05.13.22

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, May 13, 2022

Bishop marks 40th anniversary with much to celebrate

By Dave Jolivet Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — For the last few years the world has been in a state of flux.

Today, still, many things have changed, but there are many good signs out there showing positive changes.

That, in and of itself, is good news for most of us, but for Fall River Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., it only adds to a year that holds for him much to be thankful for and much to celebrate.

Bishop da Cunha is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination; four men will be ordained as priests

for the diocese in a short while; and the founder of the order in which he was ordained, the Society of

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

da

Divine Vocations, Blessed Justin Maria Russolillo, will be canonized on

Sunday May 15 by Pope Francis at the Vatican with Bishop da Cunha scheduled to be in attendance.

“When Father Justin died I was two years old,” Bishop da Cunha told The Anchor during a recent interview. “I had no idea he existed until I joined the Vocationists, and it is so interesting that he is being canonized during my 4oth year as a priest. I am looking forward to be a part of the canonization ceremony in Rome, with my being the first Vocationist ordained as a bishop.”

Bishop da Cunha’s journey that has ultimately brought him to the Fall River Diocese was a 8 Turn to page two

Annual Appeal funds help support St. Kilian’s House FALL RIVER — Two weeks into the 81st Catholic Appeal of the Fall River Diocese as of press time, the annual campaign has surpassed $1 million on the way to its $4.8 million goal.

Each year, donations to the annual Appeal help to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of tens of thousands of individuals and families in the diocese.

The largest beneficiary of funding through the Appeal is Catholic Social Services (CSS). CSS serves and minis8 Turn to page eight

“There is a big difference between going out into the world with an empty stomach and starting your day after having a nice breakfast. When you are hungry, it is hard to get through the day. A full meal makes a difference.” — Jaime, guest of St. Kilian’s House (shown here with Elizabeth Neves, St. Kilian’s House Manager)

Diocese raises more than $250,000 in collection for Ukraine

FALL RIVER —This year Ash Wednesday fell in early March, less than a week after the largescale Russian invasion of Ukraine and as the heartbreaking plight of the Ukrainian people was becoming evident.

As a way for area Catholics to respond, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., authorized that the Ash Wednesday collection be designated “to help the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.” To date, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., second from right, blesses walkers in the May 1 Ukraine Walk, as they pass by St. Stanislaus Church in Fall River. The that collection has raised a total church was one of three used by the Ukrainian Catholic Church before their $256,021 from parishes across the Diocese of Fall River with addiSt. John the Baptist Church was built. (Photo by Deacon Alan Thadeu)

tional returns still being received.

“Once again the faithful women and men of the Diocese of Fall River have shown their characteristic generosity in responding to the suffering of others,” said Bishop da Cunha.

“I think we have all been moved both to prayer and a desire to do something after learning about and seeing through the news the utter destruction in Ukraine, the indiscriminate loss of life, the separation and displacements of families, and the unimaginable 82022 Turn to May 13, † page seven

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Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., leads a procession into St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River for his installation Mass as Bishop of Fall River on Sept. 24, 2014.

(Anchor/Jolivet file photo)

Bishop has much to be thankful for and celebrate in 2022 continued from page one

faith-filled, adventurous journey beginning in his home town of Riachão do Jacuípe, Bahia, Brazil, where he was born in 1953.

“We didn’t live close by to a church, so we didn’t have Mass every Sunday,” the bishop said. “We had it when the priest came.

But we had a strong faith life in the family and in the neighborhood. We prayed together and God was so important in the lives of the people in my home town. The traditional values and faith that we received from our parents and grandparents continues living on.

“The day the priest came everything stopped.

Everyone went to church.

It was a whole-day thing.

It was so important to us when those days came, like feasts, processions and the 2

feast of the patron of the town.”

The young lad who grew up attending Mass when it was available now celebrates the Eucharistic every day of his life.

“When I was reflecting on this, the first thing that came to my mind was how I feel a connection to the Eucharist,” the bishop told The Anchor. “When I took my first religious vows, we always add a religious name to our baptismal name, and I added ‘Of the Eucharist,’ because I always felt that connection to the Eucharist. So celebrating the Mass every day, having the Blessed Sacrament in the house in a little chapel, like I have here, is such a source of blessing for me because even when I wake up in the middle of the night, I always turn to my thought to the Blessed

† May 13, 2022

Sacrament. So I connected to that room where the Blessed Sacrament is.

“So if I am in a house or when I’m on vacation in a place where the Blessed Sacrament is not there, I feel different and I feel something is missing.

“I do feel such a blessing, be able to celebrate the Mass and be able to have the Blessed Sacrament wherever I am.”

Along with his family and neighbors with whom young Edgar lived the Catholic faith, he was greatly influenced by the Vocationist Fathers. “I grew up under the influence and Spirit of the Vocationists, whose primary mission is to promote vocations,” said the bishop.

“The pastor of my parish built a vocationary [minor seminary] there. So I saw other young men join

the seminary and heard them talking about the Vocationists promoting vocations. I kept becoming more and more interested in the joy of the seminary.

“It’s funny because even before I joined the seminary, even before I told my pastor, he pulled me aside and said, ‘I think you’re going to be a priest.’

And I said, ‘Well, I might, but I think I have to think about it some more.’ Eventually I did decide that’s where I wanted to go and joined the vocationary there.”

As a seminarian, he was asked by his superior if would be willing to journey to the United States, to Newark, N.J., where the Vocationist Fathers had recently established a presence at St. Michael’s Parish. “I always had an adventurous spirit,” the bishop added. “And I said to the Superior General, ‘You know what? I would like that.’”

In 1978 the young man made the more-than 4,000 mile trip northward. Four years later, on March 27, 1982, he was ordained as a Vocationist Father at St. Michael’s Church and soon after was appointed vocation director. He became pastor of St. Michael’s less than four years later.

Besides his roles as pastor and vocation director, Bishop da Cunha’s experiences in the Archdiocese of Newark included being appointed vicar for evangelization and vicar general and auxiliary bishop. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Newark in June 2003.

“The experiences I gained were pastoral and administrative,” Bishop da

Cunha said. “You need to be able to strike a balance between the two. It is so important. Those two things coming together is not easy. I had a tremendous opportunity for gaining experience in running a diocese. I feel this was preparing me to become Bishop of Fall River.”

Pope Francis appointed Bishop da Cunha Bishop of Fall River on July 3, 2014, and he was installed at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Sept. 24 that same year.

Thinking back over the last 40 years, the bishop told The Anchor that many wonderful memories fill his mind.

“The actual day of my 40th anniversary, when I woke up in the morning, the first thing came to mind was relieving the day of my ordination,” he shared. “That was a vivid memory; even though it was 40 years ago, I could remember every detail: what the weather was like, the people who were there.

I happened to go back and look at pictures because I just wanted to relive those things.

“There were so many people there then who are no longer with us, who have gone to the home in eternity. Just looking at those pictures and seeing those people who are still here and those no longer here, I recall how they have been an important part of my life and touched my life in so many ways.

“And as I told my family, 40 years have been filled with challenges, learning experiences, difficult sacrifices, pains, but also so many joys, so many accomplishments, so 8 Turn to page 12

U.S. bishops urge prayer, fasting after leak of abortion draft ruling WASHINGTON, D.C., (CNA) — The chair of the U.S. bishops’ Pro-Life committee on May 4 urged continued and intensified prayer and fasting that the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, following the leak of a draft opinion in a case concerning a state’s abortion law.

“The leak related to the U.S. Supreme Court case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reminds us of the urgent need for prayer and action at this pivotal moment in our country,” Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore said.

“As Catholics, we care about every unborn child and every mother. Our Church has consistently witnessed in word and deed that life begins at the moment of conception. As the bishops shared in our statement Standing with Moms in Need: we pledge ‘to redouble our efforts to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood, offering them loving and compassionate care through initiatives such as Walking

with Moms in Need and countless others.’”

He added that “we urge everyone to intensify their

abortion are rejoicing in heaven,” the Archdiocese of Milwaukee said. “This is about more than abortion.

ers for being pro-active with legislation that would essentially eliminate abortion in Oklahoma if the Roe

“I

f this reflects the court’s final decision, the 62 million children who have lost their lives to the sin of abortion are rejoicing in heaven,” the Archdiocese of Milwaukee said. “This is about more than abortion. This is about a culture that too often chooses death before life, darkness instead of light, and evil instead of good.” prayer and fasting that the final decision of the Court will bring about the reversal of Roe and Casey.”

Archbishop Lori concluded, “We hope and pray for a change in our laws and stand ready to help all pregnant women in need in each of our communities.”

The news organization Politico published May 2 a draft ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The document calls for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Other bishops and dioceses around the U.S. also welcomed the direction indicated by the draft opinion in Dobbs.

“If this reflects the court’s final decision, the 62 million children who have lost their lives to the sin of

This is about a culture that too often chooses death before life, darkness instead of light, and evil instead of good.”

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City commented May 3: “If the draft opinion is a precursor of what is to come in the Dobbs case, the reversal of Roe v. Wade would be a thrilling answer to our prayers and a significant step in building a culture of life that recognizes the inherit dignity of each and every human person, particularly the poor and people of color who are disproportionately targeted by the abortion industry. I applaud Oklahoma lead-

case were overturned.”

“Our focus must continue to be providing support and resources to families in

need and connecting with expectant mothers who need reassurance they are not alone. Let us pray for the conversion of hearts and minds to embrace each child as a gift from God,” Archbishop Coakley stated.

A statement from the Supreme Court said that while the leaked document “is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”

East Freetown parish’s Day of Silence to focus on Servant of God Thea Bowman EAST FREETOWN — All are invited St. John Neumann Parish’s Day of Silence on May 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The day will allow people to learn more about the spirituality of Servant of God Thea Bowman, an American Franciscan Sister whose cause for canonization is being advanced.

The event will be in the new lower level of Neumann Hall just outside the new courtyard

and the lakefront at 157 Middleboro Road, East Freetown.

Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman

† Diocese of Fall River † OFFICIAL Appointments

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., Bishop of Fall River, has made the following appointment: Deacon Robert Craig as Director of Pastoral Care of the Sick for the Diocese of Fall River Effective: May 2, 2022 May 13, 2022 †

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In our stead

s we journey on in our faith, we remember Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension.

We call this the Paschal Mystery. This is a mystery because humans are not capable of understanding how someone can rise from the dead.

Jesus died for us so our sins can be forgiven. He did not deserve to die. He willingly took our place and assumed the punishment belonging to us. The Apostle John said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).

It’s important to note that Jesus gave His life for everyone including people who weren’t His friends.

Why did Jesus need to die for us? Humanity’s relationship with God was broken. Jesus’ death restored that relationship and atoned for our sins.

Jesus did not die because we were worthy. He died because God loves us. He gave His life so we could be reconciled to God the Father. This is our redemption, our forgiveness and our freedom.

Our Catholic tradition speaks of the concept of atonement. Atonement refers to a payback to God for our sins. The idea is that Jesus paid the price to free us from our sins and

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restore us to grace. This is why St. Anselm said Jesus needed to die for us. Sin, both original and personal, is human. Atonement for that sin needed to be made in a human form. There’s no doubt that Jesus paid the price and that price was ultimately steep.

We see reference to punishment in Isaiah.

“Yet it was our pain that He bore, our sufferings He endured. We thought of Him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, but He was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by His wounds we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; But the Lord laid upon Him the guilt of us all” (Is 53: 4-6).

The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” teaches that Christ’s blood has been an instrument of atonement for the sins of all men (paragraph 1992).

Atonement is also linked to expiation, which implies that punishment contributes to the correction of the guilty party (Cf. 2266) When we reflect upon and remember Jesus’ brutal

† May 13, 2022

crucifixion, it causes us to think twice about sinning.

When we reflect upon Jesus’ resurrection, it causes us to have hope and look forward to our eternal reward with Him in heaven.

So, we know why Jesus died for us we can still

wonder why He had to die.

Our God is a loving God. Jesus called God the Father “Abba,” which means Father. It’s hard to imagine a father requiring his son to die on behalf of another person. Yet Jesus took our place and died for us.

Let’s go back to John.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).

When the Bible was translated from Greek, the word “for” was used to stand for the Greek expressions “on behalf of,” “for the sake of,” or “for the benefit of.” Using the simple word “for” overly simplifies the other expressions. Consider these three substitutions: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life (on behalf of)(for the sake of)(for the benefit of) one’s friends.”

Clearly, Jesus did not only die for us. He died on behalf of us, for the sake of us and for the benefit of us.

He died in our stead.

When we hear the word incarnation, we think

of Jesus’ becoming a man — a human being. But incarnation means more than becoming human.

It means to become flesh and to become immersed in everything that the flesh embodies. Jesus’ death fully and completely accompanies humanity on the total journey from birth to death to new life.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh for” (on behalf of, for the sake of, for the benefit of) “the life of the world” (Jn 6:51).

Jesus’ death and resurrection was God’s sharing His divine life with us so that we may share our human life with the divine.

Jesus gives up His mortality so that we can become immortal. His loss of life became our gift of life.

The Paschal Mystery, Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, happened within our human existence. Jesus was fully human and fully divine.

His incarnation gave Him a human body accompanied by all things of the flesh.

He experienced everything we experience including death. His resurrection is our promise of forgiveness and salvation. He conquered sin on our behalf.

He suffered in our stead so we may have life. The life he gives becomes the Eucharist, the living bread that came down from heaven for the benefit of all people.

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:54).

The Eucharist is the real presence of Christ: body, blood, soul and divinity. It is the ultimate sharing of divinity with humankind. It is food for the journey. The cross of Calvary became our Tree of Life. The Eucharist is the continuing story of humanity sharing in the fullness of God’s divinity and love. It is our promise that one day we will be with Jesus in paradise.

Through the Eucharist we physically receive the risen Body of Christ to strengthen us for our journey through an intimate contact with God. If Jesus did not die and rise from the dead there would be no Eucharist and the story would be over.

There would be no story to tell, no life-giving bread, no intimate connection between humanity and God, and no hope for a future of eternal life. But He did.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).

With gratitude for Christ’s self-giving and the atonement it brought, let us follow Him as disciples on the Way of the Cross throughout the Easter Season and beyond filled with the love and grace of God. Rick Swenton is a parishioner of St. Pius the Tenth Church in South Yarmouth and is a member of the choir and a cantor. He resides with his wife, Gail, in South Dennis.

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The mission closest to the pope’s heart

or Divine Mercy Sunday this year, Pope Francis summoned the Missionaries of Mercy to Rome, as he did in 2016 and 2018. (We were supposed to convene in 2020 as well, and then 2021, but the pandemic made it impossible to converge from the various countries of the world.)

Missionaries of Mercy, you may recall, were appointed by Pope Francis during the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016 as a conspicuous sign of “God the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of His pardon” and the “Church’s maternal solicitude for the People of God.” 1,142 priests from around the world were given a special mandate to be “above all, persuasive preachers of mercy,” to commit themselves in a particular way to hearing confessions with the “authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See,” and to serve as “personal witnesses of God’s closeness and of His way of loving” through the practice of corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Our mandate was supposed to expire on the last day of the Jubilee, but in the document Pope Francis published for that occasion, he joyfully surprised us by writing he wanted “this extraordinary ministry … to continue until further notice as a concrete sign that the grace of the Jubilee remains alive and effective the world over.” He invited Missionaries, with the approval of their bishops or religious superiors, to recommit themselves to the task. 791 priests did. In the Latin parchment the Vatican sent to us individually, we were reappointed “usque ad revocationem” — until formally rescinded — and

many of us Missionaries quietly prayed that Pope Francis, and his successors, would never choose to retract it.

When we met with Pope Francis the day after Divine Mercy Sunday, he told us that he wanted our mandate not only to continue but that he desired to make it a formal part of the renewed structure of the Church. He told us, emphasizing the word “I” in Italian three times as he spoke: “As I wrote in the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, ‘Evangelization takes place in particular through the proclamation of divine mercy, by means of multiple approaches and expressions. The specific action of the Missionaries of Mercy contributes to this purpose in a special way’ (Art. 59 §2). I hope, therefore, that you may grow further, and for this reason I address to the bishops my desire that holy, merciful priests may be identified, ready to forgive, to become missionaries of Mercy to full effect.”

He wanted us to be part of the Church’s constitution and urged the bishops of the world to identify “holy, merciful” priests to become part of this Mission. He rejoiced that, since 2018, “every year the number of Missionaries of Mercy increases,” — there are now 1,240 Missionaries worldwide — because, he said, he had entrusted to us “the mission that is closest to my heart: being an effective tool of God’s mercy.” He urged us “with our ministry, to give voice to God and to show the face of His mercy” in a “silent, discreet simple way” as a “sacrament

of His presence.”

Just how close our mission is to his heart he showed the previous day when his knee was causing him so much pain that he was unable to celebrate Mass with us for Divine Mercy Sunday. Nevertheless, even though he needed to slide slowly across St. Peter’s Basilica, wincing in severe pain on one occasion when, if not held up by his Master of Ceremonies he

would have hit the marble floor, he still preached the homily.

He focused on how before Jesus gave the apostles on Easter Sunday evening the power to extend His peace throughout the world by the forgiveness of sins (Jn 20: 19-23), they first needed to receive the joy of that peace. This joy, he said, came from “turning their attention away from themselves and towards Jesus,” whose gaze “brimmed not with severity but with mercy” and made them “new persons, purified by a forgiveness that is utterly unmerited.”

He drew a lesson for us as Missionaries of Mercy, but also for all priest confessors: that we are called to become dispensers of the mercy that we ourselves have received. “Do not carry out your service as Missionaries of Mercy,” he appealed, “until you feel that forgiveness. … In the Church, forgiveness must be received … through the humble goodness of a merciful confessor … who

pours out upon others the forgiveness that he himself first received. … You must be channels of that forgiveness through your own experience of being forgiven.”

The priest’s mission of mercy in the confessional, he suggested, is the way for us to love others as Christ has mercifully loved us first, and to do so brimming in the person of Christ with His own merciful love radiant in His risen wounds.

The best way for us to be effective confessors and merciful missionaries, he implied, is for us to become ever better and more grateful penitents.

The key, therefore, to bringing God’s mercy to a world hankering for it often without knowing it is for priests to drop to their knees regularly and fruitfully in confession, so that they may more efficaciously and perseveringly offer it to the world.

50 American Missionaries of Mercy were present in Rome for the meetings with the Holy Father as well as for the workshops and conferences, times of adoration and confession, and meals organized by the Vatican. We were, besides the Italians, by far the largest national delegation.

We took advantage of our time together to host an organizational meeting at the Casa Santa Maria, the U.S. bishops’ graduate house for student priests, to discuss ways we are able to collaborate more fruitfully, during which we heard the moving testimonies of the two Ukrainian Missionaries of Mercy who were able to be present in Rome about their mission of mercy at a time of war.

We also organized pilgrimages to the Basilicas of

Saint Peter, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Saint John in the Lateran and Saint Mary Major, to the Sistine Chapel, and to Saint Peter’s tomb, looking at all of them specifically through the prism of mercy, to deepen our understanding and strengthen our preaching.

We were able to ponder together, in great beauty, God’s mercy in the life of Saints Peter and Paul, in the preaching and writing of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist, in the maternal intercession of the Blessed Mother and the saints buried in the Basilica built in her honor, and in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment.

At each of the Basilicas, we were able to study the message of mercy sculpted into the heavily indulgenced Jubilee Doors, which will open anew in 2025 as portals of hope.

They, like the Missionaries of Mercy are summoned by the pope to be, are signs and channels of God’s mercy and of the Church’s maternal solicitude, for all those looking to leave worldliness behind and enter into new life with God. For those priests who had previously studied or worked in Rome, these visits brought to the foreground a message that often is hidden in clear sight.

For the priests who did not know Rome well, they provided the fitting context for what Rome most signifies in Church history: despite centuries of persecution, sacks, earthquakes, plagues, fires, scandals, scoundrels and more, Rome is a living testimony of the mercy of God — and the renewal it brings.

Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

May 13, 2022 †

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Editorial

The canonization of the spiritual father of our spiritual father O

n Sunday, May 15, Pope Francis will canonize 10 new saints. The headliners across the Catholic world will likely be Father Titus Brandsma (d. 1942), the Dutch Carmelite martyred by the Nazis in Dachau, and Father Charles de Foucauld (d. 1916), the desert Trappist, pioneer in interreligious dialogue, and inspiration for the Little Brothers and Little Sisters of Jesus, who was killed by Algerian marauders.

They will be joined by Indian layman Devasahayam Pillai, a convert from Hinduism and martyr (d. 1752), by French beati Fr. César de Bus (d. 1607) and Mother Marie Rivier (d. 1838), and by Italian founder Father Luigi Palazzolo (d. 1886) and foundresses Mother Carolina Santocanale (d. 1923), Mother Anna Maria Rubatto (d. 1904), and Mother Maria Domenica Montovani (d. 1934).

But the 10th who will be enrolled among the catalogue of saints, Italian Father Giustino Maria Russolillo (1891-1955), deserves special attention in the Diocese of Fall River.

Blessed “Justin” is the founder of the Society of Divine Vocations, the religious congregation to which Bishop Edgar da Cunha belongs, as well as of the Sisters of Divine Vocations, a secular institute called the Apostles of Universal Sanctification. He could therefore be called the spiritual father of the spiritual father of Catholics in the Diocese of Fall River.

The canonization of Father Justin is not only a time to pray in a particular way through his intercession for our shepherd but also to focus on his holy life, dedicated to helping all the faithful to discover and act on their vocation to holiness and especially to identify and foster among the less privileged those with the vocation to the priesthood or to religious life, so that they might discern God’s call and receive the help they need to follow it faithfully and perseveringly.

The future saint was the third of 10 children born to Luigi Russolillo and Giuseppina Russolillo, a poor, hardworking couple in Pianura, Italy, a suburb of Naples.

He had a hunger for holiness from an early age, receiving his first Holy Communion precociously at the age of five and devouring the lives of the saints, each of whom he thought reveal to us a particular aspect of the life of Jesus. After his Confirmation at age 10, he desired to enter minor seminary, but his family did not have the resources to pay for his tuition, books and seminary clothing. They appealed to a wealthy local landowner with a reputation for generosity to the poor, but the rich baron replied, “If you have no money to pay the seminary, let him become a shoemaker.” Shocked, the faithful mother said to her startled son, “Do not be afraid, your mother will make sure you go to the seminary, even at the cost of pawning her own eyes.”

Eventually with some financial sacrifices of his Aunt Henrietta, he was able to begin his studies, but God used the rejection to fill the future priest with zeal to help those in similar lowly circumstances follow God’s call to be priests or religious. He grasped that the Lord of the Harvest never ceases to call young men and women to the priesthood and religious life, but there is ever a need for people to cultivate, educate and foster those vocations. He became one of the great “vocation directors” of all time, a faithful foreman of the Lord of the Harvest.

While he was still a seminarian, his parents allowed him to open their small home to receive young boys and girls for catechetical lessons, help with prayer and vocational discernment, retreat talks and apostolic works. When he was ordained a priest, as the OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 66, No. 10

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† May 13, 2022

Litany of Saints was being chanted, he vowed to “spend my life stirring and cultivating vocations to the priesthood and religious life” and to associate with others who share the same ideal. On the seventh anniversary of his priestly ordination, he was appointed pastor in his hometown, and a month later, he opened up the rectory for what he called a “Vocationary,” a house where, in a spirit of prayer and study, he educated and guided initially 13 candidates who desired to dedicate themselves to diocesan priesthood or religious congregations but who were financially unable yet to attend the seminary, who did not know yet where God was specifically calling them. Later he opened up Vocationaries for those who had left the seminary, religious life or the priesthood and needed to be rehabilitated, helping to save over 300 vocations.

In the Vocationaries, as well as in the religious institutes he founded, he focused on training in holiness through prayer and asceticism. He wanted to form his spiritual sons and daughters to live in full-time communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit following the example and with the intercession of the Holy Family. He wanted to help them lovingly to obey the commandments, the evangelical counsels and approved divine inspirations, like the rule of a religious communities, with humility, generosity and faithfulness.

He repeatedly said to spiritual sons and daughters, “I want you to become a great saint!,” and he sought to show them how. Originally, because of his love for the saints and desire to promote what the Second Vatican Council would later call the “universal call to holiness,” he desired to name the religious institutes he sensed God calling him to establish the “Congregation of the Servants of the Saints” and the “Sister Servants of the Saints,” before focusing more on God himself and on the “divine vocation” he gives us to grow in his holy image and likeness.

The Society of Divine Vocations received its initial diocesan approval in 1927 and became a congregation of pontifical right 20 years later. It now exists in 16 different countries, being brought to the United States in 1962 by Saint-to-be Justin’s younger brother Ciro, who likewise became a Vocationist priest and after helping to renovate many of his community’s residences in Italy and serving four years as a missionary in Brazil, came to Newark, N.J. in 1955, just months before the death of his brother, to implant the SDVs in the USA. The miracle for Father Justin’s 2011 beatification took place in 1998 in East Hanover, N.J., when Ida Meloro was cured through his intercession of vaginal cancer. The one for his canonization occurred in 2016 for a Vocationist seminarian from Madagascar, Jean Emile Rasolfo, who was cured of acute respiratory failure, epilepsy and various other serious maladies, while visited with a relic of Father Justin as he lay in a coma. Needless to say, this Sunday, the day of the canonization, would be a good day to pray through Saint Justin’s intercession for miracles.

We can make our own the prayer of the Church recited on his August 2 feast day: “O God, you called [Saint] Justin Mary to raise generous ministers for Your work of universal sanctification, grant us, we pray, through his intercession, to discover and faithfully follow our vocation” and then mention your specific intention.

To read more about the inspiring life and work of the new saint, we would recommend the 2017 work, Blessed Justin of the Trinity: “At the Service of Vocations,” by Father Louis Caputo, SDV, available for free on the Internet.

Daily Readings † May 21 — June 3

Sat. May 21, Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:1b-3,5; Jn 15:18-21. Sun. May 22, Sixth Sunday of Easter, Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Ps 67:2-3,5-6,8; Rv 21:10-14, 22-23; Jn 14:23-29. Mon. May 23, Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1b-6a,9b; Jn 15:26— 16:4a. Tue. May 24, Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3,7c-8; Jn 16:5-11. Wed. May 25, Acts 17:15,22—18:1; Ps 148:1-2,11-14; Jn 16:12-15. Thu. May 26, Ascension of the Lord, Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3,6-9; Eph 1:17-23 or Heb 9:2428; Lk 24:46-53. Fri. May 27, Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23.

Sat. May 28, Acts 18:23-28; Ps 47:2-3,8-10; Jn 16:23b-28. Sun. May 29, Seventh Sunday of Easter, Acts 7:55-60; Ps 97:1-2,6-7,9; Rev 22:12-14,1617,20; Jn 17:20-26. Mon. May 30, Acts 19:1-8; Ps 68:2-3b, 4-5acd,6-7ab; Jn 16:29-33. Tue. May 31, Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16; (Ps) Is 12:23,4bcd,5-6; Lk 1:39-56. Wed. June 1, Acts 20:28-38; Ps 68:29-30, 33-36b; Jn 17:11b-19. Thu. June 2, Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Jn 17:2026. Fri. June 3, Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2,11-12,19-20b; Jn 21:15-19.

Diocese raises more than $250,000 for Ukraine relief continued from page one

suffering.”

The Diocese of Fall River is forwarding proceeds from the collection to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, which, through its long-standing relationship with bishops in Central and Eastern Europe, is able to assist the Church in that region in its response and outreach to those affected and displaced by the violence.

Officials in the Fall River diocesan finance office said that many parishes reported continuing to receive contributions to the collection for Ukraine well after Ash Wednesday throughout the rest of March and right into April.

In fact, some parishes were still remitting Ukrainian collection returns as of last week.

Father Jeffrey Cabral, who is pastor at Santo

Christo Parish in Fall River, explained he had been accepting donations in the weeks following Ash Wednesday.

“Through Facebook posts, parish announcements, homilies and intentions during the Mass, and obviously through the television news, parishioners became profoundly more aware of the desperate need of the Ukrainian refugees, much like the Holy Family who once had to flee to Egypt,” he said.

Sharing that the response to the Ukrainian collection at Santo Christo far exceeded that of other special collections, Father Cabral said he is “truly humbled by the great generosity of his parishioners.”

In Falmouth, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish decided to augment the Ash Wednesday collection with proceeds from a chowder-

Ida Reis, a parishioner of the Parish of the Good Shepherd in Fall River, shows her support for peace in the Ukraine at the May 1 Ukrainian Walk in Fall River.

to-go lunch and a special collection on Holy Thursday, both earmarked specifically for relief efforts of the Knights of Columbus in Poland and Ukraine.

The pastor of St. Joseph’s, Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, explained, “To see families displaced, living in fear, losing homes and family members has touched many of our hearts and souls.”

Most dioceses in the U.S. hold the annual national collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe to help support the overall rebuilding of the Church in that region since the collapse of communism. In the Diocese of Fall River that collection is historically taken up on Good Friday. This year, however, in response to the urgency in Ukraine and collection’s focus on providing assistance there, Bishop da Cunha moved it up to Ash Wednesday.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website explains that the collection is an opportunity for Catholics in the U.S. to show their solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Ukraine.

In a February 28 letter to his brother bishops, the USCCB chairman of the Subcommittee on the Church in Central and Eastern Europe wrote that contributions to the collection “will continue to provide emergency funds that are already helping the victims of this war with food and water, hygiene supplies, support, and other necessary humanitarian services.”

Bishop da Cunha prays with St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church pastor Father Mykhaylo Dosyak at the May 1 Ukrainian Walk in support of peace in that county. (Photos by Deacon Alan Thadeu)

May 13, 2022 †

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St. Kilian’s House assisted by Catholic Appeal funds continued from page one

ters to 40,000 individuals across the Diocese of Fall River each year, working with persons of all faiths and cultures in the Spirit of God’s universal love to advance human dignity and promote social justice, truth, and solidarity in the community.

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the need for the programs and services CSS provides has skyrocketed — including a significant increase in the number of individuals facing homelessness and in need of emergency housing. Donor support of the Catholic Appeal helps CSS in its efforts to provide safe, secure housing for women, men, children, and families that have been displaced due to numer-

“I like helping our homeless youth. I can see that they want to better themselves and I want to help them do that.

I know these kids can make a change if we help them first. If I can make a difference in one young person’s life, maybe they can pay it forward and help someone else in need.” — Pedro Ramos, Youth and Young Adult Outreach Case Manager, St. Kilian’s House.

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ous social and economic situations such as domestic violence, substance abuse, unemployment, and foreclosure.

The individual homeless, emergency assistance, and overflow shelters across the diocese provide shelter for hundreds of individuals each year.

Among them is St. Kilian’s House in New Bedford, a shelter for young men ages 18-25. In addition to offering eight beds for homeless and displaced youth, the program offers a path to secure employment and permanent housing.

The staff at St. Kilian’s also includes an outreach manager who travels across the Diocese of Fall River providing information and resources for men and women experiencing homelessness.

The Catholic Foundation team recently sat down with Jaime, a young man who has received a fresh lease on his life through his time at St. Kilian’s House.

“I am 21 years old. I have been staying at St. Kilian’s House for the past two years,” Jamie said. “I got my driver’s license recently and I am currently finishing my schooling. After school, I plan to move into a job with the ultimate goal of finding my own place. I’m working with my case manager at St. Kilian’s to help me achieve these goals.”

He added, “I first came to St. Kilian’s when I was 19 years old. When I arrived here, I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of life.

I was just living. I had no real direction. St. Kilian’s has helped me become

† May 13, 2022

independent. I have grown during my time here. A person who comes here and really wants to move on — they do succeed in

to personal progress.

“At school, I am learning about career preparation and training. My chosen track is construction.

I’m on an internship where I am learning how to work on a job site. Before graduating, we learn about mental toughness, visualizing a dream, achieving that “I want the donors to dream, and finally succeedknow their help is appre- ing. St. Kilian’s has providciated. It gets us out of a ed me help with housing, lack of food, out of hard how to handle personal times. Their support also finances, and life lessons gives a feeling of comfort that will help me when I and of knowing we are take the next step toward going to be OK. It gives independence.” us the motivation to live.”

He concluded, “This — Jaime, guest of St. experience has taught me Kilian’s House. how to think further about moving on with their life.

The key is to have your own vision and goals, along with the help that St. Kilian’s provides.”

He said that St. Kilian’s helped him find structure through schedules, rules and routine.

“We have two curfews (at St. Kilian’s House) — at 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.,” he said. “You leave the house at 7 a.m. and can come back at 3:30 p.m. A typical day for me includes studying and my schoolwork when I get back to St. Kilian’s in the afternoon.

Or other times, I meet with my case manager. I like that there are fewer distractions in the house (such as TV, entertainment); it helps on the road

what I want to do with my life. When I am out there, I will be able to handle it.”

Contributions to the Catholic Appeal, which runs through June 30, may be made either through a one-time donation or through monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual pledges. Donations may be mailed to the Catholic Appeal office, 450 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass., 02720, made online at www.

GiveFRDiocese.org, or dropped off at any parish in the diocese. Please contact the Catholic Appeal office at 508-6751311 with any questions.

Staff and guests of St. Kilian’s House, clockwise from top left: Case Manager, Gilian; House Manager, Elizabeth; St. Kilian’s House guests Greggorey, Tyler, and Jaime.

Bishop’s Blog: Interfaith Solidarity Walk for Ukraine The following is a recent blog post by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. For more of the bishop’s posts visit fallriverdiocese.org.

On Sunday, May 1, I joined the Interfaith Solidarity Walk for Ukraine through the streets of Fall River and was honored to say a few words to participants upon its conclusion at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Fall River. The walk was a wonderful collaboration of faith communities represented in United Interfaith Action of Southeastern Massachusetts, the InterChurch Council of Greater New Bedford, and the Greater Fall River Council of Churches.

I am so grateful for the solidarity of the United States Catholic Church, which has already sent over 100 million dollars for Ukraine relief. Here in the Diocese of Fall River, our generous people have donated over $250,000.

The situation in Ukraine, as you can imagine, is very dire. Churches have been converted into shelters. Parishes con-

verted into centers for Social Services. Bishops, priests, monks, and nuns are all being persecuted, in isolation, and suffering, but bravely and faithfully staying with their people.

When Major Archbishop Sviatoslov Shevchuk of Ukraine was asked if the situation got to a point when the bishops needed to leave, he replied, “How could we leave and abandon our people? We will not leave. We will stay with our people to the end.”

Additionally, many people are dying of hunger.

Starvation in Ukraine is a harsh and stark reality.

There is not enough food, and in some places, there is not even a way to get the food to those in need.

Currently, it is not easy to send money to Ukraine.

Right now, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is one of the most secure and effective ways to get help to the Ukrainian people. If anyone wishes to contribute to the ongoing efforts to help the people of Ukraine, please visit the Catholic Relief Service website at support. crs.org

Bishop da Cunha and Father Mykhaylo Dosyak speak at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church after the recent interfaith walk for Ukraine in Fall River.

Bishop da Cunha visits with Father Mykhaylo Dosyak, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Fall River. (Photos by Deacon Alan Thadeu) May 13, 2022 †

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The light beyond: Responding to the Face of God

W

ith no regard for his own safety, he discarded his jacket and some of his equipment and jumped into the water.

He did not know who the people were who were struggling in the water. He did not know why they were risking their lives by trying to cross the river. He did not know whether they were trying to get to a better life or were attempting to smuggle drugs into the USA. All he knew was that they were in deep trouble. So he jumped into the water to save them. Three days later his body was recovered from the water. The Rio Grande River had taken his life. He had given

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† May 13, 2022

his very life for strangers. As the Bible tells us, “Greater love hath no one than to lay down one’s life for others.”

Truly this man named Bishop Evans, a Texas National Guardsman, will rise again on that great day of resurrection.

On April 17 we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus, born in an animal shelter in the town of Bethlehem in Judea. Jesus grew up

as an apprentice in the carpenter’s shop of His foster father, Joseph, and was nurtured by His mother, Mary. Still a young man, He recruited a team of fishermen and others and went about the countryside preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God. His central message was love of God and love of neighbor. He was the fulfillment of the long-awaited Messiah, though many would not accept Him as such. Indeed, the religious leaders, seeing that the ordinary people flocked to hear Him and to follow Him, plotted to kill Him. One day they would succeed, and He would die on a shameful cross outside Jerusalem. Yet, as He had told His disciples, on the

third day He rose from the tomb of death. So, we now celebrate with, “He is Risen.”

As happens here in Kalaupapa each spring, while the heavenly breezes rustle the branches of the palm trees, the plumeria trees show their colorful blossoms and come into full bloom, reminding us that nature has awakened and is coming into fullness of life again.

At the same time, we Christians celebrate the rising of Jesus Christ from the tomb of death. Jesus gave His life for all human beings, saints and sinners. It is good that we acclaim Bishop Evans as a hero of our time and Damien de Veuster and Marianne Cope as saints and it is good that we acclaim and celebrate Jesus Christ as a hero for all time. He is risen.

He is truly risen. Aloha.

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

Following the Good Shepherd

H

ave you ever been lost? I don’t mean taking the wrong exit off of a turnpike, or even those times in childhood when you were briefly separated from your mother in a grocery store. I’m talking about a time when you felt totally lost, abandoned, and alone.

The summer before my senior year of high school, my older brother invited me to attend an outdoor concert with him and two of his friends. Awesome!

I’d never been to a rock concert and the lineup of performers was a veritable who’s who of the rock world. He was a senior in college, and to this day I still don’t know why he extended the invitation to his totally uncool little sister. It hardly mattered; I’d have bragging rights with my friends for a very long time.

We arrived at the soldout concert that evening without tickets, but we’d heard on the radio that a new batch of tickets was being released. My brother left me to wait in line at a ticket booth while he parked the car. He met me a bit later as I stood in line, and we secured four tickets. The sun was setting and the concert was about to begin. My brother gave me one ticket and told me to go find our seats. He’d be along as soon as his friends arrived.

Off I went, ticket in hand, to scout out our section, row, and seats, only to discover we’d been scammed. The seats were nonexistent. As the sun set and the stage lights went

up, I began to wander the massive venue looking for my brother. As the music blared, I zigzagged back and forth for hours through a sea of seats, and blankets, and thousands and thousands of people. I was hungry and tired, and with no money and no idea where my brother had parked the car, I began to wonder how I’d ever get home. I was lost!

My brother found me just before the concert ended. He called out my name and I immediately recognized his voice. I ran to his arms and cried tears of joy and relief.

I cannot recall a time, before or since, when my brother was as happy to see me as he was that evening.

I know that for hours on end, he never stopped looking for me and he never gave up trying to find me.

That’s how I see our mission as followers of Christ — to follow His example. How do we follow Christ?

As disciples, we are called to seek the lost when they go astray, never giving up. This work is not just for bishops, or priests, or deacons. It’s our calling, too!

We are called to keep each sheep in the flock safe and secure. That means that we are called to speak up for those whose voices are unheard — the poor and the marginalized, the children and the challenged.

This past weekend, we celebrated the Fourth Sunday of Easter — commonly

known as Good Shepherd Sunday. During the Liturgy of the Word, we sang and prayed Psalm 100, the response of which is, “We are His people, the sheep of His flock.” But how are we God’s people? How do we

become one of His flock?

How do we follow the Good Shepherd?

We do so by becoming a people of prayer! “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God” (Phil 4:6).

We do so by becoming a people of faith! “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive” (Mt 21:22).

We do so by becoming a people of trust! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:5-6).

We do so by becoming a people of joy! Christ tells us that if we follow God’s commands, “My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11).

We do so by becoming a people of compassion!

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Col 3:12).

But most importantly, we do so by becoming a people of love! Christ gives us the great commandment, “Love one another as I love you” (Jn 15:12).

When we extend Christ’s love to each person we encounter, we extend a love that is unconditional, merciful, and forgiving.

By incorporating these attributes into our lives, we become people of God and we follow in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd. We are called not only to follow Him, but to walk in His ways. We are called to seek the lost. We are called to protect and watch over all

of His flock, and care for them when they cannot care for themselves.

Like Christ we must be willing to lay down our lives for them. And most importantly, we ourselves must heed the call of our Good Shepherd to come, to listen, to follow Him, and to share with Him eternal life.

“My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27).

Anchor columnist Ada Simpson is former editor of Ministry & Liturgy magazine, holds an M.A. in Pastoral Ministry, and is the director of Music Ministry at St. Francis and St. Dominic parishes in Swansea.

May 13, 2022 †

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T he C hurch

E

veryone, whether as a student or staff, knows that May feels like it is 100 days long instead of 31. I wake up almost every morning with the song “Final Countdown” playing in my head. After April break we are reminded that it is the final push. In the last month of the school year, however, we have graduation, the Baccalaureate Mass, the Ascension Thursday Mass, the prom, the awards nights, the spring concert, the closing Mass and final exams. It’s more like a final mountain climb then a push.

As disciples, I feel that many days can feel like the “final push” as well. We have in heard many say, from

Thomas Aquinas to Wayne Dyer to Oprah Winfrey, that we cannot give what we do not have. We know the analogy that every car needs to pull up to the tank to refill or every lamp needs to be plugged into a power source. I have been struggling with this lately. I recently told my best friend that I felt like my “Jesus tank” was empty.

When our “Jesus tank” gets empty, we look to fuel ourselves from other resources. For myself, I first rely on caffeine. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think when we are at our emptiest, we think if we just

St. Julie Billiart Ladies Guild awards five $1,000 scholarships DARTMOUTH — The St. Julie Billiart Ladies Guild of Dartmouth has awarded scholarships of $1,000 each to five students: Luke Caniff, Dartmouth High, attending Mass Maritime Academy; Ryan Timothy Cleveland, Dartmouth

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High, attending UMass Dartmouth; Pedro Conceicao, Bishop Stang High, attending Florida Atlantic; Katia DaSilva, Bishop Stang High, attending UMass or Simmons; and Catherine Miller, Dartmouth High, attending UMass Dartmouth.

† May 13, 2022

Y outh & Y oung A dults Fill my cup

and

had a little more energy than focus on leading others to Christ. we can keep going (shout God has answered out to the gallon of Chippi my prayer for humility in that kept me afloat). And so many ways for which I’m grateful but in turn, leaves me giving out more Jesus than I take in.

So on top of praying for humility, I have also tried to focus my prayer on filling my tank. There is a maybe this energy will keep great song I heard the other us going to the next step but day, called “Fill My Cup,” by Andrew Ripp. The chorus is: it does not have any sus“Fill my cup, Lord taining power. Other times Run it over I find myself leaning on my Give me love, give me own fuel, my own will to joy, give me peace do what needs to get done.

Fill my cup, Lord For the last year I have been Run it over praying for humility; prayI am Your child in need ing that when others meet Lord, I need You to fill me they meet Christ, see my cup.”

Christ, hear Christ. We all When we find ourselves want to be loved, but I want empty and in need of a refill, to have a more intentional

we need to fill our cups with what Christ wants to put in our cup. Not caffeine, or alcohol, or food, or selfishness, or the admiration of others. Christ wants to fill our cups with His Spirit in a way that it “runs over” with His graces. He wants to fill our Jesus tanks with His love, His joy, and the lasting peace that only He can give.

So if your tank is empty, find a tabernacle, kneel before Him and let His graces pour forth. And remember, gas prices may be high but his “fuel” is free for everyone.

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

Bishop celebrates 40 years of being a priest continued from page two

many things that God has done through me and used me to do so many of His works.”

Along with the cherished memories are the challenging times: the abuse tragedies, declining priestly vocations and church attendance, and the pandemic.

“Well, I’m more hope-

ful,” said the bishop.

“When I celebrated the Mass for the opening of the Synod at the cathedral last year, I opened my homily by saying that I have a dream that our Church will rise from the ashes of the pandemic and all of the challenges that we have faced, and we will see a new Church being

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, May 15 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, May 22 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from St. Anthony Church in Taunton

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, May 15 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Daniel M. Nunes, Parochial Vicar at Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton and St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton

Sunday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Father Bradley J. Metz, C.S.C., Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Easton

born: a Church that is more participative, that lay people are more engaged in, that people might be committed to their faith.

I keep hoping for that. I continue being hopeful that our Church will be vibrant, active, a necessary part of our society. And that people will continue finding the Church as a way to connect with God, to live their faith and to build community and to continue making this world a better place. Without God, without faith and without the Church, I don’t know how we could ever do it.”

The bishop extolled the efforts of the laity and his brother priests, who, throughout the pandemic found ways to stay connected with God, with the Church and with each other.

“I continued, during the pandemic, to be encouraged by the faith, the commitment of our clergy, and of our faithful,” the bishop said. “So many people were still praying. They were still watching Mass on TV or live-streaming.

“It has been a challenge for the clergy. It has affected some of them spiritually and emotionally. But many of them have also found this to be a nurturing time of prayer, of spiritual enrichment, of connecting with their people in a different ways.

And some of them have been creative and found new ways of connecting with the people, being their pastors and reaching out to them.”

The bishop also told The Anchor that he’s buoyed by the fact that

there will be four men ordained as diocesan priests this year.

“I’m encouraged that this is the largest ordination class that we have in 20 years”, he said, “adding that the number of men in formation to become permanent deacons is very good as well. I hope that’s a trend that will continue, but it’s going to take a lot of work to continue, uh, building our vocation efforts. We can’t be complacent about the need to promote vocations, because the need for priests still very great.”

The bishop’s family is also in celebration mode for his 40th anniversary.

“They, are obviously grateful for it. We have a family group online on which we share family information.

So I posted some pictures of my ordination and some reflections and everybody responded. They connected and celebrated and prayed for me, even though I’m far away from

them all. We still virtually celebrated.

“My dad is no longer around and my mom doesn’t remember much.

She couldn’t really celebrate and remember those things, but my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews did.”

From a small village in Brazil to celebrating 40 years as a priest and bishop, the journey has been rewarding and has seemingly passed quickly for Bishop da Cunha. “I’m grateful for all that God has allowed me to do and has helped me to accomplish in the last 40 years,” he concluded. “I continue dedicating my life and my energies and my faith to the Diocese of Fall River, where God has placed me.

And I hope that the time that I have remaining here in the diocese will continue to be fruitful with the support and the participation of all our priests and religious and laity and everyone working together.”

May 13, 2022 †

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Father David Patrick Reid, SS.CC. BOSTON — Father David Patrick Reid, SS.CC., a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, passed away in Boston on April 19 at the age of 80.

Father Reid was born in Dublin, Ireland, on March 9, 1942, during World War II, when life in Ireland was frugal and centered on the family and church. Growing up with the family practice of night Adoration in the home, an apostolate of the Congregation, made a lasting impression on David and strongly influenced his decision to join the missionary community.

He entered the Novitiate in 1959 in Cootehill, Ireland making his first profession the following year, before going to Queen of Peace Mission Seminary in Jaffrey, N.H., where he made his final profession in 1963. He became a deacon in 1965 and on June 12, 1966, Father Reid was ordained to the priesthood at his home in Dublin.

He went on to further

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studies at Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. earning an STL in Theology in 1967, and did

his graduate scripture study in Rome, where he received a License in Sacred Scripture (SSL) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1970. For 18 years, Father Reid taught scripture at the Washington Theological Union in Washington D.C., before returning to Rome where, in 1983, he completed a doctoral degree in Biblical Theology (STD) at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Leaving academia to experience a more pastoral life, he headed to the

† May 13, 2022

inner-city of Rochester, N.Y., where he served for eight years as pastor for the parishes of Saints Peter and Paul and St. Francis.

In 1999, Father Reid was named pastor of Our Lady of Assumption in New Bedford, and in 2000 was elected Provincial of the USA East Province, a position he held until 2006.

In 2007 he traveled to India where he spent three years as the first Regional Superior of the Sacred Hearts community there and then became a Formator until visa problems forced him to leave India in 2011. When he returned to the USA, he was named pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Buzzards Bay for three years until in 2015, when he was called back to Rome to work as Postulator General for the Congregation, presenting SS.CC. causes to the Vatican for canonization.

In 2019, Father Reid finally began to think about retirement, but as he would say, he would not “fully retire” but “semi-retire.”

He spent a year at Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham, followed by more pastoral work at Our Lady of Assumption in New Bedford. In 2021, Father Reid was named director of the National Enthronement Center, an Apostolate of the Enthronement of the Sacred Hearts in the Home, and most recently, he was appointed director of Damien Residence.

In addition to his brothers and sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts throughout the world, Father Reid is survived by his siblings, Mary,

Margaret, and Alexander, 10 nephews, four nieces and 24 grand nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his brother Stephen, sisters Therese and Elizabeth and his stepmother Mary, who married his father after the death of David’s mother when he was three. Mary mothered the family lovingly until she died at age 96.

A Funeral Mass was

celebrated at St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven May 3 followed by burial in the Sacred Hearts Community Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Father Reid’s memory may be made to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, P.O. Box 111, Fairhaven, Mass., 02719. Arrangements were handled by Fairhaven Funeral Home.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: May 22 Rev. Daniel L. Freitas, Retired, Former Pastor, St. John of God, Somerset, 2012 May 23 Rev. William F. Donahue, Assistant, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1944 Rev. Alfred J. Guenette, A.A., 1995 May 24 Rev. James F. Clark, Founder, St. James, New Bedford, 1907 Rev. Patrick Heran, SS.CC., Former Rector, Sacred Hearts Seminary, Fairhaven, 1985 Rev. Msgr. John J. Regan, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Patrick, Falmouth, 2015 May 25 Rev. Michael P. Kirby, Former Assistant, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1925 Rev. James V. Mendes, Pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Fall River, 1961 May 26 Chorbishop Norman J. Ferris, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of the Desert, Fall River, 2006 Rev. Thomas F. Murray, Assistant, St. Patrick, Falmouth and St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 2012 May 28 Rev. Lionel A. Bourque, Former Chaplain, Cardinal Cushing Hospital, Brockton, 1982 Rev. Kenneth J. Delano, Former Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford, and Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 2017 May 30 Rev. Jordan Harpin, O.P., Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1929 Rev. Edmond J. Potvin, Pastor, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1937 Rev. James M. Quinn, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro, 1950 Rev. Robert T. Canuel, Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1993 May 31 Rev. Vincent A. Wolski, OFM Conv., Pastor, Holy Cross, Fall River, 1964 June 1 Rev. James A. Ward, Former Pastor St. Peter, Provincetown, 1911 Permanent Deacon Gregory Beckel, 2018 June 3 Most Rev. James J. Gerrard, DD. Auxiliary Bishop of Fall River 1959-1976, Retired Pastor St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1991 Rev. Luis A. Cardoso, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 2011

I

have long viewed the circle of life as waves rolling along in the middle of the ocean. When one wave passes, it is replaced by another, and so on.

Since time began, the human existence has been one wave after another.

As a child, I saw that. I saw my grandparents and to me they were “old” and could never imagine myself reaching that stage of life.

What young person doesn’t think he or she will live forever?

Then I watched as my four grandparents became three, then two, then one, then none. All the while, I was no longer the young lad I had been when the losses started. I was becoming a young man, a small wave becoming a bit bigger.

Then I saw as my parents, aunts, and uncles became the wave my grandparents once were. And as we all know, time stands still for no one. Slowly, that wave began to dissipate, ultimately leaving me with fewer aunts, uncles, then one parent, then none.

That only means one thing — my generation, and I are quickly becoming one of the “older” waves in life’s vast ocean.

Too often I’m seeing friends, relatives and childhood heroes ”lapping on the shore,” to be waves no more, or showing the signs of nearing that final wash onto the beach. Frankly, it’s disturbing to a degree.

I’m now of an age that I, as a child, I never thought I would reach.

All of this is a lead in to the crux of this column.

Last week, Denise and I attended a live concert for the first time since the pandemic hit in February of 2020. My wife and I used to attend three or four shows per year — until routine became obsolete.

We come in waves

We went to The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River to see, be amused by and entertained by one of our favorite performers, Jonathan Edwards, where as a boy grew up in Minnesota and Virginia, singing in a choir and I believe his dad was a preacher as well.

His musical career was unconventional; choosing to remain in a dimmer limelight than his peers, playing small venues and not changing who he is and what he believes.

I first saw him in 1975 at SMU (now UMASS Dartmouth), when I was a freshman there. Over the next 47 years, I’ve seen him at least 20 times.

Last Friday night was a breath of fresh air after the staleness of the pandemic lifestyle change.

But it was also bittersweet. Jon is now 75 and has disclosed he has a rare, hereditary form of Muscular Dystrophy, causing pain and weakness in his legs, feet, fingers and arms.

He came to the stage with the aid of cane and had a noticeable change in his gait.

During his set he was his usual charming self —

very funny, great story-telling and awesome guitar work, Blues harp work, and singing. But I also saw him

I’m still not.

Jon was a brilliant as ever, but I have a nagging feeling like I’m not going to see my friend perform any more. I pray I’m wrong, but the waves in the ocean never stop.

As I got up to make my way back home, my knees barked at me as I stretched out, again reminding me of the wave in the deep blue sea.

In 2007, Jon released an album, “Rocking Chair.”

The title song lyrics include: “You say that you are feeling down, down, down.

And you can’t seem to get yourself around just like

you used to do, when you were 22. I know how you feel, cuz I get the feeling there’s nothing that we can do. Rocking chair will get you. Oh, you won’t know what hit you. Rocking chair will get you, get you before you’re through.”

He adds not to go knocking on the pearly gates before your time is through, adding, “Christ Almighty will be your light if you just let Him shine on you.”

The song has greater meaning for me now than in 2007, and the waves keep rolling.

I know you probably won’t see this Jon, but thank you for all the years of making me smile. Keep on rocking, even if it’s in a chair. davejolivet@anchornews.org

struggling a bit, occasionally shaking his fret hand and having a bit of trouble changing the Blues harp in its neck holder to one of a different key.

At the tail end of the show, he asked his wife and dog (the dog was a perfect capper to a great evening) to join him on stage.

When he was done, he reached back to place his axe in the stand, but instead knocked it over. He wasn’t agile enough to reach down and get it and looked for a place to rest the guitar, ultimately laying across the stool in which he performed all night.

Denise and I had front row seats and I just looked at the guitar lying across the seat and felt a wave of melancholy wash over me. I felt compelled to take a picture of the scene, and I’m not The guitars of Jonathan Edwards after a recent conquite sure why. Days later cert in Fall River. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

May 13, 2022 †

15

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