03.19.2021

Why would ‘the blind’ need a Guild?

‘Anima Christi’ ‘Anima Christi’ Legacy Society launches

By Susan Mazzarella

we are standing on a beach watching as that tsunami approaches.

The need for help grows, as many incurable eye diseases are conditions of old age and people are living much longer. Yet the law in Massachusetts only allows state programs to serve the “legally” blind. LEGALLY blind is

FALL RIVER — Over the years, hundreds of the faithful in the Diocese of Fall River have left a planned gift as a part of their estates. These gifts have benefited single parishes, scholarships for children to attend Catholic schools, the care of retired priests, and more.

The generosity of these parishioners has been extraordinary and will be further recognized by the formal organization of a planned giving program.

This year, the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is launching the “Anima Christi” Legacy Society. Inspired by the soul of Christ to leave a legacy of faith, the Society is endorsed by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., who will celebrate the posthumous induction for the hundreds of parishioners whose gifts to the diocese have been realized as well as welcome active members of the Church who have made their wishes known. According to Miriam Sherman, chief executive officer at the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, “We will

8 Turn to page 13

8 Turn to page 13

Catholic Social Services CEO Special to The Anchor

Diocese of Fall River, Mass. † Friday, March 19, 2021

FALL RIVER — Nationwide, by the year 2025, the number of cases of macular degeneration alone, setting aside glaucoma, retinitis, and all the other causes of losing vision, will exceed the numbers of all causes of cancer combined.

At Catholic Social Services,

A Guild could support, inform, refer, educate, and improve the quality of life for visuallyimpaired individuals. To do so we must ask for guidance from our fellow Catholics on this journey, whether at a beginning step or nearing the end.

Upon being received into the Catholic Church, 13 Elect from across the diocese signed The Book of Elect as a symbol of their fidelity to the faith, during a recent ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River officiated by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.

Diocesan Church receives 18 Elect as Catholics; 20 more await full initiation

By Dave Jolivet Editor

davejolivet@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER — One of the highlights of each Lenten Season in the Catholic Church is the reception of candidates who have St. Lucia, the bringer of light and studied and prepared, through the patron saint of the blind and the Rite of Christian Initiation for visually impaired.

Adults (RCIA) ministry, to be-

come full members of the Church.

Shortly into this Lenten season, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., welcomed 13 Elect, representing seven parishes, into the Church at a ceremony called the Rite of Election, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

In addition, five Elect, from 8 Turn to page 14

March 19 — Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.19, 2021 † March 1

Diocesan Catholic schools pass 100-day mark of in-person learning Catholic Schools Alliance announces several employment opportunities in schools

FALL RIVER — Not all learning experiences are equal.

Most Catholic schools around the diocese have surpassed their 100th day of successful in-person learning while many families are realizing that their current school has not met their standards. Now is a great time to learn more

about the quality Catholic education available near you.

Please check out your options at www.

CatholicSchoolsAlliance. org or www.

WeHaveAPlaceForYou. com.

Financial assistance is available and we recommend you call each school

directly as space is limited.

Are you retired but bored?

If you have ever thought about teaching or working in a Catholic school, We Have a Place for You! We are hiring and welcome you to open your hearts to working with our amazing students, teachers

and staff.

We have full time and part time opportunities for substitute teachers, extended care, janitorial staff, and

substitute nurses.

For all job opportunities, please go to www. catholicschoolsalliance. org/job-opportunities/.

At left, a student at St. Joseph School in Fairhaven proudly displays her science fair project. Above, Mr. Pacheco enjoys reading out loud to students at Holy Trinity School in Fall River.

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 2

† March 19, 2021

FACE — Supporting student scholarships and assisting the local community NEW BEDFORD — While this past Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) Fall Dinner was a little different than the traditional annual event due to the pandemic, the “Show Went Online” to continue its support of scholarships for Catholic school students in the Diocese of Fall River — and ultimately also supported the greater community.

With each challenging situation there is often a silver lining. Early in the planning process, the FACE Fall Dinner Committee decided to offer sponsors and donors the option to have meals delivered so they could enjoy a delicious meal while they tuned in to view the virtual program, or they could opt to donate their meals back

to those in need.

FACE Fall Dinner supporters overwhelmingly responded to forgo their meals and donate them to people in need. And so, a wonderful collaboration between FACE and The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, Catholic Social Services and White’s of Westport began with coordinating more than 200 meal deliveries for those in need in our community.

In February, guests at shelters throughout the Fall River and New Bedford areas were the recipients of these donated hot, home-cooked meals and they couldn’t have been more appreciative to receive this special gift.

Susan Mazzarella, CEO of Catholic Social Services,

said, “Members of the community were so grateful. This was more than just a meal. It made them feel special, noticed, and not forgotten. Being catered to, literally, was a dignity restoring act.” One small act

of kindness and generosity can create a ripple effect and make an impact. This was a truly remarkable experience where ministries were able to come together to make a difference for so many.

To learn more

about the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) or Catholic Social Services please visit: FACE at www. face-dfr.org; and Catholic Social Services at www. cssdioc.org.

The Foundation to Advance Catholic Education offered sponsors and donors of the recent FACE Fall Dinner, the option to purchase a meal to eat while watching the virtual event. The supporters overwhelmingly opted to donate the meals to residents of shelters in the New Bedford and Fall River areas operated by the diocesan Catholic Social Services.

March 19, 2021 †

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Diocese of Fall River † 2020 Audited Financial Statement

February 25, 2021 To the Catholic Community of the Diocese of Fall River, Under Bishop da Cunha’ s direction and commitment to financial transparency, the Diocese presents the audited financial statements and report of independent certified accountants for Roman Catholic Bishop of Fall River (a corporation sole) — Chancery Office for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, with comparative statements for fiscal 2019. These statements are presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and were given an unmodified or “clean” opinion from our auditors, Grant Thornton, LLP. A copy of the complete financial statement is included on the Diocesan website, www.fallriverdiocese.org.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. The financial impact of the pandemic was unprecedented to parishes, schools, and businesses across the country. In response: Bishop da Cunha announced several measures to support parishes, including waiving the April 2020 parish assessment and deferring payments for May and June.

The Annual Appeal which typically runs from May-June, was delayed. Finally, the Chancery Office created reserves to address expected difficulties parishes and schools would have in paying their share of insurance and other programs run through the Chancery Office.

From FY19 to FY20, Chancery Office net assets decreased by $4.8M, from $11.7M (FY 19) to $6.9M (FY20) largely due to the pandemic. Chancery revenues decreased $7.3M from $35.2M (FY 19) to $27.9M (FY20). Insurance revenues declined year over year due to a drop in participants in our self-insured program, as well as the accounts receivable reserves noted above. Annual Appeal revenues were down $2.9M due to the delay of the campaign. We expect to see some improvement in FY21. Finally, Parish Assessment revenues declined due to the April 2020 waiver. Expenses were down $287K. We realized a sharp decline in insurance expenses (down $3.4M) due to participant declines and Chancery efforts to reduce prescription costs and leverage Medicare options for eligible plan participants. This was offset by a spike in Education Grants (up $2M) and Professional Fees (up $1.5M). The grants were needed to subsidize operating deficits at select schools. In the face of such deficits the Diocese made the difficult decision to close Coyle and Cassidy Middle and High School and Saint Margaret’s Primary School at the end of the school year. Professional fees spiked largely due to the preparation of the recently released list of credibly and publicly accused priests, along with other significant and ongoing projects.

In addition to reviewing the initial audit plan, the Diocesan Audit Committee reviews and approves the audited statements of Chancery Office operations each year. The report of the Audit Committee is presented to the Diocesan Finance Council for final acceptance. The Finance Council meets quarterly and approves the annual operating budget and includes representatives of the Diocesan Audit, Investment, and Real Estate Committees. The knowledge and experience the individuals on these committees bring to the Diocese have been fundamental in our efforts to increase financial transparency and professionally manage the resources entrusted to the Diocese.

Finally, I invite you to review the State of the Diocese of Fall River Report that was released in July 2020 and is also available on the Diocese’s website. The report is a retrospective of Bishop da Cunha’s first five years and chronicles the many accomplishments of our Diocese in recent years. If you have any questions on these or other Chancery matters, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 508-6 75-1311.

Sincerely,

Kevin R. Kiley Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Diocese of Fall River KRK/dmj

Please note, a copy of the complete financial statement is included on the Diocese of Fall River website: www.fallriverdiocese.org 4

† March 19, 2021

Diocese of Fall River † 2020 Audited Financial Statement

Daily Readings † March 27 - April 9

Sat. Mar. 27, Ez 37:21-28; (Ps) Jer 31:10-13; Jn 11:45-56. Sun. Mar. 28, Palm Sunday, Procession: Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16. Mass: Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9,1718,19-20,23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1—15:47 or 15:1-39. Mon. Mar. 29, Is 42:17; Ps 27:1-3,13-14; Jn 12:1-11. Tue. Mar. 30, Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-4a,5-6ab,15,17; Jn 13:21-33,36-38. Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3a,6a,8b-9; Ps 89:21-22,25,27; Rv 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21. Wed. Mar. 31, Is 50:4-9a; Ps 69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34; Mt 26:14-25. Thu. April 1, Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: Ex 12:1-8,11-14; Ps 116:12-13,15-16c,17-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15. Fri. April 2, Good Friday, Mass is not celebrated today. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: Is 52:13—53:12; Ps 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1—19:42.

Sat. April 3, Holy Saturday, Readings for the Easter Vigil, which is an Easter Sunday Mass: Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1,26-31a; Ps 104:1-2,5-6,10,12-14,24,35 or Ps 33:4-7,12-13,20,22; Gn 22:1-18 or 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18; Ps 16:5,8-11; Ex 14:15—15:1; (Ps) Ex 15:1-6,17-18; Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13; Is 55:1-11; (Ps) Is 12:2-6; Bar 3:9-15,32—4:4; Ps 19:8-11; Ez 36:16-17a,18-28; Pss 42:3,5; 43:3-4 or (Ps) Is 12:2-3,4bcd,5-6 or Ps 51:12-15,18-19; Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2,1617,22-23; Mk 16:1-7. Sun. April 4, Easter Sunday. The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Acts 10:34a,37-43; Ps 118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes; Jn 20:1-9 or Mk 16:1-7 or, at an afternoon or evening Mass, Lk 24:13-35 Easter Triduum ends after Evening Prayer. Mon. April 5, Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps 16:1-2a,5,7-11; Mt 28:8-15. Tue. April 6, Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5,18-20,22; Jn 20:11-18. Wed. April 7, Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Lk 24:13-35. Thu. April 8, Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2ab,5-9; Lk 24:35-48.

Fri. April 9, Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2,4,22-27a; Jn 21:1-14.

March 19, 2021 †

5

Editorial The response to a doubt

This past Monday the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), with the approval of Pope Francis, made public a “response to a doubt,” as to whether the Church could bless same sex unions by saying no. The document itself was issued on February 22, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, but not made public until this week.

The document, issued by Luis Cardinal Ladaria, S.J., the prefect of the CDF, begins by saying that some people in the Church would like to have these blessings given. “Such projects are not infrequently motivated by a sincere desire to welcome and accompany homosexual persons, to whom are proposed paths of growth in faith, ‘so that those who manifest a homosexual orientation can receive the assistance they need to understand and fully carry out God’s will in their lives’ (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia, 250).”

Cardinal Ladaria then discussed Sacramentals, quoting Vatican II: “These are Sacred signs that resemble the Sacraments: they signify effects, particularly of a Spiritual kind, which are obtained through the Church’s intercession. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the Sacraments, and various occasions of life are Sanctified” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 60). He then got into the particular type of sacramental which are blessings.

“In order to conform with the nature of Sacramentals, when a blessing is invoked on particular human relationships, in addition to the right intention of those who participate, it is necessary that what is blessed be objectively and positively ordered to receive and express grace, according to the designs of God inscribed in Creation, and fully revealed by Christ the Lord. Therefore, only those realities which are in themselves ordered to serve those ends are congruent with the essence of the blessing imparted by the Church,” wrote the cardinal.

He then got to the consequence of this teaching. “For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of Marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex. The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creator’s plan.”

Going further, Cardinal Ladaria warned that such blessings “would constitute a certain imitation or analogue of the nuptial blessing invoked on the man and woman united in the Sacrament of Matrimony, while in fact ‘there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for Marriage and family’ (Pope Francis, Amoris laetitia, 251).”

Striving to be positive, the decree said that this ban “is not intended to be, a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the LiturgiOFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 65, No. 6

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cal rite and of the very nature of the Sacramentals, as the Church understands them. The Christian community and its Pastors are called to welcome with respect and sensitivity persons with homosexual inclinations, and will know how to find the most appropriate ways, consistent with Church teaching, to proclaim to them the Gospel in its fullness. At the same time, they should recognize the genuine nearness of the Church — which prays for them, accompanies them and shares their journey of Christian faith — and receive the teachings with sincere openness.”

In addition, “The answer to the proposed dubium does not preclude the blessings given to individual persons with homosexual inclination, who manifest the will to live in fidelity to the revealed plans of God as proposed by Church teaching. Rather, it declares illicit any form of blessing that tends to acknowledge their unions as such. In this case, in fact, the blessing would manifest not the intention to entrust such individual persons to the protection and help of God, in the sense mentioned above, but to approve and encourage a choice and a way of life that cannot be recognized as objectively ordered to the revealed plans of God.” The cardinal comes to a conclusion, quoting several times Pope Francis’ Dec. 2, 2020 catechesis on prayer. “The Church recalls that God Himself never ceases to bless each of His pilgrim children in this world, because for Him ‘we are more important to God than all of the sins that we can commit.’ But He does not and cannot bless sin: He blesses sinful man, so that He may recognize that He is part of His plan of love and allow himself to be changed by Him. He in fact ‘takes us as we are, but never leaves us as we are.’”

It must have pained Pope Francis to approve the document, since he has done so much to make people feel welcome in the Church. The CDF issued an unsigned article, together with the decree from Cardinal Ladaria, so as to give a fuller explanation. The article noted that “Pope Francis at the conclusion of two Synodal Assemblies on the family [wrote that the Church must work], ‘so that those who manifest a homosexual orientation can receive the assistance they need to understand and fully carry out God’s will in their lives’ (Amoris laetitia, n. 250). These words are an invitation to evaluate, with appropriate discernment, projects and pastoral proposals directed to this end.”

The article also noted that the decree “is centered on the fundamental and decisive distinction between persons and the union. This is so that the negative judgment on the blessing of unions of persons of the same sex does not imply a judgment on persons.”

The article also pointed out that “not only these unions — as if the problem were only such unions — but any union that involves sexual activity outside of Marriage, which is illicit from the moral point of view, according to the perennial teaching of the ecclesial Magisterium.” In other words, the article is also a reminder to heterosexual people “living together” or civilly married that they are in a state of sin, too.

Please note, because of Holy Week and the subsequent increase in the size of this week’s Daily Readings section, it appears on page five of this edition of The Anchor. It will return to this usual space in the April 2 edition.

T

his year’s celebration of the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19 is special, coming as it does within the Year of St. Joseph, called by the Vatican to mark the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph’s being declared patron of the Church.

While the solemnity is clearly one of the highlights of the Holy Year, it shouldn’t be regarded as the climax, if that means everything else thereafter will be treated as a denouement. The Year of St. Joseph, after all, lasts for almost another nine months, until December 8. The solemnity should, rather, be treated like running the finish of the first leg of a four-lap race: Spiritually we should be just hitting our stride.

How can Catholics who haven’t really been taking advantage of this time of grace get going? How can those who have been focused on it pick up speed?

There are some very good resources, like Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Patris Corde (“With A Father’s Heart”), St. John Paul II’s 1989 apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos (“Guardian of the Redeemer”), or Father Donald Calloway’s 2019 best seller, “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father.”

But the book I have profited most from, recommend most heartily, and have been emailing to everyone who has asked how to grow closer to St. Joseph this year is Father Henri Rondet’s 1956 classic, “St. Joseph,” a translation of his 1953 French original “St. Joseph: Textes Anciens Avec Une Introduction.” It’s the most helpful book on St. Joseph I have ever found.

Father Rondet (18981979) was a French Jesuit theologian, professor and prodigious author of more than 50 books on almost every theological subject one could conceive: the Sacraments, Confession,

Growing in devotion to St. Joseph

Marriage, grace, original and personal sin, purgatory, hell, the communion of saints, the apostolate, the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, the Sacred Heart, Mary, St. Augustine, the development of dogma, Vatican I and Vatican II, the Christian faith and divorce, the theology of work, obedience and peace.

In novitiate and at the Gregorian University in Rome, he assiduously studied St. Thomas Aquinas. He eventually taught patristics. But his real passion was to pass on to the wider public the treasures of the faith, something that led to his becoming, in 1955, the French national director of the Apostleship of Prayer, founded in 1844 to help lay Catholics take up their role in the Church’s mission through the morning offering, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and praying for the monthly intentions of the pope. Theology was meant to lead us to our knees.

Father Rondet said he wrote this work because “St. Joseph is still not properly known and understood.

Devotion to him is widespread and enthusiastic, and there is a very large number of books that seek to minister to this devotion. But too often these writings are lacking in the spirit of critical scholarship or in theological competence, and one result of this is that others among the faithful are put off. The aim of this book is to put St. Joseph’s place in the economy of Salvation before both classes of the faithful.”

What I love about this brilliant and zealous priest’s work about St. Joseph is its structure.

He begins with a superb and readable 49-page summary of the presentation of St. Joseph in the Gospels, the apocryphal writings, Sacred tradition, popular legends,

medieval art, religious authors, and the 15th- to 17th-century rebirth of devotion. He describes the development of the feast of St. Joseph and the decision of Blessed Pius IX to name him patron of the Church.

And he finishes with a brief synthesis of the theology of St. Joseph.

In the section, Father Rondet demolishes the idea that St. Joseph was super-old man at the time of

his betrothal of Mary, which would not only diminish St. Joseph’s chastity and undermine his capacity to work as a carpenter to support the Holy Family, but basically put him in the weird category of really old men who marry really young women.

He argues that St. Joseph was a young virgin marrying a younger virgin and that their Marriage, though remaining virginal, was fruitful.

He shows that he was a true father in the way he committed himself to the life and growth of Jesus. And against those who try to argue, out of excessive piety, that St. Joseph was essentially the male equivalent of Mary, and therefore sinless, even immaculately conceived, Father Rondet shows not only that this is not part of the tradition, but not upheld by the evidence.

In the second section of the work, Father Rondet gives us a 185-page anthology of the most important writings on St. Joseph from the fourth through the 20th century. He includes great saints like St. John Chryostom, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine of Siena, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Teresa of

Avila, St. Francis de Sales, St. Alphonsus Ligouri, St. John Henry Newman; famous writers and orators like Jean Gerson, Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, Father Frederick Faber, Cardinal Herbert Vaughn; Popes Leo XII, Benedict XV, and Pius XII; as well as various of the most influential prayers and hymns throughout the centuries.

To have access in one place to the greatest thoughts expressed, at least until 1953, about St. Joseph, is like diving into the powerful river of graces pouring out of Heaven for many centuries with regard to St. Joseph.

I’d like to finish with a taste of the citations you can read in the book.

The first is by St. Teresa of Avila about praying to St. Joseph. She had been cured at the age of 26 of a crippling illness after invoking his intercession. She wrote: “I do not remember once having asked anything of him that was not granted.

God seems to have given other saints power to help us in particular circumstances, but I know from experience that this glorious St. Joseph helps in each and every need.

Others, who have turned to Joseph on my advice, have had the like experience. All I ask, for the love of God, is that anyone who does not believe me will put what I say to the test and learn for himself how advantageous it is to commend oneself to this glorious patriarch Joseph and to have a special devotion for him. Prayerful persons, in particular, should love him like a father.”

The second is from Cardinal Herbert Vaughn, Archbishop of Westminster about the role of St. Joseph in the Christian life. He stated: “Of old it was said to the needy and suffering people in the kingdom of Egypt:

‘Go to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you’ (Gen 41:55). The same is now said to all needy and suffering people in the kingdom of the Church — ‘Go to Joseph.’ If you labor for your bread; if you have a family to support; if your heart is searched by trials at home; if you are assailed by some importune temptation; if your faith is sorely tested, and your hope seems lost in darkness and disappointment; if you have yet to learn to love and serve Jesus and Mary as you ought, Joseph, the head of the house, the husband of Mary, the nursing father of Jesus — Joseph is your model, your teacher and your father.

“Go, then, to Joseph, and do all that he shall say to you. Go to Joseph, and obey him as Jesus and Mary obeyed him. Go to Joseph, and speak to him as they spoke to him. Go to Joseph, and consult him as they consulted him. Go to Joseph, and honor him as they honored him. Go to Joseph, and be grateful to him as they were grateful to him.

Go to Joseph, and love him as they loved him, and as they love him still. However much you love Joseph, your love will always fall short of the extraordinary love that Jesus and Mary bore to him.

On the other hand, the love of Joseph necessarily leads us to Jesus and Mary. He was the first Christian to whom it was said, ‘Take the Child and His mother.’”

All those who want to go to Joseph, and from him to Jesus and Mary, would be wise to go first to Father Rondet.

(To download a free copy of the book, just type “Father Henri Rondet, St. Joseph” into Google and a PDF of the work will come up immediately. You can also find hard copies in Catholic libraries and on Amazon.)

Anchor columnist Father Roger Landry can be contacted at fatherlandry@ catholicpreaching.com.

March 19, 2021 †

7

‘My Children Go First’ — A lesson in poverty and racism

By Tom Dwyer Special to The Anchor

With a very sad story about discrimination that he suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church in the pre-Vatican II Jim Crow South, senior director for Governmental Relations Ron Jackson of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) opened a recent Catholic Charities Zoom Webinar on “Poverty and Discrimination” in America.

Growing a bit emotional, Jackson told of his experience as a Catholic elementary student in a small Mississippi Gulf Coast town. Every once in a while, the black parish where he regularly attended Mass would be without a priest, forcing his family of eight to worship at the “white church.” With other blacks, they were required to sit in the back pews and receive the Eucharist only after the white parishioners.

He fondly recalled, though, his school principal, a nun. She refused to accept Communion before her students, telling the white priest, “My children go first” to which the priest would respond with something like “I’m going to have to report you to the bishop.” To which her quick reply was “I couldn’t care less.”

That one story captures

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the good and the bad of the Church, and, perhaps more broadly, society’s conflicted and conflicting views of race and the experience of people of color in the United States.

Jackson’s personal experience is not unusual.

Indeed, in the U.S. Bishops’ 2018 Pastoral Letter “Open Wide Our Hearts,” they recount the Church’s reprehensible history of bias against people of color and others, such as native Americans. That history dates to 1452 when Pope Nicolas V issued a Papal Bull granting apostolic permission to the kings of Spain and Portugal to buy and sell Africans. The Letter cites other disgraceful conduct by the Church, including the discrimination in pew seating and the reception of the Eucharist that Jackson experienced first-hand in Mississippi.

Prompted by the call of the “Open Wide Our Hearts” Letter and the national outcry following the recent murders of people of color like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and others, CCUSA refreshed and reissued its policy position with an updated 2020 paper entitled “Poverty and Racism: Overlapping Threats to the Common Good.” Accompanying that paper is a Facilitator’s Guide, designed to help

† March 19, 2021

dioceses and parishes better understand and grapple with the so-called “original sin” of racism in our country and its progeny: higher rates of poverty among those of color, housing and employment discrimination, wealth disparity, and white privilege, as just some examples.

The Zoom Webinar urged social justice seekers to apply the Catholic Social Teaching lens of “See, Judge, and Act” to the racial injustice problems the Church and society face.

Some of the more

worth of African American and Latinx households grew by only six percent during that same period. ➢ COVID-19 age adjusted death rates per 100,000 Americans are about 3.5 times higher for Blacks (118.8 deaths) and indigenous people (111.8 deaths) than whites (33.3 deaths) and three times higher for Latinx individuals (99.2 deaths).

The panelists also urged Catholics to focus on “equity” rather than “equality.” Using bikes (see image from the

our homes, families, and neighborhoods” and to direct priests and deacons to do likewise.

The bishops also urge “concrete action” including advocating “for moral [governmental] budgets that reduce barriers to economic well-being, appropriate healthcare, education, and training.” Other actions are recommended, such as: parish and community dialogues; self-education; Catholic schools student education; and seminarian formation more sensitive to

startling links to poverty highlighted during the Webinar and the CCUSA paper included: ➢ The highest rates of poverty are among children, especially children of color. The poverty rate for white children is 10 percent, while it is 26 percent for Latinx children, 32 percent for NativeAmerican children, and 33 percent for AfricanAmerican children. ➢ White families not only on average have 10 times the net worth of families of color, but also between 1998 and 2017, their wealth grew by 40 percent, while the net

Robert Johnston Wood Foundation) to illustrate the point, “equality” was described as identical bikes for each person, regardless of height, age, or physical ability, while “equity” was described as bikes of varying styles and sizes to match the person’s physical characteristics.

The Bishops’ Open Wide Our Hearts Pastoral Letter lays out a clear game plan for Catholics — laity and clergy — to bring about change. In it, the bishops, for instance, pledge “to preach with regularity homilies directed to the issue of racism and its impact on

systemic racism.

A line from the webinar’s Opening Prayer captured the spirit — “Differences among cultures and races are multicolored manifestations of Your Light.”

Tom Dwyer is a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Social Services and is an active member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul 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.

The last farewell “There’s a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor, tomorrow for old England she sails; “Far away from your land of sunshine to my land full of rainy skies and gales; “And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow, though my heart is full of tears at

this farewell; “For you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell.” or those of you who were into the hit songs of the 70s, “The Last Farewell” is one of them, sung by the great Kenyan-Englishman, Roger Whittaker, in 1971. While it speaks of a seafarer about to leave the endless sunshine of the south sea islands and return to his native land of rain and gales, it could represent the story of one’s journey on the seas of life with its joys and sorrows.

Indeed it could echo the life of our very own Clarence “Boogie” Kahilihiwa.

Boogie, as he was affectionately known since his younger days, was born on the island of Hawaii, better known here as the Big Island. As a youngster, he was diagnosed with Hansen’s Disease and then shipped to the original Hale Mohalu on Oahu. Then in 1959 he chose to move to Kalaupapa to be with some of his family who were already here.

Kalaupapa has never been the same since.

Boogie was a multi

F

tasker. In his early years in the settlement he plied his skills as a painter but so far, I have not discovered any Mona Lisa that is credited to his brush. In the days of movie-going he was the man behind the projector.

He was an active member of the Lions Club and a strong advocate for patients’ rights.

He was instrumental in founding Ka’ Ohana O Kalaupapa and worked the book store gift shop until he left Kalaupapa to join his beloved wife two years ago at Hale Mohalu in Kaimuki.

Some weeks past we were delighted to see him touch down at our airport when he came for a short visit to the town he loved so well, his home in Kalaupapa.

All too soon the day of his departure arrived, and those of us who could, gathered at the airport to hold his big hands, to chat with him and to say farewell for now.

This morning we gathered at St. Francis Church

to celebrate the Mass of the Resurrection for Boogie.

Though the setting was somber, we celebrated the journey of Boogie on the ocean of life. A procession of vehicles through the town

he knew so well followed until we arrived at Papaloa Cemetery.

We offered the final prayers and commended Boogie’s soul to the care of the Lord he had loved so

well. It was now time for the last farewell.

Aloha.

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

March 19, 2021 †

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A

Rising from the dead

s they descend the mountain, Jesus tells the disciples that they may not speak of the Transfiguration until after the Son of Man has risen from the dead (Mk 9:9). Instead of asking clarifying questions, the disciples fall back to argue among themselves what “rising from the dead” must mean.

That says a little bit about the stubbornness of human nature as well as, in the world the disciples had experienced, death was absolutely the end.

Jesus’ mission was to be accomplished by His death and Resurrection. Sin and death were to be vanquished. Jesus was to be the first-fruits of those who had fallen

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asleep (1 Cor 15:20).

Through His Resurrection, Jesus was going to always be with each of us guiding our journey home to God the Father.

Exploring the mystery of that gift of Salvation would be impossible for those who remained locked in a world with no conception of life after death. Jesus chose to answer the disciples’ (unvoiced) questions with experiences that

† March 19, 2021

allowed them to discern their own answer.

Jesus showed the disciples He had the power to bring the dead to new life. In the city of Nain, Jesus responds with compassion for the pain and grief of a widowed mother. Jesus touches the coffin calling the young man to arise (Lk 11-17). Another instance was the daughter of the synagogue official Jairus. Jesus took her by the hand and called for her to arise (Mk 5:21-43). With these two examples, the disciples saw Jesus respond to the entreaties of a mother and a father. Jesus raised to new life a son and a daughter.

For me, it was the death of a friend which first led me to delve into the mystery of new life. After Jesus’ Resurrection, St. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9: 3642). St .Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20: 7-12).

I had asked a priest why nowadays God didn’t seem so ready to allow people to come back from the dead. Father replied there was no need for it. What? Father reminded me that Jesus had opened the gates to everlasting life. Did I really wish to call someone back? That day my pain was great; my answer was yes. That day also challenged me to reflect and act upon my understanding of Heaven. I asked God to help me understand and accept the better answer was no.

That being called to live the new understanding was also there for Martha and Mary when their brother Lazarus walked out of the tomb four days after his death (Jn 11:1-44). Both Martha and Mary wistfully tell Jesus that Lazarus would not have died had Jesus been there. Jesus gently replies that if they believe they will see the glory of God. The tombstone is rolled back. Lazarus stumbles out wrapped in the burial cloths.

Jesus, the disciples, the sisters, and Lazarus walk away from the empty

tomb and the now unnecessary, burial cloths.

Even before Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, the striking visuals of the rolled up burial cloths and the empty tomb remind Jesus’ followers of what they had left behind in Lazarus’ empty tomb. Let us not underestimate that power of understanding in guiding and calling forth courageous undertakings. The Apostles and the women who followed Jesus began to share with the world the gift of salvation revealed by the image of Jesus’ empty tomb.

Each day we live, we can deepen our joy at experiencing Jesus’ gift of Salvation by choosing to grow in relationship with God. Those painful things that literally or figuratively knock us down and out on that cold, dusty road are simply invitations to reach out and more deeply explore our journey with Jesus.

One day I was visiting a Church. The hoped-for event had been rescheduled. I had recently picked myself up off one of those dusty roads and was feeling very down. An elderly gentleman finished his Rosary. He asked if I thought God had a sense of humor.

I momentarily put my personal concerns aside. He shared with me that many years ago he had set a record for being in a coma. He felt he owed the miracle of recovery to all the prayers others had offered for him. Yet, he wondered why God had granted the miracle. I smiled and said he might never get the “one reason.” God’s answer to that question might be different from anything we might be able to imagine. I went to leave. He told me he was supposed to shake my hand. A generation thing? He said, ”I have a feeling one day in Heaven we will shake hands just like this.”

Apparently, one reason God had awoken him from the coma was so that 50 plus years later, in a hushed and darkened Church, he could bring hope and God’s love to a troubled soul.

Anchor columnist Dr. Helen J. Flavin, Ph.D., is a Catholic scientist, educator and writer.

W

e are about to end the season of Lent and enter into the summit of the Liturgical year. This is called the Easter Triduum.

In 2021 Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday March 28 and ends on Easter Sunday, April 4. Of special note during Holy Week are the familiar observances of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. Those days are called the Triduum. The Triduum is the three-day celebration of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Triduum in Latin means “Three Days.”

But wait! Didn’t I just list four days?

The days of the Triduum are actually calculated according to the ancient Hebrew tradition of starting days at sundown. The Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper which is celebrated after sundown on Holy Thursday. Each day begins at sundown on the evening before. The Triduum ends at sundown on Easter Sunday. It is only appropriate that Easter, the greatest feast of the Church, is celebrated on the Lord’s Day. The days of the Triduum are considered to be one big, continuous celebration that is three days long. Think of it as being similar to a symphony: one piece with three movements each spanning sundown to sundown. We cannot separate the death of Jesus from His Resurrection.

We are called to church to gather and remember together. While we don’t continuously spend the whole three days in church we are asked to keep the spirit of these days alive even in our homes. These are not the time of “business as usual.”

A document from the Second Vatican Council has this to say about the Triduum: “Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through His Paschal Mystery: dying He destroyed our death and rising He restored our life.

The Easter Triduum Therefore the Easter Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire Liturgical year” (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, #18).

Some people incorrectly think of the Triduum as a reenactment of Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection.

There is no reenactment or pretending here. We’re not watching “home movies” from long ago! Our Liturgies are a celebration of the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus right here and right now.

It is a kind of remembering, called anamnesis, which makes the past alive and real in our present day. The symbols and rituals of these three days capture our imagination. We experience a meal among friends. We are shown service to others in the washing of feet.

We see a wooden cross on which hung the Savior of the world. There is water, light, darkness and fire. From the darkness emerges Christ, our Light!

Holy Thursday Even though Holy Week started on Palm Sunday, Lent continues up until sundown on Holy Thursday.

The Entrance Antiphon for Holy Thursday is, “We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom is our Salvation, life and Resurrection, through Whom we are saved and delivered” (Cf. Gal 6: 14).

This antiphon sets the tone for the next three days of the Triduum.

Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday.

Maundy comes from the Latin word for “command.”

It refers to Jesus’ Commandment to the disciples to “Love one another as I have loved you.”

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is a remembering of the original Last Supper. It is

a celebration of the Eucharist for our community that continues in this day and time. At this Mass, we are told of the Mandatum, the great Command. “I give you a new Commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13, 34-35).

Through the washing of the feet, Jesus set an example about service and humility.

Outside the pandemic world, the priest would wash the

feet of parishioners as an example of service just as Jesus washed the feet of His Apostles. Jesus said, “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (Jn 13:14-15). The action of washing of feet actually speaks about the death of Jesus — one who serves others, even if they don’t deserve it. Jesus commands us to recognize and honor each other as sisters and brothers, the children of God. On Holy Thursday the holy oils used in the parish throughout the year are received at the Chrism Mass, a special Mass held once a year at the cathedral and presided over by the bishop. All the oil used in the entire diocese is blessed and presented to each parish at that time.

Good Friday We begin the Liturgy of Good Friday with no procession. That’s because this is a continuation of the ongoing Triduum. The service begins

in silence. The priest will kneel or prostrate himself as a sign of humility before God. The Gospel reading is the narration of the Passion of Christ. We listen and remember how Jesus suffered and died for our sins.

After hearing the Passion we are reminded that there are many people in the world who need our prayers.

We offer a comprehensive list of intercessions to pray for God’s intervention and healing.

The remembering of Christ’s Passion and death on Good Friday is a time where we acknowledge the great sacrifice Jesus made for us so that we may have eternal life. Good Friday does not mark a time where we imagine Jesus dies and leaves us.

Commemorating His Passion and death is not the same as His actual suffering and dying. He died once for all time. Jesus is fully present to the community on Good Friday just as on every other day of the year.

Good Friday is a time to reflect upon how we can follow Jesus’ example. The cross is a symbol of our Salvation.

As we venerate the cross, we turn to God in prayer, offering up every need this world has, knowing that God will stand beside us and guide us. The brutal torture and crucifixion of Jesus is a reminder of the sinful nature of humanity and how easy it can be for us to turn on one another. It also showcases Jesus’ trust in His Father and His willingness to accept death on a cross for our sake.

Easter Vigil Sometimes people incorrectly think of the Easter Vigil as just another Mass but longer than a regular Sunday Mass. True, it’s longer but we do many more things that are only done on this night every year.

During the Easter Vigil

celebration, we break open the Paschal Mystery in symbol, story and song. We experience the Service of Fire where this symbol reminds us that the Risen Jesus is our light and strength. We hear the Sacred Easter Proclamation called The Exsultet. We look back to the very dawn of Creation. We agonize and then rejoice with Abram over his son. We pass through the sea with the Israelites and through trial and temptation with the prophets. We see God’s presence and Salvation in each of those events. We baptize, we give Eucharist and we confirm catechumens seeking full membership in the Catholic Church. We renew our own Baptism on this night. The symbols of fire and water speak to our senses without using words.

Easter Sunday The celebration of the Resurrection continues through Easter Sunday.

Together we go to the table and celebrate the Easter Eucharist. The stone has been rolled away and we stand before the empty tomb.

“The Lord has been raised! It is true.” “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad” (Ps 118:24).

We discover the Lord in His Word. We recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread now and forever.

It is my wish that we may soon be able to return to normal and safe worship conditions. It is my hope that you may experience the fullness and richness of this three-day celebration we call the Triduum. We need to stay safe. We can take advantage of remote worship until it is safe to return. We can always take advantage of real prayer any time.

Christ is risen. Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Scripture passages are taken from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. This is the Bible translation used at Mass in the United States. You can view it online at https:// bible.usccb.org/bible.

March 19, 2021 †

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T he C hurch

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have had a few intentions lately for prayers for healing and some of these prayers are for miracles. I have looked up specific saints for the intentions I have been praying for but the other day I decided to spend some time with Scripture.

After thinking about it, I decided I wanted to focus on the healing of the Roman centurion’s servant.

The Roman Centurion was seen as an enemy of

Y outh & Y oung A dults Miracle of peace

and

the Jewish people but he had faith in Jesus. We read in Matthew 8:5-8 “When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, appealing to Him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.’

And He said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have You

come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.’”

This miracle reminds us

that the faith of someone who cares about us is enough to save us. At the

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 fourth 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-19 — Session on 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.

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† March 19, 2021

end of the story we hear Jesus tell the centurion to let it be done and the servant was healed. The centurion had to have the courage and faith to step out of his comfort zone and ask Jesus for help.

After reading the story, I started scanning around the whole chapter.

In chapter 8 of the Gospel of Matthew, we read about Jesus healing the lepers, healing the centurion’s servant, healing Peter’s mother-in-law, calming the storm, and healing of the two men possessed by a demon. What stood out to me the most was that in the midst of all these stories about these miraculous healings is the story of Jesus calming the storm.

Jesus and the Apostles were out on the sea when a bad storm arose. Jesus was sleeping in the boat and the Apostles were terrified.

They woke Him and asked Him to do something. He rebuked them for their fear and lack of faith. He calms the sea and brings a sense of peace to the Apostles.

It struck me that in the middle of the healings, the biggest miracle to me was that He brought a sense of calm in the middle of

everything spinning out of control. The Apostles thought they were going to capsize and Jesus calms the storm around them. In the midst of the storms in our life, we need to learn to rely on Christ to calm the squalls around us and within us.

Jesus is peace. After His Resurrection, Jesus greets His followers three separate times with “Peace be with you”. It is so central to what Jesus preached that it became an important part of our Liturgy. According to the dictionary, the word peace means “Freedom from disturbance.” In the passage with the storm, He frees them from the disturbance of the storm.

When we allow Jesus to be in control, we can allow Him to give us His peace.

He offers it to us in every encounter and we need to be willing to meet Him so we can feel that peace in our lives and in our hearts.

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

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

Diocesan TV Mass to air at special time on Easter The Fall River diocesan Television Mass on Easter Sunday, April 4, will expand to an hour and will air at a special time. The Mass will air from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Easter on WLNETV, ABC Channel 6. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will be celebrant and homilist for the Mass.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, March 21 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in New Bedford

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel Sunday, March 28 at 7 p.m.

Broadcast from Santo Christo Church in Fall River

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Jay Mello, Pastor of St. Joseph and St. Michael parishes in Fall River.

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

Celebrant is Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, Pastor of the Catholic Community of Falmouth

Anima Christi Legacy Society launches continued from page one

now have the wonderful opportunity to thank and honor those individuals in their lifetimes for the role they play in advancing our diocese and its ministries into the future.”

For more information on the “Anima Christi” Legacy Society, including membership, benefits,

and resources on deciding how and where to direct giving, please visit www. catholicfoundationsema. org/anima-christi-legacysociety/ or email info@ catholicfoundationsema. org to receive an informational brochure.

The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern

Massachusetts will also be facilitating in the months ahead webinars on the Spiritual and logistical considerations for end-of-life decisions in the Catholic faith to provide helpful guidance, information, and resources to Diocese of Fall River parishioners.

CSS seeks input from faithful about guild for the blind continued from page one

20/200 vision in the better eye after correction and treatment. With vision of 20/187 you may be FUNCTIONALLY blind but shy of qualifying for any state services. Our Guild will serve the newly-blind, those with significant vision impairment, and those learning to cope with vision loss while they still have the maximum amount of usable vision.

The trials of sight loss are constant and unavoidable. Simple tasks become major chores. Adaptive aids help people continue daily routines, problems can be helped by technological advances, but only one knows what they are and how to obtain them.

Worst is the devastating loss and loneliness and darkness as blindness sets in. When sight is lost, people may withdraw into the safety of home, especially in this time of COVID-19. People naturally participate in their community, but listening to our Sacred Catholic Mass is not the same as seeing it.

At a time when faith is needed most, it has the least to sustain it. Reading a verse becomes a task.

Meditation and prayer is less comforting when your daily life is to be alone in the dark. Many have heard

of the stages of grief: Denial that it is happening; Anger that it is happening to you; Bargaining with fate; Depression when the darkness deepens; and finally Acceptance and learning to live as a blind person with God’s help.

But with losing vision, not only must you pass through these stages, you may have to live through them multiple times as another bleed in the eye or loss of function triggers the need to relearn all the hard tasks and lessons once again, perhaps not for the last time. Without faith, the collapse of sight can turn into the collapse of the soul.

A Catholic Guild would not HELP people, but ENABLE them — to learn, to cope, to accept,

and to survive. A Guild could support, inform, refer, educate, and improve the quality of life for visually impaired individuals.

To do so we must ask for guidance from our fellow Catholics on this journey, whether at a beginning step or nearing the end.

We offer our hand to those who need our help and wish they didn’t. The most frustrating thing for the blind is to have somebody grab their arm and steer them. It is well-meaning, and emotionally devastating. We don’t want to grab your arm, we want to be led by you.

Please, fill out the survey on the Catholic Social Services website, at www.cssdioc.org, and tell us what is most important to you.

A subscription to the would make a wonderful gift for a loved one, a friend, or yourself. It’s a publication that provides a Spiritual uplift and keeps Catholics connected to our Church — locally and beyond.

If you are not already a subscriber or are interested in giving an Anchor subscription as a gift, please consider subscribing for $29/year at www.fallriverdiocese.org/ subscribe or mailing a check to: Anchor Press, P.O. Box 318, Congers, N.Y., 10920.

March 19, 2021 †

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New members welcomed into Church continued from page one

three other parishes, were received at a similar ceremony at their respective churches.

The Rite of Election ceremony concludes the Period of Catechumenate, when the candidates learn about the Catholic faith and prepare, with assistance and guidance from their sponsors, Catechists, and pastors.

Through lessons and prayer, the candidates work toward the next step, being received into the Church, at a service or Liturgy where they and the Catechists give testimony to the bishop, or presider, of their intent to become faithful members of the Catholic Church.

During the Rite, the candidates sign the Book of Election as a symbol of their fidelity to the Church and her teachings.

Now called The Elect, the individuals will receive the three Sacraments of Initiation; Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation.

In addition to welcoming the newest members of the Church, 20 Candidates

seeking full initiation into the Church were recognized in their home parishes — seven in all.

The Candidates are usually people who have been baptized in the Christian faith, but have not received Confirmation or Holy Communion. They, with help from their sponsors, are continuing the formation process to be fully initiated into the Church at a Liturgy in Easter season.

Parishes with Elect at this year’s Rite of Election at the cathedral came from St. John the Evangelist in Attleboro; St. Mary in Mansfield; St. Anthony in East Falmouth; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River; Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Bedford; St. Mary, South Dartmouth; and Immaculate Conception in North Easton.

Elect were also welcomed into the Church at St. Mary in Norton; Our Lady of the Assumption in New Bedford; and St. Mary, South Dartmouth.

Candidates were recognized at their home

parishes — St. John the Evangelist, Attleboro; Our Lady of the Cape, Brew-

ster; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River; St. Michael, Fall River; St. Francis Xavi-

er, Acushnet; St. Joseph, Fairhaven; and St. Mary, South Dartmouth.

In Your Prayers

Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks: March 27 Rev. James W. Conlin, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1918 Rev. Msgr. Antonio P. Vieira, Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford, 1964 Rev. Richard W. Beaulieu, Former Diocesan Director of Education, Former Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 2007 Rev. Manuel Garcia, Editor of Portuguese Missalette, Founder of The Promotora Portuguesa and Rooster Printing, 2019 March 28 Rev. Alfred J. Levesque, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1960 Rev. Bernard A. Lavoie, Chaplain, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Dieudonne Masse, OFM, Retired, Montreal, Canada, 1983 Rev. Howard A. Waldron, Retired Pastor, St. Thomas More, Somerset, 1985 March 29 Rev. James H. Carr, S.T.L., Assistant, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1923 Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Moriarty, Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1951 March 30 Rev. Edward Norbert, 1909 Rev. Aime Barre, On Sick Leave, Fall River, 1963 Rev. Benoit R. Galland, USN Retired Chaplain, 1985 Rev. Lucio B. Phillipino, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 2002 Rev. Robert F. Kirby, Catholic Memorial Home, Retired Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, South Attleboro, 2015 March 31 Rt. Rev. Msgr. George C. Maxwell, Pastor, SS. Peter & Paul, Fall River, 1953 Rev. Dennis Loomis, M.S., Vocation Director, La Salette Shrine, Attleboro, 2019 April 1 Rev. George A. Lewin, Pastor, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1958 Rev. Edwin J. Loew, Pastor, St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1974 April 2 Rev. Adolph Banach, OFM Conv., Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Bedford, 1961 Rev. Donald Belanger, Pastor, St. Stephen, Attleboro, 1976 Rev. James B. Coyle, Retired Pastor, St. Dorothea, Eatontown, N.J., 1993 April 3 Rev. Henry F. Kinnerny, Former Pastor, St. Peter, Sandwich, 1905 Rev. Roger G. Blain, O.P., 2000 Rev. Clarence P. Murphy, Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville, 2010 April 4 Rev. Lionel Gamache, S.M.M., 1972 Rev. James F. McCarthy, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1985 Rev. Gaspar L. Parente, Retired Pastor, St. Theresa, Patagonia, Ariz., 1991 April 6 Rev. Philip Lariscy, O.S.A. Founder of the New Bedford Mission, 1824 Rev. Edward J. Mongan. Retired Pastor St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1920 Rev. Msgr. John A. Chippendale, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 1977 Rev. Lorenzo Morais, Retired Pastor, St. George, Westport, 1980 Rev. Msgr. William D. Thomson, Retired Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1987 Rev. Gerald E. Conmy, CSC, Associate Pastor, St. Ann, DeBary, Fla.,1994 Rev. Msgr. Francis J. Gilligan, P.A. STD, Archdiocese of St. Paul, 1997 Rev. Lucien Jusseaume, Chaplain, Our Lady’s Haven, Fairhaven, Retired Pastor, St Roch, Fall River, 2001 April 7 Rev. James A. Dury, Retired Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1976 Rev. Alvin Matthews, O.F.M., Retired, Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, 1988 April 8 Rev. Alvin Matthews, OFM, Retired, Our Lady’s Chapel, New Bedford, 1988 Rev. Bento R. Fraga, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 2012 April 9 Rev. Cornelius McSwiney, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1919 Rev. Edward F. Dowling, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1965

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Embracing a change in plans

I

t’s said that time flies when one has a good time, and I’ve often found that to be the case. And conversely, it doesn’t when you’re not.

That’s why a visit to the dentist or the doctor seems to take forever (no offense to you good medical people out there, but you’re on the other side of the white coat), and why vacations (when such things existed) are over and done in a flash.

But, bucking conventional norms, the past year, from March 2020 to March 2021 really does seem to have flown by — and that somehow just doesn’t make sense.

It was not a good year by any stretch of the imagination, especially for those

who contracted, suffered and even perished from COVID-19.

But according to mostly everyone I know comes the same mantra, “I can’t believe it’s been a year.”

Perhaps the greatest lament of the past 365-plus days has been not gathering with family and friends, not being able to take the afore mentioned holiday (as the Brits would say), and venturing to Mass, restaurants and concerts.

Yet, I did manage to engage in some activities I may not have otherwise.

Some of my pandemic perks include reading.

Over the last year I have

read more books since my college days (and back then it was out of necessity). I’ve read e-books and hard copies and I do prefer

to actually hold a book in my hands and turn pages as opposed to swiping and pressing.

E-books are physically easier to read — basically needing only one hand — but there’s much to be said for munching on Doritos while trying to keep a

Diocesan Marriage Preparation now offered as an on-line program

FALL RIVER — The diocesan Marriage and Family Ministry office announced that due to COVID-19 it was forced to cancel all live programs until further notice.

With current restrictions, it is now offering an online program Living Our Faith In Love for couples. This program covers all the key aspects of the live programs, with an added benefit of guidance from one of the minis-

try’s many trained mentor couples.

Couples who are preparing for Marriage will have ample time to complete the online program. Registered couples will receive a voucher that will give them access to the program and will be assigned a mentor couple who will guide them, answer questions, and offer up their own experiences of Married life.

Along with the regu-

lar on-line program, the ministry is also offering a program for those couples in which one or both have been Married before — through the ReMarriage Program.

The goal is to assist couples as they prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage and their future as a Married couple.

To register, or for more information, visit fallriverfaithformation. org.

brand new book open to the page you’re soaking in.

Next, I gained a greater appreciation for the true football — soccer on this side of the pond.

I never got into watching a game where a tally was a rarity and a final score could routinely be nil-nil.

But with many U.S. sports on the shelf or modified, I watched Premier League Football from jolly old England, and while watching, I learned the nuances of the game, the strategies I didn’t know existed.

It still frustrates me to watch a nil-nil or one-nil game, but I’m watching the chess match between the teams and coaches as I would with pigskin games.

I’ve also been watching the America’s Cup sailing championship from New Zealand. I did always watch it when it was in the U.S. I make the effort now to record the races since New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of us.

It is exciting, but the “sail” boats today are not the sailboats of our grandfathers. They’re rather more spaceships than boats. But the strategies, maneuvering, and excitement are there to be had and enjoyed, even half a world away.

Also in my spare time, which at times would have

been consumed by concerts or get-togethers, I have picked up the old axe(s) (rock slang for guitars), developed the callouses back on the fingers of my left hand, and find myself improving and learning new music. I may still make it to the rock ’n roll big time yet (and my friends say I have a ZZ Top beard now).

I also listen to music more now than I have in the past. I’ve watched several rock documentaries and have dusted off some great old CDs and LPs for some relaxing at-home concerts, not having to worry about standing up every two minutes to let someone in my row go to the rest room.

Lastly, I do believe I’ve added five more years of life to my 2000 Toyota Camry.

Since there is no place to go, I’ve driven old faithful much less than years past — saving wear and tear and petrol (it’s the soccer influence). Hopefully by the time I need a new chariot, it will be more like the current America’s Cup spaceships in style, speed and handling.

When life gives you lemons, it’s best to make lemonade — or better yet, a tasty lemon meringue pie (that one’s for you, Larry).

It will be nice to get back to normal, but in the meantime my horizons still broaden. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

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.

March 19, 2021 †

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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

Riverview School and Stonehill College launch Master’s Degree partnership EASTON — Riverview School in Sandwich and Stonehill College in Easton recently announced the launch of an innovative partnership bringing the college’s master’s degree program to Riverview’s scenic campus and providing expanded graduate degree opportunities for residents of Cape Cod and the surrounding towns.

The partnership will offer a Stonehill Master of Education degree in Inclusive Education, leading to Massachusetts licensure in special education, grades PK-8 or 5-12. The master’s degree program can be completed in approximately 18 months and caters to working professionals.

Classes will be taught at Riverview’s 22-acre campus in Sandwich by Stonehill

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faculty one weekend a month, Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning this September.

Stonehill is offering a special partnership rate to Riverview staff looking to expand their education toward a graduate degree, with incentives to join the Riverview staff and receive tuition support.

For non-Riverview staff, the cost is $2,500 per three-credit course plus fees. Applications are being accepted now. For more information, visit https://www.stonehill. edu/programs/inclusiveeducation-masters/.

Dean of the May School of Arts & Sciences at Stonehill, and Sandwich resident, Peter Ubertaccio, encouraged the initial conversation that led to the

† March 19, 2021

new partnership which taps into overlapping expertise at the two institutions.

“An independent co-educational boarding and day school, Riverview has been serving adolescents and young adults with complex language and learning challenges for 63 years with a commitment to pedagogical excellence known worldwide,” said Ubertaccio. “More recently, Stonehill developed a dynamic Inclusive Education program designed to reach all learners.”

“Stonehill’s educational mission is aligned with the work of Riverview, and we are thrilled to be able to bring our progressive master’s degree program to Cape Cod, where we see enormous potential,” said director of Graduate Edu-

cation at Stonehill Elizabeth Stringer Keefe.

Riverview assistant heads of school Deanna White and Maria Cashdollar said the school is excited to offer its outstanding staff an opportunity for graduate study right on campus.

“At Riverview, our staff members are dedicated to helping students with learning and cognitive challenges find competence in academic, social, wellness, and independent living pursuits,” said White. “In partnership with Stonehill, we can now offer them access to a graduate program that builds on their professional experiences and expertise. That helps them, our students and our school.”

Stonehill is a selective Catholic college located

on a beautiful 384-acre campus in Easton. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, the college engages over 2,500 students in 80-plus rigorous academic programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and pre-professional fields.

The Stonehill community helps students to develop the knowledge, skills, and character to meet their professional goals and to live lives of purpose and integrity.

Riverview School in Sandwich is a private Massachusetts-DESE-approved boarding/day school for students with complex language, learning and cognitive disabilities, ages 11-21.

Riverview offers middle and high school programs, as well as a post-high school transition program.