Diocese of Fall River, Mass.
F riday , January 10, 2014
Annual area retreats aim to fill spiritual needs of diocesan faithful By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff
Yvette O’Neil, a 100-year-old resident of the Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River and longtime Boston Red Sox fan, proudly poses with the 2013 World Series trophy during its visit to the diocesan health facility last month. The trophy made several stops in the area, including Fall River Government Center and the New Bedford City Hall, before arriving at the home for a late afternoon visit. Like O’Neil, residents and staff members were thrilled to get a chance to see and take a photo with the third championship trophy recently won by their beloved Boston baseball team. More photos on page 20. (Photo by Kenneth J. Souza)
FALL RIVER — As parishes in the Fall River Diocese hearken in the new year, the Office of Faith Formation in Fall River is gearing up for its annual weekend retreats held at the Sacred Hearts Retreat and Spirituality Center in Wareham. With one for women and a separate one for men, Deacon Bruce Bonneau, assistant director of the Adult Evangelization and Spirituality in the Faith Formation Office, is hoping the retreats will fill the spiritual need for those “hungry for these kinds of spiritual reflections.” “The retreat experience is different from a lot of other experiences people have in church,” said Deacon Bonneau.
“It’s much more about the search than it is about the destination. It’s much more about the questions we encounter than the answers we’d like to have.” The annual retreats began four years ago. Initially held for men, the feedback was so positive that a few months later, a women’s retreat was held. Led by Father Stan Kolasa, SS.CC., and Deacon Bonneau, the retreats have become an annual ministry, and the men work to design the weekend retreats around a different theme each year, with this year’s theme being centered on the exhortation of Pope Francis, “The Joy of the Gospel” (“Evangelii Gaudium”). “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Turn to page 18
Snowstorm hampers opponents of doctor-prescribed death from testifying By Christine M. Williams Anchor Correspondent
BOSTON — After the defeat of a doctor-prescribed suicide bill at the ballot box a little more than a year ago , legislators on Beacon Hill have introduced a new bill with the same aim. Opponents say that this bill is more dangerous than Question 2, which failed by a very narrow margin — 51 percent opposed to 49 percent in favor — on Nov. 6, 2012. A hearing on the new bill, held at the State House on December 17, ended early due to a significant snowfall affecting the evening commute. Dozens were unable to testify, and advocates for people with disabilities said the snowstorm prevented many more from attending. John Kelly — director of Second Thoughts Massachusetts, a group that represents people with disabilities who oppose assisted suicide — said that the hearing should have been postponed or the city should have done a better job of clearing the sidewalks. Kelly told The Anchor that he wanted the committee to understand that sidewalks were too narrow and many ramps were not cleared that day. “After hearing from people who could not make it, or tried going out and fell on the ice, I felt like it had to be the first thing addressed,” he said. Somewhere between 150-200 people attended the hearing, which began at 10 a.m. and ended around 1 p.m. The
docket included 20 bills that day, but the doctor-prescribed death bill “drew the crowds,” according to Maureen Vacca, director of public policy for the Massachusetts Family Institute. Entitled “Compassionate Aid in Dying,” H1998 would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs to patients given less than six months to live, provided that they are “of sound mind.” The bill’s main sponsor is Rep. Louis L. Kafka, D-Stoughton. Proponents say legalizing doctorprescribed death would give terminally-ill patients peace of mind and control over the end of their lives. They claim its safeguards are adequate and argue that opponents’ concerns amount to scare tactics. Representatives from the Massachusetts Medical Society and Hospice groups testified against the bill. Vacca, who did not get the opportunity to testify, said she had hoped to point out that the new bill is far more dangerous than Question 2. The new bill eliminates the 15-day waiting period, allows the primary doctor to waive the need for a second opinion and does not properly safeguard Pro-Life hospitals. Anne Fox, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, told The Anchor, “This time ’round, you could go in and ask verbally and finish up killing yourself within the day. There’s no waiting period. There’s no second doctor.” Turn to page 14
Father Stephen S. Wilbricht, CSC, a professor at Stonehill College in Easton, signs a copy of his book “Rehearsing God’s Just Kingdom” at his childhood parish in Hanover, Ill., recently.
Stonehill College professor releases book on Liturgy By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff
EASTON — With the recent 50th anniversary observance of Sacrosanctum Concilium, Vatican II’s defining constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Father Stephen S. Wilbricht, CSC, assistant professor of religious studies at Stonehill College, felt the timing was right to remind Catholics of the continual need to deepen and integrate the attitudes called for in the renewal of the Liturgy. “I absolutely believe that celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium demands that we herald the need of ongoing reform with regards to
the Liturgy,” Wilbricht told The Anchor. Further citing a need to help parishioners become “Liturgical experts,” Wilbricht said the Mass should become an integral part of every Catholic’s daily life. “Just as presiders are expected to be able to pray the Liturgy by being comfortable in their role, so do we need to train members of their assembly that their role is essential to the Liturgy,” he added. A relatively new member of the faculty at Stonehill College, Holy Cross Father Wilbricht has just released his Turn to page 14