ATTLEBORO — The Attleboro 40 Days For Life campaign is preparing to launch this fall’s event in Attleboro from September 28 to November 6. It is looking forward to seeing all faithful supporters who have joined in witness and prayer as it begins its 13th year of prayer and fasting.
“At our parish, we began with establishing a Praesidium , which is what the small group meeting is called every Friday eve ning that goes over the handbook so that every one will become familiar with the Legion and what is asked of each of us,” he said.“The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visita tion of families, the sick in their homes and in hospi tals and through collabo
• More than 200 abor tion workers converted;
• More than 100 abor tion centers closed.
NEW BEDFORD — St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford has recently established a Legion of Mary. The group is go ing into its tenth week of formation and Apostolic work.The essential aim of the Legion of Mary is the sanctification of its mem bers through prayer, the sacraments and devotion to Mary and the Trinity, and of the whole world through the apostolate of the sel.”“OurOurunanimouslyParishTheLegion.St.AnthonyLegiondecidedtohonorMotherwiththetitle,LadyofGoodCoun
St. Anthony’s pastor, Father Mariano Varela, IVE, has personally wit nessed the fruits of the
WESTPORT — The 2022 Foundation to Advance Catholic Educa tion Fall Dinner will take place
Defenders of all life from conception to nat ural death can protect mothers and children by joining this mobilizationworldwidetoprayand
at 6 p.m.The year’s special guest will be Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots, a team
28th annual FACE Fall Dinner is November 2 at White’s of Westport
WestportWhite’splacewillthisedition2.NovemberonThe28thofeventtakeatofbeginning
captain and a three-time Super Bowl winner.
8 Turn to page two
Our Lady Of GOOd COunseL
Lafrance of Lafrance Hospitality.Theevent’s emcee will be Kait Walsh from WPRI News in Provi
or to becoming pastor of St. Anthony of Padua.
September 16, 2022 8 Turn to page 11 8 Turn to page 11 D iocese of f all R ive R , M ass . † f R i D ay , s epte M be R 16, 2022
By DaveEditorJolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org
Father Fr. Thomas Steinke, IVE, Associate Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedord, leads other members of the parish’s newly-formed Legion of Mary during a A Rosary for the Souls in Purgatory at Pine Grove Cemetery in New Bedford.
The Friars of Our La dy’s Chapel in New Bed ford will hold a two-hour
The co-chairpersons for the 2022 FACEandtional,InternaofPresidentFeitelberg,areDinnerFallJohnHUBJanna
fast for an end to abortion. Through prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils and community outreach, 40 Days for Life has inspired more than one million volunteers!Thefollowing proven results are the efforts of 30 coordinated campaigns:
St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford, establishes parish Legion of Mary
apostolic work done by active members of the Legion of Mary in all his previous assignments pri
40 Days For Life begins September 28
• More than 20,000 ba bies saved from abortion;
September 16, 2022
www.anchornews.org
FACE Fall Dinner is November 2 in Westport continued from page one
Folks can also assist by at tending the dinner or by making a donation.Sincethe opening of the first school it has been the desire
On August 24, staff from various departments of the Diocese of Fall River, including Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., volunteered at My Brother’s Keeper at its locations in Dartmouth and Easton. ”I was happy to join them at the beginning of the day to offer a blessing before the team went about the work of carrying out the mission of caring for our neighbors,” said the bishop. The team assisted in delivering food to 51 families in need. dence, R.I. and an alumna of Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth.Thereare several ways for area supporters of Catholic education to help with sponsor ship opportunities — becoming a sponsor or mentor of various levels. Deadline for inclusion in the FACE Fall Dinner booklet is October 10.
of the Diocese of Fall River to make its Catholic schools acces sible to all families who wish to provide a Catholic education for theirInchildren.1991,the Diocese of Fall River established the St. Mary’s Education Fund. In 2015, the St. Mary’s Education Fund changed its name to the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE).
For more information, to register to attend, to become a sponsor or mentor, or to donate, visit www.face-dfr.org.
FALL RIVER — The 15th annual Walk for the Poor is slated to be held on Saturday, September 24 from 9.30 to 11.30 a.m. on the Bishop Connolly High School grounds in Fall River.Registration will start
Rosary Rally to be held in Fall River on October 15
Day has moved to Sat urday, October 1 on the grounds of Cathedral Camp. This one-day event, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. will bring the youth a healthy dose of community, fel
had the opportunity to evangelize at the National Catholic Youth Convention (NCYC), Given, Steuben ville youth conferences,
Diocesan Catholic Youth Day is October 1 in East Freetown
the Bible Timeline” by Ascension Press.
For more information contact Oscar Rivera Jr., Director of Youth Ministry at 508-658-2955 or orivera@dioc-fr.org.email:
at 8 30 a.m. Father Jason Brilhante will bless the Walk for the Poor. All are invited to come and sup port this Walk to help the needy in Fall River.
For further informa tion contact Victor Alves at 774-301-5349.
The source and summit of the faith that “we can turn to” the bishop says, is the TheEucharist.USCCB states on its Eucharistic Revival web site, “Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith: His Real Presence in the ThisEucharist.”yearthe theme for the youth is “Remember Me,” which comes from 1 Corinthians 11:24.
EAST FREETOWN — Summer vacation has offi cially come to an end and back to school vibes are in full swing. In response to the diocesan Synodol re port area youth will gather to be sacramentally nour ished to help “celebrate good days and get through badThedays.”Catholic Youth
L
lowship, fun, food and the sacred liturgy with Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. This free event will bring together all the youth from
The Public Square Rosary Crusade is part of the America Needs Fatima campaign. In an invitation flyer on its website ‘StopLady’severishistoricitamericaneedsfatima.org,www.says,“Americaisatacrossroad.GodmoreoffendedthanaspeopleignoreOurmaternalrequesttooffendingGod.’As
For more information about the Fall River Rosary Rally contact Anne Marie Cadavid at 508-496-6866.
FALL RIVER — Area faithful are invited to take part in the annual Public Square Rosary Crusade, with a Rosary Rally at the corner of President Avenue and Hanover Street in Fall River on October 15.
the five deaneries in one location.Lastyear Bishop da Cunha spoke to the youth at Catholic Youth Day and reminded them of “the im portance of always remain ing connected with God in
This year there will be a special guest, Chika Anyanwu. She is a Catholic evangelist, former Confir mation coordinator/youth & young adult minister, and the author of “My Encounter: How I Met Jesus in Prayer.” Through testimony, scripture, and honest conversations about the difficult reali ties of faith and life, she’s
ast year Bishop da Cunha spoke to the youth at Catholic Youth Day and reminded them of “the importance of always remaining connected with God in what is a very busy world and to know they can turn to their faith to help them face the challenges they will inevitably encounter in life.”
September 16, 2022
a result, America is suf fering from a pandemic, rioting, looting, murder, and a moral and societal collapse.“Itis urgent that we heed Our Lady’s request and stop sinning if we hope to enjoy God’s blessings and to avert His wrath. He will hear us. If we pray through the intercession of His Blessed Mother. That’s why we’re doing the Public Square Rosary Crusade.”
what is a very busy world and to know they can turn to their faith to help them face the challenges they will inevitably encounter in life.”
Massachusetts Citizens for Life will host its 2022 Pro-Life Fundraising Banquet on Thursday, October 6 at 6-9 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood. The guest speaker will be Father Tad Pacholczyk, Ph. D., a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and an An chorForcolumnist.information contact Barbara Wenc, director of the MCFL Greater Fall River Chapter, at barbara.wenc@gmail. com.
Chika’s presentations coupled with fellowship, a Catholic rap concert, and the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy with Bishop da Cunha, that will give the youth a memory which may enkindle in them a fire for the source of their help in a busy world.
15th annual Walk for Poor is September 24 at Bishop Connolly
FOCUS SEEK conferences, and The Catholic Femi nist France pilgrimage. She’s also a contributor to “Blessed Is She” as well as “Connected” and “Venture:
At Father Mychal Judge’s funeral, former President Bill Clinton said that we must lift his life up as an example of what has to prevail. Clinton said, “We have to be more like Father Mike than the people who killed him.” Surely, Father Mychal left a lega cy and example for us all. While he gave his life that September 11, he dedicated his entire life to serving the poor, the sick, the homeless, the marginalized. He died as he lived, helping those in need, and praying for and with God’sFewpeople.ofus will ever make the ultimate sacrifice that Father Mychal made, but we can follow his example by being faithful and true disciples. We can pray for and with those in need. We can be people of love, people of hu mility. We can take up our cross, die to self, and follow the exam ple of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by serving those around us. And that, my friends, is the GoodNoNews.onehas greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (Jn 15:13).
want to be alone. Like so many, I sought comfort. Our parish bookkeeper’s husband worked in the World Trade Center. Many harrowing hours would pass before she’d learn that he’d es caped unharmed. Thousands of others would not be so fortunate. That afternoon I got a phone call from a distraught neighbor. She worked in Manhattan and had been try ing closednelsandbridgesTheforoftoperatelydesgetoutthecityhours.tunwerebut
I remember that Tuesday morning like it was yesterday. It was an absolutely perfect autumn day — cool, dry, crisp, and not a cloud in the sky. I lived in Verona then, a small town in northern New Jersey, just 12 miles west of Manhattan. I walked my dog that morning as was my habit, and then went home to watch the lo cal news. At 8:46 a.m., I watched the live broadcast as American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the Trade Center in Manhattan. We didn’t know it at the time, but our lives were about to be changed forever.
she managed to get a ferry across the Hudson to Wee hawken, a small town adjacent to the Lincoln Tunnel. I drove to the ferry terminal to pick her up; as I recall she met two others on the ferry who were stranded and without transportation home. I gave them a ride, too. Suddenly, it didn’t matter that there were total strangers in my car. It was surely a tiny gesture but I wanted to help people in any way I could.
here are certain mo ments in our lives that we never forget. People remember precisely where they were when they recall momentous events. Those of a particular generation recall the exact moment when they learned JFK had been shot or when the Space Shuttle Chal lenger broke apart seconds after takeoff, killing all seven crew members. But those who are a bit younger will recall exactly where they were when they learned of the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Anchor columnist Ada Simp son 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.
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day — the victims of the Sep tember 11 attacks and those who made the ultimate sacrifice to save them. We know about the many first responders who died in the service of their community and country. When I think of the many brave men and women who perished that day, one person in particular comes to mind. He was the first identified victim of the attacks, Victim 0001, and he just happened to be a Roman Catho lic priest — Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan Friar.
Mychal Judge was the New York City Fire Department’s chaplain. When he learned that the World Trade Center had been hit by the first jetliner, he rushed to the site, saying he needed to be with his men. When Father Mychal ar rived, he prayed over bodies lying in the streets, then entered the lobby of the World Trade Center North Tower. He continued offer ing aid and prayers for the res cuers, the injured, and the dead. When the South Tower collapsed, he was struck and killed by flying debris. It’s said he was anointing someone when he himself died.
Where were you when …?
In the days and weeks that followed, we heard story after story of those who risked their
By all accounts, Father My chal was a truly remarkable man and priest. A recovering alcoholic, he devoted himself to ministering to those addicted to alcohol and other substances. He ministered to those with AIDS in the 1980s, a time when those diagnosed with the virus were shunned. He held the poor and alienated close to his heart. He once took the coat from his back and gave it to a homeless woman, saying, “She needed it more than me.” Father Mychal was known as a person of deep faith and prayer who always saw the good in others.Inaddition to his many other roles and ministries, Father
The rest of that day remains somewhat of a blur. I went to my parish offices though I’m not sure why. I believe I just didn’t
lives to rescue the people trapped in the towers that day. Police, firefighters, EMTs and civilians climbed the mountain of stairs to assist those trapped on the upper floors of both towers before they collapsed. Then, the effort turned from a rescue to a recovery mis sion as workers dug through the rubble for months to extricate the remains of innocent victims.Thispastweekend,werememberedallwhoperishedonthatperfectautumn
September 16, 2022
When he was moved to a reeducation camp, he was in a crowded room with 50 other prisoners. He would wait until lights were extinguished at 9:30 p.m. and then would bow over his bed to celebrate Mass. Then he would distrib ute tiny pieces of the hosts to Catholics present under a mosquito net. He would also wrap some tiny consecrated particles in aluminum from cigarette packs to preserve the Blessed Sacrament, so that he and the other prisoners could have the Lord with them always and adore Him. One tiny cigarette-paper taberna cle he would keep in his shirt pocket. Others he would pass to faithful Catholic prisoners, who, during indoctrination sessions, would surreptitious ly distribute them to Catholics in other groups. At night, in each of the locations, pris oners would take turns for adoration.Hearing these incredible stories as a seminarian pre paring for priestly ordination
Eucharistic celebration.” His clearly was.
crated in his hand, he would ask for the grace with Jesus to drink the bitter chalice and to unite himself to Christ’s shedding of blood.
His love for God and appre ciation of the Mass drove him to do all he did in prison.
“The whole of the Lord’s life was directed toward Calvary. The whole of our life should be oriented toward the
“The Eucharist shapes Christians.” It obviously formed his whole life and apostolate.“Asthe drop of water put into the chalice mingles with the wine, so your life should become one with Christ’s.” His life, like the water and wine on his palm, was commingled with Christ’s as he sought to give himself to others togeth er with the Eucharistic High Priest.Finally: “Holy people are those who continue to live the Eucharistic celebration throughout the day.” The root of Cardinal Van Thuan’s palpable sanctity was that he made his whole life a Mass.
His priestly vocation was discovered as a young boy participating in the various activities of the Butristicbishop,professor,an,Later,ofinCrusadeEucharisticmovementhishometownHue,Vietnam.asaseminaripriest,seminaryrectorandhisEuchafaithandpietygrew.itwasduringhisyears
One of the privilegesgreatestofmylife
The 20th anniversary of his death gives us all an opportunity to ponder the Eucharistic message of his life and to learn from him how to find in the Holy Eucharist the Road to Hope no matter how forlorn one’s earthly circum stances.Iurge you to pray through his intercession for miracles as well as for the grace to imitate the Eucharis tic shape of his life.
It was during those Mass es that he joined his sufferings to Christ’s on Calvary. He would extend his hands in the form of the cross so as better to become one with the Crucified Jesus. As he lapped up the precious blood conse
The day after his arrest, his captors permitted him to write his family for necessi ties. He asked for the obvious, like clothes and toiletries, but then added, “Please send me a little wine as medicine for my stomachache,” confident that they would understand the code: the raw materials for the celebration of Mass, which he needed to fill his greatest hunger. When they sent the materials, they put wine in a medicine bottle marked “Medicine for Stomachaches.” They also sent hosts hidden in a flashlight.Eachday during his years of isolation, around 3 p.m. when Jesus died on the cross, he would celebrate Mass from memory, putting three drops of wine and a drop of water on the palm of his hand
was to get to know, during my seminary years in Rome, the Venerable Francis-XavierCardinalNguyen Van Thuan, the heroic former Archbishop of Saigon who was imprisoned by the com munist forces in Vietnam for 13 years, including nine in solitaryAfterconfinement.hisrelease,he was expelled from his country and St. John Paul II made him the Vice-President, then the President, of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (now part of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Develop ment). John Paul II would ask him to preach the retreat for the Roman Curia during the Great Jubilee of 2000 and would name him a cardinal the following year.
It’s unsurprising that many of these spiritual max ims were about the Eucha ristic Jesus, nourished by his experience in prison.
venerable in 2017 and now the only thing needed for his beatification is a medically-in explicable miracle — and so I’ve been matchmaking those who need a miracle with his cause’s similar need.
September 16, 2022
What has gotten me to think about him the most, however, has been the U.S. Church’s National Eucharistic Revival, because I think he is one of the greatest Eucharistic witnesses of modern times.
Father Landry is Interim Executive Editor. catholicpreaching.com.fatherlandry@
It was during his time as President of the Pontifical Council when a mutual friend asked if I could help with a project for the Council’s library. That led to a several dinners at Van Thuan’s favor ite fish place in Trastevere and other visits to his apartment to speak about the project but even more about Christ, the needs of the Church, Christian faith and life, the Vietnamese diaspora, and his years in prison. He was also good to welcome and speak to some pilgrim groups I was guiding, and those conver sations would invariably get to the gripping stories of his years in prison, which I could never hear him repeat enough.Inthe last few months, as we have been approaching the 20th anniversary of his death on September 16, I’ve been thinking about Car dinal Van Thuan a lot. I’ve been praying through his intercession for various of the intentions entrusted to me, especially for those suffering from cancer, which claimed his life at the age of 74. Pope Francis declared Van Thuan
was life-changing. I’ve been blessed with a good memory, but I resolved to memorize the Mass, to be prepared just in case I was ever in a similar situation. I never looked at even the tiniest particles of the Host the same way and grew in appreciation for the gift and priority of Eucharistic adoration. Praying about his celebrating Mass on the altar of his hand in the total dark ness of his isolation hut or among the crowded prisoners taught me indelibly invaluable lessons about how to celebrate Mass well.
of imprisonment that he gave an extraordinary testimony to the power of the Mass, the reality of the Lord’s presence, and the gift of Eucharistic adoration.When he was arrested in 1975, one of his greatest concerns was, “Will I be able to celebrate the Eucharist?”
together with some crumbs of the hosts. His hand became an altar. His cell became a cathedral. “These were the most beautiful Masses of my life!,” he said to me with great devotion each time he would recount the story.
“If you appreciate the value of the Eucharistic Cele bration, you will participate in it no matter how far away or difficult it is. The greater the sacrifice involved, the more evident is your love for God.”
“If you are all alone in some remote place or in the darkness of a prison, turn your mind toward the altars of the world where our Lord Jesus Christ is offering His sacrifice. Unite yourself to the Eucharistic sacrifice. Then your heart will be filled to overflowing with consolation and courage.” That was the au tobiographical underpinning of his“Ifheroism.youhave lost every thing but still have the Blessed Sacrament, you actually still have everything, because you have the Lord of heaven pres ent here on earth.” That’s what enabled him to live his 13 years of imprisonment with evangelical joy.
The Eucharistic shape of Cardinal Van Tuan’s holy and heroic life
While Cardi nal Van Thuan was imprisoned, feeling useless, fearing he was losing his mind, and wondering how he would care for his people, the Lord helped him to see how each day he could offer “five loaves and two fish” of his prayer for the good of his people. He started to write each day one or a few short aphorisms on scrap paper from old calen dars and to give them to a bold Catholic boy who would pass by, whose parents would copy them into a notebook. Eventually the 1,001 thoughts were published in a book called “The Road to Hope: A Gospel From Prison,” that bolstered the faith of the Viet namese during the worst of the Communist repression.
Prior to the May 2, 2022 release of the draft of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision that on June 24 would overturn Roe v. Wade, attacks against Catholic sites have increased in the country from an average of one every five days to one every three. Thirty-two Catholic churches have been vandalized since the Dobbs leak, including 17 churches where the vandals made clear their pro-abortion motivation through graffiti messages or by damaging Pro-Life memorials.
The day after Dobbs was published, arsonists burned to ashes St. Colman Catholic Church in Shady Spring, West Virginia, where faithful had worshipped for 145 years. Five days later, arsonists attacked St. Anthony of Padua School in Lorain, Ohio, inflict ing about $1 million in damage.
documents that since May 28, 2020, there have been 174 crimes against Catholic Churches, schools and apostolates, including four assaults against persons, 26 incidents of arson, 76 incidents of the desecration of statues, 66 incidents of the de struction of property, 16 incidents of theft and 81 incidents of graffiti. These have taken place across 38 states and the District of Columbia.
Researched and written by a former FBI counterterrorism and intelligence expert, it’s a snapshot of a larger multi-year Investigative Report into domestic attacks on reli gious freedom that will be released next year.
The Threat Assessment was conducted and published not only because of a surge of attacks against religious and faith-based institutions since 2020 but as a “public-in terest imperative” because, the Assessment states, “government officials, law enforce ment agencies, and the media have too often responded inadequately or not at all” to these
The RFI Assessment also details that such attacks are part of a broader pattern of assaults on religious freedom involving litigation, legislation, government administra tive action and public smear campaigns, but now increasingly involving violence.
Since the Dobbs leak through the end of August, 63 Pro-Life pregnancy resource centers across 26 states and the District of Columbia, have similarly been attacked.
Presently, it states, there is a “permissive” social environment regarding such attacks where groups like Ruth Sent Us and Jane’s Revenge — with its signature graffiti, “If abortions aren’t safe, neither are you” — can vandalize with seeming impunity.
Until then, the Assessment said, “it is imperative that Pro-Life congregations and organizations, and responsible media outlets, take the current threat environment seriously and that government authorities act decisively to prevent, investigate, and prosecute criminal attacks against these institutions.”
seriously aTTacks
Twenty-eight of them are explicitly religious, but almost all are staffed by people mo tivated by their faith. The pregnancy resource centers provide diapers, formula, food, clothing and other daily necessities, fund, find or provide living accommodations, do adoption referrals, pregnancy tests, sonograms, counseling, parenting classes, employ ment assistance, and post-abortion healing.
Taking on churches and Pro-life insTiTuTions
Editorial OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Published biweekly except for one week in autumn by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720 , Tel. 508-675-7151 ; FAX 508-675-7048 ; email: davejolivet@anchornews.org To subscribe to The Anchor online visit www.fallriverdiocese.org;subscribe Subscription price by mail, prepaid $29.00 per year for U.S. addresses. Please send address changes to The Anchor, PO Box 318, Congers, NY 10920, call or use email address. PUBLISHER – Most ReveRend edgaR M. da Cunha, s d v., d d Vol. 66, No. 19www.anchornews.org EDITOR;PRODUCTION MGR. david B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.orgEXECUTIVE EDITOR FatheR RiChaRd d. Wilson INTERIM EXECUTIVE EDITOR FatheR RogeR J. landRy - fatherrogerlandry@anchornews.orgADVERTISING Wayne R. PoWeRs waynepowers@anchornews.org POSTMASTERS send address changes to The Anchor, PO Box 318, Congers, N.Y. 10920. THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass.
Daily Readings † September 17 — September 30
Sat. Sept. 17, 1 Cor 15:35-37,42-49; Ps 56:10c-14; Lk 8:4-15. Sun. Sept. 18, Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Am 8:4-7; Ps 113:1-2,4-8; 1 Tm 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13 or 16:10-13. Mon. Sept. 19, Prv 3:27-34; Ps 15:24b,5; Lk 8:16-18. Tue. Sept. 20, Prv 21:1-6,10-13; Ps 119:1,27,30,34-35,44; Lk 8:19-21. Wed. Sept. 21, Eph 4:1-7,11-13; Ps 19:2-5; Mt 9:9-13. Thu. Sept. 22, Eccl 1:2-11; Ps 90:3-6,12-14,17bc; Lk 9:7-9. Fri. Sept. 23, Eccl 3:1-11; Ps 144:1b,2abc,3-4; Lk 9:18-22. Sat. Sept. 24, Eccl 11:9—12:8; Ps 90:3-6,12-14,17; Lk 9:43b-45. Sun. Sept. 25, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Am 6:1a,4-7; Ps 146:7-10; 1 Tm 6:11-16; Lk 16:19-31. Mon. Sept. 26, Jb 1:6-22; Ps 17:1bcd,2-3,6-7; Lk 9:46-50. Tue. Sept. 27, Jb 3:1-3,11-17,20-23; Ps 88:2-8; Lk 9:51-56. Wed. Sept. 28, Jb 9:1-12,14-16; Ps 88:10b-15; Lk 9:57-62. Thu. Sept. 29, Dn 7:9-10,13-14 or Rv 12:7-12a; Ps 138:1-5; Jn 1:47-51. Fri. Sept. 30, Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Ps 139:1-3,7-10,13-14b; Lk 10:13-16.
It is a sobering report, but one that evokes Jesus’ admonition in the Gospel: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared” (Mt 24:42-44).
This pattern of assaults against Catholic institutions was addressed in January on behalf of the U.S. bishops by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, chairman of the U.S. Confer ence of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty.
On September 6, the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), a Washington D.C. based think tank dedicated to achieving broad acceptance of religious liberty as a funda mental right across the globe, released a troubling but important new study on attacks against religious freedom in the United States entitled Religious Pro-Life Americans Under Attack: A Threat Assessment of Post-Dobbs America.
Theattacks.report
“For nearly two years,” he said, “the U.S. bishops have noticed a disturbing trend of Catholic churches being vandalized and statues being smashed. … An attack on a house of worship is certainly an assault on the particular community that gathers there. It is also an attack on the founding principle of America as a place where all peo ple can practice their faith freely. And it is an attack on the human spirit, which yearns to know the truth about God and how to act in light of the truth.” He also noted the harm such attacks wreak on the social fabric: “The defacement of such public symbols of the sacred degrades our life together and harms the common good.”
September 16, 2022
It notes that even though it is a federal crime whenever anyone “intentionally obstructs, by force or threat of force, including by threat of force against religious real property, any person in the enjoyment of that person’s free exercise of religious beliefs, or attempts to do so” as well as whenever someone “intentionally defaces, damages, or destroys any religious real property, because of the religious character of that property, or attempts to do so,” there has been a tepid and “passive” response by federal law en forcement agencies and paltry coverage from the media. Such indifference and neglect, it says, have “consequences for religious free exercise, pluralism, and the safety and security of all religious communities in America.”
The Threat Assessment is meant to assist in understanding the larger patterns of these attacks, bring them to the public’s attention, counter its negative impact on reli gious freedom, help Church and Pro-Life institutions prepare for potential attacks, and catalyze action by elected representatives, government officials and the media.
Because of that environment it predicts that “low threat crimes” like graffiti, broken window and doors, and destruction of outdoor statues are likely to continue unabated. “Medium threat crimes” involving costly property crimes without physical harm to persons, it states, will likely increase as will “high threat crimes” like armed and attacks, arson with people inside, assaults with vehicles, and similar attempted deadly assaults, because “significant numbers of hostile actors are aggrieved and call ing for vengeance.” It also warned that low threat crimes may increase to medium, and medium to high.
While calling Church institutions to greater vigilance, the Assessment expressed concern about their “inadequate preparedness” with regard to building and property security, security training for personnel and faithful, vulnerability to cyber attacks, legal and law enforcement support, and media engagement. RFI is preparing another document — a Crisis Toolkit for Religious Institutions — that will be published before the end of the year with detailed recommendations on how religious institutions can prevent, mitigate and respond to such attacks.
celebrate his first solemn Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption on Septem ber 28 at 10 a.m.
St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleborough recently opened its doors for the 99th first day of school. Students from grades one through eight started the year August 30 with new school principal, Lisa Serak. The school year began with a plaza gathering for prayer and welcoming the students, teachers, and staff. For the 2022/2023 school year, the school has 177 students, including preschool and kindergartner students, who started officially on September 6. The eighthgrade class, accompanied by its teacher, Madison Partington, took the traditional first day of school photo before the Sacred Heart Church altar.
Bishop da Cunha to ordain Sacred Hearts priest on September 28
NEW BEDFORD —
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— With joy and thanksgiv ing, the Congregation of Holy Cross celebrated the final profession of vows of four men in formation on August 27 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame. One of the men has ties to the Diocese of Fall River.Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C., Provincial supe rior of the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers, presided at the Mass and received the vows of Mr. Andrew Fritz, C.S.C., Brother James Henke, C.S.C., and Brother James Walters, C.S.C. He was joined by the provin cial superior of the Moreau Province, Brother Thom as Dziekan, C.S.C., who received the vows of Mr.
Brother James Walters
On September 28, Bish op Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. will ordain to the priesthood Brother Patrick Joseph Tukidia,
SS.CC., at a 6 p.m. Mass at Our Lady of the As sumption Parish in New Bedford, the first Cape Verdean Roman Catholic Church in the Americas sinceFather1905.Tukidia will
His ordination to the Diaconate was the first Fijian-native SSCC diaconate ordination in the congregation’s histo ry.
On April 21, the Fi jian native was ordained a deacon at Our Lady of Assumption Church by Bishop da Cunha.
September 16, 2022
NEW BEDFORD —
NOTRE DAME, Ind.
The Missionary Sisters of Charity hosted a camp for children earlier this summer at their residence across the street from St Lawrence Church in New Bedford.Thecamp has been in existence for approximately 20 years. Thirty-five young sters attended this year’s
makers,” expressed in their theme song: “I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.” There were arts and craft sessions, one of which was making Rosaries. There was singing with actions and movement, and once a week a trip to the park. They also visited the Fall River Children’s museum.
Four Holy Cross men profess Final Vows
The Missionary of Charity recently hosted a successful children’s summer camp at their residence near St. Lawrence Martyr Church in New Bedford.
activities on various days. Each day the children were divided into groups according to age. Each of the four Sisters — Sister Magdalena, Sister Manora ma, Sister Maria Jasmin and Sister Jose Therese — assumed the role of facili tator in one of the groups. This year’s theme was “Blessed are the Peace
Missionary of Charity complete successful summer camp for children
John Sebastian Gutierrez, C.S.C.Deacon Andrew Fritz, C.S.C. and Deacon John Sebastian Gutierrez, C.S.C., were ordained to the Order of the Deacon on Sunday, August 28, in the Moreau Seminary Chapel by Bishop William A. Wack,AccordingC.S.C.to the Constitutions of the Con gregation of Holy Cross, the four men professed perpetual vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. For the past several years, they have been in a period of temporary vows, which they renewed annually. On August 27, they committed their lives and work to the communal life and minis try of Holy Cross.
FALL RIVER — At the annual meeting of the St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society, Robert Gauvin was elected by the Board of Directors as Pres ident of the Society, succeeding Richard Affonso, who had served in that position since the founding in 2019 of the notfor-profit corpora tion dedicated to the preservation of this beloved landmark shrine.
of the Board and their positions
Holy Trinity student has Hall of Fame day shooting commercial with Big Papi
September 16, 2022
Aviyen Merced, a student at Holy Trinity School in Fall River, recently shot a TV commercial with Boston Red Sox legend and Hall of Famer David ”Big Papi” Ortiz.
Event Coordination: Lisa Robataille; Shrine Sacristan and Press Contact: Bryan Boyle. Non-Board mem ber collaborators include: Shrine Chaplain: Father Edward A. Murphy, Pas tor of St. Andrew Parish in Taunton; Director of Music: Scott Lariviere; and Archivist and Cura tor: Dianne M. Scott, J.D.
The newly-elected officers of the St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society in Fall River are, from left: Jeff Montigny, vice president; Richard Affonso, past presi dent and current Shrine physical plant manager; Bob Gauvin, president; Father Edward A. Murphy, Shrine chaplain; Bryan Boyle, Shrine sacristan and press contact; Cecile Michno, treasurer; Lisa Robataille, event coordinator; Jason Lebeau, Shrine physical plant manager; Michael Antaya, director of Liturgy; and Debbie Davey, secretary.
For more information about the David Ortiz Hall of Fame collection visit org.missioneternalHealthcom.davidortizhofcollection.www.TolearnmoreaboutanditsvisiteternalHealth.
For information,more please contact the Shrine during business hours Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m to 4 p.m, Sundays 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; by calling 508678-1510, or by visiting the Shrine website www.st-annes-shrine.orghttps://
By DaveEditorJolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org
FALL RIVER — It’s not every day that a youngster gets to meet a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, let alone shoot a tele vision commercial with him.
But it can and did hap pen for 10-year-old Aviyen Merced, a student at Holy Trinity School in Fall River, when he was recently cast to appear with former Red Sox legend David ”Big Papi” Ortiz for eternalHealth, a healthcare provider based in Boston.Merced, who before attending school at Holy Trinity went to Our Lady of Lourdes School in Taunton, isn’t new to acting and mod eling. The talented young ster has appeared in another TV ad for Toyota, print ads for New Balance, Lego, and Hasbro, among others.
Aviyen was selected. He plays a grandson with his grandparents watching a softball game in which Big Papi was playing.
Liturgy:ardicalJasonPhysicaltary:er:JeffreyGauvin;President:include:RobertVicePresident:Montigny;TreasurCecileMichno;SecreDebbieDavey;ShrinePlantManager:Lebeau;ShrinePhysPlantManager:RichAffonso;DirectorofMichaelAntaya;
St. Anne Shrine Preservation Society Board of Directors elects new officials
Debbie Davey was re elected to the position of Secretary of the Society, a position she has held since 2020.The current members
Aviyen’s mother, Alys sa, told The Anchor her son enjoys acting and modeling and someday hopes to be in a show on Disney and in movies.Aviyen and his mom sent in an audition tape and
“Aviyen was excited to meet such a well-known celebrity and athlete,” Alyssa said. ”And I was thrilled to meet him. He was so down to earth and friendly. I spoke to him in Spanish to get to know him better. He told Aviyen, who is half Puer to Rican, to learn Spanish because it will help him get far inOrtizlife.”has partnered with eternalHealth, which also promotes the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, selling Ortiz-related items of which 100 percent of the net proceeds support children in New England and the Dominican Republic who cannot afford the critical cardiac services they need.
religion, whether it was Anglican or not. She used her Christmas Day message to call for interfaith harmo ny. On the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee marking the 60th year of her reign in 2012, she and the duke of Edinburgh attended a multifaith reception at Lambeth Palace hosted by the arch bishop of “FaithCanterbury.playsakey role in the identity of millions of people, providing not
“Deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I offer heartfelt condolences to Your Majesty, the Mem bers of the Royal Family, the People of the United King dom and the Common wealth,” the pope wrote in the telegram to Britain’s new monarch, King Charles III.
Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., and the diocesan Office for the New Evangelization hosted a Parish Leadership Convocation on September 10 at St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown. At left, guest speaker Deacon Bob Rice, PhD., a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, and a professor of Catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, addresses the assembly. Deacon Rice, a husband and father of seven, is a well-known international speaker, podcaster, author and musician.
As queen, Elizabeth served as de facto head of the Anglican Church. Her title “Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England” dates to the reign of King Henry VIII. As such, she appointed archbishops, bishops, and deans of the Church of England and presided over the opening of their General Synods. She was a vocal pro ponent of the practice of
Pope Francis praises Queen Elizabeth’s ‘steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ’
only a system of belief but also a sense of belonging. It can act as a spur for social action,” the queen said at the time.“Indeed, religious groups have a proud track record of helping those in the greatest need, includ ing the sick, the elderly, the lonely, and the disad vantaged. They remind us of the responsibilities we have beyond ourselves,” she said.
during her lifetime. She met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in April 2014. The meeting between Elizabeth and Francis marked the 100th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplo matic relations between the United Kingdom and the HolyPopeSee.Francis concluded his telegram to the new king by praying for the queen’s soul.“Commending her noble soul to the merciful goodness of our Heaven ly Father, I assure Your Majesty of my prayers that Almighty God will sustain you with his unfailing grace as you now take up your high responsibilities as King. Upon you and all who cherish the memory of your late mother, I invoke an abundance of divine bless ings as a pledge of comfort and strength in the Lord,” the pontiff wrote.
VATICAN (CNA) — Pope Francis in a telegram late September 8 offered his condolences and prayers upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s lon gest-reigning monarch and the head of the Church of England. She was 96.
September 16, 2022
“I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late Queen’s eternal rest, and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth, her example of devotion to duty, her steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ and her firm hope in his prom ises.”Ascending to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II met five different popes
In June, Pope Fran cis sent a congratulatory message to the Queen as the U.K marked the 70th anni versary of her reign.
The Book of Tobit standpointmoralityapproachesfromtheof“this is what happens when you find favor with God” rather than “this is what happens if you disobey God.” Obviously — given the unfortunate tendency of God’s people to be lax in their duties — a stern manu al of behavior was necessary, so that (so to speak) Yahweh and His chosen people could be on the same page: this is what you have to do to remain in My favor. But the number of times the chosen people decided to ignore the rules — despite being fully aware of the consequences — is what can make parts of the Old Testament depressing. And most depressing of all is the realization that all these failures not only didn’t stop,
As Catholic Chris tians, we are all encouraged to read the Bible.
I guess I could summa rize my own views in collo quial terms by saying that while Yahweh can be tough to deal with, it’s usually the people of God’s fault. They never quite seem to learn the lesson that forgetting or ignoring God never has favorable consequences. But they seem to do it all the timeTheanyway.more we know the Old Testament, the better we can appreciate the radical
To get an idea of the sto ry behind the Book of Tobit, you can’t do better than to start with Wikipedia. You’ll get all the details there that I can’t give you here.
The book features a won derful cast of characters — including, as I mentioned, a friendly archangel (Raphael) and the family dog (un named), both of whom join the hero on his quest — and reads like a short story. You won’t find yourself strug
elsewhere in the Bible, makes it more approachable than the books of the Pentateuch with their relentless con centration on discipline and scrupulous obedience to the Almighty’s commands (and punishment for disregarding them).
upgrade Jesus brings in the New.Amidst the occasional dreariness, there’s a bright sparking jewel of a book: it has a love story, a bad guy, virtue rewarded, a helping angel, thousands of reasons to glorify God, and ... a pet?
I’m talking about the Book of Tobit. Since the Church considers is “canonical,” it’s in our Catholic Bibles. The thatryphal,”considerProtestantsit“apocmeaningtheydispute its authorship and inspiration. Such theological differences are above my pay grade.
but haven’t stopped, as even the most superficial look at humanity today will demon strate.Reading the Book of Tobit will provide you with an opportunity to appre ciate that in the Old Testa ment, God has interacted with His creation in a way that in many respects pro vides a foretaste of what His Son will bring to the world. It is in some respects an extended parable about love — God’s for man, man’s for one another — that in my opinion deserves more attention among Catholics than it may have gotten heretofore.TheLiturgy of the Church unfortunately does not feature it on Sunday Mass at all, but it does dedi cate a week every other year to it at daily Mass, features it for the Old Testament read ing for the memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani on February 8, gives it as one of seven Old Testament options for the Common of Religious, as well as for two of the 17 Old Testament options for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Unless you come to Church on those occasions and those options are chosen, however, you won’t hear it.
Bill Black, from Bourne, is a “charter member” of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in North Falmouth (now St. Jo seph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish). He is mar ried for 53 years to the love of his life, blessed with two sons and four grandkids. Retired, he is also an Irish traditional musician and photographer of boats on the Cape Cod Canal.
But when we try, we usu ally (and logically) start with the Old Testament. If you’re like me, you get through Genesis and Exodus pretty well, but then the going gets a little tough: a heavy dose of genealogy, huge numbers of laws and restrictions and rituals — and killing. Lots of wars. Towns and villages with wonderful but unpro nounceable names get wiped out. The people in charge — on both sides, the people of Israel and the various “-ites” who don’t want the neigh borhood to change — do ter rible things to one another.
September 16, 2022
plus. It probably doesn’t require an advanced degree in psychology to figure that humanity might retain more of what we learn in pleasant circumstances than in those less so. The Book of Tobit is concerned with many of the same themes as other Old Testament books, but to me at least the presentation of these themes is accom plished with more honey and less vinegar. The fact that the Book of Tobit is written almost as a folk tale, replete with elements of Middle Eastern culture not found
gling through lists of names, details of odd rituals, and tales of bloodshed. The New American Bible’s translation is entertaining, not an adjec tive normally associated with Scripture.Intoday’s world, being entertaining is a definite
Appreciating the Book of Tobit
That’s why I’d urge you to get your Bible and read it. And I hope you come to feel the same way about it as I do.
Guest Columnist Bill Black
Another. important element that shaped Legion spirituality was the Legion Founder Frank Duff’s devotion to the Holy Spir it. He promoted adoration of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity through the Virgin Mary, whom he saw as the “visible image” of the Spirit of God. This is why the introductory prayers (Tessera), and the Legion promise are di rected to the Holy Spirit and the Standard of the Legion bears the Holy Spirit image in the form of a dove.The idea of an organization where ordinary lay people, in all situations of life, would work for their own sanctification and for the conversion of the world was groundbreaking for its time. It gained more traction under the reign of Pope Pius XI and has steadily increased since that time.
September 16, 2022
If the event is canceled be cause of inclement weather, it will be posted on the website: beentheforinggentlyunregisteredpregnancyallowsettsmanygationpatingtheyAttleboro.Womenly40daysforlife.com/attleboro.wwwAvigilwilltakeplacedaifrom6a.m.to6p.m.atFourClinic,150EmoryStreet,Ifsomecan’tjoinattheclinic,areaskedtoconsiderparticiasalocalparishorcongreinprayerandfasting.SadlystatesincludingMassachuareadvancinglegislationtoabortionthroughtheentireatanyclinicandothersites.Supportofareafaithfulisurneeded.Withtheupcomelectionsandsomuchatstakeunbornbrothersandsisters,needforprayerhasnevergreater.
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rating in every apostolic and mis sionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly ap ostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.”
The St Anthony Legion is presenting the documentary film, The Rosary, A Prayer of Mira cles,” on Sunday, September 25 at 3 p.m.The event is free of charge and includes a question and an outdoor vigil to pray to end abor tion on September 24 from 8:3010:30 a.m. at Angell Park across the street from the Four Women abortion clinic, 150 Emory Street in Attleboro.TheRosary will be prayed from 8:30 to 9 a.m. followed immediately by Mass. Following the Mass, attendees will process around the park as they pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The event ends with final prayers and Bene diction.Itshould be noted that park ing is very limited, with no park ing on Hillside Avenue or Park Street. Other local side streets are available.Suggestions include parking at nearby La Salette Shrine and car-pooling to Angell Park, or parking at Bristol Community College at the corner of Forest Street and Field Road and mak ing the one-half mile walk to the park. Faithful are encouraged to respect the neighbors and not to park in their driveways.
“Our pastor plays a very important role in guiding us all through the process of the Prae sidium , the Apostolic Work and providing us the means to grow spiritually since we cannot give what we don’t have. The auxiliary members also help us by their constant prayers for the apostolic
or waynepowers@ anchornews.org
40 Days for Life begins September 28
Bringing chairs is also sug gested.Itshould also be noted that Angell Park has no restroom
The parish legion is also sponsoring a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Martyr Shrine in Fultonville, N.Y. on October 8, led by Father Varela. For more information or to register call the parish or Edwin Aldarondo at 508-525-6797.Forinformation call the par ish rectory at 508-993-1691.
Visit www.40daysforlife/attle boro to learn more about getting involved or to sign up for prayer times.For more information about any of the events, contact Ron Larose at 508-736-9813 40daysforlife@comcast.net.or
New Bedford parish starts Legion of Mary group
Anchor , WaynecontactPowers at
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Elena Cruz an active member, told The Anchor , “It’s definite ly not what I expected. I like it because is very structured and or ganized. It does not demand too much time and it does not force the members to be 24/7 at the church, which helps to maintain a balance between family, work and our spiritual life.
“To consider the remarkable history of the Legion of Mary from the moment of its beginning to our current times is something that all its members reflect on,” Father Varela told The Anchor “It’s almost like reflecting on the history of the Catholic Church founded by Christ upon the Rock Peter. Throughout the 2,000-plus years the Holy Spirit, Our Blessed Mother Mary and the saints have guided Her to our present times.”
swer session following. It will be held in the parish hall.
work the active members are car rying out. It’s all about teamwork and Jesus is guiding the entire process through Mary His and our TheMother.”spirituality of the Legion of Mary is essentially based on the approach of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort as put for ward in his book, True Devotion to Mary. St. Grignion de Montfort promoted a “total dedication” to Christ through devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which later also influenced many popes such as Pope St. Pius X, and Pope John Paul II, as mentioned in his Ap ostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae
facilities, but they are available at La Salette Shrine.
The St. Anthony of Padua Praesidium meetings are held at St. Anthony of Padua Church Hall classroom every Friday from 6-7 p.m.
“Also, I like that we can prac tice works of mercy suggested in Matthew 25:36 and that way we are not just filling our souls but also there is action, we serve God helping others.” Cruz has been given the task to do home visita tion reaching out to all the youth who once were parishioners and no longer come to church. She is meeting them in their own homes, analyzing their current situations and working with them, hoping and praying they return back home to the Catholic faith.”Edwin Aldarondo, President of the Praesidium , is very opti mistic about the future of the Legion of Mary at St. Anthony. “Our Legion is working exclusive ly with the English community. It’s not an easy task to be the president because with it comes a great responsibility and requires some leadership. The thought of the world and culture of to day in which Our Lady is asking us to enter and evangelize is an enormous challenge that requires prayers and commitment.
deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is with out clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it
I
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recall once asking a group of parents, “ Would you be willing to give one day to the par ish and to Christ?” It was nearly 16 years ago that I asked that question to a group of parents. I was then the coordinator of our middle school par ish religious education program at my parish. Our program brought all three grades together in a highly integrated year ’round program that offered upwards of 75120 program hours per year. I knew that with such a wide offering of programs, we would need many learning assistants and activity coordinators to offer all that we en visioned 12 months per year. So I was desperate that summer before we launched the program and I was seeking the help of all that might assist us. My thought was to turn to the parents of these 100 students and that is what lead me to ask the question. I really wasn’t trying to be a wise guy that day, but I was trying to get these parents to understand that Christ, our Church, our parish and I weren’t really asking much of them. We were simply asking for a day. Seems nearlywillingaskeditandlittleWell,reasonable…right?IdidhaveatrickupmysleeveI’mhappytoconfessagaintoday.WhenIiftheywouldbetogiveaday,everyhandinthe
I recount this sto ry now because it came back to me when we were recently discussing the passage from James 2:14-26 during our recent peer leader workshops at UMass Dartmouth.
I do not mean to be preachy. After all, what right do I have to preach what each should do. But I simply want to challenge all of us, as we challenged our student leaders, to ponder these words of St. James. My former pastor once indicated in his ser mon that James must be from Missouri, since it is the “Show Me” state and James is basically saying “Show me” — that as Christians we need to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. St. James was challenging Christians to a life of action. One in which we go out and act as Christ would act in this world today. One in which we are Christ to others.Imagine what it would be like in our parishes, our towns, our diocese,
our world if each and every one of us took the call to action seriously? Not a year’s worth of volunteering, not even a week’s. Just one little day. Twenty-four hours. Imag ine the transformation that could take place if we each gave 24 hours a year in service to our fellow
who step up? I simply ask “W hat would it be like” if everyone who calls them selves a Catholic gave of themselves in the same way as our esvolunteers?perennialOurparishwouldbe“1happenin’places”wouldn’tthey?IknowthatImaybepreachingtothechoirinthisnewspaper,butIhopethatthesethoughtsmightprovokeusenoughtocallotherstoaction.Especiallyourteensandyoungadults.Ihopeyouwillallgiveofyourtimeintheweeksandmonthsahead.YourGod,ourdioceseandyourparishesneedyou.Now,justimagineitisChristwhoisasking,“Wouldyoubewillingtogiveonedaytotheparish,toothersandtoMe?”Youranswer?
To advertise in The Anchor , contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or waynepowers@anchornews.orgEmail
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no
man!At throughoutparishesthe di ocese at this time of year, I’m sure there are still bul letin mentsannouncebegging for catechists or small group leaders to assist in our parish’s faith life programs. At this time of year we always seem to be scrambling to fill catechist roles as well as group leaders to host small groups of children or adults. I ask what could be more important? I’m not sure, but whatev er it is, it isn’t happening at church.Yes,there are good people in our parishes who are always there to assist in the various ministries that make the parish such a faith filled community. But doesn’t it seem to be the same folks
T he C hur C h and Y ou T h & Y oung a dulT s
Anchor columnist Frank Lucca is a deacon in the Diocese of Fall River assigned to St. Mary’s Par ish in Dartmouth, and a campus minister at UMass Dartmouth. He is married to his wife of nearly 44 years, Kristine, and the father of two daughters and their husbands, and six grandsons (with #7 on the way).
is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
What would it be like?
room went up. Of course, they would be willing to give a day to help out around the parish or in our religious education program, that wasn’t much to ask, was it? So, I went on to explain that I was thankful that they were all willing to give 24 hours to our program and to the parish, and boy did the faces change. After all, 24 hours is a day isn’t it? I contin ued by adding that we could do much with 24 hours from each and every one of them. We could make a real difference in the parish. I sent around a sign up sheet and nary a one signed up to give the 24 hours, nor even a few hours!Iwas disappointed but not surprised. I did back off on my request and did get a few parents to give a few hours here and there over the first years, but as the years passed fewer and fewer participated and after the 10th year, only four of us were left to run this program. It soon became impossible.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6
(CNA) — September 11 marked 796 years since perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament began in Avignon, France, a prac tice that has now spread throughout the world.
During his novitiate year, he served as a chap lain intern at Penrose and St. Francis Hospitals in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as interning at Holy Rosary Chapel and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Cascade and Manitou Springs, Colo. Walters assisted the University of Portland’s Campus Ministry during the winter of 2018, then worked as a chaplain intern at Elkhart General Hospital in Elkhart, Ind. He interned at André House in Phoenix, Ari zona for the summers of 2019 and 2020, in between which he interned with the Catholic Peace Fellowship in South Bend. He served
Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, as the only child of Rodney and Lisa Walters. His home parish is Holy Angels in Sidney, Ohio. He earned his bachelor’s in theology from Holy Cross College from 20132017 and began his forma tion with Holy Cross as a member of Old College in 2014. He earned his Mas ter’s of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame in 2021.During Walters’ time in Old College, he served as a catechist at Notre Dame’s Sacred Heart Parish from 2014-2015, interned at the Logan Center in South Bend in 2015, and wrapped up that year teaching English at St. Joseph’s Hill Secondary School in Kyarusozi, Uganda. During 2016 he volunteered at St. Patrick’s Parish in London, UK, served as an RCIC in structor, ministered to the homebound at Christ the King Parish in South Bend (2016-2017), and interned at Holy Redeemer Parish in Portland, Ore.
Celebrant is Father Andrew Johnson, a retired priest of the Diocese of Fall River
Sunday, September 18 at 11:00 a.m.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
The encyclopedia in dicates that many experts attribute the beginning of the practice of adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist to the moment in which the feast
of Corpus Christi was es tablished in 1246 by Bishop Roberto de Thorete, at the suggestion of St. Juliana de Mont
TheCornillon.firstrecorded per petual adoration, however, was in Avignon in 1226.
According to the Cath olic Encyclopedia, per petual adoration refers to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament without inter ruption or with pauses for only short periods of time.
Celebrant is Father Edward A. Murphy, Pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Taunton
Sunday, September 25 at 11:00 a.m.
The term is used “in a moral sense, when it is interrupted only for a short time, or for imperative reasons, or for circumstanc es beyond control, to be resumed, however, as soon as possible,” it added.
encyclopedia.Facedwith the large number of people who came to adore Jesus in the Eucharist, Bishop Pierre de Corbie “deemed it conve nient to continue adoration at night, as well as during the day.”TheHoly See later rat ified this perpetual adora tion, which was maintained uninterruptedly until 1792, when it was stopped by the chaos of the French Rev olution. It was resumed in 1829, thanks to the efforts of the Grey Penitents, a group of several confrater nities.Perpetual adoration
asencyclopedia.asacristan coordinator at Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart from 2020-2021.Forthe last year, he has worked as the campus minister for retreats and faith formation, as the assistant athletics chaplain, and as a pastoral resident at Stonehill College in North Easton. He contin ues to serve as the cam pus minister for Retreats and Faith Formation at Stonehill College.
Perpetual adoration began nearly 800 years ago
Man with local ties makes final C.S.C. vows continued from page seven
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, September 25 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence
September 16, 2022
On Sept. 11, King Louis VII asked to expose the Blessed Sacrament as a way to celebrate victory over the Albigensians, a sect that flourished in southern France in the 12th and 13th centuries.“Inthanksgiving, the Blessed Sacrament covered with a veil was exposed in the Chapel of the Holy Cross” in Orleans, reads the
spread throughout Eu rope, but it was not until the creation of the Forty Hours’ Devotion, officially established in 1592, that this practice of Catholic faith really “developed in general.”Thedevotion of the Forty Hours led to the practice of perpetual ado ration in “several churches of Rome until it gradually spread throughout the world, so that it may truly be said that, during each hour of the year, the Blessed Sacrament, solemnly ex posed, is adored by multi tudes of faithful,” added the
Rev. Clement E. Dufour, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bed ford, 2009
Sept. 17
Rev. Thomas F. McNulty, Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford, 1954 His Eminence Cardinal Humberto Sousa Medeiros, Archbishop of Boston, 1970-83, Pastor of St. Michael, Fall River 1960 -1966, Rev.1983Felix Lesnek, SS.CC., Former Associate Pastor, St. Joseph, Fairhaven, 1991
Sept. 24
Sept. 26
Rev. John J. Griffin, Pastor, St. Paul, Taunton, 1963
Pope Francis honors nun killed by Islamist terrorists in Mozambique to flee with the other mis sionaries when she turned back out of concern for the 12 female students who had stayed behind at the mission, according to the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need.
In the voicemail, Sister Maria said that Al-Shabaab insurgents were close to the mission and the situation was “very tense.”
Rev. Vincent Burke, S.V.D., 2017
VATICAN CITY (CNA) — Pope Francis in his Angelus address on Septem ber 11 honored an Italian missionary Sister who was killed by Islamist terrorists in Mozambique.Speakingfrom the win dow of the Apostolic Pal ace, the pope said: “In this moment of prayer, it is dear to me to remember Sister Maria de Coppi, Combo nian missionary, killed in Chipene, Mozambique, where she served with love for almost 60 years.”
Sept. 23
Maria was about
Rev. Henry E.S. Henniss, 1859 Rev. George Pager, Founder, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1882 Rev. George Jowdy, Pastor, Our Lady of Purgatory, New Bedford, Rev.1938William
Rev. Joseph E.C. Bourque, Pastor, Blessed Sacrament, Fall River, 1955
Rev. Roman Chwaliszewski, O.F.M. Conv., Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1993
In Your Prayers
“We cry for another sister who with simplicity, dedication, and silence of fered her life for the love of the Gospel,” Zuppi said.
Rev. Luke Golla, SS.CC., Seminary of Sacred Heart, Wareham, 1945 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edmund J. Ward, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1964
Rev. Antoine Charest, SM, Former Assistant, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 2001
Churches have been burnt, people beheaded, young girls kidnapped, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced by esca lating extremist violence in Mozambique in recent years.A missionary in Mo zambique told Aid to the Church in Need that the local insurgents who have
September 16, 2022
Sept. 18
“Wherever they pass, they carry out massacres.”
Rev. Henry E.S. Henniss, Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1859 Rev. Msgr. Arthur W. Tansey, Retired, Former Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1985 Rev. John J. Yorco, SS.CC., Former Pastor, St. Boniface, New Bed ford, 2010
Sept. 19
Rev. Deacon Paul G. Metilly, 2013
Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
Rev. John W. Greene, S.J., Former Teacher, Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River, 1991
Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi said that on September 6, “As a result of terrorist attacks, six citi zens were beheaded, three kidnapped, six terrorists were captured, and dozens of houses torched in the dis tricts of Erati and Memba, NampulaBishopprovince.”AlbertoVera of Nacala said that the attack ers “destroyed everything” at the Chipene mission.
Rev. Simon A. O’Rourke,USN, Chaplain, 1918 Rev. Omer Valois, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1958 Rev. Austin T. Nagle, SS.CC., 2017
been targeting Christians in the region have ties to the IslamicDuringState.Holy Week in 2020, insurgents perpetrated attacks on seven towns and villages in northern Mo zambique’s Cabo Delgado province, burning down a church on Good Friday and killing 52 young people who refused to join the terrorist group, according to the local bishop.More than 1,000 people have been killed in attacks in Mozambique since 2017, according to the Center for Strategic and Internation al Studies. Some of these attacks were claimed by the Islamic State, while others were carried out by the homegrown Ahlu Sunna Wal, an extremist militant group, locally known as Al-Shabaab, which has been kidnapping men and wom en.
Sept. 21
“May her witness give strength and courage to Christians and all the people of Mozambique.”SisterMariade Coppi was shot and killed last week as terrorists ransacked and burned the Catholic mission where she served in Mozam bique’s Diocese of Nacala.
Rev. John J. Donahue, Assistant, St. William, Fall River, 1944 Rev. Flavius Gamache, SMM, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Dighton, Rev.1996John C. Martins, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River, 2008
Rev. J.A. Payan, Founder, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1899
The 83-year-old reli gious Sister left a voicemail for her niece, Gabriella Bottani, shortly before her death, the Italian newspaper “Corriere Della Sera” report ed.
“The attackers broke open the tabernacle and vandalized part of the sac risty, looking for whatever they could find — probably money,” he Cardinaladded.Matteo Zuppi, the president of the Italian bishops’ conference, paid tribute to Sister Maria, say ing that her sacrifice “will be a seed of peace and reconcil iation” in Mozambique.
The Italian priests and Sisters who served at the mission were able to evac uate 68 students who were living at the mission before the church, boarding hous es, rectory, and school were destroyed in the five-hour attack on the night of Sep temberSister6.
Rev. Deacon Robert B. Raymond, 2007
Sept. 25
Rev. George Taraska, O.F.M. Conv., Parochial Vicar, Holy Rosary, Taunton, 1993
“It appears that they are armed, that they have already kidnapped people, killed someone,” she said.
Sept. 30
Sept. 29
Rev. Robert J. Woodley, S.J., Missionary, Taunton, New Bedford, Fall River, 1857
H. Crane, SM, Superior at National Shrine of Our Lady of Victories, Boston, 1988
Sept. 27
Sept. 20
davejolivet@anchornews.org Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02720
this one surely is Rob ert Frost-like, the road less taken.”
doesn’t really bother me, first be cause I can’t feel a thing when it’s done, although with the smaller ones I am awake and it still creeps me out to watch him sew me shut. The neck sashimi sessions are done when I’m in that place where they send me someoneafter I can’t even see has me count back ward from 10 and furthesttheI
Well, right now I’m just wait ing on a date and time for my neu rologist to shuffle my disk cards back into place. Meanwhile, I’ll carry on, continue to work, to do limited chores and to cook. I’ll be more careful in the kitchen now, opting to burn myself instead of chopping myself.
The Year of the Ahi Please send _____ copy(ies) of Diocesan Directory 2022. I am enclosing $30 for each directory ordered. Total amount enclosed: $__________. Please make checks payable to “The Anchor” Name: Zip:City:Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________State:_________________________Telephone:_______________________Completeandreturnoriginalformorphotocopyto: The Anchor (Attention Directory) 887
September 16, 2022
can get is eight.
He could morph those things into mouth-watering delectable dishes, including chowder and clam cakes. But after he scraped the mud out of his fingernails and before he turned up the heat on the quahogs, we would sit and Larry would shuck a couple of fist fulls and he, my brother and I would slurp those puppies down like candy. Millie enjoyed the chowder and clam cakes but drew the line at the slimy, salty tidbits.
I guess I got used to this by slicing myself up while cooking — more than I should. But I feel if you ain’t cutting yourself, you ain’t cooking, yourself.
I’mhonest.starting to think, howev er, that my affinity for devouring these delectables is turning on me. Instead of enjoying the aquatic gifts from God, I’m becoming one of them.TheChinese celebrate New Year’s in January or February of our calendar year, and each year an ani mal is honored. For our 2022 it’s the Year of the Tiger and January 2023 will begin the Year of the Rabbit. But based on my track history
When I told my children about the upcoming surgery, I said my body looks like a road map. Emilie responded with, “ The road less taken.” I said, “No, more like the Southeast Expressway.”
for the past few years, I feel like I’m stuck in a time loop, ala Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day.” And the year in which I am trapped is the Year of the Ahi.
Today, many eating establish ments include little necks on the half, along with oysters. And many Asian-influenced restaurants (and even some supermarkets) offer sashimi of all sorts — eel, white fish, salmon, tuna, octopus, scal lops and sea urchin. Each of them cold, raw, briny and oh so good.
from an ice hockey wound or reaching into a case of juice while working at a supermarket and encountering a broken bottle.
For the past several years it’s been a ritual of sorts to have to have a pre-cancerous or cancer ous growth dug out of my body. (I implore you again, please put on sunscreen. I now do with a fourinch flat paintbrush and a lotion with an SPF of 5,000). As I sit here today to spill out this column, I have two one-inch slices in my abs from recent carvings. I look like an electric socket.
I long for the days when the only times I got sewed up was
So for the second time in nine years, I must have a disk fusion, which will leave a four-inch scar about a meter above the last dorsal sashimi
I have always been a seafood fan. Long before the sashimi explosion in this country, I was indulging on quahogs on the half shell, compliments of my dad, who loved to get on his knees in the muddy shallows and paw for the little necks with his bare hands for hours at a time.
In a few weeks I will add to this plethora of small scars a somewhat larger one — on my neck. You see, after a few MRIs and a CAT scan it’s been deter mined that I have a disk in my cer vical region that simply isn’t where it is supposed to be. It’s slipped back into the spinal nerves leaving me in a constant state of pain, or numbness or weakness, or, when I’m really lucky, all three at once.
Now the slicing and dicing
If you have a chance, just shoot a quick prayer up to the Master (not the sashimi master) for me, as the Year of the Ahi swims on.
I loved when he went because I knew when he returned from his bivalve mollusk hunting trip it would be with a basket full of the tasty cookies from the sea.
Thatslicing.should put me out of commission for a few weeks so I can heal up and be ready for the next sashimi session.
My all-time favorite sashimi is Ahi tuna. Along with little necks and oysters, I could spend the rest of my days wolfing these down with a nice cold iceberg lettuce salad with fresh tomatoes to keep things
The 2022 Diocesan Directory is NOW AVAILABLE! Only $30 per copy, including Ordershipping TODAY!
By now I surely have you scratching your head wondering column,cruxreachavenuessomeHe’sthisingis“Wherehegowithone?takenoddtotheofhisbut
It’s to the point where Emilie calls my dermatologist a sashimi master, making me, in essence, a big old slab of Ahi tuna.
September 16, 2022 Please visit The Anchor website www.anchornews.orgat Visit the Diocese of Fall River website fallriverdiocese.orgat:
