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Diocese of Fall River, Mass.

Diocese to host first-ever Women & Men’s Conference — Page 13

Friday, January 13, 2017

Children at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Attleboro took turns whacking a piñata on January 8, after celebrating the Epiphany at the noon Mass.

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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Ray Veary sent this remarkable photo of St. Mary’s Cathedral (forefront) and St. Anne’s Church (lower right) in Fall River during a recent sunset. The Anchor would like to invite its readers to send us out-of-the-ordinary photos of the Fall River Diocese’s many magnificent churches. The hope is to run one in each Anchor edition. Send photos (one per email at 200 dpi, 8 x 10) to davejolivet@anchornews.org, along with the name of the photographer and the location and church name.

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org

BOSTON — Shortly before Catholics worldwide celebrated the birth of Christ Who came “to bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind”(Lk 4:1819), the four Roman Catholic bishops of Massachusetts took a proactive approach seeking criminal justice reform in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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Mass. bishops, area groups request criminal justice reform in Commonwealth

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., of the Boston Archdiocese; Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., of the Fall River Diocese; Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Diocese of Worcester; and Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of the Springfield Diocese, collaborated on a letter, issued through the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Catholic Church in Massachusetts, addressed to

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

Governor Charles D. Baker Jr.; Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo; Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg; and Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants, mapping out a plan to “join together as one and file comprehensive legislation that reforms our criminal justice system for criminal offenders.”

In anticipation of an upcoming report from the Council of State Governments Justice Center provid-

ing a blueprint for legislative reform, the bishops, referencing the 20,000 men and women in state jails and prisons, went on to say, “While acknowledging this type of legislation will be multi-faceted, covering many layers of the judicial system, we certainly hope and expect that the report and subsequent legislation, at a minimum, will recognize and address critical areas that offenders face every day under the current

judicial system.” The bishops added, “Many of those [prisoners] are repeat offenders who need our help.”

The critical areas cited by the bishops’ letter were: “(1) Repeal the excessively long mandatory minimum jail sentences for non-violent drug convictions by empowering judges to hand down a sentence for offenders on a case-by-case basis and determined by the specific facts and circumstances of Turn to page 15

Area students gearing up for annual March for Life in D.C.

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff beckyaubut@anchornews.org

NORTH DARTMOUTH — It will be “The Power of One” as Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C. is filled with people of all ages during this year’s March for Life (www.MarchforLife. org), an annual Pro-Life rally protesting abortion held on or around the anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion on Jan. 22, 1973 in the Roe vs. Wade case.

Founded by Nellie Gray in 1974, this year’s march is marking the 44th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

The first march had roughly 20,000 people in attendance; this year’s estimates put attendance north of 650,000 people. Due to the upcoming presidential inauguration on January 20, this year’s march was pushed to January 27.

Thanks to a robust promotion in the form of a student-created video, Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth has two buses filled with 100 students and chaperones going down to Washington, D.C. “This year we promoted it a little bit differently,” explained Amanda Tarantelli, campus minister and theology teacher at Bishop Stang. “One of our students, senior Kailee Peixoto, made a promotional video using pictures from previous [trips]. We showed it in all our theology classes.

This is the biggest group we have going from Stang in a couple of years.”

Tarantelli credits the uptick in the numbers to the students watching the video, hearing “the upbeat music; it was just a

fun video,” she said. “They saw the kids having fun and pictures of the march with the huge crowd, and they were like, ‘I want to try that.’ I teach freshmen, so to get them started early — we actually have a good group of freshmen going. We’re bringing 12 freshmen, which is a good number and hopefully we can build from there.”

Fifteen-year-old freshman Phoenix Jade Carreiro is excited to be participating in her first March for Life, an event she has been looking forward to attending for a while.

“I feel so blessed that I am going to be able to experience this wonderful event of solidarity for life,” said Carreiro. “I’m not sure what exactly I should be expecting, but I hope that it will be an enriching experience for my faith. I’m hoping to meet other youths who share my beliefs and also wish to fight for the protection of all life. Above all I just want to leave the March for Life knowing that I have grown Spiritually and that my minute participation has helped the

Pro-Life cause.”

Carreiro offered a few reasons why she wanted to attend: “I wish to go because I want to stand up for my beliefs, and because I believe that it will be a Spiritually-enriching experience. Most importantly, I want to attend the March for Life because it is my duty as a servant of God to carry out His will and defend those who cannot defend themselves.”

Fourteen-year-old Bishop Stang freshman Kaitlynn Peirce said she is open to whatever happens during her first time attending the march: “I am not really

looking for anything special to happen. I just want to experience it and see what it’s like. I hope to gain a feeling of pride that I’m doing my part to spread the idea of Pro-Life,” said Peirce. “I have heard upper classmen talk about their experiences at the March for Life, and it sounds like an inspiring experience. I want to participate in this event because of the bond that I will share with the others who are attending. I think it just catches the eye of so many people, and that it helps spread the message better, especially through the participation of younger

people.”

Father Ron Floyd, chaplain of St. John Paul II High School in Hyannis, has been attending the March for Life since he was in college, having gone every year except for the five years he spent in Rome. This year the high school’s choir trip to sing at the Vatican at the end of February has curtailed the number of students from St. John Paul II attending the March for Life at the end of January.

“It’s less that what I had hoped for, but [it’s due] to the financial constraints of Turn to page 18

Diocese of Fall River

OFFICIAL His Excellency, the Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop of Fall River, has accepted the nomination of the Reverend Alberto Barattero, I.V.E., Provincial Superior of the Institute of the Incarnate Word — Province of the Immaculate Conception, and has made the following appointment: Reverend Brendan A. O’Rourke, I.V.E., Parochial Vicar of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford Effective: December 23, 2016 The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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Staff writer’s loss is pet pantry’s gain

By Becky Aubut Anchor Staff beckyaubut@anchornews.org

FAIRHAVEN — If you own any type of pet, you already know: they are your family. On Jan. 22, 2008, Bella was born among 13 (yes, 13!) wriggling, furry labradoodle pups. When we went as a family to choose our new baby, she was the one pup that came right up to me.

While my oldest daughter petitioned us to select the puppy she had in her arms, I was adamant we take home the pup who had “picked” us. That March we brought Bella home and with that, I had a fourth child.

At the time I was a freelance journalist working out of the home, and with hubby at work and all three of my children in school, Bella spent the next few years on my bed looking at me, snoozing in the most uncomfortable looking positions, and simply being my friend while I toiled away at my computer.

I was the one who taught her to go to the bathroom on command

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so when the winter snow my fur baby saw two of from me; from seeing her swirled around, or the the human babies off to plop herself down under rain pelted us in the face, college while the third the dining room table she and I could do a hit entered high school. Like to watch me make dinand run outside ner, to knowing when I walked if I brought out her. Bella was the the cutting board one who trained she would stand me to recognize guard hoping for that a clock does a donation. Teennot always set the agers aren’t well call of nature, and known for wantthat the sit, stare, ing to hang out and do a weird with their mom up/down move on a regular basis, (which affecbut I could always tionately became count on Bella known as the being by my side “poopy dance”) on the floor or on was a great way the couch, always to let mom know within an arm’s she was ready for reach for an ear or round two. She butt scratch. learned to highCertain dinfive along with ners were her It may not be the most flattering picture of favorite, including sit, and would me (staff writer Becky Aubut), but a reader any time I made force herself onto every visitor can forgive the “relaxed” look while enjoying turkey, and this who came in our the true relationship I had with my dog, Bella, year’s Thanksgivhouse; she made who passed away suddenly, just after Thanks- ing saw the full friends wherever giving. While looking for a place to donate her feast on display as unopened bags of dog food and treats, I found I snuck her pieces she went.

The Pet Pantry that works in conjunction with For me, Bella while carving the food pantry out of Coyle and Cassidy High was my 75-pound up the bird on School in Attleboro. lapdog. I was in that Thursday. I tune with my have always made “puppa.” My days bemy kids, Bella was on soup from leftover turgan and ended with her. my mind every day, her key, and the following For the next eight years, blessed furriness never far Saturday after Thanksgiving found me boiling the turkey while my youngest daughter, hubby and I began putting up Christmas decorations.

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

Bella had been somewhat mopey that day, but nothing raised an alarm until mid-afternoon when she came up from resting in the downstairs playroom, and in typical Bella fashion made a beeline for her mama when I called out a greeting in her direction.

Within a few seconds my happiness turned to horror as I looked at her furry face and realized something was tragically wrong with her left eye.

Instead of it being brown, it was a deep burgundy. I immediately went into a controlled, panic mode, and within 10 minutes I had made some phone calls, and was gently told

by Bella’s local vet to take her to the 24-hour emergency vet services in Swansea.

As with anything that happens abruptly and changes the direction of your life into a sudden, crisis-filled angle, the rest of the day’s memories are of blurb-filled moments.

My struggle to get Bella in the car because it became clear she was blind in that eye and her depth perception was off. Her head sticking out the car window as we pulled out of our driveway and headed down the street. My Turn to page 14

January 14-15 CCC 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 14-15.

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 WLNE-TV, Channel 6. The annual cost for the television Mass averages nearly $108,000 including production, airtime and closed-captioning — all of which are handled by different entities.

Father Robert C. Donovan, former pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pocasset

POCASSET — Father Robert C. Donovan, 74, a much-loved Catholic priest serving the Fall River Diocese for 40 years, most recently as third pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pocasset, passed away on Dec. 30, 2016.

Father Donovan was the son of the late Dr. Robert Joseph Donovan and the late Mary Henrietta (McCarthy) Donovan of Brookline and of Marshfield.

Father Donovan attended St. Mary of the Assumption elementary and high schools in Brookline. He prepared for the priesthood at Newman Preparatory School in Boston, at St. Philip Neri School for delayed vocations, at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton, and at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Md. He was ordained in the Fall River Diocese in 1970 by Bishop James L. Connolly.

In his career, he served parishes in Attleboro, Hyannis, Wareham, North Dighton and for 20 years in Pocasset.

Father Donovan was pre-deceased by his brother Edward and his sisters

Katherine Cullen and Dorothy MacDonald. He is survived by five siblings: Mary Louise Ruth (and husband Vincent) of Dennis; Elizabeth Carroll (and husband George) of South Yarmouth; Frances McManus (and husband Terence) of Mount Sinai N.Y.; Clare Schwelm (and husband Frederick) of South Yarmouth; and William Donovan (and wife Claire) of South Yarmouth. He also leaves many dear nieces, nephews, their children, and many wonderful friends and faithful parishioners.

A Mass of Christian burial was held on January 6 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Pocasset, presided over by Father Greg Mathias with Father David C. Frederici, current pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, serving as homilist.

Donations in honor of Father Donovan may be made to Catholic Memorial Home at 2446 Highland Avenue in Fall River, Mass., 02720.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home of Bourne.

In 1963, shortly after Channel 6 went on the air in the Providence/New Bedford market, the diocese began sponsoring a televised Mass for the benefit of those who are unable to attend a parish Mass usually because of infirmity or advanced age.

In the 50-plus years since, it has been a source of Spiritual sustenance and support for countless numbers of area Catholics.

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 Internet by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference staff and other grantee organizations.

For example, in the past year, CCC funds have made possible: TV and e-books to the faithful in five developing countries; 365 days of audio podcasts and video reflections on the daily readings; and more than 127 million page views on the U.S. Bishops’ Conference website in 2015.

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 Diocesan TV Mass, 887 Highland Ave., Fall River, Mass. 02720.

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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Anchor Editorial

Hope in January

Much has been written about famous people from stage and screen who died around Christmas this year (causing the regular comments about “trifectas” of deaths). Here in the Fall River Diocese, besides the deaths of the parents of some of our priests, retired Father Robert Donovan also has left us (you can read his obituary on page five).

Father David Frederici, one of Father Donovan’s successors at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pocasset, preached at his funeral during the minor snowstorm we had on Friday. He noted that it was “appropriate that we gather for this funeral Liturgy in the Christmas season. This was Father Bob’s favorite time of the year, next to summertime. We celebrate what our patron saint here (St. John) told us. ‘That God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life’” ( Jn 3:16).

Father Frederici reminded us that the Christmas season is “not about passing sentiments, but for the Christian is meant to be a way of life. This joy, hope, peace and faith is rooted in a relationship with Christ.” He then referred to the Breviary’s “Office of Readings for the Office of the Dead,” where St. Athanasius gives us hope. “The dead, now under the dominion of One Who has Risen to life, are no longer dead but alive. Therefore life has dominion over them and, just as Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again, so too they will live and never fear death again. But if this plan does not yet appear to be perfectly realized — for men still die and bodies still decay in death — this should not occasion any loss of faith.

For, in receiving the first-fruits, we have already received the pledge of all the blessings we have mentioned; with them we have reached the heights of Heaven, and we have taken our place beside Him Who has raised us up with Himself, as Paul says: ‘In Christ God has raised us up with Him, and has made us sit with Him in the Heavenly places.’”

Unlike editorial cartoon artists, who normally depict any famous celebrity as immediately walking into Heaven, Father Frederici did remind the congregation that we join together in prayer for Father Donovan’s Salvation, while also thanking God for his presence in our lives: “When we announced the death last weekend [New Year’s Eve and Day], we had people crying in the pews.”

The preacher quoted the Second Vatican Council’s “Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests,” Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 2, “The Lord has established ministers among His faithful. God gives priests a special grace to be ministers of Christ among the people.” Father Frederici placed special emphasis on the last three words, tying into what Father Donovan’s relatives had told him: “Don’t forget, the parish was part of his family, too.”

Father Frederici also quoted a talk which Pope Francis gave last summer to a priests’ retreat, where he said that for a good priest, “his flock is his family. He is not a boss to be feared by his flock, but a shepherd. If at times OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER www.anchornews.org

Vol. 61, No. 1

Member: Catholic Press Association Published bi-weekly by the Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue, Fall River, MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 — FAX 508-675-7048, email: theanchor@anchornews.org. Subscription price by mail, postpaid $20.00 per year, for U.S. addresses.

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PUBLISHER - Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Richard D. Wilson fatherwilson@anchornews.org EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejolivet@anchornews.org OFFICE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org ADVERTISING Wayne R. Powers waynepowers@anchornews.org REPORTER Kenneth J. Souza k ensouza@anchornews.org REPORTER Rebecca Aubut beckyaubut@anchornews.org Send Letters to the Editor to: fatherwilson@anchornews.org

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017

he has to correct, it is to draw them closer [to God].”

“Living the love of Jesus Christ everything connects with this table [the altar] right here. If you want to honor Father Bob, then honor God. Did Father Bob inspire you and offer hope, then tap into that Source of that hope.”

The day after the funeral, a surprising friend of the Church died — Nat Hentoff. He was “a member of the Proud and Ancient Order of StiffNecked Jewish Atheists,” someone whom as a young man was beaten by Irish Catholics in Boston. As he wrote in The Boston Globe in 2001, “I remembered losing some teeth [in Franklin Field] back then to a gang of readers of [Father] Charles Coughlin’s Social Justice, who recognized me as a killer of their Lord.”

From that inauspicious beginning of his life, later Hentoff was to become quite a friend of the Church, although not a member. As a young adult he worked together with Frances Sweeney, a Catholic journalist who labored to end anti-Semitism in Boston. Decades later he began a friendship with John Cardinal O’Connor in New York, with whom he found common cause in working for a respect for human life, from the womb to the tomb.

Although Hentoff did not believe in God, his rational approach to life led him to heed Jesus’ admonition, “Whatsoever you did to the least of My brothers, you did unto Me” (Mt 25:40). Hentoff fought for the rights of the underdog, from the child in the womb to the prisoner on death row, from parents fighting to protect their children from sexual immorality to students desiring to have free speech on campus.

In 2009 Clyde Haberman of the New York Times wrote about Hentoff when he (Hentoff ) lost his column in the Village Voice: “The thing is that, agree with him or not, Nat Hentoff offers no opinion that isn’t supported by facts, diligently gathered.” As Jesus said, “The truth will set you free” ( Jn 8:32). As we pray for Hentoff ’s soul, along with Father Donovan’s and so many other people’s souls, we are reminded of Jesus’ words to (doubting) Thomas, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” ( Jn 14:6).

May we honor God by growing in our knowledge of the truth, living that truth in the family of the Church, recognizing our brothers and sisters who live outside of the visible boundaries of the Church (especially as we live the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity beginning on January 18), laboring to build the beloved community of nonviolence and reconciliation that Martin Luther King advocated, and working to protect the coming into our community of our unborn brothers and sisters (as we mark the sad anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22). January presents to us a lot of tasks that God wants us to work on — but with His help, nothing is impossible.

Daily Readings January 14 — January 27

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Jan. 14, Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19:8-10,15; Mk 2:13-17. Sun. Jan. 15, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 49:3,5-6; Ps 40:2,4,7-10; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34. Mon. Jan. 16, Heb 5:1-10; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 2:18-22. Tues. Jan. 17, Heb 6:10-20; Ps 111:1-2,4-5,9,10c; Mk 2:23-28.

Wed. Jan. 18, Heb 7:1-3,15-17; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 3:1-6. Thurs. Jan. 19, Heb 7:25—8:6; Ps 40:7-10,17; Mk 3:7-12. Fri. Jan. 20, Heb 8:6-13; Ps 85:8,10-14; Mk 3:13-19.

Sat. Jan. 21, Heb 9:2-3,11-14; Ps 47:2-3,6-9; Mk 3:20-21. Sun. Jan. 22, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Is 8:23—9:3; Ps 27:1,4,13-14; 1 Cor 1:10-13,17; Mt 4:12-23 or 4:12-17. Mon. Jan. 23, Heb 9:15,24-28; Ps 98:1-6; Mk 3:22-30.

Tues. Jan. 24, Heb 10:1-10; Ps 40:2,4ab,7-8a,10-11; Mk 3:31-35. Wed. Jan. 25, Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1-2; Mk 16:15-18. Thurs. Jan. 26, 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-8,10; Mk 4:21-25. Fri. Jan. 27, Heb 10:3239; Ps 37:3-6,23-24,39-40; Mk 4:26-34.

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he Church exists for the glorification of God and the sanctification of God’s children, and so it’s unsurprising that in the Church we will encounter those who by the radiant light of good works give glory to the Father in Heaven (Mt 5:16).

On occasion we’re given the rare grace of meeting and knowing those whose holiness will eventually be recognized by the Church for Christians of all generations to acknowledge and imitate.

For the most part, we meet these holy ones in ordinary life, in the modern saints Simeon and Anna who reach the sunset of earthly life dedicating their entire lives to worshipping God and praying for others; in those whose life has been transformed into charity through serving the poor in groups like the St. Vincent de Paul; in salt of the earth men and women who do not compromise their faith, virtue and integrity even under enormous duress, even willing to die rather than betray the One Who died first for them; in spouses and parents whose lives are a commentary on the characteristics of true love St. Paul lists in his famous canticle (1 Cor 13:4-8); in catechists who infectiously ooze the joy of the Gospel; and in children whose innocent, wholehearted love for God or whose capacity for uniting themselves serenely to Him in suffering manifests the full beauty of the Divine indwelling begun in Baptism.

Whether the saints we meet remain humbly hidden or conspicuously can-

The captivating sanctity of Father Sal onizable, knowing them is Muzquiz, he was sent by one of the greatest gifts in St. Josémaria to bring Opus Dei to the United human life, because they are the ones who show us States, beginning in Chicago, where he began to how to live and die so as spread a zeal for holiness to be able to live forever. while getting his doctorOn January 9, we marked the 20th anniver- ate in physics. He then journeyed to Rome to sary of the transitus into eternity of someone whose life had this type of impact on Putting Into me and on so many the Deep others in Massachusetts and beBy Father yond, whose death Roger J. Landry was an exclamation point on a life fully given to God and obtain a doctorate in theothers.

Father Sal Ferigle died, ology and was ordained a I like to say, as a martyr of priest.

Father Sal was a great the Sacrament of Conevangelizer.

He helped fession. On Christmas launch and build Opus Dei night 1996, at Opus Dei’s in Japan, the Philippines Elmbrook University and Australia, in Chicago, Center near Harvard, he was approached by Father Milwaukee, Washington, St. Louis and Boston.

John Agnew to hear his Arriving in Cambridge in Confession. Although 1971, with entrepreneurhe looked a little pale, ial ingenuity, he began he generously consented.

After hearing the Confes- an apostolate among Spanish-speaking immision, giving advice, praygrants. When I lived for a ing the prayer of absolusemester at Elmbrook, he tion, and concluding the regularly pulled me aside Sacrament, he said to and would tell me, with a Father John, “You know, heart on fire, of a converI really don’t feel well.” It sation he had had that day turns out that during the Confession he was having with someone he hoped might enter the faith. a severe heart attack that He was likewise a he kept concealed until tremendous catechist, the Sacrament was comwhose courses and notes plete. He died as a result on the faith were legtwo weeks later. endary among univerFather Sal was born in sity students, lay people, 1923 in Valencia, Spain. seminarians and clergy.

On his way to graduating from the University of For many years, he served as volunteer director of Valencia with degrees in chemistry and physics, he Religious Education and met St. Josémaria Escriva RCIA director at St. Aidan’s Church in Brookand discerned a vocation line. Within a couple of to Opus Dei and to livweeks of the publication ing and proclaiming the of the “Catechism of the universal call to holiness Catholic Church” in 1992, in the midst of ordinary he was already passing on life. At 25, with Servant its fruits. of God Father Joseph

He was a great lover of priests and the priesthood, serving as Spiritual director to scores of priests and bishops. During an age in which seminary formation was unmoored and even counterproductive, he launched an annual Seminar for Seminarians in Pembroke, bringing together seminarians from across the country to hear bishops and great theologians provide what the seminarians would need to serve God’s people faithfully. He promoted my own priestly vocation, serving as my Spiritual director, and — I found out only after his death — intervening on my behalf with then-Bishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., to accept me as a seminarian for the Diocese of Fall River.

He was a modern St. Valentine, introducing many young men and women to each other and guiding them to the Sacrament of Matrimony.

He never kept track of how many couples whose Marriages he helped catalyze, but others number it easily in the hundreds. So many families owe their existence to his love for them and for the Sacrament of Matrimony.

He was a much soughtafter confessor and Spiritual director, particularly to the young, serving as chaplain for young men at Elmbrook in Cambridge and at Bayridge University Center near Boston University for young women. At St. Aidan’s, he would hear Confessions for hours on Saturdays and was known among the clergy as the priest to whom to send the “dif-

ficult cases.” I learned so much about the art of hearing Confessions by going to him myself in college.

Finally, he was a tremendous lover of Our Lady. He used to finish every homily and preached meditation by invoking her with tenderness. Various times when I knocked on his door, I caught him with Rosary beads in his hand. And he had great confidence in her maternal intercession in his life. During a meditation once on the last things, he confessed why he was not afraid of death. After all of the Hail Mary’s he had praised since a boy in his daily Rosary, Angelus and prayers before bed, he said — calculating aloud with his mathematical mind — that when his time would come to meet Christ faceto-face, he would turn to Our Lady standing at her Son’s right and say with filial trust, “Blessed Mother, if I’ve asked you once, I have asked you more than 1.5 million times, ‘Pray for me at the hour of my death!’”

I have every confidence that Mary was praying for him not only 20 years ago January 9, but throughout his life, helping him to imitate her f iat to God’s work within him, her Visitation in bringing Christ to so many others, and her Magnif icat, in never ceasing to thank God for all that the Almighty had done for him.

He lived with a holiness that those of us who were blessed to know him will never forget.

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

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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St. Mary’s to become first solar-powered parish in diocese

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

SOUTH DARTMOUTH — Although the namesake patroness of St. Mary’s Parish in South Dartmouth has often been praised as the “morning star” and described as being “bright as the sun,” it didn’t take much for pastor Father Rodney E. Thibault to finally see the light.

In response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Sí (“On Care For Our Common Home”), the pastor recently had energy-efficient solar panels installed on two of the parish’s four buildings that will power the entire campus and effectively cut their monthly utility bills in half.

“Last year when Pope Francis issued his encyclical I read it,” Father Thibault recently told The Anchor. “I don’t want to sound overly pious, but I was moved by it. You

know, we really all have to do our own part to take care of the world.”

The pope’s simple yet urgent message to respect and protect God’s natural world resonated with Father Thibault and dovetailed perfectly with the Town of Dartmouth’s push for people to go solar during its recent 350th anniversary.

So the pastor did his due diligence by looking into some options for solar power.

“I was a little apprehensive at first, but I did talk to some people from Solar City,” Father Thibault said. “Lo’ and behold, they don’t do commercial-grade buildings. They put me in touch with another company, but it just wasn’t going to work for us. The money needed to buy and install the panels was just absolutely outrageous. So I put the idea aside.”

The idea was resur-

The roof of the parish center at St. Mary’s Parish in South Dartmouth was recently fitted with a series of solar panels by the Fall River-based Alternate Power and Energy company as part of a project to make the entire four-building parish campus the first to be wholly solar-powered in the diocese. (Photo courtesy of Father Rodney E. Thibault)

rected last summer when Father Thibault learned about the Fall Riverbased Alternate Power and Energy and the work they were doing to install solar panels at Holy Name School in the city.

“A representative from AP&E came out and we met and he said: ‘I think this might work,’” Father Thibault said. “They

studied the square-footage that we have — I’m fortunate that we have a totally flat gymnasium (building) which is huge and the roof on the parish center is south-facing.”

Father Thibault was happy to learn that AP&E could install solar panels on the roofs of the gym and parish center that would generate enough energy to supply all four buildings. And they could simply lease them from AP&E. “We have the church, the parish center, the gymnasium and the rectory,” Father Thibault said. “Obviously, I didn’t

want to be putting (solar) panels on the church. It’s a beautiful, little quaint church at an intersection and you don’t want to ruin it. They told me that because of the squarefootage, there would be no problem generating enough energy with panels on just two of the buildings to power the entire campus. So we’ll generate enough energy so the other two buildings will also reap the benefits.”

The other plus was that parishioners of St. Mary’s wouldn’t have to spend upwards of $325,000 to buy and install the solar panels upfront.

“We do not own the panels. We do not rent the panels. We do not maintain the panels.

These are all things a pastor loves to hear,” Father Thibault said. “They own them. But what happens is we generate the Turn to page 19

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017

A year of ‘priori-me’s’

H

appy 2017 everyone! Another year full of ups and downs and here we are, ready to embark on the next 365 days and see all that we can fill them with.

For many there will be big changes, and for others, small changes along the way that will ultimately feel quite big in the long run. As I sit down to write this, I’ve pulled out my own list of “priori-me’s” to remind myself of all the things I want my year ahead to include — with a big emphasis on taking care of myself (thus the spin on the word priorities).

When I look at that list, there’s things like “register for a half-marathon,” “sing at an open mic night,” “travel to at least two new states.” But when I re-read my list I realize that nowhere on that list does it say, “go to Church consistently,” or “pray more, worry less,” or simply, “develop a better relationship with God.” In an effort to take care of myself, I’ve altogether forgotten the One Who takes care of me best. So, where do I go from here?

Well, re-establishing any relationship can be challenging. It often takes a fair amount of courage and humility to step up and say, “Hey, it’s been awhile, and things maybe haven’t always been great between us, but I’m willing to try again.” Just recently, did this very encounter happen with one of my oldest and most meaningful friendships.

At a friend’s wedding — because I’ve reached the phase of my life where I get to celebrate such joyous occasions — someone was watching out for

me when an old friend on our own in a moment stepped back into my life. of quiet conversation.

It hadn’t been since high Just this silent acschool that this person knowledgement of the and I had truly connected, passing of time, of its now and college and life some- seeming insignificance in times distracts you from the face of forgiveness, things that should remain of what might lie ahead a constant. Yet here we were, almost 10 years since the Radiate last time we’d seen Your Faith one another, picking up nearly right

By Renee where we had left Bernier off, laughing and cringing over those high school moments of what at the time for our friendship — isn’t seemed like the whole this exactly reflective world. Things have hapof how our relationship pened in both of our lives with God should be? that make us very different He’s always there, always people from who we once waiting for us to return to knew each other to be, but Him. There’s no time line, what should have come when at a certain point as no surprise (though it God checks His watch never fails to touch me and says, “Well, time’s up, when it happens this way), they had their chance” as was the sincere and genuHe turns His back to walk ine understanding I felt away. Instead, He patientpass between us as we sat ly waits.

As we fumble around, make excuses for doing or not doing certain things, and lose focus — He waits. It reminds me of Tom Booth’s song, “Here I Am,” in which he sings, “Here I am, standing beside, here I am; do not be afraid.

Here I am, waiting like a lover. I am here; here I am. I am here in the face of every child. I am here in every warm embrace. I am here with tenderness and mercy. Here I am, I am here. I am here in the midst of every trial. I am here in the face of despair.

I am here when pardoning your brother. Here I am, I am here.” The song is lovely, and I encourage you to listen to it, as these lyrics have been abbreviated for the purpose of this article.

But for my purpose today, it just serves as a reminder to me that whether I am intention-

ally seeking God out every day or not, He remains by my side. Whether I’m ready to take that step and say those words, “Hey, it’s been awhile, and things maybe haven’t always been great between us, but I’m willing to try again,” He’s there, ready to hear them.

Knowing that, I’m going to look back at that list of “priori-me’s” and re-evaluate what taking care of myself really looks like. I hope you’ll hold me accountable, and I hope you’ll do the same. Blessings for a safe and warm January.

Anchor columnist Renee Bernier is the Coordinator for Academic Coaching at Bridgewater State University. She still works with youth and young adult ministry, particularly helping to prepare high school students for their college experience.

She can be reached at reneebernier17@gmail. com.

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M

any people today believe that moral judgments and values are merely expressions of sentiment. They deny that moral values are fixed or universally true, and instead, argue that we have changing emotions that may or may not correspond to the moral feelings of those around us.

This can play out in various real-life situations when people say, for example, “You can’t really know what it’s like to have an unexpected pregnancy if you haven’t been in the situation yourself, so you can’t tell me it’s wrong to get an abortion.” The morality of terminating a “problem pregnancy,” according to this view, depends

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‘It’s not wrong, if it feels right!’ on “being in the moMacIntyre notes that ment,” and experiencing this emotive approach the mother’s desperation, to moral thinking has fears and sentiments. gained broad societal Most of us, in fact, approval: “To a large have probably granted degree people now think, our emotions leeway to talk and act as if emotivtrump our better moral ism were true, no matjudgment somewhere along the line. We can Making Sense relate to stories of Out of friends who make Bioethics various solemn declarations like:

By Father Tad Pacholczyk “You don’t know how hard it’s been for me in this painful Marriage, ter what their avowed and you don’t understand theoretical standpoint how it feels to fall in love may be. Emotivism has with somebody who rebecome embodied in our ally cares for you, so you culture.” In light of our can’t say it’s wrong for tendency to try to justify me to be in a relationship our misdeeds, it can be with someone else.” appealing to imagine that Philosopher Alisdair ethics are always “first person” — from my vantage point — and to suppose that no one else can identify moral obligations regarding another’s situation. “How do you feel about it?” becomes the guiding principle, and leads to the view that morals are relative, context dependent, and subject to emotional confirmation. Reducing ethics to feelings, however, is a seriously deficient approach to thinking about right and wrong. It also, in the final analysis, doesn’t work.

Imagine what would happen to the practice of medicine if physicians could treat patients only if they personally experienced and felt the diseases their patients had.

Consider the miscarriage of justice that would occur if judges ruled only when they could feel and experience everything

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the perpetrator felt and experienced at the time the crimes were committed, and had to decide cases in line with those feelings. Such sentimentalism completely misses the objective foundations and concerns of morality.

Those objective foundations begin with the recognition that all men and women have a shared human nature, so whatever is always morally bad for one of us will also be bad for any of us. If it is immoral for me to steal the electronics out of your house, it will likewise be wrong for you to rob me or anyone else; and it will be equally wrong for the president of the United States or the pope to do so. If I rob others, it is objectively bad because it harms others by depriving them of their goods, and it transforms me into a thief, the kind of person who cheapens his humanity and degrades his integrity by stealing the goods of others. Even those who believe in a “feelings-based” morality are quick to decry certain actions as always wrong, at least when it comes to their own vehicles and homes being plundered, irrespective of whether the robbers might have their own moral sentiments favoring the practice.

To think clearly about morality, we need to start by acknowledging that certain moral duties do not depend on context or emotion, but are universally bind-

ing on us, having even a “Commandment-like” quality. Professor William May, a remarkable teacher of moral theology at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, had a penchant for choosing clear and memorable examples when he would lecture. He used to tell his students that we all know certain actions are wrong, regardless of circumstances. One of his most graphic examples, recounted by his students even decades later, was his undeniable assertion that we all know barbecuing a baby is wrong.

Similarly, he stressed that everyone recognizes the wrongness of adultery, an act, so often shrouded in secrecy, that attacks the good of our spouse and seriously violates an important and defining personal commitment we have made.

Even if something “feels right” in the moment, it can be very wrong for us to do it.

Quite apart from the context or circumstances, certain kinds of acts, without exception, are incompatible with human dignity because, by their very nature, they are damaging and destructive to ourselves and to those around us.

Anchor columnist Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, and serves as the director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org.

A not-so-perfect Christmas Friday 6 January 2017 — Homeport: Falmouth Harbor — traditional end of the Christmas season veryone who was dreaming of a white Christmas just had to get over it. Here on Cape Cod, it rained on Christmas Eve. At least we didn’t have to rush to get the church parking lot plowed and the sidewalks treated before the Christmas crowds arrived. It may not have been a picture-perfect Christmas, but it was Christmas nonetheless.

Many people have an idealized notion of how Christmas should look and feel. It seems to me that this was, in former days, based on Currier and Ives lithographs. In order to have a perfect Christmas, you needed drifts of pure white snow, a cozy New England cottage with smoke rising from the chimney, a horse-drawn carriage, and children ice-skating on a makeshift rink — even if you lived in the desert southwest. Their lithographs matched the popular tastes of 19th-century Americans. Never mind that the company motto was “Cheap Prints,” Currier and Ives made a fortune. Never mind that the company that produced these quintessential New England scenes was actually located at 33 Spruce Street in New York City. It looked like a perfect New England winter, even if it was imaginary.

These days we have the works of the late Thomas Kinkade, “the painter of light.” Thom lived and died in sunny California. Nonetheless, his New England Christmas scenes at least look perfect. By the way, Thomas Kinkade also made a fortune.

We also have those TV shopping networks and online retailers inspiring us to have a perfect Christmas.

We just need one of those “LED lighted ugly Christmas sweaters.”

That should win the prize at the holiday party. Another must-have is a “star shower deluxe motion outdoor laser light with remote control.” That would surely impress our neighbors and friends. How about a “fiber-optic lit canvas art happy snowman” to hang over the living room couch? It’s the perfect finishing touch.

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I am not making this up. All Christmas was as imperfect as ever. of these items were available this At the children’s pageant, in all the Christmas season. I suppose at this excitement, the designated child point they are drastically reduced failed to place infant Jesus in the in price. It’s parish mantoo late for ger scene. this year, but No problem.

The Ship’s Log buy now and Jesus just arReflections of a maybe next rived an hour Parish Priest year you will later than have a perfect expected.

By Father Tim Christmas.

Goldrick At MidYou can night Mass, get further as we were insight by binge watching old about to intone the Gloria, everyChristmas movies. I had no idea so thing stopped short. None of the many films on the subject had been musicians had their music handy. produced. Almost every film shows The angel sang, “Glory to God in a perfect Christmas. What? Your the Highest” in Bethlehem. Here Christmas didn’t look like any of in Falmouth, we just recited it. It them? There’s always next year.

Before next Christmas arrives, be sure to seek instruction from that guru of perfection — Martha Stewart. Who knew you could hand-stencil your tablecloth to match your Christmas china (or is it the other way around)? And who would have thought of a lime green Christmas tree with ornaments of bright teal and Pepto-Bismol pink?

How crafty to construct a three-foot cone of cranberries and toothpicks as a centerpiece. The battery operated mini-lights are just the right touch. You didn’t do any of this?

Well, maybe next year.

I have, dear readers, come to realize that, no matter how much I stress out about the details, there is no such thing as a perfect Christmas.

One year, the florist loaded our poinsettias out in the van the night before delivery. Unfortunately, the overnight temperature dipped into the teens. We had withered black poinsettias in the Sanctuary that Christmas. It didn’t start a trend — although I once saw a jet black Christmas tree.

And what happens when you go to incense the altar on Christmas Eve and the charcoal is stone-cold?

In all the confusion, somebody forgot to light it. You just swing the thurible and pretend the incense is burning. Not to worry, some people will cough anyway.

This year, here at St. Patrick,

was the best we could do, given the circumstances.

Finally, at the 11 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day, our bell choir was all set to go. There was one problem. The hand bells were locked in a closet. Nobody could find the key.

All of our Christmas plans get smudged with human fingerprints.

None of them ever turn out perfectly. This is due to the fact that we ourselves are far from perfect. We will not be perfect next Christmas, either.

And that, dear readers, is precisely why God became Man. Anchor columnist Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Falmouth.

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S

Vintage time in Kalawao

he hopped out of her red vintage pickup truck and, having surveyed the situation, sprang into action. Streams of water were pouring down Damien Road and out of the Baldwin Home field opposite St. Philomena Church. Unfazed by the water and the mud, she picked up some rocks and

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placed them behind the Adam produced a rope, rear tires of the truck to connected the stuck truck help with traction as the to his super Ram pickup truck had become mired and, with a mighty push in the muddy road.

She had already called for help Moon Over and soon Ken, Molokai our administraBy Father tor, arrived on the Patrick Killilea, SS.CC. scene followed by park ranger Adam.

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from Ken and yours truly, the sunken vehicle was soon freed and rolling up the hill toward Siloama Church. Like the tried and tested veteran that she is, Meli Watanuki had overcome one more obstacle on the road of life.

Meli is always in action some place. On December 21 she had wielded the donation basket at the annual Lions Club dinner and at the same time entertained us with a dancing motion which could be termed a cross between the Hula and the Watusi. I told her that she should get up onto the table so that all could see her but she declined. On consecutive Saturdays she had spearheaded the preparation and the decoration of St. Francis Church for the Christmas season and still had found time and energy to perform all the other services she does so

faithfully.

Now, on New Year’s day, she had driven out to Kalawao on a road that compares to an Irish bog road in winter to check on St. Philomena Church and to feed its resident cat, Kalawao. It had been raining heavily for two days, so there were streams of water running down the mountain cliffs, creating havoc with the gravel and dirt road. Meli, however, is quite the soldier and was even laughing at times as we worked to free her truck from the mud. Just as she does so many times for our church and for this community, she had provided a little adventure for Ken, Adam, and myself on this day, New Year’s day 2017.

And now she was on her way to her next adventure.

It had been vintage Meli.

Aloha.

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

Diocese to host first-ever Women and Men’s Conference Noted speakers, Mass, Reconciliation aimed at preparing faithful for Holy Week, Easter

By Dave Jolivet Anchor Editor davejolivet@anchornews.org

NORTH EASTON — Early in this upcoming Lenten season, the Diocese of Fall River is offering area faithful the opportunity to gather for prayer, worship music, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Mass, and hearing the messages of several noted speakers.

The inaugural Diocese of Fall River Women and Men’s Conference will take place March 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stonehill College in North Easton.

In a letter to his brother priests announcing the event, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., said, “As you begin to plan Lenten observances, activities and prayer time within your parishes, I write to remind you of a diocesan event that will be held at Stonehill College on Saturday, March 11, 2017.

“It is my hope that you will invite your parishioners to participate in the Women and Men’s Conference which will offer them the opportunity to prepare for the celebration of Holy Week and Easter.”

The theme of the conference is “Thirsting for hope — Can you drink the cup I drink?”

Conference committee chairperson Beth Mahoney explained how the theme was chosen. “After a good discussion with the committee members we looked at the time of year — the fact that we are just coming off the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy Year, and that we wanted to offer women and men a message of hope — of God’s mercy, love and

forgiveness,” she told The Anchor.

Slated to speak are Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., of the Boston

Theological Seminary in New York City; and has a master of arts degree in Religion and Religious Education from Fordham

Cardinal O’Malley Sister Terry Rickard

Archdiocese and the former Bishop of Fall River; Sister Theresa Rickard, O.P.; ValLimar Jansen; and Michael Cumbie.

Each of the presenters will address the theme topic.

Sister Rickard is a Dominican Sister and is president of RENEW International. According to its website (renewintl. org), it is “a Roman Catholic ministry organization aimed at fostering renewal in the Catholic tradition by empowering individuals and communities to encounter God in everyday life, deepen and share faith, and connect faith in action.”

Sister Rickard holds a doctor of ministry in preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis; earned a masters in Divinity at Union

several Liturgical conferences in California. She has several CD releases, including “From Near and Far,” and “Catholic Clas-

ValLimar Jansen

University.

She is a renowned retreat-leader and dynamic speaker.

According to the GIA Publications website, ValLimar Jansen, who has sung Sacred music since the age of five, is a fine arts major from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She has a B.A. from California State University; a masters from the University of California, Santa Barbara; and is near completion of her Ph.D. in dramatic arts, also from UCal-Santa Barbara.

She has sung and toured as a professional throughout the U.S., Europe and Japan. She has performed in a Broadway touring cast of “Raisin,” and has coauthored a musical on the life of Ethel Waters.

Jansen has cantored at

Michael Cumbie

sics: African American.”

She is a college/university professor, a leader of worship and prayer, and a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. Michael Cumbie is a

native of the deep South, with a strong Southern Baptist tradition influence.

He began preaching the Gospel at age 14, and, according to cmgbooking. com, at the age of 19 experienced “a lifechanging charismatic encounter with the Holy Spirit. Increasingly dissatisfied with fundamentalist, evangelical preaching of the Gospel, he began to understand just exactly how the early Church had worshiped with its signs and symbols — and its focus on the Eucharist.”

A Protestant minister for 23 years, Cumbie grew to realize he longed to become a member of the Catholic Church, and Turn to page 23

Visit us online at www.anchornews.org The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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Staff writer’s loss is pet pantry’s gainß continued from page four

derpy dog having energy enough to sniff around this new environment of the waiting room of the emergency vet, and rip two decorative ornaments off their Christmas tree, but being unable to see the scale to be weighed by the vet technician.

Once we made it into the exam room, blood was drawn. I remember petting her nonstop as we waited for the results, and realizing her gums were bleeding. Questions were asked, and possibilities weighed. My girls and hubby all sending texts, asking if I knew anything.

Bella was admitted and I left with her leash and dog collar — two items we bought the day we picked her out from her litter mates. As I drove away, I reassured myself that they wouldn’t have let me leave if it was serious.

I remember seeing my youngest daughter’s face when I came home; the tears of both girls as I explained Bella was in the best place she could be at the moment. I called the ER vet around 9 p.m. to check up on her; by 11 p.m., I received a call telling me things had taken a turn for the worse. At 1 a.m., the call came that I needed to sign off on an expensive, last-ditch treatment to save her, and without hesitation I told them to do what they could. And at 3:30 a.m., that early Sunday morning, the final phone call came, and my crying woke up my youngest daughter.

We woke up the rest of the family with the sad news — Bella was gone.

The final diagnosis was immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, a fast-acting, 14

autoimmune disorder in which a dog’s body attacks its own blood platelets. Platelets are needed for blood clotting, and while some dogs’ symptoms can be controlled by medicine, most dogs succumb to the disease.

Articles about the disease state that it can be triggered by vaccinations, but Bella had been vaccinated many months before, so we will never know what triggered her immune system to go haywire.

Bella was our first family dog, and the pain of losing her honestly took my breath away. Hours after that final phone call I was on the road bringing my oldest daughter back to college; a fourhour round trip that was full of tears. I came into work the following day and my fellow Anchor peeps rallied their support.

What hurt the most were the constant reminders — Bella’s crate, her toys, her favorite bones still in their package, and especially the two large bags of recently ordered dog food that would be forever unopened in our garage.

I couldn’t just throw these things out, so I set about looking for a place that would take these items, and after a quick Google search, found The Pet Pantry (www.

HelpFeedPets.org), a volunteer run ministry that distributes a variety of pet food and treats on the last Saturday of every month at Coyle and Cassidy High School in Attleboro. Open to any family in need, to qualify for food from The Pet Pantry, a family must be eligible to receive

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

food from the Coyle and Cassidy Food Pantry.

Formally created in 2009 by Jessica Stone when she was a student at Coyle and Cassidy High School, Stone took over for a student who was paying for pet food out of her own pocket and giving it away when the food pantry was open.

“When she graduated, she no longer had the time for it, so I took it on,” explained Stone.

“However, I didn’t have the financial means to purchase food on my own.”

For the next year, Stone did the research and created the 501(c) nonprofit on her own, and “Mr. Cote graciously allowed me to operate that through the food pantry as a separate entity,” she said of Michael Cote, a teacher at Coyle and Cassidy and the food pantry director.

Getting The Pet Pantry off the ground wasn’t as easy as she thought, though: “I thought, as a student, I could go out, get some donations, buy some pet food, and give it away,” said Stone. “I realized very quickly that it was really difficult, and that people don’t want to give you money not knowing who you are. I was doing it on my own with the food pantry, and Mr. Cote didn’t want to redirect any funds away from the food pantry, which is totally understandable because what they do is wonderful.”

Once she got the nonprofit status — again, not an easy task as a sophomore in high school — she was able to gain traction. Already a volunteer at area animal shel-

ters, she began to put up flyers and posters. Stone also worked at an animal hospital in Stoughton, and they also allowed her to post up information and place bins for donated items. Area businesses also placed bins, plus Stone also won a onetime grant to help supply food.

“Then Petco in Mansfield and in Taunton actually partnered with my company, and they used to run a program where for every can of food you bought, they would donate a treat, toy or sometimes cans of food,” said Stone, adding that neither Petco does that any longer, but that individuals “can still go in, buy and donate.”

Over the years, Stone has met many people who have appreciated her hard work and services.

Then there are some who question why they should donate money to animals when there are people who need help?

“I don’t think people really understand that sometimes that if you fall on tough times, you might have young kids at home and you’re finding yourself going to a food pantry,” said Stone. “To be able to approach someone and get dog food or cat food, you can keep that animal at home. Even when you have the stresses of life and you’re down on your luck, that pet will stay by your side and that you won’t have to give it up to an animal shelter.

“For me, it’s worked out two-fold, working in an animal shelter and animal hospital, it keeps the shelters less crowded, and less pets given up. It’s really close to my heart.”

Stone graduated from Coyle and Cassidy in 2011, and graduated this

year from UMass Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in pre-vet/animal science. As she sets about applying to veterinarian schools, Stone’s schedule is making it harder for her to keep giving quality time to The Pet Pantry, and she is hoping there’s an individual among Coyle and Cassidy’s student body — or from another school entirely — who would be willing to run the pantry. However, Stone is unwilling to walk away unless she knows the pantry is in good hands.

“I can’t give this program up,” said Stone. “I know there are people who go to that food pantry every Saturday every month, and their animals wouldn’t get assistance when it comes to food.

Their dog might go hungry and they won’t be able to keep their dog.”

For those who want to donate food for dogs, cats or any other type of pets, animal treats, leashes, brushes, cat litter, etc., or would like to make a monetary donation, go to The Pet Pantry’s website: www.HelpFeedPets. org, or email them at director@helpfeedpets. org.

As for my family, less than a week after Bella’s passing, I went and picked up her ashes and the paw print the vet technician made after she died.

When God decides to call me home, Bella will be buried with her mama.

Special thanks to the staff at New England Animal Hospital in Fairhaven, and to the staff at Mass-RI Veterinary ER in Swansea for doing their best to save our Bella, and for their amazing and gracious response to the pain of our loss.

Mass. bishops request criminal justice reform continued from page two

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 January 15, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Jason Brilhante, chaplain at Charlton Memorial Hospital and in residence at Santo Christo Parish, both in Fall River.

January 22, 11:00 a.m.

Celebrant is Father Robert A. Oliveira, pastor of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in New Bedford.

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

each case. “(2) Promote, create and fund diversion to ‘treatment programs’ rather than ‘imprisonment’ for offenders suffering from substance abuse. This is particularly critical as we face the deadly and growing opioid abuse crises in Massachusetts. “(3) Increase funding for both in-prison programs for drug abuse and mental health services, education and job training as well as re-entry programs for job training, placement, drug treatment, mental health services and housing. “(4) Reform the Criminal Offender Record Information system by reducing the period of time potential employers have access to an individual’s criminal records. The current system is designed to provide ‘roadblocks’ to successful rehabilitation, employment opportunities and assimilation back into society by individuals attempting to turn their lives around. “(5) Streamline and simplify parole eligibility and the cumbersome system currently in place for granting parole. For example, a preliminary report issued earlier this year suggests that on average 206 days accrue between the grant of an inmate parole and his/her release.”

A longtime proponent of criminal justice reform in the Commonwealth is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, specifically its National Voice of the Poor Committee. “Securing this type of support has been a longstanding goal of the Vincentian Re-entry Organizing Project in Massachusetts,” Tom Dwyer, committee chairman and leader of the Northeast Region Voice of the Poor, told The Anchor.

Dwyer, a member of the St.

Mary’s Parish SVdP conference in Mansfield added, “The SVdP Central Council presidents and executive directors in Fall River, Worcester and Boston each wrote their respective bishops asking that such a public stand be taken.”

Dwyer further explained, “Vincentians in Massachusetts are continuing to work on re-entry goals, such as our legislative advocacy effort and on building capacity to help returning citizens (i.e., ex-offenders) return to civil society. Noteworthy in that respect is an ongoing effort in the Attleboro SVdP District to work with the Bristol House of Corrections on an re-entry program. Several individuals in the Attleboro District are working on this.”

Steve Meaney of the Fall River Council of the SVdP Society told The Anchor, “Noting the recidivism rates of those re-entering society, it is clear that the current system is not working and needs help. The people working in the Bristol County Corrections Department that we have met with are aware of the problem, do as much as they can on their end prior to release, and are frustrated as anybody by what all too often happens and that the ex-offender lands in trouble again.”

Also with an eye on the awaited Justice Center report is the Massachusetts United Interfaith Action group, of which Holy Cross Father Marc Fallon, in residence at St. Mary’s Parish in Taunton, is a member.

UIA is a congregation-based organization including churches from New Bedford and Fall River.

The bishops concluded their correspondence to the Commonwealth’s governor, speaker of the house, senate

president, and chief justice, saying, “Adopting comprehensive thoughtful reforms will reduce recidivism and incarcerations rates for offenders (particularly non-violent offenders) and provide the path for many of them to be productive members of our society.

“We must come together in 2017 as legislators, justices, Church leaders and many more groups and individuals across our great Commonwealth to put in place a new system which will provide these individuals the support they need and a new hope for the future.”

Dwyer added, “In short, our criminal justice system is more focused on punishment and isolation than on rehabilitation and re-integration. That is counter to Catholic social teaching and counter-productive in terms of sound public policy.

“Ex-offenders return to society ill-equipped to begin productive new lives; in fact, sometimes they return only better prepared for a life of continuing crime. That directly feeds a high recidivism rate, a continuation of the poverty cycle, family disunity, and unsafe communities and neighborhoods.

“Consider that about 90 percent of incarcerated individuals return to society, yet in Massachusetts we spend only about two percent of the criminal justice budget on rehabilitative type programs. Then we are surprised when the recidivism rate is in the 60-70 percent range.”

The full MCC-issued bishops’ letter can be found at macatholic.org, and click on “Alerts.”

For more information on the Vincentian Reentry Program, visit vincentianrestoration. nationbuilder.com.

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Youth Pages Juggling life

I

t seems to me that more and more of us are stressed out a lot these days. I know I’ve spoken to many students, staff, faculty, parishioners and friends who just seem to be overstressed and overwhelmed all the time.

Add the holidays into the mix and it becomes overwhelming for so many! In fact, a doctor friend of mine quoted some unbelievable number of the U.S. population living with anxiety and stress — I don’t recall the exact number but up around 20 percent or more!

When we look at our priorities, especially in these stressful moments, I wonder where God is on the list. It often seems that we forget prayer, and Mass, and other opportunities to spend time with God during the very times we need Him the most. I’m not speaking of calling

out to God in desperapush aside Jesus and tion for help only when sometimes everything we need Him — we all else that is important in do that. I am speaking of our lives. We don’t go to taking the time to devel- Mass because we’re busy op and work on buildwith other things. We ing a strong personal don’t take the time to relationship with Jesus that will carry us through the most difficult of times.

One of my favorite posters we

By Deacon have on our wall Frank Lucca in the Campus Ministry Center at UMass Dartmouth pray, because we’re busy is a photo of Jesus with with other things. We don’t reach out and help the words, “There are others because we’re 168 hours in a week, busy with other things. can’t you give Me just We have so much going one? — Love Jesus. See you at Mass on Sunday!” on that we push away the very One Who can The point is obvious. help us in these times In the grand scheme of trouble. We push of things an hour is a very small bit of time to aside the very things we should be doing. And give to Jesus, and many can’t even do that. Why? we push away the people Think about it. We get who mean the most. I so engrossed in things guess it really is all about and get so stressed out priorities. about things that we When folks share with me that they are stressed or they’re having a bad The Anchor is always pleased to run news day, or everything is just falling apart, I often and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools, relate a little story that I parish Religious once heard in relation to a young mother trying to Education projuggle everything going grams or homeon in her life.

Imagine that you are schoolers have a juggler. As a juggler, newsworthy stories you must remember that you must keep all of the and photos they balls in the air without dropping any. Now think would like to share of these balls that you with our readers, are juggling. There are two types of balls. Balls send them to: made of glass and balls schools@ made of rubber. The balls made of rubber can anchornews.org

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017

Be Not Afraid

be dropped without too much concern, right?

They’ll either bounce and come back to you at some later time, or they’ll just roll away.

It’s no big deal if these balls made of rubber drop. It’s the balls made of glass that we need to concern ourselves with. If they are dropped, they are destroyed, broken, smashed.

So now look at your life. You are juggling lots and lots of these balls. We like to try to keep them all in the air without dropping any of them. But that’s impossible. There are so many things we must juggle in our lives. The question becomes: which of these balls are made of glass and which are made of rubber? Once you decide that, then it’s easy to start letting the rubber ones go and concentrate on the important ones, the ones made of glass.

The obvious point is this: What are the balls made of glass in your life right now? God? Family? School? We need to keep those in the air.

Sometimes, however, we tend to want to keep the balls made of rubber in the air instead because we like what they represent: partying, drugs, video games, etc. What are these rubber ones for you? In an effort to respond to the urgent, to all these other life issues and situations, the important is sometimes set

aside and as a result we begin to drop the glass ones. Once they break, it’s hard to recover them.

What are the balls made of glass in your life? Your faith? Spending time with your family? Your health? Make a list of these. Then make a plan to ensure that you are able to juggle these first. Block out the time in your schedule for those activities. Amazingly, the other stuff still gets done. Periodically reflect on how you’re doing. Are you putting your balls made of glass first, or do the rubber ones dominate your life?

Decide which rubber balls to drop so that you can keep juggling what’s important in life.

When you’re planning your month, your week or your day, and even when you’re making specific decisions during the day, refer back to your list of the balls made of glass.

Then, juggle them first.

Everything else can be dropped, and will fall, bounce, roll into place after that.

Anchor columnist Frank Lucca is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Fall River, a youth minister at St. Dominic’s Parish in Swansea, and a campus minister at UMass Dartmouth. He is married to his wife of 38 years, Kristine, and the father of two daughters and their husbands, and three grandsons. Email him at DeaconFrankLucca@ comcast.net.

Youth Pages

Science is fun and exciting for students at Holy Family-Holy Name School in New Bedford. Here members of the Mad Science Club build rockets and prepare them for launch.

The student council at St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleboro recently sponsored a make-a-blanket night to donate hand-made blankets for those in need.

The students, ages 11 to 14, came up with the idea on their own and gave up a Friday night to come together for those in need. The student council then gave the blankets to Ann Marie Fleming, the town Board of Health nurse.

From left, Lola Murphy, Fleming and Emerson Bergan hold one of the blankets the students made.

Students in grade six from St. James-St. John School in New Bedford recently initiated a cooperative project on creating a space vehicle that will explore a planet in our Solar System. Along with creating and building, they will be writing an essay describing their space vehicle and the features it explores in outer space.

Three Cadette Girl Scouts, from left, Isabelle Conway, Emma Garrahy and Kathryn Janssen of Girl Scout Troop 260 in Mansfield, recently completed the religious program — Mary, the first disciple. They were presented the Marian Medal and patch. With them are mentors Karen Petty and Mary Powers, lifetime Girl Scouts.

Anne Marie Carr’s second-graders celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Margaret Regional School in Buzzards Bay.

In a recent “Feathery Focus” class, third-grade students at Holy Name School in Fall River explored the beaks of birds. Using examples of various kinds of bird “food” and tools to represent different bird beaks, students sorted out which beak and therefore which bird matched each food. Amanda Nowicki from the Lloyd Center in Dartmouth explained that birds in different areas have adapted to the resources available to them.

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Youth Pages Area students gearing up for annual March for Life in D.C. continued from page three

the kids who are going to life has dignity.

Rome,” said Father Floyd.

“It’s really awesome to “Many of the students who witness all the priests and are going [to Rome] are the seminarians who flock to same kids who would have Washington. Vocationally, I thought about going to the always thought the March March for Life.” for Life was perhaps one The events held during of the best vocation events the march offer students we have, because ultimately the chance to hear powerbeing Pro-Life is realizing ful stories from people who that God has a plan for had abortions and those each of us.” who chose not to; concerts Seventeen-year-old filled with Spiritual and senior at St. John Paul II uplifting music; speakers Meghan Powell wanted to talking about chastity, the go to the March for Life dignity of human life and last year, but could not vocations; experiencing a because of the snowstorm youth rally; and celebrating happening in Washington.

Mass at the Cathedral of She participated in her first St. Matthew the Apostle. march during her sopho“In past years, it’s really, more year, and found out for lack of better words, a during that trip her aunt mini World Youth Day,” passed away. said Father Floyd. “You “It was on that trip that I have that dynamic of lost my Aunt Meghan who pilgrimage where they’re spent her life battling cystic out of school, out of their fibrosis,” recalled Powell. “I comfort zone, and they go was named after her, spent to a different place and ex- a lot of time with her, and perience hundreds of thou- really looked up to her, and sands of people [marching] losing her was by far the from all over the country. hardest point of my life. AlThe March for Life is not though it was so hard not uniquely Catholic, but has a to be able to say goodbye to very Catholic feel, so you’re her as the rest of my famthere with a lot of people ily had while I was away, who are bearing witness to I truly understood why I the Gospel of life, and dowas there participating in ing it in a very joyful way.” the march and what I was And even though the fighting for. My aunt was march is taking place in blessed to have the opporthe heart of the U.S. govtunity to live. She suffered a ernment, the march is not lot, but she made the most meant to be a political of every moment. She was statement. the ‘cool’ aunt who hiked “It doesn’t have any mountains, hosted Olympic political overtones to speak Game parties, and drove of, that’s not the purpose race cars. She never let her of the march,” said Father disease define who she was.

Floyd. “The purpose of the “There are so many march is to remind ourpeople in this world who selves the Good News of are not given the chance the Gospel of life in a joyto live life because they ful way, and all those people are defined by a disease or from all walks of life who situation. People think that are coming together simply they’d be better off havto remind people that every ing an abortion or going 18 The Anchor - January 13, 2017

through physician-assisted suicide so that person never has to suffer. What people don’t know that even through suffering or not the most ideal situation, we can have the most amazing life. I know my aunt would have never traded in her life and wished to have been aborted or have used physician-assisted suicide to get rid of the suffering she endured every day. She loved life.”

Jenna Beatey, an 18-yearold senior at St. John Paul II, will take part in the upcoming March for Life for a second time. She also has attended the Pro-Life Boot Camp put on by the ProLife Apostolate of the Fall River Diocese. Attending the march and boot camp has opened her eyes to the Pro-Life movement, and motivated her to continue fighting for the lives of the unborn.

“Promoting the Pro-Life message on a large scale is very important if we want to see change,” said Beatey of the march. “I think that this message is crucial and deserves to be recognized nationally, and having the March for Life in this light

is extremely beneficial to the movement. Especially with a new president in office, I hope that this year’s march shows him how important and urgent spreading the Pro-Life message is.

I also believe that this is the only time the nation really shines a light on the ProLife movement, so having its message on a large scale allows others to learn more about it.”

First-timer Vanessa Townsend, a 16-year-old junior at St. John Paul II, heard from her friends and one of her favorite teachers, Nicole Voci, that she should go. Having a brother who was adopted, but who was supposed to have been aborted yet lived when the abortion wasn’t successful, also spurred her into attending the march.

“A lot of responses I hear [about abortion] is how it depends on the situation and things of that nature,” said Townsend, “but I think that all lives are given from God and wish to be lived in any situation God has put them in. God always has a plan and I think we should listen to Him and not try to mess with it.”

Most of the feedback Tarantelli hears from stu-

dents after they attend the march is that they realize they are not alone in the Pro-Life fight: “ A lot of them see the overwhelming amount of people there, and recognizing — especially when we go to the youth rally — all the young people who are all there for the same reason. So for them to see all these people in favor of life, that for them has been the most inspirational thing about it.

It’s their generation that’s there.

“I think, sometimes, we get caught in the negatives or the accusatory ways of defending life, so this is a great opportunity to recognize the need to constantly pray for an end to abortion, and that it’s a peaceful approach to life. This is what I’ve been trying to get across to the kids lately, that we need to be compassionate. We can’t save babies unless we save mothers. We have to be praying for these women who are in these situations of unplanned pregnancies, that they are a victim too. If we can get our society to help them, help them find a way to continue with the pregnancy, that’s when we’re going to end this fight.”

Students at St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School in Hyannis recently provided lunches for homeless citizens of Cape Cod.

St. Mary’s to become first solar-powered parish in diocese continued from page eight

electricity — they’re just using our space — and they get all the energy for the month.”

This particular project was also a winning proposition for AP&E, according to the company’s certified energy manager, Roger W. Gaydou.

“We get the federal tax credit, we own the solar system, we get the Massachusetts incentives, and what we do, in turn, is we offer the church a very handsome rate on their electrical costs over the next 20 years,” Gaydou explained. “We make that rate as best as we can with the model we are working with. I only proceed with a project if it makes sense for both parties.”

According to Gaydou, they have installed 240 solar modules at St. Mary’s Parish, each generating 315 kilowatts for a total of about 75,600 kilowatts direct current.

Based on past utility bills, the parish uses about 80,000 kilowatts, and the solar system is capable of generating up to 94,000 kilowatts.

“That’s going to be just about what they’re going to need,” Gaydou said. “Obviously, if the system were turned on now, it’s going to very much under-produce during the snow months, but if you go a full cycle for a year and look back, it will cover almost all of their electrical utility expenses.”

Instead of paying Eversource, the parish’s current utility provider, an estimated 17.9 cents per kilowatt, they will be paying AP&E just 9.5 cents per kilowatt.

“Although we’ll still

have a utility bill every month, it will be a fraction of what we’ve been paying,” Father Thibault said. “And for the next 20 years we will have a fixed electric bill that will not change.”

“Electricity varies with the cost of natural gas and 17.6 cents is about the lowest rate they’re ever going to see,” Gaydou added. “Right now, the cost of natural gas is rock bottom. Two years ago they were paying 26 cents per kilowatt hour, just to give you an idea.”

While St. Mary’s Parish will save an estimated $7,800 in the first year alone, Gaydou said they can expect to save even more over the next 20 years.

“You can’t just multiply $7,800 by 20 because 10 years from now the cost of electricity might be 30 cents a kilowatt hour, but they’ll still be paying 9.5 cents per kilowatt hour,” he said. “So the 20-year benefit to the parish is a [minimum] of $275,000.”

Installation of the solar panels on the parish center and gym began in earnest before the holidays so the project could meet a fast-approaching January 8 deadline to qualify for a state incentive grant.

“The deadline was January 8 to have it mechanically-complete in the eyes of Massachusetts,” Gaydou said. “I have sent all the paperwork off to the state and we’ve locked in the Massachusetts incentive for this project, which had to happen. We had an accelerated schedule on the project to meet the deadline.”

“There will be new energy credit programs after January 8, they’re just not

going to be as good as the ones that just expired,” Father Thibault added.

While the prospect of lowering his monthly bills was certainly appealing, Father Thibault also thinks it helps to “send a good message” by going solar.

“We are the first parish in the diocese to go entirely solar,” he said.

“Sure, we’re saving some money. But we are doing our part, too. We’ve listened to what Pope Francis has said and setting a trend is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it’s leading to something good. We all need to do our part to help the environment, and here’s one way to do it.”

At press time some last-minute work was being done to complete the necessary wiring and Father Thibault said they have temporarily relocated weekend Masses to the gymnasium building while work is being done inside the main church.

“They need ways to collect the energy that’s generated from the solar panels and all this work needs to be done before it’s connected to the grid,” he said. “We then need to have everything inspected, and hopefully by spring everything should be up and running. I know Father Jay T. Maddock told me it took them about two months to bring the school online.”

“This project probably won’t be turned on until March or April, because the utility company still has to do about $40,000 of utility work out on the street,” Gaydou agreed.

“We pay for that, that’s

included in our price. A lot of projects don’t need upgrades, but the transformers for this project were too small, and Eversource won’t pay for that.

They’re not going to pay for anything on a project where they’re actually losing revenue, so all the expenses are incurred by the system owner.”

Though he’d “love to see all churches in the diocese go solar,” Gaydou cautioned that not every location would be as costeffective and it would largely depend upon the site, the number of buildings, and the available subsidies.

“Honestly, the only reason solar really took off over the last 10 years or so is because it’s being subsidized,” he said.

“Eventually, those subsidies are going to go away, so the price will need to come dramatically down for it to be cost-effective.”

With a few months to go before the solar system is fully operational, Father Thibault is already looking ahead to the summer months.

“It will be nice in the summertime when the air conditioning is running, and I won’t feel as reluctant to turn it down another degree now,” he said.

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Sister Margaret Donovan, S.N.D.

IPSWICH — Sister Margaret Donovan, SND, died December 20 at age 86. She was with the Sisters of Notre Dame for 68 years.

Born in Salem, she was the daughter of John F. and Margaret (O’Neil) Donovan. Sister Donovan graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston in 1963, and later earned a master’s degree in history from Boston College.

She was a teacher in Notre Dame-affiliated schools in eastern Massachusetts for more than 35 years.

She taught history at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth; Julie Billiart Central High School in the North End of Boston; St. Mary’s High School, Cambridge; Hudson Catholic High School, Hudson; and the Academy

of Notre Dame in Tyngsboro. She was also on the staff at St. Mary of the Annunciation School in Danvers.

In retirement, Sister Donovan lived many years in Ipswich. She is predeceased by her brother, John F. Donovan. She leaves her sister, Kathryn Donovan of Arlington; a sister-in-law, Kathryn Donovan, a niece, Kathryn, a grandniece Kieran, a grandnephew Brendan; and her Sisters in religion, the Sisters of Notre Dame.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated December 27 at the Notre Dame du Lac Chapel, Worcester.

Donations may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame, 30 Jeffreys Neck Road, Ipswich, Mass.

01938.

Pope Francis to parents: teach your children the faith by example

Vatican City (CNA/EWTN News) —Pope Francis recently baptized 28 babies during Mass in the Sistine Chapel, reminding parents that by asking for the Sacrament of Baptism, the gift of faith, for their child, they have a responsibility to guard it and to help it deepen.

“The faith is to believe what is the truth.

God the Father Who sent His Son, and the Spirit Who gives life,” he said. “But faith is also to trust in God, and that you must teach them, with your example, with your life.”

Pope St. John Paul II started the custom for

the pope to baptize babies in the Sistine Chapel on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The Baptism of the Lord is typically celebrated by the Church on the Sunday following January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, unless in a particular country the Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8, as it is in the U.S. In that instance the Baptism of the Lord is then celebrated the following Monday.

In his homily, the pope said faith “must be lived,” a journey that must be walked and which must give “witness.”

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks 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 Rev. Benedict (Frank) Folger, SS.CC., Damien Residence, Fairhaven, 2015 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 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 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 Jan. 27 Rev. John T. O’Grady, Assistant, Immaculate Conception, Fall River, 1919 Rev. Joseph M. Silvia, Pastor, St. Michael, Fall River, 1955 Rev. Thomas E. Lockary, C.S.C., Stonehill College, North Easton, 1988

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017

“And the faith is light: in the baptismal ceremony you will be given a lighted candle, as in the early days of the Church. And for this reason Baptism, in those days, was called ‘illumination,’ because faith illuminates the heart, makes things seen with a different light,” he said.

During the Liturgy, in which the pope baptized 15 boys and 13 girls, some of the infants started to cry.

Pope Francis then commented on the “concert” which was starting in the chapel, saying that he likes to think that Jesus’ first sermon was to cry while in the stable in Bethlehem.

He also assured mothers not to worry about nursing their children if they needed to be fed, saying they should do so “without fear, with total normality,” just as Mary likely nursed the Baby Jesus.

In asking for Baptism, “you asked for the faith,” Pope Francis reminded the parents.

“The Church gives the faith to your children through Baptism, and you have the task to make it grow, preserve it, and it becomes a testimony to all the others.

This is the meaning of this ceremony.”

Concluding, he noted how the task for parents of growing and guarding the faith in their children is a “testimony for all of us: even for us clergy, priests, bishops, everyone.”

SOUTH DARTMOUTH — Claire E. Roy, 92, of South Dartmouth, passed away at home December 24 surrounded by her loving family.

She was the wife of the late G. Albert Roy and the mother of the late Robert P. Roy. She and her husband were married for 60 years.

Born in New Bedford, she was the daughter of the late Sylvio and Lena (Tetreault) LeComte. She moved to South Dartmouth in 1978.

Claire E. Roy, mother of Father Richard M. Roy

Mrs. Roy was a graduate of Holy Family High School and Lasell College in Newton.

A devoted wife and mother, Mrs. Roy was a Red Cross volunteer for many years, first as a nurse’s aide, and then as a dedicated worker in its blood program. She enjoyed knitting caps and blankets for the newborns at St. Luke’s Hospital.

She was also a volunteer at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where she and her husband spent many winters.

Mrs. Roy was an avid reader, fond of classical music, and enjoyed past travels with her husband and shared his enthusiasm for golf. She was also an excellent swimmer whose favorite pastime was being at the beach with her family.

She was a communicant and a special minister of Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church in South Dartmouth for many years, but later transferred to St. Julie Billiart Parish in North Dartmouth where her son, Father Richard

Horace J. Costa, father of Father David A. Costa

TAUNTON — Horace J. Costa, 85, of Taunton, passed away December 29 at Morton Hospital. He was the husband of 58 years to Barbara (Ewald) Costa.

Mr. Costa was born in Taunton, the eldest son of the late Manuel and Lucy (Neto) Costa. He attended Bristol County Agricultural High School and then served his country with the United States Army during the Korean War. He worked as a meat cutter and meat department manager for the former Fernandes Supermarket company at various locations across southeastern Massachusetts and also owned and operated Costa’s Greenhouse in Taunton for more than 38 years.

Mr. Costa was a communicant of Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Taunton, where he served as a lector and an usher and as a former member of the parish council and

as a member of the Sacred Heart School Board. For his faithful service to the parish, he received the diocesan Marian Medal.

He was also a longtime and proud member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society serving on the parish level as treasurer, as president of the Taunton District, and as president of the Fall River Diocesan Vincentian conference.

He also served in various leadership positions in the Northeast Regional district. Mr. Costa was also a member and former Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 82 of Taunton and served on the board of directors of Marian Manor, and as a member of the Registry of Voters committee in Taunton. He also participated in the activities of the Democratic Party in Taunton.

Survivors in addition to his wife are his son, Father David A. Costa, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish

and Sacred Heart Parish in North Attleboro; his daughters, Catherine A. Prinzo, and her fiancé, Paul N. Karas of Taunton; and Lisa A. Costa of Taunton; two grandchildren: Brandon J. Prinzo and Karleigh L. Prinzo, both of Taunton; a sister, Evelyn Roessing of North Dighton; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Daniel, Edward, and Albert Costa, and the father-in-law of the late Joseph “Jay” Prinzo.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated January 5 at Annunciation of the Lord Church, Taunton. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery, Taunton.

Donations may be made in Mr. Costa’s memory to: St. MarySacred Heart School, 57 Richards Avenue, North Attleboro, Mass., 02760.

Crapo-Hathaway Funeral Home, Taunton, was in charge of the arrangements.

M. Roy, is the pastor.

Survivors include two sons, Father Richard M. Roy of North Dartmouth, and Raymond P. Roy of Palm Springs, Calif.; three daughters, Diane Charbonneau and Elizabeth LeDuc, both of South Dartmouth, and Jacqueline Roy of Taunton; a granddaughter, Stephanie Charbonneau of Norwalk, Conn.; one brother, Sylvio LeComte of Dover, Del.; two sisters, Annette LeComte of Holden, and Jeanne Pallatroni of South Dartmouth; and numerous nieces, nephews, and god children. She was also the mother in-law of Ann Bobola of North

Dartmouth and the late Keith LeDuc. She was predeceased by a sister, Muriel Denault and three brothers, Roger LeComte, Raymond (Pete) LeComte and Normand LeComte.

A Funeral Mass was celebrated on December 31 at St. Julie Billiart Church in North Dartmouth.

Donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or the St. Julie Billiart Church Women’s Guild, both c/o St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth, Mass., 02747.

Waring-Sullivan Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

WESTPORT — Rita P. (Fallon) Lafrance, 93, of Westport, wife of the late R. Aime Lafrance, passed away January 4.

Mrs. Lafrance and her late husband were founders of White’s Family Restaurant, Westport.

In 1946, Rita, Aime and Aime’s brothers, Norman and Roger, bought White’s Spa on Pleasant Street in Fall River. It all started with four booths and six stools and later the Lafrances began White Spa Caterers. In 1955 they purchased the former Lamplighter Restaurant at the Narrows in Westport, naming it White’s Family Restaurant. With Rita’s everyday presence over the past 61 years, White’s has hosted and employed generations of Greater Fall River families. Mrs. Lafrance was a member of the BMC Durfee High School Class of 1940.

She leaves a son, Richard L. Lafrance and his wife Muriel; grandchil-

dren, Rachel Fellows and Charles, R. Christian Lafrance and Janna, Eric Lafrance and Tyler Carlson, Sean Lafrance and Jacki, all of Westport; 10 great-grandchildren, Emma, Molli, Ross, Samuel, Maggie, Eleanor, Leah, William, Grant and Hannah; a great-greatgrandson, Liam; sisters, Joan Durand of Swansea and Patricia Ann Pettey of Westport and nieces and nephews. She was the daughter of the late James Patrick and Mary Louise (Crowell) Fallon and the sister of the late Kathleen Compton, Mary Marchand, Dorothy Trinidade and Jean Dvorak.

Her Funeral Mass was celebrated January 7 at St. John the Baptist Church, Westport.

Donations may be made to the Lafrance Family Scholarship Fund, Bishop Connolly High School, 373 Elsbree St., Fall River Mass.

02720.

Rita P. (Fallon) Lafrance

The Anchor - January 13, 2017

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Around the Diocese There will be open registration for the American Heritage Girls on January 19 from 3:45 to 5 p.m. in the parish center of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 1040 Taunton Avenue (Route 44) in Seekonk. Parents and daughters are welcome to come and learn about American Heritage Girls and enjoy some faith, service and fun. American Heritage Girls is a faith-based character development program for girls ages five to 18, dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.

A Healing Mass will be celebrated on January 19 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 19 Kilmer Avenue in Taunton. It will begin at 6 p.m. with recitation of the Holy Rosary and will include the Sacrament of Confession. Holy Mass will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude with healing prayers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome. For more information call the office at 508-824-5577 or email standrewtaunton@comcast.net.

A Pro-Life Hour of Prayer will be held January 22 beginning at 2 p.m. at St. Jude the Apostle Parish, 249 Whittenton Street in Taunton. The holy hour will include exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary prayer, and a special presentation by Deacon Robert Faria. The hour of prayer is sponsored by the Taunton Deanery Pro-Life Committee of the Fall River Diocese.

St. John the Evangelist School welcomes interested students and parents to come and see what makes the school special at its Annual Open House on January 29 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. Grades include pre-k through grade eight with a full-day kindergarten and an afterschool program. Interested students are also welcome to come and shadow for a day. For more information, please visit www.sje-school.com, call 508-222-5062, or email mholden@sje-school.com.

The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program needs more team couples — newly-married and veterans (age is not a consideration) who would like to enrich their Marriage while helping engaged couples prepare for their lifetime together. The Diocesan Marriage Preparation program meets in three locations: Mansfield, Dartmouth and Harwich on Cape Cod. In each location there is a team of volunteers that facilitate three to five sessions per year. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, contact Claire McManus at 508-678-2828, extension 19 or cmcmanus@ dfrcs.org.

If you or someone you know is pregnant and confused, Catholic Social Services of Fall River offers pregnancy counseling for women/couples experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Explore the option of parenting or adoption through the supportive services offered by an experienced social worker. For more information, contact Karen Vena, MSW, at kvena@cssdioc.org or call 508-674-4681 (office) or 774-488-4786 (cell). All services remain confidential.

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 13, 2017

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 — Beginning September 14, 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 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.

ATTLEBORO — There is a weekly time of Eucharistic Adoration Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church on North Main Street.

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 beginning at noon until 7:45 a.m. First Saturday, concluding with Benediction and concluding with Mass at 8 a.m. buzzards Bay — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at St. Margaret Church, 141 Main Street, Monday through Saturday, from 6:30 to 8 a.m.; and every first Friday from noon to 8 a.m. on Saturday.

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. Also, there is a First Friday Mass each month at 7 p.m., followed by a Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Refreshments follow.

FALL RIVER — St. Bernadette’s Church, 529 Eastern Ave., has continuous Eucharistic Adoration from 8 a.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

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.

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. 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. 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.

OSTERVILLE — Eucharistic Adoration takes place at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Avenue on First Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

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.

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.

First-ever Women and Men’s Conference is a diocesan event continued from page 13

in 2001, he and his three children were received into the Catholic Church. On the same day his wife, who was away from the Church for 28 years, returned to the fold.

He is a dynamic speaker, musician and leader of worship, all done with great knowledge, a keen wit and a engaging sense of humor.

“Back over a year ago I shared with Bishop da Cunha the thought of organizing a Women’s Conference for the diocese,” said Mahoney. “As a member of the DCCW, I thought it would be good for us, as Catholic women, perhaps to offer a conference for women in the diocese. As the conversation continued, the thought of offering a prayerful event for men and women

together developed. That is when a diocesan committee was formed, including various areas of ministries throughout the diocesefor them to come together to plan this event.

“The committee has been meeting for more than a year to plan this event. Each committee member has a certain role to play in the planning of the event. It is a very good working committee and I am so blessed to be working with such dedicated and creative members, they make working as a team a joy.”

The day begins at 8 a.m. with praise and worship music and the praying of the Rosary.

Cardinal O’Malley will present the morning keynote address at 9:15 a.m., followed by breakout

sessions for women with Jansen, and for men with Cumbie.

There will be a midday break for lunch, as well as the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and to visit the many vendors that will be on hand.

Sister Rickard will give the afternoon keynote address at 1:30 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m. Mass celebrated by Cardinal O’Malley.

“Bishop da Cunha has named this a diocesan event,” Mahoney told The Anchor. “It is a good time of the year for individuals to gather together to be enriched in their faith journey, to take some time in prayer during Lent to prepare for Easter, and to give witness to our Catholic faith as a group.

“The speakers will guide us through the theme and give some enlightening insights into preparing to receive God’s graces., blessings and forgiveness during Lent and to ready ourselves to celebrate the Paschal Mystery and to receive the Risen Lord at Easter.

“Parishes are invited to get a bus to transport people to this event.

“It would be good for parishioners to think about coming with those they minister with in the parish. It is a good time to share, to be fed and to celebrate our faith.”

Bishop da Cunha stated, “As the Lenten season will soon be upon us, I look forward to greeting members of your parish at the Women and Men’s Conference in March. May this time of preparation to celebrate the Paschal

Mystery, serve as a time to be renewed in the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As the theme reflects our thirst for hope and the question of drinking from the cup, let us pray for the grace to spend some quality time in prayer, preparing ourselves to receive the graces needed to draw closer to God.” Registration for the conference is required. For more information, visit fallriverdiocese.org or fallriverfaithformation. org; contact Ann Melanson of the Diocesan Women’s Council at annmelanson54@gmail. com, or call Claire McManus of the Diocese of Fall River’s Office of Faith Formation at 508-6782828.

Registration forms will also be available in the coming weeks at diocesan parishes.

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

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017

23

That’s for the birds

n Matthew 6:26, Jesus I teaches, “Look at the birds of the air, that they

do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.”

That doesn’t mean the Father couldn’t use a little help watching after our plethora of feathered friends. That’s where we come in. As is often the case, the good Lord uses us, His creatures with the greatest brain power (that can be debated in many cases), to be His hands, feet, eyes and ears.

I often wonder what happens to our critter friends in the dead of winter — how do they keep warm? How do they gather food? Where do they find rest? And I’ve no doubt that God gives them the natural abilities to survive.

But, as I mentioned earlier, that doesn’t mean we can’t

help.

Last weekend the diocese was slammed with a snowstorm/blizzard. Regardless which side of the bridges one lives on, the snowfall totals were substantial.

As I watched the wind howl and the snow fall sideways, I thought of all God’s creatures, great and Look in the parking lots small, including humans, of a McDonald’s or Burger who were up against the King — not only can the elements on their own. birds get more than their I raised more than a share of French fries, but prayer or two for our homeless and hungry My View brothers and sisters, which at the time From was all I could do for the Stands them.

What I could do

By Dave Jolivet was see to my aviary amigos.

You see, the birds the fat content alone will in mid-cities have it betkeep them warm until ter than their suburban spring. counterparts. City birds Plus, there are so many can often be found around nooks and crannies in buildeateries. ings and overpasses, that

finding a nesting ground is quite simple.

But the further from the busyness and businesses, the more difficult the task of making it through the winter becomes.

Once the winds died down and I could go out and not have my face pelted with snowflakes hitting me at 50 m.p.h., I filled my cylindrical birdfeeder with a smorgasbord of seeds and dried fruit.

The reaction was nearly instantaneous. Birds arrived from God-knows-where and feasted on the treats.

There were wrens, chickadees, cardinals, and darkeyed juncos (my favorites), and they were all pecking away; all getting along.

It warmed my heart not only to see them filling their bellies, but doing so in harmony.

After this past year of political and social unrest, and what seemingly lies ahead, I’m seriously considering spreading seed and dried fruit across the land and see if that will bring us all together.

If not, then all the better for our friends with feathers. davejolivet@anchornews.org.

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

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The Anchor - January 13, 2017