01.20.06

:..::.~.;.,,::::'

'"'-

~~~:<-~~~ fALL Rr.jfJ~"it~s~~~~~J;07tJA_~

~~~L~::~~~~~:~~~~S3::_~"3~B;-;

-r;$~q,?: 7>t.l

VOL.

so,

NO.3· Friday, January 20, 2006

':-t. ~:;}~~i::;':~ __ ·~

FALL RIVER, MASS.

j,i;

Southeastern

Massac~usetts' Largest

Weekly • $14 Per Year

Diocese to honor its religious at February 4 Mass in cathedral By

DEACON JAMES

N.

DUNBAR

FALL RIVER - The countless religious men and women who for more than a century have played such an important role in their commitment to service to the Church in the Fall River diocese, will be honored at a World Day for Consecrated Life Mass February 4 at 4 p.m., in St. Mary's Cathedral.

Bishop George W. Coleman will be the principal celebrant at the Saturday Mass, which is the vigil of the dedicated Sunday observance of remembrance initiated worldwide five years ago by the late Pope John Paul II. While all parishes are invited to attend the Mass in the cathedral, other Masses for religious are scheduled at individual parishes on the weekend to highlight the place of Consecrated Life in

contemporary society.

An invitation to join the celebration at the cathedral was made this week by Mercy Sister Elaine Heffernan, the bishop's representative to religious, who is coordinator of the event.

"Please plan to join all the religious of the diocese in this eucharistic act of thanksgiving for the call to consecrated life and as a public witness of the joy and vitality of those who respond wholeheartedly to that call," Sister Heffernan said.

Because it will be a unique expression of the regard of the diocese for all members of religious life, hopefully all religious will make a special effort to take part, and to make a public renewal of their vows, Sister Heffernan added. .

Tum to page 13 - Consecrated

MARIAN DESROSIERS, diocesan director of the Pro-Life Apostolate, takes a break from organizing the logistics for the diocese's involvement in the annual Pro-Life March this weekend in Washington, D.C. (AnchoriGordor'l photo) !,

Diocesan teens, adults will carry Pro-Life message to Washington

By MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF

NORTH DARTMOUTH - A contingent of young people, including students from all four diocesan high schools, will travel with adults from the diocese Sunday to the 33rd annual Pro-Life March in Washington, D.C. They will be part of an expected crowd of 250,000 people gathering peacefully in support of the sanctity of all human life.

For diocesan Pro-Life Director Marian Desrosiers, it's an exciting time as preparations tum into the actual pilgrimag~. .

"It's an opportunity to remind our government and our country that we are a people of life and for life with no exceptions," said Desrosiers, who is looking forward to the journey. "It's especially significant this year with so much weighing on the Supreme Court appointments. That will impact the Roe v. Wade decision and is something that we should continue to pray about."

Prayer will be a big part of the weekend as the

pilgrims will attend Sunday night Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It will be concelebrated by a host of priests, bishops and cardinals. According to Desrosiers, it is the most moving part of the pilgrimage for many. "'!bey are expecting 8,000 people for the Mass and there is always an overflowing number of youth present. It's awesome to see so many young people."

On the day of the march, the Rally for Life and Youth Mass will be celebrated at the MCI Center beginning at 7 a.m. It will feature internationally known musicians and bands including Tony Melendez.

The national Rally for Life, themed "Roe v. Wade Violat<;ls the American Way," will follow at noon on the National Mall. Legislators in support of life will speak as well as men and women who have experienced the pain of abortion. Bob and Mary Schindler, parents of the late Terri Schiavo, Tum to page 16 -March

Religious Brothers and the joy of community life

By DEACON

JAMES

N.

DUNBAR

Holy Cross Brothers and priests EASlDN - When Holy Cross recently told The Anchor.

Brother Larry Atkinson discovered .

"While the priesthood is imporhis interest in teaching could be tant to our Church and faith, being coupled with service to God and a religious Brother is also a viable Church as a religious Brother, he lifestyle as is the call to monastic had found his niche. life," he added.

"Being able to do something "It is another option for young you like and want to do and be with men. The vocation of marriage supportive people of the same likes puts' one in a setting with others. and interests at the same time is The religious Brother has his famwhat makes life in the religious ily too, with life in a shared comcommunity so great," the vocations munity setting that brings many director for the Congregation of happinesses and fulfillments on the

..... .

,

'o'

professional as well as the spirituallevel," he added.

Besides teaching, Brothers at Holy Cross and in othercommunities have also branched out into other fields such as social work, the elderly, and ministry and work among specialized populations.

For another religious, retired Brother Roger (Andre) Millette, 80, of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, currently assigned to Bishop Connolly High School, where, for 25 years he was assis-

taut principal, it was the call to join in the missionary work Of teaching the prevailing poor in the Fall River region more than ahalf century ago that prompted his response.

"Our congregation was founded with the intention and goal to work with the poor, and we .1Idid with great love and enthUSIasm and much prayer. However, living in a religious community dedicated around the clock to the poor, is no longer common here in America,

because now we are the middle class," Brother Millette, who is celebrating his 63rd year as a Brother, opined.

"But like young people in France or Spain or Canada where we once had a bountiful supply of vocations, candidates here are fewer because secularism and materialism have taken their toll."

However, he reported, taday's mission of the Brothers of Christian Instruction "is working among Turn to page 13 - Brother

-E

.*l.i.:'.·.•. ,L.' -. .."~'.'.' ',' tNi~~

Friday, January 20, 2006

L :. ' - '

.

QDhttnarlJ

'

.; ,

~

Sister Bertha LeBlanc SSJ HOLYOKE - Sister Bertha LeBlanc, 87, formerly known as Sister Marie Ernest, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, died January 11, in Mont Marie Health Care Center here.

Born in New Bedford, she was the daughter of the late Ernest and Rose Anna (Dansereau) LeBlanc, and was a member of St. Joseph's Parish. She graduated from New Bedford High School in 1936 and later received a bachelor's degree from Rivier College, Nashua, N.H., and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Fall River.

Among Sister LeBlanc's teaching assignments were St. Joseph and St. Theresa schools in New Bedford; St. Jean Baptiste and St. Matthew schools in Fall River; and St. Michael's School in Ocean Grove, Swansea.

She later served as a nurse's aide in Fall River, and in 1987 joined the Retirement Community in Fall River. She became a resident in the Mont Marie Retirement Community in Holyoke in 1992.

Sister LeBlanc is survived by two sisters, Sister Marie Joseph LeBlanc of Mont Marie, and Alice LeBlanc of New Bedford; and nieces and nephews.

She was also the sister of the late Sister Roseanna LeBlanc, CSC and Sister Lillian LeBlanc, CSC; and Albert, Emile and George LeBlanc.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated January 13 in Mont Marie Chapel. Burial was in Mont Marie Cemetery.

The Sampson Family Chapels was in charge of arrangements.

.

.

.

..

"

,

Fake stem-cell claim shows need for ethics, says bishops' official

"If you are pre-planning a funeral, you need to visit Eternal Caskets & Urns first."

WASHINGTON (CNS) - A South Korean human embryos, the announcemenL was praised as doctor's fake claim that he produced embryonic a major breakthrough in medical research. In anstem-cell lines from human cloning shows that "good other apparent breakthrough, Hwang announced in ethics" is the backbone of good science and medi- May 2005 that his team had created 11 stem-cell lines that were genetically cine, said a U.S. bishops' matched to patients.

Pro-Life official.

Doerflinger said this It also proves that huhoax showed that "after man cloning is far from almost a decade of intense being a viable source of effort by teams around the embryonic stem cells world, it seems no one has that could be used in been able to take even the treating diseases, said first step needed to derive Richard Doerflinger, treatments from human deputy director of the cloning."

Secretariat for Pro-Life Ihis hoax "is the most Activities of the U.S. obvious symptom of a Conference of Catholic field where ethical conBishops. cerns were dismissed in "Lawmakers can best the pursuit of alleged respond to this scandal miracle cures," he said. =l by enacting a complete SOUTH KOREAN stem-cell scientist "Will our society insist ban on human cloning ... and by increasing gov- Hwang Woo-suk leaves after a January 12 on exploiting more hunernment support for news conference where he apologized for dreds of women, and crestem-cell research that is wrongdoing at his laboratory but hinted some ating and destroying both medically promis- people were trying to discredit him. Richard many more thousands of ing and morally sound," Doerflinger, deputy director of the S,ecretariat helpless human lives, in he said in a January 10 for Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference pursuit of this mirage? Or statement. of Catholic Bishops, says confirmation that will we step back and reDoerflinger criticized the Korean team fabricated reports on clon- alize that good ethics is a necessary and integral the scientific hoax after ing successes illustrates that good ethics are part of good science and Seoul National University in South Korea is- integral to good medicine and science. (CNS good medicine?" he asked. sued two reports in De- photo/Lee Jae-won, Reuters) The U.S. bishops have cember ,saying that claims by university researcher Hwang Woo-suk that opposed human cloning for stem-cell experimentahe had created 11 stem-cell lines from cloned hu- tion because it involves destroying the embryo which is considered human life. The bishops have, supman embryos were false.

When Hwang and his team announced in Febru- ported research with adult stem cells and stem cells ary 2004 that they had gotten stem cells from cloned derived from umbilical-cord blood.

834 Ashley Blvd New Bedford, MA 02745

N.Y. law making religious employers cover contraceptives upheld by court

Eastern Television Sales And Service

Fall River's Largest Display of TVs

ZENITH • SONY 1196 BEDFORD ST.

FALL RIVER

508-673-9721

l CASl(ETS8!URN§

508-985-9995 PAYMENT PLANS FOR EVERY NEED

FREE CASKET STORAGE FOR SENIORS FUNERAL PLANNING HELP BOOKS PROUD MEMBERS: FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE

By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE from the New York State Catholic ALBANY, N. Y. - ANew York Conference. "We have never chalappeals court has upheld a state lenged employees' rightlO use conlaw requiring religious employers traception. We have simply mainto cover contraceptives in pre- tained that our religious beliefs prevent us from paying for somescription insurance plans.

A spokesman for the Church- thing we teach is sinful."

The statement from Richard E. owned organizations that sued to block the law said they would ap- Barnes, executive director of the organization that represents the peal.

In a lawsuit filed by Catholic state's bishops in public policy Charities of Albany and other matters, said the plaintiffs believe Church-based medical and social supporters of the contraceptive legservice agencies, the appellate di- islation hope to expand the manvision of the state Supreme Court date to require coverage for aborruled three-two January 12 that the tion. Health insurance that Churchbased organizations provide for 2002 law is constitutional.

The Church groups had argued their employees typically excludes that the requirement to provide coverage for contraceptives, aborcontraceptives for employees vio- tion and other procedures that the Church teaches are sinful. lates the tenets of their faith.

A "conscience clause" in the "This case is not about the right to contraception," said a statement legislation exempts employers

SERVICE TRUST

By caringfamily and service-family professionals

ln the people you know

CHOICE Custom-designed. pers01ialized tributes AFFORDABILITY. .. Dignified services at aJJordable cost 508-676-1933

508.. <)99.. 5100

~ ~Waring - SuUivan-

\.)2ii!iliV ~:,~!!.iE~!.!tt.>J~"j"1..!,!!!~~L!1....~.,,f.!.!.~"l~~.f!-",!'~!~!,,f),.~ -

~n.stll.IJVA)Q: • AOn'UH.~.xccoo:u.

\"",,"'w.wartng.,sullh.-a.n.com A;tRVICEUMIl.YAIl JLlKl'EOF ~IH&;u!'Yj{:£coRi>,IKrL W,!!(X:K ,TRU, r.f',\LLRI\'f:R. M,\~D~),()H};"

,m

whose main purpose is to promote the faith and who primarily hire members of that faith, such as parishes.

Not covered by the clause are Catholic-run entities throughout the state, including 700 schools, 36 hospitals, 57 nursing homes and hundreds of social services agencies, said the Catholic conference.

Ihe majority opinion, written

by Associate Justice Thomas Mercure, said the aim of the law is to protect women's health and "does not target religious practices," but in their dissent Presiding Justice Anthony Cardona and Associate Justice Edward Spain said the law violates Church-state separation guaranteed by the state constitution and the U.S. COIlStitution.

In his statement, Barnes said Church leaders were encouraged by their "forceful dissent," which "gives us confidence the plaintiffs will ultimately prevail."

In 2004 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Church groups' appeal of a similar law in California, which has been upheld by that state's courts.

Dennis Poust, spokesman for the Catholic conference, said the Church organizations would appeal to the state Court of Appeals, New York's highest court.

...

.

,

0'

o •

Fridav, January 20, 2006

In honor of Sister Lucia dos Santos, r seer offatima, who died february 13, 2005, age 97.

Lucia pray for us.

II

Diocese of Fall River Dynamic Opportunity

,

New Highi: School Opening (2f)07)

II

PRINCIPAL

Pope Jqhn raul II, Hy~nnis, MA Starting Date: July 1, 2006 or earlier •, ,' ,

POPE BENEDICT XVI recently visited with families at the Vatican's St. Martha Dispensary, a maternal and pediatric clinic staffed by volunteers that seNes mainly immigrants.

The pope has asked families to join him in praying for other families in difficulty, especially those who are far from their homelands. (eNS photo from L'Osservatore Romano)

Pope condemns offer of abortion pill,urges protectio~ of family VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In a talk that touched on controversial election-year issues in Italy, Pope BenedictXVI condenmed efforts to introduce the abortion pill and urged steps to protect the traditional family based on marriage, The pope made the remarks in a recent speech to civil officials of the Rome region. His comments prompted an immediate flurry ofreactions across the political spectrum in Italy, where general elections will take place in April.

The pope began by thanking the officials and the population ofRome for the strong religious sentiments they showed during the death and funeral ofPope John Paul II last year.

That kind of spiritual intensity, he said, should bear fruit in the civil arena, especially on family issues.

In particular, he said, young couples and their families need su~ port - for example, in paying for housing, nursery schools and kinder-

gartens.

Such assistance for the traditional family should not be seen as a concession to Catholic morality, but as respect for "elementary truths regarding our conumn humanity," he said. ''It is a grave error to obscure the value and functions of the legitimate family founded oil marriage, attributing to other forms of union an improper legal recognition for which, in reality, there is no real social -need," he said.

Romano Prodi, head of Italy's center-left coalition, recently came outin supportoflegal rights for longterm unwed couples, provoking a storm of objections by the Vatican

"

and Italian Church leaders. Italy has resisted legal recognition of homosexual marriage, which has been adopted in some Europeancountries.

Prodi, who will oppose Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's ruling center-right coalition in the April elections, said the issue was not gay marriage as such, but the more than 500,000 Italian couples who have lived together for years without social benefits.

In his address to the political leaders, the pope called for protection of the unbom He said it was especially important for the state to provide concrete forms ofassistance to pregnant women who face [mancial and other difficulties.

Furthermore, he said, the state should avoid introducing "drugs that hide in some way the serious nature of abortion" as a "choice against life." The pope was referring to attempts in Italy to introduce the RU486 abortion pill in some regions on an experimental basis, which has also surfaced as an election issue.

The pope's comments brought praise from Italian Health Minister Francesco Storace, who last year blocked some regions from experimenting with the RU-486 drug and who wants Pro-Life groups to be allowed to counsel women seeking abortions.

Leaders of Italy's Communist Refoundation Party said the pope was interfering in political questions.

"No one wants to question the value of the family. Instead, the legal recognition of civil unions aims to respect the family in all its forms," said Ivano Peduzzi, a leading official of the party in Rome.

-. j

,

\, - ~,

' ,- ,

,

•

Qualifications include; Faithlul commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church; an qhderstanding of the philosophy and mission otCatholicS9hools; and Syears teaching experience ~n<f:#ppr~priate academic credentials.

Applicati(j~s;to P'q{)~ February $, 2006 Interested candidates sho~ld :submit a letter of intent and resume befor~2/3/06J~#Georgec~. Milot, Ed.D. Superintende~tof SCR~91$, 423 Highland Ave., Fan~River,:MA 02720.

li~ted'onl~*(iWebsite: www.dfrcec.com

Other positions

II

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjusf the sails."

II

Feitelberg Insurance has been na,gating the insurance marketplace since 1916. Let us put your business insurance 'ghllt course. program on then.

II

Life

Busine.........1IiiiiII1IiI

~~Person.1

Elllployee ~nefits 'I

.

I'l]

II

Ii

I.

Feitelberg: Insurance 508.676-11971 1

Fall River • W. Bridgewater • Somerset Plymouth • Dartmoutlt • Hingham I

Friday. January 20, 2006

THE LANDING ~ The truth about Roe

the living word

In a powerful January 9 address to the diplomatic colpS accredited by the DANIEL NNADIS, JOINS HIS Holy See, Pope Benedict XVI argued that the way to peace can only happen PARENTS, ANN-JACQUELYNE through ajoint commitment to the truth. The truth, he said, is the soul ofjustice.

AND CORNELIUS, WHO ARE Itestablishes and strengthens the right to freedom and opens the way to forgiveness, reconciliation and new hope.

PARISHIONERS AT SS. PETER He went straight after the culture of lying and brainwashing that has underAND PAUL CHURCH IN . mined peace, characterized modern totalitarian governments and watped the MERRILLVILLE, IND., IN political and diplomatic environments of manyotherwise free countries. "The LISTENING TO nIE HOMILY lie," he said, "often parades itselfas truth, but in reality it is always selective and . tendentious, selfIshly designed to manipulate people, and finally subject them."

DURING A JANUARY 15 MASS If the truth sets one free, then the lie always enslaves individuals and peoples.

TO CELEBRATE nIE PARISH'S The validity ofBenedict's globo-political analysis can be readily seen in the DIVERSITY. THE NNADIS history ofthe horrible anniversary ournation marks on Sunday. On January 22, FAMILY, WHO ARE FROM 1973, the Supreme Court released both Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which made abortion legal in all nine months ofpregnancy.

NIGERIA, JOINED nIEIR FELLOW These decisions first featured false logic. Roe was so poorly argued from a PARISHIONERS IN CELEBRA'llNG legal point of view that abortion supporters, like Yale Law School professor nIEIR HERITAGE BY WEARING .Jack Balkin, have felt compelled to write books such as the recently-released lRADITIONAL NIGERIAN ''What Roe v. Wade Should Have Said." There is no justifIable constitutional GARMENTS. (CNS PHOTO/ right to abortion where the opinion placed it The Supreme Court itself, in its 1992Casey v. Planned Parenthood decision which upheld the legality ofaborKAREN CALLAWAY, NORTHtion, likewise sought to distance itselffrom Roe's rationale. It said regardless of WEST INDIANA CATHOliC) i'fIisoundness or unsoundness of [Roe's] constitutional judgment." it should ''l :1IlU .II'lIt! be upheld since "peoplehave organizedintimate relationships and made choices that defme their views of themselves and their places in society, in reliance on "I BOW MY KNEES BEFORE the availability of abortion in the event that contraception should fail."

THE FATHER, But beyond the commonly-admitted faulty logic of the decision, many of FROM WHOM EVERY FAMILY the principal protagonists in favor ofRoe and Doe now admit that the evidence submitted to the,court was a series of lies. Dr. Bernard Nathanson, co-founder IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH of the National Abortion'Rights Action League who perfonned more than DERIVES ITS NAME" 60,000 abortions including one on his own child, describes the various levels of (EPHESIANS 3:14-15). mendacity. "The first series of lies were at the level of slogans: "We inNARAL were in the business ofcoining slogans principally for the media. We scattered catchy slogans for them to use in their stories, slogans like 'reproductive rights,' 'freedom of choice,' 'pro-choice.' For many years, we've known them to be hollow and meaningless. They'rejustcatchy and, essentially, without substance."

The next level was about facts: 'The statistics that we gave to the American public ... [were] fabricated regarding the number of women dying from illegal The mystery of the Incarnation centuries try to describe what kind for him (Mt 10:42), but he was abortions annually. All of these matters were pure fabrication and still persist to is one that teaches us not only of a man Jesus was. But this is not satisfied with nothing less than the this day. We spoke of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths a year. I confess that I knew the about God, but also about our utmost, calling us to be perfect, as easy to do in a simplified way, fIgures were totally false. It was a useful fIgure, widely accepted, so why go out own humanity. This is the because there aren't a few his Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). He of our way to correct it with honest statistics?" distinctive qualities in christ that· teaching of one of the most said that those who are peacernakEven the women after whom the cases were named (via legal pseudonyms) frequently cited passages from the . we can point to, as we would if we .ers are blessed (Mt 5:9), but that he admit they were'lied to. Sandra Cano is the Doe in Doe v. Bolton. She sought a Second Vatican Council: ''The were trying to describe another had come not to bring peace, but lawyer to try to obtain a divorce from an abusive husband and get her children truth is that only in the mystery of person. Instead, in Jesus, there is division (Mt 10: .34-36). out of foster care. The attorney who agreed to help her told her that her case the incarnate Word does the an apparent complexity, due to a All of this makes it sound like would be used to advance women's rights. Then, in legal arguments, she stated mystery of man take on light" combination of opposite qualities.

Jesus was a man of "baffling that her client had applied for an abortion but was turned down, which was (See Edward Leen, ''Why the contrasts" and contradictions. But patently false. Forged documents were submitted in the trial. It's no sUtprise (Gaudium et spes, 22).

The reason that Christ teaches Cross?" Princeton: Scepter Jesus was true man, and he was that her lawyer, Margie Pitt Hames, never let Cano testify, because she couldn't us about ourselves is that also the perfect mantestify truthfully. was truly human he humanity in its perfection.

Similarly, NorrnaMcCorvey, the Roe in Roe v. Wade, also admitted that her In him there were no whole case was builton falsehood. She was pregnant for the third time. She had both true God and true contradictions, no inconpreviously given one up for adoption and thought she couldn't go through an- man. When the Incarnasistencies, and no confuother parting. So she contacted some lawyers asking what options she had, tion occurred, the second sion. What we see in Jesus telling them she had been raped. They brought her to a local judge and her person of the Trinity assumed our human is the "perfect equilibrium" infamous court case b e g a n . .

By Father David of virtuous qualities that Once a lie has been told, there are two next moves: either to tell other lies to nature and was born A. Pignato protect the first. or, humbly, to own up to the lie and start to live in the truth. arnong us, as one like us. are opposed, but not Nathanson, Cano and McCorvey have all done.the latter, and they are personal The only difference contradictory. paradigms for the path our nation has to travel. between the humanity of This equilibrium, or Roe is not a "super-duper precedent." as Senator Arlen Specter has tried to Christ and ours is that his was Publishers, 2001, 250-253). balance, of virtuous traits is what advance. It is a legal and moral disgrace, erected on multiple layers ofmendac- without sin. As we pray in the For example, Jesus was not made Jesus the perfect man, and ity. Since Roe and Doe, 45 million are dead as a resultofthe lie, and at least that fourth Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, afraid to come close to sinners it's also what we can imitate in many wounded. If we ever seek true peace in our country and to solve the Christ was "a man like us in all order to perfect ourselves. As was (Mt 9: 10), but he was always problems ofbroken families and wounded hearts in both women and men, then things but sin." This means that firmly opposed to sin, and would the case in Christ, there's no we mustbegin, as Pope Benedict indicates, with ajointcommitmentto the truth the humanity of Jesus was perfect, take no part in it. He had a certain contradiction in being excited and about abortion, its history, and its casualties. This anniversary is a good time to just as ours was created and tactfulness and patience with passionate when necessary, and start intended by God to be, until it sinners (In 8:10-11), but he alSQ being quiet and peaceful when necessary. There's no contradicwas wounded by the Original Sin. did not hesitate to reprimand and rebuke those who were hypocrites tion in being gentle when approAgain, it was the Second OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE Vatican Council that taught: (Mt 23:13-36). priate, and being forceful when DIOCESE OF FALL RIVER "[Christ] who is 'the image of the appropriate. There's no contradictie said that we show our love Published weekly except for two weeks in July and the week after Chri$lmas bY invisible God' (Col 1:15), is for God by how well we love our tion in being patient with ignothe Catholic Press of the Diocese of Fall River, 887 Highland Avenue. Fall River, himself the perfect man. To the neighbors (Mt 25:40), but he also rance, but insisting on the truth.

MA 02720, Telephone 508-675-7151 - FAX 508-675-7048, E-mail: r said that unless we love God more sons of Adam he restores the If we find the humanity and theanchor@anchomews.org. SUbscription price by mail, pO$lp8id $14.00 per year. divine likeness which had been than even our closest relatives, we personality of Christ to be Send address changes to P.O. Box 7, Fall River; MA, call or use E-mail address can't be his followers (Mt 10:37). confusingly complex, it's probdisfigured from the first sin Member: Catholic Press Msociatioo. New England Prells Msoclntiol\, Ca!bol!¢cNewsService " onwards" (Gaudium et spes, 22).

Jesus humbly washed the feet of ably because we haven't yet PUBUSHER • BishOp George W. Coleman ' EXECUTIVE EDITOR Father Roger J. Landry tiItherrogeI1andry@anchornews.org In his humanity, Jesus shows us his disciples (In 13:5), as if he ' learned how to balance in EDITOR David B. Jolivet davejollvet@aochOrneW$.org· what it really means to be human, were their servant, but then he ourselves the traits that perfect NEWS EDITOR DeaconJamesN. Dunbar llmdunbar@anchomews.org our human nature. But if we strive and what we can strive to be in demanded their unwavering REPORTER Michael Gordon mikegordon@anchomeW$.org our own humanity. to imitate Christ, who is the loyalty, if they wanted to be his OFRCE MANAGER Mary Chase marychase@anchornews.org friends (In 15: 14). perfect man, we can begin to , Knowing that Jesus was both Send Letters to the Editor to: theanchor@anchomews.org true God and true man has made recover the divine likeness in He was grateful for the least POS1MASTERS send addrl!ss changes to Thl! Anchor, P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 00.722., THE ANCHOR (USPS-545-020) Periodical Postage Paid at Fall River. Mass. many people throughout the which we were created to live. good deed that someone would do

Christ, the perfect man

Putting Into the Deep

Friday, January 20, 2006

..e ancholS)

5

A poverty of imagination be a priest some day. He looked For the celebration of the at me and nodded with a big feast of Mary, the Mother of smile. It seems that Oscar is God, our parish seminarian, Daniel Velasquez, coordinated already thinking along those a rosary procession around the lines. park after the evening Mass on Here at our diocesan misNew Year's night. As with all sion, it is quite a compliment to the Masses over the holidays, suggest to a young person that the church was filled and . he or she should consider a everyone joined in the procesvocation to the priesthood or sion. All the servers were consecrated life. The likely present and vested in the cassocks and surplices that had been donated to the mission by a few parishes in Fall River and New Bedford. Daniel had

By Father Craig A. rehearsed the servers and they were looking Pregana forward to the event.

As I left the sacristy to line up in the procesresponse is, "Oh, not me," but sion, one of the servers, Oscar, it is said with the greatest who was carrying the incense came up and asked me softly, . humility. There is such a high "Father can I ask for a favor?" regard and respect for the role of priests and religious that the The Mass was just about to young people don't thinK of begin, so it didn't seem to be the best time to ask. The eightthemselves as worthy. This year-old proceeded to ask, "Can mind-set makes vocation work you give me a blessing so that I exceedingly difficult. As in the can do my job right tonight? Ifs Diocese of Fall River, here, too, the first time I have the incense there is a vocation shortage, but and I want to serve really well." not for lack of interest, rather for lack of imagination. No one His sincerity was remarkable.

After praying with him, I considers that God might be encouraged him to serve well calling them to a live a life of and added that maybe he would consecrated service.

Our Mission

There isn't a need for vocation posters in the church . nor catchy slogans to advertise the message about vocations.

The young people here are raised'in a culture where service is simply part of life.

They are ready and willing to offer their time and talent to help with whatever project needs to be done, especially as it pertains to the Church. The challenge of vocation work is not so much to promote the idea of service, rather that Christ wants them, personally.

The young people love their priests and religious, they are connected to the Church with incredible devotion. However they lack the vision that there is a possibility that God is calling them.

Poverty here is not only material and financial, it is also a poverty of imagination.

Oscar has a desire to serve well with the incense because it is to honor God. Perhaps he has considered a vocation because his parish priest mentioned it to him. Our mission is not only about offering material and financial aid, we are here to animate the spirit, as well. www.HonduranMission.org

A Manning or a mouse?

I preface this column with a But selfishness isn't limited disclaimer that I don't know the to younger brother. No, no. .

Manning Family personally, nor Peyton seems to have cornered do I know what they are like as the market on that one. individuals. This is just my Following last Sunday's view from the stands - as a stunning upset of the Indiafan. And as I fan, I can say I'm napolis Colts by the Pittsburgh not a fan of the Manning Steelers (in Indy), Manning, in Family. his post-game comments said It bothered me a great deal a couple of years back when Eli Manning was coming out of college to join the pros. That's when daddy Manning; Archie, and big brother, Peyton, virtually told

By Dave Jolivet the National Football League where young Eli would and would not play. there were protection issues. In In essence, the Manning one sentence, Manning sold out Family said loudly and clearly his offensive line, blaming to the San Diego Chargers, who them for his ineptitude that day. had the first pick· in the amateur Anyone who knows football, draft that season, don't even knows offensive lineman have waste your time drafting Eli, he the toughest, most thankless job won't sign with you. on the gridiron. Yet Peyton The Manning Family also pointed the finger at them. said loudly and clearly, Eli will Older brother Manning owns play for the New York Football many, many NFL and team Giants. passing records. He was the And tbe NFL listened. league MVP in 2003 and 2004, That's what made the and I guarantee none of that· Carolina Panthers' shutout of would have been possible the Giants in the first round of without his offensive line. the playoffs all the sweeter. I None. Yet he sold his lifeblood took great pleasure watching out. young Eli look more like a high Not only did he sell his . school quarterback than one teammates out, I feel he made a who called his own shots a few fool out of Coach Tony Dungy years earlier. during the game. Dungy sent

My View From the Stands

.,.. ,

OSCAR DEEMED it a precious honor to carry the incense' • at the New Year's night Mass at the diocesan mission in Guaimaca, Honduras,~ I

Montie Plumbjng &. Heating Co. Over 35 Years of Satisfied Services Reg. Master Plumber,7023 JOSEPH RAPOSA,I'JR.

out his punting unit and a 432 JEFFERSON STREET fourth-down and two-yard FALL RIVER 508-675-7496· situation late in the game.

Manning usurped Dungy's decision and waved the punting team off the field - and they .

II obeyed. I guess Coach Dungy, a very good coach and an even better person, doesn't know his' business. Either that or Spiritual Director: FR. JOSEPH P. McDERMOTT, Peyton runs the team.

Pastor, Immaculate Conception Church Maybe I'm blowing 122 Canton St., Stoughton, MA 02072 the episode out of proportion, but I truly felt bad for Dungy at that moment.

That's what made last Sunday's loss so sweet.

Some were hoping for a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl. Now it will be a Manning-less Super Bowl.

Again.

Perhaps the Manning Family PRGPOSED ITINERARY: can convince the NFL to June 19, - 29,2006 (11 days, 10 nights) Date: change that next season.

Amount: $2,999.90 per person, Double Occupancy I'll finish with two football thoughts: 1) I can't believe $485.00 (ad~itional), Single Supplement Colts' kicker Mike Vanderjagt Inclusive Features: I actually said he guessed the - St. Anthony of Padua - Round trip air I Lord forgot about his football Round trip transfers to your hotel - Venice team, after he badly missed the - Baggage handling .

- St. Catherine of Siena tying field goal with seconds - Hotel accommodatiol1s . - St. Francis of Assisi • If left; and 2) the New England - Loreto (Our Lady's House) - Hotel taxes & service charges Patriots offense gave the game - Nine (9) breakfasts & - Lanciano (Bleeding Host) away to a less talented Bronco nine (9) dinners - San Giovanni - St. Padre Pio team last Saturday night.

- Monte Cassino - All sightseeing per itinerary by Okay, one more thought. private bus with the service - Rome I St. Peter's Basilica, of English-Speaking IIGuide Vatican, Sistine Chapel Spring training starts in about - Catacombs - Ordinarily, daily Ma~s four weeks, and the Red Sox still don't have a team.

For further information you may contact: Comments are welcome at Margaret Oliverio @ 78h762·2029 or 781-344-2073 dave;olivet@anchornews.org.

I .

PILGRIMAGE I TOUR TO

"THE SHRINES OF ITALY"

"

II

Friday, January 20, 2006

Teach me your ways, 0 Lord 'Teach me your ways, a Lord." This emphatic prayer of King David in Psalm 25 is the point of unity in our Scriptures this week. "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior" (ps 25:4).

Last week and now this week, we have been hearing of famous vocations, famous callings, and the associated difficulties in answering them Last week was Samuel (l Sam: 3), Andrew and his brother Simon Peter (In: 1).

This week is Jonah (Ion: 3), Andrew and Simon Peter (again) and James and John (Mk:l).

Jonah had to preach to the enemy, Andrew and Simon had to leave their livelihood, and James and John had to leave their family. On the Surface, these demands border on the unreasonable.

Jonah is the most reluctant and the most successful prophet ever. Despite strongly desiring not to carry out God's request, (he even tried to run away) he obediently preached God's message and we get to see how

to understand what you are little indeed the effectiveness of doing; and especially - why." the message has to do with our "Why is it Lord that there is so personal charisma, talent, or even much pain and suffering and desire. injustice in the world? Why does Why did Jonah try to run my friend (a good person!) have away? He was not a coward He cancer? Why are cnildren born was a patriot. As a prophet, he with incurable diseases? knew that God had a plan for Assyria. The problem was that he knew the plan. It was Assyria Homily of the Week (Babylon) that God would use to conquer Third Sunday Israel in punishment for of Oridnary Time Israel's infidelity to the Covenant.

By Father Why did Jonah run Michael Fitzpatrick away? Why was he . angry? Because he was called to go to the very Why... ?" enemies of his people and help Why indeed. The answer is them - so that they could be that God permits these things used as a scourge of punishment because he has a plan, and our against his own people. He knew eqtering into it lies in Christ's that God would be merciful and own words: "Repent, and forgiving - even to the evil believe in the Gospel" (Mk Assyrians. Yikes. "Your ways, a 1:15). The word that is Lord, make known to me; teacQ translated "repent" literally me your paths" (ps 25:4). We means a "turning around" or may like to add: "Because "transformation of the mind! without your help, I can't begin

heart," and'it is significantly paired with the command "believe." The problem is that, as a result of original sin, and complicated and worsened by our own personal sin, we are incapable of seeing things the way God sees them. The whole exercise of faith :---"1- is to "con-vert" "tum-around" (really, tum upside down) the way we perceive things.

So we enter the mystery, we answer our call, by obedience and in trust. By this cooperation, God begins to teach us how to see things differently' without our even working at it. It is like on-the-job training. For us it is passive. Our cooperation is limited to being open to his Spirit who will "... guide you to all truth ... and will declare to you the things that are coming" (In 16:13).

"He ~hows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice and teaches the bumble his way" (ps 25:8-9). King David knew

that the key to our openness is in humility. Humility is nothing other than the recognition of the truth of ourselves - the good and the bad. It begins by recognizing as a visceral reality, not just a mental abstraction, that I am not God, and God is God. It deepens by the head and heart realization that I can't understand God's plan without his revealing it to me. But he does reveal it to us - through the Scriptures and his Church. On our own we would never have understood that what looks to the world like defeat is actually victory. "...But we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to.Gentiles" (l Cor 1:23). So "do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God" (Rm 12:2).

Father Fitzpatrick is parochial vicar at St. Mary's Parish in Mansfield, and chaplain at Bishop Feehan High Scho04 Attleboro.

Tanked up on faith In last week's column I wrote about the importance of keeping our spiritual fuel tanks full in order to better weather the storms of life.

I touched on one way that God had planned to help us do this by asking us to really and regularly observe the Third Commandment, that is to "Keep holy the Sabbath."

But there are those weeks when the road from one Sunday to the next is a lot longer and bumpier than usual. Unexpected u-turns in relationships, traffic jams in

your neighbor as yourself."

Really and regularly keeping holy the Sabbath surely falls under the fIrst of the Greatest Commandments, so this week I'd like to explore how we can stay tanked up on spiritual fuel by following the pattern of the second of the greatest Commandments. I can . think of three major ways to love neighbor and self, and thereby stay tanked up on faith between Sundays: daily prayer, daily or weekly scripture reading/study, and service to ....---....;------r--::=:---...... those in need.

1) Like the sacrifices we might need to make to truly observe the Sabbath, making

By Heidi Bratton time for meaningful, daily prayer projects at work or home, or might cost us a little more than a bizarre detours thrown in the path quick prayer before meals. Don't of normal life can have us running forget, I'm talking about having on spiritual fumes before the enough faith on reserve for tlie middle of the week. Then what? demands of co-workers, in-laws, How can we refuel in the middle bounced checks, and calls from the ofour always-in-over-drive daily principal's office. Setting the alarm lives?

15 minutes earlier for uninterJesus provided a plan and a rupted time to pray before being pattern for us to do this when he swept into the day's activities took the Ten Commandments'and might be a good place to start. summarized them into the two Reading a devotional guide like the greatest Cornmandrnents in Mark '.'Magnificaf' or "Our Daily 12:29-31. "One of the teachers of Bread" makes this a lot easier. the law came and ... he asked him, Going to daily Mass and saying a "Of all the commandments, which rosary while commuting to work is the most important?" "The most are two more ideas. important one," answered Jesus, 2) Regular study of holy "is this: Hear, a Israel, the Lord Scripture is the second way I'd our God, the Lord is one. Love the recommend to guard against Lord your God with all your heart running out of spiritual gas midand with all your soul and with all week. Most parishes offer weekly your mind and with all your .

Bible study groups or RENEW strength. The second is this: Love groups. If your parish does not or if

Home Grown Faith

,.I

you can't attend for some reason, you can purchase Bible study . guides through a number of good Catholic publishers. Look for Bible study guides written by Scott Hahn and published by Ignatius Press. The Liturgical Press has a very nice study guides for nearly every book of the Bible in its "Little Rock Scripture Study" series.

3) Loving one's neighbor does not have to be a drain on our spiritual energy level. Loving one's neighbor does not have to be a matter of fmding the time to join a group or the money to support a service project. It's a matter of . living the spiritual truth of which St. Francis spoke: "It is in giving

Daily Readings Jan 21

Jan 22

Jan 23 Jan 24

Jan 25

Jan 26

Jan 27

2 Sm 1:1-4,1112,19,23-27; Ps 80:2-3,5-7; Mk 3:20-21 Jon 3: 1-5,10; Ps 25:4-9; 1 Cor 7:29-31; Mk 1:14-20 2Sm5:1-7,10; Ps 89:20-22,2526; Mk 3:22-30 2 Sm 6:12b15,17-19; Ps 24:7-10; Mk 3:31-35 Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Ps 117:1-2; Mk 16:15-18 2Tm1:1-8orTi 1:1-5; Ps 96:13,7,8a,10; Mk 4:21-25 2 Sm 11 :1-4a,510a,13-17; Ps 51:3-7,.10-11; Mk 4:26-34

that we receive." 'The neighbors I most regularly serve are those who live in the bedrooms just down the stairs from mine. It is my service to these dependent, little neighbors that both drains and refuels me as a full-time mother. By regularly and lovingly putting myself at the service of my children, I am teaching them to do the same for the neighbors who Iive.down the street, over the bridge, across the country, and around the world. To receive a spiritual boost mid-week,

we can give love to the needy in our own homes.

How.do you keep your spiritual tank on full during the week? In 30 words or less please send your ideas to hornegrownfaith@yahoo,com.

Thanks!

Bratton is the at-home mother offive and the author and photographer of11 Christian children's books. She and her husband, John, make their home in Falmouth.

In Your Prayers Please pray for the following priests during the coming weeks Jan. 24 1870 Rev. Aaron L. Roche, O.P. hnmaculate Conception Mission, North Easton 'I" \ 1920 Rev. Louis A. Casgndn;Pastor, St Mathieu, Fall River 1951, Rev. Edward H. Finne~~, S.1., BOStQllJ~ollege Faculty . 1977.' Rev. Thomas E MCM¥'3ASS~~t,dur Lady of Victory, CentervIlle / ' /---' 1999, Rev. Comeli/t1SJ;'O·~ill;Re\ifed Pastor, Sacred Heart, TalIDton

\ . . . .~.-

. Jan~ 25

1987, Rev. Jack Hickey, O.P., Di~as House, Nashville, Tenn.

.

Jan.2?\ Riv~19, Rev. John T. O'Grady, AsSis~~\ImmacUlate Conception, Fall 1955, Rev. Joseph M. Silvia, Pastor, ~t.'Michael, Fall River 1988, Rev. Thomas E. Lockary, c.S'~"StonehiU College, North Easton .

Jan. 28 1947, Rev. Joseph M. Griffm, Pastor, St. Mary, Nantucket 1961, Rt. Rev. Msgr. John J. Shay, V.E, Pastor, St John the Evangelist, Attleboro

Jan. 29 1944, Rev. Christiano J. Borges, Retired Pastor, St. John lbe Baptist, New Bedford 1950, Rev. Albert 1. Masse, Pastor, St. Joseph, Attleboro

Jan. 30 1983, Rev. Raymond EX. CalliU, S.1., Assistant, St. Ff'dIIcis Xavier, Hyannis

• 0

,

Friday, J8'riuary'20,

2~006

7

Holy cyberspace!

25 January 2006 - Deep cyberspace - National ComplimentDay (www.complimentday.com) Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the moment you've all been waiting for - the finalists for the Golden Mouse Award, the "Micky."

(Not to be confused with a famous rodent employed as a copyrighted corporate symbol). .

And the finalists are: St. John the Baptist Church, Westport; St. Paul's Church, Taunton; and St. Anne's Church, Fall River.

First to St. John the Baptist Parish (www.stjohnthebaptistwestport.om)路 ThiSis among the top three sites in the diocese. What a busy place. See the impressive calendar of events. This calendar is a graphic image (wh~ch can sometimes be slow to

download and difficult to read) but it's cost-effective and this one works well. Design? It has graphics and the text is easy to read. But is it easy to use? Yes.

It has consistent navigation and the schedule is on the homepage. It's one click to directions. Under outreach and currency, St John's gets high marks. The Web master/designer is parish volunteer Mark Orzeck.

On to St. Paul's Parish (www.stpaultaunton.org).This site is outstanding in outreach.

It's chock full of inspiration.

Under currency, there's a weekly message from the pastor, daily readings, Sunday bulletins, and event and ministry schedules. As for design, St. Paul's Parish uses pastel backgrounds and attractive graphics. Is it easy to use? Sure. The navigation is consistent '" - nothing more than a click away. This is the kind of site that keeps parishioners coming back. It, too, is among the top three parish sites in the diocese. The Web master/ designer is parish volunteer Marie Rawson.

Now, St. Anne's Parish (www.stanneshrine.com).It路s fabulous. It has excellent design, simple and attractive. The site is thematically unified. It effectively uses a variety of graphics.

With its dark text on a white field, it's easy to read. It's also

Abandoning our pitcher and proclaiming the Good News Sacred Scripture recounts for algebra. There must be another For the laity, formation in our us a powerful story of Jesus' free, way to solve for x.

Catholic faith and spirituality is spontaneous and mysterious call My thoughts ran to the many imperative. It is the word of God to discipleship. It began with the and the contemplation of the activities that the various acceptance of Jesus' invitation to apostolates throughout the Gospel stories which s!Jed light overcome fear with trust in his diocese have hosted and the on how an encounter with Jesus word. Next it led to reciprocating parishes who have missions, guest changes people's lives, and how speakers, and bible studies. This one invited by him then becomes God's love by repenting and accepting his forgiveness. Finally, was still going to take mathemati- the one who extends the invitation it embraced the mission to cal skills which I do not possess! to others on his behalf. become an evangelist out of the Then I thought about the life and I think sometimes the idea of experience of conversion. These the purpose of parish. It is the dogma gets a bad rap. However, are the stages of disciplethe "Catechism of the ship and they are .....----------r-:;;;a:::--..... Catholic Church" defines exhibited for us in the dogma as something very often told story of the illuminating and essential Lay co.. workers woman at the well. to our every day life: Jesus meets the "Dogmas are lights along in the vineyar~ Samaritan woman where the path of faith; they she is and engages her in illuminate it and make it dialogue. He acknowlsecure. Conversely, if our edges her thirst, and tells life is upright, our intellect her of the reign of God. and heart will be open to He promises "living welcome the light shed by water, welling up to eternal life" . singular duty of a parish to bring the dogmas of faith" (CCC 89).

(In 4:14). For the Samaritan Christ to its members, to make We must contemplate the word woman this unexpected encounter formation personal and immediate of God and yes, the dogmas of with the Lord effects a change of for the laity by instructing them to our faith. The word contemplate hear the word of God through . actually means "to chew." We heart, and brings her into a relationship with the Messiah. liturgical and personal prayer and must allow the essence of the She goes in haste to tell the lives of fraternal charity. My word and dogma to become a part townspeople about her meeting answer to the inquirer's question of us. We ought to imitate the one "who told me all I have ever was, "100 percent of all adults woman who abandoned her done" (In 4:40), and at her who attend Sunday liturgy pitcher as she contemplated the insistence the community invites participate in adult faith formaword of God and went to proJesus to stay. After her formative tion." claim it to those nearest and time with Jesus, she abandoned Formation happens as we dearest. She did this in humility her pitcher in order to go in haste encounter the word of God, as the and joy, knowing exactly who she to tell the good news. priest breaks open the word for us was.

At a New England Directors of and exhorts us in the way of The author, G.K. Chesterton is Adult Education Meeting we discipleship. The prayers of the quoted as having said, "'The best were asked, "Can you put a Church are powerful tools for case made for Christianity is number on how many people formation, as "the Church prays Christians ... the worst case for throughout your diocese particithat which she professes." We Christianity are Christians!" I pate in adult faith formation receive the Eucharist, Christ truly believe God's people within our activities?" I fell silent as I present, as our food and our diocese are making the case for struggled for long lost algebraic enlightenment. St. lreneus said of Christianity. Increasing opportuniformulas to solve this problem, "if the Eucharist, "Our way of ties for formation, prayer and there are x number of parishes thinking is attuned to the Euchaservice in parishes and diocesan and y percent of parishioners rist, and the Eucharist in turn entities will continue to strengthen who...." It hit me, I do not know this case. confirms our way of thinking."

easy to use. It has consistent navigation, clear and easily understood. Importantinformation is no more than a tlick away. There is a site index. St. Anne's is, unfortunately, somewhat tardy in posting photographs of parish ,events.

The most recent went up in 2002. That will cost a point.

Outreach is this site's forte.

Here is a gold mine of homilies and a plethora of current reports.

It welcomes both long-time parishioners and newcomers.

The Web master/ designer is parishioner Robbie LePage.

This is a very, very fine example of what a parish Website can be.

Our judges are just about ready to reach a decision. There are only nanoseconds left in the competition. St. Anne's Parish, Fall River, we are informed, has been awarded a rating of 3+3+3+2 for a score of 11 points out of 12. Have we found the best of the best?

And the winner of the Golden Mouse is ... Wait! Hold everything! I have just received latebreaking news, by text message on my cell phone, of course.

According to the newly published Diocesan Directory, yet another parish Website has just launched in cyberspace. We now have 46 parish sites in the diocese. We interrupt this program to investigate the latest entry. We will go to a commercial break and be bac)( in just a moment. Please stay tuned for further developments.

We're back. Ladies and gentleman, the judges have consulted in extraordinary session. The envelope,please.

We have an upset! The winner of the Golden Mouse is this brand-riewsite, St. Anthony's Parish, New Bedford (www.saintanthonynewbedfordcom).

narrowly bumping St. Anne, Fall

River for first place!

This last-minute entry is scored 3+3+3+3 - the only parish site to receive the top grade in every category.

St. Anthony's Parish is the best of the best. It has the trademarks of all the other great sites. It's attractively designed, easy to read, and consistent. We find excellent navigation within the site. It's not always clear, however, when the navigation links to a different site.

Nothing's ever perfect, even for a winner. The calendar, bulletin, and homilies are up-to-theminute. It even has religious education homework assignments. There are lovely photos of the church building. Photos of parishioners would be a nice addition. "There is a wealth of inspirational reading material on the Catholic Preaching site. The inspirational material, theJ LJ ' homilies, and the letters, combined with all other aspects, give this site the edge.

Congratulations, St. Anthony's New Bedford. Would a parish representative please come forward? (Applause) "Thank you so much for this great honor. First of all, we would like to thank our pastor and Web master Father Landry ...." Excuse me. Do you mean Father Roger Landry, the executive editor of this very newspaper? You do? Oh dear.

This decision will be the talk of the town! The decision of the judges is final.

Click. Your Internet connection has been lost. Please restart your computer. If the problem persists, contact tech support.

Goodbye.

Parish staffs can receive a free confidential evaluation of their own site. COIitad "Timmy the Techie" at .

StBernardAssonet@aol.com.

St. Anne's Prayer "Good St. Anne, Mother of Mary, and Grandmother of Jesus, Intercede for me and my petitions. Amen."

II

St. Francis of Assisi Parish 530. Gardner's Neck Road Swansea, MA

Qrganist/Vocalist St. Francis of Assisi Parish is looking for an organist who will also serve as vocalist for all weekend Masses, weddings and funerals For more information, or to apply Please call: Father Edward E. Correia, Pastor at 508-673-2808 or write to Father Correia at St. Francis of Assisi Rectory 270 Ocean Grove Avenue Swansea, MA 02777

I

II

. ~. .2:_ ~ _Jl(....'".

1be~

I~

'路i路路';

Our Lady of Victory Parish donates $23,000 to HAC Gift from Centerville parish will be used to prevent homelessness HYANNIS - Representatives from Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville presented a check for $23,000 to Housing Assistance Corporation last month, that will be used to prevent homelessness.

The money was raised during the parish's annual Taste and See gala.

The event was initially held to raise funds for the parish center, which is used by church and community groups. But Father Mark R. Hession, pastor, decided along with the planning committee, to share the proceeds with a worthy cause in the community. They selected HAC, specifically offering support to the agency's work with people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

"Our Lady of Victory for years has been generous to Housing Assistance Corporation, particularly in our efforts to prevent homelessness and care for people who have no place to call home," said Rick Presbrey, executive director. "This year's gift allowed us to initiate an important new winter program to get people who cannot get into the shelter off the street and into a hotel or other rented room during the

cold winter months."

In addition to the gala, parishioners of Our Lady of Victory support the work of HAC through a grocery store certificate program that funds a homelessness prevention program. Many parishioners also provide meals at the NOAH Center and volunteer in other ways.

"The parish family of Our Lady of Victory is committed to sharing our many blessings with our neighbors who are suffering and are in need," said Father Hession. "God's work is being done every day and night at NOAH. We are grateful to the staff and volunteers of Housing Assistance Corporation for their efforts and are pleased to offer our support."

The check was presented to Presbrey by Father Hession, Michael Princi and Lolly Campbell, chairperSons of the annual event.

The Taste and See gala is held every fall. Local restaurants and wine purveyors present samplings offood and wine from their menus.

Guest auctioneer Anne Thompson ofNBC News presides over an auction featuring original artwork and vacation opportunities.

THE ARCHIVES of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the Vatican office responsible for construction matters in St. Peter's Basilica, house volumes of material. Among other documents, the archives contain handwritten notes, instructions, reports and requests from Renaissance and Baroque artists. (eNS/courtesy of Fabbrica di San Pietro)

To-do lists, pay stubs: Archive details St. Peter's construction

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - For every sack of cement that was purchased, for every blockofstonequarried and hauled to Rome, architects iIi charge of building St. Peter's Basilica filled out and filed away receipts and penned detailed notations in thick, bound ledgers.

Even every artisan and worker hired, every on-the-job accident, lawsuit and progress report on the construction of the world's largest church were recorded and stored away in a little-known - but priceless - Vatican archive.

The archives of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the Vatican office responsible for the basilica's construction matters, certainly do not carry the same recognition as the Vatican Secret Archives, perhaps because their contents may seem more mundane.

FATHER MARK R. Hession, left, pastor of Our Lady of VicInstead of 2Oth-century Vatican tory Parish, Centerville, recently presented Rick Presbrey, sec- intrigue, one is more likely to fmd a ond from left, executive director of Housing Assistance Cor- Renaissance master's to-do list, poration with a sizeable donation from the parish to assist area crinkled pay stubs and requests adhomeless. Lolly Campbell and Michael Prfnci were chairper- dressed to patrons holding the purse sons of a fund-raising gala at the parish, that helped the cause. strings.

More than tO,OOO pieces of parchment, documents, slips and scraps of paper are catalogued and tucked away in fat, hardcover volumes. Each volume, bursting with NEW YORK (CNS) - The handed down its Roe v. Wade de- notes and folios, is wrapped with New York-based National Black cision, which threw ol1t most state yellowed ribbon or graying twine Catholic Apostolate for Life will restrictions on abortion, and its and stands in unlocked glass cabihold its second annual "Black companion decision, Doe v. nets that line the archive's octagonCatholic Rosary Across America for Bolton, which permitted abortions shaped rooms. The rooms are loLife" January 23 to mark the 33rd through all nine months of preg- catedon an upper floor near the back year since the Supreme Court legal- nancy. of the basilica, overlooking the or"By praying the 'Black Catho- ganpipes. ized abortion virtually on demand Black Catholics and people of lic Rosary Across America for From inside St Peter's Basilica, life are invited to pray the rosary Life,' we as black Catholics are authorized guests can access the clifor life on that day to end abor- committed through the interces- . rnate-controlled collection by going tion and all acts of violence sion of Mary, the mother of life through a door undemeath the"masagainst human life, said to impact our community with the sive, marble monument to Pope Franciscan Father James Goode, message of life and change lives Alexander VII, which means duckthe apostolate's founder and presi- and attitudes," the priest said in a ing under a life-size, bronze skeleton dent. On Jan. 22, 1973, the court news release. representing death; it triumphantly

Black Catholic Pro-Life apostolate announces 'Rosary Across America'

brandishes an hourglass.

'The archives preserve the entire history of the basilica," said Simona Tuniziani, one of the four people who work cataloging and caring for the Fabbrica's archives.

"It's not a huge archive, but it's incredibly rich because all the important architects of the 1500s to the 1600s came through (the basilica), because it was the most important construction site at the time," she told joumali'lts in late December.

Donato Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Carlo Maderno, Giovanni Bernini and Francesco Borromini's handwritten notes, instructions, reports and requests are all housed there.

These Renaissance and Baroque artists each had a hand in the design or building of St. Peter's Basilica, whose construction began 500 years ago on April 18, 1506. " Thatday PopeJulius IT set the first cornerstone of the new basilica. He mobilized the resources and the artists to finally do what popes before him had been concerned about saving from collapse the ancient basilica built at the time ofConstantine.

But Pope Julius wanted a large, grandiose basilica to replace the smaller, deteriorating original thatsat atop the underground tomb of St. Peter.

Construction on the new church lasted more than 100 years. The project was not only enormous, but sometimes work was stalled as earlier plans and designs were scrapped or revised by successive architects.

Antonio daSangaUothe Younger, for example, wrote a letter to the pope criticizing what Raphael, Sangallo's predecessor, had done.

SangaUo "complained that a ton of money was being wasted and the work was being done poorly,"

Turriziani said.

But Michelangelo later tossed out Sangallo's own blueprint for the basilica, saying the design was too elaborate and created too many dark, winding conidors.

Michelangelo complained there would be too many hiding places for prowling pickpockets and not enough natural light to help pilgrims see if they were getting counterfeit coins with their change, said Pietro Zander, an official with the Fabbrica.

Michelangelo told his papal patron that he could create a more luminous and far simpler basilica in less time, and his design was accepted.

Michelangelo, like many people involved in the project, never lived to see the church completed in 1626.

But he dedicated almost 20 years of his life, 1546-1564, to being head architect.

One of the archive's most prized pieces is aletter dated Feb. 18,1562, in which Michelangelo tells the cardinals in charge of the Fabbrica that they should hire his friend, Pietro Luigi, as supervisor of the workers.

But Michelangelo knew the idea might not be well received since the Fabbrica was already paying a certain Cesare as foreman. So he wrote in the letteP. "If you don't want to do it, then I will personally pay the man's salary because I am not working to make money; for St. Peter, I dedicate my body and soul."

Perhaps the meticulous notes were considered to be just humdrum information by bookkeepers at the time, but today scholars fmd the details fascinating.

Turriziani said the Vatican was preparing to mark the basilica's 500th anniversary this year with a number of unconfirmed events and celebrations.

9

Jews, Christ,ans called to work together, pope tells chief rabbi

By CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

supported and guided them," he said.

The. pope also told the rabbi that the many challenges facing people in Rome and in the world, "call us to join our hands and hearts in concrete initiatives of solidarity, 'tzedek' Uustice) and 'tzedekah' (charity)."

Rabbi Di Segni told Pope Benedict that a fresco in a Rome chapel shows a pope and a rabbi standing before the emperor, engaged in a contest to demonstrate who had greater power.

If any competition is valid today, he said, it is only competition in demonstrating fidelity to one's faith, service to others and ways to witness to and apply the values Jews and Christians share.

"The Jewish Rome and Christian Rome which meet each other, respect each other,live together in peace and collaborate, but .remain faithful to themselves, are an example for a world torn by conflicts," often enflamed by supposedly religious ideals, he said.

Rabbi Di Segni said CatholicJewish relations around the world and in Rome improved tremendously under Pope John Paul II and he was sure progress would continue with Pope Benedict, whose theological counsel supported the decisions of his predecessor.

The rabbi told Pope Benedict that the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul's visit to the Rome synagogue would be marked in April.

"It was a unique event, but there is nothing to prevent it being repeated by the new pope, who is always welcome," the rabbi told the pope.

VATICAN CITY - Christians and Jews, sharing faith in the same God, are called to jWork together for justice, peace and the good of human souls, Pope Benedict XVI told Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome.

I' "The Catholic Church is close to you and is your friend," the pope told the rabbi during a recent meeting at the Vatic~n.

Pope Benedict said Christians believe that, in Christ, they have become part of God's chosen people, sharing the bles~ings and the call to serve the Lord.

"That makes us Christians aware that, together with you, we have the responsibility to coPOPE BENEDICT XVI poses with some of the sUNivors of the Beslan school seizure at operate for the good of all the end of his weekly general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican January 11. For three' peoples in justice and peace, in days in September 2004, armed terrorists held hundreds of children and adults captive in a truth and freedom, in holiness and love," the pope said. school in Beslan, Russia. (eNS photo/Plinio Lepri, Pool via Reuters) Sharing a mission with the Jewish people, he said, Christians must fight "hatred and misunderstanding, injustice and the violence which continues to sow concern in the souls of men and women of good will. In this conBy CAROL GLATZ This is what separates people from animals, text, how can we not be sadCATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE that "we know we have a creator" and that this dened and worried by the reVATICAN CITY -In a world marked by enor- creator "bent the heavens" to come down to be newed signs of anti-Semitism mous discoveries and intellectual achievements, with his children, the pope said. that are sometimes seen."

God descended from heaven with the incarnapeople must not overlook that the most important Pope Benedict told Rabbi Di thing to know is God and his saving grace, said tion of Jesus, he said, and just like the shepherd Segni that he thanked God for who carried his lost sheep on his shoulders, Jesus remaining faithful to his covPope Benedict XVI. There are so many things to know and learn in carried on his shoulders the human condition, "our enant with the Israelites and for today's information age, but all that knowledge flesh, ourselves." protecting and saving the Jewcan become "problematic, indeed dangerous, if By becoming man, God became a reality that. ish people. the fundamental knowledge that gives us mean- people could understand and establish "friend"The people of Israel were ing and direction" - an awareness of God - is ship, communion" with, said the pope. freed several times from the While the psalm is about humanity's weak- hands of their enemies, and missing, the pope said in a recent general audience. nesses and distance from "divine splendor," in the through centuries of antiWhat makes humans different from beasts and end it celebrates a surprising discovery that "next Semitism, in the dramatic moother animals is that they are able to recognize to us is God-Emmanuel, who for the Christian has ments of the Shoah (Holocaust), the truth and know that awareness of God will the loving face of Jesus Christ," the pope said. the hand of the Almighty has become "a relationship and friendship," said the pope in remarks apart from his text.

"It is important in this age that we do not for226 Great Neck Road get God" among all the many things there are to Wareham, MA 02571 128 peaceful acres of know and discover, he said.

Offc: 508-295-0100 lion~sts, trails & Pope Benedict delivered his catechesis inside Fax: 508-291-2624 private beach on the Vatican's Paul VI hall as morning temperaE-mail: retreats@sscc.org Cape Cod tures outside hovered above freezing.

Attending the weekly audience were some Website: www.sscc.orglwareham 8,000 pilgrims, including a group of children who Call Ahead Anytime Retreats for Clergy survived the September 2004 hostage takeover of their school in Beslan, Russia. + Spiritual Direction Respite for Clergy - Join with other The pope met with the 30 children after the + Private Self-Guided Retreats priests for prayer, rest and brotherhood audience, greeting each one individually in a private gathering held in a smaller room adjoining the main hall.

For three days, armed terrorists held hundreds of children and adults captive in the school. The standoff ended when shooting broke out between BRING YOUR PARISH the terrorists and Russian security forces, leavOur facility is an ideal setting ing at least 340 civilians - 186 of them children to bring your program.

- dead and hundreds more wounded.

BRING YOUR GROUP In his catechesis, the pope commented on Psalm 144 in which the psalmist makes note of * 100-year-old Manor house with 25 rooms (6 with baths), 52 beds, historic parlor, dining room, library, conference room, the fragility of the body. and chapel. * Dedicated Youth Center, two dorms with 40 bunk beds, chapel, Conference Room, and Cottage for the adult The psalmist asks God what makes him notice team. Kitchen is available to do your own cooking if you prefer. * Private beach with jetty, beach house, and ~icnic tables. and "take thought of' mortal people who are just "like a breath, like a fleeting shadow, feeble and THE HEART OF PRAYER $140 HEART TO HEART WITH GOD $140 inconsistent, lost in the flow of time that passes Feb. 10-12 with Fr. David Lupo, SSCC Feb. 17-19 with Fr. David Reid, SSCC by," said the pope.

An opportunity to explore your prayer life, its limitations A contemplative dialogue with those who met Jesus in While life may be brief and fleeting, humanity and its strengths - and possibly discover new dimensions John's Gospel to discover how Jesus reveals the Heart of can also experience "the great joy ... of knowing that will make your time with God a dynamic encounter.

God to our heart. his own creator," the pope said quoting Origen, For more information contact: Sacred Hearts Retreat Center; Office: 508,295-0100; E-mail: retreats@sscc.org the third-century Christian theologian.

Most important thing to know is God and his saving grace, pope says

SACRED HEARTS RETREAT L_~_J CENTE R

*

*

.;;:-

Friday, January 20, 2006

Book review EWTN's Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles, by Raymond Arroyo REVIEWED BY PATRICK S. LEWIS and entering a cloistered convent, CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE against the wishes of her mother.

"Mother Angelica" traces the Arroyo describes the enterprising life of a girl named Rita Rizzo, who contemplative who becomes grew up to be the abbess of a clois- Mother Angelica, growing into a tered monastery and an icon of leader as she directs building cable television. "The Remarkable projects and raises money for an Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Alabama monastery by selling Network of Miracles" chronicles fishing lures.

Interested in the evangelical pothe life and challenges of Mother Angelica - a broken home, health tential of television, Mother Anproblems and the founding of a gelica founds EWTN. Arroyo says media empire. Author Raymond that because Mother Angelica sees Arroyo invites the reader to admire her difficult childhood and long her unfailing store of humor, history of physical suffering feistiness and faith in the power of through the eyes of faith she has God. The biography is an inspir- been able to bring hope to a large ing, entertaining, fast read that is television audience.

Arroyo recounts tales ofMother difficult to put down.

Ll COOL J, left, Gerard Depardieu and Queen Latifah star in a scene from the movie "Last Arroyo, the anchorman of the Angelica struggling to find donors for EWTN, always trusting in Holiday." For a brief review of this film, see CNS Movie Capsules below. (CNS photo/Parat11ount) ~Etemal Word Television Network Christ to pronews program ~ ---,,-,---; vide. He says "The World ~ she never kept a Over," clearly nonpayment of rent, his growing at- of a corrupt businessman en mothy budget. Her unadmires Mother traction to the efficiency expert at the Hutton) and less-th,Ul-altruistic policonventional otlice (Linda Cardellini), and his in- ticians. Wayne Wang's remakeofa Angelica and the fund-raising efmission of the teraction with a coterie of goofy 1950 Alec GuiJUless movie which forts included friends (induding Nick Swardson). had a s<.:ript by august English writer network she. i her saying on founded, which Nonstop gross-out humor and rough lB. Priestley is marred by some television, is also his .emand crude language, sexual situations silly slapstick, but mostly, though ployer. But he "Some of you and innuendo, upper female and rear predictable and contrived, it's a feellC~搂 ~'I()viile Catholics are does not hesitate male nudity, heavy drug use, hedo- good film with the marvelously loaded - with nistic worldview. The USCCB 01'- empathetic Latifah and a positive to show the ICallPSUlllles money, I mean." . fice for Film & Broadcasting classi- message about recognizing life's nun's humanity ~ MOTHER~ Arroyo captures or discuss conNEW YORK (CNS)- Thefol- fication is 0 - morally otfensive. possibilities and having the courage troversy surthe mood of lowing are capsule reviews of mov- The Motion Picture Association of to follow through on them. A few each period in ies recrntly reviewed by the Office America rating is R - restricted. instances of crude language, some rounding her, The Remarkable StOll' of aN u.n, particularly in his subject's fas- for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Under 17 requires accompanying frank sexual talk and ililluendo, and Flcr Nervc. and a Nc\woI路k her disagreecinating life an adulterous situation in ,Ul otherparent or adult guardian.

Conference of Catholic Bishops. of Mirac.ks drawing the ments with some "Last HolIday" (pammount) wise admirably wholesome film. ''Grandma's Boy" reader into her American bish(20th Century Fox) Touching if improbable tale of Ine USCCB Office for Film & Raymond Arroyo ops. battles and joys Unspeakably bad comedy about dowdy spinster (Queen Latifah), Broadcasting classification is A-III with the quirky a video-game tester (Allen Covert) who upon leaming she has only a - adults. rille Motion Picture AsArroyo describes her as a woman of contra- doses of humor that are her trade- who moves in with his grandmother few weeks to live takes her life sav- sociation of America rating is PGdictions: a "cloistered, contempla- mark.

(Doris Roberts) and her geriatric ings and goes to Europe where she ]3 - parents strongly cautioned.

A dramatic moment is Mother roommates (Shirley Jones and gets a makeover and learns to li ve Some material may be inappropritive nun who speaks to the world; the independent rule breaker who Angelica's on-air rebuke about the Shirley Knight) after he's evicted for life more fully, changing the lives ate for children under 13. is derided as a 'rigid conservative'; Stations of the Cross at World the wisecracking comedian who Youth Day in Denver in 1993. In suffers near constant pain; the Poor that event a woman portrayed Clare nun who runs a multimillion- Christ, which World Youth Day orNEW YORK (CNS)- ThefolComplex political thriller only a miracle can bring his hospiganizers and the papal spokesman lowing are capsule reviews of this about an African-based British talized mother out of her coma, so dollar corporation."

Rizzo was born in Canton, defended but which Mother An- week's DVD and video releases diplomat (Ralph Fiennes, in top with no prior experience in running Ohio, April 20, 1923. Her father gelica interpreted as a promotion from the Office for Film & Broad- form) who sets out to uncover the he decides his miracle will be winabandoned his family, and Rizzo of the ordination of women. Ar- casting of the U.S. Conference of mystery behind the murder of his ning the Boston Marathon and struggled with the stigma and in- royo writes, "She drew a deep Catholic Bishops. apparently unfaithful activist wife trains with one of his teachers, stability of being raised by a single breath, cutting her eyes. 'I'm so "Assisted Living" (2005) (Rachel Weisz), and uncovers a former runner Father Hibbert mother during the Depression. She tired of you, liberal Church in Poignant docudrama that fol- web of intrigue involving con- (Campbell Scott), all to the conemerges as a fighter - avoiding America.'" The speech was a turn- lows a 27-year-old, pot-smoking spiracies, government corruption sternation of stern Father self-pity and defending those she ing point for Mother Angelica, who slacker (Michael Bonsignore) and betrayal at the highest levels Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the loves, particularly her mother. She donned a traditional habit, and for through his final day as ajanitor at of power and the pharmaceutical school's principal who believes also endures intense physical pain, EWTN, which saw itself inoppo- a nursing home, during which he industry. Director Fernando talk of miracles is blasphemous. eventually undergoing a miracu- sition to the "liberal Church." gains deeper maturity through an Meirelles' adaptation of a John Ie Some of writer-director Michael "Mother Angelica" is a fascinat- unlikely friendship he develops Carre novel is a long, but gener- McGowan's dialogue has a notlous healing at the hands of a mystic and stigmatic. The book in" ing read about an amazing woman. with an elderly resident (Maggie ally absorbing, suspense story and quite-natural quality though this is cludes a powerfully disturbing Her story should motivate readers Riley) who is suffering from the a condemnation of drug testing on clearly meant to be a fable, while black-and-white photograph of the to witness to the faith, never lose early stages of Alzheimer's disease unsuspecting Ibird World people, certain clements of the story - the hope and trust in the will of an all- and mistakes him for her absent with solid performances and fla- boy's admitted habits of "selfstigmatic from the 1940s.

Through the instruction of this loving Savior. son. Incorporating footage of real vorfullocation shooting in Kenya. abuse," a scene of a naked woman stigmatic, Rizzo grows spiritually, Doubleday (New York, 2005). residents and staff at the facility Brief rear and partial nudity, scat- in a locker room, a portrayal of falling deeply in love with Christ 384pp. where it was shot into the fictional tered profanity, rough language Church authority as unduly restricstory, this modest film by first-time and crude expressions, a re- ti ve - complicate what might othdirector Elliot Greenebaum man- strained premarital bedroom erwise be ideal entertainment for路 Movies Online ages despite its no-frills look to scene, quick blurry shots of vio- all ages, and limit the film's approoffer a moving meditation on lone- lence including lynching, and a priateness to adults and older adoCan't remember how a recent film was classiliness and the human need for con- gruesome description of death. lescents. Profanity, rear nudity, fied by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops? tact and compassion. Some recre- The USCCB Office for Film & underage drinking and smoking.

Want to know whether to let the kids go see it? You ational drug usage and brief crude Broadcasting classification is A- The DVD issue offers a good-looking print with commentary by expressions. The USCCB Office III - adults. can look film reviews up on the Catholic News McGowan, as well as a behind-thcfor Film & Broadcasting classifi"Saint Ralph" (2005) Service Website. cation is A-III - adults. (Hart Fanciful but extraordinarily scenes featurette. The USCCB Visit www.catholicnews.com and click on "MovSharp) moving film about a 14-year-old Office for Film & Broadcasting ies," under the "News Item" menu. ''The Constant Gardener" (2005) boy (Adam Butcher) who believes classification is A-Ill - adults.

ANGELICA

DVD/video reviews

111

Friday, January 20, 2006

Pope's first encyclical nearing release, ~ay Vatican officials r

.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)-After a number of revisions, Pope BenedictXVI'sencyclic~ on love, charity and Christianity]lwas being prepared for releasei in midJanuary, Vatican officials said.

The encyclical, the first by the new pope, is titled "Deu~ Caritas Est" ("God is Love"), words taken from the first letter of Stl John.

Vatican sources described the text, about 50 pages in all, as a spiritual reflection on q:hristian love and erotic love, the <::hurch's work of charity and its Ii mission to announce Christ.

The source who spoke January 17 said that an earlier version路 of the encyclical was drculated to Vatican departments anh a small number of theologians 'last fall, resulting in a significant number

of路suggested changes. Subsequent editing of the text included wording modifications, new explanatory sections and revision of the conclusion, he said.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the encyclical begins with the words of St. John's letter - "God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him" - and says they clearly express the centrality of the Christian faith, the路 Christian image of God, and the vision of man and his path.

The encyclical, according to ANSA, warns that in contemporary society erotic love is losing the connection to the self-sacrificing spiritual love proposed by Christianity, resulting in sexual degradation.

I

POPE BENEDICT XVI greets the dean of the ambassadors to the Holy See, Giovanni Galassi of San Marino, at the Vatican recently. The pope gave an address to Vatican-based diplomats~n the Sala Regia. (eNS photo/pool via Reuters)

War, poverty ignore truth about human dignity, pope tells diplomats

o

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In the Middle East, in Africa and wherever violence and extreme poverty threaten human life and dignity, people must recognize the truth that all people are created equal and have a right to exist in freedom, Pope Benedict XVI said.

"Bloodshed does not cry out for revenge, but begs for respect for life, for peace," the pope said January 9 in his address to ambassadors and other diplomats representing their nations at the Vatican.

The pope specifically mentioned ongoing tensions in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Iraq, the Darfur region of Sudan and the Great Lakes region of Africa.

He spoke about the threat to peace caused by terrorism, extreme poverty and human trafficking.

The pope said the resolution of .differences must be based on the truth about people and their communities, that they are equal but have legitimate differences that must be balanced.

Pope Benedict said the IsraeliPalestinian conflict illustrates what he means: "The State oflsrael has to be able to exist peacefully in confortnity with the norms of internationallaw" and "the Palestinian people has to be able to develop serenely its own democratic institutions for a free and prosperou~ future."

A commitment to truth, he said, also implies an indi.vidual or a nation is able to recognize when it has made a mistake and is able to seek forgiveness.

Pope Benedict said he knows some people will counter by saying, "Differing convictions about the truth cause tensions, misunderstandings, disputes, and these are all the more serious, the deeper the convictions underlying them."

However, lte said, a closer look reveals that conflict has "little or nothing to do with truth or religion" and that a sincere commitment to truth and to the respect for free-

dom demanded by truth is lacking situations where human beings are when one or both sides resort to lacking even the basic necessities for living with dignity," he said. violence.

The pope called for concerted "Where the Catholic Church herself is concerned, insofar as se- action on the part of individuals rious mistakes were made in the and nations - especially the world's wealthiest countries - to p~t by some of her members and by her institutions, she condemns end poverty and starvation and to those mistakes, and she has not improve the living conditions of hesitated to ask for forgiveness," people in refugee camps. ''Truth demands that none of the he said. .Pope Benedict repeated the prosperous states renounce its own words of Pope 10hn Paul II: 'There responsibility and duty to provide can be no peace without justice, help through drawing more gener0usly upon its own resources," he no justice without forgiveness."

A commitment to truth, a rec- said.

"On the basis of available staognition of one's own errors and sincere forgiveness are needed in tistical data," the pope said, "it can the Holy Land, in Lebanon and be said that less than half .of the through the Middle East, "espe- immense sums spent worldwide on cially, Iraq, the cradle of greatcivi- armaments would be more than lizations, which in these past years sufficient to liberate the immense has suffered daily froIl! violent acts masses of the poor from destitution." of terrorism."

Francis Rooney, the U.S. am"Surely one of the great goals of diplomacy must be that of lead- bassador to the Vatican, told ing all parties in conflict to under- Catholic News Service t:l:]at joinstand that if they are committed to ing the entire diplomatic corps for truth, they must acknowledge er- the first time in a meeting with rors - and not merely the errors Pope Benedict was "a tremendously impressive experience." of others," said.

From the point of view of U.S. A commitment to truth, he said, also requires respect for the free- foreign policy, he said, "it was a dom of every person to seek the great speech," particularly the truth and to express his or her reli- pope's emphasis on the links between truth and freedom and truth gious convictions.

"Unfortunately, in some states, and human dignity.

The speech, Rooney said, "reeven among those who can boast centuries-old cultural traditions, inforced for me that we are on the freedom of religion - far from be- right track with having human diging guaranteed - is seriously vio- nity and essential freedoms as our lated, especially where minorities basic focus."

Rooney also said he was not are concerned," Pope Benedict said "To an those responsible for the surprised that Pope Benedict's only life of nations, I wish to state: If mention of Iraq was to express you do not fear truth, you need not concern for ongoing terrorist attacks there. fear freedom," he said.

"The Vatican has made it clear Recognizing truth, people will see that peace is not simply the lack they' support nation-building in of armed conflict, but flows from Iraq," the ambassador said.

The focus is "on the present and acknowledging the existence of right and wrong on an individual the future," the ambassador said, and societal level and acting to pro- not on the differences between tect the dignity of each human be- Pope John Paul II and President George W. Bush over the need to ing, the pope said.

"One cannot speak of peace in go to war in Iraq in the first place.

he

PRACTICE THE

D~VOTION ][

OF THE' FIRST

SATUFiDAYS~'

AS REQUESTED BY Ou~ LADY OF FATIMA

On December 10,1925, Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia (seer of Fatima) an~ spoke these words: "Announce in my

name that I promise tb assist at the hour ofdeath with the graces ,necessary for the salvtlfion of their souls, all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Go to confession; 2. Receive Holy Communion; 3. Recite the Rosary (5 decades); and 4. Keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries ofthe Rosary, with the intention of . making reparation to me."

In. a spirit of reparation, the above conditions are each to be preceded by the words: "In reparation for the offenses committed against the. Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after the first Saturday, and;Holy Communion may be received at either the morning or evening Mass on the first Saturday.

CHRISTIAN APoSTOLIC TRUE

PROtLiFER HELPER ADVISOR RESTORER

~ Walsh

HOLY

ME~ICATOR

ONE

ANTI-ABOIUIONIST CAREGIVER

I'

LOVING INFALLIBLE CHARITABLE

THOMAS PASTERNAK

IN~RUcroR

I'hannacllt

202 RockSt.

SPECIALIST T H~RAPEUTIST

Fall River

TIlt NalIonaI CdloIc PhInnIcIIlI GuIld of!hi Unilld SlIteI

E

Pharmacy

Ii

~

508-679路1300

---

The Franciscans Iinmaculate Conception Province (OFM) Vocation Director: Br. Charles Gingerich, ofm Email: Charles848@aol.com Website: WWW.FRANCISCANVOC.ORG

1-800-521-5442 (days) 1-888-521-5442 (evenings) 978-863-0042 978-863-0041 (evenings only) FAX: 978-863-0172 USA 459 River Road Andover, MA 01810-4213

....

CANADA 2210 Lawrence Ave. East Toronto ONT. M1P 2P9

-.

12

Friday, January 20, 2006

Hawaiian soldier killed in Iraq had been considering religious life HONOLULU (CNS) - Family and friends said a U.S. soldier from Hawaii who was killed in Iraq on Christmas Eve felt honored to serve her country but that she also was contemplating a different kind of service - religious life.

Sister Susan John Kraus, a Daughter of St. Paul, said Sgt. Myla Maravillosa was thinking of joining her order. She said it was clear from her E-mails that Maravillosa "was growing in her spiritual life" and that "her relationship with the Lord had really deepened."

In one of those messages, written just before she went to Iraq, the soldier admitted to being "scared a little bit." However, "God has been inviting me to remaInrnbim," Maravillosa wrote.

"If I remain in him, he will see 'me through and carry me home."

Maravillosa, 24, was an interrogator for the U.S. Army Reserve's 301st Military Intelligence Battalion based at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. She had only been in Iraq since November 20 and was the second female U.S. soldier to be killed there.

Dozens of military personnel gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu December 31 for a memorial service honoring her. Also attending were friends and relatives, a U.S. congressman and 'members of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Maravillosa died from injuries she sustained when the Humvee in which she was riding was struck from behind by a rocketpropelled grenade. She was in the back seat of her vehicle, the last one in a convoy of five on a routine patrol.

Those who knew her said Maravillosa did not intend to make the military her career.

"She met the sisters at the cathedral at Mass and she just felt _ a:;,;: ,

.~

right away 'the attraction for religious life," said Sister Susan, one of the sisters who operate the downtown Pauline Book and Media Center. "She would come to visit us and volunteer at least a . couple of times a week.

"She joined the military for the opportunities that the reserve offered initially," she added.

"Things weren't always easy for her. But she stuck with it."

Maravillosa came to Hawaii in 1997 from the Philippines. She joined the Army Reserve after graduating from Leilehua High School in 1998. For a time she attended Leeward Community College.

"She felt very honored to serve her new country," said her mother, Estelita Maravillosa of Waipahu, in a phone interview with the Hawaii Catholic Herald, Honolulu diocesan newspaper. Maravillosa was able to spend three days at home with her mother before being deployed to Iraq.

"She was a very loving, understanding, polite and obedient person," she said. "She was a very respectful daughter."

The cathedral service was a somber hour of testimony and remembrances in words, pictures and music.

Sister Susan said that, despite what people thought, God was not preparing Maravillosa to be a sister, or a soldier, or anything more than the person everyone already knew.

"God was preparing her to enter heaven," she said.

The memorial service was followed by a memorial Mass at noon celebrated by the cathedral rector, Father John Berger. In his homily, Father Berger spoke about the Gospel reading recounting the rising of Lazarus.

"Jesus had authority to even tum death upside down," he said.

When it comes路to death, the priest said, "God has the last word."

..

SGT. MYLA MARAVILLOSA, of the U.S. Army Reserve's 301 st Military Intelligence Battalion, poses with an Iraqi sbepherd boy Dec. 9 while she was on patrol with her unit in central Iraq. Maravillosa, 24, was killed on Christmas Eve when a rocket-propelled grenade hit her Humvee. She was considering entering religious life as a Daughter of S1. Paul.

(CNS/Hawaii Catholic Herald)

AN IRAQI policeman flashes a "V" sign for victory while patrolling a road in an armored vehicle after suicide bomb attacks at the Interior Ministry in Baghdad January 9. In a 3,600word January 12 statement, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla., chairman of the!

U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy, called for "serious and civil discussions" on what the United States must do to prepare for "a responsible transition" to full Iraqi self-rule.

(CNSlThaier AI-Sudani, Reuters)

Bishop says U.S. 'is at a crossroads in Iraq'

By JERRY FILTEAU CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGlON- "Ournation is at a crossroads in Iraq," Bishop Thomas G. Wenski ofOrlando, Fla., chairman ofthe U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy, said January 12.

In a 3,600-word statement Bishop Wenski called for "serious and civil discussions" on what the United States must do to prepare for "a responsible transition" to full Iraqi self-rule.

"Our nation's military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner rather than later," he said.

Sharply criticizing the "shrill and shallow debate that distorts reality and reduces the options to 'cut and run' versus 'stay the course,'" Bishop Wenski instead urged "serious and civil discussions of alternatives that emphasize planning for a responsible transition in Iraq."

He called for "clearer signals that the goals of U.S. policy are to help Iraq~s assume full control of their governance and not to occupy the nation for an indeterminate period." The U.S. government should declare tl)at the presenCe of U.S. troops in Iraq "must be an Iraqi decision that respects the needs and sovereignty of the Iraqi people," he said.

"Despite past missteps and current difficulties, our nation urgently needs to seek to broaden international support and participation in the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq," he added. He said this will require giving up some U.S. control and "giving international partners and allies a real voice and real responsibilities."

Bishop Wenski recalled the strong opposition of Church leaders to the U.S. intervention in Iraq three years ago.

''It is well known that our bish- tions of human rights of detainees ops' conference repeatedly ex- in U.S. or Iraqi custody "deeply dispressed grave moral concerns about turbing." the military intervention.in Iraq and "Such abuse undercuts our the unpredictable and uncontrol- nation's moral credibility and damlable negative consequences of an ages our nation's ability to win invasion and occupation," he wrote. popular support in other countries.

"Similar concerns were articu- As a world leader, our nation's adlated powerfully by Pope John Paul herence to international standards II and the Holy See," he said. "The ought to be exemplary," he said.

He reiterated concerns exevents of the past three years, the absence of evidence of weapons of pressed by Iraqi Christian leaders mass destruction and the continu- over "conflicting provisions" in the ing violence and unrest in Iraq have Iraqi Constitution on religious rights reinforced those ethical concerns. and urged U.S. efforts to assure the Our conference remains highly protection of Iraq's religious miskeptical of the concept of 'preven- norities in both law and practice. . tive war.'''

He called U.S. policy toward With the invasion, however, Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers came "a new set of moral responsi- "too restrictive," and in particular bilities," he said, and the central he urged the U.S. government to moral question for the United States "designate Iraqi religious minorities now "is not just the timing of U.S. as a group of special concern" and withdrawal, but rather the nature to "eliminate current restrictions on and extent of U.S. and international family reunification eligibility."

While recognizing the "major engagement that allows for a responsible transition to security and commitment of human and finanstability for the Iraqi people." cial resources" demanded by U.S. He said the current situation in involvement in Iraq, Bishop Wenski Iraq poses anumber of"challenges" . said, "Iraq cannot become an exto the United States and the Iraqi cuse for ignoring other pressing .people, among them: needs at home and abroad, espe- "Terrorism and our response cially our moral responsibilities toto it; ward the poor in our own nation and - "The violation of the human in developing countries." rights of persons in the custody of Addressing the U.S. troops in U.S. and Iraqi forces; Iraq, he said, "Our conference - ''Threats to religious liberty wants to be clear. Raising grave and religious minorities in Iraq; moral questions regarding the de- ''The plight of refugees; cision to invade Iraq is not to ques- "Meeting other responsibili- tion the moral integrity of those ties of our nation." serving in tlle military. Expressing He reiterated the position spelled moral questions regarding the treatout by the bishops' Administrative ment of U.S. prisoners and detainCommittee in 2002, that a key part ees is not to question the profesofthe war on terrorism is asustained sional integrity of the vast majority commitment to overcoming pov- ofthose on deployment.lil fact, askerty, conflict and injustice around ing difficult questions is a patriotic the world, eliminating the condi- and moral duty that reflects our valtions of hopelessness in which ter- ues and serves the best interests of rorism can thrive. our nation and those who serve it He called the reports of viola- with honor."

Friday, January 20, 2006 may bring up to two items for appraisal by Frank McNamee, owner of the Marion Antique Shop. For more information call 508763-4294.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FALL RIVER - A holy hour is held every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m.-at Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover St~eet.

It includes rosary, confession, Scripture reading and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. For more information call 508-679-6732.

NEW BEDFORD - Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is held at Our Lady's Chapel, 600 Pleasant Street. New adorers are needed. For more information call Laurie ~f~~n-Silva at 508-8887751.

NEW BEDFORD - Confessions are heard every Friday from 5:45-6:30 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. They are preceded by eucharistic adoration at 4:15 p.m. Mass wi II be celebrated at:5: 15 p.m. For more information call 508-993-1691 .

portunity to be prayed over individually. For more information call 508-222-5410.

0

BREWSTER - Mass will be celebrated by La Salette Father Richard Lavoie February 1 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road. A healing service will follow. For more information call 508-3853252.

LECTURES/ PRESENTATIONS FALL RIVER - Adoption

by Choice,. an adoption and pregnancy counseling program of Catholic S()cial Services, will hold an information session for people interested - in domestic newborn or international adoption January 22 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. It will be held at 1600 Bay Street. The snow date is January 29. For more information call 508674-4681.

MISCELLANEOUS

WEST HARWICH - A holy hour will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, Route 28. Rosary will be followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The Pro-Life prayer groups of Holy Trinity and Holy Redeemer parishes will sponsor it. HEALING MASSES

FALL RIVER"""":" Saint Anne's Hospital seeks volunteers for several areas and programs including patient information, the gift shop and emergency department. Positions are available for adults and teens.

Training and orientation will be provided. For more information call 508-674-5600 ext. 2080.

ATTLEBORO - Mass will be celebrated by Father NEW BEDFORD - A loAndre Patenaude January 29 cal version of the Antiques at 2 p.m. at the National Roadshow will be held JanuShrine of Our Lady of La ary 28 from 1-4 p.m. at the Salette. A healing service will . parish center of Our Lady of follow. It will include the op- Fatima Church. Attendees

Consecrated

Continued from page one

The Scriptural readings of the his salvifiC preaching and healing Mass are specially chosen to point to all around him. Likewise, reliout those who freely sacrificed gious show how ambitious· they many personal and worthy agen- are in forgetting oneself on purdas to single-mindedly serve one pose, stepping outside the safety agenda: God's. of the crowd, beyond the more The first reading, from Job, typical route Christians generally calls attention to those religious are called to travel, in the race for who, in imitation of Christ, the salvation of souls. choose to walk publicly in soliBecause the inen and women darity with the afflicted, remind- religious are outstanding exing the comfortable to reach out amples of those who have heard with them as the compassionate God's call, reflected on it and answered it, all parish vocations Christ to those in need.

In the second reading, from the teams are enco~aged to attend the First Letter to the Corinthians, St. liturgy at the cathedral, and affirm Paul reminds us that while God those who have committed their has entrusted each one with a call- lives to ministry, Sister Heffernan ing and purpose on this earth, it is said. our task to discover the nature of The following is a prayer for that calling and freely embrace it, vocations reflecting those who as religious do. have chosen religious life.

In the Gospel reading, Mark "Source ofAll Life, paints Jesus as pushing on to bring We offer you our

Brother

Continued from page one

i

the poor in mission counQies like ing priests and Brothers in formaAfrica, "where were ha~e many tion at Stonehill; two more in the young men in formation +- 30 or program in Texas, six at Notre 40. That's where the future of our Dame in Indiana, and eight in community lies."

Colorado.

RETREATS Brother Millette said that life in Brother Atkinson opined that a religious community of men "is a dwindling vocations sterns from a EAST FREETOWN - A special calling to bring God into lack of visibility of Brothers in - contemplative Lenten retreat people's lives through our own lives ministry; "What they exemplify, is entitled, "The Theme of the - a dedicated life of sacrifice and missing,". he said. "People are no .

Desert as Part of the Chris- prayer and giving - together in longer aware of being a Brother as tian Journey," will be given by community. There is poverty, chas- a vocational possibility."

Father Robert J. Powell, tity and obedience - which do not Brother Atkinson traced his voOSB, February 25 at Cathe- appeal to most of the current gen- cation to his upbringing in Cathodral Camp, 167 Middleboro eration. But when we ste~; ou( into lic schools in his native Fitchburg.

Road. For more information world, hopefully, by our ",ork and While 'he never had a religious call 508-695-6161. behavior bring others to GM. SO in Brother as 'a teacher; it was the exthat sense, the religious Btother is ample lived and shown by religious SOCIAL EVENTS as much needed, if not rrtore, that Sisters and priests and their fosterhe has ever been." , ing of vocations that sparked his ATTLEBORO - The NaBrother Millette's vocation thoughts towards considering tional Shrine of Our Lady of amazingly began in his hometown whether he was amenable to such La Salette welcomes singer/ of Biddeford, Maine when he was a call. musician John Polce January only 12 years old. A Christian He first considered thpJ?r:!~st­ 27 at 7:30 p.m. for his Brother whom he admired hood. But the community Iife of Bethany Nights program. It broached the subject one day, and teaching Brothers attracted him. It will include music, prayer and the young student wen~ to the matched his career goals as well healing. For more informa- Brothers' Motherhouse iIi Alfred, as his religious or spiritual goals. .

I tion call 508-222-5410.

After investing the life ofBrothMalOe, where, after a c0upleof weeks of fishing and g~tting to ers at Stonehill College in Easton, SUPPORT GROUPS know the lifestyle, begai} formal he entered formation in 1966 and professed his firsts vows the folstudies. , NEW BEDFORD "It was that easy," Brother lowing year.

Courage, a support group Millette recalled, "because I was "No bne pushed me into a relifor people dealing with inspired. Vocations can start early gious vocation," Brother Atkinson same-sex attraction while sometimes. Sometimes the call asserted, "yet my family was trying to live -chaste lives, comes later." SubsequentlY he at- pleased and supportive of what I will meet January 28 at 7 tended college and made;his pro- chose to do. p.m. at Our Lady, of fession in 1941 at LaPrairie out'There's no doubt in my mind Guadalupe Parish at St. side of Montreal. He later taught that vocations get their start within James Church. The meet- Ellglish, science, math and read- the family. Perhaps the fewer vocaings combine prayer and ing to children of worke~s on the tions we see today are the product sharing. For more informa- Canadian Pacific Rail Rdad. of reluctant parents who grew up tion call Father Richard He began teaching in Fall River during the turbulent 1970s, and Wilson at 508-992-9408. in 1944, but other assignments were less aware of what the option took him to New York, Michigan of religious life as a Brother is."

NORTH DARTMOUTH and back to Maine before returnHis vocations duties follow a The Diocesan Divorced- ing here. long list ofassignments that include Separated Support Group Brother Atkinson, 57, said "liv- teacher, headmaster, and adminiswill meet January 30 trom 7- ing in a religious community of trator in his congregation's schools 9 p.m. at the Family Life Cen- men can have its ups and downs in its Eastern Province, ip.cluding ter, 500 Slocum Road. For because we are all different indi- N.Y., Washington, Delaware and its more information call Bob viduals and all that entails. But in International School in Rome; a Menard at 508-673-2997. It such a commu~ity wei~ are ~e­ sabbatical for studies; a stint in will include a video by Andy minded that we live a fraternal life Community Development adminisMorgan entitled "Relation- of support and assist one another tration and fmancing; and formation ships." work with candidates in Texas, bein a common holy endeavor. ''I'm finding many yoUng men fore returning to Easton in 2002. really interested in the communal nature ofreligious life and service, many of them at a more mature age in life. Societal expectations HEATING, INC. praise and thanks and parents too - have put disSales and Service for creating us out ofyour couragement and roadbl~ks in the for Domestic and Industrial abundant love. way of many." .

Oil Burners You sent your Son, Jesus, The good news is that Currently 508-995-1631 to teach us and show within the six provinces iIi the U.S. 2283 ACUSHNET AVENUE us the way to live.

NEW BEDFORD You summon us to proclaim the there are three candidateS,I includGoodNews ofJesus' power to heal.

You call each of us to holiness.

Strengthen our commitment to prayer and service.

• Prompt 24 Hour Service • Automatic Deliveries Bless our Church with • Call In Deliveries • Budget Terms Available men and woman • Free Estimates . who dedicated their lives to you through the consecrated life.

You Never Had Service May we, your people, Until You Tried Charlie's proclaim the Gospel We're located at ... whether it is convenient - 46 Oak Grove Ave., Fall Riyer or inconvenient. orcal/ ...

We tru.st that you 508-675-7426 • 508-674-0709 will empower us through the gift ofyour Holy Spirit. Amen." i:

I!

I·

"

LEMIEUX

!

Charlie's Oil Co., Inc.

!'

.....

i!

-.

114

STUDENTS FROM Espirito Santo School, Fall River, display a banner they made for soldiers injured'in the Iraqi War who are recovering at the Walter Reed Hospital. The students sent the photo along with a get-well letter. They are pictured with aide Joanne Sousa, left, and teacher Kathleen O'Connell.

MORE THAN 250 seniors from Bishop Feehan High School, participated in a recent retreat focusing on life after high school. It was an opportunity for them to speak about their school experience, lessons that brought them closer to God and how they hope to carry those lessons with them after graduation. It was led by the school chaplain Father Michael Fitzpatrick.

Friday, January 20, 2006

SECOND-GRADERS from St. Anthony of Padua School, New Bedford, pick tags from the Giving Tree. All gifts collected were donated to the diocesan Department of Social Services.

BISHOP STANG High School student Patrick Lewis was named a semi-fin~list in the 2006 National Merit Scholarship competition. Also pictured is Academic PrinCipal Mary Ann Miske!.

-~

NEARLY 200 students, above, from St. Mary's School, Mansfield, filled the sanctuary area in the school pageant's finale. At right, kindergarteners sing and ring bells in the annual Christmas Pageant.

/

THE ST. MARIA Goretti Youth Group from St. Joseph-St. Therese Parish, New Bedford, recently honored military veteran's from the parish. Recognized were Albert Hall, Navy; Eddy Mello, Air Force; Deacon Leo Racine, Army; Marc Costa, Marines; and Eddie Houde, Coast Guard. -

.,'

How personal change can happen

By CHARLIE MARTIN - CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Sung by Carrie Underwood - Take a careful inventory ofyour Jesus, Take the Wheel mistakes.

She was driving last Friday on her Copyright (c) 2005 byArista路 way to Cincinnati Do you wantto make someChanges Be specific. Focus on telling the On a snow white Christmas Eve in your life? Or, perllapS better said, truth to yourself. For example, the girl pro-life' , pro-choice Going home to see her mama and do you need to make some changes? in the song needs to ask why she was " . . . . _............

Ifso, you mightbe inspiredby Car- driving so fast and what choices had her darkly with the baby Catholics in the back seat rie Underwood's latest release "Jesus, led to a "long hard year" for her. Go Fifty miles to go, and she was Take the Wheel." The song is off the slow with this step. Identify what you AU Others running low onfaith and gasoline American Idol IV winner's flfStalbum, have done wrong, but also look deeper It has been a long hard year "Some Hearts." for the reasons behind your behaviors.

- Clarify your intent and motivaShe had a lot on her mind, and she Mostof us have experienced somedidn i pay attention tion.

Think about what you intend to She was going way too fast What is your stand on the morality of Before she knew it she was spinning change. Try to create a clear mental picture ofwhat your life will look like ona thin abortion? black sheet ofglass when the change is achieved. Think . alWayS, about why you want this change,Both .

She saw both their livesflash before wrong levels ofclarity are required to replace her eyes She didn't even have time to cry habitual patterns with new ways of catholics 21%1 She was so scared acting.

- Tell someone you trust about She threw her hands up in the air Refrain: your intent to change your life.

All ~ers 21%1 3_0_% _ Few of us can make real and lastJesus, take the wheel ing change without support and guidTake itfrom my hands ance. Talk to someone who believes 'Cause I can't do this on my own From a 2005 swvey of 1,000 public and pJ1vatR school seniors I'm letting go thing like what happens in the song. A in you and wants you to develop abetSoun:e: Hamilton College So give me one more chance potentially dangerous event takes you ter life. You also might want to see a @2006OO To save me from this road I'm on by surprise; fortunately, you survive. professional counselor to help you Jesus, take the wheel As a result, you feel intensel~ what a make your decisions.

- FOffil a timeline for when and It was still getting colder when she gift life is. You resolve to live better how changes will come about. made it to the shoulder life.

CCC And the car came to a stop For the girl in the song, the situaAim for total success, but be realWASHINGIDN (CNS)- The "We all know that Jesus was a She cried when she saw that baby in tion is a skidding car. TerrifIed, she istic about the pace for effectively the back seat sleeping like a rock prays: "Jesus, take the wheeqTake it changing your life. Break your goal Catholic Communication Cam- great storyteller," he said. "He paign of the U.S. Conference of told many stories about 路the good . And for the first time in a long time - from my hands, 'cause I can'~ do this down into small steps that can be pracShe bowed her head to pray on my own. I'm letting go." The car ticed each week If a certain week Catholic Bishops is asking students news, God's love for each of us.

She said I'm sorryfor the way COOles to a rest. Emotions flood over brings little progress, readjust your in first through sixth grades to il- We are inviting students to draw I've been living my life her, especially when she s~s "that timeline and repeat the step. lustrate through art "how Jesus a picture of how Jesus would tell - Ask God to guide the whole proI know I've got to change baby in the back seat sleeping like a would tell the good news today." the good news today." rock" She says, "I know I'v~ got to cess.

So from now on tonight The deadline for submissions to First-, second- and third-place Yes, you must do your part, but be (Repeat refrain) change." the art contest is March 1. Entry winners will be selected on the Oh Jesus, take the wheel Unexpected events can sllock us open to God's miracles. Be open to information is available online at: basis of originality and creativity Oll, I'm letting go . into examining how we live. But the surprising ways that God can lead and will receive cash prizes.

Catholi<CommunicatiOICamooign~路 So give me one more chance change requires more than just a new you toward your new goal.

Ramon Rodriguez, director of Winners will be announced Remember, you are never alone.

Save me from this road I'm on awareness. development for the campaign, May 1 and the winning artwork From this road I'm on Consider the following steps for Like the girl in the song, ask God to noted that the campaign's theme is: will be featured on the campaign's Jesus, take the wheel establishing the type ofchange that will "take the wheel." Anew destination of "How the good news gets around." Website during May. .

Oll, take it, take itfrom me make your life new: promise and satisfaction awaits you.

Which side of the abortion debate do you sympathize with more?

I

I

1...

announces art contest

a

II

I'

.Theworld.'s longest roller coaster ride God has a great sense of humor. .. developmental stage in which they. years are like a family from a quiet more but understand less. You can How do I know this? Well, all don't want to hear it. God, what farm town driving in Boston for be so moody sometimes. Intellecpeople go through different were you thinkillg? The angels and the fIrst time. tually, during these years, yoW' developmental stages in life. By saints must look down on your When you entered the teenage brain is literally in the process of the time a person reaches adultinteractions with parents and other years, you left childhood, but you changing in your head, hood, for example, he or she has adults and have a constant chuckle. did not enter adulthood yet. You're transitioningfrom a more concrete had some successes and failures, Parents almost universally in between You are neither child way of thinking to a more adult, has discerned the way through _!'!"!"!'!'!"!"!'!'!"!"!'!'!"!"!'!'!"!"!'!'!"!"!''''''''!''!'!''!''!'!'!''!''!'''!'''f''!'!''!''!'-:=::-........... abstract way of thinking. dread their child's different career and lifestyle and entrance into adolescence ., Your brain is like a train vocational options, has made a lot and the teen-age years. switching to a different of mistakes, and has leamed a Why? It can be reduced to track at a station. thing or two about life. Adults have a mathematical equation: As you already khow, a developmental need, put there by raising teenagers = during these years, your God, to pass on to the next confusion + frustration + social life changes. Your generation the knowledge they misunderstanding. The friends become far more have gained over the years. From famous psychiatrist, important to you than experience, adults kind of know Sigmund Freud, once before. You are beg~ what teen-agers can expect from humorously suggested the process of changing life, and want to help guide them nor adult. And everything begins to the ties with family in order to that adolescence is a temporary to avoid some of the mistakes mental illness. Someone else change at once. Your body begin to establish an identity of they've made. Adults want to help changes. You grow in weight and your own. defmed a teen-ageras an "adult them make the transition from trying to happen." Working or strength and height. Boys are in the Even your parents are changing. adolescence to young adulthood living with teen-agers is scary, process of becoming men and girls When you were younger, perhaps more smoothly than they did. exciting, traumatic, fun, frustrating, are in the process of becoming you thought highly of your What is fwmy is that God gives confusing, overwhelming, women. It happens so quickly. parents's intelligence. Now you to adults the strong desire to pass fascinating, and challenging - all Your hormones also change. You see that they've lost a lot of that on the wisdom they've learned in at the same time. Most teenagers notice things and people in ways intelligence. Suddenly your parents life exactly at the same time that will also describe being a teen with that you didn't before. Emotional have become ignorant of the God puts teen-agers into a these same words. The teenage changes also cause you to feel issues. You wonder how they

could survive so long in the big cruel world when they are obviously so ... stupid Your parents and other adults will probably remain ignorant for a number of years. But don't worry, they'll change. Have patience with them. An anIaZing thing will happen when you are in your early 20s. You'll suddenly discover that they are no longer stupid. It may take a little while, but they will someday regain their intelligence.

They will some day become smart again.

As you go through this wild ride called the teen-age years, I am positive of three things: (1) that God loves you, (2) that God is with you, and (3) that God meant something when he created you.

Talk to God a lot during these crazy years. Ask him to sit next to you on the roller coaster ride. And keep your hands in the car at all times. Yeah right!

Bud Miller is the director of Religious Education at St. Patrick's Parish, Wareham.

.-~

.-

-.

Friday, January 20, 2006

March

DEACON PHILIP E. Bedard of St. Jacques Parish, Taunton, was initiated into the Secular Franciscan Order, January 8 at Holy Rosary Church, Taunton. After a period of inquiry and acceptance to the rule of St. Francis by Father David Stopyra OFM, Conv. the ceremony took place. With Bedard is District Councilor Kathleen Ambrose.

Members of the Order strive to follow the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi.

OPERATION PLANTING SEEDS All are invited to a

Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood JANUARY

24 - 7 P.M. AT

ST FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH,

125 MAIN STREET, ACUSHNET www.FaIlRiverVocations.org

Boston Catholic Men's Conference "Band of Brothers in CIu:ist" March 4;. 2006, 8 am·tc 6 JPlilllIl New Boston Convention &: EmDbfiitOO::m ~.. ~ ~ H you choose one moment this year (and this Lent!) to explore your Catholic faith, make it the 2006 Boston Catholic Men's Conference.

•

Inspirational speakers addressing real life issues and topics

•

Chance to meet and discuss issues of faith, family and work with like-minded men A forum to bring focus to your spirimallife

• •

Confession is a great opportunity to "hit the reset button"

2006 Keynole Spedkers FR. RANIERO CANTALAMESSA

FArnER JOHN CORAPI

• Preacher to the Papal Household • 20 Years leading retreats for the Popes!

• 1 of the world's most followed preachers

• Former US Army vel:, millionaire businessman. drug addict and homeless man to Priest!

• Teacher of the CAtechism on EWTN .. 1 of the USA's most followed Catholic preachers

ScarrHAHN

SEAN FORREST

• Convert to Catholicism detailed in bestselling book Rome Sweet Home.

• Professor Franciscan University • 1 of USA's mostfollowed Catholic writers

• Founder of Mouin' wi th the Spint ministry • Youth speaker &: one of the USA's best contemporary Catholic musicians

ARCHBISHOP SEAN O'MALLEY

ANDOTHERS[

• Archbishop of Boston • Mass Celebrant

• This will be a can't miss eventl • Please join us and more than 3,000 other men.

Save $51 Sig!1:U81 bUltlt! 31.

Continuedfrom page one

the 41-year-old brain damaged woman who was allowed to starve to death last year, after courts ordered her feeding tube removed, will also address the group.

The walk takes place on the day after the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that lifted most state restrictions on abortion. It is always held on a weekday to allow participants the opportunity to meet with their Representatives if they so choose. This year, due to construction, it will begin at Seventh Street and the National Mall instead of at the Ellipse. ''We travel to our nation's capitol as pilgrims and it allows us to spend time reflecting on our own need to strengthen our position on the respect for the sanctity and dignity for all human life at all stages," reflected Desrosiers. "It's an opportunity for prayer. It's an opportunity to help restore everyone's right to life in this great nation."

The diocesan group includes nearly 250 students. Coyle and Cassidy High School has 24 students attending. Forty are coming from Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, 56 from Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, and 121 from Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth. Several students are also coming from Holy Family Parish, East Taunton.

The boys will be staying at St. John Catholic Church in McLean, Va. The girls will be housed at the Georgetown Visitation School for Girls in the capitol.

For Father Jeffrey Cabral, chaplain at Coyle and Cassidy High School, this will be his sec. and trip to the March for Life.

"Our students are looking forward to it," he said.

"Jesus calls us to be counter cultural."

Father Cabral added that the school has many students making their first trip to the capitol and it is a chance for them to "see

other young people who are involved in their faith and spread the Pro-Life message."

According to Desrosiers, it's an important opportunity for young people because they are gathering with hundreds of thousands of like-minded teens to hear the Pro-Life message and put that into action through the march.

"They are reassured that they are not alone in their beliefs," said Desrosiers. "Even those who travel with us who don't feel a strong sense of the Pro-Life commitment return changed, but that's the nature of a pilgrimage.

It helps us receive grace which leads them to the truth about the sanctity of life."

Jean Arsenault, diocesan ProLife Office assistant director, is the project director for the D.C. trip and said the planning and preparations begin in August when they begin mailing out information to potential pilgrims.

"It's a lot of work arranging transportation, lodging and food for more than 300 people, but it's all worth it," said Arsenault. "Il shows we are steadfast in this endeavor. Someone has to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves."

She said that the response for this year's trip was very enthusiastic, so much so that they had people that wanted to go, but they could not accommodate them all.

"This pilgrimage is very moving for people. I've seen it with my own eyes how it transforms people," "I can't thank Jean Arsenault enough," said Desrosiers. She also expressed thanks to the high school coordinators and said, "Their hard work, commitment and sacrifice make the pilgrimage a success."

While the pilgrims are in Washington, parishioners in the Fall River diocese are asked to pray for an end to abortion. Letters were sent out to priests requesting Monday be set aside as a day ~,.,......"...".----:-_-==o""f.,!;,p,;.;ra;';;;YEerand penance. _ _---, 't'/i,"

Mail the slip below or register on our website.

www.BostonCatholi~Men~

ut Adult (4 or more): Student «23 yrs): Priest, deacon, seminarian, rellglous brother:

_ " $25= _ " 515= _,,$0=

$$$-

le ,,$30= _ " 520= _leSO=

$$$-

_

TOTAL:

_(lttile)"

$-

_(/ttlle)"

$-

_(!ttlle)"

Name:

Phone:

Street Address:

Email:

City, State, Zip: Parish (e.s LoW'ell:St. Mkhoel):

--

'

_

_ x $10=

leSo=

$S_

$-

CARL LEWIS displays a plaque he received for being named Employee of the Quarter at Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River. The custodial assistant has worked at the home since 2000 and also received a cash award and reserved parking space. With Lewis are Erin Kanuse, assistant administrator and Gerald Farrar, housekeeping coordinator.