demic-levelHighcrease2022,servicesofincreasetrylanusMassachusetts,SoutheasterntheSoCaseyFoodPanhashada67percentinthenumberclientsaccessingitssinceJanuaryofanda22percentinsinceMayof2022.pricesinstores,panSupplemen
tal Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being reduced or lost and depleted stock levels in existing stores have con tributed to the issue. Also, the Boston Food Bank, which supplies most of the food distributed at the Solanus Casey Food Pantry, has reduced the maximum order weight by 30 percent in the past year. Other weekly donations are also down and several other food pantries in the area have closed or also have reduced stock. With the uptick in demand and the decrease St. Mother Teresa prays during a Mass at St. Lawrence Martyr Church in New Bedford during her June 14, 1995 visit there. A Mass of remembrance will be cel ebrated at the same church on September 5, the 25th anniversary of her passing. (Anchor file photo)
NEW BEDFORD — June 14, 1995 was a dreary, rainy day in the Whaling City, but the weather never dampened the excitement and enthusiasm for the visit of the beloved Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The saint-to-be was visiting the members of her order, the Missionaries of Charity, who had just begun to minister in New Bedford.Shevisited the recto ry St. Lawrence Martyr Church, where the then-di ocesan Director of Com munication, Msgr. John J. Moore and then-Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Conv., hosted the tiny woman with the large heart prior to a Mass at the church.Asthe day of the 25th anniversary of St. Mother Teresa’s death approached, the Missionaries of Chari ty, who still live across the street from St. Lawrence Church, approached pastor Father Michael Racine to ask if he would celebrate a Mass of remembrance for her.“I’m going to have a special mass commemo rating her passing 25 years ago on Monday, September 5, which is Labor Day,” Father Racine told The Anchor. “It’s the actual day, so it’s appropriate that we do it. The Mass will be at 10 a.m. at St. Lawrence. All are invited to come and pray with the sisters.” On that day in 1995, the church was filled to capacity with priests, Mis sionaries of Charity, reli gious and faithful fortunate Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., leads a procession with the International Statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the recent International Pilgrimage at the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal. Story on page two. (Photo from the Shrine of Fatima Facebook page)
August 19, 2022 † 1 8 Turn to page three D iocese of f all R ive R , M ass . † f R i D ay , a ugust 19, 2022 8 Turn to page seven By DaveEditorJolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org
NEW BEDFORD — With an increase in demand for its services and a decrease in supplies available to it, the Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford is seeking to nav igate a storm affecting its ability to feed the hungry. One of the largest food pantries in
Mass of remembrance for St. Mother Teresa to be celebrated at St. Lawrence Martyr Church on 25th anniversary of her death Help needed to ease the supply shortage facing the Solanus Casey Food Pantry
He spoke about “a world torn apart by war, injustice, violence, lack of respect for life and the dignity of the human person; Christians being persecuted for the simple fact that they are Christians; governments and political systems that want to eliminate the values of our “Wefaith.will find many who want to put out the fire. In any group, there are always those who light the fire and those who put out the fire. Never give up on continuing to light the fire. We must keep alive the flame of faith and the fire of the HolyInSpirit.”amessage directed to fami lies, Bishop da Cunha said, “Do not let yourselves be disproportionately influenced by Social Networks, the Internet, by friends. Life is more than smartphones, computers, tab lets, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik-Tok. Listen to your parents, grandparents and teachers. Do not think that God, religion, sacraments, church and prayer are things of the past and only for old people.“Iknow you want to be happy in this life. Happiness consists in conforming our lives to God’s plan for us. Therefore, we need to find out what God wants from us.”
August 12 Bishop da Cunha led an opening prayer service that included a procession and a bless ing of pilgrims with lighted can dles.On August 13, Bishop da Cunha celebrated Mass outside the Shrine Basilica. Tens of thousands of pilgrims participated in both events.Bishop da Cunha was invited to lead these liturgies that are part of the Pilgrimage of Migrant and Ref ugees that takes place at the Shrine annually, but were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and travel restrictions. From May to October, on the 12th and 13th of each month, special pilgrimages take place in Fatima to commemorate the 1917 apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children. Each Au gust, the celebration is focused on immigrants and refugees. In his homily at the Mass, given in Portuguese, Bishop da Cunha said, “Take God out of the world and you will see what will become of man. Even though we are sur rounded by evil and sin, we walk guided by the light of faith and hope. Let us not be intimidated by the prophets of evil, by those who want to spread doubt, terror, ha tred, selfishness, and darkness.”
Bishop da Cunha presides over International Pilgrimage at Shrine of Fatima in Portugal
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., incenses the famed International Statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the recent International Pilgrimage at the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal. very devoted to the Divine Espírito SantoOn.”
2 † August 19, 2022 FATIMA, Portugal — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha presided over this year’s International Pilgrim age at the Sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal on August 12 through 14. The bishop had been scheduled to preside over the same pilgrimage in 2020, but it was cancelled because of the pandemic. This event is also known as the “Emigrants” Pilgrim age The Sanctuary’s website (fati ma.pt) gave extensive coverage of the Mass and Bishop da Cunha’s homily. It wrote, “The Bishop of Fall River is a native of the state of Bahia, Brazil, and was the first U.S. prelate born in Brazil. At the moment, he presides over one of the most important and signifi cant Portuguese communities in the United States, where a large Azorean community, natural or descendants of the Azores, partic ularly from São Miguel, lives and is
The Shrine website reported that the bishop “presented to the pilgrims the greetings, prayers, faith and devotion of so many Portuguese parishioners and descendants of Portuguese immi grants in the diocese in Massa chusetts.TheRector of the Shrine thanked Bishop da Cunha, at the end of the celebration, ensuring him of the prayers of those present for his ministry.
A cardinal, four bishops, 67 priests as well as countless mem bers of the Portuguese diaspora attended the Mass. Reports taken from the Shrine of Fatima website, fatima.pt, and the Diocese of Fall River website, fallriverdiocese.org.
“At the end of the Mass she spoke briefly to those assembled, who listened attentively to each word,” added Msgr. Oliveira. “She was treated as a celebrity in some ways. But I sensed she was uncomfortable with all this. She want ed her presence to bring peace and healing, all the extras did not phase her. As she often stated, she was a pencil in the hand of God. That was enough for her. That was what she was about.”Msgr. Barry Wall, another retired priest of the diocese, shared his recollections with The An chor. “The visit of Moth er Teresa to her Sisters in New Bedford in June 1995 was an extraordinary occasion. Her presence and her words spoken at the Mass celebrated by Bishop O’Malley at St. Lawrence Church brought joy and inspiration to everyone. She was received with devotion not only by Catholics but by the larger civic community led by the mayor, the late Rosemary S. Tierney.“Ithink of the visit against the background of local church history.
Mass in remembrance of St. Mother Teresa is September 5 in NB continued from page one enough to gain access. Also in the church were children from schools across the diocese. Surely a day they would never forget. Outside in inclement conditions, hundreds lined the street in the rain as the Mass was celebrated inside. The saint of the streets, Mother Teresa, spoke at the end of the Mass. She asked the large gathering, in cluding her Sisters, to keep praying for the Mission aries of Charity. She said the charism of her congre gation is to work for “the sanctification and salvation of the poorest of the poor.” Msgr. John J. Oliveira, now retired, was the then-Master of Ceremonies for the diocese. “It was my last ceremony as Diocesan Master of Ceremonies, so I was able to be close to all the ceremonies,” Msgr. Oliveira told The Anchor “My first encounter was her arrival at the New Bed ford airport by a private plane. A crowd greeted her and she was ushered into a private plane hanger where she met various civic and religious officials. Bishop O’Malley was the first to greet her and was respon sible for her presence and the foundation of a con vent for the Missionaries of Charity in New Bedford. “At her arrival at St. Lawrence Church, she was greeted by many from the diocese, friends, and citizens of the Whaling City. Most of the clergy of the diocese were in atten dance.”Retired
August 19, 2022 † 3 His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has accepted the recommendation of the Very Reverend Joseph M. O’Keefe, S.J., Provincial Superior of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, and has made the following appointment: Reverend James R. Mattaliano, S.J., Parochial Vicar of St. Pius Tenth Parish in South Yarmouth Effective: September 1, 2022 † Diocese of fall RiveR † aofficialppointments
Father Joseph Viveiros, the former dioc esan director of the Min istry for the Deaf, was at the Mass, and signed it for those with hearing disabil ities. “In the early years of my priesthood I was often called upon to sign for the deaf and hard of hearing at church and social occa sions,” he told The Anchor “On June 15, 1995, at St. Lawrence in New Bedford, I was asked once again to interpret for the deaf and hearing impaired. At that time I was to sign Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s address to our diocese. It was a very moving experience for me. I was truly astonished at how many people were in the church, in the door ways and out in the streets. “They had all come out to see and hear Moth er Teresa speak to them. I recall how I was greatly humbled by that simple little woman who held ev eryone in the palm of her hand as she spoke to them of God’s love for us all. She, like all virtuous women, ‘spoke with a gentle kind of wisdom’ as she told us of how Jesus always reached out to the poor and the needy. In a kind and loving way she challenged us all to the same. She told us that before God we are all poor and needy. Then she told us that the poorest of the poor are all around us and that we do not need to travel to far places like Calcutta to find them. All we have to do is open our eyes, our minds and our hearts and respond to them.”
To find an event like it we might have to go back to September 1849 when the city received a visit from Father Theobald Mathew, the Irish Capuchin Fran ciscan Friar, known on both sides of the Atlantic as the Apostle of Tem perance. He came at the invitation of the City Fathers, many of them Quakers who were advo cates of temperance. Father Mathew rode in an open carriage to a reception accepting the applause of young and old who gath ered along the way. Before and after public exercises, Father Mathew received the pledge to abstain from alcohol from more than 150 people at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Fifth (Pleasant) Street. “A new Catholic School, the merger of two schools, will soon open in New Bedford and will be named for St. Teresa of Calcutta, a permanent reminder of the words and deeds, and the visit of Mother Teresa,” Msgr. Wall noted.The Missionaries of Charity encourage all diocesan faithful to attend the September 5 Mass at St. Lawrence Martyr Church to remember St. Mother Teresa and to pray for the work her order continues today.
Among same-sex-at tracted individuals, culti vating chaste relationships with each other can some times be complex. Doing so requires a needacknowledgedchastefundamentalteaching,wisdomships.mousablesupposedtheobservations.heglesbasedHouston,aldthebarredaavoidly-sharedofweakness,understandingenvironment,supportivepatience,anofhumanastrongsensehope,andamutualdeterminationtonearoccasionsofsin.Afewyearsago,Ireadmemorable,no-holds-commentaryongaylifestylebyRonG.Lee,alibrarianinTexas,inwhich,onhisownstrugwithhomosexuality,offeredseveralhelpfulHedisputedclaimthatgaymenareto,orareevento,liveinmonogahomosexualrelationInstead,echoingtheoftheChurch’shestressedtheneedforalifestyle.Atthesametime,hetheurgentforsame-sex-attract
ed individuals to have healthy human friendships with others. He mentioned his best friend Mark, who, like himself, was a refugee from the gay lifestyle and a man of faith. Summing up their relationship, he said, “From Mark I have learned that two men can love each other profoundly while opposesthattime.clothedremainingtheentireWearetoldtheChurchsame-sex love. Not true. The Church opposes homogenital sex, which in my experience is not about love, but about obsession, addiction, and compensation for a com promised masculinity.”
The Catholic Church stresses that homosexual acts are intrinsically dis ordered but homosexual persons are not. This dis tinction is crucial. More over, a person’s natural inner desire for human bonding should not be considered disordered or problematic in itself. In other words, the desire for friendship, relationship and communion, even among willandallowedIfisfuldirectedvidualssame-sex-attracteddesireunchastehumanvenewhichsame-sexdesiringcallyindividuals,same-sex-attractedisnotintrinsidisordered,althoughandpursuingsexualrelations,alwayscontratherootpurposesofsexuality,willbeandimmoral.Theforclosenessamongindicanandshouldbetowardnon-lustfriendships.Aseconddistinctionalsoworthmentioning.homoeroticdesiresaretotakeroot,lingerbeactedupon,theybeinherentlyprob lematic and sinful. If such desires, however, arise spontaneously in a person’s mind, and are not actively cultivated, entertained, or acted upon, this would not be sinful, insofar as sin always involves a wrongful choice.The late Father Bene dict Groeschel alluded to these nuances surround ing our inclinations and choices when he noted, “Homosexuality is a con dition; gay and lesbian is a decision.”TheCatholic Church extends a beautiful call to each of us, one of authentic freedom and love. Human sexuality involves powerful drives that must be ordered within God’s sacred and providential plan. The Catechism reminds us that same-sex-attracted in dividuals are called ulti mately to holiness, which is the fulfillment of a life of love:”Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mas tery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection” (n.2359).Thatsummons is a source of great hope. Anchor columnist Fa ther Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doc toral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioeth ics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org and www.fathertad.com. the Diocese of Fall River website fallriverdiocese.orgat:
Homosexual men and chaste friendships recognition and support for its vital work, yet regrettably, resistance still arises at times in some quarters of the Church when Courage seeks to promote clear Catholic teaching on chastity and edtheansourceandlowingtheirtoanddiscussedbilities,theylivingownthattogether.tionmenwhereMidwestpromotession.Communionments,receptionmentionlowship,andspiritualprayerdemandsahomosexuality.Cultivatingchasteheartadeeplife,strongsupport,goodfelnottofrequentofthesacraespeciallyHolyandConfesCouragevigorouslythesepractices.IoncevisitedalargeCatholicparishtherewasagroupofwithsame-sexattracwhoattendedMassIlaterlearnedeachofthemhadhisroominacommonarrangementwheredividedresponsiprayedtogether,theirburdensstruggles,andsoughtstrengtheneachotherinsharedjourneyoffoltheLordgenerouslychastely.Theywereaofinspirationandexampleofhopewithinparish,whichsupportandencouragedthem.
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4 † August 19, 2022 C atholic men facing samesex attractions often struggle with how they are supposed to handle their homoromantic feelings. Some clearly understand that the Church invites them to order their feelings and attractions through a life of chaste continence, but they also wrestle with a strong desire for same-sex friendship and bonding. In the midst of an escalating gay culture that actively promotes and celebrates homosexual sex, even in its most promiscu ous forms, how can young men hope to encounter friends with whom they might cultivate healthy and chaste relationships? What role does the Church play in supporting and encour aging this? A group called Courage offers outstanding spiritual support for those who are struggling with same-sex attraction and desiring to live chastely according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catho lic Church. Founded by Father John Harvey, Cour age held its first meeting in 1980 in New York City. Since then, it has expand ed into an international ministry. This important apostolate deserves broad
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs, with its three tabernacles, is a unique place of Eucharistic Revival. There one can learn, through the example and intercession of Saints Isaac and Kateri, how to “live again,” to “taste the sweetness” of what Christ has won for us, and to love Him by doing “what is most pleasing to Him,” what He told us on Holy Thursday to do in His memory. Father Landry is Interim Executive Editor. catholicpreaching.com.fatherlandry@
August 19, 2022 † 5
A unique place for Eucharistic Revival
The United States is blessed with many ex traordinary Eucharistic shrines that can be fitting places of pil grimage during the three-year national Eucharistic Revival just begun.I’vehad the privilege to visit some of them, like the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sac rament in Hanceville, Ala., St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine in Boston, the Church of St. Jean Baptiste in New York City, and the National Shrine of St. Max imilian Kolbe at Marytown north of Chicago, to name a few of the most renowned. There are also exquisite perpetual adoration chapels where the Eucharistic Lord seeks to draw all people to himself, like Our Lady of Corpus Christi Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Corpus Christi, Texas, Queen of the Angels Holy Adoration Chapel in Basehor, Ks., and Our Lady of Life Adoration Chapel in West Harwich. These are some of the more than 800 locations of perpetual adoration avail able to Catholics in the United States.Every active tabernacle, however, in each of the more than 16,679 Catholic parishes in the United States ought to be a place of regular pil grimage during the Revival. Jesus Christ, really, truly, and substantially awaits us there, wanting us to bring Him our prayers and grow in His holy likeness.Out of all the important domestic Eucharistic destina tions, one is, for me, in a class of itself, because of the Eucha ristic saints who have hallowed it. It’s the Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs in Auriesville, N.Y., where in the 1640s Saints Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil and Jean Lalande all gave their lives out of a desire to bring to the Native Americans in Canada and upstate New York the Eu charistic love of the One who gave His life for us. It’s also where, a decade after they sanctified the soil by pouring out their own blood in union with Christ’s, the “Lily of the Mohawks” was born, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, who would become one of the great wit nesses to Eucharistic adoration in the Church’s history. It’s a place not just to reflect on the gift of the Holy Eucha rist, but on our response to that gift. St. Isaac Jogues, born in France, desired to be a Jesu it, priest, and missionary, in order not just to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the New World but Jesus Himself in the Blessed Sacrament. His priestly ordina tion was accelerated so that he would be able to join a group of Jesuits leaving in 1636 for New France. He loved Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and was accustomed in seminary not only to attending Mass every day but to spending long vigils in prayer before the tab ernacle. He well knew that as a missionary, traveling by canoe for days, with limited supplies of unleavened bread and wine, there would likely be times when he would not have access to the altar or tabernacle, but he longed to be able to found new chapels, altars, and taber nacles so that many others who did not know yet the ongoing reality of Christ’s incarnation might come to realize that God is with them, too. After six years as a mis sionary, he was captured by the Mohawks close to Three Rivers in Quebec. He would soon realize just how much he would suffer without God in order to try to bring Him to the very ones who were depriving him. With Rene Goupil and their Huron guides and companions, St. Isaac was brought down rivers, lakes and land to the village of Ossernen on, modern Aurieville, on the northern lip of the Mohawk River. Among the tortures St. Isaac needed to endure was to have his thumbs and index fin gers severely mutilated, which meant that even if he had the liberty to celebrate Mass, he would no longer be able to, because according to the ru brics at the time, the priest had to hold the consecrated host exclusively with those severed digits.This man of the Eucharist ended up going 17 months without even being able to re ceive the Eucharist, until, with the help of the Dutch, he was able to escape through modern day Albany, Manhattan, and England to arrive in France on Christmas Day 1643. As soon as he disembarked and had asked directions to the closest Church, he went to confession, attended Mass and received Holy Communion. “It was then,” he said, “that I began to live again and tasted the sweet ness of my deliverance.” He eventually was able to get to the Jesuit seminary in Rennes, where his confrères were well aware from the Jesuit Relations of his captivity. When, not recognizing him, the rector asked impatiently if their visitor had news of Father Jogues, he replied with an appreciative smile, “He is at liberty and is the one speaking to you.”Through the help and in sistence of the Jesuit Provincial and the Queen of France, he petitioned Pope Urban VIII for a dispensation from the rubrics so that he would be able to cel ebrate Mass with the hands and fingers he still had. Pope Urban VIII, most famous for adorn ing the altar of St. Peter with its famous bronze Baldachin, beautifully replied through the Jesuit General and French Ambassador, “Indignum esset Christi martyrem Christi non bibere sanguinem.” “It would be unworthy that a martyr of Christ not drink Christ’s blood.” Finally, in March 1644, after 20 months, he was able to go up to the altar of God, hold Christ in his mangled hands, and receive Christ’s Precious Body and DespiteBlood.thetortures he had endured, he wished to return to the missionary fields. His wish was granted. In 1646, he was asked by the French territorial government to lead a diplomatic mission to Ossernenon. Along the way, he traveled on a lake on which no Euro pean had yet traversed. He named it, fittingly, Lac du Saint Sacrement, not only out of love for the Blessed Sacrament but because it was the vigil of Corpus Christi; that remained its name for 109 years, before the English renamed it after King George II. Because of the protection of the French, he was able to minister to those whom he had previously baptized and formed during his captivity. As he was leav ing, anticipating his return, he left a “Mass kit,” containing everything he needed for Mass, so that he wouldn’t have to transport one the next time. That would prove his earthly undoing.TheMohawks caught an influenza a few months later and they superstitiously blamed it on the black box the priest had left behind. When Father Jogues soon thereafter returned with Jean Lalande, the Mohawks were poised for attack, and both were tomahawked, respectively, on successive days. He died, we could say, out of preparation for Mass, symbolized by his MassFeetkit.from where he died, St. Kateri was born 10 years later, of a Christian Algonquin mom and a Mohawk dad, both of whom died of smallpox when she was four. When she was 19, she had a chance to talk to the recently arrived Jesuit Father Jacques de Lamberville, telling him she wanted to learn more about prayer and be bap tized. “Who can tell me what is most pleasing to God that I may do it?,” she asked. After he tested her resolve, she was baptized the following Easter, and grew quickly in faith. Her Christian life was such a sign of contradiction to her fellow Mohawks that Father de Lamberville, to save her life, arranged for her escape to the Jesuit village of Caughnawaga, 200 miles north, just south of Montreal. There she made her first Holy Communion on Christmas 1677. From that point forward she lived a thoroughly Eu charistic life, adoring Jesus outside the locked chapel — on her knees, despite snow, ice and freezing cold —for an hour until it opened at 5 a.m., attending Mass and adoring Jesus inside until it was time for work and acts of charity, and returning after work for several more hours of adora tion. When she traveled out side the village for the hunting season, she prayed in spiritual communion and adoration before a crucifix she would place in a tree. She died on the cusp of Holy Thursday in 1680, at the age of 24. Her final words were a summary of her brief but profound Eucharistic faith and life: “Jesus, I love you.”
Diligent priests became better and lazy priests became lazier, and the level of fatherly concern had an impact on the rate of return of the faithful. Some priests did everything possible to reach their people and help them grow in faith, with outdoor and live-streamed Masses, Eucharistic processions in flatbed trucks, confessions in parking lots, anointings in hazmat suits, regular phone calls, emails, videos, interactive Zooms and more. Other priests did very little, not offering confes sions, not telephoning parishioners, not even celebrating private Masses in their churches because of a pseudo-theological hang-up about Masses without a congregation. Out of fear or indolence, they hid the talent the Lord had given them in the ground (Mt 25:25). Many government leaders manifested their ignorance or hostility toward faith and religious freedom, considering alcohol stores essential services but not churches. Only a small percentage of Church leaders and faithful stood up to these abuses. We need to be prepared to be bolder the next time.Catechesis was confused. To downplay the severity of shutting off access to sacraments, some dioceses’ messages made it seem as if spiritual communions were commensurate with sacramental communions, perfects acts of contrition were equivalent to sacramental confessions, and prayers as one was dying were tantamount to the Anointing of the Sick. Nowhere close. God who created the sacraments can indeed work outside of them, but the sacraments work by their valid celebra tion whereas these substitutions are totally dependent on the (often imperfect) dispositions of the recipient.Science, the new secular religion, was manipulated. Rather than “following the science,” some scientific leaders regularly engaged in misinformation for the sake of behavioral crowd control, like we saw, among other things, with changing, contradictory information about masks. Many dioceses, however, followed their advice as if they were obeying the commandments. Bad scientific guidance made it seem as if the distribution of Holy Communion were the most dangerous act imaginable. It’s important for bishops, in order to lead effective in such circumstances, to have their own well-formed scientific experts as advisors, to assist them to teach effectively and make right decisions.Catholic schools were overall a great success story, because, unlike many of their govern ment funded counterparts, teachers and staff prioritized the education of children over their own safety.Finally, while the Church permits and encourages people to receive the COVID vaccines, she also supports the right of people to refuse them. The Church didn’t defend the latter as much as it vigorously promoted the former. She also allowed vaccine apartheid to impact the way we wor shiped, dividing people into vaccinated pews and non-vaccinated pews, permitting only vaccinated people to participate in certain events, enter the rectory, or return to work in Catholic facilities. If in Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free person (Gal 3:28), there also should not be in His Church vaccinated and unvaccinated. Such division does not come from above. In the Church’s response, there are some things to be proud of, others to be embarrassed about, and much to learn. Now is the time for a conversation about that response to take place. Mass. Vol. 66, No. 17www.anchornews.org MGR. david B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.orgEXECUTIVE FatheR RiChaRd d. Wilson INTERIM EXECUTIVE EDITOR FatheR RogeR J. landRy - fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.orgADVERTISING
As the Church in the United States enters more deeply into the Eucharistic Revival, it is im portant to assess with candor and courage the way pandemic decisions have impacted Eucharistic life and faith. For some, shutting off access to Mass and receiving Holy Communion increased their hunger for Holy Communion, gratitude for the Mass, and appreciation for the gift of the priesthood that makes the Eucharistic Lord available. For many others, however, perhaps especially for those whose Eucharistic faith may have been weaker, the decision to suspend the public celebration of Mass attenuated or eliminated that hunger. It’s easier to tear down than to build. It’s impossible to deny that the decision to shut down ac cess to the Mass, made hurriedly and under duress, has had disastrous consequences. It’s important for Church leaders and faithful to admit that a mistake was a made, learn from it and resolve not to repeat it. Pandemic decision-making did not communicate courage but fear. It did not show that we are the spiritual descendants of the Martyrs of Abitene, Gorkum and Casimari, of Saints Tarcisius, Oscar Romero and Pedro Maldonado, and other Eucharist martyrs and saints. It did not confirm that the Eucharist is the source and summit, root and center of the Christian life, but seemed to prioritize the health of the body over the health of the soul. That does not mean we should have ignored the pandemic, its dangers and legitimate precau tions. The obligation to attend Mass should have been suspended so that those at high risk, who care for those in high risk, who were uncomfortable putting themselves at risk, or who work in health care and similar professions, could with clean conscience make the decision not to come. Stopping the distribution of the Precious Blood was obvious for epidemiological reasons. Following the best advice of medical professionals with regard to social distancing, masks, and hand-washing, as well as legitimate governmental restrictions regarding indoor crowd size, was prudent. But while doing all of that, it was still possible to maintain access to Mass and Holy Commu nion, whether that meant celebrating outdoors in parking lots and fields, celebrating indoors with successive crowds of small, socially-distanced people, celebrating livestream and then allowing people to come for Holy Communion, or many of the other temporary solutions creative priests, when given the permission, devised while respecting legitimate civil and ecclesiastical regulations.
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6 † August 19, 2022
On August 11, the Centers for Disease Control loosened most of its COVID-19 guidelines, and many other national, state and local governments, institutions and industries have recently done the same. It’s an important marker that collectively almost everyone wants to move on from the pandemic.While there are still variants and people whose conditions make them vulnerable, while some continue to suffer with long COVID, while we continue to mourn those who have died because of it, we give thanks to God that, for the most part, the pandemic and the revolution it caused to daily life are over.There are many analyses being done as to the long-term impact of the pandemic on health care, the economy, culture, remote work, travel, schools, interpersonal interaction, child psychology, and other social dimensions. It is similarly important for the leaders and faithful of the Church to take this time to examine the impact of the pandemic on Catholic life. Several surveys have shown that one-third of American Catholics who were coming to Mass at the beginning of March 2020 now no longer regularly attend. The decision to lock churches and prevent access to the sacraments during the worst months of the pandemic has had a calamitous impact on the faith life of millions of Catholics, on the vitality of their parishes and dioceses, and on the Church’s whole mission. Some of the faithful just lost their good habit of keeping holy the Lord’s Day. Others began to watch Mass on television or via livestream and have continued to substitute virtual participation for real. Others concluded that Mass must not be all that important if Church leaders — during a deadly pandemic when many were dying and others were wondering if they would be next — rather hastily had decided to eliminate the possibility of attending Mass and receiving other Sacraments.
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Such efforts testified to the importance of the Holy Eucharist in the life of faith, especially in the most trying times. In some places, however, dioceses — not draconian secularist governments — prevented even such balanced and effectively safe solutions, as if the real priority were actually not to have Mass so that everyone would stay at home. Such decisions were scandalous to faithful and clergy alike. This post-pandemic period is a time — calmly, serenely, and wisely — to prepare to do much better the next time civil and health authorities declare a pandemic. Learning from our mistakes, it’s a chance to plan how to ensure access to the sacraments, balancing healthy precaution with the courage and risk-taking that should characterize anyone who claims to be following the Crucified One who calls us to love as He loves. There are some other lessons we can learn.
A post-pAndemic time for ecclesiAl Assessment Editorial OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Published biweekly except for one week in autumn by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River,
EDITOR
POSTMASTERS address to The Anchor, PO Box 318, Congers, N.Y. 10920. ANCHOR (USPS-545-020) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass. Readings † August 20 — September 2 Sat. Aug. 20, Ez 43:1-7ab; Ps 85:9ab,10-14; Mt 23:1-12. Sun. Aug. 21, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 66:18-21; Ps 117:1-2; Heb 12:57,11-13; Lk 13:22-30. Mon. Aug. 22, 2 Thes 1:1-5,11-12; Ps 96:1-5; Mt 23:13-22. Tue. Aug. 23, 2 Thes 2:1-3a,14-17; Ps 96:10-13; Mt 23:23-26. Wed. Aug. 24, Rv 21:9b-14; Ps 145: 10-13,17-18; Jn 1:45-51. Thu. Aug. 25, 1 Cor 1:1-9; Ps 145:2-7; Mt 24:42-51. Fri. Aug. 26,1 Cor 1:17-25; Ps 33:1-2,4-5,10-11; Mt 25:1-13. Sat. Aug. 27, 1 Cor 1:26-31; Ps 33:12-13,18-21; Mt 25:14-30. Sun. Aug. 28, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29; Ps 68:4-7,10-11; Heb 12:18-19,22-24a; Lk 14:17-14. Mon. Aug. 29, 1 Cor 2:1-5; Ps 119:97-102; Mk 6:17-29. Tue. Aug. 30, 1 Cor 2:10b-16; Ps 145:814; Lk 4:31-37. Wed. Aug. 31, 1 Cor 3:1-9; Ps 33:12-15.20-21; Lk 4:38-44. Thu. Sept. 1, 1 Cor 3:18-23; Ps 24:1b-4b,5-6; Lk 5:1-11. Fri. Sept. 2, 1 Cor 4:1-5; Ps 37:3-6,27-28,39-40; Lk 5:33-39.
Wayne R. PoWeRs waynepowers@anchornews.org
02720 , Tel. 508-675-7151 ; FAX 508-675-7048 ; email: davejolivet@anchornews.org To subscribe to The Anchor online visit www.fallriverdiocese.org;subscribe Subscription price by mail, prepaid $29.00 per year for U.S. addresses. Please send address changes to The Anchor, PO Box 318, Congers, NY 10920, call or use email address. PUBLISHER – Most ReveRend edgaR M. da Cunha, s d v., d d
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Msgr. John Oliveira, Director of the Diocese of Fall River’s Office of the Propagation of the Faith, meets with Bishop Nirajan Sualsingh of the Diocese of Sam balpur, India, who was in the Diocese of Fall River to meet with the Sacred Heart Fathers in Fairhaven. He visited Msgr. Oliveira to brief him on the situation of the Diocese of Sambalpur, which is in the Province of Orissa, where Christians have recently had to suffer much for the Catholic faith. in donations, the Solanus Casey Food Pantry has been forced lately to close early or all together due to running out of food —un precedented in its 30-plus yearChiefhistory.Operating Of ficer for Catholic Social Services, Happiness Nos ike-Unaka, said, “The last thing that we ever want to do is to turn away individ uals and families facing food insecurity. We are redoubling our efforts to stock shelves and to find alternative purchasing solutions so that the pan try can meet the increased demand.“Weare also calling on the community to do nate items. Donations of shelf-stable milk and juice are particularly needed as direct donations of these items will mean that we can allocate the thousands of pounds these items usu ally take up on our weekly order to the Boston Food Bank, to bringing in more meat, vegetables, and shelvesnon-perishables.“Restockingourisalsoessential to our ability to launch our pilot Mobile Food Service Delivery Program so that we can serve the home bound.”
Those who can help meet this need are urged to send donations to the Solanus Casey Food Pan try located at 238 Bonney Street in New Bedford; items may be dropped off at the back of the build ing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and from 1-5 p.m. Wednes days and DonationsThursdays.canalso be picked up by calling the Solanus Casey Food Pan try staff at mayMonetary508-997-7337.donationsbesenttoCatholic
August 19, 2022 † 7 NB food bank needs assistance continued from page one
In better days, shelves at the Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford were stocked with necessities for needy people in the New Bedford area. Since the pandemic, cutbacks and other obstacles have created a food shortage, bringing the pantry closer to shutting its doors.
Social Services at the cen tral office located at 1600 Bay Street, Fall River, Mass., 02724.
a-MissionThisyear’s FACE Sum mer Gala raised nearly $200,000 for Catholic school students in need of financial assistance in the Diocese of Fall River. Each day in Catholic schools across the Diocese of Fall River, thousands of chil dren receive a Catholic faith-based education in high-quality environments dedicated to helping them reach their God-given potential. Scan the QR code below to learn more or to make a FACEdonation.andthe diocese will have a special second collection at all Masses September 11 and 12. Story on page nine.
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., presents the Al Makkay Sr. Friend of Catholic Education Award to Ann Marie Shaw at the recent FACE Summer Gala.
Students from St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth and St. John Paul II School in Hyannis served as greeters at the 25th annual FACE Summer Gala, held at the Wianno Club in Osterville on August 4.
months to create an excit ing event to raise visibility and funds for FACE schol arshipBishopsupport.Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., presented the 2022 Al Makkay Sr. Friend of Catholic Educa tion Award to a dedicated and well-loved member of the Catholic school com munity, Ann-Marie Shaw, who has served as Office Administrator at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth for more than 15 years. Shaw began her career at St. Pius shortly after she and her husband John enrolled their daughter Isabella in the kindergar ten program there many years ago. Isabella is now a Harvard graduate. The school culture is impact ed by her demeanor, her commitment, and her work ethic, as well as her desire to share the St. Pius spirit with everyone she meets.Guests enjoyed a spe cial performance by Cape Cod’s talented a cappella group, Hyannis Sound. Students from St. Pius X School and St. John Paul II School greeted guests at the event, which offered a lively program including a Live Auction and a Fund-
8 † August 19, 2022 OSTERVILLE — The Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) Summer Gala to support student schol arships was held at the Wianno Club in Osterville on August 4. This marked the 25th anniversary of this special event on Cape Cod.Master of Ceremonies, co-host of the Wake-Up Cape Cod radio program, Kevin Matthews, wel comed guests followed by the Invocation led by Father Gregory Mathi as, pastor at Our Lady of Victory in Centerville and Our Lady of the Assump tion in committee,togetherilynsupporters,co-chairsGalaTheOsterville.FACESummerCommittee,ledbyandloyalFACEDickandMarColmanofOsterville,withtheentireplannedfor
FACE 25th Annual Summer Gala honors educator, raises nearly $200,000 for financial assistance for students in need
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., greets the FACE Summer Gala co-chairs, Dick and Marilyn Colman, at the recent event to raise funds for students in need.
FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River and the Foundation to Ad vance Catholic Education will have a special second collection at Masses on September 10 and 11. tomatchtionFoundaCharitableFamilyCarneyThewillup$50,000 in donations for FACE through this secondSincecollection.theopening of the first parochial school, the Diocese of Fall Riv er has desired to make Catholic schools accessible to all families who wish to provide a Catholic educa tion for their children. In 1991, the Diocese of Fall River established the St. Mary’s Education Fund. In 2015, the St. Mary’s Edu cation Fund changed its name to the Foundation to Advance Catholic Educa tionFACE(FACE).wants to meet the challenges of serving a diverse population, while addressing the increase in the demand for finan cial assistance for fami lies striving to send their children to the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River. There are cur rently 19 schools grades K-12 enrolling more than 5,400 children. Approx imately $1.4 million in financial aid was award ed to more than 1,000 students in the 2021-22 school-year. FACE sup ports children across the diocese — Attleboro to Foundation to Advance Catholic Education special second collection is September 10 and 11 Mansfield, Cape Cod to Acushnet, New Bedford and Fall River to Taunton. Each day in Catholic schools across the Diocese of Fall River, thousands of children receive a dedicatedronmentsityhigh-qualtioneducafaith-basedCatholicinenvi to helping them reach their God-given potential. Learn more about FACE at www.FACE-dfr. org.Scan the following QR code to watch a special video and learn more about FACE. The Cape Cod a cappella group, Hyannis Sound, entertained the audience at the recent 25th Annual FACE Summer Gala held at the Wianno Club in Osterville on August 4.
August 19, 2022 † 9
Help support Catholic education in the Diocese of Fall River by donating at the second collection for FACE on September 10 and 11.
FALL RIVER — Saint Vincent’s Services will be hold ing its 17th Annual Motorcycle Run and Raffle on Sunday, August 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at 2425 Highland Avenue in Fall River. Hopes are for another terrific bike run this year. Nor mally more than 175 motorcyles and 300 guests participate, making this bike run one of the largest in the area. The route is a 45-mile trek that travels through the scenic back roads of Fall River, Assonet, Berkley, and Lakeville. It is a relaxed run, escorted by State Police, which features wide open country roads and lake views. The Bike Run will end at the Fall River Elks Lodge on N. Main St., where riders, passengers, and friends are invited to stay and enjoy a BBQ lunch, cold drinks, a Run Raffle, and live music from the Most Wanted Band! Tickets for the Run are available on Saint Vincent’s website, www.SaintVincents Services.org), or can be purchased the morning of the Bike Run.Saint Vincent’s 17th Annual Motorcycle Run is presented by Preferred Concrete Forms. Saint Vincent’s Bike Run is August 21
“T ake comfort, my people” (Is 40:1) is a common enough phrase during the Advent season, but there is no reason why this divine di rective should be limited to that time of year. In fact, given the growing anxieties all around us — familial concerns, psycholog ical distress, economic difficul ties, even the little earthquakes in our parishes and local church es — perhaps looking at the real meaning of the words will guide us in our response to the present moral chaos. It must be acknowledged that the word “comfort” as it is un derstood today is a far cry from what it has historically meant, and the meaning that most close ly tracks with the Biblical usage. We’re most familiar with the adjective that conveys a state of ‘Take comfort, My people’ ease, with freedom from distress or pain. A comfortable chair comes to mind, or spiffy hightech sneakers. Comfort has also come to pristineapps,meditationmassages,deepmentsadvertiseation,withassociatedberelaxandfortissueandbeaches
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abound, pack aging comfort as anything from a new bed to the perfect getaway. But is this the sort of comfort on offer from God? Are we to flee anxiety with exotic holidays or mattress upgrades? The root of the word is fortis , which means “strong.” Together with the prefix, originally cum , which means ”with,” someone properly comforted is someone who has been offered strength. If we think of the ways ofthatweofsomeloss,illness,fromwhetheriningcomfortthosedistress,grief,orformanxiety,knowdis tractions are not helpful in the long run. However well inten tioned, they only forestall the eventual project of dealing with a specific problem — and which may be exacerbated by every delay.What is true comfort? In sum, it must be the truth — the truth about our human condi tion, how we stand before our Creator, the obstacles to peace, and the channels of grace. God has made certain specific prom ises about our destiny, and our hope in these promises must always be nourished in prayer. We are admonished to persevere in this hope until the end, not to give in to distractions when the journey becomes difficult. While acknowledging the benefits of a good night’s sleep, our real strength is in the Lord, and He is the source of sufficient grace to thrive even amongst the chal lenges all around us. Well over a century ago, Cardinal Newman warned that our material comforts would eventually discourage us from praying and trusting in God. “The most obvious danger which worldly possessions present to our spiritual welfare is that they become practically a substitute in our hearts for that one object to which our supreme devotion is due. They are present; God is unseen. They are means at hand of effecting what we want.” Yet, it is that constant devotion to the Author of Life that will provide the surest solace in all circum stances.Weoften look for the quick est fix, especially when we see those we love suffering, or when we ourselves find a situation unbearable. Truth be told, the greatest saints were forged in such suffering by turning to Scripture and the sacraments, and by undertaking works of mercy. Never will you read of a true saint who assuaged his sorrow in material comforts or frothy distractions — rather, saints crawled their way through their trials, conversing with God, reaching out to help others, and plumbing the wisdom of every setback.Theheart of Christian wis dom is the recognition that we are not made for this world, and that Christ alone is the path to true beatitude. Reinhold Niebuhr’s “Serenity Prayer,” which begins “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference,” is a good start to tackling what ails us, but it would be best aug mented with consistently taking our difficulties before the Bless ed Sacrament, and asking the good God what He might have in mind.We may be beaten down, thrown in a furnace, or sifted like sand, but if we remember how gold is purified, we will more fully appreciate the pro cess. The pain may or may not be mitigated, but when we un derstand the profound value of suffering that is joined to Our Lord’s own Passion, we will be strengthened to bear it well. And that is true comfort! Anchor columnist Genevieve Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman.” She blogs at typepad.com.feminine-genius.
While we can explain the origin of these letters us ing ancient languages, IHS originally simply meant “Jesus.” Conclusion Simply reading a list of explanations of the symbols is not going to be a life-changing event for you. Knowing their mean ing will help you as you experience them in real time in the liturgy of the Church. The symbols can speak to us in a special way if we are open to their power. This power won’t come through explain ing individual symbols. The liturgy will use all aspects of human senses. The symbols will be active components. They point to the presence of God alive and among us and to the sacred truths of our faith. They are something visible that represents an invisible reality. They affect a change within us brought about by the Holy Spirit. They guide us to God’s grace and a life of faith, holiness, love and hope.
These are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet. In the book of Revelation 1:8, 21:6 and 22:13, Jesus refers to Him self as the alpha and the omega, meaning, the first and the last. They symbol ize our belief that Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation. Lamb In the early church, the lamb was a symbol of Christ and the crucifixion. The lamb, known for its weakness, becomes a sym bol of strength as Jesus, the Lamb of God, willingly died for us and was raised from the dead. It can also be a symbol of the Chris tian people being led by Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The Dove The Dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Some times the Dove is shown with an olive branch in its beak. This is a symbol of peace, of God’s grace and forgiveness. Fish The fish is one of the oldest Christian symbols. Early Christians used the fish as a symbol of their common Chris tian identity especially in times of persecution. It is often found in the Roman catacombs where Chris tians gathered to avoid persecution. IHS Throughout our expe riences of religious sym bols you will most certain ly see the letters IHS. This is the Greek abbreviation of Jesus. It is derived from the first three letters of the Greek version of his name: Iota, Eta and Sigma. As a Latin expression, IHS stands for “ In Hoc Signo vinces ” which means “in this sign you will conquer.”
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I n his June Apostolic Letter on liturgi cal formation, Desiderio Desideravi , Pope Francis expressed concern that today’s society no longer understands symbols. What is this all about and why is it important? Signs and symbols are placeholders for the real thing. They both point beyond themselves to something else. Signs have an intrinsic connection to what they indicate, like smoke to fire. Sym bols point beyond their concrete existence and participate in the power or meaning which they represent.Consider the American Flag. It consists of 50 stars representing the 50 states of the union. The 13 red and white stripes stand for the original 13 colonies. The red, white and blue colors also have signif icance. Red symbolizes hardness and valor. White stands for purity and inno cence. Blue represents vig ilance, perseverance and justice. As a symbol, all of these attributes cause the flag to point beyond itself and to the great country it represents.Likethe American Flag, the symbols of the liturgy are rich and pro found. This richness can be lost without a basic understanding. Allow me to offer a list of some of the symbols we use in our Catholic Christian faith. The Crucifix This is the Cross of Christ that not only me morializes Jesus’ crucifix ion but also His Resurrec tion and the redemption of human sin. As the primary
Sacred symbols symbol of Christianity, it is a sign of Jesus Himself and an outward sign of the faith of those believing in Him. A crucifix often has the letters “INRI” inscribed on the cross over the head of Jesus. In Latin, these letters are short for “ Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum ” which means “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Water Water is a symbol of life and cleansing. Just as water sustains hu man life, the sym bol of water rep resents God’s grace and love sustaining our spiritual lives. As a symbol of cleansing, water is used during Baptism to wash away original sin. During Eastertime, water is sprinkled on us as a symbol of repentance and new life. When we enter the church, we wet our fin gers with holy water and make the sign of the cross to remind us of our Bap tism and that we are about to enter a sacred place. Fire Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The fire of the Holy Spirit came to rest on the Apostles at Pentecost. This fire infused them with strength and courage. At Baptism we are given a lighted candle as a sym bol of the Light of Christ guiding us on the journey. The large Paschal Candle in church is a symbol of the risen Christ. Bread and Wine While bread and wine are symbols, the Eucha rist is the real presence of Christ. Bread is a sign of life giving food and the covenant between God and humanity. Bread is real food to the body as the Eucharist is real food for the soul. Wine is a sign of Jesus’ blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins and His promise for our eter nal life. It is important to understand that the Eu charist is not a symbol. Af ter the bread and wine are consecrated, they become the real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Alpha and Omega
Rick Swenton is a parishioner at St. Pius the Tenth Church in South Yarmouth where he is a cantor and member of the choir. He resides with his wife, Gail, in South Den nis.
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12 † August 19, 2022 t he c hu R ch an D Y outh & Y oung a D ults Vatican adopts new strategy to get young, non-Mass-going Catholics to answer Synod survey
WASHINGTON D.C., (CNA) — Last fall, Catho lics around the world began gathering in church base ments and school gyms to, in the words of Pope Fran cis, “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” These listening ses sions were the first phase of the two-year-long Synod on Synodality that will end in 2023 when the bishops meet to chew over what they’ve learned.Now that parishes have recorded testimony from the faithful and compiled it in official reports, the Vatican is sending the message that they want to hear from those they may have missed young or inactive Catho lics who failed to show up at the parish
fillingparticipate21,800-plusMonday,cidingsimilarasremindingthelogicalanswerschallengeswholics,includesCatholics.tocationsDicastery“influencers”oneCatholicpopularapologistJimmymeetings.Akin,aCatholicandahostoftheradiocall-inshowAnswersLive,isofseverallayCatholictheVatican’sforCommuniaskedtoreachoutthoseunaccounted-forAkin’sradioaudiencemanynon-Cathoagnosticsandatheiststrytotriphimupwithtothefaith.Herespectfully,usingargumentstodefendteachingsoftheChurch,hislistenersthataconvert,hetoo,facedobstaclesbeforedetobecomeaCatholic.OnarecentTwitterAkininvitedhisfollowerstointheSynodbyoutasurvey.“TheVaticanisdoingan survey to be submit ted to the Synod of Bish ops. They are interested in hearing from a wide range of people who may or may not be active Catholics. You can share your views here. The deadline is August 15,” he posted.Thesurvey, which he links to his website (jim myakin.com — scroll to “You Can Participate in a Vatican Sur vey”), atheyandgooftenfaith,aboutquestionsrespondentsaskstheirhowtheytoMass,whetherhavehadpersonalencounter with God.Other questions, con cerning attitudes towards the Church, provoked a negative reaction from some who took issue with the phrasing of the multiple choiceOneanswers.survey question, for example, asks, “Which of these attributes best define the Church?”Surveytakers are asked to select three adjectives from the following list: “supportive,” “selfish,” “au thoritarian”, clearsurvey“I’minterenoughtheasking“close,”“innovative,”“participative,”“outdated,”and“distant.”Anotherquestion,whypeopleleaveChurch,didn’tincludeoptions,someTwituserssuggested.OneTwitteruserwrote,responsetoAkin’spost,sorryJimmybutthisisrubbish,itisverythattheonewhomade it is out of touch with the real challenges facing the Church nowadays (lack of reverence, suppression of tradition, relativism, reli gious indifferentism, going with the Zeitgeist etc. etc.).”
Vatican,The he said, was also aware that Akin’s audi ence and that of the tativenotinfluencersotherisrepresenofactive Catholics.“Someone at the Vatican clearly understood that they would not be getting the views of people who don’t go to Mass from the diocesan surveys. They made a point to us that participants do not need to be active Cath olics to share their views. They want to hear from people of goodwill who are willing to engage with the Church in some form, even if some do not presently practice the faith,” he said.
The Vatican’s commu nications office conducted a similar campaign in France and in Spain, employing “priest influencers” to reach out to young people who failed to attend the parish Synod“Followingmeetings.the synod, from which young people were largely absent, the di castery met with a group of Spanish influencers,” Father Gaspard Craplet told the French Catholic website La Croix“They. said that the digital world should be consulted and submitted the question to the pope, who replied that we should go for it,” heCrapletsaid. told La Croix that the dicastery contacted him and other priests who have a following on social media and asked them to pass along the survey. “Unlike a parish, influ encers reach people who fol low them freely, like sheep choosing their shepherd,” he said.The survey distributed in Spain sparked backlash because a possible gender identification was reportedly listed as “I do not know.” That part of the sur vey was said to have been amended to read, “Don’t want to respond,” the an swer that was subsequently adopted by the American version of the survey distrib uted by Akin. The Synod on Syno dality was announced in March 2020. It is focused on discernment with the whole people of God, journeying together, and listening to one Itanother.beganwith a diocesan phase, in which each bishop has been asked to undertake a consultation process with his local Church. The results of these consultations are to be sent to the Vatican by AugustThis15.will be followed by a continental phase, from September until March 2023. It will conclude with a Synod of Bishops held at the Vatican in October 2023.
While the majority of comments to Akin’s post were negative, there was some praise for the Vatican’s efforts:Akin told CNA he wasn’t surprised at the reac tion to the survey. “Many people are suspicious of the upcoming Synod on Synodality, and that itself would generate concerns. Also, from filling out the questionnaire my self, it was clear that whoev er composed the questions and answers was not think ing from the perspective of many active, engaged, orthodox Catholics,” he said. “I expected that there would be individuals who saw the questionnaire as slanted towards a partic ular set of viewpoints and answers,” Akin added. On the whole, he thinks it is worth completing the questionnaire.“Myviewis that if the Vatican asks for your opin ions, it is better to cooperate and give them, even if the instrument is imperfect. Having your voice heard is better than not having it heard at all,” Akin said. Akin added that he was glad to help when asked.
“Someone at the Vatican clearly understood that they would not be getting the views of people who don’t go to Mass from the diocesan sur veys. They made a point to us that participants do not need to be active Catholics to share their views. They want to hear from people of goodwill who are willing to engage with the Church in some form, even if some do not presently practice the faith,” he said.
“I recognize that the Holy See is a place with peo ple who have many different views, and nobody except the pope has the final say on a thing. But I believe in be ing helpful and constructive when asked, so I was happy to help the Dicastery for Communications,” he said.
The 2022 SendavailableDirectoriesDiocesanarenowtoorder.acheckfor$30 (includes shipping) for each, made payable to Anchor Publishing to The Anchor, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720. Include your name and mailing address. FALL RIVER — Last week, Father Jay Mello, the pastor of St. Michael and St. Joseph’s parishes, and St. Michael School in Fall Riv er, announced to his parish ioners that the school was the recipient of a substantial government grant. “I am overjoyed to announce some great news that we received earlier today, in fact some truly amazing news. “As many of you are aware, there have been a number of government emergency grants because the COVID pandemic. “Because of the hard work of our school prin cipal Mr. Ryan Klein and our director of pastoral services, Shanna Lubold, we have been awarded an EANS II grant — an emergency assistance grant for non public schools — in fact, we were given the second largest award in the state of Massachusetts. “I can’t believe that I get to announce that we have been awarded $1,593,505!!! St. Michael School receives substantial grant “While we don’t yet know exactly what the grant can be used for, it will certainly greatly im pact our already amazing school.“Ipromise you that we will use this to make our already amazing school, that much better!”
Celebrant is Father Robert A. Oliveira, Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Fall River Sunday, August 28 at 11:00 a.m.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, August 28 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, August 21 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Peter R. Scheffer Jr., Co-Pastor and Moderator of Our Lady of Grace, St. George and St. John the Baptist parishes in Westport Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, August 21 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Parish in New Bedford
Order the 2022 Diocesan Directory
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Carol A. Murray, mother of Father John Murray
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, Rev.1962William 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 Aug. 28 Rev. Edward Callens, SS.CC., 2006 Rev. Thomas L. Campbell, C.S.C., 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 Rev. William Dillon, SS.CC., 1993 Aug. 30 Rev. Frederick Meyers, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, New Bedford, 2008 Aug. 31 Msgr. Armando A. Annunziato, Pastor, St. Mary, Mansfield, Rev.1993Thomas M. Landry, O.P., Former Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River, 1996 Sept. 1 Rev. Jorge J. de Sousa, Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Fall River, 1985 Rev. James F. Lyons, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 2008 Sept. 2 Rev. Paul O. Robinson, O.Carm., Former Diocesan Judicial Vicar, 2018 In Your Prayers
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BROCKTON — Car ol A. (Saba) Murray, 80, passed away Sunday, August 7, at the Good Sa maritan Medical Center in Brockton.Shewas the wife of the late Deacon Michael E. Murray. Born June 17, 1942 in Brockton, she was the daughter of the late John B. and Rose W. (Yaghi)CarolSaba.issurvived by her children, Father John Murray of Nantucket, Tara Gonsalves and her hus band Joseph of Berkley, Shannon Doel of Taunton,andBethMurrayofBerkley.Shewasalsothelovinggrandmother
to Hayden and Hadley Doel and Christian and Gabriel Gonsalves, the beloved aunt to several nieces and nephews, and a cherished friend to many. Carol, a woman of such strong faith, had many ac complishments in life; she was most proud of being a mother and grandmother. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on August 16, at St. Ann Church in Raynham, followed by interment at St. Francis Cemetery in Taunton.Memorial donations may be made to Birthright of Taunton, 468 Bay Street, Taunton, Mass., Bridgewater.MainFuneralthroughArrangements02780.wereRussell&PicaHome,441SouthStreetinWest
Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: Aug. 20 Rev. Bernard H. Unsworth, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, New Bed ford, 1982 Rev. Thomas Cantwell, SSJ, Retired, St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, 1983 Aug. 21
Tomorrow, August 20, is my dad’s 101st birthday. He died when he was 96, and it will be five years this coming October. But frankly, I’m surprised Larry lived past 50 with my being his youngest pup.One of my dad’s favorite names for me (and he had more than a few — most of them good) was maringouin, which is one of several French-Canadian words for mos quito.And if you allow me to digress for a moment since I haven’t in sev eral weeks, that name came back to haunt me and my youngest daugh ter Emilie, since the two of us are mosquito bait. We can be camping or at an outdoor function and come dusk, when the skeeters start to nibble, it’s Em and me they make a b-line for. Everyone else will be bite free and Em and I will have a pleth ora of welts the size of a peach pit. Now back to my story. Even at a young age, Larry could see I was a pest. As a young pup I lived on Whipple Street (right across from my beloved gargantuan Maple tree in my mémère’s and pépère’s yard). In that apartment there was a double parlor, like just about every other tenement in Fall River. The further parlor was where the good furniture was placed, giv ing me the first parlor to destroy. Well, one day I ventured into the good room. There was a beauti ful four-foot long mahogany coffee table. I would marvel at the shine coming off its surface in the sun light.My sense of marvel got the best of me and for whatever reason, I chose to slide across it. When I had finished traveling the four feet I looked back and much to my horror, and Larry’s, there was a nearly four-feet gouge from my belt buckle. Not a happy time. It was in that same apartment where Larry was sleeping one sum mer morning. He worked third shift so his hours were different than the rest of us. I shattered that morning’s sleep for him with a blood-curdling us back to the Rive. Eleven o’clock turned into midnight, then one a.m. as Tom and I walked from North Dart mouth along Route 6 on the way home. One a.m. turned into two a.m. and by then passing cars home.lyfortowouldourwescarcewereandknewfate.Wehavehoofitthenear12milesTom
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One of them smoked and he finished his ciga rette and dropped it. I picked it up because I always saw other flick a lit butt and I wanted to try. I did a great job — right as Larry was walking by. I didn’t even smoke, but I knew this would draw a lengthy talk.Later in life Larry told me he always worried about me, especially the times I was playing ice hockey and tackle football. Honestly, I don’t know how he ever slept. But I think one of my most heinous crimes was when I was in my late teens. I was hanging around with a friend from high school and college and neither of us had access to a car that night. We decided to thumb a ride to North Dartmouth Mall, which had recently opened. We went to see a movie and for the life of me I cannot remember what we saw. Not important. We had no problem getting there. We were picked up almost immediately on Route 6 just before the Westport/Fall River line, and it was still light out. And allow me to add that times were different back then, plus my friend Tom was the size of ComingGronk.home was a different story. It was dark. It was around 11 p.m. And Tom was the size of Gronk.No one stopped to offer us a ride. That took us by surprise because we were positive someone coming out of the movie would taxi
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there with a severely broken left radius and grewAsulna.Iolder, I
the maringouin Please send _____ copy(ies) of Diocesan Directory 2022. I am enclosing $30 for each directory ordered. Total amount enclosed: $__________. Please make checks payable to “The Anchor” Name: Zip:City:Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________State:_________________________Telephone:_______________________Completeandreturnoriginalformorphotocopyto: The Anchor (Attention Directory) 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720 The 2022 Diocesan Directory is NOW AVAILABLE! Only $30 per copy, including Ordershipping TODAY! scream
lived in the extreme south end of Fall River and I near St. Anne’s Church. We split up at Brayton Av enue and Stafford Road, each of us with another couple of miles to go. Keep in mind, this was before cell phones. There were, however, telephone booths, but neither of us thought to call home. When I rolled in about three a.m. Larry was fuming. I explained what happened. He told me Tom’s parents called. He told me to get in the car and we were going to look for him and bring him home. I was exhausted and so wanted to sleep. I dared not say anything of the like. We couldn’t find him. He had already made it home, and was get ting his lion’s share of misery. I think I got grounded until I was about 40. But in later days Larry and I would laugh when that story came up, although I swear I could sense that flash of rage in his eyes for a brief instant each time. Happy birthday Larry. I miss you, and now sense you lived so long because you had to see what your maringouin was going to do next. davejolivet@anchornews.org and when fell out of my be loved Maple and mangled my arm. He awoke immediately ran He, my mom and I spent the rest of the day St. Anne’s Hos spent five days remained a pest.
August 19, 2022 † 15
16 † August 19, 2022
As part of a Community Service Day for Holy Trinity Parish youth in South Yarmouth, the students recently helped at a Street Reach Ministry to the Homeless Summer BBQ at Sea Street Beach in Hyannis. About 60 homeless were fed and given bags to gather clothes, flipflops and sneakers to take with them. Approximately 40 volunteers assisted to make the day a success. advertise in The Anchor , contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 waynepowers@anchornews.orgor
Luke Larkin, a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Seekonk, recently completed a Police Appreciation Community Service Project in preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this fall. The service project for local law enforcement received great support from the Seekonk community. Backpacks filled with vari ous items for every member of the department were delivered to the Swansea Police Department on August 6. From left: Patrolman Andrew Pelletier, Larkin, Sgt. Mark Foley, and Patrolman Keith Lake. It was an effort to show people are grateful to all the officers who watch over and protect their community. A special thank you went out to major donors: The Ice Cream Barn, Chick-fil-A and the Cor nerStone Bakery.
To
