02.08.91

Page 1

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

t eBnc 0

:; ;- i': '"

Friday, February 8, 1991

\,.:\'r:.,.,, . ....

,.,' -" . C.':":';;::':' .,_:.•:,·:.:';Hh~;~~~f\

'._.,", :L,:·. ',..

"srA1.L ·RI"~~'· DIOC.~.AN NE\Y;~PAPI'fJii

'FOR SDOTHEASTMAsSACHI'SE1TS';;;:

CAPICDD.& THElsf,ANDS

-.....,

VOL. 35, NO.6.

.

FALL RIVER, MASS.

Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly

$11 Per Year

"The peace for which we yearn" Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Each year during the Lenten season we join with our fellow Christians throughout the world in a period of preparation to celebrate the saving event of all time, the paschal mystery of the Lord: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!" For centuries, the Church has directed our attention to more fervent prayer, fasting and abstinence and the giving of alms in charity as means to focus our attention on our need for conversion. This year, during a time 01" international conflict and war, we are reminded more than ever of the fragile nature of our humanity and ofthe continuing need for us to be reconciled to one another and to God, The death and tragedy of war which have become daily visitors to us through the means of instant mass communication should move all people - but especially Christians preparing for the paschal celebration - to sincere conversion and reconciliation. As you contemplate the image of Christ crucified, I urge you to renect on these words of St. Paul: "It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in Him and. by means of Him. to reconcile everything in His person. both on earth and. in the heavens. making peace through the blood of His cross. "(Col. /: /9-20)

This is the great peace which Christ has achieved through His suffering and death; indeed, it is the peace for which all of us yearn. \

Yet, here on earth, as we await the coming of the Lord, we must also heed the words of the Apostle in our thoughts and actions: "You must holdfastto the faith. befirmly grounded and steadfast in it. unshaken in the hope promised you by the Gospel you have . heard." (Col. /:23) , In this unshakable hope in God's promise, let us begin our Lentenjourney together and as we do so, let us recall the message of our Holy Father John Paul II on a recent World Day of Peace: "Jesus has taught us ho ..... ... to settle differences .....hile .....e traveltogether.to pardon (ef. Mt. 5: 25). A nd above all by His death and Resurrection. He came to deliver usfrom the sin .....hich sets up one against the other. to give us His peace. to break do .....n the .....all .....hich separates the peoples. " Faithfully yours in Christ,

+;r~."cp...: Bishop of Fall River

THE BISHOP imposes ashes on the forehead of a worshiper at 51. Mary's Cathedral. (Hickey photo)

Catholic Press Month stresses value of communication ......

This is Catholic Press Month and the pope, the archbishop who heads the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and officials of the U.S. Catholic Press Association. have emphasized the importance of communication in the church. .

to draw people together and help them understand one another. The papal statement said the church sees "the chief aims of social communication and all the means it uses as the unity and progress of the human family." But the media are "lifeless instruments" that depend upon Said Pope John Paul II in a human intervention, the pope said. message released Jan. 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron' "Whether or not they fulfill the saint of journalists, the purpose of purpose for which they were given communications media should be to us greatly depends on the wis-

Former Jesuit superior .dies in Rome ROME (CNS) - Father Pedro Arrupe, superior general of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1983, died Feb. 5 in the infirmary of the Jesuit headquarters in Rome after a long illness. The 83-year-old priest, who survived the atomic bombing of H iroshima, Japan. had a severe stroke in August 1981. He also suffered from a serious liver problem. Pope John Paul II had visited Father <\rrupe on Jan. 27. '. Jesuit Father Patrick Burns, president of.the 4,700-member U.S. Jesuit Conference, said Father Arrupe had been "the right man in the right job at the right time" during his tenure as head of the society. In Fall River, Father Robert J. Levens, SJ, rector of the Jesuit

community at Bishop Connolly High School, issued the following statement: The Jesuits of Fall River express a sense of loss at the death of Father Arrupe but also joy in knowing that a great and holy man has now had his great desire fulfilled: the be united to Our Lord. Father Arrupe has been a source of inspiration in his active leadership of the renewal of the Society of Jesus and in his humble acceptance of personal pain and suffering for the past 10 years. He has certainly been a hero to many of us. We pray in gratTurn toPage Three

dom and sense of responsibilitv qualified to give meaning to life" with which they are used," he said. because of its defense of the unborn, the handicapped, the sick and the Christians believe that media elderly, Archbishop Foley said. should be used "for building closer and more enlightened relationships In addition, he said, the Catholic between individuals and throughpress "has always emphasized the out the human family" and in that purpose of human life, eternal life way helping people work together with God, and has cautioned for the common good. . against secularism. materialism and' "If, however, they are to be consumerism." effective means of fellowship and Ms. Beckwith, managing editor genuine human advancement, the of the St. Anthony Messenger. media must be a channel and exdescribed the role of the Catholic pression of truth, justice and peace. good will and active charitv, mutual help, love and commu~ion." The "moral vision and ethical responsibility" of communicators and their audiences will determine whether the media live up to their potential or "impoverish man's Women interested in learning nature," concluded the pope. more about a call to serve the Meanwhile, the church's main church thrdugh religious life are communications ofncial praised invited to attend a vocations the Catholic press as "one of the awareness program from 7 to 9 most eloquent defenders of human p.m. Thursday, March 21, at life" in his Catholic Press Month Dominican Motherhouse Annex statement. (Dominic Hall) at the corner of The comments of U.S. ArchbiForest and Park Streets, Fall River. shop John P. Foley, president of The program will be coordinated the Pontifical Council for Social by Sister Mary Noel Blute, RSM, Communications, were released by episcopa'l representative for relithe Catholic Press Association, gious, and other planners are Sistogether with statements from ters Carol Mello, 0 p. of the Barbara Beckwith, CPA president, Dominican Provincial House in and St. Louis Auxiliary Bishop Dighton; Theresa Bisson. OP, of Edward J. O'DonnellofSt. Louis, Dominican Academy, Fall River;. honorary president of the CPA. and Mary V. Golden, MSBT, of Theme of the 1991 observance is the Diocesan Office for Catholic "Embracing Life in the '90s." Youth Ministry, Cathedral Camp, "The Catholic presS is especially East Freetown.

press as trying "to keep all of us in the church in touch - primarily among ourselves." Commenting on the theme of Catholic Press Month, she said, "The whole range of human life issues is explored in the Catholic press with clarity, insight and Christian values." She outlined a number of steps parishioners, pastors, adult education committees and teachers can Turn to Page II

Women invited to learn about religious life Religious are asked to encour-' age women who may be seeking information on religious life to attend the program. Invitations will be sent to those whose names and addresses are submitted to Sister Blute at the Office for Religious, 500 Slocum Rd.. North Dartmouth 02747, by March 1. The program will consider types of religious life, the works and ministries offered i"n various con- . gregations, the spiritual and cultural dimensions of religious life and the process of discerning a vocation and of application to religious communities. Bishop Daniel A. Cronin will greet the women and speak with them. There will also be time for questions by participants.

f


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.