FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ~SLANDS
t eanc 0 VOL. 29, NO.7
FALL RiVER, MASS., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15; 1985
$8 Per Year
Manl~in:d
depends
on family
DALLAS (NC) - The destiny of humankind "will depend in great part on the care the church takes for the family in upcoming years," Vatican theologian Msgr. Carlo Caffara told American bishops last week in naHas. Among his hearers was Bishop Daniel A. Cronin. He also said one of the most serious duties of bishops is the clear presentaion of churCh teaching on contraception, abor tion and other family-related matters. The alternative, he said, is to risk profanation of the family. In the keynote address at a workshop for bishops presented by the Pope John XXIII Medical Moral Research and Education Center in St. Louis, Msgr. Caf· fara called the family "the holy temple in which God completes his greatest act." Rosa Photo
Msgr. Caffara, head of the John Paul II Institute for Stud ies on Marriage and the Family at Rome's Pontifical Lateran University, said concern for the family "is the first and most im portant expression of the church's concern for man."
FATHER COLEMAN AND MSGR. MUNROE
In Sandwich
First use of new rite
About 240 hishops from the United States, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Central Am erica attended the Feb. 4-8 work shop on "The Bishop and the Family; The Church Addresses Her Future." The annual gather ing 'is funded by the Knights of Columbus. Whi,le workshop sessions were closed to the public, a copy of Msgr. Caffara's address, "The Ecclesiastical Identity and Mis sion of the Family" was made available to the press. The Vati can theologian, however, was unable to deliver tohe talk in its entirety because of time limita· tions. Msgr. Caffara told the bishops that pastors must have a par ticular regard for the family "be cause in ,the family and from the family ,the human being is born; and because therefore in the family and from the family the church itself is Iborn." In his prepared text Msgr. Caffara criticized bishops who neglect their teaching roles, par ticularly concerning contracep~ tion, abortion and the duty of Turn to Page Six
For the first time in the Fall River diocese a priest has been formally ·installed as a parish leader with the Rite of. In stallation of New Pastors. Appropriately, the rite was used in 155-year-old Corpus Christi parish, Sandwich, the first parish established on Cape Cod. Installed was Father George W. Coleman, former pastor of St. Patrick's parish, ·Fall River. Until June 30 Father Coleman will also remain diocesan director of education, a post in which he has served since 1977. The installation rite took place last Sunday preceding the 4 p.m. parish Mass at Corpus Christi. It was developed at the requesb of Bishop Daniel A. Cro nin by the diocesan Divine Worship Commission headed by ·Father James F. Lyons, said Msgr. John J. Oliveira, com mission secretary. "The bishop first discussed the matter with the Priests' Council," said Msgr. Oliveira, "and members agreed that such a rite would be desirable." Similar rites, he· said, are in use in many other dioceses. Their purpose is to acknowledge a new pastor publicly and present him to his congregation. Normally, said Msgr. Oliveira, ,the Tite wiH be conducted by the vicar general or by the epis copal vicar of the diocesan deanery involved. At Corpus Christi the presiding vicar was Msgr. Henry' T. Munroe of the Cape 'and Islands deanery. Father Horace J. Travassos, a parochial vicar at Corpus Christi, read Father Coleman's letter of pastoral appointment aloud, then Msgr. Munroe formaBy questioned the new pastor as to his willingness to accept responsibility for the parish. Turn to Page Eleven
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UKE MILUONS of his fellow CathoHcs, Pope John Paul II receives ashes. The ceremony took place last Ash Wednesday in Rome. (NC/Arturo Marl Photo)
Repentance set
as Lenten theme
(Lenten regulations are on page 2; a calendar of Lenten suggestions is on page 9.) "On Feb. 20, with God's people throughout the world we shall embark on our Lenten obser vance, hearkening to the r.aH, 'Repent and believe the Good News!'" That was the message Bishop Daniel A. Cronin sent diocesan pastors in a letter transmitting the 1985 Lenten regulations. The bishop a·lso reminded pastors of the importaoce of catechesis with regard to penance and reconcili· ation, especially during the Len ten season. Quoting Pope John Paul II, Bishop Cronin noted that "pas tors who are zealous and crea tive never oJack opportunities for imparting this broad and varied catechesis, taking into account the different degrees of educa
tion and religious formation of those to whom they speak. Such opportunities are often given by the Biblical readings and the rites of the Mass and the sacraments, as a'lso by the circumstances of their celebration. For the same purpose, many initiatives can be taken such as sermons, lectures, discussions, meetings, and courses of re.ligious education." "Clearly said the bishop, "the outlines of a fruitful observance of the Lenten season are pro posed and sketched out for us by Pope John Paul II. I urge you to make every effoJ1 to achieve the full potential of grace made lllvailable in this holy season and I pray that Al mighty God will endow your pastoral labors with abundant blessings." I\.s in previous Lents, diocesan Catholics will participate in the Turn to Page Seven