01.12.24

DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER CELEBRATES CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, January 12, 2024

Sharon Blanchard, Susan Kulik, Maria Bess, Joni Phelps, Liana Damotta-Santos and Joan DeSousa at the recent Advent Women’s Retreat at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich. (Photo by Joan D. Warren)

Women’s retreat fills the heart with the Holy Spirit

By Joan D. Warren Editor

joandwarren@anchornews.org

EAST SANDWICH — Many women typically spend the last remaining weekends before Christmas getting ready for the coming of Christ with shopping, wrapping gifts, writing cards, baking and the never-ending cleaning. The hectic time of year can be harrowing and take the joy out of the time of year meant for peace and preparing for the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

In East Sandwich, 200 faithful women from the diocese broke that stereotype by spending the day in the presence of the Lord.

The Women’s Advent

Retreat, sponsored by the Diocese of Fall River, was held at Corpus Christi Parish from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on December 9.

The day was filled with prayer, reconciliation, song, fellowship and adoration.

The event entitled, ”Overwhelmed by Joy,” began with a Mass in the church followed by various activites in the church hall.

Upon entering the hall, gift bags and name tags were available as well as a continental breakfast with fresh fruit, baked goods, juice and plenty of hot coffee and tea.

Tables of eight were quickly filled with women of all ages — many dressed in holiday attire.

8 Turn to page 15

FALL RIVER — Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States, which is now in its 50th anniversary year. This year’s theme of, “Catholic Schools United in Faith and Community,” will be front and center during the week of January 28 — February 3, 2024. The Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools will join thousands of Catholic schools across the country by inviting their local communities to experience the richness

of Catholic education through open houses,

school Masses, tours, myriad of other traditions reserved for this time of year.

While the topic of education remains prom-

inent in the media and online, Catholic school enrollment. The Catholic schools of the Diocese of Fall River continue to welcome many new families who are committed to providing their children with an educational environment where they are known, valued and loved as a children of God. Today’s students are bombarded with messages that can have a huge impact on them. Catholic schools are in the unique position to tend to students’ 8 Turn to page 10

Diocesan School Superintendent traveling to Australia with G.R.A.C.E.

By Joan D. Warren Editor

joandwarren@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — As an educator, Dan Roy enjoys learning as much as he does teaching.

Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Fall River, Roy is embarking on an educational journey that will take him halfway around the world.

On January 8, he left for Australia as part of a trip sponsored by the Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College.

He and nine others from the United States will travel to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth to learn about current Catholic school practices in that nation and beyond. He will participate in a global conference where edu-

cators from around the world will gather to share successes, best practices and more over the 12-day trip.

“This is a wonderful

Superintendent Dan Roy

opportunity to gain support and learn from colleagues,” said Roy. Global Research to Advance Catholic Education (G.R.A.CE.) is an international research project focused on Catholic education. G.R.A.C.E is a long-term collaboration between five partners: Boston College in the Unit-

ed States, the University of Notre Dame in Australia, Mary Immaculate College Limerick in reland, Saint Mary’s University Twickenham in the United Kingdom and the International Office of Catholic Education in Rome.

Roy is also excited to meet a friend at the conference whom he has known only virtually.

Liam Beatty is a principal at St. Thomas Catholic Elementary School in Brisbane and met Cardinal Bishop Sean O’Malley at a conference in Boston and through this meeting became associated with an Aspiring Leaders Professional Learning Community that Roy is a part of.

“Through a chance meeting, I met Liam who 8 Turn to page five

January 12, 2024 †

1

Feehan graduate, Lt. General Jon Braga, visits alma mater ATTLEBORO — It’s not every day that a double-rotor, Chinook helicopter touches down at Bishop Feehan High School. But that was the vehicle of choice for Feehan graduate, Lt. General Jon Braga, when he came to his alma mater to share his perspective on living a life of purpose with the school’s 1,090 students, staff and invited guests.

Met by the school’s hockey captains (Braga was a captain himself in 1987),

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student council officers and his old high school classmate (current Feehan president Tim Sullivan), Braga went from the landing zone (the school’s softball field) to a packed auditorium.

His address touched on everything from finding one’s passion to the sacrifices of the men and women under his command to the many opportunities, especially in technology in today’s Army.

“The words from

† January 12, 2024

Feehan today are proud and thankful,” said Sullivan. “Proud of General Braga, his accomplishments and his commitment to others. And thankful that he was able to come back and share with our Feehan community. It was a special day on campus today, one our students will never forget.”

Braga advised the students to “find their why” and to pursue that why with passion. For him, that 8 Turn to page 13

Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga, Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command, recently shared an inspiring message (after a spectacular entrance) at his Alma Mater, Bishop Feehan High School.

Monsignor Prevost High School lives on through alumni scholarship fund

By Joan D. Warren Editor

joandwarren@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — In 1968, a fire destroyed Monsignor Prevost High School in Fall River. The devastating event significantly changed the lives of the young men who attended the all-boy school. It made them resilient, flexible with life changes, but it also brought them closer.

Many of those who attended Prevost have stayed in contact over the years and, to keep the memory of the school alive, started an alumni scholarship fund to help students pay for a catholic school education.

After more than 50 years, the alumni association has recently have handed over the reins of managing the scholarship fund to FACE (The Foundation to Advance Catholic Education), the educational arm of the Catholic Foundation, the 501c3 not-for-profit group that

handles fundraising for the Diocese of Fall River.

The new scholarship at FACE will be in the name of the Monsignor Prevost High School Alumni Association.

Three alumni, Paul Dube, Roland Masse and Paul Berube, board members on the alumni scholarship board, decided 2022 would be their last year of managing the fund.

“We searched for the right organization to administer the scholarships and maintain the assets. We knew about FACE and thought it would be best suited to have them continue what we have built over the years,” Berube said.

Although records go back to 1989, the scholarship fund began in 1952 by Paul Dumas Sr., a 1938 graduate of the school.

Through generous donations from the remaining 700 active members and holding yearly reunions, the association has main-

tained a substantial asset base of more than $300,000.

“It's amazing what these men have done. My bother-in-law, Aime LaChance, started a newsletter, the MapleLeaf, named after the student newspaper at the school. It was a cheerful way to let alumni know about the students who received scholarships and drew in donors,” Berube said.

All are four-year scholarships are for students who remain in good standing.

Awards from the Prevost

Alumni Endowment will be given primarily to students attending Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Fall River. If there are no high school applicants, then it may be given to to students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Fall River. If there are no high school or elementary school applicants, then the funds will be available to students attending Stonehill College.

Preferential consideration will be given to any student who, 8 Turn to page 11

Members of the Msgr. Prevost High School Alumni Association and stewards of the alumni scholarship. Back from left: Moe Levesque, Raymond Harrison, Roger Dugal, Paul Berube, Leo Thiboutot (not attending — Joe Boulay). Front from left: Arthur Francoeur, Paul Dumais Jr., Roland Masse, and Dennis Monast.

January 12, 2024 †

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Holy Name School leverages unique tool to ‘fill the math gaps’ FALL RIVER — As Megan dos Santos took over the principal’s responsibility at Holy Name School in Fall River, one of her immediate goals was to address high school math readiness skills for the middle school students.

Dos Santos and the middle school math teacher wanted to investigate new ways to support math skill development due to the foundational nature of math skills building upon one another. After an initial search of potential tools, the Holy Name team chose to implement the “Fill the Math GAPS” tool immediately with the grade seven and eight students.

“Fill the Math GAPS,” a digital application de-

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veloped by a tutoring and test-prep company called The Think Tank, assesses and re-teaches students through a weekly 10-problem quiz that identifies the skills they have mastered and provides them immediate video support where needed. Initiated by Matthew Miklius, Ph.D, a former Northwestern University Engineering Professor, “Fill the Math GAPS” was specifically developed to target learning loss as a result of the pandemic in Geometry, Algebra, Pre-algebra and Statistics (GAPS). “When a student is aware that he or she is not proficient in foundational math skills, there is a direct impact on this or her academic confi-

† January 12, 2024

dence which can then hold them back from thriving in math,” says Miklius. “This tool challenges students to recognize, remember and correctly apply all math skills that they have learned. The tool also helps students to understand why they have learned these math skills, to know exactly how and when to apply each skill, and ultimately to becomebbetter problem solvers. Schools typically have seen a 300 percent increase in their students’ MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) math growth rate from one testing session to the next.”

Megan Dos Santos concurs, “Our seventh- and eighth-grade students have started their ninth week of this new program. They have expressed that they

Holy Name School students arriving for Mass at Holy Name Parish in Fall River.

GAPS. For the 2023-24 enjoy the video and the ability to relearn skills they school year, grade seven has been added to use the may have struggled with Fill the Math GAPS tool. previously. Math is According to Danskill-based and it is critical iel Roy, Superintendent that students master skills of Catholic Schools for for long-term success in the Diocese of Fall River, math. Now that we have the need for continuous nine weeks of data from improvement in academics GAPS and our fall MAP is one of his main goals. test results, we are able “Math scores in this counto take a step back and try are consistently lower focus on curriculum and than in other countries create our curriculum to best serve the needs of our so it is incumbent upon school leadership to supstudents.” port students and math Another Catholic teachers in every way school in the Diocese of possible. The two Catholic Fall River uses “Fill the schools that are using the Math GAPS” for middle ‘Fill the Math GAPS’ tool school students. St. Terehave found it to be very sa of Calcutta School in New Bedford implemented effective in the retention of math skills — even after the tool in February 2023 summer vacation. Our goal initially for the eighthgrade as a result of a school at the Catholic Schools Office is to have all of our merger the previous year. middle school students When comparing Winter leverage this tool to enMAP scores with Spring hance their math compeMAP scores, students tency as they enter high scored higher than ever school.” after using Fill the Math

Superintendent travels to Australia continued from page one

lives in Brisbane through Zoom. We will meet in person after five years. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Roy said.

Roy hopes to learn new practices from colleagues as well as discuss learning differences and similarities.

“This is an opportunity for professional educators to collaborate and come together meaningfully and effectively,” he said.

The group will visit schools on the island continent, all with a common mission.

“We are always learning, especially in education.

It is a deep and vast field. Traveling to another part of the world is a hands-on experience I am grateful for,” he said.

Upcoming diocesan events

The following upcoming events are planned or sponsored by the diocesan Office of the Secretariat for the New Evangelization.

• National Prayer Vigil for Life and other ProLife Events on January 18-19, 2024 • Divorced and Separated Ministry: Healing Mass on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at St. Mary’s Cathedral. For information visit fallriverdiocese.org.

• The Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass, celebrated by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

To register, contact your parish.

• Walk for Life on Friday, May 10, 2024.

The event will begin at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette

in Attleboro. Opening remarks will be from keynote speaker State Rep. Alan Silv1a. There will be a Rosary for Life; Mass with Bishop Da Cunha; a local Walk for Life March; Prayer: Divine Mercy Chaplet outside at Abundant Hope in Attleboro.

Participants will return to La Salette Chapel for Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

For more information contact Irina Robinson, Family and Respect Life Director at 508-6697966; Email: idelucca@ dioc-fr.org or fallriverdiocese.org or fallriverfaithformation.org or familyrespectlife.org • Irina Robinson, Family and Respect Life Director is looking for Catholic married couples wanting to lead others to Christ.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 68, No. 1

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EDITOR

Joan D. Warren

joandwarren@anchornews.org

January 12, 2024 †

5

Editorial Giving thanks to God for the gift of human life

The laws in the United States with regard to abortion are considerably better than before Dobbs v. Jackson was decided in June of 2022.

Not only did the Supreme Court’s decision demolish the claim that abortion is a constitutionally protected right, but it made possible state laws protecting our youngest brothers and sisters.

Since then, 14 states now have passed or revived laws banning most abortions, two states have banned abortions after six weeks, and six others have prohibitions in place that are presently not enforced because of legal challenges in state courts.

That’s a markedly improved situation than prior to Dobbs, where because of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, abortion was essentially legal in all 50 states, with very few restrictions, for any reason up to birth.

Despite these noteworthy victories and advances, there is a general pessimism and discouragement among many Pro-Lifers and a sense that the Pro-Life movement is “losing,” mainly because, in the seven ballot initiatives since Dobbs — in Kansas, Michigan, California, Vermont, Virginia, Montana and Ohio — citizens have either voted against abortion restrictions or in favor of enshrining abortion access in their state constitutions.

Those results have been used by abortion advocates to launch other ballot initiatives this year in Maryland and New York and likely in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, South Dakota and Iowa as well. If abortion can win in deeply conservative states like Kansas and Ohio, both of which are full of Pro-Life citizens and public office holders, then abortion proponents are anticipating inexorable victories in the other contests this year.

The Pro-Life movement was caught somewhat flat-footed politically by the Dobbs decision. Whereas there was a great deal of unity among Pro-Lifers working for almost half a century to overturn Roe, elect Pro-Life candidates, and care for pregnant mothers and their unborn children, after Dobbs, there was a lack of consensus and political preparation as abortion returned to the states: whether to push for total bans, prohibitions after six or 15 weeks, and how to handle exceptions, like rape, incest or health of the mother.

The result was a chaotic situation that abortion advocates were able to exploit. Even though multiple polls have shown that the majority of citizens in most states have serious qualms about abortion and support restrictions, abortion proponents, despite their defense of partial-birth abortions, were able to campaign as if Pro-Lifers were the extremists, trying to take away all abortions.

Those pushing to protect or advance abortion used in-depth focus groups to identify a political strategy that has been working in various states, as a recent Wall Street Journal article detailed. They honed in on the value of “freedom” and tried to stretch its appeal beyond single women. They put “choice,” with its abortion baggage, on the back burner and began to emphasize the “freedom to decide,” asking, “Should personal decisions like abortion be up to women or the government?,” and striving to ensure that “families, not government, have the freedom to make their own personal decisions.”

Especially in conservative states where many are protective of personal freedom and suspicious of government overreach, the change in emphasis succeeded. Even though “freedom to choose” and “freedom to decide” are basically identical expressions, the fresh synonym and the specific anti-government focus have been, until now, persuasive.

Abortion proponents likewise tried to stoke a paranoia that unconcerned, distant bureaucrats and politicians would decide by stressing narratives of those in extreme circumstances, particularly women who have suffered the crimes of rape or incest. Even for voters who would never choose abortion and who in general support abortion restrictions, the last thing they would want for a girl who has suffered such an atrocity would be to endure heartless bureaucratic, medical and social indifference. Compassion, such advertisements suggested, 6

† January 12, 2024

could lead only to the outcome of abortion. And that worst-case-scenario, they implied, was the issue at stake.

Pro-Lifers must obviously learn from their defeats and respond with clearer, more effective messaging and more powerful narratives. If those trying to defend the lives of unborn children, and to love and help their mothers, allow themselves to be depicted as trying to restrict others’ freedom, then they will almost certainly not turn things around. Pro-Lifers, rather, seek to help others learn to use their freedom to love. Rather than allowing politicians or fellow citizens to be portrayed as the evil ogres making difficult decisions for them, Pro-Lifers must help citizens recognize that what’s really going on is that they are being played by those who would exploit the pain of rape and incest victims to make profits off their abortions.

It’s long overdue for Pro-Lifers to commit effectively to change the narrative by putting forward former teen moms who have endured rape, so that both mother and child can show how happy they are that the mom heroically chose life and how the response to evil is not evil but good. To have those with Downs Syndrome smile and say, “I love life! I deserved to live and am so grateful to my mom for loving me! Please help others like me to survive, too!” To have women who have suffered abortion describe how they were pressured to abort by their boyfriends or pimps and why they are, therefore, voting to help protect other vulnerable women and girls from similar exploitation. To have Pro-Life doctors, nurses, and crisis pregnancy center staff, together with the grateful moms and babies they serve, show how they help people to use their freedom, not for barbaric rugged individualism, but to love.

In response to the abortion advocates’ fear mongering based on a “freedom from government and others,” the Pro-Life movement needs to demonstrate effectively this “freedom for love” that is much more deeply rooted in women’s nature. This is not a slogan or a political strategy as it is the Pro-Life movement’s long-standing practice on the ground. People do not need to take others’ lives in order to be free.

For Catholics, the response to the post-Dobbs losses and the preparation for the ballot initiatives of 2024 must obviously involve prayer, which is always and everywhere the most important things Catholics do. Some evils, moreover, are only remedied by prayer and fasting. The Church needs to pray as if lives depend on it, because they do.

Prayer not only objectively changes things as God responds to our filial pleas, but prayer also changes the subjects who pray. Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi: how we pray impacts what we believe and the way we live. The more the Church together prays for life, the more Pro-Life Catholics are strengthened to live the Gospel of Life and the more those who are wavering are given the opportunity to grow in the consequences of the faith.

As we approach January 22, the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, Catholics are called to pray with greater insistence.

One great resource the Church in the United States has, not just for January 22 but throughout the year, are the two settings for “Mass for Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life” found in the Roman Missal. Priests are strongly encouraged to use them frequently at daily Mass.

In the opening prayers for the first of those Masses, we thank God who has breathed into us the breath of life as He formed us in our mother’s womb, and ask that we may “remain faithful to this sacred trust and constant in safeguarding the dignity of every human life.” In the second, we ask God, who has fashioned human lives in His image and likeness, might “awaken in every heart reverence for the work of Your hands and renew among Your people a readiness to nurture and sustain Your precious gift of human life.”

The Church and all her Pro-Life collaborators need that fidelity, trustworthiness, reverence, readiness and perseverance in the years ahead as we seek, in this Dobbs era, to form a culture, electorate, and civilization of life.

I

t was some time after cockcrow.

Indeed, the town’s roosters had completed their morning clarion calls to action and were now busy conducting the rest of their business…..whatever that might be. The good pastor, Father Pat Fanning ss.cc., had made the sign of the cross and welcomed us to the Mass of the day on the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the mother of our savior, Jesus Christ.

It was then that the quiet of the morning was shattered by the sound of a machine. I’m still not sure whether it was that of a weed whacker or a leaf blower but it blew my mind that it continued right through the morning Mass. I know that town cleanup work has to be done but I felt that this would have been a good time for the worker of that noisy machine to take a coffee break. After all, God Himself did take a rest after all of His creation work.

I had flown to Topside Molokai the previous morning as I do each Advent and Lenten season to participate in an evening Penance Service. There are not many sinners on Topside Molokai ordinarily but Father Pat and I wish to give any or many the opportunity to say, “I’m sorry!” and to begin a new journey in faith. I also took advantage of my visit Topside to renew my driver’s license. I was surprised that I was renewed for four years rather than the usual two for people my age. So I asked the

Into the friendly isle kind lady who served me, “Do you think I’ll still be alive in four years?” She smiled. Topsiders are very friendly, you know. From the registry I went to Take’s hardware in search of a star for our nativity scene at St Francis in Kalaupapa. I got the very last one on the shelf.

Now I must risk my body to raise this star high above the original altar. Check the casualty listing in a future news column!

After Mass in St. Damien Church, we retired to the parish center for a pot luck breakfast which is prepared each morning by members of

the parish congregation.

This is also a time to share story and strengthen fellowship, as well as to catch up on neighbor-

hood news. I did not say gossip. Then it was time for morning prayer, using modern technology. How did we ever make do before the iPhone arrived on the scene? When most of the breakfast club had departed for their day’s activities and Father Pat had busied himself at his

desk upstairs, I went for a stroll around the town of Kaunakakai, which, I am told, hasn’t changed much in a hundred years.

I wouldn’t know because, as of last count, I am only 79. While strolling along, I met two former Kalaupapa workers, Too Tall Andrew who had repaired my Paddy Wagon on several occasions, and Lester, the

park ranger who kept us safe and behaving in Kalaupapa.

My first visit to this friendly town had been in the summer of 2004. It is always pleasant to return.

Where else do the roosters summon one to wakefulness and one is treated to a five course breakfast?

Aloha.

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

January 12, 2024 †

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Bishop presents Marian Medals to 63 diocesan faithful FALL RIVER — On December 3 Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., awarded the Marian Medal to 63 members of parishes from throughout the Fall River Diocese at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, in Fall River.

First presented in 1968, the annual award recognizes diocesan parishioners for their dedicated service to the Church. Recipients are nominated for the award by their pastor.

Bishop da Cunha blessed and presented the medals in the context of Evening Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Made of pewter, the Marian Medal is embossed with a Madonna and Child Jesus image on one side and the Fall River Diocesan coat-of-arms on the other.

The Marian Medal recipients for 2023 are listed below by deanery.

Attleboro Deanery Rita L. Beaudet, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Seekonk; Judy Ann Burgess, St. Mary Parish, Norton; Barbara A. Riccio, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield; Margaret Smith, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleboro; Mary Viens, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro; and Nancy T. Vincent, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk.

Cape Cod & Islands Deanery 8

Nancy Brown, who was nominated for the Marian Medal by her pastor, Father David Deston of St. Nicholas of Myron Parish in North Dighton, displays her medal with her husband Brian, who received the recognition in 2017.

Ann Bisenius, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Eileen P. Cabral, St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Provincetown; Alison W. Collins, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans; Mark Dennen, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich; James Gonet, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pocasset; Gary E. Hildebrandt, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Osterville; Deborah Journalist, Christ the King Parish, Mashpee; Suzanne Lawlor, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Wellfleet; Madeline Manchuk, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; Judith A. McDonald, Holy Redeemer Parish, Chatham; Maria Isabel Melo, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, East Falmouth; Robert J. Monahan, Jr., St. Mary-Our

† January 12, 2024

Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket; Carol Pansire, Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich; Sergio E. Racigh, Good Shepherd Parish, Vineyard Haven; and Jean Roy, St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Buzzards Bay. Fall River Deanery Alan Arruda, St. Joseph Parish, Fall River; Mary Biasotti, St. John the Baptist Parish, Westport; Deborah Cabral, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Fall River; Daniel Croteau, Holy Trinity Parish, Fall River; Madelena DaSilva, Santo Christo Parish, Fall River; Mary Lou Furtado, Espirito Santo Parish, Fall River; Shelley Howard, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River; Frederick Joseph Kelley, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Thomas McDermott, Our Lady of

Grace Parish, Westport; Norma Jean McNally, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Swansea; Steven Mello, St. Bernard Parish, Assonet Village; Stephen R. Moniz, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Somerset; Lorena Oliveira, St. Michael Parish, Fall River; Antonia Ortiz, St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish, Fall River; Antone Pavao, St. Dominic Parish, Swansea; James Powers, St. John of God Parish, Somerset; Isabel Sousa, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; and Joseph Viveiros, St. George Parish, Westport.

New Bedford Deanery Janet Ann Almeida, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, New Bedford; Mark Cabral, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; Gregory Centeio, Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford; Helen Comeau, St. Julie Billiart Parish, Dartmouth; Jeanne Currin, St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, New Bedford; Dennis J. Desnoyers, St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, New Bedford; Raymond Guillotte, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Bedford; Jason M. Hamel, St. Francis Xavier Parish Acushnet; Karen Howard, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Darlene A. Jusseaume, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church, New Bedford; Joanne Marie Manley, St. Patrick Parish, Wareham; Barbara Norton, St. Mary Parish, Dartmouth; Renee Pothier, St. Anthony-St. Rita

The Marian Medal, depicting the Madonna and Child Jesus.

Parish, Mattapoisett; Maria de Lourdes Teixeira, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; and Tracy Ann Travers, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven.

Taunton Deanery Nancy Ashworth, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; Bruce Blunt, Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Taunton; Veronica Briggs, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton; Nancy Brown, St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton; Donna Clark, St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Jack DeLuca, Immaculate Conception Parish, North Easton; Carolyn Hoye, St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Taunton; Sheila McGrady, St. Mary Parish, Taunton; and Martin Reynolds, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton.

CELEBRATE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK January 28 - February 3, 2024

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All Saints Catholic School

PK-8 OPEN HOUSE: January 28TH, 11:30am - 2:30pm 115 Illinois Street New Bedford, MA 02745 (508) 995-3696 www.ascsnb.org

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9-12 500 Slocum Road Dartmouth, MA 02747 CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE A TOUR (508) 996-5602 www.bishopstang.org

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Meet the Greater New Bedford Catholic Schools’ Principals www.catholicschoolsalliance.org/meet-our-principals January 12, 2024 †

9

Catholic Schools Week is January 28 — February 3

continued from page one

social-emotional health by introducing faith in their quest for personal identity, the meaning of life and other questions related to how they fit into their community.

Haley Rogers, principal of St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet, indicated, “It is such a blessing to lead a Catholic school because you get to walk with families in times of great joy and in

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times of great difficulty.

Our Catholic schools are not premier private schools; rather, we are faith-based schools which means we put Jesus Christ and His teachings first and foremost before anything we do.

We are not here just for academic development or social interactions; we are here because we want the entire child to thrive.”

† January 12, 2024

”Catholic Schools Week is the perfect time for families to learn more about Catholic education and its unsurpassable value to our country for more than 200 years,” indicates Daniel S. Roy, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fall River. “Our Catholic school leaders, educators, and staff members embrace a mission that endures with a new

relevance in our time.

Parents are the primary educators of their children. Our schools take seriously the responsibility of partnering with families in the overall formation of their child.

I welcome every family to consider contacting one or more of our Catholic schools to truly experience the difference of Catholic education.”

Moreover, the mission of Catholic schools is to naturally foster each

child’s God-given talent; thus, the Diocese of Fall River Catholic Schools Office has made it a priority to ensure Catholic schools can accept students with an array of learning differences.

Many families find that their local public school system does not align with the values they prioritize, or they believe their children would benefit from a smaller environment that natu8 Turn to page 12

New ”Millions of Monicas” women’s Monsignor Prevost High School continued from page 3 prayer group in Acushnet on his or her application, docuclass year.

ACUSHNET — Every Monday night at 7 p.m., women from the area are invited to join a new women’s prayer group called Millons of Monicas at Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet.

The group is praying for fallen away sons and daughters to come back to the practice of the Catholic faith.

Many mothers have sadly watched their children abandon their Catholic faith. They are now invited to join other Catholic women who are seeking to imitate St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, in praying for them, much like St. Monica prayed successfully, over 32 years, for the conversion of her husband, her mother-in-law and her famous son.

It is composed of mothers, young and old, who believe in the power of a mother’s prayer, as they seek the intercession of St. Monica.

ments familial relationship to a Prevost alumnus citing the name of the alumnus and approximate

For more information, go to

www.catholicfoundationssema.org

The former Monsignor Prevost High School burned down in 1968.

It was located on Eastern Avenue in Fall River.

Please Join Us For

Santo Christo Parish’s Second

CRAFT FAIR Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 9AM - 3PM Sunday, February 4, 2024 | 9AM - 3PM Church Hall 240 Columbia Street | Fall River, MA

Over 25 Vendors Jewelry, Soaps, Candles, Home Decor, Food/Bake Sale & Much More!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Zelia Reis at 774-451-1022 or Judy Pavao at 774-301-0863 Email: z.reis1972@gmail.com January 12, 2024 †

11

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

12

† January 12, 2024

Catholic schools week is Jan. 28 — Feb. 3 continued from page 10

rally integrates morality and character development. This is what makes a Catholic education unique and completely different than public and charter educational systems.

Finally, affordability is always a concern for many new families. Christina Duggan, Vice President of Operations for the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, indicated, “Each of our elementary schools encourage families to apply to the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) which helps reduce the cost of tuition by pro-

viding scholarships. For this school year, more than 1000 students have received a needs-based award, which in many cases has reduced tuition by more than 30 percent, and for many schools, this can result in a monthly tuition payment of $300 or less. Awards are determined by a family’s financial circumstances at the time of application. FACE scholarships help reduce the tuition cost and, in the end, families realize that a Catholic education is well worth the investment. Families are encouraged to complete their applications via FACTS by the deadline of March 29, 2024 for the best chance of receiving an award as funds are limited.”

Catholic schools are still valued and necessary in today’s educational landscape.

Whether a family’s interest in Catholic education is for the virtue taught daily, or the academic preparation and study skills, the Diocese of Fall River Catholic schools are in a unique position to provide an education where students can, in accordance with the motto for the Diocese’s Catholic schools, ‘flourish with faith, family and fundamentals.’

For more information about the Fall River Catholic Schools or to view principal videos, please go to www. catholicschoolsalliance. org/catholic-schoolsweek-2024.

Lt. Braga visits Bishop Feehan continued from page two

his address to Feehan students by asking them to remain engaged, informed and part of the solutions needed in our country and world. He quoted Medal of Honor recipient and special forces soldier Matthew Williams: “Be citizens worth serving for.”

Braga’s day extended far past his landing and

remarks. He was able to tour Feehan’s Innovation & Arts Center and visit with the school’s Robotics and Engineering Clubs and share just how central innovation has become to the Army. General Braga also had a private visit with 25 Feehan students with an interest in military careers.

And he had a chance to

meet with former teachers, classmates and friends during a lunch reception.

General Braga also received a Distinguished Bishop Feehan Alumni Award during his visit.

General Braga’s official Army bio is here: https:// www.soc.mil/Bios/ltgbraga-2021-bio.pdf

Lt. General Jon Braga why is “making a difference in people’s lives.” And he has “loved every step of the journey.”

“It’s pretty cool, it’s pretty surreal, to be honest with you, to be back here,” said Braga of the trip back to the Attleboro co-ed Catholic high school. “I can’t say I imagined three

decades ago I would land at my high school in a helicopter.”

General Braga was able to meet and thank Mr. Dan Flynn (Feehan Class of ’69), whose brother, Gary Flynn ’65, remains the only Bishop Feehan graduate ever lost in battle.

General Braga closed

January 12, 2024 †

13

Bishop Stang shapes life of campus minister

J

ust about 20 years ago I was working two part time jobs. I was a campus minister at a church in Rhode Island and as an assistant manager at Blockbuster Video (it was as fun of a job as you think). I knew my time was coming to an end at the parish (but never at Blockbuster) and I started looking around for jobs. I went to college for a degree in Youth Ministry and was a product of public school so the idea of teaching in a Catholic school never crossed my mind.

A friend after Mass one day told me that Bishop Stang High School was hiring a Theology teacher and Campus Minister. My first response was, “What is Bishop Stang?” As a Cranston, R.I. girl, anything beyond the Braga Bridge seemed like a different time zone. I looked at the ad in the newspaper (yes…job advertisements in the news-

14

paper and not a website!) and I thought I would apply.

A few days later I received a phone call from the principal saying they would like to interview me which was set up a few days later. A few days after my interview, while I was working a shift at Blockbuster, I received a call offering me the job. I told them I needed to pray about it. When I told my manager at Blockbuster about the call , she said, “What are you crazy? Call them back and tell them you want the job!

You can’t work at Blockbuster forever!” And so I did.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I said yes to being a teacher.

I had no education experience. That first year at Stang was one of the most trying years of my life. I felt I was maybe five minutes ahead of my students. Every time

† January 12, 2024

they had a question that I did not know the answer to I would write it on my hand and ask our chaplain.

I would sit in the classroom of another teacher who also taught my class and take

notes on what to teach. I do not know how I made it through, but I know that at the end of that first year, I truly understood what it meant to be a part of the Stang family.

Each year in education brings its own challenges.

Whether it is prepping a new curriculum, learning new education standards, keeping up with technology, or a pandemic, there is always something that

keeps you working late into the evening and during your vacations. I still find the most challenging part about being a high school teacher, however, is loving these kids for four years and then letting them go. And as long as that continues to be my biggest struggle, I know that I am in the right place.

Being an educator is a tiring job.

Being a Catholic educator is just as tiring but it also means that you have a community, rooted in Christ to help you through those challenging moments.

In the almost twenty years that I have been at Stang I have lost my dad, my brother, and students. I have also made amazing friends, gotten married, become a homeowner, survived cancer, and grown tremendously in my relationship with the Lord. Being a Catholic educator during some of the most pivotal moments in my life has shaped me.

Being a teacher at Bishop Stang has made me into the person I am today. I have a better understanding of who God is asking me to be. I know when I fall short of those expectations, but I also know that God’s mercy extends past His expecta-

tions. I know that each student, co worker, parent and guardian that I have met so far in this journey has been a reminder of His calling for me.

As a public school kid who loved high school, I could never imagine that teaching in a Catholic school could be that profound, but I can firmly say that my experience as a teacher at Bishop Stang High School has been the most life-shaping experience. Praying with my students, with my colleagues, my Stang family, makes the difficult times bearable and the good times more rich.

Former president George W. Bush once said, “Catholic schools carry out a great mission, to serve God by building knowledge and character…By teaching the word of God, you prepare your students to follow a path of virtue.” Yes we prepare our students to follow a path of virtue, but it has also directed my path as well.

Anchor columnist Amanda Tarantelli has been a campus minister at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth since 2005. She is married, a diehard sports fan, and resides in Cranston, R.I. She can be reached at atarantelli@ bishopstang.org.

Women’s Advent Retreat continued from page one

All eyes were on the stage where Father John Garabedian gave the opening blessing and prepared the women for the day ahead.

“The Holy Spirit loves to bring people together. You are sitting with those who the Holy Spirit put you with,” he said.

One such table consisted of a pair of sisters, a pair of former waitresses who worked together 40 years ago and recently reconnected, a pair from Taunton who worship at different parishes and a North Andover woman who was visiting her parents who live in Falmouth.

The ladies became fast friends after introductions and learned they have a lot in common. They all have a deep faith in God and believe in the power of prayer.

Karen St. John, from North Andover, was so happy to be with her table mates.

“I was looking for a group of like-minded catholic women to share and grow with,” she said.

Master of Ceremonies and speaker Allison Gingras greeted the crowd of women, and explained the agenda for the day

and offered a bit of wisdom.

“When we become overwhelmed, we miss God’s movement in our lives. We need to trust God in his timing. Waiting for that can become paralyzing.

Don’t be afraid. Keep praying and be patient. Good things come to those who believe in the Lord,” she said.

Deacon Christopher Paul, Director of Adult and Child Discipleship for the Diocese, praised Mrs. Gingras and her commitment to sharing her faith with others.

“Allison Gingras is an indispensable resource, especially to the women of our diocese. She never says no to an opportunity to bring the love and mercy of Christ to others. Her husband, Deacon Kevin Gingras is always a big help, working behind the scenes on the day of the event,” Deacon Paul said.

Keynote speaker Danielle Bean kept the crowd informed and entertained with practical advice and how the power of prayer can bring miracles to life.

“Joy is something we can choose. We are all running around at this time of year. Jesus

can be a guest that we are preparing for but forgetting that the relationship with him is more important. The outside things that you do aren’t what God wants. Christmas isn’t something you create,” she said.

We should make time for daily prayer in a practical way. Your presence here shows you came to be around like-minded people.”

Bean said.

She talked about the power of prayer and shared a story about how God answered her call.

“I was pregnant with our fourth child and prayed for a minivan that the family could travel in together. I prayed and prayed — almost in a bratty way, like a spoiled child. Then one day out of the blue my husband called and said someone wanted to give us a minivan. I knew God had heard my prayers and answered them,” she said.

During lunch, catered by Roche Bros. and served by a team of men from the office of

Adult and Child Discipleship, the women at the table had a chance to share their stories of how God has touched their lives in profound ways.

Sharon Blanchard, a parishioner at Corpus Christi, told the others her story about the power of prayer.

“I had a skin cancer on my chin that has vanished. I went to doctor after doctor who said it needed to be removed with surgery. I prayed to Mother Angelica and her intersession healed me. Miracles do happen,” Blanchard said.

Maria Bess, also from Corpus Christi, told a story about her mother who suffered with COPD and went from using oxygen daily to not needing it at all.

“I prayed the Divine Mercy prayer and my mother miraculously got better. I truly believe that miracles can happen when you pray” she said.

Six priests were available for 8 Turn to page 18

Diocese sending delegation to National Eucharistic Congress As part of the National

includes full-access to all venues

Eucharistic Revival, there will be

and programming; 4-night stay at

a National Eucharistic Congress

an Indianapolis hotel, including

July 17-21, 2024, in Indianapolis,

breakfast; Round-trip flights from

Indiana; the first

Boston; Transpor-

congress of its

tation to and from

kind in 83 years

the airports.

Those interest-

in our country.

ed and wanting

The Diocese of Fall River

to receive more

is working to

information can

secure discounted group rates

visit https://bit.ly/NEC2024 or

for individuals from our diocese

call the diocesan Secretariat for

to attend, which would include:

the New Evangelization at 508-

Congress Registration, which

675-1311.

January 12, 2024 †

15

Retired Fr. Henry K. Kropiwnicki, 91, dies after brief illness

Sister Jean Carpinelli, SUSC

CAMDEN, N.J. — Sister Jean CarpiFALL RIVER — Father Parish in New Bedford.

Henry K. Kropiwnicki, 91, He later served at Our Lady nelli, SUSC, a resident died Sunday, December 24, of Fatima and St. Anne par- of Prosper Fall River, 2023, at Charlton Memorial ishes, both in New Bedford, died on December 13 at the age of 90. Born in Hospital after a brief illness. and was then reassigned He was the to St. Casimir’s by Camden, New Jersey on son of the late Bishop Daniel A. March 29, 1933, she was Walter and Cronin in 1978, the daughter of the late Lilliana Kropiwhere he remained Francis and Emma (Garwnicki. Father until retiring in rity) Carpinelli. In addiKropiwnicki 2000. tion to her Holy Union was ordained by He is survived Sisters, she is survived Bishop Wladyby his two sisters, by her sister and brothslaw Suszynski Fredzia and Henia; er-in-law, Frances and for the Diocese three nephews; Michael Mihna, nieces of Vilnius, which is now in and one niece. and nephews and grand Lithuania, on June 22, 1958.

His funeral Mass was nieces and nephews. She He attended the Catho- held on Thursday, January was pre-deceased by her lic University of Lublin and 4, at Holy Name of the Sasister, Sister Helen Carpiserved many parishes before cred heart of Jesus nelli, SUSC. coming to the United States Parish in New Bedford. in 1968, when he was first Burial followed at St. Sister Jean attended assigned by Bishop James Mary’s Cemetery, New Camden Catholic High L. Connolly to St. Casimir Bedford.

School and graduated from Sacred Hearts Academy, Fall River. She entered the Holy Union Sisters on June 26, 1950, pronounced her first vows on Aug. 22, 1953, Sunday, January 14 at 11:00 a.m. and perpetual vows on Aug. 22, 1959. At the time of her death, Sister Celebrant is Father Marek Jean had been a Holy Chmurski, Pastor of St.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6

Margaret Parish, Buzzards Bay

Union Sister for 73 years. to assist homeless famiShe earned a B.A. lies and was a teacher in in Education from the the General Education Sacred Heart School of Diploma class, She also Education and a B.A. in taught language arts Art from Hunter College classes at Sacred Heart in New York. Sister Jean School in Brockton. taught in parish schools From 1992 to 1997, she staffed was a member of the by the pastoral team for the Holy Holy Union retirement Union community at Sacred SisHearts Convent in Fall ters in River. She then worked Maryat the Swansea Council land, on Aging’s residents’ day Mascenter. Sister Jean retired sachusetts, New Jersey, in 2006 and volunteered and New York. After in the Holy Union Sisters leaving teaching, Sister Archives Office and at Jean joined the staff of Prosper, Fall River. She the Jesuit Program for joined the Holy Union Living and Learning Sisters at Prosper in 2019 on Staten Island, New and resided there until York where she served her death. as a residential counselA visitation, Memoor. In 1989, a new Holy rial Prayer Service and Union formation comMass of Christian Burial munity was established were held at St. Mary’s in Brockton, and Sister Cathedral on DecemJean was a member of ber 20. Burial was at St. the community. While in Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall Brockton, she participat- River. ed in a YMCA program Family Novena Celebrating Father Patrick Peyton’s Birth

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel

Sunday, January 21 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Daniel M. Nunes, Parochial Administrator at St. John Neumann, East Freetown

Sunday, January 28 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Ryan J. Healey, Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet

16

† January 12, 2024

Sunday, January 14 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from St. Anthony Church, Taunton

*** Sunday, January 21 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from

Immaculate Conception Church, New Bedford

*** Sunday, January 28 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Santo Christo Church, Fall River

NORTH EASTON — The annual Family Novena Celebrating Father Patrick Peyton’s birth, which began on January 9 and runs through January 17, is an opportunity to seek Father Peyton and Our Blessed Mother’s intercession for your family’s needs in 2024.

Father Peyton founded the global ministry of Family Rosary and is now a sainthood candidate.

For simple Rosary instructions, prayers, and reflections, please download the free Novena booklet at: FamilyRosary.org/TheGiftOfPrayer

BRANFORD, Conn. — Permanent Deacon Thomas Caldwell Bailey, of Yarmouth Port, and formerly of Branford, Conn. passed away peacefully on December 26, 2023. He was 102 years old.

Born on November 19, 1921, in Willimantic, Conn. to the late Theresa Flynn Bailey and Edward Caldwell Bailey, Deacon Bailey was educated in Hartford, Conn. schools and graduated from Hartford’s Bulkeley High School in 1939.

He enlisted in the United States Army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and was ultimately assigned to the United States 82nd Airborne Division.

In the run up to D-Day he was being trained as a chemical warfare specialist attending the Royal Army School of Chemical Warfare in Wiltshire England when a week before the invasion, all allied military bases went on lockdown.

Permanent Deacon Thomas C. Bailey

Unable to return to his unit and jump with the 82nd Airborne, he went over on D-Day with the British in a glider. Over France, the tow plane was hit by German anti-aircraft fire and was unable to release the glider forcing both aircraft back to England.

Once on the ground they got off one glider, counted off and then boarded another glider. “They didn’t even give us time to change our underwear,” he frequently quipped.

The second trip ended with his glider crashing not far from the famed Pegasus Bridge, earning him the unique distinction of being amongst a small group of soldiers who invaded Europe twice.

After getting back to his unit he participated in many of the key battles of Normandy, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. In April

of 1945, he was ordered into Dachau to secure the gas chamber. A day that haunted him throughout his long life.

After the war, he attended St Bonaventure University earning a degree in Latin American History in 1948. He joined Merrill Lynch’s training class of “nine millionaires kids and me.”

At Merrill Lynch he met Joan Arnold, an analyst.

They married on Jan. 19, 1952.

They moved to New Haven, Conn. in 1955 and to Branford, Conn. shortly thereafter.

Bailey joined Harris Upham & Co in the early 1960’s and retired from Smith Barney Harris Upham in 1988.

In 1985, he was ordained a member of the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Hartford. Upon mov-

ing to Yarmouth Port in Cape Cod he became a Deacon of St Pius X parish in South Yarmouth, where he remained until his death.

Deacon Bailey leaves his wife of 72 years, Joan Arnold Bailey, three children, Alice Bailey Boyd of Scituate, Thomas Caldwell Bailey Jr (Mary Jo) of Dedham, and Richard D. Bailey (Christina) of Scituate. In addition to his children, he leaves nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was known and will be remembered by family and friends for having a song for every occasion, frequent and regular outbursts of poetry (especially Kipling) and incorrigibly slipping cash to his grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday January 3, at at St Pius X Church, in South Yarmouth, with full military honors burial shortly thereafter at Chandler Gray Cemetery.

Daily Readings † January 13 - February 2 Sat. Jan. 13: 1 Sm 9:1-4,17-19; 10:1; Ps 21:2-7; Mk 2:13-17. Sun. Jan. 14: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1 Sm 3:3b-10,19; Ps 40:2,4,7-10; 1 Cor 6:13c-15a,17-20; Jn 1:35-42.

Mon. Jan. 15: 1 Sm 15:16-23; Ps 50:8-9,16bc-17,21,23; Mk 2:18-22. Tues. Jan. 16: 1 Sm 16:1-13; Ps 89:20-22,27-28; Mk 2:23-28. Wed. Jan. 17: 1 Sm 17:32-33,37,40-51; Ps 144:1b,2,9-10; Mk 3:1-6. Thu. Jan. 18: 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7; Ps 56:2-3,9-10a,10b-13; Mk 3:7-12. Fri. Jan. 19: 1 Sm 24:3-21; Ps 57:2-4,6,11; Mk 3:13-19.

Sat. Jan. 20: 2 Sm 1:1-4,11-12,19,23-27; Mk 3:20-21. Sun. Jan. 21: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday of the Word of God, Jon 3:1-5,10; Ps 25:4-9; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20.

Mon. Jan. 22: 2 Sm 5:1-7,10; Ps 89:20,21-22,25-26; Mk 3:22-30. Tues. Jan. 23: 2 Sm 6:12b-15,17-19; Ps 24:7-10; Mk 3:31-35. Wed. Jan. 24: 2 Sm 7:4-17; Ps 89:4-5,27-30; Mk 4:1-20. Thu. Jan. 25: Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1bc,2; Mk 16:15-18. Fri. Jan. 26: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-8a,10; Mk 4:26-34.

Sat. Jan. 27: 2 Sm 12:1-7a,10-17; Ps 51:12-17; Mk 4:35-41. Sun. Jan. 28: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95:1-2,6-9; 1 Cor 7:32-35; Mk 1: 21-28. Mon. Jan. 29: 2 Sm 15:13-14,30; 16:5-13; Ps 3:2-7; Mk 5:1-20. Tues. Jan. 30: 2 Sm 18:9-10,14b,24-25a,30 — 19:3; Ps 86:1-6; Mk 5:21-43. Wed. Jan. 31: 2 Sm 24:2,9-17; Ps 32:1-2,5-7; Mk 6:1-6. Thu. Feb. 1: 1 Kgs 2:1-4,10-12; 1 Chr 29:10,11ab,11d-12a,12bcd; Mk 6:7-13. Fri. Feb. 2: Presentation of the Lord, Mal 3:1-4; Ps 24:7-10; Heb 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40.

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: Jan. 13 1954, Rev. Emile Plante, M.S., LaSalette Seminary, Attleboro 2007, Rev. Ralph D. Tetrault, Retired, Former Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham Jan. 14 1977, Rev. John J. Lawler, M.M., Maryknoll Missioner Jan. 15 1948, Rev. Thomas F. Kennedy, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Woods Hole 1972, Rev. Vincent Marchildon, O.P., Director, St. Anne Shrine, Fall River 1977, Rev. Msgr. John E. Boyd, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham 1997, Rev. Harold A. Whelan, Jr., SS.CC., Ph. D. Jan. 17 Rev. John F. Laughlin, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro Rev. Daniel J. McCarthy, SS.CC., Former Provincial Superior, Retired Pastor, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 2002 Rev. Gilles M. Genest, M.S., 2012 Jan. 18 Rev. Paul J. Duff, C.S.C., Retired, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton, 2012 Rev. Deacon James Paul Leavitt, 2018

Jan. 19 Rev. Thomas E. O’Dea, Assistant, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1999 Jan. 20 Rev. Roland J. Masse, Assistant, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1952

Jan. 27 Rev. John T. O’Grady, Assistant, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1919 Rev. Joseph M. Silvia, Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 1955 Rev. Thomas E. Lockary, C.S.C., Stonehill College, North Easton, 1988

Jan. 28 Jan. 21 Rev. Msgr. Henri A. Hamel, USAF, Retired Chap- Rev. Joseph M. Griffin, Pastor, St. Mary, Nantucket, 1947 lain, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, New Bedford, Rt. Rev. Msgr. John J. Shay, V.F., Pastor, St. John the 1983 Evangelist, Attleboro, 1961 Jan. 23 Jan. 29 Rev. Deacon John Cwiekowski, 2001 Rev. Christiano J. Borges, Retired Pastor, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1944 Jan. 24 Rev. Aaron L. Roche, O.P., Immaculate Concep- Rev. Albert J. Masse, Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro, 1950 tion Mission, North Easton, 1870 Rev. Louis A. Casgrain, Pastor, St Mathieu, Fall Jan. 30 River, 1920 Rev. Peter A. Carlin, 1880 Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Boston College Rev. Raymond F.X. Cahill, S.J., Assistant, St. Francis Faculty, 1951 Xavier, Hyannis, 1983 Rev. Thomas F. McMorrow, Assistant, Our Lady Rev. Sebastian Slesinski, O.F.M., Conv., 2006 of Victory, Centerville, 1977 Rev. Raul M. Lagoa, Pastor, St. John of God, SomRev. Cornelius J. O’Neill, Retired Pastor, Sacred erset, 2012 Heart, Taunton, 1999 Jan. 25 Rev. Jack Hickey, O.P., Dismas House, Nashville, Tenn., 1987 Rev. David M. Andrade, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea, 2018

Jan. 31 Rev. Charles J. Burns, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1901 Rev. William F. Sullivan, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1930

Rev. Manuel C. Terra, 1930 Rev. William J. Shovelton, Retired, Former Pastor, St. William, Fall River, 2015 Feb. 1 Rev. Msgr. Michael J. O’Reilly, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Taunton, 1948 Rev. Msgr. Patrick H. Hurley, V.F., Pastor, St. Joseph, Taunton, 1968 Rev. Anatole F. Desmarais, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1975 Rev. Msgr. Gerard J. Chabot, Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro, 1983 Rev. William F. O’Connell, Pastor, Holy Name, New Bedford, 1995 Rev. Arthur T. DeMello, Retired Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Fall River, 2004 Rev. Albert J. Ryan, Retired, U.S. Air Force Chaplain, Former Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, New Bedford, 2015 Feb. 2 Most Rev. William Stang, D.D., First Bishop of Fall River: 1904-07, 1907 Rev. Patrick F. McKenna, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Taunton, 1913 Rev. John L. McNamara, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1941 Rev. P. Roland Decosse, Pastor, St. Hyacinth, New Bedford, 1947 Rev. Daniel F. Morarty, Assistant, St. Brendan, Riverside, R.I., 1991

January 12, 2024 †

17

Women’s advent retreat continued from page 15

Keynote speaker Danielle Bean provided inspirational words and shared her personal story about the power of prayer.

reconciliation and for most of the day, a line formed as women waited their turn to make their confession.

The day concluded with adoration lead by Deacon Paul.

After the retreat, Deacon Paul was pleased as to how the day proceeded.

“This is an annual event, usually held on the first Saturday of December.

Based on the feedback we have been receiving, we feel the event went very well.

Two hundred women from all over our Diocese came together to be inspired with a lively presentation of the Gospel message geared specifically to women. Many were able to encounter the mercy of our Lord sacramentally in Confession. It doesn’t get much better than that,” he said.

He added that Bernadette Nelson, volunteer director of our Advent Women’s Retreat, worked tirelessly to organize volunteers, set up for the event, helped ensure that the day ran smoothly and cleaned up afterwards.

In addition to this event specifically for women, David Carvalho and his team in the Secretariat for the New Evangelization offer several events annually for parish leaders, including a fall Convocation, a day for the youth of the diocese, a Pro-Life Conference, and a RCIA Retreat. They also offer an annual men’s event called a “Meat and Greet” on the first Saturday of May. 18

† January 12, 2024

N

The ethics of neuroimplants and brain-computer interfaces

euralink, a company run by Elon Musk, announced in September that it had received approval to implant wireless brain-computer interfaces (BCI) into human volunteers.

A BCI is a neural device that translates a person’s brain activity into external responses, enabling, for example, the movement of a prosthetic limb via brain signals.

The goal of Musk’s study is to enable people with paralysis to use their thoughts to control external devices, especially computers, through the BCI. While this end is clearly worthwhile, some future uses of BCI technology will probably not be equally praiseworthy, and some foreseeable applications of this technology will likely be unethical.

In an MIT Technology Review article, Professor John Donoghue of Brown University mentions how as a child he spent time in a wheelchair, which later motivated him to try to help individuals who were paralyzed.

One time after he delivered a speech at Google, he was surprised to encounter an engineer who was an avid gamer who wanted to know if it would be possible to have a “third thumb.”

“That’s taking things to an extreme,” commented Donoghue. “I don’t want to implant electrodes into people so they can be better gamers. I always challenge all of these ideas because I don’t see what it gets you. But I don’t dismiss it, either... that is what is driving people. It’s the cool factor, that you could have this new interface.”

Restoring lost function offers an obvious benefit, but enhancing people’s abilities beyond their

typical talents raises ethical concerns. When it comes to “therapies” vs. “enhancements,” the former will generally be OK, but the latter will often be problematic.

Yet such a distinction, for all its usefulness, still falls short.

For example, consider a hypothetical device that, when implanted into the brain of a person with advanced dementia, would improve his or her ability to remember and recall facts at a level similar to pre-dementia times.

Suppose further that in a healthy person, the same device would confer a new ability, the power of a photographic memory. Would this mean it would be ethical to use it for the dementia patient, but not for the healthy one?

Suppose there were a BCI that not only improved hand-to-eye coordination and motor control for Parkinson’s patients having movement deficits, but also improved the acuity and coordination of healthy athletes, so a professional pitcher could now throw a baseball even more accurately. Would it be OK to use the BCI for the Parkinson’s patient but not for the athlete?

What if the therapeutic implant for the Parkinson’s patient not only restored his ability to move in a coordinated way, but also gave him the ability to play baseball essentially as a professional, something he had never been able to do at any point prior in his life?

The apparent blurring of the distinction between therapy and enhancement

by BCIs can become complicated to sort out.

hours of work time?

It seems that coercive scenarios involving BCIs might arise relatively easily.

What about the non-voluntary implantation of BCIs, enabling control of some individuals by others without their consent?

One could envision forced implantation of chips to “neuter” a criminal’s bad behavior, for example.

Furthermore, the degree to which a neuroimplant would interfere with human autonomy would be vital to assessing its morality. A BCI might serve to increase or decrease human assured, even as we seek to autonomy. If someone addicted to drugs, for safeguard and expand the example, received a brain notion of mental privacy.

What if students in the implant that generated specific stimulation patterns future had BCIs that allowed for the monitoring of to break his addiction, this the pupils’ attention in class could be therapeutic and helpful. But what if the by scanning or recording their brain activity? What if setting were adjusted, and it instead became possible workers in a factory could to dial in an electrically-inbe monitored in this way duced “high” that provided for lapses of attention? an experience far more inCould BCIs enable the tense than any illegal drug? modulation of sleep patUsing BCIs to mimic the terns, so employees could effects of recreational drugs, be made to put in extra

As BCIs become more sophisticated, they may be able to capture and interpret more and more intimate aspects of a person’s thoughts. When it comes to the collection of brain data from sensors, it seems fitting to require that such data be protected like other medical information.

The confidentiality of our neurodata will need to be

or to pursue more intense erotic experiences, for example, by directed neural stimulation, could contribute to the enslaving of future generations through novel addictive behaviors, generating a raft of new concerns. Moral objections invariably arise any time men and women experience a loss of freedom or “personal agency” on account of addictions or other compulsive behaviors.

In sum, while BCIs could offer important medical and therapeutic uses in the future, they also are poised for dubious or clearly immoral uses. Careful ethical discernment around selective deployment of this technology, therefore, will be essential going forward.

To learn more go to: www.ncbcenterorg Anchor columnist Father Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as Senior Ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org and www.fathertad.com

January 12, 2024 †

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† January 12, 2024