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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , August 23, 2013

Fairhaven feast has deep history

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

FAIRHAVEN — It is an annual tradition that began in Fairhaven 83 years ago, but can trace its roots back more than 500 years to Água de Pau on the island of São Miguel, Açores. The feast of Our Lady of Angels was born from the efforts of four Azorean immigrants from Água de Pau looking to build a sense of community through faith.

“Here you are, in a foreign country and everything is un-

familiar, and what you want to do is build a bridge that connects you to where you came from,” explained Dr. Stephen Cabral of the four men and the Fairhaven feast’s humble beginnings.

Cabral received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Brown University; his dissertation studied the transformation of religious feasting customs maintained by PortugueseAmericans in New Bedford.

Feasts are one way for communities to come together, Turn to page 14

Deacon Thomas P. Palanza, second from right, facilities consultant for the Fall River Diocese, reviews proposed plans to convert the former St. Hedwig Church in New Bedford, seen behind them, into a homeless shelter and food pantry facility with representatives of the state and Ed Allard, far left, project director for Community Action for Better Housing. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

CSS plans to convert former St. Hedwig’s Church into shelter

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

Pictured is the statue of St. Mary on display in Our Lady of Angels Parish in Água de Pau, São Miguel. The first festa (feast) in the village was held on Aug. 15, 1515, and more than 500 years later the town of Fairhaven will celebrate 83 years of celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Angels and will carry an exact replica of the statue during its procession.

Area woman part of interfaith mission to East Africa

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor

ACUSHNET — The call has always been there for Catholics — even before newlyelected Pope Francis reinforced it. It is our duty to assist the poor. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you

who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you Turn to page 15

NEW BEDFORD — A long-abandoned New Bedford church building may soon be opening its doors once again to welcome those most in need of God’s comfort.

The former St. Hedwig’s Church, suppressed in 2004 and merged with the nearby Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church, is currently under an agreement to be purchased by Community Action for Better Housing — the same group that recently renovated

the Oscar A. Romero House on Allen Street in the city — which then plans to convert the space into the new home of the Sister Rose House, a 24-hour homeless shelter currently located on Eighth Street.

An arm of the diocesan Catholic Social Services that was established in 1996 to address the area’s housing needs, CABH seeks out potential projects like this to rehabilitate and turn into viable housing units that are then managed in partnership with CSS. According to Ed Allard,

project director for CABH, this latest project came about when CSS merged with New Bedford’s Market Ministries to help operate the city’s homeless shelter back in 2010.

Renamed the Sister Rose House in July of that year in honor of Sister Rosellen Gallogly, the longtime director of Market Ministries, the homeless shelter offers 25 beds, catering exclusively to men, and is staffed 24 hours a day. Programs include an array of job skills training, budgeting inforTurn to page 18

Diocesan Catholic school increases enrollment

By Christine Williams Anchor Correspondent

NORTH ATTLEBORO — Since 2000, a quarter of Catholic schools nationwide have shuttered their doors. Enrollment has also declined by nearly 25 percent during the same time period. According to the National Catholic Education Association, elementary schools have been the most seriously impacted, shedding enrollment by 38.2 percent in urban dioceses.

The trend also exists in the Diocese of Fall River.

In just the last five years, elementary school enrollment has decreased by 11 percent. During that time, one school closed, and a second closed during the summer of 2013, bringing the total number of elementary schools to 20.

In the midst of this discouraging picture, a local school has managed to increase its enrollment by one-third. Five years ago, enrollment at Saint Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro had dwindled to 216 students. On Aug. 27 of this year, 289 students will file into their classrooms for the first day of school.

The school, which serves students from kindergarten to grade eight, will celebrate 90 years of Catholic education in North Attleboro this year. Sacred Heart School opened in 1923, and St. Mary opened the year after. The schools consolidated in 1972, and the former Sacred Heart building currently hosts the new school.

In recent years, the school has made many changTurn to page 18

News From the Vatican

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August 23, 2013

Pope to consecrate world to Mary’s Immaculate Heart

Vatican City (CNA) — Pope Francis will consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary this October 13 as part of the Marian Day celebration that will involve the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima.

“The Holy Father strongly desires that the Marian Day may have present, as a special sign, one of the most significant Marian icons for Christians throughout the world and, for that reason, we thought of the beloved original statue of Our Lady of Fatima,” wrote Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

Archbishop Fisichella, who serves as president of the pontifical council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, made his remarks in a letter to Bishop Antonio Marto of Leiria-Fatima.

According to the Portuguese shrine’s website, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima will leave for Rome on the morning of October 12 and return on the afternoon of October 13. The statue normally resides in the shrine’s

Little Chapel of Apparitions.

The archbishop said that “all ecclesial entities of Marian spirituality” are invited to take part in the celebration. Hundreds of movements and institutions that emphasize Marian devotion are expected to attend, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima says.

The two-day observance includes an October 12 pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Peter and moments of prayer and meditation.

On October 13, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s Square.

Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three shepherd children in the village of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. She warned of violent trials in the 20th century if the world did not make reparation for sins. She urged prayer and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

At the request of Pope Francis, Cardinal Jose Polycarp, the Patriarch of Lisbon, consecrated the pope’s pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima on May 13, her feast day.

Vatican City (CNA/ EWTN News) — Human life — including the lives of unborn children — must be defended as a gift from God, underscored Pope Francis in a recent message.

Especially in today’s throwaway culture that devalues the human person, parents “are called to teach their children to defend life always, beginning with life in the womb, and see it as a gift from God and a guarantee of the future of humanity,” the pope said.

In a message for the National Week of the Family, which began August 11 in Brazil, he encouraged parents in their “noble and demanding mission to be the first collaborators with God” in educating their children.

Through their words and actions, parents are called to pass on fundamental truths about life to future generations, he said in his message.

He also stressed the need to cultivate shared family practices of faith, in order to help children mature in their spiritual lives.

In addition, Pope Francis noted the importance of caring for the elderly, especially grandparents, whom he described as the living memory of a people, able to pass on the wisdom of life.

The Holy Father concluded by invoking the intercession of Our Lady of Aparecida and praying that families would be “convincing witnesses of the beauty of life sustained by faith.”

Human life should be protected as gift from God, pope says

Two international soccer stars, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, applaud after a recent news conference at the Vatican. The two helped launch a Vatican initiative to bring together schools from around the world in projects to promote understanding and solidarity. (CNS photo/Stefano Rellandini, Reuters)

His Holiness, the soccer fan, asks players to be real role models VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With admiration and big smiles all around, the lifelong soccer fan Pope Francis met the star players and coaches of the Argentine and Italian national soccer teams hoping to compete for the World Cup in 2014.

The teams were recently led to the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace by Argentine captain Lionel Messi, a forward currently playing for FC Barcelona, and Italian captain Gianluigi Buffon, a goalie currently playing for Juventus FC. The two teams were in Rome to play a “friendly” match in the pope’s honor; the game has no bearing on the process of qualifying for the World Cup tournament.

Pope Francis said he was relieved it was a friendly, but it would still be difficult to know for whom to cheer.

Claudio Cesare Prandelli, the Italian coach, said he was about to ask the pope if he would attend the match, but Pope Francis anticipated the question and told him that the Vatican security already considers him “undisciplined,” leaving the impression that it would be asking too much to have them arrange a trip to Rome’s Olympic Stadium.

In a brief speech to the players, coaches and referees, Pope Francis encouraged everyone involved with professional soccer to maintain the spirit and passion of it being a game, a team sport.

“Even if the team wins” the game, he said, without beauty, graciousness and team work, both the team and the fans lose.

“Before being champions, you are men, human beings with your

talents and your defects, heart and ideas, aspirations and problems,” Pope Francis said. “Even if you are stars, remain men both in your sport and in your life.”

He asked the players to take responsibility for the fact that for millions of people, young and old, they are heroes and role models.

“Be aware of this and set an example of loyalty, respect and altruism,” he said. “I have confidence in all the good you can do among the young.”

The pope, who follows soccer, knows that in Europe the game has been plagued by incidents of players and fans making racist comments about players from Africa. He told the players they must be models of inclusion, working to “permanently eliminate the danger of discrimination.”

When teams are committed to good sportsmanship, he said, everyone in the stadium grows, “violence disappears” and “you’ll start seeing families in the stands again.”

Pope Francis also asked the players to pray for him, “so that I too, on the ‘field’ where God has put me, can play an honest and courageous game for the good of all.”

Speaking to reporters after their audience with the pope, Messi — who will not play in the Italy-Argentina match because of an injury — said the best way for the players to respond to what the pope said was to give fans a clean and exciting game, and to live upright lives.

“Without a doubt, today was one of the most special days of my life,” he said. “We have to ex-

cel on and off the field.”

Buffon, who gave the pope a ball signed by all the Italian players, was asked if he thought meeting the pope might spur the miracle needed to ensure that Italy and Argentina make it to the World Cup finals.

“Our job is to work hard to make sure we’re in the finals,” he said. “If Pope Francis does miracles, I think they’d be for more important things.”

Buffon said the pope asking for the players’ prayers was another sign of his “humility and humanity.”

“With a pope like this, it’s easier to be better,” he said. “He shows us the way, he warms hearts, he moves people’s souls” in a way that all the good they’ve talked about doing they would actually start trying to live.

Julio Humberto Grondona, president of the Argentine soccer association, asked the pope to bless Argentine soccer “so that the stadiums would be like they were when you first experienced the emotion of being a fan.”

The matches, he said, should be a time for family enjoyment “in peace, with respect and fraternity.”

For the Argentine players, coaches and referees, he said, an audience with the Argentine pope is “both unforgettable and moving.”

Grondona said the Argentine team is “legitimately proud” to be able to say that the ministry and example of faith, simplicity and love of the Lord they received from the pope is the same “you conveyed to us as Father Jorge and Archbishop Bergoglio” of Buenos Aires.

The International Church Jerusalem, shared ‘security blanket,’ key to Israeli-Palestinian peace

August 23, 2013

JERUSALEM (CNS) — Coveted as a spiritual and political capital by Israelis and Palestinians, the status of the city of Jerusalem has stood out as one of the pivotal topics in their ongoing peace negotiations.

Yet, because of its perceived sensitivity, the topic has always been left for the final status discussions and has yet to be broached directly in the negotiations, which resumed August 14 in Jerusalem.

The sides met for the first time in almost three years at the end of July in Washington in a U.S.-mediated effort to resume the talks. Negotiators are also scheduled to meet in Jericho, West Bank.

“Jerusalem is very critical to the negotiations,” said Bernard Sabella, associate professor of sociology at Bethlehem University and a member of the Palestinian parliament. “U.N. resolutions and even the United States recognize East Jerusalem as occupied territory. We are going to have to find a solution set-up which is acceptable to both parties.

“Jerusalem is the key to peace,” he added. “Therefore, we have to find a joint vision that can subscribe to the rights of the Palestinians and to the rights of the Israelis as well.”

While neither Israelis nor Palestinians will give up on their claim to Jerusalem, he said, they will need to accept the others side’s claim to the city or risk forever being stuck in a no-win situation.

Just three days before the start of the Jerusalem talks Israel, announcing the release of 26 Palestinian political prisoners, also said it would back the construction of nearly 1,200 new apartments in East Jerusalem and the West Bank — almost 800 of them in East Jerusalem. Three years ago, the talks collapsed because of the settlement issue.

The Israeli construction in East Jerusalem, which Israelis consider neighborhoods of Jerusalem but which Palestinians view as settlements, makes it impossible to have a clear-cut delineation of Israeli or Palestinian sovereignty in the city, Sabella said.

“We are in a symbiotic relationship,” said Sabella, a Catholic whose parents fled their home in what is now the Jewish West Jerusalem neighborhood of Katamon in 1948 when Israel was established. “We are

stuck with each other.”

It is unrealistic, he said, for either side to believe that the other will disappear from the horizon.

Gershon Baskin, co-founder and former co-director of the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information, a joint Israeli-Palestinian public policy think tank, acknowledged a solution to the Jerusalem issue is difficult. He cited the zigzagging of Israeli and Palestinian “areas” in East Jerusalem and the Sacred connection each claims to the city and said reaching an agreement does not involve physical divisions but an agreed-upon intangible division of sovereignty.

Baskin noted that Europeans and Canadians have proposed several alternative models for the status of Jerusalem, and he specifically supports the notion of a “scattered sovereignty model.” Such a model divides sovereignty but without physical boundaries and has special parameters for the Old City. This will, he said, require security coordination and a joint fight against extremists and terrorists.

“We can come up with something,” he said, if people work intelligently and move away from the “mystic, historic connection” of who “owns” Jerusalem with the focus on the Old City. “The negotiators on both sides are aware that we need serious compromises. The exclusivity of each narrative makes it so difficult.”

In an ideal situation it should not be difficult to come up with such a model of two neighboring, independent states with a workable, shared sovereignty over Jerusalem, with neither’s claims over the city annulling the other’s claim, said Rabbi David Rosen, international director of interreligious affairs of the American Jewish Committee.

“There can be 100 different children from the same grandfather and still claim loyalty to (him),” he said. “The fact that each feels they have a stronger loyalty or connection doesn’t mean they can’t share it.”

Because the struggle over control of the city has more to do with style rather than substance, he said, it becomes critically important how things are said and that both sides learn how to “express respect for the attachments (to Jerusalem) of the other.”

“Then (they can begin) to

negotiate on the practical details of how Palestinians and Israelis can live together in Jerusalem rather than getting hooked on sovereignty issues,” Rabbi Rosen said.

Sabella said one area that poses a problem is the area known as Haram al-Sharif by Muslims, where the al-Aqsa Mosque stands today. Jews call it the Temple Mount, where two Biblical Jewish temples once stood.

Rabbi Rosen said that although there are some fringe Jewish extremists who want to exert control over the Temple Mount, the vast majority of rabbinical authorities continue to maintain that Jews are not in a position to rebuild the temple.

“What Jews want is recognition from the Muslim world that this is our holy site, too, and more than that, that it became their holy site because it was our holy site,” he said.

Though skeptical, Sabella said a solution could be found if there was willingness and a “wider vision” on both parts.

“We and Israel project so much holiness and so much history on Jerusalem and so much wanting to keep it (for ourselves) with such a possessive attitude,” he said. “Israel holds onto Jerusalem like a baby does a security blanket — as if it lets go, the whole idea of Israel is gone. And on the Palestinian side it is as if it lets go, it is letting go of one of the most sacred things of our identity. Both of us want Jerusalem

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Freed Palestinian prisoner Hosni Sawalha is greeted by his niece upon his arrival in the West Bank village of Azmout near Nablus early August 14. Later that day, Palestinians and Israelis held their first formal peace talks in the Mideast in nearly five years. (CNS photo/ Abed Omar Qusini, Reuters)

to be our security blanket, and we have to figure out how to get these kids to release it and ... share.”

Rather than leave the status of Jerusalem for the final status talks, Baskin is a proponent of tackling the issue at the start of negotiations, noting that Jerusalem is a microcosm of the whole conflict.

“If we find a solution for Jerusalem, everything else will fall into place,” he said.

The Vatican continues to believe that the special status of Jerusalem must be guaranteed and internationally recognized in order to ensure the protection of its historic and religious

character. It maintains its position that any agreement on the sovereignty of Jerusalem once reached should then also “ensure freedom of religion and of conscience for all; equality before the law of the three monotheistic religions and their institutions and faithful; respect for the identity and sacred character of the city, its universal religious significance and its cultural heritage; freedom of access to the shrines and worship within them; and respect for the status quo,” the longstanding agreement regulating the legal and financial status of key Christian sites and access to them.

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The Church in the U.S.

August 23, 2013

When migrants arrive, volunteers provide rides to Mass, meals

ENFIELD, Conn. (CNS) — In summertime, tobacco grows practically like a weed under white nets and in open fields throughout the tobacco valley of central Connecticut.

Near the end of June, when the plants are about knee-high, migrant workers who have journeyed thousands of miles by bus from Mexico and beyond, or by air from Puerto Rico, start arriving for threemonth jobs cultivating the crop on Connecticut farms.

And with their arrival, St. Patrick Parish continues its longstanding Hispanic ministry program to cultivate their faith.

Every Monday night from late June through August, two school buses pick up 100 men or more at their camp in Windsor to take them to Mass and a meal at St. Patrick.

Though its efforts are centered on providing bus transportation to the weekly Mass and meal, the ministry offers a wide range of services to this temporary migrant community each season. Perhaps chief among them is the evangelical work of preparing many of the workers to receive the Sacraments of Initiation, an event that has become an annual celebration at St. Patrick.

Retired Auxiliary Bishop Peter A. Rosazza of Hartford administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to six of the men and first Holy Communion to 27 men at a Mass July 22, with assistance from Father John Weaver, St. Patrick’s pastor, and Father Jose Siesquen-Flores, of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield, the ministry’s regular celebrant and homilist for the Spanish-language Mass.

Started 15 years ago by the late Father Francis Browne, then pastor at St. Patrick, the seasonal outreach now represents only a small part of the work of a full-time ministry.

Since Father Browne drove the first bus himself, several pastors, including Father Weaver, have supported the program. Over those years, the parish has embraced and spread the faith to thousands of men by supporting their commitment to faith and family while they work to send money home.

Father Browne’s inspiration in 1998 to establish the program came from a parishioner from Mexico, Noe Charles, who has nurtured the minis-

try’s expansion and now serves as the parish’s minister to Hispanics.

Charles, who also drove a bus to and from the tobacco camps during the first seasons, recalled that her personal experience around her home in Guadalajara, Mexico, made her compassionate toward needy farmworkers there. She translated that need to the men working near her Connecticut parish each summer.

Father Weaver, St. Patrick’s pastor for seven years, said he places full trust in Charles to manage all Hispanic ministry programs.

“She is incredibly versatile.

Noe performs the job descriptions for 10 different people,” he told The Catholic Transcript, newspaper of the Hartford Archdiocese.

Charles said her work is made possible through the efforts of many people. For example, an annual Lenten outreach program conducted by Religious Education director Carolyn Dague encourages children and families to donate personal-care goods for distribution among summer camp workers. The toiletries, clothing, shoes, linens and religious items are distributed weekly.

Ministry volunteers say that Charles is known and loved by the workers for what she does at the camp and church. Many keep in touch with her and renew acquaintance on return visits. Worker Juan Guerrero, who arrived from Mexico City with a group of 200 men, called her “an angel.”

On a recent Monday, he spoke to the Transcript in Spanish with translation assistance from Arturo Iriarte, parish social ministry coordinator for the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Office of Catholic Social Justice Ministry.

Returning for his second season in Connecticut, Guerrero said that the Monday night Mass is very important to him while he’s away from home.

The sermon Father Siesquen-Flores delivered at the July 22 Mass centered on “la familia Cristiana” (the Christian family) and the merits of humility, compassion and love.

At the conclusion of the Mass, the priest invited the congregation to process to the rear of the church, where he led veneration of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Crowds surround the Reflecting Pool during the 1963 March on Washington. As the 50th anniversaries of key civil rights events approach, some observe that there’s still a long way to go toward eliminating racism in U.S. society. (CNS photo/Warren K. Leffler, Library of Congress)

Bishops offer encouragement on anniversary of civil rights march

Washington D.C. Fabre of New Orleans; Bishop compass of the nation toward (CNA/EWTN News) — Half Gerald Barnes and Auxiliary concern for the cause of justice” a century after the famous civil Bishop Rutilio Del Riego of for the marginalized and forgotrights march in Washington, San Bernardino, Calif.; Bishop ten in society.

They also commented on the D.C., significant progress to- Randolph Calvo of Reno; and wards justice has been made, but Archbishop Charles J. Chaput participation of numerous religious, civic and community leadsome goals remain unmet, said a O.F.M. Cap, of Philadelphia. group of U.S. bishops.

The authors echoed the words ers — including many Catholics “While we cannot deny the of the U.S. bishops’ 1979 Pas- — in the civil rights movement.

“Those who participated in change that has taken place, toral Letter on Racism, which the March on Washington there remains much to be owever, the Dream of came from different races accomplished,” said members of the U.S. bishops’ Dr. King and all who and faith denominations, Committee on Cultural marched and worked with him has but were all united for a just cause,” they reflected.

Diversity in the Church.

“Seeking to touch and to In a statement marking not yet fully become a reality for move the heart of America, the 50th anniversary of the many in our country.” they came to the nation’s historic March on Washcapital and marched to adington for Jobs and Freedom, which occurred Aug. 28, stressed the continued need for a vance the cause for Civil Rights, 1963, the bishops reflected on “fundamental change” of culture calling for an end to segregation. the history of African Ameri- rather than an indifferent “ac- They called attention to the economic disparity that existed for cans and other minority racial ceptance of the status quo.” groups in the U.S. They also referenced the Af- African-Americans and other “The March on Washington rican-American bishops’ 1984 minorities in this country.”

This work continues today, the and the struggle for Civil Rights Pastoral Letter on Evangelizabishops said, urging the faithful have brought about significant tion, which noted that “the cause accomplishments in the past of justice and social concerns are to see the ongoing task “from the 50 years,” they said, pointing to an essential part of evangeliza- perspective of the continued call to hope and in the light of faith.” advancements in opportunity tion.”

They encouraged “continand legal protection, as well as These concerns are still relgreater racial and cultural diver- evant today, the bishops ob- ued dialogue and non-violence sity among leaders in the public served, stressing that Catholics among people of different races and private sectors. “must never allow other issues and cultures,” in order to pro“However, the Dream of Dr. to eclipse our belief in the fun- mote “transformative, construcKing and all who marched and damental human dignity of each tive actions.”

“We join the call for positive worked with him has not yet and every person.” fully become a reality for many At the historic march 50 years action that seeks to end poverty, in our country,” they continued. ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. increase jobs, eliminate racial The recent statement was delivered his famous “I Have and class inequality, ensure votauthored by Bishop Daniel E. A Dream” speech, the bishops ing rights, and that provides fair Flores of Brownsville, Texas; noted, describing the address as and just opportunities for all,” Auxiliary Bishop Shelton J. one “which redirected the moral they said.

“H

The Church in the U.S. Evangelization described as key in Boston parish restructuring

August 23, 2013

Boston (CNA/EWTN News) — After a long period of struggle in finances and church attendance, a new pastoral plan in the Boston Archdiocese emphasizes evangelization while encouraging parishes to share their resources “Restructuring and evangelization must be absolutely tied to one another so that we don’t get back into the mindset of ‘we stabilize by downsizing,’” Father Paul Soper, the Archdiocese of Boston’s director of Pastoral Planning, told CNA recently.

“There’s no need for that. That would only be necessary if the Spirit were not still at work in the Church.”

The archdiocese’s “Disciples in Mission” pastoral plan organizes parishes into “collaboratives” typically of three parishes each. Though each parish remains independent with its own financial assets and responsibilities, these collaboratives share resources including one pastor, one pastoral team, and a pastoral plan.

The first collaboratives began on June 4 with 28 parishes in 12

groups. The restructuring is in part intended to address financial shortfalls.

About 40 percent of the archdiocese’s 288 parishes cannot meet their operating expenses solely through the offertory.

Since 1990, 125 parishes have closed in the archdiocese, with 65 closing in 2004.

Sharing and strengthening the Catholic faith is the primary goal.

Father Soper said that the pastoral plain aims to have every parish in the archdiocese “become a strong, stable, effective and intentional center of the New Evangelization,” Father Soper said. “Parish-based evangelization works, and we can train for it, but we need strong parishes in order to do so.”

Without training, Father Soper said, “evangelization can way too easily become theoretical.”

“A parish looks at a long document, adopts a mission statement, and says ‘OK, well this is our mission.’ But then never does anything about it.”

Practical steps for evangeliza-

tion include one new program that aims to train dozens of parishioners at each parish how to give witness talks. These are “audible, brief and Christocentric” speeches about three minutes in length in which individual Catholics talk about “their relationship with Jesus.”

Father Soper said these talks aim to address significant questions: “What is it about my relationship with Jesus that draws me to Him? Why am I Catholic? Why do I keep returning to the Sacraments? What’s my life like when I’m not in relationship with Jesus? If I’ve had a big conversion experience in my life, what was my life like before and what was it like afterward?”

This training helps in reaching non-Catholics and in deepening parish spiritual life. Some who have gone though the training give talks to parents of children preparing for First Communion.

This means parents experience their own peers and fellow lay Catholics “telling them about Jesus and about how they love the Lord.”

The Boston Archdiocese’s

New pew study shows most Americans view abortion as moral issue

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A new study shows that most Americans view abortion as a moral issue According to the study, released August 15 by the Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project, 49 percent of adults consider it morally wrong to have an abortion; 22 percent consider embryonic stem-cell research morally wrong; and 12 percent view the use of in vitro fertilization as morally wrong.

The findings were based on telephone interviews of 4,006 adults conducted March 21 - April 18 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.

The survey’s results show that opinions on the morality of abortion differ widely among religious groups. Seventy-five percent of white evangelical Protestants and 64 percent of Hispanic Catholics consider having an abortion morally wrong. Fifty-eight percent of black Protestants and 53 percent of white Catholics hold this view while 38 percent of white mainline Protestants and 25 percent of religiously unaffiliated adults see abortion as morally wrong.

Relatively small percentages of people in all religious groups consider it morally acceptable to have an abortion. However, among the unaffiliated, nearly equal amounts

view having an abortion as morally acceptable (28 percent) and morally wrong (25 percent).

The survey also revealed that there are sizable differences in opinions about the moral acceptability of abortion by partisanship, political ideology and education, but few differences when it comes to gender and age. For example, about two-thirds (64 percent) of Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party consider having an abortion morally wrong, compared with 38 percent of Democrats and Democraticleaning independents.

Differences of opinion on embryonic stem-cell research among religious groups are relatively modest in comparison with attitudes toward abortion. Among the major religious groups, white evangelical Protestants are most likely to say embryonic stem-cell research is morally wrong. But there are differences of opinion when it comes to partisanship and ideology.

About 75 percent of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party consider embryonic stem-cell research to be either morally acceptable or not a moral issue. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more inclined

to consider such research morally wrong.

Those who say that having an abortion is morally acceptable are also more likely to say that embryonic stem-cell research is morally acceptable (67 percent). And among those who consider abortion to be morally wrong consider embryonic stem cell research to be morally wrong by 36 percent.

But a majority of those who view abortion as morally wrong consider embryonic stem-cell research to be either morally acceptable (23 percent) or not a moral issue (29 percent).

approach emphasizes the belief that “radical hospitality” plays a major role in evangelization to reach those Catholics who rarely attend Mass or are not involved in Church. Long-serving pastors estimate that at least five percent of Sunday Mass-goers are not known to them.

“The people, the ‘lost,’” are coming to Mass, they’re just not staying,” Father Soper said.

“Their experience there is not drawing them to stay.”

The archdiocese’s anonymous visitor program aims to help parishes improve to help draw these people back.

A pastor can request an anonymous visitor to attend a parish Mass and report their experience. Visitors evaluate the parish spirit in terms of whether the people were welcoming, how they treated disturbances like noisy children or cell phones, and whether the church was clean.

The visitor considers how the parish responds to newly-registered parishioners and whether the parish thanks those who donate with checks.

Even the parish website, voice mail system and receptionist practices are examined for whether they are helpful for newcomers.

The visitor’s initial report provides pastors with “early measureables” to plan improvements before a follow-up visitor repeats the examination.

The pastoral plan emphasizes a “huge amount of training” in areas like leadership, theology and the practices of New Evangelization.

Pastors, parochial vicars, deacons, parish councils and pastoral teams are among those who go through specialized training.

Part of the training involves the Pennsylvania-based Catholic Leadership Institute, which

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has done leadership training and consulting for more than 75 U.S. dioceses.

Dan Cellucci, the Catholic Leadership Institute’s vice-president of learning and curriculum, said his organization trains leaders in smart goal-setting, planning and time management, interpersonal skills, how to run a meeting, and how to recruit administrators, staffers and volunteers.

The consolidation of staff and some programs can create problems, he told CNA in a recent interview.

“Just from a human resources standpoint, you’re trying to cover a lot of ground with fewer people. That’s always a challenge,” Cellucci said.

“On the other hand, it really does force people to make sure that they do know what is important. You can be more responsible with resources and maybe do more and think about things in a different way by looking at a different model for administering.”

Cellucci saw great promise in the archdiocese’s plan, noting that “all the churches are staying open, maintaining the unique identity of each parish, but also coming to a collaborative spirit.”

“They really understand that they are not doing this to constrict, to get smaller,” he added.

“They’re doing this to move toward evangelization, to move toward outreach.”

“They’re keeping these parishes open because the idea is to go out and get more people to come to these parishes.”

Both Cellucci and Father Soper stressed the importance of broad consultation with the clergy, staff and people of archdiocesan parishes before making significant changes.

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August 23, 2013

Anchor Editorial

Peace for Egypt

Christians, be they Catholic (from Latin and Eastern Rites), Orthodox, or Protestant, have been under fierce attack in Egypt over the last week. Coverage of Christian suffering, in the midst of so much other suffering in that ancient land, often has been an afterthought for the mainstream American media.

The Catholic News Agency reported Tuesday that Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak of Alexandria said that “out of love for our country and in solidarity with all lovers of Egypt, both Christians and Muslims,” the patriarchate would not call the crisis “a political struggle between different factions,” instead labeling it “a war against terrorism.”

Patriarch Sidrak also condemned “those media that promote lies and falsify the truth in order to mislead world public opinion.”

The United States is in a quandary about what to do about the situation in Egypt.

We, as Christians, need to appeal to God on behalf of the Christians and all the residents of Egypt, that they might have peace and justice truly flourish in their land, that all people’s lives and rights might be respected.

Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II said in a statement that the Coptic Orthodox “have full faith and confidence in the Divine intervention that will navigate the Egyptian people in this delicate time of our history to a better tomorrow and a brighter future filled with justice, peace, and democracy.”

There is a temptation in the West to either downplay the suffering of Christians (since we are really the “oppressors” of the world, so we “deserve it”) or they play it up, saying that it is part of an international struggle between Islam and Christianity (and thus, that all Moslems should be punished for these attacks). The Catholic Patriarch and the Coptic Pope do not see things in those ways — they made mention of the collaboration between Moslems and Christians to work for the betterment of Egypt and the protection of the Christian minority.

While the attacks were going on in Egypt, a mosque in Kondura, Nigeria was attacked by the extremist the Boko Haram movement. Boko Haram killed 44 of its fellow Moslems because they did not agree with the movement’s attacks on Christians and on democracy. This inter-Moslem violence could make us think of interChristian violence, such as during the wars after the Reformation or the violence in Northern Ireland.

Pope Francis in July wrote to Moslems around the world as they ended their holy month of Ramadan. He chose as his theme, “Promoting Mutual Respect Through

Education.” He elaborated, “This year’s theme is intended to underline the importance of education in the way we understand each other, built upon the foundation of mutual respect. ‘Respect’ means an attitude of kindness towards people for whom we have consideration and esteem. ‘Mutual’ means that this is not a one-way process, but something shared by both sides.”

It is obvious that some people in Egypt already share that mutual respect, while others do not.

“We are therefore called to think, speak and write respectfully of the other, not only in his presence, but always and everywhere, avoiding unfair criticism or defamation. Families, schools, religious teaching and all forms of media have a role to play in achieving this goal,” wrote the pope, reminding Christians and Moslems to not be cutting each other down when the “other” is not present, while putting on a pleasing face in public (something good to remember in our relationships with all people).

The pope then wrote something very timely: “Turning to mutual respect in interreligious relations, especially between Christians and Moslems, we are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values. Particular respect is due to religious leaders and to places of worship. How painful are attacks on one or the other of these!”

The pope also noted that many civil and religious leaders from the Moslem world were present at his inaugural Mass as Bishop of Rome and thanked them and hoped for continuing collaboration.

This coming week we celebrate the feasts of two saints who lived in North Africa, in a land once heavily populated by Christians: St. Monica and her son, St. Augustine. They lived before the beginning of Islam, but also faced hostility to the Catholic faith from heretical Christian sects and from pagans. They trusted in God and knew that the only secure home we have is not on this earth, but in Heaven. Monica reminded her sons of this when her other son expressed concern about getting her body back to North Africa after she died (she said that she didn’t care about that unimportant detail of where her burial place would be).

We pray through the intercession of SS. Monica and Augustine for the people of North Africa (since across that entire region there is unrest), that they might find the true peace that only Christ can give (even if they do not yet recognize Him as Lord, may they be guided by Him to have mutual respect for each other).

Pope Francis’ weekly Angelus address and prayer Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In today’s Liturgy we hear these words from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Let us run with perseverance the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the One that gives rise to faith and brings it to fulfillment” (Heb 12:1-2).

It’s an expression that we must emphasize especially in this Year of Faith. We, too, throughout this year, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, because faith, which is our “yes” to a filial relationship with God, comes from Him, comes from Jesus.

He is the only Mediator of this relationship between us and our Father Who is in Heaven. Jesus is the Son, and in Him we are the children.

But the Word of God this Sunday also contains a word from Jesus, which puts us in crisis, and that needs to be explained, because otherwise it may lead to misunderstanding.

Jesus says to His disciples: “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division” (Lk 12:51). What does this mean? It means that faith is not something decorative, ornamental, living the faith is not decorating your life with OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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a little of religion, as if it were a cake and you decorate it with cream. No, faith is not that.

Faith involves choosing God as a criterion — the basis of your life, and God is not empty; God is not neutral; God is always good; God is love; and love is positive!

After Jesus came into the world you cannot act as if you did not know God, as if God were an abstract thing, blank, a reference which is purely nominal.

No, God is concrete, God has a name: God is mercy; God is faithful; God is the life that is given to us all. This is why Jesus says, “I have come to bring division,” not that Jesus wants to divide people from each other, on the contrary, Jesus is our peace, He is our Reconciliation!

But this peace is not the peace of the tombs, it is not neutrality. Jesus does not bring neutrality, this peace is not a compromise at all costs. To follow Jesus means renouncing evil, selfishness and choosing the good, truth, justice, even when it requires sacrifice and renunciation of one’s interests.

And yes, it divides, as we know, also it divides the closest

ties. But beware: it is not Jesus Who divides! He gives the criterion: to live for themselves or to live for God and for others; to be served or to serve; to obey oneself or to obey God. It is in this sense that Jesus is the “sign of contradiction” (Lk 2, 34).

Thus, the Word of the Gospel does not authorize the use of force to spread the faith. It is just the opposite: the true strength of the Christian is the power of truth and love, which leads us to renounce all violence. Faith and violence are incompatible!

Instead, faith and courage go together. The Christian is not violent, but is strong. And with that force? That of meekness, the strength of gentleness, the power of love.

Dear friends, even among the relatives of Jesus there were some who at one point did not share His way of living and preaching, the Gospel tells us (cf. Mk 3:20-21). But His mother always faithfully followed Him, keeping the eyes of her heart fixed on Jesus, the Son of the Most High, and His mystery.

And finally, thanks to the faith of Mary, the family of

Jesus became part of the first Christian community (cf. Acts 1:14).

Ask Mary to help us also to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and follow Him always, even when it costs.

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy Word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

August 23, 2013

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uring his unprecedented airborne press conference returning from World Youth Day, Pope Francis’ candidly responded to 21 questions from journalists, but it was only his response to the last question that got much publicity. Because of distortions of the interpretation of his comments in the secular media, it’s caused some confusion among Catholics and non-Catholics alike that it’s important to dispel.

A reporter asked Pope Francis about Msgr. Battista Ricca, the director of the residence where the pope lives, whom Francis also appointed to help oversee the reforms of the Vatican Bank. Vaticanista Sandro Magister has written several recent articles documenting that when Msgr. Ricca worked in the Vatican diplomatic corps in Uruguay from 1999-2001, he was caught in flamboyant homosexual behavior.

The journalist queried what the pope intended to do about the allegations against Msgr.

Ricca and how he intended to confront the rumored “gay lobby” in the Vatican.

Pope Francis replied that he did a preliminary investigation of the case and found no evidence, something that Magister said occurred because someone working in the Vatican Secretariat of State had purged all the documentation sent by the former Uruguayan Nuncio

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Anchor Columnists Pope Francis and homosexuality in the clergy about Msgr. Ricca.

It’s totally unsurprising that The Holy Father added a pope who has been speaking something, however, that, in constantly about mercy since context, seems very relevant. his election and whose motto That if someone has commitemphasizes that God calls us ted a sin — not a crime, like the precisely through the experience sexual abuse of minors — and of His mercy would stress that has repented, sought forgiveness the Church’s first response must and received it, then we, like the be mercy.

Lord, must be open to mercy.

He specifically cited Putting Into the case of St. Peter, who apostasized, but after the Deep being forgiven by Jesus, was nevertheless made

By Father pope. If we don’t forgive Roger J. Landry others their sins, the pope added, then we risk God’s not forgiving us ours.

“If a person is gay and seeks But the pope also clarified the Lord and has good will,” that repentance is a precondition the pope now famously confor that clemency. He emphatinued, “who am I to judge?” sized, “If a person, lay, priest or He declared it’s one thing to Sister, has committed a sin and have homosexual tendencies; then converted.” One must adquite another to be part of a mit his sinful conduct, come to “gay lobby,” acting on same-sex receive forgiveness, and then live attractions and trying to advance an amended life consistent with the causes and careers of those the Christian call to chastity. who are part of a same-sex If a priest doesn’t want to network. repent but rather intends to conThe first thing to grasp tinue living a sexually-active gay about this conversation is that lifestyle, that’s another matter pope was responding not to a altogether. general question about “gays in Prior to the papacy, Carthe priesthood” but to a specific dinal Jorge Bergoglio stated query about a priest whom the repeatedly that what cannot be pope knows well and who seems tolerated in the clergy is “the to have been involved in conduct great hypocrisy of the double unbecoming a Christian — not life.” He said in “El Jesuita” that a to mention a priest — more priest “cannot scandalize a comthan a decade ago. munity and abuse the souls of

the faithful.” God’s mercy is for everyone, he stressed, including the faithful.

So the pope wasn’t establishing either a new practice or a new tone toward “gay clergy,” if by gay we mean someone living a gay lifestyle. He was simply reemphasizing that if a priest had engaged in sinful conduct and had converted from that unchaste life, that the Church has room for forgiveness and a second chance.

There was likewise much confusion in the secular media as to whether Pope Francis was altering the Church’s practice with regard to priests and future priests with same-sex attractions. He wasn’t.

The Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education in 2005 reiterated the Church’s practice in 2005. “The Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, present deepseated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called ‘gay lifestyle.’”

If someone is already a priest, he’s a priest forever, and like any priest, is called to live his chaste celibacy faithfully. The Church has never considered kicking faithful priests out of the priesthood simply for same-sex attractions.

With regard to seminarians, it should be obvious why those who are engaging in unchaste and sinful homosexual activity or those who are living or promoting the gay lifestyle in opposition to Church teaching are unfit for the priesthood.

It’s more complicated with regard to those whose same-sex attractions are profoundly rooted and a constitutive part of their self-identity. The Church is making a prudential judgment that since such men would confront so many issues in their priestly formation, life and work, it’s not advantageous to ordain them.

The recent experience of “gay lobbies” or “lavender mafias” in certain seminaries and diocesan presbyterates have brought this issue of the inadvisability of ordaining those with deep-seated same-sex attractions to the forefront, as has the clergy sexual abuse crisis, in which more than 80 percent of the abuse has involved the same-sex molestation of post-pubescent boys.

After several decades in which the Church’s perennial and prudent policy wasn’t followed in many places and led to serious harm, the Church has returned to it.

And Pope Francis is showing no signs of changing it.

Anchor columnist Father Landry is pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River. His email address is fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

Called to wash and prepare: A tale of two homilies

reetings friends! I hope your summer has been an enjoyable one, and I hesitate to say this but, with the onslaught of “Back-to-School” reminders everywhere, I hope you are preparing to welcome in a beautiful fall. I use the word “prepare” in my previous sentence to segue into my theme for this month’s column.

Recently, two homilies have touched me and I feel it fitting to share their messages with you.

The first of the two is from a few Sundays ago. The priest was addressing the parishioners in front of him with the message that we must wash each other’s feet, just as Jesus washed ours. He washed our feet so that we may go and do the same in order to be a model of Christian love, for it is through this act that we care for others, that we show concern and respect. In fact, his homily ended quite starkly, but I rather liked it. He finished his message by looking out to

us all and clearly and firmly said, “Wash each other’s feet,” before turning and leading us in a moment of reflection.

Now, he hadn’t spoken for very long, and I remember saying out loud, quietly of course, “That’s it?” almost in surprised satisfaction that his message had been succinct but impactful. It was indeed, it. Maybe five minutes had been spent on a very simple message. Love one another and wash each other’s feet. Period.

Now the second homily was just last weekend, at a different church. It was conducted by the parish deacon, and clearly his homiletics class paid off. He was brilliant. He started off his message, which culminated in a longer, more gradual understanding of his ultimate concept, with a story about his high school track team. He spoke about how his team was constantly working

to improve. For three-and-ahalf years he and his running mates struggled, and trained, struggled, and trained. They couldn’t seem to qualify for any of the major meets, but in their senior year they were motivated by this constancy of coming up short to make

Radiate Your Faith

By Renee Bernier

it to states. So their coach called them together and told them he was going to “prepare them,” a concept never before considered, as they had always “run together,” “trained together,” “worked out together,” etc.

But this word “prepare” was an umbrella term for all of what they had been doing together previously and at the same

time, a mindset they had never adopted as a way to approach their challenges. And so, this preparation as a team enabled them to reach their goals, and they made states that year. The priest summed up his message by saying that just as his team had to prepare properly to win their meets, so do we as Christians have to prepare to bring about the Kingdom of God, we have to prepare to meet Him one day and live lives that will be worthy of Him for when we do.

It is in thinking about these two homilies that I draw a connection. It goes without saying that there are many things we can do to prepare ourselves for God, just as it is evident that there are many ways we can wash each other’s feet without literally grabbing the nearest basin and soap. But in general terms, in order to prepare to meet our God, isn’t part of that wash-

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ing each other’s feet? Isn’t it sharing the love of Christ with others, so they too can come to know His Kingdom? Maybe saying it another way will help us understand. By washing each other’s feet, by bringing this love into the world, we are preparing for the coming of the Kingdom. We are striving to make the world a more loving place, we are striving to meet our neighbors where they are at and taking their hand (or foot), and guiding them. These two clerics shared separate messages that were able to share one meaning for me: We must be Christ-like in our actions, so that when we meet Him, we can say: “I washed another’s feet. I tried to prepare.” Because really, all we can do is try our best, everyday, to be the best we can be. Jesus sees this, and He will rejoice in it! God bless.

Anchor columnist Renee Bernier is a Stonehill College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

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August 23, 2013

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n this week’s Gospel, Jesus is asked the question, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus’ answer begins with an instruction. He says “Strive to enter by the narrow gate.” We may ask, “What on earth does that mean?” We need to listen very carefully.

Jesus said, “Follow Me,” to His disciples of old and to His disciples through the ages.

“Follow Me,” Jesus is saying to us now. “Follow Me through the narrow gate. Do what I have done. Live as I have lived.

I came to do the will of My Father. I came not to be served but to serve.”

Follow Me through that narrow gate. Whatever is happening to you, bad as it may seem, however disconnected you may be feeling, even if the whole world seems to be closing in on you, believe in your heart that nothing happens to you outside the scope of God’s concern.

Listen to Jesus’ personal invitation to follow Him through that narrow gate and experience the joy of being able to say with a personal conviction, “The Father loves me; right now, He loves

Strive to enter by the narrow gate

me. Even though I am now feelcommunity; to realize that ing overwhelmed by unwelcome God’s Resurrection power is events, I know and believe that experienced in our own death as the Father loves me and is with well as in the death of Jesus. We me through it all.” are all going to die, every one of Jesus said that in order to save our life we have to lose it. In order to Homily of the Week enter into the fullness of Twenty-first Sunday life — “Christ-life” — we in Ordinary Time need to attend a whole series of funerals of our

By Deacon lesser selves. In order to Robert Lorenzo enter into the “New Life” we need to die the “little deaths.” us. We are moving toward death The truth of the Christian with each passing moment. The Gospel can be stated in the people we love are going to die. form of a paradox: We live by One of the most unfortunate dying. “I die daily,” said the things about modern civilization Apostle Paul. And, in Jesus’ own is the unwillingness to face this words, “Unless a grain of wheat honestly and openly. We say, falls to the ground and dies, it “Let’s change the subject; it’s too remains just a grain of wheat; morbid.” We don’t want to talk but if it dies, it bears much fruit” about it. We try to hide it. We (Jn. 12:24). try to repress it. But no matter One of the reasons we gather how much we try, it continues each week for celebration is to on a subconscious level with the remember the Resurrection power to tear us apart. event: to look back on this inConsider at this very mocredible thing that happened to ment, each of us is dying, parJesus of Nazareth and to realize tially. But the God Who created that it is a continuing experius, is creating a resurrected body ence in the life of the Christian for us. We will move into the

next life in the resurrected body, and death will be transformed into new life, and despair into joy. This is what resurrection means in terms of our own death.

But that’s only part of the story. God’s Resurrection power works not only in and through our final death but also through our daily deaths.

Every day there is a process of death and resurrection going on. We are all going through all kinds of daily deaths and, in them, the Resurrection power of God is always working to give us new life: greater freedom, greater joy, and deeper hope.

Husbands and wives know that Marriages go through periods of death; that certain things in Marriage are outgrown and left behind and are no longer useful; that a new kind of relationship comes into being within the Marriage, a new understanding between the Marriage partners. But the process often is painful. Moving from death to resurrection can be very hard for the people

involved. But whether the process calls for the resurrection of a good relationship or the dissolution of a destructive one, God’s Resurrection power is always present in that situation, and the healing comes when we allow ourselves to experience this presence.

Jesus was asked about how many would be saved. The issue, however, is not how many but who will be saved. The saved are those who don’t merely accompany Jesus, but who freely choose to follow Him “to Jerusalem” and all that this journey involves. The door of salvation will be open only to all those who have chosen to pass through the “narrow gate” of self-surrender.

As we celebrate our Sacred Liturgy this Sunday, let us be mindful of God’s Resurrection power within us and listen carefully to Jesus’ words: “Strive to enter by the narrow gate. And do not be afraid, you’ll not lose your way. I’ll be with you, leading the way. Follow Me.” Deacon Lorenzo is assigned to St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. August 24, Rv 21:9b-14; Ps 145:10-13ab,17-18; Jn 1:45-51. Sun. August 25, Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 66:18-21; Ps 117:1-2; Heb 12:5-7,11-13; Lk 13:22-30. Mon. August 26, 1 Thes 1:1-5,8b-10; Ps 149:1-6,9; Mt 23:13-22. Tues. August 27, 1 Thes 2:1-8; Ps 139:1-3,4-6; Mt 23:23-26.

Wed. August 28, 1 Thes 2:9-13; Ps 139:7-12; Mt 23:27-32. Thurs. August 29, 1 Thes 3:7-13; Ps 90:3-4,12-14,17; Mk 6:17-29. Fri. August 30, 1 Thes 4:1-8; Ps 97:1-2,56,10-12; Mt 25:1-13.

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The Civil War sesquicentennial: summer reading

s I remember it, the Civil War centenary, which coincided with my middle school years, got far more public attention than the war’s sesquicentennial has received. There were a flurry of Gettysburg sesquicentennial columns and book reviews in July; the Civil War Daily Gazette (www.civilwardailygazette. com) provides a reminder, in detail and every 24 hours, of the drama that was unfolding across the land, 150 years ago; Tommy Lee Jones did the impossible by rendering Thaddeus Stevens an attractive character in the Spielberg film, “Lincoln.” But it would be a stretch to say that this colossal event, which made the United States an “is” rather than an “are,” is prominent in the nation’s consciousness in this anniversary period.

That strikes me as a shame, and not only because I’m a Civil War buff who imagines it something of a pilgrimage to visit the Round Tops and the High Water Mark at Gettys-

Freedom” (Oxford Univerburg National Military Park sity Press): the best one-stopseveral times a year. The issues shopping overview of the that consumed more than Civil War era and a marvel of 600,000 American lives over concision, even if the author’s four years — the nature of the equality affirmed in the nation’s birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence; the relationship of the national government to state and local governments;

By George Weigel the morality of various forms of intrusion and coercion in providing interpretations fall comfortably for the common defense and securing the general welfare — within the canonical (which is to say, the winner’s) view of are alive and deeply contested why what happened, happened. today. Indeed, the divisions McPherson also shows how among us are such that some the Mexican War made the would say that our national Civil War virtually inevitable, a life today is a civil war being crucial point that is, I suspect, conducted by other means. as unstressed in whatever hisLearning from the past might — just might — give us tory is taught to America’s next generation these days as it was some insight into the ordered liberty, with justice for all, that when I was a boy.

Shelby Foote’s trilogy, “The we are pledged to seek as a Civil War” (Modern Library), nation.

If you’re just getting started, is the American “Iliad”: a literary masterpiece by a son of the place to begin learning Mississippi who had the largeabout the Civil War is James ness of perspective and spirit to McPherson’s “Battle Cry of

The Catholic Difference

tell filmmaker Ken Burns that the Civil War had produced two men of genius, Abraham Lincoln and Confederate cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forrest. The set-piece opening of Foote’s first volume, Jefferson Davis’s farewell speech to the U.S. Senate, is as evocative a piece of writing as you’ll find in narrative history on this scale.

The new social history has made a mess of a lot of Clio’s discipline. But in the hands of the University of Virginia’s Gary Gallagher, the methods of social history have yielded two volumes, “The Confederate War” and “The Union War” (Harvard University Press), that shed important light on who was fighting for what, and why, through the use of hitherto unexplored caches of letters and diaries, and a close study of contemporary journalism. Gallagher’s works, which stress the experience and motivations of ordinary Americans on both sides of the

war, are essential complements to Foote and McPherson.

I spent the Gettysburg sesquicentennial reading Noah Andre Trudeau’s “Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage” (Harper Perennial), a fine piece of work published a decade ago. The virtually unanimous praise I’ve seen for Allen Guelzo’s new study of the Civil War’s most important campaign and battle, “Gettysburg: The Last Invasion” (Knopf ), suggests that there will always be more to learn and to ponder about this hingepoint of, not simply American history, but world history.

And then there is Charles Bracelen Flood’s “Lee: The Last Years” (Mariner Books), a moving account of a noble life’s final act, the example of which presaged the national reconciliation that was not inevitable, but which eventually gave new moral strength to the American democratic experiment.

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

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August 23, 2013

Saved from abortion, Chilean twin brothers are now priests Santiago, Chile (CNA/ EWTN News) — Two twin brothers in Chile say that their mother’s determination in protecting them from abortion despite the advice of doctors helped to foster their vocations to the priesthood.

“How can I not defend the God of life?” said Father Paulo Lizama. “This event strengthened my vocation and gave it a specific vitality, and therefore, I was able to give myself existentially to what I believe.”

“I am convinced of what I believe, of what I am and of what

I speak, clearly by the grace of God,” he told CNA. Father Paulo and his identical twin brother, Father Felipe, were born in 1984 in the Chilean town of Lagunillas de Casablanca.

Before discovering her pregnancy, their mother, Rosa Silva, had exposed herself to x-rays while performing her duties as a paramedic. Consequently, after confirming the pregnancy, her doctor conducted ultrasounds and informed her that he had seen “something strange” in the image.

“The baby has three arms and

its feet are sort of entangled. It also has two heads,” he told her.

Although abortion for “therapeutic” reasons was legal at the time in Chile and doctors told her that her life was in danger, Rosa opposed the idea and said she would accept whatever God would send her.

“The Lord worked and produced a twin pregnancy. I don’t know if the doctors were wrong or what,” Father Felipe said.

“I always think with special affection and tenderness in the heart of my mother who gave her life for me, for us,”

Romania implored to return Communist-seized churches

Washington D.C., (CNA/EWTN News) — A group of 20 U.S. lawmakers is pushing the State Department to encourage Romania’s government to return property confiscated from minority religious groups under the former communist regime.

After World War II, the Romanian Catholic Church “wasn’t allowed their buildings — religious objects were seized: it’s about time to make things right,” U.S. Congressman Andy Harris (R-Md.) told CNA recently.

“That’s our hope, that the Romanian government does reparations for what’s been seized, and makes things right.”

Harris authored a letter, signed by a bi-partisan group of 12 Republicans and seven Democrats, asking the U.S. Department of State to “vigorously engage the Romanian government to end the travesty of justice which it has perpetuated by failing to fully restitute properties illegally confiscated from religious denominations after 1945.”

Romania was behind the Iron Curtain following World War II, and in 1948 the country’s communist government forcibly dissolved the Romanian Catholic Church, which is a Byzantine — or Greek — rite Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. It is headed by the Major Archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Iulia, Cardinal Lucian Muresan.

When the Church was dissolved, its properties were given to the Romanian Orthodox Church.

The communist party’s practice of confiscating church properties in Romania primarily affected Romanian Catholics, but properties of the Hungarian Reform, Lutherans and Unitarians were also seized. Jewish properties were also confiscated.

Some 86 percent of Romanians are Orthodox, and five percent are Roman Catholic.

Romanian Catholics account for only one percent of the country’s population.

After the communist regime fell in 1989, the Romanian government continued to deny Romanian Catholics the use of their churches, and until 2004 even prohibited them from being able to file lawsuits to win the churches back.

According to the Department of State’s 2012 International Religious Freedom Report, many lawsuits since 2004 have been delayed in court, and there have been moves in the Romanian parliament to stop restitution processes that would return the properties to their original owners.

The State Department has repeatedly called the Romanian government’s failure to transfer properties back to the Romanian Catholic Church a “significant problem.”

“The lack of progress on restitution of churches transferred by the former communist government to the Orthodox Church in 1948 remained a significant problem,” its latest report on international religious freedom stated.

The U.S. Congress adopted a resolution in 2005 calling for the restitution of religious properties in Romania.

The letter authored by Harris noted that “unfortunately, the Romanian response has been a pattern of disregard, delay, obfuscation and hindrance.”

It also noted several offenses by the Romanian government against religious freedom which happened in 2013 alone.

Particular attention was given to an April 17 law which “delays and complicates restitution” and

an April 23 law “which deliberately omitted return of archival materials” which were seized from religious minorities in 1947.

“Rep. Chris Smith has cited the thousands of claims received by the European Court of Human Rights in Romanian property matters,” it added.

The State Department issued a letter in response, signed by acting assistant secretary Thomas B. Gibbons, who said that property restitution “is an Administration priority that we have long raised with Romania and other European partners.”

“Advocating for the rights of Romania’s religious and ethnic minorities, including the rights of the Jewish, Hungarian, Greek-Catholic and Roma communities, is a key priority of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.”

The Romanian Greek-Catholic Association, a Californiabased advocacy group for Romanian Catholics, thanked the members of Congress who sent the letter to the State Department, and voiced hope that the initiative will lead to a respect for “basic human rights” in the country.

“Their initiative provided hope for so many Catholics in Romania who are striving to have their human rights respected and be able to worship freely and without constraint in their own churches,” said Father Chris Terhes, president of the association and a priest of the Romanian Eparchy of St. George’s in Canton, Ohio.

He called on lawmakers to continue demanding that Romanian officials “restitute the properties confiscated under the communist regime, which would close a sad chapter of the Romanian history and help the country evolve to a functional democracy.”

Father Paolo added.

The two brothers were born on Sept. 10, 1984. Felipe was born first, and when the placenta would not detach, doctors suggested scraping her womb. Silva refused however, saying she felt another baby was coming out.

Paulo was born 17 minutes later.

“This last detail is very significant for me,” Father Paulo said.

“The doctors inserted instruments to remove the placenta because it wouldn’t come out. My mother knew that I was there. I was late, but I came out.” Had doctors scraped his mother’s womb, he would likely have been “gravely injured.”

The twins learned about the circumstances of their birth when they were in the sixth year of seminary formation.

“It was surely the wisdom of my mother and her heart that allowed us to learn of such an amazing event at the right time,” Father Paulo said, reflected that while he had always thought his priestly vocation came during adolescence, he later realized that God was working in his life from the beginning, thanks to the “yes” of his mother.

Although they grew up in a Catholic home, the Lizama brothers drifted away from the faith and stopped attending Mass. However, their parents’ separation and divorce led them back to the Church, and they received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

At the time, Father Paulo said, he lacked conviction in his faith but was attracted by the Blessed Sacrament, Gregorian chant, and the silent reverence of prayer.

Father Felipe said he was drawn to God through a priest, Father Reinaldo Osorio, who

would later become his formation director at the seminary.

“God was calling me. I realized that it was in God and in the things of God that I was happy, there was no doubt: I wanted to be a priest,” he recalled.

Despite being close, the two brothers did not talk about their vocations with each other.

“I don’t know who felt the call first,” Father Paulo said. “I think God did things the right way in order to safeguard the freedom of our response.”

In March 2003, they both entered the seminary. While it was difficult for the family to accept the brothers’ decision at first, their mother told them after the first year of formation that she was at peace, realizing that they were happy.

The twins were ordained priests on April 28, 2012, and celebrated their first Mass at Our Lady of Mercies in Lagunillas.

Now, a year after their ordination, Father Felipe serves at the parish of St. Martin of Tours in Quillota, and Father Paulo serves at the parish of the Assumption of Mary in Achupallas.

“God doesn’t mess around with us. He wants us to be happy, and the priesthood is a beautiful vocation and that makes us completely happy,” Father Felipe said.

Following Jesus is not easy but it is beautiful, added Father Paulo.

“Jesus, the Church and the world need us,” he explained.

“But they don’t need just any young person: they need young people empowered by the truth of God, so that their very lives convey life, their smiles convey hope, their faces convey faith and their actions convey love.”

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August 23, 2013

Diocese identifies ‘mystery’ priest at scene of accident in Missouri

ST. LOUIS (CNS) — The identity of a “mystery” priest who prayed with a young woman at the scene of an accident in central Missouri has been solved.

The Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo., has identified the priest as Father Patrick Dowling, a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, who is currently serving in prison ministry and in parish ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics in the diocese.

For days after the accident, which occurred August 4, local and national media described an “angel priest” or a “mystery priest” suddenly appearing at the scene to pray with an accident victim and then just as suddenly vanishing.

A recent statement from

the diocese noted that Father Dowling was traveling that Sunday on state Highway 19 between Mass assignments in northern and central Missouri. He stopped at the accident scene near Center, where 19-year-old Katie Lentz of Quincy, Ill., was trapped in her car with serious injuries.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Aaron Smith, 26, of New London, Mo., had crossed the center line and struck Lentz head-on. The Missouri Highway Patrol, New London Rural Fire, Hannibal Fire and Ralls County Sheriff ’s departments assisted at the accident site. The priest discovered late that week that his presence at the accident had become the center of media attention.

11

August 23, 2013

Father Kenneth Gumbert, OP, Associate Professor of Film Studies in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Film at Providence College in Rhode Island and a priest in residence at St. Bernadette’s Parish in Fall River, discusses a scene from director John Ford’s film “Fort Apache” during his presentation “The Catholic Imagination in Hollywood Directors” that closed out the summer series at Christ the King Parish in Mashpee last week. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Colombia to host 2014 World Congress on Divine Mercy Bogotá, Colombiam (CNA/ EWTN News) — The Bishops’ Conference of Colombia has announced that the capital city of Bogota will be the site of the third World Apostolic Congress on Divine Mercy, to be held Aug. 15-19, 2014.

Bishop Julio Hernando Garcia of Istima Tado, who heads the committee charged with organizing the event, made the announcement during a recent press conference.

He said the congress will be “a platform for healing the wounds of the conflict that has shaken the country for more than 60 years.”

“All of the problems that we are living through and experiencing in the country pose an enormous challenge, such that the congress can’t be simply a pious experience. It also must have a social transcendence that implies political and economic commitments and very concrete realities,” the bishop said.

The announcement was made amid ongoing peace talks between the Colombian government and the rebel group FARC after half a century of armed conflict that has resulted in more than 600,000 deaths.

Previously, the World Congress on Divine Mercy has been held in Rome in 2006 and in Poland in 2011.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, president of the congress, called the 2014 gathering a “great opportunity for Colombia because the country is in the process of recon-

ciliation and peace, and the more the message of the mercy of God is made known, the more people are able to live out all of this.”

The secretary of the Colombian bishops’ conference, Bishop Jose Daniel Falla Robles, said that forgiveness is an important aspect of the faith and that “there needs to be peace, Reconciliation and forgiveness in the heart, and this demands that we show mercy.”

“We don’t know how the peace process will end,” he said. “I hope we could all know, but the congress on mercy will come after this, and without or without a signed accord, the Church has the duty to work for mercy. It is our duty to draw near to the suffering of each person.”

“In fact,” he continued, “the word mercy comes from drawing near in heart to those who suffer, to human misery, to injustices, to those families that have been divested of everything because of the violence in our country.”

“We need to create a mentality of closeness to those who suffer.”

12

August 23, 2013

Film tour hopes to reignite devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe Denver, Colo. (CNA) — The promotional tour of a recent film on the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe has helped reawaken devotion to the Patroness of the Americas, while inspiring a deeper conversion among Catholics.

“We need things that are artistic, that leave impressions, that will help guide people back to our faith,” Tim Watkins, director of “The Blood and the Rose,” recently told CNA. The film centers around three major aspects of the apparition of the Virgin Mother to St. Juan Diego: the historical background; the apparition itself and Mary’s message; and the scientific analysis of the image on the tilma.

“Even though this image was made in 1531, there are still things that we found in the 20th century that made us go, ‘Oh wow,’” Watkins explained.

“It begs the question: what else is in this image that hasn’t been discovered yet?”

Careful study and inspection of the image throughout recent history has yielded surprising discoveries about the image, such as the tiny human figures and faces that appear in the life-like eyes of the Virgin and the way the stars on her mantle match the constellations at the winter solstice of 1531.

In promoting his film, Watkins hopes Catholics will be strengthened in their faith while growing bolder in proclaiming the Gospel.

While researching the film, Watkins said he discovered more about the apparition than he could have imagined — something he hopes viewers will experience when they see the film.

“They know bits and pieces, but they don’t know the fascinating totality of the story,” he

said. “There’s something in (the film) that people do not know.”

While the film is meant to be a work of art inspired by the apparition, it also explores the humble sanctity of St. Juan Diego, the faithful messenger to whom the Virgin Mother appeared.

“I’m not worthy to touch the tassels of Mary’s gown, but what I am capable of doing is achieving the kind of life Juan Diego lived.”

The saint, Watkins added, is an example of “humble, childlike faith,” whom we can all emulate.

“What we try to do with the film is inspire people to be like Juan Diego, the servant who heard the Word and spread it.”

To that end, Watkins has established the Messenger Eagle Foundation — an organization dedicated to catechizing Catholics and helping them spread the Gospel in their parts of the world. The name is taken from St. Juan Diego’s native name, Cauthatlatohuac, which means “the eagle who speaks.”

The film, which was released in January, has been shown to audiences nationally as well as in several different countries, including Brazil, where the film was shown to World Youth Day audiences.

At each showing, a reflection on St. Juan Diego and the work of a special local charitable organization is given before the film. Following that is a reflection from the local bishop or a priest.

“Hopefully it becomes a fulcrum to an awakening to get us out of being pacifists in the pews to a point where we’re helping our priests succeed by getting their message to a bigger community,” Watkins reflected.

To learn more about the film, or to request a screening in your area, visit thebloodandtherose.com.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, August 25, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Thomas E. Costa Jr., pastor of Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton

Liam Hemsworth, Embeth Davidtz, Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford star in a scene from the movie “Paranoia.”For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Focus Features)

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

“Jobs” (Open Road) This history of the fluctuating fortunes of Steve Jobs, founder of the Apple computer empire, may not be the worst film biography of all time, but it certainly earns an unenviable place in the pantheon of lame screen profiles. Ashton Kutcher, directed

by Joshua Michael Stern from a script by Matt Whiteley, portrays Jobs as an amoral, monomaniacal tyrant who cheats all who come into contact with him. He also abuses his co-workers — most prominently the strangely faithful Steve Wozniak ( Josh Gad) — and tries to dodge responsibility for his live-in girlfriend’s (Ahna O’Reilly) baby. Yet this stultifying movie also incongruously confirms Jobs’ self-proclaimed status as a technology guru, giving him platitudes to deliver while inspirational background music swells.

Cohabitation, two scenes of drug use, a couple of instances of profanity, frequent crass language.

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

“Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (Weinstein) The personal collides with the political in this affecting factbased drama adapted by director Lee Daniels from a 2008 Wash-

ington Post article by reporter Wil Haygood. Escaping the vicious racism of the early 20th-century Deep South, a plantation worker (Forest Whitaker) makes his way to Washington, where he eventually finds coveted employment on the domestic staff of the White House. But his patient hope that white Americans — led by the series of presidents he works with at close hand, from Dwight D. Eisenhower (Robin Williams) to Ronald Reagan (Alan Rickman) — will see the light on racial issues increasingly conflicts with the civil rights activism of his older son (David Oyelowo). And the long hours he puts in at the executive mansion leave his strong-willed but fragile wife (Oprah Winfrey) feeling neglected. Appealing performances, especially Winfrey’s complex portrayal, and a surprisingly nuanced view of the various chief executives — an irretrievably self-absorbed Richard Nixon ( John Cusack) alone excepted — keep the unfolding events from feeling like a chronological checklist of postwar history.

While vulgar language and other red-flag content would normally prevent recommendation for any but grown-ups, the moral significance of this uplifting journey — undertaken within a context of implicit religious faith and strong marital commitment — is such that at least some parents may consider it acceptable for older teens. Occasional action violence, an adultery theme, numerous mature references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, a couple of rough terms, some crude and crass lan-

guage. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“Paranoia” (Relativity) Fundamentally moral but dramatically stale thriller about a professionally thwarted computer whiz kid (Liam Hemsworth) whose envy-driven ambition gets him caught up in the cutthroat rivalry between two former partners (Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford) who now head competing tech corporations. Sent by one to steal the game-changing product the other is about to launch, he falls for an executive (Amber Heard) of the company he’s infiltrating while ignoring the sensible guidance of his working-class father (Richard Dreyfuss). Though the twisting path of the plot feels well-rutted, the main character’s journey to redemption in director Robert Luketic’s screen version of Joseph Finder’s novel sees him ultimately rejecting ethical nihilism in favor of old-fashioned standards of right and wrong. Some action violence, semi-graphic premarital sexual activity, an offscreen casual encounter, numerous sexual jokes and references, a couple of uses of profanity, at least one rough term, occasional crude and crass language. The Catholic News Service classification is AIII — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

13

August 23, 2013

Catholic spokesman defends Egyptian army crackdown against protesters

OXFORD, England (CNS) — A spokesman for Egypt’s Catholic Church defended a police and army crackdown against Egyptians protesting the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi.

“The military tried to evacuate this sit-in by the Muslim Brotherhood, but they (Brotherhood members) went out and set fire to important sites, including many churches,” said Father Hani Bakhoum Kiroulos, a spokesman for the Catholic Coptic Church.

“This is a problem not just for Christians but also for moderate Muslims. We are facing a group of terrorists who seek to set the whole country ablaze, and we have to cooperate together against this,” he said.

Egypt’s Health Ministry confirmed August 15 that more than 500 protesters and police were killed and more than 3,700 injured when security forces used bulldozers, tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protest camps in Cairo and other cities around the country, In a recent Catholic News Service interview, Father Kiroulos said Western media had falsified the situation in Egypt by portraying the conflict as political when it mostly concerned violent acts by a small minority of Egypt’s 82.5 million inhabitants.

“The security forces are doing their best, but the situation is uneasy. They don’t want to attack or kill fellow-Egyptians, but they have to stop people who come at them with arms,” he said.

Coptic Catholic Bishop Kyrillos William of Assiut told Vatican Radio that the government action and the reaction of the Muslim Brotherhood were not unexpected “because Egypt won’t accept an Islamic state.”

The majority, he said, “wants to separate religion from the state.”

Morsi supporters were “shouting slogans against the government, against the police and against the Christians because they are persuaded that all three are the cause of the fall of Morsi’s regime.”

The demonstrators “burned various churches, including one of ours, the one belonging to the Franciscan convent in Assiut,” he said. They climbed the wall and entered the compound, burning the cars that were in the courtyard, setting on fire a souvenir stand, and then set-

ting afire the church “after having profaned it by throwing the tabernacle on the ground.”

They also burned an Orthodox church and a Seventh-day

Italian Catholic order said she had been in contact with fellow nuns in Catholic schools in two southern provinces. Both schools had been burned Au-

stay calm, avoid violent reactions and wait for this moment to pass.”

He said Church leaders hoped to form a joint commis-

A boy sits amid debris of a protest camp outside the burned Rabaa Adawiya mosque in Cairo recently.

A prominent Egyptian bishop said his country will not have a civil war, and international bodies should not intervene. (CNS photo/Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Reuters)

Adventist church in the city, the bishop said.

In el-Qusiya, Bishop William said, the demonstrators started going toward a convent of nuns, “but then some wise people, including Muslims — said to them, ‘What have they done wrong? They’ve been doing good here for 70 years.’ And they chased them off.”

Christian sources said seven Catholic churches were attacked by Muslim extremist mobs in Upper Egypt. They said 25 places of worship belonging to the Coptic Orthodox and Protestant churches, and at least 100 Christian homes and shops, a school and convent were burned.

Father Fady Saady, Coptic Catholic priest from the Egyptian city of Naqada, said no one had come to church August 16.

Fridays are days off in predominantly Muslim Egypt.

“They are afraid to leave their houses; so far nothing has happened here, but no one knows when something could,” he said.

Father Saady said some members of his parish were “working alongside Muslims to protect the police stations” that have also been burned in the violence engulfing the country.

A Cairo-based nun from an

gust 15, said the nun, who was afraid to give her name.

And a Catholic education facility in Minya was burned in the violence as well, according to Jesuit Father Mohsen Ghaly.

“I went yesterday to Minya ... we discovered the state of destruction. There is much material damage ... the windows of the residence and the school are smashed by stones ... the bus and the cars are all burned as well,” Father Ghaly wrote in an email to his fellow Jesuits August 16. A copy of the email was sent to CNS. In Cairo, Maryknoll Father Douglas May said on his Facebook page that German nuns for whom he was scheduled to celebrate Mass August 16 expressed concern that some Holy Cross Sisters had received a “warning note.” He did not specify what was in the note.

Father Kiroulos said the Church was telling people “to

sion to defend Christian sites and said he had been in touch with police and army officials to explain Catholic needs.

“It’s normal in any country

with problems for minorities to suffer,” said the priest. “The attackers want Christians to pay the price for supporting democracy and to play up tensions between Christians and Muslims, calculating we will then go into the streets and do the same to Muslims. But this isn’t our intention.”

Some Egyptians have criticized Christian leaders for backing the June 30 military overthrow of Morsi. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and Egypt’s grand imam, Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb, appeared alongside Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during his televised announcement.

Father Kiroulos denied that the Catholic Coptic Church had backed the June military intervention.

“The Church did not support a military coup — on the contrary, the military supported the desire of the people, and the Church is part of the people,” said the priest, who is secretary to Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak.

“As Egyptian Coptic Catholics, we aren’t asking for help or protection from outside the country, only from our own government and military. This is our right — and it’s the duty of the authorities, who are doing their best.”

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14

L

August 23, 2013

Not par for the course

There are plenty of things in ast week marked the life that irritate and aggravate three-month anniversary of my diskectomy, and I’ve me, but none more fun than golf. been under instructions not Over the last three months, to do anything strenuous or I would occasionally mimic a “stupid.”

So I celebrated the event by golf swing while cooking in the kitchen. That always seemed calling the man who cut and to catch Emilie’s eye, evoking pasted a new disk for me — my surgeon.

You see, I’ve been chomping at the bit for weeks now, wondering when I could pick up a golf club again and start swinging.

By Dave Jolivet Every weekend I stare at the TV screen, watching the PGA and LPGA pros doing what I want the annoying “daaaaaaad.” Igor, too would also raise an eyeto do most in the world. brow, but that’s only because I’ve even been playing she thought food for her was World Golf Tour on the computer, which is a pretty realistic involved.

Back to my main point. I computer game on the PC (or celebrated the anniversary by Mac), and it’s free. I’ve had to calling my surgeon to find out stay away from Wii golf — I have to actually swing the joy- when I could be released from my golf exile. stick on that one.

I left a message and received These diversions have been a call back within a short OK, but my desire is to get period. The voice on the other back on the course, lose balls, end said, “Dave, you’re not hit trees, and find every water going to like what I have to and sand trap. How I miss say.” I replied, “We have a bad playing!

My View From the Stands

This week in

50 years ago — The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine announced it was offering courses in doctrine and methods for CCD teachers in five areas of the diocese. The eight-week doctrine course would be conducted by the five area CCD directors; the eight week methods course were to be conducted by Sisters of five communities working in the diocese.

25 years ago — A Diocesan Council of Catholic Women leadership team from the Fall River Diocese conducted a structure/ leadership seminar in Springfield for members of that diocese’s newly-organized council. Techniques presented by the Fall River team provided leaders of the Springfield diocese with skills and information needed to affiliate area groups with the new DCCW.

connection. I can’t hear you.”

“Nice try,” came the response. To make a short story long, I was told I could resume my golfing activities ... in 2014.

I did not expect that response. I had already told Msgr. Tom Harrington and my other golf partners I’d be ready by September.

I was never told that by anyone, it was just a date I had in my head.

Msgr. Harrington, always the optimist, told me we’d have a big celebration next spring when I get out there again. Another partner expressed his disappointment and offered his condolences.

And Emilie’s beau, Danny, went out and played two rounds that week. I’ll get even with him.

As disappointing as the news was, I know that so many others have real problems they deal with every day. If being shut down from golf for the year is the least of my worries, I’m a blessed man.

And, I’ll save a fortune on golf balls this year too.

diocesan history

10 years ago — Students joined nearly 20 staff members in opening the doors of the magnificent new St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth. The state-of-the art structure would be home for students in grades prek through four, with the addition of a new grade each school year up to grade eight. “It’s a great joy to open the doors to the children of the parish and neighboring parishes,” said St. Pius X pastor Msgr. John A. Smith.

One year ago — Christ the King Parish of Mashpee brought its summer Catholic reflection speaker series to a close when Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Dorothy Day, presented her talk on Day’s legacy, including Day’s work in the Catholic Worker Movement.

Fairhaven feast has deep history continued from page one

he said, adding that while other clubs and organizations may do the same, often those groups concentrate on one demographic.

“The soccer clubs were for the men, the feasts were for the families,” said Cabral. “It brings families together.”

The feast of Our Lady of Angels is steeped in a rich history that began when four “sons” of Água de Pau — Antonio S. Garrafa, Jose S. Martin, Jose Bento Silva and Manuel Machado Marshall — initiated a door-to-door campaign in the Portuguese neighborhoods of Fairhaven, New Bedford, Fall River and Taunton to raise money to commission a statue carved in the exact image of the statue found in the church of Our Lady of Angels in Água de Pau. After raising $800, Portuguese sculptor Monteiro Borges began carving the 700-pound image of the Blessed Virgin from a solid block of wood on Apr. 17, 1928. The 11-foot statue was covered with painted enamel and plaster, completed on June 14, 1930 and was part of the first procession in Fairhaven months later, on September 22. It resides on full display at St. Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven throughout the year.

The annual procession in Fairhaven differs little from the annual procession in Água de Pau, said current president of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Association, Ed Cabral, who has his own personal history with the feast — his wife’s grandmother, as a child, took part in the door-to-door initiative to raise money for the statue, and Ed’s father is from Água de Pau. The procession has girls wearing white, with a girl carrying the crown and wearing a crimson robe — the groups

represent the Espírito Santo (“Holy Ghost” Societies).

Bands from different organizations play while others represent their organizations by marching together in groups.

Also seen is a representation of Our Lady of Fatima and three little children dressed as shepherds.

While more often than not the representation of Our Lady of Fatima is done in the form of a statue carried during the procession, “sometimes there is a young girl who becomes the living embodiment, dressing like the statue and posing like the statue and marching with her arm up in the air,” said Cabral. “It’s customarily reserved for young teens, but usually the young teens in America — that’s the last place they want to be, dressed up in a costume and marching in a procession.”

However, this year a young lady will be fulfilling a promise to her mother, who is from Água de Pau, and will be the living embodiment of Fatima for the procession, said Cabral.

Ed first visited Água de Pau in 1996 and returned 10 years later with a group of 15 people to see the 500th anniversary of the feast of Our Lady of Angels in the village.

The village of Água de Pau is home to 3,000 people but when the feast comes, the number swells to more than 15,000. What struck Ed during his visits was seeing that many faithful line the streets to watch the procession, and being enveloped in complete silence.

“This is what stuck out in my mind — and we kid about it here — was when the procession was going on, you could hear a pin drop,” said Ed, adding the priest would call out for silence as the procession made its way through the streets. “Throughout that procession, it’s unbelievable.

It’s very quiet and respectful; it’s tradition.”

A tradition found in the village but not found in Fairhaven is the passadeiras de flores or “floral carpet.” The morning of the procession finds the inhabitants of every section of the village descend on the streets to lay out freshly cut flowers, dyed wood chips, aromatic green pine boughs and other natural items with Continued on page 20

15

August 23, 2013

A young child in the United Republic of Tanzania, in Eastern Africa, receives dental treatment from members of a team made up of people from different faiths who recently traveled there as part of a Missions for Humanity effort.

Area woman part of interfaith mission to Tanzania continued from page one

invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me’” (Mt 25:34-36).

For scores of faithful across the Diocese of Fall River, that call was heeded before the Holy Father increased awareness its importance.

For several years, a core group of men and women, from various walks of life, have left the comfort and safety of their homes, jobs and schools to visit some of the poorest of the poor in places like Guaimaca, Honduras; Haiti; and the United Republic of Tanzania in East Africa, to name a few.

Every year or so people like Father Bernard Baris, M.S., pastor of Our Lady of the Cape in Brewster; Pam Potenza of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Seekonk; Kathy Crosson, a teacher at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth and parishioner of Holy Name Parish in Fall River; Dr.

Philip Robitaille of Somerset; and New Bedford Dr. Chris Cheney, and other faithful professionals accompany dozens of others from across the diocese to bring food, medicines, medical care, school supplies, and hope to countless of their poorest brothers and sisters in remote towns and villages.

Another of those who has made a habit of giving up the comforts of home is Joyce Barrett, a Fairhaven resident and a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet.

Barrett, a retired nurse, has made trips of mercy to Guaimaca and Tanzania in past years.

She recently returned from her second visit to the African nation. She was part of a mission trip arranged by Crosson, a founding member of Missions for Humanity.

“We had people from Mattapoisett, Waltham and surrounding areas team up,” Barrett told The Anchor. “Eighteen of us, which included two

doctors, a dentist, nurse practitioner, teachers and sons and daughters of some of these people, made a 15-day trip to Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.

Some of the younger people accompanying us even learned some Swahili to communicate with the folks there.”

The group coordinated the mission trip with Caritas in Tanzania and the local bishop.

“One of the first things we did when we arrived was to meet with them and find out what the greatest needs were,” said Barrett. “Physically those were issues with malaria, hydration needs, skin disorders, and providing preventive medicines.

We brought with us $18,000 in medical supplies.” Barrett, with the help of a local Lions Club, brought dozens of used eye glasses to distribute to those who needed them. Also distributed were toothbrushes and toothpaste.

“The people in general were happy and friendly,” added

Barrett. “Even when they had to wait in line to see the dentist. Having so little, they were able to show us the resourcefulness that we overlook because of what we have. Our driver, Christian, also a translator, told us that the people felt we represented the U.S. by our being there. They, in return, showed us the goodness they have within themselves.”

Most of the people they visited were in isolated or remote villages, where transportation was a challenge. “The people we visited were so happy for the simple things,” she said. “Especially the children. We brought them paper, pencils and crayons, stickers, and bubbles to blow that were greatly appreciated.

“We split into groups — the medical people and the teachers. While some of the children do go to school, our teachers worked with them on colors, shapes and numbers. They were so eager to learn.

“Many of the natives didn’t know what to expect of us. This

was the first time they had ever encountered white people. It’s not as if they never received medical help or other assistance. It’s just this time it was free for them. They were kind and very grateful.”

Barrett said that her home parish of St. Francis Xavier, and pastor Msgr. Gerard P. O’Connor were very supportive of this trip, as were the parishes, churches and organizations of the others who went on the mission. “We had all volunteers of different faiths on the trip, and it was wonderful to work together,” Barrett added.

Having seen countless people with very little to live on and with in Guaimaca and Africa, Barrett said that her experiences were very rewarding. “I will go back.” When asked to where she would go back, without hesitation she responded, “To Africa and Guaimaca.” A shining example of the many across the Diocese of Fall River who live out Jesus’ call to help the poor.

People live with very little means in many area villages in Dar-esSalaam, Tanzania, in the eastern part of Africa. Joyce Barrett of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Acushnet, and Kathy Crosson of Holy Name Parish in Fall River, were part of a team that recently visited the area offering medical assistance, and medical and school supplies. (Photos courtesy of Joyce Barrett)

Youth Pages

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August 23, 2013

Espirito Santo School announces new principal

FALL RIVER — A longtime Catholic school educator has recently been named principal of Espirito Santo Parochial Elementary School in Fall River.

Heidi Kuliga was appointed

by Bishop George W. Coleman to become principal of Espirito Santo. Kuliga has been a Catholic school educator for more than 20 years in

Heidi Kuliga

the Fall River Diocese.

She resides in New Bedford with her husband and three children and is a faithful parishioner of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish where she also spent 13 years as the Religious Education director.

Kuliga has spent most of her years as an educator at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford where she had the opportunity to perform many roles such as kindergarten teacher, after school care coordinator, and the last 12 years were spent at the junior high level.

She is excited to begin her new journey with the community at Espirito Santo. She hopes to lead the staff and students to high levels of learning preparing them in the 21st century to be college and career ready while maintaining a strong Catholic identity.

Son West Roundup was the theme for Vacation Bible school at St. Pius X in South Yarmouth. The week included prayer, Scripture, service, fun and pony rides. Lauren Journet (recent CLI grad), leads her brother Daniel around the track.

Teams, individuals receive awards at CYO hoops banquet

Faculty and staff from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford participated in the school’s annual talent show.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools or parish Religious Education programs, have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@ anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — The Fall River Area CYO Basketball League wrapped up its season with the annual banquet at McGovern’s Restaurant in Fall River.

Several indvidual and team awards were presented.

Individual awards went to: Lexie Viveiros, Espirito Santo, Sportsmanship Award, Junior A Girls; Seth Kourtesis, Our Lady of Grace, Sportsmanship Award, Junior A Boys.

Nick Silva, Holy Name, Al Therrien “Good Guy” Award; Jillian Chippendale, Holy Name, Francis Fitta Memorial Award; and Chad Teixeira, Seton Academy, inaugural Paul Chippendale Coach of the Year Award.

Most Valuable Player Awards went to: Samantha Soares, Holy Name C2 Girls; Ashlyn Silvia, Our Lady of Grace, Girls C; Timothy Hauck, Holy Name, C2 Boys; the entire Holy Trinity teams for C1 and C2 Boys.

Brendan McRoy; Moussa Salibi, Holy Name C1 Boys; Kelsey Teixeira, Seton Academy; Madison Burt, Our Lady of Grace, Girls B; Erica Cook, Holy Trinity, Girls B; Griffin Lecomte, Our Lady of Grace, Boys B. Jillian Chippendale, Holy Name, Girls A1; Abigail Callahan, Holy Name, Girls A2;

Abigail Levesque, Our Lady of Grace, Girls A1; Hailey Charest, Holy Name Girls, A2; Chaten Nehra, Holy Name, Boys A2; and Seth Kourtesis, Our Lady of Grace, Boys A1.

Team championship winners were: Junior C Girls regular season champs — Our Lady of Grace: Annie MacMaster, Megan Perry, Lauren Valentine, Emily D’Ambrosio, Grace Bothelo, Megan Driscoll, Jessica Carney, Laila Silver, Emily Costa, Ashlyn Silvia, and Lauren Madell. Coaches: Greg Brien, Tom D’Ambrosio, Kevin Ferreira.

Junior C Girls playoff champs — Holy Name C2: Catherine Callahan, Kaitlyn Diaz, Samantha Soares, Nicole Parks, Cheryl Parks, Caroline O’Donnell, Abigail Schnurr, and Amanda Alves. Coach: Joe Callahan.

Junior C Boys champs — Holy Name C2: Peter Dunn, Ben Honeycutt, Christopher Matuszek, Douglas Chicca, Timothy Hauck, Stone Pavao, Benjamin Schnurr, Daniel Murphy, and Ryan Silvia.

Coaches: Justin Chicca, Tom Matuszek.

Junior B Girls champs — Our Lady of Grace: Catherine Yeargin, Leah Fellows, Lindsey Berube, Kayla Pimental, Lindsey Oliveira, Lauren Ferreira,

Madison Burt, Caetin Molley, Sierra Majewski, and Erin Carney. Coaches: Greg Brien, Tom D’Ambrosio, Kevin Ferreira.

Junior B Boys champs — Our Lady of Grace: Nicholas Kirby, Brendon Martin, Grifon Lecomte, Andrew Tripp, Zack Poitras, Andrew Clayton, Andrew Cabral, Collin Melo, Curtis Melo, Curtis Tripp.

Coaches: Larry Ramos, Wayne Kirby.

Junior A Girls regular season champs — Our Lady of Grace A2: Morgan Wood Grace Moran, Nia Silver, Hailey Charest, Mary McGuill, Jenny Driscoll, Sydney Oliveira, Maegon Bernier, Maggie LaFrance.

Coaches: Greg Brien, Tom D’Ambrosio, Kevin Ferreira.

Junior A Girls playoff champs — Our Lady of Grace A1: Abigail Levesque, Lilly Syron, Izzy Raposa, Avery Raposa, Reagan McDonald, Julia Fitzgerald, Mollie Duclos, Kady Long, Emily Tripp, and Sarah Fitzgerald. Coaches: Greg Brien, Tom D’Ambrosio, Kevin Ferreira.

Junior A Boys champs — Our Lady of Grace: Tyler Gillis, Lucas Konarski, Cameron Quintal, Connor Brown, Michael Duarte, Koby Porawski, Seth Kourtesis, and Stephen Gacioch. Coaches: Steve Gillis, Alex Quintal.

August 23, 2013

A

s you may have read in my biography, I am a sports fanatic. One of those fans who feel personally invested in the game. One of the fans who believe where I sit and what I am wearing can have potential ramifications on the outcome of the game.

One of those fans who feels like a key player on the team.

I know it sounds crazy but I love it.

Of all the sports, football is my favorite. I will watch whatever game is on, no matter which team is playing. I should also let you know that I find no coincidence in the fact that football is played on the Sabbath ... God’s game on God’s day! Here is my usual game day schedule: Mass. The one o’clock game. The four o’clock game. The eight-thirty game.

With the football season right around the corner, my life has been all things football lately. Preparing for two fantasy football leagues, you have to be following the ins and outs of training camp.

All this has got me thinking about the work the players put into their sport.

Pre-season football consists of weeks of practice and four games. Prior to preseason

starting there are mini-camps and prior to mini-camps are off-season work outs. Once the season begins, the players practice and work out all week long before they even step onto the gridiron.

So why I am writing about football? There is so much work an athlete puts into getting ready for their big game on Sunday. They do not just walk onto the field after eating junk-food and sitting on the couch. They work hard, focusing their time and energy toward the goal of a successful Sunday.

So what do we do to prepare for Sunday? When we go to Mass on Sunday have we been preparing all week to receive our Lord in the Eucharist? As much as I love football, I know that greatest joy in this life is Christ and my goal is to see Him in my next life. So then, showing up for Mass on Sunday should be so much more important.

Being a good athlete and being a faithful Christian are not so different. They are both a commitment. One of my favorite quotes is “Catholicism is not a spectator sport.”

Youth Pages Spectator sport It takes work. It is not enough to show up on Sunday for Mass, fill our time quota, and then head home, unaffected, unchanged and without passion. It is not effective to ignore our spiritual needs all week long then show up for Mass so we can fulfill our

Be Not Afraid

By Amanda Tarantelli

obligation. We have to train all week, all year long. There is no off-season.

Being a faithful Catholic takes a devotion to prayer.

Just as a quarterback needs constant reps to become a better passer, we need consistent prayer to build our relationship with God. We need to let our prayer life grow and strengthen. An athlete trying to increase their muscle would not walk into a gym and start lifting the heaviest amount of weights there. They work up to a harder workout.

We start with what we are currently doing. If we pray

17 for five minutes before we go to bed then we need to push ourselves to 10 minutes. If we pray a decade of the Rosary every night we should start to stretch ourselves one more decade.

The more comfortable we become with prayer the more comfortable we become with simply being with God. The more comfortable we are in our relationship with Him the more we get out of that relationship. I am sure we have all heard, “I don’t get anything out of Mass.” Well I don’t get anything out of the relationships that I put little effort into too, either. We must participate. We cannot sit on the side-lines (in the pew) and expect the priest to do all the work to move us.

All the prep work that a football player puts in to getting ready for Sunday would be worthless if on Sunday he asked to be benched. He’s been working hard to get there. When we work hard all week on our prayer lives, Sunday should be exciting. We are ready to put all that hard work into practice. We are ready to be truly present with

the best Coach in history.

In football, a player is not actively involved in every play that happens on the field.

However, a good football player is looking at photos from the previous possession, talking with coaches and players about how to improve on the next drive, or cheering on their teammates. It might not always be our turn to respond, or sing, or process, but we should always be involved in the Mass. This is why we have trained; to be as prepared as we can be to receive Christ.

And just like at the end of the game, we look at our successes and our failures and we move forward, always trying to better ourselves and our teammates. Unlike football however, we can never be cut from the team. God gives us the grace of Reconciliation to help us stay in the game; we just need to take advantage of that opportunity. The ball is in our hands. Throw a Hail Mary and go for the win!

Amanda Tarantelli has been a campus minister at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth since 2005. She is married, a die-hard sports fan, and resides in Cranston, R.I. She can be reached at atarantelli@bishopstang.com.

Altar servers, youth choir members and youth lectors of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro, recently enjoyed a day at Canobie Lake Park with Father Richard Wilson, pastor.

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August 23, 2013

CSS turning former St. Hedwig’s Church into shelter continued from page one

mation and supportive services such as health care.

“That building had fallen into significant disrepair where it was beyond the point of salvaging,” Allard told The Anchor.

“We began to search for a suitable alternate site and that’s how we settled on the former St. Hedwig’s Church.”

Since the property was still owned by the diocese as an asset of the newly-merged Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church, it made sense to develop it for this purpose.

“Like most churches, it’s a wide open space so that lends itself to partitions where the beds could be located,” Allard said. “It also offers office space that can enhance the management of the shelter, and it provides an area where we can install (separate) men’s and women’s bathrooms with showers — the space is there right on the same floor that the beds will be located.”

Retaining the name Sister Rose House, the new facility — relocated to 73 Division Street — will offer the same number of accommodations for up to 25 people, but with a mix of male and female quarters that will be sectioned off.

“We have an increased number of single women and an increased number of youth (in the area) who are all becoming homeless,” Allard said. “We’ve seen those trends with the existing shelters over the last several years. That’s another thing that’s going to make this shelter unique — it’s going to be the first time where we’re providing beds exclusively for single women.”

Being able to offer separate facilities for men and women and having a number of beds earmarked for female guests are just two of the significant changes that will make the new Sister Rose House a unique site, Allard explained.

“On the lower level there is also a kitchen — it had been a functioning kitchen, sort of like an industrial kitchen,” Allard said. “CSS wanted to relocate the food pantry from its current location at the Pilgrim United Church in New Bedford, so the idea was to merge that (pantry) with the operations of the shelter. We thought it would be a good combination of the two, so that became another aspect of the project that made it even more appealing.”

In addition to the function-

ing kitchen and food pantry, Allard said the new shelter would also provide a job-training component whereby guests can learn a skill and potentially earn a food handler’s certification on-site.

“Our goal with the kitchen is we’re going to provide the food pantry and immerse the guests in a program that would give them a food handler’s certification, which they then can use to obtain gainful employment,” Allard said. “We are going to be able to provide enough supportive services at the site where the folks are not going to feel like they have to get out of the shelter and roam about — they are going to have those services right there, which again makes for a far better living environment.”

Representatives from the Department of Housing and Community Development met last week with Allard and Deacon Thomas P. Palanza, facilities consultant for the Fall River Diocese, to tour the former St. Hedwig’s Church property and go over the proposed plans for the relocated Sister Rose House.

Although CSS has already raised more than $500,000 in private donations from corporations and individuals for the project — including commitments from BayCoast Bank to provide private financing for the venture and approval from the city to allocate a portion of its Community Development Block Grant money to Sister Rose House — they are seeking additional funding through the state DHCD. “We’ve already raised more than $500,000,” Allard said.

“That’s extraordinary. It’s been very, very encouraging and I think it speaks volumes to the value of this project and it’s also a recognition of the need for it.”

While viewing the spacious corner parking lot adjacent to the church last week with DHCD representatives, Allard described another unique component of the project that will benefit those staying at the shelter and the community at large.

“We decided we would incorporate community gardens into the design of the project,” Allard explained. “We’re looking to add … eight raised lots (for gardens). They won’t take up the entire parking lot, but they will be open for the guests and the community at large to

use to produce their own vegetables, their own herbs — all of which can then be brought in and incorporated into the food pantry.

“We think this will add a green aspect to an otherwise urban setting. Rather than just being a concrete parking lot, it’s now going to be a nice community garden area. We think that brings a certain amount of uniqueness and specialness to this project.”

While not part of the initial design plan, Allard also hopes they will be able to incorporate solar panels on a portion of the roof to generate electricity and heat for the building.

“There is a wide open area on the east side where nothing is obstructing the sun, so if

we can figure out a way to do it, then we will,” he said. “The Church feels very strongly about green activities and environmental protection, so this ties into that.”

Despite the increasing number of closed and vacant churches in the diocese, Allard said Catholic churches don’t always lend themselves to such uses.

“Converting churches into a non-church use, if you will, is a challenge,” he said. “That’s why it doesn’t happen as frequently as you might expect. They typically have large, open spaces that are difficult to convert. In this case, St. Hedwig’s is a more modest church in size and in terms of layout and it really did lend itself to this particular project.”

“I think anytime we can take a church building like this that’s

been abandoned for 10 years and turn it back into something positive for the community, it really fits into the mission of the Church,” agreed Deacon Palanza. “Rather than looking at the area continuing to disintegrate, it will be restored and I think it is a real positive application for the area. It’s a great initiative, it’s great for the diocese and it’s great for CABH and for the community at large.

It’s a win for everyone.”

If all the funding is approved and everything falls into place, Allard anticipated construction could begin in the fall and take “a little less than a year to complete,” with the bulk of the renovations done by June 2014.

“We’re pretty excited,” Allard said. “I think the (new Sister Rose House) holds out the promise of becoming a model shelter in the state.”

group will make up two fourthgrade classes. Every incoming kindergarten group since has needed two classrooms for every grade too.

Principal Denise Peixoto told The Anchor that it is the school’s academic and spiritual strengths that have led to its retention of those students. She said the whole school has a faith-filled, family atmosphere.

“We offer a good academic program, but we’re also able to infuse the faith,” she said, adding that students learn how to treat everyone with Christian respect.

Former student and current parent Ronnie Welch said that students are taught to respect each other from day one. One of her three sons, who all attend the school, has “sensory issues” and is thriving in the Catholic school environment. “His classmates respect him, and he’s accepted without any hesitation,” she said.

Father Costa said that Catho-

lic elementary education, in a particular way, lays an important foundation for the rest of the students’ lives. Each student is nurtured and encouraged to develop their talents.

“What we offer in Catholic education is formation in the faith. It’s not just religion class. It’s the formation of the whole person,” he said.

Ellen Parkinson said that she wants her four children, all enrolled at St. Mary-Sacred Heart, to have the opportunity to learn as much as they can about their Catholic faith and to carry that knowledge throughout their lives.

“We wanted our kids to experience Catholic education so that the moral and spiritual values that we hold strong would be strengthened in them at school,” she said.

She said the school has a safe, friendly atmosphere and praised its academics. The school has the “whole picture.”

Diocesan Catholic school increases enrollment continued from page one

es. The curriculum is constantly being updated and is in the process of converting subjects and grade levels to Common Core, a nationwide curriculum adopted

by Massachusetts and the Diocese of Fall River.

The school invested $55,000 in technology, arming teachers with iPads that sync with classroom projectors. The school installed new computers, high-speed Internet and new wiring.

The school has also put resources into marketing and fundraising. One parent with her own public relations business, Ronnie Welch, has contributed her expertise. The school’s director and pastor at both St. Mary and Sacred Heart Parishes, Father David Costa, sends out personal letters to families who have had their children Baptized at the parishes when those children are ready for kindergarten. He invites them to consider Catholic education and to attend the school’s open house.

Another change that has led to increased enrollment is the introduction of full-day kindergarten.

That option is not available at the local public school, and many parents who choose the Catholic school for that reason end up enrolling their children in first grade the following year.

Several years ago, the school had too many applicants for its kindergarten class. Instead of turning parishioners away, school officials elected to take all the students and make a commitment to parents that they would continue two classrooms as long as they had the students to fill them.

That led to two first-grade classes and so on. This year, that

Principal Denise Peixoto leads St. Mary-Sacred Heart of North Attleboro students in prayer as part of the global Pinwheels for Peace Project, held every International Peace Day, September 21. Each student makes a pinwheel to place on the lawn. Recently, increased enrollment prompted the school to move the memorial from the small lawn in front of the school to a larger space near the parish rectory.

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August 23, 2013

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

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

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

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

Mass.

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

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

Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m.

Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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

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

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

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

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The Rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

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

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

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

Recitation of the Rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Expostition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

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

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

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

Sister Cecile Lafond, SSJ

HOLYOKE — Sister Cecile Lafond (formerly known as Sister St. Veronique), 93, beloved member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield for 75 years, died in Mont Marie Health Care Center, Holyoke, on July 8, 2013.

She was born in Fall River, the daughter of Rodolphe and Florestina (Lavellee) Lafond.

Sister Cecile entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Fall River from St. Matthew Parish, Fall River. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Fall River merged with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield in 1974.

She was graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, Fall River and earned a B.A. degree from Rivier College, Nashua, N.H. and a M.A. degree from Assumption College, Worcester.

She was awarded a fellowship by the French government for one year’s study in Paris; she

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Aug. 24 Rev. Peter J.B. Bedard, Founder, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1884 Very Rev. James F. Gilchrist, CPM, Vicar General of the Congregation of the Fathers of Mercy, 1962 Rev. Msgr. James E. Gleason, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Falmouth, 1987 Aug. 25 Rev. Joseph F. Hanna, C.S.C, Founder, Holy Cross, South Easton, 1974 Rev. Thomas E. Lawton, C.S.C., Holy Cross Retreat House, North Easton, 2002 Aug. 27 Rt. Rev. Francisco C. Bettencourt, Pastor, Santo Christo, Fall River, 1960 Rev. Msgr. Hugh A. Gallagher, P.A. Retired Pastor , St. James, New Bedford, 1978 Rev. James E. Tobin, C.S.C., Missionary and Teacher, 2008 Aug. 28 Rev. Thomas L. Campbell, C.S.C., Retired, Holy Cross Community, Stonehill College, Easton, 2012 Aug. 29 Rev. Joseph DeVillandre, D.D., Founder, Sacred Heart, North Attleboro, 1921 Msgr. William H. Harrington, Retired Pastor, Holy Name, Fall River, 1975 Aug. 30 Rev. Frederick Meyers, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, New Bedford, 2008

was also awarded a Fulbright travel grant by the United States government. She studied at I’Institut Catholique and the Sorbonne, Paris, France. Sister also did graduate work at Tufts University and the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Sister Cecile taught in the Diocese of Fall River at St. Jean Baptiste and Blessed Sacrament schools, Fall River and St. Michael School, Swansea.

For many years she was

an instructor at St. Joseph Prep and St. Joseph Teachers’ Institute in Fall River.

She served as librarian and instructor at Divine Heart Seminary, Donaldson, Texas in the early ’70s. She was on the administrative staff of St. Louis School, Webster.

Sister joined St. Joseph Residence at Mont Marie in 1992 where she was the coordinator of the Retirement and Formation libraries.

Around the Diocese

St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield will sponsor its second annual Giant Yard Sale on August 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 307 South Main Street in Attleboro. All proceeds will benefit Abundant Hope Pregnancy Center in Attleboro, which provides counseling, services and goods to women in a crisis pregnancy. Free formula, diapers, baby food, layette items and maternity clothes will also be available.

The Diocesan Health Facilities’ sixth annual Golf Classic will be held on August 26 at LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville. The day begins at 10:30 a.m., rain or shine, with registration and pick up of box lunches. The shotgun start is at 12 p.m. with a “Florida Style Scramble” format. There will be great raffles, terrific prizes for best drives and scores. Fee includes lunch, green fees, cart, golf gift, locker rooms, refreshments and buffet dinner. All proceeds will benefit the Diocesan Health Facilities, a non-profit skilled nursing and rehabilitative care health system serving more than 900 residents and clients in Southeastern Massachusetts. For more information or to register, call 508-679-8154 or visit www.dhfo.org.

A Day with Mary will be held on September 7 at St. Francis Xavier Parish, 125 Main Street in Acushnet, from 7:50 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. It will include a video presentation, procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother with Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There will be an opportunity for Reconciliation and a bookstore will be available. Please bring a bag lunch. For more information call 508-996-8274.

The Lazarus Ministry of Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster is offering a six-week Bereavement Support Program called “Come Walk With Me” that begins September 12 and runs through October 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each night. The program meets in the parish center and is designed for people who have experienced the loss of a loved one within the past year. For more information or to pre-register call 508-385-3252 or 508-394-0616.

A healing Mass and blessing with St. André’s Relic and anointing with St. Joseph Oil will be held at St. Joseph Chapel at Holy Cross Family Ministries on Sunday, September 15 with Rosary at 1 p.m. and Mass at 2 p.m. Come for either or both. St. André was known as the “Miracle Man of Montréal” for healing thousands of the faithful at the St. Joseph Oratory in Montreal. More than two million people visit his shrine each year. His relic will be available for blessings and veneration. Don’t miss this special opportunity to bring your family and friends for a blessing. For more information call Holy Cross Family Ministries at 508-238-4095 or logon www.FamilyRosary.org/Events. The Father Peyton Center — St. Joseph Chapel — 500 Washington St., Easton, 02356. The Family That Prays Together Stays Together.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Seekonk and American Heritage Troop MA 3712 are co-sponsoring a presentation of Father Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” series on five Sundays, beginning September 22 and running through November 3. The series will be screened from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and again from 6 to 8:30 p.m. each day. Admission is free. The series will be shown in the upper parish center, 1040 Taunton Avenue in Seekonk. For more information call 508-336-8608.

On September 24 at 7 p.m., St. Bernadette’s Parish, 529 Eastern Avenue in Fall River, will host Father R. Scott Hurd of Alexandria, Va., who will speak on his new book, “When Faith Feels Fragile: Help for the Wary, Weak and Wandering.” Father Hurd is also the award-winning author of “Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach” and “Daily Devotions for Lent 2013.” His newest book offers concrete, practical wisdom to strengthen your faith at any stage of the journey. Father Hurd is a priest with the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. This presentation is free and open to the public.

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August 23, 2013

Fairhaven feast has deep history continued from page 14

colors corresponding to the season, to create geometrical shapes that line the procession route. The villagers then

take a walk through the other sections, per tradition, to see who has the best display.

“Nobody walks on the

flowers except the people who carry the statue and the priests,” said Cabral. “They water it down to keep it fresh.

It’s done spontaneously that morning and by the afternoon it’s gone. They sweep it up right after.”

Though many of the poles along the procession route in Fairhaven are decorated, during the 75th anniversary of the feast in Fairhaven, volunteer George Viveiros temporarily restored the passadeiras de flores custom and prepared an 80-foot passadeira beneath the arches alongside St. Mary’s Church when Bishop António de Sousa Braga of São Miguel and Bishop George W. Coleman of Fall River co-celebrated the ceremonial Mass on feast day.

While almost everything seen during the annual procession in Fairhaven is from the village of Água de Pau, there is one tradition that was born in the U.S. but made its way back to the village — the ribbons of money that adorn the statue of St. Mary. The coroas de dinheiro (crowns of money) are displayed along the procession route, with additional pledges found on the statue itself. Right as the feast began as an annual event in Fairhaven, the coroas de dinheiro began to show up in the procession in Água de Pau, though the timing had more to do with immigration than copying any “American” tradition.

“The immigrants were making money, and they were sending money back to rela-

tives to the village,” said Cabral, of immigrants coming to the U.S. during the 1920s and 30s. “Now they had American cash; they had some money and how do you express your gratitude? You take a piece of that money, offer it to the saint and it goes directly to the Church.”

It is the way the faithful offer these gifts to fulfill their promessas (devotional vows) to the saint, said Cabral.

“Festivals bring everybody together, it brings the village together,” said Cabral. “You get to see everybody publicly, and the procession is a crosssection representation of the village — from the children to the adults and various organizations. Local politicians participate, and different nationalities too. People come to the top of the street to watch the procession go by.

“The Portuguese bring a very rich history here and that the history runs deeper than the 400 years when American took over from the native inhabitants. Here you have in the United States the replication of history that is more than five centuries, which is much deeper than American history.”

Next week The Anchor will highlight how volunteers continue keep the feast running and will feature behindthe-scenes of the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Angels in Fairhaven to be held August 31 - September 2.

Members of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Association, below, carry the statue of St. Mary during the annual procession that caps off the three-day feast of Our Lady of Angels in Fairhaven. Modeled after the statue found in the parish in Água de Pau, São Miguel, the annual feast in Fairhaven was born from the efforts of four Azorean immigrants.