t eanc 0 VOL. 42, NO.5_ Friday, January 30, 1998
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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Bishop O'Malley says papal trip changed Cuba •
He sees changes coming slowly, but with lasting effe'cts. By JAMES N. DUNliAR
FALL RIVER-"It is impossible for Cuba to ever be the same" after Pope John Paul's pastoral visit there Jan. 21-25, says Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap. "The message of the Holy Father was very well received at all of the Masses" and during the five days of liturgical celebration, pastoral consultation and much evangelizing, the bishop said Jan. 27 in a telephone interview from New York. Bishop O'Malley, along with Cardinal Bernard A. Law, clergy and pilgrims flew out ol'13oston on Jan. 23 to join the pontiff in the final days of the island visit. Bishop O'Malley went to Cuba at the invitation of Cardinal Jaime Ortega, archbishop of Havana, whom the bishop described as "an old friend." Accompanying the bishop were Father Paul E. Canuel, head of the Hispanic Ministry in the Fall River Diocese, and Father Mark Serna, OSB, headmaster of Portsmouth Abbey School and abbot of Portsmouth Abbey, both in Rhode Island. Not only did the bishop join with the pontiff at the Masses, but was
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among those invited to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro, who played the gracious host at a palace reception that mark¢d the final event of the trip. Bishop O'Mal1ey said the pope's "beautiful message at the Mass Sunday in Havana was about the social doctrine of the Church as offering a concrete program of reform to the people of the world. In a particular way the message was addressed not only to the people of Cuba but to the entire world. He talked about what happens to a country without re.Jigion and without God. "It was magnificent and what I found the most moving was the contrast in the country and the people from when I had been there some nine years ago. This time there was so much enthusiasm and the Church was truly present in the Cuban people. The last time the presence of the church had been quite diminished ... with less than one percent of the population, mainly those who were in their 70s, going 'to Mass. It was the result of the gpvernment having discouraged ~he young people from having any contact with the Church and 'there was much propaganda against the priests." But during this year bf preparation for the papal visit there has Turn to page three
CHURCH AND STATE-Bishop Sean P. O'Malley and Cuban President Fidel Castro chat during an evening reception in the national palace in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 25, which marked the end of the five-day pastoral visit to the communist island nation by Pope John Paull!. (Photo by MS~lr. Paul Mcinerny)
Fall River dioces~e marches for life
MIKE GORDON ANCHOR STAFF
WASHINGTON D.C.-The assertiveness of the young people who attended this year's March For
Life in the nation's capital is what assures the pro-life moyement the perpetuity it demands, ~aid Bishop Sean P. O'Mal1ey. "Young people have embraced
this cause as their own and the witness of these young people is important," he added. Although no estimates were given as to the size of the crowd,
the bishop thought it was more crowded than the previous year and organizer Nel1ie Gray estimated that about 125,000 people made it to the 1998 march which marked the 25th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion. For the fifth consecutive year people of the Fall River diocese took advantage of the Pro-Life Apostolate's chartered buses. Two buses made the trip, transporting marchers from the five diocesan deaneries to Washington. There was a strong presence of youth this year, with passengers on one of the buses about 75 percent young
people. "We're very excited about that turnout," said Father Stephen Fernandes, director of the Pro-Life Office. Students from Bishops Connolly, Feehan, Stang and Coyle-Cassidy high schools, SS. Peter and Paul elementary school and several other diocesan schools made the pilgrimage. Many marchers were attending the event for the first time and looked forward to the experience. Deborah Boucher of Corpus Christi parish, Sandwich, said she hoped that all these people gathering in our Turn to page nine-Washington
Religious awareness observance scheduled MARCH FOR LIFE participants from the Fall River diocese recently joined thousands of people from across the country in Washington, D.C. to show support against abortion and issues like doctor-assisted suicide. For the past five years young and old alike have been making the Pro-Life Apostolate's annual bus trip ,each January to rally for life. (Anchor/ Gordon photo)
NORTH DARTMOUTH-This weekend, Catholics across the diocese are asked to remember al1 those serving in the consecrated life of a religious, as wel1 as to pray for more young people to heed God's call to that service. "World Day for Consecrated Life is a celebration of the more than 700 religious men and women
engaged in pastoral, educational, health and social services as well as in the ministry of prayer and personal sacrifice for the welfare of the people of God in our diocese," said Mercy Sister Mary Noel Blute of the Office of Religious. In a recent interview, Sister Blute Turn to page two - Observance