t eanc 0 VOL. 44, NO.2¡ Friday, January 14, 2000
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly • $14 Per Year
Bishop's Charity Ball is tonight at Venus de Milo
DEACONS - Following their ordination by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., as transitional deacons on January 8, Rev. Mr. William Rodrigues, Rev. Mr. Andrzej Kozanko, Rev. Mr. Paul Bernier and Rev. Mr. Scott Ciosek, share the moment.
Five advance towards priesthood ~
They become the Fall River Diocese's first Mr. Andrzej Kozanko and Rev. Mr, William Rodrigues in ordained deacons of the new millennium. the sacrament of holy orders. By JAMES N. DUNBAR
FALL RIVER - At solemn, age-old ceremonies, five seminarians studying to become priests for the Diocese of Fall River were ordained transitional deacons by Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., on Jan. 8 in St. Mary's Cathedral. At the Mass of ordination, Bishop O'Malley imposed hands on Rev. Mr. Paul Bernier, Rev. Mr. Scott Ciosek, Rev.
The four were invested with the crossed stole and dalmatic vestments of the deacon and also were presented with the Book of the Gospels which, as deacons, it will be their responsibility and office to proclaim. On Sunday, Jan. 16, at 12:30 p.m., another candidate, Rev. Mr. Ramon Dominguez will be ordained a transitional deacon at the cathedral. A sixth colleague of the fourth-year theologians, Rev. Mr. Gerard O'Connor, was recently ordained a transitional Tum to page J 3 - Priesthood
. SWANSEA - Pageantry and warm socializing will be the order of the evening as 50 young women will be presented to Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., at the 45th Annual Bishop's Charity Ball at the Venus de Milo Ballroom here tonight. Laity and clergy from across the Fall River Diocese are expected to attend and be entertained by the popular area musical ensemble, Studio C, which will present a blend of contemporary tunes and favorite melodies, says Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Harrington, director of the ball. Mrs. Lillian Plouffe of St. Joseph Parish in North Dighton, president of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, and Joseph L. Maloney Sr., of St. Patrick Parish in Wareham, president of the New Bedford Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, will accompany Bishop O'Malley at the festive presentation. It is one of the highlights of the annual celebration of diocesan unity and diversity. The 50 young ladies to be presented represent parishes from throughout southeastern Massachusetts. . They are an unprecedented number of presentees, Msgr. Harrington said, "Because of the exceptional festivity of the Jubilee Year in our Church, we afforded all parishes the opportunity to be represented in this beautiful element of the balL" Among this year's presentees are twins, ,Andrea and Sofia Teves, representing Santo Christo Parish, Fall River. Another presentee, Christina Quirk of St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth, will be upholding a family tradition. Two of her sisters were presented at the ball in others years as were three of her aunts. Christina's grandmother, Mrs. James P. Quirk, has served as the president of the Catholic Women's council. Presentee Bethany Domingue of St. Dominic Parish, Swansea, will be presented to the bishop in the wheelchair to which she has been confined since. suffering serious injury in an automobile accident in 1998. "Her presence Tum to page J3 - Ball
The good news: Vocations to priesthood on the.rise ~
Diocese's vocations director says parish awareness and prayer are showing success. By JAMES N. DUNBAR
NORTH DARTMOUTH - Even as National Vocations Awareness Week is being observed across America, the news about the "priest shortage" and its prompting of parish mergers is also making headlines. But although the reality is that the pool of active priests is becoming smaller due to the large number of priests reaching the age of retirement, the number of men seeking to enter the seminary is increasing. "We're seeing statistics that point out that over the past five years, the number of seminarians across the United States is on the rise," says Father Craig A. Pregana, vocations direclor for Ihe Diocese of Fall River. Last weekend, Father Pregana was among the clergy heralding the ordination of four
young seminarians of the Fall River Diocese for the seminary is a young man who has to the transitional diaconate. Another candi- been affiliated with the Church while growdate will be ordained a deacon this Sunday, ing up, Father Pregana pointed out during a while another classmate was recently 01'- recent interview with The Anchor. "He pos...-..,. . _ _-,... sibly has been an altar dained in Rome. That makes six young server during high school or men advancing to ordinaelementary school, and he may have been involved in tions as priest for the dioother aspects of parish life, cese in the spring. The good news is that for instance"teaching in the Religious Education Prothere are currently 3,386 seminarians. undertaking gram, assisting with parish theological studies for the festivals or special events," he said. "In order words; the priesthood in this country. "These number are enyoung man has had his faith couraging because more life nurtured by the parish and taking the step to enter young men in college, and recently graduated, are takthe seminary is a continuaing the steps to offer their tion of the service he has lives in service to the provided in the Church." Church as priests," Father . The director talked Pregana reported. about the vocations proThe "typical" candidate FATHER CRAIG A. PREGANA cess. "My role as vocation
director is to assist those who are interested in learning more about a vocation," said Father Pregana. "The actual recruiters are those in the parish: the parish priests, the religious education personnel, members of the parish Vocation Team, and parishioners who see these young people actively involved in parish life. Their role and responsibility is to articulate the invitation and tell these young people that they should consider a vocation to priesthood, diaconate or religious life," Another important aspect to vocation awareness is the role of parents. "They know their children best and can provide an invaluable assistance to guiding their children to a life choice that best suits them," Father Pregana noted. "Through their encouragement and prayer, parents provide the environment for the seed of a vocation to take root and grow." "Personally, I am grateful to my parents who encouraged me to consider a vocation Turn to page J J - Vocatiolls
Bishop 0 'Malley issues pastoral letter on racism - pages 8-9