02.13.09

Diocese of Fall River

The Anchor

F riday , February 13, 2009

Pro-Life pharmaceutical company to offer morally-derived vaccines Gail Besse Anchor Correspondent

THE POWER OF THE ROSARY — Congregation of Holy Cross Father Willy Raymond blesses a rosary for Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Rhwandan genocide survivor and author and lecturer, on the set of “Rosary Stars: Praying the Gospel,” at Family Theater Productions in Hollywood. Father Raymond is the National Director of this Catholic media production ministry founded by Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, CSC. Ilibagiza is one of 21 celebrities who reflect on the power of the rosary and who lead a decade of each of the 20 mysteries in this new DVD and TV program. (Photo courtesy of Family Theater Productions)

Young celebrities reflect on power of rosary on new DVD

By Deacon James N. Dunbar

EAST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — A new DVD from Family Theater Productions, featuring 21 young adult celebrities praying the rosary and reflecting on its importance in their daily lives made its debut February 7 with a screening here and in broadcasts by several Catholic TV systems throughout the country.

The DVD, “Rosary Stars: Praying the Gospel,” features champion athletes, actors, film directors, TV hosts, recording stars, authors and lecturers who emphasize the power of daily prayer of the rosary and encourage viewers to live the myster-

ies of the rosary every day.

Produced by the media production ministry founded by the “Rosary Priest” and Catholic media pioneer Servant of God, Congregation of Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton, this uplifting DVD features such stars as 2004 World Series pitcher Jeff Suppan; five-time Major League All-Star selection Mike Sweeney; actor Matthew Marsden (“Rambo” and the upcoming “Transformer” sequel “Revenge of the Fallen”); TV host Matt Gallant (Animal Planet’s “The Planet’s Funniest Animals”); humanitarian, author and Rwandan genocide Turn to page 15

FALL RIVER — There’s good and bad news for people concerned about vaccines being made from the cell lines of aborted babies.

Although it’s been known for years but not widely publicized, the remains of babies from numerous elective abortions were used to develop some smallpox and polio vaccines and all vaccines now available in the U.S. against rubella, chickenpox, shingles, and hepatitis-A. This situation worsened in December when Merck Pharmaceutical announced it would no longer produce separate measles and mumps vaccines (which are ethically derived from chick embryos), but only the more popular MMR, the combination that includes the tainted rubella vaccine.

Pharmaceutical companies would develop and offer ethical alternatives if people demanded them, according to Debra Vinnedge, founder and director of Children of God for Life. Her Tennessee-based Pro-Life group has been working for 10 years toward that goal.

The good news is that a new Pro-Life company — Ave Maria Biotechnology or AVM — intends to make morally-derived vaccines available. Seattlebased AVM was founded last year by Theresa Deisher, a Pro-Life biomedical researcher and adult

stem-cell scientist with 23 patents.

Another positive development came December 12 when the Vatican outlined guidelines for steering an ethical course through the buffeting advances of biotechnology.

Dignitas Personae (The Dignity of a Person) reaffirmed Catholic teachings on bioethics. Its goals are “both to contribute to the formation of conscience and to encourage biomedical research respectful of the dignity of every human being and of procreation.”

This instruction will lessen confusion about the rights and responsibilities of Catholics, especially for parents who naturally want to protect children from diseases, yet cannot obtain ethically produced vaccines.

For example, the rubella vaccine used in the United States came from the virus taken from the kidney of a baby electively aborted in the 1960s, according to documented research available on Vinnedge’s group’s Website, cogforlife.org.

That rubella virus was then cultivated on the medium of a cell line called WI-38, which was produced from lung tissue of a three-month gestation baby girl, who was also intentionally aborted.

“Unfortunately, while many have thought there were only two abortions involved,” Vinnedge said Turn to page 18

CYBER COUPLE — John Montigny of Somerset and Liz Brunette of Boston met and courted each other via CatholicMatch.com and are now engaged to be married in August. They stressed how finding someone with the same religious beliefs was a major factor in using the Catholic-based Website.

(Photo by Margie Souza)

Catholic singles put their hopes and trust in growing number of online dating sites

By Kenneth J. Souza Anchor Staff

SOMERSET — Valentine’s Day can be particularly hard for young adults who sense a vocation to marriage but who have not yet found the right one. New outreach-

es have arisen to help those in such circumstances possibly find their Valentine.

After years on the dating scene, when it came time for John Montigny to finally settle down and find a life partner and soul mate, he

put his faith in God and his trust in the Internet. Having gone through more traditional dating routines of meeting prospective spouses in local clubs and bars and then even joining well-advertised Websites Turn to page 12

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St. Paul continues to strengthen, renew Church

News From the Vatican

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — St. Paul left behind “an extraordinary spiritual heritage” and his teachings will always serve to strengthen and renew the Church, Pope Benedict XVI said.

This first-century apostle represents an “extremely fruitful and deep Christian thinker” from whom everyone can benefit, the pope said February 4 at his weekly general audience.

With an estimated 4,500 people gathered inside the Paul VI hall, Pope Benedict concluded a series of audience talks begun in July dedicated to the life and teaching of St. Paul. The church’s celebration of the year of St. Paul began June 28, 2008, and runs until June 29.

St. Paul has provided spiritual nourishment to the Fathers of the Church and the faithful for millennia, the pope said.

He said a real turning point in the reading of St. Paul’s teachings came in the 16th century with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation he led.

Luther “found a new interpretation of the Pauline doctrine of justification,” the pope said, which “gave him a new, radical trust in the goodness of God who forgives everything unconditionally.”

Luther, an Augustinian monk

who was excommunicated by the Church for preaching against papal infallibility, emphasized the absolute primacy of God’s action in freeing people from sin and making them just.

In 1999, Lutherans and Catholics signed a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, resolving one of the issues that sparked the Reformation. In the declaration, the churches said they agreed that, “by grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted

by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.”

In his general audience, the pope said biblical interpretation by Catholics and Protestants has reached “notable consensus” even on issues that had been the source of Protestant dissent.

He said this progress gives “great hope for the cause of ecumenism, which is so central to the Second Vatican Council.”

Pope Benedict said drawing from St. Paul’s life, example and teachings will always encourage and help guarantee the strengthening of “the Christian identity of every one of us and the rejuvenation of the whole church.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Love is the only thing that can ease the suffering of the terminally ill and it is the only worthy response of those who value the life that is ending, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Christians must have the courage to say publicly and clearly that “euthanasia is a false solution to the drama of suffering, a solution unworthy of the human person,” the pope.

Marking the Italian Catholic Church’s celebration of Pro-Life Sunday, the pope said helping a terminally ill person die might give the impression of easing that individual’s suffering, but the only authentically human response to the suffering of another is the witness

of “love that helps one face pain and agony in a human way.”

“Of this we are certain: No tear — not of one who suffers, nor of one who is near to that person — goes unnoticed by God,” Pope Benedict said.

The pope entrusted to Mary all those who are suffering and all those who care for them, “serving life at every stage: parents, health care workers, priests, religious, researchers, volunteers and many others.”

Mary understands suffering and what it means to watch a loved one suffer, the pope said, because she shared the painful hour of her son’s passion and crucifixion, sustained by hope in the resurrection.

Pope says love, not euthanasia, eases the suffering of the dying

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February 13, 2009

INFLATED WITH HOPE — Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from the window of his private apartment in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)

Vatican: Holocaust statements ‘strongly rejected’ by pope

By John Thavis Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The positions of a traditionalist bishop who has minimized the full extent of the Holocaust “are strongly rejected by the Holy Father,” the Vatican said.

In addition, said the statement from the Vatican Secretariat of State, Pope Benedict XVI did not know about the controversial statements by British-born Bishop Richard Williamson when he lifted the excommunication of him and three other traditionalist bishops ordained illicitly in 1988.

In order to function as a bishop, Bishop Williamson must distance himself from his previous statements in “an absolutely, unequivocal and public manner,” the Vatican said.

In a statement meant to deflect the increasing public outcry over the papal decree lifting the excommunication, the Vatican said the action did not change the juridical status of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, which still has no canonical recognition in the Catholic Church.

The society was founded by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who also incurred automatic excommunication when he ordained the four bishops against papal orders. The society has not accepted the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council and its concepts of religious freedom and ecumenism.

The statement from the Secretariat of State said the four bishops do not have a canonical function in the Church and “do not licitly exercise a ministry in the Church.” It said the society would have to recognize the

teachings of Vatican II to be in full communion.

“The positions of Bishop Williamson on the Holocaust are absolutely unacceptable and are strongly rejected by the Holy Father,” the statement said.

The Secretariat of State statement — like a statement the previous day from the Vatican press spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi — reiterated the German-born pope’s remarks at his January 28 audience, in which he recalled the suffering of Jews during World War II and said the Holocaust should stand as a “warning to everyone against forgetting, denying or minimizing” evil.

Father Lombardi said the pope’s words at the general audience were “unequivocal.”

The spokesman said the pope had spoken about the horror of the Holocaust in his 2005 visit to a German synagogue and in his 2006 visit to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. He said the papal statement at the January 28 audience “could not have been clearer, and from the context it is apparent that it referred to the positions of Bishop Williamson and to all similar positions.”

“On the same occasion, the pope also clearly expressed the reason for removing the excommunication, which has nothing to do with legitimizing positions denying the Holocaust — positions which were clearly condemned by the pope,” the spokesman said.

Father Lombardi’s statement was released by the Vatican press office late the same day that German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pope and the Vatican needed to make clear there could

be no denial of the Holocaust.

At a news conference in Berlin February 3, Merkel said she normally did not comment on Church matters “but we are talking about fundamental questions.”

“This is not just a matter, in my opinion, for the Christian, Catholic and Jewish communities in Germany, but the pope and the Vatican should clarify unambiguously that there can be no denial” of the Holocaust, she said.

On January 21, the same day the pope lifted the excommunication, a Swedish television station aired a November interview with Bishop Williamson in which he repeated his position that the Holocaust had been exaggerated.

The papal decree lifting the excommunication was made public January 24 and Jewish groups — especially in Germany, the U.S. and Israel — expressed shock that the Vatican would lift the excommunication against Bishop Williamson even after his comments had been televised.

German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who coordinates the Vatican’s dialogue with the Jews, said the controversy was fueled in part by a lack of communication within the Vatican and by “management errors in the Curia.”

Cardinal Kasper said he has been following the unfolding controversy “with great concern.”

He said the pope “wanted to open the discussion because he wanted unity inside and outside” the Church. But the cardinal said he “would have also liked to see more communication in advance.”

February 13, 2009

The International Church

SOURCE OF SUFFERING — Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, right, is pictured celebrating Mass in this undated photo. The Mexican priest who founded the Legionaries of Christ died January 30, 2008 in the United States. He was 87. He was barred from ministry by the Vatican in 2006 after it investigated sex abuse allegations made against him. (CNS file photo)

News that founder fathered child causes Legionaries pain

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ROME — The Legionaries of Christ only recently found out that their founder had fathered a child, knowledge that has caused the members great suffering, but has not destroyed the gratitude they owe him, said a spokesman for the religious order.

Father Paolo Scarafoni, spokesman at the Legionaries’ headquarters in Rome, told Catholic News Service February 4 that, despite the failures and flaws of the late Father Marcial Maciel Degollado,

members of the order are grateful to him for having founded the order and its various ministries.

“We found this out only recently,” Father Scarafoni said, referring to the fact that Father Maciel had a daughter.

Asked how the Legionaries came to know about her, Father Scarafoni said, “Frankly, I cannot say and it is not opportune to discuss this further, also because there are people involved” who deserve privacy.

In the past, Father Maciel had been accused of sexually abusing

young seminarians in the order.

Because the Holy See decided against conducting a canonical trial to investigate the allegations, but rather ordered the then-elderly Father Maciel to withdraw to a life of prayer and penance in May 2006, “we do not know what allegations were made and examined at that time,” Father Scarafoni said.

Father Maciel died Jan. 30, 2008, at the age of 87.

The pain the Legionaries are experiencing now “is so great precisely because this is something

BHUBANESWAR, India (CNS) — Local police have filed charges against 10 men for the rape of a Catholic nun during the antiChristian riots in Orissa state in August, but Church people said they expect more charges.

The Asian church news agency UCA News reported charges were filed against the men January 29.

Father Alphonse Baliarsingh, vicar general of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese, said that “at least some justice can be expected.”

But he noted that the police have “not yet arrested the main culprit,” the one who actually raped the nun August 25, a day after Hindu extremists unleashed a wave of terror against Orissa Christians that lasted seven weeks. The violence claimed 60 lives and displaced 50,000 people, mostly Christians.

Father Baliarsingh said the police have made assurances they would arrest a few more people involved in the crime against the 28-year-old nun.

“We expect the main culprit (to be) arrested soon,” the priest said.

Manas Ranjan Singh, one of the nun’s lawyers, declined to comment on the charge sheet, since the lawyers “have not seen” the file. “We have applied for a copy. Only after studying it can we comment on the merit of it,” he said January 30.

However, he described the filing of charges as “positive” and “a logical step.”

Singh said the 10 men, arrested four months ago, were among about 90 people in a lineup that police arranged last December for the nun to identify her violators. The nun could identify only two among them but did not see the rapist, UCA News reported.

The men reportedly were charged with gang rape, he said, noting that Indian law considers a person abetting rape just as culpable as the one committing the crime.

The nun’s case made national headlines after she addressed a press conference in New Delhi in late October and said she had no faith in the Orissa police investigation, since police did not help her when she was attacked.

A nun working in Orissa said

the police have “not yet arrested the real culprits” in the case. “They may not do it at all because people in authority are supporting” such crimes against Christians, she said.

Montfort Brother Thomas Thannickal, who accompanied the nun to the police lineup, shared similar sentiments, saying the charges aim to show “the police are working and the issue is not buried.”

“Nothing much can be expected now. All these will be forgotten once the elections are over” in a few months, Brother Thannickal said. Federal parliamentary elections are scheduled for April and a state election is scheduled for May, UCA News reported.

Orissa is ruled by a coalition of a regional party and the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party. The party is considered the political wing of groups trying to make India a Hindu theocracy.

The Orissa government had promised to contain the anti-Christian violence soon after it began August 24, but several groups have accused it of helping fanatics by restraining security forces.

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we did not know before,” Father Scarafoni said.

However, he said, “We are serene. Certainly, it is a time of great trial for us and in the face of this there is great suffering.”

Father Scarafoni had told the Mexican news agency Notimex that the Legionaries were living through “a process of purification.”

He told CNS, “When you are faced with such great pain, it means that you must grow, you must be better, you must be purified spiritually because you must continue to move forward motivated by even higher ideals. This is especially true when you are faced with the unexpected.”

At the same time, he said, “there is much gratitude. Our gratitude to him remains very strong because we have received so much that is good from him.

This is something we cannot and will not deny.”

The priest said the Legionaries of Christ and the lay members of Regnum Christi are dealing with the news “as a family. With prudence and charity we are informing our members and trying to help each other overcome this situation. What is important is not to renounce the great mission that we have.”

“The priority is the life and the holiness of each of our members,” he said.

A spokesman for the Legionaries of Christ in the United States acknowledged that some aspects of Father Maciel’s life “were not appropriate for a Catholic priest.”

“We have learned some things about our founder’s life that are surprising and hard to understand,” Jim Fair, the order’s U.S. spokesman, said in a recent statement.

He denied rumors that the Legionaries would renounce Father Maciel, saying he will always be considered the order’s founder.

Despite the unsettling news, Fair said, the order will continue its ministries.

Father Maciel lived the last years of his life under a Vatican order not to practice his priestly ministry in public.

The accusations that Father Maciel sexually abused seminarians first became public in 1997 in a report in The Hartford Courant daily newspaper in Connecticut.

In a letter to the paper, Father Maciel denied the allegations, saying “In all cases they are defamations and falsities with no foundation whatsoever.”

Father Maciel founded the Legionaries of Christ in his native Mexico in 1941. The order has approximately 600 priests and 2,500 seminarians worldwide, including 75 priests in the United States and a seminary and novitiate in Connecticut.

Indian police file charges against 10 men for rape of Orissa nun

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February 13, 2009

National Pro-Life postcard campaign called more important than ever

WASHINGTON (CNS) — With tens of millions of postcards already distributed to Catholic schools and parishes, non-Catholic churches and civic organizations, the campaign to convince Congress not to reverse current Pro-Life policies or make abortion a right is more important than ever, according to a Pro-Life official.

“To guard against the erosion of current Pro-Life measures — and to keep abortion from becoming a federal entitlement — our voice is needed now more than ever,” said Deirdre A. McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications at the U.S. bishops’ Office of ProLife Activities, in a February 4 statement.

“The massive campaign under way shows clearly that, regardless of how they voted, Catholics want to send a strong message to Congress to protect existing Pro-Life policies and to oppose the radical promotion of abortion,” she added.

“As the cards start flooding in, the new Congress will see that they should not divide our nation with policies that offend the Pro-Life values of the majority of Americans.”

The national postcard campaign, launched January 24-25 and expected to continue until mid-February, asks members of Congress to oppose any measures similar to the Freedom of Choice Act, which “would overturn many existing widely supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement

and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion.”

The majority of U.S. dioceses are participating in the postcard campaign, according to a February 4 news release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“The current campaign is unprecedented and is expected to exceed any sponsored by the Catholic bishops in the past,” the release said.

Through its partner organization, the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment, the USCCB has been sponsoring national postcard campaigns related to various Pro-Life causes since 1993.

The original campaign, held at the start of President Bill Clinton’s first term in office, also targeted the Freedom of Choice Act. “While FOCA would accomplish the abortion promotion agenda all at once, other bills could realize the same agenda in a piecemeal fashion,” McQuade said.

“For example, widely supported Pro-Life measures in appropriations bills are already at risk, including the long-standing Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited the use of taxpayer funds for most abortions, and the Hyde/Weldon amendment preventing government discrimination against health care providers who do not perform or refer for abortions,” she added.

FOCA has not yet been introduced in the 111th Congress.

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BACK FROM THE DEAD? — Alan and Raleane “Rae” Kupferschmidt pose in the living room of their home in Lake Elmo, Minn., January 13. Rae, 66, was declared brain dead nearly a year ago after a massive cerebral hemorrhage. The definition of brain death has been debated at the Vatican and in Washington in recent months. (CNS photo/Andrew Wallmeyer, Stillwater Gazette)

Brain death raises questions, from Minnesota to Washington to Vatican

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON — Don’t talk to Raleane “Rae” Kupferschmidt about brain death.

The 66-year-old woman from Lake Elmo, Minn., was declared brain dead nearly a year ago after a massive cerebral hemorrhage.

She was removed from a ventilator, following her wishes, and her family took her home to die.

But when Kupferschmidt began responding to family members, they rushed her back to the hospital, where she regained what her husband called “98 percent” of her earlier vigor.

In late September she experienced another health crisis and went into a coma. Although doctors were not as hasty to term it brain death this time, they offered little hope of her survival — a prediction she defied again in October.

“I keep thinking that (God) saved me a second time so I could inspire people and let them know they shouldn’t give up, even when things look hopeless,” she told the Stillwater (Minn.) Gazette in a January 13 interview.

Coincidentally, the newspaper’s interview with Kupferschmidt took place the day after the President’s Council on Bioethics issued “Controversies in the Determination of

Death,” a 144-page white paper on what the council prefers to call total brain failure.

The topic also has attracted a great deal of attention at the Vatican over the years. Most recently, an article in L’Osservatore Romano last September said the acceptance of the cessation of brain activity as death would seem to equate the human person with brain function, contradicting Catholic teaching about the dignity of every human life from the moment of conception.

But a Vatican spokesman later said the article reflected only the views of the author, Lucetta Scaraffia, a professor of contemporary history and frequent contributor to the Vatican newspaper. In 1985 and 1989, the Pontifical Academy of Science recognized brain death as “the true criterion for death.”

The council’s white paper recognizes the timeless nature of the question.

“Knowing when death has come, along with what can and should be done before and after it has arrived, has always been a problem for humankind, to one degree or another,” it said. “But the nature and significance of the problem have changed over time, especially in the wake of medical technologies that enable us to

sustain life, or perhaps just the appearance of it, indefinitely.”

After brain death occurs, several key bodily functions can continue, including maintenance of body temperature, elimination of wastes, wound healing and sexual maturation of children, the council notes.

Fifteen of the 18 members of the President’s Council on Bioethics concluded that the neurological standard for defining death was ethically defensible and clinically valid.

“The majority reaffirms and supports the well-established dictates of both law and practice in this area, on grounds that patients with total brain failure (‘brain death’) have lost — and have lost irreversibly — the ability to carry out the fundamental work of a living organism,” they said.

“If there are no signs of consciousness and if spontaneous breathing is absent and if the best clinical judgment is that these neurophysiological facts cannot be reversed, (this) would lead us to conclude that a once-living patient has now died,” the white paper says.

“Thus, on this account, total brain failure can continue to serve as a criterion for declaring death — not because it necessarily indicates complete loss of integrated somatic functioning, but because it is a sign that this organism can no longer engage in the sort of work that defines living things,” it added.

But three other council members — including its chairman, Dr. Edmund D. Pellegrino — included personal statements in the white paper indicating their disagreement with some of the paper’s conclusions.

“Until reasonable doubts are resolved by some scientifically valid criterion, my advice for all transplant protocols would be to err on the side of life,” he added.

February 13, 2009

The Church in the U.S.

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Doctors’ role in executions part of new tactic against death penalty

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A national organization founded by Sister Helen Prejean and headed by a Jesuit priest is trying a new tactic to end use of the death penalty, state by state.

The Moratorium Campaign, based at the Martin Luther King Jr. Catholic Student Center at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., hopes to convince physician licensing boards or medical societies in each state to declare it unethical for doctors to participate in executions, thus making it impossible for states to carry out their own protocols for capital punishment.

“That’s what we’ll be focusing on for the next 12 months,” said Jesuit Father George F. Lundy, director of the campaign and pastor of the campus center, in a telephone interview from Baton Rouge. “The issue is grabbing people.”

The effort will focus especially on the Southern states, where 95 percent of all U.S. executions took place in 2008, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

“A lot of death penalty work in recent years has focused on governors and legislatures,” Father Lundy said. Fourteen states do not currently allow the death penalty and others are “close to abolition,” he added.

But a different strategy was needed “to transcend Southern politics,” the Jesuit said.

“We wanted to make it a professional issue instead of a political one.”

The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics says that, although one’s opinion on capital punishment is a “personal moral decision,” a physician “should not be a participant in a legally authorized execution” since the profession is “dedicated to preserving life when there is hope of doing so.”

The national code is not legally binding, however, and physicians around the country are awaiting a decision by the North Carolina Supreme Court on whether the state medical board, which licenses and disciplines physicians, can bar doctors from doing anything more than being present at lethal injections.

The issue also represents something of a

rebirth of the Moratorium Campaign, which death penalty activist Sister Helen, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille, founded around 2000 to collect signatures calling for an international moratorium on the use of capital punishment.

In its early years the campaign collected 2.5 million signatures on petitions against the death penalty, which were presented to the U.N. General Assembly and other international gatherings.

“But over time the campaign got to be heavily staffed and kind of expensive,” Father Lundy said. “So in late 2004, we decided to mothball it.”

But activities designed to raise awareness about capital punishment have continued.

Each of the 28 Jesuit universities and 50 Jesuit high schools nationwide were encouraged to present the play “Dead Man Walking,” written by actor Tim Robbins in 2002 from the book and movie detailing Sister Helen’s experiences with two men on death row.

In the first year of a pilot project, the play was performed at one-third of the Jesuit colleges and a quarter of the high schools, Father Lundy said. Many more schools have staged the play in subsequent years, raising consciousness about the death penalty issue among young people.

The Moratorium Campaign also is working to develop “a more nimble database,” the priest said. Although the campaign’s old database included some 3.5 million contacts, many were outdated and useless, he said.

A new database of about 20,000 current contacts gives the campaign the opportunity to get quick action when needed in a particular state or on a specific issue, he added.

Father Lundy’s involvement in the death penalty issue long predates the Moratorium Campaign. In the early 1980s, while living in Chicago, he was recruited to serve as an “ethics witness” in the sentencing phase of capital punishment cases.

He met Sister Helen shortly thereafter “and we’ve grown old together,” he said with a laugh.

WASHINGTON — Although a majority of Americans support many of President Barack Obama’s early actions in office, only about a third back his decision to allow funding for overseas family planning groups that provide abortions, according to a new poll by USA Today/Gallup.

The results of the survey conducted January 30-February 1 show that “this is no time to divide our nation with policies that offend the Pro-Life values of most Americans,” said Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications for the U.S. bishops’ Office of Pro-Life Activities, in a statement.

Asked about seven actions taken by Obama as president, the majority said they approved of his moves to: — name special envoys for the Middle East and for Afghanistan and Pakistan (76 percent); — tighten ethics rules for administration officials (76 percent); — limit interrogation techniques used on

prisoners (74 percent); — institute higher fuel efficiency standards (74 percent); — make it easier for workers to sue for pay discrimination (66 percent).

But only 44 percent said they supported Obama’s decision to order that the Guantanamo Bay prison be closed and only 35 percent were in favor of his decision to reverse the Mexico City policy, a ban on federal funding of abortion-providing groups abroad that was first instituted by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, called the reversal “very disappointing.”

“Most Americans seem to agree” with the cardinal, McQuade said. “An administration that wants to reduce abortions should not divert U.S. funds to groups that perform and promote abortion.”

The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus three percentage points.

Poll shows disapproval of Obama’s reversal of Mexico City policy

IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE — Smoke rises from the roof of Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago as firefighters work to put out a three-alarm fire the morning of February 4. The fire, which broke out in the attic area between the ceiling and the roof, was reported by a worker shortly after 5 a.m. Fire officials said that fire damage was confined to the roof and attic area, with water damage in the cathedral sanctuary and lower levels. (CNS photo/Michelle Martin, Catholic New World)

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The Anchor The future depends on love

We are now in the midst of a campaign by the four Massachusetts dioceses to strengthen Catholic marriages entitled “The Future Depends on Love.” This week is a good opportunity — coming as it does between the celebration of World Marriage Day last Sunday and St. Valentine’s Day tomorrow — for parishes to assess how they are doing with respect to this crucial initiative.

Marriage is in crisis, not merely because of legal attempts to redefine it, or burgeoning rates of cohabitation, divorce, out-of-wedlock birth rates and other troubling analyses. As so many recent surveys have detailed, it is also suffering a crisis of confidence from within.

Since the future of the Church and of society so much depends on marriage, it’s important and somewhat urgent to celebrate the gift and meaning of matrimony and authentic spousal love. World Marriage Sunday, begun in 1981 in Louisiana as “We Believe in Marriage Day” and now supported by 43 U.S. states and the Vatican, rejoices in the mutual committed love of husband and wife, honors their faithfulness and expresses gratitude for all the sacrifices they make to raise a family. St. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for spouses to make that celebration of marital love their own, on a day on which our culture is most supportive of their commitment and the love on which it’s based.

One concrete way in which the future really does depend on love concerns the generosity by which couples make love. As is getting increasingly noted, western society is facing a population meltdown of enormous proportions, even and especially in Catholic countries in Europe that are slowly committing demographic suicide. For a population to sustain itself, the average number of children per couple needs to be 2.1. In Spain, the fertility rate is 1.1; in Italy, 1.2, in Germany 1.3; in France, despite the large families of immigrant Muslims, 1.7. By 2050, Germany is expected to lose the equivalent of the population of the former East Germany and 60 percent of the Italians will have no brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts or uncles. Altogether 18 European countries are reporting more deaths than births.

Many cities are going to become Muslim not as a result of jihad but infertility.

Closer to home, things are not much better. While the fertility rate of the United States overall is 2.09, four of the five states with the lowest number of children per couple are in New England. In Massachusetts, the rate is 1.66.

If children are a sign and source of hope, then the failure to replace oneself is a sign of despair. Infertility will also bring all types of extra burdens on society. To look at the situation from an economic point of view alone, as fewer young people enter the work force, there will be decreased productivity; as more people retire, not only will there be higher social security costs on the working generation, but it will also make it harder for young families to afford children on their own. There will be a vicious cycle of economic stagnation and a continued downward spiral in fertility.

We need to ask what are the causes of the plummeting birth rates. Experts point to a few. First, children have become culturally optional; there is no longer a stigma attached to a childless woman.

Secondly, they are now deemed economically burdensome; while they were once economic assets on a farm, now they are looked at as voracious consumers who produce nothing until generally after they leave the home. Thirdly, they are technologically avoidable through the use of contraception, without even the cost in former days of disciplining the sex drive; and if contraception fails or is not used, onethird of children end up being slaughtered in the womb before birth.

Various nations are now realizing that their very survival is at stake. In 2006, Russia, which has a 1.3 fertility rate, adopted a 10-year plan to reverse its sharp decline in population — about 700,000 a year — that portends to reduce Russia’s population by 50 percent by 2050. To launch the program, then-President Vladimir Putin gave all Russians a day off from work and asked them to use it to try to produce Russia’s most valuable resource for the future, which is not oil, but children. He also proposed one-time cash grants to mothers upon the birth of a second child, extended maternity leave benefits and increased cash and day-care subsidies the more children they have. With a mixture of levity and seriousness, he said that the Russian Defense Department knows that the main threat to Russia’s future is not nuclear war but the low birthrate. Therefore, he concluded, out of love for the fatherland, all Russians had a duty to “love!”

Other countries offer similar incentives. Australia gives a $4,000 bonus for every baby. In Japan, parents receive $4,600 for the birth of a child and another $4,600 stretched out over the child’s first decade. Singapore gives $3,000 for the first child, $9,000 in cash and savings for the second and up to $18,000 each for the third and fourth.

Here in the United States, however, little is being done to lessen the burden on families to help them to bear and raise children. A recent article by Dr. Paul Cameron, the head of the Family Research Institute, said that over the course of the last several decades, “we are doing well at generating more wealth but failing at getting married and raising kids.

“We and our leaders have forgotten that sex within marriage is to children as private property is to productivity. Put in purely economic terms, we are trading babies within marriage for women’s contribution to the workforce. In 1800, the average U.S. woman had about seven children, by 1900 it was less than four, and by 2000 it was two. This decline was strongly associated with the proportion of women working outside the home. Career women are less apt to get married, less apt to have children when married, and have fewer children when married. There is little doubt that a significant portion of today’s prosperity has been generated by so many women in the work force. But what does wealth profit a society if it collapses for lack of children? We have to encourage more women to rear children rather than spend their child-bearing years working.”

Cameron proposes three concrete means by which we can start to change the tide, which should take on added urgency as we continue to discuss the future of the economy in Washington.

The first is to give women an incentive not merely to have children — lest we promote the behavior of those like Nadya Suleman — but to have them in a circumstance that will give the children the best shot at being good and productive citizens later. Cameron suggests “a $10,000 child exemption from all federal taxes for married couples raising their own or adopted children. As long as the couple stays married and lives with their children, they would be exempt from income, social security and Medicare taxes on $10,000 of income for each child. This would increase their actual earnings just when children’s extra needs strain the family budget.”

The second proposal is to create incentives for stable marriages. “A $200 tax exemption per year of continuous marriage would give married couples who ‘hang in there’ some financial reward. If people remarried, the exemption would start ticking anew.” Stable marriages would be good for kids who are crucial to help our nation to survive and to thrive.

The third is to “change social security so that the married who supported their children until they reached adulthood get more income in old age (and more money with more children). Society should reward the old for service rendered by making the sacrifices to raise quality children — children upon whom all eventually depend.”

He concludes his article by saying, “these are changes we could survive with.” Since the future really does depend on marital love, his proposals should be given as much consideration here as incentives for the family are wisely receiving in other countries.

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The ascent of love

here’s something beautiful about St. clusively on the other’s body or sexual values, Valentine’s Day. It’s a day on which ro- to one focused essentially on the other’s person mantic love is justly celebrated and couples feel and personal values.

That leads to the next step on this ascending inspired to show their affection for each other in extraordinary ways. It’s a day on which young path of purification: a yearning to truly discover men drop to their knees to propose to young the other as a person, which takes us beyond women. It’s a day when workaholics are forced the selfishness to which eros can sometimes be to pause to reflect on what’s more important, reduced. “Love now becomes concern and care spouses are able to rejoice in the gift of each for the other,” the pope says. “No longer is it other and rekindle their attractions, and chil- self-seeking; … instead it seeks the good of the dren will unselfishly give the parents permis- beloved: it becomes renunciation and it is ready, sion to have some time alone. It’s also a day of and even willing, for sacrifice.”

This willingness to sacrifice one’s own imintense prayer on the part of those who long to find that person for whom their heart restlessly mediate interests and desires for the other’s good is what binds authentic romantic love to marsearches.

We also have to say, however, that in some riage. The deformed version of eros today, which places the way in which this day is marked lustfully seeks to sever love from responsibility, would make St. Valentine, the early martyr for unsurprisingly tries to rupture the intrinsic conChristian marriage, blush. Some try to turn this nection between love, marriage, sex and children feast into an occasion for lust instead of love, as well. Pope Benedict says what was once clear for seduction instead of self-gift, for debauch- to almost everyone before the sexual revolution: ery rather than genuine dedication. Commer- “Eros directs man towards marriage, to a bond cial interests have tried to take advantage of the which is unique and definitive; thus, and only feast to spark a type of lust of the eyes, attempt- thus, does it fulfill its deepest purpose.”

Elaborating on this connection, he says, “It ing to convince men to express themselves with jewelry and marked-up roses rather than with is part of love’s growth towards higher levels and inward purificasimple sincerity tion that it seeks and undivided atto become detention. finitive, in a twoThe celebrafold sense: both tion of Valenin the sense of tine’s Day, for exclusivity (this these reasons, particular perneeds to be puBy Father son alone) and rified and reRoger J. Landry in the sense of deemed. being ‘forever.’

Pope BeneLove embraces dict wrote at length in his first encyclical, “God is Love,” the whole of existence in each of its dimensions, about what this purification entails. He wasn’t including the dimension of time. It could hardly writing specifically about Valentine’s Day, but be otherwise, since its promise looks towards its about the true or false understandings of ro- definitive goal: love looks to the eternal.” True mantic love on which the divergent ways of love never seeks to “lease” the other for a certain celebrating Valentine’s Day are based. It came length of time, but leads one to seek to be united in his extended discussion of “eros,” a part of definitively with the other, even into eternity. the letter that caught many readers, who falsely Love, as Benedict says, is a “journey, an ongobelieve that the Church is opposed to romantic ing exodus out of the closed inward-looking love, totally off guard. The pope was writing to self towards its liberation through self-giving, restore “eros,” or the romantic love between a and thus towards authentic self-discovery and man and a woman, to its real grandeur. These indeed the discovery of God.” Marriage is a gift thoughts are worth recalling as we approach given not merely to ensure that we do not have to walk that exodus alone, but a motivation that February 14.

The Holy Father said that the Church great- spurs us on to the promised land for the sake of ly esteems eros but vigorously opposes the seeing the other arrive.

Since ethically erotic love helps us to dis“warped and destructive form of it, because this counterfeit divinization of eros actually strips it cover God and the reality of his love for us, of its dignity and dehumanizes it.” Some argue we come to the third step in the maturation of that eros is a passionate “intoxication,” a type of eros: the introduction of God’s love into the hu“overpowering of reason by a ‘divine madness’ man experience of romantic love. God loves us, that tears man away from his finite existence Benedict says, with a fundamentally self-sacriand enables him, in the very process of being ficial, “oblative” or agapic, form of love. When overwhelmed by divine power, to experience we receive his love and begin to love another as supreme happiness.” Pope Benedict says that he has loved us, our love becomes “grounded such an “intoxicated and undisciplined eros is in and shaped by faith” and takes on more and not an ascent in ‘ecstasy’ toward the Divine, but more of the characteristics of God’s love.

The more human romantic love and Christa fall, a degradation of man.”

For that reason, the pope continues, “eros like love “find a proper unity in the one reality of needs to be disciplined and purified if it is to love,” the pope states, “the more the true nature provide not just fleeting pleasure, but a certain of love in general is realized. Even if eros is at foretaste of the pinnacle of our existence, of that first mainly covetous and ascending, a fascinahappiness for which our whole being yearns.” tion for the great promise of happiness, in drawHow is eros purified and disciplined? Pope ing near to the other, it is less and less concerned Benedict replies that it is purified by an ethos, with itself, increasingly seeks the happiness of by a moral “growth in maturity.” By it we are the other, is concerned more and more with the led on a “path of renunciation” that helps us beloved, bestows itself and wants to ‘be there truly seek the good of the beloved rather than for’ the other. The element of agape thus enters merely our own pleasure through the objectifi- into this love, for otherwise eros is impoverished and even loses its own nature.” Pope Benedict cation of the other.

This path of loving self-denial, Benedict de- stresses on the other hand, however, that “man cannot live by oblative, descending love alone. scribes, has three stages.

The first is to remember that we do not He cannot always give, he must also receive. merely have bodies with appetites to be filled, Anyone who wishes to give love must also rebut also souls with the capacity for goodness or ceive love as a gift.”

The future of the world depends, to a large evil. When eros is reduced to just “sex,” man himself becomes a commodity to be exploited. extent, on the purification and redemption of He begins to consider his and the other’s body eros, by raising human love to the level of the and sexuality as a purely material part of iden- total, integral good of the other. The celebration tity to be abused at will. This is not merely a of Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to put out “debasement of the body,” but of the person as into the depth of love and begin that ascent.

Father Landry is pastor of St. Anthony’s a whole. The remedy is to discipline oneself to raise eros from an attraction concentrated ex- Parish in New Bedford.

Putting Into the Deep

Back to school is not as easy as it sounds

“B

ack to School” signs supplies. The uniform is a blue and advertisements pair of pants, or skirt for the are a common sight in August girls, white shirt, T-shirt, white in anticipation for the start of socks, and black shoes. school in September.

For the children in Guaimaca, the start of school comes in February and children count down the days

By Father until they have to put Craig A. Pregana on shoes and uniforms and return to the classroom.

They also must bring supAlthough education is plies such as nine notebooks, a public in Guaimaca, all school back pack, pencils, pens, toilet children are required to wear paper, chalk, etc. For physical a uniform and bring certain

Our Mission

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education, they need a pair of sneakers and blue sweat pants.

With all the required supplies, the cost adds up for each student.

Parents understand the value of an education and most try to send their children to receive at least a primary education, and if possible a secondary education.

However, when there are six or eight children in the family, the expense of sending all of them to school, with the needed supplies, becomes cost prohibitive.

St. Paul’s baptismal ethics

hen taken seriously, Furthermore, St. Paul embaptism has radical im- phasized that faith in Christ, plications on the way one would baptism, and initiation into the live his or her life from that time Church free us from the Law on. St. Paul describes baptism of Moses. Some people who in terms of changing one’s had themselves baptized misclothes: “For all of you who were takenly thought this gave them baptized into Christ have clothed license to sin. The Apostle asks yourselves with Christ” (Gal them, “What then? Shall we sin 3:27). In a figurative or spiritual because we are not under the law sense, a Christian takes off the but under grace? Of course not!” old self and puts on the new (cf.

(Rom 6:15). Christ’s passion and Eph 4:22-24). This means he or death fulfilled the Biblical law. she leaves his or her old way of It was such a powerful event that life behind and begins to live in a it fulfilled all the ritual sacrifices new way. and dietary obligations outlined This could make us ask, “According to Paul, what does the life of the Living the ‘new self’ look like exactly? What are the ethics Pauline Year of a new creature formed in the image of Christ?”

By Father Such a lifestyle as Karl C. Bissinger indicated by the Apostle might be called a “baptismal ethics,” since it follows from the reception of this in it. It did this in such a way as sacrament of initiation. For this to free us from having to follow reason, today’s article could be the minutia we find in much of considered “St. Paul on baptism, the Torah. Jesus’ sacrifice on the Part II.” Just as Paul did not write cross, however, does not exempt a single, systematic passage to us from following the moral law. explain his doctrine of baptism in This is why we Christians still a comprehensive way, neither did follow the Ten Commandments, he write a unified presentation of for example. his ethics. So, just as we did with In addition, we might also baptism, we have to pick through come up with a few more practiall the letters and glean the parts cal hints from St. Paul’s letter. that describe some of his moral Above all, the Apostle would teaching. exhort us to imitate Christ.

Faith in Christ leads us to “Be imitators of me, as I am of baptism; and, baptism gives Christ” (1Cor 11:1). This does grace. So, grace becomes the not mean to grow a beard, start basis for a Christian way of life. wearing flowing robes, and carry St. Paul teaches that in baptism, a life-sized cross on your shoulwe are conformed to the image der through the streets of New of the life, death, and resurrecBedford. It does mean to imitate tion of Christ (cf. Rom 6:3-6). the dying and rising of Christ, the So, we must act in a way that is love Jesus expressed in consentconsistent with Christ. Above all, ing to being put to death on the we must act in a holy manner, cross. We have many opportunibecause Christ has made us holy ties to do this in our daily lives. through grace and the redempAnother important first step tion he won for us. Therefore, for the Christian would be to grace is both the power and the turn aside from idols and idol motivation for ethical, righteous worship. This would have been behavior. especially important for St. Paul

to emphasize in his preaching, especially around the pagan lands of the ancient Mediterranean. On the other hand, we might not name them gods, but could we not all find something that distracts us from the complete love of God; for example, power, money, or sensuality?

The Apostle also repeats the basic teaching of Christ to love one’s neighbor as oneself (cf. Mt 5:43-44). He says, “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8). This could be translated concretely into our daily lives as doing good turns, performing acts of kindness, and making efforts to help others.

Other items might include: contribute graciously and generously to the poor (cf. Rom 15:2528; 2Cor 8:2); and be hospitable to strangers (cf. Rom 12:13); to love one’s enemies — another repetition of Christ’s very words (cf. Rom 12:14-21). St. Paul would also enjoin a Christian to be chaste and to exercise selfcontrol (cf. 1Cor 6:12-7:16); and to work and take responsibility (cf. 1Cor 4:12; 1Th 2:9; and especially 2Th 3:8ff). On this count, Paul himself supported his ministry by doing manual labor and practicing the trade of tent-making (cf. Acts 18:3). He even issued the stern dictum: “If anyone [is] unwilling to work, neither should that one eat” (2Th 3:10). Finally, he tells his followers to obey lawful authorities (cf. Rom 13:1ff) and to be honest in deed and word. In all these ways, the Christian shows how he or she has put on “the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of his or her Creator” (cf. Col 3:9-10).

Father Bissinger is vocation director of the Diocese of Fall River and secretary to Bishop George W. Coleman.

We try to help promote education by helping parents with some of the supplies. Through the generous donations from families at St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield, and the “School Bell Project” that they started, the St. Vincent de Paul Society is able to provide the necessary school supplies and uniforms to most of our altar servers, the children of our delegates, and the children of our catechists.

The donations were received last year and were sufficient to extend to this year, as well.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society purchases the supplies here in Honduras at reduced costs and distributes them as a family needs. If the family received assistance last year, the parents were asked to bring a copy of the children’s marks from school to show that they are putting to good use the donations they received. On Sunday, the delegates came to the parish to pick up the supplies as well as write notes of thanks to the families at St. Mary’s for their kindness. The children had big smiles to see the new back packs and especially the shoes since many of the chil-

dren go without shoes during vacation so that they can save their shoes for school.

The “School Bell Project” can’t meet all the needs of all the children who want to attend school, but it does make a difference in the lives of those who serve the parish: the servers, the delegates, and the catechists. The parishioners at St. Mary’s recognize the value of an education and have expressed it by their generosity to our brothers and sisters at the Mission. Although they may never meet, they have the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of the children here.

Hearing the Gospel on Sunday and receiving the Eucharist is the way we live our faith. In addition, reaching out to our brothers and sisters in need is a way to put that faith into action. There are so many who need our assistance, and so many who have the means to offer a lending hand. As we celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday, let’s think of how we can put it into practice during the week. www.FallRiverMissions.com

READY FOR SCHOOL — Some of the altar servers (top) in Guaimaca, Honduras, display their new back packs, ready to tackle the upcoming school year. Below, are students in their class room with some new supplies. The school year in Guaimaca begins in February. Many of the supplies and uniforms were financed by the “School Bell Program,” at St. Mary’s Parish in Mansfield. (Photos courtesy of Father Craig A. Pregana)

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ear-end Sale! Valentine Sale Spectacular! Two for One Sale! Anniversary Sale! Once in a Lifetime Sale!

We are deluged with advertising for “the sale” that’s going to bring us happiness.

We jump on the bandwagon of every guru who promises us weight loss coupled with instant beauty and popularity. Essentially we all want to be loved and accepted. We all seek wholeness of mind, body and spirit. We want to be right with the world and with each other. We want to be comfortable in our skin.

We seek, in short, the very same wholeness that the lepers or outcasts in the first and third readings do. We need to be healed of all that separates us from ourselves and from our community. Jesus offers us that healing. We have only to ask.

We can’t buy it. It’s always on sale. It’s priceless and it’s free.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus

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February 13, 2009

The powerful and healing love of God

makes a drastic and dramatic for each and every one of us. gesture towards the leper who Just as Jesus stretched out his knelt before him, asking to be hand and touched and healed made clean. Moved with pity, the leper, he stretches out his Jesus dared to stretch out his hand and touches you and me hand and touch the leper. No in many ways. law-abiding Jew would dare For example, Jesus touches touch a leper because contact with an unclean person would make Homily of the Week them unclean as well.

Sixth Sunday But this is precisely of Ordinary Time why Jesus had come into our world, to

By Deacon stretch out his hand and Eugene H. Sasseville touch us, to heal us of our uncleanliness.

Most likely the leper in today’s Gospel didn’t know us with the water of baptism a great deal about Jesus, but to make us his own brothers he did know that Jesus healed and sisters. He touches us with him. “He went away… and the oil of confirmation to give spread the report abroad,” even us the Holy Spirit whom he though Jesus told him, “tell no had promised to send to us. one anything.”

In reconciliation, he touches The cured leper told and heals us of the leprosy everyone. That’s our thought of sin. In Communion, the for today. You and I must tell miracle of miracles, Jesus not everyone what Jesus has done only touches us, but he comes

into our souls and bodies and lives in us and we in him. In the anointing of the sick, He touches our weak bodies and trembling souls, and heals them both. Jesus stretches out his hand in matrimony, to help the bride and groom, as husband and wife, to make of their marriage and union a holy one.

Jesus lays his hands on us in holy orders, to give his bishops, priests and deacons the power and graces necessary to carry on his work here on earth.

We can be sure that Jesus continues to stretch out his healing hands to us. Since he was unafraid to touch and heal a leper, he doesn’t hesitate to touch our hearts and heal our wounds, remove our fears and calm our worries. No sooner do we ask him, “If you wish, you can make me clean,” that he acts on his desire to make

us clean.

In turn, Jesus expects us to do the same. We are his helping, healing hands to be stretched out to those around us, to those who are ill, lonely, anxious, heavily burdened with the past, insecure in the present, fearful of the future.

There’s an old Quaker hymn whose refrain ends with the words, “If love is lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?” That sentiment seems appropriate in light of today’s Gospel. If Jesus really has touched our lives, if he’s healed and forgiven us, how can we keep from “letting the cat out of the bag”? How can we not spread the report abroad?

Deacon Sasseville, was ordained with the Class of 1997 and is presently assigned to Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in New Bedford.

Upcoming Daily Readings: Sat. Feb. 14,Gn 3:9-24; Ps 90:2-6,12-13; Mk 8:1-10. Sun. Feb. 15, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lv 13:1-2,44-46; Ps 32:1-2,2,5,11; 1Cor 10:3111:1; Mk 1:40-45. Mon. Feb. 16,Gn 4:1-15,25; Ps 50:1,8,16bc-17,20,21; Mk 8:11-13. Tues. Feb. 17, Gn 6:5-8,7:1-5,10; Ps 29:1a,2,3ac-4,3b, 9c-10; Mk 8:14-21. Wed. Feb 18, Gn 8:6-13,20-22; Ps 116:12-15,18-19; Mk 8:22-26. Thu. Feb. 19, Gn 9:1-13; Ps 102:16-18, 19-23,29; Mk 8:27-33. Fri. Feb. 20, Gn 11:1-9; Ps 33:10-15; Mk 8:34-9:1.

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iven the unique status of the Holocaust as an icon of evil in a morally confused world, Holocaust-denial triggers revulsions similar to those triggered by blasphemy in the Middle Ages: the Holocaustdenier must be shunned, for everyone else’s moral health.

Thus it was completely understandable that, when Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of four bishops illegally ordained in 1988 by the late French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, reporting and commentary focused on the fact that one of the four, Richard Wil-

The dangers of premature reconciliation liamson, is a Holocaust-denier the Holocaust as a unique icon and a man given to extolling of wickedness — one that that hoary anti-Semitic forgery, should call all of us “to reflect “The Protocols of the Elders of on the unpredictable power of Zion.” evil when it conquers the heart Understandable, but someof man.” thing of freakish sideshow, for For Catholics, condemnWilliamson is an internationing Holocaust-denial is a moral ally known crank and no serious person can believe that Benedict XVI’s act constituted an endorsement of Williamson’s lunatic view of history. As the Pope

By George Weigel made clear at his January 28 general audience, he has long recognized imperative rooted in the conviction that anti-Semitism (of which Holocaust-denial is a pseudo-sophisticated form) is a sin against the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus — a God who keeps his promises, to the people of Israel and to the people of the Church. That conviction leads readily to another conviction: that God preserves the Church from fundamental error in essential truths. And that, not questions of liturgical taste, is what is really at issue with Lefebvrists: Were the Second Vatican Council’s teachings on the nature of the Church, on Church-state theory, and on the sin of antiSemitism in continuity with the great tradition of Catholic faith?

Or did they represent a rupture and a breach of faith?

The interpretation of Vatican

The Catholic Difference

II among Catholic “progressives” has long stressed that Vatican II was a Council of radical change: a new beginning that, in effect, created a new Church. On this understanding, the Council broke with hundreds of years of Catholic history by mandating an open dialogue with secular modernity. In an odd mirror-image, the Catholic far right — embodied by Lefebvrists, among others — agrees: except that, in this instance, rupture means betrayal. Marcel Lefebvre was shaped in part by currents in French public culture that helped produce the Vichy regime during World War II. To a mind formed in that cauldron of resentments, prejudices, and dreams of an ancient regime restored, it seemed self-evidently clear that the Council made a fatal bargain with modernity, thereby emptying Catholicism of its content while eviscerating the distinctive Catholic way of life.

For the past three decades, by contrast, Joseph Ratzinger has argued vigorously in defense of Vatican II as an authentic expression of Catholic faith that must be interpreted in continuity with the Church’s tradition.

For Ratzinger, Vatican II was a Council of development: its teaching teased new meanings out of ancient tradition, but it in

no way involved a rupture with the past. How could it, if God keeps his promise to preserve the Church in essential truths?

The Council’s continuity with the great tradition of Catholic faith is what Archbishop Lefebvre and his movement have long denied. And while some may sympathize with the Lefebvrists’ commitment to dignified worship, few, I suspect, will want to defend the Lefebvrist claim that the Council taught falsely when it defined religious freedom as a fundamental human right.

Thus if Benedict XVI’s attempt to reconcile dissidents on the far starboard edge of world Catholicism is to contribute to the Church’s unity, his gestures of reconciliation must be met from the Lefebvrist side by a clear rejection of the rupture theory of Vatican II. That means an unambiguous acknowledgment from the Lefebvrist bishops that the Council taught the truth of Catholic faith in affirming religious freedom and condemning anti-Semitism. Until that happens, the absurd Lefebvrist claim that their movement is “the Tradition” (most recently made by the leading Lefebvrist bishop, Bernard Fellay) will remain an insuperable obstacle to the restoration of full communion.

George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

My day in court

Friday 20 February 2009 black ink.

— Port-O-Call, New Bedford The State has this thing — United Nation’s World Day about black ink. Marriage for Social Justice ike all Americans, we priests must do our civic duty Reflections of a (such as serving on jury, voting and paying Parish Priest taxes.) Recently, I was

By Father Tim juror No. 37.

Goldrick An official-looking envelope arrived in the mail. Since I was unaware of having preached licenses come with a slip of heresy, I concluded it couldn’t paper stapled to the corner possibly be from the Vatican instructing clergy to USE Congregation for Doctrine BLACK INK ONLY. Town of the Faith. I figured it must Clerks also sometimes send be from the State of Massathe message to the “Officiant” chusetts. It was. I responded through the bride and groom. within 10 days (as required The couple usually delivers by law,) being careful to use the warning verbally at the

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The Ship’s Log

rehearsal, in front of the entire wedding party. I suspect some minister somewhere in Massachusetts was in the habit of completing marriage forms using an array of flair markers, tracing each letter in a different color.

Father Lucien Jusseaume was famous for using multicolor ink. He had a pen that changed ink color with a click. Father Tom Morrissey called him “The Technicolor Priest.”

In “Section A” of the Jury Confirmation Form, I was asked basic information.

Under “marital status,” there was no listing for “celibate.”

I am not single. I’m celibate.

A Valentine for priests

devotion to their bride, the e’re awash in the Church. annual festival of The priest is similar to pink and red, with its notany devoted husband, who so-subtle reminders that expresses his affection love is best expressed in concretely. There are the cards, flowers and candy. prayers, devotions and sacraWhatever the pious origins ments. Priests minister to of Valentine’s Day, it’s now those who are sick, who are a commercial bonanza for grieving, and who are struganyone “in a relationship” gling with life’s crushing (to use the FaceBook term). blows. The priests patiently As obsessed as our culture teach their flocks, pay the is with “young love” on any bills, fix the roofs and juggle given day, we’ve come to the priorities — wondering expect the sentiment to go how to fit it all in a given into overdrive at this time week. While they await the of year, and often the shalfruits of the new springtime, lowest understanding of love at present they often cover finds expression in the loftiest of venues.

No matter. We all lived through the crushes, the anxiety of waiting, the delight in little expressions of affection.

By Genevieve Kineke It was a bittersweet and harmless rite of passage, but now we more than one parish and know more. We know what find their limited resources lasts. We recognize silly stretched even further. The heartfelt gestures for what consolation of priestly they are, but find a deeper fraternity from long ago has comfort in more enduring slipped away, leaving many tokens. Suffering heartaches, living alone, eating alone, loneliness, illnesses and the and praying alone. loss of loved ones has deepAnd yet they persevere. ened our ability to consider So what would a valentine the nature of true love, for to a priest entail? He doesn’t consolation and wisdom need another black sweater like this can only come with or rosary. He may or may time. not have a sweet tooth. Even This year, perhaps a way the most devoted golfer only to make a difference would needs so many personalized be to share this appreciation tees. with our priests. If anyone Instead, pray and sacrideserves love and gestures fice for your priests. They of gratitude, it is they. While are perpetually available for we see the limited more visyour prayer requests yearible portions of their minisround, having lifted up your try, we don’t see their quiet

The Feminine Genius

intentions for every needy loved one. Now is the time to assure them of your prayers for their intentions — which are abundant. While they fervently pray for the sanctification of their flock, they need graces for their own pilgrimage. Remember that the accumulated distress of the souls entrusted to them requires heroic measures of hope to see God in the darkness. Their fidelity will be buoyed by our sacrifices.

Support your priests.

Trust that they must always deal with a variety of diverse personalities and have to discern how best to carry out God’s holy will.

It isn’t easy. Take the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers anecdote and twist it: “These men have to dance blindly with hundred pound weights on every limb.” Lighten their load with sincere expressions of your support and appreciation for their vocations.

We need them.

Finally, love your priests.

Consider them your brothers in faith — “in a relationship.” Not just any relationship — but wed to a spotless bride for whom they would lay down their lives on any given day. If any example of love isn’t saccharine or shallow, it’s the life of a faithful priest, modeled on the divine love of Jesus himself. And that’s a gift to treasure.

Mrs. Kineke is the author of “The Authentic Catholic Woman” (Servant Books).

She can be found online at www.feminine-genius.com.

There’s a big difference. I didn’t want to get into a discussion on marital definitions with the State of Massachusetts. That would be unproductive, if you know what I mean. I checked “single.”

Was I employed, unemployed, or self-employed?

Well, I’m definitely not unemployed, but maybe a combination of employed and self-employed. I work for God. There was no checkbox for “other.”

It asked if I was eligible for disqualification as a juror. No. I consequently skipped “Section B” and “C.” It asked if I wanted to request a hardship transfer to another court location. Yes, there was inconvenience; but no, there was no hardship. I skipped “Section D.” Did I need to postpone my jury service? No. I would find a way to deal with it. I skipped “Section E.” Am I hearing impaired? My physician told me I have selective hearing, but he meant I hear what I want to hear and disregard the rest. No. I skipped “Section F.” “Section G” was about diversity. Yes, I would certainly add diversity to the jury pool.

I reported for jury duty on the day appointed.

The victim, Ronald Opus, had died from a shotgun wound to the head. Mr. Opus had jumped from the roof of a 10-story building intending to commit suicide. As he fell past the ninth floor, he was killed instantly by a shotgun blast passing through a window.

Who shot him? An elderly man and his wife occupied the room on the ninth floor from which the shotgun blast emanated. Seems they were arguing and the old man threatened his wife with a shotgun.

The old man pulled the trigger. The gun was loaded.

The pellets missed his wife and went through the window, striking Mr. Opus as he passed by. According to law, when one intends to kill subject ‘A’ but kills subject ‘B’ in the

attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject ‘B.’ The old man was charged with murder.

The old man testified he never kept the gun loaded. He admitted he often threatened his wife with the unloaded shotgun, but he never intended to murder anyone. The law requires intention for a murder conviction. If the gun had been somehow accidentally loaded, then the killing of Mr. Opus was a freak accident.

Who loaded the gun? A witness saw the couple’s adult son loading the shotgun about six weeks before. Seems the old woman had cut off her mooching son’s financial support and the revengeful son, knowing the propensity of his father to wave the shotgun at his mother, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would soon shoot his mother.

Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, even though he didn’t actually pull the trigger, he was legally guilty of the murder of Mr. Opus.

Who was the son of this elderly couple? Ronald Opus.

Ronald had become despondent over his failure to quickly engineer his mother’s murder. This led him to jump off the roof, only to be killed by the shotgun blast on the way down. Since Ronald Opus had himself loaded the gun that killed him, he had murdered himself. Murder charge against the old man dismissed.

Doing justice isn’t easy.

By the way, Mr. Opus would have survived the plunge. A crew of window washers had hung safety nets at the fifth floor level.

This, dear readers, is an actual case. It is fortunately not the case I heard. Sorry, according to the law, juror No. 37 is forbidden to discuss courtroom details, but only in America.

Father Goldrick is pastor of St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in North Dighton.

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This spring doesn’t seem so hot

P

itchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers yesterday.

Usually that’s a most upbeat time of year for me. It signals the end of winter, one in which snow covered the ground every day in 2009 so far; it fills in the gap between football season and March Madness; and saturates my psyche with thoughts of October baseball.

But this season seems different.

For the first time in a long, long stretch, my heart isn’t in it as much — and I’m struggling to self-psychoanalyze why.

Perhaps it’s the financial crunch many in this country are facing

My View From the Stands

By Dave Jolivet day-to-day. On the one hand, the Jolivets, like so many others in Southeastern Mass., are feeling the effects of a strained economy, but fortunately not as much as some. A cutback in Denise’s working hours means a cutback in our way of life to a degree.

As we did in the early days of our marriage 30 years ago, we find it prudent to eschew some of the grocery luxuries to which we’ve grown accustomed. A trip to visit the world’s most famous rodent in Florida is totally out of the question this year; and we pray no major car repairs are lurking in the near future.

On the other hand, ballplayers are reeling in record contracts, while others in this country are just reeling. Some are even turning down lucrative offers in the hopes of cashing in on even bigger paydays from someone else. Even

mediocre players are cashing in for being — mediocre.

Perhaps it’s the ever-expanding steroid scandals rocking the house of horsehide. Frankly, I don’t know who to believe anymore, and everyone is now under suspicion.

I won’t be going to Fenway Park again this season — it’s just too expensive for a family trip to a ball game — and it’s getting worse.

The Red Sox, despite the buyat-any-cost attitude of richer ball clubs, didn’t do all that much to improve this off season. The Yankees, on the other hand, went for broke.

There is no way the A-Rod scandal or former manager Joe Torre’s tell-all book will affect this team — too many dollar signs are blocking the distractions.

Sports, particularly baseball, used to be an “out” for me — an escape from life’s worries and disappointments. This year it’s just not the case. Or maybe I’m just finally growing up. Please God, not that one.

Maybe with time, I’ll regain that passion. I hope so. It will be so ironic though that a group of obscenely rich ball players will help take my mind off making ends meet.

On a different note, I learned yesterday that Bernie Ryan from Holy Name Parish in Fall River recently passed away. Seeing Bernie walk into my office each month with an Around the Diocese for a healing Mass, was like clockwork.

Bernie always had a smile on his face and was truly dedicated to his family, parish and Church. My condolences to his family, friends and all those he served. God speed Bernie — I’ll miss our monthly meetings.

February 13, 2009

Lawyer fueled by sense of social justice

By Michael Pare Anchor Correspondent

violence and women’s issues has always made sense to Foley. She remembers being especially moved early FALL RIVER — Alison Foley still remembers a in her career by the way so many people were being speech she gave in eighth grade, the one that had her treated in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World classmates rolling their eyes. While most of the other Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

“There was a terrible backlash against the immikids talked about sports stars or celebrities, Foley chose a slightly more serious topic. She talked to her class- grant community,” she said. “People were being treated mates about the POWs still unaccounted for in Viet- differently … and unjustly, because they were not born in the United States.” nam.

Ondine Galvez Sniffin is legal director of CSS’ Law “I guess I had it in me from an early age,” she said.

After earning her law degree from Roger Williams Education and Advocacy Project and, as such, is FoUniversity School of Law in Bristol, R.I., Foley estab- ley’s supervisor. The work being done by Foley and others at CSS, she said, has never lished a private practice and through been more important. it did significant work on women’s Immigrant issues, she said, have issues, domestic violence, and immibeen around forever, but in recent gration. years have become part of the mainBut inevitably, she was drawn to stream culture. There are positives to that road less traveled. That sense of that, she said, in terms of bringing social justice that had always been inmuch needed attention to certain isside her called her to do more. sues. But there are also negatives.

Foley answered that call, join“There has been a lot of anti-iming Catholic Social Services of Fall migrant sentiment that has flourished River, where she serves as legal diover the past few years,” said Galvez rector of the Immigrant Victims RepSniffin. “So besides the economy resentation Project, an offshoot of the putting pressure on these immigrant agency’s Law Education and Advofamilies, you have heightened securicacy Project, which has operated for ty, with more raids. It’s been very visthe past 12 years. ible in Southeastern Massachusetts.”

Foley’s work at Catholic Social All of these factors, she said, Services recently earned her the disput further stresses on immigrant tinction of being named a “Lawyer of families. That sometimes results in the Year” by Rhode Island Lawyers increased rates of alcoholism, alcoWeekly. The newspaper cited her inhol-related abuses and an increase in volvement “in cases that raise chaldomestic violence, said Galvez Sniflenging legal issues and otherwise furthering the profession’s commit- ANCHOR PERSON OF THE fin. It all means a true demand for the legal services of CSS. Immigrants, ment to the rule of law and to justice WEEK — Alison Foley. said Galvez Sniffin, are susceptible in the state.” to being victims of crimes.

She also volunteers with La Red Another important component of CSS’ various lede Defensa, a Providence group that works to defend the rights of immigrants and she helped to coordinate gal services, said Galvez Sniffin, is the focus placed on the legal defense for the 31 janitors working in Rhode education. Outreach programs have been designed to Island courthouses who were arrested by Immigration educate and inform immigrants, law enforcement officials, and the community at large. and Customs Enforcement in July of 2008.

Galvez Sniffin is not surprised that Foley is flourishFoley appreciates the recognition, but what fuels her ing in her role at CSS. is the work.

“From early on, she had a certain notion of what “What we do changes people’s lives,” she said. “It has such an impact … winning a case in this kind of kind of professional she wanted to be,” said Galvez court means families stay together. People may have a Sniffin. “And it had more to do than making money.

She is attracted to the immigrant community. And she whole new life to look forward to.”

The scars of domestic violence run deep in clients has a real sense of social justice.”

Setting aside a private practice and forging into the and Foley sees in her work a real opportunity to help nonprofit community may not on the surface seem like them put their lives back together.

“You are giving them a whole new perspective on a wise business decision. But then again, Foley isn’t in life,” said Foley. “You are empowering them to be a this for the money. Simply put, she has no regrets. In survivor and to go on to do whatever they want to do.” fact, with each day her decision makes more sense.

“Once I started working in it, my passion for it has Focusing on issues such as immigration, domestic just grown and grown,” said Foley.

Foley sees a link between her work and her faith. She certainly believes that God would approve of this determination to reach out to those in need.

“I believe in what Christ taught,” she said.

“You are supposed to help every human being and care about that person as a human being.

We are all God’s children … and I think he would have stood up and spoken out.”

Traditional Latin Mass moves to St. Francis Xavier in Hyannis

B y Kenneth J. Souza A nchor Staff

HYANNIS — The Fall River Diocese’s only public Sunday Tridentine Mass will move from its former home at Our Lady of Grace Chapel in Chatham to St. Francis Xavier Parish beginning Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Tridentine Mass — more commonly known as “the traditional Latin Mass” — has steadily grown in popularity since Pope Benedict XVI issued his Summorum Pontificum decree in July 2007 allowing all priests within the Western rite of the Roman Catholic Church to celebrate the pre-Vatican II liturgy without obtaining special permission from the bishop.

“It’s been celebrated in Chatham since 2001,” said Father Andrew Johnson, parochial vicar at St. Francis who will be celebrating the Mass on Sunday. “I’ve only celebrated this Mass once in my life and I’m still learning it, so we’re going to keep it simple. We have the privilege of having a high altar at St. Francis that I think was donated by Joseph Kennedy, as a matter of fact, which we’re going to be able to use. We’re going to move the lower altar down out of the way and use the whole sanctuary the way it was designed to be used.”

Dan Linnell, a longtime supporter and regular attendee of the Latin Mass, expressed his joy over the move and said he had always hoped the Mass would be celebrated in a place like St. Francis Xavier Church from the beginning.

“It’s what we wished for when we started petitioning the diocese for a Latin Mass,” Linnell said. “We wanted that central location, because if you look at Cape Cod as a state, you’d think of Hyannis as the capital. I actually think the Latin Mass will flourish in Hyannis … we’re very happy about the move.”

Noting that the Latin liturgy had previously been confined to a much smaller venue in Chatham, Father Johnson anticipates the Mass will have a more appropriate setting within the larger St. Francis Xavier Church, which can accommodate more than 1,000 attendees. While the Latin Mass began with a small group of devoted followers, it has since grown in popularity in recent

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February 13, 2009

years.

“I think it’s more reverent,” Linnell said. “It’s focused on God, it’s focused on prayer.

It’s the Mass that was around for hundreds of years. It’s tried and true and its mettle has been tested.”

Linnell likens the difference

between the Vatican II rite and the Tridentine Mass to a group going on a bus trip.

“It’s sort of like a bus driver taking you to a destination, he’s got his eyes on the road and he’s taking you to where you need to go,” he said. “You don’t want him standing up

facing the passengers while he’s driving 65 miles an hour on the highway.”

Linnell said the Latin Mass also seems to becoming more popular with younger Catholics, so it’s not just about nostalgia anymore.

“It’s not so much the older crowd that’s interested,” he said. “I didn’t grow up with it, I was introduced to it in my adult life. I remember the first

time I attended, I asked my wife: ‘Why did we ever get rid of this?’ It was just so beautiful and majestic — it was unbelievable. I was hooked from that point.”

“This should be quite a nice experience for us all,” Father Johnson agreed. “It’s very reverent and people can pray with it and pray well and they really enjoy it.”

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February 13, 2009

Catholic singles put hope in online dating services continued from page one

like Match.com and eHarmony, he stumbled on CatholicMatch.com in February 2004, shortly after his mother passed away.

“I think my mother’s death was a trigger at least for me to look for a more serious relationship,” Montigny said. “The more I talked to other couples, the more I realized I didn’t want to deal with someone who didn’t share my beliefs. I didn’t see that as an option.”

An initial Internet search yielded several Catholic-based dating sites such as CatholicSingles.com and AveMariaSingles.com, but Montigny said he settled on CatholicMatch.com because it wasn’t sponsored by the Church and it seemed to offer the most flexibility for him.

“It’s not actually that much different from a regular dating site or dating service — it’s just that you have that common denominator,” Montigny said. “You still meet all types of people from all walks of life.”

Montigny maintained his membership with CatholicMatch.com and managed to meet and date a few women over the years, but it wasn’t until December 2007 that he found who he was looking for less than an hour away in Boston.

“I just happened to come across her profile and she had a catchphrase — something to the effect of ‘have all emotional baggage checked’ — and I used that in my response to her,” Montigny said. “I was really surprised that she responded because she was 10 years younger than me. I just assumed she’d think I was too old for her, but she wrote back. We started writing seriously back and forth for a little over a month before we had our first date.”

The person who connected with Montigny was Elizabeth Brunette and, like him, she had recently decided that her religious beliefs were going to become a priority in any future relationship.

“I had come to a point where my faith was an important aspect in my life — it hadn’t been in previous relationships and I wanted it to be in my next one,” Brunette said. “So I thought I might as well start by picking someone with the same religion … that might be a good way to do it. I just didn’t think I was going to meet someone with the same faith background that I was looking for in a bar. That really wasn’t my scene or my speed.”

Having taken some of the same unsuccessful paths as Montigny, Brunette said she felt more comfortable using a site like CatholicMatch.com in finding like-minded individuals and people she could trust.

“I’ve heard mixed things about the secular Websites like Match. com and others like it,” Brunette said. “That’s not really where I wanted to go.”

“The bottom line is this: there will always be people who are not comfortable with the slick and loose features of other sites,” said Anthony Buono, founder of AveMariaSingles.com, now in its 10th year. “I do not deny that there is a place for other sites or that God

works through them. But I feel really good about what we’re doing because we have almost no problems with stalkers and all this other type of nonsense that people deal with because it’s psychologically challenging to join our site. We are a niche within a niche — we service the less than 10 percent of Catholics out there who are truly interested in 100 percent of the Church’s teachings.”

One of the longest running Catholic-based dating Websites and probably the most stringent in terms of adherence to Roman Catholic teaching, AveMariaSingles.com provides a forum for those looking to find a spouse who shares his or her beliefs on contraception, abortion and the authority of the papacy, according to Buono.

“I don’t go for multiple choice questions, I don’t think that tells anybody anything,” Buono told The Anchor. “We have essays that force people to write out their views.

That is where someone who’s reading can actually get a glimpse into someone’s heart. It also works against a member if they just write: ‘I believe it.’ I don’t want anyone thinking they can just join our site and it’s some sort of shopping experience.”

For Paul and Raymonda Prczynodel of Ludlow, AveMariaSingles. com was the perfect forum to find each other. The couple met online in December 2005 and were married the following year. They will celebrate their third wedding anniversary in May. “That’s the good thing about AveMariaSingles.com, you know somebody is against abortion and they’re against contraception,” Paul said. “There are so many faith-based things that come up when you get married. You can’t be debating morality when you’re married. You believe in certain things and you live within those parameters.”

“The most important thing for me was to meet another Catholic,” Raymonda agreed. “I wanted someone with the same beliefs. If we’re not on the same page, how can we keep going?”

In addition to the comfort level and the trust factor involved with courting a fellow Catholic online, there’s also something to be learned about one’s own faith and beliefs in going through the dating process.

Buono said even though members may not successfully connect with someone via his Website, he considers them a success story if they come away from the experience having learned something about their own faith.

“There’s more to this problem than just ‘I can’t find someone,’” Buono said. “A lot of people can’t find themselves. So we are doing more and more to help people become better marriage material and get off this concept that God owes them a spouse. You might meet somebody — and I hope you do — but you might learn a lot about yourself and you might experience a growth in faith because of the serious faith of others. One thing is

for sure, you will have hope.”

Brunette agreed that after going through the initial sign-up process and providing all her profile information for CatholicMatch.com, she had learned something about her own beliefs.

“Filling out the profile was kind of fun and really made you think about who you are and who you are looking for, too,” she said. “It’s a good tool, I think.”

Noting that entering into a marriage is something that impacts more than just two people, Montigny stressed how familial expectations can also come into play when dealing with raising children in the faith.

“I never really understood with mixed religious marriages how they decide to raise the children in both faiths,” Montigny said. “Think about that for a second: it sounds like religious schizophrenia to me.

Say you have couple that’s Catholic and Jewish — are you going to have the children baptized? Are you going to take the children to Mass on Sunday? Religion is important in relationships.”

Thanks to a little faith and perseverance, Montigny is happy to have stuck to his own beliefs. Within a year of entering into a serious relationship with Brunette, the couple has since become engaged and will enter into the sacrament of marriage this August. While he doesn’t consider Websites like CatholicMatch.com or AveMariaSingles. com “magic bullets” in finding that perfect someone, he does think they are worthwhile resources for single Catholics.

“It may take you a while to meet someone, but I’d say put some effort into it without hitching all your hopes on it,” he said. “You have to believe that God has a plan for you to meet someone. If you can put in the time and effort, I would definitely recommend it.”

“If you’re serious about finding a partner to get married, I would definitely recommend it as well,” Brunette agreed. “But make sure you correspond with the person for a good amount of time before you meet them, just to make sure it’s someone you really want to spend time with.”

“I would say to stick with it and pray with it because it took me over five years to find somebody,” Paul Prczynodel said. “It can be very frustrating, but that’s just a part of being single.”

“Be patient — nothing happens in a day or so,” Raymonda Prczynodel added. “It may take years but you have to put the effort in.”

For Buono, AveMariaSingles. com has evolved into an avenue of hope for those single Catholics looking for someone to share their beliefs.

“All I can promise is if you join our site, you won’t feel alone,” Buono said. “But that hope goes a long way until the appointed time when God does bring someone into your life. The way I look at it is you make an investment in us and we make an investment in you.”

CNS Movie Capsules NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“Coraline” (Focus) Entrancing, though eerie, 3-D animated cautionary tale in which a bored girl (voice of Dakota Fanning) discovers an alternate world inhabited by more accommodating versions of her parents (voices of Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) but finds herself imperiled when the doubles reveal sinister plans for her. Writer-director Henry Selick’s vibrantly colorful stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s best-selling, award-winning 2002 young adult novel sees its heroine overcoming selfishness, learning to appreciate her blessings and drawing closer to family and friends. Brief partial nudity, frightening images and a few mildly bawdy lyrics. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested.

Some material may not be suitable for children.

“He’s Just Not That Into You” (Warner Bros.)

A gaggle of Baltimore yuppies portrayed by Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson and Justin Long is schooled in the rules allegedly governing modern-day romance in this glossy ensemble comedy-drama.

Director Ken Kwapis bathes his cast in a pleasing golden light but the stilted material, taken from a book penned by two “Sex and the City” writers, is too often unflattering. While traditional values are affirmed eventually, the characters regularly act in morally dubious ways that are contrary to their better natures. Frequent sex-

ual references, some nonexplicit sexual encounters, including the adulterous and out-of-wedlock variety, a story line centered on cohabitation, frequent crude language, an instance of rough language, and a few scatological references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

“The Pink Panther 2” (MGMColumbia) Modestly amusing sequel in which bumbling, but ultimately brilliant Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin) joins an international dream team of detectives (Alfred Molina, Andy Garcia, Yuki Matsuzaki and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) to solve the theft of various national treasures, a pursuit aided by his loyal assistant (Jean Reno) and his secretly beloved secretary (Emily Mortimer). Despite a lavishly talented cast, which also includes John Cleese and Lily Tomlin, director Harald Zwart’s addition to the decades-old franchise has little more to offer than some effectively chaotic slapstick, though the humor in comic scenes featuring a kindly fictional pope is at Clouseau’s expense, not the Church’s.

An implied premarital encounter and some sexual and mildly irreverent humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Movies Online

Can’t remember how a recent film was classified by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops? Want to know whether to let the kids go see it? You can look up film reviews on the Catholic News Service Website.

Visit catholicnews.com and click on “Movies,” under the “News Item” menu.

Diocese of Fall River TV Mass on WLNE Channel 6 Sunday, February 15 at 11:00 a.m.

Scheduled celebrant is Father Kevin J. Harrington, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New Bedford

The Anchor

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February 13, 2009

news briefs

Vigils, rallies nationwide focus on immigrants, immigration reform WASHINGTON (CNS) — Immigrant advocates from faith groups and Congress have been organizing two types of events to take place in dozens of cities around the country in coming weeks. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is providing how-to guides for organizing a prayer vigil or other event and gathering information about activities planned around the country as they are announced. As of February 4, Patty Kupfer, of the immigration reform advocacy organization America’s Voice, said about 80 prayer vigils and other faith-based events already had been organized for February 13-22.

The goals of all the events are to raise awareness about individuals whose lives are affected by problems with the U.S. immigration system and to build up support for comprehensive immigration reform. Meanwhile, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., was spearheading a five-week national tour of rallies, intended to “document the harm caused to citizens across our nation in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform,” as a press release from his office put it.

Information about some prayer events was posted on the site www. interfaithimmigration.org.

Tulsa bishop, Orthodox metropolitan pray at Pauline vespers service TULSA, Okla. (CNS) — Demonstrating the unity that already exists between Christian churches of the East and the West and the hope of full unification to come, Tulsa Bishop Edward J. Slattery and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver joined in a recent ecumenical vespers service. The service was on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul at Tulsa’s Holy Family Cathedral. It came a day after the Catholic bishop, the metropolitan and others participated in evening vespers at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Tulsa. “Vespers was the perfect venue for us to share with the Greek Orthodox community in Tulsa and through the metropolitan, with Greek Orthodox Christians worldwide,” said Bishop Slattery. The Christian church’s Eastern and Western halves preserve the ancient practice of sanctifying the day through the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, he added. But the lack of full unity between the apostolic churches of the East and the West — and the scandal it provokes — is the principal hindrance to the churches’ common evangelization, Metropolitan Isaiah said in his remarks.

Pope calls for protection of civilians amid fighting in Sri Lanka VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI called for the protection of innocent civilians caught up in an increasingly bloody conflict in Sri Lanka. He appealed to those fighting the war to respect “humanitarian law and peoples’ freedom of movement.” He urged the combatants to “do everything possible to guarantee assistance to the injured and civilians’ safety and allow urgent food and medical needs to be satisfied.” The pope spoke February 4 during his weekly general audience at the Vatican. Church sources estimated that 490,000 people were trapped and hundreds of civilians have been killed or injured by the intensified fighting between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam trying to retain their last stronghold. Pope Benedict said “news of increasing cruelty of the conflict and the growing number of innocent victims persuaded me to make an urgent appeal to combatants,” urging them to follow humanitarian law and better protect civilians’ basic rights.

Migration: Major social, economic force in Americas for years to come ANTIGUA, Guatemala (CNS) — To escape war and poverty, Latin Americans will continue to flock to neighboring countries and to the United States for work and security, making migration a dominant economic and social force in the Americas for years to come, migration experts said. Although reforms to the U.S. immigration system are unlikely this year, church officials said Latin American leaders should continue to push for human rights protections and policy changes that are more tolerant of migration. “Today, the rights of migrants are being punished by anti-immigration policies,” said Bishop Pablo Vizcaino Prado, president of the Guatemalan bishops’ conference. “We’d like the Guatemalan migrant to be seen as a richness, the greatest richness that Guatemala exports.” Bishop Vizcaino, who heads the Diocese of Suchitepequez-Retalhuleu, spoke in late January during an international conference on migration and peace.

The two-day conference brought together politicians, migration experts, church leaders and Nobel Peace Prize winners from across the Americas to discuss migration.

W

The fashion question

their lower ribs so that they hat do Isabel Toledo could make their waists tinier. and Jason Wu have in Keeping up with fashion can common? be expensive and time-consumThey’re both immigrants: ing since styles are constantly Jason from Taipei and Isabel changing. Some would say that escaped Cuba as a young girl doesn’t matter, since they enjoy with her family. Their hope of making it big as fashion design- investing their time and money for this purpose. But closely ers makes them partners in the following some current trends great American Dream. can be hurtful for a woman on a And fashion commentadeeper level, and she might be tors are saying that’s just why transmitting the wrong mesMichelle Obama wore their sage about how she wishes to be designs for the inauguration on January 20. In fact, do a Google treated.

When I was doing post-gradsearch on the word fashion and you get: “Inauguration dress and uate studies in Toronto, a fellow ball gown offer fashion world symbols of hope.”

Obviously it’s the first lady’s newfound fame that gives her the chance to set trends and make big statements through

By Joan Kingsland her clothes and designers. But every woman seeks to transmit somestudent constantly complained thing about herself by the way to me about the way guys she dresses. Typically she wants treated her on dates. She said to look attractive. She wants they got fresh almost immedito express her personality. She ately. She would fume because wants to feel good about herself. she couldn’t comprehend where And in looking beautiful, won’t they got off acting that way. I that be the way to find love?

But there’s also the downside tried to mention to her that the to fashion. It isn’t always practi- way she dressed (which was a tad overly suggestive) might cal or comfortable. It’s not alhave something to do with it. ways even safe. With the return She responded heatedly that she of eight-inch heels there’s been felt good in the clothes she wore a high incidence of sprained because she knew they made her ankles. My French teacher also look attractive, and that guys once slammed into the car in still should respect her. I guess front of her at an intersection the guys needed a warning label. because she was wearing ultraThis brings us to some queshigh heels: she tried to apply tions worth asking in regards to the brake, but the heel and toe women and fashion. It seems hit the floor without the shoe’s a given that styles are aimed at engaging the brake.

The downside to fashion gets making a woman look attractive. worse. Once upon a time, wom- But what kind of beauty is it?

Do current trends aim at achieven would actually take small ing the underlying goal that a portions of mercury, which is woman is seeking, namely acpoisonous, to achieve the pale look. Other women would break ceptance, respect and real love?

Faithfully Feminine Fashion

Or does anything go in the name of fashion?

How short is too short for a mini-skirt? How low should a neckline go? How sheer can the material be and how tight the clothes? Are fashion and Christian values mortal enemies? Does a woman have to choose between being a fashionfree nerd or fashionable fashion maven?

We’ve seen that Mrs. Obama is the latest trend-setter, but who else is determining the fashions and what underlying values do they have about the human person? If we follow their fashions, aren’t we assimilating those values?

A woman transmits her inner attitudes and desires through the clothes she wears. But is she conscious of what message she’s transmitting? Does she achieve what she’s really looking for?

What kind of fashion choices can she make to achieve her deepest and most worthy desires of being treated with respect and of finding true love?

These are the kinds of question I would like to address through this six-article series.

We’ll take a look at the matter from different angles: external beauty, interior beauty, projecting yourself, psychological differences between men and women and the joy of being your beautiful self.

Joan Kingsland, a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi, teaches theology at Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, R.I. She received a doctorate from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Rome.

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14

The Anchor

February 13, 2009

Our readers respond

I do not, and in face, have a son currently serving in the military, and two grandsons who will be entering the service this year. My son has proudly served his country for nearly 24 years, and I feel privileged to live in a country where young men and women still come forward to serve and protect our freedoms.

I will respect our new president, as I have respected all the presidents I have known in my lifetime. I have not always agreed with what they have done, but I know that their job is the most difficult one in the world.

May God bless our new president in his difficult days ahead, and may God bless our outgoing president as well.

Again, I thank Mr. Weigel for his words. As a Catholic, I agree that President Bush was a champion of many of our causes. We should be grateful to him for this.

Arlene M, Booker, Berkley

FOCA destroys our freedom of choice Some names are clever but deceptive. For example, the so-called Freedom of Choice Act currently filed in Congress. This legislation would require me as a taxpayer to fund abortions, which I would not choose to do.

By invalidating federal and state freedom of conscience guarantees, FOCA would force religious and other private institutions to provide or accommodate abortion access and other conscientiously opposed procedures or else will be denied any government support. Such institutions, like hospitals, while providing care to millions of poor and uninsured, Americans, refuse to allow abortions within their facilities.

Schools, healthcare providers and social service agencies would be forced to promote and provide access to abortion, and in the case of minors, to do so without parental knowledge or consent.

FOCA would also nullify state and federal legal protections for individual healthcare providers who decline to participate in abortions.

To advance their pro-abortion agenda they would deny our freedom of choice — a clever deception.

Life is a gift that God has given us.

That life is present even in the unborn.

A human hand should never end a life.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “I am convinced the screams of the children whose lives have been terminated before their birth reach God’s ears.”

Mary Ann Booth, Dartmouth

Disbelief in praise for George Bush George Weigel’s January 23 column “In praise of George W. Bush” reaches new heights of incredulity.

The eight long years of the Bush administration brought us one million more families in poverty; an economic downturn for middle and lower income households, offset by an upturn for the nation’s richest; an unemployment rate of 7.2 percent up from 4.3 percent and rising; an increase of six million individuals without medical insurance and fiscal policies that turned a $200 million surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit.

Simultaneously our nation’s morel standing and its influence declined alarmingly, a consequence of the catastrophic, uncalled-for war in Iraq and the painful ineptitude demonstrated in Afghanistan. Add all this to the employment of torture, “extraordinary renditions” and the curtailment of personal liberties. One can only wonder how a brother could be worse.

Thank God he is gone.

Edward P. McDonagh, Cumberland, R.I.

Reflections on an inauguration Congratulations to President Obama on his election to the highest office in the land. It makes me proud our nation elected a black American and obviously, one well qualified. But I wish he had been true to other philosophies than he holds.

In his inaugural address he said “We the people (have remained) true to our founding documents….”

A major portion of our nation would disagree with that assessment, borne out by his selective paraphrasing of the Constitution. He seems to have omitted that the pursuit of happiness is a God-given promise of life. He is an astute man. I assume this was intentional. We can’t have it two ways.

A human being at conception is a human being. A human being deliberately destroyed after conception is denied “the chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” It is denied the chance to take that measure.

While he speaks of assuming responsibility for our actions … for the children we conceive, he divorces it from plain and simple immorality.

He confuses me, because he states he “rejects as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” I don’t know what to believe of his words, because as concerns the rights to the immorality of killing innocents he is so contradictory.

He invoked God’s blessing upon himself and us at his inauguration.

Did he ponder God’s law before he did that? Does he know what he will invoke upon himself and us if he elevates science to what I’m afraid he means by “its rightful place?”

If our science and technology are not guided by our moral ideology, then we are neither safe nor on a true course. Sadly, a good portion of this generation is being destroyed, in conflict with being true to our founding fathers’ rule of law, rights and ideals.

Speaking of the many American ideals he said, “These ideals strip-light the world and we will not give them up for expediency’s sake.” It is a phrase and belief, which we should make our own.

I pray for our president not just for his sake, but also for that of his family and our nation.

Kathy King, North Attleboro Is FOCA postcard campaign too late?

The postcard campaign against the Freedom of Choice Act is nothing but damage control. It should never have been necessary. President Obama promised during his campaign that if elected president the first thing he would do was to sign the FOCA bill that removed all abortion restrictions and making for devastating results.

So now there is a flurry of activity to contain this evil, but is it too late?

Those of us in the Pro-Life movement knew of FOCA and Obama’s intent, but were silenced by political correctness. Our bishops and pastors, except for a few, were not speaking out. They chose either not to or were not informed by their bishops.

There is enough blame to go around.

The actions of the president began by immediately rescinding the Mexico City Policy begun by Reagan and carried on by George H.W.

Bush and George W. Bush, after having been rescinded by Clinton. In this dire financial times millions of taxpayers’ dollars will go to organizations that promote abortions abroad.

Next will come taxpayers’ money for embryonic stem-cell research.

Who is to blame? The 53 percent of Catholics who voted for Obama and the most abortion-determined administration and staff ever assembled.

But ultimately, our hierarchy who did not properly inform the consciences of Catholics because of fear, timidity, or because they did not believe this was true or important enough.

God help us all and God help America. Our nation has suffered a tremendous blow to its moral fiber and only through intense prayer, fasting and activism for justice will it recover.

Doris Toohill, Orleans

The encompassing threat of FOCA On July 17, 2007, candidate Barack Obama told the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, “The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).”

In the face of economic uncertainty and the many other challenges facing this nation, why should Americans care about this pending legislation with such a seemingly noble title?

There are plenty of reasons to care.

If passed, the FOCA would bring about a national abortion policy far more destructive than the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. This legislation would remove all abortion restrictions and would do away with industry regulations

aimed at protecting women’s health.

Abortion would become an entitlement that the government would promote and fund with taxpayer dollars, and people who are morally opposed to abortion would be strongarmed into performing the procedure.

Whether you are pro-choice, ProLife or somewhere in between, ask yourself the following questions: — should we remove regulations aimed at protecting women from unscrupulous abortion practices?

— is it fair to force taxpayers who are morally opposed to abortion to fund the procedure?

— is partial birth abortion — a procedure that involves collapsing the skulls of partially born babies — acceptable?

— is it right that medical practitioners and hospitals that object to abortion on moral, ethical or religious grounds, should be forced to participate in these procedures?

(Note: This legislation if passed, could quite possibly force the closing of many if not all Catholic hospitals. Catholic hospitals comprise a least a third of the nation’s hospitals.)

— do you want your teen-age daughter, or niece, or granddaughter, to be able to have an abortion without her parents’ knowledge?

— would you be pleased to see an increase in the 1.1 million abortions performed annually in this country?

(This legislation makes abortion — at any stage of pregnancy — a national law and legal right. And, it removes any abortion limits previously approved by state legislatures. Remember, during his campaign Barack Obama said we can all agree there should be fewer abortions. Clearly this is not the way to fewer abortions.)

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, then you should take action today to contact your elected senators and representatives and tell them to oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and to retain the laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion.

Joanne Bangs, Sandwich Praise for Weigel’s words on Bush I read with much respect the column in this week’s Anchor by George Weigel. How nice it is to hear someone brave enough to give credit where credit is due to our outgoing President Bush. If nothing else, the new president will not have all the late night comics making fun of him, no matter what he does, because they will be accused of racism if they do.

I have, for some time, felt very sorry for our outgoing president, because as a nation, we have not given him the respect he deserved.

We all have a right to disagree with his policies, but, as president, he deserved to be respected.

No other country in the world would make fun of their president as we have done in this land. Free speech is a wonderful thing, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, but free speech should be well thought out, and certainly done in good taste. I wonder what the jokes will be about now on late night television. The comedy writers might just have to really be creative for a change.

Lest one thinks I approve of war,

Evaluating President Bush and his war George Weigel’s column in The Anchor edition dated January 23 praises former President George W. Bush for seven separate actions that are part of his legacy as president.

Three of them (supporting human life from the moment of conception, setting limits on stem-cell research and helping provide medical assistance to people who are afflicted by fatal diseases) are part and parcel of our Catholic faith and indeed deserve commendation. Unfortunately, other parts of his presidency do not deserve commendation. His decision to engage in war in Iraq has cost the lives of thousands of our citizens and even more thousands of Iraqi lives. His unjustified war has opened many old wounds that existed in the relationships of Christians and Muslims. Our Church in Iraq is almost non-existent due to the inflammation of those old hatreds. Many more lives are yet to be sacrificed for the insanity of the war of Mr. Bush.

Peter Conroy, Onset The rights of women We are all becoming more and

more educated about the mind/ body connection. Many of us know personally how our thinking, our “mind,” affects the health of our body.

Father Tad Pacholczyk, in a January 16 Anchor article, writes: “when a woman suffering from pulmonary hypertension chooses to tie her tubes, however, that tubal ligation does not address or cure her pulmonary hypertension; she is therefore, opting for a direct sterilization. A direct sterilization is morally unacceptable.”

Now I find it difficult to understand how Father Pacholczyk, a celibate male, can write with such certainty about a woman who, because of her experiences, her situation, her knowledge of herself, feels a tubal ligation will relieve her of her pulmonary hypertension. Being a mother myself, I can appreciate that a woman, fearing more pregnancies than she can handle, and suffering from pulmonary hypertension, would seek a tubal ligation to free her from the constant worry and anxiety of conceiving an unwanted child in a world filled with many unwanted children.

Having that security, I can well understand how her pulmonary hypertension would be relieved.

That is basic mind/body medicine.

This decision is the right of the woman, and certainly doesn’t fall anywhere in the expertise of Father Pacholczyk.

Margaret Murphy, Falmouth Executive Editor replies: Because of our hylomorphic nature, sins in our body — such as a tubal ligation for contraceptive rather than directly therapeutic purposes, whatever the ultimate intention — can also affect the soul. As a neuroscientist and as a priest, Father Pacholczyk knows quite a lot about those mind/ body connections, which is why he addressed the subject recently for the spiritual good of readers.

The world of consecrated virgins In the January 30 edition, the article on the World Day for Consecrated Life implied that consecrated virgins are single lay people. The three state-of-life vocations are the clergy, the laity, and the consecrated. In the consecrated life there are seven branches: monastic, apostolic religious, hermits, contemplative institutes, secular institutes and consecrated virgins. Consecrated virgins are under the “consecrated” umbrella, not listed among the laity.

Also, like diocesan priests, not all consecrated branches take religious vows but all are called to live the spirit of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, just as Christ and his followers did in the early Church.

Unlike other branches, consecrated virgins offer their virginity to the Lord. It is not the vow of chastity, but the promise of virginity. Other branches can accept those who are widowed who live the vow of chastity, but who are not virgins.

On another note, thank you for the Putting Out Into the Deep columns. I find these inspiring and of great worth in growing more deeply in the faith.

Elizabeth Lee, Dighton Editor’s Note: Elizabeth Lee is the Fall River Diocese’s sole consecrated virgin.

The Anchor

15

Young celebrities reflect on power of the rosary on new DVD

Same-sex couple in Mass. landmark case to divorce

February 13, 2009 continued from page one

survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza; Ali Landry, an actor and former Miss America; and actor Eduardo Verástegui, star of the motion picture “Bella.”

“The screening premiere on Saturday night (February 7) was really uplifting,” reported Susan Wallace, director of external relations for Family Ministries in a telephone interview Monday.

“More than half of the actors taking part were gathered at the Silver Screen Theater at the Pacific Design Center in East Hollywood. And at the end of the screening we all prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary. Father Willy Raymond, national director of Family Theater Productions, said it was most likely the first time the rosary was ever prayed there,” she added.

“It made us reflect how much this is like what Father Peyton himself had done, and that we are following his mission,” Wallace said The DVD includes personal reflections by all 21 celebrities, interactive teaching tools and an historical timeline of the rosary. In addition, the celebrities pray a decade of the rosary. All the features of the DVD are designed to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the rosary and the mysteries, especially among teen-agers, young adults and families.

“The goal of this DVD is to reach people age 35 and under,” Father Raymond explained to The Anchor. “It’s a high end project. In 2002 after the Holy Father came out with his encyclical on the rosary, we asked dozens of youth groups across the country if they prayed the rosary. Sheepishly, they told us they did not, mainly because no one taught them how to.”

Two things resulted from that, Father Raymond explained. “The young people said having the rosary available on the Internet would help. But

they made it clear that having sports figures and celebrities they respected pray the rosary and the teens could follow, was dominant in encouraging them to pray. So that’s when our project for this DVD began.”

Father John Phalen, president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, whose international headquarters is in Easton, said, “We’re very excited and happy that so many young actors and celebrities across the country offered their commitment, and we think they and what they have to say will appeal to their contemporaries.”

“These young people are finding their way through faith and prayer — especially praying the rosary — as they live and work in Hollywood and all the distractions that can bring,” Father Phalen pointed out.

“So Family Theater Productions, a member of Holy Cross Family Ministries, ends up being an oasis in Hollywood to people of faith who are trying to remain close to their faith every day,” he added.

One of those voicing his comments on the DVD is Luke Bercolone, “whose dad has a business in Plymouth,” Father Phalen noted. “Luke talks about starting his family and about his wife and how the rosary plays a significant role in their lives.”

Another reflection comes from Ed Verastegui, who appeared in the movie “Bella,” who describes the importance and need of the rosary in his daily life, said Father Phalen.

“We also hear in the DVD from ‘Rambo’s’ Matt Marsden, who, by the way, is featured in the latest edition of Catholic Digest magazine.”

It includes English and Spanish tracks as well as complimentary Web features at www.RosaryStars.org. Users can post personal rosary reflections online, view celebrity biographies and photos, sign up for email blasts for updates and get further insights

into praying the rosary. Fundraising kits involving sales of the DVD can be downloaded by youth groups, schools, parishes and other religious organizations.

The DVD includes all 20 mysteries — Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious — and is being released in 2009 in conjunction with the year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Father Peyton. It honors his memory and continues his mission of encouraging daily family prayer, especially the rosary.

Other member ministries include Family Rosary USA, which Father Peyton founded in 1942 in Albany, N.Y., Family Rosary International with offices in 16 countries, and the Father Peyton Family Institute in Easton, and Lima, Peru.

The “Rosary Stars: Praying the Gospel” premier at the Pacific Design Center in Hollywood was the first of three public screenings scheduled thus far. The other screenings are scheduled for April 19, 2-4 p.m., at the Martin Institute on the Stonehill College campus in Easton, adjacent to the international headquarters of Holy Cross Family Ministries; and on May 3, at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria, Ill., in conjunction with the preparation period for the Peoria diocese-wide Rosary Marian Year, August 15, to May 31, 2010.

Simultaneous broadcasts of the DVD are being planned by Catholic TV, Boston (www.catholictv.com) and other Catholic broadcast outlets throughout the United States and Canada.

The DVD can be ordered online from Holy Cross Family Ministries at www.hcfmstore. org or by calling 1-800-299PRAY (7729). To view a trailer and to get more information about this program and its celebrities, go to www.

FamilyTheater.org or www.

RosaryStars.org.

B y Deacon James N. Dunbar

WOBURN — The two Jamaica Plain women whose 2003 lawsuit the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court used to force the Commonwealth to recognize same-sex marriage, have reportedly filed for divorce.

Hillary and Julie Goodridge allegedly filed to end their “marriage” in January in Suffolk Probate and Family Court and the case was impounded, it was reported in the February 3 edition of the Boston Herald.

Hillary Goodridge, 52, director of the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program, and Julie Goodridge, 51, an investment advisor, wed in May 2004. They share custody of their 12-year-old daughter, Annie.

Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute in Woburn, a public policy group among many that fought the effort to repeal same-sex marriage, said, “The Commonwealth for five years

has undergone great turmoil and pain because of the samesex legislation. This divorce sets us thinking: why did the state move to redefine marriage and satisfy the personal requests of two people who obviously don’t think that marriage is important after all.”

Mineau added that “while divorce is always traumatic for anyone, we feel especially for the young teen-age daughter of these women who is now caught up in all this.”

Mineau was assertive in saying, “we have not given up the fight to repeal same-sex marriage. The Legislature might have blown us out of the water when it failed to approve the Marriage Act that would have defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. But we will be sailing with that issue again, and I hope and believe that one day the Commonwealth will come to its senses again. The battle is not over.”

The Portuguese TV Mass broadcast on the Portuguese Channel February 15 at 11 a.m. will originate from Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford.

February is Catholic Press Month: A good time to subscribe to

The Anchor P.O. Box 7, Fall River, MA 02722 theanchor@anchornews.org 508.675.7151 This Message Sponsored by the Following Business Concern in the Diocese of Fall River Gilbert C. Oliveira Insurance Agency

16

Youth Pages

DISPLAYING THEIR NET WORTH — Eighth-grade students at Espirito Santo School, Fall River, celebrate Catholic Schools week by playing their teachers in an annual volleyball game.

GROWING CONCERN — A record 105 students from Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro attended this year’s March for Life in Washington, D.C. with their chaperones.

February 13, 2009

FOOD AND GAMES — The St. Mary’s Education Fund Family Winter Brunch fund-raiser was recently held at the Coonamessett Inn of Falmouth. All proceeds benefit the St. Mary’s Education Fund for the Diocese of Fall River. Top photo, children from the Hyde Family enjoy the luncheon. They attend St. Pius X School in South Yarmouth. At right at child from St. Margaret Regional School in Buzzards Bay displays the latest balloon fashions.

The Anchor is always pleased to run news and photos about our diocesan youth. If schools or parish Religious Education programs have newsworthy stories and photos they would like to share with our readers, send them to: schools@ anchornews.org

THEY GET THE PICTURE — As part of Catholic Schools Week festivities, Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth, welcomed celebrated portrait artist Rob Surette, who enhances his artwork with music, images and motivational conversation. Seventh- and eighth-graders from Greater New Bedford Catholic schools were invited to attend a second show. At left, Stang student ambassadors pose with Surette. From left: Sarah Celone, Alexandria Andrade, Matthew Pelletier, Felicia Rousseau, Surette, Ellen Carroll, Lea Noonan, Craig Forgue, Jillian McHenry, Judyth Lucien, and Shirley Pimental. At right, elementary school students spoke with Surette after his presentation.

Youth Pages Renew your vision

February 13, 2009

I

wonder sometimes that the reason why some young people don’t apply themselves fully to their education and ministry is because they believe they do it in vain. St. Paul reminds us that this is simply not the case: “My beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).

Young people conjure up these thoughts only because they don’t have a renewed vision for their lives and for their future.

Many of us at one time or another created a vision for our lives and our future. But when was the last time you thought about this vision and gave it a breath of fresh air? Sadly, some have no vision, and their lives crumble with each step they take.

Have no fear. Look to the Lord and he will give you a vision. Open the eyes of your heart to see what the Lord has in store for you — goodness, happiness and fulfillment. If you choose to blind yourself to the Lord’s vision for you, then I’m afraid that your efforts will be in vain: “Without prophecy the people become demoralized” )

(Proverbs 29:18). which “provide a framework Over the past 20 years the for the Catholic community to Church has given very serious respond to the needs of young thought to the needs and conpeople and to involve young cerns of youth and young adults people in sharing their unique in order to foster participation in gifts with the larger community” their community and mission of (RTV, 26). the Church. This is beautifully Advocacy: The Church detailed in the U.S. Conference examines its practice of fully of Catholic Bishops’ 1997 docu- integrating adolescents into the ment, “Renewing the Vision: A life of the Church. How are your Framework for Catholic Youth voices honored and heard in the Ministry.” I recommend this document to all adults in youth ministry.

Here, let me share with our young friends this vision of the Church for them, in the hope of

By Ozzie Pacheco bringing an awareness of how important their work in ministry is to our Church.

Church? How are your gifts, talThe Church has three goals ents, and energy respected and that focus on youth ministry: To utilized within your faith comempower young people to live munities? You see, the Church as disciples of Jesus Christ in recognizes what you already our world today; to draw young have, the first step in renewing people to responsible participayour vision. tion in the life, mission, and Catechetical Development: work of the Catholic faith comHelping you to develop a deeper munity; and to foster the total relationship with Jesus Christ personal and spiritual growth and the Christian community, of each young person. This is and increase your knowledge accomplished through a balance of the Catholic faith. You need of the following eight ministries, Christ in your vision — get to

Be Not Afraid

Teachers see pain beneath the surface of Gaza students

By Judith Sudilovsky Catholic News Service

music to help them talk about their war experiences. The teachJERUSALEM — On the surers also needed to prepare themface of things, life seems to be selves to deal with the children’s getting back to normal for the questions, comments and fears, students at Holy Family Catholic he said.

School in Gaza.

The priest said there are not After about 10 days of reflecenough mental health specialtive work and therapeutic play with ists in Gaza to deal with all the teachers, the children returned to trauma cases, and the school classes February 3 for has resorted to using the first time since the the staff’s pedagogihey were very scared and we cal knowledge and Christmas break.

But scratch a little tried to release their fear. resources to help the deeper, said English We told them to imagine this as a long children. teacher Ghada Rabah, are only worknightmare which has finished and that ing“We 27, and the scars remain by ourselves,” he from Israel’s 22-day we will go on.” told CNS February 4. offensive in the Gaza “We will have a better Strip. The students are, understanding of the on the whole, well-behaved and was not easy for them to resume situation by the end of the day. there is no crying, but the look their studies as before,” she said. We must start moving forward of fear is still on their faces, she “They were very scared and we (with the studies.) We must not told Catholic News Service in a tried to release their fear. We told lose any more time.” telephone interview. them to imagine this as a long He said although staffers were The violence began with Is- nightmare which has finished encouraging the students to speak raeli bombardments December and that we will go on.” and play more the children were 27 to stop the Palestinian miliShe said teachers were being “not in a good situation.” tant group Hamas from launch- more flexible with their lessons “Something has changed,” he ing rockets into Israel. Israel and allowing the children more said. “They don’t draw peaceful declared a cease-fire January 18, opportunity for play. pictures of spring; they show soland Hamas declared one the folMsgr. Manuel Musallam, diers with (weapons) and show lowing day.

Holy Family’s parish priest and always destruction, killing, burnBut as Israeli aerial attacks school director, said the teach- ing, attack, fear, escaping. They and Palestinian mortar fire con- ers had worked with the students will not draw pictures of spring tinued into February, some par- through various mediums includ- or of families. It is not the time ents were still afraid to send their ing drawing, drama, games and for that.”

know him better.

Community Life: Building an environment of love, support, and acceptance that models Catholic principles, by teaching compassion, generosity, tolerance, peace, forgiveness, acceptance, and love as Gospel values. Think about it … your vision will always include your community.

Evangelization: Sharing the Good News of Jesus with everyone. As a confirmed Catholic, your vision includes being a disciple of Christ — a living witness to his mission of love.

Justice & Service: Living and practicing the works of mercy — serve those in need, pursue peace, and defend the life, dignity, and rights of all our sisters and brothers, including the unborn.

Leadership Development: Calling forth, affirming, and empowering the diverse gifts, talents, and abilities of adults and young people in our faith communities. The Holy Spirit guides your vision to work with others as a team — leaders and followers working as one.

Pastoral Care: Promoting positive personal and family

17 development. Take care of yourself, mind and body. A healthy vision leads to a bright future.

Prayer & Worship: Celebrating and deepening your relationship with Jesus Christ through the bestowal of grace, communal prayer and liturgical experiences. See Jesus with your eyes of faith, truly present in the holy Eucharist. Truly, a vision to behold.

So has the Lord given you a vision? Has he given you an assignment to accomplish? Now is the time to grasp that vision and continue to fulfill your calling. It may not happen as you planned or expected. But be confident of this fact; that your work in the Lord is not in vain. Don’t settle for what the Lord has already accomplished through you. Yes, it’s always nice to be reminded of how God has already used you — but never lose sight of what he still wants to do with you in the future, and how he may want to build upon what he has already done in the past. So renew your vision of his will for your life, for your future, — and walk in it.

God bless.

Ozzie Pacheco is Faith Formation director at Santo Christo Parish, Fall River.

children to school, said Rabah.

One teacher is still mourning the death of his teenage son, she said, and one student has not yet returned to school after her father died during the recent fighting.

Death is still very much a reality for the students, she added.

“When they first returned to the school it was not normal. It

“T

HARDLY A NORMAL CHILDHOOD — Palestinian girls, whose house was destroyed during Israel’s 22-day offensive, look out of a tent in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip recently. Amid the ruins left by a 22-day conflict with Israel, Palestinian families have built makeshift shelters to escape the cold. (CNS photo/Mohammed Salem, Reuters)

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February 13, 2009

A New Dawn for New Bedford and Guatamalans

Hope for moral vaccines

upon publication of “Memories of Silence,” chose to close the Diocese of Santa Cruz del Quiché during the depths of the atrocities and asked all religious and priests to leave the area for fear of their lives. In response to the martyrdom of neighbors and family members, and in a pastoral vacuum created by an inhumane and rabidly evangelical military dictator, the laity of the Quiché Diocese collaborated to ensure the survival and propagation of their faith and the honor the memory of the deceased.

Many have come to learn of the ecclesiology of the Quiché Diocese through Quiché Rebelde, the widely-acclaimed study by sociologist Father Ricardo Falla, S.J., that described the encounter and social change occasioned by the Catholic Action movement in San Antonio Ilotenango during the early 1970s. While traditional Mayan spirituality and Catholicism had coexisted in many villages of the Quiché Diocese, the Catholic Action movement was seen as a sign also of modernity for the Mayan population.

Us suggests that, only a decade after Falla’s important work, the question of faith identity was a criterion used by an oppressive military to orchestrate massacres of Catholic communities and assassinate individual leaders.

“While we all could have gone into hiding, we decided

in an interview, “there were actually over 80 elective abortions before scientists produced the present day rubella vaccine.”

In the 1970s scientists developed another cell line called MRC5, taken from the lung tissue of a baby boy electively aborted at 14 weeks gestation. Descendent cells in this line are used to grow at least six other tainted vaccines.

Since Children of God for Life began publicizing this, some people have opted out of some immunizations like rubella until moral alternatives become available in the U.S., Vinnedge explained.

“Parents don’t have an ethical choice with only the combination MMR available,” Deisher said in a February 5 interview. Her company has asked Merck, which holds the license on the mumps and measles vaccines, to let it produce them in small doses.

So far, Merck has not responded either to the request from Children of God for Life that it resume offering the vaccines separately, or to Deisher’s request for outlicensing.

According to Deisher, AVM is guided by Catholic ethical principals. “Our mission is to provide doctors, pharmacists and patients with drugs and therapies that don’t require them to sacrifice their consciences,” she said in an interview published by the American Life League (ALL).

ALL and Human Life International (HLI) are among the biotechnology company’s enthusiastic supporters. HLI Director Father Thomas Euteneuer in December urged “the entire Pro-Life community” to rally behind it.

AVM is also parent to a nonprofit called Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute, which is researching the potential health consequences of tainted vaccines and educating the public about alternatives.

Sound Choice also plans to develop a “Pro-Life produced” certification stamp so doctors, pharmacists and patients can be sure a drug does not contain human DNA or cellular contaminants.

continued from page 20

that our faith needed to be preserved in our local villages,” said Us. “In our case, in Chinique de las Flores, we had been accustomed for some time to prepare candidates for sacraments in anticipation of the parish priest’s scheduled visit.

With all leadership in our diocese subject to assassination by the military and the pastoral office closed, we knew that we needed to support ourselves in light of the martyrdom in which we lived daily, as well as the encroaching Evangelical movement.” And so the Charismatic Renovation Movement was born in the darkest hour of the Quiché Diocese.

“Solidarity would be critical, we knew, as well as communication with neighboring faith communities,” he continues. “Our first training sessions, in fact, took place with colleagues from San Antonio Ilotenango, where Jesuit Father Falla had conducted his study.” Given the tradition of exuberant celebratory liturgical music, so apparent in the weekly meetings of Nuevo Amanecer at St. Kilian Parish, it is apparent that the early leaders did not intend to remain in the shadows. “The confident joy of expressing our faith together has been with us from the beginning,” Us said. “Especially at a time when so many were under solicitations from the Evangelical movement, we needed to proclaim loudly our fidelity to

our Catholic tradition.”

Individual faith development involved spending 30 minutes with Scripture daily, ongoing scriptural study, distributing scriptural dictionaries and indexes, and ongoing retreat programs.

Local leadership served for two years at a time, given the exigencies of the era and the demand of leaders to be extravigilant for the sake of the community. When the diocesan pastoral office reopened with six priests to serve 500,000 faithful, ongoing leadership development took place with the assistance of the pastoral staff.

When further social and economic dislocation saw the development of expatriate communities of Mayan Catholics in southeastern New England, the young people committed themselves to replicating the faith communities in which they had received their faith.

While the main community gathers for three to four hours each weekend, choir practices, Scripture study, and community sub-groups also meet. These address the needs of youth ministry, a women’s group, and occasional retreat days at Holy Cross Family Ministries Pastoral Center in Easton.

“When we began in those days of fear and darkness, our concern was to preserve the living Word of God in our region. None of us could have ever imagined that our pastoral training could have ever taken root like this so far away from our home.” Us stated. Taking stock of the fruits of his leadership during his first Christmas in a North American winter, Us concludes, “We can only look around us and give thanks for God’s will.”

Father Marc Fallon, CSC, is a Catholic Social Services advocate for the Mayan Community in New Bedford.

continued from page one

“Consumers should be informed and empowered to make the best health care choices for themselves and their families,” Deisher said. “Surely, if we have the right to know what’s in our fast food, we should also have the right to know what is in our medicine.”

Dr. Mark Lowney agrees. The Fall River obstetrician-gynecologist is part of Children of God for Life’s Pro-Life Physician Network.

“Pharmaceutical companies don’t tell you how they go about researching their products,” he said in an interview. “I wouldn’t have known unless someone brought it to my attention.

“Most people assume their doctor is using the most ethical therapy available,” he said. “I hope readers will be more pro-active now when they go to their family doctor. Say, ‘Do you know this treatment came from the killing of babies to provide research?’”

The Vatican document Dignitas Personae explains that Catholics have a moral obligation to oppose therapies derived from unethical methods. This means doctors and patients have a duty to demand that healthcare systems make alternative therapies available.

It reaffirms guidelines about vaccines given in 2005 by Pontifical Academy for Life. In “Moral Reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Cells Derived from Aborted Human Foetuses,” the Church points out that Catholics can justifiably abstain from having their children immunized with tainted vaccines.

In fact, their right of conscience — of conscientious objection to abstain — should be protected.

If an ethical version of a vaccine is available, Catholics should opt for that. If no ethical alternative is available, consumers may “for grave reasons” use the tainted vaccine, but they should make their disagreement known to politicians and pharmaceutical companies, and call for a choice.

This is what Children of God for Life is trying to do through its Campaign for Ethical Vaccines.

It’s also asking people to lobby Congress to pass the Fair Labeling and Informed Consent Act, which requires that pharmaceutical firms provide full disclosure in the labeling of all products that use aborted fetal or embryonic cell lines, cloned or produced otherwise.

Suggested reading: Dignitas Personae at usccb.org/comm./ Dignitaspersonae/; “Aborted Fetal Cell Line Vaccines and the Catholic Family — A Moral and Historical Perspective” at cogforlife.org/fetalvaccinetruth.htm.

Websites: avmbiotech.com for Ave Maria Biotechnology and soundchoice.org for Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute.

February 13, 2009

Sister Theresa Gonyea OP; ministered to many as a cook

Around the Diocese Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration ACUSHNET — Eucharistic adoration takes place at St. Francis Xavier Church, 125 Main Street, Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., ending with evening prayer and Benediction.

EAST TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place First Fridays at Holy Family Church, 370 Middleboro Avenue, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 8 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place at St. Joseph-St. Therese Church, 51 Duncan Street, Mondays following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 1:30 p.m. For more information call 508-995-2354.

NEW BEDFORD — Eucharistic adoration takes place 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 233 County Street, with night prayer and Benediction at 8:45 p.m., and confessions offered during the evening.

NEW BEDFORD — There is a daily holy hour from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue. It includes adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, recitation of the rosary, and the opportunity for confession.

TAUNTON — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every First Friday at Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, immediately following the 8 a.m. Mass and continues throughout the day. Confessions are heard from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., concluding with recitation of the rosary and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.

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NEWBURGH, N.Y. — Sister Theresa Gonyea, 76, of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, died February 3 in the Residential Care Center at the Dominican Sisters of Hope here.

Born in Saranac, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Albert and Anna (Dupel) Gonyea.

She entered the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Fall River, Mass., in August 1947; made her first profession in August 1949, and final Profession in August 1953.

Sister Theresa spent many years in the ministry of cooking for the Sisters. She was assigned locally to St. Rose Convent in

Acushnet, and St. Catherine of Siena Convent in Fall River, both in Massachusetts. She also served at convents in New York and Connecticut. From 19801995, she was involved in the Christian Appalachia Project in Berea, Ky., where she volunteered, ministered to Sister Theresa the elderly, and Gonyea, OP worked in the Child Day Care Center. She moved to the Newburgh Center of Hope in 1995.

Sister Theresa is survived by

three sisters: Leila Nichols of Salem, Va., Lena Defayette of West Chazy, N.Y., Ursula Bacher of Bristol, Tenn.; and a brother, Wilfred Gonyea, of Plattsburgh N.Y. She is predeceased by three sisters, Leda Defayette, Rachael Healey, and Margaret LaRouche.

Her Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated February 6 in the main chapel of the Residential Care Center in Newburgh. Franciscan Father Thomas Garone was the celebrant. Burial was in the Dominican Sisters of Hope Cemetery there. The Brooks Funeral Home in Newburgh was in charge of arrangements.

TAUNTON — Eucharistic adoration takes place every Tuesday at St. Anthony Church, 126 School Street, following the 8 a.m. Mass with prayers including the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for vocations, concluding at 6 p.m. with Chaplet of St. Anthony and Benediction. Recitation of the rosary for peace is prayed Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m. prior to the 8 a.m. Mass.

WEST HARWICH — Our Lady of Life Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Holy Trinity Parish, 246 Main Street, holds perpetual eucharistic adoration. For open hours, or to sign up call 508-430-4716.

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous: CENTERVILLE — The second annual Comedy Night featuring comedians Jimmy Dunn, Paul Nardizzi and Eric Hurst will take place February 21 at Our Lady of Victory Parish, 230 South Main Street. For more information, call 508-775-5744.

DARTMOUTH — The Kids in Christ group of St. Julie Billiart Parish will go snowboarding at Nashoba Valley on February 21. Family members are welcome to join the group, leaving after the 4:30 p.m. Mass. For more information, call 508-995-9728.

EAST FREETOWN — Emmaus is a Catholic retreat program for young adults ages 20 and older. It is a co-ed weekend for people who are seeking to grow in their relationship with Christ regardless of their current level of faith and practice. The weekends are held at Cathedral Camp and the next retreat is February 20-22. For more information, contact Kevin Rapoza at 401-624-7605, or visit www.emmausretreat.com.

FALL RIVER — The Legion of Mary of the Fall River Diocese will hold its annual Acies consecration ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral February 22 at 2:30 p.m. Bishop George W. Coleman will officiate with Diocesan Director Father Barry W. Wall. There will also be a television Mass February 21 at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Bishop Stang High School with celebrant Father Wall.

FALL RIVER — The Fall River Symphony Orchestra will perform at St. Anne’s Church, 818 Middle Street, May 3 at 3 p.m. to benefit the St. Anne Shrine Historical Restoration Fund. Tickets will be available February 23 at St. Anne’s Credit Union branches, the Fall River Chamber of Commerce, and at the door prior to the event.

NEW BEDFORD — Sisters of Reparation of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus M. Wendy and M. Grace will present the message of Diving Mercy as given by our Lord to St. Faustina, March 1 at 3 p.m., at St. Lawrence Church, 565 County Street between North and Hillman streets, followed by veneration of a relic of St. Faustina. All are invited.

NEW BEDFORD — An indoor yard sale sponsored by the Couples’ Club at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 121 Mt. Pleasant Street, will be held February 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 508-992-6583.

SWANSEA — St. Louis de France Parish, 56 Buffington Street, will host weekly Centering Prayer gatherings using a Lectio Divina format. The group will meet in the Family Room of the main church at 6:15 p.m., every Wednesday in Lent, beginning March 4 through April 8. Prayer begins promptly at 6:30. For more information, contact Charles R. Demers at forums8799@mypacks.net or 508-264-5823.

TAUNTON — Adult Faith Formation sessions covering the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” will be held on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the church hall of the Parish of the Annunciation of the Lord, 31 First Street.

Each session will include a video presentation by Father John Corapi and a question and answer period.

Pro-Life ATTLEBORO — Concerned faithful are needed to pray the rosary outside Four Women, Inc., an abortion clinic at 150 Emory Street, Thursdays from 3-4 p.m., or 4-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30-8:30 a.m. For information call 508-238-5743.

FOND FAREWELL — Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River recently honored two employees who retired in 2008. The Employee Recognition Team honored Luisa Branco, CNA, after 20 years of service and Mary Tavares, housekeeper, after 13 years with the skilled nursing facility. The retirees each received an engraved clock at the reception in their honor. From left: Jen Davis, Employee Recognition Team president, Mary Tavares, and Jerry Farrar, housekeeping supervisor. Not pictured is Branco.

In Your Prayers Please pray for these priests during the coming weeks

Feb. 16 Rev. Alphonse J. LaChapelle, Assistant, Holy Ghost, Attleboro, 1983 Rev. Joaquim Fernandes da Silva, CM, 2001 Feb. 19 Rev. Andrew J. Brady, Pastor, St. Joseph, Fall River, 1895 Rev. Leopold Jeurissen, SS.CC., Pastor, Sacred Hearts, Fairhaven, 1953 Feb. 20 Rev. James H. Fogarty, Pastor, St. Louis, Fall River, 1922 Rev. Raymond M. Giguere, O.P., Assistant, St. Anne, Fall River, 1986 Rev. Thomas E. Morrissey, Pastor, St. Jacques, Taunton, 2006 Feb. 21 Rev. Msgr. Luiz G. Mendonca, PA, Retired Pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford, 1997 Feb. 22 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jovite Chagnon, Founder, St. Joseph, New Bedford, 1954

Catholic TV Program On the Portuguese Channel Wednesday, February 18 at 9:30 p.m.

“Good News for Life” (“Boa Nova da Vida”) “What is the Role of the Christian Lay Person in the Family?”

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The Anchor

GROWING THE FAITH — Felipe Us Acabel of Chinigue, Guatemala, who recently presented retreats at St. Killian Parish in New Bedford, stands at center of second row among other retreat coordinators for the Nuevo Amanecer retreat group. (Photo courtesy of Father Marc Fallon, CSC)

A New Dawn for New Bedford and Guatemalans

By Father Marc Fallon, CSC S pecial to The Anchor

NEW Nuevo Dawn”) group of

BEDFORD — The Amanecer (“New charismatic prayer St. Kilian Parish in

New Bedford recently enjoyed a Christmas visit from Felipe Us Acabal of the Santa Cruz del Quiché Diocese in Guatemala.

Taking advantage of time

available during the Christmas holidays and the work schedules of the Nuevo Amanecer members, Us delivered an extended retreat using the themes of Hebrew Scripture prophecy,

February 13, 2009 the infancy narratives of Jesus of Nazareth, and the presence of God during times of social and economic upheaval that give way to migration and refuge for Christians living in new lands.

“Thanks be to God, this was an amazingly successful retreat for our members,” commented Epifanio Cos of the Nuevo Amanecer executive board.

“Felipe’s talks and the overall experience have been invaluable to us, worth far more than all of the planning and preparation that preceded the event.

We are tremendously grateful to Bishop Mario Molina of Quiché and to the Diocese of Fall River for their support of our prayer group.”

Us managed to maintain a busy schedule in between his formal presentations, visiting Father Richard Wilson, director of Hispanic Ministry and pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church in New Bedford, Father Hugo Cardenas of St. Kilian Parish, Mayor Scott Lang, as well as New Bedford service providers that interact with the Mayan community on a daily basis.

This is an important component for visits by representatives of the Quiché Diocese who visit the receiving Fall River Diocese. As government-sponsored health clinics remain scarce in the Mayan population centers of the Qui-

ché Diocese, visits and on-going communication benefit all involved.

“It is always helpful to us to meet representatives of the Mayan community from Guatemala,” said Isa Kales, community advocate of the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center.

Us took time to explain the catechetical formation program of the Quiché Diocese, pastoral life in the diocese two decades after the martyrdom of countless Mayan Catholics during the Civil War in the 1980s, and the pastoral goals of the charismatic movement for Mayan Catholics in the Quiché, Norwich, Conn., Providence R.I., and Fall River dioceses.

“We were a diocese of the martyred then,” said Us, referring to the early 1980s. “And now we choose to live as the Church of the memory of those who have entered eternal life.”

Gen. Efraín Rios Montt acted as the military dictator of Guatemala who focused the second half of his scorched earth campaign on the Mayan Catholics of the Diocese of Santa Cruz del Quiché. In the “Memories of Silence” report on human rights violations compiled at the end of the civil war, more than half (344) of the massacres took place in Quiché. Bishop Juan Gerardi, later murdered by the Guatemalan military Turn to page 18

Includes: Elle est toujours derrière, Quand le soleil dit bonjour, La vie en rose, Ne pleure pas, Passe le temps, Les yeux ouverts ... and more!

Also available: Collection Vol. I (1993) Includes Evangeline,

Partons la mer est belle, 25 ans d’amour, Beau-ti bébé, Entre moi, 14 songs