12.09.22

Sixty-six diocesan faithful awarded Marian Medal

FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., awarded the Marian Medal to 66 members of parishes from throughout the Fall River Diocese on Sunday,

nizes members of diocesan parishes for their dedicated service to the Church. Re cipients are nominated for the award by their pastor.

The medals were blessed and presented in the context of Evening Prayer of the Church and Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Made of sterling silver, the Marian Medal is em bossed with a Miraculous Medal on one side and the Fall River Diocesan coatof-arms on the other.

December 4, at the Ca thedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.

First presented in 1968, the annual award recog

The Marian Medal Awards Ceremony can be found on the diocesan Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ fallriverdiocese.

The Marian Medal re cipients and their parishes for 2022 are listed on page two.

This presepio, a traditional Azorean Nativity scene, is on display at the Casa da Saudade (the Portuguese library branch of the New Bedford Free Public Library), where it has found a home during Advent and Christmas seasons since 2004. It was a gift of Robert Medeiros.

New Youth Ministry invites young people to grow in Catholic spirituality

EAST SANDWICH

— Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich recently launched two dynamic, new youth ministries: Frater nus, for boys in grades six-12, and Fidelis, for girls in grades six-12. Through weekly meetings and annual retreats, the pro grams are designed to help Catholic youth live virtuous lives dedicated to serving God and others. The min

istries are part of a broader, national program, which began a decade ago in Pen sacola, Fla., and has since expanded to more than 30 Fraternus chapters and 24 Fidelis chapters nationwide.

Corpus Christi Parish is the first New England chapter.

In separate ceremonies held recently, 34 young men and 23 adult male mentors committed to Fraternus, and 24 young girls and 24

adult female mentors com mitted to Fidelis. “We are ever grateful that our parish is thriving and continuing to grow,” said Father George Harrison, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish. “Along with this abundant growth we are seeking ways to enhance the lives of our youth. We want to impact the youth in their life-long journey by promoting truth, confi dence and strong virtues in

this difficult world we live in today.”

At the heart of the min istry are the weekly Fidelis and Fraternus (Frat) Nights, during which participants share a meal, take part in games and ice breakers, and view and discuss a movie clip chosen to highlight the virtue being studied. “Frat Nights are very fast paced. Fun, food and faith makes two hours go by very quick

ly,” Joe DellaMorte, com mander of the new Frater nus chapter, explained. “We end the night with a specific challenge for all the men to pursue during the week.” We are fostering a brotherhood of all the men in the chapter with an eye towards building up virtue in our young men as a path to authentic manhood.”

Fidelis Nights are sim

Diocese of Fall River 2022

Marian Medal Recipients

Attleboro Deanery

Gary R. Alaownis Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Seekonk

Catherine Cote St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro

Shirley A. Hamel St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro

Ron J. Larose Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk

Cheryl Anne McFaun St. Mary, Norton

Janet Susan Pion Transfiguration of the Lord, North Attleboro

Janet Ryan St. Mary, Mansfield

Cape Cod Deanery

Doug Allen St. Peter the Apostle, Provincetown

David G. Andrews, Sr. Good Shepherd, Vineyard Haven

Roland W. Breault Christ the King, Mashpee

Miss Susan Broadbent Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet

Ernie Charette Our Lady of Victory, Centerville

William Duggan Corpus Christi, East Sandwich

George E. Finn, Jr. St. Pius X, South Yarmouth

Rock D. Gonnella St. Mary/Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket

Carol A. Hickey Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville

Susan Leonard St. Margaret of Scotland, Buzzards Bay

James M. McGoldrick St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family, East Falmouth

Kathleen O’Grady Saint John the Evangelist, Pocasset

Lisa Mary Scapellati St. Joan of Arc, Orleans

Ralph Silvester Holy Redeemer, Chatham

Emma Jo Smith Holy Trinity, West Harwich

Fall River Deanery

Sister Lorraine Beauchesne, OP St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River

Louise Boulanger Our Lady of Peace, Somerset

Joan A. Clark Holy Trinity, Fall River

Diane L. Forti Our Lady of Grace, Westport

Luiz Frias St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River

Norman J. Lamontagne, Jr. St. George, Westport

Amy V. Lawton St. John the Baptist, Westport

Conceição A. Medeiros St. John of God, Somerset

Deborah A. Mello Holy Name, Fall River

Karen L. Nunes St. Dominic, Swansea

Fall River Deanery (Continued)

Maria J. Pereira Santo Christo, Fall River

Mary Ann Pietraszek Saint Stanislaus, Fall River

Stephen J. Rivard St. Joseph, Fall River

Antone Roderigues, Jr. St. Francis of Assisi, Swansea

Robert P. Rozycki Good Shepherd, Fall River

Mark F. Sevigney, Jr. St. Bernard, Assonet Village

Maria L. Vieira St. Michael, Fall River

Hermano Viveiros Espirito Santo, Fall River

New Bedford Deanery

George Andrade, Jr. St. Patrick, Wareham

Frank A. Cafarella St. Rita of Cascia, Mattapoisett Eric R. Corrie St. Gabriel the Archangel, New Bedford Maria Zita da Costa St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet Joyce A. Iddon St. Mary, Fairhaven Susan E. Kennefick St. Joseph, Fairhaven

Louise E. Lake St. Julie Billiart, N. Dartmouth John Machado St. Mary, Dartmouth Esperanza Mañon Our Lady of Guadalupe, New Bedford John A. Markey, Jr. St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford Kathleen A. McKenna Holy Name Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Bedford

David Moniz Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New Bedford Matthew W. Nowick St. Lawrence Martyr, New Bedford Gisele M. Pappas St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford Fred M. Tuffile St. John Neumann, E. Freetown John L. Vaughn St. Anthony, Mattapoisett

Taunton Deanery

Richard A. Alvarnaz St. Andrew the Apostle, Taunton Penelope S. Brennan Holy Cross, S. Easton Humberto Correia St. Anthony, Taunton Brian Cote St. Mary, Taunton Maureen Delaney Annunciation of the Lord, Taunton Joyce Ehrenzweig St. Jude the Apostle, Taunton Mary M. Keough-Anderson Immaculate Conception, N. Easton Theodore F. Lippold Holy Family, E. Taunton Ed Mahoney St. Ann, Raynham Lloyd D. Simpson St. Nicholas of Myra, N. Dighton

Fall River school grows produce for its lunch program and R.I. eatery

FALL RIVER — While most students may not think about what goes into the salad they eat for lunch, the students at Holy Trinity School in Fall Riv er experience first-hand

the unique way of growing produce using hydropon ics. As part of the overall STEM program, two years ago, Holy Trinity admin istrators decided to apply for a grant as an opportu

† Diocese of fall RiveR † official appointments

College of Consultors

Reverend Monsignor Stephen J. Avila, V.F.

Very Reverend David C. Frederici, V.G.

Very Reverend David A. Pignato, V.P.

Very Reverend Timothy P. Reis, V.F.

Very Reverend John M. Schrader, V.F.

Rev. Riley J. Williams

Effective: November 9, 2022

nity to incorporate hydro ponics into the curricu lum. As on-site expertise increased, the growing capabilities expanded to include both micro-greens and leafy produce. All students, from pre-kindergar ten through grade eight, have class responsibilities that must be maintained to ensure the health of the produce. The middle school stu dents bear most of the responsibility for keeping the plants healthy, en suring the equipment is functioning properly, and harvesting the produce at the appropriate time.

Chief Technology Officer at Holy Trinity, reached out to local restaurants with the offer to help supply leafy produce and

ur hydroponics program has been such a blessing for our students to learn first-hand about the importance of know ing how and where our food has been grown,” commented Brenda Gagnon, principal of Holy Trinity School.

microgreens grown spe cifically according to their recipe. Chef Richard Al laire from Warren, R.I., re sponded positively which was the start of a great relationship between Holy Trinity School and Meta com Kitchen, a restaurant that uses local produce and farm products.

As the quantity and quality of the produce expanded and improved, it became apparent that there would be an abun dance of food available, even after incorporating it into the daily school lunches. Kevin Flynn,

According to Kevin Flynn, “Our hydroponics

program has gotten to the point where we are able to experiment with flavor profiles, such as a peppery flavor or a mild flavor. Or, we can grow produce based upon a new dish created by Chef Rick, as we grew lettuce that would pair nicely with a variety of dishes. The larger benefit of growing the produce right here is that as soon as it is harvested, I deliver it to the restaurant. Typi cal produce will have been harvested weeks prior by the time it has arrived at a restaurant; whereas, our produce is delivered the same day. This extends the shelf life tremendously as

8 Turn to page nine

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His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has made the following appointments:

When you piece it all together, you’ll see that Mary, as qui et as she was, moved in sig nificant ways — both before and after her marriage to Joseph. After her encounter with Gabriel and hearing the tremendous news that she was to be the mother of the Messiah, she “arose and went with haste into the hill country” (Lk 1:39) to congratulate and support her kinswoman, Elizabeth. Just before the birth of her own son, she and Joseph “came up from the town of Nazareth, in Galilee, to David’s city in Judaea, the city called Bethlehem” (Lk 2:4), and 40 days later, “according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present

Walking confidently in darkness

him before the Lord there” (Lk 2:22).

The next journey was more arduous, for the young family fled to Egypt for safety, and after several years, they returned to live in Nazareth. Subsequently there were annual treks to Jerusalem for various feasts, and Mary’s traveling seemed to con tinue after Jesus began His public ministry — for she was known to His followers, and in teracted with them on occasion, both before and after her Son’s passion.

While several journeys were practically related to familial or legal events, the larger trajectory was always illuminated by God’s reve lation to His beloved Israel. Setting aside the Egyptian sojourn — unique for being led by God’s specific in struction — the rest were initiated because both Mary and Joseph were profoundly

familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and desired to do what God asked of them.

All devout Jews were entirely familiar with the psalms, and thus Joseph, the “just man” (Mt 1:19) acted in keeping with the first psalm, which outlines the key to one’s righteous

He touches on the darkness that often shrouds the path before the children of God, even Our Lady who was full of grace. “She must con tinue along the path that leads through many dark moments — from Joseph’s dismay at her pregnancy to the moment when Jesus is said to be out of His mind right up to the night of the cross.”

ness: “His delight is in the law of the Lord” (Ps 1:2). Even its first line mentions walking, indicating that movement is essential to the life of faith, and as we ponder all aspects of the Nativity — introducing Christ’s own walk among us — we might better dis tinguish our own path to holiness.

Pope Benedict XVI took time to reflect on this in his work, “Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives.”

Joseph’s dismay was dispelled with the light of a dream, but Benedict notes that it was primar ily his disposition that allowed him to “per ceive the divine.” The dream could have been misunder stood without his “ability to discern,” which flowed from his immersion in Scrip ture. Thus, in addressing Joseph as “Son of David” (Mt 1:20), the angel recalled for him God’s promises, which would provide the light needed for his difficult path, otherwise begun in darkness.

A key Scripture passage relating to the movement

inherent in the life of faith is included in the longest psalm: “Your word is a lantern unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Ps 118:105). The subject of this psalm, which is a marvel of construction and content, is the law of God — the To rah. This “very deep reflec tion,” according to Patrick Henry Riordan in “Christ in His Psalms,” insists that “the law of God is the inner core and essential substance of human language.” The elements of language are embedded in its very struc ture, which is built around the Hebrew alphabet, and the function of language, Riordan reminds us, “is the formation of thought in accord with reality.”

Thus, the law of God — safeguarded now by Holy Mother Church — should formulate our thoughts, create the pattern for our language, and direct our steps. Pope Benedict high lighted Our Lady’s “inner engagement with the word,” which will ultimately help us to navigate the darker el ements in our lives — espe cially amidst the dimming light of culture and custom. The Holy Child rested in her womb as she navigated the hills of Judah, lay in her arms to and from Egypt, and walked by her side as they rejoiced each year at the temple. He remains for us the Word giving light to our paths. “Those who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:2) — may that light guide you and your loved ones safely through the coming year.

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

WASHINGTON , D.C. (CNS) — The Su preme Court’s conserva tive majority on Monday appeared to side with a Colorado graphic artist and website designer who refuses to provide creative services that she says conflict with her Chris tian faith, including ones that celebrate same-sex weddings.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Lorie Smith’s case — 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis — for nearly two and a half hours. The case centers on the question of “whether applying a pub lic-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”

Public-accommoda tion laws apply to busi nesses that sell or provide services to the general public. Among other things, Colorado law con siders it discriminatory and unlawful for a person “directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to an individual or a group, because of disabil ity, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, mari tal status, national origin, or ancestry.”

Represented by Alli ance Defending Freedom (ADF), Smith says that her case concerns the freedom of speech for all artists. The 38-year-old from the Denver metro area is challenging her state’s anti-discrimination law that she says would compel her to use her ar tistic talents, or speech, to create messages celebrat ing same-sex weddings.

At the same time, Colorado argues that the case is one about discrim ination: If someone sells a product in the public sphere, he or she has to sell it to all people.

“What I get is that you’re making a tiny sliv er of an argument,” Jus tice Samuel A. Alito told Eric R. Olson, Colorado’s solicitor general, after Ol son agreed that a designer could place anything he or she wants on a stan dardized website even if it includes a denunciation of same-sex marriage.

Smith previously stressed to CNA that she serves everyone, includ ing clients who identify as LGBT, even though she cannot support every message.

“It’s not who, but it is a what,” Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said, bringing up a hypothetical where a freelance writer might be asked to write a press re lease with religious views he or she disagrees with. He also asked about the difference between selling a product that has already been created — and one that will be custom-made.

Her case challenges Colorado officials, in cluding Aubrey Elenis, the director of the Col orado Civil Rights Divi sion.

While weighing the case, justices on both sides explored the lines or boundaries of the argu ments on both sides — asking one question after another and, at times, speaking over one anoth er. They ran well over the 70 minutes allotted for arguments.

Nearly every justice raised hypothetical situa tions.

Liberal justices, such as Justice Sonia Sotomay or, challenged the argu ments made by Kristen Waggoner, general coun sel and head of ADF, on behalf of Smith. Sotomay or raised the question of discrimination against in terracial couples or those with disabilities, asking “where’s the line?”

A wedding website, Sotomayor added, ex pressed a couple’s mes sage, rather than the designer’s message.

“I go to a wedding website,” Sotomayor pro posed to Waggoner. “It’s something that I send, meaning you, your client, I send it to my family and friends or Lilly and Luke send it to their family and friends. You don’t send it. They go to this website. You’re not inviting them to the wedding. Lilly and Mary are. So how does it become your message?”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson raised the hypo thetical of a photography business in the mall that wants to shoot particular Santa scenes with only white children to create an “authentic” theme for

the “It’s a Wonderful Life” film.

Justice Elena Kagan raised the hypothetical of selling the same exact website to a heterosexual couple and a same-sex couple — and a gay cou ple walking in and asking for a “God blesses this union” placed on their website.

Arguing for Colorado, Olson warned against sid ing with 303 Creative.

“The free-speech clause exemption the company [303 Creative] seeks here is sweeping because it would apply not just to sincerely-held religious beliefs, like those of the company and its owner, but also to all sorts of racist, sexist, and bigoted views,” he said.

In agreement, Brian H. Fletcher, the deputy solicitor general for the Department of Justice, said of Waggoner’s argu ment: “It means that any provider of expressive services is entitled to put up a sign saying we do not serve people with particular characteristics whenever they believe that serving those people would change their mes sage.”

In her rebuttal, Wag

goner emphasized the root of her argument.

“One need not agree with a particular belief to affirm that law-abiding people have a right to speak their conscience, including on a controver sial subject like marriage,” she concluded. “And that noble principle is root ed in love of neighbor, extending the same rights to others that we want for ourselves.”

She added: “This right to be free from govern ment coercion of speech is also foundational to our self-government and to the free and fearless pursuit of truth.”

Smith’s case is simi lar to 2018’s Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commis sion, in which a bakery rejected making a cake for a same-sex wedding because of its owner’s religious beliefs. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission argued that this was an instance of unjust discrimination, but the Supreme Court ruled the commission “showed elements of a clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere reli gious beliefs motivating” the owner’s objection.

A pArticulArly EuchAristic AdvEnt

Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year. It is a fitting occasion to make resolutions to grow in the spiritual life, as each time we have the privilege to retrace Christ’s life in the liturgical cycle ought to be, thanks to another year’s experience, a time to align ourselves more faithfully to Him whom we follow through time into eternity.

This Advent the U.S. bishops have done us all a favor by placing before us a collec tive resolution: to grow in Eucharistic knowledge, faith, amazement, love, life, charity and apostolate. The three-year Eucharistic Revival the bishops have inaugurated is an opportunity to look at each of the liturgical seasons with fresh eyes and Eucharistic lenses.

Traditionally Advent has been about preparing for the second coming of Christ through retracing the steps by which God got the Jewish people ready for his first coming. But over the last several centuries it has also taken on the dimension of stoking our longing for Christ’s daily advent in prayer, in the Sacraments, and in providential diurnal occurrences. The preacher’s quip is that Advent gets us ready to hasten to meet Christ in “history, mystery, and majesty,” meaning in Bethlehem, the Mass and the general judgment.

But while the Eucharistic dimension of Advent is not new, the Revival is an oppor tunity to revitalize it, delving more deeply into the Eucharistic applications we can learn from the essential Advent virtues, figures, and devotional practices. Let’s look at a few.

The basic Advent virtue is loving vigilance. We ponder the 1,300-year longing of the Jewish people for the Messiah, for the liberation and peace He’d bring, for the kingdom He’d inaugurate as we stoke our hunger for His coming again on the clouds of heaven or the end of our life, whichever comes first. The Church wants us to become like the wise bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable with lamps lit waiting for the Bridegroom’s arrival (Mt 25:1-13). It encourages us to have an Advent wreath in which, week by week, our longing, symbolized by the flame of the wreath’s four candles, grows.

This longing is meant to characterize our approach to Jesus really, substantially and truly present in the Eucharist. Many Catholics over time allow the fire they had at the first Communion toward Jesus in Holy Communion to attenuate or be extin guished. This Advent is a time to look at that love and make it practical, turning Advent hymns, familial prayers around a domestic Advent wreath and even growing dark ness and decreasing temperatures into a summons to pray spiritual communions and become a living flame.

The longing of the Advent season, however, is not just on the part of believers toward God. It’s principally about God’s longing for us. Well before the people of God’s prayers and hopes were recorded in the Old Testament, indeed even “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4), God has been longing for us. That love led to the incarnation, to the passion, and ultimately to the altar, which is a foretaste of His desire for an eternal communion. As Jesus said at the beginning of the Last Supper, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Lk 22:15).

Let’s turn to the principal Advent figures. The four traditional heralds are the Prophet Isaiah, St. John the Baptist, the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph. The Advent

lessons of each are particularly helpful in augmenting our Eucharistic devotion. So many of Isaiah’s prophecies about the Messiah are Eucharistic. He foretells a mountain banquet for all peoples of the choicest food and drink, during which the invitees will cry out, “Behold our God to whom we looked to save us” (Is 25:6-9). He gives four Suffering Servant songs, pointing to Jesus’ passion when He would offer His body and blood to redeem us (Is 42, 49, 50, 52-53). His vocation story of having his lips cleansed by a seraph with fiery coal (Is 6:1-8) was interpreted by Saints John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, and John Damascene to refer to the purifying, dei fying and missionary dimensions of receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. And every day as the Word becomes flesh in the Eucharist, “Scripture is fulfilled in our hearing,” as Jesus mentioned when He applied to Himself Isaiah’s messianic job description (Is 61:1-2; Lk 4:21).

Similarly, St. John the Baptist’s ministry points to the Eucharist, most notably Je sus’ Baptism in which God the Father pronounces Jesus His beloved Son (Mt 3:17) and John pronounces Him, with the words we use every Mass, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29).

Mary is the most Eucharistic person in all of history. St. John Paul II indicated that Jesus’ “Do this in memory of me” was an echo of her command in Cana, “Do whatever He tells you”; her “fiat ” an anticipation of our “amen”; her womb an image of the receptivity of our soul; her gaze holding her Son in her arms a model of the loving amazement with which we should embrace Him; her suffering on Calvary an exem plary “spiritual communion of desire or oblation”; her mission in haste to Elizabeth a sign of our Eucharistic apostolate; and her Magnificat an image of our Eucharistic joy (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 54-56).

St. Joseph shows us how not to be afraid of the mystery of taking Jesus and His mother Mary into our life. The cave in Bethlehem, the shelter in Egypt, the house in Nazareth, all became sanctuaries where he learned how to live adoringly in the Real Presence of the Son of God. He shows us how to offer ourselves to Jesus in the Mass by the way he offered his body, blood, sweat, callouses, tears and all for Jesus.

Finally, we turn to Advent devotional practices. One of the most vibrant is the singing of hymns, like “O Come Divine Messiah!,” “Lo, He Comes on Clouds Descend ing,” “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” and the most famous of all, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” based on the O-Antiphons the Church uses at Mass and at Vespers in the Octave prior to Christmas. These all help us not only to increase our desire for Jesus but teach us about the One whom we desire and are called to relate to practically in the Eucharist as our wisdom, leader, root, key, dawn, king and God-with-us.

All of these virtues, figures, and devotional practices are supposed to lead us to grasping how on the altar we receive the Jesus whom the shepherds, wise men, angels, animals and Holy Family adored, the same Jesus who will come for us anew with love.

Therefore, as we begin this new liturgical year, let us resolve to make it a true year of the Lord by uniting it more consciously and practically to the Lord of history, mys tery and majesty who reigns in the Eucharist and desires to revive our Eucharistic faith and thereby revitalize His Church.

Daily Readings † December 10 - December 23

Sat. Dec. 10, Sir 48:1-4,9-11; Ps 80:2ac and 3b,15-16,18-19; Mt 17:9a, 10-13. Sun. Dec. 11, Third Sunday of Advent, Is 35:1-6a,10; Ps 146:610; Jas 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11. Mon. Dec. 12, Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab; Jdt 13:18bcde,19; Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47. Tue. Dec. 13, Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34:2-3,6-7,17-19,23; Mt 21:28-32. Wed. Dec. 14, Is 45:6c-8,18,21c-25; Ps 85:9ab,10-14; Lk 7:18b-23. Thu. Dec. 15, Is 54:110; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-12a,13b; Lk 7:24-30. Fri. Dec. 16, Is 56:1-3a,6-8; Ps 67:2-3,5,7-8; Jn 5:33-36. Sat. Dec. 17, Gn 49:2,8-10; Ps 72:1-4ab,7-8,17; Mt 1:1-17. Sun. Dec. 18, Forth Sunday of Advent, Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6 (7c. 10b); Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24. Mon. Dec. 19, Jgs 13:2-7,24-25a; Ps 71:3-4a,5-6ab,16-17; Lk 1:525. Tue. Dec. 20, Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-4ab,5-6; Lk 1:26-38. Wed. Dec. 21, Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a; Ps 33:2-3,11-12,20-21; Lk 1:39-45. Thu. Dec. 22, 1 Sm 1:24-28; 1 Sm 2:1,4-7,8abcd; Lk 1:46-56. Fri. Dec. 23, Mal 3:14,23-24; Ps 25:4-5ab8-10,14; Lk 1:57-66.

Family Rosary hosts annual ‘Try Prayer! It Works!’ contest

EASTON — The call is out now for young peo ple to enter the 2023 “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest sponsored by Family Rosa ry. Students and children can express their faith through art, poetry, video, and prose with the theme, “Open Wide the Doors of Your Home to Christ.”

The 2023 “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest will focus on the enrichment of family faith in the home. The goal is to inspire young people and their families to welcome the presence of God and the Holy Family into their lives.

“This year’s theme will help students and their families answer God’s call to holiness by inviting Jesus and Mary into every thing they do,” said Father Jim Phalan, C.S.C., Na tional Director of Family Rosary. “Through family prayer, especially the Ro sary, Mary shares her love for Jesus with families and helps them become chan nels of His love and light in the world.”

For the contest, chil dren and teens can partic ipate with their families or with their Catholic school, parish, and other organization. Partici pants are encouraged to use their creative skills to share stories or expressive art and poetry about this year’s theme: “Open Wide the Doors of Your Home to Christ.”

Entries will be judged on content, ability to capture and interpret the theme, artistic and tech nical proficiency, and adherence to contest rules. Deadline is Feb. 23, 2023.

“By welcoming God and the Blessed Virgin Mary into family life, Family Rosary seeks to bring the Church’s teach ings to life with discus sion prompts, reflection questions, prayer ideas, and creativity,” Father Phalan said. “We pray that the 2023 contest does the most important thing — bring families together in prayer.”

In addition to the “Try Prayer! It Works!” Con test in the United States, separate competitions are conducted in Mexico, East Africa, West Africa, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, France, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.

Family Rosary was founded in 1942 by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., who was declared Ven erable in December of 2017. The “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest is named for an experience during Father Peyton’s seminary studies.

While a seminarian, Patrick was stricken with severe tuberculosis. At one point, a frustrated phy sician said, “Try prayer. We have done all we can for you.” Patrick prayed his Rosary to the Blessed Mother and soon made a miraculous recovery, which he attributed entire ly to Mary’s intercession.

This experience — coupled with his spiritu ally rich family life during his youth in Ireland — in spired Venerable Patrick Peyton to devote his life to Mary, Mother of God, and to the spiritual well-being of the family. His famous message, “The family that prays together stays

together,” still resonates today.

In the spirit of its founder, Venerable Patrick Peyton, Family Rosary serves Jesus Christ and His Church by inspiring, promoting and fostering the prayer life and spiri tual well-being of families

throughout the world. Family Rosary encourages family prayer, especially the Rosary. Please consider sharing the gift of family prayer with families, schools, teachers, and young people you know by encouraging them to participate in next

year’s contest.

Materials are posted on www.FamilyRosary. org/TryPrayer (scroll to the bottom of the page to view last year’s winning entries).

For more information, visit www.FamilyRosary. org.

Eucharistic Revival Events 2023

Ministry invites youth to grow in virtue

continued from page one

ilarly structured — with a meal, activities, movie clip and discussion — towards the goals of building men tor/sister relationships and growing in virtue. “The women and girls partici pating in Fidelis are highly engaged, and they are eager to learn more about the virtues and serve the com munity. I think this is just the beginning of a beautiful sisterhood, and I believe this program will grow and thrive as we move forward in faith,” said Stacy Roisin, lead lady of Fidelis at Cor pus Christi.

Corpus Christi parish hall each Tuesday from 6:308:30 p.m., and Fidelis meets during the same time frame each Thursday. Young men and women (grades six-12) and adult mentors (all ages) are invited to come experi ence a Fidelis or Fraternus night, any time from Octo ber to June.

For more information on Fraternus or Fidelis, visit their respective websites: fraternus.net and fidelisonline.org. To inquire about the Corpus Christi chapters, contact the parish office at 508888-0209.

Fraternus meets in the

At the annual Hyannis Village Green Veterans Day ceremony with Father Bill Devine (from the Boston Archdiocese) gave the Invocation surrounded by the “Young Marines” who later in the ceremony laid wreaths at the Memorial Monuments on the green. (Photo by Barbara-Anne Foley Holy Trinity West Har wich, DRE)

Father George Harrison, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich prays with members of the parish’s new Fidelis ministry.

Fall River school supplies produce to R.I. eatery

continued from page three well as taste so much fresher than what is purchased through nor mal channels.”

“Eight years ago, I opened this restaurant and am constant ly experimenting with new dish ideas, food combinations, and flavors,” said Chef Rick. “A mutu al friend introduced me to Kevin and the hydroponics program at Holy Trinity School. When I tasted the initial samples, I was very impressed with the flavors and textures, which are so im portant when developing new menu creations. The other bene fit is that there is consistency in the high quality of the produce. I never need to worry that what I receive will be less than perfect and many of my regular cus tomers have commented on the improved quality of the produce and micro-greens. It has been

such a pleasure to work with Holy Trinity knowing that students are learning about the importance of growing high quality, chemi cal-free foods.”

The time from germination to harvest is about seven-10 days for most microgreens and two full weeks for heads of lettuce. This quick growing time allows the students to test varying pH and EC levels which affect the flavor of the produce. Middle school students test the pH/EC every day and ensure the proper nutri ent schedule for each variation. School vacations present chal lenges to adhering to this sched ule so there is a plan to automate many of the current processes as funding allows.

“Our hydroponics program has been such a blessing for our students to learn first-hand

Pre-K students at Holy Trinity School in Fall River examine some of the produce they and other students at the school grow for use in the school and for an area restaurant. about the importance of know ing how and where our food has been grown,” commented Brenda Gagnon, principal of Holy Trinity School. “All students, as young as our Pre-K 3, are able to watch the seedlings grow into produce and know that the salad at lunch came from this very building. More over, this program has complete ly engaged our middle school students who have learned every thing from pH and EC levels, to lighting spectrums, to molecular recipes and even time proper

management. Parents love that their students can learn outside of the classroom and actively partic ipate in the securing of their daily lunch salads.”

Holy Trinity School, Gagnon said, provides a Christ-based, aca demically challenging education in a safe and nurturing environment. The school aims to instill a lifelong desire for learning, to promote respect for self and others, and to recognize diversity that will prepare each child for a productive role in a global society.

A salad plate from Metacom Kitchen in Warren, R.I., using some produce and microgreens grown at Holy Trinity School in Fall River.

The car slowed al most to a halt as it turned to the left onto the familiar Carrownagoppul Bog Road. Slowly we made our way through the first bend in the road. While the surface had fresh gravel, it still sported some of the

Return to Patch’s Garden

potholes I had been famil iar with over the years. My brother, Johnny, known to many as George, now past his daring do (derring do) days, steered the family car with expert care away from those menacing hazards while making comments

about the changes in the lay of the land.

As we cruised in low gear along this bog road, I could not help but notice that the furze and other bushes had cov ered the margins of the road to such a degree that it was difficult to deter mine where the access to our turf bank or that of our neighbors’ banks had been. This was a jolting feeling for me. I myself had not used the slane to cut turf for the family fire but my father, Pake, and my brother, Frank, had. May they live on in eternal peace. I had been tucked away in boarding school (not reformatory) during the turf cutting sea son. Later on in the season, I helped bring home the turf. After a straight stretch of the road, we came upon it, Patch’s Garden. We parked in the neat parking lot and decided to explore the walkway leading from the parking area. My father had often spoken about Patch’s Garden and my brother,

Frank, had taken me there on a number of occasions while I was home visiting on Longford Hill, Mount Bellew. This time was differ ent, indeed a kind of reve

lation. The short, winding pathway led to a boardwalk which opened out onto a lookout. There in front of us was a large expanse of socalled high bog stretching out almost as far as the eye could see. I took a picture of Johnny as he leaned over a guard rail and looked out over the bog. There was a chill in the air that Septem ber day, so we returned to the car and headed back to Longford Hill.

I was impressed with the workmanship which had created this garden of preservation but disap pointed that we did not see

any creatures of nature, not a fox, not even a hare. There was a time when I felt that I could run just as fast. While I commend those who are into preservation of the natural, I wonder if such is worth the cost to those local people who worked the turf banks in order to provide heat for their family homes. I wonder how many of the local people go there now to observe nature at its best. I wonder if old friend and lo cal seanchaí, the great Paul Connaughton, visits there often. I expect he is more absorbed in running the family farm and herding cattle. Thank you, Paul, for letting us play football in your front field as teenagers on summer evenings and thank you for your lifetime of service to the community at large. Perhaps we shall meet some day in Patch’s Garden. Aloha. Anchor columnist, Father Killilea is pastor of St. Francis Church in Kalaupapa, Hawaii.

New Evangelization office offers activities for final weeks of Advent

Reflections on ‘5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath’

By Aileen Maroney

Over the phone, while bustling from a universi ty class to a blood donor center appointment on the UCLA campus, author Lisa Hendey shared the vision for her newly-released compact book, “5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath.”

“I wrote this book for people like yours or mine,” she said. “My hope is that whoever picks it up will be able to in the space of five minutes in their very busy life — we’re all so busy, find a little space for quiet to anticipate what the season is all about.”

Hendey juggles and wears many hats as an author, auditor, blogger, cohost of Catholic MomCast, a production of the Holy Cross Family Ministries and CatholicMom.com.

She serves as a lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at her home parish St. Paul the Apostle in West Los Ange les.

She has authored more than 16 books including “The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion,” As Morning Breaks: daily gospel reflec tions,” “The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living” and a children’s board book “I’m a Saint in the Making” highlighting the stories of both wellknown and newer saints.

Hendey hopes readers of her booklet can slow down and experience the simplicity and sacred longing that beckons during Advent season.

“We’re anticipating our celebration of Christmas in celebration the wonderful Nativity of Jesus but we are also anticipating the sec ond coming and I think the opportunities are in Advent to focus on that in an inten tional way,” she explained.

She designed the de votional as a month-long guide for year after year use. Each day contains a candle lighting, Scripture, a para graph reflection authored by Hendey and two ques tions on Christ’s presence which can be pondered through silence, journaling or conversation followed by a closing prayer.

“I wanted it to be con cise and easy for families to imple ment,” she said.

As the season progresses, the daily devotions do not de viate in format and are rooted in ritual.

“My children are adults now but I remember from praying with them back in the day that a little ritual is actually very special because even if they are young, if you do some thing enough, it imprints with them,” she noted.

Hendey’s thoughtful reflections expand on the daily Scripture.

“The reflection section for me is hopefully a jump ing off point,” she said. “My hope is that when people read the reflections they will think ‘what is it that I hear, that really resonates with me?’”

In crafting Advent reflections and in writing spiritual pieces, Hendey often steals away pockets of time among mundane situations in her life and likes to begin her practice with prayer.

“The first thing I do when trying to write is invoke the Holy Spirit with a prayer and let God do His work,” she said. “I don’t overthink it too much. I’ve written in busy airports and backseats of cars while my husband is driving. We try to channel what God is

giving us and it works out. I have to trust the sound of my own voice. When I am trying to sound reflective, I am not going to sound like another famous writer. I am going to sound like Lisa.”

Hendey wrote additional advent reflections tailored to families with children of all ages which can be downloaded at

Advent prayers can be prayers devoted to the saints. Hendey created an accompanying guide on the Ave Maria Press site containing prayers and bi ographical information on the saints whose feast days fall within the four Sundays leading to Christmas. A few of the saints include St. Francis Xavier, St. Lucy, St, Nicholas and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

sacred space in your home and something that can serve as a focal point for your prayer time.”

avemariapress.com, the publisher website.

“You can ask kids what they think about Advent, the Bible reading or what they want to say to Jesus,” she said. “You can share your own thoughts. Faith sharing is not about right or wrong answers. It is about telling one another what we believe, wonder or love about God.”

She encourages readers to customize the Advent ritual according to their preferences whether it is swapping a reflection for a verse of “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” soaking in a few more moments of silence or replacing the written queries with more personalized questions.

“You can have every part of the family take a role in the ritual you are creating,” Hendey said. “It is really wonderful for a kid to take part in leading a ceremony, using a wreath with LED lights.”

“I have a deep devotion to several of the saints whose lives we celebrate during Advent,” Hendey shared. “A particular favorite for me is St. Thomas the Apostle whose feast day we celebrate on Decem ber 21. In 2017 on a trip to India, I had the opportunity to pray at the St. Thomas Mount National Shrine in Chennai, India. I am always praying for the grace to learn, as St. Thomas did, to overcome any doubts harbored in my soul and to give myself over fully to the sharing of God’s great love.”

In creating the Advent wreath, Hendey encouraged using creativity to keep the wreath as simple or as fancy as desired. She recommend ed pillar candles, votives, LED lights or inexpensive taper white candles adorned with purple and rose ribbons and suggested dried foliage as additions to the greens.

“I love handcrafted wreaths, but I’m not really a crafter,” she said. “My favor ite wreath is one we made with my children when they were in pre-school. The wreath was made of their hand prints, traced on green construction paper and arranged around four paper candles. This little wreath still remains one of my favorite treasures. The main point is to create a

This year Hendey plans to celebrate the season with her husband praying over the dinner table Advent wreath with her devotional in hand. She also crafted a mobile wreath of wood and LED candles that can easily be pulled out of a suitcase for her travels this month. In addition, Hendey will pray every evening at 5 pm EST on Facebook.

“I look forward to light ing our wreath or my travel wreath and praying live with anyone who wants to join me on Facebook,” she said. “I’m especially hoping that this will bring solace, comfort and joy to any one who finds themselves praying alone this Advent season.”

She and her husband plan to celebrate the final advent days and Christmas in Massachusetts visiting their son and his wife who live in Allston.

“It will be my first time to celebrate the season in Massachusetts,” she said.

While in Massachusetts, she plans to visit the Cathe dral of the Holy Cross, the Paulist Center in Boston, a sister church to her Los Angeles home parish and to attend the sung vespers of the Saint Paul’s Choir School in Cambridge.

“There are so many beautiful prayer opportuni ties!” she said.

For more informa tion on “5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath,” visit: https:// www.avemariapress.com/ products/5-minute-prayersaround-the-advent-wreath

For daily Advent sea sonal prayer with Hendey at 5 p.m. visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/lisahendey

t he c hu R ch an D Y outh an D Y oung a D ults

Christ’s call to vigilance during Advent

Looking for comfort and consolation as the “holiday season” begins? Looking forward to some R&R during the Christmas break? I know I am! ’Tis the season of warm and fuzzy senti ments, creature comforts, of eating, drinking and being merry!

And yet the liturgical readings for the start of Advent are like a bucket of cold water in the face:

“Two men will be out in the field; one will be tak en, and one will be left.

“Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come” (Mt 24:40-42).

Wait a second! This is not the message of com fort that we want to hear as we finish our shopping lists, hang our decorations and listen to our favorite Christmas tunes. God will come like a thief in the night? Yikes!

Despite the very best efforts of our culture to defang the Gospel, the Church commences the season of Advent with a call to vigilance, and a stark reminder of our own mortality. Are we ready to meet Jesus at the end of our own lives? Are we prepared spiritually for our own final judgment? How will I account for the gifts I have been given? How will I account for what I have done, and what I haven’t? These questions are far more important than our

endless lists of prepara tions for Christmas parties and celebrations. During Advent, Jesus challenges us with a spiritual and moral call to arms!

In practical terms, what does this vigilance require of me?

In chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus shows us how. The chapter starts with the Parable of the Ten Virgins and anoth er striking call to spiritual vigilance. Matthew then continues with Parable of the Talents, where Jesus re minds us: “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Mt. 25: 29). Like it or not, the basis of our personal judgment will be based on what we did with the gifts that God gave us. Did we cultivate our gifts and grow them? Did we put our God-given gifts at the service of God and humanity, or did we use them to serve ourselves? Sometimes the easiest and most comfortable thing to do when times get tough is to simply do nothing. Sor ry, but according to Jesus, this is simply not an op tion if we are to be vigilant about our salvation.

In chapter 25, Mat thew’s Gospel turns to the Judgment of Nations, in which Jesus teaches us that our salvation will depend on whether we feed the hungry, clothe the na ked, and visit the sick and imprisoned. Our personal

judgment, and the final judgment of the world, will be based on whether we care for the least of our brothers and sisters, in whom God’s divine life is vividly present. What we call the “Corporal Works of Mercy” are meant to be a lifestyle for Christians, not merely boxes to be checked or service hours to be counted. God gives us gifts precisely in order to care for and about the least of our brothers and sisters, and makes it clear in no uncertain terms that this reality will be the basis for our own judgment. If we

are not vigilant about car ing those on the margins, we are not vigilant about our own salvation.

No matter how discon certing this focus on vigi lance and judgment may be, or how contrary to our culture this may run, we simply can’t escape this unde niable truth of the Gospel. While there is nothing wrong with comfort and security, our culture tends to make these realities the goal of our life. And yet, focusing on these realities, rather than eternal ones, makes a god of the material world. On the contrary, we are made for the Kingdom of God and His righteous ness. We are made to be awake and alive. Allowing ourselves to be desensi tized by a culture focused

on the avoidance of pain and suffering is simply not how God made us. Being anesthetized by a culture focused on entertainment and comfort is contrary to our nature and leads us to a false sense of spiritual security.

Therefore, through out this season of Advent, let us truly be comforted by Christ’s stark and jar ring reminder of our true purpose and destiny. Let us truly prepare for this Christmas by recogniz ing and serving Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters, and as St. Paul extols us:

“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no pro vision for the desires of the flesh” (Rom 13:14).

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

Deacon John ‘Jack’ Twerago

EASTHAM — Dea con John Twerago, 89, of Eastham passed away peacefully on November 26 after a brief illness.

He was predeceased by his loving wife, Pa tricia, to whom he was happily married to for 61 years. He was the father of four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one daughter, Donna; and three sons: John Jr., his wife Karen and their daughter Amy; Michael, his wife Sharon and their children, Mike Jr. (wife Lindsay and their sons Braxton and Brooks), Kev in (wife Lexi), and Aman

da; and Jeff, his wife Kathy and their children, Maria, (husband Steve and their daughters Gemma and Clare), Jeff Jr. and David. Dea con Jack was born on June 3, 1933 in Hyde Park, Ma. He gradu ated from Hyde Park High School and Northeastern Univer sity earning a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engi neering. While at NU, he met and married his wife Patricia.

Deacon Jack answered

God’s calling and became ordained as a Deacon and served at St Joan of Arc Church in Orleans. He was also an Army Veteran and an active member of the Knights of Columbus.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St Joan of Arc Church, Orleans, on December 3, followed by a burial ser vice at Orleans Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association. For online condolences and further details on John’s life please visit www.nickersonfunerals. com.

NEW BEDFORD — Mary Lou (Reis) Vaughan, 69, died on October 26 at Sacred Heart Nursing Home after a brief illness. She was the daughter of the late John J. Reis, Sr., and Gertrude (Antunes) Reis.

Born in New Bedford, she attended St. James Catholic School, Roosevelt Junior High School and graduated from New Bed ford High School. She also attended Bristol Commu nity College in Fall River.

Mary Lou maintained a strong work ethic through out her life. Her first job was waitressing at a local luncheonette. Relocating to upstate New York for a brief time, she was em ployed by Wegman’s Food store. Returning to New Bedford, she worked for an extended time at the Knapp Shoe factory until its closing. After partic ipating in a job training

program, she was em ployed as an administra tive secretary at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.

Not afraid of hard work, she maintained sev eral jobs over the course of her years, sometimes holding several jobs at one time in order to ensure that her family was well provided for. She worked for a merchandising/in ventory company in the local area until retiring in the spring of this year due to health issues.

Mary Lou had a good sense of humor and a loving nature. She could be a feisty person at times and fiercely loyal and protective toward those for whom she cared. In her early years, she loved to spend time at the beach. She enjoyed playing Bin go, doting on her grand children, and joining in on family gatherings and events. Mary Lou was the

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

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

Celebrant is Father James M. Fitzpatrick, pastor of St. Ann Parish in Raynham

self-proclaimed “favorite cousin” in the family. She will be missed by all her knew her. In her early years Mary Lou was a communicant of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church.

She is survived by her sons, Weston Vaughan of Dartmouth and Jonathan Vaughan of New Bedford; her grandchildren Bren nan, James, Violet, Cassi dy, Chance and Jayme; her sister Ann Belliveau and her husband George of New Bedford, her broth ers John J. Reis, Jr. and his wife Sandra of New Bed ford, and Father Timothy P. Reis of Norton; her aunt, Marianna Nunes of New Bedford; several nieces and nephews and many cousins. She was the sister of the late James A. Reis.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church in New Bedford. Interment was at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Bedford. Funer al arrangements were entrusted to the Auber tine-Lopes Funeral Home, 129 Allen Street, New Bedford.

BROCKTON — Sister Ann Boland, SUSC (Sister Mary David) died Novem ber 7 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, at the age of 85. Born in Fall River, on April 14, 1937, she was the daughter of the late David W. Boland and Doris (Devine) Boland. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, she is survived by her sister Mary Boland Costa of Silver Spring, Md., and brother David Boland of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as well as many nieces and nephews. Sister Ann en tered the Holy Union Sis ters on Sept. 8, 1955, and professed her final vows on Aug. 22, 1964.

Sister Ann’s ear ly education was at the Academy of the Sacred Hearts in Fall River. She earned a B.S.Ed. at Cath olic Teachers College, an M.S. in Early Childhood Education at Wheelock College in Boston, and an M.S.W. in Gerontology at Boston College. A life-long

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, December 11 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from Santo Christo Church in Fall River

Sunday, December 18 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Thomas Washburn, Rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Pastor of Good Shepherd and St. Stanislaus parishes, all in Fall River

learner, Sister Ann con tinued her education and professional and spiritual development through her participation in a range of courses and workshops.

As a young religious, Sister Ann taught in parish schools staffed by her religious community in Baltimore, Md. and Asto ria, N.Y. The bulk of her professional ministerial life, however, was spent in Massachusetts.

For many years, she taught adult literacy class es in Brockton and was a reading teacher and spe cialist in Boston schools. Sister Ann’s passion was for the Religious Educa tion of children, and she served as the Coordinator of Religious Education in parishes of the Boston Archdiocese and the Dio cese of Fall River; addition ally, she was a consultant for publishers of religious education textbooks and teaching materials and a presenter at conferences and other gatherings of religious educators.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, December 18 at 7 p.m. Broadcast from St. Francis Xavier Church in East Providence

Talented in the arts and an exceptionally creative person, Sister Ann later trained as a geriatric social worker and brought her gifts to a nursing home in Framingham as Activities Director, to a congregate living site in Brockton, and to other venues. In recent years, she prepared children and youngsters for Baptism and worked as a consultant to Holy Cross Family Ministries in Easton.

Sister Ann’s Mass of Christian Burial took place on November 14 at Holy Name Church, Fall River,s followed by burial at Saint Patrick Cemetery.

Sister Ann Boland, SUSC Mary Lou Vaughan, sister of Father Timothy Reis

In Your Prayers

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

Nov. 25

Rev. Philias Jalbert, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1946 Rev. Dennis Spykers, SS.CC. Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet, 1971

Nov. 26

Rev. James R. Burns, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1945 Rev. Charles Porada, OFM., Conv., 2000 Rev. Robert J. Malone, C.S.C., 2010

Nov. 27

Rev. Candido d’Avila Martins, 1898 Rt. Rev. Patrick E. McGee, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1948

Nov. 28

Rev. Adrien A. Gauthier, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1959

Nov. 29

Rev. Thomas H. Shahan, Former Pastor, St. Mary,Taunton, 1902 Rev. Francis A. McCarthy, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1965 Rev. Deacon Richard G. Lemay, 2018

Nov. 30

Rev, William J McCoomb, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 1895

Dec. 1

Rev. Phillipe Ross, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 1958 Rev. Edward J. Gorman, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1964

Dec. 2

Rev. Arthur Savoie, Pastor, St. Hyacinth, New Bedford, 1917 Rev. Dennis W. Harrington, Assistant, St. Mary, Taunton, 1958 Rev. Stanislaus Basinski, Former Pastor, Holy Rosary,Taunton, 1970 Rev. Stanley J. Kolasa, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, New Bedford; Director, Sacred Hearts Spirituality Center, Wareham, 2016

Dec. 3

Rev. John W. McCarthy, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1926

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

Dec. 19

Rev. Deacon Eugene L. Orosz, 1988 Rev. Deacon Maurice LaValle, 2007 Rev. Gabriel (William) Healy, SS.CC., 2015

Dec. 20

Rev. Manuel S. Travassos, Pastor, Espirito Santo, Fall River, 1953 Rev. John A. Janson, OFM, Missionary in Brazil, 1996 Rev. William J. Heffron, SS.CC., 2017 Dec. 21

Rev. Henri J. Charest, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1968 Rev. Manuel M. Resendes, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes,Taunton, 1985 Rev. Laureano C. dos Reis, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River, 1989

Dec. 22

Rev. Adriano Moniz, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Fall River, 1964 Rev. Armand P. Paradis, S.J., Psychologist, San Francisco, Calif., 1991

Dec. 23

Rev. Owen J. Kiernan, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1901 Rev. Charles P. Trainor, SS, St. Edward Seminary, Seattle, Wash., 1947 Rev. Msgr. John A. Silvia, Retired Pastor , St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1970 Rev. William E. Collard, Retired Pastor, St Theresa, New Bedford, 1986

The awesome power of simplicity

As some may know, the No vember 25 Anchor did not go to press because I was recover ing from cervical spine surgery.

The surgery went well, but truth be told, the recovery period is taking longer than I expected. I keep hearing the same mantra from therapists, visiting nurses, doctors and folks who have gone through the same experience as I: “Be patient.”

The problem is that nine years ago I had a cervical spine surgical procedure, and the recovery time was indeed a much shorter period than this. It was only one small disc away from the latest event, but the damage was not nearly the same.

What had been brewing for nearly two years has now been halted and the damage has to heal. I keep trying to tell myself (and believe it — that’s the key), “If you walk five miles into a 10-mile forest, it takes five miles to walk back out, not matter what way you

choose.”

I do believe that God uses every circumstance in our lives as a teaching moment (or moments, and moments and moments, depending on our willingness to let go), regardless if the situation is good or bad. And I also believe that God is trying to teach me patience and trust. Patience and trust! To try to teach pa tience and trust to me is like trying to teach a snake to fly. Unless a snake can rotate itself fast enough to create a propeller, it has no limbs with which to fly. I am that snake. I have always struggled with patience and trust.

With that being said, the last few weeks have provided me with many roller coaster-like moments. Sometimes I’m encouraged, but

the least of setbacks (seemingly a setback, but I’m told it’s normal), sends me into a state of discour agement and depression.

One such event took place last week following a medical visit to which my youngest pup drove me. I came home and was deep in despair, and as I thanked her for all the help she’s given me through all this, I broke down and cried. She stopped, turned around and gave me the warmest hug I’ve ever received. Well, that just set the waterfall in full motion. She left and Denise picked up where my daughter left off. Such simple acts, yet so powerful.

My youngest pup never ac knowledged this, but I know she networked with her sibs about what their old man was going

through.

Later in the day, my oldest son sent me a text along with a link to a song from a band I like — “All Will Be Well,” along with a mes sage saying, “Thought you might like this.” Tears again — because of the song and the thought behind his gesture. Simple, yet powerful.

The next day, my oldest daugh ter popped in for a surprise visit with her husband on their way to a Christmas play. Not that we don’t communicate often, but since the pandemic, visits have been fewer.

Warmth again traveled through this broken old body and mind. Simple yet powerful.

It’s my family and friends get ting me through this. For someone who is neurotic, neurosurgery is not an easy recovery process. God may be trying to teach me patience and trust, but the message of His that has hit home the hardest is that it’s the simple things that have the most awesome power.

davejolivet@anchornews.org