t eanc 0 VOL. 41, NO.5.
Friday, January 31,1997
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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THE DIOC}:SE of Fall River was well repre~ented at the annual March for Life in Washington, D. C. on Jan. 22. Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM, Cap., right, Father.Stephen A. Fern~nde~, d.irector of the diocesa~Pro"'Lif~ Apostolate, center, and Father Henry J. Dl\hl, parochial vicar at Corpus Christi parish, E. Sandwich, left, gather with ptlgnms from all over the diocese pnor to the march. (Lavoie photo)
Thousands descend on Washington, D.C. to defend the unborn - Fall River Diocese well represented By Dave Jolivet with reports from Father Stephen A. Fernandes, director, and Marian Desrosiers, assistant director of the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate, and Catholic News Service. It is estimated that 4,000 abortions are performed legally in the _ United States each day. If those figures are accurate, then 5,840,000 babies (approximatl:ly the same as the total population of Massachusetts) will be terminated during President Clinton's second term of office. All done legally, with the blessing of this country's top leaders and lawmakers. However, the resistance against legalized murder is increasing, evidenced by the marked increase in the number of those attending the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 22. An estimated 125,000 pilgrims met in the nation's capital, to stand for the unborn on the 24th anniversary ofthe Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in America. In addition to thl: walk, a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Gift of Life was celebrated in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception the evening before, and a rally with sev-
eral prominent guest speakers took place after the walk. The Fall River diocese was well represented in Washington. Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM, Cap., was in attendance along with 83 people from the diocese. "It was plainly evident that the numbers of people in attendance at the Mass, walk and rally were up from last year," said Father Stephen A. Fernandes, director of the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate. Father Fernandes, two other priests and 10 diocesan seminarians were among the two bus loads of people from the diocese who made the three-day pilgrimage. "Not only was the overall attendance up, but the diocesan representation was up 20% from last year," said Father Fernandes. "It was truly an atmosphere of peace and hope, despite the media hype to the contrary," said Marian Desrosiers, assistant director of the diocesan Pro-Life Apostolate. "It was very impressive to see so many committed young people there," she said. Father Fernandes noted that the Mass at the Basilica on the eve of the march was attended by approximately 7,000 people. "It was a spectacular sight to see all
those people praying and celebrating the Eucharist for the cause of the unborn," he said. He also said he was very impressed with the number of young priests and seminarians who attended the events. "It was very uplifting to see seminarlans and young priests turn out in unbelievable numbers," said Father Fernandes. "Not only was it uplifting to see them support the unborn, but it was also very encouraging to see so many of the faces who are the future of the Church."
Bishop O'Malley celebrated a Mass for the diocesan pilgrims the following evening at the Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Land, thanking them for their dedication to the pro-life cause. Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston reasserted Catholics' need to be "unconditionally pro-life" during his homily at the Mass in Thanksgiving for the Gift of Life. "The pro-life movement is about the sanctity of every human being, at whatever point on the continuum of earthly existence. We
must be unconditionally pro-life," Cardinal Law said during the Mass, which kicked off the National Prayer Vigil for Life. "The state's compelling interest, we insist, is not a fictitious right to die, but rather in the fundamental, God-given, inalienable right to life," he added at the Mass, celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine ofthe Immaculate Conception. His homily, punctuated more than a dozen times by applause, Turn to Page II
Sony Music Christmas album proceeds benefit supporters of legal abortions By Mark Pattison WASHINGTON (CNS) - An album of Christmas and other holiday music whose proceeds are going to supporters of legal abortion has brought fierce protests from Boston Cardinal Bernard F. Law as well as the head of the Kni,Rhts of Columbus. "a Come All Ye Faithful: Rock for Choice," whose proceeds benefit a group called Rock for Choice, was a "mockery of Christmas" and
"offensive to every Christian and to Christianity itself," Cardinal Law said in a letter to Tommy Mottola, president of Sony Music, which released the album. Virgil Dechant, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, said Sony Music was supporting "an assault on the dignity and sanctity of human life" through its involvement in the recording project. Dechant called the album "grossly obnoxious" and a "vicious
Christmas present" and its contents "blasphemous" in a Jan. 17 statement. "The nearly 1.6 million members of the Knights of Columbus and their family members will keep this vicious Christmas present from Sony in mind when they evaluate Sony products in the future," he said. In a Jan. 15 letter to Mottola, Knights of Columbus spokesman Turn to Page 11