t ean VOL. 33, NO.6.
Friday, February 10, 1989
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSmS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS FALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts' Largest Weekly
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Bishop calls faithful to Lenten sacrifice •
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"Iftoday you hear his voice,' harden not your hearts. ,; The Gospel Acclamation for the Mass of Ash Wednesday was echoed in the homily for the solemn beginning of Lent delivered to a capacity congregation at St. Mary's Cathedral by Bishop Daniel A. Cronin. In his remarks the Ordinary stressed the responsibility of older persons to the young. Terming Lent a time for repentance and reconciliation, he said that it presented the
Asks encouragement of young opportunity for confession, reconciliation and pious practices. Among them he numbered prayer, fasting and almsgiving. "I invite all to make good use of these three traditional ways to keep Lent," said the bishop. Specifically he suggested attendance at daily Mass as often as possible and "acts of charity to the needy and
Missions collection this -weekend The annual Home Missions collection for evangelization efforts among blacks and native Americans will be taken up this weekend at diocesan parishes. Msgr. John J. Oliveira. Episcopal Vicar for Administration and diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. who coordinates the collection in the Fall River diocese, expresses his gratitude for the continuing support and prayers of the diocesan faithful. Last year. according to the Black and Native American Mission office, over 6.1 million dollars were contributed nationally. 97 cents of every dollar went to support mission work. The support. accordingto the
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office's executive director, Msgr. Paul A. Lenz, "went to some of the' neediest people of our country, from the inner cities to the rural South, from the deserts of the Southwest to Alaska's cold wilderness." 121 dioceses, he reports, have received assistance through the collection. The Black and Native American Mission Office is the oldest national office in the U.S. Church. It has served for 104 years without interruption. Msgr. Lenz reports that the endeavor is the only national collection whereby bishops and pastors aid their brother bishops and pastors for evangelization.
kindness to those with whom we are in constant contact. "It is well to deprive ourselves," he continued, noting that self~control is among virtues appropriate to cultivate during the Lenten season. He spoke a special word to "parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles" among his hearers. "Cast an eye on the younger generation, that perhaps lacks the laudable attachment to the season of Lent that has
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that has been your privilege," he exhorted. He asked the relatives of the young to "encourage them to attend Mass, especially in Holy Week; encourage them to deny themselves in the matter of food and drink to the end that they can gain control ofthemselves; encourage them to .pray more. Above all, inspire them by your own eXlilmple." The bishop said that priests
.or others delegated to administer ashes now have the option of using instead of the traditional words "Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return," the alternative formula"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." "The newer formula," said the bishop, "emphasizes the challenge of this life, especially as it is set before us at this holy season. Let meeting that challenge be our overriding concern, this Lent and always."
, A BROTHER talks with a homeless man in Miami. Poor blacks are among the beneficiarie~s'. of the Horne Missions collection. (NC photo)
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Catholic laity not assuming proper role, says Lutherah WASHINGTON (NC) Catholic laity "have not even begun to articulate" or put into· practice their role in church and society, said a Lutheran minister and author. The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, author of the 1987 book, "The Catholic Moment," recently spoke to some 160 members of the John Carroll Society, a Washingt"on-based organization of Catholic professionals. The main thesis of Mr. Neuhaus' book and the focus of his talk was that Catholics, particularly in the United States. have an opportunity to provide society with a coherent moral vision. "No other community has that communal, institutional
structure," he said. "No other community has as rich and diverse a history and tradition. "No other community even begins to match the numbers," said Mr. Neuhaus, who isdirector of the Rockford Institute Center on Religion and Society in New York. The world has about 879 million Catholics almost one in six people - and the United States has about 53 million Catholics. or one in four people. . Some people think it is a "wee bit impertinent" fora.tlltheran pastor to make critical judgments about the Roman Catholic Church. he said. "I am emboldened to make SUch critical judgments because
I wholeheartedy accept the teachings of the Vatican Council II. especially with respect to the fact that I am truly, but imperfectly. a member of the Roman Catholic Church by virtue of my baptism." Mr. Neuhaus said the United States particularly needs to be influenced by the "Christian imagination and courage" which the nation's Catholics can and should provide. The Catholic moment. he said, entails a sobering 0pp'ortunity and responsibility for the Catholic Church to become "the premier proclaimer of the Gospel:' He criticized a number of Catholic theologians who he
said have tried to explain away difficult church teachings in the last 25 years and who have tried to determine "how little one can believe and how little one can obey and still call himself or herself a Roman Catholic." The abandonment of specifically Catholic teachings and disciplines is "corrosive," he said. It destroys the faith community's understanding of itself and breaks the bonds which allow members to live together.
following the difficult teachings, he said, "there is a very real danger that much of what is considered most creative, imaginative,liberating and progressive subsequent to Vatican II will end up being but a pathetic reflection of that universalized, homogenized and) think, gutless, way of being a Christian in the world," The :nation's lay Catholics are not realizing their potential as a force for good in society•. the Lutheran minister said, "It Mr. Neuhaus said that main~ seems . t<): me .in the Roman 'line Protestant churches have' Catholic community. you have followed the path, of cultural not everibegun to articulate a assimilation, and as a reSll1t no sense of what used to be called longer provide ;a moral voice 'the apostotate of the laity' or for society. 'the ministry ofthe laity' or 'the By exempting people from . vocationofthe laity: .~