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Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, November 26, 2021

December 11-12

See page 3

St. Lawrence Martyr Church marks 200 years — Part II

By Msgr. Barry W. Wall Special to The Anchor

Growth: The Second St. Mary’s Church, St. Mary’s Cemetery Father Thomas R. McNulty, a native of County Armagh, Ireland replaced Father Maguire in March of 1846. Three years later he was able to purchase the former Universalist Church at Fifth (Pleasant) and School streets in the center of the city. The old church was divided in two and sold. One portion of the venerable building survives as part of a dwelling on Forest Street. The site continued to serve as a cemetery until 1856.

In 1953 the McMahon Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus with

the kind cooperation of Mrs. Helen Aubertine placed a monument, a granite boulder with bronze plaque at Allen and Orchard streets, the site of the original church which had become the property of the Aubertine Funeral Home.

On October 12, clergy and faithful from neighboring parishes gathered for the dedication with the vicar general, Msgr. James J. Gerrard, presiding. In 1956 Msgr. Gerrard became pastor of St. Lawrence Parish, and in 1959 auxiliary bishop.

In the fall of 1849 New Bedford received a visit from Father Theobald Matthew, OFM, Cap. An internationally known preacher 8 Turn to page 10

Led by altar servers, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., priests and deacons begin to process from St. Lawrence Church in New Bedford following a Mass celebrating the parish’s 200th anniversary on November 21. A celebratory dinner followed the Mass. (Photo taken from the livestream Mass.)

Diocesan schools wrap up active Discover Catholic Schools Week

FALL RIVER — The topic of education continues to be highlighted in the media as the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced and changed every aspect of life. Despite all schools offering in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year, many families continue to choose to send their children to a Catholic school for many reasons. Discover Catholic Schools Week (November 14-20) provided a platform for Catholic schools to communicate their uniqueness and encourage new families to discover what Catholic schools have to offer their children and families.

For many students attending one of the 15 Catholic elementary schools, this year may be their first exposure to the unique qualities of a Catholic education that

cannot be found in any secular educational experience. Enrollment in the Diocese of Fall River Catholic elementary schools has increased by three percent as compared to the 2020-21 school year; and most Catholic elementary schools have a wait-list for certain grades.

Discover Catholic Schools Week focused on the many aspects of Catholic education valued by families for decades: a robust and balanced academic curriculum that integrates faith, culture and life; the value of serving others; as well as preparing students to be productive citizens and future leaders. Each day presented a different theme in order to highlight the many facets that are touched by a Catholic education.

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At its November 13 meeting, held at Our Lady of Grace Parish Hall in Westport, the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women celebrated Beth Mahoney’s recent election as President-Elect of the National Council of Catholic Women.

Mahoney is front row, second from left.

Visit our website at anchornews.org

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., delivers a homily at the 200th anniversary Mass of St. Lawrence Parish on November 21 in New Bedford. (Photo by Lisa Barrera Lemieux.)

St. Vincent’s Services, Plante Jewelers team up to provide toys for children

SWANSEA — Plante Jewelers is once again asking the area community to join them in making a special holiday for all the children and youth served by St. Vincent’s Services.

Now through December, anyone who donates a new, unwrapped present will be entered into its Prize Drawing. A winner will be drawn on Decem2

† November 26, 2021

ber 15, for a $200 Plante Gift Certificate.

St. Vincent’s requests that presents be donated

by Friday, December 10, so they can be wrapped and made ready for Christmas. Plante’s will take any donations through December, and St. Vincent’s will use these for last minute gifts and other occasions through the year. Every gift is appreciated!

Plante Jewelers is located at 147 Swansea Mall Drive in Swansea. Please note, this is a new location.

Store hours are: Tuesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Holiday hours start November 28.

Call Plante Jewelers at 508-673-0561 for more information and gift suggestions, and you can visit saintvincentsservices.org.

December diocesan collection helps aging religious Sisters, Brothers, priests

FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River will hold the Retirement Fund for Religious collection December 11-12. The parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, D.C. Proceeds help religious communities across the country to care for aging members.

Last year, the Diocese of Fall River donated $64,291.98 to the collection.

In 2021, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts received financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.

“I am continually heartened by the generosity of U.S. Catholics,” said NRRO executive director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco. “Even in difficult times, they find a way to give back to those who have tirelessly served our Church and our world.”

Hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support them. Historically, Catholic Sisters, Brothers and religious order priests— known collectively as

women and men religious — served for little to no pay.

As a result, many communities now lack adequate retirement savings.

At the same time, health-care expenses continue to rise, and an increasing number of older religious require specialized services. NRRO data shows that 26,330 women and men religious in the United States are older than age 70.

The total cost for their care exceeds $1 billion annually.

To help address the deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders, Catholic bishops of

the United States initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious collection in 1988.

Distributions are sent to each eligible order’s central house and provide supplemental funding for necessities, such as medications and nursing care. Donations also underwrite resources that help religious communities improve eldercare and plan for long-term retirement needs.

Religious orders typically do not receive diocesan funding but rather are financially autonomous and thus responsible for the support and care of all members.

While many dioceses hold separate appeals for their retired priests’ fund, the once-yearly Retirement Fund for Religious collection is for members of U.S. religious orders and benefits both men and women religious.

The 2020 appeal raised $20.7 million, and funding was distributed to 321 U.S. religious communities.

“We are blessed by countless supporters who share our mission to ensure all religious can enjoy a safe and modest retirement,” said Sister Still. Visit retiredreligious.org to learn more.

Echo Graduate Services program apprentices share their stories The Echo Graduate Service program is a twoyear program through the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life. Post-undergraduate students commit to full-time parish ministry in one of 16 partner dioceses, while earning a master’s in Theology, at reduced cost to the parish to which they are assigned. The Diocese of Fall River recently began such a partnership for the next two years. This article is the second of three, depicting the stories of the

Echo apprentices working within our diocese.

“He went up the mountain and called to Him those whom He wanted, and they came to Him” (Mk 3:13).

Coming from Nashville, Tenn., I am certainly a long way from home (though not as far as Texas is from here), so in many ways, I can relate to the way the Apostles must have felt when Jesus called them to a deeper relationship with Him. They left their homes, their families, their comfortable lives, and traveled with

† 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 appointments: Reverend Robert J. Powell, Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in New Bedford.

Reverend John J. Oliveira, Moderator of the Retired Priests.

Effective: November 2, 2021

Jesus as He taught them how to love like He does. I, too, have left my home, have left my family in Tennessee, and have taken on a new life that brings with it many new challenges. Now, I’ve gotten used to giving up some of these things due to my many adventures for the last four years in college.

I’m used to not seeing my three brothers or my parents in-person very often, I’m used to not being in Tennessee, and I’m used to not feeling very comfortable as I grow in many new ways. But, this adventure is different than the one I took in my undergraduate years at Notre Dame. This time I have the joy of committing myself wholeheartedly in service to the Church!

Whenever I have heard the above passage from Mark in the past, it is always used in vocational materials for the seminary, and this makes sense since Jesus calls His 12 Apostles to follow Him in this passage. But now working for Echo, this passage has taken on a new light for me pointing to a reality I had not considered before. Jesus went up to the mountain of my heart

and called me here to serve His Church. And I came to Him. For Jesus not only calls consecrated men and women to tend His flock but also lay women and men. Work in the Church is not limited to those who wear the collar but is open to all the faithful, and God’s call in my life has opened me up to this reality. I have been called, as a layperson, to lay down my own life for the sheep of the flock and it was to here in the Diocese of Fall River that I was called to lay down my life for the sheep.

The Notre Dame Echo Program strives to teach us how to serve and love the Church as lay men and women in the work of ministry. It reminds us that we, too, are called to care for the Church, both the Church Militant and the Church Suffering. We are members of the Body of Christ and we are called to care for this Body! The program trains us to be holy, catechetical leaders for the Church in many different ways. Through two intense summers of academic work, we are equipped to defend the truth and lead others to

the love of God. Through our work in the diocese, we are taught how to love and serve others through the example of those whom we work with. Through our intentional faith communities, we learn how to care for our fellow Echo members as we all grow in faith, hope, and love together. Echo challenges us to grow in every aspect of our lives so that we may become Good Shepherds for the flock.

I am extremely grateful to be working here in the Diocese of Fall River.

The people of St. John the Evangelist and St. Vincent de Paul in Attleboro have opened up their hearts to me in my work with this diocese. They have shown me such deep hospitality, generosity, and kindness in my transition to working in their parish, and I have so enjoyed pouring forth this love back into the parish in my own ministry. There is still much work to be done, and my stubborn heart has much to learn as it grows in love and mercy. I hope to love like you all one day.

Please pray for me; I will be praying for you.

Peace, Jamis Labadie

November 26, 2021 †

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Sexual atoms and molecules

major issue in bioethics today involves “informed consent,” but some try to make everything about consent.

This is especially notable when it comes to ethical discussions around the exercise of human sexuality.

In a thought-provoking 2015 article entitled Liberalism Can’t Understand Sex, author and researcher Jason Morgan challenges the reigning cultural view that sees sexual activity as acceptable between any two or more individuals as long as they freely consent to engage in it.

He notes that in such a framework, “all activities are equal, as long as we have obtained consent when those activities involve others.” This assumption about the equivalence of all consensual activities, however, is dubious at best, given that sexual activity affects and engages us in a way that is radically different from other human activities.

Morgan notes that

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“sex, unlike anything else we might do with another person, transcends the self while radically reorienting it within a new, shared context with our sexual partner. Consent assumes that sex will not do this, that sex will leave two people as fully autonomous after sex as they were before. But this is precisely the one thing that sex was designed not to do.

Sex, even if entered into based on a free agreement between two autonomous people, by its very nature dismantles the autonomy upon which the consensual understanding of sex had been based.”

In other words, sex touches us at a deeper level than other activities, binding us to another and speaking a language not of autonomy or transient engagement, but of communion and enduring selfgift. To suggest that sex is just about being sure you gave consent before the clothes started flying is to leave young people unfulfilled. That’s what happens routinely in hook-up experiences and patterns of cohabitation.

Morgan sums up

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the central flaw in consent-based notions of human sexuality this way: the “yes” given to sex and premised on individual autonomy is “fundamentally different from the ‘yes’ in which human sexuality is designed to operate: a ‘yes’ to the other in his or her spiritual, intellectual, emo-

tional, and physical entirety. Sex functions precisely to break down autonomy and overcome the overweening sovereignty of the self upon which consent is ultimately based.”

He continues: “By contrast, sex draws two people into the most intimate form of community, forming a new relationship based on a shared totality of existence. Where liberalism deals in a world of unjoinable, antagonistic atoms, human sexuality strives to bring two atoms together in order to make an entirely different molecule.”

By talking about

consent ad nauseum, we misdirect young people down primrose paths, away from the unique anchoring power of love in Marriage, wherein the full experience of the human sexual encounter, embodying both transcendence and sacrifice, is able to be lived out.

This plenitude of sex cannot be adequately captured by the vagaries of in-themoment consent, which reduces and over-simplifies the bigger question of whether or not to have sex to the choice between “yes” or “no” regarding a particular act of intercourse.

Instead, the “yes” or “no” raised by sex is not just to the physical joining of two bodies, but to the richly rewarding and sacrificial intermingling of two selves becoming one entity in a life-long union of persons. This commingling automatically expresses the strongest and most authentic human affirmation each one can give to the other, even to the point of embracing each other not only as spouses but also as parents in the potentially life-giving act of marital intimacy.

Those who partake of sex within a loosely committed relationship like cohabitation, on the other hand, sense — especially women — that the troubling absence of a marital commitment ultimately connotes an incomplete, inauthentic and unstable promise about love.

By pushing back

against the hollow notion of “consent-for-tonight” and encouraging chaste continence until Marriage, we initiate the process of restoring sex to its rightful place — not as contractual or bargained recreation, but as the unrestricted gift of one for the other and the reception of that same gift.

In this perspective, unique to the setting of Marriage, men and women give of themselves for the sake of each other. Such a form of mutual honoring involves the sacrifice of oneself in an other-centeredness that can and often does elevate the dignity of each to a new and transcendent level.

The ethical issue, in sum, is not merely one of mutual consent, but of authentic interpersonal good. Consenting to harmonious hedonisms or reciprocal exploitation is obviously against the good of the individuals involved, as anyone who has ever been sexually objectified, used and discarded sadly knows. Consent is necessary, but not sufficient. What also is needed is to secure the mutual, lasting good of the parties involved.

Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall Rive, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org and www.fathertadcom.

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his is a week in which many of us slow down and thank God for the blessings He has given to us, to our family members and friends, and to our country.

The 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Mass., should lead to thank God in a special way for all He has given over the course of the past four centuries, helping this land be transformed from a vast wilderness into the “experiment in ordered liberty” we have now, which remains the destination not only of tourists but also of millions of immigrants annually seeking to cross its borders.

Despite so many blessings, including extraordinary wealth, there remains great poverty in our country, both material and Spiritual. I’d like, however, to celebrate and give God thanks for a group of holy women God has sent to address that twofold poverty.

Fifth years ago, on Oct. 18, 1971, St. Teresa of Calcutta arrived in New York City with the first Missionaries of Charity (MCs) to the United States.

Mother Teresa had founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, four years after she had had a mystical experience — a call within her call as a religious — when Jesus summoned her to satiate His thirst and care for Him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor. She left the Sisters of Loreto to found the MCs. The Sisters around her quickly grew and the need for their care in India and beyond became heart wrenchingly obvious. By 1965, Pope St. Paul VI had erected them as a Pontifical Institute and they had permission, with the assent of local bishops, to open up houses in other countries.

The first house outside of India was in Venezuela. The second house in this hemisphere was in New York City.

Gratitude for 50 years of love, and counting Mother Teresa had first visited the United States in 1960 to give some talks to women’s groups. While in Manhattan, visiting with Dorothy Day, the future Servant of God took the future saint to see the Bowery where Mother Teresa was shocked to see so many people lying sick on the streets a short distance from Wall Street. Day helped her to understand the demographics — some were homeless, others elderly, and most were alcoholics or addicted to drugs — and Mother never forgot the image of so many on the streets who were lonely, unwanted, and hungry for more than bread.

In 1969, Eileen Egan, a friend and supporter of Mother Teresa and longtime journalist, Pax Christi USA foundress, and staffer for the U.S. bishops’ international relief efforts, told Cardinal Terence Cooke that Mother Teresa was interested in sending a team of Sisters to work in the inner city. He got the ball rolling and extended an official invitation on June 3, 1971.

Four months later, on Oct. 18, 1971, Cardinal Cooke welcome Mother Teresa and the four first Sisters to New York. It was the feast of St. Luke, the “evangelist of the poor.” At first, Mother and the Sisters stayed with the Franciscan Handmaids of Most Pure Heart of Mary, an historically Black Congregation of religious women, at their convent in Harlem, as the Sisters got to know the situation better, determined a specific apostolate and found the best place to live so that they could respond to the poor.

Mother Teresa said on that day, “I don’t know how it will work out. I don’t know whom we shall help. All I know is that there is poverty and need.”

In the last 50 years, the

Missionaries of Charity have opened up 50 convents in the United States, 42 with active Sisters and eight with contemplatives. The Missionaries are present in Ashbury Park (N.J.), Atlanta, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Boston, Bridgeport, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chester (Penn.), Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Gallup, Gary (Ind.), Harlem, Houston, Indianapolis, Jenkins (Ky.), Lafayette (La.), Lexington (Ky.), Little Rock, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Mohonoy City (Penn.), New Bedford, Newark, Norristown (Penn.), Pacifica (Calif.), Phoenix,

Plainfield (N.J.), Richmond (Calif.), Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Spokane, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Of the 760 convents of Missionaries of Charity in 139 countries in the world, only India (244) has more than the United States. There is, of course, greater poverty in many places than in the United States, but the presence of so many Missionaries of Charity here is a sign, often ignored by the media, various politicians, citizens and others, of the great poverty — material and Spiritual — that remains in our country and the multitudes who are in need.

Throughout the world, the Missionaries of Charity operate homes and programs for the abandoned, the sick and dying, for sick and forsaken children, lepers, refugees, prisoners, former prostitutes, the homeless, the mentally ill, people with AIDS, the blind, aged, convalescent, alcoholics, pregnant women, victims of floods,

epidemics and famine.

When they arrived in New York 50 years ago, they began to visit the elderly, cut their nails, and clean up their houses, to visit a hospital in Jersey City, and to bring Catholic children to Mass. They also began to visit different sections of the city to see where they would be most needed. When they came to the South Bronx, they knew.

As the first superior of the house, Sister Andrea, wrote in 1972, “The South Bronx you can only compare to one place: Calcutta. The empty, deserted, burned out and vandalized houses, look even more ghostly than any of Calcutta’s slums, but in and around there live people, men, women and children in great numbers, in great poverty and in terrible neglect.”

The street where their present convent and U.S. Provincial Headquarters is located was called by those in the 1970s a “cemetery for dead cars,” with windows and windshields smashed and insides torched. The neighborhood was just as bad, with people ubiquitously taking drugs around trashcan fire pits and the first (commercial) floor of most buildings burned out.

Yet that’s where they chose to establish their mission. The opened up a soup kitchen and a shelter for homeless women. They visited the shut-ins in three different parishes. They started catechetical programs for children and adult catechesis in Spanish.

To help children stay off the streets, they opened a recreation center on the ground floor of their convent, with a small carpentry workshop for boys, handcrafts for little girls, and cooking, typing and sewing classes for older girls and neighborhood mothers. In the summers, with the help

of the city, they organized summer camps.

In 1976, when Mother Teresa came to Philadelphia to give three talks at the international Eucharistic Congress, she announced that she was founding the first group of MC Contemplatives worldwide in the Bronx — led by Sister Nirmala, who would become her successor — to pray for the needs of the poor, the Church and the world.

I have been blessed, during my years as a seminarian and a priest, to pray and serve alongside the Missionaries of Charity in Toronto, New Bedford, Costa Rica, Harlem and the Bronx, to celebrate Mass for them, hear their Confessions, preach retreats for them and teach workshops or various themes.

I had the joy to be with them in the Bronx as we prepared for their 50th anniversary in October and again on November 14, the fifth World Day of the Poor, celebrating Mass for them at 6:45 a.m. before they left, as part of a world-wide prayer day, for a 9 a.m. video meeting with Pope Francis.

When Mother Teresa stated, a half-century ago, “I don’t know how it will work out. I don’t know whom we shall help,” it’s clear that I am among one of those her daughters have helped become a better Christian disciple and apostle as I seek to imitate their mission of charity. And I’m sure many of those reading can echo that same appreciation.

This Thanksgiving, let’s express our gratitude together to God for 50 years and 50 convents of the Missionaries of Charity and ask Him to bless them with Himself, many vocations and many apostolic fruits.

And let’s ask Him, through them, never to cease blessing us all.

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

November 26, 2021 †

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Editorial Waukesha: No revenge

This past Sunday Pope Francis said after leading the Angelus, “today we also remember all road traffic victims: we pray for them and we commit ourselves to prevent accidents.”

Later that day at least five people were killed and at least 40 people were injured (as of press time) Waukesha, Wisc., at a Christmas parade, as an SUV plowed into the crowd. This does not appear to be an accident.

Sandra Peterson, the communication director of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, issued a statement on Sunday evening. ”Our prayers are with the people who have been injured and killed during the tragic incident in Waukesha. Among the injured are one of our Catholic priests, as well as multiple parishioners and Waukesha Catholic school children. Please join us in prayer for all those involved, their families, and those who are traumatized from witnessing the horrible scene.”

What is one to do, sitting back here in New England, when such a massacre happens? Instead of just watching hours and hours of horrific footage, we should turn to God, go to a church or chapel or (if those are not available or convenient at that time) pray privately wherever we are, asking for mercy upon the souls of the dead, for healing for the injured (both those hurt in the attack and those bystanders and first responders who have to deal with the mental anguish of what they have seen), for repentance for the attacker (Jesus would do this, so we should, too), and asking God to help us be part of the solution, not adding to the problem.

As the old hymn says, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” The devil rejoices both in such evil attacks, but also in the desires for violent revenge that he tries to place in our hearts.

On Feb. 19, 2017, Pope Francis gave an Angelus address about not seeking revenge, using as his “springboard” Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew 5:38-48, which the Holy Father called “one of the passages that best illustrates Christian ‘revolution’ — Jesus shows us the way of true justice through the law of love which is greater than the law of retaliation, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ This ancient law imposed the infliction on wrongdoers of a punishment equivalent to the damage they caused: death for those who killed, amputation for those who injured, and so on. Jesus does not ask His disciples to abide evil, but asks them to react; however, not with another evil action, but with good. This is the only way to break the chain of evil: one evil leads to another which leads to another evil. This chain of evil is broken and things truly begin to change. Evil is, in fact, a ‘void,’ a void of good. It is not possible to fill a void, except with ‘fullness,’ that is, good. Revenge never leads to conflict resolution. ‘You did this to me, I will do it back to you’: this never resolves conflict, nor is it even Christian.”

Unfortunately, we Christians are hardly sinless (the only ones who were are Jesus and Mary) and history is replete with violence done by us, often in revenge. In Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice,” the Jewish character OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 65, No. 23

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(and really anti-Semitic caricature) Shylock says about one of the protagonists, “I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He looks just like a guy who’s robbed me but now comes to beg me a favor! I hate him because he is a Christian.” This Christian, who is considered one of the “good guys” in the play, has spat upon Shylock more than once. Shylock didn’t see Christ in how the Christians were treating him.

Pope Francis, in his address from nearly four years ago, was trying to get us back to how a Christian should properly react to injustice — as Christ would react.

“According to Jesus, the rejection of violence can also involve the sacrifice of a legitimate right. He gives a few examples of this: turn the other cheek, give up your coat or money, accept other sacrifices (v. 39-42). But such sacrifice does not mean that the demands of justice should be ignored or contradicted. No, on the contrary, Christian love, which manifests itself in a special way in mercy, is an achievement superior to justice. What Jesus wants to teach us is the clear distinction that we must make between justice and revenge. Revenge is never just. We are permitted to ask for justice. It is our duty to exercise justice. We are, however, not permitted to avenge ourselves or, in any way foment revenge, as it is an expression of hatred and violence.

“Jesus does not wish to propose a new system of civil law, but rather the commandment to love thy neighbor, which also includes loving enemies: ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (v. 44). And this is not easy. These words should not be seen as an approval of evil carried out by an enemy, but as an invitation to a loftier perspective, a magnanimous perspective, similar to that of the Heavenly Father, Who, Jesus says, ‘makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust’ (v. 45). An enemy, in fact, is also a human being, created as such in God’s image, despite the fact that in the present, that image may be tarnished by shameful behavior.

“When we speak of ‘enemies,’ we should not think about people who are different or far removed from us; let us also talk about ourselves, as we may come into conflict with our neighbor, at times with our relatives. How many hostilities exist within families — how many! Let us think about this. Enemies are also those who speak ill of us, who defame us and do us harm. It is not easy to digest this. We are called to respond to each of them with good, which also has strategies inspired by love.”

After discussing wars and terrorism which had occurred around the time when he was giving that address, Pope Francis ended with this: “Let us pray ardently that every heart hardened by hatred may be converted to peace, according to God’s will. Let us pray for a moment in silence.” And then St. Peter’s Square became silent as the thousand there prayed for peace. Let us do the same.

Daily Readings † November 20 - December 17

Sat. Dec. 4, Is 30:19-21,23-26; Ps 147:1-6; Mt 9:35—10:1,5a,6-8. Sun. Dec. 5, Second Sunday of Advent, Bar 5:1-9; Ps 126:1-6; Phil 1:4-6,811; Lk 3:1-6. Mon. Dec. 6, Is 35:1-10; Lk 5:17-26. Tue. Dec. 7, Is 40:111; Mt 18:12-14. Wed. Dec. 8, Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gn 3:9-15,20; Ps 98:1-4; Eph 1:3-6,11-12; Lk 1:26-38.

Thu. Dec. 9, Is 41:13-20; Mt 11:11-15. Fri. Dec. 10, Is 48:17-19; Mt 11:16-19.

Sat. Dec. 11, Sir 48:1-4,9-11; Ps 80:2ac,3b,15-16,18-19; Mt 17:9a,1013. Sun. Dec. 12, Third Sunday of Advent, Zep 3:14-18a; (Ps) Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18. Mon. Dec. 13, Nm 24:2-7,15-17a; Mt 21:23-27. Tue. Dec. 14, Zep 3:1-2,9-13; Mt 21:28-32. Wed. Dec. 15, Is 45:6b-8,18,21c-25; Lk 7:18b-23. Thu. Dec. 16, Is 54:1-10; Lk 7:24-30.

Fri. Dec. 17, Gn 49:2,8-10; Mt 1:1-17.

St. Joseph — The saint of silence

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his month, in preparation for the Liturgical season of Advent, the Church reflects upon Christ’s coming in history, in mystery in the Holy Eucharist and at the end of time. It is an opportune time to reflect upon St. Joseph’s preparation for the coming of the Christ Child — in silence. This call to silence is foremost a call to holiness and union with God. Since we cannot give to others that which we do not have, it is especially important to move toward this Advent in the midst of our very busy lives with the Heavenly companionship of St. Joseph to obtain the graces we need by preparing for Christmas. A good Confession and a true resolution to make Jesus and Mary the center of our lives even as St. Joseph did, is a worthy preparation for Advent. Very mindful of the challenges in our own times, let us “Go to Joseph” for light and fortitude to follow after this saint of silence in his footsteps to Bethlehem.

The silence of St. Joseph in Holy Scripture may at first cause us to overlook his privilege and power as the one chosen by God the Father as the Guardian of the Redeemer. Yet as we read the infancy narratives in the Bible, we learn that the silence of St. Joseph was a virtue he acquired and fostered so as to fulfill his God-given vocation to protect the Virgin Mary’s honor, life and virginity by his own silent fortitude and grace-filled actions. Like Joseph in the Old Testament, God willed to keep

St. Joseph’s power hidden until now in this Year of St. Joseph. Like Joseph, who kept silent before his brothers’ discovery before he revealed to them, “‘As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, to accomplish a day like this — to preserve the lives of many people.

Therefore, do not be afraid.

I will provide for you and your little ones.’ So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them” (Gen 50: 20-21). St. Joseph’s silence was a fruitful silence which attentively heard the messenger of the Lord’s counsel. As he thought upon divorcing Mary quietly to preserve her life, “But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost” (Mt 1:20). Like Joseph in the Old Testament, St. Joseph would provide for the Holy Family of the Church today so that “all the little ones” who would believe in Jesus the Good Shepherd, would have faithful priests to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, so as to preserve our Spiritual lives in spite of famine. He would preserve the life of Mary, now the Ark of the Covenant, the archetype of the Church, containing the “Bread of Life” dwelling within her to give us the “Bread” of eternal life.

We must beg St. Joseph the grace to make the love

of Jesus dwelling in Mary, our own heart’s desire.

Practically this may mean waking up a bit earlier than usual to meet the Lord in silent prayer before the busy commotion of the day.

It may mean to make the sign of the cross as soon as we rise and to ask St. Joseph to accompany us in spirit as we meditate upon the five decades of the Holy Rosary

or meditate upon the readings of the Mass for the day before we go to daily Mass or just to reflect on God’s Word even if we cannot attend Holy Mass. We can ask St. Joseph to help us gather Spiritual fruit from our reading of Scripture so that we can turn often to that treasure in our hearts even as we work with your hands at our various occupations. We can make time to visit Jesus lonely in our Tabernacles or go to Adoration just to express our love and fidelity to the One Who loves us. We must learn to be contemplatives in the world with our hearts fixed on Heaven, raising up our hearts often to the Lord even as we carry our cross each day for love of Jesus and Mary. A silent aspiration offered frequently throughout the day can keep the love of God and our last end always before our minds: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul, Jesus,

Mary and Joseph assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in union with you.”

As a prayerful silence grows within us we can remain united to our guardian angel and St. Joseph to be with us throughout the day, to hear their inspirations that guide and protect us. This silence will engender prayer and fortitude to grow Spiritually, helping us to turn our gaze away from the enchantments, impurity and lure of this world especially during this season as it tries to fill us with empty happiness by buying more things and filling the airwaves with continuous noise. A holy silence centered on St. Joseph’s silence and loving anticipation for Christ will give us the strength to communicate more with God, rather than be distracted by our cell phone, countless text messages and the smoke of so much bad news that only fills our hearts with worry and anxiety. All these things only take away our peace, while the silence of God fills our emptiness with joy to enable us to give the true gift of the season to others: kindness, gentleness, compassion, charity and the gift of our physical presence with those in need of Christ’s love. St. Joseph will accompany us, even as he accompanied the Virgin Mary in her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. What joy, praise and love he experienced! Even as Mary sang her Magnificat, “My soul proclaims the greatness of

the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” so also we can imagine St. Joseph’s returning to Nazareth silently singing in his own soul the “greatness of the Lord” for He had regarded the lowliness of His servant and “Holy is His Name.” St. Joseph knows that to serve God is its own reward and he wants us to experience this deeply through silence.

As Mary’s time approached to give birth to the Christ Child in Bethlehem, St. Joseph also awaited the silent fulfillment of the Messiah’s birth. Although he was surprised that people in the inns closed the doors of their heart, he recognized the permissive will of the Father in this, because he remembered Mary’s Magnificat, “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” The rich of this world are satisfied with the onions and leeks of Babylon, the luxuries, the latest technology, and the instant gratification that treats them no better than consumers and producers.

Rather, Christ is born in the poverty of a stable prepared by the hands of Mary for all men of good will. Jesus is to be received in the hearts of those who embrace the author of life in the Holy Eucharist and see the Face of Christ as a person to be loved in the person of our neighbor: the pregnant mother, the preborn child, the poor, the elderly, the sick, the marginalized and those who are despised by the world for their Faithful witness to Christ and His unchanging and Eternal 8 Turn to page 14

November 26, 2021 †

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The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful

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t came to me last week during our annual Sacred Hearts Retreat at St. Anthony Retreat Center in Kalihi Valley.

My next article would be entitled “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” after the movie of that title, starring Clint Eastwood.

This “inspiration” came to me during one of Father David Reid’s dynamic conferences.

Forgive me, David, for being momentarily side-tracked at such a solemn moment! When I shared this “inspiration” with Sister Dolores Pavao, SS.CC., my longtime friend and co-worker during our time in Southeastern Massachusetts, she came back with, “Oh, I don’t like that.” So being stubborn, I replaced the Ugly with the Beautiful. Interestingly enough I have just discovered that “The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful” is also a

8

† November 26, 2021

movie. This movie is about the private lives and loves of politicians. I will not comment further on it lest I find myself in hot water with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Honolulu and all of Hawaii.

Of course, politicians of all nations are forever finding themselves in hot water regardless of whichever side they take. We have seen this particularly during this era of the COVID. Some would like to mandate that everybody get the shots while others hold that such mandates are an infringement on our freedom as citizens. So, what is Good, what is Bad and what is Beautiful? I say that getting the “Jab”, as my brother, Johnny, calls it, is Good since it protects those who have gotten the jab as well as others who come in contact with them. The Bad is when those who have not received the jab, come down with the virus or lose their

jobs because of the mandate. And how about the Beautiful? Well, the Beautiful is when a lovely young nurse tenderly gives one the needle.

This is what occurred here yesterday when we received our booster shot for the COVID, as well as one for the flu.

We did have to wait about 45 minutes past the scheduled time in order to thaw out the medicine. I offered to hold the vial in my hands to quicken the melt but Sister Alicia, R.N., said that I might make it too hot. So, Johnny and I waited patiently while the lovely young nurses prepared the clinic which took place in the visitors quarters dining room. I asked whether the medicine to be injected was Jameson or Jack Daniels. The smiling nurses replied that that was a good idea but unfortunately, they had not brought either.

Then one of the young lovelies gave me a shot on the left arm, then one on the right arm. It was Beautiful, the smile on her face, that is. Hopefully this will open the settlement to visitors and eventually to tours and pilgrimages in the land of Saints Damien and Marianne. Yes, we have the Good, the Bad and the Beautiful here in Kalaupapa, but mostly the Good and the Beautiful.

Aloha.

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

Schools mark Discover Catholic Schools Week

percent of the Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools provide some sort continued from page one The 2021 themes for the week were: formation, morality, and a sense of of accommodations for students who learn differently. true community. For the families — Discover with your parish; While Catholic schools have who have enrolled, they are amazed — Discover Catholic school weathered many challenges over with the overall Catholic school students; the past few decades, there is no experience and express that they — Discover Catholic school never realized that there was such a doubt that Catholic schools are still parents; difference in values students receive a valued piece of this country’s edu— Discover Catholic school cational landscape. Whether a famfrom a Catholic education.” educators; ily’s interest in Catholic education Affordability is the main wor— Discover and Celebrate is due to the rigorous academics, ry for many new families as they Faith-Based Communities; or for the formation of the whole engage in learning more about the — Discover Catholic school child, Catholic schools continue Catholic schools in the Diocese of donors Fall River. “The cost of tuition is of to provide children and families a — Discover Catholic school faith-filled community where the great concern to many families,” alumni. values and teachings of Jesus Christ said Christina Duggan, director “Discover Catholic Schools are integrated into every aspect of a of Operations and Special ProWeek is a wonderful opportunity for all families to learn more about grams for the Catholic Foundation child’s development.

The Catholic Schools Alliance of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Catholic education and why it has been a valued educational asset for “Each of our elementary schools encourages families to apply to the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) which helps reduce the cost of tuition by providing scholarships. Currently, 1,000 students have received a needs-based award, which in many cases has reduced tuition by 30-50 percent; and for many schools, this can result in a monthly tuition payment of $300 or less. Awards are determined by a family’s financial circumstances at the time of application. FACE scholarships help reduce the tuition cost and make a Catholic school education more decades,” said Daniel S. Roy, Super- attainable and, in the end, families realize that a Catholic education is intendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fall River. “We can- well worth the investment. Faminot express enough how committed lies are encouraged to apply early for the best chance of receiving an and faith-filled our team of Cathaward as funds are limited.” olic school leaders, educators and Other concerns that have been staff are. The pandemic has interexpressed by interested families are rupted many aspects of education, special education services for their but our schools always rise to the child. The Diocese of Fall River occasion of ensuring that students has made great improvements in remain the focus of our efforts.” special education by partnering According to Kellie Kickham, with the S.E.A.L. Foundation, who principal of St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro, “The theme of oversees the special education professionals in each partnering ‘Discover Catholic Schools Week’ school. In addition to the very high was perfect for this moment in quality special education services, time. We continue to have an inthe smaller class sizes of Catholic crease in inquiries and enrollment from many families whose priority schools lend to a more personalized education focusing on each stuis to provide an education with dent’s specific needs. More than 90 academic rigor along with faith

comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential.

With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, go to https://www. catholicschoolsalliance.org/wehave-a-place-for-you/.

November 26, 2021 †

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Church celebrates 200 years continued from page one

on behalf of Temperance.

He was invited by civic leaders and was enthusiastically received by Protestants and Catholics alike.

Father Henry Edward Stephen Henniss succeeded Father McNulty in December 1853. He had grown up in Philadelphia and worked as a newspaper man before graduating from the College of the Holy Cross. He was ordained for the Diocese of Boston in Montreal the year before. In New Bedford he was admired by many beyond his parish for his dedication and ability.

Bishop John Bernard Fitzpatrick, the third Bishop of Boston found him to be “a man of fine natural talents and extensive literary and scientific attainments — a most worthy clergyman.”

In 1856 Father Henniss purchased seven acres of land on the New Bedford– Dartmouth line for a cemetery and in the spring undertook the stressful work of transferring the earthly remains of those interred at the Allen Street churchyard to the new St. Mary’s Cemetery. Recognizing the need to plan for a larger and permanent church he purchased land at County and Hillman streets with this in mind.

The untimely death of Father Henniss at age 37 on Sept. 21, 1859 from terminal illness saddened many in the city. Father Henniss has left hand-written “Notes” on the history of the New Bedford mission and of the church on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Fathers McNulty and Henniss were accustomed to visit Nantucket four times a year. In 1856 Father Henniss purchased Harmony Hall which became Nantucket’s first Catholic Church. He also reported he visited Martha’s Vineyard twice a year 10

by Bishop John J. Williams of Boston in honor of St. Lawrence, the patron saint where there were about 40 of the pastor.

Catholics.

By now the nine parishFather Joseph P. Tallon, es and six mission chapels a native of County Carlow, of Southeastern Massasucceeded Father Henniss chusetts, the Cape and the whose assistant he was for two years. He had plans for Islands had passed into the care of Bishop Thomas a brick church but sadly F. Hendricken of the new died in his 32nd year in Diocese of Providence in 1864 with his plans unful1872. Father McMahon filled. He lies buried next Father Henniss in St. Mary’s became the vicar general, and in 1879 he was named Cemetery. fifth Bishop of Hartford and Textile manufacturing ordained on August 10. was beginning to replace Throughout his life whaling, as a major inBishop McMahon was dustry, providing jobs for known for his care of immithe increasing number of grants. In New Bedford he immigrants from Ireland, assisted in any way he could England, Portugal and the French Canadian and French Canada. Sacramental registers reveal that Portuguese communities especially the priests who Baptisms which numbered

County and Studley streets was built in 1897 as mission of St. Lawrence.

Shortly after Father McMahon became pastor a benefactor approached Bishop Hendricken about establishing a hospital in the Russell mansion, a substantial granite building at Pleasant and Campbell streets, The bishop placed Father McMahon in charge of the project. There is a brief entry in the bishop’s diary saying that three Sisters of Mercy left Providence at one o’clock for New Bedford to prepare to open a hospital. The date was Mach 19, 1873. The hospital would be named for St. Joseph. The convent would be the first house for religious established in

came to minister to them.

In the summer of 1866, he welcomed into his rectory on School Street a Portuguese priest, Father Antonio Felisberto Diaz, who arrived seriously ill and died a month later on September 13, without ever officiating publicly. He is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

The parish of St. John the Baptist for Portuguese parishioners was formally established in 1871 and Sacred Heart Parish, the first for French Canadians in 1876.

Later divisions of St. Lawrence Parish came with the founding of St. James Parish in 1888, St. Kilian’s Parish in 1896, and Holy Name in 1909. The first Holy Name Church at

the present Diocese of Fall River.

Msgr. Hugh Smyth: The Sisters and the Schools Bishop McMahon’s successor at St. Lawrence was Father Hugh J. Smyth; born in County Cavan, Ireland he was ordained in Montreal for the Diocese of Boston in 1870 and appointed first pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Taunton in 1873.

Coming to New Bedford in 1879 he served as pastor of St. Lawrence for 42 years.

He saw to the completion of the church tower and on Dec. 16, 1888, Bishop Matthew Harkins of Providence consecrated a chime of 14 bells, cast in Baltimore. The bells were named: Sacred Heart, Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. Lawrence, St.

45 for the year 1845 rose to 192 in 1855.

Continued Growth: St. Lawrence Church Not until after the Civil War could a new church be built. The new pastor, Father Lawrence Stephen McMahon who was ordained in 1860 arrived in January 1865 from St. Thomas Parish in Bridgewater. He began work on a church, engaging architect Patrick C. Keeley who designed a church in Gothic style to be built of native granite from Sullivan’s Quarry on Hathaway Road. On March 17, 1869 Father McMahon blessed St. Patrick’s Chapel.

The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day 1870 and on Aug. 13, 1871 the new church was dedicated

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Patrick, and the nine choirs of angels.

In 1883 a parish school was completed at Linden and County streets, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. It provided Catholic education from primary grades through high school. It was named in honor of St. Joseph. Two years later an identical school was constructed at Purchase and Wing streets called St. Mary’s. A third school was built next to St. Lawrence Church in 1902 called Holy Family School. In 1904 the high school grades that started at St. Joseph School were introduced at Holy Family. A separate high school building was built next the grammar school and dedicated by Bishop Daniel F. Feehan in 1914.

The Massachusetts portion of the Diocese of Providence became the Diocese of Fall River. The first bishop, William Stang was ordained in Providence on May 1, 1904 and installed and welcomed to Fall River a week later. Father Hugh J. Smyth became the vicar general of the new diocese and received the title of Monsignor in 1905. The present main altar, the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the stain glass windows, and pipe organ were all provided in the church renovation directed by Msgr. Smyth in 1905 and 1906. The lighted clock, striking the hour in the bell tower also dates from this time and was the gift of Dr. Stephen W. Hayes, who was the medical director of St. Joseph Hospital.

Msgr. John F. McKeon Msgr. Smyth observed the Golden Jubilee of his ordination on Dec. 18, 1920. He died several weeks later on Feb. 4, 1921. His successor was announced a month later; Father John F, McKeon, pastor of St. William’s Parish in Fall River, 8 Turn to page 13

Our readers respond Cast out the beam Dear Sirs, The tone of the column “A Day of Gratitude or Mourning?” (November 11 Anchor) was disturbing. It sounded as if Father Landry wants us to go back to the days of blindly celebrating the victories of European settlers without coming to terms with the damage done as well as the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while subjugating people of another color.

It is not cancel culture nor parricide to question what Western civilization has meant for Native Americans and people of color. It is not besmirching U.S. history to bring to light the facts of slavery in the earliest days of the nation’s founding. It might help our future citizenry to learn that we have not always lived up to our ideals.

Genocide is defined as intentional. It was only 55 years later that the Puritans

St. John Neumann to host Advent Taizé service EAST FREETOWN — All are cordially invited to an Advent Taizé Service: Cur Deus Homo? (Why did God become human?) at St. John Neumann Parish Center on November 28 at 7 p.m.

The evening offers attendees to come, sink more deeply into the Father’s Mystery; be enlightened

by His crucified and Risen Word, and burn with the fire of their love!

St. John Neumann is located at 157 Middleboro Road, East Freetown, 02717.

engaged in King Philip’s war to eliminate or subjugate the Narragansett and Wampanoags. Other genocidal actions such as the Cherokee Trail of Tears and the U.S. Cavalry distributing blankets infected with Typhoid to Native Americans followed. President Andrew Jackson wished to eliminate all Indians.

There is only one paragraph in this column acknowledging the suffering of Indigenous Peoples.

That is ruined by the line “The best remedy for a culture of grievance is one of gratitude.” This truly is an example of history being written by the winners.

It is time for all Ameri-

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, November 28 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, December 5 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church in Fall River

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, November 28 at 11:00 a.m.

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

Sunday, December 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father James M. Fitzpatrick, Pastor, St. Ann Parish, Raynham

cans to “cast out the beam” from our own eyes.

Thanksgiving should still happen but so should the Day of Mourning.

I am disappointed that

The Anchor would publish such a xenophobic trope filled with half truths.

Sincerely, Frances Winterson Taunton

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: Dec. 4 Rev. Patrick Byrne, Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1844 Rev. Charles Ouellette, Assistant, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1945 Rev. Edward C. Duffy, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1994 Dec. 5 Rev. Eugene J. Boutin, Manchester Diocese, 1986 Rev. Coleman Conley, SS.CC., Chaplain, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 1990 Rev. James W. Fahey, Retired Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro, 2016 Dec. 6 Rev. Joseph L. Cabral, Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 1959 Rt. Rev. Msgr. John H. Hackett, JCD, Chancellor, June-December 1966, 1966 Rev. Joseph K. Welsh, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 1971, Rev. John T. Higgins, Retired Pastor , St. Mary, Mansfield, 1985 Dec. 7 Rev. Thomas F. Daley, Retired Pastor, St. James, New Bedford, 1976 Rev. Ambrose Bowen, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Taunton, 1977 Rev. James W. Clark, Retired Pastor, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, 2000 Dec. 8 Rev. John F. Broderick, Pastor, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1940 Dec. 9 Rev. Rene Patenaude, O.P., Retired Associate Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River, 1983 Dec. 10 Rev. Thomas C. Briscoe, Former Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River, 1918 Rev. Andrew S.P. Baj, Former Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1971 Rev. Leonard M. Mullaney, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, Mattapoisett, 2014 Dec. 11 Rev. Edward L. Killigrew, Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford, 1959 Dec. 12 Rev. Paul F. McCarrick, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1996 Dec. 13 Rev. Reginald Theriault, O.P., St. Anne, Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Adrien L. Francoeur, M.S., La Salette Shrine, North Attleboro, 1991 Dec. 14 Rev. Msgr. John J. Hayes, Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1970 Rev. Edward J. Burns, Retired Pastor, St. Mark, Attleboro Falls, 2015 Dec. 15 Rev. Mortimer Downing, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1942 Rev. John F. O’Keefe, Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1955

November 26, 2021 †

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I

Real Presence

n the Oct. 1, 2021 issue of The Anchor, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., published Part One of his Pastoral Letter entitled, “Journeying Together: With Jesus on the Path of Faith and Hope,” calling on us to rebuild our faith and hope.

In the section called Sacramental Living, he mentioned a Pew Research study of 2019 that showed that only half of Catholics in the United States were able to correctly answer the question about the official Church teachings on transubstantiation — that during the Consecration, the bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ.

Let’s face it. This is not a subject that typically arises at the dinner table. How often have you discussed this topic with friends or even thought about it on your own?

We can start by dissecting the word, transubstantiation. We have three parts: “trans,” “substance” and the suffix “tion.” “Trans” means to go across or to go from one place or condition to another. “Substance” is a word to describe the essence of a physical thing. The suffix “tion” when added to a word means “the act of.” So to explain the word transubstantiation in a sentence, I might say it is the act of changing the essence of something from one state to another. In Sacramental words, it is the act of changing the whole substance of bread and wine into the whole substance of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The Church calls Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist “Real Presence.”

After the Consecration, the bread ceases to be bread and the wine ceases to be wine.

This is now the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though it still has the appearance of bread and wine it has been truly transformed into the Real Presence of Christ. St. 12

Thomas Aquinas told us that Jesus did not say, “This bread is My Body.” Jesus actually said, “This IS My Body.”

The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” Those are powerful words! Some Catholics who do not truly understand the Eucharist have incorrectly called it a symbol of Christ.

Many Christian denominations actually believe the Eucharist is only a symbol. Conversely, there are some Catholics who fervently believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist even though they don’t understand exactly how this comes about. The Eucharist is not a symbol. It is the Real Presence of Christ. It is a miracle.

The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly His Body that He was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the Consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the Body of Christ Our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of His Blood. This change the Holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation” (“Catechism of the Catholic Church” #1376).

Another point of confusion is the distinction between both forms of the Eucharist: The bread and the wine. Do you need to receive both the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ in order to receive the “whole Christ?” The answer is no.

Receiving either form is the full reception of the Sacra-

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ment. The Church has taught that receiving the Eucharist under both forms should be encouraged as a way to highlight the Sacrament as a banquet of Spiritual and physical food and drink.

Today, because of the impact of the pandemic, receiving of the Precious Blood has been suspended. It is unclear

how the Precious Blood can be provided safely in the future. You may have seen some Christian churches use individual pre-filled communion cups with peel-off lids.

While this could mitigate the health risks of sharing from a common cup, the challenge here is that our wine is not a symbol after the consecration. It is the real Blood of Christ and should not be diminished to occupying a disposable plastic container like a coffee creamer. It is going to be hard to find a way to maintain the Sacred nature, majesty, awe and wonder of the Eucharist and still maintain a safe way for us to receive.

Perhaps it could be helpful to take a look at the point in the Mass where the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. That point is called the Consecration. In the Roman Missal it is called The Eucharistic Prayer. It can be broken down into the following components: Preface — In the name of the people of God and in union with them, the priest glorifies God the Father and gives thanks to God for the work of Salvation.

Epiclesis — this word means “invoking God’s

name during a blessing.” The priest prays that the offerings through the power of God the Father and the Holy Spirit may be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Consecration — also called the Institution Narrative. The actual words Christ spoke at the Last Supper are used to evoke the transformation of the bread and wine into His Body and Blood.

Mystery of Faith — This is a Memorial Acclamation proclaimed by the assembly. “When we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim Your death O Lord until You come again.”

Anamnesis — This sounds like the word amnesia. It is a prayer that invokes our remembering of the Passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ.

Epiclesis — another petition that we become joined more fully in the mystery of death and Resurrection of Jesus. It asks for the “sending” of the Holy Spirit on our behalf.

Intercessions — prayers for the living and the dead.

Doxology — concluding with a prayer of adoration of the Holy Trinity.

Acclamation — Final Amen response from the assembly.

During the Eucharistic Prayer we gather around the table where bread and wine evoke memories of Jesus and of all of God’s love for us.

The prayers come from the presider but it is the prayer, work and action of the whole Church. The Eucharistic Prayer is the center of the entire celebration. It is a joyous ritual celebration.

The Holy Spirit first recalls the meaning of the Salvation event to us by giving life to the Word of God, which is

proclaimed so that it may be received and lived. It becomes a living relationship with Christ, the Word and Image of the Father. What we hear, contemplate, and do in the celebration, we then live in our lives. It not only recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them and makes them present. The Paschal Mystery of Christ is celebrated, not repeated. It exhibits a more inclusive role for the Holy Spirit in the act of transubstantiation.

Because we are kneeling during the Eucharistic Prayer and the priest is doing most of the work, we may incorrectly think that our part only consists of adoration, reading or singing acclamations and following the prayers from a book. The assembly should fully enter into a joyful celebration with the presider during this important prayer. I invite you to listen carefully to the prayers during each of the nine parts. Try to feel the power of some of the key words: love, abundant life, grace, Heavenly blessing, Salvation, Holy Spirit.

“For this is My Body.”

“For this is the chalice of My Blood.” When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ may He transform us and inspire us to go out into the world to be Christ for others.

Just as transubstantiation changed the essence of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, may what we eat and drink become a life-changing transformation of our hearts and minds.

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 received a certificate in Lay Ministry from the Archdiocese of Hartford with a focus on Liturgy and Music and is a published composer. He resides with his wife, Gail, in South Dennis.

St. Lawrence Martyr Church celebrates 200 years continued from page 10

a native of North Attleborough who was ordained in the final days of the 19th century, Dec. 22, 1899. He received the title of Monsignor in 1940. Msgr. McKeon’s tenure embraced the years of economic depression and the Second World War, in which 10 men from the parish made the supreme sacrifice.

The highlight of this era was the solemn consecration of St. Lawrence Church. This formal dedication was long desired

by Msgr. Smyth and Msgr.

McKeon and now was fulfilled by Bishop James L. Connolly on Nov. 11, 1953.

During the rite the bishop enclosed in the altar a relic of St. Lawrence which he had recently brought from Rome. Following the consecration, a Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by Bishop Raymond A. Lane, superior general of Maryknoll, assisted by priests who were natives of the parish or who had served in the parish over the years. Father William A. Donaghy, S.J. was the preacher.

Msgr. McKeon died on April 16, 1956 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in North Attleborough.

Bishop James J. Gerrard As mentioned above, Msgr. McKeon’s successor was Msgr. James J. Gerrard, V.G., rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

Msgr. Gerrard was native of St. James Parish and a member of the graduating class of 1914 of Holy Family High School. Msgr. Gerrard directed a church renovation project involving new lighting, the painting of the church interior and the installation of a beautiful stain glass window of the Holy Family over the main entrance which could be seen in all its beauty from inside the church above the organ in the choir loft. It

and faithful at the time of her visit.

Father John M. Sullivan was the work of Connick years of Catholic secondary In June of 2021 close Associates and the gift of education in New Bedford. to his 77th birthday Father Mrs. Joseph T. Kenney Sr. The apostolate of the Driscoll retired after more Three years after beCatholic school was to be than 28 years as pastor. He coming pastor Msgr. Gera significant part of Father was succeeded by Father rard was named auxiliary Driscoll’s ministry. In 1973 John M. Sullivan who had bishop and ordained by Holy Name School merged been his assistant for a year.

Bishop James L. Connolly with Holy Family GramLet it be noted that here at on the feast of St. Joseph, mar School. In 1977 the the beginning of the new March 19, 1959. Bishop parish acquired the nearmillennium St. Lawrence Gerrard attended the final by public school, Carney Parish was welcoming only session of the Second VatAcademy, and in Septemits sixth pastor since the ican Council in 1965 and ber the students of Holy Civil War! During Father had the task of implement- Family-Holy Name School Sullivan’s time, in 2003, the ing the Council decrees and Holy Family High parish celebrated the 50th in the parish. On Oct. 18, School moved to the new anniversary of the conse1972, Bishop Daniel A. school, 12 grades under cration of the church. As Cronin accepted Bishop one roof with an auditoripart of the celebration a Gerrard’s resignation and um. This was important. wonderful pictorial history retirement as pastor, which The funds allowing the of the parish accompanied he tendered on his 75th parish to purchase the by the reflections of several birthday, June 9, 1972. school were from a specific parishioners was published Bishop Gerrard died at the bequest made years before by a dedicated committee.

Catholic Memorial Home

by John Barrett for a high Bishop George W. Coleman in Fall River on June 4, school auditorium. Holy was the principal celebrant 1991 Family-Holy Name School of the anniversary Mass Father John P. Driscoll has continued to flourish celebrated on Sunday, Nov. Father John P. Driscoll and to be a significant part 16, 2003. replaced Bishop Gerrard of the life of the parish in In 2002 the parish as pastor. He was known Father Driscoll’s time and rejoiced with the ordination to many having served as beyond under the wise di- to the permanent diaconate assistant in the parish from rection of Cecilia M. Felix of Maurice A. Ouellette 1950 to 1954. For many and her successors. who was appointed to assist years he was the editorial In December 1992 the Father Sullivan. writer for The Anchor. FaMissionaries of Charity Over the years more ther Driscoll’s pastoral style took up residence at 556 than 60 priests have served was a one-on-one ministry. County Street, opposite the the parish as curates or Long before Pope Francis, church. On June 14, 1995 assistant priests. As to he was reaching out to the Sisters were visited by be expected their talents those on the margins. their foundress, Mother and abilities were varied Early in 1973 a letter Teresa, now St. Teresa of and many. Three come to from the pastor, assistants Calcutta. Mother Teresa mind: Father John P. Clarke and Parish Trustees inattended Mass celebrated served from 1917 to 1931. formed parishioners that

by Bishop Sean O’MalDuring that time St. Thein June 1974 the Sisters ley, OFM, Cap. and at the resa of the Child Jesus was of Mercy would end their conclusion of the Mass she canonized by Pope Pius commitment to Holy Fam- spoke to the assembled XI during the Holy Year ily High School which had concelebrating priests, the of 1925. Father Clarke had existed since 1904. Provindeacons, religious, parishio- great devotion to St. Thecial officials said the deciners, people from near and resa. He wrote two or three sion had been made three far, and civic officials. small books about her life years ago and must now On Dec. 22, 1996, and Spirituality, and about a be implemented. With the Bishop O’Malley again possible miraculous healsupport of Bishop Cronin celebrated Mass at St. ing in the parish through Father Driscoll announced Lawrence to commemorate her intercession. Devotion the parish high school the 175th anniversary of to the new saint began to would continue under lay the parish; he presented to spread. administration. The school Father Driscoll, beautifulFather McKeon began closed in 1985, having ly framed, Mother Terea renovation of the church celebrated together with sa’s hand written letter of interior at this time which its predecessor, St. Joseph thanks for the hospitality of included the present beauHigh School, more than 100 the bishop, clergy, religious tiful shrine of St. Theresa

which was dedicated in May 1928. Here, for many years, devotions were held every Tuesday. Father Clarke was replaced in 1931 by Father Thomas C. Gunning, who served until his death from heart disease in 1947. He was a man of breathless energy and popular with young people.

Throughout the Second World War Father Gunning corresponded with countless young men from the parish or Holy Family High School who had entered military service and were serving in Europe, North Africa or the South Pacific. It was said his pockets were filled with little slips of paper with the addresses of soldiers, sailors and marines. In the final months of the war, he was joined at St. Lawrence Rectory by the newly-ordained Father John F. Hogan, who served from 1945 to 1957. Among young people and high school students he was a worthy successor to Father Gunning but in fact Father Hogan charmed young and old alike, including many in the Jewish and Protestant communities.

In 2009 Father Sullivan became pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham.

His successors at St. Lawrence are Father Marek Chmurski (2009-2013), Father Robert J. Powell (2013-2018), Father Robert A. Oliveira, pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish; administrator of St. Lawrence (2018 -2019), and Father Michael S. Racine, a member of St. Lawrence Parish at the time of his ordination in 1995; appointed pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Lawrence Parishes in 2019; these parishes together with Holy Family Holy-Name School make up what is now known as the Whaling City Catholic Community.

November 26, 2021 †

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I

This feeder is for the birds

never knew the origin of the saying that something “was for the birds.” I knew it meant worthless or not to be bothered with, but it originated, according to some, with where some birds would find seeds to fill their bellies. I’ll leave it there.

I’ve written several times in the past about my affinity for feeding the birds of my neck of the woods. I find great delight in watching them peck away at the tiniest of grains or seeds, knowing for them it’s a feast, and a life-saver.

I’ve even enjoyed watching the squirrels, and the persistence and ingenuity they conjure when trying to and successfully getting their piece of the pie from my little friends’ feeder.

There is no doubt in my

mind that a squirrel could successfully break into Fort Knox, grab all the gold, and high-tail it out to exchange it for nuts and berries.

But, much like the year that never was, this year had some strange twists to it as well.

My bird-feeding days came to a screeching halt some time in June or July. I read about a bird flu that was spreading across the eastern U.S., beginning in the south and slowly creeping northward.

The flu was being spread by, among other ways, bird feeders — a communal dining spot that turned deadly for many birds.

I quickly went to the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s website to determine

I kept checking the website each month, and each month was the same — it’s not safe yet.

Finally a few weeks back, I checked and the OK was given. We could feed our friends again, and just wash the feeder every few weeks with mild soap and answer. While the flu hadn’t water.

Figuring my old feeder, made it into New England, which was now a summer there was still the fear that tree ornament, could use it could and the plethora an upgrade, I discarded it of bird-feeders put out by countless kind hearts could and went to the place where perpetuate the problem. The they know how doers get site simply said, “If you love more done to buy a new birds, don’t feed them now.” and improved feeder.

As I was checking out, Wow. So, my avian the cashier saw the feeder diner hung empty from claimed to be “Squirrel its branch for the entire proof.” We glanced at each summer. It was sad to see other and laughed at such a the birds come for lunch at what was almost always well foolish claim. She, too, was a bird lover, yet she hadn’t stocked, and find nothing. heard of the flu and had I didn’t watch for long for fear they would turn toward been feeding her flock all me, with wings outstretched summer, with no harmful results. as if to say, “What gives?

Along with a new Obviously not you any20-pound bag of seed (the more.”

I could have approached same seed I usually purthem to tell them why I cut chase), I raced home to set up the deluxe diner, with off their supply, but that more capacity. I hung it in would only confirm with the same spot as its predemy neighbors that I had a cessor, tossed some seeds screw or two loose. if it was still safe to feed the Massachusetts feathered creatures. No, was the

on the ground as “bait,” and waited for the return of my buds. Days passed and no creature approached. I was perplexed. Denise said it’s probably because it’s a new generation of birds and they weren’t aware of the feeder.

That made sense to me.

Then a few made their way to the feeder. After a few pecks they were gone. Even the blue jays and crows haven’t approached it.

I took the foolish feeder and shook it to make sure the seeds were coming out as they should. Like a large salt shaker, seeds flew out in all directions. Yet, to this day, still no guests.

I’m tempted to get a neon arrow and light it, pointing out the feeder.

I have no idea why I’m getting no birds, when six months ago, it was “The Place,” for area birds to dine.

My only guess is that the new feeder is the problem.

I really can’t see myself returning it saying, “It doesn’t work.” I’ll get looks like I get from my neighbors.

Well, the only thing I can say is this new feeder is for the birds, and read into that what you will. davejolivet@anchornews. org.

St. Joseph — The saint of silence continued from page seven

Truth. St. Joseph’s silence is guided by the Holy Spirit who leads the Holy Family to the place where the Father has determined to be where the Virginal birth of Christ will be revealed to the world.

Those whose hearts are open are visited by angels who sing, “Glory of God in the Highest and peace to men of Good Will.” Shepherds and kings, the great and small, are led to kneel in Adoration before the newborn King of Kings!

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What will we bring? St. Joseph gives us the best example, “a humble contrite heart O Lord You will not spurn.” We will bring our silent tears of love and sorrow, and sing of His mercy to every generation, joyfully proclaiming to the world, “God so loved the world that He gave us His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Jesus will not die but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). Let us keep Advent this year in silent love and

thanksgiving for Him Who was born to die and share His gift of life with us. With St. Joseph as our guide we will arrive safely at the place prepared by the Lord. May we all “Go to Joseph” and follow the light of his lamp to Bethlehem.

Small and her husband Bill have made their solemn profession as Third Order Franciscans of the Immaculate, through the Franciscans of the Immaculate in New Bedford.

West Harwich students give back to veterans at Mass, breakfast

Hugh Drummond (served in the Army in Korea) chats with Holy Trinity Parish’s 98-year-old Deacon Ralph Cox who also served in the Army. Veteran Jack Sullivan (Air Force/Air National Guard) leans over to shake Deacon Ralph’s hand.

WEST HARWICH — Holy Trinity Parish students in grades seven through nine attended a beautiful special Veteran’s Day Mass and then together they served more than 60 veterans from every branch of the Armed Services. On the menu were pancakes, sausages, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit cups and scratch-made Scottish scones (the scones were made by a veteran’s wife).

The students each created a handmade card for each veteran as well

and then sat at the table and ate with and talked to the veterans to learn where they served, which branch they were in, how many years they served, and what it was like both to be away from family, and then what it was like to return to family. They also learned about Vietnam, Afghanistan, Korea, and France.

Many of the veterans thanked the students personally and one veteran shared “that it had been a very long year-and-a-half with COVID-19,” and he didn’t know any veterans

in this area or have many friends at his age and “today starting with Mass and then this —it’s the very best day I’ve had in two years.” More than a handful of the veterans exchanged phone numbers with each other and all agreed the first Holy Trinity Church Veteran’s Day Breakfast was a huge success and they are looking forward to coming again next year and bringing a friend with them.

The students shined.

There were all smiles all

morning, they pitched in anywhere and everywhere they were needed, and drew many sad similarities to the Vietnam War stories they were told at the tables first-hand to the current stories of veterans who had been part of leaving Afghanistan and how the Vietnam serving veterans said the country at their time of service vowed it would never happen again and the Afghanistan veterans said not only did it happen again but how an-

guished they feel about “all of our allies, interpreters and families who kept them safe are still in Afghanistan.” One of the students said he may write a paper for school after talking to the veterans one-on-one at the tables, about what he learned from them.

Nothing like hearing it directly from the Veterans themselves.

The veterans were so grateful and cherished their handmade cards, and the students truly listening.

Students from Holy Trinity Parish listen to pastor, Father Marc Tremblay, praying over veterans attending a Mass and breakfast recently hosted by the students.

(Photos by Barbara-Anne Foley, DRE at Holy Trinity Parish.)

To advertise in The Anchor, contact Wayne Powers at 508-675-7151 or at waynepowers@ anchornews.org November 26, 2021 †

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