10.01.93

. .

FALL RlVERDIOCESAN NEWSPAPER :FOR. SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS ;'¢AeECOQ &.'I'.HEISLANDS

t ,eanco VOL. 37, NO. 38

•

Friday, October 1, 1993

F ALL RIVER, MASS.

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly

•

$11 Per Year

On "ad limina" visits

Catechism, youth topics for New England bishops

GENEHOUS BEYOND MEASURE: Dr. Thomas Groome, with Father Richard W. Beaulieu, talks with catechists after speaking at the diocesan religious education convention, therned "Generous Beyond Measure." See story page 6. (Hickey photo)

Abortion key topic ill health reform WASHINGTON (CNS) - As the debate on national health care reform began in earnest, much discussion centered on the topic likely to get the most Catholic attention - the inclusion of abortion coverage.

The topic drew comment from both President Clinton and his top health care adviser, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the days after the reform plan was unveiled Sept. 22.

The plan does not mention abo~­ tion by name but calls for coverage of unspecified "pregnancy-related services" and family planning.

"There are f'eople on both sides with very strongly held feelings who would like this plan either explicitly to sa~1 abortion is covered or must be m;:.ndated and ... people on the other side who say abortion should be prohibited and absolutely eliminated," Mrs. Clinton said Sept. 24 in an interview with CBS News.

"We're not going to make people on the extremes of this issue happy," she added. "I think we're striking the right balance."

At a town hall meeting in Tampa, Fla., Sept. 23, a nurse told the president that he was "personally and morally involving me in the abortion issul~ by using my tax dollars."

"We are a:.so personally and morally improving preventive and primary care s~rvices," Clinton responded ..

Catholic officials found much

to praise in the Clinton health care reform plan, but worried that the inclusion of abortion coverage could sink the long-awaited reforms.

"The president has set the terms of the debate and demonstrated the bold presidential leadership that is required to elevate health care reform to a national priority," said John E. Curley Jr., president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

"CHA applauds President Clinton for his courage in taking the first step on what will be, no doubt, an arduous journey of a thousand miles," said Sister Maryanna Coyle, president of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, who chairs CHA's board of trustees. . The U.S. bishops were generally positive toward the plan, but expressed bitter disappointment that it proposed to cover abortion.

"The plan outlined by President Clinton ... is a major step forward in several important respects, particularly in its strong commitment to universal access," said Auxiliary Bishop John H. Ricard of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Domestic Policy Committee.

"However, it is a tragic step backward in its inclusion of abortion coverage as an integral part of national health care reform," he added.

Bishop Ricard also expressed reservations about the plan's exTurn to Page Two

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) - Release of the Englishlanguage edition of the "Catechism ofthe Catholic Church" and evangelization of youth were among topics ofthe New England bishops'. recent meetings with Pope John Paull!.

Bishop Sean O'Malley was among the bishops in September making their "ad limina" visits, required of all heads of dioceses every five years. They met with the pontiff at his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo.

The bishops said they now estimate that it will be the end of the year before the English-language catechism is published.

"By the end of the year .would seem to me to be the quickest you could expect it now," said Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston, who was assigned by the Vatican to oversee the original English translation.

The French text, which is what other language versions are being translated from, was released last Nov. 16. The pope formally presented the catechism at a Dec. 7 ceremony., distributing copies in French, Italian and Spanish.

Bishop James P. Mahoney of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, said the Canadian bishops mentioned their concerns about the delayed Eng-

Diaconate applications open The diocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate announces that pre-application interviews for the fifth class' of prospective candidates begin today. In a letter to pastors, Father John F. Moore, program director, noted that the period of pre-application will remain open for three months, closing on the last day of December.

Men who feel they are qualified and who are interested in the program should contact their parish priests or the Office of the Permanent Diaconate for further information, he said.

Potential candidates must already be active in parish ministries, be between the ages of 32 and 52 and, ordinarily, hold a college degree, professional certification. or the equivalent. In addition, a letter of recommendation from the parish priest must be mailed to the diaconate office at the time of application, indicating pastoral supTurn to Page Two

lish text to the pope during their mid-September "ad limina" meetings with him. The bishop said one problem seemed to be which Scripture translation to use for quotations in the text.

Like Bishop Mahoney, Archbishop Joseph N. MacNeil of Edmonton, Alberta, said expressions of frustration over the delay were tempered by a desire to see that the English version is as carefully translated and well written as possible.

"The significance of the English translation cannot be overestimated," Cardinal Law said. With the growing use of English as a universal language, "I think the English translation is going to be a very, very influential'text. That's why they have to be very careful."

Meeting with Pope John Paul II during his la:;t full week at his summer residl~nce, the New England bishops said the pontiff was relaxed and cordial.

Cardinal Law said he hadn't pinned down the source of the peaceful mood of the meetings at Castel Gandolfo, but the atmosphere was noticeably different from the Vatican.

"The setting is just a less hurried setting. Obviously it's away from the traffic of Rome and that in

itself is going to make it more peaceful," the cardinal said.

The New England bishops boarded a bus in Rome at dawn Sept. 21 to reach the papal residence in plenty of time to concelebrate a 7:30 a.m. Mass with the pope.

In his address to the bishops, the pope focused on the need of young Catholics to hear the full teaching of the Catholic faith ..

Young people are "looking for a solid foundation upon which to build their lives," the pope said.

"The youth of America look to you to lead them to Christ" out of an atmosphere of "moral confusion."

Attending with the New England bishops was Archbishop J. Francis Stafford of Denver, who postponed his visit until he was finished hosting the international World Youth, Day gathering in August.

Pope John Paul thanked Archbishop Stafford and all the U.S. bishops for their work on World Youth Day, saying it was "a time of great joy ~nd renewed hope."

"It is clear that the controversies and dissent of past decades are of little interest" to today's youth, the pope added. "They are not inspired Turn to Page Two

1993

'Spe(:ial section pages 8-16

"

. 2

THE ANCHOR -

.

Diocese of Fall River -

OUR LADY'S RELIGIOUS STORE

,

I,'j'

. .

.~,

\

\

,. '.

. ... ", ~

Fri.; Oct. I, 1993

AWIDE CHOICE OF SAVINGS & INVESTMENT PLANS

Mon- Sat, 10:00 - 5:30 P,M.

GIFTS CARDS BOOKS 673-4262 936 So. Main St.,

Fall River

•

NBIS Banking Since 1825

L

MEMBER FDICIDIFM EQUAL HOUSING

(i) LENDER

.

SCOUT CHAPLAIN Father Stephen B. Salvador speaks at closing ceremonies for the diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting Scout Retreat last weekend at Cathedral Camp, East Freetown. 205 Boy Scouts from the diocese attended the event, which included games, an introduction to Catholic Scouting awards programs, and a campfire and songfest. Diocesan seminarians Michael Racine and Michael Kuhn spoke to participants about "Vocations and Kindness." Catholic Scouts attended a Mass, while Rev. Dr. Leon Tavitian of the American Evangelical Church of New York held services for Protestant Scouts. (S~udio 0 photos)

Abortion is key topic

NOW IS THE TIME TO ADVERTISE YOUR HOLIDAY EVENTS!!!

Our 31,000 Subscribers Want to Know YOUR AD IN THE

ancho~ WILL BRING ADDED$'S

TEL. 675-7151 This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concerns in the Diocese of Fall River DURO FINISHING CORP. FALL RIVER TRAVEL BUREAU GILBERT C. OLIVEIRA INS. AGENCY GLOBE MFG. CO.

Continued from Page One clusion of migrant farmworkers and undocumented immigrants.

The administration's 240-page booklet describing Clinton's American Health Security Act of 1993 contains many of the elements called for by the U.S. bishops and by the Catholic Health Association in its Proposal for Systemic Health Care Reform.

It calls for universal health care coverage for all U.S. citizens and legal residents, and a comprehensive package of medical benefits including most medically necessary services by hospitals and doctors, prescriptions, dental and vision care for those under 18, and limited mental health and long-term care coverage.

The plan would be administered by regional or corporate health alliances that would not be permitted to exclude anyone in their area. If a person changes jobs or moves, he or she would be covered by the former health plan until enrolled in a new alliance.

Every employer would be obliged to pay at least 80 percent of the cost of health care coverage for each employee, with the workers paying the rest.

Government subsidies for the unemployed and for certain small businesses would be financed through increased taxes on cigarettes and a 1 percent payroll surcharge on corporate alliances to fund medical research. Clinton administration officials announced Sept. 24 that the idea of increasing taxes on alcohol to fund health reforms had been dropped.

At a Sept. 23 telebriefing, Catholic officials expressed optimism that a health care reform plan without abortion coverage could be passed in about a year.

Representatives of the U.S. bishops' offices for Domestic Social Development, Pro-Life Activities and Government Liaison and of the Catholic Health Association participated in an hourlong briefing telecast across the nation from the Washington studios of the Catholic Telecommunications Network of America.

"All of us in the Catholic community need to be working to keep

Notice Due to the special Respect Life section, some of our regular features do not appear in this issue.

They will return . next week.

abortion out of the health care coverage package," said Bill Cox, CHA vice president for government services. "And I'm' hopeful that if we work hard and work together, we will be successful."

"There's a good chance that substantive health care legislation will be passed in this Congress," said Mark Gallagher, deputydirector of the bishops' Office for Government Liaison. "And I share CHA's optimism that we will be able to eliminate abortion coverage from the health care package."

Helen Alvare, director of research and information in the bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said the health reform plan outlined by President Clinton Sept.

22 has many "absolutely wonderful" provisions to guarantee access to health care whatever a person's disabilities, age or job status.

the same classification as ·healing services."

"We need to convince people, especially those who see abortion as a private choice, that you don't coerce individual members of the public to pay for it, either through employer contributions or through taxes," Ms. Alvare·said.

Diaconate

Continued from Page One port. Married men need the consent and support of their wives.

This year, Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking programs have been initiated. The qualifications required are the same for these applicants except for educational requirements, which will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Much time, effort and discussion have gone into revising the But, she added, there is an "in- formation program for the perherent problem with placingabor- manent diaconate. The experiention, which destroys a life, under ces of the past have been a great help in viewing the reality of today and planning for tomorrow.

In today's church, the diaconal vocation is a call to share in a Continued from Page One community that will be recognized by a Gospel which is diluted, dis- by all of God's people through serguised or made to seem effortless." vice. Those with a real desire and The bishops, as the chief teachers ability to service the Church will in the church, must make every find the diaconate a challenge for effort to ensure that religious edu- the future.

In the Diocese of Fall River, cation programs, Catholic schools and ~specially preaching in par- permanent deacons will continue ishes "present serenely and con- to fulfill a variety of ministries vincingly - but without embar- relating to the whole of the Church rassment or compromise - the family. Deacons may administer whole treasury of church teach- baptism, witness marriages, offiing," the pope said. ciate at' funerals, distribute comThe papal villa sits at the edge of munion and preach the word of a small town on top of a hill. The God. In furthering the Church's pope's library overlooks the steep mission of service, they will develop wooded banks and deep blue water ministries to the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, to the aged, to of Lake Albano.

Although the setting was serene, . prisoners, to students, to the poor, the schedule was full. Each of the to the Black and Hispanic comNew England bishops had had a munities and to immigrants newly private meeting, lunch, Mass and arrived in the diocese. then group meeting with Pope Those interested in this vocaJohn Paul by the end of their tion may direct inquiries to: Rev. John F. Moore, Director of the second full day in Italy.

"It's been rush, rush, rush since I Permanent Diaconate Program, got here because I was the first one Diocese of Fall River, 500 Slocum received in private audience," said Road, North Dartmouth 02747Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin of 2930 Hartford, Conn.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 In the informal setting of the THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020). Second villa, Bishop Kenneth A. Angell of Class Postage Paid at Fall River. Mass.

Burlington, Vt., tried to entice the Published weekly except the week of July 4 pope into taking another vacation. and the week after Christmas at 887 High"I invited him to come to Ver- land Avenue. Fall River, Mass. 02720 by mont to go skiing," the bishop the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River. Subscription price by mail, postpaid said. $11.00 per year. Postmasters send address The papal response? "He laugh- changes to The Anchor. P.O. Box 7. Fall ed. He didn't promise to come."

River. MA 02722.

Ad limina

THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of FaIl River -

Fri., Oct. ·1,1993

Charlie's Oil Co., Inc. • Pronlpt 24 Hour Service • Automatic Deliveries • Call In Deliveries • Budget Terms Available • Free EstImates You Never Had Service Until You Tried Charlie's We're located at ...

46 Oak Grove Ave., Fall River oreall. ..

r

508-675-7426·674-0709

CHRISTIAN ApOSTOLIC

PRO LIFER HELPER ADVISOR

TRUE

POPE JOHN PAUL II welcomes former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for a recent meeting at Ca:;tel Gandolfo. (CNS/Reuters photo)

])ope, Gorbachev meet as crisis unfolds in Russia CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) - As a political crisis unfolded in Russia, Pope John Paul II met with former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for talks on what the Vatican called "the most important .ssues" of the day.

Gorbachev sa id afterward the pope expressed optimism that extreme or divisi ve solutions could be avoided in Russia. At the same time, the pontiff said he was concerned about continuing violence in other former Soviet republics.

The two men met Sept. 23 at the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo outside Rome and spoke privately for about 45 minutes.

"Points of view were exchanged on' some of the most important issues of our time. The Holy Father once again had an opportunity to show his great affection for the Russian people," a Vatican statement said.

On Sept. 21, Russian President Boris Yeltsin di:.banded the Russian Parliament and called for parliamentary elections by the end of the year. Opposmg legislators denounced the moves as unconstitu-

tional and began impeachment proceedings.

Gorbachev, in Italy for a string' of public appearances, was sharply critical ofYeltsin's moves. He called them "senseless and 'unconstitutional" and questioned whether free elections could be held under the current circumstances.

Earlier, Vatican officials had emphasized the private nature 'of the papal audieJ:\ce witl:i ,.Gorbachev, saying it was not a "political" meeting about the Russian crisis.

But Gorbachev, in remarks reported by Italian newspapers, made clear that the topic had come up.

The pope also spoke about the suffering caused by the Balkan wars and the continued fighting in several former Soviet republics, where Cities are being destroyed, Gorbachev said. In Georgia, hundreds have been reported killed in recent days as the republic's civil war has worsened.

It was the third meeting between the two men, but this time Gorbachev came- as a private citizen.

Their first encounter in 1989 marked a historic thaw in relations between the Vatican and the Soviet

Senate- retains Hyde Amendment WASHINGTDN (CNS) - The the makeup of the Senate after last Senate retained a general ban on year's election might eliminate the majority they,held in opposing the federal funding of abortions in a 59-40 vote Sept 28, but the mea- funding change.

One new member, Sen. Carol sure would allow the government to pay for abortions when preg- Moseley-Braun, D-IlJ., argued on nancies result fNm rape or incest. the Senate floor that the definition Under curren'~ Medicaid provi- ofliberty should mean government sions, only abortions necessary to wiIl not "dictate as personal and save the life oft:le mother may be private a decision as whether or not to bear a child." ~ paid for with federal funds.

But Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., The House in June rejected efforts to remove the so-called Hyde said that "pro-life Americans would Amendment, w'1ich for 17 years be forced to pay for the wholesale has prohibited use of federal funds -destruction of those whom they for abortion. Tile House version rationally regard as their innocent also would permit Medicaid to fellow human beings." cover abortions in cases of rape or According to the Right to Life incest.

Committee, fewer than 150 aborThe abortion language is part of tions a year are covered under the a bill providin~: $261 billion for current rules. Congressional Quarhealth, labor, education and other terly reported in June that 300;000 programs for tht: fiscal year beginwomen had abortions paid for by ning today.

Medicaid in 1977, the last year Supporters of the Hyde Amend- before the Hyde Amendment took ment had feared that changes in effect.

~ 'Walsh

RESTORER

HOLY

MEDICATOR

ONE::

ANTI.ABORTIONIST CAREGIVER

, LOVING

Pharmacy THOMAS PASTERNAK Pharmacist

INSTRUCTOR INFALLIBLE.

Union. At their second encounter in 1990, the pope boosted Gorbachev's reform campaign as' the Soviet leadt:r was facing political oppo~ition at. home.

·C HARI 1/\(31 J

S PE.CIALIST THLRJ\Pt

(J

liST

The National Catholi, Pharmacists Guild of the United States

202 Rock St. Fall River

679·1300

't'l.

,

~rary's

St.

r----.....-lliinois Street. New Bedford

CKTOBERFES Fa m i Iy Festival

•

Sunday, ()ctober 10, 1993 Monday, c:::>ctober 11, 1993 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Sf. Mary"s School

Arts & Crafts Specialty Items baked goods chinese auction farmers market entertainment face painting hourly giveaways kid's kor!'e,. raffles1/.1 \..U pie bakil.,g contest ~country kitchen! kid's kitchen '--__________

free

/Il~"i' a \

{

"""'

_

admission

-l

3

4

THE ANCHOR -

Diocese of Fall River -

Fri., Oct. 1,1993

the moorin&..-.,

the living word

We Need One Another Human life has become an expedient. The values which are intimately connected with upholding human dignity are ridiculed by the mass media and life is treated as a mere cheap headline. Ethics and morality are dismissed by the secular state. In the cult of the ego it's everyone for himself and God help anyone who gets in the way.

Once we as a nation began defining life by mere legalisms, the madness of abortion, murder and mercy killing engulfed our collective existence. Make no mistake about it: The first license to devalue and kill the human being was issued by our courts in Roe v. Wade.

The callousness which allowed legalizing extermination of unbo.rn infants has now infiltrated all aspects of living. Abortion is regarded as routine. Street warfare and frequent murders are a given in our cities. Our most respected institutions - from schools to courtrooms - are not safe from violent acts. Physicians sworn to "do no harm" indicate they are ready and willing to help people terminate their lives. What a sad contradiction it is when some in the medical field use remarkable machines and go to extraordinary lengths to save the dying while others promote suicide.

Sad to say, the Catholic community in this country has been woefully negligent in its public affirmation of human life principles. While a comparatively small group puts itself on the line, the vast majority falter and leave it to someone else to speak out. Now in this era of health care reform it is ever mote urgent that believing people of all denominations and Catholics in particular put an end to the scandal of silence.

Pope John Paul II in his statement on the U.N. International Year of Disabled People said, "One cannot at whim dispose of human life by claiming an arbitrary power over it.

Medicine loses its title of nobility when instead of attacking disease, it attacks life.... One can never claim that one wishes to bring comfort to a family by suppressing one of its members...."¡ A national health package that funds abortion and euthanasia would be a nightmare. Meanwhile in the face of an aging population there is growing sentiment that health care must be limited or rationed. Such thinking makes cost of services a priority over human dignity. The nation's health care system' certainly needs reform, but not at the expense of human lives. .

Washington must resist the urge to play God. As life issues are argued in the House and Senate, our elected officials would do well to note the words of the Vatican II document on the Church in the Modern World: "One of the gravest errors in our times is the dichotomy between the faith which many profess and the practice of it in their daily lives."

We are all well aware of the discrepancies between the Church's message and the fulfillment of the mission due to human weakness. But we as a church family are called to be active witnesses for the dignity of human life.

We need to transcend our culture's concepts of individualistic morality to practice moral and ethical virtues and to foster them in social living.

When it comes to defending our very lives, no one can go it alone. We are all part of the whole; we need each other.

The Editor Letters Welcome Letters to the editor are welcomed.,Allletters should be brief and the editor reserves the right to condense any letters if deemed necessary. All letters must be signed and contain a home or business address.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL,RIVER Published weekly by The Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River 887 Highland Avenue P.O. BOX 7 Fall River, MA 02720 Fall River, MA 02722-0007 Telephone 508-675-7151 FAX (508) 675-7048 Send address changes to P.O. Box 7 or call telephone number above

EDITOR Rev. John F. Moore

GENERAL MANAGER Rosemary Dussault ~ Leary Press-Fall

RIVPf

•

eNs/UPI photo

"I give you thanks that 1 am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works." Ps 139:14

Therese, saint of the Little Way

By Father Kevin J. Harrington St. Therese of Lisieux is one of the most beloved Catholic saints of this century. Today the Church joyously celebrates the journey tQ sanctity of this humble but noble servant of the Lord.

Even before Therese was canonized in 1925 she was the object of much veneration, although she was probably the least likely candidate for sainthood that one could imagine. Who could have predicted it of a simple French girl who entered a Carmelite convent at age 15 in 1888 and died there at age 24 after an outwardly uneventful life?

Therese's lasting popularity is based on her spiritual autobiography, "The Story of a Soul." This woman who is often stereotyped as representing a conservative womanly ideal of obedience, modesty and passive sweetness emerges from its pages as a headstrong, determined, and capable person who overcomes the most discouraging circumstances.

Therese is best known for her "Little Way," ajourney to sanctity through profound ordinariness.

Her life was a study in simplicity bearing witness to her intense love of God and her endless and burning desire for holiness. Paradoxically, this quiet nun found a voice that echoed more resoundingly

than that of any bishop or pope of her generation. She was a living illustration of a favorite paradox of Jesus, that the stone that the builders rejected becemes the carved cornice, a matter of pride.

Even today statues, paintings and venerated photographs of Therese of Lisieux proliferate in places of worship from grand cathedrals with tombs of saints and venerable mosaics to humble chapels. The plain statue of Therese in her austere Carmelite habit never fails to attract petitioners and votive candIes. Perhaps this is because not for centuries had there been a popular saint such as Therese, one from whom ordinary people drew encouragement and whom they received as their own. At her canonization, a cardinal commented that in the early Church people became saints by popular acclaim. The bureaucracy of collecting and evaluating data concerning a saintly life had not been developed, yet for largely inexplicable reasons certain people captured the imagination of the faithful.

Some ofthe more familiar saints are those who performed stunning miracles, preached eloquently, lived lonely, heroic lives in the desert, did great acts of charity, or . were renowned for hearing confessions and giving advice.

The words of the great medieval mystic Meister Eckhart could have been written with Therese in mind: "Wisdom consists in doing the next thing you have to do, doing it with your whole heart, and finding delight in doing it." For Therese this translated into loving her fellow sisters who at times were petty, envious, jealous and downright unkind. Indeed, her descriptions of convent life were hardly calculated to encourage vocations to the Carmelites!

Her most endearing quality was her ordinariness, revealed in her extraordinary humility. Because she expected so little of others, she could put her trust totally in God. Because she was so unschooled, she could put her most intense feelings into the simplest of words.

She took the simple Gospel message of the love of God and neighbor so literally that h~r life remained utterly uncomplicated.

Perh'aps her greatest insight was that sanctity is not only for the privileged few. A pupil once asked an ancient rabbi how he could tell night from day. His answer: "It is when you can look on the face of any man and see that he is your brother. If you cannot do this, then no matter what time it is, it is still night." .

In Therese we can rejoice that a sister of ours is truly a saint!

Don't goof it up . agalll.

Mass for Polish heritage month set

,

Isaiah 5:1-7 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43 Those who carefully read the Christian Scr: ptures often hear a faint voice coming from the sacred text, repeating the same profound message over and over: "Don't goof it up again!"

These words seem to have been deliberately s~aled in the text at different times and places by each of the sacred authors, always for the same reas In .

J~sus' first disciples not only realIzed where they were, they also knew where they had been. The faith they professed was rooted in an 1,800 year old tradition of unprecedented belief - a tradition which Lad. produced patriarchs and prophets, the Exodus and the Exik, Sinai and Moses.

Having help,~d an entire people understand t:leir origins and destiny, it was:nore than a human creation. God had certainly been part of it.

Yet now they were cultivating a new branch from that original stalk. Still believing in the basic principles of Judaism, the Lord's f?llowers began to interpret their lIves through experiences which paralleled Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Knowing how quickly even the mo:;t essential principles became jus\. intellectual truths which every.one professes, but almost no one carries out, they tried very hard to copy Jesus' way of living the!.e truths.

Paul perfectly mirrors their faith when he reminds the Philippian community, "Live according to what you ha've learned and accepted, what you have heard me say and seen me do. Then will the God of peace be with you."

There's rr ore to faith than just directing our thoughts to "all that is true, all that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of praise." .Ac":ions must flow from thoughts. And Jesus was able to bring abou': those actions better than anyone else.

Because of their experience, the Lord's first followers often reflected on Isaiah's allegory of the 'vineyard conta ined in today's' first reading. E"eryone knew the prophet was speaking of Yiihweh a.nd Israel when he exclaimed, "My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside..."

Phili~lpians

DAILY READINGS Oct. 4: Jon 1: 1-2: 1,11; Jon 2:2-5,8; I.k 10:25-37 Oct. 5: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 130:1-4, i' -8; lk 10:38-42 Oct. f,: Jon 4:1-11; Ps 86:3-6,9·10; lk 11:1-4 Oct. 7: Mal 3:13-20' Ps 1:1-4,6; '.. k 11:5-13 ' Oct. 8: Jl 1:13-15;2:1-2; Ps 9:2··3,6,8,-9,16; lk 11:15-26 Oct. !J: J1 4:12-21; Ps 97:1-2,5·6,11-12; lk 11:27-28 Oct. 10: Is 25:6-10; Ps 23:1-6; Phil 4:12-14,19-20; Mt 22:1-14

By FATHER ROGER KARBAN

The Polish-American community of Greater New Bedford will cele.brate ethnic and cultural pride dunng October, designated Polish-American Heritage Month.

Father Roman Chwaliszewski OFM Con~, pastor of Our Lad; of Perpetual Help parish, New Bedford, will be among concelebrants at a Mass of Thanksgiving and Grace marking the heritage month II a.m. Sunday at St. Stanislaus Basilica. Chicopee.

Afterward the United PolishAmerican organizations of Greater New Bedford will sponsor a I p.m. banquet at Thad's Steak House in New Bed~ord.

The point of the story is easy to grasp: no matter how much his friend worked and cared for the vineyard, it always produced the same wild grapes. "He (Yahweh) looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry!" His work and care . were wasted.

The allegory is "christianized" in our gospel pericope. With a few Oct. 2 changes we see now that it's not 1961, Rev. Joseph E. Sutula, the vineyard which is bad, but the Pastor, St. Casimir, New Bedford tenants caring for the vineyard.

Oct. 3 And the demise of the property 1991, Rev. Msgr. Arthur G. owner's son, sent to "obtain his Considine, Retired Pastor, St. share of the grapes," becomes a Mary, South Dartmouth major element. Jesus ("the son") Oct. 6 1916, Rev. StephenB. Magill, eventually turns out to be "the stone which the builders rejected Assistant, Immaculate Conception, North Easton [which) has bec?,me the keystone of+~estructure. f h ' ,1987"Rev. Roland Brodeur, e purpos~ 0 t e allegory is " Uniondale, New York c.learly ~tated m the passage's last .

Oct. 7 Ime: "For this reason, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken 1951, Rev. Caesar Phares, Pasaway from you and given to a peo- . tor, S~. AnJhony of the Desert, . Id ' .

Fall pI etha t WI'11 Yle a nch harvest."

I River '.

Nothing was the matter with the 97~, Rev. Msgr: Arthur ~.

Jewish faith. The problem revolved . DUPUIS, Pastor Ementus, St: LOUIS around how little of it was being de France, Swansea put into action. Not even "the true 1988, Rev. Andrew ~ahn, faith" can help someone who does ~.Cc., Sacred Hearts Seminary, not practice it. areham. .A recent issue of The Catholic Worker quoted one of my favorite sayings of Francis of Assisi: One A Mass of the Resurrection will day he sent out some of his followbe celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow ers to evangelize. "Go," he said "and preach the gospel. And, if at the Dominican convent, 37 Park St., Fall River, for Sister Mary necessary, use words!"

Thoma5.

Halloran, 97, who died If our faith is only a matter of Sept. 28. She was a Dominican words we're "goofing it up again."

Scholars remin,d us that Jesus of Sister ofSt. Catherine of Siena for Nazareth actually taught very lit- 74 years.

Born in Fall River, she was a tle that was new. Concentrating on 1919 graduate of Dominican Acadmethod instead of content, he preemy in that city and earned degrees sumed almost everyone knew the at the Catholic U niversityof Amerbasics of their faith. His goal was ica, Providence College, the U ninot to supply catechism questions, but to help us integrate faith into versity of the State of New York and. Fordham, Columbia and Bos~ every part of our·lives. He achieved ton universities. this by embodying faith inhis own An English and Latin teacher life, death and resurrection, then and principal at Dominican showed us how to imitate his techAcademy for many years, she ~as nique.

The authors of the Christian also treasurer, local councilor and general councilor for her communScriptures, knowing their history, ity. She was active in the DA realIzed that followers of Jesus Alumnae Asspciation. couldn't simply substitute one sys. Sister Halloran is survived by a tem of belief fOf another - and mece, Mrs. Patricia Thibodeau of live neither.

Wellesley. . Only our way of life can prove whether we've.actually heeded their words or ignored them.

~

THE ANCHOR.- Diocese of Fall River _. Fri., Oct. I, 1993

JEFFREY E. SULLIVAN FUNIERAL HOME 550 Locust Street Fall River, Mass.

Rose E. Sullivan William J. Sullivan Margaret M. Sullivan

5

Norris H. T~ipp SHEET METAL J. TESER, Prop.

RESIDENTIAL INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL 253 Cedar St., New Bedford

~112·2391

993-3222

WEstON SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

:0·P·E·N H· 0 ·U,S ·E

A~e you

i?terested in education for professional mInIstry In today's Catholic Church?

Programs Include: Master of Divinity • Master of Theology Mast~r o.f Theologi~al Studies • licentiate in Sacred Theology Contmumg EducatIon Programs including the Sabbatical Program OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAYS .

October 20, 1993 December 1,1993 February 9, 1994 For more information please contact: Elizabeth A. Fitzmaurice, SHCJ Director of Admissions Weston School of Theology 3 Phillips Place' Cambridge, MA 02138-3495 Phone: (6l7) 492-1960' Fax: (617) 492-5833

Weston School of Theology ANationaljesuit Theological Center in Cambridge

Sister. Halloran

~

~ ~;~E~~~~ @

.

StC)CkS • B'onds, Options ... On All Exchanges • Mutual Funds Of All Types • Tax Free Insured Income Trusts • u.s. Treasury Bonds & Notes • IRA's • Pension Plans • Tax Planning BUSINESS AND TAX

_FINANCIAL PLANNING lE:state ... Trust and Portfolio Analysis

St. John Evangelist Faculty of St. John Evangelist Sch?~I, Attl~boro, were among

participants m a recent all-day workshop, "Kids and Company: Together for Safety." Curriculum a.nd training materials on preventIOn of sexual abuse of children were presented to the school for use in followup sessions. The work-. shop and presentation of materials were made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Children's Tru~t and .the Digital Company in conjunction with the Lipton Center.

JOYCE B. WHITE

MARK A. QUINTAL CFP

Account Executive

Certl'f'Ie d Fmancial .

Planner

Quintal Bldg. at Lunds Cor.

2177 ACUSHNET AVE.

\ SISTER HALLORAN

"'.

NEW BEDFORD, MA

.

995-2611

NOS FALAMOS PORTUGUES ("

.........

Bishop Connolly Senior Laurie Leal has had a poem and a short article published in High School Today, a quarterly magazine produced by southern New England high school students.

As an eighth grader she received honorable mention in the National Scholastic Writing Awards.

Montie Plumbing & Heating Co. Over 35 Years of Satisfied Service Reg. Mac;ter Plumber 7023 JOSEPH RAPOSA, JR. 432 JEFFERSON STREET Fall River 675-7496

"New England hos/'lIalll)' wllh a Europeall

Flair'

Bed G' Breakfasl

495 Wesr P,I/mowh lI'gl".."y

(Route 281\) I' 0

Ben IN5 West Fa/moutll, Ma 025i'~

At Fall River's Bishop Connolly High School, she is involved in the' .choir and the literary magazine and is an editor of the yearbook.

Officers of the school's drama society are Susan Soares, president; Mariann Hartley, vice-president; Nicole Rubano, secretary; Christina Erwin, treasurer.

The society will present "Our Miss Brooks" by Christopher Sergei, directed by Leo Strickman with musical direction by Brian Michaud on Dec. 3,4 and 5 in the Connolly auditorium.

TCMS At two Masses, students at Taunton Catholic Middle School said farewell to Father Arnold Medeiros, school chaplain for 16 years, and welcomed his successor, Father Gerald Barnwell.

COLLINS CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. GENERAL CONTR~CTORS 55 Highland Avenue Fall Rive" MA 02720

Open year round (5081540-7232

678-5201

Eastern Television

saJJivan)s Est. 1962

Sales And Service

Religious Articles Books • Gifts Church Supplies

Fall River's Largest Display of TVs RCA - ZENITH - SYLVANIA 1196 BEDFORD STREET

428 Main St:. Hyannis, MA 02601 508-775-4180 Mon.-Sat. 9-5

673-9721

Citizens-Union Home Equity Loan

GET IT! You get No fees You get No points You get 24 ho.ur approval Call the Homeowners Loan Phone 508-675-4415 Ask for Connie, Pat or Darlene.

CITlZENS-lJNl(l\i It's the Best. ~VINGSHANK

Member PDlC/DlP

DENMARK'S Pharmacy

til .""' ......

LENDER

REGIST;::C=~~~~CISTS

Invalid Equipment For Rent or Sale

i

.

Surgical Garments - Bird· IPPB Machines - Jobst • Hollister - Crutches - Elaslic Stockings Surgical & OUhopedic Appliances

@) . ~

,*:~~,

.

~

. Trusses - Oxygen - Oxygen Masks, Tents & . wid! Regulators· Approved For Med~

~'t-~~ ~.~~~~tlI. ~

,: .

24 HOUR OXYGEN SERVICE 24 HOUR EMERGENCY PRESCRIPTION SERVICE

673 Main St, Dennisport - 398-2219 550 McArthur Blvd., Rte. 28, Pocasset - 563-2203 30 Main St, Orleans, - 255-0132 509 Kempton St., New Bedford - 99~92 (PARAMOUNT PHARMACY)

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION conference organizers Father Beaulieu, Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC, Elaine Heffernan, RSM, and associate directors of religious education, and keynote speaker Dr. Thomas Groome. (Hickey photo)

Catechists called (0 generosity

By Marcie Hickey

.speaker. "We feel they don't deDr. Groome urged cateChists to "make this a constitutive aspect" As God is "generous beyond serve it."

But the parable demonstrates of their teaching. "Every chance measure," so must we be, keynote speaker Dr. Thomas Groome told that "This is the kind of God we you get, bring it in" to your lesdiocesan catechists at their annual have," one of "munificence and sons, he said. convention last Saturday. Com- .largesse, one for whom the cup is "You may think I'm exaggerat. municating God's generous, never- always flowing over, always with ing" the importance of the topic, ending love should be the founda- that extra for humankind." "but I say no," Dr. Groome conFurthermore, "This is not a fix- cluded. "Jesus Christ says in Mattion for all catechesis, he said. it God who mollycoddles us" but a thew 25" that generosity. to those "Generous Beyond Measure" God who "comes and suffers with in need "is the very issue that will was the theme of the convention us, who loves us most when we are decide if we are sheep or goats!" and of national Oitechetical Sunmost in ne~d."

Father Beaulieu, in his homily, day, observed Sept. 19.

Such gerterosity is a paradigm Dr. Groome charged catechists for human behavior, Dr: Groome echoed the words of Pope Paul VI to mirror God's love for those proposed. "God's covenant... brings that people today usually do not most in need by exercising the us into partnership, puts responsi- listen to teachers, but when they "preferential option for the poor" bilities upon us. God's way of do listen "it is because the teacher in their own lives and teaching it in treating us must become our way is a witness."

"We are challenged to be witthe classroom. For Christians, he' of treating others." said, '~to reign is to serve," and the Scripture conveys that "the king- nesses to God's generous love by Gospel mandates that "we serve dom of God belongs especially to the way we live our lives and work especially the poor." the poor and lowly," and this con- and deal with one another," he A professor of theology and cept isarticulated today as the pref- said.

Father Beaulieu told the story , religious education at Boston Col- erential option for the poor, Dr. lege, the keynOter spoke at St. Groome said. This "option" is a of a little girl on a beach strewn Julie Billiart Church, North Dart- "c'onstimt topic and perennial call with stranded starfish. One by one mouth, following the convention throughout the new 'Catechism of she picked up the starfish and Mass celebrated by Father Richard the Catholic Church,'" released tossed them back into the sea.

W. Beaulieu-, director of the dioce- last year but not yet published in Finally im observer confronted san Department of Education, and English. her and said, "There are so many concelebrated by several diocesan To serve the poor, we must . starfish - what makes you think priests. The crowd of more than know who they are, Dr. Groome you can make a differenceT' 850 CCD instructors, Catholic cOlltinued. The poor are defined in The little girl indicated the starschool teachers and youth minis- the Bible as the economically de- fish in her hand and said, "At least ters filled the newly renovated and prived, but orphans, widows and it will make a difference for this enlarged church. . aliens are also specified as poor, one."

As in previous years, partici- . demonstrating "concern for jus- . Like the little girl on the beach, pants had more than 40 topics to tice" and "condemnation of racism the catechists "truly make a differchoose from in three afternoon and discrimination," Dr. Groome ence in your parishes" as "the workshop sessions at the adjacent said. Thus the term "poor" has teachings of Jesus take root in Bishop Stang High School. Issues come to encompass all of human minds and hearts," Father Beauaddressed ranged from creativity lieu said. suffering, the speaker said. and effectiveness in the classroom Catechesis is "such an extraor"Everyone has moments of deep poverty in their lives, and all are dinary responsibility," Dr. Groome angels, the new "Catechism of the Catholic Church" and dysfunc- our concern," for the "real mea- concurred. "Who knows how many sure" of faithfulness to the coven- starfish you'll throw back into the tional families. sea!;' ant is "how we treat the poor."

Dr. Groome said he "couldn't imagine a more significant gathering" than that of the catechists, who have the responsibility of conveying a faith which unshared would resemble "a museum piece."

"We can never hand it on in a passive way," Dr. Groome said, for it is "a living, vibrant faith" meant to "come alive in every mind and heart... constantly re~ newing and restoring itself in every generation." .

The key to communicating faith is "grounding ourselves in the neverending love of God," he asserted. "If we teach nothing else, we must come away more deeply grounded in this conviction. Teach it every day, without ceasing."

The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (~t 20:1-16), the Gospel for Catechetical Sunday, illustrates God's amazing generosity, Dr. Groome continued. When those who worked only a short while in the vineyard receive the same wages as those who worked all day, "it rankles us!" said the

~

r

L ..

I

-In

~,~.-. _.~"""-

_",

CONVENTION PARTICIPANTS peruse religious education books and materials on exhibit at Bishop Stang High School. (Hickey photo)

THE ANCHOR -

Vigil aUf'ndance asked Dear Editor: "October is Respect Life Month."

Prayer vigils have been scheduled in churches throughout the dio'" cese each da~1 of the month.

The Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women is urgently stressing inv Jlvement of its affiliates and th,:ir members in their local vigils.

Many of us want to support this worthy cause but cannot physiDOMINICAN ACADEMY, Fall River, students in culcally particip~te in the marches tural costume are part of the offertory procession for an openwhich draw a lot of media attening of school liturgy celebrated by Father Robert A. Oliveira tion. Howe'/er, we can by our attendance at the prayer vigils of the Diocesan Department of Education. At the conclusion demonstrate our active support. of the liturgy, themed "We Are All One in Christ," students, Please join your parish Pro-Life faculty and Dominican Sisters joined hands as music director Committee at all such services.

John Travers led all in singing "Heal the World." (Gaudette One of the goals of the Diocesan photo) Council is to encourage more active and prayerful support on the part of our members for this most worthy cause. If every member of the Fall River DCCW joins with the Pro-Life Committee of her church in these vigils, a strong Responsibility in media will be a Othe: conference topics are to message will be sent out that we major topic this month at a con- include the spirituality of Pope are concerned Catholic women willing to give of our time to let . ference sponsored by the Aposto- John Paul II, the new Catechism everyone know how important this late for Family Consecration. ofthe Catholic Church, and Mother Themed "Consecrate Them. in Teresa's ideas for strengthening cause is to liS. We are e:;pecially asking guild, Truth," the gathering will be held parish and family life.

Among speakers will be Cardisodality or affiliate presidents of Oct. 22 to 24 Pittsburgh. nal Francis Arinze, president of every Catholic organization to join in participating in the vigils in the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; Archbishop Agostheir area. tino Cacciavillan, apostolic proLet us stl'.nd up and be counted nuncio to the United States; and on the side of those who support Bishop Gilbert Sheldon of Steuand uphold the dignity and sancA classical music concert and benville, OH. Bishop Donald W. tity of life. five speaking programs are among Wuerl of Pittsburgh will preside at Bella Nogueira, President offerings open to the public this the conference's opening Mass. month at Stonehill College, North Madeleine Lavoie, Laypersons speaking will include Pro-Life Committee Chair Easton.

Dr. Mark Miraville, authority on At 8 p.m. Oct. 19 in the Chapel Fall River DCCW Marian doctrine, and Professor of Mary on campus, college orgaScott Hahn, Catholic apologist, nist Daniel Lamoureux and guest both members of the theology organist Margaret Angelini will faculty at Franciscan V niversity of present an organ and harpsichord Steubenville. concert. Physics professor Chet HOSPICE OUTREACH, FR Children's bereavement support Raymo will narrate the Biblical The event is part of the AFC's group for ages 7 to 12 who have Sonata #4 by Johann Kuhnau.. evangelization campaign in prepasuffered lo!;s in the past three years The following programs will be ration for the year 2000, said Jerry begins today and will continue con- held in the college's Joseph W. Coniker, founder and president of secutive FrIdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Martin Jr. Institute for Law and the Apostolate for Family Conseat Clemence Hall ofSt. Anne's Hoscration. The Ohio-based internapital, FR. Open to the community at Society: At 4 p.m. Oct. 5, Michael J. tional organization has produced no charge. Information: 673-1589.

Widmer, president of the Massa- .over 6,000 television programs and SACRED HEART, NB chusetts Taxpayers Foundation, videocassettes. Its "Family CateBus transportation to Respect Life will speak on "Outlook for the chism," on video and audio cassette, walk in Boston Sunday can be arMassachusetts Economy." has been endorsed by the Vatican ranged with Rita or Paul Dupuis, At 4 p.m. Oct. 6, Archibald. and is cross-referenced with the 993-4837.

Cox, emeritus professor of law at new "Catechism of the Catholic D. of I. Harvard University Law School, Church, of which the AFC is an Alcazaba Circle 65, Attleboro, potluck supper 6 p.m. Oct. 7, K. of will present "Watergate: A Twenty- official publisher. year Perspective." Professor Cox C. Hall, Hodges St. Unwrapped "The Holy Father instructs us to baby items for Birthright and rosar- was dismissed by the Nixon ad- use the media to evangelize the ies for the nissions will be collected. ministration as Watergate special new media culture," Coniker said.

RESPECT LIFE WALK BUSES prosecutor.

"The positive potential of the media Buses to Respect Life Walk SunAt 4 p.m. Oct. 13, environmen- is endless-and the Holy Father is day in Bo:;ton will leave from St. talist and community activist aware of this."

Anne's Sci; oollot, FR, and from St. Winona La Duke, a member ofthe Dominic's Church lot, Swansea. ParDuring his August V.S. visit, Anishinaabe people of Northern ticipants should arrive by II :20 a.m.

Pope John Paul II noted that Minnesota, will discuss her people Informaticn: Jim Wasel, 676-8958.

"Communications is profoundly and their relationship to nature, affecting culture everywhere, parST. MARY, N. ATTLEBORO Widowed support meeting and contrasting their lifestyle and ticularly the younger generation. potluck supper 7 tonight. Informa- values with those of industrialized The media has created a new cultion on transportation to Respect cultures.

At 7 p.m. Oct. 13, Professor ture, as well as a new language, Life Walk Sunday in Boston: John Michael Horne of the Stonehill new techniq ues and new psycholChoberka, 695-5556. ogy." physics department will speak on SS. PETEJR AND PAUL, FR The pope added that "The famBlessing of Animals I p.m. Oct. 4.

"Atoms of Light: The Ancient ily in particular, as the basic unit Greeks and Modern Physics."

SPIRITUAL COMPANIONS At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, panelists of society, is deeply affected by the Informational program for permedia environment in which it sons wishmg to become spiritual will discuss World War II from companions for mentally ill adults, 7 their varying perspectives. To be lives. Parents, therefore, have a to 8:30 p.n. Oct. 4, Catholic Social heard are pacifist Gordon Zahn, a grave duty to educate the family in Services, 783 Slade St., FR. conscientious objector interned a critical use of the means of social ST. MARY, SEEKONK during the war years; Burnadine communication."

Discove ring your child's personal- Flanagan, a member of the first Information on the event is ity type is :opic of parenting seminar available from the AFC, John Afro-American Women's Army repeated ;:30 and 8 p.m. Oct. 4, 5 Paul II Holy Family Center, Semand 6. B'lS to Respect Life Walk Corps unit to serve overseas; and Sunday ill Boston will leave parish Vern Woods, a pilot shot down inary Rd., Box 700, Bloomingcenter I' :30 a.m.; information: and held for 16 months as a spy in dale, OH 43910; tel. (800) FORMARY. a prisoner-of-war camp.

222-7047.

Diocese of Fall River - Fri., Oct. 1,1993

Crlllel Payoff "The promises of sin are fair but the payoff is cruel."-Albert Nielsen

IUlsh

speCialty shoPP€

.•. . . . . . . . . ;. ········································ii~~~.~'=~t .• ••• • • .•

.liIlill

Belleek China Irish Rosaries

PRESS~

•. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • [~il~llli~ • • •

EXECUTIVE PLAZA

~gq#)H ,•. .• .• .• .• .• .• .• •. •. •·. (-.·.· •. ~ d.•.• • """0 ~ . •. •· ·.•. ~··.ng ... ~:fg~~1~~~~~~_ ·•.IITl . .•.•.•.•.I••. f

J.•.·.•·.(• •.•·. ._.•·•. .•.•I•.

~

Route 6, East & West

~ ~

.:

..

e3

.

LEMIEUX

HEATING, INC. Sales and Service for Domestic and Industrial Oil Bumers

Apostolate for Family Consecration to convene

Six programs set at Stonehill

Rive~

101 President Ave.' Fall

l1li F.~#!ciSlJ'iesOl1(

7

995-1631 2283 ACUSHNET AVENUE

NEW BEDFORD

FRANCISCAN FRIARS MASS AND DEVOTIONS to

ST. PEREGRINE FOR CANCER VICTIMS AND THEIR LOVED ONES

Every Thursday • 9:30 A.M. ST. LOUIS CHURCH 420 Bradford A venue • Fall River

BlissStaplesOil CO. Mass. 508-676-8585 R.I. 401-624-2907 Officesat 550 Fish Rd., Tiverton

Heating Oil • Diesel Fuel ---, Gasoline Automatic Delivery Budget Plans D D D Sales, Service & Installation of Oil Heating Systems

_Our Lady's Monthly Message From Medjugorje September 25th, 1993 Dear Children: I am your Mother and I invite you to come closer to God through prayer, because only He is your peace, your Saviour.' Therefore, little children, do not seek comfort in material things; rather, seek God. I am praying for you and I intercede before God for each individual. I am looking for your prayers, that you accept me and accept my messages as in the first days of the apparitions. And only then, when you open your hearts and pray, will miracles happen. Thank you for having responded to my call.

OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE PRAYER GROUP ST. DOMINIC CHURCH. SWANSEA, MA EVERY WEDNESDAY. 7 P.M.

Respect L gered species, forests and oceans? . Then the preservation of life Why is the church against capital loses its meaning. Then we see milpunishment and racism? Why do lions, like those in Somalia, allowed we rejoice when a good friend's to die through starvation because well-being returns after having sufof selfish civii strife. Then we expefered a depression? rience senseless murders on our The answer to all these quesstreets. Then we grow indifferent tions revolves around that vital to abortions. force known as life. There is a We'ary, disillusioned or inspirit within all creation that we different, many come to see life feel impelled to preserve and foster. belonging only to those most fit to Ever since civilizations began, survive. Others, overwhelmed, just there have been people who believed turn away and give up on the ideal that God caused the world's existof preserving life. A hardness of ence. the vital force that sets life in heart or a numbness sets in, extinmotion originated with God. guishing zest for life. The idea of As civilizations comprehended participating in a Godlike action this more fully, the reaction was no longer inspires a sense of awe. one of fear, awe, respect and subThe pro-life movement aims at mission. People came to realize preserving the ideal that in giving that every time a seed was planted life or maintaining it we cooperate or a child born, they were particiwith God. The movement's aim is pating in a Godlike act, setting life to heighten the sense of awe in the in motion. . presence of life and to combat the Altars for sacrifice were introhardheartedness or indifference that

By Father Eugene Hemrick duced into people's social customs tempt us when we feel overwhelmCatholic News Service to symbolize submission to God ed. and the people's joy at their aweThis movement involves a comsome privilege as sharers in an munity of caring persons who beongoing creation. They also realized lieve laws against abortion not only Feeling a bit lifeless these that they had the freedom and are needed but, moreso, that once days? Maybe you need to get power to extinguish the vital force respect for life is lost, death is involved in the pro-life move- of life, and that laws were needed immediately there to replace it in every nook and cranny of society. ment. It challenges us with lest freedom be abused.

Whenever respect and s4bThe pro-life movement can at some lively questions like: mission have declined, humans have times become very tough, but it is a Why do we spend billions to committed atrocities against each tough love that only hopes to eleprolong life, knowing it will even- . other more vicious than those seen vate our appreciation for everyin the animal world where the law thing that is alive and good, within tually end? Why do people dedicate their lives to' saving endanof the survival ofthe fittest prevails. and around us.

Get Involved • In

\)

Life!

Cherish each life as agift that is precious Diocesan ------.-Health Facilities Catholic Memorial Home

Madonna Manor

2446 Highland Avenue Fall River, Massachusetts Telephone: 679-0011

85 North Washington Street North Attleboro, Massachusetts Telephone: 699-2740

Marian Manor

Our Lady's Haven

33 Summer Street Taunton,Massachusetts Telephone: 822-4885

71 Center Street Fairhaven, Massachusetts Telephone: 999-4561

Miss Virginia Duval, 94, resident at Our Lady's Haven.

e

1993

•

i\ Pro··Life

Rc_ad Map for tile '90s :By Cardinal Roger Mahony Cha:irman, U.S. Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities

So much of what the Church says is coumercultural. No~ where is our message more countercultural at this time in history than our belief in and commitment to safeguarding

the value and dignity of every single human being-including those human beings waiting to be born that God has already called into existence.

What are the crucial needs to advance the cause of life-to provide, as it were, a road map for the '90s? In my judgment, the principal high points on that map would include education in our schools, in our communities, and from our pulpits. This means reaching youth.

It means focusing the public discussion where it must ultimately focus: on the morality of abortion.

It means not only expanding services for women and children in need but promoting these services.

And most critic-al of all, our roadmap must guide' us in the direction of prayer.

These things must not be seen as alternatives to involvement in the public policy arena. In many states, people are working hard to pass laws that regulate abortion, whether, for example, through parental consent laws in the case of minors, or providing women with factual information about abortion, and it is important to pursue such regulations.

At the federal level, three major public policy areas continue to require concerted effort: the Freedom of Choice Act, federal funding of abortion, and health care

reform that does not include abortion. Wf: must remain vigilant.

Excellent pro-life educational programs are sponsored by dioceses and parishes across the country. At the same time, further education of Catholics is necessary.

Many Catholics who believe that abortion is wrong nonetheless accept a caricature of pro-life people drawn by a hostile media-an image of people uncaring about women, obsessed with unborn life to the exclusion of anyone or anything else, and even violent. The image of pro-lifers, even among many' Catholics, is not good and must be corrected. How? -By programs in our churches that utilize reasoned and rational arguments.

-By not allowing the media or the pro-abortion lobby to set our agenda or to define who we are.

-By publicizing the Church's many programs that help pregnant women, families and children in need.

-By providing increasingly better services for pregnant women.

We need to make a greater effort in educating and inspiring young people with the pro-life message.

Their hearts and minds are open to the challenge to care for the more needy among us.

There are good pro-life curricula available, including one developed by the National Catholic EducaTurn to Page 10

All you who thirst come to the waters... Isaiah 55: 1

All CATHOLIC SOCIAL SE!tVICES

I

ATTLEBORO 10 MAPLE ST. 226..4780 • • • •

t

FALL RIVER 783 SLADE ST. P.O. BOX M - SO. STA. 674..4681

ADOPTION SERVICES CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT COUNSELING • INFANT FOSTER CARE INFORMATION/REFERRAL

t

NEW BEDFORD 59 ROCKLAND ST. 997..7337

t

CAPE COD 261 SOUTH ST. HYANNIS 771 ..6771

• PREGNANCY COUNSELING PROGRAM • "REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT • ST. FRANCIS RESIDENCE FOR WOMEN • SOCIAL ADVOCACY

SPONSORSHIP: ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS • SOUP KITCHEN SPECIAL APOSTOLATES APOSTOLATE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES REV. PETER N. GRAZIANO, LICSW, Executive Director FUNDED BY: CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL

10

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri" Oct. I, 1993

A Pro-Life Road Map Continued from Page Nine tional Association. Catholic schools should use this program, or others if they preffer them. But it is never too early to reach children and

youth with a pro-life message appropriate to their age level.

In the Public Square· There is a radio talk-show host in California who considers him-

CATHOLIC LEAGUE for Religious and Civil Rights

~c L ~\~T

IIAMERICA ... DEFEND LIFE!II His Holiness, Pope John Paul II Denver, Colorado August 12, 1993

MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER 111 CABOT STREET NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS 02194

TEL. (617) 444-5997 FAX (617) 444-5421

self "pro-choice." Several months ago he asked his pro-choice listeners to comment on the morality of abortion and specifically to address this question: "What is it you believe is aborted?" His phone rang off the hook as pro-choice callers ranted and raved about the question he had posed. He had no understanding of what it was all about, they told him. It wasn't the morality of abortion or what was being aborted that mattered; what mattered was the ability of women to make decisions. When he reported the outcome of his informal survey, he said: "You know, no one answered my question."

There have been signals from abortion advocates that seem to invite a discussion of moral issues concerning abortion. But they do not mean a moral discussion as we would mean it. They invite a discussion of things society could offer women, including abortion, to help solve problems related to pregnancy.

Our society should provide better assistance to women and children, and Catholics will hopefully be in the forefront of efforts to adopt and provide such measures.

At the same time, the Catholic health care system is the largest private provider of health care in the United States, much of it at little or no cost to the very poor; and it is second to none in the quality of care it provides. Catholic social services provide more help to those in need than any other social service provider, save the federal government. We do more than most to smooth the way for immigrants to our nation who find themselves on foreign shores with a pittance of resources and difficulties with our language and culture.

But we need to bring a discussion of the rightness or wrongness of abortion to the public square.

The moral discussion must include questions about the value of unborn human life-about whether that life has a right at least not to be

HIt is the right of every pregnant woman to give birth. . . .and the right of every child to be born."

kjlled directly. We have to talk about why abortion does not fit at all on the continuum of humane solutions a society offers pregnant women and children for the problems they face.

Abortion advocates do not want to talk about whether abortion is moral or immoral. They have consistently avoided talking about that.

Ethicist Daniel Callahan, who considers himself pro-choice, said that for abortion advocates "to concede that abortion is a serious moral issue and to have a public discussion about that choice is politically hazardous, the opening of a wedge of a discussion that could easily lead once again to a restriction of a woman's right to abortion."

The morality of abortion is something that abortion advocates have worked hard to set aside. But it can't be set aside any longer.

Harrison Hickman, a pollster for the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), pointed out a few. years ago how damaging advances in ultrasound technology have been to the pro-abortion stance because ultra-sound allows pictures of the developing child, and how because of this, ·people were beginning to talk of the fetus as a human being. He said he didn't know how to answer that one. Well, we know how to answer that.

The horrors of late-term abortions are also becoming more public. We read of abortionists injecting potassium chloride into the hearts of unborn children to make sure they are dead in utero.

Attleboro Cape Cod Fall River Falmouth New Bedford Taunton Martha's Vineyard

226-2220 771-1102 675-1561 457-0680 996-6744 822-2921 693-4137

Free Confidential Pregnancy 'Testing - Friendship - Counseling MATERNITY CLOTHES AND BABY CLOTHES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. HOUSING PROVIDED WHEN AVAILABLE

U

rare ."

We need to ask Kate Michelman and other abortion advocates: Why is ita tragedy? We need to teU President Clinton and others who say abortion should be rare that you do not make abortion rare by promoting it as another method of birth control. You do not make abortion rare by fueling a market for the tiny dead bodies of unborn children. You do not make abortion rare by exporting it to Third World countries.

The most important thing we can do is pray. Let me close by simply repeating the eloquent words of Cardinal John O'Connor of New York:

There are also the pictures that The critical need in the proappeared in newspapers across the life movement today, I becountry' of a smiling toddler, tiplieve, is the need for prayer; ping her bottle of milk with her prayer that pounds the heavonly arm. The other arm had been ens for justice; prayer that torn off by an abortionist in New pleads with God for mercy; York City the day before she was prayer that washes our minds, born alive. The horror of killing or cleanses our souls, purifies mutilating must be seen for what it our hearts. is. One is hard pressed to see a little girl born missing an arm because Excerpted from a March an abortion failed, and not to 25 address by Cardinal Roger understand that she was the same • Mahony to diocesan pro-life little girl the day before, or even directors.

IRTHRIGHT An Emergency Pregnancy Service

weeks before, when, if the abortion had "succeeded," it would have been acceptable.

It has always been true that the vast majority of Americans oppose the vast majority of abortions performed in this country. Americans are not comfortable with abortion.

Despite the promotion of abortion as a women's "right," American women remain more opposed to abortion than men. And as welleducated middle-class and wealthy Americans clamor for our nation to provide abortions to poor women, it is poor women who most strongly oppose abortion.

Despite 20 years of legalized abortion, public figures like to say they are "both pro-life and prochoice" because they do not want to be identified as "pro-abortion."

Kate Michelman ofNARAL refers to abortion as a "tragedy." President Clinton, despite his actions, says he believes abortion should be

me

the path

of life."

Ps 16:11

-,~

Skjold Photographs

ttS ee, ul,on the palms of my hands I have

written yOUT name."

Is. 49:16

Tile Rising Violence

By James L Nash It might see m far-fetched to suggest there is a connection between the increasing criminal violence rhat plagues our nation and the quite legal killing of millions of unborn human beings, but let's consider some facts.

Violent crime has increased steadily and rapidly in the two decades since the Roe tI. Wade decision. The Uniform Crime Reports of the U.S. Department of Justice show that the violent crime rate increased 32 'Jercent between 1970 and 1975 a;~d by more than 22 percent between 1980 and 1990, with a steadily mounting increase in the second half of that decade. I am not suggesting ~nything as simpleminded a!. the notion that legalized abortion alone caused this increase. If there is a connection, it is surely more complex than cause and effect.

Accompa:lying all of this have been other increases: in juvenile violence (between 1965 and 1990 juvenile vio',ent crime arrest rates quadrupled: the murder arrest rate for juvenile~; in 1990 was six times greater than it was in 1995), in the breakdown in family life, and in the abuse and neglect of children.

From 1976 to 1986 the child maltreatment rate tripled.

It appears that violence as a way of solving or resolving conflict has been increa~;ing in our nation for some time. What light can the theological notion of sin shed on the above statistics?

Recently, theologians have emphasized stnctilral sin, in addition to the traditional notion of individual responsibility for moral behavior. Human beings are shaped and conditioned by their culture and conditions in the world. We are increasingly aware that sinfulness is ingra:.ned in structures which help to form the human person.

Racism, seliism, and the brutalities of unregulated capitalism are examples of" structural sin."

This kind of thinking gave rise to the concept of "social justice." In Quadragesi'no Anno. Pope Pius Xl held that individual conversion alone is not enough and that Christians are rf quired to change such social structures.

Clearly, individual conversion toward peaceful approaches to conflict resolution is an essential dimension of the Christian response to the plague of violence. But there is also a :;tructural and cultural dimension to the growth of violence in our society. Many social scientists believe that much of the

essentially a moral problem (excess consumption or the moral education of children) through technological "f:xes" which allow us to avoid the hard moral issues of behavioral change.

Thus, New York public schools now use metal detectors to check children for weapons as they enter school and may offer the young scholars condoms on their way out.

In this kind of world, religious education becomes ever more important for challenging and changing the structures of our world from within. Religious and moral pluralism are very serious issues that are not about to go away. Religious educators must also deal carefully and intelligently with the many issues raised by pluralism, but they at least need not do so by adopting the false pretenses of "value neutrality. " It is always crucial for religious educators to affirm the personal, individual experience of Christ's saving love in the concrete existence of the human person. This will sometimes entail for us, as it did for Jesus, forgiveness of evildoers, the free acceptance to risk and pair..ful sacrifice, in order to stop the endless cycle of injustice and violt:fice.

At the same time, however, it is particularly important that religious educators resist the secularist effort to privatize religion completely, or to reduce its public role. The balance between personal and structural sin is also related to the connection between justice and peace -an essential affirmation of Catholic social teaching.

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri., Oct. 1,1993

11

"IT IS BECOMING EVER MORE URGENT FOJ{ US TO FOSTER A DEEP AND PASSIONATE DESIRE FOR THE DEFENSE OF MAN AND HIS LIFE, PARTICULARLY AMONG oun YOUTH. WE MUST EDUCATE AND FORM OUR YOUTH TO BE MATURE HUMAN BEINGS SO THEY CAN UPHOLD THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE IN OUR WORLD."

-Pope John Paul II, Draw Near tG God, p. 268

CELEBRATE THE CHALLENGE to full participation of persons with disabilities in the church

increase in juvenile violence can be tied to the breakdown of families, schools, and other societal institutions.

I believe the problem is neglect of our basic "moral ecology," the interconnected set of conditions necessary for the proper nurturing , of morally responsible citizens. The decay of our moral ecology is an .example of how structural sin is inextricably united with personal sin. The bishops gave an example of one threat to our moral ecology in their pastoral Economic Justice for All when they argued that the U.S. economy is often harmful to famJames L. Nash, Ph.D., is an assisily life, given the stresses of unemtant professor of religion and religious ployment and the necessity for two education at 'the Catholic Unitlersity wage-earners in many families. of Amerie4l. .

Broad cultural trends are also harming our moral ecology. Robert Given Forever Bellah in Habits of the Heart refers "Human life is precious because to the emergence of the cult. of it is the gift of a God whose love is "expressive individualism." By this infinite; and when God gives life it term Bellah means that many conis forever."-Pope John Paul II temporary Americans have lost the traditional biblical understanding of how the person is constituted by fidelity to family, community, and church.

The U.S. judicial system also. plays a role in this breakdown of the moral ecology. The growth in the importance of the "right to privacy" is clearly tied to a judicial preference to protect individual freedom from many of the traditional constraints which, depending on your point of view, either "inhibited" or "constituted" the human person.

The Supreme Court's preferential option for the autonomy of the individual is clearly revealed in the Roe tI. Wade decision. The organic connection between mother and child is seen as having little effect on the mother's full autonomy over what the court believes is simply her body. In addition, the child's father is absolutely excluded from the woman's choice. Individual autonomy, the disruption of family life, and the violent solution to problems seem to be connected in important ways in the Court's permissive attitude toward abortion.

Meanwhile, due both to Court "Caring With Christ" rulings and to growing religious pluralism, it is increasingly difficult even to speak about God in public settings, such as the public schools.

We draw an analogy between Rev. Edmund f. Fit2:gerald our society's destruction of the natural world's ecology and its desModerator truction of the moral ecology necessary for truly human life. In both cases we seek to avoid what is

The work of His hands SERVICES OFFERED: • EDUCATIONAL

• RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Signed monthiy Mass and Social Communion and Anointings (administered 01 home !(nfc('ssory)

Home Visitations Consultation In: Religious Education (pre-s:'hoollhrouKh adult)

Sacramental Preparation: First Communion Sacrament of Reconciliation Confirmation

Sign Language Classes American Sign Language stressing total ::ommunication skills Captioned films Servi~es to persons with multi lie disabilities Resource and Referral Service I n-Service Seminars Outn:ach & Awareness Workshops [(or Children & Adults)

Dioces.an Apostolate For Persons With Disabilities 2:43 Forest Street • Fall River, MA 02721 Tel. 679-8373 Voice & TTY REV. JOSEPH VIVEIROS, Diocesan Director

Fall River .Diocesan· Council

of

Catholic Nurses

Catholic Nurses ilnswer the Church's Voice!

We Respect

Life

by Caring for the Young and the Old Sr. Rachel laFrance, President

seQ

SAINT MARY'S PARISH FAMILY·

UWhoever welcomes a child such as this for my sake welcomes me."

Mark 9:36

NEW BEDFORD

PROTECnNGALLOFLIFE I

PRO-LIFE PARISH ACTIVITIES OCT. 1 • FIRST FRIDAY VIGIL FOR LIFE LED BY SCHOOL CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE DAY CONCLUDING WITH BENEDICTION AT 6:15 P.M. EVENING PARISH CELEBRATION MASS OF THE SACRED HEART. 7:00 P.M.

IOCT. 3 • RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY I 10:00 A.M. - PARISH LITURGY BLESSING OF OUR PRO-LIFE COMMITTEE AND CONFIRMATION CANDIDATES WHO WILL LEAD OUR DELEGATION TO THE BOSTON MARCH. 11:30 A.M. - DEPART FOR BOSTON TO JOIN IN ANNUAL RESPECT LIFE MARCH.

MONTH LONG SCHOOL AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROJECTS • PEN-PAL PROGRAM TO OUR HOMEBOUND • ART PROGRAMS DECORATING CHURCH AND SCHOOL • SMALL GROUPS FOR PARA-LITURGY

CONCLUSION OF PRO-LIFE- MONTH ALL SAINTS PARA-LITURGY

\

REV. JOHN F. MOORE Pastor

REV. MARK R. HESSION Pro-Life Coordinator

MR. & MRS. ANTHONY TRANFAGLIA Pro-Life Chairpersons

Hickey photo

Feminism is rediscovering its rootsand they are pro~life .

By Amy T. Miller, Esq. In contrast to cultural feminists, radical feminists deny that the nurYou can tell a lot about people turing and reproductive aspects of by their bumper stickers. My womanhood are a' source of joy bumper features a bright green and celebration. Rather, they view "Pro-Woman, Pro-Life" sticker and the female reproductive capacity as the fading, but still legible, "Equal a liability.

Rights for Unborn Women." I am According to radical feminism, a pro-life feminist. . women are powerless and trapped The very word "feminism" conby the way in which the patriarchal jures up myriad connotationssociety creates gender roles and most of them negatively received defines women. The feminine difby pro-life people. Many don't realize that feminism is not a ference is debilitating. From this it is but a short step to the radical monopoly of those self-appointed feminist's final claim: Equality is spokespersons for women who do achieved through sameness with little more in the public square men. . than advance abortion-on-demand.

According to nidical feminist There are many kinds of feminism, each with its own distinct scholars such as Catharine MacKinnon, abortion is a tool women vision 'of how best to attain the equality of women in society. But need to achieve sameness and thus, liberation. Since pregnancy is seen those are differences of approach as the triumph of male dominance, and strategy. Real insight into feminism develops when we begin to abortion equals a woman's power to undo what a man has done to ask "what." What does feminism say that "woman" means? What her.

Thus feminist theory gel).erally does feminism say that "equality" is? Feminism answers these ques- speaks in two opposite and irretions in two distinct voices, those concilable voices. Cultural femiof the cultural feminist and those. nism represents the mainstream, of the radical feminist. Under- majority view. Curiously, when it standing how these two groups comes to reproduction-specificview the world throws light on the ally to abortion policy-the femipublic policy goals of the feminist .nist legal academy speaks only one language, that of radical feminism. movement. .

Not only is feminism demeaned Paralleling the traditional view of women, cultural feminism des- thereby, but the abortion debate is cribes the potential for nurturing distorted beyond recognition. The and child rearing as essential ele- lives ofunborn children are ignored.

The cultural feminist understandments of the female experience and ing of women necessarily excludes psychology. the notion that pregnancy is a Central to the cultural feminist harm.

The core of this majority definition of woman is the notion view of women is the concept of that intimacy or connectedness is a interdependency between a woman precious contribution of the female and the community to which she is members of the human species. necessarily connected.

Cultural feminists proudly idenFor the cultural feminist, reprotify women's essential, biological, ductive freedom is, in part, the and social dissimilarities from men. freedom to expect that society will They also implicitly acknowledge accommodate the needs of the pregthat a woman is unique in her abilnant woman. This means support ity to relate physically and psychofor better child care-not because logically to the unborn child. Besociety assumes the woman is not a cause of her natural evaluation of intimacy and connectedness, a woman instinctively understands the total dependency of the developing child within her.

Cultural feminism defines woman by focusing on the fundamental female difference-by celebrating connection. Intimacy is value and gives rise to a feminine ethic of caring. Harm, for the cultural feminist woman, is expressed as separation or isolation from the community. Equality arises when society accepts and respects the feminine differences.

nUrturer, but because it understands that many women must work outside the home either for economic reasons or for psychological equilibrium. It means stricter laws for child support enforcement, not onJy to alleviate the single mother's economic hardships, but also to instruct men in parenthood's responsibilities. It means teaching society to value the contribution of women who work in the home as full;time mothers. Above all, it means making access to educational and prenatal services the battle cry of those who celebrate the different but equal nature of women in modern society. Advocacy of such causes flows naturally from the cultural feminist ideology.

Unfortunately, the radical feminist idea that "pregnancy equals harm" dominates the current abortion debate. But the very vocal minority who hold this view is increasingly challenged by articulate women who are committed to standing up for the well-being of women while defending the sanctity of all human life.

April I 992 saw the formation of the National Women's Coalition for Life (NWCL). Representing more than 1.5 million women from all parts of the nation, all age groups, political ideologies and experiences, NWCL speaks on behalfof America's children and their mothers.

Similarly, Feminists for Life, Women Affirming Life, the Professional Women's Network, the National Institute of Womanhood, and other grassroots organizations are dedicated to influencing the public debate. This year Feminists for Life announced the formation of the Susan B. Anthony List, a non-partisan effort to help p'ro-life women who are sensitive to women's needs and rights attain public office. The famous suffragist for whom the project is named was, like all the early feminists, staunchly pro-life. She condemned abortion and understood that the real solutions to the challenges facing women are to be found in addressing the underlying problems that lead women to abortion.

Could it be that feminism is rediscovering its roots? In time all may come to understand that consistent feminism is only possible when we embrace both mother and child. We can-we must-love them both.

Amy T. Miller is assistant director for program development at the NCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.

"No

MAN OUGHT TO INIUCf ON HIMSELF VOLUNTARY DEATH, FOR THIS IS TO ESCAPE THE lID OF TIME BY PLUNGING INTO THOSE OF ETERNITY." -51. Augustine, The City of Cod

IICttOOSE OR LOSE II

VOTE

PRO-LIFE! eNS photo "-

tt'You are

of God, you little ones."

Silellce akin to condoning abortion I was standing in the vestibule of the church before Mass. A woman walked in, took a copy of the bulletin, and said under her breath, ''I'll take dii:; to read in case they talk about abortion."

I did in fact preach on abortion quite strongly that day. A few days later, I received a letter... not from - the woman, but from two other parishioners. The letter read, Hi! I'd like to begin this letter by thanking you for last week's homily. I was deeply moved and so was my younger brother, Paul. AI-though we are both young, I'm 17 and he's 12, we've been taugh.t about how precious life is. But we did not fully understand what goes on in abortion, till your homily ... We both would like to get on the mailing lists of pro-life organizations, if possible... -See you at the next Mas!, Father Frank!

St. Paul :;ummed it up well.

"Proclaim d'.e word. Be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2). The sanctity of life and the truth about abortion are certainly aspects of the "Word' that the priest is to preach: Some say, "Abortion has no place in Ch~rch.' Then what does? Are people who worship God supposed to be blind to injustice? Are believers supposed to be unconcernec, about what goes on in the world? Abortion kills 1.6 million babies in America every year. In chur,:h we say we believe in "the Lord, the Giver of Life."

Church is the place to talk about things that concern God, and God cares about l:he destruction of 1.6 million babies a year! The Bible says that those who worship God but do not act the correct injustices are not pleasing God at all (see Amos 5:21-27 and Isaiah 1:10-17).

Suppose for a moment that a clinic were !;et up in your neighborhood at which eight-year-old

boys and girls were routinely killed every day. What would you do?

What would you expect the Church to do? Morally speaking, every abortion takes the life of one who is as much of a person and has as much of a right to life as an 8-yearold or any other human being! So many in our society who know this are wondering why we priests don't talk more about it and take more action to get our parishioners involved in the effort to save these babies and give their mothers lifegiving alternatives. Many priests do, but far too many still do not.

"The greatest lies are told in silence." To be silent on abortion is not be silent; it is, rather, to shout the message, "Don't be all that concerned aboutthis!" And to' the women in the congregation who have had abortions, the silence says, "Your pain doesn't matter, and what you did is no big deal."

St. Paul asks, "If the trumpet sounds an uncertain call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8) In the battle for life, it is not a matter of "we win" or "they win."

If pro-life doesn't win, nobody wins!

It is time for' all priests to take courage and to lead the way to victory for the pro-life movement! It is time for all parishioners to encourage their priests more than ever to speak the truth about abortion clearly and without compromise!

This is the purpose of "Priests for Life," a movement that aims to unite priests in a common commitment to defend the sanctity of life, to provide them with resources, suggestions for homilies and activities, and to introduce them to other priests active in the pro-life movement. As a national effort only a few years old, Priests for Life wel~omes input from clergy and laity alike, and is ready to assist any individual or group in their pro-life work. I am privileged to be the national director of Priests for Life, succeeding its founder, Father Lee Kaylor. Father James Heyd of the Archdiocese of Chicago is associate national director. There

heard on Election day, and please路 support your

1 John 4:4

By Father Frank A. Pavone

"Let your voice be

are 13 bishops on the board of directors.

As some pro-lifers have pointed out, unless we speak out fearlessly and act decisively against abortion, one could very well put up this sign at our local abortion mills: "Babies killed here with the gracious permission e)f the local Christian community."

Priests for Life may be reached at P.O. Box 141172, Staten Island, NY

local Pro-Life Parish Council'" EDWARD M. HODKINSON, ESQ.

467 MILFORD "ROAD S~ANS~MASS.02777

TEL. 677-9254

1p3 l 4路

PATRONESS of the

FALL RIVER DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

lJPHOLDS THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

"

14

the director of the rehabilitation system that previously had judged him as too disabled to profit from their services remembers overhearing the diagnosis given his parents: "Your son will never have any quality of life. You should let him go. If he lives, he will undoubtedly merely exist in a vegetative state," And so as he rolls onto a stage to address an audience, he opens with the greeting, "I come to address you as a carrot, a radish, or a cabbage, whichever you prefer."

Following a stroke, an eldedy parishioner required the use of a wheelchair. She worked hard at therapy, planning to return to parish activities. However, when she asked about accessibility to the church building, she was told not to worry. "Now that you are 'homebound,' we'll bring you the Host." She asked a friend, "Who bound me?" Her decline into de. pression was rapid.

Another woman in Michigan told a group in the parish hall, "I was a little frightened to come here. After all, an attorney recently justified the assisted death of a patient on the basis that her life was over since she was blind and a wheelchair user. Well, I also can't . see and I use a wheelchair. How many people have been infected with that destructive image? I'm angry and insulted," The judgment "I'd rather be dead than disabled" is a painful reminder of the low value placed upon the lives of those who live with disabilities. And this troublesome refrain collides with our Catholic views about the sanctity of life.

For those words can fuel outmoded fears about unwanted dependency which are often associated with "infirmities" and move people to choose death over inconvenient life. The assaults upon life move forward because so few of us are knowledgeable or comfortable enough to speak out positively about the potential of those who are disabled.

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Fri., Oct. I, 1993

Frayed at the Edges

By Mary Jane Owen The gift of life comes in fragile earthen vessels. Those who preach death often base their campaigns on society's fears of the handicaps of the young and the infirmities of the'old. As we plan our defense of life, we need to utilize the refreshing insights that are unfolding within the community o'f disability concerns. Positive changes are taking place for all who live with disabilities in our land today, though heartbreaking stories still abound: A young mother wept bitterly as she explained, "Both my husband

and I believe in the sanctity of life.

And when I learned my baby would be multiple handicapped, I never considered an abortion. We talked to our priest. He said our child would be a gift from God, but sometimes I'm not sure OUf parish really believes that. Adam is a loving little boy. So why doesn't the parish welcome him? Does our church really consider him a gift?

He needs religious training just like any other child, The whole family feels unwelcome when the parish doesn't have room for Adam."

A man who grew up to become

Greer photo

Mary Jane Owen is a disability co~sultantand director of the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities.

Pastoral care of the sick brings His life to hospitalized patients, nursing home residents and parish homebound...

Unfortunately even the most the environment is conceptualized pious among us may reinforce this as a critical handicapping factor. negative image of disability by When environments are created gratefully murmuring, "There but that welcome those with disabilifor the grace of God go 1." Such ties, there is less need to fear loss of statements would seem to imply function. This new view was an that "those" less fortunate have essential prelude to the drafting of somehow slipped outside the lovthe civil rights protections of the ing embrace of God's concern and Americans with Disabilities Act. grace.

There was growing recognition that We currently face a new and individuals with disabilities must insidious justification for the death be considered members of a minorof· unborn babies. Based on the ity, too long sub,i.ected to discrimineed to relieve the pain and suffernation and segregation. ing of those who are "afflicted" Another life-affirming tool grew with certain disabilities, many from a new definition: "Disabilichoose to ignore the moral implities" are the normal, expected outcations of fetal tissue research come of the risks, strains, and experimentation. Here again, the stresses of living. Disability cannot fear of dependency and disability be seen as solely an individual .fuels the campaigns to promote tragedy but instead becomes an death. expectation within any communA few short decades ago, people ity. When universal design is used who suffered from traumas that in creating envir'onments that are left them with limited functional broadly welcoming, disabilities lose abilities were not expected to live their capacity to terrorize. long. Infants with various deficienThe positive messages of our cies were not expected to survive faith offer another conceptual shift. to adulthood. Infections and other The old association of disabilities medical complications "mer- . with the suffering Christ can be cifully" terminated the lives of expanded to include the miracles those designated' as "incurables" . of rehabilitation as small remindand'" invalids." Increasingly that is ers of his Resurrection. When the no longer the case. Rehabilitation· human spirit prevails regardless of strategies have evolved that allow the fragility of its earthen vessel, those who have lost one or more we glimpse our powerful relationfunctions to find alternative ship with the Body of Christ. methods to accomplish essential Our shared vulnerability' may tasks and master assorted skills. be the catalyst that counters our tendency toward alienation and Specialists in both medical science and rehabilitation have made it selfish preoccupation, bringing us possible to integrate children and together in positive ways. Disabiliadults with disabilities into a society ties may well be the glue that can that is often unprepared to welhold us together as community and come them because old fears of Church with the knowledge that we need each other and our Lord. dependency and loss of indepenWithout awareness of our mutual dence have been slow in fading. interdepende~ce, we may mistake Concepts That Support Life our temporary personal indepenAs people with disabilities dence as the source of our power. searched for a common voice, they The point where human life developed new ways to better exceases to be valued and becomes a plain their sense of pride and self"thing", to be destroyed or used by worth. They recognized the joy of others who deem themselves more living in spite of their assorted "worthy" marks that point where physiological glitches and deter-' morality prevails or dies. And when mined to find ways to fulfill their medical professionals or political potential. They insisted that apsystems encourage the" harvesting" preciation of each individual's abilof one life to be sacrificed for the ities, respectful compassion, and convenience of another, we lose a mutual recognition of our shared sense of the uniqueness of each fragility must replace pity if we are life. By devaluing any human life, to become united as people of we have fostered the alienation God. which stalks our society.

At the same time, whenever An essential shift in societal attianyone feels needed and essential tudes occurred when the medical to another, the threads of interacmodel, which sees those with tion are reinforced and the fabric impairments as "patients" whose that holds us together as Church needs must be met in "special" and society is woven more richly ways, was replaced by a political and powerfully s~rengthened. socioeconomic alternative in which

will

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS' AND PARISH PASTORAL CARE OF THE SlCK PROGRAMS Serving Catholicpatients in the following area hospitals.

STURDY MEMORIAL, ATTLEBORO • CAPE COD, HYANNIS ST. ANNE'S, FALL RIVER • CHARLTON MEMORIAL, FALL RIVER TOBEY, WAREHAM. BARNSTABLE COUNTY, POCASSET ST. LUKE'S, NEW BEDFORD. MORTON, TAUNTON "Sometimes the sick are not considered as persons, and their care can become a

;~~~~s~,: t:~~a~~~;~:~~da~~~~:~~;Z:; God, as a Brother/ Sister in Christ. It is without doubt a difficult and demanding .. ,

mISSIOn. '

~ .~-

-

.~:r,~.: !f'y1fJiJl~'~-'~====='rf

, ,\~~~ 1~i1 <.,\"','"

~ (... ~ \ , '

, . • \1(, ~l;J''~I \~ \ ~ rU

'

\

Pope John Paul l/ - Address to the Hospital/er Order of St.

Joh~ of God

Diocesan Department of Pastoral Care to the Sick 306 South St., Somerset, MA 02726-5617 (50,8) 672-1523 Rev. George C. Bellenoit, Diocesan Director , Sr._ Shirley Agnew, R.S.M., Assistant Director

,~-¥ P~~.: \~~:~ ~,

1:0.

~

_ .':,\ """

~

"

',~' I

,

=

'1111 \

'1\,_

"\~II\\~\ ';'

\

~~I!~j.

'i~

f2,1~.

~ /~, ~

'I,

uBefore I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you' were born I dedicated you."

Jer. 1:5

Transforming a Culture of Death into a Civilization of Love

By E. Joanne Angelo, M.D. As death approaches, the final chapter of life's journey can be very beautiful. Unlike the impersonal, institutional setting of many hospitals where death so often occurs, hospice programs offer the alternative of being cared for during a terminal illness at home or in a homelike setting at a hospice facility, surrounded by family and friends.

Those who wDuld have us believe that death is necessarily accompanied by unbearable pain and suffering and that e·.lthanasia or assisted suicide are the only compassionate alternatives are' just plain wrong.

As a psychiatric consultant to the Good Samaritan Hospice of the archdiocese of Boston for the past 10 years, I have seen how the compassionate care provided by the hospice sta ff has enabled patients to live out their lives with serenity and peace.

Fear is what typically motivates the terminally i1 and their families to consider euthanasia or assisted suicide: fear of pain, fear of abandonment by those they love, fear of burdensome futile treatments, fear of loss of ~.utonomy and personal dignity, and fear of becoming a burden to others. To remove the fear, .therefore, is to remove the principal motivating factor behind euthanasia and suicide.

Pain in terminal illness serves no biological purpose and should be treated aggressively - totally eliminated if possihle. The Church's Declaration on Euthanasia states,

families. They may live in dread of "human and Christian prudence heroic resuscitation measures, lifesuggest for the majority of sick support machines, and the isolapeople the use of medicines capation of barren intensive care units. ble of alleviating or suppressing The Church does not require that pain, even though they may cause all possible medical techn.ology as a secondary effect semiconsciousmust be utilited in the care M the ness and reduced lucidity." The terminally ill, just because it is document goes on to say that the available. use of narcotics is permitted "even That is why hospice care focuses at the approach of death and if one on symptom relief and comfort forsees that the use of narcotics will shorten life.. .in this case, of rather than heroic attempts to prolong life which may only serve to course, death is in no way intended lengthen the dying process. or sought... the intention is simply to relieve pain effectively."

In contrast to the surrendering of autonomy that routinely occurs For persons facing terminal illfor hospitalized patients and their ness, fear of dying alone is perhaps families, hospice patients and their the most common worry. "Isolaloved ones remain in control of all tion at such a time is an inhuman aspects of their care. The hospice experience," says Derek Humphry.

His Final Exit, a how-to manual of staff is invited into the patient's home and allowed to stay only as assisted suicide, describes in detail long as their presence is judged to the dosage of pills and alcohol be helpful. Each decision in the which must be gulped down to end plan of care is made jointly by life and recommends that those in patient, family and staff. attendance not touch or assist the dying person for fear of legal reThere is also the problem of percussions. depression. Skilled hospice workers can diagnose and treat depressive Contrast this to what is offered illness, thus enabling dying patients to hospice patients who are accompanied and affectionately. to live their last days free of the added burden of depression. helped by those they love until the last moment. Skilled hospice per• If the hospice concept of care sonnel ease their terminal sympwere better understood and offered toms with medications, comfort more widely, perhaps even those measures and spiritual care. Death who doubt the existence of a loving typically comes to a hospice patient God would have the courage to with family gathered around, in the choose life fully to the end. home, in quiet, prayerful acceptHospice work has helped me to ance. understand something ofPope John The fear of excessively burdenPaulH's explanation of the Chrissome treatment may also be troutian meaning of human suffering: bling for the terminally ill and their "Suffering is present in the world

THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-hi., Oct. 1, 1993

ttl ca.me that they might have

life and have it "tore

abundantly."

John 10:10

eNS pholo

in order to release love, in order to give birth to works of love toward neighbor, in order to transform the whole of civilization into a civilization oflove."

her work with Good Samaritan Hospice, she is an active participant in Project Rachel locally and nationally.

A graduate of Mount Holyoke Col-

Father Stephen A. Ferl).andes, director of the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate, will celebrate a Respect Life Sunday Mass to be tele~ vised 8 a.m. Oct. 3 on WLNE Channel 6.

le.e:e and Tufts University School of Medicine where she is assistant Clinical professor 0/ psychiatry, Dr. E. Joanne Angelo is a psychiatrist in private practice in Boston. In addition to

Television Mass

He came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly ?: .

!!s~

~/zY

z/t/2

0~~

121?

The Diocesan Office of Family Ministry .

• •••

MINISTRY TO THE WIDOWED

-

15

·r-r..a. ~. ..

-r+-r Rev. Horace J. Travassos Director

PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE

"L

ord our God, help all of us to work together to make a better world where it will be easier to be good ... a world where life will be reverenced, especially when it is most fragile. Free us from our moral blindness and help us to recognize the dignity of each and every human life made in your image and likeness."

- Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., 22 January 1993, Washington, DC.

"Li/e:The Bight Choice" PRO-LIFE APOSTOLATE · DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER 500 SLOCUM ROAD • NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA 02747-2930 (508) 997-2290 REV. STEPHEN A. FERNANDES, Diocesan Director MRS. MARIAN DESROSIERS, Assistant To The Director