01.11.19

Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

Friday, January 11, 2019

The Diocese of Fall River’s Catholic Social Services plays an important role in communities across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, evidenced by a sign it sponsored near Fall River’s City Hall. CSS immediately took action following the devastating New Year’s Day fire at Four Winds Apartments in Fall River, providing assistance and information at City Hall just days after the tragic event. — Story on page two.

The Anchor - January 11, 2019

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At left is a building similar to what building 15 at Four Winds Apartments in Fall River looked like prior to a devastating fire that completely destroyed the structure, killing two sisters in their 70s and leaving nearly 80 people homeless and having lost everything they owned. The top two photos show the spread of the building after the Fall River Fire Department ordered the building razed because they couldn’t fight the fire from within, thereby causing numerous dangerous flare-ups over two days. (Photos by Dave Jolivet)

Devastating New Year’s Day fire in Fall River kills two; leaves dozens homeless including diocesan deacon Catholic Social Services and Assonet parish quickly organize assistance plans

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org

FALL RIVER ­— Just hours into 2019 an out-of-control car carrying two sisters plunged into building 15 of Four Winds Apartments on North Main Street in Fall River, breaking a natural gas line and sparking a conflagration that quickly took on a life of its own.

Nearly 80 people were evacuated as a precaution when the accident took place at about 9:45 a.m., not realizing none of them would ever see their homes again.

Five members of St. Bernard’s Parish in Assonet were among the dozens who lost everything in the fire, including a 10-year-old girl and her mother and a diocesan permanent deacon and his wife.

Less than a day later Catholic Social Services was gathering with civic groups to organize assistance plans, and St. Bernard’s gathered a committee to find ways to help their fellow parishioners.

“I was celebrating the 9 a.m. Mass that morning and immediately after I was called to the scene,” St. Bernard’s pastor Father Michael S. Racine told The Anchor. Father Racine is the chap2

The Anchor - January 11, 2019

lain of the Fall River Fire Department. “I’m still overwhelmed,” he said days following the tragedy just three miles from his parish.

“By the time I arrived on the scene the two victims in the car had been taken out. I spent the next several hours just meeting with the families who had been evacuated, providing whatever comfort I could, and just being there for the firefighters. This was a very difficult fire to knock down and the firefighters were exhausted.”

In all, eight firefighters and one resident were brought to the hospital for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation for the most part.

“Six of the firefighters remained in the hospital,” added Father Racine.

“I went and visited with them on Wednesday ( January 2). Fortunately there were no critical cases involved.”

Initially, the fire was contained to a portion of the large building containing 36 apartment units. However unfortunate circumstances made it extremely dangerous to fight the fire from within, forcing the fire crews to battle from the exterior.

The fire continued to spread and those who left thinking they would be able to return their homes lost everyTurn to page eight

Diocese of Fall River Office of the Bishop

Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. January 3, 2019 Dear Friends in Christ, As we begin this New Year, I write to inform you of recent, important steps taken in the Fall River Diocese in our ongoing efforts to foster healing in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis and to provide greater transparency in our response to it.

Last fall an internal review and reorganization of all priestly personnel files in the Diocese was done to ensure all documents were assembled together and in proper order. With input from advisors, I then determined that, in the interest of accountability and transparency, the services of an outside independent consultant were needed for a comprehensive evaluation of these files with regard to abuse. I am pleased to inform you that Mr. William Gavin, an experienced compliance auditor and former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director, has recently begun an in-depth review of all records of the Diocese pertaining to the abuse or allegations of abuse of a minor by any cleric in the Diocese. Mr. Gavin brings much experience and expertise in this work having completed numerous similar reviews for other dioceses. It is anticipated that this review will be completed in the spring.

Upon its completion, the Fall River Diocese will publish a list of clergy against whom a credible allegation of abuse of a minor has been made in the past. While most of these names have already been reported in the media, the publication of a list is necessary for greater transparency on our part in response to clerical sexual abuse. I wish that this information could be made available sooner; yet it takes time and diligence to compile a list that is accurate and complete.

Also in the year ahead, efforts will continue to strengthen diocesan abuse prevention protocols through the work of our reorganized and expanded Office of Safe Environment to help ensure the protection of our youth and vulnerable adults.

CSS announces immigrants and public benefits training session

FALL RIVER — A proposed regulation would make certain non-citizens who have used public benefits ineligible for residency or a visa.

Though the rule has not been finalized yet, lowincome immigrants have already begun unenrolling from vital programs that provide for their families’ basic needs.

In many cases, these individuals make these life-altering decisions based on rumor and incorrect information. In fact, the proposed regulation is not as broad as many people think. By law, many immigrants and benefits are categorically exempt

from the proposed “public charge” rule.

This training, presented

by Lawyers for Civil Rights and hosted by Catholic Social Services of Fall River, will give service providers and community leaders the information they need to promote informed decision-making among low-income immigrants.

The presentation will take place at Catholic Social Services of Fall River, 1600 Bay Street (entrance on Woodman Street), Fall River on Tuesday, January 29, from 2-3:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Schuyler Pisha at spisha@cssdioc.org.

Marian Medal Awards ceremony now available on video

The Nov. 18, 2018 Marian Medal Awards Ceremony is available on DVD from the Diocesan Office of Communications. The DVD cost is $25. To obtain one, please send a check in that amount payable to the Fall River Diocese to this address: Office of Communications, Diocese of Fall River, P.O. Box 2577, Fall River, Mass., 02722. Shipping is included in the cost.

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It is my fervent prayer that this New Year will be one marked by recovery and healing both here in our Diocese and in the Church worldwide.

Please know that you have my prayerful best wishes for a healthy and happy 2019.

Sincerely yours in Christ, +Edgar M. da Cunha Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. Bishop of Fall River The Anchor - January 11, 2019

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Final information night for those interested in next class of the diocesan permanent diaconate program is January 17

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org

NEW BEDFORD — In the spring of 2018 Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., authorized the formation of a new class for candidates for the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Fall River beginning in the spring of 2019.

Since then, the diocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate has held three information sessions for those want more information on the program and the process of becoming a permanent deacon.

The final information night before the Aspirancy stage begins will be January 17 at 7 p.m. at the parish center of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 121 Mount Pleasant Street, New Bedford.

The information sessions are noncommittal and take place to give those who may be thinking about a vocation in the permanent

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diaconate (and their wives should they happen to be married), the opportunity to learn more about what the role of a permanent deacon is, the process of formation and discernment, and what it means to the candidate’s family.

“I tell men who may be interested, ‘Don’t be afraid,’” said Father Robert A. Oliveira, codirector of the diocesan Permanent Diaconate Office. “Some think that only ‘holy-rollers’ are meant for an ordained ministry in the Church.

There is no cookie-cutter image of what a deacon is and everyone has their own talents and personalities, and that won’t change.

“This is just an opportunity to learn more about the process and to determine if they feel they are ready to move on to the first stage in the process, Aspirancy, which is a period of time during which the aspirants are introduced to a deeper knowledge of theology and Spirituality and what the ministry of a deacon is.”

The Anchor - January 11, 2019

“I recall when I was thinking about entering the diaconate program,” Deacon Frank Lucca, codirector of the Permanent Diaconate Office told The Anchor. “I was afraid of the academics.

But I was not alone and I found such great strength and assistance from everyone involved in the program, and it became easier and easier as time passed.

“I’m not saying it isn’t hard work, but it is so rewarding. I have developed such a bond with my classmates and the candidates and with Father Oliveira.”

Father Oliveira concurred, “It’s a brotherhood, and that alone is great.”

The upcoming class, the 10th in the diocese since the permanent diaconate was reinstated in the Church during Vatican II, will be the first class to begin while the prior class is still in formation.

The ninth permanent diaconate class is scheduled to ordain nine men in May of this year.

“We like that there is a continuity with having a new class begin on the heels of the class just before it,” said Father Oliveira.

“There was a time when there was a three- or fouryear gap between class sessions.”

Like the prior three information sessions the upcoming one on January 17 is open to anyone who wants information on the diaconate and the process.

If the person is married, the wife should attend as well. Wives of candidates are an important part of the formation and discernment process. Not only the candidate, but the spouse must be totally dedicated and engaged in the process.

“Each of the sessions are the same so there is need to attend only one,” said Deacon Lucca. “There are many, many questions that are answered at these sessions,” added Father Oliveira.

So far about 30 men have attended the prior sessions said Father Oliveira.

“Our hope is to get more men from all backgrounds and encourage younger men to inquire,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s a big commitment for younger men or couples, but it doesn’t hurt to get information.”

Deacon Lucca told The Anchor that he started the process once and left because he couldn’t make the total commitment necessary. “My wife Kris just said, ‘Don’t give up. You’ll know when it’s time.’ She was right and I reapplied when the time was right.”

Right now the Diocese of Fall River has 48 active non-retired deacons and 38 active retired deacons.

While not required, it’s recommended to let the Permanent Diaconate Office know if you plan to attend so it can better prepare. A form is located on the diaconate website located at frpermanentdiaconate.com.

If after the information sessions are completed and a man wants to continue on to the Aspirancy stage, he must complete an application and obtain a letter of reference from his pastor.

The Aspirancy stage is an eight-week program with two three-hour classes per week. This is when the candidate and his spouse (if he has one) learn much more about the ministry and is when they truly start the discernment process.

“I’ve seen these guys

grow and they are a great gift to me,” said Father Oliveira, referencing current deacons and candidates. “It’s a great gift to me. I enjoy praying with them and eating with them and sharing with them.

They all grow, each in their own way. They all have great gifts.

“They learn theology, but not so much as knowledge but as wisdom. God sometimes whispers to us and the men and women learn to hear that whisper.”

Deacon Lucca and Father Oliveira indicated that an open dialogue with pastors about using deacons is crucial, “That way the deacons are used in a healthy way,” said Father Oliveira.

Another first for the diaconate office is the formation of a deacon council and a wives council.

The deacon council is currently working on a manual for permanent deacons. “It will be nice to have a source of reference for deacons to turn to when they need guidance or information,” said Deacon Lucca. “It’s similar in nature to the one recently completed for priests.”

The deacons are working on the results of a survey of deacons seeking information on major areas of concern.

Father Oliveira said that the wives council strives to be a source for other wives and also for widows of deceased deacons. “We cannot forget these women who gave so much to the Church.”

For more information on the permanent diaconate or to register for the January 17 information session visit frpermanentdiaconate.com or call 508-990-0341.

Dominican Sister to discuss religious life at Attleboro parish

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff kensouza@anchornews.org

ATTLEBORO — Sister Joseph Andrew, O.P., the vocation director for the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist, will be coming to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Attleboro on Monday, January 14.

Sister Andrew will be giving a presentation on the vocation of women religious in the Catholic Church beginning at 7 p.m.

While the presentation is open to all seeking to learn more about religious life, the talk is specifically geared towards young woman who may be questioning, interested in, or actively discerning a call to religious life in the Catholic Church.

“I’ll be speaking primarily to young women of all ages, and I’m sure their moms,” Sister Andrew recently told The Anchor. “I’m very excited about coming to the diocese.”

The Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist is one of the most rapidly growing communities of religious Sisters in the country.

Their membership is also among the youngest. The order’s Motherhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich. today counts more than 100 members with an average age of 28.

According to its website, the origins of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist can be traced back to 1996, when St. Pope John Paul II wrote his apostolic exhortation, Vita Consecrata, calling for a renewal of religious life. Inspired by

his words, Mother Mary Assumpta Long, former superior of the Nashvillebased Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, and three other Sisters of her community — Sister Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz, Sister Mary Samuel Handwerker, and Sister John Dominic Rasmussen — set off to “undertake a new initiative.”

“Four of us founded this community in the Dominican order,” Sister Andrew said. “When a community is doing well, it is sometimes called by God to send out another group to begin a smaller branch.”

On Feb. 9, 1997, John Cardinal O’Connor established the new foundation as a “Public Association of Christ’s Faithful” in the Archdiocese of New York.

After their canonical establishment, the Sisters accepted an invitation

by Bishop Carl Frederick Mengeling to teach in the Diocese of Lansing, Mich. and began to administer the Spiritus Sanctus Academies located in Ann Arbor, Mich. and Plymouth, Mich.

In 2010 the congregation was considering the purchase of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. to be used as a house of studies, but instead opted to build a Motherhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The community’s main apostolate is Catholic education and in addition to the Spiritus Sanctus Academies, they staff Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lansing, and also have small groups of Sisters teaching in the dioceses of Sacramento,

Austin, Phoenix, Peoria, Chicago, Columbus, Gavelston-Houston, and Rome.

They also offer Spiritual retreats and spread the Christian faith by giving talks at colleges, universities, Catholic groups and vocation fairs. The Sisters also host a catechetical series on EWTN entitled “Truth in the Heart” for elementary school-aged children.

The congregation fully embraces the “charism and Spirituality of the Order of Preachers,” the Dominican Order. They have a devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration is an important part of their Spirituality. They also have a “total filial entrustment to Mary, the Mother of God.” Through a profession of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, along with a contemplative emphasis on Eucharistic Adoration and Marian devotion, this community exists for the Salvation of souls and the

building of the Church throughout the world.

Today, 22 years after its founding, the average age of a woman entering the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist is 21 and they currently have 144 members worldwide, with an average age of 32. In August, they welcomed a group of 13 new postulants.

“They come from all over the United States, from Canada, some from Europe, and one from Australia, so God has really blessed us with wonderful young women,” Sister Andrew said.

“They are very talented, well-educated, and some are right out of high school or college. We even have a valedictorian from Harvard. We have

all kinds of women with all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of interests and I think God knows if we’re starting a new community, there has to be a variety of talents and abilities. And He truly has given us a rich, garden variety of different women.”

The Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist are currently expanding geographically, with missions in California, Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Texas and Rome.

St. Vincent de Paul Parish is located at 71 Linden Street in Attleboro. For more information, including directions, visit www. stvincent-attleboro.org or call 508-226-1115.

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Anchor Editorial

Priesthood and the Eucharist

Gary Wills, in a large opinion piece in The Boston Globe on January 4 (“Celibacy isn’t the problem; the priesthood is”), wrote, “The priesthood is itself an affront to the Gospel,” arguing that the priesthood was a mere invention of the Catholic Church, done against the will of God. Later in his column he also denied the reality of the Eucharist being the Body and Blood of Christ.

It is understandable why the Globe has done such extensive coverage of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. When he was bishop here in Fall River, Cardinal Sean O’Malley said more than once that perhaps God was using the news media to purify the Church, as God used pagan kings to purify Israel in Old Testament times. In both situations, God’s followers had strayed very far from the path of righteousness and had ignored God’s repeated warnings. Only an external attack on Israel or the Church might (we say “might,” since it is apparent that not everyone has awoken) somehow wake them up and get them to return to holiness.

However, it does seem strange that a secular newspaper would give such prominence to an attack on two key aspects of our religion — the ordained priesthood and the Eucharist. It is hard to remember any other religion’s basic beliefs criticized in such a prominent way in the Globe. Of course, Wills selfidentified as Catholic, so it is not a criticism from the outside, but from within.

In his attack on the priesthood from a Biblical perspective, Wills wrote, “Jesus is only called a priest in the late and suspect anonymous Letter to the Hebrews, where He is made a priest in the line of a mythical non-Jew, Melchisidek — and even there He is the sole and final priest.”

First of all, Wills thinks that we should reject Hebrews’ testimony, and yet this is a New Testament book which all Christians — be they Catholics, Orthodox, mainline or Evangelical Protestants — accept as Divinely inspired.

There is some difference in the ways in which the various denominations interpret this book, but none of them deny that the Holy Spirit inspired its author.

Secondly, Christ’s priesthood, which Hebrews describes at length, is the priesthood which all Christians enter into through Baptism. It is not the ministerial priesthood of the ordained (which Wills denies is Divinely inspired).

Christ’s priesthood was preceded by the Old Testament’s priests of the Jewish temple. Our baptismal priesthood is higher than that ancient priesthood (not that that was an evil priesthood, but it was just a preparation. The priests of the Jerusalem temple offered to God the blood of animals, while baptized Christians offer Jesus up to the Father in His one sacrifice).

At Vatican II, in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium #21, the Church taught, “In the bishops, therefore, for whom priests are assistants, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Supreme High Priest, is present in the midst of those who believe. For the discharging of such great duties, the Apostles were enriched by Christ with a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit coming upon them, and they passed on this Spiritual gift to their helpers by the imposition of hands.”

Wills claims that “the priesthood was gradually developed in the Middle Ages,” although there is evidence from the first centuries of true distinctions OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER www.anchornews.org

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The Anchor - January 11, 2019

between bishops, priests and deacons. He believes that this supposed development “tended to subordinate all Christian activity to priestly superintendence.

No wonder Church leaders would try desperately to protect this imperial rule over the whole of Catholic life.” While it is true that the laity have often been treated as “second-class” Christians, this does not mean that this was willed

by God nor that such an abuse is a proof that the priesthood is not of Divine origin.

In terms of his denial of the Eucharist, Wills discussed a conversation he had with Stephen Colbert while on his old show, “The Colbert Report,” and after they had gotten off the air. Colbert was defending the reality of the priesthood and asked if Wills would want a priest to be available for him at the hour of his death. Wills said no, since he did not believe in the priest’s power to do anything. Then Colbert asked about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and Wills also denied that.

Wills acknowledged that Jesus did break bread at the Last Supper and say, “Take and eat,” but then Wills wrote, “His real body was there, offering bread as a symbol. If they were to eat the real body, they would have to chew on the offering hand, not the offered bread.”

Of course, Christ did not intend for us to eat parts of Him — as if Jesus were a steer which we would carve up, following one of those old maps of the animal which were used as place mats at the old Hilltop restaurant on Route 1.

In Holy Communion, we are taking the entirety of Jesus into us — His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He came to save us in our bodies and souls (both have dignity, given to us by our Creator, restored by the sacrifice of Our Redeemer on the Cross) and so He desires to be in Communion with us through this Most Blessed Sacrament.

Jesus said, “I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven; whoever eats this Bread will live forever; and the Bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world” ( Jn 6:51).

Wills claimed, “Augustine knew, in the fourth century, that the Eucharist was not the real body of Jesus.” He then offered a quote, but we can also quote this saint in his Sermon 228: “Receive and eat the Body of Christ, after which you have become parts of the Body of Christ. Since you possess life in Him, you will be with Him in a single flesh. That is what the Scriptures proclaimed and the Apostle [Paul] repeated, ‘The two will become one flesh’ (Eph 5:31).

He added, this mystery of Christ and the Church is great.”

The first Biblical account of the Christ bequeathing the Eucharist to us is found in 1 Corinthians 11. St. Paul there handed down to us what he had received from others (since he was not at the Last Supper, but the Holy Spirit inspired him to write down what he had heard from other Christians). Paul quotes Jesus twice, after both offering us His Body and His Blood, saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” The Catholic Church (and the Orthodox Church) does this daily at the altar, where Christ is made present through the ministry of priests. As has been true since Pentecost, our priests need to grow in holiness, but all of us need to grow in our appreciation of the great gift of Christ in the Eucharist (and pray for those who do not believe in it).

Daily Readings Jan. 12 – Jan. 25 Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Jan. 12, 1 Jn 5:14-21; Ps 149:1-6a,9b; Jn 3:22-30. Sun. Jan. 13, Baptism of the Lord, Is 42:1-4,6-7; Ps 29:1a,2,3ac4,3b,9b-10; Acts 10:34-38; Lk 3:15-16,21-22. Mon. Jan. 14, Heb 1:1-6; Ps 97:1,2b,6,7c, 9; Mk 1:14-20. Tues. Jan. 15, Heb 2:5-12; Ps 8:2a,5-9; Mk 1:21-28. Wed. Jan. 16, Heb 2:14-18; Ps 105:1-4,6-9; Mk 1:29-39. Thurs.

Jan. 17, Heb 3:7-14; Ps 95:6-11; Mk 1:40-45. Fri. Jan. 18, Heb 4:1-5,11; Ps 78:3,4bc,6c-8; Mk 2:1-12.

Sat. Jan. 19, Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19:8-10,15; Mk 2:13-17. Sun. Jan. 20, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 62:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-10; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:111. Mon. Jan. 21, Heb 5:1-10; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 2:18-22. Tues. Jan. 22, 1 Heb 6:10-20; Ps 111:1-2,4-5,9,10c; Mk 2:23-28. Wed. Jan. 23, Heb 7:1-3,15-17; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 3:1-6. Thurs. Jan. 24, Heb 7:25—8:6; Ps 40:7-10,17; Mk 3:7-12. Fri. Jan. 25, Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1b-2; Mk 16:15-18.

O

n January 1, Pope Francis wrote an extraordinary eight-page letter to the bishops of the United States as they were preparing to convene at Mundelein Seminary north of Chicago for a retreat with the preacher to the papal household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa. The retreat was suggested by Pope Francis to the leaders of the U.S. Bishops Conference when they met with him in Rome in September about steps to respond to the sexual abuse crisis plaguing the Church in our country.

The pope revealed at the beginning of the missive that his original intention was to accompany the bishops “personally” for several days of the retreat, but that, for logistical reasons, he was unable to fulfill that desire. Instead, he wrote the letter “to make up for that journey that could not take place” and in order to be “one with you during these days of Spiritual retreat.”

The original desire and the length of the letter show that what is happening in the U.S. is not peripheral to the Holy Father’s concerns, but something he considers a priority.

In the letter, he shared some of his own prayerful discernment as to the nature of the crisis and about the proper way to remedy it, hoping that the bishops would bring it to their prayer during retreat.

For someone who has routinely and humbly declared, before and after his election, that his “first discernment” is often erroneous, the letter was surely not meant to end conversation but to begin and nourish it. This is a prayerful conversation — with the Lord and with other members of

Pope Francis’ letter to the U.S. bishops

the Church — that every to come together, on our American Catholic and all knees, before the Lord” and those interested in the reHis sufferings on the cross, form of the Church should so that the we might recogsimilarly enter. nize that Christ is still with Pope Francis makes five us, calling us to conversion main points in his reflecand strengthening us to do tions. the hard work necessary The first is that the most to cleanse the Church for profound response to the which He died. crisis must be Spiritual. It Obviously, to be capable must be done together with the Lord, having lisPutting Into tened to Him in the Deep prayer, not just as individuals as His

By Father body the Church.

Roger J. Landry The temptation, Pope Francis said, is to focus primarily and hastily on administraof this, bishops must be tive actions, new policies good, moral, prayerful men and procedures, and imwho live the faith, not those proved flow charts, as if living a double life as we new procedures and human saw in the case of former procedures alone are what’s Cardinal Theodore Mcrequired. He said that such Carrick, or those who don’t things “can be helpful, love their flock enough to good and necessary,” but, if protect them from known the crisis is reduced to an predators. “organizational problem,” Pope Francis is suggestit would not be grasped ing that many of us might and dealt with adequately. be looking for the Lord’s Everything the Church voice in the “tempest or the does, he says, must have earthquake,” rather than the “flavor of the Gosin a gentle whisper, and, as pel,” something, in other urgent as addressing the words, the Lord Himself crisis is, even more urgent would do. The remedy must is making sure we hear the involve metanoia, he states, Lord so that we will do a conversion that extends whatever “the Lord best also to the way those in determines.” Otherwise, the Church pray, handle Pope Francis warns, “the power and money, exercise cure” may become “worse authority and relate to each than the disease.” other. Otherwise our wellThe second point is structured and organized about the multivalent efforts “will lack evangelical nature of the crisis that power.” the Church is facing. It He says that bishops involves, he says, “abuse of must be more than mere power and conscience and administrators, but those sexual abuse on the part of who can “teach others to ordained ministers, male discern God’s presence in and female religious and the history of His people.” lay faithful.” It also involves The Church’s “primary duty not only the “poor way” that is to foster a shared Spirit those “sins and crimes” have of discernment,” to help been handled, but also the the whole Church “dare “efforts to deny or conceal”

them, a cover-up mentality that “enabled them to fester and cause even greater harm.” He doesn’t explicitly mention the many questions and concerns about the McCarrick situation, and how he was able to rise in the hierarchy and remain in increasingly prestigious positions despite his sexual abuse of seminarians and minors, but it is possible to understand them as described by the sexual abuse, abuse of power and coverup mentality he does name.

The third point is about the lack of unity that Pope Francis thinks may be a worse and longerlasting scandal than the abuse and malfeasance. He describes “tensions, conflicts and disputes,” “contradictions,” “division and dispersion,” “recrimination, undercutting and discrediting,” “gossip and slander,” “hatred and rejection” that have “deeply affected the communion of bishops and generated not the sort of health and necessary disagreements and tensions found in any living body.”

It is somewhat to be expected that when deep corruption is exposed, those not implicated in it want to root it out completely, and can be susceptible to bringing longstanding concerns to the table all at once, with frustration and anger that can truly harm the familial bonds that are meant to exist within the Church. He warns that the “enemy of human nature,” the devil, is trying to exploit the scandals to divide the Church for whose unity Christ prayed during the Last Supper, by leading bishops and faithful in the Church to attack each other rather

than the problems of the scandals and the devil who rejoices in them. This “lack of unity, division and dispersion” are among the “greatest temptations” those in the Church face and Pope Francis urges the Church in the U.S. to focus squarely on remedying it, so that the bishops and the Church they guide can more concertedly battle the situation of infidelity and abuse.

Fourth is the crisis of credibility in the Church.

He stresses that renewed credibility will not come from statements, new policies, marketing strategies or individuals’ own personal or collective good name, but ultimately from the renewal of the credibility of the unity of the Church, what he terms a “united body that, while acknowledging its sinfulness and limitations, is at the same time capable of preaching the need for conversion.” The restoration of credibility will come, in other words, from the Church’s behaving as she always should have been behaving, something that involves not only hatred for sin out of love for God and sinners, but also profound unity flowing from the fact that God is our Father and Jesus entered our world to found a family comprised of those who hear His Word and observe it.

This connection between unity and credibility is ever timely. There are many who do not realize that as they attack the credibility of bishops or priests whom they think are part of the problem — or even attack the Holy Father — they are undermining the authority of every bishop and priest and the whole Church.

Constructive fraternal or Turn to page 17

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CSS, Assonet parish rally to aid victims of New Year’s Day disaster continued from page two

thing when the fire refused to Little did I know that we would have to act so quickly.” be extinguished.

“Fall River Mayor Jasiel Father Racine added, “It Correia and the community was a very difficult day. There development office called were so many things going Catholic Social Services on. My role is to be there to and some other community support the victims and the responders. I don’t want to get partners to attend meetings on January 3 and 4 to orgain the way, but I want to be nize some resources for the there when needed. families who lost everything “At one point during the in the fire,” Susan Mazzarella, afternoon, the fire departdiocesan director of Cathoment was able to collect the lic Social Services told The keys to the apartments of Anchor. those who had evacuated to Those present on January go in and retrieve pets and 3 were, from the Fall River medicines. That was it. Pets Government: Jasiel Correia, and medicines. But after a Monica Sousa, Mike Dion; while there was just so much Fall River Fire Department/ water in the apartments, feet of water, that the crews had to Fire Fighters Wives: Rick Aguiar-FRFD, James Furtaleave.” do-FRFD/FFW, Sharron Father Racine told The Anchor that it must be noted Furtado-FFW; United Way of Greater Fall River: Rachael that these people, including Sirois; and Journey Christian the St. Bernard’s parishChurch: Pastor Mike Pudlo. ioners, have lost absolutely Agencies that were there everything. included: the Red Cross, “A woman came up to Salvation Army, FR Famme at one point during the ily Resource Center, Libday and told me she had lost erty Utilities, Four Winds three pets. She asked me if I could just stay and talk to her Management, FR Health Department, WIC, Fall River for a while. Those are memRe-Creation. bers of the family.

“There were 36 units that “I stayed at the scene from were destroyed in the fire,” about 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. said Mazzarella. “The fire when things appeared to be happened so quickly and so contained,” said Father Raintensely that the majority of cine. “But I received a call to the victims are only left, literreturn when the fire erupted ally, with the clothing they once again at about 9 p.m. I were wearing on Tuesday spent several hours more at morning. the scene being there for the “Of the 36 households affirefighters.

“It’s all part of the job, and fected four families were able to be re-housed in the other I had a great teacher,” Father Racine told The Anchor, refer- Four Winds building where encing the late Msgr. Thomas there were vacancies. The owner of the property, ClareJ. Harrington, long-time mont Management provided chaplain of the FRFD. Within days Father Racine each tenant with $750 cash the day of the fires in addition and his parishioners took a proactive approach to helping to the $125 cash from the Red Cross. the victims.

“Only about nine of the “It’s ironic,” said Father households had renter’s insurRacine. “On the Sunday, a ance policies. There are three few days before the fire, I families staying in hotels, preached on family for the and the remaining tenants feast of the Holy Family. I spoke of how family, whether are staying with friends and family.” it’s blood or community, is A group of St. Bernard’s there to help one another.

8 The Anchor - January 11, 2019

of $4,000 per family ($2,000 if the family has housing parishioners met with Father subsidy); — the United Way — Racine within days and estabmoney to replace driver’s lished a St. Bernard’s Parish licenses and IDs; Fire Relief Fund.

— Fall River Food Bank/ A letter was inserted in the Local Pantries-Emergency parish bulletin the weekend of January 5 and 6 indicating: food when the family reestablishes a permanent “There are envelopes loresidence; cated at each entrance to the — a local area locksmith to church marked ‘Fire Relief help the majority of car ownFund.’ Use the envelopes to ers who lost their keys, fobs, enclose cash, checks payable etc. to the fire, and; to ‘St. Bernard’s Church,’ or — Journey Christian gift cards and either place in Church — clothing. the collection basket or drop Mazzarella told The Anchor, off at the church office during “Four Winds, which is owned regular hours. You can also

by Claremont Management mail your donation directly to the church at St. Bernard’s (this is Pat Carney of the Carney Foundation’s comChurch, Attn: Fire Relief Fund, P.O. Box 370, Assonet, pany) has really stepped up to support the residents effected Mass 02702.” by this. The day of the fire, Suggested gift cards are: Visa, American Express, Tar- they gave each household $750 and today they are proget, Kohl’s, Walmart, CVS, Market Basket, and gas cards. viding an additional $2,800 to each household.

The parish also organized “The fire department two spaghetti suppers with all stated today that this is an of the proceeds going to fire incredible action from a landrelief. The suppers will take lord and their cooperation has place in the church hall on been extraordinary.”

January 18 at 6 p.m. and on Ways to help the fire vicJanuary 19 at 5 p.m. tims include: On Sunday, January 6 — American Red Cross Catholic Social Services joined with other local agen- Disaster Relief. Visit redcross. org/MA, call 1-800-564cies for sessions, held at Fall 1234, or text REDCROSS to River City Hall, to offer assistance and information to 90999 to make a $10 donathe victims. There to help and tion.

— Gift-card donations can the services provided were: — Catholic Social Services be brought to Mike Dion’s office at Room 414 in Gov- Rapid Re-Housing funds ernment Center in Fall River. up to the Federal Maximum

— The Fall River Firefighters Wives Association initiated a GoFundMe page online to help the victims.

The site reads: “In the early morning of the first day of 2019, a fire ripped through Building 15 in Four Winds Condos. Forty-five people have been displaced and have lost everything they own.

Some have lost their pets and are still searching for them.

“Please consider donating to this fund-raiser, no amount it too small, everything helps!

“Donations can be made here or gift cards and monetary donations can be dropped off at Fall River Fire Headquarters at 140 Commerce Drive, Fall River, Mass., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We are a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that helps displaced families recover from fire related losses.

All donations are tax-deductible.”

Donations to the Fall River Firefighters Wives Association’s fund for the Four Winds Fire can also be made at any St. Anne’s Credit Union branch.

Checks can also be sent via U.S. Mail to Firefighters Wives Association, Inc., P.O. Box 423, Somerset, Mass., 02726.

Monetary and gift card donations may also be handdelivered to the Fall River Fire Department Headquarters at 140 Commerce Drive in Fall River.

Representatives from Catholic Social Services met with approximately 16 households who lost everything in the Four Winds New Year’s Day fire at Fall River City Hall on January 6 and 8. Here CSS Basic Needs coordinator Angela Eddings-Clarke meets with a family.

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e have before us the opportunity to dedicate a new year to the Lord; and amidst all the worthy secular resolutions, I would also recommend embracing anew the highest of religious duties — the call to holiness. In all honesty, knowing how we stand before God and recalling our need for humility can easily confuse us about this obligation. Isn’t holiness something we should always shrink from calling ourselves, and even an epithet against people we find too “churchy”?

While humility is essential, so is holiness.

St. Paul writes, “It is in Christ that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish in His sight” (Eph 1:36). Indeed, we have just celebrated the coming of Christ, which took place precisely so that He could create a Church which would be “holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:27).

Thus if He came in order to cleanse us and make us holy, how can we embark on this journey without intending what He intended? It is through humility that we allow God to achieve in us what we cannot do without Him, but to shrink from trying to be holy dooms us from the start. Let’s not make that mistake!

So what is holiness? It is complete perfection, goodness without alloy. We pray in the Gloria of Holy Mass: “For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of

The prism of holiness only exterior, a fiction: it God the Father. Amen.” is established by a legal The Greek source for document, but it does not this word (hagios) literpenetrate the nature of ally means separate from the one who is adopted. earth, while the Hebrew In adopting us, in givword is related to the ing us grace, God, on word for strength or stability. Combined, Aquinas the contrary, penetrates notes, they lead to an other-worldly stability, which in The turn is the two-fold Feminine meaning of the Genius Latin word, Sanctus. The two dimenBy Genevieve Kineke sions, therefore, show us that true strength or wellbeing cannot be grounded the depth of our nature without changing what is in the passing world, nor essential in the order of can it be rooted in Crethis nature. He elevates it ation. It is found only interiorly by grace, to the naturally in God. point that we are truly So how do we become children of God.” Thus holy? By taking seriwe are given the means to ously our adoption, and be lifted up into the Dipartaking in God’s holivine nature, to step into ness. Blessed Columba the holiness of God! Marmion shows how What good is holiness profound that adoption to such a needy world? is: “There is a profound Isn’t this a private and difference between Divine adoption and human personal affair that will help no one but ourselves? adoption. The latter is

Wouldn’t it be better to prioritize Corporal Works of Mercy or communal tasks that are more outward in scope? What good is “other worldliness” in such a dire time — aren’t we actually abandoning others for the sake of our own Salvation?

The marvel of our faith is that the private and personal is also communal in the economy of grace. Just as the constant practice of a pianist in solitude allows him to shower his audience with the beauty of music well-played, the intense prayer and private communion of a believer transforms his every intention into a life-giving gesture. While we carry on all our normal activities to bring human, material, or Spiritual goods to others, these gifts become Sacramentalized while we grow in prudence concerning their

application. And most importantly, the Church through which we praise and adore the One and Holy God is transformed as He wishes, deepening our relationships, imbuing wisdom, and radiating Divine life around us.

As the Church faces a challenging year — no doubt continuing on her path of a painful purification — our greatest contribution will be our dedication to our own holiness. Programs and policies surely have their place, but authentic renewal begins with the heart, and as we “lift our hearts to the Lord,” let the dross be washed away, the worldliness be cleansed, and our defects give way to the perfection God demands. And then will all things be made new. Happy New Year!

Anchor columnist Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman.”

She blogs at femininegenius.typepad.com.

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J

Will the dream ever become a reality?

anuary 15 will mark the 90th birthday of one of my greatest heroes, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As I have mentioned countless times in this column, I still vividly recall that fateful day on April 4, 1968 when a small bullet brought to a halt an enormous heart and an even larger soul.

Rev. King was just 39 years old when he was called from this life way too soon, by our standards, but that’s where we have to put trust in the Almighty Who has everything in order, despite what we humans think.

Rev. King was a Baptist

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minister and a non-violent social activist. I feel his legacy and history become more faded as each year passes.

This giant of a man is perhaps best known for his “I have a dream” speech given Aug. 28, 1963 before a quarter of a million people in Washington, D.C., ironically in the shadow of the memorial dedicated to President Abraham Lincoln, another big-hearted man brought down by a tiny bullet. The words reverberate today as much as they did then: “I

The Anchor - January 11, 2019

have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet

of their character.”

Sadly, not much has changed in this country since those epic words more than a half century ago.

Politics has become

uglier. I can’t recall a time when tolerance of others has been lower.

We live in a country where many people think they are right and everyone who doesn’t think and act as they do are wrong.

Rev. King preached social justice but never preached violence as the way to achieve it.

That philosophy has vanished into thin air. Far too many like-minded individuals have morphed into mobs where anything goes — violence, slurs, lies, vulgarities — all in the name of their cause.

Rev. King once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Oh, if it was ever thus.

If anything, racism against African-Americans has expanded and branched off to include other races, religions, creeds, life-styles and politics.

America was once known as the Melting Pot, for its open arms welcoming those who seek a better life for their families.

That melting pot has

become a cauldron where innocent victims are tossed — simply for being different.

As I grew into the age of reason stage, I knew every human being was one of God’s children, and I truly thought others thought the same.

It didn’t take long before I saw how hateful and vile people can be. I just couldn’t understand it — I still can’t.

In an ironic twist, I fell victim to prejudice and lies as a young man about 30 years ago. I worked for a large insurance company. I became good friends with a coworker who shared a cubicle with me. He was black.

I would play ball with him and had him over my house to have dinner with me, Denise and the kids.

Not known to me, this man was spending his lunch time attending lectures by someone who was teaching that white people were evil and to debase them any way possible.

In short, I was falsely accused of making racist comments and actions toward my friend. I denied it, but personnel “had no choice but to believe him.”

In a small way, I discovered what African-Americans have encountered for so many years. It didn’t feel good. Those prejudices are still happening today to many more people, and it doesn’t feel good.

My hero once said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

I won’t be silent, but instead I stand up for every man, woman and child on this earth, no matter what differences and philosophies separate us. There is no difference to make one hurt another. None. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

T

he bus was filled to capacity and one very pregnant woman was left standing in the aisle up front in the clear view of all the other passengers.

No one got up to offer a seat to her, no one that is, except the bus driver.

Quickly realizing the situation, he brought the bus to a full stop, rose from his driver’s seat and walked back to the pregnant woman. He took her by the arm and led her to his driver’s seat where she sat down and took the steering wheel in her hands. With that, just about everyone on the bus got to their feet, now willing and anxious to give her a seat.

No, this did not happen here in Kalaupapa, though I may have triggered a similar response, even emotions of terror, on that occasion when I took the wheel of the Kekaula Tour bus. This was actually a video that someone had sent me recently via the Internet. It may have been a staged stunt but it evoked in me the Christmas story of “no room in the inn,” as well as the thought of the marvelous influence of a pregnant woman on our world. So, as we do each year on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we again relived this story and celebrated this very special pregnant woman, Mary, and her wonder child, Jesus.

We could say that our preparation for the celebration of this great event began on December 10 when we climbed aboard the Kekaula Tour bus driven by Santa Claus, aka Rick Schonely from Topside Molokai, and went from house to house singing Christmas carols.

There were several lively

Room at the inn

women on that bus wearon the trail between switching various Christmas back two and three which outfits, though no obvitook down the bridge which ously pregnant woman. had been bolted to the face One woman sported reindeer antlers for which I teased her.

Moon Over After touring the settlement for quite Molokai some time, Sister

By Father Alicia Damien and Patrick Killilea, SS.CC. Sister Barbara Jean invited all to share goodies at Bishop Home, Kalaupapa’s Manor House. There’s always room in that inn.

December 19 saw us gather at McVeigh Hall for our annual Christmas Lion’s Club dinner. On arrival at the hall, I was gently chided for being late to offer a blessing but that did not deter me from enjoying the food which was absolutely delicious. Earlier that day I had prayed a blessing at the rededication of the recently-renovated Lion’s Club Ocean View Pavilion.

Christmas Eve has always been exciting for us older folks and as usual we celebrated our first Christmas Mass at 7 p.m. with music and singing provided

by St. John’s Choir from Kailua. Afterwards they provided us with a sumptuous dinner in Damien Hall next door. After dinner the rains came but did not dampen our spirits. The next morning we would have loved to have had children with us to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Savior but, as most of you know, we do not have any children here in the settlement. So some of us act like children which is why our good Franciscan Sisters had us for Christmas dinner following the example of St. Marianne Cope.

Some time on the following day we learned that there had been a landslide

of the cliff. This means hardship for some of the workers from Topside because there will be no access by trail into or out of the settlement. It also means that other hikers or mule riders will be unable to use the trail for some time to come. It has cast a cloud over us for

the time being, but we will overcome, as the song says.

For now we wish you all a very Happy and peace-filled New Year and remember, there is room in the inn here in Kalaupapa.

Aloha.

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

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January 19-20 Catholic Communication Collection supports diocesan TV Mass FALL RIVER — The annual Catholic Communication Campaign collection will be taken up at parish Masses in the Fall River Diocese during the weekend of January 19 and 20.

This yearly national campaign is designed as a shared collection, meaning half of the proceeds stay in the local diocese and the other half is forwarded to the Catholic Communication Campaign office of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference.

The portion remaining in the Fall River Diocese is used to fund the weekly Television Mass, which airs at 11 a.m. each Sunday on WLNETV, Channel 6. The cost for the Television Mass averages $100,000 annually including pro-

duction, airtime and closed-captioning — all of which are handled by

different entities.

In addition to proceeds from this weekend’s CCC

collection, the Television Mass is also supported by the Catholic Charities Appeal.

At the national level, the CCC helps the Church spread the Gospel message through television, radio, print, social networks and the In-

ternet by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference staff and other grantee organizations here in the U.S. and abroad.

To learn more about the Catholic Communication Campaign and the important work it supports, please visit www. usccb.org/ccc.

Donations to support the Diocesan Television Mass may also be sent directly at any time to the Television Mass, Fall River Diocese, P.O. Box 2577, Fall River, Mass., 02722.

This Christmas season Prima CARE, P.C. continued its charitable affiliation with St. Vincent’s Home in Fall River. Donated funds help support the services provided by St. Vincent’s expert team of direct care staff. Prima CARE continues to grow with the community and takes great pride in supporting local area charities and non-profit organizations. Donations were raised at Prima CARE’s 2018 Holiday Office Party with more than 850 employees and guests in attendance. A holiday raffle and the sale of specially-designed Christmas cards resulted in $5,000 being donated to St. Vincent’s. Prima CARE CEO, Richard Mateus, explains, “Prima CARE is proud to continue building strong local ties in the greater Fall River area and to share our corporate success with our community.” Mateus, along with Dr. Martin Fogle, and Samuel Cordeiro, Prima CARE’s controller, presented a $5,000 check to St. Vincent’s Home for services to children, youth and families. For more than 17 years, Prima CARE, P.C. has donated gifts to St. Vincent’s children and youth during the holiday season. Prima CARE, P.C. is Fall River’s largest multi-specialty group with more than 120 providers and offices throughout the greater Fall River area. With facilities in Fall River, Somerset, Tiverton, Westport and Dartmouth, Prima CARE has been committed since 1991 to the doctor/patient relationship through humanism, communication, empathy, compassion and mutual respect, all joined together by trust. Prima CARE, P.C. is committed to the community and the individuals who devote their lives to caring for our friends and neighbors.

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The Anchor - January 11, 2019

W

elcome to 2019!

The years seem to move more and more quickly, don’t they? I look back and can’t believe how long it has been since I graduated from college. I think the older you get the faster time flies! Where does the time go?

Occasionally I will turn to my wife Kris and say, “Did ya ever think?” followed by something that is going on at that particular moment. Did we ever think back 40 years ago that we would be in this place doing what we are doing? Did we ever think that I would be called by God to serve Him and His church as a deacon? Did we ever think we’d have three grandsons? Who knew where life would lead us when we exchanged those Marriage vows? This “Did ya ever think” statement will always cause us to pause for a moment to think and occasionally chuckle. As an example, I once turned to her and said, “Did ya

All that truly matters

help me move forward? ever think that I would be writing for The Anchor?” OK As I was thinking about this, I received one of those Kris, you can stop laugh“forwarded emails.” You ing now! Please! She does know, the ones that say you say that she knows that should send this on to 10 God has a sense of humor friends that you know, by because He created me!

What I do know, is that looking back over all of those years, I certainly can see that I have been truly blessed,

By Deacon and I give thanks to Frank Lucca the Almighty God for all that He has given me in my life.

I look forward to the future midnight, or live with the consequences? Generally, with that same excitement I send them to the trash of my grandsons waiting bin, but since this one came for Christmas morning!

Sometimes life is moving from a trusted friend, I so quickly, however, that we opened it.

It was a list of life’s don’t have an opportunity lessons, written by a to stop, take a deep breath and ponder what is impor- 90-year-old woman by the tant. This is the perfect time name of Regina Brett. The of year, for me, to take stock items listed got me thinking about what I’ve also of my life as we enter the learned. I hope that some New Year. of these lessons learned will Before I can look forgive you an opportunity to ward, however, I have to pause, to sit calmly, and to look back. What lessons ponder what is truly imporhave I learned that will tant to you as we begin this New Year.

I’ve learned that: — God knocks and knocks and knocks until at 11:00 a.m. you open the door; — There is nothing more

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 January 13

Celebrant is Father Robert A. Oliveira, pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Lawrence Martyr parishes in New Bedford.

January 20 at 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Edward J. Healey, pastor of Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.

Be Not Afraid

important than family; — There is nothing in life that God and I can’t get through together; — It is taking me a long time to become the person I want to be; — It is not what you have in life, but whom you have in your life that counts; — The woman I married is my soul mate in every sense of the word; — I need to forgive everyone everything; — That money is a lousy way to keep score; — That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help; — That background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become; — To whom much is given, much is expected; — Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have; — You can keep going long after you can’t; — It’s OK to get angry with God, He can take it;

— We need to be men and women for others; — Miracles do happen every day. Believe; — Proper planning prevents poor performance; — Bread with fiber is more like cardboard with a little bread in it; — It is important to over prepare and then go with the flow; — God loves me because of Who God is, not because of anything I did to deserve it; — If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back; — Time heals almost everything. Give time time; — My daughters, sons-inlaw and grandchildren are a wondrous gift from God; — I need to pray as though everything depends on God, but act as though everything depends on me; — You need to save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. Thank goodness I did; and — Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but fortunately, God never blinks!

But most importantly, the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that all that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Anchor columnist Frank Lucca is a deacon in the Diocese of Fall River, a youth minister at St. Dominic’s Parish in Swansea and St. George Parish in Westport, and a campus minister at UMass Dartmouth. He is married to his wife of 40 years, Kristine, and the father of two daughters and their husbands, and three grandsons. So blessed!

Comments, ideas or suggestions? Please email him to DeaconFrankLucca@ comcast.net

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For and About Our Church Youth

Eighth-graders from St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro delivered holiday cheer to the residents of Attleboro Healthcare in Attleboro. Families from the school donated items such as blankets, slippers, calendars, lotion and shaving cream for the residents to take as gifts for others as well as themselves. After the students gift wrapped the items, they sang Christmas carols for the residents.

Father Stephen Banjare, Brother Tio, and Brother Bill Gural from the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary spread Christmas cheer by passing out chocolate Christmas pops to the students in each class of St. Joseph School in Fairhaven. The students thanked them by singing an Advent or Christmas song.

Members of the Holy Name Ambassadors Team in Fall River helped members of the Knights of Columbus fill their vehicles with food collected for those less fortunate.

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The Anchor - January 11, 2019

The kindergarten students at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford brought some Christmas cheer to vice principal Marianne McGlynn, and her guest with their lively singing voices and musical instruments. Music teacher Rita Campoli accompanied the children with her guitar.

Grades four and five from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford were invited by the Kennedy Donovan Center to sing for the students. They learned “We Wish You a Merry Christmas� in sign language.

For and About Our Church Youth Former Feehan President Christopher E. Servant to be honored with Sister Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award ATTLEBORO — Bishop Feehan High School proudly to announced that Christopher E. Servant, Bishop Feehan Class of 1966, will be honored with the school’s Sister Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award during its “Setting Our Hearts” Gala on Saturday, March 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

Servant dedicated his career, his passion and his many talents to the Bishop Feehan High School community for 44 years, culminating that career with an 11-year run as the school’s first president. Before that, he served in virtually every role at the school — be-

loved teacher, enthusiastic coach, director of Advancement and principal.

Servant’s fingerprints can be seen on almost every development at the highly-successful school over the past 20-plus years.

“Chris exemplifies what it means to believe in a mission and put every ounce of talent and energy into that mission,” said Feehan’s current president, Tim Sullivan. “For Chris, that mission was Catholic education. He believes in it, and he lives it. And he’s a perfect choice to receive the honor named after

Former Bishop Feehan High School Principal Christopher E. Servant is third recipient of the Attleboro high school’s highest honor and will accept award at school’s Setting Our Hearts Gala on March 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

his long-time friend and colleague, Sister Pat. His impact here will never be forgotten.”

Like Sister Pat and like so many of the faculty and staff who choose to make Feehan their career homes, Servant’s time at Feehan was driven by his faith and the chance to share that faith with young people for generations. He shared that faith in many ways, most notably by how he has lived his life and the example he sets for others.

The Sister Patricia M. Harrington, RSM Hero of Catholic Education Award was established

by Bishop Feehan High School in 2017 to honor a champion of Catholic education who makes significant contributions in service of Catholic schools and the Church.

Sister Pat — who passed away in 2015 — was a legendary figure in the Feehan community: her example of faith, love and mercy set a standard at Feehan for nearly 40 years and will be remembered always. Sister Pat herself (posthumously)

was the first recipient of the award.

Servant’s name will join Sister Pat’s and last year’s honoree — Providence College President, Father Brian J. Shanley, O.P. — on a permanent plaque of honorees that will be displayed prominently at the school.

All honorees will be remembered at the gala each year.

“The Sister Pat award is Feehan’s highest honor,” Sullivan said. “Our honorees each year embody the ideals that have allowed Catholic schools to thrive for decades and decades and remind us of the impact one person, like Sister Pat, can make. Hero of Catholic education? Hero of Bishop Feehan? Chris Servant certainly qualifies perfectly in both categories.”

The gala itself has become the central annual community event of the Feehan year, welcoming more than 600 people to celebrate the Feehan community and support the school.

“The Setting Our Hearts Gala is a onenight event that celebrates all things Feehan — our students, our community, our mission, and our vision for the future,” Feehan director of Advancement Dave Curtis said.

Besides the Hero of Catholic Education award, other highlights of the evening will include an elegant dinner, a limited live auction, a $10,000 cash raffle, a live band, dancing and a host of surprises.

For more information and to purchase tickets or tables, visit BishopFeehan. com/SettingOurHearts or contact Dave Curtis 508226-7411, extension 135.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools, parish Religious Education programs or homeschoolers have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@ anchornews.org The Anchor - January 11, 2019

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For and About Our Church Youth

St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro had its annual Christmas pageant recently. The choir accompanied the story of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Chris and was made up of students in grades one and two and four through eight. The third-grade students acted out the first Christmas. Third-grade teacher Lisa Wojes accompanied by Kerri Murphy and Karen Ryan, were producers of the play, while director of the school, Father David Costa, directed the choir. It was a beautiful way for the school community to celebrate Christmas together before the winter break.

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Father Landry’s column continued from page seven

filial criticism on particular points is one thing. Allinclusive acerbic attacks are another. The Church is meant to be the “sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race,” Vatican II teaches, and when we lack such unity, we scandalously obscure God and who we really are as His sons and daughters.

“The greatest service [the Church] offers,” Pope Francis insists, is this service of unity.

The fifth point is about the need for real and affective fraternal communion among bishops and within the whole Church, which is not just the absence of fomented division, but a concerted effort to unite each part to the whole.

There are several elements to this effort: Praying for and with each other. Listening to each other. Giving and receiving help from each other. Working together. Suffering with each other. Exercising authority

in constant reference to the universal communion of the Church. Proper Spiritual fatherhood, conscious of the feelings and disheartenment of God’s people.

Constant conversion. And Mary’s help, which helped sustain the unity of the first disciples.

That’s the communion Pope Francis is praying for that will fortify the Church

to eradicate the abuse.

That’s the communion he is hoping that the bishops and faithful of the Church in the U.S. will discern they need as the gift from God Who wants to help rebuild His Church as a communion of holiness.

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

Anchor renewal and price changes

FALL RIVER — The Anchor has announced a few changes of which current subscribers should be made aware.

At the renewal date for each subscriber, the annual cost for The Anchor will become $25. The Anchor is also offering its readers the option to renew for two years at $45 for 52 issues, a savings of $5.

The date in which the subscription will expire will be listed in each edition above the name and address of the subscriber on page 24.

Subscribers are encouraged to renew their sub-

scription by that date by sending a check or money order for $25 made payable to The Anchor, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Mass.

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We cannot accept credit card payments by phone.

If a payment isn’t received within 30 days of the expiration date, The Anchor will send out one reminder notice.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks Jan, 12 Rev. Thomas P. Grace , Pastor, St. Patrick, Fall River, 1918 Rev. Manuel C. Terra, Retired Pastor, St. Peter, Provincetown, 1930 Jan. 13 Rev. Emile Plante, M.S., La Salette Seminary, Attleboro, 1954 Rev. Ralph D. Tetrault, Retired, Catholic Memorial Home, Former Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 2007 Rev. Michael Annunziato, SS.CC., Damien Residence, Fairhaven, 2015 Jan. 14 Rev. John J. Lawler, M.M., Maryknoll Missioner, 1977 Jan. 15 Rev. Thomas F. Kennedy, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, Woods Hole, 1948 Rev. Vincent Marchildon, O.P., Director, St. Anne Shrine, Fall River, 1972 Rev. Msgr. John E. Boyd, Retired Pastor, St. Patrick, Wareham, 1977 Rev. Harold A. Whelan, Jr., SS.CC., Ph. D., 1997 Jan. 17 Rev. John F. Laughlin, Retired Pastor, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1967 Rev. Daniel J. McCarthy, SS.CC., Former Provincial Superior, Retired Pastor, Holy Redeemer, Chatham, 2002 Rev. Gilles M. Genest, M.S., Founding Director of the La Salette Retreat Center, Attleboro, 2012 Jan. 18 Rev. Paul J. Duff, C.S.C., 2012 Permanent Deacon James Paul Leavitt, 2018 Jan. 19 Rev. Thomas E. O’Dea, Assistant, St. Lawrence, New Bedford, 1999 Jan. 20 Rev. Roland J. Masse, Assistant, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Fall River, 1952 Jan. 21 Rev. Msgr. Henri A. Hamel, USAF, Retired Chaplain, Retired Pastor, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1983 Jan. 23 Permanent Deacon John Cwiekowski, 2001 Jan. 24 Rev. Aaron L. Roche, O.P. Immaculate Conception Mission, North Easton, 1870 Rev. Louis A. Casgrain, Pastor, St. Mathieu, Fall River, 1920 Rev. Edward H. Finnegan, S.J., Boston College Faculty, 1951 Rev. Thomas F. McMorrow, Assistant, Our Lady of Victory, Centerville, 1977 Rev. Cornelius J. O’Neill, Retired Pastor, Sacred Heart, Taunton, 1999 Jan. 25 Rev. Jack Hickey, O.P., Dismas House, Nashville, Tenn., 1987 Rev. David M. Andrade, Pastor, St. Louis de France, Swansea, Founding Pastor, Holy Trinity Parish, Fall River, 2018

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Around the Diocese The 45th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. will take place on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. The Cape Cod Bus for Life offers transportation, (motor coaches) and housing (Hampton Inn).

The bus leaves the Cape on Thursday, January 17, returning on Saturday, January 19. Cost is $320 for adults, $250 for youth.

For more details, contact Kevin Ward at 508-2910494 or email kevin@ccbfl.org.

Christ the King Parish in Mashpee will host A Day of Prayer for Life on Tuesday, January 22, immediately following the 8:30 a.m. Mass, inside St. Jude’s Chapel. Attendees will observe the day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. The Divine Mercy Chaplet will open the hours of Adoration and Benediction will be at noon. All are welcome.

St. John the Evangelist School in Attleboro welcomes interested students and parents to come and see what makes the school special at its Annual Open House on Sunday January 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. Located at 13 Hodges Street in Attleboro, the school is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and includes pre-k through grade eight with a fullday kindergarten and an After School Program.

Interested students are welcome to come and shadow for a day. For more information, visit www.sje-school.com, call 508-222-5062 or email mholden@sje-school.com. Applications are available on the website.

Sunday, February 10 is World Marriage Day. A day of Marriage Enrichment will be held at St. John of God Parish in Somerset beginning at 1 p.m. and concluding with Mass at 5:15 p.m. This Marriage Enrichment is open to all couples, whether they were married in the Catholic Church or not.

For more information, contact Doug and Debbie Sousa at Doug.Debbie.Sousa@wwme.org.

A Divine Mercy Cenacle group meets every Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 306 South Street in Somerset. Meetings are held in the parish center, except for holidays. Meetings include formation on the Divine Mercy message from the “Diary of St. Faustina,” readings from the Bible and “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All are welcome. For more information call 508-646-1019 or 508-672-1523.

To submit an event for consideration in The Anchor’s “Around the Diocese” listing, send the information by email to kensouza@anchornews.org

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The Anchor - January 11, 2019

Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese Acushnet — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Evening prayer and Benediction is held Monday through Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

ASSONET — St. Bernard’s Parish will have Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at the conclusion of 9 a.m. Mass and the church will be open all day, concluding with evening prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John the Evangelist Church, North Main Street, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m.

ATTLEBORO — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Adoration Chapel at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 71 Linden Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

ATTLEBORO — The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette holds Eucharistic Adoration in the Shrine Church every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through November 17.

Brewster — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road, on First Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, every First Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass, ending at 5 p.m.

East Freetown — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. John Neumann Church every Monday (excluding legal holidays) 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Our Lady, Mother of All Nations Chapel. (The base of the bell tower).

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the chapel at Holy Family Parish Center, 438 Middleboro Avenue, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, from 8:30 a.m. until 7:45 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN — St. Mary’s Church, Main St., has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel of Reconciliation, with Benediction at 11:30 a.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of Padua Church, on the corner of Bedford and Sixteenth streets, has Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by music and prayer every first Wednesday of the month from 6-7 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Anthony of the Desert Church, 300 North Eastern Avenue, has Eucharistic Adoration Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Thursdays following the 8 a.m. Mass until Friday at 8 a.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.

FALL RIVER — Good Shepherd Parish has Eucharistic Adoration every Friday following the 8 a.m. Mass and concluding with 3 p.m. Benediction in the Daily Mass Chapel. A bilingual holy hour takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Park behind the church and enter the back door of the connector between the church and the rectory.

FALL RIVER — St. Joseph’s Church has a Holy Hour every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m., with Benediction at 6:45 p.m.

FALL RIVER — St. Michael’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with Benediction at 5:30 p.m.

Falmouth — St. Patrick’s Church has Eucharistic Adoration each First Friday following the 7 a.m. Mass, with Benediction at 4:30 p.m.

HYANNIS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, 347 South Street, Hyannis, has Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 3 p.m., daily Monday through Friday.

MANSFIELD — St. Mary’s Parish, 330 Pratt Street, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Benediction at 5:45 p.m.

MASHPEE — Christ the King Parish, Route 151 and Job’s Fishing Road has 8:30 a.m. Each First Friday Mass ends with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration continues until Benediction at 5 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic Adoration is held every Thursday, with Confessions, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church. Please use the side entrance.

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.

NEW BEDFORD — St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, 565 County Street, holds Eucharistic Adoration in the side chapel Fridays from 7:30-11:45 a.m. ending with a simple Benediction NORTH DARTMOUTH — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ending with Benediction. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available at this time.

NORTH DIGHTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Wednesday following 8:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with Benediction at 5 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration also 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.

NORTH EASTON — A Holy Hour for Families including Eucharistic Adoration is held every Friday from 3-4 p.m. at The Father Peyton Center, 518 Washington Street.

NORTH EASTON — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Immaculate Conception Church Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month beginning after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, until 6:40 p.m. Those wishing to make a monthly commitment can sign up on the parish website at www.icceaston.org or call the parish office at 508-238-3232.

ORLEANS — St. Joan of Arc Parish, 61 Canal Road, has Eucharistic Adoration every First Friday starting after the 8 a.m. Mass and ending with Benediction at 11:45 a.m. The Sacrament of the Sick is also available immediately after the 8 a.m. Mass.

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

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.

Taunton — Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street. Exposition begins following the 8 a.m. Mass. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed, and Adoration will continue throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. Rosary and Benediction begin at 5 p.m.

Taunton — St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton will host Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays following the 9 a.m.

Mass and the St. Jude Novena, until 11:30, ending with Benediction. It will take place at Holy Rosary Chapel during the summer months.

WAREHAM — Eucharistic Adoration at St. Patrick’s Church takes place 9 a.m. Thursday through 7 p.m. Friday. Adoration is held in our Adoration Chapel in the lower Parish Hall. ~ PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ~

East Sandwich — The Corpus Christi Parish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 324 Quaker Meeting House Road, East Sandwich. Use the Chapel entrance on the side of the church.

NEW BEDFORD — Our Lady’s Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street, offers Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For information call 508-996-8274.

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

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 are invited to sign up to cover open hours. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

Visit the Diocese of Fall River website at fallriverdiocese.org The site includes links to parishes, diocesan offices and national sites.

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

The Anchor - January 11, 2019

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

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The Anchor - January 11, 2019