08.06.21

Five diocesan priests set to retire this month

By Dave Jolivet Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

SOUTH YARMOUTH — As Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands slip into mid-summer activities,

Father Paul A. Caron

Father Jay T. Maddock

Father Michael R. Nagle

five diocesan priests will soon embark on the next phase of their priestly careers, officially retiring on August 18. The five are: Father Paul A. Caron, pastor of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth; Father Jay T. Maddock, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Fall River; Father Hugh J. McCullough, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet; Father Michael R. Nagle, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish on Martha’s Vineyard; and Father John J. Oliveira, pastor of

Father Hugh J. McCullough

Father John J. Oliveira

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in New Bedford.

Together, the men have amassed 219 years of priestly service and ministry to folks in the Diocese of Fall River.

On the cusp of retirement, Father Maddock told The Anchor, “The gift of celebrating Mass, hearing Confessions, preparing people to receive other Sacraments and being able to anoint them when they are sick and dying has been a great source of strength, faith and humility. The blessings are too many to recount.”

Father Paul A. Caron was born on Nov. 9, 1950 in Taunton to Albert and Marilyn (Lacroix) Caron.

He attended St. Jacques School and Msgr. James Coyle High School, both in Taunton.

Father Caron attended college at UMass Dartmouth (then Southeastern Massachusetts University [SMU]), graduating in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He taught at Saints Peter and Paul School in Fall River and at Cohannet Middle School in Taunton.

He entered St. John’s Seminary in Brighton in September of 1978, earning a master’s degree in Divinity.

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Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, August 6, 2021

Diocese recommends faithful wear masks when attending Mass Statement on page seven

A statue of St. Anne and the young Blessed Mother makes its way down Middle Street in Fall River on the feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, grandparents of Jesus. The procession concluded a Novena and special Mass for the feast. Father Andre Feain, Franciscan of the Immaculate from Our Lady’s Chapel in New Bedford, was the Novena preacher. Story on page two.

Parish totals announced for 80th Annual Catholic Appeal FALL RIVER—The 80th Annual Catholic Appeal raised $4.6 million through the support of 18,000 generous donors. The individual parish totals throughout the Diocese of Fall River can be found beginning on page eight.

In addition to the individual parish totals, more than $900,000 in gifts to the 2021 Catholic Appeal were collected from friends and supporters consisting of individuals, corporations, and organizations unaffiliated with a specific parish.

The Catholic Appeal is part of the Catholic Foundation’s growing annual giving program, which encourages the generous support of our parishioners and friends year-round. Donations to the Appeal can be made online at any time at givefrdiocese.org/2021 or mailed to the Catholic Appeal office, 450 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass., 02720. They may also continue to be dropped off at any parish diocese.

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St. Anne’s Shrine celebrates 149th Novena and feast of St. Anne

FALL RIVER — For 149 years, through wars, pandemics, depressions, and the normal ebb and flow of life, one thing has remained constant and a highlight in the life of the faith in Fall River: the St. Anne’s Novena and feast held each July in the shrine dedicated to the Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

2021 marks the third Novena and feast of Saints Anne and Joachim (July 26) overseen by the St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society.

While the commemoration in 2020 was subdued due to the restrictions enforced because of the

pandemic, 2021 saw the Novena and feast returned to their rightful place as the greatest of activities held during the year at St. Anne’s.

This year, the Novena was preached by Father Andre Feain, Franciscan of the Immaculate from Our Lady’s Chapel in New Bedford. Father Feain touched many times on the manifold graces to flow from a devotion to the Shrine’s patroness, especially as it honors the grandmother of Jesus. One special event, proclaimed by Pope Francis, was the celebration of Grandparents’ Day on the

25th, fortuitously adjacent to, and part of, the closing of the Novena and the opening of the feast of the grandparents of Our Lord on the 25th.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., was not able to celebrate the festival Mass on the 26th. His place was taken by Father Richard D. Wilson, vicar general of the Diocese of Fall River. Concelebrating were Father Feain and a number of priests from the

diocese, including Shrine chaplain, Father Edward Murphy, who welcomed Father Wilson on behalf of the Society; Fathers Thomas Washburn, Michael Racine, and others were present and added to the solemnity of the feast.

Knowing of the bishop’s focus on education, the St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society’s treasurer, Cecile Michno, presented Father Wilson with a charitable donation for the Founda-

tion to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) in support of Bishop da Cunha’s efforts in this important ministry.

Keeping with the traditions established over many years, the end of the feast was marked by the traditional procession of the relics of St. Anne and her statue around the church, concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Shrine to close the Novena and feast.

Cecile Michno presents the St. Anne’s Shrine Preservation Society’s gift for the diocesan Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) to Father Richard D. Wilson, vicar general, and celebrant of the Mass to conclude the Novena and feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, at St. Anne’s Shrine in Fall River. Below, Father Wilson carries a relic of St. Anne in a concluding procession.

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U.S. bishops condemn abortion funding in House-passed spending bill WASHINGTON D.C. (CNA) — Leading U.S. bishops on July 29 opposed the House passage of appropriations bills that fund abortions and exclude some existing

conscience protections in health care.

“Funding the destruction of innocent unborn human lives, and forcing people to kill in violation of their consciences, are

† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River has made the following appointments: Reverend Carlos A. Patino-Villa, Chaplain of the Hispanic Apostolate for the Cape Cod Deanery, while remaining Parochial Vicar of St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish and Minister to the Spanish Community of Nantucket.

Reverend Marcos Caldeira, Assistant Chaplain of the Hispanic Apostolate for the Cape Cod Deanery, while remaining Parochial Vicar of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis and Minister to the Brazilian Community on Cape Cod. Effective: August 18, 2021

† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments

grave abuses of human rights,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas on July 29 in a joint statement. Cardinal Dolan is the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ religious liberty committee, while Archbishop Naumann chairs the bishops’ Pro-Life committee.

On July 29, the U.S. House passed a package of appropriations bills that would provide

funding of various government agencies and programs, by a vote of 219-208. No Democrats voted against the legislation, and no Republicans voted for it. Four members did not vote.

Leadership omitted a number of customary Pro-Life provisions from the bills, allowing for funding of elective abortions and abortion coverage without including provisions that protect some health care workers and groups with con-

† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has accepted the nomination of the Reverend Alberto Barattero, I.V.E., Provincial Superior of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, and has made the following appointment: Reverend Mariano Varela, I.V.E., Pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford.

Effective: September 1, 2021

scientious objections to abortion.

Notably missing from the legislation was the Hyde Amendment, first passed by Congress in 1976. The policy, normally enacted as part of federal spending bills, prohibits federal funding of elective abortions in Medicaid.

“Without it, millions of poor women in desperate circumstances will make the irrevocable decision to take the government up on its offer to end the life of their child,” Cardinal Dolan and Archbishop Naumann stated of the amendment.

The bills also did not include the Weldon, Kemp-Kasten, Dornan, and Smith amendments, a series of policies similar to the Hyde Amendment which restrict funding of abortion or abortion coverage in other areas of spending.

In particular, Pro-Life 8 Turn to page seven

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., Bishop of Fall River, has made the following appointments: Rev. Thomas E. Costa Jr., from Pastor in solidum (with Very Rev. Freddie Babiczuk, V.F.) of St. Anthony, St. Jude the Apostle and St. Mary Parishes in Taunton, to Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic Parishes in Swansea, with residence at St. Francis of Assisi Rectory.

Rev. Philip N. Hamel, from Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic Parishes in Swansea, to Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet, with residence at St. Peter the Apostle Rectory.

Effective: August 18, 2021 August 6, 2021 †

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What young people could most profit from hearing about Marriage

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oung people today experience various pressures and expectations that can make them anxious. In a recent essay, Professor Timothy P. O’Malley, of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, crisply describes some of the over-the-top pressures that graduating college students are likely to encounter in commencement addresses: “Notre Dame students are told that their degree is not exclusively an accomplishment earned through the completion of credit hours but a pledge to change the world. They are charged by a commencement speaker to go cure cancer, secure a spot on the Supreme Court, end political polarization and corruption, and renew communities on the margins through being a

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transformative teacher.

In other words, the bar of anxiety is raised. The future is presented to these students as a series of endless accomplishments that they must complete to be judged as worthy by their alma mater. No wonder students get drunk and hook up on weekends to escape the impending and seemingly impossible responsibility of changing the very arc of human history before they reach the age of 30.”

He notes that Marriage and family life are seldom part of what commencement speakers at Notre Dame and other institutions of higher education propose to graduates. Students, he says, are “told, sometimes quite explicitly,

† August 6, 2021

to bracket out Marriage and family life for the sake of their professional careers. And when the Marriages and children of prominent commencement speakers are publicly raised on the commencement platform, they are always considered a lesser

accomplishment.”

Putting our human accomplishments into proper perspective can be challenging. We can be tempted, like many commencement speakers, to invert the relative order of their importance. In the face of unrelenting pressure to change the world, climb the career ladder, build a nest egg, acquire expensive homes, and travel the globe, we can easily convince ourselves that Marriage and children are a hindrance.

But as we approach the end of life, we can often see with greater clarity what matters most.

I remember a chat I had with my father as he was declining in health.

He had had a long career as an astrophysics professor at the University of Arizona. As we were talking about colleges, universities, and the world of academia, I mentioned how impressive his professional accomplishments had been, not only in teaching and research, but also in authoring various notable books with titles like “Radio Galaxies,” “The Catastrophic Universe,” and “Radio Astrophysics.”

“Ah, the real achievement,” he retorted, “what really matters, that would be the children.”

He underlined that the demanding intellectual work and mountains of scientific output were insignificant compared to what he deemed his “real accomplishment” — the gift of his family.

After more than 50 years of Marriage and raising five children he signaled what authentic satisfaction and human fulfillment had come to look like for him.

The commitments we make and faithfully fulfill are a source of stability and strength, particularly against the backdrop of life’s turbulence and uncertainty.

While there are conflicts, boredom, trials, and other challenges, the consequential adventure of Marriage and family life offers a fulfilling pathway toward human

flourishing.

O’Malley notes that this is a narrative that young people are interested in: “They want to hear how to be happy, and they want this happiness not to be tied to their accomplishments.”

They want to be able to say, “I cannot control every dimension of the future, but I can dwell with this person for the rest of my days. I can commit to a common project, to a hopeful future with this man or woman.” This is an important message for us to pass on to younger generations, especially as they commence post-university life.

In a sense, Marriage and raising a family are becoming revolutionary acts in today’s world.

They declare something positive and hopeful about the future and push back against the fear and insecurity that plague our human condition. They ground us in something beyond the passing security of worldly accomplishments and challenge us to a higher and more enduring goal.

Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org and www.fathertad.com.

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very Liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His Body which is the Church, is a Sacred action surpassing all others,” the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the Liturgy proclaims. “No other action of the Church can equal its efficacy” (7).

Sacrosanctum Concilium continues, “The Liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows.

From the Liturgy, therefore, and especially from the Eucharist, as from a font, grace is poured forth upon us; and the Sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God, to which all other activities of the Church are directed as toward their end, is achieved in the most efficacious possible way” (10).

These truths, which faithful Catholics across the centuries have affirmed, are key to understanding why the questions involved in Pope Francis’ July 16 motu proprio on the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, Traditionis Custodes, as well as in Pope Benedict’s 2007 motu proprio on the same subject, Summorum Pontificum, are so important.

The Liturgy, especially the Mass, brings about in the most powerful way God’s glory and man’s holiness. Its importance in Christian life cannot be overstated. It is the starting point and end of everything the Church does. It is meant to express and bring about communion with God and with each other.

Since “the Eucharist makes the Church,” since lex orandi lex credendi (“the law of prayer is the law of faith”), and since Catholics lives as they pray, popes, bishops, theologians, saints and faithful have all necessarily taken Liturgical questions seriously. Because the Liturgy is so central, Liturgical confusions, abuses, deformations and divisions can be enormously harmful and dangerous to the life of the Church and believers.

Traditionis Custodes and Summorum Pontificum are, therefore, far more than disciplinary decrees. The way

Fostering Liturgical communion and love Catholics understand, approach and celebrate the Mass matters. Since the Liturgy is a font, erroneous ideas about the Mass can poison the well of the Catholic life; since it is a summit, gravely defective notions can direct believers toward a wrong destination.

Therefore the points raised, and actions taken, by Popes Francis and Benedict — and before them by John Paul II, Paul VI and the fathers of the Second Vatican Council — must be understood and evaluated in this larger context, beyond the particular preferences and emphases of clergy and faithful.

Let us look at a few of the larger themes found in the two papal decrees.

The first is genuine appreciation for, and love of, the Mass.

Pope Francis is justly concerned about those Catholics who regard the 1970 Mass of Paul VI as invalid, who obsessively pillory its supposed deficiencies and who undermine gratitude for this means by which Jesus Christ becomes Sacramentally present on the altar. Even among those who acknowledge its validity, some reject it at a practical level, like priestly institutes that refuse to celebrate it and faithful who don’t and won’t attend it, even when there are no other options.

Catholics who love the Lord should have nothing but appreciation and wonder for every valid means — whether Roman, Mozarabic, Ambrosian, Bragan, Dominican, Carmelite, Carthusian, Anglican-use, Maronite, Melkite, Coptic, Syro-Malankara, Syro-Malabar, Armenian, Chaldean, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, and others — by which the Son of God made man humbly becomes present.

This attitude of gratitude must similarly extend toward the 1570 Mass of Pius V, the traditional Latin Mass (TLM) celebrated with the 1962 Missal of John XXIII, which has nourished the Church for centuries and produced countless saints.

Pope Benedict justly addressed issues whereby some clergy and faithful have treated the traditional Latin Mass not as

holy but almost as if it evil and dangerous. “What earlier generations held as Sacred, remains Sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful,” he wrote to the bishops of the world.

While no one regards the TLM as invalid, many treat it with practical disdain, wanting to see it extirpated, regardless of how many are nourished by it still.

With regard to those who oppose either expression of the Roman rite, the popes have respectively drawn attention to the central question: If we recognize the Mass for what it is, isn’t the reality of what occurs infinitely more important than the valid form of the Mass by

which the Son of God becomes present, and how can anyone genuinely moved by the Holy Spirit oppose a means by which Jesus Christ is made Sacramentally present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity?

The second major theme is Church unity. The Church is, as Sacrosanctum Concilium emphasized, the “Sacrament of unity.” During the first Mass, Jesus Himself repeatedly begged God the Father for the gift of Christian unity, that believers may be as united as the persons of the Blessed Trinity so that the world might believe in Him and in the Father’s love (Jn 17:2026).

By liberalizing permission to celebrate Mass according to the 1962 Missal, Pope Benedict not only wanted to foster the conditions by which to reconcile the clergy and faithful of the Society of St. Pius X but also to correct those bishops who were not preserving Catholic unity by denying priests and faithful in their diocese access to the traditional Latin Mass celebrated in ecclesial communion. He gave priests permission to celebrate the Mass publicly whenever a group of the faithful requested it.

Pope Francis sought to address another tendency, wanting to correct those priests, especially young priests, who, taking full advantage of the permission given by Pope Benedict, were creating division in their parishes through introducing or substituting Masses celebrated according to the 1962 Missal when parishioners were not asking for it. He required them to do so, once again, with the permission and guidance of their bishops.

The mind of the Church, seen through these actions, seems clear: bishops should ensure that Catholics in communion with the Church have access to the Mass in what Pope Benedict called the “extraordinary form” but that priests should not be zealously promoting the form and increasing the desire for it, but rather offering it when, together with their bishop, they determine there is genuine need.

The third theme is the attitude toward the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis insisted that bishops were to ensure that those who celebrated according to the 1962 Missal accepted the Second Vatican Council and the Liturgical reforms that flowed from it.

Even though the vast majority of TLM celebrants and attendees do, some influential prelates and lay people, like some members of the Society of St. Pius X, have sought to promote the TLM through trying to undermine not just the Liturgical reforms after the Second Vatican Council but the Council itself. Such broadsides against an ecumenical council are simply not doctrinally or morally acceptable and undermine the faith of believers.

At the same time, there are some who erroneously treat any support for the TLM as an ipso facto rejection of the Council and the Liturgical reforms it advocated.

Sacrosanctum Concilium called for devout and active participation, a greater use of Sacred Scripture, homilies rather than sermons, removal of Liturgical duplications, the prayers of the faithful, and, under

certain circumstances, openness to concelebration and Communion under both species. It also said, “The use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites” and that the faithful should be formed to say or sing all the Mass parts in Latin.

What Vatican II did not call for was the iconoclastic “wreckovation” of churches, jackhammering of altar rails, ripping out of high altars, whitewashing of Churches, the substitution of Sacred music with saccharine and occasionally heretical hymns, hideous banners, clown Masses, Liturgical free-for-alls and so forth.

Many of those — especially among the young — who are attracted to the TLM are drawn not because they prefer the 1962 Missal per se, but because they love the reliable Sacrality of its celebration, Mass celebrated ad orientem, Gregorian chant and exquisite polyphony, a spirit of silence, Communion kneeling on the tongue, beautiful vestments, and several other things that were never called to be eliminated by the Liturgical reforms of Vatican II — and all of which are still legitimate options in Mass celebrated according to the 1970 Missal.

To reject the post-conciliar Liturgical iconoclasm and Liturgical abuses is not to reject the Council or its Liturgical reforms. Popes Benedict and Francis both spoke out about Liturgical abuses and eccentricities, which scandalize the faithful, wound the unity of the Church, are unfit for the reverence that true worship of God demands and have contributed to so many giving up the regular practice of the faith.

The Liturgical abuses widely tolerated, not to mention the worldly and excessively horizontal way Masses can sometimes be celebrated in the ordinary form, need to be addressed if Pope Francis’ desire to have the Church “return to a unitary form of celebration” will be realized, not to mention “the Sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God” advanced.

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

August 6, 2021 †

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Editorial

Food for all

On the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, Pope Francis authored a letter to the United Nations Food System Summit, which he said “once again highlights how one of our greatest challenges today is to overcome hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in the era of COVID-19.”

Putting his letter in the current context, the Holy Father wrote, “This pandemic has confronted us with the systemic injustices that undermine our unity as a human family. Our poorest brothers and sisters, and the Earth, our Common Home that ‘cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her’ (Laudato Si’, 2), demand radical change.

“We develop new technologies with which we are able to increase the planet’s capacity to bear fruit, yet we continue to exploit nature to the point of barrenness (cf. St. Paul VI, 1971, Octogesima Adveniens, 21), thus expanding not only the deserts of the earth, but also internal Spiritual deserts,” Pope Francis said.

A footnote at the end of the last sentence pointed to Pope Emeritus Benedict’s 2005 homily when he began his papacy. In that homily he said, “The human race — every one of us — is the sheep lost in the desert which no longer knows the way. The Son of God will not let this happen; He cannot abandon humanity in so wretched a condition. He leaps to His feet and abandons the glory of Heaven, in order to go in search of the sheep and pursue it, all the way to the cross. For Him it is not a matter of indifference that so many people are living in the desert. And there are so many kinds of desert. There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love. There is the desert of God’s darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of human life.

The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore the earth’s treasures no longer serve to build God’s garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction. The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One Who gives us life, and life in abundance.” By footnoting this homily, Pope Francis is both reminding us of the sad picture his predecessor painted, but also the hope Pope Benedict offered, if we would leap up, like Christ, and help each other out of these deserts.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of deserts, but not enough people are getting dessert, or even their main meal. Pope Francis wrote, “We produce enough food for all people, but many go without their daily bread. This ‘constitutes a genuine scandal’ (Fratelli Tutti, 189), an offence that violates basic human rights. Therefore, it is everyone’s duty to eliminate this injustice through concrete actions and good practices, and through bold local and international policies.

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† August 6, 2021

“From this perspective, the careful and correct transformation of food systems plays an important role, which must be geared towards being able to increase resilience, strengthen local economies, improve nutrition, reduce food waste, provide healthy diets accessible to all, and be environmentally sustainable and respectful of local cultures.” This is a task we all can take to heart (and action).

The Holy Father continued, “If we are to guarantee the fundamental right to an adequate standard of living and meet our commitments to achieve Zero Hunger, it is not enough to produce food. We need a new mindset and a new holistic approach and must plan food systems that protect the Earth and keep the dignity of the human person at the center; that ensure enough food globally and promote decent work locally; and that feed the world today, without compromising the future.” In other words, food is for people, not people for food.

Literally getting to the nitty-gritty, the pontiff said, “It is essential to restore the centrality of the rural sector, on which the fulfillment of many basic human needs depends, and it is urgent that the agricultural sector regain a priority role in the political and economic decision-making process. In this process, small farmers and farming families must be considered as key actors. Their traditional knowledge should not be overlooked or ignored, while their direct participation allows them to better understand their priorities and real needs. The family is an essential component of food systems, because it is in the family that ‘we learn how to enjoy the fruits of the earth without abusing it. We also discover the most effective means for spreading lifestyles respectful of our personal and collective good’ (Message for World Food Day, 2019).”

“We are aware that individual, self-centered and conflicting — but powerful — economic interests prevent us from conceiving of a food system that responds to the values of the Common Good, solidarity and the ‘culture of encounter.’ If we want to maintain a fruitful [one wonders if the pope is using a pun here] multilateralism and a food system based on responsibility, justice, peace and unity of the human family is paramount.

“The crisis we are currently facing is in fact a unique opportunity to engage in authentic, bold and courageous dialogues, addressing the roots of our unjust food system. Throughout this meeting, we have the responsibility to realize the dream of a world where bread, water, medicine and work flow in abundance and reach those most in need first. I pray to God that no one will be left behind, and that the basic needs of every person may be met. May this meeting for the regeneration of food systems set us on the path towards building a peaceful and prosperous society, and sow the seeds of peace that will allow us to walk in true fraternity.” May we pray for this, too, and ask the Holy Spirit to see how we can collaborate better for the nourishment of all, in body and soul.

Daily Readings † August 14 - August 27

Sat. Aug. 14, Jos 24:14-29; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-8,11; Mt 19:13-15. Sun. Aug. 15, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Vigil:1 Chr 15:3-4,15-16; 16:1-2; Ps 132:6-7, 9-10,13-14; 1 Cor 15:54b-57; Lk 11:27-28. Day: Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a,10ab; Ps 45:1012,16; 1 Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56. Mon. Aug. 16, Jgs 2:11-19; Ps 106:34-37,39-40, 43ab,44; Mt 19:16-22. Tue. Aug. 17, Jgs 6:11-24a; Ps 85:9,11-14; Mt 19:23-30. Wed. Aug. 18, Jgs 9:6-15; Ps 21:2-7; Mt 20:1-16. Thu. Aug. 19, Jgs 11:29-39a; Ps 40:5,7-10; Mt 22:1-14. Fri. Aug. 20, Ru 1:1,3-6,14b-16,22; Ps 146:5-10; Mt 22:34-40.

Sat. Aug. 21, Ru 2:1-3,8-11; 4:13-17; Ps 128:1b-5; Mt 23:1-12. Sun. Aug. 22, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jos 24:1-2a,15-17,18b; Ps 34:2-3,16-21; Eph 5:21-32 or Eph 5:2a,25-32; Jn 6:60-69. Mon. Aug. 23, 1 Thes 1:1-5,8b-10; Ps 149:1b-6a,9b; Mt 23:13-22. Tue. Aug. 24, Rv 21:9b-14; Ps 145:10-13,17-18; Jn 1:45-51. Wed. Aug. 25, 1 Thes 2:9-13; Ps 139:7-12b; Mt 23:27-32. Thu. Aug. 26, 1 Thes 3:7-13; Ps 90:3-5a,12-14,17; Mt 24:42-51. Fri. Aug. 27, 1 Thes 4:1-8; Ps 97:12b,5-6,10-12; Mt 25:1-13.

U.S. bishops condemn abortion funding bill continued from page three

leaders recognized the Weldon Amendment as an important means of enforcing conscience protections for health care workers and groups opposed to abortion. The policy places conditions on funding of federal programs and state and local governments; the funded entities cannot discriminate against individuals or organizations for refusing to perform, participate in, pay for, or cover abortions.

“The injustice in HR 4502 extends to removing conscience protections and exemptions for healthcare providers who believe abortion is wrong, or whose faith drives them to serve and heal lives, instead of taking them,” the bishops stated.

The current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, was in 2020 found

to be in violation of the Weldon Amendment by the federal government while he was still attorney general of California.

Becerra had defended California’s mandate that employers provide abortion coverage in employee health plans; the mandate extended to a group of Catholic Sisters, the Missionary Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit.

The spending bills do contain good provisions, the bishops said, but their funding of abortions is inexcusable.

“To be certain, this bill includes provisions that help vulnerable people, including pregnant moms. As we have said before, ‘being “right” in such matters can never excuse a wrong choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life,’” they stated.

Pro-life leaders also warned that the appropriations bills would coerce health care providers on the matter of abortion.

The legislation forbids Medicare Advantage funding of health care providers and institutions that refuse to provide, pay for, cover, or refer for abortions — if the HHS Secretary denies them participation in the program for that reason.

In the bill’s section on the Title X federal family planning program, it requires clinics receiving Title X funds to provide pregnant women with information on abortion, as well as in-

formation on other options such as prenatal care and adoption.

Under the bill, Title X recipients must refer for abortions upon request.

Earlier in the week, the House passed an appropriations bill for the State Department and international programs that allows direct funding of international abortions and pro-abortion groups.

It would permanently repeal the Mexico City Policy, executive policy that forbids funding of international pro-abortion NGOs in U.S. global health assistance.

Bishop recommends faithful wear masks when attending Mass FALL RIVER — As most of you know, on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a change to its mask-wearing guidance and now advises that fully vaccinated persons wear a mask in indoor public places in areas of the country with “substantial and high” transmission of COVID-19. This is to reduce the risk of being infected with the more transmissible Delta variant of the virus and possibly spreading it to others.

Currently almost all territory of the Fall River Diocese lies in counties classified as either “substantial” or “high” areas of community transmission. In light of this, the Diocese of Fall River is strongly encouraging all parishioners to follow the CDC guidance and to wear a mask while attending Mass or any other Liturgical celebration unless unable because

of a medical condition or under the age of two. This is particularly important for anyone with a weakened immune system; anyone at risk for severe disease because of age or underlying medical condition; or anyone in a household with someone having these conditions or with someone who is unvaccinated.

The recent uptick in virus transmission in some places is a reminder that the pandemic has not yet passed, and continued vigilance is required. Parishioners are asked to please keep in mind the need for a collective commitment to the overall good of the parish community.

The Diocese of Fall River continues to monitor all COVID-19 advisories and orders by both the CDC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will amend diocesan guidelines and directives on an ongoing basis as needed.

August 6, 2021 †

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2021 Annual Catholic Appeal Parish Totals

TOP 10 PARISHES IN DOLLARS RAISED

1. Christ the King, Mashpee: $151,204.67 2. St. Mary’s, Mansfield: $149,404.62 3. St. Pius the Tenth, South Yarmouth: $128,255.00 4. St. Anthony’s, East Falmouth: $118,112.91 5. St. Mary’s, South Dartmouth: $117,460.00 6. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk: $115,233.00 7. St. Ann’s, Raynham: $108,191.60 8. Transfiguration of the Lord, North Attleborough: $102,248.00 9. Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville: $98,498.06 10. St. Mary’s - Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket: $98,025.00

TOP TEN % FUNDRAISING INCREASES FROM 2020 – 2021 1. Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Seekonk: 60.4% 2. St. Mary’s, Fairhaven: 48.6% 3. Our Lady of Fatima, New Bedford: 44.2% 4. Espirito Santo, Fall River: 34.7% 5. Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville: 34.4% 6. Holy Redeemer, Chatham: 27.6% 7. Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Bedford: 27.4% 8. St. Anthony’s, Taunton: 27.0% 9. St. Peter the Apostle, Provincetown: 25.2% 10. St. Patrick’s, Falmouth: 23.3% 8

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Father Robert J. Spitzer to present ̔ There is Scientific Evidence of the Existence of God’ FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Alliance is pleased to announce that Father Robert J. Spitzer will present “There is Scientific Evidence of the Existence of God,” in a special and what should prove to be very informative evening at Bishop Connolly High School auditorium, 373 Elsbree Street, Fall River, on November 18, beginning at 7 p.m. and ending about 8:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend.

The presentation is geared toward youngsters in grades six through 12, college students, parents, grandparents, friends, and faithful who would like to hear Father Spitzer’s take on this topic.

Father Spitzer is president of the Magis Center. According to site’s Webpage, “Father Spitzer was president of Gonzaga University from 1998 to 2009.

“He has made many TV appearances including: ‘Larry King Live’ (debating Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow), the ‘Today Show’ (debating on the topic of active euthanasia), The History Channel in ‘God and The Universe,’ a multiple part PBS series ‘Closer to the Truth,’ and the ‘Hugh Hewitt Show.’

“He currently appears weekly on EWTN in ‘Father Spitzer’s Universe.’”

This presentation is designed to answer questions from students in middle school and older as research has shown that the average age when a child decides against religion is 13 years old. Most parents or teachers are not equipped to answer questions from their children when they ask about myths learned either from their friends or the Internet.

Substantial time will be allocated for Q&A to ensure understanding and clarity from all audience partici-

pants. Also, available online, Father Spitzer’s Credible Catholic modules are designed to help address chal-

lenges facing students when it comes to the formation of their faith.

Save the date for this

exciting event with Father Spitzer.

RSVP at info@ catholicsa.org.

August 6, 2021 †

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Bishop’s Blog Editor’s note: In a recent blog, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., invited readers to ask him questions about his role as bishop. Here are some of those questions and the responses. To keep up with the Bishop’s Blog as they appear, visit fallriverdiocese.org and click on “Read the Bishop’s Blog.”

The bishop responds to readers questions USCCB & Being a Bishop What is your role with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and what is your favorite aspect of being a bishop?

In the past, I have been very active with the USCCB including as a member of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church and Committee on Migration, and I have served as a member of the Administration Commit-

10

tee; Committee on Priorities and Plans, Sub-Committee on the Church in Latin America; the Sub-Committee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugee and Travelers; and the Sub-Committee on Hispanic Affairs; and as Episcopal Liaison to the Brazilian Apostolate in the U.S. Most of the USCCB committees have terms, so

† August 6, 2021

currently, my involvement consists only of membership

on the Sub-Committee on the Church in Latin America and the Sub-Committee on Pasto-

ral Care of Migrants, Refugee and Travelers.

Without hesitation, I enjoy my time in the parishes celebrating Confirmations and special events.

Celebrating the Eucharist with people in parishes and schools throughout the diocese is truly a gift and they are my favorite aspect of being a bishop.

Latin Mass What does Pope Francis’ statement on the Latin Mass mean to the Fall River Diocese?

With regards to Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio on the Tridentine Mass, the Mass already approved and celebrated regularly at St. Francis Xavier Church in Hyannis will continue to be offered. I will issue further guidelines and clarifications in the near future.

Hobbies and sports Do you have any hobbies?

In addition to gardening, I also enjoy walking.

This year I will participate remotely on Team FACE, as part of the Falmouth Road Race Number for Non-Profits program. As you may know, the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) provides scholarship support to children in need of financial assistance to attend Catholic schools of the Diocese of Fall River.

I am also a big sports fan and enjoy many different kinds of sports, with soccer being my favorite. For years I played soccer, including participating in matches during Quo Vadis Days and Pro-Life Boot Camps.

These days, most of my

soccer enthusiasm comes as a spectator. I have enjoyed watching the Brazilian soccer team participate in the Summer Olympics — it is good to see both the men and women’s teams competing well. While a priest in New Jersey, I had the opportunity to not only watch a Brazil vs U.S. soccer match in person, but also a 1974 World Cup game. My parish at the time gifted me a ticket to a match between Italy and Norway.

It was an unforgettable and interesting experience.

Prayers What is your favorite prayer?

Choosing only one prayer would be impossible since I am fond of so many. Psalms 51 and 139 come to mind immediately, followed by this short prayer I recite each day: “Lord, I believe, please increase my faith.”

Each day I am required by my priestly ordination to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, the daily prayer of the Church. This beautiful prayer, structured with the psalms, prayers, and canticles, is a wonderful way for clergy and laypeople alike to pray with the whole Church.

I invite you to learn more not only about the history of the Liturgy of the Hours but also on how to pray it yourself on the USCCB website. There are also different Apps of the Liturgy of the Hours that can be downloaded to your phone or tablet.

Thank you to those who sent questions. If you’d like to have a question answered in a future blog, please submit it to planning@dioc-fr.org. I look forward to hearing more of your questions.

Yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha

Five diocesan priests set to retire this month continued from page one

Father Caron was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1983 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin.

His first parish assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Attleboro Falls and as chaplain at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, from 1983 to 1988.

From there he was assigned as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in North Easton from 1988 to 1996, then to St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet from 1996, where he later became pastor. He also served as pastor at St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish in Nantucket from 2000 to 2007, and later became pastor of St. Rita’s Parish in Marion in 2007, where he served for 10 years.

In 2017 he became pastor of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth, from where he will retire later this month.

When he became pastor there, he shared in the parish newsletter, “Priesthood is central to my life, although I was never (in my mother’s words) a ‘Holy Roller.’ The call to priesthood can be obvious for some and also as subtle as a whisper, but it is one that can be persistent as well.”

Father Caron added, “I have been blessed in my assignments.

I loved being chaplain at Bishop Feehan High School and to have that daily contact with the next generation. My parish assignments have been challenging at times, depending upon conditions and location, but were all wonderful in their own way.”

Father Caron wrote, “I have two things which are very important to me and perhaps define my journey. I love Liturgy that is well done. It must be so, for Liturgy is literally ‘the work of the people.’ It is OUR work of celebrating God’s love shown through His Son Jesus Christ. Our ‘Work’ is to receive the Lord in Word and Sacrament and

then to bring Him and His Good News into our world. And we are not called to be dour and glum about it! It is not a sin to smile.

“The other thing that is truly important is that we be a welcoming community all year round. We meet folks where they are and are open to them on their journey. I subscribe to Pope Francis’ idea that we are not about whining but about bring and living the joy of the Gospel each day!” Father Caron told the people of South Yarmouth in 2017.

In addition to his parish duties, Father Caron has also served the diocese as Attleboro area director of Divorced and Separated Ministry and the Catholic Youth Organization(CYO) director in Attleboro and Taunton. He has served as a regional Catholic Charities Appeal assistant; served on the Spiritual Life of Priests Committee; and was chaplain of the Daughters of Isabella, Easton Circle.

Father Jay T. Maddock was born to James W. and Madalaine Maddock on June 17, 1949 in Attleboro.

His early education was in the public schools system in Mansfield. In grades four through eight, he attended Dominican Academy in Plainville.

He attended Msgr. James Coyle High School in Taunton, graduating in 1967. From there Father Maddock entered St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn. Upon graduating from there, he entered St. John’s Seminary in Brighton in 1971.

He was assigned by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin to attend the North American College in Rome to study Theology He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Fall River on Aug. 2, 1975 by Bishop Cronin at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

Father Maddock’s first assignment was as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Taunton

until September of 1977. Bishop Cronin had Father Maddock return to Rome to study canon law.

He received a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Gregorian University in Rome and was assigned to work part-time at the Chancery, the Diocesan Tribunal and at Immaculate Conception Parish in Fall River.

In 1980, Father Maddock was assigned full-time at the Tribunal, becoming a member of the Canon Law Society of America that same year. While working at the Tribunal he was in residence at Immaculate Conception Parish and later at St. William’s Parish, both in Fall River.

He briefly held administrative duties at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in New Bedford, before returning to the Tribunal.

In 1989, Bishop Cronin appointed Father Maddock as Judicial Vicar of the diocese and as administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Swansea.

In 1992, Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., appointed Father Maddock as administrator of St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton, and in 1993 as pastor of St. William’s Parish in Fall River.

In 1997, he became pastor of Holy Family Parish in East Taunton. As the parish grew, Father Maddock stepped down as Judicial Vicar in 2001 after 21 years of full-time service to the Tribunal.

While in East Taunton, Father Maddock undertook the building of a new parish center.

Father Maddock was then appointed pastor of Holy Name Parish in Fall River by Bishop George W. Coleman in 2010, where he still ministers. In 2015 Father Maddock was appointed as administrator of the newly-created St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River.

In October of 2016, he was awarded the St. Thomas More Medal by the diocese in recognition for his more than two decades of dedicated service to the Tribunal.

Never one to shy away from responsibilities, Father Maddock has also served the diocese and its faithful as director of the diocesan CYO; several terms on the Priests Personnel Board; a member of the Presbyteral Council; serving on the diocesan Catholic Education Board; and Dean of the Taunton Deanery, and the Fall River Deanery.

After retirement Father Maddock will continue to serve on the diocesan Catholic School Board and as Dean of the Fall River Deanery; and assisting brother priests where the need arises.

“To live as a priest that many years and to have served in many wonderful parishes; in our Diocesan Tribunal; in the ministry of our Diocesan Catholic Youth Organization and many other ministries as well, is the blessing of my life,” Father Maddock told The Anchor.

“I am looking forward to a different type of schedule. Helping out brother priests in their parishes is something I hope to be able to do. I am grateful to the many priests who have helped me over the years. I hope to be able to take part in more of my family activities. My family has been a tremendous support to me over the years.

The opportunity to ‘catch up’ with friends whom I haven’t seen or communicated with for some time is also on the agenda. Hopefully, if COVID allows, I can spend sometime in Florida in March scouting out the prospects for a new Red Sox season.

“Above all, I hope and pray this ‘new phase’ of my life will afford me all the more time to be prepared to one day ‘meet the Lord,’ when He calls. After all, in the long run, that is the role of a priest; to help himself and the people he encounters in life, to be ready to ‘meet the Lord.’”

Father Hugh J. McCullough was born in Yonkers, N.Y. on Oct. 27, 1950 to John and Margaret (Marns) McCullough. As a boy, 8 Turn to page 13 August 6, 2021 †

11

T he C hurch

and

Y outh & Y oung A dults

Annual St. Vincent’s Services Motorcycle Run is August 15 FALL RIVER — Tickets are now available for the Saint Vincent’s Services 16th Annual Motorcycle Run and Raffle on Sunday, August 15. Registration starts at 9 a.m. at Saint Vincent’s Services at 2425 Highland Avenue in Fall River. Every ticket purchased helps support children in need and the many programs and services available through Saint Vincent’s.

New this year the Motorcycle Run will end at the Fall River Elks Club on North Main Street where riders, passengers, and friends are invited to join in for the first Food Truck Festival immediately following the 45-mile run.

Do ride a motorcycle and enjoy the open road?

Do you love the feeling of the sun on your shoulders, the wind in your face,

and the feeling of knowing that you are helping children in need? Join the 16th Annual Motorcycle Run and Raffle and you can enjoy all of that and more!

More than 175 motorcycles and 300 guests are anticipated, making this bike run one of the largest in the area. This relaxed 45-mile bike run travels

through the scenic back roads of Fall River, Assonet, Berkley, Lakeville, and features wide open country roads and breathtaking lake views.

Guests are also encouraged to participate in our Bike Run Raffle for amazing prizes donated by area businesses that include beer, wine, gift baskets, sports memora-

bilia, gift certificates, and much more.

Unique trophies will also be awarded to the most exciting bikes, as judged by Saint Vincent’s youth, at the end of the event.

Tickets for this August’s Motorcycle Run and Raffle are available online at saintvincentsservices.org.

Msgr. Prevost High School Alumni awards three scholarships FALL RIVER — The 2021 high school financial awards have been announced this week by the Msgr. Prevost High School Alumni. This year three relatives of alumni members will each receive $3,000 in aid for each of the next four years of high school studies. The young students are: Gianna Quartochi of Fall River who will be attending Bishop Connolly High School; Ryan Poisson of North Attleboro who will be attending Bishop Feehan High School; and Anna Franco of East Bridgewater who will be attending Cardinal Spellman High School.

The Alumni has been awarding scholarships since 1940 to students entering Prevost High School. The Fall River school graduated its last class in 1972 and since then scholarships have been awarded to Alumni relatives attending any Catholic high school in the United States. With these awards the Alumni will have nine scholarships in place representing a $27,000 commitment for the 2021-22 school year. Over the next four years these scholarships represent a $69,000 investment towards a Catholic education. The ideal of a Catholic education was engendered in the students of Prevost by the example of the Brothers of Christian Instruction (FIC) who taught at Prevost beginning in 1927 until its closing.

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Five diocesan priests set to retire this month continued from page 11

he attended St. Eugene’s School and Salesian High School in Yonkers.

He graduated from Don Bosco College in Newton, N.J. in 1973 with a degree in philosophy.

Father McCullough entered Josephinum School of Theology in Worthington, Ohio in 1975, earning a master’s in Theology.

On May 26, 1979, he was ordained to the priesthood at Christ the King Church in Columbus, Ohio, by Bishop Edward Hermann.

Father McCullough served for 25 years as a Salesian of Don Bosco, during which time he held appointments in various regions of the country;

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, August 8 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, August 15 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in East Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, August 8 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Riley J. Williams, Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet.

Sunday, August 15 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Thomas Washburn, Pastor of the Catholic Community of Central Fall River.

Don Bosco High School in East Boston; Don Bosco Technical High School, Boston; Don Bosco Institute, Berkeley, Calif.; Don Bosco Retreat House, Ipswich, Mass.; and CPE-Hazelton Institute in Minnesota.

He was incardinated into the Diocese of Fall River in 1995, where he began ministry here at St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth until 1999. From there he served at St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham; St. James Parish in New Bedford; St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis and St. Joseph Parish in Fall River.

In July of 2011, Father McCullough was named pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet, where he has happily served the faithful of the outer Cape for the last decade.

Father McCullough has become a fixture on the Cape Cod waterfront each summer, joyfully blessing the fleet. In a letter to his parishioners in July, Father McCullough wrote, “When I arrived here in July, 2011, the welcoming feeling I received and warm personal support so many of you shared, began an exciting time of my life during the 10 years as your pastor. I shall always remember with fondness the wonderful experience I had working with so many dedicated Catholics of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Peter the Apostle parishes.

All my hopes and prayers are with you and many, many good memories from St. Peter’s and Our Lady of

Lourdes are coming along to Chatham with me.”

He will retire to join family members at their home in Chatham.

Father Michael R. Nagle was born to Robert J. and M. Rita (Flynn) Nagle on Feb. 16, 1946 in Dothan, Ala. The family moved to Southeastern Massachusetts and as a lad, Father Nagle attended St. Mary’s School in Fall River.

His high school years were spent at De La Salle Academy in Newport, R.I. where he graduated in 1963.

He attended college at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Mo., earning a Classical bachelor’s degree, graduating from there in 1967.

Father Nagle also earned a Doctorate of Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Center, Mass.; and a bachelor’s in Sacred Theology from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He also entered Mater Christi Seminary in Albany, N.Y. and St. Joseph’s College in London, England.

He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Fall River on Feb. 4, 1972 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River by Bishop Cronin.

Father Nagle’s first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. John the Baptist Parish in New Bedford until 1972.

After that, he served in the same capacity at St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton; St. Peter’s Parish in Provincetown; and St. Margaret’s Parish in Buzzards Bay. He became pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Taunton in 1990.

In 1994, Father Nagle

was assigned as pastor at St. Augustine Parish in Vineyard Haven on Martha’s Vineyard. In 1996 he was assigned as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oak Bluffs and St. Elizabeth Parish in Edgartown, while remaining pastor of St. Augustine. In 2003, the three Martha’s Vineyard parishes merged to form the new Good Shepherd Parish, of which Father Nagle became pastor until his retirement.

Father Nagle once told The Anchor that he finds the Spirituality of the permanent residents steadfast and of the influx of hundreds of summer vacationers very strong. “They make an effort to find the churches and the schedule of Masses and to get there.

We see moms and dads and lots of children and grandparents too, and it’s a neat thing to see them all come to Mass while on vacation.”

In addition to his parish ministries, Father Nagle also served the diocese as chaplain at Morton Hospital in Taunton and Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

In a 2017 article in the MV Times with the title, “It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s a priest,” reporter Connie Berry wrote, “Father Nagle became interested in flying in the mid-1960s when a friend took him skydiving.

He’s made 300 jumps since then, and all those jumps led to an interest in flying.

In 1970, he spent the weeks between seminary studies getting his pilot’s license.

‘I’ve been flying ever since,’ he said.”

Father Nagle shared with Berry about his upbringing. “When he 8 Turn to page 14

August 6, 2021 †

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Five diocesan priests set to retire this month continued from page 13

was being ordained in the 1970s, they asked him to describe his family. He said he had grown up in a ‘moderately religious family.’ ‘My mother was so insulted,’ Father Nagle chuckled.”

Speaking about the harvest of souls a priest is called to cultivate, Father Nagle told the MV Times, “My job is to plant the seed, help people make that connection with God. I like to see instant results, and the challenge is not seeing those results.

All I can do is make connections in people’s lives, be there to support and encourage, and help people grow. If you’re result-oriented, you have to ask, ‘Have I made a difference?’

And sometimes you don’t know; it’s not external.”

Father John J. Oliveira was born to James P. and Alice P. (Simmons) Oliveira on Feb. 16, 1951 in Taunton.

As a boy, he attended St. Joseph School in Taunton, later moving on to Msgr. James Coyle High

14

School, also in Taunton.

After high school, Father Oliveira attended St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn. where he earned a bachelor of arts degree, graduating from there in 1971. From there he went to St. John’s Seminary in Brighton where he earned a master’s of Divinity, graduating in 1973.

He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Fall River on May 14, 1977 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River, by Bishop Cronin.

His first assignment was as at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in New Bedford, from where he is now retiring.

In between, Father Oliveira has faithfully served the diocese, it’s faithful and it’s Portuguese community in a number of parishes and capacities.

He has served at the parishes of Espirito Santo, St. Michael and St. Anthony of Padua, all in Fall River. In 1994 he was named pastor at St.

† August 6, 2021

John the Baptist in New Bedford, serving there for seven years. In 2001, he was named pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Bedford, where he has been since.

Besides his pastoral duties, Father Oliveira has faithfully held many other diocesan appointments.

From 1991 through 1994, he was chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River; director of Campus Ministry at Bristol Community College in Fall River; and assistant to the Bishop’s Liaison of the Charismatic Renewal.

He also twice served as a member of the Priests’ Personnel Board, from 198488 and 1995-98.

Father Oliveira has also served as Diocesan Coordinator of the Portuguese Marriage Preparatory Program. He was on the Presbyteral Council from 1984-2002 and from 2004 to the present.

Father Oliveira was director at St. John’s Cemetery in New Bedford.

He currently serves on the College of Consultors (since 1999); coordinator of the Portuguese Apostolate (1992); coordinator of the Priest’s Mentoring Program (2000); and Vicar Forane, New Bedford Deanery (2004).

During his nearly 25 years as a priest, Father Oliveira has also held two positions with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — in the Office of Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees as Portuguese Apostolate Representative for Massachusetts and Rhode Island from 1986 to 1996; and

in the same USCCB office as Portuguese Apostolate National Consultant from 1996-2003 and 2005 to the present.

Father Oliveira’s homilies and observations were often quoted in local

media over the years. In a particularly poignant quote, the Standard Times reported that he preached, “We should not cling to the things of our mortal world, but only to Jesus.”

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: Aug. 14 Rev. Raphael Marciniak, OFM Conv., Pastor, Holy Cross, Fall River, 1947 Rev. Conrad Lamb, O.S.B., Missionary in Guatemala, 1969 Aug. 15 Rev. Charles W. Cullen, Founder, Holy Family, East Taunton, 1926 Rev. James O’Reilly, 1856

Aug. 16

Aug. 17 Rev. Cornelius O’Connor, Former Pastor, Holy Trinity, Harwich Center, 1882 Rev. Msgr. Maurice Souza, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, East Falmouth, 1996 Aug. 18 Rev. Msgr. William H. Dolan, Retired Pastor, Holy Family, East Taunton, 1977 Rev. Joseph M. Quinn, C.S.C., 2007 Aug. 20 Rev. Bernard H. Unsworth, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1982 Rev. Thomas Cantwell, SSJ, Retired, St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, 1983 Aug. 21 Most Rev. Lawrence S. McMahon, Bishop of Hartford, Former Pastor, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1893 Aug. 22 Rev. Msgr. Manuel J. Teixeira, Pastor, St. Anthony, Taunton, 1962 Rev. William R. Jordan, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Msgr. Joseph C. Canty, USN Retired Chaplain; Retired Pastor, St. Paul, Taunton, 1980 Msgr. John F. Denehy, USAF Retired Chaplain, 2003 Aug. 23 Rev. Thomas F. Clinton, Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1895 Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, PA, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 1992 Aug. 24 Rev. Peter J.B. Bedard, Founder, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1884 Very Rev. James F. Gilchrist, CPM VG, 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 Tobin, C.S.C., 2008

L

It̕ s virtually a whole new world

ast edition I wrote about my grandparents, and it was one of my favorite columns over the last 20 years.

It evoked from the depths of my memory and heart, the good times of growing up in the 1960s, despite turmoil all over the world.

The column also brought me a very unexpected and wonderful gift — a relative of my mémère and pépère Vautrin. Hi Bobby! I have a fair knowledge of the Jolivet side of the family, but not so much on the Vautrin side. I now have a start.

Back to the good memories.

As a lad, my friends and I were not confined to our neighborhood when it came time for fun. The whole city of Fall River became a playground for us.

We would go down to the Taunton River, cross the railroad tracks at the bottom of Kennedy (South) Park and throw bricks and stones into the water; walk for miles up the tracks and then miles back; and dodge the river rats that were sometimes as big as small dogs.

There were times we headed down to a factory near Bay Street and play in the piled up boulders that provided us with caves that al-

lowed our imaginations to run free.

There were times playing street hockey until 10 p.m. behind the Fernandes Supermarket in the same area.

We would ice skate, either at South Park, or on an area pond, cutting through the ice until we knew it was time to stop — when our toes were so cold they started to hurt; and we knew what was to come — the itching and burning as the digits thawed back to a normal body temperature. Just one of the hazards of having a good time.

We played cards and board games outside; we played football, basketball, baseball, dodge, Red Rover, you name it, until sunlight was history for that day.

We would get dirty from head to toe; eat snacks without washing our hands (and without mom’s knowledge), drink straight from garden hoses, and at the end of the day (when it wasn’t bath night), we would make a feeble effort at a bird

bath to clean up for bed.

And the only phone I remember was the party line phone with the pigtail cord on the wall.

Today, there are at least two generations that have no idea what I would be talking about right now.

Playing outside is unheard of (and frankly, the world is a far more dangerous place to do what we did in strange neighborhoods, or even our own).

Middle-age adults and younger ones now have their faces planted in a smart phone, which I feel is a misnomer, at least as far as the phone part goes (is it ever used as a phone?).

Everything is virtual. Conversations are not with voices but with fingers and tiny keyboards.

(Although, virtual reality did get us through 2020.)

I feel bad that video games and phone apps have replaced getting dirty and sweaty and exhausted by day’s end.

I wish the generations after me

could have the fun I had, and the memories I have.

One of my favorite Blues artists is Ana Popović. Ana is 45 years old, so she’s among the last of us who know what it’s like without electronic gadgets to rule our lives.

In 2018, she wrote and recorded “Virtual Ground.” I share some of that to close out this column.

“Is being in the moment a thing of the past? Is anything real, will anything last? Is anybody out there truly my friend? All they ever do is hit me back again. I just want to talk face-to-face. I’m longing for a life in the real place.

“I think I’m stranded in a noman’s land. But I got Big Brother in my hand. Oh, it feels like a ball and chain. It’s a full-time job I’ve got to maintain.

“How do I know how people really feel? What is fake, and what is real? If you like me, I like you. If you follow me, I’ll follow you.

“Walk in the sunshine, walk in the moonlight.”

Here’s hoping that today’s generations will find out just what it’s like to walk in the sunshine and walk in the moonlight, without a phone in their hands. davejolivet@anchornews.org

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† August 6, 2021