11.10.06

DIOCESE OF FALL RIvER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

10, 2006

Diocese's cemeteries filling up; new areas created to meet needs Advanced purchase of gravesites is recommended

By DEACON JAMES N. DUNBAR FALL RIVER - As the l800s dawned, hundreds of thousands of immigrant workers - most of them Catholics streamed into southeastern Massachusetts' cities to create what history books call the "golden era" ofthe textile and cotton indus-

tries.

Most who came seeking a better life worlcing in the mills stayed and the burgeoning community - and Catholic parishes quickly moved to meet their needs.

Prior to the founding of the Fall River Diocese in 1904, regional Church leadership in Boston and Providence, R.I., readily approved missions, parishes and cemeteries stretching from Taunton to Fall River and out through New Bedford to Cape Cod and the Islands to fulfill the tenets ofCatholic teaching on life and

death.

As today's Catholics visit diocesan and parish cemeteries to remember their beloved kin and to attend regularly scheduled monthly anniversary Masses -especially inNovember, the month ofAll Souls - they overlook a sea of thousands of acres dotted Tum to page 20 - Cemeteries

GLAD TO BE THERE - More than 300 Catholic youths attended the recent annual Youth Convention at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River.

Young Catholics energized at convention I

By MIKE GORDON, ANCHOR STAFF FALL RIVER - The annual Youth Convention, themed "Catholic to the Core" held at Bishop Connolly High School, was attended by more than 300 young people from Catholic high schools and Religious Education programs throughout the diocese.

Assistant director ofYouth and Young Adult Ministry, Crystal Medeiros, was pleased with the October 29 turnout and praised the efforts of those who helped to organize the event and to make it so successful.

"This is the first year we've had Christian Leadership Institute graduates involved in the planning and they did a wonder-

ful job," said Medeiros. "They were instrumental to its success and it was great to see them take charge of leadership roles and be witnesses to the power of their Catholic faith."

The day began at 12:30 p.m. with opening prayer and closed at 6 p.m. with the celebration of Mass. Msgr. Stephen 1. Avila was principal celebrant and homilist. Fathers Jeff Cabral and David Frederlci concelebrated. Deacon Michael Guy assisted.

Billed as I an afternoon of faith, food and fulfillment, it was just that for participants as they shared their faith and learned more about it through workshops.

"It was truly a very successful day," said Medeiros. "I was Tum to page 19 - Youth

Bishop Stang science teacher presented Catholic Teacher-oJ-the- Year Award

GRANITE REMEMBRANCE - Unique old grave stones like this one in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Fall River, can be found throughout many of the diocesan-run cemeteries. (AnchodGordon photo)

NORTH DARTMOUTH - Kathryn Crosson, chair of the Science Department at Bishop Stang High School, was presented with the Diocese of Fall River Secondary School Catholic Teacher-of-the-Year Award on November 1. Bishop George W. Coleman and Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Milot made the presentation to Crosson before the entire student body, faculty, and staff at the conclusion of the school's All Saints' Day Mass at St. Julie's Church in North Dartmouth.

Crosson, who was named the Sigma Xi Society of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth Teacher-ofthe-Year in 1992, serves as chair of a committee charged with creating a K-12 science curriculum for diocesan schools.

Just as important as her academic pursuits, Crosson has been a catalyst in engaging her former students who are currently in the medical and dental professions in contributing their time and talents to a 10-day mission to serve the poor in Honduras. The lO-day project, which began in June 2004 with a handful of Stang alumni, has grown to more than 30 volunteers and now includes construction and art components as well.

"Ms. Crosson exemplifies the very essence of what a Catholic school educator should be both in and out of

the classroom," said school President Theresa Dougall.

Crosson resides in Fall River, and is in her 30th year as a teacher at Stang.

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WELL DONE - Bishop George W. Coleman presented Kathryn Crosson, chair of the Science Department at Bishop Star:lg High School, with the Diocese of Fall River Secondary School Catholic Teacher-of-the-Year Award, at a recent ceremony at the North Dartmouth school.

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NEWS FROM THE VATICAN

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NOVEMBER

10,2006

Pope names Brazilian cardinal as new prefect of clergy congregation Bv CINDV WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Spes." the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modem World.

VATICAN CITY - Pope The cardinal told the conference Benedict XVI has named Brazilian that while the Catholic Church is Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Sao called to promote unity, progress Paulo, a Franciscan, to be the new and dialogue, "a servant Church prefect of the Congregation for must have as its priority solidarity with the poor."

Clergy.

The Church must "know how to The 72-year-old Brazil-born son of German immigrants, Cardinal listen, debate, discern and assimiHummes will succeed Colombian late all that is good and true, just Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, and humanly worthy" in others' according to a Vatican announce- ideas, as well as how to share with them the fullness of truth found in ment.

Although Cardinal Castrillon is the Gospel, Cardinal Hummes retiring at the age of 77 from the said. clergy congregation, he continues "However, this always must be to serve as president of the Pontifi- a dialogue and not the imposition cal Commission "Ecclesia Dei," of the Church's convictions and methods," he said. The which ensures pastoral care to former folChurch must "propose lowers of traditionaland not impose, serve and not dominate." ist Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who was Contact with the world and the imporexcommunicated in tance of dialogue also 1988 after ordaining was a theme in Cardibishops without papal nal Hummes' retreat approval.

The Congregation talks to Pope John Paul and the curia in 2002. for Clergy, in addition to promoting initia"The Church tives for the ongoing knows it must diaspiritual, intellectual CARDINAL CLAUDIO HUMMES logue, it must listen to and pastoral formaall cultures, schools of tion of diocesan priests and perma- thought and religions," he told renent deacons, also is responsible for porters immediately after the rethe promotion of Religious Educa- treat. At the same time, "the Church knows it must be a point of refertion through Catholic parishes.

Cardinal Hummes, who speaks ence, a firm point" in a world that five languages, is known as a cham- many experience as changing so pion of human dignity, not only quickly that nothing is certain anysupporting and initiating concrete more.

Claudio Hummes was born in projects to help路the poor, but also defending the traditional family, Montenegro, in the Brazilian state fighting abortion and citing the of Rio Grande do SuI, and was orneed for solid ethical norms in re- dained a Franciscan priest Aug. 3, sponse to advances in biomedical 1958. After serving as superior of technology. the Franciscan province of Rio Cardinal Hummes is a member Grande do SuI and president of the of the Vatican congregations for the Latin American Franciscan CounDoctrine of the Faith, Divine Wor- cil, he was appointed coadjutor ship and the Sacraments and for bishop of Santo Andre in 1975 and Bishops. He was invited by Pope became head of the diocese later John Paul II in 2002 to preach his that year.

In 1996, he was appointed archannual Lenten retreats.

Shortly before Pope John Paul bishop of Fortaleza, and in 1998 died in April 2005, Cardinal Pope John Paul transferred him to Hummes was invited to be the key- Sao Paulo, a diocese with more than note speaker at the Vatican's com- five million Catholics.

Pope John Paul named him to memoration of the Second Vatican Council document "Gaudium et the College of Cardinals in 2001.

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The Anchor

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER

Vol. 50, No. 43 Member: Catholic Press Association, Catholic News Service

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Published weekly except for two weeks in the summer and the week after Christmas by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue ' Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 - FAX 508-675-7048. email; I theanchor@anchomews.org. SUbscription price by maD, pos1paid $14.00peryeal'. i Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA, call or use email adt!~ i PUBU$HER路 N10$t Reverend George W. Coleman'" EXECUTIVE EDITOR FatherRogerJ.Landry fatherroger1andry@ancllQrneW$;Ofg!

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I ~~~~~DITOR=:=~.Dunbar~::~~I~:::r:::~:~e::::!~ I f REPORTER Mike Gordon mikegordon@al'lchornews.org i marychase@anchornews.org; ., OFRCE MANAGER MaryChase , Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherrogerlandry@anchomews.org POSlMASTERS send address changes to The Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA0Z722.

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PRAYERS FOR A FRIEND - Pope Benedict XVI kneels as he prays in front of Pope John Paul II's tomb to commemorate All Souls' Day at the Vatican November 2. (CNS photolL'Osservatore Romano)

Spence, Msgr. Campion named to Vatican communications council WASHINGTON (CNS) - Pope Benedict XVI has named Anthony J. Spence, director and editor in chief of Catholic News Service, and Msgr. Owen F. Campion,.associate publisher of the Catholic publishing firm Our Sunday Visitor, to fiveyear terms on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Both new appointees have served as president of the Catholic Press Association and editor of the Tennessee Register, diocesan newspaper in Nashville, Tenn.

Spence, 53, has headed the Washington-based CNS since February 2004. Before taking that post, he was in charge of more than a dozen publications as executive director of Advancement Communications at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Prior to that he had been 路director of alumni publications at the university.

Before going to Vanderbilt in 1998, Spence had been editor in chief and general manager of the Tennessee Register Inc., which publishes the newspaper, since 1989.

He also served as the diocese's communications director in 199298.

Msgr. Campion, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville, Tenn., was editor of the Tennessee Register for 17 years until joining Our Sunday Visitor in Huntington, Ind., in 1988 as associate publisher and editor of The Priest magazine.

Among his other positions and honors, he is a past recipient of the St. Francis de Sales Award, the highest honor given by the CPA; was the Vatican's ecclesiastical adviser for the International Catholic Union of the Press; and served as a member of the Synod of Bishops for America and on the U.S. bish-

ops' Committee on Communications.

Msgr. Campion was CPA president from 1984 to 1986 and Spence from 1994 to 1996.

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications has its roots in the 1948 establishment of the Pontifical Commission for the Study and Ecclesiastical Evaluation ofFilms on Religious or Moral Subjects, renamed later that year as the Pontifical Commission for Educational and Religious Films.

Headed by U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley, the council now deals

with a wide variety of topics, including advertising, the Internet, pornography and violence, and communications ethics.

Americans who recently completed terms on the council include Russell Shaw, a contributing editor at Our Sunday Visitor, and Thomas N. Lorsung, former CNS director and editor in chief. Also completing his term is Msgr. Francis J. Maniscalco, a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y., who recently left his post as secretary for communications for the U.S. bishops to return to his diocese.

A WAY WITH WORDS - Msgr. Owen F. Campion, associate publisher of the Catholic publishing firm Our Sunday Visitorin Huntington, Ind., has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term on the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. (CNS photo/courtesy Our Sunday Visitol)

NOVEMBER

10, 2006

~ THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH

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Bishop seeks steps to halt Iraqi Christians persecution

By JERRY FILTEAU CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE WASHINGT'ON - Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla.~ chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy, has asked U.S. Secretary of State' Condoleezza Rice to "take several specific measures" to reverse the growing persecution of Christians and other minorities in Iraq.

In a letter to Rice, Bishop Wenski said the bishops feel "deep concern and growing alarm at the rapidly deteriorating situation of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq."

Among steps he urged the U.S. government to consider are the creation of a new administrative region in the Plain of Nineveh area, where many Iraqi Christians live, and the adoption of a "more generous refugee and asylum policy" to assist displaced Iraqi Christians.

Bishop Wenski said he was writing on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which released the text of his letter October 30.

"The growing and deliberate

targeting of Christians is an ominous sign of the breakdown in Iraqi society of civil order and interreligious respect and represents a grave violation of human rights and religious liberty," Bishop Wenski wrote.

Because of violence and the threat of violence, he said, "Christians continue to decline from a prewar population of over 1.2 million to a current estimate of about 600,000."

"The recent beheading of a Syriac Orthodox priest in Mosul, the crucifixion of a Christian teen-ager in Albasra, the frequent kidnappings for ransom of Christians including four priests - one of whom was the secretary of (Chaldean Catholic) Patriarch (Emmanuel III) DeIly - the rape of Christian women and teen-age girls, and the bombings of churches are all indicators that the situation has reached a crisis point," he wrote.

Bishop Wenski noted that while Christians represent only four percent of Iraq's population, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, 44 percent of Iraqi refugees are Christian.

"The vulnerability of Christians and other religious minorities is dramatic evidence of the growing security challenges facing the entire nation of Iraq,"路 he said.

In calling for a separate administrative region in the area of the Plain路of Nineveh, Bishop Wenski reflected the views of a number of analysts who believe such a solution would offer Christians a more secure framework.

"This could provide Christians and other minorities with greater safety and offer more opportunity to control their own affairs with assistance from the central government," he wrote.

He also urged the U.S. government to work with Kurdish authorities who control areas of northern Iraq where many Christians are fleeing.

Bishop Wenski called for "an urgent review of economic reconstruction aid programs" to assure that aid is distributed fairly to all sectors of Iraqi society.

He asked Rice to work with the governments of Turkey, Jordan and Syria to assist Iraqi Christians who have fled to those countries.

Bishop's civic group beats Argentine governor's re-election. strategy

By JUDE WEBBER CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE BUENOS AIRES, ArgentinaA civic group led by a bishop has shattered an Argentine governor's plans to seek legal changes to stay in power indefinitely.

Bishop Joaquin Pina Batllevell of Puerto Iguazu, in the Argentine province of Misiones, and his United Front for Dignity civic group beat supporters of Carlos Rovira, the governor of Misiones, in an October 29 vote for constituent assembly seats. The assembly will decide whether to permit Rovira to change the provincial constitution to allow his indefinite re-election.

Bishop Pina's civic group secured five more seats than Rovira's supporters in the assembly.

Bishop Pina told Argentine television October 30, "As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing ... is that the people of Misiones and democracy triumphed, and I think we can open a new chapter now."

The bishop, 76, said that despite the result, his leadership of the civic group in the assembly vote was his first and last foray in politics.

"What I did was accompany my people in something that I considered went beyond politics," said the bishop, who wore a T-shirt em-

blazoned with an image of the St. Michael the Archangel with the devil at his feet during election day.

Bishop Pina agreed to lead the civic group after being approached by political parties, unions, social groups and other religious leaders because of his belief that democracy and human rights were being trampled. Buenos Aires Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio supported the bishop's decision.

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner had traveled to Misiones to make a public show of support for Rovira's campaign and had sent other officials including his sister, a Cabinet minister, to sup-

port the governor.

When he was governor, Kirchner had changed the constitution of the southern province of Santa Cruz to allow his indefinite re-election. He served as governor there for more than a decade.

Several other provincial governors have also modified their provincial constitutions to allow them to stay in power.

Rovira, who belongs to a faction ofArgentine President Nestor Kirchner's ruling Justicialist Party, took powerin 1999, and his . mandate ends in 2007. No one in the provincial government could immediately be reached for comment.

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JOINED IN PRAYER .L...lraqi Muslim women join other Iraqi Christians during a Mass at a Catholic church in Baghdad in mid-September. Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy, has asked U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to ''take several measures" to reverse the growing persecution of Christians and other minorities in Iraq. (CNS photo/M~hmoud Raouf Mahmoud, Reuters)

eee erghrist1J1flS thr:OllflH a clti/()'s efllw. ..

This Christmas, send gree,ting cards that feature the artwork ofelementary school age children in the United States - young missionaries sharing their faith through art.

This box of 24 cards showcases the winning color drawings from the Holy Childhood Association's annual Christmas d~twork contest.

To view all winninJ art, visit the HCA children's welJ site: www.hcakids.org!

To purchase HCA Christmas cards for $10 a box, call your diocesan mission director, or 1-(800) 431-2222. You may also buy these cards online at: www.g;vetothemissions.org.

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U.S. tt NOVEMBER 10, 2006 Proposed restructuring reduces bishops' natio'nal staff by 63

THE CHURCH IN THE

Leaner Conference authorized staff

A proposal before the u.s. bishops would cut 63

2007

positions from the conference staff in Washington.

PROGRAM OFFICES

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Catholic Communications ........ () Clergy and Consecrated life •••• Cultural Diversity in the Church Divine Worship ....

Doctrine ~ Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs EXiJE! Education Q)$ Evangelization and Catechesis @jc(Vi&f!J Government Liaison .

Human Development, Justice and Peace laity, Marriage, Family life and Youth .

National Collections Pro~Life Activities ..

Protection of Children and Young People ••••

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ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT Executive Management ....

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WASHINGTON (CNS) - If the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approves a proposed reorganization plan this November, by 2008 there will be at least 63 fewer employees on the bishops' national staff than are currently authorized.

The 260 currently authorized positions under consideration are to be reduced to 197.

The cost savings would allow the bishops to reduce their yearly diocesan assessment for USCCB staff and programs by 16 percent in 2008. In 2007 the assessment will account for $11. 9 million, or nine percent, of the organization's $139 million budget.

Of the positions that the bishops will consider eliminating from the 2008 budget, 35 have already become vacant by not replacing some employees who have retired or left.

The figures do not include staffing for Catholic News Service, Migration and Refugee Services, the National Religious Retirement Office or the offices for the bishops' national seminaries in Rome and in Louvain, Belgium. Those offices have a total of about 125 authorized positions, with 10 ofthem currently unfilled.

The staffing cuts are part of a broader plan to drastically reduce the number of USCCB committees, cut costs, limit paperwork and national statements, and focus the bishops' national efforts more narrowly on a few high priorities.

In a September news release the USCCB slrld one of the goals of restructuring is "to assure that the USCCB emphasizes major . themes or priorities in three- to five-year , cycles."

Proposed priorities for the 2008-11 cycle . include "an initiative supporting marriage, vocations to the priesthood and religious life, faith formation based on sacramental practice, and the life and dignity of the human person," the release said. It said the bishops will also be asked to consider adding a fifth priority

addressing "cultural diversity in the Church."

In another cost-cutting effort, USCCB employees' health insurance premiums are to go up about 40 percent in 2007 with another increase in 2008.

The bishops' work on limiting their priorities and projects at a national level dates back to November 2004, when they oyerwhelmingly approved a series of recommendations in that area proposed by a Task Force on Activities and Resources. Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, then bishop of Pittsburgh, headed the task force.

Last June the bishops approved the basic outlines of a reorganization plan proposed by the USCCB Committee on Priorities and Plans, chaired by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, N.M. The June discussion led to dividing two of the proposed consolidated committees, bringing the total number currently proposed to 16.

Some of the current standing and ad hoc committees would become subcommittees of those 16. The bishops are to vote on a final committee restructuring plan in November.

For the past two years USCCB officials, anticipating the cuts, have sought to reduce staffing steadily by attrition to avoid handing out dozens of pink slips in the last weeks of 2007.

If a new committee on clergy and consecrated life is formed to replace six current committees - vocations, priestly formation, diaconate, consecrated life, priestly life and ministry, and bishops' life and ministry - the staffing proposal calls for the current authorized staff of six to be cut to four.

Staffing plans for Migration and Refugee Services, which currently has 79 employees, and Catholic News Service, which currently has 30, are to be discussed separately at a later date. MRS is currently seven people short of its authorized level and CNS is three short.

Archbishop says co~tcuiting, st~ategic planning is aim of USCCB changes WASHINGTON (CNS) - The purpose in sometimes!' noting tbat the bishops - themselves facing restructuring the U.s. Conference of Catholic Under the proposed reorganization the rapidly rising insuranee and othercostincreases Bishops and downsizing its staff is not just to' UsCCB's cunent3.5~gconunittees will in their dioceses ....... asked for ways to stop incut costs but to help it plan better and workbet~ be conSolidated ttliQ 16 and all ad hoc conunit.. creasing the conference assessments on their ter, saidArchbishop MichaeU. SheehanofSanta tees will be eliminated. Some cuttent standing dioceses. Those funds account for $11.9 mil~ Fe, N.M. Orooboc conunittees IMY become·subcornlnit~ lion. or nine per¢el1t, of this year's $139 million As USCCB secretary, Archbishop Sheehan . tees under the 16 committees. ..

USCCB budg~. heads the bishops' Committee onPriorities and ::. The committee reorganltJltiouis to be ac: "The reorganization of the conference, foPIans, which is overseeing the reorga.tliza!:ion. companied byai:estrUctUring and redUction of cusing on theprionties, will enable us to save a The conunittee's proposa1s are to be debated staffat USCCB headquarters inWashington. Of considerable amount of funding;' he said. . and voted on when the bishops meet in Balti- 260 cilrrent1Y authorized positi())ls considered He saidit will permita 16percent cutbackin . more. in the .reorga.tliza!:ion plans,·63 are to be elitni~ diocesan assessmehts and will end the annual The goal of the reorganization is "notjust nated by lanuary2OO8. deficit spending ofrecent years, which forced the cost-saving thing, but to implement strate- .

In additi9Jl, theemployeeshareofhealth care them to dip into reserves and ''has been harmful gic planning. It's about strategic planning:'the~ costs, in thefoml of employee-paid monthly to the financial.health of the bishops' conferarchbishop said in a telephone interview • premiums;t4~4\ictibles and medical co-pay- ence!'

He said the recommendations ofthe USCCB ments~ will riseftom thecutrent 10 percent of Archbishop Sheehan said what the bishops Task Force on Activities and Resources, ovet- total eosts to 15percentin 200i, with another will.debate and vote on is the restructuring of whelmingly approved by the bishops in 2004, increase slatedfor 2008. . committees and reduction ofthe 2008 diocesan set the frarnework for the reorganization. At the.·>;,,· Shiftb;l shareofhealthcoststoem~ assessment. core of those recommendations, he said, was. ployees,. .

•thstaffreductions, willreHe said the bishops will not vote directly on ''reorganizing the conferencein such a way that duce cO.nfereneecostsfOfliinge benefits by $1.3 the reduction of stjiff, which has already been the focus is on priorities - what are the top million year, Archbishop Sheehan said. going on by attritiOn for more than a year, until priorities that the bishops want to wod< on ....... .,.J~~saidtrlmming s~wij1also lead to lower their November 2007 vote on the 2008 budget, and to set the priorities fortive years at a time?'"".~. for things such as meetings, tl1aveland of~ which will fottnaUyend funding for the elimi''We think it's good for any organization to.· "ficeexpenses, altboughihe committee does not nattldpositions.Actual staffing decisions, he said, look atitselfand see how itcan betterdo whatir~have an estimate on theamo\lnt thli.t.. rest in the bands of the USCCB general secrec.I'« • . needs to be doing," he added. "It's too haathe':'tnl.ght . .' ": .•• .' ·~taty.Msgr.PaVi.gl: MaIloy. Of the 63 staff posifederal government doesn't think to do that "We dO'neeato sav~.~~y:, he said," 'tio~ to be elimItiated. at least 35 have already

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been cut by leaving some positions vacant as employees retire or leave.

Archbishop Sheehan downplayed a suggestion that downsizing the conference's national staffand reducing the number ofbishops' statements will give the USCCB a lower public posture.

"I think it's maybe refocusing;' he said. ''We have put out a whole lot ofstatements on differ.ent things and not all of them get much press.

Sometimes we issued statements that got no press at all. When you have a statement on, say, anniversaries of church documents, newspeople's eyes kind of glass over." ''There has to be some way to put special emphasis on those top priorities, and still the ongoing things would be taken care of," he said.

The bishops will make fewer statements in the future, but ''the statements and big projects ought to be among the five priorities, not among the ongoing projects;' he said. ''There's going to be more time at meetings for bishops to share pastorally among themselves (instead of) just churning out document after document," he said.

Archbishop Sheehan said part of the goal of reorganizing the committees is to make them more interactive instead ofeach having its own relatively separate agenda.

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$ The Anchor $ Rejecting teaching precludes receiving Communion, bishops' draft says

NOVEMBER

51

10,2006

By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON - A Catholic who "know~ngly and obstinately" rejects "the defined dOFtrines of the Church" or its "definitive teaching on moral issties" should refrain from receiving Communion, according to ,a document that, will come before, the U.S. bishops at their November 13-16 fall general meeting in Baltimore.

The docum.ent, ""Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Sup, per': On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist," requires the approval of two-thirds of the members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for passage.

In an introduction, Bishop Arthur 1. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine, said the draft document was the result 'of a proposal to the bishops in November 2004

by Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, N.J., for statement on how Catholics should, prepare to receive the Eucharist.

"He envisaged this document as applying to Catholic faithful, not just to politicians or those in public life;' Bishop Serratelli said. " ,Archbishop Myers' request ,came after a presidential campaign in which some bishops had criticized the. Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts,

a

If a person who "is !publiC1y munion. known to have' committeo serious "If we perform these simple acsin or to- have rejected definitive tions, we will enter more prochurch teaching and is ndt yet rec- foundly into the eucharistic celebraand said he and other Catholic poliThe document criticized those onciled with the Church",! receives tion, receive the Eucharist more ticians who supported abortion who "give seleCtive assent to the. Communion, it ~ould be "a cause worthily, and thus obtain more fully of scandal for ~thers:' giving "fur- the grace of communion with the should be refused Communion un- teachings of the church." der canon law.

But Catholics who have "hon- th~r, reason" for the person to re- risen Lord Jesus and with one another," the document says.

But a footnote to the draft says , est doubt and confusion'" about frain, the bishops said. Ii The document says <ratholics that it is not intended "to provide some Church teachings "are welThe draft also includes two apspecific guidelines" to the provision come to partake of holy Commun- should get ready to receiVe Com- pendices explaining Church teachin canon' law that says that 'Catho- ion, as long as they are prayerfully munion through both "remote ing on when non-Catholics can relics "obstinately persevering in and honestly striving to understand, preparation" - prayer, ~cripture ceiveComQlUnion in a Catholic manifest grave sin" should not be tJ:1e truth of what the Church pro~ , reading, frequent confession and church and when Catholics are perfesses and are taking appropriate other steps - and' "pr~ximate mitted to take Communion at a nonallowed to receive Communion., ' 'Catholic service.

"In order to rec'eive holy Com- steps to resolve their-confusion and preparation."!1 The bishops said elements of , munion we must be in communion doubt," the draft says. : "When participating as guests in "If someone who is Catholic proximate preparation ;include worship services in other Christian with God. and with the Church," the' document says. "If we are no longer were knowingly and obstinately maintaining "reverent silence" be- .communities, Catholics are encourina state of grace because of mor- to reject the defined doctrines of fore Mass begins; refraining from aged to join the community in the tal sin, we are seriously obliged to the Church, or knowingly and ob- food and drink for an hodr before shared responses and in the singrefrain from receiving holy Com- stinately to repudiate her defini- receiving Communion; dr~~sing "in ing of hymns," the document says. munion." tive teaching on moral issues, a modest and t~teful manner" at "It would be inappropriate, howAmong examples of such sin, however, he or she would seri- Mass; listening attentively to the ever, for Catholics to take communthe document cites "committing ously dimit:lish his or her 'l0m- Scripture readings and horpily; and "ion in other Christian communideliberate hatred of others, sexual munion with the church," it adds. actively participating in the Mass ties." 'abuse of a minor .or ,vulnerable "Reception of holy Communion "with our whole hearts arid minds The document also reminds , ,adult, or physical or verbal abuse in such a situation would not ac- and bodies."

Catholics who join in non-CathoThe bishops also urged Catho- lic services on a Sunday that "the toward one's family'members or cord with the nature of the euchafellow workers, causing grave . ristic celebration, so he or she lics to make "a reverent: bow of obligation to participate at a Cathophysical or psychological harm; should refrain." the head" before receivirtg Com- lic Mass still remains." , ,I ' , murder, abqrtion or euthanasia."

Other "serious violations Of the , law of love of God and of neighbor',' listed in the draft include swearing a false oath, missing Mass. on Sundays or holy days without a serious reason, "acting in serious disobedience against proper authority," sexual activ'ity "outside the bonds of a valid marriage,", stealing, slander or involvement WIth pornography.

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The pope's final point is to help us to recall, to fear and to d~feat the real enemy. "True death, which one must fear," he declares to a modern \¥orld that seems in many places to have forgotten it, "is that of th~ soul, which the Book of Revelation calls the 'second death' (Rev. 20:14-15; 21:8). Indeed, he who dies in mortal sin, without repentance, locked in proud rejection of God's love, excludes himself from the Kingdom of life."

At a time when the news media are ,accustomed to focus our attention on a multitude of issues and the choices that stand before each of us, Benedict describes what are the bigge.st issues and most consequential choices of all.

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the living word

The biggest issues of all The beginning of November is a time when Americans are accustomed to focus on elections and the various issues that drive them, the economy, the direction of the country, safety. and security, war and ter:rorism, taxes and a host of moral issues that either strengthen or poison our culture.

The Church, however, always begins November'by concentrating on even more important issues, the economy of salvation, the direction of one's life, the war against "principalities and powers" (Eph 6: 12), the return on the investment of our ,talents (Mt 25: 14-30) and the moral issues that are decisive in the election in which God alone ,has the vote.

In his Angelus me4itation on ,Sunday in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict directed the attention of Catholics throughout the :world to these issues which the secular media and many of us, distracted by earthly tasks, concerns or pleasures, tend to ignore.

He called four things to our meditation this·month. The first is the need to pray for the dead and to remember that one. day .we will be numbered among them: "During tl).ese days that follow, the liturgical commemoration of the dead," he said, it is "an appropriate occasion to remember our loved ones in prayer arid to meditate on the reality of death, which the 'civilization'of comfort' often tries to remove from people's conscientiousness, immersed in the concerns of daily life;" The prayerful remembrance of the painful loss of a loved one, he says, paradoxically brings with it the blessing of making us rediscover the "problem" of death, which fE1\J gives meaning IJ:1J ID) lTII(Q'l j,~n~, Jor "death is a to all" of life, not only its part of life 'and end."

The second is that prayerful reflection on death should lead us to focus oIi how Jesus responded to this existential human problem. "Jesus revolutionized the meaning of death," the pope said. "He did so with his teaching, above all by facing death himself. 'Dying he destroyed death,' says the liturgy of the Easter season. 'With the Spirit that could not die, Christ defeated death that was killing man,' wrote a Father of the Church.... In this way, the Son of God wished to share our human condition to the end, to open it to hope. Ultimately, he was born to be able to die and in this way to free us from the' slavery of death.... Since then, death is no longer the saine: It has been deprived, so to speak, of its 'venom.' The love of God, acting in Jesus,has given new meaning to the wh~le of man's existence and in this way, has also transformed death.

Inn Christ human life is a: departure 'from this world to the Father' (John 13:1), the hour of death is the moment in which this departure takes places in a concrete and definite way."

'Benedict's third insight refers to how to overcome -the almost ubiquitous fear of bodily death. "Those whp commit themselves to live like [Jesus] are freed from the fear ofdeath, which no lo~ger will show the sarcastic smile of an enemy but will offer the friendly 'face of a 'sister,' as St. ,Francis of Assisi . wrote in the 'Canticle of Creatures.' For this reason, God can also be blessed for [death] .... We must not fear the death of the body, faith reminds us, because 'whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's' (Rom 14:8). With St. Paul, we know that, even while we are 'away from the body, we are with Christ,' whose risen body, which we receive i~ the Eucharist, is our eternal-and indestructible dwelling place (cf. 2 Cor 5: 1-

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The icon of the priest are integral and constitutive to the With the recent increased As many will attest, certain attention given to pastoral planning, vocation and must always be unspoken messages are conveyed included in any accurate explanaboth here in our diocese and

by God by the simple sight of a tion or description of the vocation. throughout the country, there has priest. In fact, people sometimes But, perhaps it is necessary these understandably been an increased admit that the ~ight of a priest . awareness of the shortage of priests, . days to emphasize some different reminds them of their sins and their aspects of the priesthood, asPects as well as an increased concern need for confession and conversion. which might be more appealing to about the need to promote priestly .God uses priests as icons to invite today's young men. vocations. people to look beyond this world One such aspect suggested by For years, many faithful and and to remind them of transcendent some is the idea of the priest as an devout people havecommitted truths. God puts priests in the world icon. Just as an icon is a concrete themselves to praying ferven,tly for to remind others that Christ truly an increase in vocations to came, that the revelation of the priesthood, and yet, in ;, .

Christ is true. many places, there has ' This iconographic II;I.t() been no notable change in aspect 9f the priesthood the number of men . "'theA\Oee'p':~":' depends, of course, on the I, coming forward to answer priest behaving and ,-"'J 5) ., " the priestly vocation. . conducting himself at all y .' '.

As an explanation for times in a Christ-like way.

A. Pignato' this reality, many immediIt reminds each of us ately fault the rule of . priests of the extreme celibacy; and ceitainly, the require- . importance'of always acting and piece of art, that is also a window to ment to forsake the good of living consistently with our the divine, so is the priest an marriage and family is one of the identity as men configured to . ordinary man who presents to primary reasons mentioned by Christ. many young men as to why they do others a glimpse of something When Jesus stood up to speak in beyond this world. When people not consider the priesthood. the synagogue at Na2fIfeth, ''the see a faithful priest, they should be But in other periods of the eyes of all in the synagogue were moved to pass beyond his natural Church's history, there have been fixed on him" (Lk-4:20). And when plenty of priestly vocations, despite image and consider the supernatuthe apostle Philip said, ''Lord show ral, transcendent and divine truths the centuries-old rule of celibacy.. '. us the Father," Jesus told the . he represents.

For some reason, in the past, Apostles, "H~ who has seen me has As one who is ontologically Catholic young men were more seen the Father" (In 14:8-9). Just as configure(l to Christ the High willing to make the sacrifice of Christ was an icon revealing God to Priest, through the sacramental celibacy, in order to answer their the world, so is the priest an icon, power of holy orders, the priest is priestly vocation from God. reminding the world of Christ. . There could, of course, be many an alter Christus, another Christ, Perhaps this aspect of the priestpresent and living in the world. And hood might be more appealing to reasons why Catholic men today are less willing to embrace celibacy, just as Christ was an icon, as ','the young men today, and emphasizing image of the invisible God," (Col including the influence and effect the priest as an icon might just 1:15), so is every priest an icon, a of a culture that is saturated with encourage those whom GOd is symbol and image of Christ to the sensuality. But one of the possible calling to answer their priestly world. As Christ's presence in the re~ons to be considered is the way vocation.. world conveyed the truth about God in which the vocation to the Father Pignoto is chaplain at the Father, so should the priest's priesthood has been and should be Bislwp Stang High Sclwol in presence in the world convey the . presented to young men.

North Dartmouth and is secretary truth about Christ.

Many aspects of the priesthood to Bislwp George If. Coleman.

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Bodies in plastic An exhibit called "Body Worlds" is currently touring the United States and generating some animated discussion in its wake. It puts the human body on public display in various poses after the body has been filled with a kind of plastic preservative.

The bodies are posed, for example, as a rider on a horse, where the body of the horse is also plasticized. By removing skin and various layers of musculature to expose internal organs, it is possible to literally look inside the body and see its inner structure. In one exhibit, an exp~ctant mother has been cross-sectioned to reveal her

unborn child, while in another, a man has been peeled down to his musculature, and he carries his skin on his arm like an old raincoat. The exhibit is billed as .

Making Sense

Out of Bioethics

By Father Tad Pacholczyk / an educational exhibit, teaching people about the internal structure and organization of their own bodies. As the director of the exhibit phrased it, "My aim is to illuminate and educate

Faithful departed,yes -

through the beautiful arrangement" of bodies. Yet some people find the exhibit "edgy," causing more than a tinge of discomfort, and they wonder whether there aren't ethical concerns associated with putting the human body on display in this way.

One potential problem associated with such a display involves consent. In general, consent is very important, and should be sought for organ or bodily donation. Informed consent seems to be a recurrent theme in regards to this exhibition, since some of the bodies which have been on display in the past may

But faithful survivors ?

into your thinking. For example, you may For a variety of reasons, more and more people are choosing to minimize or exclude the consider your body a disposable shell that temporarily confines your "true self," and Church's involvement in bidding farewell to consequently instruct your survivors to "Bury their dear departed. It is not uncommon for me, cremate me, chop me up! What do I care, as families to request prayers at the funeral parlor long as my soul makes it to heaven?" But or the graveside without a Mass of Christian Christ's resurrection and Our Lady's assumption Burial.

This is an injustice to any deceased Catholic, remind us that' the fullness of eternal life, for but is especially deplorable if the deceased was humans, involves the body as well as the soul.

Although the Church tolerates cremation, she devout and would certainly have desired a still strongly favors burial as a sign of Christian funeral Mass. Even worse is when no arrangebelief in bodily resurrection. If, in good faith, ments are made for Mass to be offered for the you judge that "extraordinary circumstances deceased person at any time. make cremation the only feasible choice," know Much of this can be blamed on the general falling away from Christian faith in our secular- that the Church "clearly prefers and urges" that your body be present ized culture. If the for the funeral rites folks arranging your and that cremation funeral are not take place afterward practicing Catholics, (Order of Christian then their understandFunerals, No. 413ing of God, sin, 414). Since 1997 the redemption, and the I $y Father -Vatican has permitted afterlife may vastly ,Thomas.Ji._Ko,cik. / I~ <;'0路;1l~~'t;'l;<>;;'~Ll'$:jW:~ each diocesan bishop differ from the ./ in the United States to Church's Faith. allow, at his discretion, Chances are they won't see the need to pray for your soul, if they the presence of cremated remains at the funeral even believe in the soul. To their reckoning, the rites, but this is not meant to be the norm.

Furthermore, cremated remains should be Church's funeral rites may (at best) be only a treated with the same respect given to the means of consoiing people with the "pie in the corporeal remains of a human body. The ashes sky'l hope of heaven, or (at worst) pointless. should be placed in a worthy vessel and buried Even if out of respect for the faith you proin a grave, entombed in a mausoleum or fessed they should feel the need to "do somecolumbarium, or, in exceptional circumstances, thing religious," their unease with religion, buried at sea. It would not be in keeping with the especially'when coupled with financial considreverent disposition required by the Church to scatter erations, will likely tempt them to choose the quickest and cheapest way of disposing of your cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or to keep them in the home of a relative or mortal remains. Due to rising cost of burial, friend (U.S. Appendix to the OCF, No. 417). cremation is becoming increasingly popular.

Christians who die in God's grace and in the From earliest times, Catholics were forbidden to hope of resurrection are traditionally called the be cremated except under extenuating circum"faithful departed," and you no doubt pray stances such as a plague, because it was besomeday to join their ranks in heavenly glory. lieved that cremation is disrespectful of the But sit:lce no one is guaranteed having "faithful body (which was a temple' of the Holy Spirit) and a denial of its resurrection on the Last Day. survivors," it is important to urge your family and friends to respect your baptismal right to a Since 1963 cremation has been permitted, provided it is not chosen for reasons contrary to Mass of Christian Burial and the Church's directives concerning the handling of your Christian doctrine. remains. Next week, we'll consider ways in "Not a problem," you say? Well, inaybe. which you can customize your funeral rites, so Even if you've.never explicitly denied the to speak, and involve your loved ones in them. resurrection of the body and life everlasting Father Kocik is chaplain at Charlton (nor would you ever think to do so), you may Memorial Hospital in Fall River. have unwittingly assimilated unchristian ideas I~

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not have had convincing documentation of informed consent. Several of the bodies may have originated from natural disasters in which the victims could not be identified.

Hence, one can inquire whether all of the subjects really approved of their new "show business careers," or as one commentator, half tongue-incheek, mused about the matter: "Dear World: Please don't let them pump plastic intlfme and exhibit me naked, wit~out half my skin, playing tennis. I hate tennis." Other issues ~egarding consent are worthy 0~1 consideration as well. Obtainillg valid informed consent may not really be possible when children or infants in utero are pJt on display, even though it is true that medical schools and museums have a rather long history of preserving human fetuses and embryos ip formaldehyde for teaching and educational purposes.

Obtaining consent from adults, on the other hand, is not necessarily a difficult proposition. The organizer of the Body Worlds exhibit claims that more than 6,000 people have already signed the dotted line for their own future "plastination." Many individuals are happy to donate their bodies to science. I recall doing dissections as an undergraduate student in an, anatomy and physiology class,~using a cadaver from an elderly lady who had donated her body to science. Such donatiops are not morally problematic, and in fact are similar to.organ d9nation.

Such organ donation is not only permissible, but can ~Ie seen as a very generous act. As:Pope John Paul II once put it: "A' particularly praiseworthy example ... is the donation of org~ns, performed in an ethidllly acceptable manner, with a view to offering a chance of health and even of life itself to the sick who sometimes have no other hope."

But what about the display of bodies where consent cannot be obtained? When dealing with situations like museums displaying ancient Egyptian mummies, or tourists observing the remains of believers in the catacombs under Rome, or archaeologists examining skeletal remains exhumed from digs, such consent can probably be presumed, assuming that certain conditions are met: 1. Their remains are not being used in a disrespectful manner; I'.

2. There is an educational, spiritual or inspiratiodal end being realized by the use of the remains; I I' 3. There was no indication 1

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left by the individuals or their relatives explicitly stating that they did not want the remains to be used in this public service; 4. The death of the individual was not intentionally caused in order to procure the body or the tissues.

Whether the use of human bodies in Body Worlds will be acceptable will largely depend on intense discussion surrounding the first and second conditions. Are the bodies being posed provocatively or being made to engage in immoral activities while on display, or are they set up in respectable, fundamentally decent poses?

Since it is a public display, are the actions represented appropriate for public viewing, including children? These are some of the further questions we may need to consider when trying to decide about the moral acceptability of such an exhibition. There may also need to be assurance that the bodies on display, or parts from those bodies that were removed during their preparation, will ultimately be properly disposed of either through burial or through cremation, as a sign of our respect for the remains of the dead.

The fact that the traveling cadaver exhibit has already drawn more than 18 million visitors worldwide indicates a deep-seated fascination with understanding our own bodies.

One might even argue that such an exhibit could prompt some soul searching and further discussion of human frailty and the meaning of our own mortality. Along the same lines, an exhibit which reveals the human child in utero by a simple cutaway can serve to powerfully remind visitors about the reality of the Pro-Life message, namely that children in the womb are not "blobs of protoplasm" but are rather our brothers and sisters at an earlier developmental stage. In the words of one astute observer: "If young women had windows on their stomachs, so they could see into their own wombs, the numb~r of abortions would decline drastically." The Body Worlds exhibit does seem to afford a unique opportunity to open a window onto the inner workings of the human body in a way that straddles the line between enlightening and edgy.

Father Pacholczyk, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did postdoctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org

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Whom do you trust?

The Scriptures today ask the question, "Whom do you trust?" and they help us to answer it by showing us people who have answered, "I trust God and so can you."

The story from our Old Testament Book of Kings is a great story of a widow and her son - they are so poor that she feels that they are going to die of starvation very soon. But Elijah, God's prophet, comes to her and asks her for a drink of water, which she happily gives him. He also asks for a bit of bread. Hmm. That might be more difficult - she only has enough for herself and her son and she tells this to Elijah.

Elijah simply reminds her "Do not be afraid, God will take care of you, you can take care of me and your son and yourself - re-

member God's promise - the Book of Kings, who puts in a jar of flour will not go empty small amount of money into the and the jug of oil will not run treasury, but who gave the most because she gave to God all that dry." This poor widow remembers the promise of God, trusts she had. She trusted that God it and she and her son and Elijah would take care of her. have enough food for a year. How good is God. What a great story.

Reminds me of Mary, when the angel of the Lord appeared with r짜i~i~;;;2 the goo.d news that she _ , -::j:~?~w?kwt,;. i~ was going to be the Michael R. "ragIe . mother of Jesus. She ..........- - - - - - - - says "How can this be?"

The angel of the Lord encourIn the second r~ading from ages her to trust God and Mary the Letter to the Hebrews we are reminded of what Jesus has does. done for us - he lived, he That brings us to the Gospel. showed us the way, he died, he We see Jesus telling this story rose and is ready to welcome about generosity and trust. us into heaven. The way to Jesus points to a poor widow, much like the widow in our heaven is in trusting God.

How do we trust God? We trust God by experience. As we look back on our lives, we identify those times that God was with us, that God's love was a source of strength, when God forgave us, when God provided for us, when the Holy Spirit inspired us, where things were very much different because of the presence and the power and the love of God. Based on those experiences we can, like the widows in the Book of Kings and today's Gospel and like Mary, trust God in our new situations in life to be with us, to take care of us and to be the source of life and peace and strength we need.

Is this easy? Not at all. The two widows and Mary make it

look easy, but we know it takes grace and the ability to be in touch with God's saving presence in our past so that, no matter what we are dealing with today, we will let God be our strength.

I'm sure this is what Jesus meant when he said, "Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome. Take my yoke. upon your shoulders and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart. And you will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light."

Believe it, trust it, live it, today, tomorrow and everyday it will take you on that path that leads us to fullness of life.

Father Nagle is pastor of Good Shepherd Parish on Martha's Vineyard. He was ordained in 1972.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat, Nov 11, Phil 4:10-19; Ps 112:1-2,5-6,8-9; Lk 16:9-15. Sun, Nov 12, Thirty-second Sunday in ordinary time, 1 Kgs 17:10-16; Ps 146:7-10; Reb 9:24-28; Mk 12:3844 or 12:41-44. Mon, Nov 13, Ti 1:1-9; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 17:1-6. 'fues, Nov 14, Ti 2:1-8,11-14; Ps 37:3-4,18,23,27,29; Lk 17:7-10. Wed, Nov 15, Ti 3:1-7; Ps 23:1-6; Lk 17:11-19. Thurs, Nov 16, Phlm 7-20; Ps 146:7-10; Lk 17:20-25. Fri, Nov 17, 2 In 4--9; Ps 119:1-2,10-11,17-18; Lk 17:26-37.

From Rottweiler to dunce A few days after the election of Pope Benedict XVI, some friends and I gathered for a celebratory dinner at Rome's Taverna Giulia - a favorite haunt of journalists, due in part to the fact that it serves the best lasagnette col pesto on the planet. I arrived a bit early and, as I walked through the restaurant, I spied the leadership of the National Catholic Reporter, including publisher Sister Rita Larivee, editor Tom Roberts, and the NCR's ace Vatican reporter, John Allen, with whom I had been swapping stories and rumors for years.

Being in a somewhat ebullient

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They had the good taste to laugh, although it was clear that some of their company were not altogether thrilled by the conclave's outcome. Would a papal bull condemning the NCR and all its works soon be forthcoming from the Apostolic Palace?

I doubt that my NCR friends imagined that, a mere 16 months later, they would run an editorial positively chortling over what they assumed to be my discomfiture, and that of my colleagues among the dread neoconsl theocons, over the course of the pontificate to date. There was, of course, no more evidence for this than there was for latent fears, on that lovely Roman evening in April 2005, of a new Benedictine inquisition. But, .

then, journalism is not an exact science, and editorializing is the least exact part of journalism.

Further evidence of which was provided by yet another NCR editorial, in the paper's

October 13 issue, which seemed to argue that the man so many on the Catholic Left had long taken to be "God's Rottweiler" had suddenly become God's dunce. In his recent Regensburg lecture, the editorial suggested, Pope Benedict XVI may have trafficked a bit "too much in theological abstraction," while failing to weigh sufficiently

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"the complicated historical, political, and social factors" bearing on the Islamic world's admittedly "dismal" record on religious freedom. "Focusing exclusively on theological difference between Christianity and Islam - whether real or imagined - therefore runs the risk of oversimplifying a complex situation," the editors warned. So what should Benedict XVI do?Appoint a group of retired and semi-retired cardinals - men who "understand the complex argot-of politics and international diplomacy" - as roving ambassadors to the worlds within worlds of Islam?

Which would seem to suggest that the 264th successor to St. Peter doesn't know how to talk the talk, much less walk the walk. From Rottweiler to dunce in two months: fast work, indeed.

And completely preposterous. In the weeks immediately following the Regensburg - lecture, Iranian television described "Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest" as a tool of the "Zionist lobby" and "capitalist weapons companies," and informed its audience that Pepsi is a devious acronym standing for "Pay Each Penny Save Israel." At about the same time, the interior minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Nayef bin Abd Al-' Aziz, urged an

audience to "cut off the tongues" of the "transgressors," i.e., Muslims "who are trying to distort Islam with their claims of reform and their corrupt progress." In the same speech, broadcast on AI-Majd TV, Prince Nayef also claimed that Osama bin Laden is "an agent of foreign intelligence agencies."

What, do you suppose, will a roving band of aged cardinals sent on what the NCR proposes as a "listening tour" of Muslim states learn from all that - or from Iranian president Ahrnadinejad's claim that Iran today is "a perfect model of splendid, humane, and divine life"?

At Regensburg, Pope Benedict XVI did the world an immense service by giving believers and non-believers alike a language with which to deal with the threat of jihadist ideology: the language of rationality and irrationality. Far from being an exercise in "theological abstraction," the Holy Father's Regensburg lecture was a courageous attempt to create a new public grammar capable of disciplining and directing the world's discussion of what is arguably the world's gravest problem.

It's a shame the NCR missed that. Let's hope the Congress we elect next week doesn't.

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

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What goes around, comes around Monday 6 November 2006 - at Jwme in the Village -Month's Mind ofthe Diocesan Priest's Retreat One month has passed since the Fall River diocesan priests' retreat.

Memories linger.

I have already reported on the "old-time priests' retreats." Now, at the insistence of Father Henry Arruda, I consider priests' retreats in our own times.

The difference between retreats past and present is significant.

I always skip to the end of a book before I begin chapter one.

That way I know where I'm going to end up before I start. The key to this year's retreat is in the last chapter, the final conference. So,

skipping a bunch of stuff ...

Retreat Director Father Genovese ("Mickey") is a priest of the Augustinian Order. He is the prior of the largest Augustinian

community in the world, at Villanova University in Philadelphia. He lives in the Order's infirmary amongst the sick and frail. Most of the resident priests are in their last days and dealing with

the realities of sickness, suffering, and ultimate death. Mickey does what he can to help them through their final passage. While conducting our retreat, Mickey receives not one but two phone notifications that priests have died.

One thing's for sure, I Mickey knows priests.

Traveling the country, Mickey has a handle on the issues priests today are facing. They are the same wherever he goes, he says.

Consequently, he uses the same general themes for his priests' retreats.

Remember in the old days, at the school dances? When the band played a slow dance, the nuns

The educational choices parents have to need some help. It is important This is the second in a series of experiences, and whether our child will be safe. Once our list is to say at this point that there is no colunms on CatJwlic education. "one-size-fits-all" educational drawn up, we need to prioritize it, In the first column I estabsystem for every child at every because no single school system lished the foundational presumpwill be capable of meeting all our grade level, and that it is okay to tion that all Catholic kids deserve change systems, if need be. desires. an authentic and thorough The third step is to take stock Over the past 12 years our five Catholic education and that children have been involved in . of our family's assets. These parents are primarily in charge of assets include time, energy, seven different school systems in making sure this happens. There expertise, money, personal three different states. These have is a smorgasbord of school knowledge of the Catholic faith, included small Christian schools, systems out there to help parents educate their P"'!!!!!!!!!lP-""""''''''''''''''''"''''!'~''I':'''''!''!!'!~r-----:_:::--,., a Catholic grade'school, a public school, home children: parochial, school, and a Catholic public, private, preparatory, home school, high school. I, myself, attended public school charter, non-Catholic from kindergarten to Christian, and college. Because of this I Montessori, just to name can tell you in all honesty a few. that there is no singularly But, which one is perfect school system, right for your family? friend and family support classroom, or teacher. It really is a Here are four practical steps to networks, and space in our home. smorgasbord, and parents really take in making this decision.

Which of these are we willing and do have choices. As Catholic The first step in choosing the able to invest in our child's parents our one, common factor is right educational situation is to education? commit the decision to prayer. the responsibility to make sure the The last step is to gather Any parent with a child already in essential areas of Catholicism information about the school school can testify to the lifeheart, hand, and head knowledge systems in the region by talking of the Faith - are somehow altering influence exerted over a incorporated into our children's with families who have children child and therefore the entire learning. Pairing these three types in these systems and by visiting family by school schedules, the schools. homework, co-curricular activiof knowledge with the developOnce we have completed the ties, and classmates. If we open mental stages of childhood, heart our hearts and minds to the first three steps, we are ready to and hand knowledge are the rank each school system we visit guidance of the Holy Spirit primary consideration for according to our list of educathrough prayer, we will have elementary school and head tional priorities. It's completely much more peace during the knowledge becomes increasingly nonnal to be unsure of what we process and about the final important as they advance to want for our children's educadecision, and that decision may junior high and high school. tional experiences, especially if very well be a better one.

Over the next four weeks, on The second step is to make a they are just reaching kindergarthe basis of our family'S experiten age. In this case, it might be ence, I'll try to present practical list of our educational desires. best to start visiting schOOls and What do we really want for and ideas for families with kids in, from our children's education? At talking to other families to get a respectively, Catholic schools, a minimum we need to consider sense of what is available before non-Catholic grammar and the opportunities for Catholic middle schools, home school, and We make our list of educational desires. Once we've done our spiritual and intellectual fonnanon-Catholic junior high and high tion, opportunities for physical research and have selected our top schools. and social development, intellecschOOl, we can determine if we Heidi is an author, photogratual rigor, tuition cost, our own have and are willing to spend the pher, andfull-time mother. She time, energy, expertise, money, and her husband raise theirfive child's special needs, distance etc., needed to enroll our child in from our homes, prospects for children in Falnwuth. musical, artistic, and dramatic our top choice Or if We are going homegrownfaith@yahoo.com.

9 warned the kids to "leave room for the Holy Ghost?" Well, Mickey leaves room for the Holy Ghost, but in a different way. Onour retreat, he took his customary final chapter, crumpled it up, and threw it in the wastebasket. He said he had been with us all week and had come to know us better. He wanted to address another topic: holy humor.

He says there is something rare and unusual about the priests of the Diocese of Fall River. He says we are precious. He says we have joy.

It's true. As a presbyterate, we laugh at ourselves a lot. There were only 18 of us on the retreat, but that was enough to provide lots of stories and plenty of laughter. The youngest was no kid, Father Moe Gauvin (ordained in 1986). The oldest was Father Bento Fraga (ordained in 1956). We were a bunch of old fogies. We prayed the Liturgy of the Hours, celebrated Eucharist together, and shared our faith journeys. That was the serious part.

The fun part came at mealtimes and most especially at day's end when we sat around enjoying the company of our brothers. The younger men heard stories of the "characters in the priesthood" from times past and we all added our bits and pieces to the institutional memory. I notice that it's often the quiet ones who have the best stories. Father Barry Wall is a font of information. Father Dan Lacroix has tales in unending supply. We say ''Too bad there are no longer any 'characters in the priesthood.'"

(Yeah, right!) Future priests will tell stories about us - those characters back in '06.

Joy, it seems to me, springs from suffering. Everyone encounters suffering on life's journey. It's how we deal with it that's important. It

turns some bitter and sour-faced.

These are the ones who conclude that only sadness and sorrow are our lot in this "valley of tears."

Others, however, are given the grace to realize that suffering is not a perennial state. It's joy that's our permanent condition. All suffering will pass. We are destined for eternal joy. Why not start now? This realization lightens the load weighing heavily on our souls. We no longer take ourselves so seriously. We learn to laugh more easily. Joy sets us free to be who God intends us to be. As Popeye the Sailorman says, '1 am who I am and that's all that I am." Listen to Popeye. He's on to something.

There is so much pain in the Church these days. Priests are not immune. We worry about when and if new recruits will arrive to replace us. We stew about how we are going to cope with the ever-increasing ministerial workload. We fret about paying the parish bills. We pray for Bishop Coleman with all he has to deal with. We keep an eye on our younger brothers, watching to see how well they are fitting in. And, of course, as with anyone, an individual priest will inevitably suffer both emotionally and physically on his own life's journey. ''Want to increase vocations to the priesthood?" asks Mickey.

"Stop looking over your shoulder to the seminaries, vocation directors, or bishops. Just be who you are.

Show everyone the obvious joy you are experiencing as priests of the Diocese of Fall River." He's right.

Happiness is being a priest.

Father Goldrkk is pastor ofSt. Bernard Parish, Assonet. Comments are welcome at StBemardAssonet@aoLcom.

Previous columns are at www.StBemardAssonet.org.

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Mary Powers' commitment to young people stands out

By MIKE GORDON, ANCHOR STAFF can, but right now there are not as many Scouts now TAUNTON-MaryPowersbecameinvolvedwith as there used to be. But we're hopeful it will tum the Girl Scouts of America when her l2-year-old around." daughter Margaret became interested in 1972. PowShe attributes the lack of children in Scouting to ers became a Scout leader and now some 34 years their having so many activities and demands of their later she continues to help young women eam reli- time. She also felt that because many parents are both gious emblems and as an assistant Scout leader of working to support their family, they do not have time Troop 494 at Immaculate Conception Parish. to volunteer as leaders.

"Scouting has been very good to me and I've re"We do have some women interested in teaching ally enjoyed working with the kids," said Powers. "I the religious emblems and that's encouraging." always have. I help out however I can now."

The Boy Scouts also offer a religious emblem proWhen asked what her involvement in Scouting has gram and both organizations have them in place for given her, Powers was hard pressed to narrow down all religions. the list of things, but said one thing that stood out.

Powers is the lay chairman for Girl Scouts and a "It's given me a lot of friendships and those friend- member of the Diocesan Committee for Boy and Girl ships have lasted a life- r;--~~.,.--.,.--~~--: - - - ---,--~--, Scouts. It meets four

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"-1_ _ ' . _ Father Degagne was been married for 47 . -( ~.-_J ~-;; , ,impressed with the dediyears. They live across cation Powers has had tothe street from the church wards Scouting, but and Powers is frequently stressed that it is one of working there on a many things she has been involved with over the project. On the day ofher interview with The Anyears. "Powers has also clwr, she had to squeeze been committed to the us in before leaving to Women's Guild and help organize the annual served as an extraordiPenny Auction. nary minister of holy Working with young Communion. She has people has been a lifebeen very giving to othlong passion for Powers, ers and all these things are who taught special need her witness ofher faith to students for 39 years in others, especially the the Taunton school disyouth she works with." trict. '1 loved teaching," As Powers sat in her she declared when asked living room beneath a about her employment. GOOD SCOUT - Mary Powers has been active family portrait featur'1t was my life." with the Girl Scouts for more than three decades. ing grandchildren Sean So much so that she (AnchotfGordon photo) and Brendan, she dewould eventually start up dared, "I'm a product a Girl Scout troop for those young people with spe- of Catholic schools. Faith has always been an imcial needs in Taunton. portant aspect of my life and I enjoy sharing that Powers, a Girl Scout herself, has been involved in will others." all levels of Scouting from Brownies to high school Powers was born in Boston and grew up in t' ages. One thing she has really enjoyed about Scout- Taunton and raised her family there. Her daughter ing is the Religious Emblem Program available for taught special needs students like her mom did, but Catholic Scouts of all ages. now works as an administrator of special education "Scouts who work towards religious emblems dis- services in Easton. Powers has a brother in Texas and cover a deeper understanding of their Catholic faith, a sister in the U.S. VIrgin Islands.

When she is not working with Scouts, Powers the Church and their place in it," said Powers. 'They also learn about the sacraments, Mary, helping their spends her time visiting her mother at Marian Manor neighbor and reaching out to the less fortunate." and reading. She also used to sew a lot, but said she Powers was quick to thank others who help with hasn't had time to do that recently.

Scouting including Sue Rogers, Donna Morrell, Pat Powers is also a past president of the Women's Latinville, Mary Giovanoni and Sister Roberta Guild at Immaculate Conception and currently serves O'Connell, chaplain for Girl Scouts. as its vice president.

"My husband Bob has been a wonderful help to ''We're a pretty active group and I enjoy being a me also:' said Powers of her success. "He's given me part of that," she said. ''We just held a baby shower so much support to me over the years." for Birthright and we will be setting up the Giving Father Richard Degagne, pastor at St. John Tree in the parish very soon. It gives me satisfaction Neumann Parish in East Freetown, has known Pow- to help out at the church." ers for many years and praised her work with young Powers also volunteers at the Coyle and Cassidy Girl Scouts.

High School food pantry and has been doing so for "She works hard to bring the faith alive with the 10 years. "It opens on the last Saturday ofeach month Scouts through the religious medals program and has and often I've brought the Girl Scouts there to help been dedicated to that for many years. She is tireless out too. It's a wonderful opportunity to help others in her efforts to bring God to the youth." and they've enjoyed that."

There are four religious emblems that Girl Scouts Powers has been an extraordinary 'minister of holy may earn. Powers teaches two of the four, the Marian Communion for more than 20 years. She used to and Spirit Alive emblems. Her friend Susan Rogers bring the Eucharist to the homebound also and has teaches the I Live My Faith and Family of God em- been a lector for many years at Immaculate Concepblems for the Taunton area. tion.

'1t can take anywhere from three to five months of When asked what motivates her, Powers smiled work, meeting every other week to eam a religious and said, "You just do it. My faith keeps me motiemblem," said Powers, "but it's a great way to learn vated to be involved. Scouting has always been very more about one's faith." close to my heart I always say, 'God, home and coun'1 try to promote the religious awards as much as I try.' God comes first though."

A SIGN OF THE TIMES - Warren Nietling and Lester Robben attach a vinyl Divine Mercy sign with the message "Jesus, I trust in you" along Interstate Highway 70 in Victoria, Kan. A group of local Catholics with help from the Knights of Columbus has put up similar signs in five other well-traveled locations in the Diocese of salina, Kan. (CNS photo/Donetta Robben, The Register)

More than just Election Day neglected on earth, yet welcomed It's Thesday today, and that with millions of open arms in means it's a special day. First of all heaven. He's also watched the The Anclwr goes to pressreaction of their parents - some sometimes that's special, sometimes filled remorse, others stone-hearted. it's stressful.

And speaking of Election Day, Secondly, it's Election Day. That over the past 10 years Davey has may not be special for many not involved ~a particular political race, witnessed the comings and goings of elected officials who are major but for most of us it means no more contributors to millions of unborn in political ads. Special indeed. heaven, and also of those who fight Lastly, today is my son's 10th for these precious lives. birthday. By the time this Anclwr It's been 10 years, but it truly reaches your door, it will be the 10th seems much less than that anniversary of his death, and by the time Sunday Mass rolls around, it will mark the 10th anniversary of his funeral. It -theStand~ I~'" ,. was surely a

By DaveJ6Uvet'路: I tough week for </ the little guy.

I must confess Happy birthday little dude. Your that today's anniversary stings more family loves you and misses you. than I thought it would. I think of I'd like to ask readers to keep in him every day, I have a picture of their pmyers Anthony, a 23-year-old him on my desk, in my wallet, and young man from Perno Father Paul on the wall of my living room. I talk Canuel received a letter requesting to him every day, and I ask for his prayers and donations for tests and intercession often. of two cancerous tumors treatment But the 10th birthday of any child on Anthony's knee. is a landmark. I often think and write On a lighter note, I'd like to send of the things we've missed doing out a few thank you's. To the staff, together. What I meditate on less is the things he's missed doing with his residents and graduates of St. Francis Residence in Fall River, immediate family. many, many thanks for the wonderFor 10 years, Davey has dwelt ful dinner and fellowship. Emilie, safely and securely with the Holy Denise and I enjoyed the evening, Family. He has no worries or and the extra pounds. concerns, and I'm sure he's shaken Thank you also to those who his head at things his old man has have sent turkey recipes in response done over the past decade. to last week's column. Emeril and In the last 10 years, the little guy Rachel Ray have nothing on you has been part of the large Family of folks.

God welcoming such Catholic And lastly, I was thrilled to read heroes as Pope John Paul IT, Mother in this morning's sports pages that Teresa, and Cardinals John Barbaro had the cast removed from O'Connor and Joseph Bemadin. his injured leg. The whole country He's also welcomed a number of has been pulling for the colt's family and friends to join him in recovery since his life-threatening eternal happiness, over the past 10 tumble in last May's Preakness. This . years. horse is a true champion.

He's been witness to the arrival davejolivet@anchornews.org of countless unborn children,

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construction phase.

I Nine days of special ~\rents and services were planned toiimark the basilica's official reopening. During the first service Nov6mber 4, Baltimore's Fort McH~nry fired three cannon volleys - ~o for the basilica's first 200 years ana the third for its next 100 - as thel!basilica's doors swing open.

In honor of the French! contribuI tions to the basilica's completion and furnishing, including its b~lls cast in Lyons in 1831, the Fren~h ambassador to the U.S. was givell a private tour of the basilica as chUrch bells

are rung simultaneously in Baltimore and Lyons.

The celebrations were to culminate in a Mass on Sunday to be concelebrated by all of the U.S. bishops, gathering in Baltimore for the fall general meeting ofthe U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Cardinal Keeler, who was injured in a car accident in Italy that killed a priest who was traveling with him, said he had to leave the media preview early to go to physical therapy.

"It's all part of getting better, and I really want to get better in time for the ceremonies," he said.

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A CORNER STONE - The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary sits on the corner of Cathedral and Mulberry streets in Baltimore. The basilica reopened November 4 after a two-year, $32 million restoration. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

Restored Baltimore basilica a gift to Church, nation, cardinal says

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The cardinal, seated in a wheelchair as he recovered from a broken ankle, spoke about the importance of the basilica as the first Catholic cathedral in the United States and as a symbol of religious freedom in the fledgling nation at a media preview less than a week before the basilica was to reopen November 4.

He said the reopening would fulfill "a long-held dream of sharing the basilica with the nation" as both a beautiful place to worship and as a reminder of a time, until the American Revolution, when Catholics were "persecuted as a devout minority."

When the cornerstone was laid for the new church in 1806, it represented "the rights of Catholics and other faiths to worship openly," Cardinal Keeler said. At that time, Bishop (later Archbishop) John Carroll of Baltimore was the only Catholic bishop for the entire country.

Designed by Benjamin Latrobe, architect of the U.S. Capitol, the basilica was renovated to restore many original architectural details and to incorporate modem electrical, heating and cooling, plumbing and security systems in a way that maintained the building's historical integrity.

"Over the course of the basilica's 200 years, it has borne witness time and again to many important milestones and visitors as the Church developed and evolved in America," Cardinal Keeler said in a statement released at the preview.

Those visitors included Pope Pius xn (as a cardinal) and Pope John Paul II, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew ofConstantinople, U.S. PresidentAndrew Johnson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Alexis de Tocqueville, --Marquis de Lafayette, the chiefs of the Sioux and Flathead tribes, St. John Neumann of Philadelphia, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence and Bishop Carroll's cousin. ''Unfortunately, the ravages oftime, inadequate maintenance and alterations took a toll," the cardinal said.

"The original, brilliant design of Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Archbishop Carroll was lost, and major infrastructure improvements came to be needed."

The Basilica of the Assumption Historic Trust, established in 1976, has raised $25 million in private do-

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by Latrobe, re-creation of the original balconies, creation of a basilica museum and gift shop, and repainting of the walls in the original colors of pale yellow, blue and rose.

Ellington E. Churchill Jr., project manager for Henry H. Lewis Contractors, said the restoration work involved 30 months of construction, 900 cubic yards ofconcrete, 62,000 pounds of reinforcing steel, 20,000 square feet of metal roofing and the work of more 60 contractors representing more than 700 men and women. ''The basilica has been transformed, and we stand here today proud to have our names included as a small footnote in the history of this great place," Churchill said at an October 3 ceremony marking the end of the

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10, 2006

eNS video reviews NEW YORK (CNS) - The folreviews of new and recent DVD and video releases from the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Theatrical movies on video have a USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification and Motion Picture Association of America rating. ''Exodus Decoded" (2006) Did Moses really part the Red Sea like it says in the Old Testament?

What about the plagues? Did those things actually happen? These are among the questions which filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici attempts to answer in this History Channel documentary. Challenging opinions that dismiss those events as myth, Jacobovici uses investigativejournalism aided by modem science to separate historical fact from fiction and build his case that the archaeological and geological evidence supports the Bible. His arguments are based on a rethinking of the events as described in the Book of Exodus, which he claims can be explained by a chain reaction of natural phenomena, triggered by a massive volcanic eruption in the Mediterranean. The filmmaker does not try to take "God out of the equation" but merely makes the case that in miraculously intervening in human history, God chose to use, rather than suspend, his laws of nature to achieve his divine plan. Executive produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron, the program combines the treasure-hunt elements of a real-life "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with 3-D computer graphics, including a flashy virtual-reality set (A&E Home Video). ''Pope John Pauln" (2005) Originally a CBS miniseries, the film stars Jon Voight, who is excellent as the pontiff (superbly matched

by Cary Elwes, who essays the pope's lowing..are~capsule

younger days), and begins with the 1981 assassination attempt. As the gravely wounded pope is tended by doctors, he recalls his youth in Poland: the death of his parents and brother; his early days as an actor; his studies for the priesthood in a secret seminary; his experiences under the horror of Nazi occupation and later communist oppression. The second half concentrates on his papacy, including his historic and unprecedented travels around the globe. The series is respectful ofits subject, capturing Pope John Paul IT's personal charisma, as well as life behind the Vatican walls. Among the distinguished supporting cast are James Cromwell as Krakow Archbishop (eventually Cardinal) Adam Sapieha; Ben Gazzara as Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Agostino Casaroli; and Christopher Lee as Polish Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski. The current pope, Benedict XVI, is dramatized in a brief scene where Pope John Paul names then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Historians at the Vatican are said to have vetted the script, and director John Kent Harrison's stately and reverent film could hardly be bettered in covering so much ground in a relatively short amount of time. The handsome widescreen DVD includes several deleted scenes, including a touching exchange between Pope John Paul IT and a poor man he encounters while hiking in the mountains that reveals the larger-than-life pope's humanity and humor. It also contains interviews with Voight, Elwes and others who express admiration for Pope John Paul; two brief bits on the making ofthe film; a companion booklet; and select footage of the world premiere screening at the Vatican with Pope Benedict in attendance (Ignatius Press).

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You

THERE

FEELING A BIT FLUSHED - A rat named Rita, voiced by Kate Winslet, and a mouse named Roddy St. James, voiced by Hugh Jackman, are seen in the animated film "Flushed Away." For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/OreamWorks)

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(Ca.IV~Ulllle~ NEW YORK (CNS) - The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Borat! Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" (20th Century Fox) Juvenile mock documentary about a clueless journalist (Sacha Baron Cohen) from Kazakhstan who travels to the United States to report on the American way of life and embarks on a cross-country odyssey to meet actress Pamela Anderson with whom he becomes infatuated after seeing her on television. Some of the outrageous pranks - many involving real people not in on the joke - are, admittedly, funny, but mostly the film wallows in vulgarity, with Cohen and director Larry Charles more often going for shock laughs over wit in satirizihg American culture and politics.

Pervasive coarse sexual and scatological humor, crass sight gags, nudity, some irreverent remarks, and excessive rough and crude language, as well as some ethnic stereotypes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is 0 - morally offensive.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R - restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Catch a Fire" (Focus) Intelligent if unevenly compelling drama set in apartheid-era South Africa that tells the real-life story of Patrick Chamusso (Derek Luke), a husband and father who abandons his apolitical stance and becomes a militant rebel fighter after he and his wife (Bonnie Henna) are wrongfully arrested and tortured by white police investigators (headed by Tim Robbins) in connection with an explosion at the oil refinery where he works. Despite all the right ingredients - a solid cast, a worthy story, taut pacing and an accomplished director in Phillip Noyce - the tale never ignites from an emotional standpoint. However, in exploring themes of racism and the timely issue of using violence as a means of political protest, the film ultimately advocates forgiveness as imperative in healing the wounds caused by hatred. Some violence, images of torture, an 'instance of rough language and a few crude expressions and racial slurs. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-ITI adults. The Motion Picture Association ofAmerica rating is PG-13 - parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

"Flushed Away" (DreamWorks) Frolicsome computer-animated tale about an urbane pet mouse (voiced by Hugh Jackman) whose cushy lifestyle is turned topsyturvy when he's flushed down a toilet and into the bustling underground world of London's sewer system where he teams with a spunky rat (Kate Winslet) to foil the doomsday plot of a frog kingpin (Ian McKellen) who wants to exterminate the sewers' rodent population. Co-directors David Bowers and Sam Fell combine zippy animation, a simple but smartly entertaining script and topnotch voice talent to delightfully zany effect, while imparting a warm message about the importance of friendship and family.

Some mildly rude humor and language and cartoon action violence.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-IT - adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture' Association of America rating is PG - parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, November 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Scheduled celebrant is Father William M. Rodrigues, director of Hispanic Ministry on Cape Cod.

NOVEMBER

10, 2006

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Bishops to vote on guidelines for ministry to homosexuals

tent that a homosexual tendency or ministry to those with a homosexual inclination is not subj~ct to one's inclination is always "fostering the free will, one is not rP.orally cul- greatest possible friendship with pable for that tendencx," it says.

God," which is found in holiness, "Simply having th~ tendency is the document says.

By JERRY FILTEAU pared by the Committee on Doc- ' God." not a sin," though one may sin by It criticizes the "moral relativism CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE ,"By its very nature," the docutrine of the U.S. Conference of voluntarily entertaining homo- in our society" and "widespread WASHINGTON - When the Catholic Bishops, is titled "Minis- ment adds, "human sexuality finds sexual temptations or acting on tendency toward hedonism" in U.S. Catholic bishops meet in Bal- try to Persons With a Homosexual its proper fulfillment in the marital American culture. them, it says. timore next week, they will be Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral bond. Any sexual act that takes ''The pervasive influence of conFollowing the lea4 of a 1986 asked to vote on guidelines for rriin- Care." place outside the indissoluble and Vatican document that':drew exten- temporary culture creates, at times, istry to those with homos~xual inDespite the title, only about one- lifelong bond of marriage does not sive criticism from!' gay rights significant difficulties for the recepclinations. fifth of the document is devoted fulfill the proper ends of human groups, the documeqt reaffirms tion of Catholic teaching on homoThe proposed document clearly specifically to pastoral care guide- sexuality. It is disordered in that it Church teaching that !"the homo- sexuality," it says. reaffirms and explains Church lines; the larger and more impor- is not in accord with this twofold sexual inclination is objectively disOn specific concerns of pastoteaching against any sexual activ- tant part of the text is devoted to end and is thus morally wrong." ordered." ral care for those with a homosexual ity - hOIJ?osexual or heterosexual the framework of Church teaching ''There are a variety of acts, such "It is crucially important to un- inclination, the document cites the - that takes place outside mar- within which such pastoral care is as adultery, fornication and contraderstand that saying a person has a importance of their "full and, active riage, and it says authentic minis- set. It acknowledges that the teach- ception, that violate the proper ends particular inclination that is disor- participation" in Church life and try must be based on that teaching. ing is not readily accepted in many of human sexuality," it says. "Hodered is not to say that the person their need to be welcomed by the . But it also says a homosexual in- quarters. mosexual acts also violate the true as a whole is , disordered.

Some- local Church community, but it I clination is not itself sinful and Addressing general principles purpose of sexuality. They are times the church is rnfsinterpreted warns that the church should not those who are homosexually in- about human sexuality, the docu- sexual acts that cannot be open to or misrepresented as ~eaching that give roles of leadership or service clined "must be accepted with re- ment says, "The purpose of sexual life. Nor do they reflect the homosexual persons are objectively to members "whose behavior viospect, compassion and sensitivity." desire is to draw man and woman complementarity of man and lates her teaching." disordered," it says.

It sharply condemns hatred or together in the bond of marriage, a woman that is an integral part of The Church is only saying that It says those who carry out the "violent malice in speech or action" bond that is directed toward two God's design for human sexuality." the "inclination to homosexual acts, Church's ministry must not use their against homosexuals. ''Those who inseparable ends: the expression of The document distinguishes like every inclination to sin, is dis- leadership positions to advocate would minister in the name of the marital love and the procreation and sharply between homosexual acts ordered," but the person with any views contrary to Church teaching. church must in no way contribute education of children. This is the and having a homosexual inclinasuch inclinations "retains his or her It calls for outreach to homoto such injustice," it says. order of nature, an order whose tion. "While the former is always sexuals who have been alienated intrinsic h~man dignitY and value," The 23-page document, pre- source is ultimately the wisdom of sinful, the latter is not. To the exthe document says. , from the Church and for Church . Throughout its treatment the policies that explicitly reject "undocument avoids use of the term just discrimination and harassment" "orientation," referring instead to a against homosexuals. homosexual "inclination" or "tenIt says catechesis should reflect dency."

Church teaching on sexuality and

By NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN chological, or those involving re- riage."

Following classic moral theol- Church teaching against unjust disCATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE , sponsibilities to other family memThe bishops also cautioned ogy on the consistent practice of crimination.

WASHINGTON ' - Contracep- bers - may arise to make an in- Catholics that newer forms of con- virtue as an aid to control disorIt urges a full sacramental life tion introduces "a false note" that crease in family size untimely," the traception, such as the "morning-af- dered inclinations or:! passions, it and sound spiritual direction as aids disturbs marital intimacy and con- document said. ''The Church under- ter pill," may cause an abortion if says: ''The passions :ire not fixed, on the path to holiness. tributes to a decline in society's re- stands this, while encouraging taken after a sperm and egg have unchanging obstacles to moral acIt warns, however, against the spect for marriage and for life, the couples to take a generous view of joined. tion. They do not simply have to be promotion of "so-called same-sex U.S. bishopssay in a draft document children."

In an introduction to the draft, repressed in order for one to act 'marriages' or any semblance that will come before them at their That's where natural family Cardinal William H. Keeler of Bal- morally. Repeated good actions will thereof, including civil unions that fall general meeting in Baltimore. planning comes in, the bishops said. timore, chairman of the Pro-Life modify the passions that one expe- give the appearance of marriage."

The briefdocument, called "Mar- The method helps couples avoid committee, said Catholic couples riences. In fact, passions that have Church ministers may never bless ried Love and the Gift of Life," is pregnancy by refraining from inter- "report using contraceptives at about been properly disposJd aid one in or promote such unions, it says. intended for use as a brochure and course for the few fertile days the same level as those ofother faiths acting well."

It also says the Church does not I, is in question-and-answer format. around the time of the woman's or of no faith" and that only four perThe document stresses the im- support the adoption of children by Developed by the U.S. bishops' ovulation. cent ofCatholic married couples use portance of "bonds of friendship," same-sex couples, but adds that the Committee on Pro-Life Activities in "A couple need not desire or seek natural farnily plannihg. especially within families, as a Church should not refuse to bapcollaboration with the committees to have a child in each and every act The target audience for the docu- means of support for living a full tize such children if there is "a wellon Doctrine and Marriage and Fam- of intercourse," the draft document ment is Catholics "engaged to be human life. "There can be little founded hope" that they will be ily Life, the document strongly sup- said. ''And it is not wrong for couples married, newly married or contem- . hope of living a healthy, chaste life raised in the faith. ports natural family planning, say- to have intercourse even when they plating marriage"; priests and semi- without nurturing human bonds," it The document calls for the ing it "enables couples to cooperate know the woman is naturally infer- narians; and other lay Catholics, the says.

'I Church to see that "pastoral support with the body as God designed it." tile. cardinal said.

It says those who minister in the and psychological services" are ''When couples use contracep"But they should never act to supThe draft was presented to name of the Church II "should en- readily available to homosexually tion, either physical or chemical, press or curtail the life-giving power ' couples in marriage preparation courage healthy relationships be- inclined persons, especially adolesthey suppress their fertility, exerting given by God that is an integral part classes in four dioceses - Peoria; tween persons with a homosexual cents struggling with those issues, ultimate control over this power to of what they pledged to each other ill.; Phoenix; St.,Augustine, Fla.; and inclination and other members of and their families. create a new human life with God," in their marriage vows," the bishops San Diego - and 78 percent found their families." It says the local Professionals who provide counthe document to be "welcoming! Church community should also be seling services "should be chosen the draft said. added.

Recalling warnings from Popes helpful" in tone, he added.

But because natural family plana place where such people experi- carefully to ensure that they uphold Discussion and a vote on the ence friendship and sbpport. ning "does not change the human Paul VI and John Paul IT that a "conthe Church's understanding of the body in any' way, or upset its bal- traceptive mentality" would lead to document were to take place during The "overriding aik" of Church human person," it says. ance with potentially harmful drugs more abortions and other evils, the the November 13-16 meeting of the or devices, people of other faiths or bishops said, "These predictions U.S. Conference of Catholic BishOur Lady of Fatima to Sister Lucia, Blessed of no religious affiliation have also have come true. ops, taking place in Baltimore.

Jacinta and Blessed Francisco July 13, 1917 come to accept and use it from a "Today we see a pandemic of "I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Correction desire to work in harmony with their . sexually transmitted diseases, an Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If In last week's Anchor, one of bodies," it added. enormous rise in cohabitation, one my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be the co-facilitators of the Just The bishops disputed the view in three children born outside of peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing Faith Program at Our Lady of wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the that the Church's opposition to con- marriage, and abortion used by Victory Parish in Centerville Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihitraception means that Catholic many when contraception fails," the lated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father was misidentified as Theresa couples must "leave their family size draft document said. "A failure to will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period Bronson. In fact her name is entirely to chance." respect married love's power to help of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Theresa Brosnan.

The Anchor ''In married life, serious circum- create new life has eroded respect Faith will always be preserved, etc." regrets the error. stances - financial, physical, psy- for life and for the sanctity of marPaid advertisement II

Contraception hurts couples, society, bishops say in draft document

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Father Neuhaus says Roe d~cision has disrupted 'American moral life'

By MARY CHALUPSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

HAMDEN, Conn. - Father Richard John Neuhaus, editor in chief of the journal First Things and a prominent commentator on religion in the contemporary world, predicted that at some point in the coming years the Supreme Court will "step away" from its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion by overturning the decision or by passing responsibility back to the states.

"No decision has done more to disrupt American moral life" in the last 50 years than Roe v. Wade, he told an audience at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. He gave a lecture October 17 on "Religion and Democracy: The First Amendment Upside Down."

The real 'question Roe raises, he said, is "who belongs to the community" that the political ptocess in the great "American experiment" was designed to represent?

Father Neuhaus, who has written several books, was promoting his most recent work, "Catholic Matters: Confusion, Controversy and the Splendor of Truth,", published by Basic Books in March.

He urged the free exchange of iqeas and exercise of religion in the public arena.

Politics in a democracy "is free

people deliberating how ought we conduct our lives together," he said.

"And the nature ofthe thing is moral."

"The separation of church and state is a great achievement of the American political experiment," said Father Neuhaus. "But 'often it is understood to mean a separation of religion from politics. That is not what it means and not what the First Amendment required."

"To separate religion from politics is to exclude the great majority of Americans from participating in political life," he noted, "and sovereignty is 'we' the people~" Father Neuhaus noted that the phrase "separation of church and state," which was first mentioned in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a group of Baptists in Danbury, is not in the U.S. Constitution, but has entered into the judicial as well as political arena.

"It has continued to be a kind of phrase over which people rally," he noted. "But the separation ofchurch and state has ended up turning the First Amendment on its head," said Father Neuhaus, borrowing a phrase from former Chief Justice Warren Burger.

He also cited Philip Hamburger's 500-page tome, "Church and State in America," in

PRACTICE THE DEVOTION OF THE FIRST SATURDAYS, AS REQUESTED BY OUR LADY OF FATIMA

On December 10, 1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia (seer of Fatima) and spoke these words: "Announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour ofdeath with the graces necessary for the salvation oftheir souls, all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Go to confession; 2. Receive Holy Communion; 3. Recite the Rosary (5 decades); and 4. Keep me company for IS minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries ofthe Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

In a spirit of reparation, the above conditions ~ each to be preceded by the words: ''In reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after the first Saturday, and Holy Communion may be received at either the morning or evening Mass on the first Saturday.

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Our Lady's Monthly Message From Medjugorje

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October 25, 2006 Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina "Dear children! Today the Lord permitted me to tell you again that you live in a time of grace. You are not conscious, little children, that God is giving you a great opportunity to convert and to live in peace and love. You are so blind and attached to earthly things and think of earthly life. God sent me to lead you toward eternal life. I, little children, am not tired, although I see that your hearts are heavy ,and tired for everything that is a grace and a gift.

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which Hamburger dispels the "church-state myth," explaining that the intent of the Founding Fathers was not to exclude religion from politics and the public arena, but rather to prevent government from interfering in religion, as was the case in England.

However, many interpret the "no establishment" and "free exercise" provisions in the Bill of Rights to mean that, when it comes to education, social services, or any other areas where government and religion intersect, "religion had to retreat," Father Neuhaus said.

The religion clause, he explained, was intended to protect religion from the power of the state, with the purpose being the free exercise of religion. However, in recent decades, the courts have turned the religion clause upside down.

This misinterpretation "has led to enormous controversies," said Father Neuhaus, who also is the author of ''The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America."

He noted that in the last few years the Supreme Court has said that this understanding of religion is "in a state of incoherence and needs to be clarified."

"I think in the next few years we will see the religion clause" restored to "protect and advance the free exercise of religion," he said.

"People in the public square," he said, "have an obligation to bring their best moral judgment and argument and noble, compelling vision of how ought we order our lives together." .

A former Lutheran clergyman, Father Neuhaus became a Catholic in 1990 and was ordained to the priesthood for the New York Archdiocese in 1991. Time magazine named him one of the top 25 influential evangelicals in 2005. He is •president ofthe NewYorlc City-based Institute for Religion and Public Life, which publishes First Things.

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NOVEMBER

10, 2006

, The Anchor news briefs Bishops' president joins other faith leaders in condemning torture

WASHINGTON - Declaring that "the soul of our nation" is at stake, the head of the U.S. Conference ofCatholic Bishops and other religious leaders have called for an end to the use of torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners. Bishop WJ.1liam S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., was among leaders joining in a statement coordinated by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. ''Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions hold dear:' the statement said. "It degrades everyone involved - policymakers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation's most cherished values." Signers of the statement included Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox and other Christian leaders. Although Bishop Skylstad was the only Catholic signer of the statement, other Catholic organizations have signed on to the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Participating members, with representatives on the campaign's coordinating committee, include the Holy Name Province ofthe Franciscan Friars, Pax Christi USA and the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns.

Judicial showdown? Watching Roberts court on first big abortion case

WASHINGTON -A November 2 panel discussion on the Supreme Court review of the federal law banning what is known as partial-birth abortion carried a title that sums up many observers' expect!tions for how it will shape up: "Judicial Showdown." The court's decision in what is actually two cases dealing with the law likely won't be announced for several months, during which the recent oral arguments in Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood will be parsed and dissected for clues to'the outcome. At the top of the list of questions: To which side will the presumed "swing" vote of Justice Anthony Kennedy sway? Also considered possible keys to the outcome: How much weight will the court give to its own legal precedent when considering a law that closely mirrors a state statute it overtumedjust six years ago? Will the court's two newest members, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, vote, as many expect, with Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas to uphold the federal law?

Lutherans, Catholics dialogue on life after death

WASHINGTON - Catholic and Lutheran scholars met in Baltimore recently to discuss Catholic and Lutheran beliefs about life after death. Among the scholars' concerns are issues such as purgatory, indulgences and Masses, and prayers for the dead. It was excesses in 16th-century preaching about indulgences and in Catholic penitential practices that sparked Martin Luther to seek reform in the Church, starting a movement that led to the Protestant Reformation. The Baltimore meeting was the third session in the IIth round ofthe official U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue. The dialogue is cosponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The theme of the current round is ''The Hope for Eternal Life," said a November 1 USCCB news release on the meeting.

Group wants eBay to enforce ban that would prohibit sale of relics

WASHINGTON - A California group is advocating a boycott of eBay Unless the online auction house enforces its own rules against selling body parts to prohibit the sale of saints' relics. ''They've had opportunities to stop the sales, and they don't even enforce their own regulations:' said Tom Serafin, founder and president of the International Crusade for Holy Relics. According to Serafin, even a "cursory search" ofthe popular online auction site will tum up dozens of relics "often purporting to be the bones of saints" for sale. A call by Catholic News Service to an eBay representative for a response to Serafin's call for a boycott was not returned. Serafin said he had tried over the years to convince eBay through its former general counsel and customer service representatives that relic auctions should be taken down from the auctioneer's pages but to no avail.

Quest for Mideast peace must address injustices, Vatican envoy says

UNITED NATIONS - The differences that lead to violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East are merely "symptoms of a much larger issue" ofinjustice that must be addressed, the Vatican's representative at the United Nations said last week. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, papal nuncio to the international body, spoke before the United Nations' Special Political and Decolonization Committee, during a session on the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. "Each year at this meeting we recite the seemingly endless list of difficulties and differences separating Israelis and Palestinians, but they are differences which make it all the more urgent for states to address the problem of the fundamental injustice at the heart of this question:' Archbishop Migliore said. The nuncio called on the United Nations, United States, Europe and Russia to lead the way in "reactivating genuine negotiations with all dispatch." No preconditions should be imposed for those talks, he said.

NOVEMBER

15

10, 2006

Vatican officials dnwnplay new tensions over papal trip to Thrkey

NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE

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~.~. CHm;:STMAS FESTIVAL OF'LIGHTS ~ ANNfAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR ~

To kick~off our Christmas Festival of Lights we have our ead th d th f·th" Latvia November 28-29,'when the spr by e swor . e 31 . .j • II Annual Christmas Bazaar .

The pope later made clear he did· pope plans to visit the capital, Antb tb November 24 - 25 ..... Noon- 9:00 p.m.

VATICAN CITY - Vatican of-· not agree with the emperor's assess- kara, and meet with government II tb November 26 .....Noon - 8:00 p.m. ficials downplayed new tensions ment and said he was sorry that officials. .

I . over Pope Benedict XVI's planned Muslims had taken'-offense.

The prime minister's spokesLa.Salette <thristmas Cards. Knitted Items Raffle Curtains . Bought Goods Religious Articles/Jewelry trip to Turkey in late November, The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit man said Erdogan would be back . Greeting Ca~s Baked Goods Arts & Crafts Items following a shooting incident and . Father Federico Lombardi, played in Turkey November 30, when the - .an apparent political snub. down the shooting inCident, saying pope will be in Istanbul for ecu. . l~ictures with Santa Claus 947 Park Street t Attleboro, MA t 508·236-9068 t Festival of Lights ~ Novn -Jan 1,2007 Police arrested a 26-year-old it was unfortunate but that it would menical meetings. Although • II man who fired three shots in the air .not affect planning for the Novem- Erdogan was to preside over a govoutside th~ Italian Consulate in . ber.28-December 1 visit. ernment meeting that day, the Istanbul November 2 in protest of "The Hply Father is going to spokesman did not completely rule the papal visit. After firing, he thfew Ankara and Istanbul to build bridges, out a meeting with the pope if time his gun into the garden'ofthe con- .andI think this episode is completely . can be found.. sulate grounds. marginal. It will not jeopardize the Erdogan had been highly critiTurkish media quoted the man, serene preparation of the visit," the ~al of the pope's Regensburg . Ibrahim Ak, as saying he would kill Vatican spokesman said. speech, and had said that when the . the pope if he had' a chance, and that Earlier, Father Lombardi issued pope arrived in Turkey President he hoped his gesture would inspite a statement downplaying the news Ahmet Necdet Sezer would "say the similar acts of protest. that Turkish Prime. Minister Recep necessary things" in response to the As he awaited ·questioning by . Tayyip Erdogan would be out of the pope's comments on Islam. anti-terrorist officials at a local po- country and unable to meet with the Sezer and other top government lice station, Ak told a Turkish news pope when the pontiff visits. the officials are scheduled to meet with the pope shortly after his arrival in agency: "I did wnat every Muslim capital, Ankara. has do to. God willing, the pope will . It is unusual that a head of gov- Ankara. not come to Turkey; buUf he does emment would not be present to II he will see what will happen to him. welcome the pope on a foreign visit; "I will shoot at the head of any- Italian newspapers had described it one who calls the Prophet a terror- as a serious political rebuff to the ist," Ak said. pope.

He was apparently referring to But Father Lombardi said the . i ' a recent papal speech in Vatican had been aware of the Regensburg, Germany. In,it; the scheduling conflict for some time . I . pope quoted a·medieval emperor's and understood that there was no For weekend of rest remark that the founder of Islam, guarantee of a meeting with the renewed' hope. the prophet Mohammed, had prime mitiister. Erdogan will be atbrought ''things only evil and inhu- tendiIig a NATO sunumt with U.S. Make space and give the gift of retreat to yourself or others. man, such as his command to President George W. Bush in .Bv JOHN THAVIS CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

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Ch~istmas Peace?

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Take time (and a breather) for one of the following great programs:

·Knights of Columbus sponsoring 'spiritual pilgrimage' with pope

Healing from Our Wounds: Words of Hope

Decellber1- 3. 2006

fi'O~ Henri Nouwen

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I Presenter: Ernie Rivard (Retreat Director & Nouwen Society Friend)

Many wounds' are borne today by individuals, families. communiti~s and nations, Sorne of these are visible but often they are unseen. Yet. if we are honest,. we all know the reality of being wounded physically. emotionally or psychologically in some ways.. . I .

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) and those who profess Islam."

- The Knights of Columbus will It also asks that "Pope Benedict Th,,)~gh th~ writings of the late Henn Nouwen, we will ~ek ways/ito better' cope with o~r woundedness. We also' will explore. sponsor a "spiritual pilgrimage" be kept safe from all harm as he ways In whIch we can speak some words of hope to a world that too often speaks of rootlessness, hopelessness and loneliness. .

I · with Pope Benedict XVI as he prays, bears witness to the GosSeeking Peace of Soul travels tQ Turkey November 28-' pel and invites all peoples to a diaD'CI.blrl-3,200& ' Presenter: Virginia Bla~s, Djl Min. (~ertified spiritual director) December 1. logue of faith, reason and love."

Participants on this retreat will inc~ase awareness of God's presen~e and compassion, cxplore SO/llC practical and ~ssential ways Knights, their families and. all "Only a few Catholics can of praying to increase thfs awareness~ inc~ase our contemplative slance in the midst of busy lifestyles, and pmy for the gmce of Catholics are be'ing asked to pray physically travel with the Holy growing in peace in the very reality of,one's life and vocation. dllily for the pope during the trip. Father tp Turkey. but millions of Over the weekend,:we will be able to identify which of the pmctic~ prayer practice.<;are most helpful in our life and toocomplete The Knights will'pray for the us can be united with him in a more personal spiritual plan for the deepening of peace of soul iii our lives. Each participant will be able to identify what pope's intentions beginning No- prayer during his pilgrimage for spiritual practice is most helpful for peace of soul and the sharing 6r personal gifts within the life of your family and faith . .

I . vember 26. peace," Supreme Knight Carl communIty, ,'..

In ad<ll!ion, the Knights of Co- .', Anderson said in a. statement reDivine Mercy Retreat: "Jesus I Trust in You." II .' . lumbus will print and distribute leased in New Haven..

Decellllir 8-10, 20.06 Presenter: Fr. Edward Wolanski, C.P. (Passlonist Preacher) cards with a special prayer writ"We will ask Our Lady of Corne and stand in the Divine Mercy that Godshowers upon us in the season of Advent! This wondrous mercy flows from the ten by the order's chapiain, Fatima to intercede for the pope heart of Jesus. Our talks and worship will celebrate-God·s.generoJls gift of love as remembered in this great devotion of the Bishop William E. Lori of Bridge-. during this journey," Anderson Church, Come and be healed. forgiven and uplifted!

I: . port. added. "Mary is ,regar~ed with ~ Copies of the prayer are being special esteem by people of the Is- • Alcoholism-Addiction Recovery Retreat (open ilto men and women) sent to state deputies for distribu- lamic faith, and this is especially.

D8ce.blr15 -11. 200& . .. I: . . tion and to bishops and priest- true under her title Our Lady of This is an important tiJne of year to find some peace for those in t~~ Recovery Movement. This weekend will be a great members of the Knights for their Fatima, since Fatima was the opportunity to refocus, to reassess, to let go & let God. All interested in recovery are. welcome, Two insightful and inspiringrecovel'Y, speakers: .

II use and promotion. The prayer is name of the prophet Mohammed's . Fr. Vincent Youngberg. C.P. and Deacon Frederick Harkins also available online .at daughter.'" . , I . www.kofc.org.

Pope Benedict;s trip to Turkey Also consider these January Recovery Weekehds: _.

If Those joining the spiritual pil- will be his fifth trip outside Italy .:. January 5 - 7, 2007 Retreat for Women in ~Icoholism-AddictionRecovery grimage are asked to say the s~nce his election in April 2005 .:. January 19 - 21, 2007 Retreat for Women effected by another's Alcoholism prayer each day during the pope's and his first to a predominantly trip. The prayer asks that the Muslim country: The pope is vis.

To register or for more Informat.ion contact: • II pope's visit will bring about iting Turkey at the invitation of The Passionists Cal~ary Retreat Center "deeper ties of understanding, the Turkish government and the 59 South Street Shrewsbury 01545 I . MA cooperation and peace among Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch.

508-842-8821 www.calvaryretreat.org I .

Roman Catholics, the Orthodox ate 'of Constantinople.

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ALL TREATS, NO TRICKS - St. Joseph-St. Therese School youngsters enjoy th"eir • fifth annual ''Treat-n-Trunk'' Halloween Celebration. The parents decorate their cars and the children trick or treat from trunk to trunk. It's a safe way for the children to get their treats and a fun-filled evening fot all.

A TOUCH OF FROST IN HAWAII - Students Nicholas Vitorino and Sarah Quinn from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro help prepare for its "Hawaiian Fun" , auction. They and other students, under. the direction of art teacher Mary Frost, created items for the annual event. It will be held tonight at Christina's in Foxboro.

IN FORMATION - Students in Nancy Lenon-Robillard's CCD class at St. Louis de Fran6e Parish, Swansea, enjoy a recent lesson. They are working on a faith formation project.

GETTI~G

A LEG UP - Kindergarten and seventh-grade students at St. John.the Evangelist School in Attleboro work together to create lollipop spiders for Halloween.

The upper classmen meet at various times throughout the year to read to the kindergartners and work together on special arts and crafts projects.

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WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN·- Students in grades two and four, . from Holy Name School, Fall River, dressed as saints and shared .information about their saint with the rest of th~ school at a special auditorium program on All Saints' Day.

ALL KEYED UP - Students in the Extended Care Program at St. Anthony of Padua School in New Bedford enjoy working together on computers now that the cold weather keeps them off the playground.

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New Cape high school receives generous supp~rt HYANNIS - Pope John Paul II High School, Cape Cod's first Catholic high school, welcomed the support of two prominent families with strong ties to Cape Cod. Paul Birmingham has established a $250,000 scholarship fund, to be named the "John and Leona Birmingham Fund," for students demonstrating substantial need for tuition assistance. Christopher Keavy, principal of Pope John Paul II High School, expressed his gratitude to the Birmingham Family, noting that their generosity will provide the benefits of a new Catholic high school education to many who would otherwise be unable to attend. This new scholarship fund continues the Birmingham Family Foundation's support of Catholic education.

"It's a privilege to have the opportunity to help establish this much-needed Catholic secondary school on Cape Cod," said Paul Birmingham, a trustee of the Foundation.

More good news arrived with a $50,000 unrestricted gift from the T.A. Vanderslice Foundation.

Dr. Thomas A. Vanderslice, a Fulbright scholar and a leading electronics industry executive, had been recognized for outstanding academic achievement while earning doctoral degrees in both chemistry and physics from the Catholic University of

America. He has been a generous contributor to Boston College in support of its commitment to its Jesuit and Catholic heritage, endowing chairs in the physical sciences and in chemistry.

The Vanderslice Foundation requested that a classroom be named for Thomas and Margaret Vanderslice, and Keavy said the school's board of directors will be delighted to do so. "We are proud to name our first classroom for a family and foundation so strongly committed to Catholic education," said Keavy.

These gifts join the foundation established 'by Frank and Eileen Ward of Osterville, who have been primary benefactors of the school to date. The Wards recently issued a "challenge grant" of one million dollars toward the success of the new school, whereby they would match new donations dollar-fordollar, up to one million.

Keavy is quick to acknowledge the critical role private donations play in the success of the new high school. "Much has been accomplished thanks to the generosity of Cape residents and especially Frank and Eileen Ward," Keavy said. The gifts of the Birmingham and Vanderslice Foundations bring us that mUch closer to our goal."

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Words of gratitude tihis Thanksgiving

By CHARLIE MARTIN THANK You FOR LOVING ME It's hardfor me to say the things I want to say sometimes There's no one here but you and me And that broken old street light Lock the doors Leave the world outside All I've got to give to you . Are these five words tonight Refrain: Thank you for loving me For being my eyes When I couldn't see For parting my lips When I couldn't breathe Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me I never knew I had a dream Until that dream was you When I look into your eyes The sky's a different blue Cross my heart I wear no rJisguise If I tried, you'd make believe That you believed my lies (Repeat refrain) You pick me up when I fall down You ring the bell before they count me out If I was drowning you would part the sea And risk your life to rescue me (Repeat: Lock the doors ... ) (Repeat refrain) When I couldn't fly Oh, you gave me wings You parted my lips When I couldn't breathe Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me Thank you for loving me Sung by Jon Bon Jovi Copyright 2001 by Universal

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

It's Thanksgiving! We need what this holiday brings to our lives. We need its gifts of perspective and vision about what really counts in life.

I chose Jon Bon Jovi's ''Thank You for lovIng Me" to help us think about Thanksgiving's importance.

Bon Jovi released the song as an import CD-single in 2001.

The song's character goes to the heart of why we celebrate Thanksgiving. He tells another, "You pick me up when I fall down; you ring the bell befoie they count me out."

These lines speak of the unconditional support he feel~ from this individual. He tries to summarize all that he feels in saying, ''Thank you for loving me"!

I' We all need to ask ourselves, I "Who are the people I,in my life that I need to say these saine words to?"

I realize that teen life is busy schoolwork, extracurriculars, maybe athletics, maybe a job and trying to keep up with friends. You easily could go along in this hum of activity and miss thanking those who keep your life going behind the scenes of all your busyness.

Surely, it is important to thank these people. Beyond doing this, there is a line in the song that made me think of other individuals who also playa significant role in our lives. The song's character says, "I never knew I had a dream until that dream was you." These words imply a special connection to this individual, but they also can lead us to cqnsider anyone who empowers us tq dream about what our lives can be: For example, is there a teacher who would not let yOIl settle for less than your potential ~ Perhaps you

hadn't recognized your ability. Yet, because of this teacher's belief in you, an expanded view of what your future education and career can be has emerged.

Further, maybe someone else has awakened an awareness of all the good that dwells within you. Because of this new insight about who you are, perhaps you now reach out more to others and try to be of service to their needs. You have turned on to the dream of .what your life's purpose can be in caring about the forgotten, the hurting or the excluded.

Or maybe someone has challenged you to put more adventure into your life. This means discover-' ing your true passions and moving past fears shouting out that you could never achieve certain difficult, goals. Fears steal away the ability to take reasonable risks that could help you attain these goals. This person has fostered the dream and inspired the confidence required to break out of normal routines and live in more exciting and satisfying ways.

Yes, we need Thanksgiving.

There are so many to express appreciation to, surely beginning with God and then those who most frequently support your life. This Thanksgiving I encourage you to expand your words of gratitude to include those who have freed your heart to dream. They are God's angels who witness and believe in the best that your Creator placed within you.

Your comments are always wel~ come. Please write to me' at:' chmartin@swindiana.net or at 7125W 200S, Rockport, IN 47635.

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Turkey, stuffing & gravy? Dh my?

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. The smell of roast turkey will permeate our homes forcing us to beg, "Is dinner ready yet?" We'll carve into that Butterball with mouths watering.

Some of us may even still try to pass the turnips and carrots to the dog resting at our feet under the table. It's a time for us to gather as a family, reflect upon the year, and give thanks. But what is it that we are actually thankful for?

Our families? Our friends? A good report card? Our jobs? What about our Church? Where does God fall on our lists?

Adults have the bad habit of often forgetting to thank God for what is right in their lives, yet he always becomes our whipping post for when things go wrong.

How often do we take the time to give him thanks as we gather around our Thanksgiving feasts?

I'm talking not just about.the ritual "bless this food" kind of thanks, but the kind where we surrender to God everything in

our lives for which we should be so grateful.

We often assume that since God is omnipotent, he already knows what is in our heart; therefore we do not have to thank him. After all, he already knows, right? So if adults have difficulty, how can we expect our teens to "give praise and honor to his name?" How we can we better show our young people to be grateful?

Well, the winds are changing.

Instead of adults teaching youth to give thanks, it turns out that we could learn a thing or two from our youth. Not only are today's teens grateful for what they do have, but they are better attuned to giving back as participants in the Church's mission of social justice.

St. Paul writes, "So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love" (Eph. 5:1-2) and our youth are doing just that. They

have become imitators of God and are loving in deeds. A study released last November by the Corporation for National & Community Service states that 55 percent of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 participate

in volunteer activities. That's nearly double the number of adults. The study goes on to say that three-fourths of the young people who' volunt~er do so through religious organizations.

Serving the poor and less fortunate can especially be seen during the upcoming two months. Adolescents run food drives, sponsor Giving Trees, and

are at the forefront 6f many active roles in social justice 'I charitable events dunng the programs in their parishes and Holiday Season. These young communities. All Catholics people, our young people, have should look to them and let their truly become the Lord's hands voices be heard. We should bring and feet. That's the stuff that them into our parish councils and makes up today's youth,and they leadership committees. We should be acknowledged should serve alongside them. We and commended for it. should allow them to guide us Blessed Mother Teresa back to be imitators of the Lord once said, "If you try, as Paul mentions. you will find it imposFor our dedicated young sible to do one great people think with an innocence thing; you can only do that so many adults have lost small things with great through the years; for they love." Today's teen-agers understand that one person can epitomize Mother , make a difference no matter how Teresa's statement. They small. All Catholics should continually show th~ir capacity embrace that kind of love and for great love through the many compassion with the heart of a small things they ac'complish in young person. service to others. In'doing so, And the rest is just gravy. young people show::that they are Medeiros is the Youth Ministry already leaders in ohr Church.

Coordinator at St. Lawrence Through their extrabrdinary Parish in New Bedford and an " capability to serve those in need, assistant in the Diocesan Youth these faith-filled, cclmpassionate, Ministry Office. Email questions and loving teens co~ld lead and or comments to encourage adults tol:take more cmedeiros@dfrcec.com â&#x20AC;˘

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DCCW planning diocesan-wide days of adoration

By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF

FALL RIVER - The Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women are planning two days of adoration, one for the Advent season and the second during Lent in 2007.

The diocesan-wide events are being organized to pray for diocesan priests and world peace and will include exposition of the holy Eucharist and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

"It is part of the goals of the Fall River DCCW to support the spiritual needs of the women of the dio-

cese and this would be a powerful spiritual event if across the diocese the same adoration was being held," said Maureen E. Papineau, the group's president.

"It would be a wonderful opportunity for the faithfu1."

The idea for the event came following a recent retreat where attendees from the Cape, North Easton and the Attleboros came together and participated in several hours of adoration and benediction.

"It had a great impact on those attending," said Papineau. "In a roundtable discussion with the members, many stated that they had

not had a day of adoration and benediction for some time. All the women's councils and guilds throughout the diocese will be notified and encouraged to assist parishes in any way they can, as well as bring someone with them when they attend."

DCCW member Claudette Armstrong was chairman for the retreat and said it was a "wonderful experience for all the members."

The retreat, at the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation house in Dighton, was led by Father Edward A. Murphy.

"For me, adoration is a big part

of my religious life," said Armstrong. "It's a very moving experience and it's a renewal of what I experienced growing up. Every time I participate, it helps me spiritually and it's one of many special ways that we can spend time alone with the Lord."

The group is hopeful that such a day can benefit lay people of the diocese and clergy. Its moderator, St. Joseph of Cluny Sister Eugenia Brady was looking forward to the opportunity.

"The Mass and eucharistic adoration are means that the Church provides for the development of

Around the Diocese ~ :/60'

'Family, become what you are' wind and cold, but surviving until spring when light "Family, become what you are." This message returns and flowers bloom again. never gets stale although its meaning gets harder to It's an uphill battle for a family trying to survive understand as time marches on and our society in today's society. Families are not made of stone, unwisely devolves from one of life to death - a progression noted and criticized by Pope John Paul n. but are of flesh and blood and suffer wounds. Some wounds heal; many do not. Sadly, children become As we approach November 22 the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul's "Familiaris Consortio," his victims as parents find they cannot or will not remain "one flesh" and end up tom apart.

Apostolic Exhortation describing the Christian Can our families today be fresh canvasses on family's role in the modem world, I find myself which the pope's 25-year old portrait of marriage and returning often to this "command." It reminds me parenthood can be resurrected and restored with bold, that families are fragile without faith, forgiveness, colorful brush strokes? Can we embrace his decadesand fidelity all held together by love for each other and for God. It's especially easy for me to recall this old wake-up call now at the beginning of the 21st century as we face even charge because it's -----------r-~:_-more staggering technoemblazoned on the base of the "family" statue at logical advances and aggressive competitors my home parish, serving for our children's time as a beacon and reminder to all who pass and attention, as well as our own? by the flower garden that I suggest we can,

By David E. Pierce, Ph.D. surrounds it. provided we open the The silver anniversary ...._...r- door to our hearts and of"Familiaris souls on which Jesus with his light and love keeps Consortio" is good opportunity to reflect on that knocking. document's meaning and purpose and on whether Jesus would say, "Mothers and fathers you are the pope's prophetic and helpful voice was heard or more than what you can ever imagine. You are a ignored, especially by parents. family acting as a community of life and love, Your It's that most parents, including Catholics, are mission is to guard, reveal, and communicate love. unfamiliar with it. After all, how many Catholics read apostolic exhortations or papal encyclicals? For By doing so, you become a living reflection of the Father's love for humanity and my love for the the majority of Catholics, papal documents and Church. Let your children come to you, as well as teachings are read as often as ''War and Peace" or IRS tax rules. They documents rarely get much press me, Do not hinder them. Teach your children. Guard your children!" and attention, even, inexplicably, in our parishes.

This sentiment is found throughout "Familiaris In his exhortation Pope John Paul warned that the Consortia" making it clear that this guarding of our danger of distorted ways of looking at life, family, religion, and morality, "is all the more real inasmuch children, "even before birth, from the first moment of conception and then throughout years of infancy as the modem life style - especially in more industrialized nations - all too often causes families and youth, is the primary and fundamental test of the relationship of one human being to another!' to abandon their responsibility to educate their Our society appears to be ~ame. Our children find children. Evasion of this duty is made easy for them themselves imperiled because parents are distracted, by television and certain publications in the home, separated, or divorced and are not able to act as they and in this way they keep their children's time and must, that is, as dedicated, effective guards unwilling energies occupied ... families should seek for their to give their children up to a media-shaped society children other forms of entertainment that are more that would use and abuse them rather than value them. wholesome, useful, and physically, morally, and Our hope lies with young. new families needing spiritually formative." to be armed with their own fire extinguishers This is all easier said than done. Divorce rates continue to be sky high - startlingly so at about 50 charged with faith, forgiveness, and fidelity dousing flames that prevent them from becoming percent - and single-parent and grandparent what they are: a lasting communion of life and love families are commonplace, I'm reminded of the always made easier when families pray,.play, and contrast provided by our parish's ''family'' statue importantly, eat together. with a husband and wife tightly embracing, almost David Pierce, a parishioner ofChrist the King melded together, with a child in their arms. As Parish in Mashpee, is a candidate for the permaseasons change and flowers grow and then die nent diaco1Ulte in the Diocese ofFall River. leaving a barren garden, I see that "family" fighting

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hope and love," said Sister Brady.

"Anytime we can pray before the Eucharist is time well spent."

Sister Brady said that the DCCW seeks to "promote the life of the Church," and eucharistic adoration and Benediction is one way to do that.

"We encourage all Catholics to support their parish and clergy through these events. They can be a spiritual benefit to all who attend."

Papineau added, "Everything we can do to bring Christ to the faithful is important. What better way than through adoration."

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ATILEBORO - Perpetual eucharistic adoration is held at St. Joseph's Church, 208 South Main Street. For more infonnation call 508-226-1115. ..•.-.- -._.. --- ---..--..- --- ·>---····1

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ATILEBORO - A Portuguese healing service will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette.

For more infonnation call 508-222-5410.

FALL RIVER - A healing Mass will be celebrated November 16 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anne's Church. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will follow. For more information call 508-674-5651. ... _.. _....__._------:

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ASSONET - The Knights of Columbus Family of Councils is sp~msoring a symposium on Dighton Rock tomorrow at 7 p.m. at St. Bernard Church, 32 South Main Street.

It will feature presentations by author Manuel L. DaSilva and David Goudsward.

For more infonnation call 508-644-2136.

ATTLEBORO - A Bible study of the Gospel of Mark, led by La Salette Father Donald Paradis, will be held tomorrow from 11 a.m. to noon at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. For more infonnation call 508-236-9068.

FALL RIVER - Adoption By Choice, a program of sponsored by Catholic Social Services providing infonnation on domestic and international adoption will be held November 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at its Fall River office located at 1600 Bay Street. For more infonnation call 508-674-4681.

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-A lecture byTunothy Mahoney on St. Albert the Great entitled, "Disputed Questions in St. Albert," . will be held November 16 from 3:30-5 p.m. at Providence College's new Center for Catholic and Dominican Studies. It is located in the fonner Aquinas Chapel on campus. Refreshments will follow. For more infonnation call 401-865-2870.

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ATTLEBORO - The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette is currently holding its annual Thanksgiving food drive. Nonperishable food items may be left in the church hall. For more infonnation call 508222-5410.

FALL RIVER - A Mass for sons and daughters serving in the military and those that have given their lives in defense of the United States, will be celebrated November 19 at 10 am. at Sacred Heart Church, 160 Seabury Street. Following Mass, breakfast will be served to military guests and their families. For more infonnation call 508-673-0852.

FALL RIVER - A pilgrimage with Bishop George W. Coleman to Washington, D.C., for the annual March For Life is being organized by the Pro-Life Apostolate of the diocese for January 21-23. It will in-

elude Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. A youth bus, which will return on January 22 will accommodate youth at a reduced fare.

For infonnation call 508-997-2290.

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CENTERVILLE - ECHO of Cape Cod, a Catholic retreat program for high school students is now accepting applications for the next Boy'~ ECHO weekend, November 24-26 at the Craigville Conference Center.

For infonnation call 508-759-4265 or visit www.echoofcapecod,org. r-·-·---·_--

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ASSONET - Creative Christmas Shopping, featuring local crafters and vendors, will be held tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the church hall of St. Bernard Parish, 30 South Main Street. Homemade soups and desserts will be available. For more infonnation call 508-644-5585.

NEW BEDFORD - St. Joseph-SI. Therese Parish is holding a Craft Fair on December 2. Crafters are needed. For infonnation call 508-995-5235.

NEW BEDFORD - A Holiday Fair will be held tomorrow and Sunday at St. Mary's School, 115 illinois Street. It will feature a full kitchen, kid's comer, crafts, books and Chinese auction. It will open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. For more infonnation call 508-995-7229.

ORLEANS - A Work of Human Hands Craft Fair will be held November 18 from 2-6 p.m. at the St. Joan ofArc Parish center, 61 Canal Road. Work of Human Hands is a partnership between Catholic Relief Services and SERRV International that promotes economic justice for low-income artisans overseas and advances an alternative approach to international trade through the sale of fairly traded handcrafts, foods, coffee and tea For more infonnation call 508896-8829.

TAUNTON - A penny sale will be held November 18 at 5 p.m. at St. Jacques' Parish, 248 Whittenton Street. Refreshments will be available and a raffle for items including turkey dinner baskets will be held.

For more infonnation call Irene Silvia at 508-824-9650.

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NEW BEDFORD - Courage, a support group for people dealing with same-sex attraction while striving to lead chaste lives, will meet tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the rectory of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 233 County Street. The group is faithful to the Catholic Church's teachings on human sexuality. For more information call Father Richard Wilson at 508-992-9408.

NORTH DARTMOUTH - A divorcedseparated support group will meet November 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 500 Slocum Road. Refreshments will follow. For more infonnation call Bob Menard at 508-673-2997.

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Sister Anne DesRoches SUSC; taught in diocese for 60 years FALL RIVER - Holy Union Sis- the former Catholic Teachers School ter Anne M. DesRoches, 86, who in Providence, R.I. Sister DesRoches taught at Sacred taught elementary students in the Fall River Diocese for more than 60 years, Hearts Academy, Sacred Heart and St. Michael schools in Fall died November 3. She had been a resident at River, and at Immacuthe Landmark in Fall late Conception, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. River since her retireAnthony, St. Mary and ment in 1999.

St. Jacques parish The daughter of the late Emmanuel and schools in Taunton.

Besides her Holy Denise (Arsenault) Union Sisters she DesRoches, she gradu{ ated from Chelsea leaves a brother, Henry; and sisters Eva High School and enWansiewicz tered the Holy Union and SISTER ANNE Sisters in Fall River on Lorraine Twitchell.

DESROCHES, SUSC Sept 10, 1938. She was She was also the sister of the late Abel, Ernest and Hector professed on Sept. 20, 1940.

She received a teaching certificate DesRoches.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated from the former Sacred Heart School of Education in Fall River, and a Monday. Interment was in St. Patrick's bachelor's degree in education from Cemetery in Fall River.

Youth

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very happy with all aspects ofthe convention and it was a joy for me to see that we are Christ's hands and feet."

She added, "'The energy put into planning the day was amazing and I'm proud of what we accomplished."

Kevin Brawley from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Seekonk was a CLI graduate who helped organize the event and he was glad he did.

"A day like this reinforces our Catholic faith and young people can get a lot out of it."

Brawley, a junior at Bishop Feehan, added, "Overall I think the convention went really well. The workshops were good and I enjoyed working on the opening prayer slide show. We did pictures for keywords like Holy Spirit, God and the sacraments and it came out great."

Part of the day included a question and answer session with Father Frederici and Karen Perella, director of Teen Faith Formation at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville. Booths were set up where teens could learn more about programs like Emmaus, YES Retreats, Steubenville and WorldYouth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia.

Twenty graduates of CLI worked on the project along with Richard Rodrigues, Frank Lucca, Elena Sardinha, Jackie Racine, Deb Jezak, Mary Noone and Chad D' Adamo.

"It was for youth and by youth," said Medeiros.

In his homily, Msgr. Avila thanked those who made the day possible and stressed that if young people want to get closer to God they have to make it happen, they have to want it.

Fifteen-year-old Renee Bernier also helped organize the convention.

A sophomore at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, Bernier said that although it was a lot of work, "we had some really great workshops and the day flowed re-

ally well. It was wonderful."

Bernier is a member of the youth group at St. Dominic Parish in Swansea and was thankful for the opportunity to help other likeminded Catholics. "It was a chance to learn more about one's faith and I think it was a real benefit to others. I'm very happy to see how well we could work together and help others. From the tone set by the opening prayer to the Mass, it was a nice spiritual day for all participants."

At the heart of the day were numerous workshops on faith. Postconfirmation age students attended "Blueprint to the Bible," which showed students how it relates to everyday life as well as "Building Faith," and "I'm too Young to be Involved in the Mass: Breaking the Myth."

Confirmation Track students attended a session on their Catholic identity and then had several others to choose from including "Eucharist and Discipleship," and one focusing on moral decision making.

"We discussed morality, prayer, worship and the core pieces of the faith to show teens how they come together and make us Catholic," said Medeiros. "We showed how those things are important to one's personal faithjoumey and how students can grow more in the areas of morality, social justice and God's grace.

We ask are they called to accept God more in their livesT Music for the day was provided by the St. Michael's Prayer and Worship Band led by Phil Pereira. ''They really got the young people energized with their music," said Medeiros. "Students really responded to this day."

For information about upcoming youth events contact Crystal Medeiros at Diocesan Youth Ministry at 508-675-3847.

Deacon Richard 1. Hassey; served at St. Pius X Parish SOUTH YARMOUTH - Deacon Richard J. diocese of Boston in 1976.

Hassey, 82, husband of Mrs. Katharine "Kay" Besides his wife he leaves two daughters, (Healy) Hassey, died October 31.

Maryellen Boyd of North Attleboro He served as a permanent deaand Katharine A. Hassey of Pemcon at St. Pius X Parish in South broke; three sons, Richard F. Yarmouth from 1983 until 2005. He Hassey of Wilmington, Edward J. was devoted to the ministries of the Hassey of Carlisle, and Kevin M. sick and nursing home residents as Hassey of Cincinnati, Ohio; a siswell as working with divorced and ter, Mary F. Hassey of Cambridge; separated couples. a sister-in-law, Marie Healy of He performed marriages and Hingham; and 12 grandchildren. baptisms of many of his children His funeral Mass was celebrated November 3 in St. Pius X Church, and grandchildren, among others.

Born and raised in Cambridge South Yarmouth. Burial was in and a former resident of Belmont, Woodside Cemetery, -iil ---' Yarmouthport. he served in the U.S. Army during '-World War II. He was a 1947 graduDEACON RICHARD b. HASSEY The Morris & O'Connor Funeral Home in South Yarmouth was in ate of Boston College and a member of the first ordained diaconate class for the Arch- ch!rrge of arrangements.

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Sister Mary Byrne, FMM; was milsSionary; taught in Fall River NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Franciscan Missionary of Mary Sister Mary Ellen Modesta Byrne, 93, also known as Sister Mary of St. Nothelmus, who spent 68 years as a religious and who taught in Fall River, died November 1, at St. Antoine's Residence.

Born in Carp, Ontario, Canada,

a daughter of the late Anselm and the late Catherine M. (Rowan) Byrne, she entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in North Providence on the feast of St. Anthony of Padua in 1938.

As a lay person, Mary Ellen Byrne taught the Odjibway Indians on Manitoulin Island for three years before encouraged by Jesuits to become a religious.

Following her profession she was sent to St. Anthony's Convent in Fall River, and taught at Espirito Santo School where she later became principal.

Sister Byrne subsequently

taught at schools in Ohio, Providence and Woonsocket in Rhode Island, and finally at St. Michael's in Arizona where she taught Navajo Indians.

In October 1995, she was sent to Trinity Community in North Providence, R.I., where she had begun her missionary life. She was sent to Ein Karim Community as a resident in St. Antoine's in North Providence in December 2004.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated November 3 in Holy Family Chapel at St. Antoine's. Burial was in Holy Family Cemetery, North Providence.

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Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks

November 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

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A Service Family Affiliate of"FFS & S<ro,ice ('ol'P"tati"" l_iOll>l. 492 Rock Sire<\. Fan River. MA 02720 S08-676-24S4

November 15 Rev. Thomas F. LaRoche, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1939 Rev. Daniel E. Doran, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 1943 November 16 Rev. John Brady, Former Pastor, Sandwich, New Bedford, Wareham, 1856 November 17 Rev. Henry R. Canuel, Fonner Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1980 November 18 Rev. William Beston, CSC, 2004 November 19 Rev. Msgr. Lester L. Hull, Retired Pastor St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket, 1982 Rev. Philodore H. Lemay, M.S., La Salette Provincial House, Attleboro, 1990

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KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS - This Christmas stamp depicts the "Madonna and Child With Bird," an oil-on-canvas painting

by Ignacio Chacon which dates from 1765. (CNS photo/U.S. Postal Service)

Christmas stamp features sacred image from Denver Art Museum

...

DENVER (CNS) - Art lovers, stamp collectors and representatives of the U.S. Postal Service gathered at the Denver Art Museum to witness the unveiling of the 2006 religious Christmas stamp.

The stamp, which depicts "Madonna and Child With Bird," is a replica of an oil-on-canvas painting

by Ignacio Chacon which dates from 1765. The painting is part of the Engracia and Frank Barrows Freyer Collection of Peruvian colonial art at the Denver Art Museum and has been on display since 1972.

CeDleteries

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with monuments, grave stones and markers.

One of the largest of the diocesan cemeteries, Notre Dame, on Stafford Road near the Fall River-Tiverton, R.I. line, which opened in 1888, has approximately 75,000 buried there. A mausoleum was built in 1976 and another opened in 2003 to meet the demands.

St. Patrick's Cemetery in Fall River's North End, which opened in 1876, is estimated to have even more graves.

St. Mary's Cemetery behind the Stop & Shop Supermarket in Fall River's old South End, which opened in 1850, and St. John's Cemetery off Brightman Street in the city's North End, which opened about the same time, have only a few gravesites left,

Dozens of art lovers and stamp collectors lined up to be among the ftrst to buy ftrst-day issues.

Katherine Tobin of the U.S Postal Service board of governors was on hand to help with the presentation of the new stamp to the public.

"This stamp exempliftes family, charity and generosity," she said before the unveiling. "Some of the nicest things that people will receive this year will come in an envelope which has this stamp on the outside."

The Anchor

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on the last Saturday of the month for those who died during the month in Fall River and New Bedford," he stated.

At the same time, he suggests that Catholic families make arrangements for new gravesites "before there is an actual need. It has proved financially easier for them and for pastoral reasons too, to plan ahead:' He is quick to point out that he is speaking only ofthe seven "diocesan" cemeteries thatcome underhis responsibility.

Those include: Notre Dame, St. Patrick's, St. Mary's and St John's in Fall River; and Sacred Heart cemeteries one and two, and St. Mary's, all in New Bedford.

"Planning has opened up new expanses at Notre Dame and St. Patrick's, but what's exciting," he said, "is that we now have gravesites available at St. Mary's in New Bedford" St. Mary's had problems because adjacent areas were declared wetlands. ''That problem has been resolved and the land has been prepared and wehave 1,800new gravesites. We will soon start soliciting sales. The costs ofresolving the environmental issues - correctly restoring wetlands that were intruded upon and developing the cemeteries are phenomenal," he said. ''We were pleasedwith fixing what harm we had created and so were environmental officials. Wetlands aren't swamps or marshes. We cannot bury in those. But wetlands takes into account protecting such things such as special trees or untouchable areas," he explained.

"People have to realize that we don't receive any budgeted money," Father Perry disclosed. ''The only resource we have comes from the fees from sale oflots and from opening and closing graves - the fees comparable to what you would pay in a public cemetery," Father Perry reported. ')\dvanced sales help us cover expenses:'

SueDesrochers, business manager at Notre Dame Cemetery, which also oversees the New Bedford diocesan cemeteries, said a single cemetery lot at those sites costs between $510 and $640; doubles $860; and others from $980 to $1,700.

The one-time cost includes what is called "perpetual care" of the gravesites. But they do not include the additional fees for digging and closing the graves.

While Father Perry is in charge of "diocesan" cemeteries, there are approximately 19 other vintage cemeteries in the Fall River Diocese that are "parish" cemeteries and are the responsibility of the pastors of those parishes, Father Perry explained. , Those include St. John's in Attleboro, St. Anthony's in East Falmouth, St. Peter's in East Sandwich, St. Joseph's in Falmouth, St. Francis Xavier in Hyannis, St. Mary's in Mansfield, St. Anthony's in Mattapoisett, St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle in Nantucket, St. Mary's in NorthAttleboro, Immaculate Conception in North Easton, Sacred Heart in Oak Bluffs, St. Peter's in Provincetown, St. Patrick's in Somerset, Taunton Catholic Cemeteries in Taunton, Sacred Heart in Truro, OurLady of Lourdes in Wellfleet, and Holy Trinity in West Harwich.

Also among those is St. John the Baptist Cemeteryin New Bedford, one of the largest in the diocese.

"Like other older parish cemeteries in cities, where building development over the years has closed in the original space, our St. John the Baptist Cemetery on Kempton Street, established in the 1880s, is nearly ftlled," reported Father Maurice O. Gauvin, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish.

Even in the several family mausoleums within St. John's there are few available graves.

He also faces the problems ofmany oldercemeteries in New Bedford situ-

ated at what once was the end of residential areas - that they border wetlands, he told The Anchor.

"Our old cemetery is adjacent to wetlands in Dartmouth, and we are looking into seeing if some environmental restrictions, which we readily acknowledge, might be removed," Father Gauvin noted.

"Because of needs we opened a cemetery area on Allen Street in the 1990s ... but that too is beginning to ftll up very quickly," he reported.

There, he said, innovation has proved expedient.

In recent weeks, with the permission ofBishop George W. Coleman, a plan has been put into effect to install double-deck burial crypts in the cemetery, making for better use of existing space. After a burial is made in the lower crypt, a second burial can be made in the upper crypt. ''After installation all it means is removing 36-inches of dirt to allow access to the crypts," Father Gauvin, who has been pastor at St. John's for ftve years, explained.

Thirty of the crypts are planned, and they will offer space for 60 burials.

'1'he units make better use ofspace than former plots of double, triples or fours, in which graves were positioned side-by-side;' he explained. ')\dded to that, families would have to purchase not only the plots, but also the liner that went in them."

However, there is no advanced purchase of the more practical crypts by families, "because we need them immediately because we are running out ofroom," Father Gauvin said candidly.

Is running a parish cemetery another headache for the pastor?

'Let's call it more of a challenge;' Father Gauvin said, laughing. ''The hardest part is dealing with the living;' he added. "Some families expect that the day after burial the grass be growing and everything look neat."

Continued from page one

according to cemetery officials.

'TIlDe and space are finally running out in our old, well-known cemeteries;' and so we face the reality of expanding into whole new areas to meet the needs;' reported Father John J. Perry, director ofCemeteries for the Fall River Diocese.

"Ofcourse, burying the dead is one of the corporal works of mercy, and an important apostolate more so now as spaces for gravesites dwindle in numbers and we look for additional space. The good news is that we have done that, and because of long-term planning the outlook is fairly bright:' he added.

Even as new gravesites are obtained, the dead "are not forgotten and we have monthly Masses celebrated at the new Notre Dame Mausoleum

PEACEFUL SETTING - Opened in 1876, more than 75,000 faithful are buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery in Fall River. (AnchodGordon photo)

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