03.05.2021

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, March 5, 2021

Despite pandemic, annual diocesan Women and Men’s Conference will take place And it’s so important that the diocese be able to gather faithdavejolivet@anchornews.org ful together in a healthy format to share and pray together. This FALL RIVER — If anything virtual conference will bring true was learned over the last year, it was that the Church, and her mis- blessings to the diocese.”

This year’s conference, themed sion to spread God’s Word, simply “Father’s Healing Touch,” is open put, will not be denied. to all, although pre-registration is Another required. Also, example is the as in the past, upcoming anthe conference nual diocesan will conclude Women and with a Mass Men’s Confercelebrated ence, which

by Bishop will take place Edgar M. da March 20 Cunha, S.D,V. from 1 to 5 The Mass, p.m.; and like which will many diochave limited esan events occupancy, over the last will take place 12 months, it during the will be virtual. usual 4 p.m.

Beth Saturday Mass Mahoney, at St. Mary’s chairperson of Cathedral in the event, told Fall River.

The Anchor, “People “The availabil- Contemporary Christian music singwill be allowed ity of modern er, composer and recording artist, to attend ValLimar Jansen will be the guest technology has truly been speaker at this year’s virtual diocesan the Mass in a gift through Women and Men’s Conference. This person, but the number this pandem- was Jansen at 2017’s conference. will be very ic. It’s been a (Photo by Deacon Alan Thadeu) limited,” said silver lining in Mahoney. “Parishioners will be tough times. registering, as they usually do, “Last year we were just able with Father Tom Washburn rector to have the conference in person of the cathedral. After that, we’ll before everything shut down. know how many others will be “People’s lives have been able to attend. And like for the changed and many are stressed, 8 Turn to page 13 suffer anxiety, pain and sickness.

By Dave Jolivet Editor

On February 16, members of the Bishop Feehan High School ice hockey team formed an honor guard as teammate AJ Quetta was transferred from Mass. General Hospital in Boston to Shepherd Rehabilitation Center, in Atlanta, Ga., considered one of the best in the country for treatment of spinal cord injuries, to continue treatment for an injury suffered in a game January 26.

Feehan’s AJ Quetta off to Atlanta hospital to continue treatment and rehab

By Dave Jolivet Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

ATTLEBORO — AJ Quetta, a member of the Bishop Feehan High School ice hockey team, suffered a serious spinal injury in a game on January 26.

Since then, he had been receiving treatment at Mass. General Hospital in Boston. On February 16, AJ was transferred to the Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, Ga., considered to be one of the premier facilities in the country for the treatment of spinal cord injuries.

The Shamrock team, wearing game jerseys, traveled to Boston, forming an honor guard with raised sticks, to see off their friend and comrade, as he was taken to a BostonMed Flight jet.

A few days later, his team-

mates took to the ice to play cross-town rivals North Attleboro High School in a fund-raising event. The game was not on either teams’ schedule, with only conference games being played during COVID-19.

But the ice hockey family across the country is a strong force. The North Attleboro squad wanted to help out a fellow player and, thus, the game was scheduled, with a limited number of fans in attendance.

Before the game, AJ sent a video to his teammates, rivals, and all those supporting the Quetta Family since the injury.

With a strong voice, AJ said, “Hello everyone. I would just like to thank you for your support. What’s been going on lately is crazy. I don’t have words to

82021 Turn †to page eight March 5,

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New diocesan campus ministry to aid local ministries FALL RIVER — A new ministry in the Fall River Diocese has come to fru-

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ition inspired by the Life of Christ and the Spiritual and Corporal Works of

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Mercy. The new ministry, named, “The Lighthouse Keepers of Christ in Action Program,” is an initiative that encourages diocesan employees and friends to engage in the Spirit of Christ through service to others which springs forth from their love of Christ.

The program aims to assist local ministries in need of essential items. Additionally, the program aims to deepen the roots of those who faithfully participate, as they are called to give from a place of sacrifice, so that they may be more closely united with Christ.

The Lighthouse Keepers of Christ in Action Program’s new logo depicts the image of the merciful Jesus over-layed with a beaming lighthouse which shines a light in the midst of a storm, which comes forth from the heart of Jesus. The program engages its communities starting from within the Church for the

growth of deeper roots in Christ our hope. Like the image depicts, the Church continues to call all people out of the storm-like darkness which can fog our view and encourages us to

unite with Christ and focus on the light which stems from His mercy. The Lighthouse Keepers of Christ in Action Program calls us to unite in an ongoing conversion of heart and put our faith in action.

When the Body of Christ is in action, the light that shine forth renews our strength by the Spirit of God’s loving

mercy. As God’s Word is proclaimed in the Bible through the Gospel of Matthew 5:16, Christ instructs, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in Heaven.”

For we know that when others see the impossible being done in the name of Christ, those who seek to know the Truth will be comforted just as Jesus tells us through His words in John 10:10, “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.”

The new ministry, which will take place year-round and is expected to continue for many years to come, was launched on Ash Wednesday of 2021. The Lighthouse Keepers of Christ in Action Program is currently collecting donations for this month’s recipient, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Fall River.

In the following months, the program will provide aid to other local agencies such as Abundant Hope Pregnancy Resource Center in Attleboro through a Life-Affirming, Mother’s Day Collection, and the Pope Francis Outreach Center.

For an updated list of items currently being collected, please contact, Irina DeLucca, Pro-Life Apostolate Diocesan Director or Deborah LeDoux Pro-Life Apostolate coordinator for the Diocese of Fall River, 450 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass., 02720-2577; Phone: 508-675-1311, Fax: 508730-2887, Project Rachel: 508-997-3300 or email: pla@plrachel.com.

Fall River parishes unite to present Lenten Mission March 8-11 is “Get In the Boat.”

Father James Ferreira, davejolivet@anchornews.org a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and former FALL RIVER — Pandemic or no pandemic, the priest secretary to Archneed to focus on repentance bishop Timothy Cardinal and forgiveness during Lent Dolan, and a priest on Staten Island, will be the is crucial. homilist each evening.

To help Fall River area “Father Ferreira was schedfaithful live a fruitful Lentuled to be the presenter en season, four parishes in at last year’s mission, but the city have collaborated it was cancelled because to present a Lenten Misof COVID-19,” Father Jay sion from March 8-11. The parishes of Holy Trinity, St. Mello, pastor of St. Joseph and St. Michael parishes in Joseph, Holy Name and St. Fall River, told The Anchor.

Anthony of the Desert will “Father Ferreira is a great host, on consecutive evenings, a Mass and a mission priest and an engaging homily. The mission’s theme preacher.”

By Dave Jolivet Editor

Catholic Foundation offers faithful prayer cards for deceased loved ones FALL RIVER — The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Fall River is offering area faithful prayer cards to have their loved ones remembered.

The power of prayer for solace during times of loss and prayers for comfort.

Loved ones will be remembered in prayer by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha,

S.D.V., during his monthly remembrance Mass.

Send one of the foundation’s beautiful cards and enroll your loved one for prayers.

Visit the following link for more details and to make a Mass card offering: www. catholicfoundationsema. org/mass-card.

Father Mello said that he and Father Ferreira were college roommates at Steubenville, and that Father Jay Maddock, pastor of Holy Name Parish in Fall River, is also a good friend of his.

“With its overarching message of persevering in faith in Christ, it will feature talks on conversion, the Church, the Eucharist and Our Lady,” said Father Mello.

“We are taking the precautions that are in place for our ongoing celebration of Mass throughout the Deanery,” Father Maddock told The Anchor. “We encourage people attend the celebration of Mass and listen to the presentations of Father Ferreira.

“In the midst of the Holy Season of Lent it will be a great opportunity for prayer, meditation and reflection. It will be a great opportunity for people from our Deanery to gather to be nourished

by Word and Sacrament in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.”

“I have no doubt that Father Ferreira’s message during the four Masses will

help people grow,” added Father Mello.

Four of the city’s larger churches were selected to host the mission, to allow for more people to attend, based on state COVID-19 guidelines.

Father Mello also said that plans are in the works to have the Masses livestreamed.

All are welcomed to attend as many of the mission sessions as their schedule allows. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available each evening beginning at 6 p.m.

“All of these ‘spiritual exercises’ can only help us during these difficult times to realize how much God loves us and calls us

to be united all the more in faith and love with Him,” Father Maddock told The Anchor.

The locations for the Lenten Mission Masses, all at 7 p.m. are as follows: Monday, March 8 — Holy Trinity Church, 951 Stafford Road, Fall River; Tuesday, March 9 — St. Joseph Church, 1335 North Main Street, Fall River; Wednesday, March 10 — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, Fall River; Thursday, March 11 — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, Fall River.

For more information, contact any of the host parishes.

Calling all runners — FACE to take part in Falmouth Road Race FALMOUTH — The Diocese of Fall River’s Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) is excited it will participate in the ASICS 2021 Falmouth Road Race.

FACE will be part of the Numbers for Non-Profits Program with six entries where participants will raise funds for FACE student scholarships.

Each year runners enjoy the beautiful scenic views along the seven-mile seaside course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights.

The race is a favorite that attracts thousands of elite

runners and recreational runners from local areas as well as from around the world visiting the Cape Cod Town of Falmouth, which is part of the Diocese of Fall River.

Last year, FACE volunteer, Cassandra Robin, participated in the first Falmouth Road Race AtHome Edition and raised $3,660 for FACE! Those interested in participating and who would like more information, contact Jane Robin at jrobin@ catholicfoundationsema. org or call 508-380-7521.

March 5, 2021 †

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Aiming for Catholic Social Teaching-inspired justice in D.C.

By Tom Dwyer Special to The Anchor

MANSFIELD — With the following two quotes framing their work, nearly 1,000 Catholics, including 17 from all four Massachusetts dioceses, gathered in early February in Washington, D.C. for the 2021 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering whose theme was, “Make Justice Your Aim.” ➢ Quote 1: “Good politics combines love with hope and with confidence in the reserves of goodness present in human hearts.

Viewed in this way, politics is something more noble than posturing, marketing and media spin.” ➢ Quote 2: “Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity inasmuch as it seeks the common good.”

Do these sound like strange characterizations at a conference hosted by the U.S .Conference of Catholic Bishops and 16 other faithbased sponsoring organizations — talking about politics, and perhaps even more startling in times like these, talking about politics as finding “reserves of goodness” and being a “lofty vocation”?

Nonetheless, with justice the aim and with the culmination of the Gathering being Advocacy Visits on the last day to U.S. senators and representatives, the power of this view of politics underlays the goal of seeking social justice in governmental law and public policies for the poor, the marginalized and the vulnerable.

So who is the person quoted? None other than Pope Francis. Quote 1 comes from his 2020 Encyclical Letter “Fratelli Tutti” (Brothers All) and was cited by one of the panelists in the many workshops and 4

tual Advocacy Visits to the boosts to unemployment plenary sessions held over offices where a delegate was insurance, rental assistance the four gathering days. a constituent, namely: the to avoid evictions, suppleQuote 2 is from the Pope’s two U.S. Senators ­— Edward mental funding for hunger 2013 Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (Joy of and nutrition programs like Markey and Elizabeth WarSNAP (Supplemental Nutri- ren — and four Representhe Gospel). tatives — Jake Auchincloss, tion Assistance Program), Like so much in these Kathleen Clark, Richard and many other elements. times, this year’s gatherNeal and Lori Trahan. The ➢ Make Poor and Vuling was far different than delegation is continuing to nerable People an Internathe more than 30 previous reach out for meetings with tional Funding Priority.

That annual gatherings. This one the other Massachusetts includes $20 billion in onewas virtual as opposed to in Congressional Offices. person in Washington, D.C., time, emergency spending During the hour-long for international COVID-19 and the Advocacy Visits, meeting with rather than “Good politics combines love with Representative happening in the Capitol hope and with confidence in the reserves McGovern, who has conHill offices of of goodness present in human hearts. sistently set the senators Viewed in this way, politics is something aside signifiand reprecant chucks of sentatives, more noble than posturing, marketing time to meet occurred with the deleand media spin. ” virtually with gation in past senators and years, he made representarelief and continued funding clear that he agrees fully tives and their key staffers with the policy asks and, as often participating remotely at about a $25 billion level he has done for all his years of critical foreign aid poverfrom their homes. ty-reducing programs. Many in Congress, will continue But the impact was not to be a strong advocate for of these programs fund diluted, and the gathering the poor and vulnerable. He the work of Catholic Relief was as inspiring as ever. closed the meeting thanking Services in some of the most The principles of Catholic impoverished foreign places. the delegation for “inspirSocial Teaching were on Highlighted was the fact that ing” him to keep working full display as the delegates for social justice. foreign aid spending is not learned more about desired The other visits with a gobbler of big chunks of public policies which would Congressional staffers, each the Federal Budget, contrary alleviate the suffering and about an hour, consisted to the belief of many. Forhardships faced by many of productive exchanges of eign aid spending is actupoor and vulnerable indiideas about the “asks” and ally about one-half of one viduals and families. Some discussions of the prospects workshops showcased prac- percent of the budget. for passage of responsive ➢ Support Immigratical strategies and initiatives laws dealing with each. tion Reform.

This included developed by faith-based “Leave Behind” Packets a path to citizenship for community and grassroots with details and the ratioundocumented individuals groups, often funded by nale for each ask, set forth and current residents such the Catholic Campaign in the language of Catholic as Dreamers, preservation for Human Development, Social Teaching, was elecof family unity, concertto protect those in need, tronically provided to the enable them to better access ed action to reunify those staffers, typically Legislative separated in immigration resources, and ultimately Directors and Policy Adviprocessing, renewed and escape the cycle of poverty. sors, and to the Offices of better openness to asylum Domestic and interthe five representatives who seekers, and strong polices national problems were to address the root causes of did not have a constituent targeted for discussion and in the Massachusetts Deleadvocacy action. Three main migration. gation.

Acting as lobbyists for “asks” of senators and repreIn all the meetings, the the poor and marginalized, sentatives emerged: delegates stressed the imthe Massachusetts Delega➢ Provide Immediate portance of bipartisanship, tion met with RepresentaAdditional COVID-19 Relief encouraged more civil distive Jim McGovern (Mass. that Meets the Need of the 2nd Congressional District) course in political life, and Poor and Vulnerable. That includes stimulus payments, and key staffers in seven vir- underscored the need for

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renewed national unity. “We were really trying to channel Pope Francis’ view of politics as a way to achieve the common good and fully recognize the dignity of all, especially the most vulnerable among us,” said one Massachusetts Delegate of the Advocacy Visits.

More than half the Massachusetts Delegation was comprised of Vincentians, members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, whose ministry calls them to offer person-to-person direct aid of many kinds to individuals and families in need and to social justice advocacy.

Charity and justice are the two hallmarks of the Vincentian calling. Five delegates were from the Diocese of Fall River.

More information about the gathering can be found at this link: https://www. usccb.org/offices/justicepeace-human-development/ catholic-social-ministrygathering. Or type Catholic Social Ministry Gathering into your Internet search engine of choice. You can find there the legislative policy backgrounders given to Congress about each of the asks as well as other resource material on social justice advocacy and Catholic Social Teaching.

Tom Dwyer was State Captain of the Massachusetts Delegation. He and his wife, Mary, have been attending the gathering since 2014.

Dwyer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Diocese of Fall River’s Catholic Social Services and is an active Vincentian, serving in several roles, including ones connected to the Society’s Voice of the Poor Program, its social justice advocacy arm. He also volunteers in other capacities in the community and Church. He attends St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield.

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Living and speaking by Christ’s higher standard

t the beginning of the Lenten season, at daily Mass, the Church has a heavy focus on Jesus’ Words from the Sermon on the Mount. That’s not particularly surprising, insofar as Lent is intended to foster a thorough Spiritual reset and Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount gives us the Magna Carta of Christian behavior.

On Ash Wednesday, for example, we focus on Jesus’ Words about prayer, fasting and almsgiving, and over the next week-and- a-half, He teaches us the Our Father, urges us to have confidence in prayer, and calls us to live by the Golden Rule.

The major emphasis, however, is on what Jesus describes as the particular Christian way of life. He tells us that He wants our “righteousness” to surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees (who fasted twice a week, prayed three times a day, and tithed everything they owned) and expects our holiness to exceed that of the virtuous pagans (who treated their family members well and loved those who love them).

What He delineates about the Christian way of life is important not just to live a good Lent, but is especially relevant to the time in which we’re living, when so many Christians — including fervent, practicing Catholics — have succumbed to the temptation to lower their standards with regard to some of the fundamental orientations with which Christians are supposed to treat others, including and especially those with whom they disagree.

We’re living in an age when political and social life have become rancorous.

Insults and ad hominem attacks are rife. Cancel culture celebrates character assassination by frenzied mobs, often regardless of the veracity or gravity of accusations. Var-

ious tabloids, websites and television programs peddle nothing but gossip. Twitter and other forms of social media ooze with hatred and misanthropy, from non-stop political cyberbullying to caustic criticism by vituperative virtual vultures.

It’s hard in such a mordant culture not to descend into the gutters. The stakes are high. Those pushing radical agendas often don’t even feign civility. If they’re driving bulldozers on what seems to be a narcotized rampage, many Christians feel justified, even called, to commandeer tanks to beat them at their own infernal game.

But this is not Christ’s way.

Let’s listen anew to what Jesus says in these first days of Lent.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,” He tells us, “‘You shall not kill, and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother ‘Raqa’ [‘empty-headed’ or ‘airhead’] will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.”

Jesus is stating quite clearly that He considers insulting others to be like murder.

We know that homicidal thoughts routinely begin in contempt for others and Jesus is trying to address murderous deeds at their root. And He says that those who judge others or who call them idiots or morons are liable, like assassins, to hell.

Over the past several months, I’ve heard many people call President Trump and Senator McConnell, President Biden and Speaker Pelosi — not to mention the pope, bishops, celebrities, athletes, and even total strangers on

social media — far worse things than fools. Worse, they often seem proud of it.

Do those who speak this way recognize the eschatological consequences of such mental and verbal bile?

The Apostle St. John wrote to the early Christians, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer,” and added, “Anyone who says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has

seen cannot love God Whom he has not seen.” Dorothy Day had a harrowing saying based on these words: that we love the Lord to the extent that we love the person we like the least. Often, in the least of Jesus’ brethren, we treat Him about as well as the Roman soldiers did on Good Friday.

Jesus is calling us to a much different standard.

“You have heard that it was said,” He tells us the following day, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Heavenly Father, for He makes his sun rise on the bad and the good and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

The rabbis in Jesus’ day spent a lot of time distinguishing between “neighbor” and “enemy.” Jews, they said, were called to love their neighbor as they loved themselves, but despise their enemy, whom most rabbis said referred to everyone who was not a Jew or at least a God-fearing Gentile.

Jesus, however, calls us to live as chips off the old Divine block, to treat even those who have made themselves our adversaries and persecutors the way the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son regarded the child who dealt with him as if we were dead and asked for his inheritance immediately because he couldn’t wait for his dad to die.

God the Father loves both the good and the bad. He wants us to pray for both, and to treat each with unconquerable benevolence. He wants us to love Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, Pro-Lifers and abortionists, Marriage defenders and dismantlers, even the most radical QAnon and BLM subversives. To love them infinitely more than we passionately may oppose their erroneous ideas or immoral actions.

To state this is not to pretend it’s easy. It’s excruciatingly hard. But the One Who calls us to this standard died for the good and the bad — and, morally, all of us were in the latter category. With a gloriously scarred hand He calls us to follow Him on this path. And He wouldn’t be doing so unless He were prepared to give us all the help He knows we need to live up to it.

The next Liturgical weekday Jesus brings these teachings to a conclusion, when, in a passage from the Sermon on the Plain — the echo in St. Luke’s Gospel of the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew’s — He brings us back to the Father Who wants to help us to treat others as true brothers and sisters: to become Abels, not Cains.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,” He says.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be

condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

Jesus contrasts judging and condemning with mercy.

He’s not telling us we cannot judge the moral quality of particular acts — He obviously does, in telling us not to murder or to insult people as fools — but He clearly is instructing us to beg for God’s mercy for them rather than treat them as beyond it. And He makes clear one of the clarion points of the Gospel: that the standard by which we judge others will be the standard by which God judges us.

He tells us, for example, after teaching us the Our Father, “For if you do not forgive others their sins, neither will the Heavenly Father forgive you yours.” And after the Parable of the Two Debtors, He adds, with reference to the condemnation of the servant who had been forgiven 165,274 years worth of work (10,000 talents) and yet refused to forgive another 100 days wages (100 denarii), “So will my Heavenly Father do to you unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

So the standard Jesus calls us to apply is not the way others treat us, or even the way we would want them to treat us, but the way we hope God Himself will treat us.

The devil’s great temptation is to get us to think Jesus’ way is unrealistic, untrustworthy, and a path for “losers.”

Lent is a time in which, together with Jesus, we go out into desert, away from diabolically-induced loathing and lies, so that we, repentant and faithful, might return with Jesus to behave like Jesus — even and especially when others do not Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

March 5, 2021 †

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Editorial

The Equality Act

Last month five bishops, who are committee chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), sent a letter to every member of Congress, to express their opposition to the recent reintroduction of the Equality Act (H.R. 5), which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The bishops indicated that the legislation includes threats to both people of faith and of no faith, due to its mandates impacting charities and the people for whom they serve, conscience rights of health care workers, government funds going towards abortion, and other areas involving sports.

The letter was from Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J., of Oakland, chairman of the Committee on Catholic Education; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage; and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

After listing their committees, the bishops opened the letter by saying, “[W] e write to share our support for laws that protect the dignity and ensure the respect that is due all people, as well as our grave concerns with the Equality Act of 2021 (H.R. 5).” In other words, they were not writing to attack the people the act is supposedly meant to defend, but to show how the act could backfire on great parts of society, even upon the people for whom it was written.

“Human dignity is central to what Catholics believe because every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion. This commitment is reflected in the Church’s charitable service to all people, without regard to race, religion, or any other characteristic. It means we need to honor every person’s right to gainful employment free of unjust discrimination or harassment, and to the basic goods that they need to live and thrive. It also means that people of differing beliefs should be respected. In this, we whole-heartedly support nondiscrimination principles to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected,” the bishops wrote.

They then addressed problematic aspects of the legislation. “The Equality Act purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination. But instead, the bill represents the imposition by Congress of novel and divisive viewpoints regarding ‘gender’ on individuals and organizations. This includes dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting ‘gender’ as only a social construct. As Pope Francis has reflected, however, ‘biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated. It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality’ (Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, 56) a violation of precious rights to life and conscience.”

The bishops then list negative impacts which would come from passing this bill. “Rather than affirm human dignity in ways that meaningfully exceed existing practical protections, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 65, No. 5

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† March 5, 2021

faith. It would also inflict numerous legal and social harms on Americans of any faith or none. If passed, this legislation would: • punish faith-based charities such as shelters and foster care agencies, and in turn their thousands of beneficiaries, simply because of their beliefs on marriage and sexuality (§§ 3, 6); • force both people and organizations in many everyday life and work settings to speak or act in support of ‘gender transitions,’ including health care workers and licensed counselors, even when it’s against their professional judgment (§§ 3, 6, 7); • risk mandating taxpayers to pay for abortions, and health care workers with conscience objections to perform them, ultimately ending more human lives (§§ 3, 6, 9); • force girls and women to compete against boys and men for limited opportunities in school sports, and to share locker rooms and shower spaces with biological males who claim to identify as women (§§ 6, 9); • expand the government’s definition of public places into numerous settings, even forcing religiously operated spaces, such as some church halls and equivalent facilities owned by synagogues or mosques, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their broader communities (§ 3); • exclude people from the careers and livelihoods that they love, just for maintaining the truth of their beliefs on marriage and sexuality (§ 3); and • discriminate against individuals and religious organizations based on their different beliefs by partially repealing the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, an unprecedented departure from that law and one of America’s founding principles (§ 9).

The bishops do not oppose the Equality Act because they wish to be cruel. Rather, they fear the cruelty which will come to society due to the Catholic Church’s (and other charitable organizations and charitable individuals) being barred to serve the community, unless they “get with the program” and affirm things which they don’t believe to be true.

The bishops reminded the legislators of all the good our religion gives to our country. “Each year the Catholic Church, as the largest non-governmental provider of human services in the United States, helps millions of people in need through its parishes, schools, hospitals, shelters, legal clinics, food banks, and other charities. The same core beliefs about the human person — made with inherent dignity and in the image of God — motivate both our positions on life, marriage, and sexuality, and also our call to serve the most vulnerable and the common good. We oppose this legislation.”

We urge you to do the same, while also remembering that we need to root out from our hearts any hatred or judgmental feelings towards people who identify as LGBTQ. As Father Landry writes in his column this week, Christ is rather hard on people who condemn others. Instead, He literally walked and dined with everyone, so that His love would then move us to make the changes we needed to make in our lives.

Daily Readings † March 13 - March 26

Sat. Mar. 13, Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4,18-21b; Lk 18:9-14. Sun. Mar. 14, Fourth Sunday of Lent, 2 Chr 36:14-16,19-23; Ps 137:1-6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21.

Mon. Mar. 15, Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-12a,13b; Jn 4:43-54. Tue. Mar. 16, Ez 47:1-9,12; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; Jn 5:1-16. Wed. Mar. 17, Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9, 13c-14,17-18; Jn 5:17-30. Thu. Mar. 18, Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-23; Jn 5:31-47.

Fri. Mar. 19, Feast of St. Joseph, 2 Sm 7:4-5a,12-14a,16; Ps 89:2-5,27,29; Rom 4:13,16-18,22; Mt 1:16,18-21,24a or Lk 2:41-51a.

Sat. Mar. 20, Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7:2-3,9b-12; Jn 7:40-53. Sun. Mar. 21, Fifth Sunday of Lent, Jer 31:31-34; Ps 51:3-4,12-15; Heb 5:7-9; Jn 12:20-33. Mon. Mar. 22, Dn 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62 or 13:41c-62; Ps 23:1-6; Jn 8:1-11. Tue. Mar. 23, Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3,16-21; Jn 8:21-30. Wed. Mar. 24, Dn 3:14-20,9192,95; (Ps) Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42. Thu. Mar. 25, Is 7:10-14; 8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38. Fri. Mar. 26, Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42.

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uring “serious illness conversations,” some doctors will ply their patients with this question: “What is your minimally acceptable quality of life?”

Behind the question can be the implication that if patients are experiencing a low quality of life, their medical treatments can be discontinued because their life has become “no longer worth living.”

This can even become a shorthand to justify actions like physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. Making quality of life assessments about ourselves or others can lead us to devalue the gift of human life by insisting it must have a certain amount of “quality” before it can be deemed “meaningful” or “worthwhile.”

The clearest rebuttal of the “Quality of Life” error I’ve come across was from a 64-year-old retired Boeing computer programmer named John Peyton (19452009). He lived in Kent, Wash., and had an unusually aggressive form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease made him totally dependent on Patricia, his wife of 40 years. She dressed him, fed him, and regularly shifted his body position in the living room recliner where he spent his declining months.

As Peyton’s once-strong voice gradually began to fade away, he continued to use it publicly to oppose and lobby against Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide initiative in Washington.

When he was interviewed by Laura Ingraham

The ‘Quality of Life’ error of Fox News, he said, “I’m one of those people who is somewhat of a target of the initiative and I don’t know how we as a society could really consider making doctors into killers.”

Ingraham countered: “John, I think a lot of people who are for this type of assisted suicide would say, ‘Look, what about the quality of life?’

‘Look, you know, people suffering like you — what kind of quality of life do you really have?’ What do you say to those people?”

His reply was as brilliant as it was simple: “I have a marvelous quality of life! Right now I am totally dependent. I can do nothing for myself.

I’m effectively paralyzed.

But I have a family. I have friends. I have my Church community. I have loving support all around me.

I don’t understand how anyone could deny that I have a very high quality of life, and it gets me to understand and be compassionate toward those without the support that I have. Rather than giving them the temptation to kill themselves, we should be trying to figure out how to help them to have the quality of life I enjoy.”

Peyton’s answer cuts to the heart of the matter: if anyone who is sick or dying is facing a low quality of life, we should take steps to raise and improve it. His story also reminds us how the one-sided category of “quality of life” can easily tempt us in the wrong direction when it comes to

basic moral duties owed to our loved ones in compromised states like a coma, ALS, stroke, Alzheimer’s, or dementia.

Instead of making quality of life judgments about people, we should be making “quality of treatment” judgments for those

who are ailing and vulnerable, and perhaps “quality of help” judgments against ourselves.

As such, our focus should be on the benefits and burdens of a proposed medical intervention rather than on trying to impose our own conclusion that certain individuals no longer have enough value or meaning in their lives to merit receiving a particular treatment. Their humanity is violated if they are treated according to their functionality or quality of life, rather than according to their personal dignity.

Of course everyone has a certain natural fear or hesitation when it comes to living in a disabled or compromised state. We may also be afraid of “being a burden to others.” When we acknowledge that the gift of life has “absolute value,” that doesn’t mean we must do absolutely everything scientifically available to maintain it, but it does mean that we should exercise good stewardship over it, making use of ordinary means of treat-

ment and receiving supportive care, even in the face of imminent decline.

It also means the decision to refuse or stop a particular medical treatment should be based on the judgment that the treatment itself is extraordinary, that is to say, it offers minimal benefit or is unduly burdensome. It should not be because we conclude that someone’s life itself lacks value and needs to end.

Individuals struggling with grave ailments, even though they may be very compromised and unable to act as their own decision makers, remain persons of great moral worth. They contribute to

the common good simply by being, rather than by doing or choosing. Moreover, they continually call each of us to a higher and more beautiful standard of full acceptance, loving support and authentic care, even and especially in the midst of very challenging medical circumstances. They raise the bar for us and we should respond by elevating their quality of life.

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 the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

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

March 5, 2021 †

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Feehan athlete transferred to Atlanta hospital for rehab continued from page one

describe how awesome you people are and how supportive you’ve been for me. You all give me a reason to keep pushing and keep fighting. It’s awesome.”

AJ singled out his Shamrock teammates: “I’d like to thank the boys from the team, especially.

I miss them like crazy.

I would do anything to get back on the ice with you guys. I know you’re playing North Attleboro tonight. So, good luck.

And again, just thank you everybody. It means a whole lot.”

AJ’s dad, Anthony, also thanked everyone for the incredible wave of care and love shown by way of prayers and financial support.

“Hi everyone. I just wanted to reach out to you and thank you for all the support you have given us,” said Anthony.

“This support means so much to AJ and my family. All the text mes-

sages, all the Facebook posts. It keeps us moving forward, keeps our head in the game. I just wanted to thank you all for all that you’ve done. It’s just been awe-inspiring.

“AJ is doing well. He’s fighting hard. The support that you’ve given us is motivating him to fight harder every day. Just know that we are receiving your prayers and your support, and we love you all very much.”

In a recent interview with The Anchor, Bishop Feehan High School President Tim Sullivan said that it’s hard to believe the injury occurred a bit more than a month ago.

“Even though time has passed, this is not going away, but the momentum to help AJ and his family is a strong now as it was in the beginning.”

Sullivan said it showed the level of compassion and camaraderie of the local hockey community with North Attleboro

wanting to pitch in to help with the fund-raiser game on February 20. “It wasn’t a regularly scheduled game, but North Attleboro High School was incredible,” added Sullivan. “They donated pre-game warmup jerseys to the Shamrocks with AJ’s number 10 on the back.

“Something in this whole ordeal has struck the hearts of so many people. The Feehan team had game jerseys with ‘Quetta’ on the back and ‘AJ’s Army’ patches on the sleeves.”

Sullivan said AJ’s mom, Nicole, was at the game. “She was remarkably great. She is strong, positive and hopeful.”

Sullivan also pointed out the Feehan hockey coach Kevin Dunn has been a rock of support for his kids.

When asked about how the campus is coping, i.e., the teammates, coach, students, faculty and staff, Sullivan said,

Feehan senior ice hockey player, AJ Quetta, is surrounded by family members at Mass. General Hospital in Boston shortly before he was transferred to an Atlanta rehab center for treatment of his spinal cord injury.

“The support and prayers for AJ and his family are palpable. Kids are resilient. I think it’s hit his teammates the hardest.

“School counselors have been very present to anyone who needs help during this.”

Sullivan said that every week there is some sort of fund-raiser going on. “The Feehan soccer team held a fund-raiser selling bracelets. I expected the event would raise

a decent amount, but the team raised $31,000. That is unbelievable.”

The list of corporate sponsors is quite impressive and can be found on the site AJ’s Army at ajsarmy.com.

“The Fall River Diocese did a remarkable thing,” Sullivan told The Anchor. “They established a ‘Prayers for AJ’ prayer schedule, where folks can pledge one-half hour of 8 Turn to page nine

Holy Family Parish 370 Middleboro Avenue East Taunton Register for Mass attendance online at hfparish.net and click on the ‘Sign up’ icon Weeknight Masses at Parish Center (438 Middleboro Ave.) at a variety of times, including Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. at the church 8

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Bishop Connolly physics teacher provides hands-on robotic experience for students FALL RIVER — Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, middle school students across the state would participate in the FIRST® LEGO® League robotics challenges around this time of year. Social distancing and other safety considerations have altered these plans for the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Fall River. In response, Ellen Russell, physics, engineering and mathematics teacher at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, has stepped in to

create a diocesan challenge between Catholic middle school students in order to provide a hands-on robotics experience to students in grades five through eight.

According to Russell, she and three Bishop Connolly physics students (all female) have weekly Zoom meetings with school teams on Thursday afternoons. The goal for each school’s team is to build a robot that will be challenged with completing 13 missions utilizing

the City Shaper playing field and robotics kits. City Shaper was created by the FIRST® LEGO® League and was its National challenge in 2019-20. Each mission involves a task that requires specific design and programming features in order to be accomplished.

Currently, middle school students from Holy Name, Espirito Santo, and St. Michael’s schools in Fall River, and St. Mary’s School in Mansfield, are learning how to build a simple robot and then program it to move forward, backwards and side to side.

When they start to plan missions, they will need to build functional robot attachments and program their robots to lift LEGO® houses, go up a ramp, re-

Once students learn to build a working robot that moves frontward, backward and side to side, they will have to navigate a LEGO® City Shaper playing field like this. lease a swing, and lift a box that the normal league with a crane. competitions are on hold, our middle school students “Robotics is a fun way for middle school students are so excited to continue to hone their skills and to begin to think critically and analyze how to solve learn new ways to problem solve. Kids these ages love problems,” said Russell.

“While it is unfortunate 8 Turn to page 12

Area diocesan middle school students are learning to build a working robot similar to this on at Bishop Connolly High School, to later compete in a diocesan robot challenge.

Feehan athlete transferred to Atlanta continued from page eight

prayer time. The schedule is 24/7.

“That is an example of how great a role the diocese plays in the lives of its people.”

The prayer schedule originally started within the diocese and is now available at the AJ’s Army website. Choose “Supporters” on the top menu and select “Pray for AJ,” to schedule a time or times.

Human nature being what it is, sometimes, as

time passes, things can become a bit more distant and not as much in the forefront. “The need for prayers and financial support goes on,” said Sullivan. “AJ and the family need prayers and support and it’s also important to pray for the doctors and scientists as they work to treat a very difficult injury.”

Everyone can support, spiritually and financially, at the AJ’s Army website at ajsarmy.com.

March 5, 2021 †

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Better than a pot of baked beans

hen I was a young polliwog, my dad would take me and my brother to our grandparents’ house at the end of Smithies Street in Fall River. Back then, there was no Route 24, so their property was literally a stone’s throw from the North Watuppa.

It was great fun to run around the area, climb trees, and catch crawdaddys (crayfish to you non-Canucks, similar to us calling catfish, hornpout) in the culvert bordering the reservoir.

I have limited memories of my pépère Loridas, he died when I was four, a long

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time before I became a full- in 1894 on Barnes Street in Fall River. More on that in a fledged frog. minute.

My mémère made the I was taken aback by best baked beans ever and this.

The more I thought she had a parakeet that spoke French, and a lovable old German Shepherd, Prince, who also followed French commands.

It wasn’t until well after she died, Dave Jolivet and I was a fullfledged frog with about it, the more I realpolliwogs of my own, that my dad told me that was my ized I had a mémère I knew step-grandmother, and that nothing about.

I questioned my dad his mom had passed away when he was six. Her name about her often. The thing I liked most about his rewas Laura Dudevoir, born

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My View from the Stands

sponses was that she was a loving mom with a good sense of humor, like her brother, Leo. I bring up Barnes Street because that’s where my dad was born unbeknown to me, and Denise and I had an apartment on that street with Ben, Lauren, Emilie and where Davey was born, although sadly, he never made it back home. Coincidence?

I wanted to learn more about Laura. I belong to Ancestry.com, so I did get some great info. She died at 33 (sound familiar?), on March 18, 1927. Her dad, Joseph Dudevoir, was born in Canada in 1856, exactly 100 years before me.

As a polliwog, I often felt I didn’t look like the rest of my family (I’m sure a relief to them), but then I saw a picture of Laura as a young woman, and my jaw dropped. Emilie and I, at that same age, look incredibly similar to Laura. I wasn’t adopted!!! (See photo below; me, Laura, Emilie).

Since learning more about Laura, I’ve grown to ask her intercession in prayers. How can the mémère I never met say no?

And I ask her to keep an eye on my son (and now my dad, too).

The other day, I was rummaging in the basement for God knows what, and I came across an old book: “Petite Bible Illustrée” (Small Illustrated Bible). It was published in 1880, with an imprimatur from Pope Leo XIII. The yellowed pages with brown edges are beautiful with myriad etchings as illustrations. But that’s not the beauty of the book.

On one of the first pages, written in a young girl’s Palmer Method signature, is Laura Dudevoir, Barnes St, Fall River, Mass. — three times.

I felt like I had just scored an autographed Charles Dickens’ classic at a used book store.

I was, and still am, in awe at the finding. This brings me so much closer to my mémère Laura. To have, in my possession, her actual signature is, to me, like having a relic of a saint.

I can’t read much of the Bible. Sadly, I never picked up on French, even though my mom and dad spoke it fluently (as did a parakeet and a German Shepherd on Smithies Street).

But just having the priceless heirloom is all the joy I need. It’s not a nice hot pot of baked beans — it’s even better. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Editor’s note: This continues a monthly series on St. Joseph by Grace Small, during this year of St. Joseph. his month, when we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, with the help of the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, we will reflect on St. Joseph’s role as Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Head of the Holy Family.

At the mystery of the Annunciation we ponder upon the beautiful fact that the Virgin Mary is already taken as the spouse of St. Joseph at the moment that the Archangel Gabriel appears to her, but before they live together as man and wife. God wanted His Son to become Man born of a woman and united to a husband in Marriage.

This Marriage is a virginal Marriage in which both have beforehand taken vows of chastity. As Mary, the virgin handmaid of the Lord, pronounces her consent, espoused virginally to Joseph, the Word becomes Flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. This meditation on the Holy Family should bring us to reflect on the human family, constituted by a father, mother and child. The family is and remains the building block of society and the Church.

The structure of the family is established by God not only since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but from all eternity. Then, in the fullness of time, God Himself becomes a member of a human family, by His holy Incarnation by the power of the Holy Spirit becoming the true Son of Mary and legal Son of Joseph. God redeems the family by means of a family, and He allows each of us to become members of His Own family: we,

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too, become children of God by adoption through holy Baptism, sharing the same Spiritual Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the same foster-father and guardian in St. Joseph.

At the Visitation, Joseph is prayerfully in the background as Mary hastens in charity to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was in her sixth month, “for nothing is impossible with God” (Lk 1:37). It is reasonable to think that Joseph as the provider and protector of his virginal spouse, and sharer in her charity, accompanies the Virgin Mother of God. As Mary hastens on her journey, the love of Christ compels her to aid her elderly cousin and mediate the grace to the precursor of the Lord. Mary goes to sanctify John the Baptist in the womb of her cousin Elizabeth as evidenced by her words, “For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk 1:44).

In the Nativity we reflect on how Joseph takes the lead as head of the Holy Family to enroll his family in the census. “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a

kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God” (Lk 1:59-64). In like fashion, Joseph, as the true legal father of Our Lord, in providing the name for Jesus, exercises the authority given to him by God as head of the Holy Family.

At the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, we reflect upon the anguish of Our Heavenly Mother and St. Joseph after the loss of Jesus, Who as a young boy stays behind stable which God in His after their journey to the Providence arranged for Temple in Jerusalem. After His Son. We can imagine a search of three days full of the scene as Joseph cleans prayer and patient long-sufthe stable and prepares the manger in tears of love and fering, their perseverance is rewarded by finding Jesus humility, in joyful poverty in the temple amidst the of spirit as he does his best doctors. “And seeing Him, to provide for his family. they wondered. And His At the Presentation of mother said to Him: Son, the Child in the Temple, why hast thou done so to Joseph gave the Infant us? Behold thy father and Lord the name Jesus and I have sought Thee soroffered two turtle doves as rowing”(Lk 2:48). “And He a sacrifice according to the Law (Lk 2: 21-24). It is the said to them: How is it that you sought Me? Did you fulfillment of the message not know that I must be given by the Archangel about My Father’s busiGabriel and reminiscent of the experience of Elizabeth ness?” (Lk 2:49). Ought we who is also given the name not feel a similar urgency today and search for Jesus of the child, but it is Zechariah, who, as father, in pro- and find Him where He is nouncing the name, will be truly present, “Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity” in the delivered of his muteness.

Blessed Sacrament in every “And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came Tabernacle? We need only go to the Father’s house, to circumcise the child, the Church to find Him and they called him by there doing “the Father’s his father’s name Zachary.

And his mother answering, business” offering Himself said: Not so; but he shall be in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the redemption called John. And they said to her: There is none of thy of the world. There Jesus manger because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2: 4-7). We need only to think of the weariness and continual hope of the Holy Family in their search for a shelter in which Mary would give birth to the Son of God. Homeless as migrants and pilgrims who seek shelter on their journey, the Holy Family were denied entrance into the inns of this world. They were satisfied with the

is waiting for you to make Him a visit, to spend time with Him in Adoration, tell Him of your love, to praise Him for His goodness and implore the graces we need for ourselves and for the world.

As the true spouse of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and our mother, we also have the right to call upon St. Joseph as our foster-father and intercessor with Christ, Our Lord.

It seems that it is most important to develop an open, loving and true relationship with our Heavenly family. Whereas the other saints are our holy “friends of God” in Heaven who can intercede for us, we would be highly remiss to not develop stronger bonds of love and friendship with the Holy Family not just as a model to be imitated but members of our true celestial family to be venerated, loved, praised and lived with in union with our own families, within our domestic families and parochial families. Let us take this opportunity to re-establish these bonds of filial affection, love and dependence on that family which so suffered for love of us, paved the way and longs to see us reunited with them and those we love in Heaven.

St. Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God, Pray for Us! Small and her husband Bill are parishioners of St. Mary Church in Providence, R.I., and have made their solemn profession as Third Order Franciscans of the Immaculate, through the Franciscans of the Immaculate in New Bedford.

They have both earned a Certificate in Catechetical Studies through TINE, The Institute for the New Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Boston.

March 5, 2021 †

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T he C hurch

and

Y outh & Y oung A dults

Two diocesan students place in MLK poster and essay contest

FALL RIVER — As part of the celebration and recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan and the Fall River Diversity Committee once again hosted a poster and essay contest.

All students in grades K-12 who live or attend school in Fall River were eligible to enter the contest.

The youngest students were required to submit a drawing while the middle and

high school students had to write an essay inspired by this famous quote, “The time is always right to do what is right.” — MLK Jr. The age categories were: • Elementary School (grades K-5): Drawing or poster; • Middle School (Grades 6-8): 200-word (minimum) essay; • High School (Grades 9-12): 300-word (minimum) essay.

Brigid of St. Stanislaus School, who is in seventh grade, took second place in the middle school essay contest, while Savannah, grade six at Espirito Santo, placed third in the same category.

The committee received more than 300 total submissions. The winners were presented a certificate from Mayor Coogan at an in-person ceremony on February 23.

Brigid, left, a seventh-grader at St. Stanislaus School, and Savannah, center, a sixth-grader at Espirito Santo School, both in Fall River, placed second and third, respectively, in the recent essay contest in that city. They are with Fall River mayor, Paul Coogan, at a ceremony at City Hall.

Teacher, students prep youngsters for robot competitions continued from page nine the hands-on experience and we are so blessed to be able to offer this activity to students in our Catholic elementary schools. We hope to have an in-person competition at Bishop Connolly in the late spring as the facilities are more than able to accommodate social distancing.”

Greta Costello, Maya Pontes, and Rachel Dias

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are the Bishop Connolly juniors serving as mentors for the program. Costello said, “It has been so much fun working with these kids. They are so enthusiastic about developing the programs, robot parts, as well as strategies for getting as many points as possible. The more tasks, or missions, that each school’s robot completes, the more

† March 5, 2021

points they earn. Students at this age are so creative in their thinking and I have enjoyed mentoring them every step of the way. We are learning as much as they are!”

Russell is also planning a spring Science Olympiad for students in grades one through four, where there are two events for each grade level and two students per grade compete.

Russell indicated that these are such formative years for students to gain the love of science and to not be intimidated by the content or methods. As she works with the younger students, Russell ensures that the activities are age appropriate to delight, inspire, and engage elementary school children

with the love of science and discovery.

This year’s Science Olympiad focuses on grade-level curricula as well as science process skills. First-graders will practice observation and classification in an event called “Monster Match.”

They will also make observations and measurements of relative mass in an event called, “A-Weigh We Go.” In “Grasp a Graph,” second-graders will practice communication and data interpretation. In “Science Detectives,” they will be challenged with testing the properties of various materials to determine which is best suited for an intended purpose.

Third-graders will participate in “Making and Using a Key,” and will build a car propelled only by magnets in an event called, “Ready, Set, Go!” In fourth grade, students will hone their procedural writing skills in an event called “Write It/Do It.” They will

also demonstrate their knowledge of electric circuits by wiring a candy safe that signals when someone is attempting to steal their precious candy supply.

Later in the school year, Bishop Connolly will be hosting an event for teams of eight students representing each of the participating diocesan elementary schools.

Kathy St. Laurent, principal of Bishop Connolly High School, added, “We are so fortunate to have educators like Ellen Russell leading our STEM initiative.

Our students are receiving a state of the art education in science, engineering and computer technology courses. They are well prepared for college and career in a rapidly growing and competitive field.”

For more information about the Catholic Schools Alliance, please go to https://www. catholicschoolsalliance. org/we-have-a-place-foryou/

Area student seeks volunteers for survey on Church

DARTMOUTH — Emma Tetrault , a junior at Dartmouth High School, is currently enrolled in an AP Research class has been assigned to do a year-long research project.

For the class, Tetrault is studying and conducting research on the current state of the Catholic Church, specifically in Massachusetts.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its

many restrictions has made collecting surveys and data extremely difficult.

Tetrault asked The Anchor if it would run the link to a survey, viewing newspapers as an effective way to collect data during the pandemic.

The survey link is https://forms. gle/2ZzRBNMQdacKdBu27 Tetrault said that persons of any age or religion can take the survey.

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

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Providence

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass

on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, March 14 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, New Bedford

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m.

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

Virtual Women and Men’s Conference set continued from page one

conference itself, pre-registration is required to attend the Mass.

“People can visit the diocesan website at fallriverdiocese.org and on the homepage there will be an option to register for the conference and/or the Mass.”

The conference will be live-streamed and utilize Zoom. Opening prayer begins at 1 p.m., followed by a virtual presentation from contemporary Christian music singer, composer and

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: March 16 Rev. Francis J. Maloney. S.T.L., Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1957 Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, C.S.C., Holy Cross Community, North Dartmouth, 2006 March 17 Rev. Henry Robert Creighton, SS.CC., Damien Residence, Fairhaven, 2004 Permanent Deacon Michael E. Murray, 2008 Rev. Bartley MacPháidín, C.S.C., Retired President, Stonehill College, Easton, 2016 March 18 Rev. Robert D. Forand, C.P., West Hartford, Conn., 1989 Permanent Deacon Frank W. Mis, 2011 March 19 Rev. John J. McQuaide, Assistant, St. Mary, Taunton, 1905 March 20 Rev. Francis A. Mrozinski, Pastor, St. Hedwig, New Bedford, 1951 Permanent Deacon Lawrence St. Pierre, 2017

Celebrant is Father Stephen Banjare, SS.CC., Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven

Sunday, March 14 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Christopher M. Peschel, Parochial Administrator, Our Lady of Grace, Westport

March 21 Rev. William (Alphonsus) Mitchell, SS.CC., 2009 March 22 Rev. Joseph A. Martins, Assistant, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1940 Rev. James T. Keefe, SS.CC., Chaplain, U.S. Army, 2003 Rev. Francis X. Wallace, Senior Priest, St. Patrick, Falmouth, 2018 March 23 Rev. James F. Kelley, USN Retired, Archdiocese of Anchorage; Former Assistant, St. Mary’s, Mansfield, 2002 Rev. Norman J. Boulet, 2015 March 24 Rev. John J. Murphy, C.S.C., My Brother’s Keeper, Easton, 2004 March 25 Rev. John J. Brennan, SS.CC. Retired Founder, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 1991 Permanent Deacon Thomas Prevost, 2007 March 26 Permanent Deacon Francis J. “Frank” Camacho, 2019

recording artist, ValLimar Jansen, a conference favorite who attended the very first conference in 2017.

Jansen’s talk, following the Year of St. Joseph theme, is titled, “Father’s Healing Touch.” “ValLimar’s talk focus on the St. Joseph, the man and role model for fathers,” said Mahoney.

Following Jansen’s presentation, virtual attendees will be broken into pre-determined small groups to discuss and share thoughts about her talk. “We want to keep the groups small, because time is limited and we want everyone in each group to be able to discuss what they got from the talk and share their thoughts,” Mahoney told The Anchor.

Next on the docket will be a Question and Answer session hosted by Jansen and Bishop da Cunha.

“Registrants will be able to write questions in a chat room to submit to either of the hosts,” Mahoney explained. “Everyone attending will be able to share in this virtual Q and A.” The conference will be capped off with Mass at the cathedral.

“We are hoping for a pretty decent response,” Mahoney told The Anchor.

“We are excited to still be able to offer the conference. It’s important that we gather people from across the diocese to pray during this pandemic.

“It will be a blessing to share this Year of St. Joseph together and to prepare ourselves for Easter.”

For more information on the conference and to register for the conference and/or the Mass, visit fallriverdiocese.org.

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EDINBURG, TEXAS — Father Richard Lifrak, SS.CC., an ordained member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary-United States Province, passed away suddenly on February 12 in Edinburg, Texas.

Father Lifrak, who celebrated his 70th birthday last September 13, was born in Fall River.

In addition to his SS.CC. brothers and sisters, he is survived by his brother Eric and sister-in-law Bruhilda (Chavez) Lifrak from California, a nephew, and several cousins.

In 1987, after converting from the Jewish faith, Father Lifrak entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts in Fairhaven and professed his first vows on Aug. 3, 1988 in Wareham. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1995 in Fairhaven.

During his first year of ministry, Father Lifrak served as a deacon and then associate pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland

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Father Richard Lifrak, SS.CC.

Parish in Seat Pleasant, Md. In 1996 he was transferred to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in New Bedford, where he was assigned as associate pastor and in 2000 was appointed pastor. He remained there until 2002.

In 2002 he was asked to become a member of the new SS.CC. Community in Mission in Artesia, N.M., with other members of the Congregation from various parts of the country. He missioned with brothers and sisters in Artesia until 2008.

Returning to Fairhaven, Father Lifrak put on a few different “hats,” serving as Vocation Director for the USA East Coast Province as well as Spiritual Director of the Men of the Sacred Hearts, a national organization devoted to promoting Enthronement in the home.

He also ministered at Our Lady’s Haven Nursing Home in Fairhaven.

In 2010, Father Lifrak was assigned as Associate Pastor to Sacred Heart

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Parish in Edinburg, Texas.

Fluent in Spanish, he soon

became beloved among the parishioners in the Rio Grande Valley. He re-

mained in Texas until November 2013 when he was again asked by the General Government in Rome to become part of an international group of SS.CC. missionaries to serve the Catholic Community in Louvain, Belgium.

Unfortunately, the project did not work out and, to the extreme happiness of the parishioners, Father Lifrak returned to Sacred Heart Parish in Edinburg in 2015, where he remained until his death.

A Funeral Mass was celebrated at Sacred Heart

in Edinburg on February 18. Principal celebrant was Most Reverend Daniel Flores, Bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Joseph Church in Fairhaven on February 24, followed by burial in the Sacred Hearts Community Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Father Lifrak’s memory may be made to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, P.O. Box 111, Fairhaven, Mass.

02719.

Former Anchor news editor, James N. Dunbar, dies at age 90 TIVERTON, R.I. — James N. Dunbar, a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Providence and husband of the late Claudia (Brandao) Dunbar of Tiverton, R.I., died on Ash Wednesday, February 17. He was also the widower of the late Jane (Dorr) Dunbar.

Born in Providence, R.I., the son of the late Andrew W. Dunbar and the late Eloise (McGrath) Dunbar, he graduated from LaSalle Academy and attended St. Columban’s Seminary. He received a bachelor’s degree in English from Boston College, and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Providence College.

A former teacher, he was a news reporter and editor at the Fall River Her-

ald News during a 35-year career, prior to retiring in 1994. He was a former writer-editor at the Providence Visitor, newspaper of the Diocese of Providence, and news editor at The Anchor, newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.

He was a U.S. Army veteran and a former executive officer of the Artillery Company of Newport, RIM. He was a charter member and first commanding officer of The Colonial Navy of Massachusetts.

He was a former cantor, lector, and extraordinary

minister of Holy Communion at his home parish, St. Theresa’s in Tiverton, R.I. Ordained a permanent deacon on Oct. 10, 1998 by Bishop Robert E. Mulvee in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Providence, he served for 19 years at Jesus Saviour Parish in Newport, R.I., with ministry at Newport Hospital.

He leaves a son, Mark A. Dunbar of Chapel Hill N.C.; and daughters Lori Harvey of Riverside, R.I.; Carol Smith of Cranston, R.I.; Diane Moonjian of Houston, Texas; Nancy Hoffman of Austin, Texas; and Julia Hans of Mint Hill, N.C. He also leaves 12 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and a sister, Eloise Martel of Warren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on February 26 at Jesus Saviour Church, Newport, with interment in Pocasset Hill Cemetery, Tiverton.

Donations in Deacon Dunbar’s memory may be made to Jesus Saviour Church, 509 Broadway, Newport, R.I., 02840.

Diocesan Office of Faith Formation announces March events for adults/youth/young adults FALL RIVER — The Office of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Fall River, which offers events and resources for adults, youth and young adults to refresh, increase and expand their faith lives, is offering several events during the month of March.

— For youth and young adults: 4th Watch — March 21, 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet 4th Watch offers a one-night opportunity to safely connect. Be inspired by our speaking team, moved by our worship team, encounter Christ in Eucharistic Adoration, and experience mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In Scripture, during the 4th watch of the night, Jesus came to the Apostles while they kept watch on their boat. We’ve weathered the storm. But Jesus is coming. Meet Him at 4th Watch.

To register for the next 4th Watch, visit the Office of Faith Formation website at fallriverfaithformation.org.

To bring 4th Watch to your Parish or School, email dcarvalho@ dioc-fr.org.

Ever Increasing Hope — Virtual event, March 25 from 7-8 p.m.

After a long year, we need hope now more than ever.

As we approach Holy Week and Easter, all teens and young adults from throughout the diocese are invited to prepare through a virtual experience on Thursday, March 25 from 7-8 p.m.

The evening will feature international keynote speaker and performer ValLimar Jansen: international and inspirational speaker, storyteller, vocalist and emcee, including at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and World Youth Day, Panama. She has also spoken in Europe, the Caribbean, Japan, and Israel.

To register for Ever Increasing Hope, visit the Office of Faith Formation website at fallriverfaithformation.org.

For adults: Mental Health During COVID — Sessions on March 18 at 11 a.m. and March 23 at 6 p.m.

Prior to the pandemic the youth population was struggling. Today we see the impact of the pandemic with increasing rates of depression, loneliness, and anxiety.

This talk will focus on providing parents, community members, and church leaders with information on how to support young people.

To register for Mental Health During COVID-19, visit the Office of Faith Formation website at fallriverfaithformation.org.

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

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Please support the TV Mass Donate online at www.GiveCentral.org/FRTVMass Or mail your check payable to: Diocese of Fall River – TV Mass, 450 Highland Ave. Fall River, MA 02720

I

Time to say good bye

t must have been about 9:30 p.m. and I had settled in bed for the night when it came to me by way of the voices of Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, “Time to say goodbye.”

I have no idea why this melody floated into my consciousness. In this song written for Andrea, the duo are saying goodbye to countries they have never shared with each other, but now they are in fact going to these countries on ships which don’t exist anymore.

So, it’s time to say goodbye again. The opening verse is in Italian and I have only a couple of words of Italian in my vocabulary. Still, that melody stayed with me as I slipped into the arms of Morpheus (god of sleep and dreams).

My mother loved to

remind me that, on leaving my family house in the company of my older sister and brother for my very first day at school at age four, I kept looking back and calling out, “Goodbye, dad.” Evidently, I was not exactly thrilled with the idea of going to school and used this outburst, “Goodbye, dad” to express my dissatisfaction especially to my good mother. This is notable since I would spend the next 21 years in school with the encouragement of both of my parents.

Saying goodbye is not easy for most people, unless one is saying goodbye to someone who is not exactly a bosom friend. I

have never taken to saying goodbye since that memorable morning in the year 1948. This was the same

day that I was accused of throwing a stone at Mrs. Maguire’s shed on the way home from school.

Over the many years, when I left home after a vacation with my family, I could not bring myself to say goodbye to my parents and family. Rather, I would say, “See you next year.”

In Kalaupapa we know each other by first names

though perhaps not by family names. That is perhaps a feature of a small close community. So, the comings and goings make the news and cause a stir, especially when one of our members lets it be known that he or she is soon to say goodbye.

Farewell parties have been a part of the fabric of Kalaupapa during the eight-plus years that I’ve been blessed to live and minister in the land of St. Damien and St. Marianne. I have been invited to offer a prayer of blessing at many of these farewell dinner parties.

Indeed, I could very well write a book of blessings for these occasions.

While I pray blessings to

rain down on the departing person as well as the party participants, much more rains down complements of Mr. Heineken, Ms. Corona, and their sundry friends. A sumptuous supply of foods is provided to absorb these liquid blessings.

It is when someone is leaving on a jet plane to begin a new life on the mainland or elsewhere in distant lands that our heart strings are tested. That brings tears rolling down cheeks.

To stem the tears, we may say, “Farewell for now,” but underneath this veneer, we know that it is time to say goodbye.

Aloha.

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

Wednesday Stations of the Cross St. Anthony of Padua Parish on 48 Sixteenth Street, Fall River, is having Stations of the Cross every Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in English during Lent. All are welcomed. For more information call the rectory at 508 673-2402.

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† March 5, 2021