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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , September 18, 2015

Breaking down Pope Francis’ recent annulment reforms

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff beckyaubut@anchornews.org FALL RIVER — Earlier this month, the Holy See released a pair of documents by Pope Francis that reform the way the Church will handle annulments effective December 8, the start of Pope Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy, a year-long jubilee during which the pontiff hopes to emphasize the merciful side of the Church.

A Catholic needs a Church declaration of nullity to remarry in the Church, and a divorced Catholic who remarries Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., speaks to the Portuguese pilgrims during Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette last weekend. (Photo by Linda Andrade Rodrigues)

civilly without an annulment is considered an adulterer living in sin and cannot receive Communion. Jesus Christ taught that if two people divorce and then remarry, they are committing the grave sin of adultery: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery” (Mk 10:11-12).

The rules governing annulments are mainly found in two documents, the “Code of Canon Law” (which governs the Latin Catholic Church) and the “Code of Canons of the Eastern Turn to page 14

Holy Spirit speaks the language of the heart

By Linda Andrade Rodrigues Anchor Correspondent seaskyandspirit.blogspot.com

ATTLEBORO — Four hundred Portuguese pilgrims from every corner of the diocese, including some from parishes as far away as Bermuda and California, gathered at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro last weekend for the Portuguese Charismatic Conference 2015 with the theme “Unity — Lord, May All Be One.” They spoke different dialects, originally hailing from the Azores, Madeira, continental Portugal, Brazil and else-

where; and the shrine Welcome Center reverberated in sound reminiscent of the Pentecost, as the participants prayed and sang with heartfelt fervor, as well as spoke in tongues.

Yet they all understood because the Holy Spirit speaks the language of the heart.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23: “That they all may be one” — and it was a call to unity that summoned the pilgrims there, as well as their desire to live a new life in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. They had embarked on a Turn to page 18

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., center, walks alongside Father Octavio Cortez, I.V.E., who is carrying the Blessed Sacrament from St. Kilian Church into St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford. Parishioners of the former St. Kilian Parish were welcomed to St. Anthony of Padua Parish during a Mass celebrated by Bishop da Cunha on Monday night. Story on page 13. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Cape Codders ‘taste and see,’ so others see the goodness of the Lord

By Dave Jolivet Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org OSTERVILLE — For most of us the availability of a good night’s sleep in a comfy bed is something we don’t even think about. It’s pretty much a given at the end of a tough day, folks look forward to a safe, secure night of rest.

For others it’s just a dream — or a nightmare. Countless men, women and children across the Diocese of Fall River don’t have the blessing of a roof over their heads, let alone a bed on which to lay their heads.

That’s the unfortunate facts from the Attleboros to Cape Cod and Islands. In fact many people don’t often equate homelessness with Cape Cod, the area being such a bustling, busy, crowded tourist attraction from May through September. But the fact remains that homelessness, including on Cape Cod, is an extensive and growing tragedy for many area neighbors.

For the parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Osterville and Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, just knowing about the problem isn’t

enough. For the past 13 years the parishes have joined forces to facilitate a major fund-raising event to help the hundreds in the area who are in dire need of shelter.

The annual Taste and See Cape Cod event utilizes the generosity of some mid-Cape restaurants that donate and serve tasting menus of their finest cuisines, all in the name of those who are homeless and hungry.

This year’s 14th annual event takes place at Oyster Harbors Club, 170 Grand Island Drive in Osterville, October 2 from 6 to 10 p.m. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., and NBC-TV newswoman Anne Thompson, who is auctioning off a day with her at the NBC studios at Rockefeller Center in New York City, are scheduled to be on hand to assist in the event that includes a raw bar, wine tasting, auctions, and the opportunity for an evening of socializing and fun, all to help those who are suffering. This year’s goal is $100,000.

According to Mary and Joe Doolin of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, and cochairmen of the event, a featured aspect of the evening is the “Give a Bed” auction which raised more than $40,000 last year, 40 percent of the entire evening’s gross.

“Shelter providers have calculated that the cost of a bed for a night, the care and comfort for one person for a one-night stay is approximately $50,” said Mary Doolin. Auction participants are asked to bid on the number of nights they can. Last year’s total provided funds for 800 bed-nights on Cape Cod. “It is our hope to be able to counteract in some small way, the drumbeat of negative publicity about homeless people here,” Mary said. “By working toward the goal of transitional housing for the poorest of the poor, we offer practical help for the here and now, as well as hope for the future,” added Joe. Pastor of the two parishes, Father John J. Perry, said, “Because last winter was such a hard one for the people we help, people have been living in automobiles, ‘sofasurfing’ from relative to friend, shelter availability has become an even more valuable commodity. That is why we are redoubling our efforts this year to make sure that everyone who needs a warm, safe place to go this coming winter, will have it.”

Father Mark R. Hession, pastor of Our Lady of Turn to page 18

News From the Vatican

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September 18, 2015

Pope to new bishops: Don’t tame Holy Spirit; let It shake up your life

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Never try to tame the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis told new bishops.

Let the Spirit “continually turn your life upside down” and inspire you to challenge faithful Catholics, seek out those who have left the Church and boldly meet with non-believers, he said.

The pope made his comments in a recent written address to some 130 recently appointed bishops from around the world.

In the lengthy text, Pope Francis said he didn’t want to dwell too long on the “dramatic challenges” the bishops would have to face “because I don’t want to frighten you. You are still on your honeymoon” as newly-ordained or newlyappointed bishops.

However, the pope did remind the bishops of the fear, confusion and dejection many disciples felt after Christ was crucified.

Yet their shattered lives found meaning again when Christ showed them He had conquered death and was truly Risen. He breathed the Holy Spirit on them, giving them their new mission of spreading God’s mercy and forgiveness, the pope said.

Never forgetting Christ is Risen is key to remaining strong in the face of so much disarray.

“Passing through the walls of your helplessness, He has joined you with His presence,” he said.

God is aware of their weaknesses, denials and betrayals, but He has still bestowed His Spirit on them, he said.

Safeguard the Spirit because It is a breath that will “turn your life upside down” and never be like it was ever before, the pope said. “I beg you not to tame such power,” but let it constantly move them.

The bishop’s primary task is to be a witness of the Risen Christ, which is “the reality that upholds the entire edifice of the Church,” and which promises that all people can be reborn with Him, Pope Francis

said.

He asked the bishops to never exclude any aspect of human life or any person from their pastoral concern, instead encouraging them to teach and challenge faithful Catholics, actively seek out Catholics who have left the Church and bring the Word to those who have always refused or do not know Jesus.

The pope said bishops should take by the hand those who are already part of the Christian community and lead them on a Spiritual journey that reveals deeper mysteries about God and their faith than they “perhaps lazily have gotten used to listening to without seeing its power.”

Bishops can inspire their priests to reawaken joy in their parishioners because “without joy, Christianity wastes away into toil.”

Bishops must “intercept” those who are distanced from the Church, let them “pour out” their sorrows and disappointments, and help them come to terms with the reasons they turned away from God. “More than with words, warm their hearts with humble and engaged listening for their true good until they open their eyes and can turn things around and return to the One from Whom they have been distanced,” the pope said.

Keep an eye open for signs of pride that may “dangerously worm into your community,” he said, thereby preventing parishioners from celebrating the return of those who were lost.

Finally, the pope said, bishops must be missionaries who “without fear or apprehension” can stand before people who do not know or have refused to believe in God and invite them to discover Salvation has a place in their lives.

Showing concern for their true well-being, he said, might be what makes a tiny chink “in the walled perimeter they use to jealously protect their own autocracy.”

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Pope Francis gestures as he meets with Sheik Al-Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, prime minister of Kuwait, during a private audience in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican recently. During the visit, the Vatican and Kuwait signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral relations. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Help families, recognize goodness, don’t just criticize, cardinal says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A three-week Synod of Bishops to talk in the abstract about Catholic teaching on the family makes no sense to Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna.

“We are all called to observe the situation, not gazing from above and beginning with abstract ideas, but with the gaze of pastors who scrutinize today’s reality in an evangelical Spirit,” the cardinal said in an interview with Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of La Civilta Cattolica.

In the early September interview, the cardinal spoke about his experience at the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family last year, about his own parents’ divorce, about the relationships of his friends and about his hopes for the world Synod of Bishops on the family October 4-25.

The approach the bishops are called to take, he said, “is not first of all a critical gaze that highlights every failure, but a benevolent gaze that sees how much good will and how much effort there is even in the midst of much suffering.”

The next step, he said, is not to pretend that everything in all those situations is fine, but to help Catholics build on what is good, growing in holiness and faithfulness to God and to each other.

The Church’s ministers, the cardinal said, should recognize what is good where it is found.

For example, he said, a civil marriage is better than simply living together, because it signifies a couple has made a formal, public commitment to one another.

“Instead of talking about everything that is missing, we can draw close to this reality, noting what is positive in this love that

is establishing itself.”

Cardinal Schonborn spoke in the interview about a gay friend of his who, after many temporary relationships, is now in a stable relationship. “It’s an improvement,” he said. They share “a life, they share their joys and sufferings, they help one another. It must be recognized that this person took an important step for his own good and the good of others, even though it certainly is not a situation the Church can consider ‘regular.’”

The Church’s negative “judgment about homosexual acts is necessary,” he said, “but the Church should not look in the bedroom first, but in the dining room! It must accompany people.”

Pastoral accompaniment “cannot transform an irregular situation into a regular one,” he said, “but there do exist paths for healing, for learning,” for moving gradually closer to a situation in compliance with Church teaching.

“We are not at risk of diluting the clarity (of Church teaching) while walking with people because we are called to walk in the faith,” he said. No synod member wants to change Church teaching, he claimed.

However, he said, at the 2014 extraordinary synod it seemed that many synod members had very abstract ideas — and actually rather modern ideas — of what the reality of Marriage is, ignoring that “for centuries, perhaps millennia,” Marriage was a Sacrament reserved to the upper classes who could afford a dowry and a ceremony.

“In the Vienna baptismal records of the 1800s, about half of the babies were illegitimate, children of all those servants in the upper-class homes who could

not marry because they did not have the means,” he said.

More and more young people today are living together instead of marrying, many of them because of a lack of financial security, he said. The bishops need to ask themselves, “Are we here to deplore this phenomenon instead of asking ourselves what has changed?”

“There is a risk of easily pointing a finger at hedonism and individualism,” he said, when “it takes much more effort to observe the realities carefully” and respond helpfully.

Cardinal Schonborn said that being a child of divorced parents — and of a father who remarried — he knows what it is to grow up in a “patchwork family.”

And despite it not conforming fully to the Church’s ideal, “I also experienced the radical goodness of the family,” with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who helped out.

Unfortunately, he said, the media seem to have made the treatment of Catholics who are divorced and civilly remarried without an annulment into a “test case” for Pope Francis, asking “In the end, will there be mercy for those in irregular unions?” meaning allowing them to receive the Sacraments.

But a blanket edict, he said, is not the attitude of Christ, the Good Shepherd; “the attitude of the Good Shepherd is, first of all, to accompany persons,” helping them heal.

They want mercy from the Church, the cardinal said, “but the first mercy to be requested is not that of the Church, it is mercy toward their children” and toward the ex-husband or exwife. The Church’s ministers can help them move in that direction, too, he said.

September 18, 2015

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The International Church A look at the state of the Church Pope Francis will find in Cuba

A migrant sits wrapped in an emergency blanket at the crossing point between Hungary and Austria in Nickelsdorf, Austria, recently. (CNS photo/Leonhard Foeger, Reuters)

European bishops say migration issue requires a continentwide solution

MANCHESTER, England (CNS) — The European Union must adopt a common asylum policy “without delay” because it is unacceptable for refugees to “drown and suffocate” at the fringes of the bloc, said the European bishops.

A statement issued by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, said a common policy would prevent countries from keeping out migrants.

“If we can solve an economic crisis at an overnight EU extraordinary summit, then it should be just as easy with this crisis, especially when the fate of so many people is at stake. After all, the question of a common solution to the refugee crisis is also an issue that directly affects the values and the future of Europe,” said the recently issued statement.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx of MunichFreising, Germany, COMECE president; Auxiliary Bishop Jean Kockerols of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium, COMECE vice-president; and Bishop Gianni Ambrosio of Piacenzo-Bobbio, Italy, signed the statement.

It comes in response to the mass migration of refugees into Europe throughout 2015. Most of those arriving in Greece are fleeing war in Syria, while thousands of Africans have entered Italy after paying human smugglers to put them on boats from Libya.

Rather than staying in Greece or Italy, many of the new arrivals try to reach the richer states of northern Europe.

The mass movement of migrants throughout the EU revealed that the Dublin system, which requires refugees to seek asylum in the EU state in which they arrived, was a failure because several states, including Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic, process applications of the new arrivals rather than attempting to return them to Italy or Greece, COMECE said in the statement issued a day after meeting in Munich.

The COMECE leaders also criticized EU states trying to keep out the migrants.

“We cannot accept that people drown and suffocate at the borders of Europe,” the statement said. “Building barbed-wire fences and walls to prevent refugees from entering Europe is not a solution.

“Moreover, it is a Christian duty to help the refugees, whatever their origin or

religion,” the bishops said.

Such states might include the United Kingdom, which has invested in security and fencing to stop migrants entering from France through the Channel Tunnel, and Hungary, which is building a fortified fence along its southern border with Serbia.

The bishops suggested that new regulations were needed to bring such countries into line with those states welcoming refugees, such as Germany, which effectively is operating an open-doors policy.

“The situation in the countries of coveted destination shows that it is not possible to go on without a European regulation,” they said. “The fact that some countries are seeking to disengage entirely from their responsibility is unacceptable.

“After all, the European Union is founded on the solidarity of Europeans among themselves,” they continued. “The refugee problem is a common challenge and therefore requires a common European solution.”

The statement said it is “shocking that this situation also causes harassment and hostility towards refugees,” and added: “We must firmly oppose this.”

The Church leaders said they welcomed attempts by the European Commission to impose mandatory quotas of refugees on member states so that burden was shared equally among them.

The plan has met with opposition from many EU countries, especially among the youngest member states in central and eastern Europe.

Pope Francis and most of the European bishops have expressed sympathy for the migrants but one Hungarian bishop, recently quoted in the Washington Post, questioned whether they could be rightly called “refugees.”

“They’re not refugees. This is an invasion,” said Bishop Laszlo Kiss-Rigo of Szeged-Csanad, Hungary. “They come here with cries of ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is great). They want to take over.”

Migration is such a controversial issue in Britain that the ruling Conservative Party was re-elected only after promising a referendum on an EU exit to regain control of the country’s borders.

The UK and Hungary have bishops serving as members of COMECE.

Havana, Cuba (CNA/EWTN News) — Just 357 priests working to evangelize 11.2 million people, along with 2,000 faithful who offer their homes where there are no church buildings — these are among the aspects that Pope Francis will encounter when he visits Cuba later this month.

Pope Francis will be in Cuba September 19-22, and from there he will go to Washington, D.C. Cuba was first inhabited by several indigenous groups when it was first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1492, and it was evangelized by the Spanish in the 16th century.

Today, according to the Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana, the Church in Cuba has 650 churches, 325 of which are parishes.

However, in many rural areas churches are few and far between.

After the 1959 Cuban revolution, church buildings were barred from being built: a prohibition that was not lifted until earlier this year.

Starting in the 1970s an effort called “Mission Houses” was launched to address this situation.

These are the “new communities

that grow out of neighborhoods or new settlements that lack a church; they are centered in particular homes that the owners make available for prayer and an occasional Mass,” according to the Havana archdiocese. There are currently 2,300 of these houses, and 62 percent of them are located in rural areas.

The work of evangelization is carried on by 180 diocesan priests and 117 religious, supported by 84 permanent deacons, who are spread among the island’s 11 dioceses.

There are also presently 96 religious communities on the island, 70 for women and 26 for men.

Pope Francis will visit the cities of Havana, Holguin, and Santiago de Cuba, saying Mass in each of them.

In addition, he will meet with officials of the government and the Communist party, as well as clergy and youth, and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

Francis’ visit to Cuba follows those of his immediate predecessors: Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, and St. John Paul II in 1998.

The Church in the U.S.

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September 18, 2015

Women who survived abortions ask Congress to defund Planned Parenthood

Washington D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — Abortion survivors recently testified on Capitol Hill against continuing federal funding of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the U.S. One of the witnesses, Melissa Ohden, said in her written testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that while some of them had survived abortion attempts at clinics not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, “the expectation for our lives to be ended by abortion are the very same as those who do lose their lives there.”

The hearing was called to examine the “horrific abortion practices” at Planned Parenthood clinics amid debate over whether the organization’s affiliates should still receive federal funding.

“I have long believed that if my birthmother’s abortion would have taken place at a Planned Parenthood, I would not be here today. Completing more than 300,000 abortions a year provides them with the experience to make sure that ‘failures’ like me don’t happen,” Ohden continued.

“We are your friend, your co-worker, your neighbor, and you would likely never guess just by looking at us that we survived what we did,” she added.

Planned Parenthood’s health centers provide a number of services including physical exams and preventative screenings, but it is also

the nation’s largest abortion provider, at almost 330,000 abortions annually. Its affiliates receive federal funds mostly from Medicaid payments and Title X grants.

Two House committees — the Judiciary Committee and Energy and Commerce Committee — have launched investigations into the organization. At issue are allegations that its clinics sold fetal tissue from aborted babies for more than the reasonable compensation allowed by federal law.

Two of the witnesses at the hearing — Ohden and Gianna Jessen — survived painful saline abortion procedures in 1977.

The saline abortion — or “instillation abortion” — procedure involves the withdrawing of amniotic fluid from a mother’s womb and replacing it with a concentrated salt solution which the baby absorbs. The solution burns and corrodes the baby’s skin and causes death within an hour.

Although neither suffered a botched abortion attempt at a Planned Parenthood clinic, they maintain that their fate would have been the same, or worse, at a clinic run by the organization.

Jessen’s mother, then more than seven months pregnant, was advised by a Planned Parenthood clinic to have a saline abortion. Jessen survived for 18 hours, however, and was delivered. She suffered cerebral palsy as a result of the failed abortion.

“I forgive my biological mother,” she said in her written testimony.

Ohden survived for days after the saline abortion before her mother was induced and delivered her. She weighed just under three pounds at delivery.

“By the grace of God,

I am more than a statistic,” she said. Her maternal grandmother, the nurse who delivered her, actually wanted to leave her to die, but two nurses intervened and had medical care provided for her.

Ohden said she suffered from jaundice, seizures, and respiratory problems as a result of the botched abortion.

Planned Parenthood is part of this abortion culture, Ohden and Jessen maintained.

“Planned Parenthood is not ashamed of what they have done or continue to do,” Jessen said, quoting the organization’s founder Margaret Sanger, who wrote that “the most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.”

However, by allowing for legal abortion Americans are missing a crucial point that “it is often from the weakest among us that we learn wisdom,” Jessen added.

The organization is at the center of controversy after a series of videos were released beginning mid-July showing top doctors at the organization and its affiliates discussing the transfer of body parts of aborted babies to harvesters for money. The citizen journalist group Center for Medical Progress produced the undercover conversations as part of its series “Human Capital.”

Planned Parenthood doctors were seen discussing financial compensation for fetal tissue from aborted babies, suggesting that the abortion procedure could be altered to obtain more “intact” body parts, and even poking at an aborted baby in a petri dish at the clinic.

Many Pro-Life advocates have said that the organization and its affiliates broke the law by selling the fetal tissue for “valuable consideration.” Federal law does allow for reasonable compensation

for fetal tissue that is donated for research purposes, to cover operational costs such as preservation and transport of the tissue.

The allegations posed by the videos led the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as the House Judiciary Committee, to launch investigations into the organization and its practices.

Regardless of the legality of Planned Parenthood’s actions, the whole matter should awaken the conscience of the nation, argued Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) at the hearing.

“It was immoral, what I was seeing on that video,” he said of one of the Center for Medical Progress videos.

Labrador admitted he could stomach watching only two of the ten videos released.

The real tragedy is that persons were “reduced to mere commodities” in the fetal body parts trade, Labrador insisted.

U.S. bishops urge anti-suicide provisions in proposal for end-of-life counseling

Washington D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) — A federal proposal focusing on health care counseling for end-of-life decision making needs further additions, including strong exclusions of assisted suicide, representatives of the U.S. bishops have said.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ proposed rule to reimburse Medicare providers for advance care planning counseling sessions has several deficiencies, according to the U.S. bishops’ Office of the General Counsel. The proposed rule would incorporate end-of-life decisions and advanced care planning into Medicare.

The U.S. bishops’ Office of the General Counsel’s recent letter to the HHS’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stressed the need for “concern for the well-being and freedom of patients” as well as concern for consistency with existing rules and laws.

The letter did not object in principle to the HHS proposal, but said several parts of the proposal deserve more attention.

The letter recommended

that the final rules should not promote advanced care planning that relies only on pre-packaged documents that could be biased towards withdrawal of treatment.

Rather, the rules should stress “the full range” of advanced care planning, including planning that relies on discussion and collaboration among family members.

The rules should caution patients about the need to read any document carefully before signing it, and should also inform patients of additional resources from their religious denomination or other sources of moral guidance, the counsel urged.

The bishops’ counsel said the final rules should treat counseling sessions as an opportunity for suicide prevention. The HHS rules should “completely exclude counseling and documents that present lethal actions such as assisted suicide or euthanasia as treatment options.”

The rules should also be committed to a standard of “equality of life” that upholds the inherent worth of persons with a disability or permanent impairment.

“We hold that each human life, at every stage and

in every condition, has innate dignity, and that acts or omissions directly intended to take an innocent life are never justified,” the bishops’ Office of General Counsel said.

“We also recognize that the moral obligation to preserve one’s life has limits, particularly when the means offered for supporting life may be useless or impose burdens that are disproportionate to their benefits.”

The letter said the proposed rule is unclear “whether the government’s primary goal in promoting such planning is to enhance patient autonomy or to save health care costs.”

The proposed rule’s preamble is “confusing and inconsistent” in defining an advance care plan.

The proposed rule does not acknowledge or reflect important statutory guidance concerning federal laws about funding restriction on assisted suicide and other provisions regarding patient self-determination.

The letter cited the Church’s “long and rich tradition” on the boundaries for end-of-life decisionmaking.

The Church in the U.S. Pope Francis challenged to address myriad issues in brief U.N. address

September 18, 2015

NEW YORK (CNS) — Pope Francis’ visit to the United Nations September 25 will be an act of validation and appreciation for the organization’s role in minimizing conflicts, scourges and untold suffering in the world through preventive diplomacy and peacekeeping, according to the Vatican’s U.N. nuncio.

Nonetheless, the pope’s 30-minute address to the General Assembly will leave some listeners happier than others, because even significant issues may merit only a sentence or two in the speech, Archbishop Bernardito Auza said.

Archbishop Auza, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations, recently spoke at the observer mission’s headquarters in Manhattan.

The pope’s two-and-a-halfhour visit will be the shortest of five papal visits to the world body since 1965. In contrast, St. John Paul II spent fourand-a-half hours at the U.N. in 1979 and 1995. Archbishop Auza said the upcoming papal stay was truncated because of the U.N.’s tight schedule and overwhelming international participation in opening events for the 70th meeting of the General Assembly and the Sustainable Development Summit.

At the United Nations, Pope Francis will meet publicly and privately with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Archbishop Auza said the private meeting may be the “most solid part of the event,” where “they say things they don’t want to say publicly.”

The pope and the U.N. chief will have what he described as a “Nine and Nine” meeting — which will include the two leaders and each one’s closest collaborators, Archbishop Auza said.

Pope Francis also will hold so-called bilateral meetings with the president of the 69th and 70th sessions of the U.N. General Assembly, Sam Kutesa of Uganda, and Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark, respectively. The final bilateral meeting will be with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is president of the U.N. Security Council for the month of September.

In a break with protocol and a nod to complex logistics, Pope Francis will greet U.N. staff at the entrance of the Secretariat Build-

ing before he addresses the General Assembly. In the past, visiting popes began with their address to the General Assembly, conducted bilateral exchanges and then met the staff.

Without speculating on the specific contents of the pope’s speech to the General

to the Vatican about “present issues facing the United Nations” and “things we thought would be helpful” as the pope prepared for his visit.

The Holy See is one of two permanent observers at the U.N. The other is Palestine.

The Vatican’s Permanent Observer Mission was established

than a voting member to maintain absolute neutrality and underline its equal friendship with all nations. As a permanent observer, it can sponsor resolutions, speak on issues, and sign conventions, but may not vote or present candidates for U.N. offices or positions.

Father Roger J. Landry of the Vatican’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, and a priest of the Fall River Diocese, speaks during a news conference recently at the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission in New York City. Looking on is Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Vatican Nuncio to the U.N., who addressed several topics related to Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to the United States. (CNS photo/ Gregory A. Shemitz)

Assembly, Archbishop Auza said predictable topics include the importance of the United Nations, the post-2015 development agenda summit that begins immediately after the pope’s address, climate change, eradication of poverty and universal access to health care.

“At the same time, everyone knows that Pope Francis is a man of surprises and so I think everyone is going to be listening attentively when the Holy Father comes, since no one except the Holy Spirit knows exactly what he will say,” Archbishop Auza told Catholic News Service in response to questions submitted before the briefing.

Archbishop Auza said the pope will deliver his address in Spanish. He will likely decry terrorist groups who claim to commit violence in the name of religion or God, which is “anathema” to the pope. While he may talk about migrants, the pope will probably speak his “most interesting words” on that topic in Philadelphia, where he is “not constrained by protocol,” Archbishop Auza said.

The papal nuncio said the Holy See Permanent Observer Mission provided input

in 1964 and its status formally defined in a 2004 resolution passed by acclamation of the General Assembly.

Archbishop Auza said the Holy See sought and maintains its preferred status as a permanent observer rather

The Holy See declined to co-sponsor a Palestinian resolution to allow the flags of permanent observers to fly at U.N. headquarters and offices.

The resolution passed September 10. Archbishop Auza said the Holy See noted the

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long U.N. tradition of flying member flags only, but would respect whatever decision the members made. He said the Holy See is not interested in raising its flag before the pope’s visit and it is an “open question” for the future.

Archbishop Auza said despite its considerable successes in 70 years, “there is no greater failure of the U.N. than to be unable to prevent what’s going on in the Middle East.”

While in New York, the pope will stay at the official residence of the permanent observer. The stately 19thcentury home was a gift in 1975 from the heirs of Hugh Grant, a prominent Catholic and mayor of New York from 1889 to 1892.

“In a sense, we didn’t merit it. We didn’t buy it. It was a pure gift from the Grant family to the pope,” the archbishop said.

The heart of the house is a third-floor chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit and containing a first class relic of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, Archbishop Auza said. During its ownership by the Grant family, a Jesuit chaplain offered daily Mass there.

Grant died in 1910 and his widow, Julia, endowed Regis High School, a tuition-free, Jesuit-run preparatory school for boys. The school opened in 1914.

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September 18, 2015

Anchor Editorial

Mercy for the sin of abortion

On September 9 the Holy See released on the Vatican website a letter from Pope Francis to Archbishop Rino Fisichella in which the Holy Father outlined some aspects of the observance of the upcoming Year of Mercy, which will commence on December 8 (the feast of the Immaculate Conception). Among the things which caught the attention of the world media in that letter was the faculty which the pope gave to every Catholic priest in the world to forgive those involved in an abortion (the ability to lift an excommunication tied to an abortion was previously limited to those priests who had received this power from their bishop — in the Fall River Diocese, the bishops have long delegated that power to all the priests with faculties to serve in this diocese).

In making this delegation, the pope was not minimizing the evil of abortion.

He began this part of the letter by noting, “One of the serious problems of our time is clearly the changed relationship with respect to life. A widespread and insensitive mentality has led to the loss of the proper personal and social sensitivity to welcome new life. The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness, as if not realizing the extreme harm that such an act entails.”

This superficiality can be seen in performers such as Comedy Central star Natasha Leggero, who tweets that she is “no longer performing in states where abortion isn’t legal” (which shows her legal lack of knowledge, since it is legal in all 50 states), sings in a “comedy” video about having multiple abortions, and teased Justin Beiber to his face that the reason he dances as he does is because he had to dodge a coat-hanger trying to abort him when in his mother’s womb (that did not really happen).

In a much less crass context, but with a similar viewpoint, National Catholic Reporter books editor Jamie L. Manson wrote a column on September 11 entitled, “Two important essays on the pope and absolution for abortion,” in which she recommends columns on Cosmopolitan’s website and in The New York Times, which take the pope to task for considering abortion sinful.

Manson said that instead of praising the pope’s supposedly merciful action (we at The Anchor do believe it was merciful, but Manson has her doubts), we should “consider the psychological and Spiritual harm that may be provoked by this ostensible act of mercy.” She quoted Karen Barbato, who wrote for Cosmopolitan, “That’s the thing about Francis’s forgiveness. It may sound nice, but there are strings attached. In order to truly repent and be let back into the Catholic Church, women must admit that they’ve committed a grave sin — a murder.”

The three writers (from the NCR, NYT and Cosmo) claim that the guilt people involved in an abortion feel comes not from the act itself but from the judgments

of other people. Jill Filipovic in the Times wrote that “women primarily feel guilty when they experience stigma and a lack of support for their choice. In telling women that they can be forgiven during this one year, the pope plays on the ambivalence and embarrassment that can come from silence around abortion.”

Part of the complaint about Pope Francis’ approach is that he is supposedly not listening to women, although in his letter he does speak about his pastoral experience listening to people involved in abortions. He wrote, “Many others, on the other hand, although experiencing this moment as a defeat, believe that they have no other option. I think in particular of all the women who have resorted to abortion. I am well aware of the pressure that has led them to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision. What has happened is profoundly unjust; yet only understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope.”

The pope also reminded priest confessors in the letter about the attitude that they should have when dealing with people coming to confess abortion. “May priests fulfill this great task by expressing words of genuine welcome combined with a reflection that explains the gravity of the sin committed, besides indicating a path of authentic conversion by which to obtain the true and generous forgiveness of the Father Who renews all with His presence.”

As Deacon Gallerizzo says on page eight, we cannot ignore reality just because people don’t like it. The fetus in the womb is a human being. Abortion is the killing of this unborn child. Pope Francis reminds us that people often feel as if this is what they “have to do” (for whatever reason). Christ came to this world to bring His mercy, but part of His doing this was helping people to recognize their sins, so that they could repent of them. He did this not to “guilt-trip” them, but so that after repenting, they could leave this guilt behind and walk in newness of life.

The pro-abortion movie out right now, “Grandma,” does acknowledge (maybe accidentally, since this line does not fit the paradigm that the three columnists mention above share) that abortion itself causes sadness. The Lily Tomlin grandmother character (who goes around raising money to pay for her granddaughter’s abortion of a great-grandchild) says to the granddaughter, “If you don’t cry about this, what the hell are you gonna cry about?”

May our tears lead to compassion which helps people to avoid this situation in the first place or, if too late, to help them encounter Christ’s merciful forgiveness.

Pope Francis’ Angelus message of September 13 Today’s Gospel shows us Jesus Who, on the way to Caesarea Philippi, asks the disciples, “Who do people say I am?” (Mk 8:27).

They respond with what people said: some believe John the Baptist restored to life, others Elijah or one of the great prophets.

People liked Jesus, regarded Him as a “sent by God,” but they still could not recognize Him as the Messiah, the Messiah foretold and awaited by all. Jesus looks at the Apostles and asks again: “But

who do you say that I am?” (v. 29).

That’s the most important question, with which Jesus speaks directly to those who have followed Him, to test their faith. Peter, on behalf of all, says bluntly: “You are the Christ” (v. 29). Jesus is impressed by the faith of Peter; He acknowledges that it is the result of grace, a special grace from God the Father. And then He openly reveals to the disciples what awaits Him in Jerusalem, that is, that “the Son of Man must suffer OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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many things, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (v. 31).

Hearing this, Peter himself, who just professed his faith in Jesus as the Messiah, is scandalized. He takes the Master aside and scolds Him. And how does Jesus react? He in turn rebukes Peter for this, with a harsh, “Get behind me, Satan!” — He calls him Satan! — “You are thinking not as God does, but as men do” (v. 33). Jesus realizes that in Peter, like the other disciples — as in each of us — the grace of the Father opposes the temptation of the evil one, who wants to turn us away from God’s will. Announcing that He must suffer and be put to death and then resurrected, Jesus wants to make it clear to those who follow Him that He is a humble and servant Messiah.

He is the obedient servant to the Word and the Will of the Father, to the complete sacrifice of His Own life. Therefore, addressing the entire crowd that was there, He said that anyone who wants to be His disciple must accept being a servant, as He became a

servant, and warned: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”(v. 35).

Putting oneself into following Jesus means taking up one’s own cross — we all have one — to accompany Him on His journey, a journey that is not conducive to the success of fleeting glory, but that leads to true freedom, one that frees us from selfishness and sin. It entails a clear rejection of the worldly mentality that puts the “self ” and its interests at the heart of existence: this is not what Jesus wants from us! Instead, Jesus invites us to lose our life for Him, to the Gospel, to receive it [life] back renewed, fulfilled and authentic. We are confident, thanks to Jesus, that this road leads in the end to the Resurrection, full and definitive life with God. Deciding to follow Him, our Master and Lord, Who became the Servant of all, requires walking behind Him and listening carefully to His Word — remember, read every day a passage from the Gospel — and the Sacraments.

There are young people here in the square: boys and girls. I ask you: have you felt the desire to follow Jesus more closely? Think.

Pray. And let the Lord speak to you. The Virgin Mary, who followed Jesus to Calvary, help us always to purify our faith of false images of God, to adhere fully to Christ and His Gospel.

Today, South Africa was proclaimed Blessed Samuel Benedict Daswa, a father of a family, killed in 1990 — just 25 years ago — and killed for his fidelity to the Gospel.

In his life he always showed great consistency, courageously taking on Christian attitudes and refusing worldly and pagan habits. His witness helps especially families to spread the truth and charity of Christ. And his testimony is combined with the testimony of so many of our brothers and sisters, young, old, children, youth, persecuted, driven out, killed for confessing Jesus Christ. To all of these martyrs, Samuel Benedict Daswa and all of them, thank them for their witness and ask them to intercede for us.

September 18, 2015

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Anchor Columnist The level at which we will encounter the pope

mong my duties at the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations where I began to work in March has been to assist with the huge interest on the part of the media on Pope Francis’ visit to the United Nations.

Many journalists have been asking questions trying to anticipate what Pope Francis might say during his half -hour talk at the U.N. on September 25. That’s totally understandable as they seek to get up to speed on the background of some of the issues the pope will likely address when he speaks to the largest assembled number of world leaders in papal history.

Many others have been asking about the multilateral diplomatic labors of the Holy See at the U.N. in general and where Pope Francis’ visit might fit into that work. That, too, is totally predictable as few in the media have a grasp on the history and importance of papal diplomacy exercised through those in the Vatican diplomatic corps.

And there has been a barrage of questions about the Residence of the Permanent Observer Mission where Pope Francis will be staying during the New York portion of his apostolic journey.

Scores of reporters, photographers, and camera crews have been asking to get into the residence in order to see where Pope Francis will be sleeping, taking his meals,

meetings his guests, praying, what level we’re going to help and relaxing. Others have people engage with him?” been begging for details about “Isn’t any level good?” the what he’ll be eating, who’ll be journalist retorted. preparing the food, and who’ll “Some levels,” I responded, be serving it. “are not particularly helpful or In an age when increased worthy of the subject matter.” security for public figures is She confessed she didn’t unfortunately a must, it would see my point and asked me to be naïve to allow a stream elaborate. So I tried to explain of strangers into the residence where the pope will be staying Putting Into and then to broadcast it to everyone, includthe Deep ing those who might be unstable or have

By Father nefarious intentions.

Roger J. Landry Most journalists, despite their disappointment, readily see the point that there are different types about why we can’t grant their of “human interest stories” wish for access. and news organizations need But some reporters don’t to choose among them. like to take no for an answer They can focus on what and have tried various means Pope Francis will be eating of argumentation to smoothor on how he’s spent his life talk their way in. trying to feed people with the One of the conversations, Gospel.

I think, is worth sharing They can cover whether because it is relevant to unhe’ll be sleeping in a twin- or derstanding our larger media full-size bed or on how he is culture and what we need to coming to America to sound look out for in the coverage an alarm clock to wake us all of the upcoming visit of Pope up Spiritually.

Francis.

They can report on how “Father, don’t you think,” many flights of stairs he may this reporter asked me, “that need to climb in a residence it’s a good thing so many are or how he’s seeking to help interested in Pope Francis? all of us climb Jacob’s ladder We want to do a human inter- Heavenward. est story to help people relate “But Father,” she said, “the to him better.” types of things we’re looking “I think it’s a great gift for is what people are interthat so many are interested ested in. He wants to engage in Pope Francis,” I replied. people and we want to help “But the question would be at him.”

“I appreciate your intention,” I politely replied, “but is the better way to do that to bring Pope Francis down to the level of chowing and snoozing or to lift people up to meet him on the plane of his dramatic and inspiring life and the power of the message he’ll be communicating by words and actions?”

Since the reporter seemed to be about my age, I asked her if she remembered the controversial MTV interviews in the mid’90s with President Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

After she said she did, I queried, “Do you think it was worthy of the office of the President of the United States and the Speaker of the House to get asked what type of underwear they wear? That the most memorable parts of their interviews were not their views on the pressing political and cultural issues of the day, but whether they preferred boxers or briefs?”

She admitted that she thought that the questions were vulgar, inappropriate and immature.

“Do you see any similarities between those types of questions and the focus on how many pillows Pope Francis will have on his bed or whether he’ll eat frankfurters from Big Apple hot dog vendors?”

She laughed and said, “Perhaps,” before adding,

“But like it or not, that’s what people are interested in today and we’re just feeding that appetite.”

It was a helpful conversation that highlighted for me one of the big questions about the papal visit: For what fare are people hungering? What is their true appetite?

Will people — and the media who inform them — be interested to go beyond the superficialities and trivialities to meet Francis in the depth of his radical personality and Christian message?

Will they — we — hear his provocative appeals about holiness, receiving and spreading God’s mercy, growing and sharing our faith, strengthening the family, alleviating poverty, welcoming the stranger, caring for the environment, and confronting global indifference, the idolatry of mammon, and the throwaway culture?

Or will we focus rather on what types of vegetables he is eating, what color shoes he’s wearing, or what metal his pectoral cross is made out of ?

Jesus once gave a parable of four types of soil: stubbornly resistant, superficially responsive, hedonistically or fearfully distracted and abundantly fruitful (Mt 13). What is our soil sample in anticipation of Pope Francis’ visit? At what level do we want to meet him?

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

Pope: Priests lacking mercy shouldn’t hear Confession; get desk job

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — To be a true Christian means being forgiving, kind, humble, gentle, generous, merciful and very patient with one another, Pope Francis said in a recent morning homily.

Priests must be especially merciful, he added, saying if that they weren’t, then they should ask their bishop for a desk job and “never walk into a confessional, I beg you.”

“A priest who isn’t merciful does much damage in the confessional. He berates people,” the pope said during the Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

However, if snapping at people is caused not by a lack of compassion, but by being high-strung, then “go to a doctor who will give you a pill for your nerves. Just be merciful,”

he said.

The pope focused his homily on the day’s reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians (3:12-17), which says God’s chosen ones must be holy, compassionate, kind, gentle and very forgiving because “as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.”

The pope said, “If you do not know how to forgive, you are not a Christian. You may be a good man, a good woman,” but a Christian has to go further than that and do what Christ did, which included forgiving those who wronged Him. When people pray the Our Father and ask the Lord to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” it should not be a string of empty words trying

to convince God how good we are to gain His favor. Rather, it goes the other way around, the pope said: “The Lord has forgiven you, so you must also do.”

God is always merciful, he said, “He always forgives us, He always wants peace with us.” If people are not merciful,

too, “you run the risk that the Lord will not be merciful with you because we will be judged with the same measure with which we judge others.”

It is important to “understand others, not condemn them,” he said.

The pope praised those “heroic” men and women who

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display such needed “Christian patience” and courage: women who endure “so much brutality, so many injustices” in order to help their children and family, and men who endure difficult, even unjust, working conditions in order to support their family. “These are the just,” the pope said.

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September 18, 2015

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sk sports fans who is the greatest; we could find many answers. Muhammed Ali claimed to be the greatest, but my uncle swears

by Rocky Marciano. Current trends of autonomous thinking, materialistic personal entitlement, have pushed the individual to believe that he or she is the greatest above all else. The more one expresses autonomy, the more materials one acquires; the greater one is.

It’s not a new problem, and generally the source of all sin from day one. Personal entitlement controls the individual’s autonomy, but denies the element of responsibility. The individual has no responsibility except to oneself, and expects all others to serve him.

More recently, legal action is developing laws that create new rights where none actually exist and to justify them by law.

God does not call all of

Who is the greatest?

us to the same things in life, We find each man attempttherefore, justice is not served ing to “manufacture” himself by giving everyone everything. as a god. Each man thinks Difficulty arises when man he is in charge. But which sees what someone else has man is really in charge? Each and wants it, even if it is not wants to be the greatest. So his to have. Hence the difeach makes up his own rules, ficulty with something like assisted suicide.

We all want a peaceful Homily of the Week death. But some fear Twenty-fifth Sunday the pain and sufferin Ordinary Time ing that often comes with death. So some

By Deacon William are trying to “manuO. Gallerizzo facture” peaceful death.

The same is true with certain reproductive technolochanges the meanings of gies where attempts are made words, and even the morto “manufacture” children. als and ethics to justify his Again we ask, “Which man own autonomy. All others are is in charge?” It becomes many expected to smile and to apmen, each serving his own prove, and many do out of pointerests. Suppression and litical correctness. James tells slanted interpretation of realus that giving in to personal ity contributes to major confudesires, justified in law, never sion and often to system-wide results in true justice. Instead, collapse. The Tower of Babel it lead to derision, conflict, may have been one of the first, and even persecution on many but certainly not the last. levels. Along with it comes

the arrogance, and scapegoating toward those who work hard at remaining faithful to Christ’s call to trust and to serve God. We are told to expect it, and we see it today in many forms.

We see this today in the media feeding frenzies that have swayed and continue to snowball public opinion to accept the unacceptable. Often we see this in the scapegoating we as Catholics experience as the voice of opposition to acceptance of the unacceptable.

Defeat of assisted-suicide bills is often blamed on the Church.

Yes, the Church opposes suicide of all forms, but the reality is that the concept and the legislation is simply unjust, as it actually degrades and denies human dignity, contrary to its claims.

So again we have to ask, “Which man truly is in charge?” The only viable

answer is, “Christ, the Son of Man.” Only Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that brings us to true happiness, contentment, and genuine peace. Only Christ gives us the reality of life that brings us to everlasting life. Like a trusting child, He asks us to trust Him, to serve Him through serving others, to responsibly seek through reasonable and just rights that which is beyond this world through all we do. He never fails us.

Elements of this world will never understand this because they only see their own interests which are only of this world. But through Christ, we strive for something greater than the greatest this world, whose delivery always falls short, can deliver, because only Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior, is truly the greatest.

Deacon Gallerizzo serves St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth, and is studying Bioethics in Rome, Italy.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Sept. 19, 1 Tm 6:13-16; Ps 100:1b-5; Lk 8:4-15. Sun. Sept. 20, Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Wis 2:12,17-20; Ps 54:3-4,5-8; Jas 3:16–4:3; Mk 9:30-37. Mon. Sept. 21, Eph 4:1-7,11-13; Ps 19:2-5; Mt 9:9-13. Tues. Sept. 22, Ezr 6:7-8,12b,14-20; Ps 122:15; Lk 8:19-21. Wed. Sept. 23, Ezr 9:5-9; (Ps) Tb 13:2-4,7-8; Lk 9:1-6. Thurs. Sept. 24, Hg 1:1-8; Ps 149:1b-6a,9b; Lk 9:7-9. Fri. Sept. 25, Hg 2:1-9; Ps 43:1-4; Lk 9:18-22.

Good morning Miss America, and God bless you

O

ne of the strongest memories of my time at St. Paul the Apostle Elementary School in Irvington N.J., was the sing-songy greeting we were taught to intone when a visitor entered our classroom.

If the principal or the pastor came by, the class would rise en masse and greet him or her with a hearty “Good morning Sister/ monsignor, and God Bless you!” What a beautiful way to address someone. Imagine if we employed that greeting in our everyday lives. I suspect we would lessen the incidents of profanity, rudeness and vulgarity in great measure.

The comedian Jerry Seinfeld has a routine about atheists who sneeze. Instead of “God bless you,” he suggested that “You are so good looking” would be an acceptable substitute.

Imagine the children of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School in Gardena, Calif. When they greet their principal, they could greet her correctly with “Good morning Miss America” and not get demerits for being wisenheimers!

Angela Perez Baraquio (Miss Hawaii 2000/Miss America 2001) is a first-year principal whose background is unique and

pageant’s inception in 1921. inspiring. She will be here in The Miss America OrgaFall River this November 10 as the featured speaker for the 21st nization is the largest scholarship provider for women in annual Fall Scholarship Dinner the world, and while progressin support of the Foundation ing through the system, Anto Advance Catholic Educagela earned the opportunity to tion formerly known as the St. graduate debt-free, earning more Mary’s Education Fund. than $100,000 in scholarship In addition to devoting her incredible energy to leading a Catholic elementary school, Angie is a nationallyrecognized speaker and author whose message of

By James A. deep faith and resilience Campbell has become a welcome addition to the literature of Spirituality and assistance during her three-year faith-based improvement. Her involvement competing in the story is unusual and inspirational. The eighth of 10 children, Miss America system. Angela earned her B.Ed. in elementary Angie was born of Filipino education with an emphasis in immigrants who traveled to speech and an M.Ed in eduAmerica in search of a better cational administration, both life for their family. Thirty years from the University of Hawaii at after arriving in America, their Manoa. daughter won the prestigious She is the founder of the titles of Miss Hawaii and Miss Angela Perez Baraquio EducaAmerica and was able to travel tion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) all over the country to inspire others with her personal story of non-profit organization, and is a credentialed teacher in Hawaii adversity, triumph, tragedy, and hope. Angie made history as the and California. Angela taught as an elementary classroom teacher first Asian-American woman, in Catholic schools for five years. and the only teacher to win the In 2003, Angela was invited title of Miss America since the

It’s What We Do

by President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush as a special guest to a state dinner at the White House honoring Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. From 20062008 she served as a presidential appointee to President George W. Bush’s President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation with 25 other high-profile leaders: including former NFL head coach Tony Dungy, Michael W. Smith, Hillary Duff, and actress Patricia Heaton.

As Miss America, Angela visited more than 40 states and traveled 20,000 miles a month on a national speaking tour called, “Character in the Classroom: Teaching Values, Valuing Teachers.”

She is a wife, mother of four, classroom teacher, TV host, author, and business owner. However, in the midst of life’s many blessings, she has faced tragedy as well. In 2006 her world was rocked by the death of her younger brother by suicide.

Angela continues to speak to national audiences about character education and her passion for life. She enjoys being able to inspire others to achieve their

own goals and dreams.

Today, she is a leader in Culture of Life issues and continues to be a strong advocate for strong families and character education in schools and communities. At her core, Angela is a teacher; whether she is in her role as Miss America, a mother, or a business professional, she remains a teacher first. We are delighted to welcome this paragon for values based education to speak at the annual dinner.

Our goal is to introduce her message of positive, faith-based dedication to our community as we face the challenges to Catholic education with her trademark optimism, courage and humor. If you are interested in hearing Angie speak or in learning more about FACE and our plans to assist all the schools of the diocese, please contact me at my email address. jccamfam@dioc-fr.org.

We look forward to welcoming Angie and many supporters of our schools to the dinner. We promise to greet you with a resounding “God bless you!”

Anchor columnist James Campbell is director of the diocesan Development Office/Catholic Charities Appeal/Foundation to Advance Catholic Education.

September 18, 2015

Tuesday 15 September 2015 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — “The Lone Ranger” TV premier (1949) ecently, dear readers, I’ve been pondering the various pastoral leadership models used by priests. My thoughts have led me from ancient Chinese economic principles, to the medieval feudal system, to Tonto, to contemporary social doctrine.

It’s funny how the mind wanders — or at least how my mind wanders.

There are as many pastoring styles as there are pastors. Priests usually pastor with a combination of styles, dependent upon their personality, the parish demographic, parish history, and the situation at hand.

That being said, it seems to me that there are four main styles of pastoring: free-range, Divine right, consultative, and delegative.

1.) The free-range model: Supermarkets these days carry a wide selection of free-range food products. What “free-range” means exactly, I suppose, is stipulated by some government agency or other. Surprisingly, I’ve not yet encountered a free-range zucchini.

Free-range pastoring is laissez-faire. Although the phrase is French, laissez-faire developed as a philosophy of economics during the Han Dynasty (China,

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I

looked into the eyes of the adolescent boy who had very smugly said, “Your hair and eyes are nice.” Just a few moments before, he had said something mean to the boy next to him. I had given him the choice of saying two nice things or receiving discipline. I smiled and clarified my request. I said, “You must say two nice things about your neighbor.” He turned to his friend. He was apparently totally at a loss what to do next.

Before he could dig a deeper hole for himself, I whispered to him that this one time I would give him one thing to say, but he had to supply the other. Thankfully he carried off his end of it. For an educator, exchanges like this are common at the start of the year.

Children have always tested boundaries with adults guiding them back to where they need to be. Can you imagine each disciple’s wonder as he watched Jesus place His arms around that child? Jesus said, “Whoever receives one child such as this in My name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but the One Who sent Me”

Anchor Columnists Free-range pastoring

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c. 220 B.C.). Basically, it’s letting simulate the celebration of Holy Mass. It’s not his role. A priest things take their course, come can’t administer the Sacrament what may. of Holy Orders. It’s not his role.

In 1744, King Louis XV An extraordinary minister of decreed laissez-faire to be the Holy Communion shouldn’t be standard operating procedure throughout France. This eventu- called upon if there are sufficient priests and deacons present. ally resulted in starvation and Only those in Holy Orders are social unrest. Laissezfaire economics went so poorly that someone The Ship’s Log invented the guillotine.

The rest is history.

Reflections of a This failed economic Parish Priest experiment segued into a leadership style that

By Father Tim leaves decision-making Goldrick to others. People are expected to solve their the ordinary ministers of Holy own problems. Leaders provide Communion. On the other the tools needed and ask to be hand, someone in Holy Orders kept apprised — that’s it. shouldn’t hold political office.

Most people need guidance That belongs to the laity, not the and feedback from their leaders. ordained. And so it goes.

Free-range leadership doesn’t Under a free-range pastor, work when people lack the nobody knows what to do (or knowledge or experience they what not to do). As a result, need to make decisions and the nobody will accept responsibility skills required to complete the for anything. When one lacks a task. sense of personal responsibility, A pastor with a free-range leadership style can be a disaster. one takes little or no initiative to participate in parish life. Parish Poorly defined roles will cause organizations will disintegrate. confusion and indifference. If Special-interest groups and the pastor doesn’t seem to care, cliques will vie for influence and nobody else will. The parish will power. Everyone will blame their suffer a long and painful death. mistakes on someone else — There are, after all, roles that usually the pastor. are proper to those in Holy 2.) The Lone Ranger model – Orders and roles proper to the (Divine right): baptized. A deacon shouldn’t

At the other end of the scale is the pastor who sees himself as the Lone Ranger (nobody knows what kemosabe actually means, but one can guess).Everything falls on the pastor’s shoulders alone. He rules by Divine right.

He micro-manages. Routinely autocratic decisionmaking can demoralize a parish. This style I remember from childhood.

3.) The consultative model: Between free-range and Divine right styles stand the democratic pastors. This style is not to be confused with majority rule. Plebiscites and referenda on matters of faith and morals are inappropriate. Consultative (or democratic) pastors make the final decisions but include others in the decision-making process.

Consultative pastors encourage creativity. People develop a sense of ownership.

4.) The delegative model: Pastors today need to delegate as much as possible to the members of the parish not because of dwindling number of priests but because of a fuller understanding of the rights and responsibilities that come with Baptism. Delegation makes for a vibrant parish. And besides, there are usually parishioners who are much more expert than the

priest in certain areas.

The Church’s concept of delegation stems not from economic theory but from social doctrine.

The Church teaches that what individuals can do for themselves, governments shouldn’t take over. It’s called “subsidiarity,” a principle put forth by Pope Pius XI in 1931.

Subsidiarity works in other areas of Church life as well.

What a lay person can do, a priest should not take over. For example, a priest shouldn’t proclaim the first Scripture reading at Mass. There’s surely someone present who is capable of reading. A priest shouldn’t leave the Sanctuary to pass the collection basket. There’s surely someone else who can do it.

Liturgy isn’t a one-man-show but “the action of the people.” A priest isn’t a sponge, soaking up everyone else’s tasks. If so, the sponge should be rung out and the tasks returned to the people of God, where they properly belong.

It seems to me that the style of pastoring that works best in today’s Church is a combination of the consultative and delegative models.

But that’s enough philosophizing. Philosophy gives me a headache.

Anchor columnist Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

we are in our Spiritual lives, we (Mk 9:37). At least one disciple too wish to be that child in Jesus’ had to be thinking Lord did you arms. see that kid two minutes ago What does Jesus see in behaving in an atrocious manner? the child? If we truly wish to Jesus responds to their be the child in Jesus’ arms we unvoiced question by asking must give this question serious the disciples what they were doing prior to their stop in Capernaum. On the journey, instead of Wrestling with God listening to Jesus’ Words Holding on for about His ministry, the disciples had chosen to His blessing debate which of them was the greatest! Do you

By Dr. Helen J. Flavin see in their actions an adult tantrum? reflection. A good starting point Jesus’ answer revealed how, for meditation is the idea of with patience and love, He childlike as opposed to childish looked past human limitations.

More than that though, with His (immature and irresponsible).

Positive attributes of childlike words and action, Jesus issued a call for each of us to try to do the include: innocence, trust, and same in our lives. Jesus provided a spontaneity. These characteristics striking visual (hugging the child) are important because they allow one to be open to the promptings that called to each human heart of the Holy Spirit. present that day. Instantly, the Children must grow to human title of greatest fell to dust beside the opportunity to be with adulthood. In doing so, each has his or her own special and and to rest in the Savior’s arms. individual journey with Christ.

As we read that Gospel today As Spanish poet Antonio that same call resonates within the heart of each of us. Wherever Machado says, “Walker, there is

no path, you make the path as you walk.” That path for each of us includes finding a way to love our neighbor even as we discover the unique and special person God made us to be. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all” (Mk 9:35).

For a child, a prayerful heart open to the Spirit and honorable adults as guides start him or her on the path leading towards everlasting life.

With adulthood, the responsibility for choosing the correct path rests squarely upon the shoulders of the individual. Even with the best of intentions, each of us will make mistakes that hurt others.

There may even be a pain or injustice that we precipitated which we cannot even attempt to rectify. Sometimes, we can be prideful or defensive about this. We can honestly know that we were wrong a very long time before we choose to admit it. In our own pain, we may briefly enjoy pointing a finger at the disciples as we imagine,

what were you fellas thinking?

However, long after that phase passes, Jesus’ image of His unshakable love for the child wrapped in His arms remains with us. It serves to guide us to ask for, then accept Jesus’ Spiritual healing. In addition, as we continue forward in finding our path, this image will always reassure us of His infinite love and mercy.

The secret to understanding this week’s Gospel in our life today is the realization that whatever age we are, we are always the adult and the child in this story. We are always wrapped in God’s love and asked to share that love with the world. Do you remember the song called, “We Are The World”? The line: “We are the world, we are the children / We are the ones who make a brighter day / So let’s start giving,” reminds us of our place and mission in God’s plan.

Anchor columnist Helen Flavin is a Catholic scientist, educator and writer and a member of St. Bernadette’s Parish in Fall River. biochemwz@hotmail.com.

We are the world

10

September 18, 2015

Path to sainthood: Never speaking ill of another

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Someone who has never, ever spoken ill of another could be declared a saint right away, Pope Francis said. The Catholic Church’s sainthood process is long, complicated and usually requires the recognition of a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession, Pope Francis said at a recent Mass. “But if you find a person who never, never, never spoke ill of another, you could canonize him or her immediately.”

The pope’s homily focused on Jesus saying, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” In other passages of the Bible, he said, Jesus tells His disciples, “Judge not and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned.”

The pope told the small congregation in the chapel of his residence that he could imagine them saying, “Father, that’s beautiful, but how do you do it, where do you start?”

11

September 18, 2015

“I

Born under a wandering star

was born under a Star.” I really enjoyed that wandrin’ star, movie in the company of I was born under a wanmy sister, even though the drin’ star, thought crossed my mind Wheels are made for rolling, that someone might recogmules are made to pack, nize me and wonder why a I’ve never seen a sight that young priest with the consedidn’t look better looking back, I was born under a wandrin’ star.”

Recently I watched an Amazon commercial featurBy Father ing a small white Patrick Killilea, SS.CC. dog with a bandaged hind leg following a kindly young man walking in the park. cration oil hardly dry on his He picked up the little dog hands was at the movies with and carried it in his baby a lovely young lady. Oh, what pouch, while Lee Marvin’s the heck! gravelly voice sang in the I guess what grabs me background, “I was born about this song is that in under a wandrin’ star.” My some ways I, as a missionary thoughts flashed back to a with no real fixed abode, can day in 1969, the summer identify with its message. As of my ordination. I picked a missionary, I have lived and up my sister, Kathleen, a served in places like southern registered nurse at Galway Massachusetts, the Bahamas, Regional Hospital, and we England, my home city of went to see the movie “Paint Galway and now here in KaYour Wagon,” starring Clint laupapa, Hawaii. Some of my Eastwood and Lee Marvin Sacred Hearts Brothers and who drawled out that song, Sisters have touched down in “Born Under A Wandering Japan, India, the Philippines,

Moon Over Molokai

Visit the newly-designed Diocese of Fall River website at fallriverdiocese.org The site includes links to parishes, diocesan offices and national sites.

Tonga and elsewhere on the globe. Cart wheels have given way to auto wheels and sailing ships to airbuses and, when we have moved on to our next mission, we have looked back fondly on our last mission which perhaps looked “better looking back.”

As Father Damien boarded the ship to leave his family and homeland in Belgium on his way to these islands of Hawaii, perhaps he too felt like he had been born under a wandering star, destined to preach the Good News of the Gospel wherever he might put ashore. As Mother Marianne left the shelter of her convent in the State of New York and took the train to the west coast of the U.S., then sailed to Aloha Land, she may have shared these same feelings of the missionary born under a wandering star.

Like the wise men of old, the missionary follows the star, often not knowing where it will lead him or her.

Like the early Apostles, the missionary follows the star which sometimes leads to dark and dangerous places, sometimes to exotic spaces, and sometimes to historic locations where saints have labored and lived out their lives. Such is Kalaupapa and this is my home at this time.

For I was born under a wandering star.

Aloha.

Anchor columnist Father Killilea is pastor of St. Francis Parish in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

To subscribe to The Anchor, or give it as a gift, contact Mary Chase at 508-675-7151 or Email marychase@anchornews.org

12

September 18, 2015

Safeguard Creation, respond to cries of the earth, the poor, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While there is not unanimous agreement about the causes of climate change, global warming and extreme weather, Pope Francis repeated his conviction that “a widespread consensus is emerging” that places much of the blame on irresponsible human action.

Addressing participants at a meeting sponsored by the Foundation for Sustainable Development, Pope Francis said the issue is a matter of justice, particularly because destruction of the environment hits the poorest communities first and hardest.

“Climate is a common good, which today is seriously threatened,” he recently said. “The question of climate is a question of justice and also of solidarity, which can never be separated from justice.”

Pope Francis told those working to mitigate the human impact on the environment and climate that they could count on the support of the Church, particularly its prayers.

“I offer to the Lord our common efforts,” he said, “asking Him to bless them so that humanity would finally start listening to the cry of the earth — our mother earth today is among the many excluded ones who cry out to Heaven for help!”

Listening to the cries of the earth and of “the poorest of those who live there,” should lead to real, serious efforts to care for them both, he said. “In this way, Creation will become more of the common home that the one Father had imagined it

to be as a gift for the universal family of His creatures.”

Pope Francis said, “Science and technology have placed unprecedented power in our hands; it is our obligation to humanity as a whole, and particularly to the poor and to future generations, to use it for the common good.”

All people have a responsibility to ensure their personal actions respect the environment and they must do what they can “based on the role they have in their family, in the world of work, the economy and research, in civil society and in institutions,” he said.

No one can solve the problem alone, the pope said. Dialogue is necessary as is cooperation, and that means including the poor in discussions about projects and priorities. “The greatest enemy here is hypocrisy,” he said.

Real dialogue, he said, is urgent as representatives of the international community prepare to meet in Paris at the end of the year to discuss commitments to reducing dangerous emissions and mitigating climate change.

“Will our generation be remembered for having generously shouldered its grave responsibilities?” he asked. “Despite the many contradictions of our time, we have sufficient reason to nurture our hopes of being able to do so. And we should let ourselves be guided by this hope. In fulfilling this commitment, I hope that each one of you may experience the satisfaction of participating in actions that transmit life. The joy of the Gospel resides here as well.”

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, September 20, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Riley J. Williams, parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich

Inspiration and motivation

I

n Pope Francis’ enFrancis as practicing an cyclical, Laudato Si’, “integral ecology” in which he expresses the urgency of he shows us “how inseparable addressing the issues which the bond is between concern confront us in caring for our for nature, justice for the planet. He wishes to create poor, commitment to society, a new worldwide dialogue, and interior peace.” The word in which we all contribute “ecology” was coined by Gerour talents toward developman zoologist, Ernst Haecking a sustainable approach to el, around 1870. It is derived living. from the Greek words “oikos,” In 1987, in “Our Commeaning household, and mon Future,” Norwegian “logos,” meaning the study prime minister Gro Harlem of. Ecology literally means Brundtland, defined sustain- the study of our home. It able development as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

By Professor Many of our practices Robert Rak today are not on this path. If our current levels of consumption of natural resources are describes the relationship followed by other countries, among organisms and their we would need several earths relationship to their physito meet those wants. We only cal environment. The pope have one earth. The pope states that, “If we approach reminds us, however, that nature without the openness God does not abandon us, to awe and wonder, if we no and that change is possible. longer speak the language of Humanity still has the ability fraternity and beauty in our to come together to build a relationship with the world, sustainable world. our attitude will be that of The pope invites us to masters, consumers, and look at the life of his nameruthless exploiters unable to sake, St. Francis of Assisi. He set limits on their immediate was born in Assisi, Italy in needs. By contrast, if we feel 1181 into a wealthy famintimately united with all ily. His mother named him that exists, then sobriety and Giovanni after St. John, but care will well up spontanewhen his father returned ously.” from France, he renamed his Indigenous peoples give son Francesco, because he us an example of what it wanted his son to reflect his means to live in a sustainable love for France. As a young way. Often they share a sense adult, Francis was known for of oneness with Creation and his partying. He described hold much information about himself as living in sin. He the natural world around had dreams of becoming them. In the Smithsonian a knight, but God’s callMuseum of Natural Hising eventually turned him tory a display about Native away from his riches. He American relationships with was publicly disowned by his the environment quotes a father for selling his cloth to tribal elder: “We had to show pay for repairs of a church. respect for the water, to the Now having nothing, Francis salmon, and to everything was still very happy. He led that the Creator sent us. We a very austere life. He cared would respect the cedar that for those in need and treated gave its life for our canoe, the all with respect. Others salmon that gave its life so heard of him and followed we could eat.” him. Francis considered all When Europeans came to of God’s creatures part of the New World the sushis brotherhood, and he was tainable philosophy, along known to speak to animals. with the native peoples, was He is considered the founder pushed aside, and replaced of the Franciscan orders and with one of exploitation. the patron saint of ecologists Europe had decimated its and merchants. He died in natural resources for years 1226 at the age of 45. and the resources in America The pope describes St. seemed limitless. Fortunately,

Our Common Home

there were, and are, those who have worked to protect our home and its people, and the pope expressed his gratitude for their efforts. In parts of the world the poor are still being pushed aside in the name of “progress” and profits. In many places the dumps, landfills, industrial developments, and power plants are built in poorer neighborhoods, subjecting their residents to their toxic emissions and residues.

So how are we to build a sustainable society? Our first step is to see ourselves, as St. Francis did, as partners with our environment. In 1935, pioneering wildlife ecologist, Aldo Leopold, advised, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see the land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” Nature has been honing its sustainable systems for millions of years, while, in geologic terms, we have just arrived on the scene. It is time now for us to use our brainpower to understand the workings of nature and find the answers that God has put in front of us. The pope stated that St. Francis “invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of His infinite beauty and goodness.”

We must also be willing to learn from, listen to, and protect, each other. Yes, I am my brother’s keeper, and my wants cannot overshadow your needs. Change won’t always be easy, but if we are part of the problem, we are also part of the solution. Join me, as we take time, as St. Francis did, to learn about Our Common Home.

Professor Rak is a Fall River native and parishioner of St. Mary’s Parish there. He has been a professor of Environmental Technology and coordinator of the Environmental Science and Technology Program at Bristol Community College for 18 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Holy Cross College in Worcester, and a master’s degree in marine biology from UMass Dartmouth. rrak@verizon.net.

13

September 18, 2015

Jailed for defending Marriage

K

im Davis, the nowfamous clerk in Rowan County, Ky., who became known for her refusal to issue Marriage licenses, was arrested and incarcerated in September of 2015. She had refused to affix her signature to licenses being sought by two people of the same sex, even after the Supreme Court had legalized gay marriage, noting that this would force her to act against her conscience and her deeplyheld religious convictions. Her resolve to stop issuing licenses under these circumstances needs to be grasped for what it really is, namely, a morally coherent course of action that respects the authentic nature of Marriage and recognizes the duties of an informed conscience.

Jonathan Adler, a law professor at Case Western University noted that Kim Davis “asked to be the person who issues Marriage licenses. And the state defines who is eligible to marry,” and sometimes “the eligibility changes.”

In point of fact, however, he only begs the question under dispute. Opponents of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision stress that the state does not determine the nature of Marriage; instead, it is

Even so, various commentanature that makes that detertors have tried to insist that mination through the radical Davis was elected to serve as a complementarity of man and government official, and should woman, a reality entirely outside the purview of the state to carry out the provisions of the law even if she might not agree redefine or negate. The unique with them. But this arguand exclusive eligibility of one ment is flawed on at least four man and one woman to marry counts. each other cannot be changed by court order any more than gravity can Making Sense be overturned by court Out of decree.

Commenting on the Bioethics Supreme Court deciBy Father Tad sion on gay marriage, Pacholczyk Ed Peters, a canonist in Detroit, explains it this way: First, the claim that public “Five justices imposed on servants have a stringent duty Marriage (true Marriage, to uphold the law tends to be natural Marriage, traditional selectively applied by those Marriage, whatever pleonastic who make the claim. Nearly 18 phrase one wishes to use) the months before Davis was jailed, lie that marriage includes the and 15 months before the union of two persons of the Supreme Court decision on gay same sex. The Court has pubmarriage, another public serlished a naked, gross falsehood that tears simultaneously at the vant in Kentucky named Jack Conway, the state attorney genfabric of law, language, family, and society. The word Marriage eral, failed to carry out his duty of defending the Kentucky has, and will always have, an objectively true meaning — no Constitution that affirmed Marriage to be between one matter how many times it has man and one woman. He pubbeen degraded.” licly refused to defend the law Davis resolutely declined of the Commonwealth before to lend her signature, and the authority of her office, to affirm the Supreme Court; and Conway was praised and celebrated this falsehood.

for his decision by numerous voices in the national media and in the legal establishment.

Conway’s refusal to perform this duty clearly contravened Kentucky law KRS 522.020; nevertheless, he was neither punished nor incarcerated for his failure to uphold the fundamental Marriage laws of the state.

Second, it would be wrong to suppose that workers and employees are mere cogs in the machinery of governments or corporations, mindlessly following orders. Many German government officials and workers seemed to make this assumption during the last World War. Officials and employees are rather called to assist their employers in an attentive and collaborative way, so that the work of the institution or corporation they represent is marked by integrity and sound ethics.

Davis sought to conscientiously protect the integrity of marriage and the work carried out in the clerk’s office by declining to issue licenses to two people of the same sex.

Third, when Davis was elected to the office of clerk in Rowan County, gay marriage was still illegal, so she was

elected to a position where, some time later, the ground beneath her feet abruptly shifted, and a new job description requiring her to violate her conscience was suddenly thrust upon her. Simply put, she hadn’t signed up for this.

Fourth, legality does not automatically equate to morality.

If workers or officials are asked to perform a gravely immoral activity, even one sanctioned by a legislature, a parliament, or a Supreme Court, they must instead advert to a higher law, and individual conscience rights must be safeguarded to assure that they are not forced to comply with serious wrongdoing.

In sum, Kim Davis’ measured actions at the clerk’s office in Kentucky offer a coherent and courageous response to chaotic attempts to undermine Marriage and the rule of law.

Our society needs more of her coherence and courage, not less.

Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk, Ph.D. 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.

St. Kilian parishioners welcomed at St. Anthony of Padua Church

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff kensouza@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD — On the heels of Pope Francis’ appeal to Catholic parishes and religious communities in Europe to take in migrant refugees seeking shelter from war, poverty and hunger, it seemed appropriate that St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford would warmly welcome parishioners of nearby St. Kilian’s Church, which closed its doors after celebrating final Masses on September 13.

In a symbolic union of the two parishes, dozens of parishioners made the half-mile walk from St. Kilian’s on Ashley Boulevard to St. Anthony of Padua Church on Acushnet Avenue Monday night, where a Mass was celebrated at 7 p.m. by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. Father Octavio Cortez, I.V.E., parochial administrator of St. Kilian Parish, led the procession carrying the Blessed Sacrament, with parishioners bearing relics and statues from the church in tow.

Bishop da Cunha and Father Edward A. Murphy, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, joined the procession halfway up Acushnet Avenue, and the two commingled groups processed into St. Anthony’s Church for the Mass celebration.

In his opening remarks before the Liturgy, Father Murphy welcomed the St. Kilian’s parishioners, noting that this was an opportunity to create a stronger and more vibrant parish.

“Not only will we fill this church, but the area where we live in New Bedford will become a new faith,” Father Murphy said. “So this evening, inside this church that was built for 2,000 people, this is the beginning of bringing it back. I want to thank all of you — both parishes — for your cooperation and understanding.”

In honor of this “historic occasion,” Father Murphy said at the end of the Mass celebration they were going to “do something that we only do twice a year.”

Father Murphy was referring to turning on all the lights em-

bedded in the walls and ceilings of the historic St. Anthony of Padua Church — a tradition that is typically reserved for midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday.

“We’re going to turn on all the lights after Communion and we’re offering the Mass tonight for all your intentions, that this union will be the beginning of rebuilding this church,” Father Murphy said.

Referencing Sunday’s second reading from the letter of James, Bishop da Cunha echoed Father Murphy’s remarks by noting how important it is to demonstrate one’s faith.

“Faith put into action and into practice, that’s the faith that saves, that is the faith that changes lives, that is the faith that changes the world,” Bishop da Cunha said in his homily. “Well, my brothers and sisters, what a testimony to our faith in your being here today.

Jesus embraced all of us to make one family of God’s people. And that is what we are called to be.

We have here right now Spanish people, Portuguese people,

Irish people, French people — it doesn’t matter where we came from, it doesn’t matter what our last name is, it doesn’t matter what accent we speak with — we are all God’s people.”

St. Kilian’s Parish was originally founded by Irish immigrants in 1896 and the church was dedicated in 1927. In recent years, it became home to the growing Latino and Mayan communities in the north end of New Bedford.

Due to much-needed building repairs and dwindling enrollment, Bishop da Cunha decreed that St. Kilian Church close as of September 13, and all services and ministries be relocated to St. Anthony of Padua Church, including a 12:15 p.m. weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish.

“I’m so glad that we were able to work this out and bring all of you here together and I’m so glad that I was able to be here to celebrate with all of you this new beginning, and to tell you how happy and proud I am of all of you,” Bishop da Cunha said.

“I’m proud of the people of St. Kilian’s Parish and of the people

of St. Anthony’s Parish, who have opened their doors and their hearts so that the people can come together as one family, as one community of faith.”

Father Cortez, who was appointed parochial administrator of St. Kilian Parish just two weeks before the transition, will remain at St. Anthony’s Parish to minister to the Spanish-speaking community.

“I transferred here from Minnesota, where I had been working at a minor seminary, so I’m not afraid of the cold weather,” Father Cortez told The Anchor.

“I’m happy that I’ll be working with Father Murphy here at St. Anthony’s — he’s a good priest and I know I’m going to learn a lot from him.”

Noting that he is excited to begin his first assignment as a parish priest, Father Cortez said it’s also a bittersweet occasion.

“In a sense, it’s sad for some parishioners who have been at St. Kilian’s Parish for their whole lives, but as the bishop said, we Turn to page 14

14

September 18, 2015

Breaking down Pope Francis’ recent annulment reforms continued from page one

Churches” (which governs the Eastern Catholic churches).

Prepared by a group of legal experts at the Vatican at Pope Francis’ direction, Pope Francis has issued two documents, each a motu proprio — Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (The Lord Jesus, the Gentle Judge), and Mitis et Misericors Iesus (Gentle and Merciful Jesus); at the time of this writing, both documents are available only in Latin and Italian, though Google can produce a rough, machine translation of the Italian version.

The declaration of nullity is a ruling that a particular Marriage was null from the beginning, that something was wrong at the time the wedding vows were made and it prevented the Marriage from being valid.

Reasons for granting annulments vary, including that the couple never intended the Marriage to last or that one spouse didn’t want children.

Father Jeffrey Cabral, J.C.L., judicial vicar for the Fall River Diocese (www.

FallRiverTribunal.com), had heard through the grapevine that something was in the works, “but I didn’t realize the extent of what it would be,” he said, adding that he’s trying to catch up on all the changes while in the middle of a move to Mansfield and getting acclimated to a new parish. “It’s wonderful for those who will be going through the process.

It will certainly reduce some of the time on certain issues.”

Since the new reforms don’t take effect until December, Father Cabral knows that he will be learning from seminars and conferences: “In October, the Canon Law Society of

America has its annual convention, so I’m sure they’re going to mention something and I’m already going to that. I’m sure I can learn something there.”

Customarily, an annulment process takes 18 months, and in some cases can take up to two years to resolve. The new law has created a fast-track procedure that can see the process completed within 45 days, barring any issues that may arise during the proceedings. From what Father Cabral has read for the short process, “it seems that both parties — the husband and wife — are applying for the nullity of their Marriage,” which helps speed up the process since with both parties applying, it lessons the chance for one to appeal and drag out the process.

The fast-track procedure can also be used when other proof makes a more drawn-out investigation unnecessary, such as medical records indicating that the wife had an abortion, that one spouse hid infertility or a grave contagious disease from the other, or that violence was used to coerce a spouse into Marriage.

Having both parties file is not that common, said Father Cabral: “In 90 percent of our cases, it’s [usually] just one party.”

Though the new law is not retroactive, Father Cabral said that some current cases could be ruled under the new law: “For current cases going on right now, once we collect all evidence for a certain case — we call that being ‘published.’

In cases that are published after December 8, you can go through [the new] process. For those cases that have already

been published or are in the midst of writing the sentence, or are already at the second instance court, then they still have to go through the old process.”

Though Father Cabral has yet to sit down and talk to the bishop, Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., will play a larger role in the new process.

“This has given a greater role to the bishop in tribunal work,” explained Father Cabral.

“If you look at canon law, the bishop is the one who has all the power — the legislative power, administrative power and judicial power. Traditionally the bishop has always used his legislative and administrative power, yet he’s never used his judicial power [except through the tribunal], so this gives the bishop a role as the primary judge of the diocese in this type of process.”

Another big change that cuts down the time is the tribunal office no longer has to reach out to another diocese to see who would be viewing the case: “When we first get a case at the tribunal, we have to determine competence, who can hear it — will it be our diocesan tribunal or another diocese?” said Father Cabral. “In the new law, we can hear any case where the Marriage took place in our diocese, and where either party (petitioner or respondent) have a domicile (permanent residence) or quasi-domicile (three-month type of residence), or most of the witnesses are in the diocese. In the old law, in certain aspects, I would have to get permission of the judicial vicar of another diocese before I could hear it in our diocese.

Now the pope has eliminated

that step. Right there, that saves a month or two.”

And those who have emigrated from another country also have recourse when looking to annul his or her Marriage, said Father Cabral.

“Another thing I noticed he eliminated from the current code, especially when it’s asking for that permission, is it used to be that they had to live in the same conference of bishops, which means the same country. Now, a lot of our immigrants who live in our area, say they got married in their home country and maybe their ex-spouse lives in their home country — now they can petition our tribunal because that whole requirement of their having to live in the same country has been eliminated.

“That is huge — in our area, some Brazilians or Hispanics, perhaps some of the Portuguese immigrants who want to petition for an annulment, possibly can now.”

Father Cabral continued, “Another big change, whenever we give an affirmative to a sentence and we find that a Marriage is now null, it automatically goes to our second instance court, which is the Diocese of Springfield.

The pope has eliminated that step, except if one of the two parties does appeal. If neither party appeals in 15 days, the annulment will be executed.

That cuts down a couple of months.”

There are some changes the pope has proposed that are already being done in the Fall River Diocese.

“He’s calling for more single-judge cases, because the norm is to have three judges on each case,” said Father

Cabral, “but in our diocese we do more single-judge cases because of lack of personnel.

We have done some threejudge cases on more complicated cases or on Marriages that last 25 or 30 years, and when we need to take an extra good look at it.”

And while the words “free” and “no charge” seem to be bandied about when discussing annulments, Father Cabral said the true wording of “fair remuneration of the workers and the gratuity of cases” should be considered, especially since the tribunal had its own overhead costs.

“We have not raised our fees in 20 to 25 years,” he said. “We currently charge a total of $275, with an additional $300 if they see one of our court psychologists. We’re very modest and it certainly doesn’t pay for everything, it’s more for administrative fees like postage, supplies, phone calls, Internet, etc. The fee we charge isn’t to make money.”

In the document announcing the new law, Pope Francis notes that Marriages remain indissoluble unions and that the new regulations aren’t meant to help dissolve them. Rather, he said, the reform is aimed at speeding up and simplifying the process so the faithful can find justice.

The overall goal, he said, “is the Salvation of souls.”

In canon law, “Salvation of souls” is found in the last phrase, said Father Cabral: “When you think of the last thing in the law, it’s what [Pope Francis] is being guided by; ‘that the Salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law of the Church, must be kept before one’s eyes.’ That’s his guiding force.”

Parishioners welcomed to St. Anthony’s continued from page 13

This week in 50 years ago — Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, directors of the North Easton catechetical center, began their second year of a television series that was broadcast over New Bedford television station WTEV, Channel 6.

25 years ago — “Called by Name,” a national vocation program, was launched in the Fall River Diocese by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin. Msgr. John J. Smith, diocesan director of Vocations at the time, spearheaded the effort.

Diocesan history

10 years ago — Bishop George W. Coleman was principal celebrant at the annual Bishop’s Day of Recollection for Religious celebrated at St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth.

One year ago — The La Salette Center for Christian Living, located on property adjacent to the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its opening with a special Mass celebration.

have to be united and practice our faith,” Father Cortez said.

“We’re glad that St. Anthony’s has opened their arms and hearts to welcome us.”

For Father Murphy, the addition of St. Kilian parishioners to his parish is a great blessing, as there is strength in numbers.

“Well, just knowing the times we are in, it’s a blessing to bring two parishes together to try and strengthen it,” Father Murphy said. “We’re reminded of Pope Francis that we all speak the same language when we speak of compassion, and we’re very blessed that both St. Anthony’s and St. Kilian’s are so open to coming

together for this union. It’s the beginning of building back up a church here which holds almost 2,000 people; but the great gift is we still have room for more.

“We will keep trying to build it up and we’re very grateful to the bishop for being here tonight. The atmosphere and the enthusiasm of both parishes are excellent. Already the youth groups are working together, and the (Religious Education programs) will be doing the same come September 20. We’re praying for great blessings for the new St. Anthony’s Parish and for all who come here.”

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September 18, 2015

Dating apps and the death of romance — what’s a Catholic to do?

Denver (CNA/EWTN News) — This month’s issue of Vanity Fair contains a pretty disheartening prediction for single people: the “dating apocalypse,” brought on by wildly popular dating apps like “Tinder,” is upon us.

Young singles are too busy swiping left and right on their phones making shallow, transient connections, rather than finding real love with real people. Romance is dead, proposes author Nancy Jo Sales.

What sets Tinder apart from most other dating apps or online dating experiences is speed and brevity. Based on a photo, first name, and age alone, users decide whether to swipe left (to pass) or right (to like). With GPS tracking, the app also tells users exactly how far away potential matches may be, making life even easier for those just looking for a quick hook-up.

The biggest criticism of Tinder? It’s a seriously shallow app that turns people into quicklyjudged commodities on a screen.

In a 2013 article by The Guardian, “Tinder: the shallowest dating app ever?” author Pete Cashmore explains the ick-factor, yet addictiveness, of Tinder when compared to another dating app called Twine. “Of the two apps, though, Tinder sounded worse, just because it seemed so contemptuously superficial.

“There are hundreds upon thousands of women, about whom you know almost nothing, and you snap-appraise them with a single swipe. It’s a finger-flicking hymn to the instant gratification of the smartphone age. It’s addictive.”

Matt Fradd is a Catholic speaker and author and founder of “The Porn Effect,” a website with a mission to “expose the reality behind the fantasy of pornography and to equip individuals to find freedom from it.” In his ministry, he’s heard a lot of stories from young people

about their struggle to overcome objectifying people through porn.

Fradd had some harsh words for Tinder.

“Tinder exists for those who would rather not purchase a prostitute,” he told CNA. “I would imagine most people who use that app aren’t there because they’re looking for a chaste relationship,” he added.

And indeed, quite a bit of colloquial evidence backs him up. Alex in the Vanity Fair article said dating apps have turned romance into a competition of “Who’s slept with the best, hottest girls?”

“You could talk to two or three girls at a bar and pick the best one, or you can swipe a couple hundred people a day — the sample size is so much larger,” he said. “It’s setting up two or three Tinder dates a week and, chances are, sleeping with all of them, so you could rack up 100 girls you’ve slept with in a year.”

But Tinder doesn’t always have to be that way, users argue.

It is possible to find people on the app who want to go on some good old-fashioned dates.

Ross is a 20-something Nebraska-to-New York City transplant and a cradle Catholic who’s used his fair share of dating apps and sites. When signing up for Tinder, Ross said, probably the most important factor in whether someone will find potential dates or hook-ups is location, location, location.

“Your region matters so much,” he told CNA in an email interview. “In Nebraska, women date on Tinder. They really do. In New York, (most) want a distraction, attention, and/or a hook up.

Not emotion or connections.”

Holly, a 20-something devout Catholic living in Kansas City, said she has had success finding a date — and a pretty decent one at that — on the app.

“I went on a great Tinder date.

Granted it was the only Tinder date, but we even went out a few

times before things ended. At the time Tinder sort of freaked me out, but I decided to jump in head first and it was an enjoyable experience over all,” she said.

Many young people who’ve used Tinder also argue that the “shallow” critique is a bit overblown, considering that dating always takes into account whether or not a potential mate is physically attractive.

“How is me swiping right on a guy that I find attractive, and swiping left (on those) that I’m not that into any different than someone approaching a guy that I find attractive in a bar? We make snap judgements all the time. Why is it suddenly so much worse if I’m doing it online?” asked Michelle, a 20-something practicing Catholic who lives in Chicago.

While she’s definitely experienced the creepier side of Tinder — with guys sending her “rankings” on a scale of one to 10 and other, um, less-than-endearing messages, she said she found the app could be used as a way to maybe meet some new people in person and to get recommendations of things to do in the city.

“I think to immediately classify Tinder or any other dating app as a ‘hook-up’ app or as a very bad thing goes against the idea that things are morally neutral,” Michelle said. “Just like alcohol is not inherently bad but can be used for evil, I don’t think Tinder is inherently evil as well. I definitely think you can use Tinder if you’re using it to meet people — not to hook up with people.”

It’s admittedly a bit difficult to find someone who can speak with moral authority specifically to dating apps in the Catholic world. Because of the very recent explosion of smartphones, followed by the subsequent explosion of dating apps, or because of vows of celibacy, many clergy and moral experts have actually never used dating apps themselves.

Father Gregory Plow, T.O.R.,

falls into that category. Even though he’s a young priest and friar who’s never used Tinder, Father Plow works with hundreds of young people every day as the director of Households at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio (kind of like Greek houses, but faith-based).

Father Plow said when Catholics determine the morality of any act or tool, like Tinder, three things must be considered.

“Whenever discerning the morality of an act not explicitly defined by Church teaching, we must examine the object, the intention, and the circumstances,” he said, referencing paragraph 1757 of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church.”

“Regarding the ‘object,’ apps — in general, as an invention — are not bad in and of themselves.

Like most other technologies, they are morally neutral in and of themselves,” he said. “Apps do, however, possess a certain quality of being transitory that can factor in to the other two components (intention and circumstances) that factor in to judging the morality of an act.”

The transitory, cursory nature of swiping based on one picture in Tinder can be morally dangerous if that same mentality transfers to relationships with people, he said. Instead of pausing and taking the time to form real relationships, some people may decide to move on to the next best thing because they have so many options.

“Therefore, in as much dating apps are impersonal and transitory, or are used with the intention for receiving gratification and pleasure, they are immoral,” he said. “If, however, online dating apps or services assisting people in leading them to find another person to share the love of God with in the uniqueness of a dating relationship or Marriage, it can be (morally) good.”

Mary Beth Bonacci, a Catholic speaker and author on John

Paul II’s Theology of the Body, said what’s concerning about Tinder when compared to online dating sites such as CatholicMatch is the rapidity with which people can be turned into objects.

“The entire realm of dating is full of opportunities to turn a human person into a commodity. We get so wrapped up in thinking about what we want for ourselves that we forget we are dealing with another human person — and image and likeness of God. It’s always been a temptation,” she said.

“But the rapid-fire nature of Tinder’s ‘scan and swipe’ makes it easy to turn many, many human persons into commodities in a short period of time. That is what is scariest to me.”

Bonacci said while it’s possible to find someone who’s interested in a virtuous dating relationship through apps like Tinder, the chances of that happening are probably pretty low when compared with online dating sites that have more extensive profiles.

Meeting someone in person as soon as possible is also key, she said, in determining whether or not a match made online or in an app has a chance of turning into a dating relationship. But apps like Tinder aren’t exactly helping breathe new life into romance, she said.

“Everything is instant. The nearly-anonymous sex is of course the antithesis of anything romantic or respectful. In the old days of the ‘meat market’ singles’ bar, a person had to get dressed up, leave the house, buy a few drinks and at least pretend to have some real interest in the other person.”

The Church has a duty, she said, to offer young people better alternatives in the dating world than the instant gratification that they find in the current culture.

“The Vanity Fair article reminded me once again that we have to offer teens and young adults an alternative to the degrading, hook-up world that surrounds them. We can’t scare them out of it. They need to be inspired, to fall in love with the real beauty of the Christian vision of human sexual morality,” she said.

“They need to see their own dignity, their own importance, and how respecting their bodies and the beautiful language of human sexuality is the only way to finding real love. We have to.

We can’t allow another generation of kids to fall into this cesspool.”

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Youth Pages

September 18, 2015

Teachers and assistants at St. Patrick Parish in Somerset gathered recently for a meeting in readiness for a new year. The teachers appeared energetic and enthusiastic about meeting their new students and their families, and are anxious to work with the new general theme for this coming year which is “Children and Family.” This theme hopefully will echo Pope Francis’ concerns of the needs of families all over the world. The teachers are Tom Letourneu, Lucy Charette, Mariel Cadorette, Christina Rausch, Tim Rosario (aide), Dianne Johnson, Julie Ramos Gagliardi, Aimee Duarte, Beth Cabral, Emily Cabral, Jillian Berube, Erica Souza, Colleen Corcoran, Lucas Finsness, Sharon Johnston, Nicole Almeida, Doris Pytel, and Kim Viveiros.

Faculty and students from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford enjoy learning new things on the new Google Chromebooks purchased by the SJSJ Parent Teacher Organization.

St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro recently opened its doors for the 92nd year. Principal Denise Peixoto has been at the school for 25 years. Here, fourth-grade teacher Molly Smith holds up a sign welcoming her class and she is accompanied by fourthgrader Maddie Mello.

Inspirational banners welcomed students and faculty back to Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River at the start of the 2015-2016 school year. Lining the Elsbree Street entrance roadway leading onto the school’s 72-acre campus, the new banners and energy-efficient pole lighting are two building and grounds improvements completed this summer as part of Bishop Connolly’s $1.4 million Advancement Initiative.

Students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro participated in a social media campaign to welcome Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. Catholic Extension, a national organization committed to supporting and strengthening poor mission dioceses across the United States, has organized the movement. Pope Francis is coming to America for the first time in September and Catholic Extension will be making a collage of all the photos for Pope Francis, along with social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Students at St. John’s took photos with a cutout of “Flat Francis,” a spin-off of Flat Stanley, the famous children’s book.

Students at St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis were welcomed back for another school year.

September 18, 2015

I

Youth Pages God doesn’t give up on us, nor should we

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t is so easy to forget the blessings that are right before our eyes! Often when I am driving to UMass Dartmouth, I will take the “long way” to get off the Cape. Instead of just jumping right onto Route 28 and heading over the Bourne Bridge, I drive along Shore Road in Pocasset and Monument Beach, a route that takes me along the shore. It reminds me of how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.

There are times when I take living in Southeastern Massachusetts for granted. My mind is on other things: things I have to get done, administration, a student or parishioner who may be going through a difficult time, a meeting coming up, etc. Sometimes those things prevent me from recognizing the beauty around me. Sometimes those things keep me distracted in my prayer or even finding time to pray. Some-

ises, that is a fact. How do I times these distractions also lead me to take for granted the know that? Well, if God is truth and perfection, it is not people who are important in possible for Him to break His my life. Sound familiar? promises. To do so would be In Psalm 145 the psalmist an imperfect act. He doesn’t says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.” Over the years I have come to have a great appreciation of the psalms. They were written as prayers and were

By Father used by Jesus Himself in His daily prayer. As David C. Frederici such, we can use them to begin our conversajust enter into agreements with tion with God. However, they are also the Word of God. This people, He enters into covenants. Covenants are forever. means that not only are they The breakdown in these covhelpful in that we can use the enants isn’t God, it is us. words to begin that conversaWe become distracted or tion, the Lord will use these tired and forget that God is words to draw us deeper into near. We don’t recognize Him the mystery of His love and right in front us. We fail to presence.

“The Lord is near to all who see the evidence of His existence. We become focused on call upon Him.” ourselves. Like the people in The Lord keeps His prom-

last week’s first reading, when this happens, we make ourselves the standard. We begin to complain and in doing so further isolate ourselves from others.

Everything about the Church is to help one another realize that “the Lord is near.” The psalm also reminds us though that we need to make an effort here as well. He is near “to those who call upon Him.” The psalmist writes in verse two: “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.”

We are reminded that each day we need to make the effort to recommit ourselves to God. Faith isn’t a passive activity.

When we commit ourselves to Christ as His disciples (which happens with the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), we are commit-

ting ourselves to conversion, of turning our hearts and minds to God. We will fail at times. We will get tired, we will forget to look for God and we will take for granted the blessings in our lives. This shouldn’t deter us though. The psalmist says in verse eight, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.”

In other words, God does not give up on us, we shouldn’t give up on ourselves or Him. When we become aware that we have failed to recognize God’s love and presence or we have made it “all about me,” the Lord helps us refocus and begin anew.

Anchor columnist Father Frederici is pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pocasset and diocesan director of Campus Ministry and Chaplain at UMass Dartmouth and Bristol Community College.

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff kensouza@anchornews.org

training, so will all of the students time. When we don’t practice grades P3, P4 and kindergarten. excellence in our faith, we miss throughout the year.

The five teams also aligned out on all the things God has “Did you know that in every with the five rings in the “Hoprepared for us. sport the coach has a game plan lympic” logo, suggesting that — White is for prudence. everyone must also work together for players to follow if they want Prudence means being able to to be champions and winners? to achieve success. know the difference “Remember: There’s between right and wrong no ‘I’ in team; it’s not and choosing the right about ‘me,’ it’s about ‘we,’” thing. A person who Sister Muriel said. “A practices prudence will team beats with one heart try to do what Jesus — we need each other, would do. It’s good to we need teamwork.” ask: “What would Jesus After Tripp entered do?” the stadium, flanked by — Blue is for fortitwo students dressed in tude.

Fortitude means period togas in homstanding up for what’s age to the Olympics right and not being afraid of ancient Greece, he to show our faith, to be lit a brazier on stage as strong. Sometimes we principal Cecilia M. Felix may feel like giving up, approached the microbut we need to rememphone. ber every situation is a “I officially declare chance to grow. the Holy Family-Holy Sister Muriel Lebeau, SS.CC., kindergarten teacher — Gold is for temperName Holympics Trainand Faith Formation coordinator at Holy Family- ance. Temperance means ing to be ‘Champions for Christ’ for the 2016 Holy Name School in New Bedford, lights the torch doing things in a proper, school year now open,” from the Paschal candle to commence the opening balanced way and conceremony of the school’s year-long “Holympics” trolling your behavior. If Felix said, eliciting approgram last week. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) you have trouble rememplause. “You are here for bering what temperance means, So learn the rules and follow a purpose: to get a good, quality just remember that “temper” is them,” she said. “It’s important Catholic education and to train to become champions for Christ. for athletes to train hard and play short for temperance. When you practice the virtue of temperance, every game with their best effort Our Head Coach is here with you have great self-control and and with excellence.” us always. Our Head Coach is you don’t lose your temper.

Bracketed by songs includJesus Christ, the greatest of all — Green is for justice. Justice ing the theme “Champions for Champions. Your teachers and means being fair in everything Christ” and “What Would Jesus staff will be your team managers and personal trainers for the year. Do?” the opening ceremonies also you do and to give what is right Follow their rules, and you’ll be a included an explanation of the five to God and others. When we practice justice, people feel loved colored “Holympic” rings: winner.”

— Red is for excellence. Aim- and valued.

Maintaining the sports analAccording to Sister Muriel, ogy, Felix went on to suggest how ing for excellence is when you who organized the event, the give your very best effort every just as athletes require extensive

program is based on Catholic Chat’s “Cathletics” summer program, which she had to revise a bit for Holy Family-Holy Name School’s needs.

“We did it seven years ago, but this is all new again this year,” she told The Anchor. “We brought it back because we think it’s important to train to be champions for Christ. This is a program for the whole year, and each month we’re going to focus on different themes.”

Sister Muriel said upcoming themes will include a Rosary Walk in October; a Saints Alive/ Superheroes program in November; a Charity Run in December; Prayer Push-Ups in honor of Respect Life in January; Body Builders, Fasting, Almsgiving and Prayer for Lent in February; Prayer for Vocations (Quo Vadis) in March; a version of Religion Jeopardy for April; and a “Walk Like a Champion” Walk-a-thon in May. There will also be a closing awards ceremony scheduled for June.

“This is a wonderful celebration to kick off the school year,” Dr. Michael S. Griffin, superintendent of schools for the Fall River Diocese, told students during the opening ceremony.

“What a great theme of the Olympics — and I think of all of you as Olympians, striving to be the very best people that Jesus calls you to be. It’s certainly an inspiring way to start the year and I want you to know that we’re very proud of you, your teachers, and your leaders.”

Be Not Afraid

Holy Family-Holy Name School kicks off year with ‘Holympic’ ceremony

NEW BEDFORD — The nearly 300 students enrolled at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford kicked off the new academic year last week with a celebration mimicking the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

Dubbed the “Holympics,” the event included a procession of students into the auditorium, led by assistant principal Ralph Tripp, carrying a torch that had been lit from a Paschal candle on the school’s front steps by Father Robert Powell, parochial administrator of St. Lawrence Martyr Parish.

“The Olympic Torch is a widely-recognized symbol of the Olympic Games,” explained Sister Muriel Lebeau, SS.CC., Faith Formation coordinator for the school. “In ancient Greece, a fire was lit at the opening ceremony.

As we pass the torch, let it be a reminder of how we are to be lights for Christ as we begin the race of our educational life.”

Once assembled in the auditorium, which had been turned into a makeshift “Holympic Stadium” for the day, the students were grouped by teams, so designated by colorful T-shirts and pennants bearing the motto: “Champions for Christ.” The blue team consisted of grades seven and eight; the green team, grades five and six; the yellow team, grades three and four; the orange team, grades one and two; and the red team,

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September 18, 2015

Gourd help us all

I

n Ecclesiastes 3, it states, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven.” Other than The Byrds covering the Pete Seeger song, “Turn! Turn!

Turn!” into a megahit in 1965, the Biblical quote reminds us that there is a time and place for everything.

But today’s mad, mad world is the anti-Ecclesiastes, trying to force times upon us before their time. It’s a wacky cycle, mostly centered around Christmas.

In the advertising world, the Christmas season begins in September. Consequently, every other “holiday” season is usually bumped up about three

gourd until October 1.

The problem is that every coffee shop in New England is now offering pumpkin everything. Retail stores are following suit. And her beau and his dad constantly tempt her with the pumpkin coffee they wave in front of her nose. (But try getting them to drink eggnog before Thanksgiving, and that’s a different story.) And the food courts in and around UMD are just as enticing.

So far, she’s remained strong. She only has two more weeks to hold out. As for me, I love pumpkin, but like the

stuffing, I can wait. Denise doesn’t care for pumpkin so there’s no problem there. And as I mentioned earlier, Igor always has stars in her eyes — usually the star of Bethlehem.

There is a season for every matter under Heaven — pumpkins in October, stuffing in November, and all things Christmas in December, and so on.

And for we who are bombarded with the contrary, may gourde help us all.

(It should be sadly noted that just before I went to press, Emilie walked into my office with a pumpkin coffee.

The flesh is weak.) davejolivet@anchornews.org.

are by submitting an auction item, becoming a sponsor, or by “giving a bed,” with a donation.

In Psalm 34, David says, “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that

the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” The poor man continues to call and the parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption and Our Lady of Victory, year in and year out, hear that call by offering the annual Taste and See event; in order that the poor may taste and see that the Lord is good.

For information about the event and how to help, visit olvparish.org and click on the Taste and See link; visit either parish office; call Kelley Spodris at 508-775-5744, extension 113; or help provide a bed by sending a donation to Spodris at Our Lady of Victory, 230 South Main Street, Centerville, Mass. 02632.

tional Service Committee and special presenter at the convention along with his wife, Claire.

“The encounter with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit leads lukewarm Christians to become alive,” he said. “This is not just for priests and religious; this is for the lay faithful. Internationally, 50 million Catholics have been touched.”

The couple’s presentations were the only ones delivered in English.

“I am getting to know the Portuguese,” said Matthews.

“There is a great deal of faith and enthusiasm here, which is obvious and contagious. What we’re about is Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This release of Baptism and Confirmation graces is meant for the whole Church, not just for the 400 people at this conference, so everyone can come into this relationship with God.” Father Norberto Brum of the Diocese of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores was also a special guest and presenter at the event, and the music and choir was under the direction of singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Dionisio Da Costa.

Retired diocesan priest Father Henry Arruda, the former

pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in Taunton, also performed on keyboard with the band.

“I have been involved in the local (movement), especially Portuguese Charismatic Renewal for a long time,” said Father Arruda. “These are wonderful people who experience joy. They never thought that faith was so real. They want to live the Spirit and make sense out of life.”

Culminating the two-day conference was a Mass celebrated

by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., a native of Brazil.

Excitement mounted as the Portuguese pilgrims awaited the bishop’s entrance.

Father Arruda began playing the quiet strains of Pachabel’s “Canon” as marchers bearing banners from each of the Charismatic groups of the parishes processed down the aisle.

La Salette missionary priests concelebrated the Mass with the bishop.

There was lots of singing.

Chris Tomlin’s “Forever” was performed in Portuguese: “Forever God is faithful, forever God is strong. / Forever God is with us, forever, forever!” They sang over and over again: “Sempre, Sempre!”

In his homily, Bishop da Cunha spoke about the crisis of faith in today’s world.

According to the Letter of St. James, a Christian cannot simply talk about care for the members of the community, or give verbal assurance to those community members who have physical needs; one must act, in imitation of Jesus.

“They say people of faith don’t live it,” said Bishop da Cunha. “If you have faith and don’t live it, that is the same as if you were dead. Show me your faith, and I’ll show you your works.”

He explained that Jesus wants us to continue His work of love.

“Transform the world,” the bishop said. “Today the world needs people of faith. It’s not the president or United Nations — it’s the people of faith who are going to transform the world.”

Bishop da Cunha proclaimed that Jesus is alive and His message is as alive today as it was 2,000 years ago.

“He wants to transform our hearts,” he said. “When we transform, we become instruments of a renewed world. May the blessings of the Holy Spirit transform us and bless us.”

months. and it’s a tradition at my house It makes it difficult for every Thanksgiving. But good purists to remain true to their old Ben couldn’t wait. I now convictions; living like it was the old days.

Most of my clan are traditionalists; keeping the holidays where there belong. The two renegades may be Igor,

By Dave Jolivet who lives every day like Christmas, and my oldest born, Ben. I like Ben. He’s not afraid crave stuffing. to be his own person. Just last Yet my youngest daughter week I got a text from him Emilie is currently engaged with a photo of the French with an inner holiday struggle. meat stuffing he whipped up You see, she loves pumpkin because he had a hankering for everything, yet has a selfit. It’s the recipe handed down imposed rule not to indulge in from his arrière-grand-mère, products made of the orange

My View From the Stands

Cape faithful ‘taste and see’ for the poor continued from page one

Mount Carmel Parish in Seekonk, and a former longtime pastor of Our Lady of Victory, is this year’s honorary cochairman along with Father Perry. “We are working against the new normal,” said Father Hession. “Pope Francis has cited the reality of our times that when a homeless person dies in

our streets it is not news. But when the stock market declines 10 percent, that is breaking news.”

“This is the reality we seek to work against,” added Father Perry.

Ways for folks across the diocese to help, in addition to attending the October 2 event,

Holy Spirit speaks language of the heart continued from page one

journey of transformation seeking union with God. “The more we are united to Him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to Him,” said St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Pope Francis teaches: “What is the common sign of those who are reborn of this current of grace? To become new men and women — this is the Baptism of the Spirit. God’s love burns away

our selfishness, our prejudices, our interior and exterior divisions.”

A movement in the Catholic Church since 1967, Catholic Charismatic Renewal emphasizes Baptism of the Holy Spirit, prayer, healing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, preaching, and teaching in the charism, according to Walter Matthews, executive director of the Na-

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September 18, 2015

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ASSONET — Beginning September 14, St. Bernard’s Parish will have Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at the conclusion of 9 a.m. Mass and the church will be open all day, concluding with evening prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Adoration Chapel at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

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

ATTLEBORO — There is a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church on N. Main St. Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, Monday through Saturday, from 6:30 to 8 a.m.; and every first Friday from noon to 8 a.m. on Saturday.

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

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

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Refreshments follow.

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

FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has continuous Eucharistic Adoration from 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

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

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

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel.

A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday following the 7 a.m. Mass, with Benediction at 4:30 p.m.

MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Benediction at 5:45 p.m.

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

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

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

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

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel Fridays from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

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

NORTH EASTON — A Holy Hour for Families including Eucharistic Adoration is held every Friday from 3-4 p.m. at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street.

ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Parish, 61 Canal Road, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday starting after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending with Benediction at 11:45 a.m.

The Sacrament of the Sick is also available immediately after the 8 a.m. Mass.

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

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

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

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m.

Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 6:30 p.m.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church begins each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. and ends on Friday night at midnight. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall. ~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~ East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.

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

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

U.S. Church ‘stands ready’ to help Syrian refugees

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Catholic Church “stands ready to help” in efforts to assist refugees fleeing war-torn countries in the Middle East, said the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., also said that Catholics in the U.S. and “all people of good will should express openness and welcome to refugees fleeing Syria and elsewhere in order to survive.”

Tens of thousands of people from Syria and other countries are “fleeing into Europe in search of protection,” he said, adding that images of those “escaping desperate” circumstances “have captured the world’s attention and sympathy.”

The archbishop noted that Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ overseas relief and development agency, has been providing humanitarian aid to refugees in the Middle East and Europe, and in the U.S., he said, “nearly 100 Catholic Charities agencies and hundreds of parishes” assist refugees coming into the country each year. Archbishop Kurtz’s statement follows Pope Francis urging Catholics in Europe to respond to the needs of refugees entering their countries.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Sept. 19 Rev. Henry E.S. Henniss, Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1859 Msgr. Arthur W. Tansey, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1985 Sept. 20 Rev. Simon A. O’Rourke,USN Chaplain, 1918 Rev. Omer Valois, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1958 Sept. 21 Rev. George Pager, Founder, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1882 Rev. George Jowdy, Pastor, Our Lady of Purgatory, New Bedford, 1938 Rev. William H. Crane, SM, Superior at National Shrine of Our Lady of Victories, Boston, 1988 Sept. 23 Rev. Antoine Charest, SM, Former Assistant St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 2001 Sept. 24 Rev. Joseph E.C. Bourque, Pastor, Blessed Sacrament, Fall River, 1955 Sept. 25 Rev. Robert J. Woodley, S.J. Missionary, Taunton, New Bedford, Fall River, 1857 Deacon Robert B. Raymond, 2007

Around the Diocese St. Julie Billiart Parish, 494 Slocum Road in North Dartmouth, will host its Septemberbest on September 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come join them for a day of family fun. Activities will include Bingo, country auction, yard sale, crafters, book sale, children’s games and more! Great food will be available as well.

How would St. Paul use Facebook? Find out on October 3 at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall in Wareham. A fun and informative workshop, presented by Deacon David Murphy and Allison Gingras, will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on using social media to share the Catholic faith. Cost is $15 and includes lunch. For more information or to register, call 508-243-1133, or visit www.HowWouldStPaulFacebook.eventbrite.com.

On Columbus Day weekend, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish will host its annual Holly Fair at 2282 Route 6 in Wellfleet. The event will take place on October 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., then again on October 11 beginning after the 10:30 a.m.

Mass. The fair will offer beautiful themed baskets, a quilt raffle, books, teacup raffle, homemade items, toys, ornaments, baked goods, wreaths, silent auction, White Elephant table, jewelry, cookies and much more! Photos with Santa will be taken on Saturday (October 10) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food offerings will include hot dogs, stuffed quahogs, sausage and peppers, clam chowder, chili and more.

The Women’s Guild of St. John Neumann Parish, located at 157 Middleboro Road in East Freetown, invites all to its One Day Only Barn Sale being held in the parish barn on October 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. The Barn Sale has a large variety of items available to choose from and the prices can’t be beat!

The Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will host a breakfast presentation on Domestic Violence on October 24 at 9 a.m. in the parish center of Holy Name Parish, 850 Pearce Street in Fall River. Speakers will include District Attorney Thomas Quinn, Lt. Andrew Cook of the Fall River Police Department, and Paula Wilding, a representative from SSTAR. For reservations or more information, contact Mary Mitchell (508-993-3742), Lynette Ouellette (508-674-7036), Virginia Wade (508-676-6515), Rebecca Dean (508-761-4638) or Bobbie Dwyer (508-743-5448). The deadline for reservations is October 19 and no tickets will be sold at the door.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish in Seekonk will host its annual Holiday Fair on November 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on November 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the church hall on Coyle Drive (off Route 152) in Seekonk. The event will feature super raffles including an Apple gift card, HDTV, scratch tickets, “Kim’s Special Raffles,” and the famous “Baskets Galore.” There will also be jewelry, hand-knit items, Christmas gifts, adult and kids instant wins, toys, home-baked goods, fudge, and much more. Louise’s Cafe will be serving goodies all day.

There will be a Pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome on April 13-23, 2016 which Father Kevin Cook will be helping lead. It is open to anyone, but space is limited. Trip will include two days in the beautiful and prayerful Assisi (where St. Francis and St. Claire are buried). After that they will travel to Orvieto (where one of the Eucharistic miracles occurred), and the rest of the days will be spent in Rome, including stops at the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and other sites, and hopefully a papal audience with Pope Francis and a tour of where St. Peter’s remains are buried. The cost is $2,450 per person double occupancy; $2,750 per person single occupancy; and the airfare from Boston to Rome round trip is $1,168. The $500 deposit is due by October 13. If you are interested, please contact Stoppini Group Travel at stoppinigrouptravel@charter. net, or contact Father Cook at Holy Family Parish at 508-824-5707.

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September 18, 2015