30th Annual FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner raises $300,000
By Joan D. Warren Editor
joandwarren@anchornews.org
WESTPORT — The 30th annual FACE (Foundation to Advance Catholic Education) Fall Scholarship Dinner took place on Wednesday, November 20 with nearly 350 guests in attendance at White’s of Westport.
This year’s honorees for the Timothy J. Cotter Friend of Catholic Education Award were Pat and Tom Marmen of Cotuit on Cape Cod. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha presented the award. The Marmens have been loyal advocates for Catholic education and are co-chairing the FACE Summer Gala for the third time in August.
“You are a true blessing to us, our Diocese and the schools of the Diocese,” the Bishop said.
After accepting the award from Bishop da Cunha, Mrs. Marmen spoke of specific instances where Catholic education scholarships were instrumental in the lives of the recipients and of the ripple effect made by the opportunities the scholarships provide.
“The value of Catholic education and the
Fall River Bishop Edgar da Cunha presents the Timothy J. Cotter Friend of Catholic Education Award to Patricia and Tom Marmen at the 30th annual scholarship dinner.
light of Christ shines bright,” she said.
Shortly after its founding in 1991, then known as the St. Mary’s Education Fund, a group of supporters created the Fall Scholarship Dinner. In addition to raising funds, the evening was a time to honor community members who have championed Catholic education—celebrating the past, present, and future.
This year’s attendees hailed from schools, institutions of higher education, parishes, businesses, community organizations and other dedicated partners.
Thanks to its donors and supporters, FACE, managed by the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, makes financial assistance available to families seeking to enroll their children in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Fall River. It helps to ensure that financial hardship does not deter families from providing their children with faith-filled educational environments. More than $21 million in aid has been distributed across grades K-12 throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod Cod over the
8 Turn to page 10
Fall River Diocese Renews its Call to Support Priests through the ‘Serving the Shepherds Fund’
FALL RIVER – Last year, the Diocese of Fall River launched the “Serving the Shepherds Fund,” designated to support priests. Instead of reaching out to the Diocesan faithful and inviting year-end gifts to support the Diocese generally, Bishop da Cunha is directing attention specifically toward the support of the priests of our Diocese. The Serving the Shepherds appeal allows the community to show gratitude to the priests of the Fall River Diocese by donating to the fund, offering a prayer, or expressing gratitude to the priests
who have made a mark on our lives. The Fund helps ensure that the Diocese of Fall River’s priests receive the necessary resources, mentorship, and financial assistance at every stage of their vocation.
The call to the priesthood is a sacred calling to live a life dedicated to God, serving others through sacraments, preaching, teaching, loving service and spiritual guidance, and striving to represent Christ in the world. The whole Church must facilitatethe path for those called to serve so they recognize the invitation as well as actively support those who have already dedicated their lives to the church as priests. Today, active priests carry increased responsibilities, sometimes serving multiple 8 Turn to page 14
Bishop’s Blog: The Season of Advent is here
Prior to Halloween, many stores were already displaying Christmas decorations, and perhaps you’ve noticed homes adorned with Christmas lights as early as a few weeks ago. This year, with Thanksgiving falling so late, it seems the season has been moving forward with great anticipation. Yet, these early decorations remind us of something more profound—the beginning of Advent on Sunday, December 1, just days after Thanksgiving.
begins, serve as a reminder of that divine light—of the love and redemption Christ offers through His birth and resurrection. As Scripture tells us: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
So, let your Christmas lights shine brightly! Let them be a witness to the light of Christ in your hearts and homes.
Advent 2024
Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus and his second coming. The word ‘‘Advent” comes from the Latin phrase ad-venire, which means ‘‘to come to”. The liturgical color for Advent is purple, similar to Lent, as both seasons prepare for major feast days.
The Advent 2024 themes (hope, peace, joy, and love) unfold over the four weeks, guiding our hearts to reflect on the profound impact of Jesus’ birth. Each Advent theme invites us to pause, refocus, and embrace God’s promises.
Advent is a season that coincides with the shortening of daylight and the lengthening of darkness in our days. This darkness symbolizes a world without Christ—a world longing for hope, peace, and salvation. Yet, from this darkness comes the great light of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. His light shines into the shadows of our lives, bringing hope, renewed purpose, and unconditional love.
The homes decorated with Christmas lights, even long before the season officially
During this Advent season, I encourage you to open your heart to Jesus. Take time for prayer, Eucharistic adoration, or the many events happening in our parishes and schools. Attend Mass and reflect on the beautiful Advent readings that prepare us for the joy of Christmas.
May this holy season be a time of grace and light for you and your loved ones.
Yours in Christ, Bishop Edgar da Cunha
Advent Resources & Materials
Go to Resource Central to access resources for Advent. Resource Central is a database of resources on a variety of topics, all in one place, free on EquipCatholics. Share with volunteers and catechists so they can find new materials and ideas.
https://equipcatholics.org/spaces/12293835
As milestones are observed, new report offers look at State of Diocese
FALL RIVER — For the Diocese of Fall River, this year has had special significance: it marks both the 120th anniversary of its establishment and the 10th anniversary of the installation of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., as its shepherd.
In conjunction with these milestones, the Diocese has published its second State of the Diocese of Fall River Report.
The online report provides an overview of the many ministries, services, and offices within the Diocese of Fall River. It includes details on their mission, a brief historical background, notable recent achievements, and information from the most recent diocesan financial audit, among other highlights.
“This report highlights the many accomplishments from our first State of the Diocese Report in 2020, as well as additional achievements over the past decade,” explains Kevin R. Kiley, the Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer for the Diocese of Fall River. “It provides valuable insight into the mission, administrative, and financial aspects of our Diocesan organization.”
The State of the Diocese Report is available on the diocesan website at fallriverdiocese.
December 6, 2024
org and is being shared electronically through email and diocesan social media channels.
The report features a message from Bishop da Cunha, reflecting on his ten years of ministry as leader of the Diocese that encompasses the Catholic community across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands.
He begins by expressing his “gratitude for the continued faithfulness, resilience, and dedication of the diocesan family” in a journey together “through periods of challenge, renewal, and transformation.”
The bishop highlights accomplishments in several key areas where the Diocese has expanded efforts and deepened its engagement: clergy support, evangelization, vocational development, Catholic Charities, and Catholic education.
While acknowledging what has been achieved, Bishop da Cunha underscores that there is still much more to do.
“The challenges we face are not just administrative or financial but deeply spiritual,” he writes. “We are called to be a Church that listens, a Church that heals, and a Church that continually seeks to reflect the love of Christ to a world in need.”
Bishop da Cunha asks for continued prayers and support to build on the foundation now in place, noting that contributions of time, talent and treasure from all members of the diocesan family “remain essential in helping us carry out our mission in the coming years.”
A printed copy of the State of the Diocese Report is available upon request. Please email info@dioc-fr.org or write to the Chancellor’s Office, Diocese of Fall River, 450 Highland Ave., Fall River, MA 02720.
Catholic Charities seeks donations for Christmas
FALL RIVER — Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River is pleased to announce that the Annual Gift of Giving Program will continue this year. It is asking faithful of the Diocese to consider donating a gift card in any denomination, and recommend Walmart, Target and Amazon, as these offer free delivery. Donations will provide gift cards to those families in the program. In addition to the gift cards, Catholic Charities also offer individuals, families, parishes and organizations the opportunity to sponsor a family or families for Christmas. The sponsorship program provides information about a family
in one of our programs. Those wishing to sponsor a family receive the details of the family group, wishes, sizes, etc., and can shop accordingly. The deadline for gift cards is Sunday December 17, 2023, which will ensure that families receive the gift cards well before Christmas. The deadline for sponsoring a family or families, is Monday, December 18, 2023, which ensures that the gifts are delivered to the families prior to Christmas. If you have any questions, please contact Rose Mary Saraiva at 508-674-4681 Ext. 1111 or rsaraiva@ccfrdioc. org.
Diocese asks volunteers to become Marriage Ministry Mentors
FALL RIVER —Catholic married couples are invited to become a Marriage Ministry Mentor in the Diocese of Fall River. They will receive training, formation, guidance, and resources and help prepare engaged couples for their Sacrament of Matrimony. Those interested are asked to contact Irina Robinson, Family and Respect Life Director, at irobinson@dioc-fr.org / 508-6697966 or Deborah LeDoux, Family and Respect Life Coordinator at dledoux@dioc-fr.org / 508658-2956.
Diocese of Fall River
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has accepted the recommendation of the Very Reverend Andrew E. Whiting, I.V.E., Provincial Superior of the Institute of the Incarnate Word – Province of the Immaculate Conception, and has made the following appointment:
Reverend Marcelo da Silva, I.V.E., as Minister to the Hispanic Community and Parochial Vicar at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis
Pastoral Care Ministry at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis
Effective: October 1, 2024
+ + +
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., Bishop of Fall River, has made the following appointments:
Reverend Sioneata Kaitapu, ss.cc., as Parochial Vicar of Saint Mary’s Parish in Fairhaven
Effective: October 1, 2024
Reverend Peter R. Scheffer, Jr., Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet, while remaining Pastor of Saint Joan of Arc Parish in Orleans
Reverend David Sharland, Parochial Vicar at Saint Joan of Arc Parish in Orleans and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Wellfleet
Effective: December 1, 2024 + + +
December 6, 2024
Salt, Light and Leaven
Meet Vin Mancuso: Assistant Superintendent of Schools, new grandfather, history and geneology buff
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
Vincent ‘‘Vin” Mancuso is a resident of Coventry, Rhode Island and was born in Providence. He attended Our Lady of Providence High School, received a BA from Rhode island College and an MA from Providence College. He is married to Jill Mancuso and they share children Bethany and Peter, and a granddaughter, Sophia. They are parishioners at SS. John and Paul Church in Coventry, RI.
How long have you worked for the Catholic School Alliance and what did you do before? I began working in the Diocese of Fall River in April of 2021. Prior to that I worked at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick RI for 26 years. I was a teacher, coach, Assistant Principal and Vice President of Mission and Ministry.
What does it mean to you to be working for the Diocese of Fall River? I truly enjoy working in the Diocese of Fall River. There is a great commitment to Catholic Education in this Diocese from the Bishop on down. Our office is well staffed and that allows us to serve and support our schools at a very high level.
How does the Catholic faith guide your life? My faith has guided my life from the beginning. The Catholic faith was a major part of my upbringing and I have worked hard to improve my prayer life. I do realize that relying on Jesus and letting him into my life is a major source of strength and peace.
What is a typical work day look like? What is interesting is that everyday is a bit different. I generally will communicate with principals to assist them or help troubleshoot an issue. I also have responsibilities that require a lot of planning, so I work on those initiatives on a daily basis.
December 6, 2024
What are you currently reading? I am currently reading the book 1968 in America by Charles Kaiser. I was a history and government teacher. 1968 was a very tumultuous year in American history, plus it is the year I was born.
Dream vacation: A dream vacation would be to spend a long vacation in Sicily, Italy with my wife.
Lunch with anyone and why? (living or deceased) The easiest answer is Jesus; however, I would love to have lunch with my mother who died in 2000. I would like to tell her how her grandkids grew up and all of the events in my life since then.
Are you a sports fan and if so, which teams? I would say so, yes. I have a varied admiration for the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys.
Describe the perfect weekend: Our first grandchild, Sofia, was born in June of 2024. Spending the weekend with her and my wife Jill is great.
How did you meet your wife? I met my wife in high school and we are still together.
Hobbies: I have an internet Radio Station that I run with a friend. The Radio Station is devoted to the rock band Genesis. It began in
2020. I enjoy genealogy because I love history. I located a cousin of my dad’s whom he hadn’t heard from since 1958 and in 1999 she came to Rhode Island and met my dad and his five siblings and they remained in touch until some of them began to pass away. I also coach basketball.
Marian Medal Award presented to 64 by Bishop da Cunha
FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., awarded the Marian Award to 64 members of parishes from throughout the Fall River Diocese on Sunday, December 1, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.
The award recognizes diocesan parishioners for their dedicated service to the Church. Recipients are nominated for the award by their pastor.
The Marian Award is an acrylic gateway skyline design in the shape of a curved arch with beveled edges featuring an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Diocesan coat of arms. The Blessed Mother is the patroness of the Diocese of Fall River under her title of Our Lady of the Assumption. Around her image is the name of the award and the year in which it is presented.
The award continues the tradition of the Marian Medal, which has been presented annually to honor parishioners for service since 1968.
Bishop da Cunha blessed and presented the Marian Awards in the context of Evening Prayer of the Church and Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Marian Awards Ceremony is available for viewing on the Dioces of Fall River YouTube channel at HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE. COM/FRDCOMM.
The Marian Award recipients for 2024 are listed below by deanery.
Attleboro Deanery
Robert Bertoncini, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk; Jack Camara, St. Mary Parish, Norton; Paul Corriveau, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleboro; Glenn F. Loiselle, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield; Joseph Murray, Our Lady Queen of
Bishop da Cunha presents the Marian Award to Janet DeMoranville, recipient from Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in New Bedford.
Martyrs Parish, Seekonk; Suzanne Priest, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, South Attleboro; and Peter Walsh, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro.
Cape Cod & Islands Deanery
Vicky Anderson, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Wellfleet; Susan Clements, Good Shepherd Parish, Vineyard Haven; Ellen C. Covell, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans; Mary Dudley, St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Buzzards Bay; Merey Gutierrez, St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket; George M. Lane, Holy Redeemer Parish, Chatham; George C. Logan, Christ the King Parish, Mashpee; Brian J. Mulhall, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth; Maryellen Mungovan, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich; Winifred Murphy, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; John Niland, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Ann Sekerak, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Osterville; John Steele, Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich; Betty White, St. Peter
New Bedford Deanery
the Apostle Parish, Provincetown; Diane Wilde, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pocasset; and Julio Alvarez, St. Francis Xavier Parish Hyannis.
Fall River Deanery
Caroline Andrade, Holy Trinity Parish, Fall River; Michael J. Boyce, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Gaudino C. Branco, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Fall River; Margaret Copeland, St. Bernard Parish, Assonet; Jose M. Correia, Santo Christo Parish, Fall River; Eugene Czepiel, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River; Thomas J. Duquette, St. John the Baptist Parish, Westport; Patricia Ferencz, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Somerset; Alice Gut, St. John of God Parish, Somerset; Leotilde Melo, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; Maria Pereira, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Westport; Catherine H. Poisson, St. George Parish, Westport; Manuel C. Reis, Espirito Santo Parish, Fall River; Aparecida Rudnick, St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish, Fall River; and Ada L. Simpson, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Swansea.
Juan A. Ayala, Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Parish, New Bedford; Mary A. Chaplain, St. Anthony-St. Rita Parish, Mattapoisett; David Costa, St. Julie Billiart Parish, Dartmouth; Janet DeMoranville, Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford; Mary Ellen Flinn, St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, New Bedford; Richard J. Gwozdz, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet; Anne K. Jennett, St. Lawrence Parish, New Bedford; Troy R. Lester, St. Mary Parish, Dartmouth; Evelyn L'Homme, St. Patrick Parish, Wareham; Leonor Matos, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; Suzzanne Medeiros, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Joyce Mello, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; Lydia Murphy, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Bedford; Jane Rocha, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, New Bedford; and Donzilia Tadeu, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven.
Taunton Deanery
Paul M. Bourque, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; Lourinda Camara, St. Anthony Parish, Taunton; Janine M. Couture, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton; Orlando de Abreu, St. Mary Parish, Taunton; Susan Diniz, St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Taunton; Katherine Gorman, Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Taunton; Antonio L. Pina, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chapel, Taunton; Mary L. Lynch, Immaculate Conception Parish, North Easton; Theodore E. Sargent, Jr., St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Joseph Sollecito, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton; and Theodore J. Wojcik, Jr., St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton.
December 6, 2024
Editorial
Advent is a season of hope. We retrace the experience of the Jewish people awaiting the first coming of the Messiah in Bethlehem in order to prepare us for Jesus’ second coming and to embrace him in the various ways he comes to us in the present. We relive the hope of the past to discover and appreciate its first fulfillment in the present and stoke our yearning for its definitive fulfillment in the future.
Advent 2024, however, is not just preparing us to meet Jesus in history, mystery and majesty. It’s also a prelude to a much longer period of hope that will begin on Christmas Eve in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican: the Jubilee of Hope, which will extend throughout 2025 and conclude on January 6, 2026.
In preparation for the Jubilee, Pope Francis has given us two documents to cultivate us in the hope that should mark Advent, the Jubilee, and our whole Christian life.
The first is the Jubilee’s Bull of Indiction, Spes Non Confundit, which he published on earlier this year on the Solemnity of the Ascension (May 9) to prepare the Church for the Jubilee.
The title is taken from St. Paul’s words to the Romans, “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5). The reason hope doesn’t disappoint, the Pope argues, continuing St. Paul’s quotation, is “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Hope, the Holy Father states, “is born of love and based on the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the cross. … Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love.” That’s why, he states, “hope perseveres in the midst of trials: founded on faith and nur-
THE HOPE THAT DOESN’T DISAPPOINT
tured by charity, it enables us to press forward in life.”
In the Jubilee, he is encouraging all of the Christian faithful to continue the itinerary of Advent and become pilgrims of hope, awaiting the fulfillment of all Christ’s promises, as we journey together with God-with-us and with each other in time. “The Holy Door will be flung open,” he writes, “to invite everyone to an intense experience of the love of God that awakens in hearts the sure hope of salvation in Christ.”
He notes that during the Jubilee, we will mark the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council, of Nicaea, which gave us the Creed Christians profess each Sunday, as we proclaim two of the themes for which Advent prepares us: that “for us men and for our salvation, [the only begotten Son of God] came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man,” and that “he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”
Pope Francis is praying that “the coming Jubilee will thus be a Holy Year marked by the hope that does not fade, our hope in God” and that “the witness of believers [will] be for our world a leaven of authentic hope” and “through our witness, hope [will] spread to all those who anxiously seek it… as we await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
To ground us ever more in the reason for our Christian hope, namely, “the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the Cross,” Pope Francis published on October 24 a beautiful encyclical “on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ.” The letter, entitled Dilexit Nos or “He loved us” (Rom 8:37), is the most eloquent publication of Pope Francis’ pontificate and would make excellent, and accessible, spiritual
reading in Advent and throughout the Jubilee.
Dilexit Nos was written to help mark the 350th anniversary of Jesus’ apparitions to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque from December 1673 through June 1675. To her, and through her to us, the Lord Jesus revealed the depth of his love for the human race, that his “divine Heart is so inflamed with love for men … that, no longer able to contain in itself the flames of its ardent charity, it must pour them to enrich them with its precious treasures.”
The Holy Father says that the “heart of Christ” is the “core of his being, which is a blazing furnace of divine and human love and the most sublime fulfilment to which humanity can aspire. There, in that heart, we truly come at last to know ourselves and we learn how to love.” He says that the “Sacred Heart is the unifying principle of all reality,” “the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us,” the “very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel” that “stands at the origin of our faith,” the “summa of the experience of the Christian life” and the “sublime synthesis [of] the worship we owe to Jesus Christ.”
He urged us to respond to the divine and human love of Christ’s heart by receiving and synchronizing our hearts to Christ’s loving heartbeats, allowing Christ to “make our hearts like unto” his. “Devotion to Christ’s heart,” he states, “is essential for our Christian life to the extent that it expresses our openness in faith and adoration to the mystery of the Lord’s divine and human love.”
He helpfully clarifies that such “devotion to the heart of Christ is not the veneration of a single organ apart from the Person of Jesus,” but “the whole Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, represented by an image that accentuates his heart. … Our worship
is directed solely to the living Christ, in his divinity and his plenary humanity, so that we may be embraced by his human and divine love.” He says, “The Christ we see depicted with a pierced and burning heart is the same Christ who, for love of us, was born in Bethlehem,” the same Jesus who gives himself to us in the Holy Eucharist, which Jesus told St. Margaret Mary, was the “sacrament of love.”
The most beautiful section of the encyclical is when the Holy Father shares with us the thoughts of the saints with respect to the love of Christ symbolized by his pierced heart from which flowed Jesus’ divine and human love as an effusion of blood and water. The Pope quotes the fruits of the contemplation of Saints Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Basil, John Chrysostom, John Damascene, Bernard, Lutgarde, Mechtilde, Gertrude, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Catherine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola, John of the Cross, Peter Faber, Vincent de Paul, Angela of Foligno, Francis de Sales, John Eudes, Claude de la Colombière, John Henry Newman, Therese of the Child Jesus, Charles de Foucauld, Daniel Comboni, Faustina Kowalska, Pio of Pietrelcina, Paul VI, Teresa of Calcutta and John Paul II, who together show how devotion to Jesus’ heart is a path to sanctity. Pope Francis eagerly invites us, in the midst of a “powerful wave of secularization that seeks to build a world free of God” and a “proliferation of varied forms of religiosity that have nothing to do with a personal relationship with the God of love,” to renew our devotion to the “love of Christ represented in his Sacred Heart,” where “we find the whole Gospel, a synthesis of the truths of our
8 Turn to page 18
December 6, 2024
ADVERTISING Wayne R. PoWeRs waynepowers@anchornews.org
New Teacher Mentor Program designed to assist, retain teachers
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
FALL RIVER — At the Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Office, providing students with a quality faith-based education. To help make that a reality, the school department, under the direction of Assistant Superintendent Vin Mancuso, is investing in classroom educators with a new teacher mentor program at the elementary school level.
In its second year, the program pairs a newly hired teacher with a veteran teacher for a yearlong supportive relationship dedicated to accompanying protégés to become firmly grounded in good teaching practice and to participate fully in the life of the school community.
To ensure the retention of quality educators, the mentoring program serves as an important part of orientation and induction for beginning teachers in their first- and second-year teaching in the Diocese.
“The main reason we lose new teachers has been the lack of support. A new hire into the Catholic school environment may need assistance in learning the methods we use with the goal of improving student achievement,” Mr. Mancuso said.
Currently, there are 19 protégés in the program this school year. Last year, there were 23 new teachers in the program, which is modeled after the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers (PACT) out of Providence College, which helps ex-
plore a vocation to teach, serve Catholic schools, and make an impact on students.
“We took best practices from PACT and made them specific to the Diocese of Fall River schools,” Mancuso said.
Daphne Costa, a 26-year veteran of the Diocese of Fall River Catholic School Alliance and the lead teacher at St. Theresa of Calcutta in New Bedford, mentored two protégés last year and is mentoring three this year, all at St. Theresa of Calcutta.
“I love the relationship with my protégés. To see them grow and achieve is rewarding for me and the teachers I mentor,” Costa said.
Sarah Silva, a 5th grade teacher at Holy Name School in Fall River participated in the voluntary mentoring program last school year and said it helped her as a teacher in many ways.
“The mentoring program helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses as an educator. It
helped me to build confidence,” she said.
From the 19 elementary schools in the Diocese, nine are participating in the mentoring program.
Collaboration with principals is the first step in bringing the program to schools. Each mentor receives a stipend.
“The relationship between protégé and mentor is kept confidential. The mentor provides consistent support and goes above and beyond the requirements to assist the new teachers to become successful,” Mancuso said.
Costa said she finds the mentoring program as fulfilling for herself as the protégés.
“I love the relationship building and seeing them grow and achieve their goals. I love to share my passion for teaching with them,” she said.
Silva, a Bishop Connolly High School graduate, has a degree in criminal justice from Salve Regina University and earned a teaching
degree at Bridgewater State University. She said she learned so much from her mentoring experience with Holy Name Vice Principal Bob Deschenes.
“There was so much I didn’t learn in school that I learned as a protégé. He helped me develop in lesson planning and curriculum. Every new teacher should take advantage of this program,” she said.
For the entire school year, the protégé meets the mentor twice a month for about an hour and a needs analysis is done after six weeks to see where improvement is needed. There are frequent touch points during that time with evening Zoom meetings with guest speakers on subjects like safe environment, lesson planning and educating for an eternity.
Costa said she likes to meet with her protégés for check-in sessions after school and sometimes has lunch with them to make a more personal connection.
“The mentor/protégé relationship is special. We become friends. I get so much out of it. At times I feel that it helps me be a better educator,” she said.
Mancuso believes the program is a success due to the mutual trust that flourishes from the relationships formed.
“After building strong, confidential relationships, it doesn’t have to end there. I tell young teachers that asking for help isn’t a weakness. We are a family of educators and together we can make an impactful difference in the way we teach our students,” he said.
From left to right: Daphne Costa, lead teacher at St. Theresa of Calcutta, Vice Superintendent Vin Mancuso and Sarah Silva, a fifthgrade teacher at Holy Name School.
FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner
Student greeters, many of whom are present or past scholarship recipients, in the foyer at White’s of Westport for the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner.
last three-plus decades.
Speakers included Maria Roncelli, a seventh-grade student at St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth, and Matthew Leonard, an international speaker, author, pod caster and founder of the Science of Sainthood, an online teaching program focused on Catholic spiritual formation.
Roncelli, a recipient of a scholarship, has been a Catholic school student since pre-kindergarten and is thankful for her education. “My Catholic education has taught me so much about community service, character building, to love your neighbor and to put God first in my life. Having God in my life is the only way to happiness,” she said.
A dozen scholarship recipients from schools in the Diocese were on hand at the dinner, helping to greet guests, distribute chocolates graciously donated by Dorothy Cox’s Candies, and lend a helping hand to the dinner committee.
Among them was Giovana Silva, an eighth
grader at St. Stanislaus School in Fall River.
“I would love to attend Bishop Stang and continue my Catholic education. I love school, especially math and history and get mostly A’s. I play basketball on the school team. I really enjoy learning about God. My sister would benefit from this as well,” she said. Her sister will be entering kindergarten next year.
While guests dined on Caesar salad, roast beef tenderloin and Atlantic salmon with pumpkin lava cake for dessert, longtime committee members and FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner Co-Chairs John Feitelberg of HUB International and Janna Lafrance of Lafrance Hospitality announced a special Fund-a-Student giving opportunity. A scannable QR code was included in the event booklet and guests who made a donation of $100 or more were entered for a chance to win three Patriots game tickets, courtesy of BayCoast Bank, and Patriots tailgating gift bags donated by Cassandra Robin.
Within 30 minutes, 75 people had made
donations and the winner of the tickets was Rev. Laurent Valliere of St. Julie Billiart.
For the past three decades, the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner has been a cornerstone of its fundraising efforts and has widened the circle of FACE’s friends and supporters. Presenting Sponsors include BayCoast Bank and its subsidiaries, Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, the Carney Family Charitable Foundation, and an anonymous donor. Bristol County Savings Charitable Foundation, Richard and Muriel Lafrance and Family, and the Prima CARE Scholarship Foundation & Prima CARE PC sponsored at the Scholar Council level. The event has raised nearly $300,00 thus far and donations continue to be accepted.
A video about FACE shared at the event and photos from the evening can be found at www.face-dfr.org/30th-annual-face-fall-scholarship-dinner.
an eighth-grade
Giovana Silva,
student at St. Stanislaus School in Fall River with her mother, Gislene Silva at the dinner.
St. Stanislaus Parish in Fall River celebrates 125th anniversary
FALL RIVER — In 1898, Saint Stanislaus Parish was founded to serve Polish Catholics in the Fall River area. Shortly after that, a school opened in 1906, the first in Massachusetts to serve Polish children, and it continues today. Sadly, the original church building was lost to a fire in 1991, but the spirit and people of the parish have endured. I was honored to be the celebrant of the Mass and to participate in the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the founding of St. Stanislaus on Sunday, November 3.
This Mass and gathering afterward was more than a celebration of the buildings where parishioners have gathered as a faith com-
munity for more than a century. It was also a reminder of the foundation of an enduring faith community that has opened its hearts and minds to God’s love.
I began my homily by sharing the Shema, O Israel (Deut 6:4), a Biblical prayer Jews have recited for thousands of years that calls upon people of faith to follow God’s commandments. The Israelites’ belief that God should have all of our attention, love, and care and that our lives should be centered on Him is shared by Catholics today. Processing into a crowded St. Stanislaus, I was reminded that despite many distancing themselves from the original idea of God’s centrality in our lives, countless faithful Catholics gather at their home parish each Sunday to reconnect with and grow into a deeper relationship with God.
This has remarkably occurred for 125 years at St. Stanislaus in Fall River.
We live in a world where we are distracted, scattered, and focused on so many other things that God is only a meager spark in our lives. We need to listen to God like several generations of St. Stanislaus parishioners have. Our confused and troubled world amid countless distractions needs God and His love. How much time do you have to connect with God amid the competition of television, radio, social media, texts, etc.? Our challenge is not just to hear but to listen to God. Spend some time talking and listening to Him, even if it is just for a few minutes each day. It has worked for 125 years for St. Stanislaus parishioners. I pray that setting aside time for God will help you, too.
Taken from the Bishop’s online blog.
Top, left: Bishop da Cunha and children from the school and parish. Top, right: A child from the parish dressed in a traditional Polish Costume, presents the Bishop with a gift. Bottom, left and right: Parishioners hold the statue of St. Stanislaus during the procession.
Bishop Edgar da Cunha Diocese of Fall River
New adult shelter opens in Attleboro
ATTLEBORO — Wednesday, November 13 was a special day for Susan Mazzarella, Chief Executive Officer at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River.
A ribbon cutting for a new homeless shelter and loft style residences was held on Pleasant Street in Attleboro under sunny skies and brisk temperatures, nearly eight months after breaking ground and six years of planning.
Mazzarella said the shelter is “more than just a facility, it is the manifestation of a dream. How do you build a dream? We are standing on it,” she said to the crowd gathered under a tent behind the newly built facility.
The dream started in 2018 when the shelter facilitated by Catholic Charities in nearby Taunton closed.
Luckily, a new shelter opened in the renovated rectory at the former Holy Rosary Parish in Taunton, but Attleboro remained without a homeless shelter.
She said the new shelter will be named “Ascension House.”
“We were thinking about a name for the shelter and nothing stood out. I can’t recall what I was doing when I thought of the word ascend, to move upwards. Its a fluid motion to rise up. To rise from poverty into resources, isolation into community, from despair into hope. The Holy Spirit surely interjected in this process. I spoke with Bishop da Cunha and he approved of the name,” Mazzarella said.
“It is our hope that the people who come here will ascend from the street to our shelter and rise up from despair to hope,” she said.
“What’s different about this shelter is that we are keeping it small. There is no industrial kitchen. Instead we have a breakfast bar for light morning meals and guests receive one hot meal at night, six nights a week. The Attleboro area Interfaith group, Food N’ Friends
teams and funding streams.
Supporters said the Pleasant Street facility is a response to the persistent housing crisis impacting communities nationwide. This Pleasant Street facility is th first of its kind in northern Bristol County.
Mazzarella said multiple organizations and individuals made this entire project possible, including the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), that creates homes and lower housing costs for Massachusetts residents. EOHLC also distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, and operates the state’s Emergency Family Shelter (EA) program. She gave thanks to Father Bills and MainSpring, a community-led, interfaith response into a regional innovator and provider of prevention services, emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and supports to help those we serve on their path to stability and self-sufficiency.
Other partners include Neighbor Works, a non-profit health and well-being nonprofit which fosters safe and affordable homes in a stable and opportunity-rich community. They promote these conditions by developing housing, and by providing housing resources and education in collaboration with partners in the public and private sectors.
Unlike traditional shelters, Ascension House is designed as a permanent, year-round facility for men and women.
The shelter will be fully funded, professionally staffed, and provide mental health, addiction, and literacy support services throug Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River.
December 6, 2024
Collaborative Program, will provide the nightly meals.
In addition to 18 emergency beds, the building includes 22 studio apartments on the second and third floor for those transitioning out of homelessness. Catholic Charities and a partnering entity will share the building, which will have two different management
Additional partners include BayCoast Bank, Curtis Construction, West Work Architects and the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, a non-profit community development organization with the financial resources needed to build quality affordable housing.
“This project has been a long time coming,” said Steve DuPlessie, founding president of the Northern Bristol County Assistance Collaborative. “We are very grateful to all who have played a role, large or small.”
Mazzarella said the entire Attleboro community has been supportive of this project.
“This has been miraculous. This project represents an abiding of collaboration and caring for our neighbors,” she said.
Finishing touches are being made to the interior of the building with an opening date slated for the end of the year.
Susan Mazzarella, Chief Executive Officer at Catholic Charities, addresses the crowd at the new shelter.
Stakeholders and guests gather in front of the new shelter and apartment building on Pleasant Street in Attleboro after the ribbon cutting.
Dec. 7
In Your Prayers
Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
Rev. Thomas F. Daley, Retired Pastor, St. James, New Bedford, 1976
Rev. Ambrose Bowen, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Taunton, 1977
Rev. James W. Clark, Retired Pastor, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, 2000
Dec. 8
Rev. John F. Broderick, Pastor, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1940
Dec. 9
Rev. Rene Patenaude, O.P., Retired Associate Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River, 1983
Dec. 10
Rev. Thomas C. Briscoe, Former Pastor, St. Anne, Fall River, 1918
Rev. Andrew S.P. Baj, Former Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1971
Rev. Leonard M. Mullaney, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony, Mattapoisett, 2014
Dec. 11
Rev. Edward L. Killigrew, Pastor, St. Kilian, New Bedford, 1959
Dec. 12
Rev. Paul F. McCarrick, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1996
Dec. 13
Rev. Reginald Theriault, O.P., St. Anne, Dominican Priory, Fall River, 1972
Rev. Adrien L. Francoeur, M.S., La Salette Shrine, North Attleboro, 1991
Dec. 14
Rev. Msgr. John J. Hayes, Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1970
Rev. Edward J. Burns, Retired Pastor, St. Mark, Attleboro Falls, 2015
Dec. 15
Rev. Mortimer Downing, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1942
Rev. John F. O’Keefe, Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1955
Dec. 19
1988, Rev. Deacon Eugene L. Orosz
2007, Rev. Deacon Maurice LaValle 2015, Rev. Gabriel (William) Healy, SS.CC.
Dec. 20
1953, Rev. Manuel S. Travassos, Pastor, Espirito Santo, Fall River 1996, Rev. John A. Janson, OFM, Missionary in Brazil 2017, Rev. William J. Heffron, SS.CC.
Dec. 21
1968, Rev. Henri J. Charest, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River
1985, Rev. Manuel M. Resendes, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes,Taunton
1989, Rev. Laureano C. dos Reis, Retired Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Fall River
Dec. 22
1964 Rev. Adriano Moniz, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Angels, Fall River
1991, Rev. Armand P. Paradis, S.J., Psychologist, San Francisco, Calif.
Dec. 23
1901, Rev. Owen J. Kiernan, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River
1947, Rev. Charles P. Trainor, SS, St. Edward Seminary, Seattle, Wash. 1970, Rev. Msgr. John A. Silvia, Retired Pastor , St. John the Baptist, New Bedford
(Continued)
1986, Rev. William E. Collard, Retired Pastor, St Theresa, New Bedford Dec. 24
Rev. James K. Beaven, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1886
Rev. Timothy J. Duff, Assistant, St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1914
Dec. 27
Rev. Thomas J. Stapleton, Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1956
Rev. Msgr. Armand Levasseur, Retired Pastor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1970
Dec. 28
Rev. Charles R. Smith, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1955
Rev. Edward J. Sharpe, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1987
Rev. Clement Paquet, O.P., Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1987
Rev. Msgr. John Smith, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Pius X, South Yarmouth, 2021
Dec. 29
Rev. Rafeal Flammia, SS.CC., Retired Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, New Bedford, 1993
Rev. Robert J. Kruse, C.S.C., 2015
Rev. Kevin Harrington, Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford, 2020
Dec. 30
Rev. Robert C. Donovan, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Pocasset, 2016
Dec. 31
Rev. Thomas C. Mayhew, Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Seekonk, 1991
Jan. 1
Rev. Jose Valeiro, Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Fall River, 1955
Rev. Antonio M. Fortuna, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, New Bedford, 1956
Rev. Francis R. Connerton, SS. STD., St. John’s Seminary, Plymouth, Mich., 1968
Rev. Leo T. Sullivan, Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1975
Jan. 4
Rev. Eugene L. Dion, Pastor, Blessed Sacrament, Fall River, 1961
Rev. Joseph L. Powers, Founder, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, No. Falmouth, 1999
Rev. Francis B. Connors, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 2003 Jan. 5
Rev. L. Octave Massicotte, 1922
Rev. William McClenahan, SS.CC. Former Pastor, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 1994
Jan. 6
Rev. James F. Roach, Founder, Immaculate Conception, Taunton, 1906
Rev. Rene G. Gauthier, Pastor, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1997
Rev. Deacon Antonio Cruz, 2009
Jan. 7
Rev. Alfred R. Forni, Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford, 1970
Rev. Gustave Gosselin, M.S., La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 1989
Rev. Jude Morgan, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet, 2003
Rev. Raymond Robida, 2003
Jan. 8
Rev. John Kelly, Founder, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1885
Rev. Alfred J. Carrier, Founder, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1940
Rev. Arthur C. Lenaghan, USA Chaplain, Killed in Action, 1944
Rev. Evaristo Tavares, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 2000
December 6, 2024
Continued from page one parish communities and performing other Diocesan duties. Retired priests continue to serve and are incredible resources for the Diocese — giving their time, talents, and dedication to mentor new priests, support active priests, and to share Christ's love with all the faithful of our Diocese.
Gifts to the Serving the Shepherds Fund assist all stages of priesthood. Support to the Office of Vocations work serves its critical mission to reach out across the Diocese and beyond to help young men hear the call to the priesthood. The Fund assists in providing for the educational expenses of seminarians preparing for ordination in the Diocese of Fall River. Additionally, it funds opportunities for
Serving the Shepards assists priests
active priests to develop professionally and strengthens the vital work of the Office of Clergy Support in boosting priests spiritually, physically, mentally and professionally. The increased living costs, housing, and healthcare all of society is experiencing also affect retired priests. rving the Diocese of Fall River.
Supporting the is an opportunity for parishioners to dedicate a gift to the past, present, and future of the priesthood.
The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts administers this campaign on Bishop da Cunha's behalf. For more information or to give to the Serving the Shepherds Fund online, please visit www.catholicfoundationsema.org/ shepherds.
Parishioners receive report on safe environment initiatives
FALL RIVER — The Diocese of Fall River has issued a report to provide an update on its safe environment initiatives. Entitled Fostering a Culture of Protection, the four-page document was shared with parishioners at November 16-17 weekend Masses throughout the Diocese.
“In this report, I want to share with you what the Diocese has in place to foster a culture of protection throughout our entities and programs, with a goal of preventing any occurrence of abuse, and to respond effectively to allegations of abuse brought to our attention,” writes Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., in his introductory letter.
The issuance of Fostering a Culture of Protection comes as the Bishop marks ten years of ministry leading the Diocese.
“Over the decade, we have made great strides in implementing best practices and centering on accountability and transparency,” he explains. “While I am filled with sorrow for what was historically an inadequate response from Church officials, I want to assure you that the Diocese of Fall River today is focused on the safety of our community and instilling a culture of protection.”
In the report, Bishop da Cunha expresses his deep sorrow to survivors of child sexual abuse who suffered and continue to suffer in many ways.
December 6, 2024
“We as a Church failed you when you were most vulnerable. As a Diocese we are firmly resolved to do all we can to help you heal, make certain we are accountable, and protect our children so that no other child suffers as you have.”
Bishop da Cunha emphasizes that remaining vigilant to protect children and vulnerable adults in the Diocese of Fall River is “our collective diocesan priority.”
Fostering a Culture of Protection highlights the reforms instituted along with other steps taken in the past decade to prevent and respond to abuse and outlines the process followed when an allegation is made. It explains the key elements of prevention and response initiatives, the two primary pillars around which the safe environment enterprise in the Diocese is organized. Finally, the report offers an introduction to Carolyn Shipp, who serves as the Director of Safe Environment and Victim Assistance for the Diocese of Fall River, and provides information on how to report
abuse and access resources for additional information. The report calls attention to outreach of safe environment efforts.
Over the last ten years, the Diocese has conducted criminal background checks on and provided safe environment training to 35,000plus clergy, employees, and volunteers.
During that same period, an average of 15,000 youth per year have received training through an age-appropriate safe environment curriculum called Circle of Grace, which teaches children and youth important safety skills such as appropriate physical and emotional boundaries and taking action if boundary violations occur. All diocesan schools and parish Faith Formation programs are required to utilize the Circle of Grace curriculum.
Also underscoring diocesan improvements in this area, the report notes that Voice of the Faithful, an independent lay Catholic group focused on ensuring transparency in the Church, ranked the Diocese of Fall River number three among 177 dioceses nationwide in its 2023 report, Measuring Abuse Prevention and Safe Environment Programs as Reported Online in Diocesan Policies and Practices. The Diocese scored 95 points out of a possible 100 in a review of 10 categories.
You can read Fostering a Culture of Protection in its entirety on the Diocesan website at fallriverdiocese.org.
Very Rev. David C. Frederici, Very Rev. Timothy Reis and Rev. Riley J. Williams at a recent Mass.
Opening the Doors: More than Curb Appeal
W hen I first moved to Somerset, MA, I couldn’t help but notice the curious obsession people have with their front doors. They’re a big deal here—painted in bright colors, adorned with intricate wreaths, often more decorative than functional. What really surprised me, though, was that most people don’t even use them to enter their homes. They’re more like an art piece for the curb appeal than an actual point of entry.
This newfound fascination with doors took on a life of its own after I traveled to the Azores on my way to World Youth Day in Lisbon. In Ponta Delgada, I saw the Portas da Cidade and thought to myself, ‘This place must be big fans of Fall River.’ Suddenly, it all clicked. The front-door mania in Somerset is an homage to the region’s Portuguese roots. It’s not just a door; it’s a cultural statement. (And it also clicked that the Portas da Cidade in Fall River is a replica.)
But my curiosity didn’t stop there. Doors, it turns out, have been a "thing" throughout history. The ancient Egyptians used them to symbolize gateways to the afterlife in tombs. The Greeks and Romans later turned them into architectural marvels, complete with sliding and double-door designs for temples. By the Middle Ages, doors had become powerful symbols of wealth and status, often crafted from heavy wood or bronze and adorned with intricate carvings on cathedrals and palaces.
Doors have always been more than wood and hinges; they represent something deeper. Meeting guests at the door, welcoming someone across the threshold, or even the act of holding a door open all carry profound meaning. Yet as much as we focus on the grandeur of doors, we often overlook the small, humble hinge that makes them work. Without the hinge, a door is just a piece of wood stuck in a frame, unable to fulfill its purpose.
This year, one door in particular will take center stage, yet the hinge will still remain hidden to most. The Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is that center stage door. On December 24, 2024, Pope Francis will ceremonially open this door, marking the beginning of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year.
It’s not just a symbolic action but also a rare gesture, steeped in rich tradition and spiritual significance.
To understand the significance of the Holy Door, we first need to dive into the
roots of the Jubilee Year, which are found in the Old Testament. In Leviticus 25:10, God commanded the Jewish people to observe a jubilee every 50 years. This was no ordinary celebration—it was a time for radical acts of mercy and justice. Slaves were set free, debts forgiven, and land returned to its original owners. These actions served as a powerful reminder that everything ultimately belongs to God.
The Jubilee Year was more than a societal reset; it was a spiritual renewal. It reminded the people of their dependence on God and their responsibility to care for God’s creation of all.
This theme of liberation and restoration is echoed in the prophecy of Isaiah 61, where the coming of the Messiah is described as a time of freedom for captives and healing for the brokenhearted. We believe these words from the Prophet Isaiah finds thier fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin and death.
Jesus himself uses the imagery of a door in John’s Gospel: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” The Holy Door invites the faithful to embrace this truth. Crossing its threshold signifies leaving behind sin and stepping into God’s boundless mercy.
The Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica recounts the history of salvation. recount the story of Salvation. Each of its 16 panels illustrates a key moment in God’s relationship with humanity. One particularly moving
panel shows the Good Shepherd searching for a lost sheep. This image is a powerful reminder of Christ’s relentless love and pursuit of every soul, no matter how far he or she has wandered. For those feeling adrift, the Holy Door offers a message of hope: it’s never too late to return to God’s loving embrace.
In a world filled with pressures, uncertainties and distractions, the Holy Door serves as a reminder to all that they are deeply loved and that God’s mercy is always within reach.
The Jubilee Year is a call to action for Catholics. It’s a time to reflect on one’s relationship with God and others, to practice forgiveness, and to live out the principles of mercy and justice in daily life. At its core, it proclaims that no one is beyond redemption and that every life can be transformed by God’s grace.
This message is particularly resonant for youth and young adults, who often face questions of identity, purpose and belonging. The year encourages them to trust in God’s plan for their lives and to seek His guidance in moments of doubt or difficulty.
While the Holy Door’s symbolism captures the imagination, it’s the hinge that ensures its movement. Without the hinge, the door would remain closed, unable to fulfill its purpose. In the same way, Christ is the hinge of our faith—the one who enables us to move from darkness into light, from sin into grace.
Jesus’ words in St. John’s Gospel identifying himself as the door reminds us that Christ is not only the portal but also the hinge that makes salvation possible. He is the pivot point, connecting heaven and earth, and the one through whom we find true freedom and renewal.
As the Holy Door opens on December 24, 2024, it serves as an invitation to all Catholics: step through, embrace God’s mercy, and renew your life in Christ. Just as the hinge allows the door to swing open, Christ enables us to step into the fullness of His mercy, justice and love. Let us open not just the doors of basilicas but the doors of our hearts, responding to God’s call with trust, gratitude, and joy.
December 6, 2024
Bringing Light and Art to Life
On Saturday, December 7 at 5:30 pm at St. Anthony of Padua Church New Bedford, 1359
Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, presented by Broken Glass Projection Mapping, produced by Multimedia Artist, Nelson Raposa. It will be a light show like no other and an opportunity to see in a new life the magnificent Church of St. Anthony.
Christmas Pageant
On Saturday, December 21, at 6:00 pm at Immaculate Conception Church – School Auditorium, 136 Earle St, New Bedford, a Christmas pageant will be held. The children and youth of St. Anthony and Immaculate Conception Church re-enact the birth of our Lord.
Book Presentation
On Saturday, December 14, at 10:30 am, at St. Anthony of Padua Church New Bedford, 1359 Acushnet Avenue in Bedford, there will be a presentation of the book entitled, The French of New Bedford, The Early Years, the most comprehensive historical account of New Bedford’s Franco-American communities. Books will also be available for purchase.
Around the Diocese
Christmas Concert
Music at St. Anthony's: Christmas Concert with the Spirit of St. Anthony Choir will be held on Sunday, December 22, 3:00 pm at St. Anthony of Padua Church New Bedford.
Come and enjoy a Christmas concert and sing along that will include guest performers, the Briarwood Ensemble, and musical selections on the 112 year-old Historic Pipe Organ. Refreshments will be served following the concert. A free shuttle from the St Killian's parking lot will be provided by Tremblay Bus.
This is a fundraiser for the pipe Organ Restoration Project. Donations are welcome.
Family Advent Christmas Celebration
The public is invited for one or both parts of the Family Advent Christmas Celebration on Sat. Dec. 7 at the Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington St., N. Easton.
It will feature Christmas crafts, a family sing-along and pizza from 3:00 to 5:30 pm.
The evening event, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, next door at St. Joseph Chapel, will be a benefit Christmas concert by Catholic musician Marie Miller. Both parts of the event are free. All donations will be forwarded to the Virika Cathedral in the Fort Portal Diocese, Uganda, for the repair of their roof. For more information, to register, or to donate, please visit hcfm.info/advent. Call Amy Dyke at 508-238-4095 with questions.
Advent Mission Nights
Advent Mission Nights will be held on Dec. 9 and 12, from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, will be hosted by Holy Cross Family Ministries at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington St., N. Easton, MA. Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., will reflect on Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, Dec. 9, and Father Boby John, C.S.C., will reflect on Our Lady of Guadalupe on Thursday, Dec. 12. Come for one or both evenings. Light receptions to follow. The cost is free.
Space is limited; please register early at www.MuseumOfFamilyPrayer.org/advent-mission or call Amy Dyke at 508-238-4095 with questions.
December 6, 2024
Regis College Offers Full Tuition to Pell-eligible Catholic High School Graduates in the U.S.
WESTON — Regis College announces the launch of Regis Access Advantage, a new initiative to expand access to higher education for financially disadvantaged Catholic high school graduates. Beginning with the incoming Class of 2029, Pell Grant-eligible students who graduate from any Catholic high school in the United States, Puerto Rico, or U.S. Territories and who apply and are accepted to Regis will be eligible for full tuition coverage at Regis College. No loans are included in covering the full cost of tuition. The program is an extension of the university’s longstanding commitment to promoting educational access and advancing its mission of service and inclusion.
The full tuition program builds on the College’s $4,000
Catholic High Schools Scholarship, which is awarded to all Catholic high school graduates who enroll at Regis. Both awards can be renewed each of the four years a student is enrolled at Regis.
“As Regis College was founded nearly a century ago to expand access to college degrees, Regis Access Advantage is a recommitment to our founding mission,” said President Antionette Hays, PhD, RN.
“Escalating costs to earn an undergraduate degree have created insurmountable financial burdens for students and their families.
The Regis Access Advantage full tuition program for Catholic high school graduates seeks to alleviate that burden and provide an affordable pathway for a student to pursue and earn an undergraduate college degree.”
Students must be admitted to a fulltime degree program beginning in Fall 2025 and complete the FAFSA to meet Pell Grant eligibility.
There is no FAFSA deadline for this program, and the commitment will be honored regardless of FAFSA timing.
The program will cover the full cost of tuition after accounting for
Daily Readings † Dec. 7 — Jan. 9
Sat. Dec. 7: Is 30: 19-21. 23-26: Ps 147: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6: Mt 9: 35 10: 1. 5a. 6-8
Sun. Dec. 8: Bar 5: 1-9: Ps 126: 1-2. 2-3. 4-5. 6 (3): Phil 1: 4-6. 8-11: Lk 3: 1-6
Mon. Dec. 9: Gn 3: 9-15. 20: Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4: Eph 1: 3-6. 11-12: Lk 1: 26-38
Tues. Dec. 10: Is 40: 1-11: Ps 96: 1-2. 3 and 10ac. 11-12. 13: Mt 18: 12-14
Wed. Dec. 11: Is 40: 25-31: Ps 103: 1-2. 3-4. 8 and 10: Mt 11: 28-30
Thurs. Dec. 12: 14-17 or Rv 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a, 10ab: Jdt 13: 18bcde, 19: Lk 1: 26-38 or Lk 1: 39-47
Fri. Dec. 13: Is 48: 17-19: Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6: Mt 11: 16-19
Sat. Dec. 14: Sir 48: 1-4. 9-11: Ps 80: 2ac and 3b. 15-16. 18-19: Mt 17: 9a. 10-13
Sun. Dec. 15: Zep 3: 14-18a: Is 12: 2-3. 4. 5-6 (6): Phil 4: 4-7: Lk 3: 10-18 Mon. Dec. 16: Nm 24: 2-7. 15-17a: Ps 25: 4-5ab. 6 and 7bc. 8-9: Mt 21: 23-27
Dec. 17 Tue: Gn 49: 2. 8-10: Ps 72: 1-2. 3-4ab. 7-8. 17: Mt 1: 1-17
Dec. 18 Wed: Jer 23: 5-8: Ps 72: 1-2. 12-13. 18-19: Mt 1: 18-25
Thus. Dec. 19: Jgs 13: 2-7. 24-25a: Ps 71: 3-4a. 5-6ab. 16-17: Lk 1: 5-25
Fri. Dec. 20: Is 7: 10-14: Ps 24: 1-2. 3-4ab. 5-6: Lk 1: 26-38
Sat. Dec. 21: Sg 2: 8-14 or Zep 3: 14-18a: Ps 33: 2-3. 11-12. 20-21: Lk 1: 39-45
Sun. Dec. 22: Mi 5: 1-4a: Ps 80: 2-3. 15-16. 18-19 (4): Heb 10: 5-10: Lk 1: 39-45
Mon. Dec. 23: Mal 3: 1-4. 23-24: Ps 25: 4-5ab. 8-9. 10 and 14: Lk 1: 57-66
federal and state grants, ensuring that tuition is completely covered for eligible students.
Room, board, and miscellaneous fees are not included; however, students may use federal loans, outside scholarships, and personal resources to cover these additional costs.
The free tuition is renewable for four years of full-time undergraduate study, provided students maintain satisfactory academic progress and remain Pell-eligible.
“As the university begins preparations to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Regis Access Advantage honors its founders, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston, and reinforces our commitment to support Catholic and non-Catholic students with diverse backgrounds and needs,” added Hays.
Tues. Dec. 24: 2 Sm 7: 1-5. 8b-12. 14a. 16: Ps 89: 2-3. 4-5. 27 and 29: Lk 1: 67-79
Wed. Dec. 25: Vigil: Is 62: 1-5: Ps 89: 4-5. 16-17. 27. 29 (2a): Acts 13: 1617. 22-25: Mt 1: 1-25. Midnight: Is 9: 1-6: Ps 96: 1-2. 2-3. 11-12. 13: Ti 2: 11-14: Lk 2: 1-14. Dawn: Is 62: 11-12: Ps 97: 1. 6. 11-12: Ti 3: 4-7: Lk 2: 15-20. Day: Is 52: 7-10: Ps 98: 1. 2-3. 3-4. 5-6 (3c): Heb 1: 1-6: Jn 1: 1-18
Thurs. Dec. 26: Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59: Ps 31: 3cd-4. 6 and 8ab. 16bc and 17: Mt 10: 17-22
Fri. Dec. 27: 1 Jn 1: 1-4: Ps 97: 1-2. 5-6. 11-12: Jn 20: 1a and 2-8
Sat. Dec. 28: 1 Jn 1: 5 -- 2: 2: Ps 124: 2-3. 4-5. 7b-8: Mt 2: 13-18
Sun. Dec. 29: 1 Sm 1: 20-22. 24-28 or Sir 3: 2-6. 12-14: Ps 84: 2-3. 5-6. 9-10: 1 Jn 3: 1-2. 21-24 or Col 3: 12-21: Lk 2: 41-52
Mon. Dec. 30: 1 Jn 2: 12-17: Ps 96: 7-8a. 8b-9. 10: Lk 2: 36-40
Tue. Dec. 31: 1 Jn 2: 18-21: Ps 96: 1-2. 11-12. 13: Jn 1: 1-18
Wed. Jan. 1: Nm 6: 22-27/ Ps 67: 2-3. 5. 6. 8 (2a)/ Gal 4: 4-7/ Lk 2: 16-21
Thurs. Jan. 2: Jn 2: 22-28/ Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Jn 1: 19-28
Fri. Jan. 3: Jn 2: 29 -- 3: 6/ Ps 98: 1. 3cd-4. 5-6/ Jn 1: 29-34
Sat. Jan. 4: 1 Jn 3: 7-10/ Ps 98: 1. 7-8. 9/ Jn 1: 35-42
Sun. Jan. 5: Is 60: 1-6/ Ps 72: 1-2. 7-8. 10-11. 12-13/ Eph 3: 2-3a. 5-6/ Mt 2: 1-12
Mon. Jan. 6: 1 Jn 3: 22 -- 4: 6/ Ps 2: 7bc-8. 10-12a/ Mt 4: 12-17. 23-25
Tues. Jan. 7: 1 Jn 4: 7-10/ Ps 72: 1-2. 3-4. 7-8/ Mk 6: 34-44
Wed. Jan. 8: 1 Jn 4: 11-18/ Ps 72: 1-2. 10. 12-13/ Mk 6: 45-52
Thurs. Jan. 9: 1 Jn 4: 19 -- 5: 4/ Ps 72: 1-2. 14 and 15bc. 17/ Lk 4: 14-22
8 Continued from page six
is often rejected. Jesus “enables us to love as he loved, and in this way he loves and serves others through us,” and sends us out to bring the fire of his love everywhere. The Church’s mission, he underlines, “is the radiation of the love of the heart of Christ,” in
which we share with others the love that has changed our lives.
Announcing and sharing that love is the way we become pilgrims of hope, indeed witnesses and agents of hope, in a world that urgently and always needs Christians to give reasons for the hope we bear within. That is the spirituality of Advent, of the Jubilee, and beyond.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel
Sunday, December 8 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from St. Francis Xavier Church, East Providence ***
Sunday, December 15 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Santo Christo Church, Fall River ***
Sunday, December 22 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from St. Anthony Church, Taunton ***
Christmas, December 25
(Time to be announced)
Broadcast from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, New Bedford ***
Sunday, December 29 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church, New Bedford ***
Sunday, January 5 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from St. Anthony of Padua Church, Fall River
December 6, 2024
January 2025 edition changes
The January 2025 edition of the Anchor will be delayed until January 10. Deadline for submisions is Monday, December 30. January is traditionally the school issue with information about open houses and school related news and features. Send submissions to Joan Warren, Anchor Editor at joandwarren@anchornews.org.
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6
Celebrant is Father Neil F. Wack, C.S.C., Administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish, North Easton
Sunday, December 15 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Jason Brilhante, Pastor of St. John of God Parish, Somerset
Sunday, December 22 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Ryan Healy, Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet
Sunday, December 29 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Maurice Gauvin, Pastor of Espirito Santo and St. Anthony of Padua Parishes, Fall River
Sunday, January 5 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Michael Racine, Pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Lawrence Martyr Parishes, New Bedford
Sister Adrienne DeChamplain (Sr. Adrienne Elise), SUSC died November 6, 2024, at Marian Manor in Taunton, at the age of 102.
Born in Taunton on May 13, 1922, she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Albertine (Beaulieu) DeChamplain. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, she is survived by her cousin, Sister Laurette DeChamplain, SUSC, several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Her sisters Irene Boutin, Marie DeChamplain, Pauline Hall, Bernadette Hamlin, Theresa Leonard, and Albea Milot predeceased her. At the time of her death, Sr. Adrienne was the oldest living Holy Union Sister in the United States.
Sr. Adrienne graduated from
Obituaries
Sister Adrienne DeChamplain
St. Mary High School, Taunton and entered the Holy Union Sisters on September 17, 1939. She pronounced her final vows on August 15, 1947. She received a B.S. in Education from Stonehill College, an M.A. in Sacred Sciences from Providence College and a PhD. in Religious Studies from the University of Ottawa. Before beginning doctoral studies, Sr. Adrienne took courses in Judaism and participated in archeological projects in Israel.
parish schools staffed by the Holy Union Sisters in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. She then moved to religious education and served as Director of Religious Education in parishes in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. She later taught religious studies at Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton.
provided spiritual support to the Third Order Franciscans in New Bedford and Taunton.
Sr. Adrienne joined the Holy Union Sisters Community at Prosper Fall River in 2007. Declining health necessitated a move to Marian Manor in 2020. At Marian Manor in September, Sr. Adrienne was joined by her Holy Union Sisters to celebrate her eighty-fifth jubilee.
For more than thirty years, she taught elementary grades in
Sr. Adrienne retired from formal education in 1987 and devoted her time to adult education, giving Scripture Courses in area parishes, and to senior groups. She
A wake and Mass of Christian burial were held on Friday, November 15, 2024, at St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Taunton. Donations in Sr. Adrienne's memory may be made to the Holy Union Sisters Mission Advancement Office, 205 Bedford St. Fall River MA 02720 or at www.holyunionsisters. org.
Yvette R. Hamel, mother of Rev. Philip N. Hamel
Yvette R. (Chabot) Hamel, 96, of North Attleboro, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence after a period of declining health. She was the wife of the late J. Normand A. Hamel.
Born and raised in North Attleboro, Yvette was the youngest child of the Joseph O. and Clara (Gamache) Chabot. She was a proud 1946 graduate of North Attleboro High School.
In 1949, Yvette married Normand, and together they moved to Taunton, where they raised their family. She was a devoted member of St. Jacques Parish, now St. Jude the Apostle Parish, and participated actively in the church community.
In 1983, Yvette returned to North Attleboro and Sacred Heart Parish, where she became an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and served as a longtime sacristan.
Yvette enjoyed a fulfilling career as a secretary at the former Paul A. Dever State School in Taunton. Her faith and dedication were recognized when she received the Marian Medal from the Diocese of Fall River. She was deeply honored to be the last surviving member of a founding family of Sacred Heart
Parish.
Yvette leaves behind her loving sons, Armand R. Hamel (Paula Morrissette) of Chesterfield, VA; Marc S. Hamel (Edward LeSage) of Amherst, MA; Rev. Philip N. Hamel, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Provincetown; and Thomas G. Hamel (Nancy McNeil) of Mansfield.
She also leaves five cherished grandchildren, two great-grandsons, and two step-great-grandsons, along with
many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her siblings: Msgr. Gerard J. Chabot, Rev. Luke M. Chabot, OFM, Claire M. Deschenes, Sr. Armand Marie Chabot, SUSC, Rev. Bertrand R. Chabot, and Therese A. L’Homme, as well as her brother-in-law, Msgr. Henri Hamel.
A Mass of Christian Burial was concelebrated in her memory by her son, Rev. Philip N. Hamel, and longtime family friend, Rev. David A. Costa, on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at St. Mark Church. She was interred at Notre Dame Cemetery, Fall River.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Yvette’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Philip Hulitar HopeHealth Hospice, or Madonna Manor.
December 6, 2024
