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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

F riday , November 7, 2014

Diocesan Vocations Office prepares for Vocations Awareness Week

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

FALL RIVER — For Father Jay Mello, assistant vocations director for the Fall River Diocese, National Vocations Awareness Week is an ideal opportunity to reach out to and connect with youth in the diocese who may be discerning a calling to religious life.

To that end, Father Mello and Vocations director Father Kevin Cook have been visiting some of the diocesan middle and high schools this past week in response to the U.S. bishops’ call to designate November 2-8 as “National Vocations Awareness Week.”

This observance, sponsored by the Turn to page 14

With snowflakes still on his overcoat, Father Rodney E. Thibault, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in South Dartmouth, greets folks who attended Mass there on November 2, part of a weekend dedicated to welcoming back Catholics who have strayed from the faith. This is the second year in a row the parish has initiated such a weekend, and this year it has dedicated the month of November to reaching out to lapsed Catholics.

(Photo by Tony Miraglia)

South Dartmouth parish extends warm welcome on cold, snowy Sunday Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., poses with some of the diocesan seminarians during a reception welcoming him to the diocese on September 24 in Westport. From left: Kevin Brawley, Ryan Healey, Matt Gill, Bishop da Cunha, Larry Valliere, Steven Booth, and Gregory Bosse. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Knights of Columbus launch new ministry

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff

WEST HARWICH — There is a new ministry taking root on Cape Cod and it’s taking its name from Luke’s Gospel while hearkening back to the roots of the Knights of Columbus: “ … at our Gate” is an initiative being launched by the K of C and led by volunteers who are helping elderly individu-

als do projects, home repairs or other tasks.

When Mark Dennan of Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich was living in Connecticut, he heard of a similarly-based ministry called “Christmas in April” that was being done by Americares with the K of C participating.

“The idea behind that was they would Turn to page 15

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor

SOUTH DARTMOUTH — It was a Sunday when even faithful Catholics could have stayed away from Mass because of the series of nasty snow squalls that moved their way through Southeastern New England on November 2.

Instead, the faithful showed up along with the many guests invited by parishioners to “Come home to the Church.”

Pastor, Father Rodney E. Thibault, the parish council and the parishioners of St. Mary’s Parish in South Dartmouth sponsored a weekend for the second year in a row, when they invited Catholics

who have strayed from the faith and the Church for any number of reasons.

“Last year, we dedicated a weekend in November as a welcome home weekend,” explained Father Thibault. “Invitations were inserted into the bulletin and parishioners were encouraged to give the invitations to family, neighbors and friends whom they know no longer practice their faith. It was successful. I know of 13 people who came home with certainty because they met with me personally. There are others because I see new faces.

“We must realize as a Church that we have alienated and hurt people for many reasons. A priest could have been less than Turn to page four

More than 100 couples ‘marry’ their spouses all over again

By Linda Andrade Rodrigues Anchor Correspondent

FALL RIVER — Two-by-two, the couples climbed the stairs of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, clinging to each other on a windy Sunday afternoon.

They were the guests of honor at the Diocesan Anniversary Mass Celebration, all observing “significant” wedding anniversaries this year.

Entering the beautiful Sanctuary, they were handed a white packet, inscribed with their names, anniversary year and parish. Then they were ushered to reserve seating at the front of the church.

Overcome with curiosity, they opened the envelope together. Tucked inside were a certificate of the Celebration of

the Sacrament of Marriage with the words: “The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, extends cordial best wishes and asks God’s choicest blessings” on the occasion of your anniversary; artwork of the Marriage of St. Joseph and St. Mary; the poem “Marriage Is What We Make It”; and the “Renewal of Marriage Vows” that they would recite during Mass.

A short time later, the hymn “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” began, and the congregation rose; but all eyes were focused on the Sacristy. Altar servers appeared, followed by 10 parish priests who would concelebrate the Mass. Then a murmur was heard throughout the Sacred space, as excited couples spotted Turn to page 13

Claire and Richard Racine from St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth take a photo with Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., at the recent Anniversary Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The couple is celebrating their 65th anniversary. (Photo by Linda Andrade Rodrigues)

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November 7, 2014 News From the Vatican Pope Francis to open Vatican conference on traditional Marriage

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A month after closing a Synod of Bishops on the family stirred by controversy over divorce, same-sex unions and other nonmarital relationships, Pope Francis will open an interreligious conference dedicated to traditional Marriage.

The Vatican-sponsored gathering, on the “Complementarity of Man and Woman,” will take place November 17-19 and feature more than 30 speakers representing 23 countries and various Christian church-

es, as well as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism and Sikhism.

The conference will aim to “examine and propose anew the beauty of the relationship between the man and the woman, in order to support and reinvigorate Marriage and family life for the flourishing of human society,” according to organizers.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia and the Rev. Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church in California, will be among the participants.

Other Americans at the conference will include Russell D. Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and Mercy Sister Prudence Allen, former chairman of the philosophy department at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, whom Pope Francis named to the International Theological Commission in September.

Other notable speakers will include Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of Great Britain, and Anglican Bishops N.T. Wright and Michael Nazir-Ali. Pope Francis will address the conference and preside over its first morning session November 17, following remarks by Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The conference was an initiative of Cardinal Muller, who proposed it to Pope Francis in November 2013, according to Helen Alvare, a professor at George Mason University School of Law in Virginia, who is handling press relations for the event.

The conference is officially sponsored by the doctrinal congregation, and co-sponsored by the pontifical councils for Promoting Christian Unity, for Interreligious Dialogue and for the Family. The heads of all four curia offices are scheduled to address the assembly.

Topics of lectures and videos will include

“The Cradle of Life and Love: A Mother and Father for the World’s Children” and “The Sacramentality of Human Love According to St. John Paul II.” Given its timing and subject matter, the conference is likely to invite comparisons with the October 5-19 synod on the family. Several conference participants have already commented publicly on the earlier event.

One of the synod’s most discussed topics was a proposal by German Cardinal Walter Kasper to make it easier for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Cardinal Muller was a leading opponent of that proposal.

Archbishop Chaput recently told an audience in New York that he had been “very disturbed” by press reports of last month’s synod, saying, “I think confusion is of the devil, and I think the public image that came across was of confusion,” though he added: “I don’t think that was the real thing there.” The archbishop will play host to the September 2015 World Meeting of Families, which Pope Francis is widely expected to attend.

Rev. Warren was one of 48 Christian ministers and scholars who signed an open letter to Pope Francis and the synod fathers in September, urging the assembly to defend traditional Marriage, among other ways, by supporting efforts to “restore legal provisions that protect Marriage as a conjugal union of one man and one woman.”

November 7, 2014

The International Church

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CRS manages ‘safe and dignified’ burials of Sierra Leone Ebola victims

A sub-Saharan migrant gestures after the arrival of a Spanish rescue boat at Tarifa, Spain. Catholic bishops and aid agencies have condemned a European Union plan to scale down the rescue of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. (CNS photo/A. Carrasco Ragel, EPA)

Nuncio says ‘unfair situation’ in Middle East needs ‘adequate response’

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — Peace in the Middle East “can only be sought through negotiated settlements and not through unilateral choices imposed with the use of force,” said Archbishop Berardito Auza, the Vatican’s U.N. nuncio.

“The Holy See has always followed the situation in the Middle East with great interest and concern. It has always pleaded for negotiations and dialogue among the parties involved,” said the archbishop, who heads the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations.

“It has always tried to do all it could to help the victims of violence,” he added in a statement to the U.N. Security Council, which held an open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including “the Israeli-Palestinian question.”

“Given the rapidly deteriorating situation in the region during these last months, Pope Francis has intensified his efforts to push for negotiations and call all parties to respect the international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights,” Archbishop Auza said in a recent statement.

With regard to the IsraeliPalestinian situation, the Vatican has long supported “a twostate solution,” he said.

“Israel and Palestine, with the vigorous support of the competent organs of the United Nations and of the whole international community,” he said,

“must work toward the final objective, which is the realization of the right of the Palestinians to have their own state, sovereign and independent, and of the right of the Israelis to peace and security.”

Archbishop Auza quoted what Pope Francis said about the situation during the pontiff’s first trip to the Holy Land in May: “The time has come for everyone to find the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two states to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.”

Regarding the “horrific situation in Syria,” the U.N. nuncio said the Vatican “urgently calls on all parties to stop the massive violations of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights, and on the international community to help the parties find a solution.”

“There is no other way to alleviate and put an end to the untold sufferings of the entire nation, where half of its population needs humanitarian assistance and around a third has been displaced,” Archbishop Auza said.

The Syrian crisis and the presence of massive numbers of refugees in Lebanon is having a grave effect on that country, he continued, urging that Lebanon “find a solution as soon as possible” to the presidential vacancy there.

“The Holy See reaffirms its support for a sovereign and free

Lebanon,” he said. “Lebanon is a ‘message,’ a ‘sign’ full of hope for the coexistence of the various groups that form it.”

Pointing to “the grave violations and abuses” committed by Islamic State militants, Archbishop Auza called on the necessary U.N. agencies to take action “to prevent possible new genocides and to assist the increasing number of refugees.”

He said the Vatican “appeals in particular for the protection of the ethnic and religious groups, including the Christian communities, who are specifically targeted and victimized because of their ethnic origins and religious beliefs.”

The right of such communities and all displaced people to return to their homes and to live in dignity and safety must be respected, he added.

Archbishop Auza said the escalation of terrorism around the globe should be a catalyst for all nations to realize they have a responsibility “to protect people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and all forms of unjust aggression.”

Every religious leader in the entire Middle East region and around the world must promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue, denounce “every use of religion to justify violence” and educate people about the need for mutual respect.

He said the Middle East needs constant prayers but more than that the region “requires an adequate response by the international community.”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) — Burials that are dignified and safe are urgently needed for Ebola victims in West Africa, where corpses are frequently left unattended for days and then thrown into graves without ceremony, a U.S. Church aid official said.

“So many people are dying that there has not been the capacity to respond” to burial needs in an appropriate way and “we are now making this a priority,” Michael Stulman, regional information officer for the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services, said in a telephone interview from Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Nearly 5,000 people have died in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia during the worst Ebola outbreak on record with many people contracting the disease from touching the highly infectious dead bodies of victims.

“The ritual of the family washing the body of the deceased has been taken away and this can’t be changed because of the health risks, but we can bring dignity back to the burial process,” Stulman said.

CRS has taken responsibility for managing “safe and dignified burials” in Port Loko district in northern Sierra Leone, he said.

The agency will ensure that graves are marked so that families know where their loved ones are buried and that there is “one body in one grave,” he said, noting that in the current crisis “this is not always the case.”

Stulman, who is based in Dakar, Senegal, visited a cemetery in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, where laborers “are digging 40 graves a day,” he said.

“We need to create ways for people to visit the graves of their loved ones and still be safe,” he explained, noting that currently no funeral services are held in Sierra Leone and visits to cemeteries are not allowed.

Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person and is not an airborne disease.

“We will work closely with local religious leaders in putting in place burial procedures,” Stulman said.

“There needs to be some ceremony for the loved one who has died,” he added.

Father Paul Morana Sandi, general secretary of the Interterritorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of The Gambia and Sierra Leone, told Catholic News Agency for Africa that a meeting with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma had led to a decision that religious

leaders can be at burial sites “to pray, but from a distance, with some of the relatives present.”

The removal of all rituals associated with death “has had negative influences on our own cultural practices and way of behaving,” Father Sandi said.

“A Sacred ritual has been taken away” in the wake of Ebola, Stulman said, noting that health teams in protective gear now remove corpses from homes; in the past, religious leaders and family members had carefully prepared the body for burial.

While most people “understand the severity of the disease, there is a reluctance to change behavior, particularly regarding burials,” he said.

When someone dies of Ebola in Sierra Leone, households “wait between one and seven days for a burial team to collect the body,” he said, noting that this is often caused by “difficult roads or a car breaking down.”

CRS aims to enable burial teams to respond to calls “quickly and safely, with the resources to protect themselves from danger of infection,” Stulman said.

Two vehicles are needed for collecting bodies from homes or clinics for burial; “one for the team and the other to transport the body,” he said.

“The team should spray the body with disinfectant and put it in a bag and also spray the house,” he said.

Noting that deaths from Ebola can be “sudden and unexpected” and there is little help at hand for grieving families, Stulman said CRS will start providing counseling services.

DIOCESAN TRIBUNAL FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS Decree of Citation Since her present domicile is unknown, in accord with the provision of Canon 1509.1, we hereby cite Maria O. Nogueira to appear in person before the Tribunal of the Diocese of Fall River (887 Highland Avenue in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts) on November 20, 2014 at 2:30 PM to give her testimony regarding the question: IS THE NOGUEIRA-SILVEIRA MARRIAGE NULL ACCORDING TO CHURCH LAW? Anyone who has knowledge of the domicile of Maria O. Nogueira is hereby required to inform her of this citation.

Given at the offices of the Diocesan Tribunal in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts on October 30, 2014.

(Rev.) Jeffrey Cabral, J.C.L. Judicial Vicar (Mrs.) Helene P. Beaudoin Ecclesiastical Notary

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November 7, 2014

Parish extends warm welcome on snowy day continued from page one

pastoral in his approach with regards to a delicate pastoral situation; a parishioner might have been less than welcoming or judgmental of a fellow parishioner and the list goes on.

“What is important is that we are all sinners and are in need of the accepting mercy of the Father.

“The approach this year, although the same, is to dedicate the month of November to remembering those who have died as well as those who have experienced a Spiritual death and no longer are with us physically by choice. At St. Mary’s we are using the month of November and we hope that those who have left us will come home to once again be a part of a Christian community that embraces, loves and welcomes them.”

Father Thibault said that despite the weather, all weekend Masses were well-attended.

“The main thrust of the weekend was to welcome those who feel estranged from the Church,” said Beni CostaReedy, parish director of Faith Formation and a member of the parish council. “We invited all of those parishioners who sit in the pews each week to invite someone who has distanced themselves for whatever reason to come back to their Church family.”

Costa-Reedy added that it’s important for estranged Catholics to receive a welcome back from lay people. “We need to do what Pope Francis has been preaching: welcome people wherever they may be and make them feel loved by God and the parish community.

“Most people want to know why we are still church-goers and they are often surprised by the answers given. We are everyday people like themselves who have for some reason stayed connected or found a new connection in our lives and they want a piece.”

Kathy Marzilli Miraglia, another parish council member, told The Anchor,“The event last year was so successful, that we decided that we would do it again this year.

This idea of welcome is not just for one Sunday of the year but meant to be practiced all year, every day.

Father Rodney has told us that the number of new parishioners is up. This may be the result of our efforts and the meaningful and inspiring sermons and leadership of Father Rodney.

“The day went very well despite the weather. New visitors came and what I hope they saw were young people engaged

as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and lectors, children who were given a blessing at the end of Mass, and a place to be Spiritually nourished.

After each Mass, people were invited back to the parish hall for breakfast where we had a chance to chat with those we knew and to chat with others we did not know.”

The parish council and parishioners took the challenge to heart for the last two years and the results have been uplifting. “I am personally committed to our parish and pastor of two years because he has an energetic and enthusiastic way of expressing himself and Pope Francis’ message of ‘We are a forgiving Church: warm and welcoming.

Try us!’” said council member Patricia Furrey. “I feel the Holy Spirit moving Father Rodney and the Spirit moving me to help reach out to new, old and former parishioners — come home!

“Despite the unexpected snow, St. Mary’s had an excellent parish turnout! I think word is out now that our pastor is someone to listen to.”

In his homily for All Souls’ Day, Father Thibault spoke about mourning the death of a loved one, how the earthly bond with that person is broken, and we are overcome with sadness.

“However, what about those who are Spiritually dead?” he asked.

“We each have family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc., who no longer practice their faith, for whatever reason, and since we love them we should be sad that they no longer contribute to building up the Body of Christ.

We are the mouthpieces of God and we are called to bring them out of the tomb, just as Jesus called Lazarus forward, so that they can be untied by that which shackles them thereby living with purpose — the call of the disciple.”

Father Thibault told The Anchor, “Recently, during a meeting with his priests, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., reminded us that we must be in mission mode and that is exactly what we are doing at St. Mary’s in South Dartmouth: Living and experiencing missionary zeal and love of the Gospel. The theme continues throughout the month that all are welcome and I encourage worshippers to remember that during the month of November.”

Father Thibault’s homily for November 2 can be found on the parish website at wwww. stmarysdartmouth.org under “Sunday readings and homilies.”

A girl attends a recent candlelit vigil at the Far Rockaway Community Church of the Nazarene, to mark the second anniversary of Hurricane Sandy making landfall in New York. (CNS photo/Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

Creighton criticized for giving benefits to same-sex spouses of workers

OMAHA, Neb. (CNS) — Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha said he was disappointed that Creighton University’s president said the Jesuit-run institution will extend health care benefits to the same-sex spouses of employees in 2015.

Same-sex marriage is not legal in Nebraska, and the beneficiaries are in same-sex marriages performed in states where such unions are legal.

An amendment to the Nebraska Constitution that was approved by voters in November 2000 defines Marriage as the union of a man and a woman and prohibits recognition of samesex relationships under any other name.

Jesuit Father Tim Lannon, Creighton’s president, announced the benefits would be extended in an October 27 letter to university trustees.

In his statement issued the same day, the archbishop said he strongly disagreed with the priest’s decision.

“Despite Father Lannon’s claim that this is not a statement of approval of same-sex marriages, this is precisely the message that the university is giving,” he said. “I am dismayed that the recommendation of the University Benefits Committee is thought to supersede Divine law regarding Marriage.”

Father Lannon in his letter said he had informed Archbishop Lucas before he announced the decision and acknowledged “his disagreement and disapproval.”

“The decision was not made lightly,” the priest said. “After much prayer and discernment, I believe the extension of benefits is the right thing to do at Creighton. The decision involves

the tension between the Church’s teaching on same-sex marriage and social justice concerns for the care and well-being of our colleagues’ families.”

But Archbishop Lucas in his statement said that “there is no tension between Catholic teaching and social justice.”

“Both are grounded in the same truths about the nature of the human person, the complementarity of man and woman and the meaning of human life and love,” the archbishop said.

“When we experience tension in ensuring respect and just treatment for all persons, including those with same-sex attraction, we have a right to expect a Catholic university to help us see a just path forward, rooted in faith and founded on the rich Catholic intellectual tradition.

Creighton has failed to fulfill this expectation in this expansion of benefits.”

Father Lannon also said that extending benefits is not “a statement of approval of same-sex marriages” but a response to the needs of faculty and staff.

The Catholic Church upholds the traditional definition of Marriage as between one man and one woman and teaches that any sexual activity outside of Marriage is sinful.

The Church also teaches that homosexual attraction itself is not sinful and that people with these feelings “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.”

The University of Notre Dame in Indiana announced October 8 that it would extend benefits to all legally married spouses of employees, including same-sex spouses. The law in Indiana now recognizes same-sex marriages.

Two days earlier the U.S. Su-

preme Court declined to hear appeals from decisions striking down bans on same-sex marriage in several states, including Indiana, the university noted in an email to faculty and staff eligible for benefits.

“This means that the law in Indiana now recognizes samesex marriages and the university will extend benefits to all legally married spouses, including samesex spouses,” the email stated.

“Notre Dame is a Catholic university and endorses a Catholic view of Marriage. However, it will follow the relevant civil law and begin to implement this change immediately.”

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., in whose diocese Notre Dame is located, said in a column in his diocesan newspaper, Today’s Catholic, that he was “glad that Notre Dame affirmed that as a Catholic university, it ‘endorses a Catholic view of Marriage,’ though I would say that Catholic teaching on the heterosexual nature of Marriage is more than ‘a view.’”

“I must admit my uncertainty at this time about the legal implications of Indiana’s law for our Catholic institutions,” he wrote.

“Notre Dame believes that the law requires the university to extend the legal benefits of Marriage to ‘same-sex married couples’ in its employ.

“I would like to see further study of what the law requires as well as what religious liberty protections Notre Dame and our other Catholic institutions have so as not to be compelled to cooperate in the application of the law redefining Marriage,” Bishop Rhoades said. “Our Indiana Catholic Conference is studying these issues.”

5 The Church in the U.S. Woman’s suicide called tragedy, symbol of ‘culture of death’ in U.S.

November 7, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS & CNA) — Brittany Maynard, a young California woman who was suffering from terminal brain cancer and gained national attention for her plan to use Oregon’s assisted suicide law, ended her life November 1. She was 29 years old.

“We are saddened by the fact that this young woman gave up hope, and now our concern is for other people with terminal illnesses who may contemplate following her example,” said Janet Morana, executive director of Priests for Life, in a recent statement.

“Our prayer is that these people will find the courage to live every day to the fullest until God calls them home,” she said. “Brittany’s death was not a victory for a political cause. It was a tragedy, hastened by despair and aided by the culture of death invading our country.”

Several days before Maynard’s suicide, Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample urged Maynard and others in similar situations: “Don’t give up hope!”

“We are with you. As friends, families and neighbors we pledge to surround you with our love and compassion until the Sacred moment when God calls you home,” he said in a statement issued just before the feasts of All Saints on November 1 and All Souls on November 2.

He said assisted suicide offers the illusion that humans can control death.

“It suggests that there is freedom in being able to choose death, but it fails to recognize the contradiction,” the archbishop said. “Killing oneself eliminates the freedom enjoyed in earthly life. True autonomy and true freedom come only when we accept death as a force beyond our control.”

Oregon became the first U.S. state to allow doctors to prescribe lethal overdoses. Voters approved the Death With Dignity Act in 1994 and then reaffirmed it three years later. Since then four other states have since passed similar laws ­ — Washington, Montana, Vermont and New Mexico.

The Oregon law says a patient must be of sound mind and must prove to a doctor he or she is a legal resident of the state. The patient must swallow the lethal drug without anyone’s help.

At the start of 2014, Maynard, a newlywed, learned she had brain

cancer. A few months after she underwent two surgeries, doctors delivered the news that the cancer had returned and that most patients die from such tumors in about a year. She decided against further treatment.

Maynard and her husband, Dan Diaz, moved to Oregon, to become legal residents of the state and thus able to take advantage of its assisted-suicide law.

On November 1, as she had planned, she took a legal overdose.

The Associated Press reported she died at home peacefully “in the arms of her loved ones,” quoting Sean Crowley, a spokesman for the advocacy group Compassion & Choices.

At one point Maynard, who would have turned 30 on November 19, said she might postpone taking her life to see how the disease progressed, but she stuck with her original plan. In interviews she said her husband and other family members accepted her decision to end her life.

Archbishop Sample in his statement said: “Cutting life short is not the answer to death.”

“Instead of hastening death, we encourage all to embrace the sometimes difficult but precious moments at the end of life, for it is often in these moments that we come to understand what is most important about life,” he said.

“Our final days help us to prepare for our eternal destiny.”

Across the country in the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C., a 30-yearold Catholic seminarian facing the same disease as Maynard wrote a poignant essay in mid-

October responding to Maynard’s announced decision to end her life.

Philip Johnson called her story heartbreaking and one “that really hit home,” because he has inoperable brain cancer. “I have lived through six years of constant turmoil, seizures, and headaches.

I have the support of the entire Universal Church. I have walked in Brittany’s shoes, but I have never had to walk alone. Such is the beauty of the Church, our families, and the prayerful support that we give to one another.”

Morana of Priests for Life said the first thing her office did Monday morning was to offer prayers for Brittany’s soul.

“Pray for Brittany for the repose of her soul, it’s in the hands of God right now,” Morana told CNA. “What the disposition of her soul was at her moment of death, only God knows, but we can still pray for her that she would one day be with the Lord.”

While the Catholic Church teaches that suicide is a grave sin, it also preaches a profound trust in God’s mercy and recognizes that only God can judge where an eternal soul will go. Especially during the month of November, Catholics are called to pray and sacrifice for the souls in purgatory waiting for Heaven.

“Anything is possible with God,” Morana said. “Don’t put limitations on what God can do.”

The blog Aggie Catholics, for Catholic students at Texas A&M University, published five lessons learned from the death of Brittany Maynard, and the first called

students to prayer.

“This is not a time for condemnation, but one of prayer. To pray for Brittany Maynard’s soul, family, and friends is an act of charity.

To condemn her is not,” it reads.

“Some Catholics (and other Christians) might feel we need to actively oppose others who back suicide (and they are correct), but this is not the time to do so. She

took her life this weekend, not last year. So, the wounds of her death are fresh in the minds of others.”

“I saw so many comments from Catholics saying, ‘It seems like the most merciful thing to do, she’s dying anyway,” Morana said. “To me, that should be a big red flag to the bishops to say, you have to get your priests preaching about end of life issues.”

Taunton cable access to air video of St. Mary’s Education Fund Fall Dinner TAUNTON — Taunton Community Access Media will air a video of segments from the October 22 St. Mary’s Education Fund Fall Dinner including all of the presentation by guest speaker, Jesuit Father Matt Malone.

Father Malone, a native of the Fall River Diocese, is editor-in-chief of the Catholic newsweekly America, which is published by the Jesuits of the United States. His talk focused

on the importance of Catholic education.

The Fall Dinner video will be aired in Taunton on either Comcast cable channel 15 or Verizon cable channel 22 on the following days and times: Saturdays, November 8 and 15, at 10:30 p.m.; Sundays, November 9 and 16, at 8:20 p.m.; and Thursday, November 13, at 11 a.m.

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November 7, 2014

Anchor Editorial

Helping vocations develop

Back on March 3, while preaching on the Gospel of the rich young man, who turned away when Jesus invited him to give away all his belongings and follow Him, Pope Francis spoke about vocations. “When we ask the Lord to send vocations to proclaim the Gospel, He sends them.”

The pope then raised a common, pessimistic complaint, that many people object to him, “Father, things in the world are going so badly: there are no vocations to be a Sister, there are no priestly vocations, we are going to end in ruin!”

To that the Holy Father responded, “There are many vocations.” That being so, he then posed the question, “Why do we need to ask the Lord to send them?” And he responded to himself, “We need to pray that the hearts of these young people might be emptied: emptied of other interests, emptied of other loves, that their hearts might become free.” This, the pope said, is the true “prayer for vocations: Lord, send us Sisters, send us priests; defend them from the idolatry of vanity, from the idolatry of pride, from the idolatry of power, from the idolatry of money. Our prayer helps to prepare their hearts to closely follow the Lord.”

The pope noted that many of today’s youth are similar to the rich young man from the Gospel and he asked: “What do we do for them?” Firstly, he said, we need to pray: “Lord, help these young people to be free and not to be slaves” so that “they might have a heart only for You.” In this way, he said, “the call of the Lord can come and bear fruit.”

On June 28, the Holy Father met with young people from the Diocese of Rome who are involved in vocational discernment (in other words, they are actively praying and thinking about what God wants them to do with their lives). He reminded them that any Catholic who is trying make that decision according to God’s will needs to have a relationship with the Blessed Mother. “She accompanies us also in making this definitive choice, the choice of a vocation, because she accompanied her Son on His vocational path, which was so difficult, so painful. She accompanies us always.

“When a Christian tells me that it’s not that he doesn’t love Our Lady, it is just that he does not seek out Our Lady or pray to Our Lady, I feel sad. I remember one time, almost 40 years ago, when I was at a conference in Belgium, there was a couple who were catechists, both university professors with children, a beautiful family. And they spoke about Jesus Christ so well. At one point I said, ‘And devotion to Our Lady?’”

They responded to the future pope, “But we have passed that stage. We know Jesus Christ so well, that we have no need of Our Lady.”

He then reported his interior reaction. “And what came to mind and into my heart was ‘Oh, you poor orphans!’ Am I not right? Because a Christian without Our Lady is an orphan. Even a Christian without the Church is an orphan. A Christian needs these two women, two women who are mothers and virgins: the Church and Our Lady. And the ‘test’ of a good Christian vocation is to ask yourself: ‘How is my relationship with these two mothers going?’ with mother Church and with Mother Mary. This is not a question of ‘piety,’ no, it’s pure theology. This is theology. How is

my relationship with the Church going, with my mother the Church, with the Holy Mother, the hierarchical Church? And how is my relationship going with Our Lady, who is my mum, my mother?”

Without a relationship with these two women, our vocations (whatever they are) will be inauthentic. We need to have a prayerful relationship with Mary, who will help us imitate her “yes” to God’s plan throughout her life, so that we, too, can be faithful servants of the Lord. We need to be authentic members of the Church, loving her in all her members, including the hierarchy, as the pope reminded his youthful listeners. It is not only just up to us to decide whether we have a clerical or religious vocation; the Church also has to discern whether we have that vocation, how it should be fostered and developed (and this is true before and after ordination or final religious vows).

Mother Church nourishes vocations through the prayers and sacrifices that her members make so that vocations flourish. We will only know when we are with God in Heaven how a Rosary offered one day or a fast on another helped someone else respond to God’s call. Only then will we know how our good example, how our kindness to someone at the door of the church or in the Sacristy before Mass or out in the parking lot afterwards helped this other person say yes to God. So, just as we are called to be faithful sons and daughters of our Mother the Church, so also, as members of the Church, we are called to have a motherly solicitude towards young people (or not so young people) discerning what God is calling them to do.

On March 31 the Holy Father spoke to members of the Salesian religious order (the order founded by St. John Bosco, commonly called Don Bosco, who work especially with young people). He warned them, “Sometimes a vocation to the consecrated life is confused with a choice of volunteer work, and this distorted view is not good for [religious orders]. Next year — 2015 — which has been dedicated to the consecrated life, will be a favorable occasion to present its beauty to young people.

Partial visions should always be avoided so as not to arouse vocational responses that are frail and based on weak motives. Apostolic vocations are ordinarily the result of good youth ministry. Caring for vocations requires specific attention: first prayer, then activities, personalized programs, courage in making the proposal, guidance and family involvement. The vocational geography has changed and is changing, and consequently more demanding formation, guidance and discernment is needed.”

What the pope said to that group can be extrapolated to us in the Diocese of Fall River — the need to develop programs for youth which help them live their faith (so that they’ll respond to whatever vocation, lay, religious or clerical, to which God is calling them); the need to distinguish between volunteering and a vocation (the former is a temporary activity — important and needed, but it must be integrated into our response to God’s call for our lives); the importance of the Church community and the family in developing vocations. May God help us rededicate ourselves to doing this.

Pope Francis’ Angelus address of November 2 Dear brothers and sisters: Today’s Gospel reminds us that the Divine Law can be summed up in the love for God and for neighbor. The evangelist Matthew says that some Pharisees agreed to put Jesus to the test (cfr 22, 34-35).

One of these, an expert of the law, asks Him this question: “Teacher, what is the greatest Commandment in the law?” (v. 36). Jesus, citing the book of Deuteronomy, responds:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest Commandment” (vv.

37-38). He could’ve stopped there. Instead, Jesus adds something else that was not asked of by the expert of the law. He said: “And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself ” (v. 39). Even this second Commandment is not invented by Jesus, but rather OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

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taken from the Book of Leviticus. Its newness consists precisely in putting together these two Commandments — the love for God and love for the neighbor — revealing that they are inseparable and complementary, they are two sides of the same coin. You cannot love God without loving your neighbor and you can’t love your neighbor without loving God. Pope Benedict has left us a beautiful commentary about this in his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est (nn. 16-18).

In fact, the visible sign that a Christian can show to give witness to the world, to others, to their family, of the love of God is the love of the brethren.

The Commandment of love to God and neighbor is the first not because it is the first in the list of Commandments. Jesus does not place it in the top, but at the center because it is the heart from which everything has to start and from which everyone must return to and reference.

Already in the Old Testament the need to be holy, in

the image of God Who is holy, included the duty to take care of the most vulnerable such as the foreigner, the orphan, the widow (cfr Ex. 22, 20-26).

Jesus fulfills this law of the Covenant, He Who unites in Himself, in His Flesh, Divinity and humanity into one single mystery of love.

Now, in the light of the Words of Jesus, love is the measure of faith, and faith is the soul of love. We can never separate religious life from the service of the brothers and sisters, to those concrete brethren we meet. We can never divide prayer, the encounter with God in the Sacraments, from listening to others, from being close to their lives, especially from their wounds. Remember this: love is the measure of faith. How much do you love?

And each one should respond to this: How is your faith?

My faith is seen in how I love.

Faith is the soul of love.

In the midst of the dense forest of rules and regulations — the legalisms of yesterday and today — Jesus makes an

opening that allows us to see two faces: the Face of the Father and that of the brothers.

He does not give us two rules or two precepts, but two faces.

No! Not precepts or rules, He gives us two faces! Actually, it is one face: that of God that is reflected in the faces of so many, because in the face of every brother and sister, especially the smallest, the fragile, the helpless and the needy, the very image of God is present.

We should ask ourselves when we meet one of these brothers or sisters: Are we able to recognize in them the Face of God? Are we capable of doing this?

In this way, Jesus offers every man and woman the fundamental criteria on which to base their lives. But above all, He gives us His Spirit, which allows us to love God and neighbor like Him, with a free and generous heart. Through the intercession of Mary, our Mother, let us open ourselves to receive this gift of love, to walk always in this law, of two faces that are one face, in the law of love.

November 7, 2014

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Anchor Columnist Resolving the unholy chaos concerning holy days

ne of the most important things in life is to learn from and correct one’s mistakes. Sometimes we make decisions that appeared wise at the time but prove to have unforeseen and unintended negative side effects. We need to be humble, prudent and responsible enough to evaluate the results of our decisions and, if they haven’t produced what we hoped for, change course.

Now is the time for the Church in the United States to revisit the way we celebrate, and don’t celebrate, holy days of obligation. It’s been 21 years since the U.S. bishops made certain holy days — the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1, the Assumption on August 15 and All Saints on November 1 — non-obligatory if they fall on a Saturday or a Monday.

The original intention was to lessen the burden on the faithful to attend Mass, and on priests to offer multiple Masses, on consecutive days.

While one can debate whether lessening the “burden” of holy days was conducive to the Spiritual good and growth of the faithful, however, what is incontestable is that such a change has produced a deep confusion among clergy and faithful that hasn’t abated in more than two decades. The uncertainty pertains not just to the three holy days affected, but also to others like the Immaculate Conception that are normally obligatory.

A Google search for “Confusion over Holy Days of Obligation” yields a staggering 145,000 responses.

And the ubiquitous con-

fusion over which days are and so I was able to ask various compulsory and which are not priests what they were planning in any given year isn’t the worst to do at their parishes for All of the effects.

Saints Day. First, there is a decrease in A few said they had schedthe sense of importance given uled a couple of Masses. to holy days. If they’re not imSome responded that they portant enough to be mandahave a Saturday morning daily tory each year, people conclude Mass that they’ll offer for the naturally that they can’t be very solemnity, but that they weren’t important any year.

Second, the focus has been taken off the substance of the Putting Into holy days and placed the Deep on whether they’re obligatory or optional.

By Father The most common Roger J. Landry question — and the most frequent pulpit announcement — concerns whether attendance is planning to add other Masses. required, not the importance of “What time is your daily what is being celebrated.

Mass?” I queried. When priests The worst effect is that the replied, “9 a.m.,” I asked, “But change has led in many places what about those who have to to the Solemnity’s not even be- work on Saturday?” One said, ing celebrated.

“Well, it’s not obligatory this A couple of weeks ago I was year.” Another added, “I was in a very Catholic area of the thinking of adding a vigil, but south to preach a retreat for I thought few would come priests. I concelebrated Mass to Mass instead of going out in a parish where at the end of trick-or-treating on Halloween Mass the pastor announced that or waiting for people to come since All Saints Day was not to their houses.” obligatory this year, no Masses In such places, those who would be celebrated for it. worked wouldn’t be able to atI couldn’t believe it. tend a Mass on the Solemnity The parishioners who in their home parish. wanted to come to celebrate the A plurality of priests with saints — and invoke their inwhom I spoke said that they tercession so that one day they don’t have a regular Saturday be numbered among them — morning Mass and that they would, I suppose, have to find a were not planning to add one Mass in another parish. on the Solemnity.

And there was also a priest I can confidently say that who was intending himself not the U.S. bishops in 1991 never to offer Mass on the Solemnity. intended that in making some During the subsequent reof the holy days optional they treat I was preaching for priests, would in various parishes silence was lifted at the meals be making them obsolete or

impossible for parishioners to attend.

It’s time to acknowledge that whatever the intended positives from lessening the burden on faithful and clergy respectively from having to attend or celebrate solemnities and Sundays on consecutive days, the unintended negatives are more significant.

At a formative level, the present policy simply fosters confusion, a greater focus on attending Mass out of obligation than love, a diminished appreciation for holy days overall and often the lack of a celebration altogether.

In an age of secularization, when Catholics are being tempted to arrange their schedule and their worldview according to worldly rather than Catholic categories, it’s important to form Catholics to prioritize rather than marginalize God. Attending Mass on back-to-back days is really not more challenging today than it was in the time prior to nearly everyone owning a car and we should create the circumstances

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for people to live unambiguously a Liturgical life.

Priests are busier and fewer today and therefore would need to rearrange their schedules and priorities to offer Masses compatible with the schedules of the people they serve. But their own life as disciples and Apostles would clearly benefit from having to celebrate one or more Masses on the Solemnity than to be in a circumstance in which they don’t celebrate the Church’s major feasts at all.

So it’s time to recognize the unnecessary confusion, chaos, and compromise with Spiritual worldliness that have resulted from the present policy with regard to holy days and to change course.

The people and priests would benefit from knowing that these solemnities are important enough in the life of faith to be celebrated each year.

Please pray that our bishops have the clarity to recognize the obvious and have the courage to act.

Anchor columnist Father Landry is pastor of St. Bernadette’s Parish in Fall River. fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

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his week we celebrate the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

Throughout the year, we occasionally celebrate the dedication of churches, like our own cathedral, St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River, which is the center of unity of our diocese, or our own parish church on its particular Liturgical feast day. But you might ask, “What’s the big deal about a church in Rome?”

Very simply, the “big deal” is the fact that this church is the Cathedral of Rome, officially called “the Archbasilica of Our Savior” or St. John Lateran Basilica. Many mistakenly think of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome as the pope’s cathedral, but it isn’t. On either side of the main entrances to St.

November 7, 2014

Celebrating God’s family

John Lateran, plaques are of much more than the inscribed: “The Mother Church of Rome. and Head of all the When we celebrate the Churches of the City and anniversary of the cathedral the World.” This church, that is the mother of all, we dating back to the fourth are celebrating Jesus Christ, century, is the seat (or caWho founded His Church thedra) of the bishop of Rome, currently Homily of the Week Pope Francis.

In every diocese, The Dedication of the the cathedral symLateran Basilica bolizes the unity of

By Father that local Church Daniel W. Lacroix gathered around its bishop; here currently and for many years ahead, pray God, in order to gather together Bishop Edgar da Cunha, in unity, under St. Peter and S.D.V. and through him his successors and all the the bishop’s unity with children of God, wherever the other churches that they may live. come to form the UniverToday’s opening prayer sal Catholic Church. The gives us this lens of focus: Bishop of Rome has the “God our Father, from ministry of unity of the living stones, Your chosen entire Church. His cathepeople, You built an eternal dral, therefore, is a symbol temple to Your glory.” We

are the “living stones.” We are “the chosen people.”

We are “the eternal temple” called to be Church. We are the ones who are called to have “zeal for Your house [consuming me],” as the Gospel put it. We are the ones who can fulfill our prophetic mission by being evangelizers of the Good News, by adding more living stones to the edifice of holiness that allows us a seat at the table of the Lord. That is why so many folks are hurt and mourn the loss of their parish church because of a tragedy like fire, flood or tornado or because of changing demographics within a parish or a rapidly aging structure necessitating extraordinarily expensive repairs. Yet, these oc-

casions become a reminder that the real Church is the assembly of the people of God in faith living as a community of disciples. As long as we have each other we have the Church, for we are those living stones on the mission to live the Kingdom of God. Let us celebrate the Church today. Let us celebrate the domestic Church, our own families. That is what we are really celebrating today. Although we all have many things to do today, take some time to enjoy each other and continue to grow in your relationship with the other members of God’s family.

Become and live as a community of disciples of Jesus Christ.

Father Lacroix is the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Seekonk.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Nov. 8, Phil 4:10-19; Ps 112:1b-2,5-6,8a,9; Lk 16:9-15. Sun. Nov. 9, The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, Ez 47:12,8-9,12; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17; Jn 2:13-22. Mon. Nov. 10, Ti 1:1-9; Ps 24:1b-4b,5-6; Lk 17:1-6. Tues. Nov. 11, Ti 2:1-8,11-14; Ps 37:34,18,23,27,29; Lk 17:7-10. Wed. Nov. 12, Ti 3:1-7; Ps 23:1b-6; Lk 17:11-19. Thurs. Nov. 13, Phlm 7-20; Ps 146:7-10; Lk 17:20-25. Fri. Nov. 14, 2 Jn 4-9; Ps 119:1-2,10-11,17-18; Lk 17:26-37.

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ccording to Vaticanspeak, a specially scheduled session of the Synod of Bishops is an “extraordinary synod,” meaning not-an-ordinary synod, held every three years or so.

In the case of the recentlycompleted Extraordinary Synod of 2014, extraordinary things did happen, in the “Oh, wow!” sense of the word. And if this year’s Extraordinary Synod was a preview of the synod for which it was to set the agenda, i.e., the Ordinary Synod of 2015, that synod, too, promises to be, well, extraordinary.

How was the Extraordinary Synod of 2014 extraordinary? With apologies to the Bard, let me count the ways: 1. The 2014 synod got an extraordinary amount of press attention. Alas, too much of that attention was due to the mass media misperception that The Great Moment of the LongAwaited Catholic Cave-In was at hand: the moment when the Catholic Church, the last major institutional hold-out against the triumph of the sexual revolu-

An extraordinary synod, indeed

tion, would finally admit the bishops and theologians and bishop-theologians have error of its ways and join presided over the collapse of the rush into the promised western European Catholiland of sexual liberation, cism in the intervening five symbolized in this instance by a Catholic cave-in on the decades seemed not to matter to them in the slightest. nature of Marriage. What Happy days were here again. ought to have gotten the 3. The 2014 synod was world’s attention — the witness of African bishops to the liberating power of monogamy and lifelong marital fidelity — got sadly short shrift, though Third World women

By George Weigel are the principal beneficiaries of the truth about Marriage the Church received extraordinary, or at least the from its Lord. media claimed it was, for an 2. The 2014 synod demunprecedented public display onstrated the extraordinary of discord among cardinals. self-confidence of bishops Perhaps those who found from dying local churches this either unprecedented who nonetheless feel quite or unseemly could consult comfortable giving pastoral advice to local churches that Galatians 2.11, where Paul reports that he “rebuked” Peare either thriving or holdter “to his face.” Or ponder ing their own. Many norththe fierce arguments among ern European bishops and North African bishops durtheologians (and bishoping the Donatist controversy. theologians) acted as if the Or look into the quarrel blissful years when they set between Bishop Cyprian of the agenda for the world Carthage, a doctor of the Church at Vatican II had Church, and Pope Stephen, returned. That these same

The Catholic Difference

Bishop of Rome. Or read the debates at the first session of Vatican II. The 2014 controversies were indeed noteworthy, in that otherwise intelligent men whose position had been pretty well demolished by fellowscholars were incapable of admitting that they’d gotten it wrong. But upon further review (as they say in the NFL), that isn’t so new either.

4. The 2014 synod was extraordinary in that a lot of theological confusion was displayed by elders of the Church who really ought to know better. The idea of the development of doctrine was especially illused by some. Of course the Church’s self-understanding develops over time, as does the Church’s pastoral practice. But as Blessed John Henry Newman showed in the classic modern discussion of the subject, all authentic development is in organic continuity with the past; it’s not a rupture with the past. Nor is there any place in a truly Catholic

theory of doctrinal development for rewriting the words of the Lord or describing fidelity to the plain text of Scripture as “fundamentalism.”

5. The 2014 synod was extraordinary in its demonstration that too many bishops and theologians (and bishop-theologians) still have not grasped the “Iron Law of Christianity in Modernity”: Christian communities that maintain a firm grasp on their doctrinal and moral boundaries can flourish amidst the cultural acids of modernity; Christian communities whose doctrinal and moral boundaries become porous (and then invisible) wither and die.

6. One more thing: why were no representatives of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute on Marriage and the Family invited to a synod on the family?

Extraordinary, indeed: in both Vatican-speak and plain English.

George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

November 7, 2014

Sunday 2 November 2014 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — All Souls Day ather Tom Costa and I were chatting during the recent priests’ retreat. Let me hasten to assure you, dear readers, that in no way were we breaking the Sacred silence of the retreat. We were chatting in the specific time allotted for such social activity. You know me, I would never break the Spiritual discipline of silence let alone lead someone else into temptation. At any rate, we were talking about (of all things) — canine DNA. Tom and I are both dog people.

Tom mentioned that, through the miracle of modern science, you can now (for a fee) have your mutt’s saliva tested.

By a simple test, scientists can establish the breed mix and thereby settle the matter once and for all. No more guessing that the legs look like part Dachshund, the body perhaps St. Bernard, and the head definitely a Chihuahua’s. Neither Tom nor I were the least bit interested in having our dogs’ DNA tested. It would make no difference to us whatsoever.

Greyhound Transit and his adopted cousin Justin are purebred. Racing dog owners make a big deal about the

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appy November friends!

Amazing that the winter season is already upon us, but if anything it puts us in a position to reflect on how we’re spending our time, when it seems to be going by so quickly.

To help us do that, I’d like to share with you something that one of the student groups that I supervise shared with the class that they facilitate.

In a lesson on time management, a YouTube video was shown that breaks time down via jelly beans. That’s right, jelly beans. The video is literally called, “The Time You Have (In Jellybeans)” and I encourage you to look it up when you have a free moment as it will provide you with a wonderful visual of just how much time we have.

Anyway, the narrator begins with a pile of 28,835 jelly beans — one for each day that the average American will live.

He starts by separating the first jelly bean, symbolic of our first day and then adds 364 more, creating our first year.

He then goes on to take away 5,475 more jelly beans, what

Anchor Columnists Heinz 57 sample of his DNA to a lab animal’s bloodline. There are to investigate his ancestry. It’s carefully inscribed archival part of the revival of interest documents and websites dedicated to this matter. When you in genealogy. Father Arnie was born in the Azores. Natuadopt a greyhound, you must rally, he had always considered solemnly swear never to breed himself to be 100 percent the animal (even with another American-Portuguese. Was he greyhound) and thus mix the ever surprised to learn that it lineage. But then I got to simply wasn’t the case. There thinking — which always gets me into trouble. Is any dog really purebred?

The Ship’s Log Don’t all domestic dogs descend from the wolf ?

Reflections of a There must be genes Parish Priest other than greyhound

By Father Tim in there someplace.

Goldrick Furthermore, I can tell at a glance the difference between an American Greyhound, an Irish were other bloodlines in his family. This I found fascinatGreyhound, and an Italian ing. Noticing my enthusiasm Greyhound. How can all three in the matter, Father Arnie be purebred? As they used to say back in the day, “My dog is generously offered to have my own DNA tested. This is the a Heinz 57.” reason a DNA report appeared When I arrived home from on my desk. my retreat, there on my desk Now, I know the ancestry was a sealed envelope. Inside the envelope were the scientific of my four grandparents, so I expected the results to inditest results on my DNA. This cate I was 50 percent Irish, 25 is not normally something one percent Yankee, and 25 percent finds on one’s desk. Here’s the Azorean. The test proved that backstory.

I was about half Irish, so I Every few weeks, the pasgot that right. It was the only tors of Falmouth meet for thing I did get right. supper. The table conversation First, what I am not. There turned to DNA testing. Father is no measurable trace of Arnold Medeiros had sent a

Native-American in me, no Asian and no Pacific Islander.

Not surprising. I was surprised, however, to learn that somewhere in my family tree is a person from North Africa and another from the Middle East. I am 98 percent European ancestry, according to the report, but some of the European genes come from unexpected places.

Here’s the breakdown: 47 percent Irish, 15 percent British, 14 percent Scandinavian, nine percent Roman, seven percent West European, five percent Portuguese, and one percent European Jewish.

Where did all these Scandinavians come from and why are they hanging out in my family tree? My guess would be Viking raids on Irish settlements. My sister is unquestionably a redhead and I did have a reddish beard before it turned grey. Roman? Well, the Romans did occupy the Iberian Peninsula. So did the Moors.

That would explain the Middle Eastern and North African genes. What about Jewish?

There were Jewish colonies in Portugal during medieval times.

The report stressed the

Jesus and jellybeans

becomes our first 15 years and, as it is referred to in the video, when we are upon the threshold of adulthood. From this point forward, this is what we’ll do.

We will sleep for approximately 8,477 days; eat/drink/prepare our meals for 1,635 days; work for 3,202 days; travel for 1,099 days; watch television for a total of 2,676 days; perform household activities for 1,576 days; care for others (our family members and friends) for 564 days; spend 671 days focused on personal hygiene; and devote 720 days to community activities such as religious/civic duties, charities, and taking classes. Phew!

So after all of that there remain approximately 2,740 jelly beans. The narrator then asks us what we’re going to do with that remainder. He continues to break it in half, asking us again, what we’ll do with that remaining time and then challenging us to think about how much time we’re wasting by worrying about what we’re actually going

to do. Finally, with one jelly bean left on the screen, he asks, what if you just had one more day. What are you going to do today?

So why do I share the message of this video with you and how am I tying our faith into this? First, when I think of

Radiate Your Faith

By Renee Bernier those numbers, I think of all of the things that I do that aren’t those things. I think about the midterm I just took and the class project that was done one week later.

I think about my weekly reflection papers and the journaling I do for one of my other classes. I think about trivia on Tuesday nights and the speakers that come to campus that I make an effort to hear. I think about meetings with my advisor

and trying to catch up with mentors in my program. OK, so being the foodie that I am, the 8,477 days spent in quality time with food does not surprise me nor upset me.

But when I take stock of everything that happens outside of those accounted for, it comes down to relationships and my relationship to or with food is something different. Who I’m truly in relationship with are my group members for my study groups, midterm, and group project. My journal highlights the professional network I am growing on- and off-campus.

Tuesday nights with my cohort members are spent building on a bond that we’ve been developing since first meeting one another in August.

Basically, it comes down to taking time to make time.

This brings me to my second point. According to the video, on average, 720 days of our life are spent in community activities, inclusive of religious

9 results were “approximate.” The technology is still developing.

Even so, a simple test proved that I am really not just Irish, Yankee, and Azorean. I am Heinz’s 57 varieties. So are you.

I suspect that with increasing refinement in the area of DNA testing and with the storage of DNA data from around the world, there will come a day when the peoples of the world will finally realize that we are all somehow related to each other. Then an anthropologist somewhere in Africa will discover an ancient tooth containing a tiny bit DNA. The DNA will contain a single chromosome shared with every modern human being. Some scientists call this Holy Grail of anthropology “Mitochondrial Eve.” Since Mitochondrial Eve, there has never been such thing as a purebred nor will there ever be.

When this day of discovery dawns upon the human race, the saber-rattling; ethnic cleansing; bigotry; and racism that have plagued the earth for countless millennia will at last be understood for what they are — complete and total foolishness.

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

activities — 720 days. In the grand scheme of things, doesn’t this seem a little bit, well, low?

What time are we taking to make time to be with Christ, to nurture that bond that begins for some on the day that that first jelly bean is separated, and for others, at some other point in the 28,835 days of their life?

If we truly make this effort to be in relationship with Christ, then all 28,835 of those days will be enriched by the love we’re seeking and giving.

If we’re not, is it time to reassess how we’re spending our time? What are our motives, our dreams, our aspirations for the life we live and what are we doing with our time to achieve those things? Furthermore, are we asking Christ to be a part of all of this? Going into the holiday season I hope this offers a chance for reflection not only on how we’re spending our time, but also if we’re including Christ in something so precious.

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

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alloween has passed, Thanksgiving is yet to come. Daylight savings time has ended. The November elections have been completed and the Veterans Day holiday will be upon us.

The winter days are heading toward us. Stores are already reminding us that Christmas is soon to be here and we are to complete our shopping as soon as possible.

While time does march unhesitatingly along, it is good to pause and to consider special

November 7, 2014

Our challenge this month meanings to this transitional rity” saints, others exist as well. month of November.

By a “celebrity saint,” I mean In the Catholic Church, No- one who is recognized easily. vember begins with the celebration of All Living Saints Day. It is preceded, more notably, the

by Halloween, which Faith in itself signifies the “hallowed eve” of the

By Msgr. feast day. On NovemJohn J. Oliveira ber 1 we remember all those who have entered the Kingdom of God — Heaven.

Among these are St. Joseph, While there are some “celeb- St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Jude, St. Anthony and many others. Some are specifically recognized and honored in their own country. St. Juan Diego and St. Faustina are some examples of this.

The Church continues to name “saints” after a lengthy process. This informs us that these people are surely in Heaven and that the example of their life is worthy of emulation. Recently, you will recall that Pope Francis canonized — named as a saint — Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. The Church believes, however, that there are many saints who are not “celebrity” saints, but ordinary people who have lived good lives and now share the joy of God’s Kingdom in Heaven. The feast of All Saints remembers them. Among these saints are people we have known and, perhaps, were members of our family.

It is interesting that the day after All Saints, November 1, is celebrated as All Souls Day. This is the day, in fact, the month, in which we remember the dead who have not reached Heaven.

At death, our immortal souls are judged in three ways. We can be judged to be worthy of Heaven and enter Heaven immediately. We could be judged unworthy of Heaven, but need a time to make ourselves ready to be received into God’s Kingdom. This time and place of preparation for Heaven is called purgatory. Since God has given us freedom of choice, He will abide by our decision not to love Him in this life. He will allow our choice to be realized for all eternity when we are condemned to hell — the absence of God. When a soul is in purgatory, it is able to receive the assistance of others to remit the time due for penance or purgation. This is why the Church encourages us to pray for the souls in purgatory during the month of Novem-

ber. In a sense, this is similar to our Veterans Day or Memorial Day celebrations, when we recall those who have died in the service of our country.

The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (No. 1030) reminds us: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal Salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of Heaven.”

It further states (No. 1031): “The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification.” In Scripture we find references to praying for the dead.

Again the “Catechism” (No. 1032) reminds us that: “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.” Prayers for the faithful departed should be a part of our Christian life. It is believed if your prayers help a soul to attain Heaven, you will have an intercessor for all eternity assisting you.

It is sad to see that some churches have no intentions for Masses. One would think everyone would be remembering their loved ones throughout the year.

When I receive the Mass Book for the next year, I immediately put in the name of my deceased father and sisters in

the book on their date of death.

It is 25 years, on the ninth of November, since my father died. There is not a day that passes that I do not remember him or other deceased in my prayers. The deceased need our prayers.

We should also remember the priests in our life who have died. Unlike family members who die and have their children to pray for them, that is not possible for a priest. They say there is nothing deader than a dead priest. In my will I have left directions and money for Masses to be said for my soul in case no one else does it. Likewise, in my parish I offer a Mass in November in memory of all the priests who have served at the parish.

St. John Chrysostom has reminded us: “Let us help and commemorate the souls in purgatory. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offering for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.”

Please pray for the deceased souls in purgatory during this month of November. Especially pray for your own family and friends that they may see God and enter His Kingdom for all eternity.

This is our challenge this month. May it be a good month for you and may God bless you.

Anchor columnist Msgr.

Oliveira is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford and director of the diocesan Propagation of the Faith and Permanent Diaconate offices.

The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women recently sponsored an “Informational Breakfast” at the Wamsutta Club in New Bedford.

Sixty-seven faithful attended. The keynote topic was human trafficking, addressed by Holy Cross Father Marc Fallon and Lesly Leahy.

From left: Mary Mitchell, president; Leahy, assistant district attorney; Lynette Ouellette, province director and breakfast chairman; and Father Fallon. The DCCW will host a Mass November 22 at 9 a.m. at St. Bernard’s Church in Assonet. The Mass will be in memory of three past DCCW presidents who died within the last two years: Sister Jane Sellmayer, S.U.S.C.; Joane Quirk; and Claudette Armstrong.

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November 7, 2014

H

appy 18th birthday today, DJoe! It’s very hard to believe that 18 years have passed since you popped into the world one month before expected. To paraphrase Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Wasted on the Way,” so much water has passed underneath the bridge since then.

One thing that has not changed in those 18 years is that your mother and I still miss you so much it hurts. Your sibs, too, but they don’t talk about it, but you know better than I what’s in their hearts.

Eighteen years dude, what we could have done together in those 18 years!

What I don’t miss by not having you here physically is worrying about you. I know where you are at all times, and that you’re safe and happy. We’re told on earth not to be guilty of the sin of presumption when a loved one passes away — that we know that they are in Heaven, but your having graced this earth for only three days, the only sin

He’s 18 and I like it

your old man did. you were guilty of was Original I miss lacing a pair of doubleSin and that was washed away runners on your feet and bring— twice, by Baptism. Once ing you out on the ice for your by good friend Father Mark first skate — then watching as Hession at Charlton Memorial Hospital, and another time by the kind nurses at Children’s Hospital in Boston who weren’t sure you had been initiated into the Church yet, so they took it upon themselves to have you baptized there. That

By Dave Jolivet was a gesture of which I’ll never forget, and one which I sent them a nice letter thanking them for that and you progress into a pair of CCM hockey skates that at one time all they did for you before mom you said looked like stilts. and I got there.

I miss you coming home from What I do miss is the fact I high school frustrated at not never got to have you wake me up in the middle of the night for knowing how to do algebra and me pretending I did, and both of a feeding, or having your picture us getting most of the problems taken in a carrot-stained new wrong. outfit mom just bought and you I miss meeting your first messed up at the wrong time. girlfriend, and your second girlI miss watching you hold a friend, and .... baseball that looks the size of a I even miss teaching you medicine ball in your small hand how to drive, even after going as I teach you how to play like

My View From the Stands

through the torturous process with Emilie a year earlier.

I miss the bond I’m sure you and Emilie would have had — and your conspiring against mom and me.

And I miss the fact that you could be jamming with Danny and me on Sunday afternoons, playing Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, and the Eagles. It would have been nice to have you sing lead and me harmony because I have a church voice, not a rock voice.

I miss your having to take Igor out when she has to go for

the 10th time in an hour.

And I miss that you could now be at UMass Dartmouth with your sister and giving the Jolivet name even more prestige!

I miss you, but you know that I’ve never forgotten, since I’ve peppered you with prayer requests for the last 18 years.

Hey, if I couldn’t aggravate you on earth all that time, I had to compensate!

Some may say, “Let it go,” but that ain’t going to happen.

I’ll finish by paraphrasing someone I never though I would in a Catholic paper — Alice Cooper. “You’re 18 and I like it!”

Love you, DJoe. Dave Jolivet can be contacted at davejolivet@anchornews.org.

12

November 7, 2014

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or Email waynepowers@anchornews.org

13

November 7, 2014

More than 100 couples ‘marry’ their spouses all over again continued from page one

their new bishop processing toward the altar.

Greeting the congregation, Bishop da Cunha, said: “We are very happy to celebrate this special day with you. God’s blessings to you and your families!”

Lectors read from the Book of Exodus and the First Letter from St. Paul to the Thessalonians.

After the Gospel reading from Matthew, Bishop da Cunha approached the lectern to deliver his homily.

“I know that this is probably just a happy coincidence that the Gospel today speaks about love — love of God and love of neighbor,” he says. “We are here with so many of you celebrating the anniversaries of your Marriage, which is testimony of your love. The readings today speak about our relationship with God and our relationship with one another.”

He reminded the gathering that no one in this world is isolated.

“No man is an island; we are all connected,” he said. “What we do affects others. If we do something good, the goodness has an impact on other people.

If we commit some evil, it also impacts other people. We are, therefore, responsible for each other. What we do not only affects our relationship with God but with one another.”

He says that it is not easy

when God asks us to love with our heart.

“In the Hebrew Scripture the heart and soul were experiences of one’s whole being,” he explained. “The heart is the seat of the intellect and will. The soul is the life force. Therefore, there are no half measures here. The totality of the human person is called in love.”

The bishop pointed out that 119 couples had gathered together in observance of their wedding anniversaries — one couple was celebrating their first anniversary, and another, their 70th, and the rest, all the years in between.

“I looked at 119 couples, and I thought, ‘How many years is that all together?’” he said. “And to satisfy my curiosity, I took out my calculator.”

The congregation laughed.

“Do you know how many years?” he asked. “That’s 5,078 years, and that is 60,936 months, 264,056 weeks, and 1,853,740 days. We live in a time when people are afraid of lifelong commitment or afraid of giving love to others. That is your testimony. Yes, it is possible to love unconditionally, unselfishly and generously and until death do us part.”

Next, the husbands and wives married their spouses all over again by saying to each other: “I reaffirm my Marriage vows and rededicate myself in the same

spirit that I pronounced when I took you for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death.”

Then the bishop prays: “Almighty God, look with blessing on these couples who have just renewed their Marriage vows. They have come before your altar with happy hearts to offer their thanks to You; grant that they may continue to live in genuine Christian love and attain with their family and friends the joys of many more years together. Amen.”

The congregation sang “We Have Been Told,” while incense wafted from the altar.

After the Words of Institution and Consecration, the bishop and priests distributed the Eucharist to all.

Before the Blessing and Dismissal, Bishop da Cunha addressed the couples.

“I couldn’t be more proud of you,” he said. “We ask God that your next years will be even better than your last ones.”

He then recognized in a special way the couple celebrating their 70th anniversary, speaking to them in their native language, Portuguese.

The sound of applause echoed throughout the Sanctuary.

After the closing rites, the procession exited down the center aisle toward the doors, where folks assumed the bishop would shake hands with them as they

departed. However, he turned around and seemed to be heading back to the Sacristy.

But instead, he walked to the front of the church and began mingling with everyone there.

He also posed for photographs with any couple who desired one.

Richard and Claire Racine, parishioners of St. Pius X Parish in South Yarmouth, were one of the first couples to take a picture with the bishop.

“This means a lot to us,” they said.

Celebrating their 65th an-

niversary, they were married on Dec. 26, 1949, and their closeknit family included four sons, 17 grandchildren and 12 greatgrandchildren.

The Racines are very involved in parish life, serving as lector and Eucharistic ministers.

They divulged the secret to their happy Marriage, which is deeply-rooted in their faith.

“I think it is a lot of patience and listening and caring for one another,” Claire said.

“It’s also taking whatever comes and learning to adapt,” Richard added.

14 Vocations Office prepares for Vocations Awareness Week

November 7, 2014

These school visits are just gives me great optimism.” one of the tools the Vocations When asked how the faithcontinued from page one Office is using to bring a great- ful within the diocese can help “Our presentation will be er awareness to potential calls foster vocations to the priestU.S. bishops’ Committee on respond to God’s call in their Clergy, Consecrated Life and lives,” said Bishop Michael F. explaining what a vocation ac- to religious life. hood, Father Mello said they Vocations, is a special time for Burbidge of Raleigh, N.C., tually is and what it is not, dif“The Quo Vadis Days retreat can first pray for those who parishes to foster a culture of chairman of the U.S. bishops’ ferentiating it from a career or for high school boys, the Duc might be discerning a vocation vocations for the priesthood, Committee on Clergy, Con- job,” he added. “While the goal in Altum retreat weekends for to religious life and then be diaconate and consecrated life. secrated Life and Vocations. is to draw awareness to reli- college-age guys (and older), supportive and encouraging to Pope Francis, in his Novem- “With God’s grace, we help gious vocations — priesthood the new vocation poster pro- them throughout the process. ber 2013 apostolic exhortation, build that culture through fer- and religious life — mention gram which offers free dis“One of the great obstacles Evangelii Gaudium, underlined vent prayer, the witness of our will also be made of the voca- cernment resources to men, to creating an atmosphere of the continued need to build a lives and the encouragement tion of Marriage in contrast as well as visits to the schools vocations is when a young man culture of vocations. “The fra- we extend to those discerning a and complementarity to the re- have all increased awareness for is open to the idea of giving his ternal life and fervor of the vocation to priesthood or con- ligious vocations.” encouraging vocations to the life to the Lord as a priest but Father Mello said he will priesthood in a positive way, faces resistance or lack of supcommunity can awaken in the secrated life.” young a desire to consecrate “Because there are only two also be showing a new video as opposed to the negative way port from his family, friends themselves completely to God of us and many schools and entitled “Heroic Priesthood” of communicating that if we or even a priest,” Father Mello and to preaching of the Gospel. each of us also have parishes by Father Robert Barron, who don’t have priests, we will have said. “Discerning the Lord’s This is particularly true if such that we are responsible for, it also produced the excellent to close more churches,” Father call is a delicate matter. Vocaa living community prays insis- is impossible to visit each of “Catholicism” series, which Mello said. “That may be true, tions must be nurtured and tently for vocations and coura- the schools during this week,” highlights how young men dis- but it doesn’t necessarily inspire protected, not just tested. geously proposes to its young Father Mello told The Anchor. cern the “goods” (things that young men to ask themselves “So, I think the best way that people the path of special con- “However, Bishop da Cunha are important to them) in their the question: ‘Is Jesus Christ the faithful can foster vocations secration,” Pope Francis wrote. has asked each of the chaplains lives within the context of the calling me to be a Catholic is not only praying for more “A culture of vocations is of the high schools to make an “greatest good” (serving God). priest?’” men to be open to the Lord’s “Father Barron highlights one that provides the necessary effort to speak about vocations It would seem that the new call, but also that they might the idea of the optimism, com- approach has been bearing find support and encouragesupport for others to hear and during the week.” mitment and sacrifice which some fruit. There are currently ment from family and friends. I appeal to young men,” Father seven seminarians studying would hope that parents would Mello said. “Then, using the for the priesthood for the Fall ask themselves how they would example of St. John Paul II, he River Diocese: one, Deacon respond if their child wanted to connects this to the call for a Jack Schrader, is at the Pontifi- be a priest or religious Sister, joyful assertion of the Catho- cal North American College in and then pray for the grace to lic tradition which priests are Rome and is slated to be or- cooperate with God’s grace in called to do.” dained next year; two are cur- the life of their child.”

Father Mello said Father rently enrolled at Our Lady of National Vocations AwareBarron uses the idea of playing Providence Seminary in Provi- ness Week closes on November basketball as a team effort and dence, R.I.; while four others 8, and on that Saturday night compares that to the priest- are at St. John’s Seminary in the Diocesan Vocations Ofhood and how we are all called Brighton. fice is having a special Holy to work together to serve the Father Mello also sees the re- Hour of Eucharistic Adoration greater good — not just think cent changes in Church leader- and Benediction at St. Franabout ourselves and the things ship — with the selection of Pope cis Xavier Parish in Acushnet that are important to us.

Francis and now the installation beginning at 7 p.m. Diocesan “I will also talk about my of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, Vocation director Father Kevin own personal discernment as a S.D.V. — as having a positive im- Cook will preside, while Father young man and the joys of serv- pact on potential vocations.

Mello will preach as assistant ing as a priest,” Father Mello “I think that any time we vocation director.

Sunday, November 9, 11:00 a.m. added. have new leaders, there is a “It is our hope that many Observance of Vocation newness and an energy that is from around the diocese will Awareness Week began in 1976 certainly appealing to people,” come together and pray to the when the U.S. bishops desig- Father Mello said. “The nov- Lord of the harvest to send nated the 28th Sunday of the elty serves to help increase the many more laborers into the Celebrant is Father Riley J. Williams, a year for the celebration. It was awareness of things as they vineyard of the Diocese of Fall parochial vicar at St. John the Evangelist later moved to the feast of the make them a priority. Bishop da River,” Father Mello said. and St. Vincent de Paul Baptism of the Lord in January. Cunha has made it very clear in parishes in Attleboro For more information about NaLast year, after extensive interviews as well as his recent tional Vocations Awareness Week, consultation, the Committee address to the priests of the di- visit www.fallrivervocations.org on Clergy, Consecrated Life ocese that promoting vocations or visit www.usccb.org/beliefsand Vocations moved the ob- is among his top priorities, and and-teachings/vocations/nationalservance of National Vocation that is certainly reassuring and vocation-awareness-week.cfm.

Awareness Week to November to engage Catholic schools and colleges more effectively in this Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. effort. This is the first year it is installation Mass on cable TV being observed in November.

The Mass of Installation of at 12:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; NoAmong the diocesan schools Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, vember 8 and 22 at 4 a.m. and that Fathers Mello and Cook S.D.V., recorded September 24 5 p.m.; November 9, 23 and 30 were scheduled to visit this in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall at 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.; November past week: Bishop Stang High River, is airing on several cable 10, 24 and December 1 at 12 School in North Dartmouth; television public access channels a.m. and 4 p.m.; November 12 and December 3 at 3 a.m., 2 and St. Francis Xavier Prep and in the Fall River Diocese.

As of press time, the an- 10 p.m.

Pope John Paul II High School — Taunton, Comcast chanin Hyannis; St. Francis Xavier nounced schedule is as follows: — North Attleboro, Com- nel 15 or Verizon channel 22, School in Acushnet; UMass Dartmouth; and St. Stanislaus cast channel 15 or Verizon November 9 and 11 at 9:30 p.m. channel 24, November 7 and 21 and November 8 at 12:30 p.m.

School in Fall River.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

15

November 7, 2014

Knights of Columbus launch new ministry continued from page one

go out and solicit a project in your town — somebody’s house that needed a tremendous amount of work — and Americares would go out and various contractors with excess construction materials, and would distribute the stuff,” said Dennan. “The idea was you would get a local crew for the day and do everything in one day.”

Inspired by what he saw being done through the partnership of Americares and K of C at his St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown, Dennan joined the K of C in 1992, ultimately becoming a Grand Knight in 1997. When a fellow Knight shared a story of a single mother who had a child, and was struggling to pay her heating bills, the K of C stepped up on their own to fund the materials and do the work to insulate her home.

“I think it cost $500 and we did all the work ourselves,” said Dennan. “That was the first type of project we did like that.”

Realizing that a more concentrated program run solely by the K of C could encourage individuals to become members of the Knights, Dennan used the blueprint set-up by the “Christmas in April” program and named the K of C initiative, “ … at our Gate,” that not only revived people’s interest in becoming a Knight, but helped existing members get back in touch with why the Knights were formed.

“My agenda was to help these kinds of people, and the average person you’re helping is a widow or a single mother,” explained Dennan. “The Knights were founded on that premise.”

An Irish-American Catholic priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, founded the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, Conn. After gathering a group of men for an organizational meeting on Oct. 2, 1881, the group was incorporated under the laws of the state of Connecticut on Mar. 29, 1882.The primary motivation for the Knights was to be a mutual benefit society. As a parish priest in an immigrant community,

It took several weekends to clean everything up, filling two dumpFather McGivney saw what hap- sters of stuff, but Dennan said they pened to a family when the main were able to find someone willing income-earner died, and wanted to take everything away, including to provide insurance to care for the the electronics equipment.

Then there’s an elderly woman widows and orphans left behind.

“The whole idea has always whose husband died from a heart been to help women. The primary condition, and she wanted to move mission has always been charity,” his clothes out of the basement, get said Dennan, who began to reach them ready and donate them. Anout to encourage parishioners in other woman just wanted a room the Connecticut parish to join. painted and some blinds installed.

If a recipient can pay for materi“After we had done a few of these projects, I got up in front of the als, then that’s great, said Dennan, church to recruit members, telling and if they cannot, the K of C will them about some of the people we pick up the tab.

“I have always been very imhad helped. What I found was trepressed by the amount of money mendous amounts of people were willing to sign up to do those kinds this council distributes to local charities and the parishes,” said of jobs.”

Dennan lived in Newtown for Dennan.

The group also receives a boost more than 30 years before he retired and moved to his home in from local businesses. True Value the town of Harwich in 2012. Hardware Store in Harwichport He brought the “ … at our Gate” gives the K of C a 20 percent ministry to the Holy Trinity Parish discount on their projects, and shortly after joining the K of C at it makes a big difference for the the parish, and though he said, “it’s group, said Dennan. Paramount still in the early stages here; we just Rug in Hyannis gave a grandgetting into this,” the group has al- mother a steep discount when they heard she was taking in two ready finished 10 projects.

Dennan shared many stories of of her grandchildren. The K of C projects the group has already com- painted both upstairs bedrooms pleted, from the basic assignments for the children and the rug comof installing grab bars in showers to pany helped cover the floors: “This the more hardier ventures that saw woman is in her 70s and taking a woman need 13 volunteers work- on two grandchildren,” said Dening almost five hours to clean, trim, nan, adding that the rooms needed rake and bag all the excess yard de- some work beyond the paint and bris that took 10 trucks to haul it new rugs. “The upstairs rooms had some roof leaks; there was a lot of all away.

Then there was the elderly, dis- work to be done in those rooms. It abled widow who, along with her made a big difference for the kids.”

Right now the parish bulleown daughter and grandchildren, was taking care of her mother tin and social services are helping who was suffering from Alzheim- recipients get in touch with the er’s, and all of whom were living K of C and the “ … at our Gate” with her; “This woman was just ministry, but some individuals stretched,” said Dennan. “When have reservations about reaching her husband died, all his business out: “The homeowners sometimes stuff was just left around the house. feel weird asking for help, but I She was not a hoarder; she was tell them they’re doing us a favor just overwhelmed and doing ev- by giving us an opportunity to do erything she could. Her disability something good,” said Dennan. check and her mother’s social se- “You get so much back by doing it; curity check could barely cover the people come home from a project house — ­ you can imagine what it and they feel really good. The client feels good because something got was like.”

done and they might not ever have gotten it done. I think the people who do it feel good.”

Dennan doesn’t just promote the initiative in his parish; while on an Adoration, Community, Theology and Service Retreat, Dennan was asked to share ministry ideas, and he spoke about his experiences as a Knight and how K of C was building momentum behind the “… at our Gate” ministry. Paul Kilty, parishioner of Corpus Christi Parish in Sandwich, heard Dennan speak and felt the ministry would be a great fit for his parish.

Along with Tom Falcowski, Kilty broadened his search for volunteers to include men, women and children; he said he wanted to “encourage all volunteers to make it a family project.”

Though not a Knight, Kilty, his wife and five children will be part of the roughly 40 volunteers who have recently come together to begin an already-growing list of projects that began trickling in as soon as the ministry was announced.

“We got a fantastic response from volunteers and it’s a great community builder,” said Kilty.

“For our parish, it’s bringing people together.”

He continued, “The volunteers who have signed up for the program are very excited to help and provide a much-needed service to our parish community. I have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from the volunteers who are eager to help, as well as the parish members who have submitted project requests.”

Demographically speaking, the Cape has many older women who are widowed, and “women are the survivors,” said Dennan, “and a lot of times they’re left with no money because they spent money on medical bills or they didn’t have enough savings” and oftentimes they lose the mobility to be able to do fundamental things like climb a ladder to change a light bulb.

There are always people in need, even if you’re not aware they exist, and there should be people willing to stand up and help, said Den-

nan, whose outline for the program drives that point home by referencing Luke’s Gospel parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” in chapter 16, and where the name of the ministry came from: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us’” (Lk 16:19-25).

Dennan offered up his interpretation of the story: “There are people in our community, in our parish and in our neighborhood in need, for various reasons — age, infirmity, financial, single parish, etc. — and it is our responsibility as Catholics and as Knights, whose prime mission is charity, not to ignore these people, but to reach out to them and offer assistance. Following up on ‘Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori’ (time flies, remember death), we are reminded by the Gospel what awaits those who do not assist those ‘at our gate.’ These people are offering us the opportunity to do a good deed, and unlike riches, [a good deed] is one of the very few things we can carry to the grave.”

16

Youth Pages

November 7, 2014

Seventh-grade students at St. James-St. John School in New Bedford recently learned about the muscular system by dissecting a chicken wing

St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro recently held its annual Halloween Party and Haunted House. In the school gym, the students of the SJE National Junior Honor Society hosted games, face painting and refreshments. The attendees were treated to a walk-through black room where you had to make your way through the maze in the dark. Student actors squirted water, tickled feet, lowered stuffed animals onto the guests’ heads and played Halloween music to make the experience scary. The snack machine is Brooke Carline and behind her are Sarah Ribeiro, Taylor Brown, Nolan Duffy, Jill Carline, Olivia Sirard, Michelle Langelier, Delia Barthel, Wendy Le and Maggie Dion.

Holy Name School in Fall River recently had the privilege of having the Knights of Columbus bring one of the five traveling Silver Roses of Our Lady of Guadalupe to share with the students, faculty and staff.

The pre-kindergarten class from St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth discovered a great deal about pumpkins, studying one, making predictions about the interior, and cleaning and counting the number of seeds. They utilized great descriptive words to express their thoughts about the experience. Then they got to enjoy toasted pumpkin seeds.

St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet had some members of their Track Club running in the recent Spooky Run 5K in New Bedford. All the runners did a great job.

Special congratulations to the medal winners of that day, pictured above from left to right: Sophia Arruda (first place in her age group), Kirsten Sumner (second place in her age group), Aaron Wilkinson (first place in his age group), Coach Cole, and Fiona Marques (third place in her age group).

Third-grade students from St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven recently made Rosary beads and had them blessed at the first Friday Mass in the month of October.

November 7, 2014

I

n two of his public appearances last week, Pope Francis addressed two aspects of Catholic belief that I find are relatively new to most college students I meet. The first in his address to the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences encouraging scientific exploration and discovery and the second, during his Wednesday audience, that we — all the baptized — are

Youth Pages The science of Pope Francis

the Church, not just the Vatican cal Academy of the Sciences or the bishops and priests. shows that the Church still sees There was nothing new in a great value and need for scienterms of Catholic teaching or belief in these statements. Catholics have been at the forefront of scientific exploration throughBy Father out history. The fact David C. Frederici that Pope Francis was speaking to the Pontifi-

Be Not Afraid

Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth recently hosted its 15th annual rock-a-thon event to support four local food pantries. The rock-a-thon resulted in more than 6,525 lbs, of food collected. Every year the members of the Stang Sister Teresa Trayers, SND, Chapter of the National Honor Society gather for a rock-a-thon food drive. The rock-a-thon has been a NHS activity since 1999. This year’s student-led event had 106 members with 12 student officers (six seniors and six juniors) as the leadership. Each member gives about two hours of their time to the chapter by soliciting donations of food items and then rocking in a rocking chair for 45 minutes.

The sophomore class at Coyle and Cassidy High School recently hosted its annual Halloween Party for the children whose parents utilize the school-run food pantry. While parents were shopping, the children enjoyed a day filled with lots of fun and special treats.

tific exploration. Pope Francis’ words to them were words of encouragement not words of suspicion or warning.

The Holy Father said, “the scientist, and especially the approach of the Christian scientist, is that of investigating the future of humanity and the earth, and, as a free and responsible being, to contribute to preparing it, to preserve it and to eliminate any risks to the environment, both natural and man-made.”

I find it interesting, and perhaps I shouldn’t, that among the students most active in campus ministry at UMD, most of them major in biology, physics or engineering. This seems to contradict the thought that science and faith are opposed to one another. I think some of these students are tired of hearing me make that point, and perhaps even some of the readers of this column are as well. However, it is still a very prevalent thought, not only in the world of academia but in society as a whole, that faith is opposed to reason.

The other point was that of who is the Church. At the general audience on October 29, the Holy Father stressed the fact that the Church is all the baptized. Again, nothing new in Catholic teaching here. Yet, so many of us forget that. Each of us has an important role to play in the life of the Church.

I’ve often said in homilies and retreat talks (using history as evidence to support it) that any real reform of the Church begins with a reform of our own hearts and minds.

Let’s take a look at the “Rite of Baptism for Infants.” After the parents present their child to be baptized, the priest or deacon then says to them: “You have asked to have your

17 child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him/her in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him/her up to keep God’s Commandments as Christ as taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?” (No. 77, “Rite of Baptism for Children”).

If the ritual continues, it means that the parents have agreed with the statement. The parental responsibility is one of the most important leadership roles in the Church and one that can’t be replaced by deacons, priests, bishops or even the pope. As a pastor, it is my responsibility to make available resources to assist parents in their duty, not to take over their responsibility.

In the instruction given at the Rite of Confirmation, those to be Confirmed are told, “Christ gives varied gifts to His Church, and the Spirit distributes them among the members of Christ’s Body to build up the holy people of God in unity and love. Be active members of the Church, alive in Jesus Christ. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit give your lives completely in the service of all, as did Christ, Who came not to be served but to serve” (Rite of Confirmation, No. 22).

This means all of us have a responsibility in building up the Kingdom of God, not just those of us who are ordained or in religious life. If you feel the Church needs to be more present somewhere or doing something more to care for others or correct an injustice, you have a responsibility to help the Church address the issue.

Christian is a verb as much as it is a noun.

As a pastor and a campus minister, I have the responsibility to provide resources to allow the Christian people to grow in faith, mind and heart. However, it is also the responsibility of the Christian disciple to take advantage of the opportunities to grow in faith, to learn more about God and to connect to the Spirit dwelling in our hearts. Doing so not only helps us grow as Christian disciples, but helps us to change the world.

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

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November 7, 2014

Around the Diocese

St. Theresa’s Parish, 18 Baltic Street (Route 1) in South Attleboro, will host a “Christmas in the Village” Bazaar on November 14 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and November 15 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event will have food — including meat pies, homemade fudge and bakery items — along with raffles, games of chance, a country store, and penny social.

A lunch and film screening of the new release “Family Dinner” will be held on November 17 following the noon Mass in the cafeteria at the Father Peyton Center in Easton. Join them for a free warm lunch while watching this 28-minute video. This modern and entertaining drama is about learning the nature of true love and the selfless service of Christ’s love to call us to share in the institution of the Eucharist. This Holy Cross Family Ministries event is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.FamilyRosary.org/events or call 508-238-4095.

The Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will convene on November 22 at St. Bernard’s Church, 32 South Main Street in Assonet. Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. by Father Michael Racine, pastor and DCCW Spiritual Advisor, followed by refreshments and a meeting. New members are encouraged to attend and all are welcome. For more information, call 508-672-6900.

St. Jude the Apostle Parish will be having its annual Penny Sale in the parish hall at 249 Whittenton Street in Taunton on November 22 at 6 p.m. — doors open at 5 p.m. In addition to three regular series, there will be specials, rollups, refreshments, a raffle on 15 turkey dinner baskets, and a money raffle with $500 as the first prize.

A Christmas Fair will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, Quaker Road in North Falmouth, on November 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring coffee and donuts and a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. serving lobster rolls, clam chowder, turkey salad sandwiches and more. Visit the Country Store featuring Christmas decorations including dried flower arrangements and wreaths, antiques and collectibles, jewelry, handmade items including beautiful knitwear, baked goods, books and raffles with many prizes including a trip to Bermuda leaving from Boston.

Good Shepherd Parish, 1598 South Main Street in Fall River, will host its Annual Turkey Shoot on November 22 with the kitchen opening at 5 p.m. and drawings beginning at 6 p.m. There will be tables with turkeys, vegetables, potatoes and all the fixings — you could win to cook the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. The evening will also include a mini penny sale. Items on the kitchen menu include linguiça, chow mein and meatball sandwiches, clam chowder, stuffed cabbage kale soup and much more. Admission and coffee are free! For more information call 508-678-7412 or visit www.gsfallriver.com.

A Country Christmas Bazaar, presented by Corpus Christi Parish, 324 Quaker Meetinghouse Road in Sandwich, will take place November 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come and see the many wonderful handmade creations by our crafters, the aroma of our homemade baked treats, and enjoy a delicious lunch at our café, take a chance at our Noella raffle and our handmade quilt raffle, and stop by to see many of your favorite vendors. This spectacular event will be taking place at the parish center including classrooms.

St. Anthony of the Desert Parish, 300 North Eastern Avenue in Fall River, will hold its annual Food Festival and Craft Show on November 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come and enjoy great Lebanese foods such as kibee, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves and more. Experience Lebanese pastries, mamoul, baklava, apricot cookies plus more homebaked treats. Shop the local crafters who come back every year with special gift items for the holidays. A special this year is a coat sale: there will be a limited amount of name-brand coats (irregulars) at great prices. So come by, enjoy a great lunch or take out, and do your holiday shopping at the same time.

Dr. Doris Thibault, longtime Faith Formation director

New Bedford — Dr. Doris Thibault, Ph.D., 89, died Sept. 20, 2014 at home. She was the daughter of the late Romeo and Albina (Belisle) Thibault.

Born in New Bedford, she lived in Fall River and Freetown for most of her life, before moving back to New Bedford.

Thibault was a former Sister of St. Joseph, S.S.J., for 32 years and taught in the parish schools of the Fall River Diocese.

She received a bachelor’s degree from Rivier College in Nashua, N.H., a master’s degree from Boston College, and her doctorate at Boston University.

She was an active parishioner of St. John Neumann Parish since its founding, and served on the building committee. She was the director of the Faith Formation program at her parish for many years, and was in charge of the Children’s Liturgy of the Word program. She also volunteered her time at the summer and fall bazaars of the parish. Thibault was a member of the Women’s Guild and treasurer of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

She leaves behind three sisters, Florence A. Millette of New Bedford, Rita A. Bedard of Dartmouth, and Alice G. Bonneau of New Bedford and Florida; 13 nieces and nephews, and many great-nieces and great-nephews; her second family, William Mathieu and wife, Linda and their family, and Diane Figuerado and her family.

She was pre-deceased by three brothers, Albert V. Thibault and Father Armand Thibault, S.M.; a sister, Blanche Madec; and Doris’ close friend, Jacqueline Mathieu.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Nov. 8 Rev. Pacifique L. Emond, OFM, Retreat Master, Writer, Montreal, Canada, 1984 Nov. 11 Rev. A. Gomez da Silva Neves, Pastor, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1910 Rev. Richard Sullivan, C.S.C., President, Stonehill College, Easton, 2005 Nov. 12 1924, Rev. James H. Looby, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton 1925, Rev. Bernard Boylan, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River Nov. 13 Rev. Louis J. Deady, Founder, St. Louis, Fall River, 1924 Rev. William H. O’Reilly, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Taunton, 1992 Rev. Clarence J. d’Entremont, Retired Chaplain , Our Lady’s Haven, Fairhaven, 1998 Nov. 14 Rev. Francis J. Duffy, Founder, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1940 Rev. William A. Galvin, JCD, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1977 Deacon John H. Schondek, 2001

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m.

Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

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

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

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

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

Please use the side entrance.

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

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

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

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

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

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

Mass.

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

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

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

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

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

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November 7, 2014

Panel addresses psychological evaluations in seminary admissions ARLINGTON, Va. (CNS) — At a panel discussion on seminary admissions, Father Shawn McKnight told a group of Catholic psychotherapists

that “we have to be careful not to hold our standards so high that nobody can get in.

“It’s not about finding the perfect guy. It’s about who’s

Be sure to visit the Diocese of Fall River website at fallriverdiocese.org The site includes links to parishes, diocesan offices and national sites.

called. If God is calling a man, we have an obligation to heed that call and to nourish that man,” said the priest, who is executive director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington.

Father McKnight was moderator of the panel discussion, titled “The Use of Psychology in Seminary Admissions: A Need for Guidance,” held during the recent Catholic Psychotherapy Association’s annual confer-

ence. The panel addressed those involved in seminary assessment, counseling or teaching on the matter of conducting psychological evaluations for admissions purposes.

Father McKnight illustrated the importance of respecting the “human element” in Catholic psychotherapy by showing a picture of “The Calling of St. Matthew,” a 16th-century oil painting by the Italian master Caravaggio. The painting invokes the moment when Jesus called Matthew to follow Him.

Matthew was not the perfect man, Father McKnight explained, but he was the perfect man for the role.

Father McKnight stressed that every seminary and diocese must devise a written admissions policy and put it into effect. This policy should cover legal, canonical and psychological issues. It should require that any previous formations be consulted and that an applicant wait at least two years after dismissal from formation before reapplying.

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November 7, 2014