Diocese and Bishop da Cunha share in celebration
On Sunday, October 6, a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrating the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Fall River and the 10th anniversary of the installation of Most Rev. Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V., DD as Bishop of Fall River, took place in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption. The Mass was followed by an outdoor reception.
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
FALL RIVER — The October 6 celebration of the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Fall River and of the tenth anniversary of the installation of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha took place at St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral under sunny skies and bright lights that were recently installed in the cathedral.
The Mass and reception that followed under a tent on the grounds of the Cathedral included parishioners, diocesan clergy, employees, retired employees and many friends.
Principal Celebrant and homilist Bishop da
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Cunha gave a sermon centered on the themes of memory, gratitude and faith.
“God’s vision for us and the world is sacred and if it is sacred, it is to be resurrected, preserved and defended. Jesus told his disciples: ‘Do this in memory of me.’”
“An attitude of gratitude benefits to one who shows gratitude and those to whom gratitude is shown.
‘‘We all tend to take things for granted. We are here celebrating the Eucharist, the ultimate sign and act of thanks, because the Eucharist means just that, thanksgiving,” he said.
The Bishop went on to talk about selfishness as the root of all sin.
“Freedom is guarded so fiercely that every
commitment is seen as a threat to independence, instead of an expression of a mature personality. We are made to live in community. No one said life is easy. But is important to know we are in this life together. Despite our differences, and even because of them, we need each other.”
In the Gospel at the Mass, (Mark 10:2-16), Jesus talks about child-like trust and humility.
“What does it mean to receive the kingdom of God as a little child? Is Jesus’ point that little children accept Jesus and the ways of God with vulnerability, openness, freedom, innocence, guilelessness and not to gain anything,
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celebration Mass
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not to calculate wins and losses, but simply to accept the kingdom for what it is?” he asked.
Following the Mass, a reception was held under a tent behind the cathedral. Guests enjoyed cider, cake and baked goods. Many remarked on the brightness of the Cathedral.
Richard Grace, a longtime parishioner at the cathedral said the new lighting was long overdue.
“They look wonderful. To see the uplighting provides the ability to see detail of the mandorla,” he said.
A mandorla is an iconographic symbol in the shape of a circle or an almond-shaped oval signifying heaven, divine glory, or light. Mandorla is Italian for “almond.” It is an indication of the divine light of sanctity, but the mandorla of this type is generally reserved for Christ, at least in traditional iconography.
Mr. Grace’s wife was the organist at the Mass and said the music selection included the
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Above: Bishop da Cunha accepts the gifts at the anniversary Mass. Gift bearers were Janice Furtado and Archie Royster, both longtime employees of the Diocese of Fall River.
celebration Mass
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song, ‘‘Christ Be Our Light”, in celebration of to the newly installed lighting in the church.
Bishop da Cunha was installed as head of the Diocese on September 24, 2014, taking the helm from his predecessor, the late Bishop George W. Coleman. He was installed in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.
A native of Brazil, Bishop da Cunha came to southeastern New England from the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey where he spent 11 years as one of five auxiliary bishops of an ArchDiocese of 1.3 million Catholics — six times that of the Fall River diocese.
Longtime diocesean employee Janice Furtado was a gift bearer at the Mass. She said it was an honor to be asked to participate.
‘‘As an employee of the Diocese for more
than 50 years, I have witnessed the challenges and successes of the Catholic Church, and particularly the Fall River Diocese, throughout the years. The strength, determination, and dedication to the Church’s mission has never faltered. The Diocese remains focused on being the best possible means of support, guidance, and resources for its parishes while determined and committed to preserving our Catholic teachings and values. It has been an honor to be a part of this team and for being chosen to bring up the gifts at the 120th anniversary and the Bishop’s 10-year anniversary Mass,” she said.
The Cathedral was originally to serve as a parish church, St. Mary’s, and was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Matthew Harkins of Providence on September 7, 1901. It became the Cathedral Church when the Fall River Diocese was created in 1904 by Pope Pius X. The Pope set apart as a distinct portion of God’s people the parishes of Southeastern Massachusetts and gave them a bishop who would have his Cathedral in the city of Fall River.
This was not the beginning of the Catholic Church in this area. Since 1872 the territory of the new Diocese of Fall River had been a part of the Diocese of Providence and previous to that part of the Diocese of Boston.
There were, however, only nine parishes in this portion of Massachusetts when it became part of the newly created Diocese of Providence in 1872, but by 1904 when the Diocese of Fall River was established, there were 44 parishes serving 130,000 Catholics.
The first bishop, the Most Reverend William Stang, was born in Germany, taught at the University of Louvain in Belgium and had
served with distinction in parishes, in the curia and on the mission band of the Diocese of Providence.
Bishop Stang was recognized as a man of learning and holiness. During his tenure which was cut short by his untimely death in 1907, he established parishes, zealously implemented the directives of the pope on catechetical instruction and encouraged the founding of St. Anne’s Hospital.
Today, the Diocese of Fall River has a Catholic community numbering 265,000 who worship in 69 parishes and ten mission churches. The Diocese is divided into five territories or deaneries with one priest in each appointed by the Bishop to serve as Dean to assist him in the coordination of ministry in that area.
There are a total of 133 active, retired, or sick Diocesan priests, three Catholic high schools, 15 elementary school with a total of more than 5,100 students.
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Above: Bishop da Cunha cuts the celebratory cake with assistance from Mim Sherman, Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. Below: Bishop da Cunha at the altar.
Salt, Light and Leaven
Meet Debra Sharpe: Midwesterner with a love for books, travel and baking
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
Debra Sharpe is the new Director of Development for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River. She was born and raised in southern Illinois in a very small farm town. A resident of Rumford, Rhode Island, she and her husband Neil have three children and six grandchildren.
She earned a BA from Western Illinois University and an MA at the University of Illinois. Her graduate degree is in Human Development and Counseling. She has always had a passion for social justice,leading to a career in nonprofit management and resource development. Her most recent position was with the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island.
Volunteer Experience: I truly value and appreciate volunteer service. I serve on the Operations Board for our local food pantry, and have been a board member for several nonprofits. I am an active member of professional organizations including the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) and the Planned Giving Council, and remain involved with the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island.
How did you get involved with the Brain Injury Association? I answered an ad. Not that I was unhappy where I was, but my husband’s younger sister died as a result of a traumatic brain injury, so for me, the mission was personal. The organization does wonderful work and has dedicated and loyal staff, so I have been very blessed. They are in good hands, and I am thrilled and honored to be here at CCFR.
Why did you join Catholic Charities? Call it kismet. I have a friend who is a development consultant and one day she called to tell me that she had seen the perfect” job (for me) on Indeed and that I should take a look at it. Being of a certain age I had been praying about what my next step should be. I really wasn’t interested in retiring and I’d been with BIARI almost 11 years. Let’s say I was open to whatever the Holy Spirit decided to bring me, and maybe it was this opportunity. I did look at it and it sounded interesting…I loved the
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opening line of the job announcement which read something like “this is not your typical office… come enjoy working for an amazing long term, well-run social service organization where people genuinely enjoy working together.” Well, that sounds pretty good, and it was a new development office, a start-up if you will,
something I have experience with and really enjoy. So I posted my resume, in fact it was a draft as I hadn’t updated it for so long and decided the whole thing was out of my hands. After that, the process moved quickly and happily for me, here I am.
Strengths and weaknesses (professionally):I am very much a people person, which I think is a strength for my chosen career, and I get excited and energized by new opportunities. I think my professional weakness may be impatience. I’d like to snap my fingers and instantly know all the programs, all the donors, all the staff, etc. Unfortunately, development is not magic.
Best Vacation: Every vacation is the best one. My husband Neil and I love to travel. We have a home in Scotland and visit there as often as we can. But probably one of the best was a trip on a Viking Cruises Longboat on the Danube River from Budapest to Passau in Germany. It was amazing and you get a different perspective traveling on the river. We topped that off by renting a car and spending an extra week in Switzerland (Neil’s favorite country).
Hobbies: Besides traveling I love to read and entertain. There’s nothing better than curling up with a book and a cup of tea, especially on a winter day. I enjoy having people in my
home and cooking (and a good bottle of wine). Aside from that, my hobby is our six grandchildren. There’s always something going on.
Culinary Creations: I do all the cooking. I love to bake, especially my husband’s favorite, traditional apple pie. I make a good pecan pie and my kids like lemon chiffon. I also enjoy making Italian food — meatballs and lasagna.
Currently reading: I recently finished ”Lessons in Chemistry” and ”The Lost Girls” of Paris, and now I’m reading Mary Trump’s latest book.
Goals in new role as Director of Development: My number one long-term goal, my priority, is to build a strong, sustainable revenue stream to support Catholic Charities long after I am gone. Pieces of that include an annual fund, a legacy society, a signage event, and a robust marketing plan. Creating awareness is an important part of development. I want to build a donor-centered development office that includes communications, grants/research, special events and individual donor outreach and cultivation. Catholic Charities is the heart and soul of the good work the diocese does and I’m convinced the more people know the work of CCFR and know how to support CCFR’s mission, the more we can do to enhance and expand our programs and services.
Pets: I love animals. I had a beautiful border collie mix for many years but he’s now at the Rainbow Bridge and I have not had a dog since. We also lost our kitty Peanut about three years ago, so now my only pets are the bunnies in our back garden.
Catholic Charities of Diocese of Fall River hosts disaster academy
By Joan D. Warren Editor joandwarren@anchornews.org
WESTPORT — More than 18 agencies from New England, New York and New Jersey, and many employees of Catholic Charities from around the Southcoast gathered for a Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) Disaster Training Academy at Whites of Westport.
The three day training, October 15-17, offered the 65 attendees accreditation to mobilize in the event of a natural or manmade disaster anywhere in the United States.
CCUSA offers three regional trainings per year, and Fall River was the chosen destination for the Northeast training this year.
Honing in on potential local disasters, the goal is to build relationships with other local agencies so communication can flow smoothly in a time of disaster.
Kim Burgo, Vice President of CCUSA’s
National Disaster Operations office, said that there are 117 open disaster cases in the United States currently and those attending the training may be asked to deploy to one of these areas.
“We look to provide accreditation for certified disaster case managers. All are trained in the same way to deploy across the country,” Burgo said.
Currently there are teams in Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton,
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among others.
The usual deployment is for two-week stints. The areas affected following the recent hurricanes may need assistance for years, Burgo said.
The work of Catholic Charities locally, nationally and around the world is a tangible response to the Gospel’s call to care for the least among us.
When natural and manmade disasters strike, CCUSA’s Disaster Response Team and local member agency staff mobilize quickly, responding with aid on-site — shelter, meals, water, emergency funding, disaster aid application assistance and more, and follow through during recovery to help rebuild lives and restore hope.
Susan Mazzarella, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Fall River, said hosting the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Academy for the Northeast was an honor.
‘‘To be asked to host this training is important to us. We are eager to learn so we can have a planned response to any disaster or crisis in the area,” Mazzarella said.
The motto of Fall River’s branch of Catholic Charities is “service anchored in faith.”
On Tuesday, October 15, Bishop Edgar da Cunha was pleased to welcome the attendees with a blessing to begin their training session. Later in the day celebrated Mass.
On Wednesday, Father Michael Racine celebrated an early Mass and was one of the speakers at the breakfast plenary with a focus on Fall River and surrounding areas.
Father Racine is the Pastor of the Whaling City Catholic Community in New Bedford and is the city’s fire chaplain.
Aside from occasional hurricanes and snow storms, the biggest disasters to affect the area are nornally house and apartment fires.
“In 1996, there were three fire deaths my first weekend as fire chaplain. When called, we go into action and, as a priest, provide spiritual support,” he said.
Sheila Chasse, Director of Housing and Basic Needs for Catholic Charities of Fall River, spoke about the issues of substance abuse, homelessness and mental health. Although these issues are not disasters, they are a large part of what her office deals with on an ongoing basis.
“We visit homeless encampments and try to provide emotional support, clothing and housing assistance. In the last four months
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Editorial
November is a month that Catholics begin by remembering and celebrating the saints, invoking their intercession, and, conscious of the universal call to holiness, resolving to imitate their virtue.
On the second day and throughout the month, it is also an occasion when we pray for all our beloved dead and recall that we, too, will die and be judged on the basis of the choices we’ve made and the person we’ve become through those choices.
The eleventh month of the year is, finally, the time, on the first Tuesday following a Monday, that American Catholics vote in general elections. And the considerations of the All Saints and All Souls Days are meant to influence the way that Catholics approach the voting booth.
Voting is a moral act in which we make decisions, sometimes very difficult ones, on the basis of the principles and values dearest to us. Voting is not just a right but a moral obligation, as Vatican II and the Catechism underline. Voting is a means by which we live out our Christian vocation as salt of the earth and light of the world and seek to secure the common good. In a democratic society, we essentially get the leaders we deserve, and each person eligible to vote bears some responsibility for the leaders we have and the decisions they make. Like with other moral decisions, we will be judged by how we vote.
With some ballot items and stark candidate contrasts, there is clear right and wrong involved and the application of the principle to do good and avoid evil is rather straightforward. In many others, the choices are not so obvious, and Catholics must pray about what to do, seeking to listen to God whispering through a well-formed conscience, and trying, with the help of the gift of prudence and the counsel of trustworthy authorities, to make the best decision possible under the circumstances.
The more confusing the context, the more prayer is needed. It is also helpful to consider how the saints — imagine St. Thomas More — might vote when faced with similar decisions. It is wise to vote in such a way that we would be able to defend the
process, criteria and outcome when we meet Jesus face-to-face in the election that matters most of all.
In the context of many who try to instrumentalize the faith toward political ends, who hype every election as the most consequential of all time, it is important for Catholics to remember that there are far more important things at stake. We are called not just to be good American citizens but “fellow citizens of the holy ones” (Eph 2:19).
While campaigns regularly cross the line on lying and stoking hatred, as they increasingly and unabashedly feature the capital sins of envy, anger, pride, greed and lust, Catholics are reminded of their call to be in but not of the world. We find our fundamental identity not as Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, not as partisans of a candidate or a particular movement, but as disciples and ambassadors of Jesus Christ, fulltime and without apology. We give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but far more give to God what belongs to him.
Many Catholics have been turned off by the electoral process, or by the defects of the candidates in specific elections, or by the seeming inconsequentiality of their participation in a de facto one-party system in specific jurisdictions, that they shirk their important duties as citizens. In the United States, 31 percent of adult citizens never even register to vote. Of those who do, one quarter sits out even the most important elections. That means that only half of the eligible voting population votes at all, and one needs only half of that plus one — or basically a quarter of the citizenry — to win elections and determine the direction of the country.
Catholics are almost one-quarter of the electorate, showing how much of an impact Catholics could have if we collectively sought to bring the principles of Catholic social teaching to the public square. As the U.S. Bishops write in their recently republished instruction, Forming Catholics for Faithful Citizenship, “The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith. It is a basic part of the mission we have received
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from Jesus Christ, who offers a vision of life revealed to us in Sacred Scripture and Tradition.”
The fulfillment of our moral responsibilities with regard to elections is not a question merely of voting, however, but of voting well. How we vote is sign of what we value most. Whether voting at the ballot box or filling it out by mail, we stand before God and confess who we are and what we prioritize. Sometimes the choice is between apples and oranges, two decent candidates who vary simply on the prudential implementation of sound principles; at other times the choice is akin to Christ versus Barabbas; and sometimes, sadly, to Barabbas contra Barabbas. The reality remains, however, that whom we decide to support and why are moral decisions that express and form our character. For that reason, we should vote wisely, only after much prayer, which should mark all of our important decisions.
Many Catholic faithful are asking for guidance about how to vote in this particular presidential election. One major candidate is the most pro-abortion presidential candidate of all time, on record opposing even the most basic conscience protections and with a documented history of anti-Catholic hostility. The other major candidate has backtracked on many previous pro-life commitments, become an ardent supporter of manufacturing children in test tubes, seems soft on dictators who invade neighboring countries, sends out rants in the middle of the night like an unstable teen, and regularly engages in insults and other boorish behavior unbecoming of the office of the presidency.
The guidance the Church has given for such circumstances is helpful.
First, the Church teaches it is never morally licit to vote for a candidate who supports intrinsically evil actions — like, for example, the destruction of innocent human life in the womb — because of the candidate’s support for that evil. That would be “formal cooperation” in the evil that the candidate would do. If one opposes that evil the candidate supports, one could vote for that candidate if and only if one had reasons for doing so proportionate to the evil the candi-
date elected would do. Those reasons would be tantamount to ones that could persuade an African-American or a Jew to vote for the same candidate in the same election if he were, respectively, also firmly racist or anti-Semitic, since Catholics need to be at least as much against abortion in their practical political decisions as African Americans are against racism and Jews against anti-Semitism.
Proportionate reasons might be that one might think a candidate’s behavior could lead us into World War III, or cause more harm by association to the Church or the fight against that intrinsic evil long-term, or just do irreparable damage to the office of the presidency and the institutions of government. The reasons would have to be sufficient to justify one’s actions before Christ in the next life or, in this example, before a child who would be aborted because of the candidate’s decisions in office.
Faced with a decision between candidates with obvious problems, there are a couple of moral options. The first is to vote for the candidate whom one believes, after prayer, would be the “lesser of two evils” or, more accurately, the one who would likely do the most good despite the evils. The second is to vote for a third-party candidate whose positions one supports or write-in someone who would be the type of candidate you’d be looking for. Such a decision would not be throwing one’s vote away but communicating substantial dissatisfaction to the leaders of both parties as well as giving a signal to potential future candidates that you’re looking for something different than the choices presented. Different Catholics could respond to the predicament differently. Anyone who claims in this circumstance that there’s a univocal way that a good Catholic must respond just doesn’t know the teaching of the Catholic Church.
As Catholics begin this month of November prayerfully focused on the saints and on the last things, it is helpful to bring the fruits of that contemplation, as well as the saints’ intercession, with us as we fulfill our great privilege and grave duty as citizens.
Disaster academy
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we have found housing for twenty homeless people in Fall River through a pilot program with the city. This work takes patience and great listening skills since some of the homeless may not be open to help for many reasons,” she said.
Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan spoke to the group and said partnering for Catholic Charities of Fall River is a win-win for the city.
“As a partner, Catholic Charities is always at the table. When there is a crisis and with day-today issues like the homeless situation in the city, they work to make lives better for the people of Fall River,” Mayor Coogan said.
The Disaster Academy included workshops focused on how to take charge in an emergency, navigate the workings of FEMA, create
recovery plans, handle trauma response and more.
Catholic Charities USA, founded in 1910, is the church’s “human services arm.” It comprises 168 member agencies nationwide.
The group last year served 15 million people nationally, including the homeless, unemployed, migrants, refugees, and families recovering from natural disasters.
The national arm provides help with affordable housing, immigration assistance, disaster relief and more.
Catholic Charities of Fall River depends on monetary donations to sustain its work. It also accepts donations of school supplies for needy students and food donations for the Solanus Casey Food Pantry in New Bedford. Visit their website for more information and how to help at www.ccfrdio.org.
Give your time for those in need
Volunteers are the livelihood of Catholic Charities. Volunteers provide a variety of support, including teaching English as a second language, managing the food pantry, answering telephones, mentoring individuals in
our programs, and more.
There are many ways to utilize your talents and skills to help. We also provide internships.
If you are interested in volunteering, please call Rose Mary Saraiva at (508) 674-4681.
The three-day Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Training took place at White’s of Westport. Pictured are: (standing, left-right)
Catholic Charities of Fall River Directors Sheila Chasse and Susan Mazzarella, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan. (sitting, left-right) Naketa Beech, Mary Holmes, Denise Rosadu, Catherine Rivera.
Called by Name campaign for vocations to the priesthood
Bishop da Cunha recently announced a new Called by Name campaign, which takes place November 9-10. Parishes will provide information at Masses this weekend. The goal of this campaign is to identify faithful young men who show great promise in their faith, leadership abilities, and dedication to serving the Church.
The Vocations Office will encourage, share resources, and invite them to discernment events. Called by Name will give these young men the opportunity to receive guidance as they navigate God’s call in their lives.
One of the most challenging parts of the Church’s vocational discernment work is simply knowing who to work with. That is why the Diocese’s Vocation Team is using this
campaign as a springboard to connect with as many faithful young men as possible.
As the shepherds of this Diocese, priests have a crucial role in the success of this campaign. The participation of the priests consists of two major elements: Telling their own vocation story on Called By Name Sunday and asking their parishioners to submit names of faithful young men in the parish.
It’s no secret that the Diocese is in need of more priests. Backed by the support of the people of the Diocese, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, this campaign has the potential to “move the needle” in the need for more priestly vocations. The faithful need to see that their shepherds love the priesthood, and that this vocation is one that should be
encouraged and celebrated.
Bishop da Cunha has approved a Vocation Team of priests who will be conducting small discernment groups in the Diocese of Fall River and helping coordinate Vocations Office events like seminary visits, the St. Andrew’s dinner, and the Called by Name campaign.
The members of the Vocations Team are: Father Jack Schrader (Vocations Director), Father John Garabedian (Assistant Vocations Director), Father Jason Brilhante, Father Ryan Healy, Father Matthew Laird, Father John Murray, Father Craig Pregana, Father Christopher Peschel, Father Thiago Santos.
The Vocations Office hopes to be very busy after the campaign is completed.
National Vocations Awareness November 4 -10
National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated promoting vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life through prayer, invitation, and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations. NVAW began in 1976 when the U. S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year for NVAW. In 1997, this celebration was moved to coincide with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls in January. Beginning in 2014, NVAW was moved to the first full week of November. For more infomation, go to www.nvaw.org.
Congratulations and Best Wishes on these two momentous occasions!
120th Anniversary of the Diocese of Fall River and
10th Anniversary of the Installation of Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V.
Diocese of Fall River Deacon celebrates Mass with Archbishop-Elect Richard Henning
On Saturday, October 19, Deacon Joseph P. Harrington assisted Diocese of Providence Bishop Richard Henning at a Mass for pilgrims who attended the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN in July. The Mass was held at St. Pius V in Providence, RI. Bishop Henning was installed as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston on October 31.
Anchor’s Away!! Bring the Anchor on your next trip and take a picture with it in front of a church, statue or other religious setting. The only stipulation is that the person(s) photographed must be from the Diocese of Fall River and the location be outside the diocese. Let’s see how far the Anchor can travel! Send submissions to joandwarren@anchornews.org.
Pictured: Bob Ladino a parishioner ar St. Julie Billiart in Dartmouth reads the Anchor in front of St. Gregory The Great Church located in Bluffton, South Carolina.
November 1, 2024
In Your Prayers
Please pray for these priests and deacons during the coming weeks:
(Continued)
Nov. 2
A memento for the repose of the souls of our bishops, priests and Rev. deacons not on this list
Rev. Joseph S. Fortin, Founder, St. Jean Baptiste, Fall River, 1923
Rev. Michael V. McDonough, Chaplain, St. Mary’s Home, New Bedford, 1933
Rev. John F. Andrews, 2021
Nov. 4
Rev. Edmond Tremblay, 1985
Rev. Willibrord Willemen, SS.CC., 1987
Rev. Deacon James M. O’Gara, 1990
Nov. 5
Rev. Daniel A. Gamache, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1998
Nov. 6
Rev. Patrick S. McGee, Founder, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1933
Rev. Joseph Oliveira, Retired, Former Pastor Our Lady of Lourdes, Taunton, 1999
Nov. 8
Rev. Pacifique L. Emond, OFM, Retreat Master, Writer, Montreal, Canada, 1984
Rev. Deacon Donald Joslin, 2012
Nov. 10
Rev. Msgr. Henry T. Munroe, P.A., Retired, Former Pastor, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 2017
Nov. 11
Rev. A. Gomez da Silva Neves, Pastor, St. John the Baptist, New Bedford, 1910
Rev. Richard Sullivan, C.S.C., President, Stonehill College, Easton, 2005
Nov. 12
Rev. James H. Looby, Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1924
Rev. Bernard Boylan, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1925
Nov. 13
Rev. Louis J. Deady, Founder, St. Louis, Fall River, 1924
Rev. William H. O’Reilly, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Taunton, 1992
Rev. Clarence J. d’Entremont, Retired Chaplain , Our Lady’s Haven, Fairhaven, 1998
Nov. 14
Rev. Francis J. Duffy, Founder, St. Mary, South Dartmouth, 1940
Rev. William A. Galvin, JCD, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1977
Rev. Deacon John H. Schondek, 2001
Nov. 15
Rev. Thomas F. LaRoche, Assistant, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1939
Rev. Daniel E. Doran, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 1943
Rev. Deacon Richard M. Dresser, 2016
Rev. Deacon Robert G.L. Normandin, 2020
Nov.16
Rev. John Brady, Former Pastor, Sandwich, New Bedford, Wareham, 1856
Nov. 17
Rev. Henry R. Canuel, Former Pastor, Sacred Heart, New Bedford, 1980
Nov. 18
Rev. William Beston, C.S.C., Chaplain, Paul Dever School, 2004
Nov. 19
Rev. Msgr. Lester L. Hull, Retired Pastor, St. MaryOur Lady of the Isle, Nantucket, 1982
Rev. Philodore H. Lemay, M.S., La Salette Provincial House, Attleboro, 1990
Nov. 21
Rev. Stephen J. Downey, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1975
Rev. James F. Kenney, Retired Pastor, Corpus Christi, Sandwich, 1994
Nov. 22
Rev. Henry J. Dahl, Pastor, St. Peter the Apostle, Provincetown, 2020
Nov. 23
Rev. James E. Smith, Retired Chaplain, Bethlehem Home, Taunton, 1962
Rev. Msgr. Christopher L. Broderick, Retired Founder, St. Pius X, South Yarmouth, 1984
Nov. 24
Msgr. Daniel F. Shalloo, Retired Pastor, Holy Name, Fall River, 1991
Rev. Brian Marggraf, SS.CC., Retired, St. Damien Residence, Fairhaven, 2018
Nov. 25
Rev. Philias Jalbert, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1946
Rev. Dennis Spykers, SS.CC. Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Wellfleet, 1971
Nov. 26
Rev. James R. Burns, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1945
Rev. Charles Porada, OFM., Conv., 2000
Rev. Robert J. Malone, C.S.C., 2010
Nov. 27
Rev. Candido d’Avila Martins, 1898
Rt. Rev. Patrick E. McGee, Pastor, St. Mary, North Attleboro, 1948
Nov. 28
Rev. Adrien A. Gauthier, Pastor, St. Roch, Fall River, 1959
Nov. 29
Rev. Thomas H. Shahan, Former Pastor, St. Mary,Taunton, 1902
Rev. Francis A. McCarthy, Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1965
Rev. Deacon Richard G. Lemay, 2018
Nov. 30
Rev, William J McCoomb, Pastor, Immaculate Conception, North Easton, 1895
Dec. 1
Rev. Phillipe Ross, Chaplain, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 1958
Rev. Edward J. Gorman, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Somerset, 1964
Dec. 2
Rev. Arthur Savoie, Pastor, St. Hyacinth, New Bedford, 1917
Rev. Dennis W. Harrington, Assistant, St. Mary, Taunton, 1958
Rev. Stanislaus Basinski, Former Pastor Holy Rosary, Taunton, 1970
Rev. Stanley J. Kolasa, SS.CC., Former Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption, New Bedford; Director, Sacred Hearts Spirituality Center, Wareham, 2016
Dec. 3
Rev. John W. McCarthy, P.R., Pastor, Sacred Heart, Fall River, 1926
Dec. 4
Rev. Patrick Byrne, Pastor, St. Mary, New Bedford, 1844
Rev. Charles Ouellette, Assistant, St. Jacques, Taunton, 1945
Rev. Edward C. Duffy, Pastor, St. Francis Xavier, Hyannis, 1994
Dec. 5
Rev. Eugene J. Boutin, Manchester Diocese, 1986 Rev. Coleman Conley, SS.CC., Chaplain, Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, 1990
Dec. 6
Rev. Joseph L. Cabral, Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, 1959
Rt. Rev. Msgr. John H. Hackett, JCD, Chancellor, June-December 1966, 1966
Rev. Joseph K. Welsh, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 1971,
Rev. John T. Higgins, Retired Pastor , St. Mary, Mansfield, 1985
November 1, 2024
Milestone 30th anniversary for the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner and its supporters
By Shawna Erikson Florio, EdD
FALL RIVER — Since its founding in 1991 as the St. Mary’s Education Fund, the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE), as it is now known today, has advanced a proud mission of educational access. Thanks to its donors and supporters, FACE, which is now managed by the Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts, makes financial assistance available to families seeking to enroll their children in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Fall River. It helps to ensure that financial hardship does not deter families from providing their children with faith-filled educational environments. More than $21 million in aid has been distributed across grades K-12 throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.
Shortly after its founding, a group of FACE’s supporters created the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner. Indeed, the November 20, 2024 event marks the 30th year of this annual gathering. It is both a time to raise funds and to honor those members of the community who have championed Catholic education—celebrating the past, present, and future. Hundreds of attendees from schools, institutions of higher education, parishes, businesses, community organizations, and other partners gather. Student and guest speakers give voice to the benefits of Catholic education and its critical role in shaping heads, hearts and souls.
Over the years, notable speakers include the late Tim Russert, journalist and former anchor of Meet the Press; Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots; author and cartoonist of the book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney; Angela Perez Baraquio, Miss Hawaii and Miss America; Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs & Advocacy at Save the Children and President of Save the Children Action Network; Matt Malone, S.J., America Media Editor-in-Chief;; and Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B, a former Broadway and Hollywood actress who starred alongside Elvis Presley in movies including King Creole and Loving You. Richard Lafrance, Chairman of Lafrance Hospitality, served on the Fall Dinner committee for many years and also a past Chair of the event. He recalls, “Of the many guest speakers over the years, Tim Russert stands out as a favorite. His story was of his youth and Catholic education was remarkable, and he was gracious with his time. My mother was thrilled to have gotten to meet him and have her photo taken with him.”
Timothy J. Cotter Friend of Catholic Education Award honorees have included community
November 1, 2024
members Dennis Kelly, FACE Board Member and former CEO of Bristol County Savings Bank; Mike Tamburro, former President of the Pawtucket Red Sox; The Honorable Thomas M. Quinn III, Bristol County District Attorney; Sandra Sevigney, a longtime FACE Board member; and Carl Taber, Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at BayCoast Bank. This year’s honorees, Pat and Tom Marmen of Cape Cod, have been loyal advocates for Catholic education and are co-chairing the FACE Summer Gala for the third time. For Dennis Kelly, whose wife and two sons graduated from Bishop Feehan High School and whose grandchildren are also attending Catholic schools in the Diocese, Catholic schools create a special family-like atmosphere and “camaraderie.” About supporting financial assistance, he reflected that FACE opens the door for young people to get “a good education that is going to help them for the rest of their lives and you have to feel good about that. In some small way you have helped, and the kids love being there. It would be a shame if they want to go and can’t afford to go. FACE creates an opportunity to experience these atmospheres and get a quality education in a wonderful atmosphere.”
For the past three decades, the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner has been a cornerstone of itsfundraising efforts and has widened the circle of FACE’s friends and supporters. Presenting Sponsors BayCoast Bank and its subsidiaries and Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation will be joined by Bristol County Savings Bank and Lafrance Hospitality Scholar Sponsors in leading sponsorship roles for 2024. “It has been a privilege and incredibly rewarding to collaborate with this team that is so dedicated to making a lasting impact in our community,” says David Smith, Chief Investment Officer at Rockland Trust Bank. “For over 7 years, my colleagues and I have been proud to support the Diocese of Fall
River in building strategies that reflect its values and maintain long-term growth and stability for the causes it serves such as FACE.” President and CEO of BayCoast Bank, Nicholas Christ said, “BayCoast Bank has been a longtime supporter of FACE because we believe in its mission and know the power of education — especially Catholic Education — will change lives, change families, and change our entire community for the better. Since 1998, employees like Carolyn Novo, have been committed to supporting the bank’s involvement with the Scholarship Dinner, promoting the value of Catholic Education, and providing students a pathway to future success.”
Carolyn Novo, Corporate Giving Administrative Assistant, coordinates the extensive outreach of the BayCoast Bank team, contributing significantly to the FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner Committee’s work and the event’s success. She has been a central and highly dedicated committee member since 2018. Prior to her formal involvement, she was a Fall Dinner attendee for many years, noting that “Nick was kind enough to give the seats to people who had children in the Catholic schools to attend [and I] always enjoyed the events.” Her daughter was a student at both Holy Name School and Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River.
Longtime Committee Members and FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner Co-Chairs John Feitelberg of HUB International and Janna Lafrance of Lafrance Hospitality also recently reflected on their own experiences in Catholic education and the importance of giving back. John continues a legacy of involvement with FACE set by his parents, Joseph and Sheila Feitelberg, long-time supporters of the FACE Fall Dinner. Sheila was also one of four committee members to start the FACE Summer Gala 27 years ago. One of six children to attend Catholic schools, he says the FACE Fall Dinner not only resonates for him personally, but it also holds a “seasonality” to it that he looks forward to every year. Janna also continues a legacy started by Richard Lafrance as well as her husband, Chris, who served on the Fall Scholarship Dinner committee for several years. She recently noted the “sacrifice” that her parents made sending her and her two sisters to Catholic schools and the importance of the assistance that FACE provides—more than 1,000 children this year are receiving scholarships.
The FACE Fall Scholarship Dinner welcomes friends of Catholic education old and new. Those interested in attending or supporting the Dinner are asked to visit www.face-dfr.org/30th-annual-face-fall-scholarship-dinner/ for event details, to purchase tickets, or to sponsor. Questions can be emailed to Christina Duggan at cduggan@ catholicfoundationsema.org.
Rita Lafrance with Tim Russert
Catholic Hospitals and “Gender Reassignment” for Minors?
In October of 2024, a group known as “Do No Harm” released the Stop the Harm Database (STHD), a searchable Internet resource that comprehensively catalogs sex change treatments performed between 2019-2023 on minors in healthcare facilities throughout the United States.
Do No Harm profiled children’s hospitals and examined their advertised services to determine which medical interventions they provide. They also analyzed insurance claims data to determine which sex change procedures each healthcare facility had administered to minors. The data come from medical billing codes, which are submitted to insurance companies to claim payment.
The public release of the database revealed that a number of Catholic health care facilities have been involved in ”gender reassignment” practices. According to the findings, Providence Health & Services, which owns 51 hospitals across seven western states, is the Catholic health system that performed the largest number of transgender interventions on children, carrying out a total of 81 transgender surgeries, and prescribing hormones or puberty blockers to 113 children. The National Catholic Bioethics Center, which has years of experience in working with the same types of medical billing codes, has analyzed the STHD report and issued a statement on its homepage (ncbcenter.org) addressing the report and its findings.
The best interpretation of authoritative Catholic teaching and moral principles is that a person should not cause damage to his or her healthy body (via surgery or hormones) based on a mistaken and subjective impression that he or she was “born in the wrong body.” The corollary would be that Catholic health care institutions should not perform or cooperate with any gender-transitioning surgical procedures, nor provide puberty-blocking or cross-sex hormones for gender transitions.
The fact that some Catholic hospitals are involved in sex reassignment procedures reminds us of the need for continued vigilance on the part of diocesan bishops and Catholic health care leaders when it comes to Catholic health care facilities within their purview. There may also be a need for more thoroughgoing ethical formation for employees and administrators to assist them in countering the pro-transgender ideological messaging that has recently become commonplace.
When a Catholic hospital appears in a database as having offered hormones or carried out gender reassignment surgeries, it should be
noted that this may not be indicative of current policy or practice. Some Catholic hospitals, for example, have had pediatric endocrinologists on staff who had prescribed puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, but when the fact was discovered, and meetings were arranged to review and discuss the situation, the practice came to a stop. The cessation of such practices would not typically be indicated in such databases.
The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) are a
set of authoritative ethical guidelines prepared by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for Catholic hospitals and health care facilities. As of 2024, there was no directive dealing explicitly with transgenderism in the ERDs. The bishops are poised to address this matter in upcoming editions of the ERDs, and have offered other definitive guidance through their March 2023 “Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body.” This latter document clarifies that gender reassignment interventions are not licit, even as some Catholic hospitals may have continued to operate under the impression that definitive guidance is not yet available.
Catholic hospitals clearly must hold to a higher standard than that of their secular counterparts. Secular hospitals may promote practices that violate human dignity, by harming, mutilating, or even ending the lives of the those whose health they are supposed to be serving and protecting.
Catholic hospitals may never condone or participate in these unethical practices, whether they be vasec-
tomies, tubal ligations, direct abortions or physician-assisted suicides, nor may they condone or participate in the range of practices coming under the heading of “gender transition.” This is especially important when these involve offering puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, ”top surgeries” and ”bottom surgeries” to children and young people.
Our sex is a fixed reality of our being, given by God, not a personally-negotiable or otherwise malleable quantity, even if we may face significant struggles in accepting and fully integrating this remarkable gift.
To treat our human maleness or femaleness as “re-assignable” is to invite serious harm into the lives of those who may be dealing with genuine and deep-seated psychological challenges regarding their own ”gender identity.” Catholic health care facilities serve the best interests of their patients with gender confusion by directing them towards supportive psychotherapy that works to address the underlying psychiatric issues prompting them to seek gender-transition. By holding firmly to the impermissibility of immoral procedures and safeguarding their patients’ dignity in the practice of medicine, Catholic health care leaders serve the Lord’s restorative designs and assure that medical practice remains an authentically healing art.
Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-Doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, MA, and serves as Senior Ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org and www.fathertad.com.
November 1, 2024
St. Stanislaus celebrates 125th anniversary
On Sunday November 3rd St. Stanislaus Parish will mark the end of a yearlong celebration of the it’s 125th anniversary. They are also commemorating the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the new church building.
Bishop Edgar da Cunha will celebrate a special Jubilee Mass at the parish, followed by a full breakfast buffet in the school auditorium. Tickets are free but pre-registration is required and available in the Narthex after each Sunday Mass or by calling the school office at (508-674-6771).
Around the Diocese
People are invited to join the parish for this important celebration, which is a great way to honor parents, grandparents and great grandparents who built the parish on the foundation of their faith and rich Polish culture.
The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women meeting
The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women invites all women of the Diocese to attend a meeting at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 121 Mount Pleasant St., New Bedford.
The meeting will be held on Saturday, November 16, from 9 am to 11:30 am. The presenter will be Fr. Michael Racine, Pastor, Whaling City Catholic Community. Light refreshments will be served.
Questions can be directed to Ann Marie Melanson at 508-631-0533 or email frdccwannmarie@gmail. com.
33-day Consecration to Jesus through Mary
St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford invites everyone to a 33-Day Consecration to Jesus through Mary, starting on November 5th and finishing with consecration on December 8, 2024. For information, call the parish rectory at (508) 993-1691 or email: cfpilgrimage@comcast.net.
La Salette Retreat Center is holding a peaceful evening of Taizé-style prayer on Wednesday, November 6, from 7 pm until 8 Ppm in the Retreat Center Chapel. This meditative service, inspired
La Salette Retreat Center hosts Taizé style prayer service on November 6 by the ecumenical monastic community of Taizé in France, offers a unique opportunity for quiet reflection and spiritual renewal. The evening will feature Taizé music, characterized by its sim-
ple, repetitive melodies that foster contemplation. Alongside these gentle chants, there will be sacred readings and intentional times of silence, creating an atmosphere of peace and unity. The event is free.
Residents Encounter Christ prison ministry team meets for Mass
Jail Ministry Gathers for Mass: Members of the REC (Residents Encounter Christ) team from the Barnstable County Correctional Facility recently gathered for Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Osterville to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the ministry’s patroness. The REC ministry offers weekly support meetings, regular retreats, and sacramental ministry to the residents of the jail.
November 1, 2024
Daily Readings † Nov. 2 — Dec. 6
Sat. Nov. 2: (ALL SOULS) Readings from Common of Masses for the Dead
Sun. Nov. 3: Dt 6: 2-6: Ps 18: 2-3. 3-4. 47. 51 (2): Heb 7: 23-28: Mk 12: 28b-34
Mon. Nov. 4: Phil 2: 1-4: Ps 131: 1bcde. 2. 3: Lk 14: 12-14
Tues. Nov. 5: Phil 2: 5-11: Ps 22: 26b-27. 28-30ab. 30e. 31-32: Lk 14: 15-24
Wed. Nov. 6: Phil 2: 12-18: Ps 27: 1. 4. 13-14: Lk 14: 25-33
Thurs. Nov. 7: Phil 3: 3-8a: Ps 105: 2-3. 4-5. 6-7: Lk 15: 1-10
Fri. Nov. 8: Phil 3: 17 4: 1: Ps 122: 1-2. 3-4ab. 4cd-5: Lk 16: 1-8
Sat. Nov. 9: Ez 47: 1-2. 8-9. 12: Ps 46: 2-3. 5-6. 8-9: 1 Cor 3: 9c-11. 16-17: Jn 2: 13-22
Sun. Nov. 10: 1 Kgs 17: 10-16: Ps 146: 7. 8-9. 9-10 (1b): Heb 9: 24-28: Mk 12: 38-44 or Mk 12: 41-44
Mon. Nov. 11: Ti 1: 1-9: Ps 24: 1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6: Lk 17: 1-6
Tues. Nov. 12: Ti 2: 1-8. 11-14: Ps 37: 3-4. 18 and 23. 27 and 29: Lk 17: 7-10
Wed. Nov. 13: Ti 3: 1-7: Ps 23: 1b-3a. 3bc-4. 5. 6: Lk 17: 11-19
Thurs. Nov. 14: Phlm 7-20: Ps 146: 7. 8-9a. 9bc-10: Lk 17: 20-25
Fri. Nov. 15: 2 Jn 4-9: Ps 119: 1. 2. 10. 11. 17. 18: Lk 17: 26-37
Sat. Nov. 16: 3 Jn 5-8: Ps 112: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6: Lk 18: 1-8
Sun. Nov. 17: Dn 12: 1-3: Ps 16: 5. 8. 9-10. 11 (1): Heb 10: 11-14. 18: Mk 13: 24-32
Diocese of Fall River
TV Mass on the Portuguese Channel
Sunday, November 3 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church, New Bedford ***
Sunday, November 10 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from St. Anthony Church, Taunton ***
Sunday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Santo Christo Church, Fall River ***
Sunday, November 24 at 7 p.m.
Broadcast from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Providence ***
Sunday, December 1
Broadcast from Espirito Santo Church, Fall River
November 1, 2024
Mon. Nov. 18: Rv 1: 1-4; 2: 1-5: Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6: Lk 18: 35-43.
Tues. Nov. 19: Rv 3: 1-6. 14-22: Ps 15: 2-3a. 3bc-4ab. 5: Lk 19: 1-10
Wed. Nov. 20: Rv 4: 1-11: Ps 150: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6: Lk 19: 11-28
Thurs. Nov. 21:Rv 5: 1-10: Ps 149: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b: Lk 19: 41-44
Fri. Nov. 22: Rv 10: 8-11: Ps 119: 14. 24. 72. 103. 111. 131: Lk 19: 45-48
Sat. Nov. 23: Rv 11: 4-12: Ps 144: 1b. 2. 9-10: Lk 20: 27-40
Sun. Nov. 24: Dn 7: 13-14: Ps 93: 1. 1-2. 5 (1a): Rv 1: 5-8: Jn 18: 33b-37
Mon. Nov. 25: Rv 14: 1-3. 4b-5: Ps 24: 1bc-2. 3-4ab. 5-6: Lk 21: 1-4
Tues. Nov. 26: Rv 14: 14-19: Ps 96: 10. 11-12. 13: Lk 21: 5-11
Wed. Nov. 27: Rv 15: 1-4: Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 7-8. 9: Lk 21: 12-19
Thurs. Nov. 28: Rv 18: 1-2. 21-23; 19: 1-3. 9a: Ps 100: 1b-2. 3. 4. 5: Lk 21: 20-28.
Fri. Nov. 29: Rv 20: 1-4. 11 21: 2: Ps 84: 3. 4. 5-6a and 8a: Lk 21: 29-33
Sat. Nov. 30: Rom 10: 9-18: Ps 19: 8. 9. 10. 11: Mt 4: 18-22
Sun. Dec 1: Jer 33: 14-16: Ps 25: 4-5. 8-9. 10. 14 (1b): 1 Thes 3: 12 4: 2: Lk 21: 25-28. 34-36
Mon. Dec 2: 2 Is 1-5: Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4b. 5-9: Mt. 8:5-11
Tues. Dec 3: Is 11: 1-10: Ps 72: 1-2. 7-8. 12-13. 17: Lk 10: 21-24
Wed. Dec 4: Is 25: 6-10a: Ps 23: 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6: Mt 15: 29-37
Thurs Dec 5.: Is 26: 1-6: Ps 118: 1 and 8-9. 19-21. 25-27a: Mt 7: 21. 24-27
Fri. Dec 6: Is 29: 17-24: Ps 27: 1. 4. 13-14: Mt 9: 27-31
Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6
Sunday, November 3 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father John Garabedian, Administrator of St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown, and Associate Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Fall River
Sunday, November 10 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Michael Racine, Pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Lawrence Martyr Parishes, New Bedford
Sunday, November 17 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Marek Chmurski, Administrator of St. Anthony-St. Rita Parish in Mattapoisett/Marion
Sunday, November 24 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Freddie Babiczuk, Administrator of St. Joseph and St. Michael Parishes, Fall River
Sunday, December 1 at 11:00 a.m.
Celebrant is Father Edward J. Healey, Pastor of Christ the King Parish, Mashpee
Rev. Msgr. John A. Perry, 87, of Fall River, died on October 22, 2024. Born on May 10, 1937 in Pawtucket, RI, he was the son of the late Albert S. and Gertrude E. (King) Perry.
Msgr. Perry attended Attleboro public schools, graduated from Msgr. Coyle High School, Taunton, in 1955, and studied for the priesthood at the former Cardinal O’Connell Minor Seminary in Jamaica Plain, Boston, and at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton.
He was ordained to the priesthood on February 2, 1963 by the Most Reverend James L. Connolly at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fall River. After ordination, he was assigned
Obituaries
Rev. Msgr. John A. Perry
as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish, Oak Bluffs; and subsequently to St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Provincetown, St. Mary’s New Bedford, and St. Julie Billiart, North Dartmouth.
In 1980, he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, serving there until becoming pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in East Freetown in 1995. He then began his pastorate at St. Patrick’s, Falmouth, in June 2000 until his retirement in June of 2013.
Chaplain to His Holiness by Pope John Paul II, a papal honor with the title of Reverend Monsignor.
In 1999, Perry was named a
Deacon Paul M. Fournier, 75
Deacon Paul M. Fournier, 75, of Attleboro, passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 6, 2024 surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband of 56 years to Florence (Phelps) Fournier.
He steadfastly sought to live his life with justice, loving kindness, and humility. Paul was born in Gardner, MA on November 9, 1948 to the late Maurice and Rose (Lavigne) Fournier, and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Fitchburg, MA in 1966. Paul met the love of his life, Florence, while they were both working for Heywood Wakefield Furniture Company in Gardner. He spent his career working in computer systems and technology, retiring after 23 years from Teknor Apex Company in Pawtucket, RI in 2004.
Paul, a lifelong Catholic, was ordained as a deacon in the Diocese of Fall River. In addition to serving in parish ministry in
the Attleboro area, he also dedicated himself to hospital chaplaincy, ministering at both St. Anne's Hospital in Fall River, and Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. He is survived by his loving wife Florence (Phelps) Fournier; his children Paul Fournier of Attleboro, and his wife Kristine; Mary Fournier of Attleboro; Danielle Crain of Attleboro, and her husband Richard; and Peter Fournier of Angier, North Carolina. His grandchildren were Katelyn Fournier, Kristina Fournier, Caleb Fournier, Logan Fournier, Richard Crain IV, William Crain, and Eleanor Crain. He left behind his sister, Sr. Lucille Fournier, S.S.S of Waterville, ME, and was predeceased by his sister Claire Richard.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, October 11th, 2024, at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro. Interment was at St. Stephen's Cemetery, Attleboro.
In 2003 the Most Reverend George W. Coleman appointed him to serve as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. As such, he assisted the Bishop as his deputy in the administration of the Diocese. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named him a Protonotary Apostolic, the highest honorary title awarded to a priest. In addition to his pastoral assignments, Msgr. Perry has been through the
years a chaplain at UMass-Dartmouth and Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, a member of the diocesan College of Consultors and Presbyteral Council, diocesan secretary for Ministerial Personnel, and dean of the Cape Cod and the Island Deanery.
Msgr. Perry is survived by his siblings, Gerald Perry and his wife Connie of East Providence, David Perry of Attleboro, and the late Albert S. Perry Jr, Ralph Perry of Hudson, MA, and Carol Perry of Portsmouth, RI.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, October 26 in Our Lady of Victory Church. Burial was private.
November 1, 2024
Convocation 2024
Bishop da Cunha (center, first row) and priests of the Diocese recently gathered in convocation in Eastham for a time of spiritual and ministerial renewal. They were edified by a series of presentations by Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg of Reno, Nevada, (left of the Bishop) who spoke on the theme of Eucharistic Ministry and Priestly Discipleship.
