of God to Ars, since genuine love of of God, but in just a few months he literally God requires a concomitant hatred of whatever worked himself to an early death. is incompatible with that God. The parish that Father Vianney inherited What I’d like to finish with, though, is his had a few devout men and women, but many courageous pastoral zeal. He was willing to of the inhabitants, despite the baptism, were pay any price to eliminate what was spiritually practical atheists or even pagans. In the words harming his flock. Pope John Paul II called atof a future Mayor of Ars, “There was a good tention to this in a 1986 letter to priests: deal of negligence in the parish and even a “The Curé had the courage to denounce evil measure of carelessness and indifference. But in all its forms; he did not keep silent, for it was I do not think there were disorders of an out- a question of the eternal salvation of his faithstanding nature at Ars. The most deplorable as- ful people: ‘If a pastor remains silent,’ the Curé pect was simply the forgetfulness of religious said, ‘when he sees God insulted and souls gopractices.” ing astray, woe to him! If he does not want to Few people attended Mass, with vast seg- be damned, and if there is some disorder in his ments of the populace prioritizing working parish, he must trample upon human respect on the farms, or going to drink at one of the and the fear of being despised or hated.’ This tiny village’s four taverns, or getting ready responsibility was his anguish as a parish priest. for Sunday night soirées, over the worship Rarely has a pastor been so acutely aware of of God. Few of those who did come to Mass his responsibilities, so consumed by a desire presented themselves for holy Communion to wrest his people from the sins of their lukeon Sunday because they were not ready mor- warmness.” ally to receive and too tepid to go to the sacOne of the goals of the Year For Priests rament of confession. Almost all were igno- called by Pope Benedict is to help make all rant of most of the teachings of the faith and priests — in the midst of a society in which had no great desire to remedy it. The practice there are far greater spiritual ills than afflicted of family and personal prayer was uncom- Ars — become as “acutely aware” and “conmon. sumed” as their patron.

Into this lukewarm situation, Vianney Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of brought the fire of the love of God. He started Padua Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

August 14, 2009

W

hile I was in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Midway, the Catholic chaplain, Father Mattiello from Lilly, Penn., invited the sailors to go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. About 30 men signed up to go with him, and I was one of them. We left Marseille by train.

When we arrived at Lourdes the next day, Dec. 29,1952, we went directly to our hotel in the afternoon, and settled in before we had a nice dinner in the evening. We were supposed to visit the grotto the next day to attend Mass with our chaplain.

After dinner, however, I asked two of my buddies to go with me to see the grotto, because I couldn’t wait to see it.

We brought along some empty wine bottles to fill up with Lourdes water to bring back to the States. I think that we were at the only hotel open during the winter and no religious stores were open.

We arrived at the grotto about 9 p.m., and we were curious to see what it looked

P

arents know where real value is, and they know the value of our Catholic schools.

Parents know the results of standardized tests and how our students compare so favorably with students from other schools on those same tests.

They know that Catholic schools address the whole person: physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual. It is a matter of integrity, integrity of the student and integrity of the school.

They understand that without spiritual development all education is fundamentally flawed.

They know that Catholic schools integrate prayer in the course of the day and highlight the sacraments as critically important in our lives. Periodic celebrations of the Mass give praise to God and remind us of our identity. The saints are presented as models for every age.

They know that Catholic schools function as families and that our schools encourage the involvement of parents, guardians, and grandparents.

Parents know that Catholic schools require order and an atmosphere conducive to learning.

They provide safe and secure environments.

They know that Catholic schools cultivate study habits in our students and train them in work habits which serve them for life.

They know that Catholic schools enable youngsters to es-

7

The Anchor

Imitating Mary’s ‘yes’

like at night with all the candles however, I couldn’t refuse her request. She had said “yes” to burning. It was very quiet; no the Archangel Gabriel when she one was at the grotto when we was asked to become the mother arrived. So I asked my budof Jesus, so I consented to her dies if we could kneel down and say the rosary, and they agreed. It was now getting colder, so they Year of the Priesthood wanted to return to the Vocational Reflection hotel. I told them that I would stay a little longer by myself before

By Father returning to the hotel.

George F. Almeida During my privacy in prayer, I felt Our Lady asking me to enter the calling with great humility. priesthood, as I looked at her I had the privilege of serving beautiful statue in the grotto. at the altar in the grotto the next I didn’t think I was worthy day at 8 a.m. It was so cold that of such a calling. I also loved I served with my peacoat. After being in the Navy operating a Mass, the chaplain invited the teletype in the department of men to go into the bath, but only communications, since I was two of us — another sailor and assigned to a rear admiral who was in charge of the fleet in the I — accepted. The others were afraid of catching a severe cold.

Mediterranean Sea. I belonged We did not even catch a sniffle. to the “Flag Staff” and had I went back to Lourdes in planned to remain in the Navy 2002 to give gratitude to Mary for 20 years, and retire at the for my calling. I was the main age of 37! celebrant at the grotto on SaturAs I contemplated the callday, April 13, 2002 at the 7:30 ing from Our Blessed Mother,

Parents know

tablish roots for steady and strong sons, but they simply cannot afgrowth. They understand that ford the tuition. without roots you are left with All sorts of programs have dryness, decadence, and decay. been developed at diocesan and Parents know that Catholic local levels to subsidize our schools teach us to love God — schools and provide scholarships Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — our for individual students. These origin and our ultimate destiny. programs must continue to grow They know that Catholic and expand. The increasing inschools give direction to our lives. volvement of corporations and They understand that our schools foundations is gratifying and enprovide a moral compass, enabling us to stand against aimless drift.

The Value of They know that Catholic schools focus attenCatholic Schools tion on every single student, each one created in

By Archbishop the image and likeness of Henry J. Mansell God. They know that Catholic schools see in religion a unique and extraordinary incen- couraging. tive for the practice of the virGovernment should be providtues. ing more financial assistance at They know that Catholic the state, federal, and local levschools produce leaders, academ- els. ically prepared, knowledgeable of It should be known that the the world around us, and sensitive Catholic schools in the six to the needs of others. states of New England currently Parents know that with all of us save government approximately working together, and with God’s $1,350,000,000 a year in operagrace, Catholic schools produce tional expenses. This figure does great people. not include the costs for capital What more people repair and new construction which should know would be necessary if our schools If finances were not the prob- did not exist. It also does not inlem, our schools would be teem- clude the lien which the dropouts ing with students and others trying from other schools place on the to enter. So often we hear parents public assistance rolls for years to say they would be thrilled to have come. Those costs are in the multi their youngsters in our schools, billions of dollars. for all the aforementioned reaCatholic schools have a drop-

Mass, almost 50 years to the day I was called to the priesthood on Dec. 29, 1952. What a jubilee!

I left the Navy with an honorable discharge on March 17, 1954. I began my preparation for the priesthood when I entered the seminary in September 1955. I loved the seminary, which gave me the chance to increase my spiritual life both intellectually and prayerfully.

I found out much later when I met Father Manuel Ferreira, who now lives with me at the Cardinal Medeiros Residence, that he was on the USS Midway at the same time I was aboard, though we didn’t know each other. He was assigned to the engineering department. He and I went to see the aircraft carrier on Sept. 18, 2007. It’s now a museum in San Diego. Our tour of the aircraft carrier brought back many memories.

I owe a great debt of gratitude for the Blessed Mother

calling me to the awesome gift of the priesthood. She has protected me during my 44 years in the priesthood. Without her, I could not persevere. I dedicate this article to her.

I pray that she continues to inspire me to be a faithful and humble servant as a priest, and helps me always to thank you, God, for the gift of the priesthood and for three wonderful parishes as a pastor: St. Elizabeth’s in Edgartown, 19811988; Holy Family in East Taunton, 1988-1997; and Our Lady of Fatima in Swansea, 1997-2001.

My years as a pastor were exactly 20 years of love, service and joy leading God’s people toward the kingdom of Heaven.

I ask God to bless them for being so respectful to me as a priest of Jesus Christ. They are forever in my prayers with a loving heart.

Father Almeida, ordained in 1965, is a retired priest of the diocese living at the Cardinal Medeiros Residence in Fall River.

out rate of a fraction of one percent. Other systems reach rates of 37 to 40 percent.

Various states in the United States have provisions for government aid to non-public schools which suggest that we could be doing much more than we are here in New England. Government funding would provide meaningful help in the following areas: textbooks, library materials, technology, transportation, mandated services (covering costs of record keeping), school nurses, teacher training, tuition tax credits, corporate tax credits (for assistance to public and non-public schools), and more.

When we consider the enormous contributions that Catholic schools make for society at large, in educating Catholic and non-Catholic students, financial assistance from the government could reap rich dividends for everyone.

Gratitude The history of Catholic schools in the United States is an incomparable story of sacrifice, leadership, and success. The epic continues. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to so many who make it possible: pastors, principals, teachers, administrative staff members, parents, guardians, grandparents, and other parishioners. Clergy, religious, and lay people carry forward the momentum together.

Numbers and statistics affirm the importance of Catholic schools. When you hear and read, however, the profound and emotional expressions of gratitude from parents whose children would not be able to attend Catholic schools without the assistance they receive, you appreciate beyond a semblance of a doubt the significance of our schools.

Parents know where real value is.

Archbishop Henry J. Mansell leads the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn.

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8

T

here once was a man who loved bread.

He liked the smell of it.

He liked the taste of it. He liked the feel of it. He liked the color of it, particularly the crust. He liked the sound of it as the knife sawed through the loaf from the first to the very last slice.

Bread is such an interesting food. It can be molded into all kinds of different shapes. Sometimes on special holidays of the year such as Easter and Christmas, eggs are cooked shell and all into the crust. Just stroll down the bread aisle in the market and look at the selection and variety of loaves. Then, of course, there are special flavors and ethnic tastes: French, Portuguese, Italian, Irish soda bread, German black bread.

It is really up to the bakers’ imagination, the shapes and tastes are almost limitless.

Since the time man first roamed the earth, bread has been with us. Some researchers tell us that bread was

The Anchor

August 14, 2009

The Bread of Life

probably the first combined this some 2,000 years later food that man made and some every time we attend Mass. excavations have unearthed a “I am the living Bread,” he crude bread made from flour said, “that came down from that was milled from nuts.

Heaven” (Jn. 6:51-58).

This crude mixture of Today’s readings are a nut flour and water was laid clear reference to the Euchadirectly on the ground and rist, holy Communion, Jesus baked next to an open fire. himself under the appearances By the time of Jesus the bread — much the same as pita bread of Homily of the Week today — was baked in Twentieth Sunday a common oven that in Ordinary Time was used by all the villagers.

By Deacon Nearly everyone John Welch eats bread. Is it any wonder then that Jesus would use bread to give us of bread and wine. himself?

In our first reading from We are all familiar with the book of Proverbs (Prov. 9: the scene of the Last Sup1-6) wisdom, which is always per when Jesus took bread, presented in the feminine blessed and broke it and gave gender, has built her house, it to his friends who were reset her table, dressed her clined at table with him. Then meat, mixed her wine, and he took a cup of wine, blessed invites all to the feast. it and shared it with his It’s interesting to note friends. He changed the bread whenever we Catholics refer into his Body and the wine to the Church we always say into his Blood. We witness holy Mother Church.

The seed falls to the ground, dies and rises from the ground to become a sheave of wheat. It is harvested at the proper time through honest labor, stored in silos, shipped to the miller to be ground into flour, which will be made into bread.

The bread is made up of millions of grains of wheat. The wine is made from millions of bunches of grapes. It’s much like the Church, which is made up of millions of people.

The grains are crushed and milled into flour and placed into the fire. The grapes likewise are crushed and made into wine and both become a new creation.

In life, we, the followers of Christ, are often crushed and milled and mixed with all sorts of life’s trials. Sometimes it seems as though we even have to walk through fire. But through it all if we have faith in Jesus we too rise and become a new creation.

St. Paul reminds us in our second reading, (Ephesians 5:15-20) “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise.” Knowing all the while that everything we have is a gift from God. Our Gospel for today (Jn 6:51-58) reminds us, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal and I will raise him on the last day.”

Pope Benedict XVI has declared this year, 2009, the Year For Priests, the only one who can make Jesus present for us on our altar every day of our lives.

On this day and every day let us pray without ceasing for our priests and an increase in vocations to the priesthood.

Deacon Welch retired after serving 19 years as deacon at St. Ann’s in Raynham. Married to Carol for 56 years, he a is father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He is employed as hospice chaplain with West River Care of Needham.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Aug. 15, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Rv 11:19a;12:1-6a,10ab; Ps 45:10bc,11-12ab,16; 1Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56. Sun. Aug. 16, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Prv 9:1-6; Ps 34:2-3,10-15; Eph 5:15-20; Jn 6:51-58. Mon. Aug. 17, Jgs 2:11-19; Ps 106:34-37,39-40,43-44; Mt 19:16-22. Tues. Aug. 18, JGS 6:11-24a; Ps 85:9,11-14; Mt 19:23-30. Wed. Aug. 19, Jgs 9:6-15; Ps 21:2-7; Mt 20:1-6a. Thur. Aug. 20, Jgs 11:29-39a; Ps 40:5,7-10; Mt 22:1-14. Fri. Aug. 21, Ru 1:1,3-6,14b-16,22; Ps 146:5-10; Mt 22:34-40.

I

n “A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop” [Eerdmans], Archbishop Rembert Weakland, O.S.B., offers an account of, and an apologia for, his dramatic life. One reader, a prominent scholar and convert who lives in a very different pew than Weakland’s, so to speak, nonetheless told me that the Benedictine prelate’s memoir was a fascinating education in the theological, political, and personal dynamics that filled the post-Vatican II Church in America with internecine strife — the results of which are much with us today. The question is whether Archbishop Weakland’s account of that period is fully accurate.

The archbishop is at pains

The Weakland memoirs

to defend the U.S. bishops’ under communism, building conference in the late 1970s, the moral and cultural founda1980s, and early 1990s, prior tions for the Solidarity moveto what he deems a kind of ment. Moreover, anyone familpapal Thermidor — a turning iar with John Paul’s instinctive back from reform (or, as some reaction when presented with a might say, revolution) — enproblem by a bishop — “Have gineered by Pope John Paul II. you discussed this with the John Paul, Weakland suggests, had little use for national bishops’ conferences. This seems an odd assertion, however, for prior to his papal service, Karol

By George Weigel Wojtyla had spent 20 years as part of one of the world’s most effective episcopal conferences: conference? What can the conthe Polish bishops’ conference, ference do to help?” — will be which lacked the elaborate further suspicious of the claim bureaucratic apparatus of its that the late pope had no use American counterpart but effor episcopal conferences. fectively re-catechized Poland Archbishop Weakland’s memoir draws an unfavorable contrast between his own archdiocesan synod in Milwaukee in 1987 and the “appearance of dialogue” during John Paul’s visit to the United States that same year. In light of that contrast, it is worth remembering that the faux-dialogue structure of that papal visit — some putative representative from one or another Catholic interest group would address the Pope; John Paul would respond — was proposed by the U.S. bishops’

The Catholic Difference

conference itself, which seemed to think that the Pope had been too didactic in his previous visit to the United States (that being the 1979 pilgrimage that led to the famous Time cover story, “John Paul Superstar”). The 1987 format was indeed clumsy; but that was not John Paul II’s fault.

As for the preparation of the U.S. bishops’ 1986 pastoral letter on the economy, which the archbishop also holds up as a model of “dialogue,” at least no small part of the “dialogue” in the months preceding “Economic Justice for All” was generated by a lay commission that formed itself outside the bishops’ conference structure under the leadership of former Treasury Secretary William E. Simon.

It is true that the drafting committee for the bishops’ economics pastoral, which Weakland chaired, invited a reasonably broad range of formal witnesses to testify.

But then so did the committee drafting the 1983 peace pastoral — and in both cases, the result of the process was, if not preordained, then at least prefigured in the assumptions then regnant in the relevant

staff offices at the bishops’ conference.

Weakland argues that “Dearden bishops” — meaning those conventionally described as “liberals” after Vatican II — were more interested in “collegial sharing in ministry” than the bishops appointed by John Paul II. That may be true in some cases, but those of us with memories of the period remember that liberal autocracy (episcopal or bureaucratic) was at least as large a factor in Catholic life as “collegial sharing in ministry.” Moreover, the archbishop’s depiction of himself as a promoter of episcopal collegiality is not altogether easy to square with his brutal criticism of New York Cardinal John J. O’Connor in the course of a glowing Weakland profile in the New Yorker.

As he concedes, Archbishop Weakland’s faction lost many of the battles over Catholic identity and practice from the mid-1980s on. But was that all politics? Or did it have something to do with the evangelical vitality of the vision and experience of Church embodied by John Paul II? George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Take this job

ment rate, more and more Wednesday 12 August 2009 — Buffalo, N.Y. — IBM personal people are job hunting. Back in my college days, you simply computer introduced on this read the help wanted ads in the date in 1981 haven’t gone job hunting since college. Back then, I took a summer job at a Reflections of a sweltering ring binder Parish Priest manufacturing company.

I was assigned to quality

By Father Tim control. I sat all day at Goldrick the end of an assembly line, opening and closing newspaper. That was, of course, hundreds of ring binders.

BC (before computers.) Today On the first day back at the you surf the Internet. Not that seminary, when the professor I’m looking for a job, but I did instructed us to open our notebooks, clicking sounds filled the check out “chaplain needed” on-line. It was just something to classroom. I snapped. This may do on a rainy summer’s day in have been the first known meDighton. dial episode of Post Traumatic One recent article advised Stress Syndrome triggered by readers of “recession-proof” loose-leaf binders. jobs in these difficult economic With the rising unemploy-

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The Anchor

August 14, 2009

The Ship’s Log

times. These jobs are in accounting, debt collection and foreclosures, education, entertainment, the liquor and pornography industries, repair work, energy, health care, senior services, law enforcement, and government. “Clergy” made the list for job security, but it ranked lower than the “sin industries.” Working for the Church was nevertheless a more secure job than working for the government. At least we parish priests know exactly where we stand.

One site had three pages listing chaplaincy positions. I immediately found a job opening at Tyson Foods in Buffalo, New York. They supply chicken, beef, and pork products. I had no idea private industry had chaplains. The pork products

How serious is your marriage?

control? Is it because there is heard a shocker the other no entity out there bestowing day. One evening while awards or promotions on us for out with a few girlfriends, a man having the Best Marriage of approached my sister-in-law and the Year? Perhaps. Personally, started flirting. It had only been I think we are also flat out lazy a few months since she and her husband had exchanged wedding and easily distracted from any pursuit that requires a longrings, so she happily flashed him term, personal investment, but her diamond and turned back especially from one offering no to her friends. The guy was not material reward. put off. Instead he said, “Hey, Frankly, I think we’re a bunch it’s OK with me if you have a of suburban cowboys living in husband. I mean, how serious is your marriage, anyway?”

I was stunned. I could see questioning an existing dating relationship, but to completely brush off an existing marriage?

By Heidi Bratton The guy’s question was outright vulgar, but it got me thinking. What a gas grill world. We want the if all married people asked this brazen question of themselves on flames of love, ignited with just one sparkling courtship and weda regular basis? ding, to keep leaping high while When we have an argument we go off and grab a beer. But with our spouse, what if you and marriage is not even remotely I were to ask ourselves, “How like a gas grill. Marriage, by its serious is my marriage?” Are our very nature, requires a long-term, marriages worth the humbling personal investment, and not work needed to reconcile as even on eBay will we find a botquickly as possible, or are we tomless tank of pressurized love going to pout or shout or talk beto keep our marriage sizzling hind our spouse’s back until we in our physical or emotional “win” this one? When someone absence. other than our spouse flirts with Marriage is, however, the us, what if we were to ask, “How grandest adventure for which serious is my marriage?” Would two lovers could ever sign up. we still entertain this so-called To find an activity parallel to innocent banter, or would we the true adventure of marriage, turn away and purposefully refowe’d need to step away from our cus our romantic thoughts on the gas grills on our electrically-lit one to whom we said, “I do”? decks, hike over our automated Really, why is it that we sprinkler systems in our chemiwillingly work 40 to 70 hours a cally green lawns, and envision week to further our careers, or bury ourselves in 30 years’ worth just our spouse and ourself on the wide-open prairie surrounded of debt in order to own a home, but think that a marriage ought to by tumble weeds, lowing cattle, baying wolves, and outlaws. be capable of running on cruise

Home Grown Faith

Under such a vast and starry sky, building a modest campfire and simply staying alive would require our complete and shared attention. We’d stay the warmest if we slept on the same side of the flames sharing bodily warmth and taking turns tending the embers and listening for the wolves and the outlaws. Remember that guy who flirted with my sister-in-law? He was an outlaw, trying to steal from my brotherin-law, and our gas-grill world has made his job all too easy.

On this point a shoutout has to be given to the Catholic Church for teaching Natural Family Planning as the only morally acceptable way of determining family size. Where artificial birth control and sterilization foster an always-available, gas-grill mind-set about sex, there is nothing quite as adventurous as NFP where spouses have to work together closely to keep both the love — and the life-giving elements of sex burning brightly.

Thank you, Catholic Magisterium, for pointing married couples toward the campfire mind-set.

If we tend to our marriages like real cowboys tend their campfires, then our marriages will be infinitely more capable of keeping the chill of apathy, affairs, and divorce at bay, and of allowing the warmth of Christ’s love to fill both of our hearts. So from one married person to another, “Just how serious is your marriage, anyway?”

Heidi is an author, photographer, and full-time mother.

She and her husband raise their six children in Falmouth. homegrownfaith@gmail.com.

would prevent imam and rabbi chaplains from taking this particular job, I suspect. It said: “The chaplain is responsible for making personal contact with team members and their families on occasions of family or individual crisis, illness, hospitalization, deaths, births, marriages, and special accomplishments. The chaplain will provide pastoral counseling.

The Tyson Chaplain must be in good standing in a faith-group.

The chaplain should follow the teachings of their (sic) faithgroup and have a good reputation. Ordination is preferred.”

On the same site, I learned that the army is in need of 40 chaplains. The locations were listed. As a Chaplain Officer, it said, you lead a Unit Ministry Team. This sounds impressive, but the UMT consists of only you and your assistant. You’re expected to teach your assistant basic catechism lessons. Since a chaplain never carries a weapon, your assistant provides armed backup. I clicked on “similar” and was connected to “Blue Rhino propane tank delivery man needed.” I don’t see the similarity.

There was nothing listed on this particular site for Air Force or Navy/Marine/ Coast Guard chaplaincy. These branches of the military have their own chaplaincy sites. The Air Force Chaplain School is in Alabama. The Navy Chaplaincy School is down the road in Newport, R.I. I then went in search of chaplaincy positions in the healthcare industry — hospice, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. I found 3,840 positions available that day. There were many jobs out there for the taking.

I believe I have job security in the Diocese of Fall River. I’m licensed here. Did you know dear readers, that there actually

is a license to minister? I am not making this up. The local bishop issues the license. This license is called “faculties.” Faculties allow a priest to preach, teach, and administer the sacraments within a certain geographical area. Former Bishop Daniel Cronin signed and sealed my license to minister in 1972. I remember the document saying I was “orthodox.” I carefully noted the word “orthodox” was spelled with a lower case “o,” otherwise I would have been licensed in another church.

Besides being orthodox, a licensed Catholic priest must be in good standing (not suspended or disciplined by the Church), physically, mentally, emotionally, and morally able to function as a priest, celibate, and free from any criminal charges.

Priests from other regions who plan to minister within the diocese are required to obtain temporary faculties from the local bishop, even if for just one occasion. Very rarely, diocesan or national headquarters issues a warning that a person not fulfilling these qualifications may be in our area. The “heads-up” is called a monitum. It’s similar to an all-points bulletin.

I searched diligently for my documentation, but couldn’t lay my hands on it. It must be around here somewhere.

In a cost-cutting effort, the state of Massachusetts no longer notifies you when your auto license and registration are about to expire. How does the Church handle expiration dates?

I wonder if my faculties document had an expiration date. In all the excitement of my ordination day, I never noticed.

I’d better make sure my license to minister is current. If not, I may be job hunting.

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

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Specializing in: Brand Name/ Foreign Auto Parts 1420 Fall River Avenue (Route 6) Seekonk, MA 02771

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The Anchor Friars make 300-mile trek

WASHINGTON (CNS) — With an unflappable trust in God, six Franciscan friars set out on foot one morning from Roanoke, Va., on a trek that would take them 300 miles through the Virginia countryside to Washington.

Carrying few belongings, the friars depended upon the generosity of the people they met along the way for food and shelter during their six-week journey.

Dressed in their brown robes and sandals, leaving the details of their trip up to God, the friars set out on their journey June 16, following the spirit of their wandering founder, St. Francis of Assisi. They arrived at their destination July 28. They called their 300-mile journey “Walking With Hope, a Journey of Faith and Discovery,” and set up a website about it, www.friarwalk.com.

August 14, 2009

Speaking to youth about God

By Michael Pare Anchor Correspondent

TAUNTON — When the oldest of Jeff and Denise Mattson’s three children began attending confirmation classes at St. Mary’s Parish, parents were asked as part of the program to teach a lesson. For some, this was undoubtedly, a lot to ask. After all, it is not easy for some people to get up in front of a group and speak.

And to do so in front of an audience of teenagers would certainly qualify as an especially daunting task.

But for Jeff Mattson it did not represent a burden at all, but rather, a beautiful experience that brought him closer to God. “I ate it up,” he said.

And so when the Religious Education leaders came to Mattson after that initial lesson and asked if he would be willing to teach others, he did not have to give it a second thought.

“I said; ‘I’ll do as many as you want,’” he said.

That was about seven years ago and Mattson has been teaching Religious Education at St. Mary’s ever since.

“I absolutely love it,” said Mattson. “I re- ANCHOR PERSON OF ally feel this is what I son. was meant to do. Working with the kids comes naturally to me. I feel that I can relate to them.

I laugh with them. They enjoy my company and I enjoy theirs.”

Mattson is a native of Walpole, where he met Denise at a school bus stop. The couple married in 1986. They settled in Taunton and raised two sons and a daughter. He works as a technical writer.

Upon reflection, the fact that Mattson has developed a deep love for teaching Religious Education should come as no surprise. It neatly combines two passions: working with children and speaking about God. Mattson had been involved as a troop leader for Boy Scouts. Prominent among the lessons he taught were those revolving around living a moral life and respecting others. But he always felt the pull of his Catholicism. He always felt a desire to discuss his faith.

“We talked about morals, but I wanted to do more than that,” he said.

There was something inside him that needed to get out. Mattson had always been open to learning more about his faith. He and Denise had attended retreats, listened to talks. He took part in a Cursillo. Something kept coming back to him.

“I have this overwhelming joy in speaking about God to others,” he said.

And so on that day seven years ago, when the opportunity to speak to young people about God presented itself, it all made sense. This was something that God wanted him to do. It is not always easy. Not all of the kids are as excited to be there as Mattson is. But he’s got a captive audience and his subject is God. What more could he ask?

“I just hope to get them to realize that the Church is not all about rules and regulations,” he said. “It has a social side and it is about what Jesus said: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ And what does that say about how we should treat one another? I try to tell them that in situations where someone needs help, they should not turn away from them, but toward them. It’s about being aware of your surroundings.”

Mattson has developed some tricks of the trade over the years. Each class, he presents students with a “Question of the Day.” It is a way to get the kids thinking about a real life situation and how it relates to their faith.

Often that question has evolved into a lengthy, fulfilling conversation.

“I don’t want my class to be a lecture. I want it to be a conversation,” said Mattson.

Mattson also leads the St. Mary’s youth group. It is a natural extension of the Religious Education classes. For the kids, it is a chance to foster friendships and have some fun. It’s the same for Mattson, but also it is a chance to foster a dialogue with the kids and reiterate that mesTHE WEEK — Jeff Mattsage from Jesus. It’s an opportunity to get them thinking about how to treat one another.

Father William H. Kelly, pastor at St. Mary’s, sees in Mattson a deep commitment to teaching the children of the parish to live their faith.

“With the youth group, he makes an effort to involve them in social concerns,” said Father Kelly.

Mattson sees the youth group as an opportunity to show the children that their faith extends to all aspects of their lives.

“Church is not just a Sunday thing,” he said.

“You can get so much out of it.”

That’s a message Mattson has taken to heart in strengthening his own faith. In addition to working with the parish youth, he volunteers with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He said he has found great fulfillment in assisting people who visit the food pantry.

“It puts you in direct contact with people in need,” said Mattson.

He and Denise also serve as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. They visit a couple of older parishioners at their homes, as well a resident of Long Meadow Nursing Home.

“You see the power of the Eucharist through their reaction when they receive,” he said.

With summer drawing quickly to a close, children will be returning to school. With fall will come another season of Religious Education at St. Mary’s. Mattson can’t wait. It’s another opportunity for him to talk about God. It is another opportunity to get back to doing “what he was meant to do.”

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

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The Anchor

August 14, 2009

The tale of the pierogi and the president

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coming when the athlete shot ost of the time I can’t himself in the leg with his own tell if I’m watching weapon.

SportsCenter on ESPN or the Let’s not forget the all-toonightly news on CNN. On the self-promoted “World common assault charges against wives, girlfriends and mistresses wide leader in sports” channel (’roid rage anyone?). is a constant barrage of steroid Once in a while one can find allegations. “I didn’t know,” “I a nasty brawl on the baseball never took them,” “My doctor field, basketball court, gridiron, should have told me,” “It never occurred to me that my body be- or hockey rink, sometimes tumbling into the stands — any of came bigger than the Incredible which looks like a typical soccer Hulk because of the ‘supplenight anywhere in Europe. ments’ I’ve been chomping,” “My head and neck have always been this big,” and so on.

It so reminds me of Richard M. Nixon’s “I am not a crook,” speech, or Bill Clinton’s ... well

By Dave Jolivet we’ll leave that one alone.

For some reason, Once in a while, the anchors when I think of Major League Baseball in the new millennium, will slip in the scores from the previous night before launchI can’t help but hearken back to the East German women Olym- ing into a story about a filthyrich millionaire holding out of pic athletes in the 60s and 70s. training camp because he wants Then there are the common “more respect.” driving under the influence Failed drug tests, tax evacharges against super stars — unfortunately the last one ended sions, and the installation with a fatality. Had any of those of illegal parts on race cars, occurrences happened to you or round out the nightly news ... I mean sports report. It’s enough me, we’d be behind bars ... not to make the late, great Walter sipping a martini at one after a Cronkite’s head spin. simple slap on the wrist.

Oh, yes, there are those Next are the occasional rare moments of good sportsshootings or weapons posmanship and athletes visiting sessions charges ... the most sick children in hospitals, and intellectually challenging one

My View From the Stands

military heroes being honored before a big game. Those are the moments when I actually sit up and watch, as opposed to having one eye on the set and the other watching Igor chew up another flip-flop. (How does she always find them?)

That’s what makes the story I saw last week stand out so much. It had to be the best sports moment I’ve seen in a long time.

It was a race in PNC Park, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, between mascots of some of our greatest presidents and pierogies.

Yes, I said pierogies.

The episode was a beautiful example of team work and courage.

It was a race around the park. The presidents, with heads as big as those on Mount Rushmore and normal sized bodies (steroids?) were holding their own against the smaller, faster Polish delicacies.

Rough ’n Ready was closing in on the lead pierogi when, out of nowhere, came another pierogi, half Teddy’s size that laid out our 26th commander in chief with a block of which Rodney Harrison would be proud.

President Washington looked back at his fallen comrade who now more resembled a golumpki than a rough rider, but kept on running.

The pierogies won in a rout.

This had to be one of the most comical sports scenes I had ever witnessed. ESPN couldn’t replay the ambush enough for my liking.

It was the first time in a long time that I knew I was watch-

ing a sports channel and not the nightly news.

And the beauty of the whole thing was that the only substances found in the winning pierogi were mashed potatoes and cheese. Hardly PEDs.

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The Anchor

August 14, 2009

The Eucharist: Food for eternal life

o your ears perk up when you hear in the Gospel of John Jesus’ discourse on the Eucharist? “I am the living bread that comes down from heaven, the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” These were startling words for Jesus’ disciples; so outrageous that many followers left him that day. Many of us Catholics today have allowed these words to become white noise, reducing this shocking message to the soothing backdrop of elevator music.

Surveys tell us that the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is not central to the faith of many Catholics today. Many people have offered explanations for this, including bad catechesis, bad liturgy, dressing too casually for Mass, not enough confession, etc. All of these theories seem to point a finger at someone else.

The Great Commission

By Claire McManus Perhaps we need to point a finger at ourselves. Have we been living examples of what it means to be flesh for the life of the world? I think more people would understand the real presence of Christ if we lived like we believe this.

Some contend that people are too blasé about the real presence of Christ, reducing the “bread” and “wine” to mere food items.

Back in the second century of the Church’s existence, Justin Martyr wrote about the Eucharist while he sat in prison awaiting his execution. “This food we call Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior.” It isn’t that we are challenged by St. Justin’s teaching about the real presence of Christ; it is the part about our re-birth that seems to elude Catholics of this century. Since most of us receive the “washing for the forgiveness of sins” when we are infants, the re-birth part must be brought into later life.

The re-birth to which Justin referred is that Holy Spiritinspired transformation that takes place when a person truly finds Christ. When this happens to a person there is no need to mandate attendance at Mass. Those who

have been transformed by Christ are hungry for Eucharist. They don’t have to be told by others to go to confession. A person who has been transformed by the Holy Spirit knows all too well when his failure to love has fractured the communion.

Eucharist is the food that nourishes our transformation. We consume Christ so that we can be Christ for the world. This is the reason Christ is present under the appearances of bread and wine.

The miracle of transubstantiation is the changing of mundane elements of food into a powerful source for action in the world. Or as St. Augustine put it: “I am the bread of the strong, eat me! But you will not transform me and make me a part of you. Rather, I will transform you and make you part of me.”

We absolutely need Eucharist.

We can spend hours sitting before the consecrated host in adoration, basking in the glory of Christ, but if we don’t consume it and become Christ we are in danger of subjugating the mission. Yes, we must honor and revere the Eucharist, but it must be placed in its proper perspective. For it is not so much about how we dress, but how we clothe the naked. Our fasting should not be a rule to follow, but a reminder that we must feed the hungry. Our penitence must be a reflection on our lack of love, not on our violation of rules.

Jesus’ discourse on the Bread of Life tells us that the Eucharist is part of the strategy he put together for aligning the world with the Kingdom of God. This means stepping out of our comfort zone and into this broken world. Every generation needs a refresher course on what Eucharist means. St. John Chrysostom needed to remind his flock of this same message: “You have tasted the Blood of the Lord, yet you do not recognize your brother … you dishonor this table when you do not judge worthy of sharing your food someone judged worthy of sharing this meal. God freed you from your sins and invited you here, but you have not been merciful.” These were strong words back then, but no less needed today. C.S. Lewis captures the essence of Eucharist in this simple statement: “Outside of the Eucharist, the holiest thing you’ll ever see is another mortal man.”

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

CHILD’S PLAY — Meryl Streep stars in a scene from the movie “Julie and Julia.” For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Sony)

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

“Aliens in the Attic” (Fox/Regency) Mostly harmless comic adventure in which a group of young cousins (principally Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler and Ashley Tisdale) battle a quartet of aggressive extraterrestrials (voices of Josh Peck, J.K. Simmons, Thomas Haden Church and Kari Wahlgren) who’ve invaded their vacation home as a preliminary step to world domination. Director John Schultz’s mildly diverting fantasy offers lessons about family unity and the value of education, but also includes dialogue inappropriate for younger viewers, who might otherwise enjoy it most. A few sexual references, occasional innuendo and at least one crass term. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Julie & Julia” (Columbia) Charming, frequently funny dramatization of passages in the lives of master chef Julia Child (a marvelous Meryl Streep) and Internet blogger Julie Powell

(Amy Adams), who, 40 years after the publication of Child’s 1961 blockbuster, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” sets out to prepare every recipe in the extensive volume over the course of a year, aided by her supportive husband (Chris Messina) — whose solicitude parallels that of Child’s own spouse (Stanley Tucci) decades earlier.

Writer-director Nora Ephron whips up a delicious melange of the two women’s memoirs and, more significantly, details the ingredients, ranging from passion to patience, requisite for a successful marriage. Fleeting nongraphic sexual activity, a few sexual references, a suicide reference, at least one use of the F-word and about a dozen crude or crass terms. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“A Perfect Getaway” (Rogue) Newlyweds (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) on a hiking honeymoon in a remote area of Hawaii fear that an unwed couple they’ve befriended (Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez) may be serial killers

on the lam. After a reasonably intriguing central twist, though one that fails to jibe entirely with what has gone before, director David Twohy’s thriller becomes overwrought and excessively violent. Considerable action violence, some of it gory, cohabitation, drug use, rear and partial nudity, a halfdozen uses of profanity, and much rough and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Movies Online Can’t remember how a recent film was classified by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops? Want to know whether to let the kids go see it? You can look up film reviews on the Catholic News Service website.

Visit catholicnews.com and click on “Movies,” under the “News Item” menu.

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

Celebrant is Father Thomas McElroy, SS.CC., pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven

The Anchor

August 14, 2009

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Diocese’s Catholic schools responding to poor economy

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

FALL RIVER — Facing the local impact of a poor economy nationwide, Fall River diocesan schools are taking innovative steps to meet the challenges.

“For the past two years the Fall River Diocese has seen the lowest drop in student enrollment throughout the entire New England Area,” reported George A. Milot, superintendent of Catholic Schools in the diocese.

“It sort of puts us in a favorable category all by ourselves,” he added.

“According to projections based on enrollments currently in place, we’re looking at a drop of approximately one to three percent this coming year,” Milot said.

Although any drop in enrollment is unfavorable, he said, “it is as good as it can be because of the state of the economy.”

In essence, the projections are that last year’s total number of 7,812 students in all diocesan schools will be down between 150 and 200 students.

That will reflect little change in the total 2,869 students who attended Catholic high schools last year, but show a drop among the elementary and middle school populations that last year totaled 4,943, he said.

One of the innovative steps being taken to promote the contribution Catholic schools make for society at large, in educating Catholic and nonCatholic students and making them academically prepared and knowledgeable citizens in the world around them, comes from a recent series of marketing seminars.

“Stonehill College in North Easton obtained a grant which it used to help us, by setting up four seminars which our school principals attended in order to set up strategic planning for advancing our schools and what, and how much they offer,” Milot reported.

The venture by Stonehill and the diocese will continue, he added.

Statistics revealed at the seminars showed that mainly an older generation is continuing to read the daily newspaper.

“Rather, the young parents of today’s students are no longer reading newspapers, but instead receive most of their news and information on-line, through the Internet … live on line, and so do many students,” he stated.

Because of that, diocesan school officials as well as local

school leaders are going on-line al,” Keavy told The Anchor last being offered this year, said to further and promote Catholic week.

Keavy, “is a football team, schools’ curricula which offer However, the incoming fresh- and as we continue to offer top so much more by way of ready- man class currently has only 40 quality in everything we do we ing students for what they need enrolled — the same number will draw more students.” to become successful as well as as the original freshman class Saying that enrollment is good Catholics in the modern — and the total enrollment for “a short term concern,” Keavy world. the freshman, sophomore and added that in its two years, “Our goal for the year is junior classes is 100, Keavy re- “Pope John Paul II High School to get the word out, to reach ported. has already accomplished many out and attract more parents “Clearly the student body is significant things, and we know and students to take a the long-term viability tonehill College in North Eas- is in reality the future look at the advantages Catholic schools offer,” ton obtained a grant which it of the Church in its Milot stated. people.” used to help us, by setting up four semi- young Cecilia M. Felix, Even as families principal at Holy Name- nars which our school principals attend- and students look for Holy Family School in ed in order to set up strategic planning financial help to meet New Bedford, said the for advancing our schools and what, and the tuition to attend a excellent tips offered Catholic school, the St. how much they offer,” Milot reported. at the seminars includMary’s Education Fund ing using venues such has become an increasas websites and email, and ac- not growing as rapidly as ex- ingly vital resource. tively taking advantage of free pected, and it’s going to take This year, there were more radio and TV service spots time and much effort,” said a than 1,100 applications for publicity to get the schools’ vi- candid, but optimistic and con- scholarship help. tal message of “Faith first and fident Keavy.

“We’ll be able to assist 700 academics second” to discern“The bright spot in all of of them with truly need-based ing families. this is that as we improve our scholarships,” reported Michael “We’ve done it and it is suc- quality of education as the only cessful,” Felix said.

Catholic high school on the While most of the region the Cape, we will attract more and Fall River Diocese encompass- more students and their famies realizes the same effect from lies. It’s going to happen.” the current economy, one area “It’s only our second year sustains a double hit because of and people are just beginning demographics. to see what we offer. I feel Pope John Paul II High hopeful — not discouraged or School in Hyannis, the newest depressed — because I know Catholic school in the diocese we have the academics and top in 40 years, which opened in programs and the Catholic faith the fall of 2007, is feeling the essential to attract students,” he dual impact of an overall drop added. in the population on Cape Cod. “When people realize that, Fewer jobs and rising unem- then we will grow.” ployment even among the hard One of the new programs working immigrant community there have caused many Cape families with children to leave the area.

News media reports are that since the year 2000, the overall population on the Cape has dropped 20 percent, and Barnstable in particular has seen a 26 percent drop in its residents.

“The demographics and the poor economy are affecting enrollments not only in our school but we are sharing this with what’s happening in the public school system as well,” reported Christopher W. Keavy, who assumed the duties of principal on July 1, 2006 in preparation for opening of the new school the following year.

Following its dedication on Sept. 25, 2007, the new high school, which opened with a freshman class, has as its goal to add a grade a year with the first class to graduate in 2011.

Full enrollment for grades nine through 12 envisioned “a healthy school of from 400 to 500 students, which is the ide-

“S

Donly of the diocese’s Development Office.

He said that the Fall Dinner and recent Summer Event on Cape Cod, as well as those two fund-raisers last year raised a total $605,000 for scholarships to young students going to Catholic elementary schools this fall.

“Without this help, many students wouldn’t be going to a Catholic school this fall,” said Donly.

“The glaring statistic,” he said, is that for the 2008-2009 school year, the fund assisted 493 families and 688 young people. Of those families, 42 percent of them earned $30,000 or less; 108 families earned $20,000 or less; and 32 families had income of $10,000 or less.”

Since 1995, the St. Mary’s Education Fund has raised approximately $66 million, and given scholarships to more than 7,000 students.

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The Anchor

August 14, 2009

Area parishes, Holy Cross Family Ministries, and local radio station team up to bring Father Peyton and rosary to listeners

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

TAUNTON — It could be called a match made in heaven — the reairing of the classic Father Patrick Peyton radio programs followed or preceded by recitation of the rosary — all on a local radio station.

This match was made possible through an unusual chain of events — typical of the adage that “God works in mysterious ways.”

Radio station WVBF 1530 AM is currently airing re-broadcasts of the famed “Rosary Priest’s” radio show featuring the likes of Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Bing Crosby and other “stars” of the 40s and 50s, three days a week, paired with recitation of the rosary, recorded by two Taunton parishes, and the fourthgraders of St. Mary’s School, also in Taunton.

The whole series of events leading to this exciting venture for Catholics began when Tom Mason read a history of the Fall River Diocese written by Father Barry W. Wall. In “Bearing Fruit By Streams of Water,” Mason learned that Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton was buried in the Fall River Diocese, in the Congregation of Holy Cross cemetery on the grounds of Stonehill College in North Easton.

“I was amazed learning about Father Peyton and was very surprised to discover he was buried so close by,” Mason told The Anchor.

Mason, whose children had attended St. Mary’s School in Taunton, had long harbored dreams of someday establishing a Catholic radio station in the area. “There are so many Catholics in this region, yet there isn’t a Catholic radio station to nurture us,” he said.

Mason sent a prayer request to the Father Peyton Center. Father David S. Marcham’s responsibilities at the center is to make sure all prayer requests are included in daily Masses at Holy Cross Family Ministries. “I try to sometimes

respond to people who send requests,” Father Marcham told The Anchor. “I was in touch with Tom and he informed me of his desire for a Catholic radio station.”

Mason had already established a friendship with Tony Lopes, general manager of WVBF 1530 AM. “We already had some Christian programming on the station,” said Lopes, a parishioner of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Taunton, “but

station.

From those contacts, HCFM sponsored the airing of the old Father Peyton half-hour programs.

A natural partnership with the Father Peyton programs would be the recitation of the rosary.

“We contacted Father John J. Perry at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton about taking part in the rosary venture and he was very interested,” said Lopes. “We found

Mary’s Parish in Taunton offered the services of students at the parish school. Just prior to breaking for summer vacation in June, the St. Mary’s fourth-graders were hastily rounded up to record the Luminous Mysteries. Their air slot is at noon on Thursdays followed by Father Peyton at 12:30 p.m.

“I believe that this project had a strong and meaningful impact on the students as well as myself,” Bri-

THE GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO — Servant of God Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton, center, is shown with Jack Benny and Lucille Ball during the taping of one of the “Rosary Priest’s” many radio programs in the 1940s and 50s. Some of Father Peyton’s shows are being rebroadcast on WVBF 1530 AM along with recitation of the rosary from two Taunton parishes and students from St. Mary’s School, also in Taunton. (Photo courtesy of Holy Cross Family Ministries)

there was no Catholic programming.”

Mason asked Lopes about airing some Catholic programming, and Lopes responded “I’d love to.”

The pair contacted Father Marcham and Father John Phalen, president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, about airing Catholic programming on the Taunton radio

a couple of sponsors who would put up the $295 needed to air the half-hour rosary once a week for 13 weeks.”

Plans to have the parish Women’s Guild record the Glorious Mysteries became a reality. Nearly 25 individuals took part and the fruits of their labor now air every Sunday from 8:30 to 9 a.m., following Father Peyton’s slot from 8 to 8:30.

“I was pleased with the whole thing,” Father Perry told The Anchor. “Tony is a very faithful parishioner and I was delighted when he approached me about this. It is a great opportunity for those who cannot get out to join us in prayer and not to feel isolated. It’s a great means of Catholic outreach.”

Father Perry noted Lopes has also taped the parish’s midnight Christmas Mass and broadcast it later for parish shut-ins.

Father Timothy P. Reis, pastor of St. Andrews heard about the venture, secured the needed sponsorship and arranged for a group of his parishioners to record the Joyful Mysteries. That recording can now be heard on Saturdays from 7:30 to 8 a.m., after Father Peyton’s program running from 7 to 7:30.

Shortly after Holy Cross Father William H. Kelly, pastor of St.

an M. Cote, principal of St. Mary’s told The Anchor. “Prayer is certainly an integral part of our school and having the opportunity to take part in this experience, we were able to share and express our faith beyond the walls of St. Mary’s School as an evangelizing outreach to our local communities at large.”

From reading Father Wall’s diocesan history, some of Tom Mason’s dreams have come true. “God should be a part of everyone’s life,” he said. “We often lose focus on what’s important. As moms, dads and grandparents, we have a responsibility to spread the faith. As a lawyer, I see the deterioration of morals in society. We need the message of Jesus Christ, prayer and recognizing the role of God in everyone’s life. A lot of education needs to happen, and this programming helps.”

“The Father Peyton programming has been well received by our listeners,” said Lopes. “The Family Theater programs are outstanding — as good as you can get in the world. As far as the rosary goes, the response has also been very good.

We have some more local parishes that would like to get involved providing they can get the sponsorship.

“We would really like to have

Father Peyton’s show and the rosary aired every day of the week.

The cost is not too bad, and the radio station does not make any money on the programming. We’re simply covering production costs.

Station owner Steve Callahan has been really instrumental in getting this to happen. It helps the radio station when listeners tune in, because they’ll also listen to other fine programming on WVBF.” “This is how Father Peyton began in Albany, N.Y. back in 1943, with a 15-minute recitation of the rosary on WABY called, ‘Voice of St. Rose,’” said Father Marcham.

The rest is history.

“The re-broadcasting of the shows and the local recitation of the rosary help people to grow in the faith, just as Father Peyton had hoped. The shows are timeless and have universal appeal and people I’ve talked to love the combination.

“There needs to be a Catholic voice on the radio in the Taunton area. A lot of people listen to the radio, and scouring the dial they can pick up on some great Catholic programming.”

Father Marcham also explained that as more people become aware of the programming, more will want to become involved. “And this is a great way to help others who cannot get out. It includes them in the Catholic family, and it’s a great comfort for them to feel included.”

“This can have a big impact on the Taunton area,” said Mason.

“We’re back to the early days. People have forgotten why the Catholic Church does things. Father Peyton’s shows bring people back to the basics.”

“This is a great way to continue Father Peyton’s mission during the centennial year of his birth,” added Father Marcham.

WVBF 1530 transmits from the Taunton/Middleboro area and can reach through the Plymouth, Mashpee, Sandwich and the Cape Cod Canal areas to the east; through Fall River and Tiverton and Newport, R.I. to the south; from Taunton to Warwick, R.I. to the west; and north to Marshfield, Norfolk and South Boston.

Tom Mason’s dreams of a fulltime Catholic radio station in the diocesan area is far from dead. He told The Anchor that he has been granted a license to locate a transmitter and antennae in the Dartmouth/New Bedford area. With the help of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, Mason hopes to develop the station and receive approval from the Federal Communications Commission by next year. “And,” he added, “there are five or six other Catholic stations in the works in the New England area.”

For information about WVBF’s Catholic programming, or to become involved, contact Tony Lopes weekdays after noon at 774-226-0545.

August 14, 2009

15

The Anchor

Perpetual adoration returns to Boston after 40-year absence

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AS BISHOP — Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, left, translated for Slovenian Cardinal Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life during the question-and-answer session at the Apostolic Religious Life Symposium held at Stonehill College in North Easton last year. (CNS file photo)

Cardinal O’Malley reflects on 25 years as a bishop

BOSTON (CNS) — Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, who celebrated the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination August 2, said he is “filled with awe and gratitude to be given such a responsibility, despite my shortcomings.”

“There have been many challenges, but also many graces, so many joys,” he wrote in a July 31 posting online at www.cardinalseansblog.org.

The cardinal was appointed archbishop of Boston in 2003 and three years later was named a cardinal. He also has been bishop of three other dioceses: St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands; Fall River, Mass.; and Palm Beach, Fla. In his reflection he noted that serving in four very different dioceses provided a special grace “to experience the catholicity of the Church.”

The cardinal, who joined the Capuchin Franciscan order when he was 19, was ordained a priest in 1970. His first ministry was with Hispanic immigrants in the Washington Archdiocese, where he founded the Spanish Catholic Center, an organization that provides educational, medical and legal help to immigrants.

He said he never expected to be named a bishop, since, as he put it, he was “not a canon lawyer, not Roman-trained, not a chancery worker.”

His first assignment, in the

Virgin Islands, lasted about nine years; he was named coadjutor bishop there in 1984 and became ordinary the following year. Subsequent assignments placed him in dioceses dealing with the clergy sex abuse scandals.

In 1992, he was named bishop of Fall River, where former Catholic priest James Porter had been accused of molesting 28 children.

Porter was sentenced in 1993 to 18 to 20 years in prison; he died of cancer in prison in 2005.

In 2002, then-Bishop O’Malley was appointed to Palm Beach to succeed two consecutive bishops who had been removed for sexual misconduct. During his first week there, he said, he was fingerprinted and asked by a reporter at a press conference if he was a pedophile.

Not even a year later, he was appointed archbishop of Boston, where the archdiocese was reeling from reports of clergy sex abuse highlighted in the Boston Globe newspaper a year earlier, when the scandal broke.

As he wrote in his blog: “The climate in Boston could not have been more negative.”

“For starters there was a shocked and angry flock that was horrified and profoundly disappointed with the Church,” he said. “The priests were very hurt and embarrassed.

The victims and their families were indignant and devastated.”

He also described the archdio-

cese as being in an “economic free fall,” owing millions in debts while many parishes and schools could not pay their bills and archdiocesan pension funds were failing.

Seven years after being assigned to the Boston Archdiocese, the cardinal reflected a strong degree of optimism tinged with humility.

In his blog entry, he wrote that although he has been a bishop for 25 years he does not consider himself an expert but someone who is “still learning in the saddle.”

“It has been 25 years of a great adventure,” he said.

He told the Boston Pilot, archdiocesan newspaper, that he hoped to continue to focus on transmitting the faith in the next 10 years before he submits his resignation to the pope at age 75, as canon law requires all bishops to do.

He said that in particular he hoped to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and to help people become evangelizers and teach the faith to the next generation.

When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said he had not given much thought to that but hoped people will continue to pray for him.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the Church,” he said, adding that if he can “serve as bishop without doing too much damage and helping people find the Lord, then that is what it’s about.”

BOSTON — New billboards featuring the Eucharist displayed in a monstrance aim to get the word out about the return of perpetual adoration to Boston after a 40-year absence.

The two giant signboards tower over the streets in two Boston communities, Brighton and East Boston.

The words under the image read “The Son’s rays for your soul.”

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston was to celebrate Mass at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine tomorrow, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to mark the start of adoration.

From then on, the Eucharist will be exposed in a monstrance all day, every day, apart from regularly scheduled Mass times. Currently, the shrine offers adoration six hours or more daily.

Tim Van Damm, coordinator of the effort, said the grace at the already vibrant St. Clement community will be multiplied.

“Anytime the Lord is present 24 hours a day, seven days a week, people are changed,” he said. “This is a way to build spiritually and bring people together in prayer.”

Van Damm said St. Clement, a community he has been active in since 2000, was a natural choice for perpetual adoration because it is a eucharistic shrine, designated as such by Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston in 1945.

St. Clement was originally staffed by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, who maintained perpetual adoration from 1945 until the late 1960s. The Oblates of the Virgin Mary began staffing the shrine in 1976.

The effort to bring perpetual adoration back to Boston is a direct response to the call of Pope Benedict XVI to have spaces dedicated to prayers for vocations and the sanctity of priests during the Year for Priests, which began this June and

runs to June 2010. St. Clement will be the designated site in the central region of the archdiocese.

Van Damm said the inspiration for his involvement came from his own need to adore the Lord in the Eucharist. He told The Pilot, Boston’s archdiocesan newspaper, that adoration has “reignited” his faith and given him much peace.

Marie Baranko, another member of the St. Clement community, agreed. Before she came to the shrine, Baranko said she did not believe in Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. Raised Catholic, she had never before seen adoration.

After being invited to the shrine by a roommate, she attended adoration and recognized Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

“When you seek the truth, God honors that,” she said. “He reveals himself to you.”

Her experience also has resulted in the discernment of her vocation.

She will be entering the Sisters of Life order in September. She will be praying from New York for the success of the perpetual adoration at St. Clement, she said.

“The shrine has played a major role in my vocation,” she said. “It’s centered around the Eucharist.”

Father Peter Grover, an Oblate of the Virgin Mary who is director of the shrine, said perpetual adoration has a “powerful effect” wherever it is instituted.

“Any church that emphasizes prayer is going to affect the Church of Boston as well as the community,” he said. “It will be a big grace in the city.”

In addition to the billboards, organizers were sending emails and posting signs in neighboring parishes to invite everyone to adoration at St. Clement. Van Damm has been a guest on two national radio shows, and organizers also hoped to be able to buy advertising space on local subway trains.

16

Youth Page

August 14, 2009

College grid star is ‘saving himself for marriage’

SUMMER COOLERS — Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro recently celebrated its namesake Bishop Daniel Feehan, at its third annual Feehan Day. Bishop Feehan, known as the “Benevolent Bishop,” served the Diocese of Fall River from 1907 to 1934 — the longest running tenure to date. Students enjoyed volleyball, frisbee, and inflatable fun such as jousting, slip ’n slide, and a bungee runner. Principal Bill Runey offered students the opportunity to drop him in the dunk tank. The Freshman Class was also announced as winners of Feehan’s Class Challenge, a competition that encourages demonstrating school spirit throughout the year. Top photo, Alex Murray and Christine Hall take a dive on the slip ’n slide. At left, Principal Bill Runey gets dunked.

HOOVER, Ala. (CNA) — Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow brought chastity and college sports together at a press conference last week at U.S. college football’s SEC Media Days when one reporter asked him if he was “saving himself for marriage.”

The question, asked by FanHouse.com reporter Clay Travis, prompted laughter from Tebow and other media members in the audience before the University of Florida athlete replied: “Yes I am.”

Smiling and noting the reporters’ reactions, he added: “I think y’all were stunned by that … first time ever! Wow.” “I was prepared for that question, I don’t think y’all were,” he added, laughing with the rest of the room.

In other remarks at the conference, he discussed how the story of his birth and his mother’s resistance of doctors’ pressure to abort has affected others.

Tebow’s parents were Christian missionaries in the Philippines. His mother had contracted a life-threatening infection while pregnant with him, but she refused medical advice to abort the unborn Tim Tebow.

At the press conference, the football star said he believes the publicity his mother’s story has received has helped other women decide not to abort their children, LifeSiteNews.com reports.

“There have been a lot of people that have been encouraged not to have an abortion because they heard the story of my mom, or they have been encouraged because they have heard me give my faith on TV or in a report or something,” he stated.

Saying that there has been a “backlash,” he said he will “deal with it if I have to.”

“It’s not a big deal to me because of the kids and people that have been encouraged by the stories we have tried to tell and by the life that I’ve tried to live,” he remarked.

ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM — More than 50 altar servers, parents and parishioners from SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Fall River, recently attended a game featuring the Pawtucket Red Sox vs. the Norfork Tides at McCoy Stadium. (Photo

by Steve Reney)

I

t was December 2001. My manager signed me up for a technical “boot camp.” If you’ve never heard of the term, it simply means cramming about a full semester’s worth of learning into two weeks (camping out at the Learning Center / hotel) and then, to boot, passing the exam that certifies you in that technical field. Talk about being nervous. I was. Talk about the fear factor. I couldn’t disappoint my manager and the company by failing the exam — a company investment worth thousands of dollars all for naught? I was resolute in overcoming my anxiety and fear by studying and learning like never before and praying. This is where the real story begins. I made a deal with God. “God,” I said, “you give me something and I’ll give you something.” Quid pro quo.

I got my something — I finished the boot camp and passed the exam. I couldn’t thank God enough for his help. I was

Something for something

elated. Almost eight years later, us) was to know that. My boot I continue to give my promised camp and the subsequent exam something to God — at least weren’t easy — many hours I have for the most part. On of study and many sleepless that first night at boot camp, I nights. But I don’t think I’d have promised God that if he would wanted it any other way — it’s help me pass my exam I would the hard things in life, like pain faithfully pray the rosary daily and suffering, that draw us for the rest of my life.

I often think back on that night and recall the “bargain” I made with God. What if I didn’t pass the exam — would I still be praying the roBy Ozzie Pacheco sary daily? I like to think I would. But for the last eight years something more profound has questioned closer to God. Just imagine for my quid pro quo. a moment what your response Did I ever believe for one would be if on the way to the minute that Jesus’ love for me cross, the same humanity you was based on a quid pro quo atwere going to save by suffertitude? Did he carry the cross to ing a death on the cross spit in Calvary anticipating something your face. “They stripped off in return from me? After all, he his clothes and threw a scarlet carried the cross willingly for military cloak about him. Weavmy sake, for my salvation. All ing a crown out of thorns, they Jesus wanted from me (from placed it on his head, and a reed

Be Not Afraid

in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’

They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him” (Matthew 27:28-31).

I have learned that a quid pro quo kind of love contradicts the symbolism of the cross and everything it teaches us. When you do something for others, do you seek something in return? Your answer really depends on how you define love.

Ask yourself this question, “When I say I love God, with what kind of love do I love God?” Is it a quid pro quo kind of love, or is it a God kind of love, totally selfless? When you are obedient to his Word are you expecting something

back, or are you doing it just because you love him? Can you say from your heart that your reward is in the doing because you love God? Young children are very vocal and outward in their affection and love for their parents. It’s just because they love them — no other reason. But when these same young children grow up to be young adults, does that same affection and love, for no reason other than love, still exist?

There’s nothing wrong in bargaining with God, as long as what you ask for is within reason, not presumptuous, and what you promise him in return you give. And all he really wants is for you to know that if God’s love is being filled with the fullness of God, how can you not return it? Now, that’s something for something.

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

17

The Anchor

August 14, 2009

Our readers respond

Catholic moral absolutes are unchangeable I found the June 26 letter to the editor “My way or the highway,” so distressing that I had to respond.

When the author wrote, “We’re all Pro-Life, but that doesn’t mean that serious thinking isn’t needed on issues like abortion, stem-cell research, in-vitro fertilization,” I shutter to think what he’s suggesting. Is he proposing that some circumstances would allow “thoughtful” Catholic Christians to turn evil conduct into morally permissible or outright virtuous human acts? I got a big oil painting of those first- and second-century martyrs saying, “Well, I don’t believe in worshipping false gods under most circumstances but … when facing the lions!”

He simply must be a moral relativist because he continued, “The world of moral absolutes has to at some point be integrated into the world around us.”

Oh my, can anyone claiming to be an informed, articulate and faithful follower of Christ hold that Catholic moral absolutes are subject to revision or outright change in light of proportionalism and/or consequentialism and truly be a Catholic Christian? I know not how.

There is another serious flaw in the author’s thinking. As he correctly states, “(As a society we do indeed) face some difficult questions such as how do we actually accomplish legislative change? (When coping with transgressors from newlyenacted law in conformity with material and divine law.)” But that is the realm of politics — the art of the possible, which in the broadest sense encompasses legislative statutes and judicial sentencing. Me thinks he has confused absolutes with the practical or prudent conduct under existing circumstances.

Finally, these absolutes for human virtuous conduct that Christ taught and his Church hands over one generation to the next are not dependent on the tone or literary style of any particular writer to The Anchor or indeed any spokesperson for Christ and his Church. We are all flawed by the imprint of the evil one on our human nature even when attempting to explain the totality of truth itself.

Father Paul T. Lamb Hyannis Defending the indefensible After watching the rerun on EWTN of the debate between Professor Douglas Kmiec and

Professor Robert George, to which you alluded in your July 3 editorial, I came away with the belief that Kmiec was trying to defend the indefensible in his support of President Obama’s attempt to find common ground on life issues. His body language said it all. He was uncomfortable and sorted through his noted with downcast eyes as George spoke brilliantly.

In answer to a question from the audience posed by moderator Mary Ann Glendon as to one thing President Obama has done to find some common ground on life issues, Kmiec stated the president’s initiation of faithbased groups and his appointment of people to that position.

Faith-based committees were formulated by President George W. Bush and staffed by people of faith. President Obama has appointed generic staff with very few faith-based credentials. In fact, the “faith” aspect has been diminished. So much for “common ground.”

The most obvious point that Kmiec made was that President Obama’s position to reduce the need for woman to have abortions. Robert George’s rebuttal was that the need does not equate with the reduction of abortions as evidence by the president’s retraction of the Mexico City Policy as his first order of business, which now allows for federal funds to be used internationally to promote abortions. I might add: the use of federal monies to provide Medicaid abortions (this by nullifying the Hyde Amendment or including payment for abortions in the universal health plan — both now on the president’s radar screen); the abolition of the conscience clause, which would force all hospitals (including Catholic) and all health care workers to provide, at least, refer for abortions; the intent to remove all state’s restrictions on abortions including parental notification, waiting periods etc. These are some of the Freedom of Choice Amendment provisions.

How hypocritical of a man who calls himself Pro-Life to try to defend his support of President Obama and to lead so many well-meaning people in this path of error.

Doris Toohill Orleans In praise of Weigel and Dom DiMaggio I come belatedly to praise George Weigel and his article in The Anchor of July 12 relating to a youthful hero of mine,

one Dom DiMaggio of the Boston Red Sox. In those days of course we lacked a TV to see the plays first hand, but Jim Britt could express pretty well what was going on in the game and we could visualize the sparkling play. He was rarely at a loss for words when Dom would chase down an especially hard-hit ball, catch it and return to the infield, all in effortless athletic ease.

With some effort I was able to find “Real Grass, Real Heroes” a book he co-wrote with Bill Gilbert in 1990 about the 1941 season, a recommended volume for fans.

John Papineau North Easton Reasons to oppose a Health Care Reform Bill There is no doubt that the need for a new health care plan is a serious problem confronting our country, as you wrote about in your August 7 editorial. In my opinion, however, the current Health Care Reform Bill proposed by President Barack Obama is unacceptable because, first, it includes serious threats to the lives of many senior citizens who may find that due to their age, they may be a product of euthanasia.

Second, on the poverty level, the proposed five-year review on persons getting government aid would decide if they would continue to get help. What will become of nursing home residents if government aid is cut off? Third, the proposed expansion of Planned Parenthood facilities would have the support of President Obama to increase abortions.

Do you remember President Obama stating he wants to devise a plan to reduce abortions?

Yet he is persistent in adding abortion funding to his health reform plan.

Should not one deed have to match one’s words? Please unite in telling our government leaders that we are not for the Health Care Reform bill.

Alice Beaulieu New Bedford Kill the bill, not the babies If Congress should pass Barack Obama’s health care package, millions of Americans could become accomplices in the legal killing of innocent unborn human beings, because taxpayer-funded abortion-ondemand is part of the president’s plan. Please urge your congressman to kill the bill, not the babies.

Richard A. Carey Needham

SUMMER TRADITION — The annual St. Mary’s Fund Dinner on Cape Cod was held recently at the New Seabury Country Club in Mashpee. Here Bishop George W. Coleman greets guests with event chairpersons Mary Jane and Marcel Poyant of Osterville.

(Photo by Bruce McDaniel)

St. Vincent de Paul Society preps for Friends of the Poor Walk

FALL RIVER — The 20 local parish conferences of the Fall River District Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have announced that plans are underway to promote the second annual Friends of the Poor Walk, a unique national fund-raising effort organized nationally and locally by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

The Walk will be held at Bristol Community College, on September 26 with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the walk beginning at 10. The rain date is October 3.

The object of the event is to raise significant funds for use in direct service to the poor.

All funds raised locally will be used locally.

Last year’s funds were used to aid area soup kitchens and food pantries. It also provided

aid to individuals and families with help in meeting financial emergencies.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is totally made up of volunteers. None of the money raised is used for administration costs.

Individuals, community groups and corporations are encouraged to commit their participation. All are invited to join the group at this event to celebrate the poor and honor those caring individuals who work directly in the community to bring about healthy change for men and women to live and grow as God intended.

To sign up to participate as a walker, a corporate sponsor, or a volunteer, see one of your parish members of St. Vincent de Paul, or visit www.svdpfriendsofthepoorwalk.org.

18

The Anchor

August 14, 2009

Catholics Returning Home adds sessions continued from page one

called Catholics Returning Home last spring that ended up being so successful another series of five weekly 90-minute sessions is set to begin September 15 at 7 p.m., with subsequent meetings slated for the same time on September 22, September 29, October 6 and October 13.

“We had 10 participants and all 10 stayed through the program and, to the best of my knowledge, all 10 are still attending and remain active in the Church,” Msgr. Hoye said. “Not all were from Christ the King Parish, because we opened it up to other parishes and anyone in the area who wanted to come.”

Since one of the parish council’s goals for 2009 was to reach out to non-practicing Catholics, Msgr. Hoye asked council member Pat Hurton, who also had prior experience in strategic planning, to lead the charge as program coordinator.

“We had another program in the parish that had been very successful and we thought we’d be running that one again but, in fact, we found the company that provided supplies and supported it was no longer in existence,” Hurton said. “So we looked at many different types of programs that were recommended by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops and decided on Catholics Returning Home.”

Developed by a woman named Sally Mews and based on her book titled “Inviting Catholics Home,” the fivesession program covers such topics as “Sharing Stories of Faith,” “The Church in the 21st Century,” “An Explanation of the Mass” and appropriately closes with “The Sacrament of Reconciliation.”

“One of the reasons we liked it was the book pretty much laid out how we should go about implementing the program,” Hurton said. “It kind of gives you a template to follow.”

“It’s a combination of listening to their stories but also giving them some instructions,” Msgr. Hoye added, noting that the initial group of 10 participants was a “good number” that ended up being ideal and “manageable.”

“It wasn’t overpowering and each individual had an opportunity to participate to the degree that they wanted,” Msgr.

Hoye said. “Some would talk readily, some said almost nothing.”

Although the program was initiated as a goal for the

Christ the King parish council, Msgr. Hoye also stressed participation isn’t restricted to his congregation — in fact, it is open to any and all Catholics wishing to return home, with no questions asked.

“At least two neighboring parishes from Cape Cod had parishioners at our first session,” he said. “The program is meant to facilitate people coming back to the Church. We don’t pass judgment, we just indicate how it is that they can come back. We ask people to register, but we don’t demand it. They can certainly walk in, so we really don’t know who’s going to be there until that first night.”

“We ask them to share some stories of faith and maybe why folks are no longer active in the Church and what brought them to this program,” Hurton said.

“We try to get them to open up and feel comfortable in a very non-judgmental atmosphere.

We try to be very welcoming.”

One sure way to gauge the success of the first session, Hurton said, is the fact that some of the initial program participants have agreed to return for the next session to speak to the group about their experience — much in the same way that retreat attendees will often return as team leaders.

“We had 10 who started our first program and 10 who finished it,” Hurton said with pride. “We were delighted because we really weren’t sure what was going to happen — this being our first time out.”

As one past program participant who wished to remain anonymous said: “Prior to this program I was a member of the institutional Church. Today I would like to delve more into my faith and establish a personal relationship with God. It will take a lot of work and soul searching, but I liked the way I felt each time I left one of these sessions.”

For Msgr. Hoye, even if the program brings just one lost sheep back into the fold, it would have been well worth the effort.

“Jesus talked about the good shepherd who left the 99 and went after the one lost sheep,” he said. “I didn’t leave the 6,000 other parishioners behind, but I did go after the 10.”

The next Catholics Returning Home program begins September 15 at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.

For more information call 508-477-7700 or visit www. christthekingparish.com.

LONG MAY THEY WAVE — U.S. veterans wave napkins during the playing of the theme song of the branch of the service in which they proudly served. At a luncheon with Archbishop for the Military Services USA Timothy P. Broglio in Osterville, attending veterans from each of the five branches got the chance to wave their napkins. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Archbishop for the Military calls attention to need for chaplains continued from page one

no response, a round of volleys are fired and then the melancholy strains of “Taps” fill the air.

Each solider comes to the sanctuary for a final salute to their fallen comrade, before a display of his or her picture, boots, weapon, helmet and dog tags.

This moving chain of events was highlighted in an emotional slide presentation prepared by U.S. Army Chaplain, Father Edward McCabe, from the Boston Archdiocese, shown to guests at a fund-raising luncheon for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, held last week in Osterville.

The featured guest at the luncheon was Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy P. Broglio.

In his slide presentation, Father McCabe offered a brief bird’s eye view of the life of a military chaplain, with scenes from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, and other military installations across the globe. Scenes revealed chaplains ministering to U.S. soldiers and the civilians they protect.

“The role of a military chaplain has changed over the last eight years,” said Father McCabe.

They go everywhere the soldiers go — staff meetings, recreation, Mass, and the battle field.

“As a chaplain, I’ve been to places I never would have had the opportunity to go. Every day has been a joy for me as a chaplain.”

The fund-raising event, sponsored by the Knights of Malta, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and others, raised more than $12,000 for the Archdiocese. “Many people think the Archdiocese of the Military is funded by the U.S. government,” said Archbishop Broglio in an address to the attendees. “But that’s not the case.” The separation of

Church and state doesn’t allow for that. “We are funded through the generosity of others.”

Archbishop Broglio said that there is a great shortage of military chaplains at this time.

“There are currently 285 active duty chaplains serving our men and women soldiers and their families across the globe,” he said.

The archbishop is seeking to increase those numbers by asking U.S. bishops for their help, and by the hiring of a full-time vocations director for the Military Archdiocese, which is the youngest diocese in the U.S., having been established in 1984.

He added that the role of the archdiocese is not just to serve the soldiers, but to “evangelize and spread the Gospel message.

Our chaplains tend to their peers but also are active in Religious Education, sacramental and catechetical programs. We offer a Catholic presence in each of the five branches of the service, but not just to the enlisted. Where the soldiers go, so go their families. They also pay the price.

They know what it feels like to be separated from their loved one, the uncertainties, and being in strange places.”

Archbishop Broglio said the role of his archdiocese is to bring a Catholic presence to them as well. He told his audience that there are many young people in the Military Archdiocese and his staff works hard at evangelizing them so they too can go out and evangelize to their peers.

He also said the military is “a gold mine for vocations,” adding this is a benefit for not just the military, but the Church as a whole.

“In September we will have 22 seminarians co-sponsored by their dioceses and the Military

Archdiocese,” he said. “The dioceses pay for half the costs and we pay the other half. When the young men are ordained, they will serve three years in their respective diocese, and then they will commit to the service branch of their choice for 20 years.”

In addition, the archdiocese offers discernment retreats where chaplains invite young men to take part in a weekend retreat at a seminary.

The archbishop relayed a story of a military chaplain who invited him to Afghanistan for Holy Week. “He sent me a check to pay for the parts of the trip not covered by the military,” he said.

“It was a very moving experience being there during Holy Week. I was thanked at least 100 times by soldiers for my being there.”

In his conclusion, Archbishop Broglio said the civilian population can help by “keeping us in your prayers for more vocations to the chaplaincy. Also pray that my two auxiliary bishops and I don’t collapse in our travels,” he quipped. “Pray that we may fulfill the responsibilities given to us.”

Another highlight of the luncheon was a group sing-a-long of the theme songs for each of the five U.S. military branches, when scores of veterans rose and proudly waved napkins when their theme came around.

Father Philip A. Davignon, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption in Osterville was in attendance representing Bishop George W. Coleman. Reading from a letter from Bishop Coleman, Father Davignon told Archbishop Broglio, “I’d like to express our gratitude to you for the ministry you provide for thousands of men and women in the Fall River Diocese serving in the military. We wish you continued success.”

August 14, 2009

Around the Diocese 8/15

The second annual “Cool Jazz on a Hot Summer Night” to benefit Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford will be held August 15 at 8 p.m. at the Wamsutta Club, 427 County Street.

For tickets or information, call 508-993-3547 or email cfelix@hfhn.org.

8/19

Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford, will host its annual baseball outing to the Pawtucket Red Sox on August 19. The PawSox will host the Rochester Red Wings at 6 p.m. For tickets and more information, call 508-992-3184.

8/22

Courage, a welcoming support group for Catholics wounded by same-sex attraction who gather to seek God’s wisdom, mercy and love, will meet August 22 at 7 p.m. For location information, please call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

8/24

A Holy Hour will be held August 24 at 1 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28, West Harwich. The rosary will be followed

by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Hour is sponsored by the Pro-Life Prayer Groups of Holy Trinity Church and Holy Redeemer Church.

9/12

Come celebrate the parish of St. Mark’s annual fair September 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the parish grounds on Stanley Street in Attleboro Falls. The day will include a wide variety of activities, music and food including hot dogs, hamburgers, chowder and clam cakes, pizza, meatball grinders, and pastries and ice cream sundaes. St. Mark’s Fair is a traditional “end of summer” ritual, come join in on the fun.

9/19

Benedictine Sister Paula Hagen, founder of the MOMS Ministry, will lead a mini retreat September 19 beginning at 8 a.m. at St. Pius X Parish Life Center, 5 Barbara Street, South Yarmouth.

All women, spiritual friends and companions are welcome to join Sister Hagen for a morning of prayer and reflection. For more information call Tricia Mullaney at 508-362-1583 or email Beth Davis at beth_gdb@comcast.net.

9/24

The Diocesan Health Facilities will be hosting its Second Annual Golf Classic September 24 at LeBaron Hills Country Club, Lakeville. All proceeds from the event will benefit Diocesan Health Facilities, a non-profit skilled nursing and rehabilitative health care system sponsored by the Fall River Diocese. For more information on the golf benefit, call 508-679-8154.

9/26

The Fall River District Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host the second annual Friends of the Poor Walk September 26 at Bristol Community College, 777 Elsbree Street, Fall River. Registration for the walk begins at 8:30 a.m. with the walk starting at 10 a.m. Rain date will be October 3, same time. The walk will benefit 20 local parish conferences of St. Vincent de Paul and all proceeds will be used locally. To sign up as a walker, corporate sponsor, or volunteer, see one of your parish St. Vincent de Paul members or visit www.svdpfriendsofthepoorwalk.org.

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese: ACUSHNET — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 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 of the month, 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.

EASTON — Eucharistic adoration in honor of the feast of the Immaculate Conception will take place in the chapel at the Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street, on August 14, beginning with the rosary at 9 a.m. until 11:45 a.m., followed by noon Mass.

To sign up for a half-hour interval or for more information, contact Holy Cross Family Ministries at 508-238-4095.

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

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

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.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 5 p.m. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed at 4:45 p.m.; on the third Friday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.; and for the Year For Priests, the second Thursday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.

TAUNTON — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m.

Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street, holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

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

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The Anchor Sister Rosemarie Murphy SUSC; was educator, formations director

FALL RIVER — Holy Union Sister Rosemarie Murphy, 80, also known as Sister Joseph Marita, a native of Taunton who taught in elementary schools for more than 40 years, died August 1 in the Catholic Memorial Home.

The daughter of the late Arthur and the late Elizabeth (Fair) Murphy, she entered the Holy Union Sisters in Fall River in 1947 and made her final vows Aug. 22, 1955. She studied at the Sacred Heart School of Education in Fall River, received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fordham University, and a master’s degree in French from Rivier College in Nashua, N.H. Sister Murphy’s teaching career also included schools in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

Locally, she taught at Holy

Union Preparatory School in Tiverton, R.I., the Taunton Catholic Middle School, Sacred Hearts Academy and Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River.

She was a member of the first team of personnel directors for the Fall River Province of the Sister Rosemarie Holy Union Murphy, SUSC Sisters, and was administrative assistant to the director of admissions at Weston School of Theology in Cambridge. She later volunteered as an English teacher in the HALT Program for Haitian immigrants in Mattapan, and served in the province finance

office in Milton.

In 2003, Sister Murphy joined retired Holy Union Sisters at The Landmark in Fall River, and in 2007 became a resident of the Catholic Memorial Home.

Besides her Holy Union Sisters, she leaves a sister, Marita Murphy of East Taunton; two brothers, Thomas Murphy of Taunton and Arthur Murphy of East Taunton; and nieces and nephews. She was also the sister of the late Holy Union Sister Mary Elizabeth Murphy.

Her Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated August 5 in the Catholic Memorial Home chapel. Burial was in St. Francis Cemetery in Taunton.

The Waring-Sullivan Funeral Home of Memorial Tribute in Fall River was in charge of arrangements.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — U.S. Catholic leaders have joined leaders of other faiths in expressing concern about the early August evictions of Palestinians from East Jerusalem.

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the leaders sought the immediate reversal of the evictions and the restoration of

houses to former residents. A U.S. response must go beyond official protests, they wrote in the letter, released by Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 23 Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox national church bodies and organizations.

Club-wielding Israeli riot police evicted two Palestinian families — more than 50 people — from their homes in the Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah August 2, according to The Associated Press. Police later allowed Jewish settlers to move into the homes where the families had lived for more than 50 years.

In their letter, the U.S. religious leaders said the evictions raised significant international political issues because it occurred close to the 1949 armistice line or Green Line, which separates Israel and the Palestinian territories.

“This population substitution is clearly designed to continue efforts to expand Israeli presence and control over Palestinian areas

of East Jerusalem,” they wrote.

“It contradicts terms of the (2002) ‘road map’ brokered by the United States and agreed to by both Israeli and Palestinian representatives to refrain from activities that could undermine progress toward a peace agreement. It also undercuts U.S. efforts to create an environment for starting talks for a comprehensive peace agreement and is therefore harmful to both the Palestinians’ and Israelis’ hopes for peace.”

The Catholic signers of the letter represented the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Franciscan Action Network.

Israel took control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, which pitted Israel against Jordan, Syria and Egypt, but Israeli sovereignty over that part of the city has not been recognized internationally.

Church leaders seek U.S. action in wake of evictions

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Aug. 17 Rev. Cornelius O’Connor, Former Pastor, Holy Trinity, Harwich Center, 1882 Rev. Msgr. Maurice Souza, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, East Falmouth, 1996 Aug. 18 Rev. Msgr. William H. Dolan, Retired Pastor, Holy Family, East Taunton, 1977 Aug. 20 Rev. Bernard H. Unsworth, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1982 Rev. Thomas Cantwell, SSJ., Retired, St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, 1983 Aug. 21 Most Rev. Lawrence S. McMahon, Bishop of Hartford, Former Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1891 Aug. 22 Rev. Msgr. Manuel J. Teixeira, Pastor, St. Anthony, Taunton, 1962 Rev. William R. Jordan, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Msgr. Joseph C. Canty, USN Retired Chaplain, Retired Pastor, St. Paul, Taunton, 1980 Msgr. John F. Denehy, USAF Retired Chaplain, 2003 Aug. 23 Rev. Thomas F. Clinton, Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1895 Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, PA, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 1992

20

The Anchor

August 14, 2009

Sixth Catholic confirmed to serve on Supreme Court

By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Judge Sonia Sotomayor became the first Hispanic and the sixth Catholic on the nine-member Supreme Court, after she was sworn in August 8.

The Senate confirmed her appointment August 6 by a 68-31 vote.

A New York native and daughter of Puerto Ricans who struggled to be sure their two children were well-educated, Sotomayor is President Barack Obama’s first Supreme Court nominee. She will take the place of Justice David Souter, who retired at the end of the term in June.

Shortly after the vote, Obama said he was “filled with pride and great confidence” in Sotomayor and that her confirmation made not only a great day for the judge and her family, but “a great day for America.”

He said the addition to the court of a justice with Sotomayor’s temperament, intellect and history will help assure that the saying “equal justice under the law” is “not just a phrase over the door of the courtCNS photo room, but what happens inside” the court as Judge Sonia Sotomayor well.

During several days of formal debate on her nomination, a chorus of Senate Democrats and a handful of Republicans recited her inspiring story of being raised in a housing project in the Bronx borough of New York and going on to win scholarships and honors at a rigorous Catholic high school and Ivy League universities.

Among them, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said that as the child of Latino immigrants himself, born the same year as Sotomayor and raised in a New Jersey tenement, he particularly relished the opportunity to confirm someone with a similar background. He said the makeup of the court, which has two women, one a Hispanic, and an African American among its members, is a testament to how far the United States has come in achieving the goal of the country’s founders, of equal opportunity for all.

Senators who voted against Sotomayor’s confirmation — all Republicans — took to the floor to complain that they thought she was a “judicial activist,” based largely upon comments she has made in speeches.

Sotomayor has been a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since 1998, nominated to that post by President Bill Clinton. Before that she spent six years as a U.S. District Court judge in New York, nominated to that position by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. She also served as an assistant New York County district attorney and worked in private practice.

After her nomination was announced May 26, Sotomayor made the rounds of Senate offices, paying courtesy get-to-know-you calls before her confirmation hearings in July. Those hearings brought detailed and often repetitive questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee about court cases both well-known and arcane.

Questions aimed at how Sotomayor would rule on particular types of cases, including abortion, proved as unsuccessful in eliciting a specific answer as they have at previous Supreme Court nominees’ confirmation hearings.

In contrast to the two most recent Catholic appointees to the court, Sotomayor received no questions from senators about how her Catholic faith might influence her judicial decisionmaking.

The other Catholics on the court are: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.