Anchor 04.30.10

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , April 30, 2010

‘Bathroom Bill’ attached to Massachusetts budget

By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent

BOSTON — In an effort to enact the Transgender Rights Bill into a law, supporters attached the measure to the Massachusetts budget. Opponents discovered the move last week while combing through the more than 800 proposed amendments to the fiscal year 2011 budget.

Kris Mineau, president of Mass. Family Institute told The Anchor that Rep. Joseph Driscoll (D-Braintree) and Rep. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) took the language of the so-called “Bathroom Bill” and created Budget Amendment 764. Mineau said the move was made to circumvent the normal legislative process because supporters knew the bill could not pass a straight up or down vote on the House floor.

“This is a backroom sneak attack,” said Mineau. “It was a stealth operation.”

Mineau called the move an effort to deceive many legislators and the public who could have missed the one amendment among hundreds.

The many amendments are

separated into batches and if legislators want to vote down one, they must vote down all the rest.

If the batch passes, it is attached to the budget and voting against one amendment would require voting against the entire budget, according to Daniel Avila, associate director for Policy and Research for the Mass. Catholic Conference.

On April 26, the Legislature began considering all the filed amendments. At press time, there was no way to determine when they would consider the transgender rights amendment.

It was unclear whether the possibility existed that the amendment could still be withdrawn.

The measure had been rolled into a batch of amendments entitled “Constitutional Officers and State Administration.”

Bill H1728, the Transgender Rights & Hate Crimes Bill was first introduced two years ago.

The legislation would add “gender identity of expression” to the state ban on sex discrimination.

It has been dubbed the “Bathroom Bill” because it would open up all public facilities to Turn to page 13

2010 Catholic Charities Appeal begins this weekend FALL RIVER — Putting a “face” or a “name” to those who are helped by the various agencies funded by the Annual Catholic Charities Appeal is not easy while respecting the privacy and dignity of those assisted.

Making the thousands of parishioners across the Diocese of Fall River aware of those assisted on as personal a level as possible, however, is a task that is central to the success of the Catholic Charities Appeal

that begins tomorrow.

“As we develop our materials to promote our yearly endeavor here at the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, we attempt to expose our parishioners to as many ‘real people’ as we can whose lives have been impacted by an Appeal-funded agency. Our motive is pretty basic: to have our parishioners in the 91 parishes get a true sense of the need that Turn to page 19

UPON THIS ROCK — Bishop George W. Coleman uses sacred chrism to anoint the 6,000-pound granite altar that was quarried and carved in Barre, Vt., during the Mass of Dedication inside the new St. Mary’s Church in Norton last Sunday. The altar was designed and conceptualized by Father Marc P. Tremblay, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish. (Photo by David Levesque)

Newly-dedicated St. Mary’s Church built on Norton parish’s faith

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff NORTON — It was standing room only within the confines of the glorious new St. Mary’s Church on West Main Street, Route 123, Sunday.

Not because the newlyconstructed building wasn’t designed to accommodate the growing number of Catholics within the Norton parish, but because those joyful parishioners were joined by many more

friends, family members and faithful from throughout the Fall River Diocese in celebrating the blessing and dedication of their new church.

Bishop George W. Coleman celebrated the 3 p.m. Mass of Dedication, which was concelebrated by Father Marc P. Tremblay, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, Msgr. Stephen J. Avila, V.F., and some 20 diocesan priests.

“It is a joy and a great pleasure for me to be here,” Bishop

Coleman said in his homily.

“I express my gratitude to Father Tremblay for the invitation to dedicate this church and, in addition, I express to him my thanks for taking on the project of building a new parish church.

I also want to thank all the members of St. Mary’s Parish who supported the effort of building this beautiful and much-needed church.”

The culmination of a nearly Turn to page 12

Fall River to host national Teams of Our Lady Conference in July

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff FALL RIVER — The Fall River Diocese will twice be honored on a national level this summer.

First, the Teams of Our Lady — a Catholic marriage support group that has thrived within the diocese for the past 25 years — will hold its biennial national conference July 20-23 at Espirito Santo Parish in the city.

Then, Espirito Santo parishioners Joe and Inez Varao will be installed during the conference as the new super regional couple for the United States, representing the Teams of Our Lady to all 50 states.

While it may seem that the conference and the

Varaos’ installation were conveniently planned to coincide, Inez Varao — a parishioner at Espirito Santo for the past 40 years — said the honors were totally independent of each other.

“The national conference was already going to be held here,” Varao said. “We haven’t had a national conference on the east coast in about 11 years or so. It’s been mainly held in Texas and on the west coast, and so we thought it would be nice to hold it here. We were hoping to get more people involved and grow the Teams of Our Lady in this area.”

The four-day conference, which begins on a Tuesday and ends the following Friday, will open and close with Mass; include a renewal of marriage Turn to page 18

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News From the Vatican

April 30, 2010

Octogenarian plus: At 83, things are getting busy for Pope Benedict VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Almost lost in the recent furor over clerical sex abuse is that Pope Benedict XVI just turned 83 and is approaching one of the busiest stretches of his pontificate.

At an age when most Church officials have long retired, over the next six months the German pontiff will make six trips, preside over dozens of public liturgies, close the Year for Priests, chair a Synod of Bishops on the Middle East and keep up a steady stream of audiences, both public and private.

A major document on Scripture in church life is expected before summer. In his spare moments — which are few — the pope is still working on his second volume of “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Recent media reports have drawn a portrait of a weary pope, overwhelmed by the onslaught of criticism over the Church’s handling of sex abuses cases. Yet on the public stage, Pope Benedict has shown few signs of succumbing to job fatigue.

In Malta in mid-April for a 27hour visit, he appeared to nod off for a few seconds during Mass. But although that moment was well photographed, it was the exception to the rule. Throughout the visit, he appeared happy and relaxed — notably as he chatted with young people aboard a boat in Valletta’s Grand Harbor. If the story line was a dispirited pope alarmed by a drop in approval ratings, he clearly wasn’t following the script.

Nor is the pope about to go into hiding. There’s far too much on his schedule.

A typical week in late April, for example, included four days of private talks with African bishops, speeches to new ambassadors, a meeting with a prime minister, commemoration of the Church’s annual vocations day, a general audience talk, another talk at his Sunday blessing and a speech to Catholic digital media experts in Italy.

Oh yes, and a brief celebration of the fifth anniversary of the official start of his pontificate.

In May, things will get really busy. He will travel to northern Italy May 2 to see the Shroud of Turin, a visit that includes four other major events and speeches: a meeting with Turin residents, Mass in a main square of the city, a meeting with young people and an encounter with the sick.

The pope will travel to Portugal May 11-14, visiting the Marian shrine of Fatima as well as the capital of Lisbon and the city of Porto.

The pope could have made this an overnight stop in Fatima, but he broadened the trip because he wants to deliver a message on Christian values to the wider society at a time when the country appears ready to

legalize same-sex marriage.

Back in Rome, he will celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica for Pentecost May 23. In early June, he will mark the feast of Corpus Christi with Mass and a procession through Rome. Then on June 4-6 he will head to Cyprus, where he will meet with Church leaders of the Middle East. The next weekend, he will preside over a vigil and Mass June 10-11 at the Vatican to close the Year for Priests; thousands of priests from around the world are expected to attend.

Later in June, he will ordain priests in a lengthy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. He then will mark the feast of SS. Peter and Paul with two liturgies, evening prayer at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls June 28 and Mass the next day in St. Peter’s Basilica, where he will present palliums to new metropolitan archbishops.

Things usually slow down in summer, but not as much this year.

The pope has announced he won’t be taking a real vacation in the northern Italian mountains. Insiders say he wants to spend more time writing, and he can get more done at his villa outside Rome. Volume 2 of “Jesus of Nazareth” is overdue, and the pope would like to put the final touches on the book over the summer, if not before.

In September, which used to be a slow month for popes, Pope Benedict will travel to England and Scotland on what could be his most challenging trip of the year.

It’s a four-day visit, and already the events are piling up: the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, a major address at Westminster Hall in London, where St. Thomas More was put on trial; liturgies in London and Glasgow; and an encounter with Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury.

Closer to home, the pope will travel to central Italy in July to mark the eighth centenary of the birth of St. Celestine V — who is best known as one of the few popes in history to have resigned.

That will no doubt stir the imaginations of journalists. Expect to read lots of stories on whether Pope Benedict might resign. He has given no indication that abdication is even a remote possibility, and his health appears good. But people remember that in 2002, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said rather bluntly of the ailing Pope John Paul II, “If he were to see that he absolutely could not (continue), then he certainly would resign.”

As he turned 83, Pope Benedict looked as though he could keep up the pace indefinitely. Only one pope has lived longer in the past century — Pope John Paul II, who was 84 when he died.

final blessings — Pope Benedict XVI blesses the coffin of Czech Cardinal Tomas Spidlik during his funeral in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 20. Cardinal Spidlik, an expert in Eastern Christian spirituality and a famous preacher, died April 16 at the age of 90. (CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)

Britain apologizes to Vatican for memo proposing ‘Benedict condoms’

LONDON (CNS) — The British government has apologized to the Vatican for an official memo that proposed the launch of “Benedict condoms” and the opening of an abortion clinic as part of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Britain.

Francis Campbell, British ambassador to the Vatican, met officials from the Vatican Secretariat of State April 24 to deliver the apology on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

At the Vatican, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told Catholic News Service “there had never been any uncertainty concerning the pope’s visit.”

He said claims that the memo had created fallout were “completely baseless.”

The Vatican was made aware of a memorandum drawn up March 5 by members of the government team responsible for preparing the pope’s September 16-19 visit to England and Scotland. It was one of three official background documents attached to a document inviting government officials for a meeting about the visit.

Under the headline “The Ideal Visit Would See ...” the memo suggested the pope should bless a same-sex civil partnership, open an abortion clinic, and announce a ban on Catholic schools selecting pupils on grounds of faith and the reversal of Church teaching against gay adoption. The memo recommended that the pope “announce (the) sacking of dodgy bishops” and “launch a helpline for abused children.”

According to reports in the British press, the memo suggested the pope might sing a duet with the Queen Elizabeth II to raise money for charity, suggesting that it should be titled “God Save the World” and sung to the tune of the British national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”

Although the pope’s itinerary had already been agreed upon, the ideas were proposed as part of a brainstorming session on how his visit could be improved.

The memo was circulated to government departments, includ-

ing the prime minister’s office and the Department for International Development. But when the memo was leaked to two national newspapers in mid-April, the Foreign Office publicly distanced itself from its contents.

“This is clearly a foolish document that does not in any way reflect U.K. government or FCO policy or views,” said a government statement.

“Many of the ideas in the document are clearly ill-judged, naive and disrespectful,” it said. “The text was not cleared or shown to ministers or senior officials before circulation. When senior officials became aware of the document, it was withdrawn from circulation.”

It said the individual responsible — understood to be a mid-ranking civil servant — has been transferred to other duties. The official has received a written warning, which he has accepted.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy, the minister in charge of the papal visit, denounced the memo during an April 25 pre-election debate televised on Sky. “It’s absolutely despicable, these (proposals) are vile, they’re insulting, they are an embarrassment, and on behalf of I think the whole of the United Kingdom we’d want to apologize to His Holiness the pope,” Murphy said.

A spokesman for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

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told CNS in a statement that the memo “does not reflect the constructive discussions we have had with government officials in the joint planning of the papal visit.”

“The memo has no place in serious and complex planning for this important visit,” the statement added.

Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham told the British Broadcasting Corp. that the memo effectively amounted to bad manners.

“I think it’s a lot worse that we invite someone into our country — a person like the pope — and then he’s treated in this way,” the bishop said. “I think it’s appalling manners more than anything else.”

Ann Widdecombe, a former government minister and Catholic convert, told CNS April 26 that she believed the memo indicated an anti-Catholic culture within government.

“If it had just been a joke email I would have brushed it aside, but it was an official document circulated to other departments, including Downing Street itself,” she said.

“It demonstrates above all else the contempt people in government have for Catholicism,” said Widdecombe.

“It is the underlying assumption that gives it away,” she added. “The underlying assumption when this document was circulated was that everybody who received it would have considered it OK.” OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER Vol. 54, No. 17

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April 30, 2010

The International Church

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Pope accepts resignation of Irish bishop named in abuse report

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

the dark of day — Rancher Magnus Kristjansson wears a protective mask as he talks on the phone before herding cattle into a barn near an erupting volcano in Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland recently. Ash clouds from the eruptions have wreaked havoc on air travel in Europe and are of high concern for local populations and the environment. (CNS photo/Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

Polish institute publishes book showing police tracking Wojtyla WARSAW, Poland (CNS) — Poland’s National Remembrance Institute has published a book of documents detailing how the communist secret police kept the future Pope John Paul II under surveillance and sought material for blackmailing him.

“As a priest, lecturer and pastor, and later as a bishop and metropolitan of Krakow, Karol Wojtyla was seen by the government as an especially dangerous ideological opponent,” the book’s editor, Marek Lasota, said in an introduction. “This was proved by the use of a full range of operational methods and technical means against him, from telephone bugs and the opening of correspondence to direct observation through an agent network used for disintegration and disinformation activities.”

The 687-page “Toward Truth and Freedom: The Communist Secret Police and Karol Wojtyla,” opens with a police document from May 1946, when the future pontiff was a seminarian, investigating his links with a patriotic student group in Krakow.

The final document, a cryptogram to the Interior Ministry in Warsaw, dated May 24, 1978, cites a demand by then-Cardinal Wojtyla to be allowed to stage a

Corpus Christi procession from the southern city’s Wawel Cathedral and explains the reasons for official refusal.

The collection suggests that surveillance and harassment increased sharply after Father Wojtyla’s appointment as a bishop in 1958, as the secret police sought more precise information about his life and work.

Among dozens of questions recommended for informants, the secret police asked about the bishop’s clothing and shaving habits, as well as about his radio and typewriter and who helped him maintain them.

About 10 percent of Catholic clergy are believed to have acted as informants in communistruled Poland, although higher recruitment rates were recorded in some dioceses in the 1980s.

In April 2005, shortly after the pope’s death, the National Remembrance Institute accused a Polish Dominican, Father Konrad Hejmo, of spying on him for two decades in Rome.

The book is the third published on the surveillance of communistera Church leaders by the Warsaw-based institute, whose president, Janusz Kurtyka, was among 96 people killed in an April 10 plane crash in western Russia.

always in need of reform, which was embraced at the Second Vatican Council, should again come VATICAN CITY — Pope to the forefront of Church life,” Benedict XVI accepted the resespecially in transcending “the ignation of Bishop James Mokind of clerical culture that led riarty of Kildare and Leighlin, us here,” the bishop added.

Ireland, who said he should have Bishop Moriarty was the first challenged the culture of silence of three Irish bishops to offer to in the Irish church when priests resign after the publication in were accused of sexually abusNovember of a report from an ing minors. independent inquiry into how The Vatican anabuse allegations were nounced April 22 that n a statement April 22, Bishop Mo- handled in the Archdithe pope accepted riarty again apologized to victims ocese of Dublin from the resignation of the 73-year-old bishop of clerical sex abuse and said it was bla- 1975 to 2004. The bishops said the docuunder a provision in tantly un-Christian of bishops to argue ment, known as the canon law for retiring before age 75 “because about their degree of responsibility for Murphy Report, did of ill health or some the scandal when the victims were in not find them individually at fault in failing to other grave cause.” such pain. report child abuse and In a statement April that the most serious 22, Bishop Moriarty again apologized to victims of honor “the truth that the survi- charge against any of them was clerical sex abuse and said it vors have so bravely uncovered” a failure to consult diocesan rewas blatantly un-Christian of and that it would open the way cords when complaints of abuse bishops to argue about their “to a better future for all con- were made against priests.

The others who said they ofdegree of responsibility for the cerned.” scandal when the victims were “The truth is that the long fered to resign — Dublin Auxiliary in such pain. struggle of survivors to be heard Bishops Eamon Walsh and RayBishop Moriarty announced and respected by Church au- mond Field — are still serving.

Bishop Donal Murray of December 23 that he had of- thorities has revealed a culture fered to resign, saying at the within the Church that many Limerick, whose failure to time, “I fully accept the overall would simply describe as un- handle abuse properly was deconclusion” of an independent Christian,” he said. “People do scribed by the Commission as commission “that the attempts not recognize the gentle, end- “inexcusable,” resigned in Deby church authorities to ‘protect less love of the Lord in narrow cember. Bishop John Magee of the church’ and to ‘avoid scan- interpretations of responsibility Cloyne resigned in March after dal’ had the most dreadful con- and a basic lack of compassion an independent audit found that sequences for children and were and humility. This has been pro- there were inadequate child prodeeply wrong.” foundly dispiriting for all who tection policies in his diocese.

The Diocese of Cloyne is now In his April 22 statement, the care about the Church.” bishop said the decision to re“I believe the spiritual well-be- subject to a judicial inquiry sign was “the most difficult de- ing” of the Church demands that which is expected to report later cision of my ministry.” the “principle of the Church as this year.

He said that while he was not directly criticized in a report of an independent commission investigating how the church handled abuse allegations, as an auxiliary bishop in Dublin from 1991 to 2002 “I should have challenged the prevailing culture.”

Bishop Moriarty said he hoped his resignation would

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The Church in the U.S.

April 30, 2010

Abortion-related bills signed in Nebraska, vetoed in Kansas

By Deacon Randy A. Grosse Catholic News Service OMAHA, Neb. — An official of the Nebraska Catholic Conference said he was pleased that two abortion-related bills were signed into law April 13 by Gov. Dave Heineman but not surprised that opponents already were making plans for legal challenges.

Two days after Heineman’s action, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson vetoed a bill that would have required doctors who perform certain late-term abortions to stipulate why the procedure was medically necessary. The Kansas bishops had asked Catholics to write to Parkinson in support of the legislation.

Greg Schleppenbach, director of the Bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities at the Nebraska Catholic Conference, told the Catholic Voice, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha, he was pleased that two measures — one requiring screening of woman seeking abortions and the other prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks because of pain to the fetus — were approved by the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature.

Schleppenbach was involved from the beginning with the measure that will require physicians to screen women seeking an abortion to help avoid any post-abortion complications — mental or physical.

That bill, first introduced during the 2009 legislative session at the request of the Catholic conference and other Pro-Life groups, was approved on a 40-9 vote by the Legislature April 12 and will go into effect July 15, 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

State senators gave the other bill — the so-called “fetal pain” bill — final approval on a 44-5 vote April 13. In addition to prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks from the date of conception, that measure also limited cases where abortion was allowed to the risk of death or physical harm to the

mother.

Schleppenbach said that while not providing any criminal penalty, the new screening law makes physicians civilly liable if they fail to screen a woman seeking an abortion for any risk factors known through research and publication to be predictors of complications — mental and physical.

Factors could include depression, immaturity or a likelihood that the woman feels coerced into having the abortion.

The law, he said, establishes a standard of care relating to providing abortions similar to standards in other areas of medicine.

Although opponents have indicated they will challenge it, Schleppenbach said he doubts that will happen until a physician is sued for failing to provide proper screening.

But he and others see more potential for legal battles challenging the fetal pain law, evidenced by the date it goes into effect — October 15, which is 180 days after the end of the legislative session.

State officials wanted to give both sides “time to lawyer up,” Schleppenbach said.

In an April 15 alert, the Kansas Catholic Conference said Parkinson’s veto — occurring so close to Heineman’s signing of the two abortion bills — shows that “something is the matter with Kansas and ... something is the matter with our leadership in Kansas.”

The bill vetoed by Parkinson in Kansas would have required doctors who perform certain late-term abortions to stipulate why the procedure was medically necessary.

The Kansas bishops had said the bill would have required doctors performing abortions to “follow the law as it was originally intended.”

“Kansas has developed a reputation as a uniquely hospitable political and legal environment for abortionists that specialize in the kind of grisly, late-term abortions that other states will not allow,” the conference alert said.

In his April 15 veto message, Parkinson said he believed “all abortions are tragedies, which is why I would encourage women who have unwanted pregnancies consult with their partners, families, doctors and spiritual advisers.”

peaceful protest — Montserrat Arredondo and Rosie Villegas-Smith lead other protesters in the rosary recently outside the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. More than 100 people turned out to urge Gov. Jan Brewer to veto a bill recently passed by the Legislature, which would make being in the United States illegally a crime, not just a violation of civil codes. (CNS photo/J.D. Long-Garcia, Catholic Sun)

Arizona Church leaders call for legal, congressional response to law WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., one of many religious leaders decrying Arizona’s new immigration law, said he will ask the general counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to become involved in lawsuits expected to challenge its constitutionality.

In his “Monday Memo” posting on the diocesan website April 26, Bishop Kicanas said he believes the law needs to be challenged for reasons beyond the constitutional questions that many opponents of the bill have raised. Among his objections to the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, signed April 23, are that it “does not address the critical need for border security to confront drug smuggling, weapons smuggling and human trafficking.”

He also objected to the law on the grounds that it “sends a wrong message about how our state regards the importance of civil rights;” distracts local law enforcement from their primary role in protecting public safety and puts additional pressure on depleted law enforcement resources; discourages people from reporting crimes if they lack legal immigration status; makes criminals out of children who were brought to the United States by their parents; risks splitting families apart; and could cause further damage to an already strained state economy.

In a phone interview with Catholic News Service April 23, Bishop Kicanas said he hopes violence will not result from the tension in Arizona that led to the law’s passage by the legislature and has accompanied its signing by Gov. Jan Brewer.

“I hope that whatever is done will be civil and not lead to violence,” he said. “Emotions can lead to irrational behavior.”

He said religious leaders, in particular, must work with their communities to ensure that people realize violence is not the way to address the situation.

Along with Bishops Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix and James S. Wall of Gallup, N.M., whose diocese includes parts of northern Arizona, Bishop Kicanas had called for a veto

of the bill and for a more comprehensive approach at the federal level to solve immigration problems.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., closed his district offices in Tucson and Yuma early on the day Brewer signed the bill, because of death threats received by his staff.

Grijalva strongly opposed the bill and said after it was signed that “the governor made a huge mistake.

By signing this bill, she’s nationalized this issue. This opens up a dangerous precedent for the rest of the country.”

Grijalva called for an economic boycott of his state by those opposed to the law and urged the federal government not to cooperate when local police try to turn over immigrants they detain over their legal status.

Thousands of protesters opposed to the law gathered at the state capitol in Phoenix leading up to the signing ceremony and in the days since. Nationwide, rallies in support of federal comprehensive immigration reform long planned for May 1 were expected to have new focus and determination, as supporters of comprehensive reform zeroed in on the Arizona law as a consequence of Congress’ delay in dealing with the dysfunctional immigration system.

The Arizona Interfaith Network and the heads of several of the state’s major religious denominations issued a statement saying that “by codifying racial discrimination this law makes Arizona the laughingstock of the nation and a pariah on the international stage.”

In the statement, United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcano of the Southwest Desert Conference said that through their social services, schools, congregations and workplaces, religious leaders “witness the human consequences of an inadequate, outdated system.”

Episcopal Bishop Kirk Smith said the law “offends the dignity of all Arizonans.”

“The tendency to scapegoat a vulnerable population for Arizona’s economic stagnation and federal inaction on immigration issues is an unworthy and counterproductive response to the problems we face,” Bishop Smith said.

Bishop Kicanas said he expects the law’s implementation — in July, 90 days after signing — will be delayed by legal challenges.

The law would make it a crime to be in the United States illegally.

Federal law treats that as a civil violation.

The law also would require police to make a “reasonable attempt” to determine legal status during “any lawful contact” and require immigrants to carry proof of their legal status, also not a requirement of federal law. It also makes activities such as soliciting work from public roads illegal and would allow anyone who does not believe a police officer or agency is sufficiently enforcing the law to file a lawsuit.

Jesuit Father Sean Carroll, executive director of the Kino Border Initiative in southern Arizona and Northern Mexico told the Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix, that the law “violates the dignity of the human person” and ultimately “undermines the safety of our community.”

Father Carroll said public safety depends upon trust between the community and the police and that the law will make that difficult.

“Crimes are committed and people feel like they’re going to have to report their legal status,” he said. The Kino Initiative aids immigrants after they’re deported from Arizona. The bigger issues will still happen on the border, he said, where drugs and human smuggling are rampant.

In signing the bill, Brewer emphasized that “racial profiling is illegal,” and that the law stipulates police need not ask about residency status if it would impede a case.

“This is just another step,” according to Robert Kuhn, a member of St. Luke Parish in Phoenix who belongs to the Minutemen, a border watch group. “The federal government won’t enforce the border, so states have to take it into their own hands.”

Volunteering on the border with the Minutemen, Kuhn said he has seen drug and human smuggling.

Undocumented immigrants are “dragging on our society,” he said.

“They have no right to do it.”

The Church in the U.S. High Mass in extraordinary form honors pope’s fifth anniversary

April 30, 2010

By Richard Szczepanowski Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — More than 3,500 people crowded into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception April 24 to attend the first traditional Latin Mass in decades to be celebrated at the high altar there.

Sponsored by the Paulus Institute for the Propagation of Sacred Liturgy, the Mass in the extraordinary form was celebrated by Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Okla., in honor of the fifth anniversary of the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Close to 100 priests and seminarians assisted at the nearly twoand-a-half-hour pontifical solemn high Mass that was sung entirely in Latin. Cardinal William W. Baum, a retired archbishop of Washington, also attended the Mass, which was celebrated with ancient chants and with pomp, splendor and majesty.

During the Mass, the faithful prayed that God would “look mercifully upon thy servant, Benedict” and asked that “by his word and example he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life.”

Although the Maryland-based Paulus Institute has been planning the Mass for three years to honor Pope Benedict, it generated negative publicity in the week leading up to the celebration. The originally scheduled celebrant, Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, was criticized for writing a letter in 2001 as the head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy, praising a French bishop for not reporting an abusive priest to authorities. In response to the controversy, the Vatican emphasized that bishops are expected to comply with all civil laws that mandate reporting of sex abuse allegations and to cooperate in civil investigations.

The Paulus Institute announced April 21 that in consultation with Cardinal Castrillon, it decided to seek another celebrant for the Mass.

Members of the Chicagobased Survivors’ Network of those Abused by Priests had planned to protest Cardinal Castrillon outside the shrine but did not do so after the choice of Bishop Slattery was announced.

In his homily, delivered in English, Bishop Slattery did not speak directly about the controversy or recent criticism of the pope, but he did not ignore it.

“We have much to discuss, you and I — much to speak of on this glorious occasion when we gather together in the glare of the world’s scrutiny to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Joseph Ratzinger to the throne of Peter,” he said.

Noting the “enormous suffering which is all around us and which does so much to determine the culture of our modern age,” Bishop Slattery pointed to “the enormous suffering of His Holiness these past months” as well as the suffering of those who face poverty, abuse, neglect, disease and heartache. Such suffering, he said, “defines the culture of our modern secular age.”

He added that pain and suffering “could dehumanize us, for it has the power to close us in upon ourselves such that we would live always in chaos and confusion, if we do not remember that Christ — our hope — has been raised for our sakes.”

Bishop Slattery urged the faithful to turn to God in times of suffering because “he makes himself most present in the suffering of his people.” God’s saving presence and infinite love, the bishop said, “can never be overcome by the darkness, no matter how thick, no matter how choking.”

extraordinary form — Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Okla., celebrates a solemn high Mass in the extraordinary form at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington April 24. It was the first time in 50 years that a Mass was held at the shrine in the traditional Latin rite according to the 1962 missal. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

He said suffering — “yours, mine, the pontiff’s” — is “the heart of personal holiness. It is the means by which we are made witnesses of his suffering and sharers in the glory to come.”

“Do not be dismayed that many in the Church have not yet grasped this point, and fewer still in the world will even consider it,” Bishop Slattery said. “You know this to be true — and 10 men who whisper the truth speak louder than a hundred million who lie.”

Noting that the celebration and the controversy that preceded it has drawn much attention, the bishop

offered advice to those at the Mass.

“If then someone asks of what we spoke today, tell them we spoke of the truth. If someone asks why it is you came to this Mass, say that it was so that you could be obedient with Christ. If someone asks about the homily, tell them it was about a mystery and if someone asks what I said of the present situation, tell them only that we must — all of us — become saints.”

The April 24 Mass was celebrated following the last version of the Roman Missal used before and during the Second Vatican Council.

It is different from the missal pub-

5

lished in 1970.

Among the differences between the extraordinary form of the Mass and the Masses commonly celebrated in this country are that the entire liturgy is sung in Latin, the priest faces the altar with his back to the congregation, he wears gloves for parts of the liturgy, and a blessing and additional reading of the Gospel are offered after the dismissal.

During the distribution of Communion, the faithful came to the altar rail, where they knelt and received the Eucharist on the tongue.

Many women at the Mass wore veils.

6

The Anchor

Responding compassionately, truthfully, and thoroughly, Part II Last week, we examined the pope’s meeting with Maltese victims of clergy sexual abuse as well as the comments of retired Vatican Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos about the relationship between bishops and priests and the responsibility bishops have not only to be spiritual fathers to clergy but to all God’s faithful. Today we take up another recent statement that made headlines, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s comments in Chile about the predominant homosexual nature of the sexual abuse by clergy. This is likewise relevant to the full response of the Church to the evil of the sexual abuse of minors within her fold.

When Cardinal Bertone was asked in Santiago on April 12 whether he believed there was a connection between celibacy and pedophilia, he set off a media firestorm when he replied, “Many psychologists and psychiatrists have shown that there is no link between celibacy and pedophilia, but many others have shown, and have told me recently, that there is a link between homosexuality and pedophilia.”

The firestorm was partially ascribable to terminological imprecision on the part of the journalist and the cardinal: using the term “pedophilia” to refer in general to all cases of the sexual abuse of minors in the Church. Taken in a strict sense, pedophilia signifies sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children, and in this sense there is clearly no psychological link between those who have attractions to post-pubescent members of the same-sex and sexually-undeveloped children. But taking the question and answer in the way they were intended, Cardinal Bertone was saying that there is a clear and undeniable correlation between same-sex attractions and the incidence of clergy sexual abuse, one that no one who is sincerely interested in ridding the Church of the clerical sexual abuse of minors can ignore.

When the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People published its probing report “The Crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States” in February 2004, it listed the most notable factors in the sex abuse crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church between 1950-2002. One of the most notable ones, it stated, concerned “issues relating to homosexual orientation.” The authors wrote, “The overwhelming majority of reported acts of sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy victimized boys [ages 11-17]. Accordingly, the current crisis cannot be addressed without consideration of issues relating to homosexuality.… We do not seek to place the blame for the sexual abuse crisis on the presence of homosexual individuals in the priesthood as there are many chaste and holy homosexual priests who are faithful to their vows of celibacy. However, we must call attention to the homosexual behavior that characterized the vast majority of the cases of abuse observed in recent decades. That 81 percent of the reported victims of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy were boys shows that the crisis was characterized by homosexual behavior.”

Some critics of that conclusion said that the fundamental reason why more than four out of five abuse victims in the Church were boys was because priests seeking to abuse had disproportionate access to boys from 1950-2002. There were no altar girls for the vast majority of that time period, so the disproportion of male victims, they assert, is ascribable only to access rather than sexual attraction. Such a contention, however, makes the methodological error of pretending all clerical sexual abuse imitates pedophilia, which the majority of psychological experts say is gender non-specific.

It also seems to ignore the data. The National Review Board documented that 81 percent of the abuse cases were of boys, and of these, 78 percent of the reported victims were 11-17 when the abuse began. A February 2010 follow-up study of new credible allegations (mostly for abuse that happened years ago) by Georgetown’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate for the U.S. Bishops’ Conference confirmed the same clear trends: in 2005, 81 percent of abuse cases reported to the Church were male; in 2006, 80 percent; in 2007, 82 percent; in 2008, 84 percent; and in 2009, 84 percent. Only 15 percent of these cases overall were for pre-pubescent children. At a world-wide level, Monsignor Charles Scicluna, the chief investigator of clerical sexual abuse for the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said in a recent interview that about 60 percent of the cases that have come to his office have involved sexual attraction towards adolescents of the same sex, 30 percent heterosexual attractions to adolescent females, and the remaining 10 percent were cases of true pedophilia.

So those who are serious about ending the sexual abuse of minors in the Church need to confront the fact the overwhelming majority of cases involve same-sex molestation of post-pubescent boys.

While it would be false to imply a causal relationship between same-sex attraction and the sexual abuse of minors — for same-sex attractions in a particular priest do not imply any greater likelihood to violate celibate chastity and abuse a young person than heterosexual attractions do — there is at the same time a profound need to examine this “crisis within the crisis” of the clerical same-sex molestation of teen-age boys.

This has not yet been done. It has been avoided on the part of Church leaders, it seems, fundamentally out of a desire not to single out the preponderant homosexual dimension of the crisis and thereby unintentionally scapegoat all priests with same-sex attractions for the clergy sex abuse scandals. It has probably not occurred as well because the members of the secular media have not only not been clamoring for this problem to be confronted head on, but also would likely try to frame such an investigation falsely as a dodge. Many in the media are not interested in this investigation because it might endanger popular culture’s and their politically-correct esteem for same-sex attractions and activity; furthermore, it might subvert the attempt by some critics to use the scandals to undermine priestly celibacy: how ludicrous is it, after all, to propose heterosexual marriages as the solution to the problem of the same-sex abuse of adolescents? But even though the hostile elements of secular media are not holding the Church’s feet to the fire to investigate and eliminate this problem, it is essential to the integrity of the Church’s response — and more importantly the protection of children — that the Church does so.

Soon after Benedict XVI became pope, he published a document whose production he had supervised for a decade, which was the beginning of an ecclesial response not only to this “crisis within a crisis.” It was also a reaction to a defective ecclesial clerical culture — soft on same-sex activity in general among priests — that in some ways abetted the abuse by weakening a repugnance against sexual sins among the clergy and by blunting pastoral clarity and vigilance with regard to disordered sexual inclinations. The 2005 document said, “The Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called ‘gay lifestyle.’”

This was a start to the Church’s addressing the issue of same-sex attractions and activity among the clergy, but it did not really get into the subject of what the factors might have been leading to the vast statistical preponderance of same-sex molestation of adolescents among clerical sexual abuse cases and why it was allowed to continue. That study still needs to be done.

Hopefully the recent attention given to Cardinal Bertone’s remarks as well as the renewed attention to the nature of sexual abuse in the Church will lead to this much overdue examination.

April 30, 2010

The preaching of the Curé of Ars One of St. John Vianney’s greatest priestly time to drill down spiritually to strike the well challenges came in the pulpit. He was not natu- of living water in the hearts of his listeners. His rally eloquent or comfortable in front of crowds. insights about the length and purpose of priestly He had not received much of a theological edu- preaching are so important — and so divergent cation or training in rhetoric, writing or teaching. from common notions today — that I’ll dediListeners said he was cursed with a high-pitched cate a full column to them next week. and somewhat grating voice. And he had a terBut for now, suffice it to mention a clerical rible memory, at a time priests were accustomed aphorism from Father George Rutler, that there neither to reading sermons or to extemporizing are two types of preachers: those who have to them. All of these handicaps combined to make say something and those who have something to preaching an excruciating exercise for him. say. Father Vianney had a whole Gospel to anBut he never used any of these oratorical dis- nounce. He spoke frequently of God’s merciful abilities as an excuse. Even though for him to love for us and our response in faith, God’s prespreach effectively, he would need to put in far ence in the sacraments and our receptivity, God’s more work than most priests do, he was so con- desire to remain united to us throughout our life vinced of the importance of preaching that he and our need to remain united to him to sanctify never shrunk from that arduous labor. our actions, the beauty of the soul in the state of More than a century before the fathers of the grace, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the necessity Second Vatican Council taught that the priest’s and privilege of prayer, the happiness and joy “primary duty” is to proclaim the Gospel, the of paradise, and the spiritual advantages of the future patron saint of priests was already putting cross. He didn’t shirk, however, from preaching that teaching into practice. “In the beginning on what people consider the “bad news”: the was the Word,” Vianney stressed, emphasizing reality, ugliness and ingratitude of sin, the fact that after the resurrection, “the first words of the that by our sins we have chosen Barabbases of Lord to his Apostles were, ‘Go and teach.’” He our own creation and crucified Christ, and the also was precociously convinced of the intrin- existence of hell and the real possibility of besic connection between the “two tables” of the ing damned. He knew that without preaching Word and the Word-made-flesh that Vatican II on these unpleasant subjects, not only would his enshrined and people be at risk sought to help his of eternal sepapeople hunger ration from God, for God’s word but they might just as much as also not apprefor holy Commuciate how great nion. “Our Lord, and necessary is who is truth itthe good news

By Father self,” he said, announced and Roger J. Landry “does not value inaugurated by his Word any less Christ. He never than he values his succumbed to Body.” He even went so far as to proclaim that the pastoral malpractice of failing to mention “the one who listens to the word of God with a these distasteful subjects out of desire for hutrue desire to profit from it is even more pleas- man respect. ing to God than one who receives him in holy He poured himself totally into what he said Communion.” from the pulpit. After an hour, he would descend Because he felt acutely the enormous dispro- the pulpit stairs so exhausted that the people portion between the importance of the sacred of the parish encouraged him to moderate his message and the inadequacies of the particular predicatory zeal. He couldn’t help it, however. messenger, he put in heroic efforts to prepare his He preached with a passion that communicated Sunday sermons. At the end of each grueling day, that he realized that every homily may be his last filled with confessions, Communion calls, work and may be the last homily one or more of his for the orphanage and so much more, he would people ever hear, so he refused to hold anything head to the sacristy to work on his upcoming back. When some parishioners commented that homilies. From his vesting case, he would pick he talked so softly when he prayed before the up a few of his homiletic resources: the Bible, tabernacle but thundered at the top of his lungs the “Catechism of the Council of Trent,” various each time he preached, he replied with a mixture folios of the “Lives of the Saints,” a theological of truth and humor: “When I preach, I speak to dictionary and a some anthologies of sermons people who are either deaf or asleep, but when I by the well-known preachers of his day. Stand- pray, I speak to the good God who is neither deaf ing, he would consult them and then begin to put nor asleep!” The only way to plant the seeds of pen to paper, using the mesa of the vesting case the Gospel in the hearts of those with hardened as his desk. He would often do this for seven or rocky soil was through the impact of a loud hours at a stretch. When he was afflicted with hammer, he noted, and he succeeded in awakenwriter’s block, which for him was practically ing his people from their spiritual slumber and perpetual, he would head into the church, kneel selective listening. at the foot of the tabernacle, and ask Jesus with Father Vianney did not seek to be “origihis Father to send the Holy Spirit to help him. nal” in the pulpit in terms of content. Often he When he would be too exhausted to continue quoted at length from the sermons and lives of this work, he would sit down on the floor and the saints. What he did try to do, however, was lean his head up against the vesting table to try to express, with sincerity and simplicity, the to catch a little sleep. On several occasions, the immutable truths of faith in new and original parishioners would find him there in the morn- ways. Like the Lord Jesus who sought to teach ing with his exhausted head resting against the the most sublime realities in terms that fisherleg of the vesting table. He would do this any- men, vineyard workers and shepherds could all where from five to 15 nights in preparation for understand, so Father Vianney always sought particular sermons. The final product would be to employ similar down-to-earth images that between 30-40 pages of cursive writing. would make the faith intelligible. It worked.

That, however, was the relatively easy part.

Over time, the simple peasants of the village The Saturday before he was supposed to came to know the Christian faith so solidly, and deliver the sermon, he would spend all night in live it so fervently, that fellow pastors and the the church trying to memorize it. Those pass- Bishop of Belley were amazed. ing by the church would hear him pacing up The biggest impact from the pulpit of Ars and down the aisle repeating the parts that he was not so much the Curé’s words but the Curé was struggling to retain. No matter what hour himself. His whole life was a sermon that ilof night they passed, they would find him prac- lustrated, amplified, and showed the beauty, ticing, and on Sunday morning, they would truth and practicality of what he preached. The often see him still trying to jam the words into combination between his words and his witness his “bad head.” helped lead his people to conversion and holiEach of his homilies lasted about an hour. ness and therefore made this self-professed inelWhy so long, especially considering that he oquent preacher with a shrill voice, bad memory knew he wasn’t a gifted preacher? The reason and seemingly perpetual writer’s block, one of is because he was convinced that he could not the most successful priests ever to mount the achieve the goal of a homily or sermon — to pulpit. move all listeners to “conversion and holiness,” Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of as Vatican II would reiterate — without adequate Padua Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

April 30, 2010

E

Decades of delight in the presence of the Lord

ver since I can remember, when asked what I would like to be as I was growing up, the immediate response was: first and foremost, a priest; secondly, if I could not be one, an architect; and thirdly and lastly, a tailor (my oldest sister Emily, whom I admired and was like a second mother to me, was an excellent stitcher and I always admired her tailoring creations).

How did God call me to be a priest?

Well, Father António Nunes — the priest who baptized me, was ordained in 1940, was assigned to my parish and remained in the same and only parish as pastor until he died some 56 years later — had a tremendous influence on my vocation. At the very tender age of five I was already serving as an acolyte for the daily 5 a.m. parish Mass; and, even before concluding grammar school, I was insistently begging him to send me to the minor seminary, as there was no other vocation that I wanted to pursue more than the priesthood.

In my tender years, I was much impressed by the Dominican priests who would come to lead Lenten missions in the parish. These Portuguese Domini-

I

7

The Anchor

n February we began to explore the spin-offs of historic Christianity: Unitarian Universalism, Seventh-day Adventism, Mormonism, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The last of these to be considered is also the final stop on our three-year tour of world religions: Christian Science.

The Church of Christ, Scientist, was founded by Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) on the premise that the material world, with all its suffering, strife, and death, is an illusion: God is Spirit, and therefore everything is spirit. Born Mary Morse Baker in Bow, New Hampshire, she spent her childhood plagued by illness and fits. Though reared in a devout Congregationalist family, her religious thinking drew less from Calvinism than from the enthusiasms of the day: Transcendentalism, Spiritualism, and Mormonism.

In 1843, Miss Baker married George Washington Glover, a building contractor, and moved with him to the Carolinas. She became pregnant, but George died of yellow fever a few months later.

She returned to New Hampshire and gave birth to her only child, a son who received his father’s name. She found shelter for herself and the boy in her parents’ home until her mother’s death in late 1849. In 1850, still suffering from recurring bouts of illness and no longer having her mother’s help,

cans followed their own specialdiocesan seminary in Angra do ly-approved liturgical rite from Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores, only Braga, Portugal, which meant to be disappointed with the same they would begin Mass with the response: there is no room. offertory, preparing the altar for Yet, so enamored and in love the celebration of the Eucharist. with priesthood, I did not desist. I I immediately concluded, to my felt that God was calling me and, delight, that the Mass would in the words of Psalm 40, I also be shorter, only to find out that wanted to say, “Yes, Lord, here these preparation rites would be I am. I come to do your will.” followed by the initial rites and the liturgy of the Word, just like in our Year For Priests Latin Rite.

Vocational Reflection Giving in to my insistence, and after consultation with my parents who

By Father were not too supportive Henry S. Arruda of my determination to be a priest — since one of my older brothers had already So I spent approximately a year entered the seminary, only to with my godparents and their leave after a couple years of son, Father António Tavares, studies, and since my desire to who fed and encouraged my be a Dominican priest meant that vocation and initiated me into my schooling would take place the study of Latin and mathematon the continental mainland of ics. In the following fall I finally Portugal, far away from home entered the diocesan seminary — Father Nunes wrote to the where I concluded my secondDominican fathers requesting ary, college and philosophy that I enter their minor seminary. studies. From there, I entered St. Shortly afterwards I was hit with Mary’s Seminary and University bad news: there was no room in Baltimore, Md., for my four for any more applications in years of theology. I was ordained the mainland Dominican semiby Bishop James L. Connolly in nary. Consequently, I begged May of 1967 for the Diocese of the pastor again to write to the Fall River.

I was very happy in the Azores as a seminarian, but at the steady encouragement of Msgr.

Humberto de Sousa Medeiros — at the time chancellor of the Fall River Diocese, and later Cardinal Archbishop of Boston — and of Bishop Connolly, I finally was persuaded to become incardinated in this diocese, where there was a great need for Portuguese-speaking priests to assist the growing influx of Portuguesespeaking immigrants.

Thus I began a very happy priestly ministry in the local vineyard of the Lord for the past 42, almost 43 years. My love and involvement in liturgy, with liturgical music and, in particular, with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, has been very rich and a ceaseless font of blessingsupon-blessings. In some of these privileged and sacred moments I have delighted, as one among many, in a real presence of the Lord who is “holy, holy, holy.”

I feel especially privileged to have been born before the Council of Vatican II and to have experienced such a rich enhancement of the Church’s life born out of this historical and memorable Council, which “opened wide its

doors to the Redeemer.”

Being part of the amazing work of evangelization in today’s Church is uplifting indeed. We have, of course, experienced and have been rather oppressed in the crossing of some rough ways involving rather needed cleansing and purification, yet the Lord’s powerful, grace-filled and refreshing presence has always been energizing, comforting and uplifting. When you least “feel like it,” or when you really “need a break or rest,” your spirit gets filled with joy, because you listened to a burned soul who felt depressed and crushed with remorse for hurting a loved one, only to leave my office a new and grateful child who re-experienced exhilarating joy from the pardon and love of the Father of the prodigal son.

I could write ceaselessly about countless other experiences and moments of grace in my priestly ministry, but it suffices to say that, for me, sharing in the priesthood of Jesus the high priest has simply been humbling, gracefilled and most fulfilling.

Glory, praise and honor to Jesus our high priest.

Father Arruda, ordained in 1967, is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Taunton.

Christian Science: Nothing’s the matter she had no choice but to place According to Eddy, Jesus taught young George in the care of the people the power of the mind family’s former nurse and her hus- to eliminate sin, sickness, and band, who took the boy with them death. She recorded these spiritual to Minnesota. principles as she had discerned The widow Glover married them in her textbook, Science and Daniel Patterson, an itinerant Health, first published in 1875. An dentist and philanderer, in 1853.

1884 edition included for the first Struggling with poor health time an allegorical interpretation compounded by personal loss and of Genesis and Revelation boldly financial setbacks, she plunged styled “Key to the Scriptures.” into a deep depression.

In 1862, as the Civil War raged, Daniel was captured while sightseeThe Fullness ing on a battlefield and of the Truth spent several months in a Confederate prison.

By Father He escaped and eventuThomas M. Kocik ally took up practice in Lynn, Massachusetts, where his wife rejoined him in 1864.

Eddy claimed that Science and The year 1866 signaled a Health was dictated to her directly crucial turning point in Eddy’s life, by God. An article in the New York and not because Daniel ran off Times of July 10, 1904 (available with another woman that summer. on the NYT website) alleges that In February, she slipped on an icy she plagiarized the work of Phisidewalk in Lynn and suffered a neas P. Quimby, a popular healer paralyzing spinal injury. While from Maine. bedridden, she read the Gospel In 1862, then Mrs. Patterson passage in which Jesus addressed sought help from Quimby and was the paralytic: “Rise, take up your cured for a short time, after which bed and go home” (Mt 9:6). Two her health tended to fluctuate. She days later, to the astonishment of returned to him several times the friends, she got up unaided. The following year, not only for treat“fall in Lynn,” she later wrote, led ment but also to study his method. her to discover “the Science of From Quimby she learned that Metaphysical Healing,” or Chrisinfirmity was merely an error of tian Science. mortal mind, and that one could

control another’s mind without that person’s consent or perhaps knowledge.

Disappointed that existing churches ignored Christian Science, Eddy established the Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1879. Its mission was “to reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” In 1882, she transferred her activities from Lynn to Boston.

Christian Science soon prospered with branch societies in the East and Midwest.

All the while, Eddy suffered in dread of what she called Malicious Animal Magnetism (MAM) and publicly denounced the MAM campaigns waged against her. She accused her enemies of mentally working havoc on her movement even to the point of murdering her third husband, Asa Gilbert Eddy (married 1877; died 1882), with mental arsenic. In 1889, she moved to New Hampshire and dissolved the government of the Boston church. Three years later, she reorganized the church in Boston as the First Church of Christ, Scientist, also known as the Mother Church.

Thereafter all power rested in the Mother Church; all other churches were simply branches, their “pastors” being the Bible and Science and Health.

Pneumonia ended Mrs. Eddy’s

life on December 3, 1910. The sect she founded has little in common with orthodox Christianity. It uses Christian vocabulary, but assigns different meanings to the terms: God is infinite Mind, and mind is all (shades of Hinduism); the Trinity is Life, Truth, and Love; salvation is happiness here and now; Jesus is the exemplar of the divine goodness in everyone.

Christian Scientists don’t seek conventional medical treatment.

The church doesn’t baptize, ordain clergy, or tabulate membership.

Its standardized Sunday service consists mainly of readings from the Bible and Science and Health.

The grain of truth in Christian Science is that God does not will infirmity or other disorders. In the Gospel the curing of diseases is always associated with the advancement of God’s Kingdom. More than a deliverance from sickness and death, the establishment of the Kingdom is the redemption of the whole universe (see Rom 8:22) when God’s truth, freedom, and the glory of his love will transfigure everything. This re-creation can come about only through the reconciliation of all things to the exalted Christ (see Col 1:20; Eph 1:10), who “suffered in the flesh” (1 Pt 4:1) and died a real death to atone for real sins.

Father Kocik is a parochial vicar at Santo Christo Parish in Fall River.

8

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he essence of God has its origins and end in love. If there is one theme that is central to our belief in God, the basis for the whole New Testament, it is love.

John simply and profoundly says “God is Love” (1 Jn 4:8).

In the Gospel reading this weekend, Jesus says “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34).

If we reflect on this statement and truly allow it to live in us, there would be less conflict in the world, there would be no division within families, there would not be the bullying that we see in schools. We would be more Christ-like.

But life is not always so perfect. No one loves as perfectly as Jesus does. Christ took on all of our failings, all of our sins, and gave his life

April 30, 2010

The Anchor

Love one another

for us so we could be saved. hearts that consumes us, that He loved us that much. He needs to consume us, compelgave us the example of total, ling us to look for ways to unconditional love and told love more unconditionally, to us to love one another as I love more fully. The Prayer have loved you. When Jesus is talking about following his comHomily of the Week mandments he is not talking just about the Fifth Sunday Ten Commandments of Easter and telling us what

By Deacon not to do. He is inGregory J. Beckel stead telling us to do something positive, to love one another. If we truly love one another in to the Holy Spirit begins with action, we will know what is “Come Holy Spirit, fill the the right thing to do, what is hearts of your faithful and the loving occasion. kindle in us the fire of your But can we ever say that we love.” We need to ask God to have lived up to his commandallow the Holy Spirit to enable ment to love? Can a husband us to experience God’s love, or wife ever say, “There, I the love that Jesus has for us, have loved you. There is nothso we can find ways to best ing more I can give or do for express it to others. you.”? Love is a fire in our If only we could have the

love of Jesus in our hearts all the time. Think of how this world would be a better place, how our homes would be more tranquil, how relationships would be much more caring. So why is it so difficult to show our love to those around us, especially those we care about most? Why are there disagreements with spouses that can enflame feelings so opposite of love? Why do we argue with our brothers or sisters over matters that are so unimportant? It is hard to hold that feeling of Christ-like love in our hearts when we are upset about someone.

But what if we saw the person we are talking to as Christ? What if we saw Jesus in every person we met, especially those we love? Would

we argue with Jesus face to face? Would we deny the opportunity to help Jesus in any way we could? Would we ignore someone at school, or be nasty to them just because they are not part of the group?

Can we ever deny Jesus?

We may know that God is love, but at times it can be difficult to radiate that love to others. To be more Christlike, we must be able to see the Christ in others. We must always strive to follow his commandment to “love one another as I have loved you.”

May God the Holy Spirit always help us to see Jesus in the persons around us. May the Holy Spirit inflame our hearts with the fire of his love.

Deacon Greg Beckel is assigned to Christ the King Parish in Mashpee and serves as a chaplain at Cape Cod Hospital.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. May 1, Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7-14. Sun. May 2, Fifth Sunday of Easter, Acts 14:21-27; Ps 145:8-13; Rv 21:1-5a; Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35. Mon. May 3, feast of Philip and James, Apostles, 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; Jn 14:6-14. Tues. May 4, Acts 14:19-28; Ps 145:10-13b,21; Jn 14:27-31a.

Wed. May 5, Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-5; Jn 15:1-8. Thur. May 6, Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3,10; Jn 15:9-11. Fri. May 7, Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-10,12; Jn 15:12-17.

S

andro Magister’s “Chiesa” (Church) newsletter (available at http:// chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it) is an indispensable resource for anyone seriously following the major debates within the Catholic Church, the ideas shaping the pontificate of Benedict XVI, and the goings-on of the Church’s central administration. Sandro and I are friends and were sources for each other during the interregnum between the death of John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI. In my experience, he’s that rarest of birds in the Italian journalistic aviary — someone who doesn’t

What JFK wrought at Houston

make stuff up. the “naked public square” — an Sometime, though, even American public space shorn, Homer nods. not only of religious arguments, In his April 11 “Chiesa,” but of religiously-informed Sandro gave a lot of space to moral arguments made in a gena critique by Professor Luca Diotallevi of a March 1 speech by Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver. In that speech, Chaput (whose diocesan newsBy George Weigel paper syndicates this column) criticized John F. Kennedy’s September 1960 address to the Greater uinely public manner. Professor Houston Ministerial Association Diotallevi thinks Chaput got as a harbinger of what Richard Kennedy wrong. I think ProfesJohn Neuhaus would later call sor Diotallevi got Kennedy and Chaput wrong.

Diotallevi suggests that John Courtney Murray, who would later play a significant role in shaping Vatican II’s Declaration on Religious Freedom, was the chief ghostwriter of JFK’s Houston speech. That’s wrong, and while Murray may have been consulted, he certainly didn’t agree with Kennedy’s assertion at Houston that religious conviction ought not shape the public debate “directly or indirectly”— for that would have ruled out precisely the kind of Catholic natural law public philosophy that Murray urged on America in his seminal 1960 book, “We Hold These Truths: Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition.”

Professor Diotallevi may also have misread the character of

The Catholic Difference

the anti-Catholic bias that Kennedy faced in 1960. It’s true, as the Italian professor writes, that Kennedy’s Protestant audience was used to Christianity “manifesting itself in every aspect of public life.”

But what these men wanted was a Protestant public square; some of them were even unsure that Catholics were Christians. Kennedy’s strategy in meeting that bigotry was not to speak of the ecumenical public philosophy the natural moral law could provide (which would have been the classic Murray move), but to propose an America in which everyone’s Christian convictions were out-of-bounds in public life, whether those convictions were expressed “directly or indirectly.”

Then there is the question of what Catholic politicians, post-JFK, learned from the Houston experience. Very few, alas, learned Murray’s natural law approach to arguing moral truths amidst American pluralism; many of them bought into the secularism in public life that Kennedy made even more explicit in his 1962 commencement address at Yale — a speech that declared the great issues of the time technocratic and managerial rather than philosophical and moral. Read through the prism of the Yale address, the Houston speech on religion in public life

looks even more like a matter of JFK playing precursor to the naked public square that Mario Cuomo and John Kerry would promote and defend in 1984 and 2004. Those men, in turn, further confused the abortion debate by declaring the Church’s teaching on life sectarian, rather than grappling with it as it is: a natural law moral argument, devoid of uniquely Catholic theological premises; an argument anyone willing to engage in serious thought can grasp.

The depth of anti-Catholicism in the U.S. in 1960 was such that it may have taken a candidate who was far more a modern rationalist than a man formed by the social doctrine of the Church to break the Catholic glass ceiling in American presidential politics. That’s a point worth debating. What seems clear to me is that Archbishop Chaput had it right, and Professor Diotallevi has it wrong, in their respective analyses of what JFK wrought at Houston. Kennedy may have defeated Protestant prejudice.

But the way he did it prepared the ground for schizophrenic politicians who bracket their moral convictions when they fear being charged by the new bigots — the secularists — with the “imposition” of “sectarian” convictions.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

April 30, 2010

The frozen chosen

beginning to subside. The sump Sunday 18 April 2010 — pump has been working around standing over Three Mile River the clock. There’s only a couple — Third Sunday of Easter of inches of water down there s you receive this issue now and soon it will be low tide of The Anchor, dear readers, it’s the last day of spring by the oldstyle Gregorian calendar.

Do you know that May Reflections of a Day was once considParish Priest ered the beginning of summer?

By Father Tim I just returned from Goldrick the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass. It is definitely not the cusp of summer.

— dry enough to wade in my The temperature outside is 38 English “Wellies” to assess the degrees. The temperature inside damage to the boiler. the church seems cooler. A I suspect the furnace is decold rain is falling. Our furnace stroyed. I notice that the water has been underwater since the being pumped from the baseMarch storms. There is no heat. ment is rusty. Concrete floors do At least Three Mile River is

A

The Ship’s Log

P

9

The Anchor not rust. Boilers do. What saint, pray tell, is in charge of flooded churches? Maybe it’s Noah. Is there such a thing as a Novena to Noah? If so, I must start one immediately.

As I look out at the Sunday morning congregation, I see that they have goose bumps. They look like “the frozen chosen.” The Old Faithful who have been attending daily Mass are aware of the situation. They come to Sunday Mass wrapped in their heavy winter coats. For those in short-sleeved spring outfits, it’s an entirely different matter.

I try not to take too long with my homily in order to get people out as soon as possible. When I

Making life lighter

wagon, but it does make it just arenting simultaneously a little easier to move. Being from crib to college lighthearted, then, is one way has made me acutely aware to do two things that the Bible of the fleeting nature of each instructs us believers to do; parenting season. So stealthily these are to encourage one anhas one phase of our family other and to bear one another’s life morphed into the next burdens (Hebrew 3:13 and that I sometimes find myself Galatians 6:2). totally disoriented. What’s the Physically taking on two-year-old’s name, again? I someone else’s “stuff” isn’t forget. My excuse is that they always possible, nor is it have all been two years old at always healthy. Nonetheless, some point in time, and that like applying the grease of they are all just that cute even good humor, we can still help. now, so it shouldn’t surprise the 20-year-old when I have to list off five other names before getting to hers, even if she is standing right in front of me. Well, all right, it’s not quite that

By Heidi Bratton bad. By sheer good fortune I have three girls and three boys, so We can do other things that I usually guess the right name might be compared to giving by the third try. a person’s horse a little fresh Maintaining a sense of hay. We can show love by humor is a huge asset in our remembering birthdays and pursuit of a healthy Catholic other personal events. We can family life, but it’s not always walk alongside someone and easy. Life is so fast-paced, and listen to their stories without our American culture is so geared toward productivity that judgment, and without jumping in and trying to solve their Red Bull and anxiety medicaproblems in our way. We can tion have all but replaced lemgive gifts (new walking shoes, onade and a good laugh. I, unfortunately, have been bitten by perhaps), send text messages, or call a person on the phone not only the productivity bug, for no special reason. Smiling, but also the efficiency bug, and looking people in the eye, and find myself preferring these calling them by name are other two over all else. Some days I simple ways to give encourtry to temper my preferences agement. Well, that is if we can by setting a goal of making all remember their name. seven of my family members In order to become better laugh, and I mean really laugh. encouragers and burden bearIt’s a worthy ambition, even if ers, we may also need to drop it is not measurably producsome of the behavior we’ve tive, because laughter is like previously accepted as normal. a dab of grease applied to a It may seem harmless to offrusty wagon wheel. It might handedly passing along forenot lighten the load in the

Home Grown Faith

boding advice like, “Oh, just wait until the terrible twos,” or “That’s nothing compared to the drinking, driving, and dating years.” These clichés, however, can be like boulders haphazardly heaved into the wagons of parents who already have enough to worry about, and who don’t need ominous warnings added to their load.

Better to say things like, “Stick with it,” and “This too shall pass.”

Is this approach some kind of Catholic Pollyannaism or denial of reality?

No. It is choosing to take the long view of the beautiful road we decided to walk when we prayed for children, instead of cursing the mud in our path at any given point in time. It’s putting our faith into action and trusting that not only will Jesus be with us on every step of our parenting journey, mud and all, but that because of Jesus’ great love for us we have been given the honor and ability to encourage, bear up, and show love to those on the road with us (I John 4:19). It’s a burden-bearing choice to administer a little grease and offer a little hay instead of adding even the lightest pebble to the diaper bag of another. And, you know, I would gladly do this encouraging right now, if I could only remember which of my children need wheels greased, and which have hungry hippos, I mean hungry horses.

Heidi is an author, photographer, and full-time mother.

She and her husband raise their six children in Falmouth. homegrownfaith@gmail.com.

explain the situation, most people are very understanding. I do overhear one curmudgeon in the last pew complain, “Our pastor is so @#$%&* cheap he has shut off the heat on us.” Whatever.

“The frozen chosen” is a phrase that caught my attention in a book by Father James Martin, S. J. The book is entitled “The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything.” Father Martin is not referring to shivering parishioners, but rather to an attitude. He identifies six “paths to God,” all of them spiritually valid. He says that whichever path we happen to be on, there’s the danger of misunderstanding those on another path and, worse, the temptation to judge them negatively. In addition, some folks, as St. Ignatius Loyola himself said, travel their path at slower speeds.

Certain that we are on the one and only path (and everyone else is lost) can prevent a believer from being compassionate, sympathetic, or even tolerant of those who are not on the same page at the same time. People with such an arrogant attitude Father Martin calls “the frozen chosen.”

They are sour-faced, rigid, and, worst of all, complacent. Faith that isn’t growing is dead. Anything that isn’t growing is dead.

It’s a fact of life.

I’m reminded of the Jewish Talmud teaching that standing beside every blade of grass is an angel whispering, “Grow.

Grow.” It seems to me that the main function of evangelization, outreach, preaching and faith formation is to stand beside every child, youth, and adult whispering “Grow. Grow.”

As adults, we need to move

beyond spiritual childishness or we risk abandoning the faith altogether. An immature belief system will simply not fit an adult world. Bad things happen to good people. Get used to it.

I remember an insight that came to me when I was perhaps eight years old. I was pondering why we refer to God as “Our Father” when it hit me that if we all have the same Father, then we are all brothers and sisters. I was a simple child growing into an adult faith. Now that I’m an adult, some are of the opinion that I’m still simple-minded, but that’s another matter entirely.

Just about every day for going on 40 years of priesthood, I have encountered Father Martin’s “frozen chosen.” Rank and age, I’ve noticed, have nothing to do with it. It might be a prince of the Church, a cardinal, who is very fond of dressing up like the Infant of Prague. Maybe it’s a bishop who comes riding in on a white horse, determined to “straighten out” this Church of ours. Maybe a seasoned pastor has concluded that the Church is “going to hell in a hand basket” and is just biding his time until retirement. Maybe it’s a “baby priest,” the oils of ordination still glistening, who has convinced himself that he will save the world by returning to a Church that existed before he was even born. Maybe it’s a woman convinced that the Blessed Mother has appeared, with a dire warning, on a bagel in Tucson, Ariz.

Deliver us, O Lord, from the “frozen chosen!”

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

10

By Deacon James N. Dunbar HYANNIS — On a Saturday every month, shortly before noon, rain, snow or shine, sisters Connie and Marilyn Mooers pull up in their compact car in the parking lot of the Noah Service Center shelter at 77 Winter Street, and from the tailgate serve hot soup and bag lunches and beverages to as many as 60 or 70 of the area’s homeless men and women.

The Mooers are not just parttime deliverers, but also the organizers and coordinators in charge of the Loaves and Fishes Program at Our Lady of the Cape Parish in Brewster, which has been providing the meal every Saturday for approximately 40 years.

“We serve on one Saturday and the rest of our team members do the deliveries on the other Saturdays,” Connie Mooers told The Anchor. “We coordinate the preparations and deliveries and if someone scheduled can’t make it, we find substitutes.”

The sisters, who came from

The Anchor

April 30, 2010

Saturday tailgates in Hyannis Concord, “began as summer parishioners and now are very active members of our parish,” reported La Salette Missionary Father Bernard Baris, pastor of Our Lady of the Cape.

“They are very much involved in our parish activities, not only leading the Loaves and Fishes, but also as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion and participants in the Ladies Guild’s summer fair, and we are blessed to have them,” he added.

Marilyn was also the mainstay of the parish’s operational Bingo.

The Noah Service Center at 77 Winter Street is the only shelter for individuals on Cape Cod. A 50-bed emergency shelter for men and women, with 60 beds during the cold winter months, it is open daily from 4:30 p.m. to 8 a.m., the following morning. Its clients are assigned a bed and receive two hot meals on weekdays, access to medical, substance abuse and mental health services, housing search, employment advocacy,

legal clinics and other services. small part of it.” istry that finds the older people eas“The Saturday lunch is the only The program was run by Gladys ily involved as volunteers making hot lunch program on weekends in Usher for 10 years, and by parish- the sandwiches at home, and we Hyannis,” Father Baris noted. ioners Jay and Judy Kenney for the even find whole family members The Mooers, who have directed past 13 years. and groups participating.” the lunch program for three years, “We became involved first as For example, the sisters said, a credit the success of the charity to sandwich-makers,” Marilyn re- group of students from CCD classthe dozens of families who es became involved in makover the course of a year ing cookies which we made share the weekly chore of a part of the bag lunches, providing the sandwiches, and we thought that was spending a minimum of $40 very sweet of them.” on the 10 bag lunches.

“And sometime we have “It involves eight differreceived donations of fruit ent volunteer families each baskets and we split them week,” said Connie. up to help become part of The bag lunches are the lunches too,” they exdelivered each Saturday to plained. the parish where the MooMarilyn is an employee ers and others collect them, of the Brewster Planning pack them into their car and Department, and a former assume their ministry role high school teacher in Ashto the homeless and needy land for 38 years. Connie is as waiters and waitresses. a bookkeeper.

“The lunches include hot Do recipients of the bag soup we serve from a therlunches show their gratefulmos in the winter months ness? along with two sandwiches “Oh, they are so thankand fruit,” Marilyn said. “In ful and eager to show their the summer months instead gratitude for what they reof soup, we offer a beverceive,” said Connie. “Some Anchor person of the week — Connie age.” are shy.”

The Ladies Guild of Our and Marilyn Mooers.

“We have from time to Lady of the Cape supplies time had whole families arthe drinks and cups, and funding called. “So for about two or three rive for the lunch, kids and all,” for the soup prepared by the Moo- years we were involved doing that, Marilyn recalled. “We tell them ers. and while it is a most rewarding they don’t have to have the kids in The sisters, who hail from Den- charitable experience, it is without line. They can wait in the car and nis, credit a long line of parish fanfare and low key really,” she we will bring the lunches to them.” workers for the success of the lunch added.

Our Lady of the Cape also reguprogram “that we were told began The sisters said that charitable larly follows up its lunch minismany years ago when a woman no- programs “frequently find many try by hosting homeless men and ticed a long line of the needy stand- people wanting to do something women through its Nights of Hosing in the cold for food handouts,” and the Loaves and Fishes initia- pitality Program.

Connie Mooers recalled. tive is no different.”

To nominate a Person of “There is a wonderful history The workers behind the scenes the Week, email a message to: here, and we are just the current, are of various ages “and it is a min- FatherRogerLandry@anchornews.org

April 30, 2010

The Anchor

11

12

The Anchor

a landmark day — Bishop George W. Coleman blesses the cornerstone of the new St. Mary’s Church in Norton last Sunday during ceremonies dedicating the new edifice. At right, in front, is St. Mary’s pastor, Father Marc P. Tremblay. (Photo by David Levesque)

Bishop blesses, dedicates new St. Mary’s Church in Norton continued from page one

two-year construction project, the genesis of the new St. Mary’s Church actually goes back six years to when Father Tremblay was first appointed pastor.

“Bishop Coleman invited me to his office and asked me to come here to Norton; and then he told me he’d like me to build a new church for the parish,” Father Tremblay said. “The people of this parish have been waiting a long time for a new church, but not without some trepidation.

They loved the old building, but it had no bathroom facilities, the choir loft was becoming dangerous, and seating capacity was an issue.”

“I have favored building a new church for the past 20 years, because the (old church) facilities were very inadequate for the growing Norton Catholic population,” said Joseph Daley, a member of the parish council

and capital campaign committee. “The capacity of the original church was approximately 250 people, the structure did not meet current building codes, and much of the structure was beyond repair.”

Indeed, one of the key reasons for constructing the new $3.5 million, 7,800-square-foot church was to provide a larger house of worship for the growing Norton parish community. With weekend Mass attendance sometimes approaching 1,000 people, the parish had easily outgrown the small 250-seat church.

“When I came to town in 1961, there were only about 800 families in the parish, and now we’re up to about 1,800 families — so that’s a big difference,” Daley said. “Being located right on Route 123 will also help make us visible members of this community as well.”

The new church was built on a parcel of parish-owned property at the corner of Route 123 and Power Street, adjoining the existing St. Mary Parish Center constructed in the 1960s. The new church will seat 540 persons, has bathroom facilities, a new enclosed family room, and is handicapped accessible with plenty of additional parking.

Father Tremblay said it’s also beneficial to have the new church located on a main road with easy access, since the old church was somewhat “hidden away.”

“Catholics were not always welcomed through the 1800s and even up until before World War II, so they tended to build their churches on the outskirts of town,” Father Tremblay said. “I think it’s really important right now for us to have a visible presence right on West Main Street.

I think it’s a very powerful state-

April 30, 2010 ment saying that the Catholic Church is alive and well and very much present.”

“When I first joined the parish, I could not find the church and the Norton police had to lead me to it,” Daley added.

While the presence of Catholics in Norton extends back to the mid-19th century, according to Bishop Coleman, they didn’t have a formal parish until 1925.

“In order to serve the needs of the Catholic community, a church was first built here in 1868,” Bishop Coleman said.

“Actually, it was a mission of St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton and later was served from St. John’s Parish in Attleboro. Another church, built in 1924, was raised to the status of a parish church in 1925 and continued up to the present — in fact, until yesterday afternoon.”

Bishop Coleman was referring to the final Mass inside the original 85-year-old wooden structure held the day before at 4 p.m., after which Father Tremblay and parishioners walked in procession to the new church, just over a half-mile away, carrying with them the Eucharist and various liturgical pieces in preparation for the dedication.

“Two years ago, we stood on this very spot — it was pouring rain that day — and it seemed like not a very good start to this whole thing,” Father Tremblay said during the Mass of Dedication. “We’ve run into a lot of obstacles since then — particularly with the economy — and yet, we came through all of it.”

Noting it was difficult for many parishioners to make contributions toward the capital campaign effort in the current economic climate, every donation was much appreciated, regardless of the amount.

“Even though their finances did not allow them, they put in what they could to help make this

happen,” he said. “They are just as important and our gratitude goes out to every single person.”

Deacon Thomas P. Palanza, facilities consultant for the diocese, designed the new church and oversaw the 18-month construction project. Father Tremblay explained that he and Deacon Palanza worked together to create a church large enough to accommodate the parish yet with “an interior that feels welcoming and warm.” Its design is such that even the last rows of pews are not that far from the altar, he added.

“A project like this is dependent on the efforts and dedication of so many people,” Deacon Palanza said. “But like the new churches that were built before this one, and those that will come after, it all begins and is sustained through the love, faith, sacrifice and dedication of God’s people — the living stones of St. Mary’s Parish. So to them and all of you here today, we thank you and congratulate you for making this long-awaited dream of a new church a reality.”

Several windows and some statuary from the former St. Mary’s Church were incorporated into the new building. It also uses elements from other churches in the diocese that have had to close. Its spire belonged to the former St. William’s Church while several stained glass windows were salvaged from the former St. Mathieu’s Church, both in Fall River. The stations of the cross and sacristy vesting cabinet were also refurbished from the former Immaculate Conception Church in Taunton.

The altar, which was anointed with sacred chrism by Bishop Coleman during the Mass of Dedication, is a 6,000-pound piece of granite quarried and constructed in Barre, Vt., designed by Father Tremblay.

“I think Father Tremblay and Deacon Palanza did a great job,” Daley said. “It’s very tastefully done.”

Father Tremblay was all smiles as he greeted parishioners arriving for the 3 p.m. Mass of Dedication like a proud papa.

For him, the past six years have been worth the wait.

“The theme for our capital campaign was ‘Building on our Faith,’ and I think it took a real act of faith to do this,” he said. “Seeing it all come together has been a powerful experience for everyone involved. Some had doubts that we could do it, but it has happened and it’s a great feeling.”

Although no formal decision has been made about the fate of the former St. Mary’s Church on South Worcester Street, Deacon Palanza said he expects it will be razed and the land sold.

13

The Anchor

April 30, 2010

‘Bathroom Bill’ attached to Mass. budget continued from page one

both genders, which would include school, hospital and church restrooms. Opponents say that those who stand up for designated facilities could be charged with a civil rights violation.

Last year, MFI delivered thousands of letters from opponents of the bill to Beacon Hill, and the legislation was stopped in its tracks.

Proponents of the bill, who held a rally and met with legislators on January 21 this year, have reportedly said that opponents are “just uncomfortable” and should “get over it.”

In mid-March, the Judiciary Committee granted an extension to the transgender bill until May 7, which neither moved the bill forward nor killed it. In an email, MFI urged the bill’s opponents to remain vigilant and warned that there could be “last minute maneuvering.”

The MCC, the public policy office of the Commonwealth’s Catholic bishops, submitted written testimony to the committee in opposition of the bill.

“The bill now before this committee was intentionally drafted broadly so as to permit any person for any reason to determine under state law to be identified with the particular sexual designation he or she chooses at any moment. The bill’s passage would launch the Commonwealth into a chaotically shifting legal milieu by forbidding the state from requiring an individual’s self-identification for legal purposes to comply with any time limitation, documentation, or other commitment that formalizes and stabilizes one’s individual sex designation. An individual would be legally empowered to pose as a man and a woman at different times or at the same time, and for any length of time, however short in duration,” the MCC said.

The testimony affirmed the

inherent dignity of all people but noted that differential treatment of men and women can be required for the common good.

The transgender bill, which the bishops oppose in its entirety, would usurp the interests of the many for the few who struggle with gender identity disorder.

The American Psychological Association lists transgenderism as a mental disorder, and opponents of the transgender bill say that good public policy should help people overcome such a disorder.

In several emails to supporters, MFI said the issue is one of safety, privacy and modesty in public restrooms for all people.

The transgender bill would create a “chaotic environment” for students using bathrooms and locker rooms at school because students would be allowed to use opposite-gender facilities. It would also leave the door open for predators who could take advantage of the law.

Mineau said, “The unintended consequences of this bill will hit women and children the hardest.”

“This is probably the most critical moment for traditional values in Massachusetts since the final votes on same-sex ‘marriage’ back in 2007,” he added in an April 22 email.

Opponents of the bill urged the citizens of the Commonwealth to continue to flood the Statehouse with emails and phone calls against the amendment. In addition to calling their own representatives, they should call the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Murphy.

“We’ve got to continue to keep the pressure on,” Mineau said.

A website was created in opposition to the bill. Concerned citizens who want to sign a petition against the “Bathroom Bill” can visit www.nobathroombill.com.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, May 2 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father John Sullivan, pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Wareham

the buddy system — A scuba diver is seen next to a great white shark in the movie “Oceans.”

For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Disneynature)

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“Death at a Funeral” (Screen Gems) Ensemble farce relating the various outlandish mishaps that befall two estranged brothers (Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence) and their relatives and friends (notably James Marsden, Tracy Morgan and Danny Glover) as they gather to bury the family patriarch, including the played-for-laughs revelation of the deceased’s concealed relationship with a mysterious stranger (Peter Dinklage). Director Neil LaBute’s Americanization of Frank Oz’s 2007 British comedy of the same title mostly seeks laughs in the bed- and bathroom, with predictably woeful results.

Frivolous treatment of adultery and homosexuality, rear and partial nudity, drug theme, graphic scatological humor, sexual jokes and references, a half-dozen uses of profanity, frequent rough and crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

“Letters to God” (Vivendi) Inspirational and touching

drama, based on real events, about a faith-filled but cancer-stricken eight-year-old boy (Tanner Maguire) whose prayers and reflections are expressed in a series of letters to the Almighty, and the effect these notes have on his family — including his widowed, overtaxed mother (Robyn Lively), his devout grandmother (Maree Cheatham) and his emotionally conflicted teen brother (Michael Christopher Bolten) — but especially on the depressed, boozing warvet-turned-postman (Jeffrey S. Johnson) who has recently taken over the local mail route.

Though the underlying theology of director David Nixon’s family-friendly tale of courage and conversion is evangelical, the basic message about the power of Gospel values to transform lives is sufficiently nondenominational to exert a strong appeal on Christian believers of every stripe. Lifethreatening illness, divorce and alcoholism themes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

“Oceans” (Disneynature) Surprisingly philosophical nature documentary offers stunning images of sea life from around the globe while conveying a positive message about mankind’s connection to the ocean and the need for environmental conservation.

Actor Pierce Brosnan intones pleasing narration for co-directors and writers Jacque Perrin and Jacque Cluzaud, whose film, though it lacks a solid narrative structure and occa-

sionally suffers from a dearth of explanatory detail, nonetheless constitutes a visual feast, and their avoidance of graphic images of predatory behavior makes this eye-catching spectacle suitable for viewers of all ages. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G — general audiences. All ages admitted.

“The Perfect Game” (IndustryWorks) Rousing, faith-infused sports drama, based on real events, recounting the unlikely odyssey of a ragtag boys baseball team from Monterrey, Mexico, who, under the spiritual guidance of a devout but down-to-earth priest (Cheech Marin) and the leadership of a hard-driving coach (Clifton Collins Jr.) travel to the U.S. to compete in the 1957 Little League championship tournament, achieving a string of unexpected victories against far more advantaged teams.

As directed by William Dear, W. William Winokur’s script unambiguously presents the young players’ Catholicism as the inspiration not only for their winning streak, but for their persistent refusal to allow either their impoverished circumstances or the disdainful prejudice they frequently encounter north of the border to deprive them of their dream, though a brief scene of Marin’s otherwise estimable character celebrating a Tridentine Mass presents an image of worship so sloppy and repetitive as to approach unintentional parody. Racial tensions, ethnic slurs and a few mildly earthy insults.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

14

The Catholic Response

April 30, 2010

Vatican’s lawyer says federal lawsuit against pope has no merit MILWAUKEE (CNS) — The Vatican’s U.S. lawyer said a federal lawsuit accusing Pope Benedict XVI of covering up sexual abuse by a priest at a Milwaukee Catholic school has no merit.

“While legitimate lawsuits have been filed by abuse victims, this is not one of them,” Vatican attorney Jeffrey Lena said in a April 23 statement. “Instead, the lawsuit represents an attempt to use tragic events as a platform for a broader attack.”

The lawsuit was filed April 22 in the U.S. District Court in Milwaukee by an unnamed Illinois man who claims he was molested by Father Lawrence Murphy while he was a student at St. John’s School for the Deaf. The plaintiff is represented by Minnesota attorney Jeff Anderson, who has filed thousands of abuse lawsuits against priests and representatives of the Catholic Church.

Father Murphy worked at the school for the deaf from 1950 to 1974. In the early 1970s, multiple allegations of sexual abuse against the priest were made to civil authorities, who investigated but never brought charges. He was placed on a leave of absence for a while and later returned to pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Superior, where he worked until 1993.

The Vatican chose not to laicize Father Murphy despite the recommendation of his bishop. In a recent statement in The New York Times, the Vatican said that by the time it learned of the case in the late 1990s, the priest was elderly and in poor health. The

Vatican eventually suggested that the priest continue to be restricted in ministry instead of laicized, and he died four months later.

The Vatican decision not to proceed to a Church trial and possible laicization came after the priest wrote a personal appeal to then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who was head of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation at the time, the Times article said.

The April 22 lawsuit claims the Vatican “has known about the widespread problem of childhood sexual abuse committed by its clergy for centuries, but has covered up that abuse and thereby perpetuated the abuse.”

The lawsuit also intends to prove the Vatican is a global business empire, practicing in “commercial activity” in Wisconsin and across the United States and holding “unqualified power” over each diocese, parish and follower.

“The case against the Holy See and its officials is completely without merit,” Lena said. “Most of the complaint rehashes old theories already rejected by U.S. courts.”

Regarding Father Murphy, Lena said the Vatican and its officials “knew nothing of his crimes until decades after the abuse occurred, and had no role whatsoever in causing plaintiff’s injuries.”

He also said “first and foremost sympathy is due to the victims of the criminal acts committed by Father Lawrence Murphy. By sexually abusing children, (Father) Murphy violated both the law and the trust that his victims placed in him.”

According to the lawsuit, Pope Benedict was named as a defendant in the case because of his authority to remove priests and his involvement in reviewing sex abuse cases when he was cardinal.

The same attorney representing the Illinois plaintiff also filed suit April 21 on behalf of a Mexican resident who claims he was sexually abused by a priest in 1997.

The suit accuses Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and Mexico City Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera for transferring Father Nicolas Aguilar Rivera between dioceses even though he apparently had a history of sexual abuse. At the time of the abuse allegations, Cardinal Rivera was bishop of Tehuacan in the state of Puebla.

The complaint filed in federal court in Los Angeles relies on a U.S. law that allows foreign victims of human rights abuses to bring their perpetrators to justice in U.S. courts.

Tod Tamberg, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, told The New York Times that “Cardinal Mahony was not warned of the priest’s history” before he was transferred to the archdiocese.

The priest, defrocked in 2009, has a 20-year-old warrant pending in Los Angeles for his arrest on 19 counts of child rape.

The Archdiocese of Mexico City in a statement called the accusations against Cardinal Rivera “calumnious and defamatory.” It said the lawsuit is “no more than an opportunistic media deceit” taking advantage of the current atmosphere of attacks on the Catholic Church because of the criminal behavior of some priests.

The statement, reported by the Spanish news agency EFE, said the lawsuit’s demands lack judicial substance. It added that the priest was not under the direct ecclesial jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Mexico City since he was a member of the Romebased Theatine Fathers.

Father Hugo Valdemar, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico City, told Univision, the U.S.-based Spanish-language TV network, that he expected the lawsuit

would lead nowhere, as had two previous attempts to hold the archdiocese accountable for sexual abuse by a Mexican priest.

In Manila, Philippines, the lawyers of a Filipino priest accused of sexually abusing boys in the United States in the 1970s said they did not know enough about the case to respond to it.

According to UCA News, the Asian Catholic news agency, one suit against 73-year-old Benedictine Father Manuel Perez Maramba was settled by the Diocese of El Paso, Texas. Church officials in the Philippines have not spoken about the case and the priest’s lawyers said that since the priest was not part of the proceedings for the settlement case, “there is nothing to deny or admit.”

In Colorado, Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput asked for prayers for Father Melvin Thompson, parochial vicar at St. Thomas More Parish in Denver. The archbishop removed the priest from ministry April 8 after receiving a complaint from a man who reported that he had been sexually abused by him more than 35 years ago in an undisclosed Colorado parish.

The archbishop, in a column in the April 13 issue of the Denver Catholic Register, the archdiocesan newspaper, said he understands the frustration parishioners have expressed at losing a “respected and wellloved” priest who has never faced any previous allegation.

Catholics complained, the archbishop wrote, of the “unfairness” of relieving the priest of his ministerial duties one day after a single unsubstantiated accusation arose that the priest denies.

The archbishop said the presumption of Father Thompson’s innocence must be respected, but that in accord with archdiocesan policies, the accusation was reported to civil authorities for investigation.

“In removing Father Thompson, or any member of the clergy from the ministry in a situation like this, we act purely to ensure the safety of children, families and the integrity of the Church community,” Archbishop Chaput said.

Belgian bishop admits abuse; pope accepts resignation VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of a Belgian bishop who admitted to sexually abusing a young man.

Bishop Roger Vangheluwe of Brugge, Belgium, said in a statement April 23, “When I was still a simple priest and for a certain time at the beginning of my episcopacy, I sexually abused a young man.”

Pope Benedict accepted the 73-yearold bishop’s resignation April 23. Bishop Vangheluwe had led the Diocese of Brugge for more than 25 years.

In his statement, the Belgian bishop said, “Over the course of the last decades, I repeatedly recognized how I sinned against him and his family and I asked forgiveness.

But this did not appease him. Nor me.”

“The media storm in the last few weeks has reinforced the trauma,” the bishop said.

“It is no longer possible to continue in this situation.”

Bishop Vangheluwe said, “I am deeply sorry for what I did and I offer my sincerest apologies to the victim, to his family, to the whole Catholic community and society

in general.

“I offered my resignation as bishop of Brugge to Pope Benedict XVI. It was accepted Friday. Therefore, I have retired,” he said.

Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels held a press conference April 23 and issued a statement in which he said the Church’s first concern was for the victim and his “long Calvary,” which still has not ended.

The archbishop also said that Bishop Vangheluwe has the same right as anyone else “to conversion, trusting in the mercy of God,” even though it is clear that “out of respect for the victim and his family and out of respect for the truth, it is indispensable that he resign” as bishop.

Archbishop Leonard said that in accepting the bishop’s resignation immediately, the pope underlined how “in these matters there can be no procrastination.”

He said he held the press conference because the Catholic Church in Belgium knows that transparency, “not silence or covering up” the matter, is needed for healing.

April 30, 2010

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The Anchor

Our readers respond

Pro Papa and The Anchor There is a very revealing article about the Father Murphy scandal, “Getting the Record Straight,” in defense of our Holy Father, found on the website of the Knights of Columbus: www. kofc.org. I cherish reading The Anchor each weekend. It reveals so much truth that the media does not cover.

Norm Corriveau Norton

The vegetative state and euthanasia In his article in the April 9 edition of The Anchor, Father Tad Pacholczyk makes a good point. The so-called “vegetative state” is a nebulous and inaccurate description. Too little is actually known about the real state of consciousness to determine whether or not the current opinion is accurate. Those who have “returned” from such a condition report remarkable understanding of their surroundings and circumstances. Most of those I have witnessed in such a state seem visibly aware and awake. The only trait that borders on vegetative, as is pointed out, is the inability to communicate effectively. When in doubt, it is best to side with the concern that no one really knows what a patient is feeling, even if the patient cannot physically respond. Convenience is not a good enough reason for euthanasia.

Deacon Bill Gallerizzo St. Pius X Parish South Yarmouth Reflecting on message to the Church of Ireland I read with great interest your piece on Pope Benedict’s pastoral letter to the Church of Ireland. I express deep gratitude to the Holy Father for his thoughts and his words on this painful subject, and to you for citing so generously portions of his very moving letter.

The pope’s message is different from that of the secular media, and the faithful will appreciate it the more after they read it and reflect on it.

Thank you for the good work you do week after week.

Robert Stavrakas Forestdale The need to defeat assisted suicide With the looming specter of a medical system dictated by cost and controlled by bureaucrats, the last thing we need is a change in the law that would strip an entire class of vulnerable people of their inalienable right to life.

Massachusetts law now treats all people regardless of their condition or proximity to death as

possessing lives worthy of protection from harm. But House 1468, now being considered in the state Legislature, would authorize doctors to provide lethal doses of medication to patients with terminal conditions who sought assisted suicide. As the Massachusetts Catholic Conference has testified in opposition to this bill, “Once a society allows one individual to take the life of another based on their private standards of what constitutes a life worth living, even when there is mutual agreement, there can be no safe or sure way to contain its possible consequences.”

Under the guise of compassion, House 1468 would make the law indifferent to whether persons with terminal conditions decide to commit suicide, thus stigmatizing the entire class as not worthy of the state’s full protection and care. The bill is now in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, which has until May 7 to decide its fate. I urge readers to tell the Committee to send this proposal to the legislative graveyard.

Gail Besse Hull Appreciation for stories on religions I want to commend Father Thomas M. Kocik for the articles he has written about the different religions. It has been very interesting information and enlightening.

Carmine F. Gassini Hyannis Port Reflections on social justice The words “Social Justice” have taken on a sinister meaning, echoing the philosophy of Saul Alinsky and Karl Marx and have become cover ups for government takeover of society and

personal liberties. The Catholic Church has long been a target as the biggest roadblock to imposing socialism, with the stated goal of militants to “infiltrate and divide.” Using euphemisms such as “reproductive health care” and “human rights” (where none exist), the onslaught against Catholic beliefs has caused preeminent issues such as abortion and same sex marriage to be relegated to second or third class status — in some circles — far behind “social justice.” Case in point is the imposition of socialized, radical health care.

For the majority of Catholic laity, social justice has another meaning. It calls for implementing our charitable Works of Mercy to the best we are able.

We volunteer at nursing homes, schools, hospitals, senior centers and food banks. We work for St. Vincent de Paul, Pro-Life Committees, parish thrift shops, etc.

And very importantly, every year we donate as generously as possible to Catholic Charities.

Through their work we participate in feeding the hungry, caring for the poor and homeless.

We support emergency shelters and medical care for the ill, AIDS patients and homeless; halfway houses to help those in need get back on their feet; counseling, childcare, education — the list seems endless with what Catholic Charities does with 94 cents out of every dollar we donate.

That is the true spirit of “social justice” — to give knowingly, generously and willingly to causes we believe in, as individuals.

Allowing an anti-God, antireligion government to take our money for its own purposes is a clear pathway to servitude.

Patricia Stebbins East Sandwich

mission accomplished — From left, Daniel Brown, M.D., medical director at Madonna Manor, No. Attleboro; Claudia Levesque, director Social Services, Madonna Manor; and Raymond McAndrews, administrator, Marian Manor, Taunton, recently completed a National Catholic Bioethics Health Care Ethics Program.

DHF trio completes National Bioethics Health Care Program FALL RIVER — Three diocesan health care professionals recently completed a yearlong course administered by the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, and became certified under the National Catholic Health Care Ethics Program.

Daniel Brown, M.D., medical director at Madonna Manor in North Attleboro; Claudia Levesque, director of Social Services at Madonna Manor, and Raymond McAndrews, administrator at Marian Manor in Taunton were sponsored by Msgr. Edmund J. Fitzgerald, executive director of Diocesan Health Facilities.

They join four other diocesan health care professionals in becoming certified by the National Catholic Health Care Ethics Program. Completing the course in 2008 were: Kathy St. Laurent, bioethics instructor at Coyle-Cassidy High School in Taunton; Diane Rocha, social worker at Marian Manor in Taunton; Joanne Roque, clinical services director for Diocesan Health Facilities; and Marianne Sullivan, nurse practitioner and clinical project facilitator with Diocesan Health Facilities.

The National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics provides a year-long program that deals with the major bioethical issues that arise in modern medical and research environments. Father Tad Pacholczyk is director of education at the National Catholic

Bioethics Center in Philadelphia and a priest of the Fall River Diocese.

“I think that the certification program is very important because there are so many ethical health questions we deal with in our facilities,” Msgr. Fitzgerald said. “Being in the long term care industry, we need to have an understanding of the ethical and religious directives (ERDs) and of Catholic principles. We think it is a very important investment.”

The participants went through an intensive, year-long course to achieve their certification that included weekly assignments, online interactions, and teleconferences and a final conference in Philadelphia where each person participated in a one-on-one interview, a mock ethics committee, and the presentation of a thesis paper on a specific topic of their choosing.

Brown is the first physician in the Diocesan Health Facilities system to become certified There are currently four Diocesan Health Facilities staff members enrolled in the bioethics certification program. They are Thomas Healy, administrator at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River; Jennifer Davis, assistant administrator at Catholic Memorial Home; Manuel Benevides, administrator at Sacred Heart Home in New Bedford; and Michael Medeiros, administrator at Our Lady’s Haven, Fairhaven.

Youth Pages

16

April 30, 2010

Locked away for a Holy Week experience

By Bob Di Iorio Special to The Anchor

monster prize — Mira Yin, a third-grade student at St. Joseph School, Fairhaven, is one of 10 runners-up in Scholastic’s Monster Plant Contest. Yin’s teacher, Mrs. Piazza, challenged students to research carnivorous plants in order to write a short story based on the plant of choice. Yin won a library of science books and the book “Monster Plants” by Barry Rice, for each member of her class.

Peter Shaughnessy named principal at Bishop Stang High School NORTH DARTMOUTH — Peter Shaughnessy has been appointed principal of Bishop Stang High School as the governing structure of the school is changed. Kathleen Ruginis, currently the director of Guidance, has been named assistant principal of Academics.

Bishop Stang will now have a president (Theresa Dougall), a new position of principal (Peter Shaughnessy), an assistant principal of Academics (Kathleen Rug-

inis), and an assistant principal of Students (Michael O’Brien).

The structural change is being implemented as current academic principal, Mary Ann Miskel is retiring after 15 years of service.

President Dougall shared, “I am very excited to be working with Peter and Kathy as fellow administrators. The mission and the tradition of excellence this school is known for are in extremely capable hands.”

EAST SANDWICH — Is this any way to run a youth ministry?

First, entice members of the Corpus Christi Parish youth group to the parish center with promises of a memorable religious experience beginning on Holy Thursday. Fifteen youths and a half-dozen adult volunteers agree to stay overnight.

Then, after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, lock them in without access to many age-appropriate electronic diversions (not to mention beds, but more about that later). Set up some ice-breaker games, and spread out food, juice and water. When everybody’s relaxed, Heather Wesp, director of confirmation and youth ministry, organizer of the Holy Thursday lock-in, introduces a former member of the group, now a young adult, who relates his journey from a NowI-lay-me-down-to-sleep prayer life to one of deeper awareness and mature introspection. “You can do it too,” he encourages them, gives suggestions and receives comments and applause.

Next, an adult volunteer provides a musical tutorial on praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and when the kids know the tune, played on guitars by the volunteer and his son, the repeating verses are projected on a screen against a background of the crucifixion scenes from the movie “The Passion of the Christ.” This recitation takes about 20 minutes.

Everybody sings and prays.

At 11:30 p.m. unlock the doors and walk two-by-two in prayerful silence to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the church a few

yards away to join adult parishioners before the tabernacle in a vigil that ends at midnight with prayers led by the pastor, Father Marcel H. Bouchard.

Then back to the parish center for more snacks, schmoozing and staking-out a sleeping territory on the carpeted floor of St. Theresa Hall, girls along one wall, boys on the opposite side, adults in the middle. Blankets are spread, sleeping bags unrolled (one adult with a back problem brought an air mattress) and everybody takes quick trips to the men’s and ladies’ rooms to change into sleeping gear.

General chatter ensues. At 1:30 a.m. it’s lights out and most are quickly asleep, except for one woman — a nurse accustomed to nocturnal duties — who remains awake, reading in a chair by the entrance to the hall through the night.

She rouses all hands less than five hours later. All quickly change into daytime wear and process outside to stand in the morning chill looking east to greet the rising sun with voices raised in recitation of psalms and other prayers. The service is directed by G. Thomas Ryan, a parishioner possessing a seemingly bottomless well of liturgical and historical information.

He talks of the antiquity of sunrise services and explains why Catholic churches are constructed (where possible) so worshippers face east. It’s the direction from which Jesus will come for the second time. Crows land on the church roof. One perches on the cross. The crow is an ancient symbol of Christ’s death, Ryan says.

Now, it’s breakfast time back

at the parish center. The youngsters then are driven to the west bank of the Cape Cod Canal for a seven-mile fund-raising walk, organized by Pax Christi. The walk, a Good Friday tradition for more than three decades, raises money for Haiti. Pairs of Corpus Christi youth take turns carrying a seven-foot cross along the way, pausing several times for readings and prayers at makeshift Stations of the Cross. Many sign their names on the cross, as others have done in past years.

Fuel for the walk is a few slices of bread (with peanut butter and jelly, naturally), some water, a few apples, and the palpable inner glow of youngsters who, with hearts burning within them, have discovered they are capable of a deeper understanding of the existence of God and a keener sense that God, as incredible as it sounds, loves every one of us.

How remarkable is that?

Well, what do you think? Is this a good way to run a youth program? The answer the students gave Wesp was a spirited “Yes,” but they had two complaints: Do we have to wait until next Easter before we can do such a cool thing again? And what can you do about the snoring?

The answer to the first complaint is “yes.” After all, Easter is an annual event. Dealing with the nasal cacophony is another matter. The kids agree the rattling racket arose from the center of the large room, where most of the adult volunteers bedded down. No fingers were pointed, but there are suspects. A suggested solution for next year: Use separate classrooms for youngsters and adults.

their way of the cross — The Corpus Christi Youth Ministry poses for a quick picture before heading off on a seven-mile Good Friday Canal Walk. Most of the teens and adults pictured here spent the previous night “Locked-In” at the East Sandwich parish center.

“S

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Youth Pages

April 30, 2010

Winning the battle for the mind

does not change. Remematan will use any ber, God loved us first. Do means to defeat us. you reciprocate that love in He will whisper words of words and deeds? When the low self-esteem or high selfsecond-graders of my parish esteem. He will try to weigh received their first reconciliaus down with guilt or dull our tion I was told that they were consciences. He will try to move us to lash out in anger or well prepared. But there was something fundamentally convince us to keep our emomissing in their celebration of tions bottled up. He will try this sacrament — declaring any strategy to keep us from their love for Jesus with the using our minds for God’s simplest of words, “I love you, glory and to convince us to Jesus.” That proclamation can make selfish choices opposed to God’s plans. And as a result, we will find ourselves hurting others and being separated from God. So, what can we do to win this battle for the mind?”

By Ozzie Pacheco This is a direct quote from Leo Zanchettin’s book, ‘Taking It Personally: How Your Catholic be a great reminder to all of us that God loves us, too.

Faith Can Transform You.’ — God has a perfect plan I discovered this wonderful for you. “For I know well the book a few years ago and use plans I have in mind for you, it every year as part of my parish’s retreat team formation says the Lord, plans to give you a future full of hope” (Jeremiah meetings. The author refers 29:11). How can a God who to building a database as an loves you not give you everyeffective weapon for winning thing that is good and perfect? this battle for the mind. It is We all encounter obstacles and what St. Paul calls the “belt problems in executing God’s of truth” (Ephesians 6:14). It plan for us. Simply making God is this belt of truth that I also part of the solution to overcomshare with all confirmation ing these obstacles and solving candidates in my parish as these problems is a great place they begin their new mission to start. of evangelization. With these — Jesus has forgiven all sin. truths always in mind they, and we, will be able to choose There is such great comfort in speaking or hearing this truth.

God and reject Satan because We try to live faithful to the we will know God’s love and Gospel of Christ. But, somehis plan for us. times we go astray. Don’t fear, Here is a list of some of because “we have an Advocate these basic truths that we with the Father, Jesus Christ should always be mindful of: the righteous one. He is expia— God loves you. Nothtion for our sins, and not for ing that you do can diminish our sins only but for those God’s love for you. We can of the whole world” (1 John separate ourselves from that 2:1-2). God’s love for us does great love — that’s called not fail. We only need to turn sin — and it’s our choice back to him and reclaim that alone. But God’s love for you

Be Not Afraid

compassionate and forgiving love. He created a sacrament by which we can do so.

— You are a new creation in Christ. Keeping Christ in your every thought, word and action will always lead you to new things. All old things pass away. Let your baptism remind you that you were buried with Christ and that you will also rise with Christ to new life.

— The Holy Spirit lives in you. Do you sometimes say something that awes others … and you?

It’s the Holy Spirit speaking through you. Do you sometimes find yourself in a messy situation and wonder how to get out of it, and then, it actually happens? It’s the Holy Spirit interceding for you. Do you look for the courage and strength to defend Christ’s name and stand up for him? It’s the Holy Spirit confirming your faith.

Do you find yourself overwhelmed with school, work, family or friends? Don’t fear.

The Holy Spirit can accomplish all of this and put it all into perspective, one thing at a time.

No one can say that there isn’t anything in their life that they wouldn’t want to change.

Including God in that transformation can definitely ease the burden. You are a child of God. That entitles you to the truth and gives you the responsibility to live that truth. You have an inheritance in Christ to claim. Claim that promise by grounding yourself in the truth. Then, and only then, can you defend yourself against Satan’s lies and win the battle for your mind.

Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

banking on it — First-grade students at St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro made piggy banks as part of a science lesson and in conjunction with Earth Day. The banks were made from used water bottles and the children used pipe cleaners and wiggly eyes to create the pig’s features.

The lesson included the importance of Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. Pictured is first-grade student Molly Janicki with her piggy bank.

St. Margaret’s School receives recognition in talent search BUZZARDS BAY — St. Margaret Regional School has been named as one of the Top 100 Schools in Massachusetts in the John Hopkins Center for Talent Youth Talent Search.

According to the John Hopkins University Center, “participating at high levels in the annual Talent Search reflects upon the school’s academic quality, student abilities and teacher talent. It also reflects upon the school leadership that encourages students to seek out educa-

tional challenges beyond traditional school walls. It is a mark of quality.”

Paul Hudson, principal of St. Margaret’s added, “Everyone is most proud of the students who have brought this distinction to our school, their families and to themselves.”

St. Margaret Regional School is a regional Catholic school in the Diocese of Fall River providing educational programs for kindergarten through grade eight.

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The Anchor

April 30, 2010

Fall River to host national Teams of Our Lady Conference continued from page one

big plans — An architect’s rendition of the new $19.6M addition to Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River.

Saint Anne’s Hospital breaks ground for $19.6M addition

By Deacon James N. Dunbar FALL RIVER — Their enthusiasm not dampened by Monday’s rain, Saint Anne’s Hospital officials broke ground on an all-new, stateof-the-art Emergency Department and expanded Surgical Center they say will accommodate patient demand and new technology.

The $19.6 million project will double the hospital’s capacity to care for emergency patients and add a suite of new operating rooms, post-anesthesia care units and related renovations.

“These projects are the realization of a vision and a true demonstration of Saint Anne’s longtime commitment to our community,” said Craig A. Jesiolowski, hospital president, who presented a project overview and the impact on the community.

“When the Dominican Sisters started taking care of patients at Saint Anne’s more than 100 years ago, they did so in service to the community. The new Emergency Department and Surgical Center will be an extension of that same noble commitment and enable us to do so in a modern, spacious and comfortable environment.”

The projects, scheduled for completion in mid-2011, are the first of seven Caritas Christi infra-

structure improvements to break ground. They are spread among six Caritas Christi hospitals including Brockton, Dorchester, Norwood, Boston and Methuen. They total 117,000 square feet and represent a capital investment of more than $100 million.

The construction is projected to create more than 4,300 new jobs.

The current Emergency Department, constructed more than 30 years ago, was meant to accommodate 20,000 patients yearly. Currently it handles 36,000 annually.

Similar increases in surgical cases and advanced surgical equipment and technology require the proposed increased spaces.

Dominican Sister of the Presentation Vimala Vadakumpadan, chairman of Saint Anne’s Hospital’s Board of Trustees, told The Anchor, “These additions will make it possible to reach out to many, many more people than when we began in 1906. That was our first vision, and our mission continues with the help of our many employees, with the same vigor. Our ministry is to heal … with the same passion that we have maintained throughout those many years. These new facilities will enable us to sustain the mission ever better than before. Today is a proud moment for us.”

Our Lady’s Monthly Message From Medjugorje April 25, 2010 Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina

“Dear children! At this time, when in a special way you are praying and seeking my intercession, I call you, little children, to pray so that through your prayers I can help you to have all the more hearts be opened to my messages. Pray for my intentions. I am with you and I intercede before my Son for each of you.

“Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Spiritual Life Center of Marian Community One Marian Way Medway, MA 02053 • Tel. 508-533-5377 Paid advertisement

vows for all attending couples; and feature keynote speaker Tim Staples, a noted Catholic apologist and convert who was raised a southern Baptist; music by Father Andre “Pat” Patenaude of La Salette Shrine; and a performance of the “Person to Person: A Mother Teresa Project” by Fall River resident Christin Jezak.

“We expect people to come from all over the country,” Varao said. “We’re expecting 150 couples to attend. We’ll have some children’s programs and hopefully a teen program as well.”

As active members for the past 23 years of Fall River One, a Portuguese-speaking sector of the Teams of Our Lady here in the diocese, Inez and her husband Joe have reaped endless benefits from the movement.

“We were newlyweds at the time when we joined,” Varao said. “We became sector couple for the Portuguese teams here in the Fall River Diocese about six years ago, then we became regional couple two years ago which put us in charge of all of New England. Now with our involvement on the national level, we’re looking forward to hopefully growing more in this area, because the Teams of Our Lady have been a bit dormant in New England.”

Although the majority of the estimated 150 couples in the Fall River Diocese involved with Teams of Our Lady are Portuguese, Varao said it’s a support group that crosses all barriers and languages.

“Our team is very active and we’re trying to get more English-speaking couples involved to spread the word,” she said.

“There were two Teams of Our Lady in New Bedford at the time when we joined and we were the first team formed in Fall River.

Now in the diocese we have 11 teams in the Portuguese-speaking sector and six teams in the English-speaking sector. We’re growing and it’s a movement that’s very worthwhile.”

Noting that the individual teams meet about once a month in alternating couples’ homes, Varao described the experience as a cross between a spiritual retreat and a marriage counseling session.

“The meeting starts off with a meal around a table — emulating

the Last Supper — and anyone who shares in the meal brings part of that meal,” she said. “Someone can bring a salad, a main course, bread, or wine — whatever they want to contribute. Then we have a study we do monthly with a couple of questions to help enrich our lives and promote our spirituality amongst the group.

Everything that is shared during the monthly meeting is kept confidential, so people can feel free and open to discuss personal problems and growth.”

Inez said she and her husband Joe first became involved with Teams of Our Lady nearly a quarter-century ago just to keep God at the center of their marriage and family.

“We wanted to raise our children in the faith and we thought this would give us a good, strong foundation,” she said. “It allows us to maintain that stronghold on each other, so that our children have something to fall back on as well. We’ve seen the seeds of it through our children as well.

We’ve been involved in Religious Education and now two of our children are Religious Education teachers and one a lector and they’ve become more involved in parish work.”

“It’s a good organization that helps couples live a Christian life as husband and wife and also as good parents,” said Father Luis A. Cardoso, a retired priest of the diocese who serves as a Teams of Our Lady spiritual leader. “They are all couples who have faith and gather together to discuss their problems.”

“Every team has a spiritual leader — a priest, deacon or reli-

gious Sister — to guide the couples,” Varao said. “They don’t direct the group — it’s a couplerun movement — but the spiritual leader is just there to keep us on track.”

“I’ve worked with Joe and Inez for years on the Teams of Our Lady,” Father Cardoso added. “They are a faithful couple who set a good example for all Catholic couples. It’s an honor for our diocese to have them named the super regional couple for the United States.”

Varao said she and her husband will be taking on a fiveyear commitment once they are installed in July and they will be responsible for providing important input on what the movement does nationally.

“We’ll be going to the different states to spread the message of the movement and help the local Teams of Our Lady grow,” she said. “We’ll be attending regional meetings throughout the United States and also will be going to Madrid, Spain for our first international meeting.”

Varao also noted that married couples need not be existing members to attend the conference, and anyone who wants to find out more about the organization or the conference can visit the website at www.teamsofourlady.org.

“This would be a perfect introduction to see what the movement is about,” she said.

“It’s not going to save your marriage, but it gives you the tools so when you do encounter problems you already have the support and knowledge to get you through.”

team leaders — Inez and Joe Varao, parishioners of Espirito Santo Parish in Fall River, will be installed during the national conference of the Teams of Our Lady as the new super regional couple for the United States, representing the teams in all 50 states.

2010 Catholic Charities Appeal begins this weekend continued from page one

exists within their own neighborhoods; to help them identify with a “victim” of some circumstance beyond their control, i.e., unemployment, domestic violence, emotional distress, homelessness; to bring them to the realization that they themselves are only one illness or pink slip away from being one of these “victims,” states Mike Donly, director of Development for the diocese.

Matt Dansereau, the director of the Office for Persons with Disabilities, an agency funded by the Catholic Charities Appeal, noted that, “The people coming to us now are those who are middle class or were middle class and are now in situations they never dreamed possible. So many have lost their insurance due to it being tied to their place of employment and they are now out of work. The number of clients we are dealing with is triple what it has been in the past.”

Donly added, “It is so important for parishioners to realize that there are so many clients now looking for services from our agencies who have never asked anyone for help before.

Many who used to be contributors to the Appeal when they were able, are now asking for aid themselves. The population of those looking for assistance has changed dramatically due to the economy both in size and in composition. We still have those who were in dire circumstances prior to the downturn in the economy nearly two years ago, and now we also have the ‘new poor.’ Those whose lives have been transformed by the realities of unemployment, sickness, homelessness, etc.”

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks May 5 Rev. Leo M. Curry, Retired Pastor, St. Dominic, Swansea, 1973 Rev. Albert Rowley, SS.CC., in residence, St. Francis Xavier, Acushnet, 1985 Rev. Raymond A. Robida, Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River, 2003 May 6 Rev. Thomas P. Elliott, Founder, St. Mary, Mansfield, 1905 Rev. Asdrubal Castelo Branco, Retired Pastor, Immaculate Conception, New Bedford, 1980 Rev. Ernest E. Blais, Pastor, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1994 May 7 Rev. Raymond P. Levell, S.J., Professor, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala., 1958 May 9 Rev. J.E. Theodule Giguere, Pastor, St. Anne, New Bedford, 1940 Rev. John P. Clarke, Pastor, St. Mary, Hebronville, 1941

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April 30, 2010

As the central office of the Catholic Charities Appeal spent the past six months putting things in place for the 69th annual Appeal, it did so knowing full well that its efforts, and that of those working within the 91 parish communities, would have to be doubled in order to address the increased number of individuals and families in need and the “new poor” who are experiencing hardships such as foreclosures, unemployment, etc. for the first time in their lives.

The goal of the 69th Annual Catholic Charities Appeal in the Diocese of Fall River is “For Everyone to Give.” The general theme among those who work in the Appeal office is “No gift is too small when offering hope to someone in need.”

Donations to the Appeal can be sent to the Catholic Charities Appeal Office, P.O Box 1470, Fall River, Mass. 02722; dropped off at any parish in the diocese; or made on the Appeal website: www.frdioc-catholiccharities.org

Around the Diocese 5/1

Spring Into Health, a fair presented by the parish nurse ministries of St. Anthony’s Parish, East Falmouth, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville, and Christ the King Parish, Mashpee, will be held tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Christ the King Parish, Mashpee. The fair will include speakers, table exhibitors, and other presentations. A blood drive will take place on-site. For information or directions, visit www.christthekingparish.com.

5/2

St. Mary’s Parish, Fairhaven, will be serving its famous spring parish buffet breakfast Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The menu will include pancakes, scrambled eggs, baked ham, sausages, homemade potatoes, fruit, juice and coffee. A special Family Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. followed by social activities. For tickets or more information call 508-992-7300 or email stmarysfairhaven@comcast.net.

5/7

The Fall River area Men’s First Friday Club will meet May 7 at Good Shepherd Parish, 1598 South Main Street, Fall River. Following the 6 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Freddie Babiczuk, a hot meal will be served in the parish hall, followed by guest speaker, Massachusetts State Senator Kevin Aguiar. For more information or to RSVP, call 508-672-8174.

5/10

St. Francis Xavier Parish, Hyannis, is holding a day of prayer and celebration for the Year For Priests on May 10. It will start with adoration from 1-4:30 p.m., and end with a 5 p.m. Mass celebrated by priests of the Cape Cod Deanery.

5/11

Adoption by Choice, a program of Catholic Social Services, will hold an information session for individuals and families interested in domestic newborn or international adoption, on May 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Catholic Social Services, 1600 Bay St., Fall River. Call 508-674-4681 or visit www.cssdioc.org to register or for more information.

5/12

The Fall River Diocese Divorced and Separated Group will continue its video series with “New Relationships” on May 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 500 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth. There is no charge to attend and all separated and divorced persons are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

5/15 992-9408.

COURAGE, a welcoming support group for Catholics wounded by same-sex attraction who gather to seek God’s wisdom, mercy and love, will next meet on May 15 at 7 p.m. For location information, call Father Richard Wilson at 508-

5/17

St. Mary’s Primary School, 106 Washington Street, Taunton, will sponsor a Golf Tournament May 17 at the LeBaron Hills Country Club, 183 Rhode Island Road, Lakeville with registration beginning at noon and a shotgun start at 1 p.m. To register individual players or a foursome, call 508-822-9480 or visit www.stmarystaunton.com.

5/20 5/21

A Healing Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Church, 818 Middle Street, Fall River, on May 20 at 6:30 p.m. Rosary will precede the Mass at 6 p.m. and benediction and healing prayers will immediately follow.

A retreat weekend for parish workers and religious educators will be held at La Salette Retreat Center, 947 Park Street, Attleboro, from May 21-23. The retreat will be facilitated by Karen Laroche, M.A., and Claire Lamoureux, Ph.D. For information or to register, call 508-222-8530.

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays end with Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays end with Benediction at 2:45 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — St. Joseph Church holds perpetual eucharistic adoration in the Adoration Chapel located at the (south) side entrance at 208 South Main Street. For open hours, or to sign up, call Liesse at 401-864-8539.

Brewster — Eucharistic adoration takes place in the La Salette Chapel in the lower level of Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays following the 11 a.m. Mass until 7:45 a.m. on the First Saturday of the month, concluding with Benediction and Mass.

Buzzards Bay — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every first Friday after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending the following day before the 8 a.m. Mass.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place First Fridays at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration. Refreshments follow.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has eucharistic adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on the first Sunday of the month from noon to 4 p.m.

FALL RIVER — Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover Street, has eucharistic adoration Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady of Grace Chapel.

HYANNIS — A Holy Hour with eucharistic adoration will take place each First Friday at St. Francis Xavier Church, 21 Cross Street, beginning at 4 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Mass every First Friday with special intentions for Respect Life, followed by 24 hours of eucharistic adoration in the Chapel, concluding with Benediction Saturday morning followed immediately by an 8:30 Mass.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the rosary, and the opportunity for confession.

SEEKONK ­— Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish has eucharistic adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day in the chapel at 984 Taunton Avenue. For information call 508-336-5549.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every First Friday at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, 499 Spring Street following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending with Benediction at 6 p.m. The rosary is recited Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 8 a.m.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 5 p.m. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed at 4:45 p.m.; on the third Friday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.; and for the Year For Priests, the second Thursday of the month from 1 p.m. to Benediction at 5 p.m.

Taunton — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m.

Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

Taunton — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WAREHAM — Beginning in May, adoration with opportunities for private and formal prayer is offered on the First Friday of each month from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. The Prayer Schedule is as follows: 7:30 a.m. the rosary; 8 a.m. Mass; 8:30 a.m. exposition and Morning Prayer; 12 p.m. the Angelus; 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer; 7 p.m. sacrament of confession; 8 p.m. Benediction.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. We are a regional chapel serving all of the surrounding parishes. All from other parishes are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

WOODS HOLE — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Joseph’s Church, 33 Millfield Street, year-round on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No adoration on Sundays, Wednesdays, and holidays. For information call 508-274-5435.

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The Anchor

sore sight for eyes — Not even a cherry blossom in full bloom can ease the sting of the sight of a huge bite taken from the middle of the former St. Anne’s School in Fall River, as the building is in the process of being razed. This section housed the cafeteria and auditorium. (Photo by Dave Jolivet)

I

Part of our childhood died

n The Kinks’ song “Come Dancing,” there’s a line about their sister’s reaction when the local teen hang-out was torn down, “The day they knocked down the Palais, part of her childhood died, just died.”

I think we can all relate to these sentiments at one period or another in our lives.

One such instance occurred for me and many others last week as razing of the former St. Anne’s School in Fall River began, to make way for an expansion of Saint Anne’s Hospital.

I trekked to my old stomping grounds to take a few photos of the demolition. Upon arriving, my first reaction was, “Ouch.”

I spent nine great years in the 60s at St. Anne’s, and there, before my eyes, part of my

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet childhood died. Just died.

While walking the circumference of the school, I was brought back to my kindergarten days with Mrs. Bouchard. She was a sweet elderly woman who treated us little rug rats like gold.

I was reminded of Dominican Father Rene Patenaude, a priest who left an indelible mark on my mind, heart and soul. Father Pat could always be found at the St. Anne’s Junior Baseball League games, roaming the school grounds, or in his office on the second floor.

My mind drifted to Dominican Sister Anne of Jesus, a teacher I had the pleasure to have in first and fourth grades. She was a young Sister who made a great impression on her students with her love of Jesus and Mary — so much so, that some of us would visit her during the summer where the nuns lived on the grounds of the former Dominican Academy.

The construction workers allowed me to enter the school yard and I crossed the spot where, in second grade, I won a beautiful picture of the Christ Child for winning a running race against my classmates.

While I was on site, the large front section of the school was still standing, but the “guts”

of the school was just a shell — the section that housed the cafeteria and the auditorium.

What great memories wafted from that rubble. I vividly recalled buying chocolate milk in the cafeteria at recess, and while working lunch duty, opening cans of Campbell’s Soup with huge, monster-like, hand-cranked can openers.

Memories of the auditorium included the yearly school plays, one when I played St. Joseph in the Nativity. I was so proud of that role, only to find out later that the audience in the back could only hear Mary’s lines. Undaunted by that critique, I later played Linus in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

I was brought back to walking on the beautiful wooden floors that creaked when stepped upon, and the smooth, shiny wooden desks. Images of all the Dominican Sisters I encountered while there came rushing back.

Recollections of my first childhood crushes, and my first friends popped into mind, as did watching the 1967 World Series in class with the nuns (in black and white of course — the TV and the habits), and regaling in the Bruins’ 1970 Stanley Cup victory in eighth grade.

There are also the sad memories of the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and how our teachers helped us through those tough times.

By the time you read this, there won’t be much of good old St. Anne’s left.

It was a place where my mom went to school, as did uncles, aunts, my brother, and several cousins.

There are hundreds of us out there who lost part of our childhood last week.

The building may be gone, but nothing can ever take the memories of St. Anne’s School away. Nothing.

April 30, 2010