Anchor 02.26.10

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , February 26, 2010

Father Louis Boivin remembered

FALL RIVER — Father Louis ordained a priest on May 22, 1948 R. Boivin, 87, who served the Fall by Bishop James E. Cassidy in St. River Diocese as a priest for 62 Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. years and had been a senior priest From 1948 to 1952 and again in retirement since 1997 living at from 1955 to 1970 he was pathe Cardinal Merochial vicar at St. deiros Residence, Louis de France Pardied February 17, ish in Swansea. He Ash Wednesday. served there as pastor Born in Taunton, from 1970 to 1988. one of 12 children In 1971 he was also of the late Euclide appointed diocesan Boivin and the late director of activities Mathilda (Madore) associated with the Boivin, he grew up National Shrine of in the former St. the Immaculate ConJacques’ Parish and ception in Washingattended its grammar ton, D.C. school. He gradu- Father Louis R. Boivin From 1952 to ated from the former 1955, Father Boivin Msgr. Coyle High School in Taun- was a parochial vicar at the former ton in 1941.

St. Hyacinth Parish in New BedHe attended St. Anne’s College ford, and in 1988 was named pastor at Church Pointe in Nova Scotia of St. Joseph Parish, also in New for two years before beginning Bedford, serving there until 1990 studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in when he became pastor of St. TheBaltimore, Md. in 1943. He was Turn to page 19

Transgender bill to be debated again

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent BOSTON — Next month state legislators will once again decide whether or not to bring a bill out of committee that would allow citizens access to rest rooms designated for the opposite gender.

The committee must make its decision by March 15, and family groups across the Commonwealth are calling on voters to contact their representatives in opposition to the bill.

Bill H1728, the Transgender Rights & Hate Crimes Bill that is also called the “Bathroom Bill,” was first introduced two years ago. The legislation would add “gender identity of expression” to the state ban on sex discrimination. It would also open up all public facilities to both genders, which would include school, hospital and church rest rooms. Op-

ponents say that those who stand up for designated facilities could be charged with a civil rights violation.

Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said the transgender bill came on the heels of the defeat of the marriage amendment, which would have restored traditional marriage in Massachusetts.

“This is the slippery slope that we all knew would happen,” he said. “This is the new frontier for sexual expression.”

Mineau added that proponents have overreached with this bill, which would affect the privacy of grade school children. Every child struggling with gender identity disorder would be allowed to use whichever rest room or locker room they feel most comfortable using.

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heavy hearts — Daughters of Mary Queen Immaculate, Sisters Marie Verlaine Cadet, left, and Marie France Syldor, are in the U.S. seeking much-needed help for Haitian earthquake victims.

(Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)

Sisters working in Haiti say relief has yet to reach them

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff BUZZARDS BAY — It’s difficult for Sister Marie Verlaine Cadet to smile.

Even within the safe confines of St. Margaret’s Church where she’s meeting with longtime supporters and friends of the Fish Farm for Haiti Project, a nonprofit offshoot of the Little Children of Mary based on Martha’s Vineyard, there’s a palpable sense

of sadness weighing her down as she obligingly poses for a photograph alongside fellow Daughter of Mary Queen Immaculate Sister Marie France Syldor.

Sister Cadet has witnessed too much suffering over the past few weeks to even feign joy. Her order’s motherhouse, located just on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince in Canapé Vert, was hit and decimated during the January 12 earthquake.

The earthquake also claimed the lives of several close friends and students.

“All of our houses in Canapé Vert have been destroyed,” Sister Cadet said. “We lost two nuns and our driver, Richard Charles, with his two little girls — one 12, one six. And we lost eight girls from our training school. We still have five bodies buried in the rubble.”

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the lenten journey begins — Seminarians from the Pontifical North American College attend an early morning Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome February 17. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Diocesan seminarian in Rome organizes guide to old churches

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

ROME — For Seminarian Riley Williams and colleagues at the Pontifical North American College, Lent did not begin with receiving ashes in the warmth of the seminary chapel, but with a long, cold walk in morning darkness down one hill and up another to the

fifth-century basilica, the Church of Santa Sabina.

The trek on Ash Wednesday, February 17, renewed the Lenten tradition of the pilgrimage to visit the “station churches” — the ancient churches of Rome — which began nearly 1,500 years ago.

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District I DCCW takes Year For Priests to heart

By Dave Jolivet, Editor

SWANSEA — When officers from the District I Diocesan Council of Catholic Women gathered for

a regular meeting last August, they knew they wanted to do something special for the Year For Priests.

The council has a long history of

assisting diocesan priests in many ways, and it was now time to show their appreciation as well.

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News From the Vatican

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February 26, 2010

Pope, at homeless shelter, says Church will not abandon poor ROME (CNS) — Pope in personal relations but also in Benedict XVI paid a visit to larger economic dealings. That a Church-run shelter for the is an urgently needed principle homeless and said concrete “in a world in which, instead, acts of charity were essential the logic of profit and the expressions of the Christian search for self-interest seems to prevail,” he said. faith.

Before leaving the center, “Know that the Church loves you deeply and will not the pope accepted the gift of a abandon you, because it recog- restored crucifix from the town nizes in each of you the face of of Onna, which suffered severe Christ,” the pope said at a Car- damage in the 2009 earthquake itas hostel and medical center in central Italy. The crucifix near Rome’s main train station had belonged to the Church of St. Peter, February 14.

The doce said the Church’s which was dein the tors, nurses actions in favor stroyed quake. and some 300 Later in the volunteers at of the needy were a natuthe center ap- ral expression of faith in day, speaking plauded the Christ, who identified in at his noon German pontiff a particular way with the blessing at the Vatican, the as he toured the poor. pope said the complex durCaritas shelter ing a 90-minwas an example of the beatiute visit.

In a speech, the pope noted tudes in action.

When Christ said, “Blessed that the tough economic times had made Church-run social are you who are poor, for the services even more necessary. kingdom of God is yours,” he During the last two years, the was speaking of divine justice Caritas center has seen a 20 that will come at the end of percent increase in the number time, the pope said. But that justice can also be manifested of people seeking help.

The pope said the center in this world, he said.

“This is the task that the was “a place where love is not only a word or a sentiment, but disciples of the Lord are called a concrete reality that allows to carry out in today’s society,” the light of God to enter into he said. He expressed apprecithe life of people and the civic ation to the many people who donate their time and effort to community.”

He said the Church’s actions social service centers around in favor of the needy were a the world.

The pope, who dedicated his natural expression of faith in Christ, who identified in a par- Lenten message this year to the theme of justice, encouraged ticular way with the poor.

“In its service to people in people to read the message and difficulty, the Church is mo- meditate on it.

“The Gospel of Christ retivated solely by the desire to express its faith in God who is sponds in a positive way to the the defender of the poor and human thirst for justice, but who loves people for what they in an unexpected and surprisare, and not for what they pos- ing way. He does not propose a social or political revolution, sess or accomplish,” he said.

The pope cited his social but one of love, which he has encyclical of 2009, “Charity in already realized through his Truth,” saying that charity was cross and resurrection,” he a necessary principle not only said.

H

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important dialogue — Pope Benedict XVI meets with Irish bishops at the Vatican recently. The two-day, closed-door meeting was to assess responsibility in the Irish Church’s handling of priestly sex abuse cases and explore ways to heal wounds left by the scandal.

(CNS photo/L’ Osservatore Romano via Reuters)

Irish-Vatican summit on sex abuse ends with call for courage, honesty

By John Thavis and Sarah Delaney Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said priestly sexual abuse was a “heinous crime” and a grave sin, and he urged Irish bishops to act courageously to repair their failures to deal properly with such cases.

At the end of a two-day Vatican summit on the sex abuse scandal in Ireland, the Vatican said in a statement February 16 that “errors of judgment and omissions” were at the heart of the crisis. It said Church leaders recognized the sense of “pain and anger, betrayal, scandal and shame” that those errors have provoked among many Irish Catholics.

“All those present recognized that this grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching,” the statement said.

“For his part, the Holy Father observed that the sexual abuse of children and young people is not only a heinous crime, but also a grave sin which offends God and wounds the dignity of the human person created in his image,” it said.

“While realizing that the current painful situation will not be resolved quickly, he challenged the bishops to address the problems of the past with determination and resolve, and to face the present crisis with honesty and courage,” it said.

In a news conference following the meeting, Irish bishops said they had been able to engage in “frank and open” discussions with the pope and Vatican officials and that they had been encouraged by the encounter.

Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, president of the Irish bishops’

conference, said that throughout the meeting “the victims were central to all of our discussions, and the victims remain our priority.” He said that there had been “a failure of leadership” on the part of the Irish hierarchy and they fully understand the “disillusionment, anger, shame and sense of betrayal” expressed by the victims.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the meeting produced no specific policy decisions, nor was it intended to do so. He said the encounter, which included 24 Irish bishops and 10 top Vatican officials, was aimed at dialogue and direction-setting, and in that sense was a success.

The spokesman said the meeting did not directly address some controversial aspects of the Irish situation, including the call for additional resignations of Irish bishops. Nor did the meeting discuss the idea, suggested by some in Ireland, that Pope Benedict add Ireland to his planned visit to England and Scotland in September and meet with some of the abuse victims.

The pope convened the bishops in response to the continuing fallout from the scandal, following an independent report that faulted the Church for its handling of 325 sex abuse claims in the Archdiocese of Dublin in the years 1975-2004. The report said bishops sometimes protected abusive priests, and were apparently more intent on protecting the church’s reputation and assets than on helping the victims.

With the pope presiding, each of the 24 Irish bishops spoke for five minutes, in effect giving the pope an account of themselves and their own actions, and reflecting on ways to best bring healing.

The Vatican participants included officials who deal with doctrine,

Church law, bishops, clergy, religious life and seminaries.

Four bishops criticized in the Irish report have offered their resignation, but so far the pope has officially accepted only one of them. Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway and Kilmacduagh, also criticized in the report, has rejected demands by Catholic groups for his resignation.

The pope had earlier expressed his sense of outrage over the revelations, and was writing a special pastoral letter to Irish Catholics on the subject. Participants at the Vatican meeting discussed a draft of the letter, which was expected to be published during Lent, Father Lombardi said.

But even as the Vatican meeting wound down, a new controversy was erupting in Ireland over the refusal of the apostolic nuncio to the country, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to appear before a parliamentary foreign affairs committee. One member of the committee called the archbishop’s decision regrettable and incomprehensible.

Asked about Archbishop Leanza’s refusal, Father Lombardi said an apostolic nuncio, like all ambassadors, may be precluded by the normal rules of diplomacy from answering parliamentary commissions.

At a Mass for the Irish bishops in St. Patrick’s Church in Rome February 14, Bishop Colm O’Reilly of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise said the prelates were especially aware this year of the Lenten call to confession and repentance.

“It is a time for undoing, insofar as this is possible, the damage our sins have done, for what is done and what we have failed to do. It is a time for a new beginning,” he said in a homily.

February 26, 2010

3

The International Church

St. John of God Church

996 Brayton Avenue, Somerset, MA 02726 Sat., 6 March 2010• 508-678-5513

seeking Divine help — Earthquake survivors hold up their arms as they pray in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti, recently. The major earthquake that struck one month ago has left 212,000 people dead, according to government reports, with one million survivors now living in streets in 500 makeshift camps. (CNS photo/Ivan Alvarado, Reuters)

Bishops from North, South America meet; Haiti dominates discussion OTTAWA (CNS) — Rebuilding the Church in Haiti dominated the agenda of this year’s annual meeting of the bishops of the Church in America.

More than 20 delegates representing bishops from North and South America met in Montreal February 8-11 to discuss challenges to the priesthood in honor of the Year for Priests, said a statement issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Newfoundland Bishop Douglas Crosby of Corner Brook and Labrador said bishops discussed how the Haitian relief effort could be better coordinated as well as the “rebuilding of a Church that has been devastated.”

Bishop Crosby, co-treasurer of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said delegates received information on how many priests, seminarians and religious sisters were killed in the January 12 Haitian earthquake and how many churches and schools were destroyed.

“It certainly opens your eyes to the situation of the Church in the wider world,” he said, noting that bishops “often get focused on our own agendas.”

He also said the group discussed the increasing persecution of the Church in Venezuela and the difficult situation in Honduras after its president was deposed.

Since the earthquake, the people of Haiti have remained in the prayers of bishops worldwide, said a statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The statement said bishops’ conferences and religious communities have responded with humanitarian aid and are now cooperating with the Haitians in the rebuilding.

It said the general secretariats of the U.S. and Canadian bishops’ conferences and the Latin American bishops’ council, or CELAM, agreed at the meeting to coordinate efforts to help Haiti.

Bishop Crosby said the president of the Canadian bishops’ conference, Bishop Pierre Morissette of Saint-Jerome, Quebec, spoke of the low number of seminarians, especially in Quebec, which now has only 40 for the whole province.

“It’s a little healthier for the rest of Canada, but not significantly,” he said, adding that the new seminary being built in Alberta was seen as a sign of hope.

The decline in the number of seminarians in the U.S. was not as severe as Canada’s, he said, adding that lack of vocations is not a problem in Latin America, where priests

face different challenges.

The meeting was part of a series of informal gatherings previously known as the Inter-American Meeting of Bishops, held every few years since 1967.

Participants included bishops and senior staff from the Canadian and U.S. bishops’ conferences and CELAM and representatives from the Honduran, Brazilian, Puerto Rican and Venezuelan bishops’ conferences.

U.S. bishops who participated in the meeting were Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, president of the USCCB; Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., conference vice president; Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of San Antonio; Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown, Ohio; and Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J.

Tens of thousands of Brazilian Catholics choose holy Carnival SAO PAULO, Brazil (CNS) — Tens of thousands of Brazilian Catholics did something different during the four days of Carnival.

While their counterparts danced in the streets to the latest samba rhythm, these Catholics attended spiritual retreats.

Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians traditionally participate in the four-day, 24-hour Carnival parties that end as Lent begins on Ash Wednesday — February 17 this year.

As part of a growing trend, this year hundreds of dioceses and Christian associations organized alternative activities that included prayer, music, reflection — and a little dancing.

The number of people attending these retreats has grown

significantly during the last few years, and in some areas the retreats have become a tradition for those who want to a different Carnival experience.

Cancao Nova (New Song) Catholic Community, a charismatic society and one of the largest Catholic groups in the country, gathered 70,000 people in its 2009 Carnival retreat in the interior of Sao Paulo state. This year organizers expected more than 60,000, and thousands more followed the festivities on the Internet.

Even Rio de Janeiro, with its world-famous samba parade, offered Catholics alternatives to the Carnival. The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro offered eight retreats on the outskirts of the city.

7:50 am

Church Hall: Fatima Video Presentation.

9:00 am

Church: Procession of Our Lady. Angelus. Crowning Ceremony. Sung Litany of Loreto. The Five Joyful Mysteries.

10:00 am

11:15 am

Mass of Our Lady: Main Celebrant and Preacher, Fr. Dominic, FI. Lunch break (please bring bag lunch). Bookstore will be open.

12:15 pm Exposition and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

12:40 pm Sermon on Our Lady by Fr. Raphael, FI. Silent Adoration.

1:15 pm

Break. Bookstore will be open.

1:35 pm

Meditations on the Passion of Our Lord.

2:10 pm The Five Glorious Mysteries. Act of Consecration. Benediction.

3:00 pm Enrollment in the Brown Scapular and Conferment of Miraculous

Medal. Procession of Our Lady.

- Confessions available throughout the day - Finish approx 3:15 pm Wheelchair accessible SELECTION OF VENUES FOR 2010: Saturday, 1 May 2010 St. Brendan Church, Bellingham, MA Saturday, 5 Jun 2010 Our Lady of Grace, Westport, MA Saturday, 7 Aug 2010 St. Patrick’s, Somerset, MA Saturday, 4 Sep 2010 St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, MA

The Church in the U.S.

4

February 26, 2010

Catholics of all ages see U.S. moral values on decline, new survey says

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Although they are more likely to describe themselves as liberal, the youngest American Catholic adults believe almost as strongly as other generations that the nation’s moral values are headed in the wrong direction.

The millennial generation of Catholics, ages 18-29, also are more likely than those of Generation X (ages 30-44) or the baby-boom generation (ages 45-64) to say that commitment to marriage is not valued enough in this country.

Eighty-two percent of Catholic millennials said marital commitment is not valued enough, exceeded only by the 89 percent of the “greatest generation,” those over 65, who said so. Seventy-nine percent of Generation X Catholics and 77 percent of baby boomers agreed.

Those were among the results of a survey commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and made public February 11.

The survey — conducted by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. — included a number of values-related questions along with others about ideology, religious practices and beliefs, life goals, business ethics and feelings about the nation’s future.

Asked whether “moral values in this country are headed in the right direction or the wrong direction,” 67 percent of Americans said it was headed down the

wrong path.

The percentage of those who felt that way increased with age; 72 percent of those 65 and older and 60 percent of the millennial generation saw a decline in moral val-

third of the millennials said they were, as compared to 28 percent of Generation X, 29 percent of baby boomers and 18 percent of the greatest generation.

Respondents also were asked whether

ues. The Generation X and baby-boomer respondents were at 65 percent and 69 percent, respectively.

The survey also asked whether respondents considered themselves liberal. One-

each of 12 “social virtues” were “generally valued or not valued enough.”

The only virtue that at least 77 percent of every generation said was undervalued was commitment to marriage.

Three-quarters of Catholic millennials said respect for a person’s hard work and honesty and integrity were not valued enough.

Among Generation X Catholics, 80 percent said respect for other people was not valued enough, while 74 percent said honesty and integrity were undervalued.

Seventy-five percent of Catholic baby boomers said they thought personal responsibility and respect for other people were not valued enough in American society, while 75 percent of the oldest Catholics said respect for the law was not valued enough.

The social virtue seen as undervalued by the smallest percentage of each generation of Catholics was religious observance. Only 43 percent of millennials, 47 percent of Generation X, 51 percent of baby boomers and 52 percent of the greatest generation said religious observance was not valued enough.

Although the percentages were slightly lower in most cases, the same patterns emerged among the total population of each generation, with commitment to marriage and personal responsibility seen as undervalued social virtues by the largest percentages of each group.

Marist conducted the survey December 23-January 4 among 2,243 Americans, including an oversample of 1,006 millennials.

The margin of error for the survey was plus or minus two percentage points for Americans and plus or minus three percentage points for millennials.

Bishop says Oregon hospital can no longer be called Catholic PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — The Diocese of Baker has ended the Church’s official sponsorship of central Oregon’s largest medical center, citing the hospital’s refusal to adhere to some Catholic teachings.

Baker Bishop Robert F. Vasa said St. Charles Medical Center in Bend “gradually moved away” from Church ethical and religious standards and can no longer be called Catholic.

“As bishop, I am responsible for attesting to the full Catholicity of the hospitals in my diocese, a responsibility which I take very seriously, and I have reached the conclusion that I can no longer attest to the Catholicity of St. Charles,” Bishop Vasa wrote in the February 18 issue of the Catholic Sentinel, diocesan newspaper for Portland and Baker.

The main point of contention is tubal ligation, a form of permanent female reproductive sterilization.

“It would be misleading for me to allow St. Charles Bend to be acknowledged as Catholic in name while I am certain that some important tenets of the ethical and religious directives are no longer being observed,” the bishop said in a statement issued jointly with hospital officials.

Mass will no longer be celebrated in the hospital’s chapel and all items considered Catholic will be removed from the hospital and returned to the Church. The St. Charles name will remain the same and the cross will remain on top of the building.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Tipton, Ind., founded St. Charles 92 years ago. In the 1970s, the hospital became a community nonprofit organization with the Sisters remaining as sponsors.

In 1992, when the Sisters decided they

could no longer sponsor St. Charles because of the smaller number of Sisters, an “association of the Christian faithful” took up the duty of making sure the hospital’s Catholic identity was preserved. Control of policy and operations went to a board of directors.

Bishop Vasa said the association’s structure did not give it sufficient authority to control the tenets of Catholic identity as expressed in the U.S. bishops’ “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.” In 2007, the bishop asked St. Charles officials for an audit of compliance with the directives. He identified problems and began talks, which hit an impasse.

In the joint statement February 15, hospital administrators and the bishop said they have “respectfully disagreed” on the meaning of some of the directives.

“We are saddened by this decision because of the 92 years of history the St. Charles Bend hospital has had with the Catholic Church,” said James Diegel, president and CEO of Cascade Healthcare Community, the parent company of St. Charles. “But, we have an obligation to provide comprehensive health care services to our patients while remaining true to our values of compassion and caring for all.”

Diegel said the Cascade Healthcare board of directors intends to continue using the ethical and religious directives as they have been interpreted by the hospital. Bishop Vasa has encouraged the hospital to stay as close to the directives as possible in the future.

The bishop said he is convinced that the St. Charles board genuinely thought the ethical and religious directives were voluntary and optional and board members now cannot see a way to move back into compliance.

February 26, 2010

The Church in the U.S.

5

Upstate New York church may be saved by relocation to Georgia NORCROSS, Ga. (CNS) — Marble block by marble block, parishioners at Mary Our Queen Parish in Norcross hope to move a historic, basilica-style church from Buffalo, N.Y., to the Atlanta suburbs. Backers of the idea — dubbed “preservation through relocation” — see it as an opportunity to reuse an architectural gem for a parish that has outgrown its own church.

Supporters said the plan would allow the former St. Gerard Church to once again be a spiritual home for Catholics. How does one move a church of this size? “It is not very

familiar east coast scene — Parishioner Walter Cullum uses a snow blower to clear steps and the walkway around St. John the Beloved Church in Wilmington, Del., recently. Northern Delaware had to deal with more than 40 inches of snow in a six-day period. (CNS photo/Don Blake, The Dialog)

Piling up at parishes: cold, wet snow that’s hurting the collection

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Oh, the weather outside has been frightful, meaning that fewer Catholics have braved a trek to their churches during a series of weekend winter snowstorms.

This means in turn that the Sunday offertory revenue is down, creating a hole in parish budgets while at the same time snowstorm-related expenses pile up.

A series of storms have socked in large chunks of the mid-Atlantic region this winter.

The first took place December 19, the Saturday before Christmas. A second storm, not as large as the December blast, happened January 30, another Saturday. But an epic snowfall, registering record totals in Baltimore and Philadelphia and dumping massive amounts of snow throughout the mid-Atlantic, started February 5, a Friday, and didn’t end until nearly 24 hours had passed. The region was hit again February 10.

Bishops in many of the affected dioceses dispensed Catholics of the obligation to attend Mass those weekends, as safety considerations took precedence.

But as Catholics were missing from the pews, so too were their offertory envelopes from the collection baskets.

“Gone” was the word Father Mark Hughes used to describe the missing offertories.

Of the weekends affected by the storms, the offertories “all together would not add up to one Sunday,” said Father

Hughes, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Kensington, Md., a Washington suburb.

A few parishioners double up on their offertories if they miss a week, he added. And some parishioners keep current by contributing on a monthly basis “if they’ve already paid,” Father Hughes said. “Then you have the people who throw in the cash. That’s gone.”

At St. Philip Parish in the Washington suburb of Falls Church, Va., in the Diocese of Arlington, Father Kevin Walsh, the pastor, said the parish’s situation is buffered somewhat by electronic giving.

About 20 parishes in the diocese, including St. Philip, use an electronic collection system.

The contributions account for about 20 percent of the parish’s income, Father Walsh told Catholic News Service in a February 10 telephone interview.

“We were blessed,” he said.

“You can count on a consistent budget no matter what the weather is.”

Even so, after the December snowstorm, “the cost of snow removal was more than the offertory,” Father Walsh added.

Snow removal costs loom larger than the drifts piling up in church parking lots.

We usually experience mild winters here, so didn’t’ have a whole lot budgeted for plowing,” said Redemptorist Father John McKenna, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in largely rural Seaford, Del., in the Diocese of Wilmington.

“It’s a disaster.”

Father McKenna said that

with two weekends in a row with too much white stuff on the ground, momentum gets lost for such things as Religious Education and preparation for Lent. “It’s ground to a halt,” he said.

While the Church’s parking lot was clear, when the priest spoke to CNS city and county plows couldn’t get to the secondary roads where most members of the 900-household parish live.

Father McKenna said it was his “fondest hope” that parishioners would contribute to parish upkeep for the Sundays they couldn’t get to Mass, “because the last two weekends have been a washout, attendance-wise,” including a 95 percent drop in attendance after the February 5-6 snowstorm.

In Kensington, Father Hughes said the revenue foregone from offertories left a hole of about four percent so far in Holy Redeemer’s fiscal year, “and that’s on top of (being) down 10-11 percent due to the economy.”

The same company that cuts the grass on the church grounds in other seasons also removes snow from the parking lots.

One bright spot, he added, is that the lawn and snow firm is owned by a parishioner who gives Holy Redeemer a 20 percent discount.

And, as pastors talked with CNS, the February 10 blizzard was strafing the mid-Atlantic and New England states, and another storm, though expected to be much smaller, was predicted.

complicated. The last things they did will be the first things we do.

But it is not going to Home Depot and buying a ready-made church,” said Father David Dye, administrator of Mary Our Queen.

Taking down the church is done piece by piece. A team of architects performs what is essentially a CT scan of the building to figure out how to take it apart. The blocks are numbered and the building is taken down. The reverse would be done in Georgia: The numbered blocks are put back together again as the building rises on the 15 acres of Mary Our Queen Parish.

6

The Anchor The true meaning of Lent

The richness, depth and clarity of the homilies and catecheses Pope Benedict has given during his first five years as the successor of St. Peter have provoked several experts in Church history to start comparing them to the works of the greatest Fathers of the early Church. There’s a growing chorus that is predicting that in future centuries, his words will be studied and read right alongside those of Saints John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Leo the Great. More and more Catholics are beginning to become aware of this great spiritual treasure available to them and to subscribe to free email services like zenit.org to receive the pope’s words each day and take them to their prayer.

On Ash Wednesday, Pope Benedict gave a catechesis on the real meaning of Lent that bore all the traits for which his discourses have quickly become renown. As we mark the 10th day of this holy season, it would be worthwhile to ponder what he said. We can break down his insights into four parts.

The first is that Lent is not meant to be primarily an individual journey of self-discipline, sacrifice, and personal prayer. It is an ecclesial pilgrimage. “We are not alone in this spiritual itinerary,” Pope Benedict clarified, “because the Church accompanies and sustains us from the start with the Word of God, which encloses a program of spiritual life and penitential commitment, and with the grace of the sacraments.” Lent is not a solitary hike from a dark valley up a high spiritual mountain, but a journey together with the whole Church in which God’s word and very life in the sacraments guide, strengthen and sustain us all. The pope is calling us all to rediscover this communal dimension of Lent — in families, parishes, dioceses and beyond.

Second, the conversion asked of us in Lent is not something small, but radical and total. Commenting on Jesus’ words, “Repent and believe in the Gospel,” which constitute one of the two formulae used for the imposition of ashes, the Holy Father said that they call us to “conversion, a word that must be taken in its extraordinary seriousness.” In many places, he said, conversion is not treated with sufficient gravity, being viewed as something minor rather than major. “The call to conversion, in fact, uncovers and denounces the easy superficiality that very often characterizes our way of living.” In a passage that deserves to be read slowly and contemplated prayerfully, he specified what conversion really entails: “To be converted means to change direction along the way of life — not for a slight adjustment, but a true and total change of direction. Conversion is to go against the current, where the ‘current’ is a superficial lifestyle, inconsistent and illusory, which often draws us, controls us and makes us slaves of evil, or in any case prisoners of moral mediocrity. With conversion, instead, one aims to the lofty measure of Christian life; we are entrusted to the living and personal Gospel, which is Christ Jesus. His person is the final goal and the profound meaning of conversion; he is the way which we are called to follow in life, allowing ourselves to be illumined by his light and sustained by his strength that moves our steps. In this way conversion manifests its most splendid and fascinating face: It is not a simple moral decision to rectify our conduct of life, but it is a decision of faith, which involves us wholly in profound communion with the living and concrete person of Jesus. … Conversion is the total ‘yes’ of the one who gives his own existence to the Gospel, responding freely to Christ, who first offered himself to man as Way, Truth and Life, as the one who frees and saves him.”

So the Lenten conversion asked of us, the pope stressed, is an exodus from the slavery of moral mediocrity to the high Christian standard of sanctity, defined as a faith-filled decision to seek to live wholly in communion with Jesus in all aspects of our life.

Benedict’s words call to mind his predecessor’s Pastoral Plan for the New Millennium, where Pope John Paul II wrote, “Since baptism is a true entry into the holiness of God through incorporation into Christ and the indwelling of his Spirit, it would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity. To ask catechumens: ‘Do you wish to receive baptism?’ means at the same time to ask them: ‘Do you wish to become holy?’

It means to set before them the radical nature of the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect’ (Mt 5:48). … The time has come to re-propose wholeheartedly to everyone this high standard of ordinary Christian living: the whole life of the Christian community and of Christian families must lead in this direction. It is also clear, however, that the paths to holiness are personal and call for a genuine ‘training in holiness,’ adapted to people’s needs.”

Lent is precisely a time in which this “high standard of ordinary Christian living” is re-proposed and the “genuine training in holiness” is meant to take place. This is what Pope Benedict on Ash Wednesday was calling the whole Church to recommence.

The Holy Father’s third insight was that this process of conversion from mediocrity to transforming communion with Christ is not a one-time event, but a continual process and way of life. Repenting and believing in Christ the Gospel incarnate does not happen “only at the beginning of the Christian life,” he stated, “but accompanies all its steps…. Every day is a favorable moment of grace, because each day invites us to give ourselves to Jesus, to have confidence in him, to remain in him, to share his style of life, to learn from him true love, to follow him in daily fulfilling of the will of the Father, the only great law of life — every day, even when difficulties and toil, exhaustion and falls are not lacking, even when we are tempted to abandon the following of Christ and to shut ourselves in ourselves, in our egoism, without realizing the need we have to open to the love of God in Christ, to live the same logic of justice and love.” Every day is part of our training in holiness, our turning away from sin and embracing Christ.

Finally, the pope said that this process of continual conversion is meant to lead to nothing less than our death and rebirth within the death and resurrection of Christ himself. The second formula for the imposition of ashes, “Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return,” the pope declared, “reminds us of our frailty, including our death, which is the extreme expression of our frailty. In face of the innate fear of the end, … the Lenten liturgy on one hand reminds us of death, inviting us to realism and to wisdom, but on the other hand, it drives us above all to accept and live the unexpected novelty that the Christian faith liberates us from the reality of death itself.” The way that liberation occurs is in the passage from the “old Adam,” who returned to the dust from which he came, to the “new Adam,” Christ Jesus. Lent, therefore, is the time for a “more conscious and more intense immersion in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, in his death and resurrection, through participation in the Eucharist and in the life of charity, which stems from the Eucharist and in which it finds its fulfillment. With the imposition of ashes we renew our commitment to follow Jesus, to allow ourselves to be transformed by his Paschal Mystery, to overcome evil and do good, to have the ‘old man’ in us die, the one linked to sin, and to have the ‘new man’ be born, transformed by the grace of God.” This is the deepest way of all in which the season of Lent is meant to lead us to experience the full joy of Easter.

February 26, 2010

The Grappin and the Gros Poissons Last we described the various vexations by throughout the village, entered the church, asked which the devil for more than 35 years harassed Father Vianney to hear his confession, and soon the patron saint of priests at night as he was try- after left a new man. After that, the priests of the ing to get a couple of hours of rest before return- region began to recognize that their special coling to the confessional. These diabolical assaults league was thoroughly telling the truth. are among the most famous and well document“At the beginning I felt afraid,” he said to ed in recent Church history. There were many a priest who asked about the history of his eneyewitnesses, and even more “ear-witnesses,” of counters with the devil. As bothersome as all of these infestations. Hundreds of his parishioners the molestations were, however, he eventually and tens of thousands of pilgrims would hear learned how to take joy in them when he realized the sounds coming from St. John Vianney’s bed- that there was a link between what was going room each night. Thrill-seeking boys, who are on in his bedroom and what was going on in the always simultaneously fascinated and terrified confessional. “I did not know then what it was, by haunted houses, would press their ears against but now I am quite happy. It is a good sign: there the rectory’s doors and windows to listen for the is always a good haul of fish the next day.” voice of the devil, seldom leaving unsatisfied.

He would speak often about this connection.

Rectory visitors would routinely be awakened by “The tumult is greater and the assaults more nuthe devil’s various manifestations coming from merous if, on the following day,” he said, “some Vianney’s bedroom at night. big sinner is due to come.” After a particularly There were, of course, bound to be skep- bad night he came into the church and stated, tics. Among the most incredulous initial doubt- “The devil gave me a good shaking last night. ers were Father Vianney’s brother priests. They We shall have a great number of people tomorthought there was a far easier explanation for row.” Such advertising led him to begin to look at what the Curé of Ars was saying was occurring the devil almost as a collaborator. “The grappin to him each night: he was so worn out by his is very stupid,” he told a group of penitents. “He rigorous fasts, immoderate mortifications and himself tells me of the arrival of big sinners!” For excessive hours in the confessional, they said, that reason, “the grappin and I are almost comthat he had lost his mind and had begun to hal- rades.” lucinate.

It was underThe thoughts standable that of the presbymany of the peoterate changed ple who would abruptly in 1826, hear the vile during a parish sounds coming mission in Saintfrom the rectory Trivier. Father Viat night or who

By Father anney and most would hear his Roger J. Landry of the priests of stories about the their area had devil would become to help come afraid. He out. The first night, all of the priests heard loud would readily pass on to them various counsels noises coming from Father Vianney’s bedroom. he had gained from his experience.

They determined that Father Vianney himself He summarized his advice by saying: “I turn had to be the cause, since the cacophony began to God. I make the sign of the cross. And I adonly after he entered the room and ceased when dress a few contemptuous words to the devil.” he departed. “It is the grappin,” Father Vianney To kids in the catechesis, he expanded on corrected them. “He is angry because of all the these recommendations, “The devil is very clevgood that is being done here.” They refused, er, but not very brave. A sign of the cross puts however, to believe him. “You do not eat, you do him to flight.” He added that he would often get not sleep,” they retorted. “It is your head that is the devil to stop harassing him by threatening to playing tricks on you!” tell the kids in the catechesis about his behavior, The next night a loud noise, which the priests so that, rather than fear him, they would despise said resembled the moving of a heavy cart, was and reject him. heard throughout the rectory. The whole house To his younger sister, Gothon, who had slept began to shake like an earthquake and they over the rectory one night and had heard much thought it was about to crumble. Then they heard more than she bargained for, he said, “Don’t terrifying noises coming from Father Vianney’s be frightened. It is the grappin. He cannot hurt room. One of the priests exclaimed, “The Curé you.” Except in the rare occurrences of obsesof Ars is being murdered!” and they ran to his sion and possession, the devil cannot hurt us, but quarters. When the door was thrown open, they seeks only to frighten us away from God and the saw that the Curé’s heavy bed had been hauled power of the cross. into the middle of the room. “It is the grappin The devil also seeks to divert us from our who has dragged me here!,” the priest said, smil- vocations. Once, when Father Vianney was ill, ing but embarrassed and apologetic. “I’m sorry I a young philosophy student was going to conforgot to warn you adequately beforehand.” He fession to him in his bedroom. When he was then clued them in on a secret that he had already about half way through, the whole room began discovered about the devil’s harassments: “It is to shake and the kneeler he was using started to a good sign, however. There will be big fish to- rock violently. Frightened, the young man stood morrow.” up and was about to flee. The Curé grabbed his “Gros poissons,” or big fish, was the way Fa- arm and guided him back to the kneeler, “It is ther Vianney referred to inveterate sinners, guilty only the devil,” he said. At the end of the confesof some of the worst mortal sins, who had not sion, Father Vianney told him that if the devil so been to confession for years. Father Vianney had was so desirous of disrupting his confession, he already recognized that the nocturnal molesta- must have the vocation to be a priest. Denis Chations were most severe whenever a “big fish” land took that advice and the whole experience was to appear the following day. It was then that to his prayer. He did indeed end up becoming a the devil most wanted to throw Father Vianney priest, but the harrowing occurrence scared him off his grace-filled game, so that he might de- away from ever again confessing to the Curé of cide to take a rest the following day and not be Ars! available to reconcile to God someone whom the It’s unsurprising that Father Vianney’s work devil had long held captive. to transform Ars from the domain of the “prince Even after witnessing the noise and the “in- of this world” (Jn 12:31) to the kingdom of God terior redecoration” of the devil in the rectory, would be violent, and that the devil would try to however, the priests in Saint-Trivier weren’t buy- fight back. St. John Vianney was the one to sufing the explanation that what was occurring to fer most of the direct attacks of that violence for Father Vianney had anything to do with the the sake of his parishioners and penitents. But confessional or the reconciliation of notorious he succeeded in freeing hundreds of thousands sinners. So a few of them decided to spy on the from the grip of the devil in the confessional.

Curé of Ars’ confessional the following day to As we’ll see next week, he also freed some see if any “big fish” really did show up. Toward from the possession by the devil through exorthe end of the day, a scandalous nobleman, who cism. had long neglected his religious practices and Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of had flaunted his impieties and sinful behavior Padua Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

February 26, 2010

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n this Year For Priests, it has been requested that thoughts be shared on the gift of the priesthood. It is a challenging opportunity to try to express, in a limited amount of words, more than 40 years of priesthood.

The priesthood, while lived individually in a person, is bigger than any of us and its expression in each of us is limited to our frail human qualities.

One can never be worthy of the priesthood, but can only spend one’s priesthood becoming less unworthy of the great gift that has been given.

In holy orders, a man is ordered to serve the people of God. He does this by the administration of the sacraments and acts in the person of Christ — “in persona Christi” — at the altar and in the confessional. At the words of consecration, the priest does not say, “This is Christ’s body,” but rather, “This is my body.” In confession, he does not say, “Christ absolves you from your sins,” but instead, “I absolve you from your sins.”

In older terminology we would say the priest in an alter

I

n C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, the child-protagonists enter countries through cupboards, sail through universes with magic rings, and enter paintings to discover a world of evil Queens, dark men, and magic spells. Nothing, however, enchants more than Narnia’s talking animals; the beasts are Narnian ambassadors to human children and they were my ambassadors, too, to the mind of a Christian thinker named Clive Staples Lewis.

Here I am beginning a series on “Catholic thinkers” with a man who is not even a Catholic.

What a betrayal. Perhaps, not, though. Perhaps there are, as some have said, no Catholic and Protestant, no atheist and theist, only brethren and separated brethren. Lewis was born into the Church of Ireland, became an atheist, and then reverted to Anglicanism. However, in “Letters to Malcolm,” he expresses his interior turn toward Roman Catholicism, leading him to receive extreme unction on his death bed. Regardless, he remains an ambassador himself to something he called “Mere Christianity,” an orthodoxy embracing Catholic and Protestant; that book remains a passionate common ground between both groups to this day.

The man who would write “A Grief Observed,” and “The Problem of Pain” felt loss keenly as a boy. An animal was his first ambassador to the winter-world

7

The Anchor

The unchanging face of the priesthood

Christus, another Christ. We he is there with the sacrament of were always to be Christ to oththe sick. At the loss of a loved ers. This is a challenge that, as one, he is there to bury them. He we have so recently seen, is not is there to help them in the diffialways attained. culties of their life; he is there to Times change, people change, bring them the grace of God in the focus of the priesthood might sacramental and non-sacramenchange, but the work of the tal ways. He is there for them. priest does not change.

In the years I have been a priest, there have Year For Priests been four bishops in our Vocational Reflection diocese and five popes.

During that time, the work did not change

By Msgr. nor did the sacramental John J. Oliveira ministrations essentially change. The priesthood is beyond personalities or time For the most part he is welor even location. comed and respected. He hears The priest is one of the few things no one else ever will. He people who are involved with will help people make decisions people at every event of their that will always be confidential. lives. He is present as they come Once the clerical collar is seen, into the world to baptize them; for better and worse, a mind-set he is there to assist them to is formed. Much of the respect confess their sins and receive the for the priesthood comes from Eucharist for the first time. As those who have come before us. the spirit of God comes to them We add our own image that will in confirmation, he is there. As last long after us. two people commit themselves How my 40-plus years of in marriage, he is their witness priesthood were exercised is of for the Church. In their illness, less importance than the fact that

I am privileged to be a priest.

It is something I had always wanted to do since serving as an altar boy in grade three. That vocation was nourished in Catholic grammar and high school. My education took me to college in Rhode Island and graduate school in Baltimore, Md. My interest in education allowed me to serve as chaplain in various diocesan high schools and now I have a parish with a school. Today, a parish school is a different challenge than those days when schools flourished and were supported by priests and people alike.

While we may design our life, for the priest, it is designed

by God. My parish work was to be limited for a period of time. I served in the chancery for 23 years of my priesthood; it allowed me to see beyond a parish to a diocese. As mission director, I am able to see the Church beyond our country, and, as archivist, I learned how the past is part of the present.

As director of the diocesan

Much more than a mere Christian

of grief: Lewis named himself from my work, the steady, unre“Jacksie” after a beloved pet lenting approach of Him whom I who was killed in an accident. so earnestly desired not to meet.

The newly-christened Jacksie (or That which I greatly feared had Jack) was thrust deeper into grief when he lost his mother at age nine, a trauma that launched him toward a dejected atheism solidified by age 15.

It was a conviction that threatened permanent

By Jennifer Pierce lodging in Jack’s mind as he faced man’s inhumanity to man in the trenches of World War I. at last come upon me. In the Early loss, fear, and the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, horrors of war damaged his and admitted that God was God, theological imagination but his and knelt and prayed: perhaps, mythic imagination miracuthat night, the most dejected and lously continued to form. While reluctant convert in all England.” growing up Jack and his brother On that night in 1929, Jack Warnie created an imaginary converted to theism and his conworld called “Boxen,” populated version to Christianity followed with sentient animals similar to two years later. Knowing Jack as the ones that would later popuwe do, it is perhaps not surprislate Jack’s fiction. Ironically, that ing that his conversion happened mythic imagination brought him with Boxen co-creator Warnie on back to the God he insisted was a walk. Or that they were on their absent, for it was love of myth way to the zoo. that drove him toward Christian Lewis was a prolific writer writer George MacDonald. Jack across genres; outside of his imagined debating MacDonald fiction, which captured me in on his Christianity; Jack lost the childhood, there is one argument argument. He fell to his knees he makes in “Mere Christianity” one night at Oxford’s Magdalen, that I want to give to you today. facing what had hunted him It is not an argument he invented down, like Francis Thompson’s but one he popularized. It is sum“Hound of Heaven”: marized as the Lunatic, Liar, or “You must picture me alone Lord argument: in that room in Magdalen, night “I am trying here to prevent after night, feeling, whenever anyone saying the really foolish my mind lifted even for a second thing that people often say about

Great Catholic Thinkers

Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.

Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at

Permanent Diaconate Office, I have come to a better understanding of holy orders and the goodness of those who want to make Christ present as permanent deacons.

As secretary and master of ceremonies, I came to know our bishops in a more personal manner and was able to help my brother priests in a variety of circumstances. It also allowed me the possibility of visiting all the parishes in our diocese. God chose to have me exercise my priesthood in a different manner, but it was priestly ministry.

Now I am pleased to be a pastor of a wonderful parish and continue to exercise my priestly ministry in that special and wonderful way.

It is my hope that as priests share their love of the priesthood in this Year For Priests, many will come to appreciate the gift of the priesthood and other men may be inspired to beg the Lord to call them to share in the special gift of the priesthood.

Msgr. Oliveira, ordained in 1967, is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in New Bedford.

him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.” Jennifer Pierce is a parishioner of Corpus Christi in East Sandwich, where she lives with her husband Jim and two daughters.

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February 26, 2010

The Anchor

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piritual writers sometime speak of a moment of grace, a time when the border between heaven and earth appears to fade for a brief second allowing God’s presence to touch our lives deeply; a moment when, because of his love for us, we are blessed with a faint glimpse of eternity and God’s glory. In the first reading we hear of just such an experience, when God encouraged Abram (later to be called Abraham) to look up into the night sky. He promised Abram that his descendents would be as many as the stars above, prompting Abram to put his faith in God. Such a moment also graced Peter, James and John in today’s Gospel from Luke.

The three Apostles went up

It is our turn to listen

the mountain to pray with God’s presence in our lives Jesus. While they were on the and his love for us? Those mountain, the appearance of little transformations keep us the face of Jesus changed and going when times are tough. his clothing became dazzling I am confident that many of white. Then Moses and Elijah you have had some personal appeared and started talking to Jesus. The three Apostles witHomily of the Week nessed the glory of Second Sunday the Lord Jesus. They of Lent witnessed, as far as it is humanly possible

By Deacon to see, the brilliance Del Malloy that comes with the transforming glory that awaits those who will be changed in the image experience with God. Why? of Jesus Christ. They heard Because our God is a perthe voice of God as he said, sonal God, a God who wants “This is my chosen Son. Lisus to know him and trust ten to him.” in his love. Because these Are there times when are personal experiences of God sends us his consolation God’s, love normally we do and we get little glimpses of not speak of them just as

Peter, James and John did not speak of the transfiguration after they came down from the mountain. St. Paul tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). We are grateful for those special moments when we experience God’s personal love for us.

In today’s second reading, St. Paul tells us that “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body” (Phil 3:20-21). Christ died for us that we may be made righteous and inherit the gift of salvation and eternal life in his Kingdom. God instructed Abram, Paul, Peter, James

and John to listen to Jesus, because he is the chosen Son. He would like us to do the same. As we continue our Lenten journey, we are called to listen to the word of God with our whole mind, heart and soul. He would like us to listen closely to his words, embracing them in our hearts so that we might spread his love throughout our families, our communities and by our generosity and prayers, throughout the world. Abram, Paul, Peter, James and John listened to the word of God. I suggest that it is now our turn to do the same and put his words into action.

Deacon Malloy and his wife Sheila reside in Attleboro where he is assigned to St. John the Evangelist Parish.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Feb. 27, Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2,4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48. Sun. Feb. 28, Second Sunday of Lent, Gn 15:5-12,17-18; Ps 27:1,7-9,1314; Phil 3:17-4:1 or 3:20-4:1; Lk 9:28b-36. Mon. Mar. 1, Dn 9:4b-10; Ps 79:8-9,11,13; Lk 6:36-38. Tues. Mar. 2, Is 1:10,16-20; Ps 50:8-9,16bc-17,21,23; Mt 23:1-12.

Wed. Mar. 3, Jer 18:18-20; Ps 31:5-6,14-16; Mt 20:17-28. Thur. Mar. 4, Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 16:19-31. Fri. Mar. 5, Gn 37:3-4,12-13a,17b-28a; Ps 105:16-21; Mt 21:33-43,45-46.

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n late 2009, the Holy See and the Russian Federation agreed to full diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, bringing the total of such exchanges to 178 — a remarkable achievement, considering that, in 1978, the Holy See had full diplomatic relations with only 84 states. Less than a hundred years after the Entente powers banned the Holy See from the postWorld War I peace conference by a secret clause in the Treaty of London that brought Italy into the war on the side of Great Britain and France, the Holy See — the juridical embodiment

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The Vatican and the Russians

one of the 20th century’s greatof the ministry of the Bishop est mass murderers — remains of Rome as universal pastor of on display for the veneration of the Catholic Church — is fully engaged in the complex worlds-within-worlds of international diplomacy.

Those complexities just became, well, more complex, thanks to some distinctive features of contemporary Russian

By George Weigel history and one longstanding feature of Russian culture. The latter the obtuse and the confused in is the close relationship between Red Square. Parades celebratthe Russian Orthodox patriarching the birthday of Stalin, whose ate of Moscow and the Kremlin, which has endured through czars, homicidal record topped Lenin’s, are not uncommon. Documencommissars, and now presidents tary film-makers who dare to tell and prime ministers; the former the truth about communism’s involves the strange post-Cold depredations are burned in effigy.

War situation of Russia.

History is rewritten in order to To say that Russia has never mask, even deny, the horrors of come to grips with the legacy the GULAG system (which, as of 74 years of communism is to Anne Applebaum demonstrated understate the problem. Lenin’s in her Pulitzer Prize-winning mummy — the ghastly relic of

The Catholic Difference

book, was not an accidental feature of Stalinism but an essential component of Stalinist “economics”).

Vladimir Putin, the true center of power in Russia despite having been compelled to trade the presidency for the office of prime minister, has made it clear that he is not satisfied with a Russia shrunk to the country’s size at the time of Peter the Great. Yet neither Putin nor his successor as president, Dmitry Medvedev, seems much interested in dealing with Russia’s colossal demographic and public health problems, which include a rapidly shriveling native population (thanks to catastrophically low birth rates and declining life expectancy, exacerbated by environmental degradation and rampant alcoholism). Meanwhile, Russia’s “market” economy resembles a Mafia operation rather more than the “free economy” of which John Paul II wrote in “Centesimus Annus.”

The flashpoints in Putin’s efforts to reconstitute the old Soviet “near abroad” as de facto or de iure parts of a Greater Russia are clear: the Caucasus, central Asia, and Ukraine. Ukraine is the strategic key to all the rest; without Ukraine, Russia cannot be a superpower. One of the chief repositories of Ukrainian national consciousness is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Byzantine in its liturgical life and pol-

ity but in full communion with Rome. Declared illegal under communism (in a brutal 1946 maneuver aided and abetted by the Russian Orthodox Church), the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine was the world’s largest underground religious community for four and a half decades.

Its flourishing after communism, and its dedication to building a Ukraine that models the free and virtuous society proposed by Catholic social doctrine, is one of the most heartening stories unfolding in the former Soviet Union.

Vatican diplomats and ecumenists have had their difficulties with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic cause — in part because of Ukrainian passions and indiscretions, but also because of a tendency to bend over backwards towards the Russian Orthodox patriarchate of Moscow for ecumenical reasons. But now comes the diplomatic rub. There is little reason to think that the patriarchate of Moscow will be anything but a willing, indeed enthusiastic, partner in any effort by the Russian state to reconstitute Greater Russia. If, at some point, Putin & Co. try to ingest a large chunk of eastern Ukraine, the Holy See’s diplomats are going to face an enormous challenge, with grave implications for internal Catholic unity, ecumenism and international relations.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

February 26, 2010

I’m touched

considered by some misguided Friday 26 February 2010 — at home in Old Dighton Village souls to be more important than Eucharist?

— only two more days left in I suspect it has something American Heart Month — still to do with the sense of touch. time to “have a heart” When ashes are imposed on the n Ash Wednesday, a couple arrived late for the 7 p.m. Mass.

I suspect they thought that ashes were being Reflections of a distributed after Mass Parish Priest rather than, properly, after the homily. I could

By Father Tim hear them from the Goldrick sanctuary as they talked in the front entry. Our forehead, a person is literally church has exceptional acoustouched. People crave physical tics. “Everyone has already contact. received their ashes They’re According to the Associated almost at Communion. Let’s go Press, a 51-year old man from somewhere else.” The ComOhio named Jeff Ondash (alias munion procession went in Teddy McHuggin) broke the one direction; the couple in the opposite. Why is a dab of ashes Guinness record for the most

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The Ship’s Log

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The Anchor hugs given in a single day. The new world hugging champion gave passers-by on the Las Vegas Strip 7,777 hugs in a 24-hour period. This shattered the previous record of 5,000 hugs set by Siobhan O’Connor of Dublin, Ireland. Teddy McHuggin already holds the world record for the most hugs in one hour — 1,205.

I am not a “hugger.”

Hugging is not part of either my temperament or my upbringing. I am a reserved New Englander. My personal space extends for several yards around me. I guard it like a border collie. Nevertheless, I know the importance of physical contact to the human person.

Chucking Barbie’s baggage

impede authentic human vidently, many who contact) what is missing want to encourage from the “career catwalk” young girls still think that aimed at little girls are the they are conflicted about actual facts about how boys whether they have the strength and courage to think and girls are faring in school overall. “Girls outperform beyond some 1950 stereoboys in elementary school, type. To this end, Mattel has middle school, high school, unveiled two new “careers” and college, and graduate for Barbie which are based school,” says Dr. Michael on ballots cast by Barbie’s Thompson, a school psycholfans worldwide. As the toy ogist who writes about the company Mattel searched academic problems of boys for a 125th doll in their “I in his book, “Raising Cain.”

Can Be” series, they decided not only on the winning choice, “News Anchor Barbie” but threw in “Computer Engineer Barbie” as an extra incentive to get little girls to think beyond marriage and

By Genevieve Kineke children (as if that looming ball and chain currently keeps His thesis is that we’ve any of them from pursuing had such special attention an education or career). focused on girls for so long Lauren Dougherty, directhat the boys are struggling tor of Barbie marketing for at every level of academia.

Mattel, noted the enormous While many feminists number of votes for the grumble about the objectifilatter doll as coming from cation of women inherent in “female engineers and other Barbie dolls, they have never women in the tech industry” been shy about cheerleading — which makes one wonder for increased visibility of how those women ever sucwomen in every walk of life. ceeded in that field without Sadly, the down side to “grrl a 11.5 inch shapely piece power” is a growing demorof plastic to show them the alization in boys and men, way. A blogger dedicated to the decrease scope of men’s women in the high-tech filed sense of responsibility, and gushed about the details, a new trend in family life — especially that this doll will whereby the next generation have “a smartphone, Bluof boys and girls are increasetooth headset, laptop travel ingly being raised in fatherbag, and last but not least — absent homes. a pink laptop.”

Clearly, few western Setting aside for a mowomen are shy of stepping ment the exciting communiout to pursue their interests, cation devices (which may

The Feminine Genius

no matter how many feminists fear that stereotypes rule their world, but the problem accrues when they do it at the expense of the greater good. Part of the feminine genius is to cherish the talents and gifts given by the Creator — but the remainder (and more important element) is to consider when and where to apply them, and how to do so without diminishing our ability to love.

So as we begin this Lent and look for ways to trim back our egos, we might reconsider focusing on reducing calories or irksome habits. We might also take our view of the wider community to the tabernacle to ask if there’s some misunderstanding about how we see the world. Just as society cannot prosper if segments of it pursue a zerosum game, our sacrifices mean little if not offered for the wider Mystical Body, which is bigger than special interests or statistics.

Just as Our Lady offered her motherhood as a path to the deeper love of the Father, all women should consider sacrifices that will accrue in greater collaboration between men and women. Barbie with a lab coat or teleprompter is fine, as long as she doesn’t lose her ability to love or prioritize gadgets over real people.

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

Some priests are great “huggers.” Of all the priests with whom I have worked, Monsignor Henry Munroe wins the Olympic gold medal for hugging. He would stand at the door of the church before and after Mass, warmly embracing parishioners, one after another.

People loved it. They would line up to be hugged by their pastor. Meanwhile, I would be hiding in the sacristy.

I never thought I would miss the Sign of Peace at Mass, but I do. Temporarily suspended in the United States as a precaution against the H1N1 virus, it’s a prudent step, but still I long for the days of greeting those around me at Mass. Flashing “peace signs” at the person across the aisle seems silly at best, and irreverent at worst.

I sanitize my hands three times during the course of the celebration of holy Mass. This may be considered by some to be a symptom of obsessivecompulsive disorder, but better safe than sorry. When greeting parishioners at the church door, I keep my hands folded over my chest. I do not extend my hand unless someone initiates the gesture.

In the age in which we live, we priests must be extremely vigilant. Who knows what accusation might be leveled against you. Counseling offices are being moved out of rectories and into parish centers. Blinds, shades and curtains are being removed from meeting spaces. Glass doors are replacing solid wood doors. All this is sadly necessary. Whoever thought it would come to this?

There are times in the ministry of a parish priest when even I ache to give someone a big hug of comfort or joy. It’s only human. Recently, it fell to me to bring notification of death to the family of a man

killed in an accident. I longed to hug his widow and parents.

Although the room was filled with relatives of the deceased, I let the occasion pass. Even the police officer was man enough to hug these grieving people, but not the pastor. I now regret my decision.

Sometimes during the sacrament of reconciliation, a penitent is so moved that he or she receives the gift of tears. My natural inclination is to hug the person weeping before me, but we are alone and out of plain sight. I choose prudence over compassion. The natural inclination would be to hug the person.

I hand over a box of Kleenex, but my heart aches to hug.

Maybe I need class on hugging.

I’m a “baby whisperer.” I can communicate with infants non-verbally and usually get back a smile of recognition.

That smile makes my day. Of course, one does have to handle babies with great care. If an infant is present at the parish Mass on the day of baptism, I ask the child’s mother for permission to hold the baby to show to the assembly. On the day of their baptism, the children are often clothed in bolts of satin. Satin-swathed babies are very slippery. Handle with care.

Older children are quite another matter. I go on high alert and take extreme care to follow proper procedures.

Some priests opt, for safety’s sake, to avoid children entirely.

Some of us are understandably shell-shocked by scandals.

Still, a priest’s decision to avoid children altogether is most unfortunate.

Call me crazy, but I believe we priests need to deal with this quandary. Maybe I am “a little touched.”

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

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February 26, 2010

When one loves, one can’t help but do God’s work

B y Dave Jolivet, Editor

FALL RIVER — “Love is my favorite word,” Janice Heinig told The Anchor. “If

you love everyone, you won’t break any Commandments.”

It’s a philosophy the 60-year-old Fall River resident

has lived for nearly a quarter of children. Now I can be with nature, and Wednesdays would a century of working with and them again, keeping them safe be field trip days.” for Catholic school children.

While the camp was for and watching them grow.”

For 22 years, Heinig worked younger children, Heinig enGagnon added, “Jan puts as a secretary and bookkeeper in endless hours volunteering. listed the help of seventh- and at St. Anne’s School. When the She is constantly looking for eight-grade students to help school closed permanently in ways to strengthen the school out. “We taught the seventh2008, Brenda Gagnon, prin- and to keep Catholic education and eighth-graders to work cipal at Holy Trinity School alive and well. She is wonder- with the youngsters. They in Fall River and a former St. ful with the children and the learned leadership skills and Anne’s employee invited her children love her.” responsibility for their youngold friend to lend a hand in a “It’s amazing, because there er peers. new environment.

“When camp was through are many places where I will “It was very apparent to ev- run into former students who for the year, we would take the ery person who walked into remember me and I remember seventh- and eighth-graders on the office at St. Anne’s how them,” said Heinig. “It brings an overnight trip to Six Flags. committed to Catholic I really got to bond with education Jan was,” said them. I still keep in conGagnon. “She always tact with some of them.” did her works of kindHeinig is also a speness and generosity in cial minister of holy quiet, subtle ways that Communion and a lector most people didn’t even at St. Anne’s, where she realize where the help is a parishioner. came from. She felt that And as if that weren’t the children deserved enough, Heinig is also the very best and being a Religious Education in a Catholic school was teacher, working with the best.” children preparing to For those reasons, Gamake their first Commugnon wanted Heinig on nion. board at Holy Trinity.

“I like working with Heinig quickly acthe little ones,” she said. cepted and now as“It feels good to teach sists with Kindergarten them about the sacrament through second grade in of penance, and at instillthe lunch room and thirding in them who they and fourth-graders in will really be receiving the school yard at lunch at Communion.” time, and “whatever else Heinig said her love of needs to be done.” children and working for “I also assist in the the Church came from office, working with her years as a student at spread sheets for fund- Anchor person of the week — Janice St. Anne’s School and raisers and to just be Heinig.

Dominican Academy. there for Brenda,” added “The Dominican SisHeinig. ters were wonderful,” Heinig back nice memories.”

“Jan is such a giving perHeinig’s work with chil- said. “They instilled in me a son,” said Father David M. An- dren doesn’t stop there though. deep faith and taught me to drade, pastor of Holy Trinity She is also the Cub Master love Jesus and to love others Parish. “She does what she can and Scout Master for Pack 50, and that carried on with me to in a very behind-the-scenes once located at St. Anne’s Par- adult life. It’s all about doing manner.” ish, now at SS. Peter and Paul what Jesus wants us to do.”

He added, “The children see Parish in Fall River.

The good Dominican Sisher as part of the school fam“I love things Scouting ters at St. Anne’s School and ily. They are very much taken provides for the youngsters,” Dominican Academy had a with her.” said Heinig. “In Scouting they calling of offering service and The relationship works learn good ethical values. The Christian example to their stuboth ways. “The students at Pack 50 committee trained me dents. Their love of God and Holy Trinity are like an ex- just this past year at being a others left a lasting impression tended family,” said Heinig. Cub and Scout master. I love on many formative minds, in“They keep me young. When working with the kids and the cluding Heinig’s.

St. Anne’s closed, I missed the committee.”

It was that lasting impresDuring her tenure at St. sion of the importance of a Anne’s School, Heinig was Catholic identity that drives busily involved with a summer her today to be an example of program from 1998 through God’s love to young students and Scouts alike. It’s why love 2004.

The program, held at the is Janice Heinig’s favorite school was modeled after Cub word. It’s why she can’t help Scout Camp. “We would do but do God’s work.

To nominate a Person of crafts, have Bible sessions, learn character values and liv- the Week, send an email mesing skills,” said Heinig. “We sage to FatherRogerLandry@ would also key on sports and anchornews.org.

February 26, 2010

The Anchor

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any of us have experienced it before on Ash Wednesday. We get the strange looks from people who stare at the ashen cross marked on our foreheads, whether it be in a supermarket, in the mall, on the bus, or even at work.

Some understand, some scoff, and some may even ridicule. In a small way it’s a part of what Jesus says in Luke’s Gospel, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

Wearing your ashes in public is a small sacrifice in the larger scheme of things, but it can be

The Anchor

February 26, 2010

It’s our faith that makes us who we are

challenging nonetheless. good because madness without As a sports nut, I watch my method is just madness. But I fair share of sports shows, and digress.

ESPN is there to satisfy my The connection with the needs more often than not. two ESPN broadcasts and It’s not only sporting events I crave, but I enjoy sports talk as well. Two such shows, taped in our nation’s capital, air weekdays on the self-proclaimed

By Dave Jolivet “Worldwide leader in sports,” “Around the Horn,” and “Pardon the Interruption.”

Ash Wednesday is the host of Some of you may now be “Around the Horn,” and a memscratching your heads saying, ber of the “Pardon the Interrup“What has this got to do with tion” cast, Tony Reali.

Ash Wednesday?” There is a On last week’s Wednesday method to my madness, which is episodes, there was Reali, with

My View From the Stands

the unmistakable ashen cross on his forehead. I was very impressed and quickly recalled he did the same thing last year.

Now had Reali been an “old timer” Catholic, I wouldn’t have been as intrigued, but he is a young 31-year-old talented, knowledgeable celebrity who was not afraid to express his faith on national television.

I sent Reali an email hoping to ask him a couple of questions about why he did this, and was pleasantly surprised to receive a very prompt, courteous response, accepting my request for a few questions.

Reali, born into a Catholic Italian-American family on Staten Island, told me, “My faith is very important to me. So is my spirituality. It has made me who I am, and it has got me to where I am. And it’s where I am going.”

A product of Catholic and public schools, he said he, “always preferred Catholic schools.

The structure. The responsibility. The mission. The core beliefs. The faith.”

Reali said he wears his ashes publicly because he thinks it’s important to stand by your beliefs. “A person can do that everyday in their own way and maybe no one would know. To do it publicly one day a year is the least I can do.” He also

said he can understand why a Catholic in a similar position to him would not want to. For him, “it’s a personal decision and a personal belief with a public effect.”

Reali said he’s received letters, emails, and tweets from people who were happy to see him do it, unsure of what it is, and those who wonder why it’s outwardly displayed on a sports show. “It’s a symbol of penance and humility and a sign that we’re sinners.”

He’s thought about it looking too preachy, or not in line with being humble, but “in the end, I believe in the ash as a symbol,” he said. “And I want to live up to it’s symbolism.

“Ash Wednesday is a beautiful tradition. So is going to Mass every Sunday. So is trying to live life every day in the best way possible. And anyone can do that.”

None of the shows in which Reali wore his ashes publicly suffered because of it. As usual, they were entertaining, comical, insightful and chock full of sports.

Not many of us will ever have the chance to make such a public statement about our faith as Reali, but we all are given the mission to display our faith in all we do, and with all in whom we come in contact. As with Tony Reali, it makes us who we are.

pilgrimage / tour to

“national shrines of canada”

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For further information you may contact Margaret Oliverio @ 781-762-2029 or 781-344-2073

February 26, 2010

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atholic schools in the United States are “the pearl of great price.” That was the conviction that Pope Pius XII conveyed to a group of American bishops during their trip to Rome in the late 1950s. That conviction is equally valid today.

Catholic schools in the United States have been an integral part of the Church’s pastoral life and ministry since the 19th century and must remain so. Indeed it has been stated with justification that Catholic schools are the most effective way of passing on the knowledge of the Catholic faith to our young people.

The American bishops at the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852 directed that every parish was to have a Catholic school. That pastoral plan was never fully implemented or achieved. Yet across the United States, numerous parishes built and opened Catholic schools that have educated tens of thousands of children to be active members of the Church and to be responsible citizens of our great nation. To be sure, the vibrancy and vitality of the Church in the United States can be attributed in large measure to the effectiveness of our Catholic schools.

What is the purpose or goal of a Catholic school? His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI succinctly answered this question when he addressed a gathering of Catholic educators at The Catholic University of America during his pastoral visit to the United States in April, 2008. The pontiff said, “First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth.” In a Catholic school, all dimensions of education are understood and presented in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The purpose of a Catholic school is not primarily to provide a better education than that which is offered in a public school. Everyone wants all students, whether they enroll in Catholic, private or public schools, to receive an excellent education. The goal of a

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The Anchor

‘The pearl of great price’

are lay people, contribute signifiCatholic school is to offer its students a different kind of education, cantly to our schools’ success. Our educators see teaching not only one rooted in and imbued with as a profession but as a ministry. the perennial wisdom about the Often at great financial sacrifice, human person, a wisdom that dethese talented women and men rives from the Catholic Church’s commit themselves daily to helptradition of faith and morals. A Catholic school education seeks to ing their students grow in knowledge and virtue. educate not only the mind with a Catholic schools also provide love for the truth but also to touch the hearts and form the conscienc- a disciplined setting where a es of its students with a desire and commitment to The Value of pursue what is good, right and just.

Catholic Schools Catholic schools have always presented a

By Bishop financial challenge to our parishes and dioceses.

Robert J. McManus In these unstable economic times, the financial community of fellow learners can challenge has become even more be supported and fostered. The acute. In 2005, we American bishops issued a salient document involvement of the parents and family members of our students on the value of Catholic school education entitled “Renewing Our also contributes to promoting a Commitment to Catholic Elemen- united effort to support our stutary and Secondary Schools in the dents in their quest to develop the life of the mind.

Third Millennium.” In that docuDuring the last 40 years, the ment, we bishops acknowledged type of students who enter our gratefully the immense contribuCatholic schools has dramatically tion that Catholic schools have changed. In the past, the student made to the Catholic Church in body of a typical parish school the United States. Our document was made up of Catholic youngalso pointed out that the financial sters from that particular parish. support of our Catholic schools This is no longer the case. Today cannot rest only on the shoulders our Catholic schools reflect the of those parents and families rapidly growing diversity of our whose children attend a Catholic American society. Our students school. Catholic school education are no longer all Catholics. In is an integral part of the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel some of our inner city schools that serve an area that is predominantly of Christ and teaching the saving truths of our Catholic faith. Hence, African-American or Asian, the percentage of non-Catholic stuit is incumbent on all Catholics dents is quite high. in a diocese to support financially This demographic reality can this crucial educational ministry. serve to highlight the importance For the last 20 years, a number of studies have been conducted by of the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church. Students in a groups and individuals interested Catholic school are daily introin the general condition of educaduced to the person of Jesus Christ tion in the United States. Several of these studies have cited and un- and the doctrinal, moral and social teachings of his Church. Occaequivocally praised the effectiveness of Catholic schools in provid- sionally a bishop or a pastor of a ing an excellent education for their Catholic school with a significant students. The academic excellence number of non-Catholic students will be asked, “Why does the of our Catholic school relies on diocese or the parish spend all this several factors. The competence and dedication of our teachers, the money to educate children who are not Catholic?” The reply of overwhelming majority of whom

Cardinal James Hickey, the late Archbishop of Washington, D.C. to such a question remains very insightful. The cardinal retorted, “The Catholic Church educates students in the inner city not because the students are Catholics but because we are Catholics.”

School choice is a topic that demands the immediate attention of the Catholic community in the United States. The choice of parents to select the type of education that is best suited for their children is a fundamental right. The state has a concomitant responsibility to guarantee that such a right can be reasonably exercised. The fact is, however, that if parents choose to send their child to a Catholic school, they can expect to receive no financial support from the state. This situation is unacceptable and, in fact, unjust. The racial and religious diversity of our Catholic schools argues forcefully for some type of state approved financial assistance.

Graduates of our Catholic schools become part of the work force of our society and bring a solid work ethic and a sense of right and wrong to their employment. Moreover, a recent report issued by the National Catholic Education Association in January 2009 found that Catholic schools save our nation more than $1.9 billion each year, just in operational costs. It is questionable whether our American public school system would want to assume this substantial sum of money if our Catholic schools

were forced to close because of perilous finances.

Sadly the closings of Catholic schools, especially in our inner city and urban neighborhoods, continue. However, there are sections of the United States where Catholic schools are reopening or being built. In the Diocese of Memphis, supported by $15 million donated mostly from the public sector, Bishop J. Terry Steib was able to open a number of “Jubilee Schools.”

The academic results that these schools have already achieved are remarkable. Across the nation, surveys of Catholic schools report that 99 percent of Catholic high school students graduate and 80 percent of them go on to college.

This statistic is one of which the Catholic school community can be justifiably proud.

The story of the quality and success of our Catholic schools in the United States should be told often and to as many people, especially parents, who will listen. At the heart of the story is the commitment of our Catholic schools to teach as Jesus did, that is, to teach with an authority that comes from the truth about the dignity of the human person who is made in the image and likeness of God. What Pope Pius XII stated years ago about Catholic schools is as true today as it was in the past and will be in the future: “Catholic schools in the United States are the pearl of great price.”

Bishop Robert J. McManus, S.T.D. is bishop of the Diocese of Worcester.

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The Anchor

The Christian meaning of suffering

T

he scenes from Haiti and Madeira have brought suffering front and center again, and with the suffering come the questions: Why do people suffer if there is a good and loving God? Why does suffering happen to innocent people, even children?

Why is suffering so unexpected and severe?

These questions can be so difficult that some people give up on God entirely, unable to reconcile the existence of a loving God with the existence of such pain.

Pope John Paul II lived through some of the genocidal and political horrors of the 20th Century — the Holocaust; Stalin’s repression; brutal mass murders in Cambodia and Africa. In 1984, he wrote a long essay on suffering called “On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering.” This Apostolic Letter answers the question of suffering by suggesting that, for a Christian, suffering is an opportunity, and may be, even for the innocent, a blessing.

The pope finds various meanings in suffering and puts them into two broad categories: those on the human level, and those on the divine. On both levels,

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February 26, 2010

the pope says that suffering can benefit the person who suffers; not that God plans how people will suffer, just that when they do, they can benefit. On the divine level, though, the pope finds that, through suffering in union with God, man becomes almost like him, participating in God’s redemptive work.

The human level is the easier for me to understand. The pope says that while suffering may sometimes be welldeserved (for example, if you drink and then crash your car, you might suffer the pain of a broken arm), even if it is undeserved, suffering is always an opportunity to build and test perseverance, courage, and fortitude; to forge the spiritual maturity and moral greatness necessary to enter into the Kingdom of God; to rebuild in us a goodness we may have lost; to give rise to acts of love towards the ones who suffer, thereby transforming the world into a “civilization of love”; and to give us spiritual peace, even joy.

Having seen men shaped in these positive ways by the trials of suffering, the pope links the suffer-

ing of each man with the suffering of Christ, and here the suffering man or woman approaches the divine. The pope reasons that, because Christ made suffering the means of our redemption, each person has an obligation to share in

Guest Columnist David Ament that redemption — to do his or her fair part — through personal suffering. In this way, the person will “take part with Christ in saving the world,” and carry out “an irreplaceable service” by becoming “a special particle in the infinite treasure of the world’s redemption.”

In other words, suffering, while complete in Christ, is not finished with Christ. It goes on. As St. Paul revealed to the Colossians, we are called to “make up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the Church” (Col 1:24).

Paraphrasing the famous saying of the Second Vatican Council that

Christ “full reveals man to himself and makes his supreme vocation clear,” the pope says that suffering with Christ “reveals a man to himself” and “makes his supreme vocation clear,” namely his calling to be a small part in the redemptive process that saves all of mankind.

Throughout the Apostolic Letter, Pope John Paul describes how personal is the God to whom mankind is connected. Men don’t worship God from afar, upon a distant pedestal, across an unbridgeable gulf. Instead, we worship and live with him and in him, in our present time. This was already clear from God’s decision to enter our world and take on our human nature in the Incarnation.

But it is even clearer when we see the depths to which God has gone to suffer with us and for us in order to bring us to that place where there will be no more suffering.

John Paul stresses that God’s nature is to be with us here in the trenches, and he loves us enough that he offers us the privilege to carry part of the load with him.

I collect crystals. I actually travel to places throughout the

country to dig in the dirt and find rocks and minerals. Some of the most beautiful crystals in the world have been formed by the destructive pressure and heat of the earth’s core. The rock goes through the fire and has no choice but to undergo its transformation.

We are the same. It is right that we fight every day to alleviate suffering, palliate pain and mourn, but, as much as we try to avoid it, suffering and pain will come to each of us notwithstanding.

Suffering is an evil, but an evil that has been redeemed. Christ changed the meaning of suffering revealing that now suffering exists in tandem with God’s love, not as a contradiction to it.

As we pray with our Haitian and Madeiran brothers and sisters and compassionately reach out to help them with prayer and sacrifices, we should also prepare for our own sufferings, so that when they come, we can bear them in a way that brings us and others ever more into the heart of the redemption we remember in Lent.

David Ament is a practicing attorney and an active member of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

He and his wife Bev have two children and five grandchildren.

Purity of heart and pornography on the Internet

orn is a problem. Our Lord Jesus promised us that “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8), and that “anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28). The Sixth Commandment, which Jesus clearly endorsed, tells us, “You shall not commit adultery,” which is understood broadly to forbid all sexual gratification outside of the committed conjugal relations of husband and wife. The Ninth Commandment, which says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,” tells us to not

even think about doing it, which false” (Ps 24:3-4). is, come to think of it, what Jesus Bishop Robert W. Finn of was telling us.

Kansas City-St. Joseph wrote In our sex-crazed culture, a pastoral letter for Lent three many politicians and celebrities years ago entitled “Blessed Are have a problem with marital fidelity. But I think it’s fair to say that many an average Joe have a problem with internet porn. Yet, as Psalm 24 says, “Who

By Dwight Duncan shall ascend the mountain of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean the Pure in Heart,” on internet hands and a pure heart, who does porn, which is no less pertinent not lift up his soul to what is today. He documents “the steady increase of pornography in our culture,” to the point of a plague or “epidemic attacking human dignity.”

“Well beyond magazines, [pornography] is widespread on the internet, television, movies and videos, and now on cell phones and other handheld devices, many of which are marketed to children and youth.” “Use of internet pornography is perhaps the fastest growing addiction in the world.”

The purity pastoral, available on the internet at http:// www.catholicculture.org/culture/ library/view.cfm?id=7438&r epos=1&subrepos=0&searchi d=586180, explains how “use of pornography is a serious sin against chastity and the dignity of the human person” because it

Judge For Yourself

treats others as objects to use or enjoy rather than as persons to love.

“Attraction to pornography and its gratifications,” Bishop Finn writes, “is a false ‘love’ that leads to increasing emotional isolation, loneliness and sexual acting-out with self and others. It depends on the exploitation of other persons: Frequently the desperate or poor, or the innocent young. Use of pornography has cost persons their jobs, their marriages and families. Traffickers in child pornography may end up in prison.

It has often been associated with, and has contributed to, acts of sexual violence and abuse.”

In addition to documenting the problem with porn, and its exponential growth on the internet, the pastoral letter contains a number of practical suggestions for people struggling with exposure and even addiction to pornography.

He recommends recourse to the sacrament of penance, because it is a source of spiritual healing.

Use of pornography is, objectively considered, gravely sinful and damages people, relationships, families, and careers.

He urges “avoiding secretive or enticing environments,” inviting someone to monitor our computer, installing a filter. “At

home, a computer should be located in the open rather than in the private room.” He urges “eliminating pornographic materials: Destroy the videos, throw out the photos and magazines, cancel the problematic cable or satellite channels.”

He also recommends good advice for everyone in striving for virtue: “Being good stewards of our time, knowing our weaknesses, developing a plan to grow holy as a disciple.” This latter involves committing to daily prayer, more frequent Mass and holy Communion, daily examination of conscience and frequent confession, spiritual reading, and awareness of the presence of God. Bishop Finn ends his timely and important pastoral by quoting St. Benedict, who in his Rule wrote, “Never despair of God’s mercy.”

“The most serious temptation anyone can face is to doubt the reality of God’s love and mercy.

While we can never presume on that mercy, we must never let go of that most powerful and lifegiving hope…. If you remember just one sentence from this letter let it be this: ‘Never despair of God’s mercy.’” God, have mercy on us. “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).

Dwight Duncan is a professor at Southern New England School of Law in North Dartmouth. He holds degrees in civil and canon law.

February 26, 2010

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The Anchor

Diocesan seminarian in Rome organizes guide to old churches continued from page one

the beauty of marriage — Father Francis de Sales, Paolo, OFM, pastor of St. Margaret/St. Mary Church in Buzzards Bay, hosted a beautiful, commemorative event of the wedding anniversary on St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, in recognition of World Marriage Day.

Women to hold prayer service for priests continued from page one

Council members Muriel Patenaude, Church commission chair, and Claudette Armstrong each had an idea for recognizing the hard work and sacrifices made by diocesan priests.

Together, they pooled their ideas and came up with a format for a Year For Priests prayer service.

Soon after, a committee of five women planned the event scheduled to be held March 18 at 7 p.m. at St. Louis de France Church, 56 Buffington Street, in Swansea.

Patenaude and Lynette Ouellette were named cochairmen for the event. Pauline Vezina, District I president; Maddy Lavoie; and Armstrong rounded out the fivewoman panel.

“Many people don’t realize just how hard our priests work,” Armstrong told The Anchor. “They do so in a quiet way, often going the extra mile that goes unseen.”

“These are dedicated men and they deserve some recognition,” added Vezina.

Enlisting the approval and support of St. Louis de France Parish pastor, Father Richard R. Gendreau, the women developed a Note In last week’s article “Deacon composes Stations with links to Year For Priests,” authorship of the Third Station should be attributed to the “Magnificat Year For Priests Companion.”

special service for all priests of the Fall River Deanery.

“We sent out a letter of invitation to Bishop George W. Coleman and all the priests of the Fall River Deanery, active and retired,” reported Ouellette. The women stressed that the event is open to everyone and that it is an excellent opportunity for lay people to express their appreciation and gratitude for their dedicated priests.

The evening will include prayers for priests, an introduction of the priests in attendance, along with one-sentence reflection on what it means to be a priest, for each one.

The names of those clergy who couldn’t attend will also be read aloud, with reflections dedicated to them as well.

Father Gendreau and District I moderator Father Horace J. Travassos will conclude the service with a reading, petitions, and a closing prayer.

Light refreshments will be served following the service.

“Everyone should know that all are invited to come and pray for their priests,” added Armstrong.

“Men too.”

If any priest from the Fall River Deanery did not receive an invitation letter, or who wishes to acknowledge they will be attending, they should contact Lynette Ouellette at 508-674-7036, or via email to frnchconnect.@aol.com

by March 8.

A church was designated a “station church” because of its prominence in early Christianity or because it was constructed on the burial site of a saint or martyr in the early Church.

According to Church history, long-ago popes would travel with the laity to a different church in the city each day during Lent for Mass, making a pilgrimage from one stop or station to another until Easter.

For Williams, in his third year of theology, and his fellow 225 seminarians from the North American College — the U.S. seminary in the Eternal City — “the walk down from Janiculum Hill to St. Sabina’s, a Dominican Church and one of Rome’s ancient churches for a 7 a.m. Mass in English, took about 30 minutes,” Riley told The Anchor in a telephone interview.

“The weather ranges from between 40 and 50 degrees these days, so it wasn’t too bad,” he reported.

This is the 35th annual Lenten revisit of the pilgrimage that finds the seminarians in the old tradition each day of Lent except Sundays.

“Every weekday we will visit one of the old churches and attend Mass celebrated by a different priest from the seminary, and the Mass servers, lectors, and other volunteers are all from the seminary,” Williams explained.

The second day of Lent found the young men studying for the priesthood at St. George’s Church in Velabrum.

“It amounted to a 45-minute walk … and when we go to a major basilica like St. Paul Outside the Walls, which is across the city, it will take us up to an hour,” he noted.

For Williams, whose home parish is Our Lady of the Assumption in Osterville, the pilgrimages have a special meaning. Last fall, he spent four months organizing the updating and republication of “Procedamus in Pace: A Lenten Guide to the Station Churches of Rome,” which gives an historical overview and lists the religious and architectural highlights of each of the station churches.

Around the year 600, Pope Gregory the Great standardized the list of station churches and decreed on which day of Lent they would be visited. The goal was to strengthen the sense of community among the members of the Church in Rome who had endured many centuries of hardship and persecution.

The pilgrimages had been abandoned for hundreds of years when Pope John XXIII asked that it be revived in 1959.

A graduate priest, Father James R. DeViese Jr., of the Diocese of Wheeling, W. Va., is in charge of

arranging for the priests who will celebrate the daily Mass, and Williams is director of the volunteers and in charge of arranging for the personnel, sacred vestments and vessels for the Masses.

“In making these journeys to various churches around the city, we are joined not only to the saints who lived and died there, but also by the innumerable multitudes who have worshipped in these same places,” said Williams.

“The North American College seminarians take up a collection during Masses and choose a special charity each year,” Williams said. “It amounts to approximately $5,000.”

“The 2010 station-church collections, will be sent to Haiti to help rebuild the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince’s seminary, which was destroyed in January’s earthquake,” he added.

Since 1975, when The North American College began organizing its own pilgrimage, members from the English-speaking community of Rome have been invited to participate. This year, hundreds of laypeople and religious and priests joined the seminarians for the Ash Wednesday Mass.

Msgr. James F. Checchio, rector of the college, was the principal celebrant, and was joined by approximately 150 concelebrating priests.

The Anchor provides a weekly wealth of Catholic information.

What better gift to give in 2010?

“It has come a long way since I was a seminarian there,” said Father Jon-Paul Gallant, pastor of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in South Attleboro. “But I remember how we were all pumped up by it.”

“I was a student at The North American College from 1974 to 1978 during which the tradition was reinstated, and it was fairly limited with only 10 or 12 seminarians taking part,” Father Gallant recalled.

“I remember how dark and cold it was making the early morning walks, and it amounted to some sacrifice, because those who made the walks had to forgo a hot shower and hot water to shave with, which finances had limited to morning hours,” he added.

“But when I returned as a priest-student in 1985, things had greatly changed, and there was an estimated 100 students making the Lenten pilgrimages; and as a priest I had the privilege on one of those Lenten days to be the principal celebrant of the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica,” he said.

“While it wasn’t at the papal altar, it was just behind it, at the Altar of the Chair, and what was so great a memory is that I celebrated Mass on February 22, which is the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle.”

Contributing to this story was Father Matthew Gamber of Catholic News Service.

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16

Youth Pages

February 26, 2010

that’s snow biz — Seventh- and eighth-grade students from St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth, St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis, and St. Margaret Regional School in Buzzards Bay, recently gathered at St. Pius X School for the first annual Winter Snowball Dance. (Photo by Deborah Goldberg)

D

uring the liturgy for Ash Wednesday, there is a responsory prayer that says, in part, “Direct our hearts to better things, O Lord.” This one line is staying with me this Lent, so I wanted to share it with you.

People don’t really like to ask for directions. I think that’s why GPS systems are so popular. But during Lent, stopping and asking for directions is exactly what we are supposed to do. When it comes to spiritual direction, a GPS won’t be of much value. It’s not a computer’s voice that we need, but rather, the voice of the living God. The first step is to realize that we may not be on the right road. We all have habits, faults, and weaknesses that create a lot of detours. If we’ve gone off the main road, or feel like the potholes are taking over, the next thing we need to do is stop. In the world we live in, many of us find it difficult to stop. We are so consumed with doing that we have forgotten how to simply be. But we do need to stop and assess our situation. We need to quiet ourselves enough to hear

17

Youth Pages

February 26, 2010

Let’s stop to ask for directions

better things. This is where the the voice of God speak to our disciplines of Lent come into hearts. We can’t just keep doplay. If we can strengthen our ing what we’ve been doing and expect our lives to just straighten out without some effort on our part. So, what needs to change? God has given us the gift of each day … approximately 24 hours to each one. How are

By Jean Revil we spending that time?

Where are we wasting time? How well are prayer lives, and make ourselves we loving in the time we have? more available to God, we know Where could our relationship with God be strengthened? When from experience, and from his is the last time we really checked promises, that he will be with on that relationship? There’s a lot us, loving us, and drawing us in deeper and deeper into his to think about here. love. If we can fast from some Many of us don’t take the of those things that demand our simply time to make ourselves attention, we will have more time available to God. We are on the for working on our relationship phone, at the computer, behind with God. If we fast from those the wheel, listening to the iPod, favorite things to eat or drink, playing video games, texting and feel the hunger and thirst, we this one, responding to that one, may develop a stronger hunger checking our email … someand thirst for God. In the fasting, times all at the same time. Lent provides us with the time to stop, and in the time alone with God, we will finally be ready to hear look at our situation, and ask the directions that will lead to the God for some direction. I would better things. And if we use the love God to direct my heart to

Be Not Afraid

time we have been given by fasting from activities, or the money we have found from fasting from things, and share it with those in need, we will have found some of the better things.

The better things we seek are not going to be found in a store, or in the next new technological toy. The better things are found in falling deeper in love with God, and sharing that love with those around us who

are having trouble. The better things are found in the sacrifices and the freedoms we find in the fasting. The better things are found in the prayer time that refreshes and strengthens the soul, in the gratitude that wells up in us when we stop to ask for directions. “Direct our hearts to better things, O Lord.”

Blessed Lent.

Jean Revil teaches theology and is campus minister at Bishop Stang High School. Comments welcome at: jrevil@bishopstang. com.

Faith Formation rally for the homeless MATTAPOISETT — In a very brief period of time the combined ninth-grade Faith Formation classes of St. Rita’s Parish in Marion and St. Anthony’s Parish in Mattapoisett worked together to make a big impact on helping the homeless.

The students submitted a short paragraph to both parish bulletins to initiate a Toiletries Drive for the Homeless Shelter in Boston. The shelter provides more than 600 showers a day for

the homeless.

After a few weeks the youths collected 200 pounds of toiletries on the shelter’s behalf.

The ninth-grade students who spearheaded the campaign were: Katie Kiernan, Alex Pickering, Christopher Tippins, Noah Beaulieu, Ben Coucci, Katelyn Cummings, Sophia Santos, Tim Gonsalves, Cam O’Connor, Conrad Roy, Isabelle Gillis, Teddy Costa, and Casey Silveira.

repaired,” Sister Cadet said.

“They’re all afraid to go back into the buildings because of the aftershocks,” added Margaret Penicaud. “The highest priority now is getting relief to these people who have nothing — they’ve lost everything.”

While donations have been streaming into charitable organizations since the January 12 tragedy, Sister Cadet said they haven’t received any food, supplies or relief.

When The Anchor inquired with Catholic Relief Services as to why Sister Cadet and her congregation have yet to receive any aid, John Rivera, acting director of communications for CRS, replied via email: “Have these folks requested aid from CRS?” Sister Cadet’s eyes well up with tears as she glances at a photograph of her late friend and driver in the latest Fish Farm for Haiti Project newsletter. She says his wife is now staying with her since she lost her entire family in the earthquake.

Tomorrow she will travel with Sister Syldor and Penicaud to Boston to plea for help from local charitable agencies.

Then she will pack as many donated supplies and provisions as two pieces of carry-on luggage will allow and fly back to Haiti to rejoin her fellow nuns.

“As you know, we don’t have any international connection, so it will be difficult for us to start again,” Sister Cadet said.

“The economy is going down, people aren’t working. We know we aren’t going to receive anything — we are going to have to struggle by ourselves. It was difficult before for us to get our daily bread, now it will be worse.

Right now we’re hoping to start rebuilding the school at Lalue.”

Lalue, the largest school staffed by the nuns in Port-auPrince, half collapsed in the tragedy. Fortunately, none of the 1,000 students enrolled there were inside at the time.

Other than monetary donations, the priority items needed now include tents of all sizes and/or tarps and rope to provide adequate shelter.

Sister Cadet sees another photo with two of her nuns standing alongside a monstrance and points, speaking to Penicaud in French.

“They also need small monstrances for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,” Penicaud said. “That’s what keeps them going over there: our blessed Lord.”

Those wishing to help Sister Cadet can find a list of needed supplies via her Fish Farm for Haiti Project non-profit organization website at www.fishfarmhaiti.org where there is also a PayPal link set up for donations.

Donors can also send checks to Earthquake Relief, c/o MV Fish Farm for Haiti Project, P.O. Box 1803, Vineyard Haven, Mass., 02568.

Sisters working in Haiti still waiting for relief help continued from page one

Sister Cadet and Sister Syldor temporarily left their pressing mission there along with 44 other members of their congregation in order to seek immediate aid and relief in attempting to rebuild the good work they started in Haiti — a once-vibrant network of 10 schools and one health center they staff and operate in and around Port-au-Prince.

Now more than a month after the devastating earthquake, Sister Cadet has yet to receive any semblance of relief or assistance, even though their main compound is barely four miles from the capital city.

In the absence of aid from high-profile groups like the American Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services, Sister Cadet decided to turn to her friends here in Massachusetts for some immediate help.

“She came here because she knew she had to get out to help her people,” said Margaret Penicaud, one of the driving forces behind the Fish Farm for Haiti Project. “There’s so little that’s reaching them and they need so much.”

Penicaud, a parishioner at St. Augustine’s Parish in Vineyard Haven, first met Sister Cadet in 1998 when she traveled to Haiti to begin the Fish Farm for Haiti Project — a self-preservation effort that resulted in the creation of five freshwater ponds on property owned by the congregation in which the local people could

propagate and harvest tilapia for nourishment.

Penicaud learned about the nuns’ work in Haiti when the order’s founder, the late Mother Monique, came to Martha’s Vineyard to recuperate with a friend after eye surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Our motto is ‘Give a person a fish, feed them for a day; teach a person to fish, feed them for a lifetime,’ so education is key to our whole project,” Penicaud said. “The first thing we did was put a well in and then constructed five fish ponds.”

Through the volunteer and fund-raising efforts of her nonprofit group in the last 12 years, Penicaud said they were able to not only construct and stock the five fish ponds, but also help the nuns plant and cultivate a garden filled with corn, eggplant, beans, sweet potatoes, tapioca, spinach and other produce.

They even helped build one of the order’s schools on the same site as the fish ponds.

“These schools are primary and elementary schools and they also have training schools to teach the girls cooking and sewing to give them a means to make a living,” Penicaud said.

“The mission of the Sisters is Christian education of women and girls. They believe that the women and girls have the greatest impact on the children and the future of Haiti.”

But all that came to an abrupt

halt on January 12.

“When the earthquake hit, they were just in the process of putting on a second-story at the motherhouse so when people came to visit, the Sisters wouldn’t have to give up their beds,” Penicaud said.

What’s worse is people from Port-au-Prince are steadily migrating to the outskirts of the city to get away from the epicenter of the tragedy.

Sister Cadet estimated that more than 250 displaced and homeless families are now living on their property at Canapé Vert in makeshift huts and tents.

“They’ve been collecting materials from the houses that were destroyed — like sheets of metal — and using them to build little huts, but the rainy season is coming and I just don’t know what’s going to happen to these families,” Penicaud said.

“The rainy season will happen very soon — by May we typically have a lot of rain, I know,” Sister Cadet agreed. “I know we won’t be able to rebuild the buildings we had, but hopefully we can put up something that will be better for us.”

With the fish and produce supply from their once-thriving ponds and gardens exhausted and no safe shelter to speak of, Sister Cadet said they are all living outside, exposed to the elements and in need of food.

“The children cannot go inside the schools until they are

18

The Anchor

Our readers respond Actual number of abortions is horrifying In his article “How men are harmed by abortion” in the February 12 edition, Father Tad Pacholczyk tells us that “upwards of 3,000 abortions occur each day in the U.S.” This number, which comes to about a million abortions per year, is in line with what Planned Parenthood reports, and it is a reasonable estimate if only surgical abortions are included in the total. According to American Life League, an additional six to 11 million babies are killed by the pill and other forms of birth control. These are labeled and distributed as contraceptives, and when they cause early abortions, as they sometimes do, such deaths still do not get included in the Planned Parenthood estimates.

The next time this issue is addressed, it should be made clear that the 3,000 abortions per day total cited only refers to the number killed by surgical abortion. Sadly, an estimated 16-30,000 additional pre-born children are killed each year in the U.S. by the pill or other forms of birth control.

Charles O. Coudert Sherborn The Anchor is worth the price I am happy to pay the new annual subscription cost of The Anchor; 49 issues for $20 and it is mailed to my home.

It’s the best deal in town from my perspective. It is where I can read articles and feel comfortable that I am being provided with accurate information without all the spin and media bias we too often see in our secular newspapers.

It has been wonderful to see the encyclicals of Pope Benedict the XVI being provided for the laity.

No sooner do I hear about a new encyclical being released and The Anchor is already covering it.

I just want to thank the staff and the reporters for all their hard work and give them kudos for helping me to stay on top of issues that are important to me as a Catholic.

Bea Martins Fall River Stop Planned Parenthood funding Every day of the year, the federal government gives one million tax dollars to Planned Parenthood.

A wealthy, international organization with a recent profit report of over a billion dollars, this group uses our money to infiltrate our schools with condom distribution, literature and clinics promoting birth control and abortion. It carries out similar campaigns around the globe in underdeveloped countries, aided and abetted by the United Nations.

It uses our money to construct abortion mills largely in poor, minority neighborhoods. Planned Parenthood springs from the eugenics philosophy of Margaret Sanger; her goal was to “cleanse the race” with her “Negro Project” by reducing the number of black births.

Now under consideration is the “Prevention First Act,” to add millions more to Planned Parenthood. Although Planned Parenthood is under public scrutiny for such charges as ignoring laws that require minors to report the age of their baby’s father (with the possible consequence that he may be

charged with statutory rape) our Health & Human Services Department continues to freely lavish money on this group.

These additional funds would provide more teen indoctrination such as its obscene teenwire.com website (parental review is suggested to see just what PP wants for your child.) The proposed bill would also affect Medicaid by “expanding ‘emergency’ contraception’ programs and other reproductive health services for low income women” and force private insurance companies and government health care programs to provide contraceptives.

In Ecuador, Planned Parenthood is training children as young as 11 to inject each other with contraceptives.

The public needs to know about this organization. We urge Catholics to recognize that halting the destruction of innocent life must be our first priority if we are to return to being a moral and Christian nation. Directing our time and resources to resolving “social issues” is almost wasted effort until we first — as individuals, from pulpits, from organizations — demand the revocation of Roe v. Wade and the de-funding of Planned Parenthood.

Catholics have the power to change this.

Patricia Stebbins, President Cape Cod Family Life Alliance We need comprehensive health care soon Many people think that the status quo in health care is sustainable. They are wrong.

Per capita health care costs in the United States rose to more than $8,000 in 2009, and at their current rate of increase will surpass $16,000 by 2019.

Without the passage of comprehensive health care reform, the number of uninsured, inflation, unemployment, bankruptcy rates, taxes, trade deficits, and budget deficits will all be increasingly higher than they would otherwise be.

We have the most expensive health care in the world, with per capita costs that are at least double that of any other country, and yet, compared to the vast majority of other advanced industrial countries, we live shorter, sicker lives: our infant mortality rate is higher, our life span lower, and we experience many more years of severe chronic debilitating illness .

Congress must pass comprehensive health care reform now so that millions of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes will be saved, so that millions of personal bankruptcies be prevented, and so that we and our children and grandchildren may be able to live longer, healthier lives.

Kevin Costa Fall River

February 26, 2010

Transgender bill to be debated again continued from page one

“It comes at the expense of all other children,” he said. “We are concerned about the safety, the modesty and the decorum of all citizens.”

In an email to MFI supporters, Mineau said the opportunity for “unintended consequences,” like predators taking advantage of law, is too great.

“We cannot allow this legislation to advance if we want to maintain the privacy and safety of those intimate public spaces,” he said.

Mineau told The Anchor that the bill does no favors for those who struggle with gender identity disorder. The American Psychological Association lists transgenderism as a mental disorder, and good public policy should help people overcome such a disorder.

Last year, MFI delivered thousands of letters from opponents of the bill to Beacon Hill, and the legislation was stopped in its tracks. In emails, the organization has called for more concerned citizens to write letters and keep the bill from passing this spring.

Churches are encouraged to help with the letter drive.

Stella Diffenderfer, a lector at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, said the parish participated in the letter drive last year and plans to do so again this year.

She said she would feel apprehensive about encountering a man in the ladies’ rest room. She said that many people are also concerned about the bill and how it could be taken advantage of by predators. Many parents are worried about how it will affect their children in school, she said.

“It’s a family issue,” she said.

“It’s an issue for all of the people in Massachusetts.”

Diffenderfer said that many families are very busy and may not be plugged into every piece of legislation at the State House.

That is why getting the word out is so important, she said.

She added that opposing the bill is not meant to condemn anyone and should be handled with sensitivity.

“I have great compassion and love for transgendered people,” she said.

The bill defines “gender identity of expression as “a gender-related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior of an individual, regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth.”

Author of the bill, Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders attorney Laura Langley, wrote in a Bay Windows article last year that the legislation would open singlesex facilities “to anyone who identifies as and lives as the gender that they serve.”

“A transgender person who

identifies as a particular gender would be entitled to use bathroom, locker room and other single-sex facilities for that gender, regardless of whether or not they have had surgery or are taking hormones,” she added.

Bay Windows is a Boston-based gay advocacy newspaper.

Proponents of the bill, who held a rally and met with legislators on January 21, have reportedly said that opponents are “just uncomfortable” and should “get over it.”

The Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the public policy office of the Commonwealth’s Catholic bishops, submitted written testimony to the committee in opposition of the bill. The testimony affirmed the inherent dignity of all people and opposed unjust discrimination, based on prejudice.

In Catholic teaching sexual difference is “a reality deeply inscribed in man and woman” and differential treatment is sometimes required for the common good. The measures taken in the bill would violate the privacy of many and usurp their interests for the few who struggle with gender identity disorder. Thus, the remedy is not even-handed, the testimony said.

“The bill now before this committee was intentionally drafted broadly so as to permit any person for any reason to determine under state law to be identified with the particular sexual designation he or she chooses at any moment. The bill’s passage would launch the Commonwealth into a chaotically shifting legal milieu by forbidding the state from requiring an individual’s self-identification for legal purposes to comply with any time limitation, documentation, or other commitment that formalizes and stabilizes one’s individual sex designation. An individual would be legally empowered to pose as a man and a woman at different times or at the same time, and for any length of time, however short in duration,” the MCC said.

The MCC’s testimony also expressed concern that the bill would override the religious interests of faith-based providers of services and programs offered to the general public. They cited a case of a Catholic hospital in California that refused to allow its facilities to be used for breast implant surgery on a man who had undergone a sex-change operation. The man filed suit, and the hospital reversed course, issuing a statement last year that said, “We want this patient and her physician to know that they are welcome at Seton Medical Center.”

The Massachusetts bishops oppose the transgender bill in its entirety, their testimony said.

Father Boivin dies continued from page one

resa’s in South Attleboro.

In 1994 he was named senior priest and was in residence at St. Jean Baptiste Parish in Fall River until moving to the Cardinal Medeiros Residence.

Father Richard R. Gendreau, pastor of St. Louis de France Parish, spoke in detail about Father Boivin, “who I considered a good friend … and who was very much a part of this parish from 1970 to 1988.”

He described Father Boivin “as a very shy person, but deeply spiritual, and deliberate and conscientious to always do the right thing for everyone. He didn’t make close friends; but he was very observant of people’s needs, and we might say, generous to a fault for wanting to do so much for his parishioners and all who came to him.”

He added, “He was a man of charity, and he had so many gifts.

People would see him walking the driveway at the church, with his dog alongside him, as he prayed the rosary or said his breviary. As a matter of fact, he wore out the rug in the rectory as he paced back and forth in prayer … it was his ‘prayer trail.’”

Retired Permanent Deacon Leo W. Racine of New Bedford, a close friend of Father Boivin, told The Anchor, “I rarely saw Father Boivin when he was not in prayer.”

He recalled that when he was vice president of the Legion of Mary, it was Father Boivin who was the spiritual advisor, “and I came to know him well. When he was pastor at St. Joseph’s in New Bedford,

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks March 1 Rev. James F. Masterson, Founder, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1906 Rev. Msgr. Peter L.D. Robert, P.R., Pastor, Notre Dame, Fall River, 1948 Rev. John McCarthy, CSC, Stonehill College, North Easton, 2003 Rev. William W. Norton, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet, 2004 March 2 Rev. Antoine Berube, Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1936 Rev. James J. Brady, Retired Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford, 1941 Rev. Tarcisius Dreesen, SS.CC., Sacred Hearts Monastery, Fairhaven, 1952 Rev. Alphonse E. Gauthier, Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1962 Rev. J. Omer Lussier, Pastor, Sacred Heart, North Attleboro, 1970 March 3 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Timothy P. Sweeney, LL.D., Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1960 March 5 Rev. James McGuire, Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1850 Permanent Deacon Manuel H. Camara, 1995 Rev. James A. McCarthy, Retired Pastor, St. Mary, Falmouth, 2007 March 6 Rev. Joseph F. McDonough, Former Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1906 Rev. John W. Quirk, Founder, St. Joseph, Taunton; Rev. Bernard P. Connolly, S.S., St. Charles College, Maryland, 1932 Rev. Antoine Lanoue, O.P., 1996 Rev. Jerome Lawyer, CSC, 2006 March 7 Rev. Arthur P.J. Gagnon, Pastor, Holy Rosary, New Bedford, 1958

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The Anchor

February 26, 2010 he baptized four of our six children in the years after 1959.”

The deacon also recalled that as a young curate, “Father Boivin, like most young priests, didn’t have a car. Only the pastors had automobiles. But Father Boivin would take the parish census cards and walk to visit every family in whatever parish he was in. He came to know each family well and knew their spirituality. But he would never talk about it. He was 100 percent a priest, a very prayerful priest who cared for everyone.”

Deacon Racine related that at one time he was very interested in the Trappists. “After learning about meditation from Father Boivin, I told him what a great Trappist he would make. And he told me, ‘I was ordained to be a parish priest.’

And he was a good one.”

In 2008, Father Boivin celebrated the 60th jubilee of his ordination.

He leaves two sisters, Maria Donnelly and Rita Bedard of Taunton; and nieces and nephews, among whom is Deacon Philip E. Bedard of Taunton.

He was the brother of the late Holy Union Sister Anna Imelda Boivin, Holy Union Sister Lucille Theresa Boivin, Holy Union Sister Pauline Louise Boivin, St. Joseph Sister Emma Boivin, Ida Boivin, Alma Pelletier, and Joseph A., Euclide L., Arthur, and Alphonse Boivin.

His wake service was held in St. Louis de France Church in Swansea. His funeral Mass was celebrated there on February 20. Burial was February 22 in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Taunton.

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds perpetual eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street. For open hours, or to sign up, call Liesse at 401-864-8539.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday of the month, concluding with Benediction and Mass.

Buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place First Fridays at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has eucharistic adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on the first Sunday of the month from noon to 4 p.m.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 21 Cross Street, beginning at 4 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the rosary, and the opportunity for confession.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508336-5549.

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

Celebrant is Father Marek Chmurski, pastor of St. Lawrence Martyr Parish in New Bedford

Around the Diocese 3/1 3/5

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 984 Taunton Avenue, Seekonk, will host a parish Lenten retreat March 1-3 at 7 p.m. each evening in the church. Father John Randall, LSTD, will present “Living in the Spirit” and all are welcome.

The Respect for Life Parish Nurse Ministries of Christ the King Parish, Mashpee, will host a Lenten Program on “End of Life Issues” March 5 at 11:30 a.m. in the parish hall.

Brief talks will be given by Father Michael Fitzpatrick, chaplain at UMass-Dartmouth and St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford; and Melody Collins, RN, BSN, manager of Hospice and Palliative Care at VNA of Cape Cod. The program will be followed by a “poor man’s lunch.” For more information, call 508-759-2737.

3/5

The Fall River Area Men’s First Friday Club will meet March 5 at the Parish of the Good Shepherd, 1598 South Main Street, Fall River. Following the 6 p.m. Mass celebrated

by Father Freddie Babiczuk, a hot meal will be served in the church hall to be followed by guest speaker, Deacon Bruce Bonneau, diocesan director of Adult Evangelization and Spirituality.

Any men wishing to attend may do so. For more information, call 508-672-8174.

3/5

Make this Lent your opportunity to deepen your faith and friendship with God. ECHO is now accepting applications for the girls’ retreat to be held March 5-7 and the boys’ retreat to be held March 26-28 at the Craigville Conference Center, Centerville. Call Mary Fuller at 508-759-4265 or download applications at www.echoofcapecod.org.

3/6

A Day with Mary will take place March 6 from 7:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at St. John of God Parish, 996 Brayton Avenue, Somerset. The day will include a video, instruction, procession and crowning of the Blessed Mother, Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and an opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation. For more information, call 508984-1823.

3/7

On March 7 St. Mary’s Parish, Main Street, Fairhaven, will host a St. Patrick’s Day Social with coffee and donuts after the 10 a.m. Mass. Everyone is welcome to join the parish in saying farewell to Father Richard Lifrak as he begins his new ministry in Texas. For more information call 508-992-7300 or email stmarysfairhaven@comcast.net.

3/9

The next meeting of the Catholic Cancer Support Group will be March 9 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Street, Centerville. The meeting will start in the church with a Mass and anointing of the sick, followed by a social and sharing in the parish center. For more information, call 508-771-1106 or email maryplees@comcast.net.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 5 p.m. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed at 4:45 p.m.; on the third Friday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.; and for the Year For Priests, the second Thursday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.

Taunton — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m.

Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street, holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

20

The Anchor

February 26, 2010

FALL RIVER DEANERY-LENTEN MISSION March 1-4, 2010

Preacher: Rev. Thomas McElroy, SSCC Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Fairhaven, MA

Mission Theme:

CONVERSION

Afternoon Mission Homily and Mass St. Mary’s Cathedral, 12:05 PM Mass, Monday-Thursday 327 Second Street, Fall River, MA Evening Mission Homily and Mass Monday: March 1st, at Holy Trinity Church, 951 Stafford Rd., 7PM “Those of you who are baptized, Raise your hand-So What?” ­Tuesday: March 2nd, Good Shepherd Church, 1598 S. Main St., 7PM “The Way, The Truth, The Life-Faith Must be Lived.”

Wednesday: March 3rd, St. Joseph Church, 1335 N. Main St., 7 PM “The longer you wait, the harder it gets.” Penance Service Thursday: March 4th, St. Michael Church, 189 Essex St., 7PM “You can make a difference.”

Confessions heard 30 minutes before each Mass.

Following each evening Mass, refreshments will be available in the parish hall each night after Mass.