12.10.18

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. Christmas Message 2018 ­­— Page Three

Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River held its first-ever Living Nativity and Christmas Carol Sing on Friday, December 7. The event featured farm animals such as a mini horse, chicken, rabbit and llama, all provided courtesy of Deborah Bell and the Don’t Forget Us … Pet Us animal sanctuary in North Dartmouth and costumes made by Barbara Gerraughty. Resident Annette Phenix portrayed Mother Mary, while retired diocesan priest Father Manuel Ferreira took on the role of St. Joseph. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza) The Anchor - December 14, 2018

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Dad continues son’s rich legacy of caring for the poor

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — In reality a scarf is one of the smallest of garments, but for a person trying to keep warm it can be a God-send. That strand of fabric can protect one’s face and neck against the wicked wind-chills so common in this area from November to April.

Those God-sends are being provided by 84-year-old Lenny Nicolan, who currently runs the St. Vincent de Paul Stores on Pleasant and County streets in Fall River.

Daily, Nicolan ties scarves to a pole in front of the Pleasant Street store with a sign that reads: “Please take a scarf. It will keep you warm during the cold of winter.”

The scarves are free for anyone who needs one. The sign also has a photograph on it — a photo of Michael Nicolan who started the tradition of providing free scarves during the time of year when they’re most needed. Sadly, the younger Nicolan, who had taken the stores over from his father, died last year from a rapidlyprogressing brain tumor. Beneath the photo it reads: “In memory of Michael Nicolan, St. Vincent de Paul Store manager.”

“Providing free scarves for those who need them is very close to my heart,” Lenny Nicolan recently told The Anchor. “One, I do it in honor and in the memory of my beloved son, and two, it gives people out there the opportunity to help out another person.”

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Nicolan and the St. Vincent de Paul Store rely on donations of scarves. “We need people to bring us scarves so we can get through the next several months of harsh weather,” Nicolan continued. “It doesn’t matter if the scarves are new or used. I even take some home and wash them if that’s what needs to be done to make them of use to those in need.”

It was the harsh twist of fate of losing Michael that brought Lenny back to the St. Vincent de Paul Store he started decades ago, to help myriad people in need in one of Massachusetts most economically-challenged cities, Fall River.

Roughly 10 years ago, Michael took over for his dad and turned the stores into smoothly running operations. “Michael cared so much for people in need,” the elder Nicolan told The Anchor. “I want to continue this in his memory for as long as I’m walking this earth. It’s so rewarding to see people my age walk into the store with three or four new scarves, still with the price tags on, and donating them to be given out. And some of these people are on fixed incomes.

“There are an awful lot of people, in all walks of life, rich and poor, who can help someone in need. And the need to keep warm continues way past Christmas.”

Nicolan told The Anchor that he keeps the scarves covered in clear plastic when they are tied to the pole. “A wet or damp scarf does no Turn to page 20

Tied to a pole outside the St. Vincent de Paul Store on Pleasant Street in Fall River are scarves for those in need to take for free during the cold-weather months. A sign offering the scarves has a photo of former store manager Michael Nicolan who passed away last year. His father, Lenny, offers the scarves in memory of his beloved son, who started the tradition a few years back. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha’s Christmas Message 2018

Dear friends in Christ,

This year that is coming to a close, has been a year full of challenges for our world, our country, our diocese and for the Universal Church. We have seen natural disasters: fires destroying homes, lives and entire communities in California; we have seen powerful hurricanes affecting the lives of millions of people; we have seen violence in our country and around the world; we have seen racial tensions and migrants suffering from displacement. We have seen scandals ripping through the heart of the Church and affecting the faith and trust of God’s people in the Church and her leaders. We have seen the face of sin and evil all around us.

In our own diocese, four churches closed: Saint Bernadette, Holy Rosary, Holy Cross and Saint Anne. As Bishop of Fall River, these were difficult decisions to make, knowing that closing these beloved places of worship would cause tremendous sadness for the faithful parishioners of these parishes.

On the other hand, we have also seen commitment of so many good people to remain faithful and connected to God and the Church. We have seen the solid faith of so many who are not abandoning God or the Church. We have seen people fighting the evil of racism, working to eradicate the sin of sexual abuse, and dedicating their talents to protect life and to protect this planet, our common home. It is because of the generosity and commitment of so many good people, and because we know that God will never abandon us, that hope is kept alive.

God’s grace and our faith continue to help us remain committed to making this world a better place.

As we celebrate Christmas, let us remember that when Jesus came, He did not find a peaceful, loving world; He found a world filled with discrimination, division, violence and war. Jesus Himself was a victim of these evils, but He faced these evils head-on because He is the Prince of Peace.

Jesus comes to us again this Christmas, in the midst of all the evil in the world, to bring peace. He asks us to embrace with Him the mission of transforming the world by eliminating what is evil in ourselves first. “Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye” (Mt. 7:5). Christmas is the perfect time for us to pause and reflect on how we each contribute to what is not going well in the world and how we can contribute to make the necessary changes. The message of peace and Salvation that Jesus brought us 2,000 years ago will only be realized when we accept our responsibility to make a difference through our faith and with our talents.

This Christmas, as we gather with family and friends, let us remember that Christmas is much more than just a holiday or feast; it is a Sacred moment celebrating the coming of Christ to save us and our world and entrusting us with the task of continuing His mission of saving and Sanctifying the world. Let us pass on to our children and young people the values we received from our ancestors and rekindle the real Spirit of Christmas in our hearts, our homes, our families and throughout the world.

Merry Christmas! Feliz Natal! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noel!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. Bishop of Fall River

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St. Anne’s Food Pantry continues to serve needs in central Fall River

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

FALL RIVER — Despite the recent closing of the iconic St. Anne’s Church and Shrine in Fall River, there’s still one important mission that will continue every Saturday morning in the former shrine location for the foreseeable future — the weekly St. Anne’s Food Pantry.

According to Philippe R. Gregoire, a former parishioner who began coordinating the non-profit food pantry effort back in 2004, the diocese is letting them continue to work out of the downstairs shrine location.

“The diocese has been good to us and they’re letting us stay open here,” Gregoire recently told The Anchor. “They didn’t call me and say, ‘Hey, guess what? You’re out of luck.’ No, they said we can stay here and they will try to find us another place. In the meantime, I’ve been trying to find one, too, but it’s not

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easy. But the diocese has remained very supportive of our cause.”

Now entering its 15th year as an official non-profit entity, Gregoire said there’s still a “decent amount of people coming every Saturday” to the food pantry and he estimates that they serve between 150 and 160 families each week. Once a month, they also coordinate the Brown Bag Program, which used to be run by Bristol Elders.

“We deliver close to 500 bags once a month,” Gregoire said.

“We deliver to the various housing (units) like Barresi Heights, Cardinal Medeiros Apartments, the Ship’s Cove, and others. A lot of them can’t make it (to the food pantry) for whatever reason, so we do that service as well. So in addition to our regular Saturday every week, once a month we deliver the Brown Bag Program, which consists of a good-sized bag of food.”

Working with a core group of about 25 volunteers — many of them former parishioners — Gre-

goire maintained that the need is still great, especially in the central part of the city.

“Like anything else, we could do more if we had the help,” Gregoire said. “Now that they’ve closed the church and the shrine, we have the food pantry in the lower part of the shrine area. We keep tables up so people can come get the stuff, but we keep the tables close so people can’t wander off into (the shrine area). So I keep a pretty good handle on it. And there’s no bathroom facilities available anymore, so they can go to the hospital (next door) if they really have to go that badly.”

While he’s sad about the closure of his longtime parish, Gregoire said there is an upside to being the only group still using the downstairs shrine.

“We’ve expanded our food pantry area and essentially put out chairs now,” he said. “Whereas before we used to have to break everything down every Saturday because they’d have the Mass in the shrine, now we don’t have to break it down. It makes it a little easier and we have a much larger space.”

Gregoire said the first food pantry held after the official closing “went wonderfully” and people were able to sit and wait for the food to be organized and dispersed.

“We have some people who get there as early as 5:30 or 6 a.m.,” Gregoire said. “We’re open from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Then the monthly Brown Bag Program we do from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For those people that we don’t deliver to, they can come and pick it up at that time. We keep a little area at the shrine for that as well.”

The added space will also come in handy for the newly-implemented clothing drive that Gregoire recently began.

“We also pass out clothing now at no charge,” he said. “We give out coats, hats, and clothes. If we have any additional items that people drop off, we give it away — stuff like silverware, pots and pans, household items. Whatever we get that is donated, we pass out.

We have started a pretty extensive

clothing program now. We pass that out once a month for people who need it. If they have a baby, we also give them diapers once a month. We just opened up a new area in our pantry, which is directed totally towards clothing, but that is limited to what we get in donations.”

As one of the few remaining weekly food pantry operations located in central Fall River, Gregoire is proud that he’s able to continue to provide for the city’s poor and needy.

“I was here when it began in the monastery (behind the church) where they used to pass out bags of food as you were walking in,” he said. “Then at some point it, when it closed and they made apartments out of it, they allowed me to open up a small area in the shrine. We used to pass out maybe six bags of food a month, maybe seven. Then all of a sudden it escalated to where it’s gotten now. As we grew, they allowed us more space. We have three computers that we use to log people in now — we’ve got to keep track of it all, so it’s a lot more technical than it used to be. You’ve got to keep track of this stuff and send it to Boston when you want to file for grants and things like that. There is a lot of information that’s needed, so it’s getting quite technical.”

In the early days, most of the food came from parish donors, but Gregoire said they now get supplies from the Greater Boston Food Bank, which requires them to keep track of the clients and make sure they meet certain prerequisites.

“There are certain qualifications that they have to meet,” he said.

“Much of it is income-based and depends on the number of people in a family. The federal government has certain requirements, so there’s guidelines if you get assistance or food from them. But I have never refused anybody since I’ve been working there. Most people are really in need and don’t come just for the sake of getting it.”

To that end, Gregoire is also required to conduct an annual census Turn to page 20

Miraculous Medal devotion in Taunton celebrates 75 years

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

TAUNTON — For the past 75 years, every Monday evening at 7 p.m., you can find faithful parishioners at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Taunton celebrating a devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

The weekly Novena began in the parish in October of 1943, during World War II when prayer was of the utmost importance. In wartime, this Novena to Our Lady flourished across the country and throughout the world. Parishioners at St. Andrew’s take pride in knowing that this devotion has continued in the same church — previously named St. Joseph — for 75

years, on the same day, and at the same time all these years.

“When I came to the parish two years ago, I was pleased to know that the weekly Novena had been going on for more than 70 years,” said Father Edward A. Murphy, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish.

“I’ve always had a personal devotion to the Miraculous Medal, which began when I was younger and my sister became ill. I still wear the medal to this day and when I was ordained, I placed a Miraculous Medal on my chalice.”

Our Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Labouré in 1830 when Catherine was just 24 years old and a novice with the Daughters of Charity. Our

Lady modeled the Medal and asked Catherine to have a medal struck after her model. It was to be

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

In his dissent, Thomas wrote that he thought his colleagues on the bench were trying to avoid any cases involving Planned Parenthood, the country’s largest abortion provider. This case in particular did not involve abortion, but concerned other services provided by Planned Parenthood.

“What explains the court’s refusal to do its job here?” asked Thomas, adding, “I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named ‘Planned Parenthood.’”

Thomas was furious with the court’s denial of certiorari, saying: “But these cases are not about abortion rights,” but rather “about private rights of action under the Medicaid Act.” “Resolving the question presented here would not even affect Planned Parenthood’s ability to challenge the

called “The Medal of the Immaculate Conception.”

Two years later, in 1832, 2,000 medals were minted.

People were encouraged to wear them around their neck and say the “Memorare” prayer. Because so many miracles were attributed to

this medal, it later became known as the “Miraculous Medal.”

St. Catherine died in 1876 and in 1933, upon her beatification, she was exhumed and found to be incorrupted. She is buried beneath an altar encased in glass at 140 Rue de Bac in Paris, France, at the convent where Mary appeared to her.

St. Catherine was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947.

Appropriately enough, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish is home to a rare first-class relic of St. Catherine — a piece of bone — which is venerated every Monday night at the close of the weekly Novena.

Father Murphy said the weekly Novena continues

to be well-attended and, with the exception of weekend Masses, remains the “largest Spiritual gathering in Taunton.”

“The association between myself and Our Lady through the Miraculous Medal has lasted a long time in my life,” Father Murphy said. “I am happy that we can keep the devotion alive in our parish.”

All are welcome to come and join this weekly devotion every Monday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 19 Kilmer Avenue in Taunton, where the Blessed Sacrament is placed on the altar, followed by Benediction, praying of the Rosary, a homily and Novena prayer to Our Lady.

States’ decisions; it concerns only the rights of individual Medicaid patients to bring their own suits. Some tenuous connection to a politically fraught issue does not justify abdicating our judicial duty.”

Former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson told CNA that she did not agree with the court’s decision.

“States should have every right to divert funding away from the nation’s largest abortion provider and towards health centers that provide true healthcare to patients, not

one that promotes abortion above all else,” Johnson said.

She also pointed out that Planned Parenthood has done fewer and fewer preventative services in recent years. Between 2009 and 2016, the number of breast cancer screenings done by the organization dropped by 61 percent, she said.

“Other cancer screenings have dropped by 64 percent during the same time. And forget about prenatal services and adoption referrals. Those services are barely offered, if at all at some Planned Par-

enthoods,” added Johnson.

Johnson told CNA she believes states should instead fund federal qualified healthcare clinics, which “outnumber Planned Parenthood nearly 20-to-one and see 10 times the number of patients that Planned Parenthood does every year.”

U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear case of states defunding Planned Parenthood

Washington, D.C., (CNA/EWTN News) — The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from states which were seeking to terminate Medicaid contracts with Planned Parenthood, meaning that these contracts will remain.

Kansas and Louisiana had attempted to block Medicaid funds from being used for preventative care services provided by Planned Parenthood.

A lower court ruled that this policy violated federal law, and the states were attempting to appeal this decision.

By deciding not to hear the case, the court has not cast a judgement on the questions contained in the appeals.

Only three judges — Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch — voted to grant certiorari. This is one short of the four needed.

Voting against certiorari were newly-confirmed Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Chief Justice John Roberts, and

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Anchor Editorial

Mercy in Advent

What can I do for Christmas? Or, more appropriately, what can I do in the remainder of this Advent so as to truly receive Christ, Who comes to us each and every day?

This week’s edition of The Anchor provides ample opportunities to serve Christ by carrying out the Corporal Works of Mercy: clothing the naked, feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty. On pages two and 20 we’re invited to help in the scarf program of the St. Vincent de Paul Store in Fall River. We can either donate scarfs or help in the distribution of them (and/or lend a hand at the store).

On pages four and 18 we read about the continuation of the St. Anne’s Food Pantry in downtown Fall River and the increased need of monetary and food donations, as well as helping hands to distribute the groceries.

Even if we can’t help out in Fall River, we can help people locally or globally to be fed and clothed.

Another Corporal Work of Mercy is sheltering the homeless. Throughout our diocese we can collaborate with Catholic Social Services and other agencies (with our donations of money or time) to do this.

Visiting the sick is also a Corporal Work of Mercy. During this time of year (and throughout the year — people are not only lonely in December) we can take the time to visit a sick friend or relative. If there is no one in our lives that we know is ill, we can find a way through the parish or through other agencies as to how we can bring some joy to the sick via a visit.

Visiting the imprisoned is also on this list. This is not always an easy thing to do (it’s difficult to get into prison [without committing a crime of one’s own] and we have to overcome our own reticence to go there).

We can at least begin by reading up on the Church’s teachings on crime, punishment, mercy and justice and reviewing our bishops’ recent pronouncement on criminal justice reform. We can think about getting involved in the REC program — Residents Encounter Christ, a group of Catholics who visit prisons, put on retreat programs for the residents (the incarcerated) and help people re-enter society once their “time” is over.

The last of the Corporal Works of Mercy ties into one of the Spiritual ones — burying the dead and praying for the living and the dead. December is a very difficult time of year for people who are in mourning.

They can see so many other people saying that this is “the most wonderful time of the year,” and all they can think about is their loss. Our prayers for the living and the dead can help us remember why Christ came in the first place — so as to free us from unending death by freeing us from our slavery to sin. We pray for God’s mercy upon the souls of the dead and we pray that God would help us to love better the living, so that we can see Christ in them (as we were reminded on page 10).

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Vol. 62, No. 25

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

On page eight we learn how we can help instruct the ignorant (and enjoy a good meal) by participating in the FACE brunch so as to help defray the tuition costs for families with children in our Catholic schools.

On page 18 we see how the Knights of Columbus are also helping in this regard and inviting other people to reach into their wallets, too.

On page 15 Catholics from Swansea admonish the sinner, as they call upon the Church hierarchy to reform itself in the face of the continuing abominable abuse crisis. Their letter shows us how they took the time to pray and think about what they should do before they acted. This is a good model for all of us, as we consider all the evil in our world and wonder how we should address the people who cause it (while always remembering that we are sinners, too).

Comforting the afflicted is also a Spiritual Work of Mercy. This might seem like a Corporal one (and the above listed works to help the hungry, homeless and ill do give them comfort). Lamentations 3:21-22 (which is often proclaimed in funeral Masses) reminds us, “This I will call to mind; therefore I will hope: The Lord’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, His compassion is not spent.” One of the Spiritual comforts we can give someone else is helping them find reasons to have hope. This is not always easy, so we need to pray for guidance as to what we should say. The Diocese of Fort Worth has a good webpage (https://fwdioc.org/worksof-mercy.pdf ) with Biblical quotes for each of the Works of Mercy. The ones listed for giving comfort are especially helpful.

Bearing wrongs patiently and forgiving offenses willingly are sometimes things we can do right at the Christmas dinner table. This does not mean that we should put up with domestic violence or other outrageous behavior, but it does mean that we need to imitate Christ’s patience with our own sinfulness by being patient with others.

The last Work of Mercy we will mention is counseling the doubtful.

The classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” deals with the doubts a good man has about his own worth and about whether anything in this world can truly improve. An angel “counsels” him by showing him what his town would be like without him. Again, with the help of prayer, we can help other people see their value in the eyes of God (Who thought they were valuable enough to lay in a manger and die on a cross for them) and see how God has not abandoned them now.

These last days of Advent are a great time to go to daily Mass and listen to how God collaborated with lowly human beings (Mary and Joseph, Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist) as He sent His Son to bring us Salvation. The readings invite us lowly people to similarly respond to God’s presence, in the Eucharist and in our neighbors, so as to respond to His mercy towards us with love for Him.

Daily Readings Dec. 15 – Dec. 28

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Dec. 15, Sir 48:1-4,9-11; Mt 17: 9a,10-13.

Sun. Dec. 16, Third Sunday of Advent, Zep 3:14-18a; (Ps) Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18. Mon. Dec. 17, Gn 49:2,8-10; Mt 1:1-17. Tues. Dec. 18, Jer 23:58; Mt 1:18-25. Wed. Dec. 19, Jgs 13:2-7,24-25a; Lk 1:5-25. Thurs. Dec. 20, Is 7:10-14; Lk 1:26-38. Fri. Dec. 21, Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Lk 1:39-45.

Sat. Dec. 22, I Sm 1:24-28; Lk 1:46-56. Sun. Dec. 23, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Mi 5:1-4a; Ps 80:2-3,15-16,18-19; Heb 10:5-10; Lk 1:39-45. Mon. Dec. 24, 2 Sm 7:1-5,8b-12,14a,16; Lk 1:67-79. Tues. Dec. 25, The Nativity of the Lord, Vigil: Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5,16-17,27,29; Acts 13:16-17,22-25; Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25. Midnight: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3,11-13; Ti 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14. Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1,6,11-12; Ti 3:4-7; Lk 2:15-20. Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6;Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5,9-14. Wed. Dec. 26, Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Mt 10:17-22.

Thurs. Dec. 27, 1 Jn 1:1-4; Jn 20:1a,2-8. Fri. Dec. 28, 1 Jn 1:5—2:2; Mt 2:1318.

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The ‘gay mentality’ that has influenced the life of the Church

n December 3, “The Strength of a Vocation,” a book-length interview with Pope Francis by Father Fernando Prado, a Spanish Claretian Missionary, was published in 10 languages.

Father Prado, a theology professor at the Pontifical University of Salamanca, asks 60 questions on a wide range of topics with regard to priestly, religious and consecrated vocations, but the only subject that made headlines was what Pope Francis said with regard to priests, religious, seminarians and candidates with same-sex attractions.

The context was a conversation Pope Francis said he had had with a bishop who didn’t think it was a problem that several priests in his large diocese were openly gay because it was just an “expression of affection.” The pope corrected him, saying, “This is a mistake. It is not just an expression of affection.”

Neither the bishop nor the Bishop of Rome defined what was meant by “openly gay,” whether it meant participation in unchaste gay practices or publicly identifying oneself as gay and aligning oneself with the gay movement. Whatever the definition, however, the pope declared, “In the consecrated life and in the priestly life, there is no place for that kind of affection,” meaning, it seems, no place for same-sex sexual activity, same-sex public displays of affection, and affection for the gay lifestyle.

With regard to priests and religious engaging in same-sex sexual activity, Pope Francis called them to stop living as hypocrites and make a choice whether they’ll live a Christian or gay lifestyle. “I say to the priests, gay religious men and women,” the Holy Father forthrightly stated, “we must urge you to live fully celibate and, above all, to be exquisitely responsible, trying not to scandalize your communities or the holy faithful people of God by living a double life.

It is better that you leave the ministry or consecrated life rather than live a double life.”

Concerning candidates for hood or faithful religious out the priesthood or religious of religious life simply for life, Pope Francis said, “Hosame-sex attractions. But if mosexuality is a very serious priests or religious want to issue that must be adequately identify with the gay lifestyle discerned from the beginor live a double-life, the Holy ning with the candidates” Father is underlining that it is adding, “The Church recomincompatible with what they mends that people with this promise. ingrained tendency not be acConcerning candidates for cepted into the ministry or the the priesthood and religious consecrated life. The ministry life, there is a stricter standard or the consecrated life is not because we are not dealing his place.” with those who are ordained “It’s something that worries or in final vows. What Pope me,” he continued. “We have Francis said is consistent with to discern with seriousness the Congregation for Clergy’s and listen to the voice of the experience that the Church has. It Putting Into may be that at the mothe Deep ment they are accepted they don’t exhibit that tendency, but later

By Father they come out.” For Roger J. Landry that reason, he said, we must “very much take care of human and sentimen- 2016 instruction for seminary tal maturity” when training formation that that he apfuture priests and religious, proved and ordered to be puband “be demanding,” because lished. That document, “The “in our societies it even seems Gift of the Priestly Vocation,” that homosexuality is fashion- reiterated the Church’s posiable and that mentality, in tions from 1962 and 2005, some way, also influences the emphasizing: “The Church, life of the Church.” while profoundly respectNone of what he said was ing the persons in question, really new. cannot admit to the seminary With regard to priests not or to Holy Orders those who living chastely, Pope Francis practice homosexuality, preshas regularly called priests ent deep-seated homosexual living unchastely either to tendencies or support the sorepent and thoroughly convert called ‘gay culture.’” The reason or have the integrity to leave. is because “such persons, in Prior to the papacy, Cardifact, find themselves in a nal Jorge Bergoglio said in situation that gravely hinders book-length interview with them from relating correctly Sergio Rubin and Francesca to men and women” and “one Ambrogetti that a priest “can- must in no way overlook the not scandalize a community negative consequences that and abuse the souls of the can derive from the ordination faithful,” which is why “the of persons with deep-seated great hypocrisy of the double homosexual tendencies.” life” cannot be tolerated. In The instruction considers a another book with Rabbi few different situations.

Abraham Skorka, he said that The first is with regard to if a priest violates his comthose who are engaging in unmitment to chaste celibacy, he chaste and sinful homosexual tries to “help him to get on activity or those who are living track again” through penance or promoting the gay lifeand chastity, but that one who style in opposition to Church proves incapable of observing teaching. It would be insane celibacy must leave. for the Church to ordain The Church has never those who do not practice considered kicking faithful what they are called to preach. priests out of the priestLikewise, those who support

is wrong about her constant a “gay culture” — and look at teaching on homosexuality, homosexuality as something and therefore can be wrong that should be celebrated, on other matters of faith either by living it themselves and morals about which she or enabling those who do — definitively teaches. Likewise, simply are not thinking with he must also overcome greater the mind of the Church they challenges in seminary formahave sworn a solemn oath to tion and priestly living. While represent. it is of course possible with The second is for those whose same-sex attractions are God’s grace for a man with profoundly rooted same-sex “ingrained,” “deep-seated,” or profoundly rooted, in contrast tendencies to remain chaste, seminary and rectory living to “transitory.” The Church recognizes that there is a huge would provide temptations to him that a typical heterodifference between one who sexual seminarian or priest experiences some fleeting living in those same cirsame-sex attractions cumstances would not face.

— which, because of their ephemeral char- Failure here, too, would be grievous for the man and the acter, can and “must Church. be clearly overcome Some have tried to accuse at least three years Pope Francis and the Church before ordination to the diaconate” — and of an unchristian animus another whose attrac- toward those with same-sex attractions, creating one set tions are strong and seemingly a permanent part of of standards for straights and one’s self-identity. The Church another for gays, speaking about chastity for one and has established the bar not at not the other. The Church whether a man can practice indeed calls all priests, relicontinence (the abstention gious, seminarians, postulants from sexual activity), but at whether he is free of what the and novices to chaste celibacy “Catechism” calls “intrinsically — something that, frankly, everyone knows. disordered” same-sex affecThe issue is not that the tions.

Church treats heterosexual Does this mean that the Church thinks that someone and homosexual unchaste behavior differently — the with same-sex attractions Church considers both sincannot be a good and holy, ful — but that the Church chaste priest or religious? objectively treats heterosexual No. Some are. The question and homosexual attractions is not whether it’s possible, and “identity” differently, but whether it is prudent and likely, for there have also something that is offensive to gay ideology. That ideolbeen priests with same-sex ogy maintains that same-sex tendencies who have not attractions are merely “differserved with the same disently ordered” than oppositetinction. sex attractions.

For one with deep-seated The Church, however, homosexual tendencies to holds that they’re rather become a holy priest, for “intrinsically disordered” at example, he needs much greater humility than a typical the level of their “affective and sexual complementarity,” and heterosexual man and has to that when someone identifies overcome many more obstadeeply with them, it is relevant cles. First, for him to believe to the question of fittingness and teach the Catholic faith, for the “strength of a vocation” he must be able to say with to the priesthood or religious integrity, “I have a disorder in life. my emotions and attractions Anchor columnist that is not my fault, but which Father Landry can be I have to work to overcome.”

Otherwise, he will be tempted contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com. to conclude that the Church The Anchor - December 14, 2018 7

FACE Winter Brunch to support Catholic schools scholarship fund

FALMOUTH — Once again, supporters of Catholic education are invited to enjoy a winter brunch on Cape Cod complete with food and festivities while at the same time help Catholic school students in the Fall River Diocese.

The 14th annual Foundation to Advance Catholic Education, Inc., winter

brunch will be hosted

by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. The event will take place on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, at the Coonamessett Inn of Falmouth. Proceeds from the event benefit FACE, which provides needs-based scholarships to children attending Catholic schools on Cape Cod and throughout southeastern Massa-

www.anchornews.org

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

chusetts.

Gillian Lewis Milligan, event chairperson, and the committee are planning an afternoon of delicious food, children’s entertainment and a visit from Wally, the official mascot of the Boston Red Sox. Beginning at 11:30 a.m., the festivities will include an award-winning Sunday brunch buffet and a fun-filled raffle with fantastic prizes, including five Walt Disney World Tickets.

In his letter of invita-

tion to the winter brunch, Bishop Cunha notes the diocese’s Catholic schools are committed to academic excellence.

“Knowing your ongoing support and the current trajectory of our Catholic schools, I am so hopeful for the future of Catholic education in the Diocese of Fall River. I am so appreciative to the many generous and dedicated people who have given their time, shared their talents, and supported us with their resources to

make our schools vibrant for the future,” wrote the bishop.

The FACE winter brunch offers a great opportunity to help support Catholic education in the Fall River Diocese.

For details, including ticket information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jane Robin at 508-759-3566, via email at JaneR@dioc-fr.org and to purchase tickets or sponsorships online, please go to www.face-dfr.org.

Seating is limited.

East Freetown — Troop 333 welcomes all to receive the Peacelight at St. John Neumann Church on December 15 at the 4 p.m. Mass.

Peacelight is a tradition in which the flame taken from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the presumed location of the birthplace of Christ, is carried from candle to candle by Scouts around the globe. According to Boy Scout Kyle Viera,

“It’s crazy how the light came all the way from Bethlehem and Scouts can pass it on. It’s very special to be able to make everyone’s Christmas better.”

For 30 years, Scouts across the world have carried lanterns and candles, spreading the gift of Christ’s peace.

This year, Scouts will be disseminating that same flame to all those at St. John Neumann Church.

“Peacelight is a concrete example of the unity of peoples across the world supported by the Scouting movement,” noted Mark Perry, a parent of Scouts in Troop 333.

Troop 333 is a Catholic Scout Troop affiliated with St. John Neumann Church. They meet outdoors September through May working on skills such as building catapults and first aid. A familybased troop, siblings and parents are welcome at all Troop 333 activities, including camping outings and field trips. Girls, aged seven to 18, will be able to join the Scouting

program Feb. 1, 2019.

Venturers, both boys and girls aged 14 through 21, work on high adventure and community service opportunities.

The troop is looking to add a Cub Scout program for boys and girls seven through 11 years of age to work on service to the community and activity pins such as outdoors and cooking. They also have the opportunity to complete religious emblem awards.

On Saturday, December 15 after the 4 p.m.

Mass, Scouts of Troop 333 will distribute candles to those who wish to take the Peacelight home to their families for the Christmas season. St. John Neumann is located at 157 Middleboro Road, East Freetown.

All families with children, boys or girls, from seven to 21 years of age who are interested in the Scouting program are also welcome to attend and meet current Scouts. They can also contact Debbie Perry, 508-951-0093, or DebMPerry@gmail.com for more information.

Scouts host Peacelight in East Freetown on December 15

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness…to give you a future full of hope” ( Jer. 29:11).

Dear Parishioners: Advent is preeminently a season of hope. As we enter into this Advent season, I am wonderfully filled with hope for our future. I am most grateful for the extraordinary planning efforts these last few years for our Catholic schools and the new Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. And today 32 of our parishes are now engaged in strategic planning — imagining new partnerships and collaborations for a stronger future. Throughout this winter and spring more parishes will begin their planning.

Many of you — more than 600 parishioners to date! — are participating in these initial planning efforts. You are setting us on the right course for strong collaboration, creative thinking, and inspirational goal-setting. You inspire me!

Last spring, I conducted Listening Sessions throughout the Diocese that were attended by over 1,500 lay people and priests. Maybe you were there. I listened to your needs, your concerns, and your new ideas. I now realize that the Diocese has to improve the ways we support our parishes with better administrative assistance, innovative programming, effective communications, and inspirational leaders. You need and deserve more from us, at the diocesan level, than perhaps we have been providing in the past.

To accomplish this, I am inviting lay and clergy leaders from across the entire diocese to come together to imagine and develop the kind of diocesan services and ministries that can better support our parishes.

I need to engage people of vision — clergy and laity — and that is why I am writing to you. I need your counsel and advice — your time and talent — and I would like to personally extend an invitation to you to serve as a member of one of the following diocesan planning commissions that will launch in February:

1. Catholic Social Services Commission will plan for significant growth and re-branding. They will galvanize their mission, vision, and goals, and create an operational plan for CSS that includes ways to partner with our parishes and schools. We can better serve the poor and marginalized of our society if we work together and not in parish or ministry silos.

2. Youth and Young Adult Commission will develop inspirational programming and recruit new leadership for the formation and evangelization of our “Generation Y” Mil- lennials (born between 1980-1994, ages 24-38) and our “Generation Z” (born between 1995-2012, ages six-23).

3. Diocesan/Chancery Governance Commission will evaluate the current operations and effectiveness of our chancery offices and ministries, and determine new ways to better serve our parishes. This commission will have subcommittees to address the following:

a. Communications — to bring the diocese into the 21st century and design systems for better database management, marketing, advertising, email,

and social media.

b. Human Resources — to better support our parishes in their need to recruit, hire, train, and retain a committed and skilled workforce.

c. Finance — to develop better methods and the proper administrative services to support our parishes with better accounting and financial management.

d. Property and Real Estate — to provide better assessment services and resources to help parishes manage their physical properties now, and for the future.

These commissions will meet once a month for five or six months beginning in February. If you want to participate on one of these commissions, you will be expected to make the meetings a priority and attend them! (Some commissions, depending on the desire of the participants, may hold additional optional meetings.) They will be professionally facilitated, and support materials will be sent electronically to all participants. All planning communications will be via email. You must be able to use email.

If you are interested, but not sure that you want to commit, I encourage you to attend the first meeting when it is announced and then decide if it is the right committee for you.

Please try it out!

To confirm your “Yes” to serve on one of the above commissions, register today online (only) at the Diocese of Fall River website: www.fallriverdiocese.org. Click on:

“Strategic Planning Commissions” and then choose which commission you would like to serve on. Details about meeting dates, times, and locations will be provided for you as they become available.

You might have some questions concerning this planning process and the impact it will have on our Church. We will do our best to address them in our presentations and materials at our first meeting.

In the meantime feel free to address any specific questions or concerns to our Planning Administrative Coordinator, Gail Pregana-Souza at planning@dioc-fr.org.

Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration. This transformation in our Church will only happen if we are all in this together, leading the way. Let us build the “future full of hope” that Jeremiah foretold. May God bless us on this journey of Rebuilding in Faith and Hope!

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. Bishop of Fall River

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9

’T

is the season of glad tidings and great joy.

It is a time of year in which we are reminded to slow down and to take heed of those around us. Yet for too many of us, our lives seem more harried and hectic as we rush around trying to find just the right gift and so on.

In this busyness we often lose sight of what this season truly represents. Too often, we fail to notice those around us, our families, our friends and others who are in great need, we get so wrapped up in the frenzy that we do not see what is right in front of us or grasp the full meaning of the season.

Yet each week during Advent we are reminded in

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What should I do? the readings and Gospels them to share extra clothing, that are leading up to Christ- food, or whatever they may mas, that it is also a time to have in abundance. This still prepare and to be prepared, to rings true for us even cenready ourselves and to make turies later, not only can we ready the way for the coming share our material goods, but of Our Lord, Jesus. In this we can also share our time weekend’s Gospel from Luke and talents as well. Even if we hear the question “What we do not have much to give, should we do?” And as John we are reminded that we can the Baptist begins to answer the question more and more begin In the Palm to ask, “What about us — what should we of His Hands do?” Like those in the

By Rose Mary Gospel, we should be Saraiva asking ourselves the same question, “What should I do?”

John the Baptist tells them serve others by being fair and to share what they have with just, being honest in our dealthose in need. He instructs ings, and to treat everyone we meet with respect and dignity.

In others words — to treat others as we would like to be treated. Whenever I hear this Gospel it always reminds me of the song “Whatsoever You Do,” and especially the verse, “Whatsoever you do for the least of My brothers, that you do unto Me.” And if the readings are not enough, there is also a plethora of Christmas shows and movies to be found. Each carrying a similar theme, and regardless of what the story

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

line is, there is always the reminder to slow down, to notice others, and to be kind and generous to those around us. Yet the message is not always about the material gifts, but more of being “present” to those whom we love and care about. It is a time of forgiveness, of reconciliation, and of moving beyond past hurts to allow ourselves to be a gift to others. The Gospel acclamation sums it up quite nicely, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor” (Is 61:1). It is this very Spirit that should guide us to bring joy, love and hope to others.

We are all very familiar with the classic, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens.

It is only after Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the three spirits, that he has a change of heart and mends his ways.

He becomes the embodiment of everything Christmas is meant to be. He is kind and generous, he makes time to take care of the less fortunate, and he takes those who cannot fend for themselves under

his protective wing. John the Baptist is no different than those three spirits who visited Scrooge that fateful night. He too is giving us the opportunity to change our ways, to fix the wrongs around us, and to see beyond our wants and needs, to recognize that Someone greater is coming, Someone Who will and has made a difference.

Someone who began His life no differently than the rest of us, Who entered into this world as we all do, and Who faced many of the joys and pains that we too have known and experienced. His humble origins giving way to the greatest gift humankind has ever known, the gift of ultimate love and sacrifice, of reconciling us to the Father, and preparing a place for us in His Heavenly home.

The true message of Christmas is to “cry out with joy and gladness: for among us is the great and Holy One of Israel” (Is 12:2-6), the One Who came to set us all free. The real true reason for our Christmas celebration, the one true gift — Jesus.

Therefore in this season of giving, let us remember to ask ourselves — “What should I do?” How can I make a difference? How can I bring Christ into the lives of those around me? How can I help others recognize His love and mercy? What gifts do I possess that can change not only my way of thinking, but can also help to change those who have hardened their hearts, who have turned away, and no longer find joy or hope a possibility? Let us become a people who are filled with the Holy Spirit, bringing glad tidings to everyone we encounter.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with love, joy, and endless possibilities and hope.

Wednesday 5 Dec 2018 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor —“Krampuslauf,” Salzburg, Austria. ave you heard about the latest brouhaha, dear readers? No? I’ll give you a hint. It has nothing to do with politics or religion. Well then.

It seems two professors of psychology, Stephen Lea of the University of Exeter and Britta Osthaus of Canterbury Christ Church University, published a scientific paper on the reputed intelligence of dogs.

It appeared in the scholarly journal “Learning & Behavior,” specifically December 2018, Volume 46, Issue 4, pp. 335–363. The professors compared “man’s best friend” to these four major categories: Carnivores and Social Hunters (spotted hyenas, bears, lions, and wolves); Carnivores and Domestic Animals (cats); Social Hunters (bottlenose dolphins and chimpanzees); and Domestic Animals (horses, pigs, and pigeons).

Ignoring the universally acclaimed intelligence of service dogs, police K-9 units, military dogs, search and rescue dogs, professional dog athletes, canine stars of stage and screen etc., these British researchers concluded that dogs really aren’t all that bright.

As you might well imagine, dear readers, this set off howls of protest.

The once obscure but now infamous scientific journal is being flooded with letters to the editor. Here are some noteworthy examples.

To the Editor: Really? This is the result of your research? You spent all that time comparing dog intelligence to that of bird-brained pigeons? You want pigeons? I’ll give you pigeons. May your ivy-covered campus be infested with a thousand pigeons, all suffering from severe indigestion. Cancel my subscription. I wouldn’t use your journal to line the floor of my pigeon coop.

Rex Anchorage, Alaska To the Editor: I congratulate you on the application of the modern scientific method to this classic topic, but I beg to differ with your conclusions. I have spent many years in the field and can unequivocally attest that dogs are very astute. Their five senses are far superior to those of humans and …WAIT! I HEAR THE SOUND OF A RABBIT HOPPING! Later….

H

British scientists in the doghouse

You humans like to dress us up in Molly those ridiculous costumes yet we’re Des Moines, Iowa the ones who are a bit flaky? Well, To the Editor: So, you say, “The cognition of dogs that’s the pot calling the kettle black.

Buffy is not exceptional”. Well, then, try Miami, this. Sit! Roll Fla. over! Play To the EdiThe Ship’s Log dead! Shake! tor: Stay! Come!

Reflections of a I see you Heel! Come!

Parish Priest live in Great Go! Oh dear, By Father Tim Britain. Isn’t you seem Goldrick that the overwhelmed. country that Why am I considers the not surprised? bulldog the handsomest breed of Montana all time and claims it as the official Aurora, Colorado national dog?

Enough said.

To the Editor: Whiskey the Whippet “Who’s a good dog?” is, for some Winner 2018 Best in Show unfathomable reason, the burnPhiladelphia, Pa. ing question of people everywhere.

To the Editor: Humans ask me this question ad Surely you must by now realize nauseam and I’ve had quite enough of what fools you have made of yourit. “Who’s a good dog?” would be the selves. I eagerly await your shameperfect subject for your next research faced retraction in the next issue. I paper. Settle the matter once and for also eagerly await a doggie treat. Just all. Please. I can’t take much more.

Max saying.

Bailey London, England Houston, Texas To the Editor: Your research failed to investigate a behavior that I suspect may be detrimental to canine cognition: Sticking your head out the car window for extended periods of time. Last week, I stuck my head out the car window all the way from South Yarmouth to Fall River. I have not yet fully recovered.

This cannot be good.

Rover Harwich, Mass.

To the Editor: No such thing as canine exceptionalism, you say? Today I dug four holes in the yard, silently dragged the scatter rug, two blankets, and a quilt down a full flight of stairs, shredded the morning newspaper, ran off with the throw pillows, and munched on an empty candy wrapper – all before the sun came up. You think that’s unexceptional? Well, I beg to differ.

Lurch Falmouth, Mass.

To the Editor: Have you science nerds ever stood perfectly still while a veterinarian gave you a complete physical examination?

It takes the extreme concentration and self control few humans possess.

Bella Baton Rouge, La. To the Editor:

To the Editor: Let me be sure I understand your hypothesis. Dogs are no smarter than other animals and certainly not smarter than the absolutely brilliant wolf. May I remind you, we are the ones who are expected to run a few steps ahead of you while you jog aimlessly through the neighborhood every morning. How can we anticipate where you will go next when you don’t seem to know yourself? Try running with wolves. Let me know how you make out with that.

Cooper Columbus, Ohio To the Editor: I have recently discovered your wonderful journal. I find it extraordinarily informative. Your research is outstanding and your conclusions irrefutable. Enclosed please find a check for a nine-year subscription at the special reduced rate.

Kitty Katz Cuttyhunk, Mass.

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

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

11

The Confirmation class at Holy Trinity Parish in West Harwich recently held a retreat. From left, first row: Nick Blute, Audrey Smith, Madisun Crossen, Alice Murphy, Marilyn O’Malley, Griffin Dwyer. Back: Bella Concordia, Michaela Crossen, Caroline DiGiovanni, Max Whelan, pastor Father Marc Tremblay, Charlie Watson, Jack Jordan, Sabrina Morand and Olivia Prisco.

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

L

ast weekend The Anchor was away. More precisely, I was away attending the annual Army Navy Game in Philadelphia — rooting for the Naval Academy — anchors aweigh!

The annual college football game between the midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the cadets of West Point Academy in West Point, N.Y., has long been a bucket-list item of mine. I have for years, watched the spectacle on television, mesmerized by the pageantry and pride in our country.

This year I had the great opportunity to attend, so I took a solo trip to the City of Brotherly Love to witness in person what fascinated me for years on the small screen.

Without beating around the bush, it was one of the most moving and incredible times of my life.

This was no mere football game — this was “America’s Game.” And for me, as for many of the 67,000 folks around me, it wasn’t about the game, but more about the emotions.

I can honestly say I was never more proud to be an American as I was as I entered Lincoln Financial Field that Saturday morning.

Even the incredible level of security entering the stadium was impressive — professional, no-nonsense, yet courteous.

If I were to choose a

Anchor away! highlight of the experience, I wouldn’t be able to — there were just so many moments that touched the heart and soul.

Right from the start, when Chaplain Col. Matthew Pawlikowski of the United States Military Academy gave the invocation, my heart swelled with pride as an American and a Christian.

“God of Wonders, some wonder why we pray for a football game,” he began. “So I tell them, in this game, every player on the field is willing to die for every person watching.

“Their fellow cadets and midshipmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines, police, and countless others who lay down their lives daily in our defense. Because in Your eyes, Oh God, it’s not the critic who counts, but those who actually step into the arena.

“And so, Almighty God, we who are willing to die for others, we salute You. Let this game begin. Amen.”

There was the filing in of hundreds of midshipmen, then the cadets. There were the paratroopers falling from the heavens onto the field. There were fly-overs by both branches of the service. There was the President of the United States tossing the coin to start the game, and the warm reception he received, despite one’s

opinion of him.

And there was the game.

My dad never went to the Naval Academy, but served aboard a destroyer in the South Pacific during WWII. So he was as much a part of the U.S. Navy as any midshipmen.

I proudly wore a Navy stocking cap and a Navy foot-

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet

ball jersey in my dad’s honor — a man who was haunted by the events he experienced in a horrific war, and a man who was so proud to have served his country.

I wore one of my dad’s dog tags during the game.

He wasn’t a sports fan, but I wanted him to be a part of this incredible event — the 119th such game.

I sat there with Navy fans and Army fans, and despite our preferences, we were all one family.

The cadets and midshipmen were

comprised of men and women of all races, colors and creeds, and I’m sure many have been victims of prejudice. Yet there was no “taking a knee” during the National Anthem in protest.

These were men and women who loved their country and have chosen to defend our freedoms, and every soul in that stadium knew that — and was very grateful. This was an experience that taught me what the human family really feels like, and it’s something you can’t feel through a TV screen. This is something I will never forget.

Wearing my dad’s Navy dog tags, I attended last weekend’s 119th annual Army Navy Game in Philadelphia.

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“P

recious memories, unseen angels, sent from somewhere to my soul.

How they linger, ever near me, and the Sacred past unfolds.”

We could say that these lines from a traditional Gospel song, written by J.B.F. Wright in 1925, and put to music by great vocalists such as Jim Reeves, Aretha Franklin and Alan Jackson, echo the sentiments and the feelings we experienced here at St. Francis Church on Wednesday evening, November 14, as we re-

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Precious memories

gregation and greeted us membered and celebrated warmly. Then she took some the 130th anniversary of St. questions regarding her comMarianne Cope’s arrival in ing to Hawaii with her SisKalaupapa.

That evening Mother Marianne, played

by Eva Andrade, Moon Over was first observed at Molokai the Kalaupapa pier.

Shortly thereafter she

By Father appeared at the church Patrick Killilea, SS.CC. door and entered St. Francis Church, the main Catholic church of this ters in 1883 and her memopeninsula, and slowly walked ries of 30 years of caring for the victims of Hansen’s up the center aisle until she Disease in Kalaupapa from reached the altar. There she her arrival in 1888 to the took a seat facing the con-

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

time of her death in 1918.

Suffice it to say that the interaction between Mother Marianne and her interviewers was much more cordial than that experienced in the news conferences at the White House in Washington.

After Mother Marianne had completed her press conference, she led us to Damien Hall (originally Damien’s church) next door where Sisters Alicia Damien and Barbara Jean had organized a fabulous meal. By the way it is always good to get a free meal, especially considering my own personal talents, or lack of them, at cooking. When most of us

had satisfied our stomachs, Sister Alicia conducted the drawings of the raffle she had organized.

Then it was time to talk story and reminisce on the events of the day and the memory of St. Marianne. It had been a great evening for all of us and especially for our Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities whose saint we had celebrated and whose memory we had invoked.

“Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul. In the stillness of the midnight, precious Sacred scenes unfold.”

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

Marian Medal Awards ceremony now available on video

The Nov. 18, 2018 Marian Medal Awards Ceremony is available on DVD from the Diocesan Office of Communications. The DVD cost is $25. To obtain one, please send a check in that amount payable to the Fall River Diocese to this address: Office of Communications, Diocese of Fall River, P.O. Box 2577, Fall River, Mass., 02722.

Shipping is included in the cost.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

A parish discussion

Editor’s note: The following letter is the summation of the thoughts and suggestions of a group of parishioners who met several times to discuss the scourge of Clergy Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church.

On Aug. 21, 2018, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Fall River Diocese wrote a letter to the people of the diocese in response to a “Letter to the People of God” by Pope Francis about the abuse of power and suffering brought about by clerical sexual abuse perpetuated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons within the Church.

The letter was shared that weekend by Father James Fitzpatrick at all the parish Masses.

Bishop da Cunha’s letter came at the time of the revelations regarding Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and the report of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury.

Father Fitzpatrick suggested that we take the conversation away from the Sunday Mass setting

and gather on the following Wednesday evening in the lower church for coffee and discussion of the abuse crisis. So, on August 29, 45 parishioners and friends gathered for a “spirited” discussion.

The two-hour discussion was an opportunity for Catholics to air their feelings, concerns, anger, questions, and disbelief of how this could be happening within the Church they have been so faithful to all their lives.

Father Fitzpatrick facilitated the evening. Although he did not attempt a “presentation” on the abuse crisis, he presented some points for conversation. All were in agreement that while apologies, letters of empathy and pledges to do more were nice, there never seems to be a resolution to the pandemic.

It was decided that we meet again in another month, this time to discuss ways for the Church to take steps that will assure Church members that the hierarchy is serious in its intent to bring justice to the victims and accountability to the abusers and

December 16 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father James J. Doherty, C.S.C., pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton.

December 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Jay Mello, pastor of St. Michael and St. Joseph’s parishes in Fall River.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 December 25, 11 a.m. to noon Christmas Mass

Celebrant is Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River.

those who covered up the sin of abuse.

On September 26, the group met again. We spoke about updates since the McCarrick case broke and that attorneys general are beginning to pay attention to the status of clergy abuse within their own states.

Here are some of the “concrete” actions the Church might employ in order to give some assurance to Catholics who seek a more transparent Church of the future: — Vetting candidates for the episcopacy should include input from lay people to assure that a candidate brings a blameless reputation to the office.

— A letter of resignation should be submitted to the pope by any bishop or cardinal who either has been accused of abuse or who has knowingly transferred a priest who he has known to have abused. The resignation should be accepted.

— Civil authorities should assume diocesan investigations in abuse and cover-up cases. The Church has failed to show its ability to police itself in the matter of clergy sexual abuse.

— A priest who is accused, who is later found to be innocent, should be reinstated as a priest, so as to regain his rightful reputation.

— The Dallas Charter of 2002 should be amended to include all bishops and cardinals, so as to be held to the same accountability as priests who are accused of abuse.

These are the conclusions reached by the group of concerned Catholics who wish that the Church of the future be the way, the truth, and the life.

Parishioners and Friends of St. Louis de France Parish, Swansea

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15

H

appy Advent!!

Week three — the week of joy. If we are not already in panic mode about last-minute shopping and finding the perfect present, then we will be soon! Every year at Christmas so many of us struggle with finding the perfect present for our loved ones that we are out at different malls or glued to our phones for online shopping. We spend so much time looking for the right gift that we often lose time with the loved one we are shopping for.

Sometimes the best present is presence!

If I am completely honest when asked what I would like for Christmas, the truthful answer is more time with dad and my brother. Recognizing that that is not possible, I understand that translates to spending more time with those who are still around me. What a great gift to spend more time with the ones I love. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that we should

For and About Our Church Youth The perfect presence not exchange gifts but we need to be mindful to not let it distract us from the real reason we give gifts; the love we have for one another.

Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for everything: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the Heavens.

A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools, parish Religious Education programs or homeschoolers have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@ anchornews.org 16

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace”

Be Not Afraid

By Amanda Tarantelli

(Ecc. 3:1-8).

According to tradition, Ecclesiastes was written

by King Solomon towards the end of his life.

I think if he were writing it today it would sound a little different. I might say, “A time to email, and a time to send a card. A time to text and time to

call. A time to spend, and time to save.” Either way, we sometimes need those gentle reminders that everything has it’s time and because of that, time has great value.

The famous author, “Unknown,” once wrote, “The greatest gift you can give someone is your time because when you give your time, you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.”

When we give someone the gift of presence, we share a bit of ourselves.

And if we truly believe that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, then when we share a bit of ourselves, we share

a bit of the Divine.

I pray that during these last days of Advent and during the beautiful season of Christmas, we remember to share the wonderful gift of our time with our loved ones.

There may be no way to wrap it in a bow, but the present of our presence can be a reminder of all we encounter of the love that God shares with us!

Have a very merry Christmas and a blessed and happy New Year!

Anchor columnist Amanda Tarantelli has been a campus minister at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth since 2005. She is married, a die-hard sports fan, and resides in Cranston, R.I. She can be reached at atarantelli@bishopstang.org.

The newest members of American Heritage Girls Troop MA3712 were recently presented their Joining Awards. The girls learned what it means to be an American Heritage Girl.

They learned the meaning of the Oath and Creed and how to put them to use in their lives. As American Heritage Girls, they will be asked to strive to fulfill the promise made each time they state the AHG Oath — “I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country, and serve in my community.” The girls also learned proper flag etiquette as well as the history of AHG and its mission statement. They should be proud of their accomplishments.

For and About Our Church Youth

Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River and South Coast Educational Collaborative collected food for 41 Thanksgiving baskets during their month-long food drive at the school. Coordinated by BCHS science teacher Daniel Boudria, the yearly drive provides baskets of Thanksgiving dinner items to benefit families in need across the community. This year, baskets were distributed to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Big Friends Little Friends Program, and area churches and families. From left: BCHS students Katherine McCrae, Makayla Vieira, Radhay Jaladi and Stacy Wong help Boudria prepare Thanksgiving baskets for distribution.

Students in grades one through four at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in New Bedford celebrated their annual Thanksgiving Feast. Each of the classes made a different snack to share with the other classes. The students decorated a place mat and a headpiece.

Each grade also performed a short skit for the other students. Before the feast the students shared grace and then during the feast, principle Charlotte Lourenco collected a popcorn seed from each student. As she collected the seeds, the students prayed for what they were most thankful for. Evangelina Finucane and Isabella Pare’ enjoyed the feast in their hand-made decorative pilgrim bonnets.

The students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro brought in nearly 120 pounds of Halloween candy. The fifth-grade class, led by Sister Mary Dumond, collected and packed nine boxes of candy. They mailed the boxes out to a veteran home in each of the six New England states, one box to Operation Gratitude in California, one box to each Shriner’s Children Hospital in Boston and Springfield.

“Global Influencer” and “Game Changer” alumna Kathy Crosson (Class of 1968; Science Department chair at Bishop Stang High School) recently shared with middle school students at Holy Name School in Fall River the work of “Missions for Humanity,” a non-profit she began to provide medical care, education, support and compassion for those most in need around the world. Crosson also discussed some STEM projects from Bishop Stang students that benefitted the needy and inspired students to make a difference in the world.

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

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For and About Our Church Youth

The Knights of Columbus Council No. 14557 recently created a Tuition Grant Program to support students in the Greater New Bedford Area Catholic Schools.

Knights of Columbus provide tuition grant program for local Catholic schools

NEW BEDFORD — The Knights of Columbus, Father Michael J. McGivney Council No. 14557 have created a Tuition Grant Program to support students in the Greater New Bedford Area Catholic schools. The Tuition Grant Program will provide $500 grants to Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet, St. Joseph’s School in Fairhaven, and All Saints Catholic, Holy Family-Holy Name, and St. JohnSt. James schools in New Bedford.

Roland Benjamin, Steven Watts, and Grand Knight Tom Alden, members of the council spearheaded the creation of the Tuition Grant Program. Grand Knight Alden shared that they created the Tuition Grant Program because “Catholic education should be supported in every way possible.

When compared dollar to dollar with secular education it is known to be of superior quality and value.

Members of the council and their children in some cases have benefited greatly from their own experience in Catholic education and found it to be of great advantage later in life.”

On November 7, Benjamin, Watts, and Alden met with the principals from the six greater New Bedford area Catholic Schools to give them the first grant. The grants were awarded directly to the schools and the administrators choose which student is most eligible. Students are eligible from kindergarten through grade 12.

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

The program is in its inception phase. Hopefully, in time the Tuition Grant Program offered by the Knights of Columbus Father Michael J. McGivney Council No. 14557 will expand to other councils in their district and possibly throughout the state.

The Catholic Schools Alliance is grateful for the support of the Knights of Columbus Father Michael J. McGivney Council No. 14557. Their support helps six more students receive a quality Catholic education that prepares them to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

To learn more about Father Michael J. McGivney Council No. 14557 located at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish in New Bedford visit: www. saintanthonynewbedford.com. To learn more about the Greater New Bedford Area Catholic Schools please visit: www.catholicschoolsalliance. org/newbedford.

St. Joseph School in Fairhaven held its Scholastic Book Fair and invited all attendees to visit the “Enchanted Forest” Book Fair.

The students at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford had the opportunity to join a number of after school clubs. Pictured here are Lillian, TeaMarie, and Madison enjoying themselves in Jewelry Club.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools, parish Religious Education programs, home-schoolers and Vacation Bible Schools and summer programs have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@anchornews.org

Our readers respond How many Catholic Church’s are there within 4.8 miles of my home?

I like to jog. On my adventures on the road, if I come across a Catholic church, I like to make the Sign of the Cross on my head. I began to realize that I was doing this multiple times during the same run.

One night, I began to wonder how many Catholic churches were close to my house. I did some research on masstimes.org and set the search for 5.0 miles from my house. I was amazed. I was so dumbfounded, that I have been quizzing friends and family and regularly get answers like three, five, 12 and even 18. All wrong. There are 26 Catholic churches within 4.8 miles of my house. This does not count parishes that have shut down or even those that have burnt down. What a great heritage we have been given. What opportunity to nourish our faith. I pondered the idea of Masses options this gives me the opportunity to attend. Can I find a Mass that works for me?

On any given weekday, I can access Mass morning, noon and

night. On most every day there are 15 different daily Mass start time options within five miles of my house. I can attend as early as 6:45 a.m. at Holy Ghost in Central Falls and as late as 7 p.m. at St. Theresa’s in South Attleboro on Wednesdays.

If I extend my zone out to seven miles, I can attend Mass at Providence College Chapel at 9 p.m. just about every night of the week.

Sunday Mass options are even more impressive. There is something for everyone and nearly a Mass every hour on the hour. There are a total of 85 Sunday Masses with 22 different start times within the 27-hour window of time between 4 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m.

Sunday, including Masses in Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, and Creole.

There are options for Roman, Latin and Melkite rites.

Remember, this is only 4.8 hours from my house in South Attleboro.

Let’s up our game this Advent and start to get to Mass in order to grow closer to God. The opportunity is there.

Shawn Seybert South Attleboro

Pope Francis visits with residents of CasAmica, a home for the indigent sick, in a Roman suburb December 7. (Vatican Media photo)

A subscription to The Anchor would make a wonderful gift for a loved one, a friend, or yourself. It’s a publication that provides a Spiritual uplift and keeps Catholics connected to our Church — locally and beyond.

One-year subscription — $25 Two-year subscription — $45 Name: Address: City:

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if given as a gift, the card should read: From: Street:

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Enclose check or money order and mail to: The Anchor, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

19

St. Anne’s Food Pantry continues to serve community

Dad continues son’s giving spirit

and has to report clients’ information to the Greater Boston Food Bank.

“So I ask them once a year if anything’s changed, and if their income situation has changed in any way, shape or form,” he said. “But for the most part, most people that come need it, you can tell.”

With the closing of St. Anne’s Parish, Gregoire said it will be a little more difficult to find volunteers and he’ll also have to find other sources of income to help support the food pantry operation.

“We’re going to have to try and pick up some other ways of getting the funds to keep us going because we pick up food like two to three times a month, and we have to rent a truck every time,” Gregoire said. “We’re OK, it’s just that our source of income has started to dry up. The parishioners used to support the pantry either through giving money and donations and a lot of our funds used to come directly to us from the poor box (in the shrine).

good for anyone,” he said.

“Sometimes the wind blows that plastic about and the scarves can get wet. When that happens I bring them in, dry them and put them right back out there.”

So far, early in the cold weather season, Nicolan reported that he goes out twice a day and ties a new supply to the pole, meaning that the need is great and people are taking advantage of the God-sends. “Lately I fill it up early in the morning, then later in the afternoon or evening,” he said.

“The other day I saw a few school children come up to the pole and they each took a scarf,” Nicolan told The Anchor. “I went outside and said to them that the scarves are for people who need them, and if they need one they are free to take one, but only if they need one.

“One boy said to me, ‘I’d use it if I had it.’ The next few days I saw all of them wearing their scarves to school. It’s a wonderful feeling to see that.”

Recently a Providence, R.I., television station ran a story on Nicolan’s scarf give-away. “I recently received a call from a woman who lived in Warwick, R.I.,” he said. “She wanted to donate a bunch of scarves. She didn’t want to drive all the way to Fall River, so we met her half way. I was so glad she called and so grateful for her generosity.”

Nicolan also told The Anchor that a friend of his has started a “scarf pole” on Pine Street in Fall River.

“He put it there because the First Baptist Church there runs a soup kitchen.

The need is so great.

“We can never have enough scarves. There are years yet to come when

continued from page four

But we’ll figure something out. God always has provided for me in the past, so I’m sure He will do it again.”

Although he has “a great mix of people” currently serving as volunteers, Gregoire said he could always use more.

“We have a strong group of families and some of their kids have been coming here since they were nine years old,” he said. “Now many of them are in college and they’re still coming to help. Some of the volunteers we get also come from Saint Anne’s Hospital. We try to get a lot of young people involved as well as the older people.

The problem is I need volunteers to go make pickups during the week at different places that donate food and clothing.

It’s tough to get people to volunteer during the week and many of my volunteers are retired and some of this stuff is heavy and it’s hard for them.”

For the time being, Gregoire remains hope-

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

ful that they will be able to continue operating the food pantry out of the downstairs shrine.

“We’re going to stay here temporarily,” he said.

“That could be a year, that could be a month, that could be a day. But I know they’re not just going to come and say, ‘Hey, guess what? You’re out.’”

Wherever they eventually relocate to, he also hopes they will be able to retain the name “St. Anne’s Food Pantry.”

“That’s the official name of the non-profit when it was set up,” he said. “Some parishes may not want a ‘St. Anne’s Food Pantry’ at their church, but I want to keep that name as best I can.”

Having resigned himself to the fact that his parish is now closed, Gregoire said he remains committed to continuing the legacy of the parish food pantry.

“It’s still nice to go inside (the shrine), because I still get a warm feeling when I go there,” he said. “It’s too bad that some people come from the outside that don’t know that the church is closed and think that they can just go through there and I have to explain: ‘I’m really sorry, but I cannot allow anybody back there.’

That’s the agreement I have with the diocese.

It’s just a shame, but it’s a decision that had to be made by the diocese and you know, it was a difficult decision, but you have to respect that they know what they’re doing.”

Those interested in supporting the food pantry can send donations to: St. Anne Food Pantry, c/o 858 Middle Street, Fall River, Mass. 02721.

continued from page two

people in need will want one.”

Nicolan also mentioned how the St. Vincent de Paul Store offers parents in need toys for their children to open on Christmas morning.

“We don’t need donations for toys,” he stressed.

“Each year Straight Shooters Family Billiards holds a toy drive and they generously supply us with what we need. And we have an anonymous person who donates $1,000 towards the toy give-away.

“My daughter Kim and my daughter-in-law Pat take care of getting toys ready to go. We get a list from the parents, then we give them the toys unwrapped so they can wrap them for their children.”

Nicolan added, “The need for scarves is great and if people want to bring us new or used scarves, they can visit us at the Pleasant Street store at 1799 Pleasant Street Wednesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“If people want to donate any other time, they can call the store at 508-672-9219, and I’ll meet them at the store any other day.”

The pain of losing his beloved son Michael remains fresh in the heart and soul of his dad Lenny. But the elder Nicolan isn’t sitting by idly and mourning. Instead, he’s taken a proactive approach to continue what he started all those years ago and what his son took over 10 years ago.

There is no better way to honor Michael’s memory than to continue the work he loved so dearly.

Lenny Nicolan and family keep Michael’s memory alive and those in need benefit from that. But it must be remembered: They can’t do it alone.

NORTH ATTLEBORO — Permanent Deacon Richard G. Lemay, 71, of North Attleboro died November 29 at Philip Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence, R.I. Born Jan. 16, 1947 in Woonsocket, R.I., he was a son of the late Raymond E. and Jeannette (Langlois) Lemay.

Deacon Lemay grew up in Woonsocket and was a 1964 graduate of Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket.

He received a B.S. in business administration from University of Rhode Island in 1970 and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

He was dedicated to his faith and his Church. He was a longtime communicant of Sacred Heart Parish in North Attleboro and he studied in the Diocese of Fall River Permanent Diaconate Formation Program from 2001 until 2006 and was ordained a deacon on Oct. 8, 2007.

Deacon Lemay had been serving as a permanent deacon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Seekonk for several years where he had been providing pastoral leadership care and participating in sermon development and was part of the regular preaching rotation.

During his lay ministry years, he served in a wide variety of programs at his churches including adult choir and served as president of the Parish Pastoral Council. He also served as co-coordinator of the parish festival, served as lector and a special minister of Holy Communion, was a member of the First Friday and Eucharistic Adoration teams and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Deacon Lemay worked for the City of Woonsocket as a personnel specialist from 2001 until 2009 and received a national

Deacon Richard G. Lemay

award for establishing an Employee Good Health Program. Previously he had worked in human resources at Northwest Community Nursing & Health Services in Harmony, R.I., St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, Visiting Nurse Services of Greater Rhode Island in Lincoln, R.I., Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, John E. Fogarty Memorial Hospital in North Smithfield, R.I. From 1970 until 1977 he worked as director of personnel assignments for Tech

Industries in Woonsocket, Donley Manufacturing in North Attleboro, Mine Safe-

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Dec. 14 Rev. Msgr. John J. Hayes, Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1970 Dec. 15 Rev. Mortimer Downing, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1942 Rev. John F. O’Keefe, Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1955 Dec. 19 Permanent Deacon Eugene L. Orosz, 1988 Permanent Deacon Maurice LaValle, 2007 Rev. Gabriel (William) Healy, SS.CC., Former Pastor, St. Anthony, Mattapoisett, Former Pastor, Holy Trinity, West Harwich, Development Director, Sacred Hearts Retreat Center, Wareham, 2015

ty Appliances in Esmond, R.I., and Plastic Wire and Cable Corp in Connecticut.

He served as president of the Woonsocket Rotary Club from 2006 to 2007 and was currently a board member, serving as Community Service Chair. Deacon Lemay was a longtime member and chaplain of the Woonsocket Lodge No. 850 Elk’s Club and was former president of the Personnel Executives’ Association of Northern Rhode Island and was healthcare human resources director of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island and was a current third degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Seekonk Council 5108 and was a member of the Attleboro Area Serra Club.

Deacon Lemay was a devoted coach in North Attleboro Junior Football for many years and was

inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1991.

He is survived by Carol (Champboux) Lemay of North Attleboro; two children: Nicole Carey of South Attleboro and Marc Lemay and wife Kimberly of North Attleboro; his granddaughter Charlotte Lemay; and four siblings: Jeanne Robidoux of Florida, Suzanne Bassett and husband Edward of Mendon, Irene Godbout and husband Michael of Florida and Father Peter Lemay of Hyannis.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on December 10 at Sacred Heart Church in North Attleboro. Burial followed at St. Jean Baptiste Cemetery in Bellingham.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to North Attleboro Junior Football, P.O. Box 1092, North Attleboro, Mass. 02761.

Dec. 20 Rev. Manuel S. Travassos, Pastor, Espirito Santo, Fall River, 1953 Rev. John A. Janson, OFM, Missionary in Brazil, 1996 Rev. William J. Heffron, SS.CC., Former Provincial Superior of the USA East Province in Fairhaven, Assistant at St. Joseph, Fairhaven, 2017 Dec. 21 Rev. Henri J. Charest, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1968 Rev. Manuel M. Resendes, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes,Taunton, 1985 Rev. Laureano C. dos Reis, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River, 1989 Dec. 22 Rev. Adriano Moniz, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Fall River, 1964 Rev. Armand P. Paradis, S.J., Psychologist, San Francisco, Calif., 1991 Dec. 23 Rev. Owen J. Kiernan, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1901 Rev. Charles P. Trainor, SS, St. Edward Seminary, Seattle, Wash., 1947 Rev. Msgr. John A. Silvia, Retired Pastor, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1970 Rev. William E. Collard, Retired Pastor, St Theresa, New Bedford, 1986 Dec. 24 Rev. James K. Beaven, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1886 Rev. Timothy J. Duff, Assistant, St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1914 Dec. 25 Permanent Deacon Nicholas M. CaraDonna, 2015 Dec. 27 Rev. Thomas J. Stapleton, Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1956 Rev. Msgr. Armand Levasseur, Retired Pastor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1970 Rev. Manuel Andrade, Former Pastor, Our Lady of Health, Fall River, 1995 Dec. 28 Rev. Charles R. Smith, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1955 Rev. Edward J. Sharpe, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1987 Rev. Clement Paquet, O.P., Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1987

The Anchor - December 14, 2018

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Around the Diocese Our Lady of the Cape Parish will host a musical mini retreat with singer-songwriter John Polce on Saturday, December 15. This retreat will take place in the church from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and the cost is $10 per person. Please register by emailing ourladyofthecapebrewster@gmail. com or calling Tina in the parish office at 508385-3252, extension 10. Our Lady of the Cape is located at 468 Stony Brook Road in Brewster. All are invited and welcome!

On Saturday, December 22, the St. Francis of Assisi Choir will present “A Simple Stable of Peace, Hope and Love” at 2 p.m. The concert will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 283 Mill Street in New Bedford and will feature songs that express the true meaning of Christmas. The concert will include well-known favorites like “Mary’s Little Boy Child,” “O Holy Night,” and Amy Grant’s “Breath of Heaven.” All are welcome.

The 45th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. will take place on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. The Cape Cod Bus for Life offers transportation (motor coaches), and housing (Hampton Inn).

The bus leaves the Cape on Thursday, January 17, returning on Saturday, January 19. Cost is $320 for adults, $250 for youth.

For more details, contact Kevin Ward at 508-291-0494 or email kevin@ccbfl.org.

A Divine Mercy Cenacle group meets every Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 306 South Street in Somerset. Meetings are held in the parish center, except for holidays. Meetings include formation on the Divine Mercy message from the “Diary of St. Faustina,” readings from the Bible and “Cathechism of the Catholic Church,” and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All are welcome. For more information call 508-646-1019 or 508-672-1523.

St. Anthony of Padua Church on Bedford Street in Fall River will host a recitation of the Holy Rosary and Litany with the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Monday evening at 6:15 p.m.

All are welcome. For more information, call the rectory at 508-673-2402.

Holy Rosary Fraternity Gatherings are held in the hall of St. Jude the Apostle Church, 249 Whittenton Street in Taunton on the second Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call 508-695-5430.

The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program needs more team couples — newly-married and veterans (age is not a consideration) who would like to enrich their Marriage while helping engaged couples prepare for their lifetime together.

The Diocesan Marriage Preparation program meets in three locations: Mansfield, Dartmouth and Harwich on Cape Cod. In each location there is a team of volunteers that facilitate three to five sessions per year. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, please contact Claire McManus at cmcmanus@dfrcs.org or call her at 508-6782828, extension 19.

To submit an event for consideration in The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing, send the information by email to kensouza@anchornews.org

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

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

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

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John the Evangelist Church, North Main Street, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.

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

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

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every First Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending at 5 p.m.

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

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

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of Padua Church, on the corner of Bedford and Sixteenth streets, has Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by music and prayer every first Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Thursdays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Friday at 8 a.m.

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

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

FALL RIVER — St. Joseph’s Church has a Holy Hour every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., with Benediction at 6:45 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Michael’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m.

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

HYANNIS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, 347 South Street, Hyannis, has Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 3 p.m., daily Monday through Friday.

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

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Each First Friday Mass ends with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration continues until Benediction at 5 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday, with Confessions, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church. Please use the side entrance.

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

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

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

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

NORTH EASTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Immaculate Conception Church Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, until 6:40 p.m. Those wishing to make a monthly commitment can sign up on the parish website at www.icceaston.org or call the parish office at 508-238-3232.

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

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

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

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 5 p.m.

Taunton — St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton will host Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 9 a.m.

Mass and the St. Jude Novena, until 11:30, ending with Benediction. It will take place at Holy Rosary Chapel during the summer months.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church takes place 9 a.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall. ~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~

East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

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

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

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes.

All are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

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

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or Email waynepowers@ anchornews.org The Anchor - December 14, 2018

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FALL RIVER — New mailing labels (right) were recently initiated on all Anchor publications, along with the notice of a $25 subscription amount beginning at renewal time. Below is a sample of the label that shows when the subscription expires allowing readers to renew to keep their subscriptions active. If no payment is received within 30 days of the expiration date, The Anchor will send one reminder notice at a later date. We cannot accept credit card payments by phone.

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Coyle and Cassidy Toy Shop celebrates 25 years

TAUNTON — For those familiar with the history of the school, in particular its dedication to service, it should be no surprise that the students and faculty of Coyle and Cassidy High School and Middle School are marking their 25th year of the Christmas “Toy Shop” to help those less fortunate.

The program, which has continually grown over the years, provided new toys to more than 500 kids from 250 families in the city of Taunton in 2017. This year, the school is projected to provide gifts for approximately 600 children, ranging from infants to 18 years of age.

Parents who come to the Toy Shop are paired with a student who assists them in selecting gifts that are appropriate for their children, providing five gifts per child. These range from brand new toys and games, to books and puzzles. While the parents are selecting the gifts, which can all be gift-wrapped for them, the

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The Anchor - December 14, 2018

children are enjoying a Christmas party that provides food, games and crafts — again, all staffed by Coyle and Cassidy student and faculty volunteers.

The organization of the program is overseen by the student members of the National Honor Society; however, in all aspects this is a school-wide effort. In addition to new toys that are brought in, gifts are purchased with funds raised by students during the first half of the school year through a variety of inclusive, fun and school spirit-focused events.

The school assembly not only provided an opportunity for the student body to collect all the gifts, but allowed several students to present moving testimonials to the true meaning of Christmas. Students recounted favorite Christmas experiences that not necessarily involved receipt of an expensive gift, but rather spending time with family or volunteering to be with those who might not

have anyone else. These life lessons are true reflections on what it means to serve those who might

be struggling and be a living example of the true meaning of Christmas.

On December 6, the feast of St. Nicholas, the students at Coyle and Cassidy High School and Middle School in Taunton had an assembly to which they brought gifts for the school’s 25th annual Toy Shop.