02.10.23

Challenge grant met to aid St. Joseph’s House Shelter

HYANNIS — Thanks to the generosity of more than 30 donors — individuals, parishes, organizations and foundations — the challenge grant issued by the George and Marie Chabot Foundation’s Trustees to benefit St. Joseph’s House Shelter has been exceeded. Contributions will ultimately provide more than $150,000 over the next four years that will strengthen the capacity for St. Joseph’s House in Hyannis to provide services to the area’s homeless. This ministry of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River (formerly Catholic Social Services) not only provides shelter, but also provides through its Day Program important resources and skill-building services for men and women of all ages who are currently or formerly homeless, or at risk for homelessness.

Donors from across the diocese answered the call Bishop

Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, and Catholic Charities sounded to contribute to the match. Lead contributions toward the effort

8 Turn to page 12

St. Joseph’s House Shelter, a ministry of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River, is already benefiting from funds raised through a challenge match that will help the shelter better serve the homeless and housing insecure on Cape Cod.

St. John Paul II School Concert

Choir to return to Italy on tour

HYANNIS — From February 16 through February 24, the St. John Paul II School Concert Choir will once again tour Italy — five years since their first tour in 2017. This high school choir from Cape Cod, which celebrates the immense treasury of Catholic Music, will perform in Rome and beyond.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these students to perform at sites significant to our Catholic heritage. Additionally,

they will experience a cultural and historical tour of central Italy with professional guides. I am so proud of the work they have put in for this tour, and we pray for its success and safe travels,” said Susan Niden, interim President of St. John Paul II School (grades 5-12).

Thirty-two members of the choir will perform at venues including St. Peter’s Basilica, the United States Naval Base in

Students from Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River and St. John Paul II School in Hyannis took part in the recent March for Life in Washington, D.C. (Photos courtesy of Jennifer Petroski)

Diocesan Women’s and Men’s Conference makes return on March 11.

— Page eight

Meet our Seminarians

For the next several Anchor editions, a biography of a diocesan seminarian will run, allowing faithful across the diocese to get to know the men and pray for them.

This month we profile Lucas Daniel daCosta, son of Daniel and Fatima daCosta, who grew up in New Bedford and is a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Church in Acushnet. He has one older sister.

important to him and he advanced in love for the Church, especially a love for the Eucharist, Adoration, Confession, and Our Lady.

After high school he spent a year in Portugal to work on his ability to speak Portuguese. Lucas is currently in Second Theology at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton.

Why the Priesthood?

“I felt the invitation of the Lord to help bring His mercy and love, which I had received, to others, to live a life serving Him and His Church, accompanying and guiding his people to true happiness in his merciful heart,” said daCosta.

Who influenced you to pursue discerning a vocation to Priesthood?

In seventh grade he began to go through a conversion and grew quickly in his faith. He became active in his parish and the sense he had that the Lord may be calling him to the priesthood matured throughout high school.

Prayer became very

“My family, who taught me the faith; in a particular way my grandmothers; also, my two pastors growing up, Msgr. John J. Oliveira and Msgr. Gerard O’Connor, who were instrumental in showing me an authentic and happy priestly life.”

Favorite Saint: St Joseph

Hobbies: Cooking, getting outside, and traveling.

The St. John Paul II School Concert Choir and Chamber Choir, under the direction of Richard Fish, will be embarking on its second tour of Italy, which will include performances in Rome, Vatican City, Monte Cassino, Naples and Assisi.

Hyannis school choirs to make second tour

continued from page one Naples, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the Abbey of St. Benedict in Monte Cassino, and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Additionally, they will attend the Wednesday Papal Audience, and perform a full concert at the Church of St. Agnes.

The St. John Paul II School Concert Choir and

of Italy

Chamber Choir have also performed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York

of their chosen career, endeavoring to fulfill their vocation in Christ,” said Richard Fish, school Performing Arts Director.

City on their Broadway Concert Tour. Each year’s Broadway Concert Tour features daily performances by the choirs (40-plus voice Concert Choir, as well as Mixed Chamber Choir) where students have the opportunity to perform and attend workshops with Broadway actors, and music and theater directors.

“We prepare students to become performers on the stage of life, regardless

The comprehensive Performing Arts curriculum is designed to foster the singing, acting, dancing, and technical theater skills of the students.

The choir will hold a tour kickoff concert on Wednesday, February 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the school. Admission is free and donations are welcome. All are invited to attend.

Located in Hyannis, St. John Paul II School is a Catholic school that welcomes and serves students of all faiths in grades five through 12.

Diocese to host events as part of National Eucharistic Revival

FALL RIVER — The National Eucharistic Revival is an opportunity, a movement, to heal, unite, form, and send out Catholics renewed by the Eucharistic Lord.

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass

As part of the Revival on February 15 at 6:30 p.m., join Dr. Edward Sri for a free virtual webinar to learn the importance of the Mass for Catholics and its Biblical roots.

Dr. Sri is a theologian, author and well-known Catholic speaker throughout the country and on Formed. He is the host of the acclaimed film series “Symbolon: The Catholic

Faith Explained,” and other formation series, including “A Biblical Walk Through the Mass.”

Receiving his doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, he is an adjunct professor at the Augustine Institute and Sr. Vice President of Apostolic Outreach for FOCUS.

To register for this free event, visit: https://bit.ly/ ReviveMass

Eucharistic Nights & Relic Tour

This Lent, there will be a series of Eucharistic Nights in the Diocese of Fall River to coincide with the National Eucharistic Revival.

During these nights, the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis and St. Manuel Garcia, as well as National Eucharistic Preacher Father Roger Landry, will tour the diocese. Each night will include Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, the opportunity to venerate the relics, and a talk given by Father Landry.

Additionally, a Eu -

charistic Miracles Exhibit will be present for viewing.

Catholics throughout the diocese are invited and encouraged to attend to unite in prayer during that week, asking the Eucharistic Lord to renew the diocese.

The following is a schedule of the nights, which are free and open to the public:

Monday, March 13 at 6 p.m. — St. Anthony Church, 167 East Falmouth Hwy, East Falmouth; Tuesday, March 14 at 6:30 p.m. — Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 121 Mount Pleasant Street, New Bedford; Wednesday, March 15 at 6 p.m. — Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, 327 Second Street, Fall River.

Those who are old enough to remember some of the classic radio programs of the last century might think this column is going to be about Bob Hope and the signature song with which he closed his show each week; in other words, about nostalgia. But you would be wrong!

Rather, I write about memories for which we thank God. The first of these memories were mediated by Moses. The first five books of the Bible are called the Books of Moses, or the Pentateuch. For us and for this column it matters little who put these books in their final form as we have them today. We shall simply say that through these books God is teaching us great truths, and the tradition attributes the conduit of this teaching to the servant of God, Moses.

While the power and love of God are manifested to us through creation every day of our lives, yet the events of the Exodus of a people freed from oppression in Egypt brings the

Thanks for the memories

action of God into focus. The Book of Exodus in the Bible recalls these events and establishes a yearly remembrance. “This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate”

(Ex 12: 14). And: “You shall observe this as a perpetual ordinance for yourselves and your descendants” (Ex 12:24).

When Jesus reached the age of adulthood according to Jewish custom, He would have announced this fact to the community: 12 years of age, “Today, I am a man.”

Mary and Joseph took Him with them to the Passover in Jerusalem. This gave the young Jesus an opportunity to learn more about the memory and heritage of Moses from those learned Jews who kept the memory of Moses alive (see Lk 2:4152). It is in this memory of Moses that we are made aware of the goodness of creation, that we have a guide for living in the Ten Commandments, and so much more.

Several times the Gospels give us parallels between Moses and Jesus. This is not by way of contrast, nor with the idea of

replacement, but to show us the continuity of Revelation. It is a reminder of the continued goodness and love of God despite how we have turned aside from the way of life that we have been shown.

In the context of a Passover celebration, remembering what God had done for His people, Jesus

As the liturgy of Christian worship developed, this thanks came to reflect the feast or season. I shall quote the thanks as given in the Preface of the Mass for several formularies in the current Missal.

Your might; in Your mercy You give ardor to their faith, to their endurance you grant firm resolve, and in their struggle, the victory is yours.”

instituted a new ritual in memory of Himself, not Moses (“do this in memory of Me.” (Lk 22:19).Moses is known as the great law giver because of the Ten Commandments; Jesus gave us a new commandment: “I give you a new Commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:14,35).’

While the scriptures clearly state that Jesus gave thanks when He instituted this new ritual, the words of thanks are not recorded. Nor do any accounts of the earliest enactments of this new ritual.

From the Preface of the First Sunday of Advent: “It is truly right and just ... to give You thanks ... through Christ our Lord. For He assumed at His first coming the lowliness of human flesh, and so fulfilled the design You formed long ago, and opened for us the way to eternal salvation, that, when He comes again in glory and majesty and all is at last made manifest, we who watch for that day may inherit the great promise in which now we dare to hope.”

From the third Preface of Lent: “It is truly right and just ... to give You thanks ... For You will that our self-denial should give You thanks, humble our sinful pride, contribute to the feeding of the poor, and so help us to imitate You in Your kindness.”

From the Preface of Holy Martyrs: “It is truly right and just to give You thanks ... For You are glorified when Your saints are praised; their very sufferings are but wonders of

Now, moving from the formal words of the Universal Church, what did you thank God for the last time you participated at Mass? The song of birds and other aspects of creation as you came to Mass? The love you felt the first time you held your new-born child in your arms? The gift of sight, or hearing, or mobility? Perhaps it was the fact that your mother protected you for nine months in her womb? (It wasn’t easy.) The fact that you can still love an adult child who has gone astray?

Thank God for the memories we have because of this servant Moses. Thank God for the memories we have through His servant and Son Jesus. Through this little exercise to make the thanksgiving of the Mass more meaningful as worship, you may gain a greater sense of personal worship of God as you stand, kneel, sit before Him at Mass.

Now I am going to give you another way to make the Mass your own. You have just expressed to God your thanks for any number of things. Perhaps you can share those thanks with another member of the family or a friend at the Sign of Peace. Can you think of a better way to prepare to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord?

Thanks, God, for the Memories.

Father Buote is a retired priest of the Diocese of Fall River and a regular contributor to The Anchor.

North Dighton parish hosts Lenten retreat

NORTH DIGHTON —

Join fellow Catholics on a Lenten Mission to discover Jesus. All are welcome at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish Hall in North Dighton to share fellowship while watching “The Chosen.”

Viewing is every other Sunday from 6-7:30 p.m. People will watch the film beginning with Series 2 episodes 1 and 2, and will continue through to the end of Series 3 as the weeks go forward.

The parish is showing two episodes every other Sunday night offering an opportunity for Christians to consider making this a Lenten Mission in preparation for the joy of Easter.

Jesus’ story comes to life on the screen. Bring a snack and a friend, and spend an hour or so with Jesus and His apostles. Beverages will be provided. Jesus is calling you.

Show schedule: Sunday February 19, March 5 and 19. Series 3 will begin on April 2. Future dates to be determined.

St. Nicholas of Myra is located at 499 Spring Street in North Dighton.

Contacts are Nancy Brown 774 218-1456, (Women’s Guild) and Lloyd Simpson 508-2437519 (Knights of Columbus).

Marriage and the eucharistic revival

This Sunday we mark the 40th anniversary of World Marriage Day, which celebrates the marriage between a man and a woman as the foundation of the family and of society, and honors the beauty of marital commitment, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and joy. It’s always held on the second Sunday of February, the Sunday closest to St. Valentine’s Day.

Presently only 50 percent of adults are married. 25 percent of millennials — those now between 26 to 41 years of age — say the will never get married. In the midst of such statistics, World Marriage Day is an important occasion for the Church to emphasize the gift of marriage, to pray for married and engaged couples, and to foster a culture that helps young people to whom God has given the vocation to marriage to adopt the mentality virtues that will be conducive to recognizing and living that vocation well.

The strength of the Church depends on the vitality of marriage. This is true, of course, theologically. Since the Church exists in a mystical spousal bond to Christ (Eph 5:32), if people do not understand marriage, they won’t understand the Church. But it is also very practical. From the earliest days of Christianity, the family has been understood as a “domestic Church.” Just as if parishes were failing, a diocese would be in trouble, so if domestic churches are collapsing, then the Church as a whole will likewise be struggling.

This practical reality has been shown with alarming clarity in recent research done by Communio, a non-profit led by JP De Gance that is seeking to help churches in the U.S. respond to the crisis of faith and family.

De Gance recently co-authored with John Van Epp the 2021 book “Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America” to discuss in depth the connection between family and faith, to show that family decline is driving faith decline, and to propose strategies to Churches to strengthen families if they wish to strengthen the Church.

De Gance, Van Epp and Communio argue that the collapse of the family is the primary statistical factor behind the exodus of people from faith practice and the rise of the “nones,” those who say they have no religion. The nones are growing at a very fast clip: a 2018 survey show that 22 percent of Baby Boomers (those born between 1946-1964) self-identify as “nones,” compared to 30 percent of Gen X (1965-1980) and 40 percent of millennials (1981-1996).

But if the members of those cohorts came from intact families, with married parents throughout their upbringing, their faith practice has remained stable throughout the generations: 35 percent of Baby Boomers who came from intact families practice the faith each Sunday, as do 35 percent of Gen X and 32 percent of millennials. The chief predictor and factor, De Gance and colleagues argue, for continued practice of the faith among the young is family structure. 73 percent of people in the pews 18-60 years of age come from intact families and millennials from married homes are 78 percent more likely to practice the faith each Sunday than their peers from unmarried homes.

In a situation in which 40 percent of children in the U.S. are born out of marriage and 54 percent of children in the U.S. reach their 17th birthday without a married mom and dad, the consequences for the transmission of faith, they say, are obvious and the need to strengthen marriage urgent. “Faith is falling,” De Gance says, “because the family is in freefall.”

That’s why Communio, in collaboration with the Barna Group, has studied what is happening in Churches to strengthen marriages and families and to stem the rate of failure. Even though the strength of families is essential for the strength of parishes, very few parishes, their study shows, have dedicated adequate resources to care for families.

61 percent of Catholic parishes say they have no ministry to married couples at all. Far fewer offer concrete programs to mentor young married couples, to conduct marriage retreats, to hold marriage seminars, to foster date nights and to encourage small group sessions. Only 15 percent of Catholic parishes have a staff member devoted to marriage and family ministry and only 18 percent include marriage enrichment programs in the parish budget.

While 74 percent of Catholic parishes have some form of marriage preparation for engaged couples, only 30 percent have ongoing ministry to newlyweds, despite the fact that divorce rates are highest in the first five years of marriage. Only eight percent have programs to promote healthy dating habits and guidance for finding the right spouse. In contrast, 54 percent of Catholic parishes have a part- or full-time paid youth minister and 94 percent have some programs for youth.

De Gance and his colleagues at Communio argue that, because of the connection between family health and long-term parish health, parishes would be wise to allocate resources to the care for marriage ministry, involving vocational care for singles to encourage marriage, marriage preparation, marriage enrichment and those in marital crises.

Communio is working with Catholic and Protestant parishes in various parts of the country to try to facilitate such “full circle” marriage care, predicting that marriage renewal would be one of the most effective ways to drive parochial renewal. If family decline is indeed a driver of faith decline, then strengthening families should indeed lead to strengthened parish families.

As the Church in the U.S., moreover, continues its Eucharistic Revival, care for marriage and families needs to be among the key components. Not only are healthy families essential for Mass attendance, but likewise for priestly vocations and so many other essential aspects of Church life.

As we the Church marks World Marriage Day on Sunday, it is an opportunity to begin or advance a conversation about the priority that care for marriages and families will assume in ordinary parish life. St. John Paul II used to repeat, “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.” The future of parishes of the Church does as well.

Daily Readings † February 11 - February 24

Sat. Feb.11, Gn 3:9-24; Ps 90:2-6,12-13; Mk 8:1-10. Sun. Feb.12, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sir 15:15-20; Ps 119:1-2,4-5,17-18,33-34; 1 Cor 2:6-10; Mt 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a,27-28,33-34a,37. Mon. Feb. 13, Gn 4:1-15,25; Ps 50:1,8,16bc-17,20-21; Mk 8:11-13. Tue. Feb.14, Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5,10; Ps 29:1a,2,3ac-4,3b,9c-10; Mk 8:14-21. Wed. Feb. 15, Gn 8:613,20-22; Ps 116:12-15,18-19 ; Mk 8:22-26. Thu. Feb. 16, Gn 9:1-13; Ps 102:16-18,19-23,29; Mk 8:27-33. Fri. Feb. 17, Gn 11:1-9; Ps 33:10-15; Mk

8:34—9:1.

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Sat. Feb. 18, Heb 11:1-7; Ps 145:2-5,10-11; Mk 9:2-13. Sun. Feb. 19, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lv 19:1-2,17-18; Ps 103:1-4,8,10,12-13; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48. Mon. Feb. 20, Sir 1:1-10; Ps 93:1-2,5; Mk 9:1429. Tue. Feb. 21, Sir 2:1-11; Ps 37:3-4,18-19,27-28, 39-40; Mk 9:30-37. Wed. Feb. 22, Ash Wednesday, Jl 2:12-18; Ps 51:3-6b,12-14,17; 2 Cor 5:20—6:2; Mt 6:1-6,16-18. Thu. Feb. 23, Dt 30:15-20; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 9:2225. Fri. Feb. 24, Is 58:1-9a; Ps 51:3-6a,18-19; Mt 9:14-15.

Thisquestion comes up all the time. “What are you giving up for Lent?” Among the usual responses are smoking, drinking, chocolate, coffee and possibly even a dreaded childhood food like spinach. What does it mean to give up something for Lent?

Many of the prayers, rituals and traditions of the Church deliberately invoke memories of our Trinitarian God. They inspire us to remember the works of God the Father, the love that God had for humankind by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, and the gifts God sends through the Holy Spirit. They also remind us that God is dynamic and that God’s loving care remains active and present all around us today. Giving up chocolate for Lent seems trivial compared to giving up one’s own life so another may live.

Lent is a time for Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. It is a time that points to and leads us to the joy of the Easter celebration. The word Lent evolved from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning “to lengthen.” This referred to springtime when the daylight gets longer. When thinking about the Easter Season, our society quickly jumps to worldly thoughts of brightly colored Easter Eggs, the Easter Bunny, and bouquets of spring flowers. Often, the message of Easter is drowned out by the noise of the modern world. The time of Lent is overpowered by Easter promotions, advertisements, store sales, and the coming of warmer weather. Our world

Lent: A Time of sacrifice

bombards us with lots of background noise. None of it is helpful to our spiritual life.

How do we return to God amid all the world’s distractions? To eliminate the noise we have to move to a quiet place. An old hymn comes to mind titled, “Speak, Lord, in the stillness.” God is speaking to us all the time. We have a hard time hearing God through the noise. We need to get ourselves to that quiet place in order to hear but it’s not easy to get there. Beside the worldly noise coming at us as sound and images there is also that emotional noise. Our daily concerns, thoughts and anxieties weigh us down.

The Prayer and Fasting parts of Lent can help us with this. Prayer in its simplest form is conversation with God. That’s all you have to do. You don’t need a prayer book. Just talk to God in your own words. The important part is being in a quiet place and in a quiet state of mind so you can hear God talking back. The Fasting part is perhaps the most misunderstood. We often hear the word “sacrifice” when talking about Fasting. “What are you going to sacrifice?” The word “sacrifice” means to make something holy. It comes from the word “sacred.” A sacrifice is something you do which results in some thing or some action becoming holy. So, the act of Fasting, or giving something up, should result in something or someone

becoming holy. I had a mentor who once told me, “You are holy.” His words took me back. I did not consider myself holy. He did not say, “You are a holy person.” There’s a difference. Because we are made by God, we are holy. We are always holy. We don’t always do

holy things. Sometimes we don’t act holy. But deep down inside, we are holy because God made us holy. The penitential nature of Lent helps us reflect on the things we carry that do not bring out the best of our intrinsic holiness. God’s love founded that holiness. Our human desires and actions tend to lessen the brightness of that love.

Fasting is a way to help us get back on the holiness track by making a sacrifice — making something holy. The making of something holy builds upon the holiness we already have. When you think about making a sacrifice, think beyond giving up “items.” Think about giving up things that dim the light of our God-given holiness like greed, selfishness, anger, jealousy, hatred, and intolerance. We can make a conscious effort to transform our actions into holy actions such as compassion, patience, acceptance and forgiveness.

In the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent, Je-

sus brings three of His closest disciples, Peter, James and John, up to the mountain — a holy place where people felt closer to God. Suddenly Jesus was transfigured into an image of the brightest and whitest light. Then Moses and Elijah appeared. The disciples were astonished. The appearance of these prominent Old Testament authorities validated Jesus’ closeness to God. They wanted to build three tents which would have been like shrines. In their minds Jesus was “shrine-worthy” just like Moses and Elijah. Little did they know Jesus was much more! Suddenly the sky became very dark. The disciples became terrified. The voice (of God) spoke from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” When the cloud faded and the figures of Moses and Elijah disappeared the disciples were all alone with Jesus as they were when they started. The disciples now have to go back to their regular lives but things will never be the same because of what they experienced. They were forever changed because God Himself proclaimed that this ordinary

friend of theirs was God’s Son! God also commanded that they listen to Him. Just as the disciples were changed through Jesus’ transfiguration, God is hoping that we will be transformed through a closer relationship with Him by listening to what His Son, Jesus, has to offer us. The disciples did not fully understand all this but accepted on faith. Today, we don’t fully understand either but we have faith that God will guide our way if we listen to Jesus.

During Lent, we pray that we may be transformed into a more intimate relationship with Jesus. We pray that by reflecting on our weakness we may understand how to live a holy life. Like the apostles, we embrace Jesus, God’s Son, as our friend. We pray that we may listen to God more deeply. We pray that God will change our hearts and our lives.

Speak, Lord, in the stillness.

Rick Swenton is a parishioner of St. Pius the Tenth Church in South Yarmouth and is a member of the choir, a cantor and a church music composer. He resides with his wife of 47 years, Gail, in South Dennis.

It’s time to register for Women’s and Men’s Conference

FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River Women’s and Men’s Conference is returning this Lent as an in-person gathering after a two-year absence because of the pandemic.

With a full program of inspiring talks, worship,

music and much more, the Conference offers Catholics an opportunity for spiritual enrichment and renewal as part of their Lenten journey towards Easter.

The 2023 Women’s and Men’s Conference will take place on Sat-

urday, March 11, at the Ames Sports Complex on the grounds of Stonehill College in Easton, beginning at 10 a.m.

“I am so pleased that our Women’s and Men’s Conference will once again be an in-person event after two years,”

said Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.

“I am looking forward to gathering with parishioners from across the diocese for what I know will be a fruitful and rewarding day. Our Conference theme of ‘Receive Jesus, Worship Jesus,’ echoes the National Eucharistic Revival now underway across the country and is designed to help rekindle and deepen devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.”

Bishop da Cunha will be celebrant and homilist of a 4 p.m. Mass to conclude the program.

Other keynote presenters at the conference will be Mari Pablo and Fall River diocesan priest, Father Roger Landry.

Pablo has traveled the U.S. and Latin America speaking on the beauty of the Catholic faith and challenging her audiences to build a deeper relationship with Christ. She is a frequent presenter at events such as the annual Steubenville Youth Conferences, the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), and Life Teen and is also known from her presentations in numerous Ascension Presents videos on faith formation.

Father Landry has worked outside the diocese for the past eight years, first as part of the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations and now as the Catholic chaplain

at Columbia University in New York. Concurrently, he is among 50 priests across the country serving as a National Eucharistic Preacher at the designation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Women and Men’s Conference Planning Committee chairperson Beth Mahoney described the day’s speakers as “engaging” and well able to lead participants to a deeper understanding of the importance of the Eucharist in their lives.

After two years of C OVID restrictions, she said, “There couldn’t be a better theme than that of Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist.”

The Conference program will include breakout sessions offered in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Adoration, Reconciliation, prayer, lunch, and vendor exhibits.

In addition, the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis and St. Manuel Garcia will be present for veneration by attendees and the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit created by Blessed Carlo before his untimely death in 2006 at the age of 15 will be available for viewing.

Registration for the conference is required. The deadline is March 6. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available.

To register or for more information, visit fallriverdiocese.org.

Deacon James M. Barrett Jr.

WEST

BARNSTA-

BLE — Deacon James M. Barrett Jr. died peacefully at home on January 23.

He was born in 1942 in Bellows Falls, Vt., though he grew up almost entirely in Braintree. After graduating from St. Anselm College in 1964, Deacon Barrett met his wife to be Barbara while golfing. Barbara and Jim were married in May 1966 and their only child, Matthew, was born in May 1970.

In 1973, Deacon Barrett and family moved to West Barnstable, where he lived until his death. When he arrived on Cape Cod Jim began working at Conant’s greenhouse while also volunteering at the West Barnstable Fire Department where he rose to Deputy Chief.

Most of his professional life was spent working

at Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he retired as Director of Facilities in 2006. Shortly thereafter Jim began to work part-

preaching and distributing Holy Communion. He received a great amount of joy from providing spiritual guidance to the community and acting as a servant of God.

Deacon Barrett is survived by his wife Barbara of West Barnstable, son Matt and his wife Andrea and two grandchildren Matteo and Isabella Barrett all of Panama.

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:

Feb. 11

Rev. John O’Connell, Founder, St. John Evangelist, Attleboro, 1910

Rev. John J. Sullivan, S.T.L., Retired, Former Pastor, Holy Rosary, Fall River, 1961

Rev. William J. McMahon, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, 1987

Rev. Christopher (Leo) King, SS.CC., 2013

Rev. John J. Perry, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory, Centerville; Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville, 2020

Feb. 12

Rev. Stanislaus Bernard, SS.CC, Retired Founder, Our Lady of Assumption, New Bedford, 1961

Rev. Richard Lifrak, SS.CC., 2021

Feb. 13

time at Hy-Line Cruises and continued to work there through 2022.

He answered the call to become a deacon in the Parish of Our Lady of Victory in Centerville in 1998. Deacon Barrett was able to celebrate numerous Baptisms and witnessed many marriages, while each week he enjoyed

A Funeral Mass was celebrated on January 31 at Our Lady of Victory Church, Centerville. Burial will be at a later date.

Donations in his memory may be sent to Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street, Centerville, Mass., 02632, or Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod, c/o Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, P.O. Box 370, Hyannis, Mass., 02601.

Annual Attleboro 40 Days for Life begins February 22

ATTLEBORO — People can protect mothers and children by joining the worldwide mobilization to pray and fast for an end to abortion know as 40 Days for Life.

Through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach, 40 Days for Life has inspired 1,000,000-plus volunteers.

With God’s help, here are the proven results in 30 coordinated campaigns:

• More than 20,000 babies saved from abortion.

• More than 200 abortion workers converted.

• More than 100 abortion centers closed.

Here’s how to take part in 40 Days for Life in our

community:

• Vigil location: Four

Larose Cell: 508-736-9813; E-Mail: 40dflattleboro@ comcast.net

Learn more about how to get involved and sign up for prayer times by visiting our campaign at the web address shown below: 40daysforlife. com/attleboro

Rev. Richard R. Gendreau, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Louid de France, Swansea, 2015

Feb. 14

Rev. Charles E. Clerk, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1932

Rev. Msgr. Francis McKeon, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1980

Feb. 15

Rev. Joseph G. Lavalle, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1910

Rev. James C. Conlon, Pastor, St. Mary, Norton, 1957

Feb. 16

Rev. Alphonse J. LaChapelle, Assistant, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1983

Rev. Joaquim Fernandes da Silva, CM, 2001

Feb. 17

Rev. Louis R. Boivin, Retired, Catholic Memorial Home, Former Pastor, St. Theresa, South Attleboro, 2010

Feb. 19

Rev. Andrew J. Brady, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1895

Rev. Leopold Jeurissen, SS.CC., Pastor, Sacred Hearts, Fairhaven, 1953

Feb. 20

Rev. James H. Fogarty, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1922

Rev. Raymond M. Giguere, O.P., Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1986

Rev. Thomas E. Morrissey, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 2006

Feb. 21

Rev. Msgr. Luiz G. Mendonca, PA, Retired, Former Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New Bedford, 1997

Feb. 22

Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jovite Chagnon, Founder, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1954

Rev. Albert A. Croce, C.S.C., 2014

Feb. 24

Rev. Edward F. McIsaac, Retired Chaplain, Rose Hawthorn Lathrop Home, 2002

Women Clinic, 150 Emory St. Attleboro, (one mile from La Salette Shrine)

• Vigil hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

• Local contact: Ron

TheCatholic Church faces tremendous challenges in these times. Scandal, division, corruption, money, lack of faith and understanding, and secularism. These are among the many reasons why numbers are dwindling so rapidly. Young people especially are leaving in record numbers. So then, how do we attract people to stay? How do we draw people back?

In recent weeks, my family and I marked the first anniversary of my mother’s passing. While reflecting on the Christ-centered way she lived, elements of the Christian life emerge that serve as a guide for our Church today: a personal relationship with Jesus; faithful, yet creative teaching; joyful hospitality; and an openness to people on the margins.

We were blessed to have my mother, Barbara Vaeth Shaughnessy, for 89 years. A mother to eight,

A joyful, Christ-centered role model

grandmother to 24, and a high school religion teacher by trade, she taught by her words and deeds not just what the Christian life is, but how to live it. Christianity was not reduced to a set of moral rules or a socio-political program for my mother. Rather, she was a witness to the centrality of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship, cultivated by a strong prayer life, is the key to a Christian life joyfully lived.

Responding to the call of Jesus to follow Him, and allowing Him to become our Lord, Savior and best friend, is what matters most. Everything else is but a footnote to this reality. This is what I was taught by my mother from a young age. She was able to teach this because she had that relationship herself. Although we Catholics often

focus on important matters such as doctrine, liturgy and moral theology, our faith is ultimately about a relationship with a person. Christ should be the center of everything in our lives and in our Church. If we lose this focus, our lives and our

Church will go askew, lacking mission and purpose. Taking our eyes off Jesus is at the heart of every scandal and division in the Church. My mother had great trust in Jesus and His Church despite witnessing many scandals and divisions herself through the years, including situations involving priests who had even served at our home parish. Belief in the divine inspiration of the Church never

wavered, and my mother remained devoted to the Church and active in many parish ministries until the end. To move away from the Church was to move away from Christ Himself. As Peter responded to Jesus when asked if the apostles would prefer to leave rather than deal with the struggle: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that You are the Holy One of God” (Jn 6: 68-69).

My mother taught for decades at Catholic high schools and it was important to her that she taught what the Church taught, even if it was unpopular. Identifying herself as a “preservative,” she wanted to preserve all that was right and good in the Catholic tradition. She taught authentically and creatively, and always attempted to

engage students in multiple ways using prayer, drama, music or whatever worked. Developing caring relationships, she met students where they were, all the while drawing them to Christ and His Church. When one knows Jesus, as my mother did, one is compelled to share this knowledge with others.

My mother was also a person of great joy and had no doubt about where this joy originated. She was joyful because Christ was within her. Her joy was especially manifest when playing with her grandchildren or welcoming people for a meal. She had a true gift with children because she had that childlike faith in God. Hospitality to all, including to strangers, was always evident. My mother was unafraid to befriend those on the margins and respond to their needs. In her later years, she befriended many diverse residents of her apartment complex. When she died, many of these residents shared with me and my siblings what an impact her kindness and generosity meant to them.

We face enormous challenges as a Church. Let us look to those great personal witnesses to help guide our future. I am blessed to have had a mother who lived such a joyful, Christ-centered life and hope that I can be this type of witness for my own children.

Anchor columnist Peter Shaughnessy is a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier parish in Acushnet.

Most grandmothers today are old enough to remember the Soviet Union (if only for their formidable athletes at the Olympic Games), and most were aware of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Before the advent of smart phones, we saw the jubilant images on our television screens and heard the wonder in the voices of the journalists. Peter Jennings called it “an astonishing moment in history;” and Tom Brokaw saw it as “mind-boggling.” And in human terms it was.

Against a spiritual backdrop, though, there is a little more to the story. We know that there was a meeting of minds between President Ronald Reagan, who encountered communism in the Screen Actors Guild, and Pope John Paul II, who had lived under communist oppression most of his life, which allowed prudent political moves to be undergirded with prayer and sacrifice. Hence, in the fullness of time, the unthinkable became thinkable; indeed it was our own magnificent illustration of the upending of an empire, the likes of which were steady fare in the Old Testament.

Of course, the pope was not alone in praying for the downfall of an atheistic regime. Closing churches and banning prayer doesn’t put an end to the heartfelt desires for spiritual goods. Alexander Solzhenitsyn found fervent faith in the gulags, and outside those grim edifices most credit the babushkas with steadfast prayer for

The Babushkas of today

the yoke of suffering to end. Richard Marcantonio, in a lovely piece, “Remembering the Babushkas,” explains that baba is Russian for elderly woman, and iyushka means small or fragile. Together, the term idiomatically means grandma, to which he quips: “Elderly, yes; fragile? Hardly. The babushkas were the tough ones who did whatever they could to keep the flame of faith burning during those terrible years. They are a testament to the kind of faith so desperately needed today.”

In that spirit, I am launching a prayer project for our own [ahem] mature women, specifically those who are empty-nesters and have finished the bulk of their work in the family, but who naturally remain tied by those maternal heartstrings. If we learned anything, there is more to loving our children and grandchildren (and of course nieces, nephews) than the just details of their own lives. We get

drawn into the drama of their friends and neighbors, their co-workers, and looser social circles. Of course we take such things to prayer — I am merely offering a bit of organization to the project before us.

things — even amidst the trials of life. There are also prayers for the sick, prayers to help prepare for a holy death, and a devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady.

At my website, feminine-genius.com there is a tab, Domus Aurea, which means “House of Gold.” The name of this apostolate is based on that title of the Blessed Mother from the litany, gold being an element forged in the fire — and who among us cannot relate to the suffering inherently attached to love? The brief daily intentions include prayers for healthy friendships for the young, holy and stable marriages, reconciliation and healing, vocations and the needs of priests, and the need to give glory to God in all

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel

Sunday, February 12 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fall River

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel

Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford

We know that despite the wise pope’s constant warnings to the contrary, the Eastern Block rushed headlong into the materialistic excesses of the West, and now all of what was known as Christendom is beset by the natural confusion that reigns when the call to holiness is rejected out of hand. Our young people are awash in festively packaged lies, and even many of those old enough to know better have forgotten themselves in the chaos. Rather than undermining our faith, the madness all around us should confirm our understanding

that only by knowing our eternal end will we know the right path each day. How can we expect order in a society composed of those whose lives are so gravely disordered?

There is ordering information for the booklets at that site, or you can call the publisher in New Hope, KY at 270-325-3061. Kindly spread the word to other women you know — those who understand the power of prayer — and we can knit together a chorus of loving voices begging God to lead our dear ones to a better place. And let us pray with confidence, for scripture also shows that God rewards those who persist in their supplications.

Anchor columnist Genevieve Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman.” She blogs at feminine-genius. com.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

Sunday, February 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant

Sunday, February 19 at 11:00 a.m.

is Father Jason Brilhante, Pastor of St. John of God in Somerset

Celebrant is Father Stephen Banjare, SS.CC., Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Fairhaven

Where are my peeps?

Growing increasingly tired of watching television in my free time because of a lack of quality programming that would interest me, I’ve been reading more books and escaping in that fashion.

There are just so many cooking shows I can stomach (pun intended) and most have changed from fun, entertaining and informative into battles for this and battles for that.

I don’t want to watch people win or lose, based on a topic that is in large part subjective at best. One judge may enjoy a preparation and another may not. Frankly, I find most food show judges to be pompous, without a grasp of the world outside their kitchens. The pickiness of the comments shows clearly that

become completely engrossed in the life up there, the land from which my ancestors came.

For me, with deep French-Canadian roots, it’s a delight to read about places I’ve been and hear the surnames of so many people I’ve known through the years. There is one thorn in my paw though. With myriad French-Canadian names dropped, there has not yet been one from my family. There have been no Jolivets, Dudevoirs, Vautrins, or Simons.

My wife’s Belanger and Francoeur roots have appeared, but nary a name from my peeps.

In the past I’ve researched those four names in a National Hockey League database, and only Simon came up. Now, the NHL is more than 100 years old and originated in Canada. Where are my peeps?!

I can’t say for sure why this bothers me. I’m proud of my ancestors but can’t understand why we’re so nondescript.

Challenge grant met to aid St. Joseph’s shelter continued from page one

they don’t realize, or choose not to, that there are millions of poor souls on this earth who go without a morsel every day of their troubled existence.

I recently was introduced to a detective series about a police homicide inspector from the province of Quebec, Canada.

I’m now six books into the asof-now 18-book series and I have

I’ll remain optimistic with there being 12 more volumes to enjoy. But it is getting to the point where I’ll take a reference even if it is the surname of a murderer.

And if there are any Jolivets, Dudevoirs, Vautrins or Simons out there, give me shout to help me believe that my Canadian roots haven’t suffered from root rot.

davejolivet@anchornews.org

came from the Arethusa Charitable Fund of the Cape Cod Foundation and Wagner Foundation’s Good Neighbor Fund. “We are so grateful to all those who were moved to join with us in supporting this incredible opportunity. From Cape Cod, Attleboro to Fall River, Mansfield to Somerset, Taunton to West Wareham, and more — contributions of all sizes came together to help meet this goal. We launched the effort during a season of giving, and the faithful in the Diocese of Fall River widened their own circles of giving to help others in need. We are indeed blessed,” reflected Miriam Finn Sherman, CEO of the Catholic Foundation.

An Our Lady of the Assumption (Osterville) parishioner who asked to remain anonymous shared, “Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Victory, and Our Lady of Hope Churches on Cape Cod work together coordinating dinners throughout the year for St. Joseph’s House. Among many other parishioners, I have volunteered to help with these meals. When I heard about the match opportunity to support St. Joseph’s House, I was happy to contribute. I have seen firsthand the important work that St. Joseph’s House does in our community.”

Deploying these funds to improve the staffing, equipment,

and furnishings at St. Joseph’s House as well as support the program’s operations and its Winter Overflow response is immediate. “After a year of uncertainty and upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to maintain an eye on the future that restores hope and improved experience for our shelter/Day Program guests thanks to the funds from this initiative,” said Chief Operating Officer, Happiness Nosike-Unaka. “We are deeply grateful to the frontline staff at St. Joseph’s House Shelter for their hard work and dedication to ensure that our guests are well prepared and supported as they navigate through their unique circumstances and challenges. But most important,” continued Nosike-Unaka, “is that our guests show great resilience to endure and live in spite of their adverse conditions. As an agency, we are dedicated to meeting the unique needs of those facing homelessness and housing insecurity.”

St. Joseph’s House addresses a critical need for men and women who are, or are at risk of becoming, un-housed on Cape Cod. Those donors supporting this effort are helping to uphold that “there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain” (Is 4:6).