Father Martin Gomes, SS.CC.
THE ANCHOR -
Diocese of Fall River -
New Bedford' native pastor of Bahamian parish By Joseph Motta, Father Martin Gomes, SS.CC., a native of Our Lady ofthe Assumption parish, New Bedford, has been pastor of St. Joseph's parish in Nassau, on New Providence Island in the Bahamas, since September 1983. "It's just exciting to participate with the worshiping community," said the Sacred Hearts Father, the first American of Cape Verdean ancestry to be ordained into that community. "everyone sings so well, powerfully, with meaning and intention. "Church worship is an important part of life" for members of the 51-year-old parish, Father Gomes explained. "The Bahamas is a developing nation with a developing Church," he continued, noting that Roman Catholics make up about 22 percent of the islands' quarter milion population. Tourism accounts for about 85 percent of the nation's economy, the priest said, adding that "there are a lot of hurting people throughout the diocese of Nassau." Many have no water or electricity in their homes, he said. One of the largest parishes in the Nassau diocese, St. Joseph's facilities include a primary school directed by native Benedictine Sisters. The Sacred Hearts community has served the diocese of Nassau on the island of Abaco since 1961. Parish ministry at 5t.' Joseph's began 10 years later. Other Sacred Hearts priests with ties to the Fall River diocese who have served at St. Joseph's include Fathers Jo.hn F. Sullivan, now chaplain of Sacred Heart Home, New Bedford, and Benedict F. Folger, now parochial vicar at Holy Trinity parish, West Harwich. While growing up in the Whaling City as the second of the II children of Antonio and Lydia
Gomes, Father Gomes was a leading high school athlete. As a student at New Bedford Vocational High School, he w~s recognized as an outstanding basketball player, as was his older brother Paul, still a New Bedford resident. ' The brothers participated in the 1957 Tech Tournament at Boston Garden, with Martin earning first team all-tourney honors and his b'rother being named the tourney's most valuable player. The future priest was also named to the All-Bristol County basketball team for four consecutive years, and additionally was a gridiron standout. He considers sports "a way of moving on in life," explaining that the maturity he gained through' athletics came in part from team play, which brought him in contact with people from all walks of life. Father Gomes also spoke of the "gift" of having been raised in New Bedford's Cape Verdean community. "The whole neighborhood took responsibility for one another," he said. He lived in a three-story home with three generations of his family. "Doors were always open," he said, describing the extremely close family ties. A graduate of St Mary's Grammar School, New Bedford, now' St. James-St. John School, Father Gomes remembers the powerful influence of the Sisters of Mercy on his life and those of his five brothers and five sisters. "They contributed' a great deal in terms of my development, growth and understanding of what it meant to grow up," he said. Now in his mid-40s, he poi!1ts to the late Msgr. Hugh A. Gallagher as another important person in his life. Msgr. Gallagher, who was pastor of St. James Church, New Bedford, and a strong presence at the grammar school, often took the young Martin with him to collect medical supplies to be forwarded to Catholic missions. As a teenager, Martin Gomes became involved in parish life at Our Lady of the Assumption. He remembers the late Father Edmund Francis, a parochial vicar, and Father Raphael Flammia, a former
Fri., Jan. 24, i986
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X·RAY QUALITY PIPE FABRICATION pastor, as "powerful influences.in the Cape Verdean community. Both SPRINI(LERS • PROCESS PIPING called Cape Verdeans to be the PLUMBING. GAS FITTING. HEATING Church." 32 Mill Street (Route 79) P.O. Box 409 In 1960, when he arrived in Winona, Minn., to enroll at St. Assonet, MA 02702 Mary's College, a painful moment 644-2221 came for the young man. - As he waited for a bus to take him to the college, a passenger yelled from a passing car "Go back EARLY BIRDS - ALL DAY home where you came from, nigSUNDAY ger!" "It was very frightening," said CLOSED MONDAYS Father Gomes. "It was not that I OPEN TUES. - FRt. had not experienced prejudice in LUNCH - 12:00 - 2:30 New Bedford, not that we as a 91NNER - 5:00- 9:00 people had not experienced it, but it was the first time that I had SATURDAY 5 - 9 p.m. heard it very clearly." SUNDAY 1 - 8 p.m. Following his ordination in 1969 Rte. 28, East Falmouth by Bishop James L. Connolly at -ALSOSt. Mary's Church, Fairhaven, Hosts • Paul & Ellen Goulet Catering to Weddings Father Gomes followed a summer Tel. 548-4266 camp assignment by a three-year and Banquets stint as parochial vicar at Holy ~ ~ Trinity Church, West Harwich. "I was really enthusiastic about • the assignment," he said. "The education I received in the seminary was implemented in terms of sacramental ministry."
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He noted that area priests met regularly to discuss their ministries, "a real opportunity to support one another." Among Cape activities initiated at that time were ECHO youth retreats and First Friday Eucharistic devotions. Four years in a Rochester, NY, White"s of Westport has Expande.d ... parish followed his Cape experience, then Father Gomes returned Since opening its doors in 1955, White's continues to be recognized as one to the Fall River diocese as paroof the area's finest banquet and wedding facilities. Now, White's of Westport has expanded its facilites to accommodate up chial vicar at St Joseph's Church, to 1,500 people in our newest function room - The Grand Salon. Fairhaven. During his three years White's is the ideal setting for Fashion Shows, Booster Clubs and much there the clerical team sought to more! Call us today! "intensify the already present lay FALL RIVER RESIDENTS PLEASE CALL: 675-7185 leadership." Father Gomes worked closely with the faith community's NEW BEDFORD RESIDENTS CALL TOLL FREE: 993-6700 innovative parish council, "calling people to be the Church" and concluding that "they did that very well." , OF WESTPORT A transfer to his native parish WEDDINGS· ANNIVERSARIES. TESTIMONIALS. SEMINARS followed; his four years as paroch66 State Road, Westport, MA02790 ial vicar at Our Lady of the Assump- .....tion were highlighted by celebration of the parish's 75th anniversary. Activities at that time, he said, "showed the pride of what it meant to be Cape Verdean, Catholic and American."
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A TEENAGE Martin Gomes, in left picture, with one of his basketball trophies; at right, Father Gomes celebrates a 'youth Mass at St. Joseph's parish, Nassau, the Bahamas.
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